by RK Munin
“Sir, she's, uh, she has....” Garin's voice trails off, and he points to her neck.
“I'm aware,” Halin notes wryly. “Those mating marks are why we're going before the Council the moment we are planet side.”
“Right.” Garin’s attention snaps back to his assignment. “The doors are being held open for you sir. I'll have you there in twenty.”
“Make it ten,” Halin orders. Despite his cool commanding demeanor, she can tell he's anxious. He’s worried about this Council. That could work in her favor.
Yesterday, he explained the Council is the highest ruling body on Hissa. That means they have power over Halin and could be her avenue for escape. At the very last she can make a case for being let out of the restrains. Garin’s just as big as Halin and if those two are standard sizes for Hissa, she can convince them that her small stature offers no threat. Once she’s no longer bound hand and foot, she’s got a chance at freedom. Just one blaster will make all the difference.
It’s the mating marks that worry her the most. If this Council decides these mating marks mean Halin owns her, she’s screwed because he knows better than to relax around her.
“I’m sorry, sir, but maybe we should release the female. Those restraints will be a pretty uncomfortable during free fall,” Garin protests, eyeing her. “If you want me to get you down that fast, I’ll have to free fall most of the way down. Can her body even handle that? She seems rather small.”
Mian almost snorts. Under normal circumstances she'd assure the pilot she’s not fragile and she likes the occasional free fall through atmosphere, but for the last two weeks she hasn't spoken a single word.
Halin tried all types of things to get her to talk. Begging, cajoling, deliberately trying to make her angry. He even faked a raider attack, but she refused to interact. Hurt by his betrayal, she retreated into herself, unwilling to interact with him except to request the basic necessities.
He left her secured to the bed most days, forced to add a bolt in the wall after she managed to work part of her beautiful headboard loose and get free. Her freedom didn’t last. Halin caught her before she even made it to a weapon.
After that he didn't leave her alone. If he was in the cockpit he secured her to the bunk there. If he needed to do maintenance, he'd find a place to secure her in the corridor. He searched her cabin for more weapons but realized quickly he'd never find all her hiding places on the ship. It was easier to keep her at his side as he took over Fortune.
She never reacted as he dragged her, bound and helpless, around the ship, or brought her back to the cabin to secure her on the bed. She remained passive, unresponsive, and alert. Always on the lookout for an opportunity.
However, she wished her traitorous body got the message too. During their sleep cycle, as Halin curled himself around her. She might be furious with him, but in those quiet moments, she luxuriated in his warmth. The smell of him made her want to rub herself against him, and her body ached for his touch. He never forced himself on her, but he would stroke her, and sometimes put his mouth on her. He'd wait until she was panting and writhing, then he'd stop and try to get her to talk to him. She never did, but there were a few times she came very close to giving in.
The fact that she still wants him is what hurts the most. Even after what he did.
She looks over to find the pilot giving her a meaningful glance, and Halin just shaking his head. “A violent free fall won't bother her. I'm not sure there's much that does,” he assured Garin. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t suffer any ill effects from the restraints.”
“But she's female, sir, and so small,” the pilot protests again, and Halin barks at him.
“Get this ship on the ground in ten minutes or you’re relieved of duty.”
Intimidated, the pilot rushes to the front of the shuttle, and Halin roughly pulls her toward a seat. He settles her down and latches her in. She just stares straight ahead, even when he nuzzles her neck.
“You'll like this,” he promises. “It's a wild ride when they do it this way, and Garin's a good pilot.”
She doesn't look at him or respond, and he sighs. He settles into the seat next to her, and after he's secured himself, he reaches over to rest a hand on her thigh. He does that all the time, touching her as if they are a loving couple. It isn’t sexual. It’s a comfort thing. He’ll rest his hand on her shoulder, back, leg or arm. She wishes she could enjoy all his touches instead of she spending her time fighting her feelings for him, forcing herself to remember his betrayal.
Then she goes to move and remembers that she can’t touch him back because her wrists are cuffed together and chained to her waist. Then she doesn’t have to work to be angry anymore.
The hatch to Fortune closes, and Garin maneuvers the shuttle away. No sooner are they clear than Garin is hitting Hissa's atmosphere at a rapid pace. She feels her stomach quiver as they start free fall. She represses a shout of excitement at the feeling of it. She keeps her expression shut down. Looking over, she catches Halin watching her closely for any reaction. She gives him a blank look and turns to gaze straight ahead.
Much sooner than she expects they’re landing, and the shuttle doors open with a soft hiss. Warm, damp air invades the cabin, and Halin unlatches her and walks her out of the shuttle. Her first sight of Hissa is almost nonexistent as over a dozen large men surround the two of them. They all look angry and fierce, and for the first time she starts feeling real fear.
All these men are as tall as Halin or taller, broad, muscular, and many of them are wearing armor and weapons. She’s never felt intimidated in her life. Until now.
As the men loom over her, she presses back again Halin, the only comfort she has in this new place. Better the devil you know and all that.
“Back up,” Halin barks out.
“We are here to escort you to the Council.” One of the men with a nasty scar running down his face and across his nose steps forward. He looks down at Mian with open curiosity. “I'd never even heard of Decanted humans, but now within a month we have two show up with mating marks.”
“Two?” Halin asks with obvious shock.
“Tiran arrived a week ago with a Decanted female named Mara,” a man in full armor explains. “She developed his marks just as they arrived here. They are off planet now, searching for her sister Lara. There's much hope they can find her and bring her back.”
The scarred man runs his hand over his chest, right over his heart. “It's assumed the sister is compatible to our species also. They’re twins. I'm sure we can convince her to pick one of us.”
“I'm sure,” Halin echoes as he takes in the men around them. “There are many honorable males on Hissa to choose from.” Mian manages not to snort derisively at his words. “But that is a discussion for later. Although you apparently know some of my news already, I'd like to present my finding to the Council.”
“I'm assuming that's when you’ll explain why this one is bound?” the scarred man replies with biting sarcasm. “Although she does appear rather deadly, I'm not sure the restraints are necessary with such a force to guard you, Commander Halin.”
She feels Halin stiffen next to her, but he ignores the man's barbed comment. “She's my concern, not yours,” he growls. “Move out.” The scarred man nods and turns, yelling out orders to the men around them.
Mian moves slowly, hampered by the leg shackles. When she stumbles for a third time, he picks her up and throws her over his shoulder. This new view of Hissa is even worse than trying to see around the men. She hears faint growls from the men surround them, but none of them verbally object to her treatment. Or perhaps they wished she was dangling over their shoulders.
She could be freed from Halin only to end up caged by a different Hissa.
Soon they are walking into a large, single-chambered stone building. She can hear the voices of many men, and she’s able to raise her head enough to watch most of the guards struggle to shut a set of massive stone doors. An ominous feeling creeps up wh
en she hears those heavy doors behind them thump closed. She can't see much until Halin finally stops and sets her down on her feet. She blinks, letting her vision clear and the dizziness subside from being rapidly set up right after having her head dangle upside down. When she can see, she draws in a sharp breath.
There’s an impressive stone dais directly in front of her with thirteen men seated at it, but they aren't the only ones in the room. All around her Hissa men are seated, silent with intense eyes focused on her. Only Halin and she are standing in a clear area just in front of the raised dais.
Every single face in the entire place is frowning.
“Why is the female restrained?” one of the Council members asks with a hint of outrage. He’s speaking in Space Standard, probably for her benefit. “Is she a criminal?”
“Councilor Salis, she's a bounty hunter, not a criminal, but I fear she would hurt herself if I turn her loose,” Halin answers quickly, and she almost breaks her silence to say something caustic. His tone is deferential. It seems even Halin is intimidated by the Council.
“We’re willing to take that risk,” another Council member says dryly. “Release her restraints.”
Halin undoes the shackles on her ankles first, then releases her hands. Rubbing her wrists, she rolls her shoulders, turns to him and punches him in the throat. When he bends over gasping for air and grabbing at his neck, she knees him in the face. Then she steps back quickly as he staggers from her blows.
Several men stand to move toward her, and she looks around for a handy weapon. But instead of grabbing her, they continue past her towards Halin. She was so worried about the men going after her, that she didn't notice Halin recovery and attempt to grab her. They pull him back and he curses and fights to get loose.
“Enough!” a voice from the dais roars out. She looks up to see an angry face peering down at her. “Don't hit him again.”
She looks the man in the eyes, trying very hard not to be intimidated. “I can't promise that,” she answers honestly, and the Council member's eyes widen.
“Why not?”
“If he tries to restrain me again, I'll fight him,” she explains, and to her relief the man nods.
“That is a valid reason. Can I assume your attack on him was reprisal for being restrained?” When she nods her head, the Council member grunts and sits back.
“He's kept me restrained for the last two weeks,” she elaborates, hoping to garner sympathy. “I didn’t deserve that treatment.”
“You were going to leave me on Wint,” Halin roars. “I couldn't let you just leave me.” She flinches a little at his words, and the Council members look over at him with surprise.
“It's my ship and my right to drop a passenger off at a reputable station. You could have easily found passage to Hissa from there.”
“I don't care about that,” he bellows at her. “You're mine. You're not allowed to just leave me behind.” She's feels herself tremble a little at the violence in his voice.
“Calm down, Commander Halin, or you’ll be sedated,” one of the Council members warns, and Halin stills.
The Council member turns his attention back to Mian. “Apparently it's Halin who needs to be restrained. We’ll keep him away from you for now. Can I assume he's the reason behind those mating marks.”
She nods mutely, unable to look away from Halin's enraged face.
“Did he rape you?”
The question makes her gasp, and her eyes fly up and fix on the Council member who spoke.
“No,” she shakes her head quickly. “What we shared was mutual and pleasurable. He became irrational after Bicoma. After the marks on my neck appeared. I don't know what happened.”
“You said he kept you restrained on your own ship?” asks another Council member.
She nods. “He acted violently, and I locked him in my cabin. He escaped and subdued me. I've been in restraints for the entire journey here.” She hears a buzz of murmurs go through the gathered men. It’s all in Hissa so she can’t understand what they’re saying, but many sound upset.
“Did he rape you after leaving Bicoma? While he was keeping you restrained?” The entire building grows quiet with that question. Mian finds she needs to clear her throat before she can talk.
“No, he shared a bed and held me, but he didn't force himself on me.” The look of relief on the Council's faces are easy to read, and she realizes these men are very worried they’ll need to do something drastic to Halin.
One of the Council members looks at Halin who isn't struggling but watching the exchange with barely repressed hostility. She can't tell if it’s directed at her or the Council for asking about rape.
“We've all read the report you submitted about what happened to your ship and how you reached Bicoma,” another member speaks to Halin, silencing the grumbles. “Is this female you brought before us in chains, the same Captain Sorrow that rescued you?”
Instead of answering the question Halin snarls at the man. “No one is to touch her. Those are my mating marks. I demand to join in a Family Pact with her. She's my female.”
“Considering the way she was brought before us, I have doubts about that claim,” another Council member mutters, and she can hear grumbling from the men around the room. Apparently, they don't approve of her treatment, and she feels a small ray of hope.
“I'm Captain Sorrow of the independent gunship Fortune,” Mian says quickly drawing all their attention back to her. “I've been kept a prisoner on my own ship and brought here against my will. I demand to be released and taken back to my ship.”
“Captain Sorrow, do you know what those marks around your neck mean?” a Council member on the far right of the dais asks.
Self-consciously Mian rubs the marks.
“Halin told me it means he can get me pregnant,” she tries to say offhandedly. “I’m Decanted. The Bicoma said it has something to do with the DNA used to create me.”
“Do you know why that's important to us?” he presses.
“Because you lost all your females to the Great Death,” she answers reluctantly. “But I'm sure there are other Decanted women out there that would love to be here.”
“That may be so, but we can't just let you leave without giving our men a chance to court you. I'm sorry Halin treated you so poorly. His conduct will be reviewed. For now, however, we ask you to enjoy our hospitality.”
“Even if I want to leave?” Mian demands, taking an aggressive step toward the Council. “I'm not a slave. I was born free, bought and raised by loving parents. What you’re doing isn't honorable.”
She feels a little gasp go through the room at her words, and a buzz of conversation starts. One of the council members seated toward the center eyes her thoughtfully.
“You're not wrong,” he finally states. “We’ll need to discuss your official status and create laws to govern how the Decanted females will be treated, especially for cases like yours, where the females aren’t slaves that we can buy and set free here on Hissa. It could take some time to develop protocols. Until then I suggest you make the best of it and enjoy our planet and meet our males. The marks on your neck will fade in a few weeks if you and Halin don't have sex again. Even before that happens, you’re free to entertain other males if you’re so inclined. Let’s see if any of them can make marks appear and woo you into a Family Pact.”
She opens her mouth to object when another Council member speaks up. “We won't force you to bed males. We only ask that you spend time interacting with them. Talk to them. Let us show you the best that Hissa has to offer. We’re a rich people. We can provide you with many gifts and diversions while you stay here.”
She has no idea what that means but realizes they aren't saying she has to stay permanently, only that they need time to decide. She’s not interested in dating any other Hissa men, but she knows how to bide her time. She'll wait to do something desperate if they vote against giving her liberty.
Besides, hasn't she been telling herself she need
s a vacation?
“Very well,” she concedes and gives a startled gasp when a roar of rage sounds next to her.
“She’s mine!” Halin bellows. “No one touches her. No one goes near her.” He struggles and several more men are forced to help the first two hold him. The Council members lean their heads together and speak in low tones before they straighten up and regard Halin.
“Halin, this Council deems you unstable. You’re to be taken to medical,” the Council member at the very center of the dais declares. “I've known you my entire life, Halin, but I don’t know this male acting so irrationally before me.”
A look of shame crosses Halin's face at those words. He stops struggling. Mian meet his gaze. His eyes beg her to let him stay, to speak up for him. She opens her mouth, but no words come out.
The Council member continues, addressing the men holding him. “Assign guards. Take him to medical and have the Menders examine him. Sedate him if you have to.” At those words Halin renews his struggles, and Mian watches with tears in her eyes as he's dragged away. She wanted to get away from him but not like this.
“Revin,” a Council member calls out and the man with the scarred face steps forward. “You will be in charge of her safety. Draw as many men as you need. She can stay in the housing we use for diplomats.”
“Understood, Councilman Hitan,” Revin replies and steps to stand next to her.
Hitan looks up to the rest of the Hissa in the room. They'd fallen silent as the drama in front of the dais unfolded. “We have a great deal to discuss. Laws and protocol will need to be developed to deal with Decanted females. We will abstain from Council meeting for the next month as we deliberate over the issue. If anyone has input please submit it through the normal channels.” He looks over to his fellow Council members who all nod their heads.
With that all thirteen Council members stand up. This must be the cue for everyone in the room stand, because they are all on their feet only a second later. Then the Council member in the very center of the dais speaks loudly to the crowd.