Chapter 13 Money Taken, Freedom Foresaken

Many months after the destruction of Vulcan and a month after his mother died of cancer, behind a copper ovular desk, Mindel Liba finished reviewing his mother's finances. While their household wasn't a happy one, it was one of the fifteen families that comprised the Orion Syndicate. The handsome Orion man ran his hand through his short dark hair when he realized that his mother never bothered integrating his father's meager holdings into her own. For the first thirty years of marriage, things went well in the Liba home but things turned sour and so began the path of covert attempts to kill each other. Father tried to kill mother for her fortune while mother tried to kill father because she bored of her husband and wanted another young stud. Mother won five years ago when his father caught a rather nasty virus from his mistress. Looking in the mirror at his handsome green visage, then glancing down at the brown circular pendent with the symbols of all fifteen syndicate families genetically keyed so that only the rightful heir or heiress denoted by the top symbol could wear it, Mindel figured that he inherited the best of both worlds.

Reviewing his father's finances and records, Mindel found something interesting: research into some of the extinct races of the Orion people. This rather extensive research lead to tracing their descendents and selective breeding to regain a member of a race once lost. This female's pheromones wouldn't be recognized by the sensors of the Federation and other technologically sophisticated species. Those subtle pheromones even affected the females of most species. No one developed an immunization for those pheromones unlike a base emotion like lust. This female could invoke a far more powerful emotion than lust; she invoked love. Mindel intended to use that emotion to gain new territory in their slave trade.

Luckily, other Orions were immune. However, Mindel found the space station abandoned and his property gone. Not long after fortune favored him when he tuned into the style channel of the Romulan Star Empire and found his property being interviewed. Despite many obstacles, he fully intended to recapture his property. After some deliberation, he figured a way to do it with the help of a very duplicitous compatriot.

Many years ago, on a remote space station near the Typhon Expanse, Ydira and Zolath raised their daughter Alawa. Per their master's orders, they had mated because their master mentioned something about a recessive gene they possessed but they didn't understand him. After five children, their sixth looked quite different in skin color, a less vibrant green and with a noticeable blue tinge. If they raised her well, their other five would be granted freedom. Per their masters' orders and using disks, they educated her in a variety of fields and kept her innocent to the ways of the world.

At the age of seven, Alawa started questioning everything. "Why is my skin different than yours?"

"Because your special," Ydira replied. Their master told them she was special, an exceptionally rare breed.

Over the years Alawa just accepted that answer and moved on. Using her tapes, she learned math, science, history, engineering and various cultural traditions. Often she helped her father fix the arrays and other equipment. Because her mother encouraged her, she learned the social etiquette of several different species and dancing. "Why am I learning this?"

"Because you will help a great leader some day," her mother replied.

"How?"

"By just being you," her mother said. "We're raising you to be different than the rest of us, to be better. In turn, our master vowed to us that you would be treated like a princess."

During her fifteenth year, her parents helped a ship in need of medical help. Unfortunately, the contagious disease infected her them. Somehow, Alawa remained immune. The maintenance drones helped her bury them.

Four years later, a ship blasted its way through their shields and a woman and large man both Orion kidnapped her and placed a jeweled collar around her neck. "Where are you taking me?"

The woman pressed a button on the wristband she wore. "You will speak only when spoken to."

Searing pain coursed through Alawa, making her drop to the floor. The man grabbed her and started to rip her clothes off. "I can break her spirit among other things."

"Stop it! She must remain unspoiled. His majesty offered a bonus for it."

From that point on, Alawa cooperated for she would meet the leader that her mother told her about. Each day, they tortured her using the collar and drilled it into her that she must please her master or it would be far worse. After several weeks of travel, they demanded she ready herself. Using a small shuttle craft, they flew her to a grand estate made of red stone reminiscent of structures she saw on vids of Vulcan but everything was green and lush indicating Romulus. Once all three had been searched by Romulan guards wearing silver and black, an elderly Romulan man surrounded by guards approached her with a woman who resembled the noble man. The Orion woman approached him slowly. "Praetor, for the reward you offered," she stated. The woman spoke in high Romulan, one of the four languages Alawa knew.

The Praetor and the Romulan woman approached her. Alawa extended her hand and bowed. "I'm Alawa. It is my honor to meet greatness."

"Excellent manners," he commented taking her hand. "Her skin tone is different, very soft on the eyes. I hadn't realized that Orions had different races."

The Orion woman nervously glanced around. "Her kind are special…..reserved for special clients…..very rare….more expensive and unspoiled even more expensive."

The Romulan woman scanned her with a tricorder. "She's in perfect health. However, she could use some preparations."

The Praetor snapped his fingers. "Give them two million instead of one."

For the next couple weeks, the Romulan woman known as Efia and several other woman honed her Romulan etiquette. Beauty treatments including styling, facials, waxing, skin treatments and everything in between ensured that she would please the Praetor. While she would sleep with the elderly man, she didn't look forward to it. From the gossip, she knew she would be presented at a party. In private, she read about the expectations of Orion slave women making her doubt what her mother told her.

One evening Efia prepped her for the party. "Why did the Praetor not want me sooner?"

"My dear, you are here for his son Sen. You're his birthday present. However, I must warn you; he grows tired of his conquests within a day or two. If he does, I'm sure he'll change it back someday. We'll keep you around until then. No matter what you will be treated well."

Opposite to what she saw in the vids of her brethren who dressed in skimpy clothing, they dressed her in a sheer elegant long gown and told to act classy so she did. Once she saw Sen, she could tell his breeding because his entire aura screamed noble leader. Unlike the rest of the Romulan males, he wore his hair slightly longer to where his ears just peaked out. Of all the males in the room, she found him most handsome with his high cheekbones, sensuous lips and coal eyes. With all the beautiful Romulan women around who probably fawned all over him, she wondered why his father purchased her. After all, she hadn't practiced seduction just read about it. Hoping he wouldn't find her skin tone displeasing nor her unusual eye color, she offered her hand to him. To keep her fear at bay for the events that would follow, she focused on her math equations but she knew not to reveal her intelligence because masters didn't like that.

"What is your name?"

"Alawa," she answered. Looking into his eyes, she saw veiled secrets and a gentility. Why can I tell this about him when I can't tell the motives of anyone else? More than anything, she wanted to share those secrets and be loved by him but did she dare reveal all that she was. No one mentioned her education. They seemed to think her uneducated. Maybe this wasn't her true master. Maybe she was just a party favor.

"What are you afraid of?"

"I do not wish to belong to anyone else."

He turned to the elderly man. "Father, thank you for the most superlative gift I've ever received but I must ask you for one favor."

"Anything my son," the Praetor replied.

"No other man may touch my gorgeous Alawa under penalty of a slow and painful death by my hand."

"And so it is," the Praetor declared with a smile. "Everyone please enjoy the party while my son alone enjoys his gift."

"Thank you master," she said.

"Never call me master," he growled. "I find it offensive."

But that was what she was supposed to call him. Wild rage replaced gentleness in his eyes. She only wanted to make him love her.

"Alawa," he whispered drawing her close. "Never fear me because I will never hurt you. Please call me by my given name, Sen."

"Very well Sen," she whispered.

"What do you wish to do now?"

Why did he ask her what she wanted, they ordered her to please him? "Anything you want," she said.

"Never lie to me and never act like a servant with me again. You will speak your mind."

"I want to dance."

From their conversation, he wanted her to be herself and she wanted the same from him but he had secrets he kept from her. Not long after they met, she fell for the quirky genius completely, even growing to love those eccentricities in and of themselves. Moreover, he satiated her Orion appetite in the most delicious and satisfying ways.

Weeks later, she lay in bed after Sen ravaged her for two days during a fevered frenzy. Once she realized, he did it to save his life and she saw the look of remorse in his eyes, she forgave him. The older woman she remembered from when she arrived, Efia tended to her at Sen's behest. Efia scanned her with a medical tricorder. "Do you love Sen?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Can you forgive him for what he did?" Efia administered a hypo spray.

"I already have."

"That's good. You know Sen has his quirks." Efia went to the bathroom and set the controls to run a warm bath. "As a child, he only let select people touch him like his parents, me or his nanny and now you. I've never seen him happier or enjoying his leadership role more."

"I figured as much but I don't mind his quirks. I think its adorable how he gets so into intellectual pursuits that he forgets to eat or that he's addicted to certain shows but he has me and his guards to look after him."

"Sen loves you very much." Efia guided her tricorder to Alawa's abdomen. "Oh my, you haven't reached your full maturity yet have you?"

Orions had three stages of sexual maturity. During the first stage around the age of sixteen, her breasts and hips developed. During the second stage at the age of eighteen, her Iucunditas gland developed at the back of her neck which enabled her to enjoy sex. From her readings many slave owners removed it because slaves didn't deserve pleasure. During her final stage between the ages of twenty to twenty-one, the gland grew by a fraction at which time she would begin ovulating. "When I hit stage three, will I need birth control?"

"The chances of a pregnancy with a Romulan/Orion coupling are about a thousand to one. Some cultures believe in the help of a geneticist but not ours. We only correct genetic defects." Efia took some pills out of her bag. "These are vitamins for you to take daily. Now a hot bath with help you and Sen is not to touch you for two weeks."

Alawa ambled into the luxurious bathroom that was hers and added some fragrant bath salts. As she delighted in the tingly warm water, Sen burst through the doors and practically lifted her out of the tub as he hugged her. "Thank the Great One. You're alright. I love you so much."

Efia charged in after him. "Sen, leave her alone for at least two weeks."

When Alawa returned his hug, she felt him shaking. "It's alright. I've already forgiven you."

Efia placed her hand on his shoulder. "Sen, listen to me. The girl needs to heal."

"I'm not going to try anything with her. I just want to care for her."

"Very well," Efia replied. "Two weeks from now she's getting a thorough physical. No touching her until I say it's safe."

They heard the door close signaling Efia's departure. Seeing his worry, Alawa rubbed Sen's earlobes. She couldn't stand to see her beloved distressed. "I'm fine. Do you want to join me?" She watched him undress, enjoying the lean muscular form.

Then he climbed in and stretched out, pulling her back against his chest. "You don't fear my touch do you?"

"No," she answered for she really didn't. It was just his fever before causing him to act the way he did. Very gently, he massaged the sponge down her back, to her arms before he started on her chest. "Don't get too excited or Efia might smack you."

"I'm taking care of you. I'm not going to try anything. Your health is too important." In the most platonic way, he kissed her cheek with an audible smack. "Do me a favor though and talk to me about anything other than sex?"

"Why?"

"Don't be a tease," he said.

"Hmmm….no sex…how about work? Sometimes I think you would rather be a scientist than Praetor. Is that true?"

"Not really," he answered. "Praetor is who I am and math is what I do. Being Praetor is something I've trained for all my life and its challenging. In the Praetor-ship, I can enact positive changes for the five billion people who depend on me . However, you have helped me become less aloof."

"How is that?"

"You awakened something in me; something more in touch with people. I can't really explain." Sen kissed a tiny bite mark he left on her shoulder. "I've noticed you've been studying a lot. Would you like to go college and earn a degree?"

"You wouldn't mind?"

"Not at all," he answered. "You can do anything you set your mind to. After all, you won the heart of the Praetorsyn the moment I saw you."

"You did the same to me."

"That's because I'm the Praetorsyn and I have a gift." He innocently kissed her other cheek.

"No, Sen has a gift."

Downstairs Efia joined her brother Dai. "Is the girl alright?"

"She needs to heal. While he didn't beat her, he was over-zealous and insatiable in his passion."

Dai handed his sister a drink. "I've never seen my son happier than he's been in the past month."

Efia shook her head. "You know that won't be allowed except if he keeps her as a discreet mistress. For the next couple of years, the public will simply view it as him sowing his wild oats which helps his public image. Afterwards, he'll have to marry a Romulan woman."

"I've already handled the matter."

Efia nodded towards the stairs. "Do you think he'll keep it platonic up there?"

"No because he's my son," Dai replied.

A strong rapid knock startled Sen and Alawa . "Sen, out now," his father shouted.

"Really father, I can control myself."

"You're a Hiro-Ang and she's Orion. I highly doubt it."

When the Praetor knocked again on the door again and started counting, Sen bolted out of the water with a frightened look.

"Why are you so afraid of the counting?"

"Because the one and only time he did, he spanked me and it hurt," Sen replied.

"How old were you?"

"Seven," Sen answered.

"What did you do?"

"Made a water spout in the tub," Sen replied. "After I made a tornado in my bedroom," he added.

Alawa put her hand over her mouth as she laughed. "You deserved a spanking for that."

"No I didn't. I asked if I could study meteorology and he gave me permission to." Sen hurriedly dressed.

"Mr. Math Theory engineered an actual machine."

"No, I bought it using his authority." Sen bolted out.

Dai pointed downstairs and his son silently followed his order and they went to Sen's office where no guard would follow. "To help you avoid temptation, she can stay at my home. For those two weeks, I've arranged entertainment for you."

"Don't," Sen replied. "I can't."

"You're going to have to marry a Romulan woman eventually to produce the next Praetor."

"Well then there won't be a next Praetor. You don't really understand just how different I am."

"Then explain it to me." Dai sat next to his son.

Sen shook his head. "You wouldn't like what you hear."

"You have no idea how many times I defended you to your tutors because I knew you were the best son I could've asked for. You have always been so smart and independent that I often felt that you didn't even need a father. You were so close to your mother but neither of you would let me into your world. Nothing you tell me could ever make me ashamed of you. Let me help you at least once with an actual problem like a father should."

"You shouldn't think that way but if you insist upon a heart to heart, here it is but you won't like what you hear." Sen poured a cup of tea. "First, I have different mental abilities. I've accomplished so much because I can focus on several different things at once. It's like my brain has several different compartments but each can process equations and data quickly. After awhile, everything shuts down and I usually take a nap."

"Well you accomplish more in a couple of hours than the rest of us do all day. That's nothing to be ashamed of. Ever since you were a child, at two-thirty you napped."

"Yes and I still do. That's another thing. I have all those eccentricities but I can't help it. The more I try to control them, the more I lose focus. That's just the way I am."

"Nothing you do has ever interfered with anything necessary. It's all harmless. You think as your father I didn't notice. Well I did and I'm not ashamed. There's more isn't there?"

Sen nodded. "Ever since I can remember, I can sense feelings when I touch someone. That's why I can't stand it when certain people touch me. Since I was twelve, I've been able to see images as well."

"That is how you knew about the threat against me."

"Yes," Sen replied. "That's also why I normally have chocolate before I get with a woman. When I was sixteen, I knew about my very special presents. What I sensed with those ladies at the time was fine. Most of my life I've found that they only want the Praetor and not me."

"But what about Nika," queried Dai. "Her parents told me that she loved you. Ten years ago, I thought you two were an item."

"I knew you wanted a match between us for political reasons so I dated her to please you. I let her get to know me but I always held back a little. I loved her but it was more of a crush but I didn't realize it at the time. Then we did the deed when I was sober." Sen slumped down. "During that time, she became completely open to me and I saw the truth."

"That she didn't love you," stated Dai.

"Worse," replied Sen.

"Tell me," pleaded Dai. "I'm your father. I'll understand."

"She thought I was ….an abomination," answered Sen. "She and her family are planning something quite horrible."

"You are anything but an abomination," stated Dai adamantly. He shook his head slowly and sighed. "I should have known about Nika. Go on."

"Soon after my son is born, she planned to kill me. Discreetly using poison in our bedchamber where no Uhaii ventures. Since the child would be a Hiro-Ang, the Praetor-ship would remain in the family but from that point forward with her clan in control. I made it a rule from that point forward to be inebriated, at least a little." Sen looked down sadly. "Are you disappointed that I won't make a great political match through my marriage?"

"I'm not disappointed in you." Dai took his son by his shoulders. "I'm angry with Nika and that family for lying and it presents me with a very difficult situation." He paced a moment. "What about Alawa? What is your fascination with her."

"From the moment I touched her, I loved her. My mind is always five places at once except when I'm with her. Then I'm at peace but at the same time excited. Pratek, she's the only one who's only wanted Sen and not the Praetor. Now whenever I touch another woman, I'm repulsed." Sen rested his elbows on his knees and sighed. "I have a need to mentally bond with her but I'm not trained how. Can you understand?"

"No, but I accept it and there's no shame in anything you've said." Dai sagged into the couch once more. "We have a problem on our hands with Nika. Before I realized the situation, I entered our family and hers into an allegiance. You and she will be legally bound into matrimonial contract commencing fourteen months." The contract didn't even require their presence and could only be broken by either party's objections before the commencement date. "I thought you could simply keep Alawa as your mistress."

"No! I refuse any marriage!" Flushing with fury, Sen paced the room and then strode to the gardens.

Alone Dai contemplated all that happened and all the Sen revealed to him. Foremost, he wanted his son's happiness and safety. Secondly, he thirsted for vengeance against Nika and her clan. Thinking about his own past, he formulated a very devious plan. For his son's own safety and plausible deniability, he couldn't divulge the details of the plan to him but simply required his trust.

Sen returned from his walk only slightly calmer. "Several billion people depend on me and I have to put their lives before my happiness and I will do so but not with Nika. No matter what I'm not giving up my Alawa."

"Sen, I want you to be happy. To do this, the woman that you marry, you must not ever touch…ever. Marry Nika as planned but keep Alawa as your mistress. Nika will suffer my wrath for tormenting you and her family will suffer as well." Dai pressed his forehead against Sen's like he had seen his mother do. "I'm a very old man. Please let me give you a gift to remember me by but you have to have faith in me and let me carry out my plan covertly."

"Pretak, I trust you."

"Thank you," Dai replied. "In the meantime, I'm having one of the maids pack some of Alawa's things."

"That's for the best. She's very intelligent and she wants to further her education. Will you help her with that?"

"I'll see to it that's she enrolled in the best academy. Classes start in a couple days so I hope she knows what she wants. But whatever it is, she'll have it. Because she's important to you and I'm not in the spotlight much anymore, I'll have a couple of my guards look after her. Maybe you can practice that mind thing with her."

In that moment, Sen realized that his father always wanted to be close to him but he had shut off his Vulcan half completely from him solely out of unfounded fear. Because of the Praetor-ship, his father's duties spilled into their home-life at times and made him a very devious, ruthless man but he never acted that way with his son. All these years, Sen let only his Romulan side become close to his father but he realized that needed to change. "There's quite a bit of politicking I need to do and I could use some advice. Are you free for dinner later this week?

"I'll make arrangements."

A days later Sen's father arrived for their dinner with an old fashioned note on scented jade paper from Alawa.

My Dearest Sen,

I love you and I miss you so much. Maybe you can take at least a day off when I return which won't be soon enough? Hopefully, this note will help you remember me.

Anyhow, your father has been so nice to me. He's taught me about press relations and given me practice interviews. Also, he enrolled me in Copiosus Academy. I've decided on an Orbis Doctoral with an engineering minor. I can go to classes remotely or at the campus. On campus, I have several friends already. Well, I have to go do homework now.

My love is with you always.

Your Alawa

Sen realized he had an ally in his father. "Did she get the flowers I sent?"

"Yes every day," Dai replied. "She scored high on her aptitude tests so she's taking advanced classes."

Copiosus Academy, a relatively small university, catered to the rich and the famous but provided academic excellence. A Orbis Doctoral was a prestigious degree in that a student had to excel in a variety of fields: history, literature, art, general sciences and culture with one chosen elective field. While it wasn't the Romulan Scientific Academy which catered to the likes of Sen, it would do but for a pang of jealousy Sen felt. "She'll be around certain celebrities. I just worry a little since she's Orion."

"While she's taking a respectable course load, she ensured she would have free time to attend state functions, be a press darling and to be with you. You don't have to worry. She's very devoted."

At dinner, Dai broached the subject of his son's political agenda. "You plan some radical political changes don't you?"

"Yes," Sen replied.

"Why?"

Sen buttered a piece of Nipran bread. "I need to because of some the images I've seen."

"Go on," urged Dai.

"That miner from the future, I read him just before he died. The Narada changed the future. The Federation, the Klingons and our Empire, all want more space, more power and a better life among other things but there are threats out there that don't care about any of that. They just want to make us part of an unfeeling machine and they are so much more powerful. In their future, fifty years from now, the Federation defeated that threat but barely. However, the Narada weakened the Federation and the Klingons. If we don't join them and lend our numbers, we might become part of that machine. Years after that the Remans revolt. In over a hundred years, Romulus will be destroyed. Vulcan technology could have saved us if it weren't for bad timing but now that technology will never exist."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I didn't want you to think I was insane."

"My son, I believe you and have no doubts about your sanity. I always knew you were special. What do you intend to do?"

"Not much, just join the Federation, prevent a Reman uprising and save the planet," Sen replied. "I have a hundred year plan. However, my chances of success are few."

Dai smiled as Sen rotated his plate and proceeded to eat in a clockwise motion. "Let me help you."

"Gladly," Sen replied.

"In the alternate future, what happened with our Praetor-ship?"

"At the age of thirty-five I died of a mysterious fever. You used the cloaking device and the weapon I helped create to attack the Federation during your grief. If it weren't for Alawa, I'd be dead."

"Because of your uniqueness, there are few females you're mentally compatible with," Dai surmised.

"Yes," Sen replied.

"She has such a serene nature. Though I'm fond of her, I do have a concern: her naiveté."

"She grew up on a space station. What do you expect?" Sen sprinkled some fire sauce on his food.

"While she wouldn't consciously betray, that innocence could be your undoing. You're going to have to play some dirty politics to achieve what you need to. Don't tell her about such things. Encourage her to focus on her education."

"I will."

A few months later with the help of his treacherous cohort, Mindel Liba enrolled in Copiosus Academy. Though he had to wait for the next semester to start since joining mid-semester would seem suspicious, he didn't mind. With patience, he would have his family's property back in his possession. In the meantime, he created a background to give him the perfect "in."

A/N - Please R&R. I LOVE hearing from everyone. Got an idea of who this treacherous companion is?