by L H Whitlock
Hilians hustled around in a sea of blue jumpsuits as they raced from ship to ship checking items off on their RABs.
Ulrick grinned as Lily leapt off her chair and raced out the door, not waiting for him to complete the landing. He turned to Gloria. “Go catch up to her. I will be there in a minute.” Gloria rushed to join Lily.
A young Hilian raced up to Ulrick as he exited the ship. The boy’s Kenslieg were just starting to develop, they marked his forearm in murky gray blotches. The markings appeared when a Hilian reached twenty five cycles and grew with age and power. He had never seen any Kensliegs that covered more area or were as thick as his - then again there weren’t many as old as him left.
“Ulrick! So good to see you. You will be happy to hear we are making progress.”
Ulrick looked over the data on the holo-tablet the young warrior had handed him. “Eight thousand ships. Well, it is a start. I will adjust the battle plans once I meet with the Developers.”
“Should I summon the Coordinator?”
“Yes. Have him meet us at Yu-90.”
A shout brought Ulrick’s attention away from the data screen. Lily was a few ships away trying to convince a Hilian tech to allow her to look inside one of the battleships. He found himself grinning. The Developers were very choosy with whom they released technological breakthroughs with, and his troops were the only ones with these advanced warships. Each could TIP, had an elaborate automatic weapon system, and a highly advanced shield. Beyond Lily a ship’s black exterior faded into an exact image of its background. Lily momentarily stopped her tantrum to give the ship a double-take, then her grin spread wider.
Lily stamped her foot and threw her arms out to her sides. “Come on! Let me in. There will be consequences if you don’t, I’m telling you.” The young Hilian stood wide-eyed and speechless, his body tilting away from Lily’s verbal assault.
Ulrick recognized the pleasantly round, red-haired Hilian as Bru, a deceased comrade’s son. “Bru, it is all right. Let her look,” Ulrick instructed as he made his way across the landing bay to join them. He searched for Gloria and found her shamelessly flirting with a group of young Hilians. Ulrick glared at them. The men crossed an arm over their chest in salute, obviously understanding his threat.
“Bru, meet my Ja’ Keo Gruna.”
Bru’s mouth dropped open, his eyes locking onto Lily’s Kenslieg for a moment. She fidgeted under his scrutiny.
Bru tore his gaze away from her arm. “Lord Ulrick! This is fantastic! My lady, I am so sorry for not allowing you access to the ship, please accept my apologies,” he said, scratching the side of his head sheepishly.
Ulrick grinned at Bru. “Thank you. May we take a look around?”
Bru nodded rapidly and waved his hand, ushering the couple inside.
***
Lily made sure Ulrick saw her glare. Who the hell does he think he is? He cannot introduce me as his anything until I say so. She stepped into the warship. The seamless, polished pewter walls and assortment of automated weapons immediately improved her mood. A control table holding a tablet sat in the center and bucket seats lined the sides of the room. Up front was the pilot’s seat; a throne that would make Alberta drool.
“The entire ship is controlled using the holo-tablet and voice controls,” Ulrick said, following her into the ship.
Bru, who was walking up the stairs, began explaining the ships features. “Wait until you see the adaptations we have made to the weapon system. The entire ship has been wired with motion control. When under attack it will automatically lock onto the oncoming threat, then continue to track, no more manual controls needed—“
Lily kicked the door closed before the overly excited Bru could follow them inside. Holy shit he has a lot of energy.
“What the hell mister?” She spun around to face Ulrick, her hands balled at her side.
Ulrick answered with an amused grin.
Damn him! In an effort to get the man to listen, she pushed him against the wall, her face closer to his then she anticipated. “You can’t introduce me as your Ja’ Keo Gruna, or whatever it is. I have not agreed to be your anything. I only agreed to come here because I was curious.” Lily was determined to win the face-off, but she could feel the tingling of her markings dancing heatedly over her arms, mocking her attempts.
Ulrick’s brow dropped, the only sign on his hardened face that he was upset by her reaction. “I did not mean to offend. It certainly would be terrible to be matched to me,” he snapped.
Lily took a step back. “How dare you! You can’t just walk around and point a finger claiming whomever you want.”
Ulrick took a quick step forward and Lily flinched away. Ulrick reached out and grasped her hand in his, brought it up to his mouth and placed a single kiss on the top. “I did not intend for it to seem like that.” He rubbed his hands over his face, hiding his expression from her. “You are the only one for me. I could not choose another. I hope you can recognize me as yours, and for my sake, I hope it is soon.” His face dropped for a moment, though he recovered himself so quickly that Lily couldn’t be sure if it was defeat that she had seen in his midnight eyes.
Lily didn’t know what to say. His kiss still burned on her hand, making it hard to think. She watched one of the bold bands on his arm hook with another. They didn’t dance about excitedly as they had when he wrapped his arms around her, but twisted to a sad sonata. Her chest ached. Why should I feel guilty? It is his own damn fault. Maybe he should have picked someone better, someone who was more like him. I spent my entire life trying not to be Hilian, how am I supposed to know what is normal for them? How does one exactly feel when they find this ‘match’ or whatever it’s supposed to be? How did you know? Damn he’s a good kisser. Maybe I could just give it a chance. No harm in a little kiss. Hell, no harm in a little touching either.
She rubbed her arm, distracting herself as her thoughts turned on her. A few weeks ago she had only known him from the horror stories her caretakers had told her; only knew him from the footage of him destroying everything in his path. Now, she discovered that everything he did was to protect the Hilians and to build an army that could defeat Golan. It was essentially the same thing the Renegade was trying to do. The difference was that Ulrick worked with Golan in order to maintain the ability to build an army.
“How exactly do you know I am your match?” The last word came out in a squeak as her bravery abandoned her.
Ulrick took her question as an invitation to convince her by other means. He pulled her to him, claiming her mouth with his. It was crushing, consuming, demanding, and a little desperate. Lily melted into his arms, her lips locked with his in a struggle to show each other how they really felt.
A light tapping at the door pulled both Ulrick and Lily back into reality.
A low warning rumbled in Ulrick’s throat.
Lily, still breathless from their engagement, smoothed a hand over his chest.
“What?” he demanded.
“Uh…Master Ulrick. The Coordinator said he would join you for lunch.”
“Good.” Ulrick’s attention never left Lily, and when the man on the other side of the door did not respond, he picked up where he left off. He backed Lily up into the control station. She leaned back, knocking the control tablet onto the ground. It landed with a loud crash and skidded across the ground.
“Um…Master Ulrick…he will be there in five minutes,” Bru announced.
“We will be there.” Ulrick lifted Lily onto the control table, locking his lips once again with her’s. Her body wouldn’t allow her to do anything other than lean against him and groan against his mouth.
Another knock came from the door. Ulrick growled, pulled away from her, and slammed his finger against the open button. The door slid open revealing Bru and a cluster of Hilian techs and warriors.
“Is there something I can help you gentlemen with?” Ulrick hissed.
Lily, who had never considered herself bashful, thought she was going
to die as the men leaned in to get a glimpse of her. She shifted her arm behind her back, hiding the fiery dance of her markings.
“No… Master Ulrick. Sorry to intrude. We uh, were just passing by,” a man with dull gray hair and a matching royal blue jumpsuit said.
“All of you just happened to be passing by?” Ulrick asked impatiently.
“Please accept our apology, the men are just curious. A rumor is going around that the small blonde one is your Ja’ Keo Gruna,” the gray haired man defended.
“Oh gee, I wonder how that started,” Lily said, stepping up next to Ulrick and glaring at Bru. Gasps sounded from a few of the men. Lily glared at them as well. Self-consciously she tilted her body so her right arm, and its markings, was hidden behind Ulrick. What if Ulrick’s people don’t think I’m good enough for him? They seem to admire and respect him. Who the hell are they to think I am not good enough to be his mate? They don’t know anything!
She looked across the landing bay. “Where is Gloria?”
“My lady, she is awaiting you at the restaurant,” Bru answered.
“Oh crap, they let her out alone?” Lily grinned as an idea hit her. If she was going to be embarrassed, then so was Ulrick. “Come on handsome.” She slapped Ulrick on his backside before hopping down the steps. The men cleared a path, their jaws hanging open.
Ulrick’s laughter seemed to boom throughout the dock. Hilians working around the room stopped to look at the laughing general. They exchanged smiles, delighted that their leader had finally found his Ja’ Keo Gruna.
33
Lily and Ulrick walked past the tables in Yu-90, a restaurant on the 90th floor of the Y-U building. Each sitting arrangement consisted of a thin, white, floating slab with four matching floating stools. Privacy bubbles surrounded each table, making the room eerily silent. Lily walked past a man and woman engaging in a heated argument, their markings dancing in a compelling rhythm.
She paused to look out the wall of glass and down upon the staggering towers of the metal city. While there were plenty of buildings taller than the one she was in, many were about fifteen stories shorter. Each varied in design, some looked as though they were made of one gigantic slab of metal and others had gears fitted over the sides, some of which appeared to be functional and others purely for decoration. The top of one of the buildings slid open, revealing a garden atop the massive structure. A woman and man harvested the yellowing leaves, seemingly happy with their dying bounty.
A vine’s curve caught her eye as it climbed the building, yellow flowers sprouted from its leaves, coloring the dull metal. It shimmered. An illusion. She wondered if the gardens were a mockery as well.
She spotted the Coordinator at a table in the far end of the room, or, she assumed it was the Developer, as he was the only cyborg in the room. From what she could tell he was heavily enhanced. Half of his face was covered in wrinkly patches of flesh, the other with sleek metal. When the red glow of his mechanical eye fixed on her, a chill ran down her spine. Thin peppered hair hung in clumps on the fleshy side of his skull, falling almost to his waist. One of his arms was covered with skin, the other was completely robotic. He wore an ill-fitted black suit, the sleeves ending at his elbows and his pants ended a little too high, showing off bare, robotic ankles. His bony, metal fingers wrapped around the handle of a porcelain tea cup. She couldn’t help but wonder what a robot would drink.
She knew from her studies that the Developers were originally organic but their love of technology, knowledge, and their irresistible longing for everlasting life; eventually drove them to turn their bodies into machines. They replaced their decaying organs and bones until all that was left was a robotic core. She also knew from her studies that they didn’t care for anything other than technology and information. They only procreated when the race dipped below a certain number. Instead of developing a relationship and having children through intercourse, they had a procreation bank filled with eggs and semen that they mixed together and grew in test tubes. Lily looked across the room and saw that Gloria arrived before them and had just sat down with the Coordinator. The privacy bubble had not yet been activated and she could hear their conversation.
***
“Hey, I’m Gloria,” she said, holding out her hand to the Coordinator.
The cyborg stared at her extended hand, seeming to study the filed, multi-colored points. “And?” His voice was flat as he ignored her outstretched hand.
“I’m meeting with you, Ulrick, and Lily.” Gloria pulled out her favorite teal lipstick, dabbed at the edges of her lips, and rubbed them together.
The Coordinator put down his teacup, placed his elbows on the table, and touched the tips of his fingers together. “And who is Lily? How does she know Ulrick?”
Gloria crossed her arms over her chest. “Lily’s with the Renegade. Ulrick’s trying to get them on board for your attack.” She paused as the Developer processed the information. “Oh!” She exclaimed with refreshed excitement. “Lily is Ulrick’s Je’ Ken Gruna.”
Damn, Lily thought, why does everyone insist on introducing me as that?
“Ah, his Ja’ Keo Gruna. I heard he located her. I must remember to send my compliments.” The Coordinator stood abruptly, seeming to have just noticed the approaching couple. Gloria smiled at Ulrick and Lily as they stepped up to the table. Lily knew, with frustration, that their markings danced in perfect synchronicity.
“Ulrick.” The Coordinator nodded.
Ulrick did the same. “Voen. It is a pleasure. This is Lily. She is a commander with the Renegade. Lily, Voen has been helping us plan for our attack against Golan.”
Voen smiled. “My Lady.”
Lily nodded and took a seat next to Gloria, feeling slightly awkward for having overheard their conversation.
“What is wrong with you?” Lily asked, raising her brow at Gloria.
“You guys look so cool together! Your markings are so pretty.”
Lily’s cheeks flushed, “Um…thanks.”
“Ladies, if we may begin our discussion,” Voen said, his voice sweet, imitating politeness.
“Of course,” Lily replied, taking a cup of tea from the waiter. She took a sip, her eyes widening as the sour liquid forced its way down her throat. She exchanged a quick glance with Gloria, who stuck out her tongue and pushed away her tea cup.
“The perfect time to attack will be in fourteen rotations, or in two weeks, if you prefer.” Voen’s voice was a single flat note.
“That doesn’t leave much time.” Ulrick picked up the ornate teacup and drank the sour liquid in one gulp. A waitress glided by and refilled the cups of tea. Its chrome, pillar body gleamed and red lights pulsed down its length. The only thing breaking up the sleek surface was two thin arm-like appendages.
“Wow, we need a Rebi-maid like that,” Gloria exclaimed. “How does it even see, it’s just like a long stick with two arms.”
Lily looked at Ulrick for an explanation.
“We really don’t have time for this,” Voen sighed.
“It is similar to a Rebi-maid. We call it a Dai-din. They are used for service, like this one, or for clean-up. The ones on my ship are a similar model but are called bin-dai’s. They are more easily transported,” Ulrick explained. If he was irritated by the question he didn’t show it, and his patience made Lily’s heart flutter.
“Oh,” Gloria said, her voice trailing.
“Why is the perfect time to attack in fourteen rotations?” Lily asked.
“Golan has scheduled six Harvests during that time. Most of his troops will be away. The Generals will also be away from Golan’s base as they are the only ones who have access to the weaponry to perform the Harvest. This will be as thinly protected as Golan has been in almost fifty cycles, or years, if you prefer.”
“I know common space terminology.” Trying to hide her frustration, Lily took a long sip of the sour tea. Her eye twitched, ruining her neutral look.
“Voen, Lily is a Renegade commander. She has
been on the battlefield for a long time.”
“Of course. My apologies,” Voen said, his flat voice holding no hint of embarrassment or remorse.
Lily didn’t respond. It was taking all of her energy to not ask the questions she really wanted to ask. What the hell were they thinking giving Golan that technology? Why would they even make that sort of technology? Ulrick had demanded that she not bring this up with the Developers as it caused them a “Great deal of embarrassment.” She rolled her eyes. Damn straight they should be embarrassed.
A Dai-din whizzed by with plates of food, placing one in front of each person. Lily gazed at the purple cake; it was one of her favorites: hogettan. She bit into the moist, cream filled cake, nearly forgetting that she was in the middle of an important meeting.
“We plan on attacking from all angles, with the Hilian army leading the troops from the alliance. If the Renegade joins our struggle we can finally have sufficient strength to successfully complete this mission. Do you think Rowan would join us?” Voen asked; his eyes seemed to burn right through Lily.
“I don’t know about Rowan, he does not trust me right now. We had a spy.”
“Golan is very tricky. I am sure he has many more throughout Rowan’s troops. Golan is currently trying to locate your base, but is having trouble, as he is unable to communicate with his spies when they are on base.” Ulrick wiped a dollop of cream off his mouth with his thumb then licked it off. His simple motion caused a flutter in Lily’s stomach.
“What! Another spy? Who?” Gloria’s eyes glistened.
“We will figure it out.” Lily softly encouraged the golden-haired woman.
Ulrick pushed his plate across the table offering half his cake to Lily.
Lily accepted gleefully. “All right. I will call Rowan and get an invitation to Base. I am sure he will want to do a virtual conference first.” Lily swirled a curved spoon into the cooling sour tea.