Page 71 of Veiled Vixen

“I do,” ALCOR said. “And it’s not that I don’t trust you. I trust you, Draden. And it’s not that I don’t want to tell you. I do want to tell you. It’s just… very complicated.”

“Well”—Draden shrugged—“you gotta tell me something. Because they’re still talking to me.”

“MIZAR?”

“No. Those sister people.”

“I thought you said it was a place?”

“It could be,” Draden said. “I’m not an expert in stars. And when I do a galactic web search it says they are a place. A place you have absolute control over since the only way to get to them in Galaxy Prime is through one of your gates.”

“You’ve seen them. Everyone who has been to Harem Station can see them.”

“Yeah. I know. They’re the purple glob off in the distance. But… no one ever goes there. Right?”

“It’s too far. No way to get there. My sector is the closest anyone will ever come.”

“Interesting.”

“How so?”

“Because everyone thinks you’re keeping people away and that’s why you have the gates.”

“I guess that’s true.”

“But why?”

“Trust me, Draden. You do not want to know.”

“You’re probably right about that. But… I probably should know anyway.”

And now ALCOR was really past the point of no return. And there was no way to turn this conversation back. So he said, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

“So… which one are we? Friends? Or enemies?”

“Hmm.” ALCOR sighed. “I have to be honest with you. I’ve been trying to figure that out for twenty-one years.”

ALCOR paused and Draden waited. And then Draden must’ve figured he’d waited long enough. Because he said, “Tell me the rest.”

And ALCOR did. But only in his mind. From anyone watching on the outside they appeared to be sitting in silence.

But ALCOR was not silent. And Draden was listening intently when ALCOR spilled out all his deepest, darkest secrets.