He sighed. “I know that. And I will do everything in my power to make that happen, I promise. But you have to understand that things are a bit more complicated than that now.”
“And why is that?” I was fairly certain I already knew the answer, but I wanted to make him say it.
“Because when we made the deal, I had no intention of honoring it. You were just a prisoner back then, and I had been charged with an important mission—my first for the Hielsrane fleet. I was willing to say and do anything to make sure I didn't fail, and that included telling you what you wanted to hear in order to gain your cooperation. But things are much different between us now, obviously,” he added quickly. “I'll make a very strong case for the slaves' release.”
“And if that doesn't work?” I prodded. “What then?”
He shrugged helplessly. “I'm not sure what else you'd expect me to do under those circumstances.”
“Free them anyway.”
His eyebrows shot up. “I've just proved my worth to the Hielsrane fleet by capturing Nort. You can't possibly expect me to turn around and jeopardize that by freeing slaves they consider their newfound property.”
“And what about me?” I asked hotly. “I was a slave. Am I to be considered the Hielsranes' 'newfound property' as well?”
“No, your case is completely different!” he assured me. “You're no longer considered a slave, because you're my mate now! Aren't you?”
“I see. So because I fucked you and they didn't, they're screwed and I'm not.”
His frustration and impatience were increasing by the moment. “This is simply the way of our people.”
“Why? When you've already accumulated so much wealth, you have so many slaves to serve you, you have fleets of spacefaring vessels—why are you all so obsessed with more, more, more?”
“It is our way,” he repeated firmly. “We are dragons. We take, and we hoard, and we guard our treasures fiercely from those who would steal them. We expand and we thrive, or we stagnate and die. There is no middle ground.”
“Fine. If owning slaves is the way of your people,” I said, “then logic dictates that buying and selling those slaves is, too. Is that right?”
“Well, yes, of course, but I don't see what that...”
“Then it seems to me, Dashel, that in order to honor your promise to me – and to show me that you really do consider me a mate, instead of a captive or slave – you'll simply have to purchase the remaining slaves yourself and grant them their freedom.”
His expression darkened. “That proposed 'solution' is far too expensive to be realistic.”
“Is it? Okay. Let me ask you something, Dashel. Why was I so useful to you in helping to fight the Pax Alliance?”
“Your inside knowledge of their resources and tactics,” he answered without hesitation.
“Correct. And now I have inside knowledge of the Hielsranes' resources and tactics as well. More than enough to, say, lead a slave revolt and drive your people right back off the planet.”
“Ridiculous,” he scoffed dismissively. “There are far too many of us, and we have ships at our disposal. You could never hope to defeat us.”
“Maybe,” I conceded. “Maybe not. But we could sure do a whole lot of damage before you shut us down, and embarrass you plenty in the process, since after all, you're the one who allowed a female human slave access to sensitive Hielsrane tech and data in the first place. After having sex with me, by the way. How do you think your career prospects would look then?”
He towered over me ominously. “I could always lock you away again.”
I stood up, staring him down even though he was so much taller. “You can try if you like, but it'll be a waste of time. I'll just escape again.”
Dashel threw his head back, laughing heartily. “Natalie, you're no human; you're a Hielsrane who was born on Earth by mistake! Very well. I shall buy the slaves and release them, as you say. I might have to take out a couple of loans – and I'll be looked at askance by Tarion and some of the others, perhaps – but it will be worth it to fulfill my commitment to you.” He kissed me. “Damn, but I admire your courage. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“As a matter of fact, yes,” I said. “Earth.”
“We just took Nort, and now you want to conquer Earth too? Hell, why not?” Dashel joked. “The way I'm feeling right now, I think I could just about manage it.”
“You know I don't mean conquer it,” I replied, elbowing his midsection playfully. “I'd like to go back.”
He looked confused and hurt. “I thought you wanted to stay with me. I was under the impression that we were going to be together.”
“I do, and we will. I don't want to go back there for good. I'd just like to see it again.”
“But...why?” Dashel seemed genuinely mystified. “From what I've heard, it's essentially a backwater planet. Primitive technology, hostile and self-destructive natives, too far from all the wonders of the cosmos to view them with the naked eye...and don't they only have one moon? How ugly the night skies must be there.”
“All of that may be true,” I told him patiently, “but it's my backwater planet. I was born and raised there, I was happy there, I haven't seen it in years, and I miss it.”
He hesitated uncertainly. “We can't go to Earth.”
“You're seriously trying to back out of our deal again, after everything we just—?”
“No, please understand,” Dashel said earnestly. “I want to take you, and I can try to make it happen, but it's extremely complicated. The intergalactic laws about Earth severely limit travel to the planet. The Pax sneak around those laws to pluck slaves
