Deceit: BBW Alien Lottery Romance (Chosen by the Karal Book 1) by Harmony Raines Page B

what was left of it, spread out.
    “How long has this been here?” she asked, not waiting for him to get out and help her. Instead, she was off towards the ruins at a fast walk. “We used to have such things on Earth, but between wars, and the need for every piece of raw material to be used to build new houses, there are few left. Those that are tend to be so remote only the pents visit.”
    “These ruins are protected, almost sacred, in your language.”
    “Why?” she asked, running her fingers along the rough stone. It was all so different from the small, smooth building he lived in.
    “To remind us. We were once more like you. Our women lived with us. Then we got greedy—we took more land, cut down forests in our bid to control the planet. And we paid the price.”
    “What happened?” she asked in a small voice.
    “Poison. Not the kind that killed. But the rivers held toxins that meant that only males were conceived. Slowly at first, the females began to die in the womb.”
    “Marin. That is terrible.”
    “So we gave up expanding, knowing that we had to look to the stars for the next generation of Karalians.” He gazed at the ruins as he spoke. “We were lucky, another race landed on our planet. We used their craft to venture out into the unknown. We used their technology to further our own.”
    “That is how you made the leap into space.” She understood now. For all of their technology, the Karalians were flawed. They had not invented the things they needed. They had borrowed them. “If the other race hadn’t come here, you would be extinct.”
    “Yes.”
    “And yet you are so quick to judge humans. Until you came, we only had what we invented or created for ourselves.”
    “But you have no control. That is the lesson my people learned thousands of years ago.”
    “Marin, how do you intend to help the Earth? If you are not scientists or inventors, how are you going to come up with an idea?”
    “We have learned many things. We have evolved and now try to be the creators. But I will admit, saving your Earth is a near-impossible task.”
    She looked up at the dual suns and then down at the ruins of the city. “There isn’t a way, is there?”
    He sighed, “We are trying, but how do you transform an empty shell?”
    “So why not do what you did for your own people? You must have found countless planets, planets that would support life.”
    “My people will not tolerate your species doing the same thing to another planet.”
    “They wouldn’t. I’m not saying that you simply take everyone to another planet. I mean, you set up a colony. A little like the lottery. You can make sure you choose only the best people. Then the human race will survive, and so too will your people.”
    “It is a good idea. I would have to put it before the Hierarchy.”
    “Will they listen?”
    “It might take some time to persuade them. And it might take a lot to sell it to your people.”
    “If you make the right offer, there are always people willing to do whatever it takes. Not always for the good of everyone.” She stood looking at the empty ruins, the fact that his people had found a way to save themselves giving her hope. “Can I see where you work? Maybe I can help you come up with solutions. It’s what I was trained to do. Maybe with the help of some of the scientists on Earth we can find a way of doing both. Colonising a planet and saving Earth.”
    “I never knew a species which is so destructive could be so positive.”
    “You have only ever seen the harm humans do. But they are good too. I know it’s hard to believe that; even I have trouble believing they are worth saving. However, I think we have to try. The Universe is a big place, an empty place. It would be a pity if our civilisation is one more that fades away.”
    “Sometimes I wonder who it was that rigged the lottery for you to win. I thought it was us, but your world could not have chosen a better ambassador.” He hesitated, and then