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Just as suddenly as they had become incomprehensible, she could understand them again.

The deep voice spoke directly to her and she felt that they were the only two people in the room. “Ms. Alara, thank you for coming to this meeting of the Nine Council. We understand a little more about what happened that day. Please follow Lyneer and he will take you to the ceremonies.”

The Shadows faded from the table and Ziggy was left in the centre of an empty room.

Lyneer came to her and took her hand. “This way, Signy.”

“Please, call me Ziggy. Everyone does.”

She stepped down and let him lead her to the ceremonies.

The flow of traffic had ceased and Lyneer tightened his grip on her hand as they went through the doorway. A coliseum worth of people were already seated. Ziggy had no idea where she was going to find a seat.

The Gaian area was full, several of the military officers were wearing their uniforms and their chests were puffed with pride.

Heads turned to look as she was paraded across the VIP section until she had passed nine dignitaries representing their races and she was seated in the tenth seat on the podium.

The surprised looks from members of her own race embarrassed her, but she sat with her head high and her eyes watching the podium. Lyneer was standing behind her and a quick glance showed her that each person in her row had an attendant in the same pose.

A female from the Tree Folk stood and raised her hands for silence. “Welcome one and all to this celebration of cooperation and unity.

“The Nine races began on the world below, evolving our characteristics to match the area that we lived in. We left when our destiny took us to the stars and set up colonies on dozens of different worlds. When the humans arrived, they began the same metamorphosis that our race went through thousands of years ago. They are changing, evolving to meet the challenges that Gaia is giving them.”

She smiled to the assembled folk as the translators caught up with her, repeating all of her words in Gaian.

“As we are all aware, the first attacks of the Tokkel were devastating to the Gaian people. They struck without warning and took dozens of the citizens for examination and experimentation to see how they would best use the rest of you. The ships of the Nine were fighting their way through the horde, but we could not reach the Tokkel harvesters in time. Warriors of the Nine were captured and held by our enemies on the same ships as your people.”

She raised her hand and the image of the Tokkel ship diving into the North Ocean filled a glowing sphere in the centre of the event. Gaians cheered as the ship slammed into and disappeared under the waves.

“What you may not know was that less than four hours earlier, a Gaian made this happen.”

Ziggy gripped the arms of her chair as her image filled the screen. The images had been cropped so that her bruised and partially exposed limbs were not shown, but one of the angles zoomed in on her ankle and its partially completed mark.

She pressed her lips together as all blood left her face leaving her clammy and cold. The Gaians watched her stuffing the warrior of the Nine into the pod after she had kissed him senseless. A few of them muttered at that, but they stared with shock as she disabled the Tokkel one by one.

Her expression in the image was so cold, she could barely recognise herself, but after she had programmed the ship and locked herself in the pod, the memories were all too clear.

From the interior cameras of the ship she saw her death grip on the interior of the pod, the violent shudders and finally the emergency eject that had taken her back home.

Silence filled the room as the reality of the situation kicked in and the Gaians and several of the Nine turned to stare at her.

“The woman who save not only her own people, but citizens of the Nine, is with us here today. Signy Alora, please come forward. There is a matter of equality to attend to.”

The woman made to resemble wood and leaves smiled encouragingly.

Lyneer helped her to her feet and steadied her as she approached the podium. A slow wave of applause began and Ziggy winced when she realised that the Gaians were not participating.

The wooden woman extended her hand and reluctantly, Ziggy took it. Images of special ships, detailed birthing plans and medical procedures that made her blink all filled her mind at the woman’s touch.

“I am Ravencourt of the People of the Trees. I greet you, Signy Alora, emissary of the Gaians, and welcome you to the mother ship of the Nine.”

The woman’s green eyes were kind and her hand was smooth and surprisingly warm.

“Thank you Ravencourt. I am not an emissary, merely an average citizen.”

Her voice boomed and to her surprise she heard the translator working on her words. She had spoken in the wrong language.

“You are far more than you want to admit. Now for the matter of equality.”

Ravencourt released her hand, gripped her shoulders and turned her toward the tall and exceptionally familiar male coming toward her.

Reflex made her try to move away, but she was held fast as the entire assembly watched the shifter stride toward her. There was an intense gleam in his eyes that sent Ziggy’s heart into a stuttering beat.

He didn’t stop when he got to her, but reached out and took her in his arms, sweeping her into a kiss that was shown on the image sphere and gained the vocal admiration of the crowd.

Ziggy held on to him, his lips were hot, his tongue was insistent and a pulse low in her belly pulsed with every stroke in her mouth. She was surrounded by him, he wrapped her in his arms and held her tight as his hands roamed her spine and cupped her hips in turn.

She was plastered against him from the front and the way he was groping her backside, he had a knowledge of her anatomy that her doctor would envy.

After he seemed satisfied with the length of the kiss and she was speculating at the length pressed against her belly, he leaned back and grinned down at her. “It seems that you are just as stunned as I was.”

The voice was familiar and he had a wicked gleam in his eyes.

Laughter and applause filled the assembly.

She ran through the information she had caught at the tail end of the kiss and jerked back in his grip. “That was sneaky.”

“I told you I would get to the bottom of your mysteries. Claiming you in front of all the races is a fairly effective way to do it.”

He grinned down at her and she realised that she didn’t know who he was.

“What is your name?”

Her voice was a low whisper, but it was translated anyway and the words caused a cascade of mirth throughout those assembled.

“Councillor Rothaway, formerly Commander Rothaway, now representative for the shifter people.”

He kept one hand on her arm and she could read in his body that he didn’t want to let go and was afraid that she would run.

He turned and addressed the crowd. “This woman sent me home to my people knowing that she would have to make it to the bridge to achieve the final escape pod. She risked her life not only for my people, but for those of her people who had been captured and marked by the Tokkel. Her victory over the collector ship deserves the sole credit to her genes and her upbringing. She is a Gaian of the newest evolution and she will be honoured here as such.”

The people of the Nine stood up and applauded. A child came forward and offered Ziggy a bouquet of exotic blooms, grinning and showing sharp teeth as she did so.

“Congratulations on your claiming, Signy Alora. Councillor Rothaway’s family is honoured to have you joining them.”

The little girl bounced away after making that announcement.

Signy looked up at the bronze skin, hard jaw, slightly full lips still shiny from their kiss, sharp nose, high cheekbones and dark wing-like brows. “Claiming?”

She used his grip to allow her to reach into his mind and she sought regulations for claiming. Everything that she found gave her a sinking feeling.

Ziggy had just gotten engaged and she hadn’t even known his name.