Sacred Planet: Book One of the Dominion Series Read Free Page B

Davin’s reach. “Are there any ships nearby? Or has anyone tried to contact you since you found me?”
    Davin recoiled. “Why would you ask that?”
    Sierra felt a weight drop in her chest. “You have. Who was it?”
    “I didn’t say anybody contacted us,” Davin said uneasily.
    “You have a bad poker face.”
    Davin scoffed. “What poker face?”
    “ Who contacted you? ”
    Davin sighed. Behind him, ignoring them, Jabron tossed small appliances and scrap metal into the airlock.
    “No idea who it was,” Davin said. “But they’re Carinian. Three ships are inbound right now.”
    Sierra’s eyes widened. “They didn’t say they were from the government?”
    Davin shrugged. “I just assumed they’re some secret agency. Royal guard, princess division, something like that.”
    “Was he wearing a black uniform? With silver buttons?”
    “Uh . . . yeah, he was.”
    “ Shit ,” she whispered. An impolite outbreak, but one she figured wouldn’t offend in this setting.
    “Who are they?” Davin asked.
    “They’re a radical faction in Carina,” she said. “Abramists. The Dominionist Party.”
    Davin’s brow furrowed. “The super-religious war hawks?”
    Jabron pressed the button to close the inner airlock door and looked up at them.
    Sierra took in a stunted breath. Could she trust these scavengers? She had no choice. “They’ve been pushing for war against the Sagittarians for decades. My only guess is they saw my ship coming out to the border planets and staged an attack to make it look like the Sagittarians did it.”
    “What were you doing out here at the border planets anyway?”
    She shook her head. “Meeting with planetary leaders. Trying to steel them against Abramist influence, sway them away from war.”
    The band around Davin’s wrist buzzed and beeped. It emitted a woman’s voice: “Got a vizchat request from the Carinians, Cap. They’re getting close.”
    He raised his wrist. “In capture range?”
    “For the past five minutes.”
    “Hold up. We’re coming.”
    His eyes lingered on Sierra a moment longer, then he pushed himself toward the hatch door, motioning for Sierra and Jabron to follow.

Chapter Five
    Davin opened his palm toward Sierra to halt her at the entrance of the crowded cockpit. Jabron, Jai, and Strange already huddled over the old-fashioned instrument panel of manual switches and keypads. Besides, he couldn’t let the Carinians see her in his ship. Not yet anyway. Not until he had some leverage, some room to set a price.
    “Say nothing about me,” Sierra said, gripping a handlebar in one hand and her loose pants in the other.
    Davin held back a laugh. She looked like a homeless stowaway. “Of course not, your majesty.”
    Strange poked her head around Jabron’s bulk. Her ponytail wafted weightlessly under the bill of her backwards baseball cap. “On the dashboard screen, Cap. Waiting for you.”
    Davin maneuvered to the dash and swiped the video icon at the bottom of the screen. An image appeared of the same man as before, graying mustache-and-chin action along with the black collar. He put on a pleasant smile that thinly masked his irritation.
    “Am I speaking to the captain of the HCC Fossa ?”
    “That would be me,” Davin replied. “Davin de la Fossa, live and in the flesh.”
    The Carinian began to speak, but Davin cut him off. “Now, before you get upset, let me acknowledge that a couple items from the wreckage did find their way onboard my ship. But they are all now accumulated in the airlock. All I’ve gotta do is press a button and they’re gone.”
    “So why haven’t you yet?” the Carinian asked with raised eyebrow.
    Davin reached across the control board and flicked a switch. A square in the corner of the dash screen showed a feed from inside the airlock as the doors opened and a bunch of knickknacks flew out. Then he flipped the switch up again and watched the doors close.
    “See? All gone.”
    “Thank you for your compliance.” The