Molten (2 page)

Using the instructions she had been given, she put the coordinates into her small vehicle, and she straddled the scooter-like construct before taking off. The cloud runner steered itself up and out over the water, heading for her assignment.

She had a contact image and tried to calm her sweating palms. Focus. She was here to fix what she could and return to her new home.

The site was obvious as she approached it. There was rubble, dented vehicles and scorch marks on the ground.

She took over control and found a position to park that kept her out of the way. She headed for the peacekeepers and cleared her throat.

“Who are you?”

She took a deep breath. “I am the stone and metal repair specialist looking for the local representative. I believe his name is Ahken.”

The peacekeepers looked her over and took in her bodysuit, the pallor of her skin and the badge attached to her neckline. That was what caused the man to point to a conservatively dressed man who was speaking with a fellow in a tight suit that outlined every inch of his musculature.

His hair was metallic gold, and Nanette admired it as she approached.

Ahken turned toward her with an expression of relief. “Oh, the repair specialist.”

Nanette inclined her head. “As you say. What do you wish me to reconstruct?”

The other man turned, and his eyes widened in surprise. “A Terran?”

She nodded.

He extended his hand. “My name is Rand. I am one of the Guardians of W’lyn.”

She took his hand and watched his eyes flicker in surprise again.

“You are very warm.”

Nanette pulled her hand from his. “Occupational hazard.”

She watched him flare his nostrils and he looked confused.

“You don’t smell like a Terran.”

“I have been tutored to avoid distracting interactions with the W’lyn.” She smiled. “Please excuse me.”

She returned her attention to Ahken. “If you would take me to the items you wish repaired?”

He nodded, “Of course. Please excuse me, Rand. I will be with you momentarily.”

Ahken showed her the blocky statuary that had taken damage. She smiled when she recognized one of the metal compositions as the primary material she had been studying on her journey out.

“May I get started?”

“Please. Call me if you need me.” He winked and strode away.

She nodded, but her mind was already on her project. A large corner had been knocked off the obelisk-like object, and she located it without any difficulty. She thanked the combination of her skills and her genes when she lifted the chunk of metal and tested the fit. It was a solid connection, but some of that metal would be lost when she melted it.

She set the metal down and returned to her vehicle, rummaging in the packs for welding rods that would match the statue.

Ahken and Rand watched her resume her work on the statue. She could feel their gazes on her.

She settled the piece within easy reach, heated the main block with one hand while melting a chunk of the welding rod in her hand. When they were both soft, she slapped the rod to the molten metal and then kept it hot while warming the broken piece. When everything was ready, she grabbed the chunk and lifted it into place, holding it while the metals mixed, swirled and began to cool. Patience was key at the setting stage. If she didn’t give it the time it needed, she wouldn’t get a good seal.

Instinct told her when the initial setting was good and there was a hairline crack that was still visible. Now was the fun part.

Humming, she got her water bottles, more welding rods and she climbed up on the main part of the statue and started to work.

Making the metal a soft, pliable consistency let her place it precisely into the crack, and her hand smoothed it into a seamless bond. A splash of water shocked the metal into rigidity, and she kept working until the top joint was invisible.

Nanette smiled and enjoyed climbing all over the piece until the only telltale sign of the damage was the brighter line of the repair. In time, it would disappear.

When she looked out over the battle-scarred area, she could not see any other hard object damage. She went in search of Ahken.

He was standing and speaking to volunteers and peacekeepers, directing the cleanup efforts.

When he turned to her, she smiled. “Was there anything else?”

He shook his head. “No, only the replica of the founder ship. Thank you. Do you mind if I come with you to take a look?”

“Please. I can’t match the patina, but I did match the metal, so weather should take care of it.” She knew she had done a good job, but she was still nervous. It was her first true job in her new career. It was a nerve-wracking moment. If this didn’t work, she was out of options.

Ahken walked over to the sculpture with her, and now that it was complete, she could see the ship in the metal. Her tiny seam was nearly invisible.

Ahken beamed. “Perfect! Thank you so much, Repair Specialist.”

Nanette felt her shoulders relax. “Good. Is there anything else?”

“No. We are having a musical performance tomorrow, so the immediate repair was urgent. Thank you and I will be filing a satisfied report on your behalf.”

Nanette inclined her head and smiled. “Good day to you then. It was wonderful to be able to work in my element.”

With nothing else to say, she returned to her vehicle and set the homing system to her one-person base. She idly looked for signs of Rand, but he must have left while she was working. He was nowhere to be found.

* * * *

“Wren, you know your own kind, right?” Rand cornered the caretaker in the kitchen and ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

Wren smiled and kept making the cookies. “I like to think so. Is it Beryl?”

“No. I met the newest Terran today. The repair specialist hired to fix things that we break.”

“I didn’t know there was one.”

Rand sighed and leaned against the cool stone of the counter. “Well, there is and she doesn’t smell right.”

Wren laughed at him. “What do you mean?”

“She doesn’t smell like Beryl did before mating or like you and she did after it. She has no scent whatsoever and it is distressing.” He didn’t add that she had a body he wanted desperately to uncover, but if Loesh could sense something he couldn’t, he would be furious. He wanted that elegant creature for himself, even if she could lift him over her head. Her strength was a bit of a turn on. She didn’t look as strong as she was, and it had caught him by surprise when she had lifted that chunk of metal into position as if it was a piece of pastry with no substance.

Wren paused. “I will look into it. Where is she living?”

Rand shrugged. “I couldn’t find out. I came straight back after I met her so that I could ask you if you would know what caused the scent problem.”

She gave him a sly look. “Would you like me to go and find out what her details are?”

“Please. This lack of information is driving me to distraction.” He wrinkled his nose.

Wren put the dough in the chiller and went to her office.

Rand sat in the common area and tried to watch a vid while bursts of laughter came out of the office. When Wren returned, she was wiping tears from her eyes and grinning.

Rand lifted his head. “Why were you laughing?”

Wren waved her hand in the air. “I had a chat with our newcomer, Nanette. She is very witty and fairly direct.”

He stood up. “You spoke to her?”

“I did. She admires your colouration. She has an affinity for metallics.”

“What about the other issue?”

“Oh, her medical records indicated that her talent burns off all pheromones while she is working. It is a trained reaction. She is literally too hot to be picked up by your senses.”

“Could Loesh pick up the scent?”

Wren cackled at that. “With his enhanced senses, he wouldn’t be able to get within ten feet of her.”

Rand asked another thing that was bugging him. “How can she have a talent when you and Bebe didn’t get yours until you were mated?”

“She isn’t a latent talent; she is an active talent. Beryl and I can do things that Toyo and Drovin can’t and vice versa. It is the same talent with a different expression. I have seen you weld metal around here using your bioelectrics. Molecular stimulation seems to be the same talent in both cases.” Wren winked and returned to her baking.

Rand nodded and tried to imagine running into Nanette again without resorting to an act of vandalism that might cost him his job.

Two months on W’lyn and seventeen repairs to statues, fences, walls and ancient architecture meant that Nanette was now a common sight, and the administrators of most of the cities she visited knew her by name.

The invitation to the Fire Festival caught her by surprise, and the gown that was included made tears come to her eyes. She missed feeling pretty.

Dear Nanette,

I am delighted to invite you to be an honoured guest and demonstrative performer at our annual Fire Festival. The celebration of fire, heat and the volcano that gives us our energy is a joyous event and we would like you to sculpt three items using molten metals while the orchestra performs.

If duty interferes with this, we will completely understand, but if you agree to participate, we would make sure that you have an evening you will never forget.

The gown has been designed to be heat resistant while conforming to the theme of red and orange for the women while the men wear blue and white. A mask has been included if you wish to remain anonymous.

Should you be interested, please contact me at your earliest convenience.

Administrator Leakat of Zoori Prefecture

Nanette smiled and shook out the red strapless dress. The feel of it under her hands gave credence to the idea that the fabric would withstand the heat. She lifted it and held the hem in her palm while warming it to the common burn of a flame. The fabric heated, but it would be safe enough to wear if she was indeed performing in public.

The mask felt strange against her face, but it gave her an oddly mysterious look. She couldn’t stop herself from grinning as she imagined moving through the grey population as one of the only pale moon shadows in the crowd.

She had heard about the other Terrans, but since she was only called out after the Guardians had been there, she wasn’t able to ask about them. The other two humans were firmly in the custody of their husbands. It was not the ideal that Nanette had ever envisioned for herself, so she wasn’t that keen to meet the fascinating Rand again. He had been much too intent on her on that first assignment.

Five minutes was all the time it took before she contacted the lovely and charming administrator. Leakat was delighted that she was willing to perform and explained how everything would work. The festival was in three days, and she could arrive under her own power or a vehicle would be sent for her.

“I will fly myself, thank you. That way if I get a call, I can get myself to my next assignment without inconveniencing anyone.”

Leakat inclined her head with her navy blue hair sliding over her shoulder with small gems winking in it. “Fair enough. This will be tremendous. The heads of all the local prefectures will be here and it will be a stellar celebration of our region. Your presence will serve to highlight the power of heat.”

“Will you send me recordings of the music so I can work on a plan?”

“Of course. I will forward them the moment this call is over. I look forward to seeing you.” Leakat inclined her head and disconnected the call.

Nanette sat back and stroked the fabric of the gown again. It appeared that she had a party to go to.

* * * *

Beryl scowled at Drovin as he walked out in flowing dark blue trousers sashed by a wide swath of white fabric and nothing else. To her shock, the other Guardians followed suit.

“What the hell are you wearing?”

Drovin looked surprised. “Fire Festival clothing. Yours are in your closet.”

She looked down at the bulge of her belly and up at him. “I am not just wearing trousers to this thing.”

Wren smiled and handed her a snack bar with a glass of water. “The women wear wrap gowns in red and orange, the men where blue and white. The Fire Festival celebrates the first energy source on W’lyn. You just missed it last year. It was a few months before you arrived.”

Beryl made a face. “All the men will be walking around like that?”

“More or less. Of course, the Guardians are far better specimens than most.” Wren chuckled when Toyo put his arm around her waist.

“So, we are all invited to this thing? Who will man the base?”

Drovin grinned. “We all have remote coms. If anything happens anywhere, we are on our way. We will take two skimmers just in case. I don’t want to leave you ladies without transport.”

Beryl gave him a sceptical look. “Where are you keeping those coms? I don’t see anything above the waistline.”

Toyo chuckled. “We have inner ear implants that we use when we must. They give us a headache, so we avoid them unless there is no other option.”

She frowned and rubbed a hand over her belly. “Will it be safe?”

Drovin put his arm around her. “Yes. It will be perfectly safe.”

She stood for a moment and enjoyed the scent of her mate before she gave in. “Fine. Show me how to wear the damned costume.”

Giving in gracefully was not her forte, but the rest of the crowd took her surrender for what it was, wholehearted enthusiasm. The Guardians and mates were going to a party.

* * * *

Nanette arrived early in full costume. She spoke with the organizers and was directed toward an entertainers’ tent where she could sit and relax with the musicians and additional performers.

The folk there were friendly enough once they understood why she was there, and she had to answer dozens of questions in regard to her performance.

Three days of practice would hopefully be enough.

The sun had just been setting when she arrived, and as the orchestra left her to take their positions, she waited for the cue she had been given. The lack of electronic light would begin as the sun completed its descent. The Fire Festival celebrated power and energy gained from W’lyn. The first day was always a blackout with candles and torches to light the way.