by Biance D'Arc
Rick cleared his throat. “Callie, about last night.” He seemed hesitant to speak. “Was it everything you wanted?”
She nearly choked on a piece of toast. “You have to ask?” She could tell her teasing went a long way toward reassuring him, but for some reason, he was feeling uncertain this morning. She leaned toward him and gave him a quick kiss. “It was everything I’d dreamed and more. I never expected it to be that good.” She drew back. “Why do you ask? You said you’d seen it before and I’ll admit, I’m curious how that came about. I never knew you were a voyeur.”
The teasing brought a slight flush to his skin, but he was also conflicted. “There’s little privacy in the pens. I saw a lot of things I wish I hadn’t and some that made me curious. Up until I confronted him, our Mara¾a male called Mara 36—liked to put a naked woman in a cell with multiple men. Most of the women were used to it by then and played along. Some screamed, but some seemed to enjoy it. That’s where I saw double and triple penetration, as my father called it. He’d explained about sex to me while I was growing up, but I’d never seen that until I was put in the pens.”
Callie put her arm around him. The memories of imprisonment were sad, but some of the images made him feel a sexual urge as well. She could feel the conflict in that and wanted to help him.
“If they enjoyed it, then there’s nothing wrong in it. I bet you enjoyed watching too, right?” She smiled up at him.
“You know I did. I’m an open book to you this morning, baby.” Rick leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I’m perverted enough to admit it. But I didn’t enjoy it when the women were hurt.”
“Mara 36 told me how you’d stood up to him,” Davin interjected, surprising Callie and Rick both. “He told me how you’d protected a young girl they’d put in the cell with you and about ten other males. If Mara 36 could feel, I’d have said he felt admiration for the way you stood up to him and the soldiers who guarded you. As it is, he was interested in your defiance and your reasons for it and very disappointed when I requested you be transferred into my program.”
“You saved a young girl?” Callie asked Rick, feeling his discomfort with the praise and approval in Davin’s tone.
“She was twelve years old and they took her away from her family to be raped by a dozen grown men. What else could I do?”
Callie squeezed him. “I love you, Rick. You’re a noble man, even if you are a voyeur.” She giggled, glad when she felt the tension in him ease.
“In that case, I have a confession to make too.” Davin surprised her with his words. “I used to hack into the observation vids from the pens. This was back before I met you, Callie. I wanted to know more about humans, so I spied on the scientists and watched what they watched. Some of it sickened me, but I remember this one couple that really seemed to enjoy each other.” A fond smile lit his lips.
“Davin! You’re a Peeping Tom.” She laughed at his puzzled expression. “So I have two voyeurs on my hands, huh? Well, it’s a good thing, because between the two of you, I’ve discovered, I like to be watched.”
“A fine trio of perverts we are,” Rick agreed, laughing. It was the first time he’d spoken of them as a group and it gave Callie hope that he was softening toward the idea of a future with her—and Davin.
“I’d love nothing more than to take you back to bed right now, but we have an appointment with destiny this morning,” Davin reminded them as he rose, beginning to clear the make-shift table. “Grady should be here within the hour.”
And just like that, their mood darkened. Callie could feel her men girding for battle—figuratively, at least. They all knew the coming hours would be difficult and very, very dangerous.
Davin tried to convince Callie and Rick to stay behind, but Callie flat out refused and Rick would go wherever she went, to keep her safe. Grady landed with little fanfare and the three of them went out to meet him. Callie said her goodbyes to her family privately and carried their best wishes back to Davin as they boarded the small military craft. By flying in this kind of shielded transport with Grady Prime at the helm, they could go anywhere with few questions asked.
Grady Prime merely raised one eyebrow when Rick boarded right after Callie, but said not a word. Undoubtedly, they made a strange trio, but Davin didn’t care what Grady Prime thought. He only cared about the battle ahead.
They took off and Davin sat near the helm by Grady Prime. Rick and Callie sat behind them.
“Chief Engineer,” Grady spoke to Davin once they were airborne. “I believe I must warn you that the power fluctuations since you left have been worse than you might have anticipated.”
“Can you be more specific?” Davin asked, not really caring what might’ve happened to the grid in his absence. There were more important things than powering the cities and research facilities. Love was more important than anything.
Grady grimaced. “I was ordered not to speak of the specifics. The damage is perceived as a weakness that could be exploited by…hostile entities.”
“You mean humans?” Rick challenged the warrior. Davin was quick to get between them.
“I can’t imagine anything that could be that serious, but I thank you for your warning, Grady Prime.” Davin recaptured the soldier’s attention. “We’ll have to deal with whatever we find as it comes.”
Grady nodded and concentrated on his flying. They were approaching the city in which the Council compound was located. It would take some finesse to set down close to the heavily guarded Council Chambers—finesse and the clout of being a Prime-level warrior. As Davin and company ducked out of sight, Grady obtained permissions to land and glided to a stop within the perimeter of the Council Chamber itself.
They’d planned to make a dash for the doors while Grady ran interference, but the number of guards was lower than anticipated. In fact, they encountered no resistance as soon as the guards saw Davin’s familiar face. The Chief Engineer was apparently still welcome before the Council, even in the company of two Breeds.
Chapter Thirteen
The Council was in session and the gallery filled with spectators when Davin, Rick and Callie stormed the floor. Councilor Hearn tapped repeatedly on a crystal chime to gather attention and restore order, but murmurs followed their progress as Davin led the way to the main floor in front of the gently sloped U-shape of the Council table.
“What is the meaning of this interruption?” Hearn demanded in his regular, moderate tone. Even such a violent interruption was seen as nothing more than an oddity to be dealt with. A rudeness, at best. Rick still marveled at how little emotion touched these people.
The lights flickered and Rick’s attention was snagged by the large crystal set in a place of honor at the far side of the room. It pulsed sickly with painful light, quite obviously cracked in a devastating way. Rick nudged Davin’s arm, motioning to the far side of the room, but Davin had already seen it. His lips compressed in a thin line.
“So this is what Grady was warning us about.” Callie’s voice came to Rick in his mind, a warm, telepathic caress.
“Looks like the Council Crystal is in bad shape. No wonder he was worried. From what I’ve heard, that crystal powers all the defenses surrounding the Council compound and this city. It must be a huge drain on the rest of the grid, plus it makes their leaders very vulnerable. They’d need another really superior crystal to replace it. But wouldn’t you know it? Their Chief Engineer is out of the picture because one of these idiots put a hit out on him. Not too bright, if you ask me.”
Callie’s mental chuckle echoed through his mind. “You’ve been studying up on the big crystals, haven’t you? I never realized how important some of them can be, though it was a beacon crystal that Davin used to gain my freedom the first time.”
“Yeah, I heard about that. It was a gutsy move on his part, and on yours.”
“Is that admiration I hear in your voice? Could it be you think Davin has some redeeming qualities?” Her tone teased him.
“One or two,”
he admitted with a lopsided grin. They came to a stop in front of the Council and the big chamber quieted in anticipation. “Look out,” he warned her, “this circus is about to start.”
“And look who just walked in.”
Callie’s gaze swiveled to Mara 12, who’d just taken a seat near the front of the audience section on the main floor of the multi-level chamber. The area was reserved for petitioners and highly ranked Alvians. Mara’s seat had undoubtedly been reserved once she knew Grady’s plan was set. She had a small entourage with her. One young man, in particular, caught Rick’s attention.
“Isn’t that your brother?”
“I wonder why Mara brought Harry with her,” Callie said privately. “He’s never been allowed near the Council compound before.”
“I’m just here to see and be seen,” Harry’s voice sounded through both of their minds. “You’re looking good, Cal.”
“Oh, Harry!” Rick gripped her sleeve, squeezing her arm, helping her repress the response. It wouldn’t do to let the watching Alvians know they were communicating, or that there was any connection between the Alvian-looking male with Mara 12 and the very human girl at the center of the storm.
“The Council knows all about me,” Harry said. “Though most Alvians have no clue. My presence here is supposed to remind Mother’s allies on the Council of her power. Subtle, huh?”
“As a sledgehammer.” Callie’s dry tone nearly made Rick laugh out loud. “Oh, Harry, no matter what, I’m glad you’re here.”
“To the bitter end, Cal. But I think you’ll do all right. Davin’s got a good shot at saving this. The Council needs him and that damaged crystal is an ugly reminder of just how much. Watch out,” Harry cautioned. “It looks like you’re on.”
“Councilors,” Davin said in a strong voice. “I come before you today, unexpectedly, because of the assassination attempt made on me a few days ago. Since that time, I’ve been in hiding, healing, and assuring myself of the safety of my resonance mate.”
“Assassination attempt?” Hearn asked with mild interest. “Can you prove this?”
“Yes, Councilor. Undoubtedly you already have the report from my security detail before I left the engineering facility. A highly ranked warrior was apprehended outside my living quarters with a sniper weapon that had been recently fired. Size and velocity matched the wound made in my arm and the prisoner admitted freely to shooting me. It is now apparent that the prisoner was a covert operator specializing in assassination.”
“Surprising,” Councilor Hearn commented, looking around at the other Councilors. Rick interpreted that look to mean Councilor Hearn had added two plus two and come up with the inevitable conclusion that one of his fellow Councilors had ordered the hit on Davin.
“As you might suspect, I grew concerned not only for my own safety, but for that of my resonance mate. She and I share living quarters. The projectile that hit me could just as easily have been used to injure or kill her and that is something I cannot allow.” Davin deliberately took Callie’s hand in his. Rick saw Alvian heads perk up all over the room as the Hum only they could hear undoubtedly filled the chamber. “Even if you cannot understand it, you should all be well versed enough in our people’s history to understand the duty I have to keep my mate secure and protected from all that could harm her.”
“And my duty to keep my mate safe as well,” Callie chimed in, surprising them all. Rick bit back a smile at the Alvian reaction to her words. She was just the woman to teach them that humans would no longer be trifled with. She was firm, yet polite, something the Alvians could neither object to, nor fully understand coming from a supposedly inferior Breed.
Davin bent to place a gentle kiss on her lips and even the fractured crystal in the back of the hall began to glow yellow as the sun. Yet another reminder of the power Davin held and the energy he and his resonance mate could generate between them. Rick noted the expressions on the Councilors’ faces. Though they showed no emotion, Rick could discern varying shades of interest, concern and dislike. From that he could gauge which of them might be on their side in all of this. The number was greater than he’d expected.
“Do you realize how much your absence has drained the grid, Chief Engineer?” Councilor Beyan asked, sounding merely curious. She made a gesture toward the fractured crystal mounted behind the Council table and her eyes narrowed with what might’ve been distaste.
“I have been away from all news and information since the attack and did not know the extent to which the grid has failed. For that I regret my absence, but I will not return to my duties until I am assured that no further attempts will be made to kill either myself or my resonance mate.”
“What do you propose we do about it?” Councilor Hearn asked, bring them back on track. “I suppose you have some idea you wish us to consider.”
“Indeed I do, Councilors. Permit me to present you with the following data.” Davin produced the crystal that contained Grady’s information and placed it in the receptacle that would feed the information directly to the Councilor’s workstations. They would see the incriminating data all at the same time, once Davin flicked the send key. Rick watched Davin time everything just so. He held his finger over the key, explaining further before he presented his most damning evidence. “It occurred to me right away that very few would have the power to activate such a highly ranked assassin. In fact, this particular warrior had to be reactivated out of retirement and assigned to this task. I’m certain his new employer had no knowledge of the covert mission to kill me, and that same employer would not have approved, had they been asked. It takes a position of great power to overcome such obstacles. In fact, only a Councilor is so highly placed.”
“Do you accuse one of us?” Hearn asked, leaning forward with a slight raise of one eyebrow.
Davin nodded. “I do. As you will see from my evidence, the communication that activated the assassin traced directly back to Councilor Troyan.” Davin pressed the send key and all nine Councilors studied the private displays hidden inside the table. Troyan went pale and rose to his feet.
“I object. None of this is true.”
“So not only do you try to have me killed, but now you are calling me a liar and impugning the validity of certified records? Councilors, you will note the authentication timestamps and heightened security parameters on the evidence I have provided. You may have your experts examine it, of course, but I would not—in fact, could not—tamper with such evidence. Troyan ordered a hit on me, in defiance of the Council directive that I and my resonance mate should be allowed to live in peace at the Southern Engineering Facility in order to provide for the increasing power demands of our people as a whole. By ordering my death and causing my injury, which prompted me to flee my home and my work for my own safety as well as my mate’s, he has brought about the power fluctuations that were even more severe than I anticipated.” Davin stepped toward Troyan as his voice rose. “Your actions have caused grave damage to the Council Crystal itself.”
“That was unanticipated,” Troyan said without thinking, implicating himself.
The other Councilors rose and turned their backs on Troyan, using the age-old symbolism that told all without uttering a word. He was no longer welcome among them.
Guards strode forward and removed Troyan from his seat, bringing him around into the petitioner’s position before the Council to hear their judgment. Rick, Davin and Callie moved to the left to make room for Troyan and the guards holding him by the arms, forcing him to face his former peers as they turned back around.
“Troyan 4,” Councilor Hearn began, intentionally leaving off the honorific that would have indicated his status, and using his designation instead. “You will be held pending further inquiry and all your activities suspended. You will communicate with no one and not be allowed visitors. Any associates who might have been in collusion with you will be sought and tried for treason. It will go better for them, of course, if they turn themselves in at the earliest opportunity. A
ny and all threats to the well-being of Chief Engineer Davin or his resonance mate will not be tolerated.” Hearn made a shooing motion and the guards dragged Troyan away.
“Thank you, Councilors,” Davin said respectfully, but Rick could feel there was more in the air. “I will gladly return to work, but I have something more to show you all that has been a long time coming. Simply put, though I am the strongest Alvian crystallographer on this planet, even my skill is not enough to power our cities at their current rate of growth.”
“What do you propose, Chief Engineer?” Council Beyan looked intrigued, which Rick took as a good sign. It was the most life he’d seen out of her yet.
“You all know I’ve been training certain gifted humans. I would like to take the program one step further and I think the merit of my idea is better proven by a demonstration. May I have your permission to approach the Council Crystal with my friend?”
Davin motioned to Rick, shocking the man into a slight jump of surprise he was quick to try to hide, but Davin saw it. He tried not to laugh. Rick was going to be more than surprised when he found out what Davin had in mind.
Councilor Beyan raised one eyebrow, then turned to Councilor Hearn and nodded her approval. One hurdle passed.
Councilor Hearn sat back in his chair, regarding them closely. “You could not do any more damage to it than has been done already. You have permission to approach.”
“Thank you,” Davin said and the irony of his tone was completely lost on them. He motioned to Rick and together, they rounded the left side of the U-shaped table and approached the crystal. It was worse than he’d thought. The poor thing had a crack as wide as his wrist and looked as if it had been gouged by an angry bear. It shone a sickly greenish color instead of the radiant gold and white is should have radiated.
