Gateway to HeVan Read Free Page A

we didn’t know the length of our journey.  Something else we did, however, having spent so long observing Malpha’s machinations, was to put a back door into the command computers of every Gate.  We didn’t want to take the chance of being kept from returning home,” Arjun said, giving Thors a straight look and a raised eyebrow. 
    Everyone in the room understood Arjun was alluding to the fact Malpha would be made queen if Arjun and his crew came back empty-handed.  For a long time, she had plotted and schemed on ways to force a joining with Arjun and his brothers, which meant she probably didn’t want them dead but unfortunately, it left the field wide open for other schemes.
    Arjun let it sink in before he spoke again.  “We’re going to open the Gate using our override code.  We’ll have a short window of opportunity to get through before they cancel our override.  So every ship has to be ready to move on my signal.  Communications officer, link up all the fighters.  Confirm link-up.”
    Each of the fighters sounded off, as well as the Venger, responding to Arjun’s command.
    “Move forward at my mark,” said Arjun, as he and Kylan began feeding sequences into their keypads.  “Three, two, one and—mark,” he said.
    All the ships started moving forward toward the Gate, their speed increasing as they gained momentum.  Thors had faith in Arjun so he didn’t slow down even as he moved past the point where he could safely stop before striking the Gate’s energy barrier and destroying his ship and every man on board.  Just moments before impact, the Gate opened and the Venger slid through.  The lead fighters and the Explorer, in tight formation, quickly followed.  The Gate re-energized just after the last fighter went through. 
    It was too close; there was a backlash.  The fighter immediately jettisoned his power supply, which exploded seconds later.  Kylan reacted immediately by sending the closest two fighters to go to the pilot’s rescue.
    T he fighters swung around.  Flying through the field of debris, they attached magnetic tow cables to the disabled fighter.  Since the power supply had been ejected, the pilot would have limited life support.  They had a short amount of time to get him back to the Explorer.  The explosion was so close, they could see heavy damage.  As quickly as they could, they maneuvered back through the debris with no time to go around it.
    Arjun and the others on the Explorer had not been idle during the passage through the Gateway.  They had sent for Glynnis.  Recca and Rufan now occupied the two seats by the command chair and Rale stood just behind the central chair as they waited for their mate.  Arjun and Kylan flanked Rale.
    They were barely through the Gate when the door to the Bridge slid open and Glynnis MacTavish walked through. 
    Hakor , Commander of the Watch, moved to the navigation station.  He’d been tracking all the ships as they passed through in formation.  Suddenly he stood, his face paling. 
    “Commanders, my brother Makor’s fighter —it was the one damaged coming through the Gate.  He’s being rushed to the medical bay.  May I have permission to leave my duty station?  I would like to get Maggie and take her to medical,” he said.
    Before either Arjun or Rale could speak up, Glynnis d id.  “Well, of course you must go, dear.  Hurry along now—I’m sure Maggie must be worried sick,” she said, before she took her seat in the center chair.  She had shooed Rufan along as she wanted to take a little extra time with her appearance. 
    “You only get one chance to make a first impression,” she said , pushing him out the door.  She didn’t want to look like she’d just gotten out of bed and rushed into her clothes, even though that was exactly the case.  Hurriedly prepared, she had just taken her first action as Regent of HeVan.
    Glynnis wiggled around a little in the big chair.  She was five foot three with the