HeartbeatofSilence (8 page)

The researcher that had evolved the Yaluthu was speaking to her on the com. “Headmaster Halig, I need those Yaluthu back.”

Veera looked at him. “The next generation and the evolved Yaluthu are not yours. You received sixty of the original one hundred twenty-one. Be content with that.”

“They are mine, you cannot keep them.”

“They are sentient and now indigenous to Balen. It is amazing what technically happens when you restart a world. Anything that casts the next generation actually becomes a member or a species registered to that world.” She chuckled, and Fixit jumped to her shoulder and squawked angrily at the researcher.

“It…it morphed.”

“He certainly did. Did you know that they are born pregnant? This lovely fellow on my shoulder has been most forthcoming with knowledge now that he is mature. When those others mature, you will have the Alliance breathing down your neck, demanding their freedom. You might just want to send them here and save us all a lot of fuss.”

She smiled brightly into the com and the man paled as she reached out and touched his thoughts.

“How are you…”

“We all have our skills. Now, send them out on the next transport, or I will have a ship come to collect them. They cannot evolve on your world and keeping the infant of a sentient species in captivity is frowned upon within the Alliance.”

He spluttered, but she could feel the resignation in his mind. He would send them to Balen, and they would be able to live their lives with their own kind.

Fixit was the eldest of an entire generation. The Yaluthu were a slow-breeding race who had enjoyed the wilds of their world. The genetic modification did not bother them much. They liked being bigger. Since predators were no longer a danger, Fixit was offering the little ones as companions for Citadel personnel and the Sector Guard. They could heal slowly and comfort on an emotional level that Veera could testify to.

“If I don’t hear from you in a week, the next contact will be via shuttlecraft. Have a nice day.”

She cut the com and smiled as Saga waddled into the room. She was ready to have her child, as were two of the other women from the station.

“Are you ready for lunch?” Saga smiled.

“I am getting there.” She rose from her seat and tapped the basket twice. The nine little bodies tumbled end over end and fitted themselves into the basket. “Woof. This is one of the last weeks I will be able to do this.”

Stanik came into the room and took the basket from her.

Fixit hopped to the pad on his shoulder, and Fixit watched his little ones carefully.

“I will take them, you help Saga down the stairs.”

Veera laughed. “It serves her right for coming up here.”

Saga gasped and smacked her on the arm. “You will pay for that, Headmaster.”

Veera smiled. “I have no doubt. By the way, my brother, sister and the rest of my family are coming here for a performance.”

Her black robes with gold piping swirled as she took Saga’s arm and helped her down the four flights of steps in the administration wing.

By the time they were down, there was the normal crowd around Fixit and the babies, so Saga and Veera snuck over to the buffet and filled up while everyone else was distracted.

“Sadly, I think this will be the only set of hatchlings that Fixit has. Too bad, I like going to the front of the line.” She laughed and took the tray to the table surrounded by the folks stroking and cooing to the adorable little beasties. She cleared her throat, and the crowd faded away. The other Yaluthu were running wild in the forest during most days, reappearing only for the occasional treat.

“Your fee, good sir.” She passed Stanik a full plate, and he grinned and dug in. They had been distracting the crowd from the moment that Fixit had allowed his little ones on public display.

“This isn’t going to work much longer.”

Veera sighed. “I know. They won’t fit in the basket if they keep growing.”

He howled with laughter, and Saga laughed at her disgruntled expression.

Fixit hopped across the table and ate from her plate, hopping back to feed his little ones.

Veera ate her lunch and looked around. She was queen of all she surveyed, and she currently had nine Citadel members on assignments with the Sector Guard, three off on recruitment and the remainder were here at home. Her family was coming to visit, and the Citadel had every spare midwife and midwifery student posted at Balen with the fifteen pregnant women preparing to bring their new ones into the world.

It was going to be the first Citadel with a crèche. Zenina-Balen was delighted. New citizens brought life and created a stable base for the resurfaced world. Balen liked babies, he was trying to convince his Avatar to give in and have one. Rolland-Saru was on Balen’s side and with a crèche at the Citadel, she would have unlimited childcare if she needed it.

Balen was alive and hopping. Shuttles came and went. Station 13 continued to send experiments to the base that required a natural atmosphere.

Veera reached out and touched Stanik’s mind with hers, amazed that after so much time craving silence, she found herself revelling in everything but.

He touched her thoughts and drew a bubble around them. They sat in the privacy of their link with dozens of folk around them. He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to the interior of her wrist. The images he sent to her mind revolved around her wide desk, and she shivered lightly as the images got very detailed.

Saga snorted and said, “I will bring Fixit and the little ones up later. You look like you could use a…nap.”

Veera got to her feet and grabbed Stanik as he shifted to his beast form and ran up the steps to her office. She had work on her agenda for the afternoon, but it could wait for an hour…maybe two.

She was just hoping that this time they didn’t turn on the com again.

Author’s Note

Veera and Stanik appeared in
Mauled by Destiny
. The Lyrans are an interesting species, and eventually, we are going to see them in their home location.

I am not sure when. I am never sure when. Each book calls out for a new environment, and if my cover artist would stop making interesting covers for me, I am sure that I would settle down into a nice, repetitive location.

For those who are curious,
Gift of Wyora
, was the first example of Wyoran links.
Wyt and Wild
was the first sighting of Relay and Effin.

Well,
Ice Runner
is next up, and it speaks to me personally. It has been a long, cold winter, and I am more than ready to spend some time someplace warm.

Thanks for reading. (And I do mean that, even if you hate the book. Neener.)

Viola Grace

http://www.violagrace.com

[email protected]

About the Author

Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there.

She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time.

In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.

Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, her greatest weakness and strength is her evil sense of humour.

Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever

After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.