Viola Grace

The first time she heard of a Gaian marrying one of the Nine, she didn’t believe it. Daphne Hallow still didn’t believe it when it was announced that the reception for Tiera McKenzie and a huge pixie named Tonos was going to take place at the hall where Daphne worked.

Now, surrounded by alien warriors from the ship above them, Daphne was finally cluing in that it might be true.

She and the rest of the serving staff were on alert, waiting for the introduction of the couple. Her heart pounded as the gathering filled with beings that were similar to those of Gaia but different in a variety of ways.

They were predominantly male and seated separately from the Gaians. The Nine were in the shape of creatures of myth and legend, from fairies like the groom, to shadows that clung to living flesh.

Daphne and the other servers had been selected after a rigorous security scan to make sure that the incoming Nine would be safe with them. She had never been a high-security waitress before, but she supposed that there was a first time for everything.

They had been through days of etiquette training, practice runs and disaster drills. It was the most intense thing that Daphne had been through since her parents were taken in the first of the Tokkel raids and never seen again.

The facility manager and the etiquette advisor of the Nine passed their ranks with careful attention. All the hair on the females had to be braided and fastened at the back of the skull. Sleeves needed to be long to prevent accidental contact. Trousers were to be loose and a wide sash on the long shirt fastened and flattened everything into a column. The men were dressed the same. They were all completely sexless and lacking any individuality. Perfect.

Daphne had to admit that she was happy to be lost in a crowd. Normally, she needed to exert herself into being ignored, but in this group, she blended into nothing.

The uniforms that they wore were unrelieved black. Normally, the colour would not be considered for a wedding banquet, but this was a special occasion. It was the first celebration between a Gaian and a member of the Nine.

The member of the Nine sent to prepare them was a woman of the Wilding clan. She sniffed the air carefully as she passed, shaking her head at a few of the women, sending them back for another shower to remove all traces of scent from their skin.

That the Nine were scent sensitive was an oddity that made a certain sense to the Gaians. They were picking up their own peculiarities as time went on and enhanced senses were only the tip of the iceberg.

When Daphne was authorized, she relaxed slightly. Her station in life had taken a turn when her family had died, and she had turned from a student of Gaian and Terran histories to a general labourer.

Most around the colony had something that needed doing, and she was excellent at being unobtrusive in her work, no matter what the task was.

Flustered, she jerked out of his grip and looked away. "Yes. I mean. You are very attractive." Rubbing her hands up and down her arms gave her something to do.

"But you are not besotted with me." He leaned back on the bench.

She was up and out of the reach of his long arms in a moment. "Um. No. I don't get besotted with anyone. It feels safer that way."

"Ah, but how can you live, or love, if you don't take risks?"

"I can live quietly."

His scowl could have peeled paint. "But that is simply existing, not living at all. Your short human life needs to be lived to the fullest."

Hearing it put like that was a little shocking. "You couldn't have sugar coated it?"

He was surprised. "What?"

"My short lifespan."

"There are ways of increasing it, but you would have to embrace your inner talent and let the magic run through you on a regular basis."

She rolled her eyes at that. "How am I to manage that?"

His blue eyes turned black as he leaned toward her. "Kiss me."

Kiss him. Yes, that seem the right thing to do. His hair was so silky, his mouth perfect, his skin cool as she cupped his jaw. Raffin tasted like Spring, all energy and light. Sophie sighed happily as their mouths met, touched and sparked power off each other. She made a soft sound of loss as he pulled back and her eyes opened wide to see his satisfied grin.

"That will work."

"Wait, what was that?" She was on her feet and backing away from him. Her body had been beyond her control for those few seconds, or minutes, whatever it was. She had wanted nothing more than to kiss him until the sunset dipped through the sky. "Is that the effect of a Love Talker?"

"It is." Raffin crossed his arms over his chest and crossed his ankles. The perfect epitome of lazy male. "As your mentor, I am giving you an assignment. I want you to make me kiss you."

"Are you nuts?"

"Our talent is sensual in nature, it is easiest to manifest in that manner. Come on. Just another kiss. It means nothing and you probably won't be able to get the command to stick."

He didn't think she could do it. That much was obvious. Her jaw set and she took a long look at her so called mentor. Reaching into her mind to find the source of her talent, she tried to pull it forward. Glaring at him she gave him the same command he had given her, "Kiss me."

"No." His grin was expansive and he shook his head until his gold locks spilled over his shoulders and exposed his pointy ears. "You are not connecting with your magic."

"How am I supposed to connect with it, I don't know what it is!" Frustrated, she closed her eyes and hugged her midriff in agitation.

"Think about what you are trying to accomplish. You are trying to entice me into kissing you. That cannot be done with the words alone. You need to feel it."

Chanting to herself that she couldn't believe she was doing it, she moved toward the bench and straddled her mentor, much to his surprise. She leaned forward, inhaled the light scent of his hair and the stronger scent of wild male underneath and then closed her eyes while she touched her talent. Opening her eyes, she saw him in a whole new way, his body was humming with energy and with a little effort, it could be hers. "Kiss me," came out of her throat in a whisper of sound, but it had a definite result.

Kescu checked her pack, tested the insulation and verified her food and water supply. Her body heat would keep the botanical samples from freezing, and the insulation would keep the majority of her supplies edible during the trip.

“Courier Washley, are you ready?” Dr. Senzer smiled at her as he emerged with the pack designed to her specifications.

“As ready as I will ever be. Frankly, I am more nervous about speaking at my sister’s primary school on Fiveday.” She hoisted the pack onto her back, and it settled above her supplies as neatly as if it had been designed for just that thing.

“You will do fine. Now, Teckaro Base?”

“Will be there in three hours. Two and a half if I have a following wind.” She shook his hand and said, “They will call you when I arrive. Don’t fret. You have your fretting face on.”

“Those are exceedingly rare samples, Kescu. Be careful.” He turned her around and gave her a swat to the backside before he backed off and left her to face the outer doors.

Three insulated airlocks kept the research station from the bitter cold. Her body started to shake in the second lock as her talent activated to keep her alive.

When the third set of doors cycled open, the frost built up on the outer door began to melt. As the inner door closed behind her, the outer door groaned open, dripping icy water.

Kescu started to sprint as her feet melted the ice beneath her. A strange motion of gliding kicked in, and her forward momentum sliding across the frozen surface took on a dizzying speed.

She cleared the valley in minutes, putting her on the open ice plane and allowing her to pause in order to check for wind. “Yes!”

She quickly unfurled her kite, pressed the tabs on her heels that extended her skis, and funnelled more heat through her feet. The wind caught her kite, and she was on her way, expending far less energy than a straight run would have.

Kescu played with the wind, flipping and twisting as the kite dragged her across the surface of Wanlio 6.

She grinned as the cold tried to lash at her, but her talent for generating large amounts of personal heat was her own private shield. Her feet melted the ice beneath her just enough to allow her an almost frictionless slide across the glaciers and fields. Using the wind to pull her along meant she had to put more heat in her feet, but it was a more-than-even trade off.

She enjoyed the feeling of freedom that the kite gave her. When a chasm loomed, she jumped and pulled her legs in, twisting them to the side until she cleared the three-foot span.

Kescu landed with a thud and scanned the horizon for one of the few location beacons on the surface. Carefully moving her right hand to her left wrist, she pressed the pinger on her cuff.

Three pings, a pause and two pings. She was an hour out from Teckaro Base and making excellent time. She could have a nice dinner and be on her way home for breakfast.

Dolphins chased the ship, frolicking in the waves. A few whales came up close, attracted by the magical vibrations the ship was giving to the water. She shook her head and let the wind play with her hair, the blue strands lifting and mimicking the waves.

"Are you thinking of jumping in, Haily?" Her mother came up behind her, sipping at her own drink.

"Of course not, Mom. You know I wasn't allowed swimming lessons."

"There were reasons, Haily. Underwater shockwaves could have killed other swimmers nearby. You know how unpredictable your talent is."

"Yes, Mom. I know." Of course, she knew. It was the binding rule of Haily's existence. She was one step away from being locked up by the ruling councils every single day. It was difficult to live with since she was never allowed to forget it.

Her mother's voice dropped to a whisper. "Thank you for coming, Haily. April, May and June might meet the men for them on this cruise."

"I know. And it's why I am here. This is the time of the year to focus on family, isn't it?"

Morag chuckled and gave her daughter a one-armed hug. "Thank you for understanding."

"I understand, Mom. Better than anyone can guess. All for the family, that is my motto."

Her mother faded back into the social scene and when the sun began to set, Haily returned to the party as dinner began to appear on the buffet.

She sat with her parents and their friends as her sisters took up positions with men of similar ages and power levels. A few brave souls tried to engage her in conversation, but as soon as they asked her if she was seeing anyone, the chill in the air could have frozen them in place.

The party began to roar after dinner when more alcohol and a number of magical beverages came out. Morag winced at the noise when the music kicked off and leaned over, "Haily, can you watch them? Make sure that they get to bed alone?"

She turned to look at her sisters, one blonde and two brunettes. "I will watch them. But if I have to blast their butts into bed, I will."

Eduard shuddered and patted her shoulder. "If you must, you must. Have a nice night, Hail." He pressed a kiss on her forehead and patted her on the shoulder again.

He always called her Hail. It was his way of rubbing it in to her mother that he had been allowed to name their firstborn after the weather on the day she was born. He wanted to name April Sunny, but he had been vetoed and had to be satisfied that he got Hail in. She was the moment of her father's triumph and every time he said her name, she knew it.

She watched them wander off, arms around each other as they returned to their room for some…lord, she did not want to think about it. Parents having sex was creepy at any age.


The party was in full swing and like dozens of magical parties before, some of the morons started showing off with light displays and flashes of power.

Haily's sisters were slow dancing, making out with a young wizard and raiding the dessert bar respectively. They would be safe for a few minutes while she caught some fresh air.

The waves were dark and threatening, but under the dancing lights of the cruise ship, they looked miles away.

"How am I going to plan a life when I can't even be trusted among my own family?"

Her words were answered by a drunken magus inside screaming, "Watch this!"

She turned to look into the party to see what he was referring to and was struck in the chest by a rainbow-hued fireball and thrown into the silent waves.

Jill stared at the reflection and nodded. “I do look lovely. Thank you, Cera. Your help has been most appreciated.”

Jill slipped her hand along the table and pressed a small pouch into the hand of the woman who had worked so hard to make this a special day for her. It was endearing how sincere she was about the art that she practiced.

“Thank you, Jill. It was an honour to work for your family in this matter.” Cera bowed and left Jill with her mother and her soon-to-be mother-in-law.

The gong shimmered in the distance, and Jill looked to the older women. “I believe I am entitled to my time of silence, my hour of calm.”

Her mother looked at her with calculating eyes. “We will remain.”

Jill got to her feet in her gauzy gown. “You will not. Today is the last day I am myself. It ends in one hour. I plan to grieve for my lost state alone.”

Her mother flipped her skirts, but her soon-to-be mother-in-law grabbed Jeela’s hand and hauled her out of the room.

Jill quickly pressed the code that would bring her shuttle into the courtyard. Now, it was a matter of time that was swiftly running out.

She paced, her gown fluttering around her legs. The man she was supposed to marry was nothing better than a thug, and it was probably a gambling debt that was being settled with her as the final payment. No one had explained the precise urgency to the matter, but all parties involved had no issue in rushing her to the altar without asking her opinion.

She stepped to the window and stared out in the direction of her shuttle pad. When she saw the small speck, a frisson of hope mingled with excitement in her belly. She was getting out of here, and no one was going to stop her.

Jill watched the approaching shuttle with hope rising in her. It was time to test her escape route. She went to the glass doors and tried the lock. They were locked. It was going to take more effort than she anticipated getting through, but there was a reason to test these things before the shuttle landed. When that shuttle came down, all the thugs would stream out of the ceremony centre. She had to move fast.

Her shuttle was coming in tight and low to the tree line. She had three minutes until her escape was as close as she could get it. It was time to make sure that she didn’t blow her honeymoon for one.

She paced nervously, and she lifted one of the ornamental vases as her ship cleared the trees and settled in for a landing.

It took three strikes to smash her way through the glass, but she was out in the morning air and running for her life a moment later.

Her shuttle opened at her approach, and she sealed the hatch as the security forces started to move. Jill stumbled to the cockpit and lifted off. She hauled at the controls in an effort to get away from the formal gardens before pursuit could be engaged.

A burning ache in her foot let her know that the glass had managed to slice her skin as she ran.

“Stupid. Why don’t we get married in shoes?” She hissed and shifted slightly as she pulled herself from the atmosphere and headed into parts unknown.

Ziggy struggled against the bonds that held her down. The Tokkel were working on another captured human and the screaming was getting to her. One of the four armed beasts was about to mark the interior of her ankle with a glyph similar to the ones on the restrained humans around her.

As the needle started to buzz, she kicked wildly, causing the creature to snarl at her and call for another to hold her down.

With two of the Tokkel working on her she tried to scream behind her gag, but only muffled whines emerged. Closing her eyes at the pain, she focused on the hands holding her down.

The contact gave her the chance she needed. Every other alien had been wearing a glove-like membrane but the male holding her had bare hands. She used their physical connection to reach into his mind and pull out all the information she could.

He blinked and shook his head violently, trying to clear it. She held her breath, but he spoke to his companion and in seconds, she could understand what he said.

“That was weird. We must have dipped into the atmosphere for a moment.”

The tattoo artist looked up. “Why?”

“Didn’t you feel that? The whole ship rocked.” He was holding her leg with two clawed hands.

“I didn’t feel anything.”

He had made a few passes with the needle when the entire ship shuddered.

Ziggy held perfectly still as a disembodied voice blared out, “Intruder alert. All hands to battle stations.”

Her persecutors immediately left her and the rest of the humans for their battle stations.

Ziggy bent her arm as far as she could and caressed the switch that would release her. It took three tries and she knew that she would be bruised for weeks, but a hiss sounded and the restraints retracted to free her limbs.

She hopped to her feet and unbuckled her gag. Looking around she saw four Gaians who had been captured with her and she released them from their restraints. “Keep quiet.”

They didn’t need to be told twice, they kept darting frightened looks toward the door.

 “General Irthano, you are the best that the Urgat species has to offer, and your military record is exemplary.” The administrator in the centre of the judiciary panel looked nervous.

Jiska kept her eyes forward and her expression blank. She was the final member of the security force being dismissed, and once she was gone, the peaceful world that had come to treaties after decades of bloodshed would be able to pretend that she—and the other warriors—never existed.

“With the breakout of peace, I am sure that you understand why we cannot retain a military force in our cities.” The man was sweating, but the room was cool.

“What is to be done with me?” She remained at attention, her limbs straight and head high.

“We have made an effort to place our military with other colonies and the Alliance. They were interested in you, and you are being assigned to Citadel Lowel.” He brusquely moved his data pad and the judiciary watched her for any signs of attack.

She nodded her head. “I realize that this will be struck from the record the moment I leave this room, but I have served the government of Urgat to the highest of my ability for the last fifteen years. I am pleased to see peace in my lifetime, but I know that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Sending the military away and pretending that we were never here, never acted on your orders, is the height of hubris. When the next uprising happens, and there will be one, who will you turn to when there are no more children to train?”

She saluted the panel, turned on her heel and strode out of the room with slow, measured steps. Outside the judiciary, she relaxed her posture slightly but kept walking to her quarters. She closed the door and leaned heavily against it, looking at the remains of her life in service. Her rooms were sparse, spare and had no personal effects.

With shaking hands, she pulled off the uniform that she had worn with pride. Her civilian clothing hung in her wardrobe, and she pulled on the dress that her mother had gifted her with on her last birthday.

Jiska let her hair down and put on a jewelled clip that kept the strands from her face. She confirmed that she looked like any other woman in the city by turning front and back. As a final measure, she packed her bag and had it ready for her departure from her world. First thing was first. She wanted to talk to her mother.