Not that she seemed to care. Narpok preferred the company of the Earther Sonia, who’d been rescued from Maf’s secret camp. Sonia was now a resident of the Matara psychiatric wing with Narpok. Both women had off-site privileges, and it looked like Dr. Govi would soon upgrade them both to outpatient status. Sonia, thin but recovering, had been Narpok’s special guest at the event that day. She’d been invited back to Tasha’s residence along with Narpok and Jessica, but she’d demurred, saying she wanted to do a little shopping before curfew. The warmth Narpok had shown her as they parted had not been lost on Tasha.
Jessica picked up the velvet box from the table. She took out a small wall-mounted vid projector and clicked it on. A gold shield hovered in the air, one that matched the jeweled pendants that Tasha and Narpok wore on their necks.
Jessica read the inscription. “‘For valor and courage in service to the Empire’. Kalquor’s highest honor given for the first time to an Earther,” she said. “Along with Patty Donnel’s posthumous award.” She beamed at Tasha.
Tasha waved off the accolade. “Patty and Narpok earned theirs twice over. That was some brave shi—uh, stuff, lady.” Dressed, Tasha sat next to Narpok.
Narpok shrugged dismissively, but her smile was pleased. “I’m glad I woke up in time to earn it. Maybe I’ll get a chance to win another.” Her grin turned wicked with anticipation.
Jessica snorted. “You may get your wish since the Basma placed a bounty on your head. I wish you would reconsider moving to an apartment here when Govi releases you.”
Narpok gave her a look that was a curious mix of gratitude and stubbornness. “I have to stand on my own two feet, Jess. I have to prove it to myself that I can. Besides, I’ve got Global Security shadowing my every move. If they can’t keep me safe, no one can.”
An investigation had revealed that Maf had indeed established close relationships with three members of Global Security. The men had been removed from their posts. After being given the option of life imprisonment instead of execution for treason, the three officers had confessed to being in Maf’s employ and exposed two more of their number in the ranks. It was hoped that Kalquor’s premier enforcement agency was now clear of spies.
“I guess moving in the Royal House for the short term makes my clan a bunch of wimps,” Tasha said, sniffing with pretended offense. She didn’t mind living on Jessica’s dime so much as the overwhelming grandeur of the Royal House’s apartments. The place was the size of a cathedral and far too grandiose for Tasha’s tastes. Yet she and her clan had conceded the necessity of being under close guard once it became known they were at the top of Maf’s bounty list. Apparently he’d not taken his son’s clanning an Earther well at all … not to mention the whole clan fouling up his surprise attack.
Narpok stretched luxuriously and gave Tasha a confident smile. “Call me if that new batch of Royal Guards doesn’t do their jobs. I’ll be your bodyguard. And I’ll look good while I’m doing it.” She smoothed her manicured hand … courtesy of Nur … over the skirt of her fancy gown.
Jessica and Tasha laughed. They took what humor they could get. Despite Maf’s initial attack going awry, the Empire was in the throes of a full-blown civil war. The fighting on Kalquor had been rebuffed, but with one-third of the space fleet siding with the Basma, many of the traitorous ground troops had managed to get off the planet. They had numbered almost half of the Empire’s complement, and included a full quarter of the high commanders and half the commanders.
Most of the men who had thrown their lots in with Maf were soldiers. Almost all were unclanned Nobeks. It had been Emperor Egilka who had pointed out those men had little to no chance of attracting Earther mates. Many thought it was jealousy rather than agreeing with the Basma’s stance on an Earther-free Empire that led to the huge number of rebel fighters. Egilka and Jessica had begun to ask for discussions on changing the laws that stated only clans made up of the three male breeds could officially claim Mataras. Hundreds of women who had relationships with unclanned men or incomplete clans applauded the motion. The majority of the Royal Council, led by Dramok Terbal, were vehemently opposed to it, however.
Maf’s rebels had won a few strongholds. They had notably maintained their grip on Lobam. There had been heavy casualties during the Empire’s offensive on the moon and many loyal soldiers taken prisoner. Tasha’s friend Commander Bifen was among those missing, presumed captured. She worried over him, but with his history of escapes she thought he might be giving his guards fits.
The Basma had control of another of the five moons, along with a dozen colonies on the Joshadan and Galactic Council on Planets’ borders, where the fleet had not kept a more stringent presence. While Kalquor itself remained under Imperial control, attacks from underground resistance had become a deadly fact of life. No one could guess how many enemy agents remained within the military, ready to rally to Maf’s side should his forces gain an advantage over the home world.
Rumors were rampant of course. The most prevalent one that had cropped up as of late was that renegade Earthers had joined with Maf. There were battlecruisers still under the control of Earth’s deposed Holy Leader Browning Copeland flying through space and causing trouble. It had been alleged with some certainty that Copeland and the Basma had worked together before, so that piece of gossip had gained a lot of ground.
The women had fallen quiet as they mused over the state of the Empire. The three of them watched Noelle as she tried to teach her vid animals a new trick: juggling balls. Since Noelle couldn’t juggle herself, none of the simulations did very well. The silence was interrupted from time to time by muffled snickers as the vid pets ate the balls, kicked them around, or ignored them altogether. Noelle’s face turned red with frustration.
Jessica suddenly asked, “How is Wekniz? He looked happy during the award ceremony. Well, happy for a Nobek.”
Two days prior, Wekniz’s parents had been convicted of treason. Since they had elected to give a large amount of information against the Basma and other traitors, none were sentenced to execution.
Tasha said, “Wekniz is fine. He’d given up on his parent clan long ago. His fathers being sent off to a prison camp for life is humiliating, but I think he feels free now.”
“His mother is under house arrest, also for life. Will he visit her?”
“He says no. She was as guilty as the rest. He won’t let me meet her either. She and his fathers have ceased to exist as far as he’s concerned.”
Wekniz had gone as far as to testify against his parents during the trial. Since he had made it a point to remain as ignorant of their activities as possible, he hadn’t been able to give much information. Yet him staring the clan down and denouncing them in a voice filled with painful fury had gone a long way towards easing the minds of those who questioned the clanning of an Imperial cousin to the sons of known traitors.
“I bet the mother’s sentence gets commuted in a couple of years,” Narpok said, curling her legs under her. She looked like a contented cat. “Everyone knows we Mataras must be handled delicately.”
“Only because the men don’t want us handing them their asses – oh shoot.” Jessica clapped a hand over her mouth as she glanced at Noelle.
“Potty mouth,” the child reprimanded in an uncaring tone.
Narpok rolled her eyes towards the high ceilings with their intricate molding. “Give it a couple of centuries of growing the population with hybrids. All that special treatment will come to an end. We’ll have equality for women in the worst ways possible.” She gave an exaggerated shudder. “Next thing you know, we’ll be expected to make our own money and pay our own way.”
She made a horrified face that had Jessica and Tasha laughing hard. Narpok liked to make jokes about being entitled. They knew she had plans for herself though, plans that did not include joining any clan. The young woman was determined to make her own future, once she decided what shape it would take. Fortunately, she had a hefty inheritance that would allow her to get the best
training in whatever field she decided to try.
Jessica returned to the subject of Tasha’s clan. “I’m glad the court saw fit to give Nur’s fathers a suspended sentence.”
Tasha’s spirits lifted further. “We were all relieved about that. Their Nobek has been dismissed from his position in law enforcement, but the other two kept their jobs with the pharmaceutical company.”
“That’s a shame about the Nobek though.”
“Lindsey’s mate Japohn offered him a position at his training facility. I think he’s going to take it.”
“Excellent!” Jessica beamed. “Everyone deserves a second chance.”
Tasha nodded with pleasure. “With Maf’s influence gone from everyone’s lives ... well, at least our personal lives ... my clan can finally start functioning normally. When people aren’t glaring at Falinset like he’s Maf’s secret agent, that is.”
“People can shut up. Falinset was cleared in open court of having any active involvement with Maf’s schemes.”
As usual, Jessica’s temper rose with typical protectiveness over those she identified as family. While she’d been initially taken aback at the announcement that Tasha had joined Clan Falinset, she’d soon been won over by the three men.
The emperors had not been so quick to welcome their new in-laws. Only little Noelle’s testimony of being rescued and her ardent adoration of Falinset, Nur, and Wekniz alleviated her fathers’ wariness. Yet even her story had barely been enough to convince them not to pursue criminal charges. Bevau in particular had put Falinset, Nur, and Wekniz through the mill when it came to questioning them. He watched the trio with suspicion any time they were in his sight. Clajak barely spoke to them. Of the three men, Egilka had been the sole emperor to treat them with politeness, though his typically reserved demeanor didn’t come off as warm. Tasha’s clan had yet to set foot in the quarters of the Imperial Clan or the apartments shared by Imperial Father Yuder and Imperial Mother Tara. Yet the word ‘de-clan’ had not come up in any conversations, at least not within Tasha’s hearing.
Settling the emperors’ minds at rest had been another reason to agree to move into the Royal House, where guards and Global Security officers patrolled nonstop. Tasha didn’t say anything about the extra manpower assigned to their floor in the cliff complex. If it made everyone happy to keep an eye on Clan Falinset, she was willing to go along with it. As for her clanmates, they were eager to prove themselves and regain the honor their parents had lost. They accepted that many would continue to regard them with suspicion for some time and dealt with the situation with equanimity.
Jessica turned thoughtful about the strange twists that had come about. “Maf, of all people. I never would have considered him to be the Basma. And Feyom in cahoots with him the whole time. What a surprise.”
Narpok’s brow rose. “Not really, not for me. I remember my mother telling me that if I ever saw Feyom around my fathers, to let her know right away. She had a reputation even back then.”
Tasha looked at Noelle still playing with her animals on the floor. She’d given up teaching them to juggle. Now they played leap frog under her direction. Tasha wondered what kind of Empire the princess, her brother, and so many other hybrid children would inherit. If Maf had his way, the half-Earthers wouldn’t have a world to call home. It made her stomach twist.
“Jess, will the Empire be okay?”
She shrugged nonchalantly, but her lips tightened. “It’s too early to tell. With all these revelations and we still don’t know who to count as enemies and who to count as friends – I just don’t know.”
The façade crumbled for a moment, leaving Jessica looking overwhelmed. Narpok gave her an encouraging smile. “As long as we have you as our empress, I’ll put my money on the Empire.”
Jessica smiled at the woman she’d invested years into – the woman who’d repaid that investment by saving her daughter. Tasha agreed with Narpok’s assessment with one slight change: as long as there were such women as these protecting Kalquor and Kalquorians, she too would bet on the Empire.
The warm moment was interrupted by a knock on the door. “It’s us,” came Falinset’s voice.
Normally he and the other two would have walked in without fanfare. However, Jessica and Noelle were in the room, and the reinstated Royal Guards who had passed stringent inspection were outside. Even in their own home, Clan Falinset could not enter a room where an immediate member of the Imperial Clan or their children were unless given express permission.
“Come in,” Jessica called, rolling her eyes in apology to Tasha.
Falinset led the other two in, with four members of the red-uniformed Royal Guard glowering in the background. Their captain entered with the men and glared more threateningly than ever when Noelle jumped up with a happy cry and ran to Nur for a hug. The Imdiko kept his movements careful for the captain’s sake as he lifted the little girl in his arms.
Noelle made a face at the guard, realizing why she wasn’t being fawned over in the usual manner. Her attitude was pure Jessica as she ordered the captain in her piping child’s voice, “You stop looking mean. This is my Nur. He fixes my hair and hides me from bad men. Go away.”
“Noelle,” Jessica said in a vaguely reproving way. Her eyes danced with humor.
The guard’s lips twitched. At Jessica’s nod, he stepped back out of the room. The door stayed open, but the squad didn’t look quite as fierce.
Noelle smiled at Nur as if she’d won a war for him. He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Be nice to the guards, my princess. They will keep you far safer than I can.”
“Sorry about that,” Falinset said uncertainly. “We didn’t realize you’d decided to come back here, my empress. Hello, Narpok. Congratulations again on your well-earned award.”
“Thank you, Falinset. You and your clan might have had a little part in that.” She grinned at him. She’d become like a sister to the entire clan.
“Stuff the ‘my empress’ for the millionth time,” Jessica grouched at Falinset. “If you can’t call me Jessica, at least call me cousin.”
“What held you up?” Tasha asked the men, sidling close. She always felt the urge to stand near her clanmates.
“Dramok Diltan. He wanted to know if I had any leads on which company was winning the government contract for the new anti-shockwave technology. Since Maf already has that, the fight is on to see who can get the Empire a version the fastest.”
“Diltan is such a rogue,” Jessica muttered. “He shouldn’t invest in anything to do with the Empire’s business since he’s up for re-election. It doesn’t look good.”
Nur piped up. “He also wanted me to do something with Cissy’s hair. He said he’s tired of it looking like a snerg’s pelt. He asked me to make her as respectable looking as her twin.”
Jessica laughed. “And right in front of her, no doubt. I bet that went over well. Those two never quit digging at each other. So did you have any information about that contract, Falinset? I haven’t even heard from the war council on that matter yet.”
As Falinset related the hints he’d gotten through his financial contacts, Nur leaned over to whisper in Tasha’s ear. “Actually, I had to agree with Dramok Diltan on the state of your sister’s hair. Please do make up with her soon so I can help her.”
Tasha barely contained the bray of laughter that wanted to escape. “You have no idea the trauma you are setting yourself up for, my Imdiko.”
My Imdiko. How she loved to say those words. She smiled at him and at Wekniz who watched her over Nur’s shoulder, not caring that she probably looked as sappy as she felt. Nur beamed back, just as sentimental. Wekniz winked.
Jessica noted the exchange and jumped to her feet. “Come on, Narpok. We have things to do. Save and store your pets, Noelle. I don’t want a meltdown like last time. You know how crying sets off your brother’s rages.”
“How’s Wayne’s private training going?” Tasha asked.
Jessica sighed. “Good, but he m
isses the friends he made at camp. He keeps asking when he can go back.”
Wekniz said, “I remember how much I enjoyed training camp at his age. With any luck this war will be won sooner rather than later.”
Narpok got to her feet with a grace that made her look as if she floated upright. She arched a brow at Tasha as she readied to leave. “You shouldn’t have bothered to change, dear. Taking off the gown would have been enough. Now you’ll have to get undressed all over again.”
She snickered as she walked past the men. Falinset and Nur’s faces reddened. Wekniz wouldn’t consent to blush, but he suddenly found the ceiling interesting to look at.
Nur set Noelle down. The little girl grabbed her handheld, tapped it to save her pets for the next time she played with them, and then ran to Tasha for a kiss. “‘Bye Tasha. See you later.”
“I love you, sweetie.”
Tasha got a hug from Jessica. The men bowed to her as she walked by. She patted their shoulders with easy affection and murmured smiling goodbyes. Nur dared to tease her by grabbing a lock of hair and clucking over it. Tasha noticed the guards watched him, but they didn’t get riled, especially when Jessica laughed out loud.
“You know the emperors get feisty when you mess with my hair.”
“Well, you do make suspicious happy noises when I work on it.” He reddened again as he realized how suggestive his statement sounded.
Jessica chortled at the look he wore. “I’ll drop by tomorrow. I promise to be quiet.”
Nur couldn’t look her in the face. “Afternoon?”
“Perfect.”
Narpok’s voice drifted in from the hallway. “Jessica, the newly clanned need their alone time.”
It was amazing how filthy the woman made the word sound. Jessica waggled her brows at them. Nur looked like he wanted to sink into the floor. Falinset covered his face with his hands. Wekniz kept staring at the ceiling.
Jessica ushered Noelle out, trailing laughter as they left with their guards surrounding them. As their footsteps faded down the corridor, Nur sighed and gave Tasha a long-suffering look.
Alien Hostage Page 38