"This was not your conversation, Dhomhes," Khalzin said. "You can move along and perform your own workout.”
"Defending your friend? How nice of you," Dhomhes said.
"He doesn't defend me," Stron said, snarling at Dhomhes.
"I'm not the one you needed to be concerned about," Dhomhes said. "I didn't receive an executive order from the Coalition."
Khalzin grimaced again.
"What's he going on about?" Stron asked, turning back to him.
"I intended to speak to you about that.”
Dhomhes crossed his arms. "Go ahead. Tell us.”
He had a feeling that Dhomhes already knew exactly what Khalzin had been ordered to do.
"Why would he tell you anything?" Stron said. "You seem to think you know what's going on."
"I always hear whispers."
Khalzin glanced around the gym and noticed a good deal of people listening to them.
Might as well do this and see what he could get.
"I am working on bringing in a new option for the mating pool."
Fiviel raised his eyebrow. "Did you find a pool of females in the mountains who were desperate for a fresh group of males to meet?"
"That would be nice," Stron said. "New faces and all.”
"New faces are part of it," Khalzin said. "I need volunteers to help me prove a theory for the Coalition."
"Whatever it is, my friend, I will assist," Stron said.
"Thank you. I hoped you would be willing. However, you need to know what it requires before you commit.”
"And it is a commitment," Dhomhes said.
"Do you want to tell them since you seem to think you know everything," Khalzin snapped.
"No, please. You're doing fine."
He glanced around.
The room had filled up, and there were approximately twenty or so in now, and the usual buzz of light conversation had faded in the chamber.
While some were getting warmed up and starting their workout routines, many were paying attention to him.
A lot of attention.
He grimaced and glanced at Stron. "The Galactic Alliance has a program where they bring willing alien mates to different worlds to procreate.”
"You want me to mate with an off-worlder?" Stron asked.
"In a matter of speaking."
"There is no matter-of-speaking," Fiviel said. "We mate with them, or we don't."
