Council Leader Vorik sat in his council chamber. Alice and the twins were beside him. They were playing with their two infants when Jada burst inside the room, breathing heavily.

"Commander Grev is here on Earth. I saw what he looks like!" she told him, breathing hard and out of breath. She had run from one side of the dome to the other, looking for him. He was in the last place she checked.

Council Leader Vorik looked up. "Where?" he asked evenly, trying to restrain his emotions. He became still, anger washing through his features.

"They were outside the dome. There was a scout team that looked weird; it was like they were faking being under the influence of the serum. It almost smelled like they didn't have the serum in them. It was really strange," she continued. "I heard what Grev said. All of it."

"What did he say?" Council Leader Vorik asked. He knew it wasn't going to be good, whatever it was. There was nothing good about Commander Grev.

Jada sat down and looked right at Vorik as she tried to catch her breath. "He said that the entire plan to invade Earth was Tosh's plan. He offered up Earth in exchange for the serum to control all of the Ramesian people. None of you invaded willingly. Grev said that no one wanted to invade Earth until Tosh slipped the serum into everyone's food. Once they had it, they agreed to invade. Grev said that Tosh lied about your planet dying. It wasn't until Tosh had Grev make sure it was dying to give your people a reason to invade this one," she explained.

"Go on," Vorik said stiffly, not liking what he was hearing. This all meant that all of this was on Tosh. He used Grev to get the serum to control everyone. It was all on Tosh.

Jada suddenly smiled. "You haven't heard the best part," she told him.

Vorik sighed. "What's the best part?" So far, there hadn't been any good part. It was all bad. He wondered what had gotten Jada excited to tell him.

Jada's smile grew. "The best part is that he also said that if Tosh were dead, then the serum no longer worked. Do you have any idea what that means?" she asked. Her voice vibrated with excitement. Then continued, not giving Vorik time to answer. "It means that all we have to do is kill Grev, and everyone will have their free will back."

Alice threw her arms around Vorik, leaving the twins in their carriers. "See! You were never at fault," she said, smiling at her mate and kissing him gently. "Your people all need to know this. I know a lot of them feel guilty because of it. It may not take away the guilt, but it will ease their mind a bit. It wasn't their fault!"

"Yeah," Jada said. "Your people were all walking puppets to your previous Council Leader."

Alice turned to Jade. "What brought Grev to Earth? Krem said he never leaves his ship. Something got him down here. Did you hear what it was?"

Jada thought about it. "It sounded like the scout team was spying through the dome. They must have overheard that Tosh was no longer in charge. I think that brought him down."

Vorik looked at Jada. "Would you recognize the scout team if you saw them again?" he asked.

Jada nodded. "Yeah, I would." She smiled. She knew what was coming next: A mission outside the dome.

Vorik pulled out his commlink. "I need my shuttle prepped. One team split, just like last time. We're going after a scout ship."

"Yes, sir," Merrick's voice came over the communication.

Council Leader Vorik looked at Jada. "I need you in full battle armor. Bring Orik. I will not take you outside the dome without him. He needs battle armor also."

Jada sighed, then reluctantly nodded as she left for home to change into armor and get her mate. She didn't want him to go. She knew it would be too dangerous. She had half-zombie superpowers. He didn't. Although he was a good fighter, she felt overprotective. She didn't want to lose him.

Vorik watched as she rushed out the door before turning to Alice. "I will return as soon as I can." He told her, kissing her gently before kissing each of the twins.

Turning, he rushed out of his council chamber and toward his personal shuttle, where he knew that Merrick and Rask would be waiting for him.

When he reached his shuttle, Merrick and Rask had the shuttle all ready and waiting; they had already started the flight sequence. Two other shuttles were also there, ready and waiting.

The squad leader stayed on Merrick's ship while his men split up and were already aboard the two shuttles.

Jada and Orik came rushing up. "Sorry. We got here as soon as we could." Orik stated. Vorik nodded, stepping aside for them to board the shuttle.

Once ready, the doors closed, and the three shuttles rose through the opening in the dome. The blast shields had been opened just enough for the three shuttles to exit the dome.

Jada pointed in the direction the scout team had headed on foot. The ship's scanners scanned the area for cloaked ships. There was only one. Either Grev was with the scout team, or he had already left.

"Jam their communications," Council Leader Vorik ordered. "And bring down their cloaking shield."

Before Merrick could do just that, the cloaking shield was deactivated on its own.

Vorik and Merrick made eye contact; they were both confused as to why the scout team would take down their own shields.

The entire team had the small palm shields attached to their appropriate glove, each one testing it before exiting their respective shuttle.

They exited cautiously. Before they got too far from their own shuttles, the scout ship's doors opened. Eight scouts exited the shuttle with their hands up.

The squad activated their personal shields and slowly moved forward.

The one in the lead with the insignia of the scout leader on his collar took one step forward, away from the rest of his men.

"We won't fight you," the scout leader stated, scanning the squad that had blasters pointed at them.

Jada walked forward. Looking right at the leader. She sniffed the air. "He speaks the truth. I don't smell the serum, either. Something or someone cured them." She told Vorik.

Vorik spoke next, eyeing the scout leader. "Commander Grev was here. Where is he now?" he asked the young scout leader.

"Grev returned to the disk, sir," the scout leader stated calmly. Fear was in his features, but he was trying to hide it.

Jada smiled. "He's telling the truth."

The leader looked at Jada. "Are you Niki?" he asked her. He was wondering if this particularly strong female was the one who killed Council Leader Tosh.

Jada laughed. "No, my name is Jada. You're asking about Niki because you know that's the name of the one who killed Tosh. I heard what you told Grev. You told him the name was Nik to imply that it was a male who killed Tosh. I didn't know any of Grev's puppets could lie to their commander. Then it hit me. I took a whiff and didn't smell the toxin. How did you get cured of the serum that controls you?" she asked.

It was one of the young scouts behind his leader who answered for him. "I am Renk. When we listened to the group in a grassy area, something happened. Two touched souls, and energy passed through us. We have been discussing what might have happened, but that is all we know. We are not under the serum's influence any longer. Scout Leader Krem and his mate are the cause of our thinking for ourselves."

This seemed to have angered their scout leader. He turned to the young scout. "She was NOT Krem's mate. I don't know how I know, but I know she wasn't!"

Vorik and Merrick looked at each other. Vorik turned to the scout leader. "Was she your mate?" he asked cautiously.

The scout leader's face paled. "I am forbidden to have a mate," he stated. "She is not mine."

Jada laughed. All eyes went to her. She grinned widely. "You are surrendering, or you wouldn't have come out of your ship in the way you did. That means Commander Grev is no longer a concern. You are allowed to have a mate if you're not under his influence. You are no longer part of Grev's plan. Is she your mate or not?"

The young scout leader's face darkened. "I don't know." He said quietly. Looking up, scanning the squad team. "We will not fight you. We heard what was said. We do not want to be controlled by Commander Grev any further."

Jada smiled and then looked at Vorik. "I believe he is telling you the truth. I don't smell the stench of deception. Take precautions, of course, but I think they are surrendering, trying to get away from Commander Grev."

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