An effeminate Dak-Hiliah man stood waiting for them with his arms crossed. The robots brought them to him.
“I’m Barrister Graw. Are you Prax-Denay?”
“Yes.”
“I see you lack shoulder horns. This is indicative of one from the Etiken caste. This is your caste, correct?”
“Correct.”
Lisette glanced at his smooth shoulders.
“Very good.” The barrister took out a thin tablet and tapped on it for several moments. Then he cleared his throat and looked at Lisette. “Is this Lisette Bellamy?”
“Yes,” Prax-Denay said.
“Is she pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“Is it yours?”
“Without a doubt.”
“Very good. So none of the facts of this matter are in dispute.” Graw focused on his tablet. “Prax-Denay, of the Etiken caste, you have been accused of blasphemy against the druid Archment by defying his explicit decree that Etikens may not breed outside their caste.” He looked up at them. “The High Council wishes for both you and the human woman to appear before them. I shall bring you now.”
With that he led them and their robot escorts up the short steps to the forbidding doors of the hall.
The walk down the massive open corridors would be a blur in Lisette’s memory. She found herself and Prax-Denay standing in a shallow round pit with the massive chairs of the seven High Council members looming high above them. There was an audience area behind them that could seat several thousands. Only a few chairs were occupied. Lisette vaguely recalled seeing Jorenkis and his cohorts (except for Tiltawhirl) in the as they entered. The crest of the building’s dome appeared to ascend a mile above them. Lisette felt small. She was sure this was intentional.
In the raised seats before her she saw the council members Prax-Denay had shown her on the console. Each chair, which had black stone backs as tall church steeples, had a number engraved in the desk before it. Elentinus sat at number three. Matoranis sat at number seven. The seats were not arranged in numeric order. Number one was in the middle directly before her and was higher than all the rest.
Barrister Graw went to a podium in front of them. “Honorable High Council, I bring before you Prax-Denay, an Etiken, and Lisette Belamy, a human from Earth. I have confirmed with the accused the facts which bring him before you. Prax-Denay admits he has impregnated this woman, who is not of his caste, and has thereby committed blasphemy against the Druid Archment.”
“Very good, Barrister Graw,” said number one. “I believe you may go. If the accused has not denied his charges then there’s no need for you to speak on his behalf.”
Graw bowed deeply. “Yes, my lords.” He exited the circle.
Prax-Denay stepped up to the podium (where there was apparently some kind of microphone hidden inside). Lisette moved to stand beside him. Her husband was looking up at the council with a face devoid of emotion. If she was not so in tune with him she wouldn’t have known he was terrified.
“Maybe we can settle the matter with the human first,” number one said, while turning to Elentinus. “Elentinus?”
“Lisette,” Elentinus said.
She stepped forward to have a clear view of him past Prax-Denay.
“I realize this is a most uncomfortable setting, but I must ask you, did you choose to lie with Prax-Denay?”
“Yes.” She’d wanted to shout it, but her voice was barely a squeak. She swallowed down a lump and braced herself to try again. “He’s my husband and I love him.”
Prax-Denay gave her a tender glance.
Elentinus appeared unmoved. “So. You wish to stay with him.”
“Yes!”
“That’s not an option,” number five, a rotund middle-aged man whom Lisette remembered from her lesson to be Lord Nayjoor, said. “The penalty for blasphemy is death.”
Lisette began to cry. Prax-Denay put his arm around her.
“I beg your pardon?”
Lisette looked up just before her glasses fogged. This was Matoranis speaking.
“The penalty for blasphemy is what we decide for it to be. Kindly remember that this is the scientist who discovered the Instajant vaccine.”
“Are you saying he deserves a pass on this crime because of his contribution to our society?” number one said with neither disdain nor enthusiasm.
Nayjoor scoffed.
“I would have us continue to discuss the matter,” Matoranis said, “but can we no longer speak of execution? He deserves at least that.”
“We shall not impose a sentence of execution on Prax-Denay,” number one said. “Agreed?”
All the numbers, except 5, lit up and chimed. Number one looked around and then fixed his gaze on Nayjoor. The older man grumbled and pounded an obscured button on his desk. His number chimed and lit up.
“What do you feel needs to be discussed, Matoranis?” number one said.
“Oh? Have I the floor?”
Number one bowed his head.
“What in the name of the gods were you thinking, Prax-Denay!” Matoranis said. “You’ve had a glorious career. The work you’ve been doing lately has been exceptional. Why would you jeopardize things in this way?”
Prax-Denay lowered his head. “I fell in love with her.”
“You’ve no right to be in love with her!”
“I know.”
“These human women are so cunning,” Nayjoor said. “She probably tempted him in order to destroy him.”
“Watch your tongue,” Elentinus said. “Lisette was an obedient slave, keen to please her masters. She had no such aspirations.”
“No,” Lisette said through her tears. Everyone fell silent to look at her. She didn’t realize her soft cry had been heard.
Prax-Denay moved aside from the podium. She hesitantly took his place.
“He told me…he told me we could only…only be colleagues. He told me about his caste and that if he was caught in a…relationship…with me, that he’d be castrated. But I…I still kissed him, when he was trying to resist. I convinced him…to risk everything. I’m the one…the one responsible.”
“No,” Prax-Denay said softly.
Nayjoor gestured to her in disgust. “She admits it.”
“Who among us,” number two said, “would resist such a lovely woman if she pursued us?”
There were murmurs of affirmation.
“I wish to assert,” Elentinus said, “that she was ignorant of what the Etiken caste truly is. She saw a fine scientist before her, not a slum dweller. She could not have understood the taboo of pursuing someone from his caste.”
“Slum dweller!” Matoranis said. “How dare you, Elentinus. That’s such blatant bigotry. Does not his own brother work as your manservant? My gods…the man gave us a vaccine that saved our entire race from extinction. What more does he have to do to prove himself?” He cleared his throat and rose from his seat. “Fellow council members, if we were to pick one Etiken out of the entire race whom we felt worthy of a bride, would it not be this man before us? And, that said, do we intend on allowing the Etiken race to go extinct? If they’re not permitted to breed with the humans their race will die off in scarcely two generations. Many of our people claim to be pleased with this—that they’re a blight on our society. These same people would certainly never do the work the Etiken do for us. Not all of them can be replaced by robots. I say, let Prax-Denay keep his human bride and be allowed to breed with her.”
Lisette gasped with joy. Prax-Denay hugged her against him.
Number two thumped a long scepter on the floor, which seemed to be their version of clapping. Matoranis righted the armor attached to his dark mesh garb and sat.
“Are we prepared to vote on this?” number one said.
“Absolutely not,” Elentinus said. “It’s blasphemy.”
Matoranis scoffed. Nayjoor sneered at him.
“You may state your argument Elentinus,” number one said.
“It is our lot to follow the will
of the druid in the highest seat no matter what the cost. Even if that cost is the extinction of one of our races. Druid Archment decreed that Etikens may not breed with those outside their caste. If we pardon Prax-Denay we set a precedent which will make all humans part of the Etiken caste. My dear wife Maritza is not a member of the lowliest caste of our society.”
“You’re behaving unusually repulsive today, Elentinus,” Matoranis said.
“My devotion to our faith is not unusual.” He turned away from them. “The love I have for my wife is well known also. She is not an Etiken. Therefore, neither is this woman.”
“I’m an Etiken by marriage!”
Three of the council members gasped.
Number four clapped his hands together. The elderly man wore a gleeful expression. “An exception!”
Number one and two laughed with him as though this were a private joke.
“Yes, you see,” number four said, “the humans aren’t of any caste, but surely they can marry into a caste.” He looked around at them. “If we don’t allow this then the Etiken will go extinct. It’s no longer blasphemy if we allow humans to marry into a caste.”
“I’m putting this to a vote,” number one said.
“Wait,” Elentinus said.
“Shut up, Elentinus,” Nayjoor said.
“Humans shall be allowed to marry into the Etiken caste. Agreed?”
Numbers 1, 4, and 7 (Matoranis) lit up at once. Then 2 and 6. Elentinus was leaning back with his arms crossed. Nayjoor sneered at him and hit his button to light up number 3. The moment he did Elentinus jolted forward and hit his own button.
“Well,” number one said with a raised brow. “It seems it’s unanimous. Humans shall be allowed to marry into the Etiken caste. This decision shall be retroactive to allow Prax-Denay’s marriage.”
Lisette leapt into his arms with a squeal of joy. Prax-Denay hugged her off her feet and spun with her. His face became wet with tears. Lisette was so happy she couldn’t stop laughing.
“If there are no other matters than we shall adjourn,” number one said.
“I have one more matter,” Elentinus said.
“Oh, please,” Nayjoor said.
“What is it?” number one said with a twinge of annoyance.
“Since human women are by and large our only remaining breeding partners, and since this council has just made it legal for those human women to marry into the Etiken caste…”
“Get to your point, if you please,” Matoranis said.
“I would like Etiken castration to be outlawed.”
The others looked at him in shock.
“It is no longer necessary to continue the practice to ensure the druid Archment’s decree is followed. It’s barbaric and should have ended centuries ago. It would be asinine to continue doing something so vile and damaging to our fellow Dak-Hiliah just for the sake of tradition.”
“Oh gods, yes,” Prax-Denay whispered.
Number one blinked a few times. He leaned back. “I see your game, Elentinus.”
“We all do,” Nayjoor said. His face had darkened with anger.
“If you object to my proposal then state a valid reason why.”
The cheery council member at number four perked up. “Well, I can think of one reason. Eak-Rizot is going to be fuming mad that the next guy who has his job gets to keep his scoligel.”
Matoranis and number two laughed.
“Castration shall further more be outlawed. Agreed?” number one said.
Elentinus pressed his button at once. Matoranis, number four and number two followed. Number one pressed his button then stood and walked away. Number six did the same.
“I won’t be manipulated by you again, Elentinus,” Nayjoor said.
Lisette stood on tip-toe to whisper into Prax-Denay’s ear. “It’s going to pass six to one, right?”
“All votes must be unanimous,” Prax-Denay whispered back.
“Doesn’t Rolf-Tem have a little brother who wants to leave the slums?” Elentinus said. “He’ll see that the vote failed because of you when this is reported.”
“You make me sick.” Nayjoor punched his button, got up, and left.
“Fantastic!” Prax-Denay said. Lisette laughed again.
Elentinus rose. “Adjourned.”
“That’s not for you to say,” Matoranis said, but also stood.
“Adjourned!” number four said.
The rest of them dispersed.
Barrister Graw emerged from the audience (where a petulant Jorenkis was ranting to his peers).
“I’ve recorded that you’ve been absolved of blasphemy,” Graw said to them. “Do you need accommodations in the city?”
Prax-Denay looked at Lisette.
“I want to go home,” she said.
He hugged her against him once again. “Just deliver us to the spaceport.”
Graw bowed to him. “Of course. And congratulations. Both on the trial, and on your impending birth.”
Lisette broke down into joyful tears. Prax-Denay tipped up her chin with a finger and kissed her.
***
They had to wait inside the sleek spaceport for transport to Paggellatin to be prepared for them. They sat on a bench with a broad window behind them. Prax-Denay chose to face a large monitor with a newscast rather than watch the ships. The headline of ‘Etiken Castration Outlawed’ stayed on the top of the screen. A feminine android was giving the full report of what happened in the Hall of Governance. Lisette only half listened. She leaned against Prax-Denay with their fingers entwined. The weight of anxiety had left her exhausted. All she wanted was to be back home, in her bed, with her husband.
Prax-Denay stood suddenly. “Brother!”
Elentinus and Hor-Denay walked to them. Prax-Denay went to his much homelier brother and took both his hands.
“Gods it’s good to see you again,” Prax-Denay said.
“I can’t believe what you accomplished,” Hor-Denay said. “You’re a hero to our race once again.”
“Lord Elentinus is the hero.”
Elentinus stared at Lisette. She met his gaze.
“You’ve a glow about you,” he said. “I see the same in Maritza when she’s pregnant.”
Lisette pursed her lips.
“You don’t need to fear me. I was only harsh toward Prax-Denay so the others would vote in his favor.”
“I know,” Lisette said. She smiled. “Thank you.”
He bowed his head to her.
“It’s just as I planned all along,” Hor-Denay said. “We’ve ended castration and ensured the continuation of our people.”
“What did you have to do with it?” Prax-Denay said.
“I told her to pursue you. She was merely obeying my orders.”
Prax-Denay looked at Lisette. “Is that so?”
A mischievous smile formed on her face.
“What a foolhardy thing to do, brother! You could have ruined everything. How dare you interfere?”
“How dare I? You should thank me. You’re happy, aren’t you?”
Lisette stood and put herself under Prax-Denay’s arm. She beamed a bright smile to both Hor-Denay and Elentinus.
“Yes,” she said. “We are.”
***
“Jorenkis,” Celia-Denay said.
Lisette peeked into Jorenkis’ office while her pale blue four-year-old daughter stood beside his desk.
“What is it?” Jorenkis said.
“Mommy wanted me to give you this.” She placed a spitty piece of candy in his hand.
“Gah!” Jorenkis threw it against the wall.
Lisette laughed from the doorway. Jorenkis was appalled.
“Would you get her out of here? I’m trying to get some work done.”
Lisette came in and plucked her daughter up by her armpits. “It’s Saturday,” she said.
“No. No Saturday. Saturday is an Earth thing. There’s no Saturdays here. We work every day.”
“You don’t work every day,”
Celia-Denay said.
“Hey! Would you just—get old enough to marry or something?”
Lisette made a disgusted face. The suggestion would have made her furious just a few years ago. Thankfully the spoiled aristocrat had started to grow up. If he continued improving there just might be a chance at her future blessing (though it was unlikely).
Prax-Denay came out of the nursery beside the lab and scooped Celia-Denay out of Lisette’s arms. He draped the spry child over his shoulder while she squealed with laughter. “Emma’s asleep, but Hor’s awake,” he said, speaking of their toddler daughter and infant son. “Do you want to try to feed him?”
Lisette tested the weight of her milk-laden breasts with her hands. Finding the supply adequate she said, “Mm-hm.” She patted her daughter’s leg. “This one needs to be put down for her nap.”
“I’m not tired!”
Prax-Denay carted her upstairs anyway. “If you don’t sleep you’ll never grow horns.”
“I’m growing them. I felt bumps, daddy!”
“Where? Let me see.”
Prax-Denay came back down later to sit with Lisette while she fed baby Hor-Denay. He caressed the bald head of his son first, and then kissed her.
“Do you remember when you first came to the lab and we had to fix the damage the Instajant vaccine did to hybrid DNA?”
Lisette nodded.
“Celia’s as perfect a little girl as I could imagine. I would say we were successful.”
“On that…and a lot of things. Everything worked out for the best.”
“Even Jorenkis has become less annoying.”
“That’s because he wants to marry our daughter one day.”
Prax-Denay’s brow twitched. “Is that so? Remind me to kill him later.”
“No.” She lowered their son back into his crib. “That would change things.”
Prax-Denay stood beside her and caressed her hair. Lisette gazed into his eyes.
“Our world is perfect…just the way it is.”
***
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Alien's Bride: Lisette Page 8
