Page 86 of Stranded with the Alien

“Kara.” Vahn interrupted her gently. “Why would I lie to you? After all we have been through, do you honestly believe I would make this up?”

He can’t be right. He can’t be.She took a deep breath.

“When was this supposed peace offer made?”

“About a year ago. Vraxos declared a temporary ceasefire and sent a message through diplomatic channels to the Presidential Office.”

A year ago. Kara tried to think back. Her mother had just completed her first term and was looking for a second. She had been counting on the war and the wave of patriotic fervor it stoked to secure her re-election.

A cold chill worked its way down her spine.

Was it possible, was it even fuckingconceivable, that her mother had deliberately sabotaged a peace deal in order to retain power?

She didn’t want to believe it.

But the thing was – the chill intensified – the thing was, therehadbeen a temporary ceasefire. It had lasted forty-eight hours. She remembered it.

The Vraxians had laid down their arms and for a brief time there was a lull in fighting. But her mother had declared it an alien ruse to allow the enemy to regroup. She ordered the SDF to resume their attacks.

Kara wanted to vomit.

She struggled out of Vahn’s embrace and walked out of the tent. Vahn followed but didn’t say anything, simply watched as she paced with her arms folded.

“So what’s your plan?” she asked abruptly, wheeling round to face him.

“When we return to our respective homes, we advocate for peace. You speak to your mother. I will speak to the Zhaal. We will use whatever influence we have to get both parties to the table.”

“My mother won’t listen to me.”

“Then you make her. You speak to her advisors, you speak to the Parliament, you do whatever it takes. You have influence, Kara. You are the President’s daughter and a respected soldier. People will listen to you.”

Kara nodded slowly.

“If I tell her I know about the peace deal, that she turned down the chance to end the war, she might listen. She wouldn’t want that to go public. What about you? Are you close enough to the Emperor to convince him to listen?”

A fleeting expression crossed Vahn’s face, one she couldn’t decipher.

“I pray so. I will try.”

She put her arms round Vahn’s waist and laid her head on his chest.

“We’ll both try. For the good of both our worlds.”

She was a little drowsy now, a side effect of thearak. He picked her up and carried her into the tent, laying her down among the furs.

“Get some rest,” he told her.

He started to leave but she caught his hand.

“Hey. Just now. You called mekalehshaagain.”

Vahn cursed himself.

“What of it?”

“You said before it was a term of affection. But my microbes are translating it as something else. Something difficult to define. I think ‘soul-mate’ is the closest thing we have on Earth. Why did you call me that?”

She waited for an answer. Vahn hesitated.

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