Page 35 of Guardians

“I went to the cave and looked over the damage. It cannot be repaired,” Gabriel admitted with a sigh. “The entire navigational system would have to be reprinted component by component. Without schematics or some form of detailed reference, I don’t think I can do it.”

Now they were getting somewhere. As long as Gabriel was willing to participate, Diego would move all of the obstacles standing in their way. “Wouldn’t the shuttle’s computer have reference files, maintenance records, or repair schematics?”

Gabriel shook his head, arms crossed over his chest. “Those files would have been stored on the mother ship. You haven’t managed to find it, have you?”

Diego shook his head, struggling not to glare at his friend. Gabriel’s sarcasm could abrade after a while. “The transport ship is a burned-out shell, but we have access to others. All of the ships that transported us here were similar.” Old and antiquated, expendable. Rydaria had been a one-way trip for everyone, even the ships. The only exception had been the military team responsible for ensuring that the hybrids could not leave. They allowed the molecular conversion systems to remain functional, but sabotaged everything else then flew away.

Another long pause followed as Gabriel stared off into the darkness. “It might be feasible to convert one of the operational systems into a rudimentary relay. Getting a message off-world would be infinitely easier than flying to the nearest outpost.”

Diego wasn’t sure how they would lure someone to this secluded planet. They had no universal credits and nothing of worth butpersonnel, and admitting that would attract all the wrong sort of traders. Still, he wasn’t going to discourage Gabriel in any way. “What do you need to make that happen?”

“I’m not sure,” Gabriel admitted. “I’ll have to go back to the cave.”

Diego nodded. This wasn’t as much progress as he’d hoped to make, but it was progress. “Send me a message once you’ve had time to reassess. You know where to find me.” He leaned down and picked up one of the cases, ready to show the devices to Gabriel so he could return to Lexie.

“What’s your mate’s name?”

The question surprised him. Why would Gabriel care if he was as disapproving as his initial reaction indicated? “Lexie. She was a consultant for Nuevo and never left Earth. She had no direct contact with any of us.”

“Then why is she here? I thought all the exiled humans had actively participated in the Griffin Project.”

Diego shook his head. “They all worked for Nuevo, but Kane only made the offer to those with no direct contact. Anyone who touched a hybrid is not eligible for the alliance.”

“And who makes that determination?” Gabriel challenged. “There were hundreds of labs on that outpost. How can you possibly know who staffed them all?”

Diego grinned at him, more than happy to share this secret. “We have an employee roster with their job titles and locations. No one will slip through the cracks.”

“Anything associated with Nuevo is tainted,” Gabriel sneered. “I want nothing to do with any of them.”

“Understood.” Diego picked up one of the cases and held it out toward the cantankerous raptor. “They claim that these are simple scanners, incapable of anything but basic analysis. I don’t want to return them until I know for sure that the description is accurate.”

“You snuck into Elias’ village and stole those back from him?”

Not sure why Gabriel sounded so disapproving, Diego studied him carefully. “Do you have a problem with that? We’re in an alliance with the humans. Allies help each other.”

“I thought Zion was trying to avoid a war. You know damn well that Elias will retaliate. Why provoke him like this?”

Diego clasped his hands behind his back to keep from punching Gabriel in the face. He was always disagreeable, but he was being particularly difficult tonight. “Just tell me if it’s safe to give them back.”

Gabriel took the case and knelt as he placed it on the ground. A small light activated when Gabriel lifted the lid. There were four devices in all. Each was slightly different from the others. Gabriel picked them up one by one and looked them over before saying, “They’re harmless, meant for basic assessment and comparison. They can provide detailed information on plants and soil samples. That one is a simple medical scanner, but none of them are capable of mutating anything.”

“Perfect.”

Gabriel closed the case and picked it up as he pushed back to his feet. He handed the case back to Diego, then shocked the hell out of him as he said, “I have no interest in a mate, but there are those in my village who would strongly disagree. I’ll mention the alliance to my brother. See if he wishes to be part of it.”

“Thank you. For that and for this.” He lifted the case.

“Is she worth it?”

“It’s too early to say for sure, but I’m definitely intrigued.”

Gabriel just shook his head and melted back into the darkness.

The following morning Lexie woke up gradually. She was warm and comfortable, well rested and sexually satisfied. It felt good just to lie there and relax, so she remained still and let her mind wander. She was also being a coward. The longer she lounged around in bed, the longer she could avoid the challenges of the new day.

After her conversation with Tara, Lexie returned to the cabin she shared with her mates. She secretly enjoyed having Kane carry her around, yet she was anxious to move about freely. Malik was waiting with a warm beverage rather like spiced cider with a shot of rum. She sipped thekidolenwhile she asked them questions about their lives since coming to Rydaria. She knew they were part of Zion’s security team, but she hadn’t realized all the responsibilities involved in that position. The guardians oversaw the safety and security of the entire village. Protecting Zion was simply one task among many. They also gathered information and planned attacks on enemies. They resolved conflicts and negotiated alliances. They were the secret service, FBI, and the president’s cabinet all rolled into one.

The relaxed atmosphere didn’t last long. By the time she finished thekidolen, Kane’s and Malik’s eyes blazed with carnal hunger and all three were ready for more of their combustible passion.

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