Chapter 26

THE ENGINES EMITTED a low hum, but otherwise, an unsettling silence permeated the interior of the craft. The sterile air mingled with the distinct scent of fear, as the three anxious men pondered the fate of their mates.

"Try Adria's communicator again," Remus demanded.

"I have it set to recall every thirty seconds. She doesn't answer," Beck stated gravely.

The small craft shuddered as Remus' fist connected with the side wall. The loud thud reverberated throughout the cabin, startling the other two men, who were already on edge, and jerked in reaction.

"Maintain control, warrior," Tarus ordered. "If we crash, we can't help either of them."

"Help them with what though? We're going into this blind." As Beck's interjection hung in the air, silence descended over the small group once again.

"They're outside the New Hope perimeter in an uncleared forest filled with countless hazards." Remus looked out the window and muttered in a mix of concern and confusion, "What could have possessed her to go there? She's terrified of the woods."

"The same thing that possessed Adria to go along, evidently. Rather than go to Amy's apartment for dinner like they planned," Beck answered. Then, with frustration filling his voice, he demanded, "Can't this damn thing go any faster?"

"It's at max speed now," Tarus who was piloting the craft replied. "We were lucky there were shuttles on site fueled and ready to go, or we would be twenty minutes away instead of five."

"We need a transporter on this infernal planet," Remus grumbled.

"Agreed. That doesn't help our situation now, however."

He knew his twin as well as he knew himself. His outwardly calm demeanor masked the tempest of emotions raging inside him. Tarus felt the same volatile emotions he and Beck did, but he had them locked down with iron control, or his fear and helplessness would surpass that of his two companions, and that would benefit no one, especially Amy and Adria.

"We're arriving at the distress signal coordinates," Tarus announced. "Look for a place to set down."

"There's a flat grassy place by the lake," Beck suggested.

When the shuttle touched down, Remus was out the door, his communicator with the tracker set to the last known coordinates tightly in hand.

"Up the hill!" he called, already on the move, his boots pounding the ground.

The incline was steep, but Beck and Tarus, with their long strides, swiftly caught up to him. As they ascended, Remus' eyes darted between the glowing screen of his handheld and the thick forest that loomed ahead of them.

"To the right. Not far beyond the tree line. "

"I recall from our search there was a small clearing in that direction." Tarus raced past him, making a path through the thick undergrowth using his blaster.

They didn't go far before Remus ordered a halt. Surrounded by trees, dense foliage, and hanging vines, with insects swarming around them, he turned in a circle.

"I don't understand. The tracker says they're right here."

Beck bent down and picked something up off the damp forest floor. "No," he said, holding up the flashing red device. "The tracker says Adria's communicator is here."

Suddenly, a scream cut through the thick, humid air.

"That's Amy," Remus exclaimed in alarm as he plunged deeper into the dense woods, his brother and Beck hot on his heels.

It didn't take long for them to reach the clearing Tarus had mentioned. Sunlight cut through the canopy above and cast shadows on the ground. But it couldn't hide the horror that they discovered.

Surrounding Adria and Amy were waxy white creatures identical to the one they had mistakenly believed they had banished from the colony.Desperate to feed off the women's energy, their skeletal hands reached out, fingers clawing at the women, but the creatures fought amongst themselves pushing and shoving to get to them first. The women defended themselves valiantly, kicking and punching, as they fended off the grasping hands. But the number of attackers was overwhelming, and their strength rapidly waned. Remus realized the chaos worked to the women's advantage, buying time for their rescue to arrive. That time was now .

With a roar, the men entered the fray. Fists connected with pale alien flesh. As they hurled the bodies aside, they landed with grotesque screams of pain and occasionally the crunch of bones. Once they reached the women, they formed a circle around them. Then the acrid smell of charred flesh filled the air as the men unleased the power of their weapons and blasted the disgusting parasitic creatures into dust.

Chests heaving and drenched in sweat, when only the five of them remained standing, Tarus turned full circle, scanning the trees.

"Is that all of them?" Beck asked, sucking wind.

"It appears to be," Remus replied.

As one, they turned and looked at Adria and Amy. They stood huddled together, pale and trembling from shock, but blessedly alive.

Beck pulled his mate out of Amy's arms and into his own, burying his face in her hair.

Without Adria's support, Amy's legs gave out. Remus caught her before she hit the ground, but weak with relief, he sank to his knees with her in his lap. Tarus knelt with him, and together, they enfolded their mate in their arms.

"Thank the Maker you arrived in time," Adria whispered shakily.

"There are pods," Amy gasped, tightly clutching the uniform tunic of each of her mates. "My dream was real. They spawned from pods beneath the earth. There could be more—unhatched."

Beck's voice rang as clear as Tarus' as they spoke into their communicators, ordering armed teams of soldiers and warriors alike to the forest to search and destroy .

Amy's head fell back, her lavender and blue-lavender eyes as round as the three moons as she stared up at them, as if she couldn't believe she was safe in their arms.

"Are you all right?" Remus asked, his fingers gently stroking her cheek.

"Yes, because my warriors charged in to save me, which is what happened in my dreams. But I'm thinking they may have been more like premonitions." A shudder swept through her, and she clutched them both. "If so, I hope this clairvoyance, or whatever it is, died with them."

"There were so many of them," Adria breathed. "All fighting among themselves to be the first to..."

"Suck us dry," Amy continued when she couldn't. "They acted like they were starving. Thank god none of them ever got a good hold on us like the one in the cave."

Remus arms around her tightened as he tensed. "You remember the cave?"

Her voice shook as she replied in a barely audible whisper, "I remember everything. Most of it is disturbing, but it's also a relief."

"Because maybe now the nightmares will stop?" Tarus guessed, as he gently stroked her back.

"Yes, but more so, it means I'm not crazy."

Remus held her close, rocking back and forth, showing no intention of letting go. "We never believed that, dral ," he assured her. "Unsettled after a significant trauma, but never crazy. You are in trouble with your mates, however."

"As are you," Beck said, his face reflecting a mix of fear and relief as he leaned back and looked down at his mate.

"But I was the victim!" Adria protested .

"You were supposed to be at Amy's apartment until I fetched you home, not wandering in the woods, which is off-limits."

She shook her head vigorously, contradicting him. "There is no rule restricting a walk in the woods."

"There should be," Remus muttered, his comment barely audible with his face buried in Amy's hair.

"There will be," Beck countered. "As mayor, I can make sure of it."

"But surely a pod-creature invasion was an isolated incident," Adria said, clearly trying to minimize his overreaction.

"We don't know that. Much of the planet is unexplored jungle."

Amy's voice trembled as she acknowledged, "This is my fault. I dragged Adria into the woods with me. But how was I to know working on my issues would turn out this way?"

"If we hadn't acted, we might have remained oblivious to the buried pods and the creatures until it was too late," Adria said, trying to reassure her. She lightly shoved Beck's shoulder as she protested his censure. "We prevented a potential feeding frenzy on the unsuspecting citizens of New Hope," she argued passionately. "Instead of condemning us with glares and promised punishments, we should be commended as heroes."

Amy gasped, her breath catching in her throat. "Beck wouldn't, actually... I mean, he doesn't..." Her shocked gaze shifted between her friend and her mate. "Surely, not!"

Adria's face turned scarlet. "Let's not get into that," she quickly replied, which was as good as a confirmation.

A shuttle appeared in the sky, its metallic body glinting in the sunlight. Two others joined it .

"The cavalry has arrived, and in the nick of time," Beck declared, relief at the welcome change in topic evident in his voice.

Any other time, Remus would have chuckled at the man's predicament, but there was serious business at hand.

"We need to get our mates out of these damp woods and into hot showers," Tarus suggested.

"Agreed," Beck stated, swinging Adria up in his arms.

"I can walk, Husband."

"I need to hold you after the past hour I've endured, so you will humor me, Wife."

"Of course," she murmured, offering no further protests as she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

Remus rose with Amy in his arms. "A medical examination to ensure there was no harm done must take priority over showers, I would think."

Adria's head popped up. "I feel fine," she assured him. "What about you, Amy? Do you feel weak or dizzy or drained?"

"No. I remember what it was like, and I don't think they did any damage."

As he carried her down the hill to where the shuttles landed, Remus, determined to be cautious, firmly declared, "Speculation isn't good enough. We'll let the physics who examine you decide. If they give the all clear, then we'll take you home for that hot shower."

"Okay," Amy relented. "But can we use the facilities at the clinic? Two of us in my shower is crowded; three is impossible. "

When Beck and Adria glanced at her knowingly, it was Amy's turn to blush. It didn't matter to Remus; the couple already knew they were a triad and fated mates.

"The entire apartment is crowded. We need to find a bigger place," Tarus grumbled as he fell in step beside them.

"I know of a house that we recently completed," Beck stated, keeping pace on the other side, Adria still cradled in his arms. "Installing a custom-built tile shower rather than the prefab molded ones that are standard is no problem and would only take a day, two at most."

"That sounds perfect," Amy exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. However, her brows gathered as a frown quickly formed. "Where is it located?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern. "Please don't tell me it's a secluded cottage nestled deep in the woods."

Tarus reached over and gave her arm a pat. Then he glanced his way, clearly relieved. After today, they wouldn't have to worry about her wandering in the forest for a long while, possibly forever.

"It's in one of the new family neighborhoods under construction," Beck assured her. "It's spacious enough for your warrior mates and has a good-sized backyard. There are trees, but I assure you, no woods. The only hitch is that it's in phase 2, farther away than where you are now."

"But it's a quick ride by hover car. A quarter time cycle at the most," Adria clarified.

Amy relaxed, getting excited by the prospect of a house. "I'm a big-city girl. Any commute under thirty minutes is a snap."

"And you'll love your neighbors," Beck added .

All three of them looked at the mayor and construction owner in question. Unable to make them wait any longer, Adria blurted out, "It's us! We're the neighbors. They finished our new house last week. I finally get out of the construction yard office."

"I didn't know it was so awful, darlin'."

"It isn't, Beck," she admitted, her fingertips brushing his rough, stubbled jaw. "But you must agree, the lack of privacy leaves a lot to be desired."

Her mate nodded in agreement, turning his face into her hand and pressing a gentle kiss into her palm. The warmth of their affection was a tangible reminder of their deep connection. Tarus, observing the scene, felt a surge of satisfaction. As the first ever female human/Primarian male match, also fated mates, their path was completely unknown. Alongside them, he, Amy, and Remus were pioneers, charting a fresh course in integrating the two species. As such, they needed to support one another.

"We'll take the house," Tarus said, speaking for their triad as the eldest male because it was a winning solution for all of them. "As for the commute to the clinic, or to any of the phases, it will take even less time once I communicate the need for an intra-planetary transport system to the general and let him know not having the ability put his sister at risk."

Adria groaned. "Do we really have to bring Trask into it? The presence of the pod creatures will distress him enough as it is."

"He's gonna find out," Beck correctly predicted.

"He will because I'm going to tell him," Tarus declared, drawing frowns from both women. But there was a chain of command with the military the same as with mates. "If we're to get a transporter station at every phase expeditiously, he'll have to approve it."

Beck and Remus settled Adria and Amy in the shuttle while he explained the situation to the senior warrior who arrived with two dozen others as reinforcements. As they spoke, the rumble of engines grew louder, and four shuttles filled with soldiers from the army base outside of town arrived, kicking up dust as they landed. A group of scientists, a diverse mix of humans and Primarians, arrived with the search teams. The task at hand was to search, leaving no stone unturned. They had learned from their past mistakes. Now that they knew what they were dealing with, they could ensure the alien invaders were eradicated once and for all.