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  “Excellent! Give me all the information you have on Starr and leave the preparations to me. By the time I have finished training my operative, even her mate won’t be able to tell Starr from her replacement. All I need is some time and a small scout ship to get my spy to the surface. Now, let us delay no longer!”

  Anakim appeared very concerned but after a moment he reluctantly agreed. “I will give you the information you require, with one condition.”

  “And what would that be, Anakim?”

  “You must not injure Starr. Bring her to me without blemish and I will pay a fair price. Furthermore, do this and I will share with you, even to half the spoils of her planet! But if she is harmed in any way, I will kill everyone involved… Emim, Nephilim or otherwise!”

  “You would kill me?”

  “Especially you, old friend, and that is my only offer! If you do not agree I will destroy you and your ship this day!”

  Thuban stared at Anakim for a moment. “Agreed!”

  “A wise choice, old friend. Now explain your plan in detail.”

  Thuban was outraged by Anakin’s threat, but with his ship out-numbered sixty-to-one, he wisely withheld his anger. “Centurion, Summon Tyl!” A few moments later Thuban’s most beautiful and experienced slave stood before them.

  “Anakim, this is Tyl. I think you will find her to be more than sufficient for the task. Tyl, parade for Lord Anakim, so that he may have full view of your talents.”

  Wearing a diaphanous ivory tunic like that of a Roman goddess, Tyl smiled as she made her way over to the stunned giant, turned, then slowly walked back to stand beside Thuban.

  Tyl’s physical appearance left Anakin almost speechless. He knew Emim women were among the most beautiful in the galaxy, but this woman was the standard by which all others were judged. At first glance she appeared quite like an earth woman about the age of 25, but without the usual flaws. With a perfect height to weight ratio, her skin was soft, smooth and flawless. Her large emerald green eyes, silky blonde hair and voluptuous curves caused Anakin to pant as though he had been in a desert for days. When Thuban had allowed Anakim to enjoy Tyl’s physical appearance long enough he finally spoke. “What do you think of her Anakim? Is she satisfactory?”

  Anakim struggled to answer. “Un… unbelievable would be more accurate. She is almost Starr’s equal!”

  “Do you possess a likeness of Starr?”

  Anakim nodded. “Of course! I have many recordings from my ship and from her home. Pollux, activate the image display!”

  Thuban and Tyl watched as a video of Starr appeared on a wall close to them. The Nephilim equivalent of a video had been made during Starr’s brief imprisonment on Anakim’s flagship, Anubis.

  After a few seconds Thuban began to smile as he watched Starr being dragged around a platform on a chain while wearing an almost nonexistent Nephilim ‘binding gown’ and the head to toe video of Starr allowed for a very intimate 360-degree view.

  A look of surprise and lust covered Thuban’s face. “Anakim! I see now why she is so special to you. Why did you not tell me the female you seek is Aphrodite? She is truly beautiful and would make a fine addition to my own collection. Are there additional images and voice recordings?”

  “Don’t get any ideas, Thuban! The only collection Starr will ever belong to is mine! And yes, I have more. One of my warriors is stationed near their home. He was able to install devices there that have gathered many detailed images and conversations for Tyl to study. I also have recordings of their crew and other personnel who interact with her at their main base. Listen now to a sample of Starr’s voice.”

  “Sweetheart! Supper is almost ready. After we eat let’s take some blankets out on the upper deck and watch the Perseids.”

  Thuban nodded to Tyl. “Demonstrate!”

  Tyl studied the likeness of Verna for a moment then closed her eyes. Anakim watched in amazement as she used the images she had just seen to instantly morph into an exact reflection of Starr. In milliseconds and before his eyes Tyl’s hair shortened into a pixie as it became dark brown with red highlights. Simultaneously, her frame became proportionally lighter as she shrank fifteen inches.

  When Tyl opened her eyes, she displayed Verna’s brilliant white smile, sparkling big brown eyes and spectacular legs as an exact replica of the original now stood before them on a pair of size 6 bare feet.

  Anakim could hardly believe his eyes. “Astonishing! She… she is Starr! I did not believe this level of detail would be possible. Except for the horns, she could be Starr’s twin!”

  Tyl looked to be slightly embarrassed as the small horns on her head melted beneath her hair. Thuban’s grin turned wicked. “Now, her voice.”

  Moving directly in front of Anakim, Tyl pulled him down by his cloak until they were nose-to-nose. Once there, she held his huge face with both hands for a few seconds as she ran her fingers through his hair. Then clearing her throat, she softly mocked. “Sweetheart! Supper is almost ready. After we eat let’s take some blankets out on the upper deck and watch the Perseids.”

  A subtle, yet all-out assault of body language, soft seductive tone and pheromones rapidly forced the giant completely under her spell and when combined with her gentle touch, sweet voice and precise portrayal of his greatest desire, Anakim was soon lost in the moment. “Little One, you have come back!”

  Faint laughter came from all of those in the room as Anakim struggled to remove himself from her seduction, but just as he was about to break free Tyl gave him a long deep kiss that would leave his mind in a dense fog and him susceptible to anything she suggested.

  “Is this all you ever hoped for, Anakim?”

  “Yes, Little One, yes!”

  “Would you do… anything for me?”

  “Ask… whatever you will… and you shall have it.”

  Tyl again kissed him, and this time when she had finished, Anakim was left unable to move or speak.

  Thuban could no longer contain himself. Laughing loudly, he thundered, “Enough! The demonstration is complete!”

  Tyl slowly backed away from the dazed giant until she was again at her master’s side. After a few minutes Anakim’s mind began to clear enough for him to mumble.

  “And now, what do you think, Anakim? Is she up to the task?”

  Barely able to speak, Anakim tried to question what had happened to him but his words were too slurred to make sense.

  “What’s that you ask, old friend? Speak up! Can’t you talk? Well, do not worry. I understand. You are mystified by your current condition, so I will explain. Emim women have the strongest pheromones of any known species. Their saliva contains a sweet but highly potent chemical like strong alcohol and it quickly floods and disrupts a male’s system. You see, an Emim woman’s kiss is literally intoxicating, and the more they kiss a male, the more intoxicated he becomes. Together, the pheromones and alcohol form an irresistible combination that leaves any male disoriented and very eager to please only her. Even the strongest Rigelians succumb to Emim women. Only with great effort and practice can an Emim male limit the effectiveness of their spell.

  “Now consider this Anakim. Tyl had you under her complete control in about an earth minute and you are much larger than a human. It will take no effort at all for her to completely control a human male. Even if she does not kiss you again, your intoxicated state will last the better part of a day, but with a human the effect can linger for as long as a week with no further interaction. A single night of passion with Tyl, and the intoxication would become a permanent condition for a human, possibly lasting a lifetime.

  “By the time they discover Starr has been replaced, it will be too late. We will be in control of their forces and Starr and her mate will be at our mercy, or dead!”

  Thuban’s last statement hit Anakim like a hammer. Slowly coming to himself, he fought hard to speak. “No… you must not! Starr… is the key element of my long-term plans! While I would like to personally attend to Randall, if you have the oppor
tunity, you may kill him.”

  “As you wish, Anakim, but know this, if events do not go exactly as planned we will destroy them all, including Starr.”

  “I… can see how your plan could succeed. Perhaps you are right, and I have been going about it all wrong. But remember my warning, Thuban! Not a scratch on Starr or all Emim will answer to me!”

  “Enough of this! Provide us with all the images you have and the proper military attire. I will contact you again when we are ready to proceed.”

  “Very well. Pyro should have the uniform we require from the female he acquired, and the sound recordings will be brought to you on your ship this day.”

  Once they were back on Thuban’s ship, Tyl reverted to her normal appearance and voice.

  “I hope I still please you, Master.”

  “You do, but I will admit, the human Starr is very beautiful.”

  “Do you think so, Master? I can give you more than she ever could. Allow me to show you.”

  Thuban smiled as he pulled his favorite pet onto his lap. “Show me.”

  Several minutes and extended kisses later, Tyl paused as she smiled at Thuban. “Which form do you prefer now, Master? Mine or the one called Starr?”

  Thuban grinned at her. “Why must I choose? With you, I can have both.”

  Tyl did not like his response, and quickly tried to get up, but Thuban held her firmly in place as he laughed while she struggled to get away. “Never forget my pet. Do not try your tricks on me. While I enjoy your charms, you will never control me.”

  Inwardly Tyl was extremely angry and thinking of how glad she would be on the day Thuban died. “You are pure evil, Master! I have known you a long time and I know when you are lying. You lied to Anakim and you used me to seduce him! Now that you know his secrets and weaknesses, what is your real plan?”

  Thuban laughed loudly. “I must warn you to watch your sharp tongue my most precious slave, but you do know me best. Very well then. Anakim’s recent ambitions and failures have placed his people in a very precarious position and we will use that to our advantage. Neither the humans nor the Nephilim know that we already have an underground outpost in the area they call Russia. I have been preparing for such an opportunity as this and now the time has come!

  “So, you will become exactly like the human, Starr, and we will take their planet. Once that is accomplished we will eliminate Anakim and his people, and this system will be our next colony.”

  “What about after, Master? When all of that is completed, what happens to me? Will I ever be yours alone, or will I always be one of a thousand?”

  “You have no need to worry about your place with me. Do you remember a time when I did not provide for you? You know Emim warriors do not permit themselves to love their slaves or to be limited to one female, but continue to please me as always and you will remain the closest by my side. After all, you are my favorite pet. In fact, I may even have you keep the form of Starr permanently. Her form… Aphrodite… pleases me. But, you may keep your horns. They will serve as a reminder of who you really are and to whom you will always belong. I own you.”

  Even though his words caused her great pain and anger, Tyl slowly nodded her acceptance.

  After Thuban had gone…

  “Pollux, fleet status report.”

  “If work continues at the current rate and we scavenge every derelict ship, we can have our fleet back to full strength by the end of the current cycle.”

  “How long before we can resume hostilities against the humans?”

  “To move against them again while maintaining security throughout the empire will take more time.”

  “How much time?”

  “All of this cycle and half of the next, perhaps more and we will need the council’s approval.”

  “Not acceptable, not at all!”

  “My lord, the Directorate has made it very clear. Our priority is to protect our people and home worlds. Thuban is correct when he points out that by now the Gorgon and other enemies know of our weakened state. They could return at any moment. The council will not allow us to make another all-out effort against the humans at this time. I know your warrior blood boils within you but for now you must yield to the council and remain patient.”

  As Pollux finished speaking, Anakim began to rip at his clothing and scream profanities. “At that rate the Directorate’s plan will take almost two cycles to complete, but well before that time Thuban will rule this system! Do not be deceived by his apparent willingness to help us. He cares not for our fate. We, too, are in his way. We must move now to secure Earth’s resources and the humans. I will be stymied no longer!”

  Mustering all the courage he possessed, Pollux tried one last time to reason with his oldest friend. “Anakim, if you do not yield to the council they will join forces to destroy us all. You must be patient! You must forget your obsession with Starr and your revenge on the Gorgon, at least for now!”

  Expecting Anakim to attack him for his counsel, Pollux braced himself for whatever may come. But for some unknown reason, Anakim did not even glance in his direction. Instead, he turned his back to him and slowly limped to his command chair. Not long after, he seated himself then seemed to enter a trance-like state that lasted several minutes.

  Pollux was bewildered by his calm response and was not at all sure of what he was seeing. Just watching the giant sitting quietly was more than unnerving. There was no way to know if Anakim was merely thinking or building to a supernova, but either way there would surely be an explosion that would bring sheer chaos. For many minutes the silence continued, until finally Pollux watched an evil smile begin to creep across Anakim’s scarred face. As he rose to his feet the giant began to think out loud.

  “Perhaps Thuban is right, and I have been going about this all wrong. As the humans say, there is more than one way to skin a Grey.”

  Now Pollux was truly afraid. “That smile is familiar, my lord. Something deliciously wicked has begun. May I hear what you are plotting?”

  “Not just yet, my friend. But you are right, something wicked indeed, and if my plan is successful, it will leave me in total control of the Directorate, eliminate all enemies, place Starr in my bed chamber… and Randall in a grave at the foot of my throne!”

  Chapter 2

  For two years Commander Randall had taught the men and women he trained an exceptionally harsh and terrifying truth: Death waits patiently in the dark for those who are unprepared.

  SF-1 Ready Room 0200 hours. May 5, 1984…

  Blissful tranquility is shattered as a deafening, heart attack-inducing klaxon blares!

  “General Quarters! General Quarters! An unidentified ship has entered DSSF airspace. 107, respond!”

  From a deep sleep to an all out, run-for-your-life sprint, they transitioned. Milliseconds later the main access door of hangar 56 exploded into the darkness, ejecting a trio of beautiful blonde women in skin tight flight suits that raced toward their fighter in effort to meet Death head on.

  Pulling on their helmets as they scramble to their stations, the beautiful, petite pilot belts in and begins barking orders…

  “COM: sitrep!”

  “Full power available, all systems are GO. We are cleared to launch! I’m tracking an alien ship, altitude 1,530 miles, closing on Alameda at 4,050 mph. We will need to intercept before they break Angels 60!”

  “Alien ship? How did they get so far into… wait! Scan for DSSF ships.”

  “Scanning… I show no other DSSF fighters or battleships this side of the Five Million Mile Line.”

  “What! That’s impossible! No other ships period?”

  “None, we seem to be the only one. SRN is showing several debris fields between the Line and the Yard, all with elevated radiation levels.”

  “Try to contact the commander and Captain Starr.”

  “Done… no response!”

  “Keep trying! Emergency launch sequence activated; turbines spooling up. Still no response from the commander?
”

  “No response from anyone. The only transmissions are coming from Olympus Control.”

  “Acknowledged. Launching now!”

  In mere seconds 107 became a blur as the most elite fighter crew in DSSF roared into the blackest of nights. Less than a minute later they were hypersonic.

  “COM, give me the bogie’s projected target.”

  “They appear to be going for the ship yard at Alameda.”

  “Yard status?”

  “At this moment more than twenty ships are in port including Midway, Coral Sea and Enterprise.”

  “W.O. weapons to hot, standby.”

  “Weapons armed, aye.”

  “We’re going dark; skin to black, lights out!”

  “COM?”

  “Fifteen seconds.”

  With the bogie diving for its target, Lieutenant Addison swung 107 into attack position directly behind the intruder.

  “Closing on bogie, mach 6.”

  “Acknowledged. COM, on my mark we’ll hoist the colors and go skin to white. As soon we’re detected they’ll go Pugachev on us, but when they do, we’ll perform a Snap 180 with full reverse thrusters. Before they can bring their nose down we’ll cut them in half! Sela, fangs out, stand ready!”

  “I was born ready!”

  “Mark!”

  “I have a lock!”

  In less than a heartbeat, the fighter became snow white against a jet-black sky as her running lights illuminated the twin Jolly Rogers on her tails.

  As predicted, the bogie instantly pulled back, nose-up, in an effort to force 107 to fly by, and that’s exactly what 107 did. Addison’s left hand rapidly rotated her stick 180 degrees as five small fingers manipulated ship’s thrusters like the keyboard of a piano. Now flying backwards at six times the speed of sound and a mere 200 yards ahead of the bogie, Addison screamed to Sela.

  “Now! Light ‘em up!”

  Like a cobra ready to strike, Sela was totally focused on the intruder, as though she were part of the ship. Even before Addison had completed the maneuver, Sela could hear a loud monotone squeal over her headset as the target on the weapons screen flashed locked. But the time lag between the first red photon from the screen striking her retina, and her finger tapping the FIRE button on her console twice, was imperceptible.