The push and shove behind me became louder and I turned my head to see Armant and his Brothers striding purposefully through. The younger men either stepped aside or Armant moved them bodily. The old Warriors were as resolute as I'd ever seen them. Our coworkers walked in front of me and I saw the concern on their faces.
"You want this?" Armant asked me firmly, interrupting Kennedy at the front of the room.
“This wasn't forced on you? You are safe with us here. We will protect you if this is not what you want."
I smiled and took in the concern on our coworker's faces. "I love them, Armant. I've forgiven them and we have moved on. I most certainly want them."
After assessing it was also what Rose wanted, Armant grunted as he and his Brothers took a spot beside me facing the Administrators. They stood for my right to decide this on my own.
Kennedy finished her monologue, finally. Her point was that if we had truly bonded, then there was no way our men thought of us as slaves anymore.
“They have all changed,” Kennedy had announced at the end.
“The women have found their independence and their strength. The former slavers have atoned for their bad behavior and put that way of thinking behind them. While these relationships are not what you wanted to see happen, it is what the individuals involved wanted. We must respect that choice."
The Administrators didn't seem to want to believe her, but the camp felt differently. Ratru's and Arik's families had showed up and stood next to Rose. Even Rayn and his Brothers came inside and made their stand with us. We had a right to our own choices, even if it wasn't the popular option.
The Administrators watched Rose and me for a moment before Hassar spoke.
“We do not want you with slavers," she said stoically and I sighed taking Kein's hand in mine.
It didn't matter what they thought and I told Hassar so.
"I appreciate all you've done for us, but we won't stay apart. This isn't your choice to make. It is ours. If we can't be together here then we will leave this camp and find another that will accept us."
The Administrators just stood and stared at us all. They didn't want to let us go. Hannah and Kennedy had worked hard to get this camp ready for a human. Other camps were less safe. Letting Rose and me leave may be our death sentence.
"This is an impasse, then," Damien said, voicing the thoughts I had.
“Quite the stalemate," Basin agreed while nodding.
Hassar and Reed cocked their heads and Gunth crossed his arms.
“What are you two saying?" Gunth asked the men curiously.
“You both used words I do not understand."
Damien was surprised as he looked at me and shrugged. Basin looked at Rose and smiled. He explained the word he'd used was in English and he had not meant to offend. Rose's way of looking at this situation was so clear. We were not coming to an accord. The English word was so clear in her mind it was hard to ignore.
“As I stated already," Kennedy said happily, “they are bonded. That word Basin used refers to a game on Earth. When you reach that point in the game, neither side can win."
The Administrators were a cross between angry and surprised, but that single word Basin had used changed their minds. They looked to Hannah who had to admit the word was English and it had been used correctly. There was no way Rose had taught them an English word to fit this exact situation. She was bonded to her family.