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To answer a question – there are two babies brewing but I'll leave it at that very vague answer. Maybe someone will guess it.
Chapter 16 Control and Compassion
The moment Mindel pounced, Alawa reached down with the arm that rested around her waist. As she squashed the Liba family jewels, Mindel screeched in agony. Leaping off the bed, she reached under her pillow and whipped out a curved Romulan blade. Through his haze of pain, Mindel intently watched her hand that held the blade. Before she could cut him, he grabbed her hand that held it with his and guarded his jewels with the other. Curling her fingers so her knuckles formed a flat long surface, she punched his throat with her free hand. Mindel went down gasping.
"Once I was in the limelight because of a couple of media events, the Uhaii insisted I get some combat training. They have a strong tradition of knife fighting. Maybe I'm not an expert but I can handle myself against normal scum." Alawa bent down to look him in the eyes. "I know you told the truth about who I was. Once I was in this ship; once I saw your wealth; once I tapped into your computers, I knew you were a slaver. I hoped for the best but I can see that I was wrong."
"You belong to me. My father was supposed to be your master but he died so I own you."
"You don't own me. No one does."
"I'll call my body guards." Mindel motioned to his comm link.
"Wouldn't it be embarrassing for you, admitting that you can't handle a female slave?"
"Maybe," he replied. Mindel reviewed the situation carefully. Since she could invoke love, if she wanted, she could turn any of the personnel at any of the stations or planets he visited against him. Keeping that in mind, he decided to be cooperative. Besides, it would be embarrassing to admit that he couldn't handle a female slave. "What do you want?" Now that he caught his breath, he backed away from her slowly.
"Take me to Federation territory," she replied. I hope he takes the bait.
"What will you do there? You have no money, no papers and you've been living on Romulus. They'll view you as a traitor. You're no better off with them than you are with me." He backed himself to a sitting position on the bed.
"What do you suggest? I won't be anyone's slave or whore." She seated herself on the couch.
"How about we come to an agreement?"
"Go on," she replied.
"I have a certain agenda that I could use your help with. All you have to do is just be there. If you serve me for five years, I'll legally give you your freedom, papers and a million credits." That would be a drop in the bucket for the profits he could make.
"Too long and not enough money," she countered.
"Three years and two million," he countered.
"You might have a deal. I won't dress in rags, wear chains, sleep with you or anyone and you will treat me like a princess like your father promised."
"Agreed," he replied.
"Since I doubt your word, I have made certain assurances as to my safety. I'm quite the expert on engines. When you thought I was moping, I sabotaged certain critical parts of your ship to break at certain times. I will repair these parts well before they break if I'm alive and well. Do we have an understanding?"
"Yes," he answered. Because he was an expert liar himself, he knew she spoke the truth. "We have to give the appearance master and slave. You'll have to wear some sort of restraint and chain."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out. By the way, I'm keeping the room."
Mindel rolled his eyes at this minor set-back to his overall goal. "Very well, as to relations, I'll say that you're my exclusive."
"I'm glad we can agree on this. You may leave. By the way, the moment you accessed the door, I engineered the lock to reset itself to my voice pattern and code." The moment he left, Alawa began downloading as much information on Orion and the syndicate as she could. She placed the micro dot inside a locket Sen gave her. Before she went to sleep, she removed her picture of Sen from beneath the mattress and set it next to the bed. Beloved, you gave me freedom and I gave you yours. I hope you find happiness. All alone and broken hearted, she cried herself to sleep.
Almost two months went by as Mindel crossed the back end of the Neutral Zone for fear of encountering Romulan forces. During that time, Mindel worked on a new identity for Alawa citing that certain Romulan factions might hunt her. One evening Alawa entered the galley to find that one of the slaves had prepared a pheasant and rice meal. Since she couldn't cook, she tried to sneak a bowl away when Mindel walked in. "You're welcome to it as long as you sit and eat with me."
Reluctantly, she did. "Why do you want me to eat with you?"
"For some conversation," he replied. "Considering your seclusion from your own people, I'm sure you have some questions: ones not covered by the computer texts. I won't be offended."
Sitting across from him and having a couple of his body guards all with green skin similar to hers felt strange. She had gotten used to being surrounded by aliens and she knew Romulan culture almost better than her own. "Well so much is written about Orion women but not men. Do you produce pheromones of some sort?"
Mindel burst out laughing. "That's a lovely question. No, we don't produce pheromones but we have healthy libidos to keep up with the women."
"So how many conquests have you had?"
"How many?" Mindel fixed another bowl. "The more interesting question would be how many different species have I had. The answer to that is almost all that I have wanted and none that I haven't wanted. But of the ones I've wanted to try but haven't are a Caitian and a human."
"Does the gender matter to you?"
Mindel laughed once more. "I prefer female but I guess if I couldn't tell it wouldn't matter. The breasts are a ninety-percent giveaway."
"So have you had Romulan?"
"Yes but I'm sure not as much as you," he replied.
She kicked his chins. "I only had Sen. I didn't sleep around."
Rubbing his knee and laughing, Mindel rolled his eyes. "And I only had one Romulan woman who agreed to be my lover for a few months. I meant that with you around, I'm sure he couldn't keep his hands off you. It wasn't an insult." He sipped some wine and continued eating. While he had always had ambition, he wondered about a mere slave. "What do you want out of life?"
"To do one good thing that will make a difference," she replied.
"And what one thing is that?" he asked as finished his first bowl.
"I can't tell you because you would try to stop me." She sipped some Tiwi juice.
"If you were so ambitious, why did you stay on Romulus? As a concubine, what could you do to make a difference?"
"I sought an education. I helped Sen in matters of state sometimes. In the future, I had hoped for more but I suppose it wasn't meant to be." All that she had wanted seemed ridiculous now. "If you'll excuse me," she said.
"Alawa," he called. When she turned, he saw a few tears. "Can we have a truce? This constant fighting is tiring."
"Sure," she replied.
Once they cleared Romulan space, they restocked at Starbase one-seven-three. Everyone greeted them warmly. "Adeena, I told you that you had that effect on people."
Alawa walked next to him. "Thank you for reaffirming that all feelings for me are false."
"Except for your fellow Orions," he countered. "That's why my feelings will always be real."
"I fear just what those feelings might be."
"I might surprise you one day." Mindel downloaded his itinerary to his government as required.
"Who are you contacting now?"
"Hodge Podge," he replied. "It will be awhile before we get there and I'm making arrangements to meet with the Consortium to make a very innovative and lucrative deal." Mindel coughed slightly. "Time to go," he stated.
"Won't we pass through Klingon space?"
"I've made arrangements."
Back on board, they intercepted more Romulan news and chatter. That's when Alawa saw it: the news of Sen's marriage. Alawa felt her heart breaking once more and sobbed. Mindel found her an hour later still sobbing. From over her shoulder, he read the screen. "Why do you weep over him?"
"You've never been in love or cared for anyone other than yourself, have you?"
"What's the point?" Mindel chuckled when he saw the woman Sen married: the beautiful Romulan woman who paid him numerous times to deceive Alawa but only once with credits. "For what it's worth, you're twenty times the lady she is and your beauty exceeds hers in every way imaginable."
"A compliment Mindel," she said.
"A fact," he retorted. "This is for you." He gave her a delicate wrist chain with a long thin silver cord. "When in public, you'll need to where this to give the appearance of master and slave. A slave who wears this is meant only to appease their master and no one else. However, sometimes they might be expected to entertain an honored guest but I won't let anyone touch you." Then he gave her a credit stick. "There's five thousand on this."
"A partial payment," she queried.
"That's for you if you'll dine with me every evening."
"No, you can't buy me." Alawa scooted the stick back to him.
"Keep it," he said pushing it back.
"Kindness from you, how strange," she commented.
"I'm not a cruel master. That first night if you hadn't rebuffed me, you would have enjoyed it."
Mindel's humble attitude shocked her but she wouldn't let her guard down. "Why do you wish to have conversations with me?"
"Unlike most slaves, you're intelligent. I find it interesting."
"Most haven't had the opportunity to get an education but I have. They're uneducated not stupid." Alawa rubbed her temples trying to rid herself of the headache she experienced once more. "Goodnight Mindel," she said.
During their meals, Mindel spoke softly and told her more and more about their culture: things not on the computer. "As you know, we're a very touchy feely race, quite different than Romulan and even more so Vulcan. Not only do we have excessive libidos but we are also a very affectionate among our own. It's vital to us. I'm surprised you got along so well with your Romulan considering they tend to be unaffectionate by nature."
"He knew what I needed and didn't complain." Alawa observed Mindel. Something was wrong. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." He took a few bites of soup. "A month or so before you left, your Romulan contacted me on a private channel and wanted to know how to please an Orion woman. I think he wanted to see if I was competition also."
"Why are you tormenting me?" Alawa stood in anger.
"I'm not trying to torment you. No one including him has ever done right by you." He glanced up at her but continued to eat his soup. "Did he tell you he was betrothed several months back?"
"No," she replied sitting back down.
"I didn't do right by you either. I'm just trying to start. That's all."
"Why?"
"I don't know." Mindel shrugged and went back to his soup. "Whatever happens, don't ever have that gland at the back of your neck removed. Masters tell slaves it's because a slave doesn't deserve pleasure but that's not the real reason. It has an effect on the female's children before they are born. When it's removed their children are born easier to control. We think it's because the children are born feeling that they are unloved. No one can really explain it. It just is."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"I just wanted you to know. I won't have it removed. Like I said, I'm trying to do right by you." Mindel finished his soup and left.
A week later, Alawa found Mindel doubled over having a coughing fit. "We need to get you to Tybellia so you can get medical help." She helped him to his room and then brought him some tea.
"Why are you being nice to me?"
"Because it's who I am," she replied. "Do you think my headaches are related to your cough?"
"I doubt it." Mindel took long deep breaths.
"Why do you say that?"
"Remember what I told you about our needs. That's why you're getting headaches." Mindel crawled into his own bed. His green skin seemed paler than normal. "Do you like to see me suffer?"
"I don't wish anyone to suffer, even you. You've actually been decent lately." Lightly she caressed his face to see if he had a fever. As she touched him, his features softened into a contented look.
"Thank you Alawa," he whispered and went to sleep.
In a medical facility at Tybellia a planet near the back end of the Romulan Empire that numerous species used as a jump off spot to get in or a refueling spot on their way out. Either way most every species could get exactly what they needed anonymously. Inside a sterile medical bay, Alawa sat with Mindel as the small grey doctor delivered the news. "You have a virulent strain of lung cancer." Then they told him of the only treatment option for an Orion that had the most devastating effect that a male Orion could imagine.
Alawa held his shaking hand. "Maybe you should get a second opinion?"
"The diagnosis and treatment are correct. I'm quite familiar with the disease." Mindel's head drooped and his bright green skin paled. "My mother died from it. I have no choice."
"No one said you had to start the treatment today. Give it a couple of days." That left plenty of time for Alawa to make arrangements. If he had to live the rest of his life in a chemically induced impotence, she would give him a send off to remember. From what she learned of his history, Mindel became the person they raised him to be: nothing more, nothing less. The fact that he acted kindly towards her was miraculous almost.
The next day she confronted Mindel in his quarters. He looked haggard and worried. "Hey you, get ready for a wild night. You should take a nap or something."
Mindel got ready that evening and let her take him to a very nice hotel room. Inside, a very beautiful human female and a Caitain female with very soft black and white fur awaited him. He looked at her incredulously. "I thought you were opposed to this."
"No, they have a choice. Enjoy yourself tonight."
Mindel kissed her forehead. "In case I forget to tell you tomorrow, thank you."
They began the treatment immediately so Mindel would have ten years instead of ten months to live. During Mindel's week in a gelatinous coffin sized bio bed, Alawa visited him frequently out of pity and a mild bond that formed between them.
When they resumed their journey, his skin remained paler than normal. "Are you still going through with your plans?"
"The government and the rest of the syndicate are involved so I have to but I'll be around long enough to keep my promise to you." Mindel took a few bites now. "Ten more years as half a man, I wish I had just let the cancer devour me."
"Stop talking like that," she said. Mindel's moping made her headache worse but not enough for her not to notice his pallor.
"I'm going to bed." Mindel stormed away.
Ensuring that she wore her most unsexy winter pajamas, Alawa buzzed Mindel's room. When he let her in, he ruefully shook his head. "Are you planning to slit my throat?"
"No but I can if I want to," she replied. "Are you going to let me in?"
"Sure but it's not like I can do anything," he muttered.
She slid into his bed and fluffed the pillows to what she liked. "Well, you're sleepy aren't you?"
"Sleepy yes but not interested. That's funny how the desire to has even left." He plopped into bed.
"I'm not offering." She snuggled next to him and stroked his temples while he rubbed her back. While she didn't feel completely peaceful and loved like she did in Sen's arms, she still felt contented. "You were right about our kind, about the affection. It's just weird how much you have changed."
"Certain things have made me view things a little differently."
Coping with one's mortality made one view things differently, she figured.
The next morning a chipper good morning from Mindel and his brighter color made Alawa realize that she did the correct thing for him but her headache worsened. Her brain felt like it was ready to ooze from her ears.
The next evening Mindel came to her room. "Love what you did with the place," he commented as he looked around at a few of the Romulan trinkets she decorated it with. Then he noticed Sen's picture. "This room is more comfortable except for the fact that it's a boiler room." He removed his pajama top.
"I like it like that." She looked down at her tank top and shorts.
"Don't worry. You're fine." He climbed into bed.
She crawled in with him and he spooned her. As she snuggled into him and stroked his arm around her waist, she looked forlornly at Sen's picture. A warm kiss on the back of her neck sent a mild jolt of electricity down her spine. "What are you doing?"
"Relieving your headache, nothing more," he stated. "Don't be ashamed of being Orion."He nibbled the back of her neck. "You need this."
Waves of pleasure and remorse coursed through her as she stared at Sen's picture. She closed her eyes and pretended she was home. Afterwards, she slept headache free but not guilt free. Every evening, they slept in the same bed and every several weeks just enough to stay headache free, Mindel would nibble on her neck.
Many months later at Lambda Hydrae, they're Klingon escort departed and they picked up Evals Yzzo, an Orion government official to oversee the negotiations at Hodge Podge on behalf of the Orion government. During their time at the planet, Mindel insisted Alawa wear the delicate silver corded wrist cuff and be called Adeena. The older man with short cropped reddish black hair possessed a stern air. The day after Evals boarded, she overhead him and Mindel in a screaming match. Mindel sauntered away from him, grabbed Alawa's cord and lead her away. "Time to please your master," he stated.
Alawa knew not to speak in front of Evals so she waited until they entered her room. "What is going on?"
"Evals is very old fashioned and feels that slaves should be treated a certain way. He thinks I'm far too indulgent with you."
Alawa seated herself on her couch. "Isn't that your business?"
"It is. The other thing is he's upset that I haven't offered you to him for a night as a generous host should. Your skin color intrigues him."
She held up the silver cord. "But this means I'm exclusive to you," she countered.
"Not necessarily in the host situation but don't worry, I'm not offering." He smirked and stifled laughter. "The other thing he's wondering about is the fact that I haven't requested more of my female slaves. I told him that once I had you, none of the others compared." Then he laughed uncontrollably.
"Thanks a lot. I can't believe you did that."
"It's that or I tell him that I'm half a man." He slumped down.
"You don't have to tell him that. I'll keep your secret."
"Thank you. You should carry a weapon and never let yourself be alone with him. Actually, I'm going to assign you a guard." He looked at the picture of the Praetor. "You call out his name sometimes still when I kiss your neck." He squeezed her shoulder. "It's OK."
"You've really changed."
"I know. Look I know we agreed to three years but if you'll stay with me until....for ten years, I can make you very rich." Mindel observed the look of denial. "You have three years to decide."
"I'll consider it."
As they left her room, Evals glared at them. Alawa kissed Mindel's cheek. "The afternoon delight was fantastic." Both watched Evals storm away.
A/N – Please let me know what you thought of it. Did anyone expect the turn of events between Mindel and Alawa?
Please R&R. That's how fanfic writers are paid.
Next up – The Romulans board the Enterprise.