Tarthian Empire space, Tarth orbit
Le Persequor - lurk mode (invisible)
An endless walk through the ship beside Uurah stopped at the door of a small room no larger than Wulf's closet at home. A table and four chairs took up the center of the windowless cell. The android gestured to him to enter. "Wait in here. Cyken will join you soon."
"Uurah?" Wulf touched the android's arm as he turned to go.
He waited for Wulf to speak.
"You said no one could reach Luc."
"We haven't. But his shuttle docked a moment ago." Uurah tapped his temple. "I felt the droid interface." He paused at the door. "You will be locked in, Chosen."
Wulf swallowed, nodded without a word. He'd never been good at facing Luc. Every time he'd stood up to him, it made his jaws clench so tight they ached, but Luc needed someone to challenge him. So few did, and it was what kept Luc strong. He thrived on it.
Alitus, on the other hand, thrived on encouragement.
Oh, Alitus. Wulf fought the urge to crumple into a sobbing mess. He braced himself with both hands against the table. He could not sit down yet.
The Chosen Council he could deal with. He'd done nothing wrong except fall in love, and if they wanted to kill him for that, so be it. Alitus was worth any sacrifice, even if all they'd ever had were stolen moments.
But when Luc arrived, he'd rather face him standing.
* * * *
Tarthian Empire space, Tarth orbit
Le Persequor - lurk mode (invisible)
Le Persequor's android shuttle crew permitted Luc to dock, but kept him inside his ship until Uurah arrived. By the time he charged down the ramp, Luc had lost every vestige of politeness. "Where the hell is Wulf? So help me, if you've laid one hand on him, I--"
"Cyken!" Uurah's cool regard silenced him. "He is Chosen. None of us have touched him. He is under arrest, however, by order of the Chosen Council."
"Under arrest! For what? Take me to him right now!"
Uurah turned on his heel. "Come with me."
Luc's height gave him the advantage over most men in the same way Uurah's gave him an advantage over Luc. Hurrying to keep up with the android, he lengthened his stride. "Where is he? What has he done?"
"He's awaiting trial by the Council." Uurah glanced down at him. "As you are awaiting trial by his lordship."
"Tri--" Luc halted. "What! Why? What the hell has he done? What did I do?"
Uurah turned back to face him, hands clasped behind him, patient as a teacher with a class of students. "Your guilt has not been proven yet, but you and another player are accused of having circumvented the rules of Peril by involving the Chosen."
Luc took a deep breath. "Pietas knew Erryq was going to use Wulf to test Alitus. He didn't like the idea, but left it up to Rheyn and me." Luc had told Rheyn it wasn't a good idea, but she'd insisted. And like the fool he always was where she was concerned, he'd listened. Erryq had talked them both into it in the first place. "We shouldn't be punished for that. Neither should Wulf. If that's what you're holding him for, I demand you release him."
"What you demand is of no consequence on this ship." Uurah continued on his way, leaving Luc to catch up. "Your Chosen is under arrest on a separate, but somewhat related charge."
"Damn it, Uurah, stop playing twenty questions, and tell me what the hell he did."
He stopped before a door and gave him a small bow. "I believe you'll discover that on your own soon enough." He opened the door. "Wait inside, please."
The door shut behind him. On the other side of the room in a dark corner stood a bearded man in rumpled clothing, his streaked hair disheveled. Was this a Chosen? Whose? For the first time, Luc began to feel a nibble of fear. What's going on?
And then the man stepped into the meager light and dropped his hands, and fear hit like a kick to the groin.
"Wulf?" This shabby, unkempt man could not be the prince of Tarthian fashion he'd fallen in love with. "What has Pietas done to you? I will tear him apart if he's hurt you!"
He opened and shut his mouth, not making a sound. He backed away, moving one hand back and forth as if negating his attempt at words.
Luc shoved the table out of the way, took one giant step and crushed him into his arms. "Wulf. Oh, Wulf." He pushed him away for another glimpse of his face. A white streak marked his hair on the right side. Luc touched it, curled his fingers into the thick locks, puzzling over its cause. He gathered him close and rocked him, pressed Wulf's head against his chest. "What happened?
A sob broke from his Chosen, and he pushed away. Bloodshot, puffy eyes in a face ravaged by lack of sleep looked up at him. "Oh, Luc." He rubbed a hand across his red nose. "Luc, I'm so sorry. I never wanted you to find out like this. I never wanted to hurt you."
Luc pulled off his own jacket and wrapped it around Wulf's shoulders. "Whatever it is, whatever you've done, it can wait. Let me hold you. Shh." He took Wulf into his arms. "You're trembling. Let me get you warm and hold you, and you can tell me anything you want."
"I d-didn't mean to hurt you."
"Shh." He rocked him. "It's all right."
Wulf leaned against him, slid his arms up around Luc's back, and grabbed hold of his shirt. Wulf hiccupped twice. The first sob was so tight it squeeked. The second shook him, and then he broke down and cried as if something inside him had broken.
Torn between the desire to comfort Wulf and the need to throttle someone--anyone--for hurting him, Luc held him and cooed soft comforts. When the sobs subsided somewhat, Luc got them both onto the floor, up in the corner. He positioned himself so Wulf sat between his knees and against his chest, head on Luc's shoulder. Bracing his back against the wall, Luc held onto him.
When Wulf pulled away, Luc let him go. They sat crosslegged on the floor, facing each other.
Wulf hiccupped every time he tried to talk, and had to try several times to get the words out. "I h-have to tell you what I d-did."
"If you want to, Wulf. You don't have to."
"Yes, I do." He rubbed at his nose and eyes. "I need you to understand."
Luc set elbows on his knees and leaned forward, hands clasped. "Maybe if we'd been honest with each other before this, we wouldn't be having this talk."
They gazed at each other for a long moment, neither speaking. Wulf looked away first. "After you and Her Majesty asked me to test Alitus, and we ended up working together..." He sucked in a harsh breath, bit his lips. "We..."
"Wulf." Luc laid a hand on his arm. "It's all right. I know what you're trying to tell me."
He met Luc's gaze, curiosity and fear warring in his eyes. "You do?"
"You were having an affair."
Wulf held his gaze a moment longer, looked away. "We'd been together before that. Long before."
"Before the test?"
Nodding, Wulf rubbed at his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you, but I fell in love with him. I rationalized it, I guess. You weren't faithful. Why should I be?" He glanced at Luc. "I'm only sorry I hurt you."
Luc laced his fingers together. "I don't know if I could be faithful to anyone, although I was to you."
Wulf gave him a sharp glance.
"Well, most of our first year." Luc studied his own hands. "I was--I tried to--" He stopped the lies that came to mind. He couldn't bring himself to look Wulf in the eyes. "Truth is, I was promiscuous as hell. It was Rheyn, mostly, though. I've always had a weakness for her. She's gotten me in trouble since before we left Sempervia."
"Ten thousand years is a long time to have it bad for some woman."
"Yeah." Luc nodded, wet his lips, smiled at him. "But she'll never settle for me." When Wulf squinted at him, Luc added, "Not blond enough."
They both laughed, the sound hollow.
Luc took Wulf's hand. "Where is Alitus? Are they going to try him as well? Is that what this is all about?"
Wulf tried to speak, covered his mouth, and took several deep breaths. While he unfolded the entire story of Alitus's death, Luc sat in silence. There was nothing to say. No words could comfort at a time like this. How many times over the centuries had he tried? Instead, he held out his arms and let Wulf come to him. He held him. Wulf's sobs filled the room.
* * * *
Tarth City, Vensahn District
Talhart and Vandi Brighton's home (Jawk's parents)
All the way home in Mynkoh's private hover, Jawk went through the note reader his father had given him. Batchelors Four had fired every one of their wait staff for violating company policy: engaging in sex with Batchelors' clients, using the company and location as a means of obtaining non-licensed sex-work. Nij was in jail for the same thing, plus charges of procuring sex with non-licensed slakes, failure to pay taxes ... the list went on. NETway had rescinded Nij's job offer and placed Jawk on their "no-hire" list for being involved.
But it was the last item that had made Jawk toss the reader into his backpack and lean forward, hands over his eyes, elbows braced on his knees. Tarth Technical College suspended Jawk indefinitely, pending charges. His mother would kill him. Kill him.
Jawk thanked Mynkoh for the ride, received a non-committal shrug in response, and followed his father into the house.
Talhart ordered his brother and sisters off to their rooms, then gestured for Jawk to follow him to the kitchen. His mother sat at the table, her ears drooping. Redness around her eyes revealed her tears.
"Sit down, Son." Talhart pulled out a chair and eased into it, resting his cane against the table's edge.
Jawk put his backpack on the floor and sat in a straight-backed kitchen chair, his spine rigid, hands on his thighs. He kept his ears down and couldn't bring himself to look his mother in the face.
She gripped Talhart's wrist, questioning him with her eyes. He turned his gaze on Jawk. "Tell your mother where you were last week. And while you're at it, why you lost your job and were kicked out of school."
His father had beaten him twice in his life. Once for backtalking his mother when he was nine and once for lying to her a few days later. Her soft sobs now hurt him worse than either of those.
Jawk squirmed on the chair, reached up and scratched an ear. "I'm sorry, Ay."
His father slammed a hand on the table, making Jawk and his mother both jump. "That's all you can say? 'I'm sorry, Mom'?"
"How could you do this?" Vandi asked in Felis. "How could you shame us so?"
"You don't understand. I--"
"What's there to understand?" His father clenched a fist. "You violated our trust. You lied to your boss, ruined your reputation at the school, and then you sold yourself to that--that man." Talhart's bewildered disgust stank of spoiled oranges and mold. "How could you do such a thing?"
"Jawk." His mother slid one hand toward him on the table, but didn't touch. "Aren't there any nice girls at your school?"
He laughed, then, the sound pregnant with pain. Standing, he pushed in his chair and leaned against it. "Girls?" He gripped the chair's back. "Mom, I'm bisexual. What is it with the Kin anyway? What's so bad about having sex with your own gender?"
His mother gasped. "Jawk! On Felidae, the Clan Council would put you to death for even saying that."
"Yeah, well, guess what? This isn't Felidae."
His father leaped out of his chair and leaned across the table. "Don't you dare speak to your mother like that!"
"I'm sorry it offends her, Dad, but this is Tarth, not Felidae. I've been having sex with other guys since I was fifteen."
His mother sucked in a gulp of air and laid both ears straight back. "You admit it?"
He picked up his backpack. "I have to go."
"You're not going anywhere." His father came around the table. "Sit down."
Escalating a fight with his father wouldn't help matters, but he had other plans, and this was going nowhere fast. "Sorry, Dad, but neither of you are willing to listen, and I've got things to do."
His mother's slap rocked him backwards. He hadn't seen it coming, and for so small a female, she packed one hell of a punch. "How dare you!" She would have slapped him again, but he put up a hand to defend himself and backed away.
"I'm sorry, Mom. Dad. I gotta go." He headed for the door.
His father's hand on his shoulder spun him around. "You're staying, and you're going to listen. What's wrong with you, Jawk? We didn't bring you up to act like this."
"Next you're going to remind me how you rescued me off Felidae, right, Dad?" Before his father could react, Jawk tugged his backpack up onto his shoulder. "Save your breath. I've been on Felidae six times in the last two years. I know what it's like being a male there. Every time I go, I have to worry whether having a cock and balls is going to get me thrown in prison, or some breeder camp somewhere, or maybe just hauled off as some kind of sex slave."
"You've been to Felidae? When? What are you talking about?"
Jawk closed his eyes, ears drooping. "You wouldn't understand."
"Jawk!" He grabbed his son's jacket with both fists. "Damn it! Talk to me." Talhart Brighton was too big to argue with, and his training made him inescapable. But Jawk had other means of escaping him.
"No. You'll hit me if I tell you."
"I'll hit you if you don't!"
"Talhart." Vandi came up next to them. "Let him go. Please."
His father released him, took a step back. "Why would you go to Felidae? It isn't part of the empire. They're allies, so there's no military presence any more. The place is crawling with rebels. Do you have any idea the danger you're in?"
"You don't get it, do you?" He set his feet wider apart. "I go there because I am a rebel. I've been part of the underground for years. Did you get that? I'm a rebel. I'm one of those people you're always preaching about." He stuck a thumb into his own chest. "Me."
His parents stared at him as if he'd spoken a foreign language.
Talhart's face went pale, and he clutched at his heart, staggered back with a grunt as if he'd been struck, eyes full of pain.
"I do everything I can to undermine the Armada, Dad. I hate them for what they did to you. And if you're not man enough to stand up to them, damn it, I will be."
Vandi covered her mouth with both hands, tears filling her eyes.
His father backed away, stumbled around the chair behind him, and picked up his cane.
Jawk tensed.
Talhart turned and tore open the back door. Vandi cast Jawk a look of horror and went out after him. "Talhart!"
Jawk could hear her screaming and the sound of his father's cane striking something wet. He raced to the door and onto the porch.
His mother stood on its edge, sobbing while his father plundered the garden Jawk had built her. Again and again, he used his cane like a weapon, smashing the rows of plants, sending blossoms and plants flying. The man's chest heaved as he turned and limped back toward Jawk, his cane raised.
"Get out!"
Jawk stumbled backward.
"Get out!" his father raged. "Get out of my house, and don't you ever come back. Rebel trash. Scum. Get out!"
Vandi never turned his way, just went out into the ruined garden and knelt, sobbing.
Jawk backed away, turned and ran through the house, out the front door and down the steps. At the sidewalk, he turned back one last time. His brother stood at an upstairs window, watching, hurt and confusion on his young face. He lifted a hand in farewell, was abruptly jerked away from the window. Talhart yanked the curtains closed.
Heart heavy, Jawk trudged toward the train station. The school had packed his belongings and sent them home. Batchelors didn't want him. He put one foot in front of the other. He'd blown his cover to his folks. Now what?
A hover floated along beside him, matching his pace. "Hey!"
He ignored the driver, accustomed to being hassled on a human world. Geez, why now? Can I not catch even one fucking break?
"Brighton!"
At his name, he turned. Mynkoh Ceeow motioned to him from the sleek car. "It took you longer to get kicked out than I anticipated. I had to go around the block four times." She grinned at him, hiding fangs. "Come on. Get in. Your real boss wants you."