"The shear nerve of that man to lay his hands on me!" complain Hyril, in a voice raspy from his bruised throat. "The guards should have killed him instantly. The incompetent fools!" he continued, rubbing at his injured neck. Lerris, the Nebari Ambassador, sat at his desk, hands steepled in front of him as he listen to Hyril rave about his unjust treatment in the market square.
"And have them go up against a Qualta armed Luxan? That would have been suicidal," said the Ambassador in a quiet reasoning voice.
Hyril went on almost as if the other man had never spoken, "And to have the audacity to claim to be bond-mate to a Nebari citizen... it was pure insolence! Those half-breed children are an abomination to everything our people stand for."
"Granted, there have been cases were some of the younger generation have rebelled against conformity. Which have resulted in cross species relationships," said Lerris. "There were certain 'projects' that used this rebellious behavior as a means to a end, but it has always been my understanding that there were certain safeguards built into those projects to prevent discovery; and if that is so... where did she come from? Shouldn't those 'measures' have been self implementing cycles ago in case the subjects were not recoverable?"
"Yes," Hyril hissed through his sore throat. "Those subjects should have been self terminating after they had traveled and spread the... project."
The Ambassador's use of word play to circumnavigate coming right out and saying that the Nebari government had used some of their young people to spread a contagion throughout the Territories was beginning to annoy Hyril. The high sex drives of Nebari young made them the perfect carriers for spreading the contagion. It was also one of the main reasons to practice mind cleansing.
"But we also know that some of the rebels are survivors of that project and have developed a cure for their condition. Further more," he said leaning over the desk until he was mere hentas from the Ambassador's face, "Nerri's sister was never found... and our informants have no record of her ever being with the resistance." He waited to see if the other man followed his point.
Lerris leaned back in his chair and thought for a micron. "That changes everything if this woman is Nerri's sister. Are you reasonably sure that's who she could be?"
"I've sent for the sister's records from the Homeworld, I should have confirmation within a solar day," said Hyril.
"Very good, I want to know immediately what you discover. Having the only sister of the Rebel leader in our grasp will be a precious bargaining chip indeed," Lerris said to his subordinate.
"Now this man, the one who called her his... what's the word again? Oh yes, his wife. What do you know about him?"
"Not much, the bastard appeared to be just some Sebacean male," Hyril replied.
"Think again!" Lerris snapped. "How many Sebacean men do you know who can pick another man up off his feet by the throat with one arm and hold him there for that length of time?"
Hyril shrugged his shoulders to indicate he didn't have an answer.
"A Luxan could do it, but not a normal Sebacean man. There is something more here then meets the eye, and that could lead to problems if this woman is who we think she is," said the Ambassador.
An Aid entered and quickly departed after handing Lerris a message that he read while Hyril carried on the conversation. A sly smile developed on the Ambassador's face as he perused the letter's contents.
"Whoever or whatever he is... he's a dead man if we meet again. No one insults and manhandles me, then lives to brag about it," vowed Hyril.
"Well, we have a bit of luck," said Lerris, holding the paper up for him to see. "It appears we already know where your new friends are located."
"Where?" asked Hyril.
"They are personal guests of our gracious host, Rygel the Sixteenth. This is his official protest over the incident in the market and his request that there be no further attempts to take the woman into custody."
"Does he mention her by name?" asked Hyril hopefully
"No, just that she and her family are royal guests and are not to be contacted by embassy staff or personnel in any way, shape, or form," he read from the message. "Well, that only complicates matters a tiny bit. Rygel wants this alliance as badly as we do and he's not going to risk it over one Nebari female and some half-breed brats. Began your preparations to retrieve her if she turns out to be Nerri's long lost sibling."
"It will be my pleasure, Ambassador," Hyril said with a bow and turned to leave the office.
"Hyril," the Ambassador called, continuing on only after the man turned back to face him. "I want this done as quickly and quietly as possible. Revenge against her bond-mate is second place and if it has too... it will wait."
"I understand, Ambassador," Hyril replied with an insincere smile and then left.
Knowing the other man had no intention of putting his vengeance on hold and had not fully grasped the full threat offered by the woman's bond-mate, Lerris shook his head slightly.
"Fool," he muttered at the man's departing back.
Chiana awoke slowly, feeling very groggy. A warm hand touched her cheek and startled her into becoming fully awake in an instant. She shot up into a sitting position looking around herself in a panic.
"Chulee! Jalen!" she called.
"Shhhhh..." said her husband's gentle voice as he took her face in both hands and gently directed her until she was looking at him. "It's all right, Love. They're both playing in the main room. I just wanted to wake you so you can eat something. Zhaan made you this herbal soup," he said holding the steaming cup up for her to see. Chiana sniffed the air and found the aroma coming from the cup enticing. Her stomach made a rumbling sound and she realized she was famished. Berret held the cup until he was sure the woman was awake enough not to drop it. She finished the whole cup in just a few microns while her husband sat patiently waiting. When she was finished, he took the cup from her and arranged her pillows so she could sit up more comfortably.
"Are you feeling better now?" he asked.
Chiana nodded in the affirmative to him but still looked miserable. Berret hated when his normally zestful wife became sullen, he was never sure what to do to lift her spirits and it made him feel useless.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he tried, and to his surprise Chiana's dark eyes began to shine with unfallen tears. "What have I done now?" Berret thought in a panic, mentally reviewing his words and actions to remember what he's said or done to upset his wife.
"Oh, Jared!" she finally said, "I am so...so sorry!" and the tears began to fall.
"For what!" asked Berret confused and bewildered.
"I didn't know what to do! They came... and with the children... I panicked!" she said. Her words running together so quickly he was only able to pick out a few.
Berret pulled her to him and held her tight. "Chiana... Chiana, my love... please stop," he begged, trying to speak over her lamentation. He placed his lips close to her nearest ear and whispered, "Little Pixie, if you don't stop crying... you'll have me crying right along with you at any microt."
The use of his private name for her got her attention and she calmed for a moment.
"And if that happens," he continued on trying to hold her interest with a silly voice that he sometimes used when reading stories to the children, "Our sheets will become so water logged that we may both drown in our sleep tonight. Then Rygel will take our possessions... our children will grow up thinking Crichton is normal... and Chulee will certainly never find a bond-mate if she has to bring her suitors home to undergo Ka D'argo's scornful scrutiny." Chiana sniffled and bit her lip to hold back a weak smile.
"Now you're just being stupid," she said, wiping away a few tears from her cheek.
"I know, but that's what you have me around for," he told her in a normal voice as he began to rock her in his arms. Chiana put her arms around him and hugged him back. Looking up she could see that he might indeed join her in tears at any moment despite his attempt at humor.
She hugged him tighter. "I was so scared. I knew right away they wanted to take me for mental cleansing. With the children there I didn't know what I should do," she told him. "I feel like I failed the children and you. I just couldn't think straight I was so scared."
"When I heard you screaming my name, I was scared too," he said. "But then I saw you standing your ground and facing them down. Defending our children like an enraged She-Luxan. Then I stopped being scared and became angry."
"You froze too?" she asked.
"Yes, for a few microts. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing," he replied. "I never considered anything like this happening either and for a few microts, I myself didn't know what to do. Then I followed my instincts just as you did."
"I just don't like being taken surprised and helpless like that, especially when the kids are involved," she explained, her eyes dryer now.
"Zhaan says that we can't possibly plan for every possible event that might happen and that does not make us bad parents," Berret told her.
A small smile actually broke out on Chiana's face. "She told me the same thing this afternoon," she said while making herself more comfortable leaning up against her mate. "She always seems to know the right thing to say for everything."
Berret chuckled and began stroking her long hair, "Well, it's little wonder. She's lived several lifetimes longer then you and I both put together. Speaking of which, everybody but Pilot has been here this afternoon wanting to know how you were, and I'm sure Pilot would have been here if he could have figured out a way to get Moya into this bedroom," he told his wife. "But he did comm as soon as he heard. Rygel also says to tell you he's contacted the Nebari embassy with an official protest and they are under strict orders not to have contact with us in any way."
"He didn't give them our names, did he?" she asked excitedly. "If they knew I was Nerri's sister..."
Berret put a finger to her lips to quiet her; knowing his wife would be worried about her brother, a man he'd never met but had heard a lot about from his wife.
"He only identified us as being guests of the royal house," he assured her, and then went back to stroking his wife's hair.
"Good," she sighed relieved. She relaxed to enjoy the feel of his hand running through her hair.
It was getting late and Chiana excused herself to use the shower. Berret took care of the children, tucking them in and telling them their mother would be in to say goodnight shortly. While waiting for Chiana to finish bathing, Berret considered for a microt sneaking in and surprising her with a 'Norman Bates' attack of his own. He almost immediately disregarded the thought, thinking that his wife had had enough surprises for one solar day. 'Norman Bates' would have to wait for another time. He wandered down to the first floor common level and out into the garden to get a breath of fresh night air. He'd just stepped outside and literally taken his first deep breath of the crisp night air when a sound told him he wasn't alone. Automatically he stepped back into the nearest patch of pure dark and faded into the shadows. A few microts of waiting and a Sebacean man dressed in one of Rygel's guard uniforms and armor with a Pulse Rifle slung over his shoulder walked into view. Rygel had employed many of the larger Sebacean refugees as guards and law enforcement personnel. The Shrike guessed that having been raised on an agricultural colony had its benefits as the man was easily half again his size and powerfully built. The refugee Sebaceans were honest and hardworking people and this one was no different as it was obvious that he took his patrol duties seriously. "If Rygel has taken the precaution of posting extra security, it must mean the Hynerian doesn't trust the Nebari to behave themselves," thought Berret.
Berret was touched in a way that Rygel would go to such lengths to protect his friends and not alarm them, but at the same time he'd wished the Hynerian had shared his suspicions with the group. The man had walked passed Berret's hiding place and was about to continue on his round when the Shrike stepped back out into the lit area of the garden. He deliberately twisted the toe of his boot to grind the gravel beneath it. The noise alerted the man to his presence and the guard turned to face him. Pretending that he had just seen the man for the first time, Berret said, "Oh! Good evening Officer. Is there something going on?"
The guard recognized him immediately. "Good evening, Lord Shrike," the man said bowing.
Rygel's Palace help always made it a point to call the crewmates by the titles Rygel had bestowed upon them. It was a sort of an honor among the servants to be employed at the Palace and it was a matter of pride that everyone be referred to by their proper titles. Which is why Rygel dismissed them for the private get-togethers, the servants just about blew brain cells when the crew called the Dominar by their favorite nicknames. A few of the older matronly servants have been known to take Rygel to task for calling his guests by his favorite nicknames instead of by the titles he had given them while they were in public where others might hear. Nothing, not even their Dominar, was going to tarnish the reputation of the Royal House if they could help it.
"Please call me Jared or Berret if you would, Officer...?" he left the sentence hanging for the man to fill in.
"Rickler, My Lord," the man supplied with a slight bow.
"Well, Officer Rickler-My-Lord," the Shrike joked, "What brings you out to the gardens tonight?"
The man stared blankly at Berret for a microt and then let out a great belly laugh. "Point taken, My... er... Jared." The man held out an arm almost as big around as D'argo's.
"First Sergeant Joban Rickler, 1st Elite Hynerian Guard. At your service."
Berret grasped forearms with the large man in the traditional warrior greeting.
"Joban is fine, if you like," he continued
"That would be fine, Joban. After all... what are titles to old warriors like us, huh?" asked Berret, noticing that the big man was older then he first surmised.
Joban chuckled, "I've not been a warrior long. I was a farmer until the Scarrens came along and laid waste to everything my family and I owned. I buried my wife back on my home planet before we had to run and come here," the man said sounding bitter at his lost.
"I'm very sorry," said Berret, being reminded about how close he came to losing Chiana and his children that afternoon.
"Not your fault," said the big man. "Dominar Rygel took the group of us in and gave us a purpose and a new home again. I made it here with my two daughters. The Dominar gave me the training I needed to become a security officer and now I'm a first sergeant with the Elite Guard," said the man with pride. "My youngest daughter Nella is in school learning to become a nurse and my oldest, Tamilla, works here in the Palace itself."
"Yes, I've met her," said the Shrike brightly. " A very beautiful young lady."
Joban nodded his thanks. "She's mighty taken with General D'argo's son. It's all anyone at home can do to stop her from talking about him constantly."
Berret chuckled, "I'm quite sure the feeling goes both ways. I've know Jothee for quite awhile and I believe she is almost all he talks of himself." Berret found himself liking the man immensely. "So Joban, why does our illustrious Dominar have you out here trumping through the garden getting mud on your nice shiny boots?" asked Berret, getting the conversation back on track.
"Ack!" the man said waving his hand, "It's those frelling Nebari... beggin' your pardon, not meaning anything bad about your Lady Chiana or the little ones."
Berret was surprised about how much information the man had about his family.
"It's okay, Joban. I can assure you my wife shares your feelings about other Nebari. Please go on," he urged.
"Well, the Dominar doesn't trust them... and I can't say I blame him. He knows they're up to something. He ordered the guard doubled and your apartment grounds patrolled," explained the big security officer.
"The whole troop has heard about what you did to that vork, Hyril, in the market... and to be truthful, you should have killed that one. A lot of people who've had run-ins with him have turned up hurt or missing.
I would keep my family close and watch your back. He's not the type to let a public humiliation like that go, especially when it started over a Nebari citizen. You know how they are about their people conforming."
Berret thought on what the man was saying. "Thank you for the advice, Joban. I will do just that. Now if you don't mind I'll have to say good night. My wife will be wondering where I've gone to," Berret held out his arm for Joban to grip again.
"You're welcome, Jared," he said taking the offered arm, and then keeping hold of it in his tremendous grip, he leaned in close as if to confided a secret. "My Lord... a lot of the people here on Hyneria, all of the races living here, are thankful to your crew for returning Rygel to the throne. The Elite have vowed to protect the throne and all friends of the throne. I promise you that nothing, or no one will harm your family while I or my troop draw breath."
Berret had liked the man the instant he'd met him, but the man's dedication to his duty to protect another man he had just met and his family with his life earned him the Shrike's instant respect.
"Then with you on duty, my family and I will rest easy tonight," the Shrike said and meant it. They bid each other a good night again and as Berret started to return to his apartment he turned back one last time.
"Joban," he called. The big man turned at the sound of his name. "If you can, join us for breakfast in the morning then you get off duty."
The Sebacean started to protest. "I can't. That wouldn't be proper," he said.
Berret screwed up his face as if in deep thought. "Then call it a order by the Lord Shrike. What use is a title if you can use it for anything?" he said, waving as he turned to leave before the man could refuse again.
In his apartments, he found Chiana had finished her shower but was still doing those things that woman do when they're done with showering, but still hogging the lavatory.
"Where were you? I just finished tucking the kids in," she called from the semi opened bathroom doorway.
"I took a short walk in the garden," he answered her. Going over to the far wall of their bedroom, Berret tapped it in a certain place. In response a section of the wall opened up revealing a small armory of pulse and bladed weapons. Each of the crewmate's apartments contains such an armory. Rygel had indeed thought of everything. Berret chose a Pulse pistol and inserted a fully charged power clip into the handle of the weapon. He closed the secret compartment and took the gun with him, placing it high up on top of a cabinet where the children couldn't reach it. He decided he wouldn't tell Chiana tonight about the extra security put on throughout the Palace because of the Nebari threat. Thinking that his wife had been through enough worry for one day and even though he knew the small woman would make him pay dearly for withholding the information from her later when she found out. He hadn't been able do much for her of late, but at least he could try and give her a relatively peaceful night. At least that was his intention until she came out of the lavatory wearing something that was really almost nothing at all.
"Well?" she asked striking a pose for him.
He swallowed hard. "Ah? Ah?..." was all he could repeat dumbly.
Well, maybe it wasn't going to be such a peaceful night after all he thought.
Hyril drummed his gloved fingers on the top of his desk. The file transmission from home was taking forever to downlink to his personal portable Comp-unit. Idly he rubbed at his abused throat. The pain had somewhat lessened overnight but the Nebari official could still feel the man's Plas-steel hard fingers as if they were still squeezing his neck. When he closed his eyes he saw the man's angry face and heard the hint of impending death in his cold voice. He cursed to himself again as he recalled how the man had blatantly manhandled him in front of a crowd of common alien trash. The lowlife scum on the streets seeing his humiliation and fear at the alien's hand, laughing and making him nothing but a joke. The blue blood in his veins burned for revenge, at the same time his mind recoiled with disgust at the though of that alien's touch defiling Nebari flesh... both his and the woman's. The little tralk probably enjoyed being contaminated by the outland scum and breeding his bastard children.
"No matter," he thought. She'll soon be mind cleansed either way and brought back into the folds of Nebari society. Although he'll have to see she's assigned to the lower level pleasure houses on the Nebari Prime once her usefulness here had ended. Once touched by an alien hand, such was not fit for use by the upper-class members of society, but she'd be well enough for common workers and drones. Perhaps he'd take her around and put her on display. The great Rebel Leader Nerri's sister - nothing but a curiosity, a show animal to remind those who might chose not to conform. The children would have to be 'wiped' and it wouldn't matter to her because she'd never remember them anyway, he thought with a smile. His Comp-unit chimed to tell him his file downlink was complete. He activated the file and a holo imaged shimmered into existence above the Comp-unit's holo emitter. Data streamed down the sides of the image but he ignored it, his attention on the face of the young girl the picture showed him.
"Got you," he said with a sneer.
"You're positive it's her?" asked Lerris looking at the holo-picture coming over the comm. It showed a young Nebari girl with a mischievous smile. Her white hair bobbed short in a style popular about ten cycles back with the younger generation of Nebari then. "This is Nerri's sister, Chiana?"
"Absolutely," replied Hyril voice over the holo-comm. "She's older now of course and her hair is longer, but that is the woman I saw at the market yesterday."
Chiana's picture faded to be replaced by Hyril's face on the comm.
"You've made all the arrangements we discussed earlier?" asked Lerris.
"All is in ready, Ambassador. At your command the operation can proceed as planned," assured Hyril.
"Proceed then," Lerris commanded and disconnected the comm link from his end.
Hyril turned to the Nebari Captain sitting out of view from the holo screen.
"Are your men ready, Stoma?" he asked
The Captain stubbed out a lit Olcot root as he blew the smoke out of his lungs, a nasty habit he'd picked up sometime in his career. "We are ready to began at anytime, Abettor Hyril," he said.
"Good, the operation begins tonight after dusk. Have your agents leaned anything more about her mate?" Hyril queried
"Only that he is one of three Sebacean males traveling on the liberated Leviathan transport. Along with a Sebacean female, A Luxan and a Luxan/Sebacean half-breed, a pair of Delvian Priests, the Nebari woman and several children. DNA tracking is non-conclusive; no one seems to know who he is or anything about him. We are trying to find a source of information inside the Palace, but at this time we have not been able to learn anything or turn anyone. The servants are loyal to the Dominar to a fault and the refugee Sebacean servants even more fiercely so," reported Captain Stoma.
"Very well, have your men prepare. I want that woman in custody by daybreak tomorrow. Bring her mate if you can. I want to deal with him myself, if not... kill him. But remember, no evidence leading back to us," ordered Hyril. Then after remembering D'argo's part in the incident, he added almost as a casual afterthought "Kill the Luxan full-blood also if you get the chance."
"As you wish. What of their half-breed children?" asked Stoma
"I expect those abominations to be correctly dealt with before you return here," said Hyril chillingly. The Abettor was confident his orders would be carried out as he instructed. Stoma was as big a fanatic about Nebari conformity as Hyril was himself, perhaps even more so. They worked well together and Stoma and his troops had never let him down. Nerri's sister would be in his hands and on her way back to Nebari Prime by this time tomorrow.
As ordered, Joban dutifully reported to breakfast with the family that morning. He was both honored and charmed to be meeting the Lady Chiana in person. The man having heard the stories of her travels with the Dominar and how she helped restore Rygel to the Hynerian throne. At first it seemed improper for a lowly sergeant to be sitting down to breakfast with heroes of the empire, but Chiana's easy manner and quick wit soon had the big man at ease. He was soon laughing and chatting with the family as if he'd known them for cycles. He wasn't even so shocked to learn that the group as a whole didn't consider themselves any sort of heroes and that such claims made them uncomfortable. He had one small misgiving when at one point during the conversation he'd mentioned the reason for his presence on the grounds and the Lady Chiana lifted a single eyebrow and gave her husband a look that said he was in trouble at some later point in time. A look that all men with wives, such as he had been, knew well. The matter quickly slipped his mind as his daughter Tamilla appeared to serve the meal. As soon as the food was laid out on the table, Chiana made the girl sit and join them. The young woman's protest cut off when Jared seconded his wife's request.
Jalen and Chulee were intrigued by Joban's battle armor and asked many question about it and his other equipment, which the kindly big man enjoyed answering. The meal was pleasant and seemed to come to end too soon. The officer enjoyed the company of his eldest daughter and the family but had to excuse himself to return to his own apartments to rest for that night's coming tour of duty. He bid them all a cheerful good day and headed home to end his.
"And have them go up against a Qualta armed Luxan? That would have been suicidal," said the Ambassador in a quiet reasoning voice.
Hyril went on almost as if the other man had never spoken, "And to have the audacity to claim to be bond-mate to a Nebari citizen... it was pure insolence! Those half-breed children are an abomination to everything our people stand for."
"Granted, there have been cases were some of the younger generation have rebelled against conformity. Which have resulted in cross species relationships," said Lerris. "There were certain 'projects' that used this rebellious behavior as a means to a end, but it has always been my understanding that there were certain safeguards built into those projects to prevent discovery; and if that is so... where did she come from? Shouldn't those 'measures' have been self implementing cycles ago in case the subjects were not recoverable?"
"Yes," Hyril hissed through his sore throat. "Those subjects should have been self terminating after they had traveled and spread the... project."
The Ambassador's use of word play to circumnavigate coming right out and saying that the Nebari government had used some of their young people to spread a contagion throughout the Territories was beginning to annoy Hyril. The high sex drives of Nebari young made them the perfect carriers for spreading the contagion. It was also one of the main reasons to practice mind cleansing.
"But we also know that some of the rebels are survivors of that project and have developed a cure for their condition. Further more," he said leaning over the desk until he was mere hentas from the Ambassador's face, "Nerri's sister was never found... and our informants have no record of her ever being with the resistance." He waited to see if the other man followed his point.
Lerris leaned back in his chair and thought for a micron. "That changes everything if this woman is Nerri's sister. Are you reasonably sure that's who she could be?"
"I've sent for the sister's records from the Homeworld, I should have confirmation within a solar day," said Hyril.
"Very good, I want to know immediately what you discover. Having the only sister of the Rebel leader in our grasp will be a precious bargaining chip indeed," Lerris said to his subordinate.
"Now this man, the one who called her his... what's the word again? Oh yes, his wife. What do you know about him?"
"Not much, the bastard appeared to be just some Sebacean male," Hyril replied.
"Think again!" Lerris snapped. "How many Sebacean men do you know who can pick another man up off his feet by the throat with one arm and hold him there for that length of time?"
Hyril shrugged his shoulders to indicate he didn't have an answer.
"A Luxan could do it, but not a normal Sebacean man. There is something more here then meets the eye, and that could lead to problems if this woman is who we think she is," said the Ambassador.
An Aid entered and quickly departed after handing Lerris a message that he read while Hyril carried on the conversation. A sly smile developed on the Ambassador's face as he perused the letter's contents.
"Whoever or whatever he is... he's a dead man if we meet again. No one insults and manhandles me, then lives to brag about it," vowed Hyril.
"Well, we have a bit of luck," said Lerris, holding the paper up for him to see. "It appears we already know where your new friends are located."
"Where?" asked Hyril.
"They are personal guests of our gracious host, Rygel the Sixteenth. This is his official protest over the incident in the market and his request that there be no further attempts to take the woman into custody."
"Does he mention her by name?" asked Hyril hopefully
"No, just that she and her family are royal guests and are not to be contacted by embassy staff or personnel in any way, shape, or form," he read from the message. "Well, that only complicates matters a tiny bit. Rygel wants this alliance as badly as we do and he's not going to risk it over one Nebari female and some half-breed brats. Began your preparations to retrieve her if she turns out to be Nerri's long lost sibling."
"It will be my pleasure, Ambassador," Hyril said with a bow and turned to leave the office.
"Hyril," the Ambassador called, continuing on only after the man turned back to face him. "I want this done as quickly and quietly as possible. Revenge against her bond-mate is second place and if it has too... it will wait."
"I understand, Ambassador," Hyril replied with an insincere smile and then left.
Knowing the other man had no intention of putting his vengeance on hold and had not fully grasped the full threat offered by the woman's bond-mate, Lerris shook his head slightly.
"Fool," he muttered at the man's departing back.
Chiana awoke slowly, feeling very groggy. A warm hand touched her cheek and startled her into becoming fully awake in an instant. She shot up into a sitting position looking around herself in a panic.
"Chulee! Jalen!" she called.
"Shhhhh..." said her husband's gentle voice as he took her face in both hands and gently directed her until she was looking at him. "It's all right, Love. They're both playing in the main room. I just wanted to wake you so you can eat something. Zhaan made you this herbal soup," he said holding the steaming cup up for her to see. Chiana sniffed the air and found the aroma coming from the cup enticing. Her stomach made a rumbling sound and she realized she was famished. Berret held the cup until he was sure the woman was awake enough not to drop it. She finished the whole cup in just a few microns while her husband sat patiently waiting. When she was finished, he took the cup from her and arranged her pillows so she could sit up more comfortably.
"Are you feeling better now?" he asked.
Chiana nodded in the affirmative to him but still looked miserable. Berret hated when his normally zestful wife became sullen, he was never sure what to do to lift her spirits and it made him feel useless.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he tried, and to his surprise Chiana's dark eyes began to shine with unfallen tears. "What have I done now?" Berret thought in a panic, mentally reviewing his words and actions to remember what he's said or done to upset his wife.
"Oh, Jared!" she finally said, "I am so...so sorry!" and the tears began to fall.
"For what!" asked Berret confused and bewildered.
"I didn't know what to do! They came... and with the children... I panicked!" she said. Her words running together so quickly he was only able to pick out a few.
Berret pulled her to him and held her tight. "Chiana... Chiana, my love... please stop," he begged, trying to speak over her lamentation. He placed his lips close to her nearest ear and whispered, "Little Pixie, if you don't stop crying... you'll have me crying right along with you at any microt."
The use of his private name for her got her attention and she calmed for a moment.
"And if that happens," he continued on trying to hold her interest with a silly voice that he sometimes used when reading stories to the children, "Our sheets will become so water logged that we may both drown in our sleep tonight. Then Rygel will take our possessions... our children will grow up thinking Crichton is normal... and Chulee will certainly never find a bond-mate if she has to bring her suitors home to undergo Ka D'argo's scornful scrutiny." Chiana sniffled and bit her lip to hold back a weak smile.
"Now you're just being stupid," she said, wiping away a few tears from her cheek.
"I know, but that's what you have me around for," he told her in a normal voice as he began to rock her in his arms. Chiana put her arms around him and hugged him back. Looking up she could see that he might indeed join her in tears at any moment despite his attempt at humor.
She hugged him tighter. "I was so scared. I knew right away they wanted to take me for mental cleansing. With the children there I didn't know what I should do," she told him. "I feel like I failed the children and you. I just couldn't think straight I was so scared."
"When I heard you screaming my name, I was scared too," he said. "But then I saw you standing your ground and facing them down. Defending our children like an enraged She-Luxan. Then I stopped being scared and became angry."
"You froze too?" she asked.
"Yes, for a few microts. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing," he replied. "I never considered anything like this happening either and for a few microts, I myself didn't know what to do. Then I followed my instincts just as you did."
"I just don't like being taken surprised and helpless like that, especially when the kids are involved," she explained, her eyes dryer now.
"Zhaan says that we can't possibly plan for every possible event that might happen and that does not make us bad parents," Berret told her.
A small smile actually broke out on Chiana's face. "She told me the same thing this afternoon," she said while making herself more comfortable leaning up against her mate. "She always seems to know the right thing to say for everything."
Berret chuckled and began stroking her long hair, "Well, it's little wonder. She's lived several lifetimes longer then you and I both put together. Speaking of which, everybody but Pilot has been here this afternoon wanting to know how you were, and I'm sure Pilot would have been here if he could have figured out a way to get Moya into this bedroom," he told his wife. "But he did comm as soon as he heard. Rygel also says to tell you he's contacted the Nebari embassy with an official protest and they are under strict orders not to have contact with us in any way."
"He didn't give them our names, did he?" she asked excitedly. "If they knew I was Nerri's sister..."
Berret put a finger to her lips to quiet her; knowing his wife would be worried about her brother, a man he'd never met but had heard a lot about from his wife.
"He only identified us as being guests of the royal house," he assured her, and then went back to stroking his wife's hair.
"Good," she sighed relieved. She relaxed to enjoy the feel of his hand running through her hair.
It was getting late and Chiana excused herself to use the shower. Berret took care of the children, tucking them in and telling them their mother would be in to say goodnight shortly. While waiting for Chiana to finish bathing, Berret considered for a microt sneaking in and surprising her with a 'Norman Bates' attack of his own. He almost immediately disregarded the thought, thinking that his wife had had enough surprises for one solar day. 'Norman Bates' would have to wait for another time. He wandered down to the first floor common level and out into the garden to get a breath of fresh night air. He'd just stepped outside and literally taken his first deep breath of the crisp night air when a sound told him he wasn't alone. Automatically he stepped back into the nearest patch of pure dark and faded into the shadows. A few microts of waiting and a Sebacean man dressed in one of Rygel's guard uniforms and armor with a Pulse Rifle slung over his shoulder walked into view. Rygel had employed many of the larger Sebacean refugees as guards and law enforcement personnel. The Shrike guessed that having been raised on an agricultural colony had its benefits as the man was easily half again his size and powerfully built. The refugee Sebaceans were honest and hardworking people and this one was no different as it was obvious that he took his patrol duties seriously. "If Rygel has taken the precaution of posting extra security, it must mean the Hynerian doesn't trust the Nebari to behave themselves," thought Berret.
Berret was touched in a way that Rygel would go to such lengths to protect his friends and not alarm them, but at the same time he'd wished the Hynerian had shared his suspicions with the group. The man had walked passed Berret's hiding place and was about to continue on his round when the Shrike stepped back out into the lit area of the garden. He deliberately twisted the toe of his boot to grind the gravel beneath it. The noise alerted the man to his presence and the guard turned to face him. Pretending that he had just seen the man for the first time, Berret said, "Oh! Good evening Officer. Is there something going on?"
The guard recognized him immediately. "Good evening, Lord Shrike," the man said bowing.
Rygel's Palace help always made it a point to call the crewmates by the titles Rygel had bestowed upon them. It was a sort of an honor among the servants to be employed at the Palace and it was a matter of pride that everyone be referred to by their proper titles. Which is why Rygel dismissed them for the private get-togethers, the servants just about blew brain cells when the crew called the Dominar by their favorite nicknames. A few of the older matronly servants have been known to take Rygel to task for calling his guests by his favorite nicknames instead of by the titles he had given them while they were in public where others might hear. Nothing, not even their Dominar, was going to tarnish the reputation of the Royal House if they could help it.
"Please call me Jared or Berret if you would, Officer...?" he left the sentence hanging for the man to fill in.
"Rickler, My Lord," the man supplied with a slight bow.
"Well, Officer Rickler-My-Lord," the Shrike joked, "What brings you out to the gardens tonight?"
The man stared blankly at Berret for a microt and then let out a great belly laugh. "Point taken, My... er... Jared." The man held out an arm almost as big around as D'argo's.
"First Sergeant Joban Rickler, 1st Elite Hynerian Guard. At your service."
Berret grasped forearms with the large man in the traditional warrior greeting.
"Joban is fine, if you like," he continued
"That would be fine, Joban. After all... what are titles to old warriors like us, huh?" asked Berret, noticing that the big man was older then he first surmised.
Joban chuckled, "I've not been a warrior long. I was a farmer until the Scarrens came along and laid waste to everything my family and I owned. I buried my wife back on my home planet before we had to run and come here," the man said sounding bitter at his lost.
"I'm very sorry," said Berret, being reminded about how close he came to losing Chiana and his children that afternoon.
"Not your fault," said the big man. "Dominar Rygel took the group of us in and gave us a purpose and a new home again. I made it here with my two daughters. The Dominar gave me the training I needed to become a security officer and now I'm a first sergeant with the Elite Guard," said the man with pride. "My youngest daughter Nella is in school learning to become a nurse and my oldest, Tamilla, works here in the Palace itself."
"Yes, I've met her," said the Shrike brightly. " A very beautiful young lady."
Joban nodded his thanks. "She's mighty taken with General D'argo's son. It's all anyone at home can do to stop her from talking about him constantly."
Berret chuckled, "I'm quite sure the feeling goes both ways. I've know Jothee for quite awhile and I believe she is almost all he talks of himself." Berret found himself liking the man immensely. "So Joban, why does our illustrious Dominar have you out here trumping through the garden getting mud on your nice shiny boots?" asked Berret, getting the conversation back on track.
"Ack!" the man said waving his hand, "It's those frelling Nebari... beggin' your pardon, not meaning anything bad about your Lady Chiana or the little ones."
Berret was surprised about how much information the man had about his family.
"It's okay, Joban. I can assure you my wife shares your feelings about other Nebari. Please go on," he urged.
"Well, the Dominar doesn't trust them... and I can't say I blame him. He knows they're up to something. He ordered the guard doubled and your apartment grounds patrolled," explained the big security officer.
"The whole troop has heard about what you did to that vork, Hyril, in the market... and to be truthful, you should have killed that one. A lot of people who've had run-ins with him have turned up hurt or missing.
I would keep my family close and watch your back. He's not the type to let a public humiliation like that go, especially when it started over a Nebari citizen. You know how they are about their people conforming."
Berret thought on what the man was saying. "Thank you for the advice, Joban. I will do just that. Now if you don't mind I'll have to say good night. My wife will be wondering where I've gone to," Berret held out his arm for Joban to grip again.
"You're welcome, Jared," he said taking the offered arm, and then keeping hold of it in his tremendous grip, he leaned in close as if to confided a secret. "My Lord... a lot of the people here on Hyneria, all of the races living here, are thankful to your crew for returning Rygel to the throne. The Elite have vowed to protect the throne and all friends of the throne. I promise you that nothing, or no one will harm your family while I or my troop draw breath."
Berret had liked the man the instant he'd met him, but the man's dedication to his duty to protect another man he had just met and his family with his life earned him the Shrike's instant respect.
"Then with you on duty, my family and I will rest easy tonight," the Shrike said and meant it. They bid each other a good night again and as Berret started to return to his apartment he turned back one last time.
"Joban," he called. The big man turned at the sound of his name. "If you can, join us for breakfast in the morning then you get off duty."
The Sebacean started to protest. "I can't. That wouldn't be proper," he said.
Berret screwed up his face as if in deep thought. "Then call it a order by the Lord Shrike. What use is a title if you can use it for anything?" he said, waving as he turned to leave before the man could refuse again.
In his apartments, he found Chiana had finished her shower but was still doing those things that woman do when they're done with showering, but still hogging the lavatory.
"Where were you? I just finished tucking the kids in," she called from the semi opened bathroom doorway.
"I took a short walk in the garden," he answered her. Going over to the far wall of their bedroom, Berret tapped it in a certain place. In response a section of the wall opened up revealing a small armory of pulse and bladed weapons. Each of the crewmate's apartments contains such an armory. Rygel had indeed thought of everything. Berret chose a Pulse pistol and inserted a fully charged power clip into the handle of the weapon. He closed the secret compartment and took the gun with him, placing it high up on top of a cabinet where the children couldn't reach it. He decided he wouldn't tell Chiana tonight about the extra security put on throughout the Palace because of the Nebari threat. Thinking that his wife had been through enough worry for one day and even though he knew the small woman would make him pay dearly for withholding the information from her later when she found out. He hadn't been able do much for her of late, but at least he could try and give her a relatively peaceful night. At least that was his intention until she came out of the lavatory wearing something that was really almost nothing at all.
"Well?" she asked striking a pose for him.
He swallowed hard. "Ah? Ah?..." was all he could repeat dumbly.
Well, maybe it wasn't going to be such a peaceful night after all he thought.
Hyril drummed his gloved fingers on the top of his desk. The file transmission from home was taking forever to downlink to his personal portable Comp-unit. Idly he rubbed at his abused throat. The pain had somewhat lessened overnight but the Nebari official could still feel the man's Plas-steel hard fingers as if they were still squeezing his neck. When he closed his eyes he saw the man's angry face and heard the hint of impending death in his cold voice. He cursed to himself again as he recalled how the man had blatantly manhandled him in front of a crowd of common alien trash. The lowlife scum on the streets seeing his humiliation and fear at the alien's hand, laughing and making him nothing but a joke. The blue blood in his veins burned for revenge, at the same time his mind recoiled with disgust at the though of that alien's touch defiling Nebari flesh... both his and the woman's. The little tralk probably enjoyed being contaminated by the outland scum and breeding his bastard children.
"No matter," he thought. She'll soon be mind cleansed either way and brought back into the folds of Nebari society. Although he'll have to see she's assigned to the lower level pleasure houses on the Nebari Prime once her usefulness here had ended. Once touched by an alien hand, such was not fit for use by the upper-class members of society, but she'd be well enough for common workers and drones. Perhaps he'd take her around and put her on display. The great Rebel Leader Nerri's sister - nothing but a curiosity, a show animal to remind those who might chose not to conform. The children would have to be 'wiped' and it wouldn't matter to her because she'd never remember them anyway, he thought with a smile. His Comp-unit chimed to tell him his file downlink was complete. He activated the file and a holo imaged shimmered into existence above the Comp-unit's holo emitter. Data streamed down the sides of the image but he ignored it, his attention on the face of the young girl the picture showed him.
"Got you," he said with a sneer.
"You're positive it's her?" asked Lerris looking at the holo-picture coming over the comm. It showed a young Nebari girl with a mischievous smile. Her white hair bobbed short in a style popular about ten cycles back with the younger generation of Nebari then. "This is Nerri's sister, Chiana?"
"Absolutely," replied Hyril voice over the holo-comm. "She's older now of course and her hair is longer, but that is the woman I saw at the market yesterday."
Chiana's picture faded to be replaced by Hyril's face on the comm.
"You've made all the arrangements we discussed earlier?" asked Lerris.
"All is in ready, Ambassador. At your command the operation can proceed as planned," assured Hyril.
"Proceed then," Lerris commanded and disconnected the comm link from his end.
Hyril turned to the Nebari Captain sitting out of view from the holo screen.
"Are your men ready, Stoma?" he asked
The Captain stubbed out a lit Olcot root as he blew the smoke out of his lungs, a nasty habit he'd picked up sometime in his career. "We are ready to began at anytime, Abettor Hyril," he said.
"Good, the operation begins tonight after dusk. Have your agents leaned anything more about her mate?" Hyril queried
"Only that he is one of three Sebacean males traveling on the liberated Leviathan transport. Along with a Sebacean female, A Luxan and a Luxan/Sebacean half-breed, a pair of Delvian Priests, the Nebari woman and several children. DNA tracking is non-conclusive; no one seems to know who he is or anything about him. We are trying to find a source of information inside the Palace, but at this time we have not been able to learn anything or turn anyone. The servants are loyal to the Dominar to a fault and the refugee Sebacean servants even more fiercely so," reported Captain Stoma.
"Very well, have your men prepare. I want that woman in custody by daybreak tomorrow. Bring her mate if you can. I want to deal with him myself, if not... kill him. But remember, no evidence leading back to us," ordered Hyril. Then after remembering D'argo's part in the incident, he added almost as a casual afterthought "Kill the Luxan full-blood also if you get the chance."
"As you wish. What of their half-breed children?" asked Stoma
"I expect those abominations to be correctly dealt with before you return here," said Hyril chillingly. The Abettor was confident his orders would be carried out as he instructed. Stoma was as big a fanatic about Nebari conformity as Hyril was himself, perhaps even more so. They worked well together and Stoma and his troops had never let him down. Nerri's sister would be in his hands and on her way back to Nebari Prime by this time tomorrow.
As ordered, Joban dutifully reported to breakfast with the family that morning. He was both honored and charmed to be meeting the Lady Chiana in person. The man having heard the stories of her travels with the Dominar and how she helped restore Rygel to the Hynerian throne. At first it seemed improper for a lowly sergeant to be sitting down to breakfast with heroes of the empire, but Chiana's easy manner and quick wit soon had the big man at ease. He was soon laughing and chatting with the family as if he'd known them for cycles. He wasn't even so shocked to learn that the group as a whole didn't consider themselves any sort of heroes and that such claims made them uncomfortable. He had one small misgiving when at one point during the conversation he'd mentioned the reason for his presence on the grounds and the Lady Chiana lifted a single eyebrow and gave her husband a look that said he was in trouble at some later point in time. A look that all men with wives, such as he had been, knew well. The matter quickly slipped his mind as his daughter Tamilla appeared to serve the meal. As soon as the food was laid out on the table, Chiana made the girl sit and join them. The young woman's protest cut off when Jared seconded his wife's request.
Jalen and Chulee were intrigued by Joban's battle armor and asked many question about it and his other equipment, which the kindly big man enjoyed answering. The meal was pleasant and seemed to come to end too soon. The officer enjoyed the company of his eldest daughter and the family but had to excuse himself to return to his own apartments to rest for that night's coming tour of duty. He bid them all a cheerful good day and headed home to end his.