Tracking (Return of the Nine) Read online

  Daphne came with her.

  “Thank you, Daphne. That shower was wonderful.”

  Daphne laughed. “The mother ship has solar showers, so think fondly of this one.”

  “Right. Limited water on the ship.” Ianka braced herself for what was about to be her first space flight.

  She gave Daphne a brisk hug and waved to Apolan before following Dorum into the ship.

  He carefully took her pack from her and settled it in a storage container, locking it closed. “We don’t want anything coming loose. This is a quick and bumpy trip.”

  She nodded and swallowed quickly. “It will be my first.”

  He showed her to the front of the shuttle and he demonstrated how to buckle into one of the dozen seats, all without touching her. She snapped the harness into place and he nodded with satisfaction. “Right. We shall be on our way.”

  Ianka swallowed again and curled her hands on the armrests. The shuttle started to move and then they were tilting upward. She felt the tugging as the engines pushed against the atmosphere.

  She closed her eyes at the pressure and held tight until there was a switch in the drag downward. It went from overwhelming to steady and even in a few moments. From that moment until they entered the huge vessel of the mother ship, she concentrated on her breathing and not crushing the armrests in her grip.

  A curl of excitement ran through her and she sat up as much as she could. Vida was seeing her arrive. They would be together again and the pain of the separation would finally ease.

  Chapter Three

  Ianka looked at her sister from the walkway that led away from the ship bays. Vida was clenching her hands together and a large dark figure was behind her, his hands on her shoulders

  Ianka tried not to run to the door that separated them, but she got there in seconds and waiting for the panel to slide open took an eternity.

  Face to face with her sister, she had no words. She hugged Vida carefully, and to her surprise, her twin had grown several inches taller.

  Vida chuckled. “I will have to explain the height, Eek, but that can wait for later. I am so happy that you have come.”

  Ianka parted from her sister and tears were running down both their cheeks.

  They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment before laughter began and another hug ensued.

  The man with Vida cleared his throat. “Ladies, I believe we should take the reunion to an area where we are not blocking traffic.”

  Ianka turned and gave the men behind her a blank stare. They shifted and moved around her, edging around their little group.

  Sighing, she turned back to her sister. “Your mate is right. Is there somewhere else we can make spectacles of ourselves?”

  Vida linked arms between them and started hauling them along. “Ianka, this is S’rin of the Balance. His people are a little unusual, even for the Nine, but we get along. S’rin, this is my twin, Ianka Senior. Her skills are as physical as mine are not.” She chuckled.

  Ianka nodded to him around her sister’s increased height. He nodded in return.

  “It is an honour to meet you, Ianka.”

  “And you as well, S’rin.”

  Vida dragged them to a series of pods and explained the inner ship transport system to her sister. Ianka smiled at this new world that her sister was so keen on. It was good to see her excited about something that wasn’t her habit of staring at the stars.

  Twins always knew that one day their worlds would part, but Ianka had never imagined it would be literally.

  “We live in the area used by the Balance. It is the quietest section of the ship, so it will be easy to talk, and the food is peculiarly attractive.” Vida smiled.

  It had been two hours since her meal at the embassy, but if Vida wanted to eat while they spoke, Ianka would jam in whatever would fit.

  They settled in the pod, and without any delay, they were whisking through the ship and Ianka took in everything around her.

  Seated across from her sister and S’rin, Ianka looked into his hood and smiled, “So, are those stars everywhere or just on your face?”

  He jumped a little and looked at her more closely. “You can see through the shadows?”

  Vida said proudly, “She can see through fog, run faster than local predators and find anything that has left a trail. Your little hood trick is no match for her sight.”

  He chuckled and lowered his hood, exposing the stars that floated under his skin with the occasional streaking meteor.

  Ianka could only imagine what his skin looked like under his robes, but it didn’t stir her at all. He was Vida’s and that was the end of it.

  Ianka drank tea while they ate and nibbled at bits that her sister recommended from the platter of designs crafted from food. It was almost too pretty to eat.

  Vida winced a few times during the meal. S’rin stopped and held her hand while she breathed through whatever spasm she was having.

  “What is going on?” Ianka wanted to know. Vida was wearing a tight bodysuit, but it seemed to be nearly structural in places.

  Vida sighed. “I had a break in my arm that was treated here, but they haven’t calibrated the treatment for Gaians yet, so there were side effects. My normally brittle frame is being reinforced on the molecular level and my bonding to S’rin is increasing my height. There are definitely twinges as the change progresses.”

  S’rin continued to hold her hand. “She is unfit for spaceflight. I am afraid that there was no option but to contact you in an effort to rescue your parents.”

  Ianka let that sink in for a moment and sipped her tea. “Rescue?”

  Vida smiled and leaned forward. “They are alive, I have found the description of the star that they are nearest to, and I was inside Dad’s head. He and Mother are both alive and well. Well, not well, but they are alive and together. With S’rin’s help, I was able to see through his eyes. Things were blurry, but we found the likeliest location.”

  Ianka remained silent and leaned back, sipping at her tea for a moment. When she set the elegant little cup down in the saucer, she looked at her sister and smiled. “When do I leave?”

  Vida nearly upended the table as she cried out happily and flung herself into Ianka’s arms.

  S’rin rescued the table and got to his feet. He waited until Vida was finished with her hugs before holding her chair for her and helping her seat herself.

  S’rin turned toward Ianka. “You will need a round of medical scans and some ship suits. We will assign you to a pilot and he will take you to the location. The ideal outcome will be for you to find all the Gaians who were taken, but if you do not, bring home your family.”

  “If Vida can see them, I can track them. Find someone to get me to that world and I will bring them home, just make sure that the ship is big enough.”

  She knew every member of the missing by scent. Despite her frustration at her sister’s obsession, she had gone to every private residence and memorized the scent of all the missing. Her frustration had been at her own inability to track her family through space. She was being offered a chance to change that, and so now, she was going to do everything she could to make the most of this opportunity.

  If they were on that world or moon or station, she was bringing them home.

  After dinner, it apparently was time to get her kitted out. There was no hesitation and no time to waste. A rack came out with a series of suits hanging from it. The shadow plucked several selections and S’rin nodded. “She will take them all and boots as well.”

  Ianka watched as S’rin swiped a small chit. “You shouldn’t pay for me.”

  “Dearest sister, it is an honour and a privilege.” He bowed low.

  She blinked as the shadow handed her a suit. She could see the man inside the swirling darkness and he was smiling. “There is a change room off to the left there. If you would care to put this on, you can be a little more comfortable.”

  She blushed. “Thank you.”

  With a nod fro
m Vida, she headed to the change room and slipped the dress off with relief. Tight clothing was not really her forte. She liked it to hug her but not restrict her and the dress was highly restricting when she moved her arms.

  She tugged on the bodysuit and it formed to her, leaving her feeling covered but free. Her bust was incredibly grateful. She got support and was uncompressed. It was a nice feeling. She smoothed the closures together and exited the change room with her dress over her arm.

  S’rin coughed and Vida elbowed him. “We are not identical twins, stop staring.”

  Vida held out a robe. “Here, this might stop the gawking while you are on the mother ship.”

  Grinning, she tossed the dress to S’rin and turned her back to Vida so she could slip it in place. Once the sleeveless robe was on her shoulders, her more noticeable assets were camouflaged. She twirled. “Better?”

  S’rin had her dress over his arm. “No, but it will be better for morale. You have a striking figure.”

  Vida wrinkled her nose. “She really does. I have always envied it.”

  Ianka grinned. “And I have always envied you your perky nose.”

  S’rin chuckled. “And I will be the envy of every man on the ship but only if we can get out of here so that I can show you off.”

  The amusement seemed out of his character, but Vida moved close to him, and it was obvious that the joy was coming from her and out of him.

  Their little trio left the shop and headed for the medical centre.

  They had to wait for half an hour but Dr. Meevin beckoned them into her office to wait. Ianka’s presence was causing a bit of a stir. Members of the Nine were popping by medical just to get a look at her.

  “Why am I such a draw?” Ianka was looking at her sister with suspicion.

  Vida chuckled. “Every Gaian woman that they have seen has found a mate in the population of the ship. They are just trying to increase their chances.”

  Ianka snorted. “They would run the other way if they had seen me enter the embassy. I was a little on the wild side.”

  “The Wilders might have taken a shot.” Vida laughed and took a chair.

  “Not if I was upwind, I had been walking for five days.” She wrinkled her nose.

  S’rin blinked. “Where had you been living?”

  “In the wild. No Gaians, no politics, no having to face the wreckage of where our parents disappeared. It was cowardly but I just couldn’t take it anymore.”

  Vida sighed. “It wasn’t cowardice, it was survival. I was constantly looking for the path that only I could see and you were stuck trying to track something that wasn’t there. You needed to be active and I forgot about that. We both went mad in our separate ways.”

  It was said. They had both gone mad. Ianka walked over and took her sister’s hand. Vida had already found her balance. Ianka was going to have to work for hers.

  Chapter Four

  The medical exam was a surprise to S’rin and Dr. Meevin. Most of Ianka’s strange talent resided in her body itself. She had more receptors in her nerve endings and sensory apparatus than any Gaian examined so far.

  Vida chuckled. “And for me, my mind is lit up like a holiday in the square. Sections spark all at once. S’rin loves me for my mind.”

  He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “And your body, dearest, don’t forget that.”

  Dr. Meevin rolled her eyes. “Right. That is enough of that. You are the fittest woman I have ever had the pleasure of examining, Ianka Senior. While I am curious to have your speed and strength tested, it is unnecessary to my declaring you fit for spaceflight and hand-to-hand combat if it comes down to it.”

  The doctor had taken the dress, wrapped it up and forwarded it through a tube system. It would be at Vida’s quarters when they returned there.

  “I don’t have any experience in fighting other bi-pedals. I stick to hunting and killing what I need to eat.”

  Dr. Meevin blinked. “Right. Well, that would explain a few things.”

  Ianka laughed. “It would?”

  “Your body is more carnivorous than omnivorous. You need more protein than vegetation. It isn’t a common adaptation and must be difficult to deal with.”

  Ianka shrugged. “I will need to get serious about it in a day or two.”

  Meevin nodded. “Right. I will make a note for your rations so that you are in fighting form when you arrive.”

  “Thank you. It will be a relief because I get a little upset when my meals are messed with.”

  “Noted.”

  Dr. Meevin took a final tissue sample and smiled. “There. All done. You can continue on to your next appointment.”

  Ianka rubbed at her wrist and looked at Vida and S’rin. “Next appointment?”

  Vida wrinkled her nose. “We had an itinerary prepared the moment that we knew you were on the way. You are going to meet with Ziggy and her husband, General Rothaway.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he is on the council and can authorize anyone who cares to join your expedition.” Vida beamed.

  “You think others will want to join?” She was a little surprised.

  “Of course. You might not be going to battle, but you are engaging in something exciting. The mother ship has a batch of warriors waiting for action. They are a little restless and in need of a target.”

  “Fine. Shall we get going?” Ianka had no idea how this was going to turn out, but she was definitely sympathising with folk who wanted to take action. She favoured that tactic herself.

  Ziggy was exactly as she remembered, with the slight addition of moderately pointed teeth and a predator-like gaze. Her husband was a predator without a doubt.

  He met Ianka’s open gaze with a smile and the respectful inclination of his head. “It is always pleasant to meet one of Signy’s people.”

  Ziggy took her hands and squeezed them. Ianka carefully squeezed back. “It is good to see you again, Eek.”

  “It is good to be back with people, though the increasing amount of them is getting a little distressing. Is there somewhere on board I can run?”

  “Of course. We will have to clear a track for you, but it should be fine.”

  “Clear a track?”

  “Yeah, female sweat can have an unsettling effect on unmated males of the Nine.”

  Ianka sighed. “I don’t want to be any trouble. Isn’t there a women’s gym somewhere?”

  “I am afraid not. The women of the Nine don’t work out much, so we are stuck with the men’s facilities. The women go for tea and long walks in the central green space.”

  Ianka made a face and Ziggy laughed.

  “Right. We will make the arrangements once Rothaway figures out the scale of this endeavour. We know you want to get in and out with your parents, but we need to send Ula’s probe in to send us telemetry.”

  “How long will that take?”

  “Two days before we get a signal back. She has already altered it to fit with Vida’s information.”

  To Ianka’s surprise, they had drifted away from those gathered and were standing off by themselves.

  Ziggy’s face grew serious. “I have a question to ask. Would you agree to get the common language of the Nine directly into your mind? I have heard that it hurts, but I have only done it once before, so I can’t say that it will happen again.”

  “Pain fades. If it will ease working with the Nine, I will do it.”

  Before she could say anything else, Ziggy’s hand shot out and grabbed hers tight. Fire flowed up her arm and exploded in her brain.

  Ianka stiffened but held back the scream that wanted to erupt. She breathed through her nose as her language centre was overloaded and as suddenly as it started, it was over.

  Ziggy released her hand and looked at her. “Was it horrible?”

  “It was definitely painful, but I can feel the words in my mind.”

  S’rin drifted closer. “They are coming out of your mouth. You are speaking Nine common. Well
done.”

  “Thank you, brother.” Ianka blinked as the formal response came from her lips. “That will take some getting used to.”

  Ziggy blinked. “Right. He is your brother or brother-in-law.”

  She laughed and flicked her long hair over her shoulder. “I think the members of the Nine will be lining up for you. They don’t have multiple births.”

  Ianka covered her eyes. “Oh, dear stars.”

  Ziggy patted her shoulder. “There, there. I am sure there will be a bare minimum of flexing involved. These men preen like firebirds if you give them the opportunity.”

  S’rin was grinning in the depths of his hood. He had raised it the moment that they left the relative safety of the Balance section of the ship. The Balance seemed to be odd even by the standards of the Nine.

  Rothaway called them all to a boardroom where they sat and discussed the needs of the mission. Ularica chipped in from her workshop on board the ship via a com link.

  When they had the basics discussed, screens descended from the ceiling and the races of the Nine were formally invited into the venture.

  Dorum sat as head of the Fury and Ianka smiled and waved politely at the one face she recognised. To her amusement, he waved back.

  Ziggy and Vida looked at her with surprise, and she merely smiled back with a smug smirk.

  Dorum led the charge. “I will be sending my son, Derion and fifty of our best. The Fury are honoured to be able to participate in this mission.”

  Rothaway smiled and said, “And very smart in thinking that if they rescue the Gaians, the feeling of relief and thanks might spill into the ability to meet some of the young ladies of the family of those rescued.”

  Ianka blinked. “I had not thought of that. If they come with and not only work with a Gaian but rescue survivors, there may indeed be a bond formed between our two peoples once again.”

  Her words brought on a sudden surge of participation and five hundred warriors in twenty ships were volunteered in short order, each race of the Nine worked to one-up the one before it.