"Well, hello, Mr. Sonners. How are you?" Simon asked.
"Very well, Lord Montgomery. Good day." Although I was relieved when he left, I seethed with anger. I could tell my cousin felt it.
"Now, I see why you and Eliot don't like him." Simon and I ate our pastries and drank our coffees. Auria's brother returned with two small plates of bite sized sausages and two bowls of water. He placed them on the table next to us. Thunderdrop and Cass blinked at him.
"I thought your spiders might like to have something as well," Mr. Jones said.
"Thank you, Cousin Jones," Simon said loudly enough for a few customers to hear. I smiled at him. A few young ladies looked at Auria's brother with new interest. He grinned at Simon and went back behind the counter. Cass and Thunderdrop jumped to their table and enjoyed their snacks. As we were leaving, a delivery boy with a large bouquet of yellow roses, large white lilies, white tulips, and a few other small yellow flowers that were secured with a large trailing bow stopped in front of me and bowed.
"Delivery for the Lady Alaric Montgomery Lee," he said and handed the bouquet to me. Thunderdrop and Cass sniffed at the flowers with their feelers. The boy darted off back to the flower shop. Simon opened my door for me, and I sat with the flowers in my lap. He got in and drove to his parents’ house. I found a card. It read, "May these blooms return the smile to your lovely lips. Dade." I blushed in surprised shock and read the card to Simon. He thought it was hilarious.
I handed the card to Gina as soon as I saw her. Her lips puckered when she read it. "He asked me out to dinner. I reminded him that I'm married, and he seems to think I'll change my mind about it. How much of a fine will I have to pay, if I blast him?" Gina's mouth curled up at the corners.
"Unfortunately, because of who you are, Arachnean men will flirt with you, and you can't shoot them," Gina said.
"Can I tell his mother on him? I met her once with Yukihyo and Hiroshi."
"No," Simon told me. He took the flowers from me and handed them to his mother. "I have something you can shoot. Father would you accompany us to the blasting range?" Simon carried the bolt of silk made with my settings under his arm, and his eyes twinkled with excitement. Less than an hour later, Ethan and Eliot joined us. They had examined the tight weave and cut yards from the bolt to test.
"I never would have done this to Arachnean silk, but it does have practical applications," Ethan said. I went out to the transport and returned with three boxes with black bows. I handed boxes to Sherman, Ethan, and Eliot. They opened them and pulled out the shirts I had made.
"I made them in blue for my Galaxic Militia guards. I also made one for Eric. A little extra protection couldn't hurt. I think the fabric is thin enough not to show under a uniform."
"I wonder what Eric will think of this. How could the militia use this material?" Eliot mused.
"It's so simple. Why didn't we think of this?" Sherman asked Ethan. I left them and found Gina.
"Can you help me get these braids out of my hair, please? The sticky silk is stuck in my hair, and I really want to wash it."
"Let's see what we can do," she said. Gina got a comb, a towel, and some solvent. I sat at her feet in the living room while she worked at the mess my hair had become. A butler brought us coffee. I sipped mine while she worked to remove the braids. Sherman and Ethan found us.
"My lady, you seem content," Sherman said.
From behind me Gina said, "Simon should be glad he was a boy. I could do this all day. I pictured Simon as a huge muscular girl and laughed. Thunderdrop and Cass ran through the living room making a racket as their sixteen combined claws clicked against the wooden floor. Sherman and Ethan exchanged some silent communication.
Sherman said, "Teagan, Eric hopes you will return to your room at the Alaric home tonight and remain there as long as concern for your safety remains." Something about his careful tone alarmed me.
"Has something happened?" I asked. Ethan sat on a chair across from me. The paleness of his eyes frightened me.
"The Parvac Empire made a request for your return on the behalf of an Admiral Valen," Ethan said. I felt the blood drain from my face, and a cold hand clutched my heart.
"What? Why? I don't want to leave." I pushed back into Gina's legs. She continued to work on my hair as if nothing had happened.
"We won't let anyone take you from us," Ethan assured me. "Admiral Valen claims to be your uncle and next of kin. He believes caring for you is his right."
"His right? Care for me? I can take care of myself. He thinks he is my uncle? So, my mother was his sister? Is he planning to abduct me?" Sherman sat down by Ethan.
"We don't know what he is planning. The Galaxic Militia is demanding he substantiate his claims through a supervised genetic scan. The Parvac Empire demands the same of you," Sherman told me.
"Why should I need a scan? I'm not making any claims." With grim faces Simon and Eliot had returned and listened to what their fathers said. They didn't look like the news was new to them. "What difference does a scan make? All it will prove is that Admiral Valen's father kidnapped Ettie Montgomery and had children with her." I had a painful grip on my knees. Thunderdrop crawled close against me, wedged himself between my chest and knees, and wrapped himself around my throat.
"Your situation has become political. If the situation is resolved to the satisfaction of both governments, it is possible that peace talks might begin," Ethan said.
"The situation is my life!" Gina had begun combing through the ends of my hair.
"For now all Admiral Valen requests are scans and to meet you. Can you handle that?" Ethan asked.
"What happens if I refuse?"
Ethan said, "War." I put my hands over my eyes. They trembled.
“When would I have to meet him?"
"The Galaxic Militia proposes a tightly controlled meeting tomorrow at an undisclosed location."
"Tomorrow!" I began to panic, but forced my hands back around my knees.
"We did not wish to upset you by telling you about this sooner," Sherman said.
"What if I had refused?"
Sherman smiled down at me and said, "You are too brave to put others at risk for yourself."
"If I go, will you both come with me, or do I have to go alone?" I sobbed out the last. Gina sank down beside me and held me while I cried in fear. The Parvacs terrified me. The thought of being taken from my family terrified me.
"Teagan, no one can force you to leave us and go live with Admiral Valen. I don't think you fully understand," Ethan said in a calm voice.
"I understand they have powerful blasters. I got shot with one," I sniffed.
"Our government shared all of those details with Admiral Valen," Sherman said.
"You will not be forced to do anything against your will, and Sherman and I will not leave your sides. I swear it," Ethan said. Ethan, Sherman, and I seemed to sit in suspended animation. Only Gina moved and continued to carefully comb through my hair from where she had moved to sit beside me.
"I'll do whatever you think is best," I managed to say. Gina helped me up and took me off to my room in her house. She filled the huge tub. The next thing I knew, Thunderdrop perched on the edge of the tub holding on with long black legs, and I was in the water. It reached my shoulders. Gina sat on the tub’s edge and washed my hair.
"Everything will be fine. Sherman and Ethan will not allow anything to happen to you. This son of Ettie's just wants to meet you. He may be very nice."
"He's a Parvac soldier. If he's an admiral, he must be a very good one. That makes it even worse to me." I shuddered. Gina washed my hair a second time before letting me out of the tub. I dried my hair while she opened the closet. She handed me undies and a poufy pink dress. I tilted my head and looked at it. At least the short sleeves and bodice looked fitted.
"Humor me," she demanded. I put it on to please her. Gina finished drying my hair and brushed it. Then, she handed me pink sandals to slip into. Thunderdrop chittered at me. "Now, you will go bac
k to Gram, Sydney, and Auria, have dinner, and get some sleep. I will come over and do your hair for you tomorrow. Okay?"
"Okay," I said. Thunderdrop clung to the back of the poufy skirt as we returned to the living room. All conversation ceased when we returned.
"I'll send Stewart over with your things, Teagan," Simon told me. He smiled at me. "Don't worry." I smiled and nodded, but my feelings were clear to him.
That evening Auria sat by me in the living room. "Teagan, are you alright?"
"Not really. I'm scared. I need to pull myself together." Auria took my hand and just sat with me until dinner. After dinner I took a bag outside and called a few times for Gary.
"Yes, princess?" Gary asked from the darkness.
"I made you a shirt. I made one for each of you. Large shirts are in boxes with large bows."
"Thank you, princess."
"Gary, will..." my voice broke. I took a deep breath. "Will the four of you be there tomorrow?"
"Yes, ma'am. Count on it."
"What about Eric?"
"No, ma'am. This has gone over Captain Alaric's head. My men and I will be there as your private hired guards. Captain Alaric put us on leaves of absence to make it possible."
"Thank you all for that."
I turned and walked back inside. I didn't need to cry. I needed to be calm and centered. I called Yukihyo. "Lady wife, what is wrong?" I smiled at him. If I told him, he would be frustrated and angry that he was not with me, and if Eric had already told him, his eyes wouldn't be as calm as they were.
"Is it okay if we don't talk about it right now? It is nothing you can fix for me. I'm fine. I promise. You never told me if Ms. Laura liked her pillows and blanket."
"Phillip said that she adored them. She understood why you were unable to travel to Malta with us and that you had intended to give her the gifts yourself."
"Good." I admired the muscles I could see through my husband's shirt. "Husband, have you been spending time in the exercise room?" Yukihyo winked at me and flexed and arm for me. "I miss our showers together."
"Just a few more days, my lady. I have a few surprises for you as well."
"Surprises? Like what?"
"You will have to wait. Goodnight, my love." Knowing I would try to wheedle it out of him, he ended the transmission.
I changed and finished reading Chapter Three. I took the test and only missed one question. I moved onto the next chapter which covered disembarking. I had begun to understand the importance of safely maneuvering a fighter ship out of the mother ship's docking bay when I heard a knock. Thunderdrop opened his eyes from where he slept by Captain Ice Bear. It was Ethan. He opened the door and walked into my room. He wore a big robe over pajamas. "You're up late, Teagan. What are you doing?" I could tell by the lines at the corners of his eyes that he was worried, too.
"I am studying safe fighter ship disembarking procedures." I turned the vid-screen to face him.
"Where did you get this?" Rather than answering, I just grinned at him. "I hope my son does not plan to take you up in a fighter ship. I thought about how amazing and freeing it had been spinning through space with Eric. "He already has. Wait until I get my hands on that boy."
"Please don't. I think he was just trying to build me up for the news he had to give me about my lineage and about his fears for my safety. I wish Eric were here. He's really tough."
"He wants to be here, but his fleet admiral and others higher up believe the situation is too delicate for his presence. Instead he has been assigned to escort Tora to Arachne. You do not need to fear for Yukihyo, Hiroshi, or that rascal Phillip." Ethan took the vid-screen from me and powered it down. He put it on the stand. "Did you brush your teeth?"
"Uh, yes sir...."
"Very good." Ethan put the blankets up under my chin. "It is time for you to go to sleep. If you do, you will have a special breakfast tomorrow." Ethan winked and patted my head. Then, he turned off my light, walked out, and closed the door. Thunderdrop moved to my pillow and tugged at my hair with his claws until I fell asleep.
Chapter Six
I dreamt that I was locked in an empty room. Yukihyo called to me from outside of it, but I couldn't hear what he said. The code to unlock the door appeared in my hand, written on a slip of Felicia's paper, but every time I tried to enter it, I messed up. I tried over and over and couldn't enter the code. I woke up. I laid there. I didn't want to risk going back to sleep and having another dream. Carefully, I got up, so as not to wake Thunderdrop, and went to use the waste unit. I came back and picked up my vid-screen, finished the chapter, and passed the test. By the time the sky had begun to lighten, Thunderdrop woke up and stalked off to the waste unit. I waited for him to finish. Then, I washed my face and put on pants and a shirt. I took my vid-screen down with me and snuck into the kitchen where I got a cup of coffee.
I made myself comfortable in the quiet living room. Chapter Five contained vast quantities of information concerning pre-propulsion and the control panel. I remembered the screen in front of the pilot's chair and all of the different lights I had seen. Immersed in life support systems, I did not notice Gram until she sat on the couch and pulled my feet into her lap. "My goodness, what has all of your attention this morning?"
Excited, I answered her without thinking first. "I'm learning about the life support system controls on a fighter ship, and I just finished reading about their shields." Gram's expression could only be interpreted as disapproving.
"You sure did impress the boys yesterday."
"How?"
"Their minds are occupied with ways to profit from the material you turned out."
"I'm glad I didn't ruin the silk. I just wanted to make something Yukihyo could use, and I got lucky." We heard someone whistling his way down the stairs. At least I had been too involved with my own feelings to notice Eliot's.
The six of us had breakfast together in the sunroom. As promised we had pancakes, eggs, sausage, and small fried potatoes. Then, Galaxic Militia guards began to place themselves around the house. A few men and women in full dress uniform appeared. Sydney and Gram entertained them in the sitting room. Ethan insisted that I go in to meet them. I wanted to slink away through the forest, climb a tree, and hide in a spider's rainy season web. Ethan wouldn't let me. My hands began to sweat. Ethan handed me a silk square. The officers stood when we entered. I clasped my hands in front of my chest in surprise. "Oh, my goodness! I know who you are! I've read all about you! I can't believe you're here," I said blushing. My hero stood in our sitting room. I gave her a deep curtsey. Captain Espanoza stood in front of us. I couldn't believe it. The officers with her chuckled.
"Well, Captain, it seems you have a fan here," one of the men said.
"I am honored, Lady Alaric Montgomery Lee," Captain Espanoza said as she bowed to me. "I know this must be difficult for you. However, in agreeing to meet peacefully with the Parvacian Admiral Valen, you are helping to prevent unnecessary bloodshed." I frowned at her.
"That's the only reason I agreed to go. I will try to behave peacefully, but I'm not too pleased with this Admiral Valen insisting on meeting me. I'm hoping not to get shot in the back this time or forced to leave my family." My hand had found its way around Ethan's arm, and I forced my fingers to loosen a bit.
One of the officers, who had silver hair and a stern demeanor, said, "No one will be able to take you anywhere. I have overseen every aspect of the security for this meeting. Let's sit down and discuss what you can expect today." I looked up at Ethan, who nodded to me. We listened to the planned agenda. Gina and Sherman were admitted to the sitting room by Galaxic Militia soldiers.
Gina strolled into the room, nodded to those present, extended her hand to me, and said, "Come with me, Teagan. It's time for you to get dressed." Obediently, I followed Gina up to the safety of my room. Thunderdrop jumped from the drapes to my shoulder on our way to the lift. The Galaxic officials wanted us to leave in an hour. "How do you want to wear your hair?"
"Can you pu
t it up in one of those braided buns?"
"Are you sure? It's so pretty down."
"I don't want to risk being yanked back by my hair, like on Malta." Gina froze.
"You won't be attacked, Teagan. You will be surrounded by guards."
"So will he, but unlike me, he knows how to fight. I'm already at a disadvantage." Gina put my hair up. Gram and Sydney came to help me pick out a pretty dress to wear. They pulled out soft blue, pink, and yellow dresses to show me. I went into the closet and pulled out the black silk dress that Simon had given me. I put it on along with my black boots. Then, I added Eliot's black pearl necklace and ring.
"You look very regal, Teagan," Sydney said. I opened a drawer and took out a box. I fastened the braided belt around my waist and checked my blaster before putting it in the holster. The ladies were agape.
"I know. It's brown and doesn't match, but it will have to do on such short notice." Thunderdrop hopped up onto my shoulder from the bed. I checked my appearance in the mirror and felt a cold calm wash over me as my spider and I went down in the lift alone. "I'm ready," I said as I entered the sitting room. No one said anything about my blaster.
Captain Espanoza, Ethan, Sherman, and I were seated together in a black Galaxic Militia transport. Soldiers were in transports both in front of and behind us. The other officials were in transports with more soldiers. I ignored my panic as the driver pulled us away from the Alaric estate. I shoved all of my panic and fear into a black box, slammed down the lid, and shoved it far off into the darkest place in my mind. We did not speak on the way to the location. The transports all drove into a parking garage under a large government building. They had decided that I would arrive first. We stayed inside of the transport while security details checked the building. Then, a door opened and Captain Espanoza got out. I was supposed to get out last, so I waited. Guards surrounded us and escorted us to a lift. Thunderdrop gave me a soft chirp and rubbed a feeler against my cheek. I rubbed his leg in return. I refused to allow myself to think. The lift opened to an expensively decorated floor reserved for meetings between dignitaries and government officials. I followed Captain Espanoza past a sea of Galaxic Militia uniforms into a private inner office devoid of windows. Captain Espanoza pulled out a chair for me and motioned for me to sit. Ethan and Sherman sat to either side of me. I took a deep breath. Thunderdrop chirped softly in my ear. I stared at the large black pearl ring surrounded by diamonds on my finger and thought about all of the spiders on my land. I raised my chin. I would not allow this Parvacian to intimidate me. Captain Espanoza stood erect behind me with her hands behind her back. Two Parvac soldiers entered the room. My heart began to beat harder. One held a scanner. He said, "The lady is armed." I looked him in the eye and stood.
The Space Merchants of Arachne Page 8