The door chimed.
“Enter,” he said, grateful for the distraction.
Tarak stepped inside, his expression carefully neutral.
“Commander.”
“Report.”
“All systems normal. The night shift was uneventful.” Tarak crossed to the desk but didn’t sit, maintaining the formal distance from officer to superior. “As you requested, I provided the female with a datapad equipped with a program for learning Galactic Standard. She was very pleased.”
“Good.”
“She also asked about educational materials suitable for the younger female.” Tarak shot him a knowing glance. “She’s planning to stay.”
“She hasn’t decided yet.”
Tarak shrugged. “She’s requesting educational materials. That suggests more than a brief visit.”
Hope flared briefly, but he quickly tamped it down. The fact that she’d kissed him, that she’d invited him to stay, that she’d slept in his arms—none of it meant she was ready to commit to a future here. She might wake tomorrow and demand transport back to Earth. She had every right to choose her own path.
Even if the thought of watching her leave felt like losing his family all over again.
“Have you heard from your Council contacts?” he asked, changing the subject before Tarak could press further.
His second’s expression darkened. “I have. The situation is… complicated.”
“Explain.”
“There are rumors that someone high up is feeding information to the Vedeckians.”
Ice settled in his gut. “How high?”
“Unknown. But high enough to access classified intelligence about rescue operations and transport routes.” Tarak turned back to face him. “Three separate missions have failed in the past month. Teams arrived to find the facilities already evacuated, the captives moved or disappeared entirely.”
“The Council has a leak.”
“Or several.” Tarak’s jaw tightened. “Which means reporting Mikoz’s existence could put him at risk.”
“The Vedeckians were planning to sell him.”
“To someone with enough credits to buy a Cire infant. Someone wealthy and connected enough to hide the purchase from official scrutiny.” Tarak’s tail lashed once. “Someone who might have contacts within the Council itself.”
The implications troubled him. Whoever had planned to buy Mikoz had resources and influence.
“What do you suggest?” he asked quietly.
“I think your original plan is best. Don’t report him. Not yet.” Tarak met his gaze steadily. “Keep him here, keep him safe, andlet me continue gathering information. Once we know who’s compromised and how deep the corruption runs, we can decide the best course of action.”
“That could take months.”
“Better months of safety than one day of exposure to the wrong people.”
He thought of Mikoz sleeping peacefully in Corinne’s arms, completely vulnerable and trusting, and thought of the kind of people who would buy a Cire infant like cargo.
“Continue your investigation,” he said. “Quietly. And let me know the moment you learn anything useful.”
“Understood.” Tarak hesitated, then added, “You know this complicates things.”
