Warriors' Providence (Cadi Warriors Book 2)(97)

The second group of Toufik unloaded a bit more slowly with the elderly aboard. Some of the Toufik females from the first group were there to assist them. Providence took one slow moving female's arm as she descended the rota leading her to the starship ramp.

Dagaa approached the Agurtzane vessel on the other end of the narrow plateau as the hairy occupants made it off his transport. Dagaa was halfway there when suddenly the Agurtzane craft lifted off the plateau and whirled midair. He was nearly knocked off his feet from the sudden turbulent gust.

Providence gasped. Thank god he wasn't any closer to the cliff's edge.

"What in the name of Kali?!" Madhava bellowed standing next to her at the foot of the ramp.

A loud barrage struck nearby.

Providence cried as debris flew. Madhava snarled tucking her behind him. Providence glanced from behind his back to see one of the transports had been entirely obliterated. Tytus' assistant lay with one of the old Toufik males, he'd been assisting, not far from the wreckage. They didn't look good.

She looked up in time to see a ship firing a red laser, much like a massive disrupter blast, at the Agurtzane ship.

"It's the Jurou Biljana!" Madhava growled.

Providence tried not to panic. She looked to see Dagaa racing to his fallen comrade. Providence held her breath, he was out in the open, exposed. Jorg rapidly pushed past Providence and Madhava, heading the same way.

"Get inside!" Madhava yelled over the din of gunfire and roaring wind, as he raced to assist the others.

Granted she was vulnerable crouched at the base of the hull, but Providence was frozen to the spot, staring at the scene, her heart beating staccato in her chest. She'd witnessed carnage and injury on more than one rescue mission. But never before had she been faced with enemy fire, a looming storm to end all storms, and the men she loved, more than life itself, risking their tails, all at once. It was taking all she had to keep it together.

The Agurtzane narrowly avoided the next strike, returning fire of their own, sending out a pulse that looked like a blue shock wave. The blast knocked the attacking Jurou Biljana vessel back, but didn't seem to damage it. Their shields rippled like a rock dropping onto the surface of a pond.

"Goddess dammit Providence! Get in the ship." Dagaa ran towards her along with Jorg carrying the bloody unconscious male, one had his feet, the other his torso. Madhava was in the rear carrying the smaller elderly Toufik male.

The Jurou Biljana ship blasted the Agurtzane again. This time the aquatic species were too slow. It was a head on strike, damaging the Agurtzane vessel. The blast also shook the starship the group of them were huddled beneath, nearly tossing them off the ramp as they moved into the loading bay.

"What the hell do they want?" Madhava demanded.

"Revenge, their old ship, slaves, all the above." Dagaa yelled over the din.

As Providence stared out the hangar door, she noticed the Jurou Biljana wasn't firing directly at their former starship as they traded fire with the Agurtzane. The aqua-men took another major hit that echoed over the plateau. Providence's hands flew to her ears.

"Get back." Madhava growled as he tugged Providence further into the loading bay.

The Agurtzane ship reared back and shot up into the atmosphere abandoning them to their fate with the reptiles. Clearly they had had enough. They were only willing to help so much. Providence's heart sank.

"Fucking HELL!" Dagaa snarled, voicing a similar sentiment to what she was feeling.

"No doubt the moment we attempt to fire on the damn reptiles they'll blast us, cut their losses and run." Madhava shook his head.

"We can't risk them damaging the ship or we're toast." Providence said as she angled her head to see the hovering Jurou Biljana ship.

"Regardless the ship is still safer than standing out there like sitting ducks." Dagaa commented with a frown as he stared out of the ship.

If things weren't so dire Providence would've laughed at the way Dagaa adopted human phrases.

"We should be evenly matched once I get the shields up." Tytus added.

"Oh god how are we going to get Stone and the others?" Providence stared out at the plain.

"Madhava I need you to take our girl."

Dagaa and Madhava traded a look that Providence didn't like one bit.

"What are you talking about?" Providence yelled as Madhava lifted her up in his arms. "Dagaa what are you doing? Stop put me down!" She cried as she struggled to get free from Madhava's iron grasp.

Dagaa cast her a final glance, his mouth tipping up in a mournful smile before turning and jogging down the ramp.

"No Dagaa come back!" Providence struggled even harder, but Madhava didn't relent.

As the bay doors were closing Providence watched Dagaa strip off his cloak, so he was entirely visible as he slowly walked towards the cargo rota. He was taunting their enemy. What did he hope to accomplish by this?