With an angry pang, I recall how happy I’d been to see her. How I’d hugged her and actually asked her to come into the bathroom with me, so that we could talk after I peed.
She’d gone completely silent, but I kept on babbling as I cleaned my hands at the gamma sink. “I’ve been trying to figure out how to get a message to you. Thank the moons, you weren’t caught up in L’Than’s arrest. I mean, I know you were only trying to help the humans and the hybrids better understand each other, but I’m not sure D’Rek would have understood. I’m going to work with him on that and some of your other ideas about Xalthurian female rights, I promise…”
How stupid I was. How naïve. I actually had expected to find her smiling when I had turned from the gamma sink to face her.
But her pretty moonstone face had gone cold, as she said, “My father is very disappointed. In both you and the Kel.”
My father….
N’Maryah is the daughter of the prime minister. The same prime minister who constructed that report that was just true enough to gloss over all its outrageous lies.
I understand that now as I listen to her tell the unknown alien, “In any case, this is the best possible outcome after the Kel forced our hand. We had planned to wait to deliver her to you until after she’d given birth, but when Kel D’Rek made that sickening announcement, we knew we’d have to move fast or risk him upending our entire way of life. If his plans go through, Xalthurian females will have no place left on our own planet. We might even be forced to serve those disgusting hu’man females.”
I shake my head, realizing just how far from an ally N’Maryah had been this entire time.
“I do not like this change of plan,” the alien voice grumbles. “This was supposed to be an acquisition trip. We were promised at least a thousand females to take back to the emperor, not just this one.”
“And it still will be an acquisition,” N’Maryah assures him. “My father is currently trying to calm the other council members after the Kel’s announcement. But when he is finished, he will meet you at this rendezvous point and escort you to New Terrhan himself. Consider this a down payment for the soldiers you will provide him to support his bid to depose our Kel.”
My heart seizes. They’ve not only kidnapped me, but they also plan to dethrone D’Rek and abduct a bunch of other women from my defenseless planet? Oh moons…oh moons.
“A down-payment. But she is already pregnant. I cannot imagine presenting such a gift to our emperor without incurring his wrath.” Unlike the Xalthurians, the alien is capable of tonal change. His voice dips low and angry as he points out my pregnant state and takes on a fearful whine when speaking of his emperor.
“Then make her unpregnant. We do not care now that my father has decided to seize power from the Kel, and I am no longer required to marry him to put our house in the Keldom line.”
“I am a Kaidorian captain. I would never kill a child.”
“Fine, then wait until she is not pregnant then. You and your men can enjoy her body until she passes the baby. But I warn you, making sex with this species can be quite addictive. The Kel became so obsessed with this one, he sought to do the unthinkable and make her his Qel. It was all so very embarrassing for me. And to think I turned down so many proposals in the hopes of marrying that fool. I cannot wait for him to get his comeuppance.”
Bile rises in my throat, hearing her words. No, N’Maryah is definitely not a friend. In fact, I can clearly hear her disgust in her atonal words. For me. And now for the male she apparently coveted for herself the entire time she smiled in my face, claiming to just be worried about me whenever I spoke of my growing feelings for D’Rek.
She’s wrong. D’Rek wasn’t a fool, I was. A fool for not only trusting her, but protecting her identity, so that he’ll have no idea where to find me.
My only hope is that he started looking for me, as soon as he discovered I was gone. But would he?
“No, I do not like this. If he is as obsessed with her as you say, he will come after her. And while the Kaidorian are mighty, one ship is not enough to face down his army. Especially if you cannot convince the General to ally with us.”
“Leave my cousin to my father. He will join in our efforts to overthrow the Kel or he will die. It is as simple as that.”
I cover my mouth to smother a gasp, remembering how D’Rek called the General his best friend when explaining why he expected everyone, even his friends to defer to him.
“And as for him coming after her, I already took care of that. Before my father helped L’Than escaped to the Amnesty Station, I asked him to write a note in her language, saying that she was leaving him for the hybrid. Not only is he powerless to extract her from that station, but he’ll also never know that she is not truly there.”
The Kaidorian laughs appreciatively. “It would seem you’ve thought of everything. The Kel should have chosen you over his breeding vessel. You are very clever.”
“Yes I am,” N’Maryah agrees with the string of clicking sounds, I recently learned was the Xalthurian version of laughter. “He will soon come to rue his poor decision.”
They laugh. And I can only sit there in the cold dark, my mind completely blanked with horror. For the Kaidorian is right, N’Maryah and her father have thought of everything. Soon everyone D’Rek cares about will be either dead or irreparably damaged.
All because he dared to love me back in the human way.
23
N’Ure
I have him exactly where I want him.
I school my features before entering D’Rek—, Kel D’Rek’s office. Though he won’t be Kel for much longer, I must remember to give him the proper address until my plan is fully implemented.
He is staring at the holo note I left on his desk, the one A’Ry had that hybrid fool, who was so besotted with her, write in that primitive New Terrhan language.
I suspect she was equally besotted with him, which is why I made sure his flyer never made it to the Amnesty Station. I was learning the hard way that no Xalthurian was safe when it came to the devices of these hu’mans—even the halfling ones.
“My Kel,” I say with a deferential ridge touch. This was an action I used not to mind when I believed my house would soon be joining the Kel line. But now it sickens me to have to genuflect to this idiot.
It takes effort to keep my ridges neutral, as I say, “I hate to interrupt, however, I wanted to give you a status update on the hu’man.”
He rakes his fingers through his hair several times and then suddenly pounds his fist on his desk causing me to jump. Over the years, I have learned that Kel D’Rek is not above getting physical with someone when he is in this state, an unfortunate byproduct of uploading warrior training into his generation. However, I remind myself, if I execute this plan properly, I will one day stride into this office with even more fearsome warriors at my back.
He raises his head to finally acknowledge my presence, his red eyes blazing. “Be quick with it, N’Ure.”
I pull out my data board and look down at it to give myself a more efficient appearance. “I have a list of all the ships and flyers that have departed within the last ten hours. I have sent my own investigative force to question all the palace servants about when they last saw the hu’man and with whom. T’Kan also has his warriors scouring the planet in case the note is a ruse to throw us off. Since the Amnesty Station’s refugee laws make it nearly impossible for us to reclaim her, might I suggest we send two of our best trackers to go in undercover? If they are careful not to get caught, perhaps we can get the hu’man back without anyone in the planetary consortium finding out….”
Was I overplaying my hand a bit? Perhaps so, but I want him to think I am on his side. When he announced that he wished to create a new agreement with the New Terrhans, I thought with absolute certainty that he was going to take the Kaidorians’ offer. But this fool was willing to give those savages access to Darlanz, rather than hand over the hu’mans. However, the greatest insult was
his declaration of making that inferior hu’man his Qel! Over my A’Ry!
She, who had been groomed to rule as Qel since birth, cast aside for a female from a species with questionable intellect.
I understood, better than most due to my lab experiments with them, how addictive the sweet hots the hu’man females possessed could be. But to actually marry one? Make her our Qel? Disgusting.
Yet, his repellant ideas had gained some traction with the warriors in the council hall, and even my nephew had decided to throw his support behind the short-sighted Kel. It was then I knew I had to speed up my plan to get rid of the hu’man.
With Kel D’Rek’s obsession out of the way I could get even more of the council members and perhaps even T’Kan on my side. I will use this to point out his incompetence as our leader. After all, what Kel would put the needs of a race that was only slightly more intelligent than house pets over his own people?
“Do not bother, N’Ure.”
I furrow my ridges in confusion at the sudden command. “My Kel?”
He pushes the note to make it disappear. “I said do not bother. Call off your men. The hu’man is no longer of consequence to me.”
“But you said—”
He slams his palm on the desk. “I know what was said. And now, I am telling you to call off the hunt. I now realize the error of my hasty announcement. A new alliance with the New Terrhans will never work. The stupid hu’man was offered more than she deserved but was not smart enough to understand that. I will not be made a fool of again.”
I open my mouth but can come up with no words for this unexpected decision.
It does not seem to matter because he continues to talk. “I would also like to have a marriage meeting with A’Ry—forgive me. I should call her by her formal name for such an important topic. I believe N’Maryah will be a more suitable choice to become my mate. She understands our customs and will never embarrass me. If she will still have me, I hope she will do me the honor of becoming my Qel.”
I stand there in complete shock for several moments, unable to believe my original plan is really coming true.
Then I assure him, “Of course, my Kel. My A’ry is most forgiving and practical. Furthermore, she will understand the importance of her position and will always be a credit to the throne.”
He gives me a cold nod. “Make it happen as soon as possible. Also, set up a comm meeting with Emperor Zalias.”
Kel D’Rek looks into the distance, his black diamond eyes glittering with bitterness. “I have decided to accept his original treaty offer.”
24
Captain Dedon Of Ship Emperor Cargo
The face pretty, but too body skinny Xalthurian is still laughing when an emergency holo hail suddenly appears as a cloaked screen in front of her face.
Her eyes cool as she checks the message. Then she laughs no more.
“Is something amiss?” I ask, growing more impatient by the moment. We have been waiting for her father to rendezvous with us as promised for nearly a quarter week now, and he has yet to show.
“No…nothing is amiss,” she answers, but after too long a pause. Also, her ridges lay flat against her head, which I know from the broken prisoners in our holding cells, means she has much anger. “It would seem there has been a change of plan. I must go.”
“Another change of plan?” I stroke a hand down one side of my hanging mustache, not liking this news. Not liking it at all.
Something is off. As my father, the great warrior Crill of Ship Alloo would say, “This meat is pink, but it smells bad.”
I think for a second of holding her here. Perhaps even keeping her here and demanding a ransom from her father for her safe return. Kaidorians value wealth over everything after all, and I can well-imagine the kind of reward this beauty would fetch.
Or I should say, Kaidorians used to value wealth over everything. The situation has become dire indeed. Our last Kai babeling was born over five solars ago. If we cannot secure these human females…if we must undergo another messy war, there’s a good chance our race will die out.
And what good is wealth, without a family to spend it on?
With a pang, I think of my own four fathers and mother. Of course, they do not fault me for not having provided them with a grandbabeling yet to spoil. However, their eyes do not glitter as they used to, when I return to our home ship with the spoils of my travels.
Yea…this deal must go through.
So instead of halting the Xalthurian female’s progress, I escort her back to the shuttle bay. Then I press the comm button on my captain’s uniform to tell my flight control officer to open the shuttle doors, so that our guest might leave.
“My father will be in touch soon,” she says, before hurrying over to the small flyer she flew here in with the unconscious female. Watching her scurry into her ship, I am reminded of the newets she mentioned earlier, rodents that are nearly impossible to exterminate from spaceships, because they breed in litters with a gestation period of a mere two weeks. They can often be seen and heard on my own cargo ship, scurrying about in much the same manner the prime minister’s daughter rushes back to her flyer.
No, I do not like the smell of this meat, I think as her ship lifts and launches out of the shuttle bay. At all. But the alternative—my race dying out because we don’t have enough resources to both pull off a full-scale attack on Xalthuria and extract the rest of the fertile human females from their planet—that is worse than any stomach-ache this deal with Xalthuria’s traitorous prime minister is causing me.
These thoughts and more bring me back to the cargo bay.
Back to the prize lying in a two-story cargo container just beyond our holding cells.
In true Kaidorian fashion, I vastly understated my interest in the human the Xalthurian female brought along as a gift.
I hadn’t allowed myself to look too hard at her while carrying her from N’Maryah’s flyer to the cargo container that I had custom built for this mission. To actually look at the first fertile female I have laid eyes on in many, many solars might have been my undoing. And I did not want the Xalthurian female to realize how desperate my race had become in the years since we lost most of our female population to the Extinction Virus.
But now I can think of little else. I rub my cock through my pants, wondering if all the things the prime minister told the emperor about these human females during their secret talks is true. That they are actually designed to be continuously bred. That they secrete pleasurable lubrication liquid from their fucking triangles, and even have sex with their human mates between breedings, because they find the act so pleasurable.
Rubbing my throbbing cock, I imagine the female in the cage and a whole colony of females just like her. We’re not allowed to touch the unbreeded females as they have already been pre-assigned to mating packs. But I have yet to form a mating pack of my own, and the hu’man in my cargo bay is already pregnant.
So yes…contrary to my protests, this female was a very thoughtful gift indeed. As the ship’s captain, I will take the first taste, then offer her up to any male onboard who wishes to give up his wages for the trip back to the Emperor’s hive ship.
I imagine there will be many takers. For even the females on the pleasure stations don’t secrete lubrication. The curiosity alone would be worth their wages.
As I enter the hallway of holding cells I must walk through to get to the cargo bay, I scan our many Xalthurian Prisoners of War. Most of them are either staring off into a distance no one else can see, and some of them are even drooling.
The unlucky few who have not gone insentient, rock back and forth, talking to themselves in Kaidorian, and sometimes even biting into their own skin. I pass one prisoner who has wounded himself so badly chunks of his flesh now lay within spitting distance of where he’s rocking. He’ll probably die of infection before the negotiations for the Prisoners of War are through.
Luckily, he is not the prisoner responsible for this entire deal. That prisoner
is not quite as insentient as the others. He doesn’t rock back and forth, and the many scars marring his skin are not self-inflicted. Every single one of them can be attributed to our scientists and the fighting pen.
He stares at me as I walk past his cage, his gold diamond eyes glittering with malevolence.
However, I merely nod at him as I pass by, tipping my head with a little smirk. Who knew that of all these males, this one would be the key to the continuation of our race? Maybe if the emperor had known from the start, the scientists would not have been allowed to torture him so severely after his last fight.
As it is, his mind is most likely broken. Luckily the prime minister doesn’t know that yet and will not truly comprehend it until we are on our way with our first batch of New Terrhan females, along with the coordinates to invade the planet anytime we like.
Rubbing through my pants is no longer enough. When I clear the hallway of holding cells, I pull my cock all the way out and stroke it as I enter the access code.
It is pitch black inside, but my eyes quickly adjust, using the little light from the hall beyond the open doorway to marvel at the structure. According to the specs I was given before the emperor’s men loaded it on to my ship, this cargo container is big enough to hold nearly a thousand colonists. It will be a tight squeeze, but I plan to cull at least that in our first raid of New Terrhan.
However, the container now houses only one sole human. A human I plan to fuck while I wait for N’Ure to return and fulfill his promise to escort us to the New Terrhan planet.
Hopefully, it’s sooner rather than later. The cloaking technology we have been using to stay hidden within this system was designed for battles of no more than a few hours. It’s been days since we arrived at the prime minister’s coordinates. And without a precedent, I fear the tech could give out on us at any moment….
Kel D'Rek; His To Claim Page 20