Chapter Fifty-Six

The Malchian Leader

Three weeks later, Sorgan, the commander of the Malchians arrived back in Earth’s solar system, on his way to meet Trieste in her sanctuary, aboard the Queen’s ship.

His visit was unscheduled, but it was clear someone had followed his progress very closely. Safrec stood in front of him as he approached the Sanctuary entrance.

“Sorgan, may I speak to you before you join the Queen?”

“I would he happy to meet with you. I am sure we have much to discuss but my Queen is expecting me.”

Safrec stood his ground.”No. That was not a request. I will speak to you before you enter. You must understand your relationship with the Queen has changed.”

Sorgan expected as much. He had communicated with the Queen through his mind, several times in the last few hours. She told him, she had mated with the Kronan to sustain her life and it meant nothing. Safrec was not the chosen one.

He moved forward confrontationally to within a half meter of the Kronan, staring straight at the Kryl leader, with his chest puffed up. A typical sparring stance between two warring Kryl.

“Nothing has changed. The Queen explained the nature of your relationship and your physical actions. Your job was to sustain her life until I returned. Now I am back, so please stand aside. I will speak to you later.”

The Kronan said nothing at first, but pushed himself forward, increasing his postulating stance. Their bodies were virtually touching. He waited patiently for Sorgan to respond.

“You have pushed yourself too far. You have no idea how much power I have. I can crush you into the ground in a flash. You will stand down and meet with me. Then you can see the Queen.”

“Don’t be a fool, Safrec. You have long asserted your powers exceed mine. I have long suggested they don’t.”

“You have no caste Malchian. You have no power.”

Safrec’s patience ran out. He raised his hand and pushed into the Malchian’s body, forcing Sorgan back. Safrec raised his hand again, but found himself forced back and down to his knees. The Malchian had entered his mind!

“As you can see Safrec, I do have power…”

“Enough!”

The Queen stood in front of them. “Did you not think I could hear your thoughts? Safrec, I will speak to you later. Sorgan, please join me.”

The Malchian smiled as he pushed past the Kronan. Safrec gestured as to challenge Sorgan again, but the Queen stood in his way. “As I have said, I will speak to you later…Sorgan and I have some catching up to do and your presence is not required.”

She turned her back on Safrec and entered the sanctuary with the door closing behind her. Safrec was enraged. How had he been so foolish to let the Malchian into his brain? His mind was completely unguarded. He would not let it happen again and next time, he would gain the upper hand…the final one.

* * * *

“My Queen. It is good to see you again. It has been too long.”

“Yes, Sorgan and, as I explained, I lay with Safrec to boost my immune system. I need to be strong in the weeks ahead. As do you.”

“I am always strong, my Queen. You need the sustenance provided by the brain stimuli of a human. I have brought you a strong human…an Alpha commander; you should consume him in one go. Safrec needs to understand his position. He should take a mistress and concentrate on defeating the humans. The risks to the Kryl are significant.”

“Yes…but not to you and that means you and your kind will become more important, Most of the Kryl castes will die, probably me too; if the radiation is allowed to penetrate into our environmental systems.”

“Then we should move on. The Kryl have their new stock for relief of the disease. If rationed correctly the supply can be enduring. We can find another source.”

“No, Sorgan. It would take too long. The risks are too great. I am entrusting my commanders to stop the radiation attack from taking effect. You must work together with Safrec. I will take your Alpha commander, but I will consume him slowly. My main source of immunity will come from you, when we lie together.”

Sorgan smiled. He contemplated the long night that awaited them. Her body perfectly entwined with his own. Only he could give her what she really wanted. But that was later for now he was her protector.

“Trieste, I will do whatever you ask of me as the leader of Malchians, the guardian of the Queen, but I will not like it. The Kronan wishes me dead and I him. One of us will not survive this conflict. He has no idea how strong I am.”

Malchian stood with his chest pushed out, reflecting his power, stance and position. His people were of no caste, but before the biotechnical cloning, they had been. If you deigned to be strong because you would have been a high caste Kryl, you would never lose that strength and power, even if your imprint was genetically altered. Hereditarily he was strong and free from the defects which so badly affected the Kryl caste. The sickness and disease which killed so many, would not affect him. Yet, he was also a high caste, A Kronan in his own right. A silent Kronan, undetected, but more powerful than any before him, because he was also a Malchian. Safrec would not survive a conflict between them.

The Queen smiled. He allowed her to read his thoughts. She knew she had chosen well. Sorgan was her “chosen one”.

* * * *

Safrec was forced to wait for an audience with the Queen and, worst still, the Malchian had left to join his ship, rather than meet with him as agreed. He now was summoned to the Queen’s chamber. He doubted whether this was for the same reason as before.

“Enter, my Kronan. Thank you for your patience. Sorgan and I needed to spend some time together. He is my “chosen one” now. You should seek a mistress amongst the queen caste and proffer her to me as a potential replacement as my death draws near. She must be strong and not susceptible to the disease.”

“Trieste. Sorgan cannot be the “chosen one”. I am the Kronan, not him. He is not as strong as me. I can give you so much more.”

“You have underestimated him already. If you do battle with him, you will lose and I forbid it. I need you close to me—strong and diligent. We must stop Alpha from spreading the radiation. You will work together with Sorgan to defeat them. Take your fleet to meet the Alpha ships now. Do not come back to me until you have destroyed them.”

Safrec realized this brief encounter was all that he would be given. He was summoned, given his orders, and dismissed. He smiled and acknowledged her command. To say anything further was not warranted. He would take command of his fleet. They were ready and they knew where the enemy was. They would defeat them, together with the Malchians and he would return triumphant, with the slain Malchian leader at his side. He would take his prize once and for all. But first, he needed a mistress. He had already selected the best of the queen caste and now he would lie with her.