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

  She glanced at the one she’d killed. It had a big hole in the head. That one wasn’t ever getting up. “I’m not going to throw up. Better a dead Ke’ter than a live one.”

  Brassi chuckled. “Humans throw up when they see dead?”

  “Some of us do.”

  “I’ve been warned.”

  Chapter Four

  Brassi motioned Vivian to follow him, and she did. Vassi stayed at her back. The rest of the Veslor team were checking over the dead aliens, removing their weapons. She didn’t protest when they took them. It wasn’t like she could pay them for their help. Maybe they could sell the weapons later. They were traders, after all.

  “Anything else on this level that we need to handle?” Brassi glanced back.

  “No. We’ll take the lift to Deck Two. There’re a few blast doors sealed between the Ke’ters trapped there and where we’ll get out.”

  “We aren’t going to be fighting immediately?”

  “No.”

  Brassi got into the lift, and she stepped in beside him. His men followed. With their size, she found herself pressed tight against him to make room. It was crowded as the doors sealed. The lift slowly dropped.

  “I think I’m doing pretty good,” Abby said in her ear. “It’s one thing to install these systems but another to run a station. Not to mention, this one is at least ten years old. Talk about outdated. Remind me to tell Commander Alderson to upgrade when this is over.”

  “You’re doing a great job.”

  “Thank you,” Brassi replied.

  She had been talking to Abby, but it certainly applied to the Veslors, too.

  The lift stopped and the doors opened. The corridor stood empty as they exited. Vivian pointed to the right. “The Ke’ters are trapped behind two blast doors that way.”

  Brassi glanced at the now closed lift. “Can anyone use that to sneak up on us?”

  “No lifts on the ship will move unless Abby allows it. She’s controlling everything from a security station.”

  “Stay here with Vassi then, Vivian. You’re not wearing armor. Allow us to handle the threat.”

  “Listen to him,” Abby urged. “I have eyes on them. Stay where it’s safe.”

  “Okay,” Vivian told him.

  Brassi closed his face plate. “Tell the female to allow us to near the Ke’ters.”

  “On it,” Abby said. “Tell him to motion to the cameras when he’s ready for me to open the last blast door. I’m opening the one nearest to you now. The six Ke’ters are lying down.”

  Vivian relayed the information to Brassi, wishing she’d grabbed an extra earpiece for him so he could hear and speak to Abby directly. But she hadn’t thought they’d split up. She’d planned to stay with the Veslor group every step of the way.

  Vassi moved her against the wall and put his big body between her and the blast doors that slid open to reveal more corridor. “Stay put.”

  “Will do,” she agreed. “Do you guys have a way to talk when you’re apart?”

  “Yes. Our helmets allow us to stay in contact with each other.” Vassi adjusted her until she was farther behind him and lifted his rifle, prepared to fight if any Ke’ters got past the others. “Do not move, female. Even if a firefight breaks out. My armor can take the hits.”

  “Thank you, Vassi. And you can call me Vivian.”

  “They are at the second blast doors,” he said. “Brassi is motioning for them to open now.”

  She instantly heard sounds of fighting in the distance. She hated that she didn’t know what was going on. “Abby? Talk to me.”

  “Shit is hitting the fan! The Ke’ters reacted fast. It’s hand-to-hand combat. Our aliens seem to like that better, I’m guessing, since they’re using the blades on their guns instead of just shooting them.” She gasped. “Gross! Head off on a Ke’ter. Now another one. Our aliens are slaughtering them.”

  Vivian breathed easier. These were the ones who’d killed Mikey and Big M.

  “It’s over,” Abby sighed. “Our aliens look fine but the Ke’ters are all dead.”

  Vassi lowered his weapon. “We can move now, Vivian. Stay behind me.” He glanced back at her before walking forward.

  She followed. They came to the scene of the battle and she avoided looking at the bodies, instead glancing at all the Veslors. They looked exactly the same in their armor. Only Vassi was easily identified because of the pack he carried.

  One of the big men came toward her. She relaxed when Brassi’s helmet opened once more. She liked seeing his face.

  “None of us were harmed. What’s next?”

  Vivian was torn. There were more Ke’ters to take care of…but she had to know for sure. “I need to make a stop first.” She turned from the group and heard them following her all the way to the doors of the debriefing room.

  “Open it for me, Abby.”

  “Why? There are bodies inside.”

  “Please?” Vivian hugged her waist. No Ke’ters were in there. She’d viewed the room plenty of times on the security monitors.

  A big body pressed to her back. It was Brassi. “What’s inside?”

  “A lot of dead people.” She hoped they were gone, at least. She hadn’t seen any of them moving around. “I need to make sure, though.”

  “Shit.” Abby softly cursed. “Your family is inside there, aren’t they?”

  “Open the door, Abby.”

  “No. I’m not going to allow you to do this to yourself. I can see into that room. Wait until this is over, and then you can view the bodies after they’ve been cleaned up by whoever’s job it is to handle our dead.”

  “Open the fucking door, Abby!” Vivian ground out.

  “What’s inside?” Brassi gripped her shoulders and pulled her back, forcing her to look up at him.

  “My brother and dad were attacked in there. I need to make sure they aren’t suffering. I couldn’t get a really good view of either of them from the security cameras. The angles were bad.” Her voice broke. “I need to make certain they aren’t like that man we had to leave behind on Deck Seven.”

  Brassi motioned to one of his men, and they pushed her back. He found the camera and looked up at it as he aimed his weapon at the sealed doors. “Open it, please. We’ll protect Vivian.”

  “Fuck,” Abby cursed loudly in her ear. “You’re going to need therapy later. Don’t blame me.”

  “Thank you.” Vivian tried to prepare herself as the doors slid open.

  There was a bad smell in the room, and it had her wincing and breathing through her mouth. Brassi and his men entered first, weapons drawn. She followed, stepping into the room slowly.

  There were bodies everywhere. It tore her up to see people she knew strewn on the floor, a few of them partially lying on the chairs where they’d been attacked. She moved toward the podium first, where Big M lie.

  She stepped around the podium. He hadn’t been eaten, but she could tell he was dead. She stared down at him, her heart breaking. At least he was at peace now. It looked as if his neck had been broken, based on the odd angle where he sprawled, and dried blood had pooled on the floor behind his head. She glanced up at the wall where he’d been thrown, seeing more blood there as well. He hadn’t stood a chance.

  She spun away, fighting a sob, and smacked right into a big shelled body.

  Brassi put his arm around her. “Is that your brother?”

  “Father,” she got out.

  “He’s not suffering, nor was he eaten. That’s a blessing.” His big gloved hand rubbed her back lightly. “You shouldn’t see this.”

  “I have to check on my brother.” She moved away from him and had to pick her way around fallen bodies, avoiding looking at them too closely. Mikey was in the very back, up higher where the seating was. He’d retreated there as he’d fought.

  She caught sight of him around some chairs—and froze.

  She couldn’t see much of him yet, and wasn’t certain she could take it. The camera views had been bad enough, but reality