Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

ELLIS

T he next day, I was back on Earth and again sitting in a chair against the wall in a large conference room. Seiwa was across the room at the table and assembling a tiny silver chain one link at a time. His big ears occasionally turned toward the directors of NASA and the FBI who were arguing about whether obtaining technology or knowledge was acceptable after Seiwa had informed them of his decision to teach rather than provide. I was really proud of him for that. But when Seiwa's ears weren't pointed at the directors, they were aimed at me.

We'd had dinner together last night in a huge room on the ship that was practically all windows, so the views of Earth had been incredible. We hadn't talked that much because he'd had seventeen people come up to him with questions. None of that had bothered me because it had been cool to watch him in full-nerd action. Even though he and the people coming to him for help had all spoken a language I didn't understand, it was abundantly clear that Seiwa had been saving their asses every single time. Like their relief had been palpable even with the language barrier. For some reason, I'd felt really proud of him.

Our parting had been…strange. Seiwa had been fine with me returning to Earth, but as I said goodbye to him on the shuttle's ramp, I could've sworn he'd been about to cry or something. I wasn't leaving to go to war or anything so huge, but he'd looked as awful as I'd felt while walking away from him. I'd nearly changed my mind, like, three times! Only because the shuttle had left had I gone and found my car to drive home. And then spent the night dreaming about being wrapped up in fluffy warmth.

I'd really missed him.

And now as I sat across from him and watched him bend bitty little pieces of silver wire to make a long and sparkly chain, all I wanted to do was run away with him. Go back to the ship, get naked, and find out what his other ropes and cuffs and bindings felt like. A lot of his pieces had spreader bars attached to them and, fuck, I wanted to feel held open for him.

I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat when his gaze met mine and his nostrils flared. Scenting my arousal from across the room… Hadn't had that on my bingo card for this year. Hoo, boy.

"What is it you want?" Director Stubbins suddenly barked.

For a second there, I wasn't sure who he was talking to, but everyone else in the room snapped their attention directly to Seiwa.

"Specifically in this moment," Seiwa asked, "or in general?"

I grinned and then hid that by rubbing at my nose like I had an itch.

"What?" The director looked completely thrown but rallied quickly. "You insist that you won't supply us with the technology we need, but this isn't my first rodeo, so what is it you want in exchange for the goods?"

Oh shit, were the gloves coming off right now?

"Is it our weapons? I've heard that your people have been involved in a few conflicts out there, so do you want the nuclear weapons? Will that get you to hand over the ships and weaponry you have?"

I didn't dare move because this felt like a conversation someone like me should not be hearing. Like, should this be classified? I wasn't classified in anything. Pretty sure half the people sitting beside me weren't either. None of us moved as weapons were mentioned for the very first time.

Seiwa said something in his own language, and his tablet spoke back to him. He snorted a laugh. Standing up, he scooped up the chain he'd been making and all of his supplies, putting everything back into his bag.

"Director," he said oh so patiently, "the Norlons have no need for your primitive weapons."

Whoa there . Nuclear weapons were primitive? What the hell did they have then?

"We have no need for anything you have, which should already be obvious." Seiwa paused and held up a hand. "I take that back. We have a great need for your volunteers. I'm told they're doing very well for themselves on Nor, and my people are grateful for their sexual satisfaction."

The woman next to me made a little noise like a laugh, but then rubbed her nose and whispered an apology. No doubt, like me, she thought it was hilarious that the only resource the Norlons wanted from humans were our very willing body holes. Like just turn on a red light over Earth, thank you very much.

"Commander Heremod," the director said through gritted teeth, "if you're saying that you people need more of our citizens?—"

"Oh, no, I do believe they're about to pause the sex worker program now that it's reached over six million participants. I was merely correcting my statement that we didn't want anything from you."

"And we're grateful," Director Yamada of NASA said like he was intervening, "that you're so willing to teach us. Knowledge is?—"

"Bullshit," Stubbins snapped. "You people want something. Nobody gives anything away for free."

I could see the way Seiwa's chest expanded as he took a deep breath and I braced myself for what he was about to say. Man, I wished I could record these meetings.

"Director Stubbins, humans are in need of assistance or else you're going to wipe yourselves out. We like you for a variety of reasons, and so we don't want to see that happen. But the last thing any of us are going to do is hand you technology you don't understand, can't maintain or repair, and watch you attempt to use it. You'll die." Seiwa gave the boiling mad director a once-over. "Well, not you personally, of course since you're the type to send underlings into danger alone. I revise my statement by saying I'm not going to let you kill anyone."

The director was turning fifteen shades of red, sweat beading on his forehead, and his jaw was clenched so hard his cheek muscles were twitching. I wanted to stand up and clap. Oh my god, Seiwa was amazing!

"Director Yamada," Seiwa continued, "going forward, I will only deal with your organization and those that work directly with you who understand that I will establish whatever learning facilities or programs are needed to educate humans so that the technology developed will be yours. I require no payment for this and will not be returning to this building."

Seiwa marched toward the door as everyone started talking, but the sudden drone of voices didn't drown out the wail of ultimate frustration from the Director of the FBI. Damn, but I'd just lost all respect for that man. Like, just gone . I had a feeling that if Seiwa hadn't left, Stubbins would've started swearing and throwing around slurs.

Hold on . I watched Seiwa leave the room and realized he'd said he wouldn't be coming back. Oh fuck!

I raced after him.

"So, uh, you're done with the FBI?" I asked as I jogged beside him.

"I am." He glanced down at me. "You should be as well."

"I should?"

"Yes."

I frowned and slowed my pace. Was he telling me to quit my job? Sure, I wasn't thrilled to be working under this particular director anymore, but I was also so far beneath him that it wasn't like I'd ever be in his office or something. Stubbins was the national director, not my local one. I'd probably never see him again.

And I'd also never see Seiwa again.

Fuck me, why did that hurt so much?

Before I could figure out what the ache in my chest was all about, a high-pitched whistle sounded in front of us. People were jumping out of the way like there was something on the floor that they were trying to avoid. I stopped beside Seiwa and attempted to peer around the people in front of me, but then they moved.

"Are you serious?" I said on a laugh because it was the little robot Seiwa had made. The little guy was careening down the hallway, avoiding random feet and the two guys running after it.

Seiwa stepped forward, bumped someone out of his way, and scooped up the robot. Its lights dimmed and it sort of curled into a ball. Seiwa tucked it into his bag.

"Sir," one of the robot's pursuers snapped, "you need to relinquish that technology immediately."

"I do not." Seiwa started walking again, taking advantage of the fact that everyone had cleared a path for him.

The other pursuer stepped in front of him and held up a hand. "Sir, I'm going to have to insist."

I stepped forward without a single clue about how to handle the situation but not willing to just stand there and watch. Only I didn't get the chance to do anything because Seiwa grabbed that agent's wrist, pulled him forward, spun him around, and basically treated him like a bowling ball as he threw him down the hallway. A whole bunch of people were knocked on their asses, including the other agent coming after the robot, and that path to the doorway became even clearer.

But Seiwa didn't just walk through the chaos, he bounded . He took three leaps, didn't squash anyone, and disappeared through the stairwell door.

Holy shit . Nothing like getting a reminder that the super engineering nerd from space was also built like an Olympic shot-put gold medalist. Do not fuck with my bunny!

Oh, crap, I couldn't lose him. I jerked into action and did my best to get down the hall, but everyone was standing up and rubbernecking over what just happened. I must've said "excuse me" a thousand damn times before I was finally able to throw myself down the stairs to the first floor. When I didn't see Seiwa in the lobby, I started to panic that I'd missed him and stopped caring about being polite as I dashed for the doors outside.

I stopped short when I found Seiwa standing at the bottom of the stairs in a ring of his guards. He held his hand up to me. Arrogant fucker. Just standing down there like hurry up, let's go . And me trotting right over to him and taking his hand. But, dammit, the world righted itself and I could breathe once I had his hand in mine.

"Will you come with me back to the ship?" he asked as we all trooped over to the shuttle.

"Yes." My brain didn't even have to engage for that answer. And a little part of me wondered what I was doing yet again, but it must've been a part that fell asleep during sex. How could I not go with him?

As I walked with him toward the shuttle, I wondered if maybe I could transfer to NASA. They had people collating information, too, right? Probably needed much better mathematical comprehension than yours truly had, but maybe they'd give me some kind of secretarial position. Or maybe I could be Seiwa's personal assistant. Make sure he had the good sandwiches, obeyed testing facility protocols like keeping his shoes on, and kept him from tossing people into walls.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked as he clipped me into my seat on the shuttle.

I was honest and said, "Just thinking about the future."

He grinned, stole a kiss, and then took his seat beside me.