Daughter Of Ethos: Deadly Betrayal Book 5

by L M Lacee

  ‘Are you serious that was mine?’ Peyton growled.

  Darby just shrugged one shoulder as Avana sighed sadly and shook her finger at Peyton like she had seen Lady Helen do to the boys the previous day. ‘Really Peyton, not everything is yours.’

  ‘What does it have to do with the five?’ Zenerra asked, she like everyone else knew who the five were. She had seen them at training or at meals, but so far had not spoken with them. Not that she had a chance as they kept themselves apart from just about everyone.

  Netta explained. ‘Peyton believes it is time they learn to live again.’

  ‘Oh, they need to fly.’

  Helen smiled. ‘Exactly Zen, it is pastime they learned to fly again.’

  Peyton sat back and looked at the laughing Darby as Netta grinned at her. ‘She gotcha!’

  Smiling, she told her. ‘So not coming on the next mission.’

  Netta sang. ‘Blah… blah, heard it all before.’

  Causing Peyton and Brenda, who heard her to laugh.

  After a few mins, Carrick said. ‘Madam, I was hoping to start the children in learning classes today.’

  ‘Meaning, for those who cannot speak male.’ Helen added. ‘You cannot take Hope, Rayvan or Draykin.’

  ‘It is nice, how he frames it as a suggestion, not an order though.’ Brenda admired with a smile at Carrick.

  Kate said with pride. ‘My Carrick has a way with words.’

  Peyton flapped her hand. ‘I got it… I got it, I was taking only Keylan, and the twins are staying with Fanharr. They have class this morn too. We are only going for the day.’

  Netta said. ‘I am sorry Zen you have training, we will take you next time. Because there will be a next time I guarantee.’

  Peyton groused. ‘You say that with tone.’

  Zenerra smiled. ‘Thank you Netta, I would enjoy visiting the world that feeds us.’

  ‘Of course you would.’ Peyton stated and then asked Netta, ‘Are you sure she cannot come?’

  ‘I am sure, she has town training with Rage and Coraan. They are learning to master the use of the buildings as cover.’

  Peyton sighed. ‘Oh, okay, next time Zen.’

  ‘Yes Madam.’

  Brenda asked her as she started clearing the table. ‘Are you planning on being back for eve-meal?’

  ‘Yes, could you have Esther and Lott’s room looked over, maybe some flowers.’

  Brenda gave her shoulder a pat as she passed her. ‘We will see to it. She wants to come home, sweetie.’

  ‘I know, I just want her and Lott to be happy to stay.’

  Helen assured her. ‘She is and will be. Now she has everything sorted.’

  Darby quickly interrupted. ‘If it is just for the day, say hello to everyone for me. I cannot go, they need Jean and me at the port, there are problems with the air reticulation systems. So we will see you when you get back.’

  ‘Alright then.’ Peyton said.

  Knife jumped onto a chair next to Netta. Me comes to gets Grammie Esta and Lott.

  Netta grinned and ran her hand down his back.

  ‘Yes, sweetie.’

  TWENTY-SIX:

  Grathum thought about his squad brothers as he readied himself. They were physically healthy and with the constant nutrients they received, their fitness had returned. He could not help thinking there was something missing in their lives. Again he wondered if holding themselves apart from the people here was the right decision. He knew it was more his attitude than his brothers that bound them tightly to each other. Looking at himself in the mirror, he admitted he was fearful of being alone, his brothers had always been with him. The thought of not having them near caused his needar to tremble. Although he knew the time was coming when his brothers would not feel the same. Already he could feel their restlessness. Perhaps the day would come where he would have to let them go and he would be alone.

  He grimaced at his reflection; and determinedly released those thoughts and concentrating on the order he had received on rising. Which as usual he did not fully understand. If he was being honest, he understood very little about the Armee that he and his squad brothers found themselves part of. Once they had emerged from the medical quarantine ship they had concentrated only on regaining their fitness and muscle mass.

  Slowly they were learning about the command structure of this world, one thing they all knew was when Commander Marlo issued an order, you followed it. Which is why he was on his way to the shuttle that was leaving for Terra.

  He left his room just as his brothers arrived at the lift and as they had done every day since arriving on Prime. Together they walked as a squad, not acknowledging anyone or any greeting tossed their way as they headed to first meal.

  Grathum and his squad brothers had discussed the order over their meal, which as usual they had taken alone. This order was the first one they had received since arriving on Prime. After a quiet discussion, they concluded they were not being deployed on an away mission. Because the order had not required them to take their gear or dress for battle. So they assumed it was another step in their so-called rehabilitation, devised by the Kail and Commander Marlo.

  Dressed in their regular uniform, they presented themselves on time at the shuttle, only to find Madam Peyton and her child Keylan. Commander Netta, Captain Willian and Kail Jarrod, along with Sevna Avana and her infant Koana all seated waiting for them.

  As the highest ranking person there, they saluted Peyton, and Grathum stiffly asked. ‘Madam, you wished us to accompany you?’

  ‘Yep, sure did. Take your seats Warriors, and we will be under way.’

  As they took seats and strapped in tightly. These shuttles were not as smooth as long range space shuttles. They were planet jumpers or grasshoppers, which was the small shuttle’s name. Grathum knew they had been modified to jump from planet to planet. Or fold space between planets, making days of travel compressed into hours. This trip to Terra would only take forty-five mins.

  The name of the shuttles fascinated Grathum, who had researched the insect from Earth but could not see the rational of calling the shuttles grasshoppers. They had often heard the other Warriors using the term to describe the crafts, which puzzled them more. Unfortunately, it still made no sense to them, just as so much on Prime did not.

  When Netta was satisfied everyone was secure, she said. ‘Take off Pilot Nikolas.’

  ‘As you wish, Commander.’

  The lift off was slow and steady, when they were off the surface of the planet. Peyton asked Nikolas. ‘How is it you are here Nikolas? Not that I am complaining, but I thought you would be getting ready for your assignment on the Warbird. They should have given me someone else. I know Ipeara is still in training, but it is your last day.’

  ‘They could not. June is away as well.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘You scare the others, Madam.’

  ‘Do not.’

  ‘Do too.’

  ‘But not you?’

  ‘No, you like me.’

  Peyton grinned at the young pilot. ‘Yep, I really do.’

  He grinned back, taking him from handsome to devastating handsome. ‘This is my last stay at home for the next three luneras. I leave to pilot the Maikonia I. I wished to say goodbye to you and Enara and Enuru.’

  ‘I know and congratulations. I am so very proud of you and Nick, you should smile more. It is very sexy.’

  At his horrified look, she shrugged. ‘Just telling it, like I see it.’

  ‘Oh, I beg of you, Madam Peyton, do not say that in front of the girls. They will never let it go, and I will be forever known as sexy Nicky.’

  ‘Huh, that is a good point. I promise not to.’ She cuddled Keylan as she turned excited eyes to her and babbled a string of nonsensical sounds. When she thought she should, Peyton nodded or said. ‘Uhuh’.

  Her girl loved flying when Keylan turned back to look out the window, Peyton waited a beat longer then said. ‘But I should tell you, Nikolas, they called you t
hat when I talked to them last weken.’

  Nikolas hung his head and groaned. ‘I am doomed.’

  She patted his shoulder as she got up from her seat. ‘Do not worry, by the time you come home again, they will have forgotten it.’

  He turned to face her and said seriously. ‘I can only hope.’

  Laughing with Netta and Avana, who had been unashamedly listening to the exchange, she plopped Keylan on Netta’s lap. Children loved and adored Netta, Peyton thought it was because she liked to bake, so smelled of cookies. Darby said it was the Rie that made all the young feel safe. Heather said it was because Netta understood children. Whatever it was, all the little ones adored her. The scent of cookies was Peyton’s theory.

  She stepped over Knife. ‘Hey there Knife, you alright?’

  Isa gonna sees Grammie Esta, me miss her and Gammy Lott.

  ‘I know Prowler baby. We won’t let them go away again.’

  Kay.

  She moved to the back of the shuttle and found the coffee dispenser. Then came forward, all the time watched by the five Warriors who had taken seats as far away from everyone as they could. She dropped into the seat next to Jarrod and started a conversation about the remaining Masters and Senes on planet Yanarah.

  Grathum and the others had listened to the conversation between the Star Daughter and the pilot, Nikolas. When there was no retaliation or fear from the pilot or Captain Willian, their confusion grew. Tunera, Grathum’s squad brother, finally could not contain himself.

  He asked Grathum softly. ‘Why do they talk to her like that? Is he not frightened of being punished?’

  Willian who had quietly moved to where they were sitting slipped onto a spare seat facing Grathum. ‘Madam Peyton and the ladies, in fact all the female Warriors have an immense sense of humor. They seldom take offense and try very hard not to give offense. It is difficult to understand but the females of our home worlds, genuinely like us. They find us most worthy with loads of potential.’ He smiled at the disbelief in the Warrior’s eyes and nodded his head. ‘That is what Madam Peyton told me when she stayed with me through my regeneration.’

  Surprised, Fenthic asked before he could censor his words. ‘You lie, she would not care and why would she stay with you. We heard it took four days.’

  Willian did not take offense at being called a liar, he smiled. ‘Yes, it did, I know how you feel. It amazed me too, but she did and when she had to leave. Specialist Darby or Commander Netta, Healer Heather or Tivna Melody sat with me. Sometimes I would wake and Chef Helen or Lady Brenda would be there. Even our First Commander sat with me and especially Lady Esther, who we are going to see today. You can ask them if you want to or ask Lukkas he was there.’

  They all sat stunned and Rion, Grathum’s second, asked softly. ‘Why… why would they?’

  Fenthic said. ‘It makes no sense. We are just Warriors!

  A sudden deadly silence swept through the shuttle. Willian looked at Netta and Avana and mouthed. Oops!

  Peyton glowed as she drifted nearer, Willian looked down Yep, she was floating.

  ‘I understand that these last few luneras have been very difficult for all of you who were retrieved from Oraintarre, especially you five. You were the longest in service to that nest of vipers. So I will overlook that statement this once. The Warriors of Maikonia have never been, regardless of what you and others may have been told, just Warriors. You are not fodder or unworthy or of no value. You have always been so much more, which is why they feared that one day you would realize who and what you are. So until you believe, we the people of Maikonia will believe it for you. As we did for the brothers of my heart and all the Warriors who have returned home so far. Remember, you are ours; we value each one of you. We are desolate that other worthy Warriors are still lost to us, as you were.’ She thought a moment, then said. ‘There is an old saying from Earth. It went something like this, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. Well Warriors, you are not dead and you are stronger. I know this and I believe it is time you started to as well.’

  She said no more but walked to her seat, scooping Keylan from Netta as she did. All five watched her, not showing the shock they were feeling at being spoken directly to by the Star Daughter. Each of them felt the truth of her words and struggled with her belief that they were worthy. They wanted to scoff and brush her words aside, but a hunger for acceptance, to be thought of more than a grunt or a pet, haunted their needars.

  Jarrod monitored their thoughts as Netta moved slowly to sit next to Willian. He was watching the eyes of the Warriors opposite him as they slowly moved from person to person, finally settling on Netta as she took her seat. Neither he nor Netta said anything just waited, finally it was Grathum himself who spoke first.

  He wiped his face and ran his large competent hands through his very short hair. ‘We failed, that is what she does not realize… We failed. We became pets, not worthy Warriors or males with honor. Why did she not leave us where we were?’

  Netta eyed the five males. They were hardened survivors of Oraintarre and all wore short military haircuts, with a thin streak of brown on either side of their heads. Netta thought they were handsome, but not what Darby called pretty handsome. These five she would describe as cowboy hard, with square chins and high cheek bones, not seen on many of the other Warriors. If they didn’t have the grey skin tone and green eye ring, she would easily mistake them as coming from her people.

  Netta knew Peyton heard Grathum, but she would not speak again. She had said her piece and believed it. Peyton would fight for them in her own way by allowing Netta and Willian to help where she couldn’t. Her fight she would do by never giving up on them. Netta loved that about her and had seen her do it again and again. So she would do as her sister and Star Daughter did. She would believe that these males could and would grow stronger, which prompted her to say what she did next.

  ‘You believe this of all our people who were under someone’s rule, like Jarrod or his brothers or all the Warriors under the rule of your creators. Do you believe this of Commander Hawk? Perhaps you think we should have left all the Terran females on Earth to be traded to pleasure planets without consideration to who they were. Or are you talking about the four hundred and fifty Warriors found and returned home from Oraintarre? Maybe we should not have rescued the Warriors from the moon, or the small planet they had sent them too.’

  Grathum reared back. ‘Of course not, they are all worthy Warriors. All of them, they struggled against the... what did she call them?’ He asked Rion.

  ‘Vipers, they are like a snike, they eat their young.’ Netta smiled but did not correct him. Rion did not know if that was true. He had many feelings about the females of Oraintarre, none of them good. So the thought that they were snikes from Earth and ate their young, appealed to him. As it did the others.

  Grathum nodded. ‘Yes them, they struggled with their orders. Why does she not understand this? We should be fighting where we can expire with what little honor we have left.’

  Netta nodded. ‘I see, so you have given up on yourself and your squad brothers and I suppose the other Warriors that were mistreated. That must mean the three Commanders we found in the tank. So with your reasoning, the sleepers from the moon and satellite are all useless now. Including Madam Peyton’s new Commander’s Marlo, Larson, Alexx and Raley. Is that what you are saying? We should have them all used as fodder so they can be killed or abused because you feel that you all failed?’

  Grathum hung his head and his voice was hoarse as he suppressed yentas of feelings. ‘No, I do not. All those Warriors are worthy males.’

  ‘Okay then, so it is just you five males that have no value?’

  Grathum growled. ‘My brothers are good males with honor.’

  ‘Got it, so if it is not the four hundred and fifty or the Commanders or your squad brothers, that leaves just you Warrior Grathum Powera. You are the one who is unworthy, you failed. Is that it?’

  He looked at Netta and said the
words he had held inside for so long. ‘I have no honor, I failed my brothers. I broke.’

  Soft words floated to them. ‘No, you are wrong.’ They all turned their heads towards Peyton, but she was not looking at them.

  Netta looked at the huge male and read the pain and humiliation in his eyes. ‘Yes, I see you would think that.’ She shook her head. ‘As Madam has said, you are wrong, my soon to be friend, you did not fail. You did not lose your honor, and you definitely did not break. There are many, many forms of torture. Humiliation for Warriors like us is the worst.’

  She leaned nearer the males and was surprised they did not back away. Sitting with her hands dangling between her knees, she asked quietly.

  ‘Do you think Willian lost his honor when he was whipped until tears ran from his eyes and he sobbed until he passed out?’

  Grathum’s hands clenched into fists as he and the others snarled. ‘No, he was but a young male, his honor was and is intact. He survived to be a better male, a better Warrior. To become heart bother to the Star Daughter.’

  Netta nodded as she agreed. ‘This is all true, he is one of the most honorable males I know and a great many more things.’ Netta did not look at Willian, which was just as well. She would have cried if she had seen his face and the pride he showed when she spoke of his honor.

  ‘Let me tell you of a young female so determined to become the best Warrior she could be. She fought well, shot better than any male could. She could drop a male twice, if not three times her size, in hand to hand combat. The officer was good, really good, and rose quickly up the ranks of her Armee. You know what an Armee is?’