Rom sat on the arm of her chair and stroked her silver hair. "There's less than three weeks to go, but if you really want a sundae, I'm sure Doctor Xerpa—"
"No. If you bother her one more time, she might never agree to let us get pregnant again." Aster sighed and rubbed her enormous stomach. "I'm sorry, darling. A hot fudge sundae isn't going to fix what's bothering me. I miss Cherry. She should be here making fun of me. I can't stop worrying about her. It's been a week, Rom. A week! She should have been home by now. Why haven't we heard anything?"
As he had been doing since Cherry's disappearance, Rom blocked his own concerned thoughts from his mate. Gallant Voyager was going to have a lot to answer for... if and when he ever showed up again.
"I told you before," Rom said in his gentlest voice. "If Gallant believes Cherry's life is in danger, he's probably keeping a low profile with her on some quiet planet and doesn't want to risk revealing their location to anyone. The Consociation of Planets will have received my message by now. As soon as Gallant checks in with them, they'll have him contact us."
"You're sure she's safe with him?"
He hugged her tightly, both to console her and ensure that she didn't see how his eyes were about to change color as he lied to her. "Absolutely."
With another sigh, Aster pulled herself back together enough to think of Innerworld business. "Did you see this morning's communication from OMC?"
"Mm-hmm." Rom got up and went around the other side of his desk. The memo was right where he'd left it when she'd come in. He pretended to read it while he considered how best to discuss the matter.
He had asked the department head at Outerworld Monitor Control to forward all news reports regarding Earth's surface to him alone so that he could decide whether Aster should receive a copy. The situation with Cherry, on top of her pregnancy, had her upset enough for the moment.
He knew he was being devious and underhanded—behavior he had never resorted to in his life—but it was worth a small deception if Aster was spared more stress. Apparently this report had slipped through. He cleared his throat and read it aloud in a voice intended to sound sarcastically doubtful. "Outerworld sensationalist newspapers are reporting strange phenomena."
Aster laughed. "So what else is new? They haven't changed at all in the ten years I've been here."
Rom smiled back and continued. "In the past fourteen days, there have been three supposedly supernatural sightings at religious shrines—an angel at Our Lady of Lourdes in France, the prophet Muhammad at the Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem, and at the Elephanta caves near Bombay, India, a rock sculpture of the Hindu god, Shiva, opened its eyes and spoke to a group of worshipers.
"Emissary P68 was near the third sighting area and reports having picked up a tremendous surge of psychic energy during the occurrence but was unable to identify the source. All three messengers warned of the approach of Judgment Day, at which time the Supreme Being will be arriving on Earth."
The memo went on to say that Emissary P68 was one of Innerworld's most reliable agents in Outerworld and his efficient record along with his mention of unusual psychic energy, were the reasons such questionable reports had been forwarded to the Co-Governors. The emissary was planning to discreetly interview some of the witnesses to the event and see if he could learn more.
Glad to have something to think about besides hot fudge, Aster asked, "What's your analysis?"
"Initial reaction—it's a hoax." Rom wasn't surprised when she rolled her eyes at him.
"Please. You can do better than that. Beginning with the assumption that God is not really on his way, what do you think about the emissary's report?"
Rom shrugged. "It's possible an Outerworlder has perfected mass hypnotism."
"Possible, but not likely. Even in a small group, one or two people would not be taken under with the rest. That memo doesn't give us many details but it sounds like everyone present saw the same thing."
"The first two sightings could have been created with holographic technology available out there, but I can't see how someone could make a rock move and talk... except on film."
Aster shifted positions as the baby did a somersault. "You're talking about special effects, but this wasn't a prerecorded video that could have been touched up. One thing in that memo jarred, and I looked it up before I came over here. Those phenomena involve three different religions. Catholics and Muslims both believe there is one God, and they have histories filled with messengers and prophets.
"Unless something has changed recently, Hindus worship many deities, so it doesn't make complete sense that one of their gods would warn of the coming of one supreme being. That must have some significance. I mean, if someone could master the technology required to perform such magic, wouldn't they be smart enough not to make a mistake like that? We can draw one definite conclusion though. The timing and locations suggest that one person or group moving eastward could have perpetrated all three sightings."
"Exactly. That's why I've sent an alert to the emissaries in China and Japan to maintain a special watch over religious shrines and temples, and immediately report any unusual activity."
"And?"
"That's it for now," Rom said as innocently as possible.
Aster shook her head. "Will you never realize that I can tell when you're blocking something from me? You wouldn't have asked for a special watch if you really thought it was a hoax. By that alone, I can deduce that you believe this is more than it appears to be."
Rom looked directly into her eyes and let her see, as well as sense, his honesty. "It's just a feeling. As if there's something familiar about the circumstances, but I can't put my finger on it. The only thing I am certain of is that it's not good. I've already requested a more detailed report from Emissary P68 as soon as possible."
"Good, because if you hadn't, I would." With some effort, she rose from the chair before Rom could come to her aid. "I have an appointment with the Finance Committee in a few minutes, so I'll see you at lunch." She gave him a tender kiss. "Unless you receive a communication from either that Voyager devil or the emissary, in which case, I expect to see you immediately. Have you got that, Governor?"
Giving her a mock salute, Rom said, "Yes, ma'am." Then he pulled her into his arms for a more intimate promise.
* * *
Princess Honorbound clapped her hands and instantly her council members stopped speculating amongst themselves and gave her their full attention. They quickly took their appointed positions around the rim of a deep, open pit. Behind them stood several rows of armed warriors. A hand signal from the Princess instructed a servant to toss a blazing torch into the pit and the entire base burst into a raging fire.
"There is nothing we can do but wait," she shouted over the crackling inferno. "Josep should be on his way back to us soon with an update. Then we can move ahead. I curse the necessity for this lack of communication, as much as each of you. I can only assure you that the waiting time decreases daily.
"Soon we will have regained our people's freedom and have a new, challenging world to conquer. In no time, we will have the Noronians on their knees before us, where they belong." Her impassioned speech was not much different from all the others she had made in the years they had been in exile together, but it seemed that the closer things got to the time for action, the less patient her fellow Illusians became with her promises of glory.
"Tonight we offer two sacrifices—one to Ulee, God of War and another to Kan, Mother of all." The boisterous cheers that echoed throughout the cavern signified their readiness to proceed and she gave the order to the four servants standing behind her.
They hurried off and returned moments later, each bearing one end of a long pole on their shoulders. In the middle of the crossed poles was suspended a wooden cage, the slats of which were spaced only far enough apart to allow the people to see the vicious, snarling, black-and-red-striped creature inside.
The council members stood back to allow the servants to position themselv
es around the edges of the pit with the cage hanging above the fire. A flame shot up to lick the cage and the animal howled its fury.
Honorbound stretched her arms upward and called, "Ulee, God of War, witness our respect. We deliver to you a full-grown krator, our most ferocious and cunning enemy on this planet, that you should stand among us in the battles soon to come. We are tired of this peace and isolation forced on us. We ask you to end this boredom. Give us war!"
"War! War! War!" chanted the assemblage as the servants cut the rope that secured the bottom of the cage and sacrificed the beast to the fire. The shrieks of the burning beast stirred the blood of everyone present, until their cries for war increased to a deafening volume.
The Princess signaled for the servants to fetch the second offering before the crowd could no longer be controlled. When the council members saw the little furry creature being handed to the Princess, they quieted and motioned for the warriors to do the same.
She held up the rabboset for all to see, as she spoke the sacrificial words. "Hear me, Kan, Mother of All. You have smiled on us many times in the centuries past and our ranks have multiplied a thousandfold. To you, oh generous Mother, we now offer the most fertile animal on this planet, that you will also make this, my thirtieth reproductive season, a long and successful one." She paused as the warriors' cheers rose and died down again.
"To this end, we, your faithful servants, must beg another favor. The man who will father the heir to the great Illusian empire has not yet arrived. Bring him to me quickly so that the royal mating can take place before my season ends.
"Bring me Gallant Voyager!"
Chapter 10
Gallant managed to break away from Cherry only by sternly reminding himself it was past time to relieve Mar-Dot. Once he did so, a threat to drop them off in midspace was the only thing that cut short their good-natured ribbing.
He could hardly blame them. When two beings shared such close quarters for years on end, there was no privacy or secrets left between them. They knew as well as he how long it had been since he'd last been with a woman and they probably also knew how very little he had enjoyed himself.
His thoughts flew to Cherry and just how much he had enjoyed her. Immediately, he wanted her there, on his lap, or at least at his side, and he was halfway off the bridge when he realized he was out of control.
Right from the beginning he had been aware of how she seemed to call to every one of his primitive instincts, and now, on the brink of leaving the control panel unattended just to have her company, he knew exactly how far she could drive him.
He had spent a lifetime perfecting his cold, hard shell. By practicing his rigid control in the most difficult of circumstances, he had learned never to let his emotions interfere with his responsibilities. She had to have some hidden power to make him forget something as simple as minding the bridge. If there was one thing his foster parents had drummed into his head, it was that he could never forget who and what he was.
He could hardly believe that an hour ago he was thinking of asking her to be his life-mate! Regardless of how fantastic their sharing had been, it couldn't be repeated. He had to put all thoughts of it, and her, out of his mind. Taking several deep, meditating breaths, he concentrated on reestablishing the shell he had momentarily allowed to slip away.
Feeling more like his old self, he was able to put his priorities back in order. The first item on the agenda was to follow up on the lead Frezlo had given him.
During Gallant's final year at the academy in Innerworld, Josep, a representative to the Consociation of Planets, had given a talk about choosing a diplomatic career. Gallant remembered how fascinated Romulus had been, while he snuck out a side door halfway through. The mere thought of doing anything so inactive for the rest of his life had him searching for an immediate outlet for his energy.
He also remembered how embarrassed he had been when the representative caught up with him later that day and told him he had seen him leave while he was speaking. The man seemed to understand the problem instantly and told Gallant about another kind of career that would suit his needs much better. He threw out words like secrecy, danger, risks and adventure, and Gallant couldn't sign up fast enough.
Establishing his reputation as a man with ice in his veins and larceny and murder in his heart began that day. Where he had been a good, respectful student, Gallant was soon balancing on the edge of failure and expulsion but he always maintained that precarious balance. His mother always said knowledge was a tool, no matter what trade one plied.
He borrowed his standard outfit from a picture he had seen of an Outerworld pirate, exchanged his white cloth bandage for a black leather eye patch and stopped dying the white streaks to blend in with the rest of his hair.
From the time he was a toddler, his foster parents had done everything possible to make him indistinguishable. For the first time in his life he did things to draw attention to himself instead. The changes he made had been intentional, yet he had still been surprised by how swiftly his revamped appearance altered the way others treated him.
Josep ended up being his primary contact at the Consociation, since it was imperative that as few people as possible knew Gallant was a Consociation employee, rather than the free agent for hire he claimed to be. Under that cover, he had to occasionally take on outside jobs, but most of his assignments came directly through Josep.
Some of his missions had been safe and uncomplicated. Others required him to act the part of a criminal to become accepted in places like the tavern on Zoenid. Behavior that men like Romulus would find savage and loathsome, Gallant found exhilarating.
The current situation was both complicated and dangerous—his favorite kind. He sent a coded transmission directly to Josep's private receiver and sat back. To his surprise, Josep's smiling face appeared on his monitor seconds later.
"Gallant! I was just wondering when you were going to check in. Have you learned anything yet?"
Gallant frowned slightly. Was it possible that Josep was getting so old that he was forgetting procedures? "Assurance, please."
"Oh, gracious, I am sorry. I was just so relieved to hear from you. Four, five, nine, two, seven, O, C, P." He then squeezed on his right earlobe and a specific high frequency sound was sent to Gallant's receiver.
That procedure, which was changed daily based on a preset code only Josep and he knew, assured Gallant he was indeed speaking to his contact, everything was in order and their conversation would be completely confidential.
Gallant wasted no time on pleasantries. "Actually, I've learned something rather unsettling." He told Josep about the Weebort trader's assassination and his trailing Frezlo to Zoenid, but when he was about to mention Cherry's involvement, an unexpected tightening in his chest stopped him. Since he always trusted his baser instincts to warn him of trouble, he skipped that piece of his report. "Frezlo claimed he was hired by a Consociation representative."
"That is not possible! How could..." Josep coughed, cleared his throat and began again. "I mean, it is highly improbable that one of my colleagues could be involved. On the other hand, why would Frezlo make such an easily disproven accusation?"
Gallant knew Josep wouldn't want to hear that one of his colleagues might be a spy but he couldn't hold the truth from him. "Frezlo was under severe duress when he revealed the information to me. He confessed that his contact was a man and that he was masked but apparently something he was wearing had the Consociation emblem on it, so Frezlo followed the man."
"Perhaps Frezlo was lying to protect someone else."
"Not under the circumstances. He was absolutely certain it was a Con rep." Gallant felt sorry for the old man. He had never seen Josep so upset.
"This is terrible. If it got around, people would panic, they would—"
"It won't get around. Frezlo died right after he told me where the rep headed."
"He's dead? You're certain?"
"Absolutely." He didn't need to say more than that for
Josep to understand.
Josep dabbed his forehead and upper lip with a handkerchief. "Did you say he told you where the... the representative went?"
"Right. As unbelievable as it sounds, he said the man landed on Lore."
"Yes, that is unbelievable, and, of course I can't order you to go there, but..."
Gallant grinned. "But you can gently suggest that I consider it. I already did and I'm on my way there now."
"Now?" Josep grew disturbed again. "What is your current location?" Gallant told him. "I would like you to make a slight detour to Norona before you go to Lore. There is something I need to discuss with you in person that cannot wait."
Gallant couldn't tell him the reason he was in such a hurry to complete this mission, so he had to agree to the one-day delay the trip to Consociation headquarters would cause. "All right. I'll see you in about thirty-six hours."
"Wait a moment. I almost forgot. I have been holding an urgent message for you from Governor Romulus of Innerworld. He requests an immediate answer."
"Oh?" Gallant had a fair idea of what Rom wanted to know but he waited for Josep to locate the message and read it to him.
"He says, Aster is very worried about Cherry. When will you return her? Do you know to whom he is referring?"
Gallant rubbed his chin. "Yes. That's Aster's—" Again he felt he should not reveal Cherry's presence on board. "That's Aster's pet talking bird. She loaned it to me to see if I'd like one of my own to keep me company. If you wouldn't mind, please relay a message back, saying Cherry's fine and I'll have her home as soon as I've completed my current assignment."
Josep visibly relaxed. "Of course. I would be glad to send that along. I look forward to our visit."
Gallant signed off but stared at the blank screen for some time afterward. He couldn't remember ever lying to Josep before—omitting facts, yes, but not out and out lying. Thinking on it, he knew Josep would not be understanding about a Terran female being involved in such a highly confidential mission. If he learned of her, he might insist that Gallant turn her over to the Consociation for the duration.
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