Chapter Nineteen
Maggie didn’t waste any time sharing the idea with her people and began meeting with them in small groups that very afternoon. She was surprised by the many positive responses and shared the early results with Roth. He passed them on to Kerr, who found them promising enough to call together the full council the very next day.
Thus began a series of meetings, first with the elders. The group of white-bearded, robed men seated upon their high dais, reminded her a bit of the U.S. Supreme Court, the power and authority they exuded extremely intimidating. For hours, she weathered their questions without crumbling. Only once or twice did she have to force her hands to relax and ease her nails from where they dug half-crescent-shaped grooves into her palms. Especially, when the discussion turned to the folly of allying themselves with the undisciplined inhabitants of a planet who, through their reckless, wasteful ways, and without forethought to their survival, damaged their planet to the point they had to find another to replace it.
Without Roth’s supportive presence beside her, she didn’t know if she could have endured. His large hand squeezing her thigh was the only thing preventing her from delivering a scathing set-down of their condemnatory opinions, telling them all to go to hell, and storming out of the chamber.
Once he leaned in with a cautionary whisper, “I know what you’re thinking, Maggie. But erupting, as your clenched fists and jaw tell me you are about to do, will do neither of our worlds any good.”
“I’d like to punch something,” she uttered between clenched teeth. “Particularly that rather officious man on the end.”
“That is Yaro: he was close to two of the elders only recently removed from the council. His voice carries little weight now. As for becoming violent, I have other ways to expend your energy. Get through this calmly, little captain, and we’ll see to it pleasurably at home.” She shot him an aggrieved look, but he wasn’t done. “I think you’re going to enjoy helper position seven above all.”
Her eyes widened, and she tried to throttle back the desire racing through her, especially upon seeing the smoldering heat in his gaze and the enticing grin curving his lips. Thusly distracted, with her wayward thoughts focused on what decadent shapes the wicked mate’s helper would twist her into, she managed to get through more questions and debate without an outburst.
By midday, after approving moving forward with the plan, the elders filed out but were replaced by another group. The room filled to overflowing as Roth pointed out the influential leaders present from the Princep’s inner circle, and she was surprised to see several of her own ship’s officers.
With skeptics and undecided among both groups, Maggie was relieved to see a strong supporter appear before the hearing was called to order, and she did so on the Primarian leader’s arm as he, too, entered the council chamber at the last moment.
As she watched Kerr guide Eva into the room, she noticed when her gaze swept over the table where she sat with her other senior officers. Upon seeing them, her steps faltered. Busy in the same meetings with Maggie all day, Kerr couldn’t have had time to prepare his mate, and it showed.
“What’s going on? Why is my captain here?” Eva asked.
“I decided it was time we met to discuss a mutually agreeable arrangement,” the Princep replied.
She took in a quick breath, as did Maggie because Kerr repeated what Eva told her on the ship what seemed like an eternity ago. “You mean it?” the Prima managed after a moment. “You’re willing to help my people?”
“Yes, and in exchange, they can help us. Which is what brings us here today.” He led her to the front and once he seated her, called for quiet in the hall. “Yesterday, I made a statement to the elders about change. In the past few weeks, we have seen much of it as we all learn to adapt to new people among us, different beliefs, and ways of life. We have already had the news of three pregnancies, and all but one of our mated pairs are doing quite well.”
Max Kerr turned to Maggie. “The Earth captain has polled many of the females already, and learned a large number are willing to become Primarian mates.”
“How large a number?” Eva glanced at Maggie for the answer.
“In total, one hundred forty-seven volunteered.”
Hushed murmurs and sounds of surprise rippled through the group.
“Only half?” one of the warriors asked, clearly disappointed.
“I was surprised the number was so high,” Maggie quipped. “But three years on a frustrating voyage with an all-female crew does strange things to a woman, I suppose.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Eva muttered, shooting Kerr a sidelong glance, who was sharing an amused look with Roth. Then she turned serious again. “What happens to the others?”
“They are free to return home.”
The Princep’s answer started another round of murmurs, louder this time until he raised his hands for quiet.
“I don’t understand,” again, this came from Eva. “Are you just letting us go? How is this mutually agreeable. Except for the women who match, no one else on the ship gains anything.”
Kerr murmured something too low to hear, before addressing the rest of those gathered. “I’m proposing an exchange. We will escort the Odyssey home and open negotiations with the leaders of Earth. In exchange for a safe, habitable place for the people of Earth to start over, we would ask your females be offered the option of making Primaria their home, instead. As mates to our males, of course.”
“An option?”
“Yes, Eva, it would be entirely voluntary.”
“Building a colony from the ground up won’t be easy,” Maggie explained. “And considering the hardships back home, given a choice, I think many women will be interested. One hundred forty-seven from the crew who have already been tested, have volunteered to stay on as mates. I anticipate the numbers to be the same, or higher once we get to Earth. And those interested will be going in with their eyes wide open. Before anyone begins testing, they’ll meet with a liaison, one of us, preferably, who has been here and gone through it. And they will be required to attend the educational classes like we did to introduce them to Primarian society and avoid some of the confusion and misunderstandings we’ve all experienced.”
Beside her, Roth chuckled, and uttered under his breath, “Maybe there should be a test at the end to ensure knowledge of the basic facts for those who are tempted to become distracted.”
She shot him a look, which earned her a wink. For a moment she was speechless, the man was just too damn gorgeous for her peace of mind.
During her lapse, Eva offered her agreement. “That’s an excellent idea. I often wished for a mentor, a rule book, or if nothing else, an English to Primarian dictionary of terms not programmed into the translators.”
“It was your king’s idea. In fact, he insisted on it,” Maggie replied.
“Princep,” Eva corrected quickly.
Maggie’s brows rose a fraction. “Is that not the same thing?”
The Prima shared a smile with the Princep—clearly a private communication—as Roth groaned softly. “That was something else covered in one of those classes you slept through, purrada.”
He was right, but she shot him a glare nonetheless.
“When did you do all of this? You’ve been ill,” Eva inquired of Kerr.
“He’s been working on this since we brought the Odyssey to space dock.” This explanation came from Roth.
“Captured, is a better word, I believe,” Maggie muttered.
“Semantics,” he replied and moved his hand up her thigh in a not-so-subtle warning. She squirmed at the proximity of his finger to intimate folds and creases and decided it was best not to bait him, further.
“Do you think our leaders will be open to this?”
“I’ve already sent word—and they have agreed to meet. Apparently, things at home are much worse, and they’re ready to consider anything. There is so much we can gain from an alliance. Not only a home, and hope for a future, but uladite. A renewable source of energy that could sustain us for millennia is—” she paused and frowned. “Exciting is too bland a word to describe it.”
Kerr inclined his head in agreement.
Eva frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“We believe our hunting planet would be the best option to fulfill these requirements, eventually. It has some small, inert uladite stores,” Kerr explained, going on to answer more of Eva’s questions and others who were speaking up.
While he did so, Maggie whispered to Roth, “I’m confused, too. I thought we would trade for the resource because it is unique to Primaria.”
“This is all news to me, mate. Maybe we should listen.”
Feeling like she’d been called out by the teacher for speaking in class, she frowned his way, abruptly reminded that merely because these men came to the negotiating table, didn’t mean they were ready to sign a proclamation for women’s rights. That would take time and determination, but this was undoubtedly a giant step forward. As she focused on what Kerr was saying, giving Eva and the others further explanation of their proposed alliance, she realized Roth was right in that listening garnered answers, and that perhaps she had some room for growth as well.
“Our scientists have come across a process to activate the stores on Ventorcopia,” Kerr was saying, “which will allow your people to be self-sufficient in time. It is a good-faith demonstration that we do not wish to conquer or enslave your people. We want to coexist. There will be some rules, however, to protect the new planet from suffering the same fate as your Earth.”
“It would be a fresh start,” Eva murmured, her gaze meeting Maggie’s.
“Excuse me, Princep.” Maggie spoke up politely. “If we are independent, what would that mean for Primaria and a mate-exchange program?”
“I should clarify. When I say make your people independent, I mean in a hundred years or so. It will take that long, perhaps longer, for the activation process to make enough uladite to sustain an inhabited planet. Until then, a trade agreement will remain in place.”
Dependency for a century; it wasn’t so bad, considering the alternative. The question remained; would her government go for it?
Her gaze slid to Rebecca, who had been unusually quiet, taking it all in. She looked to the others, each one either wide-eyed or gape-mouthed, such was their shock at what was happening. Maggie wondered if she had appeared as astonished when learning that once again, their lives were about to change drastically. She’d give Roth and his brethren credit, for one thing, life with them wouldn’t ever be dull.
“You’re smiling,” Roth observed, whispering for her ears only.
“I’m happy—check that,” she corrected with a grin. “Let me say I’m cautiously optimistic, because our future is indeed much brighter than it appeared two short weeks ago, or even two weeks before that when we were still desperately searching for a solution.”
Eva’s voice carried over the murmurs of excitement that were sweeping through the room. Her words echoed her thoughts when she said very clearly, “Thank you, Kerr.”
“No, mate, thank you.” The Princep’s gleaming gold eyes touched briefly on Maggie. “Your captain told us this was your idea before you knew we were fated.”
“I had a small kernel of thought.”
While Eva brushed off the praise, Roth leaned in and whispered, “When was this?”
“Before you came after us. She’d had more time with you, and I didn’t listen. Eventually, when I calmed down and thought it all through, which I had plenty of opportunities to do, it made sense.” She angled her head to find Roth gazing warmly down at her.
“I’m very proud of you, Maggie.”
“Don’t be. I wasn’t very understanding after the escape attempt, I’m afraid. Perhaps it was my guilt talking.” And regret, Maggie thought as she recalled some of the things she had said to Eva.
“Which one?”
“The one that was successful,” she shot back.
He challenged that bold-faced lie. “Neither can be called any such thing, mate, or we wouldn’t be sitting here.”
She caught his hand in hers, ignoring the fact that he was right. “I’m nervous.”
“An unknown outcome can have that effect,” he whispered, serious now. “But we’ll face this challenge together, and while we do, we’ll be racing across the galaxy.”
“As we both dreamed.”
“That’s right. What could be better?”
***
After the meeting adjourned, Maggie stayed to talk with her crew further, while Roth moved throughout the hall, doing the same with his warriors.
“One hundred forty-seven,” Nala repeated in disbelief.
Eryn, who didn’t appear to believe it, either, slowly shook her head. “That’s nearly half our crew.”
Maggie had tallied up the number twice to be sure. Now, as she glanced around the table at the group of women, including many of her trusted officers and the eight who had been taken first and already mated, she noticed the difference in their reactions came down to the last factor. Those already mated didn’t seem surprised by the number at all, while the others were utterly floored, and angry.
“You explained, in detail, what would happen if they broke the rules or ticked off their mate, right?” Nala clarified.
“I told them in plain terms,” Maggie replied.
“Are they aware they could be stripped and subjected to a lashing like you and Eva were?”
“Yes, Nala. I explained everything, especially that.”
It had been the most difficult part, but they needed to know what they were signing on to. Her description of Eva’s appearance before the council and her witnessed punishment under the lash had drawn cries of outrage. She had assured them the Primarians said it was a rare occurrence. Maggie had also shared her own experiences, including her private, five-count strapping which didn’t compare to the witnessed punishment Eva had endured.
And fortunately, that’s where the punishments for their escape attempt had ended. Kerr granted amnesty to the others, all still unmated and without male protectors, which meant the decision would have fallen to the council. He made it clear the sentence for their crimes had been taken on by their Prima and captain, who had endured punishment in their stead, which had satisfied the requirement under the law. Roth had shared with Maggie only the Princep’s decision was also made because logistically, so many appearing before the council who had never dealt with such a vast number at once, let alone carried out nearly three hundred punishments, was too much for the elders or the Princep to contemplate.
“And, after hearing all of that, they still agreed?” Eryn, having grown pale, asked this while staring off to the side, looking utterly baffled.
“Many have, yes. And they had questions, believe me, some embarrassingly specific about myself and the commander.”
Eva came up and joined them just then. “I hear Maggie was very thorough; she even brought up the mate’s helper.” Her eyes cut to her captain, openly amused. “I was told they insisted on a demonstration of an actual unit. I think for some it was what tipped the scales in the Primarians’ favor.”
“Our crew is kinky, who knew?” Rebecca commented dryly, drawing several chuckles, while Eryn remained noticeably silent.
“It has been three very long years,” Maggie pointed out. “I don’t have to tell you that. The soldiers knew what to expect, but this was many of the scientists’ and researchers’ first space flight, and they had no real concept of what deep space exploration was like.”
“They’re lonely, homesick, and many agreed to this because they are afraid of what we’ll find when we get back.” Eva added this quietly; her previous amusement wiped away.
“That makes no sense,” Nala interrupted.
“It does when they explain what they’re frightened of,” Maggie disagreed. “It’s not the warriors, or of mating, or of starting a new life far from home. They worry about their friends and family, the ones they took on this assignment to protect in the first place. They see Max Kerr and what the Primarians are offering as an expeditious means to an end, that through their knowledge, resources, and advancements, our people will have a real chance at survival.”
“They martyr themselves for our cause,” Eryn murmured, still staring off.
“Most of us haven’t found it so bad as all that,” Eva said quietly.
“What about you, Lockwood?” This came from Rebecca. “Your mate isn’t in the fleet. Will you be able to watch a third of us go, while you remain?”
“I’m not staying,” she answered flatly.
“What do you mean?” Eva asked in disbelief.
“Ram is joining the fleet?” Maggie queried next. “I thought he was the general’s man through and through. Roth will be thrilled I’m sure, but—”
“He’s not leaving the army,” Eryn clarified. “We’re going our separate ways.”
“What? You can’t,” Eva insisted, a tremor of distress in her voice. “You’ll both sicken.”
“That won’t happen,” Eryn replied without inflection, meeting her gaze directly. “We didn’t bond.”
“I didn’t think I did, either,” the Prima reminded her. “Then, when I left, I became ill, and Kerr nearly died. You can’t chance it.”
“Ram isn’t one to take chances. He insisted we be retested when...” her voice trailed off, and she shook her head. “The reason doesn’t matter, except to say he suspected something wasn’t right. We went to Jarlan and discovered that the initial tests were in error.”
“But they say they’ve never been wrong—ever,” Eva whispered.
“Well, I guess there’s a first time for everything, and I’m it,” Eryn retorted in a bitter tone. “And he sure didn’t waste a second, jumping at the chance to unload me as soon as it was confirmed. Within the hour, he was before the council, begging to be free of the traitorous bitch he’d been wrongly saddled with as a mate.” She fell silent after that and wouldn’t look at any of them.
“I’d like to kick his ass.”
“Not an easy task, Nala, my friend,” Eryn replied with a humorless laugh. “Believe me, I tried.”
“You didn’t,” Eva and Maggie whispered in horror together.
She shrugged. “Obedience and docility have never been my strong points.”
“I don’t understand how this could happen,” Eva reflected in surprise. “Not to belabor the point, but I was told the tests were foolproof. In nearly twenty years, they’ve haven’t ever been wrong.”
“Leave it to Lockwood to break a two-decade-long winning streak,” Rebecca teased but got an unexpected reaction from Eryn.
She nodded. “I come from a long line of losers at games of chance. My grandfather lost his house betting on a horse because he liked the name. It must be in my blood.”
“Wait, if a false positive happened, it could still be incorrect. What about the pains you were having on board the ship when we escaped? They doubled you over. I had the same thing.”
“You had a hot appendix, Maggie.”
“But I had them, too,” Eva confirmed.
“Cramps,” Eryn said dismissively. “I’ve suffered for years and take medication. I went for weeks without it after the capture, so when the time came, they were ten times worse.”
Eva frowned, apparently as doubtful as Maggie.
“It’s a fact,” Eryn stated with annoyance. “I don’t know what it will take to convince you? Ram and I aren’t mates. That’s why I am the same: my hair is still red, my eyes the same blue, and I don’t bear any visible or non-visible tattoos.”
“Markings,” Mailynn and Brenna who had been listening quietly, corrected simultaneously.
“Whatever,” Eryn continued. “If Ram’s request is approved, I’ll be put back in the database for a better-suited mate. This treaty will save me from that dire fate. This is my chance to leave this awful place and the bad memories behind. I’m snatching it up with both hands, believe me.” Her gaze leveled on Maggie. “Count me as a no in your survey, Captain.”
In her haste to leave the room, she stood up fast, sending the chair careening into the wall. Before the echo of the loud bang had faded, she was out the door. Eight pairs of worried eyes ranging from gold to teal, to Maggie’s blue violet, stared after her. Each had seen the transformation progress on a different course, but never one that didn’t take.
Eva broke the silence first. “She lived with him for weeks. That he could reject her so...”
“You saw the tension between them,” Mailynn replied. “She fought him constantly. Remember that awful silencing collar? That she wouldn’t bend to him was a blow to his warrior’s ego, and her pride and sense of duty wouldn’t allow her to concede and let her captor win. It was a disaster in the making.”
“What if they’re wrong in this, too? If she leaves and something happens days out, it could be too late to help her. To help them both,” Eva whispered, giving voice to the serious concerns they all had for their friend and teammate. “I’d like to speak to Jarlan about this myself,” she concluded.
“Good idea,” Maggie replied. “In the meantime, she will bear close watching before and after we leave.”