Chapter Fifty-two - Step-Brothers
Riyal drove himself to Marina’s apartment and was welcomed by Chilka and Ivla. Their rapturous reception was unexpected by Ondiella, who had been told a friend was expected. In the privacy of the apartment, Riyal returned to his Golden skin colouring, but Ondiella recognised him as the suspicious Kurgian. Riyal had no problem identifying her despite her Ebony skin. They shook hands diffidently and Riyal’s relationship to Marina was explained to Ondiella.
When Ondiella slept the furniture would float. Twice the bed Chilka slept in had risen several feet off the floor. Luckily she’d woken and forced the bed down, before waking Ondiella. Chilka checked first that nothing breakable was aloft, because if Ondiella woke everything crashed to the floor. In spite of these minor teething problems Ondiella’s training was going well. She had been so ashamed of her attempts to kill Marina she did whatever Marina or Chilka told her to do. She was a surprisingly equable pupil, considering her colour.
Riyal was told who Ondiella was and what she was doing with their group and was concerned by the presence of someone who had attempted to kill Marina. Ondiella agreed to allow his intrusion into her mind. Riyal was reassured she was no longer a threat to Marina. Ondiella had gone full circle from hate to love and now her prime aim in life after her children and Divak was to make it up to Marina. She needed no oath of loyalty. She had given her heart to Marina when she had been given forgiveness.
That Marina had taken treacle and the others had not seen her for three hours troubled Riyal. They did not seem concerned so he was a little comforted. Ivla’s main priority was getting him to herself for a few hours, as Riyal had been in space for some days he was willing to oblige. Afterwards he ate a meal prepared by Chilka with them. Then he spent an hour with Chilka before going to see his step-brother.
Ga’Jumtaqur waited for Riyal in a more expensive bar than he would normally frequent. Everything was so expensive in Gandora, he was very careful to make his salary last. He did not know how long they would stay there or when next he would be paid.
Riyal was dressed as a local businessman and his skin was now similar to the flesh tones of the Alphans. His hair was medium brown; a colour Jumta thought suited him better than his original royal blue. Jumta understood the reason for his skin and hair colour so made no comment. They talked of home and Riyal knowing how finances stood with Jumta paid for the drinks before taking him for supper. Jumta had been staying with a local girl.
“A working girl?” asked Riyal.
“I had her checked for infection by my ship’s doctor. Which saved me that worry and she was pleased because she did not have to pay for her regular check-up.”
“Not something I have to bother about,” replied Riyal.
Then he pricked his finger on a pin and squeezed a few blue drops into Jumta’s glass.
“Better safe than sorry,” said Riyal and Jumta drank the drink down with thanks.
Whilst they ate supper, they talked generally. However somehow the conversation got brought round to Princess Marina.
“Did you meet Princess Marina during your visit to Zenina? I saw her when she visited Kochab, she’s a very regal lady, but I’ve heard King Ga’Mishrin is in love with her. I find it hard to believe he could love anyone including himself.”
“Yes, I’ve met Marina and she is a very charming woman, I believe all men would fall a little in love with her.”
Jumta, knowing his brother far too well, laughingly commented.
“I’m surprised you didn’t try your luck with her?”
Riyal made no answer and changed the subject. After the next course and a few more drinks Jumta brought the conversation back to the subject of Marina.
“Is Marina that good in bed then?”
Riyal chuckled at his disingenuousness.
“Yes, every bit as good as I could imagine a woman could ever be and then some.”
Jumta did not doubt Riyal’s word though he did not normally boast of his conquests. If Riyal said Marina was that special, maybe even Ga’Mishrin’s black heart could melt. It was an interesting thought. Jumta pitied any woman Ga’Mishrin’s fancy fell on.
“You always had the pick of the girls; I never got a look in when you were around.”
“You exaggerate,” Riyal said but they both knew it was true.
Jumta was good looking but homely. Riyal by comparison had classically masculine features, a natural poise and self-confidence, girls found exciting.
Their evening together was broken up when a Kurgian sailor burst into the restaurant and rushed up to Jumta.
“You have to get back to the ship immediately, Sir. We’re returning to Kochab at once,” said the sailor.
Ga’Jumtaqur quickly hugged Riyal following the sailor at a trot. Riyal paid the bill and drove back to Marina’s apartment, but as he drove Chilka called to tell him that Marina had not returned and they were getting worried. Dinka had not returned either and they wondered if they were together. Chilka said she would try to contact Dinka but he should hurry.
Chapter Fifty-three - Marina Missing
Nerova had left Markaba and was returning to Zenina. As she prepared to cross the boundary into Zeninan space she was hailed by a Zeninan battleship with her friend Unzela on board. They thought together for a time, Nerova explaining how things were in Markaba. The new Military Government under General Hulavan seemed to have everything under control.
Unzela told Nerova of Plavina and Dalzina’s deaths and Vlama’s imprisonment.
“Where is Marina?”
“In Alpha living it up.”
Nerova thought she would prefer not to return to Zenina and explain why she was zooming around space in a space-craft registered to Princess Marina. She would go to Alpha and see what she was up to. Zadina was not going to be persuaded Nerova was loyal especially not after winning the Sexual Gymnastics with Charles. Zadina’s hatred of Charles was well known.
When Riyal reached the apartment Chilka was waiting outside and climbed into the hover-car before he parked.
“I’ve located Dinka’s thoughts but she seems unconscious. She’s a few kilometres south of here. If you drive, I’ll direct you.”
They came to the reservoir a few minutes later but not before Riyal had told Chilka about his step-brother and the Kurgian ships under Prince Ga’Mazadeh’s command. Chilka knew about Prince Ga’Mazadeh’s mission. Marina had joked about it with her. It did not seem funny now they could not find Marina. Riyal put two and two together and arrived at 52. He was sorry but feared his guess was right. Why had not Jumta known what they were doing? That sort of information usually leaked through the crew.
He hoped Marina was not on a Kurgian ship bound for Kochab, but he thought his hope was in vain. When they found Dinka, lying by the pool, he knew his fears were fact. Dinka had been stabbed in the stomach and hit over the head with a club. They sat her up and Chilka bandaged up her wound. Water from the pool was splashed on her face and soon brought her round. She looked at them, smiling wanly. Then a look of despair crossed her eyes and she sobbed her heart out.
“They’ve got Princess Marina, I tried to stop them but there were too many. They came up behind her and one put a needle in her arm whilst another thumped her over the back of her head. I was a little way off and they didn’t see me at first. I fought but I wasn’t strong enough and then I passed out. They have been gone hours.”
“Who has taken her Dinka?”
“Kurgians, they wore Kurgian Army uniform. They said she’d put a smile on King Ga’Mishrin’s face.”
They took Dinka home and put her to bed and Ivla got one of the doctors from the Embassy hospital to look at her. Riyal was not sure how to treat her and preferred an expert called. The Silver doctor examined her head and stomach, assisting her regeneration. She was not to get up for eight hours and should not travel for another day. The doctor did not ask where Marina was or why she could not heal her own.
Riyal was for taking Chilka
with him and setting straight off, leaving Ivla to nurse Dinka and look after Ondiella. Ivla said she wanted to go too and the ship was not fully provisioned.
“Ondiella will have to come because Marina wants her looked after. With just the two of us, we’ll be exhausted piloting the yacht, which encourages mistakes. Riyal and Ivla should get the ship ready to leave and I’ll look after Dinka and Ondiella. We’ll have to wait a day because of Dinka, we’ll soon catch up,” Chilka said.
“What can we do to rescue her in mid-space against a fleet of Kurgian ships?” asked Ivla practically.
“We can’t rescue Marina until she reaches Kochab. So there isn’t any rush. They don’t intend to kill her, Ga’Mishrin wants her alive,” Riyal agreed.
Ondiella who had sat passively through all this conversation said.
“I don’t need looking after; I’ll go with Riyal and Ivla to stock the ship. I will be useful,” and so she was.
Chapter Fifty- four - Kurgian and Markaban Plots
Prince Ga’Mushrang had been busy. His plans had kept him out of Kochab for several months whilst he personally engineered the Markaban coup, directing General Hulavan’s every move through Chloxena. She was becoming a bore. Her age now showed through the well applied make-up, its effect grew more vulgar daily. It was over twenty years since he had first taken her as his mistress, she had been a virgin but she had learnt swiftly. First she gave him information she stole from her father but when he retired, she had only snippets to bring him.
He told her to take lovers with high military rank and spy on them. As he visited Markaba less frequently, Chloxena found some satisfaction for her excessive desires in the bodies of her officers. They meant nothing to her, except the brief sexual relief they offered and the information she could trade for Ga’Mushrang’s favours.
Heneran Bromarsh had seemed a suitable figure-head to head the Military Government Ga’Mushrang intended to create. Bromarsh was a war hero, brave and handsome, a natural leader, a man of the people: ideal to front a Kurgian puppet Government.
She had found Heneran amusing, his love of her was a novelty and his enthusiasm for her body satisfied for a time. Chloxena tried to show him ways that were a little illicit to increase their income, as Ga’Mushrang insisted they needed a hold over him, stronger than love or children. Bromarsh had been the fairy book hero, a man too honourable to understand or consider her suggestions. He worked hard and was too careful with military papers for her to glance over his shoulder when he worked.
Ga’Mushrang could not understand why his information supply had dried up. He even enlisted the old man in trying to corrupt Bromarsh, who had been so innocent he did not understand the overtures and the old General became convinced if he did understand, he would refuse. General Hindenhan retired was a stupid and a greedy man, but not a traitor to his planet. At least not willingly, but a loyal man if weak can be used when he is a victim of black-mail. During his daughter’s first marriage he had been frequently tempted to confess all to Bromarsh.
When Prince Ga’Mushrang realised Chloxena would bring him nothing from Bromarsh, he told her to take lovers again and spy on them. She protested she would lose Bromarsh if he found out, but Ga’Mushrang laughed and she did as she was told. Heneran’s love had begun to cloy. She missed the cruel caresses of her more experienced lovers. With information to trade, she could once more experience the delights of Ga’Mushrang’s depravity.
When she found she was pregnant with Bromarsh’s child, it was an accident. She considered getting rid of it when he discovered her affair with, well it didn’t matter who with. She told him when he accused her of wantonness of the child she carried. He forgave her for the sake of their child. She was more discreet, giving him another son to bind him to her, but they could not use him for their original purpose. He was too honest to be corrupted and too intelligent to be duped for long.
After the birth of their second son Janavime, Prince Ga’Mushrang decided they would have to get rid of him. So Bromarsh was put into the worst of battles. A brilliant soldier who inspired his men, each time he returned alive, sometimes with minor wounds but intact. The medals and citations multiplied as Chloxena tried to persuade Ga’Mushrang he could still serve their purpose if they kept him ignorant of the plot. Ga’Mushrang thought it worth waiting if they could use Bromarsh, but he avoided all their pitfalls.
When they could not dispose of Bromarsh, Chloxena became more blatant with her lovers, taunting him to force him to divorce her. He believed marriage was for life. He had promised and he would abide by it. When the accident happened at Xandabal, it became necessary to massacre the village; Bromarsh had no alibi. They made sure of that by kidnapping Karella who was waiting for Bromarsh, with her fiancé Corporal Tipstrang. They’d been with Ga’Mushrang while the massacre was carried out. Karella had uncovered the Kurgian involvement and they could afford no witnesses.
General Hindenhan had refused to co-operate if they killed Karella and her young man. Massacring a village of Blengarians was acceptable, but not murdering his secretary and her fiancé. He suggested wiping their minds and dumping them on Alpha, far enough away to never hear of them again. Prince Ga’Mushrang agreed, their bodies would be hard to explain. It would add credence to Bromarsh’s story. If Tippy was considered absent without leave taking his girl with him, it would make Bromarsh look foolish using her as an alibi.
After all the years plotting they had finally managed to install her second husband as Military Dictator of Markaba and Chloxena was putting on airs. She liked being the wife of the Dictator and thought Ga’Mushrang owed her. Her tongue had not sweetened over the years, Ga’Mushrang no longer found her attractive. He wanted to extricate himself from her clutches, but how to control Hulavan without her?
He had given the matter consideration and had a replacement in mind. She was young, pretty, intelligent and absolutely immoral. Hulavan would not scruple in accepting her as Chloxena’s replacement. It was too soon to risk killing Chloxena yet. An ambush by rebels would look well, then Hulavan would be a grieving widower.
Ga’Mushrang had returned to Kochab to sort out other matters. It was a pity Prince Ga’Mazadeh had taken Prince Ga’Mazal with him to search for Marina. He would like the search to take a long time, because Marina would be harder to fool than the present queen.
Telepaths gave him the creeps. Who wanted anyone around who knew what you were thinking? Imagine Chloxena knowing his thoughts when he had first seduced her? She would have wanted to kill him. Or the last time he had her, while considering how to have her killed, it had definitely improved the sex for him. It was too dangerous to deal with telepaths.
He would kill Ga’Mazal when he’d dealt with his father. For the time being he would get rid of the rest of Ga’Mazadeh’s children. It would be easy with the old lady’s ideas of security to send an assassin to kill them as they slept.
Chapter Fifty-five - Friends Follow
Riyal, Ivla and Ondiella busily prepared the yacht as Nerova landed at Gandora space-port. The docking engineer whistled at the craft when Nerova signed in.
“I hadn’t expected there’d be another ship like the other one so soon, real fancy!”
Nerova realising he was talking about Marina’s ship.
“Where is it docked?”
“Berth 176, but there are people on board getting it ready for take-off.”
Nerova went over to the sister ship and found Riyal and the others cleaning and stocking the storage. They welcomed her but she was saddened to hear of Marina’s capture. She offered to take off after them.
“You won’t rescue her without Kurgian help. I know who to bribe and who not to,” Riyal stated.
So Nerova called on Chilka and Dinka, when the others returned to the apartment they found Nerova and some of her crew entertaining the patient. Dinka was now up but in obvious pain.
Nerova’s crew were speedily restocking her ship as she had been asked by Chilka to pick up Charles from Ziga. Marina had
intended to arrange a ship from Ziga but had not got around to it. Charles would feel safer with someone he knew. Chilka worried he might return to Zenina. She suggested Nerova took Ondiella with her to keep her out of danger, but Nerova was not having an Ebony on her ship. She valued peace and quiet too highly. Nerova set off for Ziga after one night in Alpha, which she claimed with Riyal as reward for doing their will.
The others waved her off, then gently carried Dinka to the craft and installed her in a cabin. The minor difficulty of funding for Nerova in Ziga had been solved by a visit of Nerova and Chilka to Marilyn Cordeman. Marina had made provision for Chilka to draw on her Alphan account and informed Marilyn that Chilka was to be treated as a full partner, as she had total trust in her. Marina had no inkling of being captured by Kurgians, but had pictured Chilka left on Alpha without funds. Her vision and words had been useful.
Marilyn Cordeman accepted Chilka and paid the money she requested in full. She arranged an account readied in Kochab for their arrival, even though Riyal said there was no need. Piracy had not left him a poor man. He had adequate money for their needs. She also spoke with the Zigan banks arranging for Nerova to draw within a certain limit on Marina’s account in Ziga City. Riyal left a message for his crew if they returned telling them where he had gone and why, seeking their help if they would.
Chapter Fifty-six - Kurgian Plots Unravelling
Princess Ga’Mandazang was a foolish woman. Ga’Mazadeh was amazed he was the offspring of such a stupid parent. She thought her castle inviolate when it buzzed with spies and thieves. Her agent and treasurer had defrauded her for years and Ga’Mazadeh could not persuade her they were anything but totally loyal and honest. Her cook openly stole from her, reselling a tenth of everything purchased. Princess Ga’Mandazang was not stupid enough to believe the children she harboured were her grandchildren. She ignored the waifs assigning rooms and maids but otherwise ignoring them.
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