“Calm yourself, Queen Penny.”
“I won’t be calming myself. What in the hell is wrong with you fools? You could have easily overpowered us and taken us to the damn hospital.”
“We don’t overpower queens.”
Helena stood up with help by Raec. “Perhaps we need to reevaluate how we handle analogous situations like this. Penny is right. Put us in stasis and take us to the medical unit. Vraden can link with the Shardon clones if he requires assistance unraveling this mystery.”
Raec objected weakly. “You seem fine now.”
Penny turned on him. “We might seem fine but I had a hard time wrestling control back from mine the last time and I never want to go through that again. If you can’t remove the symbiont, then kill me. Don’t make me wake up to being a prisoner in my own body again.”
The other queens sounded off their agreement. Haden watched as each of their spouses was put safely into a stasis pod. They kissed and whispered tender goodbyes to each other as if they might be their last. Arac was particularly emotional. Haden didn’t think he’d fully recovered from his experience of being Kabelda’s breeder.
Loading them onto a shuttle, they escorted them down to the planet. Talon tore into the shuttle almost before they could get the door open and raced to Queen Penny. Armon’s huge claw came out in front of Talon, barring him from peering into her stasis pod. Whatever they were growling at each other about, Haden never knew. His attention was pulled to the healers pouring onto the shuttle to retrieve the pods.
Sending Venice with the healers for a more thorough examination, Haden gathered Raec, Arec and Drale. “I was still healing when Kabelda was killed. We must track down the remains of her body and try to piece together how this could have happened.”
Raec pulled himself together. “You are correct. If we don’t figure this out, our queens will still be at risk of being re-infected.”
Haden sighed. “I have been thinking on this and the symbionts seem like something that might spawn in the water. We know at least the piece that infected Helena was Kabelda. Perhaps she found water and spawned.”
Arac shook his head. “After they killed Kabelda, I was so overwhelmed that I left.”
Drale spoke pensively. “The night is blurry in my mind. There were so many drones, Golugua and human queens running around all the images run together.”
Raec added, “I remember one of the Golugua removing her head and they kicked and gnawed at it for sport. Several dragged her body off and we eventually brought it to our place and burned and buried it.”
“Let us begin at the burial site and try to figure out what might have happened.”
A hundred microns later they were staring at the freshly dug hole in the ground. Kabelda was in an advanced state of decomposition and her lashes looked strange. Haden bent down to have a better look. “They’re hallow, like something shriveled up and disintegrated.”
Raec spoke. “Or something crawled out and got away.”
Kicking through the dirt with his boot, Arac asked, “What this?”
Finally Haden pulled out his hand scanner. “It’s biological and the same matter as the lashes on her back.”
Arac took a step back. “Maybe the symbiont can detach and regenerate.”
Haden sighed. “That sounds unlikely, but we won’t know until we sample some.” He scooped several pieces into a clear canister, he locked the lid and slid it into the storage compartment on his hover bike. “Are there any water sources around here?”
“There are hot springs just down over the embankment. We’ve swum there before.”
Haden’s voice turned heavy with dread. “You mean down this slight sloping embankment where rain could easily wash something undesirable into the water source?”
“Yes, that’s fucking exactly what I said.” Raec along with everyone else was beginning to see just how something like this might occur.
Walking down the embankment they stopped at the edge of the hot spring. It was steaming slightly and seemed quite inviting. Scanned the water, Haden turned the back of the scanner around to reveal multiple biological entities that matched the symbiont’s signature.
Clearing his throat, Haden stated the obvious. “I guess we need to make sure no one comes near this site and try to figure out how to destroy them once and for all.”
Drale pondered out loud, “I wonder why none of us were infected?”
Arac asked cynically, “What symbiont would want to attach itself to a drone?”
“Perhaps they are not biologically compatible with us?”
Haden weighed in. “I agree with Raec. Drones have never been fitted with symbionts. Our physiology is slightly different. We need to meet with your father and determine if our device eradicated the organism and if not get his suggestions on what might kill such a resilient creature.”
Raec sighed. “He’s going to want Kabelda’s lashes.”
Haden pulled out his gloves and the knife at his hip. “I’ll get one. We need to study it in order to understand how it replicated.”
Chapter 19
Endings
~ Venice ~
Music Mix
Arriving back at the medical center, the males delivered their samples and rushed to their queens. Haden was pleased to find his sweet little queen sitting on Vraden’s desk. She was watching several of Arac’s young playing in the floor. Remembering him from the party at their place, a little one clamored over to him. Climbing his pants and flying around, they were eager to see him.
Venice grinned at him. “You’re not going to believe this but they think I’m made of candy. How strange is that?”
“Not as strange as it sounds. We have a soft candy we make once a year in the shape of queens.”
“I know. I read all about it in the orientation information. They’re pale like me and the candy is soft like taffy. Queen Carolyn wanted us all to be aware so we didn’t accidentally get bitten during the goddess fertility holiday.”
Flicking the little ones away, he approached her. “Am I to assume that you are well, my queen?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. You and I need to talk.”
“Have you changed your mind about claiming me already? Need I remind you that I did you bidding, by saving all the human queens and living to tell the tale?”
Grabbing his shirt, she pulled him closer. “I remember your brilliant plan to make the larger device a distraction and the smaller one the actual radiation device. It’s clever how you disconnected it all and built it right in the housing of the larger unit. Guess they didn’t see you slip me the little gadget right before we left.”
Reaching out to cup her face, exactly as he did during their mission, he murmured, “Remember? When there was all that distracting touching and kissing going on?”
“I remember there wasn’t enough to satisfy me.”
Haden’s tongue came out to swipe the length of his bottom lip. “Exactly how much would you need to be… umm… satisfied, my sweet little queen?”
Smiling up at him, she answered, “I don’t know for sure, maybe a lot more than you have to give.”
“Perhaps I will invite other drones to share our family unit. You have many admirers.”
Her outraged voice sounded off. “Absolutely not. You’ll have to eat more, exercise to stay in shape and maybe take some extra warrior’s serum. You need to build up your stamina, ‘cause I only want you.”
Little chirpy noises sounded off behind Haden. He turned to see Arac’s young fluttering around, making the gesture for love with their hands and arms. Haden couldn’t help but laugh, wishing he had a box of chelva to distract them with.
An announcement sounded over Haden’s com unit for a meeting in one of the large meeting rooms. The senior healer was ready to speak to them. Tucking Arac’s young into their cubbies, Haden closed the lids. The little ones snuggled down for their midday nap, making Haden wish for young of his own. Notifying the hea
ler on duty that they were sleeping, he headed to the meeting room with Venice.
The older healer stepped over to greet them as they came into the door. “Thank you for your help in resolving this issue. Your quick action and teamwork put us in a good position to resolve this before it infected the majority of queens on this world.”
Haden replied sincerely. “My queen and Queen Donella came up with the idea, I just fleshed it out into a workable plan.”
“Good work, the both of you.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Haden led his queen over to the table, feeling they at least had a chance. Queen Carolyn and her mate, Igor, joined the table just before the meeting started.
Vraden and clicked on a holographic imager. “We have isolated the symbiont in all four queens. Queen Helena seems the most effected. We believe that was because she was one of the first affected. Her symbiont has branched out, wrapping around her organs. We have called upon the Shardon clones to render assistance.”
Queen Carolyn announced, “They are scheduled to arrive later today. Our planet and battleships are now under quarantine.”
Vraden nodded. “We definitely do not want this symbiont infecting other innocent queens across the ‘verse. Queen Penny is least affected. We believe that since her Golugua do not enjoy being in the water, and she spends most of her time with them, she probably did not get around to visiting the hot springs until lately. The other two queens, Tara and Alexia, have symbionts that are in varying stages of maturation. After looking over Kabelda’s symbiont and doing a quick analysis on the samples our drones recovered from the area, I believe we have a general idea of what transpired.”
When no one spoke, the healer continued. “It appears that the symbiont had a central mass that attaches to the host and the long tendrils we commonly refer to as lashes branching of each side. That is, in fact, that housing unit for the creature. Due to its biological structure you can cut off any part and that part will regenerate into a new whole. All the pieces are Kabelda but only the central mass with the cranial matter has her thoughts and memories. This is the part that now resides in Queen Helena.”
Raec looked tortured. “I’m certain Kabelda got a perverse thrill from using her most fearsome enemy as a host.”
“Don’t worry, son, we’ll separate out the monster from our beloved queen.”
Ivor’s words shook everyone to the core. “We must be careful to eradicate the symbiont residing in General Helena. It is now privy to the interworking of our entire military structure. It cannot be allowed to survive. It is a mortal enemy who knows every weakness in our defenses.”
Venice’s nails dug into Haden’s arm as she realized the full implication of their king’s words.
Igor continued. “We now have an army of drones monitoring our queens for behavioral changes. Vraden’s entire homestead has been locked down.”
Vraden interjected. “All the males of my family and our young have been scanned. There is no evidence of the parasites in any other than our queens. This has affected only the adult human females of our family, for they were the only females who visited the hot springs. We have three female young and thanks be to the Gods they are all clear. All we can do is await the arrival of the Shardon clones. Their medical technologies are far more advanced than ours. Surely they will help us find the answers to combatting the symbionts.”
Queen Carolyn stood. “We are in a holding pattern. We’ve quarantined the area and now we wait. There is nothing more to do for now. Vraden will make an extensive study of the samples and the rest of us need to get some rest. I am confident this problem can be successfully managed. We know how to scan for the symbionts biological signature and will soon know how to eradicate it. Those are the only two pieces of the puzzle needed for us to deal with this problem and get back to living our lives.”
It was difficult to turn off after everything he’d been through that day. Walking into his high rise living area, Haden led his queen out to his balcony. After dropping down into his lounger, he pulled her down and tucked her safely at his side. “Now, what is this matter you wish to discuss with me?”
“I’m always in the mood to talk about us.”
“You are mine and I am yours, for all times. I may not deserve you, but I do not believe either of us will be content without the other.”
Smiling up at him, she gave him a kiss on the lips. “Well, okay then, that’s the only thing I really need to know right now. Everything else can wait.”
Moving her hand down to his lap, he thought about her words. “I do not believe everything can wait, my sweet.”
Slipping her hand through the magnetic seam of his uniform, she delved through the opening of his unders.
“I am amazed at how skilled you are at getting to a drone’s rod, my queen.”
Giving him a long languid stroke, she got comfortable. “I’m smart when it comes to accessing your body.”
“I love it when you… umm… access my body.”
“Good, ‘cause I’m going to be doing that a lot.”
Smothering a smile, Haden responded playfully, “I could be wrong, but I think you’re more of a talker than a doer.”
“I’m waiting patiently for you to lead.”
Rolling over onto her, she gasped. Haden covered her mouth with his and enjoyed exploring her mouth. She gently bit his bottom lip and pulled out slightly, before kissing it again. The tiny bite of pain sent a shiver down his spine.
She tapped his shoulder. “Inside.”
In a lust induced daze he realized she wanted him inside her. Reaching for his pants, she smacked his arm again.
“We need to go inside. Other drones are watching.”
Popping his head up, he realized it was true. Two drones were standing on a balcony beside him, enjoying a beverage as they watched him making out with his queen. If he didn’t have an aroused queen to attend to, he would definitely have given them a fist or two. Coming swiftly to his feet, Haden scooped his queen up and headed inside.
Dropping her to her feet, he pulled her clothing off. When she was stark naked, he looked over his beautiful queen with a greedy eye, as he tore off his own clothing.
“Aren’t we going to the sleeping platform?”
“No bed tonight, my queen. I want you here and now.”
Her expression turned from anxious to heated.
“Tonight you get a proper halabow.”
Grasping her by the waist he lifted her easily. “I wish one knee to be on each of my shoulders.”
Following his directions, she turned that sexy shade of pink that he liked so much. Planting a hand on each buttock he dropped to one knee. She squealed her surprise and he almost laughed. Human women were light and easy to maneuver. Burying his face in her soft pliant flesh, he enjoyed the taste of her precious body. Each sensual lick pushed her higher and higher, until her entire body buckled in a strong climax. Sucking her tender bud, he prolonged the orgasm until she was screaming his name.
“Gods, you’re so beautiful when you come. I could do that every single night for the rest of my life.”
Easing her down beneath him onto the soft rug, he came down on top of her.
Instinctively wrapping her legs around his waist, she murmured, “And I might let you do that every night. Then I’d make up stories so erotic they’d turn every other woman here green with envy.”
Pulling back, Haden gazed down at her, noticing the sharp contrast in color between her pale creamy skin and his stark green skin. She must have noticed as well, because she laughed. “That’s just a saying on Earth because we don’t have green people.”
Shooting her a lopsided grin, he got comfortable. “There’s no need to make up stories about the halabow. I can assure you performing the halabow on a sweet queen is every drone’s dream.”
“Hows about I get some reverse halabow action?”
“Hows about you get a nice fuck instead?”
&nb
sp; “Drones don’t use that word? You say mating.”
“I’m growing fond of human words. I like cock and muff as well,” he volunteered.
“Heaven help me, I’ve created a monster.”
“I’ve got your monster right here. Want to see?”
Staring up at him, his pretty storyteller looked like she was just about to burst out laughing. “Who are you and what have you done with my adorably uptight mate?”
“He’s had a rough day and needs to play. Are you willing to let me hot sweaty fuck you?”
“That almost made sense. My answer is being yes. Please hot sweaty fuck me until I can’t even walk.”
Sliding home with one hard thrust, Haden was gratified to hear his little queen squeal with delight. What in the ‘verse could be better than making love to one’s very own queen? A queen who didn’t want any other drones in her family unit. She just wanted him. Today she’d been so brave, helping him subdue their adversaries. She deserved all the pleasure his rough body could give her.
Though this business with the symbiont was far from over, he knew they’d sort it out in time. For now he was content to finally embrace the love no drone really deserved but love he craved with every beat of his heart. Loving and protecting his queen was the only thing that really mattered to him.
Glossary of Terms
Before Times – Maruvians separate their history into two distinct categories, after they crossed an interdimensional rift into normal space and before. Before times refers to when they lived in their own dimension and were ruled by Maruvian queens with parasites. It was a brutal time where the queens were vicious and drones were considered highly expendable.
Chelva – Type of Maruvian flatbread.
Dragon – Though mythical creatures on Earth, they litter the Krylon home world. They are favored by the Krylon for riding and have been transplanted to many worlds in the sector of the space surrounding the Krylon home world.
Golugua – Race of ancient sentinels who appear similar to gargoyles to human eyes.
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