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Mia ignored the careful way Jyrak worded her question. “Yes! Absolutely. Do you think she’d be willing to take over the administration again and teach me how to do it?”

“Ah. You wish for asensei.”

“And an assistant. One or two assistants who’d be willing to help all of us handle some of the administrative tasks.” Mia leaned forward and selected a list she’d been compiling. “Like this. I need someone who can figure out how to set up communications with Earth—”

“Such was done during the voyage to your home planet.”

“Really? I had no idea. How do I even—” Mia held up a hand, forestalling her own question. “Do you see now why I need help? Just look at this list.”

Jyrak glanced down at it and frowned. “I cannot understand your written language.”

“Exactly! Imagine having to save your mate when you can’t read the labels on the medicine he needs.”

“Yet did you show courage and ingenuity in saving him.”

Ha. Mia was wise to that trick. Zoran used it on her all the time.

“I will relay a request to my brother,” Jyrak continued, “asking him to connect our devices to the communications relay so as to facilitate contact between humans and Earth.”

“Not just humans,” Mia corrected. “You Xeruvians, too. I want my mother to look at the research your people did into the virus that claimed your fertility. She used to study these things. I think her input might be helpful.”

“But the virus was natural! What could your mother determine that we could not?”

“I don’t know, to be honest. I just have this feeling that there’s more to the story than what I’ve read. And I want to stop leaning on you so heavily.”

Jyrak stiffened into an almost militaristic stance. “Have I served you so poorly?”

“You’ve been a godsend, which is exactly why I want you to help me find an assistant who isn’t also a full-blown researcher. I want you to be able to focus on your own research again.”

“I see.”

“Good. Then you’ll stop making me feel guilty about shoving all the admin work onto more capable shoulders.” Jyrak snorted, and Mia grinned. “Can you set up a meeting for me? I’d like to discuss a few things with the other humans, all of them, as well as the Xeruvian scientists who work in thisjutji. Call them all in. Make it as soon as possible, ok? We have a lot of work to do.”

Jyrak bowed her head, then turned to leave. She had her hand on the door when she said, “You are not as incapable as you believe. Even with the mating instinct riding him, Lord Zoran would not have placed you in positions of power if he could not trust you to honor our people.”

Mia had no idea how to respond to that. Jyrak didn’t give her a chance to anyway. The other woman slipped out of the office as quietly as she’d entered, leaving Mia to her lists and scattered thoughts.

Zoran knocked politely on the underground biology lab where specimens were stored for later study. Ryven Korlis opened it immediately, stepping back with a respectful nod for Zoran to enter.

Zoran studied the young warlord surreptitiously. Ryven was perhaps a decade younger, not quite grown into his full height and breadth, but already a respected warrior in his own right, by fang and claw. He had earned the warlord rank just prior to the Council finalizing plans to approach the humans, and thus also earned a permanent position within thejutji’s security forces as well as a berth on their first mission to Earth. Who better to make such journeys than their brightest future?

Who better to search out the truth of thevyirkolenattack?

Ryven’s younger sister lounged in the corner of the chilly room, her impudent gaze bold on him.

Zoran ignored her. Raelka might possess some small talent in the sciences, but she remained a child, barely of an age to conduct the work Alara had assigned to her. An impudent,unrulychild. Perhaps Mia could mold Ryven’s sister into an adult worthy of the clan.

To Ryven, Zoran said, “Thevyirkolen?”

Ryven strode to a table where the creature lay prone. “We have not been able to ascertain whether it was brought here recently or if it was part of a pack that eluded our warriors after the final Var’Kolite war.”

Zoran’s hand tightened into a fist at his side as he stared dispassionately at the predator. “Was there a tracking device? Any sign someone directed it from afar?”

“No, my lord. The search continues for its mate, if indeed it has one.”

“They always traveled in pairs,” Zoran murmured.

“Then we shall be doubly cautious.”