I stared at the alien on the screen. “Are all Krilex ships leaving Alaran space or justsomeof you.”
“My information is that all ships have received notice. All Krilex vessels fall under the jurisdiction of our leader. I cannot speak for those who own their own ships, however.”
“What made your people think it was okay to enter Alaran space, anyway?” I asked.
He stared back at me with a hint of annoyance. “It was a foolish choice made by our leader. This system is too well protected. We are better off returning to the Ashrak cluster. ”
Or the neutral zone, I thought to myself. Being a favored spot of theirs, it provided access to Zinid slave planets.
It was clear Zash was not like other ruthless Krilex I had encountered. “How many privately owned pirate vessels are out there?”
He didn’t have lips, but if he had, I got the sense he’d be pursing them. Knowing he would not reveal much more about his own people, I decided to try something else. “What can you tell me about the Voletti... where are they hiding their ships?”
The Krilex stood a little taller, his expression soured. “The Moon of Jaxia. They are based there, from what I am told.”
“What else can you tell me about them?”
Zash thought for a moment. “They cannot see reason. Their need for females and minerals is so great that they will do anything to procure them. It will never be enough, no matter how much we supply. Unfortunately, the trades they insist upon are not worth it.”
I wondered just how many females Zash had turned over to the shape-shifters. The thought made my stomach turn. “You mean you aren’t making enough credits. I thought you received technology from them.”
“Some of us do trade for weapons, since they refuse to give us credits. They are selective about what they will trade.”
My lips curled. At least I would have information to relay to King Trex. I hoped Zash was speaking the truth.
“How many ships do they have on Jaxia’s Moon?”
“At least two on the surface at any one time from what I’ve seen. They do not allow anyone to get close to the planet unlessthey are expecting you to drop off goods.” He paused, and his expression became fierce. “They monitor the space above the planet. Their weapons are beyond anything we have seen in this section of space.”
18
Riley
REPORTING TO MY POSTon the bridge always brought a combination of excitement and anticipation.
Though I hated being away from Krin. I missed having his muscular arms around me while I slept.
His absence made the air feel noticeably cooler in our quarters. At least with our familiar scents all around me, I felt a wave of comfort and safety.
Since Krin claimed me, we’d been sharing his bed every night.
Unfortunately, the last couple of rotations, we’d been working opposite shifts on the bridge.
Of course, Rothr did it to see if I really wanted the posting.
He’d grumbled something about making sure Iwas there for the right reasons.
His comment made me do an internal eye roll.
What did he think I was? A lovesick teenager?
I was all about getting naked with Krin as much as I could. But I still wanted to be a crew member, doing my part to keep the ship running smoothly.
I strolled to the cleansing unit to freshen up and get ready for my shift. Krin would return soon, leaving us with only a brief moment before I had to report to my post.
After I donned an oversized version of a uniform Krin replicated for me, I made a mug of hot Tulian tea and sank into a chair.
As I sipped my tea, my heart skipped a beat when the door slid open. A rush of emotions flooded me when Krin entered the room.
