King Shene led Alexis down a familiar hallway. She knew just where she was going, but she pretended as if she didn’t. The last time she came, it had been less guarded, and Nabvan had been the one to get her in. She had been desperate to convince the women to believe her and find a way to cooperate with the men who had chosen them, but it had been a no-go for everyone but one.

King Shene spoke to the four guards who were at the entrance to the quarantined set of rooms that held the human women who would be loaded up on a ship to Earth as soon as their conversations ended. He let them know Alexis was allowed in for a certain amount of time and then was to be escorted out and taken straight to the king. Alexis had no reason to believe the king suspected her. He had hardly been in her room, and he seemed happy at her presence unlike any time before they had mated. His hands kept sliding over her body possessively as if to let her know she belonged to him now and he would want another shot at her later. And he probably would.

“Will I still get to come with you to see them home?” she turned to the king and asked in a sweet voice, brushing her hand through his hair. She had to be sure he still wanted her on that ship because if things didn’t go as planned, she had to be ready for plan B.

“I am happy to have you with me anywhere I go. I am so glad that you have truly come around, my Alexis.” His voice sounded like a snake, as it often did when he said her name. He pulled her chin up and kissed her lips, smoothing his against hers. He was not the best of kissers, but if she ever wanted a rough lovemaking session, she knew who to ask. “I think when we get home, it may be time to make you my queen. We can have a wedding more beautiful that Siefer’s. Would you like that?”

Alexis imagined a wedding with all that love and the beauty of the moons shining around them, but she imagined a different groom entirely waiting for her at the end of the aisle. “Yes, I think I would like that,” she told him with a smile before he commanded the doors to be open. She looked back at him as she walked down the hall to the women until the doors shut behind her, leaving her alone with them. There was only one entrance and no windows there. The only guards were at those doors, so she knew there would be no one around to hear her. The king trusted her fully now. She had made sure of that. How wrong he was, though.

“You again!” one of the women seethed as they came out of their room to see her there.

“I came to talk. Can you get the others and take them to the last room down the hall, please?” she asked the women, keeping her distance. She didn’t want to incite any more anger.

“Why should I trust you?” the woman asked, pushing a black curl out of her face.

“Because you know now that I told you the truth about being taken back to Earth, and I am on your side. I am here to help, if you’ll let me.” A woman poked her head out of her room. She had been listening.

“I want to hear what she has to say.” Alexis nodded, and the women began to gather the others into the last room down the hall just as she had asked them to. They were squished inside like sardines when the door closed on them, and she was permitted to talk.

“I have made contact with the Arkani,” she told them. Shocked whispers rippled through the room, and some looked confused as to how she could have pulled that off. She couldn’t blame them. She was shocked she had been able to do such a thing. But she had done it for them. “I was able to get a hold of a radio and tune it to their frequency. I asked if they would come for you and told them where we were going. I will be on that ship with you.”

One of the women spoke up. “But the Arkani are further from Earth than Milisaria. What if they don’t make it to us before we get to Earth? Their ships are fast, but I would guess that the Milisarians have some pretty good ships too.” Alexis nodded. It was what she had feared as well. It was exactly why she needed to talk with them about the backup plan.

“That is true,” Alexis said, trying to make sure the room would be calm for what she said next. “Which is exactly why I want to be on that ship. I say that if we get halfway to Earth with no sign of the Arkani at all, that we fight to take over the ship. We will either succeed and get to the Arkani, or we will die trying.” Alexis looked around at all the faces in the room as they took on new appearances. Some were shocked, others afraid, and even more with determined looks. She could tell that at least a few of them would fight.

“You think just a few women can take over that ship?” one of the women asked, incredulous.

“I don’t know for sure, but I know we can try. It’s a last resort. How many of you actually feel okay with going back to Earth? If you all do, then I will leave it alone and let fate decide.” Alexis went to leave the room, but they begged her to turn around. She knew they didn’t want to go back.

“Anything is better than being sex slaves to these men, but I don’t think I would be okay if I went back.” Alexis nodded. The plan was on then.

As Alexis was led back to the king, she thought about Destiney. She got the feeling she would never see her again and never see what her child with Siefer would look like. If the Arkani caught up to them, then she would be caught. The king would know she was the only one capable of getting that radio. And if they had to fight, she would be the first to go down because hers would be a betrayal. She wished she could say goodbye, but she couldn’t let Siefer in on the plan.

The king took her by the arm affectionately. “Are you ready?” he asked, leading her towards the hangar. So, it looked like she wouldn’t be seeing Nabvan again until they were on the ship. Perhaps that was for the best.

“Yes, I am.”