“This is Lieutenant Commander Garr,” the major said. “Currently our acting commander in charge of security operations.”
The visitor gave her a stony nod. “Acting Commander.”
Dek took considerable time with her assessment of the interloper. Keen black eyes, and not shy about holding eye contact. His features were angular and a shade darker even than her bronze skin, but his hair was black. It was also slightly on the long side for her tastes, but trimmed and professional, nevertheless. The light shadow on his chin told her he hadn’t shaved for a day or so, but even so, he didn’t look scruffy.
On second thought, maybe he wasn’t Rathskian. At least not entirely. He had that intense look about him, yes, but his face was more refined—almost as pretty as a gigadam Tectolian—and lacked the scarring kensmarcs the Rathskian subspecies wore as badges of honor. He had their stature, though, maybe a mark or two taller than her…and he wore sand-camo field gear.
Didn’t anybody tell this guy that Site D is subsurface?
He had a hard set to his jaw and looked about as pleased to be on site as she was to have him here.
“This is Telon,” Renn explained. “His partner goes by a code name. CaSandra.”
“Partner?” Dek angled her head. “I wasn’t briefed about this.”
“She’s classified,” Telon answered. “As is her presence here.”
Dek narrowed her eyes. “And where is your partner?”
Telon exchanged glances with the major. “She’s here.”
He reached down beside his chair and lifted an object onto the table by a handle set into the top. The rectangular box appeared to be made of punched polymer with wire mesh on the side facing her.
“Say hello to the commander, CaSandra.”
Two little golden paws pressed against the mesh from the inside. The creature attached to them gave a high-pitched bark, followed by quiet chattering.
Startled, Dek backed off a step. The animal’s soft amber eyes studied her from behind the mesh with its shiny nose molded tight to the thin bars.
“What in Empora’s Hades is this?” she demanded.
“There isn’t a name for what she is,” Telon answered quietly. “She’s a bio-construct, a first-generation prototype with canine, feline, weasel, and mongoose DNA.”
Dek raised her gaze to the stranger. “Bio-constructed for what purpose?”
His eyes went dark and deep, like the ocean just before a storm. “I’m not at liberty to discuss that, Acting Commander.”
She nodded, changing her angle. “Where are you from…Telon?”
“Dartis.”
“No one’s from Dartis. It’s a transient settlement.”
“Then you’re inquiring about my genetics instead of my home planet?” His mouth took on a curious slant, an expression she couldn’t read. Not quite a challenge, not really amused…but possibly a blend of both.
Dek crossed her arms. “Fine. Let’s start there.”
“Tecskian,” he answered.
“There is no such subspecies.”
“That’s right. I’m a hybrid. My mother was Tectolian. My father was Rathskian.”
Well, she’d called it. “Rathskian,” Dek repeated coldly. “Are you in any way connected with the Alliance?”
“Never,” he declared in a dark voice.
She wasn’t buying his denial. “Raised on Rathskia?”
“No.” His jaw tightened, and he dropped his gaze. “I never knew my father. He and my mother weren’t bonded.”
“I see.”
“With all due respect, Acting Commander, you don’t.”
She met his direct look but didn’t take the bait.
“Now let me take a stab,” he countered. “You’re LaGuardian.”
She dropped her arms to her sides, not pleased that he’d flipped from examinee to examiner. “Good guess considering that’s the planet you’re standing on.”
“Not necessarily,” he countered in a smooth, deep baritone. “Might’ve been the platinum hair and green eyes that tipped me off.”
Patronizing her, was he? “I think you’re confusing LaGuardian with Draxian.”
“I’m not confused, Acting Commander. LaGuardians are Draxian.”
Her turn for an ambiguous response. “Not necessarily.”
This guy was going to be nothing but trouble. Good thing she’d been trained to handle trouble in all its masculine forms.
He reached for the wire mesh screen—
“What are you—”
—and flipped it open.
Dek backed off another step and gripped the stunpulse secreted in a pocket of her field uniform. The golden creature exited its crate, eyeing her cautiously, and sniffed the air. Its pointed ears twitched before it bolted up Telon’s sleeve and perched on his shoulder, chattering quietly in his ear.
The man nodded and met Dek’s eyes. “Cassie says she’s on your side. And she’d like you to release the weapon you have hidden in your uniform.”
The little beastie squeaked again.
“Please,” he added.
Dek dropped her chin, squinting. “Is this creature telepathic?”
“Not exactly,” he replied.
The bio-construct leaned toward Telon, nuzzling the side of his face…and purred. Huh. Just like the kitten she’d had as a kid. The man reached up to stroke the animal’s head. Cassie craned her neck and closed her eyes, emitting a happy gruff-gruff.
Dek’s heart warmed a degree or two.
Gigadam thing’s adorable.
She displayed her empty hand. “Tell her if she behaves, she has nothing to fear from me.”
Telon grinned. “You just told her yourself, Acting Commander. She understands you perfectly.”
2
Satisfied Telon’s creature posed no threat to her personnel, Dek left Major Remm in charge of getting the man and his pet settled in quarters.
She directed the major to have the quartermaster assign a vacant berth in Block A. Having the mystery guest and his pointy-eared partner quartered on her level would help her keep a closer watch on their activities.
As she made her way to the mess to grab a morning meal, she met Sergeant Garr on the path.
“Congrats…Boss,” he grumbled, clearly not happy with her in-charge status.
Dek ignored his jibe. “Those kids on the beach. They okay?”
“Yeah. Staggered away from the perimeter shortly after you left, shaken, but under their own power. But since when have you been sentimental about interlopers?”
“It could become a security issue,” she clarified. “They might be back. Possibly with friends.”
“Maybe we should just blast them next time.”
Again, she let his insolent response slide off. “We need to consider placing a secondary deterrent at some distance beyond the barrier.”
“What would you suggest?” Garr gave her a scathing look.
“Why don’t you come up with a plan. Put some thought into it and report back.”
“Yes, sir.” Garr performed an exaggerated salute.
“Carry on.” She passed him, continuing her trek to the mess hall, but the cold burn of Garr’s gaze drilled into her back.