hybrids here. Maybe, they’ve perfected cloning?” Ross pondered aloud. “Who knows what their technology has grown to? They want to get their people back and dump the humans.”
“No way is that going to happen.” Shannon hugged Milton tight. She’d just gotten her men and her birth family. No one would take her away. Earth was home no matter what a bunch of aliens thought. She felt nothing alien in her, no connection to the Keelons except a love of space.
“Damn right. We’re not letting anyone go. Shannon, go rest in your quarters. If there’s anything you remember, bring it up. Right now, you seem medically fine and just need to sleep,” Liz said.
“Thanks. Let me know how the women are, and if you learn anything from their experiences. Hopefully, the Keelons gave them some clue about why they were being let go.” Shannon’s head rang a bit when she stood up.
The men held her, and Bonnie smiled. “Don’t hold your breath. Take it easy. Sleep it off. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on the returned women. I promise I’ll give you a full report.”
“We’ll keep her in bed,” Ross promised.
“Keep your hands to yourself until she’s recovered.” Bonnie winked at Shannon.
Shannon wanted to hold onto all her men and feel their warmth and strength instead of the cold alien beam. They’d make it better, and she’d give into the love when her energy was back.
* * * *
Curtis cuddled Shannon to him in bed. She was in nothing except a silky teddy, but Milton was pressed to her other side and they had a fleece blanket tucked over her. Ross checked her pulse and temperature regularly. Gavin stood guard. They’d managed to feed her soup then it had all caught up with her. Now, they watched as she dozed.
“If they wanted to take her, they’d have pulled her up in that beam in seconds,” Ross said softly.
The break in silence relieved Curtis. “Maybe the attack was effective? Or maybe they don’t want hybrids at all?”
“Who knows what they want. War? All the women? What does it matter? We need to scare them off.” Gavin paced at the foot of the bed.
“War is something we won’t win against the Keelons. Scaring them off is all we can manage.” Ross shook his head. “We need to be so much trouble that it’s not worth their time and effort.”
“Hastings keeps putting off the use of the weapon like it’ll go away,” Gavin grumbled.
“Picking your battles is part of leadership,” Curtis said.
When the group disagreed, Curtis had to bring things back in focus. In a war, he’d be leading the group into battles, but here on earth his role was much less pressure.
“A battle is coming. We can all feel it.” Milton nodded and put a reassuring arm over Shannon. “Our role isn’t war this time. It’s protection.”
Gavin shrugged. “If they lose the battle, how can we protect her?”
“Hastings is right not to engage prematurely in a battle with a superior armed force and their technology. If we were close and could travel there, guerilla warfare and small attacks at their weak points would be smart. Cutting off their food supplies or disabling their power sources and spaceships isn’t possible from here. We’re at a disadvantage, but we’re not giving up. Our plans must be flexible.” Ross studied Shannon. “We should let her sleep.”
“Of course,” Curtis said.
Ross sighed. “I’d like to see her more hydrated.”
“When she wakes up, we’ll get her to drink a bunch of water and take more soup,” Milton said.
Gavin frowned.
“What?” Curtis asked.
“I love her.”
“We all do.” Milton shrugged.
“I almost wish the battle was behind us before we changed our relationship with her.” Gavin continued his pacing.
“We loved her already. It wouldn’t help,” Curtis said.
“It might have been easier to face without her knowing how we feel. Seeing her hurt is harder than anything else.” Gavin leaned on the far wall.
“No one wants her hurt. We
“No way is that going to happen.” Shannon hugged Milton tight. She’d just gotten her men and her birth family. No one would take her away. Earth was home no matter what a bunch of aliens thought. She felt nothing alien in her, no connection to the Keelons except a love of space.
“Damn right. We’re not letting anyone go. Shannon, go rest in your quarters. If there’s anything you remember, bring it up. Right now, you seem medically fine and just need to sleep,” Liz said.
“Thanks. Let me know how the women are, and if you learn anything from their experiences. Hopefully, the Keelons gave them some clue about why they were being let go.” Shannon’s head rang a bit when she stood up.
The men held her, and Bonnie smiled. “Don’t hold your breath. Take it easy. Sleep it off. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on the returned women. I promise I’ll give you a full report.”
“We’ll keep her in bed,” Ross promised.
“Keep your hands to yourself until she’s recovered.” Bonnie winked at Shannon.
Shannon wanted to hold onto all her men and feel their warmth and strength instead of the cold alien beam. They’d make it better, and she’d give into the love when her energy was back.
* * * *
Curtis cuddled Shannon to him in bed. She was in nothing except a silky teddy, but Milton was pressed to her other side and they had a fleece blanket tucked over her. Ross checked her pulse and temperature regularly. Gavin stood guard. They’d managed to feed her soup then it had all caught up with her. Now, they watched as she dozed.
“If they wanted to take her, they’d have pulled her up in that beam in seconds,” Ross said softly.
The break in silence relieved Curtis. “Maybe the attack was effective? Or maybe they don’t want hybrids at all?”
“Who knows what they want. War? All the women? What does it matter? We need to scare them off.” Gavin paced at the foot of the bed.
“War is something we won’t win against the Keelons. Scaring them off is all we can manage.” Ross shook his head. “We need to be so much trouble that it’s not worth their time and effort.”
“Hastings keeps putting off the use of the weapon like it’ll go away,” Gavin grumbled.
“Picking your battles is part of leadership,” Curtis said.
When the group disagreed, Curtis had to bring things back in focus. In a war, he’d be leading the group into battles, but here on earth his role was much less pressure.
“A battle is coming. We can all feel it.” Milton nodded and put a reassuring arm over Shannon. “Our role isn’t war this time. It’s protection.”
Gavin shrugged. “If they lose the battle, how can we protect her?”
“Hastings is right not to engage prematurely in a battle with a superior armed force and their technology. If we were close and could travel there, guerilla warfare and small attacks at their weak points would be smart. Cutting off their food supplies or disabling their power sources and spaceships isn’t possible from here. We’re at a disadvantage, but we’re not giving up. Our plans must be flexible.” Ross studied Shannon. “We should let her sleep.”
“Of course,” Curtis said.
Ross sighed. “I’d like to see her more hydrated.”
“When she wakes up, we’ll get her to drink a bunch of water and take more soup,” Milton said.
Gavin frowned.
“What?” Curtis asked.
“I love her.”
“We all do.” Milton shrugged.
“I almost wish the battle was behind us before we changed our relationship with her.” Gavin continued his pacing.
“We loved her already. It wouldn’t help,” Curtis said.
“It might have been easier to face without her knowing how we feel. Seeing her hurt is harder than anything else.” Gavin leaned on the far wall.
“No one wants her hurt. We
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