Pale Stars in Her Eyes (12 page)

Ian sat in a chair, dwarfing it with his size, his long legs extended. He said, “I've written my report and the Council has it. What they do now is up to them."

"My guess is they will consider it not as much of the disaster it was because your swift actions actually solved the problem. I doubt Septinium will be a future threat to anyone.” Ran rubbed his jaw, glad to be out of his bed for the first time, just the mere fact of donning his clothes making him feel more like himself. They sat in the common room of their berth and he had actually felt like drinking a glass of wine.

"Or they might discipline me for taking such an aggressive approach."

"They might.” Ran knew his government's opposition to being perceived as high-handed. “But I doubt it. Not with half of a diplomatic team dead and the other half wounded. They knew we wanted to negotiate a peaceful solution, but they wouldn't have sent you along if they didn't think it was possible it would not turn out that way."

Ian nodded, his dark hair brushing his neck. “True enough. I have other troubles, though. I suspect they know of my relationship with Kia. There is no way others on this ship do not suspect where I spend my nights and that I'm directly breaking the rules. She is going to resign, but that does not change the fact I've breached the code of ethics."

"I think you underestimate the loyalty of those who serve under you. I doubt anyone has reported it."

"If they have, though—"

Ran shook his head. “They don't know. Trust me."

His friend gave him a keen look. “You see this?"

"Yes. Besides, they would contact me for confirmation. After all, we share a berth."

Ian seemed to relax. “That's good to know. I never imagined I would ever do such a thing, but you know, she has a powerful effect on me."

"I do know.” He couldn't help it, his gaze strayed to the window and the bed visible through the glass. Jerra napped often in the afternoons now that she was pregnant.

Ian followed his look. “Yes, I imagine you do know. Tell me, when will they let you know what is going to happen?"

"I am going to meet with the board as soon as we get back. Already, I have requests from several members for a face to face interview.” Ran felt his stomach knot. “I hope you're right and they grant my request. The laws governing intermarriage are archaic and date back to the evolution. At the time, we were emerging into our own species and the separation of the genes made sense. But now we are deliberately breeding human genetic patterns back into our bloodlines. Surely, forbidding mixed marriages is based on a rule that is no longer necessary."

"There is a certain amount of snobbery involved, you know that, Ran. You are a public figure, an S-species hero, and for you to wish to mate with a human took them weeks to approve. Marrying her might be met with refusal. In their eyes, she is simply a slave and inferior, no matter how bright and beautiful."

He knew all of that only too well. “She helped save lives.” He hoped the testimony of the doctors and the soldiers and others she'd worked on during that fateful return to the ship would aid his cause. “There was no obligation on her part to wish to help. Let's remember she was abducted for the purpose of sexual servitude. She owes us nothing, yet she gave freely, anyway."

"I am the last one to disagree with you on the point, and believe me, I will lend my weight to any argument you make.” Ian idly fingered his wine glass. “Tell me, does she know?"

"That I wish to make her my life partner? No. As you just pointed out, it might not be possible, so why get her hopes up for something that hasn't been approved of for generations. If they refuse, I will settle for keeping her as my personal property. If they refuse that...” His voice trailed off as he contemplated having to let her go to be bred to someone else. Finally, he finished with quiet emphasis, “I am not sure what I will do. I see most things with clarity. For myself, it isn't as easy."

Ian nodded, his face set. “Who knew when we set out on this mission, it would so change our lives."

Ran smiled. “I didn't see how, but I knew before we ever set foot on this ship, things would never be the same for either of us. I believe I mentioned it."

"Yes, you did. I don't know if I should envy Armada for not having an emotional involvement with a female, or feel sorry for him. He's grumbled more than once about having to share one of the other humans in deference to your possession of Jerra, but I know he's also happy for you."

"His turn will come."

"Oh, really, will it? What do you see?"

"Chaos ahead for him. It has to be a female. What else causes so much confusion in our normally ordered lives?"

"Nothing.” Ian said the word succinctly and drained his glass of wine.

She was alone.

Truly alone. Locked away and forgotten.

Jerra stared out the window and saw the foreign landscape with a sense of fatalistic contemplation. When she had been escorted off the ship, somehow she had assumed Ran would come to her. Instead, she'd been taken to the room she now occupied, and despite her requests for information, told nothing about what was happening.

Gently, she pressed her hand over the subtle swell of her abdomen. The doctor had explained since S-species had larger children, she would show the pregnancy much faster and grow larger. Luckily, the babies needed a shorter gestation period and he had already given her the date she was scheduled to deliver.

And what happened after that?

No one seemed to know. When she asked Ran, he had simply kissed her and began to make love to her, the distraction obvious but an effective tactic. She had the distinct feeling he either didn't know himself, or didn't want to tell her.

Please don't let it be the latter,
she prayed.

The door opened, startling her out of her abstraction. Jerra turned, her mouth parting in surprise as she saw Captain Liale step inside. Since they were hardly the best of friends—but had come to an uneasy truce in her opinion—she was both surprised and glad to see a familiar face.

"Hello, human.” Liale tossed something on the small bed. “I've been sent to ready you though it's hardly a duty I asked for. Put that on. You can't go as you are."

"Go where?"

"Before the Council."

"What council?"

"I am not interested in explaining. If you don't get dressed right now, we'll be late and it won't help, believe me."

There was something about her tone that made Jerra stifle her urge to argue. She saw the garment on the bed was a gown made of some filmy—but thankfully not transparent—material, and as she picked it up, it flowed over her hands with a unique softness. The gold threads glimmered in the pale light of the three moons that hung in the sky outside her window.

Nudity no longer bothered her, not after living with a window open to practically her every movement, and she gratefully took off the translucent gown designed to display rather than conceal her body, and slipped on the one Liale had brought her. It hugged her curves but fell almost to the floor, at least not showing off every bit of her anatomy. She ran a brush through her long hair and turned around.

The tall captain looked at her with what seemed like actual approval. “Your beauty might sway them. Come, let's go."

"Sway them how?"

Liale made an impatient movement with her hand. “The governor has requested you be transferred into his care."

An icy lump seemed to settle in her stomach. “What? They can't. I'm pregnant with Ran Kartel's child."

"The Council can do whatever they wish, believe me, and he will get the child no matter what they decide. Now come."

She had no choice, as usual, but to obey. If she wanted, Ian's lover could easily physically force her because of her superior size, and she would just as soon preserve whatever dignity left to her. Jerra followed her out, her palms damp, and they went to the same sort of small transport used to bring her to her latest accommodations. Liale refused to say anything more as they traveled across the teeming city and Jerra finally subsided into an uneasy silence.

The security measures required to get into the building they finally reached were complicated, but they seemed to be expected. Several of the S-species guards looked at her curiously and Jerra tried to keep an impassive expression. Once inside, Liale took her down a series of long hallways, past more guards, and finally into a huge room.

Cool air brushed her bare arms and she shivered. It was the size of a small amphitheater and she was led to the very center, where a semi-circle table faced a small dais. To her relief, she saw Ran amid the members who sat there, but her elation faded when she registered the impassive expression on his handsome face. There was no welcome in his green eyes and no emotion in the way he looked at her.

Her heart felt as if it plummeted through the floor.

Liale briefly saluted the panel and left with quiet efficiency.

"Jerra Aubrey?” One of them, older, with a dark beard and piercing eyes, spoke her name slowly.

"Yes.” She nodded, feeling their unabashed scrutiny.

"The governor has petitioned to have you made his personal property due to the nature of your superior service during the recent mission. Normally, you must understand, once taken from Earth, you belong to the government of Minoa. The unusual request is currently under debate."

The governor? Not Ran?

She looked at him and still he simply sat there. She had known she would be passed on to other S-species males for breeding, but he had promised her they would at least be together for the period of her pregnancy. “What is it you wish from me?” she asked boldly, doing her best to look composed when what she really wanted was to burst into tears.

"Actually, I suppose we were more curious than anything.” One of the others spoke out, his gray hair and regal bearing impressive. “I am told you insisted on helping after the wounded were brought back from Septinium. Tell us why if you will."

"I was hardly going to let anyone suffer if I could do something about it."

"But you are a slave,” another one said.

She looked directly at the speaker. “Quite frankly, I have never felt that way. Yes, you captured me, forced me into sexual servitude, and have even bred me, but there are some things you simply cannot own. In my heart, I am free. When I give, it is of my choice. You can take all you wish, but the only thing of value is what is given. If you choose to force me to go to someone other than Ran Kartel, I suppose I can do nothing about it. However, rest assured they will never enjoy me as he did, for I love him and right now his child grows inside me."

The older gray-haired opened his mouth as if to speak, but then lapsed into silence. The bearded man spoke instead. “I see. Thank you, Miss Aubrey."

It was a dismissal, but she didn't move. Instead, she looked at Ran, hoping he would see the emotion in her eyes. “You are not going to fight for me in any way?"

"I have."

The resignation in his voice made her furious. “That's it? You would let me go so easily? I am not your slave, and you well know it. We are lovers. It is an entirely different thing."

"I agree.” The ghost of a smile seemed to hover around his lips. “Entirely."

"I do not know who the governor is and I don't care. I will not be passed off—"

"Miss Aubrey, you are dismissed."

"I am
not
dismissed.” There was too much entirely at stake for her to care about their high-handed rules. She was shaking, her unhappiness tangible and all consuming, and she clenched her hands into fists. “Perhaps you think you are superior, but I will tell you that isn't true if you do not let love and compassion govern your actions. It isn't simple, believe me, because I know firsthand the difficulties of gaining affection for someone who has complete and utter control over your life. But being powerless physically does not make you powerless emotionally. I do not care what you all decide. I will not—"

"Jerra.” Ran stood up. “I am the new governor of Minoa."

His declaration stopped her rant. She stared at him. “What?"

"I am the new governor. I was just appointed. The Council is now trying to decide if the law needs to be changed so humans and S-species of either sex can marry legally upon my recommendation. So far, it is outlawed because your race is considered inferior.” His emerald eyes glimmered in amusement. “I think, however, you just made quite a point on the subject."

Her knees felt actually weak. “I did?"

He left his position at the table and came around toward her. “Yes, you did. I don't believe there is anyone here who is in question over your feelings."

"Ran.” She didn't even realize she'd moved until she felt his arms draw her close and she buried her face against his chest. “I have missed you so much."

He stroked her hair and laughed softly despite their audience. “I know. Believe it or not, as inferior as my passion might be to your human emotion, I do have a modicum of sentiment and I have missed you, too.” He glanced at the Council. “Well? Have you made a decision?"

It felt like their first night together.

Jerra laid her son gently in the cradle. His extraordinary beauty always amazed her, but then again, she felt the same way about his father. Thanks to Ran, she had even been able to communicate with her parents several times, and he'd proposed a trip so she could let them see their grandchild as soon as he was old enough to make the journey. She quietly eased the door to the nursery open and slipped out.

"Is he finally asleep?” Ran waited for her in bed, propped on one elbow, the soft starlight outside the window illuminating his thick shining hair and brilliant eyes.

She nodded. “He was hungry."

Her husband smiled. “As far as I can tell, he is a voracious eater for someone so small. I'm a bit jealous for he currently gets to spend more time with your breasts than I do."

"They are free at the moment.” She hadn't bothered to refasten her gown and saw his gaze glimmer as she walked toward the bed. Her breasts, heavier now since she gave birth, swayed as she moved. The doctor had confirmed it was fine now for her to resume normal sexual relations and she was more than anxious.