by Sahara Foley
She half walked, half crawled back to her cot, where she plopped down, exhausted. She shifted around, trying to find a comfortable position, but the narrow cot didn't have enough room to accommodate her four legs, so two of them were always hanging over the edge. With a sad sigh, she thought, what does it matter? I will not survive this torture much longer.
As fear, despair, and anger overwhelmed her, she threw one of her arms over her eyes, tears sliding down into the ratted, black and red fur covering her face. Why did this happen to me and my family? With the mental link all Tethians shared with their family members, she knew her two brothers had also been taken, and one of them, Ganga, had recently died. She wept harder for her middle brother, who would never again feel the warmth of the Tethian sun, or the embrace of his mate and children.
“Stop!” she said out loud, angry with herself. “You cannot seek revenge if you are dead.”
Restlessly picking and scratching at the mites living off her body, Pohat turned to look at the Queen. Someone will be coming for her, and the King. I must keep her alive as long as possible. Even though she had very little energy left, she reestablished her mental link with the Queen, bracing herself for the onslaught of memories the link caused. Pohat started infusing the Calen with her life force, once again being thrown into the Queen's jumbled memories.
They have found us. She must stay, wait for Gray Eyes. The males are panicking, ships leaving, causing roof of cave to collapse, pinning her to the floor. Shalit, must not let Shalit escape. There, Gray Eyes. He has come to save her, save her people.
Pohat had seen this memory several times already, so she knew Arthur called the Queen, Daisy. As Daisy's love for Arthur flowed through her mind, Pohat's tangled fur quivered all over. Will I ever feel love this strong for my mate? Will I live long enough to have a mate? If I do survive, will a mate want me?
Pohat shivered, pulling the tattered pieces of her robe around her, trying to contain what little heat remained. The Calen and Eilsel men who repeatedly raped her gave little thought to her warmth. Once she was gone, they had plenty of other females to choose from. Even as they called her horrible, demeaning names for being a Tethian, they were more than eager to push their breeding organs into her unwilling body.
Daisy's memory shot off on another tangent, taking Pohat along with her.
Belly round with child, beaming down at Arthur, love and joy flooded her soul. Arthur was kneeling on the floor, between her legs, head pressed against her belly, singing a silly song to the unborn child. Tearing, screaming, and pain, as she gave birth to her first child, a male.
Pohat doubled up in pain, the memory racing through her. Two more rounded bellies, two more births, but each one a little less painful. Both were females.
Wiping the sweat from her brow, Pohat marveled at the intense pain of childbirth. Is it worth it? she wondered, rubbing her own flat belly. Remembering the feelings of joy and unconditional love flowing from Daisy to her children, she realized the pain would be worth the outcome.
Will I ever escape my imprisonment to experience it myself? Will I even be able to bear children? Her first breeding cycle was still ten years away, and she knew her female organs had not matured enough to handle the daily, brutal assaults on her body. She no longer felt the intense pain from the forced penetrations, but she knew she'd been damaged.
Pohat wept again, as Daisy's brain darted from memory to memory, moving so fast most of them were an incomprehensible blur. When the Queen's zipping memories finally settled down, they were in a small cave, with a wide bed, a table and several chairs, and a long, silver sword propped against one of the walls.
Pohat stopped crying, wiping her eyes. She'd never seen this memory before. Where are we? She watched as Daisy reached out to touch the sword. Pohat flinched, feeling the terrible hatred emitting from the entity trapped inside the sword. What is that? With widened eyes, she realized the sword and entity felt just like the round, silver objects she'd discovered in a remote, mountainous region on Teth.
If those objects hold the same type of entities, my world is in danger. She must contact her remaining brother, Panth, so at least one other person knew of the danger to their planet. As Pohat established a mental link with her brother in cell 376, and relayed her concerns, Daisy's memory took off again. Suddenly, Pohat found herself on the steps of the palace on Calen.
Calen and Eilsel men shouting, firing weapons at us. Who are they? What do they want? Her children, screaming and crying in fear. Arthur, standing in front of us, protecting us. Men raising weapons she had never seen before, firing bright, blue beams right at them. Her children scream some more, then go silent. Arthur yells in pain, grabbing his head, falling over. They are firing at her, the blue beam engulfing her, causing agonizing pain, her mind being torn apart before darkness claims her.
Chapter Three
Once again, Arthur found himself some place other than Ruth's garden. Looking out the small holes the white beam had caused, he noticed light where there had been darkness before. He glanced around, amazed. How did I teleport the whole room? He stared at where his hand still touched the tip of Excalibur. Did the sword make the difference?
“Arthur brought us home, my friend,” Daisy said weakly, from her prone position on the floor. “We are on Calen, at the palace.”
Tigget and the other crew members started cheering, while Arthur peered down at Daisy, starting to get a little upset, feeling used. He didn't like someone else being in control of his life. His lips tightened with anger.
Daisy reached up, and lovingly touched his cheek. “Arthur, my love, I was not safe on Earth, and I need medical treatment not available there. Due to my weakened condition, I was unable to transport us home. Using your powers funneled through Excalibur, I redirected us back to Calen. Do not be upset. We belong together, and I need you.” She blinked her hypnotic eyes at him.
What is it about this woman? Arthur wondered, realizing Daisy spoke in Calen, and he'd understood. She has bewitched me. His heart had never felt this strong of a connection with anyone. Taking her hand, he turned it over and tenderly kissed her palm, nodding his head. Since he had not a clue where they were, he had no choice but to trust her.
A door Arthur hadn't noticed before, opened, and several Calen men rushed in carrying a stretcher. They transferred Daisy to the stretcher, and out the door they went, to their infirmary. Following Daisy outside, Arthur caught Tigget glaring at him. I just got here, and I've already made an enemy. Shrugging his shoulders, he stepped through the doorway, getting his first glimpse of the alien planet.
* * *
Panth shifted on his uncomfortable cot, as Arthur's memory faded to black. He glanced over to where his King lay, unconscious, on the same bed his younger brother had died. Panth's eyes brimmed with tears, thinking about the injustice inflicted on his family. His only brother was dead, while his younger sister was being violated on a daily basis. On Teth, Pohat would still be considered a child. He ground his teeth in anger. Every time the guards made an appearance, he had to restrain himself from attacking them, in Pohat's honor.
Why have they imprisoned my family? Panth wondered, clenching his right hands into fists. What do they want from us?
Panth's eyes widened as he received Pohat's telepathic warning. So that's why she'd been captured. She knew about the strange silver objects hidden on their planet. He'd heard rumors from his people of Calens and Eilsels roaming over a remote mountainous region. He and his brother were a day's journey from that area when they were taken in ambush. Were the men searching for those objects? What is so special about them?
With a loud huff, Panth swung his four legs over the side of the bed, sitting up. Upper elbows on his inner knees, he leaned forward, placing his head in his hands, his lower arms picking and scratching at the never-ending biting mites.
Maybe they would never know. But, his sister was right; they must keep the Queen and King alive, as long as possible. Someone would come for them, eventually,
he hoped. Only Osso knows how long I've been in this stinking cell. His only references of time were the sporadic, rotten meals they were served, or when the guards came to take Arthur away for the deep mind probes.
When they first dropped Arthur on the cot, drooling, twitching spasmodically, the guards joked about a new weapon their leaders devised to take out the infamous, invincible King. Curious, and fearful, of the type of weapon the Calen's had developed, Panth formed a mental link with Arthur. He recoiled in horror and terror at what he saw. The imbecilic Calens had located an imprisoned Shalit, and using an Ultilear, directed the beam through the silver-encased Shalit, thereby enhancing the power of the weapon. This powerful beam finally took down the Calen despised, false, Earthling King.
Panth was dumbstruck. Every race knew you didn't mess with a Shalit. They were evil, and sucked the life force out of all living matter. Where did they find one? He remembered Pohat's message and the rumors of Calens on his planet. Is that what those silver objects are? Shalits? How did they arrive there? Who hid them on Teth?
Panth turned his head, resting his chin in his hands, staring at Arthur. Being a renowned mental healer on Teth, whom his people traveled vast distances to seek treatment from, Panth knew his King's brain was severely damaged. Most was a result of the unknown weapon, but had been exacerbated by the intensive mind probes from The One. Panth shuddered, thinking about the giant brain in the lower level, and the whispering he'd overheard from terrified guards, who'd witnessed what happened to the prisoners, once the interrogations were finished.
Restless, he slowly rose, and, on unsteady legs, shambled over to the Earthman. He'd never heard of a Human before, not until the Earthling had been tossed into his cell. Leaning over, he raised one of Arthur's eyelids with his lower hand, while feeling his forehead with his upper hand. The eyeball rolled-up to the back of his head, and his skin was cold and clammy.
Panth had been using his expertise to heal Arthur's mind, but the mental probes were hindering the process. He hung his head, feeling sad and helpless. Since Arthur's arrival, he'd come to respect this male, and considered him a friend, almost like a brother. If one of them fell into despair, the other one would give their strength to keep them going. But, each time Arthur returned from the interrogating probes, it took longer for his conscious mind to surface again.
Panth linked into Arthur's mind, seeing flashes of memories about a Commander Dobie and Dr. Tober. Did Arthur call for these memories himself? If so, the treatments might finally be working. Panth scanned Arthur's brain again, finding the same damaged area. Could this be the reason for Arthur's volatile powers? It looked like Arthur had suffered some type of head injury, which resulted in several small blood vessels healing together. As Panth gently probed further, he discovered they weren't meant to be attached. Those areas of the brain were being fed more blood and oxygen than normal.
Interesting, Panth thought, as he sat back on his haunches, scratching behind his left ear. Even though the Human's mind was smaller than a Calen's, he was using more brain capacity, thus enhancing his mental abilities. I have to get out of here, Panth thought with renewed determination. I can replicate this defect in the brains of my own people. With these enhancements, the Tethian race would be able to fend off the aggressive Calen and Eilsel men, and finally live in peace. He had to escape from this prison first, but he didn't even know where they were. They could be on any one of the hundreds of planets the Calens had discovered.
Mentally linking with Arthur, Panth found himself in another memory. Arthur was standing on a sandy beach, surrounded by trees and water, fish jumping, birds chirping and flying overhead. In the distance, a spectacular waterfall plunged into the lake, water shooting into the air, causing a rainbow effect with the sun's rays. He felt the deep rumbling of the colliding water through the soles of Arthur's feet. Panth stared at the scene in wonder. Coming from a water-deprived world, seeing this amount of free flowing water overwhelmed his senses. Where is this planet?
Scanning Arthur's memory further, he flinched back in fear. This wasn't possible; they were on Lear, a medium-sized planet not far from Calen. Every race kept their distance from this planet, due to the dangerous levels of radiation caused by the Husken Silver only found on this world. Husken Powder had been the primary source behind the original Ultilear. But, the Calens never found a way to shield the radiation, so less powerful nuclear fusion cells were used.
Panth watched in amazement.
Arthur demonstrated to Daisy how to throw a small, round object into the water, attached to a long stick with a thin string. As Arthur flung the stick forward, the round object sailed through the air, landing in the water with a plop, ripples spreading out in rings around the red and white floating ball. Pretty soon, the ball was yanked under water, and Arthur snatched up the stick, turning a wheel at the base of it, until the ball, and a flapping fish, were brought on shore.
Arthur held up the wiggling fish. “Well, it doesn't quite look like a Walleye, as it's fatter, and has way too many teeth, but it still looks tasty. Anything's better than those vegetarian meals I've been eating since I got here. Shall we cook it up for dinner, Daisy?” He gave her a wide simile. This was the first enjoyment he'd had since being teleported to Calen. He'd missed fishing.
Daisy reached out and tentatively poked the fish, then jerked her hand back when it flapped again. *Even though we lived underwater in the cavern on Earth, we never ate any of the life forms living in the water,* she said mentally, her preferred form of communication. *Are you sure it's safe to eat? My people have kept their distance from this planet for a reason. Our lifespans have been known to be shortened by at least 500 years from the radiation. Should we even be here?* She bit her lower lip, staring uncertainly at the squirming fish.
Arthur unhooked the fish, then tossed it by a ring of stones, a fire crackling away in the center. After he re-baited the hook, he threw the bobber back into the water, then set the pole on the ground. He took Daisy's hand, peering down into her enormous, frightened eyes.
“Look, honey, I wouldn't have brought you here if I thought the radiation would harm us. Ever since Tigget told me about Lear, I've wanted to come here. Because of the radiation, it's the only place I can escape to without the Council members following me. I'm getting so tired of them hounding me day and night. 'How do you do this? How do you do that? Explain yourself, you worthless piece of Human male,' ” Arthur mimicked in a high-pitched, nasally whine. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling his ire rise. Taking a deep calming breath, he continued, “If I didn't get out of there, I'm afraid I would've done something we both would've regretted.”
Daisy averted her eyes from his intense gaze as her heart started racing, face flushing with heat. She always responded to him this way, even though they had yet to share a single kiss since arriving on Calen. *I understand, my Gray Eyes. The Council has been in power for many years. It is hard for them to relinquish the throne back to me. Since you are to be my King, it offends them even further to give our throne to a Human.*
“Speaking of King,” Arthur said, gently lifting her chin so Daisy had no choice but to stare into his compelling eyes. “That was my main reason for bringing us to Lear. We've hardly spent any time together since I got here. How can we get better acquainted, if we're never alone?” His eyes slowly traveled from hers, stopping at her full lips, a devilish smile spreading across his face.
Daisy's knees went weak, her stomach fluttering with butterflies. I have never felt this way before. Her body burnt with desire, the need for him to kiss her overpowering her senses. Though she had plenty of opportunities over the years to mate, she never felt any inclination to do so. Until now. Her body was screaming for Arthur to take her into his arms, and make passionate love to her. Uncertainty reflected in her eyes, as she nervously licked her lips, not knowing what to do.
With a deep groan, Arthur pulled her into his arms, as he muttered, “Daisy Girl, you drive me crazy. You'll never know how much I need y
ou, how much I want you.” Pulling her tightly against his body, so she could feel how she affected him, he lowered his head and kissed the lips he'd been dreaming about since their brief kiss in the cavern. Throwing her arms around his neck, Daisy gave a soft sigh, returning his passionate kiss.
As their lust increased, mouths and hands seeking intimate places, Panth became embarrassed, and hurriedly broke his mental connection with Arthur. Even in his emancipated state, the fire he felt between the King and Queen made his breeding organ harden.
Curling into a ball, he turned on his side, marveling at the powerful emotions the two of them generated together. Panth had had several female mating partners since he turned breeding age, but none of them matched his vitality. Will I have another chance to find a mate? he wondered as he slowly fondled his throbbing shaft, until falling into a fitful sleep.
Chapter Four
The giant Rem brain twitched, flashing orange sparks as it watched the memories of one of the unfortunate prisoners in cell 376. The inmate was of Human origin, the first of his kind the brain had an opportunity to probe. From what it just saw, this 'Human' had tremendous psychic abilities. In all the centuries as The One, it had never seen a being with this amount of powers. The brain shifted nervously in its huge container, contemplating the consequences. Would it be able to destroy seven Calen ships with a single thought? Could this Human be more powerful than itself?
It scanned its data banks, looking for a comparison. It identified itself as The One, but it was technically one of the twelve Rem brains from the original One. Reading through the information in its massive computer banks, and its own memories, it confirmed the original One was the most powerful being known. But, it no longer existed. It had endangered the crew of a Calen ship called Weesa, which was a breach of its Prime Directive. Therefore, the original One had been dismembered.