cloak went over one arm and buckled over the opposite shoulder, the bare arm had a gold and red band while a thick, matching ribbon for her neck completed the ensemble.
She twirled happily, noting the slit on her skirt that exposed her left thigh became invisible when she was holding still. “What do you think?”
“It is lovely. Now, you have nine messages waiting for you at your com unit.” Zakkar wrapped an arm around her waist and with gentle force, he steered her out of the pod and into the station.
Fish kept her company, frolicking in front of them and leading them to her quarters where the com light was indeed blinking incessantly. She sat in front of the com and authorized the messages to play.
The first was from Refaol. “Dina, the council is meeting on the request for your person. I just wanted you to know that it will be decided today.”
The second was the follow-up. “Dina, they decided against your petition for freedom. I am sorry, but you are being given to the avatar of Arci.”
The third through sixth messages were from the Alliance Council letting her know that the petition filed by Arci for a mate for his avatar had been accepted and she was to surrender herself to Zakkar’s custody when he appeared at the station. At that point, she would no longer be in the employ of the Alliance but under Arci’s purview.
Messages seven through nine were frantic calls from Refoal.
“I think I should call him back.”
Zakkar chuckled. “That seems like a good idea. I didn’t want to upset him by letting him know I was already here.”
She laughed and dialled Refoal’s location. It took five minutes, but it was picked up by a very stressed-out Ontex.
“Dina, thank the stars! Where have you been and why are you glowing?”
She looked at her hands and noted the muted glow. “Transformation into an avatar, Refoal. I know about the declaration and am at peace with it. I also met with the star and negotiated a few demands of my own.”
“You did? How?” Refoal looked deflated. “And why didn’t you tell me?”
She chuckled. “Well, Arci kind of snuck up on me, but he was very determined and quite convincing. I agreed to give Zakkar a chance and he has been nothing but pleasant and a good companion. Also, an excellent caretaker.”
“Caretaker?”
“I needed some time to adjust to the changes Arci was making in my system. Zakkar kept an eye on me.” She caught a glance at herself in the reflection of the screen. “And apparently braided my hair into a coronet.”
“You are fine with all of this?”
“I am. I am sorry to have made a fuss, but this isn’t the kind of thing I could have guessed at.” She smiled at her oldest friend in the Alliance. “Be happy for me, Refoal. At least I will be doing something new and different.”
“You will have a star lodged in your mind.”
“And I have met him and he is charming and polite.” She was getting a little irritated. “I will pack up my things and leave this station.”
“Accepted. Keep in touch, if he will let you.” Refoal disconnected with a sharp jab to the console and Dina was left blinking in surprise at the space where her friend and dispatcher used to be.
She turned to Zakkar, “Do you have a shuttle?”
He grinned. “Not exactly. This will be fun.”
Chapter Six
In space, no one can hear you scream, which Dina personally thought was a good thing, because she was cursing a blue streak as Zakkar flew them through the star system to the jump ship.
She had never been in the blackness of space without a ship before and while her body registered the cold, it didn’t touch her flesh, merely her senses. They passed asteroids, planets and she waved at a shuttlecraft as they approached the jump ship.
The ship opened a door for them and they flew into one of the shuttle bays. Within, there was no atmosphere, so they simply hung onto the edge of the ship while it started to move. The thrum of the ship’s engines ran through
She twirled happily, noting the slit on her skirt that exposed her left thigh became invisible when she was holding still. “What do you think?”
“It is lovely. Now, you have nine messages waiting for you at your com unit.” Zakkar wrapped an arm around her waist and with gentle force, he steered her out of the pod and into the station.
Fish kept her company, frolicking in front of them and leading them to her quarters where the com light was indeed blinking incessantly. She sat in front of the com and authorized the messages to play.
The first was from Refaol. “Dina, the council is meeting on the request for your person. I just wanted you to know that it will be decided today.”
The second was the follow-up. “Dina, they decided against your petition for freedom. I am sorry, but you are being given to the avatar of Arci.”
The third through sixth messages were from the Alliance Council letting her know that the petition filed by Arci for a mate for his avatar had been accepted and she was to surrender herself to Zakkar’s custody when he appeared at the station. At that point, she would no longer be in the employ of the Alliance but under Arci’s purview.
Messages seven through nine were frantic calls from Refoal.
“I think I should call him back.”
Zakkar chuckled. “That seems like a good idea. I didn’t want to upset him by letting him know I was already here.”
She laughed and dialled Refoal’s location. It took five minutes, but it was picked up by a very stressed-out Ontex.
“Dina, thank the stars! Where have you been and why are you glowing?”
She looked at her hands and noted the muted glow. “Transformation into an avatar, Refoal. I know about the declaration and am at peace with it. I also met with the star and negotiated a few demands of my own.”
“You did? How?” Refoal looked deflated. “And why didn’t you tell me?”
She chuckled. “Well, Arci kind of snuck up on me, but he was very determined and quite convincing. I agreed to give Zakkar a chance and he has been nothing but pleasant and a good companion. Also, an excellent caretaker.”
“Caretaker?”
“I needed some time to adjust to the changes Arci was making in my system. Zakkar kept an eye on me.” She caught a glance at herself in the reflection of the screen. “And apparently braided my hair into a coronet.”
“You are fine with all of this?”
“I am. I am sorry to have made a fuss, but this isn’t the kind of thing I could have guessed at.” She smiled at her oldest friend in the Alliance. “Be happy for me, Refoal. At least I will be doing something new and different.”
“You will have a star lodged in your mind.”
“And I have met him and he is charming and polite.” She was getting a little irritated. “I will pack up my things and leave this station.”
“Accepted. Keep in touch, if he will let you.” Refoal disconnected with a sharp jab to the console and Dina was left blinking in surprise at the space where her friend and dispatcher used to be.
She turned to Zakkar, “Do you have a shuttle?”
He grinned. “Not exactly. This will be fun.”
Chapter Six
In space, no one can hear you scream, which Dina personally thought was a good thing, because she was cursing a blue streak as Zakkar flew them through the star system to the jump ship.
She had never been in the blackness of space without a ship before and while her body registered the cold, it didn’t touch her flesh, merely her senses. They passed asteroids, planets and she waved at a shuttlecraft as they approached the jump ship.
The ship opened a door for them and they flew into one of the shuttle bays. Within, there was no atmosphere, so they simply hung onto the edge of the ship while it started to move. The thrum of the ship’s engines ran through
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