by S. E. Smith
“To disrupt the balance of power by supplying Tornian males with compatible females, and the Kaliszian people with food. If they do this, then they will become the two most powerful species in the Known Universes.”
“But there’s no way they can do that,” Rebecca argued. “Neither species has a home world.”
“They could because they know where Earth is, and they are the only ones, as Wray has kept its location a secret.”
“But you said the Kaliszians have been intercepting their ships.”
“And every time we do, they’ve been able to delete their navigational data. It’s one of the reasons Treyvon and I wanted to speak to Wray. We want to return the women to Earth, but can’t because we don’t know where it is.”
“And if it becomes known that there are compatible Earth females in the Kaliszian Empire…” Lisa trailed off.
“It could mean war,” Rebecca whispered.
“Yes. Some of the Warriors are getting desperate, Rebecca. If they attack…”
“Treyvon and Liron would defend them. They would have no choice, not after what Aadi did.”
“Alright. So what’s the plan and why are you telling me this? I’m just a doctor.”
“The plan is for Ull to go to Earth and make contact, explain what is happening, and try to negotiate a treaty that will not only protect Earth but help the Tornians and Kaliszians.”
“The Tornians kidnapping us isn’t going to help with that.”
“We know, which is why Ull is following Jen and General Rayner to Pontus first, to pick up the women they rescued and return them to Earth.”
“Along with the surviving men from the group I was taken with,” Jen added.
“But not us.”
“No, Rebecca, I’m sorry. I tried to get Wray to let you be returned too, but...”
“He refused.”
“My new brother-in-law can be a real asshole,” Jen muttered, “but in this, I have to agree with him.”
“Of course you would!” Rebecca accused. “You’ve had it pretty cushy, haven’t you? True Mate to a General. Sister to the Empress.”
“Rebecca,” Lisa tried to cut her off.
“Cushy?!!” Jen growled. “I’ve had it cushy? What do you know about it? Were you captured by the Ganglians? Were you forced to witness them raping females? Were you sold as a slave? Made to work in a mine? To live in a cave! Were you starved, Rebecca? Was your husband beaten to death right before your eyes? Did you cry every night and wish you could just die?”
“I...” Rebecca was cut off by the doors of the sunroom being slammed open, and a male she had never seen storming through them, despite the guards trying to stop him. He was instantly in front of Jennifer, pulling her up and into his arms.
“What is wrong, my Jennifer? Who has upset you?”
Grim stormed in bare seconds after Treyvon, his sword pulled. “Lisa?”
“It’s all right, Grim. Things just got a little... heated.”
“It’s my fault.” Rebecca slowly stood, her eyes full of regret and just a little fear of the large, Kaliszian General. His hard, glowing gaze pinned her even while he still gently held Jen. “I didn’t understand her situation. I just assumed she’d been safe in the Kaliszian Empire all this time.”
“While it is truth she has been in our Empire since her abduction, she has been far from safe,” Treyvon growled.
“I gathered that. I’m sorry, Jen. Truly,” she said when Jen looked at her over a massive bicep. “I usually don’t just jump to conclusions like that, but lately...”
“Your life’s been in turmoil.”
“Yes.”
“It’s okay, Treyvon,” she reached up to gently caress his cheek. “You can put me down. I overreacted too, and I have a feeling that’s going to be happening a lot more for a while.”
“What do you mean?” Treyvon asked, slowly putting her back on her feet. And while he released her, one hand stayed on the small of her back.
“I’ll get to that, but first.” She turned to face Rebecca. “I’m sorry too, Rebecca. I should have explained myself better when I said I agreed with Wray. I didn’t mean that you should have to stay here, have to Join with a Tornian. What I meant was, for right now, we need to proceed as if nothing has changed. If the Ganglians or Zaludians find out what we were trying to do…”
“Lisa! You told her?” Grim frowned down at his Queen.
“She has the right to know if she’s going to help,” Lisa told him, not intimidated in the least at his fierce frown.
“Out!” Grim turned to face the guards. “Close the doors. No one enters.”
“Yes, sire!”
“They were supposed to be doing that before,” Lisa’s lips twitched looking at Treyvon.
“No one keeps a Kaliszian away from his True Mate,” Treyvon told her. “Especially when he knows she is in distress.”
“How did you know?” Rebecca asked looking confused. “Were you walking right by? We weren’t that loud were we?”
“It’s a True Mate thing,” Jen told her, not willing to go any further than that. “So are we okay? With what I said I mean? I would understand why you wouldn’t be, what with not being allowed to go back too.”
“Yes,” Rebecca said nodding.
“Thank you, because the reason we’re telling you this is that we need to ask for your help.”
“My help?”
“Yes, as a doctor. You see there was another female with us when we were taken. Mackenzie, Mac.”
“And she’s not returning to Earth with the other females?”
“No, she’s the True Mate to Treyvon’s Second-in-Command, Nikhil... and she’s pregnant.”
“I see.”
“It was the other reason Treyvon and I wanted to meet with Wray and get him to tell us Earth’s location. We were going to go there to find my sister and bring back the information Luol, our Healer, would need to make sure Mac had a safe pregnancy. We didn't know that the new Empress was my little sister. Or that you were here.”
"It must have been a shocking reunion."
"It was, especially meeting little Destiny.” A smile filtered across her lips as she thought of Destiny. “Thank you by the way.” Her gaze included Lisa. “Kimmy told me she couldn't have done it without the two of you.”
"Kim and Rebecca did all the hard work. I was just there for support,” Lisa said, downplaying her part.
"You were there for more than that. Kimmy told me how you, Rebecca, took a knife in the back to protect Destiny and that you, Lisa, distracted that psycho Risa long enough for Kim to get her out of the room."
Neither woman said anything.
"Which is why I'm hoping you’ll come to Pontus with us and help Mac.”
“Is this Nikhil as big as him?” Rebecca motioned to Treyvon.
“Bigger.”
“Bigger?” Lisa and Rebecca said in disbelief.
“Commander Nikhil is one of the largest and most powerful Kaliszians in our Empire,” Treyvon told them quietly. “He is also deeply concerned that because of this, the offspring the Goddess has blessed them with might harm his True Mate. If you were able to assist our Healer in making sure that doesn't happen, the Kaliszian Empire would be in your debt.”
“As will I,” Treyvon said giving Jennifer a hard look. “For I believe my True Mate is with offspring but has yet to tell me.”
“I wanted Rebecca to check me first to be sure. You saw how Nikhil lost control when he just thought Mac might be.”
“One of your Elite Warriors lost control?” Grim questioned moving slightly closer to Lisa.
“But for a moment. Earth females are smaller than ours. Are you saying you haven’t feared for your Queen?” Treyvon looked at the difference in size between Grim and Lisa.
“I have,” Grim acknowledged quietly, and the two males shared an understanding look. “Which is why if you choose to go with them, Rebecca, I must demand you be here for the presentation of our daughter.” He put a protective arm around
Lisa, pulling her close.
“Of course I would be,” Rebecca quickly reassured Grim. “But Hadar now has enough knowledge to care for Lisa if I’m gone for a while. He did just fine when I went to check Abby.”
“This is truth, Grim,” Lisa looked up at him reassuringly. “And I can make sure Rebecca does a thorough scan before she leaves if that helps.”
“She will,” Grim growled.
“I will,” Rebecca agreed.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
“I really don’t see why this is necessary,” Rebecca said for the third time as she looked at Lisa. “The coverings I have will be fine.”
“Jen said it’s warm on Pontus right now, like summer back on Earth. Not winterish like it is here right now. Because of that, Padma and Caitir have been concentrating on making warmer coverings, but you’re going to need something else.”
“I wish the General would have let Jen come with us.”
“I doubt Treyvon is going to let Jen out of his sight for a while. Not after you confirmed she’s with offspring.”
“Yeah, I still don’t know if his reaction was cute or just damn scary.”
“You mean wrapping her up in his arms, growling at everyone, and immediately carrying her back to their rooms?” Lisa asked chuckling. “Grim would have done the same to me if we hadn’t been in the middle of the Assembly when he found out.”
“That’s true.” Rebecca smiled remembering the King of Luda’s reaction to Lisa announcing she carried his offspring.
“And besides, the girls wanted to see Dagan. Didn’t you, girls?” She looked at Carly and Miki who were sitting across from them.
“Uh-huh,” they replied. “It’s been forever since we’ve gotten to play with him.”
“It’s only been a week,” Lisa reminded them.
“Like we said,” Miki told them. “Forever.”
“I’m also surprised Grim let you come alone.” Rebecca gave her a questioning look. Everyone knew how protective the King of Luda was of his family, especially with warriors arriving.
“I’d hardly say I was alone,” Lisa gave Rebecca an exasperated look. “There are three transports full of guards with us.”
“Like I said, alone,” Rebecca teased. Their transport coming to a stop ended the conversation.
“Come on, Mommy, let’s go,” Miki said reaching for the handle.
“Miki Renee, you know better,” Lisa gently admonished her youngest. “We have to wait until Agee or Kirk open the door.” It was a small concession for her to give if it helped Grim to not worry so much.
“Oh, yeah. I forgot. Sorry, Mommy.”
“It’s alright, baby. I know you were just excited, but you need to try to remember so your manno doesn’t worry.”
“Yes, Mommy.”
Looking up as the door opened, Lisa saw Agee standing there holding out a hand.
“My Queen, the area is secure.”
Taking his hand, Lisa let him help her out of the transport. It was something that was getting more and more difficult the further along she got in pregnancy.
“Thank you, Agee,” she said giving him an apologetic smile, knowing he was going to have to be doing this more and more as she got heavier.
“It is not a problem, my Queen,” Agee told her quietly. Then making sure Kirk was there, turned to assist Rebecca and the girls.
“Lisa,” Padma called out as she walked down the path toward the transports. “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you call? I would have come to you.”
“I know you would have,” Lisa laughed, hugging her first true friend on Luda, “but the girls wanted to play with Dagan, and honestly I wanted to get out for a while.”
“Is everything okay?” Padma asked running a critical eye over her friend and Queen, as well as the number of guards that were surrounding them.
“Of course it is. Grim would never have let me out of his sight if it wasn’t.”
“That is truth,” Padma agreed smiling slightly as she gestured toward her open door. “Come inside and we’ll talk, or would you rather sit out back? It isn’t that cold out today. Not with the way the sun is beating down.”
“Actually, I need to speak with you about making some cooler coverings.”
“For you?” Padma frowned as they waited for the guards to say her home was secure. Once that was done, they entered her home.
“No, for Rebecca,” Lisa told her once the door was closed.
“I see,” Padma said but didn’t. “Girls, Dagan is out back.”
“Can we go find him, Mommy?” Carly asked.
“Yes. Take either Agee or Kirk with you.”
“Yes, Mommy,” they chorused as they rushed out the back door.
Seven
"Look, it's the idiot."
Dagan looked up to find three young males moving toward him. He didn't like them. They were new to Luda, having recently been sent here by their mannos so the Empire’s Greatest Warrior, King Grim, could train them. But when they weren't training, they liked to sneak out of House Luanda and terrorize the countryside. One day, they had discovered Dagan walking along the creek picking up pretty stones. At first, he thought they had wanted to play with him, the way Carly and Miki did, but he quickly discovered what they considered fun was to shove him to the ground and hit him.
The last time they'd found him, he'd gone home with his shirt torn and his body bruised. He'd lied to his mama and said he'd fallen, not only because he sometimes did, but because he knew she would be upset if he told her truth.
No one had hit him since Gahan had left the King's Glassmaker's shop, and his mama had been so happy since then. Dagan didn't want her to be sad again.
"Go away," Dagan said, backing away from them.
"Oh look, it talks," Eero, the smallest of the three, sneered. He was the one that seemed to enjoy hurting Dagan the most.
"I didn't think he could do anything but cry," Lalo, the biggest one, said.
"Let’s see how long it will take this time." Dal, the leader of the three, leaned down picking up a thick stick as the other two moved to surround Dagan.
Dagan's gaze widened as he turned in a tight circle searching for a way out.
"Oh no, you unfit spawn, there's no way out this time." Dal raised the stick. "Your manno should have ended you before you drew your first breath. But since he wasn't male enough to do it, we will." With that, he started swinging, and with a cry, Dagan dropped to the ground protecting his head.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
"Come on, Miki," Carly called out over her shoulder as she ran up the path. "I think I hear Dagan in the meadow."
The path in the woods was one the girls had been down before. It led to the small furnace that Gossamer had built for his first male, Gahan, so that he could practice his glass making skills. Dagan had shown it to them on one of their visits, confiding that he liked to go there.
Bursting into the meadow, Carly came to an abrupt halt when she saw three young males circling Dagan. She hadn’t known Dagan had play dates with other friends, especially ones so close to his age.
“What game are they playing?” Miki asked, coming to stand beside her sister.
“I don’t know."
“I don’t like them,” Miki said frowning. “They look mean.”
“You know what Mommy says about judging people by how they look.”
“I know but...” Just then, Dagan fell to the ground, and the three started hitting and kicking him.
“Stop that!” Carly yelled and began running directly toward the boys. When she got closer, she launched herself at the one swinging the stick. She aimed for his knees the way she’d seen one of the Warriors do at the Festival. During that match, the Warriors hadn't even been allowed stingers, and the smaller one had won the match with just such a move. Her manno had grunted his approval.
Dal didn’t know what was happening. One minute he was standing there beating the idiot, the next he was on the ground, the stick flying from his grip. Kic
king out, he found his attacker was gone, having rolled away with a skill he still hadn’t mastered. Looking up, he found himself staring up into the furious amber eyes of... a female?
“You will not hurt Dagan like that!” she growled at him.
“You are bad males,” Miki hissed, dropping to her knees beside Dagan. "Evil."
The other two had stopped attacking when Dal had.
“What the...” Lalo looked from the young female that had suddenly appeared next to Dagan, to the other one who was now holding the stick over Dal like it was a sword.
“You will leave. Now!” Carly ordered.
Dal’s light, green-skinned face flushed emerald with embarrassment and anger that this... female would think to tell him what to do. Jumping to his feet, he took a threatening step toward her. “You dare speak to a warrior like that?”
“You’re not a warrior,” Carly told him not backing down. “Warriors are fit and worthy. They protect those smaller and weaker than them. They don’t attack them. When I tell my manno what you’ve done, he’s going to be angry.”
“Yeah,” Miki nodded in agreement, “really angry.”
“Not if you can’t tell him,” Dal growled as he ripped the branch from Carly’s hands and raised it. “Get her, too,” he ordered the other two, gesturing with his head toward Miki.
Dagan reared up, wrapping his larger body around Miki, so he took the kicks aimed at her, and cried out “No!” But it was drowned out by an enraged screech that rent the air.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Lisa looked up, surprised when she saw Grim striding into Padma’s cottage.
“Grim, what are you doing here?” she asked as she rose, moving toward him with a smile on her lips.
“I felt the need to be with you,” he told her quietly as he leaned down kissing her lips gently.
“We haven’t been gone that long. Not even an hour.”
“Yet you were gone,” he said as if that was enough of an explanation. “Where are the girls?” he asked looking around the room, his gaze taking in their absence.
“They are outside playing with Dagan. Either Agee or Kirk is with them.”
“Not truth,” Grim growled, his whole demeanor changing as he spun around and stormed out the door he’d just entered.