Page 79 of The Pregnancy Pact

As for the others, Commander Ashin, while not as large or broad as the Major, held the most fearsome reputation in the squad. The deeds attributed to him were whispered about. Rumors of rumors. Truthfully, while he was second in command to Admiral Corrba, he answered to no one. Not even the Coalition, were we to be honest. Commander Ashin was an Ishvi male with a light greenish skin that had the ability to shift colors to match his surroundings, creating his own camouflage—rather, I’d been told, like an Earth species, the chameleon. He was scarred, from untold past battles. One eyelid, badly burned, was nearly sealed shut, over which he wore an eye patch. Full claw marks in vivid white marked the side of his neck, disappearing beneath his armor. Half of his dark-blue hair was shaved, adding to his supernatural, almost evil appearance.

Ashin wasn’t evil. Not truly. Rather, he was the sort of officer willing to do anything to complete a mission. And if that included murder or torture? Well, he could easily shrug it off as a morally grey area, if necessary. To be honest, he unnerved me, though I didn’t show it.

Behind the three officers were a squad of six more males, from various planets in the Coalition. If they were here, the Coalition was serious about its preparations. I needed to hasten inside and lend my voice.

“No official news, Admiral?” I took the time to question Corrba, gaining as much information as possible before entering the Council chamber. A plan was forming in my mind, inspired by the Elite troops before me. Perhaps it wasn’t written out, but I could verbalize it. Could hopefully take this mess Sirena had created and turn it into something worthwhile.

The Admiral wore full body armor and a helmet, as he customarily did. I’d never known anyone more prepared for the likelihood of combat at any second. He took his duties as the leader of the Elite with utmost seriousness. Hailing from the planet Mattan, Admiral Corrba was of the Sharar species. Apart from Asterions, his species was the most closely related to humans in the entire Coalition. His height was tall for a human, despite not reaching the prodigious stature of Major Barak. His piercing orange eyes and seven fingers and toes per hand and foot did set him apart from humans. Unlike some who’d proven their capacity for war and destruction, Admiral Corrba was certainly fit for the battlefield in a way few individuals were, but retained a high sense of honor, morality, and a code of ethics that put most of us—myself included—to shame.

I knew, from the rumors spilling about the Coalition, anything unsavory attempted by his Commander was performed with the Admiral virtually turning his back. He might allow his subordinates to cross certain lines, yet he would take no part in it. Also, there were definite lines the Admiral would not cross, nor allow any of his soldiers to violate.

His dedication to the Coalition and its ideals was unswerving. He believed in our mission. If I could get him on my side, I’d have a powerful ally.

“None officially, sir,” he replied, his voice slightly muted from the helmet hiding his features. “We’ve recently been summoned and have heard only rumors.”

I could guess what those rumors were. I didn’t need him to confirm them, but I did need his help.

Pleased with the chance encounter and how it might shape matters in my favor—not merely my favor, but Earth’s, my wife’s, my son’s—I gestured for the Admiral to step aside with me.

“Might I have a word with you before I enter the meeting room? I vow it will be brief. I am needed inside.”

The Admiral hesitated an instant, then nodded sharply at his Commander.

“Take point,” he said, leaving the Elite in his hands. I saw Abidah frowning after us. Doubtless, he was insulted that I’d not drawn him aside too, considering our recent, reckless past. That was just it. I knew him to be up for rash and even underhanded pursuits. That was not what was needed here. I needed someone whose weight surpassed even Abidah’s, nearly rivaling my own. And I was grateful to every star in the universe that the Admiral walked away with me. With his compliance, I could prevent genocide.

Chapter 45

Lorelai

The transport ride wasn’t long; yet, somehow, it wasn’t long enough. Pressed between Sirena’s accomplices, I clenched my fingers between my knees, desperate to hide my fear, to show Sirena no weakness. The truth was, I was terrified. The vehicle hummed through city streets that I was too nervous to study. Perhaps I should have, so I had some idea where we were going. Truthfully, I hadn’t been in Korith long enough to have any stinking idea where we were going, so it wouldn’t have done me much good. No landmarks were familiar to me. I had no sense of direction.

And I couldn’t tear my gaze from the stagger Sirena held pointed at my chest.

Most staggers were used to stun and temporarily paralyze, but their shock could easily be turned up to a kill level. Even if Sirena hadn’t stooped to that, one hit would immobilize me, preventing any chance of escape.

I couldn’t let that happen.

Not only did my own life depend on me, what of the lives of the rebel humans? Could I trust that Ellax had come up with a worthwhile solution? We’d been making love instead of writing his proposal, thinking we had spare time.

We’d been wrong, and I felt immeasurably guilty.

What if the Coalition voted without him? What if they didn’t, but he was simply outvoted? What if they swayed him? Had we been together long enough for him to really care about the plight of my species? Could I have said more, done more, to persuade him?

I felt like a failure in every sense of the word. My life and the lives of those outside the Citadel hung heavily on my shoulders, a weight I’d never dreamed I’d be asked to carry.

My boys, Joell and Isak, didn’t even know where I was or what had happened. I’d never gotten to inform them of their mom’s crazy adventure. Now, I might not get to tell them goodbye. They’d wake up one day to a call from a strange Asterion Overlord, letting them know their mother had been remarried, they had no clue who their stepfather was, and their mother had been wiped out. I couldn’t even imagine their grief and confusion.

No, I thought, shoving the despair away. No, I will not do that to my boys. Sirena might be able to finagle her way into almost anything she wants, but I won’t let her to do this to my boys. I will get out of this.

I felt the mama bear instinct rise to the fore as I remembered the twins. Furthermore, it occurred to me that there was a chance last night’s sex might have implanted a new life in my womb. The slightest chance that I might be pregnant was another reason to fight. To not give up, no matter what.

Even as my resolve hardened into concrete, the transport hummed to a stop. The door opened, and Sirena motioned with her weapon.

“You first.”

Since I lacked a choice, I obeyed. As soon as I stepped out, I was grabbed by her henchmen, two aliens of an unknown species. They more or less dragged me into a building that resembled the warehouses built by the Asterions on Earth, which led me to assume that’s what these were. A massive sliding door unfurled itself, lifting from the ground to the ceiling, and I was taken inside the dark, cool interior. The concrete floor was hard beneath my shoes and torture to my body when one of the brutes shoved me to the ground.

I yelped, hating myself for giving Sirena and her cohorts that much, but I fell on my elbow, bruising and skinning it.

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