Page 85 of Sol Survivor

She laughed at him.It’s Meorri aac Victoria now.

He dipped his orange head.So it is.

“Now I see.”Kish Udap leaned back in his chair.“And how did it come to be that she has your symbiotes, Drafe Arrak?The Jakar has performed no symbiotic transfer, nor would we have condoned such an action.”

“Calm yourself, Kish.”Eran Udap stared at Vic, his brown eyes almost human.

She appreciated that the symbiotes shared their names and ranks, but still, to be studied as a specimen irritated her.Drafe squeezed her hand.She drew in a calming breath and willed her leg to stop twitching.

“This was unexpected.”Eran Udap rose and climbed off the dais, pausing in front of her.He captured a lock of her hair to test between two fingers.“Yet her bond with Aehort Uz and Drafe Arrak is strong.Her species must be remarkably acceptable to the symbiotes.”He flicked a wrist.“Summon the Jakar.We must test her.”

Her blood ran cold.Aehort had expected as much and warned her accordingly.She could do this.

Drafe tensed.I cannot lose you, Vic.I have tasked Vaen to await you on the shuttle.Run if you need to.

She shook her head.I can endure, besides, I won’t abandon you, Drafe.Do not ask me to.

“We have run tests on the return voyage and have made the findings available to the Maed Board,” Drafe said, scanning the udaps.

“I will determine which tests are necessary, young Drafe,” the black-eyed, pale-skinned Jakar glided toward them amid a cloud of incense.“Come,” he gestured to Vic.

She fell into step behind him.Argh.How old is he?I mean no disrespect, but a robo-dog can walk faster than this.

Drafe smothered a chuckle.Patience, Vic.Ceremony and protocol matter here.

She forced herself to stare ahead even as laughter barreled up her throat.Imagine the expression on his face if I swept him off his feet and carried him to the temple.

Aehort snorted.If we must flee, then I insist you carry him, Vic, and let the symbiotes record it for posterity.

Do not encourage her.Drafe widened his eyes at Aehort.It was the last image she saw as she left the chamber.

“Thenewestotswereexpecting you, Aehort Uz.Since the mission was a success, they have taken an interest in policies regarding the categorizations of newborns.They await your input.”At Eran Udap’s news, Aehort rose and glided out of the hall, leaving Drafe to face the Q.C.C.alone.

“We are all Qaldreth warriors, and there are no outsiders.What say you, Drafe Arrak?”Srim Udap threw out his hands, encompassing the gathered males.

Drafe shared each step of their investigation, as Vaen had communicated to the Q.C.C.They knew all this until Vic had found her way onto theAroagni, and with the retaking of theMula Pesada, communication had become sporadic.So he shared the footage from Vic’s eye implant.His chest swelled with pride at her actions, that of a warrior.The hall was privy to where her gaze lingered on parts of his anatomy when she leaned in to hug or kiss him.They witnessed her killing Carne without hesitation.He ended it before they suffered through two days of mating until she had, at last, purged the implant.Shuffling from foot to foot, he scanned the council, trying to read their thoughts while enduring a surge of lust.She did that to him, had from the moment their gazes first met.

“You mated a non-Qaldreth?”Kish Udap pointed at the door she had disappeared through.

Drafe gritted his teeth.“She is myvatia sahaar.”

Gasps rippled through the hall.

He scanned the council without fear.“As you know, when it happens, it is unexpected and cannot be denied.”

“And you did not reveal this to me, why?”Kish Udap growled.“Such an event is to be cherished, Drafe Arrak, not used in this callous manner.”

“I am not ashamed of the warrior female who is mine for eternity.I needed you to see her for yourself.She is beyond worthy of my affection, to birth my sons.But…there is more.The human she killed hurt her and, in doing so, inserted into her their version of symbiotes known as nanites.I now carry these.”He withdrew his sword and sliced his palm.The cut healed before it could bleed, but the idea of pain lingered.

Kish Udap leaped over the desk and grabbed the sword.He sliced Drafe’s palm again with the same result.“She carries these in her?”At Drafe’s nod, he faced the hall.“Summon the Jakar.Bring the female.”

“This is remarkable.How did this occur?Do the humans have the same symbiotic transfer ceremony?”Eran Udap took Drafe’s sword to test the blade.“The sword has not been tampered with.”

“Could we harvest thesenanites, insert them into our warriors?”Kish Udap slapped Drafe on the shoulder with a hearty chuckle.“You have done well.”

A growl pierced the excited murmurs.“You congratulate him?”Ulvus called from the rear of the hall.“He abandoned Caah, mated another species, and this mating sickness has spread to Nenn Maed with a blind human female.Do not be so easily deceived, my udaps.”

“I have read your reports, Ulvus Sava.They reek of bitterness.Your hatred for Drafe Arrak is well-documented by symbiotes and personal accounts.Anything you say will be measured against this.”Srim Udap captured Drafe’s palm to stroke his thumb across it.“Incredible.We had healing before but never to this degree.It is as if there was no wound.”

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