Scarred - Tana Stone Page 0,2

wedding planner on the Boat?”

The side of Dorn’s mouth quirked up. “The little guy was actually my wedding planner, and my bride is insistent that he be returned safely. I know you have been told that the tribute brides are our highest priority, but I am personally asking you not to leave without Serge.”

Now it was Brok’s turn to give his friend a questioning smile.

“Trust me,” Dorn said. “Human females are quite stubborn, and I do not want to experience my mate’s wrath if anything bad were to happen to Serge. Not to mention the ire of half of the tributes on the station.”

“You have my word I will find both Serge and the bride and return them to you. I am sure the tribute’s mate is eager to see her returned.”

“Actually, this last bride has not been matched yet. The matching software that had been developed to pair up the brides with Drexians was damaged in the Kronock attack, and my mate refuses to let us go back to the old way of matching tributes. She called it ridiculous and painfully dated.”

Brok didn’t know what any of that meant, all he knew was that the female he’d been fantasizing about was not intended for another Drexian. “So, Madeleine will not be matched until she returns to the Boat?”

Dorn’s eyes flickered. “Correct.”

Brok realized he’d called the tribute by her given name, so he quickly cleared his throat. “How are repairs on the Boat progressing?”

Dorn’s expression darkened, and he rubbed a hand across his stubbly cheeks. “As well as can be expected, after the Kronock’s cowardly attack. Most of the damage was superficial, but the holographic systems needed to be rewired. Luckily, the attack revealed areas we needed to update, so the new and improved Boat will have much stronger shielding and significantly more weaponry.”

“Your idea?”

Dorn smiled widely. “Perhaps. If our enemy now has jump technology, then the Boat will always be a target. I argued successfully that she should be outfitted more like a battleship and less like a pleasure cruiser.”

“If he had his way, the bridge of the Boat would look like an Inferno Force battleship.” Another face appeared in the view screen. This one with shorter, lighter hair, but the same, vivid green eyes.

Brok recognized him immediately as Dorn’s brother who had served on High Command before his brother had taken his spot. Many times, it had been Kax who had given him updates and orders from the Drexian leadership. “High Comm—“ he began, then stopped himself.

“Kax,” the Drexian said. “Just Kax now. I am here simply in my capacity as a military intelligence officer.”

“Lucky bastard,” his brother muttered.

Kax chuckled low. “It is good to see you again, Captain Brok. I was pleased to hear it was your ship pursuing the final missing tribute bride and Serge.”

“We are approaching Spartos. I hope to have good news for you once we are within communications range.”

“That is what I wanted to talk to you about.” Kax’s face became solemn. “You should not approach Spartos like you would any other planet.”

“I know they do not welcome interference with other species,” Brok said.

Kax shook his head. “Their level of xenophobia is unprecedented. If they know your ship is in orbit, they might fire on you, and we just don’t know if your ship would survive.”

Brok shifted in his seat. “They would fire on an Inferno Force battleship unprovoked? That would mean war.”

“They would not view it as unprovoked. They consider any contact to be an act of aggression. Even diplomatic requests. And a war with Spartos is not the best way for us to get our tribute and Gatazoid back safely.”

Although Brok’s heart pounded at the thought of a skirmish, he knew the intelligence officer was right. It was not the best way to rescue the prisoners safely.

“If you use your stealth shielding, you should be able to orbit the planet without being seen. From our last reports, we know that the planet flies patrols regularly to guard from any incursions, but a single stealth shuttle should be able to slip by, if you time it right.”

Brok pressed his lips together. He had not envisioned a rescue mission on a shuttle, but if that was what it took, that is what they would do. And he would lead it himself. He knew he would never be able to stay on board the ship while Madeleine was below on the planet. No. He needed to be the one to go after her and