Polly takes the position of Guardian with a talent for magnetic attraction with an open mind. Meeting her first W’lyn sets her sights on a one-night stand, but Loesh wants much more.
On her first day, Polly shows that she is competent in battle and able to think on her feet, but when she is exposed to experimental nanites, her entire life takes a sudden shift, and what she sees isn’t necessarily what is in front of her.
Loesh wants a Terran mate for the potential to have a family and a woman who can match him skill for skill. Polly’s skills are already developed, and her attraction to him is obvious. Screwing it up should be difficult, so why does it come so easily?
Polly Amber Garner gripped the strap of her backpack and squeezed.
“I need to leave, Stella.”
“You have to be here, Polly. I have a client coming in.”
Polly shifted from foot to foot. “I need to go. I have an appointment.”
Stella tapped her multi-ringed fingers on the velvet table covering. “You can leave when the client has their reading. You can be replaced, you know.”
Polly raised her eyebrows. “Really? Well, to hell with you. Enjoy your visit.”
She stalked out of the shop with Madame Stella shouting behind her. The all-seeing eye picked out in neon stared at her while she began striding to her appointment. She had no idea if the Volunteer Project was going to accept her, but she wasn’t going to miss the chance to be invited into something better than helping a fake psychic push a Ouija planchet around to rip off her clients.
As Polly walked down the street, she noticed the quivers of small objects as they skittered toward her. She quickly calmed herself and the objects stopped streaking to her feet. Composition didn’t matter. When she got irritated, everything came flying at her. A loss of control meant precisely that—she could not control the objects around her and that was what she hoped the Volunteer Project could give her.
When she entered the project centre, she checked in at the reception desk and was immediately taken to an interview room.
Less than three minutes passed before the door opened and Recruiter Norz arrived.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Garner. How are you this bright and lovely day?”
“Eager, Recruiter Norz. What are the odds I was accepted?”
“Oh, you have been accepted; this is just the interview to see when and if you are prepared to leave your home and all that you know.”
Polly wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know if anyone is ever prepared for that, but my family supports my decision and I have just quit my job. I am ready whenever you are.”
Norz sat back and grinned with surprisingly sharp teeth. “We can have you on a shuttle to the moon base in a matter of hours. Will you go?”
“Just tell me where to be.”
He chuckled. “I will have a car take you to your home to collect personal possessions that you want to take with you.”
“I just need to make some calls. I have been running around with my personal collection on my back for three weeks.”
Norz laughed. “In that case, you will be taken to the launch area and you will wait for the shuttle window. We will get you a phone and you can make all the calls you want.”
She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. “I have mine. It has the numbers I need.”
“Then, please sign these documents and you will be on your way. They are our confirmation to your government that you are doing this of your own free will and to the Alliance and Nyal governments that you will be amenable to any changes they wish to make to your physiology or mental structure. They will train you and it will be hard, but you need to agree to it before it begins.”
She nodded and began reading the tablet that he slid over to her. She got excited when it mentioned off-world operations and that was all it took. The tablet fuzzed and twisted.
Norz chuckled. “It was something we were waiting for. On to the hard copies.”
Polly looked at the obviously expensive equipment and winced. “I am so sorry.”
Norz laughed. “Don’t be. There are tech talents lined up who can master repairs like this in their sleep. We will be giving them the chance to prove what they can do.”
As if silently summoned, one of the men in uniform came through the door with a sheaf of papers.
Norz had a kindly expression. “It will take longer, but you won’t be able to burn out the pencil that your people have provided.”
“Pencils can be erased.”
“Not after the pages are laminated.”
Polly grinned. “Good. I am glad you have a plan.”
Norz chuckled. “I always have a plan. Ask me any questions as they arise. I will be here.”
Polly looked at the pile of paperwork, took the mechanical pencil that she had been given and got started.
