Page 53 of Sol Survivor

“A weakling from the Ki’irinzi Mountains is preferable to a lesser species.”

Drafe laughed.There was nothing lesser about Vic.Nor did he mention that the female to choose Ulvus for a mate was a fool.Then again, his family did have the oldest symbiotes.

“I cannot recall you being this entertaining, Ulvus.”

The male growled and slammed down his jar.“This is no joking matter.The reputation of our tribe is at stake.The symbiotes remember.”

“That they do.If you had our tribe at heart, you would not have stolen my water pouch.”Drafe licked his thumb and reached for his jar.“The symbiotes do remember, Ulvus Sava.”

“Kreta curse your arrogance, Drafe.”

Drafe grinned.“Osnir protects me.Perhaps you serve the wrong god?”

Ulvus leaped to his feet and stormed off.

Appearing unphased, Drafe devoured his last cake.Dread or anticipation burned in his gut.His knee bounced, and his symbiotes barreled along his veins.An event was coming, one he needed to pay attention to, whatever it was.

“Good, you are awake.”Gusin grinned as he strode into the galley.He hitched a thumb behind him.“What is wrong with Ulvus?”

“Many things.”Drafe glanced at Zuphayr aac Gusin Taed with his shocking blue-lilac hair and eyes.From the sky tribe, against a pale obsidian skin, they were a striking tribe to behold.

“Well, Caah and Vaen are returning with a pod.”Gusin shuffled from foot-to-foot as he waited for his food, a white gooey substance eaten with a scooped utensil.

“Excellent.”Drafe closed his eyes and conveyed with emotion to Aehort that it was time.Pushing off the bench, he slapped Gusin on the shoulder.“Man theAroagni.Caah will be traveling to the chosen site.”

Gusin nodded, carrying his bowl to the table.

Drafe strode to the bay, patting his stomach.

“Good morning,” Aehort glided into the passage.“Today will be momentous for you, Drafe Arrak.”

He gazed at Aehort, hoping for a little more insight.His uz continued without saying another word or conveying across their bond an emotion Drafe could understand.

The shuttle, sleek and as organic as all Ivoyan crafts, skimmed into the bay, carrying the captured pod.Caah leaped out as soon as the door opened.

Vaen trailed him.“Took some skill to capture it.”

“I masked its beacon as soon as Vaen guided it inside.”Caah grinned, gripping Vaen’s forearm.“A task well done.”

“Good.Our destination is a dwarf planet the humans call Ceres.”Drafe nudged his chin, and his males climbed into the powering down shuttle.Aehort glided across the bay and stepped inside, the high ceilings of the Ivoyan shuttle more than capable of handling his height.

“Ceres?”Vaen raised a brow as he and Caah returned to the shuttle, with Caah assuming the pilot’s seat.

“A rock with massive craters.Humans mine it for water, but the site we chose is far removed from the nearest colony.”Drafe ran his hand over the dull, gray pod that was nothing more than a tube.Resting on a hoverbed, once they landed, maneuvering it would be easy.That was smart thinking on his males’ part.

The door shut a second before Caah piloted the shuttle out of the bay.Spreading his legs, Drafe clasped his hands behind his back and watched the space whizz past the front screens.Aehort sat on a mounted chair, staring at the pod, his wide mouth pursed in displeasure.

Minutes later, they descended and touched down on a marbled-gray landscape.With a tap to their throats, they activated their shields and filed out of the shuttle.Vaen directed the hovering pod meters away from the shuttle.All five of them studied it.

“The last one detonated after a few hours of breaking the seal.”Drafe met each male’s gaze through his shield.The shimmer was slight, not hindering his ability to see.The air trapped between him and the thin shield would last no more than two hours.They didn’t have much time.

“Work fast.Gather what information you can, and do not disturb me.”Aehort extended his arm to hold his palm above the capsule, his eyes rolling back.

Drafe gestured to Vaen to pry open the pod.He held his breath when the lid edged up.With a shove from him and Caah, it slid off, revealing the corpse of a woman.Drafe frowned.He’d expected it to be a man, as per the last time.Drawing near, he studied her unmottled skin carrying a tinge of gray.She hadn’t started to decay yet.

“Mm,” Aehort hummed.“She endured great pain.”He winced.“Even in death, her cries for mercy fall on muted ears.”

“Her body has been enhanced.”Nenn scanned her, holding his arm over the gaping pod.“Every inch, including her organs has been altered.What remained human was removed.”

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