Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 86074 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86074 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“Leave that to me.” Rachel had already closed her eyes and had a look of concentration on her face. “Honey?” she said, obviously talking to her husband. “Yes, hi—I love you too. Look, I need you to come get me right away… Yes, I know you just dropped me off and you’re halfway to the Mother Ship, but I need you to come get me and Lili. You will? Thank you, sweetheart! I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
She opened her eyes and grinned at Lili.
“Okay, he was a little bummed because he had a boys night planned, but I promised I’d make it worth his while so he’s coming back to get us. Hurry and go put on your sexiest outfit! Oh, and take those things off!” she added, nodding at the pink rubber dishwashing gloves Lili was still wearing.
Heart thumping with anticipation, Lili peeled off the gloves. She wadded them up and threw them across the room. Then she grabbed Rachel and the two of them danced around the kitchen, laughing and crying.
“I can’t believe I’m going to see them again!” she gasped. “I missed them so much!”
“I’m sure they missed you too!” Rachel exclaimed as they danced around.
Lili’s heart was full to overflowing. Soon—she was going to see her guys again soon! She was sure of it! And with the harmonizer in hand, how could they say “no” to her? She was sure that by tomorrow this time the three of them would be happily Bonded.
She had no idea how wrong she was.
27
LILI
“Gone? What do you mean they’re gone? Where did they go?” Lili asked blankly.
Commander Sylvan spread his hands.
“I’m sorry, ladies. The two of them came to me weeks ago and told me that they were going back to Zeaga Four.”
“Back to where?” Rachel demanded.
“To the Dark Kindred home world,” Sylvan clarified. “They told me they were going home.”
“But…but why?” Lili felt like someone had dropped her heart on the floor and stomped on it with a big, heavy boot. “Why would they do that? Why would they go back there? They can’t even have emotions there—can they? I mean, they told me it was a crime!”
“Maybe that’s why they went,” Rachel said, frowning. “Maybe being with you made them feel too much.”
“If you want further clarification on their motives, you might try talking to Yipper,” Sylvan suggested. “He was the Tolleg surgeon assigned to them—I think they went to talk to him before they left.”
“Oh, Yipper—I know him!” Rachel exclaimed. “He fixed my eyes for me—that’s why I don’t have to wear glasses or contacts anymore.”
“He gave you Lasik, you mean?” Lili asked, frowning.
“Well, not exactly—but it was the same result! He operates with his tongue.”
“Wait—he what?” Lili was sure she’d heard her friend wrong.
“I’ll explain later.” Rachel grabbed her by the wrist. “Come on—let’s go find him. Thank you, Commander Sylvan,” she added, over her shoulder.
“You’re welcome, but I have to let you know that Zeaga Four is considered extremely dangerous,” Sylvan said, frowning. “I wouldn’t recommend going there. It’s considered a Closed World now.”
“Okay, got it.” Rachel nodded and tugged Lili along. “Come on—let’s go find Yipper!”
28
LILI
“Ah yes—both Dark and Light were feeling very sad. Yes, they were, yes they were.” Yipper shook his head mournfully, his long ears flopping with the motion.
Lili thought that the little Tolleg looked like a cross between a chimpanzee and a hound dog. He had a long, furry face, big brown eyes and long, floppy ears. He was also extremely short—not even three feet tall, she thought. He was wearing a little white lab coat which made him look like a kid in a Halloween costume but according to Rachel he was the most accomplished surgeon on the ship. And apparently he did all his surgery with his tongue—which was really weird.
Right now, though, she didn’t care what the little Tolleg looked like or what he did with his tongue—she was much more interested in what he was telling them.
“So they were sad? Why?” she demanded.
“Well, because they cannot Bond a female to them. No they can’t, no they can’t.” Yipper sighed. “They told me it gave them bad feelings—negative emotions. And they asked for permanent emotion dampers.”
“They what?” Lili’s heart, which had just begun to soar again, came crashing back down. “You mean they wanted to stamp out their emotions permanently?”
“They needed to because they were moving back to Zeaga Four,” Yipper told her. “You know, once The Collective was overthrown, it was safe to feel there—but only for a little while. Yes it was, yes it was.”
“Well, what happened?” Rachel asked. “I mean, what changed?”
“Well, they tried having emotions, but many of the Dark Kindred found it was too difficult—too disturbing,” Yipper explained. “So they took a vote and agreed to go back to their previous, emotionless existence.”