Page 79 of Border Control

The sound of crunching outside shocks us both still. Law-rah freezes as if she’s a photograph, and I cast my mind out.

‘Humans arriving to the farm,’Nevare says, from the fields.

‘No SHIT,’Law-rah blasts back. ‘Why didn’t you warn us before?’

‘Distracted,’ is all he says, but I close my eyes briefly. That’s going to be too much for Law-rah right now.

‘Fuck fuck FUCK. I HATE THIS!’she screams mentally, grabbing her shirt and buttoning it over her perfect breasts. “Stay hidden in here. I’ll go see what they want.”

I nod, hoping to reduce her mental load through my obedience, and move to the side of the shed without a sound. Cold settles on my naked scales despite being overheated only a few seconds ago, a puff of dust skating across the human concrete.

Law-rah peers through the thin gap between the shed walls and the metal door. In her shock, she pushes an outline of what she’s seeing to me and my wave brothers; a car, a human getting out, and a square device she labels as a camera in his hands.

“Him,” she says with a groan, twisting and tying her hair in place with quick movements. Her aura shimmers blood red over a disappointed beige.

The human raises the square to his face and Law-rah’s stomach lurches. I brace for a blast of a weapon from it, pulling her back against me.

“Get off,” she hisses. “He’s taking pictures, photographic evidence. He’s going to report El-len’s barn!”

Before I can ask who thishimis and why taking pictures fills Law-rah with dread, she wrenches the door open and marches out. I can only watch from the shadows, and while I know sheinteracts with other humans all the time, I have a feeling I get the night before a big raid, as if Law-rah is charging into battle.

This human is trouble.

Law-rah's words are clipped but polite when she calls out, “Can I help you?”

“I'm taking some pictures,” the male says, not looking at her.

I keep a close eye on him. He's an unremarkable specimen, no unique features or crest marking him as a True Born son, and no bright scales to signal his intentions. He wears thick clothing but the shape underneath doesn't hint at muscles thicker than mine.

Me and my wave brothers could take him, but it's not us facing off against him, it's Law-rah. I crouch, ready to leap up and run out there the second there's a signal of distress from my female.

A ripple of discomfort slides from Law-rah like a cold breeze.‘Not your female.’

‘Of course not. It refers to… well.’I can't scream,‘I want to belong to you, you would be my leader,’no matter how much I want to.

The ripples halt and turn warm as though they are glowing hot at their source, but Law-rah speaks out loud to the human. “She's not here. Can I take a message?”

“No, I'll wait.” The male folds his arms and leans back against his vehicle, his insolent gaze tracking up and down Law-rah.

Metal creaks in protest from my strangling grip on the door.

‘BE QUIET,’Law-rah sends to me, but she also says it aloud at the same time. I wince because I know she didn't mean to say it, not because I don't feel this male should be put in his place.

His eyebrow raises, and he straightens up from his car. “What was that?”

“Nothing.” Anger simmers in waves from her, all because of me.

I hunker down, trying to make myself smaller physically and mentally to please her.

“I'm not sure when she'll be back, so it's best if I tell her to contact you. Can I ask what it's about?”

“Yeah, it's about her–” A roar from the track signals another human machine coming this way. This one's signature engine grinding sounds familiar.

‘El-len and the star hound Floss,’Nevare announces.‘Ilia is returning?—’

‘No more aliens!’Law-rah sends an image of her ripping out her beautiful blonde locks to blow away on the wind. My hearts lurch at the sight, but that seems to make her more stressed.‘Everyone, stay back until I get rid of Fassbender.’

‘I'll relay the orders,’Arik responds, while I look at this man afresh through Law-rah's memories. Apparently he’s after El-len's land, and moreover he enjoyed a privileged position as El-len's partner before he spurned her.