Page 68 of Made For The Alien Warrior

“Leel was different,” Tiegan said with a quick, nervous glance at her. “She did not give me any trouble and was quite eager to obey.”

“How lovely,” Symphony said, her voice thick with mockery. “Leel sounds like a gentle and feminine woman. Do you prefer that, Tiegan?”

The Healer shifted on his feet. “I think I am needed inside. I wish you well on your mission.”

“Thank you, Healer,” Symphony said, her voice syrupy and high-pitched. But when the Healer turned his back, she glared at Tiegan.

Tiegan stalked toward her. “Sim-pony, what is the matter?”

“There is no matter.” She lifted her chin, tapped the bracket on her arm, and gave the command for Sida to return to her usual form. “We should get moving. The Healer already came out to ask why we hadn’t left yet.”

Symphony saw a flicker of concern cross his face. Tiegan probably wanted to stay and train for longer. She knew he wasn’t satisfied that she could fend for herself in battle, but if he knew what was good for him, he wouldn’t argue when she was in this mood.

He dipped his chin. “Very well.”

Smart alien.

Sim-pony stalked toward the zapten. Tiegan followed closely, placing his hand on her waist to help her up.

She smacked his hand off. “I can do it myself.”

Tiegan stood back and watched her struggle to make the climb. Sida crouched to the ground in an effort to help her and Symphony slanted his zapten a grateful smile before scrambling atop the machine.

“See?” She arched an eyebrow at him.

Tiegan’s lips twitched. He wordlessly climbed on behind her, gripped the steering bars on either side of the zapten’s head and took flight.

The planet blurred around them. Below was covered in orange dirt and fluffy treetops. The vegetation was a swirl of blues, greens, and purples. The zapten hovered over the treetops, keeping far from any ontenta nests that hung on the branches.

The sun emerged and sparkled over blue-green gasses in the atmosphere. It was so hot that both of their bodies got slick with sweat.

Symphony shifted in front of Tiegan. She wrapped her braids into a bun in an attempt to lift them off her neck.

Leaning forward, Tiegan spoke loudly to be heard over the wind. “We are almost there.”

She nodded and peered below at the thickening vegetation. Tiegan pointed the zapten toward a break in the tree line. A perfect circle was burned into the forest as if an invisible hand had reached down and plucked all the trees from that one spot.

“I think I see Adhi’s landing point,” she said nervously.

Tiegan gritted his teeth and guided his zapten to land.

Twenty-Six

Symphony

Symphony kepther hands behind her back as she inspected the perimeter of the light blast. The deep impression the beam made on the ground seemed massive.

Inside the hole, thick sprouts shot out of the newly-turned dirt. Flower buds were already beginning to grow. The petals were of all colors and they were glowing. Did that mean they were radioactive?

“Be careful,” she told Tiegan when he reached out to touch one of the blooms. Symphony was still a little annoyed, but she didn’t want him to die because of a nuclear-reactive flower. At least, not until she’d hashed their problems out.

“Xelando not bring Plutonians harm.” His gaze on her face was steady. The sun bounced against his square jaw and handsome profile. “Their healing properties can maintain a Plutonian’s energy for many sun cycles.”

“Still…” She shifted from one foot to the next.

Tiegan moved toward her. Cupping her elbows, he dipped his face near to her. “Are you no longer vexed with me?”

“I’m annoyed,” she said, though there was a lot less bite in her voice. Nothing could resolve an argument faster than thinking your boyfriend might die.