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  The Azon doctor nearest her gave her a shamed look. “Pardon, Miss Keller. We have never seen an Avatar with this power signature before.”

  A technician came over and draped a blanket over her. He gave her a tight smile and retreated.

  “If you would like to ask the questions, I would like to give you answers.” She snuggled under the blanket and smiled brightly.

  Ikvaro was remaining close by, and out of a strange instinct, she reached out for him. He gripped her hand and she sighed. “First, I was dying. My body was in distress. I had been idly conversing with the planet under us while I slept. I didn’t know that at the time. He told me later.”

  The doctor looked riveted. “How did he infest you?”

  Ylor didn’t like that. He flashed into control of her mouth, and she could only wince when she heard her voice shout, “Infest?”

  The doctor flew up and pinned to the wall. Ikvaro’s hand was released and Ylor explained a few things to the medical staff.

  Aggie was riding along as her body sat up and she stood to glare at the doctor with hands on her hips. “I will have you know that Agatha and I get along very well. She needed help and I offered it, so she offered her body so that I could see some of the worlds that I have missed from my youth. She was going into shock and I stabilized her. I am a living being, not a parasite.”

  The doctor nodded. “Apologies. Your signature is just unlike any on record.”

  Ylor let the doctor drop. “Of course it is. I lost my star, my people and my orbit all in one horrible year. I have been floating rogue since then, dormant until this woman arrived with her chatty ship.”

  Inside her own head, Aggie was kicking Ylor’s consciousness until she finally wrested control.

  First thing to attend to was getting the blanket back on; the second was having a seat because her legs were still wobbly.

  She finally gave in to what Ylor wanted to do. “Could you please?”

  The doctor asked, “Could I please what?”

  Energy ran through her limbs and she stood straight, finally feeling more like herself.

  “Ylor has been offering to fix me and I was resisting it, but since I really want to get back to a normal routine and send a message to my sister, I asked him to get it over with. Since I am now back to factory spec, if you could just give me a set of clothing to wear, I will be on my way in search of food.”

  The doctor heading up the swarm shifted from side to side. “I would like to do more tests.”

  Aggie snorted. “And I would like to let you, but I have been asleep upright for nearly two years and I really want to get something to eat and call my sister. I will return after I find out what my status is.”

  Ikvaro cleared his throat. “Well, you are now an Avatar, and as such, you have diplomatic status. Don’t worry about the Alliance; they will be happy to have you.”

  She grinned at him. “Maybe we could get that dinner.”

  His silver eyes sparked with amusement. “Doctor, I think we need a suit for her or at least some medical scrubs.”

  The tech who had brought her the blanket came forward with a folded wad of fabric.

  With a heavy sigh, she figured that they had already seen everything there was to see, so she flattened the loose jumpsuit and dropped her covering. She slipped into the clothing with relief, closing the seal and smiling at Ikvaro.

  He held out his hand and said to the doctor, “I will return her after she has run her errands. File her new medical status in the meantime.”

  With a sense of both relief and destiny, she took Ikvaro’s hand and left the medical bay with her arm tucked around his. It was time for tea.

  Chapter Six

  Walking the halls had been strange. It was familiar, but it felt worlds away from the last time she had been mobile.

  In the commissary, Ikvaro got her some food and a pot of tea that made her drool in anticipation. “Oh, that looks good. I am so thirsty.”

  “It is a common side effect of the cold sleep.” He settled across from her and smiled with a devilish look in his eyes. “So, you dreamed of being naked with me?”

  She blushed. “Only in my weaker moments.”

  “Well, I have retired from active Alliance service, so there is no longer a conflict of duty.”

  “I noticed the uniform. Enforcer?”

  “I was before I retired. Now, I am a retired member of the Enforcers.” He grinned. “I have done my duty to family bloodlines, to my people and my job. Now, it is time for me to make a choice and I am choosing you if you do not object.”

  She cocked her head. “Duty to bloodlines?”

  “Well, my people do not have a lot of males, so I spawned my children under contract.”

  “Children?” She swallowed.

  “Nine girls and two boys, each with a different female.” He scowled. “Is that an issue?”

  She rubbed the back of her neck. “On Earth, men who engage in that kind of behaviour are not the most honourable. They tend to avoid obligation.”

  “On Selna, because of the skewed population, a male is obligated to fulfill as many requests as he receives. All the property is inherited via the female line, so all that the women wanted from me was the next generation.”

  She sipped at her tea and pondered that. Ylor confirmed it for her, giving her a history of the Selna from his point of view. Their world was not a sentient one, but they were spread throughout the galaxies to get new genetic material and shift their population.

  “Over ten women to one male?” Aggie blurted it out loud.

  He chuckled. “You checked?”

  She shrugged. “You know me. Facts first.”

  “Yes. Ten females to one male. I had a son on my third contract and the rest of the women were filing on the chance that I could provide them with one as well. A daughter gives them an heir. A son gives them an income.”

  “Your mother literally sold your services?”

  “Of course. It is tradition. Selna genes breed true, so even a female who has a child off world will come home with a solid citizen.”

  “What about the fathers? Do you know yours?”

  He grinned. “I do.”

  She exhaled. “Well that is something at least. It is a good thing that I don’t have any plans for children. Well, aside from having my mind and body occupied by an alien world which would itself cause a bit of a ruckus if I were to try reproducing.”

  Ylor perked up in her mind. I wouldn’t mind having a few children. I have missed my people and making my own from scratch might be fun.

  Aggie coughed.

  Ikvaro gave her a strange look. “What did he say?”

  “You could tell he was talking to me?”

  “Your eyes turn silver when he rises. What did he say?”

  You tell him or I will.

  Aggie blushed. “Fine.” She cleared her throat. “Ylor says he misses his people and wouldn’t mind building some from scratch. He thinks it would be fun.”

  “I wouldn’t mind helping.”

  Aggie covered her face. Wonderful. “It isn’t a job. It isn’t something that has to be done.”

  “Don’t get upset, Aggie. You are still recovering from the loss of time. Your sister definitely got my attention.”

  She peeped at him through her fingers. “How did she look? When did you see her? Did she have the girls with her?”

  “She came to see me at the Terran moon base. I don’t know how she got there with the rest of the diplomatic tour, but after the defense display, she walked toward the crowd around me and just waited. Oddly enough, I saw your face and nearly knocked the other women over to get to her. Once I was next to her, I knew it wasn’t you.”

  “How did she look?”

  “Tired, worried, stressed but hopeful.”

  “Is there a com that I can use?”

  “Eat first. I have picked out some of your favourites.”

  She
sighed and started her meal. Taking small bites made the meal last a lot longer than she anticipated. “How is Talon?”

  “Generally irritated with you for almost dying on her but enjoying the company of my friend, Pen.”

  “You brought a friend?”

  Ikvaro smiled, “He worked with me when we were Enforcers. He is a tracker by nature, but he never chose to specialise. He confirmed your location for me.”

  She dreaded the next question, but it had to be asked. “What happened to Wovian?”

  “He is the current Avatar of Zenfar, but he is very happy in the position. From his safe haven, he was able to come to an agreement with Zenfar and he was only taken over when he was legally an adult. Do you know why he was so insistent?”

  Aggie giggled. “That one is easy. He was about to become an adult, and if he took on the position of Avatar before he made it over that hurdle, according to the rules of his people, he would never be allowed to have sex. Zenfar stops the aging process, apparently.”

  Ikvaro’s expression split into a grin. “You gave up two years of your life so that he could get laid?”

  She shrugged. “I thought that forcing him into something before he was an adult was just wrong. The sex thing was only a bit more incentive.”

  He grabbed her hand and kissed it. “A truly wise woman. You now have a planet in your debt.”

  She forked up some of the steamed vegetables. “Really? Nice.”

  Two of us actually. I wonder how many more you will collect over the centuries?

  Centuries? No freaking way. I am not going to live my life alone when everyone I love passes on.

  That means much to you?

  Of course it does. I live, I die, I move on to whatever comes next. If I live beyond the lives of everyone I love, what is left?

  That is something I was asking myself until the day you landed.

  She couldn’t respond to that.

  A man with long white hair, chalk-white skin and vivid red eyes came toward them. He was wearing the same style suit as Ikvaro and she guessed that it was his friend, Pen.

  “I think that your friend is here.” She gestured toward the pale man with her fork.

  Ikvaro turned around and sighed. “Come and have a seat, Pen.”

  Pen ignored him and went down on one knee in front of her. “Pendrikan at your service, Lady Keller. Please call me Pen.”

  She kept eating with one hand. “Call me Aggie and have a seat. This is my first meal in years and it is taking a while. How is Talon?”

  “She wants to speak with you as soon as you are able. The breakdown of it is that you are free and clear of all charges, and if Ikvaro’s report was correct and you are an Avatar, you can have your pick of diplomatic assignments. There are some people that a planet will listen to and they are other Avatars.”

  “I am not very diplomatic.” She bit her lip.

  Ikvaro sighed. “I can help you if you wish. It will require long nights of studying and keeping me at your side at all times, but I think we will be able to manage.”

  Aggie narrowed her eyes but realized that her heart was pounding at the thought of being at his side and learning with that velvety skin brushing against hers.

  There were all sorts of things she could learn with him against her and she wondered if this was going to fall under duty again.

  Pen got to his feet and took a seat, stealing crumbs off her plate. She let him get away with it until he went for her sausage roll. She stabbed him with her eating prong.

  “Ow.”

  “Get your own.” She snarled at him.

  He gave her an intense look and inclined his head. “As the lady wishes.”

  Ikvaro hooted with laughter. “I was going to tell him that you were pheromone proof, but it was more fun to see him try.”

  “I am not proofed, I just don’t react to them without having my brain jump on my impulses.”

  “So, what happens to you when I do this?” He took her hand, turned it around and placed a kiss in her palm.

  “I get warm.”

  “What about this?” He swirled his tongue across her palm and against her wrist.

  She cleared her throat. “That is quite nice.”

  If her voice hadn’t been a tight squeak, it would have been more dismissive, but the satisfied gleam in his eyes made her really nervous.

  She finished her meal just as Pen did.

  “Well, Ikvaro, can you direct me to a com station?”

  “As my lady wishes.”

  He took her hand, said good evening to Pen and led her through the halls of wherever they were, until they reached a secure com station.

  She was authorized to use it and it was a relief to dial up her sister’s code and wait for the response.

  Aggie got nervous when ten minutes went by, but suddenly, the monitor shifted and Aggie’s own face was looking back at her.

  Marty touched the screen and tears dripped down her cheeks. “I was so worried.”

  “Me too. How are the twins?”

  “Starting school.”

  They just paused and let the sight of their mirror image comfort them like nothing else could. Finally, Aggie said, “Well, I got thawed out.”

  “If felt that. There is something more though.”

  “There is. I have the mind of a rogue planet in my mind.”

  “You are an Avatar?”

  Aggie was exasperated. “How can you know what an Avatar is when I had no clue?”

  “They have offered us information. Since you are involved, we got priority on the educational materials. You scared the hell out of me, Aggie. Don’t ever do that again.”

  Aggie felt her own tears flowing. “I won’t. I promise. I will operate on the straight and narrow for the rest of my time out here.”

  Marty smiled through her own tears. “I promise to not hold you to that.”

  “Thanks, Marty. Are we caught up?”

  “Not hardly, but I have seen that you are awake and in one piece. That is enough for today. Go to bed.”

  “I have been asleep for two years.”

  “I never said you had to sleep. I have seen Ikvaro. Go. To. Bed.”

  Blushing, Aggie said, “Good night, Marty. Love you and love to the family.”

  “Spread that love around, Aggie. Have a good night.”

  The unit went dark but Aggie’s soul was soaring with light. Half the light was hers and half was Marty’s.

  She relaxed and realized that she did want to spend time in Ikvaro’s arms, if he was interested.

  Aggie left the com station and he was waiting for her outside.

  “Is everything all right with your sister?”

  “She recommends that I get some bed rest. What do you think?”

  He shuddered. “I think that I promised medical that they could check you over, but after that, I have some private quarters on this station and I think you need some quiet time.”

  The check in at medical only took five minutes. Her system was acclimating rapidly to having Ylor inside. He was content to remain quiet until she called on him. He was going to stay out of her love life until she and he had a talk about his personal new species.

  The soft booties of the suit made no noise on the metal plates as she walked through the station with him.

  “Can I take a shower before we discuss anything?”

  “Of course.”

  “Good. I hate the feeling of the oxygenated goo in my hair.”

  He smiled. “You have looked better.”

  “Charming. Can you scrounge something decent for me to wear? This baggy suit is driving me crazy.”

  They entered the hospitality section and he smiled. “I will see you into the room and then go in search of something suitable.”

  She didn’t trust the look in his eyes, but by that point, she didn’t care. He opened a room, let her in and disappeared.

  Aggie stripped off her
baggy suit and headed for the lav to see what kind of showers were available. With a shriek of delight, she saw not only a shower, but also a deep tub. Actual water came out of the taps. She swore to pay Ikvaro for the surcharge he would incur for the water and she took a fast shower. Once clean, she filled the tub with exotic oils and foaming water. She soaked in the hot water and stayed there until he came through the door.

  He paused at her neck-deep in bubbles. “May I join you?”

  She shrugged. “Sure. You are paying for this after all.”

  “Actually, Wovian is. He has sponsored your entire recovery, including a new wardrobe. He was very impressed with you.”

  As he spoke, he shucked off his uniform, piece by piece. When he was down to nothing but skin, he paused in the shower to remove all traces of dirt, and when he was clean and his hair slicked back, he settled in the tub, his legs rubbing hers.

  Oh boy.

  Chapter Seven

  The tub had seemed large enough when she had been in it alone, but suddenly, she couldn’t move a finger without touching his skin, and even wet, he felt like velvet.

  “Aggie, how are you adapting to the time change from when you went in?”

  It was a nice neutral topic.

  “Fine. My mind is grappling with the idea of my nieces in school already, but having my tether with Marty has probably let my brain feel the ticking of time.”

  “Is Ylor with you now?”

  She chuckled. “Of course. He doesn’t understand bathing, but he is enjoying the feel of my body relaxing. Being cold for so long, he thought my normal state was exceptionally tense.”

  Ikvaro took her arm and tugged at her.

  She let him float her over until she was settled between his thighs, and he started a slow massage of her neck and shoulders.

  “I have been in cold sleep a few times. I know what kind of a toll it takes on the body and mind.”

  “Yes, so you said when I was in training and I shivered my way through two days of recovery. You didn’t offer to rub my shoulders then.”

  “It would have been inappropriate. Now, it is perfectly correct. You are a friend in need of warmth and comfort and I am more than willing to help you as you figure out what you are doing next.”