His by Right (13 page)

           
Makes you wonder, how high up in the hierarchy is "commander"?

           
He stopped beside her on his way out. Reaching into her hair, he pulled out a small chunk of dirt. "You might want to think about cleansing yourself. You have debris on you."

            "No doubt. Then what?"

            "If you are tired, sleep. If you are hungry, eat, but I suggest you go to the main gathering room to order what you want. The replicator in this room needs to be fixed. It keeps giving me soup, no matter what I request."

            "What about you? Where are you going?"

            "If you have need of me, ask someone as to my whereabouts. You forget I have a ship to run. I will meet up with you again later."

            After another kiss to her forehead, he strode through the mist-shrouded doorway, leaving her alone with her thoughts and a thousand still unanswered questions.

Chapter Twenty-One

Bajud

            The cleaning chamber felt like she was being pelted with talcum powder that held a slight musky scent. Yet, once the blasts of tepid air cleaned her, she felt fresh and invigorated. Even her hair seemed easier to comb through with her fingers.

            As she'd suspected, the closet panel contained a replicator much like the one on the whoreship. Telling it to give her a shift, however, provided her with a garment much closer to a full slip she'd wear on Earth after it scanned her from head to toe. The shift was blue, as she'd ordered, and made of some silky material held up by two spaghetti-thin straps and hung straight to her knees. After a second thought, Meredith stuffed the shift underneath the waistlet, which gave it a belted appearance. Snatching the veil from the floor, she used it to tie back her hair into a ponytail as she exited the bedroom.

            Other aliens, including Alcatians, passed her as she browsed the corridors. They had similar features to Neeveer, but no one else wore a gray uniform. Each individual eyed her with curiosity, but no one spoke or even acknowledged her.

            It was the smell of something tempting, like the odors from a kitchen, that helped her to locate the main eating room. It was a large hall, airy, open, and brightly lit. Rows of benches lined up across the floor, but there were no tables, even though half a dozen creatures sat and ate, hunched over what appeared to be a tray of food.

            She watched as an Alcatian strode in from the opposite end of the room and approached a wall. He placed his order, and presently a lower panel slid open. He pulled out the tray and took it over to a bench where he sat down. Upon releasing the tray, the dish remained frozen in mid-air as he proceeded to eat.

            "Okay. So that's why there's no table." Her stomach gurgled in reply, reminding her she hadn't had a bite in some time, either. Going over to the panel, she realized she'd caught everyone's attention, but tried to shrug it off.

            "Umm, hamburger." A light flashed, and she suspected it meant the same thing as it did on the replicator on the whoreship.

            "Two slices of bread, a patty of meat cooked medium well, lettuce, a couple of slices of tomato, a sliced dill pickle, and mustard."

            The light flashed again.

            "Damn."

            "Can I be of assistance?"

            She started at the deep voice over her shoulder and jumped back a bit, colliding with the Alcatian wearing a dark green uniform and standing beside her. "Oh. Sorry. Yes, please."

            "What are you wanting?"

            "Well, I was trying to get a hamburger, but at this point, I'm so hungry, I'll eat anything."

            "Have you had
oftusel
?"

            "No. Is it dead?"

            "
Oftusel
," the Alcatian ordered, then gave her a smile. "It is from a plant. I enjoy the dish."

            The panel opened, and Meredith was handed a tray with a bowl and fork. Inside the bowl, a pile of something yellow steamed. She sniffed it. At least it smelled okay.

            Walking over to one of the empty benches, she sat down and gingerly tried to let go of the tray to see if it would hover. After two attempts, she sighed and debated whether it would be easier to put the tray down on the ground and just hold the bowl while she ate.

            "You must initiate the coils," a familiar voice spoke.

            She glanced up to see the creature which had helped her order take a seat on the bench across from her. "The coils?"

            He held his own tray above his head where she could see the underside. After swiping his fingers against the bottom, two wavy, parallel lines began to glow. The alien brought the tray down to a level he was comfortable with, and let go. The tray remained stable. "Now you try."

            Lifting her tray, she brushed her fingers against the bottom, and smiled when two identical lights appeared. Lowering her meal to waist level, she took a deep breath.

            "Okay. Here goes. But if it falls, you're helping me clean it up."

            Gingerly, she let go, and the tray stayed put. Meredith gave the alien a warm smile. "Thanks. I was beginning to wonder if everyone around here would always avoid me like the plague."

            "You are...unusual. Your presence here, more so."

            She dipped into her food, blew on it, and cautiously sampled it.

            "What is your verdict?" the creature asked.

            "Umm, let me try another gallon of this first, and then you can ask. Wow, this is good! What's it called again?"

            "
Oftusel.
"

            "Ov-too-sul. I hope I can remember it."

            "If you forget, ask any of us what the yellow soup is called."

            They ate for a while. Meredith noticed how the other often used his fingers to pull something from his bowl before putting it in his mouth. Something greenish-brown and still moving.

            "What is it you're eating?"

            "
Makko.
"

            "Would I like it?"

            He looked at her. "Care to try some?"

            "Sure."

            He lifted a small portion over to her tray and waited for her reaction. She gave it a good long stare before poking it with her spoon.

            "It's still alive, isn't it?"

            "Partially. If you kill it, the taste becomes bitter. It is best eaten when it is semi-conscious."

            A shudder went through her. "On second thought, I think I'll pass. Maybe I'll have the courage to try again at a later date. Thank you for the offer. By the way, my name is Meredith. You can call me Merry."

            "I am Torgoth Bajud Arn Vees Neeveer."

            "Torgoth?"

            "Torgoth is my shield. You may call me Bajud."

            "Bah-jood. That's a good name. A strong name. Would that mean Magia is Neeveer's shield?"

            "Yes."

            "What's a shield? Is that like a ranking or something?"

            "It is similar."

            "Does Magia mean commander?"

            He looked at her. "It is similar."

            Meredith tapped the side of her neck, beneath the ear. "Do all of you have those translation devices?"

            "They are standard issue when we enlist."

            "When you enlist? Is this ship part of the army? Or navy? Or whatever you call your military force?"

            "It is similar."

            She snorted. "Big help you are."

            "You are welcome."

            She scraped the bottom of her bowl and licked the spoon for good measure. "All I need now is a napkin and something to drink. Excuse me."

            She got up to retrieve a cup of water. As for a napkin, she was out of luck the same way she'd been on the whoreship. Pulling the veil out of her hair, she used it to wipe her mouth, then tucked it under the waistlet. She could always get a clean one from the clothing generator if she wanted.

            Bringing her cup back to her seat, she noticed Bajud had finished and was patiently watching her.

            "Please. Don't stay on my account if you have something you need to do."

            "My curiosity has not been satisfied. I wish to stay a while longer, if you do not mind."

            "I'll pester you with questions if you do."

            The remark earned her a grin and she noted how his tusks were not as long nor as thick as Neeveer's.
It could be an age thing. He could be younger.

           
"Ask me anything," he offered.

            She didn't hesitate. "Why did you attack the whoreship?"

            He frowned. "Attack what?"

            "The ship I was on. Why was it attacked?"

            "We did not attack it. We were given orders to find you and bring you here."

            Although she had half expected that answer, it still managed to surprise her. "How would you know you'd found the right person?"

            That one earned her a chuckle. "The evadium."

            "What if I had taken it off before you attacked?"

            "Why do you think we boarded your ship so soon after Neeveer left you?"

            Meredith mulled over what he said. He was right. There couldn't have been more than a ten or fifteen minute gap between the time Neeveer left her, and she went to the lounge, to when the alarm cats started howling.

            "But why me?" She shook her head. "Why kidnap me? Why give me this expensive piece of jewelry? Why offer to pay such an exorbitant amount for me, and then do it anyway after taking me off the ship? Why would he go to all that trouble?
Why?
"

            Then, another thought hit her. Another realization.

           
"Those close to me call me Neeveer."

           
She glared at Bajud. "I'm normally not a suspicious person, but of all the people on this ship, why are you the only one willing to talk to me, much less eat with me?"

            He looked puzzled. "I do not understand the question."

            "Bullshit. You called him Neeveer. No one calls him that except for those close to him. He sent you to watch over me, didn't he?"

            "Actually, it was my idea. I wanted to get to know you. Like you, I am also curious to know why he chose you, after all these years of being solitary. Why he believes you are his
seela.
He does not know I am here, but he soon will. Word travels fast on the ship, even one as large as the
Eejagur
."

            "So, what are you? His best friend? His second in command?"

            "Truthfully, I am his son. Neeveer is my father, as well as commander of this ship."

Chapter Twenty-Two

Answers

            Meredith stared at Bajud in disbelief as her stomach clenched in anger and fear.

            "He's your...
Oh, my God!
"

            Jumping to her feet, she fled from the room, one hand clamped over her mouth, as she prayed to make it before her stomach sent everything back up. Already she could feel her meal roiling and churning as she tried to keep it down.

            It didn't take long before she realized she was completely lost. Like the whoreship, every corridor looked exactly alike. Meredith finally collapsed on the floor and hunched over as she gasped for breath and prayed she wouldn't throw up.

            His son. Bajud was his son. Having a son meant there was a mother. A wife.

            It meant she was his mistress.

            Suddenly, the waistlet made a world of sense. Didn't the rich and powerful always splurge on their concubines? She was Neeveer's trophy. His plaything. She meant nothing to him other than a good fuck.

           
I'm such an idiot! I've been so stupid! Why didn't I see it? Why didn't I see it?

           
Tears burned in her chest, flooded her face with burning heat, and rolled down her cheeks. Screams built within her throat, bubbling with acidic intensity. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed, shoulders shaking.

           
Why do I care? Why does this hurt so much? Why does all of this hurt so damn much? Why?

            It's your own fault,
the little voice derided her.
Why would you think only single males, human or non, would use a whoreship?
           

            "Merry."

            A hand touched her hair. She slapped it away and blew her nose on the veil.

            "Merry."

            "What?"

            "Come with me."

            "I can't. I'm a mess. And I'm lost. I don't know how to get back to my room." She kept her head down and wiped her tears on her shift, too ashamed to look at him. No telling how long he had been standing there, watching her and waiting.

            "I will take you there. Come with me."

            Bajud took the lead. Meredith stood and meekly followed. They walked through many corridors, passing several crew members, yet no one spoke to them. After a while, she realized they weren't heading back to the bedroom. Hiccupping slightly, she paused at an intersection.

            "Where are we going?"

            "Patience. We are almost there."

            True to his word, he stopped at the opposite end of the corridor. "In here," he instructed, and proceeded ahead of her. She found the door and entered.

            The room was dark except for multi-colored lights emanating from several dripping globes that were scattered around the room. As she watched, one pale lime-colored ball the size of her head appeared to melt. A florescent drop fell into a small cup where the liquid continued to glow.