Finding Mogha: Before The Fall, #2 2d4h5y

Finding Mogha

Before The Fall, Volume 2

Kyndra Hatch

Published by Letahatchee Books, 2021.

Copyright

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or electronic or mechanical methods (including, but not limited to, copying and redistribution across the internet), without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events are purely coincidental. FINDING MOGHA BEFORE THE FALL Copyright © 2020 by J.J. McLeod Dooley, writing as Kyndra Hatch Cover art by Desiree DeOrto of Dark Queen Designs

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Author’s Notes & Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Also By Kyndra Hatch

About the Author

Author’s Notes & Dedication

“F inding Mogha” is set in the same universe as my stories from Pets in Space® 3 & 4, “After The Fall” and “Interrupting Starlight,” respectively. The events of “Interrupting Starlight” and “Finding Mogha” occur before the evens of “After The Fall,” but they all can be read as standalone stories. All have mischievous moghas, cyborg Korthans and living ships, and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them. I want to thank the organizers of Pets in Space® for bringing me onboard for yet another anthology. Being a part of Pets in Space® continues to be the best author experience of my life. It is a true joy being a part of the team. None of my stories in ‘The Fall’ universe would exist if it weren’t for these wonderful anthologies. Creating this universe has been so much fun. And contributing to Hero-Dogs.org is near and dear to my heart. Pets in Space® is an inspiration on so many levels. Thank you! I want to thank my husband, who suggested I go to the ‘river house’ to get this story finished. I was having a hard time concentrating during the time of COVID and uncertainty and literally had to unplug from everything. I wasn’t sure where I could do that, and going to my childhood home was the perfect solution. I thank my parents, who were more than happy to let me unplug from the distractions of life at their place on the river. We had a wonderful time during those several weeks. I dedicate this book to the Reagans, fabulous friends, fantastic neighbors, and whose son, Chase, was a big inspiration. And I thank all you readers. Without you, pursuing my dreams wouldn’t be possible. –Kyndra Hatch

Chapter 1

“T hey’re shooting at us.” Talking out loud, Dani’s voice sounded high-pitched, even to her ears. Taking a hellhound puppy from a lab didn’t warrant a death sentence. But shooting at them now? All the way out here? Even when the Human Colony Alliance pursued her from the science station three days ago, none of the warfighter ships fired at her. Said hellhound pup stood alert in the middle of the bridge, feather-tipped antennae sticking straight up, bushy gray tail pointing backwards. A small tanfurred, trumpet-eared creature perched on top of his head, tiny snout sniffing at the air. The freighter slipped into another fishtail as a second volley of bolts hit them from behind. The gray hellhound crouched on unsteady feet. C’hase, get under my chair, Dani said to the pup. She didn’t want to see him go flying across the room. The blackness of space felt even blacker as her eyes scanned the dimmed distant stars. Dani couldn’t see the aggressors, but they were out there; one had appeared as a blip on her radar. Gaining visual was another thing. Perhaps if she noticed a group of stars disappear, that would indicate where the ships were. There— Sitting forward over the console, squinting at the bottom of the transpari-steel viewscreen, Dani’s blood froze. “That does not look like a human ship—”

“SEND ANOTHER WARNING shot,” K’vyn said from the pilot seat of his scout-class cruiser, having decided there was no need to report such an insignificant incident to the Cyborg Corps. Lounging in the seat, leaning on his elbow, he casually flicked his wrist. The ship did as he asked, laser fire grazing the back of the invading ship’s hull, just as the others had. Humans were so arrogant. They thought they could just amble around the galaxy in their clunky inferior ships and claim what they wanted. Their entitlement galled him. Watching the Invader ship from a distance, his lip curled. Could their ships be more offensive? It was the clunkiest monstrosity he’d ever seen, like most human ships. However, this one was especially clunky. How were these beings even spacefaring? It probably couldn’t cause much damage to anything, might not have even had any weapons. But damned if he was going to allow some Invader this close to Mogha, sworn to protect the planet and its beloved inhabitants. “Wait,” he scooted to the edge of his seat. “I feel something.” Could this finally be his mogha companion? He had almost lost hope of ever finding one— L’iza’s ghostly holographic form suddenly appeared next to him, concentration twisting her features. “We are too far from Mogha for you to be detecting one.” The bond with his ship wasn’t as deep as a cyborg would have had, but L’iza could detect his thoughts, especially if they were accompanied with strong feelings. “Strange,” she said next. “There is something there.”

Of course, there was. He knew what he felt. The Korthan watched the human freighter, standing, clasping his hands behind his back. They weren’t that far from the home world. What else could it be? He couldn’t allow his elation with finding his mogha distract him from the problem at hand, however. “Send a holo-transmission,” he said.

WAS THE SHIP KORTHAN? They were in neutral territory, in an unarmed cargo freighter. No Korthan should be shooting at them. Heart leaping as the ship flew closer, it swooped in front of Dani’s freighter in a graceful arc before hovering overhead. Sleek in design, it had four swept back wings, all seeming to move independent of each other. Defying logic, it didn’t look anything like the Korthan ships she’d seen before. This couldn’t have been Korthan. With ships like this, the humans were going to lose the war— Not for the first time since Dani rescued the hellhound, she lamented the lack of a crew. A co-pilot would have been nice right about now. Can I come out? C’hase’s innocent voice sounded from under Dani’s seat. The young hellhound sounded so much like a human child, his voice was as startling as it was when she first heard him in her mind. “No, stay where you are, Little One,” Dani said. But I want to see the ship. Ignoring the pup, Dani concentrated on the task at hand. Mogha companion, I reach out to you. Can you hear me? Dani blinked. “C’hase, is that you?” There was movement under her seat that abruptly halted. I’m not doing anything, C’hase said. Why did he sound like he’d just been caught doing something? Hedge isn’t doing anything either. Hedge, the little space rat he couldn’t live without— Yup, definitely up to

something he shouldn’t be. The console cackled, comms coming to life with a screech before fading to silence again. She covered their ears, wincing. What was that? C’hase said. Dani’s fingers danced over the controls. “I think they’re trying to hack our comms.” She had no idea if they could do that, but by the looks of that ship, she was surprised someone hadn’t beamed aboard somehow. A vertical beam of white light suddenly came to life between the console and her view screen. Dani froze. She sure hoped something wasn’t about to beam aboard her ship. Not possible by human standards, and she’d never heard of a Korthan doing it, there was a first for everything. The beam of light became more focused until a Savage of Korth appeared. So, not some other being after all. Black hair cropped close to grayish blue skin, he wore a black uniform. Somewhat transparent, Dani was relieved that it was just a hologram and not the actual man standing there. But what a man he was, with striking silver eyes that pierced Dani’s soul. The sight of him stirred something unexplainable, her heart swelling. It was similar to what she felt with C’hase, but deeper— Soul deep— Blinking, she stamped down the feeling. This man, this savage, this enemy, was shooting at them.

“CAN THEY SEE ME?” K’VYN asked, still standing, hands clasped behind his back, he glanced at L’iza. “Yes,” she said. A group of colorful control holograms floating in front of her, she swiped her hand in the air as she scrolled through one. “Why can’t I see them?” “I know what you look like, so I can project an image of you.” She looked up. “But I don’t know what they look like or what they’re doing, so I can’t project an image back.” Nodding, he turned back to the green hologram floating in front of him. A projector, it scanned his image and broadcast a hologram of himself through the easily hacked systems of the human ship. “Human vessel,” he spoke at the projector. “Turn around or I will be forced to destroy you.” He also tried speaking to his mogha again, projecting his mind outwards in all directions. Mogha companion, I feel you out there somewhere. I am here.

DANI REACHED OUT, HER hand flowing through the focused light. It was a hologram. Ask him if he knows where Mogha is, C’hase said, tone chipper. “I don’t think he’d be interested in telling us,” she said, wondering how a being purported to be lawless and savage had the technology to accomplish a ship to ship projected hologram through a hacked system. Mesmerized, sitting at the edge of her seat, she studied his features. Pictures of Korthans littered the newsfeeds, but she’d never actually seen one in real-time. The way he moved— Were the vids inaccurate? “The hologram is so lifelike,” she said, blowing a strand of brown hair that had fallen across her nose back into place. Can I see? C’hase said from beneath the console this time. “No,” Dani said out loud to the little guy. Focus, she thought to herself. Mogha companion, I feel you out there somewhere. I am here. Dani’s eyebrows knitted. That was definitely not C’hase. “Do you hear that voice?” C’hase rubbed against her leg as he moved from under the console back beneath her chair. What voice? Something else accompanied the voice, something pure and unadulterated; it was joy. “Human vessel—” the man in the hologram said, snapping Dani from her thoughts. His deep voice struck a thrill through her, igniting a tingle in places that hadn’t been touched in too long. “—Turn around or I will be forced to destroy you.”

Well, damn. That took some of the thrill away. What now? Should she speak directly to the hologram? Would it hear her? “Human vessel,” the hologram stated again. She activated the comm. Had to be the safest bet that the Korthan would hear her. “We are an unarmed cargo freighter,” Dani said into the comm. “This shipping lane is neutral territory.” “You are in Korthan space,” the handsome hologram replied. “I will allow you to fly back to neutral territory, but you cannot resume your current course.” Was this a blockade? Was he even allowed to do that per Human Colony Alliance - Korthan neutral territory agreements? According to her charts, he was mistaken. Or lying. Taking a deep breath, Dani punched several buttons on the console, pulling up three space charts of the surrounding area. Playing games with this guy wasn’t going to help her find Mogha any quicker. She’d just go around him. Flip. There was no safer route to Colony 739 than the route she was on. The plan was to deliver her cargo of chickens there and look around for the next clue to finding Mogha. If they couldn’t find a way around this Korthan, Dani didn’t know what they were going to do— Noticing a blue planet on the chart, she zoomed in. Orange and green became apparent on the surface as it was magnified. The planet was close. Aligning the chart with the stars outside her viewscreen, she found it on the port side and blinked. How did she not see that before? She’d just go to that planet and wait him out. Surely, he wouldn’t hang around this space lane indefinitely.

Can I come out now? C’hase said, movement at her feet as he was apparently preparing to come on out. “No, stay put.” Dani resisted the urge to trap him with her feet. But I want to see the ship, he said again. “Stay where you are,” her voice was stern this time, leaving no room for questioning. The pup groaned, more movement at her feet, but he stayed where he was. Studying the charts, Dani let out her own groan. There was nothing on that planet. No cities. No towns. Nothing. There was nowhere for them to hide there. Though, they didn’t have to hide, just had to wait for the Korthan to go away. Typically, if they just got out of Korthan territory, they would be left alone. They could fly towards the planet, pretending to be leaving, then double back on the dark side and wait. Of course, that was assuming he didn’t consider the planet a part of his territory. Checking the charts again, Dani shook her head. They were in clearly marked neutral territory, the planet as well. Easing the thrusters forward, she headed towards the blue world. She checked her radar— Damn. Of course, the Korthan would be following.

THE COMM CRACKLED AS the human freighter pulled away and L’iza cut the connection. What were they doing? Were they headed towards the planet? There was no way he was going to allow a human ship to land on a Korthan world, even an uninhabited one. Especially an uninhabited one. Especially one this close to Mogha. “Follow them,” K’vyn ordered. “Send a few more warning shots.” “Already on it,” L’iza said.

THE HOLOGRAM FADED away as Dani piloted her ship in the opposite direction of the Korthan’s. If she were a fighter pilot, she’d push the yolk down and send her ship into a spiraling barrel roll. If she were a fighter pilot, in a fighter. But she wasn’t. She was a freighter pilot in a slow, bulky ambling freighter. The best she could do was speed up, angle slightly left and hope for the best. The Korthan fighter? Battleship? Cruiser? Some hybrid in between? Flew circles around her as they meandered along. The most fluid flying she’d ever seen, there was a grace and beauty about it she couldn’t help but ire. Whoever said Korthans had inferior technology was severely mistaken. Stars, could her ship go any slower? Flashes erupted from the leading edges of the downward sweeping wings of the Korthan ship, moments before her freighter was jolted by several impacts. “Okay,” Dani said over the comm, heartrate spiking. “We’re leaving now. No need to destroy anything.” Another jolt as a bright laser bolt skidded across her bow. Perhaps he considered the planet Korthan territory after all. “Dammit all,” Dani cursed, throttling the ship forward at full speed. Edging closer to the planet, Dani noticed that she could no longer see his ship on her radar. He either had some kind of cloaking technology, which wouldn’t surprise her, or it was something to do with the planet. Perhaps they were in luck.

“OKAY,” A WOMAN’S VOICE said. “We’re leaving now. No need to destroy anything.” That voice— Igniting a fire in his very soul, the feeling hit him instantly. He never felt more alive. K’vyn suddenly didn’t want to destroy the freighter. Biting his tongue hard enough to draw blood, he let the taste linger in his mouth. This was enemy number one. He couldn’t allow her to land on the planet. He had to blast that freighter out of space.

THE FREIGHTER SUDDENLY tilted left, Dani yelling out as it rolled completely on its side towards the planet. I’m scared, C’hase said and Dani could feel his fear permeating her veins. Or maybe it was her own fear— Leaning over the console, Dani typed a request for a damage report, head bowed over the readouts. Cascading failures in the hyperdrive. Stars, this asshole meant business. The ship leaned towards the planet as gravity took over. No problem. She’d just reverse the thrusters and pull out of it like with any world. Nothing happened. Attempting to reverse the thrusters, she began troubleshooting procedures. Reaching under the seat until she touched fur, Dani said, “Come on out, C’hase.” There was movement and then a feather-tipped antennae appeared, caressing her right forearm. You’re scared, C’hase said. Scared was one way to put it. Hands trembling against the controls, she glanced over several readouts and out the viewscreen as her four-legged companion appeared from under the seat. Hedge wasn’t at his usual perch atop the hellhound’s head, but she didn’t have time to inquire about the space rat. “Go to the cargo hold,” she said. “Get in one of the chicken crates. You’ll be safe in there.” She could only hope. But, I don’t want to go with the chickens, C’hase whined. “Go now, Little One,” Dani said.

Facing forward, the planet’s surface became ever larger in the viewscreen. This was going to hurt. Of all the ways this ‘rescue mission’ could have gone, crashing was not one of the options she considered. Willing away the heartbeat in her ears, she took control of her emotions. Don’t panic. Pilot the ship. Don’t get shot. That was the priority. If someone had told her five days ago that she’d be crashing on an unknown planet while carrying a legitimate cargo of chickens on a rogue mission to find the home world of a strange creature that had taken up residence in her mind— She’d have thought it was some sick joke. It’s not a sick joke, is it? C’hase’s voice echoed in her mind. No, C’hase. It’s not a sick joke. When they hit the atmosphere, the ship dropped at breakneck speed, gravity fully taking over. Lightning zapped through Dani’s heart, the controls unresponsive. As the ground rushed up to meet them, Dani only had one thought, I’m sorry I couldn’t get you home, Little One.

“WHAT HAPPENED?” K’VYN asked as the human freighter tumbled towards the planet. They hadn’t shot anything more than warning shots and not even that in the amount of time it took the freighter to reach the planet. “I don’t know. They’re going to crash,” L’iza said. Landing on the Korthan world was unacceptable, but crashing there? That was satisfying. Fairly certain they hadn’t actually damaged the ship, maybe the construction was so weak that even a few grazing laser bolts could blast it apart. “They can rot here,” K’vyn said next, though he did not feel the venom in his words, an unexplainable tug on his heart. He almost felt sad it was crashing— He shook himself. Almost. “Mayday,” the female captain’s voice called over all frequencies. “Cargo Freighter 426 is going down. Broadcasting coordinates.” The tug on his heart suddenly turned into all-out longing, the sound of her voice permeating his soul.

Chapter 2

Dani’s heart throbbed in her throat as the features on the surface of the planet grew bigger. Mountains worrisome, she tried swallowing the heartbeat, the action making her stomach queasy. Great. She was going to throw up all over the console and crash her ship. It was turning out to be a lovely supply run. Gripping the controls, sitting forward in her seat, her resolve hardened. Survive. That was it. There was nothing else. The lives on her ship depended on her. “Jettison oxygen tanks two and four,” Dani spoke out loud, following the command with action, grounding herself in complete concentration. What if the planet didn’t have oxygen? Thought nearly dissolving her focus, the ship threatened to turn completely upside down. Survive one thing at a time. “Deploy port docking flaps.” Dani commanded to the air while deploying the docking flaps, calm falling over her body, her only purpose in the entire universe. The flaps acted as a rudder, catching the atmosphere, pulling the ship forward. Mountains loomed ahead, a huge expanse of sand beyond, a large ocean beyond that. “I’m aiming for that stretch of beach.” She said to herself. With luck, she wasn’t going to miss. Crashing in the water would be disastrous— Expanse of sand turning orange the closer she got, it appeared to be moving. Dani swallowed. She sure hoped it was solid ground. No time to change course now. Drifting off course, she said, “Deploy port landing gear.”

The additional drag on the left side slowed the sideways drifting, but they were going down too fast, the mountains ahead looming. Unable to slow the forward momentum, the freighter screeched as it hit the top of the rocky terrain, both the landing gear and the docking flaps wrenched from the ship. The freighter spun sharply to the left. “Deploy right docking flaps and landing gear!” Dani yelled, lightning coursing through her veins. Her hands flew over the controls, breaths coming in short bursts. The spinning slowed as the freighter dipped on the other side of the mountains, but did not stop as they approached the orange expanse. Please don’t crash in the ocean, Dani chanted to herself, no longer able to do anything but ride it out, squeezing her eyes shut. Boom! The freighter hit the ground on the starboard side, the sound of twisting metal piercing her eardrums as she flew sideways in her seat, straps holding her steadfast. Stomach summersaulting as the ship continued a sideways slide, she could no longer keep her eyes shut. Mouth opening, air expelled from her throat in a silent scream as she grasped tightly against the console. A thick orange feathery substance brushed across the viewscreen before dark brown soil completely covered it, the ship burying itself in the planet’s surface, coming to a jerky halt. The deafening noise of twisting metal died down to a groan. There was screaming, and Dani realized the expelling from her throat was not so silent. Clamping her mouth shut, she surveyed the bridge. A crack ran along the console, across the deck, up the starboard bulkhead and through the ceiling. But there was no pain in her body as she did a mental check.

They were down. She was alive! Drawing air into her lungs, she expelled it in a loud, shaky sigh. Alive for now. Soon they would find out if this planet had breathable air. One problem at a time. Next thought of C’hase, she projected her mind at the pup. C’hase? Are you okay? Dread crept into her heart when he didn’t answer. Oh, no— There are chickens, everywhere! A young boy’s enthusiastic voice sounded in her mind, playful excitement emanating from C’hase’s end of their strange bond. Why was she under the distinct impression he was chasing them?

PANDEMONIUM WAS RAMPANT in the cargo hold as Dani entered. Chickens ran every which way, followed closely by C’hase, who barked cheerfully at their flapping wings and noisy squawks. As far as Dani could tell with a quick count, all twenty-four chickens were alive and ed for. Relief filled her. Everyone was alive. Body relaxing, sharp pain on her elbow made Dani wince. Holding it up, blood dripped to the floor, a red trail of drops across the flooring where she’d walked from the bridge. Looking at it in a reflective surface by the chicken cages, there was small gash. Damn, that was a little more than a scratch. Grabbing a first aid kit attached to the wall, she cracked it open. Thankful to see a mirror in the case, she sat on a row of seats against the bulkhead and plucked out a needle and thread. The chickens squawked and the young hellhound yapped, feathers floating through the air. “C’hase,” Dani chastised as she threaded a second stitch above her elbow, wincing at the sharp pain. “Stop terrorizing the chickens.” The young four-legged gray pup stopped dead in his tracks, antennae drooping as he hung his head low. A small squeaking tan furball ran headlong into his hind legs. Was Hedge chasing the chickens too? Sorry, Alpha, C’hase said. Dani was sure she would never get used to him calling her that. Fingers extending from the hellhound’s front paws, Dani was sure she’d never get used to seeing that either. C’hase scooped up the trumpet-eared space rat, holding it up for her to see. Look. Hedge made it. I’m so happy. He hugged the squeaky creature. Are you happy too?

“What do you know, the rat made it.” Her voice was flat, lips set in a thin line. She had no idea what the little creature actually was, having nothing else to compare it to but a rat of some sort, but C’hase loved it. Dani found she was genuinely happy it survived the crash, along with everything else. Sewing a fourth and final stitch, she inspected her handiwork in the mirror, wiggling her fingers to ward off the tingling sensation. Task at hand complete, Dani looked around the confines of the cargo hold, heart dropping. How were they going to get off this planet, find Mogha, and warn the hellhounds in time now? Dani watched as C’hase placed his pet on his head, Hedge’s oversized claws dangling over the sides, and started herding the chickens back into their pins. “This rescue mission just got a lot more complicated,” she said, letting out a sigh. She could hope that someone heard her distress call, but a rescue from this world would only mean captivity for C’hase, imprisonment for her. She figured out how to get C’hase out of that lab for nothing— Visually inspecting the bulkhead and cargo compartment, Dani’s gaze fell on the hellhound. “Well, the ship didn’t break in half,” she said. “We have that going for us.” Requiring an antiquated space station to keep humanity alive, all humans underwent extensive training and education on the maintenance and repair of such a structure. Some were better at it than others, but Dani’s skills weren’t half bad. Perhaps she could repair the ship and they could be gone by the time a rescue party arrived. Of course, none of it really mattered if the planet didn’t have breathable air. Having jettisoned the oxygen tanks, there wouldn’t be enough oxygen for her environmental suit.

Standing, she walked to the control next to the loading ramp, requesting a readout of the outside environment. Flip, the damn thing wasn’t working. There was thumping against the flooring as C’hase scratched the back of one of his front legs with his back paw, bushy tail twirling when he caught her watching him. I got the chickens back in their pins, he said, holding his head up high, the strange rat creature perfectly at home perched atop his head. One reddish brown chicken scratched around his feet and Dani raised her eyebrows. “You missed one.” Fingers extending from the pup’s right paw, C’hase reached out and pulled the bird against his chest, who let out a squawk. Tail raising in a twirl, he simply looked at her with those big innocent eyes. “Don’t eat the chickens, C’hase,” she felt the need to say. Hedge likes this one. That wasn’t exactly affirmation that he wouldn’t eat them, but the feeling she got from him was protection, no intent to harm. Slowly nodding her head while staring at the chicken, she focused on the task at hand. There had to be some way to find out if there was breathable air. “I’m going to the bridge to see if I can’t get a damage report,” she said. “Maybe the external environmental read-out will work from there.” They had survived the crash. Next priority, keep surviving—

FOR THE DOZENTH TIME, K’vyn glanced at the blue, orange and green planet, floating brightly against the blackness of space, stars winking lazily beyond. All attempts to mentally connect with his mogha companion failed, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling. “You’re distracted.” L’iza’s words carried as much weight as the sidelong glance he could see out of his periphery. Staring straight forward, he ignored both. “We have a job to do,” he said. Break the human supply chain, report threats to the Korthan Cyborg Corps, and direct all human traffic away from Mogha. Keeping the mogha home world safe was most important. Although, the Invader freighter was the only human activity in this part of space for months— “Yes, a boring job,” L’iza said, also trying not to appear to have a wondering gaze towards the planet. “One that allows us to be distracted by whatever is happening on that planet.” “Us?” he said, turning his gaze on the ghostly hologram. “What do you have to be distracted about?” “So, you are distracted.” He faced forward again. Score one for his perceptive sentient ship. Mogha companion, he tried again. I feel you are near. Why do you not answer?

ON THE BRIDGE OF HER ship, Dani checked the comm. No answer to her distress message, but as far as she could tell, it was working. She paused. That voice was in her head again. This time she could sense a maturity about it, something much older than C’hase. C’hase, she called. He was with her on the bridge for a second, then disappeared with Hedge somewhere. Yes, Alpha? he responded. Is there another voice calling you? There was a pause, then, No, you’re the only one I can hear, Alpha. I can only hear one master companion. Another pause. That I know of. Having heard him say that before, she hoped she could speak with an older mogha when they found his home. The young pup couldn’t explain a lot of what this link was and why he could talk to her but not anyone else. I don’t know who you are, she said to the new voice. But C’hase is my mogha companion. She waited. No answer. Satisfied, she returned her attention to the console, requesting a damage report. Several codes showed up on the monitor in front of her, along with schematics of the freighter. Her eyebrows furrowed. The malfunctions on the ship weren’t consistent with the Korthan’s laser fire. Large blue dots marked a catastrophic engine failure along with numerous smaller blue dots pinpointing maintenance issues. That wasn’t right. She took very good care of her ship. Red dots marked where they were hit by the Korthan laser fire, damage superficial. Even so, the red dots were nowhere near the blue dots. Pursing her lips, she drummed her fingers along the console. If the Korthan

didn’t cause the crash, what did? The screen winked out. Blinking, Dani thumped it. Leaning under the console to check the wiring, she paused. Several circuits were completely missing, a wire hanging loose, touching the floor. Grabbing a torch light, she got on her hands and knees, peering at the motherboard. What maintenance technician would remove so many soldered circuits and wires? As she went to stand up, she noticed a dark spot under her seat. What the? Why was there a hole under her seat? She shined the beam of light into the hole. Crudely done, round for the most part, the edges were somewhat jagged. It went entirely through the deck down to the next level. Was it a burrow? What in the stars could burrow a hole through metal? Her first thought was that C’hase must have done it, but it was way too small— Dani was hit with a strong emotion from C’hase. Jerking upwards, she hit her head on the bottom of her pilot’s chair. Flipping off the torch light, rubbing the top of her head, she crawled out from under the seat and headed to the rear of the ship, uncertain if the strong emotion was cause for alarm. There was a commotion near the loading dock, followed by a flapping sound, then C’hase barking and jumping in the air, tail and antennae twirling. Running, Dani skidded to a halt as she saw something silvery writhe on the deck. Gripping it with his extended fingers, C’hase knelt on his belly, grabbing it between his teeth until it stopped moving. Look, it’s a fish! He exclaimed, joy tangible. I like fish! “C’hase, where did you get that?” Dani stared in wide-eyed wonderment. Hedge gave it to me. He joyously bit it again when it flopped in his fingers, his antennae spinning wildly.

Hedge? That same reddish-brown chicken clucked next to him, pecking the fish once. “C’hase,” Dani said. “Where is Hedge now?” “Oh, he’s over there in his den.” The hellhound nodded towards the docking door, but didn’t look up, his focus clearly on the fish. In his den? Dani’s stomach dropped. Heading to the docking door, where C’hase indicated, she held up the torch light, flipping it on. As the beam of light traced along the bulkhead, she had an idea what to look for. There. Sure enough, where the bulkhead met the deck, about a foot aft of the docking bay door, there was a hole. Except this hole was a little bigger than the one under her seat on the bridge. Kneeling next to the hole, Dani directed the beam of light into the small opening. Tiny winks of light glittered as she waved the torch from right to left, all manner of shiny things sitting in a pile between the inner and outer bulkhead walls. Atop the pile, two beady eyes reflected at her, a squeak of protest resounding as the tan creature tried to cover the pile with his body. “What is all this?” she exclaimed. There were wires, s, a number of buttons from consoles, and those tiny shiny circuits from computer motherboards. Dani’s mouth dropped open. Her ship didn’t have a system malfunction, it had a Hedge malfunction. The Korthan laser fire didn’t help either— Hedge likes shiny things, C’hase suddenly said right next to her. Jumping slightly, she looked sharply at him. I’ve been helping him with his collection.

Chapter 3

“I told you to leave that thing in the lab. Look what it did?” Dani paced, booted feet clanging as she stomped over the deck. She never thought she’d be stranded on a deserted planet because of some weird collecting packrat space rat. C’hase ducked his head, antennae drooping. “But, he’s my friend.” And her heart melted. That’s what he called Hedge in the lab too, even though they were in separate cages across the room from each other— But how could she argue with that? Whimpering, C’hase laid his head down over her feet. Glancing down, she did a double take. Were his wispy feathers moving on the ends of his antenna? “C’hase, are you doing that?” Doing what? he raised his head. Leaning over to point at one of the feathers, she felt a slight breeze brush across her hand. Pulling the torch light out of a side pocket of her cargo pants, she shined it in the hole again, Hedge again squeaking in protest as he threw his body over his pile of treasures. She didn’t notice it before, but she could feel a breeze across her face this time. Switching off the torch, she could still see a beam of light in the creature’s den. Following it with her eyes, she sucked in a breath and held it when it led to a hole that led to the outside world. She let the breath out. Clearly, the air was breathable or they’d have noticed by now— Stars. This answered the question about the outside air. C’hase scooted along the floor, the feathers on the ends of his antennae tickling her face.

Hedge likes to go outside, he said cheerfully as he stood, tail twirling. Eyes widening as she turned her head towards the hellhound, she said, C’hase, is there anything else important about Hedge we need to know about? The mogha sat on his haunches, one of his long fingers raising to scratch at the side of his head. No, I don’t think so. Standing, she punched the button that would deploy the loading ramp. Nothing happened. Flip, she’d have to crank it manually. Was she going to have to rewire the whole ship? As she manually lowered the ramp, she was infused with a sense of awe. She’d never set foot on the soil of any planet, her entire life spent either on a space station or a ship. A pleasant breeze that carried a sweet smell caressed her face, and she closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, the sound of the ocean lapping the shoreline provided a sense of calm. The shore was a sea of orange that moved like a wave over the landscape. Upon closer inspection, there were thousands of individual orange— Were those flowers? There were so many blowing in the breeze, the shore appeared to be moving. The edge of the ocean was as orange as the flowers, turning a beautiful emerald, then deep blue as it stretched towards the horizon. C’hase bounded down the ramp before it touched the ground, and she rushed to grab him. “Wait,” she said as he slipped through her fingers. “We don’t know what’s out there.” Was he carrying that chicken under a front leg?

All but the feathery tips of his antennae disappearing in the orange flowers, he called back, Fun! Of course. Heading down the ramp, Dani hoped she could keep her mogha alive long enough to get him back to his kind. Unbridled enthusiasm emanated from the pup as she watched the antennae float from one place to the next. Reaching the bottom of the ramp, the petals of the flowers flapped gently in the slight wind, sound as soothing as the ocean. Maybe she was worried over nothing— A grove of trees lined the edge of the flowering shore, opposite of the ocean. All leaned at a sharp angle away from the sea. Brow furrowing, she’d seen pictures of trees and they stood straight up. Why were these leaning like that? Looking down at her booted feet, she dragged her toe across the sand. Having never fully qualified for the Colony Program, she never thought she’d ever be standing on the surface of a planet. Crashing wasn’t exactly the way she’d hoped to be standing on solid ground. C’hase popped out of the flowers next to her, still holding the chicken. Dani let out a chuckle until she realized the pup had something in his mouth. Alarm prickling her skin, Dani smacked the back of his head. “Spit that out! It could be poisonous.” The hellhound spit out a flower, and Dani threw her hands in air. “Why would you eat one of the flowers?” Rubbing at his head, C’hase complained, But they are safe to eat. “How do you know that?” Dani said. Because Hedge is eating them. Sure enough, at the edge of the ramp, Hedge was chowing down on a couple of the orange blossoms. We can eat what he eats, C’hase resumed eating the flower she made him spit

out. “How do you know for sure?” she said next. The mogha’s head tilted. I just know. Dubious, she bent over and plucked a flower, studying it. Having the appearance of a cup, she pulled open the petals, revealing a yellow center and plump yellow wavy dots radiating outwards in the middle of each of the five petals. The smell was sweet, the source of the sweet scent on the breeze. Pulling off one of the petals, she stuck it in her mouth. Flavor similar to the sweetcakes in the station cafeteria delighted her tongue with little bursts of honey as she chewed. Was that what was in the yellow wavy dots? Look, C’hase said. Even Molly likes it. Molly? This is Molly, he said, holding out the chicken as it devoured a petal. Walking on three legs, his extended fingers weren’t big enough to wrap around the big bird, but were grasping it well enough. Said chicken clucked softly, not minding the ride at all. Hedge wanted a pet. C’hase’s pet, a hedgehog-like packrat that collected wires, buttons and circuitry needed to keep a ship in the air, wanted a pet— “But it’s a chicken,” Dani said, looking over at the space rat, who now had a pile of flowers next to him, eating happily. Brows raised, shaking her head, Dani held up a flower in front of C’hase’s nose. Both his antennae and his tail went up. “Okay, C’hase,” she said. “This is what I’m talking about. Is there anything else we need to know about Hedge? Head tilting completely sideways, he said, I don’t think so.

Dani’s eyes tracked over the landscape, light glinting off the beautiful ocean from a nearby star. This planet was a paradise. There were fish, likely lots of other stuff to eat. She held up the petal. They even had dessert. Why hadn’t a colony come here? The Human Colony Alliance wouldn’t even need to terraform this planet. Dani knew from experience that if something were too good to be true, it was. There had to be something wrong. From a survival standpoint, they weren’t going to have a problem, not with the substantial rations she had on the ship augmenting what they could catch in the wild. But being stuck there wasn’t going to help the moghas.

“YOU’RE PACING AGAIN,” L’iza’s electronic tone cut through his thoughts. K’vyn couldn’t stop thinking about the blue, orange, and green planet, or the freighter. The nagging feeling, well, nagged. It was with him all the time, fogging his brain and keeping him awake. “My mogha responded.” He stopped pacing, brow furrowed as he studied a holochart that L’iza had hovering over the center console of the cockpit. Seated behind the console, L’iza’s dark eyebrows raised, her silver eyes reflecting curiosity. Except for the apparitional appearance, the hologram was a perfect imitation of a Korthan female. “That’s good news,” she said, resting her chin on steepled fingers. “I didn’t think we were close enough to Mogha for you to detect one.” “I don’t think he’s on Mogha,” K’vyn said. “I think he’s on Paradise.” “Korthans have a sense of humor,” L’iza snorted, eyes beaming in mirth. “Calling that planet ‘Paradise.’” K’vyn swiped his hand in front of the holo-chart, terrain of the planet appearing closer as it zoomed in on the location where he believed the freighter crashed. “You believe your detection of the mogha bond has something to do with that human freighter.” L’iza could read him well, even without a full bond. He could not begin to know what the connection could be, but something about that freighter wouldn’t leave him alone. And he didn’t detect the mogha until the freighter arrived— “I believe we should take a closer look,” he conceded. The hologram sat straight up, smile in place, readiness to execute evident. “I was hoping you were going to say that.” Even though it was just a formality, K’vyn sat in the pilot seat. L’iza did all the flying, though in any instance she became incapacitated, he could fly the ship

manually. Used to her controlling all aspects of herself, he didn’t flinch when the seat swiveled around on its own, now facing the hologram at the console. “What did your mogha say?” she said. Leaning on his elbow, chin against his fist, he said, “It was a strange response. He said C’hase was his mogha.” “Well, that is odd.” “Perhaps C’hase is his name.” Wouldn’t be the only being he knew that used illeism. L’iza was always very clear to Korth and its inhabitants that she was her own ship, no one controlled her but her. Maybe C’hase felt the same way. Bonds weren’t about control, though. He hoped C’hase would give him a chance to show him.

WALKING ALONG THE LENGTH of the rectangular ship, Dani watched the young mogha chase a multi-winged insect, jaws snapping as he tried catching it in his mouth. He finally reached up in the air with his front paws and grabbed it between extended fingers. Antennae twirling as he sniffed and inspected it for a second, he released it, starting the chase all over again. The warm balm that rested against her heart swelled, but something about it still felt different from C’hase, something more, deeper— What was this otherness? Even more baffling was the fondness from this otherness towards C’hase. She had enough unanswered questions about her connection with the hellhound, questions she hoped to find answers to when they found Mogha. Rubbing her chest over her heart, she stopped when she reached the front of the freighter, and the towering mound of dark dirt the ship rested in. Getting the freighter out of the soil would be problematic. A squeak sounding to her right, she watched as Hedge ed the hellhound in his chase. Could there be a bond between the two like the one she had with the mogha? Were they communicating with their minds? “C’hase, can Hedge hear you?” she said. The mogha stopped in his tracks, Hedge devouring the insect in the next instant, an iridescent wing hanging from the little creature’s mouth. Yea, he can hear me. C’hase was unconcerned Hedge just ate the flying bug, scratching behind his ear with his hind leg. Dani pursed her lips. “No, I mean, can he hear you like you can hear me? Does he understand you?” Yea, he understands me. C’hase stood. See, watch— C’hase held up an extended finger, pointing at the rat. Hedge, sit, he said, tone commanding.

The creature started digging, dirt flying in all directions. Watching the space rat, C’hase’s tail twirled. Then he raised his head at Dani, tongue hanging out as he panted, smiling expression proud. See? He understands me. “But he’s digging. You told him to sit.” C’hase’s tail stopped twirling and his antennae drooped a bit as they watched Hedge disappear into the ground. Then his antennae rose again. He thinks ‘sit’ means ‘dig.’ Dani laughed as a gust of wind ruffled her hair. Sweeping aside several strands that whipped close to her eyes, something in her periphery caught her attention as her hand swept over her face. She paused, or rather lack of something— Where did the orange flowers go? Those that were around the ship and right next to her appeared to have disappeared, green stalks rising out of the dirt, but no flowers at the ends. Gaze sweeping over the shoreline, she gaped as the orange blossoms winked out of existence. Upon closer inspection, she saw that they didn’t disappear, but closed up into green cocoons on the ends of the stalks. Another gust of wind sent her brown hair whipping around her neck. C’hase trotted towards her, stopping at her side, antennae set straight back against his head. Alpha, do you hear that? Dani furrowed her eyebrows, following C’hase’s gaze out over the ocean, straining her ears. Nothing— She saw it before actually hearing any sound. Waves over the ocean, starting on the horizon, moving towards them at breakneck speed. Then there was sound, a great roar that filled the sky. Soon, there were waves crashing against the shore, the green stalks of the cocooned flowers bending wildly just as she was hit with a roaring wind that nearly knocked her off her feet.

“Get back on the ship,” she yelled at C’hase, but he seemed to be running in place, the wind so strong he couldn’t project himself forward. Scooping the mogha up in her arms, Dani leaned into the driving force of air, planting her booted feet in the dirt with each step as she slowly made her way to the loading ramp. The sound was deafening, unrelenting buffeting against her ears. Halfway up the ramp, she could no longer move, the wind becoming like an impenetrable wall, hugging C’hase tight as it threatened to rip the creature from her arms. Squeezing her eyes shut, she thought of nothing but rooting to the spot. There was suddenly a presence within, accompanied with the familiar warmth. The otherness did not speak this time, but she was filled with strength— Opening her eyes, she took one step. Then another. The strength behind the presence propelling her forward. Reaching the top of the ramp, she grabbed the crank, C’hase holding on for dear life. Ramp closing with a groaning thud, she stared at the bulkhead as the sound of metal creaked and cracked. C’hase leapt from her arms, sniffing along the edges of the bulkhead until he found Hedge, who was soon perched upon the mogha’s head, little snout sniffing at the air around them. Molly pecked at the metal floor beside them. Combing out her windswept hair with her fingers, Dani pulled it back into a tight messy bun. “Well, now we know why the trees are leaning.” A loud piercing whistle in the bulkhead made her jump with a yelp. Stars, what was that? Peering at the source of the sound, she realized there was a breach in the hull, the force of the wind blowing through the small crack making a whistle. Another one sounded on the other side of the cargo hold, her head snapping around.

Stomach dropping, there was no way she could launch this freighter into space. Molly squawked loudly, feathers floating as she flapped her useless wings, running to the crates where her comrades warbled and cackled. The wind moaned throughout the evening, metal flexing and popping as the freighter shook, echoing in the confines of the cargo bay. Unable to sleep, Dani walked along the bulkhead with a solder gun, following the whistles, shoring up each crack. C’hase lay in the crates with the chickens, paws over his ears, wincing as each whistle sounded off. I’m sorry, Little One, Dani thought to him. We will get these repaired soon. There wasn’t enough solder for the entire ship, but she’d try to get the noisiest ones. I hope so, he said with a whimper. That’s when Dani noticed something else about him. Was there orange in his gray fur? Roar on the other side of the bulkhead dying down as fast as it began, the walls stopped shaking, flexing metal ceasing. Dani exchanged a glance with C’hase. Is it over? he said. Dani wound the crank and the ramp began lowering. Daylight poured in and she caught a glimpse of the ocean, calm and tranquil, not a single ripple across the smooth surface. But the most shocking sight was all the flowers had returned, the shoreline the same sea of orange it was when she first set eyes on the surface of this planet, flowing lazily in a slight breeze as if nothing had transpired the night before. Turning, her heart seized— There, in the pen with the chickens, C’hase chewed happily on a large bone.

“C’hase,” she yelled. “You can’t eat the chickens!” She was at the pens in an instant, looking in the crates, moving aside straw, rapidly counting out loud. She had no idea how she could complete her delivery run, but she did not want to have to explain to the customer about any missing chickens. Maybe a rescue party was coming, but she was already in enough trouble. One chicken was missing— This isn’t a chicken bone, C’hase gnawed on the end of the bone. “What kind of bone is it?” Hedge gave it to me, C’hase said, voice managing to sound as if his mouth were full even though they communicated through their minds. “Where is Molly?” Said chicken suddenly trotted through the opening at the ramp. Relief was shortlived as a commotion on the ramp followed, the sound of something dragging accompanied by twittering squeaks. Hedge’s tubular ears appeared over the edge of the ramp right before his little triangular face popped up. Disappearing again, the sound of something scraped along the metal just as the body of a scaley six-legged lizard beast the size of a full-grown hellhound flopped onto the deck. Hedge pushed it from behind before running around to drag it along with his giant claws, feather-tipped tail twirling just like C’hase’s antennae did. Dani’s eyes widened. “How did he get that?” Bone forgotten, C’hase jumped up, trotting to sniff all aspects of this new corpse. Hedge likes to hunt, he said with his usual child-like enthusiasm. Stars—

A great shadow fell over the entryway, brow furrowing as Dani’s gaze tracked it down the ramp. What now? Loud screech piercing her ears in the next second, Dani’s head snapped towards the sky, the bright sun spotting her vision. Eyes squeezing shut, she raised a hand to block the light just as several gusts of wind ruffled through her hair. Damn, the wind was back. The sounds of squeaking filled her ears, followed by the most vicious growling she’d ever heard from C’hase, infused with a sense of anger, determination and fighting for his own. Trying to blink out the black dots that obscured her sight, Dani caught glimpses of a giant fur-covered winged beast, flapping leathery wingspan creating the wind, a tiny wiggling tan furball caught between extended claws. Hedge— Grabbing her blaster from her belt, she fired at the beast as it flew away over the landscape, Hedge squeaking frantically. C’hase let out a howl that cleaved her heart in half, stifling sorrow taking her breath away. He bounded down the ramp, disappearing into the orange flower stalks just as two more of the beasts appeared over the ocean, heading straight for them. “C’hase,” she called, heart pounding her chest as she ran after the mogha.

Chapter 4

Darkness filled the sky as Dani ran through the flowers, roiling clouds of grey and black. “C’hase,” she called. “Come back!” Unable to think of anything else, a bone deep frantic drive to protect the pup overwhelmed her. Foot catching on something, she fell face-first into the soil. As she rolled to her side, one of the furry winged beasts swooped low. The sight of long fangs and open clawed talons raised the hair on her arms, spots in her eyes no longer having to do with the sun. Survive. Raising her blaster, she fired— A piercing screech released from the beast’s mouth, revealing more pointy teeth, but the only effect the blaster fire had was to piss the creature off. C’hase was suddenly at her side, menacing growl filled with a hatred he didn’t have before, fur standing on end along his neck and back. He leapt at the winged creature, jaws chomping one of its clawed talons. Another piercing screech filled the air and the monstrosity spread his wings wide, lifting C’hase into the air. “Let go,” Dani yelled and C’hase let go, dropping gracefully to the ground, reing her side, antennae straight back, tail held high. She dragged herself to her feet as more giant bats from stars-forsaken Hell arrived, the one C’hase bit regrouping with the new arrivals. “Get back to the ship,” she said, grabbing the scruff of a growling C’hase’s neck, dragging him towards the ship with one hand while firing the blaster with the other. Four hellbats were upon them before they reached the ramp. She fired round after round, C’hase’s jaws snapping, talons clicking wildly as they opened and

closed, the sound of flapping wings beating along with her veins. The sound of a squeak caught her attention. That sounded like— Hedge? The tiny creature appeared from between the stalks, eyes set in determination, oversized claws from his paws extending out as he allowed one of the bat beasts to pluck him up from the ground. Jaw dropping, Dani watched in amazement as the little packrat sliced off one of the talons of the hellbat and scurried up its leg, grabbing onto the fur of its belly. The flying creature reared with a resounding screech. The motion propelled Hedge along and he ended up on the beast’s back, racing to the nape of its neck, where he spread his claws wide and plunged them deep into the base of the hellbat’s skull. The hellbat rose high in the air, thrashing from side to side, Hedge hanging on by his teeth as his feather-tipped tail whipped around with the motion. Suddenly seizing, stiff as a board, the winged beast fell to the ground with a sickening, crunching thud. Hedge jumped off the hellbat and ran to C’hase, climbing to his perch atop the mogha’s head. Alpha, C’hase’s tail and antennae twirled wildly. Hedge is back!

K’VYN FELT THE HEART of his mogha spike, a whirlwind of emotion slamming into him; worry, consternation, fear— “Hurry,” K’vyn said to the otherwise empty room, knowing L’iza would hear him. “C’hase is in danger.” Several holographic images floated before him, each showing a different portion of the planet below. Menacing dark clouds roiled over the location where the bond felt strongest. “There,” he said, pointing at the hologram in the middle. “Over those mountains, next to the ocean.” As the ship sped over the mountains, his heartbeat quickened. C’hase, he said. I’m coming for you. You’re not coming for anything, the voice in the companion bond responded. I already told you, C’hase is mine. What? L’iza punched through the clouds, switching the holographic visuals to infrared in the darkness beneath, adopting the feed for optimal Korthan visibility. K’vyn scooted to the edge of his seat, jaw dropping at the sight below. The human freighter lay sprawled on the ground, front section buried in dark soil, surrounded by orange popsies. A ramp lay open on the port side of the ship, near the middle. Just outside of the ramp, two hellbats were swooping at a grouping of something, great wings flapping wide, rising and falling with each attack. Stars, he hated hellbats. Flashes of light erupted from beneath the bats and they rose at the same time, avoiding the shots.

His breath caught when he saw her, tingling sensation rippling beneath his skin, going straight to his groin, a fire igniting in his very soul. She was magnificent, blaster in hand, fierce determination set in a beautiful round face, black clothing snug against her curvy body. In that moment, he knew what she was. Overpowering desire to shoot at the hellbats alongside her, he wanted to possess her, wanted her to possess him. He hadn’t found his mogha companion, he had found— “It’s my bond mate.” L’iza’s head swung around, eyes wide. Then he saw the mogha. His body tensed, nostrils flaring. C’hase was just a pup, fur completely gray, a surefire sign that he had been in captivity his entire existence. “That mogha is a captive,” L’iza said, an edge in her tone that he keenly felt. The mogha were the noblest of creatures, the most loyal of companions, a bond with one the highest of honors. There was no way he could be bonded to someone that would treat one so badly its fur would become gray. No way he could be bonded to a filthy human— How dare you, he said, blood boiling. You will pay for what you’ve done.

DANI WAS HIT WITH A force of such hatred that she had to take several deep breaths to get her breath back. That strange voice was speaking to her again, the hellbats relentless in their attack. Was one of the stars-forsaken beasts in her mind? They couldn’t have C’hase. No one could— They would pay for what they’d done. Out of the corner of her eye, Dani saw a reddish-brown blur race between her and the mogha pup. Molly, C’hase extended his fingers to grab the chicken, but missed. One of the beasts swooped low, talons extended at the blur, and Dani increased the blaster fire, shooting in rapid succession. The blaster had little effect. Jumping from C’hase’s head, Hedge ran to the plump avian, rearing back on hind legs, oversize claws spread wide at the winged beast. The hellbat retreated and C’hase pulled the chicken under his body. Dropping the blaster, Dani grabbed Hedge, cupping the little creature in her palms, and held him up in the air. The remaining hellbat rose to meet his comrade, and they hovered in place for a couple of seconds, long enough for Dani to take a step back, that much closer to the ramp of the ship. The first hellbat dove at them, and Dani aimed the space rat at the beast, who twittered and chattered, claws clapping together. The hellbat retreated again. Molly tucked under his right leg, C’hase took a step back this time, following her lead. The second beast dove—

“IS THAT A MOLK?” L’IZA said, alarm evident in her tone. The ship turned to the sky, racing back through the clouds. “What are you doing?” K’vyn said, jumping to his feet as they rapidly approached the blackness of space. “We must rescue the mogha pup. He will not be able to hold his own against the hellbats.” “There is a molk.” If he wasn’t mistaken, L’iza sounded afraid. “Just shoot the damn molk.” “But the human is holding it and she is your mate.” K’vyn worked his jaw. “Shoot the human. She is not my mate.” L’iza hesitated, leveling a measuring stare. Eye unwavering, K’vyn said, “Kill the human and the molk and then let’s get the mogha and get out of here.”

THERE WAS A SOUND IN the darkness, familiar and foreign all at once, but unmistakable. A ship was coming— Heartrate quickening, relief settled over her like a warm blanket. Someone heard her distress call! Flashes of light lit up the sky, the beasts screeching as each one fell to its death. Dani whooped, smile wide across her face. Hellbats were no match for a human fighter ship’s weaponry. But the fighter kept firing. Smile fading, Dani ran alongside the freighter, Hedge scurrying up her sleeve to hold onto her shoulder, divets of dirt spraying on either side of them as she slid under the shelter of her own ship. What the Hell? Why were they shooting at her? Raising her fist in the air, she turned to see the silhouette of those unmistakable four wings against the dawn of the horizon, the clouds dissipating in wispy mists. Stars, the savage came to finish them off— But why kill the bat beasts? They were close to doing a well enough job of ending her existence. A menacing growl sounded just as C’hase ran from the flower stalks, hair raised high in a mohawk along his spine. Still grasping Molly under his leg, he dropped the chicken beneath his belly. I’ll scare them away, the young hellhound said, facing the approaching ship, chicken squawking but otherwise staying in place.

“STOP FIRING,” K’VYN was on his feet, eyes straining at the visual holograms as if what he was seeing wasn’t real. “What is he doing?” L’iza sounded as puzzled as K’vyn felt. The mogha had placed himself between his ship and the human, head set low to the ground, teeth bared, antennae and tail straight back, feet spread wide. What kind of control did this human have on the pup? “Is that some kind of avian underneath him?” Straining his eyes, K’vyn blinked. There did appear to be some form of plump feathered beast beneath the mogha. “Set down in the popsies,” he said. “I will deal with the human myself.” The ship hovered in place, and he thought he was going to have to repeat his command. “Don’t forget that molk,” L’iza said. “Both will be eradicated,” he promised. The ship lowered gracefully to the ground.

AS THE SHIP SETTLED amongst the flowers, wings folded upwards, above the fuselage, Dani was reminded of a dragonfly. It was black with yellow highlights tracing the wings, a detail she didn’t notice when it was shooting at her. A step materialized out of thin air beneath it, then another and another until a hovering staircase angled to the ground. Black booted feet were soon in view, taking each step down, revealing the black uniform of the Korthan that shot down her ship, stranding her on this planet. The hand the space rat played in crippling the controls of the freighter was irrelevant, his intention of destroying her vessel effectively met. As his face appeared, Dani’s heart raced. Black hair pulled back, it framed a strong jaw, the desire to touch his bluish gray skin surprising her. If she could reach his face— The savage was big, a height that towered above her, muscles evident beneath clothing. His stunning silver eyes were even more intense in person, a thrill zipping through her as they met her own— Shaking out of the trance, Dani raised her blaster. This savage shot down her ship, was just shooting at her again no less than five minutes ago. The man did not seem threatened by her action. C’hase let out a low throaty growl and the Korthan slowed his pace with a fleeting glance at the hellhound. “You are not supposed to fire on unarmed ships,” Dani let out a snarl of her own. “And shooting at a lone person on foot is just low.” “That rule doesn’t apply to tresers,” the man countered. “You were invading Korthan space.” “This is not Korthan space. It is neutral territory.” The savage opened his arms wide, fingers spread. “This is all Korthan space. You do not belong here.”

Dani couldn’t help but notice his strong hands before he dropped his arms. “Hand over the mogha and we’ll leave you be,” he said next. Those amazing eyes scanned the horizon. “Something will kill you on this planet soon enough.” We? Something will kill her? Neither sounded very enticing, but what was it about his voice that sounded familiar? Wait a second— “You know Standard,” she said. “Yes,” his voice was deep, gravelly, winding into her being. “I know the common language of your people. Now, hand over the captive or I will take him from you.” Captive? Did he mean C’hase? “This is my mogha,” Dani said, leveling her blaster with both hands. “You will not take him without a fight.” The Korthan took a step forward and she sucked in a sharp intake of air, raising the blaster higher—

HOW DARE THIS HUMAN claim ownership of a sentient being. Rescuing the mogha and returning C’hase to his home world was K’vyn’s only thought as he rushed forward, bending down to grab the pup. I will protect him at all costs. The words flashed through his mind as pain exploded across his back, something heavy striking between his shoulder blades. Rearing back, the human’s arms were raised high in the air, the butt of her blaster coming down for a second blow. Grabbing her hands in one hand, he ignored the tingling sensation that traveled through his forearms with the , holding her in place. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the hand immobilizing her. A menacing growl was the only warning before sharp cutting pain replaced the tingling sensation, pointy teeth puncturing his forearm as strong jaws latched on. Flinching yelp escaping him, K’vyn released the woman as he focused on the new threat, attempting to free his arm. Was the mogha defending her? Don’t hurt him, the voice in his mind said, frantic. “C’hase, release him,” the same voice said out loud. So, it was true. This was the source of what he thought was his mogha. As C’hase’s teeth pulled from his arm, blood trickled to the ground. Hugging the arm to his chest, K’vyn noticed a tuft of orange peeking out from the mogha’s gray fur. His brow furrowed. The pup’s coloration wouldn’t be coming out if he was still a captive. “Do you understand him?” he said directly to the woman, eyes locking with hers. And suddenly he was lost in a depth of brown fire, engulfed in a blanket of warmth. He quickly looked away.

“Yes. I am his Alpha,” the human said. “Now back off.” K’vyn’s eyes grew wide as his jaw fell. There was no way a human would know that term in relation to a mogha. Unless she was C’hase’s master companion. And the ability to understand what the mogha was saying was a surefire sign. Stars. “Back up,” the woman said again, blaster swaying. Though she did have the business end pointed at him this time, he was under the impression she’d never actually killed anyone before. She was not a combatant. Holding out his hands, palms facing her, he did as she asked. An almost imperceptible breath of relief escaped her, and his heart swelled. Having a mogha bond was a right of age. How was this human bestowed with such an honor? A screech over the ocean had her head whipping around and he lowered his hands, blood dripping from his forearm. That would attract predators— “Build a fire and the hellbats won’t come,” he said as much for himself as for her. She turned a piercing brown gaze on him, and his heart skipped. Stars, get it under control. But there was emotion warring behind that gaze and, concentrating, he found he could sense her feelings. Disbelief, helplessness, confusion— Only one of those emotions made sense to him. “You don’t know how to build a fire, do you?” Humans were helpless. They were all so useless and clueless. He would never understand how his people allowed themselves to come into conflict with these beings. The reddish-brown feathered bird the mogha had been holding walked between

them, scratching at the dark soil. “We can roast that plump avian,” he said, stomach growling at the thought of a tasty meal. The human’s emotions focused into one, alarm. She swooped down and plucked the yard bird off the ground. It sounded an alarming squawk, but fell silent once tucked under her arm. “This is Molly,” she said. “If you touch her or any of the chickens, I will shoot you right between the eyes.” Now, that was not helplessness. A thrill zapped him. “You said you were leaving, so leave,” she said next, stomping off towards the junk heap she called a ship, molk still sitting on her shoulder, staring at him with its beady eyes. The mogha also watched him from the corner of his eye, following his apparent alpha, then fully turned his attention elsewhere, trotting alongside her, tail held high. The bird emitted a clucking noise and he blinked. She named a yard bird, Molly? There wasn’t anywhere he needed to be in the immediate future. Perhaps he’d hang around on Paradise for a little while.

Chapter 5

First, he was trying to kill her and now he wanted to help her? She ran her left hand through her hair, stopping to scratch at the back of her head, Molly still tucked under her right arm. Build a fire? She’d never even seen a fire in real life, not one on the surface of a planet anyway. Climbing the ramp, she set the chicken down on the deck and it disappeared into the cargo bay, Hedge scurrying down her arm, following its path. She never thought she’d be thanking the stars she did not leave the fierce little creature in the lab. Watching as he wound his way towards the chickens, she paused. So far, he had left the chickens alone. Hopefully, it stayed that way. C’hase trotted after him and she felt a little better. The mogha kept good watch over their feathered friends. Peeking over the edge of the bulkhead, she expected to be watching the Korthan fly away, a sense of abandonment surprising her. At first, she thought the sentiment was coming from C’hase, but then she realized it was her own feeling. Belly fluttering when she saw the ship was still there, she rested her head against the bulkhead. Thank the stars. A crackling sound beneath the freighter made her blink. Climbing halfway down the ramp in a crouch, she peered under the ship, an orange glow on the other side lighting up the approaching evening sky. Breath catching, the bright blaze was mesmerizing, dancing yellow flames dazzling her eyes. The field of flowers seemed ablaze as well, their orange coloration against the orange light of the fire making them pop. Shadows danced and shimmied among them, and they were alive with movement. And, there, leaning on a tall pole, stood the Korthan. Black hair hanging free against his shoulders, he had removed his shirt, a black bandage now gracing his arm, shine of the blaze lighting up his gray skin, muscled physique tantalizing in its perfection. Her body tingled all over—

The Korthan’s head turned in her direction and she ducked. Rolling with the ramp against her back, she breathed heavily towards the sky. Waiting two minutes, she peeped under the ship again. His arm was reaching behind his back, rubbing between his shoulder blades where she hit him. Scooting back up the ramp into the safety of the freighter, Dani heard the screech of a hellbat far in the distance. But no attack came. Perhaps the Korthan was right about the fire. Heading to the bridge, Dani checked the comm. Nothing. Did anyone even hear her distress call? With no whisper of wind outside, Dani made her way to her cabin, settling into her bunk for the first peaceful sleep she’d had since rescuing the hellhound from the lab. Did she even want the Korthan to leave?

HIS LIPS FELL AGAINST her neck, their hungry caress demanding as the weight of his rippling body fell over her. Large hand warm against her breast, the warrior groped downwards along her body. She arched into him as his hard, grasping fingers probed between her legs. “You’re different from Korthan women,” his husky breath swept across her earlobe. “Warmer— Wetter—” Palm pressed firmly against her womanhood, he squeezed, his erection hard against her thigh. “I want to bury this in here.” Tingling sensation exploded through her abdomen. Help! She drowned in blissful sensation, definitely didn’t want help— Help, help! The call was targeted, straight into her mind, the sound of a frightened little boy — C’hase! She shot straight up in the bunk, the Korthan disappearing along with her arousal. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, her mind was in a fog as she tried to get her thoughts together. Suddenly, a tan squeaking Hedge ran up her leg, climbing her night clothes to perch on her shoulder, chattering away, whiskers twitching. What the hell? Help! The call remained. And even though he was calling through her mind, C’hase’s panicked voice sounded muffled. Pain hit her on the nose and she thought Hedge had somehow scratched her face. Then she realized it was from the mogha. Jumping from the bunk, she ran to the cargo hold and down the ramp, Hedge’s

claws digging into her bare shoulder. She located C’hase on the port side of the ship, his bushy tail and hind legs straight up in the air, body disappearing into a hole in the ground. Heart pounding in her chest, Dani ran to him, grabbing his legs to pull him out, unable to get a good grip as he writhed around. “Stop struggling,” she said through gritted teeth. Hedge ran down her arm, jumping to the dirt with a squeak, claws digging frantically, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Strong arms came around from her left and she jumped, scooting to the right as she spun around, fists up. The shirtless Korthan stepped forward, grasping C’hase’s hind legs, effortlessly lifting the mogha from the hole. The pup jumped into Dani’s arms, antennae drooping low, whimpering. It bit me. A trickle of blood dripped down his snout. “What bit you?” The thing that tried to get Molly. The chicken stood next to the hole, scratching at the dirt. Great. They were attracting predators. Hedge chased it away, C’hase continued. But then it tried to get Hedge. Is he hurt? Stars, what could possibly hurt a creature that stood its own against the hellbats, that just disappeared into the soil doing who knows what? “He’s fine, Little One,” Dani said as she inspected C’hases’s front paws and face. There were a few scratches, but just the one bite. “Check the bite for poison,” the Korthan said, voice rumbling. “How do you do that?” she said.

Touching his pinky against the small puncture on C’hase’s snout, the hellhound pulled away. No, no, don’t touch it. Raising his finger to his tongue, he held it there for a second. “No poison,” he said, dropping his hand to the mogha’s ear, scratching behind it. C’hase melted into the touch, his body relaxing in Dani’s arms. “I am called, K’vyn,” the Korthan said, gaze traveling over her body. Feeling exposed in her night clothes, Dani set the pup on the ground and stood, arms crossed. “Dani,” she said. “I don’t know why you are still here, but thank you for pulling him out.” He seemed to be studying her and flashes from her dream warmed her cheeks. It was a giant lizard, C’hase sniffed at the hole, but kept a healthy distance. A big lizard? Like the one Hedge killed before? K’vyn’s gaze fell on the mogha and she was thankful for the distraction. “So, you can hear him,” he said, something reg in his tone. Placing herself in a protective stance between him and the pup, she said, “I can.” “What does he say?” The sound of more sniffing filled the air, C’hase lowering himself to the ground, a watchful eye on the hole. “That there’s some kind of lizard in there,” Dani said. Suddenly, a scaley multi-colored, six-legged beast burst from the hole, loud hissing sounding from its throat. Jumping back, Dani’s foot caught against something on the ground and she fell —

Her back came into with a broad rippling surface, muscled arms coming around, warm hands setting her back on her feet. Releasing her, K’vyn darted between her and the beast, pulling a knife from his belt. The beast stopped short of its attack, something stopping it in its tracks. Spotting a familiar scale-covered tail with tuft of feathers on the end, Dani craned her neck around the Korthan, the lizard turning towards the new threat behind it. Hedge had grabbed onto its long tail and was tugging backwards, rear claws anchored to the ground, the beast unable to move forward. The Korthan swiftly took advantage, plunging his knife into the neck of the thrashing creature. Peeling off a shiny scale, Hedge took off with it towards the ship. “This lizard beast will make a nutritious meal,” the savage said, tone triumphant. Dani balked. There was no way she was eating that thing. Humans couldn’t eat what Korthans ate anyway— “What is he doing?” K’vyn said next. C’hase was trotting frantically between the hole, the lizard, the ramp of the ship, and around Dani’s feet, nose close to the ground. I can’t find Molly, the pup said. Heartrate quickening, Dani ran to the ship, up the ramp, and to the chicken pens. Molly was not there. “Is this what he is looking for?” K’vyn’s voice sounded through the cargo bay, from the top of the ramp. The Korthan dared come aboard her ship? Swinging around, her eyes widened. In his hands, held out from his body, was Molly. The chicken’s head swung left and right in jerky movements. C’hase bounded up the ramp, jumping around the Korthan with happy yaps, antennae caressing Molly as his tail twirled.

Alpha, the mogha said. He found her.

WHEN THE MOGHA’S ANTENNAE caressed the avian, the feathers on the ends brushed lightly across his fingers. K’vyn held himself very still, cherishing the touch, even though it wasn’t directed at him. C’hase barked and danced, K’vyn awestruck by the mogha’s behavior. The woman plucked the chicken from his grasp. “Yes, he sure did.” So focused on the mogha, K’vyn didn’t see her coming, his fingers now tingling where the human inadvertently touched when grabbing the chicken. He blinked at his hands as much as her words. What was she saying? The mogha barked, ending with a singsong yap. “You did a great job protecting Molly, but please be more careful,” Dani said, handing the chicken to the pup. Right. She was talking to the mogha, not him. His eyes widened when the mogha grabbed the avian with extended fingers, tucking it under his front leg, walking on three as he headed towards an area full off primitive board constructs, yapping as he went. “Hedge protected Molly?” the woman said. “Okay, well, you still need to be more careful.” Dani turned her attention to K’vyn and he froze, sure he would get lost in the depths of her mesmerizing gaze. “Thank you again,” she said, brushing a strand of hair from the smooth skin of her face. “But you can go now.” Her tone was flat, but the emotion behind it suggested anything but wanting him to leave, fear of abandonment constricting his heart. The conflict between their peoples complicated matters, but he would not leave her alone on this planet, bond or no bond. And, judging by the shape of her ship, she wouldn’t be leaving on it.

K’vyn looked at the ceiling, several cracks crisscrossing through, pockets of rust spreading on beams that appeared to have been repaired numerous times. “Where did you get this clunker?” he said. The human frowned, eyes narrowing. “My parents,” she said. “I’m carrying on the family business.” She held her head high, proud. “Your parents ed this down to you?” K’vyn curled his lip. “And expected you to live? They must have had a death wish for you.” Dani’s jaw dropped and she raised a threatening finger. “Hey, now. This ship has been flying since humans left Earth.” Eyebrows raising, he couldn’t imagine keeping this rust bucket together for that long. “It shows,” he said. A molk would have a field day on this ship. The freighter wasn’t even fit for the feathered beasts clucking among the wooden constructs. “Get off my ship,” Dani took a threatening step towards him, boots clanging against the flooring. “You don’t deserve to be standing in my ship.” He didn’t move and she raised her voice, flinging her arm out. “Go. Now!” Her nostrils flared as anger bombarded his senses. Maybe insulting her ship wasn’t a good idea— But there was no hatred behind the emotion.

“DO YOU KNOW HOW ANNOYING it is when you forget your ear comm? What is taking you so long?” L’iza said as K’vyn plopped in his chair in the cockpit of his ship. “Just grab the mogha and let’s go.” Resting his head in his palm, he took a deep breath. “I can’t.” “Why not? He’s just a pup. Pick him up and bring him onboard. Stars, he’ll just follow you.” Dropping his hand, he threw the hologram an incredulous look. “He’s not my mogha companion,” he said. The hologram blinked, a second chair materializing as she sat, mimicking bipedal behavior. “So,” she drew the word out, a whispery awe as she stared at nothing in front of her. “The human is your bond mate.” K’vyn leveled a steady gaze, studying the personification of his sentient ship. “I need confirmation,” he said. Head whipping towards him, L’iza said, “You are not a cyborg. I can’t provide what you ask.” “You did not want a cyborg pilot,” he reminded her. “Because I do not want to be controlled.” “And I don’t control you.” Elbow resting on the arm of his chair, K’vyn leaned his head against his fist. “But without full capability of connecting to my systems, I cannot get a full sense of what you’re feeling.” L’iza stood, a blue triangular hologram appearing before her. As she swiped through the holographic projection, K’vyn could not read what she was looking at, but one thing he did know for sure, she was just pretending

to be busy. “I cannot accurately confirm that your connection with the human is the mate bond,” L’iza said after a moment, gaze set on whatever task she was pretending to do. Head raised and she looked directly in his eyes. “But anything is possible.” “You could say that,” he said. “The mogha is her companion.” There was an expelling of air, L’iza performing a perfect imitation of a bipedal reaction of surprise. “That doesn’t sound right,” she said. “Do you know what that means?” “Does it mean she could also be my life mate? Could you tell if I were sitting next to her at the fire?” K’vyn regretted interrupting her, something shifting in what he could sense in their limited link, a bit of knowledge he needed to hear that was swiftly replaced with incredulity. “Oh, I’m not going out there,” L’iza said. “Not as long as that molk is down there.” Right. The molk. He was so focused on the mogha and the human, he forgot about the molk. Didn’t he see it briefly while pulling C’hase from the lizard hole? He hadn’t seen it since— “I can tell well enough standing next to you right here that she’s your mate,” L’iza said next. Shaking his head, lips pursed, K’vyn said, “I don’t think it’s possible.” L’iza’s hologram disappeared, clear dismissal, as her voice filled the air. “You asked for confirmation. That’s confirmation enough that I can give you.”

Chapter 6

The smell of something savory wafted through the air, and Dani’s stomach growled. Peeking out from the side of the bulkhead, a mound of shimmering coals had been raked from the fire, the lizard beast roasting over them on a spick, the Korthan slowly turning a handle. Hedge is hungry, C’hase announced, also watching the scene outside the ship. Said space rat lay chewing a fishbone near the hole to his den. No need to repair the opening, Dani let the little creature keep his growing hoard. “He can eat from the rations,” she said, ducking back inside before K’vyn spotted her. But he already ate all the rations. What? A small kitchenette set aft of the cargo hold, rations sorted in containers stacked against the bulkhead. She opened one, then another, and another, all with holes burrowed from the back, food nearly gone. “How can a creature so small eat so much?” Dani said to the air, throwing up her hands in exasperation. With no more rations, could they get enough food to last until a rescue party arrived? Eating the chickens was out of the question— Their eggs are pretty tasty, C’hase supplied. “Yes, they are, but Hedge keeps sneaking off with those too.” She’d caught the little guy twice today already. That beast looks tasty, C’hase said next, now sitting at the top of the ramp in full view of the outside world, watching the fire.

THE MOGHA SAT ATOP the ramp as K’vyn turned the spick. The tasty aroma would be irresistible to the pup. C’hase took a step down the ramp and stopped, looking back into the dark hold of the freighter, no doubt told to stay by his Alpha. K’vyn smiled. Watching out of the corner of his eye, the woman peeked around the bulkhead again, doing her best not to look as if she were spying on him. He was mesmerized. Everything about her was intriguing. The way she moved. The way she walked. The way she smiled. Even the way her clothing hung from her curvy body. Clothing he wanted to rip off, lay her down in the flowers— Movement at his feet snapped him out of his fantasy and he looked down. The young mogha was sitting on his haunches, the molk perched upon his head, the feathered creature standing beside him. Grin widening, he knew the mogha couldn’t resist. The avian clucked, its head jerking sideways, almost mirroring the tilt of the mogha’s head. “You are a peculiar mogha,” K’vyn said. The pup jumped to his feet, yapping, tail wagging, antennae twirling. K’vyn wished he knew what the mogha was saying. C’hase clearly needed a guide, a tutor to let him know the only biped he could communicate with was his alpha. In the absence of parents, the alpha could take on that role, but an ignorant Invader would be no help at all. Maybe he could find a guide for the pup on Mogha. Ear comm emitting a loud squelch, he winced. That was why he always conveniently forgot the damn thing. L’iza would not have chosen him as a pilot if he were a cyborg, but cyborg components would have had their advantages, like a direct comm link with his ship instead of an earpiece. “Since it’s not possible for the human to be your mate,” L’iza’s voice sounded in

the comm. “You could grab the mogha now and we can leave.” Her tone suggested sarcasm with her first statement, but she was serious about the mogha. K’vyn replied with a retort. “I thought you didn’t want the molk.” “Oh, I don’t,” she said without hesitation. “We’re leaving that pest here.” The mogha held the molk in an extended paw, antennae caressing it. He blinked as the molk brushed C’hase’s snout with the feathers on the end of his scaley tail. “I don’t think the mogha will part with it without a scene,” K’vyn said. “Chuck that creature off his head and let’s go. Oh, and get rid of the avian too.” K’vyn looked at the dilapidated freighter, the yearning in his heart intensifying with the thought of leaving Dani behind. Impatience wound its way through the weak connection he had with his ship. “Grab the puppy and let’s get out of here,” she said. Heaviness rested on K’vyn’s shoulders. “You know I can’t,” he said, turning his attention back to roasting the lizardbeast. “The human is his Alpha.” Could he convince the human to go with him? L’iza imitated letting out a breath. “I know. The mogha doesn’t deserve the pain of separation.” Sand squelched beneath booted feet and he raised his head, heart skipping at the sight of Dani walking towards him through bright orange popsies. The fire lit her face, her hair shining with the blaze, mirroring the blaze itself. Her stunning beauty ignited a blaze in his soul, directly affecting his lower anatomy. He leaned forward, bending at the hips to hide a growing erection. “The meal will be ready soon,” he said, nodding at the roasting beast.

Lip curling as she eyed the spick, she said, “I’m only here to get C’hase.” She rubbed behind the mogha’s ear and C’hase leaned into the touch, antennae caressing her forearm. K’vyn longed for a mogha companion such as this. “Come, C’hase,” she said. The mogha barked, watching the beast with hunger in his eyes, licking his lips. He would not go with her. “I do believe your companion is hungry,” K’vyn said with a smile.

THE GRIN ON THE KORTHAN’S face was maddingly triumphant. C’hase would not leave the fire. Just a taste, he said, the aroma too enticing. Glaring at the grinning Korthan, Dani sat on a log he apparently dragged out from the tree line. Hedge jumped from C’hase’s head, scurrying up her arm to perch on her shoulder. Musing that it was probably a better vantage point for the small creature, K’vyn’s voice interrupted her thought. “You shouldn’t keep a molk,” he said, and she blinked, brow furrowing. What was a molk? K’vyn pointed at her shoulder, Hedge letting out a squeak, the Korthan’s measuring gaze intensifying. “I can eat what Hedge eats,” Dani said. There were some issues with the little creature, but he was great to have around, from a survival standpoint. “You can eat what I eat,” K’vyn was indignant. “That Korthan-food-is-poison line is propaganda designed to divide our peoples. Those things will crash a ship.” His lip curled. “They’re vermin.” Dani stiffened, mouth falling open. “Stars, it did crash your ship,” he said with wide eyes. Snapping her jaw shut, Dani said, “Shooting at me didn’t help.” “You were tresing.” “Tresing?” Dani’s voice elevated. “This is neutral territory.” Hedge jumped from her shoulder to C’hase’s head, then to the ground and K’vyn scooted backwards, raising a leg.

Relieved for the distraction, she couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face at the big bad warrior scared of such a tiny creature. “That ‘vermin’ brings us food,” she said, then gestured at the roasting lizard. “He provided this meal.” The Korthan barked a laugh. “He didn’t provide this meal. He wanted something shiny.” He pointed a booted toe at several iridescent disks laying on the ground. “Probably these scales.” As if to prove his point, Hedge grabbed a scale right at that moment and disappeared into the flower stalks with it. “It just so happens that a lot of ‘food’ has something shiny on it,” he said, that damnable triumphant grin returned. “He killed the hellbats,” Dani said next. The Korthan worked his jaw, silent. “Ha, don’t have a comeback for that one, do you?” But there was an element to his knowledge of this creature that unnerved her. The hellhound was a Korthan creature. Was Hedge a Korthan creature too? What were the scientists doing with them in that lab? If K’vyn’s reactions were anything to go by, there was no love lost for the space rat. But the mogha— The reverence shown to C’hase was humbling. The stalks rustled as Hedge reappeared, taking his place atop C’hase’s head. He no longer had the scale. “Hedge belongs to C’hase,” she said. “ that next time you call him ‘vermin.’” “And a molk will crash a ship,” he said again, “ that the next time you see one on a space-faring vessel.”

MAKING HER WAY TO THE bridge of her freighter, Dani checked the comms again. Still no answer. Hearing C’hase’s voice outside, her brow furrowed. That was the first time she heard his voice outside of her mind. Was he talking to her? Maybe we can make her an honorary Korthan, his voice was saying. Stars, was he talking to the Korthan? Stomach somersaulting, Dani rushed from the bridge, the mogha’s voice carrying through the air. I know she’s a human and all, but if you don’t look at her, she doesn’t seem like a human. Dani ran across the cargo bay to the ramp. C’hase sat next to K’vyn at the everpresent fire, yapping away. Could the Korthan understand what the mogha was saying? I don’t know. What do you think? About making Dani a Korthan? If anyone can do it, it’s you. I like her. I know she likes you. Maybe you can make her a Korthan. Heart racing, she bounded down the ramp, K’vyn’s attention focused on something in front of him that looked like a small glass box. That’s okay, you don’t have to answer. Strong, silent type. She likes that. Blood rushed to her face, head becoming light. The Korthan turned to the pup, the corner of his mouth turned up as he gazed at the hellhound. Pace slowing, something in her stirred at that affectionate expression. There was very little savagery about him. Sometimes, though, she could see it. Lurking beneath the surface. He had it in him. This man would fiercely protect what was his.

K’vyn knelt next to C’hase. “I know you’re just talking away, Little Mogha, but I don’t understand a word you’re saying.” The pop of a stick underfoot had their heads snapping up. Crap— The Korthan’s expression vanished, becoming unreadable. “You don’t understand what he’s saying?” she said. Filled with relief, tense shoulders relaxed. He stood up, turning away from her to continue his task. “You should not be able to understand him either.” His tone was disappointment. “Why? Because I’m not a Korthan?” She glanced down at C’hase, his antennae going up. Apparently, the mogha seemed to think she could become a Korthan. “Exactly because you’re not Korthan,” K’vyn said. “That bond is sacred. How an Invader is blessed with it is sacrilege.” Dani stiffened. Invader? Sacrilege? But there was something else underlying that statement. “Are you jealous?” “Yes,” he whirled around, ission surprising her. Expression softening, his shoulders slumped. “I dearly desire a mogha companion,” he said. “Every Korthan does.” Dani could almost feel his words, a longing so deep it was tangible. She blinked. Was she detecting his emotions? “A mogha can only have one master companion its entire life. C’hase is fully bonded to you. Only you can understand him and you’re the only biped he can understand. When he talks, it just sounds like barking to everyone else.”

Dani sat on the log by the fire. No wonder nobody else heard the hellhound speaking at the lab. “So, what was he saying?” K’vyn asked next, eyebrows raised. Dani’s jaw felt tight. “Oh, he’s just barking away, like a hellhound does.” Sitting stock still, K’vyn said, “You shouldn’t call him that. A mogha is the noblest of noble creatures.” “What? Calling him a hellhound? He doesn’t mind.” Scratching vigorously behind his ears, the mogha’s back leg thumped the ground. “That’s because he probably doesn’t even know what you’re talking about. He needs a guide.” Dani blinked. “A what?” “Someone to teach him what it means to be a mogha.” As C’hase thumped some more, she ran her fingers through the increasing orange fur along the back of his neck. Why was C’hase’s fur turning orange? It was just about the same color as the flowers all around them. She could use a guide too— Bending down, K’vyn plucked an orange blossom at his feet, standing to hand it to her. “C’hase’s fur will be completely orange. I think his paws and antennae will be white.” He studied the mogha as he rubbed his chin. “Tip of his tail too. Though the feathers will be orange.” How did he know what she was thinking? Still holding the flower out to her, Dani took it, fingers brushing against his. Tingling warmth spread through her hand. K’vyn glanced at his fingers, rubbing them together before dropping his arm. Did he feel that tingling sensation too?

“Moghas have vibrant colorations,” he continued. “Blues, violets, yellows, whites.” But C’hase was always dark gray. Far from vibrant, she assumed as a predator, he’d need to have a dark color for hunting. K’vyn leveled a gaze on her. “Their fur turns gray in prolonged captivity.” She blinked. Was he reading her mind? But the Korthan’s words filled her with sorrow, weighing down her arms. How long was C’hase in captivity? Maybe K’vyn could return C’hase to his kind. The presence of the otherness seemed to swell. It grew by the day. Was it something to do with this Korthan? Are you reading my mind? She thought at him. The presence vanished.

WIND PICKING UP, K’VYN kept his composure long enough to return to his ship. Once inside, he leaned with his back against the bulkhead, head in hand, still tingling with Dani’s soft touch. He was reading her mind. But he swore she was asking questions about C’hase out loud. Was the bond that strong? If he denied it, could he will it to go away? Did he want to? L’iza appeared in front of him and he dropped his hand, expelling a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “A mogha is bonded to a human,” he said. “The mogha is keeping a molk as a pet. The molk has a chicken as a pet. And I seem to be bonded to the human.” L’iza smirked. “I would say stranger things have happened, but—” “Literally no stranger things have happened.” The wind outside raged, niggling concern heavy in his chest. Would Dani have been better protected in his ship?

Chapter 7

Piercing screech echoing around her, something buffeted her body, surface beneath her trembling. Eyes opening, mind groggy with sleep, a giant blur hovered above. Another shriek echoed, zapping Dani into full wakefulness, details of the blur becoming sharper as her eyes quickly focused on long, pointed, gnashing teeth. She shot from her bunk, grabbing the blaster from beneath her pillow as the hellbat dove at her, flapping wings knocking it from her grasp—

YAPPING AND BARKING sounded in the air. Disappointment wove through him. Even in his dreams, he couldn’t understand a mogha. There was a yelp, followed by a howl. The mogha sounded young, just a pup. Something grabbed his leg, shaking back and forth— K’vyn’s eyes jerked open, pulling his leg out of the grasp as he shot upright. At the foot of his bed, C’hase trotted to the door and back again, yapping loudly. L’iza materialized at the door. “The mogha was scratching at the hatch. He seems distraught, so I let him in.” C’hase grabbed his foot between his teeth, tugging twice before letting go and running to the doorway again. Did the wind die down? It usually lasted throughout the night. And the hellbats only came on windless nights. As if to answer his question, a shriek pierced the air. That sounded close by— Jumping from his bunk, clad only in his underwear, K’vyn raced to the hatchway. Dark clouds filled the sky. A quick look at the fire and his stomach fell. Only smoking coals remained, not enough to ward off the winged— Another screech and an ugly giant dove at something on the ground by the freighter. Throwing on his boots in record speed, K’vyn raced down the stairs and headed across the field, followed closely by the mogha. Another hellbat dove by the human ship and his jaw dropped in open astonishment as the molk took both beasts down in the time it took him to cross the popsies. The little varmint appeared to be guarding a chicken that somehow wondered out. The ramp of the freighter was closed.

C’hase stopped where the ramp would have been resting without so much as a second glance at the molk or the chicken, fingers extending, grasping at what appeared to be a crank. He barked loudly, executing several quick glances between the crank and K’vyn, antennae pointing. Then it hit him like lightning, Dani’s terror infusing his muscles with adrenaline. Help is on the way, he called through the bond. Hang on! Grabbing the crank, he unwound the ramp until there was just enough room for him to jump through the opening. Once inside, the sound of flapping leathery wings and a hair-raising shriek directed him to Dani’s location. The human was crouched on the floor, arms flung protectively over her head, eyes squeezed shut. A blaster lay out of reach, apparently ripped from her grasp as the sharp talons of a hellbat snapped around her. Lunging forward, he pulled the beast from the air by its wings, plunging his knife into the base of its neck as it hit the flooring in a flurry of frenzied movement. As the hellbat writhed in death throes, he picked the trembling woman up from the floor and carried her out of there. “Come,” he said. “We must stoke the fire back to life.” As she shook in his arms, guilt ate at him. He would not let his guard down again.

DANI COULDN’T STOP shaking as K’vyn stoked the flames, large log he threw in popping, embers rising high into the sky. Hellbat impaled on a spick, he raked aside several coals to roast it upon. She had no appetite whatsoever. The encounter with the hellbat was too close. And finding a way into her ship when the ramp was raised— Another tremble wracked her body. Warm fur brushed against her leg as C’hase lay at her feet. Reaching down to pat his head, an orange flower opened. She picked it, studying the patterns on the petals. Something so beautiful was a nice distraction from the ugliness of the attack. She wanted to thank the little flower for opening in the dark. Come to think of it, she’d seen them open at night quite a bit. “Popsies only close when there will be wind,” K’vyn’s rumbling voice sounded next to her. Under the impression he was trying to get her mind off the hellbat, Dani welcomed conversation. “You call these flowers popsies?’” she said. That didn’t sound like a Korthan word. She’d have thought there would be a harsher term for the orange blossoms. “Yes,” he said, holding up his left hand. “Because they popsy open.” Palm up, fingertips pressed together in a cone above it, he spread his fingers from the point. She smiled, the word combined with the action comical coming from a big bad Korthan warrior who ate hellbats for breakfast. The expression on his face lit up and she felt warm all over. “I don’t hate all humans,” he said.

Her eyebrows furrowed. That was abrupt— “What I mean to say is, I received an elementary education from the Human Colony Alliance,” he amended. So, K’vyn had been in the exchange program. No wonder he could speak perfect Standard. “I have a lot of human friends,” he said, pulling a cut of meat from the roasting beast. “But the treaty was simple: Only terraform worlds without life. Breaking that treaty doesn’t make sense to me.” “Korth started a war,” she said. “We are not at war,” K’vyn scoffed. “You would know if we were in all-out war.” “Could’ve fooled me,” Dani said. “What would you call it, then?” “Conflict.” “Conflict? You make it sound as if we’re just exchanging punches in a fist fight.” There were vicious dogfights, space battles, and turf skirmishes on numerous planets. “Solving our differences with a fist fight would’ve been acceptable,” he said. “Loss of life on both sides is a tragedy we could have avoided.” “There’s a term for that,” Dani fought from rolling her eyes. “It’s called ‘war.’” “Korthan farming worlds do not need to be terraformed to human life. We can co-exist.” Sensing the truth of that statement, Dani thought of the widespread human belief that Korthan food was poisonous to humans. From experience, that wasn’t true. Why would the Human Colony Alliance actively spread such lies when coexistence was possible?

The otherness that lurked within didn’t comment on that thought, but it was there. Looking across the dark landscape, then back at the fire, Dani said, “The Earth Council of Habitable Worlds would be interested in this planet.” K’vyn stiffened. “That’s not amusing.” “It would not need to be terraformed. Although,” Dani threw a sidelong glance at K’vyn. “Would you miss the hellbats?” The Korthan bristled. “Hellbats are not the most desirable of creatures, or the tastiest.” He threw a bone in the fire after devouring the meat. “But they are still life. They have a place in the ecosystem of this planet.” Dani looked at C’hase, who raised his head with an attentive gaze. “I guess that means he would miss them,” she said, touching her nose to the mogha’s.

K’VYN LEVELED A MEASURING gaze, the woman talking about him to her companion as if he wasn’t sitting next to them. But he wasn’t bitter. The true marvel was how much he tolerated this particular human. He’d have fought his human friends for saying the same things. Was it the mate bond that made him so accepting? Was it possible to truly have unconditional love? Judging by the mogha and his all-encoming devotion to his human Alpha, especially after the mistreatment he suffered from humans— “How did you find your mogha?” he asked. A dazzling smile lit up her features as she scratched behind the mogha’s ears. “C’hase found me,” she said. “How?” “I was between cargo runs on Station 12 when he started talking in my head.” Turning towards him, her eyes met his, a slight frown on downturned lips. “He was in a lab.” Mirroring her frown, he said, “A lab?” “Yes. He and Hedge were both in there. Basically, I stole them and hid them in a cargo of chickens.” His heart felt full. A human rescued two Korthan creatures, even if one of them was just vermin. “I’m supposed to deliver the chickens to Colony 739. They are very expensive. I will lose my license if they don’t make it.” K’vyn gazed at the dilapidated freighter. “I don’t think you’ll be making that delivery.” She let out a big sigh. “They’d probably arrest me as soon as I got there anyway.

Not my smartest move.” A chuckle. “I honestly don’t even have a plan.” The red feathered avian rushed ed, followed closely by the molk, and C’hase jumped to his feet, letting out a happy yap before taking off after them. K’vyn thought he’d seen everything in his lifetime. “I was hoping to find Mogha from there,” Dani said. “So I can return C’hase to his kind.” Alarm coursed through his veins. “You cannot deny a mogha its master companion,” he said. “You are alpha for life. C’hase must stay with you.”

FOR LIFE? DANI SAT on the bridge of her ship, feet propped on the console in front of her, playing the conversation with K’vyn over in her mind. She couldn’t imagine living without C’hase, but didn’t he belong with his kind? I belong with you, the mogha’s young voice sounded in her mind. I go where you go. Could she keep the hellhound? She thought once she found the mogha home world, she’d be saying goodbye to C’hase. Images of hiding him under her bed on the space station flashed through her mind. That wasn’t exactly a sustainable option. And she didn’t tell K’vyn everything either. She had to warn the moghas. A human fleet was preparing to invade their system and terraform their world for a new colony. Looking at her freighter, there was no way her ship was getting off this planet, but— Turning her gaze across the field of popsies, she eyed the advanced Korthan vessel. Could she trust the Korthan? Did she have a choice? You can trust him, C’hase’s voice sounded again. But, why couldn’t the new colony just settle on this world? Could she tell the Human Colony Alliance about this planet? Would they lighten her sentence if she did? The comm squelched and Dani pulled her feet from the console, stomping down on the flooring with a thud as she leaned forward, turning a knob to clear out the static. “The fugitive crashed on an uncharted world in the Mogha system,” a voice said over the comm. The Mogha system? Was it possible that she was already that close to finding Mogha?

“Any survivors?” another voice said, authoritative. “Unknown.” “Proceed as planned,” the authority said. “Double back for the fugitive once the objective is complete.” Oh, no, they were moving now. How far away was Mogha? “We will hit the Korthans where it hurts,” the first voice said. Hit the Korthans where it hurts? An image of the soft expression on K’vyn’s face as he watched C’hase flitted through her mind. And what he told her about his desire to have a mogha companion of his own, that all Korthans possessed this desire— Dani’s blood froze, stomach dropping in dread. A colony wouldn’t be placed on Paradise, because the humans wanted to terraform Mogha next, to cause as much pain to the Korthans as possible. Stars, she had to tell K’vyn. He probably even knew exactly where Mogha was.

STANDING NEXT TO HIS ship, K’vyn’s heart dropped as Dani raced from her freighter, crossing the field of popsies straight at him. Was she hurt? Was C’hase hurt? Her frantic emotions hit him across the chest. “They’re moving now,” she was yelling, words coming out in a panting holler as her legs swiftly carried her in long strides over the flowers. What? Who? Searching the sky for hellbats, K’vyn pulled his knife. But no dark clouds were rolling in, the telltale sign of the beasts’ arrival nowhere to be seen. Replacing the knife back in his belt, the woman was at his side in the next instant. “They’re moving now,” Dani said again, gulping in a breath, hands gripping her waist. “We’re running out of time.” Brow furrowing, K’vyn said, “I don’t understand.” “The Human Colony Alliance,” she paced in front of him. “They’re on their way to terraform Mogha.” Face falling, the whole of his insides flushed downwards as time suddenly stood still. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?” he heard himself say, his very voice sounding as if someone else were speaking the words. “You shot down my ship,” Dani said. “I didn’t know if I could trust you.” “The molk crashed your ship,” he corrected. “Shooting at me didn’t help,” she retorted. The world around him sped back up in a rush. No time to discuss the details of the reality of how her piece-of-molk-dung freighter fell from the sky, he turned to his ship.

“L’iza, ramp,” he commanded and bound up the ramp that materialized in front of him, leaving the human standing there with her mouth hanging open.

THE RAMP OF THE KORTHAN ship appeared step by step as it did when Dani first saw the warrior. Closing her jaw as K’vyn ran up, disappearing into the confines of his ship, her heart stopped as an orange and gray blur brushed by her legs, racing up the ramp. “C’hase,” she called. “No!” She froze as the pup went out of sight. Dammit— Waiting a full minute, she peered into the ship as best she could. C’hase, she projected her thoughts. Come back. Without warning, the ramp completely dissipated at once, hatch where the top previously entered clanging shut with a whoosh of hydraulics. Dani’s heart pounded in her ears. C’hase!

FOUR HOLO-PROJECTIONS stood before him as K’vyn clasped his hands behind his back. “Are you certain?” A’ryk Chiste, Death Angel of the Korthan Cyborg Corps, said, projection on the right. “A move on Mogha would mean all-out war.” Humans only believed they were at war with the Korthans. Numerous scout ships ran interference to divert humans from inhabited worlds, ran blockades. Troops occasionally clashed in bloody battles. Fighters clashed in vicious dogfights— In terraforming Mogha, the humans would learn what war with the Korthans was really like. “I am certain,” K’vyn said. “Their location is unknown, but an Invader fleet is heading towards the planet as we speak.” A’ryk’s frown deepened, the other projections shifting on their feet. “How did they find it?” The best defense the Korthans had against Invader terraforming was in simply hiding the locations of worlds. From early with humans, even at the height of cooperation and good will, the Korthans kept key worlds a secret. K’vyn wasn’t sure he wanted to know how they found the location of Mogha. “We will discuss the possibilities at a future time,” the delegate from Korth said, projection on the left. “For now, the Korthan Citizen Warrior Brigade will arrive in two days.” “The Death Angels are enroute,” A’ryk said. “But I’m in the Zeta System. I won’t make it in two days.” “The Galaxy Ship will protect his Korthan and mogha allies,” Captain K’ursick, second from the right, said. “The Korthan Cyborg Corps will arrive on the Galaxy Ship,” L’den said, second from the left.

“This will be a rescue mission,” the delegate said. “Unless the Death Angels have figured out how to detect which Invader ship carries the seed torpedo?” A’ryk’s lip curled as the delegate looked at him. “There isn’t any one ship that carries the seed. They switch it up each time. We won’t know until the torpedo is launched.” “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.”

Chapter 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 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. “If the plan is to eject it out the airlock into space, then I’m onboard,” L’iza retorted. Dani placed herself between the hologram and her mogha. Don’t worry, K’vyn’s voice said in her mind. Nobody is ejecting Hedge out an airlock. You called him by his name, she said. Does that mean you’re starting to like C’hase’s pet? “This molk has proven useful,” he said out loud, as much to Dani as to L’iza. “But still a molk,” L’iza said. “I cannot detect his movements until it is too late.” Of course, because a molk will crash a ship. Looking at her freighter, Dani understood L’iza’s stance. Still, though, she did not think C’hase would allow them to abandon the little guy. Molly let out a soft cluck. And Molly would miss him too. Setting the crate of chickens on the ground, K’vyn disappeared beneath the ship. L’iza leveled a measuring gaze on her. “He wanted confirmation and now, standing next to you both, you are definitely K’vyn’s life mate,” the hologram said. Dani blinked, the Korthan reappearing with a transparent box, the right size to contain a small troublesome pest. Recognizing the contraption, Dani ed the Korthan building it at the fire. Without a word, he grabbed Hedge from C’hase’s head and placed the squeaking creature in the enclosure, closing a lid with holes at the top. The mogha jumped to his feet in alarm. Oh, no, Hedge does not like cages.

Don’t worry, Little One, Dani said. This is not like the lab. Running circles around the cage, Hedge squeaked, alarm obvious, as he scratched at the walls and corners. “A molk cannot burrow through glass,” K’vyn said, peering into the cage as he held it up. It dawned on Dani why Hedge didn’t escape from the lab. She simply didn’t think about it before, but he was in a glass enclosure. Put something in there for him, C’hase said, handing her an iridescent lizard scale. Brow furrowing, she lifted the lid and did as the mogha asked. The little molk stopped his frantic movements, taking the scale, hugging it to his chest. “Huh,” K’vyn sounded. He needs more, C’hase said, taking off towards the freighter. “What is he doing?” K’vyn said. “I think he’s going to get more stuff for Hedge.” There wasn’t anything in the cage with Hedge in the lab. The hologram projection snorted, a curl in her lip. “You only think you’ve contained it.” “If it gets out, you may disavow me,” K’vyn said. “Oh, I will.” There was promise in her tone. Dani was under the impression that a disavowal was serious, K’vyn putting a lot on the line. The hologram disappeared and the hatch popped, opening as the stairs became available again.

“Does your AI stay on the ship?” she asked. The movements were so lifelike, but the voice— Had to be AI. “She is not AI,” K’vyn said as he picked up the crate of chickens. “Oh, you have a co-pilot.” It made sense. Dani usually needed a co-pilot to help fly the freighter, but she didn’t want to involve him in rescuing the hellhound. Then, he’d be going to jail with her once the Human Colony Alliance caught up to them. Although, it was odd that K’vyn’s co-pilot never left the ship. “Is the hologram like a projection?” she asked. “Like the one you sent to my ship? “It is not a projection,” he said as he reached the top of the stairs. “L’iza is the ship.” Is the ship? She gazed over the hull, filled with wonderment over the magnificent AI. “It is not AI,” K’vyn repeated. “L’iza is sentient.” Dani’s jaw dropped, mouth hanging open as she climbed the stairs, gaze affixed to the yellow and black hull. Sentient. Wow. Turning when she got to the top of the stairs, she looked across the landscape, orange flowers flapping in a gentle breeze, deep blue ocean winking in the light of the planet’s closest star. Gaze resting on her wrecked freighter, a giant lizard slowly climbing the ramp, she was filled with trepidation. Would she ever go back to the Human Colony Alliance? Molly let out a bawk and Dani jumped. Right. Time to get to Mogha. Turning back to the ship, her jaw dropped again as she entered a world of beauty. The most pristine ship she’d ever seen, there was not a seam to be found in the shiny black walls or floor, so dark they mirrored the blackness of space and seemed just as deep.

Yellow streams of light traced through the depths of the walls in intermittent bursts. She was in a sentient ship. Were the streams akin to blood rushing through veins? Or more like synapses firing in the brain? There were no corners, the hallway curving into another, doorways oblong ovals to through. Walking through one of the ovals, the Korthan plucked Molly from her arms, who squawked with a flap of wings before settling with K’vyn. “Keep following the bend,” he said. “You will reach the cockpit at the end.” Having no reason to believe Hedge and the chickens weren’t safe, she did as instructed, resisting the urge to touch the walls as she walked, mesmerized by their fluidity. Entering the cockpit was a marvel to behold. Like the rest of the ship, it was round, but transparent in its entirety. Dani could see the surface of the planet with all its orange flowers beneath her feet, the sky above her head, and across the landscape at the trees on the port side and ocean on the starboard side through the walls. Looking as if he were hovering above the ground, C’hase sat on the floor, clearly having returned from his mission, getting by without her noticing. Standing as he made eye with her, he twirled in circles. Alpha, we’re going home, he said, followed by a happy yap. Finally, she would be finding Mogha.

Chapter 9

Sitting in a chair L’iza materialized from the floor, Dani leaned forward. The sentient ship grayed out the decking beneath her, because it was too disconcerting to be ‘floating’ through space. A green world floated among red and blue nebulas, blackness of space dotted with uncountable stars all around them. Mogha— C’hase was on his feet, elation pouring from him in waves. Half of his fur was orange now, his antennae white, the tufts of feathers on the ends orange, standing out in the stark contrast of shiny black yellow-traced surfaces and blackness of space. “This planet was not on any of my charts,” she said, marveling at how close Mogha was to Paradise. She would have ed it, if she had been allowed to continue her route to Colony 739. Dani threw K’vyn a dry look. He sat in a chair in the middle of the room, providing a full three sixty view of everything around the ship. You were tresing, he said through the bond, the onishment light-hearted. “No, it wouldn’t be on any human charts,” he said out loud. “We are sworn to protect the inhabitants of this world. The location was never divulged to any human.” Chest tightening, Dani said, “Looks like someone figured it out.” “The Human Colony Alliance Fleet hasn’t arrived yet,” L’iza announced, hologram appearing next to K’vyn. On a ship full of things Dani was certain she’d never get used to, the appearance of a ghost-like hologram was at the top. “Good,” K’vyn said. “We have to get the warning to the Moghi Council. Are you sure you can’t interpret mogha?” “You know I can’t,” the hologram said. “Only an alpha can understand a mogha and each bond has a different connection. That’s why it’s impossible to interpret.”

Dani didn’t even think of that. If no one could understand the mogha and vice versa, how were they going to warn them? Gaze shifting to C’hase, K’vyn studied the mogha with knitted brow. He abruptly looked at Dani. “We need an interpreter, but if they see a human—” “And C’hase is so young,” she added. How did she ever think she could warn Mogha by herself with a puppy too young to comprehend the horrors of war? Without an attention span to sit through a conversation with some council where he’d have to relay what they were saying to her and what she was saying back to them? If they’d even find reason to trust a human. K’vyn abruptly stilled, something in the bond Dani couldn’t pinpoint—

ALPHA, I HEAR YOU. Are you near? I am on Mogha. Heart drumming in his chest, K’vyn was filled with unadulterated joy. I hear you! He called back. Landing on Mogha now. Finally, after all these years, he found his mogha companion. Elation came back at him from his mogha and he jumped to his feet. “She is here,” he said out loud, smiling as he glanced between L’iza and Dani. “My mogha companion is here.” Dani gasped, smile mirroring K’vyn’s. “That’s amazing.” “I knew you would find your companion one day,” L’iza said, silver eyes beaming. “And the true one this time.” K’vyn didn’t miss the smirk. His ship wasn’t going to let him live down mistaking his mate for his mogha companion. “Where shall we set down?” she said next, smirk still in place. Concentrating on the feeling of his mogha through the new bond, he got a sense of where she was located, even what she was looking at— There were trees, but the entire planet was covered in trees. By the mountains, his mogha said. There were mountains on Mogha? He didn’t know that. L’iza entered the planet’s atmosphere, flying low to the ground. Giant trees covered every surface, vines crisscrossing between them. Then he realized what his companion was calling ‘mountains.’ More like hills, they were marked only by a slight elevation in the landscape, an area where three groves of trees appeared to be standing above all others. Judging by the flatness of the rest of the planet, there would only be three ‘mountains’ on the entire world.

“There,” he pointed at the grove on the left. As they approached the grove, a small opening presented itself among the tall trees, perfect place for L’iza to land. In the middle of the opening sat one lone mogha, staring up at them. “That’s her,” he said, breathless. Violet in color, paws white, the mogha was magnificent. Hello, Alpha, she said. I am D’alla.

THE UNION OF THE KORTHAN and his mogha was one of the most moving things Dani had ever seen. As they disembarked the ship, the violet mogha jumped to her feet, staring between each of them until her eyes finally focused on K’vyn. Her antennae were white, feathers on the ends a deep purple. Sticking straight up, they began to twirl as she emitted a soft whimper. L’iza stopped at the bottom of the stairs, Dani following her lead. Speaking lovely nothings, K’vyn approached the creature with his hands held out in front of him. The violet mogha turned in several circles, antennae and tail twirling so fast they appeared as a blur, emitting happy yaps and short barks. Was that what C’hase sounded like to everyone else? Knowing that K’vyn would be hearing words, this was the first time she’d heard a mogha’s natural sound. Kneeling, hands still held in front of him, the mogha’s antennae reached for his fingers, tufts of feathers brushing his palms. The animal sniffed his hands, up his arms, and all around his face before nuzzling his neck. All the while, he had the same affectionate smile he’d shown both C’hase and Dani. And she could feel it through the bond, a sense of profound completion. There was movement at the edge of the tree line, several brightly-colored, fullgrown moghas watching. Dani could see what C’hase was going to look like, how magnificent he would become. Speaking of— Where was C’hase? He’d said he wanted to check on Hedge and Molly, but didn’t he want to see his home world? I’m scared, the pup said through the bond. I don’t have my full colors. They won’t like me. Dani’s heart sank. Kicking herself for missing the pup’s insecurities, the possibility of his own kind rejecting him didn’t even cross her mind. Of course, they will like you, Little One, she said. Come on out.

When he showed up in the opening at the top of the stairs, three moghas rushed forward, antennae leaning towards him. Crouching low, peeking over the lip in the opening, his antennae drooped out of sight.

AS SEVERAL MOGHAS RUSHED forward, D’alla’s antennae went up, mogha looking past him at something on the ship. The mogha gasped. “An orphan.” K’vyn felt pity through the bond, but there was reverence behind it with an overwhelming desire to ‘guide.’ Turning, K’vyn saw C’hase hiding at the top of the ramp. “That is C’hase,” he said. “His alpha rescued him.” He didn’t want to say ‘human,’ even with an obvious human standing right there next to L’iza. Dani coaxed the pup down the stairs, who walked slowly, antenna as low as his crouch, tail between his legs. Hiding behind his alpha, he peeked around her legs. D’alla’s gaze tracked between Dani and K’vyn, a feeling he could only describe as ‘exploratory’ permeating the bond. The human is your mate, she said, surprise evident. And an alpha. Shifting on his feet, K’vyn wasn’t quite sure what D’alla’s next reaction would be. He could not change who is life mate was, nor did he want to. But he was under no illusion that the fact could cause problems with mogha and Korthan alike— Are you okay that my life mate is human? he thought through the bond. A mogha bond would not form unless the being was pure of heart. She will be accepted by the moghas, D’alla looked at him. Including me. A weight lifted from K’vyn’s shoulders, his heart swelling, affection for his mate and his mogha bursting out. His mogha companion approached the cowering pup, followed closely by the

others, their antennae reaching for him. Were the feathers on the ends glowing? He is wonderful, D’alla said. Everyone will want to be his guide.

DANI STARED IN MARVELOUS wonderment as she and C’hase were surrounded by moghas, each of their antennae brushing over them, feather tips glowing as they felt over every surface of her hands, arms, and legs. C’hase was standing now, antennae intertwining with theirs as they each touched noses with him, tail held high. Alpha, they like me, he said. They like me a lot. Standing completely still as K’vyn’s new mogha companion sniffed her, tail twirling, she got the sense that she was accepted. She let go of a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. “This is D’alla,” K’vyn said. “She is asking permission to be C’hase’s guide.” Honored, she said, “Absolutely.” “I regret to cut this short,” K’vyn said, tone clipped while scratching behind D’alla’s ears. “But we must warn the council of human arrival.” “No sign of the Invader Fleet yet.” L’iza appeared to be inspecting a keypad on her hull. “I will continue to monitor.” K’vyn turned and L’iza tapped his arm, some sort of earpiece in her hand. Dani blinked. The hologram could hold onto something solid? “Don’t forget your comm,” L’iza said. “I will inform you when the scouts arrive and are ready.” Following behind K’vyn as D’alla lead the way, Dani felt giddy to be walking on only the second planet she’d ever been on. Wishing there were time to explore, she gaped at the height of the trees as they entered the forest. Trunks the width of yacht-class spaceships were so unbelievable she wouldn’t have believed anyone that told her before witnessing their enormity herself. Round burrows spiraled around the trunks, faces with long antennae peering out from inside. A mogha exited one ‘doorway’ and entered another, using his long fingers to climb around.

Flowers to match the size of the trees grew in clusters between the trunks, some clusters violet, some blue, some white. Entries to burrows were scattered among the clusters, mogha sitting on the ground by them, others watching from them. K’vyn was right, the sentient creatures did have vibrant colorations. Each color matched where the mogha was located. The ones in the trees were brown and black. The ones among the flowers were blue, purple, and white. There wasn’t a lot of orange. Is that why they were so intrigued by C’hase? His coat was growing more orange by the day— An orange blur flew by through the air, and Dani jumped backwards. Alpha, I’m flying, C’hase called, unadulterated joy radiating from the pup as he disappeared through the treetops. How in the stars was he flying? Then he was coming back towards her, long tongue flapping over the side of his face as he appeared to have the biggest smile. The mogha’s fingers were extended, holding onto a vine as he swung back and forth through the trees. Two more mogha were swinging nearby. Astonished, Dani let out a chuckle as she smiled herself. A dozen of the creatures came out of the trees as they reached a clearing on another hilltop. From what Dani could tell, it was the hilltop in the middle of the three they saw upon landing. The mogha greeted each other in a dizzying array of antennae and tail twirling, some only one or the other, nose nuzzles, body circles, barking, yipping, and yapping. These are the pack leaders in this region, K’vyn said through their bond. They will carry the warning to the rest of the pack leaders. The council settled on their haunches in a circle, D’alla in the center. K’vyn stood just outside of the circle. Your mogha is a pack leader? Dani watched the violet hound.

The region leader, he said, voice full of pride. I am doubly honored. D’alla began barking, stopping only when one of the other mogha barked. Feather tufts drooped in a relaxed state at first, all twelve mogha antennae stood on end in alarm at the same time. Four jumped to their feet, tails held straight out. C’hase pawed at something on the ground. Leaning over to him, she asked, “What are they saying?” Pausing, the pup’s antennae went up as he looked in the direction of the circle. Something akin to a butterfly fluttered past his face and his eyes began tracking it. Shrugging, he said, Adult stuff. Then he took off after the butterfly, chasing it between the trees. Standing perfectly still with his hands folded in front of him, no outward show of emotion, K’vyn’s laughter sounded in her mind. Interpreting with a mogha pup would have been a challenge, he said. Are you interpreting? she asked. Yes, of course. Why can’t I hear you? What are you telling them? You won’t be able to hear me when I’m speaking to D’alla, he said. But you seem to be able to hear me when I’m speaking to C’hase. That’s because you’re broadcasting on all frequencies. K’vyn’s stance shifted. Broadcasting? Think of it like radio frequencies, he said. When you’re speaking to C’hase, speak only to C’hase. Turn the frequency with me off. A sobering emotion poured from the Korthan.

I just told them about the seed torpedo, he said, answering her last question. Some say their packs will refuse to leave. Refuse to leave? Dani always knew this was a rescue mission. Saving the planet was impossible. But it never occurred to her that some of the residents would refuse to leave. They can’t, she said, eyes widening. They will be changed— This is their home; they know the consequences and want to stay, K’vyn said. And you thought you’d be able to rescue them all with only one freighter? I didn’t know there were so many— There were hundreds of mogha, thousands. It wasn’t the greatest plan, she added.

EARPIECE SQUELCHING in K’vyn’s ear, he winced, very nearly pulling it out when L’iza’s voice said, “It’s time.” The scout ships are here, he told D’alla. The evacuation begins.

Chapter 10

Standing next to L’iza in her cargo hold, K’vyn wasn’t exactly sure why D’alla wanted to inspect the ship. There were no other options to evacuate the mogha off world. It was either this or nothing— Some need convincing that it’s safe, she said. Safe? Their world was about to be destroyed. There was nothing safe about that to begin with— Is that a molk? D’alla stopped to stare in the glass enclosure sitting next to the chicken crates. Hedge lay upside down on a pile of shiny objects; buttons, wires, lizard scales. Wallowing with his feet straight up in the air, K’vyn had no idea a molk could look so happy. “He hasn’t even tried to get out,” L’iza said, nothing getting past her observant gaze. “He seems to pine after the reddish-brown chicken, so I show it to him every now and then and he’s fine.” “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re starting to like him.” K’vyn smirked. You might want to hide it before the other mogha get onboard, D’alla said, K’vyn keeping up with two conversations at once. Many haven’t been off the home world, but everyone knows a molk can crash a ship. “Nobody likes a molk,” L’iza said, indignant. Too indignant. “Just doing what it takes to prevent him from escaping that enclosure. Let me guess, the mogha wants you to hide it?” You’ll want to hide these avians too. D’alla licked her lips. Unless you don’t mind a few mogha helping themselves. The chickens are off-limits, he said. Help yourself to the eggs. “The Invader Fleet has been spotted in the system,” L’iza said.

IT WAS PURE CHAOS, mogha running every which way as they appeared, the air full of an array of barking as pack leaders organized them in groups, dozens of Korthan scout ships landing among the trees. The ships were as colorful as the mogha, the yellow coloration of L’iza just one of many. Some were blue, some were red, some were even pink, their sweptback wings traced with their respective color, some a combination of two. The sight of their graceful majesty took Dani’s breath away. Were all these ships sentient? D’alla ran from K’vyn’s ship as the last scout landed, rushing between the pack leaders and their groups, antennae straight up in high alert. C’hase was sticking as close to Dani as she was to him, never more than a few feet from each other, his coat of orange easy to keep track of. Many mogha brushed him with their feather-tips as they arrived, a delight to C’hase as much as a fascination to her, the intensity of the situation rendering the gestures bittersweet. As D’alla escorted several dozen skittish, whimpering and yipping mogha into L’iza’s cargo hold, Dani’s heart ached. Strong arms came around her from behind and she turned into K’vyn’s chest. “What we are about to do is extremely dangerous,” he murmured in her hair. “We could die.” Pulling away, he grasped her shoulders, looking her in the eye. “The safest place will be the Galaxy Ship. I can talk to L’Den about granting you asylum—” “What happens to me if something happens to you?” Dani interrupted him. K’vyn blinked, but she could feel the truth through the bond. There wouldn’t be much understanding; she’d likely become a prisoner. “So, there’s no place that’s safe,” she said. “C’hase and I will take our chances with you.”

Dani’s place was with K’vyn. As much as she would have liked to provide a safe place for C’hase— The mogha’s place is with you, K’vyn said through the bond. Separation is worse than death. L’iza poked her head out at the top of the stairs. “Let’s go,” she said. “C’hase will help keep the mogha onboard calm.” K’vyn squeezed her shoulders. Bounding back down the stairs, D’alla disappeared into the woods. Dani blinked. “What about D’alla?” “We’ll be back,” the hologram said, leaning back into the ship. “D’alla is staying here until every mogha that wants to leave is on a ship,” K’vyn said, walking up the stairs. “We will get her on the last run.” Throat constricting, she felt his trepidation through the bond as she boarded the ship. There were only a hundred ways that plan could go wrong— If the unsteadiness on her feet was anything to go by, the ship had already lifted off the ground, hatch clapping shut in short order. Entering the cargo hold, K’vyn was right about C’hase. The skittishness the mogha exhibited upon boarding vanished when they saw him. As they greeted and nose-nuzzled with him, Dani left them to it with a smile. Upon entering the cockpit, her jaw dropped. Hanging above the planet was the largest ship she’d ever seen. Oblong, it reminded her of a whale, but the sheer size of it— “That’s the Galaxy Ship,” K’vyn said. “He can’t land on the planet’s surface. We’re going to run mogha up to them.” “It looks alive,” Dani said, breathless.

“He is alive,” K’vyn said. “That ship is sentient, too?” “Most Korthan ships are sentient,” K’vyn confirmed. He narrowed his eyes at L’iza. “Some are particular about the Korthans that fly or inhabit them.” “The thought of a cyborg in my systems—” L’iza imitated a full-body shiver. “No.” “The Galaxy Ship will allow Korthans to reside there, but only entrusts his gemkeys to of the Korthan Cyborg Corps.” Gemkeys? What in the stars was he even talking about? “Incoming,” K’vyn said, game face on. Stars all around them, too many to count moved closer and closer, until it became evident they were ships. Did the entire Human Colony Alliance Fleet show up to terraform this one planet? Triangular fighters poured out of the Galaxy Ship, four of them surrounding L’iza while the rest spread out, eight surrounding two more scout ships on L’iza’s starboard side as they raced to the Galaxy. “, we are not trying to win a battle for the world,” K’vyn said through L’iza’s comm. “Just trying to save as many mogha as we can.” “Acknowledged,” a voice came back. Another ship emerged from the blackness of space, racing into the fray. Triangular like the fighters, it was bigger, shiny red and black coloration beautiful and sinister at once. “But we can kill as many Invaders as we can, too,” another voice said. “A’ryk,” K’vyn whooped. “I did not think you’d be here so quickly.” “I’ve never flown so fast.” This A’ryk sounded out of breath. “Let’s kill these

bastards.” Filled with unease, Dani couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped her when the new arrival barreled headlong through a web of laser fire into the human fleet. That ship is a Death Angel, K’vyn said in her mind, keeping her distracted as L’iza rushed towards the Galaxy Ship, a group of HCA fighters approaching at break-neck speed. I don’t know any Korthan that has in-depth knowledge of that ship. I suspect A’ryk knows more than he lets on, but there aren’t many Death Angels. How many sentient ships are there? Never mind how many; how many kinds were there? We don’t know. Dani was under the impression that answer applied to both questions— Then the HCA fighters were upon them, déjà vu setting in as laser fire skipped across L’iza’s hull. “Check on the mogha,” K’vyn ordered as they approached the Galaxy Ship, the cyborg fighters repelling the humans. Dani ran to the cargo hold, falling next to C’hase as a bolt jolted the ship into a fishtail, several mogha yelping in startled fear. I don’t think I like flying, C’hase’s young voice sounded younger, paws over his head. Someone’s always shooting at us.

K’VYN WINCED AS A LASER bolt struck L’iza from the side, Dani taking a hard fall. “You’ve got to block those,” L’iza spat over the comm, her pain and anger intense enough to feel keenly, even through their limited connection. “Sorry,” one of the cyborgs said. More Korthan ships arrived, a swarm of oblong silver shapes surrounding the Galaxy Ship. “About time the Citizen Brigade got here,” L’iza said. “Now the cyborgs can concentrate on escorting the scouts—” And concentrate they did, L’iza’s escort doubling from four to eight. The Invader fighter contingent that was shooting at them suddenly had their hands full with dozens of Citizen Brigade drones. Punching it, cyborg escort keeping up with ease, L’iza nearly skidded into an open hold of the Galaxy. Jumping to his feet, K’vyn yelled at Dani as he headed towards the back, hatch opening on his left. “Stay out of sight. , they won’t exactly be understanding—” K’vyn helped several mogha stand, L’Den’s magnificent mogha companion at the bottom of the stairs with Captain K’ursick as he walked down. Clasping arms in mutual respect and greeting with K’ursick, he nodded his head at A’rch. “L’Den says you don’t have a mogha companion,” the Captain said. “He’s on his way down. He and A’rch will translate for you on the next run.” L’Den was a good friend, but now was not the time to catch up on recent events. The mogha barked and gathered around A’rch, who barked back. Escorting all

the mogha away from L’iza, other mogha ed him from the two scouts who had just landed. K’vyn’s eyebrows raised. “Tell him to find another scout ship,” he said to K’ursick. “We don’t need a translator. Besides, looks like A’rch is needed here.” Re-entering his ship, K’vyn couldn’t help to smile at two orange, feather-tipped antennae sticking up over a chicken crate, the rest of the mogha safely ‘hidden.’ Next to the antennae, Dani stood as the hatch shut and they were in the air again. “C’hase doesn’t have to hide,” he chuckled. The smile on Dani’s face made his heart skip. “Says he wants to. He says that big black mogha is scary.” “A’rch? He is a little intimidating, but he’s fine. Ready for the next run?” “Ready,” she said, coaxing C’hase out of his hiding place. The pup raised a tarp they had thrown over Hedge and the chickens. The molk squeaked and he barked, nosing around the chickens until the reddish-brown Molly clucked. Apparently satisfied his pets were safe, he let the tarp fall back over them. Grabbing Dani’s hand, K’vyn squeezed, pulling her with him to the cockpit. A battle in space raged before them, L’iza on her own to get back to the planet’s surface, the KCC escorts reserved for arriving scouts full of mogha. The Death Angels were doing their best, but the majority of the Invader fleet was getting ever closer to the green world. They would be in range soon— D’alla, where are you? K’vyn called his mogha companion, heartrate elevated. Go to the East Quadrant, she said, showing him in his mind where the East Quadrant was. There is a group there waiting. What about you? You can pick me up on the next run.

DANI WAS FROZEN, LASER fire, human and Korthan ships crisscrossing all around them as L’iza barreled through space towards Mogha. C’hase grabbed her hand. We’re going to make it, K’vyn said in her mind. It went by in a blur, Dani feeling detached through it all. Landing on the planet, dozens of mogha cramming into the cargo hold, C’hase calming them. Eight cyborg fighters escorting them back to the Galaxy Ship, K’vyn and L’iza working together like a machine, hands flying through holograms and shapes as bulky human fighters tried to blast them from space. From what Dani could tell, situations like these were the reason a sentient ship needed a pilot. Then they were sliding into the Galaxy Ship, colorful mogha pouring out of scouts as each arrived with their precious cargo, a sea of waving antennae gathered in a far corner, A’rch corralling new groups. Before she knew it, they were unloaded and back in space, heading towards the green planet again— Along with several hundred human ships. Stomach dropping, the ships were almost in torpedo range of the mogha world. No one targeted L’iza or the scouts, instead concentrating on the Death Angels that were slowing their progress. A human warfighter pushed forward, flash of light igniting from its underbelly— Heart leaping to her throat, Dani sucked in a breath as a black torpedo was launched, K’vyn’s alarm striking through the bond like lightning. The sinister black and red shape of A’ryk’s ship raced after it, shot after shot of laser fire emitting from his wings— The seed torpedo erupted in a brilliant flash of fire as it exploded. “Yes!” K’vyn whooped with his fist in the air, his relief so powerful Dani let out

her breath. “There will be another attempt,” she said, no relief saved for herself.

HAVING NOT EVEN CONSIDERED a second attempt, K’vyn’s insides fell at Dani’s statement. “L’iza, hurry,” he said, sitting forward in his seat as if the action would make the scout that much faster. “Location,” L’iza said, executing a perfect imitation of gritted teeth, the treecovered surface of the planet rushing to meet them as she flew into the atmosphere. D’alla, he called to his mogha companion. We are coming. I cannot pinpoint your location. I am on the Middle Mountain, the pack leader said. There are a hundred mogha with me. Pointing, K’vyn said, “There. The middle hill where the council met.” He turned his head to L’iza. “There are a hundred mogha with her.” Blinking, L’iza glanced back at him before swiping through a hologram, the ship executing a sharp left turn towards the three hills they approached when first coming to this world, chickens squawking in protest. “It’s going to be a tight fit.” “Stars Almighty.” Dani’s quiet breathy exclamation reached his ears a split second before her spike in alarm. And then he saw it. Like a shooting star, it raced across the sky, trail of blaze behind it— The second torpedo. “L’iza!” he yelled, calling up several holo-controls from the console in front of him, tweaking fuel consumption and velocity control, anything to make the ship go faster. And faster the scout did go, overshooting the target as she attempted to slow, tree limbs falling as she skirted through the canopy, mogha running beneath them until the ship finally came to a stop a hundred yards from the hilltop. Mogha ran through the trees, straight at them, pouring through L’iza’s open

hatch. Where are you, D’alla? K’vyn ran against the flow, eyes searching, heart pounding in his ears. Two loud cracks pierced the air, the torpedo breaking the sound barrier as it entered the atmosphere— Terror unlike anything he’d ever known shook his body. He put his life mate and her pup in danger. His failed to rescue his mogha companion. They were all going to pay for his shortcomings with their lives— I’m here, D’alla suddenly said and he could see himself through her mind’s eye as her violet form approached. Thank the Stars. “Go, go go,” L’iza yelled as they ran to the ship. The ground shook, knocking D’alla off her feet. Doubling back, K’vyn hauled the mogha up, hoisting her into the ship as L’iza rose from the ground.

A VIOLET BLUR FLEW past her as K’vyn threw his mogha onto the ship. Then L’iza was in the air, the Korthan’s eyes widening as he tried grabbing at the edge of the entry, missing the mark, falling back to the ground— “L’iza, wait!” Dani screamed. “Tell him to run faster,” the scout yelled. “We can’t let that wave hit us.” A cloud rose high in the air, rushing towards them, sweeping away the foliage of the trees in a whooshing roar. Whatever it touched would be forever changed— Landing on his feet in a sprint, K’vyn rushed forward, tracking next to the entryway as L’iza moved over the ground. “Hurry!” Leaning out of the doorway, Dani stretched out her hand. The Korthan had only one shot. She knew it. He knew it— K’vyn crouched in his sprinting run, leaping high into the air, arm reaching out. The ship suddenly dipped as L’iza spun sharply into him, door lowering enough for him to grab the edge, his other hand coming around to grasp at Dani’s outstretched arm. With the tilt of the ship, Dani slipped, falling out the window just as K’vyn was about to grab her hand— Jerking to a halt in midair, front of her body hanging out of the entry, something held fast to her legs as the Korthan held onto her arm with his right hand, left hand firmly gripped to the bottom edge of the opening. Body moving backwards as the ground rushed below, Dani turned to see D’alla and C’hase had hold of each of her feet, pulling her back into the ship. Two more mogha ed in, grabbing her midsection and then shoulders as she was hauled back in, K’vyn’s hand slipping to hers. Gripping tight, she held onto him, gazes locked in intense determination. Three more mogha reached over the edge, grabbing his forearm and elbow just

beyond her grip and pulled backwards until she found herself on her back, heavy breathing Korthan laying over her. Hatch snapping shut, L’iza tilted the ship straight up, launching towards the blackness of space. Pulling her into an embrace, K’vyn kissed her neck, whispering against her ear. “That was close.” “Yes,” she breathed. Moment of triumph short-lived, a chorus of wails and howling erupted from the mogha. Climbing to their feet, she and K’vyn watched in horror as a wave swept over the world, green becoming brown in its wake. C’hase whimpered, incredible loss and sorrow pouring from the young hound. Hand pressed against his chest, K’vyn was no doubt effected by the bond with his mogha as well.

LIMBS SO HEAVY HE COULD barely lift them, heart battered, K’vyn made his way to the cockpit. It was always a rescue mission, he told himself over and over, but every Korthan would feel crushing defeat over the loss of Mogha. You saved countless mogha lives, D’alla said, but the words felt hollow, even when the sentiment behind them was genuine. Now what? He could hear Dani saying this to herself, thinking along the same lines as he was. When they got to the Galaxy, he would speak with L’Den and Captain K’ursick. The mogha may accept Dani, but after this day? They’d be hard pressed to find a Korthan community that would, even one full of folks raised through the exchange program like he was. Asylum on the Galaxy Ship was probably their only option— Once in the cockpit, he stopped short, stomach churning. A swarm of a hundred Invader ships or more buzzed in the space between L’iza and the Galaxy Ship. They were never going to get through that without an escort. “There are a hundred mogha onboard,” L’iza was saying. “We must land.” “We can’t get to you,” L’Den’s voice filled the air through the comm. “They are attacking the Galaxy.” The hologram slammed her fist on the console. “We must retreat,” L’Den said. “Take them to Paradise.” “And subject them to another world that will be targeted for terraforming?” L’iza’s voice was bitter. “No. I will not do that.” Observing the ships, entering several calculations, K’vyn pulled up the

probability of them making it to the Galaxy Ship without an escort— Two point three percent. “We are on our own,” he whispered, staring at the holograms in front of him, each giving doomed trajectories to the Galaxy. L’iza hung in space, concentration set in her features. Five Invader ships took notice, breaking their attack, racing in her direction. K’vyn felt a resolve solidify in their limited bond. “I will take them to Sanctuary,” she said, voice soft with an edge, a promise. “That is not permitted,” Captain K’ursick said, shock in his tone matching the tingling in K’vyn’s chest. Even the Korthans didn’t know where the sentient ship planet was— “I take responsibility,” L’iza said. “Refugees are permitted.” There was a pause on the radio, Dani stepping up beside him as A’ryk’s voice spoke. “They will never be allowed to leave.” Dani grasped his hand in a warm squeeze, and he brushed her soft skin with his thumb. Gazing down at her, brown eyes inviting, understanding, promising, his only desire was a life with her. Looking down the hallway towards the cargo hold, both D’alla and C’hase stood watching him. Eyes tracking to L’iza, he said, “We’re okay with that.”

Chapter 11

Dani never imagined that she would gain a lifelong bond with a sentient fourlegged companion and find her husband while rescuing the creature from a fate worse than death. She also never imagined she’d be stuck on a ship crammed full of antennae-laden, mischievous mogha for a couple weeks. Truth be told, she enjoyed their soft fur brushing her body everywhere she turned. But the close quarters didn’t lend itself to any alone time with K’vyn, which he made up for by whispering sweet nothings in her mind, complete with images of what he would do with her once they were finally alone— And once it was explained the chickens weren’t for eating, the occupants of the ship subsisted on eggs. Colony 739 was never going to get that delivery, but if the mogha ate the chickens, there’d be no more eggs. There was a store of rations K’vyn had onboard, but it wouldn’t have been enough without the eggs. She patted Molly’s head as L’iza held the chook up to Hedge’s cage. Apparently satisfied, the molk threw himself on his hoard of shiny objects with a happy squeak. L’iza even placed several chicken feathers in the enclosure. Unable to help it, she grinned at the hologram. “What?” L’iza’s electronic lilt sounded scandalized. “I am just making sure he doesn’t get loose.” Of course. That’s what was going on. The mogha were afraid of the molk at first, but once K’vyn explained to D’alla that the glass would hold him, he became a curiosity. When can he ride on my head again? C’hase had a hard time understanding why he couldn’t let Hedge out. Not even for a little while? “Frozen planet on the port side,” K’vyn announced. Watching the world covered in white and gray ice, she shivered. Stars, she really hoped that wasn’t Sanctuary. What a miserable existence— “It’s uninhabitable,” K’vyn said.

“Full of bear beasts,” L’iza said. And thank the heavens they went right on by it. Two more weeks— “Approaching Sanctuary,” L’iza said, voice amplified throughout the ship. And then the entire hull became transparent. All occupants stilled, the space around them breathtaking. Drifting through blue, red, and green nebula, Dani had to to inhale and exhale as her mouth hung open, K’vyn’s awe mirroring hers through the bond. Nearby stars dotted the tall celestial clouds— Those aren’t stars, K’vyn said in her mind. Dani squinted her eyes, then they opened wide. The dots were ships. Hundreds of organic ships. And then she saw it, a green and blue planet hanging between two colorful nebula. “Welcome home,” L’iza said. Pulling her close, K’vyn kissed the top of her head. Dani looked over the mogha, the chickens, Hedge, C’hase and L’iza, her eyes meeting her handsome Korthan’s. A smile spread across her features, heart swelling, threatening an overflow from her eyes. Never eligible for the HCA Colony Program, having only set foot on two planets in her entire lifetime, she was part of a colony anyway. They were about to start a colony of their own.

Also by Kyndra Hatch

After The Fall After The Fall

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Watch for more at Kyndra Hatch’s site.

About the Author

Kyndra Hatch grew up with a fascination for science fiction and a deep interest in ancient civilizations, a combination which fuels her active imagination. After twelve exciting years as an archaeologist, Kyndra pursues a ion for writing and has discovered her works have a decidedly science fiction romantic flair. She is a USA Today bestselling author and an active member of the SFR Brigade. Kyndra also writes science fiction, horror, and dark humor short stories as L.K. Hatchett. Visit her Facebook page or sign up for her newsletter for more info. Thanks for reading! Twitter: https://twitter.com/kyndrahatch Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kyndrahatch/ Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/LDG9 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kyndrahatch/ Read more at Kyndra Hatch’s site.