by Maia Starr
"Remember what we talked about," he whispered to me as we approached the warrior station on the east side of the city.
"I remember," I whispered back. Since we were already inside the building, I would have to use a different route to get to the escape pod than the one that we had previously taken. This is what he was pointing out to me as he nodded his head toward a door that would lead me to the pods. I nodded in response that I understood. Soon we entered a vast room with a vaulted dome ceiling. I had never seen a grand space like it. I saw the commander walk in and my blood ran cold as he looked at me and smiled. I knew that he was already planning what he wanted to do with me. I stood up tall and proud. I had faith in Dalik.
"You are going to win," I whispered to Dalik as he looked at me and was moved away from me.
I knew what was going to happen because he had explained to me how the trials worked. Even though I did not understand a lot of it, I did understand that the first part was a trial of intelligence. The commander and Dalik sat at a large table facing each other. The trial began and I did not understand what was happening between them in this match of wits, but I understood that Dalik had the upper hand. I could see the commander getting frustrated as he shouted, "You are a cheat!"
"Concentrate," I whispered as though Dalik could hear me. I knew that the commander was trying to throw him off with his distractions and Dalik seemed to know as well because he did not respond to the commander’s threat. I don't know how much time had gone by but I knew that half the day had been spent. Dalik had won every single challenge of the wits and the commander was growing increasingly frustrated. He was like a spoiled child and I wanted to laugh at him. He was no warrior; he was nothing but a brute.
"Let the combat round preparations began," a loud voice said. This was the part that I was the most nervous about. Dalik was a great warrior. I knew that. However this was the only part of the trial that the commander could match with Dalik’s skills. I knew that the commander could not possibly win enough rounds to compensate his losses already. But I was fearful of something else, I was fearful that the commander would kill Dalik out of spite. He would kill him so that I would be free of him. I watched as Dalik got into his warrior gear and he smiled at me. I smiled back and nodded my head with arched eyebrows giving him support that I knew he could take him. But deep down inside I was very nervous and very scared. The commander was not going to fight fair. It was obvious to me.
"Let the battle begin!"
As soon as the words were shouted the commander was charging Dalik before the words had ended. I gasped in terror, but Dalik turned quickly as though he knew all along what the commander would do. I wondered if they had fought before. It seemed that they were at odds already when I first encountered them together. If they had fought before then Dalik knew his style. He knew that he would fight dirty and he was well prepared for it. I wanted to look away as blow after blow each warrior was an equal match for each other. I did not think one could win because they were both very good. I should have looked away but I could not.
Then it happened. I saw it happen quickly and it was a very clever trick. A large metal button fell off of the commander’s leather like sleeves on his forearm. It rolled under Dalik’s feet and he slipped and fell on his back. The commander was on top of him quickly. I should have been edging toward the back of the room to be ready to escape but I did not do anything like we had planned. I was in shock. The commander had his staff against Dalik’s neck as he pressed down. He had cheated and it worked.
"Ribs," I whispered as though Dalik could hear me. I don't know if he could but in that moment he used his fist to punch the commander in the ribs with just enough force that he loosened the pressure on Dalik's neck. He rolled on top of the commander pressing him onto the floor and punched him over and over in the head until the commander was unresponsive.
"Halt!" The Master shouted.
Dalik stood up. His breathing was hard and he look down at the unconscious commander expecting him to spring up and pull another trick as he backed away from him.
I was so relieved that I wanted to run into his arms. But I dared not show how much he meant to me and how much I meant to him. It could be used against him in our future together in the city. For now, I would play the obedient female human slave as though I did not want to be his slave, and I was his true Kalazaron captive. It was the only way.
Chapter 14
DALIK MOSCURN
This would have been easier if Jade’s life was not at stake. I was a damn good warrior and I was more intelligent than Commander Yun. Yet every single trial that I went through… Jade was in the back of my mind. I could feel her presence. Ever since I had projected into her that one night, I felt a connection to her mind. Now, I could feel her stronger than ever. Still, I managed to win every battle of wits against he commander and now it was time for the warrior trial. I prepared in my gear and knew that the commander would have several tricks. I was ready for them all.
"Let the combat round preparations began!" I began to pull on my fighting gear and I smiled at Jade. She gave me a supportive look and it meant everything to me.
"Let the battle begin!"
As soon as the words were shouted the commander was charging toward me and I could hear his clunky moves. He was not light on his feet at all. I turned quickly and blocked his blow, then another and another. Then it was my turn as I threw punch after punch into his ribs. He stumbled over but recovered quickly. We wrestled and fought equally and his sneer only made me angrier. I would not have him be with Jade. I went into a world of my own as I anticipated his every move and blocked it.
I however, did not anticipate him loosening a metallic button from his cuff and tossing it under my feet. I slipped and fell back and he grabbed a staff quickly and was on top of me. He was on my neck as he pressed down. He had cheated and it worked.
"Ribs," I heard Jade whisper as though she was in my ear. I balled my fist and punched the commander in the ribs where I had already caused some harm and with just enough force that he loosened the pressure on my neck. I rolled on top of the commander pressing him onto the floor and punched him over and over in the head until he was unresponsive.
"Halt!" The Master shouted.
I stood up. I had done it. I had proven myself worthy of the Consulate position twice. Now, I would be seen as a very powerful leader amongst the warrior Kalazaron race. No one would ever question me or doubt me again. I was angry that I had to prove it a second time, but this was a golden opportunity.
“Dalik Moscurn!” the Master and ruler of our Kalazaron Empire shouted.
“Master Gorgeen Bresh,” I said kneeling down on one knee and bowed my head to him.
He continued, “You have proven yourself worthy of being my second in command yet again. You have beaten Commander Yun, in the Stanis Trials. I now declare that you remain my second and the Kalazaron Consulate!”
The crowd cheered as I was named the second in command with yet again.
“I am most grateful Master Gorgeen Bresh. I hold this in the highest of hearts and mind and will do my duty to the Kalazaron for my eternity life,” I said once again as I had done a few days before.
“Rise, the Kalazaron Consulate, and lead your brothers and sisters of Kaethon,” he said.
I stood up on my feet and turned in a slow circle to the crowd as I raised my hands in a high V over my head. The crowd cheered and I grinned.
Then I silenced the crowd and then addressed Master Bresh. "I hereby request that Commander Nankor Yun be demoted from his position. His questioning of my authority and ability to be Consulate can now be seen as an act of treason. I request that he be shipped to the moon of Latty where he will serve in the mining fields for the rest of his life."
Everyone was silent. The commander was still a great hero that had conquered many spaceships and territories, though not everyone knew how brutally he had done it. There was no honor in the way he acted as a warrior and it brought great shame to ou
r name. The Master moved to the middle of the floor and finally said, "Your request is granted. Let this be set as an example against any rogue warrior that thinks they can take the laws into their own hands."
I stood tall and proud and had great relief. Not many knew that this was not the first time that Commander Nankor Yun had specifically tried to slither around the commands of Master Bresh. But I knew that he had a history of defying orders or jeopardizing them when it came to the other ranking warriors like the Sergeants and the Generals. I think the Master was including all of those times as well when making this decision about the Commander Nankor Yun.
I looked over at Jade and she was smiling at me with tears of joy in her eyes. The threat to her safety and her position was now removed. We could be together in peace. She would be safe. I would protect her.
“In honor of overcoming this challenge a second time, I present the Consulate Dalik Moscurn with the silvers!” Master Bresh said as he walked toward me with a silver linked chain of silver medallions. I bowed as he placed it over my shoulders.
“Rise the undisputed Consulate,” the Master said.
I stood up proud and tall. The crowd roared. Then the Master put his hands in the air and the crowd grew quiet as he waited a few minutes before he erupted into the word, “Govin!”
Everyone cheered and left their seats and came on to the floor. The crowd was roaring in the arena and the challenge was formally over. I ran over to Jade and picked her up and twirled her in my arms and gave her a deep kiss. As I did so I felt a rush of relief. We would not have to leave for Earth after all. We could stay here and I could have my human female and no one would think twice about it. It was the Kalazaron way. We finally pulled away from each other to allow others to congratulate me. In one corner of the arena I saw a group of rough warriors cheering for me. These were the same warriors that I had fought with in the practice arena at the training grounds. They were loud in their support and I felt a sense of pride. I was the Consulate that garnered respect and camaraderie with the Kalazaron of all kinds. From the warriors in the training grounds to the keeper of the fields I had found a path with all of them. This was key in my future for working the systems.
I nodded at the warrior group in acknowledgement that we were brothers of a kind. Then the arena filled with sounds of music and drums as the Govin began. Jade looked at me with wide eyes.
“It is the Govin,” I said to her.
“A Govin? What is that?" she asked as she looked around the arena as lights began to float in the air lighting the ceremonious celebrations.
"It is a celebration with food, music, and joy in honor of the two moons and the honored Kalazaron. I am the honored Kalazaron for this Govin.”
“Look at that…” she said arching her head back and looking at the floating lights. I liked watching her be excited. She had a look of worry on her face and stressful over the last few days, and now it was gone. She was laughing again and she was joyful again. I wanted to take her right then and there to a private spot and ravish her, but I had to stay for the honoring.
The doors on the sides of the arena burst open and Kalazaron females dressed in extravagant costume dress carried platters of foods and drinks. Tables were pulled to the floor of the arena and the platters were placed on them. The Govin was officially under way.
“Come, let’s get you fed my champion warrior,” Jade said to me. I arched an eyebrow at her confidence. She was now leading me, but something else…she was comfortable in her environment. She was comfortable on her new planet of Kaethon. I loved her for that.
Chapter 15
DR. JADE ROBERTS
The Govin as the Kalazaron called it was fitting of a champion Kalazaron warrior like Dalik Moscurn. He had proved himself not only to his warrior brethren but to me. He had proved that he could protect me from even hirer powers here on this cold blue planet of Kaethon. That was truly a relief for me. I could finally feel some sort of peace for the first time since I arrived on this planet. I had always had a sense of being on the edge of danger not knowing my fate. Now, I was able to let go of that and look at Dalik in a whole new light, my rescuer, my Kalazaron warrior.
As we stood over the tables of food, I fed him a tasty morsel and he bit into it seductively.
“You know, you’re bleeding,” I said touching the temple of his face. He had welts forming and blood that was beginning to dry on his face and body. “Should we clean you up?” I asked.
“No, these are my badges of battle. I will wear them proudly,” he said with a delicious grin. Then he added, “It is the Kalazaron way.”
In celebration, Dalik was surrounded by his kind and all who respected him. Even the Icannis field leader was there to congratulate him and converse with me. I liked already having a friend in my new community. But through out the dancing to drums and eating and drinking, I could only think of one thing…I wanted Dalik to take me into his bed.
“I think it is time,” he said as he grabbed my hand sometime in the middle of the night.
“Yes my Kalazaron master,” I said playfully. He laughed and led me out of the Govin and back to his quarters, our quarters.
When we were safely inside and behind a locked door, Dalik put his hands on my shoulders and squared my body to his and looked at me with a serious stern look.
“Now pay close attention. I want you to always know where this is,” he said as he pulled out the pocket sized projection tool and plugged it into his bedroom wall. I gasped at what appeared before us. It was Earth.
“Home! What is this Dalik,” I said as I moved closer to the wall with tears in my eyes as various images of my home planet appeared.
“It is a recording of all we know of Earth. But most importantly there is this,” he said as he pulled up a chart of sorts. “This is the flight path to Earth. This is why I showed you how to plug it into the escape pod. It will chart a course to Earth based on this.”
Then I looked at him with fright in my eyes. Why was he showing me this? I finally felt safe for the first time since I had arrived. I had finally reached some sort of normalcy in my Kalazaron existence and now he was preparing me once more for an escape. My stomach hurt at this thought. What more could there be that I did not know about? Was I still in some sort of danger from another besides Commander Nankor Yun?
“Why are you telling me this Dalik? Am I in danger? What is it? Are we not safe now?” I asked with my words trembling out of my mouth.
“Yes, for now. But the line of life here on Kaethon is unpredictable for the Kalazaron. Commander Nankor Yun could return, those orders he was given have been overturned before by others. Perhaps he will be stationed closer on one of our moons like Tyla Wen. And besides him there are other dangers. If I should perish at any point my property goes to the Buildings of Order and they decide what is to be done with it. You are still my property Jade and that will not change. This…” he said as he moved his hand over my arm allowing the branding to appear. It clearly showed that I was his. Then he continued, “…this is forever. If I were no longer here it would be better for you to try to escape to Earth. Without me here to protect you anything can happen. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I said fully understanding what he was saying.
Then he moved over to a wall and opened a compartment. He pulled the projection tool out from the wall and placed it in the small compartment. “Here, it will be here for you always. Remember this.”
“I will remember,” I said. He moved to me and kissed me. Then the sensation was back, the fact that this could be fleeting and we could be torn apart. He was right that life was unpredictable and my fate was completely in his hands. I would try not to think about it. No sense in worrying about something that had not happened yet. Who could live their life in such a way? I kissed him back and put my arms around his neck. He picked me up and carried me to bed. We made love as though it was the last time. We took our time and enjoyed every inch of each other.
Months later, after the
day of the Stannis trial and the exile of Commander Yun I was happier than I had ever been, including my time on Earth. Not too long had passed since that fateful day of the trials when I thought that I would either become the slave of the Commander Nankor Yun, or have to escape in a pod to Earth alone. I could not imagine either one of those futures now that my life was almost perfect.
Now that Dalik had proven himself a very powerful Kalazaron warrior, there was little that he could not do. His word was now seen as sacred and the warrior race seemed to have more respect for him than even the Master himself. It was inspiring to watch how different the Kalazaron now treated Dalik. It had been said that no other Consulate had gone through two Stannis trials before. This was the first in the Kalazaron history and because of that Dalik was almost god-like to them. Still in the back of my mind I knew that this meant danger for me. If he were to come to an uncertain end than I as his sole human female slave lover and mate would be seen as of very high value. That made the level of danger greater for me. For who would not want the human female companion of a god-like Kalazaron warrior as their own?
