Escaping through her workshop tunnel, Neva is less than impressed to find that her proposed partner was the one sent to rescue her and the Citadel staff. She has managed to dodge her offered position in the Sector Guard for over two years and when Archer comes to save her, she knows that her time to think about it is over. Archer is bewildered that a woman like Neva keeps turning him down. He’s ridiculously handsome, has an impressive talent and is a charming conversationalist. What more could a woman want?
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. Wound Up Copyright © 2011 Viola Grace ISBN: 978-1-77111-003-7 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
Wound Up Sector Guard book 23 By Viola Grace
Chapter One eva shooed her charges down into the emergency hatch. With a string tied to the door, she tugged it open as she lowered the hatch door and moved the rug to cover it. Peeking through the one-inch opening, she charged the strand with the brittleness of ice and jerked hard. As it shattered, she lowered herself down into the underground tunnel and looked at the best and brightest that the Citadel had to offer. “Okay, ladies, we are going out that door and into the forest. Keep silent and calm and we will be fine.” Sterla tugged at the door and scowled. “Winder Neva, this door is sealed shut.” A cold chill ran through her, but Neva moved toward the door. Sure enough, a synthetic welding substance was trailed around the doorframe and firmly held the door in place. “Stand back. This will take some practicing.” She took a thread from the reels at her waist and tied a knot in one end. Focussing the sputtering talent that had cursed her her entire life, she
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started to spin the thread faster and faster, imbuing it with an acidic temperament and stepping forward. The whirling thread ate into the door, creating a hole that was large enough for them to crawl through. She discharged the characteristics she had imbued into the thread, snapped the used area off and dropped it to the floor. “Please come this way. I will seal the door behind us. Get to the other end of the tunnel and wait for me. I will be right behind you.” Geli looked up at her with solid black eyes. “Are you certain?” “I am certain. I will be right there.” She watched as the Citadel apprentices crawled through the hole, one by one. Her hands were busy while they escaped the noises of the Raider attack. Neva wove a web of threads rapidly, using the hooks she had had implanted in her nail beds. With the loose fabric bunched in one hand, she crawled through the hole she had made. She turned and fastened the web to the interior of the hole and charged it with an electric shock strong enough to stun any of the races who were known the frequent the Raider clans. She walked down the tunnel and found her students waiting for her. “Thank you for following instructions. The Raider warning came out nine minutes ago. If they land and come for the 2
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weaving house, they will find the door open and no one in it. Whoever sealed the door will lead them to the trapdoor and from there, they will find that we have escaped. Now, we have to remain at liberty long enough for help to come.” Geli swallowed and her tongue flicked out rapidly. “Do you think they will come in time to keep us from being taken?” “I have no idea, but I do know that we have to fight.” She looked over her six students and smiled grimly. “Now, stand aside so I can blow the door. If they are waiting for us on the other side, this is going to hurt.” **** Archer grabbed his bag and headed for his shuttle the moment that Haunt finished her briefing. He was going to pick up Neva Corren and bring her back to safety. It was ahead of schedule, but he was going to have to rescue his mate today. It was unexpected, but from what he remembered, nothing about Neva was to be expected. She fought when she should give up, ran when she should stay and hid when she needed to be out in the open. What had Commander been thinking when he matched me and this Terran with all the wrong instincts? 3
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Archer put on the halo the moment he was free of Station 13. He engaged the jump drive to bring him closer to Yski. The distress call had come in an hour ago and it would take him six hours to get there if he pushed his jump engines to the limit. Two other Guardsmen teams had been sent as well, but they were farther away than he was. Archer crossed his fingers that for once in her life, Neva put the proper instincts with the correct event. **** The explosion had been silent, but the door had blown back twenty feet. Neva pulled her hands off her ears and grinned. “Let’s run for it. There are cave systems that should hide us. They are less than an hour away. I need you all to promise me that you will run and not give up. If a friend falls, grab them and lift them to their feet. We are all making it out of here as a group or not at all.” “Are you sure that we should leave the safety of the tunnel?” Sterla was nervous as her lids flickered rapidly, focussed on the wilderness they were about to run through. “Someone in the village, at the school, knew that this attack was coming. They sealed the door to keep us from escaping. That means that they want you and I am not going to let them have you. Are 4
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we clear?” Frelan cocked her head. “That seems very heroic for a weaving instructor.” Neva shrugged, “I always have had the worst instincts. This day is no different. Come on.” She ran with her flock of empaths and sensitives across the short span between the tunnel and the forest. They kept together in a tight group and after three hours of stampeding through woods and brambles, Neva led them into a cavern in the foothills and they hunkered inside to wait. The women were quiet. It was unusual for a group of women that outgoing to fall silent, but Neva didn’t care. They needed to stay silent. The Raider ships were flying in a zigzag pattern over the village and their search intent was obvious. Sterla finally spoke when she had caught her breath. “We will need water and a lav of sorts.” “Give me a moment and we can explore the cave to see if there is a likely spot for a lav substitute.” Geli frowned, her lizard-like features more obvious in the dim light. “How are we supposed to do that?” Sighing, Neva leaned back and started to work on a strand, chaining it together until it started to form a ball. “I repeat, give me a moment.” When she had a mass large enough, she snapped the thread and held the ball in her hand, 5
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powering it up. A bright glow started deep in the fibres and soon illuminated all of the frightened faces of her charges. “Come along, ladies. I smell water and we will be less noticeable to the trackers if we are further back.” She quickly threw a strand across the entrance and coughed at the sharp tang of rock and sulphur given off by the exploding thread. The ladies covered their mouths and coughed. “What was that for?” “It will burn out any scent trackers and with the way the wind is blowing, it should hide us long enough for help to find us.” Tven’s huge eyes looked hopeful. “You know that they will be coming?” Neva smiled as she led the way into the darkness, her light spilling in a pool around them. “Oh, I know it. There is no way that the Sector Guard let’s a good candidate get away. Not when their partner is already on the books.”
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Chapter Two rcher could see the Raider ships and he crossed his fingers that the stealth technology that had been installed into the Arrow was holding tight. Lowering the Arrow into the atmosphere with so many ships searching the village and woods was a delicate operation, but Archer had targeting skills that were beyond the average pilot. The one time he had met with Neva, she had turned down the offer to join the Sector Guard but had taken on a waiting status. He had been a little insulted, as an Admaryn blend, he was quite the catch. He had been a little arrogant at their meeting, it was true, but that was no reason to turn him down. The skimmers and light shuttles were scanning frantically. Whatever they were looking for had escaped them and they were pissed. Archer grinned and sent out a scanning burst looking for Neva’s biometric signature. If her
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instincts were operating with her normal bizarre connections, she would have run from safety and taken the Citadel staffers underground a good distance from the village. The scanner burped. A quick sound that told him his instincts were correct. Now, how the hell was he going to dig her out of a mountain of solid rock? **** The water was cold and fresh, enough to stop the rumble of their stomachs. Geli found some bugs in the tunnel so she was able to eat, but the rest of them were not yet in the survival at any cost mindset. Neva looked back to the edge of the tunnel that would lead them to the surface and she wondered. Could help have arrived already? She was getting the feeling that it had. “You ladies stay here. I am going back to the mouth of the tunnel.” A general outcry broke out. Sterla lifted her head from the pool. “Winder Neva, that is dangerous and stupid.” Neva couldn’t help the grin. “I know and yet, it seems like the thing to do.” “You are not a psychic, your talents are different. How do you know?” 8
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Chuckling, she followed the strand she had left to lead her back to the entrance. “I have always had a nose for trouble.” The smell of the area that they had used as a lav was enough to make her move quickly. Within six minutes, she was back at the entrance of the cave. The Raiders were getting closer. They had obviously not expected seven unarmed women to move that quickly. Hunkering in the shadows, Neva watched as the Raiders continued their patterns. Something finally grabbed her attention about the local surroundings. She went on alert and took a closer look from her vantage point in the shadows. There was something weird about the vegetation to the left. It looked much flatter than it had when they entered the cave. A smell hung in the air as well, electricity and metal. A voice came from nothing, right next to her. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” She jumped and banged her shoulder on the rocks. “Archer. I would know that smug tone anywhere. Where are you?” A flicker next to her gave away his position, so she punched him in what she hoped was his thigh. “Ow. Still mean, I see. Where are your charges, Neva? The ship can only stay stealthy for so long.” Neva had a mouthful of evil comments, but she held her tongue to quickly retrieve the women 9
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from the Citadel. They peppered her with questions, but she waved them to silence. “They are still looking for us, so it is best to be quiet.” Their group moved back through the tunnel and to the entryway. Neva jumped when Archer grabbed her arm but didn’t say a word as she followed the gentle tugging with only a gesture to the women behind her to follow. The skimmers were getting closer, so she broke out into a trot as a door opened three feet above the glade. The stairs were visible and she stood to one side as the women piled into the small doorway in the forest. Once inside, she checked that they were all in good condition before watching the hatch sealed by invisible hands. Archer flickered back into visibility and bowed to the assembled ladies in his ship. “There are crew quarters on the Arrow and you are welcome to get some rest. If you care to eat, as soon as we make it past the raiders, you are welcome to the galley. For now, strap in. This isn’t going to be a smooth ride. Neva, please take the navigator station.” She couldn’t help the little flip that her heart did when he said her name. Archer was lovely, long auburn hair, leaf green eyes and features so perfect that it hurt her eyes to look at him. She had to turn 10
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him down the first time, even though it was a dagger to her heart. His ego would have been insufferable otherwise. She nodded at the collection of Citadel specialists who had merely come to Yski for a fluff course on meditative weaving and had ended up in an escape to ensure their freedom and it wasn’t over yet. “Strap in, ladies.” The Arrow was large for a Sector Guard ship, but the layout was simple, rooms connected by a hallway that led to the control centre. She strapped into the harness at the navigator station and adjusted the depleted reels on her belt. Archer was behind her in a moment, strapping into the pilot’s seat with a jaunty grin. “Long time no see, Neva.” “Yes, Archer. Thank you for responding to the call so quickly.” “The others are on their way. I simply got here first.” “Who else is coming?” “Hardcore and Green. They are well suited to battle tactics on a small scale. In fact, I believe they have arrived.” His grin was almost evil. “How can you tell?” “The vines and branches are pulling skimmers from the air. That is usually a pretty good sign that Green is on the scene.” Archer started up the engines and prepared to lift off. 11
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Through the displays that were available, she saw the forest coming alive and pulling ships from the sky. “Can they tell friend from foe?” “I hope so.” “Just to be on the safe side, we had better lift off.” Neva ran her hand over the console, activating the sensors for atmospheric flight. “So, Archer. I see you got the stealth refit, uniform and all.” “Nothing but the best for the Sector Guard.” With his hands on the controls, he turned to give her a devastating wink. “Where to, my lady?” “Morganti. These are all students at the new Citadel outpost.” “Excellent. Once we are clear, I will call in our flight plan and let Haunt know where her favourite Guardsman is.” Neva chuckled and shot Archer a narrow glance. “Doc isn’t here. He’s with his wife where he should be.” “I meant me.” She laughed. “You have a very high opinion of yourself.” “It is warranted. Now hold on, we are lifting off. This may use more power than the stealth unit can access.” He gripped the controls and they lifted slowly from the forest floor. They cleared the canopy of trees without 12
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mishap and that was when things took a turn for the unusual. The stealth unit deactivated, leaving them exposed and in the centre of a flock of circling Raiders. “Neva! Help!” came from the rear of the ship. Sterla’s tone was panicked. Neva unbuckled and leapt to her feet. She turned to Archer, “You get us out of here, I am going to deal with whatever the girls are up to.” Walking carefully down the hall, she took her emergency monofilament reel and loaded it onto her belt, a strand was pinched between two fingers and she was ready for anything. When she reached the cabin where they were supposed to be waiting until space was achieved, Neva stood in the doorway and stifled a gasp. Five of the women were lying on the floor and the sixth was nowhere to be found. A slight noise behind her didn’t make her turn. Instead, Neva lunged into the room with the unconscious women and then whirled around. Sterla stumbled forward, her target missed in her initial lunge. Sterla’s claws were unsheathed and she glared at Neva while she gathered herself for another lunge. “Why don’t you stand still?” Neva flicked her fingers and watched the slight gleam of the thread attach itself to Sterla’s bicep. “Because it goes against my instincts and they stand between me and disaster most days.” 13
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A surge of power along the thread shorted out Sterla’s nervous system and she collapsed on the deck, twitching. Neva kept the flow of energy up until Sterla’s eyes showed her mind fading into unconsciousness. A slight kinking of the monofilament detached it from the reel. With quick movements, Neva tied Sterla, hand and foot, before checking on the other women. They were asleep but alive. Sighing, she returned to the bridge, swaying with the movement of the ship. “Archer, do you have any restraints?” He didn’t turn his head but answered her while trying to out manoeuvre the Raider ships. “Second casing on the right in my bedroom.” She stifled her comments about the location and turned to retrieve the restraints. She ignored the other items in the cupboard and left his bedroom with only the manacles in her hands. Sterla’s ties were exchanged for the cuffs. Neva hauled her to an empty storage container in the hold area and locked her in with a few deft wraps of thread transformed into steel. The transformation would only work for a few hours, but it would be long enough to get them away from Yski. When she slid back into the navigator station, two other Sector Guard ships flanked the Arrow. “Who is our company?” 14
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“Hardcore and Green on the left, Razer and Tech on the right. What was the dust up in the back?” “The Raiders had a sleeper in the Citadel group. She was most likely the one who sealed the trap door so that we couldn’t get away.” Neva busied herself with confirming trajectories and verifying local-activity scans. “So, how did you get away?” “My skewed instincts. You know how that goes.” She shrugged and turned her face away from the man she had loved on sight. Denying herself entrance to the Sector Guard had physically pained her. Her heart had known that he was the one for her, but her instincts had told her that the timing was wrong. There was no reason to let him see the tears that tracked down her cheeks.
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Chapter Three heir little trio of ships parted for a moment while they jumped and rejoined formation in the Morganti system. The women had all recovered and were more than a little nervous at the banging and cursing coming from the hold. During the flight, Neva had divided her time between the women in the galley and taking a turn at the helm. The relief that she felt at the sight of the first and greatest of the Sector Guard Bases was hard to conceal. Rising next to Morganti base was a thick tower surrounded by vast gardens. The Citadel outpost was new and catered to folk who aspired to work with the Sector Guard in some capacity. The women in the back of the Arrow were a selection of those. Their training would consist of gathering enough support skills to be of use to the growing number of Guardsmen outposts. This journey to Yski had been a crash course that would probably add a certain bonus to their resumes. Her
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collection of Citadel staffers would never lack for occupation in some of the more dangerous locales. They had already proven that they would not panic under pressure and that was the greatest test that support staff could pass. “This is the Arrow out of Station 13 requesting landing permission for myself, Winder Corren, five Citadel apprentices and one prisoner.” Archer flipped toggles and sent the signal to the beacon guarding the outer reaches of the atmosphere. A female voice came through the com. “Archer, didn’t you go to retrieve six women and the winder?” “Yes, but apparently, there was a slight hiccough involving the Raiders and a sleeper agent. Winder Corren can explain it, I am sure.” He sent Neva a grin and she stuck her tongue out at him. The surprise on his face made her blush and she quickly looked out at the view screen toward Morganti. “Fine. Land at the base and we will take your prisoner into custody.” Neva leaned forward and spoke. “Actually, Relay, the prisoner falls under the auspices of the Citadel. She broke their rules and falls Citadel justice.” “Good point, Neva. Glad to hear from you. Archer, a group from the Citadel will greet you on 17
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the tarmac and take custody of your prisoner. I am very happy to have you here, Neva.” “It’s nice to be here again, Allie.” Neva grinned, delighted to be back near another Terran. “Are you planning to stay for a while?” Neva sent a warning glance toward Archer. “I don’t know. I think I may need to find another post. Yski seems to be fairly bare at this time.” “I will make reservations for dinner.” Neva grinned, “Good, I am rather hungry.” “See you on the ground.” The connection went silent. Her smiled faded when she noticed that Archer kept darting glances at her. “What?” “I forgot that you two are the same species.” Neva grinned. She had very little in common with Relay aside from their planet of origin, but with the amount of Terrans in the Alliance, it was enough of a similarity to draw them together as pseudo family. She didn’t say anything else to him, merely kept the flow of location information up to date as they landed on the tarmac outside Morganti base. Relay was waiting with a team of Citadel specialists and her headpiece gleamed in the afternoon light. Her bodysuit was glittering and Neva noted the addition of a sleeveless, floor-length robe that flowed around her. She looked like life in the Sector Guard agreed with 18
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her. Sighing with relief, Neva unbuckled her harness and smiled at the women in the galley. “I am happy to say, welcome back to Morganti. The Citadel staffers are waiting to take you home.” Laughing with relief, the women unbuckled and followed her through the hall and to the cargo area where Sterla was ominously silent. Neva pounded the crate with her fist, “Wake up, we are home. Time to put your shoes on.” A slight stirring inside calmed the flare of worry that had plagued her. She didn’t want to kill Sterla. She just wanted the Raiders to learn that it was not okay to put sleepers in with Citadel personnel. She left the box and continued outside to give Relay her hug. The Citadel staff rushed to help and comfort her charges, while their security force stalked into the Arrow. “She’s in the crate and she’s kind of mad. Take care.” Relay laughed as Neva approached and reached out to give her a hug. “Neva, you have engaged in a little adventure.” Neva hugged Allie back. “It couldn’t be helped. You know me and my instincts. I really didn’t have a choice.” “Are you going to invite Archer along for lunch?” Relay put Neva’s arm in hers and walked 19
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her toward a skimmer. “No, I think he has had enough of me for the day. He can find his own lunch and I really need a break.” “Fair enough. Come on then.” Allie hopped onto the skimmer, waited until Neva had arranged herself behind her and took off for the small boomtown that was slowly growing to support both the Sector Guard Base and the Citadel outpost. Neva finally relaxed. Her run through the forest and time in the cave had left her grubby, irritated and exhausted. This little trip for lunch was exactly what she needed. “How is Carella doing with uh…baby?” She could feel Allie’s laugh more than hear it. “The family is doing fine. Helen is almost ready to settle down and try to have kids as well.” “Really? I have never thought of Pilot as wanting to settle down.” “She had to wait until Commander was ready. Now that he has recorded most of his matches, he can settle in and wait for the Guardsmen to come to him. Gant has been working to design them a house near the base that will double as a consulting office.” She parked the skimmer and Neva dismounted, shaking her robes straight and double checking the reels at her waist out of reflex. 20
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Allie grinned. “You still keep those with you?” “They were the best present I ever got. I hope that Mala got my thank you gift.” Neva followed the base commander into the dimness of the restaurant. “Ask her yourself. She headed out here the moment that you entered the system.” Allie wasn’t kidding. Mala waved them over and greeted Neva with a hug. “I hear that you have been having an exciting life as a weaver.” “You have no idea. Who knew that warps and wefts would be so dangerous.” She smiled and took a seat at the table, rinsing her hands in the bowl brought to her by the serving staff. A bit of blood pinked the water, but she ignored it as she dried her hands. “So, Mala, how are the babies?” “Becoming more than even their nanny can handle. You would not believe the number of times that they have gotten into my workshop and crafted their own toys.” Mala sighed and Allie grinned. “Invisibility and Mala’s talent are devastating combinations. Those two little girls are going to be dangerous when they grow up.” Allie grinned, looked into the distance with her lids at half-mast and then focussed on them again. “They boys are going for lunch as well. I will leave it to you to invite them to join us or not.” 21
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Neva was going to answer, but Mala grabbed her hands and quiet warmth spread through the hooks in her fingertips. “You really did a number on these things.” “Yes, but I didn’t ruin your workmanship, Mala. They did a wonderful job.” When Mala released her, Neva flexed her hands and noted the lack of stiffness and the new translucent effect on the hooks. It had taken her weeks to get used to the altered appearance of her fingers, but now, they looked more normal than they had before. “What did you do?” Mala grinned and tore a breadstick apart. “I have been doing a lot of work with stealth technology. Making your hooks less noticeable is an experiment.” “You did a good job on the Arrow as well as Archer’s suit. I didn’t see him until he spoke.” The menus were holographic displays built into the table, so Neva made her selections while they talked. “That is the first stealth suit that I have managed to stabilize. It helps that his power doesn’t need to be contained. I was able to put all of the wiring directly into the suit.” Mala was on her fourth breadstick and she grinned as she looked at Neva. “I tell you, the fittings were rough. Isabi didn’t want to leave me alone with him. He is really pretty, isn’t he?” 22
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Neva ignored Allie’s amused and innocent look and merely nodded. “Yes, he is, and he knows it. That is something I keep in mind when I talk to him.” Allie’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “That explains a little too much. He gets really bent out of shape when you are mentioned. Well, according to Haunt anyway.” Mala grinned and Neva blushed. “I didn’t know I was being mentioned.” “Oh, you are his least favourite topic of conversation, so Haunt brings you up quite often.” Allie grinned and leaned aside to allow the server to place her lunch in front of her. Mala got her standard cart and Neva received the fresh fruit and salad that she had been craving. Silence fell as they ate and it was ten minutes into their meal that the males arrived. Mala raised one hand and the men took over another table. Neva inclined her head gratefully. “That is a good trick. How long did it take you to teach that to Isabi?” “Not long. He is much smarter than he looks.” Mala’s wink acknowledged that her husband could probably hear her. “Effin would like to check your scans again, by the way.” Allie was working her way through the Morganti version of macaroni and cheese. “Great. The webbing that Mala installed is fairly 23
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comfortable. I don’t think that there will be a problem. I can go right after our lunch if you like.” Mala leaned back and kept nibbling at a portion of her food. “Nope. We are going for a few treatments at the new spa in town. It takes the kinks out of your muscles in no time. Even Allie has loosened up enough to let them give her a rub down. She can debrief you while you are getting a treatment.” Neva’s heart leapt at the thought of a spa day with friends. “When can we go?” Mala grinned. “As soon as you finish eating. Get cracking.” They laughed for a moment and then dove into their meals with the finish line holding the prize.
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Chapter Four h, that is good.” Neva’s groan elicited a chuckle from her masseuse. “You are exceptionally tense. What do you do?” “Weaver’s guild. Lots of restricted movements.” A harsh grunt came from her as the woman’s four hands all took a position and bore down. Allie was getting a manicure across the room. The entire facility was restricted to females, so privacy was not at a premium. The debriefing started as Neva’s shoulders finally loosened enough for her attendant to move down her spine. Relay fired off the first question. “Neva, describe the events that led you to bring the Citadel staff off Yski.” A tendon shifted and she gasped but began her tale. “Well, I was organizing the class after breakfast and we heard the siren. I led my group back into the workshop and into the escape hatch in the floor.
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“When we had prepped the room above and secured the entry, we found the exit was glued shut. I bored a hole in the door, had the girls enter the escape tunnel and I sealed the entryway as best I could and we headed for the exterior door. “I blew the door open and we ran for the caves in the foothills where we waited for the inevitable arrival of the Sector Guard. Archer arrived, helped us to his ship and after we were airborne, Sterla exposed herself as a Raider sleeper agent. “I subdued her and restrained her in the cargo area, then checked on the other ladies making them comfortable before taking my shift at the helm.” Every statement was punctuated with a grunt, but by the time she finished, she was sore but limp. Her attendant covered her and placed a warm blanket over her to keep her relaxed. Mala was on the other bench getting worked on by another lavender-skinned woman with four arms. Neva smiled and sighed happily, warm and relaxed. “Where did this spa come from?” “We have staff on loan from the Yosh Resort and Spa. One of your people wed a Drai that owns the planet and he offered us a few spa specialists in return for some work I did on his wife’s implants. She is an organizational specialist and has jacks that needed some alteration. So, now, the Sector 26
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Guard has a private vacation spot as well as a rotation of spa staff.” Mala sighed happily as her grinning specialist worked her muscles. When her massage was complete, she was wrapped in a fluffy robe and shepherded to a chair for a facial. Happy hours passed as she was pampered and polished. Relay asked a few questions and filed the report and by the time they were all relaxed and pretty, their clothing was cleaned and ready for them. Neva had to admit that the fashion sense in the Sector Guard was impressive. “More of Kahlia’s designs?” Allie smiled and brushed at her robes. “Yes, she has a flare for matching the pattern to the Guardsman.” Mala smiled. “Her designs are working their way into most of my work. I am even incorporating them into the ships.” They chatted on their way back to the skimmers and soon were back to Morganti base, Neva holding onto Allie as they flew over the landscape. The men were socializing on the tarmac, Mabi and Isala with them. “Who is the nanny?” “Ecrihar, the brother of Razer and Flame. He left his family and joined us, but since his talent isn’t fully developed, the position of nanny was offered 27
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to him and he took it.” Allie was chuckling as they dismounted. The young Kozu warrior didn’t look awkward or embarrassed when Mabi ran to the edge of the tarmac and returned with a flower for him. He leaned forward, took the flower and gave the little girl a soft pat on the head. His features were attentive and protective even while he spoke with Isabi, Effin and Archer. It came to Neva in that instant that she had no idea what Archer’s true name was. She had only ever been introduced to him as Archer. The girls came running when their mom walked across the tarmac and the moment that they saw Neva, they changed direction, climbing her like she was a tree. “Hello, shorties. How are you today?” Little baby kisses fell on her cheeks. They spoke as one. “Did you bring us presents?” “No, sweeties. I was rescued by Archer from nasty men and he brought me here. I didn’t have time to make presents, but if you let me put you down, I can arrange something.” The girls dropped like pinecones and stood waiting with wide eyes. One dark, the other fair, but both with their mother’s midnight rainbow hair, they stood and waited with a patience beyond their ages. Neva reached for her depleted reels and pulled 28
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off a section of thread to chain it into a strand as quickly as she could. Once she had enough of a chain, she shaped it into a heart, imbued it with the characteristics of gold and snapped it in half. The girls jerked as she broke the heart but waited. Neva made some chains for each of them, attached each one to half the heart and gave the necklaces to them. “There you go.” “Pretty.” Isala took both pendants in her hand and concentrated. The hearts shifted and soon they were made of glittering gems. The toddler had her mother’s talent and it was both impressive and frightening. Their nanny came over. “Come on, Isala. If you are going to do that sort of thing, you have to have something to eat. Hello, Winder Neva.” “Hello, Nanny Ecrihar.” “Call me, Ecri. The girls talk about you frequently. You have made quite an impression on them.” He bowed to her and his beaded braids clashed and chimed as he moved. She smiled at the young male and in a moment, Archer was at her side. “Neva, may I have a word with you?” “Of course. Please excuse me, Ecri.” She inclined her head and he grinned at her, with a quick wink as Archer wrapped his arm around her to pull her off to one side. 29
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As soon as they were clear of the others, Archer turned to face her. “What are you doing?” “Um, I was being introduced to a new member of Morganti Base. What are you doing?” His painfully handsome features frowned and he opened his mouth three times before he managed to state, “I am trying to convince you that you are to be my partner.” She assessed his expression and to her astonishment, she read jealousy. This beautiful man was jealous that she had been speaking to the nanny of two children that were near and dear to her heart. Coming to a decision, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine. Convince me.” She wasn’t expecting the kiss, but when he caught her in his arms and pressed his mouth to hers, she fought to free her trapped arms and pushed him away. “That isn’t convincing. That is pressing your advantage.” She separated them by a foot and took another step back. “Relay has invited me to stay for a few days while I wait for the Weaver’s Guild to get me an assignment. You have three days to come up with an argument for me to join the Sector Guard.” She turned on her heel and walked past the astonished watchers and into the base. The moment she was inside and out of their view, she started to run. She ran past support staff and 30
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directly to the guestroom that she had been assigned. The door lit up as she approached and she stumbled right into it, her hand scrabbling at the biometric scanner until it opened. Inside her room, she stumbled into the bathroom and splashed her face, trying to cool her heated skin. She drew in a deep breath and held it while her flushed cheeks and dilated pupils showed her a reflection of an aroused human who was hanging onto self-control by a thread. Giving in to his kiss would have been easy, but she didn’t want to be easy. She wanted to be his partner and if she rolled over every time he crooked his finger, it would be fun, but it wouldn’t be equal. The next few days would be hard.
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Chapter Five eavers Guild Master Tefnar smiled at her through the com display. “I am glad that you made it out alive, Winder Corren. Nineteen occupants of the Yski village were taken by the Raiders.” “I was not aware of that.” Neva felt ill. She had known that they were after her and the Citadel staff but had no idea that others were also targeted. “Yes, apparently, they were taken before the Sector Guard arrived. No one knew until after the panic was over that they had been abducted.” “Who is looking for them?” “The Sector Guard has been seeking them and they are preparing to send a retrieval team.” “Excellent.” Tefnar took a serious look at her and imbued her words with the weight of the statement. “They want you on the team, Neva, so we agreed to your reassignment from the Guild to the Guard.” Swallowing, she nodded. “I had best get myself
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to Fixer then. I will need some new uniforms. Neva out.” She disconnected the call and headed out to Fixer’s workshop before she could change her mind. Mala was working with Carella and both women stared at her the moment that she entered. They didn’t say a word. “I am here to report for duty in the Guard. I have been reassigned to the Sector Guard and my first assignment is waiting.” “Does Relay know what is going on?” Star Breaker took Neva’s hand and gave it a light squeeze. The woman in question came through the door in that instant. “She does now. Fixer, give her everything you can think of. She will be going on a retrieval mission in Raider territory and will need as much armour as you can plaster on to keep her in one piece.” Fixer opened her mouth, but two carts full of food rolled into the workshop and she nodded quietly. “Come on, Neva. Strip.” By the time Fixer had her in a deep gold bodysuit and was working on integrating plates of armour into the material, Effin had arrived and ordered Neva into a scanner before they continued. “Those implants are one of a kind, I need 33
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confirmation that they won’t come loose or get dislodged with frequent use.” She took Effin’s hand and let him bring her to one of the scanners edging Fixer’s workspace. A quick privacy screen unfolded, she shimmied out of the new bodysuit and the scans were completed so she could dress again. “I promise not to tell Relay how quick you are, Effin.” He chuckled as he helped her straighten her suit with efficient movements. “And I promise not to tell Archer that your pheromones are strong enough to knock me over when he is nearby.” Neva frowned, “Stupid Wyoran senses.” “Indeed. Now, go get fitted for your work uniform.” Effin patted her on the head and sent her back to Fixer to continue the process of getting geared up. Stripes were added to the gold fabric, each one carrying enough material to stop and disperse a huge strike. She was going to be as safe as it was possible to be as a Guardsman. Fixer was making sure of it. “Now, your suit is armoured. Walk around and see how it feels.” Fixer tucked into a sandwich and waved for her to move around the room. The weight was definitely something she was aware of. The weight pulled on her shoulders but was supported by the bands that ran up her 34
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ribcage. She stepped down and did a few struggling push ups, stood and stretched before breaking into a light jog. She kept working out until Fixer waved at her. “I think we should test the other thing.” Neva nodded and looked to the climbing wall that Fixer nodded to. Taking in a deep breath, she walked up to it, extended the sub dermal claws that were her last line of defence and started to climb the wall. Having her bodyweight hanging by implants that came from under her nails was not the most natural of feelings, but with each foot that she managed to haul her body up, she felt a lack of pain and a surge of power. Her body was using her talent for fibre on her own tendon implants, changing them into what she needed. When she had made it to the top of the wall, she used her claws to anchor a strand from the reels Fixer was building into her suit. She let the slow release of the reel under tension lower her to the floor. When she was safe on the ground again, she snapped off the strand and turned to return to Fixer, but she was not the only person in the room. “Hello, Archer.” “Hello, Winder.” She raised her eyebrow, “Nothing more original?” 35
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“Sorry, it fits. When will you be ready to leave?” “When Fixer can’t fit anything more onto this suit.” He nodded. “Are you already armoured?” “I think so.” He turned to Fixer. “Can I test it?” Mala removed an apple from her mouth and nodded. “Sure, just not in the head.” He nodded and drew his energy bow, firing a bolt at the centre of her chest. Neva saw the bolt coming toward her and couldn’t believe that he would fire at her. The impact knocked her on her ass, but that was the only part of her that was sore. The suit had, indeed, absorbed the biological energy that he shot at her. “That was really sneaky.” He held his hand to her and offered to help her to her feet. Looking up into his absurdly gorgeous face, she reluctantly held her hand out to him and let him help her. That one moment of contact sent a tremor of awareness through Neva, but she smiled. It was a far more gentle start than she could have hoped for. “Okay, enough with the deep looks into each other’s eyes. It is time for you to get ready for your first assignment, Winder. That means that it is back to the dais for you.” Mala used the apple to point to the raised area and Neva sighed as she regained 36
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her footing for her weapons assembly. Reels of threads made from metal, airy fibres and dense crystals were attached to her belt, wrists and rimmed her boot tops. Her talent would not lack for focus. Emergency dart guns and stunners were wrapped around her fists and would activate with a particular hooking of her fingers. Effin came forward while she was testing the range on the dart gun. “Your implants are functioning perfectly. Your talent has altered them for strength and function. Mala made the right call on the tendon attachment. It spreads your weight from your hands to all your other joints. I still am not sure how you managed to deal with the adjustment though.” Neva grinned and stretched her arms over her head. “It took some doing, but I managed it. That massage today definitely helped with the pretty-constant tension that I deal with, but I wouldn’t trade that for anything.” The design offered to her had been ingenious—a wiring system that ran under her skin and allowed her to use her fingers or toes to comfortably support her entire body weight. It had started as a treatment for the constant tendonitis that her hands and arms experienced. A backup set of artificial tendons. When Mala had run the anchor points to her shoulders, Neva had 37
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experienced a tremendous boost in her physical capabilities, so they decided, with Commander’s approval, to run the full tendon reinforcement through her system. Aside from the tension in her joints, she had never had an issue with the implants. She just had to deal with the feeling of being constantly wound up. She wiggled her fingers and shimmied her shoulders, settling into the heavier weight of the new suit. “So, are we ready to go?” Mala held up a cobweb of wiring and grinned. “Just one more little addition. Stealth gear so that you and Archer can do a great job of sneaking in under the Raider radar.” “Great. Let’s get it in so that we can get going. The Raiders usually process and dispense with the captured within a week, so the clock is ticking.” The Guardsmen in the room nodded solemnly and Mala moved to put the stealth tech into Winder’s suit. It was time to switch from Weaver to Guardsman and get her ass in the game.
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Chapter Six he Arrow was silent. They had locked down communications and were slipping past the monitors around the station that the Raiders had claimed as their own. Archer and Winder were not making a sound. Their ship was on full stealth and even the impact of a footfall could translate itself to the monitors. The scans that Relay had provided indicated the holding areas were on the station side farthest from the shuttle bays. That left them one option, to drill into the station and make the most direct extraction that they could. They had discussed their plan of attack and hopefully, they would execute it silently. Mala had told them that their suits were synched, they should be able to see each other while using their stealth tech. Archer brought them in just over the hull of the station. Their ship glided to a halt and settled gently onto the metal with the help of a subtle
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magnetic field. It took agonizing minutes, but a thud of impact was not a desirable noise to create. Winder opened her harness and slowly allowed it to slide from her torso. Every movement had to be slow and controlled. Silence was key. She stood and made her way to the floor hatch in the cargo area. A temporary installation, it was the perfect entry and exit space for this assignment. There was a minute hiss as she engaged the seals to connect them to the station. The scanners on the hull indicated that there was no activity but a breathable atmosphere beneath them. Archer flicked his hand and produced his bioelectric bow and nodded as he turned on his invisibility. She opened the hatch slowly, pulled a segment of the heavier-gauge thread free and spun it while imbuing it with the power to slice into the thick metal hull. A monofilament stuck to the centre of the cutting area and she anchored it to her wrist while working her way through the outer skin of the station in silence. The instant that the plug she was cutting released, she tugged upward with all her might. She held her breath as it plummeted to the floor of the Arrow only to stop short inches from the metal. Archer eased it to the floor and he patted her shoulder as he dropped lightly through the hole 40
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and into the station. Breathing a little easier, she engaged her invisibility and lowered herself through the hole with deliberate care. Hands on her thighs almost made her yelp, but Archer held her as she slid down his body and she had to swallow a groan. This invisibility stuff just was not fair, but at least he couldn’t see the hot colour of her face. A quick orientation showed her the wavy outline of Archer’s body and she followed him down the hall to the holding area. There were group cells and in one of them, she recognized all of the personnel from Yski. All nineteen were accounted for, but there was one extra person. She reached out and touched Archer’s arm tapping once and then once again. Raiders had put a sleeper in with her people once before, she was not going to trust them again. As quickly as she could, Winder uncoupled the small scanner from her belt and ran it over the cells. There were six people rigged with tracking devices, two with explosives. Archer reached out and tapped her arm with five fingers that then counted down. In a rush, they deactivated their cloaking devices, used their talents to blow the cell doors and prepared to have the guards rush in on them. “End of the hall, to the right and wait there. We will be with you as soon as we are able,” Winder 41
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spoke and pulled the cell open to let the people of Yski free while Archer did the same for the others. When the loaded personnel tried to get past her, she quickly tied a stun bracelet to each of them. It was light, airy and was carrying a large enough charge to blast out all of the tracking devices implanted inside them the moment she activated it. They never even felt it go on. The peculiar sound of Archer’s bow caught her attention and the gathering of Raiders in the hallway was becoming hard to see under the pile of stunned bodies. The rescued personnel ran down the hall to the hole and a few of the eager sleeper agents were trying to climb into the Arrow. Winder webbed the opening when she left so no matter how many people tried to boost someone into the ship, they weren’t getting in unless she went first. Winder pushed past the panicked folk and popped her claws. “Wait a moment. I have to set the atmosphere to the correct level for this many people.” She jumped, hooked the webbing with her hands and propelled herself into the ship. The remaining strands were recharged in case someone wanted to follow before she was ready and she moved quickly. A dial here, a gas mask there and a small 42
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atmospheric current around the hatch. She lifted the mask and said, “Come on up.” She turned on her stealth and waited. The first woman had a bracelet, came through the hatch and dropped unconscious when the combination of gas and electric shock hit her. Winder quickly moved her aside. It seemed that the sleepers had moved themselves to the front of the line. She had them all neatly stacked by the edge of the room when the genuine rescues started to pour through. The gas knocked them out, but Winder simply moved them onto the other side of the cargo bay. It wouldn’t do for the two groups to get mixed up. She laid them all flat as they popped into the opening and when Archer moved into the hatch, his mask was already in place. She turned off her stealth and nodded to him. Fifty souls had been rescued, now they only needed to make a clean getaway. “Two of those are rigged with explosives. I have deactivated the electronics, but it will come back online again. We may want to use the special storage that Relay provided.” He nodded and took the two she identified, moving them into the blast-proof cocoons that they had. The tracers were burned out, so they were safe as long as the carriers were confined. He moved them into the larger storage 43
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container and let the other rescued folks stay loose and asleep. Winder placed a charge and sealed the hatch quietly, silently hoping that the station had a good shielding system for a breach, because it was about to be ripped wide open. With the rescued people as comfortable as they could make them, Archer and Winder returned to the bridge. “Are we ready?” Archer’s voice was muffled by the mask, but he was intent. “As we will ever be. They are locking on to this general area. Time to give them something else to worry about.” Winder buckled in and gripped the arms of her chair. Archer flipped the toggle that released the ship’s magnetic clamps and they floated free. As they tumbled loose, the charge that she had set blew, propelling them a great distance from the station as venting of the explosion started a cascade effect through the structure. Winder winced as she watched the home of the Raiders tear itself apart. “It looks like their system was not set up to handle a catastrophic breach.” “It is, according to Relay, the result of non-union labour. Very sad.” Archer watched as the Raider ships alternately circled the station and made a run for it. When enough time had passed in his mind, he 44
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triggered the engines and they pulsed their way to a jump point. They lost their stealth the moment before they jumped, but it didn’t matter, the Raiders were busy trying to salvage their station. While Archer flew the ship to Station 13, Winder kept an eye on the life signs in the hold. A few of the occupants were experiencing physical distress, but that was due to the sedative in the air. They would receive appropriate medical care in a vessel standing by to take them on. These people would not be setting foot on Station 13. They were not to be trusted until Minders and other Citadel personnel interviewed them all. They would receive therapy if it was needed and assistance in returning home. “We are doing well. A few folks need medical attention, but if you can fire the engines, we can get them to safety.” “As you wish, Winder. Here we go.” They passed through the jump with only a mild ripple of sensation on Winder’s part, but several of the folk did not tolerate it as well. The monitors recorded distress on half a dozen of their sleeping cargo. When Station 13 loomed in the view screen with the emergency dock and ship next to it, she sighed in relief. Archer opened the com. “This is the Arrow, running heavy. We have two prisoners rigged for 45
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explosion, half a dozen with trackers and several rescued personnel in distress. Please advise.” Haunt came on line. “Dock with the Medarik to discharge your cargo and return home, Archer. Oh, and welcome to Station 13, Winder.” “Thank you, Haunt. Good to be aboard.” Despite her mask, she was smiling. Kaylee was both snarky and perky at the same time. It was a combination that made her an excellent commander for a base that was mobile and yet could remain in orbit around any planet for as long as required. Currently, it was in the vicinity of Balen, a world undergoing deliberate renovation by the living soul of the planet itself. Archer followed the directions and docked with the Medarik. With a confirmed seal, they evacuated the sedative and pumped in standard breathable atmosphere. With their masks still on, they showed staff from the ship to the free survivors. As the Arrow was evacuated, Winder began to breathe again. She didn’t even realize how tense she had been. She sighed in relief as they uncoupled from the ship and docked on the station. She removed her mask and rubbed at her features. Archer did the same. “That was a very successful mission, Winder.” She looked over at him and rubbed at her neck 46
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and shoulders. “Wonderful. Glad to hear it. Now, where can I get a drink?”
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Chapter Seven hug from Haunt was the most peculiar thing. It was part contact and part phase. “How are you doing, Kaylee?” “Fine, Neva, but you look like hell.” She smiled at her friend and noted the vague translucence. “Thanks, you are a little more transparent than usual.” “I am a little tired. Dirven has been working out and taking frequent showers. You know what that means.” Chuckling at Archer’s pointed questioning glance, she raised a hand. “It is way more information than you want about your commanding officer, Archer. Trust me on this.” Haunt chuckled and led the way into the station. “We have created adjoining quarters for you, Neva. There is a food dispenser in your rooms and you can roam as soon as you are fed and rested.” “That sounds lovely.” Neva ignored the part
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about the adjoining rooms. It was standard operating procedure in the Guard and she was going to have to get used to it. As she walked, she stumbled a little. Archer and Haunt both caught her. “Sorry about that.” “Should we take you to medical?” Archer was worried, his wing-like eyebrows were drawn together. “No need. I just need a hot soak and some stretching. Is the gym where it was the last time?” Haunt nodded, firming her grip. They walked in silence, the tension of the past few hours piling into her shoulders and back. Her hands curled into claws and she declined any trip to medical. “If it persists, I will call medical tomorrow, but for now, I just need some rest.” Her smile was forced, but she put as much determination behind it as she could. Her escorts nodded, but she could tell that they weren’t happy about it. She managed to uncurl her fingers enough for the biometric sensor, but the moment that she was alone, she drew a bath and tried to soak the contraction out of her body. Sighing in relief at the heat generated by the water, she began the regimen of flexing and relaxing her fingers, then arms and shoulders. Back on earth, her body had been degrading. A 49
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series of three vehicular accidents left her with only her hands and mind free to work. It had been her dexterity that had gotten the attention of the Volunteer coordinator at the centre. She had been there with her cousin as Rayanne applied for a position with the Volunteers. Her cousin had been rejected, but the charming attendant had spent two hours speaking with Neva as she sat curled in the corner. Tharrin had been his name and he had jotted down everything that she said as he verbally gave her the questionnaire. He had seen something in her that even her family had never noticed, the urge to work with her hands for the good of those around her. Neva unkinked more of her upper body. At times like this, the alterations that the Alliance had made to her body could not fight muscle memory. Her body lapsed back into the shape that years of surgeries and accidents had created every time she overworked herself. Hauling fifty beings around and stacking them like cordwood was definitely overworking. Her body could do it, but it didn’t like it. She groaned and wiggled her toes, flexing her legs and idly tracing the scars that even the Alliance doctors could not completely disguise. Instead of a map of ridges and gouges, she now had a silvery tracing everywhere that a piece of 50
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metal had once pierced her flesh. “You are about as far from fine as you can be, Neva.” The voice startled her into splashing and covering herself, her hard-won relaxation disappearing in an instant. “What are you doing here, Archer?” “You were in rough shape, so I thought I would check on you. Turn your back to me and I will see if I can help.” He was wearing a loose black shirt and black trousers. He looked good, but then he always looked good. It was probably part of his freaking talent. “Go away.” “No. You are my partner and you are in pain. Hold still.” Archer wet his hands in her bathwater and did something so shocking, she froze in place. He began a hard, deep tissue massage on her shoulders and kept going despite her squeaks. To her surprise, the tension eased almost immediately. “That…feels better. Thank you, Archer.” “Brav. Brav Welkin.” She tried to turn to look at him, but he kept her pointing toward her toes. “Brav?” “I have waited quite a while for you to say my name. It was worth every second.” He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. She sighed and relaxed as he worked at the 51
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knots in her back and shoulders. He worked his way down each arm, his thumb rubbing into her palm and working her fingers loose. When she was slumped in the cooling water, he scooped her out, wrapped her in a towel and carried her into the bedroom. He patted her dry and rolled her onto her bedding, then went to work on her lower spine. As he worked, his voice came to her through the roaring of blood in her ears. “What are these marks?” “Scars.” “What happened to you?” “Accidents. One when I was five, then nine and the last one at eleven.” He made a soft noise and his voice sounded funny when he spoke again. “Why didn’t the Alliance physicians erase them when you came on board as a Volunteer?” She grunted and shifted under his hands as he bore down on her lower back, unknotting the base of her spine. “Too deep. I am a patchwork person. Too many torn muscles and broken bones. Is why my tendons are so short. Too much sewing inside me.” He continued his work on her thighs and calves, right down to rolling his knuckles along the arches of her feet. He cleared his throat. “So that is why you 52
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agreed to physical enhancements so readily?” “Yup. My body has never been comfortable as long as I can remember. Discomfort for the sake of improved ability seemed a fair trade.” “When did your talent come to the fore?” He moved off her and wrapped her in her blankets, shifting her so that she was lying on her side and so he was curled around her. Cuddled against him, she smiled and let the warmth and lack of pain wash over her. “Tharrin saw it right away. It was my talent that kept my arms moving. No one else ever noticed that my hands weren’t actually bending and flexing as I worked.” “How would you classify your talent?” “Transient physical effect on strands of thread. I can imbue them with the physical characteristics I want them to have.” She was getting sleepy and she let her mind drift on the cloud of pain-cancelling endorphins generated by the massage. “Thank you, Brav. I haven’t felt this relaxed in a very long time.” His hand smoothed her hair away from her face in a rhythm that had her smiling as she let herself slip into sleep. “Goodnight, Neva. I will be here when you wake.”
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Chapter Eight aking pain free was a completely new experience for Neva. She moved her limbs carefully and stretched her fingers out. When a second set of fingers caressed hers, she froze. “Archer, are you still here?” He chuckled and slid his fingers through hers, weaving them together. “You called me Brav last night.” She winced as she realized that not only did she tell him anything he asked of her, but he had seen all of her naked. Every scar, every pale inch of her had been under his hands and he hadn’t stopped until she was out of pain. Tears pricked in her eyes as she acknowledged that all her secrets were out. “I did. I will understand if you don’t pursue a physical relationship with me as is so common with the Guardsmen.” His arms clutched at her as if he was afraid she would bolt. “What do you mean?” “If I need to spell it out, I acknowledge my
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disfiguring scars and understand if someone like you doesn’t choose to pursue a physical relationship.” She tried to keep her tone cool and unemotional. He rolled her to her back and peeled away the bedding that she tried to keep between them. “Neva, since we first met two years ago, I have imagined myself at your side and in your bed. Now that I am here, I have no intention of leaving. By the way, your skewed instincts are once again in full force.” He pressed his mouth against hers and the pressure near her hip gave her the confirmation that he was, indeed, focussed on her. She pushed him away for a moment and stared into his leaf green eyes as his deep auburn hair flowed around them. He was serious. There was an intensity in his gaze that settled something deep inside her and she leaned up to return his kiss. Being pain free for the first time in her memory was acting on her senses like several stiff drinks. His touches were no longer therapeutic but aroused her with deliberate attention to her reactions. When they came together, she pressed him to his back and mounted him. Her body was exposed in the bright light of her bedroom and she didn’t really care. The intensity of internal sensations overrode her embarrassment and when release 55
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came to her, she shuddered with her hands braced on his chest until he tumbled her to her back so that he could pursue his own pleasure. His groan and the exhausted slump against her breasts elicited a giggle from her. She threaded her fingers through his hair and enjoyed the texture as well as the novelty of having a man of any species in her bed. When her fingers grazed the tips of his pointy ears, the shudder that ran through him as well as the instantaneous arousal in his body widened her eyes. “I had no idea how sensitive your ears were.” He nuzzled her breasts and mumbled. “It isn’t something we advertise. More Virdu than Admaryn, but it still can get embarrassing when getting haircuts.” He moved his hips slowly and when she started to move in response, he withdrew and shifted her to her side and rejoined them with her upper leg lifted to give him access. They spent hours shifting, twisting and writhing together until Haunt popped up through the floor with her hand over her eyes. “Neva, the doctor wants to check you out and, Brav, you have to do the same.” He chuckled and held the sheets up to conceal Neva’s assets. “You usually call me Archer.” “You usually have pants on. Now, shower separately and get your respective butts to 56
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medical.” Haunt receded through the floor in dismissal. Neva looked up from under the impromptu tent. “How long do you think we have?” “Knowing Kaylee, a few minutes until she comes back. We had best get ourselves to the shower.” Walking was not easy, but it was due to unusual muscle activity and not to pain. She didn’t get halfway across her room before Brav wrapped one arm around her waist and lifted her. “You are very sore, how long has it been?” She didn’t want to answer him. Instead, she stood under the shower and let the water course over her. Her skin was abraded in a few places and sensitive in more than a few, but that was no reason to distress her partner. He grabbed her by her shoulders and turned her to face him. She looked up at him and raised her eyebrows. “I am serious, how long has it been?” “How long has what been?” She blinked up through wet lashes. “How long has it been since you had a lover?” “I don’t want to answer that.” “I will let you know if you wish.” “No more than three years for you. We first met three years ago, not two.” He furrowed his brow. “I would have 57
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remembered you, I am sure of it.” She finished her shower and stepped past him. “You were with two very attractive ladies at the time. We were at the reception for the new Corusian embassy. You grinned politely, took my hand and then released it and walked away.” He froze in place. “You were wearing heavy robes and you didn’t meet anyone’s gaze. You kept to yourself and stayed near the walls.” “You do remember. Yes, it was shortly after Mala did my implants. I wasn’t that comfortable with them yet.” A blush started on his cheeks. “I am sorry that I was…” “Distracted is a fine word. Don’t worry about it. I didn’t know you, you didn’t know me.” “But you remember meeting me.” “You are very pretty and the women were barely confined by their clothing. It was quite a picture.” She towelled her hair dry and combed through her honey brown locks. Brav finished his shower and mimicked her earlier motions as he dried himself. She was about to leave when he flicked his towel around her and pulled her toward him for a kiss. They were together and she had her hands in his damp hair when Haunt came up through the floor, again her hand was over her eyes. “Tick tock, 58
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folks. The medics are getting impatient. This is an order from your base commander. Now, get dressed and go.” They parted with grins. Neva smirked. “I suppose that we can continue this later.” “We will.” She walked over to the wardrobe where extra suits for visitors were stored. She only had the one full-armoured uniform and she didn’t need it for a medical visit. They entered medical together and were each shuffled off to a separate alcove for testing. Neva endured the standard medical scans and then huffed as she was escorted to the large detail machine that she needed for her implants. The machine was designed by Mala for exactly this kind of thing, checking on implants in Guardsmen and support staff. “You put your hands on those bars and stand on those blocks.” She grinned at the new physician. “I have done this before.” She reached up and put her limbs in position for the scan. The beams ran across her, around her and checked everything inside her. “Thank you, Winder. You should probably have something to eat now. Your blood sugars are severely depleted.” 59
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She shook her hands as she released the handles and absently rubbed them together to keep the tension minimized. Neva looked around for Brav, but didn’t see him in the common spaces of medical, so she went in search of food. Her wayward partner was waiting for her outside in the hall and he took her hand in his, idly rubbing her palm with his thumb. Her hand immediately relaxed and Neva had to admit that it was either his knowledge of pressure points or his bioelectric talent, but it worked. A little tidbit of information flickered in her mind. “How did Haunt know to come through the floor with her eyes covered?” “Hunter and Rumble broke their celibacy when they were needed for an assignment. Haunt came through the floor and got an eyeful. Now, she is simply more careful.” He laughed quietly. “Dirven shared that tidbit with you, didn’t he?” Neva was amused. “Of course. Even men enjoy a bit of gossip. Now, my lady. What would you like for brunch?” They turned the corner and entered the galley. She grinned up at him and waved at the variety of food on display. “It may be a bad instinct but surprise me.”
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Chapter Nine rav didn’t stop touching her in the days that followed. Every night, he started with a slow massage that usually ended up in a very intimate tangle of limbs. When he started adding oil to the mix, it was like the universe’s most erotic game of Twister and Neva couldn’t stop laughing. The assignment came as a bit of a break from their sudden intensity and it was with some relief that Winder put her uniform back on. A spare had come from Morganti with two pictures of a smiling stick figure of Winder standing next to Archer and Arrow. To prove that they were Mala’s children, the little girls had rendered the ship in extreme detail while the living figures were simply in colours. Haunt met with Winder and Archer in her offices. “There are three escapees from a prison planet. We need you to retrieve them.” Archer nodded and watched the dossier flick
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over on the display screen. The escapees looked violent, nasty and brutish. Winder had to ask. “Who organized the breakout?” “Dovin Garfoly. He and his cohorts were apprehended by Psyche and Bore. They chose to land on the wrong planet and our folk were waiting for them.” Haunt looked satisfied at that. Winder cocked her head. “So, how did these guys get out with him?” “They overpowered a supply shuttle, killed the pilot and flew it off Skavol. The guards were busy locking down the facility, so they called us to do the mopping up.” “What is retrieval status?” Archer’s voice was serious. Haunt gave them a serious look. “Dead or alive. You are to take every precaution you can to avoid putting yourself in danger.” Winder nodded but raised one eyebrow. “That goes against all my instincts, but I will try.” Archer scowled at her. “You will succeed or we will have a discussion when we get back here.” She cleared her throat at Haunt’s smirk. “I will try. Aside from that, I make no promises. Besides, my instincts have led me here.” Haunt cackled and waved them off. “Go, retrieve, deliver and return to base. Safely!” Winder snapped to her feet and whipped off a 62
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salute. “Yes, Commander. Whatever you say, Commander.” Archer grinned and leisurely rose to his feet as well. “To the Arrow.” Winder took his hand in what was now a reflex and they marched together to the shuttle bay. They had been in transit for four hours when he turned to her and asked her again. “Now, before our first time, how long had it been before you had a lover?” She kept her eyes on the navigation screen. “Well, if you believe in reincarnation, I am sure that one of my past lives would have seen some action but nothing in this one.” He had the grace to look appalled. “But, by your species specifications, you were not a virgin.” She ran her hands along her tightly braided and coiled hair. “Most members of my species did not have their pelvis crushed at age nine. It also did a lot of damage to my soft tissue, including my hymen. Is that what you were referring to?” She pursed her lips and watched his face flush. “So your first time was when we…” “Yup. When we had a frolicking orgy for half a day.” She grinned and propped her head on her fist. “Why is it a concern?” He opened and closed his mouth several times before blurting out, “A virgin’s first time is 63
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supposed to be flowers and candles and romance.” She unbuckled from her seat and crossed to his. She sat in his lap and draped her arm around his neck. “You gave me a massage that gave me the first pain-free night in over two decades. That was more romantic than a garden of flowers and a flotilla of candles. You gave me what I needed, Archer.” She leaned in and gave him a kiss that was soft and held a wealth of emotion. As she stood, she gave one of his ears a flick and then jumped out of his reach as he lunged for her, getting caught up by his harness. Laughing, she returned to the navigator’s chair and buckled in. They had hours of travel and three jumps ahead of them. His glare couldn’t squelch the spark of humour and he promised retribution. It was nice to have a light-hearted moment before they tried to apprehend three violent criminals who had over a dozen murders between them. As Sector Guard assignments went, she sort of preferred sneaking into a Raider stronghold. It was far less scary. The Arrow set down gently on the unnamed world. They had chosen to come in using the stealth mode and as close to the multiple tracking implants that the prisoners had. The implants were moving slightly, so it was 64
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obvious that the prisoners either did not know about or had not had a chance to remove the trackers. Inside her shielded ship, Winder did a final check on her supplies. She had three pairs of restraints, a full complement of threads and both a stunner and a dart gun. Archer had his talent and an intense focus that she had not seen before. “I don’t want you out of my sight.” “We are going in with our cloaks on, so I will be invisible.” “Don’t get smart with me. You know what I mean.” He scowled at her and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead. “Fine. I know what you mean. I will stay close.” She let her face take on a serious expression and he accepted it. She really didn’t want to tell him that her instincts were clamouring for her to race toward the small, primitive village on the hill. He was the senior Guardsman and she needed to follow his lead. “We should start at the village. If they needed supplies, they would have run in to steal it from the inhabitants.” She blurted the words out before she even had a chance to second guess her impulse. “We will. That is the source of the strongest signal.” He gave her a solemn look. “Are you 65
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ready?” “No, but let’s get this over with.” She straightened her shoulders and activated the stealth mode on her suit. Archer did the same and soon, they were on their way to apprehend or kill three men who had no business being on this world. Keeping to silence, they skirted the edge of the village, watching the locals for signs that the targets were nearby. The signs became obvious when villagers scuttled from one side of the central oval to the other, holding their children tightly to them. An almost imperceptible hum reached her ears and Winder noted that Archer had not only shaped his weapon, but it had a bolt ready to fire. With a jolt, she came to the realization that her hands had kept busy while she had been walking. She had a disk of fibre six inches in diameter and with the metal of the thread she had used, it could quickly achieve lethal intent. Two of their targets were sitting with their backs to the wall, the third had a village woman by the neck and a blaster pressed against her chest. There was a stack of dead villagers nearby and the sobbing of family members explained the lack of violence aimed at the interlopers. Attack the men in a disordered manner and you or your loved one would end up dead. 66
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Winder tapped Archer’s arm and indicated that she would take the man with the gun. His hand on her forearm registered his concern, but she insisted with a more violent tap. A child nearby looked directly at her, his features twisted in confusion. Winder held her breath and when he looked away, she let her breath out softly. Archer touched her arm and counted down their movement. When he reached one, she surged toward the man holding the woman hostage and used her disk to slice his forearm in two. The hand holding the blaster dropped to the ground, he swung around, spraying blood on everyone in his vicinity and when she was outlined by the blood, he bellowed and jumped at her, striking out. Winder ducked, shifted, popped the climbing claws from her fingertips and slashed at his knees. She felt the impact of his fist on her shoulder, but just as suddenly as he attacked her, he was gone. The villagers swarmed him. Their lean, elegant bodies blocked him from her sight as they attacked him with every implement that they could find. Winder turned off her now-useless stealth shield and looked around for Archer. The other two escaped prisoners were getting the same treatment from the locals. 67
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Archer appeared at her side and wrapped an arm around her waist. “We had best remove ourselves from the village until they complete their venting. We don’t want them turning on us.” “They are rather involved in retribution. You have a point.” She let him lead the way out of the massacre. The villagers who had been cowering in their homes streamed forward as if summoned. They joined the group pounding the prisoners into a fine paste and Winder fought nausea. “Do we have to take the bodies back?” “No, we only need to confirm that they are dead. Our suits have recorders for this sort of purpose. Are you all right?” “I haven’t seen this kind of direct violence before, let alone participated in it.” “You cut his arm off.” “To disarm him.” She blushed and a wry smile came over her. “Literally, I suppose.” Archer took her by the arms and looked down into her eyes. “You behaved in an appropriate manner to the threat posed to innocents around you. That is our duty as Guardsmen.” She nodded and her urge to cry receded. “Right. Duty. Put on the uniform and do a job. That’s the idea.” They stood together, watching the villagers slowly leave the area where they had done 68
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Archer’s and Winder’s job for them. Blood spattered them, several were sobbing, but a feeling of relief in their attitudes was palpable. Groups of folk carried out their dead, but they had a sense of peace that replaced the earlier panic. An elder walked up to them. “Are you here to try and enslave us as well?” Archer kept his arm around Winder in a non-threatening position. “No, we were here to remove them from your world, but you have done this for us. We need only see the bodies and we can leave you to burn or discard them as you will.” The elder nodded and accompanied them inside the blood-spattered room. Winder winced at the tangled mess of what had been her blade. Sometime during its use, it had reverted to its base component. It hadn’t been in time to keep the murderer from being hacked to pieces, but it had kept those pieces from getting too small. Archer confirmed the smeared paste that was the two other prisoners and he retrieved their trackers. Winder took the hint and located one of the trackers, wiping it off on the blood-soaked clothing. A small hand touched her on the shoulder. It was the child who had heard her before the carnage started. He offered her a bowl of water and a series of towels, gesturing to her uniform. 69
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She quickly rinsed off the tracker and stowed it in her belt before starting to sponge away the blood. “Thank you.” “Why were you clear?” His stern expression was incongruous on such a delicate body. He had seen her. She continued to remove the stain. “We didn’t want the men to see us. We tracked them here and were sent to take them away from you. They should never have been here.” “We knew that, but we could not make them understand that they did not belong here. They used their weapon and started to hurt people.” As she stared into his huge purple eyes, she felt him touching her mind. He surged into her thoughts and she cried out. Her thoughts blurred and she saw the flare of the bio-light scattered by one of Archer’s arrows. The pain felt by the child ran into her own thoughts and she heard Archer’s cry.
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Chapter Ten light floral scent replaced the smell of blood and the moment that she sat up, Archer was at her side. “I am sorry, Winder. I didn’t realize what he was doing.” The child in question was sitting at the foot of her bed. “I am sorry as well, madam. I did not appreciate the amount of effort you engaged in just to be able to stand upright. I just wanted to understand your weapon.” She rubbed her forehead. “It wasn’t a weapon. It was a tool that I used as a weapon. As soon as I let the energy dissipate, it became its original form. How is it that you speak Alliance Common?” The elder came in and nodded to her with a smile, as if happy to see her sitting up. “We are a Wekali colony. We came here to engage in a more simple way of life and for the most part, it has been successful.” “I am sorry for this disruption in your lives. Other lives were lost when these men escaped and
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we were dispatched as soon as the details were known.” She swung her legs out of the bed and smiled at her clean uniform. “Archer informed us of this. Rysus was simply trying to find out what exactly you were and how you did what you did. While our news reports have told us of the Sector Guard, we never expected to need them.” The elder ruffled the feathers on the young boy’s head. Archer helped her to her feet and kept an arm around her waist for support. “We didn’t even know that you were here until we landed.” “That is the way we like it. We are a very private colony.” The elder was serious. Winder nodded and started to walk toward the door. “We didn’t see you, you didn’t see us. I will explain everything that is needed without mention of you.” Archer didn’t contradict her. He simply lifted her into his arms and walked out of the village and toward the Arrow. He did ask her one thing, “You will tell me what is wrong?” She pressed her lips to his neck and whispered, “Oh, yes. Just get us out of here.” The village had seen them off and the moment that the ship was clear and she had completed internal scans, she breathed a little easier. Archer asked again, “What the hell was that 72
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about? Those Wekali were friendly.” “And every one of them was a war criminal by Wekali standards.” He blinked in shock, his pretty features twisting. “What?” “War criminals. Each person in that village has access to a homicidal rage that is far out of their planet’s acceptable tolerances. A few have talents, but the prisoners were not susceptible to mental manipulation. They need to remain unknown and undetected by their governments in order to remain alive.” “How do you know that?” “While Rysus was picking my brain, I picked his in reflex. How hard did you hit him?” She let herself smile as they made their way out of the atmosphere. “It was a glancing blow. He was up in a matter of seconds, but your information does explain the crowd that surrounded me until he stood up again.” He cocked his head. “Do you really think they would have killed me?” “If Rysus hadn’t stood up right away? If he had been dead and not injured and they thought they had the physical or psychic advantage? Yes.” The rest of their trip was fairly quiet. They dropped off the trackers and confirmed the death of the prisoners at the facility before returning to Station 13. 73
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It was a far more solemn return than their light-hearted dispatch. They quietly returned to medical for their post-assignment checkups. Winder’s mind showed signs of psychic interference. Archer was fine. Dirven scowled at Neva as she sat in the monitoring chair. “What the hell happened to your mind? There are blacked-out segments where the memories were invaded.” “I ran into a sensitive where we found the fugitives. He wanted to ascertain my motivation, so he broke into my thoughts.” “He was untrained.” “Yes. That is true. It was his impulse that did the damage.” She raised a hand to rub at her forehead, smiling over Dirven’s shoulder to the worried Brav. “It isn’t anything that you won’t recover from, but try not to think too much for a few days.” He patted her on the shoulder and moved the scanner out of the way. She got to her feet and walked with Archer to Haunt’s offices. The debriefing was mercifully short. Haunt must have seen something in their eyes, because she didn’t pursue the details of death. Winder declared that her opponent had bled out. Archer’s died of reaction to the bio-bolts fired from his bow. 74
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“Okay, you two. Get some rest. You both look like hell.” Haunt dismissed them with a wave of her hand and returned to her files. With relief, they left their commander’s office and made their way to their quarters. The moment she was behind closed doors, Neva removed her uniform and turned to help Archer with his. She was shaking by the time they came together, but their coupling had nothing to do with passion and everything to do with seeking comfort from their partner. When they embraced sleep, they were curled together, clinging to each other tightly to hold away the memories of the day. **** Haunt appeared in medical and grabbed Dirven by the arm, hauling him into his office. “What was on those scans?” He looked down at her and she grabbed his shoulders, pulling herself up so that they were face to face. Her feet hovered several inches above the floor, but she had to know what was going on. “I haven’t completed the report, but did you want a highlight?” “Give me what you have.” “Tease.” “This is serious, Dirven. They are both in shock. 75
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What did they see that they didn’t tell me about?” He nodded and shifted from her bantering husband to the base physician. He ran through the scans and winced. “Whatever happened to the prisoners was far more violent than a simple slice of a major vein. Both of their uniforms were stained with matter from all three fugitives as well as bits of Wekali.” “That can’t be right. Wekali are pacifists who never leave their home world.” “Well, they have at least nine sources of Wekali DNA, some of which shows flickers of talents.” Ice spilled through her veins as her mind drew a picture for her. “Dirven, I want you to declare a global contaminant on that world and throw up every kind of warning satellite that you can find. Dangerous biologicals, the works.” Haunt used her code to access the Alliance Archive. What she read brought bile to her throat. “Have freaking bombs around that world if you have to but keep everyone away. It is no longer accessible to the Sector Guard.” Dirven looked into her face for a moment and immediately started the procedure for interdicting the seemingly innocuous, nameless world. “I am declaring that the dead fugitives were infected with a deadly plague. The first of the satellites will be there within the week.” She sighed as she was able to breathe a little 76
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easier. “Thank you.” “Will you explain what that was all about?” She took a position behind his desk and occupied his chair. “If Winder has any side effects, you will need to treat them, so okay. Sit.” He sat on the edge of his desk and crossed his arms. Haunt rubbed the bridge of her nose. “The Wekali are a nice and sedate race. They like it that way. Two generations ago, a geneticist tried to enhance their intelligence in order to create a better citizen. They got smarter, but they also got more violent. This violence took on physical, emotional and sexual manifestations. The Wekali tried to reason with this new sub-species suddenly in their midst, but unable to remain under the control of their government, the new breed decided to leave their world. “What happened next is not known, but it was assumed that the new breed had destroyed itself en route. Rumours of rape, cannibalism and infighting abounded. The new breed of Wekali disappeared as quickly as it had appeared and it was thought that they were a small blip in history. “Archer and Winder saw behaviour that burned their souls today. How open does a body have to be before you can simply lift out the trackers?” She raised one brow at Dirven. “Depending on where they are installed, fairly 77
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small.” “Winder managed to pick the tracker out of the body without using a knife. My guess is the Wekali were finally spurred into action by the arrival of reinforcements. Their first instincts are passive, their deliberate actions are not.” Dirven winced. “Do you think that they need counselling?” “I know that they will need counselling. I also know that we don’t have a Minder on staff…yet.” Dirven grinned. “You are planning to get one on board?” “She is being convinced as we speak. A charming Wyoran who knows how to work for a living.” “So, that is where Criton has gone. I did wonder.” “He needs a partner who will make him want to return to base.” Dirven’s brows knit. “How will that work? She can’t be a counsellor if she is off with her partner.” “She can if she can operate remote therapies. It is one of her most desirable skills. If he doesn’t blow this, our contract will be with one of the longest-range telepaths ever born.” Dirven whistled low and long, a reflex that Kaylee had taught him over long nights and quiet days when they had been the only two occupants of Station 13. 78
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Despite her worry over Neva and Brav, Kaylee had a mate and he was feeling a little neglected. She could see the flicker in his eyes as they talked about other partners and finding mates. She rose to her feet, shoved him into his chair and snuggled into his lap. His body relaxed under her, a fine tension that someone who didn’t know him as she did would never have seen. She simply sat with her focus on keeping her body tangible, her arms around his barrel chest and her face against his neck, breathing in his scent. When he bent to scent her as well, the tension was gone. As Dirven’s lips started to whisper silent words against her neck, she smiled and revelled in having her husband with her on the station and not in harm’s way. She had no doubt that he could battle as well as any warrior out there, but he was hers and she wanted him safe. As his fingers parted the opening of her uniform, she had to admit something else to herself, she just wanted him and she had to keep reminding herself to let it show. **** Neva had just rolled astride her partner when Haunt floated up through the floor, saw what they were doing and quickly slapped her hand over her eyes. 79
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“I have an assignment for you.” Neva sighed and dismounted from Brav. He held the sheet over them both and watched Haunt. “What’s the assignment?” Haunt kept her hand in place but spoke matter-of-factly. “We need you to take some hybrid plants from the Alliance Botany Research Station and bring them here to Balen.” Archer looked at her suspiciously. “That seems rather simple for a Sector Guard assignment.” “The plants each have the value of a small mining world. They have the ability to filter and balance any environment they are placed in. Balen has volunteered to allow a real-world application. The Raiders have tried four times to obtain them, so this is not a fluff assignment. You will need stealth and you will need to be on your guard. The details are waiting for you in the Arrow. Get your uniforms on. Oh, Winder, Fixer sent a spare uniform for you. It’s in the wardrobe. Archer, yours is in your room.” The new suit was the same green as Brav’s eyes and did not carry the memories of the last assignment. When Archer came around the corner dressed in black and gold, she had to admit that Fixer had good taste. Archer let out a whistle and she turned around and around for him to admire the corsetry installed in the suit which helped give her a 80
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narrower waist and a more femme-fatale look. “I don’t think that I will let you out of the ship looking like that.” She grinned and buckled on her new belt. It vee’d the same way as the banding and rode on the edge of her hips. “So, from a humble weaver to a member of the Guard with my partner’s tongue flapping on the floor. I will take it.” He stepped toward her and she lunged backward, tripping over her own feet. Archer caught her in his arms and she ran her fingers through his hair as he kissed her. “You have horrible instincts.” He gave her a quick peck on her nose. “And yet, I am exactly where I have wanted to be for three whole years.” She laughed and pulled his head down for another kiss before Haunt returned and spoiled her fun. Assignments would come and go, would be gratifying and horrifying, but as long as Archer was there with her, she would take every opportunity to let him get her all wound up.
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Author’s Note Thanks for joining me on Station 13. It’s always a fun thing to revisit old characters and the way the Sector Guard gets around, it will definitely be a constant happening. Morganti is the heart of the Sector Guard and the children of Morganti will soon grow up until they have books of their own. No…I have no idea when. It is just something that is slowly germinating in my brain, like a fungus. Seal the Deal is the next book on the roster and will provide the needed therapist to the Guard. After that, Pilot in Command will detail the meeting of Commander and Pilot, the first two Guardsmen. I can hardly stand the wait. Thanks for visiting, Viola Grace
[email protected] http://www.violagrace.com http://www.extasybooks.com
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.
