Hunted_Katieran Prime Page 2

  That was definitely a real danger to consider. A rebellious group of Katierans, Kiljorns, and Colonists had attacked a few of the Earth women. They believed that mixing the races was an abomination, and spouted that nonsense to whoever would listen, despite the fact that without the women from Earth, the Katierans would die out from not being able to reproduce.

  The three Prime Leaders—RendEL, KadEN, and LarIS—enacted stricter laws, declaring that any person who endangered a human would be banished from their home world or severely punished. Since that warning, over a year ago, no major incidents had occurred. At least that was what the public knew. Was there something going on with the rebels, or worse, the Morins, that the public didn’t know about?

  It wasn’t that long ago that the Morins, the enemy that had used the viral attack on the Katieran Nation, had attacked Kiljor. Many were killed, and their females had been taken by the Morins. The Morins were said to have retreated, or possibly were now all wiped out. However, seeing how much KadEN was worried over security had her second-guessing whether the Morin threat was completely gone.

  As they exited the partially built building together, she wanted to ask Lindsey what the security concerns were but knew it was inappropriate. If there were a true threat, the humans would be warned to take precautions. Her imagination was probably just running wild. She was alone on a new planet; she’d left her family back on Earth, and the only friends she had made thus far were mated and on Katiera. It was a scary feeling being a single woman on her own in a foreign land. Thank God she had the translator implant from when she joined the relocation program, or she wouldn’t be able to understand their language at all.

  “What do you say?” Lindsey asked.

  She stopped walking, realizing that she’d been so caught up in her own thoughts that she hadn’t heard a thing Lindsey had said. Evidently the Prima had asked her a question. “I’m sorry, I was distracted. What did you ask me?”

  “I asked if you would be available to come over for the evening meal tonight, at seven. It would give us a chance to talk about the security detail and school supplies.”

  Tera bit her lip. “Will there be many people there? I admit to not being good around a lot of adult people. Kids are fine; I can be in an auditorium full of children and handle it with no problem. But when I’m alone with four or more adults I start to...freeze up. I don’t know what to say or do. I babble and sometimes make no sense.” She could feel her heart rate speed up just thinking about it.

  Lindsey reached out and patted her hand reassuringly. “Easy, it’s okay. You’ve met everyone who will be there tonight. We’re just having a few people over, including Commander TylOR and his mate.”

  Feeling foolish, she let out a deep breath. “Sorry, I swear I’m not a basket case. I think the move from Katiera to Kiljor was just a lot to take in. I was happy to come, don’t get me wrong. The position I’ve been given and the chance for adventure is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s just that I left behind the few friends I had made back on Katiera. It’s been a little lonely.”

  “Of course it’s been a lot to take in. I promise you’ll make new friends here as well. Look, we’re already friends. You’re just coming over to have a nice quiet dinner with your new Kiljorn friends.”

  Tera smiled at the other woman and nodded her head. “What time did you say dinner was?”

  Chapter 3

  CristOF’s shuttle arrived at the Kiljorn prime city twenty minutes earlier than scheduled. He had rested only a few hours on the trip, but it was enough to replenish his energy. That was one plus to the mutation; he never needed more than a few hours of sleep a day to recharge. Most times he didn’t even dream, but this time…this time he had, and he could remember the dream in vivid color.

  He was at the edge of the jungle. The suns were setting, and he looked over the hilltops to where a river flowed in a valley below. The air was humid and fresh smelling especially after a good rain, but there was a charge in the atmosphere that he could feel on his skin. He knew that he wasn’t alone.

  “It’s beautiful here,” a woman’s voice said next to him.

  He turned to look at her, but he couldn’t see her face clearly, just her profile. She was staring at the sky, her face tilted up. The glow on her light-colored hair and pale skin made her look radiant, like a goddess. Her lips looked perfect for kissing and her scent made every part of him aware of her. He knew she was meant to be his. CristOF reached out to touch her, but she evaporated into dust that floated away.

  He woke up in a sweat, heart beating rapidly. It took him a moment to get his breathing under control. The light color of her skin made him think of the females from Earth, who came in all sorts of shapes and shades. His own coloring was dark bronze, as most of his own people were. She couldn’t be Kiljorn. Who was she? If only had seen her face fully.

  That dream haunted him, but he had to put it aside. He had a job to do. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he made his way down the hallway in the prime building. He saw two warriors standing outside of the command room. They stopped him.

  “Identify yourself.”

  “Warrior CristOF, lead tracker.”

  “They’re expecting you,” the warrior that stopped him said as he moved to the side.

  Was this much security actually needed in the prime building? What was going on? The other warrior opened the door for him and moved aside as well, so that he could enter.

  Two males stood when he entered. The tall, bald-headed warrior was Commander TylOR, and the slightly shorter, dark-haired male was Prime Leader KadEN. CristOF walked closer so that they could clasp forearms.

  “Warrior CristOF, good to see you again,” TylOR said, clasping his arm first.

  “You too, Commander.”

  KadEN clasped his arm next. “I wish it was under better circumstances, CristOF.”

  “How is your mate?” CristOF asked KadEN as the three of them took a seat.

  It had been a few years back that he had helped save Prima Lindsey from being kidnapped. The female had impressed him, and that was partly what gave him hope that he might be able to find his own mate among the new females.

  “Lindsey is doing fine, breeding our second young. She looks forward to seeing you again.”

  CristOF smiled wide. “Congratulations.”

  KadEN returned the smile. “Well, I have to catch up to my commander here, he’s got three.”

  Commander TylOR chuckled. “Lizzie is wanting more but after just having the twins, I think we need to give her a break. She’s so tiny I worry that it’s taking a toll on her body.”

  CristOF watched the two males he admired the most as they talked about their mates. They were fully settled into their family lives, happy and content. A longing filled him, something he hadn’t experienced in a some time—not since the passing of his grandfather to the other side to be with the Goddess. He cleared his throat, trying to keep his emotions in check. He waited patiently for them to tell him why they wanted him there. KadEN turned to face him.

  “I’m sure you’re wondering why we called you back from your time off,” KadEN said.

  “I am curious.”

  “Take a look at this report.” Commander TylOR leaned forward, elbows on the table. He handed a digital tablet to the hunter.

  CristOF took the tablet and pulled up the report. He read it twice, and then looked to Commander TylOR for confirmation.

  “What the report says is true. Rumors have been going around that the remaining rebels are regrouping, and some say that Kiljor is their new training ground.”

  CristOF couldn’t believe it. “That can’t be. There haven’t been any signs of rebel activity in over a year.”

  TylOR looked at KadEN, who gave him a nod. “This information is strictly under top-level security. We had an attack on a shuttle that was transporting a few humans from Katiera to Kiljor. Our warriors on board were able to deflect the attack and capture one of the attackers alive. The others were ki
lled. We had Interrogator StrykER question the attacker, but he was able to get only a little information before the male died.”

  There was a pause, and CristOF found it frustrating. “What did he discover?”

  KadEN explained the findings. “StrykER gets images from those he questions. Sometimes a name, but that didn’t happen this time. He did get images of an island, one that is uncharted.”

  “How is it not charted?” CristOF asked.

  “We can’t find it on the database, so it may have never been populated,” TylOR said.

  “Or…someone could have erased it from our database,” KadEN added reluctantly. The thought that someone with access to the database had betrayed them made all three males angry.

  “Any idea where it could be?” CristOF asked.

  “We think it’s on the eastern part of Kiljor, where the waters are choppier and harder to maneuver, and the low-lying clouds and fog give it coverage. We have people checking the west side, but we need someone who can easily inspect these unpopulated islands. They’re overgrown, almost like jungles. We need the best tracker on this.”

  He sat up straighter. If it were a jungle terrain, he would be able to maneuver through it with ease. “I accept the mission. I’ll leave immediately.”

  “Actually, we have a team being picked for you to leave with tomorrow evening. We don’t want anyone to see you depart so soon after arriving.”

  CristOF grimaced at the thought of having to work with others. It wasn’t that he disliked people; he just had a hard time opening up with them. It made him uncomfortable. “I can move much more quickly without a team.”

  TylOR glanced over at KadEN. “I don’t like sending you out without backup. Every Kiljorn is vital to our survival, and you, as our best tracker, are important to our people.”

  He felt pride at his commander’s words. A warrior lived to protect his people, and to have his efforts acknowledged was a gift. He also understood the need to have backup. He couldn’t take on the rebels all on his own.

  “I want to help pick my team. They need to answer to me and follow my instructions. If I tell them to hold back while I go ahead to scout, they will need to follow my orders.”

  KadEN nodded his head. “That sounds reasonable. Commander, escort Warrior CristOF to where the potential teammates are being screened.”

  CristOF stood, taking the digital tablet with him. He was about to leave when KadEN stopped him.

  “I would like to invite you to my quarters to dine with my family and Commander TylOR’s family. That will give you time to review all the information we’ve gathered, and you can ask any questions you have this evening.”

  He fought another grimace at the thought of attending a social event, even if it was a small one. CristOF was almost considered a hermit by most of his fellow warriors because he preferred his own company to others. Maybe it was because, once his grandmother passed on, he and his grandfather had spent most of their time alone in the jungle. However, if he was to succeed with this mission, he needed to have all the facts and more time to question the two males after he thoroughly reviewed the report—it would be invaluable.

  “What time did you say dinner would be?” CristOF asked.

  He agreed to come for dinner before following Commander TylOR down to the training field to take a look at possible team members. He wasn’t going to have anyone on his team who cared more about making a name for himself than about working as a true team member. His father’s death in battle was largely due to a grandstanding commander, who wanted to make a name for himself and have a glorious battle behind him. Unfortunately the commander, his father, and their whole team lost their lives. That story was often told when young warriors began their training, to teach them the cost of seeking glory. It was a lesson he wished he could have learned a different way.

  CristOF stood outside on the training field as the suns were setting. Commander TylOR was next to him. He knew that TylOR wanted to say something else to him, but seemed to be working up to it.

  “What troubles you, Commander?”

  “I debated whether I should send for you.”

  That surprised him. “Do you feel that I’m not capable of completing this mission successfully?”

  “CristOF, you’re our best tracker. I have no doubt you are capable. I just worried that it would be too much for any warrior who has done as much as you have. You’ve just come back from a four-month tracking mission looking for more Morins. You need the rest.”

  “I’ll rest when I die,” CristOF joked. The commander didn’t laugh.

  “No one is impervious to exhaustion. After this mission, I’m putting you on leave for a few months.”

  “What if I don’t want to take that leave?”

  “It’s not up to you, warrior.” Sighing, TylOR faced him. “I’m your friend, and I don’t want to see you live only for the hunt. There’s more to living than that.”

  All CristOF did was grunt and look away. He didn’t know anything else but hunting. It was his life. He turned his back on the field, not realizing that he was being watched.

  *****

  Two males, one older and one younger, hid in the partial shade of the trees across from the training field. They watched the Kiljorn commander conferring with a tracker. The distance was too great for them to pick up the conversation

  “The commander called in a tracker. This needs to be reported to our leader.”

  “I don’t recognize the male. Have you seen him before?”

  “I’ve seen him once. He helped track the earth bitch that mated KadEN.”

  “Do they know about the…”

  The older male slapped the younger male, shutting him up. “Don’t speak about that in public.”

  “But there’s no one here that would hear us.”

  “You never know where KadEN’s spies are hiding.”

  “What do we do?”

  “We watch the tracker to see what he does, and then we report it. We need to know why he’s here.”

  Chapter 4

  She came from a close-knit modest income family. Tera was the eldest of five girls born to two teachers who taught their girls to think for themselves and that they had to work hard for what they wanted in life. Though she was taught to be self reliant and independent, her family had a hard time accepting her decision to leave Earth. Maybe she could have brought up the subject in a better way instead of how she actually did it.

  Tera sat at the big round dining room table, her four younger sisters each at their usual seats and her parents at opposite ends of the table. Her mother had established a routine of going around the table and having each person say something about their day. No phones were allowed, no interruptions tolerated. This was their quality time together. When her time came to speak she rushed into it.

  “I applied for relocation to Katiera. Pass the potatoes please.”

  All hell broke loose. Her sisters asked me a million questions and her mother broke out into tears. Her father, God bless him, looked at me thoughtfully before saying, “I think it’s a good opportunity for you.” Then he passed me the potatoes.

  Of course, her parents had their own questions that I had to answer for them. Her mother didn’t want her to go but her father supported the idea, knowing that there wasn’t much for Tera on Earth. I promised to write to them or send video messages, whenever possible. My hope was that one day I would be able to send for my family to join me. Socializing with the Primes of Kiljor could help her do that.

  Tera was nervous as she stood in front of the door of the prime family’s suite. It was ridiculous to feel this way. It was just dinner with friends. She waved her hand over the bell system, which identified her to the quarters’ inhabitants. She glanced quickly down at her dress, hoping she was dressed appropriately. What exactly did one wear when dining with what accounted for alien royalty?

  She’d chosen a light green sarong-style dress in the style that the females on Katiera and Kiljor wore. She ho
ped to blend in as best she could. Her long curly hair was bound up on top of her head, leaving her neck and shoulders exposed except for a few long, curly strands that cascaded down. One of the nice human women she’d met on the trip from Earth had taught her how to do that style, after Tera complained about how unruly her hair was at times. The woman she befriended, Dixie, was a stylist, and helped her learn techniques to tame the curls. She could have straightened it, but she didn’t felt like taking longer to get ready.

  Lindsey answered the door, which surprised her. She would have thought that as a Prima, which was the equivalent to a princess on Earth, Lindsey would be surrounded by staff to wait on her hand and foot. To come to think of it, most of the times that she’d met with Lindsey, she’d only had one guard, watching over her for safety reasons.

  “I’m so glad you agreed to come this evening. We have so much to discuss.” Lindsey practically pulled her into the entryway, already discussing plans she had for a nursery daycare for those who wouldn’t be of age to go to school with the other children yet. She stopped talking only when they reached the end of the hallway, which ended in a large, open-concept room connecting the kitchen, dining room, and living room. Tera could see the glass doors at the other side of the dining room, which opened up to a balcony. She loved the balconies that the Katierans and Kiljorns had on most quarters. They enjoyed the outside as much as they did the luxury on the inside.

  Her nervousness returned when she saw that the large living room wasn’t empty. Lindsey introduced her to the small group that was gathered there.

  “I know you’ve met both Commander TylOR and his mate, Dr. Elizabeth Connell.”

  She smiled as she greeted the mated pair. “Commander TylOR and Dr. Connell, it’s good to see you again.”

  “Please call me Lizzie. We’re friends here.”

  Tera relaxed a little more. “Lizzie, you’re looking great.”

  Lizzie snorted. “I’m sleep-deprived is what I am. Three children under the age of three is cra...a...zzzy.”