Clajak nodded. In a heavy voice he said, “There can be no special treatment. Nothing that speaks of collusion between us and the court.”
Bevau gave her an understanding smile. “As for sending Yuder away and keeping him from facing his sentence, that is impossible. Someone has to pay for the crimes of Armageddon. He has taken that responsibility upon himself.”
Cissy’s anger refused to be tempered. Perhaps it was because she had not voiced the real reason she was upset by the delay. She wanted to be with Clan Diltan again. As long as the case lasted, she couldn’t do that.
The frustration wouldn’t be contained. Uncomfortable with telling everyone her actual feelings, she ranted about the rest of her concerns instead. “I don’t see where a crime has been committed. They have the testimony of all those women saying they were rescued, not abducted. What more evidence could anyone need? This is the craziest mess I’ve ever seen. I swear, if Wal is a party to Yuder going to prison, I’ll never forgive him.”
Jessica came close to place a steadying hand on Cissy’s shoulder. “He and the rest of the judges have more than just one man’s freedom to consider, Cissy. Trust me, the thought of Yuder in a prison camp doesn’t sit well with me either. I’d rather cut off my arm than see it happen. But we may be on the path to civil war if this isn’t dealt with right. Yuder has made the sacrifice to keep that from happening. Even Mom understands what’s at stake and supports him.”
Bevau added, “Don’t think for an instant that Honorable Wal isn’t aware of all that’s at stake. Every last judge on that panel knows. They cannot be swayed by emotion. They have to weigh the good of the Empire against the fate of one man ... a man who has proclaimed his guilt.”
Besides Tasha, Lindsey was the one person who could get away with outright chastisement of Cissy. She did not mince words. “You can’t blame Wal for doing his job. He doesn’t deserve your anger.”
Cissy knew they were right. She knew it was her selfish wish to be back with Wal and the rest of the clan that had her acting like an entitled brat. She sagged in defeat.
“I know he doesn’t. I can tell just by looking at him how heavy this weighs on him. But I still don’t think Yuder should pay as high a price as that Maf or a lot of others seem to think.” Or that I should spend another second without Wal, Diltan, and Rolat.
She tried to get beyond thinking of herself. Cissy considered those who were going to be hurt if Yuder’s sentence was severe. She looked at Clajak, the son who had to watch his father’s reputation be torn apart – and perhaps lose his father altogether.
She asked him, “If they have no choice but to punish your father, can you step in somehow? Lessen a harsh sentence that will keep him from you and my aunt?”
Clajak’s expression was tormented, giving Cissy the answer before he spoke. “Subvert the court by Imperial Decree? That is the surest way to divide the Empire. I think the majority of the people are still on our side right now. That will change if I defend my father. The revolt will gain strength with new accusations of treachery.”
Bevau touched Clajak’s elbow with a discreet show of support. “Yuder’s bravery is Kalquor’s saving grace. His admission of guilt and acceptance of the consequences will keep the Empire whole.”
Clajak gave his Nobek a grateful look. “Whatever the sentence is, we must abide by it. It will be hard, but with my clan’s strength to keep me steady, I can bear it.”
There was something young and vulnerable in the Dramok Emperor’s eyes at that moment. Cissy knew it ripped Clajak’s heart out to leave Yuder to his fate. And yet, just as she could not be selfish in her wants, neither could he. Clajak had an entire kingdom depending on him to do what had to be done.
With his clanmates gathered close around him, Clajak left the gallery. Lindsey followed on their heels. Tasha linked her arm through Cissy’s and they brought up the rear, surrounded by Royal Guards.
The chauffeured shuttle that Jessica had provided for Cissy and Tasha’s use to travel back and forth between the court and the Matara Complex was in a bay separate from that of the Imperial Clan’s. The twins stepped out of the in-house conveyance between two watchful Royal Guards assigned to accompany them to the safety of their apartments.
The polished stone bay was almost empty but for perhaps half a dozen personal shuttles in its cavernous expanse. The booted feet of the guards were silent, leaving only the soft steps of the women to echo. Cissy hardly noticed the near silence since her head was buzzing with all she’d seen in court that day: the violence, the pain in Clajak’s eyes, and the men she’d give anything to be with right now.
Tasha interrupted her thoughts. “Poor Aunt Tara. I thought she might throw herself right through the gallery’s glass when those men went after Yuder. And did you see Clajak’s face? Imagine having to watch your father be attacked like that.”
Cissy wrung her hands. “They still have to stand aside and watch Yuder be sentenced to who knows what. With the Empire’s code of an eye for an eye, what awful things could they be planning—hey!”
The two guards had suddenly wheeled around, shoving her and her sister behind them as they drew percussion blasters. Cissy shouted in horror to see who they pointed their weapons at: Diltan and Rolat, standing just in front of the conveyance system.
Rolat jumped in front of Diltan, his hands held up and open to show he was not armed. “Our apologies, guards. We only wished to speak to our intended, Matara Cecilia.”
Seeing that the guards were not backing down, Cissy yelled at the men her legs trembled to run to. “Idiots! What are you two doing sneaking up on Royal Guards like that? Do you want to be killed?”
At the same time, Tasha placed trembling hands on each guard’s arm. “It’s okay, Nobeks. These men are my sister’s lottery picks. That’s Councilman Diltan and Head of Penal Colonies Rolat.”
The tensed guards began to relax, albeit grudgingly. Cissy glowered over the shoulder of one. Delight to see Diltan and Rolat warred with the horror of their lives being threatened. Tears trembled her vision and made her angry. “It would serve you right if you got shot, you two. After what happened in court, you should know better.”
Rolat winced in embarrassment. “Indeed we should. In our haste to catch up with you, we weren’t thinking clearly.”
He and Diltan bowed to the guards. The armored men holstered their weapons while continuing to give the pair black looks.
Diltan stepped forward to address the pair. “Once more, we are sorry to have come up on you like that. As Rolat said, we were afraid we’d miss you before you left, Cissy.”
It was all she could do to not shove the guard in front of her aside, assuming she could knock a living boulder out of the way. Pretending her heart didn’t scream for joy to be so close to Diltan and Rolat, she scowled. “I thought we were to keep clear of each other while this case is going on?”
Diltan gave her the smug grin that made her want to simultaneously slap and kiss him. “Except for the Imperial Father’s sentencing, the case is over. It may be breaking with propriety but – oh, fuck propriety. We want to be with you. We have to be with you.”
As Tasha laughed in delight, Rolat gave Diltan an amused look. “‘Fuck propriety’? She is rubbing off on you, my Dramok.”
“Try not to look so pleased with my defection to the crass side. Cissy?” His smirk vanished, replaced by hopeful eagerness.
Cissy turned her own wishful gaze to her sister. Like Diltan had said, fuck propriety. She’d beg on bended knee to leave with two of her three loves.
Tasha made a shooing gesture. “Go on, get out of here. You need to be with them.”
Cissy gave her a loud smooch on the cheek. “Thank you, sis.”
One of the guards looked from Rolat and Diltan to Cissy, his expression uncertain. “I have to report to my superior that you insisted on this. You are sure, Matara? And Matara Natasha concurs?”
“Please let her go,” Tasha said with exaggerated desperation. “Or we will have
to listen to her sob all the way back to the complex. If that happens, it will be up to you to comfort her, Nobek.”
The guard’s eyes widened at that. He stepped aside to let Cissy pass. “Then you accept responsibility for refusing our protection.”
“She has mine,” Rolat said, his grin gleaming in his dark face as Cissy hurried to join him and Diltan. “As long as she is with me, nothing will harm her.”
The restraint it took to not run to them, to not fling herself into the men’s arms, was the worst Cissy had ever had to exercise. Yet she somehow managed it. When she kissed Diltan and Rolat however, she practically devoured their faces. She ignored Tasha’s laughter as they kissed her back, simultaneously dragging her to the conveyance.
Somehow they got on the transport device. Only after the doors closed did the three take a breath.
“Judge’s shuttle bay,” Diltan told the conveyance. He smiled at Cissy, lighting her whole world. “Wal is waiting for us there. We had a hard time convincing him to do so, but it’s well guarded by armed officers. We didn’t want his safety left to chance.”
Rolat added, “I brought my own transportation, but we’ll all ride home together so I can be sure everyone is protected. What a mess this has turned into. I’ve never seen fighting like that in the high court.”
At the reminder that their troubles were far from over, Cissy’s joy at being reunited with Clan Diltan muted. She was with the men she loved, but serious trouble remained.
The trio reached the judges’ guarded shuttle bay, which was a smaller version of the one Cissy had just left. With the opening to the outside closer, she could feel the warm spring breeze wafting in.
Diltan drew her close while he dug in his waist pouch for identification to show to one of the guards manning the bay. The Nobek sentry grinned at Diltan and Rolat as he perfunctorily gave their vidcards a glance. “Honorable Wal’s clanmates and not clever disguises, right?”
Rolat chuckled. “Any excitement here, Etz?”
“No, Global Security has all the fun.” Etz gave Cissy a polite smile and nod as she brought her identification up on its screen. “Good evening to you, Matara – Cecilia. Cousin to our empress, correct?”
Diltan’s expression turned watchful. “Whom we’ve not been able to see since the trial started. Wal’s objectivity—”
“Is impeccable,” Etz interrupted, raising his hand in a conciliatory gesture. “Anyone with half a brain knows that about him. Unfortunately, a great many in the Empire seem to possess less than that amount of sense these days. Good luck to you all, Councilman. Ah, there is Honorable Wal waiting rather impatiently.”
They all looked towards the mid-sized shuttle that the Imdiko emerged from. His face wore its familiar worried look, which vanished as he beamed at Cissy.
“Thank the ancestors,” Rolat breathed as they headed towards him.
Cissy’s heart had renewed its quick thumping to see Wal, knowing she would soon be able to embrace him. “Did you think someone could get to him in here?”
“I always feel better when I can see my clanmates and am there to protect them, no matter how many precautions have been taken.”
Diltan drew a breath that told Cissy he’d been concerned as well. “I am glad to see him too.”
Not content to wait for them by the shuttle, Wal had hurried to meet them halfway. He swept Cissy up in a hug and twirled her around. “Cissy!”
She discovered she was just as relieved as the others to find the Imdiko safe and sound. He’d seemed too exposed in the courtroom when the fighting broke out. She’d come close to cheering when Rolat had jumped between Wal and the gallery.
Cissy planted a kiss on his smiling lips. Then a second. Two more kisses followed before she was able to speak. “That was some show you put on in there.”
He chuffed a laugh. “One I hope will not be repeated.” He looked to Diltan and Rolat. “Can we go?”
The Nobek pushed the group towards the shuttle. “The sooner, the better.”
They got on board. Cissy noted the cabin where six people could lounge in comfort around a table, separate from the front where there was a cockpit for two and a second row of seats behind it. She wondered why Wal needed such a opulent shuttle.
“Luxurious,” she said.
The Imdiko grinned as he let Rolat take the pilot’s seat. He took the chair next to the Nobek while Diltan and Cissy settled in the back row. “Sometimes I take my colleagues out to lunch. Sometimes I pick these two buffoons up from work to take them out to a surprise dinner and entertaining. And sometimes we load it up for a few days away on vacation. It’s nice to have a larger vehicle for such things.”
Rolat didn’t seem nearly as delighted as he guided the shuttle out of the court complex. “Most days Diltan or I drop him off at work. I worried with the sentencing that there would be trouble. That’s why Wal brought it in today, so we could all travel home together.”
“Protective Nobek.” Wal’s expression was pure affection as he looked at his clanmate. Then he turned his attention back to Cissy, staring at her as if to drink her image in.
She was just as happy to contemplate him and the other two. She was so delirious to be with them that it felt unreal. If anyone said they’d have to spend anymore days apart, she’d tear their lips off.
Needing to know that wouldn’t happen, she asked Wal, “What’s the latest? How long is this delay in the sentencing going to last?”
He twisted in his seat so he could face her. “Court will be in session as usual tomorrow. Onziv is worried that prolonging the announcement will be as detrimental as announcing it could be. Extra precautions will be enacted, however. Everyone will be scanned and searched for weapons before they are allowed in, including blades.”
Rolat growled. “I can’t say I like it even with the weapons check, my Imdiko. Most Nobeks are trained to kill with their bare hands.”
Wal nodded. “That’s why containments will be established. There will be a protective field around the judges, the Imperial gallery, the defense counsel’s area, and the route Imperial father Yuder will take in and out of the courtroom.”
Diltan whooshed out a breath. He slid his arm around Cissy’s shoulders, drawing her to his side. She snuggled into his warm with a happy noise.
He told Wal, “That eases my mind a bit. At least you and Cissy will be well protected. I must say that Global Security and the Royal Guards did a good job today.”
Cissy had been watching Wal’s face carefully during the conversation. So far, he had not given any hints as to what the panel’s decision had been as far as Yuder was concerned.
She prodded him, “The sentence hasn’t been announced, but it has been decided.”
Wal eyed her, his familiar worried look re-asserting itself. “It has, but I cannot discuss it. Head Judge Onziv must declare the sentence to the whole Empire at the same time.”
“That’s what Clajak said when I pitched a fit about it. Don’t worry, Wal. I’m not going to ask you to tell me anything.”
Diltan squeezed her shoulders. “You threw a tantrum, huh? I’m not surprised. The pain your family is going through has to be phenomenal.”
Cissy said, “That’s not why I went off. I blew my stack because I thought the delay would keep us apart. I couldn’t handle it, not for another second.”
Rolat set the shuttle to follow automatic traffic controls before turning his seat around to face her. The three men looked at her, questioning hope filling their expressions.
In a quiet tone, Rolat said, “It sounds as if you missed us as much as we missed you. For the last two months, all I’ve thought about is how much I need to be with the woman I love.”
Cissy blinked and tears came in a shocking flood. Wal made an upset sound and moved from his seat to sit next to her, squashing her between himself and Diltan. Feeling them touching her again after so long made her cry harder.
Plus Rolat had said he’d fallen in love with her.
He loved her
. What of the other two? How did they feel about her?
Feeling like she’d just glimpsed nirvana and fearful it would be snatched away, Cissy sobbed, “I’ve missed you all so much! It’s been like this huge hole in my body – hell, in my soul without you around. I’m scared that this trial is somehow going to destroy any chance we have of being together. I can’t stand the idea of that!”
Now all three men hugged and petted her. As Wal and Rolat tried to dry her tears, Diltan cupped her chin to make her look at him. “Listen to me, Cecilia. Nothing – not the Royal Council, not the Imperial Family, not the High Court, not anything – is going to keep you from us. We are determined to have you.”
“It’s over,” Wal promised. “The whole thing is finished tomorrow. We’ll pronounce sentence and it will be done. Though I don’t guarantee everyone will be happy with what will happen, at least we can look forward to putting it behind us.”
Cissy felt like a frightened child, clinging to any shred of the security she needed. “You promise?”
“Absolutely.” Wal smiled. “We’re together now, aren’t we? And that’s the way it’s going to stay.”
Embarrassed to have crumbled, Cissy rubbed her eyes hard, as if to punish them for crying. “Damn it, I sound like such a wimp, and that’s not me. I can’t stand another day without you three though. If that’s weak, well then I’ll just have to sound weak.”
“You, weak? Not for a moment.” Diltan chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose. “What you sound like is a woman in love. I hope you are, because we love you too.”
As Cissy tried to absorb that too-wonderful-to-be-true news, the Dramok kissed her. The kiss was slow, it was sensuous, and it was thorough. He made love to her through that kiss, making her senses reel. Heat surged throughout her body, bringing her to intense arousal. Cissy had never known a mere kiss could do that.
When Diltan released her, she gazed at him through hazy eyes. His smirk came back, telling her he knew what he did to her. The wonderful, obnoxious bastard.
Sounding way too breathy but unable to control it, Cissy grinned back. “I do love you, you pompous, arrogant jerk. Heaven help me.” She looked around to include the rest of the happy clan. “I love all three of you.”
Alien Indiscretions Page 41
