by Nena Duran
She couldn’t believe it. Her mate was trying to bring about peace, yet he was the one put on trial.
“Are you all blind? He’s obviously a Kreeh-nosh spy sent here to infiltrate the council. These breeders are his allies, playing our sympathies to destroy us from within,” the woman shouted, her eyes blazing with madness.
“Lady Tril’cya, you’re out of line. Remove yourself form the chamber now.” The magistrate lit his sign, calling for order.
“Take me down there now, Ju’nii,” Gigi said, running to the back of the alcove.
“Lady Gigi, are you feeling all right?” Ju’nii asked, stepping in front of her and running the scanner up and down.
She impatiently swatted its hand away. The Glaxians were always scanning them. It was really annoying at times.
“No, I’m fine. Get me down there now or I’ll find a way,” she answered, pacing nervously.
Ju’nii tried to argue with her, but she just walked around it. She’d climb down on her hands and knees if necessary. Lady Tril’cya’s next words poured over her like ice cold water.
“The House of Pran-Kril thinks they’re above the law. First the jid’rahal breaks his word and mates with a female of unknown origins. Now their other son is nothing more than a grotesque monster clearly under enemy control. His children will be unclean. No one in their right mind would ever want to mate them. If you want what’s best for our world, you’ll banish them forever.” Lady Tril’cya’s impassioned speech was met with mix reactions. Some members stood and lit their signs in agreement. They weren’t the majority, but their numbers were considerable.
Gigi was so freaking mad by the time they reached the ground. How could this woman question Briq’s loyalty? She wouldn’t stand by while the horrible person vilified him. The last straw came after the woman called her mate grotesque and her children unclean. All the anger and humiliation she’d suppressed through the years exploded in one brilliant flash of emotion. No more.
“What gives you the right to question my mate’s integrity? What would you have him do? If you’d read his statement then you know he was restrained when your daughter died. They killed her because she chose to fight against them. She died like a true warrior with honor.” She faced Lady Tril’cya like a lioness defending her cubs, Amada later told her.
The elite warriors spread out, giving her room to walk. None of them made an attempt to stop her. Gigi reached the center of the chamber with her bright red hair streaming behind like a flag.
“I’ve invoked the right of swift vengeance, which gives me the right to question this creature’s loyalty. Lord Bah-Troy came back after we thought him dead. Only it isn’t him. The Kreeh-nosh transformed him in to a killing beast programmed to do their bidding. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’d made a pact with them in exchange for his life.”
“Who the hell do you think you are to question his allegiance? My mate is an honorable warrior, not a traitor hiding in the shadows. His unselfish efforts aided the Protectorate and Pendo’rah countless times. Where were you when he sacrificed himself to save the Q’alor? Would you have taken the pain he endured without breaking, without losing your soul? It’s easy to look down on people from your high perch. You think of warriors as disposable things to throw away when they no longer work. You speak of honor and loyalty yet you condemn those who fight to keep you safe. If not for him, the Kreeh-nosh would’ve taken over my world and many more.
“While you dined and feasted with your loved ones, he was strapped to machines and tortured by T’zaal. While you lived in the lap of luxury, he endured pain and hunger so you wouldn’t. What gives you the freaking right to cast insults at him or my children? It’s you who has no honor, Lady Tril’cya. It’s you who desecrates your daughter’s memory. Her sacrifice is rendered meaningless by your hateful words. I’d rather die than live in a place where one is judged not by the merits of their actions but by one’s appearance. You might see him as nothing but grotesque, but that warrior you see standing before you has given more to Pendo’rah than all of you combined. Even now he stands in front of you willing to put his honor on the line for the sake of peace. My mate might not look like the warrior he once was, but his loyalty is unshakable. I’ll tell you what he isn’t. He isn’t a mindless beast programmed to serve the Kreeh-nosh. Our children aren’t unclean. They’re the fruit of deep, real love. Don’t you ever disrespect him like that again or I’ll toq’ma’lal your ass to the ground.”
She was crying so loudly hot blinding pain knifed through her. Briq wanted to come to her, but she shook her head. This was her chance to stand her ground against those who wanted to hurt him. The pain became so unbearable she could hardly breathe. It was so unfair of them to question his loyalty after all he’d endured.
“Gigi?” her sister whispered, touching her shoulder. “Look at me, babe.” She tried to focus her eyes, but the pain was getting worse. Why did it hurt so badly? “Your water broke. We need to take you to medcomm now.”
It all happened so fast after that she had no time to think. Ooh-Baak called for medcomm while Briq rushed to her side. He sat on the floor with his legs folded underneath. Holding her gently, Zaaq-niq guided her until her back rested against her mate.
“Gigi, you need to listen to me, okay?” Amada asked softly. “Let’s do the breathing we practiced. Can you do it for me?” Gigi nodded, trying to focus on her sister’s voice.
“Briq, I’m scared. Don’t leave me,” she said, reaching for his hand.
“I’m here, Mor’u, just do what Amada says. I’ll be here with you always.”
“I need to take a look to make sure everything is going well,” Ounna told her, draping a cloak over her bent legs. “Ju’nii, set the scanners to birthing.”
Ounna spread her legs apart, upsetting Briq. He growled, threatening the Glaxians with death if something happened to her. The magistrate asked everyone to remain in their alcoves. Zaaq-niq ordered all holovids off. Her pain was so intense she could hardly think. She was overcome with the need to push, but Amada talked her through the breathing techniques.
“Medcomm is here,” someone yelled.
“Clear a path. Everybody out of the way. Elite warriors assume priority escort position now.” Cee-ruh’s orders prompted a flurry of well-executed movements, placing the warriors protectively around her.
“We’ve run out of time to reach medcomm. Lady Gigi, you must follow my instructions without question.”
“Ounna.” Briq growled again. “Why can’t she go to medcomm? She’s in pain. Step aside now.”
“We can’t. The baby’s head is out. Now shut the hell up. You’re about to become a daddy,” her sister snapped at Briq.
Gigi would’ve laughed if she wasn’t in so much pain. Briq just rumbled deep in his chest, but said nothing. Good thing too, because at that precise moment she felt another contraction. She screamed like a banshee. Her poor mate let out an anguished roar.
The breeder reached over Briq to settle her hand on her belly. A feeling of total relaxation spread through Gigi just as the rest of her daughter’s body slipped out. She looked up to find Ha’rrra standing over her.
She became aware of the song as another contraction gripped her. The hand on her belly never moved, but vibrations came from it. Gigi felt the contractions, but they were not as bad as before. Somehow Ha’rrra helped her by producing some kind of energy through her hands.
It was the most incredible thing she’d seen in her life. The hand softly glowed. Every time she had a contraction the song deepened and it glowed brighter. Gigi was in awe by the voice. It sounded similar to opera without words. It was difficult to explain, but listening to it lessened the pain.
“The head is out. Come on, Gigi, one more push,” Amada said encouragingly. “That’s it, girl, breathe and push, push, push.”
Her second daughter entered life with a cry loud enough to rival the most seasoned prima donna. Soon she was joined by her sister in the most wonderful sound she’d ever hea
rd. Briq kissed her, his tears of joy mingling with hers. Gigi reached down and squeezed the hand on her belly before it moved away.
“Thank you, Ha’rrra, for everything.” She closed her eyes as exhaustion overtook her.
Chapter Eighteen
The Road to Peace
The only reason everyone was still alive was because of Ju’nii’s success in treating Briq’s rage. How could one so small endure such pain? He was to blame for her discomfort. Thank the goddess for Ha’rrra. She had his undying gratitude for lessening Mor’u’s suffering.
After his children were born, the Trac’xian nannies carried them to the pod for transport. His happiness turned to tragedy after Lady Tril’cya attacked, instantly killing one of them. Terrified screams filled the room while the second nanny grabbed the child before the other one hit the hard floor. Briq froze in panic at the Tril’cya’s bloodcurdling screams.
“Toq’ma’lal, toq’ma’lal, toq’ma’lal,” the council woman chanted, aiming her blade at the girls.
The knife never reached its mark. Lady Ha’rrra shielded them with her body. The knife pierced the soft tissue between her shells.
A flurry of action followed. Warriors in full gear took a defensive position around his daughters. Zaaq-niq ran to Lady Ha’rrra’s side, calling for the Glaxians. They used the gly-urq meant for Mor’u to transport her to medcomm.
”Are you insane, attacking my brother and his children? I’d kill you myself if you weren’t a high-ranking official.” His brother whirled around, confronting the deranged council member.
“You’re all witnesses to the jid’rahal’s verbal attack. The House of Prahn-kril thinks they can control the council. They believe themselves above the laws governing our society. Even if everyone opposes me, I’ll make sure the council rules against granting that thing sanctuary. As for you,” she ranted, pointing the knife at him, “I demand the right of justice. I want your so-called mate and children gone from our planet. Goddess only knows what kind of filth they altered you with. I’m sure you’re under Kreeh-noshian influence,” Lady Tril’cya yelled, her face contorted in anger.
“Control yourself, Lady Tril’cya. You’re bringing shame upon the House of Bu’koos. Lord Briq is an honorable warrior who has always had Pendo’rah’s best interest at heart.” The prime minister tried to reason with her, but she was too far gone to listen. She even accused the magistrate of conspiring against her.
“Why are you so quick to defend him? Can’t anyone see what he really is? He’s a Kreeh-noshian spy, created by them to contaminate our people. His mate is from an unknown part of the universe just like the jid’rahal’s. Their children are not Pendo’rahn. They don’t belong here. Kill them all before it’s too late.”
She was part of a dissident group who believed Pendo’rah should sever ties with the Protectorate. Lady Tril’cya wielded the long knife menacingly while making the startling revelation. It became clear she was afflicted with insanity. Cee-ruh tackled her to the floor and knocked the knife out of her hands.
* * * *
Medcomm was on lockdown when they arrived. Patients with non-life-threatening conditions were routed to other facilities. Everyone assured him his mate would be fine. They’d keep her in gly-urq for a day to recover from labor. Both Zaaq-niq and Amada assured him by tomorrow she’d back to normal. The children were resting comfortably under Amada’s watchful eye.
Ooh-Baak came in hours later. He’d stayed behind at the council, which had resumed the session. A treaty was drafted, outlining the articles and conditions. They granted the breeders sanctuary by unanimous decision.
Under the agreement, the breeders had to go back to their territory. The Protectorate, in exchange, would provide resources necessary to rebuild their society. Eh’nen offered the Glaxians’ regeneration process to restore their planet. It was the same technology that had been used on Pendo’rah after the attack.
As for Lady Tril’cya, she’d been sedated and moved to an undisclosed location under observation. Briq felt a pang of guilt after learning her fate. He knew what the undisclosed location was. Some females developed a kind of incurable insanity and had to be confined for their own safety. She’d be well taken care of, but in time her mind would be completely gone.
“Do you have an update on Lady Ha’rrra’s condition?” his father asked after bringing them up to speed. They feared if the leader died, the other breeders would refuse the treaty.
“I think I’ll be able to answer that.” Ju’nii walked in carrying a data pad. “I’ve been in touch with our warriors on board the colony. With the help of the caretakers, we now have enough information to fine-tune the gly-urq.”
“Ju’nii, give me your word you’ll do everything in your power to save her. I owe her my daughters’ lives,” Briq said.
“She’s receiving the best care medcomm has to offer. I’m in charge of her treatment, and judging by this data, no vital organs were injured.”
“Thank you, my friend. Go take good care of her.”
“Before I leave, I have a message from one of the breeders. She asked to speak with you personally.”
Briq knew he couldn’t postpone the inevitable. It was his responsibility as the supplicant to keep the breeders updated. They’d trusted Ha’rrra, who in turn had placed her faith in him.
“Put her through.” They took the news better than expected. He was relieved to hear the treaty would be honored even if Ha’rrra died.
“It was foretold by the old breeders that someday an enemy warrior would bring back the song of life. When Lady Ha’rrra saw you bursting in through the doors, she understood then. She knew you were the one.”
“What is this song you keep referring to?”
“It’s the song the breeders sing to their mates. No song is the same. We’ve forgotten how to do it, but you brought back the one who can help us remember.”
“You mean my mate? How can she help you when she’s not from these galaxies?”
“She’s the key we need to recover the knowledge taken from us. We need her.”
After the conversation with T’zee, his mood was guarded. Briq questioned the wisdom of returning to Pendo’rah, not because of him but Mor’u. It angered him every time he thought of Tril’cya’s attempt against his family.
He didn’t care what people might think about him, but he never wanted his mate and children exposed to it. He looked up as a small hand touched his shoulder. Amada stood in front of him.
“Briq, take a chill pill. This isn’t the time for you to crumble like a cookie. Gigi needs her mate to be strong. So I suggest you get it together, okay?”
“I love her so much, you know? Thank the goddess Mor’u didn’t hear Lady Tril’cya speak those awful things. I wanted to kill her. It took all my strength not to.”
“Don’t worry about it, okay? Listen to me, we’re not going to let anything happened to them. I promise.”
“That goes for me too. I’mah-nii is right. We’ll stand by you always, Brother. Now go rest. Trust me this is the last restful moment you’ll have in a long time,” his brother said playfully.
* * * *
Briq woke up disoriented. For a moment, he didn’t know where he was. It all rushed back like images of a holovid. He shifted to get up, but her scent stopped him short. At some point during the night—or was it daytime already, he wasn’t sure—they’d brought his mate to him.
“About time you woke up, lazy bones. I’ve been waiting for over two hours.”
She was even more beautiful than he remembered. The soft glow she’d always had was now like an incandescent star. Why did she love him? Tril’cya was right. He was a grotesque monster.
“Don’t, just stop feeling like that. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. I’ll not allow you or anyone else to put you down.”
“Sorry, Mor’u,” he said, smiling sheepishly. “You’re so beautiful I often ask myself what I did to deserve such beauty.”
“The feeling’s mutual
, my champion. I have an idea. Why don’t you kiss me and we’ll find out together?”
He fluttered his lips over hers in a tender caress. His people rarely kissed this way since women didn’t like intimacy. The beast rumbled deep inside while Mor’u deepened the kiss. He captured her tongue with his teeth, sucking it. Her flavor was already imprinted deep inside his brain. No other would ever taste the same to him. No other was as good as she. Even without the brand Briq was sure he couldn’t be with another woman. He reached down and tossed her cover aside. She was gloriously naked underneath.
“Mor’u, there’s so much I want to tell you.”
“Briq, we already know what the other’s feeling. Why don’t you let your body do the talking?”
“In that case, why don’t we create some math together?”
“Oh, I like the way this is going already. Tell you what. This time we can do it the right way.”
She climbed on top before he had time to reply. Her meaning dawned on him after she straddled him, pushing her dji’krah close to his face. The first time doing this they’d been sideways because of her pregnancy. Now he was about to learn the true meaning of sixty-nine.
Briq jerked involuntarily, almost crashing them to the floor. He wasn’t prepared for the fast assault on his ro’traal. Mor’u just took him inside her mouth without preamble. She swallowed his head, humming loudly. It took all his warrior’s control not to shoot his load right then.
Not to be outdone, he slowly licked every inch of her slit. Briq loved the taste of her cream. It was rich and sweet like bak’liin. He worshiped every curve, every inch of her. He traced exotic patterns on her skin with his hands.
Her tongue was busy licking the drops of pre-cum, swallowing them with gusto. She’d never be able to take all of him inside her small mouth. It was too much. He needed to be inside her now. Briq rolled them over and quickly entered her with one thrust. He was so hard it hurt, but he couldn’t stop his frantic pace for fear of dying. Her legs wrapped around him, pushing him even deeper.