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Win or lose, it was all the same to Kuran. His greatest goal was to keep Stacy safe as she navigated the election. It was the only win he truly cared about, though he supported her hope to continue as Earth’s leader for the next two years. Or eight, if she continued to win elections until she was no longer eligible to serve.
For once, Kuran was unphased in public as he conducted operations. Or, more accurately, as he supervised someone else conducting operations. It wasn’t the case for the other Kalquorians who made up his spy contingent. A dozen of his phased operatives wandered the crowd. They watched for trouble as reinforcements for the human element of the event’s security.
Kuran glanced at Michael Adams, the man who was to take over his official position as head of Earth security…if he proved up to the task.
When the two men had first met, Kuran hadn’t been impressed. Despite his notable credentials, Adams appeared young to the seasoned Nobek to have the experience he claimed. Dark-haired, handsome, and possessing an easy smile, the would-be heir’s presence seemed far too benign for the job’s demands.
He became a different sort of man on the job, however. Drawn brows drove a crease above Adams’ slightly crooked nose. His blue eyes were intense as he surveyed the scene from his post on an elevated platform at the side of the stage where Stacy spoke. The friendly smile was nowhere in evidence, replaced by a frown fierce enough to elicit Kuran’s appreciation. Wearing a dark outfit over body armor, a blaster holstered at his hips, muttering commands into his headset, Adams boasted a distinctive don’t-fuck-with-me presence. He was imposing.
For a human.
Kuran noted a cluster of Earthers packed tight at one side of the stage. No doubt his men were there, keeping an eye on them, but it would be wise to point the grouping out to Adams. He did so.
Adams offered no second-guessing or resistance to Kuran’s direction. “Charlie Group, watch the sardines on the stage edge in your section. They don’t look like trouble, but they’re good cover for someone who’d want to be. Alpha, cover any open spots Charlie leaves behind while they shift location.” Adams noticed another cluster on his own. “Delta, watch the rear corner. Make sure you have a clear view on everyone.”
“Nice pickup on Delta’s section.” Kuran had missed it.
“Next time, I’ll assign another set of eyes up high from the opposite side of the stage. Two guys to a post. If the governor continues to draw crowds this size, we’ll need it. Since more Earthers are arriving every day, we may have to increase our presence.”
“Agreed.”
The audience cheered as Stacy finished her speech. Adams was barking orders in an instant. “Ready for the greet, you know your positions, in place now.”
Kuran watched his beloved as she headed for the steps that would allow her to descend from the stage. The plan was for her to go to the barricade holding the throng back, shake hands, and speak to her would-be voters. No less than half a dozen guards would be at her side, accompanied by two phased Kalquorian sentries. Nonetheless, tension sang through him and Adams as they watched her.
At last, it was over, Stacy smiling and waving as she was escorted to the shuttle waiting behind the stage’s vid backdrop. On it was depicted Earth II’s emblem of the planet wrapped in a banner emblazoned with the mottoVita Nova, Spes Nova: New Life, New Hope.
And a new head of security, ready to take up the challenge Kuran was to leave behind in a few short weeks. Kuran was beginning to feel pretty confident about his replacement…especially since the Nobek would be sticking close to Stacy in any case.
* * * *
Alpha Space Station
Stacy wondered at Kuran’s mood as they traveled the corridors toward Clan Rihep’s home. He’d been a bit grim lately, no doubt because he worried in the wake of some jackass sending her an explosive a couple months prior. Since the campaign rally, however, he’d been in the best mood she’d seen him in for weeks.
“Mr. Adams is doing a decent job, I gather?”
“I can’t fault him in the least,” Kuran said. “Of course, Earth’s population is still rather small, not to mention concentrated in a single area…”
“You’re allowed to compliment him.” She chuckled.
He grinned. “My only reservation thus far is Ken Bryant hired him. If they have something underhanded going on behind the scenes, I have yet to discover it.”
“Good.” They reached the door of the quarters, which recognized them and opened obligingly. Stacy stepped in and grimaced. She called, “Oh Etnil, sweetie, what is happening in the kitchen?”
“What?” The distant voice indeed came from the direction where Stacy was certain the horrific odor originated. She could barely breathe for the stench.
“It would seem one of his cooking experiments got out of hand.” Kuran sighed as his clan leader, Dramok Rihep, stepped in the room.
“Yeah, I just turned the blowers on, so the smell should disappear soon.” Rihep, as calm and unflappable as ever, his handsome face serene, kissed Stacy hello. “I also ordered delivery, so dinner will show up in a few minutes.”
“Funny how the venting is called a blower, when it’s actually sucking out the stinky air.” Etnil came in, his boyish and eternally mischievous smile bright despite whatever awful thing had happened in the kitchen. “Maybe since blowjobs are also referred to as sucking, housing engineers went with it. It should be called a blow-me unit, right?”
He interrupted his hectic chatter to pucker his lips in anticipation of a welcome-home kiss for Stacy. She held him off. “What were you making?”
“Burritos. Just nice, ordinary rice and bean burritos, plus a few other ingredients.”
“Such as dog corpses?” she guessed. The odor was incredibly foul, though thankfully dissipating.
