Lost in Barbarian Space(47)

Honor dropped to the floor.

Colm roared. Inside, his nanami exploded, power flooding him. He slammed an arm against the droid and it crashed into the wall. Then he rushed forward, attacking those who’d injured his woman.

He saw the shocked face of one of the pirates. The others closed in. Colm fought wildly, his fist and sword slamming into various attackers. Soon, the icy ground around him was littered with groaning, battered bodies.

“Contain him! Now!”

Something wrapped around his sword arm. He jerked on it but he couldn’t get free. He glanced down and saw a glowing green rope circling his bicep. Another rope wrapped around his other arm. The ropes burned as they sizzled against his skin.

He pulled forward, trying to free himself. Behind him, he saw four large pirates holding the other ends of the ropes.

Colm roared again, a fierce sound that echoed in the tunnels.

An older woman stepped up in front of him, eyeing him with an annoyed look.

She lifted a metallic object—a large stunner. She jammed it against his stomach.

He felt the electricity jolt through him. He gritted his teeth and fought back the pain. He had to stay conscious. He had to save Honor.

He jerked hard, and someone holding one of the ropes cried out. He freed one arm, yanking it to swing the glowing green rope around. It slammed into one of the pirates, and the man rolled to the ground with a cry.

“He fucking broke my ribs!”

The woman in front of him bared her teeth. Colm saw that they were made entirely of gray metal. She jammed a second stunner into his gut.

Colm fell heavily to his knees.

His entire body was shuddering and jerking. Then he tumbled forward, smacking against the ice. He couldn’t move his body. He forced himself to look up, and saw Honor lying beside him. Her lashes lay motionless against her cheeks, her body still.

These people would pay for hurting his woman. He vowed it.

It was his last thought before the darkness dragged him under.




Honor woke to a jumble of strange voices around her. She frowned. Why the hell did she hurt so much?

She opened her eyes as tiny slits, hoping to find out where the hell she was. Then she spotted the pirates.

They wore a mish-mash of clothes and armor that didn’t match. Some of it looked military, while other parts looked like they were off the runways of the central systems. The group were hunched over Colm and Honor’s backpack, staring at the logo Colm had cut off the chair.

Shit. She moved her hands and realized they were tied behind her back. All her weapons were gone as well. Not good. Where was Colm? Her stomach hardened. Had they hurt him?

She turned her head a little, and saw him slumped against the wall not far away. His head was lolling forward, and he was bound with laser ropes. Bastards. She could see where the rope was burning into his skin.

“Ah…you’re awake.”

Honor looked up. A pirate woman stood above her, wearing dark trousers, red mesh armor on top, and a bright orange sash around her waist. She was older, but fit, her dark hair liberally streaked with gray. She had a pulse rifle resting against her shoulder.

“I’m Alara. I run this crew. I think you know why we’re here.”

Honor remained silent.

Alara gripped Honor’s hair and yanked her head up. “You’ll answer me, girly.”

A low growl rumbled through the space around them.

The pirate stiffened and glanced over her shoulder. “He contained?”

“Yeah.” A young man gave Colm a kick.

Honor saw Colm’s eyes were open. They were pure gold, no brown to be seen. Hold on, Colm.

“You want the wreck,” Honor said.

“No.” Alara laughed, a deep, rolling sound. “We want the treasure.”

“How did you even know about it?”

“Everyone has their price,” the pirate woman said. “One of your security team sang for a few pretty e-creds.”

Honor’s jaw tightened. “Darzan.”

“Don’t know any Darzan. Pilot by the name of T’kon.”

T’kon? The co-pilot had always seemed a steady, reliable employee. Honor shook her head, hiding her anger. “Poor sucker. He won’t live long.”

The pirate leader frowned, cocking her head. “The Institute’s not in the business of killing.”

“Yeah, not those pussies,” another pirate called out.

Honor shot Alara a thin smile. “No, but my new boss isn’t very tolerant of traitors or pirates. Or Institute rules.”

“Boss?” Alara’s frown deepened. “And who would that be?”

Honor laughed. “You don’t know? Oh, this will be fun.”

Alara yanked on Honor’s hair again and jerked her head to the side. “When I ask a question, girly, I expect an answer.”