by M. K. Eidem
Trisha looked away as Captain Anderson advanced the recording to Sergeant Gallagher lying on the ground, revealing his horrific injuries. She only looked back when she heard the surprised gasps as they saw Gallagher's injuries miraculously heal.
"We would, of course, be willing to include repair units in our negotiations if you wish." While the Emperor hadn't authorized this, Ull knew he would be agreeable. After all, repair units were standard in the rest of the Known Universes.
"The unit that healed Sergeant Gallagher is the same deep repair unit you spoke of to me before?" President Garcia asked. "The one that all the abductees have used?"
"No, this was a portable repair unit. All warriors have one close by, especially in battle. It quickly heals life-threatening wounds until he can get to a deep repair unit, which is a much larger stationary unit."
"Would we also be able to obtain those?" Trisha's eyebrows drew together slightly at her tío's carefully spoken words. She knew his little nuances and facial tics. Something was going on here. Something important.
"I'm sure the Emperor would be agreeable."
"Very well." Aaron looked around the room then looked back to Ull after receiving nods from the other leaders and continued. "Thank you, Warrior Ull. You have given us a great deal to think about and to discuss. We'll meet again tomorrow after you've brought down the next group of abductees."
Ull nodded, but as he turned to leave, Captain Anderson stepped in front of him and extended his hand. "My men and I owe you a debt."
Ull didn't need to be able to understand the other male's words to know what he was saying. Reaching out, he clasped the male's forearm just below the elbow as he would any respected brother warrior, and he did respect this male. When he realized how outmatched they were, he hadn't panicked. He'd fought on, and because of that, they were all alive.
The difference in grips surprised Anderson for a moment, but he instantly found he liked the way this Tornian acknowledged another warrior. It seemed to be a stronger, more binding act.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Ull stood outside Trisha's quarters, holding a tray full of food. It hadn't been until he'd passed the eating area that he'd realized Trisha hadn't eaten anything since they'd left the Searcher earlier that morning.
Goddess, how had he not realized that sooner? The fact that they'd either been meeting with the Earth Council or fighting Ganglians was no excuse. Trisha's well-being should always come first. No wonder she'd been so quiet during the return flight. Or that she'd chosen to go directly to her quarters instead of meeting with the other abductees first.
If she'd been a Tornian female, his lack of care and attention never would have been allowed. A Tornian female would have screamed and shouted and made him pay dearly for the oversight, most likely refusing to assist him in negotiations further. But not his Trisha, and that's how he was coming to think of her, as his. Could he win her affections when he hadn't been able to win those of any other female, Earthian or Tornian? She'd already willingly kissed him. Could he convince her to Join with him? To return to Betelgeuse with him and be his Lady? To be only his?
There was only one way to find out.
With that thought, he balanced the tray on the one hand and knocked.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Trisha ignored the way her hand trembled as she took the medication her doctor had prescribed. He'd stressed she needed to take it consistently three times a day to stay ahead of her symptoms. But she'd forgotten the bottle on the Searcher. Her doctor had also stressed she needed to eat regularly and get enough sleep to slow the disease’s progression. She huffed out a humorless laugh knowing neither of those things was going to happen until these negotiations were over. So, without her meds and not eating, by the time they'd flown back to the Searcher, her symptoms had returned, and it was all she could do to get to her quarters without Ull noticing.
Now she needed to lie down, let the meds take effect, then go and get something to eat. After that, she needed to meet with the other abductees to keep them informed on what was happening. Maybe then she could get some sleep.
Leaving the cleansing room, she paused when someone knocked on her door. Sighing, she straightened her shoulders and forced her facial muscles to relax. When the door slid open, her eyes widened at what she saw.
"May I come in?"
"What… oh! Yes, of course." Stepping back, she allowed Ull to enter with the large tray he carried. "What's all that?"
"Last meal," he told her moving to set the tray on the table.
"Last meal?" Trisha couldn't believe Ull had done something like this.
"Yes. I suddenly realized that with everything that occurred today, I never made sure you were cared for."
"I had breakfast… I mean, first meal."
"That was hours ago. I should never have allowed you before the Council again until you had eaten."
"Allowed?"
Ull completely missed the iciness of her tone. "Yes. You are female. Your needs will always take precedence over anyone else's, including your Council."
"There are females on the Council," she reminded him.
"They are not my concern. You are." Ull's gaze captured hers, his grey eyes blazing.
That gave her pause. When was the last time her needs had come first? Oh, she knew her mamá had put Trisha’s needs first when Trisha had been growing up, but as a single mamá, there were only so many hours in the day. Her mamá had to work to finish putting herself through school. The military benefits she received after her father's death went only so far. After that, there had been the long hours she'd put in to get tenure as a professor to provide a better life for her daughter. Trisha had never felt deprived or abandoned, but she'd also always known her mamá had other responsibilities that sometimes had to take priority. Then her mamá had gotten sick, and their roles had reversed.
Now Ull seemed to be saying that for him, she would always come first. Was that true, or was he talking in general about all females?
"What did you bring?" she asked, the fantastic scent pulling her from her thoughts. Walking toward Ull, her gaze traveled over the heaping plates he'd uncovered.
"A variety as I wasn't sure what you would like. This is sicin." He pointed to a plate. "I believe it is similar to something you call chicken." He went on to describe several more meat dishes along with a variety of Tornian fruits and vegetables. Some were odd-looking, but she'd never been a picky eater.
"There's way too much here for just me. Will you join me? You haven't eaten yet, have you?"
"You wish to share a meal with me?"
Trisha didn't understand what she heard in his voice. "Yes, unless it's something not done in Tornian society… males and females eating together."
"It is rare." Ull pulled a chair out for her once he finally spoke.
"But, it does happen."
"Yes. Until recently, it was mostly between males and females before they Join, but now families are beginning to share meals." Ull moved around the table, taking the seat across from her. He wanted to see her reaction to what he said next. "I've even heard that King Grim and his family now share a weekly meal with his warriors. It is something that my brother and his Lady are also doing, along with my parents."
"On Earth, it’s common for families to eat meals together and sometimes with guests." Just then, her stomach loudly growled, and she gave him a sheepish look. "I guess we'd better eat. What should I try first?"
"You would allow me to choose?"
"In this? Yes, after all, this is food from your world."
Slowly, Ull began filling a plate with all his favorites, reminding her of what they were and how they tasted as he did. There were tender slices of sicin, several thick, crispy pieces of rashtar, tart endary berries, and little bits of bread drizzled with hunaja.
"Thank you," she said, taking the plate from him but didn't begin to eat.
"Why aren’t you eating?"
"I'm just waiting for you to fill a plat
e."
Ull wondered if this female would ever stop surprising him. She was hungry, yet she still insisted on waiting until he filled his plate before eating. Quickly he filled his plate so she would begin to eat.
The sounds of eating filled the room for next several minutes. Ull kept a close eye on what Trisha seemed to enjoy most and put more of it on her plate. When he attempted to give her even more, she waved him off, then leaned back in her chair and rubbed her stomach.
“No, thank you. I couldn't eat another bite. It was all delicious.”
"You're sure?" Ull held up a cluster of endary berries trying to tempt her.
"I'm sure."
Setting the cluster back down, Ull let his gaze travel over her. Her color looked better than when he’d arrived. He'd first noticed it on the return flight to the NACB, but assumed it had to do with the violence she'd witnessed. Tornian females were always shielded from unpleasant things in life, but he hadn't been able to do that with Trisha. He'd needed her to communicate with the Earth Warriors, to guide them to the Ganglians, but he’d never expected her to witness him ending one. That last Ganglian had slipped passed him while he’d been engaging two others. By the time Ull had caught up to him, the Ganglian had made it to the clearing. Now he realized it had been more than that. Trisha had been hungry. He would make sure that never happened again.
‘You will fail.’ that dark voice whispered through his mind. ‘Just as you always fail.’
"What?" she asked when his gaze darkened as he continued to stare at her silently. “Is there something stuck in my teeth?” She ran her tongue over them, not feeling anything.
“No.” Ull didn’t’ want her to know his dark thoughts. “You said it is common for males and females of the same bloodline to share a meal on Earth?”
Trisha frowned slightly at his abrupt change in the subject but let it go. She’d already learned that if Ull wanted her to know what he thought he’d tell her. Sometimes bluntly.
“Families, yes.” She wasn’t sure if Ull understood that on Earth, you didn’t necessarily have to share the same blood to be considered family.
“But not males and females from different bloodlines.” Ull gestured from himself to her.
"They do. Sometimes it’s casual, or it can be a date."
"Date? What is a date?”
"It's when a male and female, who are romantically interested in one another, share a meal to get to know each other better. A great deal like we just did.” She gestured to the table between them.
"Alone?" Ull didn't even try to hide his shock. A Tornian male was never alone with a female until they had agreed to Join. "And the female's manno allows this?!!"
Trisha couldn't help but laugh at that. "After a certain age, a father usually doesn't have a say over his daughter's life. That includes who she dates."
"But what if the male is unfit and abuses her?"
That immediately ended her laughter, and her eyes turned serious. "I'm not going to lie. It happens. That's why the first few dates are usually done in public or with another couple."
"If your females stayed under their manno's protection, it wouldn't happen at all," Ull growled, forcefully throwing his napkin down on the table.
"Really? How did that work out for Emperor Berto's young females?" Trisha asked quietly and saw Ull jerk back in his seat as if slapped.
"That son of Daco was an abomination!"
"What does Berto’s father have to do with it?" Trisha’s brows drew together in confusion. Lisa hadn’t included anything about him in the educator.
Ull looked at her in shock then shook his head in disbelief. It seemed Queen Lisa had left out a great deal in the educator.
"Daco isn’t Berto’s manno. He is a lower God that was cast into darkness after he stole the Great Goddess from her mate and attempted to force her to Join with him. Tornian Warriors prevented that from happening, which is why the Goddess promised that for every warrior born, there would be a female created specifically for him…his mate.”
“And after Emperor Berto abused his daughters, she withdrew that promise,” Trisha said quietly.
“Yes,” he growled deeply.
“But you are beginning to discover your mates again,” she reminded him. “You and the Kaliszians.”
“With Earth females, yes.”
“Are you sure you can’t mate with any of the other species? Lisa included something about a species called Auyangians in the educator. That there was a Tornian male on Luda who had two talented offspring with one. She also said you were once able to have fit offspring with the Kaliszians.”
“And with the Ganglians,” Ull grudgingly admitted.
“You once Joined with the Ganglians?!” Trisha didn’t even want to think about what that must be like, or the offspring created.
“They were once a fit and worthy species that had honor.” Ull didn’t know why he was telling her this, but he found he couldn’t deceive her, even by omission.
“Until the Great Infection changed everything for everyone.”
“Truth.”
“So maybe if it’s changing for you, it can change for them too.”
“After all the pain and suffering they’ve caused? That would be highly unlikely.”
“While I don’t disagree with that, how is it any less egregious than what your people have done? You’ve basically turned the females you have into breeders, and then even before you were certain you could create healthy children with Earth females, you kidnapped a group of them.”
“It is about our survival.” Ull couldn’t believe she still believed what they did was wrong.
“What about the Ganglians’ survival?” The lawyer in Trisha couldn’t help but argue in the Ganglians’ defense even though it sickened her.
“The sooner they cease to exist, the better the Known Universes will be,” Ull growled.
“Maybe they feel the same way about you… after all, it was your Emperor’s abuse of his daughters that caused all this to happen.”
Ull surged to his feet, his chair skidding across the floor. He couldn’t believe she could say something like that. “You dare insinuate we are anything like the Ganglians!”
The widening of Trisha’s eyes was her only reaction to Ull’s anger. She knew she’d hit a nerve with that comment, but she couldn't let Ull slide on this. Yes, the Ganglians were horrible and were doing awful things, but the Tornians weren’t innocent in all this. They were abducting women for their own selfish needs too, and until Ull recognized that, admitted it, and corrected it, there was no way her tío would agree to a treaty with the Tornians.
“Aren’t you also abducting women?” she demanded.
“They aren’t being abused!” Ull growled back.
“That’s your opinion. Theirs might be different." Trisha slowly rose and walked around the table until they were standing nearly chest to chest. "You had no right in taking them, Ull. No right in forcing them to choose a Tornian warrior with which to Join. Those women weren’t involved with a man at the time of their abduction, but that doesn't mean they don't have families. Mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters who love, care for, and miss them. Who think they are dead and are grieving for them. You could stop their suffering if you wanted to.”
“That isn’t going to happen.”
“Then, you’re going to have a problem getting the treaty you want, because no one is going to let you get away with enslaving our women.”
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Veron paused as he entered the exercise room, where he found Ull violently sparring with their training droid. The best way to learn was to spar with a live warrior, not a droid. But watching the speed, skill, and power behind the clashing swords, Veron knew no warrior on the Searcher would survive Ull’s onslaught, Veron included. The droid couldn’t either as Ull dropped to block the droid’s blow before spinning and slicing off the droid’s sword arm. That should have ended the match, but it seemed Ull wasn’t satisfied. He continued attack
ing until the droid was on the floor, minus all his extremities and his head. And still, Ull continued to attack, dropping to his knees to repeatedly plunge his sword into the torso as his enraged battle roar filled the room.
“Feel better?” the captain asked when Ull finally rested his forehead on the pommel of his sword, the blade still embedded in the droid’s body. He nearly took a step back at the dark rage swirling in Ull’s eyes, making them look blacker than gray.
“No,” Ull growled but rose to his feet, jerking his sword out of what remained of the droid before moving toward the wall to sheath it.
“You know you’ll have to account to the Emperor for this.” Veron moved toward the destroyed droid pulling out its energy crystal so it would stop snapping and sizzling.
“It should have been programmed better.”
Veron didn’t comment that this particular droid was one of their most advanced. The Emperor personally sparred with it when he was on the Searcher. “What happened with the Earth Council that has you taking your frustration out on a droid?” Ull hadn’t given him a report on the second meeting.
“It has nothing to do with the Council,” Ull snapped.
“If not the Council, then what? The Ganglians?” Veron found that hard to believe. Fewer Ganglians in The Known Universes made it a better place.
“How can she think we are anything like them!” Ull swung around to face Veron, his fists clenching and unclenching. The rage that had faded by destroying the droid returning with a vengeance.
“Like who?” Veron was confused. “Who’s ‘she’?”
“Trisha!” Ull spits out. “She claims we are no different than the Ganglians because of the females we aren’t returning.”
"I see." Veron ran a hand through his hair as he turned away from Ull, his voice full of resignation and regret. "It would appear King Grim's initial belief was right."
"What belief?" Ull couldn't understand Veron's reaction or his words. Even though injured, King Grim was the strongest, most feared warrior in the Tornian Empire. With his discovery of Earth, his return with unprotected females, and his subsequent Joining with one, Grim had become a legend.
