Ellie just leaned into him, squeezing harder. “And now you’re leaving me again.”
“Sorry. I’d rather stay. Should I send Reba by herself?”
“No. The two of you have to go. Your mission is critical. I am not inclined to die twice at the hands of the Chessori. By the way, Celine also fissioned. She is back with Reba, and Otis has a Rider of his own.”
>Okay, Mike. I’m in.<
Mike suddenly felt whole again. He stepped away from Ellie and closed his eyes. >Welcome home, my friend.<
>Home sweet home, and it’s all mine again, finally. I have to stop having offspring that stick around.<
>I think she needed the extra help. Is she really all better?<
>No, but Cassandra has things well in hand.<
Mike felt Ellie’s hands go around his waist. He opened his eyes to find her staring at him from inches away, her eyes his whole world.
“Has Jake told you what’s coming next?”
“Uh, no.”
She put her arms around his neck, stood on her toes, and kissed him on the lips, a long, warm, inviting kiss. “I’m what’s next, if you’ll have me,” she breathed, leaning back slightly, still staring into his eyes.
Mike blinked, then closed his eyes. “Not fair. You Tested me. You know how I feel.”
“I do know.” She stepped away slightly and unbuttoned a button on her blouse, then another, revealing the soft swell of a breast. Her eyes took on a distant look, a sweet look.
“Wait, Ellie,” he said, taking her back into his arms.
She smiled. “You cannot command the Queen. And my realm desperately needs to restore the Chosen. There’s only one way to do that. Must I beg?”
“Never,” he said. “But I’m selfish. I want all of you, not just a part of you.”
“What part of me have I not offered?”
“The part that calls you the Queen of All Space and me a man from an emerging world. You told me once that the Chosen do not marry for love.”
Her gaze hardened. “They don’t carry Riders or enter ships nets, either. I know your customs. Test my commitment.”
He stared long into her eyes, then lowered himself to one knee. “I love you, Ellie. Will you marry me?”
She sunk down to both knees in front of him, taking both of his hands in her own, very focused. “Remember the words of the Leaf People?”
“How could I forget?”
“Say them.”
Looking into her eyes, he repeated the words from Val’s story. “The Knight will stand with you. Lean on him, love him if you will, but hear him well, for he holds the keys. Your talents are nothing without the keys.”
She nodded. “The Leaf People were right, Michael. My talents are nothing without the keys.”
She looked at his hands, separating them and feeling them, rubbing her fingers across them possessively. “These are the hands of the man of dirt. The dirt of your ancestors has sifted through these fingers. So, too, have the stars of our realm. These hands have fought for me, they have held me, and when I fell to the gleason’s knife, they literally held the keys to a kingdom.”
She brought his hands to her lips and kissed them, staring into his eyes. “I am Queen, and I rule, but when it comes to our love, I kneel before you. I am your woman, you are my man. I love you, Michael, and yes, I will marry you in accordance with your customs.”
“Uh, we’re talking about a few hundred more years here, Ellie.”
“We’re talking about a lifetime, however long that is. My heart is settled on this score, so don’t try to weasel your way out of it. The decree is already drawn up. You just have to add your signature to mine.”
“You planned this?”
Her eyes sparkled. “I’ve been planning it for a long time.”
“I had visions of trumpets and thousands of people. I’ve been scared to death to ask.”
A wizened look came to her face. “Once, that would have been the process. We’re building anew from the ashes. I am Queen, and I intend to make some changes. Now will you come to me?”
* * * * *
As they walked arm in arm toward the dining room the next morning, he asked her, “Does this mean I’m no longer First Knight?”
“You’ve always been more than First Knight, Michael. You’re the Knight. Never forget. Until this crisis is over, the Empire needs a First Knight more than it needs a king. I don’t see how you can be First Knight when you’re King, but I want you to continue as First Knight. And when the time comes, you’ll have a say in who your replacement will be.”
Mike stopped dead in his tracks, looking straight ahead. “Stop this about ‘King.’ I’m no king. I think the official title is ‘consort,’ is it not?”
She took his arm possessively and continued down the hallway. “Sorry, Michael, it doesn’t work that way here. You’re now officially King. You rule beside me.”
He pulled her to a stop. “You’re joking. Please tell me you’re joking, or that we can keep it a secret or something. Please.”
“Sorry, King Michael. Or is it King Carver?” She thought a moment, a mischievous look in her eyes, and said, “I guess King works well enough all by itself.”
“You’re just having fun with me.”
She took his arm and turned him to face herself, serious all of a sudden. “Michael, you are King. And you are my husband, I am your wife. Got it?”
“But you’re the Queen of All Space.”
“Then you’re King of all Space. Accept it, Michael. You might be a man from an emerging world, but never forget: you were called. You hold the keys, and my Talents are nothing without the keys. What can be more kingly than that?”
She reached a hand up to caress his cheek. “Be a king, Michael. It’s your Empire now, too. Our Empire needs us, both of us.”
* * * * *
Later that very day, Mike, Reba, Alexis, and Mildred, along with Jessie and four Guardians left for Earth. The Empire could not afford a honeymoon for its King and Queen at the moment. Resolve and Joline lifted off together and didn’t waste any time. They were fast ships, at least until reaching Earth’s system.
Alexis and Mildred accompanied them to Earth at Ellie’s insistence. Her near death had highlighted the fragility of the line of Chosen, and she knew it was only a matter of time before word leaked out that Parsons’ World was bankrolling the Queen. When it did, Rebel knowledge of Shipyard would not be far behind. When that happened, the Rebels would hold nothing in reserve. Until the Rebels were defeated, she would live with the knowledge that an invisible, or nearly invisible, gleason might show up at her side without warning. Until the Empire could protect the line of Chosen, she and Alexis must never be in the same place at the same time. And what safer place to hide Alexis than Earth? Everyone there, they believed, was immune to the Chessori mind weapon, and it was not likely anyone would think to look for her on an emerging world.
Ellie’s eyes followed the two ships as they rose silently from their berths. Her eyes stayed lifted to the sky long after the ships disappeared, her thoughts turning inward. She was truly alone now. She was separated from her child again, and her precious Knights were scattered to the stars as they strove mightily to save the Empire, all in her name. And there would be more struggles to come, of that she was certain. She didn’t know what form they would take, and she knew they might not all be successful. Her own part, standing before the Imperial Senate some day in the future on her own home world, a world that was now the heart of the rebellion, filled her with fear and anger. Such a waste, and all because of one man. One man among trillions of intelligent beings, one man who had held a position of trust, one man who had ruthlessly betrayed that trust.
Struthers.
If she accomplished nothing else with her life, she would restore the Empire to its full glory. After the rebellion was put down, she would entertain changes to her ruling status, but until then she would rule with the full power of the law behind her, her Knights and warriors beside her to enforce tho
se laws. That was the position of trust the Empire and its citizens had bestowed upon her, and she would not let them down.
She turned to walk back across the tarmac, waving away the offer of a ride. Her Protectors turned with her, their eyes searching everywhere for threats. Her thoughts turned inward.
>I miss him already.<
>I know, but what you have chosen is right. His mission is critical.<
>Oh, Cassandra, it’s so much more than it appears on the surface. He’s not just recruiting a few soldiers, he’s recruiting a whole world. Can one man bring such a world, a world that will surely resist, into the Empire? As much as he wants to do so, I will not let him if they choose otherwise.<
>Then maybe we’ll just have to give him some help?<
Ellie smiled. >We will, indeed. Any chance there’s a new Heir starting in there?<
>No. You’re not fully recovered yet, and you are much too stressed. There’s still time for me to intervene if you would like.<
Ellie lifted her eyes to the sky again, to the place Mike had gone. >You tempt me, dear, but I think our man would prefer nature taking its course. He’ll be back.<
Val
Chapter Five
Forg approached the gangplank of the Empire cruise ship and stopped to let his eyes rove its beautiful lines. A trader at heart, he had spent the better part of his life in space and could only wonder at the beauty of this liner. All white, shaped like a perfect ellipse, it was truly a marvel, and truly unlike the ships of his people, the Chessori. Among the Chessori, all ships were working ships. There were no such things as luxury liners.
He set his single bag on the tarmac, hesitant to take the next step onto the entrance ramp. He hadn’t shielded his thought, and it went to the five other crewmen with him. They gathered around him in a huddle, their bodies touching each other, sharing their mutual unhappiness. Yes, this was the final step. As soon as they stepped up that ramp, it would be a clear admission that their ship was gone forever.
He could not imagine a worse predicament. The loss of his ship instantly reduced him to the lowest rung of Chessori society, the unemployed. The rest of his crew, all relatives, shared in that fate. It wouldn’t be forever, but to be in this predicament for even a short time was anathema to the Chessori. No slightest outward expression of his chagrin showed, at least not to the other guests passing to both sides of the small island the Chessori had become. Rarely did outward expressions show themselves among the Chessori. There was no need.
“We should be going,” Grost, his brother, thought. “Each step takes us closer to a replacement ship.”
Forg sighed inwardly: Grost was right. He picked up his bag and forced himself to take that difficult step. Following that one step, the rest of the steps became easier. He and his crew had only one focus now: to reach Orion III, where they hoped to hitch a ride with another trader back to the Chessori domain. There they would begin the laborious process of purchasing another ship. The price he had received from the K’tiri who had stolen his ship was sufficient to purchase a brand new ship, but the loss of his ship still stung deeply. The transaction had broken a fundamental law of the Chessori, a law that only a K’tiri had the power to break.
Inside the cruise ship, he and his crew wandered aimlessly as they sought their cabins. A friendly crewman finally led them to their rooms and helped them get settled. Before leaving, the crewman held his hand out. Forg looked at the hand and thought a question to his crewmates, but he received no helpful replies. He resorted to words.
“We are new to your society,” he said to the crewman. “What exactly does the hand you hold out to me mean?” When the man hesitated, Forg added, “I mean no disrespect. I only wish to learn.”
“Uh, it’s tradition to tip for good service, sir.”
“Tip?”
“A gratuity, sir. A small amount of money is usually exchanged when the service you receive is good.”
“It is?”
“It is, sir. Only within the service industry. Did you tip the waiter after your last meal?”
“I paid him the requested fee.”
“A little extra would have been appropriate, sir.”
“Are you not paid by your employer?”
“I am, sir, but not overmuch. Wages in the service industry are usually adjusted downward to compensate for tips.”
“I see,” Forg said, reaching into his belt pouch and bringing out a coin.
“Uh, about three of those, sir.”
Forg did not let his surprise show. He had been a trader for many years and was accustomed to surprises, though this small oddity was a new one. The crewman accepted the coins with a bow and left.
“Now what?” he thought to his men as he placed his bag on a bunk. “We have many idle days before us.”
“We can explore the ship,” Grost said with excitement. “I’d like to see how these people entertain themselves.”
They wandered the ship for days as it headed out of the system, constantly surprised at what they found. Gambling, parties, competitions, drinking and eating to excess, such idleness was never seen within the Chessori domain, though in truth there was little else to do aboard the great liner. They found a small establishment that was not crowded in which they could enjoy refreshments without undue staring. Chessori were still quite rare within this Empire.
Meals were a different matter. Everyone was expected to eat together in a large dining room, and more tips were expected. At least the food was good – plenty of meat. The Chessori disdained the other offerings, but the waiter learned their ways and soon just brought large portions of meat, all properly cooked and seasoned. Along with the meat, he brought small amounts of alcohol, something the Chessori metabolism needed on a regular basis.
Forg requested a visit to the bridge, but he was turned down. Passengers were not permitted on the bridge under any circumstances, and he was not surprised. He ran his own ship the same way, unless the request came from a K’tiri. Then he could not refuse.
The K’tiri. How he hated them, especially now. Until recently he had never heard of a ship from a lesser guild annexed as his had been. And why had it been taken? Why did the K’tiri need the ship so badly? It was so foreign to Chessori ways. If you wanted a new ship, you negotiated with the S’klida, the ship selling guild. It took time, but it was the proper way. And to annex a trader’s ship when cargo was aboard, cargo that had been promised for delivery, that was inexplicable even to K’tiri ways. But once the K’tiri claimed scree’Tal, or death-right, Forg’s options evaporated. He had to complete the deal.
Not only did it not make sense, it would give future Chessori traders a black mark with the client, something that contradicted all tradition. He simply could not understand it, nor could his crew.
He was not the first to lose his ship; he had recently encountered others of the lesser guilds who had suffered the same fate here in Aldebaran Sector. His Guild Master would likely be inundated with grievances. Nothing would come of them, the K’tiri were too strong, but the grievances would be made, noted, and negotiated. Still, it just did not make any sense. His anger would be a long time simmering against the K’tiri.
Chapter Six
Val boarded the cruise liner after days of private meetings with Admiral Seeton’s senior staff. As the only proof here on Aldebaran I of the Queen’s existence, Admiral Seeton had insisted that the Knight meet as many of his officers as he could, and Val jumped at the opportunity. He knew exactly what it meant to these warriors to have a Queen. No longer were these officers adrift, as they had been for more than a year.
Too, he now had a clearer understanding of the methods used by the Rebels for taking control of sectors. Sector governors either swore allegiance to the new regime, or they were replaced with individuals loyal to Struthers. The new governors then set about replacing their staffs with members loyal to themselves, reaching into the military ranks after solidifying their own personal staffs. The process took time but was inexorable in i
ts completeness. The sector commander, Seeton’s boss, had caved in to the new governor’s demands quickly and was working hard to establish his own command structure of loyal officers. He hadn’t gotten far. Seeton had blocked him at every step of the way, walking a tightrope for months as he delayed and in some cases refused to carry out orders that would undermine his own strengths.
Seeton had been hard pressed by the new governor to allow Chessori observers aboard his ships, but the visit by Krys, the Queen’s Seer, had alerted him to the danger. The threat had been reinforced by Val and Mike, and he now knew without any doubt that the Chessori were the enemy. He would risk everything before allowing the enemy aboard his ships.
Krys had delivered the same message to Orion III, and Val expected to encounter a similar arrangement there.
Val had two reasons for taking passage on the cruise ship. First, it offered a non-military, clandestine method for approaching Orion III. Second, one of Seeton’s clerks had discovered six Chessori listed as passengers, and Val wanted to study them.
He slept through liftoff and felt completely refreshed when he emerged from his compartment. He spent several hours perusing the various decks, astounded at the multiple forms of entertainment offered to guests. Sorely missing Reba, he nevertheless congratulated himself on not being forced to explore all the activities offered by the entertainment staff. Reba would have demanded exhaustive involvement in each and every one.
He developed a routine of an hour of hard physical exercise before breakfast, then lots of time cruising the corridors or simply relaxing in various lounges, drinking mild stimulants to keep up appearances while constantly searching for the Chessori.
After nearly a week of failure, he resorted to asking Captain Summers to seat him with the Chessori during a meal. The captain gave him a troubled look, wondering aloud why a fleet lieutenant would have any interest in the Chessori, but when Val returned to his room the following day, he discovered an invitation to join the captain for dinner.
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