Free Under By Treaty (SciFi Romance) by Kayla Stonor

presume –”
    “I know.”
    “Can a human survive culmination with the Qui?”
    “I sincerely hope so.”
    “I am not questioning your judgment –”
    “But?”
    “Humans are weak.”
    “Physically, yes. They are also stubborn, resourceful, and intelligent. Better to have Earth with the Qui Galactic Empire than against it.”
    The captain smiled as Jaden sank , yelped then battled his way up again. “He is tiring. His shoulder is giving him problems.”
    “He can go a little longer. The point is to rebuild his strength.”
    The buzzing grew louder. Suddenly, Jaden sank without a trace. He curled into a ball on the ground as his body jerked under an electrical onslaught with the potential to kill.
    Sonil did not hide her irritation as Markl smirked. “Pool, cease,” she called.
    Jaden uncoiled his body then rolled off the strip onto normal flooring. Sonil strode over to him.
    “What happened?”
    He massaged his left calf. “Cramp in my leg. Fuck that pool hurts.”
    “ Next time, warm up properly.” She put out her hand.
    After a moment, Jaden took it. Sonil hauled him to his feet. “Walk it off,” she ordered, indicating the running track.
    He nodded, but his eyes were on Markl who had joined them.
    “Jaden, this is Captain Markl. You remember I prom ised you to him for a night.”
    Markl ’s eyes gleamed. He stepped right up to Jaden and grasped his balls. “I have an interesting evening planned for you, Jaden.”
    Sonil sensed Jaden’s hackles rise, and his heartbeat, but too late. With no visible warning, he head-butted the ship’s captain followed with a chop to the throat that dropped Markl to his knees.
    “Jaden!”
    Sonil frowned, irritated. She had enough to do without dealing with another infraction.
    Jaden glanced from her to Markl on the floor then stepped back, his palms raised in apology. Apprehension clouded his face.
    Markl leapt to his feet, nursing his throat. His nose looked broken. A trickle of blackish-red blood dripped onto his lips. He looked ready to kill and Sonil blocked his path. Markl had been unprepared, he wouldn’t underestimate her general a second time. Jaden really needed to learn this lesson.
    “ Move, Ambassador,” Markl growled, glaring over her head at Jaden.
    “ You will need to kill me first,” Sonil warned.
    Shock snapped wrath-filled eyes down to hers. The ship’s captain towered over Sonil and she preferred not to fight him. See past your anger, Markl. The captain inhaled deeply, frustration rattling in his throat as he scented her resolve.
    Sonil softened her expression. “I said he wasn’t ready, Markl, and now you know why.” When she caught Markl’s stance relax very slightly, Sonil turned to the wary-looking human standing behind her. “However, I cannot condone your behavior, Jaden. You have guaranteed yourself a night to remember. You need to start using your brain.” She sighed at the furious glower on Jaden’s face and returned her attention to Markl. “Captain, name your punishment. Be reasonable. He is neither your crew nor a passenger aboard this ship. I will not allow him to be harmed.”
    “I would execute crew or passenger, Ambassador. ”
    Sonil pressed a hand against Markl’s chest. “Captain, he belongs to the Qui.”
    He held still for a second more before capitulating with a nod. “Of course. My apologies, Ambassador.” A step back signaled a final retreat.
    Sonil glanced back at Jaden . He looked tense, ready to fight a battalion of K’lahn. She had much work to do. “Captain, your punishment?”
    “Ten lashes by the scytah and a chyt worm – I leave the duration to your discretion, Ambassador.”
    Her brow furrowed . The whip and the worm had long been used in training, but never on a human. She hesitated to grant Markl’s sentence, the pain would surpass anything Jaden had suffered at her hands and she did not wish to break him. Used carefully, neither scytah nor worm would harm him physically, although the