Page 56 of The Alien's Major Dilemma

Cooper shifted and Marissa could tell he wanted to protest but waited.

"The second is to offer my services, and those of several others in my calling, to help those who have been abused by their captors. I understand there was an attack earlier by someone who may have been compromised by one of the other factions. I could help identify how they were compromised and, though I hate to promise, might be able to figure out who."

"And what are your conditions for this help?"

"Something I think aligns with your own goals," Ae-cha said. "It's simple enough and with the information we'll be providing you and the technology from your new allies, I honestly don't think it will be much of an imposition."

"They can't help you break into the systems on my ship," Cooper said, his voice cold enough that Marissa was surprised frost didn't form on the desk.

Ae-cha waved a hand in dismissal. "We have no need of their help for that. There's so much of your bio waste in our cells, we'll be able to get through your locks soon enough."

Marissa had to make an effort to stop grinding her teeth. She hadn't liked Ae-cha from the beginning but the attitude was starting to annoy her.

"You're holding my property hostage for what?" she asked. "Because the things that are in the ship that aren't Cooper's belong to me or the Orvax. I imagine the Orvax are going to want their communicator back."

"We're willing to return it to you once our concessions are met," Ae-cha said. "If the Orvax don't want to wait for youto agree to our conditions, they're welcome to open their own negotiations."

"And those are?" the Base Commander asked.

"Nothing, really," Ae-cha said. "Honestly, some of your people are already helping with this. It would just be an official backing at this point, maybe with a few more resources, a more coordinated plan."

I don't like the way she's dancing around this,Marissa told Cooper.

I don't either.

"Anything official beyond immediate needs like food, water, hygiene, will have to go through official channels," the Base Commander said.

"Your assistance in getting the official authorization, then," Ae-cha conceded. "Though I don't think it's going to take much once we've made official contact through our ambassadors. And I do need to make sure that we're the first enclave to make official contact."

"I think you might have someone who's working a little ahead of you," the Commander said with a nod to Zoric.

"Oh, I have no doubt they're working to make contact but we've had ambassadors ready to present themselves since the moment the Orvax made official contact. It'll only take a phone call to let your people know that mine are friendly. Most of the other enclaves aren't and have proven it by conducting raids on human settlements for centuries."

"And what do you want from us once you've proven your friendly?" the Base Commander asked, his tone showing how frayed his patience was getting.

"Help us destroy the other enclaves."

"No." Zoric leaped from his chair.

Chapter 24

Cooper wasn't surprised by the demand but it did make him sigh. Old feuds died hard, it seemed, even centuries later on an alien planet.

"Not all of them, of course," Ae-cha said. "There are some who have done their best to leave the humans alone and keep to themselves. I think most of them would be willing to discuss terms to be left alone rather than fight."

"And yet you've still attacked them when you wanted something," Zoric said. "You might have partnered with the humans to rescue some of their women but only as an excuse to raid your rivals."

"The Dragor are dangerous and must be kept in check," Ae-cha snapped. "Any enclave harboring one is suspect."

"Harboring?" Zoric's anger was turning him colors Cooper hadn't thought Chelion could turn. "Enslaved to, maybe, terrorized, controlled."

"Hardly," Ae-cha scoffed. "Tell yourselves what you want but there are more of us than there are of them. If you'd wanted to get rid of the Dragor, you would have ages ago."

"While all of this is very interesting," Cooper broke in. "And I am very eager to hear all about how you came to be at this point. I think it would be prudent to point out that kidnapping a Marine, who also happens to be my mate, doesn't exactly put you in the best position to demand much of anything from the people who rescued said Marine."

"You're the one who kidnapped her," Ae-cha told him. "We rescued her from you and tried to remove the hold you had on her before returning her to her people."

"Something which, if you've listened to Zoric, could have resulted in her death," Cooper said. "I think you're less righteous than you'd like to think and more looking at attempted murder."

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