Whatever my son promised you, I will honor it and compensate you a thousand times over. I will even grant you citizenship and domicile on one of our other homeworlds.”
Peace did not wait for the threat to come, as she got out her question in the middle of being strangled.
“How…good…is your…word?”
An impressed Nelron requested his wife to ease her hold with a simple hand gesture, to which she complied.
“My word is bound to my honor. To go back on it, would be to dishonor my empire, my queen, and my family.”
Peace’s eyes briefly met with Merc’s before returning to his father.
“My compensation is a half a million times …what your son promised me, a ship …I can pilot, and a map of the universe …so I can set up …wherever I damn well please.”
Lord Nelron considered her request while stroking his Fu Manchu.
“Done.”
“Where I come from…a deal is sealed by a handshake.”
Peace raised her hand, spitting in it. Furia sneered in disgust while her husband grinned and then mirrored her action. A simple grip and shake closed the new deal.
“And so, the pact has been sealed, child, along with your fate,” Lord Nelron gave a serene sinister warning. “Should you go back on your side of the bargain.”
“As if I’d be dumb enough to finger myself as the trigger woman,” Peace snarled.
As the Queen Mother callously lowered Peace back to the ground, releasing her, Peace’s eyes went back to Merc’s own, who remained cold and unsympathetic toward her. He stood wallowing over the fact that his father pulled rank on him in front of a mere human and cleaned up his mess, making him feel infantile.
For a fraction of a second, she allowed him to see the hurt in her eyes that would never be seen again so long as she lived.
“Let’s get this done, so I can get paid and the fuck out of here.”
CHAPTER 11
Attea stood near her shuttle with two of her guards waiting for Freedom to be delivered to her.
Standing across from them in relaxed stances were six Annunaki warriors in full armor along with their familiars. They stood in a semi-circle locked onto Attea and company as they waited.
Her impenetrable shell as the feared Thracian High General allowed her mind to wander to events before arriving on the planet.
The one person out of two could instill bone-chilling fear into her made contact while en-route to Anu.
˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜
Aboard her ship traveling at light speed to its destination, Attea found herself down on one knee with her head bowed and her forearm across her chest, paying respect to her father, the High Region.
“Father.”
“Attea, my lovely child,” Nelron softly smiled. “I missed your presence at court.”
Slight embarrassment cracked all over her face from her father using a tone similar to when she was little.
“Apologies, father,” Attea answered with a recovered tone. “I head to Anu to fulfill my charge given to Thrace by the Dominion Council to apprehend the human Sophia Dennison so that she may stand before the inquiry for …”
“I know of your charge, daughter. Do be so kind and excuse yourself to your quarters. I wish to converse with you privately there on a matter.”
In an instant, the lump in Attea’s throat rolled down into her stomach. It became a boulder as she rose to look at her father.
His calm, cheerful demeanor did not change, but she knew from his eyes. They told her what the conversation would be about in her quarters.
“Yes, father, I shall leave immediately.”
Attea rose to her feet as her communications officer quickly transferred the High Region to her room.
Attea left the command deck, walking the hallways to her cabin with the boulder in her gut forming to a mountain's size. It did not slow her stride as she made it to her ship’s abode in a timely fashion.
The second she entered and stood before her father’s holographic image, Attea fell to a knee for the second time keeping her gaze on the floor.
“Rise, child,” Lord Nelron commanded. “You’ve already paid me proper greeting.”
Attea rose to her feet, standing at attention with her arms clasped firmly behind her back, waiting for her father to begin the discussion.
“Let’s make this conversation minimal, my child,” Lord Nelron softly exhaled. “I will speak, and you will answer with a nod, or yes. Do we have understanding?”
“Yes, father,” Attea nodded while swallowing another boulder down her throat.
“You know why we are speaking?”
“Yes, father.”
“You will continue with your charge and deliver the human to the Council for inquiry.”
“Yes, father.”
“And then you shall journey to Enuc’s place of business and have a discussion with him. Do return with the information I require.”
“Yes, father. It shall be done.”
“Thank you, my precious child; I know you shall not falter in your duties. We shall speak further when you make your appearance at court again.”
“Yes, father.”
As the image of her father disappeared, the Thracian High General dropped her impenetrable shell trembling like a leaf. Attea covered her mouth, preventing the whimpers from escaping her lips even though her chambers were soundproof.
The soft kindness her father’s words were dipped in did not mask the sour disappointment she saw in his eyes as he looked at her, which was the High General’s one weakness.
Attea furiously wiped her eyes and took her time re-forging her indestructible mettle before she exited her cabin to retake command of her ship and carry out her orders.
˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜
Attea’s eyes flickered as she returned from her memories.
Memories that caused her to momentarily snarl as she cursed herself for not killing the female human on Earth as planned.
˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜
Within the heart of the capital of Atticala,
Laurence strolled side by side with Anubis and Bastet into the Hall of Healing. There was little conversation between them, and when they met up once again to retrieve Freedom.
Each of their familiars notified them of Attea’s ship approaching Anu, which meant they had to prepare to hand Dennison over.
As they entered the room wading through the sea of golden restructuring pods, the Eye of Ra’s visual was locked on Sophia standing with Thoth conversing next to her daughter’s pod.
He watched as her eyes slowly lifted, finding his, while the expression on her face read that she knew why he was there.
Though she kept her composure, Sophia’s right palm slowly rested on the pod, projecting that she was not ready to leave.
Thoth greeted the trio with a customary Annunaki curtsey.
“Eye of Ra, Set, and Osiris.”
“Uncle.”
Laurence returned the greeting with a bow of his own along with Anubis and Bastet. He then turned his attention to Sophia.
“Sophia Dennison of Earth, by order of the Council of Elders, we are here to collect you and turn you over to the Thracian Regime.”
Sophia mustering up a sliver of peaceful resistance, gestured to her daughter’s pod.
“But my daughter has not recovered yet …the agreement …”
“The agreement was that we would treat and stabilize your daughter, Sophia Dennison,” Bastet politely butted in with a sprinkle of sternness. “My uncle and his staff have complied with that portion of the bargain.”
Thoth, in his reluctance, nodded, confirming what Bastet had said was true. Anger slowly crept on Sophia’s face with the pressure of being backed into a corner.
“So, what is to become of my daughter?”
; “The child will continue to be cared for,” Anubis gently responded. “Once she is well enough, we will return her to Earth and her next of kin.”
Sophia nodded, finally giving in. She turned to Thoth with a grateful smile on her face.
“Healer Thoth, I want to thank you for everything you have done for my daughter.”
With a simple smile already on his face, Thoth replied with a promise.
“I shall watch over her as if she were my own.”
His words brought a tremble to her lip as she responded with a nod. She then turned to bow down and kissed the part of the pod where her daughter’s head rested and whispered something intimate for no one to hear.
Sophia’s demeanor changed to ice water as she slowly rose, facing the trio.
“I’m ready.”
˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜
Setepenre, one of Anu's central interstellar transport hubs, Sophia stepped out of the shuttle, walking down the steps flanked by Laurence and Bastet with Anubis bringing up the rear.
Her eyes immediately zeroed in on a waiting Attea standing by a Thracian transport shuttle with a male and female guard unit standing side by side to her right.
Surrounding them in a spacious semi-circle were the six Annunaki warriors from each House in a casual guard stance.
The walk to the waiting Thracian company that would take her into custody felt longer to Sophia than the actual shuttle ride to the hub.
As they approached, the six-person Annunaki guard parted, creating a dual three-person line facing each other, coming to attention allowing the two parties to come together.
As they came to a halt a couple of feet from one another, Attea took a step forward to address the Eyes.
“Eye of Set, Eye of Osiris, and Eye of Ra, I am formally here to retrieve and detain the prisoner Sophia Dennison of Earth for delivery to Alvion Prime to stand before the Dominion Council.”
“We are here to comply,” Anubis acknowledged with a head bow. “As well as to apologize for our interference in your charge on Earth. Our actions brought disrespect to you, your brother, the Thracian Empire, as well as our respective Houses and nation.”
All three Eyes humbly bowed before the Thracian princess.
“I accept thy apology on behalf of the Empire of Thrace,” Attea accepted with a shifting jaw.
On those words, a male Thracian guard with a pink mohawk dread hairstyle stepped forward, removing a pair of claspers from his belt. Freedom exhaling unnecessary air from her nostrils, stepped forward with arms extended.
He took great care positioning the double loops over each of her wrists. As he placed his right thumb on an imprinting system in the center of the bar, the coils tightened, securing her wrists.
Sophia’s forming knit brows revealed how impressed she was that the restraints with a fragile appearance were deceptively resilient under the slight force she gave it with the expectation that the claspers would break apart.
Freedom chose that moment to exert her last sliver of defiance, turning on her heels, giving the Thracian High General her back to have a face to face conversation with the Eye of Ra.
“You’re human.”
Her words did not break Laurence’s expression as he watched Sophia’s eyes switch between him and the other Annunaki present as she made a quick observation of the apparent differences between him and them.
“Or at least most of you are,” she concluded.
“Yes, I am ... mostly human.”
She took a full step getting into his personal space with a face that read she wanted to slug him.
“As soon as my daughter awakens and is well enough…she goes home...to my parents. Also, you do not tell her where I am or what has happened to me.”
Laurence agreed with a head bow.
“You have my word.”
Freedom cut him with her eyes as she turned and walked into Attea’s custody. Sophia made sure her shoulders were kept squared and her head held high as she fell in between the male and female Thracian guards. Her eyes purposely diverted from the Thracian High General as if she did not exist.
Attea maintained her professionalism even though her blood quietly simmered from the non-verbal insult.
She focused her attention on the Eyes, whose presence she was still in.
“The retrieval has been completed,” Attea bluntly responded. “We shall now take our leave.”
The Thracian High General performed a mandatory formal curtsey. The Eyes returned the stiff tension-filled farewell in kind with their own goodbye and good riddance.
As Attea turned departing, followed by her guards and new prisoner back onto her shuttle, Laurence’s jaw shifted as he suppressed the urge to beckon onto Attea and converse with her earnestly about the events that took place on Earth.
Armed with the knowledge of the High General’s unwavering allegiance to her Empire and family kept him from wasting words that would not be heard.
As their eyes lifted to the departing Thracian vessel ascending once more into the skies of Anu, Bastet was the first to break the silence by turning her head and firing a projectile spit onto the ground.
“Bloody Thracians.”
“What be your next move, cousin?” Anubis coldly inquired. “Earth?”
“Yes,” the Eye of Ra nodded. “My homeworld contains many answers to the turmoil that has been caused. Something far more nefarious is at hand, and I must root it out.”
“When do you depart?”
“Not before I see Neith and the children.”
“Agreed,” Anubis nodded. “You have not been home since your arrival; neither Bastet nor I would hear the end of it if you abruptly left homeworld without seeing your mate.”
Bastet turned to Laurence, snarled, and struck his midsection with a closed hammer fist that slightly doubled him over.
“What was that for?” He snapped at her.
“To remove that ridiculous look from your face along with the notion, you will never see us again. Go to your family, …be off with you.”
The Eye of Ra rolled his eyes as his menos covered his body with a thought command. He lifted off, taking to the air to his home as Anubis turned to see the same look Bastet knocked off Laurence’s face onto her own as her eyes stayed with her departing cousin.
˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜
The shuttle ride back to Attea’s main ship was in eerie silence. Sophia sat up straight with her shackled hands on her lap while her eyes focused on the thin slit window port that provided her a view of the outside world as the ship took off, leaving the planet.
On the other side of the shuttle, Attea was uncomfortable where she sat for the first time in eons. She mirrored Sophia's statue demeanor with her arms folded and legs crossed except for her eyes now and then shifting in her head to look at her human prisoner clearly and blatantly, paying her no attention.
What confounded her with inner rage was that when she did it, her heartbeat sped up. She would then quickly turn away, pretending to look someplace else or stare off into space the second Sophia made the slightest movement.
Attea’s screams of rage echoed in her skull at what was taking place in the confined space of her shuttle.
A mere backwater human brought out emotions she had not felt since her first time in actual mortal combat.
A large part of her wished to know why. The fear of the perception of weakness prevented her from speaking during the flight back.
The ordeal made her blood boil.
The second the shuttle docked with the main ship, Attea was pulled out of her brooding trance. It was the eyes of her subordinates, waiting for her to stand, that woke her up. As she rose to her feet, Sophia did the same when Attea’s soldiers got to theirs.
Eye contact remained nonexistent as her troops flanked Sophia while she brought up the rear.
As the door opened and the floors f
rom the main ship became steps, Sophia followed the soldiers out into the shuttle bay, where her eyes beheld other shuttles, and personnel scattered about halting where they stood focused in her direction.
Instantaneously they all fell to one knee with their right forearm across their chest and heads bowed. Sophia knew it was not for her.
As she descended the steps, they remained in that state until her ears heard the High General’s boots touch the floor of the ship.
All rose in unison and waited as the procession left the hanger before they went about their business again. Sophia kept pace with the guards in front of her. Her eyes moved about the place, scanning her surroundings.
Even though she had never been on a starship before, it was pretty much what Sophia imagined. The walls, ceiling, and floor were the same metal grey color with a dull gleaming shine picked up by the thin strips of white light tracks that ran about the ceilings and walls.
Now and then, they would run into a crew member coming in the opposite direction who would either stopped or moved aside. They would snap to attention with their head bowed and an underhanded knife-edge hand across their chest.
The march halted at a waiting elevator. As the guards entered first and spun on their heels, turning around, Sophia followed suit. She made sure the visage currently on her face did not change as her eyes briefly met Attea’s, who entered and turned, standing in front of her.
She was close enough for Sophia to get a full whiff of her dreaded blood-red mane with a strong musky scent similar to peppermint.
As the elevator began a gentle descent into the lower levels of the ship, Freedom clenched her fists as a vile murderous thought filled her mind at the moment.
Even though she was sure to be brought down by the guards flanking her, it would have been the perfect opportune time to grab the High General from behind and either attempt to snap her neck or strangle her to death.
Sophia opted to release her sinister intentions through her nostrils, which a shorter Attea felt on her neck.
As the doors to the lift opened, the Thracian High General exited, leading the way as Sophia and guards followed.
Freedom counted in her head thirty paces from the elevator, followed by a turn that took another twenty steps.
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