Heart of the Agraak Read online

The flyer descended over a heavily wooded area near the outer swamp. That was strange enough to make Kaede uncomfortable. The facility being hidden in such an obscure location far away from the dome-city made him question just how legal the operations were in consideration of Agraadax law and Intergalactic Union law. Certain practices were not allowed, not even with a slave species such as the Arobi, whose breeding facilities were either within the dome or erected in less profitable areas of the bog flats.

  Unlawful termination of a sentient species was one of the worst offenses that could be committed. Unless one’s safety was being threatened, sentient species must be treated as valued lifeforms. Even punishments for misbehavior had to meet certain specific guidelines and were restricted in how they could be legally carried out.

  A hidden facility away from the control of Aminae hinted at depravity that he found unsettling.

  His mother and Ayaa didn’t appear to share his disquiet, however. Both females leaned forward in their seats, looking out the window with an air of eager expectation. The pale light of the facility shield became visible through thick branches of the trees and the numerous hanging vines and mosses that dripped in low tangles around it. By some miracle, the engineers who oversaw the construction of the facility had managed to find a sizable bed of rock to construct upon.

  The flyer beeped as they approached the programmed coordinates. Kaede knew that the beep not only signified their arrival but initiated landing procedures, which included sending an arrival transmission to the facility. As they began to drop out of the sky, he watched as a segment of the forcefield parted to allow their entry.

  As they dropped into a small courtyard, he was aware of the shield sealing once more behind them, but his full attention was on the green stone building. Most of it was light green in color with veins of dark green and black. Some walls were a dull metal and those he examined curiously, especially a long segment of the wall that appeared uninterrupted by windows or stone of any kind. He wondered what purpose that part of the structure served.

  The facility appeared to be simple. But then, having walked along the labyrinth of streets in the lower sectors, he knew just how deceiving that appearances could be.

  Upon exiting the flyer, a loud voice spoke over an intercom system.

  “Most favorable blessings upon you, House Ogvar and House Meliafa. Please proceed to the entrance and step, one at a time, inside the screening encloser for your bio-scans to confirm your identity.”

  They followed the marked path from the courtyard to the entrance. Just in front of the sealed doors was a clear subentry. The screening enclosure would only fit one of them at a time. Kaede’s brows rose at the security measures as he strode to the enclosure. Quite a bit of money had gone into the facility. Typically, such tech was reserved for the dome-city’s armory and in the shipyards with access to the Agraadax fleet ships.

  It seemed out of place.

  It made him all the more certain that there was more than just genetic work and insemination going on there. While the Intergalactic Council had been looking for the facility that caused planet-wide monitoring of all offplanet comms, the security measures still seemed excessive for what it was. If there was nothing going on that violated Union laws, the worst that would happen is that the breeders would be taken away and Agraadax would be fined.

  The intercom interrupted his speculations.

  “Kaede of Ogvar, please enter the screening enclosure for admittance.”

  Clenching his jaw, he didn’t look at either his mother or mate-to-be as he stepped inside. Immediately a door slid down behind him and a brilliant light issued from all four walls, encompassing him as it scanned the length of his body.

  The light terminated and the door at the other side of the enclosure chimed and slid open, revealing a cool, low-lit interior. Kaede rubbed his hands together and covertly tapped the blue ring on his hand that bore his family seal. He’d altered the ring cycles ago to connect with a lens over his left eye. Both were illegal tech smuggled onto the planet by a Vazith crew. Not even his ranik or wealth would be able to save him if he were caught with it, but he considered it worth the risk if it became necessary.

  This seemed like a more than necessary occasion.

  He inspected the anti-chamber. It reeked of sterilization chemicals and was void of any color outside of the gray metal-lined walls that stood at all sides of him.

  “Welcome, Kaede of Ogvar. Thank you for your patronage of our facility. The Vereik Breeding Facility is committed to providing healthy young for the continuation of your line. Please enter the waiting room and the facility director will be with you shortly.”

  A wall disappeared, leading into another nondescript room. He glanced at the benches that stretched along the wall and turned away from them. He was far more interested in recording everything visible, as little as there was. Just behind him, he could hear the excited murmurs of Ayaa and his mother.

  A wiry male approaching his third zenith, a marked occasion of an Agraak’s life every thirty revolutions, stepped toward him. He held a datapad in one hand, tucked against his chest, where Kaede had no hope of getting even the slightest glimpse of its screen. The male bowed low to them and gave them a hospitable smile.

  “Welcome! I am Director Voga. My apologies for all the security measures. We’ve had to do significant upgrades since the... incident. I take it that this is your first visit to our facility?”

  “Yes, it is, but certainly not the last,” Imasala trilled. Ayaa giggled beside her.

  Voga laughed, his spines puffing out with amusement as he regarded the females.

  “No, I imagine not! We do often get repeat visits from our most discerning clients. You understand that the breed leasing is not by any means cheap, which discourages common clients from investing in more than one attempt, but it includes full-term care of the egg, careful monitoring, and all vaccinations for the hatchling. We even offer the chance for males to indulge in the hunt to make the breeding experience as enjoyable as possible.”

  Kaede blanched at the thought but his mother rushed to agree that it was exactly the experience they were looking for. The hunt, which was a traditional mating rite, was believed to provide the most optimal release of a male’s seed so that the first breeding would be most likely to be fruitful. It was aggressive and often volatile in nature. Agraak females expected such a hunt, had thick hides to protect them, and spent cycles preparing for it.

  To inflict it upon soft-skinned human females was beyond horrific.

  The director seemed to misunderstand Kaede’s discomfort because he chuckled and set a kindly claw on his shoulder.

  “Don’t worry. We provide private corridors with all recording feeds stopped for the duration of the hunt so you may exercise your pleasure in complete privacy. We are committed to the comfort of our clients. We only ask that you sign a form stating that you will not cause any irreversible disfigurement or injuries to the female you select. If any such injuries are sustained, you would be bound to compensate the facility for the loss. We did have an unfortunate situation with one of our early clients who came close to killing his breeder in his frenzy. Oh, she survived and bore a healthy hatchling, but the scarring was quite unfortunate and lasting, I’m afraid. We were forced to terminate the poor thing when she failed to be useful for further breedings.”

  Kaede swallowed the bile that rose in his throat and forced a smile.

  “Excellent. I’m grateful that you understand that discretion and privacy are of the utmost importance to males of the esteemed raniks. I will settle for nothing less.”

  “Of course, of course,” the director agreed. “Now, if you will follow me, I will give you a tour of our facilities before you select your breeder female.”

  Kaede trailed behind as Voga strolled down the nearest corridor, Imasala and Ayaa on either side of him, utterly entranced as they asked questions. Kaede was happy to be momentarily forgotten. It allowed him a more unobstructed view as they traveled deep
er into the facility.

  At last they stopped before a long transparent wall and he was able to see numerous eggs incubating. There were dozens in various stages of development. For as many eggs as were present, there was no possibility that there were that many humans being held. He shifted closer.

  “Are all of these from this breeding facility?”

  “They are! As I’m sure you are aware, we are the only breeding facility on Agraadax. Each egg is marked with our lab code, the breeder’s identification number, and batch number.”

  “Batch number?”

  “Yes. That egg there in the third row, fifth in, is nearing its hatching date. That was gestated by the same female who carried the fifth egg in row fifteen.”

  Kaede quelled the urge to step back from the window in dismay.

  “Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t females usually require a full revolution between gestating?”

  The director waved his concern aside.

  “Normally, yes. It is best for the health of an Agraak mother and she will not even release eggs until that period has lapsed. Human females will continue to produce eggs within a cycle after we collect the egg. Because of high demand, we automatically register them as available breeders the moment they begin ovulating again. Depending on the interest of breeders, some females get a longer break than others.”

  “Amazing,” Imasala murmured as she peered at the eggs. “These human beasts are certainly worth their price if they have such strong constitutions.”

  “They are amazing specimens,” the director agreed with a grin. “Come along. The next room is where our hatchlings are cared for and then we can move on to selection.”

  “Splendid!” Ayaa proclaimed gleefully.

  The hatchling room seemed the least normal for a hatching room. It was a long room with several cubicles that provided a space just big enough for a nest containing a single hatchling. All except the nest at the furthest left-hand side. It, remarkably, had a pair of hatchlings curled around each other. Twin hatchlings were so rare and so seldom survived that it was less than a one in a hundred chance. The pair seemed healthy and calm. The director noted the direction of his gaze and beamed.

  “Amazing, are they not? They are both females and in perfect health. The breeder that bore them has given two sets of twin hatchlings. She is a popular breeder. Even her singular offspring tend to be robust.”

  “Is she currently available?” Imasala asked. She turned to Ayaa, noting the doubtful look on the other female’s face. “Think of it, you would be one of the most envied females among the houses of the great park!”

  Ayaa brightened at the prospect. Kaede held back a sneer. If his mother had her way, he’d be leashed forever to a female who saw hatchlings are tools for social mobility and nothing more.

  Kaede turned away to look again at the hatchlings curled in their nests, their limbs all perfect and in an array of hues of green, a number of them vibrant emerald and fine jade. Even the darkest and swarthiest among them were beautiful. His throat closed with emotion as he looked upon them, helpless and innocent. His heart felt heavy as he stared on them. It wasn’t until his mother called his name with an impatient snap that he was torn away from his watch.

  “Kaede, I’ve been trying to get your attention. Come along. The director is going to show us the females. He said he will give us the option of the twin bearing mother as she is currently not leased. Hurry up.”

  “You are most fortunate. We are currently prepping a female for the hunt. Our client had considered the female that you are interested in, but he was captivated by another female. It happens that way sometimes. A male’s instincts to possess are hard to ignore,” he said with a chuckle.

  As they passed a dark door, Kaede shuddered. He had no doubt where that door led when he heard the rattling shriek of an Agraak male in the full flush of the mating hunt and the helpless screams of a female running terrified. The director smiled in the direction of the door as a long wail echoed from the room accompanied by the harsh sounds of a rutting male culminating in his bellow.

  “Ah, another success,” Voga murmured as he walked away.

  Kaede wanted more than ever to leave at that moment. His frame vibrated with displeasure as disgust turned thick in his belly. It suddenly amplified when he noticed the look of desire on Ayaa’s face, her delicate spines flushed nearly crimson as she fanned herself. She sidled up to him and whispered as she ran a claw over his belly.

  “I can’t wait to hear your hunt. It will promise so many intriguing things when we finally mate.”

  Kaede only just barely suppressed his shudder of revulsion as she walked past him, leaving him to catch up. He stood there, struggling with what he heard. What he still heard. He could hear the cries of the injured female and knew that they would haunt him.

  Chapter 3

  They arrived at a heavy door at the end of the hallway with an access bio-signature pad and ocular scan. The director excused himself and stepped forward, resting his brow on the marked spot as he placed his hand on the pad. A laser scan initiated and concluded with a quick flash of light. The door chimed and slid open to reveal another long hallway, this one with a series of small rooms that dotted its length.

  For each room, three of its walls were solid metal while the fourth was a transparent barrier forcefield allowing no privacy for its sole occupant. As they walked down the hall, frightened females scurried back into the recesses of their rooms, their eyes watching them with open terror as they passed.

  The rooms seemed sterile and the humans appeared clean and fed, but they made a pitiful sight. Their hair hung in tangled masses as if they had stopped bothering to groom themselves and more than one appeared to be refusing food, uneaten nutrition bars visible in troughs that had been pushed into the room. The hopelessness exuded hung heavy in the air. It was worse in rooms that held females who didn’t react at all. They stared vacantly from where they sat, rocking or trembling, sometimes their lips moving in silent utterings.

  Finally, they arrived at a room close to the end of the hallway when the director stopped and turned to face the cell. The female within was taller than many of the others with long, dark yellow hair that fell in mats around her shoulders. She froze like prey, her entire body trembling. Gray eyes watched them warily and yet contained within them a spark of defiance that hadn’t yet disappeared.

  The director swept an arm out proudly.

  “Here she is, the pride of our facility. Specimen Breeder H2-9. We’ve harvested eight successful eggs from her in the five revolutions since we’ve had her. About a quarter of them bearing twin hatchlings. We offer one breeding hunt at twenty-five thousand credits.”

  “That is a lot,” Ayaa said sourly.

  Voga smiled reassuringly. “I understand that it sounds expensive, but there are many costs that go into preparing for hatchlings and we do all the medical care during the gravid period. The funds we request cover the necessary procedures so that your family will receive a healthy hatchling.”

  “I don’t suppose you have any less expensive breeders available?” she asked.

  “Don’t be so hasty,” Imasala broke in. “This one appears far healthier than the others. It is better to spend credits for a good breeder who will bear strong hatchlings than something inferior.”

  “My thoughts exactly,” the director agreed with a grandfatherly smile.

  Kaede watched as his mother wrapped an arm around the other female and whispered a few encouraging words that seemed to improve her mood. He had no idea what his mother promised, but it was apparent that she was determined to get her way because Ayaa nodded in agreement.

  The director raised an inquiring brow at Kaede. Resisting the urge to bare his teeth, Kaede nodded his assent. He wasn’t going through with the charade. He wouldn’t touch the female, but he would get the necessary documentation and pull off this performance so as not to rouse anyone suspicions. As much as he hated terrorizing any of the females, she appeared strong
er than the others.

  As if to confirm that thought, the feeding trough sailed through the air and snapped against the forcefield with a loud crack, sending out sparks of energy. The female stood a short distance away, her chest heaving from both the exertion and her obvious ire. Kaede admired her strength. Perhaps she would understand what he was trying to accomplish and the whole episode wouldn’t be too traumatic for her.

  With his approval, their party, at the director’s lead, left the breeders containment zone, the door sliding shut behind them with a loud click as it locked and sealed. Voga tapped at his datapad without glancing up for several minutes.

  “The transfer team will be moving H2-9 into the hunt corridor. If you will follow me, we will get you changed into the appropriate garments, as I imagine you don’t want your dupar soiled with blood and fluids. The females will wait for you in reception.”

  Ayaa made a sound of dismay but Kaede was nearing the end of his patience. Turning a steely look on her, he waited until she acquiesced to the director’s instructions. He didn’t move from his spot until both females disappeared from sight. Only then did he follow Voga into a smaller room to the left of the area partitioned off for the hunt.

  Left alone to change, with instructions to exit through the doorway at the other end of the room to activate the hunt, Kaede stared down at the short rust-colored dupar he was given. The fabric smelled of cleanser and the faded aroma of blood. He spoke aloud in a quiet voice for the benefit of his recording as if musing to himself as he changed his attire.

  His tail clutched tighter around his hips in a rare show of discomfort as he approached the opposite doorway. He couldn’t help the way his spines rattled as he heard, even from where he stood, the angry screams of the female as she was deposited in the hunting ground.

  Steeling his resolve, he stepped forward and the door slid open in front of him, revealing a dark, narrow hall. The female had been released ahead of him and Kaede could smell her clearly from where he stood as he entered the grounds. He didn’t twitch as the door slid closed behind him, locking him in with the human.