Star Alliance by Ken Lozito

the guards back and waited for Zack to speak.
    “No species should be treated like this—rounded up, stuck in a pit and treated like animals,” Zack said, clenching his teeth at the last word.
    “We’re doing scientific research here. Their sacrifice will benefit many more,” Kandra Rene said.
    “You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t take your word for it,” Zack said.
    “Tell me about your home world. Where is it?”
    “I’d rather not,” Zack said.
    Kandra Rene’s eyes narrowed in anger, and Zack felt as if something were pressing in on his mind.
    Zack squinted his eyes against the pain. “You’ve tried this before. What makes you think it’s going to work now?”
    Kandra Rene spun, her tail taking out Zack’s feet. She was on him in an instant, her claws at his throat. “Because it has worked,” she said.
    Zack’s arms were pinned down, and he felt a trickle of warm liquid drip across his neck. This was it. She was going to rip his throat out. Kandra Rene screamed, and Zack waited for his inevitable demise.
    The Xiiginn pushed herself off of him and regained her composure. “I see you need more time in the pit,” Kandra Rene said, and glanced over at Etanu. “We’ll take this one with us for questioning.”
    The Xiiginn guards rushed over to Etanu. Zack opened his mouth to speak, but Etanu shook his head.  
    The Xiiginns retreated back through the door, and Kandra Rene lingered there for a moment, watching Zack.
    “I’ll give you a head start. It should make it more sporting for the very creatures you believe are still intelligent,” Kandra Rene said, and gestured with her chin behind him.
    Zack turned around and saw that the hunters had risen from the ground. All the submissiveness from earlier was gone, and in its place was what he’d seen before. He had to run. Zack blew out a breath, and without another thought he sprinted for the trees, running as fast as he could.  

C HAPTER E LEVEN

    I T HAD BEEN an entire cycle since the Athena had left them. Not wanting to draw attention to the Human ship, Kladomaor hadn’t sent any communication. The fact that they hadn’t pursued the Human ship should be communication enough for them. At least they had Gaarokk there to guide them. But the fact that Ezerah had also joined the Humans had surprised him.  
      Ma’jasalax filled him in on the details now that he agreed with this foolish plan. Kladomaor frowned. “Agreed” was too strong a word. Now that he had calmed down, he could see the wisdom in Ma’jasalax’s actions. If anything, the Mardoxian priestess had greater insight into dealing with the Humans than he did. The Humans were stubborn—all of them. Like most of the intelligent races he’d come across, they needed to learn some of the harsher truths about the galaxy for themselves. He just hoped they could avoid some of the painful lessons the Boxans had learned about the Xiiginns—lessons that had left their home planet, Sethion, in chaos. The star system defenses kept Sethion in quarantine until they could come up with a permanent solution. At least their secret colony hadn’t become compromised. Neither the Xiiginns nor the Confederation knew where it was, and it had given them some much needed breathing room to recover.
    Ma’jasalax came onto the bridge and walked over to his side. “The Athena is nearing their final approach to Nerva.”
    “You’ve been in contact with them?” Kladomaor asked.
    “Not directly. I’ve been monitoring their progress,” Ma’jasalax answered.
    Kladomaor arched a brow. “The likelihood that the Mardoxian chamber is still intact on Nerva is remote at best.”
    “I think the odds are better than that,” Ma’jasalax said.
    “Time will tell,” Kladomaor said.
    “Indeed it will,” Ma’jasalax said. “I know you still have reservations about this whole endeavor, but showing our support will go a long way toward earning cooperation from the Humans.”
    “I’m well aware of why