Author
Gail Koger
In the beginning…
The grand opening of our galactic police station didn’t have balloons or confetti to celebrate. Nope; it was just me and Gita. Qa’a was meeting with Zarek on Tanith. Kaelen and Dad were handling a bar fight, and Xyler was attending Jaxor’s first blood ceremony on Sariel’s ship. Me, his mother, wasn’t invited. Grrr.
The minute I released the locks on the front doors five Genghis Khan wannabes strutted in wearing lacquered red body armor and funky domed helmets with antlers. Gotta admit I was a bit taken aback when they broke into an acrobatic dance with their swords. I kept waiting for them to take off their buddies’ heads.
Gita perched on my head. “They silly.”
“Yep.”
“We proclaim our promise to vanquish the vile destroyers,” The warriors yelled mentally, and in unison no less, as they hopped over and around their twirling swords. “Waewae tama-nur-ra. We are the death bringers”
I rolled my eyes. Were they confessing to a crime or just really stupid bad guys? “Who are you planning on killing?”
One warrior stepped forward. “You. Mistress Lilkee wants your head.”
“Me? Why? I’ve never met Mistress Lilkee.”
“You are a vile destroyer,” the warrior answered.
I dodged a sword thrust. “What exactly am I destroying?”
“Your foul blood will dilute the purity of the Coletti race.”
“Uh-huh” Kaelen knew all about these freaks and he could deal with them. “Glue them to the wall, Gita.”
Splat!
Splat!
Splat!
Splat!
Splat!
“Waewae tama-nur-ra. We are the death bringers. There is no escape from our wrath.”
“Shut them the hell up, Gita. They are giving me a headache.”
Splat!
Splat!
Splat!
Splat!
Splat!
The Death Bringers mumbled incoherently and to my surprise didn’t use their mind speak. Weird.
The front doors slid open again and an elderly Bjarke female walked in. Her purple hair was streaked with silver and her crappy, pieced together armor barely covered her. She took one look at my webbed-up prisoners and a feral smile formed on her mouth. “I want the dispatcher job.”
I frowned. Hunger, weariness and desperation radiated from the old woman. “The job hasn’t been posted yet. How did you hear about it?”
“I am Bjarke. We hear things.”
“What makes you think you are qualified for the dispatcher job?”
A Death Bringer charged through the front doors, screaming “Waewae tama-nur-ra!”
The old woman casually tripped him, kicked the sword out of his hand and kneed him in the fact. “I am Bjarke.”
Splat! Gita glued the dazed Death Bringer to the floor.
Gotta say I was impressed. For an old gal she had some moves. I gestured to the chairs that were bolted to the wall in the lobby. “Let’s talk.”
Relief flashed across her face as she bowed deeply and sat proudly on a chair.
“My name is Lexi. I’m one of Qa’a’s enforcers.”
“I am called Alora. My mate, Krath, was the Chieftain of the Bozzik clan.”
“He’s okay with you getting a job?” Call me surprised. Most galactic cultures didn’t believe in women’s rights.
Grief shadowed her eyes. “He was killed in ritual combat by Zorblay.”
The Bjarke used ritual combat to determine who their leaders would be, and to settle disputes. “This Zorblay is a member of your clan?”
Rage hardened her features. “Yes. Zorblay was my son.”
“Was?”
“When I refused to bow to him, I was banished from my clan.”
Yikes, that was a bit harsh. I glanced at the small bag at her feet. It probably contained all her worldly goods. “I’m starving. Would you share a meal with me, and we can talk about the job.”
“I would be honored.”
“Good. Keep an eye on our prisoners Gita.”
Gita jumped on the counter. “Me will.”
“The Tabor serves you?” Alora kept a wary eye on Gita.
“She’s family.”
Alora’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Family?”
“Yes. Family.” Before I could secure the front doors, an Askole warrior in full battle armor rushed in. He tripped over the Death Bringer glued to the floor and did a face plant.
Oh, hell, that wasn’t good. “Are you okay? We’ve had a bit of a problem with Death Bringers today.”
Letting out an ear-shattering battle cry, he shot to his feet and backhanded me.
The blow knocked me against the wall. Stars sparked across my vision, and I fell to the cold metal deck. Ouch. I shook my head to clear it. I hadn’t seen that one coming.
“Where is the infant?” The warrior demanded.
I struggled to sit up. “What infant?”
The warrior drew his sword. “Answer me or die.”
Alora pulled her pistol and shot him.
A crackling red energy storm engulfed the warrior. All it did was piss him off. He punched Alora in the head, and she hit the floor beside me.
“Where is the infant?”
Splat! Splat! Splat! Gita webbed him to the wall, squashing the poor Death Bringer behind him.
The warrior roared in fury and struggled to free himself.
The Death Bringer made squawking noises.
I linked with Xyler. “I have an Askole warrior here demanding that I tell him where Jaxor is.” I flashed him a mental image.
“Mokok!”
Scrambling to my feet, I helped Alora up and backed away from the Askole. “The traitor who gave Jaxor’s mother to the Tai-Kok?”
“Yes. Do not engage him in battle. I want the honor of killing him.”
I rolled my eyes. Testosterone was the bane of the universe. “Then get your ass down here.”
COPS in Space: Vengeance