I look down at the seal-woman squirming in my hands.

She is trying her best to escape, but that won't fly.

I need her to calm down to extract that confession.

If I can't, I'm in deep shit now.

''Shhhhh. Calm down, Missy.''

''I will snap your neck in half if you try to shout or escape. Understood?''

I whispered into her ears and slowly loosened my grip on her throat so that she didn't die from asphyxiation.

She spent a few seconds in shock but recovered relatively faster than last time.

Shook her head up and down while taking a few shaky breaths.

''I hope you cooperate for both of our sakes, Pala. I don't want your blood on my hands, and I don't think you want your blood on my hands either.''

''So, behave. Only do things when I tell you to do them.''

I released my left hand from her mouth, pulled out my pen from my pocket, and checked if it had been recording our conversation.

The pen wasn't a weapon, it was a recording device.

I put it back into my pocket. I can't afford it getting destroyed.

''Answer this question with a simple yes or no. Did you cooperate with the raiders outside by keeping their existence a secret?''

''No.''

Are we really doing this?

''That is a funny thing to say, Pala. Considering that we managed to infiltrate both the stations and your personal databases. Confirming your communication with the forces besieging our current system.''

She was breathing shakily until then, but those words caused her breathing to stop.

A second passed. 2 seconds. 3 seconds.

She picked her breathing back up.

''What are you talking about? I have done no such things you criminal. You will regret your actions and baseless accusations when the guards outside eventually come inside.''

Pfft.

Okay.

''Baseless accusations? Will they say the same things after we show them the decrypted messages you sent detailing your agreement to cooperate with your besiegers if they only attacked Human ships that passed by?''

''We already copied the entire conversation into our own database.''

Check.

''Oh? And who will the garrison believe? Their superior or an assaulter, who is a Human no less?''

Ah.

So she didn't guess that I'd be recording this conversation after all.

She just wanted to weasel her way out.

''Your hands? limbs? are stained with the blood of innocent Humans just because you didn't want to get your hands dirty. You will face justice.''

Her tone changed. To, fury?

''Innocent? You Humans are wretched monsters that destroy and [pillage] everything you come across. I was doing those people a favor by saving them from their miserable lives under the [tyranny] that is Humanity!''

''I'd rather trust Nalshians Raiders than Humans.''

She exclaimed, a craze in her voice.

That is surely going to-

''GUARDS!''

''CRAZY BITCH!''

Slam!

In the heat of the moment, I smashed her face into the table.

Knocking her out cold, blood dripping slowly from her face.

Well, at least she didn't die. That would have been the end for me right there if I hadn't managed to hold back even in my panic.

No time-

Guards will rush inside.

I quickly raised her gigantic body comparably over mine, still holding her by the neck, to shield me from any firearms that would be pointed at me from the doorway, while pressing a button on her desk which would connect me to the sound systems of the entire spaceport.

Stolen story; please report.

''Armed personnel of the Srtken Station. Captain Suleiman speaking-''

The door burst open with a loud thud as steel met steel.

A bunch of guards, looking inside from over the now empty doorway, weapons at hand, aiming down their sights, pulse guns pointed at me.

''SURRENDER NOW!''

Pay them no mind.

''-I have sadly found out that the governor of this system, Miss Pala, is a traitor, and that she has collaborated with Nalshian raiders in conducting piracy and raids against merchant vessels going through this star system.''

''RELEASE HER NOW AND SURRENDER YOURSELF!''

Shouted the guard closest to me, looking into my eyes.

I could see the seal trying to aim straight, but his hands were shaking.

''I will be doing no such things. Why don't you step out of the room now-''

I said as I swung my other hand over the still unconscious Pala's.

''Or I will not be able to guarantee anyone's safety.''

''She is a traitor, you should be apprehending her, not me-''

''IT IS CLEAR [AS DAY] THAT YOU ASSAULTED HER, RELEASE HER AND GET DOWN ON THE GROUND OR WE WILL SHOOT!''

Mandated the soldier as he took a small step forward.

In return, I raised the governor's limp right arm with my hand.

''I wouldn't do that if I were you.''

The seal soldier looked at me again and looked at her boss.

He held his pulse gun high as if he was trying to calculate whether he could hit me without hitting Pala.

His show of force amounted to nothing when all I did was bring myself to hide better behind her limp body.

He relented, taking a step back and out of the doorway.

''See? That wasn't too hard, was it? Now get Lt. Shaeer here. First of all, he is your boss, and secondly, he is this lass's husband.''

''Be warned. If you try to step inside again I will begin from her fingers.''

I said as I grabbed one of the governor's fingers.

I was buying time.

My men should have already left their hiding spots inside the cargo and begun wreaking chaos in the hangar bay and wreaked havoc.

We infiltrated this place for a reason, so that the mole which turned out to be Pala wouldn't be able to inform the Nalshian raiders of the incoming JGPF task force.

It had been what? 3 hours?

I needed those guys here before-

''PALA!''

Shouted an enraged Shaeer from the doorway as his men tried to hold him back.

Looks like someone didn't get the memo.

''Are you a man of reason Lt.?''

I questioned.

The seal man was practically red from rage, his face had been flushed a crimson I didn't think was possible for gardenworlders.

''I usually am. At least when someone isn't threatening to KILL MY WIFE IN FRONT OF ME.''

He blabbered in a tone befitting the term 'enraged' but he stood beyond the doorway, his men stopped holding him as he wasn't trying to dash inside anymore.

Good.

''I wouldn't say killing, since I need her alive to hand her over the authorities.''

I continued with a voice and tone as neutral as possible, despite my situation.

I needed to, there was no choice.

''So you really expect us to believe that Nalshian nonsense?''

''For [fucks] sake Human, there is a limit to the number of things you can expect to get away with, AND THIS AIN'T IT.''

The lieutenant was going to boil over if I didn't give him good reasoning.

''But I have proof Lt.''

''First, I'd like to negotiate a deal. You don't trust me, but I don't trust you to not kill me the moment I leave the hostage or this room.''

I could use this to my advantage.

''Send an unarmed medic here and we can continue to talk after making sure that Pala won't die.''

This would buy me time, earn goodwill and their trust.

Pala shouldn't die regardless.

From what I could tell the damage wasn't very severe you couldn't tell these things with gardenworlders.

A bleeding nose to me could mean death to them.

''And let you have another [hostage]? Who knows what you are planning. We should just [storm] that room and-''

His sentence was cut in half.

A medic tumbled through the doorway.

The guards on both ends tried to grab his clothes, with one of them succeeding.

But the medic rushing into the room got rid of his coat as he made it through the doorway, leaving his coat in the guards hands whose faces cringed upon their slip-up.

I couldn't tell if he wanted to do something to me or if he was just a crazy bastard trying to treat Pala after I had said I would be negotiating for it happen.

I didn't move.

Lieutenant Shaeer ordered; shouted after the medic, pleading for him to get back but the medic didn't listen. Continued to make his way in.

He tried to follow him in panic and horror but quickly stepped back when I shouted for him to stay out of the room.

What should I do now?

I played a risky move.

Didn't move an inch, stared down the medic as he made his way closer and closer. His mad dash had been turned into a slow, snail's pace halfway through the room.

As he got closer to me, and my eyes, I saw it in him. The instinct to flee.

He looked behind him as if he was considering it.

He looked into my neutral eyes, considering the danger.

He looked at his governor, reminding himself of a life he needed to save.

Because he didn't run back.

He kept approaching, opened his small metal box, and pulled out something that I could only describe as fabric or cotton.

''L-Lay her down. I can't treat her if you are holding her like this.''

The medic commanded with a determined tone.

A will of iron, but I wasn't going to budge.

Human flesh would not bend under steel.

''Yes, you can. Yes, you will.''

The medic wasn't happy with my words, but he decided to not push his chances any further and began treating Pala.

''Why do this son? What could you gain by tossing away your life into the wims of a Human?''

I was curious.

''Human? This isn't about Humans.''

''I have known Governor Pala for [7 years]. She has treated both her guests and workers well. Whatever may have happened, she doesn't deserve to die at your hands. I can't let a life [slip away] in front of me.''

Hmpfh.

Idealistic.

The Lt. wasn't too happy about, anything.

I am pretty sure he and his men were trying to find angles to take the shot and neutralize me, but they repeatedly realized their futility.

The medic continued with his work, wiping blood and administrating medicine to the unconscious Pala.

''Are you ready to hear the truth now Lt? You won't like what you hear.''

''You-''

''Too bad.''

I started replaying the recording.

During the chaos, I had managed to stop the recording as I had gotten what I wanted. So now I was free to replay the entire conversation on repeat.

This pen was an amazing innovation, thanks Muipa for the amazing gift.

I did not know what my men were doing inside the hangar bay. My guess was that they managed to secure a safe place to hide. I had selected Humans specifically for the task force, they would easily overpower any obstacle.

''-CRAZY BITCH!''

Slam!

The recording finished playing.

I stared at the Lt. and his men.

They stared at me back.

''Your wife is a traitor, Shaeer. Those are her own words.''

The Lt. leaned on the doorway and stared at me, deep in thought.

He was disturbed. He was thinking.

It must have been tough, I had seen it many times before.

Betrayals from lovers stung the heart the most, the man was at a loss for words.

But before he could say anything, the announcement system of the starport ROARED to life.

''THIS IS VICE-ADMIRAL ARTHUR OF THE 23RD JOINT GALACTIC PATROL FLEET. POWER DOWN YOUR DEFENSES AND LET US TAXI, WE HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE NALSHIANS.''