by T. W. Embry
It sounds perfect, thought the oldest One. Now what haven’t you told me? she demanded of the young Queen.
This planet is populated by an emerging technology race of bi-pedal mammals, she thought back. They have weapons that could render the planet unsuitable for us if they were used. They are so wild as to not survive captivity without proper conditioning. Their military power is crudely effective but only in their own atmosphere. It is no match for current Galactic technology. They are pre-emergent so they have no space defenses, she answered. Surprise will be complete and they have no one to call for help, she thought, formally finishing her report.
How sure are you that these mammals can be tamed? How sure are you about their technology, Sister? thought the Leader of the Council angrily.
SILENCE, screamed the Oldest one. Your time as leader of the Council has passed. I will deal with you later, she warned the Leader, causing her to cower.
Bring my children home. Have them bring all the ships and technology they can scavenge with them. Then we will move the nest, commanded the oldest One.
“Begin the preparations for dismantling the energy amplifier as soon as enough of my children have returned. Bring the planet power plant out of hibernation and prepare planetary defenses. Then ready the ships in storage for combat,” she commanded the scribes.
“We hear and obey,” echoed though the Queen’s chamber as the scribes furiously scraped their chest plates on the ground in submission to the oldest One, including the young Queen.
PART FORTY-ONE
Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold
“How sssure are you that there isss another Queen, ssSSlice?” hissed Snarth, as angry as I had ever seen him.
“Who else could transform those jewels to fully grown One warriors?” whispered SSlice “We are just lucky they had no weapons,” he croaked in a ragged whisper.
The feline King and the few survivors of his security detail interrupted us. “Human Tom,” he yowled, causing me instinctively to drop into my fighting stance. My mate jumped between us, trying to prevent the coming fight.
“YES your highness, I am over here. What do you want?” I hissed angrily through clamped teeth. I had saved his life and NOW he wants to fight, I thought. Come get some then!!
“Sister, this is none of your affair,” yowled her brother. “As your king and clan leader, I order you to step aside. This is a matter of honor between the King and Human Tom.” My mate growled a warning and crouched, preparing to fight. “I mean him no harm. I owe him my life and I wanted to thank him,” yowled the feline King. “Now step aside Sister.”
“Yes, my lord,” she mewed with head bowed, quickly moving from between the King and me.
“Human Tom, you saved my life from the master of the assassins. For that I owe you a life debt. Kneel please.” As I knelt in front of the King, he drew his feline blade, causing my mate to hiss a warning as she reached for her feline blade.
“I give you this blade. It belonged to my father’s, father’s father, all kings as well,” mewed the feline King, holding it out hilt first to me. “May it protect you as well as it has my family.”
“My lord,” I said my head bowed, “I cannot accept such a gift,” stunning everyone, especially my mate.
“If you will not take my blade, then what do you demand of my honor?” hissed the King, his tail twitching furiously.
“Only the right to earn my family’s honor. I ask you on your honor for a fair trial of attainment,” I said.
“You just killed the most skilled assassin on my planet. There is no need for a trial of attainment for you, Human Tom. You have nothing left to prove,” hissed the King angrily.
“For my children’s honor I must EARN the marks of attainment,” I growled through clenched teeth, my head no longer bowed, he was really starting to piss me off.
“As you wish, Human Tom. Know this, no quarter will be given,” the king hissed frostily.
“None will be taken,” I growled back.
“Very well, Ja ha Don,” sneered the King, angry for the public snubbing I had just given him, forcing him to accept me as his sister’s mate.
“Appear before me in the traditional one hundred light cycles of my planet. You will have your fair trial, on my honor,” growled the King. With a swirl of his singed cape, and in a royal huff, the King headed for his ship, his honor guard scrambling to get out in front.
“All right, lisssten up, we lift in one long time unit,” hissed Snarth loudly. “ssSay your goodbyesss to your loved onesss, alive and dead. We have a Queen to kill. We mourn after ssshe is dead. Move OUT.”
The End
Continued in Book II
Earth’s Mirror