Zulien silently dropped into a chair. What Miranda said was true. They had carefully hidden their suspicions from Berslan because they thought he had been working with the Magistrate of Commerce with full knowledge of their enemies’ plans. Perhaps, he did not know. The only thing of which he would be guilty was trying to take the Celestial to a place they told him was safer and where she could receive the tribute she deserved. Obviously, he would benefit from her acquisition, but not from her death.
Miranda knelt down by her mate. “Do you see why I can not abide by his murder, Zule? Bring him back here. Help your friend regain his pride. I think you will discover he is not nearly as committed to the people who have been advising him once he learns they were using him to kill me.”
The Magistrate of Well Being was already communicating with Vesario. “Miranda, they are returning Berslan to Vallastera. We would like to place one condition.”
“What is it?”
“We want you to ask him where he got the drug. It is the only way we can prove our enemies meant to have you killed, and we need to get the hierarchy straightened out,” he explained.
“I have a condition of my own. If I obtain the names of the people involved, instead of space decay I want them sent to an uninhabited planet with enough supplies to survive, but where they can no longer be a threat.”
“I can suggest to the Magistrate of Law that he give them the choice of their fates. Of course, that is depending on whether or not he gets implicated in this mess too. Enough of our allies will understand your request to push it through,” Feriston replied. “You look tired, Celestial. The ship will not get back until tomorrow. Rest with your mate. You carry an Ancient gene, and we do not need additional risks to your pregnancy.”
Everyone left the room, leaving Zulien alone with Miranda. “I do not understand your compassion for a man who almost killed you. Even if it was unintentional, do you not feel any anger towards him?”
“I am angry with the people that made him their puppet. From what I can tell, they have taken an honorable man and disgraced him,” she replied. “Zule, when he gets back here, please give him a chance to explain his motives. Remember your history with him.”
Zulien hugged her. “For you, Miranda, I will try.” He led her to their sleeping pallet, and they lay together his hand on her stomach as he rubbed across it gently. “By the stars, Miranda, I am to be a father.”
His light touch inflamed her, and she ran her fingers across his golden chest. Her nipples peaked and she leaned into him as his lips met hers, and her hands wound in his long hair as she held him close to her. Her channel was already pulsing with need for her warrior.
Zulien pulled up and knelt between her thighs. He tried to enter her slowly, still awed by the thought of their child within her. Miranda wrapped her legs around his ass and brought him deeper inside her, forcing the motion she craved. The warrior lost himself in passion and plunged them to their climax.
Miranda smiled in the wonder of her vision. In the morning, it was Tempest she relayed it to, and she told her friend to keep it to herself, not wanting her to be a target for the hierarchy as well.
CHAPTER XI
Berslan was flanked by two warriors and by the Magistrate of Battle when they shuttled to the planet, and he was held in Taliquant’s quarters until he was called for.
Miranda had asked the Quillant to send the Parina to the surface. They thought it a most unusual request. She assured them the android would be returned quickly.
The Parina was led into Zulien’s quarters, where the Admirals Vesario, Zibula and Feriston waited with the Celestial. As soon as the Parina entered the room, she approached Miranda. “You are the Celestial. You are the Commander’s mate. Thought of you fills the warriors with desire, and their sacks to fill with need,” she purred.
“Why is that important to you?” Miranda asked.
The Parina’s eyes flashed as the data was confirmed and the proper answer to the request deciphered. “My purpose is to serve the manly cocks of the warriors, and I am to encourage the filling of their sack with desire. My processors relayed two of the warriors’ passion to be driven with thoughts of the Celestial, and I am unsure how to integrate this desire into my programming,” the Parina responded.
“You’re trying to figure out how to duplicate the warriors’ response to me?” Miranda asked.
The Parina’s data flashed for over a minute. “I have been designed to incorporate any seduction that brings the warrior pleasure. There is no data on why thoughts of the Celestial brings the warriors to lusty need, and I have scanned their aroused response and can decipher no physical contact with the Celestial to drive this passion and encourage their cocks to swell.”
Zulien replied nervously, “When Berslan thinks of the Celestial, his feelings of passion are like mine?” The thought of Berslan using a vision of his mate to become aroused was unsettling. “What would he say?”
“Major Berslan's mighty cock fills with great need when he envisions the Celestial, and he has said the Celestial would save them all. I could not decipher what danger the Major was in that he should need to be saved. I sensed no fear in his life force. He was filled with overwhelming joy, and spilled mightily when I stroked gently on his bloated sack. I seek knowledge of the Celestial so I can bring this desire to all I serve,” the Parina finished.
“See? Berslan thought of me as someone to help. He did not want to see me harmed,” Miranda concluded.
The Parina began speaking again. “You are the Celestial. What is it you do to cause the Commander’s mighty cock to fairly burst with…”
“Voice off, dammit,” Zulien muttered.
“Tali, is there a recorder or transmitter in your quarters?” Miranda asked.
“No, but we have a portable viewer,” he answered.
“Can you get it?” Miranda walked over to Zulien. “I want to meet with Berslan alone, Zule.”
He began to interrupt, terrified of the potential danger.
“Zulien, he is not going to hurt me, and I will let him know you are all watching. I think after fear of you, humiliation for his actions stands a close second. He is never going to speak with warriors in the room. Please, I know I am right about him.”
“I do not like this, Miranda. He could snap your neck in an instant.”
“To what gain? He’s had the opportunity to do that, and has chosen not to. Besides,” she grinned, “he knows you would kill him. If he hurts me, the hierarchy will not claim him, so what is the possible benefit to him?” Miranda asked.
They all had to reluctantly admit she was right. Tali retrieved the communicator and handed it to Zulien, and they walked to Taliquant’s quarters. The warriors guarding the door stood at alert as Zulien and the Celestial entered the room. Zule placed the recorder, glared at Berslan, and left.
Miranda looked at the shadow of the man sitting at the table. The big warrior folded in on himself, with his head on the table and his hands clasped behind it.
“Berslan?” Miranda said softly.
The man looked up with his bruised and broken nose and blackened eyes. The warriors had beaten him severely when he had abducted her. “Oh, goddess,” she exclaimed. She hurried to the side cart and brought him some juice.
He tried to smile, and lifted the glass in his shaking hands. “Thank you, Celestial,” he rasped. His eyes filled, “I am so sorry.”
“What are you sorry for, Berslan?”
“I am sorry for trying to take you from your mate. They told me he would join you as soon as suitable quarters were arranged,” he replied miserably.
“The Magistrates told you my mate would be joining me on Laquista?”
“Of course. Mates are not separated. Your procurement was a surprise. The Magistrate was truly speechless when I told him, and then, when they learned three Debayluth crafts had already made an attempt on you, they knew a single battleship could not protect you. The Magistrates met, and concluded the Commander was thinking only of
claiming his mate and his thoughts were irrationally compromised by your procurement. I was so upset when I heard you had decayed, and when I reported to my betrothed that you were being transferred to Shallistar for mourning, she convinced me to put off our own ceremony so you could be mourned publicly within the hierarchy.
“When the Commander decommissioned me, my heart ached for his loss. He asked why I aided the hierarchy in transporting you to Laquista, and I could not let his judgment be in question over his mourning over you. I told him it was because he chose Taliquant for second. Tali was offered his own ship more than a century ago, and I know I am no candidate for commander, Celestial. I was a good warrior, but my strength is in support and defense. It is why my failure in acquiring you, to defend you while the Commander was disoriented about your procurement, is such a disaster.”
“Berslan, obviously I am not decayed. Why did you try to take me from Vallastera?” Miranda asked.
“Celestial, you have the ability to bring back our Old Religion. To sequester you on an outer planet under the guise of keeping you safe, is ridiculous. You are open to attack from anyone out here… and too far for the hierarchy to get defense to you. The Magistrates realize Commander Zulien is now working without benefit of my defense guidance, and I have heard talk that he does not wish you to share your knowledge. He has, perhaps, become a possessive mate who desires to keep you to himself. The Magistrates know you are unfamiliar with our ways, and the mating gene may keep you from seeing Zulien’s misjudgment. Once they had you safely on Laquista in apartments suitable for your station, they were going to convince Zulien of their wisdom and have him join you.”
“So you kidnapped me?”
“I certainly misjudged the Commander’s desire to keep you to himself.” Berslan managed a grin, as he rubbed his chin. “He is obviously still in joining passion.”
“Berslan, what did you drug me with?” Miranda put her hand on his.
Berslan shrugged. “Something Sharpina gave me. She said she uses a small amount for aching head, and that if I coated the rag you would sleep peacefully and wake refreshed when we reached Laquista.”
Miranda decided to drop the bombshell, and see his reaction. “It was dillint.”
The battered man looked confused. “What?”
“You drugged me with dillint, and I almost died before a healer arrived,” Miranda continued to watch him.
He shook his head and looked at her with confusion clearly showing in his eyes. “No. Celestial, it was Sharpina’s medicine.” Berslan saw the truth in her sad expression, and he paled as his eyes began to fill. “Please, Celestial, it was Sharpina’s medicine. She gave it to me herself. Who told you this?”
“I am sorry, Berslan, it was dillint. The Magistrate of Well Being was transported here to save me, and he said I would have been dead before we made it out of the quadrant.”
Berslan's tears were flowing, and he whispered, “They think I was trying to kill you, and that is why they have been so cruel.”
“Berslan, was Sharpina speaking with her father when she gave you the medicine?” Miranda pressed.
“Yes, he went back to her compartments with the Magistrate of Law to retrieve it. The Magistrate of Building and Magistrate of Old Ways were telling me how you were to be honored on Laquista, and how important it was to all citizens to bring you back quickly. They arranged for my transport aboard the Magistrate of Battle’s ship. I was only working in the loading dock, but still I was on a war ship.”
“The Magistrate of Battle was unaware you were on board,” Miranda informed him.
“Oh no, Celestial, the Magistrate of Law said he was handling the paperwork personally. He said he knew I would be uncomfortable with my recent decommissioning and did not want me to be embarrassed, so he had them position me in the hold.”
Miranda could see the anxiety in Berslan's eyes as he began to understand he had been used. “It was dillint,” he whispered, and he covered his face. “I almost killed you.” It took him a moment to compose himself, and then he raised his head and mustered as much pride as he could manage. “Celestial, I swear to you, I did not know that was the drug I was given to use. Never the less, I accept responsibility for my actions and await your decision. I am grateful my despicable act did not succeed.”
Miranda turned to the portable communicator. “Zulien, why don’t you and the Magistrates join us?”
Berslan steadied his jaw in resignation. Zulien would certainly want to tear him apart again, knowing his mate almost died, and the Magistrates would transport him back to Laquista in disgrace for attempting to assassinate the Celestial Ancient. There, undoubtedly, they would sentence him to space decay. He certainly did not expect the reception he received.
The Magistrate of Well Being walked up and held his jaw as he pulled a vial from his cloak. “Open.” Berslan was slightly nervous that they intended to circumvent his return to Laquista for audition and were going to poison him there and then. He rationalized it would probably be quicker than space decay, and opened his mouth. The medicine was dispensed, and the Magistrate put his hands on either side of the tilted nose and snapped it back. Miranda watched in amazement as cuts and bruises healed within minutes.
Zulien stood against the wall with his arms folded across his chest while the Magistrate worked, and then he spoke up. “Berslan, who are the Magistrates that convinced you my mate needed to be returned to Laquista?”
“Commander, I am so sorry. I never sensed the treachery.”
“Who were they?”
“The Magistrates of Commerce, Law, Building and Old Ways. They told me they wanted to keep her safe and honor her,” he replied miserably. He squinted his eyes in concentration. “Commander, I have copies of my transmissions with them.”
“What?”
“My communications on the Quillant, I automatically record them all. I began doing it after the battle in Starquist Two. Remember? We were audited for being out of position. I knew we were not, but I could not prove our orders, so after that I have had my communications automatically recorded.”
Zulien ordered the transcripts downloaded to the portable communicator from the Quillant, and the Magistrates listened as Berslan was coerced into believing he was acting in the Celestial’s best interest for the hierarchy. Berslan began shaking his head sadly, as he now understood how they had used him.
“Commander, there is no punishment harsh enough for how badly I have discredited myself, abused my position, and most of all, dishonored you and your mate. Magistrates, I will not argue the audition on Laquista. I am ready to face charges.”
The Magistrate of Battle rubbed his chin in contemplation. “Berslan, from what I gather, everything you did was under orders of the hierarchy. You made no decisions to engage in this duplicity on your own. Zulien?”
“Naturally, I am upset about the treatment of my mate and that you would question my rationality, even in mating procurement. I have to agree, Vaserio, Berslan meant no threat.”
“We can use these tapes, and we finally have direct implication concerning the Debayluth attacks.”
“How?” Zulien asked.
“Because they ordered her retrieval before the attacks were reported, and Berslan did not even mention them until after the Magistrate did. The Quistar had not logged in for the boon, so the only way the Magistrates could have told Berslan to collect her to protect her from future attacks was because they had ordered the attacks,” Vesario concluded.
Berslan's eyes widened. “By the stars, they have meant for the Ancient to be destroyed from the beginning?” It was obvious he had absolutely no knowledge of the hierarchy’s true designs for Miranda.
“Don’t expect me to apologize for knocking you out for what you did to my mate, Berslan.” Zulien’s eyes pierced him, and then he smiled. “I am relieved to know you are still a loyal warrior.”
Berslan looked at him in disbelief as Zulien continued, “Vesario, I would like Berslan re-commissioned. I think his defense
strategy will complete the protection on planet we need for the Celestial, and he will, of course, be made available for any auditions.”
Two strange transmissions were received in the afternoon while Berslan was shown the on planet operations station and given quarters. He was resting when his communication band buzzed, and he looked at the incoming transmission. “By the stars,” he whispered, and went in search of Zulien.
“Admiral, they do not know,” he blurted.
“What are you talking about?” Zulien was in the station, studying the star charts with Vesario.
“The Magistrates, they do not know what has happened. I just received an incoming message from Sharpina, and she wants to know when I am arriving with the Celestial. Her father wants to know if Miranda is well,” Berslan informed them.
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