Truehearts & The Escape From Pirate Moon Jake Macklem (classic romance novels TXT) 📖

  25: Ace

Under the transparent dome that kept out the vacuum of space, Cadet Hart walked to the main gate of Camp Crescent. Her head was down, hands deep in the pockets of her black leather jacket. She barely noticed the troop of soldiers running past her.

Cadet Smith jogged up to walk with her. “You taking your leave?’

“Yeah. Got tired of everyone staring at me.” Ace kept walking, her eyes downcast.

Smith looked ashamed. “She died Hart,” she began quietly. “We all knew it could happen, but the way Diaz just tossed her in the water. None of us were prepared. We could have saved her.”

Ace spun around to face Smith and snapped, “Her name was Anderson. Amber Anderson! You dumb hussies! You blame me and Diaz for Anderson’s death but she was already dead. We all are! What do you think Diaz was trying to teach us there? As soon as we walked through those gates we died! Now we can never forget it.”

Smith’s face went white, her glare fierce as she demanded, “What was so important you let her die, Ace?”

I just can’t get through Smith’s thick skull. “You still don’t get it.”

“And you won’t tell me where you’re going?” Smith looked around and asked just loud enough to be heard. “Are you coming back?”

Ace snapped her mouth shut and swallowed. “I already told you. To get some dick.” She turned and hurried to the transport shuttle.

“I don’t want to do this alone, shank-hole,” Smith shouted after her.

She was still watching Ace when she closed the shuttle door. A moment later the vessel lifted off and flew through the force window.

I never did tell her the truth. How would I explain anything so crazy? I should have told her. I get that now.

The shuttle flew away from the Mars base through space for Luna, the Earth’s moon. Her viewport pointed away from the planet and not even the moon was visible from this angle. Ace stared out into the vast blackness of the Verse, shifting nervously in her seat, fidgeting with the zipper of her jacket.

The trip took hours, but I still hadn’t figured out what to say.

The shuttle docked and the door slid open. Armed guards entered the vessel and leveled their guns, sweeping the transport; Ace sat, unmoving. One of the guards stepped forward. “Please slowly stand up and exit the craft,” he said, his voice hard and commanding. Ace complied.

She stepped onto the station. The transport bay was large and open, without the usual bustle of a dock. The lack of crowds and cover left Ace feeling exposed. A dozen armored and armed guards lined the bulkheads, aiming their weapons at her. Their soft-fire rifles would pierce flesh and armor but not the hull plating of the space station. “Stop there,” a guard said. Ace did.

A door opened and a Sidarian with a face carved and scarred by years of experience stepped into the transport bay. His stride was as crisp as his uniform and he briskly crossed the hanger, studying Ace with a surprised expression. “You are not what I expected.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” Ace retorted.

“I am Warden Cilphu Torlic.”

Ace leveled her gaze. “Nice to meet you.”

“I did not receive your name in the request.” Cilphu let the implication hang in the air.

Ace smiled—a polite gesture that did nothing to warm her eyes. “There was no request Warden, only an order from the United Sol Counsel.” Her smile froze. “Are you prepared to follow that order or are we gonna stand here until you realize my balls are bigger than yours?”

Cilphu blinked his orange eyes and flicked his tail. “Follow me.” He led the way through the hallways to a room that was bare except for a table with a prison uniform on it. “You will change here. Leave your clothes on the table. Nothing from outside the station can leave this room with you. Is that clear?”

“Yes.” Ace walked past the Sidarian and started undressing, tossing her black leather jacket onto the table along with the rest of her clothes.

“I don’t know who you are or why you’re here, but I know the prisoner you are about to see. He’s on a space station prison for a reason.”

The warden ticked off each item on his fingers. “The man is dangerous beyond measure. He’s been here almost four years and in that time he has been involved in a long list of violent acts and disobedience. He has wounded over a dozen guards and twice as many prisoners. He has spent almost half his time here in solitary confinement.” He stopped and watched Ace zipped the prisoner's uniform shut. She had reacted to nothing he said. “Do you have any idea who this man is?”

“Better than you do.” Ace walked barefoot toward the warden. Her feet slapped against the frigid steel of the station deck, echoing sharply around the room.

Cilphu studied her face. “He will shank you up little girl,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain.

Ace grabbed the front of the warden's pants and dug her fingertips hard into the soft flesh “Then I’ll just have to shank him first, won’t I?”

He squirmed and shook his head in vehement agreement.

Ace twisted her wrist and gave a sharp jerk. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Good plan,” Cilphu squeaked. “Will you let go now?”

“Call me little girl again… next time I’ll rip it off and feed it to you.” She pushed him back. Cilphu stumbled to keep his balance. “Now take me to the prisoner before I get annoyed.”

Cilphu straighten himself and his clothes and winced as he started walking gingerly to the door. Ace followed behind, casually ignoring his discomfort.

Down a few more hallways they entered a secured area. After Cilphu realized he left his