Her Commanders - M.K. Eidem Page 0,52

lip curled up as he looked at Cali, "being attacked my datter for no reason."

"Lie," Cali spoke up for the first time, looking straight at her dad.

"How dare you! My datter has told me how you harassed her because a male found her more attractive than you. As if any being would be attracted to an Earthan." Masala missed the way both Commanders stiffened, but the Supreme Chairman didn't and ran a more assessing eye over the pair.

"I never harassed your datter, General Masala," Cali ignored the derision in Masala's voice and refused to let herself blush even though Masala was discussing her sex life in front of her dad. "She was treated the same way as everyone who accompanied Nox as he ran up debt at The Brink. Now they are required to pay for any drink or food before served, personally. Your datter is the only one who continually tries to find a way around that."

"You banned her from your establishment." The general slammed his fist down on the table.

"Only after she attacked me," Cali calmly replied.

"How dare you!" Vaine could no longer contain herself. This meeting was supposed to be about her and what had happened to her. People were supposed to be looking at and focusing on her, not some stupid Earthan. Flipping her fur back, she revealed her bruised face. "There's no way I could have done this to myself?"

"And yet you did," Cali needled.

"Liar!" Vaine instantly fired back, leaning forward to glare at Cali.

"Silence! Both of you!" Cali immediately obeyed the Supreme Chairman's order, but not Vaine. She didn't seem to realize who she was dealing with or just didn't care.

"Tad!" Vaine's eyes shot to her father. "He can't speak to me that way!"

"Vaine," Masala hissed.

"What? You're a general in the Coalition. A powerful general. Make him," she flung an arm out, pointing the finger at the screen, "apologize to me."

Shocked silence filled the room, and Cali watched General Masala turn a sickly shade of green. Something she hadn't thought possible for an orange-skinned Phoc. Cautiously, she looked toward her dad and saw that while his expression remained impassive, his eyes had begun to glow. That was never a good sign because her dad zealously controlled his Zagreus traits. She straightened when his gaze locked with hers.

"This is one of the females from your report banning the pilot?"

"Yes, Supreme Chairman."

"You reported my datter to the Supreme Chairman?!" Masala's indignation quickly returned as he glared at her.

Cali looked at the general unfazed by his outburst. After all, she'd grown up around males that indeed were powerful, unlike this general. "Every being, involved with Nox's attempt to defraud Wik Corp, was reported."

"I did no such thing," Vaine immediately denied.

"There are visual recordings of all the food and drink you ordered while with Nox." Cali looked back at the Supreme Chairman. "I included it with my report on the incident."

"Nox paid for that!" Vaine exclaimed.

"With a worker's chip that wasn't his," Cali stated what Vaine already knew.

"Which has nothing to do with me."

"Did you receive benefit from the use of those ill-gotten credits or not?" the Supreme Chairman asked in a deceptively neutral tone.

"I?? Vaine glanced at her tad, seemingly for guidance, yet when he subtly shook his head, telling her to remain silent, she ignored him and continued. "While I did eat and drink what he provided, I was unaware of his deceit; therefore, I shouldn't be held responsible for it. Which is what she is doing!" Vaine swung her arm out toward Cali, striking her tad in the chest.

"Ruk!" Masala cursed.

"Are you saying that when a member of the Coalition runs up a debt in a Wik Corp establishment that the Coalition shouldn't be held responsible?"

"I'm not a member of the Coalition," Vaine replied smugly.

"Neither is my owner. And yet, a Coalition general removed her from our establishment under restraint and armed guard, because of you."

"She is my datter," Masala responded defensively. "As such, I will do whatever's necessary to ensure her safety. Even if that means opposing Wik Corp."

"Thank you, Tad." Vaine looked up at her tad adoringly. "I always knew I could count on you."

"I see."

Cali didn't like the way her dad said that. Something in his tone told her something significant had just occurred, but she couldn't figure out what. She quickly found out.

"So you are invoking Article 89 of the Coalition's agreement with Wik Corp."

The defense agreement was between the Coalition and Wik Corp, and only those who held the highest