Viola Grace

Priina watched her flock, counting carefully. Two missing. “Damn it!”

She climbed down from her perch and walked against the wall, looking for the spot where her beasts had slipped through. Her mother normally had the task of seeing to the wall at night, but when she fell from the stones and broke her leg Priina had been forced to leave school to help out at the farm.

The coppery smell of blood sent a sense of unease through her. She flashed her light over the base of the wall where it met the field. Her beasts had clawed a hole, and something on the other side had finished it.

She knelt and shone her light through the gap. Priina struggled out of her tool belt but took her light with her. She had to find out what happened to her varek. If there was a predator near the wall, her people needed to know.

Struggling through the two-foot expanse of stone, Priina crawled on her belly toward the exterior of the wall. The blood lined the curve of carved stone under her, and she knew that varek bodies were what she was going to find.

The moon and starlight was different when she exited the hole and stood. She kept her light off and at her side while she got her bearings. The wet trail of blood extended off into the night, so she followed with her senses on high alert.

The remains were in savaged condition. Priina winced and realized that the warnings she had been given her entire life were not simply empty threats. There was something huge and dangerous outside the walls of the inner country, and she had just walked into its hunting ground.

Having confirmed that her animals were slaughtered and did not need rescue, she made her way back to the wall, clinging to the edge and trying to blend in.

She was ten feet away from the hole in the wall when she heard the low growl far too close to her.

Instinct screamed at her to run, but she moved slowly, carefully feeling her way along the wall. She felt the first claw tear through her clothing and mark her arm. The second spun her around to face the long muzzle, red eyes and furred bulk. The long claws were covered with blood, as were the lips and jaws.

Pain was burning her limbs and the scream froze in her throat as his gnashing teeth closed an inch from her neck.

He struck her with his claws again and again when she didn’t react the way he wished her to.

The only noise in the night was her ragged breathing and the harsh gasps of her attacker. Another growl suddenly sounded in the darkness, and her attacker was removed from her with the sweep of another clawed hand.

Priina was beyond pain. She crawled back toward the hole and shifted herself through, inch by inch. Sobbing was no use, so she struggled to haul herself free of the gap. She grabbed for her tool belt and pulled the sealant free. Her hands slipped with blood, but she depressed the sealant and shot the entire canister in the gap.

Now that she was free, she gasped and sobbed. Priina lifted her tool belt and hit the emergency signal. The beacon would bring help, and hopefully, she would survive to see it.

“Sir, you wanted a demonstration? What did you have in mind?” She used the manners that her mother insisted on.

“I have a shuttle parked over the ridge, in the authorized zone. Nice blend of technology you have here.” He was stumbling over his own words.

Her mother puffed up with pride. “We left the city for the joys of the land. When the city opened up spreads for ecologically friendly family farming, we jumped at the chance. Now that we are situated out here, I think it would be good for Dra to see some sights among the stars.”

Drahali blinked at the swift turn of her mother’s comment. It wasn’t like Nrahali to be that direct. Like most of the Eorghani, she was the soul of etiquette and decorum.

“That may be a possibility. Shall we?” He gestured to the front of the house and she preceded him.

The spot he mentioned was fifteen minutes away. He drew even with her as they marched to his shuttle. “You don’t wear footwear?”

“Not much call for it here. My soles are tough enough to take most punishment and my talent seems to protect me from most damage.”

“How long have you had this talent? Does it strictly have to do with strength?”

“No. I can also do this.” She hopped up on a rock and stomped one bare foot. The rock shattered beneath her sole.

“Is your talent constant, or do you trigger it?” He seemed genuinely admiring.

“Constant. Is yours triggered, or is that too personal a question?” She blushed when she realized that she might have passed on a taboo.

“Considering that I am about to ask you every involved question I can think of, you have the right to reciprocate.” He smiled at her and her stomach flipped. “My talent is activated. I operate under code name, Multi.”

“That brings several images to mind, but I suppose I will learn.”

"Well, finding a mate is a prime concern for many, but there are few females to be found." He cleared his throat. "You and your sisters are a blessing from the universe. To have twenty females of breeding age entering society at the same time is unheard of."

"Not anymore and we are not a blessing from the universe, we are a blessing from Eiwyn. Our mother sacrificed years of her life with our father in order to bring us to the worlds." She couldn't help but give credit where it was due.

"He is not happy about the loss of his wife. We are trying to keep the complete truth of his children from him, but it has not been easy." Kros's voice was next to her as she explored the huge doorway that led into the castle.

"It has not been easy on Mother either, but it will not be forever, or so she is telling us. I wish for the day that I can meet her." Opalite whistled softly, listening to the echo within the interior.

"What do you mean you haven't met her? She is your mother."

"We were cloned. She had four embryos and they somehow were split into five sisters each. The researchers don't know why we look identical, but our eyes and personalities are all completely different."

The interior of the home was cool and comfortable. Glossy marble floors butted to matte stone walls. Huge windows were open to the breezes and couches dotted the inner rooms.

"This is a lovely place. How can you live here on your own?" The vastness of the space astonished her.

"Well, I was rather hoping you would join me." He snaked his arm around her waist and she blinked up at him.

"I need to see my sisters first."

He was coming in for a kiss and she reached up and grabbed his lips. "My sisters. Now."

The shuttle pilot carefully did not touch her as he escorted her out of the small ship.

“Thank you, Nef. Where to next?”

“You are expected in medical. Please follow me.” He didn’t offer to carry her bag, so she knew immediately that the young Azon had met a reader or two before.

Medical was bustling but organized. A physician met her at the door, showed her where to stow her baggage and her clothing, then led her to a series of injections that left her dopey for the insertion into a tank to allow for the remainder of the treatment to take place. It would take weeks for her transformation to conclude and the IV of fluids to deliver their altered genetic payload.

Mayden was well aware of the reason they put her in the tank, not only was she insulated from contact, but they couldn’t hear her screaming as the pain of her organs realigning took her over. The sedatives kept flowing, but she went through a world of blackouts and agony.

Time ceased to have meaning, but the waves of pain finally receded and Mayden became aware of the steady throb of the engines as it matched her heartbeat. The visitors in front of her took on a steady wave. The doctors, medical assistants and a variety of attendants gave way to military personnel and a woman with rainbow hair who used a scanner on her from head to toe.

The woman was wearing a bodysuit with a tool belt attached and had a concerned expression on her face until the doctor spoke to her in depth. The man beside her seemed to be a male Selna, but Mayden had never seen one before.

There was another visitor in the shadows just beyond her range of vision. She could feel him more than see him, but she knew he was there. He came to visit every night when the crew was at the lightest population. A strange sort of music played in her head whenever he was near, but she was peculiarly grateful for the company.

Even when she couldn’t see him, the faint song rang through her mind, lulling her into a relaxed state as she hung in the oxygenated fluid.

“I have been over all of the reports from beginning to end. I watched the battle from all angles, including the civilian ships that you refused to abandon.

You are a very brave woman, Pilot Taline.”

She blushed and she knew that her tank-pale skin was turning bright red. “I did what I had to based on the situation.”

“And refused to leave until the raiders were beaten back and retreated.”

She took a look around the silent medical bay and the lone doctor that attended her. “I have been fired.”

He looked up and laughed. “No. You have not been fired. You have been offered a commendation and a sort of a promotion.”

She made sure that she was wearing a sheet before she moved and she held it to her breasts while she tried to swing her legs over to dangle off the edge of the medical bed. “What kind of promotion?”

“There is a new position in the Alliance that is about to be offered to you. It is an offer made only to exceptional members of their races and species.

You qualify for that distinction.” He watched her carefully as she slowly started to swing her legs. “How long were you in that tank?”

“Two years. I tried to work out when I could.”

Her bare legs clearly showed the ports in her skin as did her arms, chest and her temples and the base of her skull.

She had been altered to join to a warship and now that was being taken away from her. “What kind of position would this be?”

“You would be a pilot but in a smaller ship.”

“Why?”

“Because I need a pilot and you are the best there is.”

She snorted and looked at him in shock. “I am supposed to go from being a living warship to a private driver? That is considered a promotion?”

He crossed his arms and scowled. “It isn’t a bad deal. I am considered charming in some sectors.”

“It isn’t personal, but I used to be able to tear holes in space and jump across it in an instant. This will be a step down for me.”

He nodded. “I see. What do you know about Reflex ships?”

She froze in place and then started kicking her legs again. “Tell me more.”

He leaned forward with a smile lighting the sharp curve of his lips and did just that.

With the camaraderie having run its course, the ladies left Abby alone with her thoughts as she closed her door. Well, she tried to close it, but a frantic flapping of wings stalled her. Buffy struck her squarely in the chest, squeaking in distress.

"What is it honey?" Abby tried to calm the clinging gargoyle, but it was difficult with her wings still flapping and her claws digging into Abby's skin.

"Calm down, are you hurt?" Abby carefully used her inner eye to assess Buffy's condition. Her basic energy was stable, her body was not damaged and nothing was off.

"Holy heck." Nothing except for the small, bright spot of life blooming in the gargoyle's belly.

"Where are the boys?" Carrying the little creature, she held her tightly to her chest as she went to look for the other two gargoyles in the backyard. They were up in the trees, hanging baseball caps that they had stolen from unsuspecting men the previous autumn.

"Okay, Buffy. Who is the father?" She pried her creature off her and lured her onto the kitchen counter with a cookie. "Is it Angel?" No response in the aura.

"Not Firefly?" No reaction and the little gargoyle looked away.

What did that leave? "Is it a gnome?" The flare brightened into a hot, red pulse in Buffy's aura.

"Thank goodness. I was afraid it would have been an elf. That was a close one." She held her breath for her next round of questions. "Harby? No. Good. That would have been one ugly little bugger. Skint? No. Splint? No, good that would have been tricky. Oh, lord. That leaves Bitsy."

The flaring of her aura was telling the tale. It was Bitsy.

Abby sighed. It did make a certain amount of sense. Those two had always been drawn together. But a gnome-gargoyle baby? That was a little much to take in.

"Sweetie. When did it happen?" She held onto Buffy's little hand and smiled as the fingers gripped her.

Buffy waved her hand and squeaked again. This time it sounded more like a word. "Today."

"Wow. The little one seems to draw your magic a little."

"No fly."

"Oh. That was why you crashed into me. I think I can give you some supplements to help with that. But this will be your private stash. Don't let the boys into them or they will eat them all." Abby took a cookie and poured the power of the surprise she had felt when she realized she was about to be a grandmother to a flying gnome.

"One cookie a day until the baby gets bigger and then up to three. I will put them in a special spot and get the elves to guard it for you."

Buffy's cute little face with its wild mane of fluffy hair looked happy and hopeful as the cookie replaced some of the magic she had been missing.

"There. Better?" When her little one smiled and nodded, she said, "Good. Now you can tell Bitsy if you wish to, but if you want to keep the secret from your other companions, that is your choice. Come to me once a day for a check-up and I will try to compensate for any changes in the baby's growth cycle with extra boosts. At this point, it is all I can do. I think I may give the cookies to Laura. The gnomes won't dare break in to her yard…again."

That had been a funny afternoon. The gnomes wanted to know if they could swim and had jumped into Laura's pool, promptly sinking to the bottom and making mermaid retrieval imperative. Fortunately, what they did learn was that while they could not swim, they could not drown. It was a bright side.

However, after that escapade, Laura banned them from her yard unless Abby was there to babysit. It was a nice, safe place for power cookies.

She made the call and pressed one of her five cookie jars into service. She would leave it in the backyard in one of the small alcoves that was built into the reed hut that acted as a cabana.

Seesee had left her plenty of cookies, so she charged up a dozen and put them in the jar. Now, the only problem was sneaking over to Laura's without the gnomes seeing her.

A thought broke over her and she smiled at the simplicity. Laura was currently alone, so Abby had a few minutes until Verne came over for their date.

She knocked on the door, cookie jar in hand and simply gave it to Laura with instructions on where to put it. Buffy was sitting comfortably on Abby's shoulder and smiled brilliantly at the mermaid as she greeted her.

"Do you have the goods?" The dark and spooky voice Laura was using belied her bright grin.

In her own version of spy talk she whispered, "I've got the jar. Stash the goodies and all will be well."

A canny look came to the mermaid's eyes. "What will I get in return?"

Abby drew herself up straight. "I will order the gnomes to stop putting fish food in your tea and your juice and your salad." She had gotten enough amusement out of it anyway. Having minions had its good points.

"Deal." Laura extended her hands and took the cookie jar, not commenting on the teddy bear holding an Eat Me sign. "I look forward to doing business with you again, Nexus. Buffy, congratulations."

The little gargoyle extended her wings, stood up on Abby's shoulder and bowed. She squeaked her thanks and then settled back into her perching position.

The two bipedals shook hands and with a jaunty wave, Abby left her friend's yard just as Verne was making his way to his lady's sidewalk.

"Good evening, Verne."

"Evening, Nexus. Taking the gargoyle out for a walk?"

His question was just silly. "Of course I am. I can't ride her, now can I?"

Showering and getting dressed felt very peculiar, but she was up at Morganti dawn and trolling through the data system with glee. The specs for the halls were easily memorized, and she found the food court with ease.

Carefully, she eased out of her comfortable environment and into the hall where other Citadel occupants were heading for breakfast.

She met two cheerful women—Iyanna and Vesa—and they hauled her along for the meal.

When she saw the robes everyone was wearing, she blushed. She had forgotten to put it on over the bodysuit.

Iyanna patted her hand and smiled. Her smile faded, and she gave Vesa a sharp look. “So, you are an educator by trade?”

“I am or was. I am not sure what the Citadel wants me to do, but there was no future for me back home, so here I am.” She shrugged and ate the grain mix she had put on her tray. “What does an assessment officer do?”

“This and that. I check new intakes and try to see the potential of their talent, enrolling them in the appropriate classes to help bring that potential to the surface.”

Yavil ate another bite of the cereal. “So, what did you read when you scanned me?”

Iyanna blushed. “Sorry, occupational habit. I read that your talent is twofold, your mind and your voice combine to be a very powerful combination. You already have control over your talent, so you can proceed directly to instruction of large groups.”

“That is what I thought would happen.” Yavil continued to eat and tidied up her tray when she was done.

She checked a chronometer on the wall and decided that she still had enough time to make it back to her quarters to grab the robes before she joined Turnari.

Yavil made her goodbyes and promised to have breakfast the next day if she was able and quickly moved through the halls back to her room. She had just lifted the robes out of the wardrobe when a knock sounded.

She shivered and slid the robes over her shoulders, flicking them until they were straight. The knock sounded again. “Just a minute.”

Turnari was standing at her door, and he seemed surprised to see her awake. “I was just coming to see how you were.”

Yavil could see interest in his eyes. She held up her hand. “I have been up, had breakfast, met some nice personnel and am now ready for our meeting.”

He sighed. “Too bad. It would have been easier if no one had seen you.”

“What brings the Sector Guard to my door, so to speak?” She kept eye contact with him, but it was difficult. Her dark brown gaze was no match for his silver one.

“We have received a report that you are exhibiting symptoms of being a candidate for the Sector Guard.”

She blinked. “Who are you?”

His cheeks bronzed even more. “I am sorry, my name is Razer. I am one of the Guardsmen out of Udell Base.”

“What report could you possibly have gotten on me?” She was curious. She drummed her fingers on the edge of the chair.

“That you have a talent for animating large pieces of equipment.”

Ilsa’s lips twitched in an effort to squelch the run of amusement that his statement caused. The double entendre was only in her mind. “I have never declared any such thing. What could have possibly triggered a report?”

He looked at her legs for a moment. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Certainly.”

“What is wrong with your legs?”

She giggled. It was nice that he was direct. “Nothing. Well, they are a little weak, but there is no reason for the chair.”

“Then why are you in it?”

“Because they are afraid I will have a seizure when I am standing, so they have alarmed the chair to keep me from falling. It’s stupid, but I can’t check out under my own steam.” She snorted and wiggled her toes, but when she shifted her weight, the chair chirped a warning. “See?”

“So, they are imprisoning you here?” His voice took on a harsh tone that was endearing to her and seemed to surprise him.

“Yes and no. If I go without a seizure for six months I will be free to go.”

His lips twitched. “Why can’t you?”

“Because, for example, if I did have talent, it might read as a seizure and my body might be locked in an unconscious state. Hypothetically.”

He smiled outright. “Indeed. Hypothetically.” He chuckled, a rusty sound that made her wish she was out of that chair and preening for his attention so that the smile would bathe her in its light.

“What would your talent be, hypothetically?”

He already knew, she could see it in his face. “Well, if I were to have a seizure, as they call it…I would send my conscious mind into a mobile machine and use it like my own body.” She smiled. “Hypothetically.”

“What kind of machines?”

“Walkers, transports, boats, anything that can move, but you knew that already.” She squinted at him and he grinned again.

“I do. Would you be willing to leave Pahnnan?” It was a formal request and she read it as such.

“I would. There is nothing left for me here.” Once her parents had died, there was no one left to miss her.

“Excellent. I will make the arrangements.” He rose and bowed to her.

She smiled. “That’s it?”

“That is it. You have already been cleared to leave the surface and the training centre at Udell is awaiting a woman’s touch.” His lips were twitching again.

This was ridiculous. She set the controls to follow the beacon at three thousand feet and went to the emergency supplies. She hooked the mask on and felt immediate relief as her preferred atmosphere blend came into her lungs.

Her ship rocked as something struck the side and she staggered back to the helm as quickly as she could.

"You are not authorized to enter this airspace. Please drop to fifteen hundred feet and wait for additional escort."

She pulled the breather from her face. "I am authorized to be in this airspace, I am a representative of the Sector Guard and you have just assaulted my ship."

A small craft was on her left side bearing the marks of impact with her ship.

"I don't have any record of your clearance. Where are you going?"

"Asher Prime. Please contact the ground control for the authorization specs." She snapped the mask back into place.

He was quiet for a moment and then he said, "Land. Land now! The Asher Prime signal was highjacked and your shuttle has been coated with acid. I don't even want to know if they got something into your ship."

She did a hull integrity check as she started to lose altitude. He was right. She had been coated with acid. A quick check of the interior of the shuttle showed more than a tolerable share of toxins. If she had been a Terran or Azon, she would have been dead. Her placement of the breather had probably saved her life.

She dropped out of the sky as fast as she could. Alarms sounded on every instrument she had and it was a controlled crash that skidded her hundreds of yards before her ship rocked to a halt.

The Archer was dead.

Moving as quickly as she could, she stuffed all of her equipment into a duffel, grabbed her away bag and blew the emergency exit. She took a few steps back, then sprinted through the hole, tumbled on the ground and ran as far away from the hulk of her ship as she could.

The small craft was landing nearby and she approached slowly, her hands out at her sides, carrying her bags.

A man exited the ship and held an object toward her. "Kneel."

She knelt and waited as he approached. The object he was holding was a palm scanner. "You have ingested quite a bit of toxic gasses. I am amazed you are still up and functioning. Nice landing, by the way."

She kept her mask on and watched him as he reached for her wrist. She jerked her arm back.

"Don't worry. This is just to flush your system. It's saline based and shouldn't have too great an effect on you, even with your physiology."

"You're a doctor?" She kept her arm against her chest and glared at him.

"What?"

Oh, her mask. Right. She pulled it away from her face and his eyes widened in surprise. "You're a doctor?"

"I have some medical training. Enough to tell that you aren't from around here." His golden eyes in his smoke grey face were smiling.

She extended her arm and waited for the rush of his emotions and thoughts. She was surprised when his warm, strong fingers made contact. He was calm, relaxed and concerned for her. With this man, instead of drowning in the ocean of emotion, she was standing on the shore and wanted to wade further in.

His black hair waved off his forehead and a lock slipped across his face, making him blow it upward as he tried to clear it. He was holding her wrist with one hand and administering a hypo to her skin with the other.

"What is your name?" Her voice was husky and soft to her own ears. She cleared her throat self-consciously.

"Ruar. Ruar Asher." His lips were curved in a charming smile as he looked into her eyes.

"I am Sector Guardsman Psyche out of Station 13."

"We have been expecting you."

The dust puffed up with every step Reyan took. She shook her head at the arid landscape. They had really let this place go to hell since she was last here.

Three hundred years ago, the inhabitants had begged for her help when their weather-control machine had stalled out. The rest of the world of Jarko suffered because the people of this small corner of the continent liked to screw with nature. Reyan considered it her personal mission to keep the weather patterns even so that everyone got a chance at a harvest.

The people of Nekahar were jerks, there was no doubt about it, but the predictable weather brought settlers by the hundreds.

Reyan stopped and drank some water, hitched the bottle back onto her belt and walked into the city.

The guards at the gate stopped her. “Halt, we are on water rations. If you need food or water, you will have to pay.”

She grinned. “I accept your conditions, now let me pass.”

They could only see the lower half of her face. The marks that the Ichadran scientists had designed her with were an experiment and were also worn by her younger sister, the Destroyer. Her forehead was dotted with a very feminine pattern and her cheeks were streaked with silvery tears. Combine it with her pale blue eyes with their dark blue rings and her pale lavender hair, there was only one person she could be, the Rain.

There were three worlds in this system and Jarko was where she was able to do her best because of their screwy weather system.

The guards let her in after telling her that free food and water would be available in the central arena as a method of calling the rain.

As she passed through the city, she noted the signs of poverty, the abuse of authority and the degradation of society that always came with the drought. Those who couldn’t run, rotted.

She would do what she could, but unless they let nature take its course, they were doomed to repeat the cycle.

“As you know, we have fallen on hard times. Our efforts to repair the weather unit have failed and help is still months away. All we can do is beg the rain to return and hope that it will stay with us until the harvest is in. One good season is all we need, so rain, if you are listening, come to us!”

Reyan milled with the other travellers who had arrived in the city. She asked the man next to her, “Do you know how often they do this?”

“They started last year when the machine first malfunctioned. When did you get in?”

“This afternoon. Why?”

“They have a special treat for newcomers, but you can only claim it once.” He moved away from her, and she could see him radiating fear.

Cocking her head, she noted the guards who had seen her in were pointing her out to arena staff.

This was what she had been waiting for. The horror that had been whispered through the nearby areas, spread by those who had run, told of brutality in an effort to bring the rain.

Either he was telling the truth about goblins or she had gone off the deep end and was rapidly going under. Perhaps she was at home drowning in a warm bubbly bath.

“Your patient is this way.” He parked the car and escorted her through alleys that held strange and hostile smells, but Eyleno moved calmly and quickly and all too soon, they were passing creatures that were even less human looking than her elfin guide.

“Goblins?” She swallowed. There was an acrid scent in the air, similar to sweat but very different. Her mind accepted it as the smell of a different race with a different diet.

“Goblins.” His word was calm and confirming.

The large house that they entered was full of the creatures, each more hideous than the last. Afraid to be caught staring, Raven walked right behind Eyleno, so close that when he stopped, she ran straight into him. As she righted herself, she couldn’t help noticing that he smelled really nice, like autumn and the sun altogether.

“Here are the women’s quarters. The maid will take you through.” He handed the bags to the four-armed woman and Raven blankly followed her bright blue and pink luggage.

Females filled the labour room. The woman on the bed was hideous with fangs exposed in pain. Raven immediately introduced herself.

“Thank the burning sun that you are here. The child is almost here.” The woman grimaced, a truly frightening sight.

Raven got to work, the anatomy she faced blessedly familiar. The woman was indeed ready to give birth. The dark head was becoming visible. When the small son came sliding into the world, Raven caught him with practiced hands. As she turned him over her arm to clear his lungs, a prickling sensation started and then the little bugger munched down on her arm with all his might.

“Son of a bitch!” She didn’t want to shake her arm, but it was hard keeping still until he released of his own accord. As quickly as she could, Raven handed him over to his mother and took care of the afterbirth and making sure that the bleeding was not excessive.

Her own bleeding was continuing from her forearm as the punctures were still sluggishly giving up their bounty. Hissing, she dumped alcohol on the wounds and bound it with gauze. When the proud father came into the room and licked the child clean, she had had enough. Raven passed out.

The tunnel was pressing on her, but she couldn't stop to enjoy the sensation of blind panic that it was engendering. Jenya sent her talent forward, inch by inch, eating away at the rock and dirt of the walls of her prison.

The prisoners who had followed her into the tunnel were now her prime concern. They trusted her to deliver them from the persecution of the Lekark regime and she was going to die trying.

Teachers, doctors, musicians--there were close to one hundred who agreed to follow her if she could bore a hole through the rock.

She inched forward and drew on her inner reserves to evaporate the rock. Jenya knew that her power was failing, but she couldn't trap them in here with her. She had to give everything she had if they were to make it out alive.

Jenya shoved herself right to the edge of the stone and blasted forward with furious intensity. She rode the adrenaline and did the same shockwave of power over and over until finally, after what felt like six hours of crawling, they struck daylight.

She fell out of the hole and tumbled to the ground. Hands grabbed her and pulled her aside. The light of day blinded her and she couldn't see who had a grip on her. If it was the polizai again, she was just going to let herself die.

A voice called to her, but it was far away. In the sun, finally free of the oppression that had almost taken her life, she looked into the daylight and let her mind relax.

A face blocked the sunlight. If she was dreaming of an escort to the afterlife, this face would not be the one she would pick. Braids banded with metal swung and clashed around his face. Silver eyes in a bronze face were the only celestial markers. The rest of him was all warrior and firmly grounded to the earth.

A light slap to her face got her to focus. "What?"

"Are you all right? Can you sit up?" The man seemed angry.

She sat up and her head spun. "I am up. But if you want me to dance, you are going to have to buy me a drink."

Jenya's eyes were shielded by the scowling wall of muscle at her side. She saw the endless dispensing of the escapees from the narrow hole in the side of the rock face. "We made it."

He looked down at her and kind warmth with a touch of pride filled his gaze. "Yes, Digger, you did."

"Can I sleep now?" She sighed. It would not be a sleep she wanted to return from. She had depleted herself entirely digging them out.

He nodded absently as someone caught his attention for the emerging folk.

She scooted so that she was leaning against the wall and relaxed. Just a little rest and it would all be over.

* * * *

The staging area was going nuts with the influx of ninety-four refugees and Vornan was trying to make sure that they all got the attention they needed.

Razer and Tech were in the process of attacking the totalitarian government that had taken over this minimally populated world, and the rebels that they were rescuing were already free.

"Razer, this is Flame. The majority of the rebels have been freed and are receiving medical attention." He waited for the double click that acknowledged and returned to attending the medical needs of those who had fallen out of the wall.

He went from cot to cot until finally a woman grabbed his arm. "How is Jenya?"

He checked the roster. There was no Jenya in the medical tent. "Who?"

"Jenya. She led us through the darkness. She made that tunnel as we went. It took so long." The woman's face was oddly clean. As what she had said sunk in, a chill ran through him. He looked around the room and noted that aside from some grass stains and dirt on hands and knees, their faces were clean.

"How long did you crawl through the tunnels?" He checked her vitals and the bandage on her wrist that seemed to be the most common injury.

"It was a dark forever, but I think it was somewhere between six and twelve hours."

"Was the tunnel already there?"

"No. I told you, Jenya made it as we went." She lay back and looked up at him with exhausted eyes, "Is she all right?"

He didn't answer, Helsin was on this assignment and he checked with the physician. "How long were they underground?"

"Based on pupil response and dehydration, two days. The investigations have shown that the tunnel is over six miles long."

Helsin may have said something else, but Flame was running.

She was slumped against the wall where he had left her, her body quiet and smudged with dirt. He had called her Digger as a joke, but as he searched her body for signs of life, he came to the conclusion he hadn't bothered to look for.

She had offered her life to free her people, and he had left her here to die.

Grinning, Cila walked to her quarters and noted that her bags were missing. What?

“I took your satchels to the ship and stowed them. We are ready to leave anytime.” Arkhov gestured for her to precede him.

The hooks on his inner wrists were obvious, but she ignored them and led the way back to his ship. If he wasn’t going to mention them, she wasn’t going to mention them. She had no idea of his species, but it was closely related to the Azon with something spiky thrown in.

She stopped at the exterior hatch. It wasn’t yet keyed to her bio print, so she had to wait for Ripper.

He pressed his hand to the pad, the claws on the tips of his fingers clicking lightly against the plate. “I will get you registered for entry to the ship. Just take a seat at the control panel and I will be with you as soon as I seal the hatch.”

Cila walked into the huge, open space and raised an eyebrow at the small bulkheads that delineated the areas that could hold cargo, the tiny dining area as well as wide bunks that folded up against the wall. She gave a mental snort as she took in enough living and running-around space to fill the tiny relay station. This was more space than she had ever had to herself or even to share with one person than had ever been at her disposal.

“Do you like it?”

She turned to face Arkhov and he was inches from her. Waves of heat were coming from him and she held her breath when his scent started to spike her attention. She backed up half a step and signed. Wow, lots of space.

“The Sector Guard gets to do shakedowns of quite a few new designs for spacecraft. It’s one of the perks.”

You get to fly around in untested ships?

“More or less. They are tested by our technicians and inventors and then we are given the go ahead to fly them on assignment. You will be meeting with Fixer. She and Beast have crafted this particular ship with his wingspan in mind.”

Will I meet them?

“Fixer, most certainly. She will be on the team trying to help you gain control over this mysterious talent of yours.”

She smiled, twisting her lips to one side. There is no mystery. I emanate concussive sonic force. I can do it with my body, but my voice is my most powerful outlet.

He laughed. “As are the voices of most of the women of the Sector Guard, mind you, most of them could not shatter bone with a simple whisper.”

Eiwyn threw the covers back. The rustle of the sheets seemed loud in the quiet of the room. Slowly, she placed her feet on the cold wooden floor and slid out of bed. Draven rolled over, his hand resting on her pillow. Heart pounding, she tiptoed her way to the door. Grabbing the knob, she thanked everything holy that she hadn't latched it when she came to bed.

Draven let out a long snore. His hand moved over her empty pillow as though searching for her. Please don't let him wake up. Eiwyn opened the door a little more than a crack and slipped through. If she woke her husband, he would see to it that she went nowhere. She couldn't let him stop her. She knew he would try. He had put his foot down and she was sneaking under it.

Barefoot, she padded her way down to the room they reserved for opening their portals. Two months ago, she'd had a vision, one she couldn't ignore. If what she had seen was true, the future of the entire universe was at stake. Now was the time to act.

Someone, somewhere, played with forces they didn't understand. One couldn't jump from dimension to dimension willy-nilly without consequences. Her people could, but they were the only exception. They didn't need the help of machines, energy or chemicals to open a dimensional rift. They merely needed the power stored within their bodies since birth. Yet, someone had started to do just that and it was ripping holes in the very fabric of the universe. She had to do something and with her sight, she may be the only person who could.

Entering the room, she closed and locked the door. The thick wood wouldn't keep Draven out, but it would slow him down just enough. Waving her arms nervously, she hummed a soft tune and the air rippled in front of her. Soon, the other side of the room blurred as the transparent rift opened before her.

A loud roar had her looking toward the door with tears in her eyes. It would be years before she would see Draven again. Yet, Eiwyn knew what she must do. It was for the good of all. The entire universe depended on her ability to escape her home and jump to the correct world. Eiwyn blew a kiss toward the door. Tears filled her eyes as she heard the pounding of her husband's feet upon the wooden floor. "I'll be back, my love…eventually."

She stepped through the rift confident that the energy would take the path of least resistance directly to the world she needed to visit. One jump, one world, a few decades and with luck, all would soon be put right.