Alutia Rising, Anniversary Edition (Alutia Rising Series, Book 1) (48 page)

“How do you know so much about the duke?”
Tiana asked seriously.

“That bastard of an old man is my Uncle,” she
growled, “he gave me to Sir Simwa as a present for doing such a
wonderful job in his service...the two traditionalist bastards!”
Again, the pure hatred in Vickie’s words made her think them true,
but she would definitely have to keep a close eye on her for the
foreseeable future.

“I see,” she decided to move on. “So as I was
saying, after we heard Donnlie’s story, we decided to attempt to
locate Grand Duchess Sasha before escaping the base. So we secretly
moved to the barracks housing the trainee's who were too young to
be assigned a position on a starship. There we met two genius
trainees, a girl named Tomi and a boy named Yaz. They were able to
access the base records and found that Sasha was nowhere to be
found. After some digging, we located a record stating that a
personal transport shuttle had been launched towards Earth hours
earlier, around the same time Sasha vanished, unbeknownst to anyone
on the base.” Tiana remembered her finally comprehending at what
Sasha had decided and why.

Something had occurred when Sasha had
returned to the ferry shuttle alone and Tiana believed Vin had
instructed her to go to Earth, or something of the like. Sasha must
have then decided it was just too dangerous to bring her friends
along after what had occurred on the Princess One. Tiana
understood, but she was still furious, and would make that fact
apparent the next time they met.

“That is when we decided to commandeer Sir
Simwa’s private shuttle and chase after her. Right now our young
friends are preparing us for launch.” Vickie's eyes went wide with
excitement.

“There are children onboard?” she asked,
voice a whisper.

“Yes, about 20 trainees between the ages of
12 and 15. I could not leave them here. Commander Talan is a very
cruel headmaster and would have taken his revenge on them if he
learned they helped us escape,” her heart ached at the very
thought.

“Could you please call for them? It has been
so very long since I’ve been able to enjoy the company of
children,” Tiana didn't like the look in Vickie's eyes, like a
predator preparing for the hunt. But though her heart continued to
scream otherwise, she found she trusted the woman...
she’s just
lonely
,
that’s all.

“Ok,” she nodded, “Gil'Da, could you bring
the children up and make sure to stay with them,”
she
glanced to Vickie, unable to keep a grin from
flashing
across her lips. “I trust, Lady
Vickie, you will control yourself? I did not free them from one
evil headmaster so they would have to endure another,” she joked
playfully, skipping to her feet. Vickie stared in shock, like Tiana
had just accused her of trying to kill the emperor himself.

“Lady Tiana! I assure you, I would never
perform any inappropriate acts with anyone under the age of 16!”
Tiana sensed a shred of honesty, knowing even the most lecherous of
the paramour women would not engage in inappropriate relations with
anyone too young. But that wouldn't stop them from indulging in
other, less scrupulous activities. Tiana recalled one particular
visit to the Tileenia Noble Regeneration Spa with her mother, where
petty boys were being used to massage oils into the older noble
paramour’s naked skin. It just seemed so....wrong...and the memory
still made her shiver. But, of course, even that was better than
some of the alternatives, petty children being treated like slaves
throughout much of the NHA.

“I will take my leave of you now,” she
started towards the exit, “and I trust you will use discretion if
you do choose to contact any of your friends,” Vickie glared at
her, obviously disgusted.

“Til'Ma is my only friend, Lady Tiana. The
Hulk'Zif nobility can burn in the Emperor's Fire for all I care. In
fact, I'll even provide you and your grand duchess with their
access codes, just as long as you allow me to participate in the
purge of Hulk’Zif,” Tiana cringed at the ferocity of her words.

“If you’ll excuse me,” she hurried to the
bridge, finding Tomi hunching over the engineering station and Yaz
studying the helm. The bridge stations, like all other emperor
class shuttles, were setup in a diamond formation, with the helm at
the front, about two meters from the projected viewscreen, the
engineering and communication/sensor stations a couple meters
behind, to the left and right, with the supply station at the rear.
Then, against the back wall of the bridge, atop a short flight of
steps, stood the captain’s station.

“How are the preparations progressing?” Tomi
and Yaz looked up in surprise, having been so engrossed in their
work that they didn't notice Tiana entered.

“Good, My Lady, I managed to lock Commander
Talan completely out from the base systems. Even if he knew about
us leaving, he wouldn't be able to stop us,” Tomi explained,
gesturing toward the complex diagram being projected on the
engineering station. Tiana smiled, the thought of the older man
being unable to access the most basic functions of the station,
beyond comical.

“We're ready to launch on your command, My
Lady,” Yaz followed Tomi, though his voice was barely audible, not
even a whisper.

“Let’s go over the plan one more time,” Tiana
decided, still nervous about placing her trust in the hands of the
two 15 year-olds.

“No problem, My Lady,” Tomi responded first,
Yaz sighing thankfully, not one for speeches. “First, Yaz will fly
us through the narrow starship lanes in the asteroid belt, than set
a course towards Earth. We should be able to get through undetected
since Yaz is the best pilot in the TSB,” Tiana sighed when she
heard Tomi boast again,
how can he be the best if he’s never
actually flown a real starship before, only simulations? “
We
will then take up orbit on the far side of Earth’s moon and try to
contact the Grand Duchess Sasha at the TSB Earth Base,” Tomi
paused, then nodded, satisfied with her explanation.

Tiana again had to resolve herself to the
fact that she was relying on the words of these young
trainees
.
But they were her only option, and
s
he had
to save Sasha, had to help her friend.

“Launch!” she ordered, exploding to her feet
to point towards Earth, her wavy blond locks falling across her
eyes. Again, she felt childish when she tried to act with
authority, like she was only playing captain. The only response was
the sight of the docking bay door opening and the shuttle slowing
floating into the dense asteroid belt.

The trip through took a little over an hour,
but would have taken much longer if they hadn't realized the
asteroids were actually moving out of their way. This allowed them
to set a direct course in the direction of Earth. Once fully clear,
they accelerated to a cruising speed of 5,000 kps that would allow
them to arrive in orbit around Earth in about eight hours.

“I'm going to check on everyone else,” Tiana
stood, then paused, remembering these two were still children,
“make sure to rest if need be. There should be open bunks in the
crew quarters,” they both nodded absently in her direction, so
absorbed in their bridge station’s projections that Tiana doubted
they'd actually heard her.

As she left the bridge, children's laughter
drifted down from the passenger apartments. Curious, and a bit
concerned, Tiana rushed up the stairs to find about half the
children, mostly girls, playing with piles of elegant dresses and
gowns as Gil'Da and Til'Ma looked on. She glanced around the room,
noting Vickie and most of the boys were missing.

“Where are the rest of the children and Lady
Vickie?” she asked, unable to keep the worry out of her tone.
Gil’Da’s smile vanished at the mention of the other noble lady.

“She is currently entertaining them in her
bedchamber’s sitting room, My Lady,” Tiana rushed deeper into the
apartments, to Lady Vickie’s bedchamber’s sitting room in rear.

On an oversized couch in the corner sat
Vickie, with a boy in her lap and two at her sides, an arm draped
around each. The rest sat on the floor around a low table,
engrossed in what Tiana recognized as a programmable matter art
globe.

Programmable matter was the material used in
the construction of almost everything within the NHA that required
nonorganic materials. In simple terms, it was the manipulation of
matter to provide it the ability to shape itself at will. So when
dealing with programmable matter, all that was required was
programming the matter with the design you desired, and as long as
enough was available, it would automatically form that design. The
exact science of it escaped her, but she did have some experience
with programmable matter art, having watched her mother create some
splendid pieces.

But the continuously transforming,
multicolored liquid programmable matter sculptor within the
transparent globe was unlike anything she'd ever seen. It began to
morph as she stared, changing into a very detailed mountain top,
with many tiny creatures roaming its surface. Then, after a few
seconds, it changed again, this time to a majestic bird, soaring on
six undulating wings.

“Fascinating,” Tiana whispered, kneeling
amongst the group of trainees. More exotic locales and beautiful
animals of the likes she had never seen appeared one after the
other. She glanced to Vickie, who sat with a content, almost
peaceful smile. Tiana smiled back, thinking that her concern was
unfounded;
Vickie is just lonely after all.

The thought vanished as she glanced to the
trainees, who were dressed in the same transparent material Til'Ma
had been wearing, with no undergarments beneath. Tiana gasped,
Vickie's expression changing to one of wicked amusement.

“One must make do with what is provided, my
dear Lady Tiana,” she ignored Vickie’s words as she plunged into
the woman’s closet, searching for more appropriate attire and
thinking that the next eight hours couldn't pass fast enough.

The hours flowed like a rushing river,
Trent's life story surging
past
to catch
Sasha in its turbulent embrace, making her feel as if she too
experienced every moment, every detail, of his lonely life. At
times, she became angry, at others, sad, and a few times she even
felt incredulous, pinching Trent relentlessly to make sure he knew
those particular thoughts were now forbidden. But not once did she
smile. His memories were those of a man who lived a life alone,
scared to expose himself for fear, and experience, of the betrayal
that lay beyond.

As his words finally trailed off, her
exhaustion began to take over, forcing the tingly warmth that had
grown within, born of a relived happiness, to fade into a soothing
calm. Trent's story, though sad, had comforted her, made her
realize that the problems of his heart were caused by an inner
kindness that had taken such a beating, that a cold hard shell had
formed to protect it. This shell also restricted his mind, causing
constant turmoil, while creating an impression of himself that
wasn't actually factual. She knew it was impossible to completely
shatter this shell in the short amount of time they'd been
together, but she'd pierced it's surface enough for the light of
kindness and love to burst forth, placing her at ease...warming her
very being. In time, she knew that she would cure his wounds,
replace them with joyous memories, and in the process, cure her
own.

“Now that you know about me,” he whispered,
breaking her free of her momentary sleepiness, “all of me...can you
tell me about your past?” he asked carefully.

“Yes...of course,” she responded, not wanting
him to think she hadn’t planned on reciprocating. “But I do not
have much to tell...having been stuck on Tidelia with my guardian
all my life,” she let her eyes fall closed, thinking of the past
and how different it was from the present.

“Guardian? I thought your father was the
king?” Trent's question didn't surprise her. It wasn't common
knowledge, even among the ruling nobility.

“He is, but he did not raise me. I grew up on
a planet called Tidelia, raised by a close friend of my parents,
Countess Liana. There is a unique rule in this galaxy that states
any son or daughter of the king and queen, who is not in direct
inheritance, shall be removed to live separately, as a regular
noble...” her words trailed off.

“That's horrible,” Trent said with shock,
“why would they separate you from your parents?” Concern gushed
from his every word. She laid a hand across his chest.

“If you only knew of traditionalist noble
families and the horrors of political marriage,” she shivered, “it
is lonely, of course, not being able to see ones parents or
siblings except for a few times a year. But I had Countess Liana,
her daughter, Tiana, and my tutor, Gil’Da, so I was not lonely,” a
slight hint of melancholy slipped into her tone when she remembered
Tiana, who’d she'd left safely on TSB Fleet Base. Trent stared at
her, seeming to be baffled, but also concerned, not sure if her
tired explanations should relieve his worry...she couldn't help but
giggle.

Over the short time since she'd met Trent,
she'd found that he was the easiest person in the universe to read.
Not because he was overly obvious...
well, maybe a
little
...but since she found herself studying him closely,
memorizing even the most minute changes in his expressions...in his
soulful eyes.

“Trent,” she placed her hand on his chest,
“if this rule did not exist, I would have been married off years
ago so my father could gain political capital, secure a new trade
agreement, or curry favor from some important noble in a far off
galaxy,” his eyes went wide with understanding, “without it, I
would have never met you,” he nodded, his expression softening. He
leaned in and kissed her tenderly, caressing her long black hair
with one hand, and her cheek with the other.