The ship was primitive compared to the crafts of the A’li-uud, but it was sufficient. I ran my hand over the outer shell, which was made of foreign and weak metal, and frowned with distaste. How the humans managed to make it into Albaterra’s galaxy in the first place was beyond me.

“You cannot possibly think this will bring us home,” Lokos scoffed. He was looking at the ship with as much disgust as I felt.

“We have no other option,” I replied. “Duke took our ship back to Albaterra when he left, and those in our fleet that have not been destroyed by the war are too few to house the stranded A’li-uud. We need this ship.”

In truth, the humans had provided me with a very large and spacious vessel. A quick tour through it had revealed an entire dormitory of living quarters, a well-outfitted kitchen and dining hall, two separate docking bays, and a command center grand enough to hold a ball. There was also a small room of cells for prisoners, a recreation hall filled with activities I had never seen before, and entire wings devoted to the ship’s functions. Had it been made of something sturdier than the pathetic materials Earth offered, it would have actually been an impressive ship.

“They are trying to kill us,” Lokos muttered darkly. “They intend for this thing to implode the moment we try to break through Earth’s atmosphere.”

“Maybe,” I said. My tone was light and airy. “I cannot say I would blame them.”

Lokos turned his colorless eyes to me with an expression of poorly-hidden disdain. On my left, I could feel Roxanne’s eyes on me as well, and I turned to look at her. She seemed confused, and I realized we’d been speaking A’li-uud.

“I am sorry,” I apologized in English. “It is rude to exclude you from the conversation.”

“It’s fine,” she said dismissively. Her gaze kept flicking over my shoulder to the hangar, outside of which there was a group of a dozen men gathered. They’d been huddled and talking animatedly for nearly an hour while my warriors and I became familiar with the ship. So far, Roxanne had been the only human with whom I’d interacted with since being released from the prison.

“You are nervous?” I asked, probing her to reveal her thoughts.

Roxanne blinked, her mouth tightening, and shook her head. “I wouldn’t say I’m nervous. I just wish I knew what they were talking about,” she admitted.

“Why?”

“Because I feel like something’s off,” she said. Her mouth tightened further until it was a thin line, and her emerald eyes became rather jade in color as they darkened. “I can’t believe they agreed to this in the first place. They seemed so against it when I first told them your demands, but here you are with one of our ships preparing to go home without interception.”

“Yes,” I said thoughtfully. “It is much like when we allowed the humans to return to Earth.”

Our eyes locked suddenly, and I felt the ground tilt beneath my feet. After our first meeting, I’d been intrigued by the beautiful Ambassador, and I’d certainly lusted after her. After our second, though, what had been simple intrigue and sexual desire had become something much more potent. I craved her presence as much as I craved air or water. To be so near her was like electric volts shooting through my limbs, making my mind race and my fingers twitch. I no longer just wanted to know and understand her—I wanted her to know and understand me.

It was the most intense infatuation I’d ever experienced, and it was by far the most unnerving.

“Here they come,” she said suddenly, freezing in place.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw the group of men no longer in a thick mass. They strode toward us with stern faces and large steps, all staring directly at me. I stared back. Without the chains I’d been kept in for nearly two weeks, I was far from helpless and even further from intimidated. My glowing sword hung faithfully on my hip, swaying slightly with every movement I made, and I felt it bump my thigh reassuringly. Behind me, I could hear Lokos breathing in deep, jagged huffs.

As soon as they were near enough, the shortest of the men stepped forward. “Ms. Rigby tells us you call yourself Dane. My name is Armando Lowell, Associate Administrator for Strategy and Plans. I’m with NASA.”

He jammed a hand forward and held it outstretched to me. I stared blankly at it, and Roxanne hurriedly said, “Mr. Lowell, I don’t think the A’li-uud are familiar with our greeting customs.”

“Oh, right.” The portly man withdrew his hand and stuffed it into his pocket. “Well, good to meet you anyway.”

I inclined my head toward him without saying a word. I could feel Roxanne’s eyes darting between Lowell and me, but I didn’t look at her. An uncomfortable silence stretched between us as the jovial man fumbled for something more to say.

He didn’t have to. The man nearest him, a very broad-shouldered specimen with a harsh face and too much forehead, spoke instead. “General Rodney P. Morgan,” he introduced himself. His gaze slid to my left. “I’m on the Board, and I work closely with Roxanne.”

If I’d had my eyes closed, I would have thought it to be a standard introduction. As I was able to see the way his expression changed as soon as he looked at Roxanne, however, I realized he was posturing. His eyes glittered as they scanned her from head to toe, his hands flexed at his sides, and I detected the ripe smell of testosterone spilling from his pores.

I snarled.

The sound made Roxanne’s head swing toward me in surprise, and several of the men in clean-cut suits took a step back in fear. I heard Lokos draw up to my side, prepared to fight if necessary, but I ignored him. I ignored everyone but the General. My eyes were locked on him as though he were the only thing I could see, and he was staring back at me with haughty aggression. Then, as slowly as the sunrise, understanding dawned across his face, and the aggression was instantly replaced with a smug leer.

“I hope you don’t mind,” he said in a rather sing-song tone, “but some of us will be joining you on your little journey.”

There was an odd thudding in my ears, and I realized it was the sound of my heart pumping violently. Lokos made an angry noise in his throat, but I lifted a hand to silence him. “I do not understand,” I said.

It was the first time I had spoken to these men, and all of them seemed stunned to hear me. A few had furrowed brows like they had trouble understanding my accent, and the portly Lowell seemed overjoyed by the communication, but the rest were simply in awe. General Morgan, however, was unfazed.

“Of course you don’t. Let me say it a different way.” Keeping his feet grounded, he bent toward me at the waist and, with dramatic movements of his mouth, said patronizingly, “We. Are. Coming. With. You.”

Even though we weren’t touching, I could feel Lokos shaking with anger beside me. Roxanne, however, radiated confusion.

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

“Oh, not us,” Lowell interjected cheerfully, motioning around at the group behind him. “Just some of our best soldiers. General Morgan has volunteered as well. I’m sure you understand.”

“Roxanne did not tell me this,” I said angrily, twisting my neck to look at her.

She bristled. “I didn’t know!” she cried. She swung her eyes back to Morgan. “This was not part of the agreement!”

“You don’t really think we’re just going to let them go back without supervision so they can better prepare to attack us all over again, do you?” he asked her, his tone dripping with mock sweetness. I felt another snarl rise in my belly, but I tamped it down.

“I will not agree to those terms,” I said shortly. “I cannot trust you.”

“I don’t trust you either, but someone’s gotta step up and be a man,” Morgan snapped.

Lokos twitched, and I nudged him with my elbow to keep him in check. My mind raced as I realized I would have to make a fast decision or possibly lose my chance to return to Albaterra.

“I will agree under one condition,” I said, speaking loud enough for everyone in the vicinity to hear me clearly.

“And what’s that?” Morgan drawled.

I looked him dead in the eyes, straightening up and lifting my chin with regal arrogance. “Roxanne must come, too.”