“Then it’s too late,” K’vyn said with a frown.
The Invaders were clever. To K’vyn’s knowledge, they’d never been able to stop a targeted planet from being terraformed. When the humans set their mind to a planet, they succeeded. A dozen Death Angels could show up and shoot every human ship down to the last one, but that one remaining would still launch a seed torpedo into the planet. K’vyn was convinced all Invader ships had the terraforming seeds.
“You are the closest ship,” A’ryk said. “You must travel to Mogha to warn them post haste.”
There was no radio comm capability on Mogha. The only way to warn the inhabitants was to go there directly.
“I will be there within the day.” K’vyn nodded his head forward in a quick bow of acknowledgement.
“The Galaxy Ship will be unable to land on Mogha,” Captain K’ursick said.
“The scouts are on their way, too,” L’iza said. “We will load as many mogha as possible on each ship and take them to the Galaxy.”
“KCC fighters will escort them,” L’den of the Korthan Cyborg Corps said. “We will ensure each scout makes it to the Galaxy safely.”
“The Citizen Brigade will position around the Galaxy,” the delegate spoke up.
“And we will shoot as many of those monsters as we can from around the planet,” A’ryk promised, gaze intense.
Nodding slowly, K’vyn rubbed his chin. Since it was impossible to defend against a seed torpedo when they didn’t know which ship would be launching the damnable thing, this was always going to be a rescue mission.
Scout ships would evacuate the mogha and head to the Galaxy Ship. Korthan Cyborg Corps fighters would escort each scout, shooting away any Invader that got near. The Citizen Brigade would protect the Galaxy, and the Death Angels would hold off any Invader ships approaching the planet—
“A solid plan,” the delegate said. “Concur.”
Each Korthan repeated the word with a nod.
“Execute,” he said next and the projections began winking out.
Just as the projections dissipated, C’hase trotted into the cockpit, antennae high as he explored.
“Ah, you found your mogha companion,” A’ryk said, soft smile gracing his features. “Congratulations.”
K’vyn froze. A’ryk was his friend, but this was not the time or the place to explain what was really going on.
“He’s a hand full,” he said, deciding to play along.
The Death Angel’s grin grew wider. “Yes, they can be.” Then A’ryk sobered, silver eyes hardening. “The Invaders must be stopped. I will see you in three days.”
The hologram of A’ryk dissipated, K’vyn watching the curious pup sniff along the wall. Yes, the Invaders must be stopped. They would succeed in terraforming Mogha, but they would not succeed in the extinction of the inhabitants. Life without mogha companions would be meaningless for all Korthans.
L’iza’s holographic form materialized next to C’hase.
“I got the pup,” she said. “Time to go.”
Frowning, K’vyn said. “You know I can’t abandon my mate.”
Her eyebrows went up. “Oh? You’ve accepted the human after all?”
The mogha sniffed at the holo-form, tail held straight up.
“I’ve accepted that Dani is my mate.”
8
Dani wasn’t ready. She simply wanted to say goodbye. She did not mind that the Korthan took C’hase, wanted him to, but she had hoped to have a chance to say goodbye to the pup.
Staring at the Korthan ship, she waited for it to lift off the ground. Emotions warred within her; she had hoped to say goodbye to K’vyn as well—
There was a popping sound at the hatch, opening as the stairs seemed to magically appear again. Warmth spread through her body at the sight of C’hase in the opening, his antennae twirling as he spotted her.
But there was something else entirely at the sight of the tall, black uniform-clad Korthan standing next to the mogha. Her stomach fluttered as he began climbing down the steps.
“Take C’hase,” she said. “Warn the moghas.”
His eyes met hers, an intensity behind those mesmerizing silver eyes sending goosebumps across her skin.
“I’m not leaving without you.” His husky tone made her toes flex.
And then he was at the bottom of the steps, pulling her into a strong embrace, the feel of his abdomen against her breasts making her knees weak.
You are mine, the otherness said in her mind, feeling the words deep in her soul.
And then his lips were upon hers, soft touch beckoning her mouth open, tongue swiping against hers as the kiss deepened. She felt weightless as a tingling surge spread from the point of contact throughout her entire body.
Pulling back, he broke the connection. The words echoed in the back of her mind as he gazed at her, that same affection shown to C’hase directed at her, a promise behind those piercing silver eyes.
And she knew the voice was his—
“It was you,” she said. “It was you the whole time.”
The warmth that made her heart swell, the voice that wasn’t C’hase, the otherness, the call that he was coming during the hellbat attack, the calls to his mogha—
The last thought made her grin. “You thought I was your mogha.”
“If I had known it was so much better than that, I’d have arrived sooner.” He returned the grin.
Will you come with me? His voice sounded in her mind and she could hear it perfectly, no doubt that it was K’vyn’s voice.
Yes, she answered.
Molly clucked in Dani’s arms while she and K’vyn stood below the hatch of his ship, crate of chickens in his hands. The stairs dissipated as they approached, hatch snapping shut.
What the?
“L’iza, we don’t have time for this,” K’vyn said, chickens voicing their unhappiness with being trapped in the crate.
L’iza? Who in the stars was that?
The hologram of a Korthan woman suddenly appeared next to them. Dressed in a yellow synth suit the same yellow as the highlights along the wings and hull of the ship, she crossed her arms.
“You do not have permission to bring those avians onboard,” the hologram said. Her voice had an electronic lilt.
Permission? Wasn’t this K’vyn’s ship?
“These creatures are useful,” K’vyn said. “We mustn’t abandon them to the hellbats.”
The hologram bent at the waist, leaning to study the birds, their heads turning in jerky movements.
“Don’t look very useful to me,” she said, standing upright again.
Was this hologram a projection of someone on the ship? Or was L’iza some advanced form of artificial intelligence? Humans would kill for that technology—
C’hase trotted up at that moment, Hedge sitting at his regular perch on the mogha’s head.
The hologram scooted backwards two steps. “I will take the chickens, your mate, and your mate’s mogha. But the molk stays.”
Dani blinked. The AI called her his mate—
“I have a plan for the molk,” K’vyn said.