by I. T. Lucas
“Yes, Captain.”
As the door closed behind the ensign, Jack removed the lids from the first course and put the plates on the table. Next went the napkins and the silverware.
“Did I miss Moria?” Leia asked.
“Moira doesn’t serve the meals she prepares. I told the ensign to leave the cart.”
Once again, Jack pulled out the chair for Leia. “I’ve read that male Krall regard it as an honor to feed their females.”
Leia stifled a laugh. “It’s part of the courtship ritual. Are you courting me, Jack?”
She was surprisingly blunt, and he picked up the gauntlet even though he shouldn’t have. “Would you be averse to my courtship?”
He was out of line, but on the other hand, Leia wasn’t part of his crew, and she wasn’t a subordinate. There were no rules against them having a fling during her voyage.
Lifting her drink, she took a small sip and then put it down. “Not at all. But I’m afraid that you don’t know what’s involved. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have offered to court me so casually.”
15
Leia
Things were progressing much faster than Leia had ever hoped. She’d been flirting lightly, just to test the waters and see whether Jack showed an interest in her, but it seemed she was at an impasse.
Now, she either had to back out and make light of the direction their conversation had taken them, or come out and offer Jack a summons.
It was too soon for that, though. He didn’t know her yet, didn’t care for her, and he wasn’t a Krall who would have been honor-bound to accept.
“Then tell me,” Jack said. “You’ve whetted my curiosity, and now I have to know.”
Smiling, she waved a dismissive hand. “It’s too serious a subject to joke about.”
He didn’t smile back. “Who is joking? I’m dead serious.”
“Why? You don’t know me. Why would you want to court a woman you’ve just met?”
“Isn’t it obvious? We are both single, you are a stunningly beautiful woman, smart, fascinating, and to say that I am attracted to you is putting it mildly. What else is there?”
She sighed. “I am not free to indulge in casual relations, Jack. When the time comes for me to summon a male, it will be for the purpose of finding a worthy mate. A husband is a term you are more familiar with.
His eyes widened. “Does summoning a male mean what I think it does?”
“I don’t know what you are thinking, so I can’t answer your question.”
He shook his head. “Pardon me, but it seems I have no choice but to ask this directly. Am I to understand that you have never invited a man into your bed?”
She nodded. “Correct.”
“Why?”
“Because I am the princess, and I’m expected to uphold tradition, which is a mixture of Krall and human customs. My ancestors didn’t have anything resembling marriage. When a female wished to have a child, she summoned a suitable male. He was honor obligated to accept and then prove himself worthy of fathering her child. They didn’t stay together. If the union was fruitful, and a child was born, the father was expected to contribute financially, but the female raised the child alone.”
“So, sex was only for procreation?”
“Between the Krall, yes, but because the fertility rate was low, many summonses had to be issued before pregnancy was achieved.”
“I see. So, it was okay to indulge in the name of conception. Did the females keep summoning the same male until they conceived, or did they switch between partners?”
“It was one male per fertile season, which was more or less two weeks out of every three months. Establishing paternity was important.”
“Obviously.”
“When the Krall started taking on human consorts, they were introduced to human mating customs, and the two got meshed together. The initial summoning by the female was still done the same way, but if the male proved worthy, the couple got married and stayed together to raise their children. In time, the summoning was mostly abandoned as well. Only the noble houses still observe that tradition.”
“Are you expected to remain chaste until you summon a mate?”
“Chastity is the result, not the impetus. I can’t be with a man without issuing a summons, but I can only issue a summons for the purpose of choosing a permanent mate.”
16
Jack
“Interesting custom.” Jack rubbed his jaw.
Archaic, that was for sure. Virginity was something most young people wanted to be rid of as soon as possible. A woman Leia’s age should have been with a long line of lovers by now.
Jack found himself torn between two contradicting emotions. On the one hand, he pitied Leia for being a slave to outdated customs. But on the other hand, he experienced a most surprising caveman-like excitement at the prospect of being her first.
Except, that meant marriage, and it wasn’t what Jack had in mind when he’d started flirting with the princess, or rather responding to her subtle cues.
Was she interested in him as a potential husband?
Now that was a shocker.
He was a confident guy, but he wasn’t prince material. Perhaps she was one of those women who had a thing for uniforms?
A captain’s post on an Interstellar ship was no small achievement either. Maybe that was what she was impressed by?
Shifting in her chair, Leia picked up her glass. “Yes, well. It is what it is, and there isn’t much I can do about it.” She sighed. “I am bound by tradition.” She straightened her shoulders and smiled, slipping into her princess persona with practiced ease. “Let’s talk about something else. What happened to the Krall? Did they explain why they had abandoned their people on Earth?”
Unsure how he felt about the princess’s matrimonial interest, Jack was glad for the change of subject. “They didn’t abandon you. The truth is that they had no idea you existed.”
“How is it possible?”
“No one knows for sure, but we have a hypothesis. Those on Earth were most likely sent to colonize the planet, but the ice age ended their food supply, and they were forced into frozen sleep. In the meantime, their home planet must have suffered a major catastrophe. Perhaps it was a massive solar storm that destroyed their infrastructure, wiping out all of their technology and all of their knowledge base that must have been stored electronically, much in the same way ours was several hundred years ago. But unlike us, the Krall were isolated, and their accumulated knowledge hadn’t been stored off planet like ours is. Most of their population must have died of famine, and they were basically thrown back to the Stone Age. It has taken them thousands of years to rebuild, and they are not there yet. Their current technology is at the level Earth’s was before the discovery of space folding, which means that their space travel is limited to their solar system.”
Leia shook her head. “Perhaps it wasn’t a natural disaster.”
“The other hypothesis is that the planet we discovered is not their original home but another colony. And just as you lost the knowledge of your origins, so did they. Except, their planet had no other intelligent humanoid species like Earth.”
“Do they have mythology? Maybe a religion that hints at what happened?”
He smiled. “That’s one of the reasons you are heading there. To find out. They weren’t very forthcoming during initial contact.”
She nodded. “The secretive nature must be hardwired into our genes. If they had to restart from nothing, their new culture could’ve developed in a completely different direction than the old one my ancestors brought with them to Earth. I guess my study of Krall history is not going to be all that helpful.”
“As an Interstellar fleet captain, I have some experience in dealing with newly discovered civilizations. I’ll gladly assist in any capacity you may deem useful.”
“Thank you.”
17
Leia
As they ate in silence, Leia was grateful for the many years she�
�d spent in her mother’s court, practicing an impassive expression and hiding her feelings.
Her girly fantasies had been shattered.
Obviously, Jack’s interest in her was limited to a casual voyage fling. He wasn’t impressed with her enough to consider marriage, and that was even before he knew what was involved in courting a Krall princess.
What a colossal disappointment, especially since she wanted him now more than ever.
The more time she spent with Jack, the more convinced she became that he was the one for her. Captain Jacques Kirk had everything she desired in a mate.
His charismatic personality was matched by keen intelligence and a powerful body, and yet he wasn’t condescending or full of himself. Jack’s friendly and respectful attitude toward his crew impressed her. That was how Leia interacted with her people and how she wanted her husband to interact with them as well.
That wasn’t going to happen with Meroll or any of the other stuck-up noble sons.
Her mother had drilled into her head that her marriage was not going to be a romantic affair, and that she should focus on finding a mate who was a suitable future king. Her personal likes and dislikes were supposed to take a back seat to that.
Except, Jack fulfilled both criteria beautifully. There wasn’t a single thing Leia didn’t like about him, and he would make a fine mate and someday a fine king.
Her mother wasn’t stepping down anytime soon, so it wasn’t as if Jack would have to give up his career in the Interstellar fleet. If twenty years or so from now he had to choose between becoming the fleet’s admiral or some other high-ranking position, or retiring and taking on royal duties, they could address it then.
Politically, it was a good move as well. Jack marrying her would do wonders for her people’s reputation.
Besides, the thought of settling for one of the nobles’ sons made Leia’s skin crawl, especially if she was forced to mate Meroll. As the son of the most powerful house, he was expecting a summons from her.
Leia would rather abdicate her title, but unfortunately, she was an only child. In her absence, Meroll, who was a distant cousin and next in line, would become king without having to mate her.
Which meant that giving up was not an option. Jack had to be hers.
Lifting her eyes from the plate, Leia stared at him until he looked up as well. “I might take you up on your offer.”
Jack put his fork down. “I’m at your service, Princess Leia. Anything you need, I am your man.”
She stifled a smile. Jack had backed himself into a corner, and she wasn’t going to miss this opportunity to pounce on him. “I hope that you are a man of your word, Captain Jacques Kirk.”
He frowned. “Is there a reason you are questioning my honor?”
“Not yet. But what I’m about to ask you may cause you to go back on your word.”
Smiling, he pretended to glance around. “I don’t see any dragons you might want me to slay or Guntavian eagles to subdue.”
She chuckled. “You are sitting across from one.”
Affecting a mock frown, Jack shook his head. “I’m confused, and that doesn’t happen often. As far as I know, the Krall are not shape-shifters.”
“We are not, and I’m not a lady dragon or a Guntavian eagle, but I want you to wrestle me, and I’m one hell of a fighter.”
For a moment, Jack just stared at her, then he cleared his throat and picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth although there was nothing to clean. “My apologies, Princess, but I do not wrestle with females, and it has nothing to do with misogyny. I wouldn’t spar with B’Kala, even though we are probably equally matched in strength and skill. It’s too intimate and might lead to impropriety.”
18
Jack
With a sly smile, Leia leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s what I’m counting on.”
As thoughts of wrestling the nude princess in bed flitted through his mind, Jack became painfully hard. And the worst part was that he couldn’t adjust himself without revealing his predicament.
What kind of game was she playing with him? And what was happening to her?
The woman sitting across from him wasn’t the same one who had followed him into his quarters, the one he had spent a pleasant evening with, talking about politics and customs.
Up until this moment, Leia’s flirting had been subtle, and she seemed so reasonable, so worldly and sophisticated. She’d shed that skin, revealing the predator lurking underneath.
It wasn’t just about the tiny fangs peeking out of her mouth as she smiled suggestively. Her entire demeanor had changed, and she was practically crackling with sexual energy.
If he were a lesser man, he might have been put off by the aggressive undertones, but Jack loved a challenge, and if he weren’t mistaken, Leia had just thrown one at him.
Folding his napkin, he put it over his knee and leaned back, affecting the same nonchalant pose as Leia. “I’m a simple man, Princess. And I’m afraid that I’m not good at interpreting hints even if they hit me over the head. If you need my help with something, you will have to spell it out for me. What exactly is it that you want me to do?”
Her bravado faltering, Leia looked away and let out a breath. “This isn’t easy for me.”
Her admission made him feel like an ass. Leia wasn’t a fellow cadet at the academy that he was competing with, and he should have been more gentle with her.
“Would another drink help?”
She nodded. “I’m not a big believer in liquid courage, but I certainly use any help I can get for what I’m about to tell you.”
His curiosity piqued, Jack walked over to the dispenser. “Same one as before?”
“Yes, please. I liked it.”
When the drinks were ready, he carried them back to the table and sat down. “You’ll find me a very good listener. I’m open-minded, and I’m not judgmental.”
“That’s good.” She took the tall glass and waited for the fumes to disperse before taking a long sip. “As I’ve hinted before, I’m expected to summon a mate. In fact, I’ve been delaying doing so for the last four years, and the pressure is mounting.”
“I can understand your reluctance to settle down. You are still a young woman. What’s the rush?”
“Tradition. I’m supposed to produce an heir, and since I’m an only child, there is pressure to hurry up and do it. It’s not that I’m averse to marriage or to motherhood.” She chuckled sadly. “I’m not made from stone, and I crave intimacy, but my selection of suitable husbands leaves a lot to be desired. And if you think I’m finicky, let me point out that Meroll is at the top of that list. The sons of the other Krall noble houses are not much better, and in some respects even worse. At least Meroll is ambitious and accomplished. Some of the others are spoiled rich boys who have done nothing with their lives.”
Poor princess. No wonder she didn’t want to get married. Spinsterhood was preferable to being tied to the likes of Meroll, but he couldn’t tell her that. Leia had an obligation to her people.
“Meroll is indeed very accomplished.” Saying that felt like chomping on glass shards.
She arched a brow. “I know that you can’t stand him, and I share the same sentiment.”
“What gave you that impression?”
Jack had been just as cordial to Meroll as to the other delegates and wondered what had given him away.
“I was at your graduation ceremony, and I watched you two. You were not as good at hiding your feelings back then.”
He frowned. “I don’t remember seeing you there.”
“I was sixteen, and I didn’t do anything to attract attention to myself. I came with Meroll’s family, and you probably thought I was his sister or cousin.”
“I ignored the entire bunch. How come you came with them, though?”
Leia shook her head. “Unbelievably, I had a crush on Meroll, or rather on his uniform. But it didn’t take me long to realize how obnoxious and condescendin
g he was toward his fellow cadets, especially when compared to you.” She smiled. “You were like a sun, illuminating everyone with your inner light and warmth, while he was like a black hole, sucking out everyone’s positive energy.”
“I’m flattered, but I think you are exaggerating a bit. I wasn’t all sunshine and smiles, and Meroll wasn’t all darkness and gloom. He had his good days.”
Not really, but it was the right thing to say. Jack couldn’t remember one instance of Meroll helping another cadet over a hurdle. That alone should have disqualified him, but he belonged to an influential family, and they would have screamed discrimination if he’d been kicked out. With Meroll’s excellent grades and stellar performance, it would have been a tough case proving that he lacked the social skills necessary for a fleet officer. If his family sued, they might have won.
Leia picked up her drink and took a long sip before putting it down again. “The day of your graduation, my crush moved from Meroll to you, and it has stayed with you ever since.”
Talk about a shocker. The princess had a ten-year-long crush on him?
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t say anything. I’m not done yet.” She let out a breath. “And that was the easiest thing to admit. I’m not saying that I’m in love with you. I’m not sixteen anymore, and I know that a crush is not love. But I still think that you are the best man I’ve ever met, and I still want you as my mate. You are not obligated to respond to my summons as a Krall male would have been, and I know that in human culture it is more common for the male to propose, but I would like you to consider it.”
Jack had been propositioned before, multiple times, but never with marriage.
He dipped his head. “I’m honored.”
What else could he have said?
When he opened his mouth to voice his many buts, Leia lifted a hand to stop him. “Don’t give me your answer yet. There is more.”
