It's not that Ben Jordan dislikes Earthians, the way some humans do. He couldn’t care less, at least before he gets informed he has to work for Earthians, and that’s not something he planned for his life. He is angry and resentful, and not willing to play nicely with his newly appointed partner. Of course it doesn’t work that way. Soon enough he wants more than a working relationship with Phaedran, except he doesn't have a clue how to explain that to Phaedran. Ben is not sure he can deal with sleeping with someone who is not human, and Phaedran had always gone out of his way not to remind Ben he was Earthian, so it’s not like Phaedran doesn’t know about his hang-ups. He is still busy trying to figure out what to do, when people start coming after Phaedran, adding another obstacle.