Haven 4 AVOW - Sandra R Neeley Page 0,86

honored Elite Force Commander of the Elite Forces aboard Command Warship 1,” Rokai said, performing a little bow. “I am pleased to finally make your acquaintance.”

The Ambassador didn’t seem to know how to respond, which gave Rokai the opportunity to continue.

“My brother, Sire Zha Quin Tha Tel Mo’ Kok and my parents, Sovereign Zha Tahl Tel Mo’ Kok, and Sovereigna Eula Tel Mo’ Kok, have been much pleased with your rise through the levels of diplomacy. Bart has told us of you, and we share a belief that you will be a great asset to the peoples of all worlds in your role as Ambassador.”

“Well, I… I am humbled to learn that my name has carried forth and made me familiar,” Ambassador Karel finally said.

“As are we!” Rokai said, striding confidently down the catwalk. “May I call you Karel? Your formal title makes us seem as strangers. Please, call me Rokai, Prince Rokai,” he said, extending his arms and holding them palm up in a presentation of himself to the universe, as he continued on his path down the catwalk to the floor of the landing dock.

“Is there a place that we may discuss what has become a mess of a situation, Karel?” Rokai asked.

“I have not been given permission to allow your forces onto this station, Prince Rokai,” Ambassador Karel said, watching Rokai’s Elite team begin to follow him down to the floor level.

“Oh, do not mind them. They simply must accompany me wherever I go. Do you have any idea how irritating it is to have men you fight beside, stand just outside the cleansing chamber when you clean your body? It is a perk of this royal life I’ve not come to enjoy.”

Karel didn’t answer, he kept his eyes nervously on the Elite Team of Cruestaci Warriors now striding to stand just behind Rokai.

“Allow me to explain briefly, and might I say, I’m somewhat surprised that you must request permission from Bart — is this not your station?”

“He is Chairman Bartholomew, the Chairman of the Consortium. It is customary to defer to him in all things out of the ordinary,” Ambassador Karel explained defensively.

“Yes, but, why should a man such as you need direction? I digress… let me tell you of our situation, Karel. General Lo'San has been long estranged from his family. One member of that family is Ko'San — his brother. They could easily pass for the same male. Ko'San has long wished ill on Lo'San, and upon the reconciliation of the family, took the opportunity to kidnap Lo'San’s new mate, and spirit her away. Now surely you can understand the intense need of General Lo'San to find and reclaim her at once. If it were your mate, would you allow her to believe that you’d simply tired of her? I think not, you’re a better male than that,” Rokai said confidently. “You’d move the entirety of the multi-verse in order to find and reclaim her. I know you would, you are a male of great character!” Rokai said confidently.

“Of course I would. Which is why I cannot just hand her over to you.”

Rokai shook his head and raised both eyebrows, an almost comical look of surprise on his face. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”

“While I hear your words, Prince Rokai, and if true, sympathize with them, I will need more than your explanation as proof,” Ambassador Karel explained.

Rokai’s eyebrow rose even higher as he straightened to his full height and held a hand against his chest as though wounded. “Are you accusing me of telling untruths?” he asked, his voice rising indignantly.

Karel, whose gaze had been trained on Lo'San, immediately gave Rokai his full attention. “Not at all, Prince Rokai. I simply need evidence of your explanation. Even once that evidence is no doubt supplied to me, I can not simply turn the female over to you. She’s been promised safety, and she does not wish to see anyone representative of the Cruestaci. She has been betrayed and wants no part of anyone that has dishonored her!”

“She’s only been misled by an impostor pretending to be me!” Lo'San shouted from right beside Rokai where he’d quickly moved to stand while Rokai distracted Karel. “She’s not been betrayed, she’s been kidnapped!” Lo'San insisted.

Rokai seized on that. “Kidnapped indeed! And I believe that as you are refusing to grant General Lo'San access to his kidnapped mate, you could possibly be accused of being complicit in her kidnapping. Oh my,” he said, his finger tapping his chin