Dr. Crispus shook his finger at the screen. The crease between his solid black eyes was the only sign he gave of any emotion. The similarity to Zeth was startling. Cold dread rolled off of Izaac.
“You have taken my children and turned them against me. It saddens me that my own progeny hunt me as they might a game animal.” Dr. Crispus made a dismissive noise. “This will never do. You will tell them to give up their search for me. After you comply with my wishes, I will relay to you the steps you will follow to turn yourselves back over to me where you all belong. We will be the happy family that I intended for us to be. You, Teagan, will be a part of our family just as I decided you would be after you were born. Now, I assume due to your troubled upbringing that you will try to resist. Also, I know you have a very few closely treasured friends most of whom reside on Ephors.”
Dr. Crispus tapped his temple with his finger and smiled.
“See, once I discovered your whereabouts, I began paying attention to my little girl. I have taken measures to insure your cooperation. It really was quite simple. See, I placed a plague virus that I engineered into a meteor that was already on a trajectory with Ephors’ atmosphere. I only needed a simple space drone to attach the delivery mechanism to the meteor. The encapsulation surrounding the virus disintegrated in Ephors’ atmosphere releasing the plague. It was like giving a pill to a patient. How many souls reside on Ephors? Hundreds of thousands? They should be reporting chills, confusion, fever, and then seizures. Some cases of unexplained coma patients may have been reported. The physicians will diagnose their patients with hyponatraemia. However, none of their standard treatments of this simple sodium depletion will work. Do you know why? No, of course, you don’t. I’ve hidden something they’ll never find. For the cure, you must obey me. One hour after the activation of this message, I will give you your first set of instructions.”
The screen went black. Nico strode into Papa’s quarters with Kane on his heels. I followed them prepared to scold them for invading Papa’s privacy at a time like this. A wall of vid-screens and seat mounted control panels stunned me to silence. Nico had already established communication with the commanders of Ephors’ military base.
“Ephors is quarantined. This order goes into immediate effect. Enforce emergency protocols. Order all emergency medical personnel to their duty stations. Ephors is under biological attack,” Nico said.
My attention switched to Kane who was relaying Dr. Crispus’ message to Papa. Every order Nico gave was appearing on Papa’s screen.
“Release biochemical binding agents into the stratosphere of every planet in our system. I want all scientists researching anything that could adhere to a sodium leeching chemical agent. Get them collecting blood samples. I want this cure. I’m sending Dr. Crispus’ communication to my Surgeon General for dissemination. Eli, send all intel to each officer in the Empire,” Papa gave orders to people on screens who I couldn’t see and to the man who had been at my side.
Nico, Kane, and Eli each worked furiously at vid-screens and controls. Papa paused and met my eyes holding them with his intensity. “Teagan, you will not turn yourself over to that man.”
I looked at Papa’s deadly brown eyes. “No, I won’t. May I contact my new brothers and let them know they are getting close enough to make him nervous?”
Papa looked surprised. “You won’t argue to sacrifice yourself to save your friends on Ephors?”
I returned his own stare to him. “Never again will I be controlled by fear. I recall many bounty hunters on Amphictyon eager to collect credits. Let me offer an incentive to capture Dr. Stanley Crispus alive.”
Papa offered me a cold proud smile. “A hundred thousand credits for viable leads. Two hundred thousand credits dead. Five hundred thousand credits alive,” Papa said.
“Yes, sir.” I returned to the sitting room. “Kaoti, please ask Captain Valen’s senior communications officer to come to me.” Kaoti saluted and went to the intercom. “Izaac, please tell our brothers that their prey is frightened and that we need the cure from his mind. They are not to kill him. The Empire will have that pleasure.”
Izaac bowed to me. He walked to the dining area, sat in a chair, and closed his eyes in concentration.
Chapter Twenty
Kaoti admitted into our quarters an officer who I had seen on a few occasions. Yukihyo had come to stand beside me and held his hand against my lower back. He tried to hide from me his feelings of anger and pity, but couldn’t. I realized his pity wasn’t for me, our new brothers, or for Ephors’ citizen, but for the broken mind of Dr. Crispus. It shocked me.
“Lieutenant Dalus, thank you for coming. I need to make an announcement that will be heard in every sector, on every planet, military base, and open news channel. Will you please help me put together something professional and see that it is sent out?”
“Yes, your highness.” I told him what I planned to say. “Forgive me, Princess, but might I suggest a change of attire?” Lieutenant Dalus asked.
I looked down at my soft dress. “Lorca, will you please help me?” Yukihyo followed us into the bedroom and helped me change into the delicate dress of white lace Lorca provided. Lorca brushed my hair. Yukihyo fastened Nico’s diamond necklace around my throat. I added to it the pink and blue diamond necklace Yukihyo had given to me. “Yukihyo, will you please contact Quaid, Eric, and Hiroshi and tell them what happened?”
“I will. Do you wish for them to know everything?”
“Yes, perhaps the Galaxic scientists will assist ours.”
I followed Lieutenant Dalus out of our quarters, into the lift, and along a corridor trailing my hand along the brushed silver of the wall to balance myself. I tried to keep my spinning thoughts away and my mind on my task. He led me into a media room.
“Chirp.”
Surprised, I looked down. I hadn’t realized that Thunderdrop had come with me. My hand trembled as I stroked his back. I took a deep breath. I was the daughter of Tavere and Neema Probus. I wasn’t going to let some piece of shit scientist terrorize me into handing over my new brothers as a reward for unleashing a plague on Ephors. Reports of deaths among the elderly of Ephors’ southern hemisphere had already come. Nico had ordered evacuations of outlying regions into cities where eco-stasis domes had been erected. So far, the spread of the disease had been halted. Bio-suits protected physicians and other medical personnel. I felt responsible. Lieutenant Dalus held out a chair for me.
“May I stand?”
“Yes, your highness. I will begin recording. Begin when you are ready. We can record as many times as you like,” he said as he manipulated a vertical control panel. Then, he moved the chair away. I gazed into Thunderdrop’s trusting black eyes, at my onyx bracelet, and then turned to Lieutenant Dalus.
“Good citizens of Parvac, Laconia, and the Galaxic Expanse, I am Princess Teagan Probus, and my people are under attack. A plague has been unleashed on Ephors, a planet most dear to me that is home to many of my loved ones and to me. The man responsible for this cruel genocidal attempt is Dr. Stanley Crispus. Dr. Crispus will only give to us the cure if I surrender myself to him along with the men who suffered from his prolonged captivity and scientific experimentation. I refuse to capitulate to the demands of a madman.” I looked down at Thunderdrop and stroked his back. Then, I looked up once again. “Instead, we offer one hundred thousand credits for information leading to Dr. Stanley Crispus’ capture. Two hundred thousand credits if he is brought to us dead, or five hundred thousand credits if he is brought to us alive and able to stand trial in the Parvac Empire for his crimes against our citizens. The contagion Dr. Stanley Crispus unleashed against us came into Ephors’ atmosphere at the speeds and trajectory now appearing on your screens. Please, help us find and bring to justice Dr. Stanley Crispus so that we might save our people. Thank you.”
Thunderdrop crawled to my neck and nuzzled under my chin. I stroked his back. Then, I put a hand to my own aching back. “How was that?”
“Perfect. I
’ll do some editing, add a picture and genetic markers for Dr. Stanley Crispus, Parvac inquisitor contacts, and a clip of Dr. Crispus’ admission of guilt from his encrypted message to you.”
“Good. Please, check with General Cassian for approval once you are ready.”
“Yes, your highness.” Dalus moved toward me as though he intended to escort me to my quarters.
“No, you work. I can make it back on my own.” I left the room to find Yukihyo, Kaoti, and Izaac waiting for me.
“How did it go?” Yukihyo asked. His eyes were shot through with orange and grey.
“Fine. I was on my way back.” I took a breath to calm my pounding heart. I was just as upset as Yukihyo, but had been doing my best to appear calm for the recording. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could pull it off.
“Lady wife, first, I must insist on a brief visit to the infirmary.”
“Why? What’s wrong with you?” I examined him for injuries. Yukihyo picked me up.
“What’s wrong is that I have a pregnant wife who continues to be placed in stressful situations. Until I receive word that you are alright, I will not rest.”
“I’m fine.” Yukihyo responded with stony silence that echoed back to me from Kaoti and Izaac, which was no surprise. “Can’t we just return to our quarters?”
“Chitter chitter.” Thunderdrop showed me an image of myself hiding inside of a rainy season web.
“What does that mean?” I asked him.
Yukihyo answered for him. “He is trying to explain to you that you have shut yourself away from us. We feel only wisps of thought and emotion from you. Typically, you only behave in this manner before panic takes you.”
As soon as Yukihyo strode into the infirmary with me in his arms, the Chief Medical Officer was on me like syrup on pancakes. He directed Yukihyo to place me on a reclining exam bed. I rolled my eyes. Next, the monitors and scanners came out. Angrily, I crossed my arms over my chest. The doctor gave me an apprising stare. Then, he promptly stuck me with an injector.
“Hey! What was….”
I woke up some time later naked and in my bed. My head rested on Yukihyo’s chest, and his arm was curled around me. I felt him searching through my heart and mind. I rested against him and didn’t interfere. Yukihyo inhaled my hair.
“Are you feeling better now?”
“Lady wife, recent events weigh heavily on you. However, my only true concerns are you and Neema. I began to fear duty and responsibility might crush you. Do not forget that I am strong enough to do your lifting for you.”
I sat up and smirked at him. “What with these?” I flicked my fingers against his arm muscles. I giggled at the shocked affronted expression on his face. Then, I screeched when he flipped me to my back. Yukihyo’s mouth, tongue, and lips were everywhere. Every worried thought I tried to form evaporated before it could solidify. Moments before I was about to beg, Yukihyo drove my worries even farther away with another part of himself. Eventually, my bones felt like water and regaining control of my breathing took all of my concentration.
Yukihyo drew me into the bathroom, turned on the shower, stepped inside, and held his hand out to me with a grin. As he washed my hair with shampoo that smelled of Arachne, I said, “Our people are dying, and here we are cavorting in the shower.”
“You are wrong, wife. A solution has been found. It was not a plague.”
“Well, what was it?” I turned in his arms and slipped. Yukihyo righted me with a strong arm behind my back. The shower had caused his dove grey chest hairs to cling vertically down his chest. Rivulets of water fell down his shoulders. Yukihyo tossed his wet hair out of his eyes and smoothed my soapy hair away from my forehead. A glob of suds dropped to my stomach and slid to the left of my belly and down my side.
“The biochemical weapon leached sodium from the atmosphere. Ephors’ citizens remain safely under bio domes. A solution to replenish affected areas is underway. There has been some unavoidable loss of life. Five elderly people suffered heart failure.” Yukihyo’s hands ran up and down my outer arms. “Many small animals such as squirrels, foxes, and rats perished. The birds continue to alert scientists to dangerous areas by fleeing to better air. His weapon wasn’t powerful enough to do more. His intent appears to have been to create panic and mass hysteria. Turn around.”
I turned. Yukihyo began to rinse my hair pulling his fingers through the strands to untangle them. I felt his hands on my face as he moved around me. Then, he placed a gentle kiss upon my lips. I felt like hiding my face against his neck and crying. He soothed those feelings away. Yukihyo turned off the water, and we dried ourselves. In the bedroom, a knock sounded on the door.
“Mommy,” I heard as Nico peeked through a crack.
“Can we come in? Neema is hungry and wants nothing to do with dinner chairs, spoons, or bananas. Pierce is washing them from his hair as we speak.”
I sat against the pillows, covered my legs with the blanket, and held my hands out for Neema. I drew in a sharp breath at her eagerness to nurse. Yukihyo pulled pants up and over his nicely dimpled butt cheeks. He turned and grinned at my disappointment.
“If I were Empress, I might not allow you to wear clothing in our private rooms.”
“If that law extended to me, I could have a personal Imperial seal made for you,” Nico said.
“It most definitely would.” After Neema finished, Yukihyo took her and changed her diaper. Nico helped me to dress and dry my hair. “Has an hour passed? Did I miss his call?”
Nico took my hand and kissed my knuckles. “Yes, three hours have passed. I set a message to respond to any calls directed to you. Should he have chosen to listen to the message, he would hear that you have been overcome by recent tragedies and are currently unavailable.”
“Have you seen what Lieutenant Dalus helped me to put together?”
Nico grinned at me. “Indeed, I have. The Emperor approves. We will not begin transmission of the recording until after you have spoken to Dr. Crispus. The longer we stall, the closer the hybrids searching for him get. Soon, they will have competition.”
“That’s a fortune in credits we will have to pay if someone else gets to him first.”
Nico made a scoffing sound. I looked up at him. “It will save us a fortune. With bounty hunters and merchant crews searching for him using their own fuel and resources, we will save credits several times over. Space travel is expensive. When we divide our ships and send them out to different quadrants, it weakens Parvac’s defensive capabilities and depletes our coffers. This is a simple and brilliant economical strategy. It will also foster goodwill toward us among citizens of the different sectors. Asking for help humanizes us in their eyes. And will make us appear less intimidating.” Nico chuckled.
“What?”
“We don’t require aid in this venture, but it is good for our personal relations.” Nico kissed my nose.
I wore a pale blue dress. I found the necklace of gemstone flowers and emerald leaves that Quaid had given to me. Nico fastened it around my neck.
“Governor Chorgh was pleased with the painting of Thalassa that Hiroshi delivered to him. He has been all too eager to share Carmanor’s research on sodium. With the Salt Plains providing the planet with one of its primary sources of income, their research is extensive. Ephors’ ecology will be balanced again within the week. Quaid insists you are not to worry,” Yukihyo said.
“The Galaxic Government is investigating Crispus’ claims of his manipulation of Arlo Dano. They plan to examine Arlo’s scans for signs of neurological constructs that might have triggered his neurosis,” Nico told me.
We went to the sitting area, and I arranged myself on the couch. When Eli joined us from Papa’s room, I picked up my vid-screen and said, “Eli, will you please send me the biographical information for each person who died on Ephors?”
Eli’s dark eyes met mine, and he clasped his hands behind his back. I expected him to check with Nico for permission. However, without taking his eyes from mine
, he said, “Yes, your highness.” He pulled a device from an inner vest pocket and began tapping away at it. An alert beeped on my vid-screen once he had completed his task.
I opened the file he had sent to me. Chef placed tea, cheeses, crackers, and fruit on the table nearest the couch. Crispus’ victims ranged from celebrated retired Parvac career soldiers to sweet wrinkled little white-haired grandmothers. One of the ladies reminded me so much of my grandmother that I dissolved into inconsolable tears. Yukihyo held me against his chest and rubbed my back.
“This is not your fault. Crispus may not be well enough to even be responsible for his actions.”
I pulled away to stare angrily at Yukihyo. “Yes, he is.”
“Teagan, his mind is broken.”
“It was fixed enough to try to murder everyone on Ephors.”
“Had he remained on Aurilius all of those years ago, he might have received help. Quaid found reports from Dr. Crispus’ last supervisor requesting a psychological evaluation. He must have fled when he learned of it.”
“In my opinion, his sickness is no excuse for his actions.”
“He might be rehabilitated.”
“Great. He can be sane in confinement.” I returned to the cushion on which I had sat before ending up on Yukihyo’s lap. Kane came out of Papa’s room. I wasn’t surprised since it appeared the Emperor had his own private bridge. “When will we arrive on Ephors?”
My tall cousin stopped mid-step. “What?” He asked as his green and gold eyes met mine. “Teagan, we aren’t going to Ephors. We are still on course for Arachne.”
Frowning, I said, “We should be with our people. They suffer for something I brought to them.”
Kane gave me a hard stare until I lowered my eyes. “This wasn’t your doing, and if we attempted to approach Ephors’ atmosphere, the fleet would blockade us. Soldiers would protest in the streets. We are going to Arachne.” Kane’s voice was solid, firm, and uncompromising. I didn’t look up at him again.
The Parvac Emperor's Daughter (The Space Merchants Book 3) Page 39