Rykhan (Book 1 of Mate Search Series)

by J. A. Hornbuckle

  Rykhan bent over her still form, trying to detect her breathing before dropping his ear to her chest to listen for her heartbeat.

  “This will be more thorough,” Bronsyn growled and shoved the tech-med machine into Rykhan’s hands.

  “What is wrong with her?” Arbrynt roared.

  A warrior cleared his throat as another murmured, “She touched a tresl while it was in full lock-down.”

  “And that means?” Even as Rykhan studied the tech-med’s screen, he could hear the fearful emotion in Pam’s question. It was too much for his overloaded brain to handle and he directed his full concentration to the information on the medical apparatus in his hands.

  There was a commotion from behind him as Bronsyn communicated with the Searcher, describing the situation, and arranging for med-transport to meet them in the TIPS room onboard the star-cruiser.

  Finally, three warriors came to where Leah lay still as death although the med unit said she was still on the living side of Tsiran’s ether. The men set the three key components of TIPS surface apparatus in a triangulated pattern around Leah’s body, just wide enough to include him as well.

  As Arbrynt activated all three pads and the familiar green mist appeared, Rykhan raised stricken eyes to Bronsyn’s face.

  “We will entreat Tsiran for her, my friend,” his leader said before the white noise of the teleportation device engaged.

  *.*.*.*.*

  There was a flurry of activity when Rykhan and his wahrom mate rematerialized in the teleportation room of the star-cruiser. He tried to intercede, tried to involve himself in getting her still unconscious form onto the med-bed but the staff brushed him aside, regulating him as nothing more than a vigilant observer. However, he kept pace as the team raced Leah to the med-bay but they blocked his access when her gurney finally slid through the doors.

  “There isn’t enough room for you, Rykhan,” Med-leader Jyrl explained using a muscled arm to prevent Rykhan from following. “I will get her stabilized and then give you a report of her condition. But you must remain outside so I can do my best for your blay.”

  Rykhan’s mind told him that the physician, one of the best in their galaxy and hand-chosen for the mission, was right but Rykhan’s heart demanded he stay with her. Especially when she was injured, completely unaware of where she was and what had happened. Nevertheless, he had no choice and made himself take a step back away from the doors.

  As a warrior, there had been many times he had had to wait before he could act. Even then the waiting chafed, as patience was not one of his virtues. But it had never seemed so hard before. To simply standby while others handled Leah’s injuries was excruciating, and gave him entirely too much time to think.

  Which male had left their tresl out?

  Since the time the males had joined the academy, each warrior was given a warning to engage the internal security system to prevent access to it. Especially because the tresl was more than just a communication tool, the internal processors in a tresl made it a combination of a cellphone, computer, GPS, e-reader and so much more.

  Up to and including a weapon should the occasion warrant.

  Frack! Why had the tresl’s security system been set so high? Moreover, by whom?

  Rykhan began to pace as he tried to fit a face to the voice that had disengaged the security system but he could not narrow it down.

  Tsiran’s beard! If he ever got his hands on the warrior whose tresl had hurt her…

  He shook his head, trying to throw off grim thoughts of what he would do to the male who injured his female. It went against all of his training and the Protectorate laws to consider fighting with another warrior but Leah was his to keep safe! Because another of his kind caused her injury, everything within him demanded Rykhan avenge her.

  Maybe Rykhan had failed her as well. Slumping against a wall, the large male realized he had been remiss in cautioning her about the small device each Picari used. Ever since the group had been planet-side, even he had grown lax in keeping his own tresl on him at all times. Although he had never set his device’s security system to high. At most, if someone touched Rykhan’s it would only emit a mild shock. What kind of information could possibly be on a warrior’s tresl that needed such security?

  Running a hand over his face, Rykhan felt his heartbeat speed up at the memory of Leah as the electricity moved throughout her body.

  Please Tsiran, his very soul pleaded soundlessly. Please do not take her.

  It seemed like days had passed before he felt Jyrl’s hand on his shoulder and Rykhan looked up from his seated position on the floor. “It went well, my friend. I have her sedated so the healing tubes can work to repair the burns on her hands and around her warrior’s symbol.”

  Dropping his head in relief, Rykhan offered up a prayer of thankfulness to Tsiran for his mercy before he stood on shaking legs. “My Leah will be all right then? No residual effects?”

  Jyrl smiled. “More than all right and especially surprising in light of what I discovered in my examination. Did you know humans only have one heart? Or that their bones are much lighter and more fragile than ours are? Fascinating!”

  Rykhan could not help frowning at the med-leader’s response that seemed out of place in the miasma of fear which was just beginning to dissipate in Rykhan’s body.

  “And our scans show that the youngling she is carrying was not injured in the least. I am uncertain how the rest of her gestation will proceed given she only has one heart. Depending on which DNA is stronger, it may cause problems later when your youngling’s second heart engages.”

  Everything within Rykhan stilled and he could not think. Not beyond the repetition of Jyrl’s words, ‘the youngling she is carrying’ which replayed, rang out again and again, in his head. So much so that he missed the rest of what the other man had said.

  “Say a-again?” Rykhan’s growl sounded strained even to his own ears.

  “I was simply reminding you that because of this incident and because your youngling will be the first of the Picari-Humanoid hybrids that will repopulate our worlds, your mate will need constant monitoring until she delivers.”

  “She is breeding?” the huge warrior whispered hesitantly.

  “Isn’t that what I just told you?” Jyrl replied with a frown. Rykhan could not control his body’s reaction, at the swaying motion he made before dropping to his knees again, completely unable to support his own weight.

  “Protector?” The doctor’s voice came from very far away and Rykhan idly noted the note of alarm in the other man’s tone. As a highly decorated, senior warrior of the Picari Protectorate, Rykhan typically appeared stalwart, stoic and above all, in control. At that moment though, he could not help his emotional reaction to the doctor’s news.

  All Rykhan could do was cover his face as he began to sob.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Rykhan stepped out of the med bay and stormed down the hall of the Searcher on his way to the TIPS room, his absolute rage dogging every step. They had only allowed him ten lesps with Leah, only ten measly lesps with the female who completed him in every way. She had not even known he was in the room.

  She did not have the least inkling of where she was, of what had happened to her.

  All because someone had set their tresl to a security level high enough to kill, to end the life of his Leah.

  And the youngling they had created together.

  All he could think as he activated the transport system was that the warrior who had left his communication device unmanned would face the full extent of Rykhan’s wrath. Would experience as much hurt as Rykhan could give to avenge his female’s injuries.

  Oh, Tsiran! She had looked so small, so pale beneath the different units that helped her heal. And although he’d bent low, placing his mouth right next to her ear as he’d begged her to open her eyes, she had laid as still as death. He was not sure if he believed the med-leader and his assurance that Leah and their youngling would survive.

&nbs
p; He did not know how he would continue to live if they did not.

  As he almost exploded out of the green mist, out of the white noise of the TIPS triangulation, Rykhan was determined to find and destroy the Picari warrior who dared allow his fragile human female to be hurt. His single-mindedness to enact his retribution grew as he raced down the steps, traversing across the various patio levels. His anger was a white-hot throb within him as he yanked open the heavy sliding-glass door and ran into the house.

  “Who did this?” he bellowed into the emptiness of the hallway, never realizing he was using the formal Picari language in the blood-rage filling him. “Whose fracking tresl hurt my human mate?”

  He stood for a moment with feet firmly planted and fists clenched as he listened for any signs of life within the large residential structure. Sensing small movements from upstairs, Rykhan stepped forward only to spy Wyst standing at the mouth of the long hallway.

  “Was it you, Wyst?” Rykhan growled

  “I didn’t intend for her to…I mean it wasn’t intentional.” Rykhan heard his warrior-brother’s voice but the words meant nothing beyond giving him a target for all ferocity that was churning, growing within him. “I offer my apologies, Rykhan and hope you can…”

  He had no memory of racing towards the male or even of his battle cry as he took Wyst to the hard tile. However, his heart soared at the sound of his heavy fist connecting with the other warrior’s face, and with each sharp smack, at the feel of Wyst’s skin beneath his knuckles, the feeling of satisfaction in hurting his warrior-brother grew.

  Rykhan wasn’t sure how long or how many hits he’d been able to strike before he was dragged away from Wyst who had all but confessed that it was his tresl which had hurt his Leah. Nor did he pay any attention to the warriors who assisted Wyst to his feet while others held Rykhan immobile. All he perceived was the red-haze coloring his view and the pulsations of anger still beating within him. As he stood between the two who held him, Rykhan found himself panting, breathing in and out so harshly the sound filled his ears, drowning out all other noises.

  When Bronsyn entered the space Rykhan’s head begin to clear. There was no mistaking the censure in his commander’s eyes, the man’s very posture signaling his disapproval of what had happened.

  It was obvious their quest leader did not know. Not even the other males on mission understood the full extent of Wyst’s actions. It would be up to him to let them know of the other male’s perfidy.

  “My Leah almost died. And Dr. Jyrl discovered she’s breeding.” Saying it aloud finally released the storm of his rage, quickly followed by a bleak sorrow. The depths of his overwhelming sadness loosened his knees until he sagged against the warriors holding him in place. “Wyst’s tresl had been set to maximum security and it could have easily have killed both my mate and my youngling.”

  For the space of two of their heartbeats, no one moved or even breathed.

  Bronsyn tried to bring the group back to normal by directing everyone into the dining room after ordering Laxon to apply ice to Wyst’s face. Although his commander didn’t glance at him once in the ensuing minutes, Rykhan knew he’d crossed the line.

  A line no male accepted into the Protectorate had ever crossed. At least not in recorded history.

  He’d struck a fellow warrior.

  In anger.

  And with intent to maim.

  If not kill.

  The very thought, the remembrance of what his hearts had demanded in terms of making Wyst pay for Leah’s injuries chilled him.

  Had he really wanted to send the male into his goddess’s veil?

  Sinking into his chair, Rykhan knew he faced the possibility of death because according to Picari law, physical violence without government sanction was an act of treason. There was no denying he had not sought out Bronsyn’s council before he had erupted in rage in order to extract his revenge.

  Bronsyn’s words as the man seated himself and seemed to gather his thoughts prior to speaking gave Rykhan hope. “I offer felicitations at the knowledge that you and your female have joined and have created a life that will help reseed our planet. This was the goal of our initial quest and you, Protector Nillr, have more than proved that both our scientists and droids were right. A human female’s ovum can accept the Picari life force and create a new specie. I give thanks to Tsiran for your successful joining and wish you all the blessing of your union.”

  Turning his gaze to Wyst, the commander’s eyes took on a sharper look. “But I need to understand why your tresl was not only left unattended but also set to maximum security.”

  The other warrior raised the bag of some frozen vegetable packet from his swollen mouth. “I have had several late night contacts with Commander Stege. In them he talks of how Earthlings can circumvent our goals. He downloaded many things into my tresl which he won’t explain but says are necessary in the event of discovery by the government of the land mass we currently inhabit.”

  His golden gaze, only marred by the bruising and swelling of one eye, looked at each of the warriors around the table. “Stege said that he was contacting each one of us individually to ensure there would be no breach. But that we were not to speak about his communiqués amongst ourselves in order to prevent the humans from discovering our presence. That we were all to keep our tresls on full security to prevent any human from accessing our data and plans.”

  *.*.*.*.*

  Bronsyn looked at each of the warriors he commanded. “Did Commander Stege do the same with any other of you?”

  At each negatory answer, Wyst’s shoulders fell until he sagged in his chair.

  Perhaps it is time, Bronsyn thought as he kept his eyes on the males under his command. Rykhan’s Leah had brought up good points in their initial meeting, ones that niggled at him late into his sleep cycle but that he still could not answer.

  “I have recently been asked how six warriors could possibly be expected to repopulate our two planets,” he began. “I couldn’t answer and want to hear your thoughts on the matter.”

  At confused glances around the table, Bronsyn was glad he was not the only one who had not known their full mission parameters before launch.

  “Frack!” Bronsyn thought it was Arbrynt who had uttered the expletive, but it was Gyard whose anger filled the room.

  “Our sleep spaces onboard the Searcher were too small for just our bodies, never mind the fact that we would be sharing it with our blays once we’d chosen them before returning home!” the large blonde male’s rumbled. Gyard reached behind his shoulder, but the warrior’s hair had been cut and was no longer long enough for him to glide a palm along its former long lengths.

  What in Tsiran’s name was going on?

  Bronsyn did not have a clue and as a loyal servant to the Gal-Trol covenant, he did not have a single idea at where to begin to unravel everything being hidden from him and his questing warriors. All he knew was something was not right.

  “Here’s what I don’t understand,” Rykhan began, rubbing a finger over his chin. “Why does the Searcher have one full level dedicated to the med-bay?”

  Laxon shifted in his seat and blushed as he spoke. “I often wondered that myself as I wandered the star-ship on our way to this planet. Do you know they have rooms with metal cylinders that are ice-cold to the touch? Or other spaces that are filled with small rectangles and medical equipment as if they were intended to monitor small creatures?” The large quiet man shrugged, a look of confusion crossing his young features. “When I was discovered exploring our environs, I was ordered out and told what I had seen wasn’t anything I needed to worry over.”

  “That ship is four times larger than any vessel I’ve traveled on,” Arbrynt stated firmly. “Yet we were never allowed into any area other than the observation deck to allow us all to be together at the same time.”

  The very air stilled over the table as the men took in this new knowledge.

  “I believe there is the possibility that we don’t know the full
scope of our mission,” Tyshar finally said into the void of silence as his dark, dark eyes shifted to their mission leader.

  “Agreed,” Bronsyn concurred with a nod. “In light of everything, I would like to put the issue of Rykhan’s attack on Wyst behind us. This simply means that I will not report it and there will be no repercussions for the two warriors at odds.”

  “Again, Rykhan,” Wyst mumbled and his lip’s movement reopened the splits Rykhan’s fists had inflicted and the warrior used the back of his hand to swipe at the blood. “I do apologize. If I’d known your female would touch my unit I would’ve never set it on max.”

  “While I accept your apology, I almost lost both my mate and youngling.” Rykhan replied flatly. “I will not seek any further justice against you.”

  Tyshar tapped the tabletop to gain everyone’s attention. “It seems we’re embroiled in some sort of plot or plan that goes far beyond the parameters of our original mission.”

  Murmurs of agreement came from every male at the table.

  “Therefore, I believe that we are to be the key players in something that goes beyond the simple mission we were originally given, one which could potentially put the females of Earth in jeopardy.”

  “But we’re Protectors,” Arbrynt interjected.

  “We do not harm the innocent,” Gyard added on a growl.

  Bronsyn’s heart thrilled to hear his men reaffirm the vows they each made at the end of their years at the academy. So he completed it.

  “And we pledge our lives in securing the safety of those under our care.”

  *.*.*.*.*

  Leah heard the two-toned chime and glanced at the clock, set on Earth time, in the corner of the holograph screen of the Brynt improved laptop. She’d been so involved in updating the spreadsheets that she’d gotten lost and hadn’t been paying attention to what the clock read. Calling a soft, “come in’, she stood and made her eyes do a quick sweep of the room. Seeing nothing out of place, she turned to the door and smiled.