Rykhan (Book 1 of Mate Search Series) (34 page)

“And we pledge our lives in securing the safety
of those under our care.”

*.*.*.*.*

Leah heard the two-toned chime and glanced at
the clock, set on Earth time, in the corner of the holograph screen
of the Brynt improved laptop. She’d been so involved in updating
the spreadsheets that she’d gotten lost and hadn’t been paying
attention to what the clock read. Calling a soft, “come in’, she
stood and made her eyes do a quick sweep of the room. Seeing
nothing out of place, she turned to the door and smiled.

“Tersa
mandai
, Dr. Jyrl,” she greeted just
as she’d done each day for the four days since she’d been injured.
It was because of that injury, the physician insisted on performing
a daily examination.

“Tersa
mandai
, Rykhan’s female,” the doctor
replied with a small smile. “Your accent is getting
better.”

“I think it’s just because I’m
getting more practice.” She went to the chaise that took up one
corner of the large room. The space used to be the observation deck
onboard the
Searcher
but was refurbished as her and Rykhan’s living space. Lying
back and closing her eyes, she relaxed into the chair and let both
it and the handheld device Dr. Jyrl passed over her body to do
their scans.

Actions that, at first, had completely wigged
her out but once both the physician and Rykhan had explained were
to help both her and the baby, she’d seen the benefit of
it.

A baby!

Every time she even thought about her
pregnancy, she got a little thrill and had to fight the need to
stroke her fingers over her stomach. Who knew that Rykhan’s
swimmers were strong enough to overpower her birth control pills
after only sharing sex twice? Although she hadn’t been so thrilled
when remanded to stay aboard the star-cruiser, not allowed to go
back to Phoenix. Every argument she’d mounted against being
confined on their ‘damn tin can with thrusters’ until they left to
return to the Picari system, was lost as soon as anyone reminded
her of her pregnancy. It was one thing to take chances using the
TIPS when it was just her by herself, but the unknown effects it
may have on their unborn child didn’t warrant the risk.

“It all looks as it should,” Jyrl announced,
closing the portable tech-med before helping her get out of her
chair. It seemed her center of gravity had shifted over the last
few days and simple moves were a struggle to maneuver.

“Do you have any idea how long until the baby
comes?” she asked, just as she did after every daily exam. She
extended a hand in invitation towards the tiny two person table and
the teapot and cups she’d set out earlier. It hadn’t taken long for
her to discover Dr. Jyrl had a weakness for chamomile tea with
honey and she always tried to have some waiting.

“I have been studying the gestation
cycles of a human fetus and comparing them to the old notes in the
Picari archives. If I understand it correctly, it takes a human
baby forty
werts
to develop whereas a normal gestation for my species is only
twenty. Since we still have not taken a sample in order to read
your younglings DNA, I would hate to make an approximation.
However, the scans indicate that your baby…did I say that
correctly?” At Leah’s nod, Dr. Jyrl continued. “Your baby is
developing faster than what the human models indicate.”

“She’s still healthy, right?”

“Oh, we do not know the gender yet! But your
youngling appears to be in very good health as it grows,” the
doctor replied before shifting his eyes to Leah pouring a measure
of tea into both cups, handing him one after performing a quick
stir of the hot liquid. “Rykhan’s mate? I know that you have said
no in the past but I do not think you realize…”

Holding up a palm and frowning, Leah bit out,
“Shut it, doc”, before bending her face to her cup and sipping. The
damn man never let up even though she’d explained it again and
again. “I said no and I meant it.”

“But it would help by speeding up the process,
allowing the males in pairs back on Galaxia and Nutrol to complete
their families. To enjoy their own younglings. And the procedure is
very simple, quite painless…”

“What part didn’t you understand? They are my
eggs, located in my body and I’m not about to let you nor anybody
else harvest them, all right?” Slightly shorter and much leaner
than any of the warriors, the doc sighed and looked disappointed as
always by her refusal while he sipped his tea. Leah softened her
voice. “I really wish you wouldn’t ask me for them
again.”

“And I would prefer you stop asking as well,”
Rykhan’s deep voice growled as he stepped into the room. “You only
upset my Leah with your constant requests.”

“You know her eggs would help. Especially since
we know that your mate’s ovum can join with our life-force. We
might not be so lucky with other human women.” The doctor’s whole
demeanor was fervent. “The need is so dire that I must do
everything I can to convince her of our desperate circumstances,
warrior.”

Rykhan came to stand next to her and her ire at
the doctor’s words drifted away at the soft caress her warrior slid
over her back. Gazing into her eyes, the man she was beginning to
think of as her mate rumbled a soft, “she knows, Jyrl. Believe me,
she knows.”

Sighing heavily, Jyrl sat his teacup on the
small table. “I must get back to the med station. I have been
exchanging emails with an obb-gen on Earth who is helping me in my
research.”

It wasn’t until after the med-leader left that
Leah understood what the man had meant. “Oh my god!” she giggled.
“He meant an OB-GYN!”

Rykhan wandered over to the desk
that sat underneath the large viewport, but turned back at the
sound of her mirth. “Is all still well,
mica
tisha
?”

“Yeah, baby.” She crossed the room to wrap her
arms around his waist. “Our youngling is great.”

“Of that I have no doubt,
Tersa
blay
,” he countered, as he pulled her
closer, pressing his forehead to hers. “I was just inquiring after
his health.”

“That ‘he’ just might turn out to be a ‘she’,
you know.” It was a playful discussion that happened often and one
neither of them seemed to mind engaging in repeatedly.

“I do not care whether our youngling will be a
male or a female, only that you and it remain in good health.” Leah
could tell by Rykhan’s firm tone their on-going discussion was over
for the day. “Your property is now at the warrior house and the
keeper of your apartment building is in receipt of the monies owed
on the remaining portion of the lease.”

“Thanks for taking care of that,” Leah murmured
before disengaging herself and moving to the bed. To tell the
truth, she was a little sad that she’d had to give up her apartment
but it didn’t make sense to hang on to the rental when she wouldn’t
be living there any longer. “I know we can’t bring the furniture
but what about the rest of it?”

“I have asked that it be secured in
the storage area here on the
Searcher
,” he replied as his eyes
followed her movements while she stretched out on the bed. “You
will have your things with you on Nutrol, my Leah.”

Draping an arm over her eyes, Leah yawned. “I
appreciate it, Rykhan.” She didn’t use to be someone who needed to
nap but over the course of the last couple of days, she got sleepy
right about mid-day. “Give me a half-hour, baby, and we can review
the updates.”

Rykhan’s fingers stroked her toes as
he moved to get to around their large bed. “Take as long as you
need,
mica
Tersa
.”

Chapter
Twenty-Four

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Gwynt, but
I have news that couldn’t wait,” Bronsyn began. He was not sure of
Stege’s reaction to his message but he absolutely knew if he had
delayed, he might face repercussions along the
yons
he had left in service to the
Protectorate.

Gwynt’s holographic face appeared flushed,
attesting to his level of drunkenness, substantiated by the
half-filled glass of Galaxian wine the man held to his mouth. “So,
get on with it!” Stege was slurring and if the visage of the quest
Committee’s leader weaving in his chair was any indication, the man
was well and truly in his cups.

“The supreme commander of the
Searcher’s
medical unit
has reported that the youngling is a female.”

“As if I had not heard that bit of news more
than two heras previously,” Stege mumbled before his lips again met
the rim of his glass to take a deep, long drink. “We are
celebrating their joining and the youngling’s gender, Bron. With
fervor, if you must know.”

As well as every Picari involved in the first
quest would be, Bronsyn thought. The fact that a Picari sperm cell
had actually penetrated an Earthling’s ovum and created the first
ever Picari/Earth zygote was cause for celebration on both Galaxia
and Nutrol. To discover the youngling was female would undoubtedly
put the festivities over the top.

“Be that as it may, I respectful request how
you wish me to proceed with our mission.” Bronsyn’s stomach
clenched as he tried to hint none of them on quest knew the full
scope of their duties.

Smacking his lips, Stege peered into his device
as if to spear Bronsyn with his gaze. However, the man was too
drunk to perform the action with any level of authority. “You are
to go on as you have been doing. Your females still have yet to
complete their assignment.” The male took another sip of what was
in his glass before speaking again. “And it is not your place to
ask questions…”

Bronsyn decided it was time to get to the
truth. “Oh, but it is! As the commander of our quest while on
planet, I need to know and understand the full scope of this
mission.”

Stege’s image showed the drunken sod blinking
deeply.

“My warriors have been questioning why our
star-ship has one full level dedicated to medical while their
quarters, that are supposed to house both them and their mates on
our return trip, are so small.”

“You don’t know anything, Bron.” His
commander and long time friend was drunker by the minute and
Bronsyn sensed he only had but a few
lesps
to speak plainly before Stege
passed out.

“Tell me what’s going on, Gwynt. As the mission
commander, I need clarification of the Gal-Trol plans.”

“Let’s just say now that Rykhan and his human
female have successfully mated, all our dreams for the future have
come true,” Stege muttered, tipping the last of his glass into his
mouth. “The Picari Alliance will never again have to worry about
funding or the infestation of humans as we move into the
future.”

“How so?” Stege only wavered in his chair at
Bronsyn’s harsh demand. “Tell me, Gwynt! Why don’t we ever have to
worry about funding or the humans?”

“Because you and your males will never bring
the stench of a human female back to either Galaxia or Nutrol!” The
high-pitched, singsong voice of the male hovered in air of the room
and made the skin on Bronsyn’s arms and legs crawl. “No. We will
secure any and all of the hybrid offspring, bring them back to our
worlds to be raised by those who have the deepest pockets and the
brightest futures.”

“You’re talking about selling the younglings
that might result from a mating of our warriors to the highest
bidders or to those of the elite of our planets?” Everything within
Bronsyn rebelled at Stege’s words.

“Of course! The hybrid little of Protector
Rykhan and his disrespectful female has already been promised to
the pair who leads the technology sector on Galaxia.” Stege’s chin
was almost on his chest and the male drooled as he spoke. “We’ve
already received over five hundred thousand credits in payment for
it.”

Bronsyn’s lips were ice-like, but he needed to
press on, to discover as much as he could. “You have already sold
Rykhan and Leah’s youngling?”

“Gyed’s
veil! Isn’t that what I’ve been telling you?” Stege’s head
bobbed up, but his eyes didn’t focus on any one particular thing.
“We’ve even got the necessary equipment in place on the
Searcher
in order to
transport the hybrid.”

“What else? What else don’t we know about?”
Bronsyn leaned into his unit and only realized the pain his
fingernails generated as they dug into his clenched fists. A pain
that seemed to help center him somehow.

“There might also be the matter of
a
Rysling
,”
Stege’s voice drifted off into a snore.

Bronsyn hit the disconnect button on his unit
and sat back.

A
Rysling
?

Everything within him stilled as he considered
the consequences of the old edict.

It was the stuff of legends and used
if there was no other recourse. But to reduce their mission to
nothing more than one of a…oh
Tsiran
, a
Rysling
?