Page 71 of Dark Princess Emerging
After she'd compelled him to eat dirt, he shouldn't have the best opinion about her.
"Come in, Pavel," Peter called out.
"Did you invite him to come?" Jade asked.
He nodded. "Pavel is going out on the first Avenger mission. I wanted his opinion on Drova."
When Pavel entered, he took up a position near Drova but maintained a professional distance, or maybe he was just still wary of her.
"Hi," he said to her.
To Peter's surprise, the girl blushed and smiled. "Hi."
"I invited you to hear your opinion of Drova," Peter said. "Onegus and Kian think that her compulsion ability might be useful on our missions because we suspect Doomers are involved in this vile trade. Personally, I think she is much too young and lacks experience."
Hopefully, the young Kra-ell would understand what Peter wanted him to say and not try to be a wise guy.
"Drova is one of the best fighters I've ever trained with," Pavel said. "She was trained by Jade since she was old enough to hold a stick, and her combat skills are exceptional, even by Kra-ell standards. I have no problem with her joining our team."
Damn. That wasn't what Peter had wanted him to say.
"Combat skills aren't the issue." Peter shifted on the desk. "This isn't just about fighting ability. We're going to be dealing with situations that would challenge even experienced warriors psychologically, and Drova has lived a sheltered life. I know it wasn't easy in Igor's compound, but as his daughter, I'm sure she didn't suffer as much as the others."
"I didn't get any preferential treatment, sir," Drova interjected. "I'm tough, and I can handle myself."
Peter studied her for a moment. The girl had spirit. He'd give her that. But spirit without discipline was dangerous. "You lack thediscipline this kind of work requires. I cannot and will not put my team in jeopardy by adding a loose cannon to the mix."
"I'm not—" Drova started to protest, but Peter cut her off.
"You need training."
"Despite the pranks she pulled, I think that Drova has a lot of self-control, and she's a good person, and her heart is in the right place." Pavel paused. "Still, we should probably tell her what we are going up against first."
After Peter nodded, Pavel told Drova about the pedophile rings, and he didn't mince words. He gave her an unedited version that would have turned the stomachs of most adults.
At first, Drova's eyes flashed red, and then her fangs elongated. "I'll tear them apart with my bare fangs and drain their blood."
The vehemence in her voice was scary, and everyone in the room, save for Jade and Pavel, was taken aback.
Jade beamed with pride, and Pavel smiled as if his best friend had just proven herself to be a badass.
Well, she had.
These Kra-ell were wonderfully vicious, which made them the perfect Avengers. Perhaps Peter needed to rethink future team compositions and make them mostly Kra-ell.
"I appreciate the sentiment," he said. "Still, Tuesday's operation is too soon. Everyone on the team knows their roles, their positions, and their responsibilities. I can't introduce a new variable at this stage."
"What if she observes only?" Kian suggested. "No direct involvement, just surveillance from a safe distance, let's say, thesurveillance equipment van. It would give her a chance to see how the team operates, expose her to the filth, and give you a chance to evaluate her potential under real conditions."
Peter considered this. Having Drova observe wouldn't compromise the operation, and it would give him a chance to see how she handled herself in a high-stress situation, even if it was from a distance.
"She would need a Guardian to watch over her and ensure she stays in position and doesn't try to involve herself if things go wrong."
"I'll do it," Pavel volunteered.
"No." Peter shook his head. "You're needed on the perimeter team. The Guardian manning the surveillance will suffice."
"I don't need a babysitter," Drova protested.