Dance of Time Read Free Page B

Korlin of the Northern Mists. Nishan by origin.”
    She placed her hand on his. “Zez of M’rora, born slave and now freewoman of Necridid.”
    He closed his fingers over her hand, and to her surprise, he turned into coiling vapour that filled the interior of the shuttle.
    “Okay. That is impressive.” She tried to lock him, and he tumbled back into his purple form. “And you weren’t kidding about being immune.”
    He smiled. “I was not kidding.”
    She cocked her head. “Even your uniform is you?”
    “Yes. I compress my molecular density to form this body. It is the shape I am most comfortable in, though I can look like anyone.”
    “Male or female?”
    He chuckled. “Again, this is the form I prefer.”
    “Well, where are we going next?”
    Korlin inclined his head before turning and bringing up the display. “It is a matter of importance and will tax your skills. The Lecidia turtle is coming ashore, and the environmental protectors wish to incubate her eggs to help increase the chances of survival.”
    “Why would I—oh wow.” She stared at the heavily protected turtle as it clawed its way up the beach and dug the laying hole.
    The vid showed the naturalists attempting to excavate the eggs after the turtle had returned to the sea, but she came back to defend her nest.
    Zez winced. “Did the naturalist survive?”
    He shook his head. “He did not. The turtle is exceptionally toxic, so even mild contact with it is deadly.”
    Zez had to admit that it was a challenge. “What does the turtle add to Lecidia?”
    “Balance to the ecosystem. The turtles keep the ocean predators under control. Since the turtles were harvested for their shells, the balance has turned, and the predators are destroying the fish and other wildlife stocks in the area.”
    “Right. So, all I have to do is freeze her?”
    He nodded. “Watch the video and pick your moment. Your judgment on what will be safest for all is what will be the deciding factor.”
    “Right. Have the eggs been laid?”
    “Not yet. It will be time when we land. The ideal is that we arrive before the turtle crawls up the beach.”
    “How long until we arrive?”
    “Fourteen hours.”
    Zez nodded. “Great. I am going to work out a little.”
    She headed to the cargo area, grabbed her bag and returned to the room she had commandeered. She changed into a clean but old bodysuit and went to the cargo hold again to do push-ups against the artificial gravity and pullups on the cargo netting.
    She was sweating lightly when she finished, and a quick solar shower cleaned her up nicely. Naked, she tiptoed from the lav down to her room, closing the door and exhaling with relief.
    She pulled on a work suit and put her exercise clothing in the refresher. Zez had already figured out when she would freeze the turtle, but she would have to adapt her plan depending on where they were in the laying cycle.
    It was a tricky situation, and the danger did hold a certain appeal.
     
    She was sitting in the galley with her feet up on the bench across from her, reading some short fiction for the purpose of entertainment.
    Zez smiled and read the next book in the series, delighted that the Terran archives had been dumped into the Alliance and made accessible.
    “We are approaching the planet. Are you ready?” Korlin’s voice came through the speaker in the ceiling.
    “I will be by the time we land.” She sighed and got to her feet, stretching and shaking out her robes. She grabbed a bag of water and hiked to the command deck.
    She dropped into the nav chair and lifted the data screen again, continuing to read the stories about modern humans and their recent introduction to the Alliance. There was no author listed, but the stories were as stirring as they were graphic.
    “What are you reading?”
    “Just a story written by a Terran archivist. She—I am assuming it was a she—has written accounts of the first Terrans to meet and mate with members of the Alliance.”
    He