told himself that he should never have agreed to kiss her. He shouldn’t have led her on when he had no intention of having that kind of relationship. Dora might have the body of a full-grown woman, but emotionally she had a lot of maturing to do. Her silly threat to search for a lover, her insistence she was ready for a kiss, her consuming desire to link with Ranth instead of exploring her humanity, told him she wasn’t grown up. Zical didn’t want to repeat his mistakes. He’d had little choice when he’d married his child bride, and he still bore the internal scars of that failure. While Dora was nothing like Summar, both woman were vulnerable, Summar with her inability to make decisions, Dora at coping with her new humanity.
Yet, what would kissing her would be like? Would she set off sparks?
Dora seemed so eager to explore the sexual side of being human, yet when it came down to the act, would she be afraid? Find mating distasteful? Would she pretend to welcome him and then rain a storm of tears afterward like Summar? At the memory of his failure to please his inexperienced, young wife, he shoved aside the bad memories. Zical had no doubts that he was a thoughtful and skilled lover. Summar had simply found lovemaking distasteful. He shuddered at the recollection of her begging him not to touch her and was grateful for the distraction of their arrival on Mount Shachauri.
As the skimmer glided in for a landing on the newly built pad, he pushed old regrets and sorrows aside. Ever since he’d found the ancient entrance he’d felt compelled to remain near the site.
However, unlike the first time he’d explored, they had to make their way past reporters from a dozen planets that camped out on the mountain, hoping for news or an official briefing, perhaps capturing unusual activity into or out of the core. Zical attracted little speculation since the reporters were accustomed to his presence, but even though the reporters couldn’t immediately identify Dora, her beauty had them setting their holovids on capture-mode.
He wondered if she’d wave or smile for the cameras, but she kept her head down and ignored the commotion, surprising him. He’d have thought she’d revel in the attention, but it seemed to matter little to her. If he hadn’t known better, he would have thought her shy as she tried to hide behind him as he greeted security.
A guard at the entrance checked their identification before admitting them. Protection of the site was tight and would remain so for some time.
Until Mystique’s leaders knew the purpose of the ancient machinery and understood the significance, if any, of the machines turning back on, they wouldn’t risk spies stealing, looters thieving, or other unauthorized scientists trampling what could very well be a holy site. Zenon Prime had already sent a delegation of scientists, who overlooked their distaste of travel, to the newly colonized planet to ensure the Mystique locals didn’t botch an investigation that could have consequences throughout the galaxy. However, unlike the last two ancient finds—which had yielded their environmental suits and the planet where the Challenge, an ancient test devised to see if a species was fit to join the Federation took place—no good had yet come from Mount Shachauri.
As often as Zical told himself to have patience, whenever he thought about the discovery, a strange restlessness infused him. Although the effects had abated somewhat, he’d never completely recovered from the haunting erotic dreams of Dora created by the aliens’ golden light.
Inside the corridor his urgency increased along with his agitation to learn why this place existed. So far the scientists had many theories, none of them verifiable, most at odds with one another.
By his side, Dora shivered and rubbed the goose bumps from her arms. “Being here in the flesh is very different from seeing the machinery as I was before.” She kept her voice to a soft murmur.
Yet, what would kissing her would be like? Would she set off sparks?
Dora seemed so eager to explore the sexual side of being human, yet when it came down to the act, would she be afraid? Find mating distasteful? Would she pretend to welcome him and then rain a storm of tears afterward like Summar? At the memory of his failure to please his inexperienced, young wife, he shoved aside the bad memories. Zical had no doubts that he was a thoughtful and skilled lover. Summar had simply found lovemaking distasteful. He shuddered at the recollection of her begging him not to touch her and was grateful for the distraction of their arrival on Mount Shachauri.
As the skimmer glided in for a landing on the newly built pad, he pushed old regrets and sorrows aside. Ever since he’d found the ancient entrance he’d felt compelled to remain near the site.
However, unlike the first time he’d explored, they had to make their way past reporters from a dozen planets that camped out on the mountain, hoping for news or an official briefing, perhaps capturing unusual activity into or out of the core. Zical attracted little speculation since the reporters were accustomed to his presence, but even though the reporters couldn’t immediately identify Dora, her beauty had them setting their holovids on capture-mode.
He wondered if she’d wave or smile for the cameras, but she kept her head down and ignored the commotion, surprising him. He’d have thought she’d revel in the attention, but it seemed to matter little to her. If he hadn’t known better, he would have thought her shy as she tried to hide behind him as he greeted security.
A guard at the entrance checked their identification before admitting them. Protection of the site was tight and would remain so for some time.
Until Mystique’s leaders knew the purpose of the ancient machinery and understood the significance, if any, of the machines turning back on, they wouldn’t risk spies stealing, looters thieving, or other unauthorized scientists trampling what could very well be a holy site. Zenon Prime had already sent a delegation of scientists, who overlooked their distaste of travel, to the newly colonized planet to ensure the Mystique locals didn’t botch an investigation that could have consequences throughout the galaxy. However, unlike the last two ancient finds—which had yielded their environmental suits and the planet where the Challenge, an ancient test devised to see if a species was fit to join the Federation took place—no good had yet come from Mount Shachauri.
As often as Zical told himself to have patience, whenever he thought about the discovery, a strange restlessness infused him. Although the effects had abated somewhat, he’d never completely recovered from the haunting erotic dreams of Dora created by the aliens’ golden light.
Inside the corridor his urgency increased along with his agitation to learn why this place existed. So far the scientists had many theories, none of them verifiable, most at odds with one another.
By his side, Dora shivered and rubbed the goose bumps from her arms. “Being here in the flesh is very different from seeing the machinery as I was before.” She kept her voice to a soft murmur.
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