“What would
my friend and the empire ask of us?”
“It’s big, Kels. We’ve found a
compatible species to breed with.”
Kels’s heart nearly stopped. For
a moment he couldn’t breathe. A compatible species? A sign of hope as
Kalquorians teetered on the brink of extinction?
“Mother of All! Is this true?”
he burst out when he could speak. “The entire empire must be celebrating! Of
all times for me to be away!”
“It’s a miracle, isn’t it? But
it’s also a closely guarded secret for the moment.”
“What? Why?”
“It’s the Earthers. Earther
women have been proven capable of carrying our children.”
Kels’s earlier vision of
Maryam—on her knees, offering him pleasure—erupted in his mind’s eye. His voice
was raspy when he told Sebast, “There’s an Earther female on this station.”
“I know. You’ve seen her?”
“I’ve met her. She’s been playing
chaperone to Briel these past days.”
Excitement colored Sebast’s
voice. “That’s brilliant, Kels! Exactly what we needed to happen!”
“I take it you’d like me to
invite her to come home with us?”
The pause that followed was so
long, Kels thought they’d been disconnected. Just as he was about to check,
Sebast spoke. “You can start with an invitation.”
Kels sensed a dark undercurrent
to his friend’s tone. “Start with it? Then what, bribery?”
“If you must. If that doesn’t
work—Kels, the order came from highest reaches of the government. One of the ruling
committees of the council I’m not on, or perhaps even the Imperial Clan itself.
We must have any Earther women we can lay hands on.”
It was Kels’s turn to be silent.
Surely Sebast wasn’t telling him to take Maryam to Kalquor by force?
No release date set.
I can't wait -
ReplyDeleteNo date!? You mean evil woman.
ReplyDelete