Page 29 of Her Alien Delegate
Mier-Lo had released her spikes on her arm, impaling Violet's hand that had stopped her from reaching for me. Violet's screams were angry and loud before they turned to heavy grunting and labored breathing as she bit her lip tocontain the pain from escaping her lungs. Her hand bled down her arms, dripping from her elbow. She'd been hurt protecting me, and I didn't even know her.
Tears streamed down my cheeks from a mixture of guilt and pure gratefulness at having met someone who would protect a stranger like me. She was truly a rare soul, and selfishly, I never wanted to let go of someone like her in my life. I hated to admit it, but I needed her to have hope again. Hope that the universe wasn't full of assholes. There were rays of sunshine like her.
Violet glared at Mier-Lo like she should watch her back the next time they met. What was more surprising was the way the commander was glaring at his own second in command in return, like he would do it if Violet didn't.
"This is no victory," he told Mier-Lo, "Withdraw, or, should you feel the need to have a true fight, I will be your next duel. Warrior to warrior. Do you accept?"
He exposed his fangs, and the spikes retracted from Violet's hand, making her whimper as she cradled the wound. Blood gushed.
Before I could react and tear my own clothes to staunch the bleeding, Violet was picked up in Roe-el's arms and they both disappeared down the hall.
I could hear Violet curse and grumble, "The bitch stabbed me!"
I made a move to rush after them both, hoping they were going to the med bay, but Meir-Lo slid between me and where they retreated to.
Mier-Lo licked Violet's blood off her hand and winked at me. "There's a lesson for you, human Girl. Don't rely on someone else to protect you. I had no intention of harming you, but if I had been... no one is here between me and you now, are they?"
"I know," I agreed with her. "I've been lucky, but I've had enough close calls to know that it's only a matter of time before I'll have to create my own luck instead of relying on anyone else."
Mier-Lo nodded. "Matter of time," she repeated then licked her own fangs. "Not a matter of time, human. The time is now, or the next time you need that luck it won't be there. Build now. Or find yourself meeting the goddess sooner than you wished for. Take the other human, she is already luring a warrior to protect her. It is not a shameful thing to admit you need someone, but both of you should set your sights on anyone but Commander Roe-el. He doesn't keep pets." The way she said pets she looked down her nose at me like I was a worm.
I smiled at her, feeling my back touch the wall from instinctively creating more space between us.
I was no one's pet.
I needed to stay in my room as much as possible to avoid being noticed.
"Evie," Bode's voice clicked on in my ear, but I tried to keep my face neutral so Meir-Lo didn't pick up on it, but with how good their hearing was, I was pretty sure she would.
"I've located your assigned room for the journey to Necias Prime. You will not be put under stasis. According to the orders, it appears they wish to make sure you learn the necia culture during the travel there."
Mier-Lo lifted a brow.
"Have your AI approved with the security chief, or I'll have to send you to the medic for an implant replacement. I won't have any breaches on this ship. I'll be your escort before you report to your sleeping unit."
I opened my mouth to object but then nodded my acquiescence to follow her. She was second command of this ship, and I was just cargo... a pet to them.
"Not to worry," Bode said, "I'm merely an interface. My main data is not on your implant."
I didn't know much about how the technology worked. I was told the implant had the languages for the species I would interact with uploaded and wasn't connected with any database outside of the unit itself.
Interface? Database? None of that really mattered to me.
"Chief," Mier-Lo said with command as the door slid open to a room of screens monitoring the ship. "Scan this human's implant. Make sure she isn't carrying any viruses or planning on hacking us."
"Why would you even bring her on board without having those things checked first?" he snapped back with irritation.
"You can thank your new commander for this oversight. He apparently thinks humans are too mushy to be a threat without thinking the mushy creature might be being used by other species to get past our security."
"I would not hack an intelligent system," Bode defended. They actually seemed offended at the implication.
"Nes is reporting the AI is interfacing on a loop that is contained, but the human should be implanted with an interference band that prevents the AI from hardwiring into our system. It will mean her implant won't be able to be upgraded with communication access without being a security risk. She will have to rely on the intercom system."
Mier-Lo put out her hand for me, but didn't grab. I hesitated after what she did with Violet, so she scoffed. "I won't stab you, human. The other one was trying to claim mating rites and I was forced to challenge her. You are no challenge, give me your hand."
I wasn't sure if I should be offended by that or relieved.
She held out a bracelet that appeared to be a simple wire band with a button-like adornment. Giving her my hand, she slipped the bracelet on and it cinched to fit too snuggly to remove.
