Marauder Fenrir: Scifi Alien Invasion Romance (Mating Wars) by Aya Morningstar Page A

us, we need every edge we can get to fight your faction when they arrive.”
    Lindgren turns toward the triumvirate as he speaks, and the angry female seems even angrier when she looks at Lindgren.
    Lindgren continues. “Our initial scans of the alien show that he is wearing a biosuit. It can use regular food for fuel, but ideally it runs on anti-matter. We may be able to reverse-engineer this suit, and it might give us a chance to fight against the Marauders when they arrive–and need I remind you they will be here in just two years? We’re running out of time.”
    “I don’t know,” the angry female says, looking me up and down. “He might have taken this dumpy surface bitch as his mate, but are these guys really monogamous? I wouldn’t mind keeping him here to play with.”
    She looks at Thorsten as she says this. I suspect she’s saying this just to hurt his weak feelings rather than out of true desire for me. Though I’m sure she’d take me if I were willing, what human female wouldn’t?
    Thorsten’s face turns red. “Alarra,” he says. “What was your plan again?”
    “I want you to convince Cygnus to come meet with us,” the female general says. “He’s ignored us thus far...I don’t think he trusts us. The Great Mother is from the surface, and she surely doesn’t trust us either. I fear that distrust has spread to Cygnus. The two of you are well-suited to convince him. Fiona, you can convince the Great Mother that we just want to protect the solar system, and Fenrir can convince Cygnus that we won’t capture him.”
    She glares at Lindgren.
    “So I send Cygnus up here...to...negotiate” I say. “This is just something you say to sound polite? In reality, Lindgren will cut him open and experiment on him? I can agree to this, as he is my enemy.”
    “No,” Thorsten says. “Lindgren won’t touch either of you unless the triumvirate agrees on it. If we say you’re off limits, then he can’t as much as look at you.”
    “Ooh,” the female leader says. “Look at you, Thorsten, such a badass leader suddenly. I’m just sooo impressed with your fearless authority.”
    Thorsten tries to ignore her, but he’s weak, and I can see the desperation in his eyes. Though the female was clearly speaking sarcastically, Thorsten is holding out hope that she meant at least part of what she said.
    “Well,” Thorsten says, “I agree with Alarra’s plan. Joachim?”
    Joachim hunches over and mumbles, “I don’t know...I mean...this Fenrir guy seems dangerous. Can we really let him loose? We’ve got him here, right now. His faction wants to kill us, so how can we let him loose on Mars? We might never get him back.”
    “Yeah,” the female leader agrees. “I’m with Joachim.”
    I feel the tide changing. Lindgren sits up straight.
    I need to give up something to get what I want, I realize. “Two more assassins are coming–or they may already be here. We left the main fleet all at the same time. I’m the least of your worries.”
    They all look at me wide-eyed. I grin.
    “He’s full of shit,” Lindgren says.
    “What if he’s not?” the female general asks.
    “He’s telling the truth,” Turret Woman says. “I can read him. Fenrir talks a tough game, but he won’t hurt me, and when it comes time to pick a side, I think he’ll stick with us. These other two though? They’re way more dangerous.”
    I scowl at her. “You can’t speak for me, woman–.”
    “Enough,” Thorsten says, standing now. “We have to go with Allara’s plan, it’s obvious.”
    Joachim runs his hand through his silver hair, then says, “Yeah, I think I agree.”
    “Well,” the female leader says, “if Thorsten sides with Allara, then I side with Lindgren. Let’s cut this bastard open.”
    Allara stands and looks toward us, “You two can go sightseeing. We will call you back when we’ve reached a decision.”

15 Fiona
    I make Fenrir go with me to see the cows. We walk in silence toward the fenced-off