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The Director snickered. I did not understand the comment to get the gist of the humor.
“It is new. Different.” Gi’kar stood after Hunir finished mending his drilled scales. “I can imagine many Xalanites will want to come here in the near future. There are exotic plants, humans to meet, and this strange white substance you call ‘snow.’ This is all exciting to me as a Xalanite. We’ve not met a species so close to our own yet. A planet so close to our own.”
Director Hall squared her shoulders and extended a hand to Hunir. “Well, sir, if we can start over, I’d be glad to open talks between our species. Perhaps you’d like to be an advocate for the Xalanites here on Earth?”
Hunir held up both palms in mock surrender. “Oh, no! I couldn’t. I am a healer, not a diplomat. I only took on that role to assist Amber in getting help for my friends.”
She turned to me. “Q’on? What about you? You know Earth better than any of your friends. You could help us mend the fences, so to speak.”
“While that would be nice, Director, I am afraid I cannot. Amber has expressed a desire to come live with me on Xalan, and I would not deny her the chance. If I stayed here, she would not get to see my home planet or meet my other friends.”
The Director tapped her lip with a fingertip. “Hm. A compromise, then? You two could be our voice on Xalan, and someone else could take point as the Xalanite representative here.”
Amber looked up at me and stroked my cheek. “What do you think, Q’on?”
“She would have to pay us for the work. Inkrin. Dollars do not spend on Xalan. I cannot provide for you if she pays in human money.”
Director Hall chuckled at my attempt at human humor. “I don’t know what the hellkrinis, but I think we can set up an exchange rate that would work for everyone. If you two agree to be our envoys, I would make sure you are fully compensated for the work you do. The last thing we need is to be accused of forcing you into indentured servitude after your release.” She winked at me and Amber. “So, do we have a deal?”
I looked from Amber to the Director’s hand and back, making sure I saw agreement in Amber’s eyes before I shook it. I understood that to be a semi-binding agreement in human terms. Amber nodded, though, and put her hand on top of mine. The three of us stood there for a few moments before the Director released my hand with a satisfied grin.
“Great! Now that it’s settled, would you allow me to arrange some accommodation for your friends? Amber, your house should have been vacated by now, but I can’t guarantee all your belongings will still be there. Unfortunately, Agent Wilson had access for too long; there’s no telling what they stole, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to recover everything for you.” She pulled a phone out of her pocket and tapped at the screen. “The Hilton in Rochester seems to have some good rooms open. That’s the closest city to your place, correct, Amber?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. It’s a bit of a drive, but it’s close enough, I suppose.”
“Good. I’ll get your friends set up there, but …” she glanced at the ship, which took up most of the courtyard in the compound “… perhaps we could drive them there? I don’t know if the world is ready for another show like you put on at the White House today.”
We nodded in unison, and the Director strode off to talk to the others, presumably to inform them of the arrangements she made. I didn’t have the heart to tell the Director that our people would likely be more comfortable staying on the ship; besides, if Hunir and the others wanted to experience human life, then staying at a hotel might be a nice escape for them.
As Amber and I waited for the car Director Hall had arranged to take us to Amber’s cabin, we sat hip to hip, our hands laced together. I vowed then never to let anything come between us again.
Chapter 26
Amber
My joy at being reunited with Q’on evaporated when we got back to the cabin.
The fuckers at the AARO—Agent Wilson’s goons, anyway—had ransacked the place.
Nothing was left untouched. My bookshelves had all been toppled, my clothes strewn about, the pantry raided of both Earth and Xalan food. A large part of me hoped that the bastards choked on Q’on’syinsnacks.
When Director Hall saw the mess, she turned red and started shouting orders to the handful of soldiers who’d accompanied us. Within minutes, they had the place at least somewhat straightened up, and while they cleaned the mess, she herself ordered us a pricey meal for delivery, plus at least two weeks’ worth of high-end groceries. I don’t know how long she expected us to stay before we left for Xalan, but it was a nice gesture all the same.
I checked the bedroom and found my computer trashed. She offered to order me a new one sent next-day shipping, but I turned her down. What did it matter? I’d already checked my email when I bought the burner phone before Hunir and I landed at the White House, and sure enough, I’d been fired when I didn’t show up to work for several days.
Not that it mattered. I would have quit anyway, but this kind of stung. I mean, it wasn’t my fault I got kidnapped and then stranded in the Adirondacks during a snowstorm.
Oh, well. Better not to think about that. Onward and upward, or whatever.
Once my house no longer looked like a warzone, Director Hall offered to have her driver take us into town to visit the other Xalanites at the Hilton. We’d just finished the surf ‘n’ turf she had ordered us, and I think Q’on was just as stuffed as I was. He patted his flat abs and groaned in the best way when he was done. Like, “I wished Director Hall would just leave so I could jump him” kind of groan.
We turned down her offer, but she still hung around for a good half hour longer than I would have liked. I finally had my boyfriend back, in my house, and all I wanted to do was spend my last few hours on Earth showing him how much I’d missed him.
She finally left about eight, though when I saw what she left on our front lawn, I let out a groan of my own.
She left guards. Lots of them.
I rested my forehead against the front door and sighed. Q’on came up behind me and rubbed my back. “Is something wrong?”
