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  They were now a thousand meters above sea level. Yeri touched a button, triggering the next programmed aspect to their descent. The mag drive kicked in, and the flight instantly smoothed out. The pain in his ears dwindled then vanished. A few minutes later, they could see the rocky spine of Ikaria directly ahead of them. Their speed continued to bleed off by design. They’d passed below the speed of sound before kicking in the mag drive, so there was no sonic shockwave to disturb the peace of the islands. As they passed over the shores of their home island, Yeri kicked it into manual mode and flew them the rest of the way to the compound. He found the landing pad and neatly set the bug down in the center of it. He turned to Lee.

  “An unpowered descent?” Lee’s scent was still roiled with fear and worry but calming now that they were on the ground.

  “I didn’t want to use the turbine,” Yeri admitted calmly. “It would hurt too much. So I calculated the unpowered descent instead. I knew what I was doing, Lee.”

  “You could have warned me.”

  “I should have. I’m sorry.”

  “Me, too. I should have trusted you more.” Lee reached out and tousled his mane. The human’s hot hand felt good.

  Yeri unstrapped himself from the chair. He was happy to be home, and the compound was truly his home. He’d been born and raised within these walls. Lee opened the hatch, allowing fresh air to filter into the bug, and Yeri inhaled the crisp piney scent of the compound. He slid out of his seat and followed Lee out of the bug to greet the people who were already gathering to welcome them home.

  Chapter Five

  They jumped into the Orobas system well within the Kuiper belt, slightly above the plane of the ecliptic, and Cai set his inward course along a cometary trajectory. They had jumped with full emissions dampers and would continue running those systems until given reason to stop doing so. At half the speed of light, however, if they were detected, there’d be no mistaking them for a natural object.

  Cai immediately trained his instruments toward the inner system’s fourth planet, Cerebus. No detectable emissions were coming from the planet. It was an ominous silence, and he couldn’t determine why from this distance. He toyed with his options. At his current speed, they’d reach the planet in a matter of hours. He could leave the Chamber and rest until they were close enough to take a real look at the place, or he could stay in the Chamber and gather more and more data as they approached.

  He elected to remain in the Chamber. It was easier on his physical body to maintain the linkage to Dark Star than to completely exit and then re-enter shortly after that. Raw Synde was a poison, even for him. It took less Synde to maintain the connection than it did to establish it in the first place.

  He kept half his attention on Cerebus. He also started scanning the entire system, passively, for any sign of anomalies. Just because enemy action was unlikely didn’t mean it was impossible. There were more than just Rels out there. There was also the Q’Kathi, who still hadn’t learned to leave them alone even after losing three wars. There were some anomalous traces in the system, disturbances in the distribution of the space dust, but nothing definitive.

  As Cai approached Cerebus, the mystery only deepened as the silence continued. No transmissions, no emissions, nothing radiating into nearby space from the surface. Not even the colony transponder signal was detectable. His velocity was too great, and his trajectory was such that he wouldn’t be able to settle into an orbit around the planet, at least not on his first pass by. He quickly calculated a new route, using the system’s star to both slow him and skew him back to the planet of interest.

  The fly-by wasn’t without its uses, however. Every instrument on Dark Star was trained on Cerebus as they sped by only a hundred thousand kilometers from the surface. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, to show the planet had a colony. Not even the optical telescopes showed any evidence of human occupation.

  Dark Star passed Cerebus in short order. Cai double checked his calculations and adjusted his attitude slightly before engaging his engines and pushing the ship into a slightly different orbit around the primary Orobas. On the bridge, Nick continued to monitor the reports on Cerebus as they came in. Finally, he contacted Cai. “We’ll have to send a team down.”

  “I concur. I think we should activate our Rovani team and send them down with the science team and the marines. Just in case.”

  “That’s a good idea. I’ll issue the orders, so the teams can ready themselves.”

  An hour later, Cai expertly slung Dark Star around Orobas, using the star’s immense gravity to slow him down and point him at the planet he wanted. Three hours after that, he eased Dark Star into a stable geosynchronous orbit above the registered coordinates of the missing colony.

  * * * *

  Loki padded through the locker room set aside for the Rovania. It was adjacent to the flight deck and, in fact, was merely an extension of the main locker room. As he passed each of the others, he gestured either yes or no. Only half of them would be going down to the planet’s surface, the others would remain aboard in support roles. He selected his team for this mission based on the mission parameters.

  The first two he picked were his twin half-brothers. Being of the Nathizo line as he was, they were the best fighters he had. Next, he picked Tiatoki, for if they found the missing colonists, it would be useful to have someone who was good at communicating. He had another Morrenzo now, the younger Drissaki, but Tito was the born diplomat. He’d give Saki a chance next time.

  Mallino was his next choice. The Lenterzo line was known for their athleticism, and Mali was an exceptional gymnast and athlete. His final selection was Lytario, the only Pemezo aboard. That was an odd lineage, one of the smallest, but they possessed exceptionally keen senses and paired it to an intellect that few could match.

  Siarysti cleared his throat. When Veloki turned to him, he said in a low voice, “You still need a pilot for the shuttle.”

  He was right. Veloki nodded. Rysti was one of few Rovania qualified as shuttle pilots. Rysti was actually checked out in all the smaller craft aboard Dark Star. He was an exceptionally gifted flyer, according to what Loki had heard. “You’ll stay with the shuttle.”

  “Yes, sir.” Rysti inclined his head.

  Loki looked to the others, the ones he hadn’t selected for the mission. “Saki, I want you on the comm board to coordinate for us once we’re on the surface.”

  Drissaki grinned. “I can do that.”

  “Xieri,” Loki started, but the healer cut him off.

  “I should come, too. In case there’s trouble. I can stay with the shuttle, but I’m the only qualified medic we have.”

  Loki blinked at him. Xiereko was not only a fully trained psionic healer, but Dr. Tavlakis had also trained him in Rovani medicine, a specialty that was distinct from human medicine. Their feline-based needs and ailments differed from that of their simian friends. “I hate to put you at risk, but you’re right. Anyone else?”

  Spasti shrugged. “I can’t think of anything I can do that you don’t already have covered. I’ll stand by to analyze your findings as they come in.”

  Xaranthi, the other Chrazo and assigned to security, simply shook his head. He never spoke unless directly addressed, so Loki wasn’t surprised by his silence.

  “I can crew the shuttle if you want. I’m qualified as co-pilot now,” Essi said.

  Loki nodded to him. “Bring tools, too.” Having a qualified mechanic along might be wise. Essendi had always had a mechanical bent, Loki could recall him, as a youth, helping the Breedmasters fix things. He was the born tinkerer and was deemed an asset by the machine shop which worked so closely with engineering.

  “Are you sure about this?”

  Loki turned to face the sensor pod from which Cai’s voice had issued. “Sir?”

  “Nine of you are now going down unless I miscounted. I thought you only wanted to risk half of your people?”

  “Three of them will s
tay with the shuttle,” Loki pointed out. “And it’s a fairly low-risk mission, correct?”

  “There are no obvious signs of hostiles, other than the wildlife, and I’m sure you’re more than a match for that.”

  “Everyone will be issued full fighting gear, even those staying with the shuttle,” Loki announced.

  “Fair enough,” Cai agreed. “Siarysti, you will pilot Aristophanes. The other team will fly Menander.”

  Rysti bounced with excitement. “Thank you, Astrogator!”

  Loki blinked at his friend’s enthusiasm.

  “Aristophanes and Menander are more than shuttles,” Rysti told him smugly. “They’re hybrid scouts. They’re also my favorite of the larger craft. I just like the way they handle.”

  “That might come in handy,” Loki replied, though without knowing just what the craft could do, it was hard to include it in his planning. “Okay, everyone, grab your kits and meet in the hanger.”

  He turned to his own locker and started to undress. They had asked for and received permission to dispense with the uniforms when being sent down as a team because the uniforms interfered with their full physical capabilities and were an unnecessary complication. He hung his uniform in the locker and set the boots on the bottom shelf.

  Next, he put on an equipment harness. During the Q’Kathi War, Yeraki had modified the design from what the Euro Defense Forces had used on their Rovania to make it both more comfortable and more functional. In a nod to the Corps, the harness he wore was labeled with the Corps logo, their ship’s name and ID number, and his own name—just as his uniform shirts were. His weaponry would fit on it neatly, easy to reach but out of the way. There was room for equipment, too.

  He added a phone—that’s what they were called, though they had little in common with the ancient devices of the same name. This one used amplified quantum pairing to communicate with the base unit here on the Dark Star in real time, eliminating the time lag. He also selected a probe, another simple term for an advanced, complex tool that could take all sorts of readings and perform a wide array of analyses on the data collected. He hesitated, considering his options, before selecting a simple survival kit. It contained basic items such as a fire-starter, water-purifying tablets, a mylar sheet that could be used as a blanket or rigged to form a small shelter, and a few first aid items.

  Satisfied, he closed his equipment locker and went to the weapons locker. The first thing he picked was his fingerless fighting gloves. They were designed to fit comfortably on his hands. The palms were roughened to increase grip, but more importantly, metal grommets were woven into them, positioned to support and protect the bases of his free-floating claws. Once he’d worked the gloves on, he double checked the positioning by extending his claws through the rounded holes in the flattened metal donuts. Next, he picked out various knives, fastening them to different places on his harness. Once more, he had to decide, this time on his main weaponry.

  He’d been trained in many different weapons, but like most of his kind, he had preferences. His father had preferred the double-ended fighting spear, while his grandfather had made the morning star mace famous. He preferred paired scimitars, but he wasn’t sure that was the best choice for this mission. He glanced at Riko.

  Like Yeri, Riko preferred the double-ended spear, but Riko’s weapon was... modernized. At first glance, it was just a carbon and steel staff. The blades were hidden in the shaft and would pop out on command. There wasn’t a button or any way of accidentally triggering the blades. The command went from the user’s implant to a chip in the fighting glove and thence to the staff. Riko could selectively deploy just one of the two blades, as well, making it far more versatile than the wooden and steel weapon Yeri had used in the games.

  Loki took his own staff from the locker. They each had their own array of weaponry, it was just easier that way. He chose the weapon for both its non-threatening appearance and its versatility. Scimitars were fine for a pure combat mission, but he didn’t know what he’d be facing on the surface if anything. He slid the staff into the harness across his back and turned to face the others. Unsurprisingly, most of them had opted for staves. Lyto had selected a truncheon, but there was a blade buried in it, as well.

  “Everyone ready?” Loki asked. He received nods all about. “Let’s go then.” He padded to the exit, the rest of the team falling in behind him.

  SubCommander Kenison was waiting for them. He looked them over with pursed lips then shook his head. The scent of his disapproval was strong, but Loki didn’t expect anything different from the man. “You’ve been assigned Aristophanes. I think this is a bad idea, but I’ve been overruled. Stay out of the way of my marines, or there’ll be hell to pay.”

  Chapter Six

  Tsaraina sidled up to Yeraki, her body swaying seductively, her blue eyes full of promise and desire. She smelled like heaven, a more perfect or sublime scent there could not be, it was intoxicating, transcendental, irresistible. Yeri nuzzled the patch of skin behind her left ear, inhaling deeply to sample the perfection of her scent anew. She rubbed against him boldly, shamelessly. He licked, tasting the musk her glands produced.

  His worries vanished as the world altered, simplifying itself to the very basics. All that mattered was the female in his arms, pressed against him so appealingly. He wanted her, and he would have her. She was his mate, his to take, and nothing would stand in his way. He felt her soft lips and tongue licking behind his ear, and he shuddered at the pleasure this gave him. He tasted her musk glands again as he bore her down to the ground. He pushed her legs apart and entered her with a powerful thrust.

  * * * *

  Lee observed the pair through the one-way glass. He watched them mate, not because he was a voyeur, but because it was his duty to make certain that nothing went wrong. In this state, the two Rovania were nothing more than animals, stripped of conscious thought and will by the power of the mating cycle. Nevertheless, it was a highly erotic event to watch, and Lee wasn’t unaffected by their performance. He’d learned, over many years, to deal with it.

  The door behind him opened, and he glanced over his shoulder. He gave Yanni a nod, the younger Breedmaster was Vericho’s handler. Yanni glanced out the window and grunted. “Mating season is finally begun,” he offered. Tsaraina was always one of the first of the broods to go into heat and so was watched closely as an indicator of when the season would really begin.

  “We don’t have enough studs,” Lee replied after a moment’s reflection. Yeraki, Vericho, and Driandro were all that remained of the original twelve studs the Lineage had boasted before the massacre. Three others had been triggered since, but that hardly seemed enough to repopulate the species. All six studs would soon be in the breeding chambers, and with luck, they would each impregnate the ten or more females being paired to them.

  “You’re right, we don’t.” Yanni sat down and laced his fingers together to form a platform on which he rested his chin. “I was asked to speak to you about that. We’re very concerned about Yeraki’s plan to leave Earth.”

  Lee swiveled his chair to face Yanni. “Why?”

  “He’s a stud. We need him here, making more Rovania.” Yanni shrugged. “You just said yourself that there aren’t enough studs, but you’re willing to let him leave?”

  “Yeri’s free, Yanni. They all are. You know that. All his life, he’s done what he’s had to, what he’s been told to. He’s always loved the stars. Not only does he have every right to make this choice, he feels a need to prove that the Rovania can work alongside us, as equal partners, pulling their own weight. Admiralty plans to jump him straight to command rank. If he can be accepted as a senior officer, that will open the door for all of the younger ones to also advance.”

  Yanni sighed and glanced through the window again. “He’s the senior remaining stud. He’s the standard by which we measure the others. He’s proven. He’s not only virile, but he also produces outstanding children. We need that, his species
needs that.”

  “He is senior,” Lee agreed. “He’s given us six to ten children a year for the past century. He’s earned the right to take a break. But, I do understand your point. I’ll speak to him once he’s come out of rut. He’s smarter than we are, maybe he can come up with a solution.”

  “All we need is for him to come home every February like he did before when he was with the Psion Squad.”

  Lee snorted. “It’s not that simple, Yanni. You forget relativity. Spaceships travel close enough to lightspeed that there is a time differential big enough to matter. Plus, we’re at war. There’s no way we can promise to be back here every February on Earth when the ship we’re on could be a dozen or more solar systems away.”

  * * * *

  It was like waking from an intense, but peculiar, dream. The memories of the past month were vivid but, at the same time, distant. The fog of mating had cleared some time during the night while he slept. Yeri was himself again and relieved to discover no memories of killing anyone. He stretched, feeling the pull of his muscles, giving his body a quick self-assessment. His muscles didn’t feel too tight, none of them felt strained. He felt overly tired and had a gentle ache in his loins, but that was to be expected after the month-long mating frenzy.

  Twelve females had been brought to him, a new record. Previously, the largest number of females he’d bred in a single season had been ten. Of the twelve, five had been new mates for him, and of those five, four of them had never been bred before. Yeri trusted that Lee knew what he was doing, the man knew Rovani genetics better than anyone alive. He probably knows my genome by heart. But still, no wonder I’m exhausted.

  When the door opened, Yeri stirred from the nest of cushions and blankets, sitting up as a waft of cooler air, laden with Lee’s scent, washed over him. Lee poked his head around the door. “Yeri?”