Page 11 of Alien Rescue

“Never, my leader,” Zanr said. He did not wish this knowledge on his fellow warriors.

Zacar nodded. “We have been aware for some time that a small number of Zyrgins are working with these foreign agents against the empire. They have sabotaged supplies and blown up factories on some of our colonies. They are even targeting our eternal flames.”

Zanr sucked in a breath. No matter how many times he heard it, he just couldn’t believe the empire could be vulnerable to terrorists. No one would ever dare betray the Parenadorz. “Zyrgins are loyal,” he said, knowing he sounded naïve.

“We believe the terrorist cell got to several of our people.” Zurian turned his back on the live feed of the protesting humans. “Maybe even some of the warriors here.”

“What could they possible offer a Zyrgin to betray his world?” Zanr couldn’t hold back the question.

“That’s a very good question. And it brings us to the reason I want to involve your breeder.” Zacar stopped and clenched and unclenched his hand for a long moment. “Never did I think that I would request this of a warrior.”

With an abrupt, angry movement, Zacar brought up views of the humans they’d captured. Held in interrogation tubes, the cowards spilled every secret they knew. “We interrogated the scientists we captured and they said that after every time Parnell put her in that hole—when he took her out—they’d put her on a table in the lab until she was strong enough to be taken to her sleeping place.”

Zanr shook with rage. Rose had been naked when he found her. So weak she could barely open her eyes. He balled his fists. He would never understand how anyone could bury a female, a small female, like that. He could just imagine how vulnerable she’d felt. He’d kill each and every human who’d looked at her. Slowly. “Human males have no honor,” he spat. “It is my right to torture Parnell.”

Zurian and Zacar exchanged gazes again. “The Parenadorz has claimed that right.”

Zanr wanted to argue, but he couldn’t. What had been done to the Parenadorz’s breeder was horrendous. He should have the right of the torture. Zanr had seen the Parenadorz’s breeder when they rescued her from the camps. He couldn’t understand how anyone could treat a female like that. That did not stop Zanr from wishing he could have a day or two with the woumber. “Humans are barbaric, treating their females like that.”

“I agree. Their savagery never ceases to amaze me,” Zacar said.

“But you want to send my breeder into danger?”

Zurian held up a hand. “We would never put your female in danger. According to the scientists and agents we interrogated, she is an agent, as well. We are dealing with two problems. The first is that several months before we destroyed that building, five scientists stole advanced weapons from the human Golden Age and disappeared with them.”

“What is our second problem?”

“We have proof that someone stowed away on board the latest supply ship. He disappeared and we cannot trace him with the DNA scanner,” Zacar said. “He was briefly scanned by the onboard scanner before it ceased to function. From the brief data the scanner collected, we could determine that he isn’t Zyrgin.”

Zanr noticed that Zacar didn’t tell him the origin of the stowaway. So much for trust.

Zanr stared at his leader. “How is that possible?” The DNA scanner was one of their most advanced pieces of equipment. With it they could find anything.

Zacar nodded, the motion looking odd on a Zyrgin. “The stowaway must have a way to block the scans and the probes. We believe he made contact with our technicians on Zyrgin and they provided him with a way to block our scans.”

“Our scientists would dare betray us?” Zanr said, outraged. He was beginning to sound like an idiot. But betrayal of the empire was unheard of. He could never accept such a thing.

Again, he noticed Zacar and Zurian exchange meaningful glances. “We believe he is hiding himself and the five human scientists from us.”

Zanr rocked back on his heels. As a bloodless, he didn’t have the knowledge of his ancestors in his head, but he’d always believed that a Zyrgin would never act without honor.

“My breeder cannot be locked into our dwelling. She even broke into the communications room,” Zurian said suddenly.

Zanr didn’t see what that had to do with them wanting to use his breeder like a warrior or in catching the traitors. But he kept that thought to himself. Zurian had trained him when no one else were willing to even be seen with him.

“I soon realized that I would have to allow her some freedom or she would become broken and not the breeder I first claimed,” Zurian said. He came to stand in front of Zanr. “No matter what happens with this assignment, remember that. If we don’t change, we are going to be left behind.”

“A breeder has to be kept safe,” he told Zurian.

“It pains me to say this, but sometimes a breeder won’t stay safe in your dwelling. Even if you give them a small human female from their factories. Instead they insist on being by your side. Or figuring out how the door locks work,” Zurian said. He tried to sound pained, but Zanr heard the pride in his voice when he spoke of his breeder.

“I will think of this.”

“Think fast. You need to get her to tell you everything she knows and report to me the moment you have any useful information,” Zacar said.

Zanr relaxed. If they only wanted information, maybe Rose was safe. “She will not talk.” His breeder had a stubborn chin. She might be physically weak and scared, but she was stubborn. “How do you make a female talk?” If it was a male human, he’d break his bones or cut off pieces of limbs until they begged to talk. He would never do that to a female. And especially not his breeder. He didn’t have to tell Zacar and Zurian that. They’d never expect him to torture his breeder.

“You will try. Report back to me here, with or without the information,” Zacar said.

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