“No, I’m trying to behave in a polite and respectful manner while visiting your planet.”
“Move off,” Nico ordered her.
“I can go anywhere I please and say whatever I want.”
“What is your problem?” I asked.
“I don’t like Parvacs like you taking our men.”
“Oh, I see. In that case, I understand that men in your culture may have as many wives as they wish. I have placed no restrictions on my husbands. Yukihyo may do with you as he will.” Isidora’s eyes sparked with angry purple and red capillaries. “However, I hope you understand that you have been far too insulting for me to ever share a home or a bed with you.” I gave her a chilling smile worthy of Emperor Probus.
“You pampered spoiled bitch!”
“Would you like her tongue cut out, Princess?” Kaoti asked.
“No, thank you. I don’t know where it’s been.” Kaoti stood squarely in front of Neema and me which made her angrier.
“You’re the slut sleeping with three men,” she seethed.
“Your dirty mouth makes you seem even cheaper than those tight pants make you look,” I said. She lunged toward me. I glared at her. Then, she bounced off of Nico’s chest.
“Touch my wife and you die.”
“You can’t touch me, and your pathetic wife is pregnant. What can you do? You would be a disgrace if you were to hit me.”
“He might not be able to, but I can,” said one of Eric’s female officers who stood behind Isidora. The officer looked angry. “You like picking on pregnant women with babies in their arms? Lady Alaric is right about your pants. They make you look like a one credit whore.”
Isidora took a swing at her which was a mistake. She went down and into restraints. Enforcers took her so quickly that I suspected they had been waiting. The officer grinned at me. “We’ll make sure she doesn’t trouble you again. This isn’t the first time she’s acted like this.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“We’ve been trailing her all day,” Gary said as he shimmered into view. “We weren’t going to let her near you. We just needed her to say enough to infuriate Governor Ajee. We recorded every word.”
“I didn’t say any bad words, did I?”
“No, Princess. It was great what you did in the store with the contest. I was cheering for you silently,” Gary said. I suspected he had also watched me nurse Neema and narrowed my eyes.
Then, a thought occurred to me. “She can’t have children. That’s what I sensed from her when she looked at Neema and my son. That’s why she’s so angry. I wonder if Phillip can help her like he helped me.”
“I’ll speak to the Captain about it. And don’t worry. We’re always watching you,” Gary said with a wink and a leer. I rolled my eyes at him.
“There are twenty Parvac soldiers guarding my wife as well. However, we have never experienced a woman behaving in such a manner,” Nico said.
“Restraints and lock-up,” Gary told him.
“Are you alright, my love?” Nico asked.
“I guess. Am I really short and round?” I frowned up at Nico.
Rushing toward us, Simon said, “What has happened?”
“It’s all under control. Don’t worry,” I said.
“I felt your anger, sweet cousin.”
“It’s fine. Really. How did it go with the silk?”
“Very well. In fact, I have much work to do on the ship.”
“I’m ready to go if you are,” I said.
I relaxed and studied my zoology class for the rest of the day. Nico rubbed my feet. Quaid checked to make sure that I was okay, and Eric sent his Chief Medical Officer over to inspect me for damage. To get them to calm down, I said I would be resting on the ship the next day and asked if Pierce and Lorca could help out.
Simon spent the evening in the cargo bay creating a wardrobe for our burly new friend and getting the protective clothing ready for distribution. Sherman and Ethan called to congratulate us on our success where they had failed in the past.
The next morning, Nico and I awoke to complete silence. Neema slept in her bed, and Thunderdrop and Cass slept in the tree sculpture. Nico smiled, went to the kitchen, and returned with a cup of coffee. “If you will agree to remain in a gown and stay in bed today, I will be your willing servant.”
“Will you do anything I want?”
“I will.”
“Deal.”
Kaoti let Pierce and Lorca on board. I had completed my zoology course and rested in bed against a pile of pillows trying to decide what I wanted to study next. Nico sat beside me and looked at the screen over my shoulder. I drew in a breath, and my eyes swelled.
“Teagan?”
“I just felt Niklos, a soft flutter.”
Nico gave me his toothy grin and called Abbie. “You must allow me to give you a gift.”
“It would be too much trouble what I want.”
“Tell me.”
I gave him a list. He laughed at me, dressed, and promised to return. Pierce and Lorca entertained Neema, Thunderdrop, and Cass in the sitting room. Neema loved playing on Yukihyo’s ice bear rug. Kaoti was somewhere with all of our new guards. I leaned back and closed my eyes hoping to feel Niklos flutter again. Then, I felt as though I were no longer alone. I hadn’t heard the door open. I opened my eyes and expected to see Thunderdrop and Cass. Instead, Puppy Petter sat on my vanity stool facing me. Knife sat in one of my chairs and had turned it from my vid-screen and toward my bed.
“It’s rude to rearrange someone else’s furniture without asking.” I scowled at him. “Did I invite you to tea and forget?” I noticed a device on my vanity that didn’t belong.
“No one can hear our conversation,” said Puppy Petter. He had secured his long grey hair with a hair tie at his nape. His hair was longer than mine reaching his waist. “My name is Zared. I did not intend to offend you with my actions. You have become dear to me.”
“If I am so dear to you, why do you continue to insult my family by blatantly bypassing their security measures? Being rude isn’t the way to make friends.”
Knife said, “You’re one to talk about making friends. What did you say to that female? Her pants made her look like a cheap slut? And you’ve shot me three times.”
“You kidnapped me and my daughter and gave us to a creep with an entire wall covered with pictures of me! You sliced open my brother’s leg, shot my husbands and my friend with poisoned tranquilizer darts, and tried to take away some of the only happy memories I have! Don’t you dare lecture me. You are the winner of the asshole contest.”
“You stole one of our interstellar transports,” Knife said.
“What did you expect? Did you think I would play along with the deranged Dano? Oh, let me guess. You thought I would sit around, wring my hands together, and wait to be rescued? Wrong. I’d rather blow shit up and attract attention. As a matter of fact, that’s a good idea! I think I’ll study chemistry or warfare next. Then, if you ever try to force me away from my family ever again, I can more effectively ruin your plans!” My gown became wet. “Damn it!” I struggled to get out of bed, went to my bathroom, and took a towel to hold over my chest. “There weren’t even any diapers on that piece of shit transport. I had to tape hand towels around my baby! There wasn’t even a safe place for me to put her down either.” My pounding heart began to make me dizzy.
Puppy Petter had lifted me and placed me back in my bed before I had realized he stood. He gathered my hair in his hands and began braiding it.
“What are you doing?” I asked incredulously.
“You were thinking what trouble it would be to have to wash and dry your hair again if your milk were to get it wet, and my name is Zared. You are nothing at all like a puppy. Also, that woman Isidora was wrong to call you a bitch.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Have the Militia and the Empire decided to grant us immunity from prosecution?” Knife asked.
“I don’t know. No one tells me an
ything. You’ve made me a security risk. I don’t even know the details of my own security because if I know, you all will know. Right? So, how do we eliminate this accidental bond?”
“We don’t.”
“I heard it was possible.”
“Please don’t. Don’t sever yourself from us. I know your heart and mind. You felt as we did. You grew up in a hostile environment. We grew in a lab. Like us, you saw other children in their homes with mothers and fathers. You watched through windows and imagined being a part of it, wondering what it would feel like. Through our bond with you, we finally feel as though we made it into that house. Please don’t take that away. We can be useful to you.”
“How can hybrid outlaws possibly be useful to me? Unlike Dano, I’m not planning galactic domination. I just want to enjoy being with my family for as long as I can.”
“Our desires are no different. We didn’t ask to be genetically manipulated. In your empire, there are no laws against our existence. Let us serve as your guards. With our protection, your father would never have to fear losing you again. You would never need fear any harm coming to your children or loved ones. We would devote our lives to you,” Knife said.
“Why? Why would you want to protect me? What’s in it for you? Why should I trust you? What if this is just a plot to destroy Parvac?”
“Why would we want to destroy Parvac?” Puppy Petter asked.
“You’re Laconian. You’re not just Laconian. You’re double Laconian. Most Laconians don’t like us. Us being Parvacs. I’m Parvac with a little Laconian and Arachnean thrown in. It’s so strange. For nineteen years, I thought I was human.”
“Arachneans are of human descent. Furthermore, there are at least two Laconians who like you very much,” Knife said. “You really need to stop that.”
“What?”
“My name is Jazon. His name is Zared.”
I looked at Zared’s black eyes and then down to his hand that still held the end of my braid. “Okay, Jazon. Let’s say I do speak to Papa. He may tell me that he accepts your service. What if he has you executed the minute you enter our space? They can no longer trust my mind because of you. How can Papa be sure you won’t try to influence his mind? Isn’t that why your own people fear you? What about Phillip, Kaoti, Yukihyo, Nico, and Quaid? They are so pissed at you. Then, there are my cousins, the captains.”
Zared tugged at my left elbow until I allowed him to pull my arm from where I held it over the towel over my chest. He held my hand in his.
“Emperor Probus may perceive us as a threat to your safety, or he may see the worth of our service to you. Perhaps…. We will speak again,” Jazon said.
Zared moved the knuckles of my hand against his cheek. The next thing I knew, they were gone and had taken their sound proofing device with them. Then, three of Quaid’s men shimmered into view. One of them walked to the door and began reporting into the communications devise imbedded in his helmet. “You were here the entire time? I’m surprised you didn’t shoot them.”
“That would have placed you in danger. They knew we were here. Jazon made eye contact with each of us and smiled when he entered the room.”
I got out of bed and trudged through the door into our sitting room. Pierce and Lorca looked up at me from where they played in the floor with Neema, Thunderdrop, and Cass. “Jazon and Zared just paid me a visit. They want me to allow them to serve as my guard and want Papa’s blessing.”
Neema decided she was hungry. Lorca activated the vid-screen and called Kane. I fed Neema and then went to my shower. The three soldiers remained in my quarters. Kaoti and four of the Laconian crewmen were gone.
Chapter Twelve
Jazon and Zared wore the uniforms of Parvac crewmembers who had been assigned to repair Tora. Kaoti had found the crewmen tied and secured under the hull with magnetic netting. He followed the mercenaries as they climbed into a small open dock transport. He had men stationed at each exit and entry point. Kaoti grabbed a hold of a transport as it passed and braced his feet against the metal plating of its side. Leucon’s land port swarmed with activity. It would be easy for a man wearing a Parvac or Galaxic uniform to blend into the crowd. Kaoti took advantage of that as he released his hold on the transport, walked a few steps, and stepped onto another one that travelled in the same direction as his prey. He kept one eye trained on the mercenaries. He followed as they left through the east exit of the land port. Having tracked his movements, one of his men had a small fast transport ready. Kaoti climbed into the passenger seat, and they tailed the mercenaries through the snow covered streets.
The hybrids took a turn into a warehouse district. Their transport began to slow. Kaoti opened his door and rolled out of the transport, using it to block him from sight as he moved to cover between two warehouses. Kaoti aimed his grapple at the top of the building and activated its retraction function. Seconds later, he raced along the roof and watched as his own transport passed that of the hybrids and turned down a different street. Now, they would not suspect themselves of being followed. He watched from along the roof tops until Jazon and Zared entered a small warehouse under the pretense of loading supplies for a return to the land port. Kaoti activated visual reconnaissance automatically sharing the enemy’s location.
Silently, Kaoti made the icy leap to the building they had entered. Finding a point of entry through a skylight, he disabled the alarm sensor on the window and activated a small stasis shield so the hybrids wouldn’t notice the change in temperature when he disintegrated the window. Gripping the sides of the opening, he lowered himself down into the dimly lit warehouse and slowly scanned the space inside from his perch on a rafter. They had motion sensors activated at each door and window, four sleek transports, and two nondescript air transports identical to those used on Leucon for public transportation. Kaoti gave each vehicle a slow perusal. The information he collected streamed directly to the team of inquisitors who had arrived from Ephors along with the repair crews and materials.
Kaoti travelled along the rafters moving silently toward the sounds of discussion occurring in a corner office. Scanning for heat signatures, he confirmed six lifeforms to be inside. The hybrids were never all together at one time. Five or six of their number were always elsewhere. They had a lot of practice staying alive and avoiding capture.
“Yes, we do,” said a voice from directly behind him. Kaoti spun on the beam and kicked out. However, his opponent had moved out of reach. The conversation in the room below had ceased. “I won’t be fighting you so many feet above the ground. If you were to fall and become damaged, it would distress our lady. She considers you to be family.” The hybrid slid down a line to the ground and waited.
The others exited the office. “Come down. We have sensed your thoughts since the moment you found your crewmen,” Jazon said.
Smiling Kaoti joined them. Closing down his mind, he allowed muscle memory to take over as his foot hit the face of the hybrid next to him. Kaoti swung out his leg from his crouched position and took the legs out from under the man who had shared the beam with him. Then, he grabbed the man by the legs and slung him into three of the mercenaries who stood close together. They caught him and lowered him to his feet as the doors busted in and Kaoti’s team entered. Kaoti’s pleasure vanished when hidden mercenaries surprised his men from behind. It had been a trap. Kaoti’s fists struck out. He felt the impact and reacted in time to deflect a kick aimed at his ribs. Ignoring the sounds of combat around him, he focused on the five men surrounding him.
Kaoti held a small sharp knife in each of his hands. He had been ordered to cause life threatening injuries, but not to kill. He allowed a blow to hit him in the face so he could slice open the stomach of one of the hybrids. The man screamed as he fell and tried to hold his intestines in with his hands. Kaoti felt a blade shoved between his ribs and sliced at the man’s throat as he kicked another in the sacks. The hybrids fled, but Kaoti quickly secured the three he had downed.
A medic rushed forward to
keep the enemy whose guts had escaped alive. Another applied a pressure bandage to the hybrid whose throat he had opened. Kaoti reached down and pulled the knife from where the fabric of his clothing had trapped it. The shirt his princess had made for him meant he would only have a bruise.
“Good work. The others scattered, but these three should provide us with the answers we need,” General Cassian said. “Get cleaned up. Your nose looks broken. If she sees you like that, she’ll cry. Now, I need to return to her before her food gets cold.” Turning from the assassin turned bodyguard, he said, “I trust you have this under control?”
“Yes, sir,” Captain Valen answered.
“I will discover their intentions and if they pose a threat to the Imperial family, General Cassian,” Inquisitor Eli Beck assured him.
After my shower, I slipped into a clean gown and matching robe. Zared’s braid had remained in my hair. He had secured it with a thin black hair tie. Shocked, I said, “Am I alone in here?”
“No, Lady Bosh,” an invisible soldier replied.
“Did you at least close your eyes?” Quiet male laughter was my answer. “I’m telling Quaid that you’re all obnoxious. It’s rude to spy on naked pregnant women. If next time I slip and fall trying to change in the bathroom, I’m telling everyone it’s all your fault. You could have warned me that you were still in here.”
They didn’t respond. When Nico came back and I told him about my visitors, he kissed me and asked me not to worry. “We do not believe they mean you any harm, my love,” was all he said about it.
Nico returned with boxes full of food. He had brought enough for everyone. Lorca and Pierce seemed to enjoy everything as much as I did. I had two skewers of the tasty mean scary mountain goat. I held my cup out for a hot chocolate refill and enjoyed it with the pastries. I felt Simon’s emotions before he entered the kitchen. His eyes sparkled.
“Simon, you met someone!” I said.
“I did. She is beautiful and vibrant. I have a date with her tonight,” Simon said with pale blue eyes like a cloudless summer sky.
The Parvac Emperor's Daughter (The Space Merchants Book 3) Page 20