Free A Greater Interest: Samair in Argos: Book 4 by Michael Kotcher

him.
                  “You were recruited to keep me safe,” Tamara said, sounding slightly indignant. 
                  “Yes, ma’am, we were,” Ekaterina replied, her brindled fur ruffling a bit.  “And I’m sorry that we won’t be able to stay here by your side.”  She pointed to the side, in the same direction Viktoriya had a few moments earlier.  “But you need a team to get on board that transport and disable her before she can get into range.  That means we need to move.  Now.”
                  But Eristov was shaking her great black head.  “No.  That’s my job.”
                  “No, Serzhant,” Ekaterina said forcefully.  “You have exactly one job.”  She pointed a clawed finger.  “Her.”
                  “I’m standing right here, you know!” Tamara flared. 
                  But the lupusan all ignored her.  “We all can’t stay here, because if we do, she’ll get killed.  And we can’t be here and stop that transport.”
                  “Why does it have to be you two?” Tamara demanded.  “Corajen has plenty of deputies that can shoulder the load.”
                  Corajen shook her head.  “Not with their level of training.  That’s why I chose them for you.”
                  “We can do this,” Ekaterina said, ignoring Tamara and looking straight at her serzhant.  “And you know it can’t be anyone else.”
                  “Might like some help though,” Marat commented.  He was staring off across the Operations center, turned away from the various females around him, apparently interested in what the crewmen across the way were doing.  “Two against a whole brigade of soldiers?  Plus the crew of the ship?”
                  “I have four others that would be good for the job,” Corajen said after a second’s thought.  “They’re gearing up now.  Meet them in the hangar bay.”
                  “Right,” Marat said, shaking his head and then starting to walk off.
                  “Hold it right there,” Viktoriya demanded and the tall male stopped, turning halfway, but not looking his leader in the eye.  “I haven’t okayed this.”
                  Tamara let out a heavy sigh.  “Let them go, Viktoriya.  They’re right.  We need those two reprobates if we want any chance of stopping that ship.”
                  The black furred lupusan growled low in her throat for a long moment.  Then she closed her eyes and her ears unflattened from the sides of her head.  “Go.  Be quick.”
                  Marat laid a hand briefly on Tamara’s shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze.  Well, gentle for a lupusan anyway.  The human woman gasped and her knees nearly buckled.  She patted his hand and then he released her.  And just like that, he was gone.  Ekaterina yipped at her, startling the human woman, then she too dashed off out of Operations.  Viktoriya watched them go for only an instant, her gaze lingering on the door for perhaps another second.  Then she looked back over at the display.  “They’re on their way, Chief.”
                  “Thank you, Serzhant.”  Corajen nodded her head once.  “I’d better get going.”  But then she stopped.  “Any chance you could join the security forces?  I could use you on one of the roving patrols.”
                  The wolf woman huffed, clearly torn.  “I will stay either up here in Operations or down in the hangar bay working on those missiles.”  Tamara assured her.
                  “If you stay here in Operations, I won’t feel bad about going,” Viktoriya replied, her eyes narrowing.  Her ears lay back against her head.  “But you step one centimeter out any of the hatches and I will be staying no further than one meter away from you