Argurma Monster (The Argurma Chronicles #2)

Chapter 1

Sixty-five years later (before Kaylar’s escape from Earth)

“Retrieve Kaylar,” Veral commanded severely from the captain’s seat broadcasted onto the ship’s viewscreen. “He is not only a male of the line, but I owe him a debt of life. I will not see him abandoned on that planet. You are one of the line’s most trustworthy warriors. I am counting on you to return with him safely.”

Zoreth’monushava’shangla dipped his head in acknowledgement, his expression neutral despite the impatience boiling within him. There was already much to be done to establish a safe home for the Monushava House and yet Veral was sending him across sectors to rescue a male who had intentionally isolated himself in space and refused to be involved in affairs of the mother house. He had even gone as far as refusing to return long enough to take a mate and contribute to the line as was his responsibility. He wanted to refuse so that he could put his efforts where they would be more immediately of value to the house, but he did not have that option, and he did not dare to contest the order.

Although Veral’s presence was only a transmitted image, power and authority radiated from him in a way that offered no opening for refusal. Zoreth was in an impossible situation to do anything but agree. Veral’monushava’skahalur was the temporary head of the Monushava House until young Harahna came of age, and as such commanded complete obedience. And as Harahna was an infant, Veral’s power would be absolute for many solars.

“Acknowledged,” he rumbled, to which Veral inclined his head gravely in appreciation.

“I am sending you the coordinates, Zoreth.” The male paused as he regarded him through the ship’s uplink, his mandibles clicking faintly. “I process that this is not the task that you desired but I assure you that a new home for our house will not be quick in coming. You will still be very much needed when you return.”

“Understood. I shall retrieve Kaylar quickly and make my return. There shall be no delays,” Zoreth responded. He glanced down at his console. “Transmission received. Uploading coordinates now.”

Initiating the upload through his cybernetic uplink with the ship, his eyes narrowed at the sector map spread over one corner of the viewscreen detailing his route directly to the Dark Zone. It would take lunars for him to reach that even at top speed. He would likely be gone for a full solar at the very least to his calculation before he could reunite with the house fleet.

“One more thing,” Veral rumbled. “The humans—do not kill them if it can be avoided but do not underestimate them. Any females you come across should be safeguarded.”

“Not the males?” he queried.

Veral’s vibrissae flared, his long ears twitching. “Rely on your own judgment. The females are the priority. Their world is dangerous for them. If they require assistance to be transported to safe locations, I ask that you provide it. I am sending coordinates of a safe place on their world that you can transport them to. If any wish to escape Earth, bring them.”

Zoreth cocked his head, “You are calculating the possibility of compatible females being found for our males?”

“Perhaps,” Veral replied evasively.

It was a logical step. The majority of the females born to the house were already mated but there were countless males who were solitary, unable to contribute genetically to their dwindling line. That Veral successfully sired Harahna on a human female and the subsequent viable birth had made many of them hopeful for the future.

Perhaps this mission would not be a waste of his time after all. While he felt no particular enthusiasm for rescuing Kaylar, the potential of finding a compatible female to mate—even with the calculable odds being low for his success—made him far more interested.

“Orders received and understood,” he confirmed. “Preparing for departure.”

Veral inclined his head, and the uplink winked out as Zoreth initiated the navigation sequence. “Oolek, set course,” he commanded.

“Acknowledged,” the ship’s AI responded.

The ship’s engines hummed as the ship shot forward, gliding in an arc through space as it locked onto its coordinates and headed toward the Dark Zone and the small planet called Earth.