"This feels almost like the abduction of the Sabines," Sabina muttered. She had immigrated to Sylvania from Earth, and she was a tough girl who had chosen military life on Sylvania – and the real deal. Sabina had left her three-year-old daughter on Sylvania to be on the mission.
"What are you talking about?" Arica asked her, frowning.
"My name is from an ancient population who lived on Earth and was slowly englobed in the Roman Empire. The first king of Rome is said to have abducted the women of his neighbors... According to old historians, the Romans never raped or abused the Sabines, but I doubt the Duummians are this chivalrous and would offer rights and citizenship to foreign women..."
"I hope they don't kill them all," Frika muttered, clenching her fists.
"It looks like a standoff," Sabina commented. "I doubt the captives will try to stop the battle... They've probably been raped on the way here and even more now. Who knows where they're locked. We can't bomb the whole planet."
"Maybe the Sire commander will earn their respect," Frika said, thoughtful. "A telepath might convince them to release their prey."
Arica frowned even more. She didn't like what Frika had said, but her friend was probably right. She was also a telepath, but not as powerful as the Sire, and she was a woman. Nobody on Duumme would listen to her. Jako-wan Silverio was indeed the best man to clear the impasse.
Except the Duummians ignored the threat in their orbit and kept raping their prisoners to make them pregnant. They had nothing to lose anymore, and if they were going to die, they'd take their victims to hell with them.
"I'm afraid the only way out is a coordinated strategy to destroy them, a process that could be accomplished through total annihilation," Jako-wan Silverio transmitted to the other admirals. "Mass extermination is the only way to avoid this happening ever again."
"But what about the women they abducted?" the Queen of Sylvania replied bluntly. "Should we kill them too? What did they do to deserve this?"
"Your Majesty, do you really think they'll be normal again?" the Sire answered gravely. "Even if we managed to save a few, they'd be traumatized for the rest of their lives. Especially Sylvanians, who are not used to dealing with men."
"I don't care. I want my women back alive. Allow me to send a rescue party to the planet's surface, with any volunteers from the other planets who would like to help. If we fail, you are free to destroy this planet's population."
The Ypsilantian admiral sent her approval and the High Council, who was following the conversation in remote, granted the Queen her attempt at freeing the hostages. Arica was touched by the number of volunteers from the other Humanoid planets who wished to join the rescue party to the planet's surface.
The Galaxy Police itself sent a star-cruiser of volunteers, at the orders of Commander Kiril Suhail, a half-blood who normally did detective work at the orbital stations. With him was his pretty Xi-kongian cousin Yuki Zihan and all the Sylvanians and Ypsilantians who now worked with the Galaxy Police. Kiril himself was the son of an Ypsilantian and a Xi-kongian.
His team traced where most of the women had been taken, and he distributed the tasks. Arica and her friends found a group of Ypsilantians held prisoner in the underground of the main city of Duumme and freed them by shooting down all resistance.
"Feels like genocide," Sabina muttered, glaring at the male corpses around them. "But these bastards deserved it."
Her expression softened as she knelt next to a half-naked brunette who was sobbing uncontrollably.
"It's over, honey, come," she said gently, helping the woman to her feet.
Arica saw a man raise an arm with a gun and shot him again. Her eyes kept sweeping around the underground room for movement while the others took out the victims.
She was the last to leave the underground room. Her gun slowly cooled down as she joined the others. The abducted women were taken to the Galaxy Police star-cruiser that immediately took off for the nearest hospital on Gweltaz.
There were only a few men standing in the semi-destroyed capital now. A bulky man with a white mane saw Arica's golden arm and cursed her in Intergalactic. She shot him coldly, wondering what had happened to her feelings. She was numb now. Her bionic limb made her feel like a robot, a killing machine. She still saw blood everywhere.
"Arica, are you all right?" Frika's voice reached her slurred. She passed out.
***
Arica woke up in the infirmary of her mother's starship. Frika sat worried by her side, but she brightened when she saw her open her eyes.
"Arica! You scared me! What happened?"
Arica gulped. She couldn't tell how she felt. She couldn't explain how she'd felt on Duumme, after killing so many men. She didn't want to be a killing machine.
"I'm fine," she said at last, looking away. "I guess I'm not made for the soldier's life."
"Oh." Frika looked puzzled. "It's okay, you're the Queen's daughter, you don't need to stay in the army."
"Will you?" Arica asked her.
Frika hesitated. "Yes," she said at last. "After what happened, I feel it's very important that we have an army to protect ourselves. There won't be another Duumme, but... we're still all women, and we need to defend ourselves."
Arica nodded. "You and Bolla and Daura will always be in my heart," she said. "But I won't be fighting with you anymore."
Frika sighed and waited.
"What about... us?" she asked at last, seeing that Arica was lost in thought.
Arica focused on her again. Frika was still in love with her. She cursed herself for being so insensitive.
"I'm sorry, Frika," she whispered. "I can't do that either. I don't know what's wrong with me, but in spite of everything that happened, I still long for a man by my side. I know they're not all like Duummians and I'm thinking maybe I should make that trip to the Star Nations with my ship to see if I can find a decent man to spend my life with. I shouldn't have given you any illusions, but..."
"I talked to Sindy," Frika said gravely. "I know about Star-din. Don't worry, I'll be fine."
"Thank you, Frika." Arica stared grateful at her friend. "When will we reach Sylvania?"
***
"I'd rather you don't travel alone," her mother said, determined. "Either bring one of your friends, or stay put for a while. I don't want you to wander through the Star Nations on your own."
"But Mother!" Arica protested. "Why did you gift me with the Storm Demon if I can't use it?"
"You can use it, but not alone," the Queen insisted. "Especially since you feel you don't have the stamina to be a soldier or a mercenary."
Arica snorted, but relented. Her mother was right. When she'd first taken it, she was with Sindy, and then J'eff'erey. Now she didn't want to ask Frika to join her.
"How am I going to attend Sindy's wedding?" she grumbled, staring at her feet.
"You can take the Galaxy Express," her mother replied. "You can afford a first class ticket to Ypsilanti and back."
Arica sighed and left her mother's office. She didn't want to travel on the Galaxy Express. She wanted to pilot her own starship!
She exited the palace, still lost in thought. She wore a sleeveless gown with a low neckline that showed off her neural interface and her golden arm. The dress had white and green stripes and reached her ankles. She walked and walked and reached the outskirts of the spaceport. Behind it, the deserts of Sylvania were golden through the horizon. The sky was very blue, but it felt like a prison today.
She watched starships land and leave for some time, seated on the sand with her gown spread around her, oblivious to the sun. A skeletal tree gave her some shade, and that was enough for now.
"Princess, you'll get heat stroke if you don't move to the shadows," a voice said, startling her.
Her eyes widened at the sight of the tall and slender brunette slightly older than her who stared at her with an impish smile.
"Birgit!" She jumped to her feet, excited. "When did you come back?"
"You
didn't recognize my ship?" the newcomer chided. "What did I teach you in those classes, then?"
"Maybe I wasn't really focusing on air traffic." Arica blushed like a little girl.
Birgit had been her teacher for a semester at the Academy. A veteran of the Sylvanian army who had managed to remain whole during the war with the Reptilians, she had now left the service of the queen and was a mercenary, always wandering through the Star Nations.
"I guess not." Birgit chuckled. "Let's get back to town. You have a beautiful prosthetic, Arica, how did you get it?"
"Um... You must have heard of Duumme's attack," Arica said, walking back towards the city with her former teacher.
"Ah, yes." Birgit's smile vanished. "A very bad thing. Although those particular men didn't really deserve to live."
"No." Arica's voice shook. "But it was awful anyway."
"Yes, Arica, killing people is awful. Be they Reptilians or Humanoids, they're still people. I've had my fair share of killing during the war."
"And do you still kill a lot with your job?" Arica asked.
"Not as much as I used to. I do mostly teaching and counseling these days."
"You're still the prototype of the Sylvanian soldier," Arica said admiringly.
"Thank you, Princess." Birgit smiled. "I'm glad to be back – for now."
Arica stopped as an idea hit her. "Birgit! Will you come with me to Ypsilanti and then maybe Marc'harid to meet someone? My mother won't let me take the Storm Demon on my own..."
"Ah, yes, your birthday gift! What will you do on Ypsilanti?"
"Sindy is getting married. Did you have her for a semester when she attended the Sylvanian university?"
Birgit had spent a whole academic year teaching between the Academy and the university before leaving again on some other job. She was a very good teacher, and Arica wasn't surprised other planets hired her for counseling. And she was an army veteran, surely she could protect Arica as much as J'eff'erey had done.
"Yes, I know her, and that you had a crush on her." Birgit grinned. "And where did you meet a Sire?"
Arica told her of the space pirates. And Jan-win Makinster, who had asked her to wait for him.
"I think he may be released soon, and he's a telepath, much like me," she said, excited for the first time in days. "I had a crush on his cousin, but Star-din is dead and he's not, so I thought... why not?"
"Why not indeed." Birgit smiled as they reached the main entrance of the palace. "You know I left your mother's service because I prefer the company of men... I might be able to find work on Ypsilanti, although I doubt the Sire would need me."
"Well, they already hired Maela Cora, so why shouldn't they hire you?"
"I don't want a permanent job on the Sire planet, thank you..."
***
Birgit and Arica went to Ypsilanti to attend Sindy and J'eff'erey's wedding. Sindy was delighted at the sight of the unexpected guest and introduced her former teacher to her bridegroom in enthusiastic tones. Which distracted Sindy from noticing Arica's golden arm, carefully hidden behind long sleeves, her golden fingers vanishing in the folds of her rich gown.
At the wedding banquet Arica and Birgit sat with I'zet'ta and Gari-jon, who were also invited. They had seen her maiming during the Duumme expedition and asked her how she was doing with the prosthetic.
"It's fine," Arica answered with a shrug. "I'd rather hide it with strangers, but I have no problems at home."
"So are we strangers?" I'zet'ta asked with an impish smile.
"No, but you're the only ones I know here," Arica replied. "Well, besides the bride and groom, of course."
"I can tell you her mother wasn't thrilled by her choice," I'zet'ta said, lowering her voice.
"I bet she wasn't. A big, handsome Ulba'wissian who was only supposed to protect her stole her daughter's heart!" Birgit commented. "I wonder what our queen will say when her daughter, here, tells her she'd rather live off-planet with a man."
"I'm not sure yet," Arica grumbled, lowering her eyes and hunching her shoulders.
"Jan-win told me he'll be released soon," Gari-jon said. "I know you've been too busy to keep in touch with him, but he's my only contact with my home planet."
"He's locked up," Arica muttered. "What news can he give you?"
"None at the moment – and neither do I need any. But like I said, he'll be out soon. I think he'll be delighted to find you there."
"Even like this?" she asked, uncomfortable, waving her golden hand.
"The prosthetic is beautiful, Arica, and he'll know you lost it for a good cause," Birgit said. "I'm sure he heard about the Duummians, and he'll love you even more for it."
"I'm not sure of his feelings, his mind was shielded."
"I think Arica is scared," Gari-jon said, amused, while I'zet'ta giggled. "You will not know until you go there and you both lower your shields. It's so much easier when both are telepaths."
"Thank you, Gari-jon." I'zet'ta pinched his arm.
"Honey, I am Sire, I can transmit to you as if you were also a telepath, but I doubt Arica has the same telepathic strength," he replied, lightly kissing her hand.
Arica sighed. Gari-jon was right. She was scared. And scarred. She had killed, and she was maimed, and she didn't think Jan-win would still want her. She glanced at Birgit who smiled encouragingly.
The bride and groom reached their table and Arica was momentarily distracted. As she joined the chorus of best wishes, Sindy noticed her hand.
"Oh my Goddess!" she exclaimed, grabbing the prosthetic. "Arica, what happened to you?"
"When the Duummians attacked, I crashed with my star fighter," she answered, trying to free her artificial hand.
But Sindy held tighter and pulled up the sleeve, whispering, "Oh. My. Goddess!"
"You're a brave girl, Arica," J'eff'erey declared gravely. "I bow to you." And he did.
Sindy threw her arms around Arica's neck and hugged her. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, squeezing her.
"I didn't want to upset you," Arica answered, embarrassed. "I'm fine, Sindy, really."
Sindy pulled back to look her in the eyes and sighed.
"Birgit, take good care of her," she said before moving to the next table.
"She thinks you're my girlfriend," Arica said morosely.
"Shall I tell her the truth? That I'm your bodyguard?" Birgit smiled.
"By tonight she'll have forgotten it," Gari-jon said with a grin. "The only way to convince her, is to come back with Jan-win, or invite her to your wedding with him."
***
Jan-win exited the prison nine months after entering it with Star-din. Except he was alone when he came out. The shuttle took him back to the capital, where he didn't have much left – not a house, maybe a couple of friends. He tried a couple of doors and found them closed. He messaged Gari-jon on Ypsilanti, asking him if he could lend him some money to get off the planet, but Gari-jon told him to go to the former Imperial palace instead.
Puzzled, Jan-win headed for the big building he had never liked, not even when the Emperor was alive, and gave his name to the guards at the main door.
"Ah, yes, you were expected." A guard led him to the head of security's office, a blonde Sylvanian with an artificial arm who rose to greet him.
"Jan-win Makinster?" she said with a smile. "I just got news that you'd been released, or I'd have sent someone to get you."
"I took the shuttle," he replied, embarrassed. "Why am I here?"
"Because you have friends here," she answered. "Come."
She led him out of the office and the guards' quarters, and then up to the apartments for members of the Council of Five or other Sire aristocrats.
"Our special guest couldn't stay in a hotel, so she's with us," she said. "She arrived yesterday and I was still trying to figure out where you were when you showed up."
"Special guest? You're Maela Cora, right?"
"Yes, and any daughter of my Queen is a special guest."
"You've
made a career on Marc'harid, to be able to live in the palace's upper floors."
Maela shrugged and punched open the door to her apartment. Arica jumped to her feet at the sight of him and he gasped at the sight of the artificial arm. Maela stood next to the princess and took off her uniform jacket, showing off her silver prosthetic. It looked much better, but Arica's golden arm was mesmerizing.
"We were wondering if you'd prefer her to have a cosmetic prosthetic that would be completely invisible or if you'd accept her as she is," Maela said with a grin.
Jan-win couldn't take his eyes off of Arica who stood still with a tank top that showed more of her skin than he was prepared to see. And the maiming. Her breasts went up and down slightly too fast under his scrutiny, and he realized he was staring.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, looking away. "Arica, what happened to you?"
"War maiming," Arica answered with a shaky voice. "Have you heard of Duumme?"
"Yes, I was worried for you, but Gari-jon told me you were all right."
"And I am fine." A smile trembled on her lips. "I resigned from my mother's army. I came here to see if you still want me. Although we don't know each other very well, I am willing to get to know you better."
"Arica, I don't have anything to offer you," he said mournfully. "I don't own anything, I don't have a house, or a starship, and you're a princess. I could never give you what you deserve."
"I only want to be loved," she said a little stiffly.
"That I can do." He stepped forward and smiled.
Maela left to go back to work and Arica kept her eyes on him.
He caressed her wavy blond hair. "Shall we take down a few shields?" he whispered.
She closed her eyes as if he'd kissed her. He took her arms, both the real and the bionic one, and pulled her closer. His lips sought hers, while his mind shields slowly went down along with hers. The union of minds and mouths was the best thing that ever happened to both of them.
Star Minds Interregnum Page 4