Riki and Yiela entered the condo quietly but their movements triggered the sensors to illuminate the room and when they did, they found a very annoyed Blondie waiting for them.
"Where have you been?" Iason demanded as his eyes leveled on Riki. "What have you been doing?"
"We've been out," Riki returned flippantly, he was not in a great mood either. He was tired, sore and slightly sick to his stomach. His head was pounding and he felt like his eyes were going to fall out of their sockets. "Cruising."
Iason was across the room in seconds and grabbed Riki by the front of his shirt. "You will answer me."
"I did answer you."
Iason's free hand gripped Riki's shoulder and the mongrel winced. Iason's eyes narrowed dangerously and it was then he realized someone was missing. "Are you keeping things from me, Riki? Where is Bean?"
"I handled it," Riki murmured. He was too tired for this shit. "You said it was my choice. If you didn't trust me with it then don't give me the responsibility and…" He winced again as Iason's hand pressed on his shoulder and his exhaustion flipped to anger instantly. "Fucking let me go!"
Iason grip tightened instead, but then he let go. "I have had a very difficult evening, Riki, and you are making it worse. Now, if you do not want me to get angrier with you, then tell me the truth."
"I can't!"
"You can't?"
"What you don't know can't hurt us!"
"Riki?" Iason's paused, his anger turning to concern. He'd said us, not him, a noticeable difference for a mongrel who was usually more self-serving. "What have you done?"
"You said that Bean was my problem and I handled it my way. If you can't even trust me then sell me off too!"
"I do trust you, Riki, but I insist that we be honest with each other."
"I can't, not about this."
"Why? If you are concerned it will have repercussions…"
"Of course it will!" Riki spun around at Yiela, still standing behind them. "Leave!"
Yiela nodded and quickly departed the room as Riki turned back to Iason. "I did something stupid, but it had to be done, I can't tell you about it because it might compromise you, besides, you don't tell me everything you do?"
"I tell you what is relevant, Riki."
"What about your business? What about all the shady deals that Katze does for you? What about all your spies and the information they have?"
"None of that has anything to do with you, so there is no point in discussing it."
"Right, and this doesn't have anything to do with you. This is my deal. Mine! I did this on my own!"
"Riki, where is Bean?"
"Gone! He's gone and he's never coming back!" Riki hoped he would never come back anyway, but Bean was manipulative and smart. Maybe he'd better check again in a few days, make sure.
"Did you terminate him?"
"No!" Not directly, Riki added silently. Please! Please stop asking me. "I can't tell you. I won't tell you! I took care of this, just leave it at that. Why can't you just leave it at that?
Seeing how adamant his lover was, Iason stepped forward and caressed Riki's cheek. "I worry for you, Riki."
"Well, don't. I was taking care of myself long before I met you."
"If you are putting yourself in danger, I must know!"
"I'm not!" Riki tried to reign in his temper. "I needed to do this. Sometimes you need to do things because they have to be done, will this was mine!"
"This isn't just about Bean's punishment," Iason realized. "Is this about Cal?"
Riki lowered his eyes. It was about more than Cal, but Iason didn't need to know that. He'd been too cowardly to save Mimea from Raoul's wrath, and too uncaring to save Daryl from termination. He couldn't save Guy from fucking up his life by going after Iason and…worst of all, he couldn't save his father from being eaten by aliens.
Each and every time he had put himself first, clinging to his own survival, preferring to save himself pain or punishment by ignoring the plight of others. That was who he was, who he'd had to be to survive life in Ceres, but he wasn't just a mongrel anymore. He had a family and a people, even if he didn't fully trust or understand them. He'd hadn't been born a mongrel and his fate could have been so much different. A fate that had been stolen from him and left him to be a slum-mongrel and a Blondie's pet.
He didn't know who he was anymore, but what he did know was that a lot of people had put their lives on the line to help him, several times now. Iason, Katze, Cal, Carrie and even the woman who claimed to be his mother. People were ready to do that for him and it wasn't because he was the leader of a gang, it wasn't because they feared him or wanted something from him; at least if they did want something they hadn't shown what it was yet. He couldn't understand it, any of it. It couldn't all be attributed to this supposed power of his, and if it wasn't then what was it? Why did people want him? Why did they care? It made no sense!
The only thing that had made sense was when he had said goodbye to Riki the Dark. While he lapsed for a moment in dealing with Bean, he had to firmly leave that part of him behind now. He had to figure out who he really was, who he wanted to be and why…why all these people thought he was so damn worthy of their protection. He wasn't just a slum-mongrel gang leader anymore, and he didn't really consider himself a pet, but nor did he want to be a Prince. In all honesty, he didn't have the answers yet, but one thing he no longer wanted to be was a helpless, selfish coward.
"Riki, you cannot change what has happened."
"I know that!" Riki stalked across the living room, stepped up and threw open the balcony doors. He moved to the railing, looked out over the city and felt, rather than heard Iason move up behind him.
"Revenge is not the answer," Iason said as he wrapped his arms around Riki.
"Maybe not yours."
"Whatever you did will not change the past."
"I don't need it to, I just…"
Riki took a deep breath. His emotions were taking a rollercoaster ride through his system and he couldn't seem to stop them. Maybe this was more about Cal than he had thought, but how could he explain that to Iason without him becoming upset or jealous? The young Furniture had become like a little brother to Riki, similar and yet very different to the way he felt with Guy. While Cal had done his job as Furniture and had not seemed overly sympathetic to Riki's plight, as Daryl had, Cal still offered wisdom and insight to get Riki beyond the curse of his own hate and anger. Seeing Cal act so mature had made Riki's immature tantrums seem obsolete and foolish. The younger boy had become a foundation for Riki, accepting all of the mongrel's rage and bullying and yet maintaining a firm hand whenever needed.
Riki had never had a father figure in his life, had only recently remembered pieces of the one that he'd had as a child. Guy and the gang of Bison had been Riki's only family, or so he thought, but Cal became that way for him too. Where Iason could be indulgent when he got his way and cruel when he did not, Cal's methods with Riki never wavered. The rules were the rules, and Cal insisted they be followed, but he had a way of making Riki feel less trapped and abused by his situation and so Riki would often give in more readily to the young Furniture.
Cal had a different reward and punishment system than Iason's and Riki reacted better to it. Cal never got crazy, never got angry or temperamental or jealous, he was a smooth, even anchor in a sea of chaos and Riki often found himself clinging to that. Where he had resented Daryl and the idea of Furniture at first, almost from the first day that he had returned he found he couldn't summon the same resentment for Cal.
Riki reluctantly found himself turning to Cal for support and guidance and the fact that the boy was younger than him was not lost on either of them. The few times when he had seen Cal flustered, speechless, or adorably pleased made Riki's judgement of him soften more and more. He wanted to please Cal, but he also wanted to protect him. Seeing the Furniture as both a father figure and a sibling was confusing, especially added to that was that Cal still held domain over him and was above Riki status wise. Yet, despite his ever-changing feelings for the kid, one thing remained, that he felt he owed the younger boy for helping him get through his return to being a pet. Knowing that Cal had been hurt, been violated was not something Riki could easily forgive or forget.
He glanced down at the mood bracelet he still wore, quietly lifted his hand to show Iason that the color showing was one of anxiety or fear, and that was when Iason noticed the bruises and scrapes on his knuckles.
"I needed to do this," he whispered. "I needed to do this for Cal. Please understand?"
Iason caught Riki's hand, examined the torn flesh and forced himself not to ask what happened. "I do understand. I know you care for him."
"It's not like that! I don't want to do him or anything…"
"I know that, Riki! It's fine for you to like him." Iason pulled Riki into his arms and cursed whatever actions he had taken that made Riki so afraid of even having affection for someone else. "You are allowed to like him as you like Carrie."
"R…really? You're okay with it?"
"I am."
Riki's feelings for Cal had been obvious for some time, but despite Bean's earlier claims, Iason never felt even an inkling of jealousy towards his former Furniture. Cal was quite simply not the type to fall for a pet, and he would never betray his Master. That was why Iason had been so enraged when Bean attempted to falsify a relationship between Riki and Cal.
Plus, he knew living in Eos was difficult for Riki and he had worked hard to put aside his instant jealousy at anyone who showed Riki any attention, because he realized that Riki needed to have friends; even he had Raoul and Katze.
Other pets were friendly with each other, but Riki had never been friendly with anyone and had been shunned by most. It was Carrie, being so open and honest that allowed him to realize that he could abide Riki having friends, because that also meant there were more around to protect Riki and watch over him. He also noticed a slight change in Riki, he had recently seen the mongrel flustered and shy and maybe even a moment or two of happiness. That had never happened before, could not have been possible without Riki's new relationship with the older woman.
"At least promise me whatever happened will not anger Jupiter?" He could not risk losing Riki.
"No. It doesn't involve anyone else, it shouldn't even be noticed if you just stop asking what happened!"
Riki had covered his tracks well. The people at Ranya Uugo probably would not file a complaint, and even if they did the authorities would not thoroughly investigate it as places like that were considered wild country and no one really cared what happened there, not even the police.
The administrator and others at the brothel may know what Bean looks like, but they wouldn't be able to find him, and even if they did learn that Bean had worked for Iason, the boy was no longer here. He had taken a car out without permission, had left Eos without permission. They would assume that he had returned to Ranya Uugo, perhaps to cover his tracks from selling Cal. He had broken the rules and run away before his master could terminate him, that was how it would look. They wouldn't associate Riki with being a pet because of how he had dressed and acted, and they'd never be able to figure how who Yiela was, so they should both be safe.
"You…what are you gonna do?"
Iason's response was quiet, careful. "What do I need to do?"
Riki wet his lips, he didn't want to involve Iason. He had done all of this to keep Iason out of it. Still, it would help to have more security. "What would you normally do if…if your Furniture suddenly disappeared?" Riki held Iason's studied gaze and willed himself not to look away.
"I'd track him down and destroy him."
Iason watched Riki's eyes widen a fraction, but he held the Blondie's gaze boldly and that gaze told Iason what Riki was expecting. He felt himself grow aroused as he realized that Riki was far more intelligent, far more mercenary than he had ever realized.
He leaned in to whisper. "But for you, I will file a report that Bean was gone when I arrived home, and I assume has fled after being punished. Will that do?"
Riki almost sagged in relief. Unable to express himself properly he could only nod.
Iason caressed Riki's knuckles. "We should put something on these, unfortunately our Furniture has run away and I am unsure where the medicine is kept."
Did Iason just make a joke? Riki shrugged, cleared his throat. "I'll just soak them, it'll be fine."
Iason pulled him into his arms. "You have not asked me why I was called away?"
"Not my business, is it?"
"It is, actually." Iason turned Riki so that he was facing him and ignored the mongrel's sarcasm. "Jupiter had decreed that you will no longer be a pet."
Riki stared at Iason, waiting for the punchline. After several long moments, when the Blondie did not continue the joke he said. "What?"
"She had decided that your designation will be changed to something more appropriate."
Riki stepped back, warily and came up against the balcony barrier. Was this because he had fought her when he was on Avalon? No. No that wasn't right. Hadn't she contacted him just a couple of hours ago? He thought back to the brief, yet odd telepathic conversation he'd had with Jupiter in the car.
Riki.
Fuck! Don't do that!
Riki. Are you well?
Yeah, I guess.
What are you doing? Where are you?
Out. What do you want?
You had your chance to escape this life, why did you chose to return?
Did I actually have a choice?
You remained with Iason.
So?
You were very brave to stand by my son during this recent dilemma, against your own people and a chance for better life. You have proven yourself an asset to me, Riki, which makes you an asset for Amoï. Therefore, I will give you two wishes, for assisting Iason in his return.
Two? I thought the standard was three?
You may think upon the first two and let me know. I will make your last request for you, for I know your heart's desire.
You think so?
Do you wish for freedom? To be free you of Iason's hold? You may leave Tanagura and…
No.
No?
Does my answer not compute?
As I suspected, I do know your heart's desire. Very well, the decision has been made.
Wait! What decision? Jupiter? Jupiter!
She had not responded to him after that and he'd forgotten about it once they went back to Ranaya Uugo. Had her words been a test? Had his refusal to be freed angered the AI? Had she read in his mind what he had been up to? He tried to imagine what was worse than being a pet in and could only think of being a whore in a brothel.
Iason pulled Riki's tense body back into his arms. "Are you frightened, Riki?"
"Yes!"
Iason was surprised by the mongrel's quick confession. "You may have reason to be." He looked down into the dark eyes of the man he adored. "Your pet registration has been changed."
"To what?" Riki wanted to scream but kept his voice level. Why was Iason dragging this out? What did it all mean? "What am I now? What?"
"You've been registered as a commercial grade technician. Jupiter has been made aware of your skills in that area and felt it would be a good choice."
Riki blinked. "T…technician?" For a mongrel to be registered as a technician was almost unheard of. Because so much of Amoï ran on cybernetics and computer systems few Humans were even considered for the position, due to security and classified restrictions, and never anyone from Ceres. "M…Me?"
"You do not seem pleased."
"I…I'm just…" What did this mean? If he was no longer a pet did that mean he had to leave Iason? Go back to the slums or some other city? "I…I said no. I said no!"
Iason tilted his head and felt his love for the mongrel grow more intense. "No to what, Riki?"
"Why is She making me leave? I hate it here but you're here and I promised I would stay and…"
Hearing Riki say the truth that he already knew thrilled Iason to the core and he tightened his hold on the mongrel. "You do not have to leave," he assured.
Riki had indeed chosen to stay with him. Jupiter had claimed that a choice had been made, which meant that his creator had offered Riki his freedom and Riki had refused. Iason didn't think he had ever felt this happy in the entire length of his existence.
"There was another part of your new designation. A very lovely part, Riki." He pulled back and captured Riki's face between his hands, smiling at his lover's confusing.
"What…what else?"
"Your new title."
"Title? Me?"
"Yes. Jupiter had ordained that you, Riki the Dark are no longer just a mongrel from Ceres or a pet of a Blondie, but the Prince High Consort of, me, Iason Mink."
Expecting Riki to be just as thrilled as he was at the news, Iason was alarmed when Riki's eyes grew wider and the mongrel swiftly tore himself away to vomit over the side of the balcony.
"The healing wand took care of the bruises, and I've inserted a bone generator to help repair the broken rib." Kanin stated as he straightened from the bed where Riki was sleeping. He'd given the pet a sedative to ease the vomiting that had prompted Iason to contact him, but he had been more concerned about the bruising on the mongrel's shoulder and left side. "Keep it in for two days and once the light turns green you can remove it."
Iason had also noticed the bruises on his pet and had been outraged. He had declined discussion about the scraped knuckles because Riki seemed reluctant to talk about it, but had he known of the other injuries he would have pressed. He felt regret for causing Riki more pain when he had held him, and then anger that Riki had refused to confess that he was hurt.
"What of the other? The sickness? Is that because he was in pain?"
Kanin smirked. "This kid has been through a lot more than this and has never gotten sick before, so I doubt it. But you should be more careful with your temper, Iason. Humans are easily damaged, even strong, prideful ones like this one."
"I did not do this to him!"
Kanin's eyebrow rose. "Oh, really? Did he get in a fight with the other pets again then?"
What a noisy, troublesome doctor! "Forget about that and tell me about his illness!" Iason demanded.
"It's some kind of virus, but not one I have ever seen before. Was he off planet recently?"
Iason nodded and tried to contain his rage. Was it not enough that those people on Avalon had kidnapped Riki and turned his world upside down, but now they had managed to infect him with some foreign illness?
"What can you do? How long will he be ill?"
Kanin shrugged. "I couldn't say. I can give him medication, but as I don't know what is causing the symptoms, medication could make it better or it could kill him. There is no way to know."
"You are a physician! How can you not know?"
"I can't fight something I've never seen before, Iason!" Kanin packed up his small bag of medical tools and supplies. "I suggest you contact someone from whatever planet you went to and ask them for a complete list of known viruses and diseases. Once I see that, I can work out a cure, but until then, all I can do is sedate him to prevent the vomiting and fluid loss."
"So, you are doing nothing?" Iason demanded following him out of the room. "Riki is ill. You are paid to make him better!"
"Then get me that list! I'm a doctor not a God."
Iason watched Kanin leave and then bellowed for Yiela, who he had initially denied access to see Riki in his current state. He already felt the woman was far too familiar with his lover.
"Yes?"
He spun around, startled to find her standing behind him. That was odd, usually he could hear someone before they got within twenty feet from him. "Riki is ill and it is your fault."
"I am not ill," she stated calmly. "Therefore, I could not have caused his illness."
"He has been tainted by something on your planet and our physicians do not know what it is. I need a list of …"
"What are his symptoms?"
How dare she interrupt him! "What?"
"The symptoms that induced you to contact your physician."
"Vomiting."
"Does he have a fever?"
"Yes!"
"Are there spots?"
Iason blinked. "Spots?"
"May I see him, please?"
"No. Wait here."
Iason stormed back to their room and examined Riki's body more thoroughly. He found an odd trail of redish marks scattered across his stomach and headed towards his chest. Were these spots? He and Kanin had believed them an odd pattern of bruising. What did they mean? Would Riki die from them? He touched them, they were slightly crusted and rough.
He was startled when Yiela's hair suddenly came into view as she bent over Riki's naked form and practically put her nose to the mongrel's stomach. "Don't touch…"
Iason moved to yank her away but she was already straightening.
"As I suspected," she said softly. "Spots."
"What are they?" he demanded, concerned. He had never seen such a thing before. "Can they kill him?"
Yiela smiled and shook her head. "No, it is a childhood affliction which will disappear on its own within time."
"He is no child! How could he have developed such a thing?"
"All children on Avalon are inoculated to prevent catching the virus. Maku never received the inoculation as he had not reached the required age before he disappeared. It is possible the virus was contracted upon his re-introduction to Avalon."
"The virus is caused by your planet? Does that make him a carrier? Will everyone here now get this affliction?" Had Iason brought disease and devastation to his planet?
"It is a natural isotope in the atmosphere of the planet. To my knowledge, it only affects our people, which is why we inoculate them at a young age, however we have several alien races visiting for trade and some even living on our planet that have never contracted the infection."
"That seems a vague answer."
"It may be prudent to keep him isolated until the disease has run its course."
"Does he not require the cure?"
"No. Once a person has developed the disease they cannot get it again. The inoculation is merely preventative to prevent unnecessary suffering."
"Can the virus still spread then?"
Yiela shook her head. "It cannot be spread to others that are not from Avalon."
"Are you absolutely sure? Your people are Humanoid and there are many Humanoids here as well. Can you confirm that the disease will not spread?"
Yiela opened her mouth, paused and then closed it. "I cannot, as I said, we have had many off-worlders come to Avalon and there is no recorded case of any of them contracting the affliction. I will send for the inoculation serum. If any more show signs of the disease, it can easily be administered to the remaining uninfected population."
Iason nodded then turned back and covered Riki up. "How long will he be sick?"
"Once the spots appear it usually lasts three or four cycles. The vomiting and fever will pass after the first day."
"What happens after that?"
"The spots will continue to spread and they will burn uncomfortably, however I will also request a salve that we use to take away the burn."
"Will they scar?"
"As long as he does not scratch them he will be fine."
Iason nodded. "Do what you can. I will contact my man Katze, he will arrange the fastest ship to pick up and return with the medicine."
"I could request a courier from Avalon be sent…"
"No." Jupiter might blast the ship out of the sky given their last encounter and he wanted no more of those people on his world. "Do as I have instructed."
"Very well. It would be best if you allow me to care for him, as I have seen this disease before." Also, Maku was hers to care for, regardless of what this Blondie thought. The Prince was her life's duty.
"You can tell me what to do and I will do it."
"You cannot be with him all the time, and someone will need to be."
That much was true, Iason still had a full workload and would not be able to put it off to take care of Riki full time, as much as he wished he could. Despite Jupiter's choice to change Riki's designation he sensed things were still very precarious for them both. He could not let his guard down.
However, now they had no Furniture and requesting a new one would take time, plus he was not confident that he wanted a strange Furniture tending to Riki, given the issues with Bean. That left only one option.
"You can also not watch him constantly," he said and rose. He touched his wrist-com and placed a call to Raoul, who answered almost immediately. "It's time," he decided.