HarvestHunt

by Viola Grace

  To leave Endin, to live a life hunting folks as missions instead of chasing squirrels around the forest for her own entertainment and letting them go.

  "How would lift off of Endin be accomplished? The planet is on lockdown until the hunt is over, one way or another."

  "The Guardian Echo is nearby, waiting for my signal. They are unaware of my detour, but should still be on standby."

  She nodded. "Okay, a com station is our next goal then. Can you walk?"

  He stood and after a little swaying, he nodded. "I can. Not too fast at first though. I have to get used to two legs again."

  She smiled and collected all the traces of their visit, including the probes. With nothing left behind except a tuft or two of fur, she led the way out of the caverns using one of the flares to guide their way.

  For two hours, Ashlin led Rumble through the darkness, his hand snug around hers when they went through the blackest of caverns.

  "You are very good at this, Ashlin, was it?"

  "Yes, Ashlin Offrey. This is my life. I live to hunt and find, seek and capture. I am a catch and release hunter and that is probably why I was not given the position of hunt master this year. With all of my captures, it should have been me."

  "Lucky me that it wasn't." There was a smile in his tone, but even her keen eyesight could not determine if his face matched it.

  The gleam of sunlight flirted with them as they passed through the rock at a steady pace. A minor fracture in the stone above them let light flick through.

  "We are almost to the relay point. Taking you there underground was the safest way. Do you have means to communicate with your people?"

  He might have nodded, but she stopped short when she heard, "This is Rumble calling the Guardian Echo. I need an emergency extraction and I need it fast."

  She paused, unbelieving that he hadn't called immediately for assistance. When a female voice responded, "Well, it's about time, Rumble. Guardian Echo locking on your signal. We will have to pop their barrier so watch for us."

  "You could have done that hours ago." Ashlin knew her voice was flat.

  "I could have, but then I would not have been able to watch your skills in action. It was quite impressive to watch you move through the stone with such ease." He was amused again.

  "I can smell the trail of the fresh air, if you are feline, you probably can, too." She resumed their walk toward the trail of open air, free of any Endin taint. "Let me go first."

  She retracted her tail and shrank her features back to their normal appearance. If there were any of her people around, she didn't want to frighten them into firing. It was bad enough that her body held many of the same colours as the beast they thought they were chasing. She didn't want to risk Rumble's body when her own was so much faster.

  The crevice they were going to use as an exit was covered by a green cluster of shrubs. Ashlin eased past the greens and scented the air again. They were all clear. The faintest trace of Endin was coming from the west, but they were hours away. If Rumble could get his pickup in the next hour, he would be free and clear.

  She heard a whisper behind her.

  "ETA on the pickup?"

  "We will be there in fifteen. Try to find an open area." The feminine voice was very matter-of-fact.

  "Will do. Thanks, Moira."

  Ashlin turned and scowled at the man who was right behind her, "You suck at the whole stay-put thing."

  "You didn't tell me to stay put. You told me to let you go first. Big difference." His chuckle resembled the cough of the large cat.

  "Back in the cavern, I need to check something on the map." She moved past him into an alcove large enough to shelter them both. Ashlin retrieved one of the glow sticks and a map, quickly finding what she needed.

  "It is a bit of a sprint, but how are you fixed for running? The nearest clearing is about a half-hour walk, but we could run there in about ten."

  "Do you mind if I shift?"

  "As long as you are watching out for hunters, you can do whatever you like." She folded the map and stowed everything in her pack.

  "Will do. When do we go?"

  She didn't answer, simply shifted back into her wilderness shape and bolted from cover. In less than thirty seconds, the beast was at her side and together, they moved soundlessly through the forest, avoiding the hunters and the temptation of the small beasts in the process.

  The sound of the incoming shuttle alerted them and with a final burst of speed, they reached the clearing as the ship came down, the wind shifted and her eyes grew wide as a group hunters burst from cover.

  Flipping over Rumble, Ashlin got between him and the hunters during the final sprint. The door to the shuttle opened and Ashlin shrieked at the searing pain of a blaster impact.

  Almost to the doorway, Rumble stopped, turned and slammed his paws against the ground sending a shockwave through the clearing and knocking the hunters off their feet.

  Ashlin knelt and panted, "Off you go, Rumble. Your people have you now." Spots were streaking through her vision, but she could see another male in the doorway, beckoning to the beast.

  Rumble grabbed her by her collar and hauled her like a kitten into the shuttlecraft. Ashlin knew that she left a trail of blood behind her, but once in the shuttle, she didn't care.

  The pilot lifted off and in moments, they popped out of the global shielding that was designed to keep out exactly this kind of intrusion.

  Rumble shifted shapes and started to work on her with a medical kit. She chuckled. "Turnabout is fair play."

  His laugh was a strained noise and the woman piloting turned to ask, "How is she?"

  "Bleeding like mad. The blast had an anticoagulant in it."

  The other male came to help and with both of the men's intervention, she was soon strapped to a bunk with a regenerator aimed at her back.

  Moira asked, "Where to?"

  "Teklan. She needs Reset. This regenerator is only able to slow the blood loss." The unknown male was checking her vitals while Rumble held her hand.

  Rumble was sitting on the floor, his hands on hers while Moira flew them toward their destination.

  She was a little dizzy, but she managed a question, "Where the hell are we going?"

  Chapter Three

  Teklan base was a fairly sparse affair, but the moment that they landed, Ashlin was surrounded.

  She was not feeling very intelligent by this point, so when a cloud of mist gathered her up and carried her into the base, she giggled. "It tickles."

  Rumble was looking at the mist with a glare, but as she was flying along on her belly, she waved at him as she was brought into the base, down the halls and to medical.

  A woman with pale skin, dark blue hair and the reddest lips Ashlin had ever seen, bent down to greet her as she was flown into the office. "Hello, Ashlin. I am Reset. I will be touching your injury and it may hurt…a lot."

  "Okey dokey. Try the puffy cloud, it tickles."

  The woman smiled at her. "I know. He is my mate, Mist. Now, simply hold still and grab the edges of the table if you need to."

  Ashlin didn't see what could be so bad until Reset's hands pressed her wound and fire spilled out from the contact. She gripped the edges of the table and her claws came out and squeaked as they scraped the metal.

  She breathed air in through her mouth and out through her nose, her shifting completely beyond her control. Her tail appeared and disappeared, claws grew and retracted and sounds bombarded her and then became tolerable.

  Finally, the pain ended and she slumped flat on the table.

  Reset pulled up a chair and sat next to her. "That was really something."

  Ashlin sat up and croaked. "I'll say."

  Taking inventory of her body, she noted the cooler air touching her spine and reached back to determine exactly how much of her clothing was missing. "Okay, how big was the hole?"

  Reset leaned back in her chair and ran her hands through her hair. "You had about a six-inch circumference missing
over your spine."

  "It didn't really hurt that much after the initial sting." Her hands kept smoothing over the skin as if confirming that it was there.

  "That is because you suffered spinal damage. If Rumble hadn't dragged you in, you would have died within an hour or so."

  "Oh. Where is he?" She tried to put a casual query into her tone, but Reset grinned.

  "He is speaking with Might. Would you like to get some fresh clothing? We have a full selection of nondescript bodysuits available."

  Apparently, her face said it all as Reset got up and wandered over to the cupboard. She thumbed through a few selections and then brought out a suit in a brown and green camouflage pattern. "This should fit you."

  Ashlin peeled out of her damaged clothing just as Rumble came through the door. He stopped short at her nudity, but she put the new suit on with care, smoothing each inch as it went on. When the closures were completely fastened, she turned to him and smiled. "How does it look?"

  He opened and closed his mouth before clearing his throat and saying, "Might would like to speak with you."

  She nodded and shifted her nose. "I will find him."

  "You don't know where you are going."

  "I can follow your scent anywhere." She blushed but pushed past him and into the hall after that small confession.

  He was the first male that she had met anywhere near her own size and the fact that his scent made her dizzy and happy every time she caught a whiff of it was going to get her into trouble. She followed his scent down the hall to an office where another masculine scent mingled with Rumble's.

  The Dhemon looked up and smiled as she entered his office. "Ashlin Offrey?"

  "Yes, you are Might?"

  "Or Brodin to those who know me. Please, have a seat."

  She took the chair across from him that Rumble had recently occupied. She mentally wrapped the wild scent around her and tried to pay attention to what the Dhemon had to say.

  "Let me be blunt. Are you willing to join the Sector Guard? If the answer is no, your relations on Wyora are eager to take you in."

  She blinked. "I thought I could just return home."

  "Not with the scene we caused removing Rumble. You are being blamed for ruining whatever the harvest hunt is. There is a price on your head, dear lady."

  She frowned and rubbed at her forehead. "How can you know that?"

  He sighed. "Let me be completely frank. Your father and mother contacted us months ago and suggested you for the post of Guardsman. They sent us as many specifics as they knew about your talent, but your bloodlines alone almost guarantee you as an ideal candidate."

  Ashlin's head was spinning. "Bloodlines?"

  "Yes, your Wyoran relatives have an amazing history. When your father sent us your information, we contacted the Wyoran consulate and requested the family history. Talent runs deep in your veins, Ashlin."

  She wasn't sure what to make of it. "What kind of talents?"

  "Links, metamorphs, telekinetics, you name it and your bloodline has it."

  "I didn't know that. Hell, I didn't know I had relatives that knew who I was off Endin."

  "There was a solid line of descendants from your original grandmother. Each had their own power to bring to the table." He inclined his head and light flashed on his horns.

  "I see. Can I speak with my parents?"

  "Not yet. They are still in the lockdown required by the Endin traditions. You can speak to them in two days."

  She nodded. That sounded right, though she had no idea how long she had been in the shuttle, hovering just beyond death's reach. "I will agree to be a Guardsman on a trial basis. If I find that I am not suited for this work, I will need to find a place to call home."

  The decision to find out if Rumble was a Kalorda had been her tipping point. From then on, she had been on her own as far as Endin society was concerned. Wrecking the harvest hunt, their biggest tradition, was her moment of separation from the people who had raised her. His life or their tradition. It hadn't been a contest and that made her realization all the more easy. She had made her choice.

  "A trial is acceptable. Welcome to the Sector Guard. Will you mind partnering with Rumble?"

  She bit her lip. "Is there someone else I can partner with?"

  Brodin looked shocked. "What?"

  "I feel that dealing with Rumble on a daily basis will be…awkward."

  Brodin blinked and rubbed the back of his neck, a silly grin coming to his lips. "Well, I understand that distraction in the face of duty can be awkward, but trust me when I say that Rumble is the partner for you. Your shifting and senses combined with his will make a very effective combination."

  She shifted in her chair. "Are you sure?"

  Rumble's voice sounded from behind her. "He's sure. I am more than willing to deal with you in any situation, Ashlin. After all, it isn't many women who would jump astride a beast and trust him not to move or bite."

  She blushed at his frank gaze. There was something behind his eyes and part of her mind pushed toward him to find out. When he jolted, she pulled her mind back as she had every time that she had done it in the past. The moment her prey had realized she was seeking them with her mind, she had always pulled back.

  "Did you just…"

  "No. I did nothing."

  He scowled and then looked to Might. "Reset has given me a clean bill of health. Apparently, Hunter here did a better job patching me up than I did for her. We are cleared to return to Station 13."

  Might nodded. "Then you are dismissed and give Haunt my best. I hear that Tears of the Star is ready to move back to Balen. The base will get under way in the next few months. It is a good time to be joining the group, Hunter. I hope you enjoy your trial period."

  He dismissed them with a grin and waved them off. It was the interspecies sign for run along.

  Bemused, Ashlin got to her feet and joined Rumble in the hallway. "Why did you call me Hunter?"

  "We all have a name that we use in uniform and one that we keep for private moments. Hunter will be your public name and you can keep Ashlin Offrey for those you are close to."

  They were heading toward the tarmac. Despite being wrapped in Rumble's scent, she could smell the particular fluids and gasses associated with shuttle refuelling.

  "Back to the Guardian Echo?"

  "Yes. They will take us to Station 13 and then continue on their way."

  "Are they Guardsmen?"

  "Alzor and Moira? No. They are experimental shuttle pilots. Apparently, his family takes care of their children, which allows them to roam far and wide."

  "They have children? They don't look like the same species."

  "Moira is a Terran. They have…flexible genes that allow for many interbreeding possibilities. From your file, even one of your third cousins is married to one."

  "Alzor is like you?"

  "Kalordan. Yes. He's from the ruling family."

  "They didn't take second names?"

  He laughed. "Listen to them bicker long enough and you will hear them call each other all sorts of things."

  The air of Teklan tasted peculiar to Ashlin. The sun was in the very air and she wasn't used to the lack of humidity.

  "It tastes funny here. Like lizards."

  They were almost to the shuttle and her words were answered as a dragon flew overhead with a female on his back. He landed on the tarmac and shifted into a smaller form. A bipedal male with wings.

  "Is that a Guardsman?"

  "It is. One of the Drai. There are two of them here on Teklan. It is probably why you scent lizard."

  She didn't like the scent in the air and as quickly as she could, she got onto the ship.

  Moira was sitting in Alzor's lap, but as Ashlin and Rumble came aboard, she lazily took over the pilot's seat and hooked up a halo.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard the Guardian Echo. We know you have a choice when you fly with the Sector Guard and we thank you for flying Echo Air." Moira was obviously hav
ing a good time, because she burst into giggles.

  Blinking and confused by the joke, Ashlin strapped into one of the seats while the pilots ran the pre-flight checks.

  Rumble sat next to her and as the ship started to rise, he took her hand in his own. She clutched at it in reflex as they took off. The interior of the ship was too tight, smelled of metal and arousal. Moira may seem calm, but there was a layer of heat beneath her surface that was obvious to anyone with senses to pick it up.

  Moira's mate was radiating pheromones as well, but they didn't have the same effect on Ashlin that Rumble's did. To mask her senses from the onslaught, she sat up and gave Rumble a quick nuzzle on the neck. He froze in place but let her use his scent to cover the others. It seemed that he knew what she was doing. It was either that or he welcomed the contact.

  With her sense of smell filled with Rumble's musk, she sat back and relaxed into the rhythm of the shuttle rising through the atmosphere.

  It was going to be quite the journey, but eventually, she would find a new home.

  Chapter Four

  Watching the pilots do their work was fascinating. Though Ashlin had been off planet when she was young, she hadn't been in space since and the feeling was exceptionally peculiar. She attempted to distract herself by asking, "Where is Balen located?"

  "Not too far from Endin. About six hours via a single jump." Rumble smiled at her. "If you want to visit your home, you can arrange some time off."

  She sighed. "That wasn't really my thought. I just have no spatial orientation. I have no idea if that is close, far or right next door."

  He chuckled. "Good to know. I will put it on your orientation list. Every Guardsman needs at least a passing familiarity with shuttlecraft."

  "Is there much else I need to know?"

  "Well, there are the rights and ranks of every Guardsman. We hold the same rank as most minor nobility and a military rank of general."

  She frowned. "What does that mean?"

  "They have to listen when we speak."

  She chuckled. "That's something I believe I am looking forward to."

  "It is rather refreshing when you are used to being the odd man out or odd woman out as in your case."