Page 85 of Stranded with the Alien

“About being rescued. I’ve been praying to leave this crappy planet but then I realized I wouldn’t be withyouany more. I’m going to miss seeing your weird face every day.”

Vahn kept his expression impassive.

“Weird?”

“Bumpy.” She gestured vaguely at his head. “Bony.”

“To me,youare the one who looks weird, human. Like uncooked dough. Raw and formless.” She giggled and he raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps I overdid thearak.”

“If you’d overdone it, I’d be dead. Anyway, Ilikeyour bumpy head.”

“And I like your smooth one.”

He pressed his forehead to hers and she looped her hands around his neck.

“I can’t believe just a few weeks ago we were trying to kill each other.”

“It seems like another life.”

“The thing is…” she hesitated, then continued more slowly, trying to put her thoughts in order. “The thing is, when we eventually get off this planet, I don’t think I’ll be able to go back to being a soldier.”

Vahn tightened his arms around her.

“I have been thinking the same thing. When we leave here, we will be expected to go straight back into war. Yet my heart shall not be in it.”

“Mine neither. The thought of maybe facing you on the battlefield…” Her voice choked and he pressed his lips to her head.

“I know.”

“But what choice do we have? If we tell people that we… what did here, how we lived, they’ll lock us up. They’ll think we’ve betrayed them, or gone mad. But the thought of pretending to hate all Vraxians… it’s unbearable.”

Vahn was quiet for some time.

“Perhaps there is an alternative,” he said eventually. “But it will not be easy.”

“I’m listening.”

“Your mother is the Earth’s President. And I… I have access to the Vraxian Zhaal.”

“Access?”

“I am sort of an unofficial advisor. I have his ear.”

Kara sat up straighter.

“You never told me that before.”

“It was not relevant before. And in truth, of late I have been regretting some of the advice I have given him.”

“Such as?”

Vahn hesitated.

“When our overtures for peace were rejected by Earth, I told Zhaal Qu’rash to redouble the war effort. Make humans regret their decision. I was angry after my brother’s death.”

She bristled immediately.

“I told you before, there’s never been any offer of peace from Vraxos. My mother…”

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