Shifting her tired gaze from one expressionless face to the next, Kelsey Lindon was torn between rolling her eyes, laughing out loud, and punching her fist through the nearest wall. She sat at one end of an oblong folding table in a cargo bay aboard the spaceship Fearless. The cargo bay had been divided into four rectangular rooms and each one was being used for a similar interview. Interview panels of four to six Rodytes assessed human volunteers, determining their commitment to and compatibility with the transformation program. If approved, the volunteer would continue on to Lunar Nine, the once-secret outpost inside the moon.

Kelsey’s four interviewers fanned out around the other end of the table. They’d been attempting to ferret out inaccuracies in her cover story for almost three hours. At first she found their strategies amusing, predictable and amateur, but entertaining. She’d served in the U.S. Marine Corp for six years, then she’d been trained by the FBI. Did these scientists really think they could break her? It was insulting.

Well, to be fair, only two of the four panelists were scientists. The other two were soldiers, but they left most of the questioning to the scientists. One of the scientists was a Rodyte male, tall and thin, his body revealed a life spent in a laboratory rather than on a battlefield.

The soldiers were burly brutes with sharp gazes and chiseled features. Like most Rodytes, all three males had dark hair and eyes. Their phitons, the incandescent rings in their eyes, were purple, which likely meant they were battle born, the offspring of a Rodyte warrior and an enemy Billarian captive. The barbaric practice of forced seduction had been discontinued, but the shameful reminder of the bloody war made many Rodytes uncomfortable. The resulting prejudice and subjugation was the primary reason for the rebellion, and the rebels’ determination to unlock their latent magic had led them to Earth.

The most interesting panelist, at least to Kelsey, was the other scientist. Not only was she female, which was rare on the Fearless, a battleship with an entirely male crew, she appeared human. But looks could be deceiving. It was possible she was some sort of human-alien hybrid. Far stranger things had happened in the last three months, which was how long the Rodytes had been openly interacting with Earth. They’d been secretly interacting with humans for generations.

“Are we boring you?” the female scientist asked, humor clear in her tone if not her stoic expression. Her name was Lily Something-or-other, or Dr. Something-or-other if you pissed her off. She tended to defer to the Rodyte scientist, but Kelsey had seen sparks of spirit flash in her china-blue eyes.

“No, ma’am.” Kelsey met her gaze and smiled. “I’m just wondering what all this has to do with the transformation program. I wasn’t aware that military service would be required of the volunteers.”

Somewhere along the way, Rodyte researchers realized human DNA was more receptive to the genetic resequencing needed to unleash battle born magic than the Rodyte males they were trying to treat. However, the genetic changes could be transferred to the male by the natural transformation that took place whenever a Rodyte male claimed his mate. So, the search began for genetically compatible human females and the “transformation program” was launched, bringing Rodytes out of hiding and into the glaring light of Earth’s ravenous media.

“Females only fill peripheral roles in the Rodyte military,” one of the soldiers stressed, sounding insulted by any other possibility.

“Then why all these questions about my past?” Kelsey had played nice for the past two days, patiently answering all their ridiculous questions. The first day had been annoyingly general, but the questions had gotten much more specific, and more personal, today. She couldn’t move on to Lunar Nine unless this panel approved her for the program and Alyssa, the operative Kelsey was here to protect, couldn’t complete her mission until they both arrived on Lunar Nine. “I thought I was here to find a nice man, settle down, and have a bunch of magical babies.”

The sarcastic crack brought a reluctant smile to Dr. Lily’s face. She was pretty when she smiled, with sleek black hair and those big blue eyes. But why was a human scientist working with Rodytes? Or more accurately, why would Rodytes bother with a human scientist? Weren’t Rodytes supposed to be light years ahead of humans in technology and medicine? Lily looked at her fellow scientist and her smile vanished, along with any hint of her personality. Interesting. Lily didn’t like her boss, or she was afraid of him. Kelsey wasn’t sure which.

When Lily spoke her voice was tense and emotionless. “I have no more questions for Ms. Lindon.”

“Nor do we,” the bigger soldier echoed.

This wasn’t the first time the bigger soldier spoke for both. Another interesting dynamic.

Dr. Estrenton, the male scientist, nodded. “I, however, have many more.”

He was enjoying this way too much. Kelsey tensed, not sure she could remain civil if he grew any more autocratic.

“They can wait,” a deep voice drew everyone’s attention to the doorway. “She’s had enough for today.”

Kelsey looked at the speaker and sucked in her breath. Jakkin Arvik, Commander of the Fearless, aka bane of her existence, stood there, devastatingly attractive and utterly irrational. He was the reason the panel was giving her such a hard time. He was convinced she was hiding something and was determined to learn all her secrets.

There were two problems with his attitude. First, she was hiding something rather important. In fact, she was part of the Solar Warden program, which made them enemies. And two, he was one of her potential mates so each time they were alone together things inevitably turned physical.

“Give us the room.” His gaze bore into hers, green phitons just beginning to glow.

She heard chairs being pushed back and people moving around, but couldn’t look away from his face. He wasn’t classically handsome, at least by human standards. His features were too bold, too rugged, his gaze much too intense. He was a warrior and brutality was apparent in every movement, every expression. Of course, his scowls and aggressiveness only made him more attractive to Kelsey. She was a warrior too. She had no use for scrawny or passive men.

The door slid shut behind the last panelist and Jakkin said, “Privacy protocol 19, authorization Arvik 629.”

He’d just deactivated the cameras and jammed any audio equipment in the room. She only knew because this wasn’t the first time he’d used the command. Rodyte courting was better done in private.

“It’s going to be one of those conversations?” Fine by her. After two days of mind-numbing boredom and frustration, she was more than ready for another wrestling match with her potential mate. She stood and kicked her chair aside, needing room to maneuver.

He stalked her, arms at his sides, strides long and lazy. “Aren’t you tired of the lies?”

Challenge infused each syllable and made her want to scratch his eyes out. “Sure am. Why don’t you tell me something honest for a change?”

Not stopping until they stood toe to toe, he forced her to tilt her head back or stare at his chest. The man was ridiculously tall and totally ripped. Unless his skintight, red-and-black uniform was misleading, there wasn’t an ounce of fat on him, or on any of the other Rodytes for that matter. They were built for battle and trained hard to remain fast and agile.

“You’re not here to find a mate,” he stated firmly. “How’s that for truth?”

“Not if they’re all like you, that’s for damn sure.”

He had the audacity to smile. “You provoke me so I’ll put my hands on you and we both know it.”

She did. She couldn’t help it. Wrestling with him, feeling him easily contain her fiercest struggles, did odd and unexpected things to her squirming body. Most of her adult life had been spent training with the best of the best, so she could compete in a male-dominated world. Imagine her surprise when her biggest turn on ended up being an opponent who made her feel delicate. “All I know is you’re an arrogant jerk with a paranoia problem.”

“I’m not going to kiss you, no matter how angry you make me. I’ve decided you have to earn the privilege.”

Oh, silly man, he’d just made it a challenge. She wasn’t leaving this room until he kissed her now. She’d make sure of it. “Why in the universe would I want you to kiss me? My face is still covered with slobber from the last time. Shi-ver.” She shuddered in mock disgust.

His eyes narrowed, but his arms remained at his sides and his face came no closer. “Tell me who sent you and I’ll put my mouth anywhere you want it.”

Had he just offered to—never mind. She would not be distracted by an unexpected change in his strategy. She thought he was playing hard to get and suddenly he was on the offensive again. The man simply made no sense at all. “Why are you so convinced that someone ‘sent’ me? I’m always looking for a new adventure. Why is it so hard to believe that this was it?”

He reached for her suddenly, but she was ready for the lunge. She agilely twisted out of reach and slammed her elbow into the middle of his back. With an annoyed grunt, he spun and caught her wrist, jerking her toward him. She punched at his face, hating to break his nose, but ready to teach him a lesson. His bullying tactics had gone on long enough.

With exasperatingly fast reflexes, he dodged the blow and calmly reeled her in. “Behave, or I’ll take you down again and we both know how that ended.”

Semi-playful sparing was stimulating enough, but full contact wrestling led to kissing and touching, arching and grinding. And the overwhelming need to get naked and sweaty. “Let go or I’ll stop holding back.” She hadn’t actually been holding back, just avoiding moves that risked serious injury or death. Unfortunately, that ruled out about half of her hand-to-hand arsenal.

“Go on.” His fingers tightened around her wrist, restraining without hurting. “Give me everything you’ve got. I’m pretty sure I can take it.”

She punched him hard in the ribs, distracting him from her true intention. He’d grabbed her right wrist with his left hand, which gave her an opening. She spun, using all her strength and momentum to throw him over her shoulder. She succeeded in jerking him off balance and onto the deck, but he ended up perpendicular to her rather than completely reversed.

He hit hard, landing half on his back and half on his hip. Through it all, his fingers banded her wrist, keeping her from escaping. With one hard yank, he brought her to one knee. For a fraction of a second, he let go and she thought she’d knocked the air out of his lungs. Instead, he rolled in a tight quarter turn and pushed her over backward.

Damn, Jakkin moved fast for such a big man. Soon he straddled her hips and both her wrists were restrained in fist-shaped manacles. His strong legs pressed her calves together, preventing her from bending her knees, and his face was mere inches from hers.

“Shall we take this to my cabin or do you want to be marked right here on the cold, hard deck?” His gaze drilled into hers, phitons ablaze with emerald fire.

He was mesmerizing when he got like this, all animal lust and domineering male. She wasn’t sure why it excited her so much. Chauvinistic males generally infuriated her. But the Rodytes did caveman with such conviction it seemed natural. It was natural. Subduing and claiming a mate wasn’t a game to them. It was a matter of survival.

“You can’t scent mark me unless I agree, and I do not agree.” The first phase of Rodyte bonding was backing off all the other suitors by spreading one’s scent all over the female’s body. The exchange could be made with hands, lips or genitals, but it only worked skin to skin.

His gaze cooled, then hardened. “If you really want a mate, why would you refuse me? This only proves that my suspicions are justified.”

“All it proves is I don’t like you.” She stressed the last three words, drawing them out as she glared at him. “You’re a bully and I detest bullies.” She jerked against his restraining hands, but his hold was unbreakable. A fact that never failed to arouse her.

He extended his arms, pushing himself as far away as he could without letting go. “A gentle wooing would bore you to tears. You love fighting with me. It excites you. I can smell how aroused you are. Are you really going to deny it?”

“No.” She let the word sink in before adding, “Danger excites me. Strength excites me, but you are an arrogant jerk who doubts everything I say.”

“Can’t imagine why.” Apparently tired of the verbal sparring, he shifted both her wrists into one hand and lowered his head. His mouth covered hers and reality narrowed.

All she could see was his face, so she closed her eyes. His scent filled her nose and her pulse seemed amplified in her ears. She pressed her lips together, stubbornly ignoring his teasing tongue. Making him mad enough to kiss her had been her goal, but surrendering was not an option. He was too good at it and she enjoyed his taste, the warm slide of his tongue, entirely too much.

“Relax,” he whispered, his lips caressing hers. “Open for me.”

And like an intoxicated fool, she obeyed. His free hand stroked her face while his tongue explored her mouth. She tried to remain stiff and unresponsive, hoping he’d lose interest, but the battle was lost as soon as he touched her. She couldn’t resist him, not when her own instincts were fighting against her. She ached for him, needed to feel him moving deep inside her.

She moaned and arched her back, rubbing against him as she responded to his kiss. Her tongue slid over his and their tastes mingled, creating a cocktail even more intoxicating than his taste alone.

An exasperated cry tore from her throat and she jerked her head to the side. “Stop it! I will not be with a man who doubts everything I tell him.”

He pushed up, finally releasing her wrists. He still straddled her body and seemed in no hurry to let her go. “Stop lying and I’ll hang on every word you say.”

With stubborn determination, she wiggled out from under him and scrambled to her feet. “As always, Commander, we’re at an impasse. I don’t want a suspicious mate, and you’re convinced your paranoia is justified. No one can build a future on that foundation, even if they wanted to. Now approve me so I can move on!”

She stormed from the room before he could reply, still shaking with her need to touch him.

* * * * *

My mate is irrational. Still kneeling on the cargo bay deck, Jakkin stared off into space as the thought echoed through his mind. He’d been unable to find the holes in her cover story, despite his best efforts. Either her alibi had been constructed at the highest level or she was telling the truth. He’d been equally unsuccessful at silencing the instincts warning him to beware, so he was left with a useless impasse, just as Kelsey said. He couldn’t approve her and he had no justifiable reason to eject her from the program. He had to figure out what in hells outer rings was really going on.

His movements were hampered by a massive erection as he pushed to his feet and looked around the empty room. The interview panel, at his insistence, had hounded her for hours, attempting to pick apart every scrap of information she gave them. He’d watched the security feed off and on as his other duties allowed. He was supposed to be running the entire ship, yet thoughts of his wayward mate were a constant distraction.

This was his first command, and Kaden Lux, a long-time friend, had put Jakkin’s name forward more or less as a favor. Kaden’s older brother was General Sedrik Lux, Commander of the Earth-side fleet, so it hadn’t been that big of an imposition. Still, Jakkin could not screw this up or it would reflect poorly on the Lux brothers. The antics of the human females, and undisciplined reaction of the all-male crew, had defeated the previous commander, driving him to request reassignment. Expectations of Jakkin were high, yet he was determined to exceed them.

His uniform was formfitting, so he couldn’t leave the room until he regained his composure. Kelsey’s image was solidly lodged in his mind, sabotaging his efforts. Her hair was a unique mixture of warm brown and burnished gold. She usually wore it securely braided down the back of her head, but today it had been loose, framing her face in soft waves. Her features were pure and feminine, with a small nose and lush red lips that felt even softer than they appeared. He’d kissed her twice already and hungered night and day for more of her intoxicating taste.

He came from a planet where almost everyone’s eyes were the same dark brown. The only variation was the color of their phitons. Human eyes came in a variety of colors and an almost endless range of hues within the color groups. Kelsey’s eyes, like her hair, were a blending of brown and gold. They reminded him of an Earth stone often used in jewelry, topaz. Framed by thick dark lashes, her eyes were as reflective as, and even more beautiful than, the gem.

He refused to think about the soft curves of her athletic body or how good she felt pressed against him, or better yet, pinned beneath him. His body would never relax if he pictured her naked and gasping from the release he so wanted to give her. He didn’t need his magic to know all her protests were exaggerated. She was conflicted and afraid, but not even Kelsey denied that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

A soft buzzer warned him that someone was trying to enter the room. “Release privacy protocols, Arvik 629.”

The door slid open, but Lily Fontenot stopped in her tracks when she saw him standing there. “Should I come back?”

His body was mostly relaxed and Lily was much too professional to look anywhere but at his face. “Come in.” He motioned her forward. “My mate walked out on me—again. Our courtship is not going well.”

She smiled and her face transformed from over-serious lab dweller, to lovely, vibrant young woman. “I forgot my datapad, but it looks like you could use a friend. I’m a good listener. And I can offer you a female perspective, if you’re interested in some free advice.”

He righted the chair Kelsey had kicked over then stood on the other side of the table from Lily. They’d first met seven years ago during one of his many missions to Earth. He’d been injured and separated from his teammates during an altercation with a desperate fugitive. He’d broken into her lab in search of something with which to clean and bind the gaping knife wound in his side. She confronted him with a gun, but ended up helping him instead of turning him over to the authorities.

They spent three days and nights together as he regained his strength. It was obvious she was attracted to him, but Jakkin felt only gratitude and respect for her. He’d been impressed by her compassion and skill, and refused to endanger her by revealing that she’d helped him to anyone, even the other members of his team. At the time, Rodyte activities on Earth were still highly secretive, so harsh policies were in place to ensure their anonymity. He’d left the fourth morning while she was at work, leaving only a note of thanks and no way to contact him.

Then three months ago, Jakkin had been tasked with recruiting—by force if necessary—a human geneticist. He’d immediately thought of Lily. She was a geneticist, with both medical and research experience. The fact that she was female concerned his superiors. They feared that her mate would claim her, then forbid her to work surrounded by other males. However, tests revealed that she had no genetic matches among the battle born, so Jakkin had been allowed to offer her the job.

Lily had known something was different about Jakkin when they met the first time, even though his appearance had been altered so he looked human. He’d been unable to answer her myriad questions, and his departure had been so sudden. She was curious and hungry for new challenges, so recruiting her had been easy. She found her immediate supervisor frustrating, but she assured Jakkin that she was glad she’d accepted the invitation.

“I’m not sure advice will help,” he grumbled. “My mate is irrational.”

Lily laughed, the sound soft and musical. “She’s not your mate yet, Jakkin. That’s part of the problem. You’re taking it for granted that she’ll choose you. Does she have other matches?”

“Yes.” He forced the word out between clenched teeth. “Why do you think I’m fighting so hard to keep her here?”

“‘Fighting’ being the operative word?” Challenge raised her brows, but humor warmed her pale blue eyes. He’d never seen Lily dressed up, but he suspected she’d be stunning. Her mother was Japanese and her father Irish-American. Her appearance reflected the unusual combination. Her straight black hair hinted at her Asian heritage, while her expressive blue eyes were clearly European. “Have you tried turning on the charm rather than shoving her up against the nearest wall?”

He scoffed. “I’m many things, but charming is not one of them.”

“Oh really? What kept me from calling security seven years ago? It certainly wasn’t your handsome face. You’ve never looked worse than you did the first time I saw you.”

He’d been covered with mud and blood and hadn’t slept in over three days. The mission had been a disaster from start to finish. The only exception was his meeting Lily. There was nothing romantic between them, but their connection had been instantaneous. She was one of very few females with whom he felt comfortable. There weren’t that many males he felt comfortable with either. Jakkin had always been a loner, knew the only person he could trust absolutely was himself.

“You felt sorry for me,” he countered. “If I’d been a mangy canine, you would have reacted the same way.”

She laughed again. “You’re probably right, but you can be charming. I’ve seen charm sneak out when you’re not paying attention.”

“If you insist.” He handed her the forgotten datapad, a device similar to, yet much more sophisticated than, a tablet computer. “Do you have any other useless advice?”

She glared at him. “I’m serious. Give her a day or two to cool off, then change your approach completely. Kill her with kindness. Make her feel special, like she’s the most important person in the entire universe to you. Oh, wait a minute. She is, so stop treating her like prey.”

With an inward grumble, he crossed his arms over his chest. That was the problem with friends. They often felt comfortable enough to tell him what he needed to hear rather than what he wanted them to say. “I’m running out of time. If I can’t figure out what I’m sensing, I’m going to have to let her move on. Did anything she say strike you as insincere?”

“Oh, she’s lying through her teeth. I agree with you completely, but the real question is why? She could be running from an abusive ex or—”

“As if Kelsey would allow anyone to abuse her. She’s a physical challenge for me and I’m twice her size.”

“There are many ways to abuse a loved one. Not all of them are physical.”

The sudden tremor in Lily’s voice caught him by surprise. She’d been open and talkative during their three days together and in the months since she arrived on Lunar Nine. He’d learned a lot about her and had shared what he could about himself. Still, she’d never mentioned abuse of any kind. Rather than digging into something that wasn’t really his business, he said, “I’ll try to be nicer, but Kelsey starts it even more often than I do.”

“Don’t let her piss you off. For one night just let it roll off and see if you can gain any ground. If it doesn’t work, you can go back to what you’re doing now, or figure out a different strategy.”

He nodded, sorting through possible scenarios. “Are you headed back to the Intrepid?” Like most of the medical staff, she’d been assigned an apartment in one of the residential villages, but Jakkin knew she slept just as often on the cot in the back of her lab, which was on the hospital ship.

“Yep. Thanks to this pointless exercise, I’m way behind with my research.”

“Well, thank you for doing it. I wanted someone I could trust on the panel.”

“Anytime.” She offered one last smile then left him alone in the cargo bay.

* * * * *

Arton the Heretic, tossed on his bunk aboard the Relentless. Joining the Outcasts—an ever-growing group of disillusioned misfits turned mercenaries—had quieted his spirit and allowed him to control his abilities in a way that years at Harbinger Academy had never been able to achieve. Kage Razel, the Outcasts’ current overlord, was a phenomenal mentor and Arton’s closest friend. Kage commanded the Relentless and allowed Arton the freedom he needed to explore his abilities and ambitions. It was this freedom that empowered Arton, increasing the frequency and accuracy of his prophetic visions and clairvoyant impressions.

Prophetic visions felt different from ordinary dreams. Arton had long since learned to identify one from the other. A prophetic vision gripped him now, intense and demanding. He fought against the pain for only a moment. As soon as he surrendered, allowing the agony to purify his mind, the images focused and the throbbing eased.

In the vision he stood on a hillside, high above a densely populated valley. The sky was so blue the vividness stabbed into his eyes. Everything was more intense in visions. Colors were brighter, sounds louder, emotions more overwhelming. A distant rumble rapidly built until the vibration shook the ground beneath his feet. Earthquakes were common in California. He had no idea how he knew this was California, but the fact was suddenly irrefutable.

A distant boom and flash of light drew his attention to the sky. A large spaceship appeared directly above him, hurtling toward the valley with menacing speed. Collision was unavoidable. The realization was his last coherent thought before the ship crashed into the valley.

The vision changed. Images flitted through his mind like a news-stream montage of destruction and misery. Twisted rubble now heaped where a city once stood. The devastation spread out in rings from where the ship was now buried. People wandered around, vacant eyed, shocked and disbelieving. Fires consumed what little the collision hadn’t obliterated and geysers burst from broken pipes, flooding the area with damaging, contaminated rivers.

Emotions hit next, punching into Arton with crippling force. He gasped for breath and rolled onto his side, curling in on himself to minimize the pain. Sorrow ripped at his being with merciless claws, then loss drove the breath from his lungs, making his chest burn and his eyes water. Anger and fear collided next, releasing him from the paralyzing emptiness and igniting a driving purpose. And through it all wove fear and suspicion, the inherent need of the wounded to place blame.

The vision released as suddenly as it had taken hold. Arton moaned, trembling still from the vision’s intensity. Despite the reflexive urge to shut it out, force the horror aside and protect his sanity, he memorized the images, remembering each detail. Even the emotions needed to be absorbed, so he could sort through them later, analyzing the meaning and how each related to the images. He had learned these techniques, and many others, from Kage. Despite the overlord’s brutish appearance, Kage Razel was brilliant and highly accomplished. His appearance was strategic. It encouraged people to underestimate him.

Though Arton had barely begun to process the vision, one thing was already clear. This vision was a warning, yet the event could not be changed.

Using his internal access port, he verified time and date with the ship’s computer. At times, visions left him in a trance that lasted hours, even days. He’d only been asleep for a short time, so this vision must have been brief. It was just past midnight. Should he speak with Kage now or wait until morning? With a careless shrug, he sent a telepathic ping. If the overlord responded, they’d have the conversation now. If not, they’d wait until morning.

You should be asleep.

The teasing quality in Kage’s tone helped Arton relax. Only those closest to Kage ever saw this side of his personality, but Arton appreciated the soothing effect after the toll visions always took on him. I had a vision.

Come on over. Obviously, I’m awake.

Arton’s cabin was several doors down from the overlord’s spacious quarters. Arton pulled on a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. He found the human garments both durable and comfortable, though he endured continual ribbing from the other Outcasts because of his preference for “primitive Earth wear”.

The door opened as he approached and he found Kage sprawled in his favorite chair, sipping Ontarian ale. One long leg was draped over the arm of the chair as he reclined against the other. His dark hair was a comical study in extremes. The sides, and most of the back, was shaved, while a long, floppy section hung down over his forehead and trailed down between his shoulder blades. Whiskers darkened his jaw and fatigue shadowed his already dark eyes. Arton wasn’t the only one needing sleep.

“Want one?” Kage held up the bottle to indicate the offer.

“No. The vision left me groggy.”

“Have a seat.”

He moved to the nearest chair and sat. His legs were still wobbly and his mind felt fuzzy, as if he were under the influence of a mild sedative. “We have to pull out of our alliance with the humans.” He was too tired to mince words.

Kage studied him silently, taking a moment to respond. “You’ve been against the alliance from the beginning. I’m still not sure I understand why.”

“We need to leave,” Arton insisted, “find a planet where we can establish a colony. Is that still our ultimate goal?”

“You know it is. What’s this about?” He set the bottle down and scooted to the edge of his chair. “What did the vision show you?”

“Earth will soon be at war with the battle born. We have no reason to be involved in any of this.”

Kage leaned farther forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “Care to elaborate?”

“I saw a spaceship crash into a human city.” Arton shivered as the images echoed through his mind. “The city is in California, but I’m not sure which one. It sprawled across a valley and thousands, perhaps millions, will die because of the collision. The event felt absolute. I don’t think it can be avoided.” It had only been in recent years that his skill developed to the point where he could discern unchangeable events from those still fluid.

“Are you sure it was a battle born ship?”

Arton considered the question for a moment before he answered. The battle born rebels weren’t the only group with spaceships orbiting Earth. Solar Warden, a human force empowered with Evonti technology also patrolled Earth-space. They were vastly outnumbered and had no real hope of defeating the rebels, but Arton respected their determination to try. “I’m not sure. I only saw the ship for a moment before it smashed into the city.”

Kage nodded, then pushed to his feet. He was shirtless, as always. Arton wasn’t sure the man owned a shirt. Even in public he only wore a cape suspended from his armaments harness. It added to his barbarian façade. “If I ordered the fleet to leave Earth-space now, the warlords would likely mutiny.”

“The transformation program,” Arton muttered. Eighty percent of Outcasts were also battle born, so they were very interested in unleashing their magic. “We need to find another way to give them access to their powers.”

“I’m open to suggestions.” Kage picked up his ale and took a swig, clearly agitated. “At present, there is one source for the transformation protocol.”

“The rebels.”

Kage nodded. “But an alliance with them came with too many conditions. The Outcasts will not trade one master for another. It’s likely the Evonti can reproduce the rebels’ results, so I negotiated with the only race I know who are in consistent contact with the elusive beings.”

“Humans.” He couldn’t quite keep the distaste out of his tone. Humans were primitive, warlike, unscrupulousness creatures. Any alliance with them was guaranteed to fail. “I understand all this, but it doesn’t change what I saw. This situation is going to explode, literally and figuratively, in the not-too-distant future.”

“So find me another way to unlock battle born magic and I’ll give the order for everyone to move out.”

Arton sighed. Kage was right. Too many of the Outcasts were fixated on a possible transformation. Of course, knowing that the transformation program also guaranteed them a genetically compatible mate made the situation even more volatile. A colony of unbound soldiers was just pathetic. While a colony of mated males working collectively to establish a future for their families was something for which anyone would fight.

He let the argument go, for the time being. “Do you intend to warn them?”

“It’s doubtful they’d believe me. I did double-cross them, after all.” Kage’s grin was completely unrepentant. “However, I will try.”

“Do you mind if I send them a warning as well?”

Kage shrugged, but his indifference was much less believable than his rebellion. Like his barbaric clothes and extreme hair style, his apathy often hid the true depths of his feelings.

Arton took his silence as assent. “I don’t think they can avoid it entirely, but perhaps if they’re forewarned, they can minimize the damage.” Even as he spoke the words, Arton knew there was no changing the cataclysmic event.