Chapter 5: Arrival at Terran Vital

“Lord Haddaway, Captain Stonewood of the GSTA patrol is here to see you.”

Death tore himself away from the details of a report. “Thank you,” he said to the flunky, a member of the mostly female uniformed staff that serviced members of the Alliance who held crown offices in Ruler’s House. “You can show him in.”

The flunky gave a courteous bow and then stood aside to allow the captain to enter his compartments.

Captain Stonewood, a diminutive man with a, booming voice bellowed out, “Lord Haddaway, I’ve received word that the first railcar of the transport caravan from Preyida will be in orbit within the hour. Once they’ve been scanned and cleared by Low Orbit security, they’ll disembark at Terran Vital.”

“Are all the railcars arriving on schedule, Captain Stonewood?”

“Yes. The intervals vary as each railcar has to go through Low Orbit Security for processing and clearance.”

Death’s heart leapt in his chest but he made sure that his face revealed nothing of his thoughts. “Do you have the manifest?”

Captain Stonewood handed over the small tablet with the holographic Preyidan crown seal. The seal locked its contents and could only be opened by Death or any of his staff with high level clearance. “It’s all there, sir,” the captain nodded toward the tablet. “Each railcar, the passenger list, and cargo hold.”

Death took the tablet. “You may go.”

When the captain had gone, Death turned toward his right where the head of his security contingent, Chief LaClara Tymarlin, stood at the ready. Her average height frame, bright skin, and regular, unremarkable features hid a woman of great strength.

“Chief Tymarlin, how soon can you and your team be ready to accompany me to Terran Vital?”

She stepped forward in a quick, jerky movement. “Fifteen minutes, Lord Haddaway.”

He nodded. “Take whatever security measures you need. I will await your escort.”

Chief Tymarlin gave nod and then exited his compartments. He could hear her muffled voice directing the rest of his contingent to take the necessary precautions to achieve his safety.

Safety. Death felt his mouth twist in a sardonic way. In regards to his people and their need to survive, he was just as diligent as his private security chief.

Sighing, he pressed the seal atop the tablet. The holographic list of the manifest floated up before him. The manifest details numbered, among other things, twenty thousand Preyidan emigrants. These were just the first wave. Thousands more were making their way to his new home. They couldn’t leave their home world fast enough.

Could his people escape Preyida before Earth, or rather Lee Glow, discovered the lie?

Death tossed the tablet on the glass table and smoothed the globe of his head. In three months of marriage, he found himself growing attached to his wife. He longed for her presence even when she wasn’t there.

Was that normal? To ... to ... crave this alien woman with an amorous edacity difficult to control? Instead of trying to curb his desire for her, she encouraged it.

It ... whatever this was ... had started during his honeymoon. A random comment about wanting to see the Valles Marineris, one the largest canyon rifts in Earth’s solar system had changed their destination. She’d surprised him when their private railcar traveled the short distance from Earth to Mars in just a few hours.

When they had alighted from the private railcar, Death had asked her, “Why are we here? I thought we were staying on Earth?”

Her brow had crinkled. “You said you wanted to see the Valles Marineris.”

“Yes, but—” He didn’t know what to say.

“Did you not want to come here? We can return if you’d like.”

“No, that’s quite all right. I’m ... glad you considered my request.”

Lee Glow had said nothing more as they were processed at the Martian GSTA security center.

From there, their honeymoon had taken on a surreal aspect. They had toured the canyon. An Earthling through and through, Lee Glow found nothing of its features to inspire her awe. Everyone on her planet had been to Mars more than once. Yet, she had been a wealth of information as they went about studying the red, coppery landscape.

On the last day of their honeymoon, he sternly told himself that this ... enjoyment with her had to end. He’d only married to save his people. For her part, it was no secret that Lee Glow had entered into their union for the explicit purpose of power and progress at any cost.

He’d better do well to remember that.

Nonetheless, as they stood side, the Martian sunset colored the scene in a gentle flow of light. It lingered on reflective surface of the domed metropolis of Muskelonia City.

Lee Glow had groaned. “Do we have to go back?”

“I wish we didn’t.” Death had wrapped his arms around her waist. “But the worlds await our return.”

She’d gazed up at him. At that moment, the blue light of the setting sun caressed her skin and turned it into an ethereal, luminous hue. Her full pink lips bloomed a soft purplish tint. The light flowed over her dark hair and gave it a silvery sheen.

An ice queen, the wayward thought crossed his mind. A lithe, beautiful ice queen.

Yet, he knew there was nothing cold about her though the Martian sunset seemed to depict otherwise. Without conscious awareness, he bent and nibbled the ridge of her ear.

Lee Glow had gasped and her head fell back against his chest. “You’re cold,” she’d moaned in that whimper of pleasure which had only served to drive him mad.

His lips had trailed past the lobe of her ear and down the length of her neck. “You taste like fire,” he’d murmured, enthralled with that curious heat of her skin which never seemed to abate.

“You’ve said that before,” she’d replied as her eyes drifted shut, the long lashes an arc of darkness against her pale cheekbones.

“Have I?” He’d lapped the sensitive nubs around her collarbone.

Every time he touched her in these three weeks, which happened more often than not, it was rediscovery. A rediscovery of the warmth of her flesh, of the softness of her body. He hadn’t expected to feel anything for his alien wife, knowing that she was a means to an end. A way to protect his people from a certain doom.

But when they love danced, his reasons melted away in the flames of Lee Glow’s passion.

“You don’t seem at all in a hurry to leave.” His wife’s husky laughter had filled the room as he hefted her up in his arms and carried her back to the bed. The brightness of her smile rivaled the rubies in the wedding necklace that hung around her throat.

“I’m not,” he’d responded, gathering her close. And for a moment, all he wanted was to stay there, right there, under the gossamer blue rays of light of Martian twilight. Just him and Lee Glow in a small room, on a nearly barren planet. Leave behind the galaxy at large. Forget that in exchange for her sweet honesty, he’d given her bitter lies.

“Lord Haddaway?”

He came out of his thoughts to see Chief Tymarlin standing there, her arms clasped behind her back. Death stood. “Are we ready to depart?”

“Yes.”

He put on his outer garments and the exited his compartments, surrounded on all sides by his security contingent with Chief Tymarlin in next to him.

They made their way down the glittering halls of Ruler’s House. Their shoes clicked on the marble floors and their hazy figures reflected in the gold trimmings along the walls. He passed the other compartments occupied by planetary crowns as they made their way toward the exit.

Death’s heart beat in a rapid tattoo as they arrived at the wide glass doors. Would his plan work? Would he be able to save his people? Could he keep it a secret from his wife? The questions beat at the same staccato rhythm of his heart.

He just didn’t know how this would end. He could only try to do his best.