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“What?” Sky’s eyebrows shot up again, in surprise this time and she felt her midsection knot up with tension. “You’re assigning me to work with a male?”
“Special Agent Sky’lar! Are you questioning my orders?” Captain Thal’nx’s voice was sharp and her tongue flickered in agitation. Her bright green scales, clearly visible through her uniform and marking her as belonging to the Southern Viper Clan, flashed dark blue for a moment.
Sky took a deep breath.
“No, Captain. But you must admit it’s rather…unusual,” she said at last. In fact, it was more than unusual—it was an insult. Sky liked to think she had liberal viewpoints on the sexes and how they worked—she didn’t mind going to a male-owned Blood Kiosk or seeing males working outside the home—but there were limits.
In addition to being smaller and weaker, everyone knew that males weren’t quite as intelligent as females—it was no slight against them—it was simply the truth. It was why they weren’t well adapted to difficult jobs like Fang Surgeon or Space Port Authority…or Special Agent, for that matter, Sky thought with irritation.
The giant stranger whom Captain Thal’nx had introduced as “Commander Torin” maintained a neutral expression.
“I’m grateful you’re allowing me to work with Special Agent Sky’lar on this case, Captain Thal’nx,” he rumbled gravely. “On the other two planets where the killer has struck, we Kindred weren’t allowed to help and the killer went on to murder other important female authorities after first killing the ambassador we had sent to them. It’s a pattern I’d like to see interrupted.”
“What other planets have these crimes taken place on?” Captain Thal’nx asked.
“And what do they have in common—besides hosting a Kindred ambassador?” Sky added.
Commander Torin gave her a sharp look.
“An excellent question, Special Agent Sky’lar. The first planet the killer struck was Zetta Prime and the second was Yonnie Six. Both planets are ruled by females who have little use for males.”
“I have heard of both planets,” Captain Thal’nx said. “But I do not see how our own planet of Portex Three compares. We value our males and treat them well.”
“Do you?” Commander Torin raised just one eyebrow this time. “Didn’t I just hear Special Agent Sky’lar say that males are ‘mild-mannered and weak?’”
“I was speaking the truth.” Sky glared at him—it rankled her that she had to look up to do it.
“Are you implying that we mistreat the males in our society, Commander?” Captain Thal’nx asked, her second eyelids sliding quickly over her yellow eyes in clear disapproval. “We’re very protective of them, you know—we treat them with gentle respect.”
Commander Torin raked a hand through his hair—Sky wondered if that was a sign of agitation.
“Apologies if I offended you. What I mean to say was that you do not consider males to be your equals here on Portex Three,” he said.
“Why should we?” Sky demanded. “Everyone knows that males are not the equal of females. Females are born to rule and to guard—to govern and to protect. Males are meant to stay home and keep the domicile in order.” She shrugged. “It’s not their fault—they are simply weaker than females.”
Commander Torin frowned.
“You know, that’s the way that the males of Earth—the planet we Kindred are currently guarding—used to think of their females. Because they are significantly larger and stronger than their women, the human men felt—some still feel—that the women are their inferiors, fit only for housework and child-rearing.”
“What a strange planet!” Captain Thal’nx remarked, flicking her tongue in surprise. “It must be extremely unpleasant. Why do the Kindred protect it?”
“It’s our best source of brides,” Commander Torin said simply. “Our race is 95% male and the females we bond with bear mostly sons. The humans of Earth have an almost even mixture of males and females and their people are genetically compatible with ours—even if they are rather small and weak,” he added.
“So since Earth is so important to you, are you afraid it’s the next target?” Sky asked.
Commander Torin shook his head.
“We don’t know. I hope not—relations with Earth are always somewhat tenuous. In the meantime, I’d like to interrupt the killer’s cycle and catch him before he can target anyone else on any planet.”
“That would certainly be optimal—our Ruling Council, which is our main governing body, is made up entirely of females.” Captain Thal’nx looked worried.
“You’re right to be worried for them,” Commander Torin said gravely. “On Yonnie Six, the killer’s second target, after he murdered our ambassador, was the Sacred Seven—the ruling order that commands the whole planet. He killed six of the seven females—the seventh barely escaped with her life.”
“How did she get away?” Sky asked. She was now totally intrigued by the case, despite the fact that she was apparently going to be saddled with a male as a partner.
But Commander Torin shook his head, a frustrated look crossing his strong features.
