Daughter of Ethos: Price of Power Book 3

by L M Lacee

‘Yes, please make sure that your family is invited on board when they return so they can avail themselves of the amenities and Helen’s diner. Darby I place you in charge of that for exchange of tech information and maybe Waseo could let Rose know where we can discreetly acquire more of what you need. I know you have been handicapped with the tech we have.’

  Darby shrugged, now her spurt of temper had run its course she was more reasonable. ‘We manage.’

  ‘I know but we have to be more, and if you can think it, there must be a way to either get it or make it, is that not what you and Kolin tell me?’

  ‘Yes, of course. It is just our people’s wants and skills and imagination grows daily.’

  ‘Good, that is how it should be.’ She hugged Darby as she said. ‘We will get there Darby, Harm and his family’s knowledge or his uncle’s knowledge is a start.’

  Darby nodded her head. ‘I know we will.’

  ‘Well, I leave you all to get my Warriors off that planet and see to everything else. I am going to worry eat.’

  She left them laughing, the funny thing was she was telling the truth about worrying.

  TWENTY-FIVE:

  Fifteen min’s later, sitting in Helen’s dining room at her usual table sipping a cup of coffee with an empty plate in front of her. Looking out over the revolving planet, Peyton heaved a sigh and closed her eyes, knowing that for her, this was probably all the calm she would get until they went home.

  Someone came to stand next to her, from the sense of size of the person, she would say a female. No three females as two more slid up next to the first. Peyton smiled and opened her eyes. ‘Greetings Julope, please introduce me to your sisters.’ She looked at the three females and discovered a surprise. ‘Wow triplets. Greetings Ladies.’

  Julope bowed her head. ‘Greetings Madam Peyton, please allow me to introduce Renla, and Paolo.’

  ‘Please Ladies join me.’

  They all looked at each other, finally Julope took a breath and sat, her sisters looked at her and then Peyton, who waited for them to decide if they were brave enough to follow their sister. Coming up behind them with a tray, Helen waited patiently.

  She and Peyton knew this was a major turning point in the females thinking. To actually allow themselves to sit in Peyton’s presence as equals was a concept they would struggle with, but as with Julope, her sisters both took a breath and sat.

  Helen slipped into an empty seat, placing a cup of tea in front of each female, who looked at the cups, then Helen, then the cups in stunned amazement. Helen winked at Peyton, giving the females time to settle as she asked her in her usual straight forward manner.

  ‘So how goes it?’

  ‘Darby says the Matriarch is offloading the Warriors so the Commanders are going to get them and then at some point in the next day or two, we will have a meeting.’ Slyly, she asked Helen. ‘So Larson seems smitten?’

  Helen said noncommittally. ‘Is that right?’

  ‘Yep, thought he would be with you?’

  Helen replied, still in the same tone. ‘Is that right?’

  ‘Yep.’ Peyton waited as Helen sipped her tea. ‘Oh, come on, seriously give me something.’

  Helen once more smiled while Peyton grumbled. ‘I cannot wait to get home.’

  Helen sighed. ‘We are ready to go when you give the word.’

  Peyton nodded. ‘Good.’

  Together they turned their attention to the females who had tentatively started sipping their tea while they watched and listened to the conversation between her and Helen. With a smile, Peyton said. ‘So Ladies, I am sure you know that this is Chef Helen, she is on Maikonia’s council and anything you have to say to me or tell me, you can say in front of her. She will be your contact back home, it is Helen that you will go to, if you have anything worrying you. Now why don’t you tell me what I can do to help you?’

  Julope carefully placed her cup on the table. ‘Madam Peyton, we are thankful for the chance to make a life for ourselves on Maikonia. We have been in service since our tenth yenta. We are just unsure what it is you wish us to do, we are not fit for the military, although we could keep house for the Warriors, I think.’ She looked at the sisters, who nodded their heads in agreement.

  Peyton sucked her cheeks in, then said. ‘Okay, so I see you are all under a misconception. Ladies, you are no longer servants, but I see that cutting you adrift will not work. So may I ask you a few questions and then we can make a plan?’

  Shocked at being asked if they would mind being questioned, they numbly nodded their heads. Peyton pulled her tablet out and found it would not work.

  ‘Seriously.’ She growled as she banged it against the table until Helen took it off her. ‘That will not help, I will take notes.’

  ‘Fine, but you should know it is very annoying.’

  ‘I am sure it is dearle, our Jean will fix it.’

  Peyton sighed. ‘Soon, I hope.’

  ‘Me too.’ Helen agreed quietly. Noticing the bemused expressions on the sister’s faces, Helen explained. ‘Technology stops working around Madam.’

  ‘Oh!’ They all said in unison.

  While they had been talking, Netta had taken a seat at a table just behind Peyton’s table, her tablet open. Peyton asked the three sisters. ‘First are multiple births normal for your species?’

  Julope nodded. ‘Yes, more often than not.’

  ‘I see, can you all read and write Coalition General?’

  ‘Yes we all can.’ Julope answered as the spokesperson for her sisters.

  ‘Good, do you know math?’

  ‘Yes, we all do.’

  ‘Did you all receive the download when you came on board?’

  They shook their heads no and seemed frightened they had done something wrong, Peyton smiled to show them it was alright. ‘Well nothing to be concerned about, we will see to that. Now if you were to be the mistress of your own destiny what would you choose to do with your lives? No matter how much it cost or how big or small it is, what would your future be like, what do you dream about?’

  Julope smiled softly as she said. ‘Having my own home, my own bedroom and kitchen to decorate any way I like. I want to have a small garden to grow flowers.’ It seemed once she started she could not stop. Peyton and the others listened and took notes, smiling as she spoke. Her sister’s expressions changed several times going from fear to amazement as they too listened to Julope, but it was more fascination that the two females did not scoff at Julope or humiliate her for having her dreams. And because they did not, the two sisters relaxed their tense muscles and even smiled a little.

  Julope’s said in a dreamy voice. ‘I would like to have a flower shop and to not be someone’s servant ever again. I wish to find a mate and have young.’ She came back to herself and blushed darker pink and ducked her head. Peyton’s eyes held warmth and kindness as she said. ‘Done, we can give you all that as well as supply you with some credits. When we are finished here, Helen will show you how our homes are constructed and talk to you about the flower shop.’

  Julope wiped her eyes. ‘I do not know what to say, I am scared it is a dream.’

  ‘It is not, you will have your home and business. The mate and young you will have to do on your own. I like flowers.’ Peyton said wistfully.

  Julope smiled and sniffed, wiping her eyes, saying. ‘Renla your turn.’

  Shyly, Renla said. ‘I wish for the same, I would also like to own a shop. I make nice bread and pastries, would that be possible?’

  Helen clasped her hand. ‘Oh my dearle yes, we desperately need more bakers, would you have to be on the same world with your sisters? You may not know that we have nine worlds to choose from.’

  They all shook their heads and Renla said. ‘No, not if I could have my own shop and home. I would go anywhere.’

  Peyton told her. ‘Well that is done, you will also have credits and we will fix you right up with a house and business.’

  ‘Now Paolo your turn.’ Julope said, both
Helen and Peyton looked at her expectantly, but she was shaking her head as she said tearfully ‘There is nothing you can give me. It is impossible for you to give me my heart back.’

  ‘Try me, you will not know if you do not try Paolo, let me judge whether I can give you back your heart.’ Peyton softly said, then asked. ‘What harm can it be to tell me… to tell us?’

  Paolo just shook her bent head, and they were sure they heard her crying. Worriedly Peyton looked at Helen and then Netta what could be so terrible a desire that she would cry.

  Julope finally said as she placed her arm around her sister. ‘She sews, she is an amazing seamstress.’

  Paolo sucked in her bottom lip as her pink skin deepened even redder and she seemed to pull herself together then she burst out. ‘I want my young back, my two little ones. They took them, can you give them back to me?’

  ‘Who took them?’ Peyton asked sharply.

  Paolo looked her in the eye and said. ‘The Matriarch, she sold them to miners.’

  Peyton sucked in a breath and closed her eyes as she started to glow, quickly Helen tapped her on her hand.

  ‘You are glowing dearle, you will scare the nice Ladies.’

  Peyton opened her eyes and they could all see the flames in their depths, as they faded back to her normal soft green as her glow diminished. ‘Sorry, Paolo, how long ago were they taken?’

  ‘Three wekens.’ Paolo cried as her sisters held her. Julope explained. ‘Paolo and her family lived with another five families in a small mining community. The raiders came and took all the young. There were six of them including Paolo’s young, aged between three and ten, sadly they killed Paolo’s male and the parents of the others. Thankfully they missed Paolo because she was inside the mine when they came. She saw them as they left with the young. We did not find out for two wekens when Paolo finally made it to the Matriarchs house.’

  Peyton asked. ‘Paolo, do you know the name of the planet they took them to?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘The name of the ship?’

  ‘No, it was big, very big.’

  ‘Did they speak Coalition?’

  ‘Yes very badly though, they had long noses.’ She made a gesture with her two hands, showing that the noses were long and looked like snouts. ‘I think I heard them say they were not far away and they would have to remember to come again.’

  Peyton asked the tearful female. ‘Paolo this is important, do you know which day it was they took your young?’

  ‘Oh yes, it was three wekens ago on first day after rest day.’

  ‘Okay, Netta, did you get all that?’

  ‘I did Madam, I am uploading the data to Darby now.’ The females swiveled around as Netta spoke and trembled when they saw her. Helen said soothingly.

  ‘It is alright, this is Commander Netta she will help.’

  Peyton told them. ‘She really is very good, she has more questions for you. Will you talk to her?’

  Paolo nodded eagerly. ‘Yes Madam.’

  ‘Good, now I have one last question, why do you think the Matriarch sold Paolo’s young?’

  ‘Because nothing happens without the consent of the Matriarch, nothing.’ Stated Julope.

  Helen asked. ‘Even with her off planet?’

  Julope’s lips tightened. ‘Nothing, Eddea does nothing without first checking with the Matriarch.’

  ‘What if she is trying to be First Sister?’ Peyton broached the idea, then she, Helen and Netta waited while Julope and her sisters thought about what she had said. Paolo slowly asked as if she was having trouble with her own thoughts. ‘Are you suggesting that Eddea sold my young to raise credits against Sennha?’

  Gently Peyton said. ‘Yes, would she?’

  Julope nodded her head slowly, after a look at each of her sisters who also nodded. ‘She could have, I never heard her say anything like that. Although she can be closed mouthed at times.’

  Paolo said scornfully. ‘She is a fool, they will come back. Everyone knows that we mine the most expensive mineral in the universe. That is why the Matriarch only uses the people of Oraintarre. She believes it will stop others from stealing it. Eddea has opened the planet to invasion.’

  Renla shook her head as she whispered. ‘There are no defenses against others who think to come and take what is Oraintarre’s.’ The three sisters went a darker pink in their distress, then Renla said. ‘Remember sisters, how the Matriarch always says, she has an armee and when they were needed, she would raise them from the cold.’

  Julope agreed. ‘Oh my, I had forgotten she always says that, especially when someone questions her decisions.’

  Peyton raised her eyebrows. ‘Did she now?’ She gently squeezed Paolo’s hand. ‘So this is what we are going to do, we are going to try to track the ship and when we leave here and if we have their trail, we will follow it and get your young back. If we do not, I will ask the Stars to search for them and we will keep searching until we find them. Please Paolo believe me when I say we will do everything we can to get your young back for you.’

  Paolo cried on her sisters shoulders, Julope said with tears in her eyes. ‘Thank you, Madam.’

  Peyton left them with Helen and Netta, knowing between the two of them they would calm the sisters and learn everything they needed to know to help Darby search for Paolo’s children. She wandered around the ship, ending up in a viewing lounge on the Warriors level. She still carried her half-filled cup of coffee as she sat and closed her eyes sipping quietly, mins later she opened them and smiled. ‘How restful you are, Master Jarrod. Oh sorry forgot myself there for a min, Specialist Jarrod, how are you, I am sorry I have not spoken to you before now?’

  Raley, Marlo and Larson’s squad brother, coming into the lounge from a recent shower to read, had no idea the Specialist was a Master. The deadliest of the mind walkers. He listened with trepidation in his heart for the female as she spoke to the male. He wondered if she had any idea that mind-walkers were reportedly the most unstable of all the Yanarah people.

  ‘Madam Peyton, how are you?’

  ‘Truth.’

  ‘Always.’

  ‘I am tired and annoyed and fighting going down there and ripping the world apart.’

  ‘Why do you not? I know you are more than capable of doing so.’

  ‘Yep, I am but just because I can, doesn’t mean I should. It is bad enough the people will suffer until she realizes what she has done.’

  ‘What if she never does?’

  ‘Well, I can only try. The planet Oraintarre will take over if we are not successful.’ She sighed as she told him. ‘I am hopeful the Matriarch will understand she has been playing with fire, so to speak and come to her senses before this escalates.’

  ‘I see.’

  ‘So how is everyone at home, you have been busy since you arrived, are people being nice to you?’

  He laughed at her questions she was always concerned that people were wary of him and his brothers but the truth of it was, the people of Maikonia had accepted Avana along with her dangerous brothers without reservations or prejudice. In fact they had been warmly welcomed and almost he hesitated to say it but treasured and it was a gift they never allowed themselves to forget.

  ‘To answer all your questions yes, Hawk and Melody greeted me with pleasure. Netta and I have crossed words which is always delightful and Kerol and I have caught up on our mates and you will be happy to know Trina is with child.’

  Peyton squealed with excitement as she jumped from her seat, giving Raley’s heart a jolt of surprise as her coffee cup went flying from her hand. She threw herself into Jarrod’s arms. ‘That is wonderful. I am so happy for you. Oh my stars, she’s not angry I pulled you away from home, is she?’

  These females they all touched, that was the hardest adjustment for him and his brothers to accept, they saw no harm in what they did, they gave freely of themselves and normalized the abnormal. He wondered once again if they knew what they gifted to others like him and his family, and
as he enjoyed the touch of the female in his arms, he knew they did not. ‘No, she is not, Trina and I thank you, we know that if it had not been for you. We would never have met… never had a chance.’

  Peyton removed herself from him, sat back in her chair and smiled saying. ‘Sometimes fate just needs a helping hand. Now you are really family, so first names only from now on.’

  Smiling, he nodded his agreement then frowned as he said. ‘I have to tell you Peyton, I am a little worried there has never been a child from a Master before.’

  Instead of Peyton replying, the Stars spoke to him.

  We wish to congratulate Specialist Jarrod, our Daughter’s heart-brother and tell you, there have been Masters creating children back before the now. Your history was altered to exclude this knowledge from you, to keep the Masters from breeding. This is why they do not want you to live away from Yanarah.

  Jarrod stood and bowed. ‘Greetings Star Child, you are saying there is something on the planet that stops us breeding?’

  It is a compound found only on your world, it also can cause madness in some. Not your line as you and your brothers can attest to.

  Shocked almost speechless. Jarrod collapsed back on his chair and hung his head and breathed deeply, then asked hoarsely. ‘The Elders know of this?’

  They do.

  ‘All these yentas we have been called abominations, our parents required to birth a normal child until they had Avana.’ He placed his head in his hands as he softly said. ‘All the Masters that went mad and were terminated, we the survivors living in fear. That same fear holding us to the world and it is the world that we should fear. We were told as aberrations we were tools to be used.’ He stood and bowed again. ‘Thank you Star Child with your permission, I must go and contact my brothers, they will not choose their mates because they worry they will pass on the madness.’

  ‘Jarrod.’ Peyton said in her normal voice, halting his departure.

  ‘Yes Peyton?’

  ‘Do you have contacts on Yanarah?’

  ‘I do.’

  ‘Offer who you think would like to leave a home on Maikonia, tell your parents what was done to their sons and ask them to join their children on their new home world. Please extend my offer to them of sanctuary and citizenship, impress on them my heartfelt wish to welcome the parents of our most trusted friends.’ She looked at Jarrod as she said. ‘Please explain to your parents that our people would like to have their knowledge of the universe and that we desperately need their wisdom. Then find people to disseminate the information you have just learned and tell them it came from me. I am more than willing to go and repeat it if they would like.’ She gave him a very shark like smile, which he returned.