Chapter 171: Do You Trust Her With Your Life?
Ye’tab crouched down in order to be able to hear Mei Xing better, only to find a necklace being put around his neck with a shining blue crystal pendant on it. It was flat and rectangular, almost like it was one of the main memory components of a ship, but that was impossible. They were so common that no one would make a necklace out like that. This was probably just for good luck or something.
"I am going to be everyone’s main focus," she continued, still whispering, her lips brushing his helmet ever so often. He wanted to take it off to be able to feel her lips on his skin, but he knew that that would distract him too much.
"I need you to go plug this into any port that it will fit."
"Is that it?" he asked, just as softly. He had no idea why she was whispering like there was a threat around the corner. They were on her ship; who could she be so worried about overhearing?
"As soon as you insert it, hold onto something and make sure that your helmet and armor are fully secure," continued Mei Xing, looking up into his eyes. He wouldn’t ask what was on the drive or whatever the crystal was. He wouldn’t betray her trust by asking questions. If she wanted him to know, she would have straight up told him.
No, he would do what she asked, exactly how she asked it of him. It was really that simple.
"Understood," nodded Ye’tab, wrapping an arm around her like he had seen Midnight do many times. Pulling her even closer into his embrace, he inhaled, marveling at the sweet, floral scent of her. He gently placed his helmeted head on the top of hers. He could feel his whole body relax in a way that it had never done before.
----
Ye’tab shook the memories out of his head as he continued to make his way silently through the Sisalik research vessel. The drive/crystal was secured tightly around his neck and under his armor, his nanos encasing it as much as they encased him. His mind quickly ran through all of the places where it would be best to insert the virus into the system.
"I just love how she never listens to me, even though I am the superior species," came a male voice through Ye’tab’s helmet. He froze mid-step as the very familiar voice of Jun Li echoed in his system.
"You are an AI," growled the Saalistaja male, not at all impressed that a computer program thought of himself as a superior species. "You aren’t even a living species."
"And that is where you are wrong. Even Mei Xing has agreed that I am living. However, now is not the time to get into this," came back Jun Li, his haughty voice something that the other male was not familiar with.
"I assume that this is a virus that I need to put into the systems in order to corrupt the firewall and allow you entrance?" asked Ye’tab in a monotone voice. Jun Li being in his system has led him to a much different conclusion than that, but it was his first thought when it came to the drive.
There were a few minutes of silence, and Ye’tab continued on his way, trying to find a quiet, empty room to be able to complete his mission.
"Yes," said Jun Li suddenly. "I suppose it is a virus of some sort or other."
"Then what do you want? Why are you talking to me right now?" demanded the Saalistaja, slipping into the first room with an open door.
"Nothing," answered the AI, sounding lost and confused. "Do you think that she is right?"
"Do I think who is right?" asked Ye’tab, looking around the room, more than a little confused with the conversation he now found himself involved in. Seeing that the room itself was empty, he quickly went over to one of the computer terminals still left open and sat down.
It was clearly a rec room of some kind, probably to allow the ship’s occupants someplace to go during their leisure time. However, right now, it was empty, and the male started to get to work, having no idea how long it would remain that way.
"Mei Xing. Do you think that she is right?" demanded Jun Li, this time in a louder voice.
"I think that I have yet to see her be wrong," answered her mate, not at all liking this conversation. To him, Mei Xing was absolute perfection, or at least as close to perfection as he had ever seen. The idea that she was wrong about something seemed impossible to him.
"Do you trust her with your life?" asked the AI, this time sounding a lot less certain.
"I am here, aren’t I?" shot back Ye’tab, shaking his head. He quickly imputed a long series of commands into the computer, downloading whatever useful information he could before he imputed the virus.
"You don’t need to worry about that part," said Jun Li, coming to a decision. "Just put the drive in the computer and walk away."
"No," answered the other male. They needed evidence to prove what the Alliance was up to. That was the only way to ensure that some of the more honorable species would distance themselves in the upcoming war. He was more than happy to face down and kill anyone who had designs on his mate, but if he could reduce those numbers, he would feel a bit better.
"I will gather all of the information and store it in my memory back aboard the ship," assured Jun Li, and Ye’tab could sense that the AI was back to his normal self. "I will do everything according to plan; you can reassure her of that. But I am going to make sure that there are no living humans on board before I kill everyone."
"Fine," grunted Ye’tab. He had no idea what the actual plan was besides his part to play in it, so he would trust the AI this one time. Hopefully, it wasn’t going to blow up in his face. Inserting the drive, he waited a moment. "Is there anything else that I need to be doing?" he asked Jun Li.
However, there was no answer.
"Jun Li?" he asked again after another few minutes, but there was still nothing. Shrugging his shoulders, Ye’tab left the communal lounge and quickly retraced his steps to the hanger bay where Da’kea was waiting. He didn’t even bother to look back at the bright blue crystal drive plugged into the computer unit.
The two of them were under strict instructions to not try and hunt their mate down. It was stressed over and over again that the plan would work as long as they trusted each other to do their part. And Au’dtair and the Njeriuujk were to look after their mate and get her to the hanger as soon as possible.
This part sucked.
-----
"You know, normally I make a guy buy me dinner before we get into this part," I said as I was pushed down onto yet another metal bed. Seriously, these guys were going to have to do much better if they wanted to keep their torture victims coming back for more. A mattress, at the very least.
"Can anyone think of a way to shut her up?" growled Commander Xalax as he stormed into the medical room.
"Ah, the man of the hour has finally graced us with his presence," I continued, turning my head to look at the lizard. The world seemed to be spinning slightly, and I have a feeling I know why.
"You know, for a nice guy, you aren’t really that nice," I said, smiling at the guard from the shuttle. "Drugging a girl is not a good way to get into her pants."
"Can someone please shut. Her. Up!" yelled the commander, causing the rest of the lizards to flinch.
"I’m sorry, Sir," said one of the scientists coming up to the irate male. "Her body appears to be having a reaction to the drug."
"You could sell this stuff and make a killing," I said. I felt the metal bands wrapping around my wrists and ankles as Midnight let out a low growl of displeasure. I tried to turn my head to look at him, but he was currently pinned in the corner of the room, five blasters leveled on him.
"I really don’t like that. When I get out, and I always get out, I am going to make it hurt very, very badly," I rambled, not too sure if I was thinking the words or saying them out loud.
There was a low chuckle right beside my head, and I could hear tusks quietly clicking. I took in a deep breath to steady myself. I was never good at handling drugs of any kind. Typically, when they talked about side effects, I was one of the lucky ones who experienced all of them. I couldn’t even take Tylenol without it going sideways on me.
That was how I knew I could handle a lot of pain.
But at least two of my mates were at my side.
