Dark Empire Book Three: Secret War: Chapter One, Scene Five

 

 You're invited to dinner at the home of Clan Tranis.

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Cassidy was hangingout with her Imdiko clanmate Degorsk, who was cooking dinner in the clan’sroomy kitchen, when her other clanmates came in.

Both of them.Cassidy shrieked in delight and leapt in Lidon’s arms. “My Nobek! When did youget in?”

He beamed at herenthusiastic welcome. “Less than an hour ago. I went straight to Tranis’office, hoping to catch him before he came home. How are you? How is our littleone?”

He caressed herbelly, the evidence of the baby just beginning to curve its surface.

“We’re fine.”

“She’s tired,”Degorsk groused. He squeezed Lidon’s arm in greeting. He flipped hiswaist-length braid over his shoulder as his handsome face skewered her with aglare. “I had to threaten to fetch her from the lab to get her to come home.”

“I’m not tired. Itold you the tests I was running might go late.” Cassidy’s eyes rolled, but herirritation was slight. She’d known her clanmates, particularly Degorsk, mightbecome overly cautious when she’d decided to continue her pregnancy rather thanfreeze the embryo. Kalquorian men were notorious for becoming mother hens insuch situations.

“You were at workfor ten hours today. You have to be tired.” He scowled and returned to bastingthe ronka ribs on the kitchen island.

She shook her head.Her position as a microbiologist was exhilarating, far from tiring. “You won’tbe happy unless you can keep me in bed all day.”

“That would make mehappy.” Lidon’s brows wiggled to show her the scenario he had in mind waslascivious. He sniffed the air appreciatively. “After dinner.”

Cassidy laughed andpressed a kiss to her warrior clanmate’s lips. “I might actually be tempted tospend less time in the lab in such a case.”

Tranis stood apartwatching them, his expression lit by a slight smile. Cassidy detected thedarker emotions beneath his pleasure to have his entire clan home, however. Healways carried a tinge of regret like a second skin. It was stronger than usualdespite Lidon’s return.

“You didn’t bringbad news?” She asked the question of their Nobek, casting a significant look atTranis.

“On the contrary.Our clan leader has had a difficult day at headquarters, however.”

“Top secret fleetstuff,” Tranis sighed as Degorsk turned from the oven where he’d stuck the ribsin to look him over.

“Which I’m clearedto hear about as one of the fleet’s on-call psychologists.”

“You’re no longerofficially a fleet operative. Particularly when it comes to the spydepartment.”

“No, but I wasinformed I might be tapped to help a young ensign who went through a nastyexperience in the field.” Their Imdiko popped a small salt potato in his mouth,eyeing Tranis. He sidled closer.

“Should I leave theroom?” Cassidy was willing to step away if it meant Tranis could lessen hisburden. He assumed responsibility too easily, including for matters he had nocontrol over.

Besides, she couldsneak a peek at her remote reports on her latest lab tests beyond Degorsk’ssight.

“Maybe youshouldn’t.” Tranis’ answer surprised her. “It might be helpful to get yourprofessional opinion on the scientific end of what’s confronting me. You’llhave to sign a note of confidentiality, on pain of prosecution if you discussthis outside of us.”

“Oh, sounds soclandestine. Give me the contract and tell me more.” She beamed, curious aboutwhat was going on.

He did so but waiteduntil they were seated at the table for dinner to talk.

The dining room wasas snug as the kitchen, where Degorsk and Lidon cooked amazing meals when theyweren’t too busy to settle for ordering in. Cassidy thought it was wonderfulLidon had been able to return to a homecooked meal. It almost felt like a celebration,which she believed the occasion warranted. Two months of her Nobek’s absencehad been a trial, the small polished table for four feeling empty without hispresence.

Tranis’ worry tooksome of the festiveness from their reunion, however. He told her what little hedeemed necessary to gain her opinion. “There’s evidence a lifeform from anotherdimension has crossed partially over into ours. You’ve heard rumors of phasingtechnology?”

“They’re true? Haveyou done it? I’ll have to run tests on cellular samples.”

“I haven’t, butLidon has as part of his latest mission. There are plenty of studies done onthose who’ve phased, short and long term. I’ll get you the particulars.” Tranisoffered her a bite of ribs.

Cassidy waspractically dancing on her floor cushion and talked between chewing. “This isamazing. So this new lifeform, it’s noticed when you phase? Because you’relooking in another dimension?”

“It’s unclear whatexactly is going on. Sometimes we can see them. Most the time we can’t, exceptfor a few who catch them in their peripheral vision. One of our operativesbelieves there’s a sort of ‘between’ place separating dimensions, and that’swhere most of our encounters are taking place. From there, these Darks, as mosthave taken to calling them, can affect our side of things.”

“Is it natural tothem, or do they need the use of devices as we do?” Questions were arrivingfaster than Cassidy could catalog them.

“Unknown. My biggestquestion for you is what sort of lifeform can live in the vacuum of space?”

“It was observeddoing so?” She pushed aside the forkful of potatoes Degorsk waved in front ofher face. The Kalquorian tradition of the men feeding their female mate wasoccasionally a pain in the ass.

“A huge entity,bigger than our spyship, was indeed living in space, as did the miniatureversions of itself that left its body. It seems to procreate by releasingsmaller, identical pieces of itself. The smaller pieces can do the same, untilthey’re around the size of my fist.” He clenched his hand to demonstrate.

“Wow. That’s…that’sastonishing. Did anyone get samples?” She grabbed Degorsk’s wrist to keep thepotatoes at bay.

“You have to eat.Can’t this wait?” he grouched to Tranis.

Their Dramok ignoredhim. “No samples, but we do have video footage.”

Video. She couldbarely breathe. “I have to see it.”

Tranis nodded. “I’llshow you after dinner. You’d better eat before Degorsk has a heart attack.”

“Apparently I’m theonly one who recognizes she’s feeding two. Does anyone else care she’s pregnantand already overworking herself? Now you’re bringing her in on this?” Degorsklooked ready to fling his plate at someone.

“My Imdiko, this isa matter of great urgency,” Lidon soothed.

“Do the entitiesconstitute a danger to the empire?” Cassidy asked, her excitement quieting.“They do, don’t they? Are they here?”

Tranis gazed at hishalf-eaten meal. “Maybe. They could be a threat to the entire galaxy.”

Degorsk stilled, hisirritation shifting to concern. “How sure of that are you?”

Tranis looked at hisclanmates, and ice stabbed Cassidy’s heart at his expression of open fear.“They already wiped out Bi’is.”

“What do you mean,‘wiped out’?”

“Everyone on theplanet is dead. Admiral Hobato doesn’t seem to care.”

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Timeis running out to halt the Darks’ march to the Kalquorian Empire’sannihilation.

Finallyhome on Kalquor, Dramok Ilid is haunted by his encounter with the Darks, whichhe barely survived. His struggle far from over, Ilid’s sanity and the empire’sexistence hang on a quickly unraveling thread. When he learns the Darks havearrived on Kalquor, even his family’s love may not be able to keep him from anunthinkable end.

OnEarth II, head of planetary security Nobek Kuran’s hands are full: meeting hispotential in-laws, training his replacement, and keeping tabs on a roguelieutenant governor with a secret agenda. His troubles are only beginning whena deadly attack on those he loves drives him to the brink of murder. Meanwhile,spy Nobek Selt finds himself growing far too close to his subject, reporterBlythe Nelson. Does his clan dare to romance a woman devoted to uncovering thetruth, including their secret activities on her world?

Havingwiped out the entire Bi’is civilization, the Darks have seized control of theGalactic Council of Planets and attempt to bring the Kalquorian Empire to itsknees. Clans Tranis and Piras are desperate to stop the enemy from destroyingKalquor and its allies. Can Hope Nath and Chief Engineer Lokmi capture a lethalenemy capable of passing through all known barriers?

Releasing January 26

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