“My crew will find out if any of them have any skills useful to the base. Those that do not will be relocated.” He crossed his arms, following her gaze. “I will speak to the Overseer to create a solution, but Jaiya, we are not a shelter. This is a military starbase. Before you arrived, we never housed a single guest of another species, let alone sixty-three.”
“I understand,” she sighed. “I’m just relieved you’re willing to help us.” She shot a glance at the curly-haired female beside her, who nodded, before returning her attention to him. “Let me talk it over with my wing and get back to you before I accept your offer. All I ask is that you try to house us all together. At least for the initial relocation. I know it may not be plausible long term, but . . .” She bit her lip as she shot a glance at the huddled group of females, switching her language to Dzexet. “It seems that some of the guards decided to test the tributes before they were offered to the Vresqoxk. If you have any female guards, please assign them to these women to ease their fear.”
His heart stilled at the thought of these innocent females being captured and abused at the hands of worthless excuses for males. How could they live with themselves?
“Did they . . .” He growled, failing to hide the rage that burned inside him. The Daextru would never do such a thing, capture females as a bartering tool. If any of his males—or females—were ever caught abusing a prisoner, he would eject them out of an airlock to die a painful death in open space.
“No. I was one of the lucky ones.” She shrugged. “They should have taken out their anger on me. I was the one who protected you and betrayed my people.” She snorted. “And in the end, they betrayed us all.”
He gripped her shoulders, turning her to face him. “Don’t you ever think like that,” he hissed, shaking her gently. “It was not your fault that the CTA decided to turn their backs on their people. Their actions do not reflect on you. Don’t you ever believe that you deserve such things.”
The gold in her green eyes danced. “I’m glad you’ve finally come to realize that all I ever wanted was to protect my people. Those who govern my people have decided not to protect their own.”
“My people can be yours, if you would allow it,” he breathed. “All you have to do is to swear yourself to me.”
The fight in her eyes dimmed, sadness seeping in. “But what of my brother? My father? This whole room is filled with people who just lost their families. I’m used to taking orders; I don’t know how to lead a bunch of rebels.”
“Then take orders from me, and I’ll see what I can do about those families.” He gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze before letting go. “But Jaiya, this is war. I can’t guarantee anything.”
“I understand,” she nodded, scanning the room. “Every day brings something different.”
