Page 122 of Alien Burn

“Agreed,” Dhomhes said. “Now, finding out who to trust, that is the trick.”

“Yes, I agree,” Khalzin said.

“A lot of Kantenans do not want them here,” Stron said.

Khalzin sighed. “Obviously.”

“No, you do not understand. Much of the populace is against this, Khalzin,” Stron said. “It isn't just one group or one sect. This is everywhere.”

“So will we be safe?” Janae asked, her eyes widening.

“As safe as we can keep you,” Stron said.

Dhomhes watched Adryel's face. She had come close enough to Stron that their shoulders nearly touched, though neither seemed conscious of it.

“I don't understand why it could be such a deeply spread hate. How is that even possible? It hasn't been nearly long enough for such hatred to work its way through our people. It's not like this program was broadcast and made a hugely public incident.”

Khalzin shook his head as he finished. Dhomhes wished he could spare him what came next.

“Look at this,” he said. “This is what I found.”

He sent the files. Both his friends reached for their displays.

Janae understood first.

“It's a hit list,” she said. “Someone has put out a call for Kantenans to kill all of us.” She glanced toward Khalzin. “No wonder the ship was bombed, and our lunch was attacked. Someone is trying to make sure we all die. It isn't just a scare tactic.”

Adryel was moving through the files.

“Stars,” she whispered, the connection barely carrying the word.

“It gets worse,” she said, sending a file back through the connection. “Look who is number one on the list.”

Janae's face appeared between them.

Dhomhes looked from the image to the living female. There was something obscene about the stillness of the portrait beside her, the price that reduced her to something a stranger could collect.

She gasped, then began turning the hologram. The sides distorted as it moved.

Khalzin's voice went hard enough to hurt.

“I will kill whoever made that hit list.” He looked at Janae. “I will make sure that you're safe. No matter what.”

She nodded, still studying the image.

“I don't understand.”

“What?” Adryel asked.

“This image, I just can't put my finger on it. There's something wrong with it,” Janae said.

“Do you think it was faked?” Adryel asked.

Janae shook her head. “I think it is real, but I cannot figure out what bugs me. Something's not right.”

“We need to focus on your safety right now. We can decode the hologram later,” Khalzin said. “What are our options?”

“Get you off the planet as fast as possible,” Stron said. “There's no other option.”