Free Bait by Viola Grace

 

     
    Prologue
     
     
    The volcanic explosions rocked the entire planet. Billie Praco held onto the defensive screen in her suit and screamed at her superior officer.
    “Get your ass out of here, Captain Dlenner! I am stuck, but you have a clear run to the shuttle.”
    Billie was stuck, pinned beneath a chunk of rock that had tumbled down the hill. Her suit was taking the pressure, but there was no way for her to get out from under it. The researchers that they were evacuating had made it past, but bringing up the rear, Billie hadn’t had a chance.
    “Officer Praco, you are going to leave this world with us before it shakes apart. Whatever you do, don’t move.” Captain Dlenner approached and waved the other officers and the researchers onto the shuttlecraft.
    She watched him get nearer, and as he leaned toward the rock, he shifted. His form slid between feline and canine, while his body remained that of a biped. The captain crouched, braced himself and shoved at the rock.
    It crackled, pieces cracked away and finally, under his clawed grip, it rolled off her leg and hip. The moment she was free, she tried to rise to her feet, but a dark growl got her attention.
    Hands lifted her and cradled her against a massive chest as her Oefric captain carried her past the evacuees and into the shuttle. He settled her carefully on the medical bed, paused to inhale deeply of her hair and skin before shifting back into the normally rugged features she was used to and pretended not to notice every day.
    “You should have been leading our escape, not following. You know you are prone to getting trapped and tangled.” His voice was a growl, but she could hear the gruff concern.
    “I had to keep an eye on the stragglers. Some of those researchers wanted to record every piece of this planet’s death.”
    He sighed and smiled as the readouts were displayed. “You are fine. Your suit took the damage…again.”
    She grinned and sat up. “Thank you. I will help settle the researchers and get back to my duties.”
    Captain Dlenner helped her to her feet. “I have some paperwork to do. I will re-join the unit on the station.”
    His hand caressed her cheek softly, and her eyes went wide. Billie had had a crush on her captain since she had been assigned to his unit of Enforcers, but the flaring fantasy that the feeling was mutual had never solidified until now.
    Captain Dlenner went into his private office on the shuttle and Billie joined the researchers, taking head counts and making sure that they buckled in. Leaving an unstable world was not going to be comfortable, so the tighter they were tucked in, the better.
    As Billie took her own seat and clicked her harness, she smiled at the good-natured ribbing of her unit but couldn’t help but send longing glances to the captain’s office.
    She was a screw up, everyone in her unit knew it, but she meant well and usually her body was the only one harmed. Something was telling her that Captain Dlenner was about to pay the price for something she did.
     

 
     
    Chapter One
     
     
    Billie sat and watched her superiors fidget. “You want me to what?”
    The Dhemon at the head of the table was wearing the uniform of an Enforcer detachment commander. He sighed and scratched his chin. “We want you to help in negotiating with the Oefric colony for more personnel.”
    She drummed her fingers on the arms of her chair. “Why me?”
    Billie rarely questioned orders, but the blushing nervousness with which the table of superiors was looking at her had her suspicious. Her commanders were trying to look at anything but her, and in a group of men and women who faced uncertain political climates every day, it was not a good sign.
    Commander Geering smiled hopefully. “You are uniquely qualified for this assignment.”
    Billie glared at the only other female in the room until she squirmed. “Why? Why are you sending me to Chysan for this negotiation? I am a horrible negotiator. I tend to start