by Linda Mooney
Star gritted her teeth. It would be damned hard, but it was something they had to do.
She lifted over to Command Central, and went in the side door as she normally did every morning. When Deceiver had taken the reins as Guardian Leader, he’d adopted a very casual attitude toward their meetings. Instead of making everyone filter into the meeting hall, when most of them weren’t morning people in the first place, he usually set the pace for the coming day while they were still hunched over their meal and cups of brew.
Entering the double doors to the dining hall, StarLight was instantly aware of all conversation coming to a complete halt. Doing her best to ignore it, she went over to the dispenser and punched up a quick meal, then took her tray over to the nearest table where Morning Fire always saved her a place. It was another minute before talk resumed, but by then she was uncomfortably aware that all eyes were still on her, watching her with an intensity that was quickly becoming unnerving.
Desperately she wanted to raise her eyes from her plate to see where Hunter was, but she didn’t dare. She might accidentally catch him staring back at her, and at that moment she couldn’t chance it. There was no telling what she would do or say if he was. Thank the heavens Fire was keeping up a tireless train of chatter to cover the awkwardness.
A scant minute after she’d found her seat, the dining room doors opened again, and the room went totally silent. Star glanced up to see Hunter walking into the room—
He was walking into the room. Like the others, she was speechless to see something they rarely witnessed. Master Hunter never walked into a room. He transported in, appearing from out of nowhere. This morning he acted as if what he was doing was nothing out of the ordinary as he went over to the dispenser to get his breakfast, and the realization of what he’d done stunned her. Star dropped her gaze. He had deliberately shown up late, and in that manner, to take the others’ attention off of her.
“Good morning, fellow Guardians,” Deceiver boomed at them with a smile. The man was up and on the job every morning at five a.m., with a cheery disposition and an equally sunny smile. Star groaned.
“We have a full duty roster this morning. No emergencies, thank heavens, but there are three missions we’ll need to take care of first thing.” The man looked down at his hand, at the portable computer nestled in his palm.
“We had a parking ramp collapse into the harbor on Pinirius X. It was a storage facility, so there’s no casualties. Just the need to get the vehicles out of the liquid before the fuel cells leak and contaminate the entire harbor. Bruiser, I want you, Disaster, Commander, and Condemner to handle that one. You’ll take Transport Three.
“On Fieo First and Fieo Prime, we have a missing herd of villi. Now, all of you know how much the Fieowans base their entire economy, not to mention their lives, on every villigamen. So don’t think of this as a minor mission. If we recover them quickly, we might get a handsome donation for our coffers. Seeker, I want you to take Sender with you, and use Transport One.
“Finally, we have more of the Cortakian ships drifting into Badagrite space. StarLight, this one’s for you. Remember, the Cortaki will jump all over our asses if even one of their prized derelicts gets even the smallest scrape or dent, so treat them like fine jewels and haul them some place where they won’t bother anyone. Wish we didn’t have to tackle this one, but if we leave them where they are now, they’ll end up sooner or later in the shipping lanes. Hunter, you’ll pilot Transport Two.”
The assignment surprised everyone.
Star stared open-mouthed at their leader as Hunter’s voice from behind her questioned, “Why are you sending me on the Cortakian mission, when I’ll better serve over on Fieo First and Prime?” He was behind her, at the next table over, but she didn’t dare turn to look at him.
“Well, first off, Transport One is only a two-seater,” Deceiver began.
“And Fieo is less than two parsecs away,” Hunter continued. “I don’t need a craft for that short a distance, and you know that. You’re wasting me if you don’t assign me to Fieo. Send someone else to pilot Star over to take care of those derelicts.”
“I don’t even need a transport,” Star interrupted, getting to her feet. “Badagrite space is just four hours away, if I hustle. I can go on my own. I know the area. I’ve been there before. In the past.”
The room grew very quiet as Deceiver stared from one to the other. Taking a deep breath, he let it out noisily, and crossed his arms at chest-level. “All right. It’s time I let you know. I got special orders this morning from the Committee regarding you two. It seems they’ve enacted a few extra edicts when it comes to you and Star, Hunter.”
Star gasped, as did several others around her. “What? More edicts?”
Deceiver nodded, making it clear he wasn’t happy with the additional restrictions, either. “For the duration of the HandFast, wherever I send the one of you, I’m under orders to send the other. So if I send you out, Star, I have to send Hunter as well. And vice versa.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re under a twenty-five hour restriction. And if something unexpected should happen, and everyone here knows exactly what I’m talking about, because we’ve all had our share of ‘unexpecteds’ occur in the past, but if something should happen where you’re unable to return to Guardian Command in time to perform your duties and report in, by having the both of you together on an assignment…”
Deceiver stopped, yet it didn’t take much for anyone to finish what he meant.
“So why are you making us take Transport Two?” Hunter spoke up in a soft voice thick with anger. “Why not send us in One, which is also faster?”
“Because Two has more room,” Deceiver replied. Lifting his face, he stared dully into Star’s enraged countenance. “And the Committee had a testing device installed in it, as well.”
More room? As the implication struck her, Star’s mouth dropped open to voice her indignation, but a rising cackle of glee interrupted her. Whirling around, she glared icily at Provoker, who was laughing with outright delight at this new turn of events. Without warning, she snatched her mug of scalding brew and threw it at him, hitting him dead center in the middle of the stomach. Burning hot, potent brew went soaking into his red and black uniform, and the man yelled in pain. Before anyone could react, StarLight strode stiffly out of the dining room and headed for the bay.
While several Guardians went to Provoker’s aid, Hunter floated into the man’s field of vision. As a tiny smile curled the corners of his mouth, Hunter made certain the man noticed him before he popped out of sight.
Star started as she burst through into the transport’s cabin and nearly collided with Hunter. For the span of a heartbeat their eyes met and held, and she could feel herself trembling. If Hunter noticed, he said nothing, but grinned gently.
“Whoa, Star. Settle down and buckle yourself in the co-pilot’s seat. We’re taking off now, before Provoker can track us down.” He stepped past her and pulled the door to, locking it, then closed the inner hull door.
While he made preparations, she strapped herself in and ran through the pre-flight procedures. When Hunter took his place in the command chair, he handed her a communications earpiece. Star reached out to take it from him, and their fingers brushed. The effect jolted them both with its intensity, leaving Star shaken and almost breathless. With numb hands, it took her several tries before she managed to get the earpiece in place.
“Command, Two is ready for takeoff,” Hunter droned into his headset, hoping to mask his feelings. Her nearness was already beginning to serious affect his concentration, not to mention the affect on his body.
“Copy that, Two,” Time Merchant acknowledged. “Hold while I get clear space overhead.”
There was no telling how long they would have to wait to get clearance to proceed. Closing his eyes, Hunter tested the waters to see where Star’s emotions were ranging. As much as he had detested Provoker’s raucous reaction to Deceiver’s announcement, sec
retly he was glad for it. When Star had entered the dining hall, she literally radiated apprehension and worry in enormous waves. Something was bothering her, and he knew he was at the root of it, but he wasn’t able to detect whether she was sad or happy. Now she was furious, and it wouldn’t take much for her to vent all over again. He was accustomed to her fits of temper, and he could handle those well enough.
“Two, you’re clear.”
Thank heavens. “Appreciate it, Merchant. See you soon. Okay, Star, let’s go take care of this idiotic nonsense.”
He lifted the transport with consummate skill, taking it straight up until they entered the upper mesosphere. From there he aimed the nose toward the Badagrite system and slammed the throttle into light drive, which would take them all of sixty minutes, give or take thirty-seven seconds, to get there.
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Subterfuge 3
The missive arrived by private carrier. Four smiled to see the rare piece of paper being handed to him. The man knows how to play the game.
Inside, inscribed in the man’s own hand, was the first bit of good news to reach him.
The Committee has sent out affirmation that StarLight and Master Hunter are abiding by the laws of HandFast. Countdown has begun. Hopefully my next message to you will be news of her pregnancy.
Meanwhile, the forces are steadily growing on Exaltima’s moons. And the first bath of nimboid cloud arrived on Cerrus yesterday.
The plan is moving swiftly and steadily. Our end is holding up. Let’s see how quickly your two Guardians keep up their end.
Smiling again, four read the note a second and last time, then placed the valuable paper in the refuse bowl before igniting it. As the last wisps of blackened pieces curled and fell into powder, four turned to his communications console and punched on his viewscreen.
The media would get word of StarLight and Master Hunter obeying the HandFast. It was two’s job to keep the hungry public abreast of the Guardians, and to use the news in swaying the masses’ opinion with regards to their beloved heroes.
Four was going to enjoy watching how far they could push the private organization, and especially the HandFasted couple, before sparks began to fly.
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Chapter 10
Desire
He watched her moving the Cortakian ships as easily as moving a floating object through water. Her body was beyond graceful. It was almost hypnotic in the way she bent and lifted and turned.
Memories of last night lay just below the surface. Hunter tamped them down, although the temptation to relive them was almost too much to control. It had been years since he’d been with a woman. Three, in fact. But every time he had bedded one, he had done so, trusting his heart to let him know if this one was the right one. If, this time, he had finally found the woman he could share his life with. The one who would always be there, beside him, unwavering in her love and dedication. It only took one night for him to determine the truth. In the way she reacted. In the way she responded to him. Until last night, Hunter had not sensed any kind of permanency with another.
Until last night.
Star had trusted him, but he had shattered that trust as surely as he had shattered her virginity. Yet in the moments that followed, he knew she had forgiven him, albeit without words. In the moments that had followed, he had found a part of her she’d kept hidden and protected from everyone, just as he had kept the secrets of his additional powers from the rest.
There was a core of absolute fear and loneliness locked inside her, but she’d opened the door a tiny bit to let him glimpse inside. And when he had accepted her trust, he had begun to fill that cold pit of fear with his love.
Hunter felt his body jerk at his unspoken confession. He loved her. He knew it, without any doubts, or any questions. How long he’d loved her, he didn’t know, but last night had cemented his feelings for her.
Then, miraculously, he had sensed her welcoming him in. It had been tentative, almost shy and cautious in the way she’d reached for him, both physically and emotionally. But her acceptance was what had allowed her body to experience his gift to her, and her willingness had launched them both into the miracle of their release.
StarLight was his predestined other half. And, heavens and HandFast be damned, he would never let her go.
“Crap! These things are ugly!”
Hunter smiled at her admission. “Ugly to us, but the Cortaki take great pride in their beauty,” he responded through his headset.
“No. Star’s right. Those are some damned ugly ships,” Time Merchant countered from his seat at Guardian Command, where his job today was to coordinate all missions while they were off-planet.
“Ha, ha. Told you so,” Star sing-songed, teasing him.
Hunter watched her moving outside the transport’s viewing window as she launched another monstrosity of metal in the direction of the Amman system. That system had been dead for over four thousand generations. The ships could float there forever and never come in contact with another inhabited system.
She noticed him watching her, and she waved. Three down, one to go. They’d be finished soon.
“Hunter?”
It was Deceiver, cutting into the transmission.
“Yeah, Deceiver.”
“Can Star copy me?”
At the mention of her name, Hunter felt his body stiffen. Suddenly he knew the reason for their leader’s call. Star must have also figured out why the man was hailing them. “I copy, Deceiver. What do you have to tell us?”
“Word just came in from the Committee. Affirmation of acceptance but negative on conception.” His breath blew out noisily over the transmission. “Sorry, guys.”
“We copy, Deceiver,” Hunter told the man. “Merchant, can you give us sixty seconds?”
“Yeah, Hunter. Sixty seconds. Go.”
He heard the telltale click of the transmission between them and Guardian Command going silent, leaving him and Star alone to have a brief but private conversation. Taking a shaky breath, he called to her.
“Star?”
“Yeah, Hunter. I heard.” Oddly, she didn’t sound disappointed.
Hesitating slightly, he asked, “When?”
Her answer was not what he expected. “Give me a moment to think. I’ll tell you when I come in.”
“Copy,” he managed to acknowledge just as he fell heavily back into the pilot’s seat.
Affirmation of acceptance. The Committee got confirmation that he and Star had performed their duty. But the negative on conception meant she wasn’t pregnant.
Tonight he could go back to her, and they would try again.
Tonight.
There was no trying. He and Star were no longer doing their “duty” to obey the laws of HandFast. In one night, in each other’s arms and in each other’s bodies, they had gone far beyond that, and there was no turning back.
But what if she had been pregnant? By the laws of HandFast, he would have been free to walk away, never again forced to couple with her. Damning himself, Hunter knew he could not accept just the one night with her. Yes, he’d left a bit of himself inside her before he’d returned to his own quarters, but he had also left behind a larger chunk of his inner self. He’d given her his heart, to keep and nurture beside hers. So that every night thereafter when he took her body, he would find it whole and well and filled with her love in return.
Her love.
Hunter knew she was falling in love with him. She didn’t know it herself. Not yet. Perhaps soon, but not now.
What would happen to them once he impregnated her? They would still be Guardians. They would still work together. But how could things ever be the same again?
“Oh, hell.”
Star’s irritated comment brought Hunter back to the present. Quickly he scanned the area to see what might have caused her to make such a comment, when he saw the reason. A deepflyer had gotten caught in the derelict spacecraft she was angling away. The imme
nse creature was fighting the craft, its wings hung up on the many tentacled arms of the spaceship.
“Hold on, Star. I’m on my way.”
He had put on a deep space suit while on their way. The helmet sat on the seat directly behind him, and he snatched it up to snap it into place. After a couple of quick drags to check the airflow, Hunter popped out of the craft to help her untangle the mess.
“What’s going on out there, guys?” Time Merchant asked after reestablishing communications.
“We have a deepflyer stuck on the last ship,” Hunter told him as he moved closer to the creature. Star was already trying to untangle one of the deepflyer’s four wings from the ship. With a sudden jerk, the wing came free, and she tumbled end-over-end before straightening. That left one wing held fast on the other end of the Cortakian craft.
“Watch it, Hunter. It has a mean disposition,” she warned him.
“Not a problem. I’ll just pretend it’s Provoker,” he said dryly. In his earpiece he could hear Time Merchant chuckling. The man could be trusted not to tell.
The deepflyer tried to claw at him as Hunter reached the trapped wing. When the man deftly eluded its grasp, the creature tried to snap at him with its wide maw. Hunter ducked under the craft’s arm a split second before the mouth closed over where he’d been.
Too close. Hunter softly mouthed an obscenity.
“Hunter?”
“I need a distraction, Star. Or else this thing won’t let me near enough to free it.”
“One distraction, coming up.” There was a brief pause, and then she added, “If there’s something you want me to do, you only have to ask.”
Hunter felt his whole body flare at the words. His words. Not an exact quote, but enough of what he had whispered to her last night for him to understand what she was telling him. He sprang backwards to avoid the descending claws. “Star! Doesn’t this thing have a craw?”
“Yeah. I think so. Dammit, Hunter, but my schooling was limited.”
Rather than ask her what she meant by that remark, he diverted the question to Time Merchant. “Merchant, don’t deepflyers keep small meteoroids in the craw to help them digest protonic matter?”
