Infiltration: Chapter Five Scene One

 

 Uh oh. Someone's leaking Stacy's relationship with Clan Rihep to the press. Blythe Nelson has the scoop.

* * * *

EarthII

“…thegovernor steadfastly refuses to discuss her relationship to Clan Rihep, ofwhich Nobek Kuran, in charge of Earth’s security division, is a member.However, my sources tell me Governor Nichols isn’t merely spending time in thecompany of these men, but the majority of nights on board Alpha Space Station,where they live. One has to wonder why the legislature has yet to censure heractivities…”

“Bitch,”the woman next to Nobek Kuran muttered.

Kuranbrushed his fingers against Governor Stacy Nichols’ after glancing around heroffice. The door was closed, drapes were drawn over the windows, and no oneknew he was there. Nonetheless, he couldn’t help his need to be overwhelminglycautious. She was taking plenty of shit because of him as it was.

Thereporter on the news vid transmission, pretty but swiftly becoming a major painin the ass to Earth II’s chief executive, rattled on. Footage of Stacy hurryingfrom her shuttle early that morning after landing swapped places with BlytheNelson’s eager, impish visage. The blonde continued to list Stacy’s supposedtransgressions, her attitude soaked in the savor of scandal.

Stacyswitched it off and faced Kuran. “Do you think she’d be so determined toperform a hatchet job on me if I hadn’t refused to give her an interview?”

“Whoknows?” He had an urge to kiss the frown line between her brows, then her plumplips. Then the rest of her toned but curvaceous body.

Nelsonmight have been ten years younger than Stacy, but she didn’t hold a candle tohis clan’s lover. Stacy Nichols was all woman. Having made love to her only anhour prior, he shouldn’t have been as amorous as he was. The relationship wasstill new, however, and he couldn’t get enough of her.

“Aftershe ambushed us on the space station a few weeks ago, I wouldn’t give her thetime of day,” Stacy snarled, her sensible but stylish shoes thudding her temperto the thick carpet as she crossed to her polished maple desk. “How she couldthink I’d agree to any dialogue is beyond me.”

“Italmost got her banned from the station itself and banned on pain of a prisonsentence from certain levels.” Kuran tried to soothe her temper, recognizing itwas part of what was giving him lustful thoughts. A fired-up Stacy was a sexyStacy in his book.

“Yes,she can’t bother us there. That’s something.” Stacy gazed at her computer, yet tobe powered up for the day’s tasks.

Kuranstood on the opposite side of her desk. He drummed his fingers on its surface,and she glanced at him.

“Whatis it?”

“Iwas there when you informed the lieutenant governor and your cabinet of ourrelationship.” His presence had been clandestine. He’d been phased andinvisible. “Do you remember what you said about openly dating my clan when the momentwas right?”

“I’dhoped to have the search for an Earther replacement for your head of planetsecurity position well underway before I announced it.” She huffed. “Nelsonjust shot my plan in the ass.”

“Youalso said the women of Earth needed to understand they were free to lovewhomever they wished, and there’d be no government involvement in theirpersonal affairs. You were planning to make it a major point in the upcomingelection.”

Stacyblinked. “It’s an excellent point to campaign on, but the Earthtiques will hateit. I insist women be reassured there’ll be no return to the horror show ofwhat we had under the old regime.”

“Asfar as I’m aware, you haven’t told anyone beyond cabinet members, leaders ofthe legislature, and Lieutenant Governor Bryant. As you said, you wanted to movefurther into the process of replacing my official position to show you aren’tunduly influenced by Kalquorian interests.”

“Correct.”Stacy had figured out where Kuran was heading. “In her report, Nelson quotedwhat I’d told them damned near word for word. Someone talked.”

“Someonetalked,” Kuran repeated.

“KenBryant.”

“Hedoes have conservative leanings, verging toward Earthtique despite presentinghimself as moderate. He may run against you for governorship. He’s the mostlikely of those you informed to object to your having Kalquorian lovers. It’sagainst his beliefs and could give him a boost where his political aspirationsare concerned.”

Stacyscowled. “He’s the most irritating person I have to deal with.”

“NotCouncilmen Mitchell and Spence?”

“Iknow where I stand. They despise me openly. Ken, though…”

“Whenyou two get along, you get along very well. When you’re at cross-purposes,however, he can be…problematic. Especially where my people are concerned.”

Bryanthad made no bones of how little he liked Kalquorians, despite them being at theforefront of giving Earthers a new home planet. He’d been openly rude toKalquor’s Imperial Clan and other dignitaries in the past. He often treatedKuran as if he weren’t present, even when Kuran wasn’t phased and he couldn’tpossibly miss seeing the six-and-a-half foot Kalquorian.

“Iasked him to keep it quiet. I guess I should have saved my breath,” Stacygroused.

“I’mnot entirely sure it was him,” Kuran said.

Hergaze was surprised. “Ken has a lot to gain by exposing my activities to thepublic…and my opponents in the legislature.”

“Whichis why I have doubts he gave Nelson the information. He’d realize you’dconsider him suspect, unless he’s playing some angle we aren’t aware of.”

“Inother words, I shouldn’t call his ass on the carpet.” Stacy leaned back on herleather hover chair, her dark eyes seeking answers on the ceiling. “Remind mewhy I got into politics?”

“Becauseyou want your people to be safe and happy.” Kuran smiled, then turned tobusiness. “Go ahead and ask Bryant if he spoke to Nelson. If he denies it,leave him to me. I’ll find out what’s going on.”

“Ihave mixed feelings about you spying on members of my government, even if it ison my behalf and for the good of Earth.” Her regard returned to him, herexpression troubled.

“Yourenemies have made attempts against you already. Maybe not to harm, butharassment can easily turn to darker purposes.” He hated how easy it was to lieby omission. She had no idea Kalquor had ordered him to spy on their behalf aswell, concerned Earth might return to the sort of fanaticism that couldthreaten the galaxy’s stability.

Hehated her accepting his answer just as much. “If Ken played any part in thesabotage to my vessel or those protestors who showed up when we welcomed thefirst colonists home…we should know.”

“I’lltell you whatever I learn.”

* * * *

The alien force dubbed the Darks has grabbed control of keypositions on Kalquor and the Galactic Council of Planets. Other leaders arestill unaware of the threat among them. The galaxy is wide open for destruction by an unfathomable enemy.

Former emperor Nobek Yuder has suspicions, but due torestrictions placed on him after his prison sentence, he can only stand by andwatch helplessly. A renegade Royal Councilman has designs to bring him back tothe political arena, but doing so could destabilize the Kalquorian Empire,leaving it vulnerable to invasion.

Meanwhile, one man on the brink of death, the only man whocan detect the nearly invisible Darks, is pulled from a lifeless shuttle byCaptains Kila and Nako. His incredible story tells them they’re in a raceagainst time to save not only the empire but the whole galaxy…but are theyalready too late?

On Earth II, Governor Stacy Nichol’s relationship with ClanRihep continues to grow. So does the danger, as opponents make deadly movesagainst her and the orbiting Kalquorian station where the clan lives. NobekKuran is determined to keep his clanmates and would-be lifemate safe, but howcan he stop a faceless enemy?

Relationships, old and new, are strained to the breakingpoint at a time when Earthers and Kalquorians need each other more than ever.The Darks are closing in, and no one is ready to oppose them.

Releasing November 3. Pre-order now at Amazon, Amazon UK, Nook, Smashwords, Kobo, Apple, and print.