Star Fire Read Free

universe.
    That breakthrough had preserved the intellect of Aros’ brightest and greatest when the tectonic plates had suddenly shifted, causing the greatest redistribution of landmass ever experienced. The event had destroyed their world, throwing Aros into a primitive state.
    When the end of the world had killed most of the population, Dirrel’s transmogrification program had yanked back the consciousness of those scanned into the system. On the bright side, their people’s knowledge had been kept safe inside the crystal computer’s databanks. On the downside, the collected consciousnesses were alive and awake. They remembered as well.
    “Why don’t we go see what Lala, the wise-woman, has to say.” Kiev’s suggestion sparked a round of giggles from Radan as they made their way down the path to the city. His brief respite from duty was officially at an end. The best things usually came with a finite expiration.
    Smiling faces and respectful bows greeted him at the city gate. “Did you see the alien fall from the sky?”
    Kiev ignored the undue attention. He was a warrior now, and had been in many previous lives.
    “Kiev, come by tonight,” breathed an overly endowed woman. She was vaguely familiar, reminding him of the carousing he’d been fond of before acquiring Dirrel’s reserve. She bit her full, painted bottom lip in invitation, fluttering her lashes, shaded the brilliant hues of a butterfly wing. “I remember what you like.” She remembered what he had used to like as simply Kiev. The woman would be surprised what direction his tastes ran to now.
    You shouldn’t wait so long between women. Big breasts and probably a willing — He cut off the thought, shoving Radan through Lala’s shaded courtyard and into her receiving room. None of the wild women had interested him in a long time, not since he’d remembered the difference between love and lust.
    The latter left him unsatisfied and wanting more—a no-nonsense woman who’d laughed at danger and secretly teared up at the beauty in a sunset. He could see her in his mind’s eye as if it had been yesterday instead of lifetimes ago.
    Warm, feminine laughter soothed the longing in Kiev. As the one who’d prophesied the alien’s coming two summers ago, Lala should have the bulk of the fanfare. A swirling flower and spice-scented dervish descended on Radan, picking the boy up before dancing away again. “And how is my fine grandson today?” Lala pecked a kiss on Radan’s round little-boy cheek and set him down, sending the child off to the kitchen in search of a snack.
    Lala turned the force of her lovely smile on Kiev. “And how is my favourite son on this fine day?” He could tell that repressing the need to wrap her affection around him about killed her. His lips twitched at the mental image of her having to bottle up all that motherly love.
    “I am your only son, Lala, and the head of your House Guard.” Relieved, but still on edge, he strode to the window. Beyond the walls of the house, people were already gathering for the wise-woman’s word on their skewered visitor from the stars. “The day wasn’t so fine for the alien. It used a sheet to float from the sky and into the nettle tree grove.” Inside, he sneered at the alien’s lack of technology. A species with space-faring technology and the alien had had to leap with what amounted to bed linins to break its fall? Despite his people’s lack of faith in machinery, Kiev made sure to outfit his men with useful gadgets pertinent to protecting the city’s most prominent lady.
    Lala delicately touched her lips with the ends of her fingers, no doubt remembering Kiev’s similar death a few years ago. Going over the cliff with his enemy hadn’t been a bad death, in either Kiev’s or Dirrel’s opinion. Kiev had broken the assassin’s neck mid-fall and, personally, he hadn’t felt much after the first impact until his resurrection. The sacrifice had been worth it—the assassin had never