Chapter 12

On the Gaitha everyone's attention was focused on the video screen and the streaming feed from the locket. Being weighted, the locket did not swing nearly as much as a regular one would have and they all watched the next ten seconds in stunned silence. Jupiter and Kalique watched in horror as Greeghan grabbed Gaitha's arm. Dragar's roar drowned their stunned their cries when Gaitha's forearm audibly snapped.

"Easy big guy," came Caine's calm, soothing voice. "She's alive and it looks like she just kicked that Sargorn's ass." He couldn't quite hide the pride in his voice.

"Yes," hissed Dragar. "I will kill him for hurting her."

"He's all yours big D. I just want my daughter back."

Jupiter and Kalique were restless, pacing the floor and looking worried. Jupiter looked up at Caine as her pacing brought her abreast of him.

"Hey," he told Jupiter pulling her to him and then kissing her gently on the lips.

"I'll bring her back okay?"

"Hey boss?" Stinger was trying to get Caine's attention. "She's inbound for Dock 1 as we speak."

"Let's go then," Caine replied. He kissed Jupiter again quickly, "We will find her and bring her back but I need you to keep an eye out in case Greeghan decides to suddenly change course and start heading this way."

Jupiter grabbed her gun and shoved it in the hip-holster down by her right thigh.

"I will head to the infirmary and ready things there," Kalique told them as she headed out of the bridge and into the corridor leading to the Infirmary.

Headed by Dragar, Caine and Stinger were approaching the outside door of Gaitha's jumper. Dragar would have used the element of surprise if he thought the other Sargorn was on the other side of the door, but Dragar didn't think this particular Sargorn would be stupid enough to position himself in such a vulnerable spot, especially if injured or still groggy from the tranquilizer dart.

When they manually overrode the door's locking mechanism, just as they thought, there was no one on the other side. Luckily, the corridor was small and they could see there wasn't anyone at the end or in the part of the bridge they could see. Once at the entrance to the bridge, Caine covered Stinger as they both stepped in to check the area while Dragar stayed in the second short corridor leading to the rest of the ship. The area was clear so they fell in behind Dragar once again as he walked down the corridor, his head almost touching the ceiling.

Caine knew they had to get to the atrium but if the Sargorn was not lying on the ground in the atrium, they might have trouble on their hands. Caine didn't need anything but his nose to find Gaitha and he could smell her scent now and the scent of her blood, which made his boil.

He cocked his ear and put his hand up as he listened to the audio feed in his ear.

"No, no I...You're right I didn't remember that. That gives us an advantage and evens the playing field. You're sitting tight waiting for me right?"

He listened again.

"Good" he said, "We're at the entrance to the atrium door and so far we see the body of Mr. Night and that's it."

He whispered to his team, "Head's up, he has no field of vision on his left side, I took that eye out when Balem died."

Just then all hell broke lose.

The whole center of the atrium was swiftly rising when Greeghan charged out of the middle of the bushes and jumped straight at Dragar. Dragar sidestepped out of most of the blow but Greeghan lashed out with the over half a tail he had left and swept the feet out from under Caine and Stinger. Dragar swiftly wrapped his tail around the other Sargorn's throat. He rose up and used his wings to get him about fifteen feet off the ground before he yanked his tail up, pulling Greeghan away from Caine and Stinger and letting the Sargorn go mid-flight. Greeghan flew several more feet forward and crashed to the ground unable to stay on his feet. He quickly got to his feet and saw movement out of the corner of his remaining eye and he turned his head sharply. Gaitha was running out of the panic room platform elevator on the opposite side of him.

Greeghan ran toward where he last saw Gaitha because he wanted Gaitha. She was the one who killed his master, who tried to kill him just like her father tried to kill him more than 20 years ago. She was the reason he lost everything and everyone. She is the symbol of all his losses and killing her would be the best revenge against Caine and Jupiter. With a roar he ran after her but only caught a glimpse of her out of his right eye. Gaitha waited until he was close enough to her and then used the gravity boots to jump in the air and let Greeghan's momentum carry him forward beneath her and then past. She knew she was now in his blind spot. She descended on him again and planted her foot in the same place as before but this time she bent down, grabbed the lizard's good wing, and pulled upward while pushing downward with her foot, breaking the wing. She heard a satisfying snap and Greeghan roared in pain and moved violently, throwing Gaitha to the ground. She heard the sound of wings and saw Dragar come down, planting his feet on Greeghan's chest and knocking him the opposite way.

Caine and Stinger ran towards the melee, guns drawn, and waited for the chance to end the Sargorn once and for all. They didn't get one though, because Dragar yanked his foe off the ground and had him in a headlock. He then took his other hand, claws extended and gouged out Greeghan's remaining eye, effectively and totally blinding him. Dragar took advantage of the Sargorn's vulnerability and ran his claws across the softer part of the neck underneath Greeghan's jaw and opened him from ear to ear. Another swipe and the Sargorn was spurting blood in time to his pulse but this gradually stopped as the reptile's life bled from him. Dragar kicked the lifeless body, making sure that the giant reptile was dead.

Caine reached Gaitha and Stinger covered them but then dropped his arm as he saw Dragar eliminating any further threat. Gaitha threw her arms around her father and hugged him tight as he picked her up. Caine checked her and there did not appear to be any further damage. However, he was upset with her and Gaitha could feel it.

"Yes I am upset with you because you put yourself at further risk by not staying put like I asked you to."

"I know but I couldn't bear to think of something happening to you all so I wanted to help."

"I know you did but there are three of us, we would have taken care of it."

Gaitha looked at him crossly, "When Dad, when he knocked you and Stinger on the ground and had Dragar on the defensive?" Then she blushed for talking so heatedly to her father.

He surprised her by laughing. "You did great Gaitha, I'm really proud of you."

With that Gaitha let him carry her out of the atrium. She was going to tell him she could walk but suddenly she felt more tired than she had ever felt in her life. It was just too comfortable and the medication was making her eyelids droop and then close. She nodded off and Caine handed her off to Dragar in whose arms she almost looked the size of a child. Caine led the way out, followed by Dragar and his slight cargo, and Stinger brought up the rear.

Once aboard the Gaitha Jupiter met them at the entrance and Dragar lowered Gaitha enough to show Jupiter she was out cold. Jupiter looked at Caine in alarm but he nodded his head negatively.

"She's fine Jupiter; she is just tired from all the activity and adrenaline, not to mention a broken arm."

"And that's it, nothing else, no other injuries?"

"Just the arm Jupiter," was Caine's soft reply.

Jupiter gently touched Gaitha's hand which felt warm to the touch and helped to lower her anxiety level. She turned and began to lead the party to the infirmary. They would be able to check Gaitha out from head to toe and take care of her broken arm.