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  Garin didn’t seem surprised, which made Kaden instantly suspicious. “Do you know why this keeps happening?” He believed in destiny, but he also believed the fates were often helped and hindered by the actions of mortals.

  “Berlynn and I were talking about this very subject a few hours ago. It seems like every time one of our team crosses path with a female she just happens to be his genetic match.”

  “Did Berlynn have insights into the phenomenon?” The corners of Raylon’s mouth curved just a little, revealing his amusement. His reaction annoyed Kaden even more. Raylon’s mate was Rodyte. Whatever Garin had learned couldn’t possibly affect him.

  “Was this female,” Garin paused. “Sorry I’ve forgotten her name.”

  “Lexie Ward,” Kaden provided.

  “Does Lexie live near one of the sacred bonding grounds?”

  Garin’s question surprised Kaden. What did Tandori Tribe have to do with Lexie? “She’s not Tandori. She’s fully human.”

  “Have her tested so we can be sure,” Garin directed. “But it will likely not matter if she’s a descendant of Tandori Tribe or not. According to Berlynn, the tribal elders were dissatisfied with the number of people responding to the spell, so they altered it about two years ago.”

  Tandori Tribe was a group of refugees that had escaped persecution on Rodymia more than a century ago and settled in secluded areas on Earth. They tried to limit interaction with humans, but the passage of time made interbreeding unavoidable. So “sacred bonding grounds” were established and Tandori magic ensured that those with Tandori blood would be drawn together when they were physically and emotionally ready to procreate. Many descendants had no idea they were not human until they felt the call of the sacred bonding grounds.

  “How did they alter the spell?” All hints of amusement left Raylon’s expression.

  “Rather than just ‘calling’ anyone with Tandori blood, the spell now draws anyone who is genetically compatible with Rodytes to the sacred bonding grounds.” Without giving them time to absorb the implications, Garin dropped the next bomb. “They also have an injection that allows conception without requiring a mating bond.”

  “What?” Kaden had heard rumors that such a formula existed, but he’d had no idea Tandori Tribe had been involved. “Bride hunters were the only ones interested in such a vile concoction. Why would Tandori Tribe create something used on war brides? They have always been staunch opponents to the practice.”

  “The scientist who developed the formula asked for sanctuary among the Tandori. They agreed to take him in only if he stopped selling the formula to bride hunters. But the tribe soon realized the formula could be helpful in overcoming the limitations of their isolated existence on Earth.” It was natural for Garin to defend the tribe. Berlynn, his mate, was a Tandori princess.

  “I’m not sure I understand,” Kaden persisted, unnerved by the idea of anyone breeding without the security of a mating bond. “Why would Tandori Tribe want to forgo a proper joining?”

  “Many of our traditions had to be abandoned if they hoped to survive. It wasn’t easy to maintain a healthy gene pool with so few participants. Traditional bonding was still encouraged, but sometimes it simply wasn’t possible. For the overall good of the tribe, some Tandori couples had to be creative.”

  “How creative?” Kaden wasn’t sure he wanted to know, but the question was out before he could reconsider.

  “Surrogates and in vitro fertilization, that sort of thing.” Garin was starting to sound defensive, which wasn’t surprising. Rodyte males couldn’t help but defend their mates.

  Raylon raised his hand to the back of his neck as he shook his head. “I don’t care why they harbored the scientist or changed the spell. The new spell makes our lives easier and the rest is none of my business.”

  Following Raylon’s example, Kaden pulled back from his personal objections so he could see the big picture. “We can concentrate our recruitment in and around Tandori bonding grounds.”

  Garin nodded. “Thanks to Tandori Tribe, those four areas already have unusually high concentrations of compatible females.”

  This would make recruitment easier, but the Tandori bonding grounds were still scattered across the US. Kaden thought back, trying to identify each area. “So we’re talking Boulder, Colorado; Fairfax County, Virginia; and Las Vegas, Nevada?” Again Garin nodded. “What’s the fourth?”

  “Sedona, Arizona,” Raylon supplied. “It’s the newest and least magnetic of the four. Apparently the intensity of the attraction grows stronger the longer the spell is in place.”

  Garin smiled at his closest friend, which momentarily took his attention off Kaden. “You’d think you were bonded with a Tandori, not me.”

  “I’m bonded with a harbinger who’s suddenly fascinated by Tandori Tribe. It amounts to the same thing. Chandar has been digging through archives and harassing tribal elders nonstop for more than a week.”

  Garin’s smile faltered. “Are you sure it’s just curiosity? Chandar usually has a reason for her research.”

  “I’ve asked her about it repeatedly and she swears it’s simple curiosity.” He frowned, then added, “I’m not sure I believe her.”

  Kaden shook his head. “Chandar wouldn’t lie to you.”

  “Sure she would,” Raylon argued. “If she thinks she’s protecting me.”

  For some reason Garin found that funny. “My indomitable enforcer protected by a girl?”

  Rather than being insulted, Raylon pivoted to a different subject. “Speaking of enforcers. Each ship has its own security staff, but I’d like to form a team, or actually a number of teams, who answer directly to me.”

  “For what purpose?” Garin effortlessly fell back into general mode.

  “By month’s end, the commerce tiers will be eighty percent occupied. As a result, more and more of the commanders are asking for shore leave slots. As of right now, I have no one to maintain order as the various crews interact, so I’ve been pretty damn stingy with permissions. That’s frustrating the commanders and their crews. If I had outpost enforcers, I’d be able to accommodate more of the requests.”

  “Lunar Nine Enforcers,” Kaden mused. “We can call them LNEs.”

  “I don’t care what we call them as long as I have permission to requisition them.”

  “How many do you need?” Garin asked.

  “I need three shifts for round-the-clock coverage, maybe twelve enforcers per shift.”

  “All right, I’ll approve forty LNEs. That’s thirty-six primary members, one alternate per shift, and one commander to keep them all in line.”

  Raylon seemed happy with the outcome, but he only nodded.

  “Do you have someone in mind to run the show?” Garin asked. “Your plate is already full. This has to be delegated.”

  Raylon turned and looked at Kaden.

  “No way.” Kaden laughed, then shook his head. “I know I bitch about babysitting scientists, but I’ve grown attached to the Intrepid.”

  “Actually, I was thinking about your brother,” Raylon corrected.

  “Sedrik?” Garin echoed Kaden’s laugh. “He’s babysitting the Undaunted. There’s no way he’ll give that up.” The Undaunted was the battle born flagship, more movable city than ship. Every commander in the fleet would kill just for the opportunity to take her out for a test flight.

  “Give me some credit, please,” Raylon objected. “I meant Dakar, your youngest brother. You know, the one who spent the last eight years as a Rodyte code enforcer.”

  Kaden looked at Garin then back at Raylon. “Actually, he’d be perfect for the job. He has plenty of experience, yet he’s unconventional enough to fit in here at Lunar Nine.”

  Raylon inclined his head. “My thoughts exactly.”

  “Where’d he end up after the exodus?” Garin asked.

  “I think he’s still aboard the Fearless. Has she returned from Rodymia?” Kaden was embarrassed to admit that he didn’t know for sure. Dakar wasn’t a
member of the crew. He was just bunking aboard the ship because he was good friends with the commander. “Everything has been pretty chaotic.”

  “I hadn’t noticed,” Garin teased.

  “The Fearless is back and Dakar is aboard,” Raylon told him. “Do you think he’d be interested in the position? You obviously know him better than I do.”

  “I think he’d jump at the opportunity to run his own division.”

  Garin waited for their exchange to end before he asked, “Have you checked in with Sedrik? Is he taking good care of my ship?”

  “I spoke with him this morning,” Kaden assured. “Both man and ship are doing well.”

  “I’ll track down Dakar and see if he’s interested.” Raylon glanced into the distance, defused light in the cavern making his angular features appear even harsher. “The senior enforcer will have to be ready and willing to hit the ground running. I don’t have time to hold his hand.”

  “If he’s willing, I know he’s able,” Kaden said.

  When Kaden said nothing more, Raylon refocused on the present. “So update us on your progress. Any sign of Paytor?”

  Garin shook his head. “He’s lying low somewhere. Even with the Triumphant, there’s no way I’ll find him until he comes up for air.” The Triumphant was the sister ship of the Undaunted. They were both massive, not easy to hide.

  “Then will you return to Earth?”

  Kaden wasn’t sure how to read the intensity in Raylon’s gaze. Was he anxious to be relieved of the responsibility of running the outpost or was he enjoying his new position a little too well?

  “Actually, I’m needed here. The Triad is experiencing some resistance and Letos is concerned that the detractors will be emboldened if I return to Earth.”

  Raylon only nodded, but Kaden definitely saw relief in his gaze. The reaction was understandable. Raylon had spent decades in Garin’s shadow. It had to feel good to finally step into his own spotlight.

  “I honestly thought I’d be back by now,” Garin went on. “Clearly that’s not going to happen, so I’ll issue orders naming you interim governor of Lunar Nine. However, an election needs to be held to officially fill the position.”

  “I understand,” Raylon assured.

  “And will you accept the nomination?” Garin asked. “I can’t think of anyone better suited to the job, but ultimately it’s up to the people of Lunar Nine.”

  “I’m honored by both, sir,” Raylon told him. “I wasn’t sure I’d like all the responsibility, but—according to my mate—I thrive on it.”

  “Good. According to the charter we’re in the process of writing, a minimum of seven days must be given for other nominations to be recorded, then the election can be held.”

  “Good to know. I’ll transmit some sort of announcement to the outpost and all the ships later today.”

  Garin nodded. “Sounds like a plan, Governor Lasenger.”

  “Interim Governor Lasenger,” Raylon corrected.

  “For now.” Garin flashed a conspirator’s grin before settling his gaze on Kaden. “So what do you plan to do with Lexie? Will you be able to keep things professional until after you’ve found her sister?”

  After a short pause, Kaden admitted, “I had to mark her. No one would have been able to concentrate on the mission until I did.” Kaden waited for an objection, but neither of his companions obliged. “Now that she’s protected by my scent, we’ll focus on finding her sister.”

  “And once the sister has been found?” Garin persisted. “Will you return Lexie to Earth?”

  Kaden pressed his lips together, refusing to speak the words. “Is that your command?”

  Garin chuckled. “Compatible couples are being drawn together by Tandori magic. How can I argue with that? Her options must be explained and her other potential matches identified, but I’ll leave the details up to you.”

  Though he was relieved by the general’s attitude, Kaden still braced for the next revelation. “There’s one more thing you need to know.”

  “That sounds ominous,” Raylon said.

  “What now.” Garin was scowling and he hadn’t even heard the news.

  “Lexie is a well-known journalist. That wasn’t the reason she was at Stargazer Ranch, but there’s no way we can trust her to sit on this story.”

  “Is there even a sister?” Raylon looked even more annoyed than Garin. “It could have been a trick she used to get you talking.”

  “I verified what she told me. The story is all over the internet. Libby is real and Lexie’s description of her abduction is accurate.”

  “That doesn’t change the fact that she’s a reporter,” Raylon snapped.

  “Hold on.” The intensity in Garin’s expression began to ease. “I have teams monitoring the reaction to my messages and, unfortunately, it’s not what we expected. Allowing our ships to be seen wasn’t as convincing as we anticipated. Far too many humans still think I’m a hoax.”

  Easily guessing where Garin was headed, Raylon looked at Kaden. “Can we trust Lexie to be respectful and accurate? Reporters are notorious for having ulterior motives.”

  “We’ll offer her exclusive access only if she agrees to let us approve all of her stories.” Garin’s expression turned thoughtful as his holographic image stared into the distance. “This could be an interesting stroke of luck.”

  “Libby’s rescue comes first,” Kaden reminded, unsure how to react to Garin’s easy acceptance of the revelation. Lexie would be thrilled by the offer, but becoming the media link between Lunar Nine and Earth would make Lexie a target to their enemies.

  Suddenly, Raylon was on board as well. “It might be good for Lexie to see us in action. In fact, allowing her to share the entire story could work to our advantage.”

  Garin tensed. “Do we want humans to know about the Relentless? It will make it that much harder to earn their trust.”

  “Which is exactly why we need to tell them,” Raylon replied. “If they find out on their own, it will look like we’re covering it up. Besides, if human females know that Fyran has set hunters free on Earth, it will encourage them to be more careful.”

  Garin nodded, his intense gaze returning to Kaden. “It’s up to you when you make the offer. She’s your potential mate after all.”

  Raylon chuckled, but Kaden was already thinking about all the ways it could go wrong.

  * * * * *

  Ulrik Tandori stepped off the shuttle and looked around. The landing bay was unremarkable. The Relentless, however, fascinated him. This was the second time he’d been allowed on the ship, but it was the first time the vessel had been visible as he approached. Covert shields not only made the ship undetectable to sensors, it was invisible to humanoid eyes. Remarkable. The Relentless was smaller than he’d imagined, built for speed and agility rather than overt aggression. Or maybe it just seemed small after some of the mammoth ships Garin Nox had stashed on Lunar Nine.

  Garin Nox. Just the name was enough to tense every muscle in Ulrik’s body. The self-appointed leader of the battle born rebellion was arrogant and narcissistic. He ran roughshod over anyone in his path and never thought about consequences.

  A tragedy had brought Garin into Ulrik’s life and the insufferable jackass compounded the loss and insulted Ulrik horribly. Ulrik’s older brother, Vinton, had been murdered by that whore Milanni, yet Garin refused to make her pay with her life. Then, to add insult to injury, Garin claimed Berlynn, Ulrik’s beloved niece, as his mate. Ulrik would still like to know what sort of sorcery the bastard had used to bewitch the poor girl so quickly.

  And Berlynn was one of many females the battle born had stolen from Tandori Tribe. Ulrik’s hands folded into fists as he thought of all the ways the battle born had wronged Tandori Tribe. It was inexcusable. The rebels claimed to be fighting for freedom after generations of mistreatment, yet they took from fellow refugees without conscience or regret.

  “Mr. Tandori,” an unfamiliar crewmember hustled toward Ulrik with his hand proffered
. “Welcome aboard.”

  “Thank you, but the proper way to address me is High Councilman Ulrik. I am the highest-ranking member of Tandori Tribe after all.” He ignored the stranger’s hand, but followed him from the landing bay. “Where’s your commander? He should have been here to welcome me himself. This doesn’t bode well for our negotiation.”

  “I apologize, High Councilman, but this morning has been particularly hectic.”

  That was no excuse. A good leader could multi-task and delegate however many tasks were thrown his way. With a frustrated sigh, he strode along at the lackey’s side, chin raised, shoulders squared.

  He was taken to a small office on the command deck. Fyran sat behind the desk and didn’t even bother to look up from some sort of report that was displayed in midair above his desktop. Like most Rodytes, he had dark wavy hair though his was cut so short the curl was barely noticeable. His phitons were purple, the most common shade for battle born children. He was much too young to command a spaceship, and worry lines were starting to form around his eyes and mouth. He looked like a precocious child pretending to be a powerful adult.

  “Shall I return when you’ve finished?” Ulrik snapped, already tired of the disrespect.

  Fyran held up one hand, index finger raised, but kept right on reading.

  Unbelievable! Fyran might as well have shushed him like a child. “You requested this meeting, not me. Give me your full attention or return me to Earth.”

  With obvious reluctance, Fyran closed the report “Sorry. Problems are harder to solve without the resources of the Rodyte military.”

  “No doubt.” Actually, Fyran hadn’t just lost the support of the Rodyte military, they were actively hunting him. But, thanks to Garin Nox, the Relentless was one of many ships that had been stolen from their home world.

  “Please have a seat.” Fyran motioned him toward the chairs in front of his desk.

  Ulrik sat and crossed his legs. “You proposed an even exchange, one formula for another.” Tandori Tribe controlled the compound that would allow Fyran and his men to breed with human females without forming a mating bond. In return, Fyran had promised Ulrik the elusive transformation formula. “The exchange seemed fair, even intriguing, on the surface. Many in my tribe are interested in this alleged transformation, yet I have no desire to ask the battle born for anything.”