Sunday’s Serving – Clans of Kalquor 8: Alien Caged (WIP)

Oret looked from him to Miragin and back to Zemos.  In a careful tone, the Nobek said, “I’ve had an idea, but I know you won’t like it.  I think the lovely one might be the key to our release.”
Miragin stood bolt upright.  “Matara Elisa?  Is it really necessary to involve her?”  
A flash of anger bolted through Zemos, but he controlled it easily.  He was a Dramok, but he also possessed strong Nobek tendencies, almost to the point of being a dual-breed.  His Nobek father and grandfathers had taken great care to train him to not give in to temper.
Zemos’ tone remained steady as he said, “She could get hurt, Oret.  You can’t tell me there won’t be risk to her life if we involve her.”
Oret’s shoulders sagged, letting Zemos know how much the solution weighed on him.  “I know, I know.  She’s also the weakest link and our best chance, especially if Walker is sending Remington away.  I would have loved to get my hands on him instead.”
Zemos couldn’t help but pace, the tension getting to him.  The food he’d eaten, prepared by Elisa herself, curdled in his gut at the thought of putting her in peril.  Yet he’d noted Remington wasn’t the only Earther getting more aggressive lately.  Walker’s nearly passive control over the crew was fraying.  Zemos had the fear that even if he could convince Walker to surrender his vessel to the Galactic Council of Planets, the more militant members of the crew would kill the Earther captain.  
It was obvious that he and the rest of his captured crew must soon make their attempt to escape and take over the ship.  It had become painfully obvious after three months of captivity that the Kalquorian fleet had no idea where Zemos and his men were.  Rescue was not coming.  Outnumbered and unarmed they would have to find some way out of the predicament they were in.  Sweet, lovely Elisa, the most vulnerable of the Earthers on board this flying horror of a ship, a woman that Zemos had begun to think of with more feeling than he wanted to, was their best chance of securing that escape.
Zemos snapped out the words he didn’t want to say.  “If we have no choice, then we’ll have to use the girl.  Damn it,” he added with feeling.
Tentative release date in October.