Ripped and Roar

Cila Wen has lived her life unable to speak for fear destroying those around her. The Sector Guard has offered her a position and assistance in controlling her talent, but Cila is not sure if that is even possible. Ripper, her soon-to-be partner, is convinced otherwise and does everything in his power to help her out of her shell and into his bed.

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Ripped and Roar Copyright © 2011 Viola Grace ISBN: 978-1-55487-950-2 Cover art by Martine Jardin All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by Devine Destinies An imprint of eXtasy Books Look for us online at: www.devinedestinies.com

Ripped and Roar Sector Guard 21 By Viola Grace

Chapter One ila Wen checked the incoming messages, bringing up data streams with light touches of her fingers. A flashing blue light answered her query. In silence, she opened the digital document and read the document as it scrolled across her screen. Life on a relay station was rather boring and with no one to talk to Cila looked forward, with a strange intensity, to any kind of letters.

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Dear Ms. Wen, My name is Relay and I am the base manager for Sector Guard Base Morganti. Your particular condition has come to our attention and we have a proposal for you. I am sure that you are aware of why I have contacted you in print instead of via a standard communication. I have discussed your situation with other members and base commanders in the Sector Guard and we have come to a conclusion. We can offer you a way to live a relatively normal and productive life. If you are interested in this possibility, please contact 1

Viola Grace me via the following com signal. I am looking forward to your call. The string of numbers tempted her. Cila tented her fingers and stared at the document for five minutes. She exhaled through her nose and keyed in the contact strand. A woman’s face appeared immediately. She had kind eyes and a face-framing headpiece. “Hello, Cila.” She raised her hand in greeting. Bemused, Cila raised her hand before typing, Hello, Relay. “Are you interested in trying to get your talent under control?” Of course. I don’t understand how it would work though. You are aware of how my talent takes shape? “I am. Our suit techs are confident that they can provide you with a filter that will allow you to operate normally. You will be able to socialize and speak freely once the final system has been tweaked.” Cila wiped the tiny tears from her eyes. Are you sure this will work? “I am sure that if you try and we try and no one gives up, then we have a far greater chance of succeeding.” Cila drummed her fingers on her station as she thought about it. How long until there is someone to take over my station? 2

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Relay grinned. “We can have you in a personal transport within the month. Is this a yes?” Yes, with the understanding that if I do not get my talent under control, I will need to be sent to an unmanned facility. “Of course. Wait patiently for thirty days and your replacement and escort will be there to relieve and transport you respectively.” Thank you for your offer. I look forward to seeing what your technicians can come up with. I have yet to see anything that can control it. “I am confident that Fixer can work something out. She is a miracle worker when it comes to dealing with the peculiarities of talents.” Will you warn your emissaries of my speech impediment? “Of course. They will be fully briefed before they arrive. How is Stancha?” Cila smiled. I was wondering if your name was only a title. Relay Stancha is doing well. She is in her twentieth month here and all signs point to her enjoying her post. She loves to gossip. “I remember those days. It is amazing to have the feeling of entire star systems’ worth of information and correspondence running through your mind.” Fond memories? “Until they were replaced by the thrill of being in the data stream and part of the Sector Guard at the same time. I look forward to seeing you in 3

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person and discussing this further.” Thank you for your time. Cila inclined her head and accepted the wave that the other woman gave her. Their signal discontinued and Cila sat back to absorb the possibility of living a more productive life. Her parents had not known what to do with a child who refused to speak. They had coaxed, threatened and finally taken her to every therapist her world had to offer before they came to the realization that she simply would not speak. She was six when she had enough of a grasp of the written word to begin communication with her long-suffering parents. She explained that her voice hurt, but it didn’t hurt her, it hurt others. Her parents were so taken aback that they tried to force her to speak in a controlled environment. Three techs were injured and thousands of credits in equipment were destroyed when she said her first word. Hello. They stopped asking her to speak at that point and tried to find ways to keep her contained. Her current assignment was the peak of containment technology. She was ostensibly the caretaker of a relay station, but in reality, it was a prison. A relay station was an unmarked and unvisited station. There was no temptation to speak because there was no one to talk to aside 4

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from the relay who was wired into a tank and whose mind was a conduit for thousands of trace-free transmissions. Stancha wasn’t up for conversation. If Cila tried to leave the small station, a containment field would snap into place, confining her and destroying her access to breathable air. Relay was going to have to engage in a lot of begging and whining to get the most dangerous member of the Xsar species free and clear. Somehow, she didn’t doubt that the woman she had just spoken to was capable of wading through the paperwork involved. **** Three weeks later… “So, you are going to be replacing the personnel on the station?” Arkhov Ziddler spoke to his travel companion. Even for a Citadel spook, she was a little timid. She jumped every time he opened his mouth. Her words were barely a breath of sound. “I am. I look forward to the silence with only one mind in my vicinity.” Open minded is what her file said. Arkhov had read it over before agreeing to pilot her to the small relay station. It was a statement of her psychic condition. Vera Whicki was a woman with an open 5

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mind and nothing was going to change it. A relay station was the best place for her. She would have one busy relay as her companion and all of the data streams in the sector to rifle through. “I am guessing that it will be a delightful change for you after the hectic move taking place at the Citadel.” She shuddered and stared out the view screen, a tiny, pale creature with no spirit. Ripper sighed and signalled the station that they were coming in for docking. If it wasn’t for his species’ hard-headed defences against psychic probing, he was sure she would have jumped out an airlock by now. He had the psychic signature of a large brick and this was one of the few times that it was an asset. “The shift of the more active sects to Morganti was a little disruptive, but I am unsuited to any kind of group habitation. This assignment is a welcome relief and the training for maintenance of the relay was easy to absorb. I feel that this is my ideal situation.” He blinked in surprise. It was more of a speech than she had engaged in for the whole trip. “Then congratulations are in order. We are there, or here, rather.” The woman perked up and looked at the tiny station that she would soon be calling home. “It looks so quiet.” 6

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He chuckled and thought of the woman he would be taking on as partner. “You have no idea.”

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Chapter Two ila checked the seals twice before authorizing the opening of the small ship’s hatch. The two folks who exited were not what she had expected. The woman who was to replace her was so frail that it was a good thing she was on a space station. A strong breeze might blow her away. The man, however, looked as if it would take a weapon of mass destruction to simply change his mind. Wearing a skin-tight body suit, each muscle was delineated in brilliant detail, a mass of tissue that trumpeted function was well as form. Cila bit her lip as he approached, raising one hand in greeting. He replied with hand signals. Hello, Cila. You may call me Ripper or Arkhov. This is Vera. Cila smiled and cleared her mind except for her greeting. Hello, Vera. Stancha looks forward to your company. The open-minded woman from the Citadel blinked and smiled. “Thank you for the greeting. Please. Lead the way.”

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Ripped and Roar Cila nodded and signed to Ripper, I am going to give her orientation. You are welcome to make yourself at home. Thank you for coming to get me and thank you for learning to sign. He inclined his head. It is used on my world as well, I had seen it before and Relay simply made sure that I got the most intensive course I could. Cila smiled and waved for Vera to follow her into the depths of the station. Vera let out a small laugh. “For the first time, my voice was the only one I heard.” Become used to it. Mind you, I have not heard my own voice in over a decade. “I am vague on this, is it a religious matter?” Cila had to cover her mouth to hide her grin. No, it is a personal matter of the same type as yours, an out-of-control talent. “I see. Pardon my query then. May I ask how you have such a clear thought projection?” Training, my dear. Years of training. With no ability to project my thoughts, I had to be clear when I spoke to a psychic. I learned quickly to censor my impulses, not an easy task for a teenager. “I suppose not. Thank you for your clarity.” You are most welcome. This is Stancha. She is scheduled for a feeding tank swap, so if you are up for it, I can supervise you for the first one. Two hours of checking lines, cutting off tanks, lining the new ones up, doing a test of contents and verifying it against baselines and logging the 9

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nutrient change for the station systems culminated with a green light from the relay. Cila smiled. Stancha is pleased, air bubbles give her gas. “That is fascinating. How do you know?” Stancha speaks to you through the data stream. You need only log into your system and she will share her thoughts with you when she gets bored. “Thank you for your thorough briefing, Cila. I appreciate the effort you engaged in on my behalf.” Vera’s huge dark eyes were sincere. Cila bowed and inclined her head for Vera to come with her back to the control deck. It was time to see what Arkhov was up to. As a member of the Sector Guard, he was certainly trustworthy, but a man alone in an unmanned base with unlimited data access was bound to get into trouble or, at least, the porn streams. When Cila entered her office, he was seated at the desk and going through her reports. She noted the clawed tips of his fingers and the spurs that jutted from the insides of his wrists as he skimmed through a variety of information that included her dietary preferences. She tapped on the edge of the desk and he jumped, surprised at her silent entrance. “Oh, Cila. Sorry to have made myself at home.” She shrugged, jerking her thumb for him to 10

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leave the chair. Bemused, he slid from the seat and let her steer Vera into place. Leaning over the woman’s shoulder, Cila typed in the codes for transfer of control of the station. She pressed her palm to the reader, leaned forward for the eye scan and then pressed Vera’s hand into place. “I, Vera Whicki, take control of the relay station from Cila Wen, assuming all maintenance duties inherent in the facility.” The lights flashed and the system dipped and rebooted. Vera looked a little alarmed, “What was that?” Cila grinned and signed to Arkhov to translate. “Cila says that it was Stancha acknowledging the turnover.” It was a relief to be able simply to use the hand signals instead of concentrating on projecting her thoughts. It’s time for us to be on our way, wherever we are going. “You are correct. Will you be alright here, Vera?” The woman pushed her Citadel robes up her sleeves and turned to face her screens, dismissing them with a smile. “I believe that I will be more than all right. I feel absolutely at home here.” Grinning, Cila walked to her quarters and noted that her bags were missing. What? “I took your satchels to the ship and stowed them. We are ready to leave anytime.” Arkhov 11

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gestured for her to precede him. The hooks on his inner wrists were obvious, but she ignored them and led the way back to his ship. If he wasn’t going to mention them, she wasn’t going to mention them. She had no idea of his species, but it was closely related to the Azon with something spiky thrown in. She stopped at the exterior hatch. It wasn’t yet keyed to her bio print, so she had to wait for Ripper. He pressed his hand to the pad, the claws on the tips of his fingers clicking lightly against the plate. “I will get you registered for entry to the ship. Just take a seat at the control panel and I will be with you as soon as I seal the hatch.” Cila walked into the huge, open space and raised an eyebrow at the small bulkheads that delineated the areas that could hold cargo, the tiny dining area as well as wide bunks that folded up against the wall. She gave a mental snort as she took in enough living and running-around space to fill the tiny relay station. This was more space than she had ever had to herself or even to share with one person than had ever been at her disposal. “Do you like it?” She turned to face Arkhov and he was inches from her. Waves of heat were coming from him and she held her breath when his scent started to 12

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spike her attention. She backed up half a step and signed. Wow, lots of space. “The Sector Guard gets to do shakedowns of quite a few new designs for spacecraft. It’s one of the perks.” You get to fly around in untested ships? “More or less. They are tested by our technicians and inventors and then we are given the go ahead to fly them on assignment. You will be meeting with Fixer. She and Beast have crafted this particular ship with his wingspan in mind.” Will I meet them? “Fixer, most certainly. She will be on the team trying to help you gain control over this mysterious talent of yours.” She smiled, twisting her lips to one side. There is no mystery. I emanate concussive sonic force. I can do it with my body, but my voice is my most powerful outlet. He laughed. “As are the voices of most of the women of the Sector Guard, mind you, most of them could not shatter bone with a simple whisper.” His gesture for her to take her seat was graceful but insistent. She took his hint and sat at the navigator station. The ship controls were duplicated on either side of the console for ease of duty-shift rotation. She was reaching for one of the displays when an 13

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alarm sounded from the station. With her eyes wide, she jumped to her feet and headed for the door. Ripper stopped her and asked, “What is it?” Proximity alarm. The station is under attack. I have to get to the other docking area. She was frustrated by having to sign everything instead of simply talking on the way as others could. “Let me help you. What do you need?” Tell Vera to start the Cila Five protocol and grab your EVA suit. You will need it. He nodded and started to speak through a tab on his suit, warning Vera and setting the protocol into action. Cila had to admit that he was fairly swift in his preparations. They were out of the shuttle and running through the station within a minute. As she led the way, she could see Ripper fastening his headgear into place and tugging on the gloves that would turn his uniform into an EVA suit. He was going to be safe when she pulled the manoeuvre and that was what mattered. Running to the only other available dock, she ripped her own suit down from the wall and stepped into it, sealing everything except her face panel. She left the visor up. A thud was striking the exterior of the station and the sound gave her enough time to reach for the tethers that she clipped to her suit. 14

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Ripper came around and spoke, his voice hollow in his helmet, “What are you doing?” She raised her hands and clumsily formed the words. I am defending the station. Vera’s voice came through the speakers. “She is preparing to greet our visitors. Since we shifted caretakers, there is a void in our security that has not quite closed. Normally, a shielding would have popped into place, but it is not yet ready to go online. Apparently, the raiders have been watching how stations operate during changeovers.” Cila let them chat as she breathed slowly and steadily. The raiders were almost through the locked gateway. “Uh, Ripper, according to this, you shouldn’t get too close to her before she engages her talent. I would step back a few feet.” Cila smiled grimly as she waited to see the raiders. Vera was a quick study, the protocol did warn against interference with Cila while she was using her talent. The tearing of the metal and the hiss of escaping air sent her focus away from the man behind her and toward the men who were breaking into the station. She stood with her arms and legs relaxed and slightly spread. Four men walked into the station without any 15

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sort of protective gear. She felt a little sorry for them, but if they weren’t trying to steal a relay, they wouldn’t be in danger. Ripper stood behind her and addressed the men, but Cila kept her gaze forward and focussed. “Leave the station now. You will live if you exit the station right now.” The urgency in Ripper’s voice made the men pause. The first male inclined his head. “Thank you for the warning, but we are not leaving without the relay.” They pulled short electric blades and surged forward. Cila took a deep breath and spoke. “Get. Out.” Her voice shook the station, shocking the walls into a ripple of metal and expelling the link to from the hatch to the ship. The raiders opened their eyes wide as they were sucked out into the vacuum. Cila simply watched them float away as she was pulled to the end of her tethers by the same expression of atmosphere. With a slow and deliberate motion, she slammed her visor down, providing her with oxygen. She held to her tethers as her feet were swept out from under her by the force of the escaping air. The station systems came into full-defensive force at the breach. Exterior locks slid metal panels over the ruptured hull and slowly closed it. 16

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She dropped to the ground as the wind ceased to blow. Cila’s hands were gripping the tether so tightly that it took her quite some time to unclench her fingers to release the bands that had saved her from the blackness. She tugged at the clips, releasing her right one easily enough but the left had bent with the force of the pressure on it. She mentally cursed and removed her gloves to tug at it more effectively. Just as she was about to start ripping at her suit, Ripper used his forearm claw to sever the tether. She blinked up at him from the floor and his eyes were lit with a golden heat. If she had thought that his muscles were well defined before, he was now totally ripped. His breath behind his faceplate was steaming the front of his mask, so that only those heated, golden eyes were clear. His muscles bulged and he appeared to be inches taller than he had been before. Her fingers were cramped, but she signed, Ripper, I presume? He sighed and reached down to lift her to her feet. “That was stupid.” He paused. “But it was effective.” She lifted her visor and grinned. You should see Cila protocols one through four. He froze in place before he cackled and then roared with laughter. “I don’t think I have the strength.” 17

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Chapter Three hey went to check on Vera and found the new caretaker of the station guarding her charge. Her post was in front of Stancha’s tank, the pulse blaster in her arms. She dropped her alert pose when they approached. “You have no idea how relieved I am that you are all right, Cila. When I read the details of the protocol, I was almost sick.” Ripper was slowly coming back to his normal dimensions and it was fascinating for Cila to watch his muscles twitch as they resumed their former size. “You are not the only one, Vera. I will say one thing for her. Cila has a lovely voice. A little loud but lovely.” Cila’s lips twisted in a smile. Thank you. It doesn’t get used much. Ripper grinned. “Then, let’s get this station repaired and we will see what we can do to get your voice out where everyone can enjoy it without getting blasted out an airlock.”

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She stuck out her tongue and jerked her head to Vera. Vera went to the data plate and her eyes widened in surprise. “Nanos?” Cila pressed Vera’s hand to the plate and pressed a few keys. The main computer spoke quietly. “Nano repair underway.” Avari tech. It is a wonderful thing. Ripper inclined his head. “So, we are good to go?” Yes. The station is on high alert. The shields were forced up. He turned to Vera, “Will you be all right?” “Of course. Be on your way. The repulsion field will give you quite the kick, so be prepared for it.” She was busy watching the data streams consisting of the information being sent by the tiny repair bots. Vera waved them off and Cila tugged at Ripper’s arm. Bemused, he returned with her to his shuttle. “I can’t believe that she treated it so calmly.” It is what we do as caretakers. Once it is safe, we get on with the job. “I am beginning to see that. Are you ready to try this again?” She nodded and entered the shuttle after he opened the hatch. It was time to try leaving her home, again. 19

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It was a much more successful uncoupling this time around. The ship detached from the station and was propelled away in a sudden shove. As it floated free, Cila saw the wreckage of the raider ship. Her voice had torn it apart. Her lips tightened grimly as the bodies of the dead surrounded the ship in a grisly dance of death and warning to those who would try to take a relay. “They would not have left without a fight and more than they might have been injured.” Arkhov was back, Ripper was left back in that moment of fight or flight. She turned in her chair and met his concerned features with a serious expression. I did my duty to the station. It was not the first time, nor will it be the last that my talent kills. If you are to be my partner, you had best know this about me. Nothing will get between me and my duty. He blinked. “You know about that?” I know that the partners are chosen very carefully. If you could not handle my attitude, you would not be here. His slow smile warmed her from the inside. She turned back to the view screen and checked the coordinates as he shifted to take over the controls. A few slow motions and they were accelerating through space, aiming for a more populated region and eventually, Morganti. The moment he engaged the jump drive, she 20

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held her breath. She hated the feeling of being two places at once. When they emerged from the jump, she rubbed at her forehead. Going through jumps wasn’t so bad if she was the one flying, but to be a passenger with no control added a level of stress that was surprising. “Prepare for the second jump, Cila.” Caught by surprise, she gasped as they entered the second jump. The entire ship shuddered as the impact of her inhalation ran through the structure. They made it out of the jump, but Arkhov turned to stare at her. “What was that?” Lights were bright and flaring all over the consoles. Cila winced and tried to put out as many of the conflicting signals as she could. She flicked her fingers at him. I made a sound of surprise. I am sorry. Together, they got the ship back under control. All seals were still intact, but it wasn’t going to jump again without an overhaul. It took them four hours of silent work, but by the time every status light was green again, Morganti loomed. “Morganti base, this is Ripper and Cila Wen requesting a landing assist and clearance.” “Landing assist?” “Yes, we had some technical issues on the way and I want to make sure that we land in one large 21

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piece, not a bunch of little ones.” He grinned over at Cila and she blushed. “Star Breaker is on her way. Hold tight until she can guide you in.” Why are we waiting? “I am not sure that we have not loosened connections that we can’t reach. I don’t want to hazard stress to the ship until we have a babysitter.” I understand. I am really sorry. “It isn’t a problem. I have done worse while I was getting control of my talent. We have a safe means to return to the surface, let’s use it.” She nodded and waited with him until a streak of fire came from the surface and approached them at a high speed. Surprise was the least of her emotions as she took in the image of a woman wreathed in flame wearing a gauzy gown over a skin tight suit. The woman gave them a sharp salute and cast the flames into cables around their ship. Star Breaker gave a tug and the ship started to move. The Guardsman pulled them into a matching rotation with the planet below and the fire surrounding all of them, guarding them from the majority of effects from entry to Morganti. The moment that gravity touched the ship, seals started to blow and heat shields buckled. “Take a mask.” 22

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Their atmosphere was bleeding out. Ripper grabbed a set of emergency masks and tossed her one. She pulled it over her face and inhaled as quietly as she could. The air was a little oxygen rich for her, but she kept her senses under control. She focussed on calm during the entire drop to the surface and by the time they reached Morganti, she was able to keep from crying out or giggling. The instant that the hatch was opened, she ripped off her mask and sucked air into her lungs through an open mouth. The art of breathing silently was one that she had mastered early. “Cila, are you all right?” She flicked her fingers at him. Fine. Just didn’t want to laugh due to a high moment. “High?” Too much oxygen. I can’t impair my senses. Hands lifted her from her seat, releasing the harness and bringing her to her feet. Spots were spinning in her vision and strange faces were smiling at her. A Wyoran male smiled at her as he helped her from the ship. “Cila Wen? Welcome to Morganti.” She collapsed and let them carry her out of the shuttle. Welcome to Morganti, my ass.

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Chapter Four er checkup in medical was uncomfortable. She couldn’t answer any of the physician’s questions and Ripper was nowhere to be seen. The sound of the doctor smacking himself in the forehead got her attention and she looked up. “I forget that you can’t speak. It is such a rare commodity in women around here, I wasn’t expecting it.” He got her a data pad and after some tinkering, he handed it over with a smile. “I set it to translate to vocal so I can do your initial workup and ask you questions at the same time.” She tapped. Thank you. It is weird having a voice for a while. Even an electrical voice is nice. He inclined his head. “I am Effin or doc. Your choice.” Cila Wen. Lately caretaker of a relay station. “Pleased to meet you, Cila. Do you know when your talent manifested?” He bustled about taking measurements and running scans.

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Ripped and Roar I was born with it. I refused to speak while I was a child until I was able to express myself through writing. “Were there any records in your family of events that circled around you?” Not that they spoke of. The first time I used my talent in public, my family took me to the government and handed me over to a restriction facility. The doctor paused while checking her reflexes. “They had you locked up?” They certainly couldn’t deal with whatever it was that I was. Am. Whatever. He patted her on the shoulder and continued with his scans. “I am glad that you made it out with your mind intact.” It wasn’t horrible, just an institution. I was allowed to learn all I could and when I was an adult, I was sent to the relay stations. With the relays, I was introduced to the data streams and a method of communication through high-speed visual transfer. “Have you been speaking to my wife?” Your wife? “Relay. Alessandra Wyt. I had Fixer install an override in her halo so I can have private time with her. Otherwise she spends all her time immersed in the data streams.” I have never heard of a Relay outside a station before. “Morganti is her station. Gant keeps the skies clear for transmissions and all of the data of the Alliance is at her disposal.” Cila was impressed. Amazing. I envy that. I have 25

Viola Grace often thought that being a relay would have been a good career path for me, but I don’t have the mind for it. “Speaking of your mind, I would like to do an upper torso scan, so I will hang onto your keyboard and you can simply relax.” She didn’t want to give up the data pad, but she surrendered it. The lights of the scanner moved slowly over her and a chirp announced when it was complete. Instead of making her reach, Effin produced the data pad immediately and helped her sit up. “That will do for a start. Are you interested in having something to eat?” She shook her head and answered on the tablet. No. Feeling a little queasy. I think I need to lie down. “Fair enough. There is nothing wrong with your digestion, so it is probably residual effects from the landing or possibly the high oxygen content you were exposed to. If you are still ill in the morning, I want you to get your butt back in medical.” She smiled. Of course. Where can I bunk down? “I will take you to the guest quarters. Ripper has already been checked through and should be roaming the halls. Do you want me to hunt him down?” No. I just need a nap. His smile was genuine and he helped off the exam table. “I learned a lot about your physiology today. Xsar really are fascinating.” 26

Ripped and Roar That is one word for it. She couldn’t help it, her lips twisted into a grin. Effin gave her a quick tour of the facility and then showed her to the guest quarters. Cila rolled her eyes a little when she saw the bags. Hers were easily recognizable and she had to assume that the others belonged to Arkhov. She knew it was common for the Sector Guard to pair off, but she wasn’t sure how soon that was expected to happen and wasn’t sure how it would work with her particular disability. Having sex had never been an option for Cila, one moan and her partner would be pulverized against the nearest surface. It wasn’t really the kind of thing that she wanted for her first time. Arkhov was nowhere to be seen so after she bid Effin a good evening, Cila took a quick shower and crawled into the huge bed. She lay on her back and stared up at the canopy. Her fatigue was bone deep, but her mind was spinning. She was actually on Morganti base and in the process of becoming a member of the Sector Guard. All her life she had been waiting for something…someone to acknowledge her. Now that it had happened, she had no idea what came next. Waking in a man’s arms was a strange feeling, 27

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but she shifted carefully and worked away from Arkhov’s solid warmth. The light in the room was dim, but moonlight let her find her jumpsuit and boots. She snuck out of the guest quarters and headed toward the smells of food that faintly trailed down the halls. It was sparsely occupied, but the selections were enticing. It took her three tries to get the staff to follow her hand signals, but once they realized that she wasn’t going to speak, they paid close attention to what she was pointing at. A nice snack stifled the growl in her stomach. She observed the variety of species in the staff. She counted nineteen different races by the time she completed her meal and cleared her table. Folk smiled and nodded to her, but she was stuck waving in response without the ability to speak a greeting. As she snuck back into bed with Arkhov, she looked forward to what the morning would bring. If anyone could keep her talent it check, it was Morganti Base. She only had to wait until morning. A warm hand was shaking her by the shoulder and she opened bleary eyes to see Arkhov leaning toward her, his deep brown eyes flecked with bronze. “Morning, Cila.” 28

Ripped and Roar She smiled and waved, Hi. Realizing that he was staring at her in the morning light, she pulled the sheets high and noted that he was back in a uniform. He pressed a cup of tea into her hand and flicked crumbs away from the corner of her mouth with his thumb. “If you want to raid the commissary, you only have to wake me. I will be happy to keep you company.” She sipped at the tea and set it down to sign. It was fine. Everyone was a little confused but very friendly. “We will head down for breakfast as soon as you are ready.” Privacy? “I will remain in the other room. I have brought your bags in.” Cila waited until he closed the connecting door and then she leapt out of bed to attend to the call of nature. After a brief peek to make sure that he was still in the other room, she grabbed what she considered to be the prettiest of her station suits. It was a looser version of the bodysuit, but gave her pockets and she loved pockets. Light socks and boots completed her ensemble and she was ready to face a crowded commissary…and Arkhov. She tucked her data pad under her arm and walked into the front room to join her bed partner 29

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for breakfast. Arkhov smiled and asked casually, “Do you always braid your hair so tightly?” She bit her lip and typed, Of course. No sense in letting it loose. “It looks good, but I was wondering if you ever let it have a day off.” His lips were twitching. Not so far, but if I am able to have any kind of a social life, I might let it have a day off for good behaviour. She winked at him as they entered the commissary. “I look forward to it.” It took some juggling to collect her food this time, but she managed to get her selections on her tray without dropping the data pad. “This way. The family is here and you need to meet Mala and Isabi.” Arkhov steered her to a table where two little girls were sitting with what were obviously their parents. “Mala, Isabi, this is Cila Wen, the newest recruit for Station 13. Cila, this is Mala and Isabi, as well as their daughters, Mabi and Isala.” She placed her tray down and typed, Pleased to meet you all. The woman with the dark rainbow hair and the man made of midnight velvet blinked together, making Cila smile. I apologize for my method of speaking, but it is all I have available at the moment. The little girls, one pale, one dark, stared at her with wide eyes as she sat to eat her meal. Mala 30

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recovered, “I am pleased to meet you, Cila.” Isabi grinned and signed, It is a pleasure to have you entering the Guard. Do you speak with your hands? She put down her fork. I do, as you must know if you are using the D’nak coding. She lifted her fork and continued eating. Mala asked her husband, “What was that?” “Cila has been trained to speak with D’nak hand signals. I was merely telling her it is a pleasure to see her here.” Arkhov paused, “And he asked her if she could speak with her hands.” Mala grinned and separated her daughters from their battle over a piece of red fruit. Cila forked up one from her plate and offered it to Mabi while Isala took the other piece. Mala’s relief showed. “Thank you, Cila.” You are welcome. Arkhov said, “She says you are welcome.” Cila worked her way quickly through her meal and then sat sipping tea. A staffer came and took her tray away. She quickly had to grab her data pad before it was taken with her plate. Isabi nodded at the close call. “That must be annoying.” She used the pad. You have no idea. At least this gives me a voice, of sorts. The male Selna tilted his head. “How long is it since you have heard your own voice?” 31

Viola Grace Never. I have never spoken a complete sentence out loud in conversation. I don’t know if I am a tenor or soprano. Cila gave a self-depreciating smile. Isabi laughed, Arkhov chuckled and Mala looked concerned. Mala flipped some of her rainbow hair over one shoulder. “Never? Not even when you were learning to speak?” Apparently, I refused to speak. My talent has always been deadly. Isabi moved his fingers. Now, why couldn’t I have gotten that lucky with these little ones? Cila was almost startled into laughter. Her hand clamped over her mouth but a tremor ran through the table at the small noise that escaped. She paled and almost lost her breakfast. Mala was at her side in an instant. “Let’s get you to the workshop. Isabi, take care of the littles and have Effin meet us there. I need all the data he collected.” Too horrified by what almost happened to do more than let Mala wrap an arm around her and haul her along, Cila stumbled her way to a door labelled Fixer’s Workshop. Mala was comforting her the entire way, rubbing her arm and reassuring her that nothing had happened. “Fixer, you will have to let her go if she is going to say anything, you have her arms pinned.” 32

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Arkhov’s voice was low and controlled, but Cila could hear the worry in his tone. Mala reluctantly let her go, she reached up and wiped at the tears on Cila’s cheeks. “We will get it under your control, Cila.” With her hands trembling she asked, You are Fixer? When Arkhov translated, Mala laughed. “Most days. The others I am either Mom or Mala.” Cila gripped Fixer’s shoulders and slowly signed with one hand. Please, fix me.

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Chapter Five iles from the base, Cila stood uneasily looking out over the empty expanse of rocks and sand. “It’s okay, Cila. There is nothing that can be harmed here. A mountain range is waiting for any over-spill. Your talent can run across the landscape and not harm a thing.” Fixer’s voice in her ear was calm and comforting. “Your suit is designed to measure your talent. It is covered with sensors, as is the mask and your headset. Whatever is going on when you use your talent, we will find it.” The serenity of the voices on the com system from their safe point on a skimmer five hundred meters behind her washed through her body. They were safe. Nothing in front of her could be harmed. It was time to speak. She hauled in a breath and watched the trembling of the rocks at the sound produced by that small sound. “I want to have a conversation.”

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Rocks exploded in a wave as the effect of her voice ran across the sand. She clamped her lips shut and turned back to the skimmer. “Not yet, Cila. I want you to yell. Straight up and as loud as you can. Shout at the moon.” Mala’s voice wasn’t unkind but it didn’t leave any room for negotiation. She turned back and looked to the moon. It glowed and seemed a happy-enough orb in the sky. “Take your time, Cila, and then let out all your frustrations.” Nodding, Cila spread her feet, digging the boots into the soil. She flexed her hands and looked at the moon, letting all of her frustration at her lack of voice come to the surface. Her head tilted back and she let out a roar of two and a half decades of silence. She screamed for every time she had been unable to, every time she had been dismissed as a moron, every time she had met a man who could be interested in her and for the child who had never known her parents’ acceptance. She screamed. She screamed until the moon seemed to move, backing away from her fury. A voice came to her and she let her scream die, kneeling in the dirt and staring at the sky. 35

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A bright pair of lights surged toward the moon and in less than a minute, it was back where it should have been. “Well done, Cila. We can go now. I have the data I need.” Mala’s voice was choked. Cila stood slowly and returned to the skimmer. Mala had tears tracking down her cheeks and Arkhov was far more sober than she had seen him before. He gently reached around her shoulders and held her to him. Mentally sighing, she leaned against the warm panel of his chest and let him cuddle her. Effin flew the skimmer and they all arrived at the workshop in a calm and contemplative mood. She followed Fixer and Effin into the workshop, Arkhov at her side the entire time. He was careful of the arm spurs and she realised that he had slept next to her and she didn’t have so much as a scratch. While they waited for Fixer and the doc to work out a plan of attack to rein in her voice, she felt she had enough privacy to ask, Why are you a Guardsman? Aside from my tendency to grow inches larger? She kept her face bland. I have heard that many men have that ability. What makes you different? He laughed so hard that he doubled over, leaving her grinning in her sensor suit and mask. 36

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When he could manage it, he flicked his fingers at her. That isn’t what I meant. I know. It was funny though. Very. Well, how does your talent screw your life up? She crossed her arms and leaned against one of the work counters. Across the expanse, Effin and Mala were doing something with a holographic projector. I was in trouble from the moment that the talent manifested. I constantly got into fights and was considered a thug by the people in my town. Three years ago, I got wedged into a situation between local miners and management. The management trapped us in a mine and blew the entrance. For the first time, I was able to use my bizarre strength for good. Did all of the miners survive? Yes, but the members of management who ordered the explosion ended up on the wrong end of the death penalty. How did your folk treat you after you saved them? Worse than ever, but I knew in that moment that I was meant to use my strength for helping those who needed it, whether they want me to or not. So, you applied to the Sector Guard? Well, first, I applied to leave my colony. Despite what some folks think, the Sector Guard can’t steal people from their home worlds without consent. She smiled. You are correct. There were weeks of paperwork for my release. Despite my people despising 37

Viola Grace me, they weren’t sure if they wanted me loose. A cart loaded with food and drink was pushed into the workshop. The staffer gave a jaunty salute and left. Curious, Cila looked to Arkhov. What was that? Fixer needs plenty of food to replenish her energy levels while working. Why are we talking silently? Just because I can’t speak doesn’t mean you can’t. He grinned, Miss my voice? Yes. My life is silent enough. “Fair enough. You should hear me sing.” Spare me. I am looking forward to hearing what my voice sounds like. You will have to tell me if it is horrible. “I will tell you no such thing. And I have heard your voice. It is lovely.” You could hear me? He nodded. “Your scream broke my heart.” And moved a moon. She quickly added that to cover the hot blush working across her skin. He extended his hand and she placed hers in his grip, a feeling of peace rippling through her. He knew what she was and he still wanted to touch her. Despite what she had always been told by her handlers while growing up, a relationship seemed to be possible. Fixer passed them with a gaunt look to her cheeks. She went straight to the food trolley and attacked it with single-minded intensity. Colour 38

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immediately started to return to her face. With her hand held by Arkhov, Cila couldn’t comment. Effin walked up next to them and spoke in low tones. “We have a solution, but we will need you to try a few of the designs that Fixer created to see which method works best.” Arkhov asked, “Is Fixer all right? She seems a little…” With a mouth full of fruit, Fixer mumbled, “Fixer is fine. Gravity dampening tech is rather dense and took some doing.” Arkhov read Cila’s expression. “Gravity? I thought it was a sonic talent.” Effin sighed and explained. “It is. Sort of. It is a gravity wave with initial sonic propulsion. Fixer is trying to find a way to dampen the gravity and neutralize the sonic. You may have to discharge stored energy in your body periodically, but that is a small price to pay.” Fixer burped daintily and to Cila’s amazement, she had completely demolished the full tray of food and beverages. “Okay, let’s try out some of these designs. Cila, with me. Effin, you go over the implant placement.” “What about me?” Arkhov wasn’t letting go of her hand even when Cila tugged at it. “You can come along and translate for me if you like. It should be fairly simple.” 39

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Fixer was gathering up wires, gadgets and other things Cila couldn’t identify. Cila pulled her hand free with a jerk and signed, As easily as that? “We have had months to work on your stats and make guesses as to the details of your talent. I have had field generators ready to go, but until I saw the extent of your power, I wasn’t quite sure what was driving it.” Arkhov tugged her into a seat and Fixer geared them back toward the sand flats. Cila had to stand still while Fixer fitted her with a network of wires and nodes. When Mala gave her the go signal, Cila said, “Hello.” The tremble was visible, but there was no concussive blast. Cila couldn’t help herself. She did a small happy dance. “Calm down, Roar. That was good, but I think we can get better. Now, hold still while I wire you up again.” Fixer was a palpable presence, the good-natured Mala a personality pushed aside to let the creative worker come forward. Cila stood patiently for the rewiring. Once Fixer stepped back and ordered her to speak again, Cila stated, “Fixer rocks.” She felt a wave from her body, but nothing moved. “Good but still not perfect. These have an absorbing effect.” Fixer changed the electrodes 40

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once again. “Try to speak one more time. This should be it.” Cila drew a deep breath and whispered, “Ripper.” Nothing happened. No wave, no concussion and no movement of sand. “Say it again.” “Ripper.” Arkhov moved to stand in front of her and smiled down at her. “Say it again.” She swallowed, trusting to Fixer’s technology. “Hello, Arkhov.” His grin was unmistakable and Fixer’s yelp of triumph made Cila laugh. She covered her mouth quickly, but nothing had happened. Fixer took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Go ahead, Cila, you can test it out.” She thought about it for a while. “I…thank you. Even if it only lasts today, thank you.” Arkhov gave her a hug, mindful of the wires keeping her talent in check. “I am honoured to be your first word.” “You have been very much on my mind.” His grin lit his features and golden flecks burned in his eyes. “I cannot tell you how relieved I am to hear that. Literally hear it, I mean. I could tell by your scent that you were not indifferent.” Her blush seemed to be a permanent fixture. “I wasn’t aware you had that kind of sense.” 41

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“I am a D’nak. We have all kinds of senses you don’t want to know about.” She felt a ripple of surprise. D’nak didn’t leave their home. Sure, they met folks and traded with other planets, but they never left their home. “Well, that explains your facility with the hand signals. Do all your folk have the wrist hooks?” “Five percent. I have to say, I was surprised at Shade’s ability with the language, but I suppose, in his previous line of work, extra languages were an attraction.” Fixer stopped packing up and grinned at Cila’s confused expression. “What was his previous occupation?” Fixer answered. “He was a Companion.” Cila blinked for several seconds. “Oh.” Fixer loaded the skimmer and winked. “Don’t be embarrassed, it is amazing what all that practice can do for a man.” Cila turned to look at Arkhov speculatively and giggled. Ripper was blushing.

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Chapter Six ila mourned when the electrodes were removed from her body. Her ability to speak went with it. It was bizarre, while she had never noticed it consciously, the energy was humming around her the moment that the wires were pulled away. “Don’t worry. I will get them into an implant form as quickly as I can. Ask Isabi, I frequently pull all-nighters in the pursuit of technology.” She had a sudden thought. What about turning my talent back on again? If I get implants, won’t the suppression be permanent? Arkhov quickly translated for her. Fixer looked up from the tangle of wires. “Not to worry. It sounds weird, but I am building a switch for under your skin. You will be able to turn it on or off, depending on your mood.” So, the wires will be implanted? “It will all be inserted within your body using non-reactive materials. Consider it a supplement to

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your nervous system.” Fixer smiled to take the sting out of her next sentence. “Now, get out so I can get some work done. Effin will call you when we are ready.” Dismissed, they walked hand-in-hand back to the commissary where the drama had begun only that morning. She arranged for her meal using the point-and-nod method, getting a full tray and then looking for a spot to sit. When she heard the click as she sat, Cila realized that she was still wearing the assessment suit. Mentally laughing at herself, she unclipped the mask and dug into her lunch, though by now, it was supper. A few other Guardsmen came and sat down with them. She nodded a greeting and was left to herself. Kale and Carella were pleasant and their baby was adorable, but Cila was lost in thought until she heard, “Good work on moving the moon by the way.” She looked up in surprise to see Carella staring at her. Oh. I am sorry. The woman laughed and her baby gurgled cheerfully. “Don’t worry about it. I needed the exercise and it is always a good idea for Stellar Storm to practice. Moving a moon was just the workout I needed.” Star Breaker. 44

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The woman inclined her head. “Guilty. My husband Kale is the avatar for Gant and he was in on Fixer’s little idea to have you move the moon.” I didn’t know that that was what I was doing. “I understand. It is odd when you aren’t able to actually get a grip on your talent. You can’t even practice without causing a problem, can you?” No. But I was able to speak today. I actually heard my own voice and was able to have a conversation for a while. It was nice. “It must be frustrating for you.” Cila looked to Arkhov who was calmly translating for her. You have no idea. He gave her a look of commiseration and kept changing her hand signals into words. The baby squealed happily and Carella lifted it to her shoulder. Is it a boy or a girl? Carella gave Kale a scowl, “I don’t know yet. The baby will shift to its permanent gender when it is three. For now, its name is Zela. It will change to Zel if he is a boy.” Kale looked innocent. “It isn’t my fault that my people change depending on the surrounding population. With the girls here, the shift will probably be to Zel.” “There is still eighteen months to go. Who knows who will appear by then?” The baby with the pale blue skin waved its arms 45

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as if challenging the universe to pigeonhole it in a gender. Much to her surprise, it reached out for Cila. “Do you want to hold the baby?” She nodded and reached out carefully. The warmth was peculiar, the smell oddly comforting. The child looked into her eyes and a calm acceptance was in them. Whatever this child would become, it was far wiser than anything that Cila had yet met. She sat and listened to the others converse, her arms taken up with the child who refused to leave her. One chubby hand clung to her hair, explored the hand she held up to it and the infant concentrated on sucking its own fist. The slow slurping noise made her smile. She listened to Arkhov, Kale and Carella discuss the current assignments for the majority of Guardsmen assigned to Morganti as well as the long-term posts given to the members of Station 13. The variety of talents was amazing and amusing. The Guardsmen participated in events from arranged marriages and delivery of the eager spouses, to solving crimes and healing planets. It seemed that most of the adventures were public knowledge within the confines of the Sector Guard. Hours must have passed. Cila’s eyes were 46

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heavy when Zela was lifted from her embrace. The child fussed and Cila wished she could echo it. Arkhov helped her to her feet and lifted her into his arms. “Come along, sleepy head. Time for bed.” She didn’t protest, merely let his warmth lull her back into a somnolent state. Inside their rooms, he set her on the bed, tugged off her boots and socks, peeled her from the sensor suit and tucked her between the sheets. She was too tired to be outraged or embarrassed. If she was lucky, she would be able to yell at him for his forward attitude, but for now, she enjoyed his warmth as he pressed against her. Hopefully, Fixer would have something for her soon. She could hardly wait until morning. She smiled as she remembered her first word, Arkhov. “Cila, a little help, please.” Being woken by Effin’s voice was a bit of a shock, but the doctor was standing at the side of the bed with Arkhov’s arm around his neck, a claw pressed to the physician’s throat. Cila hadn’t even felt him move. Arkhov, let him go. The gold eyes didn’t focus immediately, but after ten seconds, he released Effin and the doctor whirled free. “Thank you, Cila. I should have knocked but 47

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was so excited by the surgery, I wanted to see if we could get it done before Arkhov woke. A nice surprise, as it were.” He rubbed at his throat and scowled. “I apologize, Effin. I should never have let you reach the bedroom.” Arkhov was scowling, his arms crossed over his chest. Cila averted her eyes when she realized that her partner was naked. Her mind processed what Effin had said. She finished it? Arkhov grudgingly translated. “She did. Then she got six hours of sleep and now she is ready to work with me to put the implants in. If you are.” She waved at the men to leave so she could get dressed. Arkhov sighed. “I have already seen you naked.” Shut up and give me some privacy. When did you undo my hair? He grinned as he left, shoving Effin in front of him. “After you went to sleep. It is lovely by the way.” She pulled a hank over one shoulder, the black of her hair so dark as to be almost purple. Frowning, she got out of bed and pulled on a loose jumpsuit. She skipped the boots and pattered barefoot out of the bathroom and toward the front room. Effin was waiting for her and Arkhov had 48

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obviously gone back to the bedroom, because he was in uniform once again. She stifled a mental sigh. She did so love him in uniform. Ready. They nodded and walked in a silent column to medical. The base was quiet. The skeleton crew of the early morning the only witnesses to their travels. “Now, Cila. We will be putting implants along your body at critical points as detected by the suit you were wearing yesterday. Once they are in place, we will be putting a master switch into the base of your brain, accessible by a pressure to any of the pressure points as long as you are in a mood to use your talent. It will be a two-fold access. Thought and pressure.” She nodded. That was better than anything she had come up with. How many pressure points? Fixer came in with a tray full of minute specks. “Sixty-four. At no time and under no circumstances did we want you to be without access to your talent. After you hit the switch, you need only speak and you will be back to full power.” Is that them? “Are those they. And yes, they are as small as I could make them. With Effin’s help, we will get them exactly where they can do the most good.” Effin nodded and Fixer added, “Oh, and you 49

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can’t speak until we can take you to the test site.” Cila inclined her head. Of course not. I don’t want to risk anyone. Fixer put a hand on her shoulder. “Of course you don’t. And you haven’t. We are fine, we are merely operating with due caution. My husband would kill me if I didn’t.” Cila quirked her lips. Kill? “Fine. Nag. But he can nag with the best of them. Now, let’s get you talking.” That was all Effin needed. He asked her to remove her jumpsuit and lie on the surgical table and the moment she was on the cool surface, he covered her with a sheet. His comforting smile as he administered the hypo was the last thing she saw as Cila Wen, freak of nature and destroyer of everything.

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Chapter Seven aking in medical with a full complement of staff and visitors was a little overwhelming. Cila scooted into a sitting position as quickly as she could. Effin looked exhausted and Isabi had his arm around Mala and was holding a selection of ration bars in a bandolier. Fixer was gone leaving Mala to stuff her face. Arkhov was next to her in an instant, “How are you feeling?” She flexed her fingers and did a personal inventory. Her body was fine. It felt a little dull but otherwise normal. I feel fine. Effin breathed with relief, his arm around a woman wearing a headpiece that smacked of Fixer’s handiwork. “Good. That is what we were going for. Oh, this is the head of Morganti Base. Relay, meet the newest member of the Sector Guard.” Mala swallowed and spoke. “Roar. Her name

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will be Roar.” Relay arched a brow. “Usually it is the partner who names the new recruit.” Mala grinned, “He was too slow. I win.” Arkhov pulled Cila to him and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I like it.” She smiled up at him. I like it as well. Very to the point. Effin cleared his throat. “Are you up to testing the implants?” She nodded and swung her feet off the bed. The sheet came with them and her back was exposed to the room at large. Cila held the sheet to her breasts and tilted her head. I don’t feel different. I mean…I feel different, but still like I have power. Relay took one of Cila’s hands and smiled. “That is how it is supposed to be. You are supposed to have control over your talent. We will discuss it later, when you can actually discuss it.” The head of the rapidly growing training centre for talents winked at Cila, then shooed everyone out of the room. Mala held up one hand and reached into a cabinet. “She will need this. I think it matches her eyes.” The fabric that tumbled from her fingers into Cila’s lap was a swirling combination of smoke and fire. Reds and greys swirled across the surface in a hypnotic pattern. Tears came to her eyes as she 52

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ran her hands over the suit. Her fingers shook as she signed, Thank you. “You are welcome. The suit is fit to you and is rigged with a number of handy gadgets. We will get to them later. For now, I will leave you to get dressed and then we can get you back into the speaking world.” Biting her lip, Cila nodded and then glared at Arkhov until he left her to get dressed. The suit went on with a few sharp tugs and the built-in boots were snug all the way up her calves to mid-thigh. Mala wasn’t kidding when she said that the suit was fitted to her. By the time Cila had everything in its proper place, the supports within the suit held her breasts comfortably and wrapped around her ribs in a comforting manner. She took a few steps, bent, twisted and stood up again, nodding. It was indeed a perfect fit. Her hair was in a loose tail, bound at intervals from her shoulder blades downward. It wasn’t her normal style and she guessed that she had been out for a while if Arkhov had been able to start hairdressing as she slept. Frowning, she promised herself that she would speak to him…as soon as she could speak. He waited with Mala outside the door and each Guardsman looked her over, each for their own reasons. Come on, Mala. I want to test your handiwork. 53

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Mala waited for Arkhov to translate and grinned when he was done, waving the way to the skimmer hangar. “Let’s not keep you waiting.” A shimmering anticipation started running through her. The closer they got to the testing grounds, the more excited she became. Arkhov took her hand and ran his thumb along her palm, an act that sent a completely different type of excitement through her. She stared into his dark eyes, idly wondering if her dark burgundy orbs were showing the dilated pupils that he was sporting. When Mala cleared her throat, Cila realized that they had reached their destination. She exited the skimmer and only then did she notice the lush forest in front of her. Sand dunes on the right, jungle on the left. “These are your testing grounds. We are going to come out here every day until you have complete control over the gravity waves. We will start with you trying to speak to the desert.” Feeling more nervous than she had the first time, she whispered to the sand and rocks. “Hello, Morganti.” Nothing happened. “Again.” “My favourite day of my life is rapidly becoming this day.” She looked down at her body and aside from the new uniform, she appeared to 54

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be completely normal. “Sing a song you have heard. Sit and sing to the desert. Or talk to it. But keep talking.” Mala was checking readouts and sitting next to Cila on a large rock. Arkhov was leaning against the same rock with an encouraging expression on his face. Cila started to tell a story to the rocks and sand. It was the story of her first day on the relay station and all had not gone to plan. “Hello, Morganti. I am going to tell you of my first day on Stancha’s station a few years ago. It had taken me years to find a job that I could do in the area near my home world that did not involve me speaking to anyone. I had filed nineteen appeals to get through the bureaucracy and finally was able to have a life away from the institutions where I had been raised. “The shuttle officer was not the chatty type, so I was able to read a book all the way to the station. He dropped me on the station and left me there. No instruction, no information, no introduction to the relay. Something wasn’t right. “I hiked my bags on my shoulders and walked through the silent station. That wasn’t right either. There should have been motors, whirring, all the sounds that were the symphony of my life. Feeling very uneasy, I ran to the control deck and tried to check the status of the relay. She was alive. Her 55

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tanks had recently been changed and she was humming along quite nicely. “The silence in the station didn’t make any sense. A quick look showed me that there was no shielding up. I kicked myself for not paying attention to the docking. I would have known then that something was unusual. “There were no locks on access to the data stream and that worried me. I quickly raised the shields and brought the firewalls back online and that was when Stancha noticed me. “She sent an audio greeting to me, but I used the control panel to explain my situation. She was rather distracted, but we chatted through the computer system for half an hour before the station rocked under the impact of something large. “I checked the station identifiers and the item that had struck the shielding was explained as a meteor. A meteor made of metal with an electrical system. A second check into the debris determined that it was a small shuttle. “What I didn’t know at that time, what I didn’t find out until this was all over, was that the previous caretaker had been killed in a raider attack. That was why my pleas had suddenly gotten me the job.” Cila was aware of her other audience, but she kept going. Mala had not told her to stop. “The 56

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ship had struck what it thought was an unmanned station and it was not anticipating the shielding. As the next hour passed, I tried to find out what was going on, contacting my people and attempting a coded message to the Alliance to indicate that the station had been attacked. No one answered me. “I was alone in a station under attack and the sensors were picking up additional raider ships. I had to make a choice. Prepare to be killed or to fight for my life and the life of the relay on the station. It really wasn’t much of a choice. “Stancha told me which side of the station the ship was aiming for and I ran for the dock that had allowed me into the station just two hours earlier. A series of lights flared over a baggy EVA suit and I quickly put it on. I didn’t know what to do with the faceplate, so I left it up. “Waiting for the raiders to come onto the station scared the hell out of me. They had the aspect of every devil in my people’s history. They moved into the station and stood, laughing at me in my suit, my knees shaking. “One of them asked, What are you? A bribe? He had an unpleasant gleam in his eyes and he came toward me, sending my heart pounding in my chest. “I then heard, Please leave the station, or my caretaker will have to eject you. Stancha had let her 57

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mind leave the data stream and she was using the audio ports. I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat at her faith in me. “The raider laughed and said that he would like to see me try. I told them to, please leave, and they went. “The men were crushed at the impact of my voice, their bodies blasted back through the hall and into their ship. The seals were blown and the station’s atmosphere started venting into space and even more disturbing, it was taking me with it. “I slammed the visor down on my helmet, providing me with breathable air. I had to wait until the station’s systems were shut down by Stancha before I was able to stop fighting to hang on to the inside of the airlock. “Once the air was gone, I made my way to the control room and sealed off the doors necessary to keep atmosphere inside the station, and then I placed a maintenance call to the Alliance, curse words every other word. They showed up within the week to upgrade the systems and put in back up atmosphere. “Stancha and I had a conversation and she pronounced my almost ejecting myself into space as Cila One Protocol. It would take four more attacks before I finally got the hang of staying in the station and keeping the air in it. We talked via the data stream every day and I am fairly sure that 58

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she was the person who offered me to the Sector Guard.” Cila stopped talking and looked over at Mala and Arkhov who were looking at her with a sort of horrified admiration. “Is that enough?” Mala blinked and straightened her shoulders. “Yes. It is working perfectly. Do you want to try to use your talent now?” Cila frowned. “Will I have to stop talking?” “No, of course not.” Mala got up and stood next to her, touching her hand lightly. “Now, you can put your hand on your hip, make a fist or press your forehead. Any of those will trigger the failsafe. After that, you need to want to use your talent and when you speak, it should come to the fore.” Dragging in a deep breath, Cila made a fist and said, “Bang.” Nothing happened. “You have to want to release your talent. Look at that rock and imagine that sleazy raider coming toward you again.” Mala’s voice was soft, but it was implacable. She clenched her left fist, pointed her right hand and yelled. “Out!” The concussive blast turned the rock into sand. She unclenched her hand and said, “Wow.” Nothing else happened. Tears started down her face, hard and fast. She 59

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covered her mouth until the sobs came and overwhelmed her, then the emotional storm came out. Arkhov’s arms came around her and he held her as she released years of frustration and emotional pain in a rush that, two days before, could have flattened Morganti Base. Now, for the first time, she was a woman being comforted by the man she was sleeping with. It felt wonderful to be so blessedly normal at long last.

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Chapter Eight ala was a hard trainer, but she was determined and Cila appreciated that. Four days after the implants were proven, she was walking through the jungle, carving a precise path through the greenery. “That tree there.” Mala had a map on a data pad and she was using it to select Roar’s targets. “Why are we doing this?” Roar clenched her hand, whistled and blew the tree with a flick of her fingers. “Because Gant is letting us blow stuff up as long as Kale gets a new garden path to use with the baby. Today, I want to do something a little different.” Mala stopped and nodded at Roar. Cila was getting used to being addressed by her new designation, but she had ordered folks around her to practice it. “What do you have in mind?” “Try and use your energy without a sound to carry it.” Roar sighed. “It isn’t as strong.”

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“I know, but you might need a more delicate touch. Come on, I bet you a new outfit that you can do it.” Mala winked. “You have already made me half a dozen uniforms.” “No, not that. Something pretty from the l’nal seamstress in town. She is a miracle worker and you need something to make you feel a little more feminine.” Roar shrugged and said, “Next target. We will see what I can do.” Mala inclined her head and continued to lead the way through the lush, green jungle. “There. That tree on the right. Try and remove it without using your voice.” Roar clenched her fist and aimed her fingers. She extended her hand, wiggled her fingers and kept her lips tightly together. She stamped her foot and flicked her fist toward the tree and was rewarded with a thrum of power. The tree bent, swaying as the force struck it. Roar repeated her action without the foot stomp. Somehow, she didn’t think that it would be appropriate in a battle situation to look like she was throwing a tantrum. This time, the tree wavered and then exploded with a force that surprise her. Roar clapped her hands, jumping up and down at the proof of her increasing control. Mala came and gave her a hug, laughing at her 62

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enthusiasm. “Excellent, Roar. Now, do it again.” They continued through the jungle, Mala coordinating and Roar blasting the plants with her mind. Her aim got better as she practiced and soon, she was able to use her talent without pointing or flicking any portion of herself at it. As they were on their way home, Mala turned the skimmer and aimed it at the small but bustling village near the base. “Where are we going?” “I promised you a new outfit. That means going to the village for a fitting at Zalbeeliyah’s.” Roar blinked. “We didn’t have to do it today.” “You won’t be here much longer. We need to get it done as quickly as we can.” Mala smiled. “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.” Mala landed the skimmer and gave Roar a hug. “I know. It seems like home, but your home will be on Station 13 and eventually Balen Base when Balen has finished his housekeeping. We had to make sure that you could be safe wherever you went.” They started walking through the streets, friendly locals waving to the Guardsmen as they passed. “And you wanted those around me safe.” “Oh, Cila, you have never injured innocents deliberately or with carelessness. You have only ever used your talent with deliberate knowledge of 63

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its consequences.” Mala pulled open the door to a dress shop and Cila was amazed by the contents. Silks of every hue and in amazing configurations were arranged on display stands. “Zabby. You have a new customer.” Mala grinned and bowed to the huge spider that emerged from the back room. A series of clicks was translated into, “Greetings, Guardsman. It is my honour to assist you in finding something for your casual hours.” The spider lowered herself from her enormous height and waved one leg at the assortment of clothing. “Would you care to select something, or will you trust me to select?” Cila blinked. She had heard of l’nal but had never seen one before. She had no idea that they were this…large. “You can select something. I am not fussy. I have never had something, anything like this before.” The huge mandibles clicked. “Excellent. Mala, show her to a fitting room. I will be right in.” As Mala led her to the back, Cila watched the spider strip the displays with deft efficiency. The dexterity was amazing. “Are there any l’nal Guardsmen?” Mala smiled and showed Cila how to stand on the podium. “No. They can’t fit in the uniforms.” Zabby bustled in. “My folk don’t enjoy space 64

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travel. We prefer to be grounded.” Cila was stripped out of her uniform and stuffed into dress after dress until her muscles were trembling from holding still and Mala and Zabby had made their decisions. “I thought I was only getting the one dress.” “I am splurging on you. Let me have my little eccentricity. I do so love to be able to feel pretty and I think you need it more than most. Allow me to give it to you.” Cila flicked the more elaborate ponytail that Arkhov had crafted for her. Each day he added a new layer, but it was a moment that they spent together each morning and she had come to depend on the feeling of being wanted that it gave her. She had tried to look up D’nak mating habits, but there was an astonishingly little amount of information about them. The dressing of hair was not mentioned except in a comment by a traveller that he could always tell which female was taken by the elaborateness of her hair. To have clothing that matched the creativity of the loops and joins taking place on her head was a very appealing thought. “Thank you.” Mala grinned at her. “You are more than welcome. Now, Zabby, we need those dresses altered and delivered to the base as soon as you can.” 65

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Zabby saluted with one fuzzy leg. “Yes, madam. I have your card on file.” Mala retrieved Cila’s uniform and helped her into it. “I know you do. Has Isabi complained yet?” Zabby shrugged. “Men always complain. It is up to a strong woman to ignore them.” Mala high-fived the spider and Cila finished sealing her suit. In a matter of minutes, they were walking back to the skimmer as if nothing odd had occurred. “She will have the clothing ready for you this evening. When a Guardsman is called, they don’t have time to wait for their tailor, they have to go.” Mala took the controls and they were on their way to the base once again. “Where will I have a chance to wear those clothes?” “You never know. Some assignments call for concealing your identity, some involve formal gatherings. A good wardrobe is never a waste.” Cila fidgeted. “How will I know what to wear when?” “If you are in doubt, ask Arkhov. Ripper will know what you need and he has quite the fashion sense for one of his kind.” “One of his kind?” “A male and a D’nak. There is a reason that they are not allowed to leave their world. They are usually fairly volatile. Arkhov is an exemplary 66

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specimen of their species.” Mala craned her neck to view Cila’s hair. “And he has dexterity, which is a very good thing.” Cila bit her lip. “Why is that a good thing?” Mala winced. “Right. I forgot you have lived in institutions. What are your species’ mating practices like?” “Fairly direct. The woman indicates she is receptive and they have sex. If a pair bond is formed, they formalize the union and have offspring. If not, they try again.” Mala parked the skimmer on the tarmac outside her workshop and turned to Cila. “That isn’t the way it works with D’nak. They pick a female that meets their criteria, fight other males to keep them away from her and begin courtship rituals.” When she said courtship rituals she had gestured to Cila’s hair. She had already figured as much. “What is the importance of dexterity then?” A shadow lengthened and turned into Isabi. His sharp white teeth gleamed against his black velvet skin. “Yes, my love, what is the importance of masculine dexterity?” Mala’s pale skin flared as she blushed. “Okay, fine. I get it. Subtlety is not my strong suit.” Cila giggled. “I understood you the first time. I just wanted to see how far you would carry it.” Isabi barked a laugh and helped them out of the skimmer. He pressed a kiss to the back of Mala’s 67

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hand and she gave him a narrow-eyed glare. Cila laughed. “I am going to grab a shower and see if Arkhov will join me for dinner. I will see you and the little ones later.” Mala waved and Isabi swept her into his embrace, giving her a kiss that heated Cila’s cheeks just watching it. She trotted into the building, secure in one thought, if Mala and Isabi could stay passionately in love after all their battles and having children, there might just be hope for a freak like Cila. She just had to make sure that she had the right man.

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Chapter Nine hen Cila emerged from the shower, she smiled in surprise at the box on her side of the bed. “What is that?” When she lifted the box, a card slipped out that said, Open me, in masculine handwriting. Giggling, she opened the top of the box and then sighed happily at the dark pewter silk within. It was a tunic and trouser combination that she had been trying on only an hour before. If it wasn’t for the handwriting, she would have thought it was from Mala. A set of flat slippers that matched the loose trousers were nestled in the bottom. Cila kept giggling the entire time as she pulled her clothing on and tied the sash that kept the tunic outlining the curve of her hips. Her hair was loose and hung almost to her knees. She was amazed at the length, but since it hadn’t been cut for years and braided up the entire time, it made an astonishing sort of sense. Her

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locks swung around her as she opened the door to the outer room, intent on finding Arkhov and asking him if he wanted to share dinner. She didn’t have to look long. He was waiting for her on the other side of the door and grinning like a fool. “You look lovely, Cila.” “Thank you, Arkhov.” He nodded to her hair and she turned to sit at the dressing table so he could arrange her hair. “Do all the D’nak men engage in this much hairstyling?” She watched his grey-bronze hands weave through the midnight purple mass of her hair, his own black hair was tied back in a tail that reached the middle of his spine. “They do if they want to warn off other men. Because our mating rituals concentrate on claiming and keeping, weaving one’s female’s hair into elaborate shapes gives other men an idea of the depth of the attachment at a glance. A simple design is a fairly casual relationship and the more detail that is given indicates stronger feeling.” His deft fingers shaped a cloak of loops and tiny braids down her back. The inner claw on his wrist was used to hold hair out of the way and in ten minutes, she was back to having a form of sculpture down her back. Cila had to admit it was pretty and it did keep loose strands from tangling on anything. It also shortened her hair to the base of her spine. 70

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He withdrew and met her gaze in the mirror. “And now, since my lady is dressed in finery and rather hungry, would you care to join me in leaving the base for dinner?” She turned and took the hand he extended to her. “That would be very nice. Like a date.” He pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “Exactly like a date.” They walked arm-in-arm through the base, nodding to some of the staffers who grinned at them. A small two-person flyer waited on the tarmac. “I have never flown on one of these.” “Then it is a good thing you are learning to drive one tonight.” He helped her to the seat and took a position behind her. Arkhov went through the controls, read outs and the pedals for speed control. When she was fully briefed, he gave her directions to the restaurant and wrapped his arms around her waist. Despite the close calls on the way to the village, Arkhov never panicked. She could feel his steady heartbeat against her spine and the warmth surrounding her on all sides. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to them, but he was going to let her control where they went. It was a comforting feeling, being daring and protected at the same time. 71

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The landing was a little rough, but Cila was vibrating with happiness when they disembarked the flyer. She stood on her own feet and then squealed, jumping to hug Arkhov. He caught her neatly and laughed as he swung her around. When they halted, she had her arms around his neck and was looking up at him. He slowly lowered his head to hers and pressed a kiss to her lips. Her hands shook as she threaded her fingers through the thick, silky strands of his hair and held his mouth to hers. Her lips were swollen and hot when they parted, his eyes gleaming bright gold. He cleared his throat, but his voice was husky. “We still need to have dinner.” She blushed and quickly pulled her hands away, trying to turn her body away from his. “I…um…got carried away.” “Not yet, but almost.” She blinked in surprise and let his arm around her waist steer her to the restaurant half a block away. “Guardsmen! Please come this way.” The host led them to a private table in a draped alcove and tried to assist her with her seat. Arkhov’s snarl caused the other male to rear back rapidly. “Apologies. Your server will be here 72

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momentarily.” He scuttled away and it left Cila looking at her partner. She arched a brow at him. “What was that?” He darkened slightly. “Nothing.” “Nothing? Your claws came out.” “He touched you.” She blinked. “He put his hand on my arm to assist me into my seat.” Her even-tempered companion was looking a little feral. Even his hair was slightly taller. “I know. I can’t help my reflexes. I will get better with time, I am sure.” Their nervous server came over and gave them a litany of the evening’s specials as well as glasses of water. When the woman was gone, Cila sipped at the water while trying to make her decision. She scrolled through the digital menu idly while asking, “How will it get better? Will you start a fight or end one?” Arkhov shrugged, “I don’t precisely know. In my family, the protective instinct is very strong.” She made her selections and broached a subject that they had not yet discussed. “Do you have siblings?” “Three brothers and two sisters. I am the only talent in the bunch. I also have nine nieces and nephews if you are wondering.” He made his own selections and sat back. “My parents are also still 73

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alive. How much family do you have?” “I believe that my parents are still alive and I had two older sisters, but no nieces or nephews. My family was sterilized after I was identified as a talent. They would have done it to me as well, but they were terrified of what would happen if I protested.” He nodded. “I can see that. But sterilizing your bloodline and not you, that doesn’t make sense.” “When have government decisions ever made sense? For years, I tried to get to a relay station for peace and quiet. They refused. While they wanted me away from the population, they didn’t want me where they couldn’t get at me. It was stupid and eventually I got my way anyway.” He smiled. “Why do I think that that is a trend I should be wary of?” “Because you are a very smart man.” They laughed as the server brought the food. A few moments of silence were shared as they tasted, tested and located their favourites. Cila laughed as she took samples of Arkhov’s food from under his fork and she defended her plate when he tried to retaliate. She sobered a little as they finished their meals. “Does your family talk to you?” He looked shocked. “Of course. I may have been a bully, but I was a family bully.” She sighed and leaned her chin on her fist as she 74

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flicked through the dessert options. “I wish I had been able to explain that I was no threat to them. The moment that I explained what I was, they sent me to the facility and I never saw them again.” He paused, “Was it horrible being in custody?” She shrugged. “Not really. It was all that I knew. At least folks stopped trying to get me to speak after I blew up the first lab.” He reached out and took her hand, rubbing his thumb across her palm again. She sighed at the tingle of interest that the small caress stirred. “Do you have plans for your future?” His low tone echoed the arousal in his voice after their first kiss. “My immediate plans are to simply enjoy the present. The future will be here soon enough. I will deal with it then.” Her smile was impish. “You do feature quite heavily in both the present and future that I see, in case you were wondering.” He grinned in relief. “I was hoping that it was the case.” “It is indeed. Now, shall we pay the bill and return to the base?” Music was playing softly in the background and a few couples started to sway slowly on the dance floor. Cila turned her head to watch and she smiled at the grace and trust she could see so clearly. Arkhov waved his hand over an icon on the table and assisted her to her feet. “A quick dance 75

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and we will return to the base.” She tried to dig her feet in the floor. “I don’t dance.” “Just relax and move with me. I promise, you will be fine.” He turned her in his arms and placed one hand on her waist, the other gently clutching her fist. Cila tried to relax, but it was only when the warmth of his hand soaked into her spine that she was able to shift gently in his arms to the rhythm of the music. She was relaxed, serene and felt very secure with his arms around her. When the music ended, they separated by inches and walked out the door in silence, holding hands and keeping in contact. Without a word being spoken, Arkhov sat on the flyer and helped her on behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and together, they flew off into the night. Her hands did a little bit of wandering, when she found the heated proof of his interest, he inhaled sharply and she moved her hands to less sensitive areas. Each muscle was examined by her fingertips and Cila grumbled in disappointment when they landed and she had to stop playing. The ability to make casual noises was the most fun part of her new alterations. She dismounted from the flyer and waited for Arkhov to connect it to the charger. They resumed 76

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holding hands while walking to their quarters. A fluttering nervousness rippled through her. There was an intensity to her companion that was now on the surface where it had previously been subdued. She suspected that her D’nak courtship was about to take a sudden turn for the physical.

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Chapter Ten hey were passing Relay’s office when a voice called them. “Ripper, Roar, get in here.” Their mood went from sensual to serious as they entered the inner sanctum of the base commander. “Relay, what is it?” Ripper straightened his shoulders, his tunic strained at the seams. Relay’s eyes moved rapidly beneath closed lids. “We have an assignment for you. It is time sensitive.” Roar nodded. “What is the assignment and how do we get there? I think I broke our ship. Wait. I know I broke the ship.” “Fixer has it on her roster, but you can use one of the other experimental ships. Deck Ten is ready for launch, as for the assignment, it is an ecological matter. A mining operation miscalculated the amount of explosive needed and caved in a mountain pass on Vender. The main life form on that world uses that pass for migration to their

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mating grounds. If that pass isn’t cleared, the species will suffer a loss from which they may not recover.” Roar nodded. “I can blow a hole, not a problem.” Relay opened her eyes and smiled. “That is what Fixer said.” Ripper asked. “When do we leave?” “Now. Suit up and Rific will meet you on the tarmac. Your mission data will be in the ship and waiting for you.” Relay waved them off. “Good luck.” Taken aback, Roar waited for Ripper and left the room with him. When they were out in the hall, he let out a snarl followed by a deep sigh. “This was not how I planned to end our first date.” She laughed. “I suppose it is for the best. While I am enjoying the courtship, I don’t know if I am prepared for it to move this quickly.” “I suppose I was a little too enthusiastic. I was just so happy that you seemed receptive, I let my body control my actions.” They arrived at their quarters and changed into their uniforms. As she closed the seal, Cila decided to take her clothing with her. A small bag was stuffed full of her uniforms with her tunic and trousers on top, the sash and her shoes tucked underneath. She slung her bag over one shoulder and joined 79

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Ripper in the front room. He had his own bags on his shoulder and he took hers from her before she could say no. They walked quietly out the door and met the ground control officer, Rific. “Come this way, Guardsmen. The Deck Ten is a little larger than some of the other shuttles, but it is a fantastic design for a ship. Fixer outdid herself on this one.” He led them across the tarmac and toward the bulk of a huge ship. “It does a full vertical takeoff and is environmentally friendly.” Rific pressed his hand to the access pad. Ripper followed suit and Roar pressed her palm to the slick panel. Rific followed her and the ship’s access panel went through a rainbow of colours. “There, it is set for your access. It might take a bit of work to knock the bugs out of it, but the Deck Ten has the potential to be an amazing ship.” Rific smiled as the stairs descended for them. “Good luck, Guardsmen. Come back in one piece.” Ripper saluted, but Roar just waved. Once inside, she stowed her gear and noticed other bags in the ship. “What are these?” Ripper opened one and grinned. “It’s the clothing that Mala bought you. She had it put in the ship, just in case.” “Something tells me that just in case happens a lot around here.” Chuckling, she locked the bins and strapped into the navigator seat. 80

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Ripper sat next to her, strapped in and ran the pre-flight checks. The system powered up in seconds. Roar held her breath and looked out the view screen as they lifted off. She thought she saw a woman with rainbow hair waving to her, but it could just have been a trick of the light. Focussing on the present, she brought up the file and started to go over the mission information. It might not involve sentient beings, but it seemed to be perfect for her to start her career in the Sector Guard. **** In the data stream, Stancha watched the progress of the ship. Do you think she will be all right? She will be fine. Mala has trained her in every aspect of her talent that she could think of. Relay smiled, Effin was breathing deeply next to her. He didn’t mind if she surfed the stream, but she had to come to bed at a regular hour. Is it right that a mate is being forced on her? He isn’t being forced. She isn’t being forced. They are simply the best matches for each other. Commander went over it nine times. That she can come from a world where clones are the standard, to being a deviation from the norm makes her a rare and treasured creature. Ripper was a bully who needed someone to protect and while 81

Viola Grace Roar doesn’t need it, it gives him something to focus on. Will she be safe with him? Safer than with any other creature in the universe. He loves her and will eventually know it. She connected with him when he stepped on your station. You know it, too. Yes, I know it. All of the sensors went wild the moment that she saw him. She was putting out enough pheromones that even Vera knew something was up. Relay laughed and Effin rolled over. We have been looking for a match for her for years. It is just lucky that he came to our attention. Stancha laughed through the data surrounding their encoded conversation. It was indeed. A man worthy of my caretaker. She isn’t for the faint of heart. Good, because he isn’t either. With every match, I get the feeling that Commander could possibly be the best matchmaker ever crafted by genetics. I am sure that Pilot thinks so, too. Relay said her good nights and cuddled up next to Effin. He opened his eyes and asked her, “Are you finished your conversation?” “I am. Stancha is looking forward to getting updates on Roar.” Alessandra chuckled as her husband’s hands started to move on her with purpose. Her blood started to pound in her veins as he moved over her, stroking her skin with his, the nap of his velvety skin driving her to a fever pitch. “I don’t care who wants updates, as long as you 82

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are with me right now and not the data stream.” He lowered his head to hers and tangled her in a kiss that sparked senses that the data stream could never touch. “Tonight, I am all yours.” She moved and flipped him with his participation. “Tomorrow is negotiable.” His laugh ceased when she slid over him, taking his body into hers with a shiver. Together, they generated a power that rippled through her sensors until the dawn. **** Roar was flushed with triumph. She had opened the pass and the octapeds were stomping their way to their mating grounds. She turned to speak to Ripper, but he was occupied. Biting her lip, she kept her silence as he and the two-ton beast fought for dominance. They shoved, Ripper’s feet biting into the ground and the male beast digging in. Growls and snarls were rippling through the air, so Roar did the only thing she could. She hopped up on a rock and watched the fight of two huge males. The species were different, but each of them was prime. The harder the beast pushed, the larger Ripper grew. Eventually, they both eased up and backed 83

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off, maintaining eye contact the entire time. The male beast was missing one of his horns, courtesy of Ripper’s talon. It seemed amazing to Roar, but she had actually seen the spur shear through the horn. As both males backed away, Ripper shrank back to his normal intimidating size. Roar guessed that he had been approaching seven and a half feet tall when he had stopped. It was a testament to Fixer’s design talent that his suit had held up. Instinct told her to stay back while he got himself back under control. “It’s safe to come over here now. The beast is gone and the rest of the herds have been dispersed.” Ripper was still breathing heavily, but he seemed calmer. “Thanks for watching my back. Who knew that they would pile onto the rock slide? If you hadn’t gotten them to back up, we never would have completed this weird little mission.” She came within arm’s reach and knew instantly it was too close. His hand lashed out and grabbed her, pulling her tightly against him. “I will watch any part of you I am given leave to. Now, perhaps a little show of appreciation is in order?” She grinned and leaned up to plant a kiss on his jaw, another on his cheek and a final one on his lips. The moment she made contact, he wrapped 84

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his hands in her elaborate hair and held her for a ravaging kiss that brought her up on her toes and had her wrapping one leg around his thighs. When they broke the kiss, they were both breathing heavily. Roar grinned at her partner, tracing her swollen lips with one finger. “It’s a start.” He sighed and pressed his forehead to hers. “I may die before it is a finish.” “I won’t let you die, as long as you remember that no means no. Especially with a woman who can shout you into paste.” She squealed as he lifted her, carrying her back to the Deck Ten with her legs around his waist. “Fine, as long as you remember that you can’t fly the ships yet. You will stay where I put you.” He let her slide down his body and released her when they were in the ship. She grinned and returned to the nav station. “Fair enough, as long as you know I am a very quick study.” Arkhov laughed, a deep rich sound. “My darling, Cila. I am counting on it.”

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Author’s Note Cila was the first character I have written that could not use her quick wit via normal means. It was a little weird to write a character that had to write or have a translation medium for everything she said. Welcome to the final set of the linear Sector Guard series. It will culminate with book 25, Pilot in Command, the story of the first members of the Sector Guard, Pilot and Commander. Their first meeting did not go smoothly, but I suppose you will find out all about it when the book makes its appearance. Only four books to go. Viola Grace http://www.violagrace.com http://www.extasybooks.com [email protected]

About the Author Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales. Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.