Page 38 of Possessed By the Dragon Alien
“Do it,” Madrian said.
Rien plotted their course and engaged the thrusters. “Everybody strap in. When we engage the space fold mod, it will be disorienting.” The ship surged forward. Its frame vibrated with the increased power output.
“What should we expect when we arrive?” Nena asked.
“Unknown,” Rien said. “The Zaruxians are cautious by necessity. But if they’re looking for you two, maybe it will be easy. Let’s hope for a happy family reunion.”
Thatwas unlikely. Madrian understood caution, and if his Zaruxian brothers knew half as much about him as he knew of them, they were well aware that until very recently he was an Axis high chancellor. One of the Twelve.Thatwould not work in his favor.
“We’re in position. Engaging space fold,” Rien announced. “Brace yourselves.”
Through the viewport, stars streaked past them, but then they warped into a smear of color. Madrian had done this many times before, but it was no less strange every time. He turned his head to see Nena. She gazed out with a look of awe. He hoped she wouldn’t throw up when they emerged from the fold. Often first-timers did exactly that.
When they dropped out of space fold, Rien’s small shuttle drifted. Power was at minimum. Thrusters weren’t online yet, and they were definitely visible to anyone with a scanner or eyes. The cloak was indeed down. As were weapons. Madrian gritted his teeth, not enjoying feeling so exposed and defenseless. He peered out the viewport, expecting to see a ship, a station, maybe an asteroid base.
Instead, he saw debris.
“What is this?” he asked, turning to the sensor panel.
“Scanning now,” Rien said. Her voice was tight with concern. “I’m reading large metal fragments, but clouds of energy from ruptured power cells are impeding the scanners. From what I can see, it looks like the remains of several ships.”
Madrian’s tactical instincts went on high alert. “How old?”
“Difficult to tell without sending out a probe. Could be recent, could be many cycles old.”
“Are we too late?” Nena asked. Her voice was small, filled with worry.
“I don’t know.” Rien continued scanning. “Wait. I’m picking up something else. A transmission.”
Madrian tried to adjust his uncomfortable wings. This chair was not made for them. “Put it through.”
The communication system purred back to life, filling the cabin with static before resolving into a clear voice.
“Unidentified vessel, state your designation and purpose in this sector.”
The voice was male, sharp with authority and suspicion. He couldn’t tell if the voice was Zaruxian, but heknewit wasn’t Axis. Agents’ accents were specific and clear.
“This is Operator Rien, operating shuttle class Binaris, 4452-2B,” Rien responded. “I’m carrying passengers who have preclearance. Access code is…” Rien paused to find the code on her screen. “D73-99X.”
A long pause. Then: “Stand by for verification.”
Several tensepikspassed before the voice returned.
“Operator Rien confirmed. However, the nature of one of your passengers presents a security threat. Can you confirm that you have a high chancellor of the Axis aboard your vessel?”
“Forfek’ssake,formerhigh chancellor,” Madrian muttered, taking over the communication. “I am no longer affiliated with the Axis.”
“Words are cheap, Chancellor. Proof is not.”
Were theseactuallyhis brothers? He drummed his fingers on the console. “What proof do you require?”
Another pause, longer this time. When the communication resumed, it was a different speaker. This voice was deeper and it carried the weight of careful consideration.
“First, you will disarm your vessel. All weapons offline, all defensive systems disabled. Second, you will transmit all storeddata and passenger information for our review. Third, you will send the Terian female to us first, as a gesture of good faith.”
Madrian’s fingers ceased tapping. “Unacceptable.”
“Chancellor?”
