The Space Merchants of Arachne

by Wendie Nordgren

  “I think this is the most time we’ve spent alone together since we went camping.”

  “I enjoy having my beautiful wife to myself.”

  As soon as Yukihyo parked, an attendant came for our transport. Neema and Thunderdrop were ready for naps. Rolf and Otto had set out drinks and appetizers on the patio for us. “I will stand guard over the little princess,” Otto said.

  I thanked him and went outside to enjoy the pink and deepening orange horizon.

  Rolf bowed to me and said, “Your highness, Ambassador Stine wishes an audience.”

  “Oh, good! Please, invite him in. Is it okay to sit out here, or should we go inside?”

  “This is satisfactory, your highness.”

  “Thank you, Rolf.” He bowed, turned, and left returning moments later with Stine. Stine bowed to me, and I curtsied to him. “It’s nice to see you, sir. Please, have a seat.” Rolf poured him some chilled juice and offered him snacks. “Are you enjoying Parvac?” Yukihyo chuckled. I gave him a questioning look. He smiled and looked off toward the lake.

  “Princess Teagan, I find Parvac to be a breathtaking planet. I enjoy the sky, mountains, and lakes. It is almost as beautiful as Arachne.” I nodded.

  “The air is what I miss. Well, that and my family.”

  Stine’s hair took on a faint pink hue as the sun began to set. “Princess, I fear I must broach a sensitive subject with you. The subject has the potential to become particularly volatile or permanently stabilizing.”

  “Then, shouldn’t you speak to Emperor Probus? I’m not sure that there is anything I can do.”

  “On the contrary, the matter is entirely at your discretion.” Stine took note of my baffled expression and continued. “You are aware of the two ruling consuls of the Laconian Sector?” I told him I had heard of them. “The Laconian Sector joined the Galaxic Government centuries ago to gain protection from hostile invading forces.”

  “That would be the Parvacs,” I thought. Yukihyo grunted.

  “One of the Consuls wishes to form an alliance with Emperor Probus through the marriage of one of his sons to his daughter.”

  My heart pounded, and I took deep breaths to calm myself. I slammed my hand onto the table. “No! You must be joking. That is ridiculous. I was already happily married when Papa wanted me to choose a Parvac husband. I married Nico. You’re from home. You know we don’t do this kind of thing. Kane’s my cousin. Get him to marry one of the man’s daughters.” Yukihyo stood and put his hands on my shoulders to calm me. He chuckled. “What?” I asked in a vehement tone.

  “Princess, I beg you not to refuse the offer without consideration. All I ask, for the sake of peace, is that you allow the Consul’s son to court you. Just accept his gifts and smile at him occasionally.”

  “Does my father know about this?” I asked angrily.

  Stine raised an eyebrow. “Yes, Princess. The Consul contacted your father directly.”

  “When?”

  “A few days ago.”

  “Why are you the one telling me about it?”

  “Your Papa feared your reaction and decided to first send in the infantry,” Papa said.

  I scowled at him. “Why didn’t you say no? I thought you already had my next husband picked out,” I said icily.

  Papa pursed his lips together and poured himself some juice. “Knowing how much you wish to freely visit Arachne with your children, I thought it wise to be cautious. Believe me. I would gladly refuse the courtship. Nothing would please me more than to keep you here with me, but I can’t bear your sadness. A union with Laconia would give you the freedom of all of our galaxies.” Yukihyo had started rubbing my shoulders.

  “It wouldn’t be such a terrible thing. The Consul’s son is even familiar to you. He serves under Captain Alaric.” I stabbed Stine with my gaze. “He is the second son of Consul Bosh of Epopeus. Consul Bosh’s eldest son already has an established family.”

  “Bosh? Bosh? As in Commander Bosh of the Hadrian?”

  Stine looked relieved. “Yes, Princess. See? He isn’t a poor choice. Captain Alaric’s evaluations of him are always exemplary.”

  “Bosh? That piece of shit asshole. I’ll kill him. I’ll take my blaster and kill him. What an asshole. I should have tossed that coffee on his crotch. That’s why the asshole bought me the coffee. He knew his father was speaking to mine.”

  Stine’s face showed his complete and utter shock. I scrunched up my forehead, took a deep breath, and said, “Please, forgive me for my bad language.”

  Papa started laughing. He bent over with it and wiped at his eyes. I crossed my arms over my leaking breasts and scowled at him. I stomped inside, through my sitting room, down the long hallway, and into my room. I cleaned myself off and changed. I returned to Yukihyo where he sat on a couch. Stine looked as though he had been served cocooned rat for dinner. Papa came toward me arms outstretched. I scowled at him, but allowed him to hug me to himself.

  “Darling, I laugh not at the situation. You look like your mother but have my temper. I love you more than I can describe in words.”

  “So, I’m not in trouble for my language?”

  “Of course, you are.” Papa kissed my forehead. “Now, are you calm enough to sit and demonstrate your manners for Ambassador Stine?”

  I frowned and sat. I whispered to Yukihyo, “Where is my blaster?”

  “It is in the bottom left drawer of your vanity on Tora.” I rested my head in my hands.

  “It is excellent that you have taken over your duties on our world. Perhaps you can assist us in avoiding an incident.”

  Nico entered my wing, and I smiled and ran to him. “Nico! May I please borrow some of your weapons?” I gave him bunches of little kisses.

  “You may have anything your heart desires.”

  “May I borrow your blaster cannon?”

  “Don’t listen to her, Nico. She is in a foul temper,” Papa said. Nico glanced around the room and had the situation apprised in seconds. He took my hands and kissed each one.

  “Why put him out of his misery? You want Eric to visit. If you stipulated that Commander Bosh be chaperoned by Captain Alaric, you could take Eric on a tour of the empire and keep the Laconian Consul satisfied.”

  I thought about it. “Husband, you are very smart.” Nico’s eyes twinkled down into mine and made me feel fragile with him.

  “What about the Hadrian’s crew?”

  “Perhaps they would enjoy some shore leave? Perhaps it is time Parvac made an open gesture of peace. If the Hadrian were to follow Kane’s ship, you would spend even less time with Commander Bosh,” Nico said.

  Papa addressed Stine. “Please, extend my formal invitation to the Hadrian to dock on Parvac. I will speak to Consul Bosh and extend to him my daughter’s invitation to both his son and Captain Alaric to enjoy her hospitality.”

  “Thank you, Emperor Probus.” He wiped sweat from his brow, bowed, and departed. Thunderdrop climbed to my shoulder and sent me an image of Neema waking up.

  “What’s that? Our baby is waking up? Well, aren’t you a good boy to come and tell me that?”

  “Chirp!” I rubbed Thunderdrop’s leg joints. I walked to my room and daughter.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  During my morning calls, I spoke to Mary. Rather than visiting Parvac, she and Paul would be remaining on a Galaxic Militia base. Their twins were due soon and traveling into Parvac space would be too stressful for her. She said everything was too difficult for her. Mary and Paul were expecting sons.

  I shared her news with grandmother and Aunt Seyla. We went on a baby shopping spree for Mary. Yukihyo stored our purchases in our warehouse for easy delivery to the Hadrian. Along with baby furniture, clothes, and blankets, we had included a mommy friendly new wardrobe for Mary.

  In other news, Hiroshi appeared happier than I had ever seen him. He was madly in love with Ling. “I plan to remain on Arachne for the time being and enjoy time with my beautiful and intelligent wife. In any case, I must
wait for my crew to return.”

  Yukihyo said, “Please allow me to call you from our new warehouse blocks away from the land port. You will find that your crew has continued to work. Tora’s return to Parvac will result in a full cargo bay.” Hiroshi gave us a satisfied grunt.

  “See there, boss. Just because we’re on vacation with the little missus doesn’t mean we’re slacking off,” Phillip said.

  “Expect our call in a few minutes,” Yukihyo said.

  “We’ll be back in a little while, Cupcake.” Their steps echoed as they left my wing.

  I put Neema down for a nap. I felt strong arms slide around my waist and a kiss being placed against my neck. “I would very much like to make love to my wife.”

  I turned in his arms and gazed up at his face. “Nico, now that we’re alone, I need to tell you that I’m sorry. It’s been pointed out to me that I’m shutting you out, and I don’t mean to. It’s hard for me to trust. Had Yukihyo not been able to bond with me, I might not have been able to fall in love with him.” Nico ended my words with a passionate kiss and carried me to my bed. His kisses traveled down my body. I moaned and clutched at his hair. I tried to stay quiet and not wake Neema. I whispered, “Nico, please!” He traveled back up my body and filled me with himself. Setting a fast deep rhythm, he captured my cries of pleasure with his mouth. I trapped his legs with my own and lifted up to him with my release. Once he had reached his own, we laid panting in each other’s arms.

  “Teagan, I love you more than anyone or anything. I love you enough for the both of us. I know why it is hard for you to trust and what you endured on Earth. I will protect and cherish you all of my life. I would destroy worlds to keep you safe.”

  I moved my hands over his chest muscles as I looked into his dark eyes. “I don’t want worlds destroyed, but I do want us all to be happy and safe.”

  “When you are unhappy, tell me. If you feel unsafe, tell me. I will make everything right for you.” He looked into my eyes with sincere conviction, and knowing he meant it made me cry. I hugged his neck. Nico kissed me and made love to me again. Nico didn’t have a way with words. He struggled to express his feelings, but I learned that day to listen to his eyes with my heart. We were enjoying a bubble bath when Yukihyo and Phillip returned. After getting dry and dressed, we found them in the sitting room with their vid-screens.

  “Well, Cupcake, the Captain is pleased with the warehouse.”

  “How could he not be?”

  I felt badly about Phillip. He and Nico had exchanged heated words on a few occasions because of me. I knew Phillip had my best interests in mind. Therefore and to make him happy, I cut back to two cups of coffee a day, prevented yummy treats from making their way onto my plates, and forced myself to have some fruit with my breakfast. He noticed my behavior, and I could tell it pleased him. However, I could tell he was lonely and bored. That evening I brought up the subject to Yukihyo.

  “Yukihyo, what should we do about Phillip?”

  “Nothing. The Hadrian’s arrival will have plenty of female crew members along to stimulate Phillip’s interests.”

  When the Hadrian did arrive, Papa insisted that I accompany him to greet our guests. Yukihyo, Nico, Thunderdrop, Neema, and I rode with him. Phillip rode with Stine. They would drive back to the Palace with Eric and Bosh. Papa gave the Hadrian an official welcome and encouraged Eric to allow his crew to explore. Eric placed his crew on shore leave rotation. Those who wanted off the ship to have a look could do so. Most did because of the monumental historical event that it was. For the first time in history, Galaxic soldiers had been invited not only to set foot on Parvac, but also to enjoy her hospitality. Papa had insisted Neema and I dress like princesses. His cultural liaisons were filming the event. “I’m still mad at Commander Bosh,” I scowled as I waited for the transport door to be opened. Stine was first to greet the Hadrian, and we were to formally welcome them afterwards.

  Papa smiled and said, “We all know that darling. Please, smile and be sweet. This is an occasion of significant merit and is being recorded for posterity.” I put a sweet expression on my face. “Perfect.”

  The men wore their finery from the ball. Yukihyo’s wedding band and pin sparkled. My smile was genuine when I looked at him. When Eric bowed to me, I curtsied to him with Neema in my arms. Then, I ruined what I had been told to do when I gave him a one armed hug. Smiling up at him, I stood on my toes, kissed his cheek, and laughed. Eric rewarded me with a dimpled grin. Neema wanted him, so I placed her in his arms. I curtsied to Commander Bosh and smiled sweetly. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on him, and not in the way he hoped. After Papa made a speech of welcome, we drove back to the Palace.

  “You did very well. Allowing Captain Alaric to hold the princess will captivate everyone who views the footage. It will be viewed as a display of implicit trust.”

  “Well, he is family, and Neema wanted him.”

  “Most people won’t know that. You make me proud by being yourself.”

  “What?” I felt a chunk of wall crumble away from my heart. Yukihyo froze.

  “Chirp! Chirp!”

  “What?” Papa asked. He saw my expression. “I like you the most when you are doing whatever feels right to you. The first time I knew I liked who you are was at the peace talks when you walked with Lady Emma Alaric across the crowded room to your grandmother. Those feelings of mine were most recently renewed when you threw that profane fit the other night.” I reached down and held my Papa’s hand for the remainder of the drive. I knew Papa loved me, but for him to say he liked me as a person had much more meaning to me. I couldn’t recall anytime of ever having heard anyone say such a thing to me. I wished I could be alone with Neema on our pleasure barge to think, but our driver stopped.

  We showed Eric and Commander Bosh to my wing. “Mother would be impressed with your wing of the palace. It’s all white and gold with pink and orange light coming through the windows.”

  “You’re right. I walked around with my vid-screen so she could see it. What I like about it best is that these were my mother’s rooms. She once walked on these floors.” I gave Bosh the room across from Kaoti’s all the way by the sitting room and farthest from my suite. I gave Eric the room between Kaoti’s and Hiroshi’s.

  Rolf and Otto placed drinks and snacks on the patio dining table. “This is a beautiful view,” Eric said as he gazed out over the lake and mountains.

  “If you want, we can float around the lake. You can even do some fishing.”

  “That sounds like fun.”

  “Is that okay with you, Commander Bosh?”

  He inclined his head to me. “Yes, Lady Alaric. Please, call me Quaid.”

  “Quaid?”

  “Yes.”

  “I can’t believe you had your father call my father, Quaid.” I snapped. “Nico had to talk me out of shooting you.”

  He smiled. “You said I needed your father’s permission. Now I have it.”

  I smoldered with rage. “I thought you accepted my apology.”

  While Yukihyo’s eyes were solid white, Quaid’s were solid black. “I accepted your apology. Now, I would have you accept me as a husband.” I wanted to hurl everything on the table at him.

  Nico said, “Please allow me to show you to the palace infirmary. Eric, you should come with us. You may have to drag him there in the near future, if I know my wife.”

  Eric grinned at me, and they got Quaid out of my sight. Yukihyo managed to calm me down, but I had to change my dress. Any time I got upset, frightened, or excited, I had to change my dress. Yukihyo called for my barge. We boarded for a relaxing trip around the lake. Eric, Phillip, and Yukihyo laughed and got caught up on their conversations as they prepared their fishing poles. Thunderdrop hung upside down on a line of silk. Nico sat with me against his chest and Neema in my arms on the round couch. I was beginning to equate his arms with safety. I had a blonde giant general at my command, and his child grew inside of me. If Bosh upset me, Nico would hurl him into th
e lake. I smiled at the image. Neema cried to be fed. Her little hands clutched at my breast as she greedily sucked. I looked from her sweet face out over the lake and found Quaid’s eyes latched onto my breast with a ferocity to rival that of my hungry infant. I rolled my eyes at him.

  “It appears you and Quaid share similar interests.” Commander Quaid Bosh looked from my breast to my eyes. Nico kissed my hair.

  “They are quite delicious,” Nico said.

  My face burned. Neema had drained my left side, so I burped and switched her. Her pulls relieved the ache. She also calmed me down. I placed her in the white crib that had been secured to the decking in the center of the deck feet away from the couch. I leaned back against my general and drowsed. “Do you think you can convince mother Cassian to come with us on our tour? It would be nice to have her with us. Grandmother wouldn’t enjoy being on a ship, and Aunt Seyla will want to take care of her.”

  “I will ask her. I’m sure she would love to come with us.” Nico ran his fingers through my hair as I hugged his left arm to my chest. I heard cheers from the back of the boat. Someone had caught a fish. “The first planet we plan to visit is Thalassa. It is a paradise of sun, water, beaches, and jungles. Do you swim or fish?”

  “Yes, both. Epopeus, my home world, has two suns and plenty of water.”

  “Thalassa is beautiful. Papa has a house by the beach. Neema loves the ocean. Will we have time to look at the shops while we are there?”

  “We will have time to do anything you desire.” He kissed my forehead. “Is there something in particular you want?”

  “I’d like to see what that artist has created in our absence. I plan to buy several pieces for the warehouse. They might sell for a fortune on Earth.”

  “I think Hiroshi will like that idea.”

  “You seem happy and content here, Lady Alaric.”

  “I suppose I am. You see how Papa treats me. I never imagined when I lived in the housing community and emptied trash bins for a living that anyone would ever care what happened to me. Now, I have a family. Papa even likes me. I have a bathtub that’s as big as the unit I called home for almost a year. Sometimes, I’m afraid I’ll wake up and all of this will have been a dream.”