Beneath Terran Thrones

Chapter 6

Rachel rolled her eyes, growing impatient. Whatever you name it, don't take it out of your pants today. We cannot afford to make any more mistakes."

The sound of faraway engines approached, announcing the arrival of Dr. Primrose's shuttle, before Lucas could respond. Taking a deep breath, Rachel tried to concentrate on the work at hand. But her anger flared as soon as she saw Lucas's chuckle.

She reached into her pocket, produced a pen, and stabbed menacingly at his crotch. "I'll make sure you never 'interpersonally relate' with anyone again if you screw this wrong, I promise. You get it?"

Lucas's hands were raised in a faux surrender as his eyes grew wide. "All right, all right! The message was clearly understood. I swear, no funny business."

With a snarl, Rachel withdrew the pen while maintaining a fierce gaze on him. "All right. Now behave yourself appropriately. Here she is now."

With its sleek shape gleaming in the sunlight, the shuttle landed into the landing platform with elegance. With a faint hiss, the doors slid open, revealing Dr. Primrose. She had the poise and power of a woman in her mid-forties. As she came out onto the platform, her auburn hair was cut short and pragmatic, and her eyes, which were perceptive and acute, saw everything.

With a kind yet formal grin, Rachel moved forward to welcome her. "Welcome to Futraxi Prime, Dr. Primrose. Ambassador Lucas Harris is my colleague; my name is Ambassador Rachel Collins."

Dr. Primrose grinned back, but her gaze momentarily shifted to Lucas out of interest. "Thank you for the cordial greeting, ambassadors. I am excited to explore what you have to offer here."

Rachel's prior warning tempering his customary charm, Lucas extended his hand. It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Primrose. It is a pleasure to have you here.

With an expressionless expression, Dr. Primrose shook his hand. "I'm here to make sure everything goes as planned and to provide you with any assistance you may require. I'm hoping that our time together will be beneficial.

With a nod, Rachel pointed to the door. "Yes, without a doubt. There's a lot on our agenda. We can begin with a tour of the facilities if you'll accompany us."

Rachel gave Lucas a warning glance as they escorted Dr. Primrose off the landing platform, subtly reminding him of her previous threat. Lucas nodded slightly, amused, and stepped into step next to them. Even he, with his customary indifference, realized how important it was to make a good impression on Dr. Primrose.

The group moved through Z'har's busy streets, which had a bizarre backdrop of skyscraper buildings and cutting-edge cars. With much attention, Dr. Primrose observed the surroundings, occasionally taking notes on her iPad.

As they got closer to the main government structure, Rachel gave a thorough rundown of their activities and diplomatic attempts on Futraxi Prime. Rachel was cautiously relieved when Lucas would periodically weigh in with his surprisingly perceptive and timely remarks.

Dr. Primrose turned to face them as they got closer to the Capitol Building's magnificent entrance, her look contemplative. "I've heard that Futraxi Prime presents some special difficulties. I'm interested to see how you've blended Futraxi culture with Earthly diplomatic etiquette."

With a sincere tone, Rachel nodded. "We've made great progress, but it's been a challenging process. Establishing a solid, cooperative partnership between Earth and Futraxi is our aim."

Dr. Primrose gave a nod of approval. "I had hoped to hear precisely that. Let's move inside now. I'm excited to visit your businesses in person."

Rachel couldn't help but sense a ray of hope as they walked into the Capitol Building. She was frustrated with Lucas, but so far, their interaction had gone well. Maybe if they could keep up this pace, their assessment would conclude favorably.

As he walked next to her, Lucas met her gaze and offered a comforting nod. He appeared to be paying attention for once. Perhaps, just perhaps, they could manage this without any major mishaps.

But, a feeling of dread persisted in Rachel's thoughts as they led Dr. Primrose through the complexities of their diplomatic mission. She was aware that Futraxi Prime was a world of hidden complexities and that even the slightest mistake may cause their well planned efforts to fall apart.

Rachel made the decision to remain alert as they made their way farther within the Capitol Building. They had already gone too far to allow anything to throw their goal into doubt.

Rachel saw a familiar person arriving as the Capitol Building tour went on. It was a towering, intimidating Futraxian with dark, piercing eyes and deep azure skin. Wearing a flowing robe adorned with beautiful silver designs that shimmered under the artificial lights, he was attired in the traditional clothes of his people. This was Zorath, a powerful person on Futraxi Prime and the son of the governor. His distinctive background and deep interest in planetary politics made him a constant source of conflict for Earth's diplomats.

Rachel felt her heart begin to race toward Zorath. An adrenaline rush shot through her, but she forced a pleasant grin. She swiveled a little to see how Dr. Primrose would respond. Zorath held out his hand to greet the guarded-looking psychologist, her lips drawing a narrow line.

"Ambassador Collins, always a pleasure," Zorath replied, a musical undertone ringing in his rich voice. "You must be Dr. Primrose," I said.

Dr. Primrose paused, seeming uncomfortable. "Yes, that's correct," she answered in a hurried voice. After giving Zorath's extended hand a quick glance, she grudgingly accepted it. "It is a pleasure to meet you,"

Zorath had a playful sparkle in her eyes. "We Futraxians greet each other by bowing, but I've discovered that people prefer handshakes. Thus, here we are. His manner was courteous but perceptive, his grip solid but not oppressive.

Zorath looked away, and Dr. Primrose's calm exterior crumbled. Swiftly taking out a handkerchief from her pocket, she carefully wiped her hand as though attempting to remove the contact. Seeing the gesture, Rachel held back a sigh.

"Lucas, could you please lead Dr. Primrose to her room?" Rachel said, her tone cool and collected. "I'll get back to you soon."

Lucas turned to face Dr. Primrose and nodded, a cheeky gleam in his eye. "Dr. Primrose, this way right here. I will see to it that you are at ease.Following him was Dr. Primrose, who appeared impartial but had a glint of annoyance in her eyes. Ever the charmer, Lucas struck up a light conversation with a flirty but polite tone as they strolled. "So, Dr. Primrose, what are your initial thoughts on Futraxi? Isn't it very different from Earth?

With her guard still up, she shot him a measured glance. Indeed, extremely dissimilar. It's undoubtedly an unusual location.

Lucas gave a little laugh. To put it another way, it's interesting. Please let me know if you need anything at all while you're here. I'm available to assist. With a friendly yet provocative tone, he winked.

As they arrived at her apartments, Dr. Primrose's lips tightened but she remained silent and nodded instead. I'm grateful, Mr. Harris. That's going to be it for now. She entered and firmly shut the door after her.

Rachel, in the meantime, turned back to face Zorath, who was grinning slyly at the interaction. His voice silky and low, "I see Dr. Primrose has been sent to keep an eye on us."

Trying to keep a straight face in spite of the electrifying energy between them, Rachel nodded. She is indeed present to assess our diplomatic endeavors. Everything is standard procedure.

With mischievous gleams in his eyes, Zorath fixed his attention on her. Indeed, routine. And yet, look at you, managing everything with such elegance.

Warmth spread across Rachel's cheeks, but she didn't break eye contact. "I try my hardest. And speaking of which, let's talk about the forthcoming talks. Would it be possible for us to carry on talking in your office?

With a touch of something more personal in his countenance, Zorath's smile expanded. Naturally, Ambassador. Adhere to me.

Rachel's heartbeat became faster as they moved through the hallways. The niceties of their business dealings vanished as soon as they walked into his private office. The room was not overly bright, with the subtle shadows created by the city's ambient glow on the modern furniture.

Rachel's polished exterior fell apart as soon as the door was shut. She took a step forward Zorath and lowered her voice to a whisper. "You know how much I missed you."

Zorath extended his arm and lightly caressed her cheek with his fingertips. "And, my fierce little Earthling, I missed you."

A smile twitched at Rachel's lips as her breath caught. "Am I fierce? You lovely alien, you're not too horrible yourself.

His hand slid to the back of her neck as he laughed. What a charming alien? I believe I enjoy that. But interesting diplomat is what I like better.

With a gentle giggle, Rachel leaned closer to him. "I think I can handle that. Where were we at this point?

As he drew her nearer, Zorath's eyes grew lustful. "I think right about here."

They locked lips, the excitement of their secret relationship giving their kiss an exhilarating edge. Feeling his tense muscles beneath the material of his robe, Rachel ran her hands over his broad shoulders.

Zorath backed her up against the desk, his hands exploring her body's curves with equal eagerness. For a moment, they separated, their breaths mixing in the tense atmosphere.

"I've missed this," Rachel muttered in a quiet voice. "Missed us."

Zorath had a need and affection mixed together in her eyes. "And me, my fascinating human, too. We ought to stop wasting time now.

Zorath quickly and deftly placed Rachel onto the desk, his hands slipping under her skirt. Their kisses became increasingly intense, a fusion of forbidden love's pleasure and pent-up passion.

There, in the poorly lit office, their groans and whispers blended into the background bustle of the city as they made love. Every caress, every touch, was evidence of their unsaid kinship, a bond that went beyond their responsibilities and the tenuous nature of their circumstances.