Punished by Tana Stone (best books to read for knowledge .TXT) 📕

arrogant humans, lingered at the back of their group, his head low and a bandage of some kind over his nose.

Even though we’d spent one afternoon creating shields out of silvered wood lashed together with reeds from the shallows, the makeshift armor seemed almost comical as the fighters held them in front of their bodies. At least it was something, I thought. Since the planet didn’t approve of arming its citizens, a shield was preferable to meeting the Zagrath with nothing but their dicks in their hands.

I cut my eyes to one of the warped shields trembling in a Kimitherian’s grasp. Maybe not much better.

“We are not here to engage in battle with the imperial soldiers,” I told the group, striding from one end to the other as my tail snapped in time to my steps. “We are gathered to make a statement.”

From the terrified looks on the fighter’s faces, that statement was that the residents of Kimithion III were a far cry away from being able to defend themselves. I studied the rag-tag fighting unit and considered disbanding them and meeting the enemy by myself. At least the Zagrath would not see how horribly outmatched we were.

Before I could disband them and order them to return to their quarters, a rumble of surprise rippled through the males and the villagers who’d gathered at the edge of the square. Turning on my heel, I spotted the familiar glint of the shiny black helmets.

I set my legs wide, unhooking my battle axe and holding it in one hand while the other hand rested on my hip. There were only two enemy soldiers approaching. A good sign for today, but also an indication that the empire saw Kimithion III as no threat.

When the Zagrath soldiers saw me, they both stopped.

“What are you doing here, Vandar?” one of them asked, his voice muffled underneath the helmet.

I gave them my most menacing grin. “I am a resident of Kimithion III.” I tossed my axe to my other hand, catching it deftly without glancing down. “What are you doing here?”

The two helmeted heads turned to each other briefly before the second one spoke. “We are here to assess the need for imperial assistance.”

“We have no need for imperial assistance,” I said. “You may leave.”

Another glance between the soldiers. “That is not for you to determine, Vandar. It is our job to assess the planet and the proper location for a garrison.”

“A garrison?” I swung my axe close to the ground like a pendulum. “Why would you need a garrison of soldiers if this planet has no need of your presence?”

“As we said before, Vandar. This is not up to you. This is up to the empire.”

I cocked my head at them, my heart beating in time to my swinging axe, but my tail snapping at twice the speed. “Why would the empire have any dominion over the independent planet of Kimithion III? We have no precious minerals for you to strip us bare of, or any other natural resources for which the Zagrath might need to plunder and pillage the land.”

“You should not speak of the empire this way,” one of the soldiers said, taking a step forward.

“Or what?” I growled. “You’ll sneak a scouting ship onto the planet and build an illegal garrison of soldiers?”

The fighters behind me shifted nervously, and the Zagrath spoke in low tones to each other.

“We hoped this might be a peaceful occupation, but the empire can occupy your planet by force if need be.” The soldier’s voice was raised so the villagers could hear him.

I took a long stride toward them, my battle axe still swishing. “No imperial occupation is peaceful. You are leeches who suck the life from everything you touch and leave death and emptiness in your wake.” I glared at them, even though I could not see their eyes behind the glossy black of the helmets. “The people of Kimithion III reject your proposal to build a garrison, and they reject your disingenuous offer of assistance. They have ruled themselves for millennia, and they will continue to do so without your malicious and greedy interference.”

“We wish to speak to the leader of this planet,” one of the soldiers called out. “We know this Vandar thug does not speak for the good people of Kimithion III.”

My tail swept a wide path behind me as I instinctively crouched into a battle stance. “Vandar thug? I have not heard that in a very long time, you faceless automaton. But that does not bother me. What bothers me is that you were sent to spy on this planet and its inhabitants. You were tasked to gather information that will prove that there is something unique about Kimithion III, no? Information that will prove that the residents do not age or die, is that not so?”

The soldiers flinched, telling me I was correct about their mission.

“But you’re too cowardly to show your face to the people you wish to enslave, aren’t you?” I said. “It must be easy to hide behind that mask as you do the empire’s bidding like the brainless drones you are.”

“I will face you!” One of the Zagrath ripped off his helmet and threw it on the ground as the other swiveled to watch. “I’m no coward.”

I observed the imperial soldier who was no more than a boy with close-cropped pale hair. Shifting my weight from one leg to the other, I spun the handle of my axe, the bright sunlight shining off the iron of the blades. “What about your friend? He won’t remove his helmet on a mission of diplomacy?”

The other soldier followed suit, revealing the darker-haired Zagrath to be older, but not by much. “This should prove to you all that the Zagrath are not cowards.”

“That remains to be seen,” I said, grinning at them. “But now we know that you are not as clever as you should be to go up against a Vandar.”

Both clean-shaven faces registered shock before I dove forward into