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Chapter 4
Fiona
Fiona could hardly believe the news. Not only had human rebels decided to attack every Kall military base around the world, but they’d secreted over two hundred thousand Norfozzian mercenaries to Earth.
She watched every news report she could find, Chrisna nestled beside her on the sofa. The two women occasionally gasped at the footage. About half the videos showed politicians and Kall experts giving commentary on the unfolding situation, while the other half showed footage from battles taking place around the world.
“This is insane,” Fiona whispered. “How could the rebels do this? Why would they do this?”
As if in answer to her questions, the next video she clicked on featured a retired human general being interviewed by a prominent reporter. She tensed and peered closer at the screen, anxious to discover the truth. Also anxious to learn whether Kall forces were experiencing high casualties. She knew very little about Norfozzian mercenaries.
“We believe the rebels sneaked the Norfozzians to Earth during the last few weeks on trading vessels,” the general said. “Most likely, the rebels installed interior cloaking devices on the ships that concealed certain rooms and perhaps even large sections of cargo areas. The cloaking devices would’ve made it difficult for Kall inspectors to detect the huge numbers of Norfozzians that are now on Earth.”
“That’s incredible,” the pale-faced reporter said with a shake of his head. “It sounds as though the rebels have been planning this attack for a while, however, it seems reckless to provoke the Kall and break the treaty with only two months left in the occupation. What do you know about the rebel’s motives?”
“Oh it’s quite reckless, indeed,” the general replied in a grave tone. “Human officials all around the world have condemned the rebels’ attack and many countries have offered to set their own military forces against the rebels and mercenaries. But, as you might imagine, the Kall are suspicious of human help and have declined all offers of assistance.”
“And what about the rebels’ motives?” the reporter pressed. “Or rather, their end game. What is it you believe they hope to accomplish?”
The general steepled his fingers on the table, a troubled look crossing his visage as he appeared deep in thought. Weariness suddenly ravaged his features, making Fiona wonder how many soldiers had perished under his command during the war. “The rebels want revenge for the millions of human lives lost during the war, of course, but I believe they also want to capture Kall technology. Think about it. If they get their hands on Kall weapon suppression technology, they could likely figure out a way to thwart it, thus posing a real threat to our alien conquerors. Furthermore, though the Kall prefer to fight their enemies in hand-to-hand combat, they still possess powerful high-tech weaponry. The rebels probably want to get their hands on this technology as well.”
The reporter’s eyes widened, and he shifted in his chair. “Do you believe the rebels will prevail over the Kall?”
“No, I do not,” the general replied in a bitter tone. “The rebels are fools who have damned us all. Two hundred thousand Norfozzian mercenaries might sound like a lot, especially when added to rebel forces, which are estimated to be about seventy-five thousand worldwide, but the Kall are skilled warriors who turn into… depraved monsters on the battlefield. The bloodlust they are filled with is unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed. During the war, it wasn’t uncommon to see a single Kall warrior take down twenty or thirty human soldiers within a matter of seconds.”
Fiona and Chrisna exchanged a worried look. The reporter gaped at the general, and Fiona didn’t know what to think. She was loyal to her husband—she loved him very much—but she despaired over the prospect of more human blood being spilled. She cared about the fate of her people, and the war was supposed to be over.
Fucking hell, why did this have to happen?
“Do you believe the Kall will hold Earth leaders responsible for the actions of the rebels?” the reporter asked. He looked so pale Fiona feared he might pass out. “Will there be retaliation, and if so, of what nature?”
“Yes, I think the Kall will hold Earth leaders responsible to a certain extent. They will likely extend their occupation of our planet and force humankind to sign another treaty, one that is even more in their favor than the first one. They will demand financial compensation as well as human brides. I fear the daughters and sisters of world leaders will bear the brunt of Kall vengeance.”
Fiona zoned out for a few minutes as the interview continued, her thoughts traveling back five years ago. After the war, nearly every world leader was forced to sacrifice at least one young female relative to the Kall. She wasn’t the daughter or sister of a world leader, but she’d had the misfortune of bearing a striking resemblance to former First Daughter, Betsy Carson, who’d run away rather than face marriage to Merokk.
And so, after being spotted by government officials who were desperate to pass off another woman as Betsy, Fiona had agreed to pretend to be the First Daughter. She’d had little choice. Not if she wanted to help her mother.
In the end, Janie was sent to a luxurious health resort in the Caribbean, while Fiona married the fearsome Kall warrior in Betsy’s place.
Shivers rushed through her as she recalled the day Merokk had learned of her deception, the day he learned he’d been tricked into marrying her. He’d been livid, radiating white-hot fury, and she shivered again at the memory of him wielding a thick leather strap across her bottom as he demanded the truth. As he demanded her real name.
But once she’d made a full confession, he not only calmed down, but he announced that he still wanted her. That he was keeping her. Hearing him use her real name for the first time, uttered with tenderness, had brought tears of happiness to her eyes.
A familiar voice brought Fiona’s attention back to the tablet that still rested in her lap. The interview with the general had ended, replaced by a live video feed. She gasped and covered her mouth as she saw Merokk standing on the ramp of his ship, addressing a contingent of Kall warriors.
“Again, I’d like to remind our viewers that this is live footage from the Kall military base in Virginia, which is one of their largest bases on Earth,” a trembling human voice narrated, briefly drowning out Merokk’s voice. “Fighting is already underway, and the rebels are taking heavy losses, as are the Norfozzian mercenaries. What we are seeing here, folks, is Ambassador Merokk, who is a former Kall commander. It appears he’s been assigned a contingent of warriors and is preparing to lead them onto the battlefield. Let’s listen in.”
Merokk’s voice came back, a thunderous boom across a snow-covered clearing filled with armor-clad warriors. “Tonight, we’ll be victorious against the treacherous humans and their fledgling mercenaries. Humankind surrendered to us once, and they will surrender again. They will tremble before our power.” The English translation of his speech flashed on the screen, though she knew enough Kall to comprehend most of what he was saying.
Fiona felt cold all over. Oh God. Oh no. Her worst fears were being realized. Merokk was about to lead a large unit of warriors onto a dangerous battlefield, and more human blood would be spilled. She hated the thought of more of her people perishing—yes, even the foolish rebels—but she absolutely despaired over the prospect of harm coming to her husband.
The tablet suddenly went dark, and Chrisna gasped and jumped to her feet as she cast a wary glance toward the door. Heavy footsteps sounded in the hallway, and Fiona’s stomach plummeted.
Rentzaq. Shit.
Somehow, the Head of Security had learned about the tablet and managed to turn it off remotely.
