Viola Grace

  able to thicken the material at will.”

  “All right. What about those sensors?”

  He looked surprised. “You are right. Wait here a moment.”

  Vornan left her and she quickly straightened her hair and wrapped the sheet around her. She was composed and looking at the door she had come through when a panel opened on the wall and he stepped through it. “Adjoining rooms?”

  “You are my partner. In the Sector Guard, that tends to mean that we will eventually develop a relationship.”

  She chuckled. “I can see that as a possibility.

  Being in this kind of a situation would make people want to be around those with complimentary talents. A relationship in that context would be almost inevitable. I don’t have a lot of experience with relationships.”

  He sat beside her on the bed. “What is not a lot?”

  “None. There were none like me in my village and even with my parents having a solid trade, no dowry could entice a man to entertain me as a wife. A woman who can dissolve rock is just too scary.”

  “I can see where it may be. Let me assure you, I am not frightened of your skill. In fact, I find your power part and parcel of a very impressive female.” He raised her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist.

  28

  Resurrecting Flame

  She blushed. “The sensors?”

  “Right.” He placed her hand back in her lap and opened the box of sensors. He pressed two to her back, one over each lung. One on the centre of her spine, one on her tailbone, one over either kidney.

  As he worked, he tugged the sheet lower and lower until it was only covering the curve of her buttock by its folds.

  “Now for the front of you.” He pressed two sensors on her outer thighs and slid his hands across her abdomen, leaving two more behind. Her breath was catching in her chest as he put the last sensor on the inside of her breast, over her heart.

  Kneeling on the floor, his head was just below hers and when he looked up at her, she smiled and pressed a tentative kiss on his lips. “Now, for some clothing.”

  He laughed and retrieved the pods he had been holding. “You realize how counter-intuitive it is for me to be putting clothing on you?”

  “It’s taking all my nerve not to just make a run for it. How does this work?”

  “Place your feet on the pods and press downward. The Masuo will activate and do the rest.”

  She followed his direction and held his hands tightly as the pods liquefied and crawled up her body. “This feels very odd.”

  “I know. Almost to your abdomen. Just hold 29

  Viola Grace

  still a little longer.”

  The liquid was moving up her body, warming, holding, supporting her as it went. It crept beneath the sheet and when it covered and cupped her breasts, she moved her arms so that the sheet fell.

  The suit was taking on a bluish pewter colour that Jenya couldn’t help but admire.

  She focused on the fabric and it thickened as it moved across her shoulders and down to her wrists. Vornan released her hands as it continued to advance down her hands. It left her thumbs and fingers exposed, but covered her palms and her knuckles. She flexed her hands and smiled at Vornan. “I like it.”

  She stood and the soles of the feet thickened and a slight heel appeared. The colouration darkened until mid-thigh and she was wearing a skin-tight suit with thigh-high boots that felt like she wasn’t wearing anything at all.

  “This would never work on Wael. Loose clothing is preferred for all social situations.” She turned from left to right, trying to see her backside.

  “Guardian has had a luncheon sent to his office.

  He is expecting us and you are clean, rested, wired and dressed. All the criteria that most women seem to require for leaving their quarters.”

  She laughed. “Is there something to restrain my hair?”

  “No, but we will get something for you. I think 30

  Resurrecting Flame

  your hair looks nice down, but it may get in the way on duty.” He held out his hand and she took it, letting his fingers wrap around hers in a comforting grip.

  They walked through the halls and she found herself concentrating to make the heels of her boots higher. She had gained three inches when Vornan noticed. “What are you doing?”

  “I felt a little short. Most of the males on base are taller than I am and there is no reason for me not to use the suit to elevate me. It works very well.”

  “It isn’t a toy.” He was trying to scowl and laugh at the same time.

  “Yes, it is. Since everything here is new to me, coming from a restricted tech world, I am determined to enjoy every new thing that is offered. That starts with the comfy bed and extends to this suit.” She smiled and bumped her hip into his.

  He looked surprised at her playful behaviour, but kept his grip on her hand. As they approached, a door slid open in front of them. “Guardian’s office. If he wants to see you, you will always know it. The door opens for you.”

  Guardian looked up as they entered and he whistled softly. “One of the Udell Masuo?”

  Flame cleared his throat. “Yes, it is. Nich brought it over this morning at Andra’s insistence.”

  31

  Viola Grace

  Guardian chuckled. “The colour suits you, Digger. Well done, Flame.”

  “She has done all the work on it. The Masuo is responding to her on a very intuitive level.” He assisted her into a chair at a conference table, then took a seat next to her.

  “Good day to you, Guardian.” She reminded him that he had not greeted her properly.

  A dark pewter came to his cheeks. “Good day to you, Digger. Are you ready to begin testing?”

  “I am.”

  Guardian uncovered a few trays and a selection of sandwiches, fruits and vegetables were exposed.

  “May I?”

  “Please, help yourself.”

  “Thank you.” She reached for an empty plate and put a selection of food on it.

  As she ate, Guardian took up a data pad and began to list her duties and responsibilities as a member of the Sector Guard.

  Jenya swallowed and took a sip of water. “But I am not yet a member of the Guard.”

  “You will be once you have rudimentary training. We have requested all records of your talent from Wael. You manifested very early.”

  She nodded and swallowed again. “When I was three or four. My brother told me to hide so I ran into a rock wall and kept going.”

  Flame looked at her in surprise. “You have a 32

  Resurrecting Flame

  brother?”

  “Jenaik. My elder by five years. He was due to be wed before the Lekark arrived. I wonder if they allowed him to go through with it?”

  “No weddings were allowed during the purge.

  The Lekark were focussed on gaining control of your people to achieve control over the minerals of the planet.”

  She shook her head in amazement. “So, it was all about money.”

  “That is their primary focus. They land, establish their religious order, expand until they have a standing army and move to take over the governments. On Wael, we were able to catch them before their army had been massed, but after they had sewn paranoia in the populace. Were their many other talents that were arrested when you were?”

  “There was one elderly healer, two truth sensors and a companion with an empathic link. Are they all right?” Her appetite was gone.

  Guardian still ate slowly and Flame was consuming everything he laid his hands on.

  The silver base commander put the food down carefully. “The elderly healer was killed in the fire that was lit to destroy the prison. One of the truth sensors was killed immediately preceding our arrival. The other two women made it out in your merry band of crawlers.”

  33

  Viola Grace

  She nodded. It was what she had expected.

  “Salneth was the healer and Zikna was the truth sensor that did not come with us.”

  “Do you know why they didn’t come with you?”

  Jenya sighed. “Yes. Zikna made the point that if the entire prison disappeared in one moment, the chances of our escape would be less than favourable. The ones who stayed behind said that they would make an effort to distract the guards.”

  “They staged a riot. It caused a surge of military to the prison, allowing our Guardsmen to sweep in and make sure the regular citizens were safe before we tidied up the military and the priesthood.”

  “What will the government of Wael do now?”

  “The Alliance is sending staff to assist in rebuilding the infrastructure and sponging out any residue of the Lekark philosophy.”

  “Good. So the seeds that they were planting were pulled.” She nodded. “Excellent. Is there a way to get a message to my family?”

  Guardian looked sharply at Flame. “Didn’t you say your goodbyes before you left?”

  “No. I went from the medical tent to the shuttle.

  It doesn’t matter. If I had gone to their homes, they would not have let me in. Not without confirmation that the church was no longer looking for me. My brother wouldn’t have let them.”

  34

  Resurrecting Flame

  “He was a sympathizer?”

  “No, Jenaik always erred on the side of caution.

  If he suspected that my parents would be in danger, he would not let me in.” Jenya just smiled at the shock of the two men. “Sending a message will be better.”

  “A message it will be.” Guardian regained his composure and continued with the details of her responsibilities.

  He finished. “If you agree to the terms and conditions, please press your thumbprint on this space.”

  She looked into the data pad that he slid in front of her and read all of the terms and responsibilities he had just outlined. Jenya glanced up and looked into the eyes of the Guardsmen in turn. With her gaze locked to Flame’s, she pressed her thumb into the pad.

  “I guess I am Digger until I die.”

  35

  Viola Grace

  Chapter Five

  solid chunk of stone eight feet high, four feet Awide and one foot thick was immediately in front of her.

  “All right, Digger. Whenever you are ready, walk through the stone.”

  Jenya stretched and walked forward. The stone disappeared as she approached and she soon was through the door she had made.

  Flame and Guardian were glancing between her and the data display.

  “Digger, could you go through the two-foot stone now?”

  She walked through the two-foot thick stone with only a light pause before the stone let her in.

  Once again, they were busy staring at the hole she made and the monitor. “Next please.”

  She pressed through the three-foot stone, marvelling at how dense the rock was.

  “Stop for a moment, Digger.” Flame went to the three-foot wall and checked something with a scan.

  36

  Resurrecting Flame

  She leaned against the wall and watched him double-check his calibration. “Is there something wrong?”

  “That was the densest stone we have available and you just passed right through it. Not only that, but there was an energy surge after you began to dissolve it and a spike in the breathable air. You actually channel the destruction of the particles and scatter the results.”

  “Is that good or bad?”

  “It is excellent. Unexpected but excellent. Now we will see how well you can climb. That thirty-foot wall is completely smooth, your goal is to get to the top and then to slowly climb back down safely.”

  Jenya assessed the wall he pointed to and walked up to it. “How am I supposed to get up it?”

  “In whatever manner you can.” Guardian was bent over a display and he waved his hand absently.

  “And how am I supposed to get down?”

  “The same way you got up, Digger.” Guardian smiled, but kept his head down.

  She looked to Flame and he nodded encouragement. “You can do this.”

  Making a fist, she punched the wall, pulling her hand out quickly and leaving a hole the size of her clenched fist behind. She made the same move with her left hand and when she took it out, the 37

  Viola Grace

  hole matched the first.

  Digger leaned back and assessed the holes, then knelt to create some foot holes. With the holes ready, she put the toe of her boot into the first hole and pushed herself up the wall, making handholds with her fists and stepping up the wall with slow progress. When she reached the top, she looked down and clung to the wall as tightly as she could.

  “Digger, are you all right? Your heart rate just skyrocketed.” Flame was beneath her, but he was thirty feet down.

  “I think I am afraid of heights.” She heard the tremor in her own voice and hated her weakness at that moment.

  “There is nothing to be afraid of. I will come right up and help you down.” He put his data pad down and prepared to climb.

  She couldn’t abide that. “No! I will come down, just give me a minute.”

  “One minute and then I will come up after you.”

  Digger breathed deeply and lowered her body down until her right foot was on the edge of the nearest hole. She slid the toe of her boot in and the Masuo morphed into something softer with more grip. Relieved, she moved her left foot into position and then lowered her hands one space each.

  She forced herself to breathe with her limbs shaking until the ground was firmly under her 38

  Resurrecting Flame

  feet. Flame was waiting for her.

  With a low cry, she turned and threw herself at him, sobbing uncontrollably. He soothed her, smoothing her hair and holding her tightly. “You did it, Digger, and you won’t have to do it again. I am placing an order for an anti-grav device. You may have to climb, but you will just be able to slowly descend at your own speed.”

  She snivelled. “There are devices like that?”

  “On a large scale for shuttles and small craft. For you, I am sure that Fixer will be able to whip something together.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and she had to smile at how right the light contact felt.

  “Fixer? Another Guardsman?”

  He rubbed his chin along the top of her head.

  “One of the first. She is a very powerful molecular manipulator. Tech is good, but she can’t create new and original creations, just repair the technology that already exists.”

  “She?”

  He chuckled. “Yes, she. She is married to a Selna and has two lovely little girls.”

  That surprised her. She leaned back and stared up at him from within his embrace. “She has family? The Sector Guard is allowed family?”

  He stroked her hair again. “Of course they are.

  There is a reason we are partnered as male-female.

  Our pairings are authorized by another talent.

  39

  Viola Grace

  Commander, one of the best matchmakers in the Alliance. He has not made a bad match yet.”

  “Has he made a match for you?”

  Flame chuckled. “He has not, but Guardian has already sent your specs and holograms to him. We will know within days if our match is solid. I already know that you are my destiny.”

  She looked into those fascinating silver eyes.

  “How do you know?”

  He smiled, the harsh planes of his face softening. “The same way you do, Digger. The same way you know.” He leaned down and kissed her.

  Heat rippled through her and her world turned green and silver as she went up on her toes for his kiss. Her hands wrapped behind his neck and she held on as he parted her lips with his tongue and tasted her. Jenya gasped and pressed closer, her hips snugging against him until she felt something that had not been nearly so insistent when they had been hugging.

  Jenya tried to back away, but Vornan wrapped his arm around her waist and pressed her back against him. His kiss continued and he began to coax her into mimicking him. When she touched his lower lip with her tongue, she flushed hot as he groaned in reaction.

  A cleared throat behind her made her jerk free of Vornan and stumble a few feet away.

  40

  Resurrecting Flame

  Guardian spoke. “Well, I am glad to see you getting along so well, but I have some data to share. Would you like it here or shall we head to the commissary?”

  “The commissary would be good. I am a little weak after that climb.” Her hands were also shaking, but that could have been residue from the kiss.

  “Come along then. It will give you two time to cool off. My ears almost caught on fire.” Guardian chuckled as they joined hands again and Digger followed him with Flame in tow.

  The smells and the steady trickle of staff in and out of the hall led them surely to the commissary.

  Jenya took her place in line behind Guardian and in front of Vornan. Flame wrapped one arm around her waist and pressed her back against him. His whisper in her ear sent her nerves pulsing. “What do you prefer, sweet or salty?”

  She cleared her throat as the line swayed forward. “I will try anything once. Most of this food is new to me, so I am going to tread carefully.

  Both for my sake and yours. Who knows what it takes to kill the Masuo?”

  The shaking of Vornan’s body was obvious given his proximity. He was trying not to laugh out loud.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6