Khalzin nodded. "What have you both learned thus far about the sources of this attack against the Galactic Alliance visitors."
"A lot of Kantenans do not want them here," Stron said.
Khalzin sighed. "Obviously."
"No, you do not understand. A great deal of the populace is against this, Khalzin," Stron said. "It isn't just one group or one sect. This is everywhere."
Janae's eyes got wide. "So, will we be safe?"
"As safe as we can keep you," Stron said.
Khalzin shook his head. "I don't understand why it could be such a deeply spread hate. How is that even possible? It hasn't been nearly long enough for such a thing to work its way through society. It's not like this program was broadcast and made a huge public incident."
"Look at this," Dhomhes said. "This is what I found." He sent some files through the hologram, and Khalzin brought them up.
It didn't take long to realize what he was looking at.
"It's a hit list," Janae said, staring at the data. "Someone has put out a call for Kantenans to kill all of us." She glanced at him. "No wonder the ship was bombed. Someone is trying to make sure we all die. It isn't just a scare tactic."
"It gets worse," Adryel said, and she sent over her file. "Look who is number one on the list."
Janae gasped.
It was her.
She stared at the image, tipping her head from one way to another as she studied the hologram. She even spun it a few times so she could see it from all angles.
Khalzin gritted his teeth. "I will kill whoever made that hit list." He glanced at her. "I will make sure that you're safe. No matter what."
She nodded and kept staring at the image. "I don't understand."
"What?" Adryel asked.
"This image, I just can't put my finger on it. There's something wrong with it," she said.
"Do you think it was faked?" Adryel asked.
Janae shook her head. "I think it is real, but I cannot figure out what it is that bugs me. Something’s not right about it."
"We need to focus on your safety right now. We can decode the hologram later," Khalzin said. "What are our options?"
"Get you off the planet as fast as possible," Stron said. "There's no other option."
Dhomhes held up his hand. "I may have a better solution to that."
* * *
"I cannot believeyou agreed to this," Stron said to Khalzin as they walked up the transport ramp. The ship was old and smelled like the refineries on the far side of the world.
"What other option do we have? They have to be kept safe."
"But the dark side of Kantenan? Where all the refineries are?" Stron said. "Already I can smell it, and it is disgusting. They will hate it there."
Dhomhes came over. "Safest place on Kantenan to be."
"How do you figure?" Stron asked.
"No one would dare put a bomb in a Kantenan refinery. It would blow up half the planet. The unrefined citricite requires exceptional care because of its volatile nature before it's refined. No matter how desperate they are to get rid of the Galactic Alliance presence, they won't attack them there."
