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  “I would like to see one of these cities.” An eagerness to learn was riding her hard.

  “We will go on a city-by-city tour tomorrow with our new companions. For today, let me give you a tour of our base and you can do what you like at that point.”

  She wrinkled her nose but nodded. “Please. Thank you.”

  He showed her a staircase that ran along the outer wall. It led to the next level, which was a dining hall built for dozens with rich tables and carved chairs at every place.

  She checked the food dispenser, nodding when her ration style was in heavy stock and found a surprisingly well-stocked chiller. The tea equipage was lovely and delicate, the handle-less cups fit easily against her palm.

  Iridia made a pot of tea out of reflex. Something about having tea in a place made it more comfortable for her senses. She loaded a tray and carried it to a table near the wide, huge window. “Would you care to join me?”

  Zanthan took a chair with a narrow back and sat next to her, staring out at the fields and mountains. “You moved like you knew where everything was.”

  “Did I? I learn quickly. That was why I was selected, was it not?”

  He smiled and his ruby eyes warmed. “That was it. It is amazing how quickly.”

  He put his hand over hers and stroked her fingers. She picked up on the contact and the heat that followed. He had a chemical seduction built into his body.

  “That is exceptionally sneaky. You could just tell me that my eyes are pretty.” Iridia gave him a look beneath her lashes.

  He jerked his fingers back. “I thought your people were susceptible to my kind.”

  “They might be, but I have a very alert brain that analyzes every change in my physiology as it occurs. You are very attractive, but there is no way I should be fantasizing about crawling into your lap after having known you for a few minutes or hours.”

  “I apologize. I am used to acting on my impulses.”

  “Get un-used to it. Your impulses do not control my actions. Mine do. Chemically seducing me might not end that well when the effect wears off. Speaking of that. Where is the armoury?”

  He winced. “One floor below us. You can select your preferred items and take them back to your quarters.”

  She poured tea for him. “Good. If I am on strange lands, I prefer to be armed.”

  Iridia picked up her own tea and sipped as she looked out at the beautiful vista beyond. As Grethan set, bands of stars were appearing through the deepening blue of the sky. The first moon crept into view and then the second and the third.

  Iridia walked to the window and stood, watching her first alien sky. Her heart thudded in her chest.

  “It is impressive, is it not?”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat. “It is. Very. When I dreamed, I could not have imagined a place such as this.”

  He stood next to her and carefully put his hands on her shoulders, not touching her skin. “My father came from that planet over there.”

  He pointed and she followed the line to a steel and sapphire marble in the distance.

  He told her quietly about Roscor Ibin and his love for Sivengea, and his death. Zanthan’s first years of life had been with his grandparents, and from there, he grew to know his mother, the Avatar of a star. All had been recorded in his father’s and grandfather’s journals so that he would know where he had come from.

  Iridia smiled and patted his hand, “Knowing where you come from helps you choose where to go.”

  “I have made some wrong choices, but now, I believe I am where I am supposed to be.”

  She looked up into his fantastical colouring and smiled. “I was thinking just the same thing.”

  Chapter Six

  The first night on a new world was restless. Her body didn’t want to sleep, but her mind was insistent. She needed to be at her best when she met the other two Guardians.

  After a series of unsatisfying catnaps, she walked across the bridge and headed for the armoury.

  Blast sticks were her favourite weapons, but they were a little heavy for her. She picked up the set on the wall and hefted them. They were surprisingly light. Iridia smiled and twirled them around and around, lunging, twisting and blocking an invisible attacker.

  “Okay, keeping these.” She looked around and found a holster for them that fit her waist with a little effort. She strapped it around her thighs above her knees and settled the blast sticks in place.

  The next choice was a set of short blades designed for close-combat stabbing. If the sticks didn’t work, she would need the blades.

  “I thought I saw a light down here.”

  The voice surprised her, and she acted with her new instincts.

  She whipped one of the blades at him, and he swept out a wing, knocking the knife aside with a metallic clang.

  Zanthan crossed his arms and tapped his foot. “Really? After only one day, I deserve a slap, but a knife?”

  “Sorry. You startled me. I don’t have any additional senses to figure out if someone is coming.”

  He grinned. “That is usually my job.”

  She looked at him blankly until a slow blush moved up her body. “Funny.”

  He uncrossed his arms and walked toward her. “I thought so. Doesn’t your species sleep?”

  “We do, but apparently, today, I don’t.”

  “Would you care to test out those weapons?” He continued to approach until he was inches from her.

  “I thought I already did. I need to work on my release though. You shouldn’t have been able to block it.”

  He grinned. “That is my talent. My body is impenetrable. Nothing can get under my skin.”

  There was a suggestive lilt to his tone, but she stiffened her backbone, walked around him and retrieved her knife. It was wedged in one of his flight feathers, but when she tried to tug it loose, it would not come.

  “Bring it to me. You won’t be able to get it out.”

  She scowled and yanked at it; to her surprise, the two came apart in her hands. She nearly sent both items flying.

  Iridia handed him his feather. It was as hard as the steel in her other hand but so thin, she was surprised it did not cut her.

  He blinked in surprise. “You should not have been able to do that.”

  “And yet I did. I have no idea how. I was just refusing to let go of the pickle jar.”

  “The what?”

  He trailed after her while she walked to the sparring mat several meters away.

  “We seal food in glass with a flexible seal and metal lid on top. Vacuum sealing locks in flavour and keeps out air but creates difficulty for those with weak grips. Many women look to their husbands to open the pickle jar, but they don’t give up without a fight.”

  “Ah. I understand now.”

  Explaining a Terran social specificity was a new experience. She settled on the mat and looked at him. “Knives or sticks?”

  “Whatever you are most comfortable with—”

  He didn’t finish speaking, her blade raked along his forearm and up his bicep. The left hand flashed, and she continued to hack at him until her blades were dull and her muscles were humming. He struck out at her with his wings; she flattened herself on the mat and rolled when he powered his fist into the floor next to her. Apparently, he took her attack seriously.

  She grabbed the blast sticks and blocked his next attack, skidding his other fist to the side. When his wings rose to slice down at her, she kicked upward then lowered her sticks to touch his chest, sending a shock charge through him that sent him flipping backward.

  Iridia got to her feet and gasped for breath. Her lungs were working hard, but she sheathed her weapons and went to help Zanthan to his feet.

  He was shaking his head. “What the hell was that?”

  “Blast sticks. They are used on heavy-grav worlds for riot control.” She held out her hand and helped him up.

  “I saw them there, but
I thought that they were just sticks. I have no idea how they got on the requisition roster.”

  “Perhaps one of the newcomers is a heavy-grav representative?”

  He shook his head. “No. One is Helcorian, the other is Gusna.”

  “I am going to have to look those species up.”

  He grinned. “They are both compatible species with yours, but I request that you don’t make your choice swiftly. If you must choose between us, choose wisely.”

  She laughed. “Not liking your chances?”

  “I am very attracted to you, but as you are wise to my ways, I cannot use the normal methods I employ. You and I will be working together and I need to strike a balance with you. I must confess, you have sent my senses tumbling and my thoughts whirling.”

  Iridia blushed and faded in front of him.

  She tiptoed away and resettled her weapons.

  He looked around for her. “That is very disconcerting.”

  She snickered and his head swivelled toward her. She noted his extremely pointed ears poking through his hair. A sudden thought occurred to her. “Why are you awake?”

  “As the child of an Avatar, I do not sleep. It is not necessary. I get my power from the sun.”

  “Even at night?”

  “The moons reflect it back at me. I can store the energy for days, but I do sleep when I am so inclined. I just don’t need to.”

  “So, why were you up tonight?”

  He walked up to her and put his hand on her arm, stroking upward until he cupped her jaw.

  “There was someone that I was thinking about, and when I saw the light in the armoury, I knew you were awake as well.” Zanthan leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips.

  She blinked at the chaste brush of lips against hers. Her stomach flipped, and she felt the sensation continue until her body hummed. It was a pebble dropped in a lake. She had no idea where the ripples were leading, but she was enjoying the display.

  When he slowly pulled back, she licked her lips and he smiled. She blushed and disappeared again when she realized he could see her.

  He laughed and stroked his thumb down her cheek. “I am throttling my impulses.”

  She stepped out of his grip. “Good. It has been a very eventful day. Would you care for some tea?”

  He chuckled. “Please.”

  She exhaled in relief and turned her back to him, becoming visible on the stairs leading upward. He was behind her a moment later.

  Iridia smiled, as she was able to engage in the safe routine of brewing tea. When she carried the tray to a table on the opposite side from the one she had sat at a few hours earlier, he caught on and grabbed another narrow-backed chair.

  “The sunrise is something to see, though I am rather biased.”

  She set the tray down and poured them each a cup. They sat in the quiet and conversation turned to family.

  “Are your parents still living?”

  Iridia sipped at her tea. “They are or at least they were when I left them a few months ago.”

  “Do you miss them?”

  “I don’t really know them. My mother and father are strangers to me. They met and married because it was what they were supposed to do. They had a child for the same reason, and when I had been produced, like some token of their marriage, they left me with caregivers to teach and educate me. I do not miss them.”

  He stilled at that. “That must have been a hard way to live.”

  “It is what shaped my talent. I could be with my parents if they could not see or hear me. I was not to distract them from their research.”

  Zanthan visibly winced. “I see.”

  She chuckled. “You already knew. It was in my file.”

  He took her hand and held it. “Be quiet and watch the sunrise. Grethan looks wonderful coming over those mountains.”

  She felt the chemical seduction moving through her, but as her arousal rose, her tension faded. He was more than a one-trick pony.

  “Everything looks a little different in the dawn.”

  He gave her a surprised look, and she could swear that he smiled at her, but the light bathed his features and stole her focus.

  It was a beautiful morning.

  Chapter Seven

  The newcomers were dropped off by another Guardian transport. Iridia wished that the human pilot had come inside, but that wasn’t the mission.

  The two new Guardians walked into the courtyard and looked around them in amazement.

  Iridia was at Zanthan’s side, and they walked out together.

  Crokix was the Gusna. His emerald green skin glowed and the dome of his skull was quite pretty in the noon light. The minute scales caused light to shatter and dance when it touched him. His eyes were the most soothing blue. Iridia could have looked into them forever.

  Orwip was the Helcorian. His armoured onyx skin looked warm, but his golden eyes were cold and calm.

  Zanthan completed the introductions. “Crokix is our telekinetic; Orwip is possessed of not only incredible strength but a voice that can hypnotize large groups. Gentlemen, this is Iridia. She has weapons training and the talent of invisibility.”

  Iridia clasped hands in turn in Nyal fashion. “Welcome to Tharos Prime”

  The two men sized her up, and she ignored it.

  Zanthan cleared his throat. “Please, come with me and I will show you your quarters.”

  The men each had a bag with them. They nodded and followed Zanthan.

  Iridia headed up her tower and over to the hub. The only access points were the four towers connected by the bridges. She stared at the dais and walked up to it, drumming her fingers on her arms. It called to her and woke her curiosity. She was very used to following where her urge for education led by this point.

  She made tea for four, and she waited instead of leaping through the gate. Sipping at her tea, she stared out at the mountains. It was odd to be on a world and restricted from complete exploration.

  She wanted to see, to touch, to taste and to learn. She groaned and pressed her hand to her forehead. She had to stop thinking about Zanthan. Rushing into a relationship was not in the cards.

  When the men appeared, they were dressed in the same manner as Zanthan. Apparently, it was a uniform.

  “I have tea here if anyone is interested.” The table she was at was set for four so that all would have a good view of the surrounding territory.

  They all sat for tea and she poured and handed out the cups, clockwise from her left.

  Crokix asked her. “When did you arrive?”

  “Yesterday. My flight was early.”

  Orwip smiled. “You received Guardian transport as well?”

  “I did. The ship was most charming.”

  Crokix scowled. “We would not know. Our pilot put us into cold sleep for the journey. She and her mate do not like to be bothered.”

  “What was your pilot’s name?”

  Orwip grunted, “Garden.”

  “Her ship doesn’t have guest quarters. It is all taken up with experimental plants.” She smiled brightly. “With her picking you up, you would have had to camp out in the cargo hold. Sleep capsules were just neater.”

  Crokix asked, “How do you know that?”

  “I told you, my pilot was charming. We discussed the others at length. All the pilots were once members of my species.”

  Orwip asked, “What are they now?”

  “Pilots.” Her clipped words closed the subject.

  Zanthan looked at her with respect.

  She smiled, “If anyone is hungry, the food dispenser is over there. It appears to be stocked with our four species in mind.”

  Zanthan chuckled as she stipulated with that one outburst that she was not there to make dinner. Iridia sipped at her tea and left it at that.

  When everyone had enjoyed a meal and was ready, Zanthan asked the question, “Are we ready to meet the inhabitants that we will be protecting?”<
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  They rose as one and headed to the dais.

  Crokix asked, “How does this work?”

  “We simply ask Tharos where we should go.”

  Iridia spoke, “Tharos, where should we go today?”

  Black light shot up from the floor, and Iridia bent her knees to land wherever she was being thrown.

  The light faded and they were in a different place. It was a cross between a cavern and a temple.

  Zanthan identified the area. “We are about to enter the city playing host to the Dexfort-liro.”

  Iridia winced. “They are the most recent arrivals; they were horribly treated.”

  “You read the information that you were given.” Zanthan smiled.

  “I did. I am familiar with their situations and the reasons they were brought here. Some are communities of hundreds, some thousands, but all have nowhere else to go.”

  Zanthan led them off the dais and up a set of stairs.

  Iridia briefed the other two. “The Dexfort-liro contingent were removed from their world for protesting the passive invasion by the Ventoran.”

  “Why did the Ventoran invade?”

  “They needed to expand. Their population overran their available space. They asked for space for a colony, and when they were not invited, they simply came anyway.”

  Orwip asked, “Isn’t there a Ventoran colony here?”

  Iridia lifted the front edge of her skirt as she kept climbing stairs. “There is. They are all celibate and wish to die out. The aggressive encroachment of their people is offensive to them and to fight against it has become their religion. It is best to think of them as a holy order. They will not last out the century.”

  As they climbed to the surface, she told them about the other races—the Krassos, Liankur, Wenshiak, Duforian and Yitva.

  The Yitva were of intense interest to Crokix. He had never met a cloned species before.

  Orwip remained quiet as they climbed, and when they opened the door, Iridia heard his gasp right behind her.

  She smiled and followed Zanthan into the light. She stood next to him and took his hand. To see a live city after the stillness of the base was incredible.