RIBUS 7

by Shae Mills

  Chelan finally allowed herself to speak. "I thought no one was supposed to know of my presence," she breathed fretfully.

  "No one is," answered Dar casually. "All the men who work within these secure areas are my own hand-picked warriors. They were bred and trained to work specifically for me. Everything I do in their presence, or anything I say, or any company I keep, goes no further than their eyes or ears. Any slip, no matter how slight, results in their execution."

  Chelan gasped, and he grinned at her reaction. But she knew that he was deadly serious. "Then they take their orders only from you, and no one else?"

  "Yes, and that includes Korba, Toran, and the Lord God Emperor himself, unless I order otherwise." Dar looked patiently down at her. "What is it?" he asked softly.

  "What will he think of me...?" She hesitated. "And worse, what will he think of you?"

  Chelan's question caused an unexpected twinge of pain in Dar's heart. He reached inside her hood and touched her face tenderly. "It does not matter what he thinks of me for my personal choices or decisions." Dar paused. "And as for you, his eyes will take you in, and he will find you as beautiful as I do, his mind and body hoping that you are not mine."

  Chelan's petal-soft skin flushed. "I'm an alien, remember? I doubt that will be the case."

  Dar laughed. "Such a skeptic."

  "Realist."

  "Have it your way, then. Obviously it is only Warlords and high-ranking officers that become smitten by your radiant beauty and intriguing off-world ways."

  Chelan huffed. "Present company included only by the grace of the heavens that he was not the first to encounter me."

  Dar went to form a rebuttal but then his brow raised. "Touché, my dear woman. Fortunately for all involved that mistake was not made."

  Chelan grinned with satisfaction and then changed the subject. "So will he talk to me?"

  Dar laughed lightly. "I suppose, if you talk to him first. Otherwise he will probably remain silent."

  Chelan squirmed. "Am I allowed to talk to him?"

  Dar's face lit. "Yes, you are allowed to speak to him, Chelan." And with that, he threw back her hood and let the shroud drop. Dar's eyes remained on her, but he detected the abrupt change in Nanton's breathing, as he knew he would, for Chelan was indeed breathtaking in her fitted white gown.

  Dar took Chelan's hand and turned her to face the older warrior. Dar spoke to him in Iceanean. "Nanton, this is Chelan. She will accompany us on the trip to RIBUS 7." Dar hesitated as he watched the man's eyes follow Chelan's curves. He could tell that Chelan also felt the brunt of Nanton's scrutiny as she immediately looked to the floor in shyness.

  Dar continued, his voice softening. "Upon our landing on board RIBUS 7, you will afford her the same protection as you would me."

  "Yes, my Lord," came Nanton's deep voice. He finally tore his eyes from Chelan, and he looked to Dar; the warrior's infatuation with her was visibly apparent. Dar smiled at him and then signaled for him to come at ease, wondering if that was indeed possible for any man in Chelan's presence.

  Dar then chuckled to himself as he turned Chelan back to him. "Come over here and sit down," he offered in English as he ushered her to one of the couches. Then, seating himself next to her, he looked up at Nanton, signaling the rigid man to sit in the chair opposite to him. Nanton complied.

  Dar looked at Chelan. "We're taking a diplomatic transport, Chelan, because I do not know how capable you are of handling the cockpit of one of our fighters and its gravitational fields. I'll explain all this at some later date, but in the meantime, this is one of my own personal ships. We will be gently accelerated out into space and will travel to RIBUS 7 at a relatively slow speed. We will be accompanied by Fremma and two other heavy fighters. They are, in turn, backed by several more escorts. If something should occur en route, this room will be consumed by an anti-gravity field. In that way, we can survive the abrupt acceleration to near light speeds if necessary. I say all this now only to inform you, not to scare you. I would not have time to explain things if something did go wrong."

  Chelan bit her lip nervously. "How long will the trip take?"

  Dar thought for a moment, converting to Earth time. "Approximately one hour," he replied. She nodded to him, and he smiled at her, touching her arm briefly.

  Dar then looked at Nanton and signaled to him with his hand. Nanton nodded and rose, hitting a switch near the door. Immediately, Chelan felt a deep throb emanate from the walls, and she detected a slight sensation of motion. She watched Nanton return to his seat, but she looked away the moment he was settled.

  Chelan scanned the compartment. Dar relaxed and watched her as she scrutinized every detail. But her anxiety was still apparent, and her gaze never again moved to Nanton. She sat very stiffly and turned slightly away from the warrior, her hands clenched. Dar smiled at her briefly and then redirected his attention to Nanton. Dar watched the man's eyes as they once again travelled up her slim, smooth legs, her satin skin exposed enticingly by the slitted gown.

  Nanton took a deep breath and then looked to Dar. The warrior hesitated as he wondered about the language situation. Dar had only spoken to her in some alien tongue, and Nanton's mind went to work on the odds of her knowing Iceanean. He was also somewhat perplexed by the whole situation. He had detected an alien even before she was revealed, and his mind had worked quickly to try to explain her presence with his Commander, but obviously there had to be something very special about the woman besides her beauty for her to be by the side of such a great man. However, he knew finding the answer to that would be a fruitless endeavor. Dar's reasons would be known only to him.

  Nanton finally decided to risk the language dilemma as his eyes once again traced her curves, and a smile touched his lips. He looked to his Commander. "She is a true alien beauty, my Lord."

  Chelan froze at Nanton's comment. A broad smile crept across Dar's face as he leaned back against the couch. Chelan looked hard at Dar, seeking his direction, but she soon realized that he was enjoying himself, mostly because of Nanton's inaccurate summation of the possible language barrier. Finally, she turned and looked directly at the warrior. "Thank you, Nanton," she said demurely, in perfect Iceanean. "I appreciate your compliment," she added, not sure if she really did or not.

  Nanton spoke hurriedly. "Excuse me, my Lord. I did not mean to offend or embarrass the lady."

  Dar rubbed his eyes and then straightened. "It's okay, Nanton. I had already warned Chelan about the effect she would have on my men. It is I who must apologize to you for not informing you of her rapid and accurate acquisition of our tongue. She took me by surprise, also." Dar smiled first at Chelan and then at Nanton. "Besides, I appreciate your comment. It's always refreshing to see that my loyal men, though preoccupied constantly with work and war, still admire true beauty in its purest form when they see it."

  Chelan blushed deeply and quivered from exposure, uncomfortable at being observed by the two men. She looked at the floor again, her hands white from tension. Dar leaned forward and reached for her shroud and then drew the garment over her shoulders.

  Chelan looked at him, searching his eyes for reassurance. Dar smiled and closed the shroud across her chest, concealing her within its warmth and comfort. He then put his arm around her shoulders and drew her firmly into his body. With his other arm, he reached across himself and held one of her cool hands.

  Chelan was stunned by Dar's intimate gesture, but she was not about to question it. She raised her feet off the floor, hiding them under the refuge of the shroud. Then she snuggled farther in under Dar's arm, immensely grateful for his calming embrace. Listening to the comfort of his heartbeat, she finally began to relax, closing her eyes against Nanton's watchful gaze. She took a deep breath and reached for Dar's waist, hugging him closer still and reveling in the shelter afforded by his body.

  Dar responded by nestling back into the couch and closing his eyes. His heartbeat quickened and his loins warmed as she curled about him. Her sweet femini
ne scent washed over him, and he suddenly wished that Nanton was not with them.

  Nanton was wondering once again just exactly what the great Warlord's relationship with the young alien was. He knew that his Commander's list of women suitors was far from short, but in all his years of service to Dar, he had never seen the Warlord exhibit any intimate familiarity with any woman. Initially, when he had first detected her alien scent, his reaction had been one of revulsion. But now he caught himself wishing that it was he who could experience her closeness on this mundane trip.

  Nanton suddenly straightened and drew upon his military discipline, closing his eyes and shutting out the beautiful woman's image from his mind. It was not his place to dream of her erotic touch, for she was obviously worthy only of a Warlord's intimate company. He was not sure why he felt that way about an alien, but his feelings were undeniable. She was special, very special.

  Chapter 28

  The trip turned out to be uneventful, and Dar ushered Chelan back through a similar barrage of security as they made their way to Korba's domain. Korba had disabled the unique sensors that gave only him direct private access to the Command Center so that Dar could use his personal hangar in this most serious of situations. It was here that Fremma rejoined them. The final set of security doors that allowed access to the workout area closed behind them, and all three took a deep breath of relief.

  Dar began to lead the way along the pool, but Chelan hesitated, not sure of what she was feeling, and definitely not sure she wanted to be back on RIBUS 7. Dar stopped and glanced back at her as Fremma gently urged her on. Chelan threw the warrior a frantic look and then continued her rueful journey.

  They entered the brightly lit Command Center, and Chelan took a quick and uneasy look around, realizing for the first time that there were some subtle differences between the two Warlords' domains. She remained at the top of the stairs as Dar and Fremma descended to the main consoles and began running various checks. Then she shivered, feeling suddenly chilled as memories of her encounters with Korba flooded her mind. She looked down at her hands as she tried to sort through her emotions, attempting to discard those that rendered her so melancholy.

  Dar turned and watched her. His heart ached at the pain he saw etched on her face, but there was nothing he could do for her right at the moment. He waited until Fremma finished his checks and then Dar ascended the stairs to her. "Chelan," he called softly. "I have to go to the Bridge to establish my command. Fremma will assume the quarters across the hall as he did on board RIBUS 8. You still have permission to traverse between the two areas." He hesitated momentarily, noticing her unresponsiveness. "You have Korba's quarters to—"

  "No!" she blurted. She raised a trembling hand to her forehead, shifting her weight uneasily. She glanced at Dar and Fremma almost apologetically. Then she looked away in embarrassment. Her voice was quiet. "I can't, Dar." She hesitated and then looked back at the Warlord, her eyes pleading with him. "I can't go in there."

  "Chelan—" Dar began.

  "No!" she interrupted. "I'm okay. I understand." She looked away from them as she bit her lip. "I just can't go in there," she whispered.

  Dar and Fremma watched helplessly as she began to walk along the curved stairway in an effort to shake off her agitation. "Can I..." she began, and then she swallowed hard. "May I stay with Fremma instead?"

  Dar did not react, but Fremma became stock-still. Chelan caught the surprise that flickered across the warrior's face, and she felt a wave of panic. "I won't interfere with you. I promise. And I'll stay away from you," she added hurriedly. "I'd spend most of my time here. It's just that I couldn't sleep in..." Her voice trailed off as she became even more demoralized. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm out of line again. I didn't mean to put you on the spot, Fremma." She turned away quickly and headed for Korba's quarters.

  Fremma's reaction was instantaneous. He sprang up the stairs and grabbed her arm, halting her escape. Grasping her wrist tightly, he turned to Dar. "It's okay with me, Sire, if you allow it. I don't spend much time in my quarters anyway."

  Chelan's eyes flashed to Dar, and she held her breath.

  The solution was logical, and normally Dar would have approved immediately. But now he hesitated, a feeling of morbid loss enveloping him. He was holding on to her by a thin thread, and he feared that Fremma's constant companionship could sever that delicate link. His jaw clenched as he searched his soul. It does not matter, he concluded. What counted was his love for her, and that meant making her life as easy as possible for her. He would achieve nothing by forcing Korba's memories on her. "My permission is granted," he said, glancing coolly at Fremma. But he warmed instantly as he looked up into Chelan's face, a small smile and a wave of gratitude sweeping over her pretty features. Taking a deep breath, Dar replaced the hood of his shroud and abruptly left the Command Center.

  Chelan beamed at Fremma. "Thank you," she said with warm appreciation.

  Fremma smiled back, but his stomach was in a knot. Dar's reaction to her request and the Commander's eventual approval was tepid at best. Fremma had never seen the Warlord so at odds with himself over a decision. The warrior only hoped that there would not be any serious repercussions in the future. He nodded to her. "Well, shall we go have a look at your new home?"

  Fremma's affable tone quelled her fears, and she hustled along to catch up to him. The doors parted, and two sets of guards snapped to attention. Fremma and Chelan entered the large suite, and Chelan stared in awe at the room. It was massive with a high, vaulted ceiling. The walls were a warm taupe accented by beautiful cream-colored panels and crown moldings, all exquisitely carved. The room was decorated in whites, and it exuded elegance and luxury.

  At the far end of the room was a huge bed accompanied by large bedside tables. To the right of the bed was a seating area with a couch, three chairs, and several service tables. To her immediate left was what appeared to be a mini console with a large monitor.

  The vaulted ceiling was an amazing arc of coffers, all the trim following the circumference of the huge arch perfectly. The floor was plushly carpeted, the first carpet Chelan had seen since her abduction, but then she noted she had not seen many rooms. She looked to Fremma. "I'm impressed."

  "I felt you might be," he said, smiling as he removed his gloves. "This is one of the VIP suites." He chuckled lightly. "Believe me, these are not my regular quarters."

  Chelan continued to explore, mesmerized by the richness of the room. "So I see that at least something good has come out of the chore of babysitting me."

  Fremma looked at her dolefully as he swung his shroud off his shoulders. "Being in your company is hardly a chore. And you, Chelan, are hardly a baby."

  Chelan pinked. Looking away shyly, she noticed a large opening to her right. Fremma followed her in. It was a breathtaking en suite of massive proportions. Everywhere she turned there were cream-colored panels of exotic stone decorating the walls, fine veins of blues and greens traversing them. Chelan was awestruck by the expanse of the luxurious room. To her right was a spa similar to the one she had seen in the workout areas. And in the center of the room was an enormous sunken tub. She peered down into it. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "I could really stay out of your way if I slept in this thing."

  Fremma smiled at her humor and then hesitated. "I don't think so," he interjected, throwing her a stern look.

  She turned to him. "I'm serious. I'm not kicking yet a third person out of his rightful bed. I feel like a parasite infringing on everyone's privacy, and it's time I took responsibility for myself."

  And with that, she started out into the main room, but Fremma caught up to her and blocked her retreat. He looked down into her pretty face; her features were set with determination. "In the first place, young lady, you are not invading my privacy. If I had considered your presence an invasion of my space and time, I would have never allowed this arrangement. And in the second place, I have spent more than half of my military career sleeping in hostile places on godforsaken
planets fit no more for parasites than for humans, and I am used to it. Therefore, the chances of you sleeping anywhere but in that bed over there are somewhere between slim and none."

  Chelan sidestepped him. "We'll see about that," she challenged obstinately as she walked away from him.

  "And so we shall," he countered with a devilish grin. Fremma moved silently and swiftly, catching her off guard. Picking her up deftly, he threw her over his shoulder as easily as a sack of grain.

  Chelan shrieked as he effortlessly ran across the room and hurled her into the center of the bed. She bounced and sat up, clearing the hair from her face. She glared up at him as he stood over her at the foot of the bed. Suddenly, she twisted, grabbed one of the large pillows, and flung it at him with all her might.

  Fremma batted the pillow aside and seized her shrouded body, yanking her to him. She laughed as he threw her back down on the bed and straddled her, pinning her arms over her head. He caught his breath as he looked down into her reddened face. "The first lesson I'm going to teach you is how to properly accept a gracious offer, and failing that, your second lesson will be on how to obey orders from your superior."

  Chelan giggled. "I'm not one of your military personnel," she reminded him smugly.

  "No, you're not," acknowledged Fremma, a smile cracking over his lips. "But I do outweigh you by almost two hundred of your Earthly pounds. And it would indeed be quite unfortunate if one dark night I decided to dive into that tub for a long relaxing soak and just happened to forget that your frail body was beneath me."

  Chelan struggled to contain herself, but she burst out laughing again. Fremma released her and drew her up with him as he stood. She looked deep into his eyes and bowed her head slightly. "I accept the generous offer of your bed, kind sir," and a hint of mischief still tinged her voice.

  "Well, good. I'm glad you accept," and he turned and began to walk away.