Page 9 of Scars & Starlight
“You want me to talk to politicians?” I ask, my voice coming out squeaky. “I’m an engineer. I’m only good at talking with hydro power plants. And maybe cats,” I add with a shake of my head. Petting all the apocalypse’s strays is a tough job, but someone has to do it.
“You’ve done an excellent job so far,” the commander says, humor in his voice.
“Don’t worry,” Lirael interjects. “We’ve done this many times.”
I chew on my bottom lip, then blush when I see Kairen’s starry eyes hone in on the action.
“Why don’t we–” he begins, but pauses when the door opens. Another ridiculously handsome Avaren male stands there. His icy-blue nebula eyes find me first. When our eyes meet, the tips of his ears flush, and the blue lines sparsely decorating the left side of his face and neck pulse erratically. He blinks a couple of times before facing Kairen.
“Commander,” he says, tilting his head in deference.
“What is it, Zane?” If Kairen’s angry at the interruption, he doesn’t show it. I get the feeling he reached the rank he is by being level-headed.
“First Officer Caden requests your presence on the bridge.” His stunning eyes move to the female alien. “As well as the Chief Medic’s,” he adds.
I look between the three Avaren, trying to see if I can sense what’s going on from their expressions. But whether it’s the military training or the alienness of their species, I can’t tell if it’s something good… or bad.
Kairen taps the tabletop before getting up. He gives me a neutral smile. “Excuse us, Tara,” he says, rounding the table to move to the entrance. “Kiko will answer any questions you may have about Avaris.”
“You bet I have questions,” I say, then flush when three pairs of otherworldly eyes land on me. The commander gives me a quick grin.
“Zane will be just outside, guarding the room.”
His thoughtfulness warms me up. Knowing no assailants will catch me by surprise again certainly makes me feel more at ease. With a nod from Lirael and one last glance from Kairen, the trioleaves. When the door shuts behind them, I face my new robot companion.
“Well, Kiko, looks like it’s just us now.”
6
KAIREN
“Ididn’t want to say anything in front of the human, Your Highness, but it’s General Korvann,” Zane says as soon as the doors close behind us. “Word got to him about his son and the manner of his death. He is… disquiet.”
I purse my lips. “I’m not altogether surprised.” The general is Zaiem’s father, and I’m certain being killed by a female from a less advanced alien race isn’t on his list of honorable deaths.
I nod at Zane and turn toward the bridge, contemplating General Korvann’s influence. With our fertility issues, many Avaren families faded into oblivion. With only a few hundred families left, every Avaren knows the names of the more prominent ones. Zeiran Korvann is the patriarch of his family, and though Zaiem wasn’t his only child, he won’t easily let this go.
“I imagine he’ll be out for blood,” Lirael comments. I glance at her. Her arms are clasped behind her back, and her expression, exposed by the severe way she binds her hair back, is neutral and unreadable. When I face ahead again, I notice the passing crew and soldiers throwing curious looks our way.
“Yes, I imagine so,” I murmur, nodding at one of Kael’s engineers.The female is fixing a temperature control panel, gently humming to herself.
“You know his views on females,” my cousin continues.
“I do,” I affirm.
“If it were up to him, females who choose to cohabitate with other females would be persecuted,” she needlessly reminds me.
“It is a good thing my mother is queen and vehemently against such injustice,” I gently counter.
Lirael is quiet for a moment. “We should test the human for a match. For her own safety. We already failed her once.”
I close my eyes, thinking of the attempted sexual assault and of her potentially finding her male and being off limits. While her match is unknown, I can look at her with the eyes of a potential lover. As soon as the name is registered and the male is made aware, any possibility of enjoying more time with her, of enjoying…morewith her… is gone.
But I cannot be selfish. “Do it,” I command with a hollow voice.
My cousin’s cube is out in the blink of an eye, and she’s finished inputting the search command by the time we reach the bridge. The doors open, and the officers on each side stand at attention.
“At ease,” I say, already moving to the center of the room, where Caden and Kael are waiting, along with my chief communications officer Rhaevik, the security chief Avenis, tactical chief Zorath, intelligence chief Orien, and chief science officer Cyrel. General Korvann’s countenance stares down at us from the hologram display.
