by Regine Abel
“Hey, Timbits,” Chaos said nonchalantly. “Three.”
I was mortified. I’d been a huge fan of Tabitha’s for as long as I could remember. How humiliating that the first time I should meet her would be under these circumstances, pinned to the floor under a mountain of muscles.
“Sabra, meet Tabitha. Four,” Chaos said, amused by the situation. “Tabitha, meet Sabra. Five.”
“Get off of her, you idiot!” Tabitha snapped. “This training is over.”
“Whatever happened to happy Tabitha?” Chaos asked, although he complied. “You’re sounding like your old grumpy self.”
I gladly took Chaos’s hand as he helped me up, and I brushed down my clothes while giving Tabitha an embarrassed smile.
“Right now, Tabitha is itching to go fetch one of those staves and give you both a proper spanking,” Tabitha said, looking severely at us, making me squirm. “You, young lady, should be in bed resting so that you can be at your best when we reach Fobos. And you, knucklehead, should know better than pushing her further after today’s ordeal.”
Chaos scrunched his face and gave Tabitha a baleful glance. I’d heard of the interesting dynamic between them back when she was his Soulcatcher, but witnessing it in the flesh was fascinating. She had changed since marrying Bane. Despite her current displeasure, her elven face was softer than the harsh expressions she had before. Although slim, she’d gained a bit of weight, making her look healthy instead of the skinny bag of bones she’d seemed to be in her older pictures. Her black hair, previously in a pixie cut, now fell to the middle of her back.
Looking at me, Tabitha gestured at the door with her head. “Go get rest, we’ll talk later.” She then turned to Chaos. “Go get dressed, and then meet me on the bridge. Linette and I have narrowed down some landing zones. We want your input on it. Chop chop.”
Without waiting for our response, she spun around and marched out of the room. I gaped at her receding back until the door closed behind her. Chaos chuckled, deep fraternal affection and amusement emanating from him. His dark gaze turned towards me, a smirk stretching his sensual lips.
“You heard the Dragon Queen,” Chaos said. “Don’t be fooled by her occasional harshness. Tabitha has a heart of gold. She’s fiercely protective of her boys and girls.”
“Boys?” I asked, giving him a meaningful once over.
He chuckled again. “We’re all brats to her. And, for the most part, she’s not totally wrong,” he added with a boyish expression. “Come on. I’ll escort you back to your quarters and go put on my uniform.”
I’d just spent the past thirty to forty minutes sprawled under his body, yet him merely placing his hand on the small of my back to nudge me forward had my skin erupting in goosebumps.
“So,” I said to hide how much he was affecting me as we exited the training room, “what was it? The weakness?”
“My ear,” Chaos replied, matter-of-factly.
I looked up at him, confused.
“I was pressing my cheek against yours to keep you from headbutting me,” Chaos patiently explained. “My neck and part of my cheeks are covered in protective scales. But my ears are not. Slightly turning your head would have sufficed for you to be able to bite me. Depending on how savagely you did, I would have recoiled, giving you enough wiggle room to head butt me, and maybe even loosened my hold, allowing you to do greater damage.”
“You expected me to bite your ear off?” I asked, my eyes bulging.
“Hopefully not,” he conceded with a mischievous glimmer in his eyes, “but you could have given it a good enough sting for me to get the message and play along.”
I glared at him, feeling cheated. “You never mentioned that.”
“Of course not. That would have made it too easy,” he deadpanned.
“I’ll have to tell Tabitha to go ahead and give you that spanking she threatened earlier,” I mumbled.
Chaos burst out laughing. “Please don’t. She will do it.”
Licking my lips nervously, I gave him a sideways glance, trying to figure out how to broach the subject that had been burning my tongue since the first time I’d heard of Tabitha becoming Bane’s Soulcatcher instead.
“The strong bond between the two of you is undeniable,” I said in a conversational tone.
“She’s like a sister to me,” Chaos said with an affectionate smile. “We’ve been to hell and back together. She truly embodies the heart and soul of the Vanguard.”
“It must be hard not to have her as your Soulcatcher anymore,” I replied in a commiserating tone.
“It is,” he conceded. “But it’s only right that she should now play that role with her soulmate. I wouldn’t want my mate soulcatching someone other than me.”
“That makes sense,” I said pensively as we entered the elevator. “But it’s been nearly two years now. How come you don’t have a new Soulcatcher? I’m sure it’s not for lack of candidates applying for the job.”
Chaos pressed the button to the lower floor then leveled me with an unreadable gaze while the doors closed. An enigmatic smile stretched his lips as he tilted his head to the side. I hated being unable to read his emotions, which he was far too effectively hiding at the moment.
“I am indeed looking for a new one, and there have been plenty of applications; just none that suited me,” Chaos said calmly.
“Wow, someone sounds picky,” I said, annoyed that we’d already reached our floor. The door opened, and I was forced to exit the elevator.
I strolled down the hallway with a slow gait to give us a chance to finish our conversation. To my relief, Chaos adjusted his pace to mine, appearing interested in pursuing it as well.
“I admit that I am. It is hard not to be after having one like Tabitha. She has set a very high bar,” Chaos said, his face taking on a serious edge that made me realize he wasn’t playing anymore.
“And what specifically do you seek in a Soulcatcher?” I insisted, as we stopped in front of my quarters.
“I want someone who loves the Vanguard and everything it stands for,” Chaos said with an intensity that made me shiver. “Who will be devoted to our cause and to those we protect with all her heart, whatever the cost to her. I want someone who can be compassionate when needed but also ruthless and unyielding when required. I must be able to trust her with my life, that of my team, and with the welfare of the mission. Last, but not least, my Soulcatcher needs to be able to call me out on my bullshit, not be afraid to put her foot down when we’re about to do something stupid when she knows better, and have both the strength and the confidence to lead wisely when I’m battling at the front.”
“That’s a tall order,” I said casually.
“It simply cannot just be anyone,” he retorted.
“Definitely not just anyone,” I deadpanned. “Well then, I better get cracking on obtaining that insignia quickly to apply for the role before it’s filled.”
Chaos’s brows shot up, an amused and incredulous smile playing on his lips. “That’s a rather bold statement.”
“You know what they say: fortune favors the bold,” I replied with a cocky shrug. “You better go get dressed and hurry back to the bridge. We wouldn’t want Tabitha giving you that spanking after all. See you later.”
With a final teasing wink, I opened the door to my quarters and entered it under Chaos’s laughter. His emotions blasting to me through the door nearly made my knees buckle. I leaned against it for support, unable to believe I’d been so daring. But he’d clearly broadcast his approval as he left—his all-around approval of me.
Whatever it took, I would be his Soulcatcher… and the Maker willing, much more.
Chapter 6
Chaos
We had entered Fobos’ atmosphere a few minutes ago, our long-range scanners indicating no other ships nearby. During our journey here, Bane had managed to catch a few outgoing communications from the surface. Although they remained unanswered—at least as far as he could tell—the signal had been targeted
towards Kryptid space, giving us every reason to believe it had been sent by Shuria. In a few moments, we would attempt to hail her on that frequency to open the dialogue.
To our surprise, as we approached the location of the cave where the Mimics had sought refuge, we didn’t detect the presence of any camouflage, disruptor, or defensive perimeter.
“They’re either excessively confident that no one will come bother them here,” Bane said pensively, “or they must have seriously rushed here at the last minute and have had their hands too full to rectify the situation.”
“Or they do not have equipment to set them up,” I suggested while casting an inquisitive glance towards Sabra.
She nodded slowly, a slight frown marring her forehead as she pondered. “During that Dream Walk—that wasn’t one—it did feel like watching a group of refugees fleeing, not a carefully organized mission. When we were watching them, you, Raven, and me, the location looked unfinished, like a work in progress that they didn’t have a chance to complete before being forced to settle there.”
“Like with us on Arkonia when we were forced to defect before construction was completed,” Bane said.
“I agree,” Tabitha said. “This reeks of desperation and a last-minute run for it. Even their vessel isn’t properly hidden aside from a cloaking shield. They aren’t expecting any visitors. They’ve only taken the basic steps not to attract the attention of the local primitive tribes, not that there really are any in this specific sector.”
“We have reached our destination,” Linette’s voice suddenly said over the intercom. “So, what’s the final call? Do I land or hover?”
Wrath and I exchanged a glance. After decades on the battlefield together, we didn’t need too many words to guess each other’s thoughts.
“Land, but keep us cloaked, our defensive shields at the ready, and be prepared to take off at the first sign of trouble,” Wrath said to his Soulcatcher who was also our best pilot in the Vanguard.
“Roger that,” Linette responded.
My gaze slipped towards Sabra to assess her reaction. A part of me was excited to have her here to get a first glimpse of her grace under fire. It pleased me tremendously that she had so boldly stated that she intended to apply for the role that, as my soulmate—even though she didn’t know it yet—could only be hers. But we didn’t play with the Vanguard. She needed to be able to fulfill the duties that would weigh on her shoulders. Another part of me was worried that she was being thrust, too soon, into too big a mission before being given a fair chance to learn the ropes. However, the circumstances required her to be ready and adaptable.
Her face and body language had the right level of calm and stoicism. I shifted my vision to take a peek at her aura, pleased to find it shimmering with the right doses of anticipation and determination, and a healthy sliver of worry. I wanted her bold but not reckless or cocky. I had not given her any instructions or restrictions as to how much she could get involved in the discussion we were about to have with Shuria. I wanted to assess her ability to take her place within the team and her proactiveness. It wasn’t quite fair to the extent that she probably wouldn’t want to overstep, but it would still give me the first glimpse into how she carried herself during a mission.
My biggest challenge would be to remain professional and keep my emotions under control in her presence in this introduction phase. It would do neither of us any good for her to be too intensely aware of my feelings and the power she held over me. As per protocol, I needed to give her a bit of time to adapt to the Vanguard. As her superior, I also had to make sure she wouldn’t feel pressured.
Despite a smooth landing, the ship rocked slightly. From the large windows on the left side of the room, we could see part of the clearing we had landed in, surrounded by a fairly dense forest. Everyone took their seats around the table. Linette, Tyonna, and Yumi remained on the bridge but were patched into our vidcom screen so that they would be aware of how the conversation would evolve and therefore be able to react swiftly.
As both our Portal and Science Officer, Tyonna would remain safely on board with Linette, ready to transfer our souls directly into a new Shell should the need arise. While we were close enough to the cave that our Soulcatchers could capture us in case we died, if they transferred us directly into a new Shell, we would be hit by rebirth sickness for three days. But transferred by a Portal, we would be battle ready again within a couple of minutes of being reborn in a new body.
As our Shield and Weapons Expert, Yumi would also remain on board to defend the ship in the unlikely event that it would come under attack. But we mostly needed her to Shield our psychic minds to make us immune to any potential psychic disruptors the modified Mimics could have that would prevent our Soulcatchers from rescuing us should we fall.
“Hail them,” I told Bane.
“They’re not responding,” he said after a minute. “Trying again.”
It took a couple more attempts before they finally did. The dark screen suddenly lit up with Shuria standing alone inside a small room with a heavy door currently shut. The fierce look on her face was quickly replaced by shock and then something akin to fury when she realized who had been hailing her.
“You!” she hissed, taking a step closer to the screen.
“Hello, Shuria,” Bane said a calm and peaceful voice.
“How dare you come to my territory?” she demanded, her claws jutting from her fingers. “You haven’t had enough the first time? You want me to make sure to finish the job this time?”
“We’re here to help you,” I said in a friendly tone, although keeping my face devoid of emotion.
“Do I look like I need your help?” she snapped. “And how did you find this place?”
“As a matter of fact, yes I do believe you need our help,” I countered in the same calm tone. “You, and especially the young that you’re trying to protect.”
She froze, a horrified expression fleeting over her features. Her gaze scanned the faces in the room, all probably familiar to her, except for Sabra whom she stared at a moment longer.
“I know not what you’re talking about,” Shuria said.
“Yes, you do,” Bane said. “We believe that, like I did with my brothers while we were under the thumb of the General, you are now trying to save your sister’s offspring from the terrible fate he has in store for them. Let us help you.”
“I am nothing like you. You know nothing about me or my situation,” she snarled.
“Trust me, okay?” Sabra mentally asked me before Shuria was even done stating her snarky reply.
Although she didn’t look at me, the stiffness in her back spoke volumes about her fear I would reject her request. I didn’t know what she intended, but my gut told me to give her a chance.
“All right…” I replied cautiously.
Her aura swirled with an odd mix of joy and nervousness.
“We know that the young Mimics are in a bad state and that you are forced to keep them unconscious to prevent them from turning into abominations that you have to put down,” Sabra said in a stern voice.
Our heads all jerked towards her, while we gaped disbelieving at her harsh intervention. Even Shuria appeared winded.
I cast a swift glance towards Tabitha, but she only had eyes for my woman, an intrigued expression on her face.
“You are in a desperate situation right now. No one’s coming to help you but us. You are out of resources, and now you’re running out of time,” Sabra continued with an unyielding tone. “Whatever your quarrel with Bane, you need to put that shit aside for the sake of those children who call you Aunt Shuria.”
A confused, almost panicked look descended on the Mimic’s features. Impressed, I gave Sabra a psychic nudge of approval. Her aura lit up with pleasure, but her face showed nothing of her emotions as she kept staring at Shuria. That, too, impressed me. I wanted to question her about what had prompted such an intervention from her, but I didn’t want to risk distracting her further.
“It was you,” she whispered, shocked. Anger replaced her stunned expression. “It was you spying on me.”
“No, Shuria. I did not spy on you. You called out to me out of despair. We answered,” Sabra said, looking almost bored, if not annoyed. “So, how about we start over, and have a reasonable discussion about your situation? The way I understand it, the rest of your sisters—that are now safely living with the Vanguard—are also desperate to see you and those children safe with them.”
“My other sisters?” Shuria asked, some of her anger dimming while the flicker of hope flashed through her dark eyes.
Sabra glanced towards Bane for him to take over. I smiled inwardly and leaned against the backrest of my seat.
“Your sister, Silzi, has tried in vain to contact you and the other modified Mimics that are still missing,” Bane said in a gentle voice. “She has sent you a message.”
Bane tapped a handful of instructions on the interface of the conference table. A hologram of Silzi appeared at the center of the table, facing the giant screen on the wall. She began speaking in the Mimic’s native language that I didn’t know. But her passionate and pleading tone left no mystery she was begging Shuria to hear reason. It was almost heartbreaking to see Shuria struggle to hang on to her anger and distrust, while warring with hope and despair.
When the recording ended, Shuria gazed at each one of us again, suspicion and uncertainty plain to see on her face.
“Who the fuck are you, anyway?” she asked, her eyes boring into my female.
“The name is Sabra,” my woman answered with a bit of attitude that seemed to echo well with Shuria.
“Are you reading her emotions?” I asked telepathically.
“Yes,” Sabra replied.
“And what do you plan on—”
Before Shuria could finish her sentence, a loud scream seeped through the closed door, startling all of us. Her head jerked towards the reinforced door that sealed the room she was in, horror descending upon her features.
