Joining her sister to find their parents across the stars leaves Ianka in the company of a Fury with courtship on his mind.

Ianka has spent years blocking out her sister’s mind and the obsession with finding their parents who had been swept into space by the Tokkel. Finally, Vida has located them and summoned Ianka to help her launch the search.

Ianka heads to the mother ship and meets those who will help her gather a group to go out and seek the star and moon base where Vida saw their parents. To her surprise, Vida has found a mate in one of the Nine and is recovering from her childhood frailty with amazing speed. Ianka is the warrior and she will track their parents.

Derion is assigned to her as her escort around the ship, but while their friendship meets all the strictures of the Nine protocols, Ianka is a temptation that he dares not give in to.

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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.

Tracking

Copyright © 2014 Viola Grace

ISBN: 978-1-77111-916-0

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

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Tracking

Return of the Nine Book Nine

By

Viola Grace

Chapter One

Ianka felt Vida’s call. Instead of the normal obsession that her sibling was broadcasting, pain had begun to radiate and her life had been in danger.

Ianka had struck camp and headed back to what little civilisation Gaia could offer. Her sister was no longer on their world, but Ianka knew where to find her.

She filled her pack and looked skyward. The new star in the sky contained her sister and she was going to get to her as quickly as she could. There was something very wrong and Vida needed her. She would find out why when she arrived. She had some walking to do.

With plains and hills between her and the city, she had better get started on the hike.

She set her senses to track Vida and was on her way.

Five days later, she was stomping up the drive toward the Embassy of the Nine. Vida was no longer in danger, but she wanted Ianka. The call of her sister vibrated through Ianka with every step.

She must have looked savage as she walked toward the gates. The guards took one look at her and released the gate to allow her entrance to the grounds. She nodded and kept plodding on.

Daphne ran out of the building and came to a surprised halt. A greenish man was behind her, and he put a protective arm around her.

Ianka nodded to Daphne and turned toward her husband. “Ambassador Apolan, I am Ianka Senior, and I believe my sister needs to discuss something with me. I need to get to the mother ship.”

He nodded. “Of course. I will make the arrangements, but first, I believe we will offer you the hospitality of a bath and a change of clothing.”

Amusement tinged her smile. “I will gratefully accept.”

Relief flickered across his features and Daphne laughed. “Come this way, Ianka.”

She followed the ambassador’s wife, her one-time friend. She hadn’t seen Daphne since before the Tokkel attack.

Ianka had cut all ties with the Gaian colony when her sister Vida insisted on her obsession with finding their parents. There was no way to find them, and it had been impossible to get that through her sister’s head.

Now, the pull to her sister had grown strong again and there was a certainty in what Ianka was doing. Vida needed her to do something and Vida was in the mother ship, so that is where she would go.

When Daphne showed her to the guestroom, she sighed in admiration. Years of being on her own and wearing leather that she had tanned herself meant that she was a little more attuned to the scents of nature and her own aroma has ceased to be an issue. Being clean was a luxury, and it was something that she looked forward to.

Daphne hesitated in the doorway. “Do you need help?”

A little embarrassed, Ianka cleared her throat. “Is there any chance you could find me something to wear? I don’t think that these clothes are fit for company.”

Daphne smiled. “I will put them on the bed while you are in the shower. Drop your clothing on the floor and they will be cleaned.”

“Thanks. I apologize for the grime, but it has been a while since I have seen plumbing.”

Ianka headed for the bathroom, dropping her pack inside. She closed the bathroom door and heard Daphne close the outer door. Ianka peeled off her fitted boots, undoing the laces with pride. They were her favourite creations. Her trousers hadn’t turned out quite right. Scraping the skins had been awkward. The top had been made to wrap in place and it slid softly from her shoulders to lie in a sad heap on the floor. Her breast wrap was more difficult, but when she was only dressed in her skin, she flexed her fingers and toes in anticipation.

The plumbing had more options than she was used to, but once she had the water the right temperature, she stepped in and shuddered in delight.

It took her quite a while to get her hair scrubbed to her satisfaction, but once it was clean, she attacked the rest of her body with enthusiasm. She normally soaked in a creek next to her small hut, but she hadn’t had time to stop for amenities while she was hiking.

The hot water was so welcome that it swept the tears away for the years she had spent hiding from the reality that she and her sister were all that was left, and no matter what she said, her sister would not listen.

They had been close until the attack. Her sister saw psychic traces while Ianka saw everything else, and neither of them could stop their parents from being taken.

Rescuing and gathering survivors, hiding from the incursions, had been the first step in atoning for their inability to find their parents. Vida had seen the path that they took, and it reached skyward before it ceased entirely.

She had stared at that trail through eyes closed tight until Ianka couldn’t stand it anymore and left the guilt of her inability to save their parents behind. Now, she was back in the thick of it.

Once she had sat on the floor and scrubbed at the bottoms of her feet, she carefully stood upright. Sighing with regret, she turned off the shower and wrapped herself in a thick towel, putting another around her hair. A little digging around turned up a hairbrush, and she crept out into the bedroom to sit on the bed and work at the mess that her scalp had become.

There was a dress and shoes sitting on the bed, and she reached out to touch them. Dresses had never been her favourite, but she was looking forward to this one. First, though, she had to tackle the neglect she had enforced on her once-pretty golden locks.

It took her an hour and her arms had started to ache, but she finally had her hair hanging straight and clean. Her fingers moved awkwardly but got her hair into a loose braid held by strands of hair scavenged from her brush. Once her hair was settled, she slipped into the dress. It was tight across the bust, but it fit everywhere else. She slipped into the shoes and got to her feet. With a nervous air, she headed for the mirror in the bathroom.

A lump formed in her throat as she saw the old her for the first time since she had left. It was time to become herself again, and in the process, she needed to figure out who that really was.

Through their connection, she could feel Vida and the calm satisfaction that now marked her once-frantic mind. Vida had found her balance, so now, it was Ianka’s turn to search and find her true self. She could track any living being anywhere, but she couldn’t find herself. The irony was not lost on her.

With straightened shoulders, she headed out to find Daphne. Her track was clear, and after two sets of stairs, a hallway and three offices, Ianka cleared her throat. “Hello again, Daphne.”

Daphne had been sitting in close conversation with her husband and she turned in surprise. “Eek!”

Ianka smiled at the childhood name. “I suppose. Ambassador, it is good to finally meet you. Travellers have given me briefings on your presence on the surface. It has been interesting to hear versions of your description from a dozen mouths. If I may say, they all got it wrong.”

He stood up and stepped toward her but stopped a few feet away.

Daphne must have seen her confusion, because she said, “The Nine don’t shake hands. Their mating senses link with contact, so it is a habit not to touch the opposite sex if they are not mates to begin with.”

It left the question of how they finally got around to making contact, but Ianka simply inclined her head in formal greeting.

“I am pleased to meet you. Your sister is a whirlwind, but you are a force of nature yourself. Your parents must be very proud.”

She jolted. “My parents were taken in the first raids.”

He nodded. “So Vida mentioned. According to the report she sent in, there is every reason to believe that she has found them.”

Ianka swayed in shock and Daphne jumped to her side, leading her to a chair. A glass of water was pressed into her hand and she gulped at it blindly. “They are alive?”

Daphne knelt in front of her and smiled. “They are alive, and she finally found them. She said she had contacted you but not how.”

“So, you knew I was coming.”

Apolan nodded in his position behind his wife. “We knew but we had no idea when you would arrive. The shuttle is landing this evening, and you will leave at dawn after a solid night’s sleep with your cleaned clothing. You will be as fit as we can make you before you meet your sister again.”

His kind smile set her at ease and she set the glass down.

“I shall repay your hospitality.” She inclined her head.

Daphne smiled. “There is nothing to repay. You are family, more or less. Just go and do what you need to do and do it knowing that we are cheering you on. Whatever you find, at least you went looking.”

Ianka smiled and tears welled in her eyes again. “In that case, can I request a meal? I didn’t stop to hunt on the way and I am a little peckish.”

They both laughed and suddenly everything was completely normal. It was strange to be in the middle of normal, but she was up to it.

Chapter Two

The next morning, Daphne brought in another dress; this time, it had a little more room in the bustline, but it was still rather tight.

The housekeeper triumphantly produced her pack and everything was in clean and new condition. She certainly knew her job.

“Thank you, miss.”

The woman ducked her head, smiled and retreated.

Daphne smiled. “She is a woman of few words and your look on arrival scared the hell out of her.”

Ianka chuckled. “It has been a few years since I have seen a mirror. The few folk I have run into haven’t bothered commenting. They were too busy thanking me for fishing them out of the wilderness.”

“Is that what you have been doing?”

“I have been tracking animals, finding Gaians and building my own little retreat away from the city. It is primitive but it is mine.”

“I have heard of a wild thing in the North Country, but I hadn’t realized it was you.” Daphne wrinkled her nose in amusement.

Ianka laughed. “They told me that there were rumours of a creature rescuing hikers and botanists in that area. It took them a while to realize that they were in her clutches.”

They went downstairs for breakfast, and the pilot who would be taking her was sitting at one end of the table with Apolan at the other. It seemed that there were only two remaining seats on either side.

Ianka faced Daphne across the table. “Your housekeeper did a wonderful job on the leathers. They are as clean as could be. They will be a delight to wear now.”

“She does enjoy natural fibres, and skins are just some of them. The pants seem an odd fit.”

Ianka laughed as she followed Apolan’s lead and started helping herself to breakfast. “They were rather urgent. My original clothing had shredded away by that point. Dressing myself became rather important. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a pattern to work from.”

Daphne laughed. “So, you improvised.”

“Yup. The shirt was easier. I used the shreds of my last blouse to make the pattern and it fits like a dream. The bra bands were hit and miss.”

“How did you cure the leather?”

Ianka smiled. “Lua pods. They dissolved the hair and the oil softened the skin. They are easy to use if you wrap your hands. Soak the skin in water the moment you have the result you want.”

“Nice. Your boots are lovely.”

She beamed. “Thank you.”

The pilot, who was so deep red he was nearly black, chuckled and spoke in careful Gaian. “It figures. Put two women together no matter their species and they will talk about shoes.”

Ianka looked squarely at him and he grinned, showing deadly teeth. She stated in clipped tones. “It was not a conversation that you chose to enter in its infancy so critiquing it shows bad manners.”

He blinked and leaned back slightly. “You are correct. I am unfamiliar with the object in question and therefore my comment was unwarranted. I apologize.”

She inclined her head. “Apology accepted.”

Daphne and Apolan were looking at each other with amusement. Apolan cleared his throat. “How long were you living on your own in the wild, Ianka?”

“I saw four winters out there, but I am not focussed on the exact dates. I lived in the moment.” She shrugged.

The pilot cleared his throat. “You lived here on Underhill without companions or shelter for four years?”

She shrugged. “Yes. I found a few hunting parties and helped them back to the city, but I did not return myself.”

“You fed and sheltered yourself for four years?” He raised his brows.

“Yes. Is there a reference to this in the Nine languages? You seem confused.” She worked on her meal with good appetite. It had been a while since she had consumed fruit out of season. She had missed the greenhouses of the city. Dried fruit just wasn’t the same.

Apolan chuckled. “Our females are not really trained for self-sufficiency. There are so few that we tend to take great care of them. Dorum was simply surprised that you had survived on your own.”

She swallowed and sipped some water. “I can track my own food, and after a while, I got used to killing for defense and meals. Once I reached that point, not much bothered me.”

Dorum nodded. “Yes, once you have your first kill under your belt, it is like a rock down a hill. Not much will stop you, though you may be redirected.”

Ianka inclined her head. “Now you have it. So, when do we leave?”

He grinned. “As soon as the meal is done. The ship has been checked and is ready for takeoff.”

“Good. I need to find out what she wants. She has become most insistent.” Ianka rubbed her forehead. She knew what Daphne had told her, but she wanted to hear it from Vida.

Dorum was looking at her curiously. “You can sense your sister?”

Ianka frowned. “Now and then. Right now is one of those moments.”

Daphne smiled. “They have always had their link. Before the Tokkel, they were one of the best tracking teams that had ever been seen, not that folks knew who they were. They did their best work without anyone knowing. Ianka even delivered meat to those who had suffered a death or illness and were unable to work.”

She sat up. “How do you know that?”

“I saw you. I was hiding and you brought it all the way out to my cottage on several occasions before you left. I truly appreciated it.”

“Where were you?”

Daphne chuckled. “I was hiding.”

“Oh.” Ianka blushed. She had forgotten that Daphne had her own set of skills when she chose to use them.

The rest of the meal was completed in silence.

Ianka’s belly was full but not uncomfortable when she placed her cutlery carefully across the edge of her plate.

She felt a touch on her shoulder and the housekeeper pointed toward the corner where her bag was sitting and gleaming with a solid cleaning.

“Thank you for the care you took.” She spoke softly.

She wasn’t sure if the woman spoke Gaian or not, but she blushed a soft grey and smiled shyly.

Daphne grinned as the woman left. “I think she is smitten with you. No other woman could have scattered the guards with a look, like you did.”

“It was my smell, not my face that scattered them.” She sat with her hands in her lap.

“I beg to differ. You looked deadly coming through the gates.” Apolan smiled.

They rose from the table and Ianka took the hint. She grabbed her pack, checked for her knives and followed Pilot Dorum to the tarmac a fair distance from the embassy.

Daphne came with her.

“Thank you, Daphne. That shower was wonderful.”

Daphne laughed. “The mother ship has solar showers, so think fondly of this one.”

“Right. Limited water on the ship.” Ianka braced herself for what was about to be her first space flight.

She gave Daphne a brisk hug and waved to Apolan before following Dorum into the ship.

He carefully took her pack from her and settled it in a storage container, locking it closed. “We don’t want anything coming loose. This is a quick and bumpy trip.”

She nodded and swallowed quickly. “It will be my first.”

He showed her to the front of the shuttle and he demonstrated how to buckle into one of the dozen seats, all without touching her. She snapped the harness into place and he nodded with satisfaction. “Right. We shall be on our way.”

Ianka swallowed again and curled her hands on the armrests. The shuttle started to move and then they were tilting upward. She felt the tugging as the engines pushed against the atmosphere.

She closed her eyes at the pressure and held tight until there was a switch in the drag downward. It went from overwhelming to steady and even in a few moments. From that moment until they entered the huge vessel of the mother ship, she concentrated on her breathing and not crushing the armrests in her grip.

A curl of excitement ran through her and she sat up as much as she could. Vida was seeing her arrive. They would be together again and the pain of the separation would finally ease.

Chapter Three

Ianka looked at her sister from the walkway that led away from the ship bays. Vida was clenching her hands together and a large dark figure was behind her, his hands on her shoulders

Ianka tried not to run to the door that separated them, but she got there in seconds and waiting for the panel to slide open took an eternity.

Face to face with her sister, she had no words. She hugged Vida carefully, and to her surprise, her twin had grown several inches taller.

Vida chuckled. “I will have to explain the height, Eek, but that can wait for later. I am so happy that you have come.”

Ianka parted from her sister and tears were running down both their cheeks.

They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment before laughter began and another hug ensued.

The man with Vida cleared his throat. “Ladies, I believe we should take the reunion to an area where we are not blocking traffic.”

Ianka turned and gave the men behind her a blank stare. They shifted and moved around her, edging around their little group.

Sighing, she turned back to her sister. “Your mate is right. Is there somewhere else we can make spectacles of ourselves?”

Vida linked arms between them and started hauling them along. “Ianka, this is S’rin of the Balance. His people are a little unusual, even for the Nine, but we get along. S’rin, this is my twin, Ianka Senior. Her skills are as physical as mine are not.” She chuckled.

Ianka nodded to him around her sister’s increased height. He nodded in return.

“It is an honour to meet you, Ianka.”

“And you as well, S’rin.”

Vida dragged them to a series of pods and explained the inner ship transport system to her sister. Ianka smiled at this new world that her sister was so keen on. It was good to see her excited about something that wasn’t her habit of staring at the stars.

Twins always knew that one day their worlds would part, but Ianka had never imagined it would be literally.

“We live in the area used by the Balance. It is the quietest section of the ship, so it will be easy to talk, and the food is peculiarly attractive.” Vida smiled.

It had been two hours since her meal at the embassy, but if Vida wanted to eat while they spoke, Ianka would jam in whatever would fit.

They settled in the pod, and without any delay, they were whisking through the ship and Ianka took in everything around her.

Seated across from her sister and S’rin, Ianka looked into his hood and smiled, “So, are those stars everywhere or just on your face?”

He jumped a little and looked at her more closely. “You can see through the shadows?”

Vida said proudly, “She can see through fog, run faster than local predators and find anything that has left a trail. Your little hood trick is no match for her sight.”

He chuckled and lowered his hood, exposing the stars that floated under his skin with the occasional streaking meteor.

Ianka could only imagine what his skin looked like under his robes, but it didn’t stir her at all. He was Vida’s and that was the end of it.

Ianka drank tea while they ate and nibbled at bits that her sister recommended from the platter of designs crafted from food. It was almost too pretty to eat.

Vida winced a few times during the meal. S’rin stopped and held her hand while she breathed through whatever spasm she was having.

“What is going on?” Ianka wanted to know. Vida was wearing a tight bodysuit, but it seemed to be nearly structural in places.

Vida sighed. “I had a break in my arm that was treated here, but they haven’t calibrated the treatment for Gaians yet, so there were side effects. My normally brittle frame is being reinforced on the molecular level and my bonding to S’rin is increasing my height. There are definitely twinges as the change progresses.”

S’rin continued to hold her hand. “She is unfit for spaceflight. I am afraid that there was no option but to contact you in an effort to rescue your parents.”

Ianka let that sink in for a moment and sipped her tea. “Rescue?”

Vida smiled and leaned forward. “They are alive, I have found the description of the star that they are nearest to, and I was inside Dad’s head. He and Mother are both alive and well. Well, not well, but they are alive and together. With S’rin’s help, I was able to see through his eyes. Things were blurry, but we found the likeliest location.”

Ianka remained silent and leaned back, sipping at her tea for a moment. When she set the elegant little cup down in the saucer, she looked at her sister and smiled. “When do I leave?”

Vida nearly upended the table as she cried out happily and flung herself into Ianka’s arms.

S’rin rescued the table and got to his feet. He waited until Vida was finished with her hugs before holding her chair for her and helping her seat herself.

S’rin turned toward Ianka. “You will need a round of medical scans and some ship suits. We will assign you to a pilot and he will take you to the location. The ideal outcome will be for you to find all the Gaians who were taken, but if you do not, bring home your family.”

“If Vida can see them, I can track them. Find someone to get me to that world and I will bring them home, just make sure that the ship is big enough.”

She knew every member of the missing by scent. Despite her frustration at her sister’s obsession, she had gone to every private residence and memorized the scent of all the missing. Her frustration had been at her own inability to track her family through space. She was being offered a chance to change that, and so now, she was going to do everything she could to make the most of this opportunity.

If they were on that world or moon or station, she was bringing them home.

After dinner, it apparently was time to get her kitted out. There was no hesitation and no time to waste. A rack came out with a series of suits hanging from it. The shadow plucked several selections and S’rin nodded. “She will take them all and boots as well.”

Ianka watched as S’rin swiped a small chit. “You shouldn’t pay for me.”

“Dearest sister, it is an honour and a privilege.” He bowed low.

She blinked as the shadow handed her a suit. She could see the man inside the swirling darkness and he was smiling. “There is a change room off to the left there. If you would care to put this on, you can be a little more comfortable.”

She blushed. “Thank you.”

With a nod from Vida, she headed to the change room and slipped the dress off with relief. Tight clothing was not really her forte. She liked it to hug her but not restrict her and the dress was highly restricting when she moved her arms.

She tugged on the bodysuit and it formed to her, leaving her feeling covered but free. Her bust was incredibly grateful. She got support and was uncompressed. It was a nice feeling. She smoothed the closures together and exited the change room with her dress over her arm.

S’rin coughed and Vida elbowed him. “We are not identical twins, stop staring.”

Vida held out a robe. “Here, this might stop the gawking while you are on the mother ship.”

Grinning, she tossed the dress to S’rin and turned her back to Vida so she could slip it in place. Once the sleeveless robe was on her shoulders, her more noticeable assets were camouflaged. She twirled. “Better?”

S’rin had her dress over his arm. “No, but it will be better for morale. You have a striking figure.”

Vida wrinkled her nose. “She really does. I have always envied it.”

Ianka grinned. “And I have always envied you your perky nose.”

S’rin chuckled. “And I will be the envy of every man on the ship but only if we can get out of here so that I can show you off.”

The amusement seemed out of his character, but Vida moved close to him, and it was obvious that the joy was coming from her and out of him.

Their little trio left the shop and headed for the medical centre.

They had to wait for half an hour but Dr. Meevin beckoned them into her office to wait. Ianka’s presence was causing a bit of a stir. Members of the Nine were popping by medical just to get a look at her.

“Why am I such a draw?” Ianka was looking at her sister with suspicion.

Vida chuckled. “Every Gaian woman that they have seen has found a mate in the population of the ship. They are just trying to increase their chances.”

Ianka snorted. “They would run the other way if they had seen me enter the embassy. I was a little on the wild side.”

“The Wilders might have taken a shot.” Vida laughed and took a chair.

“Not if I was upwind, I had been walking for five days.” She wrinkled her nose.

S’rin blinked. “Where had you been living?”

“In the wild. No Gaians, no politics, no having to face the wreckage of where our parents disappeared. It was cowardly but I just couldn’t take it anymore.”

Vida sighed. “It wasn’t cowardice, it was survival. I was constantly looking for the path that only I could see and you were stuck trying to track something that wasn’t there. You needed to be active and I forgot about that. We both went mad in our separate ways.”

It was said. They had both gone mad. Ianka walked over and took her sister’s hand. Vida had already found her balance. Ianka was going to have to work for hers.

Chapter Four

The medical exam was a surprise to S’rin and Dr. Meevin. Most of Ianka’s strange talent resided in her body itself. She had more receptors in her nerve endings and sensory apparatus than any Gaian examined so far.

Vida chuckled. “And for me, my mind is lit up like a holiday in the square. Sections spark all at once. S’rin loves me for my mind.”

He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “And your body, dearest, don’t forget that.”

Dr. Meevin rolled her eyes. “Right. That is enough of that. You are the fittest woman I have ever had the pleasure of examining, Ianka Senior. While I am curious to have your speed and strength tested, it is unnecessary to my declaring you fit for spaceflight and hand-to-hand combat if it comes down to it.”

The doctor had taken the dress, wrapped it up and forwarded it through a tube system. It would be at Vida’s quarters when they returned there.

“I don’t have any experience in fighting other bi-pedals. I stick to hunting and killing what I need to eat.”

Dr. Meevin blinked. “Right. Well, that would explain a few things.”

Ianka laughed. “It would?”

“Your body is more carnivorous than omnivorous. You need more protein than vegetation. It isn’t a common adaptation and must be difficult to deal with.”

Ianka shrugged. “I will need to get serious about it in a day or two.”

Meevin nodded. “Right. I will make a note for your rations so that you are in fighting form when you arrive.”

“Thank you. It will be a relief because I get a little upset when my meals are messed with.”

“Noted.”

Dr. Meevin took a final tissue sample and smiled. “There. All done. You can continue on to your next appointment.”

Ianka rubbed at her wrist and looked at Vida and S’rin. “Next appointment?”

Vida wrinkled her nose. “We had an itinerary prepared the moment that we knew you were on the way. You are going to meet with Ziggy and her husband, General Rothaway.”

“Why?”

“Because he is on the council and can authorize anyone who cares to join your expedition.” Vida beamed.

“You think others will want to join?” She was a little surprised.

“Of course. You might not be going to battle, but you are engaging in something exciting. The mother ship has a batch of warriors waiting for action. They are a little restless and in need of a target.”

“Fine. Shall we get going?” Ianka had no idea how this was going to turn out, but she was definitely sympathising with folk who wanted to take action. She favoured that tactic herself.

Ziggy was exactly as she remembered, with the slight addition of moderately pointed teeth and a predator-like gaze. Her husband was a predator without a doubt.

He met Ianka’s open gaze with a smile and the respectful inclination of his head. “It is always pleasant to meet one of Signy’s people.”

Ziggy took her hands and squeezed them. Ianka carefully squeezed back. “It is good to see you again, Eek.”

“It is good to be back with people, though the increasing amount of them is getting a little distressing. Is there somewhere on board I can run?”

“Of course. We will have to clear a track for you, but it should be fine.”

“Clear a track?”

“Yeah, female sweat can have an unsettling effect on unmated males of the Nine.”

Ianka sighed. “I don’t want to be any trouble. Isn’t there a women’s gym somewhere?”

“I am afraid not. The women of the Nine don’t work out much, so we are stuck with the men’s facilities. The women go for tea and long walks in the central green space.”

Ianka made a face and Ziggy laughed.

“Right. We will make the arrangements once Rothaway figures out the scale of this endeavour. We know you want to get in and out with your parents, but we need to send Ula’s probe in to send us telemetry.”

“How long will that take?”

“Two days before we get a signal back. She has already altered it to fit with Vida’s information.”

To Ianka’s surprise, they had drifted away from those gathered and were standing off by themselves.

Ziggy’s face grew serious. “I have a question to ask. Would you agree to get the common language of the Nine directly into your mind? I have heard that it hurts, but I have only done it once before, so I can’t say that it will happen again.”

“Pain fades. If it will ease working with the Nine, I will do it.”

Before she could say anything else, Ziggy’s hand shot out and grabbed hers tight. Fire flowed up her arm and exploded in her brain.

Ianka stiffened but held back the scream that wanted to erupt. She breathed through her nose as her language centre was overloaded and as suddenly as it started, it was over.

Ziggy released her hand and looked at her. “Was it horrible?”

“It was definitely painful, but I can feel the words in my mind.”

S’rin drifted closer. “They are coming out of your mouth. You are speaking Nine common. Well done.”

“Thank you, brother.” Ianka blinked as the formal response came from her lips. “That will take some getting used to.”

Ziggy blinked. “Right. He is your brother or brother-in-law.”

She laughed and flicked her long hair over her shoulder. “I think the members of the Nine will be lining up for you. They don’t have multiple births.”

Ianka covered her eyes. “Oh, dear stars.”

Ziggy patted her shoulder. “There, there. I am sure there will be a bare minimum of flexing involved. These men preen like firebirds if you give them the opportunity.”

S’rin was grinning in the depths of his hood. He had raised it the moment that they left the relative safety of the Balance section of the ship. The Balance seemed to be odd even by the standards of the Nine.

Rothaway called them all to a boardroom where they sat and discussed the needs of the mission. Ularica chipped in from her workshop on board the ship via a com link.

When they had the basics discussed, screens descended from the ceiling and the races of the Nine were formally invited into the venture.

Dorum sat as head of the Fury and Ianka smiled and waved politely at the one face she recognised. To her amusement, he waved back.

Ziggy and Vida looked at her with surprise, and she merely smiled back with a smug smirk.

Dorum led the charge. “I will be sending my son, Derion and fifty of our best. The Fury are honoured to be able to participate in this mission.”

Rothaway smiled and said, “And very smart in thinking that if they rescue the Gaians, the feeling of relief and thanks might spill into the ability to meet some of the young ladies of the family of those rescued.”

Ianka blinked. “I had not thought of that. If they come with and not only work with a Gaian but rescue survivors, there may indeed be a bond formed between our two peoples once again.”

Her words brought on a sudden surge of participation and five hundred warriors in twenty ships were volunteered in short order, each race of the Nine worked to one-up the one before it.

The men would need four days to properly equip and arm their ships for the event, and by then, the probe would have done its job.

By the end of the meeting, Ianka had a few days to kill.

Vida and S’rin arranged guest quarters for her and forwarded her new clothing and her pack.

With the basic language of the Nine in her mind, Ianka was able to read histories and watch documentaries on the variety of races that had all split from the single source.

She occupied her time by doing push-ups and running in place. Her body wasn’t used to relaxing and inaction was not in her forte.

The chime from the communication unit was a relief. She stood in front of it and pressed the flashing key. “Yes?”

“Hello, Ianka. I have arranged some time around the track for you. You can run as much as you like. Dorum is sending you an escort who should be arriving momentarily.”

“Um, why is Dorum sending an escort?”

“Because you will be flying out with his son, Derion, and it would be a good idea to get to know him before that happens. Oh, and because you can’t run around the ship on your own and I am occupied.”

Ianka gave her a narrow-eyed look. “When will he arrive?”

“He is on his way. Your language skills are improving by the way, you are speaking clear Nine common.”

“Well, I figured that I had it, I may as well use it.”

Ziggy chuckled and inclined her head before disconnecting the call.

Ianka snorted then jumped as there was a chime from the door. “That was quick.”

She checked to make sure that her suit was properly sealed before she palmed the panel to open the door.

Resignation was stamped on the features of the stranger in front of her. “Good evening, Miss Senior. I am Derion and I am here to take you to the exercise centre of the Fury holdings.”

Ianka nodded. “Thank you. I am unused to inaction.”

“This way, please.”

He waved her on and she followed his lead. They walked out of the VIP quarters, past the guards and down a long hallway.

He didn’t seem chatty and she wasn’t going to attract attention. She kept her mouth shut until he opened a blank door and led her into a huge gymnasium. Tracks, bars, weights, fight rings, they were all in place and all completely empty.

“I hope this wasn’t too much trouble.”

He looked at her with surprise. “The Fury do not sleep. Being deprived of the option to exercise will not be well received, even if my father ordered it.”

She nodded. “I will try to be quick.”

Without another word, she sprinted toward the track, and once on it, she began to run at an easy lope. When she warmed up, she started to run, and with the speed blowing air past her cheeks, she finally felt her centre stabilizing around this new place.

She only had to keep herself contained for four days and they would be on their way.

Chapter Five

She ran until she felt the full-body rush of adrenaline in every cell. Once she was done with the track, she headed to the weights and quickly learned how to set them. She slid onto the bench and set to work.

“How are you lifting that?” Derion stood just in the corner of her vision.

She grunted and kept pressing, focussing on the weight and the steady burn of her muscles.

After a few minutes, she felt pleasantly tired and set the bar back in the holders over her head. She sat up and looked around. “Is there some way to clean the machines off?”

He nodded and pointed to the sidewall where a towel dispenser and a container sat.

“Thank you.” She sprayed the bars with the antibacterial spray and carefully wiped off all traces of her grip before she did the same on the bed of the machine.

She returned the container back to where she had picked it up and then she sprayed the cloth and rubbed the container down as well. “Where can I dispose of this towel so it won’t cause any issues?”

Derion walked over and pointed out a small chute. “It will immediately be in a cleansing solution so no worries. You are good at removing traces of yourself.”

She wrinkled her nose and shrugged. “It was practice. You can’t hunt if you leave your scent everywhere you go.”

“My father mentioned that you were expert at surviving. I thought he was simply trying to make an introduction by piquing my interest.”

Ianka snorted. “No. He was impressed when I explained to Apolan and Daphne how I had survived the last few years. I didn’t have a chance to tell him that I had a lot of practice. There is nothing extraordinary of the practicing of an existing skill.”

“I believe he was amazed that you had gained that skill to begin with. Even if your tracking ability is as extraordinary as he says, it has still taken willpower to hone it. That is worth admiring.” Derion was speaking directly to her, his red-on-black gaze was looking into her eyes and the sincerity was on his blood-red features.

She blushed and rubbed the back of her sweaty neck. “Um, thank you for the observation. Can you show me back to my quarters? I think I need a shower to take care of the rest of this.”

He inclined his head and smiled. “I can and I will also send the message that the others can resume use of the facility.”

“Thank you. If the facility can be spared for about an hour per day on the ship, that would be great. I only need the track and the weights so it doesn’t take that long.”

Derion nodded. “Right. I shall pass that on to my father.”

They left the gym and Ianka was feeling much better. Her body was humming with energy and earned fatigue. She couldn’t sleep if she didn’t exercise, so she should be able to rest well that evening.

There was a tension on the way back that wasn’t out on the way there. She chuckled. “If you are this talkative now, I can only imagine how chatty you will be on the trip to find the survivors.”

To her surprise, a small smile that flitted over his lips. “I am lost in thought. I thought you were something else and I have begun to see that my supposition was mistaken.”

“Were you reading reports on my sister?” Ianka smiled. It happened frequently on Gaia that folk had met Vida and assumed that Ianka was just as frail. It seemed that the physical strength had gone to one twin and the mental capabilities to the other. Ianka was always happier when she could act and not think.

“I may have heard rumours about her being physically frail before she arrived. You seem a little more…fit.”

Ianka wanted to howl with amusement. “Again. Thank you for that observation.”

He looked like he wanted to say something else, but a cluster of Fury members approached them and something extraordinary happened the moment one of them looked at her. Derion got bigger.

He didn’t just shift his arms and legs, he went from six and a half feet tall to nearly eight feet with a corresponding increase in width as he snarled at the men looking her over.

Two of the men responded in kind, and while she stood there, there was a clash of fists and skin in the hall as they fought. There were claws, teeth flashed and bodies thudded to the ground. Ianka stayed out of the way, smart enough to know males in rut when she saw them. The other two males of the Fury stepped back and watched from the other side of the fight.

Security rushed to the scene and waited while the men sorted themselves out. One of the officers gestured for her to ease out of the potential damage area, but she shook her head. Instinct told her that if she moved, Derion would switch his focus and that might not be a good thing.

He sent one of his opponents skidding across the floor and the other one shifted and knelt at his feet, head down. It was a very formal pose, and Derion paused, stood straight and then cuffed the other male lightly on the side of the head.

They both shrank back to normal size and Ianka blinked. Their clothing had remained intact the entire time. The tailors of the Fury knew their stuff.

Security moved in and spoke to all concerned. Ianka was surprised to be questioned.

“How long have you been in a relationship with Attack Master Derion?”

She blinked. “We are not in a relationship. We haven’t had any physical contact whatsoever. All I know is those guys started looking me over and then poof, Derion got taller.”

“Did you touch him at all?” The officer had wings that flicked in agitation.

“No. I was warned against it. Is he in trouble?” She looked around to find him.

Derion was calm and he was speaking quietly with another officer.

“Yes and no. He will be taken to medical and a check will be made on his blood to see if he has triggered any mating reactions. If he was just being protective of you, he will be released immediately. If there was another reason, he will be treated.”

“Okay. Good. As long as he is released before we are due to leave. I don’t want anything to interfere with launch.”

The officer’s eyes widened. “Oh, you are that Gaian.”

She could feel her forehead wrinkling. “What do you mean?”

“All of our councillors have asked for participation in the action you are heading up. There are more volunteers than spaces on the ships, though if this fight gets out, that number might double.”

She asked the officer, “Why are you all so eager to fight?”

“We come from active and aggressive races. This is the first opportunity to go into action and we are all eager for the chance.”

The officers across the hall were trying to get Derion to accompany them, but he was shaking his head.

“I was charged with watching out for her, and I will see her safely to her quarters before I go to medical.” He crossed his arms over his chest and had an immovable stance.

The officers looked at each other but the one speaking to her raised his hand. “I will go with them and escort Master Derion to medical.”

Derion looked at him and nodded. “Acceptable, shall we go?”

Ianka nodded. “Lead on.”

The men gathered in the hall parted, and Derion and Ianka walked at a leisurely pace through the halls with the officer that had spoken to her. She could feel his gaze on them and there was approval at her back. It was nearly palpable.

At her quarters, she thanked Derion for his escort and smiled wistfully. “I guess that I will have to find somewhere else to exercise.”

He chuckled. “Why? The Fury fight often. With the gym closed, it just made it harder to find a place to let it out. If I had run into them an hour later, the result would have been the same, but it would have been in the facility.”

“Seriously? I wasn’t the cause?”

He rocked his head a little. “You were and you weren’t. Their interest was growing and you are under my charge. I had to stop two of them from escalating into interest in you and the others would be distracted.”

“It certainly was distracting.” She grinned.

He smiled. “Good. I was worried you would be frightened.”

“Nope, just a little surprised. You have a very good tailor.”

It took him a moment before he laughed and he grinned at her. “Have a good evening, Miss Senior. Welcome to the mother ship.”

She slipped into her quarters and closed the door as the officer took Derion back down the hall. It had certainly been an interesting evening, but she needed a shower and then she needed some sleep.

The probe was on its way and it would start broadcasting as soon as it got close to the target area that Vida had found. Ianka hated waiting, but perhaps she could find someone to show her how to fly a ship. How long could that take?

Chapter Six

The next morning, she ran the request for flight instruction past Ziggy, and an hour later Derion was at her door smiling slightly.

“I am here to give you instruction in the pilot’s seat.”

She blinked. “Just like that?”

“Sure. I was pronounced clean by medical so there is no danger that I will go into mate madness. Would you like to get a morning meal?”

She wrinkled her nose. “Please. I wasn’t able to work out the dispenser. It baffled me.”

He chuckled. “Come with me.”

She followed him, wearing another of the stylish bodysuits and the long robe over it. She felt more centred today. It was strange but she felt at home.

The walk to the restaurant was quick and the servers were attentive as she picked a few items that Vida had recommended on the first day and entered them into the ordering unit.

When their server returned, he set her selections down in front of her as well as a large pot of tea.

Derion poured her cup of tea before his own and sat back to enjoy his own meal.

“So, your check in medical was fine?”

He inclined his head. “I was found to be within my rights as your assigned escort. Things can escalate quickly here, so my actions were deemed appropriate.”

She smiled and nodded. “Good.” She sipped at the tea and got on with her breakfast.

“Were you worried?”

“Well, your father has assigned you to me during the mission, so I was concerned that you would be detained.” She used the eating utensils with growing confidence to increase the speed of her consumption.

He chuckled. “I am sure they would have found you another partner and pilot for the event.”

“I have a hard time dealing with strangers, and spending a few days in a shuttle with someone I haven’t met is a tricky prospect.”

“You seemed fine when we met.”

“I was told you were arriving, I have met your parent, so your scent is familiar, and by the time I finished my workout, I was used to you.”

He paused and raised a brow. “You identify folk by scent?”

She wrinkled her nose. “Yes. The air got acrid when those other guys entered the hall yesterday and grew worse when they started eyeing me.”

Amazement covered Derion’s features. “You have surprised me yet again. Strength and enhanced senses. Congratulations.”

“Thank you again for the observation.” She finished her meal and sipped at her tea. “Why did you agree to act as my escort on the ship?”

He chuckled. “The Fury have a strict hierarchy. We are a military unit. We may fight amongst ourselves during off times, but we are deadly serious about following orders from our commanders.”

“Ah. Right. So, do you have much family aside from your father?”

He smiled and his blood-red features softened. “My mother and younger brother are still at home on Neecrad.”

Ianka sympathised. “Is it hard to be away from them?”

He inclined his head. “Duty called and we answered, but yes, we do miss them.”

Silence fell between them for a moment and she nodded. “I can understand that.”

After their meal, he took her to a training centre where she was seated behind the controls, and he took the position next to her, explaining the controls and walking her through the preflight checks. By the end of the afternoon, she was hungry, her arms ached and she had managed to power up the simulator.

Vida and S’rin came to take her to dinner and Derion smiled. “Same time tomorrow, Miss Senior?”

She nodded. “I am going to get the hang of this before we leave. I promise.”

He nodded. “I have no doubt.”

It was routine by the day that they were ready to launch. Derion greeted her in the morning and they had breakfast together while discussing the information found by the probe.

The afternoon was spent on the simulator and Ianka had managed to take off, fly and engage in battle manoeuvres, as well as landing. She wasn’t graceful but she could get them where they were going.

The evening meals were spent with Vida, Ziggy and any other Gaians who had time. Late in the night, she answered the knock on her door and went out with Derion again for her exercise.

The day of the launch, she had her bag with her when the knock on her door told her it was time.

The flight time would be twelve hours. The larger ships had more power than the probe and could travel far faster.

She opened the door to see Vida and S’rin. “Morning, Veed.”

Vida smiled weakly. “Would you like some breakfast?”

Ianka chuckled. “Please. Never miss an offered meal. That is my motto.”

Vida laughed. “It always was.”

They linked arms and went for breakfast before the rest of the day shift had stirred into action.

It had less the feeling of a last meal and more of a holiday gathering. There was hope as they discussed the mission and Vida kept tearing up.

When she was escorted to the shuttle bay, S’rin stopped her with a glance and he bowed deeply. “Come home safely, sister.”

She bowed in return. “Take care of her and do not let her get too excited until we return. I expect a tense family dinner when we get back here. You will get to meet our parents, and though they are not talented in the same way Vida and I are, they can see things you could never imagine.”

She smiled softly in remembrance of her functionally blind parents and their vision that went far beyond the physical.

Vida lunged at her and squeezed her tight. “Take care of yourself. I want to see all my family together, not in pieces. I am going to see everything you do, so take care or I will kick the tar out of you when you get home.”

“Yes, Veed. I promise I will take care.” She whispered it in her sister’s ear and she heard Vida sob. “Vida you did the hard work; now, let me do my part.”

Vida leaned back and swiped at the tears in her eyes, moving back against S’rin.

Before she could start snivelling on her own, Ianka turned and headed for the walkway that extended into the ship she would be ensconced in. Derion stood aside as she entered, and once inside, she nodded to the guard on her left.

“To the right and down the hall until you see a staircase. Go up the staircase and then turn left.”

She nodded. He had briefed her the night before. As commander, he was the last one into the ship, because the moment he was in place, they would leave. She needed to be strapped in before he sat down or she could tip over.

Ianka kept on track with his directions, and after ten minutes, she was sitting in the cockpit on a jump seat with her bag stowed in a locked shelf behind her. She needed the contents of the bag for the mission and wanted to keep them close.

Two other members of the Fury were on the command deck and they linked to the probe that Ula had sent out and used that for telemetry. The moment that Derion was strapped in, they started the engines and the ship began to move.

Ianka was fascinated by the flight. It was so different from lifting off from a world. There was no pressure, no discomfort, only a slight indication of motion before all exterior signals ceased.

Humming to herself, she followed the motions of the crew and unbuckled her launch harness. She unlatched the storage box and removed her bag, fishing out the tablet with the information programs that she wanted to watch. She had twelve hours to kill and she was finding the history of the Nine fascinating.

Derion smiled and got to his feet. “Miss Senior, this is Uradik and Morwil. They will be at your disposal if you require anything. Medical is ready if you want to take a nap.”

She smiled. “I am fine. I can stay awake and alert for a few days if needed. I don’t need to use the bed in medical. Will this documentary disturb any of you?”

Uradik and Morwil shook their heads. Derion shrugged. “It will be fine. What are you watching?”

She flicked her fingers across the screen. “The origins of the Balance, since Vida is married to one.”

She set the volume down as low as she could and still hear it and settled in to watch the documentary. She might be able to make her way to the People of the Air if she kept her focus. With her blood singing in an urge to action, focus was all that kept her from screaming with tension.

Chapter Seven

One meal and a gearing up later, Ianka was ready to land on the moon base.

The moon had the same profile as Gaia and the base was heavily fortified. The other nine ships were going to distract the Tokkel by engaging in direct confrontation while Derion’s ship skulked in through firefight and let their contingent onto the base.

From the moment they left the ship, Ianka would lead the way.

Uradik kept looking at her as they staged for the attack.

She raised her eyebrows. “Yes?”

“You are wearing weapons?”

“Yup. My kind don’t get taller with claws when confronted. I have to pack my own knives.” She may have overdone it, but wearing knives strapped to her calves and thighs was a comfort with her long blade riding in a leather harness down her back.

Morwil looked nervously at Derion. “We just think that your weaponry shows lack of faith in your mate.”

Derion sighed. “I have told you, she is not my mate, she is my charge.”

Ianka chuckled. “Even if he was my mate, I would not expect him to jump in front of me when danger rises. I will be leading the charge into the base, in search of the scents I am looking for. I will be in front, so having someone ahead of me distracting my senses is not a good idea.”

Everyone in the room nodded, and Derion turned to check the position of the other ships. With a quick barked command, the ships mobilized and took up their attack formations.

Things were underway. Ianka pulled on the gloves and pulled up the hood for just this moment before heading out of the command deck and down to the cargo area where the rest of the Fury were waiting to land and surge into the base.

She grabbed a bar and held tight as the ship rocked as it entered the atmosphere. The warriors in the hold with her looked at her with curiosity, but she gave them the blank repelling stare that she had perfected, and they nodded and looked away.

Ianka had no idea what they saw when they looked into her features, but if they turned away in respect, that was good enough for her.

The ship pitched and rolled as gravity took hold, and they avoided the firefight that was now becoming audible with the atmosphere to carry the sound waves.

Derion arrived and his men snapped to a rocking attention. “Are you ready, Miss Senior?”

“Yes. Is the medic?”

“Yes. Dr. Meevin pulled a lot of strings to come along on this mission. She is ready and waiting to see what older Gaians look like.”

Ianka laughed and shifted her footing as the ship twisted again. “Just like me only wrinkled with greyer hair.”

The ship jolted, heaved and then set down with a thud.

Ianka and Derion moved to the door, and she pulled her thigh blades. The doors to the ship opened and they headed toward the base at a run.

* * * *

North Senior asked, “What can you see, Maklin?”

“There are ships coming and one has landed, disgorging a lot of aliens with dark skin. Wait, there is a Gaian with them. A woman.”

North smiled, wishing that he could see his daughter’s approach. “What is she carrying?”

“Two huge knives, blonde hair, and an expression that reminds me of Beeda’s. Do you know her?”

North knew it was his Ianka. No other Gaian woman would have the guts to charge along next to aliens on a strange world. Well, guts or insanity. It was hard to tell with Eek. “It is my daughter, Ianka. Pass the word to cooperate with the aliens. They have finally found us and we are going home. Vida promised.”

The male researchers and females were housed separately, but the small com devices that Maklin Dorning had cobbled together let them speak at night when they felt the separation most keenly.

North sat back and listened to Maklin speaking urgently to all the Gaian researchers who had been brought to this base. The order to cooperate with the new aliens was urgent as the Tokkel began to mill in the halls. They didn’t know what was going on either, and it was just a matter of time before they decided to kill the researchers and abandon the base.

North hoped that Ianka’s senses were still keen. She was racing the clock.

* * * *

Ianka sprinted through the halls, a sense of urgency swamping her. Derion was at her side and growing bigger with every attack. Her knives dripped with Tokkel blood, and she paused at crossed corridors to make sure she was heading in the right direction.

The barricade of Tokkel was a hint that she was in the right place.

She turned to Derion, “Down that hall.”

He nodded and let out a hunting roar that shook the halls. Members of the Fury, ready for battle, appeared around them, and as one deadly red tide, they surged forward.

Ianka dove through the heaving bodies, sliding along the ground until she was in front of a cell door. Her sense of smell told her she had reached her goal.

There was probably a key or a pass code or something, but she grabbed the bars and hauled with a strength she rarely accessed. The door tore off in her hands and she tossed it aside.

There were two women huddling together on the bed and one was belovedly familiar. “Mom?”

Beeda Senior got to her feet and made a beeline for her daughter. “Eek. Oh for the love of cellular degradation, I have missed you.”

Ianka hugged her mother but kept her blades ready. “Where is Dad?”

“The other side of the compound. They saw you coming with an army of aliens and warned us to cooperate.”

The other woman got to her feet and smiled. “It has been a long time, Ianka. You are looking well.”

Ianka grinned. “Thank you. Please keep my mom from tripping on anyone. I have to set the others free.”

Dr. Wells nodded. “Over there on the wall. A palm print from one of the guards will do the trick to open them all.”

Ianka nodded and headed back to the battle, finding a body and hacking off one of the hands.

She spoke to her mother and Dr. Wells. “The men at the end of the hall are members of a friendly species referred to as the Nine. They are also hostile to the Tokkel, so this is the best of both worlds for them. They won’t hurt you, but don’t touch them. They link chemically and even shaking hands can be foreplay if you are compatible.”

She slapped the hand against the pad and the doors slid open. Women cautiously crept into the hall whose entrance was being cleared by huge red creatures.

“They are the Fury, one of the species of the Nine. I need you to get onto the ship and to safety with a few of them guarding you while we head off to rescue Dad.” She was speaking to her mother but the other women nodded.

“Dr. Wells, take care of my mom. The ground will be a little slippery.”

Derion had been listening to her and he gave a few hand signals to his men, sending six of them with the thirty women.

Sighing in relief that her mother was out and on her way to freedom, she headed out to find her father.

She had kept the hand of the deceased Tokkel, and she used it to open all the men’s cells. One hundred twenty men appeared in the hall, but there was only one face she cared about.

“Dad!” She ran to the familiar figure, and he embraced her when she was in front of him.

He laughed and tears came from his eyes. “I felt Veed in my head last week. I knew you wouldn’t be far behind.”

“Come on, Dad. We have ships and we are all going home!”

One of the scientists snorted. “We are trading one set of aliens for another.”

She walked up to him and stared until he backed away. “What do you think happened after you were taken? Let’s cut the polite speech. We were blasted back to first gen colonization with our technology. We couldn’t fight and the Tokkel kept coming until the Nine arrived. They have a ship in orbit and have assisted us with medical treatments, rebuilding and protected us. The Gaia that you left is gone.”

“So, they have taken over?”

She chuckled. “No, they have not, though they have more of a right to it than we do. They evolved on that planet just as our race is evolving with every generation. Their people called it Underhill and they have cities that have been lost to time, but as we gain the ability to travel longer distances, we have been finding them.”

Murmurs began and she lifted her hand. “You are all going to be on different ships, each run by a different species, but they are all members of the Nine. Nine distinct races, shaped by the very same world shaping us. Be polite. Not all of them speak Gaian yet.”

The men nodded and most were obviously weary and just wanted to return home.

None of them were a match for the warriors that had accompanied Ianka, so she was satisfied in that at least.

She kept her arm around her father’s waist. “Come on, Dad. Mom is waiting.”

His shoulders flexed in relief. “You did go to her first?”

“We did.”

The stream of scientists was confined between banks of the Fury, but Derion and two others waited for her. He was still in his battle form, and she blinked at the enormity of the transformation.

He was huge. Much larger than he had appeared in the ship. Now, she knew that that first ruckus had been for discipline. This form was all about destruction.

“Father, this is Attack Master Derion of the Fury. Derion, this is my father, North Senior.”

In a low rumble, Derion answered, “It is an honour to meet you; your daughters are extraordinary.”

North smiled. “Beeda and I have always been proud of our girls. It is an honour to meet you as well. Ianka’s tone has informed me that she is more than a casual acquaintance.”

She was going to slap herself in the face and cover her eyes but she was still carrying the Tokkel hand. With a wet thud, she dropped it and sighed. “Enough of that, let’s get back to the ship.”

North patted the hand she had around his waist and smiled. “Derion and I can discuss it later. I am sure that the flight will be long enough for one conversation.”

Ianka winced. “I don’t know if you want to do that. Why not just enjoy cuddling with Mom for the twelve hours back to the mother ship. From there, you will be medically checked out and you can return to Gaia right away.”

They started walking with Derion in front and two members of the Fury behind them.

“We can return to Gaia? Where will you be?”

She cleared her throat when Derion looked over his shoulder at her with a grin.

“I will be visiting with Vida. She has married a member of the Balance and seems quite happy about it. He boosted her signal so that she was able to reach you.”

North nodded and then scowled. “How much time has passed?”

“It has been six years.”

He stiffened. “That is unexpected.”

“How long did you think it was?”

“Six months. This base is brand new. They opened it up to use us as weapons researchers. Until six months ago, I believe we were in cold sleep.”

Ianka’s mind felt eased. They didn’t know how long they had been gone. They hadn’t counted on a rescue that never came because the Gaians didn’t have spacecraft.

They exited the base and were on their way to the ship when a Tokkel body sat up and took aim at their party. Moving on instinct, she threw one of her knives at him and it struck him between the eyes, knocking him back.

Derion was staring at her in shock and she shrugged. “What?”

Chapter Eight

Derion was staring and a strange tingling was moving through her body.

Suddenly, her arm around her father’s waist went limp. She looked down and there was a large smoking burn on the left side of her torso.

The guards behind her grabbed her father and hauled him into the ship while Derion carefully lifted her, sprinting into the ship and directly to medical.

Dr. Meevin cut her suit free and started working on her during takeoff. Ianka was strapped down so that she wouldn’t hit the floor.

“I am sorry you have to be awake, but we need to keep you alert to test for the progression of the nerve damage.”

Ianka gritted her teeth as the area was cleaned of scorched flesh and a numbness crept up her left arm.

She mentally kicked herself for not being a second faster with her throw. She knew what damage a Tokkel blaster could do. Numbness was the least of her worries.

Dr. Meevin worked on her for hours while others who had been injured were treated and released. Finally, she couldn’t do any more. Frustration was written on her features.

“I am sorry. I can’t seem to stop the damage. I don’t have the right treatments for a Gaian.”

With half her face paralyzed, she smiled weakly. “S’okay. You tried. I tried. Vida has my parents again. It will all be good.”

Dr. Meevin drew a privacy screen around her and said, “We will be on the mother ship in a few hours. Perhaps we can figure something out there.”

With her moving right hand, Ianka gave her a thumbs up. She had done what she set out to do.

Her cubicle was dark and quiet, but she heard someone moving. A hulking figure took a blood sample, and she heard a small hiss. She dozed, thinking that one of the medics had come in to do some checks.

The figure returned, and this time, the hypo was pressed to her wound. The hiss preceded the warm input of the injector and was withdrawn in complete silence.

Her eyes had both been taken over by the paralysis, so all she could make out was a dark figure that stroked her hair back and she could see the hand touch her cheek, even though she couldn’t feel it.

Fire burned through her limbs and she started to thrash her arms and legs. The monitors went berserk, and Dr. Meevin knocked the screen down as she came in to check on the seizure.

Ianka was still strapped to the bed but only for a moment as she was transferred to a gliding gurney and escorted out of the ship with a mask giving her an inhalation of sedative with every motion of her lungs.

Dr. Meevin began to run tests the moment that she was back in her regular facility. When the results curled upward on the monitors, she stared at them without comprehension.

The paralysis was reversing. That much Ianka could feel for herself. She could see clearly now that her eyes could focus and her face was once again under her control. “What is it, Doc?”

“Did you mate while you were lying strapped down and paralyzed?” Dr. Meevin turned to her with raised eyebrows.

She shifted as much as she was able. “Not that I recall. I had a peculiar hallucination but there wasn’t any mating involved.”

Vida came in with their parents behind her. “Not that kind of mating, Eek. Did you swap blood with anyone?”

“Someone came in the night to take a blood sample, and an hour later, I was given a shot. Does that count?”

Meevin frowned. “It could.”

North came to Ianka’s side and carefully found her hand. “It was Derion. He asked us if we would give you up to save your life. I didn’t understand so he explained.”

Beeda came up as well, wearing a fetching gown in black and red. “Every parent with a daughter will lose her, but I would rather have you in orbit than underground, Eek.”

“So, that was it? We swap blood and I heal?”

Meevin shrugged. “Members of the Nine are not damaged the same way by the Tokkel blasts. We are merely burned, not paralyzed, and the Fury aren’t damaged at all, so he gave you his immunity.”

“What were all those guys in medical?”

“Those were cuts. Easy fixes.” Meevin patted her knee. “I will register the mating since you two didn’t make it to the garden for the formal recording. Your blood samples are already in. He just needs to finalize it.”

Vida took her hand. “You did it, Eek. You got them home.”

Surrounded by her family, she blinked back tears.

North must have sensed her mood, because he piped in, “Ularica has an idea for an artificial sight mechanism. She is looking for volunteers, and you know how your mother and I enjoy that sort of thing, and the chemists have asked us to come in and contribute to their work. We might not be leaving for the surface right away. After all, everything we love is up here.”

Beeda came around and kissed her on the forehead, while to her surprise, S’rin squeezed her blanketed toes.

Vida smiled. “Now that you are linked to Derion, you are safe to touch.”

A deep voice spoke from the doorway. “Miss Senior, what have you done to my son?”

Dorum was standing there and scowling.

Ianka struggled to sit up and something flickered in his eyes. “What is wrong with Derion?”

“He is suffering. His body is on fire. What did you do to him?”

“He took some of my blood and then gave me his a while later. If he is having a problem, bring him into medical.” She scowled.

Dorum tensed. “He won’t come.”

“Tell him I ordered it. He will love that.”

“He won’t listen.” It was obvious that Dorum was worried.

“Right.” Ianka sat up, wrapped the bed sheet around her and hopped to the floor with Vida’s help. She tucked the sheet into place and minced up to Dorum. “Take me to him.”

“You aren’t dressed.”

“My clothes are in the shuttle. Do you want to keep delaying?”

He shook his head and offered her his arm. She took it and kept hold of the sheet as they slowly walked to the pods, and from there, they were whisked to the area occupied by the Fury.

She continued to mince along in bare feet and he was radiating a protective aura. When they got to the living quarters, he brought her to the door and pounded on it. From the other side, she heard a thud. “Go away, Father.”

Ianka scowled. “Don’t talk to your father like that, Derion. Open up the damned door.”

The door opened and an astonished Derion stepped back as she shuffled in. Ianka turned and closed the door in Dorum’s face saying, “We will call you if we need you.”

“You should be in medical.” He was sweaty and pale.

“So should you. You look worse than I do.” She reached out and touched his forehead, surprised when he leaned into her hand.

His skin cooled the moment that she touched him. “That was easy.”

He gave her an apologetic look through his black and red eyes. “I am sorry that I did not have time to court you properly.”

She sat on his lap and looped her arms around his neck. “I am sorry that I got shot.”

She didn’t have a lot of experience with kissing, but she gave it a try. He wrapped his arms around her for a moment before pulling her tightly against him.

The sheet hit the floor at some point, but by then, it didn’t matter. She was firmly involved in getting to know her mate.

* * * *

Vida disconnected her viewing when clothing began to fly. “Okay, she is definitely staying on the mother ship. He has quite the grip on her and it looks like they are going to be negotiating terms all evening.”

Beeda laughed at her daughter. “It is about time. If it has really been six years since the attacks, I am surprised that you didn’t seek out husbands before this.”

Vida explained about the limited amount of Gaian men, the evolution of talents beyond that of the Senior family, and then, she had to get into the details of what the girls had gone through after their parents had disappeared.

North and Beeda held hands while they heard the story, and tears slowly made it down their faces.

S’rin held Vida’s hand and explained the involvement of the Nine and the delight in the discovery of an evolutionary change that complimented the one their ancestors had engaged in generations earlier. The Gaians were the tenth race and they were only too happy to help them become all they could be.

* * * *

“So, would you have come after me if I returned to Gaia?” She leaned her chin on her hands and met his gaze with a smile.

He chuckled and shifted under her. “I would follow wherever you led, at a respectful distance. I have seen you in action, and a woman who can tear a door off hinges is a woman to be courted carefully.”

She stroked her fingers on his chest. “Wise. Very wise. So, what alterations can I expect as the wife of a Fury?”

He grinned. “Well, you will gain a few inches in height.”

“Yay. It was bugging me that Vida got taller.”

“Do not worry about it. The transformative power of the Fury is also within you if you tap into it. Give it a few weeks but it might emerge. We can practice.” He ran his hands up her back and smiled.

“Practice what?”

He chuckled and rolled her under him. The rest was self-explanatory.

Author’s Note

So, both women found their mates after getting shot. This is never going to catch on as a popular dating technique.

Now to be frank, I have no idea when I am going to get to the next book in the Return of the Nine. There are nine already, so sometime after August. It is going to be a busy and active summer for me so I have to focus on ‘normal’ releases.

Thanks for reading

Viola Grace

http://www.violagrace.com

viola@violagrace.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.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Author’s Note

About the Author