by Lisa Lace
The door opened, and Sevit entered the office, looking at a computer in his hand. He glanced up, surprise registering on his face when he saw Jenn.
"Why are you here? Why aren't you with the commander?"
"He doesn't want me there or anywhere in his vicinity. He told me to go back to my people." She tried to keep her voice level but her breath caught in her throat as she said her last words.
Sevit's expression became neutral. He looked like a soldier who had been given an order he disagreed with, but could not disobey.
"Stay here," said Sevit. "I'll return in a few minutes."
When he left, Jenn was alone in Kai's office again. She looked around the room. On the right, trophies were carefully stored behind a clear, glass-like material. It couldn't be glass because it would have shattered during the attack on the ship. Behind the transparent wall, the trophies had been jostled from their places, some leaning against the glass and others at different angles on their sides.
The sheer number of them were impressive. Kai must have collected them his entire life. She stared at them, taking in the various pieces that represented moments of a warrior's life, and realized something.
Kai had never lost a single battle before.
The insight washed over her like a cold spring rain. Of course. For a man that had never lost before, getting injured in a single battle would seem like a massive failure.
She had seen this mentality before in her patients, especially the ones who identified with the warrior mythos. They went into battle convinced they were wielding a shield of invulnerability. The mindset gave them protection against the horrors of the battlefield. It helped them overcome challenges through training, skill, and sheer will.
That was the theory. Laser blasts went right through the mental invulnerability shields. When a weapon came at them which tore their bodies to shreds, their psychological defenses crumbled. Jenn's job wasn't merely helping soldiers heal their bodies. She needed to mend their minds and assist soldiers when they tried to overcome their sense of failure. And this was in a society where men had career options other than fighting.
Things were different on Anquera. From what she could see, the Anquesh concept of what it meant to be a man was intertwined with the notion of being a warrior. Powerful in battle. Acting with honor. Fulfilling one's duty. Dividing enemies into strict categories, like honored and hated.
They sent Kai to Earth to fulfill a contract of honor, one that rested on centuries of Anquera tradition and law. He followed orders out of a sense of duty to his planet.
With a shock, she realized Kai probably never wanted to go to Earth at all and had never desired a human wife.
When he met her, he had said something about those abominable women. There was nothing about Earth women he liked. He must have selected her because he was tired of the process and wanted everything to be over. He would take an Earth woman as his wife back to Anquera, perform the minimum required to respect the treaty, then go back to his life as a warrior.
Then what would happen to Jenn? She didn't know the kind of life she'd have, but she imagined it would be lonely and isolated as a single blonde in a world of tall, dark-haired people.
Uncertainty swirled through Jenn's head, making her feel confused emotions. For a moment, her insight into Kai's behavior had almost made her feel centered again. But she had no idea what to do after thinking about Kai's motivations.
Everything made her angry. How dare he? How dare he and this group of alien bastards take her from Earth for political purposes, then throw her away at the first opportunity. How dare he tell her to go.
How dare he kiss her with such passion and then act like it was nothing.
Jenn stood, feeling like there was a fire in her soul. She was going to give Kai a piece of her mind before he shipped her off like a piece of trash.
High on fury and rage, she strode out of the Anquesh Commander's office, ignoring the stares of the warriors surrounding her. She held her head high walking with confident steps to the Ruvien's medical bay.
"What did you say to Jenn Carden?"
Kai withheld a groan. His second-in-command made the question sound like a challenge.
"Go away, Sevit."
"No, I will not. When exactly did you think it would be a good idea to get the Earth representative angry?"
Different thoughts tumbled through Kai's mind as he tried to process Sevit's words. To everyone else, Jenn was merely an Anquesh treaty prize.
He hadn't expected she would be his sindare. He hadn't expected he would fall in love with her.
Everything Kai wanted to say to Sevit sounded like the words of a petulant child in his head, so he decided to stare at the ceiling instead as Sevit continued talking.
"Don't you understand we need her more now than ever before? She is the Emperor's chosen visible symbol of our treaty with Earth. We can use her as a rallying point. Our people can gather around her to make things right again."
Kai sighed. Sevit didn't know that the Emperor had been against the treaty from the beginning, but Kai would not dishonor his memory with the revelation.
"They defeated us." Kai's throat was still raw from smoke inhalation.
"They did not. At worst, they fought us to a draw, but it was not a defeat."
"A draw," Kai said derisively, turning his head away.
"They had more ships than us. We did well, all things considered."
"Doing well is a euphemism for losing. Where were the rest of our ships? What's our plan for the future? They'll just come back, and with bigger numbers the next time."
Jenn pulled away the curtain from around Kai's bed. "Do you know what you need to do for the future? Stop feeling sorry for yourself."
"Sevit, get her out of here."
"If you touch me, I'll make what happened to Warrel look like I was fucking him."
"Yes, ma'am," said Sevit, stepping back with his arms raised in the air.
"And you!" she exclaimed, turning her attention to Kai. "You suffered a defeat. Big deal. Alien up and deal with it!"
Kai stared at her, shock written over his face.
"You think you're the first person in the universe who suffered a set-back? I've seen warriors with serious injuries. Paralysis. Amputation. Hell, multiple amputees don't feel as sorry for themselves as you do right now. If we had the time, I would leave you alone. Eventually, you would realize how ridiculous your thoughts are. But we don't have the luxury of time right now. A bunch of ships are waiting in space for you to lead them, Kai. I'm not going to leave until you get out of bed and remember you're a member of the Anquesh Empire's royal house."
Chapter Twenty-Eight
A week had passed since the battle, and Kai was feeling better this morning. It helped that Jenn had just massaged his skin with burn cream. The prickling feeling in his healing skin had settled down, but he knew it would come back with a vengeance later in the day.
He lay face down on the bed, which was both comfortable and practical. Jenn's hands moving over his body were making him react unpredictably. Kai shifted his body, trying to take pressure off his growing erection. If she didn't slow down, he was going to make an embarrassing mess on the sheets.
Her hands felt soft and smooth, like a piece of silk on his skin. They were strong and knew where to soften the knots in his muscles. She pressed and worked the pressure points until he felt like a relaxed puddle of goo in the sheets.
"The balm from your doctor is amazing," Jenn said. She had constantly been talking, but he only paid attention to half of the words she said. "I think it makes my hands look young. I bet I could repackage it as a face cream and sell it on Earth. I would make millions."
"What's a face cream?" groaned Kai as she hit another tight spot.
"It's a topical ointment to help women look beautiful."
"That's silly. Women don't need creams to make them more attractive to their mates. You certainly don't."
"We use them anyway."
"Anquesh women do not."
"Maybe you just don't know about it. Women like to look beautiful for men. Your skin has already shed the burnt outer layer, and there is nice healthy new skin underneath. You won't have any noticeable scars, which is wonderful. I can only imagine what it would do for aging skin. I know a bunch of older nurses who would give up their retirement funds for something this good."
Kai realized something. "You can't wait to get to Earth, can you?" His heart sank as he spoke the words out loud.
Jenn's hands stopped and rested on his back. "Come on. We've got to work your leg now."
"I don't want to," he moaned. For one thing, he'd rather have Jenn's hands on his body than do work. For another, he didn't want to turn over and reveal his arousal to her face.
A doctor poked his head out from behind a curtain. "Nurse Jenn," he said. "We have another injured soldier who could use your help."
Kai restrained a growl. Once the doctors learned Jenn knew physical therapy, they enlisted her to help bedridden warriors recover faster. He was proud that she was willing to help his men, but he didn't like to imagine her hands on any of them.
Jenn pulled up a blanket over Kai. "Even if you don't want to show me, I know it's there. I'll be back."
Kai melted into the sheets as her footsteps faded into the background. He felt relaxed and for the first time in days, he felt no pain, but he needed to do something about the throbbing between his legs. It pulsed insistently. All he needed was a few minutes to work his hand under and stroke his cock.
The thought of Jenn being near him, touching and flooding him with the pleasure of her hands was practically overwhelming.
"Commander."
The voice startled him like a bucket of cold water.
"Yes, Sevit," said Kai with exasperation.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, but we've detected some unusual activity on our sensors. We're not sure what it is, but you should know. The readings suggest a ship is following us."
Kai turned suddenly and looked directly at Sevit. "Help me out of here. I want to see the information with my own eyes and I'm going to get out of this damned hospital bed. Get my crutches and help me up, or I'll crawl there by myself."
Jenn had urged the engineering crew to construct a set of crutches custom-fitted for Kai, according to her specifications. Jenn thought it was peculiar that Anquera didn't have any devices to help patients with their recovery process. Anquesh warriors recovered from their injuries quickly, or not at all. The only treatment prescribed for the injured was bed rest.
Jenn thought it was ridiculous.
"You'll lose muscle mass that way and make your recovery take longer. It doesn't matter how quickly you heal." When she had first presented him with the crutches, he pushed them away. Jenn didn't give up. Even when Kai screamed in pain, she made him get out of bed and walk around.
Kai would never admit it to Jenn, but he felt like he was healing more quickly than usual. He slipped a shirt over his head, wincing as the fabric slid over the sensitive flesh.
Sevit watched Kai move his immobilized leg over the side of the bed and put the crutches under his arm. He tipped forward, carefully easing his working leg onto the floor.
"I don't think this is a good idea. It's not an approved medical treatment," said Sevit doubtfully.
"I've been walking around here the past few days. I'm tired of sitting in bed on my butt."
"Maybe I should consult with the doctor first."
"You will not, and that's an order. You should come with me and assist if necessary."
Kai hobbled out the door slightly ahead of Sevit. He moved faster than he normally did. Once Kai became accustomed to the motion of the crutches, it felt like his body was moving forward on a swing rather than walking. Kai was glad to get out of the medical bay, and he had big plans. His cabin beckoned. He was going to sleep in his bed tonight.
When Kai entered the bridge, the words "Officer on deck" sounded like music to his ears. He looked like a mess wearing hospital clothing, wielding the crutches, and appearing disheveled. He didn't care.
He moved to the sensor station. Like the rest of the bridge, it looked battle-worn and still had visible fire damage. Someone had moved the fallen beam.
"Show me what you've got," said Kai.
A short video played, displaying the positions of the stars. He didn't see anything unusual until the end of the scene. One of the stars blinked and disappeared.
"What's the latest intelligence we have about the Similcue? Do they have cloaking technology, like the humans?"
"Not to our knowledge. That information is exclusive to Earth."
"Call Oakland. I need to speak with him as soon as possible."
Kai stormed into his office. He went to his desk, lowered himself into his seat, and propped his crutches on the wall behind him. Oakland's image appeared on a viewscreen in front of him.
"Which one of your ships is following us?" demanded Kai. "The Anquesh deal harshly with spies."
"I'm not sure what you mean. We know the positions of all our vessels, and none of them are tracking you."
"There's a cloaked ship behind us, Oakland. Only Earth ships have the technology."
"That's not entirely accurate," Oakland mumbled.
"You didn't give it to anyone, did you? Like a race who has declared war on both our planets?" rumbled Kai. He was quickly losing patience with the human.
"We thought they were our allies. They shared technology with us. We made improvements, and gave the improvements to them in return."
"Gods!" Kai slammed his hand onto the desk.
"We weren't aware they could implement it this quickly. Our analysts thought the Similcue were slow in adopting new technology."
"It takes them a while because they don't usually create it. They steal it. But you handed it to them on a silver platter, with instructions."
"We didn't know what would happen. We thought we could use them." Oakland stopped speaking. He had said too much already.
"You wanted to use them?" Kai said incredulously.
"You have to understand. We didn't trust the Similcue, but they could make us powerful."
"So you pretended to be their ally?"
"We got what we needed from them, but that doesn't mean we trusted them. At the time, we were in the middle of war with Anquera. If they saw us offer a treaty..."
"They would have the perfect time to attack when our defenses were down!" roared Kai.
"That's right. When you destroyed each other, our plan was to mop up the pieces." Oakland turned to look at Kai in the eyes. "We were at war, Commander. We were prepared to do whatever it took to win."
"Answer one question for me. Did you ever intend to fulfill the treaty, or was reneging on it part of the plan?"
"I wasn't part of all the discussions. The treaty was only one of many possibilities when I left Earth. We never thought the United Earth Alliance would approve of the requirements. Your requirement of an Earth bride sounded ridiculous."
"In the planning, what was going to happen to Jenn?"
Oakland's face turned white. "Since Ms. Carden cooperated with the enemy, she would be tried as a war criminal. The UEA will disavow the treaty and Jenn's actions. They don't want to be the ones who sold a woman into slavery."
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Kai felt his muscles tighten and his mind begin to cloud up as the nuxmunit took over his body. He shivered, trying to regain control of himself. He didn't need to go into a battle rage with a hologram. But he was infuriated by the idea that Jenn's people would use her, then discard her when they didn't need her any longer.
"We'll talk later," he snapped, ending the communication. He was shaking by this point, feeling sick to his stomach. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He was early in the nuxmunit cycle, and could still call upon years of training to calm himself. Finally, he felt the anger drain away. He lay his head back onto the headrest.
These were certainly dishonora
ble people. But were the Emperor's plans for Earth any better, even though they were at war?
The treaty was turning into a mess. An absolute disaster. Kai's journey to Earth would deliver Jenn into the hands of predators. Was there a way out?
Kai shook his head, wondering how they gotten into such a predicament.
There wasn't an obvious solution. The Anquera government was fragmented. Emperor Kanton's death had left a hole in the Empire that Warrel couldn't repair. Kai didn't blame a father for hoping that his son could replace him, but it was evident that Warrel didn't have the right qualities to lead.
They were stuck with him because he was the Emperor's only son.
At best, the nobles could reign in the worst of Warrel's excesses. The strategy might have worked at another time in history, but not now, when Anquera was fighting a war on two fronts. One enemy was merely a problem. Two enemies might be insurmountable.
Kai realized he had to make the humans honor the treaty agreement. Peace would reduce the number of battlefronts, and they would be able to benefit from mutual technology exchange.
But what about Jenn? How was he going to get her to go along with the plan? She didn't feel the same pull to him as he did to her. They were different species, and their biological responses were mismatched. How could he bridge the gap?
The door to his office opened, but his eyes remained closed. He didn't feel like hearing another devastating message.
"Kai? What are you doing out of bed?"
Jenn's voice was soft and sweet. The sound of his sindare was music to his ears. He opened his eyes slowly and took in her beauty. She was breathtaking.
"I'm looking for you," he said. He didn't feel sorry for the lie, and at the moment, he wasn't sure how much of his statement was false. A part of him knew she would materialize, wherever he was, and drag him back to the medical bay.
She scoffed. "Of course you were. I spend a lot of time in your office. That's the first place I would look too."
Kai noticed that his office looked remarkably tidy after a battle. Everything was in its proper place, even the trophies. The maintenance crew should have been busy performing repairs on the ship, not spending time cleaning up an office. Had she been in his office rearranging things?