by I. Christie
Galdin then asked her a personal question. JG was not only surprised that Lady Alexandra answered it, but at what she said. Her heart went out to her and her admiration increased as she heard her explanation of why she had remained with the doomed troop. She would not have remained, leaving them to their fate…or would she? She took a deep breath, realizing it would have angered her and she would have also taught them to fight back. But that was a long time ago. Today…she would have found the person who had dumped such a burden on a troop and knocked him off. However, Lady Alexandra had done that already, though not intentionally.
"I need to get some things done. May the water and its essence impart health to you all," Lady Alexandra's voice brought JG's attention back to her.
The others quickly recovered and wished her well.
When the water from the shower turned on, Clea shook her head in relief. "It's no wonder she is so intense. She is getting ready for a cleansing."
"What?" JG looked at Clea startled.
"The spiritual kind," Cela added.
"Oh. What for? Since when does telling off a rude person warrant a cleansing?"
"I am only telling you what we feel," Clea tapped JG's foot under the water with her own. "Perhaps she has forgotten to do so after," Clea hesitated, "after killing Lord Chaney. From what Carol-Maa had told us, it has been very busy before we arrived."
JG cursed to herself. What about the episode in the bathing room a few days ago? JG looked toward Carol-Maa, who shook her head.
"I am not familiar with this. What is it?"
"I don't know if you would have witnessed it. It takes a few stan hours. If done in the presence of another it usually is with someone that can assist the process," Galdin offered. "It's the act of compassionately experiencing the death of the person whose life one takes."
Carol-Maa frowned for a few moments, and then Carol offered, "she has only been experiencing nightmares…what she had gone through a few days ago was for something else."
"It would not be in dreams. She would have to be present, in an awakened state," Galdin explained.
"The shamans need to be told if they don't already know. She needs someone to guide her through this, JG. It does not look as though she knows what is going on or she would not have stepped into this water," Clea advised.
"General Aglauros is worried that Lady Alexandra is …vulnerable to outside influences." Galdin watched JG and let a moment of silence pass before adding, "No one had notified the sisters that there was an empath in the Spartans and still it has not been made official, so it is assumed…"
"No one knew!" Major Zohra returned in a low intense voice. "I'm sure her brother does not know, or she would never have been permitted to join the Spartans. From what she had told us," she glanced at Carol-Maa, "she had closed off her empathic senses when she was a child. Is that possible?" Her own family should have known!
"No. However, it is possible to tone down the sensitivity, but its part of her, like using an arm or a leg."
Captain Zohra felt aggravated at what this implied. It had been one of her jobs to find irregularities among the various Spartan troops, just as it was with other covert operators, and they had all missed it. The more she thought about it the more she became furious with herself, for she had thought Captain Montran's influence over her troops had been some charismatic influence. She had failed then and now. She had not thought to learn more about empaths when Lady Alexandra's sensitivity increased. Major Zohra felt the pressing needs of her duties in the form of a headache, and she was not wearing her second skin that could diminish it. She rose from the waters irritated.
"The shamans knew there was an empath in the Spartans," Carol-Maa informed them. "They see her experiences as part of her path…to learn discernment in her understanding of compassion.
"Discernment means that no one can help her directly, until she asks for help…and she must learn who to ask it from," Clea gave Zohra a sympathetic smile. "However, why she chose such a difficult path…an empathic soldier…" she shook her head mystified, "I would like to hear her reason."
"It's a deep question, Clea. I don't think she would know at this point…and I don't think the shamans will share such information with us…or anyone else," Galdin added. "Just like in the warriors. We have our strange customs and practices…which sometimes makes no sense if you think about it. If one needs help, why not go to the nearest expert…why only someone from one's clan, shield house or group?"
"For the same reason why we don't tell anyone about our rite of passage," Clea explained. "It's no one else's business," she lowered her voice into a sexual drawl, drawing a wet finger across her lover's lips.
"How long does this process take?" JG asked a bit grimly, attempting to ignore her fear for Alexandra that was tying her stomach in knots. Would she ask for help? She somehow did not think she would…until she was in trouble.
"Sometimes two hours sometimes less," Clea answered, lifting her arms out of the water and looking at her reddened skin, as steam rose from them in the cold air. "It depends on the emotions she had at the time of taking Lord Chaney's life…it will also depend on her level as an empath. From what I remember of my lessons, the higher the level you are, the more difficult the cleansing. I guess it's expected that those of a higher level should have tricks up her or his sleeve other than taking a life to solve the problem before them."
"But I saw the replay of her fight with Lord Chaney!" JG protested. "There was no evidence of intention to kill him! It's one of those new preprogrammed swords!"
The two alterians exchanged looks.
"Well, then." She's at a higher level than we thought, Galdin directed to her mate. "JG, she's on a level we are not familiar with. To know more…you will need to ask the shaman, LeDea Gedaliaha. She has been her mentor…in dreamtime. That much we can tell you."
JG knew that piece of information was not something shared with many outside of the intuitive groups. Her guess was the two Alterians were sent to gather information for the sisterhood on the formidable Lady Alexandra, since she and others had failed. She sighed internally. Lady Alexandra's case had been mishandled from the word 'get-go.'
Thank you, Galdin, she silently thanked her old friend.
JG climbed out of the tub and padded to the door to Lady Alexandra 's quarters. She wrapped the towel around her steaming body, ignoring the cold air that momentarily surrounded her until she stepped out of the mood scene. Standing in front of the door she was unsure as to whether sit it out with her or to let her alone. However, the door did not open when she pressed her palm against the identifier.
"It is locked," Guardian informed her.
"I see." JG returned to the tub, however it was empty. The others had moved to Carol-Maas quarters, dressing and talking softly.
Carol-Maa watched JG empathically. Though her face was not readable, her emotional struggle was palatable.
Clea and Galdin left after a nod towards the two.
"Come back soon," Carol-Maa called out to the two women as they left.
They smiled and waved back at her. "Indeed, we shall. Since you like water, we have a lot of natural spas and water places to introduce you to."
JG was slowly fastening her uniform when Carol-Maa sat on the bed directly across from her.
"You two are lifemates."
JG looked into the eyes of the transformed Carol. They were disturbingly different.
"What do you mean?"
"I felt it in the water. You know that water heightens emotions between those immersed in its essence," Carol-Maa laughed a throaty laugh. "Carol had known of the attraction between her Mistress and you when she was first introduced to you, which was not in the water. The connection is easy to see for some." The disturbing eyes went green. "My Mistress needs you, Major Zohra. She has been waiting for a long time for someone…and I think that it was for you. Am I right?"
JG looked up from the boot toe she had been inspecting carefully.
"I…have b
een hoping so." She sighed and stood up.
"Why are you waiting to consummate it? The longer you wait, the more intense the energy around you two becomes. Soon, even the blind shall feel it," Carol-Maa teased.
JG gave a short laugh. "I guess we are just waiting for the right time to get together. Maybe after this is over." Gawds! I hope not. I don't know what may happen with Alan involved.
"I admire your will power; however, if you don't do something soon…" Carol left it at that and JG knew that it was no idle warning. The Dragon's energy was not something to put off indefinitely. It caused all sorts of havoc, like people you're not interested in groping you in one place or another. The energy was either expressed by you, or by others towards you. The idea of someone dragging Lady Alexandra into a corner to mate was met with a snort and a twisting in her gut.
JG left the room to start her vigil outside of Lady Alexandra's room and found she was not alone. A group was waiting patiently outside of her quarters, speaking in muted tones. LaDea Gedaliaha spotted her immediately and signaled her to approach.
"Major Zohra, Alexandra's exotic dancer," she teased in a soft voice.
Major Zohra blushed. Of course a shaman would know. The Dance created an energy that vibrated in the nimbus around the two individuals that a sensitive and most certainly a shaman could feel or see. She sighed to herself, wishing she could see what it looked like. She certainly knew what it felt like.
"We have been discussing a need for a bodyguard for Alexandra."
"We?" she asked suddenly suspicious. "I hope you don't mean shamans. A soldier is better suited."
"And that is what the military command center also believes," Gedaliaha laughed. "Both of Alan's targets are here, in this part of the planet. Alan would, without doubt, damage the planet looking for her should we move her to another place on this outpost. If she leaves the planet it would split Alan's forces, but it would put innocents in danger of Alan's rage." Gedaliaha watched the dark eyes. "She is the bait to draw Alan and as many of his army as possible into this sector. I understand you had been assigned the job to be her personal bodyguard." Gedaliaha smiled into Major Zohra's alarmed eyes.
"Personal! I wouldn't go so far as to…"
"Excuse me, LaDea Gedaliaha and Major Zohra. I have a message from the Central Command," Captain Raizel interrupted, bowing to the shaman.
"Yes, Captain?" Major Zohra asked.
"Rear Admiral JoCastas has promoted Lt. Montran to Lt. Commander and we were thinking of giving her a party tonight…"
"Lady Alexandra is what?" Major Zohra shook her head. "What has Rear Admiral JoCastas to do with Lt. Montran?" According to Guardian's records on Lt. Montran, she had been stationed for the last seven years on a science vessel. The difference between acting as a babysitter to the scientists aboard the science vessel Nettle and working on a flagship of the Centurian forces that oversees the raids on outlaw and smuggler bases is big!
"She's been her commander for the last seven years, Major. Lt. Montran had been assigned to the Nettle to re-learn ship navigation by patrolling as a scout in that area. During that time she had been splitting her duties aboard the Ziggy, assisting with the planning of raids on outlaw and smugglers dens in that sector." Captain Raizel smiled at the Major's surprised face. "Nothing was mentioned of her so word of her whereabouts and what she was doing would not reach Lord Chaney who had developed a peculiar animosity towards her. And then there is Alan Fermin, whom we all have learned has an obsession for her. If Lord Chaney knew she was helping to close down some of his dens of operation, it would have further infuriated him and he would have sent the order out to his agents to hunt and take her out, and then Alan would also get involved. As, now."
"So." Her eyes narrowed as she thought of how the 'detailed' records on Lt. Montran from Guardian had left out some important particulars. "This was information from whom?"
Captain Raizel grinned. "The Rear Admiral notified our Major General. It's a gesture to open up a working relationship. She did not want us to think that she was giving Lady Alexandra, errr, Lt. Commander Montran, any special treatment. The Rear Admiral based the promotion on her actions aboard Spinner's Tale and here on the outpost. According to Lt. Montran's transfer orders from the Nettle to the Ziggy, was that her performance would be reviewed for promotion as a flagship officer aboard the Ziggy following her reassignment."
"I guess they forgot to notice she was in the service of the Committee," Major Zohra remarked dryly.
"Weeeelll, no. The Rear Admiral denied her transfer as soon as she had become aware of it, as the provisional clause reads that she can, therefore making it, as she called it, an abduction. Lord Hadrian, Lady Alexandra's brother, had notified her CO as soon as he knew she was picked up by some freighter's captain. He didn't know who by and asked Admiral JoCasta to assist in locating her."
"Abduction?"
The Captain smiled. "It was an unsanctioned procurement of a Collective's flag ship officer, which according to the rules of 'borrowing' a military person of one side by the other, does not apply to flag ship officers or any other officer. Gawds, can you just see some of the Committee 'borrowing' top officers for one reason or another from the Collective and the Collective reciprocating? The agreement was only for noncoms and it was to be agreed upon before hauling the person off. Anyway, scuttlebutt is that when the Admiral got word that Lt. Montran disappeared, no one heard a word that wasn't an expletive for half a stan hour. Never knew anyone that could curse that long, aside of a Black Rose," she smirked.
"Right. Lt. Commander, huh? Too bad she has no ship to serve on at this time to give her something to do." Her mind however, was providing her with something that would most certainly have those green eyes flashing annoyance at her. Flagship officer, huh? And she never even hinted… "Maybe she won't mind giving us some input," she mentioned to her Captain.
Her Black Rose noncom prejudice of flagship officers had her momentarily wanting to jerk Commander Montran's chain a bit, and there was also a part of her that wanted to dominate this woman that she could not stop thinking about. Frowning she decided to find out what else Guardian had left out from her 'detailed' records. She was going to have a talk with him later…and let him know she was not interested in any more briefings.
"So…the sisters want to have a party."
"Yeah. What a treat. Two big parties in two days. You know we'll party over anyone's good news," the captain laughed. "I got to hear Major General Aglauros' one word comment after she was passed the information about Lady Harriet. Did you get the hint…General Aglauros referred to her as 'Lady,' regardless of her rank?"
"It's understandable…she's seen some harsh treatment these last three or four months and needs a break from command."
"I also heard the news that you inherited titled land and all the stuff that goes with it, but…General Aglauros said it was not to be even whispered about, until she discussed it with you upon her arrival…" the captain frowned at the major, wondering what the problem was with her inheriting title and lands. "Well, you have some worrisome assignments. You will be spread thin," she commented, returning to a less intense subject.
"I have a very good team around me, Captain," she reminded her. "And…I agree with General Aglauros, keep the inheritance quiet, will you? I need to think about that a bit. Has the team from the Southern Rim reported anything yet? I'm sure the shamans would be interested," she said it for the benefit of LaDea who was a bit too amused at the news the captain was delivering.
"They have not reached it yet, Major."
Major Zohra looked at her timepiece. "They should have..."
"JG, give them a break. They are not as used to this environment as yourself. As you said before, this is a training mission as well as an information gathering expedition," the captain interrupted her with a smile.
Major Zohra took a deep breath to settle herself. "Right. Right you are Captain. Thank you for reminding me."
The three looked toward the door
to Lady Alexandra's room that finally slid open.
LaDea Gedaliaha was quite satisfied with the news. It pleased Gedaliaha that General Aglauros was not aware that her daughter had found her lifemate and had danced for her in their last year at the Academy. It was not wise for many to be aware of that type of attachment. Lord Chaney would have used that knowledge against both of them. As lovers they would be a formidable team. Both had their own powers. However, once the general arrived…she would see it. She was going to have plenty to say to the shamans…and no doubt to her daughter. LaDea Gedaliaha sighed quietly and entered into the room for a more immediate problem. An outside influence was penetrating their shaman protection grid and it was centered on Alexandra.
***
When Major Zohra stepped into the room she stayed far enough away from Lady Alexandra so their energies would not touch. After the bath she was more aware of her than before, and now that she knew more about her, she was unsure of just who Lady Alexandra was. Worried, she looked at the pale face that did not look like a party would enliven. Sleep would be a better recommendation. Tight-lipped she listened to the shamans identify the energy as coming from Megan Vanster.