Rai tilted her head. "But you do. These vessels are all an extension of myself. Please continue your thoughts."
Brague blinked a few times quickly, before continuing. "If it pleases you, Queen Klimitzi seeks an audience with your Eminence. In person. If you could see fit to leave your planetary oversight for a short time, that is."
Rai smiled coyly. "The foremost Juggernaut Queen wishes a personal audience with me?"
"How did you know she was foremost?" Brague rattled his carapace. "You are the last remaining Progenitor. Of course, she wants to meet with you, you're a link to our past."
"And your future, no?" Rai asked. Could a Juggernaut look startled? If so, Brague just did with his irises narrowed to pinpoints. She'd never seen them do that before. And he was avoiding multidimensional speech in this conversation. Was he attempting to mislead her, or prevent her from seeing his true intentions? "As it happens, I have planned a trip, and thus have need of your services. Perhaps we can trade a visit with your Queen for your agreement to take me where I need to go?"
Brague swayed his head side to side. "Vida, there is no reason to trade, as you put it. That would be a dishonor to my race. The Juggernaut are already in your debt. If you require transport, it will be provided along with the appropriate guards and honors fit to your station."
"You are generous."
"It is nothing. A minor dent in our vast resources. I will escort you, if only for the sheer pleasure of your presence."
Rai allowed a frown to knit her brows. "Surely an Assessor of your esteem has better things to do than being my escort? More important assignments than running a Progenitor on her sightseeing errands and matters of state?"
Brague sighed, the universal signal for frustration. "Sadly, all issues concerning the Queens also concern me. I have risen to the post of consummate politician despite my best efforts." His candor surprised Rai. Or, was he playing her to gain information? "Yet I doubt you wish to go sightseeing after all these years. Tell me, after we visit my Queen, what is your destination?"
Rai rose to her feet and moved closer to him. "I'm not sure. You see, the location of my brethren is something of a mystery to me. I mean to seek them out." Rai watched Brague for reactions but got none.
"I will happily be at your disposal for the duration of the trip," Brague replied. "How soon would you like to depart?"
"My companions need to collect their things. We'll need the use of a transport ship to various cities to accomplish this. After that is accomplished, perhaps we could leave tomorrow?"
"Of course. Would you like any of my troops to remain planet-side to maintain order after we leave? It would be no drain on my considerable resources."
"That won't be necessary," Rai replied. "Ponar will be staying here, and he will be contacting me via standard comm channels on a periodic basis. If anything critical comes up, we can respond as needed. I also trust in Raza and her Guardians to handle controlling the populace against any uprisings. I expect they'll all be so happy about the lack of the plague and the removal of Temple controls that they won't have time to revolt."
"Be assured, Vida, I will report on our progress regularly," Ponar said.
"I will leave my contact information with you as well," Brague replied. "I can ensure reinforcements are here in the quickest possible manner."
"I'm sure you can," Rai replied. "However, they will not act without my consent."
"Your authority shall not be challenged," Brague replied.
Their gazes met, and an acknowledgment of power passed between them. Yet, Rai felt the undertones. She'd stated what she wanted, but not the entire reason why, and Brague had done the same.
"I'll leave you to your arrangements, then," Brague said. "You may commandeer any available transport shuttle you wish. I will make sure at least one remains in the area available to you. In the meantime, I have an army to extract from your bountiful world. Until tomorrow, Progenitor Vida."
"My thanks, Assessor Brague," Rai replied.
Brague strode from the tent and began barking out orders to his staff. The flurry of activity in response was unmistakable.
"That went well," Bauleel spoke in a whispered tones. "I wonder what the Juggernaut Queen wants with you? A cup of tea?"
Graeber wrapped an arm around Rai's shoulders. "Somehow," he answered in a low growl, "I expect she's got other plans for you."
"Calm down you two," Rai replied. "I'm on a level of a deity to them, right? They won't hurt me. People don't go killing their gods."
Graeber shot her a wry frown and groaned. "You haven't read much ancient human Earth text, have you?"
"No, why?"
"Their old gods rarely had it easy."
Rai kept her calm despite her frustration. She had no idea if the Juggernaut were somehow watching their exchange. "Enough of your moods. I can't help what the Juggernaut want. We'll deal with it when we get there. You never know, it may help with my hunt. Right now, let's go get whatever we can't leave home without."
There was some grumbling all around, but finally, assent.
"And you," Rai looked to Ponar, "We'll drop you off in Raven's Call. I bet Kait's in a snit waiting to see you home again."
Ponar dragged a hand through the hair at the nape of his neck. "Yes, and Kait is going to give me no end of grief over this entire episode!"
"On the upside, serving at the Progenitor's personal Ambassador does have the cachet of making you the most marriageable man on the planet."
Ponar held up his hands. "Oh no, not that again! But, on second thought, you're right. And it will get her to stop bemoaning my near-death at the hands of the Juggernaut."
"See, there's the bright side of the coin!" Rilte chimed in.
They exited the tent and walked towards a nearby transport shuttle, moods in various states of humor.
"Where should we stop first?" Bauleel asked.
"The colony caves to the shuttle I had prepped there," Graeber answered. "I took some time stocking that ship. Seems a shame not to take advantage of it."
"And after that?" Rai asked.
"Perhaps your home at Harper's Sorrow? You might find things of interest there."
"Yes, and then on to Raven's Call," Bauleel replied. "There are things I'd like to get from the Temple. And I'm sure you'd like a chance to gather a few items from the Technicians Guild?" she asked Rilte.
"Yeah, I think I would. Not knowing how long we'll be gone. Or if we're even coming back, yeah, if we have the time I'd like that," Rilte replied.
"Let's take what's ours with us. Lifetimes may pass before we return," Rai said as she stepped onto the Juggernaut transport shuttle, followed by her friends, bound by a bond beyond friendship.
A bond of mind, thought, and flesh.
Chapter 34
Brague stood at ease before the impressively large communications terminal in his private lounge, neck bared, and hands clasped behind his back. One of the screens awaited the Queen's answer. Another kept a close track of the transport shuttle the Progenitor was using to prepare her team for their imminent departure.
With him.
A single chime proceeded the screen flickering to life, and then Brague was face to face with Queen Klimitzi again, except now she stood, veiled in sheer lavender, her pillowed nest abandoned behind her.
"What news, Assessor Brague?"
Brague straightened to his full height. "I leave tomorrow from Az'Unda. The Progenitor and her companions accompany me. We shall arrive within ten of your days to a sub-Latne, depending on the solar flares Iaos is spouting when we pass."
The Queen brought her hands to her lips. "This is most welcome news, Assessor. You are a tribute to your race." Brague inclined his head. "Tell me, how did she agree to this meeting, when so few are unwilling to part with their home worlds without coercion?"
This fact was news to Brague, and it made him wonder why she hadn't shared it earlier. "The Progenitor wishes to locate others of her kind. Her 'brethren,' as she calls th
em. She became aware through contact with me that my race hasn't seen a Progenitor for generations. She appears curious where they've gone." Some of this was information he'd gotten from reports given by Caretaker Traken on the Sanctuary ship.
Klimitzi stepped closer to the screen. Her hands were still held high, fingertips touching. "Tell me, did you allow her onto the Sanctuary ship?"
"Yes, it seemed an honor befitting her." Brague tilted his head down low, braced for argument.
"And by the reports of the Caretakers, did she interact with the Seed Marker on the ship?"
"Yes. Was this inappropriate, my Queen?" Brague kept his frustration in check. If this was something he wasn't supposed to have done, it should have been dictated clearly up front.
Klimitzi held up a hand to forestall his questions and then steepled her fingers again. "And after her interactions, did she behave the same as before?"
Brague searched his memory. "Yes. On every count. There was a time the Progenitor overloaded the capacity of her host vessel, but that was the host, not her, failing. When she revived, all was as normal again."
"How remarkable. This Progenitor is different than the others I have encountered. More resilient. I can't wait to meet her."
"I shall bring her directly, my Queen. Her quest to search for her brethren can wait until after your visit."
"Yes, Assessor. I'm glad you understand the situation." The Queen turned and laid down upon her nest of lavender silken pillows, before again squaring him directly with her gaze. "And for your exemplary efforts, you shall be justly rewarded."
"I am honored, Your Excellency," Brague replied. Could he hope for the ultimate of rewards?
"And Assessor, I feel it would be a shame if the genes from a male of your esteem did not make it into our lineage. Therefore, after you introduce me to the Progenitor, you will be given a short leave during which you will be granted breeding rights during your stay."
Brague bowed low, overwhelmed by the bestowed honor. "I am grateful beyond words, my Queen."
"As you should be. Few are afforded such an elite right. Now, I leave you to your task. And be mindful of your passenger."
"I assure you, my Queen, her safety is my utmost priority." Brague rose to his full height again, affronted by the perceived slight.
"Of course, Assessor. That's not what I was referring to. Rather, as the old eldritch saying goes: when the old gods awaken, take care, for they are 'oft times cranky. Beware that you stay on the friendly side of this one, lest she bites."
"I will heed your words," Brague replied.
"And I look forward to greeting both of you, face to face. Give the Progenitor my warmest regards."
The screen flickered off.
For many moments Brague was so caught up in the rush of being awarded breeding rights, something every Juggernaut male fought tooth and claw for his entire career, that the entirety of the conversation hadn't yet processed. But when Brague thought back over the conversation, two questions kept rolling around in his head.
The first was: how old, exactly, was Queen Klimitzi?
The second was: the Queen has met other Progenitors? When?
The End
Author's Note
If you loved the book and have a minute to spare, I would really appreciate a short review on the page or site where you bought the book. Your help in spreading the word is greatly appreciated. Reviews from readers like you make a huge difference to helping new readers find similar stories.
Thank you so much for reading and supporting my work!
Candice
p.s. If you'd like to know when my next book comes out and want to receive occasional updates from me, then you can sign up for my newsletter at candicebundy.com. I promise my emails are infrequent and also I will never sell your email to the daemonic marketing hordes.
Other Works
The Daemon Whisperer (The Liminals Series, Book #1)
The Dream Sifter (The Depths of Memory Series, Book #1)
Ripples (A novella)
For a list of my full catalog of available titles, visit my Amazon Author Central page.
For my son
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Zippy Wizard Redaction for their editing and proofreading services.
Thanks to Christopher Stewart of Red Aces Media for his work on the Depths of Memory covers.
And lastly to my friends and family who've been a source of unending strength, laughter, and wine over the years: thank you for the inspiration.
About the Author
Candice lives in Denver, Colorado with her son and their cat Newt. A professional hedonist, rabble-rouser, winemaker, and goat-herder, she adores archeology. Candice focuses on habit hacking to meet minimalist, health, productivity, and positive mojo goals, and sometimes even blogs about it. An unrepentant epicurean, she grows heirloom tomatoes and ferments a variety of sauerkraut, sourdough, kombucha, pickles, and water kefir.
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Dreams Manifest Page 27