“Call us Sammen as we are two parts to Fuath’s mate. As for offspring, yes, we do.” Both women smiled. “It’s tradition to have at least one each. Keeps our population diverse. We don’t want our race to die out.”

“Like us?”

Their heads tilted in question. “Human?”

“No. Volardi.”

“So, you consider yourself one then?”

“Your king considers me one. Do you two not?”

Both breathed in deeply while they thought. “Volardi make it very clear who is Volardi and who is not. Our people are not allowed on their islands. Do you understand how that feels?”

“Not exactly,” I said. There’re plenty of stereotypes about the South. We were at the top tip of it in Tennessee, but my town was fairly open. Yet, it wasn’t long ago where Whites were on one side of the railroad tracks and Blacks on another. It was just expected. Even now, you knew what side you were on. Things were more relaxed, but it’s something I noticed as a kid.

It was a different time and race from my own. I could only imagine how that would affect someone until someone snapped. Every day a constant simmering until something exploded.

I told them the ‘Railroad’ story and then I touched on how I joined the repopulation program.

Once finished, both women or Sammen spoke slowly in unison. “Aren’t you angry? They altered your body.”

“Sure at the time, but my life is better now.” I gestured out to the lab and even toward the ocean. “You’re angry at them but you have a planet with clean water. Your people didn’t die out.” I jerked my head toward the laboratory again. “Look at what you can do now. Your ancestors would think you’re gods.”

Both women’s gills flapped while they stood still. “We are not gods, nor are your Volardi.”

Whatever expression they had was unreadable, and they pulled the slug off my neck. I inhaled quickly from the sting.

“We’re done. This will give this a complete understanding of your biology.”

Complete understanding.

I swallowed hard. What they had around here with their biological creations was beyond anything the Volardi had. Ships propelled by creatures, and crab things that could kidnap royalty. Now slugs that could understand my genetic makeup.

What could a race with that knowledge and a hatred toward the Volardi do?

The realization came, and I swallowed until it burned in my throat. There was nothing overt but not every creation had to be visible. They could create visible creatures but there were plenty that was tiny, unseen…

Another virus.

They wouldn’t stop at this planet. They would export it off-world until it reached Earth as many planets as they could do.

Shit. There’s not just another planet at risk. It’s Earth and the rest of the Volardi empire.

***

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

MATROS

“Still nothing?”