Triumphant (Battle Born Book 14) Read online

  He expelled a frustrated sigh and sped his strides. Even after the memory transfer, Rebecca seemed reluctant to trust anything he said. Convincing her to cooperate was his best chance of locating Big Jim, and Big Jim was their only tangible connection to Abaddon. Maybe Rebecca would respond better to another human female. Indigo, Zilor’s mate, would have been Sedrik’s first choice. Unfortunately, Indigo supervised the in-depth orientation of volunteers for the transformation program, so she split her time between Lunar Nine and the Bunker, a human army base on Earth. Sedrik’s second choice was Dr. Lily Fontenot, a brilliant human geneticist. Lily was quiet, but likable, and her involvement with the transformation project gave her a unique perspective on battle born aspirations. She understood what was important to them, and the lengths they would go to as they fought to make those goals a reality.

  A noticeable hush fell over main medical as Sedrik entered the large, circular room. The treatment tables were arranged along the outer wall, leaving the center area for medical staff. Lily wasn’t in the center area, so he looked in each treatment area, at least those not obscured by privacy fields.

  “Who are you looking for, sir?” one of the medics asked.

  “Dr. Fontenot,” he replied. “I need to speak with her.”

  “I believe she’s in lab three. Across the hallway and two doors down.”

  Sedrik thanked the medic then followed his directions to the largest laboratory on the ship. Unlike in the clinic, no one noticed when Sedrik entered the lab. Each scientist was engrossed in their research. Lily stood not far from the door locked in deep conversation with Dr. Mintell, director of the transformation project.

  “But none of the other test subjects reacted the same way. It was a mild incompatibility in the subject’s genome.”

  Lily’s eyes narrowed as she heard Mintell’s comment. “‘Mild incompatibility’? She was in a coma for eleven hours.”

  “I could have brought her out moments after the symptom developed, but I wanted to figure out why it happened,” he countered.

  “And have you?” She folded her arms over her chest, refusing to back down. “Why did the reaction develop and how do we prevent it from reoccurring?”

  With an impatient growl, Mintell turned back toward his holo-display.

  “Is this something of which I need to be aware?” Sedrik moved closer as he asked, “When did this complication arise?”

  Lily tensed and unfolded her arms as she waited for Mintell to answer. When the doctor ignored the question, she explained. “We moved from processing four to six couples in each location this morning and—”

  “That had nothing to do with it,” Mintell snapped. “The subject would have had the adverse reaction if she had been the only one transformed. It was an abnormality in her genome that resulted in the conflict.”

  “Does the subject have a name?” Sedrik asked.

  “Kendra,” Lily told him.

  Sedrik didn’t recognize the name, but it bothered him when the female volunteers were objectified. “Is she all right?”

  “She is fine,” Mintell insisted. “I have identified the chromosome containing the abnormality, but it is highly unlikely we’ll encounter another female with this obscure mutation.”

  “Even so, I want a precautionary scan added to the protocol. If we lose even one of these females, others will be hesitant to volunteer.”

  Mintell glared at Lily, then whispered, “Did you tell him to say that?”

  She didn’t bother with a reply. Instead, she looked at Sedrik as she slipped her hands into the pocket of her grayish-blue lab coat. “Did you need something specific, or did you just drop by for a progress report?”

  “I have a personal favor to ask of you, but it can wait if the timing is inconvenient.”

  She blew her silky black bangs out of her eyes. “If it gets me out of this lab for a few minutes, I’ll do anything.”

  Sedrik looked at the human with objective assessment. She was lovely, with sleek black hair that fell to her waist without any hint of curl. Her features revealed her Japanese heritage, yet her eyes were pale blue. He found the contrast striking and her intellect fascinated him. Still, she failed to stir the same sort of hunger he felt whenever he looked at Rebecca.

  He motioned her out of the lab before beginning this explanation. The conflict brewing between Mintell and Lily was obvious. “I didn’t realize he was so territorial when I asked you to work with him.”

  “At first I thought he didn’t like me, but I’m relatively sure now that he doesn’t like anyone.” She fell in step beside him, not even asking where they were bound.

  Sedrik smiled. “He wasn’t recruited for his temperament. He’s the best geneticist on Rodymia, and we desperately needed the best.”

  Lily nodded. “Despite the conversation you overheard, we have found a rhythm that allows us to accomplish our goals. I know how far I can push him and when to back off or redirect.”

  “I’m glad. Your knowledge is invaluable, but I also know you advocate for the volunteers. I find both roles equally important.”

  “So do I.”

  “Good. Well, what I need from you today has nothing to do with the transformation program.” Her eyebrows lifted, but she waited for more information before reacting. “I brought a young woman on board. Her name is Rebecca and she has direct connections to a man I’m attempting to locate.”

  “Do you mean Big Jim?”

  “I do, but how did you know?”

  She smiled, relaxing enough to free her hands from her pockets. “Even on a ship this large people talk. The rumors about Abaddon are varied, but everyone agrees that Big Jim is the key to finding out the truth about Abaddon.”

  Surprised by the accuracy of ship’s gossip, he said, “I agree. At one time Rebecca was married to Big Jim. The relationship was not pleasant and it has made her leery of males in general and Rodyte males in particular. I have tried to convince Rebecca that we mean no harm to her or humans at large, but she doesn’t trust me.”

  “You think she’ll trust me, just because I’m a human female?”

  She made it sound hopeless and he wasn’t ready to give up. “I’m hoping she will listen long enough to determine whether or not she can believe anything you say. You have a unique perspective. All the other human females have been claimed by Rodyte males, which makes them biased in Rebecca’s eyes.”

  “I’ll give it a go, but don’t expect miracles.”

  “An honest attempt is all I ask.” He paused, ready to move on when some practical issues barged to the surface of his mind. “Except…”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t think of this before, but Rebecca hasn’t eaten since yesterday and I’m sure she would appreciate a shower and clean clothes. Can you make sure she has everything she needs to be comfortable?”

  “Of course, sir.” She inclined her head with a tentative smile. “I’ll take care of it.”

  “She’ll also need the same vaccinations given to volunteers, as well as com-bots. Well, the com-bots are optional, the vaccinations are not.”

  “Understood. Can we stop by main medical so I can gather what I’ll need?”

  “Of course.”

  He escorted Lily to main medical and silently stood by while she found the appropriate injectors. Then he led her to his quarters, but didn’t accompany her inside. The less time he spent with Rebecca, the better right now. They were both too sexually frustrated to think clearly.

  Next he went to his office, overlooking the largest launch deck. Video surveillance allowed him to see any area on the ship with a voice command, but there was nothing like the rumble of a Stinger about to take off. He never tired of the explosive acceleration or the breath-stealing precision required of the pilots.

  He slipped in behind his desk and opened the three-word message from Zilor. All it said was Here you go, but it listed the cave’s coordinates. One mystery solved. He knew the exact location of Rebecca’s f
avorite hiding place and would see to the portal’s destruction. Sedrik pulled up the coordinates on the ship’s mapping program and studied the area. The location was in the middle of nowhere on the border between Colorado and Kansas. There were no structures, nothing marking the location. How strange. And yet it made a certain sense if the cavern really was nothing more significant than an out-of-the-way place where the Evonti stashed their weapons.

  But what about the wall markings, the portal, and the evidence of terraforming? It was too similar to what they’d found on Lunar Nine to be coincidental. And what about the other locations? Riverside and the office building in L.A. Did they house portals as well, or were they some sort of power source or signal relay? According to Rebecca, the L.A. location had been destroyed. But what should he do about the house in Riverside?

  His lead investigator, Kaylar, would have the most up-to-date information, so Sedrik pinged him.

  “This is Kaylar. How can I help you, sir?” Though Kaylar had served the Triumphant’s original commander, Sedrik was quickly learning to trust and depend on the shrewdly intelligent investigator. Kaylar was efficient, thorough, and creative enough to see beyond the obvious.

  “I discovered another portal. I just sent you the coordinates to the cavern in which it’s housed.”

  “I received them,” Kaylar told him. “Do you want this one destroyed as well? Our scientists are desperate to get their hands on a portal, preferably while it’s still operational.”

  This wasn’t the first time Kaylar had mentioned the need to study the portals. Destroying them was the safest course of action, but information was power. “Take a science team with you. Tell them they have three hours to collect data, record images and run scans. There is some sort of drawing on the cave wall. I want detailed images of that as well. But after three hours, I want the portal destroyed and the cavern collapsed if possible.”

  “Understood,” Kaylar assured him. “I’ll give them three hours and not a minute more.”

  “Very good. Have you made any progress getting into the Riverside room?”

  “No, sir, but we haven’t been very aggressive.”

  “Well, it’s time to take the gloves off. It stands to reason that it’s another portal or some sort of relay. Blast your way in, if you must, but we need to know what’s in there. If it’s a portal, destroy it. If it’s anything else…”

  “Collect data and then destroy it?” Kaylar suggested.

  “Exactly.” He started to sign off, then added, “Keep me informed every step of the way.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  Next Sedrik pinged Garin Nox, requesting a person-to-person holo-com. Even though the request had come through Zilor, Sedrik knew an official directive when he heard one. He’d left his post for the better part of a day. Now his supervisor wanted to know why. Sedrik had known the apex general his entire life. They’d attended training together and often spent breaks at each other’s homes. He knew Garin had been largely instrumental in naming him the first battle born general. Still, it was hard to think of Garin as anything other than a good friend.

  Garin accepted the ping, but when his holographic image appeared, he wasn’t alone.

  Sedrik straightened in his chair, already feeling blindsided. Garin sat at a small round table with all three members of the newly elected Triad. The representative council had replaced Rodymia’s tyrannical ruler. The change had been a turning point for the battle born rebellion, allowing them to start implementing crucial changes. Bandar Nox represented the battle born, Letos, a powerful technomage represented the guilds and the elite, while Haven Tandori brought forth the concerns of Tandori Tribe and the other commoners. Garin headed the military, but he refused to be anything other than a trusted advisor to the council. He insisted that one Nox on the Triad was enough.

  “Good evening,” Sedrik greeted. Even though he’d instigated the com, he’d done so at Garin’s request.

  “Glad to see you’re still with us.” As usual Garin didn’t waste time with frivolities. “Care to explain why you left your ship?”

  Sedrik tensed. He’d known this conversation was coming. He just didn’t expect to have it in front of the Triad. “Thea Cline told me how to find Rebecca Dayton, so I went after her.”

  “You have thousands of trained soldiers at your command,” Letos reminded. There was no rancor in his voice, just confusion. “What skills do you possess that a tracker does not?”

  “Three teams of trackers attempted to apprehend her and failed. I had an exact location and wanted to make damn sure she didn’t slip through our fingers again.”

  “Zilor already told us you succeeded,” Haven told him.

  “I did, and Rebecca was not happy about it.”

  “Will she refute the video showing her ‘death’?” Garin asked. “It has been so long since the video went viral, I’m not sure how much impact a correction will have, but I think it’s worth a try.”

  “I’ll ask her.” Sedrik straightened his back and cleared his throat, determined not to let his defensiveness show. “I see no reason why she won’t agree.”

  “So what took you so long to return?” Haven prompted with a faint smile.

  “She used an Evonti device that teleported us to a cavern. The device can only be activated every twelve hours, so we were stuck in the cave.”

  “What about your panic button?”

  As usual, Garin missed nothing. He was the most perceptive person Sedrik had ever met. “I chose not to use it. Sharing a semi-traumatic experience often creates a sense of camaraderie. I used this shared experience to earn Rebecca’s trust.”

  Bandar snickered. “According to Zilor that’s not all you earned.”

  Sedrik ignored the comment and focused on Garin. “There was a chamber in the cave similar to what we found on Lunar Nine, complete with a small portal.”

  “Really?” Garin leaned forward, forearms resting on the tabletop. “Can you return to this cave? Do you have any idea where the device took you?”

  “There was no indication on the device, but I activated my panic button and left it in the cave. Zilor picked up the signal and gave me the coordinates.” He went on before anyone could get too excited about the discovery. “The cave is in the middle of nowhere and Rebecca is relatively sure we have the only transport disk.”

  “I see.” Garin sighed. “I’d still like the coordinates.”

  “Of course.” Sedrik transmitted them to Garin. “There were also strange markings on one of the walls. They were obviously Evonti symbols, but Rebecca didn’t know what they signified and I’ve never seen the exact arrangement before.”

  “Can your investigative team handle this, or shall I send you some experts?” Letos asked.

  “Do the guilds have an expert in Evonti symbols?” Sedrik challenged.

  Letos responded with a smile. “Point taken. Will you instruct your team to forward images of the symbols to me?”

  “Of course.”

  “Study the symbols all you like, but that portal must be destroyed,” Garin stressed.

  “Already on it,” Sedrik assured him. “Though I did authorize a three hour investigation before its destruction. We’ll take every precaution, but we need more information about these portals.”

  Garin didn’t look pleased, but he didn’t argue.

  “Has Rebecca agreed to help us, or did her cooperation end once she was released from the cave?” Haven asked after a tense pause.

  “She’s told me a couple of things that might be helpful, but I’m still working on full cooperation.” He tried not to sound as frustrated as he felt. Did he dare omit the discovery of their compatibility? It wasn’t really any of their business. And yet it was. “There is a complication.”

  “You mean the fact that Rebecca is your potential mate?” Garin looked at Letos and smirked.

  How had they found out he was compatible with Rebecca? He hadn’t told Zilor. “I won’t let it distract me and—”

  “
It’s an opportunity,” Haven cut in. “Just like your stay in the cave. You need to use it. I know that sounds cavalier, but we’re running out of options.”

  Haven was mated with a harbinger, a powerful clairvoyant. Was that how these four had learned about the complication? “Did Danvier tell you about me and Rebecca?”

  Garin waved his hand dismissively. “It didn’t take a psychic to spot the signs. Zilor said your scent was all over her. Seducing a prisoner isn’t only immoral, it’s illegal. Only the pull could have gotten you to bend the rules on anything.”

  Sedrik hadn’t set out to mark her with his scent, hadn’t even been sure that the intimacies they shared were enough to make a lasting mark. Apparently, they had. “I’m not sure it matters. She is incredibly distrustful of men.”

  “Good thing you thrive on challenges.” Garin arched his brow as if daring Sedrik to contradict him. “Finding out about another cavern is intriguing. However, your unauthorized adventure isn’t why we requested the com. The Outcasts are a bigger problem right now than Abaddon.”

  Sedrik wasn’t sure he agreed, but he didn’t argue.

  “Do you have a way to contact Arton?” Letos asked.

  “My brother is dead,” Sedrik said sternly. This wasn’t the first time others had refused to believe that Arton was beyond their reach. Usually it was Garin. But Sedrik knew the cold hard facts. Arton Lux was dead, had been for many years. “There is no reason to contact the Heretic.”

  “Answer the question,” Garin snapped just as vehemently.

  “I don’t have a way to contact him, but I think my mother does. She’s sneaky like that.”

  Garin smiled. “I can vouch for that. Skyla Lux is one of the most cunning females I’ve ever encountered. She has ways of twisting anyone to her will.”