Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
“Don’t worry—you look beautiful, sweetheart,” Nox murmured, squeezing her hand reassuringly. He was wearing a black, long-sleeved uniform shirt, black trousers, and high black boots. It was his dress uniform and Seline thought it looked amazing against his olive-green skin.
She also liked the way her Protector was leaning into his new emotions. She had been worried that he might reject feeling altogether, considering the many strong, negative feelings he’d experienced lately. But it seemed that the positive ones had made up for it, because he hadn’t said another word about getting one of those awful emotion dampers when they finally got home.
Now they stood outside his space ship, holding hands, and Seline felt as though her heart was galloping about a hundred miles a minute. Would these other Kindred believe them? Would they help them get home? She knew that it took a lot of energy to fold space—what if they thought it was a waste? What if—
Suddenly two figures appeared at the end of the row of ships they were parked in. Both were tall and had their hair pulled back from their faces. Both were also wearing the usual Kindred uniform—long, sleeved button-down shirts, black trousers, and tall black boots. It was for these reasons that it took Seline a moment to realize they were both women.
“Greetings,” the first one said, as they reached the place where Seline and Nox were standing. She was wearing a deep red shirt and had black hair and golden eyes.
The other woman had platinum blonde hair and pale blue eyes. She was wearing an ice blue shirt which matched them almost exactly.
“Greetings,” she echoed the first woman’s words. “I am Commander Sylvania and this is Commander Bairdida, my Second Sister. Let me formally welcome you aboard the Mother Ship.”
FORTY-SIX
SELINE
“Uh…um…thank you,” Seline got out at last. She was trying not to stare but failing miserably.
So this is what Commander Sylvan would look like as a woman! she couldn’t help thinking. And his half brother, Commander Baird! That’s Kat’s friend, Liv’s husband.
But not in this universe. In this universe the two people she had known as males were now females. And since the Kindred here had never gone to Earth, they probably weren’t married to humans either.
Both of them certainly were Kindred though—they weren’t quite as tall as the male Kindred back home in her own universe, but they still towered over Seline, even though she was wearing heels.
“It is very good to meet you. Thank you for granting us passage aboard the Mother Ship,” Nox said formally, but Seline thought his voice was slightly hoarse—was he shocked too? She was betting he was.
“So you’re what my people look like in another universe?” Commander Sylvania asked. She was studying Nox closely.
“Well—I have Quix DNA as well,” he told her. “That is the reason for my skin color and pointed ears—though I also have fangs from my Blood Kindred heritage.” He bared his teeth briefly to show her.
“Mm-hmm. I see. Most interesting.” Commander Sylvania nodded.
“It’s fucking weird, is what it is,” Commander Bairdida muttered. “You say you come from another universe?”
“We do,” Nox said gravely. “If you will allow us to explain, it has to do with the Far Box.”
“The Far Box was lost eons ago,” Commander Sylvania protested.
“It is lost no longer—we have it here.” Nox produced the metal carrying case. He opened the lid to show them the black and white cube, which he had carefully wiped down to get off the sleep drug that Lendrex had put on it.
“Fascinating!” Commander Sylvania exclaimed. “Come with us to my office and we can discuss this matter further.”
“This way,” Commander Bairdida added, jerking her head.
Seline squeezed Nox’s fingers and got a squeeze in return. Well, at least their request hadn’t been denied out of hand—the Kindred of this universe were going to listen to them, she thought.
She just hoped they could convince these female versions of Commander Sylvan and Commander Baird that they were telling the truth and get them to fold space so she and Nox could go home.
FORTY-SEVEN
NOX
During their journey through the Mother Ship to reach Commander Sylvania’s office, it became apparent to Nox that every male he had known aboard his own Mother Ship was a female in this universe.
In fact, it seemed like the Kindred genetic anomaly which made most of his people male, had worked in the exact opposite direction in this universe. Because almost every warrior he saw here was female. In fact, he didn’t see a single male during their entire trip from the Docking Bay to Commander Sylvania’s office.
“Excuse me,” he said to Commander Sylvania. “I hope you do not mind me asking, but I see no other male Kindred besides myself here on your Mother Ship.”
“Oh, well that’s because most of the Kindred males become priests who spend all their time in the Sacred Grove,” Commander Sylvania said casually. “There aren’t many of them—our race is 95% female, you know.”