DarkRevenge by Jennifer Leeland Page A

that they were
paid mercenaries. She didn’t believe it. To fight on Teran Four required
commitment.
    “Bullshit. You would have fought for him for free,” she told
him and his eyes widened. The other people in the group shuffled their feet.
Pulzer’s lips twitched and then, he threw his head back and laughed. “You got
me there, Commander.” He nodded and jerked a thumb at the man next to him.
“This is Bud Masterson. He’s Teran Four, but hates that bastard Divida more
than we do.”
    The big, blond man bowed formally. She studied him. He had
the perfect Teran Four good looks. Divida controlled the genetic material on
Teran Four. He bred them like cattle. Some for fighting, some for other things.
What had Masterson been bred for? His hand engulfed hers when she shook it.
Everything about the man was huge. “It is my privilege to meet you, Commander
Zeerah. Your name is well known on our planet.”
    “Oh?” She slid her hand away. Well known? No kidding. She
was probably vilified by the government there. Teran Four hated Teran One
fighters, especially female soldiers. On Teran Four, women served one purpose
and one only. Procreation.
    “Your exploits are spread by our underground,” he said,
grinning. “We hope to inspire our little girls to rebel against the status
quo.”
    “I’m glad I could be of service.” She nodded her head.
Pulzer pointed to another man.
    “This is Dink. If there’s a code, he can break it. If
there’s a communication, he can listen in.” Pulzer clapped the man on the back.
“He’s a genius.”
    Dink cleared his throat and kept his gaze lowered. His hand
was limp and a little damp. “I’m good with computers,” he muttered.
    “We’ve got a file on you on Teran One,” she told him and his
eyes jerked up to meet her gaze. They were a startlingly bright blue. “What I
read is that there isn’t anything you can’t do with computers.” She shook his
hand. The man was legendary and she’d pictured him differently. His sloped
shoulders and lanky, almost awkward, posture surprised her. But she imagined he
was at ease in front of a console. “We have a tremendous amount of respect for
your work.”
    He smiled, a shy lift of his lips. “You look exactly like I
thought you would.”
    “Quit flirting,” Tory ordered and he took her hand away from
Dink, who blushed a bright red. “And this is Tesia Lyter. She’s our engineer.
There isn’t a bolt or a rivet she doesn’t know on this ship. Or any other, for
that matter.”
    Alex hadn’t paid much attention to her when they’d met
before. The woman was gorgeous. Short, curly, red hair and blue eyes with green
flecks combined with her diminutive size to give her a fairy-like appearance.
Right now, Tesia studied her as intently as Alex was staring at her. “You look
different with your clothes on.”
    Pulzer sputtered and Tory laughed. She liked the sound of his
laugh. Big and free. She turned her attention back to Tesia. Something there.
Hostility? A little. Her quick glance at Tory was protective. Not like they
were lovers or anything. More like she was afraid Tory would get hurt. After
the vision Alex had seen, Tesia had good reason to worry.
    She shot another look at Tory. He seemed…anxious, lines
around his mouth and eyes. It was important to him that she get along with
Tesia. So, she smiled at the woman and put her hand out. “Thank you for the
clothes. I appreciate them.”
    “Anything for Tory,” Tesia said. Well, she’d made her
position clear. Now, it was Alex’s turn.
    She kept her hand out even though Tesia hadn’t acknowledged
it yet and said, “I agree.”
    Tesia’s gaze narrowed. “I know about the Saria,” she
said, her voice harsh. “You had no choice. You were forced into this mating.”
Every syllable spoke of the woman’s distrust.
    Well, that was direct . Alex dropped her hand to her
side, but held Tesia’s gaze. Tory started to speak but Alex shook her head. “I
was given a choice and I