And he’d proved her guess correct when he’d left the entire ship on high alert, and the remaining half of the Elite Warriors stayed behind with Rokai ahl. She had no doubt they were to stand with General Lo’ San should there be retaliation before Quin and those he took with him could reach Command Warship 1 with Kol in tow.
Vivian stood rigid and smiled, as they went through the process of flight check and eventually, launch. As soon as they were out of sight, she relaxed her body from her ramrod straight position. “Finally!” she snapped. “Got things to do, Kitty!” she said, turning and walking past her three assigned security guards for the day.
“Where are we going now, Sirena?” Kail asked, falling into step right behind her.
Vivian didn’t stop walking, but she answered Kail. “Let me ask you something, Kail,” she said.
“Of course, Sirena. Anything,” Kail replied.
“Just how loyal are you?” she asked.
Kail’s steps faltered. “As loyal as any, and more than most,” he proclaimed proudly.
“Good to know. Good to know. What about the rest of you?” she asked.
Asl and Rel immediately agreed. “We are extremely loyal, Sirena.”
“We’ve sworn our lives to you particularly!” Rel reminded her.
“Very good. You might want to go pack,” she answered, smiling as they all got on a lift and she spoke to Missy. “Missy, please take me to the Command Deck.”
“Yes, Sirena Vivi,” Missy answered.
“Go pack?” Rel asked cautiously.
“Yes, we’re going on a trip. Or, at least I am. Come with or not, I’m still going,” she answered, stepping out of the lift and moving quickly toward the Command Deck. She smiled to herself when she heard Rel’s voice behind her as he spoke into his communicator. “Zahn, you are needed here at once.” Then Rel lowered his voice. “She is taking us on a trip!” he hissed, not at all impressed with the idea.
The hydraulic doors to the Command Deck slid open, and Kitty bounded through before Vivian even got there. As she passed through the doors herself, she smiled when she saw Kitty sitting at General Lo’ San’s side begging snacks. Vivian ignored everyone on the deck with the exception of saluting them in return when they acknowledged her presence with a salute, and made a beeline for Communications Master Vennie.
“Hello Vennie,” Vivian said, smiling sweetly.
“Sirena! What a pleasure! How are you this fine day?” he asked.
“I’m as well as can be expected. But, you can make me happier,” she answered.
“I can? But of course I will do anything you wish. Tell me what favor I may grant you,” Vennie said.
“You can make a copy of that vid that you and my husband think I know nothing about. And you can do it right now. I need it portable, too. I’m taking it with me and I want to be able to control it,” Vivian said, her smile shifting to a hard, no nonsense expression.
Vennie looked panicked. “But Sirena, I’m not sure exactly what…”
“Really? That’s the position you want to take. Don’t make me regret trusting you, Vennie.”
“I have strict instructions, Sirena,” Vennie explained looking truly pained.
“And I’m not supposed to know about it, protect the Sirena at all costs. Yeah, I get it. Thing is though, I do know about it. I heard Quin talking about it. And now I want a copy of it.” She stopped talking and thought about it. “No, I don’t want a copy of it, I need a copy of it. Leave it intact just as Quin ordered, I’m sure he has his reasons…”
“Facial recognition scans,” Vennie said quietly.
“Makes sense. He’s trying to find them all,” Vivian said aloud.
Vennie agreed. “He is.”
“I need you to highlight the part that he believes will save Kol. Whatever it is, whatever it shows, I need that part highlighted along with enough of it to give the gist of whatever is going on,” Vivian said.
“Sirena,” Vennie tried again.
Vivian decided to take a different approach. “Why is he hiding it from me?”
Vennie looked away from his Sirena. “He says that you have suffered enough. You barely survived for him to find you, and he will not ever subject you to the pain you had to endure again. He’s right, Sirena. It is horrendous. There is no need,” Vennie said emphatically.
“They can’t hurt me anymore, Vennie. I’m here, I’m Quin’s, I’m safe. But they can hurt Kol. There’s no way in hell I’m going to allow them to hurt Kol if I can allow them to view a simple video. Do you understand?” she asked.
Slowly Vennie nodded.
“Make me a damn copy now!” she said.
Vennie slid from his chair, his tentacles supporting his body and giving him the impression that he floated above the floor. “It is not on the mainframe, Sirena. It will have to be accessed from another location.”
“Well, carry on then, get it done!” she said, waving her hands flamboyantly in the air.
Vennie squelched his way from the room, and her personal guard prepared to follow her off the Command Deck as she followed Vennie. “Kitty! Come! We’re going to save Uncle Blue Dude!”
Chapter 33
“Sirena, I cannot allow you to leave Command Warship! It is simply not possible!” Zahn insisted, facing off with Vivian at the docking bay.
“I didn’t ask you to allow me to go, Zahn. I told you I was going. You can stay here, or you can come with me, but I’m going,” Vivian answered.
“Do you have any idea what our Sire will do to me? To us? If I allow you leave this ship?!” Zahn asked.
“You know, at this point, I’d have thought you had just a little more faith in me than to think I’d throw you under the bus,” Vivian said.
Zahn was as usual thoroughly confused by her use of Earth slang. “I do not know what a bus is, Sirena, but I do not wish to be under anything. You must understand, we are responsible for your safety. We cannot in good conscience allow you to leave the safety of our warship!” Zahn insisted.
Vivian saw the hydraulic doors slide open, granting someone else access to the docking platform they stood on. She saw a flash of orange and knew who it was without having to look any further. “You do realize the irony in that statement, right? You want me to remain safe on a warship, rather than go to a tribunal taking place on the very home base of the Unified Consortium Defense. The Consortium that maintains peace among all worlds.”
“You do not know what is to happen there if Kol is not freed,” Zahn insisted.
“Hello, Vor,” Vivian said as Vor came to stand next to them. She didn't move her eyes from Zahn’s as she spoke. “Yes, Zahn, I do. I know that Quin plans to bring Kol home one way or another. I know that he took half of the Elite Warrior team with him. I know that he took Jhan who is an assassin, I know that he took Ba Re’ who is a computer freaking genius as well as an Elite warrior in his own right. I know that they plan to do whatever is necessary to get Kol out — override things, blow things up, generally make everybody do whatever they want things. Which is admirable. But, there’s one problem. They are males. And they’re going to start a damned war that is not necessary by any means. I am going to ensure his freedom the old fashioned way.”
“And what way is that, Sirena?” Vor asked.
“By presenting the facts and letting them see the irrefutable truth that the male he killed was a piece of shit. I’m going to show them the tape that Quin thinks to keep hidden from me because he’s afraid it will hurt me. And, you know what? It will hurt me, but it will hurt me a whole hell of a lot more if we lose Blue Dude. Like I told Kail, Rel and Asl, either come with me, or get out of my way.”
Vor stood in place only a moment longer before giving her a single nod. “Missy!” Vor barked.
“Yes, Warrior Vor,” Missy responded.
“Advise my Ehlealah that I was called away on business and I shall return as soon as I am able.”
Vivian smiled as Vor spoke to Missy.
“I shall do
so at once, Warrior Vor,” Missy answered.
Vor held out his hand. “Come, Sirena. Allow me to escort you to the judicial hearing of the charges brought against Elite Commander and Ambassador Kol Ra’ Don Tol.”
Vivian grinned at Vor and reached up toward his face until he finally sighed and leaned over for her to be able to reach him. Vivian kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Vor,” she said as she grinned at him.
“I suppose we’re bringing Kitty, too,” Vor asked as he followed the large shraler onto the battle cruiser.
“Of course. I have to make an entrance, you know,” Vivian said.
Zahn stood outside the cruiser, looking at Vor who was waiting for him to board the cruiser and take his place among the rest of Vivian’s personal guard that had already boarded the vessel.
“I cannot believe you condone this,” Zahn said.
“Imagine it was you. Would you not want her to come to your aid? How much do we all at one time or another owe Kol? He has been a great friend to any who need it.”
“Our Sire will have us executed,” Zahn said.
“No, he won’t. She won’t allow it, and we will have prevented a war. She’s right about that. He will yell a great deal though. Perhaps more than when she forced us to go along with her plan to kill Malm herself,” Vor admitted.
Zahn shook his head and rolled his eyes toward the second level of the docking platform. “One day she will calm and our jobs will be easy,” he said, taking the step to place him on board with the rest of the team.
“No, she won’t,” Vor answered.
“I simply want her safe,” Zahn answered. “She has suffered so much already.”
“I know that you only wish to protect her. But, sometimes it’s easier to allow her to fight her battles herself and back her up if need be,” Vor said.
“Wait! You cannot leave!” a familiar voice called out.
Zahn shook his head and simply moved further into the battle cruiser. “I am not dealing with him. You do it,” Zahn said to Vor.
Vor stepped into the doorway of the open battle cruiser and watched Rokai ahl rush toward them.
“Where’s Vivi?” Rokai shouted as he ran across the expansive docking bay of Command Warship 1.
“She is already aboard, Elite Commander Rokai ahl. We cannot be swayed from our journey,” Vor answered.
“I do not wish to sway her from her journey, nor you!” Rokai snapped. “Vivi! Vivi, can you hear me?” Rokai called out as he stepped over the threshhold of the hydraulic door and into the already overcrowded battle cruiser.
“Rokai?” Vivian asked, getting up from her seat and moving toward him.
“You cannot go…” Rokai started.
“Do not even start trying to tell me what I can and cannot do. I will pull rank, bud!” Vivian answered, her hand on her hip and her small foot tapping a rhythm on the floor of the cruiser.
Rokai shook his head. “No. I didn’t mean to stop you. Just to give you an extra bit of protection,” he said, taking off his own golden bracelet and holding it up before him. “This will turn into a blade. Watch,” he said, snapping the links of the band into a straight line, then pressing the clasp with his thumb once the links had become rigid.
Vivian’s eyes rounded with surprise when a blade popped out of the end where the clasp was. “That’s amazing!” she said, reaching out for it.
“Be careful with it, Vivi. The blade is very sharp,” Rokai said, shaking the band out until it was once more pliable and fastening it around her wrist.
“Thank you, Rokai. I hope I won’t have to use it, but if I do, I’ll be very careful and be sure to bring it back to you.”
“You are very welcome. Also, here,” he said, holding out his disintegrater toward her. “This one is made of a material that will not register on most scans should you be scanned for weapons,” Rokai confided.
“Plastic?” she asked, taking the disintegrater from him and testing its weight in her hand.
“I do not know what plastic is, but, it will not show on scans. Take it in the event you may need it and slip it into your pocket. None will detect it, and you will be able to kill many aggressors with it!” Rokai answered, smiling and then hugging her to him. “I’ve unlocked it so all you need to do is enter your own code into it to make it fireable.”
“How do I do that?” Vivi asked.
“I am sure your guards can help you,” Rokai answered.
Vivian looked over her shoulder at Vor who nodded to her.
“Excellent!” she said, excitedly.
“Sirena, it is a disintegrater. It will melt away anything it is fired at. People, buildings, cruisers,” Rel said warningly.
Vivi glanced at Rokai who nodded his affirmation. “It is my favorite weapon,” Rokai confided.
“Umm, maybe I’ll let Rel carry it,” she said.
“As long as one of you has it, it can be used for your safety,” Rokai said, bowing to her. “Safe travels, sister-mine. Bring our warrior home to us.”
“I will. Take care of everyone until I get back,” Vivian said.
Rokai ahl stepped off the cruiser, then onto the metal scaffolding that led back to the platform Quin favored for welcoming all visitors as they arrived, and watched as the cruiser shot out of Command Warship 1, on its way to deliver a Sirena to a date with destiny that she refused to be left out of.
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>
Quin and his warriors who were actually an attack party incognito arrived at the headquarters of the Unified Consortium Defense, docked, were seated and awaiting the beginning of the trial when they heard the announcement of the arrival of a second party representing the Cruestaci.
Jhan leaned over to Quin and whispered to him. “Are your parents coming?”
Quin glanced at Jhan and gave a sharp shake of his head.
“Well, then who the hells?” Jhan asked at the same time the doors opened at the back of courtroom. A small, dark-haired human female, dressed in her signature white jeans and green silk shirt, her velvet green cloak and royal jewels, warrior boots, chain and dagger all properly in place, strutted through with a full grown eight hundred pound shraler on a chain padding along patiently beside her. Her personal guard in full battle gear surrounded and escorted her to the front of the courtroom where Quin and his party already sat as the courtroom was filled with murmurs and all watched Vivian with something of a bit of awe in their eyes. It was one thing to hear tell of the Cruestaci’s Warrior Sirena and her shraler; it was quite another to witness it first hand.
Quin closed his eyes and ground his jaw as he prayed for calm.
He heard Ba Re’ snort a chuckle to his right and gave him a warning look.
The Cruestaci people had been allowed the first five rows on the right side of the courtroom. Quin and his males took up three of them.
Vivian and her guards walked all the way to the front of the courtroom. When she came to a stop in front of Quin, he glared at her and stood to greet her formally. He leaned over kissing her lips as his males stood and began to rearrange themselves to allow Vivian’s guard to blend in with Quin’s guard and remain closer to her. The rest of the Elite Warriors and the few males that overflowed the other rows moved back until they were comfortably filling all five rows alloted them.
“I thought you promised to stay home,” Quin growled in Vivian's ear as he hugged her to him.
“I had my fingers crossed,” she answered. “You were doing this wrong, so I had to come.”
“Vivi…” he said, starting a warning.
The judiciary board chose that moment to call the trial to order, so Vivian took her seat beside Quin. “Sit, Kitty,” she said softly and Kitty dutifully took his seat at her feet.
“Vivi,” Quin leaned over to her and whispered.
“I know, Quin. I know all you have planned. It’s not necessary,” she answered, finally turning to look at him. She kissed him lightly on the lips then smiled sadly at him. “You greatly underestimate me, my love.”
&n
bsp; Quin’s brow furrowed when she told him he underestimated her. “I do not!” he objected.
“Shh! They’re starting,” she said, patting his hand with hers before squeezing his fingers beneath hers and catching her breath when they finally showed Kol in.
Kol’s eyes roved the courtroom, landing on all his people filling a large percentage of the available seats. He smiled when he saw Vivian sitting there with Kitty at her feet, and met Quin’s eyes with a knowing look after he took a moment to realize which males he’d brought with him. His escort indicated a raised dais he was to sit on and opened the small swinging door for him to walk through. Kol stepped up and onto the dais before taking his seat and watching as Chairman Bartholomew, the most powerful man associated with the Consortium, exited his private chamber off the side of the courtroom and joined Kol on the dais.
The courtroom was filled with a soft rumble as all those familiar with the proceedings realized what this meant. Bart would be defending the accused.
Bart stepped up and raised his voice so that all present could hear him. “I am Chairman Bartholomew of the Unified Consortium Defense. I’ve recused myself from judgment this day of the charges brought against Elite Commander Kol Ra’ Don Tol. Instead I have elected to defend him against the charges lodged against him. He will be judged by a judiciary panel in my stead.”
One of the members of the panel called for order as Bart took his seat and began speaking with Kol. Kol nodded in response to Bart’s whispered words, then raised his eyes to Vivian's.
Vivian smiled at him. She didn’t know if he realized what she was about to do, or if he was even aware of the video she’d brought with her, but on the off chance he was aware of it, she was letting him know that she was there for that reason only. If it was necessary, she’d show it to the world to be sure that Kol was free. He was in her heart, her brother. These people were all her family, and she’d be damned if anybody was going to take one of them away from her. She was now in a position to prevent any of those she loved from being taken, and she’d do whatever was necessary to that end.
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