Worth Fighting For (Little Blue Book 1) (12 page)

“So where is this other event taking place?” Juno asked.

Tasid smiled at her. He didn’t mind telling her anything she wanted to know.

“We divided the globe into large sectors. All of the events for this sector are being held in the same vicinity. The Larent may have to live on land, but their culture is also heavily based around water. We decided to do this event on the coast. The ceremony will use both the land and the water.”

“In water?” Benny asked nervously. “Our friend told us that she can’t swim.”

“And sharks. There are sharks and jellyfish that are dangerous in those waters,” Kaycee added, sounding concerned.

Jurresh waved a hand, as if to dismiss their worries. “They’ll be fine. They are aware that some of the human females can’t swim. They slightly modified the event for human ceremonies only, to allow certain assurances. If any Larent wanted a Larent female, their old traditions would stand. And as for your concerns about the local sea life, they researched all of them, and found that there isn’t anything in your waters that can even match what the Larent deal with every day, back on their home planet. They are easily capable of protecting the females.”

The females remained quiet, except to answer the constant questions his mother kept bombarding them with. They didn’t look displeased with answering her, so he let it go.

Once on the ground, they were taken to a platform that was erected high enough for high ranked officials to watch the event. All of the other spectators had to suffice with watching a vid feed from the ground.

When they reached the top of the platform, his mate gasped. “It’s a maze!” She looked delighted.

“Yes,” he told her. “The females are hidden in various parts of the maze. Traps and other challenges and obstacles are set throughout. You see the group of males over there, by the entrance?” He pointed down to the direction. When she nodded, he continued.

“Those are the males competing. They will fight through the maze, even sometimes fighting each other, because the first male to find a female, has the right to choose if he wants to keep her, or leave her to look for another female. But, as it is with Zori, there are many more males than there are females, so if the male gives up the female, he is at risk of ending up without. Should the male decide to keep the female as his mate, he must defend her from other suitors until the event is declared over. That is where the female may have some say. She can join in the fight to help the opponent she favors.”

“Which one is your friend?” Juno asked.

“Yebiri is the one in the front, farthest left.” Again, he pointed.

“Do you see your friend?” he asked, while looking around.

“I do,” Jeri answered. She pointed to the farthest corner of the maze, which was deep into the water.

His mate and her sisters had to look on the floating screen in front of them, since she was too far out for them to see, but Tasid’s excellent sight allowed him to clearly see several females were placed on a tiny water craft, surrounded by a cage that was held halfway out of the water by floats. He spotted the one female in question

“Ah, she is held as one of the most valued. She will be blessed with a very smart and strong mate,” Jurresh said, sounding impressed.

“What does that mean?” Benny asked.

This time Tasid’s mother answered. “Any male who wants her will have to go through more challenges, traps, and obstacles, than he would have with other females, who are closer.”

Tasid took over. “Since the males have to endure more, as the further back they go, they reward their cunning and endurance by placing the females deemed best of the lot in the back.”

Jurresh grunted. “Only the strongest and smartest make it that far. Believe me, those traps and other challenges they have to pass through get harder and harder, the further back they go. I probably could handle the endurance part, but some of those challenges are for wit, and a higher intelligence that sometimes rival some of our best minds, and they are doing it all under supreme pressure. Remember, they have to reach the female first, or win her from one who is already there, and then defend her until all the females are claimed. Only then will the officials call the ceremony over, and the males standing without, will have to go another year before they are allowed to try again, to allow them to build up their strength and knowledge.”

Tasid saw Juno frown. She looked up at him and asked, “How do they decide a female’s worth?”

Tasid rubbed her back, unable to get enough of her touch. “The Larent officials interview each female scheduled to participate in a mating ceremony, to figure where best to place her. They take in several different things into consideration, like how smart she is and how pretty she is, as well as many other things. They are very careful where they put each female.”

The girls went silent and stared out at the maze. Tasid could make out some of the traps and obstacles and tried to point them out. They were interrupted by the sound of a horn, which started the ceremony.

Down below, the Larent males shouted. Tasid looked down to watch his head physician pushing past other males, sprinting along the shore, and into the maze.
It will be interesting to see him as more of a warrior than a healer.

Right away, two males set off traps that caused serious enough injuries, they were forced to forfeit. Medics rushed in and lifted them out on hovering gurneys.

Juno and Benny gasped and jolted as they watched the event. The traps would startle them, and the fights made them wince and cringe. But Tasid noticed Jeri and Kaycee were excited and even yelled with enthusiasm. His parents watched quietly, very intent on the event.

Tasid looked back out into the maze and searched for Yebiri. He spotted him just as he was safely navigating one of the obstacles. The water grew deeper, and soon several of the participants were fully submerged under water. The floating screens in front of them let them watch the goings-on from below the surface, in many angles. Yebiri moved fluidly and thoughtfully.

“Is it true that they can breathe under water, as well as they do air?” Juno asked.

Tasid answered, without taking his eyes off the event. “Yes. None of the males will drown. Their lungs are two organs, divided into four parts, the upper and lower, which are separated by a membrane that filters whichever element they are breathing, into air to fully feed their body. So for instance, when they are breathing water, while the water-lungs feed the breath to the body, the membrane transforms half of it into air, to fill their dry lungs. You will see that they will still breathe out bubbles. It also allows them to breathe for two people. That’s why they are allowed to take human mates. If their mate was in the water, the male could just place his mouth over hers, and as he breathes in the water through his gills, she’d be able to breathe in the air the membrane creates, from his lungs.”

“That explains why they still didn’t transfer her out of that class when Maggie said she couldn’t swim,” Jeri said.

They continued to watch the event. Juno lightly bumped her elbow against Jurresh. “Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said those tests and challenges get harder. I can’t believe any of them could make it past those last two, and so far there are five males who have succeeded.”

“Is that fair for the others to help each other?” Jeri asked, pointing to a small group of three, struggling to pass a particular part of the maze.

“Yes,” Sharrow answered her. “They know they will be fighting each other later, but teamwork sometimes is the only way through some obstacles. It is a good trait to have and therefore encouraged.”

Kaycee nodded. “‘United we stand, divided we fall’, is what we say.”

“Yes. Very wise,” Jurresh said.

“Is that a shark?” Juno asked, slightly panicked.

Jurresh harrumphed. “Silly little things. Their teeth cannot penetrate Larent skin. They already tried. That is why the females are in those cages. The males are plenty safe, but they understand how fragile the females are. Look, Yebiri is releasing his scent. It is their protection from many predators on their planet.” Jurresh began to laugh. “Look at it. It can’t get away from Yebiri fast enough. Looks like it works just as well against the predators here, too.”

They watched for a long time. Tasid could see their shadows moving farther in front of them as the day progressed. Food and drink arrived for them. They ate and drank without taking their eyes off the event. It took about two hours by the time Yebiri reached the farthest section. They watched as he carefully made his way down the passage, looking into some of the rooms. He would get close enough to the surface to spy the females before turning around and heading further down the passage. Tasid could see there was a strong current, and knew Yebiri had to be extremely tired. He was proud that his officer didn’t let that cause him to settle for just anyone.

“Oh!” Jeri and Kaycee cried out in collective disappointment. Tasid saw a male being tossed out of the sea, and out of the maze.

“That means he’s disqualified,” he told them.

“We figured as much. That’s too bad. He got clear to the end. He was so close!” Jeri said.

“Look, look!” Benny pointed enthusiastically. “Your guy is checking Maggie out. He’s surfacing.”

Adonna smiled. “Yes, it looks like he’s talking to her.”

“Oh no, here comes another male.” Juno sounded concerned.

“Wouldn’t that be cool if they fought over Maggie? That would be a huge confidence booster for her,” Jeri said, with an amused expression.

Juno snorted. “Hopefully she won’t try to help. She would only make it worse.”

Tasid watch as the other male instigated a challenge with Yebiri. He looked down to see his mate chew on her lower lip.

“That other guy is bigger than your guy,” she told him in a worried tone.

“Do not underestimate Yebiri. He is smaller, which gives him an advantage underwater. And he is a physician. If he knows how best to heal you, then he will also know how best to harm you.”

Kaycee tapped her on her shoulder without taking her eyes off the fight. “Being a doctor, I bet he is used to long, hard challenges, under pressure, with little to no sleep.”

Tasid watched in shock as all four females cheered Yebiri on. They knew the male probably couldn’t hear them, but they cheered anyway, for someone they didn’t know.
Why?

Juno glanced up at him. The large smile on her face faded when she saw him. “What’s wrong?”

“I am confused why you females would cheer for someone you don’t know,” he answered.

“Simple, because he’s your friend. We don’t know any of the other males, but we have a connection to your friend, through you.” Juno laughed. “Besides, if he mated with Maggie, it would be another story of Providence.” Juno laughed again, and winked at him.

Tasid was curious, he couldn’t help but ask. “Providence, how? Is she a physician, too?”

The girls laughed. Juno leaned closer. “No. It’s because Maggie is a super klutz. If she winds up with your friend as a mate, she’ll always have someone ready to take care of her booboos.”

Tasid shook his head and looked at her, confused. “Booboos?”

“Owies.”

He blinked, still confused.

Juno raised a brow. “Injuries.”

Taisid’s brows shot up. “Oh! Ok, I get it.”

The two turned just in time to see the large male admit defeat and hurry off to try for one of the other females. Fights continued throughout the maze, until the horn finally blared through the air. It was loud enough that it was easily heard from underwater. Doors sealed the rooms with mates, preventing any more challenges over them.

Juno jumped up and down, cheering.

Jeri and Kaycee slapped their hands together in the air before they did a weird body shake.

Benny had her hands up in the air as she hopped up and down, in circles, cheering the loudest.

He and his father shared a mixed look of confusion and amusement. He felt it in his heart, that these small human females were going to change more than his mating status, and he wasn’t at all afraid of it. He looked forward to it.

Chapter Fourteen

Juno grew more nervous while she watched the ground grow farther away, as their transport rose higher and higher into Earth’s atmosphere. So much had happened in such a short amount of time, and now she was no longer single. In fact, she now legally belonged to an alien, for better or worse, and all that. The thought had terrified her from the moment she realized her number was drawn, and the fear hadn’t diminished since then. As she watched the atmosphere thin and darken, she felt queasy. Everything had felt a bit surreal until now—now, reality was hitting her hard.

A large flutter in her stomach caused her to press her hand against it to keep it from emptying. A warm hand gently rested on top of her other hand and lightly squeezed. The now familiar voice of her mate rumbled quietly next to her ear.

“Easy, little mate. See? It is over now. It was just the artificial gravity kicking on as we pulled free from Earth’s gravity.”

Juno pulled her eyes away from the small window long enough to look around at the other girls. They were all holding their stomachs, too.

She gave Tasid a small smile before looking back out the side window. There was much more than just empty blackness to see, and it fascinated her. She saw satellites and some floating debris. The moon was shining bright—but she couldn’t see either the ship or the construction site that were supposed to be there. Their transportation craft flew around a familiar ship. It was the one they’d first seen on the news, not that long ago.

And yet it feels like it was much, much longer ago
, she thought.

“It is important that our next priority is to order a new ship,” Tasid told her. “I am glad I hadn’t gotten around to it yet, because I would very much like for you to help me choose one. Will you help me with that?”

Juno looked at him with surprise. “Uh, sure, that sounds fun.” She didn’t say it, but she was surprised and grateful he included her in something so important.
Maybe I’m not going to be just a baby-maker. Maybe I’ll actually mean something to him. He did say my happiness was important to him. Could he actually mean it?

Their craft aimed for a small opening on the back side. As they came around and started their approach, Juno could see farther away a massive sized space station that looked more like a ship, and was about as big as Tasid’s ship. Around it were several other ships, some smaller, while others much larger than their new space station. Several much smaller ships were surrounding them.

“That vessel is the new space station,” Tasid pointed out. “It’s only temporary until a more permanent and appropriate one can be made. Those ships around the new space station belong to other ambassadors, emissaries, and dignitaries.”

She nodded in response as he continued. “Most will leave right after the ceremonies are complete. The smallest ships circling about are talons, fighter ships.”

Juno’s view was obscured when their transport slowly passed through a large, glowing force shield into an expansive landing hangar of some kind.

“This ship isn’t meant for anything serious, so it only has two transports and a small wing of talons,” Tasid said. “Once we get a new ship, we will have a much larger crew. As you may have overheard, many of the new crew are already here, but have no suitable accommodations.”

“I remember, but I didn’t understand why they couldn’t stay in the space station.”

“Though we still control the space station, its objectives and priorities are different from ours. They are mainly to protect the planet and the space belonging to it, as well as to keep order with all of the visiting peoples, while our ship is a consulate. Its purpose is to help and provide Earth with everything else. Because of our influence and purpose on Earth, we are a key target to any attack, so we need our own private militia and fleet of talons.”

The vessel landed so flawlessly that Juno didn’t even know they had completely landed. A large sliding door in the hangar rolled opened, releasing a large number of males of different races, rushing towards them. She watched them immediately line up in rows, all around them.

“Do not be afraid of them,” Tasid said reassuringly. He probably saw how tense she got when she witnessed it. “They are here to formally greet the successful mated males and their new mates, you more than the others. You are now in charge of them, to some degree.”

Juno’s head whipped around, and she stared at him in shock. “That’s supposed to ease my fear?”

Tasid had the audacity to chuckle as he helped her up out of her seat. “Most females would enjoy having many males at her command. You do not?”

“No. It means their lives are dependent on me.”

“Relax, girly,” Jeri said. “You’ve done just fine with us. Remember what I told you back at the apartment?”

Juno thought Jeri was joking, but when she looked back at her, she saw she was serious. She searched her memory and immediately thought about when she had been pushed down and hurt. It was what Jeri had told her, after she had finished with her shower, and sat on the couch to be bandaged up.
You are our gravitational center. The common link that binds us.
And our anchor. We know we can rely on you to give us order when there is chaos.

Juno wanted to argue. This wasn’t just the four of them any longer. As the large door on the shuttle opened, and she looked around at the sea of smiling faces, she couldn’t have felt the significance of that more acutely. She also noticed two other races among them that she hadn’t seen before. One of them, in particular, made her nearly turn and run back into the shuttle. Trust in her new mate was the only thing keeping her by his side. She focused, instead, on the male at the bottom of the ramp, pointedly awaiting them. She suddenly forgot about the other races and was caught up in admiring the male’s beauty.

“Wow, look at those colors. They are so beautiful,” Juno breathed out.

“Prettier than a macaw,” Jeri said from right behind her.

“And I thought the greens, blues, and purples on the other Nanstrahi males were stunning,” Benny said.

“He looks like a phoenix, don’t you think?” Maggie asked.

“I’d say that’s a fitting comparison, Maggie,” Kaycee answered.

They reached the bottom of the ramp, and Juno noticed the male’s embarrassment. He almost looked shamed, to her. Her brow knit with an expression of concern.

“What’s a phoenix?” she heard Yebiri ask.

“It’s a mythological firebird,” Kaycee answered. “Trust me, it’s a huge compliment.”

Juno couldn’t have agreed more. His wings looked like fire, with the bright red, oranges, and yellows, and she could see an iridescent hint of purple and pink in places, and his eyes were the color of lilac. He was tall and very well built. She couldn’t understand why he looked so self-conscious or confused.

Tasid began the introduction. “Horo, this is my mate, Juno. Juno, this is the male who runs the ship when I and Errim are sleeping, or off ship.”

Horo slightly bowed. “Welcome, Lady Juno.” He motioned for six males to step forward.

“These are the males Sharrow ordered assigned to your protection detail,” he told her.

Juno tensed considerably and plastered herself against Tasid’s side, but she tried not to show it. One looked like a giant black rock golem, but he wasn’t as intimidating as the one standing next to him.

Sharrow stepped forward to introduce them. Interestingly enough, he kept Jeri by his side as he did.

“I have chosen one male from each of the races on this ship. The captain of your guard is Yewma.”

Sharrow indicated a purple male with blue wings, who then stepped forward and slightly bowed his head.

“The others are Zada, Nahsee, and Vessa.”

The Nanstrahi, Malastant, and Larent males each stepped forward and gave the same greeting to their new charge.

Tasid introduce the final two. He began by pointing at the large black rock-like race. “That is Krog. His race is called the Craigor. The other is Creeleek. His race is the Morm’baree.”

“Holy tarantulas,” Jeri said.

The …
male?
… looked to be a cross between a tarantula and a praying mantis. It had ten big furry legs and a large hairy spider butt, and on his arms, shiny, sharp black mandibles, and he had many eyes on slug-like stems, protruding up from his small triangular head. Juno had to focus on trying to not freak out. Not trusting her voice, she gave a slight wave.

“I am sorry if their presence is a shock to you,” Tasid said, sounding apologetic, “but we felt it was necessary to not yet introduce them. Your people rioted, killing tens of thousands, just by seeing our spaceship approaching Earth. We felt it would be best to only introduce some of the more relatable races first. Especially concerning the Morm’baree, after we witnessed humans’ reactions to similar creatures that you have on Earth.”

“Cool,” Jeri said, smiling up at the tall Morm’baree. “Can you crawl up walls?”

Juno heard chitters, but thanks to her translator implant, she understood them.

“Yes. You are not afraid of me?” it asked.

Jeri shook her head. “Not really. Not all humans are afraid of spiders. There are even some who devote their lives to studying them. And besides, if you were a danger, I am sure none of the males here would have let you near us, let alone being assigned to protect one of us. I’m cool with you.”

Creeleek tapped his mandibles rapidly together and chittered again. “I am pleased your temperature is in acceptance of me. I greatly feared a negative reaction.”

“The Morm’baree are an extremely peaceful and caring race,” Tasid explained, “and Craigor have protection instincts that rival most. We know they are very noble races, but…”

“We get it,” Juno cut in, feeling woefully guilty. “There is already so much to accept and take in, and you wanted us to make a more unprejudiced judgment of them.”

Tasid nodded. “Especially since we heard what many humans think of aliens. Most are driven by fear from your own preconceived concepts.”

I will never look at a tarantula the same ever again,
Juno thought to herself. She took in a deep breath, then let it out, giving Creeleek a smile.

“I will be honored to have you as one of my guards,” she told him.

****

Tasid was relieved the introductions went so well. He could tell Juno was afraid, but even so, she overcame it. Tasid held his head up proudly. His mate was a good female, worthy to command so many males. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings by telling her how many of his males had held off mating, to wait and see what human females were like, before making such a commitment. But with her and her sisters as examples, he knew they were perfect representatives, and he would more than likely be swarmed with males requesting to be placed in the very next mating ceremony.

Tasid was too eager to get her to his quarters so they could complete their bond, to want to linger any longer, but he needed to get a report from Horo first. From the way the other mated males acted, they were just as eager.

“Your report, Horo?”

Horo’s brows rose. “In a hurry, are you?” A smile tugged on his lips.

Tasid heard snickers from his other officers, including the males behind him. Tasid growled.

Horo schooled his features. “Only a few issues with keeping the private ships of the dignitaries in line, but otherwise all is going well. The personal effects for all of the new mates have already been brought to the ship. For the mated males already on the ship, their females’ effects are already placed in their rooms. We are waiting for the new crewmembers who took mates to arrive, before we move their females’ effects.”

“And the preparations I tasked you to do?”

“Temporary living spaces are nearly completely set up, as you requested, though I will say it was more than difficult to accomplish on such short notice. Many of the crew who are going to be staying with the alliance didn’t want to give up their private rooms, but I have been successful with convincing them, so long as it is for a short—and I do mean short—period of time.”

“Good. Arrange for the new crewmembers to move in immediately, and I expect them to report to me in the morning, with their mates, if they have one.”

Tasid waited for acknowledgement before swiftly escorting Juno out of the landing bay. He ignored the smothered sounds of amusement he heard coming from behind.

As they made their way through the ship, he was aware of Errim and the others not far behind them. However, the closer they got to his quarters, the tenser his mate became. Worry began to eat at him.

Perhaps rushing her is scaring her too much. All of this is so new for her. If her worries continue to increase, I may not be able to bed her right away.
Tasid wanted to kick his own backside. He reached down with one of his hands to rub her back, as he trilled some more.

“I enjoyed holding you. Would you like it if I carried you?” He asked.

Juno glanced back before she looked up at him and nodded. Relief flooded him. He quickly wrapped his lower arms around her, picking her up, then secured her with his guardian wings. She breathed out a sigh, and he felt her body go limp in his arms. Tasid felt pride with her reaction to him.