Page 6 of Her Alien Warrior
I turned to Becky and whispered, "He seems like a serious guy. Maybe you'll learn a lot from him since he's answered every question we've asked?"
Becky nodded and gave me a weak smile.
"You told me the necia warriors aren't interested in humans, you should be fine," I tried to be positive but added, "but if you need me to run interference?"
The warrior stopped and turned once more, a grin revealing a sharp canine as he corrected, confirming he heard every word, "I'm not interested in spawnlings, and the only interference here is an intern failed to disclose they were involved with a participant."
Now, I was puffing out my cheeks in annoyance, and struggling to keep my relationship with my daughter hidden.
"I'm sorry, little bean," I then turned to glare at the warrior, alien or not, he was out of line, "She is my spawnling, and you'll do well to answer her questions and do your job without using human pheromones as an excuse to do anything outside of that. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"
"Mom," Becky warned, and then I saw the change in the warrior's eyes, the insufferable smirk faded, and he nodded.
"I'm not sure I should be leaving you alone with him, will you have other colleagues with you?" I asked with my arms crossing over my chest. If I didn't know better, I'd say those amber eyes flicked to the top of my shirt and I turned away slightly like that would change the swell of my breasts. It was ridiculous to thinkhe was peeping at all, and it was just as likely that he was amused at a human thinking they could stand up to an alien with weapons sprouting from their skin. He had sharp bones sticking out of his forearms, as well as his shoulders that could skewer me like a shishkabob.
He took a step forward and it took all my willpower to hold my ground as he got closer. "You've made yourself perfectly clear," he finally said. "I will teach your spawnling as if she were my own." He took a whiff of the air around me and grunted. "You're producing your human mating odor. We will deposit your young in her quarters and I will bathe you as honor dictates for speaking out of turn about your spawn. I can see now the resemblance between you both, though most humans look the same. Follow me."
He turned and walked away. Becky slipped her arm through mine, and she dragged me along behind him.
"We aren't seriously following him?" I muttered to my daughter.
"Mom," she hesitated but pushed through to tell me, "I'll check my messages when I get to my room and—"
"And you will find for the duration of your travel, I am to be your direct report," the warrior with exceptionally great hearing interrupted. "You may call me General Sou-el, General of the research sector, not to be confused with the general of the commanding forces of this ship, General Tensel, future commander of this ship once we arrive on Trillume for his promotion."
I gaped at that silky, long white hair pulled at the back of his head. He didn't even turn to speak to us, as he continued walking down the halls that blended into one another, making me lost.
"General..." Becky squeaked, while tugging on my arm like I should know what that means. "It's an honor to have you agree to teach me."
He did turn then and gave her a curt nod of acceptance. I was about to object to her giving him any honor at all, when she pinched me to shut me up like she did when she was a kid in junior high telling me not to kiss her goodbye in front of her friends.
"Honor is achieved in many ways. My elder taught me this long ago and after the death of the trill queen, I will not allow my sector to repeat the sins of the past towards humans. No matter how vulnerable your species is, I will train any that show a true interest in knowledge that can benefit our galaxy."
"I thought most warriors served in the military and the protection of the treaties," I voiced out loud, finding it fascinating to see a warrior be in any other position besides using their natural physical advantages.
"It is true that every tribe requires us to be vigilant with our studies of mastering our own bodies," he ground out, sounding irritated. I'd definitely offended him with my observation. And without any shirt to cover his carved muscles, he was definitely as in shape as the warriors that served as bodyguards and naturalweapons of compliance within the ship. They were protectors, and dangerous predators. The spikes on his shoulders were proof enough of that.
He fisted his hand and pressed a scanner on the wall, that beeped, and flashed blue. That would normally mean clear on Earth, but on this ship, filled with aliens, blue didn't mean approved.
"These are your quarters," he glanced at the way my daughter clung to my arm and added, "It is already programed to allow your personal implant access. Only the Commander, General Tensel, and Head of Security can gain access, but even they must go through necessary protocols to do so." He was explaining that she would be safe in her rooms from everyone, including him, and I appreciated it. So did Becky, because she smiled weakly at him and nodded as she reluctantly released my arm and took a step forward as he stepped back to allow her access. She waved her hand in front of the scanner and it must have connected to her implant because the door opened to a room no bigger than a closet.
I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but as I glanced inside from the hall, the whole room was visible. There was a bed bolted to the wall at eye level and below it was a small desk and a secured chair with a two-seated cushioned couch next to it. The room was barely bigger than the bed inside, and nothing else.
"Food is available in the common area, as well as a sanitation station. Most of your time will be in the observation wing andmy offices. Use the call button should you require an escort; the nearest trained staff will come to retrieve you from wherever you are."
I noticed he didn't say that he would escort her, and I was having trouble letting go of my shy baby girl, panic was already building as I thought about how as an intern, she was going to be awake the whole trip to Trillume and I'd be in stasis for at least half the journey, if not more dependent on the stasis pod schedules.
As if General Sou-el could sense my unease he distracted me as he tapped behind my ear. He was so quiet as he approached, I hadn't noticed as I stared at my daughter walking into her room.
"What did you just do?" I asked, startled.
"I uploaded your files, so that I may direct you to your own quarters and verify what division you are assigned to."
"Oh." My face flushed with heat as his fingers touched my neck before he backed away, all business. I glanced around him to my daughter once more as she peeked her head out of her room, her eyes were sparkling with more excitement than I would have anticipated for seeing what kind of room she was to stay in for the next few months of travel. She'd be alright, I assured myself. She was a grown woman and could take care of herself.
"I'll see you on Thursday, right?" she asked with a smile and winked at me. Did she think I'd already be hitting on her supervisor? I doubted that was how the program worked, theywouldn't be setting me up with the researchers themselves, and he had made it perfectly clear he wasn't interested in humans, I thought with a huff. But I knew what Thursdays were, even if days didn't work the same on the ship as on Earth. Thursdays were our day, mother-daughter date night, and I wouldn't miss it for the world. No, the universe, I thought with a bright smile.
"I look forward to it," I told her as I watched her twinkling eyes explore her new room.
