{Reipon}
“That’s it. We’re broadcasting.”
Korac was relieved and exhilarated by Tumu’s proclamation. The entire Vast Collective paid witness to the story of Korac’s life for however long they circulated it. Every dirty secret. Well, aside from the ones Sagan wanted redacted. He smirked at her through the glass separating the studio from the Enki-tech sound booth.
Said gorgeous young blond badass raised the most adorable thumbs up with a goofy grin to match. Her eyes—the most perfect violet—sparkled, reflecting the diamonds that freckled her face and adorned her hair. The carbon stones armored the otherwise mesh slip of a mini dress. Not to mention the incredibly sexy, adamantine-studded collar that spelled an important word between them.
General.
As in, he, the former, and she, the current General of the Two Worlds’ Armies.
Today they corrected a befouled memory for Sagan. The two of them danced all evening at some Prince’s elegant birthday party. Stole the spotlight, really, but that might be their attire. Or maybe their description fit two of the most wanted fugitives in the Vast Collective. Minus the two signature axes, of course.
It was a crime to possess white hair, pale eyes, and more charisma than the entire planet famous for its monopoly on the porn industry.
Korac straightened his silver tuxedo jacket with diamond-crusted lapels before turning to back to the blue alien in the room. Tumu. The sound of Korac’s voice played all around them. Only slightly unsettling. “How many are we expecting?”
The Gargantuan Tritan, once a Primary now a double-agent Officer, shrugged inelegantly. He blinked the clear film over his eyelids twice—A tell. Tumu was nervous. “Sixty at the festivities. Two hundred on the way. At least. The Reipon Lamias take their role as the Vast Collective’s official historians seriously. Frighteningly so. And you just upheaved public understanding of what that history is, and exposed it as propaganda.
“They will not be happy.”
From her vantage point at the window, Ross cried into her earpiece, “They’re coming.” Her brown waves bounced wildly with excitement.
Through her mic, Korac heard Jack mutter to the young woman, “You can do this. We can both do this.” He gazed at Ross for a longing second before she turned and sought Korac through the sound booth’s glass divider. Ross dipped her hazel eyes as she recognized the now-familiar habit of seeking the Icarean General’s approval.
Ouch.
Elden deliver Korac from unintended victims of his charisma—
“It’s time.” Tumu sounded a lot like Xelan with that cryptic dramatic shit. “Sagan, are you ready?” He meant was she ready for an emergency Seamswalk exit. Just in case.
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Both men left the booth to join the rest in the adjoining studio with a view of Reipon’s capital city. Sagan nodded firmly for both of them and the younger Progeny in the space. Her voice came across the airwaves in their back-and-forth reading of the Verses they wrote two months ago.
At the memory of the transcribing, and perhaps to deter Ross’ crush, Korac cupped Sagan’s chin and pecked her a kiss. A promise of what’s to come.
Damn.
Sagan shone him a killer smile, and kept it, even when the doors blasted open. Smoke filled the air despite the entrance the intruders so rudely left open. Nice view of their transport. Fucking crawler knockoffs.
Korac kissed Sagan again. They were ready.
Ross touched both their shoulders and closed her eyes. The male and female Lamian soldiers that stormed the galaxy’s largest transmitting station fell to their knees mid-step.
Gait. Child slave. Assaulted and abused. BDSM. Umbra. Icarean royal guard. Planet invasions. Lyriki betrayal. Planetary domination. Earth. The Vacating. Death matches. Second Earth invasion. Volcano Day. Prison. Razor. Sagan’s torment. Gait’s destruction.
Earth. Grade school. Middle school. High school. Training as a Progeny, inheritor of an ancestral burden. Abusive boyfriend. Emotionally irrational girlfriend. Invasion Day. Volcano Day. Exploring the Vast Collective. Razor. Razor. RAZOR. Gait’s destruction.
All of it slammed into the nacre banks of the attacking forces. The Shadow watched on as the soldiers knelt or fell paralyzed when they absorbed Korac and Sagan’s entire histories. That afforded the Shadow enough time for the last phase of their plan.
“Jack.”
The young man—King Rayne’s brother—glanced at Korac with hesitant hazel eyes before he raced up the stairs almost too fast to see. Each of them—Ross, Korac, Sagan, and Tumu—gazed at the ceiling where the base of the transmitter protruded from the glass at the very top of the open lobby. After a few strained heartbeats, a metallic screech and a glass-shattering groan shuddered the several-hundred story space-scraper. The base of the transmitter vanished from the roof. Through the hole, they watched Jack toss the entire antenna off the building.
After five minutes, the outlawed King Regent returned from his long sprint down the tower. A little breathless, he smiled at Ross. “Has it landed yet—”
“Yip!” Sagan startled when the antenna plunged onto the enemy’s crawler.
Although the Reipon soldiers left the machine thirty meters away, the ground cracked and shifted until the fissures reached and rocked the building. All the glass blew out and showered them from above in tiny cubes. Korac pulled Sagan into his jacket and sheltered her. The debris tinkered off their backs and arms, which they preferred over stabbing shards. Especially for the unconscious Reipon guards just doing their jobs.
Once the impact settled, Ross crossed the room to the closest guard. She knelt beside them to check their pulse. “Will they be okay?”
Jack swept his impeding brunette fringe back and checked the unconscious guard nearest him. “I think so. You were amazing.” He stopped glowing at Ross long enough to spread the gushing. “We all were. I wish we had to time celebrate this victory. I think we earned it.”
“No time.” Tumu was such a fucking buzz kill. “The Tritans, Lamias, and Imminent will retaliate, but feel free to ask Xelan at the rendezvous.” Now he offered a smile Korac would call conspiratorial. “Lam and I would appreciate the off time.”
Sagan snickered into her hand. “Don’t you mean ‘on time?’”
Ross blushed.
Korac tried to rid himself of his most recent unwanted mental image.
Jack beamed at the group. “We did it. They can’t hijack our signal. Do you think the others are okay?” He peered at Sagan as the authority.
She graced him with a warm smile meant for a well-loved sibling. “We know Xelan and Tameka delivered. I can’t wait to see what Imminent was doing on L. Capra. Pehton is a soldier to the core. No way is she failing. And Matt and Lucy… well…”
No one stopped that crazy couple of conscience-absent sociopaths.