“Let’s just have fun with this,” laughed the voice.
“Who ARE you?!?” asked the president looking around the room.
The voice chuckled, “Just a guest.”
An ambassador looked over to the dance floor. A curvaceous girl, clearly a noblewoman from Melmoria by her jewels but total lack of any other clothing, danced before what appeared to be a prince of some other Bellasarian house. She had very dark hair with a greenish sheen that came past her waist. She was as sleek as a cat and moved like a serpent. The youth finally jumped up and she was grabbed and thrown giggling to the cushions onto her back much to the laughter and applauds of her friends and relatives nearby, many who then began looking for partners of their own. The humans, the earth ones anyway, were scandalized.
Although they tried not to, the president and several others watched in utter amazement at their royal host and her mate. There were feelings of inferiority (and envy) all around to say the least. The president could hear the other woman’s laughter in her head. Clearly, whoever she was, wherever she was, she was enjoying the poor Earth people’s discomfort immensely!
“Look, whoever you are…” began the president, who really wanted to leave in the worst way now…for many reasons, “I can’t…” but she stopped as she noticed Queen Tana pulling on her husband’s arm. The look on her face left no doubt about what she wanted, but instead of just throwing her on her back and taking her right there on the spot like many of the Bellasarians were doing, he picked her up in his arms and carried her away. “Hey,” said President Chambers, “isn’t THAT against the protocol? Why can they just leave without excusing themselves?”
“They are Christians,” laughed the voice. “They may not be as prudish as your people, but many of them won’t have love-play in front of others either. Besides…leaving abruptly to have some private love-play is one thing, everyone will understand that, leaving without manners because you disapprove and look down on our ways is another altogether.”
“What about their daughter?” asked the president irritably. “They just left her there fornicating with Prince Tabba.”
“Abe is young, wild and at that age. Young unmarried people see no need to try and control themselves or their needs in situations like this. Besides…she follows the ‘Nana’ religion. That is all that’s needed to be said on that matter,” replied the voice, matter-of-factly.
President Chambers quickly noticed several other couples or groups, usually two or three females and a single male, but not always, leaving. The President quickly grasped the situation and turned and threw her arms around her startled husband’s neck and kissed him full on the mouth. “Carry me out of here,” she whispered in his ear, “NOW.” And he did so. Many of the mutants began to cheer and applaud, and some of her female staff and other Earth visitors (quickly catching on) grabbed someone and did the same…if they could find a partner. Two Americans did stay though. One (who admittedly had had a little too much to drink) had the time of his life and partook of everything set before him and everyone female that was offered to him. The other was a much older seasoned man, who had actually been to both Bain and Bellasaria with Dr. Kline, President Hill and some years later, President Torres, who merely watched, drank lightly and mentally took notes. Both of these men would prove valuable, each in their own way, later…one especially so.
******
CHAPTER THREE
A BAD CHOICE AND FEMALE RULE
When President Beverly Chambers had passionately kiss and asked her husband to carry her from the feasting hall she had assumed that Barry knew it was just a ploy to escape from the situation she found herself in. She didn’t account for all the Bellasarian ale the man had been drinking. Needless to say, for the first time in five years there was actually some action in their bedroom that night. Beverly had to grin. She hadn’t seen Barry like that in a very long time. Bellasaria certainly agreed with him. In some ways this trip was turning out even better than she had hoped, but then she became serious again and strode purposefully to her party’s main room where she had ordered everyone gathered. Despite the enjoyable conclusion of the previous night, the certain behavior of a certain individual could not be overlooked and the others had to be made aware of the true motives and meaning of exactly why they were invited to that feast in the first place.
******
“I trust everyone had a good time last night?” asked President Chambers, who then gave a certain person an unpleasant look. “Tell me, does anyone understand what that was all about…really?”
One of her aides cleared his throat and said, “Well, I think they were just trying to…well…show us some hospitality. This is sort of what we’ve heard Dr. Kline experienced during her first contact with the muties when Bain Island reappeared the first time, what…thirty, thirty five years ago.”
President Chambers looked at the man and shook her head. “First of all, I don’t want to hear that word ‘Mutie’ come out of your mouth again. Do you understand, James?” The man nodded nervously and apologized. “Secondly, that is what some want us to believe and many of the natives believe themselves, but no. The orgy that Dr. Kline spoke of only happened once in her presence, although such sexual conduct did continue with the Bellasarians during social gatherings among their own kind. But she did inform the queen and council that this was inappropriate behavior for entertaining humans or even outside mutants in such diplomatic gatherings. Indeed, they were even sensitive to the sensibilities of the Earthborn mutants who immigrated to Bain and eventually Bellasaria. The Akkadian Prime Minister even told me himself that it was out of respect, not arrogance, that the Bellasarians of the empire and other tribes and nations descended from the original Bainian slaves, excluded them from traditional feasts. But instead they held separate, more appropriate gatherings for all mutants later…but not this time. Why?” The president’s staff looked around at each other. But no one would speak.
“This was a statement ladies and gentlemen,” said the president finally. “Basically, ‘Kiss our asses. We won’t alter our ways for you alien people now.’ Also, it was a well laid trap! If we had refused to go, or had become openly indignant and left, the Bellasarians would have claimed that we had slighted them, insulted them and then called off our talks and closed off the realms again.”
“But that doesn’t make any sense, Beverly,” said her husband. “They were the ones who stabilized the dimensions again and opened talks with us.” Many nodded at this.
“I don’t believe it is the empress behind this,” said President Chambers. “I believe it’s someone else, someone with an extreme distrust of humans, probably a deep seated and well-earned distrust. Tell me, Mr. Colon,” said Beverly to the senior member of her group, “since, unlike Mr. Jeffries there, who was too busy drinking and fornicating to actually notice anything important, you actually stayed and did your job.” The young man named ‘Jeffries’ squirmed uneasily. “What did you notice?”
“Well, I kept my eyes on those so-called elderly Bellasarians you pointed out as best I could without drawing their attention,” said Colon. “The big olive skinned woman and the dark man were doing the ‘Humpty-Dance’ something fierce, even before you left, but the smaller woman didn’t budge until you were gone. She just sat there sipping her drink and smiling. Once you were gone she stood up and slipped out of her robes and joined the other two.” Colon sighed. “What a body! Sorry. In any case, it was difficult to see them all clearly as far away as they were, and they kept their faces covered most of the time. I never got a good look. But I’ve been to Bain and Bellasaria before and all three of them looked very familiar. The smaller woman, except for her white hair, was identical in appearance and shape to…I think you know who I mean.”
“Yes, I do,” said Beverly with a sigh. “Are you sure?”
“For certain?” said Colon. “No. But…”
“I see,” said President Chambers. She then
turned to the other man. “Luther, your behavior was disgraceful! From what I was told, when you finally came back you were quite shitfaced and naked. Then you spent the rest of the night mumbling, ‘Boobies’ ‘Boobies’ ‘Boobies’ in your sleep with a stupid grin on your face. I certainly hope you had a good time last night because I’m going to have you sent home as soon as possible! And when I get back…” Just then a servant knocked and announced the arrival of Prime Minister Landau and a high ranking human noblewoman. “I’ll have your ass packed and out of here before afternoon,” hissed the President to the miserable looking aide. Then she put on her best smile and bid her visitors to enter.
“Hello President Chambers,” said the prime minister smiling. “I hope you and your people had a good time at the feast. That was a great honor for the empress to invite you. Usually, only humans like me and others who are of noble birth and or have mutant Bellasarian ancestry are even offered a place at such informal gatherings. But speaking of humans of noble blood let me introduce you to Lady Lana Ramsy.” The president looked at the very attractive woman standing before her. There was definitely something familiar about her, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.
“Greetings, Lady President. I saw you at the party last night, but you left early,” with that remark the woman winked at the president and giggled. “I wanted to extend my welcome to you on behalf of the human nobility.”
The president was shocked, but pleased with this strange turn of events. “Why thank you, Lady Ramsy. May I introduce you to my husband, Barry?”
“I am pleased to meet you,” said Barry taking the woman’s hand who smiled in return.
The president was curious. “If I may be so bold, I always believed that only mutants were counted as nobility among the Bellasarians. But then again, seeing how a human is Prime Minister, I shouldn’t be surprised.”
The other woman laughed. “Long ago you would have been quite correct and any anxiety about your welcome in our land is quite understandable. As a matter of fact, we had some reservations about Earth humans ourselves. Until last night, we had always believed that you were a stuffy and prudish people, but I am relieved that that is not the case, at least…not all of you,” she said giving Luther a look and a smile. At first Beverly was confused by this, and then it hit her! She had seen this woman before. Indeed last night, but she wasn’t wearing clothes then, and she was not nearly so dignified in manner and appearance either. “I am pleased to see you here, Luther. Or perhaps I should call you Mr. Jeffries now. You may call me ‘Lady Lana’. I trust you will be joining us at the formal dinner tonight? I and my friends very much enjoyed your company last evening and, if I must say so, if it were not for you, we might have gotten the wrong impression of Earth people.” The president and the others were speechless…and so was Luther. “My brother, Lord Ko, sits high in favor at court and personally invites you to join us at our place at the feast tonight.” The woman then chuckled and said, “This feast will not be as casual and fun as the one last night, but it is still a great honor. We Ramsys are even distantly related to the empress.”
The poor aide knew that his stay on Bellasaria and even his career was over. He wasn’t going to be at that dinner.
“Well…I…That is…Thank you very much, Lady Lana,” said the aide nervously, “but I don’t think I’ll be able to make the…”
“Of course he’ll be there, Lady Ramsy,” laughed the president. “This man is one of my most able assistants. Isn’t that right Mr. Jeffries?”
“Y…Yes, Lady President!”
“Excellent!” said the noblewoman. “I am very pleased to hear this.”
After about fifteen minutes of pleasantries, Lady Ramsy and the prime minister departed. A large breakfast had been prepared in the great hall for the American President and the other leaders and their kin and vassals. President Chambers thanked the two and promised to be along shortly and a servant was left at the end of the hall to escort them when they were ready.
The president looked at Luther Jeffries for a moment and shook her head. “When in Rome, do as the Romans,” she muttered to herself and laughed. “Well,” she said, “it looks like you won’t be losing your job and going back home after all. I guess you made a good impression on them for us and with the right people. You may prove to be a great asset young man, but I wouldn’t go too native again if I were you.” Luther nodded in understanding. He had narrowly dodged the bullet this time. Then she looked at the rest. My whole first perception of these people has changed, she thought. In some ways they have changed from the mutants we dealt with a generation or two ago, but in others they’re just the same. They are an extremely attractive and intelligent people, but also emotional, hormonal, aggressive and EXTREMELY dangerous once roused to anger. But their technological achievements are astounding! I was wrong about the empress from everything from her figure to her temperament. President Chambers smiled and shook her head as she thought about it.
I had seen Beral III as a sweet, cute and chubby girl that was more gentle and trusting than Queen Bellasaris was. Last night showed me otherwise. She is not a girl…at least not by our standards. She’s MUCH older than I am. ‘Chubby?’ thought the president shaking her head. I still can’t believe the body that was under those heavy robes she was wearing when we first met. She’s not fat at all, and she’s more than cute…she’s total “Man-Candy”! And gentle? That woman changed from sophisticated and congenial host to total violent bitch in the blink of an eye. Thank God the Akkadian President was there and calmed her down before someone was killed. And as far as trusting goes, I’m very afraid that someone VERY old and infinitely more dangerous is lurking in the shadows watching and advising the woman. Bellasaris is still alive, I’m sure of it! We are all on very shaky ground here, I can’t afford any screw-ups. The president then looked at one of her aides, the man whom she had to reprimand for his remarks earlier.
That guy needs to go, anyone who refers to mutants as ‘Muties’ on a planet ruled by mutants is a moron and dangerous to our mission! I’ll find some pretense to keep him confined to this room and then sent home. How ironic, when I first got up this morning I was going to send that Jeffries kid packing because of his drunken and inappropriate behavior, which turns out was the appropriate behavior under the circumstances. But instead I find myself now needing to get rid of James, whom I believed was one of my most trusted and intelligent aides, because of his speciesist thinking. His thinking is of course the wrong kind of thinking, and on this planet thoughts are open books to some people.
******
Beral III squared off again with her opponents, both were female mutants with greater than average strength for a Bellasarian of the elite warrior class. Unnoticed by her, the High Lord had entered to watch. The empress’s body was not that of a long range striker, nor was it suited for high jumping and kicking. Beral was a close range powerhouse with a low center of gravity ideal for grappling and close low kicks and hand strikes. Beral’s opponents were not making it easy for her. They refused to play to her strengths, but tried to exploit her weaknesses. Talos smiled as he watched his wife systematically dismantle her opponents. Finally, Beral called enough and the two women bowed and left the training hall. Beral still hadn’t noticed Talos, who had deliberately placed himself in an inconspicuous corner of the training hall. She examined an array of huge weapons and smiling chose a massive war hammer. The thing was quite impossible for a human to wield, but the empress handled it with ease. Talos watched his wife with pleasure. The woman’s legs were solid and well-made and the brief training shorts emphasized them well…and everything else. She wore a close fitting top that kept certain parts of her abundant anatomy in place and a loose, training jacket of thick and absorbent material over that. After a while she stopped for a moment to wipe the sweat from her brow and then she noticed Talos watching her. She bounced, giggled and quickly replaced the weapon and came over.
“How l
ong have you been there, my lord?” she said, smiling.
“Long enough,” Talos chuckled. “You fight well.”
“Humph! I need stronger opponents,” said the empress. “These women were not strong enough to properly challenge me.”
“Perhaps you’d do well to choose male opponents from the ultra-elite corps,” said Talos.
Beral let out a sigh. “No. Unfortunately male warriors are even less of a challenge than female ones.” Talos’s eyebrows rose at this in surprise. “They tend to either take it easy on me because I’m a woman or (sigh) lose focus in training.”
Talos smiled in realization. “I see, I see,” he said.
“Honey, why won’t you train with me?” said Beral excitedly.
“Oh no,” said Talos holding up his hands. “It would be the same as with the men of the corps. Lack of focus I mean.”
“No it won’t. I know you will…”
“I wasn’t talking about me, I was talking about you!” laughed the, High Lord. “Have you forgotten that three of our children were made right here in the training hall when we were supposed to be training?”
“No,” said Beral slowly, pouting.
“And who started it each and every time, huh?” said Talos.
“I know, honey,” said Beral. “But…do you have any idea how beautiful you are when you’re all sweaty and…” Beral reached out and began to touch Talos’s chest. “But you won’t even let me watch you train now. Why won’t you let me watch you? I still remember that match you had with that barbarian cousin of ours from Barrat. It was so exciting! Now you lock all the doors and won’t let me in while you train, with or without partners!”
Talos remembered that match well. His opponent was one of their own distant kin, one of High Lord Cato’s descendants from a once independent and unknown region of the empire, and the boy was proving his bloodline that day. Still, Talos had age and experience on the youth and after a long hard tussle was about to force him to submit when suddenly Beral called the match a draw and ordered everyone out of the training hall…except him. The worst part was his opponent was very tough, so he was already quite tired. Talos shuddered at the memory. He wouldn’t like to go through that again.
The Mutant World Page 6
