Mercenaries’ Lives

By Chris Gilman & Jimmy Lawhon

Chapter 5

Terry sat in the bar nursing a drink with a sad look on his face. Ever since the battle against the alien fleet he hadn’t been the same. In the week since his wounds had mostly healed and Tiger had regenerated fully much to the surprise of Erik. Having spent the last week entirely on the Nova this was his first time down, and he still hadn’t seen Natasha yet.

The door to the bar flies open and Jim yips as he sees the white tigress silhouetted in the sunlight outside. “Terry!” she yells at the massive lion at the bar. His reaction is to sadly look up at her then back to his drink. She walks in, her footsteps sounding loud in the sudden quiet of the bar. “Where have you been?” she asks her voice extremely loud in the enclosed space.

“Incapacitated,” he says without looking at her.

“What the fuck does that mean?!” she yells as she reaches him and turns him to face her. Her eyes go wide in surprise when she gets her first good look at him. His arm still in a sling and his right let wrapped for support it’s clear that something is not right. “What happened?”

He shakes his head, “It’s nothing Nat.”

“Nothing!” she yells, “I’ve never seen you even stub your toe let alone actually hurt yourself.”

He raises his glass only to have her shove it back down to the bar. He looks at her and grins, “It was just a little accident. Nothing I can’t handle.”

She grabs his right are and gives it a squeeze causing him to wince in pain, “Fine my furry ass.” She stands back up and pulls him to his feet. “Come on, you’re coming with me.”

He doesn’t fight her cause he can’t in his current state. As they leave there is a collective sigh of relief from the entire bar.

Outside Terry limps along while Natasha helps him. “You should be in bed, not drinking at the bar,” she says in a scolding tone.

He gives her a weak smile, “Yes mother.”

She smiles up at him and uses his current condition as an excuse to snuggle up to him as they walk to her hut. Once in her hut she leads him over to the bed. “Lie down, I’ll be back in a minute,” she says while she goes to the kitchen.

A few minutes later she comes back with two glasses of juice to find him lying down with his eyes closed. She sits down on the side of the bed and puts the cold glass against the side of his muzzle. He opens his eyes and gives her a soft smile. “This is better for you then that stuff you were drinking at the bar,” she says while handing him a glass.

He reaches up with his left hand to take it and nods at her with a smile. Bringing it to his lips he gulps down half of it before bringing it away from his mouth again. “Thanks.”

She smiles down at him, “No problem lover.”

He sets the glass down on the nightstand and reaches out to encircle her waist with his good arm. She gives a giggle and sets her glass down next to his. With a sigh of contentment she lets him pull her against him till he is spooned against her back. Suddenly he goes stiff and gently rubs his open hand over her belly. “Either you’ve been eating a lot more then me, or…”

She turns so that she now faces him. He sees the tears in her eyes and slowly brings his right hand up to wipe them away. “Are you?” he asks quietly.

Biting her lower lip she gives him a slow nod, “I just didn’t know how to tell you, or what you’d say.”

He hugs her to him tightly and she can feel the caring that radiates from him, “I could never care for anyone more. But, how? You haven’t been in…”

She nods her head again, “That first night we were together, before you left on that mission. I was just at the start of my heat cycle. And well, with all we did neither of us could smell it.”

He lets her loosen up a little so he can look into her eyes, “Do you want this? I know it’s a big step for a woman, and I am sorry if you weren’t ready to be a mother.”

She shakes her head, “I have been ready, but I never met a man who was suitable to be the father.” She lays her head against his chest and pulls herself tightly against him. “But you’re the right one to be the father of our cubs.”

He licks her ear and purrs in deep in his chest, “You honor me. And now there is only one last thing we need to do then.”

She looks up at him with tears still in her eyes, “What?”

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box. He holds it up to her face and opens it slowly with his thumb, “Will you be my lifemate?”

She bursts into tears at the sight of the ring and attaches herself to him like a leach. She covers his muzzle in a deep kiss that prevents either of them from saying a word, but actions speak far better then words.

That evening Damien and Jessica are having a quiet dinner in her hut. Jessica gives Damien a smile, “Did you hear?”

Swallowing his mouthful of food he gives her a questioning look, “What?”

“Terry asked Natasha to be his lifemate,” she says excitedly.

He gives her a nod, “I though it would be happening soon. Did she tell him yet?”

“Yes, she told him today right before he asked her.”

Damien nods his head, “Yep, I’m not surprised he asked her early then.”

She gives him a questioning look, “What do you mean?”

He sets down his utensils and standing kneels next to her. Pulling a box out of his pocket he hands it to her. “Well, we were going to do this at the same time to you two, but.” He opens the box to show her the ring inside, “Will you be my lifemate?”

She leaps off the chair and pounces him. Their muzzles lock together in a kiss so full of passion that there is no doubt as to the answer.

The next morning Terry is up and about with only a hint of a limp and only favoring his right arm a little. Having spent the night snuggled up to Natasha was probably the best medicine for him in a long time. He encounters Damien on the way to the garrison’s area, “Hey Damien, how you doing bud?”

Damien cocks his head at him, “Just couldn’t wait could you?”

Terry shakes his head, “Nope, but from the look on Jessica’s face when she came over to talk to Natasha I figure you two had a good evening together.”

The jaguar nods his head, “You could say that.” Suddenly his jovial attitude takes on a serious look, “But now we need to look into our next mission.”

Terry looks at him out of the corner of his eye, “You got a new one for us?”

“No, and that’s the trouble. The breaks are good and all, but we need to keep the missions coming. With you having been laid up I couldn’t take anything really. So the crew’s wages have been cutting into our savings.”

Terry shakes his head, “I’ll get us something later today. I think I know a mission that is open that needs taking, and we’re just the ones to do it.”

Damien rubs his hands together, “More pirate hunting?”

Terry nods his head. “From an old friend of ours even.”

Damien gives him a shocked look, “You got to be kidding me? Where does that guy get the cash he pays for all this with?”

The lion lets out a chuckle, “I wish I could tell you. But I promised him when I found him not to pass on his secret.”

Damien throws up his hands in resignation, “Alright, alright, I’ll give up trying to find out who this contact is.”

Terry turns and heads for communications hut, “I’ll see ya in the mess hall.”

Damien gives him a parting wave as he continues on to the garrison’s mess hall.

Thirty minutes later Terry walks into the mess hall with a slip of paper. Seeing Damien talking with a couple of the wing leaders he heads for that table. As he sits down the wing leaders excuse themselves and leave the two big cats alone. Terry slides the piece of paper to Damien, “Here’s our next mission.”

Damien takes the paper and reads it. “You got to be kidding?” Looking at the expression on his friend’s face he knows he’s not. “Ok, you’re not kidding.” He puts the piece of paper down and gives Terry a glare. “How are we supposed to do this? It’s a fucking variable contract.”

Terry doesn’t show the least bit of anger at his friend’s comments, “The same way we always do.” He pulls another piece of paper out of his pocket and opens it. “This is a map of where they have been striking. I can bait them, can you hook them?”

Damien’s face droops, “You’re not thinking what I think you are?”

Terry nods, “The old Trojan Horse trick. I’ll pilot it; you come running when I call.”

The jaguar’s hand drums the table, “You going to tell Natasha?”

“No reason for her to worry about me. I’ll make it back alive.”

“Terry, you were just in a major crash a week ago. If Natasha finds out I let you do this she’s going to skin my ass alive. And Jessica might help her.”

“Then don’t let her know.”

A freighter lumbers along through space. Its hull has obviously seen better days from all the scorches and patches. Suddenly from behind a wing of fighters do a pass within fifty feet of the massive freighter’s hull and the radios come awake with demands, “Freighter, this is The Dragons. Heave too and prepare for boarding.”

The freighter’s engines flare brighter as it tries to pull away and outrun the smaller more agile fighters. The fighters swoop round and two of them start firing into the engine cluster at the rear. A few shots hit and the glow from the engines fades quickly and the freighter starts to coast along.

Again the radios come alive with the voice from the fighter, “Freighter, you are disabled. Open your docking ports and prepare for boarding.”

The underside docking hatches open and the pirate grins. Suddenly a flurry of missiles flies out of the docking hatch and streak straight for the wing of fighters. They don’t even have time to react as they impact and turn the fighters into clouds of gas and debris.

Suddenly a massive energy bolt flies out of the darkness of space and blows a massive hole in the freighter’s stern. A small fleet of capitol ships come into view, the rest of the pirate fleet. The Dragon’s red symbol clearly visible on the prow of each ship as they close to within a hundred yards of the now heavily damaged freighter.

On the bridge of the freighter Terry crosses his arms and chuckles to himself. “Good little pirates, you just took the bait, hook line and sinker.”

An impact shock rattles the ship again and he checks his sensors, “Oh great.” The capitol ships don’t seem too interested in taking him alive anymore. They are using their particle cannons to chew him apart. And piece by piece they are succeeding. He frantically taps his wrist unit and frowns, “I’d hoped I wouldn’t have to do this again, ever.” Just then a massive impact shatters the front viewports and Terry is blown out into space.

The Nova crosses the T behind the fleet of pirate ships and let’s loose with its broadside cannons. Several of the capitol ships are ripped apart by the salvo and those that aren’t are quickly scattered and disoriented. They are easy pickings for the array of fighters that swarm from behind the protection of the massive Nova’s hull.

Damien’s fighter streaks ahead of the others and let’s loose with a salvo of torpedoes at the nearest ship. His shots are soon joined by those of the rest of the fighter. Those few vessels that weren’t ripped apart by the broadside of the Nova now face the sure death of the torpedoes as they lock on and refuse to lose their targets.

When the last explosion dies away Damien looks at his screens and has to smile. All his fighters are intact and the entire engagement took less then ten minutes. “Nova, raise Terry and tell him he can come home.”

Janet’s voice comes over the radio, “Sir, we’re not getting any response from the Trojan. And sir, we’re detecting massive damage from particle cannons. Sir, she’s reading as dead in space.”

Damien engages his afterburners and aims his ship for the damaged freighter. In minutes he is flying by the damaged bridge and sees the empty pilot’s seat. “All fighters begin a search pattern for Terry. The bridge is blown out, but he might have made it into a vacuum suit when he saw they were going to destroy him.” He pauses as the unthinkable comes to his mind, “I want his body retrieved at least.”

There is a series of affirmatives from all fighters and they spread out and slow down to sweep the entire battle zone. After ten minutes one of the fighters responds, “Sir, I’ve found him.”

Damien can tell it’s not good from the tone of the pilot’s voice, “How is he.”

“He… He didn’t make it sir. He was blow out into vacuum without a suit.”

Damien hangs his head, “Very well. Retrieve him and bring him back. The least we can do is give him a proper burial.”

“Yes sir,” replies the pilot as she locks on with her tractor beam and pulls the lion into her retrieval bay. The rest of the fighters form up on the fighter with Terry in it. They land one by one and the medical team comes up to the fighter that lands first. They open the rescue compartment and suddenly jump back as if a snake had taken strike at them.

Damien sees their actions and runs over to see what’s wrong. He is amazed to see Terry sitting there tapping on his wrist unit alive and well. His jaw drops at the sight of his friend still being among the living.

Terry looks up at him and smiles, “Hi Damien, sorry the Trojan got a little messed up there. I guess they didn’t like me launching those scatter missiles at their fighters.”

Damien finally finds his voice again, “How…”

Terry gives him a smile, “How did I survive?”

Damien nods his head, “A form of meditation. And the aid of this,” he says as he taps his wrist unit.

Damien turns to the medical team, “Take him to medical and give him a full checkup.”

Terry climbs out of the small rescue compartment, “No need for that Damien. And you know I hate doctors.”

“But…” protests one of the medics but he quickly quiets himself at a glance from the massive lion.

“Terry, would you please just go, for me?” ask Damien.

Terry puts his hands on his hips, “Damien, don’t ask it.”

Damien takes a step forward and gives his friend a worried look, “Terry, what is it?”

“Can we talk in the office?” asks the large lion.

Seeing the pleading look in his friend’s eyes Damien nods his head, “Ok.” He motions towards the hallway out of the hanger and with a nod from Terry they leave together. They walk side-by-side down the hallways. Anyone in the way quickly jumps out of the way as the leaders of the Nova Knights. In minutes they enter their office and Damien seals the door as Terry takes his seat.

Damien leans against the door and crosses his arms over his chest. “Ok big guy, talk.”

Terry leans his head back and closes his eyes, “Where would you like me to start?”

“How about why you are so insistent about not going to see the medics?”

“Well, you remember as a cub I never liked doctors anyway. Well, now it could be fatal for me.”

Damien gives me a questioning look, ”How so?”

“My body is not normal anymore. I won’t respond the same to drugs, and something like a transfusion could be just plain fatal.”

Damien gives his friend a shocked look, “You look normal to me.”

Terry shakes his head, “I am far from what I used to be. I was changed. And I can never be quite the person I was all those years ago Damien.” He opens his eyes and looks at Damien, his eyes now completely black, “I am something from most people’s nightmares.” As Damien watches his friend’s eyes return to normal and they close again. “I just need to rest for a while.”

“Why not go to your cabin?” asks Damien as he starts to hear the soft snoring from his friend’s muzzle. He smiles softly and whispers, “Ok bud, you rest here as long as you need.” With that he slips quietly out of the door and seals it behind him.

Ten days later the Nova comes back to its home base and takes up position in orbit. Several fighters leave to fly down and land on the landing pad of the garrison. Other crewmembers make use of the teleporter to take their shore leaves. Meanwhile Damien searches the ship for Terry.

In the gym he finds the massive lion working out. He’s going thru his usual routine wearing a pair of boxer shorts. Damien watches him for a few moments before Terry notices he is no longer alone. He stops his workout and gives his friend a nod, “Hiya Damien, everything ok?”

Damien gives him a nod, “Everything is going smoothly. We reached orbit thirty minutes ago and I find you here instead of down on the planet.”

Terry shrugs, “Felt the urge to workout instead right now. The planet will still be there in an hour.”

Suddenly a black and white blur smacks into Terry from behind and he goes down. When he turns over and pins his attacker to the ground he sees the smiling face of Natasha looking up at him. “Hiya big boy.” She says with a smile a mile wide. “You were so busy not paying attention to me, I just had to come in here and jump you.”

Damien laughs, “Isn’t it his job to jump you though?”

Both of the felines on the ground glare over at him. He chuckles nervously under their gaze, “Hehe… Think I should be going now.” He runs out of the gym with both of the larger cats hot on his tail.

Late that night Terry and Natasha are lying together in her bed. She idly runs her fingers through his chest-fur while they talk, “How was your mission?”

He sighs, “Routine.”

She looks up at him and gives him a purr, “That’s not what I hear.”

He glances down at her, “What do you mean?”

She pulls herself up further and straddles his waist so she can look him square in the eyes, “Don’t play dumb. I heard what happened out there. I heard they thought you were dead after some pirates severally wrecked the transport you were piloting.”

He tries to sit up and give her a kiss but she pushes him back down. He gives her a questioning look, “I was fine. Don’t you believe me anymore?”

She bends down close to him, “Yes I do, but why didn’t you or Damien tell me about the risks you were taking.” She shoves his shoulders back into the bed with a hard shove, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He sees the tears starting to come from her eyes, “I didn’t want to worry you. And there was no way I would let anyone else put their lives in that danger when I am the best one to survive if something goes wrong. In this case something went wrong, and I survived.”

She collapses onto his chest and starts crying hard, but her voice can still be clearly heard, “Promise me you will never keep anything from me again.”

He wraps his arms around her comfortingly, “I promise.”

Damien is walking towards the launch bay and his fighter when he suddenly finds himself teleported. He finds himself now in a dark room. A cool draft tells him whoever teleported him found a way to teleport him without his clothes.

He hears a soft growl from behind him and twirls to face the sound. In the darkness he sees nothing but he hears soft footsteps on a carpeted floor. Suddenly a body slams into him and he finds himself flat on his back in a bed.

Suddenly his mind filters the scent that fills the room. It’s Janet.