Khaazai chuckled. “That you have. Perhaps you should be concerned more about my safety.”
Zahra laughed. “Good thing you brought me to watch your back.”
“Only a few minutes before we dock with the Valiance.” The pilot informed them from his seat.
“And how long until we meet up with the Sri’thaen warships?” Zahra asked Khaazai.
“A couple of days.” Khaazai told her. “We want to meet them outside of our system since we still aren’t sure what their intentions are by coming this all this way.”
“Probably not good.” Zahra surmised.
As the pilot had promised, they flew into the shuttle bay of a massive black triangular warship. Several other warships surrounded them. It looked like the Khuuz’eth were ready for a fight and ready to win said fight. They weren’t playing around.
“Think they are coming to start a fight with just a couple of warships?” Zahra asked. Surely the Sri’thaens knewthe fire power of the Khuuz’eth warships. These ships looked ready to take a beating and give a beating.
“Probably not.” Khaazai said as he held out his hand and helped her down the ramp and into the shuttle bay. “But in case they want a fight, we want to be sure we are ready.”
“But you’re thinking they want something else?”
“To warn us we chose the wrong side.”
Maybe. Or maybe they wanted to offer the Khuuz’eth something to get them off Earth’s side. “Your people will stay by our side as you’ve promised?”
Khaazai stopped and grabbed her chin, tilting her head back until their eyes met. “You think my cousin, or I, would lie?”
Zahra shook her head. “I definitely don’t think you’re the kind of man who would lie.”
“We are still married for a while longer. And even if you decide to leave once this year is done, we will honor our promise. You will have upheld your part of the deal.”
Zahra nodded her head. “You can understand how I worry.”
“I do.”
The Sri’thaens hadn’t been easy on Earth, but with the alliances they were slowly forming, the war would hopefully get easier and allow them to turn the tide in their favor. Maybe even allow them to push the Sri’thaens back into their part of space.
“Now,” Khaazai leaned in and nipped at her neck.
“Khaazai!” She slapped playfully at him. “We’re still in public.”
“We really need to cure you of this aversion about showing our pleasure in public.” Khaazai chuckled. “Perhaps I should strip you down and take you here in the shuttle bay.”
“Take me to our rooms, and then we can discuss that possibility for the future.” And Zahra would make sure it never happened.
Khaazai swooped her up into his arms, and Zahra didn’t miss the stares as he carried her through the warship.
____________________________
After Zahra’s last firefight she’d experienced with the Sri’thaens, her nerves felt ready to explode. Khaazai, on the other hand, looked calm as a cucumber as he stood with his legs braced apart, his hands behind his back in his black robes with the blue trim. His eyes were fixed on the viewscreen as the Khuuz’eth warships came to a stop.
Zahra took his lead and spread her legs a little, placing her hands behind her back. She wore a dress with the same black and blue pattern. She was a part of his house, and she felt proud to be beside this large warrior.
“They are hailing us, General.” One of the men said from his station.
“Put them on screen.”
A large Sri’thaen male and a… human woman appeared on the screen.
Zahra had heard about human women marrying or joining up with Sri’thaen men. She’d thought it was just rumor though. Apparently, it was a fact and definitely real. For a species that claimed to hate humans, she found it interesting that they’d welcome humans among them.
