The Gorison Traveler Incident (Veslor Mates #1) Read online

  “It’s safe,” she called out to Brassi. “You’ve got air and sensors are reading that your ship has secured the breach. I’m opening the interior doors, and the blast ones I had to seal leading to me. Just follow the corridor.”

  “We’re on our way, Vivian. I’m eager to meet you in person.”

  She was scared shitless. There was only one way to discover if the Veslors were truly trustworthy. That meant putting her own ass on the line first.

  Vivian had overridden the door lock to Abby’s quarters and let the redhead out. Then, using security cameras to check each corridor, she’d opened blast doors and monitored Abby’s progress as she made her way to Control Three. They’d gotten her to that station and safely inside, where she now could watch the camera feeds and take over if Brassi had played them.

  Vivian ended the call. “You heard him, Abby.”

  “I’m going to throw up. What if they lied?” The other woman sounded nervous.

  “Then you’re the one in charge instead of me. I’ll be dead. Just remember what I told you about the engines. I’ve transferred control for the vents to your station. You can bring the engines online and take them back off once the backup power has recharged, if this goes wrong. You also know how to reach Donny now.”

  Vivian worked as she spoke, opening the blast doors along the corridors between her and where Brassi’s people had docked. There was a Ke’ter they needed to deal with in one corridor, but she’d already warned them about it during a previous com.

  “What do I do if these Veslors do kill you? Then we’ll have two hostile alien groups on the ship.”

  “You seal the blast doors again to trap them, in that event. We spoke about this. What choice do we have? You and I are strangers, too, but I’m trusting you. It’s called having some faith in desperate times.”

  “Right. I’m not going to let you down, Vivian. I see them. They’re on the ship moving your way… What in the hell?”

  Vivian glanced up at the monitors. “I see them, too. Brassi said they had protective armor. I’m guessing he’s the one in the lead.”

  There were six large forms, wearing black uniforms that covered them from the tops of their helmet-shielded heads to their large boot-covered feet. They carried rifles, each sporting multiple wicked, deadly-looking blades along the tops of the barrels.

  “Damn, they look big and scary, don’t they?”

  “You said they can shift forms? Into what? They could pass for really large humans. Look at the body mass on those guys.”

  “They have the same basic shape as we do but their features are slightly different, if you could see their faces. The information wasn’t clear about what they can shift into. I’m guessing this is their primary form.” Vivian was suddenly glad she’d been able to take a quick shower and put on a spare uniform while Abby had learned how to work Control Three. “Fair warning, I’m going to look ridiculous when you see me, once I leave Control One. Whoever had stored spare uniforms in the locker is far larger than me. I’m clean, though. I thought it would be bad to do my first face to face with the Veslors if I stank from body odor. I’ve sweat buckets with all the stress I’ve been under.”

  Abby gave a nervous snort. “I’m not sure if that was a good idea or not. They look dangerous, and you’re a woman. They might want to fuck you if you’re as young and attractive as you sound.”

  “I’d rather they want to do that than kill me at this point.” She tensed as they approached a Ke’ter. “Shit. Are you seeing this?”

  “Those Ke’ters look so creepy,” Abby whispered.

  Vivian tensed as the lead Veslor dodged to avoid a blast from the Ke’ter’s weapon. It hit the wall, leaving a burn mark, but it didn’t penetrate the hull.

  The Veslors charged the lizard alien, not even shooting their weapons. Instead, they twirled them, using the blades to effortlessly deflect blasts.

  The one she thought might be Brassi leapt forward, almost hit the ceiling of the corridor, and came down right in front of the Ke’ter. The Veslor struck fast, the blades of his rifle hitting the Ke’ter in the throat.

  The head came off and the body dropped.

  “Gross!”

  Vivian silently nodded, agreeing with Abby. “The body’s twitching.”

  Another Veslor came forward and shot with his rifle, hitting the downed alien center mass to the chest. A hole appeared in the Ke’ter’s body, and the alien stopped moving.

  The group of Veslors walked around the two pieces of the dead alien, advancing her way.

  “They can certainly fight. Okay. It’s time for me to go out there.”

  “Are you sure about this, Vivian? We could send them to handle the threat first.”

  “We need to know if we can trust them before giving them access to our people. I’m putting in my earpiece now. Do you have yours?”

  “Yes.”

  Vivian shoved the small metal device into her ear and pressed it on, cutting coms to Control Three through her station. “Can you hear me?”

  “Loud and clear,” Abby said in her ear.

  “Here I go. Wish me luck.”

  “You’re crazy brave. Good luck.”

  Vivian stood and strode to the doors, opened them, and stepped into the corridor. She heard heavy booted feet approaching as the doors sealed behind her. Her heart pounded as she stepped into the center of the corridor, facing the direction the Veslors were coming from, but she spared a glance up at the camera. Abby would be watching her.

  She forced a smile and did a slight thumbs-up before her body tensed again. She fixed her total focus on the curve of the corridor. At any second, the Veslors would round it.

  “You look good,” Abby whispered in her ear. “But that uniform dwarfs you. It looks like you had to roll the legs and arms. How tall are you?”

  “Are you trying to distract me?” she whispered.

  “Hell yes. My knees are knocking from fear, and I’m the safe one right now. You’re completely vulnerable.”

  She smiled for real, amused. Time was up though when a huge, black-shelled body came into view. He stopped abruptly, and the large bodies following almost slammed into him. He lowered his weapon, careful not to point it at her. She tried to calm her breathing down from an outright pant due to fear.

  “Brassi?”

  He reached up, touched the helmet, and the plating over his face opened. Relief hit when she recognized his features and those golden eyes. He approached until he was mere feet from her. “Vivian.” He lowered his gaze down her body. “You are small.”

  He had to be close to seven feet tall, and really wide. His chest alone looked like a mini tank, with that armor. She started to hold out her hand but then halted. “Thank you for coming. I hope none of you were injured dealing with the Ke’ter?”

  “We’re fine,” a gruff male voice growled from one of the others.

  She glanced at them. They completely blocked the corridor, their faces covered, but she got the impression they were all taking her measure. She focused on Brassi again. “I thought I could lead you to where the Ke’ters are located.” She slowly lifted her hand, pointing out the camera. “We’ll be tracked by those, and the blast doors will be opened as we reach each section we need to go to.”

  Brassi stepped closer, and she had to tip her chin up to look into his eyes. “I don’t want you leading, Vivian. You look extremely fragile. Our suits are impregnable against Ke’ter weaponry. Your body is not. You will stay behind me and use me as a shield. When we confront the enemy, allow one of my males to protect you until the danger passes. Don’t fear them if you’re grabbed and pinned to a wall. It will make you a smaller target, almost impossible to hit if we cover you.”

  She nodded. “Okay. I’m not going to argue. You’re better prepared for this than I am. I’ve already admitted I’m not a fighter. I have a little training but I’m out of my depth with lizard aliens. The one I fought was bad enough, and I caught him by surprise.”

  He reached out fas