"I am sorry we woke you, Little One." His large hands rubbed her bare shoulders trying to reassure her that everything was fine, then frowned when he realized she was wrapped in only a blanket. There were two other males in the room. He pulled her deeper into his embrace.
"Why was I locked in?" she asked.
"You weren't. I only closed the door so you could rest undisturbed. I should have realized you might not know how to open it." Pulling her forward slightly, he took her hand and touched it to the crystal on the wall. "This is what you press to open or close the door."
As she pressed it the crystal, the door closed. Pressing it again, it opened.
"There is one next to the door in the resting area," he told her.
"Oh," Mac was starting to feel foolish. "I'm sorry. I guess I over-reacted."
"You woke up alone in a strange place, and heard angry voices." His voice was quiet as he spoke. "After all you have been through, it is only natural that you reacted the way you did."
"Why was there yelling?" she asked rubbing her cheek against the bare skin of his chest feeling herself settle.
"That would be my fault." Hearing the Commander's voice, she immediately stiffened in Nikhil's arms.
"It is alright, Little One," Nikhil reassured her, his arms tightening.
"Nikhil, may I be allowed to speak to your Ashe?" Treyvon asked, remembering to speak in Zaludian so she would understand.
"Mackenzie?" Nikhil looked down at her questioningly.
"Who is he?" she asked, trying to peek around Nikhil to see who spoke.
"General Treyvon Rayner, the Supreme Commander of Kaliszian Defenses," Nikhil told her quietly. "He is the male the Emperor put in charge of discovering why the Zaludians were on Pontus."
"He's your superior?" she returned just as quietly. Mac wasn't all that familiar with military hierarchy, especially with alien hierarchy, but 'Supreme Commander' and 'put in charge by the Emperor' seemed to indicate that this General was up pretty high.
"Yes, but that does not matter if you are not ready to speak to him." He saw the unease in her eyes. "Let me take you back to the resting area. It’s too soon."
"No," Mac resisted when he tried to lead her away. "I'll talk to him, but I don't know what I can tell him, tell any of you."
Nikhil turned, and Mac got her first real look at the General and felt her breath catch. While she still thought Nikhil was the most gorgeous man she'd ever met, the General ran a close second. He wasn't as broad as Nikhil, but he was taller. And while Nikhil's power was undeniable, the General's was more subtle, but just as powerful.
"Ashe Mackenzie," the General bowed slightly to her, "it is an honor to meet you."
"Honor?" Mac sat on the couch where Nikhil indicated. "Why is it an honor?"
"Because you are Nikhil's Ashe." Treyvon frowned at Nikhil, who shook his head ever so slightly.
"Nikhil's Ashe?" she looked up at Nikhil questioningly. "I thought Ashe was just a sign of respect."
"It is," Treyvon quickly informed her, wondering what to say.
"There is more to it, Mackenzie," Nikhil admitted, reaching for the edge of the blanket that had shifted exposing a pale calf. Then he put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "But I would prefer to explain it to you later, in private."
Mac was silent for a moment, her gaze searching Nikhil's. There was something there, something he was uneasy about, but he wasn't trying to hide it from her, just asking her to wait so he could explain. "Alright," she told him then looked to the General and waited.
"Ashe Mackenzie," the General sat down in a chair across from her. "It is our understanding that the Ganglians took you from your home world, a place you call Earth."
"Yes."
"Can you tell us where that planet is?"
"No." Her short, blunt answer seemed to surprise the General.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't know where it is." Her tone implied that should be obvious.
"How is that possible?!!" Gryf demanded, glaring at her as if she were an idiot. "Every species knows where they are from!"
Mac had worked with men all her life; it was the majority of her guide business. There had been plenty of them that thought they were better and smarter than her just because they were male. She didn't know why she thought it would be different with these males just because they could travel in space, especially after meeting the Ganglians and Zaludians. Well, she didn't back down on Earth, and she wasn't going to back down here.
"I do know where I'm from. It's a planet called Earth! That you've never heard of it isn't my fault!"