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  She remained on guard until Sting turned and said, “Stand down, Laser.”

  She lowered her fists and cocked elbows, and retracted the blaster built into her back-plates that rose up and offered her two additional firing options.

  Lee blinked at him. “Laser?”

  “I can hardly call you Lee in front of enemies. It lacks a certain something.” His lips quirked.

  She moved to his side and looked around. “Now what?”

  “Now, we find the voice that sent for help. This way.”

  He began striding toward a rocky beach, and she followed, opening a monitor pod and dropping it near the Yinshin as she passed.

  The pod rolled along and stood up, watching the pile of bodies and relaying it to her in the corner of her vision. If they woke up, she would see and hear it.

  “My brother did that to you?”

  She grinned. “He helped. It was a group effort.”

  They followed the sounds of chain flexing and jerking.

  Lee blinked in astonishment as a wide, thick ray flexed and fought against the wrapping of restraints in a shallow pool made of piled rocks. It was a cage that kept the creature from getting enough momentum to jump and the water was only enough to keep it breathing.

  “That is one of the species that called us. This world is for the non-bipeds. The Yinshin will be fined. First, we need to get the youngling free and back with his parents.”

  Lee moved forward and into the water. Without waiting, she reached down and snapped the chain tethering the creature to the large stone behind it. She moved on to those binding the rest of the creature and heard a splash next to her.

  Sting held the long barbed tail of the creature, and he sighed. “Always watch out for a flailing, panicked victim. They are usually more dangerous than those perpetrating the offense. They are frightened and that makes them blind to whether you are helping or hurting them.”

  Lee nodded and kept working. When the creature was free, she waded to the wall that separated it from the amethyst sea. In the water, she could see a gathering of dozens if not hundreds of wide silver wings beneath the surface.

  Blasting the rocks away might injure those waiting, so she began to throw the stones to one side as fast as her arms could manage.

  When the small sea wall began disappearing, the prisoner began to push at her from behind.

  Lee stepped aside and lifted the beast up and over the ridge, sliding it into the sea with its people. She sighed and waded to the edge.

  Sting sloshed to the edge of the seawall, and he placed his hand in the water. His eyes changed colour as he touched one of the huge bodies that glided under the surface. He smiled and stood up. “They thank you and apologise for their youngling’s bad behaviour.”

  “You can speak to them?”

  He snorted. “No, I read their body language. Yes, I can speak to creatures.” He waded out of the water. “More to the point, I can speak to all other sentients. My people used to be great peacemakers between colonists and the species they moved in with. They lost the ability over centuries, but throwbacks like me crop up now and then with the talent for communications.”

  She stood up and looked back up the beach. “Our guests are waking up.” She could see the Yinshin stirring on the ground where she had left them.

  “We should not keep them waiting then. I do have a few questions for you, but they can wait until we are back on board the ship.”

  Lee nodded and walked back up the beach with him, heading for the Yinshin.

  Sting looked at her. “Can you carry them?”

  “One by one? Sure.”

  “Good. Stun them again.”

  The stunners projected from her back and over her shoulders, took aim with her and she began firing until they were all motionless once again. “Where am I putting them?”

  “Their ship is over to the left. Put them in the hold and I will get the locks. They will have to either go to an Imperium law enforcement outlet or saw away through their ship. It is their choice.”

  It seemed fair. Prison for prison. “Will they know how to get themselves out?”

  “There will be a message on their com unit.”

  “Well, as long as they can find out how to get out before their rations run out.” She shrugged and walked over, picking up two Yinshin with an arm around each waist and heading for the ship. They weren’t as heavy as they looked.

  Sting gave her a look and shook his head as he headed off to their ship.

  She had taken three rounds of Yinshin to the ship and dropped them on the floor of the hold. She whistled as she walked back to the last three beings she had to haul.

  Sting had returned with the locks, and he merely shook his head as she lifted two more up and walked away with them.

  Once they were dropped, Sting installed the lock.

  She quickly ran to the final Yinshin and grabbed him, sprinting back with all the speed she could muster. The monitor pod followed her, and she settled it into her suit before entering the Yinshin vehicle.

  Sting looked at her when she exited the ship. “Yes, we definitely need to discuss a few things.”

  Lee guessed that he was surprised at her speed and possibly her strength. She was going to have to have the talk with him.

  She watched him set the locks on all the hatches and use a remote to seal them.

  When he was done, he said, “Would you care to say farewell to the Venyik?”

  “Is that what they are called?”

  He snorted and held out his hand. “Come on.”

  She pressed her silver skin to his, and he tugged her back to the shoreline.

  “You will have to wade in. I am guessing that it doesn’t pose an issue.” He quirked his lips.

  “You are guessing correctly. Icky wouldn’t have let me out if I wasn’t weatherproof.”

  They waded in until they were hip deep.

  He grinned and extended his hand into the water. A huge silver ray swam to them and he stroked the silver skin.

  Light exploded behind her eyes, and she saw the Yinshin surrounding the youngling from a tremendous distance. The pool had been created far in advance and the Yinshin were both chaining and closing the adolescent in the pool.

  Lee could hear the call for help stream up into the stars and to the nearest thinking world. It had bounced from world to world until it reached a mind that told them help was coming.

  The thanks for the help they had offered ran through Sting and into Lee as she stood hip deep in the water. There was also deep admiration for her skin tone and that last made Lee smile.

  “You are more than welcome. We are glad we could help. Never hesitate to call.” She tried to project the gratitude for the opportunity to assist them in bringing a member of their community home.

  The huge wings moved slowly under the water, and finally, the hulk turned away and flew through the water toward the open sea.

  “Why do I get the feeling that I just touched something very precious?”

  Sting smiled. “Come on; let’s get back to Stinger so I can ask some pointed questions.”

  Lee winced at his enthusiasm but waded back to shore, the chill of the water left her as the sun caressed her skin through the web work of flexible metal.

  Her hips and thighs warmed, the artificial calves worked up to normal temperature after a few minutes.

  She had an idea of what he wanted to know, she was just surprised that he was actually going to ask.

  Chapter Five

  Inside Stinger and on their way into space once again, Lukar turned his chair toward her.

  “So, Lee, how strong are you?”

  She shrugged. “It depends on the task. The exoskeleton works better in an upright position, but I could easily lift two of the Yinshin without an issue.”

  “Exoskeleton?”

  Lee wrinkled her nose. “I think it is better shown than explained. Are we stable enough to remove the harnesses?”

  Stinger tolled the be
ll in confirmation.

  Lee unsnapped her harness and got to her feet. “Come to my quarters and you will understand a bit more completely.”

  She headed to her quarters and turned on the charging station.

  Lukar seemed unsure of where to be.

  “Take a seat on the bed or the desk. This will only take a moment.” She waited until he parked himself on the edge of the bed before explaining.

  “Icky grafted Seth-Ari tissue onto my body, but the Genarans contributed the exoskeleton. That is where most of my weaponry lies.” She set her feet into the slots and fell backward into the unit.

  There was a click and the outer wrap sprang open. The unit tilted upward until she could stand again and she stepped forward.

  He looked surprised. “You aren’t mechanical.”

  She grinned and held out one hand, rocking it from left to right. “I am a little. My eyes are. The rest is alien tissue grafts with some light defensive enhancement. When you asked me how much I could lift, it really depends on the suit.”

  “May I have a look?”

  She nodded and stepped aside to let him at the station. To Lee’s surprise, he stepped up to her and ran his hand along the joints between her skin and the grafts.

  She quivered as he ran his finger around the tops of her thighs. She jumped when he stroked along her ribcage and then down to her belly. She smacked his hand away. “Watch it. The rest is original.”

  He was suddenly concerned. “Did you get a scratch?”

  She checked the silver skin of her hand. “Nope. Didn’t even dent me.”

  “All the same…” He reached for her head and held her while he kissed her with thorough attention.

  He tasted strange. She had had a cherry liquor when she turned eighteen and it had been soaked into a chocolate cupcake. That was the flavour she picked up. Dark chocolate and sweet, fruity alcohol.

  His tongue stroking in her mouth caused flutters of arousal in her belly. She was shocked that she could still be aroused and was even more shocked when she started to kiss him back.

  He made a small noise in his throat and moved closer to her, his body heat warming her as he closed the distance, and her belly felt the press of the woven fabric of his clothing.

  Their moment was broken when Stinger began intoning his bell over and over.

  Lukar backed away and Lee could feel his eyes burning her. Her nerves were wide awake and eager for any touch he provided.

  Lukar ran his thumb over her lower lip. “I believe we are getting our next assignment.”

  She nodded. “That sounds likely. So, what was the initial purpose of the kiss?”

  He smiled slowly. “Initially it was to get you developing an antivenin. When you responded, it took a new direction.”

  She blushed and stepped back. “Right. Work then. That is why I am here after all.”

  He gestured for her to precede him. “I am beginning to wonder about that.”

  Lee didn’t know what he meant, but when he filled her in on their next assignment, she didn’t really care. It was time to work.

  Sixteen hours later, she was back in her exoskeleton and they were rocking toward the surface of another world. This situation was going to be a little more involved than the previous one. Sixteen people were being held hostage and they were being held underground. If the negotiator didn’t like how things were going, the tunnel they were in would collapse on them.

  Facing reporters was a new experience for her. Lee remained slightly behind him and followed Sting out of the ship and toward the cluster of folk who were waiting for them to arrive.

  Laser kept her face calm and sober, her makeup had been retouched, and she did indeed look particularly creepy with the dark circles around her eyes.

  Her gaze swept over the gathered grouping, and she tried not to show her surprise. The locals were short and cuddly, with vicious fangs and hostile gazes.

  Vid crews were standing by, and cameras were aiming at them as they approached.

  Sting moved toward the group, and he began speaking in a low rolling tone.

  The implants in her skull began to assist in the translation, and she watched as he asked what he could do to smooth things over.

  The worried contingent was surprisingly aggressive. They refused to give in to the demands of the kidnappers. It was a matter of family honour.

  The G’bar had tribal issues, and they were taking it out in an Imperium territory.

  Sting gave Laser an education as to what they were there for. “We don’t care where you hold your battles, unless it is on Imperium territory. Your government leased this area to the Imperium and we are defending that lease. Leave and allow us to evacuate those captured.”

  She blinked but kept her face impassive. She had found the entry point to the underground spot where the victims were being kept. Heat vision was very handy.

  As she watched, Sting’s spikes extended beyond his skin. Apparently, he was fixing to fight.

  The G’bar united and attacked.

  Laser started firing stun rounds into the crowd and Sting shouted, “Get them out!”

  She sprinted to the underground passage, stunning the G’bar holding the detonator. Sting was dealing with the twenty G’bar attacking, and he seemed to be holding his own. Only three could reach him at a time.

  Five of the locals were coming after her, but when she dropped the monitor pod, she could fire and run at the same time, so she did.

  The doorway was in a cellar-type construction with three G’bar guarding it. She fired and they dropped.

  Laser was really hoping that there were not any explosives on the other side of the door when she grabbed the entire framework and ripped it away.

  She threw the door to one side and shrugged. “Huh. It was rigged to blow.”

  With the doorway free, she started down the steps as fast as she could move. The G’bar with weapons were flattened to the wall as she passed. The ball of heat was in front of her. About a hundred meters down the hall; she found her targets.

  She beckoned to the huddled aliens and waved them out and toward the exit. They moved slowly at first and then picked up speed when no one stopped them from leaving.

  Once she had confirmed that all the victims were moving, she turned her back on the room where they had been held and she herded them back toward daylight.

  Occasionally, she had to use a stun blast at an incoming G’bar. There were only three left in the hall with her when the thunder of the blast ripped through the stone. Laser coughed and did what she had to do. Why is it always explosions?

  * * * *

  Sting watched the bomber strike the detonator, and he turned to the doorway in time to see running G’bar and clouds of dust billowing out. “Laser!”

  He used his spikes to claw his way through the crowd, bodies dropped everywhere as the venom released on contact. He forgot about trying to keep some of them alive. If they were going to blow up his partner, he was done trying to save their lives for another day.

  He rushed toward the torn doorway into the ground. “Where is she?”

  A young female pointed down the stairs. “She said she could hold it until we got free, or that is what I think she said. She was speaking Common.”

  Sting headed down the steps, and he coughed at the residual grit and filth in the air. There were bodies on the ground but none of them were silver.

  He heard a cough.

  “Over here.”

  Laser was holding up a chunk of ceiling, facing him. Her legs were splayed and her arms were over her head. She looked remarkably comfortable for a woman supporting a few tons.

  Sting didn’t know what to say.

  “So, what do you recommend?”

  He laughed and coughed. “Can you get out of there?”

  “I can, but I am going to need help.”

  “I am at your service. What do you need?”

  She sighed. “Do you see the three streaks of silver on my head?”

&n
bsp; He stepped in close and looked for the ridges in the braids of her hair. “I see them.”

  “Press them three times then twice then three times. Then…when the suit releases, grab me and run for the stairs.”

  “You are going to leave your armour behind?”

  “I can’t move my hands; my suit is locked in place. This is the only way I am getting out of here. I can do it myself, but it will bring the ceiling down on my head.” Laser smiled grimly. “I seem to attract explosives.”

  “Shall I do it now?”

  “If you are ready to run when I come loose, then, yes. I won’t be very coordinated. My body normally likes to be removed in an orderly fashion from the reinforcement of my suit.”

  Sting swallowed and lifted his hand. “Ready when you are.”

  Her natural skin was soft under his hand. The metal strips were close to an obscenity against such softness.

  “Starting now.” He pressed down on the metal bands with three fingers, three times. Paused, then twice and then the additional three times.

  The suit snapped open, and she fell forward into his arms. With all his strength, he ran for the stairs as the tunnel collapsed behind him.

  He skidded to the ground and fell with her under him.

  They lay in the smoke for a moment, and then, he heard a wheeze.

  “Sting, get off. My lungs aren’t cybernetic.”

  He chuckled and pushed himself to one side.

  With her hair covered with dust and rubble, she sat up and grinned. “This has been an eventful start.”

  She lifted her arm and a small blaster rose from her flesh. She fired rapidly at something behind him and then sat back and whistled sharply.

  Sting winced. “What was that for?”

  Her grimy face got a wicked cast. “You will see.”

  Chapter Six

  She heard the scuttling that she was waiting for and her suit crawled out of the rubble, shaking itself clean before coming toward her.

  Laser got to her feet and stepped into the heel clips of her suit while it snapped around her once again. “The code you used was the find me when I call you code.”