Author's Note: Got another chapter written. The concept I have so far takes me through at least one more chapter before I have to start winging it.

I've seen Caine's last name spelt several ways in fanfics but went with Wise as that is the IMDB character spelling.

Please let me know if this sounds like something that I should try to continue.

Enjoy!

Chapter 2: The Guard

Jupiter sat on what she could only ever think of as her throne. It sat on a raised dais a few steps above the rest of the room. She was trying not to fidget as she waited for Caine to arrive with her new close guard. It had been long months since she saw him after the battle at Balem's refinery and she desperately wanted him back with her.

Stinger stood beside her and she could feel his steady presence willing her to remain still. He had quickly become one of her close counsellors and she could hear his words in her ear now, urging her to act appropriately serious for this very important ceremony. Jupiter tried to borrow some of his poise in an effort to stop herself from reaching up to adjust the ornate headpiece her team of dressers had suggested.

As a show of regality, the headpiece certainly did its job, but it was terribly heavy, and Jupiter always thought it felt like it was going to slip off her head. Just because it had not done so yet in months of meetings and formal introductions did not convince her it wouldn't at the most inopportune time. Darn thing looked like a golden tree sprouting from her hair. Little crystal ornaments dangled from it, catching the light and sending it dancing around the room. Rather than adjust it as she wanted to do, Jupiter settled for tilting her head down so that the refracted light slithered across the walls.

"Your Majesty," came Stinger's slightly accented voice to draw her from her thoughts. At once Jupiter willed herself to sit straighter and slipped her face into the blank mask of a queen. Her hands smoothed the white robes with wide gold embroidered cuffs that she wore as part of her Entitled ensemble. Stinger had made it very clear that her review and acceptance of her guard would be their first impression of her as an Entitled. Her actions now would set the loyalty bred into their genes.

The thought of that, something forced on the splices against their will, disgusted Jupiter but she had come to understand its necessity. A splice engineered for loyalty could never betray her or act as a spy on another's behalf. Jupiter settled her inner turmoil at purchasing people by ensuring they had the right to ask for their contract to be sold if they were unhappy working for her. According to the letter of the law, that was the most freedom Jupiter could offer them and so she did.

A sound at the front of the hall pulled Jupiter from her thoughts on splice law. The doors of the main hall opened silently to reveal her first glimpse of Caine in months. As protocol dictated, he came in at the head of a phalanx of guards. These were not the guards who would be on the ships hovering in the sky above her alcazar. These were not the guards that stood sentry in the halls, saluting as she passed. No, these were the guards that would never leave her sight. Her personal bodyguards that would act as an extension of her person.

Caine looked beautiful. His wings were pulled up proudly behind his head. The collarless and sleeveless vest he wore proudly displayed his maker's mark on his neck and the legion sigil on his bicep. Jupiter took a moment to admire the exposed muscles of his arm before finally turning her attention to his face.

Whatever longing or happiness she had hoped to see was absent. Caine wore a blank expression. His eyes were gazing steadily over her head. A quick glance at the other six splices behind him showed that they were almost identical in posture, if not in appearance. Jupiter frowned at the total lack of recognition from someone she thought she was close with.

Her frown had an immediate effect on the atmosphere of the room. Stinger shifted almost imperceptibly beside her so that he could glance at her. The ornamental footmen and servants around the edge of the room also exchanged worried glances. An Entitled frowning was not a good sign for anyone in the vicinity.

Stinger traced her gaze to where it held on Caine. He thought he knew what the problem was but there was nothing to be done about the star-crossed lovers right now. The ceremony needed to be completed before the two could have a conversation. Quickly he stepped up slightly in front of Jupiter's seat and held out his hand to her. Her gaze met his, startled out of her reverie by his movement.

"Right, the ceremony," thought Jupiter. Setting her face back in a blank mask she lightly set her hand on Stinger's arm and let him guide her down the stairs until she stood in front of Caine.

"Your Majesty, may I present to you the sergeant of your close guard, Mr. Caine Wise." Stinger said in a cool, formal voice. Caine dropped to one knee and let his eyes fall to the floor. His murmured "Your Majesty" was so soft that Jupiter almost missed it.

Being this close to him almost sidetracked Jupiter's thoughts again but she caught herself and gave the required tiny nod of her head to show her acceptance of Mr. Wise into her guard. A gentle shift of Stinger's arm indicated that Jupiter should step around the kneeling figure and move on to the next guard for review.

Stinger presented each guard in turn. Mr. Praetor Drear, a tall and well muscled splice that wore his hair shaved on the sides and long on top. The black locks were brushed back to fall down the back of his head like a mane on a horse. His size was impressive, even next to the rest of the guards. Jupiter tried to recall from the briefing notes what he was spliced with but couldn't remember.

Next to Drear stood another male splice, Mr. Reign Quell. He was still muscular but of a much slighter build. Jupiter recalled he came from the same maker as Stinger. A bee splice bred for queen loyalty and unbelievable speed. His eyes and hair were both an unremarkable shade of brown. Actually, Jupiter mused, nothing about his appearance stood out. Not too big, not too small, not too handsome. She supposed that was a quality to look for in a close guard.

The next four guards were female. That meant, including Caine and Stinger, a full half of her guard was each gender. Stinger had explained that women Entitled often employed more female guards. They would be less out of place with her in bathing chambers for instance. Due to their engineering, they were no less competent than male splices. The idea of a man in the bathroom with her did make Jupiter squirm, but she wasn't sure the feeling would go away if the guard was also a woman. Still, she let Stinger pick the team he thought best.

All four females were purchased in a special batch from a splicer. Ms. Yumi, Ms. Yana, Ms. Yall, and Ms. Yara all looked nearly identical. Cat splices Jupiter recalled. Their eyes had vertical pupils Jupiter noticed as they moved to kneel at her feet in a wave. Jupiter wondered how she was supposed to tell which one was which. Each wore their hair pulled back in a bob. Their ears were pointed much like Caine's. Maybe they could each wear a different colour flea collar. The thought made a smile tug at her lips as she gave the last nod to accept these four into her guard.

The ceremony finally over, Stinger led Jupiter back to her raised seat. He waited until she was again seated before joining the guard still kneeling on the floor. "Your Majesty we are pleased you have accepted us." He spoke the ritual words. "Our honour is to serve. Our life is to protect. We are yours."

A shiver stole down Jupiter's spine leaving a sickly cold feeling. Sometimes she felt that she was only playing at being Entitled. Stinger's words reminded her that this was no game. These people would willingly throw away their lives to protect her. Sobered at that thought Jupiter again sought out Caine's eyes, but they were still turned downward in deference.

"Dismissed," Jupiter's voice called out. Signalling an end to the ceremony and freeing her up to behave outside the weight of culture. "Mr. Wise, may I see you in my chambers?"

xXx

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