by M. K. Eidem
"But this deep repair unit can't heal injuries caused by it?" Aaron asked, realizing Ull hadn't been threatening him.
"Can't completely," Ull corrected. "It takes the unit more time, and a scar will always remain. It is why King Grim is scarred."
"And why he was declared unfit by your Assembly of Lords." Aaron had learned that from the educator.
"Yes," Ull acknowledged.
"So, you're saying physically our people are fine." Aaron wanted Ull to confirm that.
"Yes."
"Well, our 'Healers' will have to verify that before we can reunite them with their families," Aaron told him.
"You question my word?!" Ull growled as he tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, but it didn't faze Aaron. He'd been standing up to bullies his entire life. He wasn't going to stop just because this one happened to be an alien.
"Of course, I do," Aaron told him. "I don't know you, and you've given me no reason to trust you." His gaze dropped to the sword that was still between them before it returned to Ull's angry eyes. "Especially when you kidnapped my niece to get to me. It's not something a fit and worthy male would do." Aaron used the words he'd learned that mattered to the Tornians.
Trisha watched Ull flinch as if he'd been struck, and slowly he sheathed his sword. "Do as you wish," he told Aaron. "They are your people."
"They are," Aaron told him, "and trust me, I will. Now, how do we contact you when we're ready for you to start transporting our people home?"
Ull reached into his vest and pulled out a small rectangular black device. "This is a comm unit," he told the President then pointed to a button. "Press this, and it will connect with me on the Searcher, and we will start the transport process."
"Alright." Aaron turned his attention to Trisha. "Go pack a bag. You'll be staying with me in the White House."
"Trisha will remain with me!" Ull all but bellowed. He wasn't going to let Trisha separate from him. He wasn't sure why it mattered so much, but it did.
Trisha was shocked at Ull's reaction and how fast he could move. One moment she was beside her tío, and the next, she was pinned to Ull's side, her wrists cuffed by one of his much larger hands. While it wasn't painful, Trisha knew there was no way to break free unless Ull allowed it. Looking to her tío, she saw how ruddy his complexion had become and knew he was moments away from losing his temper, and that wasn't going to solve anything.
"There's no way…" Aaron began.
"It's alright, Tío," she quickly cut him off. "I'll go with him."
"Trisha, no!" he argued.
"It'll give me time to talk to the abductees, explain to them what's happening and why, and speak to Minister Ruskin, the representative the Kaliszians sent to negotiate a trade deal for food."
"You can do that at NACB," Aaron argued.
"True, but this will give us a head start." She tried to appeal to his practical side, knowing he always liked to do things as efficiently as possible. "That is if you trust me to do this. I know I'm not part of your staff…"
"Of course, I trust you, Trisha!" He gave her a disbelieving look. "Do you think I'd be making you my Representative if I didn't?"
"Representative?" Her eyes widened in shock. "Me?"
"Who else?" Aaron demanded. "Not only are you the one Lisa requested, but you are also the only other one besides me that will even understand him." He gestured to Ull.
"Besides the abductees," she reminded him, knowing she'd gotten him to calm down and think. "The Kaliszians made sure they were able to use a proper educator."
"Proper?" Aaron frowned at that. "What are you talking about?"
"The first group, the one enslaved," she reminded him. "The Ganglians only programmed their educator so they could understand Ganglian and Zaludian, the languages of their masters."
"And the second group?" he asked quietly.
"Had all the languages but no history," she told him. "The Kaliszians corrected that."
"So, once they return, they’re going to start talking about everything they've learned and experienced," Aaron sighed heavily.
"Wouldn't you?" she argued. She knew her tío fully supported the First Amendment, which stated that an individual has the right to express their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, and these people were going to have a lot of opinions.
"Yes, and they will be allowed to," he reassured his niece. "It's just something else we'll have to deal with if we decide to negotiate with both the Kaliszians and Tornians."
"If?" Ull growled.
"If," Aaron stressed back.
Chapter Five
Closing her eyes, Trisha sighed tiredly and leaned back in her seat as Ull took off from behind her home. Her tío had left a short time ago, but not before giving her a hug and a kiss and whispering for her to be careful. She'd reassured him she'd be fine and hoped she wasn't lying to him. She didn't understand Ull's sudden mood swings. Was it a Tornian thing? Or was he struggling to deal with the changes happening in his world the same way Trisha was with hers? One of the things Lisa put in the educator was, even though raised as protectors, some Tornian males weren't happy that they weren't just conquering Earth and taking what they needed. The situation was getting that dire in their Empire.
Was Ull one of those males? If so, why would the Emperor send him on such a critical mission?
She wanted to sit back and enjoy this amazing thing she was experiencing. She was about to fly into space for the first time, at least consciously. Few people on Earth had ever gotten the chance to do this, but she couldn't. Not with what was going on. People, women especially, were being abducted, stolen, and enslaved, and it seemed to be up to her to put a stop to it.
Ull glanced over at the female sitting next to him as he piloted the shuttle back to the Searcher. Goddess, she was the most beautiful female he'd ever seen. He hadn't initially liked the short length of her hair. Females should have long hair. Yet now, watching how it brushed along her jaw, he was filled with the desire to do the same. Would her skin be as soft as it looked? Would she allow him to touch her that intimately? She had already touched him voluntarily, and she hadn't fought him when he pulled her away from the male, she called Tío. Did that mean she was willing?
Goddess, he had more questions than answers.
'Just take her,' that dark voice whispered in his mind. 'She's unprotected. It's within your right as a first male and future Lord to claim her.'
But if he did that, it could prevent his brothers-in-arms from acquiring the females they needed.
'So?' the whispering continued. 'What do they matter? Your needs come first.'
"Were you successful?" Ull saw Trisha jerk, her eyes flying open when Veron's voice filled the shuttle.
"I will speak of it once we arrive," he responded to Veron.
"We?" Veron questioned.
"Trisha is returning with me," he informed Veron.
"Willingly?" Veron growled back.
"Yes, Captain Veron," Trisha spoke when she saw Ull’s face darken at the unspoken accusation from the other male.
"I see," he replied quietly.
"We'll speak once we land, Captain." With that, Ull disconnected the transmission.
Trisha said nothing and just watched Ull land the shuttle. Once done, she rose and went to where Ull had stored the bag she'd packed.
"What are you doing?" Ull demanded, following her.
"What's it look like?" she asked. "I'm getting my bag."
"Females don't carry their bags," he told her, taking it from her.
"Why?" she asked, and he gave her a confused look as the ramp lowered.
"What do you mean, why?" he demanded.
"Just that," she retorted. "For while I appreciate you are carrying my bag, why can't a female carry her own?"
"Because it isn't her place," he told her as if it were obvious.
"Her place?" Trisha couldn't believe he'd just said that.
"Yes, females are cared for and protected so that they can pro
duce and carry our offspring, not baggage. That is their place."
"Seriously?! You did not just say that!" Trisha couldn't believe how angry that made her. Here was a civilization that had conquered space travel, and yet they still thought a woman's place was to be barefoot and pregnant.
"I did say that," Ull reassured her then took in the angry splashes of color filling in her cheeks. "Why does that upset you so?"
"Lady Trisha?" Veron's gaze traveled from Ull to the female that Queen Lisa had put her faith in to save their people. If the look on her face said anything, whatever Ull had said greatly disturbed her.
"What?" Trisha snapped as her gaze locked onto his. When she saw his eyes widen in surprise, she forced herself to take a deep calming breath. "I'm sorry, Captain, that was uncalled for."
"That's alright, Lady Trisha," he told her. "I know you've had an eventful day."
"That would be an understatement," she said, giving Vernon a small smile as she walked toward him.
Ull found he didn't like the way Trisha smiled at Veron. Didn't like the way the Captain smiled back at her. What did that male think he was doing? Veron couldn't smile at his female that way. That thought brought Ull to an abrupt halt. His female? Trisha wasn't his.
"Why are you calling me 'Lady' Trisha?" she asked, not noticing how Ull wasn't following.
"It is the title given to important Tornian females," Veron told her.
"But I'm not Tornian," she reminded him.
"Truth, but you may be the most important female in all of Tornian history, besides the Goddess, of course."
Trisha had to swallow hard at that. God, she'd always wanted to make a difference, to do something meaningful and memorable, the way her tío and mamá had, but this. If she failed at this; it would affect billions upon billions of people.
Starvation.
Extinction.
And that was only for the Kaliszian and Tornian people.
The Earth would be attacked and possibly destroyed.
How was she supposed to prevent that when she had such a short amount of time?
"Lady Trisha?" Veron asked.
Veron's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Please, it's Trisha, or if we're formal, Miss Burke."
"Representative," Ull corrected, having moved to her side.
"What?" she looked up at him.
"The President made you his Representative."
"Oh, right. I forgot that."
"So, he's willing to negotiate?" Veron didn't try to hide his surprise or hope. He'd thought Ull had ruined any chance of that kidnapping Trisha.
"He's willing to discuss it after all the people on the Searcher are back on Earth," Trisha told him.
"That's…" Veron gave her a wary look.
"Not going to happen," Ull told her.
"Yes, it is." Trisha turned, so she faced both males. Her face and tone just as hard as it was when she was negotiating a major deal. "Because while this is a Tornian ship, those people are under Kaliszian protection, which means you have no say over them. So, if your attitude doesn't change, I'll be forced to advise the President that we can only deal with the Kaliszians as they are the only ones acting in good faith."
"That would be greatly appreciated, Representative Burke," Ruskin said, walking across the landing bay toward them. He'd heard what was being said and decided now would be an excellent time to make his presence known. "And I must say I look forward to working with you."
"Thank you, Minister Ruskin," Trisha said, turning to him. "I'm hopeful we can come to an agreement that is beneficial for everyone."
"As do I. The actions and decisions we all make will affect not just us, but all the Known Universes for millennia to come." Ruskin let his gaze travel over Veron and Ull, reminding them what was at stake.
"Then let's make sure we make the right ones," Trisha said then looked to Veron. "It's been a long day. I want to know where I'll be staying."
"I'll show you," Ull spoke before Veron could then turning began to walk away.
"I will see you at first meal," Ruskin said, giving her a slight bow. "Rest well, Representative Burke."
"You as well, Minister Ruskin. Captain Veron." Trisha nodded to both males before moving toward Ull, who had stopped at the hangar door when he'd realized she hadn't immediately followed him. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then snapped it shut and began walking again.
Ull moved quickly through the empty corridors of the Searcher. He wanted to get Trisha away from the other males. He didn't like them talking to or looking at her. He especially didn't like it when the Kaliszian did. The Kaliszians were starving, dependent on the Tornians for their survival, and Minister or not, Ruskin wouldn't be able to provide for Trisha adequately.
He could, though. One day, he would be a Lord, and if Trisha chose him, he'd make sure she never wanted for anything.
"I'm not going to run to keep up with you," she told him in an exasperated voice.
Looking over his shoulder, Ull found her a significant distance behind him. "I'm…"
"In a hurry to get rid of me because I pissed you off. Yeah, I know, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you treat me like this. You're nearly a foot taller than me, and most of it seems to be leg. If you didn't want to show me to my room, you should have let Captain Veron do it."
"That wasn't what I was going to say," he growled. "I was going to apologize. I'm not used to putting others’ needs before my own."
"Yeah, I got that. Must be nice to be a first male and never have anyone tell you when you're an asshole."
That word had his thoughts flying back to the conversation he and Queen Lisa had.
'Trisha has had to survive a great deal. She’s strong and independent. She isn’t going to put up with your bullshit attitude toward females. She’s dealt with enough assholes in her life.'
Even General Rayner's Ashe had agreed he was an asshole. Which he learned was an unworthy and unfit male that used females for his own gain.
He didn't see Trisha that way or didn't mean to.
"I… I have only recently discovered that," he finally admitted.
"Discovered what?" she asked.
"That I was never confronted about many of my actions because I was the first male of a Lord."
"Seriously? It took you, how old are you?" she demanded.
"I am twenty-five."
"Really?" She was surprised he was just a year older than her. "So, it took you twenty-five years to figure out you were privileged?"
"I always knew I was," he admitted, "but I never realized it had that great of an effect until…"
"Until?"
"Until I learned, my two youngest brothers were mistreated and ridiculed." He still couldn't believe he hadn't known what had been happening.
"Wait. What? I thought you only had one brother. Ynyr."
"I have three brothers," he informed her.
"But I thought…"
"I would prefer not to discuss it here." Turning, he started down the corridor but at a much slower pace. After one more turn, he stopped in front of a grey door, pressed his hand against a small panel, and the door slid open. "These will be your quarters."
Trisha walked inside and let her gaze travel over the room. Its walls were the same dull gray of the door as was the couch, table, chairs, and desk. The room had no softness, color, or warmth. Did Tornians live this way? Lisa had to hate it.
"If you would place your hand on the panel." He gestured to the one identical to the one on the outside of the door. Once she did, he entered a code, and the panel began to glow beneath her hand.
"What are we doing?" While Trisha didn't feel anything, with everything that had happened that day, she wasn't taking any chances.
"Securing your quarters. Now only you will be able to enter this room." Turning, he moved to a door she hadn't noticed as it blended into the rest of the wall. This one also opened as he approached. Following him, she looked inside and watched him put her bag on what would be a que
en-sized bed on Earth. Comparing Ull's size to it, she realized it was probably a single for a Tornian male.
"The other door leads to your cleansing area," he told her as he walked toward her.
"Cleansing area?" Taking a step back so he could pass, she looked around the room and finally spotted the door he was talking about. Walking over, it automatically opened. In it, she saw a basin, toilet, and what appeared to be a walk-in shower. "It's motion-activated?" she asked, looking at him.
"Yes," he told her, surprised she'd been able to figure that out so quickly.
"Alright." Turning, she walked over to the couch and sat down on one end. "So, tell me how it is you have three brothers when what I learned from the educator is that a Tornian male is lucky to have one child… offspring," she corrected.
Ull didn't understand why Trisha wanted to pursue this subject. No Tornian female cared about what a male had to say or his life unless it directly affected her. Could Earth females be that different? He truly hadn't believed it, but maybe he was wrong. Slowly he moved across the room and sat down on the opposite end of the couch from Trisha.
"That is truth," Ull confirmed. "A Tornian male must save most of his life just for the chance of attracting the attention of a female."
"Attract her attention?" Trisha frowned at that. "I don't understand."
"A male must be able to show a female that he can properly protect and provide for her before she even considers Joining with him," Ull explained. "If she does choose to Join with him, then the male must continue to appease her, so she doesn't leave him for another offering more before she is with offspring."
"Wait, you mean if one of your females agrees to Join with a male, she can just leave him anytime she wants for another male?"
"Yes, she can move on for any reason, taking all the first male has given her, as long as she hasn't conceived his offspring. If she has conceived, then the female must remain with the male until the offspring presents. She can then either move on or stay. If the offspring is male, then the male's position is cemented, and his bloodline will continue. If she presents a female, his position is elevated, and the female's value goes up."