Legend Beyond The Stars Read Free Page A

of the crafts. Four lines of warriors marched towards the shuttles which were fired up, the blinking lights on their undercarriage signalling their readiness for flight. High above the runways, behind blast-proof flexiglass, technicians worked at their respective stations relaying instructions into their comms.
    Tarak and his men split up, each heading to man separate transport shuttles.
    He stalked towards the lead shuttle. The men pounded their chest with their right hand once in salute. Tarak acknowledged their sign of reverence. As he entered the craft heading towards the flight deck, he keyed in his protective armour code. From the confines of the armour encasing his shoulders and neck, a helmet emerged to mould against his head. The advanced nano technology immediately connected to his brain.
    The barrage of information always came with a slight electric charge which never failed to cause his muscles to spasm in protest. He rolled his shoulders to shrug off the discomfort, settled into the pilot’s seat, his concentration already centred on the task ahead.
    He would need to ensure they had more than one exit plan.
    Neither he nor his second-in-command trusted the Scaleen traders. His lips curled in a forbidding grimace at the forthcoming confrontation. The transport shuttle left the relative safety of the Darkon battle cruiser, the angular shape of the traders’ ship in his sights.
    A small contingent of twittering Scaleen traders glided along the curved corridors on their hover boards.
    In their wake, Tarak and his men marched with military cadence, weapons primed and ready. All sensors tuned into the smallest hint of trouble.
    Beside him, he observed Magar utilise his compu unit to sweep the chambers hidden behind heavy metal doors which lined the long corridor for signs of concealed militia.
    So far, nothing.
    And that by itself bothered Tarak. The hairs on his nape prickled.
    Tension radiated off his men. His body tightened with the effort of maintaining control as adrenaline surged through his blood stream. Too much depended on him and his warriors. If the Scaleen traders deceived him, he would have difficulty in reining in his vengeance.
    They stopped outside a well secured door and one of the traders performed a complicated series of codes on the control panel. The door slid open.
    “Come. Come. You shall see. Here is what you have been seeking,” hissed the Scaleen leader. His one bright red eye glowed, an unholy beacon in the darkness of the grey hood which covered his pointy head. “Three energy chips is the price. You must pay now.”
    In his excitement, his hover board wobbled. He pitched sideways with an agitated squawk.
    Tarak brushed past. Behind him, the trader grumbled in his wake as he entered the chamber. His men followed, fanning out on either side of the entrance. By force of habit, fiveremained outside, their weapons pointing down the corridor which stretched in both directions.
    “By the holy hem of Cercis’ cloak, they register as human. And carbon based.”
    He heard Magar mutter as he rechecked the scanner. Tarak noted the instrument in his subordinate’s hands give a minute wobble.
    Tarak stood motionless, legs apart, his in-built scanners first checking the room for danger and then zeroing in on the inhabitants. There appeared to be around forty or fifty of them bunched together at the far end of the room. A small group of five stood in front and gave the impression of a protective barrier. He raised his brows.
    Most unusual .
    His stomach muscles clenched. Had those rogue traders found something of value? He drew a deep breath. Through the filters in his suit drifted the familiar scent of fear.
    And …?
    He scowled. Inhaled with deliberation using all his senses to collate data and analyse. A faint whiff. A scent he had almost forgotten. Female .
    Then, to his extreme astonishment, sexual interest stirred deep down in his groin.
    Nostrils dilating, he stalked towards the group in the