TICEES

by Mills, Shae

  He embedded himself deep as he settled on her. He would gladly submit to her demand from this point on until the morning light cleaved him from her. This was where he truly wanted to be, forever buried within his pretty lady.

  And as this gentle lovemaking began, Chelan looked up at the ceiling. This was the purest of loves, and this love was going to carry her on through whatever chaos was cast in her direction. This was what she would cling to: the blonde deity filling her with love, fortifying her soul, and preparing her for whatever was to come. His touch, his scent, his memory would be the life raft she required for simple survival, but surviving just what had yet to reveal itself. But until tomorrow’s light, nothing else mattered. For now she was immersed in his world, protected and bathed by him, made love to … by him.

  Chapter 13

  Dar had arisen at first light, and Chelan had remained in bed, never wishing to leave. The night had been pure ecstasy. He parted from her in the morning, unspeaking, for no words were necessary or adequate to describe what had gone before. Nothing said could accurately express their mutual love—or their mutual grief.

  Chelan remained motionless, Dar’s scent still permeating her skin, his touch still upon her even in his absence. She had no wish to shower lest she wash away the last threads of his love, and with it, her security.

  The morning light thinned, and soon the afternoon was upon her, and with it, desperate loneliness. She knew that RIBUS 8 was gone, surging through space. And with its departure, another piece of her life was extinguished. She had not said anything to Dar, but she knew deep within her soul that she would never see him again, either. Now all three men were lost to her forever.

  Slowly she rose and sat on the edge of the bed, hugging her warm body, her thoughts aimless, her emotions spent. It was time to face Ticees, and she slipped into her white gown. Confronting him no longer mattered to her, for she had nothing more to lose. She had lost it all with the morning light, and now she forced Fremma, Dar, and her beloved Korba into the depths of her memories.

  She headed for Ticees’ chambers, not sure of her actions or her words, but she did not care. She did not bother to announce her arrival but simply stepped in on him.

  Ticees rose from his chair to meet her, his face solemn, his eyes full of concern. “My Lady,” he whispered.

  “Sire,” she returned, tonelessly.

  Ticees hesitated and then stepped up to her. “Are you well, my Lady?”

  Chelan worked her jaw momentarily, wondering if he was actually serious or just plain stupid. “Yes,” she lied calmly. “And I would like Salizar returned to me, if you permit, my Lord. I will need something to occupy my time.”

  Ticees smiled. “Of course, Chelan. I would be delighted to do so.”

  Chelan smiled weakly, eyeing him warily. “Thank you.” She turned to leave, but his voice halted her.

  “Will you be dining with me tonight, my Lady?”

  Chelan did not look at him. “Yes, I suppose I will be,” she said dryly, and she left.

  Ticees was numb. Suddenly, he was not so sure of his actions. He loved the woman, but at the same time he was destroying her. Worse than that, he was destroying his lifelong comradery with his trusted friends. He was turning powerful allies into deadly foes, and he really could not afford such folly. The Empire needed the Primary Warlords and their unconditional trust and allegiance. Without them, he was nothing. Yet without Chelan, too, he felt he was dead.

  He looked down and closed his eyes. His decision was quick and immutable. What mattered most was Chelan. He would take care of the beautiful alien as if she were his own, preserving her for Korba’s return. He would not harm her emotionally, and he would not touch her physically. She was a precious gem to be cherished, a goddess to be worshiped. He had made a terrible mistake sending his men away, and now he had to make up for it. He knew that for her sake he had to keep Toran away, and in the meantime, there would be three months to endure before both ships returned. Ticees just hoped he could ease her pain, and he hung his head. She did not deserve this, and neither did his men. He collapsed into his chair, his heart burdened, his mind tormented.

  *****

  The next Iceanean month went smoothly for Chelan, and she was indeed surprised. Ticees’ behavior was exemplary. He met her every need, his presence attentively warm, and most importantly, he never laid a finger on her. For the second time since she had stepped foot on the icy planet, she wondered if she had misread the great Emperor. Maybe his behavior the day of the tour was blown out of proportion in her mind. After all, he did stop when she said no. Was Korba right all along? Had she overreacted to his forward mannerisms out of her anxiety over being stripped of the comfort and security of RIBUS 7? Or was it that his looks simply reminded her too much of her own selfish and unfeeling men, the men of Earth?

  Regardless, Ticees was rewarded for his respectful behavior, as Chelan warmed to him considerably. She no longer feared going to his chambers, and as the time slipped into the fourth month since Korba’s departure, Chelan began spending evenings with him, engaged in light conversation, both about his world and hers. He also exposed her to what limited fashion there was for the women of the Empire, treating her often to gifts of gowns and accessories. Chelan almost always wore these tokens of his generosity while in his presence, but whenever she returned to Korba’s domain, it was Dar’s gift that she donned, the pretty white gown and her only fragile link to her Warlords and their love.

  Ticees reveled in her company, her gentle demeanor warming him beyond words. He was amused and attracted by her innocent coyness, and of course, he was spellbound by her feminine beauty. But most of all, he was impressed by her brilliance, and their conversational topics ranged from the simply entertaining to the technically advanced. They spent hours together discussing Earth, its peoples, its achievements, and its downfalls. Ticees in turn relayed to her his experiences with similar civilizations, offering his conjectures on whether the little blue planet would prevail under the burden of its human onslaught, or if her species was doomed. The philosophical, cultural, and sociological aspects were immensely complex and fascinating, the subject absorbed and explored at length, and thoroughly enjoyed by both.

  Chelan quickly became enamored with their discussion periods, and she actually looked forward to her time with the great Emperor. When fully immersed in their conversations, the man disappeared from her thoughts to be replaced by the intellect, the philosopher, and the negotiator. He was extremely well versed in all aspects of life, and his experiences with other cultures and beings were staggeringly diverse. Unlike the Warlords used to wield the sword and crush the life from all that they were turned loose upon, Ticees was the diplomat who oversaw the running of the Empire. He talked with, negotiated with, and coexisted with the cultures that he brought together to form the whole. Though he had thousands who did his bidding throughout the galaxy, the final decisions were his alone, and his decree was irrefutable law.

  That was not to say that he was strictly an ambassador for the Empire. He was also a brilliant tactician, his ability in this vein superseded only by Korba, and Ticees was not afraid to use his powers in this regard. Though he was considered fair in the arena of negotiation, he was not one to favor too many concessions or compromises when it came to his Empire. Societies under his perusal were wise to accept his stakes early on or risk annihilation. And with the Warlords at his back, Ticees ruled with a balanced yet iron fist.

  To say that Chelan was intrigued by all that Ticees had to say was indeed an understatement. His casual accounts of the deals he wielded and the billions affected by those decisions were mind-boggling. He was the ruler supreme, and now she understood why the Warlords did his bidding with very few questions asked.

  It was not long after RIBUS 8 was dispatched that Ticees had a full Imperial uniform made for her, and Chelan was now free to wander outside the gigantic Palace under heavy guard. But for the most part, she simply preferred to go to the gardens and amble amid
the beauty that reminded her so much of Earth. With time, she came to know most of the staff members and workers both in the Palace and in the gardens. But she did not strike up any binding relationships with any of them despite the fact that many tried to befriend her. Though they were Iceanean, they were the men and women of the Emperor, and despite her new rapport with Ticees, she still did not feel totally comfortable around his people.

  Chelan ate as many meals with him as her Earthly clock permitted, and Ticees often brought her meals to her when he knew she would be absent. Chelan appreciated his service immensely, knowing that it probably went against every grain in an Emperor’s body to serve another. But she also knew it pleased him beyond all reason to attend to her.

  Chelan accepted his presence in Korba’s domain, but it was a guarded acceptance. Ticees had always been aware of her possessiveness over the Warlord’s chambers and sensed her unease whenever he entered. As a precaution, he never arrived unannounced, never came in uninvited, and he never stayed long, especially if she was just rising.

  As her second month alone with Ticees came to an end, Salizar had begun reporting to the Emperor regularly about her progress, and Ticees was more than pleased. Putting it precisely, Salizar felt that her talents went far beyond simply exceptional, and he had recommended that she be assigned to his division during RIBUS 7’s absences. She would be more of an asset to his department than anyone who had gone before.

  With every day that passed, Ticees was more and more impressed with the shy woman, and with each day he cared for her that much more. It was easy to see why Korba had become so enchanted by her so quickly and why he had chosen to Let the young alien. Ticees envied the man.

  But as Ticees came to know her better, he also deduced that her bond with Korba was an implied Let, for he knew his friend too well. As Ticees became more familiar with Chelan’s ways and her inhibitions, he knew that Korba would never subject her to a true Letting ceremony. Ticees had always known that fact in the back of his mind, and for some elusive reason that tidbit of information made him sigh with boundless relief.

  *****

  On this morning, Ticees sat back in his chair and watched the information pour over his console. It was not going to be a good day, as he had heard from both ships, and both would be delayed another two months. Ticees shuddered at the thought of telling Chelan. Instantly, he decided to put it off. He did not wish to jeopardize the trust she had put him at long last, and he would tell her at a later date. In the meantime, he would continue to treat her like royalty. And as far as this day’s activities went, he knew just where to begin.

  Chelan was awake but not quite up when Ticees knocked. She bid him enter but was extremely uncomfortable about her vulnerable position in bed. Ticees prudently stayed back.

  “Good morning, my Lady,” he greeted warmly. “It is time to rise and shine. I have a surprise for you.”

  Chelan sat up, clutching the blankets to her. “What kind of surprise?” she asked warily.

  “Oh, no. You must wait and see. Let’s just say that one day I had a long talk with Dar, and he filled me in on a few of your lifelong ambitions. I’m going to fulfill one of those today. But if you don’t get up, I’m afraid there is nothing I can do for you.” Ticees glanced around him and spotted her uniform. He picked it up and threw it at her. “Here, you’ll need this.”

  Chelan snatched the uniform from the air and then looked over at him with a sly grin. “What I need,” she quipped, “is some privacy.”

  “Ah, yes,” he observed. “Earth modesty. Sometimes I wonder how you and Korba ever got together with your incessant and annoying tendency.”

  Chelan shot him an evil glance. “I bet you do,” she jabbed.

  Ticees smiled and turned away. “When you are ready, meet me in my chambers.”

  “What about breakfast?” she shouted at his receding back.

  “That would be unwise, my Lady!” he shouted back, and then he disappeared.

  Chelan was a bit confused, but she dressed quickly. She grabbed her shroud and headed directly for his room.

  Ticees turned and smiled at her. “May I say, my Lady, without you taking offense, that you fill out our uniform admirably?”

  Chelan looked back at him from under her lashes. “I could say the same about you, my Lord,” she countered.

  Ticees chuckled. “Now, may I be permitted to tame your wild hair, or would you prefer to put it up yourself? For what I have planned, you will have to have it bound.”

  Chelan simply shook her head. “Be my guest.”

  Ticees stepped up to her and began gathering her long, silky hair. Slowly and carefully, he twisted it and secured it on top of her head. It was the first time he had dared touch her, and he was instantly shot through with an unexpected bolt of desire that rendered his mouth dry.

  Stepping back, he was thankful for his shroud, and he took hers and draped her in it. He cleared his throat. “Now, we will be off,” and he turned and led her out of his chambers.

  Chelan fell into step next to him, her eyes wide with anticipation. Soon, he ushered her into a heavily guarded area and then stopped.

  “Erron!” he shouted.

  “Yes, my Lord,” came a distant voice. “All is ready, my Lord.”

  “Thank you,” replied Ticees as he turned to Chelan. “Are you ready?”

  “I don’t know. Ready for what?”

  Ticees smiled and then signaled to Erron.

  Slowly, the massive doors in front of her parted, and before her was displayed, in all its military splendor and prowess, a gigantic black bird of prey, a secondary fighter.

  Chelan was rendered breathless.

  “Come on,” Ticees prodded. “We don’t have all day.” He reached over to her and grabbed her hand, pulling her paralyzed body forward.

  Chelan finally responded and followed him through the doors to the fighter. Ticees watched her as her eyes flowed over the ship’s ebony skin, and he was delighted at the expression on her face. He reached to her and brushed a tendril of silk from her cheek.

  Chelan blinked back to reality at his touch and looked up at him. “What’s happening?”

  Ticees smiled. “We’re going up. I’m going to lead one of the routine reconnaissance missions. We’ll be accompanied by some of my best pilots for the sake of security, and you will finally be able to see some of our planet firsthand.”

  Chelan was speechless.

  “This fighter is the same type as the one Dar and Fremma showed you on the RIBUS, except the cockpit windows on this one are clear. We won’t be using the holographic navigation, as I will leave that up to my wingmen. That way you will be able to look out and see things as they are.

  “I’m also going to back off on the inertial damping just a bit, allowing you to experience a few of your world’s Gs just for some added fun. We are heavily armed and heavily protected, so if you feel ill at any time, either from the motion or from the field, just say so, and we can land anywhere.”

  Suddenly, Chelan leapt at Ticees, taking him totally by surprise. He backstepped to catch his balance.

  “Oh, thank you,” she cried as she hugged him close.

  Slowly his arms surrounded her, and his heart skipped several beats. He looked down into her smiling face, her beauty on fire, and he was inflamed with desire for the second time. “Any time, my Lady,” he stammered. He pushed her away from him out of a desperate struggle for control and a need to distance himself from her warm body.

  Chelan turned toward the ship, her spirited enthusiasm so all-consuming that she was totally unaware of the turmoil she had just immersed him in.

  He took several deep breaths and then urged her toward the fighter. “Let’s go,” he whispered.

  Ticees climbed up, extending a hand to her, and he drew her up easily, her body partially supported by the residual antigravity field. From there, Ticees took her by the waist and sat her in the rear seat, his fluid motions a testament to his tremendous power and strength as he
positioned her effortlessly. The restraint system snapped over her, and she looked up at him, her body positively effervescent with excitement.

  Ticees smiled at her and then slipped the protective hood over her head, checking its seal with her uniform and then helping her with the flight helmet. When all was to his liking, he nodded and winked at her. Then he seated himself in the front seat slightly below her. He took only a moment to adjust his own equipment.

  “Okay,” he said quietly, his voice conveyed to her through the helmet. “How are you doing?”

  “Wonderful,” she whispered breathlessly.

  “Chelan, you are sitting where the navigator usually sits, but since we won’t require any complicated navigation on this trip, all the controls are turned over to me. There are some handholds to the sides, and I suggest you use them. Don’t touch anything else, or our ride may turn out to be a little bumpier than planned.”

  Chelan smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m way too nervous to touch anything.”

  Ticees chuckled, and then the cockpit sealed. “Ready?”

  “Ready,” she replied.

  The ship began to move silently, and Chelan detected no motion except that revealed to her by her eyes. Suddenly, the entire far wall lifted, and they were hit by the brilliant morning sun. The ship moved out of the suspended hangar and flowed along an invisible level plain as it cleared its nest. Chelan looked around at the floating contingency of fighters before her, and she held her breath. Below her, the Palace fortress walls fell away, and the whole scene was replaced by the vastness of Iceanea’s permanent ice fields.

  Chelan leaned forward and watched the silent codes being issued to Ticees by the other fighters. Small brilliant lights were mounted on various areas of each fighter, most of them along the wing edges. Chelan guessed the intermittent signals were a form of visual cipher that could be used if radio or other contact was not recommended, but she would check it out with Ticees later. Right now she was too excited to ask questions.