Shielder — A new Science Fiction Romance (Book 1, Shielder Series) Read Free Page A

completed his one-way perusal.
    She jumped when he suddenly barked, "Why is
your distress signal on? Are you ill or injured?"
    His curtness offended her. Although she
couldn't see the man, Nessa decided she didn't like him. She stared
levelly at the holocorder. "My stardrive is inoperable. I need
assistance repairing my ship."
    He snorted contemptuously. "Pilgrim, your
ship looks older than your sun. I don't have the parts you'd need
for repairs, and I doubt they would be for sale anywhere. When I
get to the next star base, I'll send a tow ship for you."
    Alarm edged aside her intensifying dislike
for the man. With the Orana growing inside her, she couldn't wait
for a tow. If her ship couldn't be repaired, she needed a ride to
the nearest transport. Jarek's coins would ensure her passage to
Santerra. "It could take days for a ship to get here from a base,"
she argued, struggling to keep her voice calm. "I can't wait that
long."
    "I don't have time to play rescuer. A ship
will be here in a week. If you're low on supplies, I can give you
some. What do you need? Be quick about it."
    A week! Full-blown panic surged. Nessa
searched for words to convince this insolent, cold person to help
her without revealing her true identity. "I can't wait a week. I
need to get to the shrine of Shara. I must be there for the
eclipse. Please, you have to help me."
    "I don't have to help anyone. If you don't
need supplies, I'm on my way."
    "No, wait!" Nessa felt beginning tremors and
feared she'd have a seizure then and there. Taking a deep breath,
she willed herself to calm. "The eclipse coinciding with the
festival of Shara occurs only once every fifty seasons. I'll never
again have this opportunity to receive the full blessing of the
goddess."
    She paused, mentally sorting arguments.
"Take me with you. You can leave me at the star base. I'll catch a
transport from there. Please. This is very important."
    A long, tortuous interval of silence ensued.
"How many are aboard your ship?" he finally demanded.
    Nessa hesitated, surprised. His advanced
scanners should have provided him that information.
    "Answer me. How many?"
    "Just one."
    "That's odd. I'm picking up two life forms.
I don't give passage to people I can't trust. No deal."
    Her thoughts whirled. His readings made no
sense, unless—Turi. "I also have a pet on board. But he's the only
other living creature on the ship. I swear on the goddess."
    "I don't give a flying meteorite about your
goddess." An irritated sigh rumbled over the com. "But since you
foolishly carry no viable armament, you probably won't last the
week against pirates if I leave you here. Prepare for
boarding."
    Relieved, she sagged against the console,
easing the weight off her throbbing leg. The arrogant voice
thundered through the com again. "You may bring only what you can
carry. I'm not a freighter service. And be fast about it. We leave
in five minutes."
    Seeing no need for further discussion, she
nodded and cut the visual. She rushed to gather her few belongings.
The pouch with the coins went into the inside pocket of her tunic.
She slipped her magnasteel dagger, the only weapon she'd managed to
keep in her possession since her injury, into her boot.
    She filled a large knapsack with her meager
food supply. Turi went, chattering in protest, into a smaller pack.
"Hush," she told him. "Not a peep out of you."
    Her last act was to erase all records from
the computer. No information that might lead to Liron could be left
behind. The Controllers offered persuasive rewards to those who
found Shielder colonies. Their determination to wipe out the only
race capable of resisting their mind domination was fanatical.
    As she finished activating the delete
program, she felt the thud of a ship docking with hers. Her
rescuer, whoever—or whatever he was—had arrived.
    Nessa slipped the small pack with Turi over
one shoulder and picked up her supplies. She walked to the airlock
as the panel slid open. The man stepping through the