There was a pause of more than a minute, and Tyler thought that perhaps there was a problem with the comm channel when they finally answered. “Commander Tyler? You have the… Warlord aboard? I thought he was calling himself Captain.”
Tyler nodded, though it was an audio-only transmission. “That is correct. He adopted the new title after our victories in Byra-Kae.” Verrikoth’s plans to attack there were not well-known at the time, but they were hardly state secrets. Of course, his ships had departed Trullium over two years ago, and only scuttlebutt from a few cargo vessels delivered any news, and all of that was second and third hand.
“We have heard nothing for months. Where is the flagship Ganges? Was it destroyed in the battle?”
“No, Ganges is fine, as far as I know,” Tyler told him. “We left her along with other ships in Tyseus to guard the shipyards and fuel refinery there.”
“I see. Well, the Duchess will want to speak with the… Warlord as soon as possible. She will be most gratified at his return.” A pause. “And yours, of course, Commander.”
Tyler chose not to take offense. After two years, it seemed his reputation had slipped the minds of the defense force. Well, I will just have to remind them who the flag captain is.
“It is good to be back. Are you going to escort us in?”
“Moruchai will. Riechesk will be maintaining long-range patrol,” came the response.
“Understood. Please provide our approach vector to orbit.”
((--[][]--))
“Entering geosync orbit over the city of Tikkal now, my Lord,” Tyler stated, turning to look at Verrikoth in his command seat.
“Very well. Coordinate with Kopessh and make ssure ssomeone keepss an eye on that frigate. It’s been doing more than esscorting uss in, it’ss been sshadowing uss.”
“Of course, my Lord. I’ll watch. Shall I declare liberty?”
The warlord considered this for a long moment. “Yess, but no more than a quarter of both crewz at a time.”
“Yes, my Lord. Are you going down to the surface?”
“Eventually,” he said. “I have to sspeak with the Regent and make preparationz to bring the Xai’ryn and a large portion of the brood planetsside.”
“A large portion? You’re not keeping them?” Tyler was proud of the amount of concern he put in his voice.
Verrikoth didn’t seem to notice. “The Xai’ryn will need protection and attendantss. I will retain a few drei’kai and three of the ysh’kai to assist with engineering issuez. The resst will go down to the planet.”
Tyler stomped down the feelings of joy welling in his chest. “I understand, my Lord. I can have shuttles prepped.”
“Yess, do sso. It may be a few hourz before anyone goez planetsside, but have them ready.”
“Yes, my Lord.” Tyler waved to the flight ops coordinator, who relayed the message to the hangar bay.
“Commz, hail the ssurface, ssee if you can get the Duchess on the line. When you get her, tranzfer the call to the ready room.” Verrikoth stood from his command seat and swept from the bridge.
Moments later, his desk comp beeped, and he pressed the control. A virtual display popped up, and the sable-furred Severite Duchess appeared. Her large, liquid eyes looked over the zheen and then gave a slow blink.
“Captain Verrikoth,” she said, her voice a soothing contralto. “I’m glad to see you well. And in possession of such impressive firepower.”
Verrikoth allowed himself a buzz of irritation but quickly quashed it. “I took the title of warlord after carrying the day againsst the Republic. We ssmasshed their forcez and took the ssysstem.”
“I see. Well, congratulations are in order, Warlord. Another gem to add to your crown? Byra-Kae, I mean?”
Verrikoth blatted in annoyance. “We took az much az we could carry out of the ssysstem, but a Republic tassk force came along while my flotilla waz sspread out across the ssysstem. The Republic sshipss were able to hit each of my warsshipss alone. We were forced to abandon the ssysstem and sscuttle the sspace infrasstructure.”
“Pity,” she said, the scorn just barely veiled.
“It sseemz I am not the only one who haz ssome impressive firepower,” Verrikoth replied, gesturing to change the subject. “Two frigatesss?”
“More,” the Duchess told him, pride seeping out of her eyes. “Final outfitting of our new flagship should be completed soon.”
“New flagsship?” the zheen asked. “Better than the frigatesss?”
“Much,” she said smugly, but then her tone grew just the faintest bit sour. “Not able to stand up to your heavy cruiser, though.”
“Why my faithful Duchess, under what circumsstancez could you, my Regent, possibly need to fight my flagsship?” he asked, his tone biting.
The effect was not lost on the Severite. “I spoke poorly, Warlord. I meant that the new ship is less powerful than your flagship.”
“I ssee. Sspeak plainly in the future, Duchess. We had a good relationsship once. I would hate for things to change.”
She visibly flinched. “I would hate that as well, Warlord.”
He was silent for a long moment and then continued. “I have a contingent I will be bringing down. Make ssure chamberz are prepared for uss. Alsso, I will need a team of engineerz on hand, az one of my contingent will need ssome retrofitss on her quarterz.”
The Duchess blinked her eyes and flicked her left ear in confusion, but only acknowledged his request. “Of course, Warlord. I will have a work foreman and designer waiting for you.”
“Very well. Shuttles will be launching within the hour.”
“We will be waiting.”
((--[][]--))
“What can we expect down on the planet?” the Xai’ryn asked. She spoke confidently, but Verrikoth was sure he could detect a well-concealed note of concern.
Verrikoth chittered. “There iz no cause for concern, Xai’ryn. Not with all the drei’kai you will have at your disspozzal. I will keep two of them with me, and only two of the ysh’kai, but the rest of the brood will go with you.”
“I am not afraid for my life!” she snapped, irritated at his presumption. “I have never visited this world before, and I want to know what I will find here.” A half dozen of the ysh’kai were attempting to lift her up off the deck and deposit the brood mother onto a specially designed hover sled to give her mobility. The “enhancements” gifted to her by the humans had included the harvesting of the overlapping plates on her underside which she could manipulate, which would allow for locomotion. This was to make her more compliant, though it actually had the opposite effect, making her lash out at her captors with renewed fury. Medical science in Verrikoth’s realm had not advanced to the level where doctors could clone or regrow those plates, so, for now, she would have to work with the hover sled.
Two more ysh’kai rushed over to help, and after much swearing on the part of the Xai’ryn, they managed to manhandle her bulk onto the sled, the titanium mesh on her lower half clanking and screeching against the flat metal of the sled. They shifted her again, trying to get her into a more comfortable position, causing more metallic screeches.
“I did not wissh to imply otherwizze. But you will come to no harm here. I have alsso arranged for their builderz to work with your ysh’kai to make appropriate upgradez and changez to your living quarterz. Thiss iz for your comfort, of coursse. They will alsso upgrade your communicationz gear.”
“I will have the final say over what these locals will do with my comm gear,” the zheen brood mother informed him. But then she eyed him suspiciously. “I will not be confined to quarters as I was aboard this ship?”
“Of coursse not,” he scoffed. “You will have access to everything, though ssome areaz were not built to accommodate you.”
She waved a hand dismissively. “I will adapt. I just wanted to be sure your Regent knows who I am and what the rules are.”
“Sshe doezn’t yet,” Verrikoth said. “But very sshortly after we land, sshe will. I don’t need any
one getting worked up jusst yet. Sshe knowz I have a contingent coming down and it haz important people on it. That iz all sshe needz.”
The Xai’ryn clicked her mouthparts disapprovingly. “If she has been ruling here, it would not be all she needs.”
Verrikoth hissed in frustration, letting off a few curses of his own, but quickly recovered. The Xai’ryn was completely unfazed by his reaction, continuing to adjust her placement and familiarize herself with the sled’s controls.
Almost spitting in his anger and the female’s implacable demeanor, he left the compartment. Clicking at his two drei’kai, who immediately jumped to their feet, he beckoned them to follow him. They did so; their hard-carapaced feet clicked on the deck plating as they trotted along behind.
He made his way to his own quarters, ushered the drones inside and entered, closing the door behind him. The drones sat on the decking at the foot of his bunk like a pair of loyal attack hounds. He patted each on the back, and they purred appreciatively. Flicking his fingers and them, they took the queue and laid down. Verrikoth sat at his desk and pulled up the comms display.
They gray-furred face of Edron, the Duchess’s consort, appeared. Apparently, the Duchess felt she had better things to do than speak with her Lord. “Warlord Verrikoth,” Edron said formally, blinking twice. “So good to see you back here at Trullium.” He sounded sincere.
Verrikoth nodded gravely. “I have a VIP coming down with her retinue.”
“I understand, Lord. We will make sure we are properly prepared.”
“The VIP iz a female zheen, a broodmother,” the zheen went on. “Sshe iz my partner, a Xai’ryn. You will make ssure sshe iz treated with the utmosst courtessy and resspect. Among her entourage are a number of offsspring, warrior dronez. They will attack and kill at her command. Sshe iz an articulate, educated and well-sspoken individual, but sshe haz been put through utter hell. I cannot guarantee sshe would uze thoze warrior dronez againsst any who would frighten or anger her.”
Edron was paying attention now; his ears were flat to his head. “Are we in danger?”
Verrikoth actually stopped and considered the question. Very likely, the answer was yes. His haughty broodmother most likely would start moving herself into the corridors of political power in the city of Tikkal, and what better way than assassination? Duchess Krystellion and her consort and their family were on borrowed time now, no matter what Verrikoth wanted.
“I would request that you treat the Xai’ryn like royalty and the dronez with resspect. Sshe iz my partner and knowz who the Regent iz and what her own sstanding iz. I will remind her.”
The cat looked visibly nervous now and even over the comm channel could hear the subsonics rumbling in the consort’s throat. Edron was no fool, and Verrikoth suspected he understood better than his liege lady what a threat the Xai’ryn truly was.
No, he was doing the Duchess a disservice. He would not have supported her claim to the title, nor allow her to keep it if she was a simpleton. Her attempted coup several years past proved she was ambitious and ruthless. His killing of her second daughter might have ended her rebellious activity but it in no way ended her animosity. She’d managed to keep it stifled, however, which is what kept her alive, though to be honest, he was surprised that the Duchess still acknowledged Verrikoth’s authority when Nemesis arrived in system.
Perhaps putting the Xai’ryn here would be a good thing. And perhaps if Verrikoth had arrived in a lesser vessel than Nemesis, the Duchess might have decided to roll the dice and attack.
“Sso long az the Duchess maintainz a civil and peaceful demeanor; there will be no problemz.”
The cat’s eyes flicked briefly to one side before snapping back forward. “I understand, my Lord.”
“Verrikoth out.” He killed the connection, but then opened another channel. “War Leader Krix, gear up all but one platoon. You’re all being tranzferred to the ssurface.”
“Of course, my Lord,” the zheen responded pugnaciously. “Who are we fighting?”
“No one yet. You are to act as personal guards to the Xai’ryn. For the time being, working in tandem with her drei’kai contingent. I want extra eyez and gunz keeping her ssafe.”
“As you say, my Lord.”
“And if thingz get interessting, tell each of your ssoldierz that I will be paying an additional bonuss for thiss duty, just in casse any of them sstart receiving offerz from other partiez.”
The war leader’s face showed shock, and then avarice, considering how his mouthparts writhed and clicked. “I will inform the Xai’ryn and flight opss of the change. I will alsso be providing you with more detailed insstructionz. Get moving.”
The broodmother seemed both grateful and annoyed upon hearing she was getting an additional one hundred armed soldiers. “A prudent decision,” she finally decided. “At least until things get settled planetside.”
“They will stay with you,” Verrikoth told her. “I have ssome ssusspicionz about how thingz sstand here and I am concerned. Thiss will help alleviate that ssomewhat.”
“One hundred soldiers and thirty drei’kai cannot fight the whole plane.”
“No, they cannot,” Verrikoth agreed, nodding. “But Nemessiss in overwatch will make that planet behave for the moment. Which makess me glad I acquired all thoze gunz in the Ssphinx worldz.”
((--[][]--))
The landing went without a hitch. Four assault shuttles, watched closely by two Centurion-A starfighters, cruised into Trullium’s atmosphere, touching down in the main spaceport in the city of Tikkal. The starfighters maintained position, orbiting the city at five thousand meters, keeping an eye on everything. Once it was determined that things were safe, the fighters would head back to Nemesis. The Duchess was there, waiting on the tarmac for the entourage to land. She was dressed in a gown made of the finest white silk, trimmed in crimson, which had short sleeves falling to her mid forearm. Wide silver bracelets with rubies encircled her wrists, and a thin circlet was on her brow. Her husband and consort stood to her side, and two human guards (both female) stood a few paces back, their sunglasses and finely-tailored suits making them seem almost faceless.
The shuttles did one last active sweep on their sensors and satisfied that no concealed snipers were lying in wait in the immediate area. The egress hatch popped and ramps lowered to the concrete.
Verrikoth, flanked by a pair of male zheen with their assault rifles held ready, and his pair of purple drei’kai guards was the first down the ramp. His compound eyes allowed him to scan in nearly every direction without having to turn. He could see the Duchess, decked out in her finery and he could see the jewel-encrusted scepter of her office in her left furry fist. He wondered if she released her grip if the scepter would have impressions of her fingers from squeezing so tight.
When he drew close, she bowed deeply from the waist, then straightened. “Warlord Verrikoth,” she intoned, raising her right hand, palm forward in a sign of greeting. “It is good to have you back home.”
The words were correct, her tone and delivery sounded genuine, even her body language showed she was not afraid. In fact, she was pleased to see him. His gut said otherwise. After that coup, he had difficulty trusting her.
“Duchess Karyna Krysstellion. I am glad you are well and that thiss ssysstem iz thriving. And it iz good to be home.”
She lowered her arm. “We’ve done well in your absence,” she replied, demurely. “I look forward to your taking a firmer role in the running of this world.”
“You are not being dissmissed, Duchess,” Verrikoth told her and meant it. “You are my right hand here on thiss world, and I appreciate your talentss. I will need your help in the coming dayz.”
She blinked in abject surprise at this comment. She quickly recovered and then blinked again. “Of course, Lord Verrikoth. I look forward to the challenge.” She gestured. “I understand your Xai’ryn is with you?”
“Yes, I am!” the female zheen stated her voice a clarion call that rang across
the landing area. Her hover sled came soundlessly down the ramp and came to a stop less than a meter from Verrikoth. She had the sled hold position thirty or so centimeters off the ground, so she positively loomed over the male and the cat. “I am the Xai’ryn, and Lord Verrikoth is my consort.”
Verrikoth’s antennae curled at this proclamation, but he didn’t contradict her.
The Duchess picked up on that immediately, however. Her ears folded back to her skull. “I’m confused. Does this mean I submit now to you, Xai’ryn, or to Lord Verrikoth?”
He stifled an angry hiss. “It hardly matterz, ssince you are Regent of thiss world, whether it iz to the Xai’ryn or to me.”
The Duchess only nodded, gave one more slow blink, then effortlessly twitched the hem of her gown to get rid of an imaginary crease. “Of course, Warlord. I was momentarily confused, but of course, you have set me straight.” She stared up at them both, doing her best impression of innocence and acceptance. Both zheen clicked their mandibles lightly.
Verrikoth didn’t trust that look but also had no desire to stand out on the tarmac facing everyone down. “Lead uss on to the palace then, Duchess, if you would. I wissh to ssee to quarterz before you sshow uss around.”
Karyna stopped, mid-step. “Show you around?”
“Of coursse,” Verrikoth replied, nodding. “I have been away two yearz and the Xai’ryn haz never been here. I want to ssee to everything. I would be remiss if I did not.”
She recovered instantly. “Yes, indeed. I can arrange visits in a few days-“
“No,” he cut her off. “We will drop off equipment and perssonel to the palace to work on the living quarterz, but we will sstart the tourz and insspectionz today.” He paused as she looked as though she might argue. “And you will accompany uss, Duchess. I want to reacquaint mysself with thiss world and itss people. Who better to reintroduce uss?”
Duchess Karyna Krystellion bared her fangs but changed the expression to a smile instantly. “That sounds fine. If you’ll all follow me?” She gestured toward the palace, and her own small entourage followed. The troops marched down from the assault shuttles, bringing carts loaded with gear, tools, and supplies, and the drones flanked around them.
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