Gigi (24 page)

“Briq, my love, meet your daughters, Harmony and Melody.” Her heart went out to him, feeling his hesitation. Gigi knew he was scared out of his mind. Her brave warrior was afraid to touch his own children. Briq took a step, tripped and landed on the big couch next to the pod.

“Why the frackk did you do that?” He looked accusingly at his brother. “I could’ve hurt the little ones. Just wait, I’m going to kick your sorry ass during combat practice.”

“You were taking too long. Are you scared? Wait until they go poo-poo.” His brother smirked knowingly.

“Poo-poo? What the frackk is that?” Briq looked at Gigi, panicking even more.

“Will you cut it out? Giant, stop teasing your brother or no pie for a week,” Amada scolded.

“I was just trying to help the poor heqriu’l beast. It’s not my fault he’s frackking clumsy.”

Gigi bit her cheek, trying to contain her laughter. The supreme commander was actually pouting like a five year old.

“Zaaq-Niq Prahn-kril, apologize to your brother right now.”

“I’m sorry you’re a clumsy ass.”

She didn’t buy the innocent look on her brother-in-law’s face for a minute.

“Good enough. C’mon, giant, let’s get you some pie,” Amada said, winking at her.

“I love eating pie. Yummy.”

Briq looked at her frowning. He’d eaten a piece of the pastry not long ago. Gigi made a mental note to explain everything about pie to him. Oh, that could be very interesting, she thought.

“I’ll explain it to you later.” Gigi said, a sensual smile curving her lips.

* * * *

The road to peace lay ahead thanks to Ha’rrra’s unselfish sacrifice. Gigi and the breeder had grown closer these past two weeks. After the attack, Ha’rrra requested a meeting with the supreme priestess. The holy one agreed to journey out of the sacred city.

 When Gigi saw her for the first time, she was speechless. To say the holy one was beautiful was an understatement. She was statuesque. Her outward beauty was a reflection of the woman inside. She was gentle, welcoming Gigi to Pendo’rah with open arms.

Before the meeting, the priestess graciously agreed to perform her daughters’ naming ceremony. Briq agreed with her choice of names, saying it suited them. Names were important for his people. They had to be a reflection of the person’s ul’naah.

Gigi didn’t expect to be present during the meeting. It surprised her when Ha’rrra asked her and Amada to stay. When it was over, she had a better idea why they’d been asked to join. She found it hard to believe she was part of a prophecy. Their children were mentioned in the Na’lycia scrolls. It was a very humbling experience.

* * * *

The
Toq’ma’lal
docked with the colony a few days after the meeting. Gigi and Ha’rrra worked with the young breeders. She had a better understanding of what Ha’rrra meant by the song of life. It was all about how sound affected emotions.

No breeder was the same. She had to discover her individual song. Ha’rrra used her muscles and shell to show them how to make sounds. Gigi used her voice to teach them the different tones and melodies.

One by one the young breeders found their song. After much practice each one was fully developed. It was then time to execute their daring plan. Some would allow themselves to be recaptured by another colony. The rest would go to an alpha site and establish their government. Trac’xian ships were dispatched to escort them.

The Glaxians started the regeneration process on the Kreeh-noshian home planet. Their estimated timeframe for complete habitation was fifty years. As soon as the breeders infiltrated a new colony they would teach others. It might take long, but in the end balance among them would be restored.

Ha’rrra decided to return to Pendo’rah as a representative for her people. Perhaps one day, when full peace was achieved, she could take a seat in the council. For now Gigi was happy to have her as a guest in her home.

The only dark spot in their bright future was Mah’yanna’s capture. Dru-lah was now heading the rescue team with O’frahm and Xy. His last transmission two days ago before entering the badlands was encouraging. According to the
Fy’kul
, a Kreeh-noshian cruiser had been spotted near a fight pit.

Gigi shuddered, thinking of the horrible place. It was the same one T’zaal had tossed her into as bait to lure Briq. What atrocities was he subjecting her sister to? She prayed the warrior was as strong and skilled as everyone proclaimed. T’zaal was a monster in the true sense of the word.

* * * *

He needed a good decon cleansing after the combat practice with his brother. Bah-Troy smiled, thinking of the disappointed look on the warriors’ faces. Many had come to watch, betting lots of credits against him. The fight was declared a draw, an outcome the majority hadn’t even considered.

Gigi was so beautiful, sitting on the platform with their little ones suckling at her breasts. The decon cleansing and sore muscles were quickly forgotten. He only had eyes for them.

“They’re so tiny and perfectly formed,” he whispered. “I’ve never been around young children before.”

“You don’t remember when Zaaq-niq and Mah’yanna were little?”

“No, when their mother had them I was at the learning matrix. I met them when they were older.”

“Wait, I don’t understand. You don’t have the same mother?”

“No, my mother wasn’t my father’s branded mate,” he said, running his fingers through the girls’ hair. “She came from one of the warrior clans. She died fighting the Kreeh-nosh at one of the outposts.”

“I’m sorry. My parents died when I was very young too.”

The babies began to cry. While Mor’u sang one of her lullabies it dawned on him why Ha’rrra had called it the song of life. Her voice had in a way given him his life back. He’d been plagued by rage and nightmares before meeting her. She’d changed it all that fateful day at the pit with her voice and kindness. He’d fallen for her the moment she’d looked into his eyes. She was his song of life.

My mate, my children, the goddess blessed me with them. I’ll not fail them. They’ll be protected as long as I live.
His mate looked at him with such love and tenderness. He put his hand over his heart and signed I love you just the way Amada had taught him.

For the first time in his life, he thought about the future. He now believed there was a way to achieve peace. He wanted his daughters to grow up knowing a better life than war. There was still much work to do. He had some personal demons to conquer with the love of his mate and the support of his family. Briq…no, Bah-Troy, for he was no longer forsaken of the House of Prahn-kril, didn’t fear the beast inside.

Epilogue

Mah’yanna struggled against the collar as a jolt coursed through her body. She woke up in a damp, foul smelling holding cell chained to the wall. She couldn’t remember how long she’d been there. The Kreeh-noshian was doing some kind of experiment, often depriving her of sleep. She shook her head to clear the heaviness. It all came back in a rush of disjointed images.

She remembered Gaal’ya betraying her own father and shooting him with a pulse weapon. Mah’yanna had watched helplessly as T’nbros’ lifeless body had fallen onto the debris-strewn floor. A Jog’nafan merc had shot her from behind with a low-yield plasma weapon and disrupted her neuro-link. With no weapons, her armor had deactivated, making her an easy target.

“At last you’re awake, filthy Pendo’rahn whore.”

The screeching voice brought her back to her present predicament. “Why are you doing this?” she rasped, barely able to speak. When was the last time she had something to drink?

“My name is T’zaal, the one Pendo’rahns will never forget. I’ll bring the Protectorate and their mighty warriors to their knees.”

He grabbed her head and exposed her neck before he injected a burning liquid. Mah’yanna’s revulsion quickly changed to hot blinding arousal. Her skin heated, and sweat ran down her face. Sexual need intensified, turning into pain. She tried to ease some of the throbbing from her now swollen dji’krah, but every move triggered more arousal.

She needed to spar with a strong, dominant warrior. She wanted to be subjugated by… “Please.” A moan escaped her lips.

“Soon, frackking piece of filth, you’ll know the touch of many. Soon you’ll know the humiliation of a common surrogate.”

“Go to hell, you coward. I’ll never submit to your will.” She yelled at him, shaking with uncontained desire.

“Your words are full of bravado, but we both know once you enter full k’lyaa you won’t care who frackks you. Baser instincts will take over.”

“I’ll kill you with my bare hands the minute I escape. Mark my words, I‘ll get out and find you.”

“If you ever escape, nothing will matter. The great Security Chief Mah’yanna of the House of Prahn-kril will be nothing more than an unclean whore defiled by many.”

T’zaal removed the chains from the wall. Mah’yanna crashed to her knees, weak from exhaustion. He dragged her down a long corridor carved out of raw stone. Her body was on fire, and every step she took was complete agony.

She knew then she was deep in some hell mining asteroid. A last pull brought her out into a huge cavern that was illuminated by bright lu’ung lights. She tried to cover her eyes from the glare, but her arms were pulled tight.

Pungent smells assailed her nose. Her mouth watered and her heart pounded. At least twenty males in their prime closed in on her. Their scent sent her deeper and deeper into k’lyaa. She was powerless to stop it. Mah’yanna understood at some level that T’zaal had somehow found a way to alter a Pendo’rahn female. He’d found the key to intensify their mating urges without sparring.

She latched on to her warrior’s training and focused on the males moving in on her. She had to come out of this alive and untouched. Pendo’rahn females, unlike their male counterparts, didn’t have sex outside their species. Her arousal built because of the drug. This made things even worse since it was her first cycle. She needed to mate with one of her kind to produce offspring.

None of these males would do since Pendo’rahn female couldn’t be impregnated by another species. It didn’t matter. She didn’t want anyone but him. She’d already chosen a male for her first mating and hopefully for life.

Once her chains were removed and a ro’traal placed in her hand, she grasped T’zaal’s intentions. He wanted her to sex-spar with all these males. That was what he’d meant when he’d said defiled by many.

If she fought them, her sexual need would increase, making her susceptible to male arousal. If she did nothing, they’d take her by force. Either way, she’d be dishonored.

The End

Song of Life

This is the story of the Kreeh-nosh origins as told to the council by Ha’rrra.

“I’m Ha’rrra, elder of the ruling class breeders. Many generations ago, when the galaxies were still young, our world was one of peace. Everyone coexisted harmoniously. Our females were the caretakers of the colonies. The power to rule over the males was ours, bestowed by the mother creator herself. The colonies prospered, spanning three sectors. Nourishment was plentiful, resources unlimited. We had strict rules for reproduction to ensure our prosperity. Just like you, we had those born to rule, born to defend and born to care.

“I’m aware of the destruction and suffering our males have inflicted on the galaxies. We were a nonviolent race until greed overcame our society. I’ll reveal to you now something about us that isn’t commonly known. A female of the ruling class could only take a docile worker as a consort. Our biological makeup only allowed us to be fertilized by them. On the other hand, a worker female could only take as a consort a more aggressive male. Balance was the key. If a strong ruling female could be fertilized by a stronger male, the resulting offspring would be too powerful to control. We didn’t have to worry about it, because we weren’t able to do it.

“During our travels we stumbled upon a bountiful world full of life and creatures like we’ve never seen before. Pretty soon we realized some of the colonies were hunting these creatures to extinction. It was agreed by all that this planet and its inhabitants should be left alone to flourish. Most colonies obeyed, except one ruled by a young and hard-headed breeder. She craved the creatures so much her heart became cruel. In her quest to obtain them she forced her colony scientists to find a way to decode the secrets of life. When they finally succeeded, the results were catastrophic. The plague of the galaxies was born, bringing with him strife to us all.

“He was the strongest, largest male ever born to a colony. Ik’tzu had the ability to fertilize any female, but he wanted only those of us born to power. He set about to strengthen and increase his army by killing those who opposed him. In exchange for protection, he demanded complete submission. One by one the colonies became his to do as he pleased. The ruling breeders became nothing but slaves to the male warriors.

“We’ve been kept under filthy deplorable conditions until a few days ago when we heard the song of life. It helped us remember who we were and gave us the strength to fight back. You see, the song was our mating call. When time came to take a consort, the song would cement the union. After we heard Gigi’s voice for the first time, it awakened something long forgotten. The song, we were told, was handed down from mother to daughter until it was outlawed.

“As the generations passed, we lost the will to sing. A few days ago, something extraordinary happened. We heard the most beautiful melody through the comm system and knew right away what it was—the song of life. For a long time we’ve been victimized by our males. What was once an act of affection they turned to one of savagery. Before the warriors took over, we had close-knit ties with them. The song of life was our way of expressing our affections. Entire generations have gone without ever hearing it. With the help of the fallen warrior and his mate, we hope to retake the song and rid our colonies of the festering sickness our warriors have brought. Order will be restored, and we can learn to live with each other peacefully. On this day, I offer you my hand in a gesture of peace and trust. In her wisdom we all thrive.”