Chapter 127
Dron tried his hardest to get to sleep.
The sharp jagged rocks under him reminded him with every movement that he wasn’t at home. He wasn’t with Tempest.
He groaned and sprang up into a seated position. Dron looked to his wrist device and sent up anotheer prayer to the moon goddess. He swiped up and a screen illuminated in front of him. He swiped on Tempest’s indicator and waited for the communicator to connect to hers.
He let his head drop as the time slipped by without any answer. He still wasn’t able to get in contact with her. He knew it was normal. Knew that based on where he was there was really no way for him to get in contact with her, but that still didn’t stop him from trying every once in a while. He wanted to reach out to her.
He wanted to be with her. It was all impossible.
At least that is what he knew logical. Emotionally, it felt like she was rejecting him.
What could she possibly be doing that would keep her from trying to reach him? Was she with another man? Was she happy to be done with him.
The rage started to roil inside his body. He was over reacting and he knew it but he just couldn’t stop himself.
"And you are the alpha they chose to lead us?" Krazek spoke, his arms crossed over his chest.
"I am, its well past the time that you accept that." Dron still hadn’t addressed the near miss. He didn’t want to think about it too much. Many things happened in the heat of the battle but Dron couldn’t help but believe that it was done on purpose. If he hadn’t moved back, Krazek’s blade would have sliced his throat.
"I don’t have to accept anything. All I have to do is follow until you are no longer fit to follow. And based on the panic I’m reading on your face I can say that day will come sooner than later."
"You know nothing of panic. Nothing of hurt. I can show you." Dron stood to his feet and took a step in Krazek’s direction.
"I’m sure you’d like to try but then Master Chief Tuliq would have lots of questions as to how one of the men under your command managed to perish outside of combat."
Dron clenched his jaw as hard as he could without breaking his teeth. This man was going to get under his skin. He couldn’t allow it. Not when he was supposed to be his superior. Dron had known men like Krazek all his life and never before had he allowed any of them to get under his skin.
He was off kilter.
Dron took a deep breath and took a step back. Krazek was right, if something happened to any of these men while they were under his supervision, Mark Chief Tuliq would have a field day with him. "Don’t you have supplies to check? We won’t be resting for much longer." Dron stared at the man and waited for him to push back. In fact, it seemed as if he were a bit disappointed that Dron didn’t fight him back on this.
Krazek grumbled something under his breath before he turned and went about his business. . Dron looked up into the unnatural looking sky and wished for a sign. Hope that he was doing the right thing. He knew what he ws ordered to do but he couldn’t help but think this might just be a fool’s errand. It would be near impossible for himj to find anyone on these barren lands that had anything to do with the attack on the poor class.
Still impossible or not he knew he had to try. After all it should’ve been impossible for him to find his fated mate but he had.
Dron bent to gather up the small bit of supplies that he had and made his way to the group . WHen he walked up behind them he realized he caught them in a intense conversation.
It went silent the moment they realized that Dron was near.
"Is there a problem?" Dron asked and looked around the group of men.
"No problem." Krex answered quickly. Too quickly.
Dron narrowed his eyes and then looked to Vexun.
"We don’t see the point of this mission. It is seeming more and more like a suicide mission than data retrieval." Vexun spoke followed by a round of groans from the people next to him.
Dron looked around at the men. They didn’t want him to know but Vexun was telling the truth. No one wanted to be here. No one believed in this mission.
Dron would be lying if he said that he didn’t understand.
"It doesn’t matter what we think. We have been given orders and we have to uphold them." Dron spoke, making sure to keep his voice even and strong.
"You’re telling me you think we are going to find something here?" Krazek asked narrowing his eyes on Dron.
"Yes, I do believe we are going to find something. Is it what the high royals want us to find. That I doubt"
"And what happens when we find this mysterious data?"
"We show the people, everyone will know what we find here."
One hoot sounded. Then another and another.
Shortly everyone was exclaiming and the morale rose.
Suddenly there was a new mission. Everyone was on board, everyone but Krazek.
Dron realized it was going to take more than an passionate promise to get him on board.
That was okay. He would figure the proud alpha out or he would die trying.
Dron secured his pack on his back and directed the rest of the men to do the same.
Dron and Krex was at the front of the line. So far Dron hadn’t said much to the experienced tracker. On other missions Dron never got the opportunity to speak with the rest of the men in his squad. He’d always been kept on his own. This was the first time that he was walking shoulder to shoulder with the other men.
He didn’t think he knew how to socialize, but the more he thought about it the more he realized he was truly just scared to broach any conversation simply because he was scared of what the people would think of him. It was just his poor self confidence rearing it’s head.
Dron pulled his shoulders back, "Have you come across any creatures like the ones we faced earlier?"
Krex startled briefly, it was obvious he hadn’t expected Dron to actually talk to him.
"Uh...no. Not to say I haven’t faced other monstrosities, but not those specifically."
Dron nodded, "So you believe we are going to have more opposition?"
"Oh, absolutely. You have no idea the terrors that are in this land. If I’m being honest I don’t relish the fact that I’m back here." Krex looked around as if he were waiting for something to come around the corner and attack them.
"You’ll advise me then." Dron announced. "Advise you?" Krex asked confused.
"Yes, I’m an experienced soldier, I’ve been to many different lands but I’ve never been here. My intention is to get all of us back home in one piece."
Krex shrugged his shoulders slowly, "That’s good to hear. I have to admit not everyone here believes that you have their best interests at heart. They think you have a death wish. At least that’s the reputation that comes with you."
Dron thought back on his previous tours. He had always been a bit reckless but now he had more of a reason to do things the right way.
He had to make sure that he found his way back to Tempest. It meant that he would do everything in his power to stay alive and that meant asking for help when he needed it.
Krex looked over to Dron as if he wanted to say something but then he just looked away.
"Speak freely." Dron kept his eyes forward.
"Well, Silver Mark Chief, you are already thought to be quite different than the rest but you also have mannerisms that I’ve never seen before. Aren’t you worried about further distancing yourself from the rest of the men?"
Dron thought about what the man was saying. He was right. Dron smiled and nodded, things regular alphas would not understand.
He couldn’t help it.
Tempest was with him whether he wanted to believe it or not.
"I no longer care what the others think of me. I’ve grown and I’m not going to pretend or dull myself to make everyone else comfortable."
Krex was quiet for a second before he spoke again, "What does it mean? This gesture?" Krex nodded his head.
"It’s a gesture of affirmation or understanding. Much like our singular shoulder movement."
Krex nodded his head. "Ah, that is pretty intuitive. I like it."
Dron nodded in return, "Soon you’ll be doing it without thinking about it and people will be asking you what it means."
Krex grunted before his head snapped forward and his eyes narrowed.
"What is it?" Dron questioned.
"Quiet." Krex put his hand up and Dron did the same to stop the troop of people behind him.
"Is it more of what we faced?" Dron asked in a much quieter voice.
"No, this is different." Krex crouched down and everyone else did the same.
Dron steadied himself and prayed that Krex was right. He didn’t know if the rest of. histeam had it in them to face those beasts again so soon.
Dron held his breath as whatever Krex was seeing slowly started to emerge.
He gasped when the small figure started to come forward.
It wasn’t another beast.
It was a child.