The general returned to his office, his jaw grim, his brow clouded in fury, glad that the Xantis Tey prince no longer stood to one side, eavesdropping. Even so, A’nden held his shield tightly against his mind. He recognized the waves of energy coming toward him as the young man probed to find out more about his daughter. Although relieved that he never pushed past A’nden’s shield, and grateful that his true emotions failed to show, even in his body language, he felt helpless.
He sat at his desk and searched through every communication that had flown from him to the young man, examining each one with extreme care. What could I have said differently? Where did I err?
This one, the thought as he pulled up the very first missive the Xantis Tey prince sent, and returned it to the file. A greeting, nothing more. He found no hidden message, nothing that indicated a problem of misinterpretation.
One by one he brought page after page on his screen, examining each one closely, and found nothing. General A’nden, who had faced in battle enemies of several species, sweated in desperation to find one small thing that would save his daughter.
Finding nothing, he stood and closed the screen. He messaged his elite, scheduling an exercise for later in the day. “In the training room,” he said, his voice filled with anger. Maybe if their guests saw how military-ready his forces were, they would not pursue this course of action.
The General had given his life to the Intergalactic Faj. Born the second son in the A’nden House, his father sent him to military school. He never envied his older brother who inherited all their Holdings. His time in the military filled a special need inside him. He excelled, worked his way up in ranks, gaining medal after medal until his collection nearly covered his chest when he wore them all.
When their sun became unstable, and more and more of their young ones lost their fertility, they requested permission to settle on the newly discovered planet in yet a third galaxy. Most Nevians had already moved off-planet into the core planets, but those who remained wanted to preserve their heritage.
The High Emperor agreed, giving them time to conquer the planet and bring it under Faj domination. After that time, the Faj would send a ship to collect the required tithe to the intergalactic empire. With all contracts signed, the charters filed, the Nevians conquered this outpost and took control.
Almost took control, the General reminded himself. Two people groups fell readily to the takeover, the Zarindan and the Irelli. True, pockets of resistance still plagued them, but in time all would fall to the might of the Faj, A’nden never doubted.
The Krindarwee remained a problem. The planet nearly hummed with their energy, even after their enslavement. Captured Krindarwee, quiet, respectful, peaceful, resisted in ways no one expected. While they accepted slavery, they retaliated with the Song, a constant reminder that they remained unconquered, and that their conquerors were monsters for violating their freedom. No matter what changed around them, the Krindarwee refused to change. They remained true to their culture.
However, they resisted in still another way. They failed to reproduce while in slavery. The youngest slaves were now in their fifties. No one knew what to do about it. It was as if they determined to die out before they bowed to their rulers.
What A’nden found puzzling about them was that it appeared that when one of them chose an action, such as the Song, all the Krindarwee knew it. Chalatta had never once come into contact with any Sector One slaves, yet she sang it perfectly. He wondered how the Krindarwee would eventually interact with the Xantis Tey.
A’nden’s chest tightened. Even though Chalatta knew every nuance of Nevian culture, she remained Krindarwee. Her mother said she prayed to her deity every time they ate breakfast, not that A’nden would ever refuse her to exercise her faith, but it was a reminder that no matter what she learned, her loyalty remained with her people.
The Xantis Tey would change that. It was their way. A’nden, frustrated and afraid for her, strode out of his office to return to the exercise floor to help the trainers with the new group of Security Watch recently hired. He needed to release his anger before he revealed his position to the Faj.
Then he sighed. The Emperor and his son probably already knew, and probably laughed at his impotent rage. They never needed to punish him for his attitude when they controlled his ability to express it.
Be a good little soldier, he reminded himself, clenching his jaw. The Intergalactic Faj rewarded those who complied. Maybe the Xantis Tey would too.
But he wished with all his heart they never required his daughter be the sacrifice.
4
restrictions