In the morning while Elianna finished dressing, Kierce rummaged in the kitchen area for more ration bars and nutrient drinks. She enjoyed a cold breakfast with him on the flimsy couch before setting out for the landing field to catch their ride to the island.
They were the first to arrive, although Walt and the two techs were close behind, with MARL17 floating in their wake and then surprisingly, Mateer arrived, carrying another duffle bag. He motioned to Kierce and the two of them walked off to the side for a quick conversation.
Curious what the men were discussing, Elianna was taken unawares when Walt handed her a steaming cup of coffee. She inhaled the aroma thankfully and took a sip of the hot, bracing beverage.
“I thought you might like a slug of strong caffeine this morning.” He grinned at her. “I stopped off at the cafeteria and pulled rank to get a mug for me and one for you. There’s only a tiny stash of coffee in the valley, although you can have as much of the Badari tea as you want.” He made a face.
Elianna was unsettled by his extravagant gesture as she drank the coffee. Maybe Kierce was right and the pilot did have an interest in her. Certainly this extra treat today was unusual. He hadn’t brought coffee for anyone else.
“So who’s the soldier?” Walt asked. “I was sure I had at least a passing acquaintance with all the Badari in the pack, but I’ve never seen him before.” His tone was neutral, expressing only mild curiosity, but Elianna had the impression there was more to the inquiry.
“He and I shared a cell at the lab where we were liberated,” she said, in a massive understatement. Realizing there was no avoiding the difficult task, Elianna decided to be blunt and let Walt down easily if he’d had any ideas. Keeping her voice low enough that Sam and Lorrali wouldn’t be able to hear, she said, “We-we fell in love and now Aydarr’s assigned him to guard duty at the island. I guess the Alpha decided he needed another man on duty there while we’re working.”
Walt glanced at Kierce as if sizing him up as an opponent in a fight and she remembered he’d been aware of the rescued feline. Head tilted, eyes narrowed, he surveyed her for a moment. “I know enough not to ask awkward questions when the Alpha makes a decision.” Without another word he walked away, entering the flyer he was assigned for the day.
“What was that all about?” Lorrali asked, brow furrowed as she watched Walt. She immediately raised her hands and added, “Don’t tell me. I have a hunch Sam and I have no need to know.” She gave her fellow tech a gentle shove and the pair followed the pilot up the ramp.
“Much cargo was loaded last night,” MARL17 said, startling Elianna. “Things on your list, items I felt might be useful as well.” He provided a long list of gear.
“Thanks, you’re a good sidekick all right. MARL and Jill made the right call when they assigned you to this project.”
“We should board the flyer,” MARL17 said. “I found an anomaly in the circuits on the third level of the Chimmer ship, a hidden defect waiting to cause a meltdown, or so I believe. I should describe the problem to you in depth.”
“Wow, sounds like a major save on your part. I’m grateful and I want to hear all about it once we take off. We may have to design a protocol to have Sam and Lorrali execute to verify there aren’t any other similar issues.” Elianna forced enthusiasm into her voice but the divide in her attention gave her the jitters. Although she knew she should focus on her mission with the flyer, she found her attention pulled toward Kierce and Mateer. It didn’t appear Kierce was in any danger of being scrubbed from the mission, but what could they be talking about? The flyer’s engines hummed as Walt gave them a test but he wasn’t going to leave without her so she stood her ground on the landing pad. “You go ahead—I need to wait for my, uh, friend over there.”
“I’ve brought your gear,” Mateer said, handing Kierce the bag. “Pulse rifle, stunner, blaster, all the essentials. I had Ronan kit out the standard array we use. I assume you’ve seen active duty?”
“Our unit has done fifteen sorties in the past few years, on various worlds outside the Sectors’ borders,” Kierce said. “Infiltration, sabotage, assassination, firefights. We’ve been blooded. All under the control of our Khagrish minders and their security forces, of course.”
“Of course.” Mateer’s nod was a small signal of brotherhood. They’d all endured the same harsh and pitiless regime. “Neurocontroller bracelets?”
Reflexively, Kierce glanced at his wrist, where the hated black bracelet had been fastened to his body and used to punish any slightest infraction throughout his entire life until he had to become a beast and could no longer wear it. “Yes.”
“It’ll be interesting to hear more about the regimen and training at the lab you come from. We had no idea you even existed and now it seems we may have been on parallel tracks. Aydarr and I, and MARL need to talk to you about locating the installation and freeing the others but that’s for later. While you’re gone we’ll see what MARL can pick up as far as intel but the Khagrish have sure kept your lab’s existence top secret. The thought of other Badari being subjected to the tortures we all had to endure is intolerable but a rescue mission is going to require meticulous planning once we locate the site.” Mateer’s fangs deployed for an instant as he contemplated the challenges ahead. “We’re woefully short of warfighters as it is.”
“The mission to make the ship spaceworthy for humans comes first—I understand.” Kierce chafed at the situation, wanting his brothers to be free as he himself now was but he was also a realist. If Aydarr couldn’t send word to the Sectors, the ultimate fate of every Badari and human on this planet was grim. And right now he had to admit he wasn’t in mental shape to remain at the valley without Elianna.
“If MARL finds anything helpful, we’ll send a comms blast to you. If by some miracle we do get a fix on your original lab, we’ll let you know and either extract you from the island situation early or fly out to discuss it. But don’t get your hopes too high.” Mateer gestured at the bag. “Go ahead and check out your side arm while we talk. I know Walt is anxious to get going while there’s still cloud cover.”
Kierce knelt to open the bag and pulled out a battered but serviceable weapon. He gave it a once over as the enforcer continued through his list for this ad hoc briefing.
“Aydarr and I feel sure you’re higher on the dominance scale than Camron, who’s in charge at the island, but it’s his command and we expect you to obey his orders. Understood?”
He was pleased his new pack leaders recognized his level of seniority but old habits kept him quiet, neither confirming or denying his status. Rising to his feet, weapon in its holster, Kierce stood at attention. “Understood. No problem, as long as he has none.”
“Camron is a solid, senior soldier with good judgment. We’ve issued orders for him regarding your assignment via the MARL comms burst. Not all the details but enough to smooth your way. When you’re off duty at the ship, we expect you to work on this issue of the man and beast integration.” Mateer shrugged. “Or whatever you’re calling it. Whatever the goddess charged you with accomplishing. He’s not to ask any questions about your background. What you choose to tell him, if anything, is your business.”
The pack leadership was being more than fair. Kierce felt heartened by the matter of fact treatment, the assignment of duties and the gear he’d been issued. More than ever, he thanked the goddess for Elianna because her instinct to insist on his going to the island today seemed sound.
“We’ve loaded the components for a second prefab hut into the flyer, because living conditions there are cramped. We’d have had to expand to make room for Elianna and her techs anyway. Humans need a place with walls and a roof to sleep, ideally.” Mateer fixed him with a hard-eyed stare. “Since you’re not bonded mates, we expect there to be separate living quarters for the Badari and the humans, understood? If you were mates, we’d assign you two the second hut by yourselves, maybe construct a third one for the others but absent the official bond, we can’t invest that
Kierce had expected as much. One of his first challenges on his time off would be to explore the island and find a secluded, safe spot where he and Elianna could have time alone. He’d build one if nothing presented itself. “Understood.”
“I don’t know how much she’s told you about what she’s going there to do but getting the damn Chimmer ship into space and on its way to the Sectors is the single most important priority we have as a pack. My impression of her is she’s a pretty single-minded lady and her technical briefing to us was impressive but, to reinforce the obvious, nothing is to interfere with her work on the repairs and refit.”
“She’s human not a robot—she can’t work day and night,” he said, determined to protect Elianna from unrealistic expectations, even if she shared them.
To his relief, Mateer nodded agreement. He clapped Kierce on the shoulder. “Actually, Aydarr and I were concerned by Walt’s reporting how she forgot to eat and worked an eighteen-hour day on her first visit. Part of your assignment we’re not sharing with her, but we did tell Camron, is to ensure she stays healthy enough to finish the job. Take care of your not-mate.”
“Have no doubts on that score.” Kierce was surprised but pleased the enforcer and the Alpha cared about her, even if it was in the context of getting the job done.
She’s not just a means to an end for us either, Mateer said in his head. We don’t treat people the way the Khagrish do.
“Was Walt assigned to watch over her?” he asked, unable to stop himself.
Mateer eyed him as if expecting a challenge. “He volunteered after returning from the exploratory trip with Elianna. I think he’s more than professionally interested in her, although we’ve seen no sign she reciprocates. Problem?”
Kierce was glad he and Elianna had thrashed the subject out during the night. “Of course not. She and I may not be mated but we’re very much a pair. Together. We see eye to eye. She’s my responsibility.”
“And you’re hers,” Mateer said. “The balance is how being mated works. I hope you can sort out whatever the barriers are between you and a full claiming. All right, I hear Walt running the damn engines up and down for the third time—he’s not a subtle guy. Get your lady on the flyer and be on your way.”
Kierce nodded since he’d yet to see anyone salute here, picked up the heavy bag full of equipment and armament, then hastened to where Elianna stood, frowning. “Nothing dire, a few last minute orders,” he said, wanting to dispel the concern showing plainly on her face. “And a quick discussion of my gear.” He patted the bag then took her elbow. “Everything good with you?”
“Other than MARL17 wanting to tell me a lot of technical details before I even finished my coffee, we’re good.” She raised the half full mug. “Want to try a sip?”
As he walked beside her, Kierce sniffed the air and recoiled. “Smells awful. Where did it come from?”
“Walt.” As she stepped onto the ramp to enter the flyer, Elianna eyed him over the lip of the mug, plainly waiting for him to make a snide comment.
“Nice of him.” He kept his voice noncommittal and was rewarded with one of her smiles.
“He’s not staying, by the way. Doing a drop off only today. He and Gabe will report to the island when I’m ready to go over the rebuilt systems, maybe in a week or so.” She led the way to seats in the middle of the flyer’s cabin and slid in next to the window. Kierce set his bag in the row behind and joined her. “I’m going to take a nap, if you don’t mind?” She snuggled as close as she could while the flyer rose into the sky. “I want to hit the ground running when we reach the island and someone kept me awake all night.”
He matched her grin, reviewing his memories of the past few hours, which were happy ones. Maybe too happy since his cock stirred at the image of Elianna’s warm and soft body held close to his. Think of something else, this isn’t the time or the place.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
As Walt brought the craft around for a landing a few hours later, Kierce was impressed and intrigued by what he saw of the island through the windows. It was bigger than he’d realized, so there’d be plenty of terrain for him to explore on his downtime while Elianna was working. Once he debarked, the fresh salty smell of the ocean nearby was invigorating, and he resolved to find a good vantage point to watch the waves at his first opportunity.
A Badari soldier waited for them, introducing himself as Camron and stating the other soldier, Brant was out on patrol. “Got a burst from MARL last night that you’d be coming today,” he said. “Nice to see you again, Elianna.” He held out his hand to shake Kierce’s. “Welcome to the pack, soldier. You can stow your gear in the hut, located under the trees over there, then report for orders. We’ll see about laying the foundation for the second hut today. Otherwise the quarters will get awfully crowded tonight. No hardship for a Badari to sleep outside though if we need more space.”
“True enough.” He touched Elianna’s elbow to get her attention as she talked to Lorrali and Sam. “I’m going to the hut and then I’ve got my orders for the day already. Are you okay?”
“What? Oh, yes, we’re about to go over to the Chimmer ship and get started.” She went on tiptoe to give him a kiss, which garnered interest from the two techs, but no one said anything.
Kierce jogged away in the direction Camron had indicated, locating his destination through his enhanced sense of smell.
Walt opened the cargo hold and he and Camron were unloading an assortment of pallets and crates, using anti grav sledges. They sure don’t waste any time here. He approved. The longer the flyer sat on the ground, the more chance it might be detected, although MARL had layered camouflage over the area. And, of course, Kierce would be happy to see the last of Walt for a while.
Was the jealousy clawing at him due at least in part to the fact he and Elianna weren’t yet bonded as mates? But he wasn’t going to take the final step until he was sure he could manage his dual identity and was free of the flashbacks. With apologies to the goddess for doubting her. He took a deep breath of the fresh air as he ran, savoring the scent of the sea and the trees, and uncharacteristically wishing he could set aside duty and go explore. Soon enough. Elianna and the others need the new hut, and they need to be guarded from any threat, just in case.
The day passed rapidly, with his time spent primarily assisting Camron in building the second hut on a site in the forest, close to the first one, hidden from above by the thick canopy of trees. He kept an eye on the time and, at high noon, he said, “We should call a break. I need to bring Elianna nutritious fare to eat and drink. She forgets to take care of herself when she’s working.”
“Yeah, I remember from her first trip. Worked herself into exhaustion all right.” Camron sealed the last wall connection. “Better you than me because the ship stinks to high heaven of the Chimmer, even after all this time.” He slung his tool kit over his shoulder. “All right, lunch time. And then we’ll pick up this job where we left off.”
Kierce made sandwiches for all three humans and carried them to the ship. The ramp was down and he walked inside, sniffing cautiously. There was an unusual odor underneath the canned air and metallic stink, but he’d not had much to do with any Chimmer in his previous life so he wasn’t unsettled. The smell of Khagrish would upset me more. He found it hard to imagine traveling in this ship, or at least not without being under cryo sleep. The closed-in world of the vessel would make him restless. Following his nose, he trailed Elianna to the engine room, where he found her lying under a console while the MARL17 unit floated in the air beside her, talking a mile a minute about adjusting feed levels or something equally foreign to Kierce.
“Hey, pretty lady, I’ve brought you lunch,” he said, hoping she wouldn’t be startled.
Elianna slid out from under the complicated circuit boards and glowing interfaces and gave him a grin so delighted his heart swelled with joy. “You’re a lifesaver!” She brushed her hands clean on her pants and came to join him, indulging in a long, lascivious kiss. “That’s to hold you until we ever get any more private time. I hope I won’t get you in trouble, kissing you while you’re on duty.”
“I have wide latitude in my duties,” he answered, holding her close for another precious moment. “Pick the sandwich you want and a drink then I’d better go deliver these to your helpers.”
“I’ll come with you.” She glanced around the engine room where they stood. “This isn’t the most enticing place to eat. Truthfully there’s nowhere in this ship I’d want to linger, much less to fly in for weeks or months on end. I’m not claustrophobic, but there’s something about the environment which is psychologically all wrong for our kind. Walt and Gabe are brave.” She took a bite of the sandwich as she walked. “Now this is delicious. You have hidden talents, clearly.”
“Concocting a simple meal isn’t the only one,” he said with a theatrical leer and a laugh, bumping her hip with his own. “As you should know.”
She gave him a playful shove and matched his laugh as a rosy flush rose in her cheeks. “Later for a demonstration of those particular talents. And only if we can find a guaranteed private space.”
“How’s the work going?” he asked as she took a drink from the nutrient container.
Elianna shrugged. “We’ve barely begun, but no surprises as yet. MARL17 is getting better at connecting data sets.” She made fluttering gestures in the air as if she wanted to refer to a schematic. “It’s hard to explain to a non-tech.”
Kierce was glad the AI had stayed behind in the engine room. He liked having Elianna all to himself. In the next few steps, however, they entered another chamber and found Lorrali and Sam hard at work, apparently cleaning gunk off a huge pile of the glowing energy conduits.
“Yeah, the Chimmer weren’t good about routine maintenance,” Elianna said. “Sooner or later this alone might have blasted them out of space, if the system overloaded or couldn’t interface properly.”
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