Page 44 of Alien Barbarian's Little Human

I turn to see several of my fellow Ishani gathered together, looking grave.

“What is it, my brothers?”

“We would speak with you.”

His eyes dart to Chloe, and then back to me.

“In private.”

“Anything you wish to say to me, you may say in front of her,” I growl, thrusting my chin out in defiance.

“V, it’s all right,” Chloe says, squeezing my arm. “Go talk to your people. I need to file a report with my CO anyway about today’s debacle. I’m not looking forward to the response, quite honestly.”

She leaves me, and I go to my people. These are all elder Ishani, whose age and wisdom puts them in high societal esteem. Higher even than myself.

“Walk with us, Varona,” says Bedal, the leader of the elders.

“Or should we call you V?” quips someone whose identity I can’t quite catch.

Bedal glares at the apparent speaker, then turns and leads me away from the chamber. We walk along the circular deck which runs the circumference of the dome. The smell of fragrant blossoms reaches my nostrils as we reach a hanging garden.

“I imagine you know what it is we wish to discuss?” Bedal says.

“You want to discuss my relationship with Chloe, my jalshagar.”

His face twists into disgust.

“One of…them cannot be your jalshagar. Our scholars say it is impossible.”

“I rather think it is possible. I know what’s in my heart and soul, and what’s inside of hers. You will not convince me otherwise, brother.”

Bedal leans on the railing and sighs.

“What I do or do not believe, or what you do or do not believe, are less consequential than you might imagine. The fact of the matter is, the Ataxians are right. It is a conflict of interest for you to be involved with the human woman.”

I shake my head vehemently.

“I rather think not. Our people have no intention of ever signing a treaty with the IHC, or anyone else for that matter. Therefore, there is no conflict of interest since she has impossible goals.”

“It’s not about possibility, Varona, but about perception.” Bedal gestures at the city below, now teeming with almost as many non-natives as Ishani. “The whole mess of races, governments, and religions is a star set to go supernova. Our only hope of maintaining calm is to keep up the perception of neutrality. It is for that very perception that you must leave her, my brother.”

My heart feels as if it’s been stung by a poison thorn at just the thought of losing Chloe.

“No. Never!”

Before I know what I am doing, I cross the few feet between myself and Bedal and grab him by the lapels of his robes. He gasps as I physically lift him off the ground.

“You will not take Chloe from me! She is mine! Must I throttle you to make you understand?”

The harshness of my voice is like blades on my eardrums. I gasp, looking around at the shocked faces of my brothers. Bedal doesn’t seem frightened, merely surprised. And sad.

“You see, brother?” he says quietly. “This is why you must leave her. Her crude human ways have already begun to corrupt you.”

“No.” I put him down swiftly, and beg forgiveness. “I’m sorry, Bedal. I don’t know what came over me. It won’t happen again.”

He straightens his garment and sighs.

“I’m afraid you’re not the only Ishani to temporarily lose self control, Varona. It has been happening all over the planet, in ways both large and small. One of our councilors struck another Ishani this morning over a dispute over data files. Data files, Varona.”

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