Page 10 of Hainn (Sectors New Allies #19)

CHAPTER TEN

A waking with a start Jezari realized the power was off in the valley. She rolled over to check the time on her handheld and saw it was early, pre-dawn. Every Badari had an assignment in case of this exact emergency and she grabbed her subaural com, stuck it in her ear and got dressed hurriedly. Running into the main chamber she found her sisters also scrambling to get to their stations and they ran outside in a group, splitting off to their posts. Most Badari were assigned a group of humans to shepherd deep into the caves for safety and she collected her wards at the edge of the agro fields as expected. After waiting five minutes for stragglers, she got them moving toward the shelter of the far caves.

“I guess this isn’t a drill,” Peters said, coming to her side as they jogged. He was the human lead for all the agriculture teams. “Do we know any more about the situation?”

She shook her head. Information was streaming into her ear via the com. MARL the alien AI had gone blank this morning and when he was deactivated so was all the power in the valley. More importantly, so was the shield he maintained to protect them from Khagrish detection. If the enemy was doing any long range surveillance they might pick up on the sudden appearance of an entire forest, valley and lake where their sensors had never shown anything before. But there’d been no public release of this information about MARL so she kept it to herself. “We have to get undercover and wait like we practiced in all the drills.”

Once she’d gotten the humans to their spot in the deep caves, Jezari relaxed. These outages had become more frequent but previously were fairly brief in duration. She sat on a well shaped boulder and waited. At first the humans were high on the adrenaline of the unexpected event and then they were cheerful because it was a break in the workday. She knew Peters was worrying about the lack of productivity and how he’d make up the time. It was a massive chore growing enough food for all the people now living in the valley.

As the hours wore on, however, her human charges became restless and muttered complaints about being cooped up in the dank cave could be heard. Jezari changed position, moving to a spot where she could prevent anyone from trying to leave the cave. If they all decided to rush her, however, there’d be nothing she could do without seriously injuring a few. She was grateful for Peters, who circulated among his people calming the increasingly angry talk and urging patience.

Hainn telepathed to her once, checking to be sure she was all right, which warmed her heart. I’m patrolling the valley, he told her, along with every soldier and cadet not cooped up in the caves watching over the humans. No sign of the enemy yet, thank the goddess . The flyers are aloft on watch but Gabe reports nothing coming our way for now.

Do they know what’s wrong with MARL? she asked.

Hainn’s reply was profane. Other than the fact we shouldn’t be relying on an ancient alien piece of tech ? he added . No. Jill is really upset. I’ve got to go but if anything changes I’ll let you know.

Stay safe! She told him quickly. She spread her hand over her stomach and prayed to the goddess to keep Hainn out of harm’s way. My cub is going to need his father and so do I. She chided herself harshly for not agreeing to claim Hainn when she had the chance. If anything happens to him —she broke off angrily, not wanting to invite disaster by expressing the words.

Stonor and another soldier came by, patrolling the caves. He and Jezari chatted briefly before he addressed the humans, raising his voice to be heard. “Sorry for the inconvenience today, folks,” he said. “We’re trying to get the power back online, Shouldn’t be too much longer now.” Lowering his voice to the subaural range, he told Jezari the Alphas were contemplating having the humans evacuate through the caves to relatively safe sites beyond the valley. Word will come down one way or the other soon but prepare yourself.

As he and his partner walked away to continue their rounds, Jezari debated briefing Peters. He’d be her best ally if they did have to evacuate. The humans wouldn’t want to go, would want to go to their residences and gather up their meager possessions, or find their friends. Most of them didn’t take orders as well as the Badari pack members. She picked the agro lead out of the crowd and leisurely made her way over to him. “We might have to move further away from the valley,” she said in a low voice. “I’ll need your help.”

“That bad?” he asked, studying her face. “Never had this happen before.”

“We’re not under attack,” she hastened to add. “It’s all precautionary at this point.”

“Nerve wracking though,” was his answer. “Of course you can count on me. I’m ex-military in my former life but too old to join up here after I was rescued by your people. Besides they needed my help in the gardens more than as another foot soldier.” He patted her hand. “We’ll be fine—Aydarr takes good care of everyone, not just his own people.”

She couldn’t argue but in this case the problem might be beyond even the Supreme Alpha’s abilities to fix.

After another hour, the lights flickered on, went off as the group gasped and grew to full illumination gradually, becoming bright and steady.

All clear , Jezari heard in her ear. Bring your humans out. The workers can have the rest of the day off if they want it, per Aydarr.

Climbing on the rock, she gestured for silence and soon had a small sea of faces turned upward to stare at her. “We’ve gotten the all clear so we’ll march out of the cave the way we came in. Aydarr’s given all residents the rest of the day off to recover from this event.”

Peters jumped up beside her. “Regardless the viro beans won’t harvest themselves and by tomorrow they’ll be mildewing, so if any of my crew is willing to work today, I’d be grateful. Extra work credits in the account for the overtime.”

Jezari was heartened by how many people raised their hands and called out their agreement to volunteer despite the Supreme Alpha’s gesture.

As soon as she’d escorted them through the deep tunnels and into the fresh air, her group scattered, most going off with their team lead toward the fields. Realizing how tense she’d been through the entire time, she sank onto the nearest log and rested her head in her hands, taking deep breaths. Her inner predator had not liked being cooped up in a cave all day with a group of humans. Several other Badari and a few claimed mates joined her and they began comparing notes on how the day had gone and who had heard what scraps of news.

Jezari? The subaural com crackled in her ear with Keshara’s voice. Her Alpha sounded as stressed as she felt herself. Can you meet me at the admin building right away? Aydarr’s called a meeting to discuss next steps after today and Gabe is still out on extended patrol. I don’t want to go without at least one person to support me and you’re cleared for the highest level. All the other Alphas will have their enforcers and their healers there.

Of course, be right there. Jezari jumped to her feet. “Gotta go, my Alpha calls,” she said to the people around her before she took off at a dead run through the forest. There were paths but she took the most direct route since the matter was so urgent and she didn’t want to miss any of the meeting. When she arrived at the admin building, the guards were even more serious than usual but let her pass without challenge.

She ran to the big conference room, took a deep breath and slid inside. Keshara was already seated at the table, and there was a chair empty behind her. Pulse pounding Jezari slid into the seat as Keshara turned to thank her for coming so promptly. “Of course, sister, anything you need. I’ll take notes.”

“Action items for us only,” Keshara cautioned as Jezari dug out her handheld. “Aydarr won’t want anything to get out about this meeting.”

Having caught her breath she paid attention to who was in the room and saw Hainn across from her, seated with the South Seas enforcers. Daegan and his mate Flo were at the table, along with Jamokan. His mate Rosemari was also in attendance, which Jezari knew was rare. Rosemari was a sweet, artistic person with no military background and usually didn’t get involved in the ruling council of the valley, although she was active with the other Alpha mates. She was surprised to see Yonn and Ronin seated in the far corner. The two were the only other alphaborn Badari and their presence told her how deadly serious Aydarr was going to be today.

Glad you’re here, Hainn said over their telepathic link. Guess we won’t be having our picnic dinner after all. Perhaps another night.

Jezari swallowed her disappointment. She’d been looking forward to their date with great anticipation but of course he was right and the trouble the valley was in overtook any other concern, personal or public.

Aydarr’s three enforcers were present, along with Timtur the Senior Healer. Rayce, currently stationed in the valley as the representative of the Tzibir Alpha, sat next to a holo of the man himself. A holo of Tratus’s mate was in the next chair over. The gravity of the situation struck Jezari again. The valley didn’t usually link to the Tzibir sanctuary often or for long, for fear of the Khagrish picking up the com with their scanners.

She saw Nicolle, mate of Darik and Cinnthea, mate of Rokhan, the admins for Ayadrr and Daegan respectively and was surprised at their presence.

The door opened and Aydarr strode in, face set in grim lines, golden eyes glowing hot already. Jill followed, with MARL, who wasn’t flashing his usual colors but was a dull gray tone all over. Jezari stifled a gasp when she realized he was riding an antigrav tray, not floating under his own power. Taking his chair, Aydarr waited for Jill to take her seat at his right hand and the antigrav tray to be positioned above the table in front of her.

Drumming his talons on the table, he said, “We’re here to discuss today’s complete outage and the potential evacuation and abandonment of Sanctuary Valley.” He held up a hand as murmurs of disbelief broke out in the room. “First we’re going to hear from Elianna, mate to Kierce.”

The door opened and Elianna came in, taking a spot at the foot of the table. She nodded to Aydarr and launched into her report with no preamble. “Today was the worst episode yet. The power and the shields were off for nearly seven hours and it’s only by the grace of the goddess the Khagrish didn’t stumble over us. When MARL regained functionality he had no memory of going down and denied losing consciousness. I’ve seen this pattern of behavior before, in several of his manifested miniMARL’s, when I was stationed at the island refurbishing the captured ship for Reede to take to the Sectors. The units also denied the episode’s occurrence.”

“And there was no way for us to back up the power or the protection we lost?” Aydarr said, although it was clear he already knew the answer.

“We can rig more emergency generators for the basic power issues,” she said with a shrug, “But we have no idea how the protective shields work. Only MARL himself can generate and control them and as demonstrated today, when he goes dark, so do they.”

Glancing around the table, Aydarr said, “We had to show MARL holos of himself lying on the ground inert to persuade him of the truth. Thank you for your report, I’ll call you if we need anything else tonight. Please remain in the building.”

She hesitated. “I would recommend keeping power usage to a minimum, sir. The less drain on MARL’s resources the better right now.”

“Good point. Arrange it with Nicolle after this meeting.”

There was silence while Elianna left the room.

MARL spoke, his voice thin and weak. Dark black splotches roamed across his dull carapace. “I’ve failed my authority and left her vulnerable today.”

Jill rubbed her hand across the top of his shell as one would do for a beloved pet. “You can’t help what happened. We appreciate everything you’ve done for us up to this day.” Jezari heard a break in her voice and was astonished. Jill was tough as nails, as imperturbable as a Badari Warrior. The situation must be dire.

“I calculate I have ninety six hours of functionality remaining,” MARL said in the whispery voice. His surface went completely black and the lights flickered.

Daegan slammed the table with his fist. “After ten thousand years you’re running out of power now ?” he snarled, predator very much in evidence. He turned to Aydarr with a grimace. “I told you we were relying too much on this alien device.”

“Simmer down, brother. We wouldn’t have accomplished nearly as much as we have, including rescuing you and your pack, without MARL.” Aydarr’s response was more measured than Jezari would have expected after the way Daegan spoke out.

“And what about my mate?” Daegan asked pointing a thick brown talon at MARL. “She still has that fucking piece of you in her head. Am I to lose my mate when you shut down?”

Flo stared straight ahead, lips set in a straight line, no emotion showing on her face.

Daegan addressed her with intensity, as if he and his mate were the only two people in the room. “If so, then I’ll die as well. There’s no life for me without you.”

His enforcers and Hainn protested immediately and there was a minor hubbub in the room, quelled by a full throated roar from Aydarr, which buffeted Jezari like a physical blow.

“We’re not talking about our own people dying,” the Supreme Alpha said in the stunned silence. “We’ll take any and all steps necessary to prevent that outcome.”

“I don’t know what will happen,” MARL said, drifting from side to side on the tray. “I know my manifestations will cease to function when I do but whether my demise will affect Flo?—”

“I’m linked to you,” the woman in question said in a flat tone. “Better to assume I will be affected.”

“Difficult as it is to do in this moment, we need to pull back from the personal to the bigger picture,” Aydarr said apologetically. “We have less than a hundred hours to evacuate and get our people to safety?—”

“Dubious safety,” Jamokan said grimly. “Some of our number are bound to be recaptured or killed, even if we disperse the groups widely and travel different routes.”

“MARL, is there anything you can do or we can do to stop this?” Jill asked. “Or to supplement your own resources at least for a while, so we could do a more measured departure?”

“The core of the unit inside me is decaying faster than originally anticipated,” MARL said. “I’ve been unable to reconnect to my base station and regenerate for all these centuries, which was a challenge unforeseen by my creators. There was a module on Nindjak’s ship which would have allowed this cleansing and re-energizing but of course the ship broke up on hitting the atmosphere and shattered into a million pieces, now at the bottom of the lake here.”

“That’s not true,” Jezari said. She rose to her feet and became the instant center of astonished attention but she was focused on MARL. “Either you’re lying or you really don’t know better.”

“Why would he lie?” Jill asked.

“And what gives you any standing to make such a statement?” Aydarr’s demand followed on the heels of his mate’s astonished question.

“He’d lie because of what his precious authority was actually doing all those millennia ago,” Jezari said with disdain. “The revered Nindjak wasn’t some benevolent explorer collecting scientific date. Was he?” She directed her challenge at the AI which remained silent. Switching her gaze to Aydarr’s angry face, she let her own emotions empower her to stand up to the Supreme Alpha. “And I have the ability to state the truth because I’ve been there. More than once. The ship is in three large pieces at the bottom of the lake, at a two mile depth, with a wide field of smaller scattered debris. The pressure and the cold have preserved everything—everything, do you hear me, MARL? I even saw a few panels still activated on the flight deck in the second largest piece of wreckage.”

Excited babel broke out in the room and there was buzzing in her head which she supposed meant the telepathic discussion was raging among the attendees as well.

Is that what you were doing the day I rescued you from the whirlpool? Hainn asked.

She glanced at him but didn’t comment. “The ship isn’t all that’s down there. I explored the hold, MARL. I’ve seen the specimens. I’ve seen her. Your Nindjak was no better than the fucking Khagrish, was he? Stealing a sentient being away from her life and making her into a twisted exhibit, like in a museum of horror.” Her voice broke.

MARL lifted off the tray a few inches and drifted unsteadily toward her. The room was silent, the attendees’ attention riveted on the AI and Jezari. Stopping in front of Keshara, who moved over so Jezari could stand at the table, MARL said, “He thought she was beautiful. The most astonishingly perfect being he’d ever seen. He was a collector of beauty and the rare. He bought and sold but he kept her.”

“She didn’t belong to him!” Jezari screamed.

Hainn was there, putting his arms around her but she pushed him away.

“She’s dead and entombed down there.” Jezari forced herself to modulate her tone and pull her fangs into their sheaths. ”All alone and forgotten under two miles of water, on a planet that isn’t even her own.”

“Yes, she’s dead. He…preserved her. She was his prized possession.”

“You make me sick.” Now she did turn into Hainn’s embrace, grateful for the shelter of his arms.

“We’ll take a ten minute break,” Aydarr said at full volume. “Medic, get her a cup of tea.”

“Yes, sir.”

“When we reconvene I’m going to want to hear the entire story of this dive you made, Daughter, and what you found.” Aydarr’s voice was soft but Jezari heard him with her ears and in her mind. “Clear the room, now.”

She heard the sounds of chairs moving and footsteps heading for the doors but kept her head on Hainn’s broad chest, focusing on his steady heartbeat to try to calm herself. There was a soft whirring sound behind her and MARL said, “I didn’t approve of what he did to her but he was my authority.”

“No excuse,” she said. “Did you help him?”

“Not with her. I registered my protest and was punished. He used another unit on board our ship to assist him when I refused. I couldn’t help her though because by the time I was released from the punishment chamber she was already dead and preserved.” MARL sounded sad. “Her death at Nindjak’s hands is part of why I’ve done everything I could to help Jill and those she cares for, even at the ultimate expense of my own existence. Jill is my second chance. The Badari are my redemption.”

Now Jezari raised her head, brushing away tears. MARL was about six inches away, completely dark save for one tiny blinking red dot. “I know about second chances,” she said, not sure she believed him entirely but there was no way to prove anything different had happened. The Badari instinct for detecting lies didn’t work as well with an AI. “If there’s anything in the wreck which will help you, we need to go retrieve it.”

“Thank you.” There was a shrill beep and MARL and the antigrav tray floated away, going out of the room.

Hainn settled her in the chair Keshara had been using and brought her a mug of tea from the unit on the credenza in the far corner. She cupped her hands around the hot drink, seeking to calm herself. He sat in the next chair and took her hand but remained silent. Jezari sipped the tea, savoring the spices and the hit of extra energy. “I get myself and her confused a bit in my head,” she admitted, unable to meet his eyes. “Trapped for the purposes of another being, doomed, unable to escape. I have nightmares about her now in addition to my own. I found her on my last dive to the wreck and she’s haunted me ever since.”

He lifted her out of the chair and into his lap, where she cuddled close as he hugged her. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I wish you’d told me.”

“As my healer?”

“As your would-be mate,” he said firmly. “And as a friend.” Handing her the tea again, he waited while she drank most of it, then said, “Aydarr and the others are going to want a full report in a couple of minutes. They’re used to crisp military style summaries and will ask for more details if they need any. He gave you this time to pull yourself together so you can give him such a report.”

“Or what? What aren’t you saying?” Jezari set the mug on the table with a clink.

“Timtur could take the memories from your mind by force,” Hainn said reluctantly. “You’d come to no lasting harm but it would be unpleasant and traumatic no doubt.” He gave a bitter laugh. “And I’d get myself gutted by my own Alpha for trying to interfere because I wouldn’t let them do that to you unwillingly.”

She took a deep breath. “Thank you. I’ll do my best to keep my emotions under control but on the topic of the lady of the lake I’m not exactly rational.”

“Tell them that—the Alphas will understand. We all have our buried traumas and hidden pain from our days in the labs, even Aydarr.” He checked the wall chrono. “They’ll be coming back in two minutes.”

Sliding off his lap, she gave him a kiss and straightened her clothes. “I’m ready. Stay with me?”

I’ll sit right behind you, where you were seated before, all right?” He sent her a pulse of warm emotion through their telepathic link. “And I’ll be as close as a thought if I’m needed.”

Jezari gave him a grateful smile as the door opened and people drifted into the room. There was a low hum of conversation but she ignored all of them, sitting in what had been Keshara’s chair, her hands folded. She prayed to the Great Mother to give her strength. Her Alpha came in and sat next to Jezari, giving her a hug.

“I had no idea you were off doing such dangerous things even before you went surfing,” she said. “You shouldn’t have been diving so deep on your own. What if something happened and we lost you?”

“After being in the life sucking pod I didn’t care what risks I took in the life which was given back to me,” Jezari said truthfully. “I have other things to consider now. Things have changed.”

Keshara flicked a glance at Hainn but made no further comment. Jezari restrained herself from rubbing her belly. Yes, Hainn was part of her new mindset but the baby growing inside her was the most important thing in her life right now. She wanted her cub to have the best chance at life and right now the continuation of Sanctuary Valley was the safest bet, if MARL could be repaired.

Aydarr’s Alpha power could be sensed even before he entered the room and the chatter died down immediately as he and Jill and MARL arrived.

“Jezari, are you ready to relate what you’ve found at the bottom of the lake?” he asked.

More in command on her feet, she rose and met his eyes. “I am.”

Aydarr made a hand gesture as if to say get on with it.

“I’ve made the dive to the wreck four times, after a number of preparatory dives,” she said, launching into her story. Trying to keep what Hainn had said in mind, she presented the high points as unemotionally as possible, which was hard when she got to the part about what she’d found in the hold, but she finished without breaking down. Hainn’s light touch in her mind was like a touchstone enabling her to hold onto her serenity.

“And there were parts of the control chamber remaining operative?” Aydarr said, going back to what she’d said earlier. “MARL, what would we be searching for?”

There was a rusty squeak and MARL shifted on the antigrav tray before projecting a holo in front of the Supreme Alpha. Jezari leaned forward to see it more clearly. “Yes, the image resembles the panel which was lit up when I was there.”

“It would be self contained,” MARL said, “Independent of the ship’s power. If it could be removed and brought to the surface, to me, I might be restored.” A faint swath of pink swooped through the black and dark gray on his carapace.

“If this is even the right module,” Daegan said with disdain, “It’s as old as you are and has been through a crash landing besides. How is it going to help?”

“Even if it only bought us a bit more time, it would make our withdrawal more orderly,” Aydarr said before the AI could answer. “With the chance we could bring MARL to full power for another few thousand years.”

“Nindjak’s people built for the long term,” MARL said. “Ships such as his and AI’s like me were passed through down the generations of a family. I wasn’t meant to operate independently for such an extended time as I now have. The module, if it truly is intact and functional would have had many times the longevity and capacity I possess. You must try to retrieve it.”

Frowning, Aydarr said, “The decision is mine, not yours. Do I want to risk my people on this attempt, taking resources away from the evacuation planning?” There was silence in the room.

“I’ll lead the expedition,” Daegan said. “It’s my mate who is at direct risk here. And my men who are the best swimmers.” He shot a tight grin at Jezari. “Aside from the Daughter of course.”

“I’ll guide you,” she said, pleased at the South Seas Alpha’s seizing the initiative.

“We can do this without further risking you,” Daegan said.

Losing her temper now wouldn’t do any good so she hung onto her angry retort and made a reasoned argument. “It’s a long dive, the bottom of the lake is treacherous muck and there are creatures living there. I know the best ways in and out of the wreck. I can take you directly to the module you’re after. I warn you, yes, we Badari can go without air for a long time and we can see in the dark and the changes in pressure don’t affect us but this dive is anything but easy to do. The brothers who dive with me need to be able to handle all aspects of being two miles under the surface for a long time. With respect, Alpha, even I had to work up to it in stages and you and your men won’t have the opportunity to do such preparation due to the urgency of the mission.”

“Did you say you took a breather?” Hainn asked before Daegan or anyone else could speak.

He knew she did, since she’d been wearing it the day he rescued her from the whirlpool but she answered the question forthrightly. “I did. I still had mine from the time in the hospital and it was a vital piece of equipment for ensuring I could manage an extended dive with peace of mind and a margin for error.”

“The Daughter goes,” Aydarr said.

Keshara made an involuntary sound of protest behind her but Jezari refused to be distracted. “I have one condition to impose.”

Leaning back in his chair, the Supreme Alpha didn’t seem upset by her demand. “The nature of this request?”

“We have to bring the lady of the lake to the surface. She didn’t deserve to be taken from her life and then left in a cold watery tomb. She was a creature of light and air like us and I need to see her buried in the sunlight with respect and honor. She—she haunts me and I believe will do so until she’s been properly interred.”

“As a healer, I support this request,” Hainn said immediately. “And will pledge myself to lead this part of the expedition.”

“I believe the Great Mother has tied the two issues together,” Timtur said, speaking for the first time in the meeting. “I agree with the Daughter this poor alien woman must be brought home, as much as she can be. It’s our duty to right the wrong done to her, much as the Khagrish wronged our ancestors and us.”

“It’s settled then,” Aydarr said. “Best efforts will be made to bring the woman to the surface but the first priority is the module MARL needs.” He stared at Jezari as if challenging her to disagree but she was satisfied. The fact Hainn had volunteered to lead the effort warmed her heart and increased her confidence they could succeed.

The rest of the meeting revolved around who Daegan would take into the depths with him and the tactical details of the dive, which would commence at dawn. Planning for a mass evacuation was also to continue in case the module wasn’t located or proved to be inert or unusable.

After the meeting concluded, Jezari was excited but exhausted. She wasn’t used to being in the center of mission planning, especially not with a group of Alphas and other high ranking Badari. She was eager to escape the room and get outside, to take a deep breath and relax.

“I wish to meet with Jezari alone,” Aydarr said. “If the rest of you will clear the room for us.” He tapped the chair next to him, which Jill had vacated. “Come sit here, Daughter.”

I’ll be right outside , Hainn said in her head as she reluctantly walked to take the indicated seat. There’s nothing to worry about — you did an incredible job just now.

Thanks. I’m glad you’re going on the dive with me, she said rapidly. There was no time for more conversation as the door closed after the last person to leave and Aydarr focused on her.

Tapping one massive black talon on the table he eyed her for an uncomfortably long time. “You’re pregnant,” he said. Before she could draw a breath, he added, “Hainn is the father. Is there a reason he appears to be unaware of this?”

“How can you tell?” she asked in a panic. “No one else knows.”

He leaned back in his chair. “Being the Supreme Alpha over all Badari brings with it heightened abilities from the Great Mother. I confess I find it interesting every Badari knows when a human woman is pregnant yet you appear to be able to mask the knowledge effectively.”

“It only happened recently, on the surfing trip in fact,” she said, blushing and twisting her hands in her lap.

“Were you unwilling?” he asked, voice soft and dangerous.

Hainn would be dead if she didn’t answer the question to Aydarr’s satisfaction. Fortunately the truth was easy. “Not at all, I was completely on board with our relationship’s evolving intimacy. Our times together were totally consensual and—and enjoyable.” Which is a lot more detail than I really want to share with the Supreme Alpha. She hoped she wasn’t blushing.

“Yet you aren’t mated.” Steepling his fingers, the Alpha studied her. “Surely you’re aware Hainn is intended by the goddess to be your fated mate. I can also tell that to be true and I don’t require any extra power to gain the knowledge.”

“It’s my choice,” she said, holding her head high.

“As the Great Mother dictates, yes. Do you have reservations?”

“I did, before we went on the trip together and I got to know him away from here. I didn’t want to rush into the commitment before giving myself time to consider. I didn’t want to return from the three day trip mated. My sisters and all the brothers would talk about how impulsive I’d been. Neither Hainn nor I ever expected or dreamt I could get pregnant.”

“You’re talking to the wrong man when it comes to claiming a mate you barely know.” Aydarr’s lips curved in a warm smile. “Jill and I had only a few days and we became true marked mates in one night when we were held together by the Khagrish but I’d already claimed her.”

There was nothing Jezari could say to his declaration, which was a well known fact among the Badari.

“I intend to claim Hainn,” she said, heart beating faster at making the declaration out loud and to Aydarr no less. “We were supposed to have a date tonight and I was going to do it then.”

“And tell him about the baby?”

“I didn’t want any doubt in my own mind whether he would mate me simply because of the baby,” she said. “If we claim each other it has to be independent of my accidental pregnancy.”

Aydarr put his hand under her chin and tipped her face up to his. “The conception of a full blooded Badari baby is a miracle directly from the Great Mother, not an accident, Jezari. She’s blessed you and Hainn. Your pregnancy will be greeted by the packs as nothing short of a miracle and a portent for our future.”

“I know,” she said. “Another reason I wanted to conceal my condition as long as possible. I don’t want all the fuss and the attention. I had enough notoriety after Gabe and my sisters saved me from the life sucking pod and brought me here People telling me what I ought to do and judging my actions and my attitude—it’s one reason I started diving in the lake, to get away from all of it.”

“You’ll have my full protection and that of all the Badari, whether you mate Hainn or not,” he said. “I’m afraid the attention is a given but we’ll do our best to ensure your privacy and peace.”

“Thank you. I’m going to tell him and I’m going to Claim him, but not until after the dive tomorrow. He’d worry too much if he knew about the baby. We need to focus on doing the dive safely and salvaging what we’re going down there for.”

“And you’re sure it’s safe for you to do the dive? Do you want to consult Timtur? He won’t speak of it to anyone.”

She crossed her arms over her abdomen protectively. “No, thank you. I’m sure and my inner beast is sure this will be safe at this early stage. My body protects the child.”

He studied her, eyes glowing, and nodded slowly. “It’s between you, your predator and the Great Mother. I’m merely a bystander who wishes you well. Congratulations, Daughter.”

The concept of Aydarr as merely anything took Jezari’s breath away. He rose from his chair so belatedly she did the same and he offered a hug. She stepped into his embrace and felt comforted and cared for, his Alpha strength flowing into her body in a wave of refreshing power. He kissed her forehead and then released her, going to the door and exiting without another word. In a daze she followed, practically running into Hainn at the threshold.

He caught her and watched Aydarr walk away towards his office before saying a word. “I won’t ask what he wanted as that’s between you and the Supreme Alpha but are you all right?”

“I’m fine, a bit dazed from the entire meeting,” she said.

“You did great—I was totally impressed. And stunned at the risks you’ve been taking, doing the dive by yourself.” His expression was troubled as they exited the building. “Promise me you won’t do such things on your own again. Badari strength is in the pack, in watching each other’s backs.”

“I can promise you I won’t ever be doing the dive again after tomorrow,” she said with a shudder. “There’ll be no reason to go there.” She punched him lightly in the arm. “Now you’ve shown me the intoxication of surfing and exploring the coral reefs at the sea mount, I don’t need any other adrenaline producing activities.”

“Has she been haunting you, the lady of the lake as you’ve named her?”

Jezari decided to trust Hainn with the full picture of what she’d been enduring. “Yes, in my dreams and my thoughts, especially when I look at the damn lake. I think she drew me down there, you know? She and I share a similar fate although I was able to escape mine and she perished.”

“You’re made of stern stuff, Badari Daughter.” Hainn’s comment was admiring. “But you have me to help you now, not to mention the rest of the packs.”

They walked toward the residences in silence for a while before Hainn asked, “Do you think we’ll salvage anything to repair MARL?”

She shrugged. “All I can tell you is what I said in there. On the flight deck there are a few modules still powered up. Whether any of them will be what MARL needs, or whether the gadgets will work once brought to the surface, I have no idea. It’s up to the goddess.”

“Does she get involved with ancient alien AI’s?” he asked with a wry grin. “Never mind, I don’t want to attract her ire by suggesting she doesn’t have purview over all things on Ushandirr. Hey, want to go grab an early dinner? We don’t have to talk about the dive tomorrow.”

Although tempted, Jezari refused. “I’m tired and emotionally worn out after my outburst in the meeting and then the long planning session. I’ll take a raincheck, maybe after the dive is over. I think I need rest now more than I need food. We have odds and ends in the stasis keeper in our residence if I get hungry later. Thank you again for the moral support and for volunteering to lead the team to bring the lady to the surface for a proper burial.”

Hainn took her hands and stared into her eyes. “I’d do anything for you. If recovering this woman’s body and having a Badari service for her will ease your soul, then I’m in.” He leaned down to kiss her on the lips and Jezari wanted to melt into his embrace but the walkway in front of her residence where any of her sisters might make an appearance wasn’t the place.

When they separated, she gave him a wave and walked inside, to find Keshara waiting, avid to ask a ton of questions and to chide her less gently than Hainn had done about the risks she’d taken on her solo dives. Escaping from that conversation with difficulty and only because Gabe arrived home to distract Keshara, Jezari fled to her room. Flopping on the bed, she rubbed her belly and said in a whisper, “If they knew I was pregnant they’d all be a hundred times more upset with me. At least Aydarr didn’t have a problem with my diving tomorrow.” She couldn’t help speculating if he’d weighed the risk to her versus the cost to everyone in the valley if MARL went inert and had come down on the side of preserving the AI. After a bit of reflection she decided she wasn’t doing the Supreme Alpha justice. He’d meant what he said, he had confidence she as a Badari woman could protect her child and was well aware of her own limits. He sees me as a warrior , she realized with a glow of pleasure. Not a weakling who barely survived an ordeal at the hands of the Khagrish and had to be cosseted like a baby myself for a year. In his mind I’m an equal to anyone else in the packs, in terms of my capabilities.

On the happy note, she rolled over, wrapped up in a cozy quilt she’d found at Stores one day and fell asleep.