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someone who makes their persistence known. I have no idea what that is like.” She snorted and ate a fruit cup. As each piece of fruit came apart in her mouth, she closed her eyes to enjoy the bright flavours and the fresh taste.
    “Yes, but you are responsive while I was not. It is a different thing.”
    She paused with a piece of toast halfway to her mouth. “I was responsive?”
    He tapped his nose. “Some of your ancestors were of the pheromone-sensing variety. You send off receptive chemicals every time I flirt with you.”
    She blinked and her cheeks went scarlet. “Ah, well that is news to me.”
    “I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.” He finished the food on his plate and pushed it aside as he sipped at his tea.
    “Thanks for that.” She chuckled and finished all the small portions she had piled on her tray before turning to the tea and caf.
    When she sat back and smiled, he grinned. “I wasn’t sure you could finish all that.”
    “I don’t waste fresh food. It is far too rare for me. Living on rations and occasional salads gives you an appreciation for fresh fruit.” She wiped her fingers and lips on a napkin and got up to dispose of the tray.
    He was behind her in an instant. “So, now, we will head up to meet Coordinator Shesali.”
    “All right. Do I need to know anything?”
    “No, but you may need to re-sign your contracts into a more legally binding format.”
    She laughed, and they hiked up the twisting steps until they reached the upper level.
    “Good morning, Trinial.” Burin nodded politely at the two-headed receptionist at the desk.
    Both heads spoke. “Good morning, Master Tracker Burin. She is waiting for you.”
    He shifted closer to Wiyra and whispered, “It’s now or never.”
    She sighed at his hesitation and led the way into the coordinator’s office, hauling him by one hand. She had never backed down from a confrontation and backing down from an orientation was not within her power.
     
     

 
     
     
    Chapter Eight
     
     
    The woman sitting at the desk had bronze and silver skin that was hard to look away from. She smiled, “Good morning, Burin. You must be Wiyra Kwinto. I am delighted that you are here.”
    Her expression was hypnotic, and Wiyra could feel her own pulse increasing in an effort to fight off the effect. “Good morning, Coordinator.”
    “Call me Shesali. Well done, by the way. There are few newcomers who can resist my particular skill.” The woman shifted her long black hair over one shoulder and gestured for Wiyra to take a seat.
    Wiyra looked to Burin, but he was staring forward, fixed and blank. She nudged him into a chair and gripped his hand, reaching into him with a piece of her astral form. He jerked upright in a moment.
    Shesali smiled again. “Well done, Wiyra. I normally put on a hood when meeting with staff members, but I was told you have some Mah-Duh-Sai blood, and I was counting on you to have some resistance.”
    “You are correct.”
    “I am also impressed that you are able to share your resistance. What are you doing to him?”
    Wiyra blinked at Burin’s curious features. “I am using my astral form to spur his instincts into thinking I am invading. Your kind can be put off if there is enough of a prey response triggered. The adrenaline and enhanced reaction times counteract the thrall.”
    Shesali clapped. “Wonderful. You’re definitely a coup for this base. Now, what do you want your skills to be used for?”
    Wiyra kept her hand woven with Burin’s. “To date, I have been using my astral form to check mineral content and work on personnel retrievals. They are usually upset by my first contact, but they calm down when I am able to run communications from the surface to the collapse.”
    “Excellent. Can you take control if you are within a body?”
    “No.” She scowled at the thought.
    “But you can communicate?” Shesali’s brows drew together.
    Wiyra left her body and walked over to the coordinator. She stuck