Prince V’dim turned to face the crewmen, then glanced at Prince Z’fir. “What Prince Z’fir is trying to say is neither of us can get any readings from the being inside. Nor do we know if it is dangerous. It could be a trap. Something could have happened. We do not know if we are too late or...” Prince V’dim’s voice trailed off as one of Z’fir’s vines wrapped around his shoulder in comfort.
Prince V’dim straightened and turned back around to watch the pod’s approach, one of his tentacles entangled with Prince Z’fir’s vines.
The surprising admission silenced the chattering crew members.
Xylo, of course, knew their story, knew why they were seeking each other for comfort and guidance. They had grown up together, inseparable. Both of their Queen mothers had tried to separate them, fostering assorted females as they attempted to force a courting bond with their sons. Only princesses were of value to the Queens. Sons were of little use other than as political capital to build a connection with another clan known to produce powerful females.
Xylo could tell the princes were taking their inability to connect with the being on the small pod personally. As the strongest telepath and empath on the ship, they considered it a failure.
The escape pod was almost to the hangar’s shield gel when Xylo had an idea. Maybe he could finally put his research about other life forms to use. He closed his eyes and focused on the being inside the pod.
He sucked in a deep breath at what he felt.
“Sires,” he whispered as he opened his eyes.
The princes turned to face him, attracting the attention of the rest of the gathered crew.
“What is it, Master Scholar Xylo?” Prince Z’fir questioned.
“Its mind feels shielded. Perhaps it is unconscious? Some species have shields as a failsafe to protect their unconscious minds.”
“Is that what you felt?” Prince V’dim asked, his color sliding from its usual cobalt to the yellowish-green of nervous excitement.
“I believe so, Sire,” Xylo replied, hoping he was correct. Failure to be accurate here could cause trouble or lead to others doubting him in the future.
“We will soon see,” Prince V’dim said as the tractor beams settled the escape pod on the landing strip about twenty-five tiqs away from them. “I want to be prepared for anything. Medical staff, prepare to assist Senior Healer Chyox and Master Scholar Xylo. We want to transport whoever is inside as quickly as possible to the infirmary. Am I clear?”
A chorus of “Yes, Sires” sounded as Chyox and Xylo nodded to one another. Both were professional enough to put aside any differences they had when they needed to work together. The older Ulax Senior Healer did not agree with the decision to place Xylo among the Senior Staff, nor did he like being forced to work with Xylo.
But Prince Z’fir had personally requested Xylo’s presence on the colony ship as they searched for a habitable planet for both species, so they made it work.
In addition to facilitating communication with all lifeforms—whether registered or unregistered with CEG—Xylo’s job included supporting both species' Warrior Class. Xylo believed this dual role was more important than the purely medical positions. After all, it was rare for medical assistance to be required. Both the Ulax and the Wudox regenerated quickly as long as there wasn’t a foreign object preventing the body from self-healing.
There had not been any serious fighting since they boarded the ship—it had been a while since either race had been involved in a war—so there hadn’t been much call for significant medical treatment. To date, even the females aboard had not neared the fertile phase of their reproductive cycle. Conflict was more likely to arise if they came across species other than the Aldawi, who owned the territory they were currently exploring.
The hangar bay crew cut through the last of the escape pod door, interrupting Xylo’s thoughts. He watched as they pried it open, and the medical staff approached with a portable hover stretcher, generic IVs, and other medical equipment. The princes stood to the side with the Head of Security, K’dyth, and Head of the Hangar Bay Security, M’nto. Their assistants positioned themselves around the pod.
A cloud of white gas rolled out of the pod.
Xylo jerked his scanner up and aimed it at the smoke—some type of sedative to put subjects into a deep sleep. When the gas cleared, Xylo and Chyox peered into the escape pod door, their scanners trained on the interior.
Xylo sucked in a breath, unable to believe what he was seeing.
“My Princes…”
“What is it?” Prince V’dim demanded.
“Oh, Stars. I cannot be sure because our database on them is incomplete, but I believe we have ourselves a human.” Xylo double- and triple-checked his scanner’s readings, certain his eyes were deceiving him.
“Why is that noteworthy?” Prince V’dim questioned, his skin—along with that of all the other Ulax in the hangar bay—wavering between the yellow of anxiety and the orange of hope.
It was considered a great responsibility to learn more about a species with an incomplete file within CEG. All CEG members—including the Aldawi—knew CEG rewarded those who aided new species and helped complete their files. If this were indeed a human, it could be their opening to request assistance finding a place to settle in Aldawi territory.
“They were reported extinct about sixty years ago—their planet reduced to nothing by the Yaarkins. CEG was too late to stop them by the time they found out,” Xylo replied, still shaking his head in disbelief.
“What Master Scholar Xylo is failing to mention—the human is a severely injured female... and pregnant,” Chyox corrected.
“Oh Stars, indeed,” Prince Z’fir murmured.
Chapter Three 5313-3F
A moan escaped me as I woke.
The first thing I noticed was I was surrounded by soft warmth. It was the most comfortable I could ever remember being.
Peeling my eyes open, I grimaced at the brightness of the room and winced at the slight tenderness on the
