Page 21 of Advance and Retreat (Dark Empire #6)

L aughter entered the corridor at full steam, uncaring and even wishing someone would run into her so she could give them hell.

It was a side wing in the Government House, however, which was apparently little used.

Traffic was light. The few young Kalquorian men in sight were in as big a hurry as Laughter.

A few darted appreciative glances, but none slowed.

They wove expertly around those who were going slower than their pace, showing they were used to dodging those who came out of nowhere.

She headed toward the main corridor, where Royal Council members roamed in flowing robes of blue, green, red, and purple among the dashing aides.

She also saw the occasional red armored Royal Guards stationed like terrifying golems near where Laughter assumed were sensitive areas.

The hulking Nobeks were paired with Earther women in black armor, who appeared frighteningly fragile next to their behemoth partners.

The women could hear the telepathic exchanges of any Darks who dared to breach the Government House.

Laughter knew there were also Kalquorians and humans patrolling the cliff edifice who could detect by sight the presence of their shadowy enemy.

Her mind lit only briefly on the threat of the Darks. She was too busy fuming over Rorix’s and Signis’ treatment to dwell on how effective the Kalquorian safety measures might be.

I ought to march up to Emperor Clajak’s office. Tell him how anti-human his last best hope for our mutual survival is. He needs to remind them who’s in charge—

“Matara! Matara Lorenz!”

She hadn’t reached the main corridor when the call broke into her thoughts. She swung around.

Imdiko Negal trotted after her, his expression a curious mix of eagerness and contrition. “Please wait.”

Only the hair-slim notion he might bear a conciliatory message from his clanmates made her do so. He caught up to her quickly.

She’d had a good inspection of him in the bare-bones conference room, but he and the other two had already been seated at the conference room’s polished table when she’d arrived.

None had stood for the customary bow of respect Kalquorians were so fond of.

Laughter had assumed the Coydidak didn’t follow Kalquorian society’s norms, but now she wondered if it had been a gesture of contempt.

If it were, it failed to take away from the Imdiko’s physical attractiveness.

During the interview, she’d been struck by how close his features came to prettiness.

Away from the chiseled refinement of Dramok Rorix and Nobek Signis’ brutal good looks, Negal oozed masculinity, destroying the idea of ‘pretty.’ He’d leave women starstruck if his open countenance shifted to a brooding air, especially surrounded by his photogenic shaggy mane of shoulder-length black hair.

His cleft chin was of vid star making, but it was his lush lips, formed for pouting, giving her wicked fantasies.

He stood out from the conservatively dressed aides racing past them in his loose, flowing shirt of various shades of green.

It was open at the chest, displaying fascinating swells of pectoral muscles.

Again, the absence of his larger clanmates allowed Laughter to appreciate Negal’s size.

He was easily close to six-and-a-half feet of raw, chiseled male.

His tight black pants, the legs of which were tucked into knee-high boots, showed his muscled thighs to advantage.

He dared a half-smile, those begging-to-be-kissed lips drifting up on one side. It gave him an almost irresistible mischievous air. Laughter reflected on how easy it would be to indulge in shenanigans with such a rascal.

Negal was definitely a man she’d have to keep her guard up around.

“Thanks for not ignoring me,” he began. “I wanted to apologize for my clanmates’ attitudes toward you.

I swear, it isn’t personal. As our leader, Rorix is protective of the Coydidak.

He’s worried outsiders of any kind will disrupt our way of life.

We don’t exactly fit in alongside our own rank-happy society, much less anyone else’s.

” He glanced dismissively...distrustfully.

..at his fellow Kalquorians as they passed.

“And Nobek Signis? What’s his problem? You can’t tell me he doesn’t despise Earthers specifically.”

Negal winced. “He’s had bad experiences with your species on our travels. A few physical altercations.”

Laughter rolled her eyes. “Humans and Kalquorians were at war only a few years ago. Most Kalquorians have had bad experiences as far as Earthers are concerned. In case you haven’t noticed, beyond a few bad actors, the majority of us get along just fine nowadays.”

“We live apart from most of it,” Negal said.

“You need to understand our position. For this expedition, we Coydidak will be adding traditionally inclined members of our people. Then there’ll be alien species, the majority of which will be Earthers.

We’re in control of the mission, but we’ll be outnumbered by the rest of you.

We’re worried about the impacts on our way of life.

All the Coydidak really want is to be left alone to travel and explore as we wish. ”

“Then why have you agreed to this mission if it’s such a burden?” Laughter was curious despite herself.

“We barely scrape by. Our ships are old and falling to pieces. We can’t roam far from where we can get necessities. We aren’t nearly as free as the Coydidak were born to be.” He drew a deep breath, as if for strength. “This is our chance to fulfill what we feel is our destiny.”

“I take it you were blackmailed into taking on Earthers. You’re doing it for the money, though you’ll kick and scream all the way to the bank.

” Laughter met his gaze. “Maybe you don’t realize it, but Earthers need this expedition too.

Not for money or fame or any such shit. For some of us, it’s the difference between life and a mere shadow of existence. I have to be on this mission.”

Negal blinked in surprise. She wished she hadn’t revealed so much, but it was essential she be granted admission, even if it meant being among those who despised her simply for sharing their air.

To her relief, he didn’t press for more.

“I have no doubt Rorix recognized the benefit you’d be to the expedition.

Like you said, the LDCC system is all because of you.

No matter how little Signis likes it, my Dramok will do what’s best for the Coydidak.

The decision is his, so don’t give up hope he’ll choose you. ”

“Your opinion doesn’t sound like an absolute.” She needed absolute assurance. “I’ve learned the hard way that hope is a joke. If I have to rely on it, I’ll pass.”

She was done talking. She turned her from Negal and walked off.

“Matara Lorenz. Laughter...”

“We can talk when I’m named the long-distance com officer. Until then, goodbye,” She didn’t look back.

She left the Government House and made her way to the underground area, which she’d discovered was the hub of the immediate vicinity.

Kalquorians were big on keeping the surface of their world as pristinely natural as possible.

Thus, the cliffs looming over an incredible emerald sea and pink sand beaches had been hollowed out to provide homes and businesses for a number of the population, as well as the empire’s legislative branch and the Imperial family’s living complex.

It appeared wild and untamed from the outside but was inwardly comfortable and technologically advanced inside.

The same held true of the former underground mine hiding a complex of living and shopping areas for the populace.

The market area was swarmed by residents and tourists.

Their chatter swelled and ebbed, punctuated by moments of laughter or a child’s squall of displeasure.

Central squares within surrounding shops boasting goods for Kalquorians and Earthers alike were beacons of entertainment: play areas for children, performance stages for buskers, lovely areas to sit and picnic.

Overhead, a ceiling vid hid the former mine’s rocky roof and displayed the blue heavens over which drifted fluffy clouds.

Laughter had roamed the marketplace during her first day on Kalquor.

She’d enjoyed its offerings and attractions far more than now in the wake of her interview.

She swept through the tide of shoppers and sightseers, her head buzzing in fury.

She grimly fought tears, not wanting to attract attention.

The tears weren’t of despair. Laughter’s tear ducts were attached to her temper.

If she was angry, crying came easily. Woe to the fool who thought her weak at such moments.

Weeping meant Laughter was on the cusp of an explosion.

If she reached that point, there’d be hell to pay no matter who was in the line of fire, innocent or guilty.

Maybe some of her fury showed. Passing Kalquorian men examined her with overt appreciation, but none approached when their smiles went unanswered. They had good sense, certainly greater than Imdiko Negal.

Laughter wasn’t fooled by his seeming kindness when he’d apologized for his clanmates and attempted to encourage her. He’d looked her up and down too. He’d probably been hoping for a fuck and nothing else.

Rorix had made it a point to mention part of the reason for the expedition was to guarantee the continuance of humans and Kalquorians, mostly through the two species’ hybrid children.

It had been early during the interview, when Laughter had still expected to be taken seriously for her intelligence and not her assumed ability to shove out kids.

If breeding was all they were interested in when it came to women, Negal would keep the notorious Kalquorian double cocks longer by thinking twice where she was concerned.