The Magistrate of Commerce arrogantly ran his hand down his robe. “As Celestial Ancients, I am sure their bloodline had thinned far too much to survive our advanced worlds.” He waited for the warriors’ reaction to the news that he was aware the mates were ancients. The Commander would not know how much information the Magistrate had obtained, and he smiled confidently at Zulien.
Berslan did not know that Taliquant’s mate was a primitive. He told the Magistrates they were both ancients. Zulien made the first tear in Berslan’s information. “Apparently the source of your information is inaccurate, Magistrate.”
The Magistrate of Commerce’s eyes darted to Berslan, and then returned to fix on the Commander. Zulien enjoyed his unease. The path of the audition was definitely shifting.
“That is impossible, Commander. Explain the inaccuracy.”
Zulien could almost feel Berslan squirming under the royal’s scrutiny. “Only my mate was an Ancient. The Major’s mate was a primitive.” This should make them reconsider the rest of the information Berslan has passed on to them.
The Magistrate of Commerce looked a little rattled. “The women were bonded on the outer world, were they not?”
“That is our understanding. Ethram found them together,” Zulien admitted.
The Magistrate of the Old Ways spoke up. “Do you mean for us to believe a Celestial Ancient had bonded with an outer world primitive? Preposterous,” he declared.
The Old Ways leaders never mixed with ordinary subjects, believing it lessened their power and credentials. The fanatic religious order had separated from the citizens for so many centuries, they had convinced themselves it was a decree from the Old Religion scrolls.
“Perhaps Miranda was not a Celestial, Magistrate.” Zulien was backing him into a corner.
The Magistrate of the Old Ways sneered, “Perhaps it was this bonding with a primitive that weakened her so much she decayed.”
Zulien grabbed Taliquant’s arm to silence him from responding to the insult against his mate. “Stand down, Major.” He glared at the pompous royal. “Magistrate, I ask your compassion and permission to send the Major back to the Quillant. He is in mourning and cannot be held responsible for his actions if you continue to insult his mate.” The anger was clear in Zulien’s voice.
The Magistrate of the Old Ways saw the murderous glare in Taliquant’s eyes, but word had not gotten back to them and it would be a disaster if any of the crew returned to the battleship. He shifted uncomfortably under the Magistrate of Commerce’s stare as he tried to figure out how to retract his words and still save face.
Zulien did not give him the opportunity. He turned and whispered quickly, “Let me know if they have begun searching the ship.” He said louder, “Major Taliquant, wait in your quarters for our return.”
The Magistrate of the Old Ways squeaked out, “The Major has not been released from the audition.”
Taliquant ignored the Magistrate completely. “As you wish, Commander.” He stormed out of the chamber without asking leave from the Magistrate of Commerce either.
“A primitive would have suited him,” the royal sneered.
The audition was definitely breaking down. Zulien persisted, “If there is nothing further, Magistrate, we would like to collect our boon and take our leave. Our mates are decayed. We are in mourning, and any discussion about what we might have learned from the Ancient is best left to the Magistrate of the Old Ways.”
There were a few gasps behind him as the crew realized Zulien had effectively dismissed the Magistrates. He could not have insulted the Magistrate of Commerce more, short of slapping him. His daughter’s mouth was flopping open and shut like a trelang, and the worst part, the Magistrates conceded, was that Zulien was right. The Magistrates were showing incredible breach of inner world protocol by keeping the warriors from their mourning rites, and they knew it.
Taliquant came bursting back into the chamber.
“You were ordered to quarters.” The Magistrate of Commerce banged his staff and paled slightly.
“Commander, the hierarchy guard is crawling through the Quillant. There must be thirty soldiers, and they are even going through our private quarters,” Taliquant exclaimed.
Several of the mates began crying, and Zulien was outraged. “Warriors, back to the ship and secure.”
“You have not been released,” the Magistrate bellowed. “No one is granted leave.” He began thumping his staff wildly.
Zulien spun back around and glared at the royals. “Magistrates, your breach of protocol will be reported to the hierarchy commission.” The Magistrate of the Old Ways almost fainted at being implicated in this mess. “My warriors are returning to the ship and removing your guards, physically if necessary.”
The warriors and mates left the chamber. Berslan remained. He had no idea what to do.
“Explain this,” Zulien thundered.
The Magistrate of Commerce stalled. “We do not explain ourselves to warriors.”
“Then you will be explaining this outrage to the commission,” Zulien said evenly.
A member of the guard ran into the chamber and approached the Magistrates. “We have been forcibly escorted off the ship, Magistrates. We did have time to check the holds, and except for supplies they are empty.” The Magistrates were almost shaking with confusion. The guard had done as instructed and reported back to them, but they had neglected to tell him to wait until they were alone. The breach was undeniable, now. If the guards had been able to secure the Ancient, the commission might have overlooked the means to obtain her. They were perilously close to losing their position in the hierarchy at this point.
“What the dremont are you looking for?” Zulien demanded.
The Magistrate of Commerce stuttered, “We were told the Ancients were being transported on the Quillant, and we wished to honor them.” His lie rang thin.
“Honor them how? By distressing their mates and keeping them from their rites? Who told you they were on the Quillant?” Zulien slowly turned to face Berslan, and he managed to look shocked as if he had just learned of the warrior’s deceit. “Berslan. We have been warriors together since we boarded the Quillant centuries ago. Why would you do us this dishonor?”
Berslan had nothing left but a small vestige of pride, and he stood as straight as he could manage. “Why did you choose Taliquant as second in command?”
Zulien shook his head sadly. “Because he would never have chosen a path such as this.” Zulien stared back at the Magistrates. “This breach of protocol will be reported to the upper rank commission when we reach Shallistar. The commission will be told the seriousness of the breach, and that we have been kept from mourning rites by this audition and the filing of the report.”
The Magistrate of Commerce straightened. “You have proof of nothing, warrior.”
“Then you would not mind explaining the tape of communications between the Debayluths stating you ordered the attack on my mate.” Zulien tensed a little. That was not the exact transmission, and he counted on Berslan’s memory faltering and that he had correctly guessed the source of the attack.
Berslan slumped in defeat, and the Magistrate of Commerce glared at him. His daughter realized the damage her betrothed had done and screamed at Zulien. “Dremont! You are a dremont, Commander. Secrets of the ancients are dangerous. They can undermine the entire hierarchy,” Sharpina screeched.
Zulien laughed at the shrew. “You say that as if it is a bad thing.” He turned back to the Magistrate of Commerce. “I expect my boon for the attack of your Debayluths on my mate, and Commander Ethram is expecting a healthy boon for traveling to the outer worlds and discovering an Ancient. If the funds are not credited by the time the Quillant reaches Shallistar, I will demand your removal when I file my charges of protocol against both of you.”
The Magistrate of the Old Ways fell back on his throne in shock. The Magistrate of Commerce had promised him an Ancient. Decayed or not, she would have furthered the religious order, and instead he was clos
e to a humiliated dismissal. He had had no idea what the other Magistrate had been up to.
Zulien turned to leave, and he made one last comment before he left the chambers. “Major Berslan, you are stripped of your duties aboard the Quillant. I will be forwarding a formal request to the Magistrate of Battle to strip you of your rank. You are dismissed.” Zulien left the chamber as Berslan blinked back tears.
The Magistrate’s daughter realized she was now betrothed to a disgraced warrior. As a female, she was not in a position to break the commitment. She was already making plans to talk to her father about the assassination.
Zulien hurried back to the Quillant and ran to the bridge. “Nemiste, disengage from the docking portal.” He turned and saw most of the crew had hurried after him for news when they saw him return.
“Letang, take the helm and head full speed for Shallistar. Maintain alert and call me immediately if any ships follow. Everyone else, crew and mates, meet in the lounge in ten minutes. It is time for you to learn what is really going on.” Zulien heard the excited conjectures of the warriors as they ran towards their quarters to collect their mates.
Zulien and Letang were alone on the bridge, and the Commander stared at the stars. “I called them out. They will either back down or make an attempt to eradicate us.”
“Do they think you have the communication tape?” Letang asked.
“No, you were right. Berlsan was not sure if the Debayluths had said the Magistrates ‘will’ support the attack or ‘did’ support the attack on my Ancient.” Zulien was trying to calm down. He had never stood up to the hierarchy before, much less insulted and threatened them.
He began to think out loud. “I am giving the tape to my father, and we will make sure the Magistrates understand that should anything happen to the Quillant, the tape will be turned over to the Magistrate of Battle.”
Letang was silent for a while, and then spoke up quietly. “Commander, why are they so afraid of your mate?”
Zulien had touched on that question several times, and came up with nothing but frustration. His little mate and her Atlantian gene had been raised on the primitive outer world planet for centuries. What could she possibly do to harm them? “I do not know, Letang. By the stars, I wish I did, so I would know how to protect her.”
“You have the crew behind you, Zulien. We are a family and we will all support you.”
“Thank you, Letang. I better go face my loyal crew and tell them how I have lied to them.” Zulien headed towards the lounge.
On his way past Taliquant’s door he knocked. “Go away.”
“Taliquant, come with me to the lounge. I have called an assembly. It is time to let them know what is going on. Come with me so we can properly celebrate returning to our mates,” Zulien lured.
Taliquant opened the door. “What happened to Berslan?”
“I think the proper question is ‘What will happen to Berslan?’. If the look on the face of his betrothed is any indication, Sharpina will be holding her own mourning rites soon.”
Taliquant shook his head in sadness. “Why would he choose such a path of dishonor? I would never have believed it from him.”
Zulien did not want his friend to feel any worse about the situation, and decided to be evasive instead of telling him it was the choice of making him second in command. “Who knows why a man follows a given path?”
When they entered the lounge, the mates looked scared and the warriors looked determined. “Calm down, crew. At this time, I do not know what the Magistrates plan to do, but we are not on high alert.”
“Why did the guard search the ship, Commander? They ransacked our quarters... our private quarters, sir. They broke a vase Seartock had given me on our century celebration.” Ebonisha’s syrupy brown eyes were red from crying.
“I am so sorry, Ebonisha. All of you, list the damages the guard did and I will send the inventory in with the charges,” Zulien assured them. The crew looked confused. “I will be filing breach of protocol charges against the Magistrate of Commerce and the Magistrate of the Old Ways when we are on planet. In answer to your question, Ebonisha, the guards were looking for the Ancients.”
Seartock spoke up. “The first thing we did was check the hold when we returned to the ship, and they had already secured the Ancients. It was empty. If they already had them, why did they go through our quarters?”
“The Ancient and Taliquant’s mate were never on the Quillant. They were transported to Shallistar on the Isotant.” Zulien waited for the information to set in. “Taliquant’s mate is an outer world primitive, not Celestial. It was obvious someone wanted my Ancient destroyed, and I am afraid I have let you believe a mistruth to keep our mates safe. They are sleeping on planet, waiting for us.”
Vasilla reached her arms out to Ebonisha. “I am so sorry for avoiding you. I knew you would know something was up, and I was not allowed to tell anyone. Please forgive me.”
“You have known all along? It must have been horrible for you.” Ebonisha looked at the Commander. “How have you and Taliquant been able to bear the separation? Your hearts must be aching.”
Taliquant rubbed his crotch. “Among other things,” he laughed. The relief was etched on his face finally to be able to receive the support of his friends. What he had not expected, was the admiration.
The crew and mates celebrated with them and decreed it would become legend, the sacrifice they had made to protect their mates. Zulien filled them in on everything from his initial discovery after the attack through the part of the audition they had missed. Berslan received little sympathy on his assumed pending assassination, and the ladies teased Vasilla about starting the rumor. It was nice to see everyone in a jovial state once again.
CHAPTER V
Miranda tucked her hand close to her face, and she had sobbed until she had no more tears. An eternity of darkness was all that was left for her. That, and the comforting scent of the man who promised to return and protect her. Her hand fisted the sash, and she inhaled and felt the tight clench of her channel spasming towards a climax that was just out of reach. The torment went on and on. Where was the man?
She was obsessed with him and waited anxiously. She felt he was waiting just beyond the vastness of this frightening place, and she saw his proud face, dark eyes flashing. Bronze, no, golden skin stretched across tightly corded muscles. His black hair flew wildly around his face and shoulders in anger as he tried to reach her. Please, please find me soon.
She felt herself lifted and moved to a place of serenity, and once in a while a hand brushed across her forehead and she felt calmed. Her heart felt something coming closer. No, it was someone. It was the man who would take care of her. He was coming back to her.
While Miranda slept in her deep sleep, the Quillant docked on Shallistar. Early in the morning, Zulien turned the ship over to the Port Commander for repairs and supplies, and he released the crew and told them he would be issuing orders after the mating ceremonies, which they all planned to attend.
As Letang disembarked, Zulien pulled him aside. “I am putting in orders for a commission for you, and before we leave planet you should have your Captain grade. Letang, there is no way for us to express our gratitude for the discreet assistance you and your mate provided.”
Taliquant stepped forward with his hand outstretched. “We are having a joint mating ceremony, and we would be honored if you would second.”
Vasilla tried to stifle her cry, and Letang’s mouth dropped open. This was the highest honor a man could offer. In the event something happened to either one of the warriors, it would be his responsibility to aid his bereaved mate through mourning until, and if, a mating of convenience was made. To entrust a man with your mate’s protection was the highest tribute one man could give another. “I am honored, sirs. I will pray to the stars daily for your continued well being. This small experience protecting your mates leads me to believe this would be no easy task.”
“Your comportment through this exercise
leads me to believe you are the only one we would approach,” Zulien smiled. “Now, take off, you two. I imagine your mother is most anxious to hear of this escapade, Vasilla.”
“Yes, Commander. All the on-planet mates have been conjecturing the wildest of tales,” Vasilla laughed. “Perhaps another rumor is in order.”
“Do not even think about it,” Letang joked, and they headed towards their shuttle.
“Tali, I am filing the reports before I join Miranda. I want the Magistrates distracted with the mess they have made so I am not disturbed later. We have waited a long time to be joined, and I will not have it interrupted. We will have to find out where they are being chambered, but I see no reason for you to delay your claiming.”
“Zule, we have always jumped in together. I will wait to collect my mate.” Taliquant shifted his stance around the erection that had been thickening as they approached Shallistar.
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