by L M Lacee
As they moved through the town, she took him through what they had found since arriving on his world. Then she told him what they had discovered on the moon KarSar. Without expression, she explained how Sennha tried hiding the Warriors on another planet and also gave him a full account of the meeting with Sennha. Gently she mentioned Julope and her sisters and the others that had decided to leave his world.
He sighed when she finished. ‘I understand their decision and mourn it at the same time.’
‘I understand my friend, unfortunately that is not the worst thing to happen to your citizens.’
‘What has happened?’
‘The worse betrayal, my friend. Eddea, second sister to Sennha, sold young to a mining team that came here.’ The ground shook hard as he snarled out a curse.
Peyton told him. ‘My sister Darby has found the young ones, or at least the planet they were taken to. So we will stop on the way home and hope they are alive. I am sorry but we will not return them. If any remain alive they will become citizens of Maikonia along with the others who have left you. Regardless of what we find on the world, we will explain to the miners that it was a bad idea to come here. I must warn you, others will try once they realize the Warriors are gone and they will know. Somehow they always know.’
The ground rumbled under their feet. ‘I can protect my surface and my people. I am angry she sold my young. Their parents just let them go?’
‘Oh Oraintarre, parents do not do that. Well parents that love their young do not. No, my friend, they slaughtered the parents. Sadly, it is what terrible races do, when parents do not want to let their young go.’
The ground rumbled louder and harder. People poured from their homes, bedraggle, sleepy and hungry. Fearfully they tried to work out what new disaster had befallen them now. What they saw shocked and stilled any complaints as they witnessed a tall male walking with a column of flame. The people made sure to keep their distance.
Peyton and Oraintarre walked on with the ground rumbling and the people following. ‘I have been out of touch with my surface too long and have been neglectful of my people. I see now I have left far too much to the sister of my house of Oraintarre. I became self-indulgent, my loss was mine to bear, not my peoples. This is my responsibility, I will mourn the loss of life and the loss of the young but I will not surrender to it. What do you wish from me and my people, their lives, my life? Star Daughter, how do I make this right?’
Peyton smiled and dismissed her flames and touched his arm as she said. ‘Well nothing as dramatic as that, you have not been neglectful you have been a wonderful, thoughtful grieving host, who perhaps trusted too much in the people he left as guardians. You did not realize time has gone by. Your people have been neglectful or forgetful of you and your wishes. This is an easy fix, make yourself known, and become more active. Teach your citizens what it means to be a true Oraintarren.’ She smiled at him and said. ‘Now what I would like in compensation for the treatment of my Warriors. Which I hope will not put any strain on you or your citizens, is for you to suspend trading of Salistred for a yenta.’
Oraintarre bowed his head in relief. He knew as the Star Daughter she had the means and the power to remove his world with only a thought. He was surprised she had not done so already, especially after everything she had told him. Thankfully, she did not seem to be without compassion or logic. She was not like the Star Son, who had no compassion or tolerance for peoples or planets that disrespected him.
‘I thank you Star Daughter and there is nothing you can demand that I would find arduous.’
‘Oh you are sweet, really you are. Well I thank you by not trading it gives me, or more rightly my people time to trade what you have given us. The credits we will receive will compensate my Warriors and truthfully if my Warriors are cared for, this will go a long way to making me less angry.’
‘Agreed, I know I spoke of between four hundred and six hundred tonnes, but I feel you should have the whole thousand tonnes that is waiting to be shipped. It was the last Salistred mined before I shut down. Will that be sufficient?’
Peyton snapped her mouth closed which had dropped open when he named the amount, huskily she said. ‘It will and I thank you, I am overcome with your generosity.’
Oraintarre stood taller and seemed to grow as he stated. ‘This is a matter of honor, not generosity.’
Peyton inclined her head in understanding, then said. ‘Now what are we to do with these?’
Their rambling walk had brought them to the front of the Matriarch’s Empirer only to find the entire family standing outside. Again the ground rumbled, longer this time as Oraintarre’s displeasure was felt.
Screams and shouts surrounded them as the females wobbled and fell to the ground, all except for Sennha who marched up to Peyton and Oraintarre demanding of Peyton. ‘What are you doing to my planet?’
‘Me. Nothing.’
‘Liar, you are a Hiesie and I will have you…’
‘SILENCE!’ Oraintarre commanded. ‘You speak with a disrespectful tongue to the Star Daughter?’
Sennha stood mouth opened in shock at the command, she swiftly looked at the male who dared to command her. Her hearts stopped for the count of three beats before starting again, when she realized who it was who stood in front of her. Sennha could feel her family’s confusion as they looked between the three people.
As she stared unbelieving at the male, Sennha started to feel the full weight of her betrayal. She had not kept to the laws and tenets of Oraintarre’s agreement with her ancestor. When the Star Daughter had spoken about Oraintarre waking again, she had spent the last days, often in heated and violent exchanges with her family convincing them he indeed was a myth and that the female was a liar. She had finally resorted to demanding they believe her word as she was the First Sister and she would indeed know if Oraintarre was real or not. This, if nothing else, convinced them she was telling the truth.
Now as each of her sisters and cousins realize that the male standing there before them was indeed Oraintarre, they turned accusing eyes toward her and screamed at her, demanding she explain.
‘Sennha why did you hide his existence from us?’
Sennha’s lips tightened on hearing her family’s accusing voices. What could she say that they would believe, that the people would believe? What could she say to convince Oraintarre she was a trustworthy Matriarch? She could see no answer to the disaster that was befalling her until her gaze settled once more on the female standing with him. Sennha cried out as she wrung her hands in distress. ‘Oraintarre, surely you cannot believe this creature is really…’
Before she finished speaking Oraintarre snarled.
‘On your knees, before I wipe you from my surface.’
Sennha along with everyone else dropped instantly to their knees. She raised tear-drenched eyes to his. Peyton said to him. ‘She does that well, does she not?’
‘Yes, I would say she has had much practice.’ He said unmoved by the pitiful looking female on her knees at his feet.
Ignoring their conversation, Sennha clasped her hands together and placed them over her hearts, as she tearfully implored. ‘Long have we awaited your return Oraintarre? Thankfully now you are here, you will in your infinite wisdom be able to see through this liar and rid us of this Impoef who has closed my planet.’
‘SILENCE NOW.’ He turned to Peyton. ‘I see that over the years they have become what you term stupid.’
She gave his arm a sympathetic pat. ‘I know, but teachable. Well, I hope they are. Hard lessons will ensure a better behavior.’ She looked up at Oraintarre and smiled. ‘It is time we left. I and my people will be gone by eve. My cargo ships will remove the Salistred and again thank you, One thousand tonnes is more…’
‘You dare… You scallut that is mine. You cannot take it.’ Sennha screeched as she dragged herself up and launched herself toward Peyton. Only to find after two steps she was held in place.
Oraintarre pointed at Sennha and said o
ne word. ‘Kneel.’
She dropped to the ground unable to rise as he held her there, even though his voice was soft, the ground shivered in the wake of his voice. ‘You will remain silent or I will open the ground where you kneel, then remove all trace of you from my surface. Do not tempt me on this, it would release me from having to listen to your constant noise. I am Oraintarre, not you. My minerals. My surface. My people. You live by my will. ONLY.’
At her fearful look, he said menacingly, which sent dread through every Oraintarren within hearing distance.
‘Remember what I have said, before you speak again.’
Sennha snapped her mouth closed and nodded her head, then turned hateful eyes on Peyton who said without pity. ‘When they are this dumb and unwilling to listen. I find if you spell it out for them, they will get it. You may have to make some examples. Sadly, that sometimes goes hand in hand with leadership, or so I am told.’
Sighing, he rubbed his hands over his face and then told her. ‘I will remember that and I think you are wise, they do seem exceeding hard of hearing and being able to understand a simple concept.’
Peyton shrugged. ‘It is probably all the screeching they indulge in.’
With a wrathful look at the females on their knees, he agreed. ‘Yes, no doubt.’
Peyton looked at Sennha and could not find any pity for her in her heart, she asked. ‘Sennha, I have a question for you. Who hid my Warriors on KarSar?’
Sennha turned her head away and suddenly she was choking, her face turned a dark red as her hands clawed at her throat.
Oraintarre told her. ‘You will answer or I will take the life from your body.’ He released her, and she slumped to the ground, swallowing several times until finally she was able to croak out. ‘Thanikis, he brought them here and placed them in the moon.’ Massaging her throat, her eyes spitting hatred at Peyton, who ignored the look and asked. ‘How long ago?’
Knowing better, Sennha hurriedly answered, her voice sulky. ‘Forty yentas or so. I forget. I was not First Sister then.’
Peyton mumbled. ‘Huh, that seems right.’
Oraintarre asked. ‘Who brokered the deal?’ Sennha squirmed where she kneeled. ‘Speak.’
She jerked at his tone and almost screamed her answer. ‘I did.’
‘Without the First Sisters knowledge I am sure.’ He stated, not bothering to have her confirm or deny it. By the expression on her face, it was easy to see he was right. Peyton looked at the female, then at Oraintarre.
‘It gets easier to tell the lies from truth. I understand you never had to before you went into mourning. You will have to teach the ones here how not to lie. It has, I fear, become a way of life.’
He sighed. ‘I fear you speak truth, but they are descended from my delightful Heleika, all is not lost.’
Peyton saw the small smirk Sennha made as she ducked her head and her mind whirled. It could not be…
In a voice devoid of warmth, she asked. ‘Sennha are there any more Warriors hidden on the moon or planet?’
Sennha shook her head, still massaging her throat. ‘Sennha.’ Oraintarre demanded. ‘Answer.’
She shook her head again. He sent out a pulse that shook the ground and moved the hills, causing people to scream and cry out in fear. He assured Peyton. ‘I found nothing.’
She held her face to the sky and sent her own pulse out and said. ‘A satellite behind the moon, oh Sennha it seems you were hiding more of my people from me.’ She looked back at Oraintarre and said. ‘I will leave food at the port, will you distribute it? There is a male here, the Governor, he is reportedly honest. I am sure he will be willing to help, the food should last for a few luneras, if not longer.’
‘Yes, of course.’ He looked over at the members of the ruling house and said thoughtfully. ‘Maybe, I am wasting my time with this line. Heleika would tell me to discard the weak and look elsewhere. Perhaps it is time to look elsewhere.’
Whispers came from the females as Sennha shook her head. Peyton turned to Oraintarre to wish him luck when a blaster shot skimmed across her chest and drilled a hole into her arm, knocking her to the ground. She curled into a ball as the shock and pain reverberated throughout her nervous system.
She heard a mighty roar and felt the ground shaking. All the while she could hear Heather’s voice telling her to breathe through the pain, just breathe through the shock and pain, and the pain will recede. She breathed as the roaring continued and the ground rolled beneath her. It seemed to be taking an unusually long time for the pain to go away and her wounds to heal. Maybe she had over extended herself on this trip.
Oraintarre shook the ground as people screamed and fell, skidding across the land. Some lay as flat as they could against the earth, in the hopes they would not be hurled around like tops. Parents grabbed their children, while males held their females to them, as holes and rifts snaked out from where Oraintarre stood. Deep fissures opened and ran from the town leading out into the surrounding countryside. Windows broke from homes and businesses, cracks slid up the outside walls of the buildings as several collapsed. A cry of fear was heard as a female fell from the third-floor window of the Empirer.
Peyton eventually managed to heal the blaster wound. Blood had soaked her sleeve and most of her top, dripping onto the front of her pants. Oraintarre asked as he helped her to her feet. ‘Are you well, Star Daughter?’
Panting hard as the final ripples of pain subsided. She held her hand up, sighing in relief and whispered a little breathlessly. ‘I am healed, it is nothing.’
‘Oh I disagree, it is something.’ The menace in his voice made the blood run cold in everyone who heard him. Peyton looked up to see a female dangling in the air in front of Oraintarre. He shook her until she woke. She screamed until he shut her up by shaking her again. His voice thundered through the air and ground as he asked.
‘What is your name female?’
Sobbing, she answered. ‘I am Lensa, cousin to Sennha, First Sister.’
‘You thought it would be a good idea to kill the Star Daughter?’
‘She is not. Sennha said she was an Impoef and should be removed.’
‘Oh you stupid… stupid female.’ He snarled as he shook her back and forth like a rag doll, then in disgust he dropped her. She landed in a broken heap in front of Sennha, who stared horrified at the broken body of her cousin.
Oraintarre thundered. ‘This has gone on too long.’
He gave all the kneeling females a scathing look as they stared up at him in fear, while their bodies turned red as silent tears ran from black eyes. He drew in a breath and then stated in a more reasonable tone.
‘To think you are related to my sweet Heleika, is unbelievable. She was a true daughter of Oraintarre. I see I have been far too consumed by my grief. So we will clean house, as my friend the Star Daughter would say.’
With that he eyed the Empirer, which symbolized Sennha and her sister’s superiority and wealth. Within a blink of an eye, he opened the ground under the Mansion and without a sound it collapsed into the hole. Then, without any expression, Oraintarre waved his hand. Where once the crowning jewel of house Oraintarre had stood was only bare ground, it was as though nothing had ever sat on its surface.
He turned a thunderous face to Sennha as she screeched her dismay, along with her family. ‘Cease that noise immediately.’ Silence reined apart from a few muffled sobs. ‘Do not ever doubt you live by my will alone. We will start to do things my way from now on.’ He bowed to Peyton. ‘Please take as compensation for this truly evil act perpetuated on you by a member of the former ruling house the five hundred extra tonnes of mineral I had placed aside for the peoples of my world. For further punishment for all the people of my world who have not lived by my tenets and have allowed these travesties to occur, there will be no mining for the next two yentas.’
Whimpers came from Sennha and the other members of her family and the people surrounding them.
Peyton said. ‘Oraintarre, I thank you, nev
er doubt that you are impressive. Now I will let you deal with all of this.’ She waved her arm around at the kneeling family and the citizens that were slowly rising from the ground.
He nodded his head. ‘Thank you, to ease your mind, there is food on my surface, it is not consumed because it takes work to harvest. I think that I will show them over the next two yentas, while Salistred is not being mined, how to obtain it. After all, what else will they have to do?’
‘There is hunting on your moon.’ Peyton assured him.
Oraintarre nodded once more as he told her. ‘The people of my world once survived without trading, they can again. Hard lessons, is that not what you said?’
‘It was. Oraintarre, you know how to contact me?’
‘I do. Star Daughter, after I have cleaned house and with agreements in place, would you allow your Warriors to return? I swear what happened will not ever happen again. They would be valued and cared for.’
Peyton looked over the cowering females and the other citizens who had remained outside. ‘Oraintarre when you have finished with your cleaning, contact me we will see about an Embassy and who of my Warriors wish to come to your surface. You are a beautiful planet and have, for the most part, people who are worthy of my Warriors protection.’
‘I thank you, Star Daughter.’
‘As I thank you, my friend. Now I will say my farewells.’ She looked at the kneeling Sennha, her head slumped onto her shoulders. The once proud female was starting to realize that not all was going to go her way.
‘Sennha, he is your world and should be revered as such. If I was you, I would remember that he can and will banish you, or worse. None of your tricks will work on him, he is immune to your beauty and your beguiling ways. He knows everything that happens on his surface he is Oraintarre. He knows about your craft and he can pilot it. So you and your family cannot think to slide away in the night, he will not allow it. Now as you live the remainder of your lives, remember to thank him every day that he does not treat you as you treated my Warriors.’ She looked at the others then zeroed in on Eddea saying. ‘Eddea, he knows you sold those young and are responsible for their parent’s deaths. You will be held accountable for them and the stolen young and for opening the planet to outside miners.’