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  “He wanted confirmation and now, standing next to you both, you are definitely K’vyn’s life mate,” the hologram said.

  Dani blinked, the Korthan reappearing with a transparent box, the right size to contain a small troublesome pest.

  Recognizing the contraption, Dani remembered the Korthan building it at the fire.

  Without a word, he grabbed Hedge from C’hase’s head and placed the squeaking creature in the enclosure, closing a lid with holes at the top.

  The mogha jumped to his feet in alarm. Oh, no, Hedge does not like cages.

  Don’t worry, Little One, Dani said. This is not like the lab.

  Running circles around the cage, Hedge squeaked, alarm obvious, as he scratched at the walls and corners.

  “A molk cannot burrow through glass,” K’vyn said, peering into the cage as he held it up.

  It dawned on Dani why Hedge didn’t escape from the lab. She simply didn’t think about it before, but he was in a glass enclosure.

  Put something in there for him, C’hase said, handing her an iridescent lizard scale.

  Brow furrowing, she lifted the lid and did as the mogha asked.

  The little molk stopped his frantic movements, taking the scale, hugging it to his chest.

  “Huh,” K’vyn sounded.

  He needs more, C’hase said, taking off towards the freighter.

  “What is he doing?” K’vyn said.

  “I think he’s going to get more stuff for Hedge.” There wasn’t anything in the cage with Hedge in the lab.

  The hologram projection snorted, a curl in her lip. “You only think you’ve contained it.”

  “If it gets out, you may disavow me,” K’vyn said.

  “Oh, I will.” There was promise in her tone.

  Dani was under the impression that a disavowal was serious, K’vyn putting a lot on the line.

  The hologram disappeared and the hatch popped, opening as the stairs became available again.

  “Does your AI stay on the ship?” she asked. The movements were so lifelike, but the voice— Had to be AI.

  “She is not AI,” K’vyn said as he picked up the crate of chickens.

  “Oh, you have a co-pilot.” It made sense. Dani usually needed a co-pilot to help fly the freighter, but she didn’t want to involve him in rescuing the hellhound. Then, he’d be going to jail with her once the Human Colony Alliance caught up to them.

  Although, it was odd that K’vyn’s co-pilot never left the ship.

  “Is the hologram like a projection?” she asked. “Like the one you sent to my ship?

  “It is not a projection,” he said as he reached the top of the stairs. “L’iza is the ship.”

  Is the ship? She gazed over the hull, filled with wonderment over the magnificent AI.

  “It is not AI,” K’vyn repeated. “L’iza is sentient.”

  Dani’s jaw dropped, mouth hanging open as she climbed the stairs, gaze affixed to the yellow and black hull. Sentient. Wow.

  Turning when she got to the top of the stairs, she looked across the landscape, orange flowers flapping in a gentle breeze, deep blue ocean winking in the light of the planet’s closest star.

  Gaze resting on her wrecked freighter, a giant lizard slowly climbing the ramp, she was filled with trepidation. Would she ever go back to the Human Colony Alliance?

  Molly let out a bawk and Dani jumped. Right. Time to get to Mogha.

  Turning back to the ship, her jaw dropped again as she entered a world of beauty. The most pristine ship she’d ever seen, there was not a seam to be found in the shiny black walls or floor, so dark they mirrored the blackness of space and seemed just as deep.

  Yellow streams of light traced through the depths of the walls in intermittent bursts. She was in a sentient ship. Were the streams akin to blood rushing through veins? Or more like synapses firing in the brain?

  There were no corners, the hallway curving into another, doorways oblong ovals to pass through. Walking through one of the ovals, the Korthan plucked Molly from her arms, who squawked with a flap of wings before settling with K’vyn.

  “Keep following the bend,” he said. “You will reach the cockpit at the end.”

  Having no reason to believe Hedge and the chickens weren’t safe, she did as instructed, resisting the urge to touch the walls as she walked, mesmerized by their fluidity.

  Entering the cockpit was a marvel to behold. Like the rest of the ship, it was round, but transparent in its entirety. Dani could see the surface of the planet with all its orange flowers beneath her feet, the sky above her head, and across the landscape at the trees on the port side and ocean on the starboard side through the walls.

  Looking as if he were hovering above the ground, C’hase sat on the floor, clearly having returned from his mission, getting by without her noticing. Standing as he made eye contact with her, he twirled in circles.

  Alpha, we’re going home, he said, followed by a happy yap.

  Finally, she would be finding Mogha.

  Chapter 9

  Sitting in a chair L’iza materialized from the floor, Dani leaned forward. The sentient ship grayed out the decking beneath her, because it was too disconcerting to be ‘floating’ through space.

  A green world floated among red and blue nebulas, blackness of space dotted with uncountable stars all around them. Mogha—

  C’hase was on his feet, elation pouring from him in waves.

  Half of his fur was orange now, his antennae white, the tufts of feathers on the ends orange, standing out in the stark contrast of shiny black yellow-traced surfaces and blackness of space.

  “This planet was not on any of my charts,” she said, marveling at how close Mogha was to Paradise. She would have passed it, if she had been allowed to continue her route to Colony 739.

  Dani threw K’vyn a dry look. He sat in a chair in the middle of the room, providing a full three sixty view of everything around the ship.

  You were trespassing, he said through the bond, the admonishment light-hearted.

  “No, it wouldn’t be on any human charts,” he said out loud. “We are sworn to protect the inhabitants of this world. The location was never divulged to any human.”

  Chest tightening, Dani said, “Looks like someone figured it out.”

  “The Human Colony Alliance Fleet hasn’t arrived yet,” L’iza announced, hologram appearing next to K’vyn. On a ship full of things Dani was certain she’d never get used to, the appearance of a ghost-like hologram was at the top.

  “Good,” K’vyn said. “We have to get the warning to the Moghi Council. Are you sure you can’t interpret mogha?”

  “You know I can’t,” the hologram said. “Only an alpha can understand a mogha and each bond has a different connection. That’s why it’s impossible to interpret.”

  Dani didn’t even think of that. If no one could understand the mogha and vice versa, how were they going to warn them?

  Gaze shifting to C’hase, K’vyn studied the mogha with knitted brow. He abruptly looked at Dani. “We need an interpreter, but if they see a human—”

  “And C’hase is so young,” she added.

  How did she ever think she could warn Mogha by herself with a puppy too young to comprehend the horrors of war? Without an attention span to sit through a conversation with some council where he’d have to relay what they were saying to her and what she was saying back to them? If they’d even find reason to trust a human.

  K’vyn abruptly stilled, something in the bond Dani couldn’t pinpoint—

  ALPHA, I HEAR YOU. Are you near? I am on Mogha.

  Heart drumming in his chest, K’vyn was filled with unadulterated joy.

  I hear you! He called back. Landing on Mogha now.

  Finally, after all these years, he found his mogha companion. Elation came back at him from his mogha and he jumped to his feet.

  “She is here,” he said out loud, smiling as he glanced between L’iza and Dani. “My mogha companion is here.”
/>   Dani gasped, smile mirroring K’vyn’s. “That’s amazing.”

  “I knew you would find your companion one day,” L’iza said, silver eyes beaming. “And the true one this time.”

  K’vyn didn’t miss the smirk. His ship wasn’t going to let him live down mistaking his mate for his mogha companion.

  “Where shall we set down?” she said next, smirk still in place.

  Concentrating on the feeling of his mogha through the new bond, he got a sense of where she was located, even what she was looking at— There were trees, but the entire planet was covered in trees.

  By the mountains, his mogha said.

  There were mountains on Mogha? He didn’t know that.

  L’iza entered the planet’s atmosphere, flying low to the ground. Giant trees covered every surface, vines crisscrossing between them. Then he realized what his companion was calling ‘mountains.’

  More like hills, they were marked only by a slight elevation in the landscape, an area where three groves of trees appeared to be standing above all others. Judging by the flatness of the rest of the planet, there would only be three ‘mountains’ on the entire world.

  “There,” he pointed at the grove on the left.

  As they approached the grove, a small opening presented itself among the tall trees, perfect place for L’iza to land. In the middle of the opening sat one lone mogha, staring up at them.

  “That’s her,” he said, breathless.

  Violet in color, paws white, the mogha was magnificent.

  Hello, Alpha, she said. I am D’alla.

  THE UNION OF THE KORTHAN and his mogha was one of the most moving things Dani had ever seen.

  As they disembarked the ship, the violet mogha jumped to her feet, staring between each of them until her eyes finally focused on K’vyn. Her antennae were white, feathers on the ends a deep purple. Sticking straight up, they began to twirl as she emitted a soft whimper.

  L’iza stopped at the bottom of the stairs, Dani following her lead.

  Speaking lovely nothings, K’vyn approached the creature with his hands held out in front of him. The violet mogha turned in several circles, antennae and tail twirling so fast they appeared as a blur, emitting happy yaps and short barks.

  Was that what C’hase sounded like to everyone else? Knowing that K’vyn would be hearing words, this was the first time she’d heard a mogha’s natural sound.

  Kneeling, hands still held in front of him, the mogha’s antennae reached for his fingers, tufts of feathers brushing his palms. The animal sniffed his hands, up his arms, and all around his face before nuzzling his neck. All the while, he had the same affectionate smile he’d shown both C’hase and Dani.

  And she could feel it through the bond, a sense of profound completion.

  There was movement at the edge of the tree line, several brightly-colored, full-grown moghas watching. Dani could see what C’hase was going to look like, how magnificent he would become.

  Speaking of— Where was C’hase? He’d said he wanted to check on Hedge and Molly, but didn’t he want to see his home world?

  I’m scared, the pup said through the bond. I don’t have my full colors. They won’t like me.

  Dani’s heart sank. Kicking herself for missing the pup’s insecurities, the possibility of his own kind rejecting him didn’t even cross her mind.

  Of course, they will like you, Little One, she said. Come on out.

  When he showed up in the opening at the top of the stairs, three moghas rushed forward, antennae leaning towards him. Crouching low, peeking over the lip in the opening, his antennae drooped out of sight.

  AS SEVERAL MOGHAS RUSHED forward, D’alla’s antennae went up, mogha looking past him at something on the ship.

  The mogha gasped. “An orphan.”

  K’vyn felt pity through the bond, but there was reverence behind it with an overwhelming desire to ‘guide.’

  Turning, K’vyn saw C’hase hiding at the top of the ramp.

  “That is C’hase,” he said. “His alpha rescued him.”

  He didn’t want to say ‘human,’ even with an obvious human standing right there next to L’iza.

  Dani coaxed the pup down the stairs, who walked slowly, antenna as low as his crouch, tail between his legs. Hiding behind his alpha, he peeked around her legs.

  D’alla’s gaze tracked between Dani and K’vyn, a feeling he could only describe as ‘exploratory’ permeating the bond.

  The human is your mate, she said, surprise evident. And an alpha.

  Shifting on his feet, K’vyn wasn’t quite sure what D’alla’s next reaction would be. He could not change who is life mate was, nor did he want to. But he was under no illusion that the fact could cause problems with mogha and Korthan alike—

  Are you okay that my life mate is human? he thought through the bond.

  A mogha bond would not form unless the being was pure of heart. She will be accepted by the moghas, D’alla looked at him. Including me.

  A weight lifted from K’vyn’s shoulders, his heart swelling, affection for his mate and his mogha bursting out.

  His mogha companion approached the cowering pup, followed closely by the others, their antennae reaching for him. Were the feathers on the ends glowing?

  He is wonderful, D’alla said. Everyone will want to be his guide.

  DANI STARED IN MARVELOUS wonderment as she and C’hase were surrounded by moghas, each of their antennae brushing over them, feather tips glowing as they felt over every surface of her hands, arms, and legs.

  C’hase was standing now, antennae intertwining with theirs as they each touched noses with him, tail held high.

  Alpha, they like me, he said. They like me a lot.

  Standing completely still as K’vyn’s new mogha companion sniffed her, tail twirling, she got the sense that she was accepted. She let go of a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

  “This is D’alla,” K’vyn said. “She is asking permission to be C’hase’s guide.”

  Honored, she said, “Absolutely.”

  “I regret to cut this short,” K’vyn said, tone clipped while scratching behind D’alla’s ears. “But we must warn the council of human arrival.”

  “No sign of the Invader Fleet yet.” L’iza appeared to be inspecting a keypad on her hull. “I will continue to monitor.”

  K’vyn turned and L’iza tapped his arm, some sort of earpiece in her hand. Dani blinked. The hologram could hold onto something solid?

  “Don’t forget your comm,” L’iza said. “I will inform you when the scouts arrive and are ready.”

  Following behind K’vyn as D’alla lead the way, Dani felt giddy to be walking on only the second planet she’d ever been on. Wishing there were time to explore, she gaped at the height of the trees as they entered the forest. Trunks the width of yacht-class spaceships were so unbelievable she wouldn’t have believed anyone that told her before witnessing their enormity herself.

  Round burrows spiraled around the trunks, faces with long antennae peering out from inside. A mogha exited one ‘doorway’ and entered another, using his long fingers to climb around.

  Flowers to match the size of the trees grew in clusters between the trunks, some clusters violet, some blue, some white. Entries to burrows were scattered among the clusters, mogha sitting on the ground by them, others watching from them.

  K’vyn was right, the sentient creatures did have vibrant colorations. Each color matched where the mogha was located. The ones in the trees were brown and black. The ones among the flowers were blue, purple, and white. There wasn’t a lot of orange. Is that why they were so intrigued by C’hase? His coat was growing more orange by the day—

  An orange blur flew by through the air, and Dani jumped backwards.

  Alpha, I’m flying, C’hase called, unadulterated joy radiating from the pup as he disappeared through the treetops.

  How in the stars was he flying?

  Then he was coming back towards her, long tongue fla
pping over the side of his face as he appeared to have the biggest smile.

  The mogha’s fingers were extended, holding onto a vine as he swung back and forth through the trees. Two more mogha were swinging nearby. Astonished, Dani let out a chuckle as she smiled herself.

  A dozen of the creatures came out of the trees as they reached a clearing on another hilltop. From what Dani could tell, it was the hilltop in the middle of the three they saw upon landing.

  The mogha greeted each other in a dizzying array of antennae and tail twirling, some only one or the other, nose nuzzles, body circles, barking, yipping, and yapping.

  These are the pack leaders in this region, K’vyn said through their bond. They will carry the warning to the rest of the pack leaders.

  The council settled on their haunches in a circle, D’alla in the center. K’vyn stood just outside of the circle.

  Your mogha is a pack leader? Dani watched the violet hound.

  The region leader, he said, voice full of pride. I am doubly honored.

  D’alla began barking, stopping only when one of the other mogha barked. Feather tufts drooped in a relaxed state at first, all twelve mogha antennae stood on end in alarm at the same time. Four jumped to their feet, tails held straight out.

  C’hase pawed at something on the ground. Leaning over to him, she asked, “What are they saying?”

  Pausing, the pup’s antennae went up as he looked in the direction of the circle. Something akin to a butterfly fluttered past his face and his eyes began tracking it.

  Shrugging, he said, Adult stuff.

  Then he took off after the butterfly, chasing it between the trees.

  Standing perfectly still with his hands folded in front of him, no outward show of emotion, K’vyn’s laughter sounded in her mind.

  Interpreting with a mogha pup would have been a challenge, he said.

  Are you interpreting? she asked.

  Yes, of course.

  Why can’t I hear you? What are you telling them?

  You won’t be able to hear me when I’m speaking to D’alla, he said.