Early the next morning Lt. Muri and Lucinda landed in Shisk and were taken immediately to the Chancellor’s Mansion. The Chancellor was not there but had left instructions to give Lucinda a room and let her get some rest. After they ate breakfast Lt. Muri took her to one of the guest bedrooms. It was a spacious room with an elegant turquoise and white decor. There was a large bed, a desk, sofa, sankee table, lamps and a VC.
“I think you will find your accommodations quite satisfactory,” Lt. Muri said.
Luci nodded. “Yes, quite so.”
“Get some rest, the Chancellor will want you to dine with him tonight.”
“Dine with me? Why?”
“He’ll want to talk to you and get to know you.”
“Will we be alone?”
“No, dear. I’ll be there and most likely there will be a room full of guests as well.”
Luci swallowed hard.
Lt. Muri gave her a reassuring smile. “Just do as you’re told and your life here will be quite comfortable. . . . Now, your closet has been stocked with new clothes. Dress for dinner is formal. I’ll send someone up to help you get dressed a kyloon before dinner. Get some rest. You’ve got bags under your eyes and we can’t have that.”
Luci nodded. “Okay. I am rather tired.”
“You’ll probably want to bathe before you sleep. A warm bath will relax you.”
“Yes, that sounds wonderful.”
Lt. Muri smiled one last time and then left. Luci looked around the luxurious suite and sighed. When she noticed the door to the bathroom she went over to it and peeked inside. There was a big pearl tub highlighted with golden pipes and ivory handles. A large mirror overlooked a spacious counter and two sinks. She walked over to the tub and turned on the water. As she waited for it to fill she looked through the drawers and cupboards and found them fully stocked with towels, soaps, oils and everything else she could possibly need.
After she had undressed she looked at herself in the mirror paying particular attention to her round stomach. She wondered what fate lay ahead for her and her baby. If she cooperated with Videl perhaps everything would be alright, but deep down she knew as soon as Videl was tired of her, he’d ship her off to prison or have her executed for treason. Her greatest fear was for her baby. What would happen to him? Would Videl kill an innocent child? The thought disturbed her so much she put it out of her head. She began to weep.
“Peter! Peter. How did you let this happen? Come for us. Please don’t forget about us,” she whispered. “You must come for us.”
Finally, she turned and climbed into the tub and immersed herself in sweet scents and blissfully hot water. She tried to relax but even a luxurious bath could not expunge the profound sadness and despair that she felt. She washed herself and when the water began to cool she got out, dried herself and put on a nightgown she found in a drawer. Exhausted she went to the bed and climbed in. Soon she was fast asleep.
Several kyloons later she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She jerked away with a start.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” a tall woman dressed in servant’s attire said. “I was told to come wake you and get you ready for dinner. Lucinda nodded and climbed out the other side of the bed.
“I can dress myself. Just tell what I’m supposed to wear.”
The woman pointed to the sofa where she had spread out the garments that she had selected for her.
“Let me fix your hair. It’s a real mess,” the woman pleaded.
Luci ran her fingers through her hair, then nodded.
Thirty loons later Luci emerged from her room. A soldier who had been standing by her door followed them to a dining room full of people talking excitedly. When they stepped into the room all eyes turned to them and the room quieted. Videl stood up and approached them.
“Come in, Lucinda Dimitri. Welcome,” Videl said.
Lucinda began to tremble as she was escorted to a chair next to the Chancellor.
“Sit. Can I pour you a glass of wine?’
Luci nodded and forced a smile.
“So, I trust your accommodations are satisfactory?”
She nodded again nervously.
“Alright then. Shall we eat?”
The room became noisy again as everyone resumed their conversations but Luci could feel many penetrating eyes examining every inch of her.
Lt. Muri, who was seated next to her took her hand. “Relax. No one will hurt you. You’re just a curiosity. No matter what is said just stay calm.”
Luci didn’t say anything but nodded slightly.
“So, Luci. . . . Can I call you Luci,” Evohn said.
Luci stiffened giving Evohn a cold stare.
“Were you surprised at how easily we commandeered the plane carrying LB1's command staff?”
Luci didn’t respond.
“You should have seen General Zitor’s face when he woke up with a gun in his face,” Evohn continued. “He almost pissed his pants.
Everyone laughed.
“Tell us about your mate,” a short bald-headed man said. “Does he really think he was sent here by God to save the planet?”
There was more laughter.
Luci looked at the man. “No. He doesn’t but I know he was.”
The man rolled his eyes. “And how do you know that?”
“Because I have seen him do things that no ordinary man could do.”
“Like what?” Evohn asked. “Tell us about his Godly powers.”
“When he first got here our subtram broke down in a mutant zone and we were forced to go down to the streets to seek help. While we were waiting for help a gang of thugs attacked us and we would have been killed except that a rhutz showed up and chased the gang away. Have you ever heard of a rhutz saving a human? I haven’t and that rhutz slept at the foot of Peter’s bed that very night.”
“Oh, and I suppose Peter can talk to it, too,” the man scoffed.
“No. He doesn’t have to. The rhutz can read his mind.”
“That’s rubbish!” Videl said. “The rhutz are nothing but wild beasts. My grandfather used to kill them to stop them from raiding his stock and I’ve killed a few myself. Believe me. Their intelligence and abilities are greatly exaggerated. The truth is the whole thing was one of Threebeard’s tricks. That rhutz belonged to Threebeard and he trained it to follow your mate.”
“No. That’s not true,” Luci protested.
“You did visit the Mighty Jolly before you were assaulted, didn’t you?”
Luci didn’t respond.
“Didn’t you?”
“Yes, but----”
“Hah! What did I tell you,” Videl said triumphantly. “I’ll have to admit Threebeard is a genius when it comes to manipulating people.”
“How is it that you became Peter Turner’s mate. Didn’t you already have a mate?” Rupra Bruda asked.
Luci took a deep breath. She knew she was playing right into Videl’s hand, but as long as she kept him amused she and her baby were safe. She let her breath out slowly trying to keep her composure. “There was a termination. My mate was not happy that I was pregnant.”
“Well that’s no wonder,” someone said. “When you slept with the scutz, did you know he was a traitor?”
“He’s not a traitor. When he came here he knew nothing of the Prophecy. He was a healthy male human and my only concern was having a healthy baby.”
“Even a traitor’s baby?” the man chided.
Luci didn’t respond.
As servants began putting food before them Lt. Muri took Luci’s hand again and whispered, “You’re doing fine. It will be over soon.”
As everyone began eating Videl started up the conversation again. “Well, Luci. That’s the reason you are here today and haven’t been shot for treason like the rest of the prisoners on your plane.”
Luci recoiled. “You’ve shot them?”
“Of course,” Videl lied. “That’s what we do to traitors.”
Luci just stared at Videl.
“We have examined your record and know that you have never had any interest in politics and have always obeyed the law, so we assume you were innocently dragged into the Loyalist camp.
Luci looked away wondering where Videl was going to go with this.
“So, if you will renounce any allegiance to the Loyalist and acknowledge that the termination between you and your mate was illegal, I will forgive you and you will be reunited with him.”
Luci shifted nervously in her chair not knowing what to do.
“So, what do you say? Will you pledge your allegiance to the legitimate government of Tarizon? Will you admit that Peter Turner and the Loyalists are traitors? If so, all will be forgiven.”
Luci tried to talk but nothing would come out of her mouth. Lt. Muri took her hand again.
“Just do it. It will be painless.”
Luci looked over at Lt. Muri, shook her head and stood up. “No. I won’t do it! I love Peter Turner and I believe he is the Liberator!” she shouted and then rushed out of the room.
The guard grabbed her as she stormed out and held her a moment until Lt. Muri came out and told him to take her back to her room. Lt. Muri sighed as Luci was taken away. She knew it would not go well for her in the days to come.
Tarizon, The Liberator, Tarizon Trilogy Vol 1 Page 69