by Cher Hollis
“If I ever get free from Korpal, I will do everything in my power to stop his insanity,” Balice whispered.
Several clicks passed since Flagg had left Khan lashed to the cell bars. When he returned, he was surprised when Khan did not snarl at him as he came closer.
Khan seemed under tight control, when he asked, “Have you heard of Balice?”
Flagg stood in front of him, uncertain at Khan’s new way. “No, Khan. None have seen her, and Korpal has not left the K-10.”
Strangely calm, Khan clicked, “Flagg, you are my best Esa and have stopped me from uncontrolled killing. You should command, not I.”
It was an Esa way of saying they were wrong, and Flagg clicked, “I will only take orders from you, Khan.”
Khan’s growled voice was filled with heavy sounds. “I will not kill you or any Esa that stopped me. And I vow not to kill Korpal this cycle.”
Flagg nodded with the pact, satisfied with Khan’s pledge. He stepped forward and undid the straps that held Khan.
“No others touched these,” he said, as he handed Khan his weapons.
Khan swung the strap of his sword sheath across his chest, then locked his Eslic and Esloc to his back strap, keeping his four digit hands free.
He turned to Ramon and gave the Esa gesture for Circle brother, as he sent his parting thought, “I will return, Ramon.”
Ramon sent back a mental reply to only him, “Save Balice, Khan, any help I can give you I will.”
Khan nodded; he was back in position as commander and he took the lead as he and Flagg left the cell area. But then Khan stopped Flagg near the tunnel entrance.
“I have a choice, Flagg,” Khan said. “Korpal gave it to us. Do you remember his vow to us, before we left the Makkars?”
“Yes. But he could not mean to give Balice,” Flagg clicked.
Khan started to pace. “Tell me Korpal’s words, Flagg,” he ordered.
“Korpal pledged that you could have any female as your own for leading the Esa to battle and taking the Esa from the Makkars. But you did not take a female,” Flagg said, as he used swift, tight-fisted Esa gestures.
“You said no at the same click,” Khan reminded him, as he stopped pacing and turned to Flagg. “The beating of Balice will not go on,” he vowed with anger. “She is an unworthy challenge for a warrior. It gives no great victory, and I say it is wrong.”
“I do not understand it,” Flagg said. “But we have pledged to fight for Korpal.”
“I have pledged to fight, and I will fight. But I will also take Balice,” Khan said forcefully. “Do you stand by me?”
Flagg straightened as a proud Esa warrior. “I will stand with you, Khan. I am at your command!”
“No,” Khan said. “Not by command this click. I follow an unclear and dangerous path. When I test Korpal’s vow to give us females, I need you to back me. Your aid must be given ... not commanded.”
Using wide gestures of tight-fisted motions and clicks, Flagg answered, “I stand by you at all clicks, Khan. I will back up the pledge Korpal gave to us. Balice has your help, and I do not want her hurt again.”
Flagg finished with a loyal punch to Khan’s arm.
“Good. Now I must plan my way as carefully as I would any battle plan,” Khan said, as he gestured they should move on.
Balice woke with a start. She’d not meant to fall asleep and she tensed, then relaxed with a sigh as she realized she was alone. She lay naked on a bed of cushions behind a hanging cloth tapestry she’d hung to close off a type of bedchamber aboard the K-10.
She could feel the burning marks of Korpal’s belt across her back. When she moved to stand, she winced. But she tried to ignore the pain, because she felt an urgency to get dressed quickly, not knowing what Korpal had in store for her.
She searched through a pile of colored cloth, quickly grabbing two pieces. She worried about where Korpal was as she wrapped the fabric around her, making a demure outfit. When the delicate material touched her abused skin, she flinched with pain.
“She is ugly now. Marred.” Korpal’s voice had rolled from the other side of the hanging tapestry.
Balice sucked in a frightened breath, but then she remembered her new determination to stand up to Korpal.
“A bath, Dante. Hot enough to wash the stench of that witch off me,” Korpal said.
“Yes, Supreme Ruler, right away,” Dante answered obediently.
“A moment, Dante, I’ve been thinking and have decided to rid myself of Balice. She has become troublesome and a burden with her willful attitude. I can’t trust her, and I ask myself why must I limit myself to one woman when there are so many to choose from who are willing and would do anything to be with me. Not like Balice, who becomes more stubborn. Time away from my presence might teach the witch how to use the proper obedience I deserve,” Korpal said.
Balice could feel his evil arrogance dripping with each self-important word. But when she looked around for an escape, she knew there was no place for her to run. Then she heard Korpal moving closer to the tapestry.
Anger rose hot inside her, and she hissed under her breath, “I will not make this easy for you, you foul clone.”
Just then, Korpal marched into the bedchamber, wearing a long white robe belted at his waist. He looked down at her with disapproval, as he snapped, “Who gave you permission to dress?”
Balice knew her eyes flashed with hate, when she bravely exclaimed, “I told myself I could get dressed!”
Korpal stalked to her side and he slowly reached over to pick up the menacing looking strap he’d whipped her with before.
Balice backed away. “You can beat me all you want, Korpal. I will never, ever do what you order again! Never!”
Korpal’s face reddened, as he spat, “You witch!”
He leaped toward her, and she sidestepped him, spinning away, then she ran out of the bedroom area. When she entered the bath area, she frantically looked around for a weapon. Seeing nothing to use, she sprinted to the curtains on the far side, which opened out into the main sphere.
But before she could reach it, Korpal’s belt swung out and caught her on the hip with a curling snap. She cried out, as he grabbed her from behind. She struggled and kicked at him as he spun her around, sending her white hair flying with the force he used.
“You will pay for this!” Korpal thundered.
Balice took the chance to sink her long fingernails into his face, and she was able to draw bloody lines along his cheekbones. Korpal bellowed in pain, swinging the belt back, and she took another chance to run. The snap of the thick belt caught the back of her thighs, and it forced her to the floor.
Balice choked back her cry, as Korpal stomped over to her.
She rolled onto her back with hatred glaring from her eyes. “You’re not a man! You’re a foul clone that can only defeat women!”
She spat the words through gritted teeth as the belt came down to strike the width of her hips. Tears jerked in her eyes as she clamped her jaw against the pain. Leaning back on her elbows, she kicked upward with both bare feet, and she hit Korpal’s soft groin with a satisfying thud.
He let out an agonized bellow and dropped the belt to clutch his injured parts.
Balice scooted away from him, and she was trying to get to her feet, when Dante entered the room.
Korpal groaned harshly, then yelled, “Stop her!”
Dante quickly leaped toward her, and to her surprise, he managed to wrestle her onto the deck, then he sat on her back, where he trapped her in place.
Korpal, still seized with gritted breath, slowly moved to straighten. His cruel eyes shone with livid rage. Clutching his groin, he limped forward.
“Strip her,” he ordered, through clenched teeth.
As Balice struggled on her stomach beneath him, Dante ripped the cloth from her back, and then her hips.
“Hold her legs,” Korpal commanded, as he picked up the belt.
Balice sucked in a ragged breath. “This is the only wa
y a woman would ever lay with you, Korpal. By force!” she cried.
Korpal swung the belt, and her eyes glazed. Desperately, she tried to bite back her cries and not give him the sadistic satisfaction of hearing them.
Khan thought of different plans, until he had one with the best chance to beat Korpal and win. Then he and Flagg started to Korpal’s K-10.
On the way, they stalked up behind two Variant wardens.
Khan’s attention shifted, when he heard one saying, “Balice.”
Flagg punched Khan’s upper limb, then they both heard the Variant saying, “When we get Balice to the women’s quarters, we will bid on who gets to have her first. It’s the only fair way.”
The other Variant said, “I still can’t believe Korpal is giving that one up. Have you seen her? All the men will want a chance with her.”
Hearing what the Variant wardens had to say, Khan saw his plan falling into line, and he threw a solid punch to Flagg’s back. Flagg nodded at the opening for their strategy to get Balice away from Korpal’s beatings, while Khan brooded over what the wardens had said about Balice. “Having her first and chance with her.” He’d seen a male mating a female one time, and it angered him to think many wardens might try that with Balice.
But he halted his tangled thoughts, as he and Flagg followed the Variant wardens’ right into Korpal’s K-10, where they all stalled at the sight before them.
Korpal was laughing each time he lashed Balice, while she laid curled on the deck with no cloth covering her.
Khan was the first to move with a snarl as he shoved Dante away from Korpal’s side. Flagg did not try to stop him, when Khan tore the strap from Korpal’s lifted hand.
Khan snapped battle tones at Korpal as he stepped toward the puny Variant. That made Korpal back away and move further from Balice. Following Korpal, Khan stomped over Balice’s still body. That put him between her and Korpal.
Balice lay unmoving on the deck, and Khan could see that she had fought hard, by the red lines scratched on Korpal’s human face.
“How dare you, beast! Get out of here immediately!” Korpal bellowed.
Khan forced his rage under control as Ramon had told him was a better tactic to use with humans. He used mighty strength to hold back his urge to kill Korpal, which would bring all Esa to end his existence, as they had given their vows to Korpal.
In his hammered thoughts, Khan silently, but forcefully repeated, “Calm. Control.”
Then with tremendous strength of will, he lowered stiffly to one limb and further jerked his head forward to bow as he limited the strength of his voice.
“I must talk to you, Supreme Ruler. Now.”
Khan had never used Korpal’s false title before and he knew it would confuse the puny Variant.
Exclaiming, Korpal asked, “Can’t this wait, Khan?”
Khan shook his head. “No! I need to talk to you, now.”
Khan knew that Korpal had no choice but to find out what the commander of his legions wanted.
Korpal looked furious, but he turned to Dante, and ordered, “Bring me something to drink.” Then he turned to the two wardens and he pointed to Balice’s still form. “Take her away,” he commanded. “I will speak with you later about her.”
“No!” Khan spoke sharply as he lifted off his limb to stand. Then he forced his sounds lower. “Leave Balice. She is part of why we need to talk.”
Korpal looked surprised, but he limped over to sit in the command chair, then he snapped, “This is what you interrupted me for? That witch.”
With a flick of his wrist, Korpal ordered the two wardens to wait outside his K-10, until he summoned them again. “Now, beast, what is this about? Why are you daring to interrupt me this way?”
Two long strides had Khan close to Korpal, and through the translators, like a Tritick discharge, he sharply clicked, “I pick Balice as my female!”
Korpal looked shocked as he partially lifted out of the command chair, and then he thundered, “You what?”
Khan remained still, controlling his anger. “You gave the pledge that I could take any female. When you made that bargain, I did not take it. Now, I choose Balice!”
Korpal slammed back into the chair and his human face turned red as he looked between Khan and Flagg. Suddenly, Korpal’s human face changed, and he had a look that Khan had learned well—he would lie.
“Certainly Balice is of no use to you in this condition, Khan. How could you possibly receive Talis from that ugly and broken female?” Easing back into his chair Korpal looked as if he’d done a major strategy over Khan. He looked pleased. “Choose another woman, beast. Take my advice ... you will want a female more willing than Balice.”
Khan leaned forward, very close to Korpal. Forcefully he sighted into Korpal’s human eyes. “I still choose Balice. I heard you send her to the females cave. You give her up. I will take her. Now!”
Korpal jumped to his feet with a shrill voice. “This will be your only choice, beast! Think about it longer. If you change your mind, it will be too late!”
“I choose Balice,” Khan snapped.
“Damn you! Consider the pledge fulfilled!” Korpal bellowed.
Khan lowered his head. “As you command, Supreme Ruler.”
Khan didn’t wait for Korpal to dismiss him or give Korpal a chance to say more, he turned and stalked swiftly to Balice. Bending, he carefully picked up her small, limp body.
When he stood, he held her close, while behind him Korpal shouted, “You will regret this, beast!”
Khan signaled to Flagg to move ahead of him, and neither Esa were slowed by Korpal’s threats. Once they were outside the K-10, Khan ripped off the cloth that covered the entrance, and he carefully wrapped it around Balice, who did not move.
Khan heard Flagg’s humming increase as he helped cover her, while they both tramped forward. But Khan could not find a drone over his hurt Balice, and he hoped Flagg did not notice the strangeness.
Quickly, Khan ordered, “Pick a K-10 down for repair. Find a one that will not be noticed, and then hide it. I will take her there, after I find help to fix her. You can return to your post and watch to keep me warned. I will be there, after I help Balice.”
Flagg straightened to Esa attention. “At your command,” he answered, still humming. “Will she be well?”
Khan looked down at Balice’s still form. “I do not know. I will find help.”
Korpal thundered with rage, taking his fury out on Dante, who cringed.
“How could this have happened?” Korpal shouted—and he looked at Dante as if he really expected an answer.
“Now, sir—” Dante started to say, but he stopped at the look of manic fury in Korpal’s eyes.
“I cannot allow that-that beast to keep her! Not an unsupervised woman moving among the Esa! Do you know what that will do? I only said I would give Khan any woman as a bribe for him to leave the Makkars. I never intended to do it! We cannot allow any Esa to have his own woman!” Korpal shouted.
“Well, kill her,” Dante blurted, surprising himself.
But it stopped Korpal in the middle of his tirade, and then Dante watched an evil grin slowly move across his lean features.
Then Korpal announced, “Accidents happen every day, don’t they. Get those two wardens back in here!”
Khan took Balice to the only human he knew that could tell him how to fix her. Reaching Ramon’s cell, he removed the guard with a sharply clicked command. Once in front of the cell, he sank to the ground and held Balice across his lower limbs. From deep inside the cell, Khan could hear chains moving, then he heard the one human word he understood without a translator.
“Balice!”
“I need your help, Ramon. Balice is hurt. Tell me how to fix her,” Khan sent.
“Turn her so I can see her better, Khan. Oh god ... sweet, sweet, Balice. What has that maniacal animal done to you?”
“I know little of humans, but her mouth is broken here and here.” Khan pointed with his longest
digit. “Cut here, where Korpal hit her. And—” Khan pulled Balice forward to rest on his chest and he lowered the cloth covering her to show her bare back “—Korpal beat her here.”
Both could see the marks on her light skin.
“Damn him to hell for this.” Ramon’s anguish flooded Khan’s mind.
“Do you know what I can do?” Khan’s fierce telepathic command broke through Ramon’s distress.
“I can help, but only a little from behind these bars. Yes of course, I can tell you what I think you should do. You will need water to clean her wounds, human food, blankets to keep her warm, and clothes, definitely clothes for later and most important a human med-pack with a med-scanner.”
Khan could not only feel it, but he could see the worry Ramon had. “Is Korpal looking for you, Khan? How did you set her free?”
Khan lightly put the cloth back over Balice, and then as gently as he could he laid her down on her side, careful to let her head touch lightly on the ground. He overlooked the intense tightening in his chest as he stood.
“He is not looking for us. Korpal gave Balice to me, filling a pledge. It will be hard to find those human things, but I will do it.”
“I think you have learned the lesson of patience, Khan. Go quickly.”
Khan released a small square communicator that was attached to the wide strap across his chest and he reached his long arm through the bars to give it to Ramon.
“Take this. I will come back swiftly, if you use it.”
Then Khan hurried to find the things Ramon had named.
Balice felt cold, colder than she could ever remember feeling. But when she tried to move pain poured through her body, centered on burning across her back. She couldn’t help the tearful moan that escaped.
It seemed as if she heard an accented voice saying, “Balice, lay still, sweetheart. It’s Ramon, and you are safe. Khan will be back shortly to take care of you.”
