Transcend

by Sandra R Neeley

  This was both good news and bad news for Elisher. The whole reason behind her decades long masquerade was the opportunity to go to space. She’d spent years finishing all the educational requirements, then applied to the aerospace program. Instead of receiving an invitation to train for the outer reaches of the universe, she’d been assigned as an envoy to all alien peoples visiting their planet.

  She tried her best not to think about it. She still clung to the hope that with enough proven service and loyalty, they’d one day consider her for the job she dreamed of. Closing down Base 28, or reassigning all its personnel could possibly end in her actually moving backwards in her career, though she’d certainly be involved in taking down those who were abusing the people under their watch. Or would it? She wanted to speak to Kol about her uncertainties. She didn’t want this to come back on her negatively. She’d given up far too much to have to be the scapegoat if all went to hell unexpectedly. But since his friends had arrived, he’d not been alone for even five minutes for her to ask.

  Elisher’s gaze drifted from the screen of her computer to the sofas the three of them sat on. Elisher’s body shivered a bit when her eyes met Ba Re’s, before she quickly looked away again. He’d apologized for making her uncomfortable when they’d come back to Kol’s quarters. And he’d promised that he would never hurt her. But he still stared at her so intensely, it was difficult not to be nervous. And every time she got up to go to the bathroom attached to her bedroom, when she came back, he was loitering near her bedroom door.

  Ba Re’ looked away from her as she glanced at him again and caught him watching her. Elisher took the opportunity to really look at the male. He was intimidating, but he was impressive. His skin appeared to be a dark charcoal color from a distance, but up close it was easy to see that it was black with gray and ivory mottles throughout, giving it that charcoal colored appearance. His eyes were a deep stormy gray and framed with impossibly long lashes. His face was angular with wide high cheekbones and a hard chiseled jawline. His nose was strong and firm with a slight jog in the center of it that hinted that it was once broken. His neck was thick and the striations from the muscles as he turned his head often made her heart flutter.

  His build was that of a professional athlete, times ten. His muscles had muscles, his waist was trim, his legs powerfully built and his ass flexed with every stride he took. She knew — she’d watched. Her eyes raised to his horns and she smiled slightly as she examined them from across the room. They were quite the crowning glory. They were just like Kol’s, only Ba Re’s were a deep gray instead of black like Kol’s. They were gracefully curved back over his head as Kol’s were and meant for protection in battle, but Elisher liked to think of them as a crown. Both males were practically regal in all their movements and mannerisms — except for when Ba Re’ snarled at her, then all regalness went out the window.

  Elisher smiled to herself as she took her time examining all Ba Re’s features. She allowed her eyes to drift back over his face and startled when she found his eyes staring right back at her. Elisher quickly looked away as the growl she was pretty sure she could identify anywhere rumbled from his chest. This was his irritated growl, she’d come to know that one well.

  Elisher went back to her data gathering and keying in all that she found, but her heart pounded. She’d been a fool to think Kol was going to tempt her into risking her cover. Not that he wasn’t attractive, but he wasn’t Ba Re’. And Ba Re’ was, in her opinion, absolutely exquisite. Elisher glanced up at the male who unfortunately was still watching her, before quickly looking back down at her keyboard. Ba Re’ was the example all males, no matter the race, should be measured by. That’s all there was to it, she decided. He was, in her opinion, the epitome of what a male should be.

  Ba Re’ rumbled again.

  Except for that damned growling, she thought to herself.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Ada Jane sat up in her bed, her pillows propped behind her with her communicator in her hand. She wanted to com Kol, but her pride wouldn’t let her. He should have contacted her by now. He promised he’d com her. He’d told her to com him, too, and she had, but apparently he didn’t care enough to com her back. She knew he was busy, and that’s why she didn’t expect a com until this evening, but now it was well into the night, and he hadn’t even attempted to get back in touch with her.

  Frustrated, she tossed the communicator to the foot of her bed and slid down into her covers and snuggled into her pillow. And that just made it worse. “My pillows even smell like him!” she exclaimed, yanking the pillow from beneath her head and throwing it on the floor. “Stupid male!” she mumbled, curling into her own pillow and doing her best to settle in for the night. “I’m not contacting him,” she whispered into her silent bedroom.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Kol was in bed, with Kron and Ba Re’ also in his room on small single beds they’d brought into his bedroom for their use. All three warriors opened their eyes the moment Kol’s bedroom door opened quietly.

  “Kol?” a voice whispered.

  Kron recognized it and turned over, trying to go back to sleep.

  Kol recognized it and sat up in bed. “Elisher?” he asked.

  Ba Re’ noticed it and bit his own tongue to hold in the snarls he wanted to let loose on all of them.

  “I meant to tell you earlier but with your friends arriving I forgot,” Elisher said.

  “Forgot what?” Kol asked.

  Elisher moved through the darkened room until she was standing right beside Kol’s bed. “Ada Jane com’d you earlier today. She didn’t want to leave a message, just said if I could let you know she’d tried to reach you, she’d appreciate it. I forgot. I feel terrible. I’ll contact her tomorrow and apologize.”

  “That won’t be necessary, but thank you for offering. I got caught up in the days activities as well and forgot to contact her myself. I promised that I would, then I forgot until it was so late that I fear I’d awaken her if I tried now.”

  Elisher stood there for a moment then she shrugged her shoulders in the dark. “If I was newly mated and my mate promised to contact me and didn’t, I’d feel better if he woke me to tell me he was busy and forgot instead of just not following through.”

  Kol smiled to himself. “Yes, but your mate would be female,” he said.

  “Hmm?” she asked. “Oh, yes! Of course, my mate would be female.”

  “Perhaps I will com her after all,” Kol said, getting out of bed. He waited for Elisher to walk ahead of him then followed him out of his quarters, pulling the door to, but not quite closing it behind themselves.

  Kol went to the coffee table between the sofas and picked up his communicator. He was almost ready to make the connections to Ada Jane when Elisher spoke again.

  “I’m really glad we’re alone. I’ve been trying to find a minute with just you all day,” she said.

  Kol looked up from his communicator. “Is there a problem?” he asked.

  “Not exactly. I just, I was wondering. With all the auditing we’re doing, and results being what they are, I’m concerned with my future with the government.”

  “It shouldn’t affect your future,” Kol answered.

  “I know it shouldn’t. But, my plan all along was to eventually be recognized for my efforts as a loyal and trusted employee. Eventually be chosen to go out into the universe. If I’m seen as one who can’t keep secrets, then I may never be allowed to do that. I’d never be trusted.”

  “And if you’re seen as one who allows others to suffer because you didn’t want to be seen in a certain light, you would never be trusted either.”

  “Exactly. So, you see my point. I’m just wondering if you think this will affect my ability to leave Earth and represent Earth and her interests in the future,” Elisher asked.

  “I don’t know, Elisher. But, I can promise you that our mission is an honorable one. Those entrusted with the welfare of others should perform admirably, and when they don’t, when th
eir actions affect their people negatively, they should be removed and they should have to answer for their actions. That is what we are doing.”

  “I know, I do understand that. And I’m in this until the end. I believe in what we’re doing, and I know it needs to be done. I just wonder if it will affect my dreams. I’m not like you, I’m not this big, strong male that can run off to battle. I have to depend on my diplomacy to get me there, you know?”

  “I do know. And I give you my vow that if I can I will see to it that you are given the opportunities you hope for.”

  “Thank you, Kol. But only if I earn it. I don’t want anything I don’t earn.”

  “Of course,” Kol answered.

  Elisher walked to her room before looking back at Kol. “Good night. Please apologize for my forgetfulness,” she said.

  “I will. Sleep well, Elisher, and do not fret too much over your future. I am sure yours is very bright.”

  “Thank you,” Elisher said, smiling before disappearing inside her bedroom.

  Kol swiped his thumb over his communicator. “Missy, please com Ada Jane,” he asked.

  “One moment, Ambassador Kol,” Missy answered right away.

  Kol stood there, waiting for some time. Then finally, Missy spoke again. “Ambassador, there is no answer from Ada Jane. I have left her notification that you attempted to reach her.”

  “Thank you, Missy. She is most likely asleep.”

  “May I be of assistance otherwise?” Missy asked.

  “Not at this time,” Kol answered. “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome.”

  Kol took his communicator with him and went back to bed. He didn't notice that Ba Re’ rushed to get back in his own bed before Kol made it to the bedroom.

  Ba Re’ couldn’t help it. He’d had to see the interactions between Kol and Elisher. And just that simple fact drove him insane. There was no way he’d ever claim a male for his Ehlealah. It made no sense. There was no record of a Cruestaci warrior ever taking a male for his Ehlealah. Then he arrived on Earth and was slapped in the face with Elisher, who is male, and who incites all the mating instincts Ba Re’ does his best to keep hidden. It’s not going to happen. He won’t let it. Ba Re’ punched the pillow his head lay upon and bit his tongue again to keep himself from snarling aloud.

  “Ba Re’?” Kol asked, hearing him moving around more than he would be had he been sleeping.

  Ba Re’ didn’t answer. He just lay still with a scowl on his face. He didn’t feel like having to talk to anyone except Elisher, and didn’t that just piss him off.

  Chapter 23

  Kol paced beside the table in his quarters with Elisher and Ba Re’ both sitting opposite him, working on computers. Elisher worked feverishly on the computer supplied by the base, while Ba Re’ typed away just as quickly on his own laptop brought with him from Command Warship 1. Kron stood to the side, his face tense as he watched them trying to save the information Elisher had accumulated.

  Buchanan wandered around the room his own tablet in hand trying unsuccessfully to log into any of his systems and apps. The damn thing would give him the log on screens to several, then when he typed in his passwords, it would cycle as though it was letting him in before going to a black screen and rebooting itself.

  “Kol?” Bart asked from the handheld communicator Kol carried as he moved back and forth across the room.

  “Yes,” Kol answered as he glanced once more toward Elisher and Ba Re’.

  “Any luck?” he asked.

  “I think so. We seem to be making progress. Missy managed to grab several bites of information and lock the virus out as it began to infect the system. She took over that small bit of data and Elisher is working to transfer it to Ba Re’s computer. But it has to be scanned and disinfected before it can be transferred.”

  “What is taking so long?” Bart asked.

  “Because the fucking virus is attacking Missy. She’s fighting it off as she helps to clean and transfer the information that Elisher transfers to her, and then sends it to me,” Ba Re’ snapped.

  Kol looked down at the communicator in his hand and noted the surprised look on Bart’s face at Ba Re’s surly response. “He is stressed. We all are. We cannot have Missy infected. Her mainframe is located on Command Warship 1.”

  “I understand. Is there any other way?” Bart asked.

  “Only to abandon all the information to the virus and let it be destroyed,” Kol answered.

  “We need that evidence. If what you say is accurate, and I have every reason to believe it is, we’ll need it to force his family to back off,” Bart said. “It could be the only thing that prevents a military action on their part.”

  “I’m sure of it, the evidence will prove it. I know at the very least, he’s misappropriated funds, channeling them to his private accounts. I know he’s intercepted food deliveries and sold them for profit. I know he’s denied medical treatment to those in our sector. I know he’s falsely imprisoned any who dared to question his governing of the people under his guidance. And that’s just having been able to dig into just over fifty percent of the documentation I was able to uncover,” Elisher said.

  “Then we need it. And once it’s uploaded and safe, we need him taken into custody. As quietly as possible if we can.”

  “And if he fights?” Buchanan asked.

  “You expect him to?” Bart asked.

  “I do. I expect this to get ugly, fast. I have no doubt he’ll make a run for it,” Buchanan said decidedly.

  “Then use whatever force is necessary. But, Kol, be sure you have your com mounted and live feed. Be sure your audio piece is in, too, just in case I have to call you off or redirect you.”

  “Redirect me?” Kol asked, surprised.

  “I will not be the only member of the Consortium observing. This is for your safety there, as well as ours,” Bart said.

  “Quin?” Kol asked.

  “Watching. Along with the rest of the sitting rulers who care to sit in and observe. Only I will have communication abilities with you, though,” Bart said. “Quin has agreed not to interfere even though you’ll be viewed and listened to through Missy’s mainframe. Do not underestimate this male, Kol. He believes he is above the law. Hopefully, it will all go quietly. If not, be prepared to do what is necessary. But do it by the book.

  “Whose book?” Kol asked. “I am not just military,” he said.

  “I know. Just make sure it’s all justifiable,” Bart explained. “And make sure those damn files are uploaded to me and not corrupted.”

  “We’re at sixty-eight percent. We’re more than halfway. We’ll get it done,” Elisher said firmly, loudly enough that Bart could hear her.

  Ba Re’ glanced up at Elisher working beside him, then he nodded his head and continued to type. “We will,” he confirmed.

  “If anyone can achieve this, it is Ba Re’, and with Elisher at his side we are sure to be successful against this virus meant to destroy all the devices, and thereby the records on base. It’s just a matter of time,” Kol said.

  “Have you determined the source of the virus yet?” Bart asked.

  “We believe it to be installed by hand in the mainframe here on base. But until we finish the cleaning and transfer of the files Elisher has spent countless hours assembling, we will not be able to trace its actual source.

  “I believe you will find it leads right to the person we suspect of all the questionable activity coming out of Base 28,” Bart said.

  “As do I,” Kol agreed.

  “And I,” Buchanan added.

  “How much longer?” Kron asked.

  “Not sure,” Ba Re’ answered.

  “Minutes,” Elisher answered, concentrating on her computer screen and typing away so fast the rhythm of her striking the keys sounded like a hum rather than clicking of individual key strikes.

  Ba Re’ glanced toward her again where she sat beside him in her pajamas with her bathrobe wrapped tightly around her. He let out a sn
arl at the fact that he was so conflicted over this male.

  “Stop growling at me,” Elisher said, still typing away and not even pausing to look at him.

  “It’s not at you,” Ba Re’ snapped.

  “Could have fooled me. You’ve been glaring at me since you arrived. I don’t know you, don’t know who you think I am, but I’ve not done anything to earn your ire,” Elisher answered, not even breaking stride in her typing nor looking away from her computer screen.

  “Ire?” Ba Re’ asked.

  “Irritation. Anger,” Buchanan provided.

  “Ninety-two percent!” Elisher shouted excitedly, a smile on her face.

  “Yes!” Bart cried out from Kol’s communicator.

  “What’s your percentage, Ba Re’?” Bart asked.

  “Eighty-nine percent. I’m right behind Elisher. Soon as the data’s cleared, I’m running it through my system to copy then uploading from Missy to your systems,” Ba Re’ answered, speaking to Bart.

  “Didn’t growl at him,” Elisher mumbled.

  Ba Re’ shook his head in disbelief at the small male taunting him.

  “Ninety-eight!” Elisher exclaimed.

  “Kol, don’t wait any longer! Elisher and Ba Re’ will finish this up momentarily. Take Diskastes into custody now! Any who have even given a slight sign of being loyal to him should be taken into custody with him. And don’t forget to go live so that a recording is made for any who may question our methods,” Bart said, urgently.

  “On it,” Kol answered. “Where’s Zhuxi?” Kol asked, turning his attention to Buchanan.

  “Keeping eyes on Diskastes. He said and I quote, ‘Tell Blue Dude we will be ready’. He’s got our security with him or nearby. They’ll know when we’re moving in and be ready to support us as needed. We’ve been waiting for this for a long, long time.”

  “Let’s go, then,” Kol answered.