Arin tried to ignore the uncomfortable sensation spreading across her lower back. Sitting still for long periods of time didn’t agree with her. She needed to be up and about, moving,doingsomething. This pointless interrogation was starting to make her edgy.
Finally, the senator looked up. “The way you describe these Kordolians, one might almost think you don’t regard them as enemies. How would you describe your interaction with these aliens, Sergeant?”
Frisky.
That was the first word that popped into her head as sherecalled the infuriating Kordolian called Rykal. Arin quickly tried to scrub such thoughts from her mind.
“We had an agreement,” Arin said bluntly. “They needed something from us, and we needed something from them. I would say our relationship was one of necessity. If we’d made the mistake of engaging them in a fight, I doubt I’d be sitting here and talking to you right now.”
Rykal.
He’d been an asshole at first. He’d taken her hostage, using a quick-and-dirty tactic to secure their co-operation. She remembered the feel of his rough, gloved hands on her throat. His naked Callidum blade had been pressed against the bare skin of her neck, and for a moment, Arin had known nothing but fear. He’d moved so damn fast. If Arin or any of her squad had been stupid enough to retaliate, would he have slit her throat?
In the end, he hadn’t put a scratch on her.
And afterwards, when the Kordolians had ensured they were all spooked enough not to try anything, he’d changed, turning from aggressor to protector-by-default.
Default.
They shared a common enemy. That was all.
“I can assure you, senator,” Arin added, “there is no way I consider the Kordolians to be our allies.”
That damned Rykal. He’d seemed to find every possible excuse to appear around her. It was almost as if he’d enjoyed sneaking up on her.
As red lines flickered across the Truth Monitor, a smug expression crossed Senator Monroe’s face. “There seems to be a discrepancy in what you’re saying, Sergeant. Do you care to rephrase your last statement?”
“Are you implying that I’m being untruthful?”
“The Monitor doesn’t lie.”
“I don’t see a falsehood notification on the Monitor,” Arin retorted. She knew how this shit worked. She’d watched hershare of crappy courtroom dramas on the NetCom. If the Monitor detected a lie, an alert signal would flash across the holoscreen. The senator was just trying cheap intimidation tactics on her.
“She’s right, Senator Monroe.” One of the other Committee members, a dignified-looking man called Senator Aquinas, looked up from his notes. “You know very well that not all readings in the amber to red range signify deception. Quite frankly, your line of questioning is starting to resemble a prosecution. Sergeant Varga is here because she was witness to a hostile takeover, not because she’s committed a crime. I’ve heard several analyses of this incident, and personally, I think her actions should be commended.” He looked down at his datapad, a small sigh escaping him. “It’s going to be a long day. We have quite a list of interviews to get through. I suggest we adjourn for a quick recess before continuing with the day’s proceedings.” He glanced across at his fellow committee members. “Any objections?”
There were none.
Monroe shot Aquinas a frosty glare, and some sort of silent communication passed between them. Clearly, these two weren’t friends.
Serves you right, dragon lady,Arin thought. The woman wasn’t handling the truth well. Kordolians were physically superior. That was just the way things were. Sooner or later, the human race had to accept the fact that they weren’t at the top of the universal food chain.
As people began to file out of the chambers, the Truth Monitor flashed blue and green, much to Arin’s relief. The red signals had surprised her.
What was that all about?
She liked to think she had pretty good control over her inner thoughts and emotions.
But deep down, she knew what had happened.
Rykal had invaded her thoughts. Again. That alien waspure trouble wrapped up in impenetrable obsidian exo-armor. He’d found every excuse to appear at the most inconvenient of times, turning up to boss her around or ask some obscure question. Arin had tried to ignore him, but it had been oh-so difficult. How was one supposed to ignore an overfamiliar alien who could be playfully gentle with one hand and deal swift, silent death with the other?
He was impossible. The smoldering amber glances, the way he’d ‘accidentally’ brushed against her, the insolent flash of his fangs. He had no understanding of the concept of ‘personal space’.
He was still causing her trouble, and he wasn’t evenhere.
He was somewhere up in low Earth orbit on a hijacked Superfreighter, probably terrorizing the crew and the passengers.
After this interrogation was over, she had to get back up there. Her people were up there, and she knew how to handle the Kordolians. These Federation guys didn’t. They would screw everything up.
