Chapter 2

"McQueen to Threv."

Again, there was no response from the communicator.

"McQueen to Base."

Nothing but static.

"I don't understand," said McQueen. "What could possibly be interfering with comms?"

The survey party had noticed that Guardsman Threv was missing several minutes ago. The young Andorian was normally so quiet, it was difficult to tell how long he'd been gone.

"Commander," Hafeez said, approaching McQueen. "There's a river running through the forest, right?"

McQueen nodded. "Yeah."

"That river flows from the mountains down to here," Hafeez continued. "It's possible there are traces of kelbonite in the water from the mountains…"

"And the trees are drinking up that water," McQueen said, rolling her head back in exasperation.

"There might be small amounts in the trees," said Hafeez. "Not enough to interfere with scans, but maybe communications."

Major Kimura now turned to face them, holding his MACO-issue scanner. "I wouldn't be so sure that sensors are immune, Lieutenant. I can't get any readings beyond a few metres."

"Damn," said Hafeez, checking her own scanner and confirming the Major's findings. "As the trees get denser, the effect must get stronger."

Kimura had sent two of his troops to search for Threv and they had not reported back. He took out his communicator and flipped it open. As he called his fellow MACOs, he was met with the same static and lack of response that McQueen had encountered.

"Could some of the wildlife have got them?" Hafeez asked with dread.

"Unlikely," Sylor said, stepping forward. "According to the Draco, there are no large predatory animals on Berengaria Seven that would pose a threat to humanoids."

"Yeah, but I don't imagine that the Draco can fit through these trees," Hafeez retorted. "There could be all sorts of lifeforms in here they don't know about."

"Their young would be small enough to navigate the forest," said Sylor. "But, I concede your point."

"Okay," said McQueen. "We need to get out of the woods and contact the base. They can send a better equipped search party for Threv and the others. Gather up your gear, everyone. Then we'll pair everyone into buddies; watch each other's backs as we make our way out."

She looked into the endless trees.

"This is new ground. We don't know what's out there."

Ambassador Mamao'lani went over his notes with his attaché in the Shuttlepod Hangar. The conferences with Caeldon were few and far between, so he liked to cover as many points as possible.

He had helped United Earth to establish a formal understanding with the Draco over the last two weeks. While the Draco had no official government, all parties were happy to accept Caeldon as a representative of her species for the time being. Through her, Mamao'lani hoped to eventually establish a dialogue with other clans and come to similar arrangements. So far, things had been going well with the Redscale clan.

He had some concerns about today's meeting, however.

The focus of those concerns now approached him. "Well, what are we waiting for?" said Supervisor Grum haughtily, as if unaware he was the only absent member of the party.

Mamao'lani turned to look down at the short Tellarite. He was aware of Grum's species' unique approach to diplomacy, and feared that it may negatively impact Earth's relationship with the Draco that he had so carefully worked towards.

"Supervisor," he said, smiling as if his worries did not exist. "I hope you've been thinking about what I said last time we spoke. About taking a delicate approach to negotiations?"

Grum tilted his head back to look up at the Human. "Hmph. Don't worry, Ambassador, my superiors in the Space Administration have instructed me to follow your lead. Seems they're afraid of upsetting the Draco or your people. This Coalition's made them soft, if you ask me."

Mamao'lani was somewhat relieved to learn that Grum had essentially been ordered to behave himself. "Well, we all rely on such alliances. Earth is also invested in this mining deal, remember."

Grum shook his head, making his bushy beard quiver. "What an overly-complicated web of fragile promises."

"That's politics, Supervisor," Mamao'lani said with a grin.

Threv tried to slow his breathing.

He had lost track of how long he had been wandering alone in the forest - every time he looked at his wrist chronometer, he had trouble remembering the display's readout just a few seconds later.

It must be the panic and the heat getting to him, he decided. The air was much closer in the woods and, although the Humans and Sylor still complained about it being cold, it was much warmer than Andorian comfort levels.

He wiped the sweat from his brow and around his antennae and chastised himself for stupidly leaving the group. He stopped to lean against a tree and removed the canteen from his belt, taking a sip of its water. It was warm and slightly metallic. He wondered if he had enough of it to last until he was rescued. His communicator and scanner seemed to be useless; it would likely be the same for anyone sent after him. His heart started to quicken at the thought.

Even if he was rescued, he'd be a laughing stock. This would surely get back to the Imperial Guard, and it would be the perfect excuse for them to reprimand him, maybe even drum him out of the service entirely.

Not to mention what it would do to his bondmates' opinion of him. Azhri was kind to him, even after he had admitted his previous panic attacks in battle, but there was only so far her pity would stretch. Sherene and Chalmos would surely see it as the final breaking point in their already tenuous relationship with him.

His heart thumped in his chest as if trying to escape, and he gasped for air. He doubled over, focusing on the grassy ground as he tried to get himself under control again.

"Threv…"

A voice spoke his name and snapped him into an alert stance. He pointed his phase rifle at the voice's source, only to discover, to his complete surprise, that there was a nude Andorian standing between two trees.

Threv blinked, as if this naked figure were a mere trick of the light, but he remained. His lack of clothing made it clear he was a chaan - one of the masculine Andorian genders - of a broad, muscular build. Threv's eyes couldn't help wandering the figure's body.

The chaan, who seemed oddly familiar to Threv, smiled at him and beckoned.

"Come on, Threv," he said. "Come this way and forget your worries."

Still stunned by the sight before him, managed to clear his throat. "I-Identify yourself," he ordered weakly, his weapon still aiming at the bare stranger.

The figure just chuckled in response and started to withdraw slowly, disappearing behind a tree.

Threv cautiously followed, his rifle clutched tightly in his hands, and now recalled where he had seen the stranger before.

When Threv was a teenager, this individual had been on some of the recruitment literature for the Imperial Guard. Threv had spent many hours poring over those materials, idolising the soldiers within, but especially the one he now pursued.

With a twinge of embarrassment, Threv also recalled that he was often prone to amorous fantasies regarding this figure.

He hadn't thought about that in years, but now that same object of his pubescent cravings was here with him, on a planet over a hundred light-years from Andoria? It was astronomically unlikely.

Wasn't it?

As Threv approached the tree behind which the figure had vanished, his mind became clouded, and his doubts started to dwindle. All he could think about was getting his hands on the chaan's beautiful body; all thoughts of fleeing the forest gone.

He rounded the tree to find a decidedly unattractive sight: What must have been thousands of the insects from earlier swarming over a cluster of the weeper plants growing on the thick tree.

While they had previously avoided humanoid contact, the sheer number of them here meant that they could not help flying into him. They clouded the air, their buzzing droning loudly in his ears, and he could feel their tiny legs crawling over his skin.

He swatted at them and instinctively spat, feeling as though they were invading his mouth. He rapidly backpedalled, then started to run in the opposite direction, screaming and swiping at the bugs.

When they eventually deserted him, he panted for breath again, and realised he was now in a completely different part of the woods. Or maybe it was the same part; it all looked identical. But he now had no way of knowing if he was facing the same way as he had been heading before.

He looked back the way he came and pondered about the mysterious nude Andorian, who was now nowhere to be seen.