TICEES

by Mills, Shae

  Chelan could barely move, let alone speak, and she glanced around the room, all eyes upon her. She swallowed hard as she tried to deal with an onslaught of confusion. “But,” she started hesitantly, “I’m not—”

  Dar leapt to his feet, his eyes alight. He whirled around and pointed at her. “There you go again. Damn it, Chelan! Come on, finish your statement. You’re not getting out of this one.”

  Chelan’s jaw dropped as she looked at him, excited to talk with him, but angry at him for forcing her to speak her feelings. “I was going to say that I’m not qualified,” she shot back.

  Dar shook his head at her, his grin spreading. “Oh, no you don’t, my Lady. I know you too well. Everyone knows you are not qualified, that’s why Salizar will train you. Come on. Finish your statement truthfully.”

  Chelan hesitated, staring hard at Dar, a smile finally touching her pretty lips. He had penetrated her armor, and she quivered as he moved in front of her and squatted down, his eyes urging her on. “I was going to say that I’m not Iceanean,” she answered quietly.

  Dar smiled. “And …”

  Chelan was suddenly swept up by her love for the man and her memories of his months of attentive care and devotion. He knew her, possibly better than anyone else. “And I was thinking that I’m a woman in a man’s military domain.”

  Dar’s smile spread, and he winked at her. He stood and backed away from her, and then his eyes landed on Korba. “Haven’t you taught her anything yet?” And with that, he fell back into his chair.

  Chelan looked at Korba, who was struggling to contain his laughter. But he did not have time to respond because Ticees spoke.

  “My Lady, it does not matter that you are not Iceanean. If the Emperor can be an off-worlder, then so can a photo interpreter. I have asked you do a service for the military, not for the Breeders. And the fact that you are a woman is of no consequence in any aspect of our lives, save those jobs requiring brute strength, and this job certainly does not require that. You are more than capable of holding this position. Your sex is irrelevant.”

  Chelan took several large breaths. “Your offer is more than generous, my Lord, and I assure you that I will give it serious consideration.” She looked over at Dar, and he nodded to her, smiling warmly.

  Her heart skipped several beats. She looked at Korba as he reached over to her and squeezed her hand affectionately.

  Toran cleared his throat and leaned forward, grinning at Ticees. “So what’s this preferential treatment here?”

  Ticees shook his head. “To what are you referring?”

  Toran tried to elaborate but was interrupted as Korba stood abruptly. He had touched Chelan for the first time since their arrival, and her icy hand infused him with concern. Only now did he notice her subdued shivering and the excessive whiteness of her skin.

  He swung his shroud off and wrapped it tightly around her. Picking her up, he sat back down in his chair with her curled up on his lap. Korba nodded at Ticees. “Excuse me, my Lord,” he said sternly as he shot a cutting glance at Chelan. “It seems that my Lady here has failed to inform me of the fact that she is on the verge of becoming an Iceanean icicle.”

  Ticees frowned. “Yes, I’ve noticed that annoying tendency in her myself.” Ticees then looked at Toran. “You were saying?”

  Toran smiled as he looked over at Chelan. “Well, you automatically assigned the most beautiful crew member to RIBUS 7. Doesn’t RIBUS 6 or 8 have any say in this? After all, I’m supplying Salizar.”

  “With all due respect,” Dar interjected, “RIBUS 8 surrenders all claim to the Lady Chelan’s services.”

  Toran’s eyes flew to Dar’s. “Are you mad?”

  Dar shook his head and then nodded toward Korba with Chelan nestled into him affectionately. “I have no intentions of competing with that. Besides, if you make Fremma Second-in-Command on RIBUS 7, you secure the fact that she will never step foot on any other vessel.”

  Toran’s eyes opened wide as he looked at Fremma. “Oh, what’s this, Fremma? I sense that someone has left out a tidbit of vital information here.”

  Fremma smiled. “Let’s just say that I take care of the Lady Chelan in Korba’s absences.”

  Toran’s face suddenly lit, and Chelan immediately reddened.

  Dar chuckled and leaned forward. “Chelan, you know we only tease because you react so beautifully. Don’t take offense. You know that none is intended.”

  “No offense is taken,” said Chelan shyly. “I’m just not used to your openness yet. Besides, I’m sure that an invitation to RIBUS 8 is far from forthcoming,” and she glanced at Solis.

  Solis squirmed. “I assure you, my Lady, that you are more than welcome, but I doubt that your generous forgiveness would ever extend to the point of working under my command.”

  “Nonsense,” she smiled. “You know that there was no forgiveness forthcoming because there was nothing to forgive.”

  Suddenly, Ticees cleared his throat. “Is someone going to fill me in here, or am I to guess at what’s going on?”

  Solis was instantly discomposed.

  Chelan moved to take the pressure off the man. “One night when Dar had command of RIBUS 7, my Lord, during the Rigilean mission, I happened inadvertently upon Solis in the Command Center. He knew nothing of my existence at the time, and upon my unexpected presentation, he sought to dispatch what he thought was an intruding alien who had somehow infiltrated the Command Center.”

  Ticees’ eyes widened as he looked to Solis.

  “But as you can see,” interjected Korba, “he was unsuccessful in his bid to secure the area, and luckily, the Lady Chelan is still with us.”

  Solis looked to Korba almost apologetically, but Korba smiled at him, as did Chelan.

  Ticees stood and walked toward Chelan. Slowly, he reached out and pulled Korba’s shroud down from her neck, revealing the scar across her throat.

  Toran’s face lost its color, but he remained quiet. Ticees continued to look at Chelan’s neck. “So this is your handiwork, is it, Solis?”

  “Yes, my Lord,” answered Solis uneasily.

  “Regardless,” said Chelan as she grabbed the shroud from Ticees and looked up at him sternly, “I have decided that they are simply to be added to my features as beauty marks and as ultimate proof of my induction into the Empire.”

  Ticees’ eyes widened. “Obviously you are off the hook, my dear Solis. You are indeed fortunate.”

  “Yes, my Lord. I am aware of that.” He looked to Chelan. “I am painfully aware of that each time I lay eyes on the lovely lady.”

  Chelan smiled warmly at him. She then turned her attention to Toran. “So, as you can see, I wreak havoc on the crew wherever I go, so you would be wise to shun my services.”

  Toran’s azure eyes penetrated hers, causing her to hold her breath in anticipation. He was silent momentarily as he pondered her words. “Quite the contrary, my Lady. I would look forward ever so much to the challenge you would provide, and your presence, no matter how disruptive, would be welcomed.” He continued to stare at her, her warm smile causing him to melt from within.

  He took a deep breath and then tore his eyes from her, seeking out Tarn. “And speaking of being off the hook, it looks like you are faring all right, my good man, considering your original blunder.”

  Tarn smiled and glanced at Korba. “Yes. It seems that my past sin has been forgiven.”

  Korba nodded. “I had no choice,” he said. “If it were not for Tarn’s insubordination, Chelan would not be with us today.”

  Toran chuckled. “Why do I have this nagging feeling that where Chelan has ended up was not the original intended result, Tarn?”

  All eyes flew to Tarn, and the man actually wavered. “You are astute in that regard, my Lord. Manza wanted her for his collection pertaining to Calley, but I had other plans, even if I didn’t realize it at the moment.”

  Chelan bit her lip as her eyes locked with the Commander’s. The room became very still.

&nb
sp; Tarn finally cleared his throat. “But it was never meant to be. I will say, however, that the best possible outcome has come to pass. Our Lord and Commander has once again found his life mate, a bond that none could ever hope to challenge.”

  Chelan’s eyes misted at Tarn’s words of unselfish love. Korba gave her a loving squeeze, reassuring her that Tarn spoke the truth on every level.

  Ticees sat back and rubbed his hand over the day’s growth on his jaw and observed the continuing interplay between the men and Chelan. Every one of them had been instantly struck by love for the little alien, her intelligence and her humor rendering all the men spellbound, and his own heart ached.

  Swinging her to him was going to be far more difficult than he had originally anticipated, and it would require assiduous and meticulous planning. She was being watched diligently and lovingly now by all three Warlords and their main men, and nothing else in the galaxy that he knew about was blessed with such potent protection and effective security. And indeed, nothing else and no one else probably warranted it more than the bewitching alien. He would have to watch his step, and he could afford no mistakes. He would maintain a low profile over the next few weeks, and then, when everyone least expected it, he would act.

  Chapter 11

  The next two months went smoothly for Chelan, and she had finally begun to accept the strongly fortified Palace as her home. She spent long hours studying Iceanea in detail, learning about its geology, geography, and people. Ticees had also made good on his offer of a military position on board RIBUS 7 and had sent Salizar to her for her training.

  Chelan enjoyed both her tutor and her work immensely. She had a unique aptitude for her new job, and Salizar capitalized on that quickly, working with her as much as she would allow and pushing her as far as he dared.

  Time passed quickly for Chelan, and Korba stuck to his word about never leaving her alone. When he was not with her, Fremma was by her side or within range of her call. Dar had gone away to begin the extensive military training of the new Warlords, and Chelan missed him dearly. She had never had a chance to talk to him alone, and though she had not seen him since their daylong meeting with Ticees, she thought of him frequently and lovingly.

  Toran had been a welcome addition to her life, and Chelan enjoyed his light humor and his warm attention. But he, too, was away a lot, and Chelan was not afforded the opportunity to get to know the Warlord who was Korba’s virtual twin as well as she would have liked. He made brief appearances to meet with Ticees and then spent the remainder of his time with Dar in the training fields.

  Korba and Fremma devoted long hours in the main Command Center to planning military strikes against known ROPE outposts while consulting with other Warlords in the field in an attempt to ferret out additional colonies throughout the galaxy. RIBUSes from every corner of the Empire were being called to arms and issued new orders. Everyone was being put on high alert.

  But probably the most significant change to Chelan’s life was Ticees. He had remained totally civilized. His unending stream of compliments, coupled with his warm hospitality, was beginning to chip away at her icy armor. He had remained true to his word and had not so much as laid a finger on her in any manner.

  Chelan attended as many meals as her Earth hours would permit her to, and at all times Ticees’ behavior was exemplary. Chelan actually found herself starting to like the massive man on a superficial level, but her female instincts kept her wary, and she never spent time with him alone.

  Korba had wasted no time in briefing Toran on Ticees’ appetite for Chelan, and although the Warlord had been surprised, he offered his wary eyes also, and Chelan at long last began to feel secure.

  Ticees, on the other hand, was far from pleased with the situation. He was well aware of Korba’s and Fremma’s eyes on him, and the addition of Toran inflamed him. But Ticees was careful, never losing control of himself in Chelan’s presence. He never let his eyes wander or made any comments that could be misconstrued as distasteful or overly aggressive, and, of course, he never remained alone with her, even for a second.

  But regardless of his charms and his gentlemanly decorum, he never made it through her defenses, and Ticees was becoming all too aware of her extreme and undying loyalty to Korba. But he was also well aware of her acts of intimacy with Fremma, and it drove him nearly crazy that she would participate with Fremma despite her love for Korba, yet chose no others. Ticees had stood back and watched her limited interactions with Toran closely, but even with him she did not stray. She never even flirted with the man, and Ticees was confounded.

  After nearly two months of all-consuming frustration, Ticees came to the inescapable conclusion that he had to get rid of Korba, thereby partially isolating Chelan and making her vulnerable to his advances. All three Warlords were aware of an upcoming mission dealing with another volatile ROPE colony, and Ticees saw his opportunity. Though Dar was the most logical choice for the mission, Ticees would order Korba out, and things would change drastically. It was perfect. The mission was too dangerous for Chelan’s participation, and Ticees knew that Korba would never consider jeopardizing her. And as added insurance, Ticees was well aware that her training was far from complete, thereby solidifying her ban from RIBUS 7.

  Ticees had mixed feelings over what he was about to do, and he knew that Chelan would turn on him instantly. But he wanted her so desperately that he was willing to risk all. He’d noticed quickly that Chelan seemed to shun any female interactions, and he did not want that to change. Ticees moved expeditiously to rearrange his staff and his meetings with female warriors and officers, especially those from RIBUS 7, so their paths rarely crossed hers. In that way he circumvented any friendships that may have otherwise been sparked. And as for the male officers who were regularly about, Chelan seemed content to simply acknowledge them and to spend all her time in the company of Korba and Fremma.

  With Korba taken out of the equation and no other binding friendships forged, Ticees knew that she would eventually need his support in whatever form that took. He knew that in the beginning it would be for benign interactions, but he had no doubt that over the coming months of isolation, she would seek him out for more.

  His only unsettling reservation was pertaining to Korba, his lifelong friend, and the damage this could do to their bond. But Chelan had crawled into Ticees’ very soul, and nothing would interfere with his plans for her, not even the great Overlord.

  *****

  Korba stood in his chambers, his face solemn, his jaw set. His orders had just come down, and his guts were twisting. He began to pace. He was well aware that the mission was too dangerous for Chelan and that his time actually spent on board RIBUS 7 would be limited. He knew he could not adequately protect her there, but he wondered how much better off she would be here.

  He also realized that Dar was next in line for the mission, and Korba wrestled with the motives behind Ticees’ move. The only thing that kept Korba from flying into a disobedient rage was the fact that Fremma was still too green to accompany him as his Second-in-Command, and Tarn had been allotted that position.

  His next dilemma came in the form of how to tell Chelan. Ticees’ decision had come down quickly, and RIBUS 7 was already being equipped. He was due to leave in two days, and a lump formed in his throat as he thought about his separation from his Lady. The mission’s minimum time was five months, a short mission by Imperial standards, but it was just shy of one Earth year, an interminably long time to them both, and his heart was breaking.

  Suddenly, he was startled from his thoughts as Chelan flew into the room, bubbling with glee.

  “It’s great!” she shouted. “Salizar took me on a tour of the Empire’s main reconnaissance lab today, and the technology is fascinating. God, if we only had a fraction of it on Earth, it would be amazing!”

  Chelan ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. He smiled weakly at her, and Chelan grinned and kissed his lips, but his response was tepid at best.

  She wi
thdrew from him. “What’s happened?” she queried, her heart stopping.

  Korba’s muscles knotted. “I have to go away for a while, Chelan. I leave in two days.”

  Chelan recoiled. “For how long?”

  Korba hesitated. “For at least five months … five Iceanean months.”

  The unexpected news stunned Chelan. Korba reached for her and hugged her to him.

  “It’s okay, Chelan,” he breathed. “You know that I will return.”

  But no words could console her. She was floored. She turned from him, hugging herself as his words slowly infused into her brain like time-released venom. Then the full thrust of the situation hit her, and panic threatened to suffocate her. She whirled around to face him, her eyes pleading with his. “That’s almost one of my years! Please, take me with you,” she begged.

  “I can’t, Chelan. It’s a ROPE colony, and it is too dangerous.”

  “No!” she shouted, startling him. “You can’t leave me here.”

  She began to shake, and Korba grabbed her. “You’ll be okay. Fremma will be here, and you know that you can go to Toran at any time if you need additional help.”

  Chelan shook her head in disbelief and then collapsed into him. Korba held her a long time as they both struggled to process the news.

  Her thoughts tumbled as the new reality caused her world to tilt. “And so it begins,” she whispered tonelessly.

  Korba pulled her away from him. “What are you talking about?”

  “Ticees,” she shot back. “He can’t take me fairly, so now he disposes of you.”

  “Chelan, you know that is not true. His situation regarding you was all addressed months ago. Besides, how can he take you if you are not willing?”

  Chelan grabbed his arms tightly. “You don’t understand,” she uttered. “You failed to fully understand my concerns the first time, and look what happened. Please listen to me this time. He will find a way. I am not ignorant about the functions of the Empire. I know the schedules regarding the upcoming battles. So tell me why he isn’t sending Dar on this mission.”