"Letting me go with you." She had a muscle tic near her eyes, and a muscle in her leg must have spasmed because she stumbled.

He grabbed her arm, offering his strength, "You've been a big help today. I'd appreciate your support when I explain the threat to Tessa and Kahn."

"Of course you have my support."

"Thanks."

"I want to always be at your side. That's why I'm coming with you."

"Okay." Zical glanced at her. Why did be have the strongest feeling that he wasn't following her meaning?

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." Her voice filled with happiness, Dora tried to skip ahead. "I was so wrong, about you. I thought you didn't want-"

"Didn't want what?"

"Me," she said simply.

Huh? His suspicions had been correct, and he spoke carefully. "What are we talking about?"

"My accompanying you on the journey to find the Sentinel and turn it around."

Stunned, he stopped abruptly. I didn't say anything about-" He scowled at her.

"Dora, can you read minds?"

She shook her head, or tried to, her cute chin jerking more up and down than side to side. "I extrapolated from known data, did an a.n.a.lysis, and theorized that your sense of honor would require you to set things right by heading into s.p.a.ce. So you're planning a journey-one we'll take together," she concluded with, a happy grin.

Zical scowled, exasperation increasing his impatience with her. How could one woman be so brilliant and come to such a conclusion at the same time? If she was deliberately trying to manipulate him, she was doing a marvelous job. While taking her with him would be advantageous since she could communicate with machines and help to reprogram the Sentinel, no way could she come with him. This quest wasn't a casual outing. A journey to find the Sentinel would entail unknown hardship and dangers, and Dora was barely functioning outside the confines of her room on a settled world, never mind in unknown s.p.a.ce. Her inexperience could cause lives to be lost. She simply had too much to learn about being human, and he didn't have time to coddle her, he most especially didn't want to be cooped up with her in close quarters when he found her so attractive.

79.

Sensing a huge argument brewing between them Zical planned to gather has thoughts before setting her straight. But Kahn's voice came through his com unit, preventing the discussion from continuing. "Ranth filled me in."

"Dora and I are heading your way now. I want to a.s.semble my crew, put together a mission. I'll need a starship, supplies, and scientists. The mission will be expensive."

"Understood. I'll make sure Tessa is here when you arrive."

Dora was about to speak but Zical beat her to it. "Ranth, recall my crew."

"Already done."

"Have we any idea where to look for the Sentinel?"

"I'll start a search of my data bases."

"Extend to every Federation library," Dora added, and Zical realized that her knowledge of computer systems, would been useful during the journey he was about to begin. Dora had capabilities, no human had. She was smart and had an intuitive knowledge of mathematics and machinery that couldn't discount The golden light had zapped him twice, yet he hadn't noticed the pattern contained within the vibrations that had led Dora to unravel the ancient message. Without her, there would be no mission, They'd simply be waiting for their destruction.

However, no intelligent starship captain would take someone so new to life, so inexperienced, aboard a s.p.a.ceship for such a long journey into unknown s.p.a.ce. Most people couldn't cope with the strain, the loneliness, the boredom. Dora could easily fall apart under that kind of pressure. A short while ago, she'd had trouble leaving her room. She could have trouble getting along with others in such close quarters. She might not adapt to life in s.p.a.ce, and the all too likely possibility of her forgetting at a critical moment that she was now human could cause a loss of lives besides her own.

Earlier, she'd forgotten to use her psi to filter the air. In s.p.a.ce, lapses likes hers could be fatal. Despite the feet that she could be very useful, he needed experienced, s.p.a.ce- hardened people.

And he certainly didn't need Dora's kind of distraction. With everything on his mind, he shouldn't be noticing the tremble of her lip after he'd spoken harshly. Or how she'd flinched, then pretended not to care. Or the enticing curve of her hips and the natural sway of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s as she walked beside him.

No, he'd have enough on his mind without Dora along to constantly remind him that she embodied every physical trait he admired in a woman. And the combination of her perfect body and her emotional vulnerability might cause him to make mistakes they couldn't afford.

Ranth spoke calmly. "A complete library search will take some time and be expensive."

"Do it," Zical ordered knowing Tessa would gladly authorize the expense out of the family finances. Sometimes having a rich family was convenient. At a time like this, their vast wealth might mean the difference between either the survival or the end of the Federation.

80.

Zical wished be could castigate himself, tell himself that he was exaggerating the menace. But be couldn't stop the inner conviction that if the Perceptive Ones had gone to such trouble to build this elaborate complex, then the Zin were a formidable enemy.

Dr. Laduna joined them, his gills flaring with concern. "I would like to volunteer my services to the effort."

"I appreciate your selflessness. The journey will be long and hard." Zical noted that the scientist didn't so much as preen, his eyes sparkling like green ice. "And if you could see who among those working here might also be willing to make the difficult journey in the name of science, I'd be grateful.

The scientists most knowledgeable about the Perceptive Ones were already on Mystique, studying the find. Hopefully, enough would volunteer so they wouldn't have to wait for more offworlders to arrive before they left on the mission. Logic told Zical the Sentinel might take years, perhaps decades, even a century to return from its post, but the sense of urgency that Zical had felt ever since he'd entered the complex had increased, almost as if he sensed the Zin, thriving and hearty and warlike, waiting on the galaxy's border for the right moment to attack.

Had he given them their moment? He prayed not.

"Thank you all for scrambling to get here so fast." Zical greeted Vax, his right-hand man and his friend, in the conference room Kahn had reserved for their use. The formal room had the finest communication system as well as priority access to Ranth. Food and drink from any of the hundred Federation worlds was available, and its windows offered a gorgeous view of the flowering garden of which Tessa was so proud.

During the months since Zical had climbed Mount Shachauri his crew had scattered all over Mystique. His first officer, Vax, had been helping his aging parents settle on the northern continent. During the last years of the relocation, none of his crew had taken much personal time as they'd flown mission after mission to transport their people from Rystan to Mystique. Like many others, during the Endekian war Vax had lost a wife and a brother. Perhaps Zical and the warrior had bonded over their shared grief and similar circ.u.mstances, perhaps they would have kept each other company during peaceful times, but she shared combat experiences had created a bond as tight as one of blood.

Zical had risked his life for Vax several times and the Rystani warrior had returned the favor. For a trip to the edge of the galaxy, he'd prefer no other man at his side. He trusted Vax's judgment to make the right decision during the time Zical wouldn't be at the helm.

Yet this journey would be made up strictly of volunteers. However, Zical suspected that he need merely ask, and Vax would be there at his side.

Despite Zical's urgency to begin his mission, he also cared about his crew and took the time to greet each one properly. If Vax refused the commission of second in

81.

command, his reason would be due to prior family commitments. His parents had taken the loss of their eldest son hard. "How are your folks?"

Vax grinned. "Mom's starting an import-export business."

"And your father?"

*Dad's enjoying the fishing.'' Vax's grin faded. "During the skimmer flight, Ranth briefed me. Count me in."

Zical's heart lifted with joy because he hadn't even had ask. he simply nodded "I won't hold you to your words until you hear more."

"I won't be changing my mind," Vax promised.

As Zical moved on to greet Cyn, a green-skinned engineer from Scartar, he realized how much he was counting on his people to join him. The mission would be difficult enough without an untried crew who hadn't had time to gel. And his trust and admiration for his officers would give them the best chance to succeed.

Cyn strode into the briefing room, her queenly posture impressive. But her skills as an engineer were what Zical valued. She'd pulled off the impossible more times, than could count, coaxing her engines to perform when they'd purple-lined and by all specs should have exploded.

She broke into a wide grin of greeting. "About time you called us back together, Captain."

Unlike the rest of his view, Cyn had a full family of parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, back on her homeworld, Scartar. However, rumors flew that she could croon a sweet lullaby to her engines.

"Agreed," said Shannon Walker, a diminutive Terran who was his communications officer. As she joined them she clapped Cyn on the shoulder. A widow and grandmother many times over, she'd told her brood that the sign of a good parent was to make certain your children no longer needed you. And since she was too young not to see the galaxy, she'd taken one of the first ships off Earth to study at a Federation school. The oldest and newest member of his crew, she'd fit in with ease.

"Did you make a visit back to Terra?" Zical asked her, holding out his hand to shake hers in the Terran custom.

She grabbed his hand, then tugged him close for an embrace. "We met on Flagonna." She grinned, her eyes sparkling at her memories of the luxury vacation planet. "The grandkids had a blast in zero-g swimming pools, and my kids are finally learning to use their suits. A few are considering colonizing Ketric Prime. And I love seeing them all, but I love leaving the too."

Every one of his officers had volunteered, but Zical wanted to make sure they understood. His gaze took in Vax, Cyn and Shannon. "Ranth has briefed you, but I want to emphasize that this mission could very well be a one-way trip. We don't yet know where to find the Sentinel but suspect the ancient machine is cut on the galaxy rim, out farther than we've ever been."

82.

"Even in hypers.p.a.ce, the trip will take centuries," Cyn figured out loud.

"We're hoping to sling our ship around the Osarian black holes to increase our speed. As far as we know, we're going deeper into gravity well than anyone's ever done. The hull may not stay together. And we don't know what effect travelling at such speeds in hypers.p.a.ce will have on us. More importantly, the journey home will take all of those centuries you mentioned because the probability of finding two black holes so close to each other to shoot us home is next to nil."

His crew's expressions didn't change. From Ranth's briefing, they'd already figured out the basics for themselves.

"And even if we do find the Sentinel, we have no idea if we can communicate with it or how a send it back. The mission is full of unknowns-yet might be critical to the Federation's survival."

"Captain," Shannon asked. "Do we know if the Zin are still out there?"

He shook his head. "Tessa has agreed to supply a ship with our best technology and I'm recruiting scientists who specialize in the Perceptive Ones. I'm pleased that the Jarn specialist Dr. Laduna has agreed to head up the detail," Zical paused, letting the facts sink in. "As we journey farther away from home, communications, if they work at all, will take years, possibly decades or centuries even at light-year speeds of hyper- s.p.a.ce. We have no idea what kind of resistance we will meet along the way. We are venturing into the unknown."

"Sounds like fun," Shannon quipped. "Where do sign up?"

As all of then stepped forward and bravely placed their retinal scans on the vidscreen, confirming their willingness to put their lives on the line, Zical vowed to do his best to bring them back-even if it took centuries. No man ever set forth on a journey with a courageous and skillful crew. And he was proud to call each of them friend, prouder still that they so willingly risked their lives for the good of those staying behind.

However, wilt their loyalty and courage came a huge responsibility, for their safety, for the completion of this mission. As captain he was required to make certain that sacrifice would tot be in vain.

"You aren't going." Zical strode into Dora's quarters, his jaw set at a commanding angle, his tone authoritarian, his eyes searching hers.

After the family meeting where a plan to attempt to contact the Sentinel had been implemented, with Zical in charge of the mission, Dora had expected to have time to plead her case to go along. However, hours of strategy that continued through a noisy meal had left Dora and Zical no time for private conversation. Afterward Zical had met with Ranth and his crew.

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And she didn't want to speak to him now either. Not in the mood he was in.

Knowing she would annoy him and hoping he'd leave, she disregarded his statement.

"I thought you'd come to see me pay up."

"Excuse me?"

"You owe me a kiss." In light of the serious situation, her request seemed inappropriate, just as she'd intended. She hoped he'd retreat, leave her alone to marshal her arguments and decide how much to reveal. Because although Zical was in charge and could pick his crew and the mission specialists on board, Tessa was funding the operation. If Tessa insisted that Dora was needed, then Zical would have little choice but to agree to accept her as part of his crew.

But Zical didn't get angry as she expected. Instead, he closed the distance between them in three long, predatory steps. She'd provoked him one to many times. At the hungry look in his eyes, her pulse spiked in antic.i.p.ation.

Finally.

He was going to kiss her.

She attempted to keep the eagerness from her face. She didn't care that she'd manipulated him, preyed on his emotions. She'd waited too long for this moment.

He was going to kiss her.

Roughly, his large hands grabbed her shoulders, jerked her to his chest and she tilted hack her head to gaze into eyes blazing with desire and vexation. Oh, my. She'd often wondered what it would be like to have his full attention. Now, she knew.

Wondrous excitement churned in her heart.

He was going to kiss her.

Dora had monitored the birth of a star, spectacular eclipses, the rise of civilizations.

But nothing had prepared her for the thrill of standing within the circle of Zical's arms while his hands clasped her shoulders with fierce need, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s pressed against his powerful chest as she waited for her first kiss.