Page 8 of Her Alien Soldier
Xarek nodded. “You must see all kinds coming through here.”
The Bellarian signaled for a drink, then smiled at the bartender as he set it in front of him. While not as massive as his own powerfully-built people, the Bellarians were still much taller than most races. Shades of green for their skin, which had an almost scaled texture to it. This one had dark blue hair in long braids.
“I do,” the Bellarian said with a nod. “One of the best places to play. We have a contract to play here three times a week.”
“Steady work for a musician. Must be a rare thing,” Xarek said, and the Bellarian grunted, nodding.
“So you heard us. Any opinions?”
“Your band is good. One of the few I have not wanted to throttle since I arrived,” Xarek said, and the Bellarian laughed before taking a drink.
“High praise. Thank you,” he said, and Xarek grunted before taking a gulp of his ale. The doors to the bar opened, and he was annoyed when it was not a Paraxian or Maggie.
“Waiting for someone?” the Bellarian asked, and Xarek turned his gaze to him.
“Why do you ask?” he muttered, suspicion rising immediately. The Redlians, their enemy, had agents everywhere. What if this one was one of them, ready to send word back to his employers that an Altarian was here, waiting, meeting with a Paraxian?
They would be forewarned that his people might finally have an advantage of some sort. It would ruin everything.
“I’ve seen you in here multiple times now. You almost always watch the door. Unless the dark-haired bartender is here.”
Xarek didn’t respond to that, taking a drink of his ale instead. “I am here recovering from injuries,” he finally muttered. “And I have mostly forgotten how to relax, so it makes me restless.” It was true enough.
“Your war continues, then?” the Bellarian asked, and Xarek shot a look in his direction.
“It does. What do you know of it?”
“I know that my people have been in talks for years about whether they should help yours. Bellari is the closest planet in this quadrant to yours. A good number of us believe that the Redlians won’t be fully satisfied after eradicating everyone in your quadrant. They will move on to this quadrant next.”
He was not wrong, on either count. They had been in talks with Bellarian leadership for quite a long time. He did not begrudge them their caution. It was a decision that would affect their people for a long time, and Bellarians would lose their lives.
They were the only ones in this quadrant who had even entered into talks with his people. Everyone else, he assumed, felt secure in the distance between them, secure in the fact that the Paraxians had, not yet, at least, developed the same travel methods as his own people.
He was also not wrong about the fact that if Maggie was there, his attention was on the happy, curvy, stunning human probably far more than it should be.
“I was not aware the Bellarian government had shared that information with the public.”
“They haven’t. Their operatives know, though,” the Bellarian said.
“And what else do their operatives know?”
The Bellarian smirked, giving Xarek a nod. “Word is, their operatives know that a Paraxian caused quite a bit of technological damage getting in and out of Redlian high command before disappearing, untraceable and untrackable. Wonder where he might be going.”
“I wonder,” Xarek said mildly.
“Your people aren’t the best at subterfuge. Too honest and straightforward. So, word of advice? If I was waiting to make contact with a Paraxian, I’d try to look less like I was waiting for someone. Maybe spend some time with a cute human on your lap or something.”
The image of Maggie perched on his lap was enough to make his body heat. “I am not waiting for anyone.”
“Of course you’re not.”
Xarek nodded, and the Bellarian took another drink. “The bartenders here are all watching out. Leave sometimes. Spend more time on your ship. Hit the game tables, go see a show.Act like someone who is here for rest and recuperation,” he said quietly. “I’ll even play a hand or two of Parlacc with you a time or two if you want.”
“What does it matter to you, Bellarian?”
“It matters because the sooner we can get the Redlian problem dealt with, the better. I’ve spent my life making sure my people don’t end up with the same fate as so many in your quadrant. This ends before it goes any further,” he muttered.
“You’ll forgive me for not just trusting your word. You could be feeding information to the Redlians.”
