Daughter Of Ethos: Crystal City Book 6

by L M Lacee

  Peneria nodded. She knew Darby and Melody had the power to speak for Peyton. Karen said. ‘Lessons, it would be nice if they could teach. I would love to know how to cook a few dishes, explain who Helen is, and that she has started a cooking center. Maybe they would be interested in teaching there as well.’

  Peneria said. ‘We will do that, after you have tried the food.’

  Melody said. ‘Whether or not we like it, you will make the offer please. I refuse to leave these people behind.’

  Peneria assured her she would, before they could discuss it anymore. A tray with small round flat disks floated through the air toward them. The tray settled in the middle of their table where Peneria and Ipeara unloaded it, then another tray arrived. Once the flat disks were grouped together and the trays had floated back to the kitchen. Karen asked Darby. ‘How do you think he does that?’

  Melody answered before Darby could. ‘Magic.’

  When Darby frowned and went to dispute that theory, Melody shook her head. ‘No, we can do with some magic in our lives. So magic made the trays fly, okay?’

  Darby dutifully repeated after her. ‘Magic.’

  Melody sighed as Nina and Karen both did the same, they too wanted to pretend just for a little while. Melody squeezed her hand. ‘Thank you Darby. So Peneria, what do we do?’

  With a lift of an eyebrow that plainly said, I have no idea what just happened and I don’t want to. Peneria began to show them what to do.

  ‘Now, each of you take one of the red disks and place it in front of you.’

  Once they had followed her instructions, the red disk shaped itself into a small oval bowl.

  Ipeara laughed as she asked. ‘This is great, right?’

  They all said together. ‘Magic.’

  Peneria continued with her instructions. ‘So, I will take a dish like this.’ She placed a larger white flat disk on an oblong block, in front of her. Which none of them had seen rise from the table. Instantly a bowl appeared and food so hot it was steaming filled the dish. They all gasped in surprise.

  ‘Now I give you all a sample.’ Peneria spooned a small amount into their bowls, and as she did, she told them. ‘This is called a tetamoant, translated, it means sampler. Now depending on how much you eat of each dish and I do not know how he does it, maybe weight…’ She waved the spoon. ‘Regardless, the Shodian will know what you like or the type of things you like and it will be recorded. Next time you come for food, they will only send out what appeals to you.’

  Darby murmured. ‘That is truly genius. I wonder how he does it.’

  Melody eyed her sternly, saying. ‘I told you magic.’

  ‘Yes… yes.’ She waved her fork around. ‘Of course. Do you not think it is intriguing though?’

  Melody nodded as she told her. ‘I do, ask him later. Right now eat and enjoy.’

  ‘Oh, of course.’ Darby forked up some vegetables and placed them in her mouth, forgetting instantly her thought on how the food was delivered. She mumbled. ‘So good.’

  Ipeara swallowed, then sighed. ‘I just love this food.’

  ‘If they come with us, can we duplicate all this?’ Karen asked Darby.

  She nodded enthusiastically. ‘We can, just wait until Jean and Kinn see this, you know we can probably improve on what is here.’

  They spent the next hour unhurriedly eating their way through small amounts of food, some they liked, some not so much. Some Peneria would not allow Karen to try, she would say.

  ‘Not for pregnant females.’

  Darby could not work out how she knew. She eventually decided it had to be a sign of some sort on the dish. But keeping Melody’s warning in mind, she refrained from asking.

  When the hilarious hour came to an end. The four Terrans begged Peneria and Ipeara to give the family whatever they wanted, as long as they came home with them. Darby sent a message to Peyton explaining about the Shodian and his daughters and her offer on her behalf.

  FIFTY-NINE:

  Nina quietly indicated to Melody with a small nod of her head. ‘We have some human females watching us.’

  Melody looked down, hiding her mouth. ‘The three that sat down a few mins ago.’

  Karen confirmed her suspicions when she said. ‘Yes, and they look hungry.’

  ‘That they do.’ Darby agreed and before Melody could caution her, she looked up directly at the three females, smiled one of her rare smiles and beckoned them over.

  Jorge tensed as he stood, Darby assured him. ‘It’s okay Jorge.’

  ‘No Specialist Roeah, it is not!’

  Melody sharply reprimanded her. ‘Darby, you know better, he has a job to do. You undermine him and place us and the Warriors in danger with your casualness!’

  Chastised Darby apologized. ‘You are right Melody. I am sorry Jorge. I should have thought about the consequences.’

  ‘I know Darby.’

  Warriors had stopped the females approach by simply stepping in their path. Jorge walked unhurriedly to them, giving them enough time to retreat if they desired, it seemed they did not as they stood their ground. Pity welled in his hearts for the desperate-looking females. In a soft voice he introduced himself. ‘I am Commander Jorge Torroni. I know you wish to speak to the ladies in my care.’

  The tallest of the three nodded. ‘We do, please.’

  ‘And I wish you to, but first I must scan each of you, may I?’ He showed them the scanner, when they agreed. He waved the wand over the three females. Then smiled in welcome as he stepped back. ‘I apologize for the discomfort.’

  The same female gave him a small smile and with sad bruised eyes said. ‘We understand.’

  ‘I thank you for your patience.’ He indicated they should proceed him to the table.

  Melody stood as they approached and the others quickly followed, she like Jorge spoke softly. ‘Greetings, please sit, we know you are hungry, so don’t be polite and lie.’

  The female that was of middle height snorted and replied in English. ‘Seriously, we aren’t stupid.’

  Darby looked at Jorge. ‘Would it be possible for someone to explain to Peneria and Ipeara please?’

  ‘Of course Specialist.’ He nodded to a Warrior who stood nearby, he moved to the door of the kitchen, only to be met by Ipeara and Peneria coming through. He said a few words to the sisters who looked over at the table. They moved to where one of the Shodian’s daughters stood waiting. They spoke, and she nodded a few times, then retreated to the kitchen with Peneria. Ipeara returned to their table with more tea saying. ‘Peneria is talking to Shodian Lujunn.’

  Darby smiled and said. ‘Thank you Ipeara.’

  She waited until Ipeara had filled everyone’s cups and sat again before asking the three newcomers. ‘So why don’t you introduce yourselves.’

  ‘First.’ Said the taller one, still in English. ‘We thank you for the food, but we really need to know if you are safe.’

  Nina raised her eyebrows and looked around at their guards answering in the same tongue. ‘You think we might not be?’

  ‘We have heard things, especially if you are with the Star Daughter.’

  ‘All lies.’ Nina quickly answered. ‘I swear we are safe and much loved.’

  Karen quietly told them in English. ‘These wonderful men you see here, are for our protection, not wardens. The one that scanned you is our Commander, he is kind as they all are.’

  At this they seemed to relax. The smallest of the three fell into a chair and placed her face in her hands mumbling. ‘We so hoped you were.’

  Darby frowned, as she asked the others. ‘Don’t you think they look like someone we know?’ They all stared at the three females and then Nina hesitantly agreed. ‘Sort of, but who?’

  ‘Maybe you have met our cousin or seen her in passing, we are looking for her. She went missing some time ago.’ The tallest of the three stated.

  Melody asked gently, remembering Ediean, the pleasure planet. ‘Did she go missing out here or from Earth?’

>   The middle female replied sadly. ‘On Earth.’

  ‘What is her name?’ Darby asked as she snapped open her tablet, finger poised to tap the name in.

  ‘June… June Hastings.’

  Darby snapped her tablet closed and really looked at the three females, pass their thin faces and tried eyes and limp hair and smiled kindly.

  Melody told them as she studied the three females. ‘You look so much like her it is obvious.’

  Now they were all looking for it, they could see the resemblance to June in each sister. They had the same unusual amber eyes and red hair. Maybe Melody thought it was a family trait, as were the freckles, although they too were different on each female.

  The taller female eagerly asked. ‘You know our cousin?’

  Melody assured her they did. ‘We do, she is a pilot. Right now she is on her way to our home world. If you would like we can put you in contact with her.’

  With that news they seemed to slump in on themselves as tears entered their eyes, the middle sister said. ‘We were so afraid.’

  Regaining her composure, the taller female said with a smile. ‘I am sorry we haven’t even told you who we are.’

  Nina smiled. ‘We understand, family is important, my name is Nina Hananva. Let me introduce you to us first. I will go from right to left, Karen and Darby Roeah, mated to brothers.’ She quickly explained at their confused expressions. ‘Then next to Darby is Melody Daygoniss also mated and yes, before you ask we are all willingly mated.’

  Peneria arrived back and took her seat next to her sister, Nina introduced her. ‘This is Peneria Devet who is mated to Willian Devet, and beside her is her sister Ipeara Patamogol. They are from a world called Patamoglian and now live on our world. Our Warriors are all Jenersar born. You met our Commander Jorge, he is our voice of reason on this trip.’

  The three females looked around them at the enormous males and then at the soft eyed Jorge, hesitantly they smiled at them all. When Darby and the others looked at Nina, wondering why she had told them so much.

  She explained. ‘You heard, they probably were told we had been forced into marriage.’

  Peneria snorted and said in English. ‘Like that would happen, seriously what man would risk his life for that?’

  ‘Stupid ones.’ Jorge murmured from behind her in Coalition.

  Karen asked. ‘Okay, that makes sense. Were you told that?’

  All three nodded and Darby said sharply to make sure they understood. ‘There was no coercion, we are free to choose our mates.’

  ‘Okay.’ The taller one said as she eyed the fierce Darby. ‘I am Sonia Martin.’

  She wore her hair shoulder length and there was no other way to describe it but straw colored. She was too thin, Melody thought for her six foot tall frame. Sonia pointed to her sister beside her, who also had shoulder length hair, although her coloring was more auburn than yellow. ‘This is Abigail or Abby.’ Abby smiled as Sonia said. ‘And our sister Christine or Chris.’ The youngest sister had red and gold blonde hair, cut into a bob style. It suited her face which was at the moment drawn, as though she had been ill. She waved her hand in a half-hearted manner.

  SIXTY:

  It was obvious the sisters had been here before or knew enough to surmise how everything worked. Within seconds of their food arriving, they were digging into the delicious dishes. In between bites they told their story of what happened to them after they had been taken from Earth.

  Sonia told them they were taken to a planet with very little land mass and enormous green oceans. The planet’s population were gentle people who had gills and webbed hands and feet. Their civilization lived primarily beneath the surface of the water and could only remain on land for short periods of time. The females were expected to undergo surgery to become breeders. The sisters soon after arriving indicated that they had no interest or desire in becoming breeders or altering their bodies to accommodate the fish people. It seemed they were not the only ones who resisted the idea. After several luneras of negotiations, the Ambassador for the planet realized the females would not change their stance on the surgery or living beneath the oceans. Eventually they were deemed unacceptable to the world’s inhabitants, so a few days later they were escorted off the planet.

  Reading between the lines, Melody concluded that the sisters and other females had put up too much resistance. She knew there were always females who would undergo the transformation and had to assume the inhabitants of that world knew the same.

  Sonia finally ended her tale with. ‘They had us loaded onto a transporter, forty out of the fifty of us who had been sent there left. The other ten decided to undergo the procedures and when we said our goodbyes, they seemed happy and were looking forward to the experience.’

  Darby asked. ‘Do you remember their names and the name of the planet?’

  Chris stopped eating, exhaustion shadowing her face as she answered. ‘I do, I have a drive with all the information of the planet and women.’

  ‘Okay, can I have that later?’

  ‘Sure, why?’

  ‘I am looking for as many of the women sent out here to make sure they want to be where they are. Also, I am compiling a list of planets that received women. To make sure they are not holding them against their will.’

  ‘Oh, okay, can we help with that?’

  ‘Definitely.’

  Sonia told them the rest or part of the rest of their story, from the water planet they all were sent to a pleasure planet. Obviously they were not told this or they would never have allowed themselves to be shipped there. Abby told them as it turned out it was a blessing, because when they arrived the planet was being raided by either Raiders or the Coalition, it was never revealed who was killing who. The three sisters just took advantage of the confusion by rescuing as many women as they could. A woman named Charlotte and two others overpowered the pilot of the transporter and with a blaster pointed at his head forced him to take them to a secure planet. He said he knew of a world where humans lived free, he was sure they would be willing to help some of the badly traumatized women. It turned out to be the Capital.

  Sonia had grimaced and told them the pilot and his ship disappeared not long after getting them through customs. Thankfully some women, like her and her sisters, have the basic translators. So at least they could get work and help provide for the others. They had credits they had stolen from the pleasure planet, and the two women who had helped them get here, had stolen more. They had used what they had to bribe the owner of an abandoned high-rise to allow them to occupy an apartment. All three looked at Darby and the others to see if they condemned them for the thefts. They read nothing but admiration and sympathy on all their faces.

  Sonia told them the apartment was rough but safe in the lower part of town. This was good, as some of the ninety-five women they had rescued from the pleasure planet were in a bad way. They kept them safe and fed as best they could. While others went out daily to hunt for work, not all of them were successful.

  Abby sighed as she finished her food and told them why they had approached them today.

  ‘Several days ago we heard whispers of the Star Daughter and her people arriving, and the possibility she was human was talked about. Today you were seen, and we were told where you were shopping. We followed you here to find out if you were safe and if you were, maybe you would be able to get help for some of our women.’

  Melody looked at the three and her heart bled for what they had been forced to endure. That feeling was accompanied by a healthy dose of anger, which was reflected in her voice as she asked. ‘I don’t understand there are humans here, you could not go to them for help?’

  Abby snorted her contempt along with her sisters. ‘We did, every day for a month, we even crashed a party to force their hand, but that did not work out well. We have stood outside their buildings to garner attention. Finally we were threatened, return and we would be imprisoned or worse. So we just stayed away.’

  At this revelati
on the room stilled, nothing moved, even the air seemed to hesitate as a thick cloak of emotion enveloped them all.

  Sonia whispered. ‘Do you guys feel that?’

  Karen nodded. ‘We do.’

  Abby asked. ‘What is it?’

  Jorge apologized in Coalition forgetting to speak English. ‘I am sorry that was an unfortunate reflex.’

  Karen took his hand under the table and squeezed it, letting him know she understood his anger. He returned the pressure as Melody asked to take their minds off what had happened.

  ‘Do you know who it was you visited to ask for help?’

  Again Chris said. ‘I do, I have that on a drive as well.’

  Melody grinned at her. ‘I see a pattern, may I have a copy of that please?’

  ‘Sure, no problem.’

  The three sisters eyed her carefully, sensing the underlying emotions she held tightly in check. Nina said. ‘Okay, so you need to come home with us. We have healers for your injured women.’

  Sonia asked. ‘You can do that?’

  Every one of them nodded, even Jorge. Darby said. ‘Yeah, I and Melody are sisters to the Star Daughter, so yes.’

  ‘So, she really is human?’ Abby asked, then said. ‘We heard rumors but you never know what is truth and what is lie here.’

  Nina grinned. ‘Oh we know and yes she is. So come on, finish up, then we will go get the others and get you to medical and safety.’

  Chris asked with hope in her voice. ‘We will leave this place?’

  ‘Yes and no.’ Darby said and at their deflated expressions she hurriedly amended that to. ‘We have an Embassy here, you will all stay there with us until we go home to Maikonia, which is the name of our solar system. We have Warriors to keep you safe. Also, we have mind-healers for your traumatized females.’