Page 1 of Badari Medic

CHAPTER ONE

“Ten minutes,” the pilot said in an easy drawl.

Raeblin of the Badari Daughters bit her lip and clutched her combat medic’s kit tightly. She supposed it was a bad idea to go through the contents one more time this close to landing. She’d packed it herself and had the contents reviewed by Timtur the Chief Healer so she was confident everything was there but her nerves were grinding on her, sure she’d forgotten something and an innocent victim was going to die because of her oversight. She made a quick prayer to the Great Mother to be able to do her job efficiently and not to freeze up in her first combat situation.

After all she’d fought hard for this opportunity, demanded it finally. And the Alphas had given in. She’d trained and drilled and worked out and was as ready as anyone could be.

She looked at the other occupants of the flyer, mostly Badari with a sprinkling of humans. All of them were relaxed—several were even catching a few winks of naptime. Of course they’d all been out on this kind of mission before and were hardened veterans. Raeblin was the only rookie, the only one with a lot to prove today. She swallowed hard and took a few deep breaths.

The rookie wasscared but she was holding it together so far. Brent wasn’t judging her—hell, everyone was scared on their first combat deployment or should be. His had been so damn long ago he really couldn’t remember, the experience blurred and overlaid by countless missions since, but he’d been the same as a green kid. He did remember a senior NCO telling him to rely on his training and the people in his squad. Which he’d done. Decades in the Special Forces, followed by a career as a hard ass mercenary with Gabe and Flo, and then war here on Ushandirr all added up to a memory numbing total. He’d been through the rejuve resonator more than the supposed limit of three times, he had aches and pains when the weather changed but he had no regrets. Settling down to a life as a colonist somewhere, having a wife and kids…none of that had ever appealed to him. He wanted to die with a weapon in his hands in the middle of a righteous fight and expected that to be his fate.

Not today though. This was a damn milk run, which is why the Alphas finally agreed to let Raeblin be on the team.

Of course when anyone dared to predict an easy in and out, the situation usually went straight to shit and people died. He’d said as much to Gabe when they’d had their private discussion of this mission. “I don’t understand why Aydarr or Keshara—or you—wants to risk a Badari Daughter getting close to a Khagrish lab,” he’d said. “Much less in a firefight. I thought these women were so precious and unique they’d always be treated with kid gloves.”

“Keshara’s grateful to Raeblin for pulling the last Daughter through, for giving her medical care virtually around the clock for nearly a year,” Gabe said, taking a long drink of the beer which the supreme Alpha allowed him to have as a private, secret stock. Badari gratitude ran deep when it came to Gabe, Flo and Brent and the trio got breaks no one else got, althoughthey didn’t broadcast the fact or flaunt it. Their early alliance with and support of Jill and Aydarr would never be forgotten.

Hell, Brent even had his own cave residence although usually he lived in the barracks cave with the other operators and soldiers.

“Raeblin basically had no life of her own the entire time, gave Jezari the kind of care no one else here in the valley has time to give. Now Jezari has finally gotten out of the hospital and is stable at 80 to 90 percent recovered, my mate wants to reward her and Raeblin wants to contribute to the war effort so her wish had been granted. She’s done well with the basic training.” Gabe shrugged.

Brent considered this while he drank his own beer. “And where do I come in on this?”

“I want you to be her bodyguard.” Gabe frowned. “And I don’t want Raeblin or Keshara to know. This is strictly between us. I want her coming back in one piece and you’ll be my insurance. No one’s better than you, not even the Badari, when it comes to protecting a high value target.”

“Does the girl know I’m her babysitter?”

“Seven hells, no.” Gabe threw him a frown. “And you’d better be subtle about it.”

Brent hadn’t much cared for the assignment but it got him out of the valley and into a combat situation even if the job was routine so he’d agreed. Showed up at the appointed time with weapon in hand and took his seat in the flyer opposite her. She wasn’t hard on the eyes, even in fatigues and carrying all her gear. Badari had been created to be attractive to human eyes and the few Badari women were no exception.As long as she can do her job,he thought,I could care less.I’ll watch her six.He was a casual guy, there were plenty of human women in the valley who appreciated what he brought to the bed and were happy to enjoy mutual good times. The Badari males wereintense and each one was said to have only one fated mate in the entire universe, Until a Badari found her, he had no interest in close encounters of the sexual kind. Which left more willing partners for Brent, as he saw matters. Win, win.

He figured his attitude was probably another reason Gabe had picked him to guard Raeblin. He had no interest in complicated relationships and a Badari Daughter was inevitably going to carry all kinds of complications with her, starting with the Supreme Alpha watching out for them as if they were his literal sisters. As it had turned out, because the Badari Daughters were created with the original genetic material and all living Badari males were products of 800 years of experimentation and genetic manipulation, the women were more like distant cousins.

He leaned forward and tapped her on the knee. “You should check your weapon,” Brent said to Raeblin now. “Before we land and deploy.”

“Oh, of course.” Nervously she fumbled for her pulse rifle, running through the check procedure with clumsy fingers. “I was more worried about my medkit.”

“Can’t kill Khagrish with that,” he said mildly, wondering if she could bring herself to kill a Khagrish at all. The Badari Daughters had had a complicated upbringing at their isolated lab and lacked the visceral hatred for the alien scientists Badari Warriors carried.

She glared at him, her amber eyes glowing slightly. “I can kill if required.”

Pasting on an easy smile, although he had his doubts, he said, “Sure, of course. Got a predator deep inside, I know. Just making a joke.”

Her being angry at him was probably better than her anxiety of a few minutes ago so Brent was satisfied. If she did okay onthis mission Gabe probably wouldn’t need her babysat for the next one. Of course he wasn’t going to tell Raeblin that.

The flyer set down smoothly and the ramp deployed. The soldiers rushed out, moving into the Khagrish lab complex which was today’s target. Brent’s fingers were itchy on his weapon. This was one of the few times he wasn’t at the tip of the spear where an elite operator like himself belonged. Even among the Badari his skills as a breacher and point man were ranked highly. Rising to his feet, he slid around Raeblin, assuming his bodyguard duty. With her breathing down his neck, making impatient sounds about him going so slowly, they reached the ramp. Brent took a minute to assess the scene before he descended the ramp with her behind him.

The buzz of blasters and pulse rifles sounded from the buildings in front of him but plainly the enemy defenders were overwhelmed by the Badari assault. There were two more flyers just like the one which had brought him and Raeblin to the party, each delivering a squad of soldiers with weapons hot and experience taking down labs.

Set up the medic station in building three,Camron said in his ear. Camron was in charge of this mission.

Got it,Brent replied, checking that Raeblin had also received the message. Of course she’d gotten the word telepathically, being a Badari and he had to rely on the coms but both worked. “Building three is the one to the left,” he said. “The prisoners will be in there if this is like every other lab.” He moved out, staying low and was pleased to see Raeblin do the same. She moved smoothly in his wake, more from the fact she had a deadly feline predator woven into her DNA than from any quick training she’d received. The complex looked to be secured already, with the weapons fire only sporadic now but he wasn’t taking any chances. The back of his neck itched and he wasn’t convinced the situation was as under control as it appeared. TheKhagrish had been getting sneakier lately, trying new tactics on occasion.

Hainn, a Badari healer/medic from the South Seas pack was already set up and examining freed prisoners when they arrived. “Station yourself over there,” he said to Raeblin, speaking out loud for Brent’s benefit. He pointed with his chin. “Give them a once over only, treat anything urgent, call me if there’s any medical issue at an emergency level.”

“Right.” Eyeing the line of prisoners waiting, Raeblin hurried to the designated spot so fast she nearly tripped herself. Brent caught her arm and kept her from face planting. “I know we have to do this fast and get out,” she said as she opened her medkit.

Brent blocked her line of sight to the waiting humans and Hainn. Staring into her eyes, he said, “Take a deep breath. Relax. You’re fine, we’re on the mission timetable so no sweat. Okay?”

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