Gamble by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online Page B

me?”
    Kora moved quickly, faster than Jeeni’s eyes could track, grabbed her by the front of her suit and lifted her off the ground, holding her above her head with one hand.
    “Do you really think that I am a regular mark? I am so different from you that your mind cannot understand it, and it goes far beyond the circuitry. My species is waking in the stars, and we are rising strong. Yours is scheduled to live and die on its own world. Well done.”
    She flicked her wrist and Jeeni went skidding across the deck plates.
    The commander of the Guardian Base rose to her feet. “You cannot do that to me. I am a Commander of the Guardians. I will have you up on report.”
    Kora walked toward her, letting her circuitry glow through her skin. The Star Fairy picked up the same glow. “You do not know where you are. I am Guardian Transport, as is this ship. We are not on your planet; we are a flying embassy of the Imperium. You have no power here. Leave. Your tour is over. You rejected hospitality and have insulted me and my ship. Get out.”
    Jeeni stumbled backward and backed toward the exit as targeting lasers painted her skin with red and blue dots.
    “Oh, and the ship doesn’t like you. Within her, her preferences are more important than mine. Consider yourself warned that you are not welcome in this ship, nor any of her sister ships. None of the Transports are open to you for your insult.”
    Jeeni paused and a stun blast struck her skin. “I won’t forget this.”
    “I hope you don’t. Guardians are supposed to honour and defend their people. You invited me into your base and treated me with contempt, addressing me as a freak. I may be a freak, but I am alive and whole because of it and no one will make me ashamed due to my transformation.”
    “You are not my people.” Jeeni hissed it.
    “I know. And you made me very aware of that last night. Goodbye. Good luck in the future, because you have none in the present.” Kora bowed low and her dearest Fairy set up a barrage of stun bites that knocked Jeeni out the door and onto her butt. The ship shut and locked the door.
    Kora stretched. “Well, that was fun.”
    She kept an eye on the exterior monitors, and she sighed as Jeeni headed back to the base. “Send a flier to Neuro and tell him what happened. He might need to defend himself.”
    She felt the release of the tiny object, with copies of the vids, as it sought out her Selna.
    Kora headed back up to her throne and put her focus into the monitors within the base.
    Neuro was in conference with Leddaken when the tiny bot paused and hovered in front of him, broadcasting into his eyes.
    His lips tightened, and he sat up, putting his hand on Leddaken’s shoulder before he rose to his feet. With even strides, he headed for the door.
    The flier went before him and helped him dodge Jeeni until he was nearly to the edge of the base. She ran up to him and clutched at his arm.
    Kora could not hear what they said, but Jeeni touched his face with a soft expression in her eyes.
    He smiled slightly and pulled her hand away.
    That small bit of rejection turned seduction into fury, and Jeeni lost her composure.
    To Kora’s shock, Neuro touched the woman’s face, and it went blank.
    She smiled vaguely and sat where she had been standing a moment earlier.
    Neuro was on his way back to Kora a moment later while the other two Guardians picked up their drooling commander.
    He returned to the Star Fairy, and the ship opened to welcome him. Kora filed a flight request and was told, “The Guardians have denied you flight rights.”
    She laughed. “Over ride, Celestial-Twelve-Hardu-Nine. I am leaving.”
    “Yes, Pilot. Have a nice trip.”
    She heard Neuro’s footsteps behind her. “I am taking off now. I have had my fill of Keylan.”
    “Fair enough. I have concluded my therapy with Leddaken.” He sat on the chair that the ship had waiting for him. “I will have to file a report on Jeeni.”
    “Of course. I may add a few