Page 6 of Return of the Nine

Councillor Rothaway smiled as the request for entertainment vids came up on the screen. “Do you believe me now?”

He had tried to explain to his people that he had met a Gaian with the ability to speak the language of the Nine. While his survival and that of the rest of his team had proved that someone else had a hand in their escape from the Tokkel ship, it was only in the past week when the salvaged vessel was dredged from the ocean that he was able prove his experience was not just a hallucination born of torture.

“Yes, fine. You are right. She knows our language. I am still not sure what it means.” Lyneer brought up the scans of the human and blinked rapidly.

“How long have you been out of the tanks?” Rothawayscowled.

“I have the humidity turned up in my chambers, I am just surprised at how easily she moves in our environment. What have you been able to learn?”

Rothaway sat back and stared at the images of Signy Alora on his screens. “She is third-generation Gaian. There were no reports of her being taken and none of the survivors could recall precisely what the woman looked like. They only know that she released them and sent them all home. Aside from that they were not very concerned with what she looked like.”

“What about satellite scans?”

He grinned. “None of the satellites were operational in the area where the escape pod was found.”

Lyneer blinked again. “How could she know where to land?”

Rothaway smiled. “That is the mystery that I want to solve. Her knowledge base is far beyond anyone from her world.”

He didn’t mention that her lips were soft, she smelled like roses and he wanted to feel the silky skin of her hips under his hands again. She woke every shifter instinct that he had and that alone had shaken him to his core. When he recovered, he did so with the realisation that his mate was down on the planet below and he simply needed to find her.

The issue of finding her had seemed simple until the images of the crashed ship began to stream over the Gaian news reports. His confusion had stemmed from the sense that she was alive and well.

Signy Alora would face the council tomorrow and when the footage from the Tokkel ship was displayed she would have to explain what it was that she did and how precisely she did it.

Chapter Four

Ziggy jerked awake at the knock on the bedroom wall. She rolled over and blinked sleepily, trying to bring the newcomer into focus. “Hello?”

“Please excuse the intrusion, Ms. Alara. I have your clothing for the meeting and the official reception.” The male was distinctly green, even to Ziggy’s exhausted gaze.

“Oh. Hello.” She sat up and looked down at herself, sighing in relief when she noted that she had slept in her clothes.

The male was leaning in her doorway and he had a silky wave of blue fabric over his arm.

“I have your clothing for the event today. Your breakfast is waiting. Please prepare and join me in the outer room.”

He stepped forward and put the gown on the edge of her bed. She simply watched him drop it off and as he walked out she stared after him with her eyes wide.

When he was in the outer room she shifted and grabbed the dress while easing into the lavatory. She leaned against the closed door and blinked rapidly. “Whew.”

With an eye toward speed she stripped and left her clothing in a pile, entering what her mind told her was the cleansing unit.

The shower was peculiar. She stood on the depressions that were meant for feet and pressed the only button in the area while she closed her eyes.

Light and wind struck her, startling a yelp out of her. It was exactly as the memories had shown her. Her body tingled but she was squeaky clean.

Ziggy bit her lip as she held up the dress. It was long, elegant, and would not be appreciative of underwear. The fabric wouldcling tightly where it touched and she didn’t want to destroy the line of the garment, but she was not keen on going commando.

She slithered into the gown and admired the fit in the long mirror. It certainly was flattering, and the deep blue made her midnight eyes bright and mysterious at the same time.

Her long brown hair was hanging straight, the side effect of the cleansing unit. It removed all oil and dirt but it acted as a flat iron.

The rumble of her stomach drove her out of the bathroom after she had attended to all other morning matters including a peculiar toothbrush.

She peeked around the corner of her bedroom, watching him at the dining table. “Are there shoes to go with this gown?”

The male turned slowly and smiled. “Of course. By the door. Now, come and have something to eat. Our cooks made an effort to provide you with something familiar.”

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