Xai'an sat in the large opening that led into the tunnels that Z and the ooman male went into. He did not like her leaving with him, but it was clear that neither one had any interest in each other when it came to mating. Besides, unless he planned on killing all the oomans, he didn't have a choice. Normally he would, but his female made it clear that she cared about them. So if they died, especially by his hand, his female would be upset with him. Likely reject him violently.

No, he could not have her pull away from him. When she freely touched him to stop him from killing the ooman male, it thrilled him. He wanted more of it.

His mask flashed with a message from Warark. They had killed another six Kiande Amedha with no signs of another Queen. Good. He decided to send back an image of Z with a message that she would be coming with them and was not to be harmed.

Almost immediately Warark sent another message. One he knew the other two would not be privy to. He warned Xai'an that Anak would not accept an ooman unless she had been properly marked and mated, because until then she held no title and thus, it would be under law to kill her for her knowledge of their species. This surprised Xai'an. He had no idea that Warark was knowledgeable about the rules involving ooman mates.

An image of a female came to him. She had light hair, as if kissed by the sun and her eyes were the color of deep cool waters. She was beautiful, though he felt his mate was far superior. This female was Warark's ooman mate. Another surprise. Warark was a fiercely respected warrior. How had he not known that he had an ooman mate?

Warark's voice came to him then. A private message. "Anak gave me the courtesy of knowing the rules before killing her when I brought her before him. I fear that due to your blood, he would be forced to act harshly to keep face in the clan. I tell you this only because my mate longs to have an ooman companion."

Xai'an wondered just how long he'd had an ooman mate. He wouldn't ask because Yautja didn't speak of their personal lives, but he was curious. Though he also knew two things that hadn't known prior. Before he left Earth with her, he was going to have to mate her and mark her. Something she would probably not be too happy about, so how he was going to approach that was beyond him. But it had to be done if he didn't want her to die. He also knew that once she was safe from law, she would have a female ooman to keep her company.

"I'll make sure to bring her by your ooman once we get home." He sent back.

Warark didn't respond back, nor did the other two who probably heavily disapproved of his involvement with an ooman.

"Xai'an?" His female’s voice whispered the hall low enough that an ooman would have missed it. He stood up to go to her, bending slightly to avoid hitting his head. She was alone in the darkened hall, looking for him. When he uncloaked she seemed relieved to see him. She even quickened her pace to get to him.

"How's it looking out there?" Though he knew her eyes could not see outside the walls, she looked as if she could anyway.

"Progress." He told her with his own mouth. Using the recordings might be loud enough for the humans to hear. "What are you doing?"

She smiled up at him and walked past him. "I'm helping them get the keys to the bus with as little noise as possible but I'm covered in blood. So I need to clean up." She didn't seem to mind that he took stride behind her. "Hey, I'm curious. How do you speak English so well when you don't have lips?"

"Yautja have tongue. Mimick ooman speech." He saw her push open a door that had ooman letters on it. 'Ladies Locker Room'. What kind of things would they have locked in here? He really had to bend to get in here, but at least the ceiling was high enough for him to stand. Blue metal boxes lined the room with small wooden benches in front of them.

His female started to open them up, one by one, occasionally pulling out bright garments of clothing to hold up to herself. She was checking to see if they fit her. He watched silently as she discarded them until she found a few of darker coloring. "Even if I didn't prefer the darker colors, I'd rather give myself all the advantage that I can. Black in the dark seems to work for them. Right?"

Satisfied with her haul she turned toward the white tile area. When he went to follow her, she held up her hand. "No offense big guy, but I do this alone. Stay here and wait for me if you want, but don't come after me. Private."

He cocked his head to the side, unsure of what she meant, but nodded anyway at her expectant looking face. She turned and walked beyond the white walls, clutching her little bundle to her chest.

After a moment he heard the water and realized that she meant to bathe. He growled at the sudden opportunity. He hadn't expected one so soon, but with her safety at risk, now was the time. He looked over his shoulder at the door they had come through. He would make sure no one stumbled in on accident. His musk radiated off him as he reached for the clasp of his armor and went to the door.

***AUTHORS NOTE***

***END AUTHORS NOTE***