“We’re glad to see you, Lt. Damara,” he said, smiling at her from his greater height.
“I’m glad to be here, sir. Thank you for having me rescued.” Fallyn felt as if she was standing next to a living flame, the way power flowed from this man in a tangible manner. Even if she’d been a bit vague about the concept of what an Alpha might be, she’d have known he was in charge.
His mate Jill introduced herself and MARL next, followed by the other Badari, who identified himself as Mateer. Fallyn was disappointed not to see Reede but barely had she had the thought when the door opened one more time and Reede entered. She fought furiously not to blush or otherwise give away the bubbly happiness rising inside her when he arrived. What is this with me? I’m not some love-struck kid with a crush on a hot guy! But even as she denied her attraction to Reede, Fallyn knew she was kidding herself.
It was reassuring to see he was uninjured. He took his seat at the other end of the table and immediately engaged with Aydarr in a conversation too quiet for her to hear. There was a flurry of activity as the others got themselves Badari tea and Fallyn was offered real Terran coffee by Jill, which she couldn’t refuse. Only an idiot rejected a chance to drink coffee.
“Now,” Aydarr said as the stragglers hurried to take their seats, “We assume you’re here on the planet because of the fastlink message we sent.”
She startled the slightest bit at his voice and took herself to task. Focus on the meeting, not Reede. “Yes. Fred and I were dispatched to investigate and report back.” Fallyn walked them through the high points of the uneventful flight, and then the heart stopping moment when they emerged into this solar system’s space and found themselves in the middle of Chimmer and Shemdylann vessels. She was used to briefing senior officers so she had mastered the art of providing an executive summary and trusting Aydarr or Jill to follow up on anything they needed to know more about. As she reached the end of her report, she paused, realizing a major omission on her part. “I’m afraid I don’t know what became of the astronav module, sir. Events got a little hectic when we broke into the lab.” Mentally she berated herself harshly. Sure she’d been frantic with worry over Reede but the module was key to getting back to the Sectors and carrying the word about what was happening here.
“Darik brought it back with him and MARL’s been interfacing with the unit all night,” Jill said, not sounding upset by Fallyn’s lapse.
She supposed the end result was what mattered and so she’d be all right this time but she needed to keep her situational awareness up and in the forefront of her mind, not her awareness of Reede. It was hard not to stare at him, sitting impassively at the end of the table. She wanted nothing more than an opportunity to stand close to him, make sure he was really all right and converse. She’d be happy to talk to him about anything.
“I have questions, “ MARL said, its deep voice surprising her a bit. MARL20’s voice had been reed like, as if a bird was speaking. “After this meeting is concluded, I have been assured I will have unlimited access to you, along with Gabe and Walt.”
Fallyn shot a glance at Taura, who nodded, and then she felt free to agree. “Of course, I’m happy to do whatever is needed.”
“We’re grateful you’re here, lieutenant,” Aydarr said. “My assistant, Nicolle, has set up a series of meetings for you over the next few days. Now we’ve got the vital astronav data, we’re close to getting you on your way to the Sectors, along with my envoy, to ask for help in destroying the threat the Khagrish and the Chimmer pose to us on the planet and to the Sectors.”
“Yes, I was told you have a Chimmer ship. When can I see her?” Fallyn attempted to keep the eagerness from her voice but the prospect of inspecting an enemy vessel was enticing. It was a rare opportunity few in the Sectors ever received.
“The final adaptations are being made as we speak, at a remote base. In two weeks or less we anticipate being able to launch. We’ll be sending the three of you to the location for an orientation visit as soon as Elianna, the engineer in charge, says the time is right.”
So soon. Maybe early departure was for the best, rather than staying here a long time and forming attachments. She sneaked another glance at Reede, who was talking to Mateer and ignoring her. Too late, she was in over her head where the enforcer was concerned, with all kinds of emotions churning in her gut. Fallyn realized the meeting was adjourning and she forced herself to pay attention.
Gabe and Walt rose and MARL drifted to float beside them, all three obviously waiting for her. Fallyn was disappointed because she’d hoped to have a few words with Reede but he’d already left the room with the Alpha’s party. Suppressing a sigh, she joined the men and the AI and they emerged into the hall.
“We’re going to a smaller room,” Gabe said, “To go in depth with MARL as he requested. It’s right this way.” He pointed and Fallyn turned in the proper direction, only to practically run into Reede.
“I need to speak with Lt. Damara,” he said, his voice crisp, making it obvious he wasn’t making a request but stating a fact. He reached out to take her by the elbow. “We can use the conference room.”
“Join us when you’re free,” Walt said to Fallyn, glancing between the two of them.
“Absolutely.” Pleased Reede had made a move, and on edge over what he intended to say, Fallyn preceded him into the now vacant room. He shut the door quietly and remained standing close to it so she leaned on the table.
“Are you unhurt?” he asked.
“I’m fine, thanks. I’ve had more attention from the medics and the doctor than I want, frankly. How about you? How’s the leg?”
“I was told you’d suffered the reflected pain when the Khagrish inserted the damn bone drill into my leg,” he said. “My deepest apologies. I believed I was blocking all the links—I neglected to shield you. We—we shouldn’t be linked at all.”
Although she was full of questions about why they’d have any telepathic connection, she waved a hand casually, taking her cue from him. “No problem. I have a bit of residual aching in the muscle though. Are you sure you’re fully healed?”
Reede stood even taller and frowned. “We Badari heal efficiently. No need for you to concern yourself further.”
Clearly the enforcer hadn’t pulled her aside for intimate conversation. Fallyn swallowed her disappointment and took a step to go past him, to the door. “All right, whatever you say. I should probably catch up to the guys and MARL.”
He put out one hand, catching hers briefly, the skin to skin contact sending a pulse straight to her needy core. Why does he have to be so hot and yet so standoffish? Fallyn wondered if he was feeling any effects of their proximity but was afraid to lower her gaze to find out. She’d be too disappointed if he was immune to the sensual pull vibrating between them. Surely it couldn’t be one sided. He’d been so interested in her that one night in the cave.
“I have something for you,” he said, withdrawing his hand and fishing in the pocket of his utilities. He brought out two items, took her hand in his and set them on her palm.
She was staring at Fred’s service patch, with his name and the emblem of their survey corps and his military ID chip. Mouth dry, at a loss for words, she looked up at Reede.
“I’m sorry—I’d hoped the Khagrish were lying to you and your teammate was still alive. I found these in the security captain’s office and MARL 20 verified the death as recorded in the lab’s records. I thought having these might have personal value to you.”
“That was—that was amazingly kind, thank you.” Fallyn couldn’t believe Reede had taken time in the chaos of taking down the lab and fleeing before the place was destroyed to hunt for Fred and to bring her the patch and chip. She closed her hand over the tokens and fought not to cry at the loss of a good man.
“He meant a great deal to you, didn’t he?” Reede’s voice was quiet and he watched her with a sympathetic expression.
“We were a solid team, served together about five years. He was a friend,
an ally in tough spots and he saved my life when we crashed here,” she said. Taking a deep breath, she stowed the items in her pocket. “When I get back to my base, I’ll inter these in the memorial vault under his name.”
“Is there a ceremony for the fallen?”
The quiet question nearly undid her, as she thought about memorial services she’d attended in the past for other comrades lost in the course of their duties. “The Sectors is good about honoring those who died in the line of duty. He didn’t have any family but I’ll stand for him.”
“I wish I could stand with you. He was an honorable man obviously.” Reede touched her arm briefly as if to offer comfort and then stepped to the door.
“Thank you,” she said as he left the room. And when might I see you again, Mr. Enforcer? She was sorry he’d given her no chance to ask if they could meet for a beverage or a walk along the lake, just to chat. She had the sinking feeling he was going to avoid her until she flew off to this mysterious other base and left the planet on the Chimmer spaceship. The idea made her sad but right now she didn’t have time to indulge herself. She squared her shoulders and headed out to find the other room where her fellow soldiers and MARL were waiting.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Reede marched to his small office at the rear of the admin building, favoring his leg since there was no one to see. So she and her teammate weren’t lovers—good. He’d detected nothing in her manner or her scent that spoke of anything but friendship with the deceased scout. As he entered his office and eased into his chair, he breathed a sigh of relief. He’d been right to believe the military tokens would mean something to her. It had been risky as hell, lingering to search the security office but worth it to bring Fallyn closure. He’d seen the sheen of tears in her eyes and it had been all he could do not to pull her into his arms. Reede rubbed his aching thigh and promised himself a long soak in the mineral-laced hot springs after the day’s duty was done. The site of the bone marrow sample was taking a lot longer to heal than any other injury he’d ever had but the pain had also been the worst he’d ever felt.
He shook his head. Losing control enough to let Fallyn sense his pain at that moment was unforgivable. And she shouldn’t have picked up anything from him. They weren’t claimed mates, they’d hadn’t even gone to bed together despite the immense temptation that night in the cave. Trust the goddess to not only give me a mate who will leave in a couple of weeks but who has such a tight fit with my beast. A double curse where I could have been doubly blessed. He and the Great Mother always seemed to be a bit at odds.
Deciding the ache was receding a little, he chewed zinxzanna berries to further numb the pain and chased the bitter morsels with lukewarm tea. The afternoon would be grueling, as he was scheduled to lead a combat drill in the restricted part of the valley. But an enforcer never showed weakness. He wasn’t going to take to his bunk like a cub with a sprained ankle.
Badari heal.
He wished his body would heal faster in this case. He didn’t do nagging injuries.
There was a knock at the door and Reede hastily swept the last few berries into a desk drawer. “Come in.”
Sorren stuck his head in the door. “We were going to review the material for the briefing later this afternoon? If you have time?”
Reede kept himself from showing his distracted impatience. An Enforcer never shows his emotions. At least he could conduct this meeting from his chair and give the damn leg more time to rest. He pushed aside his handheld and several folders on the gleaming surface. “Sure, let’s knock that out now.”
Three days passed. Reede was able to arrange his time and duties so he wasn’t in any meeting where Fallyn was to be present and they didn’t cross paths. His heart ached, with a hole in the place where the golden mate bond should have warmed him, but this was for the best, for both of them. She didn’t need to be bonded for the rest of her life to an alien male lightyears away from wherever the Sectors sent her next.
He was his usual taciturn self and he was confident no one suspected the depth of his feelings for her.
Although the men who’d been on the mission with him were aware Fallyn had felt his pain under torture, as a mate would, none of them said a word. He trusted all of them implicitly and anyone else who might have heard a rumor the flinty enforcer had uttered the ‘m’ word was easily dissuaded with talk of the deceptions a Badari would of course play on the Khagrish.
No one was brave enough to mention the topic to Reede. People didn’t generally risk annoying him. He’d gotten good at maintaining a high level of intimidation over the years.
He heard status updates on how she was doing, in the daily staff meetings Aydarr held regarding the war against the Khagrish and matters in the valley. It soothed the beast inside to know what she was occupied with, to be confident she’d given MARL all the data he needed, that Gabe taught her to fly a Khagrish shuttle with no trouble, and she was blending into the valley community smoothly, even if the other humans outside the tight knit circle at the top had no idea who she truly was. He took pride in every scrap of praise he heard about her professionalism and abilities.
On the fourth morning, Aydarr addressed him unexpectedly. “I’ve had a request from Fallyn.”
Reede’s heart kicked into high gear and he worked hard to maintain his usual blank face. ”Oh?”
“She insists her crashed ship needs to be slagged and she wants to go back there and set off the chain reaction herself. Says it’s the highest directive for a crashed crew in enemy territory and she can’t leave the planet in good conscience with the task undone.”
“You can’t risk allowing her to set foot there,” Reede said with more force than he intended. His talons edged out of their sheaths and he had to struggle to force them back. “She’s far too valuable. As we noted in our report, the ship was booby trapped with hidden sensors and it’s possible the signals went not only to the lab we destroyed but also to the main security facility.”
“Yes, I denied her request to lead the mission,” Aydarr said mildly. “You’ve been there—I want you to take two men and get it done. She explained her logic and I’ve agreed to slag the vessel. Too many Sectors military secrets. She says it can be done from outside the ship, as long as you’re in close proximity. For all the Khagrish will know, the ship has a timer or other mechanism to bring on slagging. They may not care anymore, if they assume she died when the long range missiles blasted the lab out of existence. When can you go?”
“I’ll take Darik and Sorren and we can go tonight, or tomorrow. Whenever you want.”
“MARL is sending MARL20 out there with you,” Jill said from her seat next to Aydarr. “He’s programmed the commands for slagging the engine into MARL20.”
“So we’re merely escorting the AI?” Reede chuckled. As long as Fallyn was staying safely in the valley, he didn’t care. He could babysit an AI.
“The job in a nutshell,” Jill agreed. “Gabe will fly you.”
“I’ll get with him and my team after this meeting. No problem.” Hoping Fallyn wouldn’t find it necessary to speak to them about the mission, or see them off, he bit his tongue on a request to keep her away. It would be only natural for her to interface with them before they flew out to destroy her scout vessel. He made a note to delegate Darik to handle it. The soldier had quite a rapport with the MARL subunits and he trusted Darik to brief him on anything he needed to know.
The meeting flowed on to other topics. Reede listened with only partial attention. Reviewing the terrain in his mind’s eye, Gabe would have to drop them some distance from the meadow where the broken ship had crashed. The pack couldn’t risk losing any of their commandeered air fleet so it wouldn’t be possible to land any closer, which was a pity. He rubbed his leg surreptitiously under the table. Making the climb to the meadow would be a bitch but he’d manage it. He’d better stock up on zinxzanna berries to numb the pain.
Reede hated being right. Not only was the climb to the plateau an ordeal, the weat
her was against them, with strong gusts of wind and driving rain. At least the Khagrish were nowhere in sight and MARL20 was able to initiate the slagging procedure after only two tries. Frankly, in some ways he wished the AI had been less efficient because the pain in his leg was making it difficult to concentrate. He’d barely made the ascent, having the double burden of concealing his weakness from his two companions. Not that he’d expect Darik or Sorren to do a dominance challenge on him in the middle of a mission but an Enforcer never revealed a weakness.
The berries were helping to a limited extent, although he knew he’d already eaten too many. His hands and feet were numb from the overdose and only his talons had saved him.
Reede figured he’d have to talk to Timtur when he got home to the valley. At least the healer stood outside the pack hierarchy. A man could tell Timtur about a problem and not have it result in a bigger mess.
He glanced across at Darik and MARL20, who were watching the scout ship basically melt into a pile of semiliquid material and then sink toward the core of the planet, while he and Sorren watched the sky for the unlikely arrival of the Khagrish. Darik made a hand sign and sent him a telepathic message.
All done. We can go home now and put Fallyn’s mind at rest.
Good job. Reede waited for Darik and the AI to withdraw, followed by Sorren, slinking from his concealed position on command with the ease of a senior Badari soldier. When he tried to move, Reede had a moment of panic as his leg refused to respond to his command. He took a deep breath, said a prayer to the goddess who probably wasn’t listening, and tried to shift more slowly. This time his muscles obeyed him although the pain was off the charts, but he was able to limp toward the top of the drop-off, grateful no one could see him clearly in the driving rain and the tall grass.
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