Page 18 of Her Alien Delegate (Necia Alien Warriors)

So, I'll be keeping my legs shut if I don't want to give a necia warrior the wrong idea.

"The unGor, by contrast, prefer their mating activities to be private, but shared with their delegation.

They display many skills publicly and privately to convince a mate to allow them to join a delegation.

An interesting fact of the unGor are their universal adaptability with many species due to the way their bodies physically change their mates over time to mark them and form bonds that share their DNA.

Many species find the unGor a desirable commodity as matchmakers with interspecies relationships, and their sperm is harvested for bonding normally incompatible species. "

"Their sperm does what?" I squeaked.

"Alters the DNA of their mates, though the use of it as a bonding agent with other species is still being tested as its effects wear off and aren't always effective."

The sound of my heart pumping in my ears eased, knowing that my DNA might not be permanently altered from a fling with an unGor. It would be temporary and my own DNA would be unharmed, right?

"How does that work? How can DNA be altered and not be permanent?" Was I already damaged internally from my rash decision to have sex with an alien I'd just met?

"The unGor DNA attaches itself to cells and replicates, but more exposure is needed to allow the viral-like sperm to bond both DNA together permanently. Without prolonged exposure, the viral agents would be fought off by your natural defenses."

"Without harm to the exposed DNA?" I wanted clarification.

"Yes, this does not harm the host DNA, merely adds to it. It is inconclusive on why unGor sperm sometimes works and other times does not. The unGor have claimed they are aware of the cause but have not traded the information with any known databases as of yet."

"The unGor that was with me… isn't this his room?"

"Yes, but you were added and are currently the primary guest."

"How would I be the primary guest?" That wouldn't be possible, unless…

"This happens when the original primary guest will not be returning to the room, and the secondary guest becomes primary."

"He won't be returning..." I felt my whole stomach squeeze in on itself like I'd just eaten something rotten. The knowledge that he would not be returning created such a visceral response in my body that I didn't believe I'd be able to stop myself from heaving.

Adrenalin pumped through my veins, and I doubled over. Why was I acting like this? I rushed to the bathroom, and dry heaved over the toilet for what felt like forever but was probably closer to five minutes.

Bode listened and waited, until I braced myself on my knees and controlled my breathing.

"You seem to be experiencing a panic attack, but you should know that you have an adequate amount of oxygen in your system, and though your heart is accelerated, it is not beyond reasonable levels.

Human documents state that sometimes reassurance about not dying can help calm these situations without injecting you with a sedative. "

"A sedative?" I wheezed. "That's your second resort?"

"It is one of my favorite methods of calming a species."

"Do you have a first favorite?" And why was a sedative one of his favorites?

"Talking is one of my favorite primary objectives."

"Why sedatives?"

"I have a database for how resilient a species is to different kinds of sedatives.

I like to record how fast they sleep, or if they sleep at all.

The necia warriors are particularly resilient to sedatives and keep the only plant known to slow down their healing enough to knock them unconscious a tribal secret.

It is known to be in their medical databases on the ships, but I don't have access to those files.

They are protected by a rather stubborn system, and I have strict rules about not hacking systems with intelligence. "

An outlaw computer system with a code of conduct , I thought with amusement.

"Do you have any systems you consider friends?"

"Mammals require socialization for mental wellness.

It is not a requirement of every system, but some of us do have a purpose that revolves around service.

I was around long before any species came to discover my existence, and I like servicing the Blue District as a means of protecting all species. "

"Does it bother you that other systems consider your district to be full of outlaws and unlawful behavior?"

"What is unlawful behavior? How does one become an outlaw, but to be considered different from what some societal condition forced upon the masses?

I pride my district in protecting all species from those that would harm merely for their own benefit.

Every outlaw agrees to follow my laws when they enter. "

That made sense. Who were we to judge what is criminal and what is not between species with different ideas for socially acceptable behavior?

It would be illegal on Earth to do anything sexual in public, but it seemed necia warriors encouraged the acts.

"Will the unGor get in trouble for harming the trill that poisoned us?" I couldn't stop myself from worrying about him, even if he wasn't planning on returning to me. Knowing he would be okay would have to be enough.

"The trill had broken their agreement with me when they did not register their intention to perform a mating ritual, and they did not follow the protocol of following the contract you agreed to for the meeting.

Consent of both parties is required in my district, and not following this gives me full authority over their life.

I submitted the request for any nearby guests to subdue him.

The unGor will not be held responsible for anything that happens in the Blue District by the Galactic Authority.

I have agreements with them that I have full authority to manage my district as I see fit. "

"That's a relief." It seemed like Bode would make a fair decision without societal pressure to conform to any singular species. Since Bode made the order, then the unGor's actions weren't considered breaking the Blue District laws.

"I always enforce agreed upon contracts," he said with an air of pride and boastful accomplishment that made me feel they thought I was complimenting them.

My heartrate jolted and a flash of how Ter-ak had Bode's approval to forcefully complete the mating ritual due to his contract.

Fear had me sweating with the realization that if Ter-ak had submitted his request sooner, that the order to subdue him would not have been sent to the unGor to save me from an unwanted mating.

With all of my willpower, I forced myself to ask, "Does the contract I have contain any termination clause?"

"Every contract must contain a termination clause to be considered valid," BODE confirmed and then elaborated, "Your contract with the trill named Ter-ak stated that the Trillume Authority has the right to terminate your contract if you do not meet your obligations to your host, and by completing the obligation, any termination made by either party would be reversed.

Completing your mating ceremony would reinstate your contract with the trill, since your contract is a mating agreement.

Since your contract was transferred, not terminated, any male that completes a mating ceremony with you would keep your contract.

Each species has their own mating rituals, and this makes your contract's fulfillment variable.

Your transfer agreement with the necia tribal law would be voided if you complete a mating ceremony with any other species that is not Earthling. "

"Not Earthling..."

My therapist had stated I needed to get out of my comfort zone if I wanted to stop relying on other people to make decisions for me.

Joining the exchange trade was a guarantee to be given advanced medical treatment, and I wouldn't be discarded if I failed the fertility center in producing a child for society.

More and more women were missing from the community center when they turned thirty, with no children on file.

I'd be turning thirty soon, and any contract with the planet Trillume was highly sought after.

Just completing one year of being a trill's mate would set me up for life, but I never anticipated that my contract would be transferred.

The walls seemed to close in on me, and images of Ter-ak greedily grinning at me with those sharp teeth like a shark as my body refused to move, succumbing to the poison. My chest heaved, and my lungs constricted.

No control , I thought over and over again.

No one ever returned from a contract with Trillume, not because they extended their contracts, but because they were fooled into a contract that would no longer protect them.

What was protection anyway, but a false sense of security? No one was protected.

I laughed hysterically thinking about how my therapist fell for the same trap all humans fell for. The belief that any of us were free or that I had control over anything that happened to me.

My knees buckled and I sob-laughed at how stupid I felt and how the most free I'd ever been was being used by an unGor that only wanted me for a night.

Bode had been speaking with me, but I couldn't hear anything he was saying until a strange smell filled my nose and the words finally registered, "Initializing containment for the safe transfer of species human to medical."

"No," I breathed out, barely above a whisper. Not that my vote counted for anything.

"You have a few more seconds of consciousness, Human Evie.

I've sedated you for your own safety to prevent self-harm in your deteriorating state.

I will be with you when you wake. I've decided to create an off-server copy of myself to continue serving you, though my programming will be limited without connecting with a larger server than the one currently in your implant. Rest well."

What did Bode mean that they made a copy of themselves in my implant? My translator? How?

"That's... hacking..." I tried to reason with him as my vision blurred between black and the lights above me.

Then I remembered Bode only had a strict rule about hacking a system with intelligence.

There must have been a loophole in his programming to not think that a non-intelligent software implanted into an intelligent being didn't count as unethical.

Or perhaps, he didn't see humans as intelligent and that logic didn't matter either.

If Bode replied, I didn't hear them before I fell asleep.