by Beth Sadler
Chapter 1
Triena Songhelm stared intently at the large viewing screen above the control panel.
“Hail Hera,” she muttered anxiously under her breath.
The two soldiers in the cave were in serious danger and one of them was the man she had been sent to contact. Her senior team leader, Teril Halidon, was bonded to this man’s sister and would not be happy if he was killed before the wedding ceremony.
Teril was a renowned genetic scientist on Teeron and had taken her under his wing after her graduation from the Interplanetary Science Academy. As his assistant she had learned more about human genetics and alien biology than could ever be learned from pure study.
Triena was so grateful for Teril’s help with her career that she desperately wanted to succeed with this undertaking, paying him back in some small way. It had seemed so simple and such a good way of showing appreciation when he had asked it of her. But, “Hail Hera,” she sighed loudly in frustration, everything had gone wrong almost as soon as she set course from Australia in the transporter.
First, Jethro James hadn’t been on the base when she checked secretly three nights ago; apparently he had just left on this mission and now, after searching the area for two, tension filled days she finds him about to get killed. Some days it just didn’t pay to be a galactic traveller from Teeron.
Coming to a decision Triena turned to the other member of the transporter’s crew and laid out her rescue plan. Staren Coren was the other member of the crew and one of the toughest fighters in the Guardian Group; she was also extremely beautiful, not that she let that get in the way of her job.
Staren and Triena had served together as Guardians for several years and were firm friends, they had remained thus even after Triena’s transfer over to Galactic Science Services. Staren knew how important her studies in genetics with Teril were to Triena, she had studied hard for this opportunity. However, it looked like her training as a Guardian was going to be of more use in the immediate future.
The Guardians were the elite troops who protected the people of Teeron, in the same way as the police force and army did for the people of Earth.
“We’ll hover over the men until dark; then I’ll quickly drop down on the harness in the tractor beam before the enemy out there can rush them.” She looked mildly worried but, not even slightly afraid; this was familiar ground for her. “It’s a darn nuisance that this ship becomes visible when the beam is activated but, I’ll have to take the chance on being spotted. They won’t last much longer without our help.”Triena took a deep, calming breath, readying herself for action.
“I’m the official acting guardian on this ship, shouldn’t I be the one to go down and make contact?” queried Staren.
“No, this way is the only way. You don’t speak fluent English and we need to communicate quickly and quietly in order to extract them safely.”
Staren nodded in understanding and agreement.
“I will do my part, Triena you will be extracted as fast as possible.”Triena smiled back at her friend before speaking again.
“I know you will perform in your usual excellent manner; now to the details. I’ll go down on the tractor beam in the harness, while you stun the enemy soldiers with as much light as possible—that should surprise them and hold them off long enough for me to get the two men into the harness. I’ll send them up to you immediately; just return the harness quickly please because the light won’t blind the enemy for long.
Thirty tension filled minutes later, darkness fell, suddenly and completely. Stars filled the sky like so many glittering diamonds on black velvet.
Suddenly, light blazed out from several places on the transporter, piercing the night, illuminating the Taliban’s positions and blinding everyone in a hundred metre area. Cloaked men scattering in all directions, stunned by the light and eager to scurry away from its betraying glow. Wary faces tried to work out what this new threat meant to the balance of the battle.
Triena landed lightly on the ground directly behind Jethro and Sam, shocking them with her sudden appearance. Jethro swung around pulling his knife smoothly from its scabbard as he prepared to demolish this new enemy. No one would take him easily; the SASR motto was ‘Who Dares Wins’ and Jethro would dare anything to save his friend.
“Please, come with me immediately if you wish to live.” Triena bravely held her arms wide in a gesture of surrender. “I am a friend of your sister Tasha and she sends a message and information for you to consider.”
Jethro stopped his attack in mid stride and just stared at the gorgeous six foot tall woman standing so innocently before him. Sapphire blue eyes gazed urgently into his as she spoke softly, her English perfect although, slightly accented.
She wore a silver suit of some kind of close fitting fabric that displayed her luscious curves to very eye catching advantage. Long, gleaming black hair, streamed in soft waves down her slender back, arranged in a low pony-tail.
She studied him calmly, waiting for his decision.
Behind her dangled a harness that she had obviously just unclipped from; its cable running up into the sky towards a lighted hatch. It looked like ‘The Powers That Be’ had sent a prototype helicopter in to save them. Swinging back to Sam he hoisted him over his shoulder and strode swiftly towards the cable, no sense in wasting a perfectly good rescue by waiting around. Turning back to get Triena’s attention he cheerfully barked out an order.
“Let’s go honey, those devils won’t stay quiet for long, they’ll be on our tails soon enough.” Giving his rescuer one final, admiring glance he whispered a silent prayer to fate, he seriously hoped that his rescuer was single because, she certainly had his attention. However, survival came first.
Hooking Sam to the harness he looked for the extra clips for his gorgeous saviour and himself. Grabbing Triena by the arm he pulled her close and finding the hook on her utility belt he clipped her onto the line. “Is there another clip for me or will I wait for the next trip?”He casually inquired as if there was no urgency to the matter.
“There are only two clips. I will wait for the harness to return.” Triena answered firmly as she made to unclip herself from the line.
“No way, pretty lady, I’ll get the next trip, or go with you and Sam now; if the line will take my weight?”
“The cable is strong enough but, there is no way to clip you on. A tractor beam steadies it so that we don’t move around, more than two people and we’ll start swinging. You’ll fall, it’s a hundred metres to the hatch—you’ll lose your grip.” Triena was now frantically trying to dislodge his strong grip on her hands as he stopped her from unclipping.
“No problem, we’ll all go together. I guarantee you, if it means getting out of here you’ll think I’m welded to that cable, I’m SASR, I can hold on for a few metres, don’t sweat it lady.”
His determined tone convinced Triena that she was just wasting time; lifting her com-watch to her mouth and speaking fast in a language that Jethro had never heard before; she gave the order to haul them up. “Hail Hera” she hoped that her boss’s prospective brother–in-law was as strong as he looked.
It only took Jethro five seconds after his feet touched the deck of the transporter and saw the other crew member to realise that something was not quite as he had thought. His first clue was that they looked amazingly alike, his second was when they conversed rapidly in a language that so far he hadn’t heard before but, understood every word of immediately.
He and his sister Tasha had a facility for languages that was, to put it bluntly, a bit spooky. They had always kept quiet about their abilities however. The strange fact was, that after hearing any language spoken for an hour or so, they could understand it completely, also speak it fluently.
Somehow this was totally different. This was an immediate understanding that felt familiar, as if it was his first language not a new, foreign one. It also didn’t sound as if they were from anywhere on Earth that he had ever heard of. Weird! But, very, very i
nteresting.
Triena turned towards where Sam lay on the hard deck once more unconscious. With an ease that astonished Jethro, she swung him up into her arms and swiftly carried him towards a large, shiny metal tube and placed him inside.
“Hey, wait up.” Jethro reached out to take Sam from her arms.
“Do not worry Jethro James, your friend is safe, I am only placing him in the Oxyzon, it will help him to heal. I am told by other members of your race that it resembles an advanced form of hyperbaric chamber, so you should understand what work it is doing”
Jethro’s fierce green eyes searched the calm, beautiful face before him and somehow knew that Sam was safe in her hands.
“Okay, I just need a minute to assimilate what’s happening here. Not that I’m not grateful for the rescue---we were in a sticky situation when you suddenly appeared out of the sky.” Jethro let the first smile in days cross his face, making even his dirty blood streaked visage look handsome. “I forgot to say “Thanks” in the all the rush to get the hell out of there.” His smile widened into a mischievous grin as he leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead. “Thanks again.”
He chuckled at her sudden start of surprise. The shock on her face was a bit off-putting but, he thought wryly, he supposed he wasn’t looking his best at the moment. His short, dark auburn hair and beard were crusted with red dirt and dried blood. And his clothes stank so badly he could have backed up a skunk.
“Where are we heading now, back to base?”
“No, I cannot take you to your base; you must make your own way there. We will deliver you to a safe area as soon as your friend is healed enough to walk.” Jethro immediately went on wary alert at her words. Triena noticed his expression and rushed to reassure him. “First, you and I must speak of your sister Tasha and my mission.” Triena waved towards a group of luxurious recliner style seats arranged in a circle in the middle of the room. “Please sit while I explain. But, before I begin, first tell me where your pick-up zone is to be so that Staren can plot a course.”
Jethro glanced over at the other woman who was already sitting at a control panel set into the wall below a massive screen, her fingers swiftly tapping over lighted buttons.
He saw his little cave displayed on the screen for a second then, the next minute it was just a distant dot on the landscape, before they accelerated at phenomenal speed towards the horizon. Obviously they hadn’t been worried about being seen or they’d have got the hell out of there before now.
“You weren’t worried about getting away quickly?” Jethro queried Triena.
“We have a cloaking device that makes us invisible to detection, except for the short time that the hatch is open and the tractor beam breaks the contact. Obviously we move as quickly as possible then,” answered Triena.
Jethro looked intrigued by her answer and then let his gaze drift intently around the room; it was too large to call it a cabin. His gaze settled with intense interest on the oxyzon and several other unusual objects.
“I get the feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore Toto,” he muttered softly to himself, before continuing out loud in a more serious tone. “What has Tasha got to do with this set-up of yours lady? Come to think of it, I don’t even know your name never mind where all this help has come from?” He queried Triena with a raised eyebrow.
“My name is Triena Songhelm but, that is not important. The important information I have for you is that your sister is bonded to my employer who is a genetic scientist from Teeron.” He and your sister asked me to contact you and make sure you made it back safely to Australia for the wedding ceremony.” Taking a deep breath Triena finished her message, as so far Jethro hadn’t run screaming for the escape hatch. “Teril Halidon also asks for your help in buying a special gift for her as is the tradition in your Earth courting ritual.”
Jethro sank deeper into the generously upholstered seat, shock keeping him silent. What the hell did all of this mean, was he delirious and actually still in the mountain cave? Was this all in his imagination?
Biting his lip until he drew blood he was soon assured of his conscious state by the pain that action evoked. Damn! It appeared that the aliens had landed and he had a new threat to handle. Realising that he had been too complacent about their situation he sprang to his feet, finally deciding the time had come to get pro-active. Striding over to the oxyzon he peered down through a glass panel at a quietly sleeping Sam and tried to work out how to get him out. He seemed fine, and had good healthy colour in his face for the first time in three days, Jethro noted in relief but, he needed to get him the hell away from here.
“I don’t get the courting ritual bit or the bonded story, least of all do I get this vessel or you.” Jethro spat out as he turned, pining Triena to her seat with a fierce gaze as, he gave up on working the controls of the oxyzon. Hell, where was a good hammer when you needed one. He thought.
Triena realised that the situation was getting awkward; Jethro wasn’t a man who liked to feel powerless or confused. She quickly decided that plain talk was the answer, he needed information and she had no doubt that he could handle the truth, after all, he was Tasha’s brother as well as SASR trained.
“I’ll explain everything if you will just take a seat and calm down. First, please be assured of your safety and that of your friend. I only wish to deliver my message and enlist your help with the buying of your sister’s gift. If you need more reassurance just listen to this recording.” Triena tapped her com-watch and waited with curiosity for Jethro’s reaction.
Three voices echoed into the room coming from hidden speakers, speaking a language that was previously unheard of to Jethro. It appeared to be a recording of all the conversations that had taken part since Jethro had come on board. Nothing strange about that except that added to the two women’s voices was one male voice, Jethro’s, and he was casually speaking the same language. Not English in response to Triena’s English, as he had thought he was doing. Shock kept him immobile and silent.
“You see, you and your sister are one of us; descendents of an honoured Teeron who bonded and took as a life-mate your Earth ancestor, nearly one hundred years ago. Our scientists only found out about your existence a short time ago and are now seeking out all descendents of that bonding. We wish to offer you help in understanding your special abilities.”
Triena gave him a knowing look as she continued her story. “Apparently the mixing of the races has produced some----” Triena paused, biting her lip as she searched for the right words. “Anomalies, shall we say. Your sister’s and your ability, to instantly understand any foreign language is one such anomaly, there are others.” She hinted at mysteriously, before continuing. “That is one of the messages I was asked to deliver.”
Triena rose from her seat and quietly joined Staren at the control panel, leaving a stunned Jethro in peace to absorb the situation. Sam needed time to heal and they were all safe for the moment. Triena felt satisfaction that she had completed the first part of her mission. “Hail Hera” that she could complete the rest without letting Teril down.
