Reaper Inc.

by Thomas Wright

  Chapter 36

  Ben looked at the faces of the crowd who were standing, drink in hand looking ready to bolt if they were overheard. "Ok, so let me get this straight. You grow a season's worth of food and have to give the crown a percentage." You would have thought they were plotting treason.

  The drinks went a long way to help some of them relax and open up. Ben knew to avoid whatever he had been drinking the night before. He thought he should ask someone to give him recommendations and in the end, decided just to roll with it, point and nod. As long as it wasn’t some form of fermented urine of a giant something or another like he almost drank last night, he would be fine.

  The dinner was a state affair so there were three times the amount of individuals present engaged in conversations and people watching. Natalia and Emily were keeping company with the Trillond contingent. Prime Minister Aok invited the crew of the Claymore and had places at her table for all of them. They had all been out shopping for something to wear except Ben. He had Nedra bring shoes and socks from his room and called it a day. He had spent the day barefoot with a hundred of the most important officials in two empires. Why try and impress them now with fancy clothes?

  The girls in his life had received very expensive clothing prior to his kidnapping and they had them tailored to compliment their individual figures. Colonel Tawniz Dakkon wore the clothes she had purchased on their ill-fated shopping trip and looked lovely. He hoped she would get away from her brothers and mingle with some of the more lively Allond dinner quests.

  Ben could hear the names droning on of the guests arriving and decided to hit the head before it got too crowded. He walked back to his new friends, retrieved his drink and tried to process why they were all just staring at him. Looking himself over, he could see no embarrassing tell-tale signs from his trip to the head on his pants or stuck to his shoes.

  Ben asked, "Ok, what is it? Do I need to blow my nose?"

  Hazek answered. "Our queen has arrived and she is accompanied by a suitor." Hazek was the skinny governor who first asked Ben a question.

  Kasmier added, "It is rumored he will challenge you." Kasmier had asked him about his pointing at the elite end of the table. She had been worried about the repercussions at the time.

  Ben looked around the room and it wasn’t hard to locate Tazleaha and her attendants. People were bowing, groveling and brown nosing.

  "So what if I don’t accept his challenge? I am enjoying myself and your company. I don’t want to fight."

  "Then you will be seen as unworthy and she will have to ignore your existence."

  "Great! Another one ignoring my existence. You see that table over there? They are currently ignoring my existence and one is family, another a lifelong friend, another left without saying anything to me." Ben downed his drink. "I am going to get another. Can I get anyone anything?"

  "Ben, you might want to hold off on that. Do not impair you judgment," Kasmier said.

  "Maybe you are right. I may get something non-impairing. Now if anyone asks any of you, I have had too much to drink. I may act different to add validity to your story. I want someone to be over confident if it comes down to having to accept his challenge."

  Hazek said, "He is my nephew. I should not be happy about this. Will you hurt him?"

  "Do you want me too?"

  "Yes."

  "Then it will be my pleasure."

  "His father, my brother, is a fool and that idiot is a bigger one."

  "I am going to try and talk to my daughter and friends in the slim chance I don’t make it through the evening. I will see everyone later."

  Ben pulled out an empty chair and sat down. All eyes were on him, and no one said a word for a few seconds.

  Emily said, "I see you went all out on your wardrobe. You even skipped wearing shoes to the most important meeting in the universe."

  "Well I have some on now. Grandma used to say never come to the table barefoot or wearing a hat."

  Emily, her tone like ice, "Well you have made our people proud, Benjamin. The human race will forever be known for wearing shoes at the dinner table in the annals of the races."

  "Ok, so anyway, all the drama aside. Natalia, do you want to go visit some new worlds, meet new species, still be a part of the crew of the Claymore? We are taking Harry to his home planet, then we may travel and sight see."

  "Yes, yes I would love to do that!"

  "Good. Would you like to meet some of the governors I have been working with today? Come on, let me introduce you." They walked away leaving Emily sitting staring at the table.

  Natalia had been studying Allond etiquette. There were too many races for her to learn all their customs so Alona recommended she learn as much as she could of their host's customs. When it was apparent Natalia was going to bow and salute everyone, Kasmier stopped her and everyone acknowledged her excellent manners. It wasn’t long before Natalia had won over half the crowd. She had invitations to visit their capital cities and stay at their homes. They talked to her about politics and Ben shouldn’t have been surprised that she knew more than him about many things. They asked her about Ben's ideas of farming and she said her grandparents would really be the ones to talk to as they had farmed all their lives and their ancestors before them were farmers. Then the conversation shifted to enticing Natalia to ask her grandparents to make the trip and be advisors.

  Ben said, "We can't put the cart in front of the horse. Your queen and the others have to sign and make the peace a reality before anyone can begin anything."

  Tazleaha, her suitor and his body guards had approached the group while they were engrossed with Natalia. Tazleaha said, "Yes, you are right. I do have to sign and there is still much to do."

  "Taz dear, are these the peasants everyone is clamoring on about? The dishonored soldier and his adopted daughter, the pirate captain's whore."

  Natalia said, "Oh fuck."

  "Watch your mouth, young lady," Ben said giving her his meanest stare.

  "What? Someone had to say it."

  Ben bent over and kissed her forehead. "I love you." He pulled her into a hug. "Go find Harry, tell him I may need him," he whispered in her ear. She moved around him and stood in front of Tazleaha.

  "I was sold as a child, starved and beaten, raped often and locked in a box in the floor of a pirate's starship. My father cut his balls off, stabbed him in the heart and slit his throat. If I was you lady, I would start looking for a new boyfriend."

  Natalia walked away, she would never forget that part of her life. Ben knew just then how strong she was becoming and was very proud of her. Tazleaha watched the young woman walk away. She knew then someone had pushed the wrong button.

  "You must wonder how I know these things."

  "Nope and I don’t really give a shit. Most of it is public record, easily searched and found. I hope you didn’t pay too much." Ben saw him flinch. He must have paid someone who probably knew they had a chump on the line and they took him for a ride.

  "You have made your affections known for someone who is so far above your station. It is my duty to dissuade you and show you your place."

  Ben said, "Did you bring all your younger brothers to fight for you?"

  "No, but I brought three of my faithful servants. I am sure only one will be needed."

  Ben looked at Tazleaha. "Did he call you Taz? That really sucks. I've been wanting to call you Taz since I've known you. You look very beautiful this evening. Is that a new gown?"

  "Yes, it is. Thank you for noticing."

  Ben was squared up with a Lord of the Cjittan Empire. He wasn’t impressed. It was typical of this crowd. He saw the frown on his face as he complimented the queen. Looking him in the eye he said, "Are we going to do this right here and now?"

  "Yes peasant, we are, right in front of your Allond benefactors. We will make you look the fool, and they will send you back to your pathetic little Alliance."

  Emperor Xamand, his family and some of his military leaders slowly made
their way within hearing distance. Ben looked at Xamand thinking he might intervene but he only smiled.

  "Let me hand someone my drink so they can refill it for me." Ben turned sideways and held out his glass to Kasmier. She moved forward to take it but it wasn’t there.

  Ben twisted and slammed the glass into the lord suitor's face. It hit bone and shattered, cutting through skin and muscle, leaving pieces embedded in his eyes. Blood splattered onto Ben and Tazleaha's new white gown. Ben's hand was bleeding from a deep cut. He made a tight fist and blood ran through between his fingers. The first guard took a boot in the knee and a left cross to the face. The other two were awake now and coming at him. Ben shoved the bleeding mess into them then stepped back a few feet. At a glance he could see the Allond military had formed a loose circle around the group not letting anyone too close.

  Harry came into the great hall at a brisk walk. There was only a few who were physically moved out of his way. The Allond military decided Harry was allowed to join the party and moved out of his way. He slowed his pace and quietly stood behind the Cjittan bodyguards.

  The two bodyguards decided one would hold their boss up and the other would take care of Ben. He moved one step in Ben's direction and two large hands picked him up by the head, lifting him off the floor. The guard grabbed Harry's wrists but was never going to break his grip. The guard Ben had already hurt decided he didn’t want any more and moved away, holding his hands out in front of him in a 'don’t hurt me anymore please' position.

  His right hand bloody and cut and his left shoulder though still a little sore was not enough to keep Ben from punching the ignorant lord in the gut twice while his own man held him. When he collapsed to the floor, it was just the lone guard looking a little bewildered.

  Ben asked him, "Are we done? Are you able to make that decision or do we need to keep going? If we do, I can tell you me and my friend are going to hurt you really bad."

  The guard spared a glance at his partner hanging by his head kicking his legs. Harry would shake him when he tried to kick him; a couple of times he was shook by his head and the kicking stopped.

  Ben knelt down so he could talk softly. "You ever come at me or my family again, I'll kill you and quite possibly everybody with you. I'll feed you to your own warriors while you're still alive. Do you understand what this peasant is telling you?" Ben grabbed the Cjittan's shirt and pulled his bloody face about two inched from his. "I am waiting for an answer."

  "Yes, I understand."

  Ben pushed him down hard. He stood up and Natalia put her arm around his waist. She was smiling at him. "You're losing your touch."

  "Nah, look around at all the faces. I don’t want everyone to be scared of me. He picked a fight and lost. They will have something to talk about and that asshole will have to put up with everybody knowing. Right now, I just want to get this deal done so we can get going. Are you good with this or do I need to break some bones, cut off a finger or four?"

  "I'm good. I don’t think she is good. You ruined her gown." Ben looked at Tazleaha and realized the easy part was over.

  Natalia said, "Harry, I think you can put him down now." Harry dropped the guard and he staggered away.

  Emperor Xamand approached Ben, Natalia and Tazleaha. "Tazleaha, when I saw what happened, I sent a runner to Ben's favorite clothing store. It is also the most expensive in the city, the proprietor does beautiful work. She is going to her shop and will be here shortly with a selection of things you might like to try on. Do you like Natalia's clothing? It came from the same shop." Tazleaha's face softened when she looked at Natalia then hardened up again looking at Ben.

  "Benjamin is paying for the replacement, isn’t that correct, Benjamin?" Xamand asked.

  "Yes he is." Natalia answered reaching out and touching Tazleaha's arm drawing her attention back to her.

  Ben looked at Tazleaha. "You set this whole thing up, how do you think it was going to end? We would talk ourselves to death."

  "You did that on purpose and you know it. You compliment my gown then ruined it."

  "It does kind of look that way but I complimented you because you do look great and to make him angry."

  "I want two gowns to replace this one, do you understand."

  "Fine."

  Ben broke off the mental conversation. Tazleaha looked at Natalia. "Would you join me and help me choose both of my new gowns?"

  "Don’t be teaching my daughter how to manipulate people. Just because I gave in doesn’t mean I always will. I need a drink."

  A medical team took the Cjittan away and one spent a moment looking at Ben's hand which had stopped bleeding and was healing itself up nicely. A cleanup crew took care of the blood and the party started back in motion.

  They walked towards the first server they saw and no one stood in their way. Ben was able to get him and Harry two drinks each. Next to find a quiet place to sit and relax. A corner table back out of the way had only two occupants and Ben headed in that direction. When the occupants saw them approaching, they got up and left. This is what he was trying to tell Natalia about scaring everyone. Neither spoke to each other; backs to the wall, they watched couples dance and larger groups mingling with each other. The food made its way out and the tables started to fill up. A server walked up to him and Harry and said, "You are requested at the head table."

  Xamand said when they arrived, "Harry, you are welcome at our table but I need a few minutes to speak with Ben in private."

  "Yes, your highness." Harry looked at Ben and said, "Last time someone asked me to speak to you in private you got slapped and kissed."

  "Yeah well, not happening this time, thank goodness."

  Chapter 37

  Ben felt someone shaking his foot. Then he felt an arm lying across his chest. Deal with the foot shaker first, he thought. A Cjittan female officer was staring at him. Ben didn’t realize he was buck naked laying on his back, uncovered. The officer spoke softly. "The queen needs to wake and prepare for the morning meeting." Ben wondered what that had to do with him. Then the arm moved and the body followed laying half on him. Blond hair fell across his chest and the body stopped moving. Her eyes were closed and she breathed softly.

  The officer waited patiently. The fog cleared slightly and he pushed the hair back off her face. He rubbed her back with his free hand and she began to slowly wake up.

  "Hey, one of your people is here. You need to go get ready for the meeting."

  She stretched and rose up, then looked at her officer who was looking at Ben. She couldn’t fault her for that. She looked around his apartment and saw multiple people lying on the floor in pairs. Remembering some of the evening, she smiled to herself. She slipped from his bed, stood and stretched, again smiling. "I will see you in the great hall and bring some of that coffee drink you are so in love with." She had been sleeping in one of the tight curve hugging dresses he had bought her. Natalia had something to do with that. Maybe his funds hadn’t taken as big a hit as it first seemed.

  Ben looked around his apartment in amazement. Harry was lying on the floor on his back. Nedra, the palace steward, was buck naked lying on top of him. His two lower arms were wrapped around her while his upper arms lay at his side. They were both still asleep. Grubb and Kasmier were across the room lying on a thick rug covered up with a blanket near the fireplace. He didn’t know for sure but the governor did seem to be around Grubb's age. They must have been doing shots of free love and chasing them with a mug of stay all night. He felt a little hung over but nothing like yesterday.

  Ben got up and put one of the blankets off his bed over Nedra and Harry then went to clean up. He stood under the warm water letting it wake him. He heard feet moving softly across the floor then a body slid into the shower with him. Hands gently moved him from his spot under the water. He opened his eyes to find Nedra, head back water running through her hair down her back. She turned again and was facing him. Ben handed her his soap. She smiled and washed her whole body with it. Rinsing off, sh
e stepped out of the shower to dry off.

  "Nedra, did Grubb give instructions for coffee for us in the mornings?"

  "He did. I will have them make you some when I get to my office."

  "Can you make enough to fill a container and bring it to the meeting for me? I am going to need more than one cup and the queen told me she wanted some. Also on your way out, make sure Kasmier is awake. She can use my shower, I'm done now."

  Nedra said, "I'll wake her and let her know." Ben towel dried, got dressed and made some notes of personal things he needed to accomplish. First, get his weapons back from Tazleaha that had not been returned to him since leaving the ark. Second, call a truce with Emily; she had skills he lacked and she was good with everyone but him. Third, Senator Sims; there had to be some clue, victim or perpetrator, the search and investigation by the Allond was looking like a dead end. He had a theory he was working on but still couldn’t guess the end game.

  Ben looked at himself in the mirror. He looked more respectable today than yesterday. Long sleeve shirt tucked in his black cargo pants, socks and shoes, hair combed and teeth brushed. He headed out in search of Emily.

  Natalia answered the door when he knocked and gave him a big hug. "Is Emily awake yet?"

  "She is getting cleaned up, pretty wild after-dinner party last night."

  "I slept so sound I don’t remember anything, but judging by the guests who slept over, I already had the same thought."

  Emily had a towel wrapped around her. She stared at Ben for a few seconds. He waited. He promised himself he would not start an argument and if she did, he would just leave saying nothing.

  Emily said, "You were in rare form last night."

  "I don’t know, I don’t remember much. I slept good, was only slightly hung over and that feeling is already gone. The reason I am here, I was wondering if you wanted to attend this thing with me today. Yesterday I gave them ideas about growing crops and livestock and having a universal management system in place."