BIRTHRIGHT 2 – THE GATHERING
by Soledad
Author's note:
For disclaimer, rating, warnings, etc., see the Prologue.
The bonding ritual of the Omega warriors is not a genuine one, of course. I made it up in one of my weird moments. The same is true to the wedding customs.
CHAPTER 12 – THE SACRED BOND OF OMEGA
Reaching the spaceport, Tyr was mildly surprised when Shakuni arrived to the Maru in the company of a Sabran woman who could have been his daughter – yet obviously wasn't.
"My lord, may I present the latest addition to Kodiak-Sabra Pride?" the former assassin said. "This is Leah Jericho, out of Sara by Isaac… my newly acquired wife."
"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Tyr nodded to the dark-haired beauty, then he turned back to Shakuni. "That was… unexpected.
"For me, too," Shakuni admitted. "I was a little bewildered when she approached me… the age difference is considerable. But she'd been looking for a suitable husband for quite some time, which is not an easy task for the daughter of a Beta with so many Alpha females around. I just happened to be on the right place at the right time. Indira will be pleased. She always wanted a bigger family."
"Is Leah's family also content with her choice?" Tyr asked, knowing that Sabra could be very snobbish sometime.
Shakuni shrugged. "The Matriarch seemed satisfied with my test results. My genes are good for a Beta – and so are Leah's. This is a promising match for both sides."
"Let's hope Parvati sees it the same way," Tyr commented dryly.
"I don't care about her opinion," Shakuni said, a cold glint in his dark eyes. "I'm a Kodiak now – the Völsung Matriarch has no longer anything to say in the matters of my family."
Tyr rolled his eyes. Shakuni was right, of course, and after having been dissed by his own Matriarch – well, former Matriarch now – for so long, it was understandable that he wanted to rub his newly won independence under her nose. But if he kept this attitude, life on the Völsung compound would soon turn to living hell.
"Try not to antagonize her too much," Tyr said. "I might get married to her granddaughter yet. Besides, I'll have my wives there, too. I want them to live in relative peace and safety."
Shakuni laughed. "Don't worry, my lord. I'll behave."
"I hope so," Tyr deadpanned. "I'd hate it if I had to kill you."
"You wish," Shakuni riposted with a feral grin.
There was a moment of tense silence – then both leaned against the outer hull of the Maru and laughed uproariously.
On Haukin Vora, it was two hours after the local sunrise when Derdriu finally rose. Usually, she had been an early riser, due to the fact that she had to raise the teenaged sun of her late sister. But in the last couple of days she'd unexpectedly enjoyed staying in bed a little longer.
It was still extremely early for her condition to cause her any trouble – thank the forefathers, morning sickness had been bred out of the Nietzschean race countless centuries ago anyway – but she definitely could feel subtle changes. More those of the mood than those of the body. One of them being a previously unknown sort of content laziness that overcame her every morning, making her increasingly reluctant to leave her bed.
Her life had not been very promising in the last two decades. She'd been sixteen at the time of her old home's destruction – not a child any longer, but still very young. She and her six years older sister, Macha, only escaped the first Castalian strike because they were paying a long visit at their uncle's home, who happened to live and work on a mining asteroid outside the system. Well, visit probably wasn't the right word. Their uncle had been drafted for the already lost war, and they had to take care of his orphaned children.
Their uncle never returned. The Castalians, however, did come after the smaller settlements, after they had succeeded in killing almost the entire Pride. Macha and Derdriu had to flee with the children as they could… none of the kids survived the long trip, hidden in the cargo bay of a freighter, with little food and almost no water.
When they finally reached Haukin Vora, as ordered by the late Matriarch of their line, they were mere shadows of their former selves – and the only ones of their family who'd survived. Macha then married Rog, a weak and much too young Beta, in a desperate effort to pass on her genes. But when little Sualtam was barely three years old, Macha and Rog got killed by some mercenaries with an interested eye on their small ship.
Derdriu had taken responsibility for her nephew – what else could she have done? – and raised him in the traditions of their practically extinct Pride. Sualtam was fourteen now, a nice and smart boy, but, sadly, not Alpha material – barely a Beta, truth be told, which wasn't surprising, knowing his father. Derdriu loved him very much, he was the only family she had, but she'd learned from her sister's mistake. If she wanted strong children, she had to marry an Alpha… or, at the very least, get pregnant from one. That was why she never considered choosing Hector Atreides, or even Shakuni. They were both good and loyal men in their best years, but their genes were inferior. Völsung Pride needed fresh blood, and Derdriu herself wanted someone who could give her better than average children.
When Tyr Anasazi walked into their current home, radiating power and confidence, if he'd own the place and all its inhabitants, She knew it was, as the kludges would say, 'the answer to her prayers'. As a Nietzschean, she didn't worship any deity, of course, thus prayers were an unknown thing to her, but in this particular case, she found the expression strangely matching. Tyr was indeed everything she could have hoped for – not only a powerful Alpha, but also the last member of the ruling Kodiak family and a direct descendant of the Progenitor.
It didn't really bother her that she had to step back and give up Second Wife status to that Sabran girl. The alliance with such a powerful Sabran branch served to their advantage. Mikaelan might have the title – but she and the others were blood.
This thought delighted her greatly as she finally rose to get ready for the new day. As a researcher, she enjoyed the benefits of flexible working hours. As long as she got the work done, her boss – a genetically enhanced human from the high-gravity ice planet named Valhalla – didn't care how many hours she actually spent in the labs.
Most people were baffled to see a Nietzschean wearing a lab kit, bending over a microscope. They thought all Nietzscheans were bloodthirsty barbarians, kept on leash only by a set of arcane rules. That might have been true for many Alphas in these days, but Betas and the lower ranks were different. They usually worked for a living.
Besides, genetic research was the most highly appreciated branch of science among Nietzscheans. Their whole existence was based on it, after all. And even though she only worked with plants, Derdriu found that this sort of work suited her perfectly.
Today, however, she was going to work home. In the current stage of her research all she needed to do was to run some computer simulations for the development predictions of the new crop they were currently working on. She could do it in her own lab. Especially with Finnabair sitting at the opposite desk to help her, should she run into any difficulties. She was fortunate to have someone of Finnabair's skills handy.
She welcomed the perspective to work – and live – with Finnabair permanently. They were a good team: from the same bloodline, only three years, apart, practically grown into adulthood together in exile. United, they'd be able to protect their interests against the higher-ranking wives, if necessary. And until Tyr found a safe haven for his family, Derdriu was quite content to keep on living with her old Pride.
She entered the lab and found Finnabair in deep concentration already. Which was surprising, as the other woman preferred to work late and rise late, as a rule.
"You're very busy," Derdriu commented softly. "In fact, you've been very busy ever since our husband left for Centauris A."
"He asked for something very…. specific," Finnabair replied absently, glaring at her screen as if she wanted to intimidate it into cooperation. Derdriu knew if she were a computer, she would cooperate. Finnabair could be downright frightening behind that smooth, cool mask of hers.
"Are you having difficulties with it?" She asked in surprise. That would be a first. Finnabair was very good with computers. What she might lack in genetic excellence, she made up for it twice in talent and skills.
"Nah," Finnabair answered, tucking an errant lock of her chestnut hair behind and ear, "not really. It's just very… delicate work, and it needs to be done before Tyr returns to the Andromeda."
"I won't be disturbing you, then…"
"You are not. In fact, it's basically done. I'm just running the necessary control checks. You want to help me? I'll help you with your simulations later."
Derdriu hesitated. Truth be told, she didn't really have the time to do anything else but her own work. But she was very curious what Tyr had wanted Finnabair to do for him – and if Finnabair helped her in exchange, she'd be ready in record time.
"All right," she agreed, sitting down in front of the control screen.
Tyr welcomed the coolness of Haukin Vora after the hot desert that had been Centauris A. While not particularly bothered by temperatures considered extreme by mere humans, he preferred the lower end of the scale. He wondered how Leah would be able to adapt to the cold climate, though… but that was Shakuni's problem.
He had been was grateful for the former assassin's presence on their trip back. Nietzscheans were bred for stamina (among other things), but even an Aloha male needed at least some recovery time, after having taken four wives within a week. Nietzschean brides could be… demanding, especially right after the wedding. So yes, Tyr welcomed the chance to catch up with much-needed sleep, before he got to perform again due to the Omega bonding ceremony.
He'd slept all the way back to Haukin Vora and now entered the Völsung compound refreshed and ready again. Ayeshwariam came running to great him practically wrapping her limber young body around his heavier frame, climbing up his body to kiss him. He literally had to peel her off – not that he'd have had against her enthusiasm, but right now he couldn't indulge himself. Time still was an issue, more than before, and he had more urgent things to do.
"I need to speak to the Matriarchs," he told the broadly grinning Paris Atreides, "in the presence of my wives. And later I'll need Kaveh's assistance. Can you arrange it?"
Paris nodded. "Give me five minutes," he said and left.
Tyr turned to Aspasia, who served as the housekeeper of the entire compound.
"I'll have to perform a ritual bonding within the hour," he said. "In front of witnesses. Do you have a suitable room?"
"A… ritual bonding?" Aspasia repeated, her eyes widening.
"The Omega oath," Tyr told her bluntly. She froze for a second; then she nodded.
"We have a larger guestroom, for visiting families. That should give you enough space. Shall I prepare it for you? I'm familiar with the requirements of the ritual. One of my great-uncles used to be oath-bound to his Pride Alpha."
"I'd appreciate your help," Tyr nodded. "Inform Arjuna and Amritray to prepare themselves – and to pack their bags. I'm taking them with me."
"I'll alert Kaveh to get his things for the markings," Aspasia said and hurried away.
Ayeshwariam stared at Tyr in utter bewilderment.
"What do you want from those?" she asked with innocent bluntness. "They are nothing – a waste of genetic resources."
"I've need of them," Tyr replied coldly. "What for is not your business. You chose not to marry me – so you have no say in what I am doing."
Ayeshwariam retreated, pouting and obviously hurt, but Tyr had no patience for her childish antics. He waved impatiently to a russet-haired teenager who was lurking in the background.
"You, boy… what's your name?"
"I'm Sualtam," the boy replied, "out of Macha by Rog."
"Where can I find my other wives?"
"They are in the labs," giving him a calculating glance from under his bangs, the boy added, "I can show you the way."
"Good," Tyr said. "Do it."
"The program seems to work flawlessly," Finnabair declared. "I hope Tyr will be satisfied with it."
"It depends on the outcome," the velvety voice of their husband said from the door. They both sprang up in delight.
"Tyr," Finnabair exclaimed, "you are early. We've barely finished the test runs."
"I still have a few things to do here before I leave," Tyr accepted the tiny disc from her and stored it in a well-hidden, secure slot in his boot. "Are you certain that it would work?"
Finnabair nodded. "The virus will delete the core AI personality without a trace. That's not the problem. Write an entirely new program for the replacement will be. I didn't have enough time for that – it'd take weeks, probably months. A sentient ship is an incredibly complex entity... and I have no experience with High Guard technology."
"Then these might help," Tyr handed her a small box full of discs with the copies of everything the Sabra had been able to harvest from GS92916. "Study them – these are genuine data. I'll try to get more for you."
"I'll do my best," Finnabair promised. "In the meantime… don't use the virus yet, unless it's absolutely necessary. Wiping out the core AI would have the Andromeda dead in space. Even you wouldn't be able to keep it safe from plunderers, with her internal defences down."
"I know that," Tyr said, "and I'm in no hurry."
Besides, if he wanted to erase the Andromeda AI, he'd have to kill Harper first. And he wasn't ready to do that. Not while there were other options. The engineer was too valuable. And that had nothing to do with the absurd idea that he'd actually like the annoying little kludge. Harper was simply more useful alive.
"Let us join the Matriarchs now," he suggested. "Our contracts have to be signed officially – and I have an announcement to make."
As expected, not only the Matriarchs were waiting for them in the atrium. There was the Atreides family (minus Hector, who, together with Nemhain's son Ferdiad, was still working at the spaceport), Shakuni's family, Kaveh and Amfortas, and even the young males raised by Nemhain.
As Tyr's new wives belonged to her bloodline, Nemhain was the one to present the contracts and to ask the time-honoured questions. She had to work hard to conceal her excitement behind the mask of official dignity. It had been a long time since the last wedding in Völsung Pride – and even longer since they had an Alpha marrying into their clans.
But she mastered her task flawlessly, like a true Matriarch. The traditional vows were spoken, the double helices presented, the gems representing the new wives welded onto Tyr's helix, long, unhurried kisses exchanged and the marriage contracts that made Derdriu and Finnabair part of the new Kodiak-Sabra Pride signed. It was a glorious moment for all involved parties. Only Ayeshwariam watched the new wives enviously, miffed that her grandmother hadn't allowed her to get married like the others. Even Fifth status would have been a lot better than being the breeding mare for her own bloodline.
"I'm leaving for the Andromeda in a few hours," Tyr finally announced, "which leaves me just enough time to take care for one last piece of unfinished business. Second Matriarch," he looked at Parvati coldly, "I understand that the continuing presence of Arjuna and Amritray has long been an unpleasant burden for you. I'm going to relieve you from that burden. The two agreed to take the Omega oath – we'll perform the ceremony right away, and I'm taking them with me."
For a moment, it seemed as if Parvati's head would explode. Accepting whom she'd declared pariahs as the shieldmates of a Pride Alpha was a serious challenge of her authority. But there was nothing she could do about it. She had outcast the twins as unworthy of her bloodline – a decision just as short-sighted as dissing Shakuni in order to ensure the unchallenged Alpha status of her own sons. Now she had to face the consequences. With Shakuni's family choosing to return to the mother tribe and the twins becoming oath-bound to Tyr, she remained alone. Only Ayeshwariam could she still keep… for how long, she couldn't even guess.
Tyr didn't pay her any more attention. His thoughts were already on the task before him.
"Is everything ready?" he asked Aspasia. The woman nodded.
"Everything has been prepared. They are waiting."
"What about witnesses?" Andraste spoke for the first time, having wisely decided to simply watch the events she wouldn't have a chance to influence.
"They asked for Nemhain and Shakuni to witness their oath," Tyr replied.
For the second time within minutes, Parvati's head seemed near to explosion. Even though she'd rejected the twins right after their birth, the fact that they dared to reject her made her mad with rage.
Yet again, there was nothing she could do about it.
"Do you accept?" Andraste looked at the two witnesses. She was still the First Matriarch. They still owed her at least an answer.
The witnesses nodded.
"This is a solution of mutual advantage," Shakuni said. "I'm honoured to witness the revival of such an ancient and sacred tradition."
"And I'll do it because the twins have been wasted here long enough," Nemhain added. "This way, they finally can be useful."
"Let's do it then," Tyr said, a little impatiently.
Accompanied by the witnesses and Kaveh, whom he needed for the marking, he went to the guest room that had been selected and prepared for the bonding ceremony. The witnesses took the seats placed there for them, opposite the large bed, and Arjuna – first that had been born, so the first to be taken – laid down his clothes.
Tyr eyed the deceptively slender body with appreciation. The young man could never match him in pure strength, but more than made up for it with skill and speed, like a striking cobra. There was a deadly elegance in those long, smooth limbs, considered untouchable because of his inability to breed. Tyr knew that with his willingness to accept the young warriors as shieldmates, to touch them, to give them a respectable status in Nietzschean society, he'll ensure their loyalty for life. They had nothing to gain by betraying him, but everything to lose. They'd gladly die for him and his family.
And that was exactly what he needed. For his long-term plans to succeed, he needed absolute loyalty. From the twins, he'd have that, once he bonded them. This was what inspired him to do it, not mere sympathy for the ill-fated young warriors. Nietzscheans were pragmatists; sentimentality had no place in their lives.
Tyr discarded his own clothes and stepped closer to the young warrior, asking the time-honoured words that had not been spoken in Völsung Pride for at least two generations.
"Arjuna Ravanashwar, out of Ahalija by Muharon, what is your desire?"
"I desire to be bonded to my lord, Tyr Anasazi, out of Victoria and Barbarossa, by the sacred bond of Omega and thus become a member of Kodiak Pride, by all but blood," the young warrior replied. "Is my lord willing to accept me?"
"I am," Tyr took Arjuna's face in his hands and kissed the young warrior on the lips, long and hard. "Before the eyes of these witnesses, I declare you my shieldmate, to be bonded in both mind and body."
"The intentions have been declared," Nemhain announced. "Complete the bond!"
Arjuna lowered himself onto the bed. The ritual coupling demanded him to be the submissive one; not that he'd ever consider anything else. Tyr was an Alpha, more than that, a Pride Alpha now, while he couldn't even be seen as one of the lowest ranks. The mating itself was quick and hard, as such ritual encounters always are, but Tyr did his best to make it as pleasant for the young warrior as possible under such circumstances, knowing that he was dealing with a virgin and wanting to imprint him strong enough, so that Arjuna would never desire the touch of anyone else.
When they reached completion, Tyr felt something in his mind – a tentative touch, a little hesitating, as if someone knocked on an imaginary door. He forced his mind to open, and Arjuna's emotions flooded his consciousness: gratitude, relief, pride… even something akin to hero worship. There could be no doubt that Arjuna was now his, body and soul.
He repeated the procedure with Amritray, and there was some pain, no matter how careful he tried to be, because she had never been touched like that before, either. But when their rudimentary telepathic bond formed itself, the only emotions Tyr could feel from her were similar to those of her brother.
Afterwards, the witnesses declared the ceremony valid and the bonds true, and Kaveh brought forth his tools and tattooed the Omega symbol, encircled by the Kodiak insignia, upon their foreheads. The ink he used was only visible in ultraviolet light; a clearly visible sign would make an Omega extremely vulnerable to attacks from every enemy of their Pride. But they knew the mark was there, and so did their lord and the witnesses. No official records about the bond were necessary.
When all was done, Kaveh and the witnesses left, leaving Tyr alone with the only people in the Known Worlds whom he could trust unconditionally.
"Clean up yourselves," he ordered, "and bring everything you want to keep or might need to my ship. We'll start as soon as you are ready."
They nodded in unison obediently, but there was a gleam in their eyes that had not been there before. Before, they had been nothing. Genetic failure. Pariahs. Cannon fodder. Now, they had status, a purpose, and a family. They were Omega warriors, the shieldmates of the Pride Alpha, and that was the second best thing after a family of their own.
Tyr's wives came to the spaceport to say their farewells, and so did Shakuni and Kaveh. The later was due to board a ship to El Dorado Drift anyway. But it had been agreed that he would come aboard the Andromeda during their next stop at the Drift, to check on Freya's condition. Tyr would have preferred an immediate visit from the doctor, but hat would have over-extended Dylan's tolerance. It would be hard enough to make him accept the presence of two additional Nietzschean warriors.
They used the trip to Ornithrone work on their newly formed mental bond. At first, all Tyr could perceive were strong feelings; he couldn't even locate their source. Step by step, however, he learned to make a distinction between the emotional patterns of Arjuna and Amritray. He hoped that one day he'd be able to interpret those patterns.
"Will I ever be able to communicate with you mind to mind?" he asked Arjuna; Amritray was currently piloting the Maru. The young man shrugged.
"I don't know, my lord. Emotions are easy, especially strong ones. Even those who don't have the Gift themselves can pick them up easily, after enough training. Pictures made up in one's mind are a little more complicated, but still doable, if the sender's Gift is strong enough. Thoughts, however… thoughts are really hard to learn for those without the Gift."
"But you can still read my thoughts, right?" Tyr asked. Arjuna nodded.
"Assuming you would aim them directly at me. I can't pick them up randomly… or against your will. It doesn't work that way. Your mind is remarkably organized. But let me try something…"
He looked Tyr directly in the eyes. For a few moments, nothing happened. Then Tyr felt something… not quite a voice, but the mental equivalent of it. Unfortunately, all he could figure out was the fact that he had been asked a question.
"This will take a lot more training, I'm afraid," he said.
Arjuna nodded. "Of course. It took us years to figure out how it works among ourselves – and we both have the Gift. It hasn't taken us long with you, since we now both know how to initiate an approach… and you were being very accepting. It will remain one-sided, though, I guess."
"Will you be able to accept orders from me, given mind to mind only?" Tyr asked. Arjuna thought about it.
"I believe so," he finally answered. "Due to the bond, we've already become attuned to you, so with proper training… yes, it will be possible. Or to alert you wordlessly, in case of emergencies."
"That's enough for me," Tyr said. "There are things I'll have to do in the not so far future, for which I'll need your help. Tell me: can you read other people, without them noticing it?"
Arjuna shrugged.
"I can try. There are no guarantees. It depends on the species, the individual shielding and discipline… on many things. Nightsiders are the easiest. They are so possessed by their greed that they never care to shield their thoughts. Than are the hardest. Their minds are so alien, I probably couldn't interpret what's happening in them when they invited me in."
"What about humans? And our own people?"
"There are no general rules," Arjuna said. "The bottom line is, the more intelligent a certain person is, the more sophisticated his mind is, the harder is to read it against his will or without his cooperation."
"I see," Tyr thought about it for a moment. "I don't want anyone aboard the Andromeda to know about this… Gift of yours. Or about the Omega oath. To everyone else, you're just some orphans I picked up on Haukin Vora, so that my First Wife can have some company – and protection."
"But surely, you'll tell the truth your First Wife, my lord?" Arjuna asked, uncomfortable with the thought of lying to the future Matriarch of his new Pride.
"Not yet," Tyr replied. "I do trust her, and she rarely slips – in fact, she hasn't slipped so far – but we are watched aboard that ship, even if 'privacy mode' is established. I don't trust that so-called privacy, not when it comes to me and my family. I'm quite certain that Dylan has the ship monitor our every moment – and your presence will only raise his suspicions. I'll tell Freya everything, as soon as we can get down to another Drift or make a trip with the Maru. Your Gift is an advantage I'd like to hide from the others. It can come handy later."
Arjuna nodded. "Understood, my lord. Are you telling them – or your First Wife – about the extension of your family?"
"No," Tyr said. "I'll tell Freya, of course, as soon as we'll have a truly private moment. But the others mustn't know about my alliances. And since we're talking about secrecy already – you'll address me by my name, all the time we're aboard Dylan's ship. The honorary title would give us away in a second. Dylan is more familiar with Nietzschean customs than most humans."
"Yes, my… yes, Tyr. As you wish."
"Excellent," Tyr touched the still slightly swollen part with the invisible tattoo on Arjuna's forehead, re-establishing his dominance through the ritual touch and the mild pain it still caused. Then he turned to Amritray. "What's our ETA to Ornithrone?"
"Six hours, forty-five minutes, my… Tyr," she replied crisply. Tyr allowed himself a faint smile.
"Very well. Arjuna, take over. Amritray, have some rest. I'll do the same. We must be rested and alert by the time we reach the Andromeda."
TBC
