“Klowix!”

Bethany flew into his arms, knocking him a few steps back. “Where have you been? It’s been four days!”

She stared up into his face, basking in relief that he was ok. She was hoping he’d say he was pleased to see her, or at least smile, but Klowix’s movements were wooden and his face was blank.

“Klowix?”

Without a word, he disengaged himself from her and went into the kitchen. Bethany followed on his heels, hurt and confused. Snia, Trili, Culip, and Beoli all piled into the kitchen, tripping over themselves to welcome him home. Klowix didn’t respond to them either.

He sat down and silently gestured for them to do the same. He was scaring Bethany. She’d never seen him like this.

Finally, Klowix spoke. “I have been engaged in intense discussions in the king’s court.” He wasn’t looking at any of them, but rather staring over their heads. “I have fought with every means I know how, with everything I have. It was not enough.”

He bowed his head, as though in shame. Bethany ached to comfort him, but she remained seated. Finally, Klowix looked up, straight at her.

“While Telion is not a democracy like earth, the king rules only by the grace of his people. Sirin wants to remain king. Instead of doing the right thing, he has been pushed into doing the popular thing to appease the masses.”

The disgust in Klowix’s voice was clear. Bethany had previously heard him talk about the king with respect, but all of that was gone now.

Klowix took a deep breath before continuing. “The king has declared that Telion is to be an Evion-only planet. All humans, even those born here, will be deported at once. All people who are a mixture of human and Evion will be deported at once. The shuttles begin leaving tomorrow.”

Bethany felt like the ground was falling away from under her. She was being sent away? She knew she should be looking forward to seeing her parents again, but all she could see was Klowix, how he broke eye contact with her, how his every gesture said that he believed he had failed her.

He didn’t say anything else. No plan for appeal or action – nothing. In the void, Bethany felt like she was drowning.

Beoli seemed calm. “When does Bethany leave?”

Bethany felt like a shard of ice had pierced her heart. How could Beoli say that so calmly, without any emotion, as though she didn’t care?

“I have managed to schedule her for the very last shuttle leaving the planet, one week from now.”

“All right. Then we have one week to make a plan.”

As Bethany met Beoli’s eyes, she realized she never should have doubted her friend for a second. Beoli would fight for her; they all would.

Klowix, though, was already shaking his head. “No. Believe me, I tried, but it’s done. It won’t be safe for Bethany – for any human – to be on the planet after the shuttles have left. There is a death sentence for any human found on Telion after the deportations are complete.”

Bethany shut her eyes, trying to push back the tears. She had been sure Klowix would fight for her, but here he was, just accepting it. Did he not care about her at all?

“Commander?”

When their eyes met, his were no longer dead, but filled with fire. “I will not let anyone or anything harm you.”

At that moment, Bethany realized he was fighting for her in the best way he knew how – protecting her, even if it meant sending her away.

Under the table, Beoli’s hand found her wrist, and squeezed. Bethany grabbed onto her and held silently to her like a lifeline.

Trili looked up. “We understand, Commander.”

Bethany lowered her eyes. “I need to be alone.” She couldn’t bear to be there a moment longer, not with Klowix watching with such sadness in his eyes. She heard the scraping of chairs as Klowix granted the others permission to follow her.

Bethany went straight to her room. The door hadn’t even finished closing when Snia caught it and held it open. They all crowded in, sitting with her on her huge bed.

Culip was firm. “Beoli is right; we’ll make a plan. This kind of thing can’t be allowed to stand.”

“What can we do, though? Klowix must be one of the most influential people on the planet. If even he can’t stop this…”

Snia shook her head. “Don’t think like that. I’ll talk to my family. They have connections; maybe they can do something.”

Trili spoke slowly and sounded almost grim. “You do that. I’m going to take this further. I’m taking this to the intergalactic council. This kind of thing could reignite a war. They won’t stand for it.”

“That could take years, though. The council doesn’t make decisions quickly.”

“You’re right, we’ll need something in the meantime.” Beoli ran her hands through her hair, thinking. “I can teach you. You can’t pass as an Evion – yet. I can teach you to fit in. If you change your hair and clothes, no one will recognize you; you hardly ever go out anyway. No one knows what you look like, except the protesters who kidnapped you, and they’re all dead. Perhaps Dr. Yie will, but Klowix trusts him.”

“That may work, but it won’t take care of the most important thing. She can’t move like us; no humans can.”

Culip raised her eyebrows. “That, I can do something about. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. Humans and Evions are almost genetically identical. There are only a few minor differences. It shouldn’t take much to develop a serum humans can take to activate certain genes, the ones that allow for fast movement.”

Trili nodded, looking between them. “Then it sounds like we have a plan. Snia and I will try to get the decision reversed, Snia from her contacts here, me by appealing to the council. In case that doesn’t work, Beoli and Culip will help Bethany pass as an Evion – Beoli by teaching her to blend in, Culip by making her what she needs physically.”

Bethany didn’t know what to expect. “Will it work?”

“I don’t know. I’m sorry, but I really don’t know. We won’t stop trying, though, Bethany.”

“We’ve only got a week.”

“Hey, don’t give up hope. We’ll find a solution.”

Bethany nodded. She didn’t know if they really would be able to pull this off, but encircled by her friends, each with her own skills and talents, all focused on keeping her here, she felt a bit better.

“I’m going to see Klowix. We all just left him; he probably thinks we’re angry at him for failing.”

“Yes, go on.” Culip waved her hand absently, already immersed in calculations on a T-screen. Snia was dialing her father’s number. Bethany left them to it. Maybe they would succeed despite everything.

Klowix was still sitting at the table. It didn’t look like he’d moved since they left.

“Commander?”

He looked up at her. Bethany sat down beside him.

“Commander, please don’t give up on me. The others aren’t; don’t you either. We need you. Please, you have to fight for me.”

Klowix glanced to Bethany’s closed bedroom door. “Do I even want to know what your friends have cooked up?”

Despite everything, Bethany smiled. “Probably not. You may want to get some kind of chemical barriers up. Culip is usually really careful, but with the time limit we’re working under, I wouldn’t want her to blow up the house by accident.”

Klowix nodded slowly. “Culip is a better soldier than I am. A true soldier never gives up. I think I had forgotten that.”

Somehow, he seemed to pull the air of power and command around himself, like he was stepping back into his old self. It was beautiful to see. Klowix wasn’t broken, and Bethany wouldn’t be either.

“I will go to court tomorrow. I will petition to the king to change the decision. I will fight until there is no more time left.”

“Talk to Snia about that. She’s going to get her family involved.”

Klowix brightened. “Snia’s family is high up in court, and well-respected. If she could secure their support, it would go a long way – but Bethany, you need to know something. I will fight, but that doesn’t mean I will succeed. If we do fail, you will have to leave as the king decrees. It won’t be safe for you here otherwise.”

“I understand.” Bethany didn’t meet his eyes. How could she even consider leaving? The thought of life without Klowix was terrifying.

“Promise me.”

Bethany opened her mouth, but no words came out. “It won’t come to that. We’ll see to it.”

“No.” Bethany looked from Klowix to Snia and Trili, then to Culip and Beoli. All of them shook their heads. Bethany couldn’t believe this was happening.

“We can’t give up!”

“There is no more time.” Klowix sounded resigned. “The shuttle leaves tomorrow. We have tonight. After that, there’s no telling.”

He trailed off. No one wanted to look at Bethany.

Eventually, Trili leaned close. “Spend tonight with him. Say goodbye. We’ll say our farewells in the morning; the shuttle only leaves in the afternoon. Have this last night with him.”

Bethany realized she was right. She’d hate herself forever if she wasted her last night with Klowix. He seemed to think the same thing, because he got up and held out his hand, indicating for her to go before him. When they got to his room, Klowix closed the door behind him and turned to face Bethany.

She reached for him and he reached for her. He took her firmly in his grasp and kissed her. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, and Bethany opened herself to him. She could feel the slick slide of his tongue against hers, against her cheeks, her teeth, and her throat.

Klowix lifted her and carried her to the bed, pressing her down against the silk covers. Bethany tugged at her dress, trying to get it off. Klowix deftly lifted her, sweeping the dress off and throwing it aside. Bethany’s hands roamed under his shirt and over his chest; his skin was hot under her fingers.

She moved her hands down, feeling the bulge of his cock. He shifted slightly to give her better access, never breaking the kiss. Eventually, Bethany had to break away for air, gasping as his hands found her breasts and squeezed them together.

She finally got his pants unbuttoned and slipped her hand into the tight space, finally finding his cock. Klowix moaned and pressed into her grip, his fingers moving over her nipples, which hardened at his touch.

With one hand, Bethany tried to pull off his shirt, but Klowix got there before her. Moments later, he wriggled out of his pants and loomed over her, naked and magnificent. His cock arched up as Bethany stroked it, relishing the feel of his skin. A dribble of precome seeped out and she swiped at it, spreading it over the head of his cock.

Klowix put his hands under her back and lifted her, pulling her up so that they were both sitting, entwined in each other. Bethany’s grip on his cock was lost, so she put her arms around his neck and kissed him. She let herself forget that tomorrow she had to leave, that this might be the last time she ever saw him. Klowix swept her up in the heat of lust, and she went willingly.

He latched his mouth onto her left breast and circled his tongue over her nipple. Bethany gasped as the movements suddenly became faster, inhumanly fast. She could feel her body thrumming underneath him, begging for more.

Klowix’s powerful arms held her, wrapped around her back, keeping the two of them close. Bethany moved a little so that she could feel the tip of his cock rubbing against her clit. It felt positively divine; she couldn’t get enough of it.

Slowly at first, but then faster and faster, she began to move, rubbing herself against him. The precome mixed with her own wetness, making them both hot and slick as they panted. She needed him inside her, and tried to move to take him in, but Klowix stopped her.

Bethany understood. He wanted this to last. She did, too. How long would this last night have to sustain her for until she saw him again?

She was brought out of her dismal thoughts abruptly when he reached up underneath her, sliding a finger inside her. It filled her and she took him in eagerly. Klowix thrust his finger in and out, slowly… too slowly.

Bethany spoke through hard breathing. “Commander, please… would you go faster?”

He obliged her; he seemed to have been waiting for her to ask. His finger flew in and out of her, and Bethany felt herself coming near the edge. She cried out in ecstasy as she began to climax.

Abruptly, Klowix’s finger was gone. Almost crying in frustration, Bethany tried to grab his hand and put it back, but he easily evaded her.

“Commander… please.”

Instead of listening to her, he moved his hand up slightly, just brushing over her clit. Bethany jerked again, her body trying fruitlessly to come, but Klowix wasn’t allowing it, not yet.

She knew how to get what she wanted. Twisting around, she reached for his cock with her mouth. Klowix’s hips jerked towards her as she took him in, licking up and down his rigid shaft. She teased him for a moment, lapping lightly at the head before pulling off. As she knew he would, Klowix pressed her down on her back. Bethany spread her legs, ready to receive him.

She was so wet that Klowix pushed into her as easily as a breath. He began to thrust, one hand holding himself up and the other smoothly rubbing Bethany’s clit. She knew she wanted it to last, but she couldn’t anymore. Klowix must have sensed she was close, because he gripped her neck, pulling the essence out of her. The pleasure seemed to double, reaching almost unbearable heights. With a cry, Bethany came so hard that the world shimmered before her. It seemed to go on forever.

Klowix grunted and came too, moving faster than she could have imagined, riding them both through it.

They came down, panting. Klowix pulled her around so that they were both lying on their sides, facing each other. He gently kissed Bethany, more tenderly than he ever had before.

At that moment, there were a million things she wanted to say to him, about how much he meant to her, about how he changed her life, but looking into his eyes, she realized it wasn’t necessary. In this moment, the understood each other perfectly. She didn’t say anything; she simply rested her head on his shoulder.

He already knew.