by Gun Brooke
"Mmm. You'll be my protector?"
Soft laughter stemming from sheer happiness bubbled within Kellen. "Always."
EPILOGUE
"It will begin in a few minutes, Ambassador." M'Ekar turned around and saw M'Indo standing in the doorway that led out to the large, mesh-covered veranda. The Jasin nights around the planet's equator were filled with night insects, mostly large, bloodsucking mosquitoes. Though a vast, synthetic net saturated with a repellant to keep the damn bugs out engulfed his dwelling completely, he was locked in. Allowed only a few of his staff to accompany him, he had grudgingly agreed to live in a modest bungalow. Compared to his mansion on Gantharat, it was little more than a cabin.
"Ambassador?"
"Very well. I'm coming." M'Ekar entered what passed for a salon and sat down on a three-seat couch. Secretly bracing himself, he looked up.
The large view screen on the wall showed the entire semicircle of the Council Chamber. The lowest section of the hall was called the Pit, and the tall podium in its center, the Speaker's Pillar. Councilman Thorosac stood behind the podium, and Council members representing their homeworlds filled every seat in the gallery.
Reminded of ancient theaters on many worlds, M'Ekar smiled inwardly, thinking how many great, and not so great, actors in the political arena had stood in similar places, speaking truths and lies, just like in the Onotharian equivalent.
Thorosac now raised his hand, wordlessly asking for silence. The voices quieted, and then Thorosac spoke.
"Council members, honored guests. Today is a day of great importance. We stand united, for the first time in years, against the Onotharian Empire, determined to fight for justice and freedom. Our neighbors, the Gantharians, have paid a terrible price for having desirable natural resources and a politically important location."
Several voices shouted agreement. Thorosac raised his hand, again requesting silence. "It is a day of resolve combined with regret. All hope for a peaceful solution to the conflict is gone. Onotharat refuses to draw back their occupation forces from Gantharat, and the Supreme Constellations cannot abandon a people seeking our assistance for a second time." Thorosac paused.
"Three months ago, a young man took refuge in our part of space. He arrived with his guardian, a woman of great courage who has on several occasions proved herself loyal to him and, thus, to the SC. I want to introduce that young man: Armeo O'Saral M'Aido, exiled Prince of Gantharat."
There was complete silence as a young boy entered from one of the doors leading to the podium. Dressed in an Earth school uniform consisting of gray twillmix slacks and a blue leathermix jacket, he walked the few steps across the pit and joined Thorosac by the podium.
"Prince Armeo..." M'Ekar whispered. He'd never met the child, only seen pictures taken covertly by the Onotharian intelligence. Armeo was a handsome boy, with a distinct resemblance to both his parents. His royal blood was obvious in the way he moved, and his keen eyes reminded M'Ekar of his late wife.
Two women followed him. The taller of the two, a striking blonde with shimmering blue eyes, stayed close to the child. Despite being of obvious Gantharian descent, she wore an SC uniform. What the hell? M'Ekar barely resisted the impulse to throw something at the screen.
The other woman stood next to the Gantharian, her commanding presence tangible. Wearing commodore rank insignia, the woman scanned the faces in the gallery. And her! She and her mother made all this happen. Those Jacelon women will pay the price one day. One day, no matter how long it takes, I'll make certain they know who they crossed—and they '11 regret it.
One Councilwoman rose from her chair in the first row, and then the man sitting beside her mimicked her, until a storm of applause thundered in the large hall. Armeo blushed at the reception, but he stood quietly next to Thorosac and waited for the cheering to subside.
Only then did he step up to the sound system that would carry his voice to the Council members and every citizen throughout the SC watching on view screens.
"My name is Armeo," he began, his bright voice so unlike the authoritative Thorosac's. "I have here, within the Supreme Constellations, found a safe haven and friends. I live and attend school at my grandparents' estate while my guardian has been commissioned by the SC military forces to assist in the upcoming war efforts. On behalf of my homeworld..." His voice wavered. Sending the two women a quick glance, he nodded and gave a faint smile. "On behalf of the Gantharian people, I thank you for the sacrifices you are about to make. The Gantharian people need your help. Thank you."
Looking relieved, the boy stepped down. The red-haired commodore placed a hand on his shoulder.
Thorosac went up to the sound transmitter. "Thank you, Prince O'Saral, for paying us a visit and also introducing yourself to the SC population throughout the sector."
The boy waved and left the Pit, but the applause echoed for a long time.
M'Ekar rose and stood by a window. He stared out into the dark jungle creeping close to his house.
"Sir, can I get you anything else?" his manservant asked from the door.
"No. Nothing." M'Ekar had just turned off the view screen where the child, the hybrid who should have been his ticket to unimaginable power, had addressed the Supreme Constellations and its Council. "That damn woman..." The camera had zoomed in on Commodore Jacelon and the Gantharian bitch responsible for his current situation, where they stood triumphantly next to the boy. Knowing they had won infuriated him no end, but all he could do was bide his time.
Constantly monitored and with the computer chip inserted in his central nervous system, he could do little at present. He stroked with a cold hand along his face, feeling his lips form a thin smile. No matter how humiliating his circumstances were, he firmly believed every problem had a solution.
And he was going to find it.
"Did we make a mistake?" Kellen whispered as the small vessel took off from the roof of the SC Council building. Armeo had insisted on sitting next to the copilot in front. "Now everyone will know what he looks like."
Rae rubbed the back of her neck, a gesture Kellen had learned to interpret as a sign of relief after great stress. "It's no secret that he lives with my parents right now. Anyone determined to harm him would know where to go. The security in their residential area is as good as such things come." She leaned over and placed a hand on Kellen's knee.
"I know my father was against it, but Mother agreed he needed to appear in order to create a foundation for the new alliance to help save a planet and its people. As much as I dislike using Armeo as a front figure, the fact remains he is Gantharat's representative, their rightful sovereign. His life will always entail an element of danger." Rae's voice softened. "If it'll make you feel better, we can ask Gemma to chemically change his hair and eye color. She can also slightly change the color of his skin. The procedures are painless and easy to reverse."
Kellen shook her head. "It may be necessary, but let's wait and see. He lives a sheltered life, I know, and I trust in the precautions your mother has taken."
"All right. Just know we always have options."
Kellen smiled as genuine happiness filled her. "So you keep telling me, Commodore."
"Three more days left of our leave in the Reposa System, and then we deploy, darling. Any regrets?" Rae's tone of voice was light, but her eyes changed to a dark gray as she regarded Kellen.
"No regrets."
"How about we use the Vibra-Pool on the patio? Just the two of us, after Armeo goes to bed?" Rae lowered her voice. "I know how beautiful you look when the stars and the moons cast their light across your body."
Kellen's eyelids grew heavy at the thought of spending the evening naked with her wife in a pool that massaged every part of the anatomy. They had tried it once, and the mind-blowing pleasure had nearly rendered her unconscious. She leaned into Rae for a quick, breathless kiss. "I can't think of anything I'd rather do."
Rae removed the communicator from her shoulder. "Pilot?" She winked at Kellen while instruc
ting the pilot to take them back to the famous vacation and resort planet in the Reposa System where they'd stayed for two weeks prior to Armeo's presentation. "You have my authorization to use the military corridor."
Kellen couldn't help but laugh, a thoroughly happy sound even to her own ears, and then she gave Rae a knowing look. "Are you in a hurry, Commodore?"
Rae smiled and stroked her thumb across her lower lip. "Damn straight, I am."
