CHAPTER TEN

Krysta waited to disembark down the wide gangplank alone, as usual. The doctor would leave last, with so many patients still to care for, even if she was technically higher in rank. Because of the diplomatic nature of this voyage, the disembarkation would probably be recorded for playback all over the empire. They had to pay at least some attention to protocol, as well as security.

To cover the security angle, Henny and that big brute, Hansa, had gone down the plank first, together. Krysta could tell there was something brewing there. She’d never seen Henny so radiant as when she was with the jit’suku warrior. Lieutenant Darlington, as executive officer, went next, accompanied by the jit XO. Sally seemed to be friendly with the man, but Krysta didn’t read any attraction between those two, at least, though there were a few other jit warriors who’d caught the eye of some of the other women. The rest of the female bridge crew would walk side by side with their jit counterparts as a deluge of news bots recorded their every move.

Krysta herself was somewhere in the middle of the pecking order, and since her jit counterpart was a traitor, she would have to face the news bots all alone. It wasn’t anything she wasn’t used to. Growing up differently from everyone else had set her apart from the moment she’d lost her arm at age eight. She hadn’t been fitted with her final cybernetic arm until she was fully grown. Losing a limb was one of the few disfiguring injuries that still couldn’t be fully—unnoticeably—repaired until adulthood. As a result, Krysta had grown up as the object of pity. On a world where everyone swam and many lived in habitats built on and in the water that comprised over ninety percent of the planet, having only one arm was a definite drawback.

She’d never had a boyfriend. Never dated. All the usual games young adults played—frolicking in the water—were off-limits to her. Her balance was all off for swimming anywhere fast. She was fine on land, though the basic mechanical arms she’d worn as she grew to adulthood had drawn stares, pity and sometimes horror.

Krysta had begun to dream of other worlds, where swimming wasn’t so necessary to everyday life, when she was still a little girl. She’d studied hard and applied herself to navigation calculations until she could do even the most complex of them without difficulty. Her dream had been to work as navigator on a trading vessel—to see the worlds beyond her home and maybe find a place she could finally fit in.

Then, the virus struck. The only good part of that whole horrible time was that her nav skills were needed by the human fighting forces, though she never would have considered joining the military before the plague. Still, when she saw her father and brothers die of the virus, she knew where she needed to be to put a stop to the beings who would harm the only men who had ever looked on her with love in their eyes. Her mother was proud of her, but they weren’t in contact often. She’d sent a message home to tell her mother where she was going before they left on this mission, but hadn’t received a reply. Her mother was a healer by nature and inclination. She didn’t understand the military, though she was always supportive of Krysta, if distant.

“May I act as your escort, Ensign, since Navigator Jeviar is in the brig?”

Krysta snapped back to the matter at hand. She looked up to find a kind smile directed at her from one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen. She remembered him. He’d sparred with Henny that first day they’d practiced in the shipboard gym, and she’d noticed him then. He’d been in the gym watching them practice a number of times since, but then, so had a lot of the men. They couldn’t seem to comprehend women practicing a fighting art. But Krysta had noticed this man, time and time again. Unpracticed as she was in the ways of flirtation, she’d had no idea he even knew who she was or what job she did on board, but apparently, he did. That thought sent a warm, scared feeling to the pit of her stomach.

“You’re Commander Xeer.” Krysta felt like an idiot the moment the words left her mouth. She’d asked around about him, and she’d just betrayed herself.

But his widening smile made her feel tingly inside and less embarrassed. “I am. And you are Ensign Krysta Verity, navigations officer. I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself to you before now, Ensign, but my duty station is on the other side of the ship, and our rotations were opposite. When you were going off-duty, I was going on. I only managed to find a few hours where you were free when I was, but at those times, you were usually in the gym under the tutelage of your armsmaster.”

So, he’d been asking around about her too. She was flabbergasted at the idea that he’d made an effort to seek her out. It was simply mind-boggling to a girl who’d never had much male attention thrown her way.

“I—” She didn’t know what to say.

“I have made you uncomfortable, and that was not my intent. I apologize.” He stepped back, and it looked like he was going to leave. Suddenly, that was the last thing Krysta wanted. She reached out to stop him, grasping his arm. She’d unthinkingly used her cybernetic arm and immediately pulled back on the power, but it was too late. He stopped dead in his tracks.

“I’m sorry.” She released his arm and turned away, tears threatening. How could she be such a fool? She didn’t know how to talk to men—especially not ones she found attractive—and this one lit her up like no man ever had before.

She felt a soft touch on her shoulder, just at the join between her cyber parts and her human flesh. “Don’t apologize, Ensign. I am the one at fault here. I am too direct. Always have been. But I sensed something in you that resonated with my own experience. I, too, have had limbs replaced. It is not something done often among my people, but my family had access to experimental medical facilities while my mother lived. She was a medical researcher. When I was maimed as a teen, she did all she could to put me back together.”

Krysta’s spine went rigid with shock, and she turned slowly to face him, meeting his gaze. “You know about my arm?”

“I thought I recognized something familiar in the way you moved and the way the other women worked with you during those gym practices, though I’m sure nobody else would suspect. But then, you incapacitated Navigator Jeviar. All the men talked about it. No one has ever seen such a strong female, even among our race.” His eyes twinkled as he made light of something that had worried her to no end. His casual treatment of her differences made her feel much more at ease. Then, a thought occurred to her.

“But you sparred with Henny. If you’ve got cybernetics too, you could’ve walloped her. Why didn’t you?”

“I have not the finesse with my implants. Your armsmaster is simply too good and too fluid to succumb to brute strength, no matter how powerful.”

Krysta felt herself warming to this devastatingly honest man. “She is very talented. I’ll never be half the fighter she is.”

“Half her skill is more than many warriors ever achieve, so you should feel proud. You are nimble and strong. I’ve watched your practices. You never rely on the enhancements of your arm. I suspect it is your secret weapon, no?”

Krysta actually laughed, feeling that comfortable with him. “You’re right. I keep it in reserve for when it’s needed. Otherwise, I like to be like everyone else.”

“Ah, yes,” Xeer nodded. “I understand completely. Ensign,” he seemed almost shy for a moment, “I would very much like to see you again. Perhaps, you would honor me by sharing a meal as soon as our mutual duties allow it?”

Was he asking her on a date? Krysta could hardly believe it.

“I’d like that,” she said, trying to sound casual, fighting the butterflies that started winging around in her stomach.

His eyes lit up, and he seemed encouraged by her shy response. “I live in the palace barracks, so I will be nearby. I’ve heard they will house you all in the palace, and I believe I’ll be assigned to arrange security for some of the ladies of your crew when they venture out on the grounds. I’d like you to feel free to call upon me at any time. It would be my pleasure to show you around the palace.”

“I’d like that, too.” She sounded like a broken recording, but the butterflies were getting more active the longer he looked at her with those piercing dark eyes. Not only was he handsome, but kind and understanding, as well. And cybernetic. Here was a man who not only understood but shared her affliction. “I don’t know what they have scheduled for us, but I’d like to talk more with you, Commander Xeer.”

“Please call me Noln. It is my first name. Xeer is my family name.”

“But you outrank me.” Krysta could have bitten her tongue for pointing out such an obvious thing and ruining the mood. But he laughed, putting her at ease again.

“When we are on duty, I will be happy to give you orders, and my first order would be to call me by name. May I use your name, as well?”

His tone softened, and his gaze held hers with… Was that hope? Krysta felt like she was tumbling headfirst into the breakers, being swept out to sea by the look in his beautiful, mysterious eyes.

“Yes, Noln. I like the way my name sounds with your accent. It makes it seem special.”

“As special as you are, Krysta.” He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles as she watched in wonder. He turned her hand over and slipped a small length of data tape into her palm. “My private com nodes. I hope you will make use of them if ever you’d like company.”

He’d slipped her his number! Never had a man done something so brazen or intimate, no matter how hard she’d dreamed of just such a thing. And she hadn’t even stepped foot off the ship, yet. Would all the jit’suku men be as willing to court a woman with her defects? Judging by the trip here, it seemed unlikely. The members of the jit crew had been respectful, and though many had made overtures to the other women, none had bothered Krysta at all. Only this one had caught her eye, and now, he’d made a move toward her. Krysta decided to bask in the attention. Xeer—make that Noln—was a good man from all she’d seen of his character. She would be happy to share a meal with him. What happened from there, only heaven knew.

 

Commander Xeer escorted Ensign Verity down the gangplank. Newsbots abounded as did officials who’d come to greet the emperor and his new bride-to-be. Often there would be a priest or two in attendance for a homecoming, but even Xeer was taken aback by the Zenai presence. Warrior priests lined the walkway, all fully armed and ready for battle. It was an honor guard that meant business, and all knew where the Zenai stood in regards to Emperor Tigh. He was one of their own.

Xeer steered the lovely navigations officer to the side area where the rest of her crewmates waited. The males stood behind the women they’d escorted, ringed by warrior priests and high officials, awaiting the emperor and his woman. This was an historic moment for the jit’suku people. Xeer felt proud to be even a small part of it.

He felt even more elated to have finally spoken to the woman who had haunted his dreams since the moment he’d first seen her. He’d spent the past weeks of the voyage learning all he could about her and watching her from afar. He’d almost missed his opportunity, but he’d seized on the absence of her navigations counterpart to speak to her and guide her on her first steps on his world. If he had his way—and if the Lady Goddess so blessed him—Krysta Verity would become Krysta Xeer before too much longer.

A kiss would tell him all he needed to know, but he was too shy to accost such a gentle woman. Plus, she had that cybernetic arm. She could fight him off if he scared her. Even though he could probably overpower her with his own implants, that definitely wasn’t the way he wanted to start their relationship.

She seemed so oblivious to her appeal, so innocent and untouched. He thought he understood why, but he’d like to hear about her growing years, her thoughts, her dreams. He’d never before desired to hear such things from the females he bedded, but this woman was different. She might very well be the woman meant for him. That kiss would tell, but he wanted their first kiss to be special. If, as he suspected, it would be but the first of the rest of their lives together, he wanted her to remember it with joy, never fear or confusion.

So, he’d court her. He wouldn’t act the barbarian as many of his brethren so often did. He’d give her the human ritual courtship as best he could. He’d gentle her first, then he’d kiss her and discover if she was indeed the woman he hoped she’d be.

*

“Are you ready, my love?” Tigh put his arm around Ginny’s waist, tugging her close for a quick moment.

The others had gone ahead, including the last female to leave the ship, the conscientious doctor. All waited below for them to make an appearance. Tigh and Ginny, flanked by Councilor Torm, who was feeling much better, and a contingent of Hansa’s most trusted men. Hansa himself had been sent ahead with his female counterpart to be certain all was secure below.

“I’m ready, I guess.” Ginny didn’t sound too enthusiastic.

“What is it? Don’t fear my people. They will love you once they get to know you.”

“It’s not that, per se. It’s more a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. Like life as I knew it is now going to be radically different.” She shrugged. “I know it can’t be helped, but it’s daunting, to say the least. I never expected to be anybody’s empress. I never even dreamed of being a ship’s captain until the virus left me no choice.”

Tigh gathered her close, resting his chin on top of her head. “All is the will of the Goddess. I gave up the empire, only to be called back from the brink of priesthood to make an effort at peace for both our peoples. We’re the only two who can do it, Ginny. We’ve been brought together for the purpose of peace. I can’t think of anything more important—except perhaps our love. Even the fate of the empire pales beside that.” He leaned down to kiss her, glad to see she understood his half-teasing tone.

“I do love you, Tigh. I never thought I would, but I do.”

He caressed her hair. “My love knows no bounds for you, my Velkir. You are magic to me, and you will bring that magic to our children and our people. I believe in you.” He kissed her once more then pulled back, searching her eyes. She looked better. “Are you ready to greet the future?”

“With you beside me, I can do anything, Tigh.” She clutched his hand as they started down the ramp together, flanked by guards and with Councilor Torm at a discreet distance.

 

Tigh was impressed with the abundance of his Zenai brothers. He’d never seen so many warrior priests gathered together anywhere but on the sacred mountain. That they’d come to greet the Valkyrie and her crew was significant. In fact, Tigh was amazed to see High Priest Jurdan himself waiting for them in the small clearing set aside for the official welcoming ceremony.

Tigh sank to one knee in front of the high priest. As emperor, the high priest was the only being to whom Tigh would bend his knee, though he’d done something similar with the human leader when he’d surrendered. That act had been noble. This one more ceremonial in nature, though the high priest had always been both friend and teacher to Tigh.

Protocol demanded Tigh show respect to the high priest, but Ginny didn’t know any better. She stood at Tigh’s side, unsure, he could tell, as her hand trembled in his. He squeezed her fingers to let her know it was her decision. But words would help her understand what was going on, so he spoke to the priest.

“High Priest Jurdan, you honor me and my bride-to-be with your presence at our homecoming.” Tigh stood, deciding to gloss over the moment with formal introductions. Why hadn’t he considered that Jurdan would come off his mountain for this? “Master, this is Captain Gineva Starbridge, my mate.” He kissed her hand, drawing her eyes as he waited to see how Jurdan would react.

The high priest surprised him by sinking to one knee before them, as all the Zenai warrior priests all around did the same. The Zenai bowed to no one. The very idea of it was shocking. Tigh glanced around again, taking in Torm’s quickly hidden surprise, as well as the shock on all the jit’suku faces nearby. The human women merely looked curious. They didn’t fully understand the import of the priests’ actions, but they would before long.

“The prophecy comes to pass,” Jurdan intoned, raising his hands, even as he remained on one knee before Tigh and Ginny. Energy crackled in the air as Jurdan drew the power he commanded down to him. “The Velkir have come through adversity to save us all. May the light of the Mother Goddess prove my words so that all shall know the truth.”

For the first time, Tigh grew afraid. The high priest commanded strange and mystical powers that could be dangerous. Tigh had seen Jurdan draw the light of the Goddess before to judge priests who had been accused of breaking their vows in the most heinous ways. The light had flowed through the men, marking only the guilty. Tigh had seen it and marveled at it. And he’d seen it kill. He tugged on Ginny’s hand, drawing her close to his side, but it was too late.

Jurdan clapped his hands together, and sparks showered down from above, pouring through the women, lighting them from within as they met the sensation with raised eyebrows, some starting in surprise. Ginny, at his side, glowed with the heavenly light, as did her abdomen. For a split second, Tigh thought he saw the tiny outline of two babies there, nestled below her heart, and all was right with his world. The light of the Goddess didn’t harm her. It flowed through her, bathing her in its goodness. She was the Velkir!

As were her crew.

 

Armsmaster Henny Sonata glowed with the light, at peace in the presence of the Goddess, unlike most of the other women. She neither jumped nor questioned the glowing sparks that suffused her being. Hansa had drawn nearer when he realized what High Priest Jurdan was doing, fearing for his mate, but he needn’t have feared.

His dearest Henny was not only a skilled warrioress, the likes of which the jit’suku hadn’t seen for many generations, but she was blessed of the Goddess. Hansa stood behind her, basking in the glow that sparked from her and through her, touching him with the same blessing.

Henny shocked him, turning to face him. She smiled and reached for him, pulling him down for a kiss that sealed her light to his inner core, joining them in a way that would unite them forever. At length, she drew back and smiled up at him.

“Do you understand what you’ve just done, my love?” His whisper touched them both as they continued to bathe in the light of the Goddess.

She nodded, an unearthly light in her eyes. At that moment, Hansa felt the presence of the Goddess stronger than he ever had before. He sank to one knee, staring up at the face of his beloved, who was no longer only his beloved, but also the Goddess made flesh.

“Together, we will teach new generations of warriors to protect our people.” The words issued from Henny’s mouth, but Hansa knew they came straight from the deity he served. She tugged him to his feet, proclaiming them equals, though his Henny was still possessed of the Goddess’ light. The priests all around regarded her with awe as Hansa spared a glance to their surroundings, ever vigilant.

The light was fading, leaving Henny and Hansa last of all.

 

Ginny didn’t understand what had just happened, but she felt warm and loved—by someone or something beyond her understanding. The light faded, and she was sorry to see it go but reassured by the knowledge that a small part of it resided in her, and in her babies. She looked to her crew, concerned for their welfare and caught Henny’s words. Her master-at-arms and friend was acting out of character, and Ginny grew concerned.

Regardless of what protocol demanded, her crew came first. Ginny released Tigh’s hand and went over to check on Henny.

“Chief Sonata, are you all right?”

Henny turned to face Ginny, her face still aglow and wearing a broad smile. “Aye, Captain. All is finally right with the world. The teachings of my line will not die with me. They’ll live on in our children and for generations to come.”

Ginny’s gaze went from Henny’s ecstatic face to where her hand joined with Hansa’s. The big jit armsmaster stood too close to Henny for a mere acquaintance, and the happy, defiant look on his face said he didn’t care who knew they were lovers. Ginny had to bite back a smile.

“Your father would be pleased to know his teachings will live on, Chief, and from all I’ve seen, I think he also would have liked your choice of husband. Congratulations to you both.”

Henny actually teared up but was too stoic to let the drops fall.

“Warrior priestess,” the high priest intoned from over Ginny’s shoulder as he addressed Henny. Jurdan had snuck up on her. The man moved more quietly than even Tigh. “Be you welcome on Zenai Mountain.”

“Thank you, sir.” Henny clearly didn’t know how to address a high priest, but Jurdan didn’t seem to mind as he turned his shrewd gaze on the man who stood almost protectively over Henny’s shoulder.

“Hansa of Clan Poltar, is this warrior of the Velkir your true mate?”

“She is, Master.” Hansa’s deep voice rang with pride.

Jurdan smiled then, his old face splitting into a grin of true affection. “You were ever one of our best, Chi’gor Hansa. Your duties as a masked protector are now over. You will, with your mate, train successive generations of warriors, as the Goddess has decreed. I expect to celebrate your mating on the sacred mountain very soon, Master Poltar. You and your mate will always have a place there, in the Warrior Goddess’ domain. And she is but the first of the new caste of warrior priestesses heralded by the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy. But that is talk for another time.” Jurdan backed off a pace. “Our duty is to first welcome our emperor and his bride-to-be, then to talk of the changes the Goddess’ appearance here heralds for all jit’suku.” The high priest made a show of respect, though as the most senior servant of the Goddess, he bowed to no man under normal circumstances.

But Henny bowed to the old man in the way of her martial arts tradition, from the waist, with one clenched fist resting in an open hand, signifying respect for the high priest, but not in the kneeling tradition of the jit’suku. Oh, yes, times would be a-changing, Ginny thought as she watched the interaction. It was then that she became aware of the multitude of newsbots flittering here and there, all seeking some different angle to record the action. They hovered at a distance, but they were there all the same, recording each and every word, from all angles, for posterity.

Something of great significance had just happened here, she knew, but she didn’t understand the full extent of it. She’d meant to read more on their Velkir prophecy, but then, she’d been busy with Tigh and then the traitors. She knew they considered the Velkir something special, but she didn’t understand all of the implications for her or her crew. It would be best to play it cool until she knew more.

She turned to Tigh, seeing the approval and love in his eyes. It gave her strength and an idea of what to do next. She then turned to face Jurdan.

“Sir,” she addressed Jurdan, “my crew and I are honored to be welcomed by you and your brotherhood. We are simple soldiers who have had a long journey to an uncertain future. It’s reassuring to have your Lady’s blessing and your presence here as we come to the jit’suku galaxy for the first time. May our futures hold friendship and understanding.”

Jurdan regarded her for a long moment, until she was almost ready to squirm, but her training and backbone held firm. Then, he smiled. “It is the fulfillment of my life’s work to have the Velkir walk among us. You are welcome here, Empress-to-be. As will be your children, the heirs to the empire!”