"Hold still," Taylor whispered, entering the code that would unlock the front of the suppressor. After a few moments, it opened with a hiss, and Maia felt the sides of the collar pull apart. There was still a soft indent in her skin where the collar had been, outlined by a faint purple ring. Taylor glared at the collar with a look of hatred before tossing it aside, not caring where it landed.
Maia stopped breathing. She stared up into Taylor’s eyes, and she could feel tears beginning to well up in her own. She was free. That in itself should have been exhilarating enough, but somehow, Maia was even more touched by the fact that Taylor trusted her. She knew that Taylor was going against everything she had been taught, and the orders she had been given. All for her.
"I…I cannot believe…" Taylor silenced her with a kiss. Their mouths opened to each other, giving and taking, and for a moment, everything else in the world faded away. Finally, they pulled apart, breathless but happy.
"I should have done that a long time ago," Taylor murmured, letting her fingers skim down along Maia’s abdomen. Maia gasped as Taylor's hand paused just above the juncture between her thighs. She parted her legs, praying that Taylor would not make her wait any longer. Taylor took her unspoken invitation, sliding her fingers forward and grazing the tight ridge of her clit. She traced it with the pad of her thumb, still gazing into Maia's eyes.
Maia groaned and bit her lip, rocking her hips up into Taylor’s hand. Taylor's fingers slid over her with every subtle movement she made. They brushed past her entrance every time, but did not push inside. "Taylor..." Maia tightened her grip on Taylor’s back. "Please, take me."
Her plea was enough. Taylor's fingers slid inside of her, filling her at last. She pulsed, squeezing down around them as Taylor took her mouth in another kiss. It was a perfect rhythm. Feeling their bodies press together only made her ache more. Her mouth broke away from Taylor's, and her lips sought skin, sucking and nipping at the sensitive flesh along her lover's neck. The soft moans she drew from Taylor made her heart swell.
"I want you to come," Taylor whispered, hot breath washing over her cheek. "Please. For me."
The words sent a spike of arousal through Maia’s core. She was ready to surrender herself completely She brought a hand to Taylor’s face and drew her gaze up. Their eyes met, and she smiled. She wanted to say something, to tell Taylor how much this trust meant, but no words would ever suffice.
Maia's breath hitched as Taylor's thumb began sweeping over the ridge of her clit, her lips parting as she took in ragged breaths. The ache inside of her was growing unbearable, and she desperately wanted to come so that Taylor could share her pleasure. “Please. More,” she whimpered. Taylor pushed deeper, trying to find the angle Maia needed. Maia could hold back no longer. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to become completely lost in the sensation.
Maia found her release as Taylor’s fingers curled into her once more, both of them trembling and arching into one another. Mouths sought skin, kissing and biting every available inch they could reach as they clutched at one another. Tears crawled down Maia’s cheeks as the contractions overwhelmed her. Her inner muscles clutched desperately at Taylor’s fingers. She needed the human to fill her, to be with her.
Finally, the waves that shuddered through them began to ease. They melted into each other as they settled into the mattress, a mess of limbs and slick skin. Both of their heartbeats hammered together. Once the high of the orgasm wore off, Maia suddenly realized her predicament. The burn of lust had eased, and she knew that desire had not been her sole reason for having sex with Taylor. She had wanted something else, and the thought of what that might be was terrifying. Her heart sank as she realized that no matter what she was feeling, or what she might want, the universe was practically against them being together. Even more tears welled in her eyes. This time, they were full of loss and regret instead of pleasure and belonging. She buried her face in Taylor's chest, crying against her shoulder.
Taylor stiffened above her, but instinctively tried to soothe her, pressing their foreheads together and stroking the side of Maia's face with her free hand. "Sweetheart, please don't cry," she murmured.
Maia shuddered beneath her, fighting back sobs. "Taylor, I…I cannot...We cannot..."
Taylor removed her fingers as gently as possible, pulling away from Maia so that their bodies would not have to touch. "Oh God, Maia...I'm so sorry, I…"
Maia propped herself up on her elbows and reached out to prevent Taylor from leaving the bed. "No. Stop. Please do not diminish what we just did. It was...everything I wanted."
"It was? Then what’s wrong?"
"I…" Maia drew in a shuddering breath. "I cannot lose you after this. I…"
"I’m right here," Taylor said. Her lips grazed against Maia’s temple. She eased her weight onto her elbows and nuzzled her face into Maia’s neck, placing light kisses there. "You won’t lose me."
That only made Maia cry harder. Her leg wrapped around Taylor’s waist, and her hands clung desperately to her back. "They are going to send me away," she said through half-sobs. "I will be taken back to the Dominion, and they will kill me."
Taylor lifted her head away from Maia's warm skin. "I’ll explain your research better to the generals. They won’t get rid of you if you’re an asset..."
Maia sniffed, and though she did not sob anymore, a few tears streamed down her cheeks. "Taylor, these humans see me as currency. They are not like you. They will send me back to Korithia." She left the rest unspoken.
Taylor was silent for a long moment. Finally, she rolled onto her back and pulled Maia close, kissing her forehead. "I don't know what's going to happen, but I won't let anyone hurt you. Not the generals, the Dominion, or anyone else. I promise."
Maia’s tense muscles relaxed as she eased into Taylor's embrace. They rested against the pillows, breathing evenly although neither of them could fall asleep. Tomorrow, they would have to face reality. But lying in Taylor's arms allowed Maia a brief window of fantasy. She wanted just a few more hours of pretending that they could find happiness together.
Chapter Thirty Two
The next morning, Taylor's spirits sank even lower as she stood outside Roberts's office, listening to the raised voices inside. Hunt, Bouchard, and Roberts were clearly in the middle of a big argument, and she was reluctant to interrupt, even though they had summoned her. The last thing she wanted to do right now was insert herself into a disagreement. Instead, Taylor thought about Maia. After a few long, quiet hours spent holding each other, the ikthian had fallen asleep on her chest, most of her tears dried. Taylor had contacted Roberts, hoping to talk to him about Maia's research alone. Unfortunately, he had summoned Hunt and Bouchard before she could tell him her true purpose.
The voices behind the door grew louder. "Earth cannot accept this offer!" Taylor recognized Bouchard’s voice. "The Dominion will betray us as soon as we return the prisoner and lower our defenses. The most powerful empire in the galaxy cannot be trusted to keep their word."
Hunt interrupted him. "Our home-world is at stake here, Chairman. Are you really prepared to give up this chance? So many lives could be spared..."
"What about the colonists? If we take this deal, millions of them could be overwhelmed by the Dominion's forces." Taylor recognized that voice as Roberts, and it prompted her to scan her hand and open the door. She found all three men staring at each other in front of Roberts's desk. The lines of their shoulders were tense, their faces were somber, and Bouchard's hands were balled in to fists. All of them turned to look at her.
"Lieutenant Morgan," Roberts said as she gave her superiors a crisp salute. "Right on time. There's something you need to see."
"The Dominion has made an offer, Sir?"
"An unbelievable offer, although Chairman Bouchard seems to think it isn't genuine," Hunt said. He circled the desk to face Roberts's terminal. Roberts and Bouchard followed him, and Taylor reluctantly tailed behind, standing a foot apart from the others. She could still
see the screen, and a 2D image of the same three ikthians from before was frozen on the monitor's display.
Roberts reached down to activate the recording, and the three ikthians began moving. This time, the ikthian on the right spoke, the one with the elaborate markings. The expression on her lovely face was surprisingly placid. "The Dominion has agreed to stop all aggression towards the planet Earth in exchange for Maia Kalanis's safe return."
The other ikthian spoke next, the one with pink patterns on her crest. "We cannot extend such promises for the rest of your system, but we consider our offer more than favorable. Respond within the next sixty standard hours, or this gesture of goodwill shall be rescinded."
Taylor turned her eyes to the ikthian in the middle. Now, she knew for certain that it was Maia's mother, Irana. She looked older than the others, stern with age and experience. The resemblance to Maia was uncanny, and even the exhaustion and obvious pain in her eyes was familiar. Taylor wondered if that pain for her daughter had been there before, and she had just been too blinded by prejudice to notice.
The transmission ended, freezing Irana's face, and Taylor forced herself to look away. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Bouchard distracted her by beginning another rant. "They cannot possibly be sincere. Agreeing to leave an entire planet to its own devices? It's preposterous. Completely unheard of. They are simply trying to lure us into a trap. We should reject their offer and try to trade the prisoner for something concrete that we can use...perhaps other prisoners of war."
"You’ve told us so, Bouchard. Numerous times." Hunt waved a hand in dismissal, turning from him. "I’ve kept council with one of the naledai generals, and he has informed me the ikthians do not go back on bargains, especially formal ones such as this." He looked at the screen and studied the faces of the ikthians more closely.
"There are already a few dissenters among their own people," Taylor said, remembering what Akton had told her. "The ikthians are doing everything they can to keep a tight grip on what’s left of their domain."
Bouchard glanced over at her. "What dissenters? Why have we not heard about them?"
Taylor shrugged. "Some of the naledai were talking about a rebellion building against the Dominion outside of us."
"Oh, really?" Bouchard drawled. "Where are these rebels, then? Where is their help when we need it most? Where are their troops on our front lines?"
"It was just hearsay," Roberts interrupted. "Leave Taylor alone." Bouchard shot him a glare, and the three men settled into an awkward silence. "You make a good point, General Hunt," Roberts continued, "but I’m still worried about the colonies. The ikthians will be free to divert more resources to weakening other areas if they aren’t attacking Earth directly."
"I am too, Sir." Taylor had to side with Roberts on that. Exchanging the lives of people on Earth for those of the colonists did not seem fair, and neither did trading Maia’s life away. "I know the ikthians will not agree to a truce, but perhaps we can explore options with our allies instead, and strengthen our defenses along the outer system…"
"And bring in more naledai?" Bouchard asked. "They have their own problems. If we spread ourselves too thin, the ikthians will obliterate us both."
"I understand your concerns. All of your concerns," he added, glancing at Bouchard. The tone of his voice made it clear that he held Taylor and Roberts's opinions in higher esteem than the Chairman's. Bouchard's face began to flush an angry shade of red. "I will meet with the other generals tomorrow and advise them to accept the Dominion's offer. I expect a vote on the matter immediately."
Taylor's eyes widened. She felt her heart stop. That was as good as a guarantee. Although she and Roberts were worried about the colonies, she knew that Earth was the Coalition's first priority, and the chance to protect their home-world would be too much for them to resist. Most, if not all of them, would probably vote the way Hunt wanted. Since Earth was under martial law because of the ikthian threat, their word would be final. Maia was going back to her people.
The thought sent an ache through her chest, and she suddenly found it difficult to breathe. Taylor did not even want to think about what the Dominion would do to Maia. Perhaps that was why Irana's expression had been so worried. Maybe she knew how much danger her daughter was in, not just because she was a prisoner of war, but because the Dominion considered her research to be subversive.
Taking one last risk, she decided to throw herself at General Hunt's mercy, praying that he would listen to her. "Sir, I'm not sure that surrendering Maia is the best option." For a moment, they all looked at her in surprise, perhaps because Taylor had unintentionally used the ikthian's first name. "What about her genetic research? It has the potential to weaken the Dominion. Not all ikthians agree with what the Dominion’s leaders have been doing, and if we could get her research to them…validate that the Dominion has been feeding them lies..."
"Impossible," Bouchard interrupted, glaring at her. "The only ikthians I have ever encountered were killers, convinced of their own superiority. Just like all other aliens. Some obscure scientist’s paper will do nothing to change their minds."
Taylor ignored Bouchard and turned her attention to Hunt. "Ask Akton. He's one of the higher-ranking naledai stationed here. He can explain more. If we can weaken or even destroy the Dominion from the inside out, that will keep everyone safe, not just the civilians living on Earth."
"Have you been discussing sensitive information with the naledai military?" Bouchard asked.
"No!" It did not matter what Taylor said. Apparently, Bouchard was bent on shooting her down. "But I have discussed the war with some of our naledai comrades, and they have insights most of our soldiers don’t. They know this galaxy far better than we do. If Akton says there are cracks in the Dominion’s hold over their own people, I believe him. We have something they fear for once, and we’d be able to use it if you all would just listen."
Stunned silence met Taylor’s words. At first, she thought that she had gone too far with her outburst, though she could swear she saw a measure of respect on Roberts’s face. Bouchard looked outraged as usual, but Hunt had a neutral expression, which frightened Taylor most of all.
"I know that in your time watching over her, you have been able to develop a relationship with Kalanis," Hunt said. Taylor's stomach dropped. How much did he know? "It is not unusual for a guard to become sympathetic after spending time with a prisoner, and perhaps even develop a friendship with them. I even hoped this would be the case between you and Maia Kalanis. A guard is much more effective when they value what they watch over, and not many humans would be able to find value in an ikthian prisoner." Hunt paused and walked over to the monitor. He stared up at Irana’s frozen image, and in that moment, Taylor knew he realized the full ramifications of his actions. He turned away from the screen. "This is war, and difficult decisions must be made. The safety of Earth is our first priority."
Taylor opened her mouth, but she could not seem to find any words. She squeezed her hands into fists, trying to suppress her sudden nausea. "Sir," she said, hoping that her pleading did not come across in her voice even though she was clearly upset, "what about the colonists? The naledai? All the other planets under the Dominion’s rule?" She had to swallow back Maia’s name.
Hunt's expression was unmoved. "We will do what we can for them, of course. But our own interests must come before the unlikely chance of toppling an Empire. The survival of the Coalition depends on protecting Earth."
Taylor wanted to protest that returning Maia to the Dominion was practically a death sentence for the Coalition, but Roberts seemed to sense her distress and cut her off before she could directly challenge him. "There isn't anything more we can discuss until the board meets to vote on the Dominion's offer." He stepped away from the monitor to stand beside Taylor. "We can pick this up tomorrow."
Bouchard stalked away from Hunt, glowering as everyone watched him. He headed for the door, only turning back to give them a sour, disapproving look. "Taking th
e ikthians at their word is a terrible mistake. Our planet may be under Martial law, but Earth's governments have not forgotten who the enemy is. I suggest that you try to remember why we are fighting this war in the first place." He stormed out, leaving the three of them in Roberts's office.
Hunt sighed, heading towards the door himself. "We will let you know the results of the vote tomorrow afternoon. Then, Kalanis will need to be processed. Get her ready, Lieutenant."
Reluctantly, Taylor saluted, her arm unnaturally heavy. Never before had she been given orders that she so vehemently opposed, and she was torn as she watched Hunt leave. Once he was gone, she finally allowed herself to break down, knowing that Roberts would not judge her as she buried her face in her hands, wanting to scream in frustration.
"You really think they’re going to hurt her?" Roberts asked. Taylor glanced up and watched him sit. He looked worn down, and she could not remember seeing some of the wrinkles around his eyes before.
"They’ll kill her if she goes back. She could help us take down the Dominion if they would just listen…"
"It’s too much of a risk for the brass to take," Roberts said, though he sounded troubled.
"How many of the higher-ups know that not all ikthians are against us? That some of them have broken off and joined the naledai rebellion?"
Roberts pressed a hand to his forehead. "Enough to make our isolation wrong." He leaned back in his chair. "It started out as need to know information, but some of our older troops have had the opportunity to be more involved with the naledai military as the war has gone on, and they aren’t picky about their allies. If an ikthian wants to blow up other ikthians, they’re not going to stop them."
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