Series: Zandian Brides Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
“That is a shame. We were looking forward to the best pleasure in the galaxy.” The Karran scowls.
“The wrong batch was loaded onto the cargo. Workers, unskilled in what you desire. They would have been nothing but a nuisance. We’ll give you double–delivered wherever you want.”
The Karran look at each other and nod. “Acceptable.”
“We need the materials as soon as possible.” The Ocretion frowns.
“With that much, you will have enough to...” The Karran raises his eyebrows, clearly curious.
“It’s not your business.” The Ocretion’s voice is curt, threatening. “We’re paying you to supply, not to conjecture. Or to talk.” He puts a hand on his weapon. “You are not a target to us...as long as our trade relationship is intact.” He raises an eyebrow. “And secret.”
“Understood.” The Karran raises both wavy arms. “Our silence is absolute.”
“Good.”
The holo flickers off, and we sit in silence for a second or two.
I tap the device. “They don’t say what compound they want. It could be something needed to make a new weapon or something for chemical warfare.”
The king nods. “If not an attack, perhaps they’re stockpiling a massive amount of firepower, so they can easily come in and force a planet to surrender to their demands.”
Master Seke furrows his brow. “What they like to call a beneficial assistive takeover. If they come here to Zandia, they’d probably wish to control us and take away our human females.”
We fall silent for a moment, faces somber.
Erick, one of the advisors says, “They’ve been making a lot of noise lately about how we’ve negated any goodwill they provided by taking humans and providing them sanctuary. Say it’s causing tension in the galaxy and causing them issues. I think they may definitely be planning something–involving our planet.”
The king’s voice is taut. “We need more details about what they’re creating. What do we know about the Karran? What can they supply for the Ocretions?”
“I don’t know. We have our best scouts on it.” Seke says.
“I’m assuming some manner of explosive or airborne chemical agent,” I say. “And even more concerning is what they want to be engineered. Some kind of long-range delivery system?” I shake my head. “We just don’t know. And that makes us weak.”
Axe clears his throat. “Can we eliminate the Karrans or disrupt the trade?”
“Look into it. But at this point, our best option is to find out more–exactly what they’re doing–so we can counter it with weapons and systems of our own.” The King stands. “This is critical for Zandia. We need to prepare for them.” He looks at the team. “What of the humans who were recovered? Do they have information?” He taps his comms unit, and Dr. Daneth’s holo springs up.
He bows. “My lord.” He nods to the rest of us.
“Do the humans have information on what the Ocretions are planning?”
The doctor purses his lips. “The ones in better condition are coming out of shock but haven’t said anything useful yet. They don’t know anything, at least not more than anecdotally, about military or operations. My vital recorder tells me that they’re being about eighty-five percent truthful. I think it would benefit us to assign masters to each one to help extract their memories…and the truth about what they know.”
The king considers this.
Dr. Daneth adds, “They tell us Sia, the more injured one, is some kind of tech worker. She’s the one who will have the best intel. She seems to be their de facto leader.”
“And how is Sia?” My voice is tight. I think of the delicate human I held in my arms, the one I can’t get out of my mind, even as we discuss military operations. If masters are assigned to the females, I need to be hers.
I want to master her in every way. Make her learn to do my bidding. To obey. I want to reward her for her compliance and show her pleasure through punishment and praise. This is how Zandians assimilate humans onto our planet. We bond them to us through sexual mastery.
The doctor taps his wristband and looks up. “Stable. She was severely dehydrated, and her electrolytes were abnormal. If you hadn’t rescued her when you did, she probably would have died. The odd thing…” he trails off.
“Yes?” I lean forward, almost snapping.
“Two things, actually. The current head wound looked terrible, but it was more bruising and dried blood than anything. Her dry eyes and body bruises have healed, as has the broken rib. But she has healed scars on her head that would indicate recent brain surgery. So do all of the humans you brought in.”
“Elaborate.” The king’s voice is even. “Did you find evidence of any changes to their brains?”
“I’ve done scans, and there’s no indication of anything foreign inside their heads, no chips or plates or enhancements. No transmissions. But the scars match on all of them, and it’s troubling. The Ocretions did something, or tried, at least.”