Two arns later Berret returned to his apartments alone, the children having decided to have a late breakfast with Missy and Andrea after their morning swimming lesson. He moved through the silent apartment to Chiana and his bedroom. There was still a lump under the blankets that he assumed was his still sleeping wife. He stripped off his sweaty shirt and dumped it into a basket to be cleaned and then headed into their lavatory for a quick shower. He was well into his shower, enjoying the feel of the hot water soaking away his aches from the beating D'argo had just given him in the gym. He idly thought that next time he chose to tease the Luxan he'd make sure they weren't just about to spar with practice swords again. The swords, while not being able to cut, could deliver quite a stunning blow. He sighed again to himself as the hot water sprayed across a particularly sore spot when the shower curtains suddenly ripped aside and a pale gray figure leaped in at him making downward overhead stabbing motions while emitting an eerie cry.
"Wheeee! Wheeeee! Wheeeeee!" the figure went with each downward stab.
"AHHHHGGGGHHHH!" Berret screamed in surprise and backpedaled until his back hit the wall of the shower stall. As he hit the tiled surface his feet shot out from under him and he slid down the wall in slow motion, his bare back making a squeaking noise all the way down, until he hit the shower floor with a soft thump.
The shock wore off as he sat on the floor with the water still spraying down on the top of his head. He then realized the gray figure was actually a nude Chiana who was staring down at him in stunned amazement. As soon as she seen that he hadn't obviously hurt himself, she burst out into a rolling fit of laughter.
"I have asked you, repeatedly... not to do that!" Berret said as he attempted to regain some of his dignity.
A new round of laughter from the Nebari rewarded his effort.
"It's not my fault you're afraid of the 'Normanbates'! She stammered out, while walking the rest of the way into the stall and under the spray of water.
"I am not afraid of the Norman Bates," he corrected as she helped him to his feet again.
Cycles ago when he first arrived aboard Moya, he'd had to use the common shower area because the showers on his quarter's tier were being repaired by DRD's. While he was showering, Zhaan being Zhaan, had walked in to join him and startled him in much the same way. Not understanding why being surprised in the shower should produce such a reaction in humans and Zhaan remembering Crichton reacting the same way in similar shower incident, they asked him. John told them of an old Earth myth about a man named Norman Bates who ran a type of inn on Earth. It seemed that Norman Bates had a habit of killing visitors to his inn while they were in the shower. John warned them that it was a classic legend and that it wasn't a good idea to startle Earth people in the shower because of it. By the smirk on John's face, Berret had the feeling he wasn't being totally honest about the tale, but he'd let it drop at the time. However since then, it had become one of Chiana's favorite pranks to pull on him whenever she could. He tried to communicate his displeasure non-verbally to his wife but that only seemed to amuse her all the more.
"What's the matter? Are you gonna be mad at me all day now?" she asked pressing her wet body up against him, trying to weasel her way back into his good graces.
"No," he answered, not buying her con for a microt. "I was just... thinking."
"About what?" she purred, smiling up at him.
"About how pitiful a wet Nebari looks," he answered.
He chuckled as she rewarded him with a wet washcloth in the face.
Chiana grasped Berret's hand as they entered the Trader Square outside the Palace gates.
"Don't wander too far ahead," she told her children. Looking up at her husband she asked, "Are you still mad at me for the joke this morning?"
"I've asked you before not to do that, and no, I'm not mad at you," he told her sullenly.
"Good," said Chiana, just before he finished with,
"I'm more 'annoyed' with you."
"Well, hey! I can't help it if you fall for it every time," she said in her defense.
"I don't 'fall for it' every time," he denied, "It's more like you ambush me with it every time."
"Alright!" she gave in. "I'll try and resist doing it again."
"Right, and I also believe Rygel will give up the throne to become a monk," Berret said looking sideways at his wife, but smiling.
"Well, it could happen," she tried.
They reached a section of the market where there were boot makers and Chiana told Berret that Jalen was in need of new footwear, having almost outgrown what he had. Berret told her he was going to look for a few things that John wanted to complete one of his many on-going projects aboard Moya and then agreed to meet his family back at that spot within three-quarters of an arn. Chiana gathered up their offspring and headed off to one of the storefronts. She noticed a clothing store nearby and made a mental note to stop in to look around before meeting her husband. She decided to get both children fitted for new boots, the process being long with two active urchins, and expensive. She sighed and wished for the days when she just would have snurched what she needed. She thought about seeing if she still had her skills but Berret would be none to happy with her if he found out she did, and certainly Rygel would have a grand time if she were caught and brought before him for stealing in his market. She tried to remember when life became so boring, then looked down at her two fidgeting children and remembered, "Life didn't get boring, it just changed for the better." The thought brought a smile to her face as she took out the credits to pay for her purchases.
Outside the Boot maker's shop, the children pleaded with their mother to visit a nearby toy store. She still had more than a quarter arn before meeting Berret and told the children that they could see the toys after they went inside the clothing store next to the toyshop first. Half the store was opened to the market and Chiana wandered through the racks of clothing as the children waited patiently where she could see them in front of the toyshop. Chulee had her nose pressed up against the window and Jalen stood farther back so he could look at the toy models on a higher shelf in the display.
A voice behind them asked, "My, where did you youngsters come from?"
Jalen turned to see a man who looked as pale as his mother, but had the same jet-black hair he did. The man was dressed in a fancy suit and behind him stood another Nebari man in a uniform. The man started a little when he noticed Jalen's bright blue eyes. Chulee also turned to look at the man but finding nothing of interest, went back to inspecting the playthings behind the window.
"I see," said the man, more to himself. "Where are your parents?" he asked.
"My mother is over there shopping," said Jalen, pointing in Chiana's direction. "We're waiting for her to finish so we can go into the toy store."
The man looked over to where the boy pointed and then could make out the white hair moving between the clothes racks.
"Thank you, young man. You and your sister have a good time in the toy store."
He turned to the uniformed Nebari and gave the man a meaningful look as they moved away from the children. "Obviously one that hasn't been recalled for Re-conditioning," he said as they walked away from the storefront. "The thought of a Nebari woman bearing offspring by another species.... makes me ill."
The Nebari men headed straight for Chiana. Before they could corner her, she looked up to check the children and her blood froze as she saw them. She quickly turned away from their approach, telling herself not to panic. Pretending she hadn't seen them, she headed further back among the racks to draw them away from the children. Once the men were inside the store with racks of clothing still separating them, Chiana ducked under the closest one and crawled her way toward the outside, and her children. She rolled out from under the last row and jumped to her feet, frantically calling Jalen and Chulee to her. The men reversed their course when they realized her ploy and were heading back toward the family. The two children at first started to resist their mother dragging them from the promised visit to the toy shop, but fell silent as her panic at the two Nebari coming back over to them registered.
"Hold on a micron," said the man in the fancy suit, attempting to sound non-threatening. "We just want to talk," he said to them. The man in the uniform at his side was speaking in a low voice into his comm badge. Chiana pushed her children behind her and began backing them away from the Nebari men.
"Stay away from us!" she warned, wishing she'd brought a weapon. "You're not touching me or my children."
"Relax, there's no need to be frightened," said the man who Chiana knew by his expensive dress and seal amulet was an Official of the Nebari government. The uniformed man was obviously his bodyguard.
"We're here to help you. Don't you want to be a productive member of Nebari society again?" he asked.
"I don't need a mind frelling! You can keep your mental cleansing!" Chiana screamed at him, herding Chulee and Jalen back further behind her. "Don't come any closer!" she demanded, then in panic she started calling, "Jared! Jared!" looking left and right for her husband, and then finally yelling, "BERRET!"
Chulee began crying for her father and Jalen tried to step in front of his mother and sister to protect them, but was shoved back again by a frenzied Chiana.
The Nebari Official gave up trying to reason with the woman.
"This is getting us nowhere," he told his bodyguard, giving the Nebari woman a look of undisguised disgust. "Just go and take her and let's be done with it," he commanded his bodyguard. "I have a late lunch with the Ambassador after all,"
"Yes, sir," said the military officer as he stepped forward preparing to take Chiana into custody.
The Nebari soldier never made it to lay a hand on the frighten woman. Somebody behind him stomped viciously on the back of one of his knee, driving him to the ground. When he looked up to see who had attacked him, a boot sole smashed into his face knocking him out cold. Berret stepped over the unconscious man and grabbed the Nebari Official by the throat, lifting the man off the ground so he was unable to use those strong Nebari leg muscles to kick him. Berret felt several muscles in his arm tear from the strain and the warm feeling that indicated that the microbes where repairing the rips, but he was too angry to care. Berret looked over at his family to assure himself they were unharmed as he held the kicking man up. The Nebari grasped Berret's wrist with both his hands trying to take the weight of his body off his neck and to attempt to free himself from the man's iron hold.
"Unhand me! Do you know who I am?" he croaked threatenly out though his half crushed throat.
Berret brought his full attention back to the man in his grasp.
"No," he said in a voice as cold as ice. "Do you know who I am?" he asked in return.
The Official could only slightly shake his head in the negative and make a choking noise.
"Good," said the Shrike with a wicked smile. "I'm going to tell you something very important. Your future continued existence depends on how well you listen. Nod if you understand me."
The Nebari vigorously nodded his head as much as he was able while held in the constricting grip.
"Good," said Berret again, obviously taking his time. "Now listen carefully. My wife, and my family.... are no concern of yours or your governments. If I see you or any of your people around them again... I will find you and kill you... and I will kill you in a excruciating slow and painful way."
"And if he does not, I most certainly will," said a gruff voice from behind Berret. Turning, the Shrike saw D'argo standing there, meaningfully fingering the edge of his Qualta blade as two more unarmed Nebari soldiers ran up, but skidded to a halt at seeing the scowling Luxan. D'argo ignored the new men as if they were of no concern and continued, "That is... if you're not planning on snapping his neck anyway," he said to Berret.
Berret turned back to consider the Official, but spoke to the warrior, "I have seriously considered it."
Now speaking to the Nebari man again he said, "Nod again if what I've said... what we've said," he corrected, "... is clear to you."
The man's face was beginning to turn dark blue from lack of oxygen but he managed to nod his head once again. Berret opened his hand and the man fell to the ground in a heap and then hurriedly scurried away from the furious Shrike. Wary of the Luxan, the two soldiers moved to help the gasping official to regain his feet. Berret turned back to Chiana, who immediately ran into his arms. The woman was trembling as he folded his arms around her and held her close. Berret had always known that the only thing his small wife was afraid of was being returned to her people and mind cleansed. Until now he never quite understood just how much she feared it. Chulee came with her crying to his side and he scooped the little girl up with his free arm.
"Be glad you had not laid a hand on them," growled Berret to the Nebari Official.
Looking for his son, he saw that Zhaan had accompanied D'argo and was holding the boy protectively in her arms. Nodding his thanks to the Delvian, he began to steer his family back toward the Palace grounds to get them away from the Nebari presence in the market. Trusting the huge Luxan to watch their backs and discourage anyone from following the group. Once back in their apartments at the Palace, a shaken Chiana huddled with her children on the large sofa in the living area. Berret did what he could to calm his family, but he'd never seen his wife so distraught, and he really didn't know what to do. He was able to at least settle the children by promising to take them to another toy shop, but even so, they wouldn't leave their mother's side. Zhaan had stayed to help with Chiana and had filled Berret in more on his wife's history with meeting up with her people. Zhaan suggested that he leave for a while and go for a walk to calm himself and let her talk with his wife in the hope that she could relax the Nebari woman. Berret didn't want to leave her, but the Delvian Priest often knew best what to do in such situations; so he bowed to her request, besides... he knew just where to go.
Rygel was glancing over some documents when the angry Shrike burst into his reading room.
"Rygel!" he thundered as he stalked up to the Hynerian's desk and pounded down on it with both hands.
"Why weren't we informed that there were Nebari present on the planet?" demanded a furious Berret.
Rygel glanced up from his reading and calmly regarded the ex-assassin before putting his paperwork aside.
"There are a lot of different representatives from other races here at this micron. Why the frell would you care about the Nebari?" he asked.
"Because... two of them accosted Chiana and the children in the market and attempted to take them prisoner for their damned brain washing program. She's sitting in our quarters almost shocked into a coma," said the Shrike heatedly.
"How dare they assault a guest of the royal house!" said the Hynerian ruler. "Where they hurt? Who was it?" he asked and then apologized for not remembering sooner Chiana's past dealings with her people.
Berret described the Nebari Official to Rygel. "Bad news," said the Hynerian. "That sounds like Hyril, the Abettor to the Nebari Ambassador, he has diplomatic immunity and I can't do anything to him except throw him out of Hynerian space, which will cause some major problems in our negotiations I'm afraid. Did you kill him?" Rygel then asked.
"No," said Berret, knowing that getting Rygel to do anything that would politically hamper him to be almost impossible, he didn't push the subject, but explained to him what happened.
When he was finished with the story, Rygel said, "Too bad, he's a pompous ass and a real bastard. He would have benefited from a good neck snapping."
"Why are there so many representatives of different races here?" asked Berret after a moment.
"Why do you think?" said Rygel slyly, wanting him to figure it out for himself and get his mind off his wife's attack.
"I don't know," said the Shrike annoyed, "That's way I asked..." he cut himself off as he noticed what the papers were that Rygel had been studying when he entered. They were reports of projected Hynerian Navy Fleet strengths and sector placements.
"The war," he said as it came to him, "You're all meeting about the war."
Rygel chucked. "Give the Shrike a prize," he said, "I see you're beginning to use what little brains you have for a change."
He ignored the good natured, for Rygel that is, dig. "You're all waiting to see what happens between the Peacekeepers and Scarrens," he went on. "You're going to let them fight it out until there's a winner. Then you're going to mass and wipe that winner out."
"Correct again," said Rygel. "I can see all those cycles with me have finally rubbed off on you," he said in mock pride. "That's why I can't intercede with the Nebari Ambassador on your and Chiana's behalf. It'll take the combined might of the Hynerian and Nebari Military, plus what ever ragtag fleets we can scrape together to totally defeat whoever the victor of this war will be. The Territories have been under one or the other's rule for hundreds of cycles. There is just too much at stake here now to jeopardize it all because of one frell-head Nebari Official."
The magnitude of what Rygel was planning amazed the Shrike.
"I understand, Rygel," he said touching the scars on his neck. "To have them all gone, totally destroyed.... is worth almost any price." His hatred of the Scarrens was still strong even after all the cycles that had passed since he had killed Arckatius, the Scarren Syndicate head who had enslaved him. "Have you told the others your plans yet, they'll want to know."
"Not yet, and I would appreciate you letting me explain it to them.... you'd probably frell it up," he said.
Frowning at the small being, Berret went on, "Just so you understand, if Hyril or his people comes for Chiana and the kids again... I will kill him. Diplomat or no diplomat."
"What'd you telling me for?" asked the Hynerian. "I'd help you hide the body.... unofficially of course."
Rygel said the last statement with a mischievously raised wispy eyebrow.
"If it comes to that, there'll be no need to hide bodies. I plan to deliver the corpse to the Nebari Embassy myself," said Berret in deadly seriousness. "I will not tolerate 'anyone' frelling with my family."
Having seen the Shrike's efficient manner of killing in the past, Rygel said,
"Of that I have not doubt. However the Nebari Ambassador wants this alliance as badly as I do, I believe a strongly worded official protest will be enough to stop any further attempts to mind cleanse Whitey."
"See that you do," demanded the Shrike as he turned to leave. "And Rygel...." he said turning back to the Hynerian. "Thank you."
Rygel looked at the man and nodded, "You're welcome, Jared. Believe it or not... I love the little thief too."
Berret nodded that he knew and Rygel straightened in his chair and waved him away, "Now go back to your family and get out of my way, Shrike. I have important work to do."
Berret returned straight to their apartments. When he entered, Zhaan was coming out of the master bedroom. The Delvian motioned for him to be quiet and moved aside so he could peer into the room. Chiana and Chulee were curled up together on the bed sound asleep. Zhaan closed the door and then led Berret back into the living area.
"What did you do? I didn't think she'd be able to sleep for some time?" he asked in a low voice.
"I gave her a cup of Raslek, laced with diluted sleep mist in liquid form. She needs the rest and will sleep for several arns," explained the Priestess. She saw the concern on Berret's face for the Nebari woman.
"You need not worry. She worked herself up into a panic because she was concerned for the children's safety. This was actually the first time they've been in any danger and she suddenly found herself at a loss as to what to do. If she had been by herself, she would have handled the situation more naturally. As the survivor she is," Zhaan assured him.
Berret listened to the explanation and realized her assessment was correct. Chiana had never been in a situation where defenseless others had depended totally on her for their safety. She'd always gone into dangerous places able to take care of herself or with people who could do likewise. Even he had not thought that far enough ahead to see that possibility ever happening and he began to chastise himself.
"I guess being parents changes more aspects of your life then you truly realize until something like this happens," he said.
"No one can ever plan for every eventuality happening. You have to reassure Chiana that she did the best she could in the face of her own personal terrors, that is all that can be asked of any being," instructed Zhaan. "She'll be alright after the shock wears off. She's a strong woman."
Berret thanked her for her help and she told him Jalen was in his room reading, the boy being as unflappable as a Luxan under stress. She gave Berret a few more instructions, then gathered up her things and left. Berret looked in on his son. The boy was sprawled across his bed reading an adventure story that Jothee had given him.
"Jalen, are you doing okay?" he asked. The boy looked up from his book.
"I'm okay, Dad. Mom's doing better after Aunt Zhaan gave her something to drink. Chulee fell asleep on the couch," he reported.
"I know. I've already spoken to Zhaan," his father told him. He was about to walk away when he saw that his son had a question that he was still trying decide if he should ask.
"Is there something else 'Len?" he queried, using the shortened form of his name that Chiana sometimes did.
"Dad? Can I ask you a question?" the boy finally got out.
Berret went back and sat down on the bed beside his son, "You know you can ask me anything and I'll answer if I'm able."
"What you did to that man who scared Mom, how did you do it?" he asked.
Berret sighed, he'd always known one day he'd have to explain his past to his children but he was not expecting it to be so soon.
"You know how Uncle John and I are not from the Territories, that we come from a place very far away." The boy nodded his head that he did. "You also know, while we look Sebacean like Aunt Aeryn, we are not. We are from a planet called Earth or Terra in the Sol system. Uncle John got here because of an accident with a wormhole."
"With the FarScape Module!" answered the boy knowing the story.
"Yes," said his father. "I arrived here a different way. Some very bad... people, for lack of a better term, took me from Earth a long time ago and did some things to me to change me.
"What kind of things?" asked his son.
"You know the translator microbes that Zhaan injected you and Chulee with when you were about a cycle old? So you would be able to understand everyone you'll meet in your life." At the boy's nod he continued. "Well, they used a different kind of microbe to change me. This microbe allows me to do things like I did with that man this afternoon."
"Why did they change you for?" was the next question, one of the ones Berret didn't want to answer.
"These were very bad people as I said. They wanted me to be able to go and hurt other people they were mad at for them. That's why they made me stronger and faster then I was. They made me into what they called an 'Enforcer' or what's sometimes known as a 'Shrike'."
"Really? A Shrike," asked Jalen, "like in the stories?"
"Something like that, I guess," answered his father
"Did you hurt people for them?" Jalen asked. Berret almost faltered looking into his son's innocent eyes.
"Yes, 'Len. I hurt a great many people for them," Berret admitted, wishing he could lie. "But I didn't want to do it." He pulled open the neck of his shirt so the boy could see the scars at his throat. "You see these scars? Pilot has told you how Peacekeepers control other Leviathans like Moya?"
"Yes, with the control collars," Jalen answered.
"Exactly, They used a similar device to make me do what they wanted, that is what made these marks," he explained to the boy. Jalen though about his father's story for several microts and then asked,
"Will I be able to do things like you can when I'm older?"
"No, thank the Goddess. Aunt Zhaan checked you and Chulee very closely when you were born. Neither of you have any of the microbes. They weren't passed on," Berret said.
"How did you get away from the bad people?" the boy asked wondering about the end of the story.
Berret smiled now he had something positive to tell his son. "Now that starts the good part of the story... your mother saved me," he said.
"Mom saved you?" said Jalen in disbelief.
"Yes, your mother saved me twice, and then you and Chulee saved me a third time."
Totally confused, the boy asked, "How?"
"Well, the bad people took everything I had from me, even my memory. For a very long time I didn't know who I was or where I was from. One day your mother came along and saved my life and gave it back to me, that was the first time. Then when we bonded, she saved my soul, that was the second time your mother saved me."
"And how did me and Chulee save you the third time?" asked the confused lad, still wondering.
Berret touched his son's cheek affectionately, looking into his blue eyes.
"When you and Chulee came along, you both gave me back my heart... and that was greatest rescue I could ever have received."
"Wheeee! Wheeeee! Wheeeeee!" the figure went with each downward stab.
"AHHHHGGGGHHHH!" Berret screamed in surprise and backpedaled until his back hit the wall of the shower stall. As he hit the tiled surface his feet shot out from under him and he slid down the wall in slow motion, his bare back making a squeaking noise all the way down, until he hit the shower floor with a soft thump.
The shock wore off as he sat on the floor with the water still spraying down on the top of his head. He then realized the gray figure was actually a nude Chiana who was staring down at him in stunned amazement. As soon as she seen that he hadn't obviously hurt himself, she burst out into a rolling fit of laughter.
"I have asked you, repeatedly... not to do that!" Berret said as he attempted to regain some of his dignity.
A new round of laughter from the Nebari rewarded his effort.
"It's not my fault you're afraid of the 'Normanbates'! She stammered out, while walking the rest of the way into the stall and under the spray of water.
"I am not afraid of the Norman Bates," he corrected as she helped him to his feet again.
Cycles ago when he first arrived aboard Moya, he'd had to use the common shower area because the showers on his quarter's tier were being repaired by DRD's. While he was showering, Zhaan being Zhaan, had walked in to join him and startled him in much the same way. Not understanding why being surprised in the shower should produce such a reaction in humans and Zhaan remembering Crichton reacting the same way in similar shower incident, they asked him. John told them of an old Earth myth about a man named Norman Bates who ran a type of inn on Earth. It seemed that Norman Bates had a habit of killing visitors to his inn while they were in the shower. John warned them that it was a classic legend and that it wasn't a good idea to startle Earth people in the shower because of it. By the smirk on John's face, Berret had the feeling he wasn't being totally honest about the tale, but he'd let it drop at the time. However since then, it had become one of Chiana's favorite pranks to pull on him whenever she could. He tried to communicate his displeasure non-verbally to his wife but that only seemed to amuse her all the more.
"What's the matter? Are you gonna be mad at me all day now?" she asked pressing her wet body up against him, trying to weasel her way back into his good graces.
"No," he answered, not buying her con for a microt. "I was just... thinking."
"About what?" she purred, smiling up at him.
"About how pitiful a wet Nebari looks," he answered.
He chuckled as she rewarded him with a wet washcloth in the face.
Chiana grasped Berret's hand as they entered the Trader Square outside the Palace gates.
"Don't wander too far ahead," she told her children. Looking up at her husband she asked, "Are you still mad at me for the joke this morning?"
"I've asked you before not to do that, and no, I'm not mad at you," he told her sullenly.
"Good," said Chiana, just before he finished with,
"I'm more 'annoyed' with you."
"Well, hey! I can't help it if you fall for it every time," she said in her defense.
"I don't 'fall for it' every time," he denied, "It's more like you ambush me with it every time."
"Alright!" she gave in. "I'll try and resist doing it again."
"Right, and I also believe Rygel will give up the throne to become a monk," Berret said looking sideways at his wife, but smiling.
"Well, it could happen," she tried.
They reached a section of the market where there were boot makers and Chiana told Berret that Jalen was in need of new footwear, having almost outgrown what he had. Berret told her he was going to look for a few things that John wanted to complete one of his many on-going projects aboard Moya and then agreed to meet his family back at that spot within three-quarters of an arn. Chiana gathered up their offspring and headed off to one of the storefronts. She noticed a clothing store nearby and made a mental note to stop in to look around before meeting her husband. She decided to get both children fitted for new boots, the process being long with two active urchins, and expensive. She sighed and wished for the days when she just would have snurched what she needed. She thought about seeing if she still had her skills but Berret would be none to happy with her if he found out she did, and certainly Rygel would have a grand time if she were caught and brought before him for stealing in his market. She tried to remember when life became so boring, then looked down at her two fidgeting children and remembered, "Life didn't get boring, it just changed for the better." The thought brought a smile to her face as she took out the credits to pay for her purchases.
Outside the Boot maker's shop, the children pleaded with their mother to visit a nearby toy store. She still had more than a quarter arn before meeting Berret and told the children that they could see the toys after they went inside the clothing store next to the toyshop first. Half the store was opened to the market and Chiana wandered through the racks of clothing as the children waited patiently where she could see them in front of the toyshop. Chulee had her nose pressed up against the window and Jalen stood farther back so he could look at the toy models on a higher shelf in the display.
A voice behind them asked, "My, where did you youngsters come from?"
Jalen turned to see a man who looked as pale as his mother, but had the same jet-black hair he did. The man was dressed in a fancy suit and behind him stood another Nebari man in a uniform. The man started a little when he noticed Jalen's bright blue eyes. Chulee also turned to look at the man but finding nothing of interest, went back to inspecting the playthings behind the window.
"I see," said the man, more to himself. "Where are your parents?" he asked.
"My mother is over there shopping," said Jalen, pointing in Chiana's direction. "We're waiting for her to finish so we can go into the toy store."
The man looked over to where the boy pointed and then could make out the white hair moving between the clothes racks.
"Thank you, young man. You and your sister have a good time in the toy store."
He turned to the uniformed Nebari and gave the man a meaningful look as they moved away from the children. "Obviously one that hasn't been recalled for Re-conditioning," he said as they walked away from the storefront. "The thought of a Nebari woman bearing offspring by another species.... makes me ill."
The Nebari men headed straight for Chiana. Before they could corner her, she looked up to check the children and her blood froze as she saw them. She quickly turned away from their approach, telling herself not to panic. Pretending she hadn't seen them, she headed further back among the racks to draw them away from the children. Once the men were inside the store with racks of clothing still separating them, Chiana ducked under the closest one and crawled her way toward the outside, and her children. She rolled out from under the last row and jumped to her feet, frantically calling Jalen and Chulee to her. The men reversed their course when they realized her ploy and were heading back toward the family. The two children at first started to resist their mother dragging them from the promised visit to the toy shop, but fell silent as her panic at the two Nebari coming back over to them registered.
"Hold on a micron," said the man in the fancy suit, attempting to sound non-threatening. "We just want to talk," he said to them. The man in the uniform at his side was speaking in a low voice into his comm badge. Chiana pushed her children behind her and began backing them away from the Nebari men.
"Stay away from us!" she warned, wishing she'd brought a weapon. "You're not touching me or my children."
"Relax, there's no need to be frightened," said the man who Chiana knew by his expensive dress and seal amulet was an Official of the Nebari government. The uniformed man was obviously his bodyguard.
"We're here to help you. Don't you want to be a productive member of Nebari society again?" he asked.
"I don't need a mind frelling! You can keep your mental cleansing!" Chiana screamed at him, herding Chulee and Jalen back further behind her. "Don't come any closer!" she demanded, then in panic she started calling, "Jared! Jared!" looking left and right for her husband, and then finally yelling, "BERRET!"
Chulee began crying for her father and Jalen tried to step in front of his mother and sister to protect them, but was shoved back again by a frenzied Chiana.
The Nebari Official gave up trying to reason with the woman.
"This is getting us nowhere," he told his bodyguard, giving the Nebari woman a look of undisguised disgust. "Just go and take her and let's be done with it," he commanded his bodyguard. "I have a late lunch with the Ambassador after all,"
"Yes, sir," said the military officer as he stepped forward preparing to take Chiana into custody.
The Nebari soldier never made it to lay a hand on the frighten woman. Somebody behind him stomped viciously on the back of one of his knee, driving him to the ground. When he looked up to see who had attacked him, a boot sole smashed into his face knocking him out cold. Berret stepped over the unconscious man and grabbed the Nebari Official by the throat, lifting the man off the ground so he was unable to use those strong Nebari leg muscles to kick him. Berret felt several muscles in his arm tear from the strain and the warm feeling that indicated that the microbes where repairing the rips, but he was too angry to care. Berret looked over at his family to assure himself they were unharmed as he held the kicking man up. The Nebari grasped Berret's wrist with both his hands trying to take the weight of his body off his neck and to attempt to free himself from the man's iron hold.
"Unhand me! Do you know who I am?" he croaked threatenly out though his half crushed throat.
Berret brought his full attention back to the man in his grasp.
"No," he said in a voice as cold as ice. "Do you know who I am?" he asked in return.
The Official could only slightly shake his head in the negative and make a choking noise.
"Good," said the Shrike with a wicked smile. "I'm going to tell you something very important. Your future continued existence depends on how well you listen. Nod if you understand me."
The Nebari vigorously nodded his head as much as he was able while held in the constricting grip.
"Good," said Berret again, obviously taking his time. "Now listen carefully. My wife, and my family.... are no concern of yours or your governments. If I see you or any of your people around them again... I will find you and kill you... and I will kill you in a excruciating slow and painful way."
"And if he does not, I most certainly will," said a gruff voice from behind Berret. Turning, the Shrike saw D'argo standing there, meaningfully fingering the edge of his Qualta blade as two more unarmed Nebari soldiers ran up, but skidded to a halt at seeing the scowling Luxan. D'argo ignored the new men as if they were of no concern and continued, "That is... if you're not planning on snapping his neck anyway," he said to Berret.
Berret turned back to consider the Official, but spoke to the warrior, "I have seriously considered it."
Now speaking to the Nebari man again he said, "Nod again if what I've said... what we've said," he corrected, "... is clear to you."
The man's face was beginning to turn dark blue from lack of oxygen but he managed to nod his head once again. Berret opened his hand and the man fell to the ground in a heap and then hurriedly scurried away from the furious Shrike. Wary of the Luxan, the two soldiers moved to help the gasping official to regain his feet. Berret turned back to Chiana, who immediately ran into his arms. The woman was trembling as he folded his arms around her and held her close. Berret had always known that the only thing his small wife was afraid of was being returned to her people and mind cleansed. Until now he never quite understood just how much she feared it. Chulee came with her crying to his side and he scooped the little girl up with his free arm.
"Be glad you had not laid a hand on them," growled Berret to the Nebari Official.
Looking for his son, he saw that Zhaan had accompanied D'argo and was holding the boy protectively in her arms. Nodding his thanks to the Delvian, he began to steer his family back toward the Palace grounds to get them away from the Nebari presence in the market. Trusting the huge Luxan to watch their backs and discourage anyone from following the group. Once back in their apartments at the Palace, a shaken Chiana huddled with her children on the large sofa in the living area. Berret did what he could to calm his family, but he'd never seen his wife so distraught, and he really didn't know what to do. He was able to at least settle the children by promising to take them to another toy shop, but even so, they wouldn't leave their mother's side. Zhaan had stayed to help with Chiana and had filled Berret in more on his wife's history with meeting up with her people. Zhaan suggested that he leave for a while and go for a walk to calm himself and let her talk with his wife in the hope that she could relax the Nebari woman. Berret didn't want to leave her, but the Delvian Priest often knew best what to do in such situations; so he bowed to her request, besides... he knew just where to go.
Rygel was glancing over some documents when the angry Shrike burst into his reading room.
"Rygel!" he thundered as he stalked up to the Hynerian's desk and pounded down on it with both hands.
"Why weren't we informed that there were Nebari present on the planet?" demanded a furious Berret.
Rygel glanced up from his reading and calmly regarded the ex-assassin before putting his paperwork aside.
"There are a lot of different representatives from other races here at this micron. Why the frell would you care about the Nebari?" he asked.
"Because... two of them accosted Chiana and the children in the market and attempted to take them prisoner for their damned brain washing program. She's sitting in our quarters almost shocked into a coma," said the Shrike heatedly.
"How dare they assault a guest of the royal house!" said the Hynerian ruler. "Where they hurt? Who was it?" he asked and then apologized for not remembering sooner Chiana's past dealings with her people.
Berret described the Nebari Official to Rygel. "Bad news," said the Hynerian. "That sounds like Hyril, the Abettor to the Nebari Ambassador, he has diplomatic immunity and I can't do anything to him except throw him out of Hynerian space, which will cause some major problems in our negotiations I'm afraid. Did you kill him?" Rygel then asked.
"No," said Berret, knowing that getting Rygel to do anything that would politically hamper him to be almost impossible, he didn't push the subject, but explained to him what happened.
When he was finished with the story, Rygel said, "Too bad, he's a pompous ass and a real bastard. He would have benefited from a good neck snapping."
"Why are there so many representatives of different races here?" asked Berret after a moment.
"Why do you think?" said Rygel slyly, wanting him to figure it out for himself and get his mind off his wife's attack.
"I don't know," said the Shrike annoyed, "That's way I asked..." he cut himself off as he noticed what the papers were that Rygel had been studying when he entered. They were reports of projected Hynerian Navy Fleet strengths and sector placements.
"The war," he said as it came to him, "You're all meeting about the war."
Rygel chucked. "Give the Shrike a prize," he said, "I see you're beginning to use what little brains you have for a change."
He ignored the good natured, for Rygel that is, dig. "You're all waiting to see what happens between the Peacekeepers and Scarrens," he went on. "You're going to let them fight it out until there's a winner. Then you're going to mass and wipe that winner out."
"Correct again," said Rygel. "I can see all those cycles with me have finally rubbed off on you," he said in mock pride. "That's why I can't intercede with the Nebari Ambassador on your and Chiana's behalf. It'll take the combined might of the Hynerian and Nebari Military, plus what ever ragtag fleets we can scrape together to totally defeat whoever the victor of this war will be. The Territories have been under one or the other's rule for hundreds of cycles. There is just too much at stake here now to jeopardize it all because of one frell-head Nebari Official."
The magnitude of what Rygel was planning amazed the Shrike.
"I understand, Rygel," he said touching the scars on his neck. "To have them all gone, totally destroyed.... is worth almost any price." His hatred of the Scarrens was still strong even after all the cycles that had passed since he had killed Arckatius, the Scarren Syndicate head who had enslaved him. "Have you told the others your plans yet, they'll want to know."
"Not yet, and I would appreciate you letting me explain it to them.... you'd probably frell it up," he said.
Frowning at the small being, Berret went on, "Just so you understand, if Hyril or his people comes for Chiana and the kids again... I will kill him. Diplomat or no diplomat."
"What'd you telling me for?" asked the Hynerian. "I'd help you hide the body.... unofficially of course."
Rygel said the last statement with a mischievously raised wispy eyebrow.
"If it comes to that, there'll be no need to hide bodies. I plan to deliver the corpse to the Nebari Embassy myself," said Berret in deadly seriousness. "I will not tolerate 'anyone' frelling with my family."
Having seen the Shrike's efficient manner of killing in the past, Rygel said,
"Of that I have not doubt. However the Nebari Ambassador wants this alliance as badly as I do, I believe a strongly worded official protest will be enough to stop any further attempts to mind cleanse Whitey."
"See that you do," demanded the Shrike as he turned to leave. "And Rygel...." he said turning back to the Hynerian. "Thank you."
Rygel looked at the man and nodded, "You're welcome, Jared. Believe it or not... I love the little thief too."
Berret nodded that he knew and Rygel straightened in his chair and waved him away, "Now go back to your family and get out of my way, Shrike. I have important work to do."
Berret returned straight to their apartments. When he entered, Zhaan was coming out of the master bedroom. The Delvian motioned for him to be quiet and moved aside so he could peer into the room. Chiana and Chulee were curled up together on the bed sound asleep. Zhaan closed the door and then led Berret back into the living area.
"What did you do? I didn't think she'd be able to sleep for some time?" he asked in a low voice.
"I gave her a cup of Raslek, laced with diluted sleep mist in liquid form. She needs the rest and will sleep for several arns," explained the Priestess. She saw the concern on Berret's face for the Nebari woman.
"You need not worry. She worked herself up into a panic because she was concerned for the children's safety. This was actually the first time they've been in any danger and she suddenly found herself at a loss as to what to do. If she had been by herself, she would have handled the situation more naturally. As the survivor she is," Zhaan assured him.
Berret listened to the explanation and realized her assessment was correct. Chiana had never been in a situation where defenseless others had depended totally on her for their safety. She'd always gone into dangerous places able to take care of herself or with people who could do likewise. Even he had not thought that far enough ahead to see that possibility ever happening and he began to chastise himself.
"I guess being parents changes more aspects of your life then you truly realize until something like this happens," he said.
"No one can ever plan for every eventuality happening. You have to reassure Chiana that she did the best she could in the face of her own personal terrors, that is all that can be asked of any being," instructed Zhaan. "She'll be alright after the shock wears off. She's a strong woman."
Berret thanked her for her help and she told him Jalen was in his room reading, the boy being as unflappable as a Luxan under stress. She gave Berret a few more instructions, then gathered up her things and left. Berret looked in on his son. The boy was sprawled across his bed reading an adventure story that Jothee had given him.
"Jalen, are you doing okay?" he asked. The boy looked up from his book.
"I'm okay, Dad. Mom's doing better after Aunt Zhaan gave her something to drink. Chulee fell asleep on the couch," he reported.
"I know. I've already spoken to Zhaan," his father told him. He was about to walk away when he saw that his son had a question that he was still trying decide if he should ask.
"Is there something else 'Len?" he queried, using the shortened form of his name that Chiana sometimes did.
"Dad? Can I ask you a question?" the boy finally got out.
Berret went back and sat down on the bed beside his son, "You know you can ask me anything and I'll answer if I'm able."
"What you did to that man who scared Mom, how did you do it?" he asked.
Berret sighed, he'd always known one day he'd have to explain his past to his children but he was not expecting it to be so soon.
"You know how Uncle John and I are not from the Territories, that we come from a place very far away." The boy nodded his head that he did. "You also know, while we look Sebacean like Aunt Aeryn, we are not. We are from a planet called Earth or Terra in the Sol system. Uncle John got here because of an accident with a wormhole."
"With the FarScape Module!" answered the boy knowing the story.
"Yes," said his father. "I arrived here a different way. Some very bad... people, for lack of a better term, took me from Earth a long time ago and did some things to me to change me.
"What kind of things?" asked his son.
"You know the translator microbes that Zhaan injected you and Chulee with when you were about a cycle old? So you would be able to understand everyone you'll meet in your life." At the boy's nod he continued. "Well, they used a different kind of microbe to change me. This microbe allows me to do things like I did with that man this afternoon."
"Why did they change you for?" was the next question, one of the ones Berret didn't want to answer.
"These were very bad people as I said. They wanted me to be able to go and hurt other people they were mad at for them. That's why they made me stronger and faster then I was. They made me into what they called an 'Enforcer' or what's sometimes known as a 'Shrike'."
"Really? A Shrike," asked Jalen, "like in the stories?"
"Something like that, I guess," answered his father
"Did you hurt people for them?" Jalen asked. Berret almost faltered looking into his son's innocent eyes.
"Yes, 'Len. I hurt a great many people for them," Berret admitted, wishing he could lie. "But I didn't want to do it." He pulled open the neck of his shirt so the boy could see the scars at his throat. "You see these scars? Pilot has told you how Peacekeepers control other Leviathans like Moya?"
"Yes, with the control collars," Jalen answered.
"Exactly, They used a similar device to make me do what they wanted, that is what made these marks," he explained to the boy. Jalen though about his father's story for several microts and then asked,
"Will I be able to do things like you can when I'm older?"
"No, thank the Goddess. Aunt Zhaan checked you and Chulee very closely when you were born. Neither of you have any of the microbes. They weren't passed on," Berret said.
"How did you get away from the bad people?" the boy asked wondering about the end of the story.
Berret smiled now he had something positive to tell his son. "Now that starts the good part of the story... your mother saved me," he said.
"Mom saved you?" said Jalen in disbelief.
"Yes, your mother saved me twice, and then you and Chulee saved me a third time."
Totally confused, the boy asked, "How?"
"Well, the bad people took everything I had from me, even my memory. For a very long time I didn't know who I was or where I was from. One day your mother came along and saved my life and gave it back to me, that was the first time. Then when we bonded, she saved my soul, that was the second time your mother saved me."
"And how did me and Chulee save you the third time?" asked the confused lad, still wondering.
Berret touched his son's cheek affectionately, looking into his blue eyes.
"When you and Chulee came along, you both gave me back my heart... and that was greatest rescue I could ever have received."