Prime Leader RendEL ran a hand through his hair. “If these…Morinians…truly are being hunted by the Morins, it’s possible they will follow you back to this side of the wormhole. I will need to send transports out.”
LemAN was taking a chance but it had to be said. “Hold back on that. If we can get the Morins to follow us back, this might be our only chance to catch them. There’s no telling how many more transports are out there so if we could capture them, then we might get some answers.”
The three leaders took a moment to think about what he was saying. Then one by one they agreed with his reasoning.
LarIS spoke. “What if the Morin transport doesn’t follow?”
“Then we’ll have to do something to get their attention and make them follow us.”
“We will be waiting for you on this side. I would like to meet with the leader of the Morinians once you get here.”
“I will let them know.”
“Good luck, Commander.”
LemAN ended communications. He was grateful that Leader LarIS had offered the village temporarily and that his leader, RendEL, was willing to give a transport. The Morinians might not like these conditions but as far as LemAN was concerned, they didn’t have a choice.
He meant it when he told the leaders that as a male, he could not leave these people to the will of the Morins. He had seen firsthand how the Morins treated females. No way could he in good conscience let that happen.
Now he had to contact the Morinians and let them know what his leaders were willing to offer them. Then he’d get an update from his crew before seeking out his mate.
Chapter 13
Five hours later
Teagan felt hands pulling her back against a hard body. She knew those hands and that body. “LemAN.”
He rubbed his face against her shoulder. “I wasn’t sure if you would be here or at your quarters. I took too long getting back to you but when I came in and saw you in my bed it made my long day and hard work worth it.”
She turned in his arms so she could look up at him. There were dark circles under his eyes and worry lines on his forehead. He was working too hard and needed more sleep. She reached up and caressed his cheek.
“How did it go? Will someone take the Morinians in? What about Toro?”
He sighed. “I asked Leader Toro but he said that the Morin attack was too fresh and he didn’t think his people would welcome them. That was the sentiment of the other leaders.”
“But where will they go?”
“Leader LarIS reluctantly agreed to let the Morinians stay in a remote mountain village on the Colonial Planet until a suitable planet was found.”
“Well, that’s something, right?”
“I’ve had updates from my crew still on board the Morinian transport. It should hold enough power to get through the wormhole and to the Colonial Planet as long as they reroute power from weapons to their generator.”
“That will make them sitting targets for the Morins if they attack again.”
“Yes, which is why we’ll be escorting the Morinians to the Colonial Planet.”
Teagan sighed with relief. She couldn’t stand the thought of those innocents being attacked. LemAN seemed so preoccupied. He must be under a tremendous amount of pressure from his leader and his crew dealing with their prejudice. All she wanted was to comfort him, make him forget everything except them.
Climbing to her knees on the mattress, she pushed him down onto his back. She smiled as she caressed his bare chest. “Naked already?”
“I don’t like to sleep with clothing on.”
“Oh, I’m not complaining, but I’m a little overdressed.” She had put on one of his shirts that was too big for her. Reaching down, she gripped the hem of the shirt and pulled it up and over her head, and tossed it to the floor. All she had on was a pair of boys’ boxers with Snoopy on them. She laughed when LemAN simply stared at the boxers.
“What is that creature?” he asked, fingering the image of Snoopy in an airplane.
“It’s Snoopy as the Red Baron.”
