Collision: The Battle for Darracia - Book 2 (The Darracia Saga) by Michael Phillip Cash

studied his handsome face. He was big, his royal infantry uniform stretched across impossibly large shoulders.
    “I am Seren.” The huge Quyroo nodded.
    “I have to get to the volcano—my mother is there.”
    V’sair reached out for a vine to leave.
    The native shook his head. “I am sorry, my lord. There is no way to get there until the water recedes. This area is my responsibility. General Vekin asked me to watch out for you. I saw you and the stallius on the mountain ridge struggling with the mud.”
    “No.” V’sair tried to free himself of the iron grip. The talon-like hands held fast. “My mother…”
    “I am sorry, Your Majesty. We have to wait for the water to leave before we can examine the volcano entrance. It is unsafe. Those are my orders.”
    “You think I don’t want to go there?” Bobbien demanded, grabbing the front of his tunic, her face pink with fear. “Tulani is down there too,” Bobbien choked out, her voice thick. “Watch, watch, the water is leaving.” She pointed with her staff.

Chapter 13
    Denita fumed angrily as Zayden’s capable hands belted her properly into her seat. “Let me out of here, you oversized ape. I should have let you die back there!” she spit angrily.
    Zayden cinched the belt tighter, laughing when Denita turned as red as a Quyroo. He chucked her under the chin, which only inflamed her. “I’m taking you to my stepmother.”
    “Over my dead body.”
    “That could be arranged,” Zayden replied as he jumped into his seat. The engines roared to life, and once again he heard Denita pounding the glass partition. “What…what…? I can’t hear you.” He chuckled, placing his headset over his ears. He did hear her curses and took off steeply, knowing she was pressed uncomfortably in her seat. That ought to shut her up, he thought, hearing the screams change to retching.
Not a great flyer, our Denita
. He smiledas he steered his compact ship toward the rising suns of Darracia.
    They drifted through the nebula, Zayden enjoying the peace of the void of space. It was a small ship, and made a lot of people nervous—not much metal separated a passenger from the nothingness of the outside. Zayden felt lighter for the first time in a while. Much to his relief, Denita’s screams had died down to sullen silence. He admitted he felt a bit bad for her. He was an independent person and understood her need to control her own life, but he was going to go after Staf, and he couldn’t do it with an encumbrance. He knew he could really dump her anywhere. She was a big girl; it was also clear she could fend for herself. If only he didn’t feel so responsible for her.
    “Look, General. I’ll spring your sister. What’s her name?” The silence had finally gotten to him, and he threw out a peace offering.
    “I don’t need your help, warrior. When I get thechance I’m going to finish what the Planta started!” she shouted, her face a mask of rage.
    He looked at her indulgently and replied, “You’re kind of cute when you’re mad.”
    She sputtered furiously, “I don’t need your stinking Fireblade—I’m going to kill you with these!” She held up her clenched hands, her face a grimace.
    “Get in line, General,” he replied as he swung left, heading toward the haven of home.

    They observed a few convoys, mostly truckers hauling products from one end of the solar system to the other. Many of the planets had to rely on these outsourced vendors. Most of the societies weren’t rich enough for more than just the wealthy to have ships. On Darracia, only the richest had ships that could travel outside the atmosphere of their own home, let alone travel to other planets. Zayden lazed the day away, making notes on weather conditions,and pulled into to Pagil 7 to refuel. It was a rowdy space station owned by a big-shot company outside their solar system. He remembered that his father negotiated rates with them, and though he felt a lump in his throat, it didn’t pack the