Once everyone was settled in the control room, Zack eyed Vorik. "You said you needed our help. What could we possibly do for you?" he asked, his voice sarcastic. He didn't particularly care for the Fleet Commander due to what he had put his twin sister through.

The room was silent, waiting for the Fleet Commander to speak. Their features ranged from curiosity, disdain, disgust, to flat-out hatred. It was a room of mixed feelings and emotions. Most of them were negative.

Fleet Commander Vorik scanned the small group, trying to ignore the way many of them were looking at him. "I spoke with my superior, our people's leader. He has ordered that I seek out all remaining survivors. Council Leader Tosh wants me to make sure that all survivors, as well as their mates, are brought to one location. Before he gave that order to me, I had informed him and the council about the situation, that our fated mates are amongst you. Council Leader Tosh doesn't seem to care. That's when he gave the order, after I told him, not before."

There was silence in the room for several moments. Zack had his hands clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. He didn't trust Vorik, nor did he like what he was hearing.

"If you want us to hunt down other survivors, we won't," Zack stated evenly. His anger was threatening to boil. "We won't help you just because Alice is your mate."

Vorik sighed, trying not to yell in frustration. He knew that Zack did not understand what he was trying to do. "I don't want you to," he protested. "I have reason to believe that as soon as the rest of our people arrive at this planet, they will kill all of you, regardless of whether you have a mate of our kind or not. It doesn't sit right with me that he wants all remaining humans in one location. He has ordered me to look for every last survivor and every single mated pair. What I want is for you to help me come up with a plan to protect them. This," he said, making a show of looking at the bunker, "was made as a backup plan in a time of need. I need to find a way to keep the rest of your kind safe, as well as our kind that is bound to them by the mate bond. It's clear to me that you can prepare for future disasters. I want to prepare something like this bunker, but on a much larger scale."

Shadick turned to his leader. His face had paled. "You think Tosh is going to kill all of us, not just our human mate but us as well?" Shadick asked in shock.

Fleet Commander Vorik looked at Shadick, his eyes like steel. "Yes," he said without hesitation. "That is what it appears to me. I could be seeing things because of fear for my own mate, but the way he spoke suggests that is exactly what he plans to do."

"What exactly did he say?" Zack shot back. He was still not convinced.

Vorik looked at Zack, then quoted Council Leader Tosh. "Council Leader Tosh's exact wording was: seek out the remainder of the human survivors. I want them in one location. We don't want to have to hunt them down when we arrive! Our council will discuss this issue. In the meantime, continue preparing for our arrival," Vorik finished, staring at Zack. "You can make what you want out of it."

"I don't hear him saying he would kill both partners, only human," Zack pointed out.

Shadick looked at Zack. "He would have to kill both. If he killed our human mates, we would go against him. Mates are sacred to us. Most of us would kill whoever killed our mate. It doesn't matter if it's our leader or brother; they will die if they kill our mate," he stated evenly. "I am hearing the same thing Commander Vorik is. You would have to know our culture to understand it, but I believe they will go after all of us, not just our human half."

Joe studied Vorik for a moment before he spoke. "So, you're asking us to help you figure out a way to save us all? What about all the humans that don't have a mate of your kind? Are they included in what you're asking?" Joe asked Vorik.

Commander Vorik sucked in a sharp breath. He was trying to ask for help, and the group was being suspicious due to his past order concerning the young blond. There was too little time. "I am asking for every surviving human on this planet as well," Commander Vorik confirmed.

"What will change your council's mind about killing us all?" Alice asked Vorik. Her voice was quiet.

Vorik swallowed hard, unsure why it surprised him that his mate had spoken to him. "I think the only thing would be if they themselves found their mates amongst your people," he said quietly. "I really don't know. That is all I can come up with."

Carrie stood up and began to pace. Her eyes were unfocused as she thought. She was trying to get her thoughts straight. Once she was ready, she stopped and looked at Vorik. Before she could say anything, Shadick pulled her back onto his lap.

"What if all your people who are already here see us all together? Would it give them hope that they might have a mate somewhere amongst us?" Carrie suddenly asked. "If we become more visible, it could spread to those who are still arriving. The more people who see us, the better. It may even prevent your leader from coming after us all, wouldn't it?" It was half a statement, half a question. It was as if she were thinking aloud.

Lera shifted uncomfortably. She was shy. "I didn't believe it until I saw it for myself," Lera offered shyly. "I'm Lera; we haven't met yet," she said, blushing a darker shade of green.

Carrie turned her attention to the shy alien. "Hi, Lera; I'm Carrie. This is my twin brother Zack. That over there with Nisa is Joe, and Jamie over there is Joe's brother. Alice is over there," she said, pointing to Alice. "Since you don't know us. I am Shadick's mate. Nisa is Joe's, Shelia is Zack's, and Alice is Vorik's, and by the way, Jamie came in, and your reaction, I'm guessing you are Jamie's mate?" Carrie asked Lera.

Lera looked over at Jamie, then back at Carrie, then nodded. Her face darkened even more. "So, you're saying, Lera, that seeing all of us together was far more than knowing about it?" Carrie probed.

Lera nodded again. "I watched everyone come in, and I was in awe. It gave me hope. So yes. I think seeing you and your mates together gave me hope," she said shyly.

"What are you trying to get at?" Zack asked his sister. He could tell that she was trying to say something.

Carrie didn't answer her brother; she looked at Commander Vorik instead. "If your population, all of them. The ones that are on their way here and the ones already here witness us as couples, will that hope turn into protection for the remaining humans, as well as the current couples?" Carrie asked Vorik. "I thought that if all the others saw us, they would want to protect the other humans in case their mate was among them. I don't think that they would allow your leader to kill all the couples. It would turn into a mutiny. Not only would your leaders be killing their potential mates, but they would also be killing a sacred bond. You did say that the mate bond was sacred to you. Correct?"

"She has a good point," Nisa stated. "I think it could work. Perhaps we should be more public. I also think we should find other humans. Having them in one location could actually benefit us. Their mate might be amongst us. I also think that we need to come up with a backup plan to get them and all the couples out of here and in hiding if our leader chooses to kill us all. Having them in one location might make it easier to save them all. Perhaps even something like this bunker, but on a much larger scale, as Commander Vorik has stated."

Joe stroked Nisa's jaw, smiling softly, then kissed her gently. "Beautiful and intelligent," he smiled, then kissed her again, making her smile and blush slightly.

Their actions made Lera blush. Everyone else was used to it. It made Vorik uncomfortable because he believed Alice would never want him in that manner. He didn't think he would have that kind of relationship with her. She avoided him too much because of what he had done to Shadick's mate. He would still do what he could to protect her, even if his government killed him for it.

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