Page 88 of Made For The Alien Warrior

“That is not your decision to make,” Tiegan snapped.

Daz’s eyes hardened but his words were calm. “They attacked you. It is a crime punishable bymylaw. It is only respect for the Healer that kept me from tearing hisshotaro. Perhaps he would think twice before impaling others.”

Tiegan blinked, taken aback by the passion in Daz’s voice. For a father who had abandoned him without question, he seemed invested in his future now.

“Tiegan,” Daz lowered his head, “I apologize for all that you have been through.”

“I do not want your apologies.”

“What do you want?”

“An explanation.” His heras thumped loudly. “Why did you leave me behind to form your own tribas?”

“I cannot answer that.”

Tiegan clenched his jaw. “Then I have nothing more to say to you.”

“But Tiegan,” Daz’s voice trembled, “I can tell you that I regretted it every day. And that I missed you fiercely.”

A small lump formed in Tiegan’s throat. He shook his head and let his hand hover over the comms. “Goodbye… father.”

He ended the comms and swiped at a tear that fell. Tiegan did not think he could forgive his father, nor would he chase a relationship with the terros. But Sim-pony had been right to remind him of the fragility of life.

He had thought his father was dead and now he was alive. That counted for something, did it not?

Sim-pony returned to the room with a tray holding tumera and pith. She climbed atop the bedding with him and settled the tray beneath them.

“Who called you? Was it Leel?” She scowled.

“It was my father.”

“Your…” Her eyes lifted to his. “You’re calling him ‘father’ now?”

“Is that not what he is?”

Her lips inched up into a proud smirk. “Someone’s not as stone-cold as they want everyone to believe.”

“I know not what you are speaking of.” He reached for a pith.

His comms beeped.

“What’s that?” Sim-pony pressed close to him, peering over his shoulder to stare at the light on his wrist.

“It is a video. Daz said you would have wanted to see the interrogation.”

Her eyebrows flew to the top of her head. “Put it on! Put it on!”

“Hold still.” Tiegan tapped the holo and threw it against the wall so they could watch the recording comfortably.

In the video, Daz and three of his warriors surrounded the rebel. He looked unharmed—there were no obvious scars, bruises or blood—but his hair was undone and flew into his face and his eyes were narrowed in pain.

“What are you and the others planning to do to the humans?”

“We will rid them from the planet.”The rebel scowled.

“Why do you seek to harm them?”

“We seek to protect ourselves. Look at what they have done to their planet. They destroy everything they touch with their greed, selfishness and immorality. Their planet is headed for self-annihilation. We have already lost our original home. We cannot allow them to take this one from us.”