It was morning, though considering the dark-gray, misty view from her fourth-floor window, she found it hard to tell. She was getting used to it, however. They arrived on New Earth six weeks ago, and, in all that time, Eryn swore she hadn’t seen more than an hour of sunshine. For a planet with two suns, she’d expected bright and cheery, or at the very least, an occasional dry day; it was a grim disappointment.

The progress on construction of the yet-to-be-named capital city had surprised her. The second the ink dried on the treaty, a massive team of Primarian workers had been deployed. With blasters blazing and uladite laser saws slicing away, they cleared five hundred square miles of forest in a blink, which meant when the first construction crews arrived, they started laying the city’s foundation—quite literally.

Basic infrastructure came first: water, sewer, and electric power, courtesy of the uladite their hosts provided, and last came shelter. She could still smell the wet paint on the walls of the residence building she, Ram, and Cierra called home. Of the two primary housing structures completed, one had been designed for families, which included surprisingly spacious two- and three-bedroom apartments, the other designated for singles like the workmen on the construction crews.

Some of the original tent homes and prefabricated housing units still stood on the outskirts of town, but the moment the four-story durable and comfortable multi-unit residence halls had been finished, the men and few women workers from Earth had left those rustic conditions for the comforts of their new homes. She’d been relieved to see they hadn’t skimped or cut corners on the housing.

Designed by humans with human occupants in mind, their three-bedroom, two-bath unit was much like her apartment back home, although far more spacious. It had nine-foot ceilings which made her tall mate feel at home, a huge living room, large office for Ram, which she had already dubbed the command center because of its holographic communications equipment. It also had a state of the art kitchen, including a fully-automated food prep unit and self-cleaning appliances, thank goodness, because she was a trained soldier not a cook, or anyway domestically inclined. What surprised her most, the entire residence was already beautifully furnished and decorated when they arrived. It was a good thing, too. For if it hadn’t been up to Ram’s standards, she and Cierra would have been stuck on the Odyssey until suitable living quarters became available. This came by decree of the Master Warrior who stated quite plainly as he inspected the first day, his mate and daughter would not spend a single night in a hovel.

Ram had to have had a say in it because she’d been to Lana’s two-bedroom unit on the floor below and it was nice, but not on the scale the Master Warrior rated.

Eryn peered out the window. On the muddy streets below, people rushed around in the rain, likely running errands, because, in addition to housing, they had finished construction on a maintenance shop for the heavy equipment, a market which Eryn was pleased to find well stocked—thanks to the regular deliveries of more than just staples from neighboring Primaria—and a few other necessary services, including a medical clinic which would be expanded in the near future to a full-service hospital. The rest of the buildings were still in various stages of construction.

She imagined the frontier looked something like this during the westward expansion in the US centuries ago. Apart from the uladite-powered machinery and the rechargeable hover vehicles zipping over the mud puddles, she wouldn’t have been surprised to see horses and carriages on the streets.

“Will the rain ever let up, do you think?” She sighed while pressing her forehead against the glass. She’d already given up her hopeless search for a break in the pervasive blanket of dark clouds.

“This settlement is in a tropical zone, Eryn, and it’s the rainy season, so expect a lot more.” Ram made his forecast when he came up behind her, his hands curling around her shoulders as he, too, looked out at the dreary view. Since she’d posed a similar question every day for the past two weeks, she was surprised he still answered with patience. “The rest of the year is warm and sunny, although humid.”

“Sounds like Florida.”

“Yes,” he agreed, “except no hurricanes or tornadoes.”

“That alone is a big plus. What about the mud covering everything? Is it here to stay? If so, I should think Mudville or Sludge City might be good names for our lovely capital.”

He chuckled low in her ear, the sound sending a delicious shiver down her spine and making her think of other things aside from rain and mud. “The sludge is around for a while I’m afraid. Although, once the drainage systems are in, the standing water and rivers of mud in the streets won’t be anywhere near as bad.”

“I hope not. I forgot to pack my hip waders.”

His fingers tightened in a squeeze. “Building from scratch takes time, galita. And with more settlers comes expansion. There are plans already to build to the north in an area with a more temperate climate. Moving southward is an option for those who prefer hot and dry. It is much like your Earth.”

“Except for the twin suns and frequent solar storms.”

“Mm, this is true, except I’m told our scientists are close to a solution for the communication problems during those debilitating storms. Until then, it is more of an inconvenience than anything. Things are improving every day, and remember, we are not forever destined to live here if we like one of the other settlements better.”

In a positive mood of late, Ram didn’t dwell on the troubles they had before coming here, and never mentioned essentially being exiled from his home because of her, but it had to weigh on his mind. She’d lost her home, too, but had no choice with it falling apart around them. But her actions had taken away his freedom to choose, as well as separated him from family and friends. He had so many reasons to resent her. No wonder he couldn’t bring himself to have more tender feelings for her, like love.

“Eryn.”

“Hm…” She replied, still lost in thought and feeling sorry for him, more so than herself.

“What are your plans for the day?”

Although she felt like curling up in a corner and crying for a month, she plastered on a fake smile then turned and looked up at him. “More work on the common room at residence hall number three. The others are already at capacity. No one wants to leave their family behind to travel across the galaxies to live in a tent in the mud. Once this one is up and running, we can contract with more construction teams, especially if they can bring along the wife and kids. And did you know the school is almost finished, too? Which is another incentive. We’re rapidly making strides toward becoming a fully functioning colony.”

He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Though he never had trouble teasing or touching when they were intimate, outside the bedroom he maintained a distance between them. She angled her head, welcoming this affectionate gesture from him, something she hoped would come easier for him every day.

As he ran his thumb along her jaw, she tried to suppress the pain of her unrequited love for her mate. Having to settle for affection was the price she’d pay to have Ram in her life and keep Cierra with her.

“I hear you’re handy with spackle and a paintbrush.”

“Yes. Never would I have imagined. It keeps me busy and makes me feel like I’m helping. I’ve always been good with my hands, and I’ve proven I can pound a mean nail and screw with the best of them.”

His eyes lit with humor. “I’d have to agree with the hands and the screwing part, at the very least.”

“What? Oh, no. I didn’t mean…” Her stammering amused him, and he burst into laughter.

“Ram!”

But he was too far gone.

“Very funny, you know I was talking about tools!” Although she acted put out, she thought it a positive sign that he could let loose and laugh in her company. “How do you know what screw means, anyway?” she asked once he’d wound down.

“I worked on the base alongside your soldiers for months, remember?” He bent and placed a kiss along her jaw. “I picked up a lot of their slang. And although I don’t let it fly around you, your mate can curse like a crusty old soldier.”

She laughed, imagining him dropping an f-bomb other than using it as a verb while they were intimate, or his favored faex when angry, which he swore didn’t mean what she assumed it did.

“Will you miss me while I’m gone the next two days?” His voice carried a more serious note.

“Yes, and Cierra will miss her daddy singing her to sleep.”

“Don’t let word of that get out, woman. You’ll damage my reputation.”

“Ha. You and your warriors put on a good show, like you’re tough as nails, but you melt when a baby is anywhere near. I have a hard time getting her back from them sometimes.”

“It isn’t often they get to be around babies, mate. The birth rate has been essentially nonexistent these past twenty years, with females even more of a rarity. This makes Cierra extra special to them.”

“They’re all gentle with her, Ram. I don’t mind the attention. Even from Rollin.”

“You two have… How do you earthlings put it, buried the hammer?”

She giggled. “You mean buried the hatchet. And yes, we’ve made our peace. I apologized, as did he. Right before he accused me of being dishonorable and fighting dirty.”

His mouth tightened a fraction, indicating his displeasure. “That wasn’t well done of him after a sincere apology. I’ll have another word.”

“No, Ram, things are settled between us. And it’s not as though he was wrong. When you’re a woman fighting to prove yourself, you gotta pull out all the stops. It helped that I taught him a few new moves, small badass female style.”

He gave her an indulgent smile and shook his head. “I can say with certainty, mate, life with you will never be dull.”

He dipped his head and brushed his lips over hers. The kiss, which could hardly be called one, left her wanting more, but he had already gone to retrieve the small bag he’d packed for his short trip away. A group of Earth scientists had requested a visit to the new uladite stores located in some caves in the distant mountains. Ram and several of his warriors were leading the mission as well as providing security for the planned three-day trip. It would be her first overnight separation from him since they reunited, and she wasn’t pleased with her tepid farewell. She’d never been the needy type, and she didn’t want to appear clingy, not with her apprehension over the uneven attachment in their relationship, so she didn’t complain, although she did have a few concerns she felt were valid.

“Are the caves dangerous? With the radiation, I mean.”

“We have protective gear that makes it safe.”

He had already said his good-byes when he put his daughter down for her morning nap. At the door, he paused. “I have warriors scheduled to keep watch and escort you when you go out.”

“Is it necessary? Everyone here seems accepting of the alliance.”

“After what happened with the Purists and the attack back on Earth, I’m not taking any chances. Obey me on this, Eryn. I want to know you and our daughter are safe.”

“I don’t plan on being difficult, Ram.”

“Excellent. Knowing that, I can focus on work and not worry while I’m away.” He fell silent, holding her gaze for a moment longer. “I must go. They’ll be waiting.”

“Please, be careful.”

“Always. I have a family I’m eager to get back to already.”

That was sweet, but she wondered if he only had her to return to, would he come back at all?

“Don’t worry, Eryn,” he added, mistaking the reason for her frown. “It’s a low-risk mission, much safer than some of the other tasks I’ve done since we arrived.”

Her eyes widened. “What other tasks?”

He smiled instead of answering. “Stay out of trouble while I’m gone, galita.”

“I’ll ask the same of you, Master Ram,” she shot back, catching the flash of his dimple as he walked out the door.

---

“Are you sure Ram won’t mind?”

“He won’t be back for a few days and I’d appreciate the company for dinner. Besides, Marnie Walker, the construction foreman’s wife from 2F brought me a welcome-to-the-colony cake. Can you remember the last time you had cake? And it’s chocolate, your favorite.”

“It’s been ages. How or why would I say no to such a tempting offer?”

When they arrived at her apartment, the suns had set, which cast the main room into darkness, except for a red flashing light in the hall. She gave the voice command for the lights, and brought Cierra in, setting her carrier down and leaving her undisturbed to finish out her nap.

She walked to Ram’s open office door, paused briefly then crossed to the communications console. The blinking icon on the vid-screen indicated an incoming message; red meant urgent. Curious to see what it could be about, she opened it with a single touch, blinking in surprise when a Primarian, dressed in the formal robes of the elder council came on screen. His dour expression before he spoke the first word made it obvious he wasn’t bearing good news.

“Master Warrior, Ramikin. Your mate is ordered by the elder council to answer charges of treason and duplicity in the explosion in the North Mountain Mine. She has seventy-two time cycles to comply. If she does not appear, as her mate, you will be charged in her stead. Further, per the code of law, noncompliance is considered an admission of guilt. Thus, you will be stripped of your title, position, properties, and your Warrior status. You will also be considered a fugitive from justice, and a subversive against the government of Primaria and its people. As you know, these crimes are subject to the harshest of our penalties.”

The message ended there without a good-bye, an over and out, or so much as a kiss my ass. Dire message delivered, the screen went blank, leaving Eryn staring at it frozen with dread.

“Holy shit!” came the exclamation from behind her.

Having forgotten Lana’s presence, Eryn jumped. Then she turned to her friend, who stared at the dark screen equally shocked. “Can they summon me like that? And strip Ram of everything?”

“The council is powerful.”

“More so than the Princep?” Fear shook her insides, making her voice quiver. “Maybe I can appeal to Max Kerr for help.”

“I’m not sure how it all works, but after Eva escaped, they charged her with treason. Because she left her fated mate.”

“I remember, Kerr almost died from the separation.”

“Yes, she arrived home to save him, just in time. However, with him still weak and recovering, the council took it upon themselves to summon her to face charges.”

“Like this?” She waved at the black screen.

“Worse. They came to their residence and took her away. They found her guilty and ordered her publicly flogged. Barely able to stand, Kerr came in and announced he would take the whipping for her, which was within his rights. She wouldn’t allow it, knowing he couldn’t withstand it. In the end, there wasn’t anything he could do to stop it, and, with a caring hand, carried out her punishment himself.”

“I can’t let Ram lose everything, Lana. It would be another black mark on my side of the ledger, and I have plenty already, believe me.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m going to face the council.”

“Without Ram?”

“He isn’t expected back from the caves for a few more days. Besides, we only have three days to get there, and it’s a two-day trip. I have no choice but to leave without him.”

“I think you have plenty of choices, the first being getting word to your mate. Otherwise, I wouldn’t want to be you when he finds out about this.”

“I will send word, somehow, but I can’t wait, Lana. Will you come with me, to take care of Cierra?”

She frowned, shaking her head. “I can’t. I swore when I left I wouldn’t go back.”

“Because of Trask?”

“I have my reasons.”

“You can stay aboard ship. I’ll go down, face the council, take my licks, and be back.”

“You make a public flogging sound like no more than a spanking over Ram’s knee.”

“As long as it’s not a whipping to the death, I’ll endure.”

“Ram wouldn’t want this. He loves you.”

“If that were only true.”

“Eryn!” she cried in surprise. “What are you saying?”

She brushed by her friend, needing to get out of the office to breathe. Once in the open living room she began to pace, agitated for many reasons. “He had no choice in this, Lana. I…well, without going into specifics, we breached by accident. And he is with me out of duty and because of Cierra, not love.”

“How do you breach by accident? Did he trip and his cock just happened to slide up inside you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she snapped, whirling on her.

“Well, what else am I to think? Neither of you are teenagers ignorant of the facts of life.”

“If you must know, I tied him to the bed and climbed on top of him, and—”

“You didn’t?” Lana breathed, her eyes wide as saucers.

“I did,” she groaned, starting to pace again, her agitated stride taking her up and down the length of the polished wood plank floor. She rubbed her temples, trying to fend off the building headache. “I still can’t believe it. He told me no, Lana, so in essence, I ra— Uh, forced myself on him.” As always, she couldn’t bring herself to say it, too ashamed by her actions.

“Is force possible with a Primarian male? They walk around hard 24/7.”

She halted, her tormented mind seeing only the image of how she’d left Ram, furious and tied to his bed. “He warmed to the idea, but I violated him, Lana. There is no way around it. And, it was our first time.”

Her friend took a quick intake of breath. “You mean you spent weeks with him, and in all that time, you never…?”

Eryn shook her head, finding it ironic her friend was more surprised over what Ram didn’t do than what she did.

“I denied him, Lana. While the other couples were mate bonding and transforming, he respected my wishes. When I said no, it meant no. But when he said it to me, I didn’t listen. And afterward, he became angry.” The sound of his roar as she fled his house still echoed in her head. “No,” she choked out the word, “he was enraged with me afterward.”

“Because you left him, honey, not because you seduced him.”

Lana didn’t understand, not having been there or in the med-bay that awful day. “The point is I can’t let him sacrifice more for me, not when I’ve taken so much already. I vowed never again. I’ll stand trial for the charges. Besides, I’m innocent. Surely, I can make them see the truth.” She took a step toward her. “Lana, please, say you’ll come.”

“Fine, but only if you send a message to Ram today.”

“I will, I promise.”

“Good, then I can pray he will get there in time to spank some sense into you, if not to at least save you from your overactive sense of self-sacrifice and guilt.”

---

The following morning, with baby and Lana in tow, she arrived for the first shuttle of the day. It hadn’t been easy to slip by the guard Ram had assigned to her, but, with Lana distracting him, she’d escaped out the back door. After that hurdle, she expected to be home-free. Now, they faced one more, a large one, in the form of a green-shirted Primarian standing at the top of the boarding ramp. Though not a warrior, he still towered over her six-foot frame by at least eight inches. A technician, as his tunic indicated, and intelligent, like all the others in his class—engineers, scientists, mechanics. She just hoped he could be swayed by feminine wiles because, at this point, it was all she had left in her bag of tricks.

He glanced up from his tablet as they approached, and his eyes widened. She couldn’t imagine the fact she was a woman shocked him—three others waited behind them. But the five-month-old infant she held in her arms gave her identity away.

“You’re Master Ramikin’s mate.” After stating the obvious, his eyes moved over the paved lot behind her. “Is he accompanying you? I had no word he planned to shuttle up to the ship today.”

“It’s just us three, Captain.” Eryn smiled, trying to act as if their boarding was no big deal.

“I’m Flinn, the co-pilot today. Captain Noran is in command.”

“Good. Two qualified pilots. We are in excellent hands.” She smiled even brighter and made to step by him.

“A moment. You are not on my passenger list. What is the purpose of your trip today, and who authorized it?”

Not expecting to be questioned so closely, considering shuttle flights traveled back and forth between the ship and the planet multiple times a day, the flimsiness of her plan became apparent. “We, the baby and I, that is, have to, um…” She shot Lana a non-verbal plea for help.

“They have an appointment with your physic.”

Brilliant. Lana’s quick thinking may have saved them.

He frowned. “On the Intrepid? Why can’t it be done at the clinic?”

Following her friend’s lead, Eryn explained, “We’re having tests run. You know, because Cierra is one of the first human-Primarian babies born, and…”

“They can only be done on board the ship,” Lana supplied, again, thinking fast on her feet.

“Yes.” Eryn nodded, adding to their story, trying to make it sound believable. “The clinic here on New Earth is coming along, but it doesn’t have the specialized equipment to run this particular test.”

Unconvinced, he twisted his head and called to someone inside the shuttle. “Did you know Master Ram’s mate and child were traveling off planet today, Noran? Says she’s having testing done in med-bay.”

“This is the first I’ve heard,” came the booming reply. In a moment, another tall, dark-haired male, this one in the red tunic of the warrior class, joined them at the shuttle doors. His brows slammed together when he eyed her sleeping baby in her arms. “We aren’t equipped for passengers, Ram’s mate. We stripped out the seats to allow for transport of equipment and supplies. Knowing that, I’m surprised the Master would send you alone, if at all.”

“He has been very busy, poor man.” Eryn responded so sweetly, sugar wouldn’t melt in her mouth. “I’m sure it slipped his mind.”

“We have protocols to follow regarding passengers, ones he put in place,” the frowning captain stated.

She imagined he’d be having words with his superior soon about this, which didn’t bode well for Eryn. But she would have arrived on Primaria, faced the council, and settled matters before any confrontation with Ram occurred.

“The late shuttle is for passengers,” Flinn advised. “I think it would be more comfortable for you and the child.”

With perfect timing, Cierra started to fuss. Both men looked askance at the squirming, wiggling, crying baby in her arms as if she was…well, an alien.

“You should wait,” Noran decreed. Flinn nodded his full agreement.

Two big men afraid of a tiny infant; she would have laughed if she hadn’t been so determined to get on their shuttle.

“But we can’t. The test must be done in the morning on an empty stomach. It’s the reason we’re here for this early shuttle.” On cue, an ear-piercing wail arose from the swaddle of blankets. Eryn gazed up at the uncomfortable males with as much desperation in her eyes as she could muster. “Imagine how hard it is to deal with an infant who doesn’t understand why she has to forego her middle-of-the-night-snack and breakfast, too.” Crying loudly now, Cierra’s tears helped Eryn’s case. Taking a cue from her baby, she laid it on even thicker when she blinked, as if about to break down in tears, too. “Please, don’t make us go through this another day.”

“She’s exhausted, I’m sure you understand how difficult this has been,” Lana added, placing a consoling arm around Eryn’s shoulders for good measure.

The two men glanced at each other, still unconvinced.

“Please.” As she gave her heartfelt plea, she bounced Cierra while patting her back and making a great show of trying to soothe her daughter who’d had a full breakfast not twenty minutes earlier. Likely, her cries were from a trapped air bubble in her tummy, but she capitalized on the gift both fate and Cierra had given her.

“All right,” Noran relented, with an unhappy scowl. “But I’ll be discussing this lack of notice with Master Ram. We could have made arrangements.”

“We don’t need special accommodations, Captain. We’ll be fine.” Eryn hurried past them before they changed their minds.

“Thank you both for understanding.” Lana adding her gratitude made for a nice touch. Almost as nice as the brilliant smile her beautiful friend flashed as she entered and moved with Eryn to the rear of the shuttle.

Still getting skeptical narrow-eyed glances from the two pilots as they closed the doors and began their pre-flight checks, Eryn took hold of one of the straps secured to the ceiling, while trying to keep Cierra quiet.

Upon liftoff, they braced themselves. The shuttle, which was banged up and dusty from countless cargo hauls, shuddered and jolted.

“It’s like they removed the air shocks when they pulled out the seats,” Eryn grumbled, shifting the baby, whose twenty pounds seemed double while asleep.

“I’ll take her for a little while,” her friend offered. “Your arms must be tired.”

“I could use a break.” She accepted gratefully, so glad Lana had agreed to go along. “I can’t believe she can sleep through this.”

Lana had just settled her against her shoulder when the ship gave a violent lurch and sent Eryn flying hard into the wall behind her. Lana, who still had a hold of the strap with one hand, curled Cierra into her chest, while widening her stance and bracing herself. If not for her grip, she and the baby would have taken a jolting tumble, too.

Wincing, Eryn shifted away from the metal beam digging into her hip, purposely ignoring the discomfort. She looked anxiously toward the cockpit.

“That can’t be good,” Lana stated, echoing her own thoughts.

Scrambling up, she had no sooner gotten her footing than the vehicle started to shake. A murmur of concern rose from the few other passengers, also standing and bracing, when it didn’t subside after a few seconds.

“Let me see if I can find out what’s going on,” Eryn muttered. Taking care, she made her way to the front. Not an easy feat with the craft shimmying and shaking, and would have been impossible without grabbing hold of the exposed metal braces and a few sporadically placed ceiling straps for support.

The co-pilot frantically tried to hail the ship. “Shuttle 6 to Intrepid, we’ve lost navigation. I repeat, we have lost navigational control.” He listened then glanced at his captain with a negative shake of his head. “Still no response.”

“Nothing here, either,” Noran replied from the pilot’s seat while his fingers flew over the touch screen.

“What’s going on?” Eryn asked.

“Get back to your seat, Ram’s mate,” the warrior captain ordered. “We are dealing with a situation.”

“I can see that. Further, I have no seat, so I am as safe here as there. What’s happening?”

An alarm started screeching. The view screen changed from endless black space, dotted with stars, to a monstrous behemoth of a ship.

“Faex!” Flinn shouted in alarm. “Where did that come from?”

“I don’t know,” came Noran’s grim response, “but their pulling us in.”

“You mean like with a tractor beam?” Eryn gasped. “I thought such a thing only existed in science fiction.”

“I’m afraid not.”

“Have you issued a distress call?” One should have gone out at the first sign of trouble.

“Yes,” said Flinn. “However, the Intrepid does not answer. The alien ship is jamming our communications, or it is interference from the damn nuisance solar flares again.”

The looming ship grew bigger by the second.

“I don’t understand.” Fear tightened Eryn’s throat. She couldn’t tear her gaze from the terrifying sight of the alien markings on the hull of the ship. “Who would want a stripped-down rattletrap of a supply shuttle?”

“I don’t know,” Noran repeated as twin landing bay doors opened at the top of the other vessel. “But it seems we’re about to find out.”

“I need a weapon,” Eryn barked, thinking solely of protecting her daughter.

“Again, you will be disappointed.” Noran rose from his pilot’s seat, abandoning the useless controls. “We each have a blaster. There are no others on board.”

“Why the hell not?” she cried with ever-increasing alarm.

“Because, as you say, what being in their right mind would want a stripped-down rattletrap of a supply shuttle?”

“Unless they want what’s on it,” she whispered. A shiver of panic shot through her at Noran’s tense expression—he suspected the same thing.

“Get to the back,” the other pilot ordered. “We will take positions at the door and do our best to protect you. With any luck, we can hold them off long enough for the Intrepid to launch a counter response.”

She followed his order this time, scared out of her mind for them all. Two measly blasters against a full-size vessel with a full contingent of well-armed crewmen were impossible odds. When she made it back to Lana, her friend’s face was pale.

“What do we do? Fight?”

“With what?” Eryn scanned the sparse compartment, finding nothing except a dirt-covered floor and a few scraps of metal.

“Evidently, they were on a return run to reload. But, Eryn, we can’t sit back and do nothing.”

She reclaimed Cierra, hoping beyond hope the entities controlling this new ship could be reasoned with, and if not, that the Intrepid knew what had become of them. Otherwise, fate had screwed her once again.

A rare tear rolled down her cheek as she hugged her precious child close to her heart. “There is something you can do.”

“Anything,” Lana shot back without hesitation.

“Forgive me,” she whispered.

“Eryn…”

“No, Lana. I dragged you and Cierra into this. I should have left her safe at home with you.”

She argued. “You couldn’t know this would happen.”

A buzzing noise filled her ears. It rapidly grew louder, and Cierra started to cry.

“TNP, cover your ears,” Noran commanded, his voice distorted through the strange pulsating whirring sound.

Eryn covered Cierra’s ears as the painful sound and loss of equilibrium doubled her over. “What the hell is TNP?”

“Tympanic neural pulse…” he shouted with a grimace of pain. “I don’t have time to explain. Get down.” He motioned to the other passengers. “Or in a moment, you will fall down.”

A few thuds sounded right as he finished his warning. One by one, each of them lost consciousness.

---

Summoned back to the capital on an urgent matter, Ram was given little information other than they’d lost contact with one of their shuttles. He headed directly to the security building in the center of town for an update with Allon, the ship’s captain.

“Report,” Ram ordered the instant the other warrior came on screen.

“While in flight to the Intrepid, a cargo shuttle was taken.”

“Taken? How, and by whom?” His questions boomed so loud they rattled the glass in a nearby cabinet.

“An unidentified ship came out of nowhere,” the younger officer explained.

“With no warning?”

“It had stealth technology and remained undetected by our scanners until it revealed itself to bring the craft on board. We were within range, but couldn’t engage without risking the shuttle. And, as quickly as it appeared, it vanished.”

“And you had no communication with the shuttle when it veered off course?”

“We tried, sir, but our signals were jammed. There is some good news. We’ve picked up the ship’s trail.”

“How, if it came in undetected?”

“Earth technology. Per protocol, we alerted the commander. His mate, Maggie, sent us access codes to their deep-space satellites, which have infrared surveillance systems. Through it, we picked up a faint heat signature. We tracked it to one other ship in this sector. It’s hiding behind an asteroid.”

“How many of our people were on board the shuttle?” Ram asked.

“Two pilots and six females.”

“Have you identified the vessel?”

“We suspect it is Denastrian.”

“Damn,” Ram muttered, a hard knot forming in his gut. The Denastrians were an abhorrent species, both physically, and ethically.

They’d had dealings with them in the past, while trading uladite, but had gotten away from it recently with Kerr taking a hard line against their immoral ways. Specifically, how they preyed on other weaker species or attacked vulnerable ships, robbing them of their wealth or whatever resources they required then stranded them to move on to their next victims.

That was the least of their objectionable practices. They also traded for and, when a deal wasn’t possible, stole humanoid females, for of all things, their breast milk, needing it to bolster their weakened immune systems.

The tipping point for Kerr had been when they attempted to commandeer the Odyssey for that purpose. With perfect timing, the Dauntless had been nearby to intercede. Now, with six of their females seized, it seemed Commander Ti-zod and his Denastrian leeches had accomplished what they’d set out for.

“Pursue, Captain,” Ram ordered through gritted teeth. “And after you rescue our people, see that this worm and his minions never do this again.”

“Yes, sir, with pleasure. There is one other problem I have to advise you of first.”

“Of course, there is,” he muttered under his breath. It had been one hell of a day. “What is it?”

“There were three passengers scheduled for transport. The others came aboard late, the captain logging them in a few minutes prior to liftoff. I hesitate to say this…”

“Out with it, Allon.” His response held a heavy note of impatience.

“One of the females was Eryn, and she had an infant with her.”

It took a moment for his brain to process this news. The thought of a Denastrian parasite touching Eryn or Cierra made his stomach roil while, at the same time, his blood chilled with fear.

“What in the Maker’s name were they doing on board the shuttle? No.” His anger slipped to scalding fury. “It doesn’t matter. We must get them back before anything else. I’m transporting up.”

“I am, too, but we’ll go to the Dauntless.” This came from Trask who, at some point, had entered behind him.

“What are you doing here?” Ram asked on his way to the door.

“I just arrived when word came. Even though my reason for being here wasn’t to launch a rescue mission, it means we have our best ship at the ready. And we have her equipped with the human’s stealth technology, which will come in handy on our approach.”

“What are we waiting for?”

“Only for you, my friend. Let’s go get your mate and daughter back.”

---

With her arms pulled behind her back, she tugged hard at the restraints on her wrists, but whatever they’d used to bind her had no give and bit into her skin. As she struggled and tried to think of a way out of this latest nightmare, Eryn eyed her captor, not making the slightest effort to hide her disgust at his appearance.

Calling the Denastrians humanoid was a stretch. They walked upright, had two arms, two legs, and a head, but the similarities ended there. Their skin had a greenish tint, with a slick, slimy appearance, and, instead of a nose, they had a broad arching protrusion above a wide, flat mouth.

She found the one staring at her particularly repugnant. In place of hair, a thick, ribbed, blackish-green ridge ran from his forehead to the back of his neck where it disappeared beneath his flashy blue suit. He resembled a giant cartoon frog playing dress-up, except this frogman was all too real.

And if all of this wasn’t bad enough, as though he were a powerful king, the revolting creature sat on a large throne-like chair. While his big bulging eyes remained locked on her, he rubbed his webbed fingers together with glee. Eryn couldn’t keep from gagging when his gaze dropped to her breasts, ogling her, his pointed tongue slathering over his lips.

He breathed in deep, moaning with delight. “I can smell you from here, earthling, and your scent is like sweet nectar of the Gods,” he crowed in a loud, irritating nasal voice. “What good fortune to have found a lactating female to claim as my own.” Writhing in excitement, he clapped his hands together. “Such a find! As a rule, we must wait weeks for the hormones to bring in the milk, but with you, I won’t have to delay my nourishment. I can feast upon you whenever I like.”

“You’re repulsive,” Eryn declared, shuddering at the thought of his oily lips anywhere near her skin.

“I care nothing about your feelings, only that you produce. Yet it is better for me if you cooperate.” He rubbed his hands with their syndactyly fingers against his almost nonexistent chin as he considered her. “As an inducement for your compliance, I will allow you to keep your child if it is quiet and does not disturb my feeding or the taking of my pleasure from your body.”

An image of what a Denastrian penis might look like popped in her head and she choked. “I think I’m gonna be sick.”

He glared at her then clapped his hands louder. Almost in an instant, two servants appeared. “Take my slave to my rooms and prepare her.”

“Prepare me for what?”

“You will be bathed, your dry skin oiled, and your nipples rubbed with a special cream we have developed. It will make them swell and stay erect until I have taken my fill, both from your milk and the soft, wet place between your thighs.” He licked his lips as his gaze ran over her body, lingering on the places he planned to claim. Then his oversized hand with its joined digits, only vaguely resembling fingers, grabbed his crotch and stroked himself.

“I’d rather die than let you touch me.”

“Is that so?” His face turned a darker green, about the shade of split-pea soup. “Bring the child!” he shouted to the attendant by the door. “Maybe seeing her suffer will change your mind.”

“No!” When the door opened, and the other frog creature left to do his bidding, Eryn heard her baby’s shrill breathless cries in the hallway. “Please, don’t hurt her.”

“It will be so if you obey.”

With fear for Cierra gripping her heart, she prepared to do the unthinkable. “How do I know you’ll do as you say?”

“You don’t.” He sneered. “But I would like to avail myself of those big tits for a long time. If caring for your brat allows me that, without grief and whining, so be it. Do we have a deal?”

Her eyes shifted from the leader’s revolting expression to the red face of her crying child. The creature carrying her held her all wrong, gripping her around the waist and away from his body, with a disgusted look on his amphibian-like face.

“It smells foul, Commander,” he complained, “and will not cease this ear-piercing squalling.”

“Shut up!” Ti-zod shouted, apparently just having two volumes, loud and louder. “What say you, Earth female? I can dispose of the child and restrain you, but your distress might sour your milk. I’d much prefer sweet. Do we have an agreement?”

Left with no other option, her voice thick with tears of defeat, she addressed his detestable deal. “I will be your milk whore for my daughter on one condition.”

“You aren’t in any position to bargain.”

“I can’t cooperate if I hear her cries or know she isn’t being treated well. Assign one of the other females to take care of her, please, and I will do whatever you want.”

He studied her for a moment, his regard shifting to her distressed baby. “I see no harm in it, and perhaps she will stop that awful noise.” He clapped again and boomed another order. “Take the child away and bring my milk whore to my quarters.” He glanced at Eryn, chortling with delight. “Blame yourself for the name, female. I like it and, from this moment forward, will call you nothing else.”

His laughter made him wheeze, which led to coughing and the expulsion of a large wad of phlegm. Eryn’s stomach lurched, and she thought she would lose what little she had for breakfast.

When he regained his breath, he ordered further, “Have her readied quickly. I am starving and plan to gorge myself.”

Hard, webbed fingers dug into her arms and dragged her away, the attendant holding Cierra exiting through a different door. Fear for her child consumed her. She offered up prayers to her God and to Ram’s Maker that her mate would come to their rescue. Before she had to betray him again, with a sacrifice greater than either one of them would likely ever recover from.