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  "This is all we can do for you until we get you back to the ship. There may be a med kit on the shuttle; not that we can return to the vessel at the moment."

  Zeus nodded numbly. He knew he should be saying more, doing more. He had been more functional than this after the attack on The Gorgon. His nerves felt brittle, as if he would burst into a million pieces any second. A white haze crouched at the edge of his vision, threatening to overwhelm him. Something inside him felt wrong, very wrong.

  He gripped Axis's wrist with his good hand and stared into the large, circular, black eyes ringed with bright canary yellow. "Please." He was not averse to begging, not when it came to his family. "Protect them for me."

  Those huge eyes stared back, unblinking. He did not know what Axis's answer would be, and as his vision went completely white, he hoped—he prayed—the reply would be 'Yes'. Soft, downy feathers brushed his cheek as unconsciousness overtook him.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Alpha had not been this furious since the end of the Arthro War. He never imagined that he would have that much to lose again. Yet here he was, with both of his beloveds passed out and vulnerable. Thankfully, Axis had caught Zeus as he collapsed. Having heard Zeus’s thoughts, Alpha knew exactly what went wrong. And who to blame.

  Before Madux could withdraw his hand, Alpha began to climb onto him. He needed to be mobile. As much as he hated leaving Dargon, he could not protect them if he stayed. The speaking stones would not be able to translate for him.

  Alpha gave Madux credit for staying calm and still as he moved to the male's forearm. Not many were able to do so when first touched by an alpha.

  "Madux, please, will you help me? Be my voice?"

  Madux did not answer immediately. He regarded Alpha with a wary expression. "As you wish."

  While Madux relayed his role to the group, Alpha reached out and touched his mates through their link. Dargon had somehow contained the Qrxzl's assault within himself, preventing the noxious energy from touching Alpha. Zeus was pierced by the Qrxzl, and had had something injected into his system. As a blender species, the Fal'Amoric genetics included Qrxzl makeup as part of the pact. Alpha could sense the foreign bodies floating in Zeus’s veins. Both of his beloveds were severely injured.

  The whispering voices of the Qrxzl grew loud enough that Alpha was sure everyone holding a speaking stone heard them clearly. "Not human. He is not human. How? Why is he here? What have we done? He appears human. But he is not. We broke our promise. We gave our word."

  "Enough!" Alpha snarled, Madux ceding control of his voice so that all could hear him. "What have you done to him?"

  "We thought him a slaver. An impostor. We were helping?"

  "This is not why we came here. You have harmed another under diplomatic flag. We are weaponless—"

  "Lies! You are not. The sound. The sound. The noise hurts us."

  "You struck first. You chose not to believe us. He came to you and you poisoned him!"

  "We were told the humans were coming. We thought this proof."

  "I do not care what you were told! Undo what you have done!"

  "We cannot. If he is human. If he is not strong enough, he will succumb. If he is a blender … If he is part of us, he will survive. He will be strong."

  Alpha snarled with consuming rage. Madux cried out, falling to his knees.

  "Alpha … Please …" Madux stuttered. "I c-cannot."

  He struggled to pull back his fury, having momentarily forgotten Madux’s empathy: an empathy that would make it all too easy to overwhelm Madux and damage his mind. The kits. He would compose himself for the safety of the kits, if nothing else.

  "My apologies. They are all … They are my family," Alpha said to Madux.

  "I understand, Alpha. I would feel exactly as you do."

  Did Madux truly understand? Only the Alpha-Zetamite could comprehend the depth of what these two males meant to him. Alpha had not explained the extent even to Dargon and Zeus. He should not have waited.

  Nevertheless, he first needed to see to Dargon's and Zeus’s safety. "Warlord Sohm'lan, we are leaving this place. The galactic imperials will hear of our complaints. The Qrxzl will lose this planet for what they've done to Zeus," Alpha promised coldly.

  "He does not understand. We must show him. Yes. Show him. Then he will know." At this point, Alpha did not really care what their reasons were.

  The Monticore carefully gathered Zeus and Dargon to them. Madux stood, his towering height not quite three meters high, dwarfing his companions and giving Alpha a good view from his eyes.

  "No, you cannot leave."

  "Warlord Sohm'lan, if they do not retreat, blow the whistle again," Alpha commanded.

  The whispering grew in volume, but was unintelligible. Just when Alpha thought they would have to use the whistle to blow their way through the Qrxzl, the black obelisks retreated into the ground, revealing the white sands beyond. Red stones that had not been there when they entered the circle paved the pathway back to the shuttles. To the left stood a handful of Feteine, along with three V'Saar recon soldiers.

  V'Saar possessed a thick armored plating over most of their bodies. They had three sets of eyes, an extendable lower jaw, and a scorpion-like tail arched up over their body, making a formidable enemy. Alpha recognized the three blue horizontal stripes of diplomatic liaisons along the hard plate noses.

  Madux, in response to the unexpected sight, echoed Alpha's exclamation of outrage and betrayal.

  "Traitors!" Alpha accused as the Monticore closed their ranks and surrounded them. "You betrayed the galaxies, you betrayed the Valespian Pact!"

  "No! He does not see. They came as ambassadors, seeking our help as liaisons. We and the Feteine cannot be corrupted by the V'Saar venom. We cannot be turned into puppets."

  The unusually dry wind whipped around them, rustling loose clothing. The yowling hissing of the newly-arrived Monticore carried over the dunes. He had expected Azaes to send soldiers to their aid. What met his ears were vehement calls for retribution. Madux's empathy sensed their intention riding before them in angry pulsing waves.

  "Warlord Sohm'lan, we will have company soon and they feel quite frenzied," Madux warned.

  Sohm'lan grunted. "The scent of Zeus’s blood is on the wind. They will be expecting the worst."

  Alpha had heard The Gorgon carried six Chimera, but he had not seen them on any of his visits aboard the ship. Memories from Zeus told him not many on Atlainticia had, either. Chimeras were secretive: they were legendary assassins who had the ability to take the Three form. No one could be sure if they changed body shape or if they were psionics, creating illusions and then pushing the image into the minds of those around them.

  He did not have to guess any longer, for they led the Monticore around the last obscuring dune. Their smooth scales were devoid of spikes or bony ridges, whiter than even the surrounding sand. They moved in such a way that he could not decide if they slid over the sand or flew. Even as he observed through Madux's eyes, the Chimera began to change, moving into two groups of three.

  The air around them shimmered as if intense heat came off of the sand. They appeared to melt into each other, their size tripling as they reformed into something huge and horrifying. The resulting creatures had three heads. The two outer ones had a sharp set of horns jutting out behind large, soulless eyes, arcing backwards over their necks. Long, angular muzzles revealed double rows of sharp teeth. One face appeared more reptilian than the other, while the other seemed more amphibian. The center head was round, similar to a lioness, with smooth, white scales and no horns, with a pair of fangs instead of rows of deadly teeth. The bodies were large, the feet clawed, and a pair of huge, delicate leathery wings shot out of the upper spine to catch the wind.

  The Chimeras veered off and headed toward the Feteine and V'Saar. Warning gouts of flames spewed from the two outside heads while dozens of Monticore charged in behind them, led by Zeus’s brothers.

  "Fools," Alpha huffed, even as he fe
lt a stirring of pride in Zeus’s family.

  The imperial guard surrounded their small group until they overflowed the red platform past the white stone columns. Azaes and Mestor pushed to the center, where two hulking warriors cradled Zeus and Dargon.

  "Where are Alpha and the younglings?" Azaes demanded, outrage coloring his words.

  "They are here." Moving closer, Madux raised his arm so the twins could see Alpha.

  "Warlord Sohm'lan, explain what has happened here." Mestor lifted and sniffed Zeus’s wounded palm.

  While Zeus’s brothers were brought up to speed, and given speaking stones, Alpha watched the Chimera circling the Feteine and the V'Saar. The V'Saar folded up, legs tucked under the body as close to the ground as their form allowed, the scorpion-like tail curled in upon itself. Alpha had not seen the V'Saar entreaty for a very long time. The posture was meant to be nonthreatening. After his many experiences with the bugs, he did not trust the submissive, non-threatening bearing at all.

  The Feteine, on the other hand, stood with their backs to the V'Saar, hands clasped behind them, feet shoulder-width apart at parade rest. Originally manufactured by Terrens to be robots with a working intelligence, able to go where they could not, Feteine had been produced with dozens of different body types. Alpha was unaware if the Terrens meant for their robots to grow into consciousness and sentience, but supposed it could have been considered a useful part of the design.

  The majority of the Feteine were constructed to mine planets uninhabitable by humans. Those present were from the human's limited stock of what appeared to be soldiers. It was rumored the Terrens considered the loss of human life cheaper than the destruction of robotic hardware. Therefore, the robot soldiers had been repurposed as scouts to travel to planets, assess the mining potential, and report back.

  These scouts were the first to encounter the Qrxzl, who befriended them and then later encouraged them to break away from the Terrens. The Qrxzl recognized the Feteine as slaves and offered to help them escape. Each Feteine was given a small Qrxzl crystal, and one morning the entire Feteine population, regardless of where they were in the universe, disappeared. No one knew where the Feteine made their homeworld now, although there was much speculation. Currently, the only way to contact them was through the Qrxzl. Alpha planned to approach the galactic imperials about the necessity, or lack thereof, of the Qrxzl as middlemen for the Feteine.

  "Alpha." Azaes stood next to Madux, hands on his hips. "What is your suggestion? What they have done—?"

  The whispering voices rose in volume again. The speaking stone in Madux's hand changed from a blush pink to blood red, as did the standing stones. The multitude of Qrxzl voices boomed from the stones.

  "He is here. He has come. He will speak for us."

  "Who is here?" Alpha demanded. The Monticore restlessly searched for a foe to target.

  "Star Eater comes. He comes. He will tell you. You will see we are right. We are just. We meant no lasting harm."

  Alpha’s thoughts froze.

  Star Eater.

  How long had it been? Alpha never thought to be in his presence again. Their paths had taken them in vastly different directions.

  "Who is Star Eater?" Azaes asked, but all eyes became trained on the movement along the red path leading to the landing pad.

  The person, almost as tall as Madux, strode toward the circle. His waist-length hair was such a strong crimson, the pathway blocks appeared bleached in contrast. With bronze skin, slightly slanted, dark eyes, and long, pointed ears, he had changed little from what Alpha remembered. Even the piercings that adorned his ears were the same. The tan, short-sleeved tunic and breeches suited the planet's climate well, the thigh-high dark boots protecting long legs.

  As Star Eater drew closer, the power rolling off him caused the Monticore to part without thought, clearing his way to the pair holding Alpha’s bonded. Star Eater's gaze took in everything about the two unconscious males. Through Madux's eyes, Alpha stared at the back of Star Eater's brilliant-colored head. It had been too long. He felt choked with emotion even though he had no mouth, nor lungs to breathe.

  Star Eater turned and met Madux's gaze before dropping to where Alpha clung to Madux's thick forearm. A bright, toothy smile creased the stern expression. "Father! I knew I felt your presence. It is good to see you again."

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  "Prince Azaes, Prince Mestor, please meet my son, Star Eater. One of the last members of the race known as the Ancients."

  Alpha had not seen the twins speechless before. Explanations would be demanded later, for all had assumed the Ancients, the first people, were long gone. The Alpha-Zetamites did nothing to discourage the perception.

  "Son, would you please examine my bonded. The Qrxzl have injected something into Zeus." If anyone could help, Star Eater could.

  The guard holding Zeus stepped forward. Star Eater lifted the damaged hand and unwrapped the bloodied makeshift bandage.

  "Qrxzl! Explain why you have attacked the bonded of an Alpha-Zetamite. You have violated your treaty by doing so. He smells of Mar'Sani." Those dark eyes lifted to Azaes and Mestor, who stood close enough to snatch Zeus away. "One of your princes, I am guessing." Azaes nodded. "So you have declared war on the children of Poseidon? What say you in your defense?"

  Outside the ring of columns, two irregular-shaped crystals burrowed up from the white sands. Where the others who greeted them had been tall, black, and obelisk-shaped, these two were squat in comparison, and an azure blue. The only similarity was the pulsing light in the center of the mass.

  Instead of the whispering horde, there was one voice with a soft echo. "We believed him to be a human who had captured and subjugated those you see here."

  "Did he introduce himself fully?"

  "Yes."

  "And yet you attacked? Did he threaten you or draw a weapon?"

  "He appeared human. The Terrens are deceitful and crafty. We had been warned the humans were secreting across the galaxies, attempting to locate and steal the Bespoken to bring down the protective grid. What were we to do when this human—this male-appearing human, arrived?"

  "Did my father, the Alpha-Zetamite speak up? Vouch for him? I cannot believe he would remain silent. Especially since he bears their children."

  The Qrxzl became mute.

  "You should have believed my father. You know him well enough. He crafted your treaty for the Valespian Pact. Your actions here today prove you are no better than the Terrens. What you did was just as deceitful."

  "We will make reparations … however the Council of Neighn deems fit."

  Star Eater delved his tongue into Zeus’s wound. The scowl creasing his brow cast his features into a thunderhead. "You struck him to kill."

  "If he is a blender, as they claimed, then he will survive."

  "Not true. He may have survived, possibly, if you had only injected crystals. But your crystals are full of power: enough to allow the Feteine to make quantum leaps. He is organic, Qrxzl; he cannot survive that type of energy. It will consume him, just as I consume stars."

  Above him, Madux began to mewl. Alpha's skin felt tight, his emotions drowning everything else out. He did not know if he could survive the loss of another bonded. He had fought in the Arthro War after both of his bonded had been taken by the V'Saar. He had tracked them across the galaxies, and when he finally found them, he could do nothing to save them. The horrors of what happened there still haunted him. He could not count how much time had passed, and yet he vividly recalled the pain of losing them. If only he had the ability to destroy himself, he would have done so at that time. It was a miracle he could bond again. To be able to find the two who complimented him, and yet to possibly lose Zeus, lose a part of himself again …

  Warm hands stroked him, slowly bringing him back from his waking nightmare. Madux lay on the cool stones, curled into himself, crying as Alpha wished he could.

  "Father, you must stop this. He is an empath and you overwhelm him. "

/>   Star Eater continued to stroke Alpha with soothing circles as he gathered the tatters of himself, drawing back into his mind. Attempting to leave behind the images burned in his memory so he could sooth Madux, he berated himself. He had not meant for his grief to consume him and flow over into his friend.

  "There you go," Star Eater murmured.

  Madux sniffled as Axis helped him to sit up.

  "Star, I cannot lose him."

  For the first time, Alpha became aware of the Mar'Sani milling in a tight circle around them, emitting dangerous hisses. He did not know if they responded to Madux's reaction to his sorrow or Star Eater's assessment of Zeus, but they were on the verge of rampaging.

  Madux climbed to his feet with Axis's assistance.

  "Look." Star Eater stepped to the side. Azaes and Mestor crouched, holding Zeus between them, awake and purging crystals as small as grains of sand.

  Without being asked, Madux knelt next to the three and placed a palm on the back of Zeus’s neck.

  "We sincerely apologize, Alpha-Zetamite. We only wished to free you of the human."

  Mestor gave a hissing growl. "From here on out, I will skewer any who calls Zeus a human or Terren again! I will not tolerate the disrespect anymore. Maybe if I leave a trail of bodies, tongues will be more cautious when speaking to us."

  Zeus gave a wheezing chuckle. "I love you, too."

  Alpha flowed down Madux's arm, crossing over the hand loosely gripping Zeus’s neck. The first touch of skin calmed both he and Zeus considerably. He moved into his accustomed torque shape, content for the moment to just be close to his Marked.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Zeus wanted to gather his loved ones and go home to Atlainticia. His patience wore thin, and with the accumulated exhaustion from the trip, it had been increasingly hard to ignore the slights heaped upon him, his family, and his people. As his body rejected the Qrxzl poison, he attempted to find the patience he had exuded all of his life, in order to accomplish the task his brother, Canry, had sent him on.