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  “I have read into the Caneer traditions and we need to have your family present at a wedding, so how are you for living with me before everything is formalized?” He held her hips against his and she blushed at the obvious indicator that showed his enthusiasm for a more intimate moment.

  “Um, not until we have a roof over our heads that is ours. I might not have many standards, but that is one of the few.” She grinned at his disappointment.

  He closed his eyes and sighed. “Well, since we will enjoy the hospitality of Teklan base, we may as well announce our betrothal to the commander.”

  She chuckled. “Betrothal it is.”

  Ali went up on her toes and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips. She teased him with her tongue and he growled, his hands clenching on her waist.

  An incoming shuttle broke their embrace and Ali sighed, taking Baen’s arm as they returned to the administration segment of the base.

  The boardroom was filled with smiles when they returned. Echo grinned at them and leaned against Might as she did so.

  Equilar looked happy but resigned.

  Esur and Roxy were obviously happy, as Roxy was in Esur’s lap and cuddled quietly against him.

  Baengar grinned. “We have agreed to a betrothal. The rest will have to wait until we get a home of our own.”

  Esur nodded. Ali smiled, it was understandable to him. As a Drai, he had had to engage in a formal courtship of Roxy. It was part of his culture and wired into his reproductive system.

  The Oefric were even more rare than the Drai and while they were taking steps into the Alliance now, their traditions were shrouded in mystery. Ali knew of a few, but it seemed that they varied from each controlling council to the actual families.

  They sat and had a discussion of locale and details of what Aliiva could and could not do.

  “I am not a telepath. The information I get goes through a sort of a firewall system. It parks on my skin with a copy of the person’s thoughts and concerns both conscious and unconscious. Excellent for finding bombers, that much I know.”

  Roxy smiled. “That is more than enough. I think that our talents would make a good pairing. You can sense trouble and I can find it.”

  Esur lifted his wife’s hand and kissed her knuckles. “You never have a problem finding trouble on your own, dearest.”

  Roxy punched him. “I know, but having another person with investigative talents is a bonus.”

  Echo grinned. “I agree. I know what is going to happen most of the time but have little idea how we get there. It is very frustrating.”

  Ali laughed. “And you saw me?”

  “And Baengar. You were together in a more muted version of the Sector Guard uniform. We tend to be a little more flashy.” Echo’s grin was infectious.

  “Yes, I have seen that.” She felt Baengar take her hand under the table. “Is it possible to get clothing that shifts with Baengar?”

  He perked up, interested.

  Might leaned back and folded his hands on his chest. “Fixer may have something in the works. We have other shifter members who have gotten adjustments for full or partial shifts. It comes down to funding. Since the Citadel owns your contract for the next three years, you would not be able to get full Guardsman status and funding until then. You will be Citadel members consulting for the Sector Guard. It is a little skewed, but that is the truth of it.”

  “So, we will live here but belong to the Citadel?”

  “Yes.”

  She nodded. “That is fine. I signed up with them because my life was going to take a bizarre turn back home if my government caught on to my talent. This is still better than being a freak on Caneer.”

  Echo lifted her glass of water. “To being a freak amongst freaks!”

  Aliiva and Baengar toasted with the others. Despite their peculiar courtship situation, this was something they could agree on without reservation. “To being a freak amongst freaks!”

  Chapter Ten

  Three weeks later…

  Alara had a serious face, surprising for the normally chipper woman who saw multiple futures at the same time. “I am serious. You have an assignment, Ali.”

  “Does Baen know?” Aliiva was wrist deep in dirt. The gardens outside the base needed tending before the mild winter would take hold.

  “He does. He’s prepping that little shuttle as we speak. Brodin is waiting to give you details, so wash up and get going.” Alara put her hands on her hips and stomped her foot.

  Chuckling, she got to her feet and washed her hands, giving the gardener some quick instructions on how to winterize the alien plants growing in Teklan soil.

  When she finished, she walked with Alara back to the base and ran into Finder and Frost, both in their uniforms with serious faces.

  Brodin was waiting for them in the boardroom and Baengar arrived as they took their seats.

  The base commander dove right in. “The king of Urin Cor is in a coma due to an attempted assassination. His heirs are circling and the queen is afraid that they will hasten his end. We need to go and investigate the circumstances around the initial attempt and analyze any and all persons who could have anything to do with trying to kill the king.

  “If the king’s middle son gains the throne, a number of treatises will be broken and one of the largest shipping lanes in this sector will be compromised. The Alliance is concerned and so we will go and investigate. Are you ready to travel?”

  The two Guardsmen and Citadel investigators nodded.

  “Good. Frost, Finder, you take your shuttle and wait for Baengar and Aliiva to join you. The shuttles will be wrapped together for a jump and you can be on your way. I will see you when you return. Good luck.”

  His horns flashed in the light and he dismissed them.

  Aliiva was oddly excited. “This will be different.”

  Baengar smiled down at her. “I am sure it will be. Every assignment is different. You never know what you will experience until you are in the thick of it.”

  He held out his hand and she took it. The calluses that building their home had caused sent a specific thrill across her skin. She bit her lip to stifle a sigh. The house was almost finished and Esur had given them property in the centre of an orchard. It was a compromise both to the Oefric territorial tendency as well as Aliiva’s farming roots.

  “Do you know how this wrap thing will work?” She was a little nervous about the very idea of connecting to another ship.

  “Nope. It is a Sector Guard specific invention that allows a crippled ship to travel with one of their shuttles. I have never experienced it firsthand.” He lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to her inner wrist.

  “This does not count as a roof of our own, Baen.”

  They stepped into the shuttle and he sealed the door behind them. Ali took the navigator station and strapped in.

  Baen grinned and took the pilot’s seat. “I can keep trying. It doesn’t mean you have to say yes.”

  She snickered and keyed in the flight plan. “I can say no indefinitely. It is one of the perks of my gender.”

  That she wanted to jump into bed with him and stay there for weeks was not something she was willing to mention. It matched his desires too closely and the tiniest crack in their self-control might be all it took.

  “Why are we going in a separate transport?” She held on as they lifted off and climbed through the skies of Teklan.

  “The Guardsmen may be called away at a moment’s notice. To be stuck with them would not be in our best interests.”

  She couldn’t fault the wisdom of that decision. “When do I put on my uniform?”

  He laughed, “As soon as we are wrapped tightly to their shuttle. At that moment, we can wander around in here all we like.”

  She watched the darkness of the sky grow until they were leaving orbit and drifting in space, waiting for the Guardsmen.

  “Okay, while we wait, I am going to put on my uniform.” She unbuckled, left her seat and removed her tunic
and trousers while walking to the storage bins.

  Wearing nothing but her underwear while looking through the bins was a bit of a tease for Baen, but their lav was too small to change in.

  “Aha! Found them.”

  Baen’s voice sounded strangled, but he said, “The bodysuits are not designed to be worn over clothing. They have insulation that helps maintain an even body heat.”

  She pulled out the unremarkable grey suit and frowned at it. The design was pleasant enough but very boring when compared to the glowing colours of the Sector Guard.

  With a shiver, she removed her underwear, folded it neatly and then stepped into the suit, pulling it up to cover her hips and then slipped her arms in before closing the front. It was tight, snug but not binding.

  The collar came halfway up her neck, but the fabric was definitely warm. A pair of boots was also in the storage area and they completed the grey-on-grey look. With her pale hair, she felt distinctly monochromatic.

  She folded her trousers and tunic and tucked her shoes and all of her things into an empty cabinet.

  She wiggled her toes in the new boots and regained her seat at the navigator station. “I think I should change planet-side from here on out. It felt weird having you stare at me while I got dressed.”

  Baen seemed a little flushed, but he watched the approaching Sector Guard shuttle with intensity. “How could I pass up the opportunity? A birthmark in the shape of a shooting star. That is not that usual.”

  “Family birthmark for the oldest child. It is how they know to watch for talent to appear.” She smiled and listened for the impact of the Guard shuttle.

  They gently collided and the moment that the magnets sealed them together, a blur of silvery white wrap swathed them before it tightened to hold the ships together.

  “This is Frost, calling Citadel ship Howler.”

  “This is the Howler, Are we ready?”

  Ali could hear the smile in Frost’s voice. “Disengage your systems and relax. We are going to start moving in twenty seconds.”

  “Acknowledged. Howler is in standby.” Baen reached out, flipped the toggles and leaned over to kiss her. Ali gasped and leaned up into the wet heat of his mouth.

  He drew back and winked as he went to the storage area to dig out his own uniform.

  Unable to keep facing forward, Ali rotated her chair and watched him strip to his skin.

  Biting her lip kept the gasp from blurting out, but seeing the scars over muscle caused an ache in her heart that matched the one low in her belly. He had been through a lot and she was torturing him out of some custom that she didn’t really believe in. Her disappointment in the wasted time welled in her and she promised herself that regrets would not be her legacy.

  The ride to their assignment was short. A quick jump and a trip through a small star system and they were on their way down.

  Frost assured her that their shuttle would not injure hers when they landed, but he thought it would be best for the ships to be considered as one when they disembarked.

  The upper hatch was ready and Baen was standing by to boost her into the Guardsmen’s shuttle, since that was where the exit was.

  The moment that they touched down, Ali unbuckled and was followed closely by Baen to the hatch. Finder smiled down at them through the hole and as Baen pitched her through, Ali fought her squeak of panic.

  “Shoulders back, chin up and don’t flinch when the guys stare at your breasts. It is the side effect to these uniforms.”

  Finder brushed a small fleck of lint off Ali’s uniform and smiled at her.

  Baen came through the hatch and sealed it behind him. Anyone searching their vessels would not find entrance into the Howler.

  Finder continued the briefing. “The queen is coming out to greet us. Do not speak to her and simply try and look calm and composed.”

  Ali jumped as Baen pressed against her from behind, a wall of heat, muscle and male. “Calm and composed are my middle name.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The light was dim compared to the glow of Teklan’s sun. Ali walked behind Frost and Finder with Baen.

  The queen came forward and based on the dark circles around her eyes, she was very worried indeed.

  Bearing in mind all of the etiquette that Equilar had drummed into her, she waited while Finder and Frost made the introductions.

  The queen gave a bitter smile. “Simply Aliiva of the Citadel?”

  Baengar inclined his head. “Aliiva of the Citadel, apprentice to Equilar Deeha of the Moreski and Combat Journeyman of the Oefric Enclave of Raxos.”

  Aliiva almost arched her brows in surprise but kept her expression bland. Frost and Finder looked amused.

  The queen’s attitude immediately changed. She came forward and took both of Aliiva’s hands. “Welcome. I am sure that someone with your credentials will be more than capable of getting to the bottom of this.”

  Aliiva didn’t follow her logic, but she followed Baengar Lekkal, Combat Master of the Oefric Enclave of Raxos into the palace.

  The queen took them past the guards, the court and those vying for the throne. “My husband is here. You may touch him if it helps your readings.”

  Aliiva smiled, nodded to Finder and knelt at the side of the ailing king. Before she touched him, she did a reading of the queen’s contact points. The queen was in love with her occasionally abusive husband and thought him a good king if a mediocre spouse. Aliiva pushed aside all other thoughts and cleared her mind to take the king’s hand.

  The hand was cool, dry and did not belong to the king. Aliiva gestured to Finder and whispered in her ear.

  “Are you sure?”

  Aliiva simply blinked.

  “Fine, I will look.”

  Aliiva stood back and watched the Guardsman go to work.

  The queen fidgeted and stared as Finder stood still and opened her senses. Ali felt a prickle along her skin while Frost and Baengar were on full alert. Both men bristled with tension and a need for action.

  Ali could not tell Baen what was going on, though his eyes were clearly curious. The man in the bed was a close match to the king who had been altered to make him the body in the bed. Durkinar Halos was the dying man and the folk who had captured the king had produced him as a substitute.

  Knowing that Finder was hard at work, Ali shifted so that she could speak to the queen quietly.

  “Your Majesty, when was the king last seen up and around before he was found?”

  The queen blushed. “He was brought back from the town like this. His guards and two nobles were with him.”

  Ali ran through the thoughts still in her mind and quickly moved to speak to Finder. “Can you check the village brothels? He was at a house with a scarlet and black door. That is where he had his seizure.”

  Finder nodded and started to walk toward the entrance, Frost in tow. Aliiva and Baengar followed.

  Baen asked her, “What are we looking for?”

  “A brothel with a scarlet door. What the queen has not mentioned to anyone outside her circle is that her husband was brought back from a regular brothel visit in the coma. Two nobles and his regular guards were with him, carrying him back to the palace.”

  “So the switch occurred at the brothel?”

  “That is my guess.”

  Finder took them directly to it and the door opened easily when the eyes on the other side beheld Frost and Baengar through the slot in the wood.

  They entered in a rush, Finder leading the way. Frost broke down the door Finder pointed to and he and Baengar enjoyed subduing the men inside. With a bit of grim enjoyment, Ali took care of the women who tried to defend their subversive revenue stream.

  Finally getting to use the combat skills that Baen had drummed into her was perversely satisfying. She kicked, struck and knocked down several of the women. Three tripped over their own skirts trying to run away and it brought back Baen’s admonition to never let anything foul her ability to run or fight.

  Baen l
ifted the king in his arms and paused next to her. “Can you confirm this one?”

  She touched the man’s hand and examined the trace. “He isn’t a nice fellow to be in bed with, but he’s the king. Let’s get him home.”

  Finder led the way and Frost barricaded all the exits from the exterior to ensure that the authorities would have plenty of folk to blame.

  It was time to catch the ring leaders and get the king back onto his throne.

  He came out of sedation quickly. The earls were arrested and their little quartet had to provide some answers. The queen stood at her husband’s side with the glow of relief in her eyes.

  “What about my body double, what part did he have in this?” The king’s voice was weak, but firm.

  Ali had to step forward and she bowed. “He was chosen because of his resemblance to you. He is unaware of anything that has occurred and if you would be so generous as to simply have his features altered and have him told that he was in an accident and this is his new face, I am sure that his wife and three children would be grateful to have him back.”

  “How do you know this? He could not have told you. He was in a coma.”

  She smiled slightly. “The same way I knew that he was not you. It is my talent, Your Majesty.”

  “You also identified me at the scene, did you not?”

  “I did, Your Majesty.”

  “How do you know that I am me and not another duplicate?”

  This was tricky. “How frank may I be, Your Majesty?”

  A gleam came to his eyes. “How frank do you need to be?”

  “I read the queen when I first arrived. Your memories and hers coincided on several points. Is that enough?”

  He took his wife’s hand and pressed a kiss to it. “It is enough. You are to receive the iridium star and our thanks for your help in getting me back where I belong.”

  She smiled and bowed. “It was our pleasure to be of service. Thank you and I wish you a speedy recovery to full health. Good afternoon, Your Majesty.”

  What she was doing was the height of rudeness, but she wanted to get away from him. Finder and Frost looked at her in shock, but Baengar moved to wrap one arm around her waist. Just that small gesture made her breathe easier.