Page 31 of Grumpy Alien Bodyguard

Var's eyes meet mine, and I see a fierce determination there that matches my own. "I'll return as soon as I can." He hesitates, then reaches out to briefly touch my face, his scaled fingers surprisingly gentle against my cheek. Then he's gone, striding purposefully back through the doors.

I watch him leave, my mind already racing with potential strategies and counter-arguments. I'm so lost in thought that I almost forget Serenity is still standing beside me.

"You've grown rather close to your bodyguard," she observes, a knowing smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

I feel heat rise to my cheeks. "I... we've been through a lot together in a short time."

"Clearly." Her smile widens slightly.

I sigh, turning back to look out over the city. "He's more than meets the eye, you know. Behind all that 'Annihilator' bravado, there's intelligence, honor, even compassion." I pause, my fingers tracing patterns on the cold metal railing. "But his job is destruction, and mine is building peace. How can we ever make that work?"

Serenity moves closer, placing her hand on my shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. "From where I'm sitting, it looks like you make it work just fine."

I glance up at her, surprised by her directness.

"Life is complicated, Quinn," she continues. "Especially after centuries of war. We're all trying to find our place in this new reality." Her lavender eyes hold mine. "Sometimes the most unlikely combinations create the strongest bonds."

She gives my shoulder one final squeeze before stepping back. "I should return to the reception. Don't stay out here too long—it gets cold quickly once the sun sets completely."

As Serenity leaves, I'm left alone with my thoughts and the glittering expanse of Christmasville below. The city seems different now, its beauty marred by the knowledge of what Kallus is attempting. If he succeeds, the fragile peace we've all been working toward could unravel completely.

I think about Var, rushing to contact Dowron, fighting this battle in his own way. We're so different—a diplomat and a warrior, a human and a Vakutan—yet somehow, when we're together, those differences seem to complement rather than divide us.

The night air grows colder, but I don't move. Not yet. I need this moment to gather my strength, to prepare for what comes next. Because tomorrow, I'll need to find a way to outmaneuver Kallus and protect the Solari—or watch as everything I've worked for crumbles into dust.

And as I stand there, I realize something else: I don't want to face this challenge alone. I want Var beside me—not just as my protector, but as my partner. The thought should terrify me, but instead, it fills me with a strange, quiet certainty.

Whatever happens next, we'll face it together.

CHAPTER 14

VARNOK

Istomp up the ramp into Sweet Charity, my footfalls echoing through the empty ship. Gas is probably out enjoying Armstrong's nightlife—good for him. The quiet suits my mood.

The holocom chamber is tucked behind the bridge, a small room with nothing but a circular platform surrounded by projectors. I step onto the platform and punch in Dowron's personal code. It's late, but this can't wait.

The system hums to life, the air shimmering before me. After several moments, Dowron's image flickers into existence—disheveled, his pink scales dull with age and sleep.

"This better be important, Annihilator," he growls, blinking rapidly. He's wearing what appears to be sleeping robes, and his ridge is flattened on one side where he must have been lying on it.

"Apologies for waking you, General," I say, straightening my posture automatically. "But we have a situation. Kallus Bruw is petitioning the Alliance for a Writ of Industrial Conscription for Jwoon X."

Dowron's eyes sharpen immediately, sleep falling away. "Serenity Garsdotter told you this?"

"Yes. Is it true?"

He sighs, a heavy sound that seems to carry the weight of his five centuries. "It is. My sources on the Alliance Council confirmed it yesterday."

I slam my fist against the wall. "We are no longer at war, General. Why the writ? These emergency powers should be buried with the dead!"

"The war might be officially over, Varnok, but the danger never is." Dowron's image steps closer, his voice dropping. "Just saying the war is over doesn't make it over for the entire galaxy. There are splinter groups of former Alliance and Coalition fighters alike who refuse to cease hostilities."

"Rogue elements," I say dismissively.

"More than that. Former war generals on both sides have chosen to become warlords instead of disarming and returning home as ordered. They control entire systems now, with battle-hardened troops loyal only to them." Dowron's eyes meet mine. "In fact, I believe the galaxy is a MORE dangerous place now that the Centuries War is over."

"How so?"

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