Free Devotion by Harmony Raines

sure you are nice and clean before you get to Karal.”
    Charlie did as he asked, and Tikki did the same, putting the robe on and then trying to remove her clothes. She hated the thought of being naked in here with anyone who passed by able to look in. But if Okil was right, they had to go through this to help protect Karal from any diseases or bacteria they might be carrying from Earth.
    “OK, Tikki, now sit in the chair. That’s right, it tilts back. Now, Charlie, up you come and sit here.” He lifted Charlie and settled him next to Tikki; then he took a step back. “Right, I think that might be OK.”
    Behind him there were voices getting closer. Okil dashed forward, kissed Tikki on the cheek, told Charlie it would be over soon, and then went to the control panel. After pressing some buttons and turning a dial, he backed out of the room. Hitting a button, the door slid shut and they were left alone. Her eyes met his and he smiled. She felt her heart lurch, filled with love and fear. A fear that was compounded when two Karalians passed by. She lay back down, hoping that they wouldn’t pause or look in and see Charlie.
    But she could vaguely hear Okil talking to them and sending them away. It seemed they had accomplished the first part of their task; she only hoped the rest went as smoothly.
     

Chapter Thirteen – Okil
    A few minutes later than he hoped, he made his way to another decon’ room. He had wanted to be finished at the same time as Tikki, so that he could go and collect them. He only hoped none of the other Karalians opened the door when her decon’ was over. It was unlikely, but his mind could not help going through all the scenarios of what might happen if things went wrong.
    His worst nightmare consisted of a vent being opened and Tikki and Charlie being sent out into space. It wouldn’t happen, the Karal were not like that, but he couldn’t be sure. He had, after all, seen firsthand what his species were capable of.
    Closing his eyes, he tried to think of the softness of Tikki’s skin and the taste of her on his lips. Later, if they made it that far, he would be able to take her to his house and then to his bed. So many years of waiting for a woman to breed with, followed by almost unbearable months of knowing how much he wanted Tikki, who until now had been firmly out of his reach. She was his heart and his soul; he would not give her, or Charlie, up without a fight.
    His mind flipped to how far they would get if there was trouble and he had to take the cruiser and escape. Would the Hier Council send a warrior ship to hunt them down and destroy them? He had not known a ship deployed in his lifetime, but he had seen where they were stored in massive hangars under the tower.
    For a race that spoke of peace, the Karalians had also amassed enough technology from other races to arm themselves for war. Earth could never know what they might start if they crossed the Karalians. The President might see Earth as powerful if they were given the cruisers they wanted. But any attack on Karal would be a painful shock, one that would put their current misery into shadow. The destruction of the human race would be almost assured if they instigated war with the Karal.
    Okil thought about all the things he loved about Earth, the people, their humour, their love of the ridiculous, so refreshing next to the dryness of his own species. But this was always countered by the slow demise of a species who could be spiteful and selfish.
    He had seen it gradually building in their President. At first, he had been happy to accommodate the wishes of the Karal, pleased that at least some of his people would be saved. Yet slowly he had begun to demand things. Food, payment, a reward for each female the Karal took.
    When Okil had come here days ago, it was to lay the foundation of the mission to find a new planet for the humans. Yet instead of forging ahead, they had become embroiled in the issue of cruisers being given to Earth