Their lovemaking that night throbbed like a wild, live ent.i.ty. He smashed the barriers that she'd tried to erect for self-preservation until she was left with nothing but his murmurs, his touch, his scent, his s.e.x. There existed no Zorroc and no Cat but one powerful force that neither could deny. He invaded her with his mind and his body, and she invaded his. He took her fast and hard then slow and thoroughly. He spoke directly to her soul, saying things that could not be expressed in words. There dwelled an edge, nevertheless, that had not been there before-almost a panicked attempt to memorize her, as if never to have the chance again. So in turn, she gave him everything inside her to rea.s.sure him that she would always be there with him. They made deep, abiding love and Cat thought she had never experienced anything as shattering or as healing. He loved her, it was clear to her now and she would not doubt him again. He may not say the words but it was there, entwining them both.

Zorroc was flummoxed. She had a.s.saulted him with her whole heart, her whole soul, her pa.s.sion, her woman's scent, and her entire being. She had seared him from the inside out; branding him, burning him in a way he did not think existed. He had fallen into the same trap as his father; was he doomed to the same fate? Thank Zazu, he had slipped the collar on before he touched her or she would have yet another mating mark. He studied her carefully but could not fathom the why of it. Why her?

He had had s.e.x of every kind from the time of adolescence enjoying fully, the bedroom gymnastics he engaged in, but love with her the night before held no similarities to his previous experience. She had taken everything from him, and given him back everything she encompa.s.sed in return. She had proved more potent than any aphrodisiac; he would never get enough of her. Moreover, if something happened to her, he could not even imagine of the consequences to his empire, his people, or his duty. Would he disintegrate as his father had and become a myopic, morbid fool? When had she stolen his heart? He smiled slightly as she shifted on the mat revealing a plump luscious breast. Her hair looked like a riotous declaration of independence.

Her body, hopelessly small and compact overflowed...with dynamite. Zazu, what could he do about her?

They would be disembarking soon; he would have responsibilities, obligations that would demand his attention and the plan to avoid her at all costs, to be set into motion. It would give him time to get his perspective back and his mind off her. The enforced close quarters, most likely, accounted for the reason he held her in such thrall. Things would no doubt right themselves once he resumed his role as leader to his people, he postulated, like a drowning man grabbing for a twig to keep him afloat.

Cat stretched languidly, looking for Zorroc. She'd missed him. He probably had a million things to do to prepare for their arrival to Gattonia but she'd really wanted to tell him about the baby. He had wanted no words last night so she'd decided to wait until morning to tell him what she knew he'd consider to be fantastic news, unless he already knew.

As she finished dressing, her panel buzzed, signaling company. Had someone come to escort her off the ship? She answered to find Dee decked out in all her glory and looking satisfied. The reconciliation must have gone well.

"You about ready? A team will come in later to collect our belongings; here, I brought this to put Scotty and Spock in." She handed her a carrier large enough to house the kittens.

"You think of everything, what are we supposed to do, just wait for a summons?" Cat asked while rounding up the darting fur b.a.l.l.s and depositing them into the carrier.

"We're supposed to stop off at the Med-center and get inoculated for FIS. Angel and Carpov think they've got it licked," Dee shared, knowing what this meant to all of them.

"Does that mean the Gattonian females will be allowed off the ship? China told me they've been sequestered here since the initial attack," Cat commented.

"I a.s.sume so, where'd you get the collar?" Dee wanted to know, carefully examining it. It resembled a fine chain mail of silvery material that looked Egyptian in style with a one inch band surrounding her neck and then another three inches fanning out over her collarbone and shoulders, back and front. "Geez, is this another one of those 'it doesn't come off' things? I'm beginning to think Zorroc has some major control issues."

"I didn't get a chance to ask him. I woke up with it on last night and he wanted to make love not conversation, I'll catch up with him later for an explanation; I also need to tell him about the baby."

Dee's eyes bugged out before she realized she must be talking about Angels coming bundle but she queried, "Are we talking Angel's little angel or yours?"

"Angel gave me a pregnancy test yesterday afternoon that confirmed my own suspicions. haven't decided how I really feel about it yet but at least I know I'm in love with the father," she concluded as her stomach lurched.

"I wonder how many of us are in the same way. These Gattonians seem abundantly potent," Dee mused while calculating how this would affect the existing game plan that Linc had outlined in between bouts of lovemaking. "Look Cat, we need to let Zorroc know about this as soon as possible. They a.s.signed me to guard your body until further notice, they think you might be in some kind of danger because of your relationship with Zorroc and because the Dargons hunted a specific woman. Zorroc and Prolinc don't want it to seem like you are being protected, though, so they chose me to stick to you like glue. We'll be sharing quarters, as well. Any questions? Because when we leave this room, they said not to mention it again."

"Spit, I guess I should've seen this coming but I thought I'd be with Zorroc. I guess he'll be too busy, though, huh," she murmured almost to herself as she sat down to absorb this latest bulletin. Well, it solved nothing by ruminating the ramifications of this last revelation; the time had arrived to discover Gattonia.

They exited onto an impossibly huge docking grid that had to be at least one hundred feet off the ground. The building they occupied looked to be the size of an entire town and reached well into the red clouds as seen by the ma.s.sive clear dome overhead. They were escorted onto connecting trams and transported for miles on a track several stories high toward a dot on the horizon; their new home.

It embodied everything depicted in the murals and so much more. Small flying vehicles whizzed around at dizzying speeds. All of the buildings had holes through them where the vehicles appeared and disappeared. "Holy Jetsons," she whispered aloud. "So, what do you think Dee, mega radical isn't it?" Dee, too stunned to respond, nodded. An orgy of color greeted them everywhere they turned. The red glowing sky and buildings, cast in a myriad of purples, reds, yellows, and fuchsias, presented an overpowering picture. The foliage bloomed every bit as colorful as the buildings, and gold speckled roadways out-lined the roller-coaster hills and mountains surrounding them. It approached psychedelic; she headed toward sensory spinout in an effort to take it all in. She reached out to Zorroc with her thoughts but found no response. Obviously, he was otherwise occupied.

They arrived at a holding pen of sorts where their names and personal information were taken and toiletries dispensed before being a.s.signed quarters. They tried to separate Cat and Dee but when Dee mentioned Prolinc's request, the matter was dropped. His name worked like a magic key that would unlock any door. He visibly intimidated them.

A ceremony and an informal welcome awaited them at the grand hall after everyone settled into their new quarters.

The women filed into a large hall where half as many Gattonians presided, along with a panel of very official looking males, most of whom looked ancient. The air crackled with conflicting energies that almost made Cat dizzy. Something appeared off kilter. She looked over at Dee to see if she had noticed it and she had. Dee carefully scanned the room trying to detect areas of unrest. When all had quieted, a tall gaunt and knurly looking dignitary rose to speak. His silver gray hair flowed half way down his back and he looked like a poor imitation of Merlin. An air of forced joviality and suppressed antagonism shrouded him as he introduced himself as Dyfainius.

"Welcome, we are thankful that you have arrived safely and wish to thank the crew of the Miramid for your timely rescue." A smattering of applause ensued before he continued. "In addition, the people of Gattonia would like to extend our grat.i.tude for your co-operation and a.s.sistance in a most difficult time in our history," he added and then drew himself up with considerable effort before explaining. "We estimated your arrival to be several days hence so not all is prepared for your comfort.

Please be patient with us. A formal welcome will be forthcoming and know that we look forward to enfolding you into our community. Those of you lifemated or chosen will be transferred to chambers more private as soon as it can be arranged. Now a dinner to honor your arrival will be served in the dining hall just down the hallway and to your right. Please enjoy your first meal in Gattonia."

When Cat turned, she spotted Zorroc focused on her. She tugged Dee's sleeve and they started in his direction. When they got within four feet of him, a sparkly motion caught her eye and she watched as a truly ravishing creature threw herself onto Zorroc and proceeded to kiss him long and hard, rubbing herself on him in a blatantly s.e.xual manner. He seemed to enjoy her ministrations very well.

"Remember what we did to Octapaws that time we spotted him waiting to ambush a young girl in the hall?" Dee asked casually.

Cat's vision cleared and she nodded and grinned. Together they moved directly behind Zorroc, positioned themselves with a leg directly behind each of his, and bent their knees before stepping aside. Zorroc and his clinging female toppled to the ground in an undignified muddle. Zorroc groaned while his companion sputtered and spat obviously displeased with her less than graceful descent.

"Who was that horrible midget." Cat heard her hiss, as they retreated, and then heard Zorroc's chagrined reply. "No one to concern yourself with, lovely one." Cat didn't turn around but did flip him a bird as she and Dee proceeded toward the dining hall.

Chapter Sixteen.

Cat's and Dee's quarters were a little close but comfortable enough. A bedroom sat on either side of the common area that included a sitting room and a dining console. They could choose from a full menu or order one of several dishes featured each day. The Gattonians had no specific foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner; just one fare, and you chose whatever you wanted. Dee and Cat had sampled their way through the options to discover which dishes pleased, and which did not, and most proved definitely above average. Their hosts provided reading materials, mostly on the history of Gattonia, or they could watch a wide array of programs on a flat monitor screen the size of one complete wall called an IVVS or Interactive Virtual Video System. If they wanted to listen to music, they simply flipped a switch on the COM unit and music filtered throughout the living area. Since all the women, except the aunts and Angel, remained housed in the dorm, for the time being, groups would get together for slumber parties and exchange life stories. Gattonian females from the Miramid, and their friends, also partic.i.p.ated and it appeared as if all was working better than antic.i.p.ated.

Cat and Dee spent time with Ava, who sparkled like a pixie and took nothing seriously, Drew, who took everything seriously, and Faith, the cosmic philosopher of the group. If she hadn't been missing Zorroc, she'd be having a fine time. When they weren't grouping at Dee and Cat's, Cat made herself scarce to allow Prolinc and Dee their privacy, and made an effort not to be jealous of it. Cat had sworn Dee to secrecy about her pregnancy wanting to impart the news to Zorroc herself, if she ever saw him again up close. When she caught glimpses of him at scheduled functions he always arrived in the company of Sandra or the Gattonian female she'd seen glued to him the first day of their arrival. She'd discovered her name was Zana and had been betrothed to Zorroc before the Dargon attack. Cat didn't want to think about what kept him occupied every night and away from her. As her memories of their last night on the Miramid continued to fade, she wondered if she had misread the entire situation. Maybe he'd simply been trying to find a nice way to say goodbye. She refused to dwell on it; however, she had a baby to grow. At least she would always have a piece of him.

The following week China showed up looking uncharacteristically serious, though she attempted to hide it. She'd been dropping by with more and more frequency because of Cat's unhealthy color and obvious weight loss.

"h.e.l.lo, Cat, I think we need to get you out more, you are always here when I drop by. Is everything alright?" China, at five months pregnant had begun to show. She looked precious.

"I'm fine. The only thing really occupying my mind these days is whether anyone aboard the Miramid did not get pregnant; aside from the guys that is."

"Is this a less than subtle way of telling me you are carrying, too?" China probed softly.

"Yeah, but you, Dee and Angel are the only ones I've told. I've tried to contact Zorroc to impart the happy news but so far he's been too busy to answer my COM or mind messages."

"That is one of the reasons I came by today; I am to tutor you on thought blocking. As far as we know, Zorroc is the only one able to read you, but here in Gattonia at least seventy-five percent of the population have telepathic abilities in varying manifestations. All of our talents differ and are considered as individual as a fingerprint. What I am trying to say is, we cannot guarantee Zorroc is the only one who can read you, and we need to teach you to focus and cloak your thoughts." Cat's lessons commenced that day until a few weeks later, when she mastered the technique.

During this time, Cat asked endless questions about the goings on politically, socially, and with Zorroc specifically. It did not sound encouraging. Motions surfaced, to rescind the lifematings that had occurred onboard the Miramid, or at least grant the Gattonian males, one Gattonian lifemate, and one Earth lifemate. The High Council had further proposed that the Gattonian lifemate be granted custody of any offspring, a.s.signing duties of procreation to the women and childrearing to the female. All motions to date had been voted down, with Zorroc, supposedly, the staunchest supporter for keeping the matings in place and monogamous.

As weeks turned to months, time became Cat's greatest enemy. She rarely left the dorm and protected areas because of the possible safety factor; and while the other women slowly integrated into the tapestry of Gattonian society, she remained locked away like Rapunzel in her tower. The women made outside friends and used previous skills or learned new ones, in an effort to become productive and valued for more than their female parts. All proceeded much more smoothly than anyone had foreseen, mostly due to the bonds forged between the women and the crew of the Miramid. They acted as intermediaries between the land bounders and the newcomers and finessed understanding and acceptance between the two factions. One by one, the women found independent lodgings or mated with their very own cat man, forging their own life. If she could've been with Zorroc her happiness would have been complete, but that remained the crux of her dilemma, she had no contact with him. He' d become her limbo factor.

She couldn't move forward or go back...she was trapped.

A festival had been announced to celebrate the coming of their light season when the days would grow longer and the skies would take on a golden-orange glow. It meant gentler winds and many outdoor activities. Rosik COMd, asking if she had plans to attend, and as it happened, she did not. The festivals seemed to be great pairing off occasions and although she'd received numerous invitations to accompany other couples, she grew weary of being the extra person, so turned down all well-meaning offers. So it happened, that when Rosik arrived at her quarters, she launched herself into his arms the second the panel slid back.

"Tell me you've come to release me from my mundane existence of colorless walls and tedious responsibilities and take me to a far away place packed with glorious experiences and mysterious pookas, impossible to resist."

He played her entertaining pooka and trusted friend, cheering her up and catering to her every whim. However, he was disturbed. He had felt the slight protrusion of her stomach; while, overall she had lost weight. She looked bird frail and impossibly fragile. Had Zorroc been notified?

Cat laughed more in that afternoon than she could ever remember. Rosik made the ideal companion; the reality of him far exceeding his reputation.

A week later, as Dee and Cat enjoyed a lazy afternoon, their panel buzzed. "Are you expecting China or Rosik, Cat?"

"No, could it be Prolinc?" She offered with a shrug. The buzzer sounded again and Cat got an inkling of trouble. Dee, of course, had already figured that out "Things have been getting a little dicey recently, so let's not take any chances. Stay behind me when the panel opens and for G.o.d sake protect your stomach."

"Enter," Dee voiced to the panel.

Five unfamiliar males, armed and formal, entered. Surely, they wouldn't attempt to arrest them, Cat, at a loss, mindspoke to Zorroc that she and Dee had unwanted visitors in their quarters and needed a.s.sistance. Nothing. No response. It was up to them.

"You," the leader stated, pointing at Cat, "will accompany us."

"Why?" Cat demanded. She had no intention of leaving with these yahoos. Dee concurred silently; as one, they relaxed into a fight ready stance.

"You will know when we arrive," he stated as they inched into the room.

"If it's all the same to you, I'll take a pa.s.s, I'm expecting an important COM from your Leader." Pandemonium broke out. The males tried to rush them and were unprepared for the reception; one male after another went flying or was felled by a well-placed knee or kick. Just as the two thought they had everything under control, the leader pulled out his weapon and fired. They collapsed, soundlessly.

Zorroc wondered if Cat's message const.i.tuted a ploy to gain his attention and probed gently into her mind. There was nothing, no static, no thoughts, nothing. She had to be unconscious or neutralized. His worst nightmare had materialized. She had called to him for help and been ignored. He mindspoke to Prolinc, Sycor, and Bandoff, that Cat had mind-blacked, and to mount a search immediately. He had no doubt that Dee had been taken out as well. Bandoff and Sycor headed for the dorm while Prolinc manned the security cameras, scanning the perimeter of the building for a visual. Zorroc activated his band to locate her. "Prolinc, she is in the building on one of the ground levels. I am on my way."

Five minutes later, he had them on screen. "I have located them Zorroc, they are being carried into the Med-center on level B-2. I will meet you there with Bandoff and Sycor."

"What the devil is going on?" Prolinc swore out-loud as he headed toward the dorm at a dead run.

Prolinc doubted his control should Dee or Catarina be harmed in any way. They had looked still and vulnerable; he had never seen his banshee vulnerable and he longed to hurt those responsible. When he arrived, Bandoff had just ordered the guards to stand down along with a Med-tech who visibly trembled. He and Sycor held them at weapon ready with their settings on terminate. The five guards, some of whom still bled, remained perfectly still, their weapons across the room.

Commander Ryder was confused beyond measure. Why such a fuss over two unattached Earth females taken for a pregnancy scan? Then when the Guardian arrived followed, almost immediately, by the Supreme Leader; he knew a moment of overpowering dread. He glanced uneasily at the females.

Zorroc held himself together by a thin spider's strand as he approached his mate and felt for a pulse. Though somewhat weak, she would survive, unlike the guards who had harmed her. He stared coldly at the males responsible, and then preceded to the COM unit. "Carpov, report to the Med-center at the Dorm stat; we have two casualties in need of immediate medical attention. Bring Angel." If he had never earned Angel's approval in the past, this would cook him for all time.

"Sycor," Zorroc commanded softly, "I want a team of ten loyal males down here now to escort these...prisoners to black-out." Then mind-thought to him and Bandoff to put blazers on stun and immobilize them in order to guarantee their inability to communicate with those who sent them. The guards sank to the ground before Zorroc had completed the thought.

Carpov and Angel arrived in tandem with the guards. As the unconscious males were carted away, Carpov went straight to Cat to evaluate her condition. Angel had confided her friend's pregnancy on the way and it became their first priority. She had been hit in the shoulder; if it had been her stomach, the chances would not have been good for the life growing within her. Next, he monitored her vitals; she would be out for some time to come, her body needed to regroup. He heard a groan and knew that Dee had regained consciousness.

Prolinc moved to her side in an instant, taking her hand and gently brushing her hair back off her face. "What happened beautiful one, can you tell me?"

"Five of them buzzed the panel with orders to take Cat, we objected. When they realized we had them beat with hand to hand, the leader pulled out a blazer and shot us. Cowardly wimps," she uttered defiantly. "Did you get them, are they neutralized?"

"The cowardly wimps will never get close to you or Cat again. The blood in your quarters, I a.s.sume it did not emanate from you or Cat."

"Like I said, they were wimps. Cat; is she alright, did the baby survive?"

Zorroc snapped his head around, his full attention centered on Dee. Did she speak of Catarina's offspring or her own. He focused on Carpov and softly inquired, "Is my mate carrying my heir?" At Carpov's nod, he sank to a chair and held his palms to his eyes before he rasped. "Will they be alright?"

"To be on the safe side she should rest for the next few days, but there does not appear to be any damage, they shot her in the shoulder, well away from her abdomen," he commented in a matter-of-fact manner.

"She did not tell me. Why did she hide her condition from me?" he asked himself, as well as the room in general.

"She tried over and over again to contact you through mindspeak and COM but you never answered her; obviously too engrossed with Bimbo and Barbie to spare a moment for your mate," Angel accused turning her back to him to check Cat's pulse. Carpov and Prolinc shuffled uneasily.

A subdued Zorroc asked, "Who are the guards that attacked them, does anyone recognize them?"

"I believe the one in charge is a member of the High Council Guard. I saw him outside the offices of Dyfainius on two separate occasions," stated Bandoff quietly. "The others are unfamiliar to me."

"Everything keeps leading back to the High Council and Dyfainius, could he be acting alone? Could it be that simple?" Prolinc posed while helping Dee sit up. Her color had returned though she remained slightly disoriented.

"Dyfainius is a very ambitious male. He wanted a match between his daughter and me badly and has been instrumental in new legislative proposals of dual lifemates. However, why go after Cat? What could he hope to gain by harming her? I would still have to produce an heir for Gattonia, if not with Cat then with someone else," Zorroc stated.

Sycor blinked and asked, "What if you lifemated with Zana and then died without producing an heir?"

"Rule would go to Zana initially," Prolinc answered for his friend, "backed by her father, but, as an elder without a male heir, the rule would fall to another house almost immediately. So he would still have gained nothing, and I would venture that his male part no longer functions, so he could not produce one on his own."

"I could not help overhearing your discussion and would add my thoughts," Rosik suggested, sauntering into the room to stand beside Cat's unmoving form. "I was told you had a bit of excitement down here and having a current lack of pressing duties, decided to investigate. How are you feeling Dee?" he asked, never taking his gaze from Cat as he reached out to graze the back his fingers lightly across her abdomen as if to rea.s.sure himself of her bundle's safety. At Zorroc's sudden attention, he produced an unrepentant smirk.

"I'm okay, but shouldn't Cat be coming around by now?" she focused on Carpov and Angel.

"I have given her something to relax her, she should sleep for the next few hours," replied Carpov while checking Cat's vitals once again.

"How much did you overhear Rosik?" asked Prolinc.

"Enough to have formed my own theory," he retorted, smiling at the grim faces surrounding him. He continued. "What if Cat had been eliminated and Zorroc mated with Zana in addition to one of the other women or a female from a Lower House? And what if he produced an heir and then met with an unfortunate accident?"

Comprehension dawned on Zorroc's features and he ventured slowly. "The child, if born to a lower female or woman, could possibly be granted to Zana to raise. This would never happen with a child from Catarina because of her Gattonian blood and her connection to the High House of Tuk. So if custody transferred to Zana and something then happened to me the rule would fall to Zana followed by the child, both guided by the hand of Dyfainius," he finished to absolute silence. "Zazu, and we cannot prove any of it."

Zorroc stared at his sleeping mate and began to formulate a strategy. He stood and approached, smoothing her hair that made her resemble Methuselah more than his flame, in its current state. Zazu, he had missed her. While, initially, he believed that by denying their union, Cat would be better protected, a larger part of his reasoning condensed to his desire to free him from his manic fixation with her. Not only had this path failed to keep her safe, it had become the instrument of unrelenting torture for him. Zorroc dwelled in a self-imposed h.e.l.l every minute he stayed away and clearly, it had done nothing to bank his raging desire. From now on, he would choose a different tack. If forever doomed to this obsession named Catarina, then he would rejoice in it until another time came. He would take her to his quarters and formalize their union as quickly as possible. He would halt all talk of duel matings and override Dyfainius and all current proposals put forth by him and his followers.

Zorroc would first thwart and then trap him. They would never again have the opportunity to get close to his mate. She belonged to him and he would hold her above all others. The knot that had been squeezing his life force from him for the past weeks began to ease. He would rest peacefully for the first time since the Miramid landed.

"Prolinc," Zorroc barked, startling the group. "Tonight take Rosik and interrogate the prisoners one at a time. We will let them stew for the moment to increase their wariness, as well as the one who sent them.

"You will be the intimidator while Rosik will act the facilitator; you know the information we require. By weeks end, I will have handled the High Council one way or another. All proposed legislation will be tabled permanently and my union with Cat announced and formalized. Then we will proceed to trap the viper. The Dargon connection remains a mystery we must solve at all costs. We will meet tomorrow after you have rested and discuss our next move and review what you discovered from the interrogation. It is past time to make my wishes known." All nodded in formal acknowledgement. Rosik, Sycor, and Bandoff quit the room without a backward glance leaving the others to observe the turn-about in their leader.

"Carpov, I will transport my mate to my quarters and will alert you when she wakes. Prolinc and Dee, you will accompany me to a.s.sure no accidents occur on the way to my chambers and we will discuss protection for Cat from there." With that, he bent and gently scooped Catarina snugly into his arms and exited the compound.

As Cat rested, the three planned a web of protection around her and made further plans to trap Dyfainius. They agreed that Dee should accompany Prolinc for the 'good cop, bad cop' interrogation since she had been one of the injured parties. When the meeting concluded, Zorroc settled beside his mate drawing her onto him and sank into the first deep sleep he had known in over three months.

Dee was getting her first glimpse of the Prolinc everyone feared and respected. His countenance, though direct and controlled proved frightening for those same reasons. She almost pitied the guard in front of them who looked equal parts terrified and mutinous. Rosik slouched lazily in a chair off to the side feigning boredom.

After interrogating the team individually, it became clear they had no knowledge of questionable doings or political manipulations concerning the earth women or Cat specifically. They had been following simple straightforward orders to deliver selected women for pregnancy scans. They had been appalled when the Commander had pulled his weapon and fired on the women.

The Med-tech was harder to read. He admitted to orders directing him to examine certain females for carrying but remained reluctant to discuss further details pertaining to a detected pregnancy. After being divested of his clothing and placed in refrigeration for an hour, his memory improved and he admitted to a further directive pertaining specifically to the woman, Catarina. In the event she tested positive, she was to be detained and await further instructions from the High Council.

Now the Commander stood before them, the one that had fired on their women. "The others, under your command, have informed us that you were in charge of this mission and the one who fired on the two unarmed women. Your team has been most co-operative and we expect no less from you. Now, now enlighten us as to your precise orders, Commander Ryder," Prolinc requested with deadly calm.

"Nothing unusual, we were ordered to round up certain women who had not yet been tested for possible contraception in order to evaluate the success of the Leader's program of procreation. The woman, Catarina, appeared the first on our list that morning," he responded nervously, beads of moisture forming on his upper lip and forehead.

"How long have you been in charge of this program?" Rosik inquired, yawning loudly.

"It," he squeaked then cleared his throat and proceeded. "I received orders from the High Council to commence just this morning; that little she witch and her roommate resisted, so I proceeded to use what means required to a.s.sure compliance. I vow to you we did nothing contrary to the orders of the High Council."

Prolinc measured his words with precision and asked, "Are you aware of the ident.i.ty of this little she witch?"

The Commander blanched that the words turned back on him held such menace. Why would they bother with one small insignificant wh.o.r.e? She was just an earth woman of no importance; one that he did not damage permanently nor any offspring she might have been carrying. Add to that the direct orders he had received, what possible problem could there be? Still, he sensed a trap about to be sprung. "She is no one of any possible worth, just an earth woman come to spread her legs to any and all who would take her."

The facilitator straightened in his chair while the Earth woman growled dangerously, only this time, he had no weapon to protect himself from her. Sweat now seeped into his collar. He waited, frozen into place by this unwarranted display of outrage.

Rosik stood and faced the prisoner, vibrating with the effort to hold himself in check. So much for the good cop, bad cop scenario, Dee surmised, because the good cop looked like the one ready to separate Ryder's head from the rest of him while the bad cop looked to be his only possible salvation. Dee sure wouldn't lift a finger in protest.