Page 81 of Havik: Warlord Brides
Setting the glass of not-tomato juice on the console, she flung herself into the navigator’s seat and turned on the external cameras.
Nothing.
Not even dirt, which meant the cameras were broken or disabled. Her money was on disabled. She grabbed the tiny pistol and wished Stabs were there. The kumakre was pint-sized, but terrifying in all the ways she wanted a guard dog to be.
“Computer, turn off the lights.”
The ship plunged into darkness. Fuck. It did exactly as she said but not what she wanted.
“Computer, restore the lights. Turn off the alarm.” The overhead lighting returned, minus the flashing red light. “Has the ship been compromised?”
“Negative.”
So, the red lights were for fun? Thalia didn’t think so. “Run a diagnostic on external cameras.”
Lights flickered before staying dark.
Fan-fucking-tastic.Someone strong-armed their way into the ship, hacking the security system. Poacher? Did they know Havik returned with a juvenile kumakre and egg? Did they hope to find more on the ship?
Thalia didn’t care. This was her home and she didn’t take kindly to unwelcome guests.
With the safety off and the pistol humming as it powered up, she crept from the helm toward the airlock. In the other hand, she carried her glass of juice. Don’t judge. She needed a distraction. The intruders would expect a pistol, but they would not expect her to lob glasses of juice.
Safety strips embedded into the flooring provided the only illumination. Thalia was at a serious disadvantage, not just from the darkness but because the intruders went out of their way to cause the blackout.
They knew she was on board.
Treading lightly, she hugged the walls. Thankfully she still wore the armor, more out of laziness than any foresight.
The bright light shone directly in her face, blinding her. Hands grabbed her. The juice flew. A man cursed. Using the sound to guide her, she squeezed the trigger on the pistol. A different male voice cursed.
Good. She got one of the fuckers. She faced terrible odds with however-many-the-fuck against one.
Arms wrapped under her armpits and lifted her. The pistol clattered to the floor. She kicked and howled. “Hold still, female.”
Unseen hands peeled the armor off her, leaving her in only her undershirt and shorts.
“Frek, she’s ugly,” a different male commented.
Completely stripped, the male tossed her to the ground. The fist slammed into her lower back, sending her directly to her knees. Still blinded, she raised her arms and tucked her head down. The blows continued. Distantly she was aware of being dragged forward.
Daylight spilled through the open airlock.
“No,” she cried, continuing to struggle as her feet slid across the floor.
Her assailants hauled her into the sunshine and uncompromising heat.
Chapter 22
Havik
Kaos positively beamed with an expression Havik had never seen on his father’s face. Joy. His father was pleased to see him.
Havik didn’t know what to do with this information.
“We will find her,” Kaos said.
“Was the vehicle recovered?” Havik had a thought to pull data from the onboard navigation unit. The vehicle’s computer may have recorded useful information.
