I nodded.
My captain drew in a deep breath, and I could see the calculations running behind his eyes. "This is not a simple reconnaissance mission, Xabat. If the Consortium is involved, like we suspect, we have no idea what you may be up against."
I didn't care. If the female was my brother's mate, it was my duty to protect her. "I am War Chief of theHistoria," I reminded him. "Well able to defend the female against any threat."
Maddie leaned forward, her hand resting lightly on Adtovar's arm in that gentle way she had of tempering his moods. "He's right. Besides, if Harper is in danger, we need a strategic approach, not to go in guns blazing." She gave a harsh laugh. "The last thing we need is another Roswell, New Mexico."
I didn't understand the meaning of her words, but I accepted them with a short grunt.
"Besides," Maddie continued, "the biggest problem may not be the Consortium but the hurricane brewing in the Atlantic."
"What is this... hurricane?" I asked, unfamiliar with the term.
Maddie's eyes widened slightly, as though surprised by my ignorance. "A hurricane is a massive storm system that forms over warm ocean water. Think of it as...." She paused, searching for words I might understand. "It's a rotating vortex of wind and rain that can span hundreds of miles," she explained. "The winds can reach speeds of over two hundred miles per hour, strong enough to tear buildings apart."
I frowned, trying to visualize such a phenomenon. I had experienced storm systems on my home world, violent electrical tempests that could strip flesh from bone, but nothing that sounded quite like what she described.
"The real danger," Maddie continued, "is the storm surge. The hurricane pushes ocean water onto land, flooding coastal areas. Wilmington is right on the coast, which means Harper's beach house could be directly in the path of the storm." She pulled up a holographic display on her datapad, showing swirling white clouds rotating in a spiral pattern over a deep blue ocean. "This one is called Hurricane Beatrice, and it's currently a Category 3, expected to make landfall near Wilmington in approximately four days."
"Then we have little time," I said, studying the swirling mass on the display. It looked alive, predatory, like something sentient hunting its prey.
"Most humans evacuate when a hurricane is coming," Maddie added. "But some stay behind, either because they can't leave or because they're stubborn." She gave me a knowing look. "From what I've gathered about Harper Quinn, she might be the stubborn type."
For some reason, I liked that.
Maddie leaned forward, her fingers dancing across the holographic display as she expanded the image. "Wilmington is a coastal city in the southeastern United States," she explained, her voice taking on the patient tone of a teacher. "It sits wherethe Cape Fear River meets the Atlantic Ocean. Harper's beach house is on Wrightsville Beach, a barrier island just east of the city—essentially a narrow strip of sand between the mainland and the open ocean." She zoomed in on the map, showing a slender finger of land that looked impossibly fragile. "It's beautiful, but incredibly vulnerable to storm surge."
Adtovar's expression darkened as he leaned back in his chair, his pearlescent horns catching the light. "With winds of that magnitude, the hurricane could strand you on Earth for days, possibly weeks." His tone carried the weight of command now, the captain rather than the friend. "Communication will be difficult, if not impossible. And if the consortium is watching...."
"I understand the risk," I said, my voice flat and unyielding.
"There's more," Adtovar continued, his bright blue eyes fixed on mine with an intensity that demanded attention. He pulled up another display, this one showing documents covered in human script. "If a human is involved with the Consortium, then it is someone with significant resources and connections within Earth's governmental structures. It means they have access to surveillance systems, their law enforcement, and military. Any of us setting foot on Earth, even disguised, could be walking into a trap. If they identify you as non-human, if they capture you...." He let the implication hang in the air, heavy and ominous.
My hand clenched into a fist, the wound in my palm still tender, a sharp reminder of the oath I'd made. "I do not care about the risks. I am going." The words came out harsh, but I wouldn't be swayed. "I owe this to my brother. I could not protect Xytol when the Kerzak attacked our ship, but I can protect his mate."
The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of old guilt pressing down on my shoulders, a physical burden I'd carried for too many years.
Maddie's expression softened with understanding, and I saw compassion in her eyes that made my chest tighten. "We're not trying to stop you, Xabat. We're trying to help you succeed." She glanced at Adtovar, who gave a reluctant nod. "We have a cuddwisg device you can use. It will project a holographic disguise that makes you appear human."
"The technology creates a visual overlay," Adtovar explained, pulling a small silver disc from his pocket. "It will mask your green skin, adjust your facial features, and hide any obviously non-human characteristics. But it won't change your actual physical form, and you are much bigger than most human males."
I took the device, turning it over in my palm. It was surprisingly light, no bigger than a coin. I was familiar with the technology—many of my crewmates had used one while on rescue missions.
"There's also the language barrier to consider," Maddie said, her dark eyes studying me carefully. "Harper won't have a translation device. How is your English coming along?"
I had been studying the human language for months now. The grammar was strange, the pronunciation awkward on my tongue, but I had made progress. "I can... communicate," I said slowly in English, the words feeling clumsy in my mouth. "Not perfect, but functional."
Maddie's face broke into an encouraging smile. "That's actually pretty good. And honestly, you won't be the first person on Earth for whom English is a second language. A bit of an accent won't raise suspicions."
"I'll need appropriate clothing," I said, switching back to Alliance common tongue. "Human clothing."
"Already thought of that," Maddie said, pulling up some images on her datapad. "I'll put together some clothes for you. Jeans, shirts, and a jacket for the weather." She paused, glancing back at me with an appraising look. "And hiking boots." Her brows waggled mischievously. "You're going to love hiking boots."
Chapter 2
Harper
"Oh, my God! You've got an AI boyfriend."
