by L M Lacee
‘What!’
Klune rose and went to the dispenser, ‘Do you want tea?’
She looked in her empty cup and nodded. ‘Yes please.’
As he made the tea he said. ‘You should be out in the Universe helping our people and other planets. Your skills are needed there more than at home. Playing second fiddle to Darby is not a viable use of your gifts.’
Jean said with a laugh. ‘Second fiddle, have you been watching Earth vids?’
Klune smiled as he passed her the tea. ‘My Rata enjoys them on occasion. Jean, why are you here?’
She sipped her tea and finally said. ‘Fear, I am scared. I spent a few yentas on my own and found I didn’t like it. Now I have family and friends and I do not want to risk losing that.’
‘I see, what if I could make it so you were not alone? Would you leave then to help other worlds, to fix the broken?’
Excitement stirred in her eyes and he knew he had been right, Jean like Jax needed challenges too.
‘Yes, I would love to do that, but unfortunately I made commitments at home.’
‘They are only commitments if you allow them to be. Jean, you need to do this, talk to Peyton and Darby. At least explore the possibilities.’
Jean sighed and rubbed her forehead, it was hard to have your innermost thoughts spoken aloud. She knew Klune was right, had known for some luneras that she was unhappy. It was just getting up the courage to make it happen that held her back. Perhaps it was time to reach for more than she’d settled for.
Softly she said. ‘Alright, I will, but first I have to fix this.’
Klune disagreed. ‘No, I have to fix this, you have to tell me what you know, and unblock Jax we will need him.’
‘Oh okay.’ With a few strokes of her fingers, Jax was once more present. Jean, Klune, thank you for inviting me to your meeting.
Jean almost laughed at his peevish tone. Klune said blandly. ‘Jax, happy you could join us. Jean was just about to explain what she has been doing.’
Jean sat forward and placed her hands around her cup. ‘Okay, so I decided to see if there was a reason Kolin refused to come to the Capital.’
Jax asked. Why not ask him?
‘That was the first thing I did, and he shut me down. So from that I figured there was a reason. Kolin is grumpy but never dismissive.’
Klune asked. ‘And he was to your question.’
‘Yep.’
‘From his attitude you started looking into the Coalition’s records.’
‘In a manner of speaking, first I talked to my contacts here and the ones Kolin gave me for equipment and parts.’
Intrigued with her response, Klune asked. ‘Did you find anything out?’
Jean grimaced. ‘Just a lot of speculation and rumors.’
‘It is the rumors you were interested in.’
‘Yep.’
‘So please tell me what is being said about Kolin.’
Jean unconsciously leaned forward and said.
‘Okay, so some time ago and no one is sure what yenta this was, not that that matters. But Kolin was stationed here and had been for many yentas. It seems at some point he fell in favor with an Emperor of a small world.’
Jax asked. The name.
‘No idea, these people I spoke with have this all second or third hand, some was just rumor built on rumor.’
Klune nodded. ‘Never mind, we will discover the name later.’
Jean’s eyebrows rose at his confidence. ‘Anyway, it seems this ruler was an engineer and a highly skilled one.’ She said proudly. ‘Obviously not as skilled as Kolin. Apparently this Emperor heard about Kolin and made it a point to seek him out and then get him to do some work for him. After a time he demanded Uthar release Kolin to his world, but Uthar declined.’
Klune told her. ‘I imagine the Emperor could not match the Coalitions credits.’
‘Yeah, I heard he demanded a lot for Kolin. Now here is where it gets a little murky.’ Klune’s eyebrows rose at the term, smiling she amended that to. ‘Cloudy.’
‘I see.’
Jean leaned back in her chair. ‘So it seems, the Empress of this world was as impressed with Kolin as the Emperor but not for his skills as an engineer.’ She moved her eyebrows up and down suggestively, causing Klune’s eyebrows to climb higher on his forehead. ‘I see.’
Jean carried on with her story. ‘Sadly for her, Kolin was uninterested. This apparently did not dull her appetite for our valiant Commander. I was told one day after he had denied her advances again, she apparently flew into a rage and swore she would make him pay.’
Jax said. That seems excessive.
‘Yes, although some females are like that. But I think she had an ulterior motive. Someone whispered that they heard the Empress was working on behalf of her mate.’
Jax said. Ahh!
Klune was nodding as he said. ‘If she could compromise Kolin and embarrass Uthar, they could make a deal and have Kolin enslaved to their world. It has been done many times before.’
Jean pouted as she thought about what he said. ‘Yeah, I see that.’
Jax said. I still do not see why this prevents him from coming here.
Jean shrugged. ‘Well, I’m not too sure either, but the word is, while the lady was playing the role of a smitten female, she actually fell for Kolin and desired him. At some point her mate and two children made ready to leave the Capital without Kolin. But the lady became ill and had to remain on world. Some say she did this to remain close to Kolin hoping to persuade him into her bed. Others say she was genuinely ill.’
Klune murmured. ‘It seems no one told her of his inability to satisfy her.’
Jean shrugged. ‘I get the feeling she may not have believed it, if she did know.’
Klune nodded. ‘That has merit.’
Jean said. ‘Regardless, her mate and children left for home and never made it. Their vessel blew up, all lives lost.’
Klune asked. ‘Dearle stars and Kolin was blamed?’
‘Yep, the Empress is said to have literally mins after hearing of her family’s tragedy, begged Kolin to take her as his own.’
Klune was aghast. ‘No, that cannot be right!’
Jean spread her hands defensively. ‘It is only what I heard. Obviously he spurned her again. Probably because he was as disgusted as you seem to be.’
‘I am disgusted.’
As am I. Stated an appalled Jax.
‘It seems she did not take his refusal well and went crazy. She pointed her finger at Kolin saying he was jealous and wanted his freedom from Uthar and had planned to take her and her planet as his own. That’s all I found out, true or not. Other than Kolin went missing hours after being accused.’
Klune sat for a few mins absorbing everything Jean had told him. ‘Why were you trying to break into the Capitals records?’
Jean shrugged. ‘I thought they may have investigated, so I was hoping to get the truth or at least read what they discovered about the Emperors ship and who the female was.’
‘I see.’
Unable to bear it any longer, Jean asked him. ‘What do you think?’
‘I think it is plausible that Kolin was accused of something, but until we know all the facts, it is just a supposition.’
Glumly, she said. ‘Yeah, I know.’
‘Jean allow me and my people to do what we do best.’
She stood when he did and apologized. ‘I am sorry. I should have come to you. Darby told me to, but I thought I could do this for my friend.’
‘I understand, we value our friends and as my friend. I tell you I will find out everything there is to know and I will fix what is broken. I swear there will be no blow back on our family or friends.’
‘Thank you, and you as well Jax.’
You are welcome.
Klune reached over and took her hand in his, kissing her work roughened knuckles, when she blushed, he murmured. ‘Delightful, absolutely delightful. Jean, my dearle, think about what I said. Ta
lk to Peyton and Darby, you are worth much more than this.’
‘I will, I swear.’
THIRTY-NINE:
Knock… Knock.
‘Who was that Idella?’
‘A messenger from the Embassy of the Star Daughter. You, Ambassador Kassapi are requested to appear at the Star Daughter’s Embassy at 13:00 hours today.’
‘The hayda, you say.’
‘I do say. What have you done Taurene?’
‘Nothing.’ He strode from the window to the couch, his hands behind his back before saying. ‘I am an Ambassador, perhaps she is meeting all the Ambassadors. Why else would she want to see me?’
Suena looked up at her handsome brother from where she sat and pulled on her lower lip. ‘I don’t know and that is what worries me.’
‘What should concern you.’ Their sister Onera stated. ‘Is how she knew who he is and where we are staying.’
Suena agreed. ‘You make an excellent point.’
Idella nodded as she threw herself into a chair opposite Suena. Not averse to teasing her brother, she said. ‘Another point to consider is, I have it on very good authority she is seeing no one before the meeting.’
‘How do you know this?’
‘Taurene, it is my job to know. I am your Security Commander, am I not?’
‘Well, as my eldest sister, you have to take that position.’ Taurene was equally not shy about returning the teasing he received. As the only male child, he had learned from a young age to stand on his own against his six sisters, who were all older than him.
Idella eyed her brother and asked. ‘Meaning?’
‘You can take what you want from my statement.’
Onera grinned as she joked. ‘Just remember sister, mother likes him more than us.’
Taurene was concerned at the summons, but rather than dwell on it, he teased his sisters. ‘That is because I am her favorite.’
‘True, but explain father.’ Suena asked with a twinkle in her eyes.
‘Can anyone?’ Muttered Taurene as he paced around the lounge of their apartment. His hands once more behind his back in his thinking pose. ‘I should notify mother.’
‘Good idea. So when we go missing, she and our father can ask polite questions. Like where are our bodies buried.’
Idella warned. ‘Suena.’
‘Because that never happens!’ Onera grinned with Suena.
Idella said. ‘Would you two please stop, you are scaring the boy.’
The boy in question was forty-six yentas old and had recently been named Ambassador for their home world Kallistro. He was here to make new allies and hopefully establish new trading contacts and was to attend the Grand Meeting. At no time had he been instructed to contact the Star Daughter. True, he ruefully thought until they had arrived at the Capital they had not known of the Star Daughter. Now he was to meet with her. The idea thrilled him and caused him to fear for his sisters. None of the three were known for their discretion. Which is why their mother, the ruler of their world, had selected him to be the Ambassador. But why she saddled him with them as his protection mystified him. Perhaps she was hoping he would be able to quell their impulses.
Although knowing his father, he wagered it was his suggestion. Taurene was in two minds as to whether his father admired him or despaired of him. He thought the latter as the only son and not having an aptitude for weapons or using his hands as his father and sisters did. He thought his lack of abilities made him appear weak in his father eyes.
Idella could have told him weakness was not what their father saw when he looked at his youngest child. It was intelligence, gentleness and loyalty. He not only confused their father he awed him. Which is why he had championed him as their mother’s Ambassador. Like Idella and her sisters, their father knew Taurene would never place his own ambitions above their world’s or his mother’s interests.
Onera said contritely. ‘We apologize Taurene, we know you have important things to do and think about.’
Suena was solicitous as well. ‘Like keeping us alive when we visit the Star Daughter.’
Taurene growled. ‘You know, you three are not the only siblings I have. I can have you replaced.’
Idella grinned as she told him. ‘That is true, but we are the only ones that like you enough not to kill you in your sleep.’
‘And mother loves me.’
‘Sure she does.’ Suena assured him with a pitying smile.
‘Ha-ha.’ He stalked from the room, laughter battling with fear in his heart and mind.
FORTY:
While the Kallistro Ambassador was discussing the invitation from the Star Daughter to attend her Embassy. Peyton was gliding happily along a corridor with a coffee toward her office. She ran through her mental list of things she had accomplished so far. On this her first and if she could make it happen, her only visit to this cold world.
She’d issued her invitation to the new Ambassador for Kallistro, so she could get some answers from him. Wolf was going to take command of the mission, and Jarrod had said he was well on the way to recovery. Bendrix and his people were more than she had hoped for. Netta had found her mate, and she had made it right with the boys. Which, she would admit, had been amusing.
She frowned and grimaced. Other than a few bumps. Granted, Rita’s poisoning and Esther’s near kidnapping were large bumps. And Carrick having to defend Esther and the children was unexpected. She stopped walking and thought about that, and shook her head and started walking again. She had known someone was going to have to defend themselves. Which is why she and Hawk had come up with the trackers and made sure no one left the Embassy without guards. But on the other hand, Kardan’s arrival and her throwing the Governor out of her Embassy were points in her favor.
And things were not as bad as she had worried they would be. Her people were safe and soon they could leave this world. She felt like the world was sucking the energy from her, as if she was a battery who was slowly been used up. She stopped again as she let that imaginary play in her mind; it made her smile. She resumed walking, greeting as many people and Prowlers as she could while not stopping her progress.
The kits had decided to stay in her suite with Kardan, something about getting to know each other. It seemed it was going around, Netta had mentioned Knife and Bendrix were also having time alone, to bond supposedly.
Her children were in class and she was sure everyone was hurrying to do their work, so they could go shopping. As she entered her office, she looked around and sighed with delight. Someone had decorated the room in Earth tones of greens and blues, colors that were definitely to her liking. She looked at the enormous desk and instantly missed Penny; who had gone on vacation.
Well, maybe vacation was stretching it. She had gone with Kerol and their bondmates to investigate the running of an established Embassy and it was only until the following morn. The trouble was, now she had to do all this crap stuff herself.
Sighing, she sat behind the desk and wiggled in delight as the chair molded itself to her body. ‘Oh, I like this, Jax…’
Darby has already ordered them for home.
‘How did you know what I was going to ask?’
You are not the first.
‘Oh okay.’
She started reviewing all the contracts for trade that Penny had waiting for her. She put in several hours of work undisturbed until Jax interrupted her.
Madam, we have a situation.
‘What would that be?’ She asked as she lifted her head and watched Kardan, Hawk, Reeve and Darby walk in.
A delegation from the Coalition accompanied by Ambassadors from Earth and Jenersar have arrived.
‘Furin hayda. Did I ask them here?’
Kardan murmured to Hawk. ‘I did not know she knew words like that.’
Hawk grimaced as he murmured back. ‘That is the least of what she knows.’
No Madam, this is an unannounced visit.
Peyton frowned. ‘Isn’t that against protocol?’
Yes.
‘I have a meeting with the Ambassador from Kallistro at 13:00 hours, how long until then?’
Two hours Madam, you have plenty of time if you decide to meet with the Governors. I can and will redirect the Ambassador to another room if we overlap.
‘Thank you, it is important I speak to him.’
I will see to it Madam.
‘Do we have another room?’
Yes, we have several.
‘Huh, I did not know that. Is Ambassador Theruu attending?’
He is Madam, I have requested guards to accompany him as I knew you would want.
‘Thank you Jax.’
Darby said. ‘Holo please Jax, let’s have a look at who is here.’
Peyton asked. ‘Jax, who is on reception?’
Lady Erin is on duty.
Hawk told Kardan. ‘Erin has a calm manner.’
Reeve added. ‘She is good with the blaster.’
‘So she will remain in control.’ Kardan asked for assurance.
Darby murmured. ‘She has being doing this for yentas.’
‘Here we go.’ Peyton said as she stood and walked around her desk, just as the holo flicked on. Showing the delegation from the Coalition, accompanied by the Ambassadors. They were breaking so many diplomatic protocols put in place by their own Coalition. Just by arriving unannounced and uninvited to her Embassy. To stop herself from becoming angry Peyton started listing the rules they were breaking as she watched Jerthem.
FORTY-ONE:
Erin felt her insides quiver at the sight of all the soldiers and diplomats disembarking from the lift. She signaled Jax to comm Domard Jerthem and then quickly ran through everything she had been taught from Lord and Lady Hananva, for a situation like this.
Showing no outward sign of the nerves that suddenly attacked her. She rested her right hand on the blaster laying out of sight on the desk and her left on the blaster on her thigh. Erin took no comfort from the weapons under her hands. Knowing she could shoot was not like actually having to train a blaster on someone and take their life. Fear crowded in her chest at the thought.