Natalia has developed an allergy to the very technology that enabled her to be a Relay. Forced to resigned from a job that would cost her her life, she is sent to Solray, a low tech planet who’s inhabitants have the ability to heal her completely.

  A single woman on Solray isn’t single for long, and when the Storm Set eagle shifters show an interest in her, Natalia knows the uncomfortable feeling of being prey. Thobin, Rosh and Apdel are linked mind to mind, talent to talent. A woman who brings out the predatory and protective instinct in all three is a woman worth pursuing, and they are not above using her new familiar to work their way into her thoughts and dreams.

  The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Engage

  Copyright © 2010 Viola Grace ISBN: 978-1-55487-664-8

  Cover art by Martine Jardin

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by eXtasy Books

  Look for us online at:

  www.eXtasybooks.com

  Engage

  A Terran Times Novella

  By

  Viola Grace

  Chapter One

  atalia winced as she got the notice. A series of Nrequests for her ge

  netic material, with her

  attached, had recently been filed with the Alliance.

  It seemed her plans to join the Sector Guard had just been nipped in the bud.

  “Are you ready to have our little talk, Relay Nithin?” Her physician smiled down at her. His glowing eyes burned in the artificial light of the space station. Doctor Eklon was the finest of the Wyoran physicians attending the tanked relays.

  He had supervised her decanting a week ago and she had been waiting for this visit ever since.

  Her daily download of information into her brain was still continuing and she knew that it shouldn’t be, based on the little matter of her being unplugged.

  “What’s wrong, Doc?” It was a formality. Tal knew what was wrong with her.

  “You have developed an allergy to your technology and we can’t remove it all.”

  She smiled slowly, the heat, pain and swelling 1

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  of her face and limbs had tipped her off weeks ago. “You don’t say. How long do I have?”

  “We have made arrangements for you in a few hours.”

  She swallowed heavily. “I only have a few hours to live?” Her breath stuck in her chest. Tal’s mind whirled with a thousand things she could have done in her life.

  The doctor’s eyes widened in shock. “No! You will live a long and healthy life as long as we get you away from technology. You’re system is becoming irritated just being around the electrical impulses of our society. You won’t be able to work in space anymore, but accommodations have been arranged for you on a low-tech world.”

  “Why low tech, why not zero tech?” Her mind jumped immediately to the specificity of his words.

  “Your cousin has requested that you be posted somewhere she can visit.”

  “You have already spoken to Aster?”

  “Yes, we have. Apparently, you did not let her know you were in distress.” His displeasure was palpable. Family connections were a big deal on Wyora.

  “She is in a new relationship. I didn’t want to distract her while she settles in with them.” Tal felt decidedly vulnerable. The truth was she didn’t want Aster stealing a ship to come and visit when 2

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  Tal didn’t know exactly what her problem was or if there was a solution.

  “I see. Well, she will be with the pilots who are taking you and dropping you on Solray. There is a shielded shuttle on the way that will carry you in a launch pod to your new home.”

  Despite the irritation that it caused her senses, she checked on Solray while keeping up the conversation. There was not a large entry on the inhabitants of that world aside from a short mention of them being an Avari colony.

  “They agreed to take me?”

  “Once we remove as much tech from you as we can, yes. That was their only stipulation after they assessed your file. It is amazing, really. They have not offered to take any other personnel in the past, no matter how hard we begged.” The doctor patted her arm gently. “You should be honoured.”

  “Oh. I feel honoured. Please don’t touch me.”

  She didn’t have enough strength to move herself away.

  “I am sorry. I forget how delicate your body is.”

  She snorted. She knew the rest of the comment.

  You look so sturdy. She was indeed of a large frame but that had not hampered her ability to live in a wired tank for years.

  Aster, I hear you are on your way.

  We are. Why didn’t you tell me? The irritation was palpable through their biological connection. Their 3

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  mothers were sisters and two women could not be more different than the cousins. How their minds had gotten stuck to each other was a mystery that only geneticists could figure out.

  I didn’t know what was wrong or what it would mean. I needed to stay on duty with you while you were undercover.

  Oh no. It’s my fault.

  No! I knew something was happening and I didn’t tell anyone. My fault, not yours. Never yours. How are your husbands?

  Irritated but flying to get you, we should be there in the next hour or so. This ship rocks!

  Why are they irritated?

  They can’t keep the ship unless we take assignments in the Sector Guard. They want to stay home for a season.

  Then stay home with them. I want you and them happy.

  I can come and visit you once a year. The irritation in her thoughts was back.

  That will be enough. I can’t stand tech right now and have no idea how long it will last. This sensitivity may be permanent.

  There was a pause through their link. Will you be all right?

  The doctor thinks so, but I had better get back to him, he is glaring at me.

  The giggle through her thoughts made her smile. “My cousin is on her way.”

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  “Excellent. The null pod is standing by. As soon as you say your goodbyes, you will be sedated for the journey.”

  “But…I will be in the shuttle. Why can’t I stay awake?”

  “The pain will grow until it drives you insane and the medicines no longer help.”

  She shifted in her bed. “Well, when you put it that way, I could use a nap.”

  He chuckled and raised is hand as if to pat her again, then made a fist and placed it in his pocket.

  “Doc, are you sure that they will be able to handle my rehab?”

  “They are aware of it and have assured us that you will be back on your feet within a lunar cycle.

  We will reclaim you and find other accommodations if you are not.” Dr. Eklon smiled encouragingly.

  “Wonderful. I look forward to it or not. I can’t decide.” Tal sighed and took a quick look around the only world she had known for the last week.

  Sterile counters, a minimal amount of monitors and her dedicated support staff. They had been feeding her via tube and slowly weaning her onto semi-solids since she had come out of the tank.

  Her physiotherapist was standing by, a worried frown on her face.

  “I will see you before you leave. You are not getting sealed into that pod without my 5

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  supervision.”

  “Fair enough. See you later, Doc.” She used all of her concentration to wave farewell.

  Doctor Eklon gave her a long, solemn look, nodded and turned to leave her personal area.

  Sovril smiled and hustled forward, her six eyes blinking quickly as she assessed Natalia in a manner that only her species could. “You should not have strained yourself.”

  “I waved goodbye.”

  “And you and I know that it is too much for you right now. Come on, let me get those legs moving.”

  The next hour was spent groaning in pain as her inflamed joints were moved to stretch them for eventual use. Sovril did all the work.

  Natalia was sweating, pale and exhausted when the living hurricane that was Aster burst through the door, stopping short at the foot of her bed.

  “Hey, you.” Tal smiled weakly at her cousin’s look of horror.

  The two Kalorda behind her cousin looked shocked.

  “All right. Don’t be surprised. I was a relay for quite a long time. Years longer than the average. If not for my allergy, I would still be in the tank processing data.”

  “You…don’t look all right.” Aster reached out a 6

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>
  hand and pulled it back.

  Tal used the adrenaline from pain to lift her hand to her cousin’s. “Aster. I am fine. Nothing I can’t recover from. They got almost all of the tech out of me and only the bits surrounded by scar tissue are locked in. I will be fine.”

  Aster sat beside her on the bed and took her hand. Her light mocha skin made Tal’s hand look chalky in comparison. Why didn’t you tell me?

  “Out loud, please. I don’t want to be rude.” She smiled at the men who were fidgeting at the foot of her bed. “Vhol, Rassiv, it is nice to put faces to the names.”

  They bowed low. “It is an honour to meet our wife’s cousin. We will speak with the physician about your transport and let you two have a moment together.”

  Tal waited until they had left the room. “Whew.

  Nice to see them in person with clothes on. You tend to broadcast during intimate moments. That’s a lot of broadcasting.”

  Aster had the grace to blush. “Sorry about that, but the longer we are together, the tighter our bonds. I am amazed you are not picking up on Rassiv’s yet.”

  “Who says I am not? I am a lady and I have little to no interest in your ass.”

  They giggled together, Aster’s grip on her hand warm and secure.

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  “What happened, Tal?”

  “An allergic reaction that no one noticed, not even me until it had spread through my system and started to degrade my tissues. The doctor is confident that I can be fully rehabilitated now that the implants are mostly gone.”

  “Why can’t they get them all?” Aster’s free hand stroked hair away from her forehead.

  Natalia smiled through the flare of pain the small contact caused.

  “They are in my emotional centres. If they take them out, I may not be able to communicate with you or to form an emotional attachment. It’s a price I am willing to pay to have them in my head.”

  “How much pain are you in?”

  “Enough.”

  “Will you make it to Solray all right?”

  “The Doc is putting me in a transport pod.

  Probably with gel. I will be asleep until we arrive.”

  Aster nodded, “We have clearance for annual visits since you won’t be able to come to me.”

  As if summoned by their conversation, the doors opened and the Kalordans pushed a gel pod into the long-term medical area. Doctor Eklon was right behind them.

  “Relay Nithin. It is my duty to sedate you for transport. These agents of the Sector Guard are assuming responsibility for your safe delivery to 8

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  Solray. Once you are in the pod, you are all theirs.”

  Natalia smiled. The painkiller he gave her with a hypo numbed the sear of the sedative he injected next. Will you stay near me, Aster?

  Of course, Tal. I have to say that your frail appearance had a shocking result on my husbands.

  They were going to kidnap you for a Kalordan until they saw you.

  Oh darn. Better luck with your next cousin. Oh, wait. I am the only one out here. Her mind slowed as the drugs took hold. She felt the pressure of Vhol’s arms as he lifted her and passed her to Rassiv who settled her in the pod.

  Good night, Tal.

  Talk to you soon, Aster. Her cousin’s mind touched hers and the warmth that she felt with that contact wrapped Natalia as she fell into a dreamless sleep.

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  Viola Grace

  Chapter Two

  eat, humidity, scents and sounds she couldn’t Hidentify assailed her when Natalia opened her eyes. “Are we there yet?”

  A low laugh on her left made her slowly turn her head. A woman with beautiful golden skin smiled at her. “Thank you for joining us, Relay Natalia Nithin. Welcome to Solray.”

  “Thank you. Where is Aster?”

  “Your cousin was not allowed to stay. The cats with her were a disruptive influence and we had no idea how long it would take you to wake.” The woman moved slowly around the small room, collecting items that she brought to Natalia’s side.

  “I am Reylan. You can call me Rey.”

  “You can call me Tal. How am I doing?”

  “You are still very weak, but in the last few days, we have made tremendous strides in calming the infection that plagues you. The pain should be fading.”

  Natalia lifted one hand slowly and held the other. No flaring pain, just a dull ache. “It is. I 10

  Engage

  couldn’t even stand a casual touch before I was shipped here.”

  “Obviously. I am chief medic of the Solray colony and your recovery is proceeding at a predictable pace.” Rey smiled and checked Tal’s eyes, throat and listened to her heart. A few small marks of tech were in place, but most were items that Tal remembered from Earth.

  “What are the clothes like here?” Rey was wearing a sleeveless leather wrap top and an ankle-length wrap skirt.

  “We dress for comfort and durability. There are a lot of storms here and we need clothes that can stand up to just about anything. Lots of leather, other skins. We use woven fabrics for festival clothing. Boots and sandals are custom made. You have already been measured and have a pair of each.”

  “That’s creepy.”

  “He doesn’t have a foot fetish, you were perfectly safe.” Rey winked and slid an arm behind her back. “Now, if I had you measured for a personal rod, then you would have grounds for complaint.”

  Tal couldn’t help but ask, “Personal rod?”

  “For pleasure. Your body has not had release in quite some time. I understand that your job required immersion in a tank and you had no options for relief, but it is really something you 11

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  should try as soon as you are able.”

  Tal blinked and laughed weakly. She was being prescribed masturbation. “You are serious?”

  “Oh, very. It will speed your healing and improve your mental equilibrium. On Solray, we take sexual freedoms seriously. That includes the right to insist on pleasure from partners or ourselves. You should start as soon as the ache in your muscles eases.”

  The screaming of a raptor outside a window to her right drew her attention. It was perched on the thick limb of a tree and looking at her with unblinking golden eyes. When she cast her mind out to it, as if it was Aster, she saw herself, pale and astonished, long black hair tangled around her. She reeled her mind back and blinked. “Is there anything unusual about that bird?”

  “A little brother. Many here have them as companions. You are chosen by them, you do not choose.”

  “Is he yours?”

  Rey laughed. “In all my years, I have never been chosen. He came when you landed and has been with you ever since.”

  Tal took a good look at Rey and blinked. The woman was gold and brown all over. Her eyes were similar to those of the bird, her hair a few shades darker than her skin. “Why do you look like the bird?”

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  “The Solray people are a branch of the Avari.

  We used our technology to alter our DNA and there are shifters among us. Not all have the ability to shift. Those that do are called the elder brothers. You won’t miss them. A raptor the size of a man.”

  Rey had crossed the room and it was then that Tal realized she was sitting up on her own.

  Slowly, Tal draped her legs off the edge of the bed, dangling them until she could wiggle her toes. She still hurt, but she wanted to stand. It had been years. “Can I stand up?”

  “Give me a moment and I will help you.” Rey finished what she had been doing and extended her arms to Tal, gesturing for her to grip. “I will not touch you unless you need it. Come on.”

  Feeling like an uncoordinated toddler, Tal pushed up and off the bed, balancing on feet that suddenly pounded like drums were under the floorboards. She took a few steps and looked up at Rey. “I did it!”

 

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