Star Rider and Bonds of Love: A Sci-Fi Space Opera with a Touch of Fantasy Heidi Skarie (fox in socks read aloud .TXT) 📖

“Do you think one ofRochambeau’s men nabbed her?”

“No, she took her backpack,”Michio said.

Erling frowned. “This is bad.We were headed back to tell you Rochambeau and half his men areheading into the mountains. I thought they’d lost our trail andwere splitting up to search both directions, but now it appears he’sfollowing Toe.”

“How far back is Rochambeau?”Michio asked.

“About three miles and they’removing fast.”

Michio and Jake exchanged aworried glance. “Let’s go,” Michio said.

“I’ll help track her down,”Erling said. “Zac, head back to camp. You’re in charge ofguarding my family until I return.”

“I’m yourbodyguard.I should stay with you.”

“Guard my family. That’s anorder.

Erling looked at Jake. “We needto get through the mountain pass before Rochambeau and his men. Fromthere, we can spread out and search for her.”

“She won’t know where thepass is,” Michio said.

“Her communicator gets limitedsignals in mountains, but the GPS on it should still work.”

“Let’s go,” Erling said.“We have a lot of ground to cover.” He set off at a run. Soonthey left the mountain foothills and were winding up the passes usinga narrow trail that looked like it was made by animals

***

Queen Koriann paced the stateroomwhere Captain Orneil had come to confer with her. “Why hasn’tthere been word from Erling yet?” she demanded. “Captain Zacharyand Lieutenant Onolyn haven’t reported in either. And Toemeka —you’d think a new mother would call to check up on her baby. Heavenabove, I thought they’d all be back by now.”

“Something must have gonewrong. Give them a little more time.”

She continued as if he hadn’tspoken. “Even Michio just vanished. I don’t know if he was ableto connect with the others and join the mission, was captured orwhat. I’m going crazy not knowing.”

Captain Orneil’s bushy eyebrowscame together in a frown. “Try not to get so worked up. You need totake care of yourself in your condition. You’re carrying the heirto the throne.”

“My husband and dear friendsare all missing and all you have to say is, ‘Don’t get so workedup.’ They could be dead! I shouldn’t have let Erling go. Themission was too dangerous. I should’ve thrown him into prison untilhe came to his senses.”

“Hm-m-m.” The generalsuppressed a smile. “Throwing the prince and head of the military,in prison might not be the best decision.”

Koriann glared at him. “This isbetter?”

“No, but you married a man ofaction. You can’t expect him to do nothing while his family facesexecution.”

She ignored his comment. “Andthat Resistance leader — that Jake fellow. You’d think at leasthe would’ve contacted me by now. He contacted the palace easilyenough to inform Erling that his family was in a concentration campand later when they were scheduled for execution. But now —nothing. Silence. Don’t they know how worried I am?”

“Perhaps they have no way ofreaching you at the moment. They’re a small Resistance force hidingin the woods and mountains. Sending communication to another planetisn’t so easy in those circumstances.”

She rounded on him. “Erling andMichio both have spaceships with the capacity for interplanetarycommunication.”

“Shall I call Dr. Tenzing, sohe can give you something to help you relax and get some sleeptonight?

“Don’t patronize me justbecause I’m pregnant!” Queen Koriann left, heading to thenursery.

The nursemaid was giving Baymonda bottle when Koriann arrived and she tried to let go of her angerand frustration. It didn’t feel right to be angry around aninnocent baby. “Please let me feed him,” Koriann said in a muchsofter tone than the one she’d used when speaking to CaptainOrneil. Baymond smiled at her when she took him in her arms. Herheart opened. The baby brought Koriann the only peace and joy she hadin these tense days of worrying about Erling and the others. She knewmore than most that life was uncertain. Her entire family had beenmurdered. Now she was afraid of becoming a widow with only her dearfriends’ infant to comfort her.

She dismissed the nursemaid andgave Baymond the rest of the bottle. “Where are your parents,little one?” Her voice broke. “I hope you aren’t orphaned likeI was as a child.”

Her stomach churned. Would sheface another sleepless night? Would she lay in bed hour after hour,staring at the clock, knowing she needed sleep for the sake of herunborn child?

“Please contact me, Erling. Letme know you’re alive.” A tear slid down her cheek and splashedonto Baymond’s face. He looked up at her, startled. She realizedhe’d finished the bottle and held him to her shoulder to burp him.Then she carried him to the adjoining room and lay fully dressed onthe royal bed with him in her arms. He was a beautiful baby, dressedin a white outfit with tucks and lace that looked made for a prince.She kissed his forehead, breathing in his sweet scent, feeling hissoft skin on her lips. “Go to sleep, Baymond. For now, all we haveis each other.”

***

Zac returned to the location ofthe former the Resistance camp, then began following their trail at afast clip. Before long, he caught up with Benray who guarded the rearof the line. “We need to move faster,” Zac said. “CommanderRochambeau and half his men are following Toemeka — the rest arefollowing us. They’re close behind.”

“We can’t go any faster,carrying Najetta on a stretcher.”

“What can we do?”

Kynail emerged from the woodswhere he’d been out scouting. “Fight!” Kynail said. He alwayslooked ready for battle with a rifle over his shoulder, two blastersand a knife on his gun belt.

“Too many will die in a fight,”Zac said. There had to be a better way. Erling was counting on him toget his family to safety.

“You and I can pick off a fewsoldiers to slow them down, while Benray leads the group to a spotwhere we have the advantage.”

“It’s the best plan,”Benray agreed.

“It’s a terrible plan!” Zacexclaimed. “These are fully-armed, trained soldiers at our heels.”

“You have a better plan?”Benray demanded.

Zac was silent for a moment, thenan idea came to him. “Yes, I think so. We’ll hide until they giveup looking for us.”

“Hide where?” Kynail asked.

“I almost fell into a smallsinkhole not far back. When I peered in, I saw a cavern beneath theground.”

Benray looked thoughtfully atZac. “Is it big enough for twenty-four