“That is...that...was he punished?” Yukie's voice caught in her throat, she looked more devastated then Sasha had ever been.
“No, Sasha didn't want to make a scene, so she locked herself away in her room...and when she finally emerged, she had changed. Not obvious to everyone...but to me, Yukie, I knew...her smile and laugh were different...both empty...hollow,” Tiana said, unable to keep her own sadness from seeping into her words.
“Then she met Trent?” Yukie's question sounded of pleading.
“Yes, eight years later she met Trent. I never thought she would love again, and believed, at the time, it was actually the Programs messing with her mind to force her to complete a task, which in some ways...we found to be true.” Yukie eyes flashed understanding, before she slammed her lips closed tight, glancing away. “I'm assuming you know something about this?” Tiana asked, half serious. Yukie peered at her out of the corner of her eye, feigning dismay, then smiled mischievously.
“Yes, but I'm not allowed to go into specifics,” Yukie said, suddenly serious.
Tiana nodded her understanding. “Well, from what we learned, Vin created some sort of “bond” between them, none of us really understand how it works,” she said what she knew, looking questioningly at Yukie, who shook her head.
“The science behind how Programs work is sealed, not even the emperor can access them,” Yukie said, obviously disappointed.
“That figures...” Tiana sighed. “Well, no matter how it works, through that bond they were able to meet each other and, though both had turbulent pasts with love, could easily express their love for each other,” Tiana blushed, finding a hidden meaning in her words.
Yukie caught the sudden change. “What?” she questioned. Tiana decided it would be better not to hide it.
“You didn't hear this from me,” Yukie nodded, eyes, once again, going wide. “When Vin explained a little of the concept behind the bond, we learned it was supposed to become dormant after they met. But something unexpected happened with the Emperor's Jewelry, causing the bond to become active and permanent,”
Yukie nodded. “I heard about that, but why did that make you blush?” Yukie pushed and Tiana frowned, remembering the day before, when she watched the record for nobles with Yukie that explained sexual relations. The young girl had begged Toonga the Program to show Trent and Sasha doing what they'd seen in the record, but it had refused, much to Tiana's relief.
“Let's just say that Gil'Da won't allow Regalia near their room at night,” Yukie eyes flashed, twinkling like all the stars in the night sky. After a few seconds she tensed, then blushed.
“Toonga, play the audio from outside Trent and Sasha's room after the banquet on the TSB Fleet Base!” Tiana listened in horror as the fluidic sphere hovering above Yukie's necklace complied and the sounds of an evening she would never forget echoed through the hydration chamber.
“Yukie!” Tiana screamed as the young girl, smiling from ear to ear, giggled while she fled and Tiana, blushing furiously, ran in chase.
*********
Sasha’s ghostly vision floated behind the two naked girls as they darted through the apartment, one laughing gaily, the other screaming, skin flush from embarrassment. Sasha smiled, feeling at ease seeing that her friend was getting along so well with Empress Yukie. Now, of course, she would need to remember to ask the empress what she'd said that made Tiana so angry. It might come in handy in the future when she tried to reign in Tiana's relentless mischief. She released her grip on the Arm of the Emperor, and her vision, in less than a second, returned to her body, and she was once again gazing at Trent's peacefully sleeping face.
A light breeze caressed her skin, filling her with the wondrously fresh scent of Alutia'Earth's pristine air. The smell intermingled with the pleasant, earthy aroma born of the outdoor biological bed where she lay with Trent, listening to a nearby waterfall that cascaded over a section of the tall cliff that surrounded their hidden valley, into a small lake of green tinted water. The rumble was pleasant, soothing, and once again she felt sleep begin to overtake her.
The vacation residence used for her and Trent's 45 days of isolation, required for those who are wedded in a marriage of elevation, was a gift from her mother, who crafted every detail with loving care. A quaint, biological cottage, made of a rose bush, of course, with three modest rooms, grew in the middle of a deep valley that was surrounded by tall cliffs and a protective energy shield. A lake covered almost a third of the vacation residence's grounds, splashing lightly upon a grassy red shore on one side while lapping peacefully against the smooth cliff face on the other. An immaculately crafted garden covered the rest of the grounds, with small paths and trails cut through the interspersed and beautifully arranged local flora. Comfortable and exotic biological furniture filled hidden glades, groves, and meadows, allowing her and Trent to relax, or sleep, wherever they pleased in the perfectly temperate environment.
The biological bed where she now lay with Trent had been grown from the single leaf bushes that covered large portions of the planet's surface. It was semitransparent, like most of Alutia'Earth's native foliage, with a slight purplish hue, while being exceedingly soft to the touch. It gripped her body like a glove, its fuzzy surface always staying slightly cool, and being very bouncy. She felt herself blush, remembering just how bouncy it could be.
Trent stirred as if sensing her naughty thoughts. Feeling mischievous, she moved within a hairsbreadth, hoping to catch his hazel eyes as they came open. But instead, a smile appeared on his slightly puffy lips, which fit perfectly under his modest nose and above his sculpted jaw; apparently having a pleasant dream.
The first four days of their forced isolation had been bliss, causing her to question if this wasn't, in fact, all a dream. After they arrived, Trent had immediately begun the bonding process with his baby catillian. Sasha, following Yukie's instructions, removed her clothes as well. At first, she was reluctant to leave their small cottage, but eventually gave in to Trent's pleas, and they had strolled tentatively through their private gardens. The wonders around her soon made her forget her state of undress, and before she realized it, she was skipping beside Trent, laughing merrily while exploring the trails that crisscrossed their private paradise.
She recalled Trent's lust filled gaze the first time the catillian had taken a break from the creation of its feeding nodes, and went to sleep in his curly brown locks. His desire had exploded into her, their bond bursting with his raw emotions, of love and lust, as if he'd been suppressing them since their arrival. It was too much for her to bear and she lost herself as he whisked her away to the first biological bed he could find. Time had no meaning, and she was only returned to her senses by the desperate screeches of Trent's catillian, who cried its need to continue the bonding ritual. That event had set the tone and whenever the baby catillian returned to his hair, their bond would explode with their raw desire, and time would stand still.
Of course, they found occasions to eat as they wandered their paradise, but sleep had become an issue. The baby catillian usually only rested for few hours at a time, during which they were usually occupied with other adult activities. So they'd made a promise. That for at least a few breaks during each night, they would sleep.
The memories started to arouse her dormant passion as she unconsciously ran her fingers down Trent's stomach, kissing him lightly on the cheek. His eyes shot open, a peaceful smile touching his lips.
“Find me.” she whispered into his ear before hopping off the bed and running playfully down the trail, further into the garden. Terra squeaked in delight, seeming to sense her playful mood.
A small path cut off the main trail and into a dense growth of transparent, triangular shaped plants, with tiny, flat leaves. Quietly, she moved between them, finding a gap partially hidden from view. She kneeled and waited, but heard nothing.
Time past and there was still no sound, no sign of Trent. Did he fall? Was he hurt? The negative thoughts appeared on their own. Did he d
escend into despair? Was he sick of her? Did he not find her attractive? They continued to spiral out of control, erupting from a dark place she had long forgotten existed. She pushed them aside, knowing they didn't belong, having no place in her current self. Instead, she concentrated on Trent. The ghostly vision appeared, but didn't move. Hands grasped her from behind as satisfaction and longing poured through their bond, forcing her to release the vision provided by the Arm of the Emperor.
“I love you...please never think otherwise,” Trent whispered, gently turning her cheek so he could kiss her from behind. She let him take control, pulling her down to the grassy floor in the middle of the grove of triangular bushes.
“How did you know?” she barely freed the words, his lips reluctant to pull free. He tensed, kissing her nose before pushing himself up on his hands, a small frown taking over his face.
“The bond, I felt your despair, your doubt...it...it scared me, Sasha, so I followed it,” he trailed off.
She reached up, caressing his cheek. “Oh, my duke! I didn't realize my feelings were that strong. I didn't hear you, so...so I thought the worst,” she told. His frown vanished, but she thought a seed of doubt was planted within his eyes.
“I love you...forever...” she said the words of her heart, placing her hands in his, pushing hard, hoping the sign of their bond, the Emperor and Empress Star, the marks that proved they accepted the deepest, darkest secrets of each other's souls, would reassure him. His hazel eyes seemed to glow, doubt replaced by wonder, then by fire.
“You are mine!” he growled, embracing her fully, unexpectedly potent desire, tinged with animal lust, pouring into her. She grasped them fully and forced him over, on his back.
“And you are mine!” With animal instinct driving her, time, once again, lost all meaning.
Chapter 9
The unbearable stench of rotting flesh mixed with a pungent, sulfur-like aroma, made his lungs burn and every breath beyond difficult. Daniel knew he had to endure, stay hidden, the creatures having discovered him the night before; their screeches and howls still echoing with the same intensity. He cringed as their horrible voices multiplied, pushing his body against the closet wall, trying to ignore the fact that he wasn't the first person to hide in this closet while praying desperately he would be luckier than the last.
There had been no word from the guards or Ninifis. Communications throughout the colony were down, the majority of the BAP's disabled, and his portable PDU only receiving intermittent signals, nothing strong enough for him to lock onto.
He'd searched for hours the day before, finding entire sections of the city covered in the greenish slime, with splatters of dried blood mixed with chunks of torn flesh, but never any signs of life. When he was about to give up hope and return to the administrator's office, terrifying screeches and howls erupted from all sides, originating from a snarling pack of the grotesque, human-like creatures who appeared on the surrounding rooftops. He fled in horror from the beasts, trying desperately to make his way back to the safety of the access tunnels as they pursued him. But another pack had cut off his escape.
With no other options, he had fled into the maze-like alleys between the square buildings that covered almost every meter of the domes interior. Fear drove him as he desperately searched for a place to hide, the horrible creatures coming closer and closer; all thought of finding the guards or Ninifis having vanished, his only care his own survival. So when he stumbled upon an open doorway, he didn't think twice as he dove through into darkness, closing himself in the first closet he could find. But he had regretted it immediately.
Green slime covered the closet's interior, oozing as if born from the ceiling and walls themselves. It would drip slowly upon his helmet, seeping down its surface to trickle to the floor below, adding to the puddle that already licked at his knees. He could sense its touch even through the protection of his exosuit, like it was alive, probing for a way in. It took all his will to suppress the rising bile that threatened to erupt as he considered what might befall him if it did. Then, when he thought it not possible for his situation to get any worse, he was forced to switch from his internal oxygen supply, its reserves running low, to the outside air, relying on the suits filter to cleanse its taint. It strained against the contained repugnance, holding it at bay as the hours blurred. But the reek overwhelmed even its defenses in the end, seeping through to attack his nose and lungs.
In the hours since then, hope had completely abandoned him. The screeches and howls sounded constantly from just outside the door, never ending, and the stench within lapping at the last ounce of his sanity. His options became crystal clear. He would either leave the closet to die by their hands, or die of hunger and dehydration within. Anger surged to the surface as he realized his plan had once again been ruined, and his life, forfeited. He didn't know how, or why, but he knew by whom.
“Yes, Daniel, you know who is responsible,” the mysterious voice whispered, the face of the one guilty, Trent, flashing alongside. “He is to blame for this, for everything, Daniel,” the voice continued, affirming what Daniel already knew, that everything had gone wrong in Daniel's life since Trent appeared, walking the railroad tracks of Earth with nary a concern in his hobo mind. But the hate for Trent seemed to dull, and the mysterious voice vanish, as another face hovered in the darkness, the face of the man directly responsible for his current plight; Sir Pariya. His rat-like appearance grew larger; his mocking stare and smug grin threatening to drive Daniel into insanity. An icon flashed on the display projected before his eyes, born of the portable PDU he wore over his ear, pulling his mind back from the edge, temporarily forgetting his fate.
“....we...Dani...ttle...” crackling filled his ears, and to Daniel's disbelief, he thought he could make out voices. “Repe...we are mak...our way thro......city dome one...wit...Baroness Ninifis. Sir Dani...if you're....aliv...meet us at the shuttle, we will wait a day before launching,” Knight Captain Ja'Luk voice suddenly became clear, telling him they were alive, and passing through city dome one. Hope returned, momentarily overwhelming his despair and anger. I have to find them, it is his only chance for survival, he thought desperately, “your only chance for revenge,” the voice followed. He started to respond, prepared to tell them he was ok. But the signal faded as the interference returned.
He took a few shallow breaths, knowing it was now or never, and pushed open the closet door, raising his trembling laser arc in anticipation. The room beyond was empty except for the slime that covered a small bed and the few meager belongings of the petty inhabitants that were scattered throughout the room. A dark brown stain on the far wall caught his eye, looking eerily like dried blood.
With cautious haste, he exited into a narrow hallway, trying to recall where the outside exit may lay, the previous evening a blur. The corridor was dark, only a few emergency lights working in either direction, most of which blinked, seeming on the verge of failure. Knowing time was of the essence, he moved into the shallow darkness, imagined shadows diving at him as he ran, rushing towards a light that appeared in the distance, brighter than all the rest. As he suspected, it was the door he'd entered the previous evening, still wide-open. He peered outside, finding the alleyway empty, but flinched as a screech rose from only a few meters away. A strange howl responded in the distance, and the screeches increased in number and volume, then faded as the creatures started to move away, in the direction of the howl. He waited a few moments, enjoying the slightly less polluted air while gathering what little courage he had left, and stepped into the alley.
It was empty, the screeches moving farther off, in the direction of the main road that cut through the center of city dome one. His mind screamed for him to run the other way, but he knew the others were likely following the most direct route to the shuttle.
He let his eyes fall shut. “Revenge...” he whispered the word of power as he started forward. The screeches grew louder; their numbers increasing as he moved closer to the road, the air filled
with the sounds of the hunt he was all too familiar with from his time on Earth. A stream of laser bolts appeared in the air above the buildings. Daniel increased his pace, searching desperately for the alley that wCould lead him to their source.
At the next intersection he could clearly see a large street at the end of a narrow alley. He increased his pace, slipping precariously on another patch of slime, then almost tumbling over a pile of garbage as he grasped onto his desperation and newly rising hope. A shadow appeared before him; he unable to slow his momentum. Knowing nothing else to do, he lowered his shoulder as he crashed into the shadow’s midsection, sending them both tumbling into the brightly lit street. He cringed in horror as the hideous creature that haunted his dreams recovered its feet, snarling as it dove at him to strike. Daniel screamed, burying his head in his hands, knowing this was the end, as the sound of laser bolts sizzled through air and the creature collapsed, charred beyond recognition.
“Sir Daniel!” Ninifis shouted, and for the first time ever, he was glad to hear her voice. A Ju'Lew Guard rushed to his side, providing the fading orange cloud that had erupted at the creature’s death a wide berth, and helped him to his feet. He immediately noticed only four of the original twelve guards remained, all covered in a mix of slime and blood, while Ninifis's pink dress looked untouched. She rushed to his side, but he held up his trembling hand to stop her from embracing him, the slime still covering his every inch.
The Noble Petty, Complete Edition (Alutia Rising Series, Book 2) Page 28
