HEART OF A STAR RAIDER

By

Fiona Neal

© copyright January 2006, Fiona Neal

Cover art by Eliza Black, © copyright January 2006

ISBN 1-58608-805-X

New Concepts Publishing

Lake Park, GA 31636

www.newconceptspublishing.com

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

Chapter One

Planet Earth

Washington, DC, USA

The year 2500

"Colossus could end life on earth as we know it, General." Colonel Dirk O'Brien stepped away from the huge telescope in the observatory of the Interplanetary Monitoring Commission, better known as the IMC. "I predicted this disaster two years ago when our astronomers first discovered this asteroid, but Congress and the World Council thwarted my plans, sir."

A space pilot in the elite corps of Star Raiders as well as being an aerospace engineer, Dirk held his frame of six feet, five inches at attention, but under his disciplined façade, he struggled to hide his boiling frustration. "However, under the present circumstances, it doesn't give me any pleasure to say I told them so, sir."

General Bran, the commanding officer of the IMC, had an apprehensive look in his purple eyes. The display of emotion surprised Dirk. Even in the worst of circumstances, aliens from the planet Appolonius where Bran was born usually concealed their negative feelings.

However, as Dirk caught sight of his own image in the mirror-paneled door that led to Bran's office, he realized he wasn't doing such a good job of masking his own feelings either. His dark eyes and black hair seemed to drain all the color from his face, which looked taut with worry. Except for the silver insignia of six shooting stars pinned to the left side of his chest, indicating his membership and rank in the Star Raiders, his charcoal-gray, one-piece, skin-tight flight suit offered no relief to his austere appearance.

"I wished they had heeded your warnings then, Colonel O'Brien, because the situation has become an emergency. Otherwise, I should never have called you here this evening." Bran shook his large head and his full crop of lavender hair glowed in the dim artificial overhead light. "If the earth is destroyed, the whole solar system will be affected." The pale skin on his bulging forehead formed deep furrows of concern.

"I know, sir. That's why I suggested back then that we start a project either to destroy Colossus or to divert it from its path. According to our astronomers' calculations, its mass is the size of the state of Rhode Island. When it hits us, its impact will devastate the earth and kill millions."

"But two years ago, Colossus wasn't heading toward earth," Bran said. "It was just one of the two hundred thousand asteroids that are constantly orbiting the belt of space between Mars and Jupiter. At that point in time, we had little reason to believe it would threaten us. The mere possibility that Colossus might come this way was not a strong enough argument to persuade Congress to allocate funds for your Star Catcher program. Unfortunately, the rest of the countries on earth couldn't reach an agreement in the World Council either."

"I respectfully disagree, sir," Dirk said, trying to keep the ferocity from his tone. "I believe I had Congress convinced until that woman betrayed me with her distorted facts and fallacious testimony."

A sheepish expression wavered over Bran's face.

Another uncharacteristic display of emotion from Bran, Dirk thought. Furthermore, why did the allusion to Aurora make the general look so uncomfortable? What did the Appolonian have up his sleeve?

"You should put that incident behind you, Colonel O'Brien. Holding grudges serves no purpose, since our lawmakers finally granted you funds to build the Star Catcher."

"Yes, but as you well know, even though we have the money, the Star Catcher may not be built in time to avoid disaster, sir." Dirk felt a muscle in his right temple jump.

The fact that he could now construct the spaceship did not expunge the pain of Aurora's betrayal from his heart. Dirk clenched his teeth and balled his fists, feeling the agony of being deceived by someone he had trusted with his life flood his heart.

No, he wouldn't let that woman's treachery continue to do this to him. His misery and disappointment fused into righteous fury.

"I think you'll agree, General, that if Aurora Caldwell hadn't swayed those legislators' votes away from my project, we wouldn't be facing this crisis now. The Star Catcher would have been built. I'd be able to launch it immediately, dock with Colossus, and tow it into deep space. This asteroid is certainly not the first threat we've faced and it won't be the last. Asteroids pose a continuing problem, and in the past they've proven to be cataclysmic. It'll take months to build the Star Catcher, and every moment of that time Colossus is hurtling closer to the earth, threatening us with annihilation."

Geologists had found sites all around the world where asteroid impacts had left their devastating marks. Crater Lake was just one. Some scientists believed an asteroid crashed into the earth and caused the extinction of the dinosaurs millions of years ago by destroying their habitat.

Dirk exhaled a deep breath. "Two years ago, I told the Congress of the United States and the World Council that it's not a question of if one of these behemoths will hit us, it's when."

"I urged them to grant you the funding, but my pleas fell on deaf ears." Bran shrugged and threw up his six-fingered hands.

"I remember, sir." Dirk shook his head. "And to add insult to injury, some of the legislators who opposed us told me privately that I just wanted them to fund the Star Catcher's construction for my own fame and prestige. Others called me an alarmist."

"And they were woefully shortsighted." His footsteps echoing on the black granite floor, General Bran strode across the octagonal observatory. He settled his seven-foot frame on the long brown leather couch and rested one of his muscular arms on the armrest.

"My planet has already suffered from such a catastrophe," Bran told him. "A thousand years ago, the same kind of asteroid fell into the ocean on Appolonius. It caused an enormous tsunami that wiped out several coastal cities. As if that disaster weren't bad enough, the tremendous heat from the asteroid's burning rock and metal raised the temperature of the sea in that area to the boiling point, causing all the sea life to die, the oxygen-giving plankton being the first to perish." Bran leaned forward. "The steam going into the atmosphere changed the weather for years, and the poisonous gases polluted the air further. We had floods, then droughts, heat waves, and finally a mini ice age, all of which caused years of crop failures.

"Without grass and feed, our animals died. Starvation set in and disease took its toll on the people who weren't murdered by looters. Only the very strongest survived. It took five hundred years for my planet to recover from the catastrophe and another five hundred to resume its former prosperity."

"And the same thing will happen on earth if the Star Catcher isn't built in time." Dirk crossed his arms. "Taking into account the speed Colossus is traveling toward us and the distance it is from the earth, it will impact us within the year… if it doesn't accelerate, that is."

"I know." Bran stared at the floor. "I did the calculations myself. If only we could blast it out of the sky, but contrary to popular belief, that's not a viable solution."

"Unfortunately not, sir."

They both knew that the mass of rubble that resulted from the explosion would reform, like pieces of iron filings attracted to a magnet. After an atomic blast, the asteroid would pose an even greater threat because it would then be full of radioactive material.

"The Star Catcher will work, sir, better than any craft I've ever designed. As far as I know, I'm the only one who has a solution of any kind."

Bran cast him another strange look. "I wouldn't assume that if I were you."

Dirk frowned. "What do you mean? Does someone else have a plan?"

Bran nodded. "One of your compatriots, a human from the United States, has a very ingenious plan."

"I've read all the research that's been published about asteroid diversion. All the papers are theoretical. No one even has a design on the drawing board."

"Perhaps this research isn't on spacecraft construction."

Dirk tired of the game. "What does it include, General?"

"Sit down, Colonel."

Feeling wary, Dirk obeyed, settling into the luxurious yellow leather chair set at a right angle to the sofa.

Bran held Dirk's gaze. "In answer to your question, it has to do with energy."

Stunned, Dirk said, "You can't mean--"

"Dr. Aurora Caldwell," Bran interrupted.

So that's why Bran had been behaving so strangely. Dirk's guts contracted into a hard knot. "But you know as well as I do that she's the reason the Star Catcher didn't get funded two years ago, General."

She had also broken his heart.

Though Aurora worked for the Thor Energy Company, she also did independent consulting at the IMC. She and Dirk met there and collaborated on another project--a space station he had designed as a vacation retreat. Aurora had provided a very efficient energy system for the facility.

During that time, they had also fallen madly in love, or so she led him to believe. For his part, Dirk gave the Moon Fleet warrior-scientist his heart without reservation. But she betrayed him and then tried to excuse her behavior by telling him some cock-and-bull story. Well, he didn't buy it--not after the way she lied in front of Congress.

He thanked heaven that he had never shared his complete set of plans for the Star Catcher with her. He almost had because he loved and respected her so much. He did answer the few questions she asked, but then Aurora acted very preoccupied. When they were together, her mind seemed a thousand miles away. So he didn't share any more of his work on the Star Catcher with her--but she used what little knowledge she had gained against him.

She led him to believe she would support his project. However, when it came time for her to give her support before the joint session of the houses, she told the legislators that while Star Catcher was a worthy project, the construction of the spacecraft didn't warrant immediate implementation. Instead, she lobbied for the project she had invented at the Thor Energy Company--a program called the Starlight Rays Collector.

Devastated, Dirk never recovered from the deception. Not with his dying breath would he ever forgive her or trust her. To protect himself against further treachery, he never shared his plans with anyone.

Yet, despite his shattered heart, he could never forget their wild and uninhibited affair. He had certainly tried, but to no avail. He could not dispel the memory of sinking into her hot, wet body and feeling her eager response. She did things with the muscles of her feminine passageway that he had never imagined. Nor had he ever had such powerful orgasms with anyone else. Just thinking about her sent his libido blasting off like a rocket, and he felt his penis getting hard under his Star Raider uniform. Because the flight suit molded to him like a second skin, erections could become quite obvious.

You need to stop remembering the good times and recall how she hurt you, Dirk reminded himself. He recollected the last terrible argument he had with Aurora, and his stiff phallus quickly deflated.

"Aren't you curious about how her work can be of use to you in this project?" Bran asked.

Dirk clenched his fists so hard his nails cut into his palms. "No, I'm not. My energy system is more than sufficient."

"Her newest invention has nothing to do with propulsion or providing utilities for space travel. Dr. Caldwell has taken an ancient concept, but has given it a new twist that will dovetail nicely with the Star Catcher's mission."

"You want me to agree without knowing the nature of her technology, General?"

"You would be wise to consent, Dirk, even without knowing all of the details."

"So what has she invented?"

"She devised a way to shrink that asteroid," Bran said.

Dirk hid his surprise. He had to admit that reducing the size of the asteroid would make catching it easier--and safer. But he wasn't ready to capitulate yet. He would have to make sure Aurora wasn't just out to use him again.

"Is your pride worth putting the whole world at risk?" Bran asked. "Besides, suppose you encounter a problem that you haven't anticipated. Aren't two technologies better than one?"

Bran's challenge struck its mark. "I never said I wouldn't work with her, " Dirk snarled.

"But I got the impression that you wouldn't be willing to do so."

"Of course I wouldn't risk the world--and yes, two heads are better than one!" Dirk snapped, grappling with his anger and trying to keep a civil tongue in his head. After all, even if Bran wasn't a Star Raider, the general held a superior rank and headed the IMC. "In the years that I've worked with this agency, have I ever allowed personal feelings to enter into the equation, sir?"

"No, to your credit, you haven't," Bran answered.

Dirk had dreamed of taking the Star Catcher from an idea on the drawing board into a reality, and now he had his chance. But he must insure that neither Aurora nor anyone else would steal his designs.

"So are you prepared to work with Major Caldwell, Colonel?" Bran asked, looking at him hopefully.

"I'd like to know how she will shrink the asteroid."

"That won't matter unless you're willing to work with her."

It occurred to Dirk that this could be an opportunity to let Aurora pay for her treachery. He suppressed the smile of deep satisfaction that was tugging at his lips. Oh, how he would enjoy bending the proud warrior-scientist to his will and humbling her.

"I don't see how I can refuse with the fate of the world hanging in the balance, but I have certain conditions, General."

"Which are?" Bran gave him a quizzical look.

"I'll dictate them in a formal contract, and Major Caldwell will have to sign the agreement. I have no intention of taking her word for anything, and I won't work with her unless she signs. And I would prefer it if we did all our communicating through a third party, General."

Dirk had believed her before and had gotten burned. All those vows to love him forever had been nothing but cruel lies, falsehoods to manipulate him and get her way. Furthermore, he didn't want to come face to face with her. He had no intention of letting her try to seduce him again.

"That puts me in a difficult position, Colonel." Bran stood, clasped his hands behind his back, and began to pace. "You see, as a favor to me, she has consented to see you, and as we speak she is waiting in my office. You aren't going to refuse to meet her when the time to deal with this emergency is so short, are you?"

The notion of actually seeing her hit Dirk like a punch in the solar plexus. "Give me a minute, General."

He lifted the miniaturized voice-activated communicator that he wore on his wrist to his lips. Without any polite prelude or greeting, he dictated, "Major Aurora Caldwell will be allowed to work with Colonel Dirk O'Brien to launch the Star Catcher only if she agrees to the following terms: She will defer to Colonel O'Brien in all areas of this program, even those that are in her particular domain of expertise. She will have no authority to make determinations, policy, or to implement any phase of the program without permission from Colonel O'Brien. All final decisions will be within Colonel O'Brien's realm of command and his realm alone."

Dirk then commanded the system to send the message to Aurora's communicator, a copy to Bran's, and to store the original in his.

As Dirk finished, Bran stopped pacing and shook his head. "Was that kind of autocratic ruthlessness necessary, Colonel O'Brien?"

"Positively, sir," Dirk answered without equivocation.

"I'll give her a few minutes to read and think over the message," Bran said. "If I know her, she'll need time to process its contents and control her anger."

"Her rage, you mean." Dirk smirked with satisfaction. Revenge is sweet, he thought, so lusciously sweet, and he was savoring every delicious moment of it as he would a fine, expensive wine.

"But you didn't have to humiliate her, Colonel." A look of chagrin on his face, Bran shook his large head.

Although her testimony had disappointed Bran two years ago, he had never experienced Aurora's treachery on a deep, personal level.

But I have--and she broke my heart.

"I will not back down, General. If she wants to work on this project, she will have to agree to my rules, and those conditions will be absolutely non-negotiable."

"I see." A wary look clouded Bran's purple eyes.

A few minutes later, Bran peered at the communicator on his wrist then looked at Dirk. "My assistant just informed me that Major Caldwell is seeking admittance."

"Bring her on, General," Dirk said, smiling and feeling smug.

Bran gave his permission, and the automated doors parted as a computerized voice announced, "Entrant approaching."

Head up, Aurora stormed in and Dirk gasped. Despite everything, she still had the ability to rob him of breath. Her gorgeous face hadn't changed. Her wide brow, straight chiseled nose, finely sculpted cheekbones, luscious full lips, and well-formed chin had branded themselves into his brain forever.

A golden tiara, with the crescent-moon insignia of the Moon Fleet warriors in its center, crowned her glorious blonde hair that fell in dazzling waves down her back as she strode to them. She'd worn her uniform, and the metallic, cobalt-blue, form-fitting bodysuit clung to her body snugly, showing off its stupendous curves. The garb exactly matched the color of her eyes, now blazing like blue flames, and her Moon Fleet sword hung from her side in an ornate scabbard of silver and black leather.

The very air seemed charged with electricity, but Aurora lit up any room like a lightning bolt when she entered it. Every person's head turned when she walked in. The woman possessed more than beauty. She had presence.

Despite the fury raging between them, Dirk felt the hard tug in his belly that signaled an erection. He was grateful to be sitting. It made hiding the evidence of his arousal somewhat easier. He also folded his arms over his chest, instinctively protecting his heart.

Her feet apart, arms akimbo, Aurora glared at him then turned to Bran. "General, I came here in good faith and for the benefit of mankind, and this oaf, who remains sitting in the presence of a lady, had the gall to send me this humiliating contract."

Bran eyed Dirk cautiously.

What was her archaic reference to a lady supposed to mean? He was a superior officer. She had to defer to him. "What lady?" Dirk asked. "I'm not aware of anyone here who fits that description. All I see is a scowling, angry woman, a harpy in fact, who rudely bolts in here like a frenzied mare through a starting gate without observing the rudiments of ordinary politeness."

Aurora darted a steely stare at Dirk. "Who are you to talk about good manners? That message you just sent to me takes the prize for being the rudest document I've ever read."

Dirk never blinked as he held her blue-fire gaze and arched an eyebrow. "Let me remind you, Major Caldwell, that this is my project, not yours. You can either agree or walk. The choice is yours. I never asked for your help."

She shot Bran a sharp glare, but the general sent her one of pleading.

Dirk wondered what was going on between the two of them.

Dropping her hands to her sides, she took several strides toward Dirk, then stopped just in front of him. The smell of jasmine emanated from her, triggering vivid memories of summer nights filled with intense passion and profound sexual satisfaction. Dirk wrestled with his rampant lust.

"The fate of the world hangs in the balance," she said, "and you're quibbling about who's the boss?"

Dirk leaned forward. "From where I sit, you're the one who's quibbling, Major."

She drew herself up to her full six feet of height. Holding her arms stiffly at her sides, she balled her hands into tight fists. "You just want to humiliate me, you impossible dolt." She looked at General Bran. "I don't think this is going to work, sir."

"That is quite enough, Major Caldwell," Bran ordered. He then looked at Dirk. "And the same rule applies to you, Colonel O'Brien. There will be no more name calling here and you will observe military protocol."

"I beg your pardon, General," Aurora said.

Dirk felt terrible for loosing control. "So do I, sir."

"I will not tolerate this petty, childish squabbling from either one of you. If you cannot control your tempers, subdue your egos, and put aside your personal differences, our mission is doomed," Bran said. Then he added softly, "I believe you can make a valuable contribution to all of mankind, Major Caldwell, but every program must have a director. You will have to defer to Colonel O'Brien and agree to his terms if you wish to participate in this project. The choice is yours."

"Those conditions being that the colonel is in complete control, and I submit to him in all areas, even if they fall within the parameters of my expertise, which is energy development and utilization."

"That is correct," Bran said. "Someone has to take final responsibility."

Her face muscles now stiff, she nodded abruptly. "Very well, I agree."

"Then sign the contract, Major Caldwell," Dirk said. "General Bran will witness it."

She held up the communicator and spoke into it. "Produce a digitized signature and send to General Bran and Colonel O'Brien. Save original."

Seconds later, the General spoke into his communicator. "Witness signature, place original in permanent files, and print out three copies.

A minute later, an automated voice announced, "Entrant approaching." Bran's female Appolonian assistant entered. The low cut bodice and short skirt of the lavender-haired woman's uniform revealed her bounteous assets. As she smiled at them, Dirk wondered if General Bran found relief from the cares of his office in the arms of the beautiful female. The general was a widower and Appolonians were reputed to have insatiable sexual appetites.

The violet-eyed woman gave them each a copy of the signed contracts.

"Thank you, Corporal Celeste." Bran smiled.

She returned the smile and said in a soft, seductive voice. "You're welcome, General."

"Well, now that we've settled that issue, I have some business that needs tending," Bran announced, his gaze riveted on Celeste's body.

Like relieving your sexual tension in Celeste's lovely arms, Dirk thought, feeling he could benefit from the same kind of release himself.

"I'm sure the two of you would like to discuss the plans for your project." Bran stood. "So we'll leave you to it." The general and the beautiful assistant left the observatory as the computerized voice announced, "Occupants exiting."

As the doors slid shut behind the Appolonians, Dirk focused his gaze on Aurora. "I think we should agree on some ground rules."

Her eyes widened. "What? I just signed that contract. What more could you possible demand of me?"

"Lower your voice, Major. That shrill tone gets on my nerves, and that's just the kind of thing that I want to talk about."

"The damned tone of my voice?" She looked at him incredulously.

"For one thing." Dirk sat back on the sofa, feeling quite smug. This was going to be amusing. He'd never had the upper hand with her before, and he intended to enjoy every moment of it--if he could keep his libido under control.

Her hot temper was a reminder of her fiery passion. He recalled their tempestuous arguments. Making up, though, always ended in a tumult of hot, wild sex.

Involuntarily, he scanned her body, starting with her perky breasts, her small waist, flat stomach, flared hips, firm thighs, and long, long shapely legs.

He remembered, lying between those thighs, his phallus buried in the ecstasy of her marvelous body.

He had to stop thinking in that vein. Sleeping with her, no matter how much he wanted to, would jeopardize the mission. She had double-crossed him--big time. He would never allow her to do that again.

"So what else don't you like?" Lips pursed, Aurora raised her chin.

"Your waspish remarks, for one. Keep a civil tongue in your head when you speak to me, Major." He deliberately kept his tone low and controlled. He would not give her the satisfaction of loosing his cool. "You will also maintain a respectful attitude. I don't want any bad mouthing me to the rest of the crew. We have a lot of work to do in the next few months, and I don't want you ruining the morale of the staff."

"Yes, sir," she said sarcastically.

"We'll meet in the seminar room here at thirteen hundred hours tomorrow. I want you to explain your entire project to me, and how it will fit with the Star Catcher's mission."

"I'll be there," she said through clenched teeth. "Is there anything else you want?"

He wanted to throw her down on Bran's leather couch and make love to her until her skin glowed with the flush of passion and her body convulsed with climax after climax because, in spite of her betrayal of him, he still wanted her--maybe more than ever. But he couldn't fulfill his fantasy.

He stood. "Not at the moment. Dismissed, Major Caldwell."

Lips pursed, her nostrils flared, Aurora saluted him abruptly, and Dirk returned the gesture. She then stomped toward the door in a fierce temper.

Dirk ground his teeth. "Damn," he murmured. He was going to have to work very hard to stay out of her bed.