“Indeed,” Qaff said.“A minute between.”
“She may remain this skin color.”Medic Yelur said, casting a glance at Cylo.“Your Dar Eth is something unknown, Operative Cylo.I assume that is acceptable?”
Cylo winced, the pain through his heart almost crippling him.“She is not mine, but yes, she is more than acceptable.”
Yelur harrumphed.
Medic Zive snapped, “I am concerned about her psychology.Telepathy is a powerful tool, and a dangerous one in the wrong hands.”
Cylo scowled.Zive spoke the truth, but to imply Wren could be a spy?
“Can you help her?”he demanded, holding Zive’s gaze.“Or is she just an oddity you wish to study?”His tone dripped venom.
“Unknown implies wemuststudy her,” Zive said, not backing down.“As to whether we can help her, that is an unknown, too.”
The urge to deactivate the med-E.D.and whisk Wren to safety gripped Cylo.He gritted his teeth, fighting the urge.His males wouldn’t harm her, not on purpose.
“Let the med-E.D.re-analyze her.”Yelur grasped Cylo’s shoulder.“The more information we have, the better we can help her.
“That the Maloidians are intent on this path is most alarming,” Ariez said when he glanced at Qaff.“Have you compared her compatibility with Maloidians’ and Yithians’ DNA?”
Qaff stilled then sent his fingers across the console keys.“Doing so now.”
Cylo held his breath.He forced himself to release it and the tension forming a knot in his gut.
“Whatever your findings, they must never know.”Yelur swept his gaze across those gathered.
Cylo grimaced.“Whether successful or not, they will continue with these experiments.Qaff, once you have informed us, you are free to depart on theNahatyr.”
The males Cylo had started this mission with had almost all left him.If it wasn’t for the Ethera, Durok, too, would no longer be on board.Not that Cylo blamed them.Only he was committed to Wren’s welfare.
“Operative?”Ariez arched a brow.
Cylo yanked himself out of his thoughts.“Yes?”
“I was saying how remarkable your female is.”
He pursed his lips, not wanting to remind the older male once again that she wasn’t his.Instead, he asked, “In what way?”
“Consider all she has endured, and yet, she greeted us with a smile.A lesser being would despise us for our inability to end these abductions.King Xeus was most adamant I inform you that henceforth, Etteria will have a zero-tolerance approach.”
Cylo grinned at that bit of good news.“Kill them on sight?”
“With proof of their G.C.violations, yes.”
Cylo bowed his head.“Of course.”Even though he had every intention of firing first.Diplomacy had done nothing to thwart these kidnappings.As Hiossu had said, females had died…that the Maloidian knew of.
“Oh,” Qaff gasped, flicked a glance at Zive before their O.D.I.s buzzed.
“This does not bode well,” Yelur muttered, reading off his wrist.“Restrict this information to us five.We will convey these findings to the medical council in person.For now, let us find a way to stabilize Lady Eight’s markers.”
“Agreed,” Zive said.“Pity we do not have her DNA prior to this…” He curled his lip.“Incident.”
“We do.”Qaff paused amid clearing the counter.“Olin discovered it in the historical data on Lady Wren.”
Ariez beamed.“With that, we should be able to create a—”
“Do not say cure,” Zive growled.“What has set cannot be undone.”
