Chapter 31

We wasted no time when we entered the ship and found the nearest conference room. It required us to cross the loading bay, which took up half of deck ten and enter one of the rooms found just beyond the lift entrance. Hertal told us to take our time and he would ensure that we weren’t disturbed. We thanked him and he left to return to the bridge while we dealt with our newest acquaintance. I gestured for her to take a seat at the table, and we all sat down to discuss where things would go next. I could see the discomfort in her eyes and in the way her tail fidgeted about.

“Well, things didn’t exactly go how we expected when we left the square, but I have a feeling that you expected this kind of reaction.” I said as I rested my hands on the table.

The woman nodded and said, “Actually I expected more hostility. While I had hoped that you would react in a way that would result in me keeping my life, I expected you to be far angrier.”

“You won’t have to worry about that,” I replied with a dismissive wave. “If you were as abrasive and hostile as Rihs’tal had been, we would be having a vastly different conversation. It would also have taken place in the brig, instead of this nice room we are in. So, first things first, I need to know your name. After that what your initial plan was, along with what you plan to do now. You said you were going to provide us with the comm system you had so we will take that. It would be a sign of good faith, as it would assist in our efforts to replicate or even improve on the technology. While some systems are already improved for our ships and station, your people are still trying to crack how you would be able to transmit a signal that they would pick up.”

She reached up and removed the covering to her face. My breath caught at her beauty, and I had to remind myself that for the moment she was still a possible enemy. The next shock came when she reached into the cleavage caused by the bodice of her costume. I had to try and not stare as she pulled out the small device from between the mounds of flesh compacted into her uniform. I heard Vish give out a small laugh that she quickly tried to muffle. I turned to glare at her, only to have a smug and knowing expression returned.

“My name is Il’bet’atal Brak’lita,” she answered as she passed the device over to me. “My orders were to come here with Rihs’tal, join the community and keep an eye out for anyone who might have become leader of Mac’skarians, but wasn’t one. I found this to be odd, but I was a loyal agent of my Empire and worked hard to do my part. When I arrived, I didn’t see the people here as anything more than plebs that lived in the outskirts of our once proud dominion. I kept my head down and began to see how I could fit in with this group. Quickly I adapted and became a valued member of this settlement. I kept an eye out for those who would be valued soldiers and relayed the information when I could. Over time, I came to realize that my life and outlook had been skewed. Though we didn’t live in the luxury the old Empire had provided, there were numerous benefits that had given me the incorrect assumption that I was better than these people.

“I saw the demanding work and dedication that they had to the community, those that they worked with and themselves. There had been disagreements, of course, and the trouble that can occur in any area after a time, but they dealt with that in a more controlled manner. Most criminals were held until the next core ship arrival and were given to them as an option over prison. I felt good working with my hands, though I had never expected to ever feel that way. I made friends and acquaintances which only furthered my change of view. By the time you arrived, I was doubting my mission. Then you showed up. I followed you all day, watching for any sign that my commanders had been right to send me, but instead you turned out to be nothing like I expected, despite being everything I think that they fear. I knew then I needed to speak with you and took the opportunity to participate in the performance tonight. I will do whatever I can to earn your trust, even if it means living in a brig for a time. The feelings expressed from my performance were sincere and I knew that your companion would understand me.”

I leaned back and said, “Okay, that was a well thought out response, but it doesn’t alleviate all of my fears. I do have a question though. How did you know that Vish would have known the true meaning of your dance?”

She blushed and replied, “I had been following you, so I overheard that she was found on a ship still alive. That told me I had a chance, but I could have been wrong.”

“So you were snooping on us?” Vish asked as she crossed her arms and glared at the Mac’skarian. “Well, we will have to do something about that, but I know an uncomplicated way to ensure that she behaves.”

I glanced at her in confusion, causing her to laugh and say. “We will simply have her make the pledge. Though I am surprised that she hasn’t already made one to her superiors back home.”

I looked over at Vish in shock and asked, “Do you really think that it is necessary?”

Vish simply nodded in reply as she stared at Il’bet’atal, who looked uncomfortable in her chair.

“I have not made such a pledge,” Il’bet’atal said, glancing at me. “Those I answer to don’t believe in the old ways, nor do those who rule the core worlds. Still, the families that remain there teach the old ways to their families in order to preserve what once made our people great. There are things that we are glad are gone, but we have lost so much that made us who we are. If it helps you trust me, and if it helps to bring about change back home, I will gladly take the pledge.”

Vish moved to stand beside Il’bet’atal, “Do you, Il’bet’atal Brak’lita, pledge to serve, honour and obey the word of your charge?”

Il’bet’atal nodded vigorously and answered, “I do so swear.” There was a steady confidence in her voice as she answered.

Vish continued glancing down at Il’bet’atal, “Do you pledge to do your best to honour your charge’s house with your actions, words, and thoughts?”

With more conviction, she raised her head and locked eyes with mine as she answered with another nod, “I do so swear.”

With a slight smug smile on her face, Vish asked, “Do you pledge to protect your charge and those in his house with your very life?”

With her head held high and steel in her voice, Il’bet’atal nodded a third time and answered, “I do so swear.”

I was shocked at how similar her reaction was to how Vish’ala had reacted when she made the same pledge on the bridge of the Obsidian.

Vish then turned her focus to me, “Do you, Hugh Stargazer, Captain of the Mac’skarian Empire, accept this pledge of service? Do you accept, knowing that it will only end with your death or hers? Do you accept all the responsibilities that come with this pledge?”

Taking a deep breath I answered, “I do accept this pledge in the spirit in which it is given. I will do my best to honour the choice you have made with my own actions. I will endeavor to make sure you will never regret the choice you have made today, and to honor the responsibility you have bestowed upon me.”

Il’bet’atal was smiling and I could see much of the fear that she had before the pledge was gone. It was as if each step washed away some of the guilt and fear she had. Vish still had the smug look on her face and that reminded me of how Tali had looked by the end of Vish’s pledge. I glanced over at Ev, and she had her hand over her mouth. I had thought it was due to the magnitude of the pledge and what had been sworn.

“You are so fucked, Hugh,” Ev said with a laugh. “You could have kept her out of your bed by just having her slowly earn our trust, but now there is nothing stopping it.”

I let out a groan of frustration which only caused Vish and Il’bet’atal to start laughing along with Ev.

“She is right, Sir,” Vish said with a slight purr to her voice. “It didn’t happen right away, but over time I felt my anger give way to curiosity and later my lust began to build. I know that your pheromones were a part of it, but I don’t regret the choice. She performed that dance for a reason, so you are gonna need your rest, because you will have three to satisfy ... for now.”

I groaned again, which got another round of chuckles before they calmed down. We were still in the dark about everything, but I would trust in Vish and Ev to help me navigate the perilous nature of what we were heading towards.

I focused on Il’bet’atal and said, “Beth, for now I want you to stick with either Vish or Ev. Once you get the lay of the land, then we will give you your own tasks. Are there any skills you have, other than your initial mission parameters and what you learned on the planet?”

She looked around confused for a second before it dawned on her, “You called me Beth?”

“Take it as a compliment,” Vish said with a warm smile. “It is a shortened form of your name that is a term of affection in some cases. It also makes it easier to remember and pronounce.”

When she realized, what Vish was alluding to, her confusion melted away into happiness and a small bit of pride. With the conversation concluded, we left to head to our quarters. I checked with Hertal to see if there were any rooms near ours that were vacant at this time and there were unused guest quarters available just down the hall from us. We guided her to her room, making sure that Tigra was appraised of her privileges and limitations, before heading to our room. My ladies wasted no time in stripping us of our clothes and celebrating our ‘new member’ as they called her. Once their excitement was satiated, we cuddled in for a good long rest.

My dreams were chaotic, instead of their usual peaceful or nonexistent nature. Images of Neornith and Mac’skarians attacking the station filled them. Images of Ev and Vish dead in my arms repeated again and again. I found myself waking in a cold sweat while my bedmates were still sound asleep. I knew that I couldn’t put off what needed to be done much longer. When we returned to the station, we would need to put our plan into action.

Before we left the system, we dropped a buoy that Panthro connected to. Along the way, we made sure to drop out of hyperspace to plant the necessary buoys on the way home. While the original plan was to head to the other settlements. Beth’s existence and involvement in the plot that Rihs’tal nearly brought to pass changed things. During the trip back, we talked more with Beth, trying to get an idea of who our enemies wee and how we could best deal with them.

We agreed that releasing Rihs’tal wasn’t the best idea, but Beth thought that there would be a better one. She suggested that we use her and her transceiver to prepare a trap away from the station. It would require that the platforms that we had designed would be ready for deployment with a fully functional cloaking device. Once the battle was over, then we could collect the remaining functional platforms and deploy them in our home system, before making others for the settlement systems. I was happy when we exited hyperspace for the last time within our home system. The familiar sight of the station greeted us as we approached, but I was surprised to see that the White Claw was missing.

“Welcome back, Assent,” Alta said, greeting us. “It is good to see you home safe and sound. I am sure you’re wondering about the Claw. She has been sent to collect the materials needed to start the building of our first cargo ship. We are confident that they will be able to get the needed materials from the system you visited in the Obsidian with Vish. They are due back in two days based on their last communication with us.”

I sighed in relief and said, “Thank you for the update, Alta, I was a little worried. Once we are docked, please have the council meet us at the space dock conference room, along with Er’tanik. There are urgent matters to discuss and plans that must be put into motion.”

She acknowledged my request and ended the communication. We quickly docked and the four of us hurried to the conference room. I wasn’t surprised to see that we were the first ones here, since it would have taken some time for some of them to arrive. A few minutes later, the rest of the group arrived, though Er’tanik was surprised that he had been summoned.

“Hello, all,” I said, gesturing for them to sit. “It is good to see you all are doing well and that nothing bad happened during our absence. First, I want to say that our meeting with the second settlement went well. Their AI was activated, and they have a fervent desire to create trade routes with us and Hertal’s home. That said, there is an underlying problem that we are going to have to deal with first. It seems that the second settlement had originally been a penal colony prior to the fall. Of the two settlements that we visited, this one was more self-sufficient, yet they didn’t have the numbers that I had expected. We learned that Rihs’tal had been placed there and then joined Hertal’s crew after one of their visits there. Not only that, but one other operative had been placed there.”

I gestured to Beth, “This is Il’bet’atal, and she was the second operative that was placed there by the core worlds.”

There was a collective gasp from the group as their focus turned to the Mac’skarian garbed in civilian clothing. We had decided that until the council and station members were comfortable, we would refrain from her wearing military garb.