Caress of the Stars

Huana Marsh was ready and eager for an assignment off world as a seeker for the star Dekkar. Imbued with his power, she sets off to find the lost world of H’skar, origin world of the Hashka. Yaedo, the security officer for the temple is her chaperone and bodyguard and after a few days in his company, Huana knows why. Dekkar has selected her perfect mate and has locked him in a shuttlecraft with her. Since her body is demanding the attentions of its mate, their assignment is going to get a lot more complicated before it simplifies.

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Caress of the Stars Copyright © 2011 Viola Grace ISBN: 978-1-55487-940-3 Cover art by Martine Jardin All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by Devine Destinies An imprint of eXtasy Books Look for us online at: www.devinedestinies.com

Caress of the Stars A Hashka Chronicle By Viola Grace

Prologue he darkness of space had been filled with searching minds. Having left their bodies behind, the minds of the newly evolved race experienced everything by watching the races that their group consciousness drifted past, millions of minds acted as one. For thousands of years, they watched species grow and flourish, simply remaining in their invisible cloud until a growing dissent appeared in their midst. Three thousand of the gathered minds were tired of their aimless existence and wished to take a more active role in the lives of the species around them. An unseen civil war took place and two thousand five hundred minds separated from their energy mass, taking up residence in a quiet star system. Now that they were alone, they had time to plan for what they wanted in a species to call their own. The stars planned out a sturdy race, blue skin that was sensitive to the touch but difficult to

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pierce. They could survive on any of the occupied worlds without requiring life support, their lungs able to process a number of gasses into a usable form. The minds of the species was a matter for some debate and finally, they came upon the idea of creating a lobe in the brains that would allow the stars to visit any of their people at any time. One of the females brought up the problem that while they had designed an intelligent and worthy people, there was no guarantee that they would not die out in less than a generation, so they needed to work in an incentive to mate. They discussed the remembered senses that they used to have and it was in agreement that they would create signals that the males and females could not ignore. The females would go into heat and receptive males would scent it. To let the female know she had found a good match, the voice of an appropriate male would intensify her heat. With their list of what they did and did not want in a species, they now needed to craft it. Their thoughts and attentions turned in two directions. One group sought technologically advanced species who would be able to create the race. The others sought a race of sufficient population that a few thousand folk plucked at random would not be noticed. 2

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A human colony abandoned in a dead sector contained a population that was trapped and slowly dying, using up their supplies as time passed, fit the bill for building blocks of their ideal race. When the techs were located and in transit, the stars used their energy to put the people of H’skar in stasis. The researchers went to work immediately. If they delivered the transformed creatures, they would be allowed to live. It took two years to get a working example of a successful design, but once the prime Hashka had been created, the rest were transformed in a matter of months. With their minds blanked and their bodies remade, the Hashka race began to thrive. The stars guided them, nurtured them and occasionally used their bodies to remember what the feeling of touch was. The stars were delighted when it was apparent that they could build their power from the energy expended when their new creations either fought or mated. The planet of H’skar bloomed. The star named Dekkar poured all of his power into keeping it a living place. He watched over the primes and their children, keeping the temperature of the surface at the most pleasing for the precious new ones who appeared with every generation. When the other Hashka began to leave for other 3

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worlds to colonize, Dekkar asked a few of his chosen families to return once they had seen the star systems. They agreed and as they took to other planets, they remembered their promise to return to the world they had called home. While he would become the patron of three other planets, he would always remember the first world that he touched and the people he nurtured from their pale pink origins. Imagine Dekkar’s surprise when H’skar disappeared. It was five hundred years before he found the right Hashka to help his beloved find it again.

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Chapter One uana Marsh looked up from her research and blinked at the contingent of priests in her office. “May I help you?” “Seeker Marsh?” The male at the front of the contingent bowed low. “You are requested at the temple.” She stared at the men in surprise. “You have to be kidding. I am not exactly your type.” Usually, the priests only came searching for women who were unmatched and about to go into heat. Huana had at least six months to go before she went into her first heat and she was far from a stunning beauty. They blushed at her honest assessment. It was no secret that they tended to favour a certain type of woman for early selection. The priests were allowed first pick of the women in heat. If a match was made, they made excellent husbands. It was thought that a husband from the priesthood was a lucky thing, a blessing from Dekkar that ensured the star’s attention

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throughout the life of the couple. “The high priest and his consort have requested your presence. We are not privy to the reasons. We have simply been assigned as your honour guard.” His long, swirling blue robe over his bare chest marked him as a security guard at the temple. The muscles on his companions and their paler blue robes identified them as personal guards for the higher-ranking members of the temple. “I see. Just a moment, please.” Huana locked her research away and walked to her boss’s office. “Arkol, I will be out for a while. Keep an eye on the front in case you have a client.” She leaned in the doorway and grinned at his rumpled countenance. “Where are you off to?” Arkol ran his hands through his dark hair and scowled as he came out of his seeker’s trance. “I have been summoned to the temple. Don’t laugh. Come and take a look if you don’t believe me.” No seeker could resist their own curiosity, so she was unsurprised to find Arkol next to her, peering around the corner and making a soft whistle at the four priests waiting for her. “Raveli isn’t going to believe that you were summoned by four priests.” “I wasn’t summoned by priests, it isn’t my time. I was summoned by the high priest and his 6

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consort.” She held up a hand and stopped his train of thought. “Don’t even go there. I am going now. Keep your twisted fantasies between you and your wife.” He waggled his brows at her and gave her a small wave, wiggling his fingers lasciviously. “Oh, I will.” Sighing and rolling her eyes, she turned and made her way back to the front of the office, tossing her cloak over her serviceable tunic and trousers. “Let’s go, gentlemen.” The security officer tried to take her arm, but she pulled away. “Let’s not pretend that this is something else. Two bring up the front and two the rear.” One of the men grinned. “I am good with that.” Three of them chuckled while their spokesperson scowled. “Stop it, Nakor. She is an honoured guest of the high priest. This is not the moment for innuendo.” They sobered and as a group, turned to the door. The man next to her murmured, “If you don’t want to attract attention, you might want to take my arm and pretend you are going in for your preliminary check. No one would understand any other reason. As you said, you are not really our type.” She tried to control her hurt, but masked her emotions and took his arm. No one needed to tell 7

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her that she was very plain for a Hashka. Her parents had told her that the stars had given her those features for a reason and she had tried to believe them. She had yet to succeed. A few of her neighbours saw the escort and immediately scuttled off to spread the rumour of her being selected. For most women, it would be considered a high honour, but she could only think of it as a cruel taunt. The action of being escorted to the haven of the most eligible, intelligent and wealthy males on the planet and she was going in for a business meeting was a cruel irony that the stars would answer for. The muscles of the forearm she was holding twitched when her fingers clenched around them. The great steps of the temple loomed ahead of them and as they took the first steps, all passersby gave polite applause. Huana flushed a dark purple and hissed to her companion, “This is something I am not going to live down.” “Yes, you are. Just keep breathing and take your nails out of my arm. Everything will be fine.” He patted her hand and they passed the ranks of security before entering the cool confines of the interior temple. As they were no longer in the public eye, she released his arm as if scalded. He seemed rather perturbed by it, but stepped away from her. 8

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Her escort brought them to a private chamber, not the public hall as she had anticipated. She took a deep breath as they opened the door and let her enter on her own. The high priest and his consort were waiting for her in their sitting room. They rose to greet her and invited her to sit. She had seen him from a distance, but never this close. He and his wife both had the glow of the stars in their eyes, midnight blue hair and skin that was bright and healthy. They were the epitome of Hashka health and sexuality. “Greetings, High Priest Taru, Priestess-Consort Vieal.” In their eerie manner, they spoke as one. “Thank you for answering our call, Huana Marsh.” “It is my honour to serve the emissaries of Dekkar.” They inclined their heads as one. “Your star has need of you.” “If you needed a seeker, I am sure that you have one or more on staff here at the temple.” “I need you, Huana Marsh.” The rumble of the voice through the two pairs of lips went straight through her soul. She knelt at the feet of her star and bowed her head. “Whatever you need of me is yours, dearest star.” “I knew you would say so, dearest daughter. I 9

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am asking you to go on a journey, a journey from which you may never return.” The voice grew ominous. “Are you willing to take such a risk?” She thought about it for a moment, thought about her life on Slithinish and her future. The priests would never come back for her again. She was doomed to live her life searching for her perfect mate and finding only disappointment and eventual madness. Life as a seeker was interesting, but it was not going to take the place of a mate and family. Her features were too plain to attract any of the men and if they didn’t get close, she would never know if their voices could raise her heat. It was a horrible roundabout. If she did leave Slithinish, she would be leaving her friends and family behind. “Will you tell my family where I have gone?” They smiled. “We will. They will be given a pension to replace your earnings as well. They will not suffer financially in your absence. Now, do you wish to know where you are going?” She laughed lightly. “Only if it will not conflict with your master plan, dearest star.” They smiled, their robes and gleaming skin bright in the light streaming through the windows. “You are going to find the lost planet of H’skar. You are the only one who can.” “The planet of H’skar? It’s a fairy tale. A legend lost to the ages.” 10

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They sighed. “It has been lost, but it is very real. You are the woman who can find it and I will send you out with both an escort and the power to signal me when you have located it.” She blinked in surprise as they rose as one and embraced her from both sides, the ample breasts of the consort a stark contrast to the erection of the high priest. Lips pressed against her flesh, trailing across her neck, cheeks and ears. When the power began to flow into her, she spasmed, her body held up only by the hands of Dekkar’s emissaries. When they released her, every nerve in her body tingled, every cell was aware of the breeze on her flesh and the heat of the sun. Even her hair rippled with power, her senses keener than they had ever been. “Huana, Seeker of Dekkar, I charge you to find H’skar and call me to tell me where it has strayed. Security Priest Yaedo will accompany you and assure your safety.” The emissaries took her hands and smiled as they were given control of their bodies again. The normal voice of the high priest was surprisingly warm. “Thank you, Seeker. He has been waiting to speak to you for you for a very long time.” Their encouraging faces bolstered her nerves as she waited for her escort and the ship he would pilot to be powered up. For better or worse, she was on her way to the stars. 11

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Chapter Two t was surreal to be hustled along the shaded corridors of the temple toward the private launch area. An acolyte met them in the halls with two bags for her. “These are your travel bags. Your companion will meet you in the shuttle.” “Can I call my family?” Huana gripped the handles of the bags tightly. “You can make a call from the shuttle and the high priest will make sure that they are looked after. If you do this for Dekkar, he will make sure that you are taken care of. That includes your family.” The priest of the house nodded toward the light at the end of the hall. “It is time for you to go now.” Hauling the bags with her, she hiked out toward the lone shuttle waiting on the launch pad. A shadow was visible inside the shuttle and as she stepped into the dim interior, she winced. “Hello, Priest.” “Greetings, Seeker. Please stow your bags and

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prepare for lift off. We have a collective to catch.” The surly and insulting security officer was busy doing pre-flight checks. He sounded just as pleased to be on this assignment as she was. Keeping her thoughts to herself, she locked her bags down and took up the navigator station, quickly sending a link to her parents. “Hello, Ma. Is Pa in his study?” “Of course he is. Why aren’t you at work?” “There has been a development. I am going off world for a while. I have an assignment. It will require me to leave for a while.” The heavy sigh that gusted from her mother made her smile. “This is rather sudden.” “That is correct. Now with client confidentiality at stake, we are going to simply wish me well and I will send you messages as I am able. Now, put Pa on. I can hear him in the background.” “I love you and I wish you good luck, Hu. Now, here is your Pa.” “What is this? Why aren’t you at work, Hu-bear?” The rich, warm tones of her father made her smile. “Because I have an assignment that is taking me off world. Take care of Ma and don’t let Arkol and Raveli kill each other. Love you, Pa.” “I love you, too, Hu-bear. Now, be safe and be in touch when it’s feasible.” Her father was going to calm her mother down and that is why she 13

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wanted him included on the call. “Bye, Pa. Bye, Ma.” With a sigh of satisfaction, she discontinued the connection to face the audience of one that was lurking behind her. “You seem to have quite a close relationship with your family, Seeker.” The temple head of security strapped into the pilot’s seat. “It comes and goes, Priest. Right now, they are resigned to my pursuing my career in whatever form it takes. Last year, they were trying to organize an arranged mating with a passing freighter captain.” She chuckled and buckled her harness. “I refused to leave the world without saying farewell to them. Now it is done, we can get underway.” A rare smile crossed his too-handsome features. “That is my cue, I suppose. Pre-flight checks are complete. Engine test is green. We are ready to launch.” She breathed deeply as they began to taxi down the small runway and just as she felt they were going to drop off the cliff, the shuttlecraft rose in the air and made its way through their atmosphere. “We will have a small transport of our own, but we will be travelling with a caravan of ships. You will be addressed as my servant, as my facial markings clearly identify me as a priest of Dekkar.” 14

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She frowned, but he had a point. The tattoos and metallic spirals that marked his forehead and temples were hard to miss. “I don’t do well in a subservient pose.” “As my servant, you will be able to travel with me but be largely unsupervised. It will allow you to engage in whatever seeker activity you require.” He was handling the controls to the shuttle very well, keeping them on track while he spoke. “Fine, so what do I call you?” “Master Yaedo. Or Master if you prefer.” “What will you call me?” “Huana or servant. No one but me is to know that you are a seeker once we leave the collective.” She groaned. “Wonderful.” She grimaced and tried it on for size. “Master Yaedo. Oh, that is going to take some getting used to.” “I won’t have a problem with you calling me that. I will probably even answer to it.” Huana shuddered at the change. “The travellers are known for occasionally sharing women of other races.” “Dekkar made sure that anyone other than me believes you are diseased or cursed. No one will touch you.” At the same time, the statement was both comforting and depressing. Again, she would be amongst people who thought her repulsive and beneath them. It was going to be a very long 15

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assignment. “I am grateful that the star took such measures.” Going into heat in the stars was going to be rough, but if she managed to find Dekkar’s world, she would be home and able to shop for a husband in the traditional manner, luring him in with her scent. “Our star wants you to remain happy and healthy while you are away from your home.” His shoulders shifted as he moved the controls slightly. They overshot the space station and he approached a large ship with calm deliberation. “Where exactly are we going?” “The Gilenden Archive is our first stop. You will be given three days to collect as much research as you can. After that, we are joining the traveller collective.” Huana tried to hide her excitement. “The Archive, you say?” “I realize that this is the culmination of all of your seeker fantasies, but try to contain your enthusiasm. You are supposed to be diseased after all.” He sent her a wry grin and she had to blink at the proof that he had a sense of humour. “Fine. I will keep on track, but it will take me a while to figure out which direction to focus my research.” “Take all the time you need, but do it in three 16

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days.” She crossed her arms and drummed her fingers against her biceps. “Very funny for a priest.” “We all have extensive senses of humour, but since you are not a frequent visitor to the temple, you wouldn’t know that.” She gritted her teeth. “You are correct. I have never been invited to the temple before today. I know nothing about you or others of your kind.” He frowned. “My kind?” “Priests who have their pick of the females in town. I am well aware that I don’t meet the physical description for introduction criteria.” He stared at her as they neared the large, hulking ship that would carry them at faster speeds than they could manage. “Keep your eyes on the road…Master.” Her lips twisted as she practiced his title. “We will discuss this later, but for now, know that your physical appearance has nothing to do with your lack of invitation to the temple. Women who are not in heat are rarely invited for introduction.” Embarrassed, she kept her gaze forward as they approached the hulking ship. She had been off world before, but this was the first time she had not been alone. Once in the bulk transport, the small shuttle would be locked into place and from there, they would be on the way to the Archive. If 17

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she was very lucky, she would forget the look of pity and confusion in Yaedo’s face when she muttered her complaint. Sadly, she knew her luck was never that good.

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Chapter Three uana was in her element, rifling through the old documents and letting her instincts take control. She was absorbing information as quickly as she could. “Huana, are you done? We need to leave.” Her master was waiting in the doorway, as if afraid to enter her domain. She straightened her work kiosk and handed the books back to the librarian in the creationist sector. “Thank you, Jovil. You were most helpful.” The librarian blushed, his pale peach skin turning a violent red under the warmth of her smile. “Any time, Huana. It was nice to see a friendly face in here for a change.” She winked and patted the back of his hand before leaving. Yaedo was scowling as if she had just gutted a toddler in front of him. “What?” Yaedo leaned down to murmur in her ear. “You touched him and he didn’t recoil.” “He isn’t Hashka. I am guessing that Dekkar

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forgot to make me repulsive to all species.” She shrugged. It was nice. She had made a friend who actually seemed to think that her bland features were attractive. The corner of his mouth twitched and she kept staring at it, fascinated by the rhythmic motion. “That isn’t possible.” She started down the endless halls to their docked shuttle. “Maybe he just likes my personality. I don’t think Dekkar can repress that, not if he wants me to work effectively.” He followed her and asked quietly, “Did you find it?” “I believe I did. I will confirm the coordinates after we finish joining the collective. Are you ready?” He seemed surprised. “Of course. I have been waiting for you to complete your research into the location.” She turned her head to hide her grin. She had finished looking for H’skar on the first day. The last two had just been to have her seeker curiosity be satisfied as much as it could be. As they made their way to the shuttle, she ran through the facts she had gleaned. They would keep her warm and entertained on the long nights in her tiny room in the shuttle. “We are meeting with the collective mother ship in less than six hours.” Yaedo was all business 20

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when she went silent. “Good. It has been a while since I met with travellers. Are we going in as nesters?” She entered the access code to their shuttle and stepped into the dim interior, sighing as the lights went on in response to her presence. “You know about nesters?” He should have known not to be surprised, but Huana merely nodded as she moved to the control panel. Nesters were a little-known method of travel. If you had connections and a willingness to work for your keep, a person could park their shuttle on a collective mother ship and become a transient part of their community. “What will our duties be?” He sat in the pilot’s chair while she worked on the navigation systems, inputting some of the data she had gleaned. It was enough to confirm their general destination but not enough to give away their final target. Yaedo was looking at her with a peculiar expression when she finally looked up. “You actually found the lost world, didn’t you?” “Not yet, but I found the likely coordinates. I just inputted them.” She spun the chair away and rubbed the back of her neck. “Ready when you are.” “How can you be so calm about this? You have 21

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just located a lost world!” His hands were clenching as if he wanted to grab her and shake her. “It will remain lost until the day that we land on it. It isn’t going anywhere.” Her grin couldn’t be stopped. “So, what are we doing in the collective?” He gave her a look that indicated he wasn’t going to let the subject go but answered her direct query. “I will be teaching the young men of the collective hand-to-hand combat tactics and you will be working with the security forces to find lost things.” “So, you get to have fun and I get to do my normal job. Nice.” She crossed her arms over her chest and blinked in surprise as his gaze dropped to her breasts. She quickly raised her arms to cover her peaked nipples. She inwardly kicked her shins as her body reacted with alacrity to his slightest gaze. After three days in close quarters with him, her system was humming constantly in a semi-aroused state. She knew that he didn’t feel the same, but it was fun to torture herself with his proximity. “I will be doing my normal job as well. Don’t think that you are the only one who has to endure the beauty of space from the bonds of duty.” He began the clearance requests while she did the pre-flight checks. With all systems green and a full fuel system, she gave him a thumbs-up and 22

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strapped into her harness. Their shuttle lifted the moment that the docking locks were released. Yaedo was no slouch at the controls and as soon as Huana realized that she was staring at his hands, she jerked her gaze away and looked out at the stars. A huge hulk of a ship filled her vision where blackness should have been. The matte grey exterior belied the vibrancy of the people within but served the purpose of allowing them to dock at any of the stations without irritating the locals. They kept their families within the collective and extended their services for those starved of entertainment when they travelled to far off stations. They were the ideal means for folks such as themselves to visit areas where a smaller shuttle would lack support. As the huge hulk of the ship rotated to expose their docking area, Huana grinned. Even from the angle of approach, she could see the gilt interior and wild colours that were the collective’s trademark. Yaedo parked the shuttle in a gaudy shuttle bay and looked at her. “How long will we be on this ship?” She unbuckled and looked at him in surprise. “That depends on the collective. If they take my suggestions for navigation, we can be there in two weeks. If not, it can be months.” 23

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He nodded and helped her from her seat at the nav station. “Shall we meet our new travelling companions?” She followed him, bemused by the contact of his skin on hers. They exited their shuttle and faced the elders of the collective. Three men and three women of the N’staffin race faced them and bowed. Manners were key in the collective and though the folk were a pale brown and not her vibrant blue, Huana always sensed a kinship with these folk. One of the female elders inclined her head. “Welcome, travellers.” Yaedo bowed low and it was at that point that Huana realized that they were still holding hands. She released his fingers casually and made her own bow. “Thank you for your hospitality, Elders.” Yaedo’s voice imparted his genuine thanks. “You will earn it, Priest. Who is your companion?” The eldest male raised one dark eyebrow and nodded to their hands. They were no longer in contact, but the connection between them was undeniable and apparently visible. Huana folded her hands in front of her and inclined her head. “I am Seeker Marsh. My skills are at the collective’s disposal.” 24

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Seekers on duty tended to hide their identities. By admitting that she was a seeker, she was letting them know that she was not working. She had no allegiances beyond the collective. Smiles broke out on the elders’ faces. “Welcome again. You will be assigned to the women’s quarters, Seeker Marsh. Priest, come with me.” He jerked in surprise. “The seeker needs to speak with your navigator.” They looked at him with what approached pity. Huana quickly stepped toward him and whispered, “We are strangers until we have given one day of service to the collective. After one day, they will introduce me to their navigator and after one week, they will travel the course that I give.” His jaw flexed but he nodded. “When will I see you? I thought we would remain separate during the day but reside in the shuttle.” “They do not allow unmated couples to mingle. We will see each other at communal meals. I will provide updates then.” The elders waited patiently for their conversation to cease. They nodded in approval as she spoke. “How do you know this?” He turned to face her, ignoring their audience. “Do you remember the slavers that ran through seven years ago and the return of the missing women?” 25

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“Yes. It was said that the temple handled it.” “It wasn’t the temple of Dekkar but of another star that sent their Elite to assist. We found the slavers and got the girls home with the help of a passing collective. We were able to get right up next to them before they knew we were there.” She smiled and patted his cheek. Seeing his chiselled features expressing his shock made her heart jump a little. “Don’t worry about it. We will see each other at…Elder, what time is it now?” “We have just had the noon meal, so you will be able to speak with each other at dinner in six hours.” The speaker of the female elders grinned and took Huana’s hand. “Come along, Seeker. We have work for you.” Huana turned and let the women lead her out of the nester bay and into the interior of the collective. She looked back once and saw Yaedo speaking earnestly with one of the elders. He was in good hands. She was going to have to deal with the matters that the women brought to her.

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Chapter Four eeker, we are asking you to find the truth of this matter. We have lost an entire shipment of goods and are at our wits end.” Elder Nehatho smiled, her weathered face showing her worry. Huana sat and sipped tea while the manifests were brought before her. “I will do whatever I can.” Nehatho’s daughter, Niera, grimaced as she placed the documents in front of Huana. “The trade goods are our life’s blood. To have an entire shipment missing within the collective has caused my mother no end of stress.” “I will endeavour to ease that burden.” She finished her tea and nodded to the assembled women. They acquired the goods and the men sold them. To have a break in the supply chain was a disaster to the whole collective. She sat up straight and nodded to the dozen women who were seated in front of her. She knew what they needed to hear. “As a Seeker of Dekkar,

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I hereby swear to find what is lost.” With that done, she reached forward and opened the folders. She heard the gasp and ignored it as her eyes glowed with the power she channelled. The words on the page blurred and swirled into a confusion of black and white. Data jumped at her, coordinates and keys, locks and codes all flooded into Huana’s mind. She sat and looked for the answer to the question she had been asked, pushing aside all teasing data that tried to lead her astray. It could have been days for all she knew, but when she surfaced, the women looked at her with hope in their eyes. She was standing in front of one of the data terminal with a complete manifest on the display screen. “I have sought and I have found the trail of your shipment. If you will come with me, we can confirm my findings.” Huana swayed and leaned against the terminal. “You are drained, Seeker. You have been doing that for hours.” Nehatho reached out and touched her shoulder, jerking her hand back with a wince. “I apologize. The star rides me hard when I investigate away from my world. It seems if he can reach me, he enjoys running through my mind.” The variety of images that were seared into her thoughts and most of them centred around Yaedo in a state of undress. 28

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“If you wish to continue, we can. Please, lead the way.” Elder Nehatho gestured to the doorway and the women in the crowd made a channel. Huana took a deep breath and straightened. She kept her passive talent operating while she moved out of the women’s hall and into the huge storage bays of the ship. Huge stacks of crates lined the walls, each tagged with the shipment and content details. “We have already looked here.” Niera looked confused. “Keep walking. The trail leads this way.” The women were murmuring excitedly now. Huana climbed onto a lifter and after a little trial and error, she managed to start shifting one of the stacks, box by box. The women stood back and watched as she uncovered the core of the tower. Twenty unmarked boxes were stowed in the centre of the pile. Huana lifted them to one side and then turned the lifter off. The elder was grinning like a fool. “How did you find this? We have looked over every inch of this hold time and again. We didn’t see a thing.” Huana stood aside and let Jenu, the property mistress, take an inventory of the crates. “It was visible once I knew what to look for. It was not deliberate on your parts, but Borali died while at her duties, didn’t she?” Huana knew the answer, but she waited for it. 29

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Niera nodded. “Yes, she did. She was over one hundred and fifty years old, so it was not unexpected.” “Your collective has extreme respect for the dead. No one would undo her work for at least four months. Her last assignment was to offload the shipment and record it. Jenu arrived early for work and quickly straightened the area so that Borali’s last day on the job was completed.” Jenu paused and looked surprised. “How did you know that?” “You are always early for work, but on that day, you did not relieve Borali until after her body was discovered. As the first person on the scene, you should have seen her at your normal time. Only the call of honour could have kept you from your normal duties.” Elder Nehatho shook her head. “I have seen seekers in action before, but what other clues did we miss?” Huana rubbed the back of her neck. “Borali did not have time to store and record the shipment before the time recorded for her parting from these worlds. All of the towers are made of two hundred recorded tags, but this one only had eighty. The shipment was scanned as received, but not entered into inventory. Borali’s normal practice was to mark the boxes after they were in place on the towers, the time records prove it.” 30

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The women blinked in surprise and then started laughing. Nehatho smiled, “We thought the men had done it. There is a competition between our acquiring supplies and goods and the prices that they demand. The more we save, the more status we gain.” “I am glad that it was nothing so sinister. What time is it, by the way?” Niela looked concerned. “We have one hour to meal time. Are you hungry?” “No. I am merely a little tired. Is there time for me to see my bunk?” Nehatho nodded. “We have arranged private quarters for you. In light of your skills, you have more than earned them.” Relief flooded Huana. “Thank you, Elder. It is always easier for me to plan a path with a moment of reduced noise.” The elder waved her to follow and led her past the crowd of women who were helping Jenu with the lost shipment. Huana had seen the inner workings of the collective before, but the open spaces full of children always caught her by surprise. Dozens of children played and learned under the watchful eyes of their keepers. “What level are we on?” “Level eight. The children are enjoying their end 31

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of classes. Do you want children?” Elder Nehatho’s voice was sly. “Of course. Every Hashka woman wants children. It is doubtful I will find my mate though.” “Why is that?” “Not many males can handle a female who knows where he is at all times. No one can lie to me for long either. If I seek the truth, I find it.” The elder howled with laughter. “I can imagine that it would take a certain kind of man to deal with a woman with that talent. It seems that the priest is interested in applying for a chance to try.” Huana shook her head. “He informed me himself that I am not the kind of woman that a priest would seek as a mate.” The elder bumped into her, hip to hip. “Sometimes it isn’t what you seek, it’s what you find.” Huana pondered those words as she was shown to her room and got her passkey. Her bags had already been brought to the room and her tunics were hanging neatly in the wardrobe. “Veel remarked to me that your wardrobe could use a little enhancing.” The elder watched her move around the room, learning its dimensions as well as the location of all amenities. Her own private lav was a lovely surprise. 32

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“Someone in my line of work does not need feminine garments. These do just fine for me.” She ran her hand over her tunics. “Sometimes it is not what we need, but what we want. Before you leave, I want to see you in traveller clothing. Something tells me that it will suit you despite the differences in our skins.” Huana just shot her a light glare and kept unpacking the last of her garments. When it was complete, her stomach growled alarmingly. The elder laughed again. “Come with me, Seeker.” “Call me, Huana.” The wrinkled and tanned face smiled. “Only if you call me, Neha. Elder makes me feel old.” “Done.” Neha took her by the hand and hauled her into the ship once again. They passed dozens of friendly faces and some not so friendly, eventually ending up in the huge main dining hall. “You will find your priest here. Try to eat near a chaperone.” “Will you fit the bill?” “I thought you would never ask. I have dozens of questions about Hashka that I have never gotten the courage to speak.” “This is the time.” Eating with an elder had an unforeseen side effect. Huana’s food was brought out to her 33

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instead of facing the lines of diners. “You pick the spot. As one of the only blue women here, Yaedo should have no trouble finding me.” Huana picked up her fork and dug in to her meal. It was a charming mix of stewed rations and a fresh roll. A salad of fresh greens was placed on the table as well and once Neha had served her, she munched those down. Yaedo arrived with a tray just as Huana finished taking down the last of the greens on her plate. She was still tired but managed a smile for her priest when he sat down across from her. “You look like hammered hell.” “Thank you. Those young men are determined to learn everything I know in the next few days. I am exhausted.” He grinned and it was a happy grin. “Glad to see that you are enjoying yourself. This is Neha. She has agreed to be our chaperone this evening so that we can speak freely.” He nodded and ate quickly, stopping only to say, “We need a chaperone?” “I am sure that the young men you were with filled you in on their traditions of segregation of the sexes. They only mingle at specific events and meals. Other than this, we will not see each other until we arrive at our destination.” “Then I am glad that we have this moment.” He 34

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reached out his hand palm up and she placed her hand in his without thinking. His grin was instant. “Why are you smiling?” Neha was sitting quietly, sipping her tea but watching them closely. “I am smiling because the elder was correct. You do touch me in reflex.” She tugged on her hand, but he had a tight grip on it. “Let go.” “No. We have this moment and I will retain contact with your hand if that is all I am allowed to touch.” Neha leaned forward. “You have full access to each other in your normal lives?” Huana shook her head. “No, I am busy with my duties as seeker and he lives in the temple. Our lives do not cross.” “But, as Hashka, your bodies could if you so willed it.” Yaedo shook his head. “Not unless she was in season. For a first mating, it has to be confirmed by our attraction to each other, reinforced by the signals that the stars gave us.” Neha looked fascinated. “What are those?” Huana bit her lip. “A Hashka female will feel attraction for a male via his voice before she can even see him. Her body will go into heat and she will begin looking actively for a mate.” 35

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“He, in turn, will be attracted by her scent. It will intensify his attraction until he can’t think straight and has to possess the female in question.” Neha nodded. “I have always wondered what happens to a female when she can’t find a mate.” Grimly, Huana slid her hand from Yaedo’s. “She goes into heat twice more and then her mind begins to give way. The stars give us a lot of power and to restrict the outlets for that power is a dangerous thing.” The elder was shocked. “What?” “Yes. It is how things work and why now that the Hashka have spread over the universe our populations are shrinking. Few of us have enough children to make up for the loss of others over the years.” Yaedo looked solemn. “It is true. The stars are getting aggressive in their bids to make sure that their children are breeding, but in every generation, there are a few that slip past, their mates beyond their reach.” With that perky thought, Huana’s appetite died and she pushed her plate away. As if they were companions of long standing, Yaedo ate her leftovers, including her untouched dessert. Neha was looking at the two of them with a focussed air, a small smile on her lips. They discussed seeing the navigator in the morning and reporting to speak to Yaedo over 36

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dinner once again. With much food for thought about her life, her future and how the opening of Yaedo’s shirt showed just enough chest to make her mouth water, she went to bed. Tomorrow was another day and as a seeker, they could call on her anytime.

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Chapter Five orning on the ship was punctuated by the laughter of children and the hushed tones of women in the common room. Huana sat with the elders and enjoyed the conversation. Her night had been plagued with heated images of Yaedo, so she was only too glad to have something else to concentrate on. The object of her dreams was engaging in morning class with the young men of the collective, so he had taken an early breakfast. “So, Seeker, do you wish to meet with our navigator?” One of the male elders was looking at her with a speculative gaze. She was wearing her standard tunic and trousers, no skin showing other than her hands and face. A few of the males had sent interested glances at her, but her body wasn’t wired to respond to them. Only one man on board had any chance of gaining her interest and he was decidedly not interested in her.

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“Please.” She tidied up her plate for the young woman bussing tables and got to her feet. Elder Callen was a handsome man, white hair at his temples and a spring to his step. He escorted her through the halls to the command deck of the collective. A dozen personnel were working on the day-to-day operations of the ship and only one turned away from their station when Huana and Callen entered. “Seeker, I have been told I was expecting you.” Huana blinked in surprise as the Hashka male approached. He stopped a few feet away from her and she noticed the recoil in his posture. “Seeker Marsh, this is Navigator Zali. He has been with the collective for several years and a better navigator has never been with us. If anyone can find what you are looking for, it is he.” Callen left and Zali motioned to one of the nearby offices with his head. She followed his gesture and took a seat at the table in the first conference room. “If I may ask, Zali, what is it you feel when you approach me?” She was curious. She knew that Dekkar had marked her, she just didn’t know how. He looked surprised by the question. “I feel a vague nausea. As if you were in heat but my sister.” “Ah. Good enough. Thank you. Now, do you 39

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have star charts on display?” They got down to the business of the star charts and finding the location that she had found. It took two hours, but eventually, they managed to come up with a direct route that would allow Huana and Yaedo less than a day’s journey in their small shuttle. “We will remain in the star system for a week in case you cannot find the planet you are looking for. On my charts, there is no planet in that system that matches your coordinates.” Zali had a worried furrow between his brows, as if she was indeed a sister that he was worried for. “I trust my own instincts as well as the information I gleaned from the archive. The planet is where I have determined it to be. I am betting my life on it.” He nodded and snapped a salute. “Aye-aye, Seeker. I look forward to seeing you again on this journey. It has been a while since I saw a friendly blue face.” She chuckled. “Look me up at dinner. I sit with some of the elders.” Zali nodded. “I will. Now, to lay in the course we have plotted. We will have you and your priest in place within the week.” Huana got to her feet and smiled. “Thank you for your help.” “It was worth all measure of difficulty to have a 40

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chance at finding a lost world. That is a mission I am glad to be part of.” He left her alone in the room and she watched the star map rotate slowly above the table for a minute before she closed it. They were on their way and with Dekkar blessing their voyage, his lost world would soon be found. It was a young woman who reminded Huana how horrid life could be. She sidled up next to her and whispered in her ear. “Seeker, may I have a moment in privacy?” Huana was watching the children get the basics of self-defence training from Yaedo on the fourth day of their time in the collective. He taught them all equally, the boys and the girls. Several of the mothers pulled their daughters away but most let them stay. She turned her head to look at the young woman and when she read the shame and concern on her face, she immediately followed her into a more private area. The relief in the woman’s face when she and Huana were alone in the small alcove was palpable. “I need your help finding something that I lost.” “Of course. I am here to serve. What have you lost?” The woman burst into tears. “My virginity.” 41

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Huana held her as she cried and pieced together the gist of the occurrence. There had been a dance, she had had some punch and after that remembered nothing. She woke alone in a storage room and there had been semen on her thighs as well as blood. As a traveller who had lost her virginity, she had no value to the collective, but if she could find her attacker, she might have grounds to make him pay for her lost marriage ability, or he would have to marry her himself. “I will find him. Give me until dinnertime. Did you keep any of the clothing that you were wearing that night?” “I kept all of it.” “Did you wash it?” She blushed. “No, just bundled it up and hid it.” “Good. We can compare the scans to the man and confirm it when we find him.” Hope bloomed in the woman’s face. “You will really help me?” “I am a seeker. I will find the man who took your virginity.” The moment that the words were spoken, Huana felt a surge of energy. It happened sometimes when Dekkar felt strongly about a cause. She breathed a little easier knowing that the star was on her side in this investigation. Dealing with 42

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personal lives was always difficult. “When will you begin the investigation?” “I have already begun it. Where did you hide the clothing?” “I will bring it to you this evening. I share accommodations with my sisters.” Huana nodded. “I will get the data clearances from the elders. What day did it happen?” The woman filled her in on the date and quickly left before anyone stopped to ask her what she was doing. Huana wandered over to Neha and asked for access to the data core. “What do you need it for?” “A matter of investigation for your collective. It is a matter of personal wellbeing for one of your members.” The phrase was as well thought out as she could make it. She had deliberately not asked the young woman for her name. It was an attempt to avoid lying to the elder if she asked for the identity, fortunately, Neha merely nodded and went to one of the master terminals on the wall. “You will have complete clearance for thirty-four hours. I hope you can find what you are seeking in that time.” Huana gripped the elder’s hand lightly. “So do I.”

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Chapter Six t took nine hours of sifting through data, but Huana finally pinpointed the moment when her client was drugged and the men who removed her from the party. The collective did not keep active files on their members, but by comparing the faces with records on customs’ manifests, she was able to pin down the three men that had hauled the poor girl out of the dance. A timid knock on her door snapped her out of her data-absorbing trance. A bundle of fabric was on the floor and when Huana leaned out to look for her client, she didn’t see anyone. Someone had dropped the fabric and hidden immediately. Her senses were still active and she saw the heat trail left behind by the courier who had delivered the bundle. Wrapping it in a neutral sheet from her pack, she hid the clothing and took it with her to the medical centre. She kept the bundle tightly confined as the

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nurse on duty summoned the doctor on call. It should have surprised her when Yaedo came through the doors with the physician, but she was far beyond being shocked at what Dekkar could do with his servants. “Huana, what is wrong? The doctor said you were demanding to see him.” Yaedo’s concerned expression touched her, but she scowled at the nurse who blushed a dark crimson. “I am here in the course of my investigation. I needed to get one of the physicians off hours for privacy’s sake.” The doctor was watching their exchange with interest. “How can I help you, Seeker?” She shoved both of the men through the door to the exam room and closed the door behind her. The nurse looked like the nosey kind, so she waited, holding the men silent with her hand in the air before opening the door suddenly. The nurse fell into the room and stammered apologies. She triggered her eye change and glared at the woman. “Get out. Keep all others from entering the medical centre unless it is life or death. If I catch you listening again, you can guess what your fate shall be.” The woman paled and scurried back on her hands. 45

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Sighing, Huana closed her eyes and resumed their normal deep purple colouring. When she returned to face the physician, Yaedo was grinning and the doctor seemed surprised. “Now, Doctor. I need you to examine some clothing. It will have sexual contributions from at least two parties. I need those parties identified.” She held out the bundle and the perplexed physician took it. “If a woman has loosed her morals, I cannot help you.” He tried to push it back to her. Her hands flexed and if she had been home, she might have pulled her blade. “And if the blood tests show that she was drugged? And forced? What then?” “I don’t know if you understand our collective, but a woman is responsible for her own morals.” He was sneering and she took a shuddering breath for calm. She walked to the terminal on the wall and brought up the time codes for the drugging. Yaedo took her lead and hauled the doctor over to watch. “See here, she is sitting with friends and the males come over. Now, she begins nodding and her friends leave her and now the males haul her away, her body limp and eyes shut. There is no chance that she has volunteered to go. Here she wakes, fights briefly, before they leave the 46

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monitored area.” The physician paled as he watched the obvious nefarious abduction. He didn’t speak again, simply took the clothing and started running scans. Yaedo touched her shoulder and she jerked out of her observational trance. “How did you know to look there?” “It has happened before. I have checked the records and one of the males requested medical supplements on their last landing. Apparently, he claimed a problem sleeping that his doctors would not help him with.” The doctor jumped as if he was stung. “He was trying for weeks to get some sleeping aids, but his body didn’t show any signs of sleep deprivation. I simply sent him away.” “I need the names, Doctor. Once I have them, I will determine the best candidate and my client will be able to divorce him immediately after the wedding.” Yaedo looked confused. “I don’t understand. How can she divorce so soon?” Huana grinned. “It is a peculiarity of the collective. He is aware of the situation, she is aware of the situation. He either marries her and splits his assets or he is outed as a rapist. She need never see him again after the wedding day, but she will be able to wed another man of higher standing immediately if she so chooses.” 47

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“It seems peculiar to shift mates like one would change shoes.” “It is beyond our poor Hashka minds to consider swapping mates at the drop of a hat, but as long as the proper forms are registered, the collective has no problem.” They were together on one side of the room when the doctor looked up and glanced over the clothing on his exam table. “Seeker, we have a problem.” “What is it, doctor?” Something in his tone put her on alert. “There is more than one set of clothing here. Two girls, two skirts, three men. The blood on this clothing is fresh.” Yaedo scowled and leaned forward. “Damn it. How fresh?” “Last night.” The priest looked confused. “How can you know so accurately?” Huana looked at him. “Degradation of semen. They degrade at a predictable pace.” She could understand that he wouldn’t know. Hashka rarely suffered sexual assault. They were fairly regulated in their towns and colonies. No man who forced a woman would live to tell the tale. In a society where sex provided their stars with power and worship, the priesthood was exceptionally attentive to reports of abuse. 48

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She, however, had done this kind of seeking before. Away from the social morels of her own people, she had discovered a number of strange and unusual behaviours. Some traditions were better, some were worse, but all gave her vital insight to the society she was dealing with. If she knew what the rules were, she could get what she needed to complete her assignments. “Can you identify the women?” The doctor nodded as he brought up medical records. His cursing did not bode well. He was shaking with fury when he gave her a printout with the young and hopeful face of Niera’s eldest daughter, Willie. “Oh, no.” It was woefully inadequate, but it was heartfelt. The other female was named Raheel and what sank into Huana’s consciousness was that the woman bore a resemblance to the young lady who had approached her but was not the same one. Both girls were barely full citizens of the collective and neither of them was the female who had asked for help. As a seeker, she was conflicted. “Where are the men’s reports?” The physician handed them over. Huana checked them against those she had identified off the monitors and was delighted to see that they matched. “Doctor, are you able to do reconstructions 49

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here?” He looked surprised. “I don’t see why not. There is no regulation prohibiting it in cases such as these. The collective has been asked to help you, Seeker. A minor procedure is well within that scope.” “Good. I will try to speak to the girls while I get the men sorted.” Yaedo nodded. “I will assist.” There was an implacable tone to his voice. Huana nodded and left the doctor’s office with the clothing bundled and the reports in Yaedo’s hands. “Please escort me to my quarters. I need to put these somewhere no one will stumble upon them and I don’t trust that nosey nurse.” “Is it acceptable? I thought you needed to have a chaperone at all times.” His words were quiet. “I am supposed to, but let me just get a hold of Elder Nehatho. I need to speak with her.” “Why, you know who did it.” “As a seeker, I am restrained. I can only find the perpetrators in a crime, I have no right to arrest anyone or administer punishment.” He nodded. “That must be frustrating.” “It has its compensations. Being able to find a missing child alive is wonderful, dead is not, though it does give the families closure.” Yaedo had nothing to say to that. 50

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Chapter Seven he grim face of the elder said it all. “You are sure?” They were sitting at the small table in Huana’s quarters. “I am sure. There is no doubt in my mind that at least two young women have been drugged and raped by these men.” “Show me the clothing.” As an elder of the collective, Neha had a right to see it. “Will you swear to me that if you do recognize the clothing, you will take no action?” The woman’s face contorted, but she nodded. “I will not take any action toward the women.” Huana unravelled the bundle containing the clothing and watched as tears and fury came into Neha’s eyes. The woman ran her hand over the embroidery of the blouse and on the hem of the two bloodied skirts. “Give me the names of the men.” Shrugging, her duty discharged, Huana handed

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the files over. “The priest is willing to assist you in apprehending the men.” “Thank you. I will take it under advisement.” Rivulets of tears were flowing down Neha’s cheeks. She took the files and left the room. Since she still had time on the main computers, she sought out the women involved in this disaster. They were working in the kitchens, cleaning up after the evening meal and preparing for the breakfast cooking. With the doctor on duty, it was the perfect time to have the girls head to medical. She mulled over how to get the girls to medical and finally settled on an acid burn. Fishing through the kit that had been prepared for her, she found a tooth polish, blended the paste with a Hashka-specific skin cream and mixed it with water. The light foaming told her it was working and while it would be painful, the girls would not suffer an actual injury. Huana took the cup with the mixture and palmed it. She wandered out of her room and toward the kitchen with a spring in her step. If the girls were amenable, they would be physically restored to virginity and no one would be the wiser. It was anticlimactic. Huana coated her hands with the substance and shook the hands of each of 52

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the girls in turn. By the time Willie shouted in pain, the third girl was backing away as her friends’ hands began to smoke. Huana whisked the girls down the hall, talking quickly as she went. She apologized for the mild burn, but by the time they reached medical, it was a genuine blistering burn. “I apologize for my miscalculation. I keep forgetting that my skin is a little more durable than yours.” She glared the nurse out of the room and when the doctor arrived, she explained the necessary grafting on the palms of the girls as well as any additional repairs they would like. Neutralizing the substance took her less than two minutes, but the blisters were already in place. “I am really very sorry, Willie.” She sat in the outer room while Raheel received her repairs. “It is nothing, Seeker. I thank you for your care in this matter. No one will think twice about you burning us. Everyone knows that Hashka do not frequently deal with others.” Willie was old beyond her years. “It was a good subterfuge, but what did you do to Zeera? She is the most determined gossip on the ship.” “I just caught her eavesdropping and told her it wouldn’t be tolerated. She will remain outside until I tell her otherwise.” Smiling, she patted Willie’s leg. “No one is aware of the other matter. Not by name anyway.” 53

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Willie paled and nodded. “I thank you for that as well.” The door opened and Raheel walked cautiously out of the exam room. “Your turn, Willie.” It appeared that though family ties separated them, the horror that they lived through had bonded them. Willie went into the doctor’s exam room with a determined set to her shoulders. Raheel sat slowly as if afraid to dislodge whatever the doctor had put in place. Her hand was wrapped and it bore the marks of gel and a graft. “I am very sorry about the cream, but I needed to get you away and needed a logical reason to bring you to medical.” Tears pricked Raheel’s eyes. “Thank you. I am engaged and this will help matters tremendously. The scars on my hand will remind me that sometimes the eyes of a stranger will see what my own kind do not.” “Do not give me that credit. I believe it was your sister who delivered the proof to me and with that, I have set events in motion that I cannot completely understand. The men are being dealt with, but I don’t know how. You and Willie are being made physically whole, but the memories of what was done will remain.” Raheel nodded. “But we know. And we will 54

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help each other to get through it. As long as it never comes to formal charges, everything will be fine.” “Even if it does, your names are not involved. The doctor cannot give patient records out. All he did was confirm that the men on the monitor data were the same ones who left DNA on your clothing.” She swallowed heavily. “I see. But my sister knows something happened.” “That is my guess. She also knew where to find the clothing left behind by the other victim.” They sat in silence for another ten minutes until Willie returned with a bandaged hand and a slow gait. “I apologize again for the effect my hand cream had on you.” With the doctor there as a witness, she pretended that nothing else had gone on. “Ladies, I will escort you back to your rooms for the night.” The young women nodded and as they passed the curious nurse in the hallway, their shoulders straight and walking proudly. They were recovering in their own way as best they could. Huana waved them off and returned to her own quarters with the knowledge that the information she had given the elder was about to spark an action. There was nothing else she could do. 55

Viola Grace Three days later… “And so it is with regret that we hold this memorial for the three young men who lost their lives in the senseless accident when the oxygen in the storage compartment ran out.” The elder looked sombre as he spoke over the three coffins. Huana tuned out the rest of the memorial and shifted in her formal clothing. The heavy silks were not what she was used to, but they were the only option offered by the priests who packed her bags. Black with heavy silver threads, the skirts were heavy, the breast band snug and the wrap that wound from her hip, around her back and over her hair to flow down her left side in a shimmering wave. It was the perfect outfit for a funeral. Her skin gleamed brightly in the framework of the black and silver. Yaedo was at her side in his silver and black formal robes. They looked like a matched set in the sea of N’staffin bodies. Families sobbed quietly as they looked at the caskets and Huana slowly cast her glance to the elders and their families. Nehatho and her family stood together, Willie tucked in next to her mother, the bandage on her hand glowing white against the dark clothing. The elders who were not speaking stood in their family groups, dispassionate looks at the caskets giving Huana the confirmation that the deaths 56

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were premeditated. The elder concluded his speech and each casket was loaded with an explosive. No one would have access to the dead of the collective. A beacon was prepped. Men loaded the caskets and beacons into the launch bay and the doors closed when the pallbearers were safe. A chime rang and the outer door opened, releasing the atmosphere and pulling the bodies and their explosives into space. The wave of power as the bodies were blasted to bits rocked the great ship. Sobs broke out as the families said goodbye to their loved ones and the rest of the witnesses separated into groups to attend the memorial service. Yaedo turned and glanced down at her. “May I say that formalwear suits you?” “You can say it, but unless we attend more funerals or weddings, you won’t be seeing it again.” Navigator Zali broke into whatever Yaedo was going to say next. “We are reaching the coordinates you gave me. I would love to say it had been a pleasure, but I am still a little unsure how I feel about you.” He was speaking to her, ignoring Yaedo entirely. Huana kept her smirk under her hand as she noted the priest’s irritation. “Thank you, Zali. We will be ready to leave the 57

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collective within the hour.” He nodded. “I will inform the elders.” A sharp salute and he turned to walk toward the clusters of elders. “Did he even see me standing there?” Yaedo was astonished. “He did, but I am going into heat and he is under whatever hex Dekkar put on me. He is so busy trying to figure out what the heck is going on, talking to another Hashka male is the last thing on his list.” The sudden jerk of Yaedo’s body combined with his flaring nostrils made her laugh. “Don’t worry. I don’t consider you a candidate. I will wait until I get home to find some luckless bastard to take it out on.” She swallowed the lie as she spoke it. He gave her an unreadable look and nodded. “I suppose we had better pack up then.” She went her way and he went his. They reconvened at the shuttle with the elders to see them off. Neha held her hands lightly, “Thank you for your gift, Seeker. It may not be pleasant, but it shows what needed to be done.” Huana leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the older woman’s forehead. “I am sorry for what was revealed but not sorry for the discovery itself.” A grim look overtook the elder. “I am not sorry as well, only that we didn’t discover it sooner. Be 58

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well and enjoy your journey.” “May the path you travel be wide and clear.” She waved farewell to the rest of the elders and joined Yaedo inside their shuttle. With the door sealed and her body harnessed into the navigator station, Huana braced for the next part of their adventure.

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Chapter Eight ou knew they would die, didn’t you?” Those were the first words that Yaedo had spoken since she had entered in their destination. Huana checked their trajectory before she answered. “There was a very good chance of that happening, yes.” “And yet you did it anyway.” He turned to face her and his dark eyes were worried. “How do you deal with that?” She turned and faced him. The stars were shifting in the view screen, giving the shuttle interior an eerie light. “I deal with it the way I must. I focus on the victims and ignore the suffering of the guilty. My job is to find the guilty, what happens after that is not for me to determine. It has taken me years to get this calm about the process.” “But you knew that their sentence would be death and you told the elder anyway.”

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“I did. I did not tell her who the girls were though.” “The elder knew somehow, didn’t she?” He was staring into her eyes as if that would tell him the truth. “She saw the clothing from the attacks. The embroidery was most likely either something she had done for her kin or something she had watched in process.” “And knowing that, you let her leave your room.” “I did.” He exhaled heavily and sat back. “That took guts.” “I did my job. No more, no less. They wanted me on duty, so I was on duty as payment for our transit, the same way you were teaching the young men to fight.” “Is this why you don’t socialize back home?” She blinked in surprise. “How did you…” “I got your file before I was sent to collect you. You don’t socialize beyond your family, have no hobbies and live alone.” She inclined her head. “All very true. Would you want to be near a woman whose senses put her in touch with the star for the purpose of examining everything around her in detail? Dekkar gave me a curiosity for life and how it worked, that does not lead to easy relationships.” 61

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Yaedo extended his hand and she put hers in it. The small contact of skin on skin sent a shiver down her spine. “You put your hand in mine without hesitation, but claim to be averse to relationships. That isn’t right.” His clearly chiselled lips twitched in a smile. Huana jerked her hand back. “Don’t tease. Dekkar tinkered with my reflexes and we both know it.” “Perhaps he did it to get around your normal instincts. They appear designed to keep people away.” In an unexpected move, he leaned forward and stroked her hair from her face. Her heart started pounding in a heady beat, her skin tingled and she fought for control. “You see? Even a light touch and you are fighting it.” Huana closed her eyes and let the reactions come. She didn’t seek his touch, but when it came, brushing back the golden swath of her hair and stroking down her neck, she sucked in a breath of surprise. His fingers trailed lightly over her skin, waking nerves that had never had to process this kind of sensation. Her tunic blocked access below her collarbone, so he cupped her neck in both palms and stroked her jaw line with his thumbs. Her senses told her of his approach and she 62

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didn’t dodge the kiss. The first press of his lips on hers was so light, she wasn’t even sure that it had happened until its companion skated along her skin. When he withdrew, she opened her eyes in surprise. Her nerves were humming and his face was very close. She drew in a deep breath and mentally kicked herself as the scent of aroused male struck her. Heat was coming off him in waves and when he made a noise low in his throat, she winced as her body responded with an internal spasm that resulted in moisture. His voice was a low purr. “That settles that.” His fingers stroked down her neck once again and then he turned back to the controls. It took her three tries to ask, “Settles what?” “That Dekkar intended us for each other. I had my doubts when he told me I would be travelling with a seeker. Now, I see that our star has much more wisdom than I do.” She smiled and turned back to the nav station, double-checking their trajectory. “Dekkar is full of surprises. I have spoken to Hashka who are in the colonies of other stars and they don’t have nearly the sense of humour that ours does.” His grin was visible out of the corner of her eye. They flew in silence until he breeched it. “What are we looking for?” She bit her lip and rubbed her forehead. “From 63

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what I have been able to determine, H’skar has been used as a party zone. A new race of Hashka is said to be on the planet, but none of the stars have reported being patrons to them. Whatever is going on there is not being recorded or viewed by our stars.” “How is that possible?” “I believe that the answer lies in the report of a series of asteroids that never left this system. I don’t know if it is possible to move a planet by pounding it with rocks, but if it is, that might be the problem.” You have done well, seeker. Yaedo’s eyes were glowing and his smile was slight. The voice that had come from him was a modulated tone of rich, rolling notes. Dekkar was speaking through him. “Thank you, dearest star, but we are not there yet. Is the priest aware of you?” He is, though he is wondering why you are referring to him as the priest. You have been calling him by his name. She felt her face heat. “Is he paying attention?” Yes. I am sharing his consciousness, not overriding it entirely. “Oh, good. That’s nice. Why are you here, dearest star?” I wanted to confirm for you that Yaedo is meant for you. I have waited a very long time for your perfect match and do not want you to second guess your 64

Caress of the Stars instincts. He has been assigned to you for a purpose, but aside from your duties, he is your match in every way. Her blush flared a notch higher. “Is he aware of your opinion? He didn’t seem too pleased to be near me back home.” He is aware. He took your initial refusal of contact as a rejection. He was unsure of my opinion of the matter, but I have assured him that you are simply cranky. A relieved laugh broke from her. “Thank you, Dekkar. Is there anything else I need to know before we enter the space around the planet?” Only that I want your safety to be paramount. You will know when to signal me and I await your call. The glow in his eyes faded as the star receded. “I was not expecting that.” Yaedo rubbed at his forehead. “Neither was I, but our star will do what he wills.” A proximity alarm went off and alerted them to the approach of another object. Yaedo immediately turned to examine the readouts. “A series of satellites are around that planet, but it isn’t registering on our systems. It’s amazing. I can see the planet, but all that our instruments can see is the satellites.” Huana checked her scanners, but they were as blind as the main systems. The readouts said that there was no planet, but the satellites and the huge orb in space made them liars. 65

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“I am going to send a signal through the system and see if we get a ping.” “I am taking manual control and heading to the surface. Do you have a preferred landing site?” “If you can find a clump of living beings, aim for that. If not…” she paused and closed her eyes. Images of a huge mesa burned in her mind, but when she tried to pinpoint the origin of the pictures, it slipped away. “I can take over once we are in the atmosphere. I know where to go.” “Your seeker talent again?” She rubbed her forehead. “No. This is different. A memory that couldn’t be mine. Perhaps Dekkar left it behind.” “I would not be surprised.” She laughed and pulsed the signal through her systems. It was time to see if anyone was home. Hours passed with no returned signal until a tiny beacon on the surface called to them. It wasn’t a manned message, but it gave a clear location for landing. Their earlier cover story ran into her thoughts as she checked her harness in preparation for landing. “So, I am your servant when we land?” “You are, but no one will touch you. That I promise.” She chuckled nervously. “How chivalrous of you.” 66

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He shot her a rueful glance. “Not really, Dekkar would kill me if anyone touched you before you were ready. He wants you to find the correct place to summon him back to H’skar and I will make that happen.” His grim tone reminded her that he was in charge of the safety of the temple. She would be well guarded while she was his servant, of that she had no doubt. She also knew how Dekkar planned for her to send the signal and her blush returned full force. “I may speak a little roughly to you while we are on the surface, but know that if you call me in any way, you will have me at your side in an instant.” “Thank you for the warning. I will only call if I am in desperate need.” His grin sent warmth running through her, pooling low in her belly. “That is what I am counting on.” The accidental double entendre in her words struck her as the arousal surged in another wave. She fought for composure as they entered the atmosphere, but she was still on edge as they swooped over the small settlement that seemed filled with life that was not being detected by the ship. Yaedo’s hands guided them safely to the beacon and settled them on a shuttle pad. 67

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“Are you ready?” Yaedo unbuckled his harness and turned to help her out of hers. “I am as ready as I will ever be. I can’t help thinking that this place is horribly familiar, though. I feel like I have been here before.” He helped her to her feet and rubbed her arms gently. She swayed toward him and rested her forehead on his chest, inhaling the scent that was Yaedo alone. “Then you will know what to do and where to go. That is all that the star can ask of us, that we agree to be in the right place at the right time.” She looked up and saw his face nearing hers, but a knock at the hatch jolted them apart. “I suppose we should begin our façade. Huana, get the door.” She slumped her shoulders and gave her face a placid look before she walked to admit their visitor. “Greetings, travellers.” The man appeared to be Hashka, but it was obvious that he wasn’t. He didn’t have the grace, the style or the subtle scent of male that a Hashka his age would have. Silently, Huana bowed and stepped aside to allow him entry into the shuttle. Yaedo moved forward to greet their visitor and the man blinked in surprise at the presence of the more powerful male. The false Hashka 68

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straightened and tried to puff out his chest, but he was a hollow reflection of the more powerful male. “We were flying through the sector and came across your little world. I have never been one to ignore a beacon when it was presented, so here we are.” Yaedo bowed gracefully to the stranger. “Thank you for stopping. I am Zenik and this is H’skar, the lost world of the stars.” Zenik eyed her speculatively. “I am Yaedo of Slithinish and this is my servant, Huana. Thank you for your hospitality.” “What kind of servant?” Zenik licked his lips. He didn’t seem affected by the repellent that Dekkar had put on her. “Menial tasks. Shall we adjourn to a more comfortable environment?” Zenik flushed a dark purple. “Pardon my lack of manners. It is just that I was not expecting anyone. This way. Please, come with me. The celebrations are just getting underway.” They walked out into the daylight and Huana was once again struck by the familiarity of the surroundings. She had been here before, but her hands had not been blue back then. It struck her in a wave of memory. She had been human once, a very long time ago. As Dekkar’s beloved, she had been kept from the others and when his folk left H’skar, she had been put into cold sleep until a male worthy of her was available. 69

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As a matchmaker, Dekkar was a harsh critic and she waited in a sleep tube in the temple for centuries. She waited, that is, until Yaedo was old enough to be her mate. “Huana, stop daydreaming! Zenik is arranging something more fitting with the groomers.” She jerked at his harsh tone and shuffled after them, her hands folded together in front of her. She sighed internally as she braced herself for the groomers. This was not going to be fun, but based on the moans and sighs coming from the interior of the building, blending into the woodwork might just be her best bet.

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Chapter Nine wo hours of being poked, prodded, massaged, waxed and oiled finally culminated in an order for Huana to serve wine at the celebrations. Walking carefully with her newly trimmed privates and sensitized skin, she made her way into the wine cellar and began her service. Chaos surrounded her, but she kept her pace slow and easy. The bells on her ankles shivered as she walked. Huana walked through the halls of the Dekkar temple. The repurposing of the space made her shudder, but she kept it internal. The orgy was in full swing, but no star was going to receive the bounty of the energy being expended here today. The chain running between her nether lips irritated, but the shield also kept her from penetration by any of the participants, as did the clear untouchable markings that decorated her body. Her host had carefully provided them as a courtesy to his new guest, Yaedo.

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“Wine!” The male raised his head from between the thighs of his partner. The woman gave her a slow smile as Huana walked to them with her ankle bells ringing. The thick red wine flowed into the cup and he tipped it over the shaved vulva of his partner. Huana left them to serve less and less people as the evening wore on. Races and species of every colour and configuration writhed on the marble floor and silken cushions. Many wore the false colours of the fake Hashka. So much passion and energy and it was all going to waste. Huana Marsh had travelled past a dozen worlds to find this one. Her temple had sent her on a journey to find the planet lost to Dekkar and she had. Yaedo and Zenik were watching the festivities. The look on Yaedo’s face was polite interest, but Zenik’s sick obsession was evident in his fondling of his cock through his thin trousers. As the night wore on, Huana noted several halls and a variety of secret doors that should have been known only to the Hashka. They were propped open and giggling couples went down as humans or others and came up as fake blue Hashka. One of the machines was on and it wasn’t doing a complete job. Huana watched the moon rise, far too close to 72

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the planet for stability. Yaedo was biding his time, but she could see that he had a dozen questions to ask. When he made a motion with his cup, she tried to fill his wine, but another female was there before her. The uniform of the servants was translucent silk breast band and skirt. The chains that wrapped their bellies was easily visible through the fabric, serving as an anchor for the skirt. Nothing was worn on the feet and the women moved silently. The servant trying to get Yaedo’s attention was another of the false Hashka. He didn’t even glance at her while she rubbed herself against his arm, but Huana needed to stake her claim. Carrying her jug in front of her, she walked straight to the podium, swaying her hips deliberately and approaching Yaedo while meeting his curious gaze. The woman on his right was still trying to writhe a response from him, so Huana took his cup from his lax fingers and dumped it over the other woman’s head. She then returned the cup to Yaedo’s hand and filled it from her own jug. “I apologize for my lack of duty, Master, but repaying Zenik’s kindness with service was the least I could do.” She knelt at his side and he casually dropped his hand to her shoulder. Her body began to riot under his touch, while the spluttering female stalked away and Zenik 73

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blinked in surprise that her mild disobedience was not remarked on. “Huana has been with me for years. Her ways are a little abrupt, but she will remain at my side until I find my true mate. At that point, she will be up for anyone’s taking.” Zenik was staring at Huana in her transformed state. “How can you keep your hands from her now?” “I don’t need to. Like most Hashka women, she will only become recalcitrant when she is in heat. That is still months away. Up until now, she has been very…hospitable. Dekkar was pleased with her sacrifice.” He was toying with her elaborately braided locks as if they had been lovers. Huana had seen that manoeuvre in men shortly after tangling with a woman for the first time. Yaedo was depicting them as casual lovers and Zenik was lapping it up. “Dekkar will be pleased with all of our sacrifices. We have the celebration on a weekly basis. He is blessing us with the transformation of our people.” Zenik was proud of what they were doing. “What kind of transformations?” “From human and other species into Hashka. I feel stronger than I ever did as a human and am faster, too. I can only imagine what it would be like to be born this way.” He flexed his hand and 74

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caught the gaze of one of the wine servers. “Can I offer you the use of Henia here? She is most talented with her tongue. It would be a fair trade for use of Huana for a night.” Yaedo chuckled casually. “A human, even a transformed one, would not have the stamina to withstand a night with me. The Hashka were designed for sex and the changes go far beyond the superficial.” Zenik frowned and then looked eager. “Can you show me how to change the machine to perfect the design?” “I will see. Allow me access to the schematics and I will see what can be done in the morning. For now, I will thank you to show me to where I may rest.” He got to his feet and his hand on Huana’s hair dragged her with him. Zenik snapped his fingers and called over one of the servants. She led them down the hall, past alcoves full of moaning couples, until they reached an archway covered with a curtain. “You may rest here.” Huana almost rolled her eyes at the hopeful gaze of the young woman as it skated over Yaedo. He ignored her and pushed past her ample charms into the room. Huana patted the young woman on the shoulder and followed her master into the small room dominated by a huge bed. 75

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The moment that the curtain fell behind them, Yaedo took her in his arms and whispered in her ear. “We need to share the bed. The curtains are there for a reason, privacy is not paramount here.” “I understand, but can you help me get this damned chain off first? It is driving me nuts and I can’t reach the clasp.” She reached up to loop her arms around his neck and felt his smile against her skin. “Zenik told me about that. It’s a punishment for the servants who don’t act properly diffident. You seemed to fit the bill.” She snorted and arched against him as his fingers worked at the base of her spine. When the chain released, she exhaled in relief. “Tomorrow, we will send the signal.” “Really? I don’t know if I can have self-control until the evening festivities.” Huana grinned. “Good. We have to start in the morning. The sun itself will act as a relay for the power we are holding. From there, the rest is up to our dearest star.” His hands stroked her spine slowly. “May I add that your current attire suits you?” She grinned into his chest, enjoying the spikes of pleasure that ran through her as he spoke. It had been smart of the stars to design the sound sensitivity into the Hashka females. She simply wanted to stay in his arms and listen to him speak. 76

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“Don’t get used to it. It isn’t really practical for my normal day job.” Her fingers delighted in the soft hair at the nape of his neck and she relaxed completely against him. “A pity. Are you sure that we can’t practice summoning the star?” His hands pressed her hips firmly against him and she chuckled at the firm evidence of his desire. “I don’t think it is wise. If the power streams out of me and there is no way for it to reach Dekkar, we will have to return home to regain the energy lost.” He sighed heavily and pressed his forehead to her shoulder. “This will be a long night.” She ran her fingers through his hair, revelling in the silky coolness. “Long is the operative term. I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep since we left our world.” His chuckle warmed her skin. “Let’s not ruin your record then. I will take the left side, you take the right.” They parted reluctantly. Huana’s body ached at all points that had been in contact with his. In case of a viewing audience, they slowly removed all clothing in the dim light of the room. Shaking with frustration, Huana crawled into the bedding and waited for the dip of the pallet to indicate she wasn’t alone. “I look forward to the morning, Huana.” 77

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His body heat and the shift of the mattress kept her awake for hours. She flicked her seeker gaze on when one of the serving girls tried to crawl into their room and onto Yaedo, sending the woman running with a squeak and a scramble. She flicked her gaze back to normal and curled up next to her companion, guarding him in the night against women who wanted to use him for their own pleasure. Using his body was her prerogative and Huana’s alone. The next bitch coming through that door was going to meet a slightly less-forgiving seeker. Abstinence was not in a Hashka’s nature and Huana was no exception.

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Chapter Ten he morning meal was not well attended. Yaedo and Huana sat with the few folk who had gotten up and enjoyed a ration pack and glass of water. Yaedo asked one of their companions, “Isn’t there anything fresh?” “Not on the surface. There is a hydroponic farm below, but it is primarily for vegetables. Nothing grows on the surface.” Huana frowned as she swallowed the dry brick of rations. Her memories were of a green and lush planet. This planet was dry and barren. Nothing was on the surface except this tiny pocket of living beings. Whatever the stars had used as a power source was still kicking, but with such a drain on its resources, how long could it last? When Yaedo asked about a surface skimmer, the folk at the table were surprised, but he pointed out that they had seen a large crater that was too

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tempting to ignore. Access to the skimmer was arranged as the meal drew to a close and the exhausted people on the floor began to stir. “Come along, Huana.” Yaedo beckoned for her to follow and in the silky clothing sans chain, she padded after him. The moment that they reached the outside air, she breathed a little easier. The scent of sex had been overwhelming. She wasn’t free to speak until they were in the skimmer. “That smell was killing me.” He laughed and took the controls, manoeuvring them up and away from the settlement. “I know what you mean. They seem to have embraced the idea of sex as worship, but have no concept of moderation.” “Perhaps Dekkar will instruct them once we have gotten him back in touch with his world.” Huana lifted her face to the rising sun, enjoying the flutter of her clothing against her skin. “You need to turn south.” “I thought we were going to the meteor-strike crater.” “Not unless you can change the trajectory of the sun. We need to be southeast of here and we need to get there fast. May I?” He surrendered the controls and she hit the 80

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throttle. Yaedo gripped the bars on either side of the flying platform. “Where did you learn to drive this thing?” “It’s an old skill. Hold tight.” Grinning, she geared the skimmer into high, aiming for a plateau in the distance. Arousal and energy flowed under her skin as they got closer and closer to their goal. As she parked the skimmer on the flat mountaintop, the sun was nearing its zenith. “Yaedo, I think now is the time.” He didn’t need a second invitation. She squeaked as he lifted her from the control station and carried her out to a clear and flat spot on the rocks. He didn’t ask if she was sure, the glow of Dekkar’s residual power was visible even in the bright light of day. Her thighs were slick with anticipatory moisture and she peeled his tunic off, letting the wind take it away. The loose trousers that he was wearing caught on his boots, but a few swift tugs and he divested himself of all fabric and leather. Naked, aroused and his cock dripping with precum, he was quite the sight for her deprived senses. Huana sighed as she caressed his shoulders, arms and chest. He resembled a statue with the rigidity of his posture until she went up on her toes and pulled his head down to hers. 81

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This kiss had none of the chastity of their first. She sighed and he used the opportunity to delve into her mouth, sharing his unique taste with her. His tongue stroked, caressed and awoke a whole new group of sensations under her skin while his hands caressed her spine and pressed her tightly against him. The world tipped around her and his hands tugged at her legs. The kiss kept her attention until there was something hot, hard and wet sliding against her clit and probing for entry beyond. As she broke the kiss, she noted his position on the ground and her own arrangement astride him. The light of Dekkar coated her vision as she rocked against the head of his cock, taking him inside her in tiny increments. Her blood sang in relief as she lifted and dropped on Yaedo, his hands cupping her breasts within their silken confines. The friction of his palms against her nipples as she worked him into her heightened her excitement until he was fully seated and she lost control. She raised and lowered herself on him, pounding against him as her channel tightened until she could barely move on him. As she neared orgasm, Huana met Yaedo’s gaze with her own. Their eyes glowed as one and the energy in her skin burst forth as she screamed with her release, firing her blood and the power of Dekkar flowing 82

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out of her. Yaedo’s shout of release joined hers and the pulse of heat inside her sparked another wave of release that sent a signal into the heart of the sun. How long they were frozen in their tableau, she had no idea, but her skin was warm and the sweat on her flesh was dry by the time she unlocked her limbs enough to lean forward and kiss her companion. Huana winced at the hoarseness of her voice as she said, “The signal is sent. Dekkar will contact us at moonrise.” Yaedo lazily opened his eyes. His hands cupped her hips gently, caressing her through the skirt pooled across his waist. “What shall we do until then?” “My portion of the task is completed. What do you want to do?” It was a little late to be playing coy, but as he was still hard and occasionally throbbing inside her, she was feeling rather shy. Yaedo threaded his fingers in her hair and pulled her down to him. “I will think of something.” She smiled as his kiss explored and teased, nipping at her lower lip before laving the upper with his tongue. The priests of Dekkar were well trained for the purposes of worship and Yaedo was no exception. He slid her wrapped top off her shoulders and 83

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down to her waist, using the rough pads of his thumbs to rub her nipples until they tightened and ached. Her moans were captured by his mouth, his exploration of her slow and deliberate as he moved his hands lower, each inch of her receiving intense attention. She had no idea that the skin under her right breast was more sensitive than her left, but as he stroked his hands over her, she found parts of her body reacting in ways she could never have anticipated. Her hips shoved against his in short, jerky movements and just when she was nearing her peak, he flipped their positions. His eyes were intense as he shifted his weight and pressed deeply into her, his slow strokes far different than her frenzied plunges. Huana bit her lip as Yaedo worked to bring them both to release in a patient and deliberate arc of rising pleasure. Her moans and cries matched his rhythm until a whole body shudder rocked her off her axis and sent her mind spinning into the sun. “Huana! Wake up.” A concerned Yaedo filled her vision, his dark hair and dark eyes a welcome sight. “I am awake. My consciousness just went for a 84

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little walk.” She smiled, but it was with a bit of confusion. “Where are we?” Their location was not where she had left him. Cool air from a cavern wafted over her, the light lapping of water was constant. “I needed to find some water for you, so I used the scanners on the skimmer to find some.” She sat up and his arm came around her quickly to help her into a more upright posture. “I remember this place. It leads under the city. Why did you bring me so close and not back to the town?” “I need to ask you a few things.” Yaedo had found his shirt at some point. It was dusty but intact. She looked down and her top and skirt were wrinkled and slightly damp, but otherwise as concealing as they would get. “I suppose that this is as much privacy as we are going to get.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I know that Dekkar said you were one of his, but did he actually mean that you are an original Hashka?” She mimicked him to stall for time while she thought of an answer. “I am not the first one, if that is what you mean. My memories of the time are blurred, but I was one of the first one hundred to be changed at the colony.” “Is that why your features so closely resemble those who are recently turned here?” 85

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She blinked, “I suppose that they could be human originally. I haven’t been concentrating on them, only the assignment that Dekkar gave us.” “Is there a possibility for them to complete the transformation?” He seemed earnest. She rubbed at her forehead and tried to pull out eons-old information. “I believe so. It was a two-week process. The skin was the first stage. The other stages are further in the facility.” “Facility?” “The building that they are nesting in is the transformation facility. It was the repository for all of the star’s energy. It probably is running off the stored columns of power.” She closed her eyes and remembered the layout. The image of a room full of glowing columns came to her as well as the security requirements to access it. Yaedo grabbed her hand. “How does it feel to be born something else and changed into a Hashka?” Huana smiled slowly. “When I was transformed, we were dying. Our colony was a disaster and all crops were rapidly failing. The planet shifted under us and it began to die. “The stars sent technicians, doctors and the world shuddered as the stars made it liveable again. They asked for volunteers to undergo the transformation and with extinction of our colony as the other option, we agreed to become what 86

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they wanted. “Our minds were blanked for a time so that we could come to grips with our new forms and strengths before our fears could take over. In groups of first five, then ten and finally a hundred, we changed from pale, frightened creatures to the Hashka progenitors.” “You never had a family.” “No. There was no match for me among my own people.” She shrugged. “The stars chose us and split us into small villages. I was in the village chosen by Dekkar.” He cocked his head. “It was a colony?” “Yes.” “What was your occupation?” She laughed. “Some things never change. I was an investigative officer for the colony. I spent five years with the village before Dekkar decreed that I was to be put into cold storage. He didn’t want to lose me or so he said.” “He meant it. I have felt his affection for you. You were his first chosen Hashka and he delighted in your triumphs.” She propped her elbow on a rock and put her chin on her fist. “So, you knew all about this?” “I knew the facts but had no idea what they meant.” “So, you thought I was simply an ugly Hashka?” 87

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He picked up her empty hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “Not ugly, unique.” “Very politic. So, why did you decide to enter the priesthood?” He lifted her to her feet and held her against him while her head spun. “To meet the woman of my dreams.”

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Chapter Eleven think we should head back to the facility. At moonrise, if he can, Dekkar will make himself known.” Being pressed against Yaedo was pleasurable, but she was filled with tension for the oncoming night. A gust of breath came through his lips. “Agreed. How do you think Zenik will deal with Dekkar taking over his kingdom?” She cackled. “I don’t care. If he wants a fight, I will give it to him, gladly.” “I didn’t realize you were combat trained.” She reached up and patted his cheek. “Hon, the things you don’t know about me could fill a book.” He looked startled. “What did you call me?” “Hon. It’s short for honey. A term of endearment indicating that you are sweet.” It was an earth term and she blinked as she realized how fast her life before she was blue was coming back. “Interesting. Sweet is never something I have been called before.” He cupped her buttocks and

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pulled her high against him. “I like it.” “Like it as much as you want, we still need to get back to the facility.” She pressed on his shoulders and dodged his mouth when he tried to kiss her. “Spoilsport.” He set her back on her feet, took her hand and led her out of the cavern. The fact that her body was clean did not escape her, but she would handle him bathing her while she was communing with the sun another time. The sun around H’skar wasn’t an entity in the way that the Hashka stars were entities, but it had a maternal interest in the welfare of the planet and it was concerned at the movement on the planet. Huana shook her head and stood next to Yaedo as he piloted the skimmer back to the facility. There were several folks out on the streets, but as they returned the skimmer to the garage, they received worried looks from passersby. “Uh oh. Our absence has been noticed.” She tried to tug her hand free of Yaedo’s, but he wasn’t letting go. “That is fine. I need to have a conversation with Zenik anyway.” The grim tone of his voice made her blink, but she followed along in his wake. This was going to be good. The sunlight was turning deep purple as it sank on the horizon. Moonrise would be soon and with 90

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it, the destiny of H’skar would be revealed. They walked side by side into the facility, the orgy of the previous night nowhere to be seen. Zenik was sitting on his throne and he nodded sharply as they approached. “As high priest of Dekkar, you need to explain your whereabouts to me.” Huana was shocked. How could he claim to be the emissary of a star he had never met? Yaedo answered him, “As security priest and interim avatar to Dekkar, I disagree. You have never even met our star. Your claim is words alone. Your worship is fruitless and your control over these people, groundless.” Shock rippled through the crowd and Huana realized what she was seeing. It had happened on earth at countless points in history. A man claimed to be a prophet and gathered followers around him to bolster his own ego. They served while he lived off them, a parasite. “How do you know I have not met Dekkar?” His words caused a rippling of unease through his followers. “Dekkar has lost this world. It has been denied to him. You are not true Hashka, despite the change in your skin and physiology. Without the matching alteration to your mind, you are weak, pathetic and useless.” Yaedo was picking a fight and Huana knew 91

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what was going to happen next. She moved to alter the course of events. “Gentlemen. We can solve this. If Zenik is a true Hashka, he will have no problem defeating me, a mere female, in hand-to-hand combat.” Zenik’s mouth opened and closed before he took a good look at her. Dressed in the lightweight silks, she had no doubt that she looked soft and feminine. The white-blonde hair on her head also made her look less than intelligent, a side effect she had used to her advantage countless times. “I agree.” “I disagree. Males should fight males.” Huana put her hand on Yaedo’s arm. “He is smaller than you in every respect. It will not be a fair fight even if you were both Hashka. I am more than capable of dealing with him.” Zenik looked over at the gathered assembly and stood up, approaching her without another word. Absently, she moved so that she wasn’t confined by her companion and so that none of the followers could stop her. As she shifted position, she lifted the skirt and tied it into a shorter version of itself. Zenik gave a yell and charged her. She sidestepped him and raised her hands to knot her hair into a long tail. The followers gasped and murmured as he charged her a second time and again, she lazily 92

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dodged him while she adjusted her outfit. The third time, she waited for him and as he bellowed and approached, Huana grabbed his hands and twisted them until he was kneeling at her feet. Zenik’s face went from anger to pain to astonishment and finally to fear. She didn’t hold him tightly, but kept him on his knees with a calm expression. Yaedo had a bit of shock in his own eyes, but he kept it hidden from anyone who didn’t know what to look for. Huana leaned down and whispered to Zenik. “Don’t feel too bad. You never could have beaten the beloved of Dekkar and lived. All of us first generation Hashka had to be stronger to survive and pass it on to the next generation. The ones who were chosen by their stars were designed to live under any circumstances. You never had a chance.” “What do you mean?” She smiled and released his hands, raising her voice to allow everyone nearby to hear her. “You were in the archives, you saw the files. I was Helena Marsh, colony investigator.” “That was thousands of years ago.” His skin went from blue to green as his fear sank in and took hold. “Yes. It was.” Zenik huddled in a ball and began to rock. 93

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The crowd’s confusion was obvious, so Yaedo stepped in. “Who here wishes to be a true Hashka? Who wishes to be one of a race designed by the stars?” Several timid hands raised and eventually the majority of the crowd was in agreement. “Good. At moonrise tonight, Dekkar will return to H’skar. Once we know what the outcome is, we will make plans for the transformation. The rest of you may leave or join the colony, it is your choice. The true reshaping will take two weeks or more depending on your adaptation.” Huana saw the flash of the knife the instant before Zenik’s arm started its sweep. Without thinking, she lashed out and kicked him across the jaw, snapping his neck. The blade clattered to the floor and Yaedo ran toward her, hugging her as she looked at what she had done. “It’s all right, Yaedo. It is not the first time I have killed in self-defence or in defence of others.” He muttered into her hair. “But if I hug you, it doesn’t look like I want to strangle you for taking such a stupid risk. If I had my way, I would be paddling your ass right now.” “You say the sweetest things.” He sighed and straightened his arms, flexing his fingers on her biceps. “And I can’t stay mad at you.” “Good, because the moon is rising and we need 94

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to get out of this building. It won’t be safe for what is coming.” Yaedo took charge of the crowd and shepherded them out of the facility and into the courtyard to watch the moon rise. If nothing else, they had shown Dekkar the location of his lost world. Now Huana hoped that he could find it again and help rebuild the paradise lost to the Hashka.

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Chapter Twelve s the orb of the moon rose in the sky, a tingling filled Huana’s limbs. The light of the moon was a pale reflection of the sun’s rays, but it warmed her nonetheless. Yaedo took her hand as they watched the moonrise with the rest of the inhabitants. The touch of energy flowed between them, getting stronger as the moon climbed higher in the sky. Dekkar’s touch was unmistakable, but when Huana turned to watch the inhabitants, they were affected as well. Stunned surprise was on more than one face, blue or not. “I believe that we should strengthen the connection, hon.” Yaedo’s voice rumbled over her, through her. Taking the hint, she turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, climbing him. She rocked against him, her channel parted from his erection by the annoyance of fabric.

A

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She kissed him and he reciprocated wildly, one hand supporting her buttocks and the other working at their clothing. The shredding of the skirt combined with the press of his flesh against hers sent her into a tizzy. She rocked against him and groaned when he gripped her hips and pulled her down onto his cock. He flexed inside her as the energy twisted between them. He widened his stance as he fucked her in earnest. The moonlight caressed them, warming their skin with the heat of Dekkar’s power. The fire of the star started to ripple across the surface of H’skar. As the glow touched the colonists, they fell to the ground in a frenzy of lust and sensual energy. The planet shuddered under them as they continued to pump and plunge against each other until a wave of pleasure broke over the assembled beings. Huana shrieked as her mind accepted the return of Dekkar. The glow from her eyes lit Yaedo’s features as his approaching orgasm gave him a frightening intensity. He moved her faster and faster until the waves of energy moving over them broke the dams of their restraint. They froze together, locked as heat and pleasure fought for dominance. Thank you, Huana, Yaedo. 97

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She blinked as the words came to her mind. Huana could feel Yaedo’s mind against hers, inside her just as his body was. You are welcome, dearest star. Yaedo’s mental voice was almost as devastating as his audible one. Will you help us keep our promise to transform those who are willing? Of course. I am moving the planet back to its original placement. Shielding will be obtained to stop further interference from the natural world in the future. The satellites will be set to welcome newcomers to the area. When the planet is back in its heading, it will appear on scans once again. Huana tried not to laugh at the picture that she and Yaedo must have been presenting, frozen together, glowing like a new candle in the darkness. Huana asked her star the question that had been burning in her mind. I am glad that you are happy with the find. What will you do with your new people? I will take them as mine and make them into prime Hashka. Like you did with my people? Your people would not return to their own kind and could not survive here. You know it. You remember it. Yaedo was paying attention and she felt his calming touch on her mind when their star raised her ire. She sighed mentally, accepting the caress of her mate. I know it. It was a frightening time and I am glad 98

Caress of the Stars you have blunted the memory. Dekkar caressed her mind in the same manner as Yaedo. Her star was fixated on his first planet, but he was a quick study. You kept them in control, Huana. You can lead this next generation through the process. Everything is still coded to your palm and voice print. It is why you were never altered. In the physical world, Huana unlocked her legs from the base of Yaedo’s spine and lowered herself to the ground. She knelt and looked at the world being bound in rings of energy and watched the moon get smaller as Dekkar hauled the planet back into position. Planets moved in space, it was a fact, but changing location and seeing it with her own eyes was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “You see it, too.” Yaedo knelt at her side, as naked as she was. Together, they watched the world of H’skar come back into Dekkar’s control. “I do. Too bad the colonists don’t have your stamina. They are all tuckered out.” She smiled as he wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her warm. The humans and others were all lying in exhausted heaps. Some were in twos, others in threes and more. It was quite the debauched image and Huana knew it would remain in her mind for a very long time. “You did an excellent job in bringing us here, 99

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Huana. You know that, don’t you?” She exhaled slowly. “I know it and to see the world dead and dying, I am sure that I have done the right thing. Having you at my side has made it easier.” She looked up when he didn’t respond. He was staring at her with the flickering intensity of Dekkar behind his eyes. “I am for you, Huana. I have always been for you. Dekkar has explained why he waited to bring you back. It wasn’t that he wanted to keep you for himself. He wanted you to be happy. It is quite the burden that he has passed on to me, but I am happy to have it.” He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a slow kiss on her skin that rippled through her entire being. A warmth that had nothing to do with the radiating energy of the star burned through her and she began to believe that one day, she might just be happy instead of simply content with her place in the worlds. “I think it is time to get up, Yaedo. The natives are stirring.” Huana was sitting in his lap and enjoying the dawn while feeling the happy presence of Dekkar within her. He grunted and shifted, moving until he was standing with her in his arms. “Let’s find you some more appropriate clothing.” “I will tell you where to go.” She snuggled 100

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deeply into his embrace and enjoyed the sensation of being carried. “Into the facility and to the left. You will have to bend your knees a little so that I can reach the scanner pad.” Her hair was tangled and matted by the wind, but when Yaedo gave her a smouldering gaze, she felt lovely. As she struck the access panel and the door allowed them into the staff segment of the facility, she blushed under the artificial lighting. “Stop staring, Yaedo.” “You are truly an exceptional woman.” “That is just Dekkar tinkering with your emotions. Although he waited until there was a man who would be my perfect mate, I think some of his own impulses are leaking into your consciousness.” He chuckled and lifted her. “He feels more of a paternal affection for you. I assure you that that is not my current inclination.” Her blush heated her entire torso as they entered the depths of the facility. “To the left again. There are lodgings and clothing storage. Since the facility had power, I believe that there should still be uniforms available.” His sigh almost parted her hair. “No more skirts for you?” She laughed. “Not until this job is complete. All who wish for a change will get one. They will need 101

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help moving between the machines. That means I will need something a little more practical.” “Practical is not a word I ever thought I would consider as a distasteful thing, but I am beginning to change my mind.” Huana’s giggle ran through the facility, echoing through the halls and waking the computers and equipment. She directed him to the staff quarters and squirmed out of his arms to take a shower. The shower was segregated with a chromosome screen and he was left to scowl at her while she soaped up, rinsed off and then soaped up again, just for fun. Giggling, she finished her shower and used the air column to dry off. Her hair was back to snow white and smooth as silk when she was finished. She carefully exited the women’s showers and looked for Yaedo. He was nowhere to be found, so she crept to the clothing dispenser and dialled up a coverall. With the pack under her arm, she went and peered into the men’s showers. As if he was waiting for her, Yaedo slowly turned and ran his hands over his body in a cruel mimicry of her earlier performance. When he started to stroke his cock in slow motions, his hands slick with soap, Huana bit her lip and quickly put her clothing on before she could do anything stupid. Yaedo continued to massage his cock until an 102

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arc of cream spewed forth, then he turned, rinsed off and walked to the dryer. Muttering about the burdens of duty, she dialled up a coverall for him, taking his height and the tempting breadth of his shoulders into consideration. When the whisper of the gender screen alerted her to his presence, she turned and smacked him in the chest with the package. “Here, get dressed. We need to get the folks into processing.” “You make the transformation sound so clinical. It’s a miracle of creation.” She shook her head as he pulled the coverall over his thighs. “Not creation, alteration. The stars have never claimed to do more than design our species. We need to get to the main area before the colonists freak out.” “Can’t they just follow us?” “Nope. The door closed the moment we passed through it. Unless they were behind us, they wouldn’t even have seen it.” He grumbled. “So we are going to spend our time fully clothed?” “Until we have some time to spare…yes. After the changes are done, I am all yours. We can have naked day for an entire week if you can find someone to bring us food.” She reached behind her and started braiding her hair. His laughter as he caught her around the waist 103

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and swung her into the air surprised her. “Done and done.” She squealed and shrieked as he spun her around before setting her back on her feet. “Nutcase. Come here, you need to get the access pass to the facility or I will be the only one who can lead folks under.” “Under?” “That is what we called it. Under.” She cleared her throat and went to the entry pad on one side of the door to the upper facility. She pressed her palm to the pad and spoke. “Clearance addition for all levels requested.” A female voice came through the speaker. “Palm print identified. Please submit the personnel for clearance.” Huana grabbed Yaedo’s hand and pressed it to the plate. “New personnel, please state your name and select a code for entry to the labs.” “Yaedo Venthil. Code Helena One.” “Code accepted. Investigator Marsh, please complete authorization.” Huana took Yaedo’s place and pressed her palm again, “Clearance code Dacca Morning Escape.” The computer was silent for a moment. “New personnel confirmed. Welcome home, Investigator Marsh.” “Thank you, Roxanne. It’s good to be back.” 104

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The door to above slid back as Yaedo touched it and he grinned as the computer obeyed his command. A colony of new, confused people were above and they were about to change everything that they had thought they knew about the Hashka. Huana was getting a headache just thinking about it, but she forged ahead, her mate at her side. Together, there was nothing that they couldn’t forge through, even if they had to cheat.

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Epilogue o, ladies, when you go into heat, you will become very sensitive to sound. The right male will arouse you simply by reading a grocery list.” Huana was working on female orientation of the final batch of new Hashka. One of the women looked up, her earnest face and blank aspect typical of the newly transformed. Their previous lives were hazy memories and might never return. “Yes, Nora?” “How do we know which male is having the effect if they are all in a group?” Huana smiled. “You will know. He will be attracted to you by your scent. You need only stay in the vicinity long enough for your scent to catch and then you will walk away. The males that follow you will be the best candidates for you. The man with the voice that makes your knees weak will be the man to allow close to you. If you have a doubt, come to Yaedo or myself and we will

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consult Dekkar. He is very good at finding perfect matches, even if it takes a while.” Another woman raised her hand. “Yes, Hanna?” “What if our match is not here?” “Dekkar is making arrangements for H’skar to be included on a trade route. There is nothing wrong with leaving your home in search of a mate, as long as you have the option of finding your way back if you wish it.” Huana rubbed the back of her neck. Rain was falling in slow, fat drops outside and a planting season was already underway. H’skar was on its way back to life and the population had gone from pleasure seekers to a consolidated group of Hashka who wanted their planet to thrive. “If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to ask, but for tonight, go to the women’s quarters and think about what trade you want to study next. You have a world full of possibilities at your fingertips. Choose something that appeals to you. No decision is set in stone. You can change occupations until you find something that fits.” She grinned, “Now go have dinner. I can hear your stomachs from here.” The women got up, their blue skin gleaming in the light of early evening. The women giggled and passed Yaedo where he was loitering in the doorway. 107

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Huana picked up the data pads and styluses, putting them into the storage bins. “Your class is prepared?” “As prepared as they can be after becoming a new species.” She snorted and turned, only to find him smack against her. “Hello.” “Hello, honey. How was your day?” His hands skimmed up to her neck and he started a slow massage, watching her face for indicators as to pressure. “Long. What is on for dinner? We should get going if we don’t want to be last in line.” Communal feeding had been instituted when the majority of the new Hashka forgot how to cook. The few who had the skill had been pressed into service. “You don’t need to worry about that. We have a special meal planned.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her out of the workshop and into the halls. Women and men alike smiled at them as he swept through the common areas and into the security space where Yaedo and Huana kept their quarters. “What kind of special meal?” She obligingly opened the door with her palm print and he continued on his determined path. Huana gasped to see their quarters. The bed was hung with panels of deep violet silk, synthetic 108

Caress of the Stars candles burned in every corner and a small table had been set with one chair and enough food for two meals. “What is this?” She raised an eyebrow. “Our six-month anniversary as mates. Also…” His grin took on a mischievous intensity as he started to strip her out of her jumpsuit, a manoeuvre he was very good at considering all of his practice. “Also, what?” Stripped to the skin, she slowly turned so that he could view every inch of the body he knew so well. Dekkar had marked them both as high priests and emissaries, swirls and sparks covered her and her beloved Yaedo bore the echoes. He stripped his own jumpsuit off and approached her, running his hands over her curves. His touch heated her blood as it always did and the moment she was up on her toes trying to kiss him, he whispered, “The new Hashka are prepared, so my darling…it’s naked day.” Her shock was buried in his kiss, followed by a bubbling joy that would not be contained. As seeker, she had always found what she looked for, but having never dared to dream, she had never sought a man for herself. Fortunately, Huana was the beloved of a star and he had found her the man for her and that man had very talented hands. 109

About the Author Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales. Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.