Chapter Nineteen
“Wake up, Haley.”
I don’t even really remember the force field deactivating, or the telerings releasing. After several hours, they let me go, and I shambled my way to the bed in the back of Kest’s ship. I must not have slept for very long, because my eyes feel heavy and my head throbs.
And that’s not all. I moan, feeling the plug still inside me as I try to sit up.
“Why did you keep it in?” Kest asks. “Were you being loyal to your master?”
“I don’t know, sir,” I mumble. Truthfully, I’m not sure. It wasn’t really a conscious choice.
“Hold still.”
I shriek as Kest pulls the toy out. He gives me a few minutes to rest a little more, then tells me to get ready. After I wash up and eat a quick breakfast, more than a dozen telerings bind themselves to me. Kest secures a heavy muzzle over my face, ensuring I won’t speak out of turn, and then has me dress in clothes from the apartment: skinny jeans and a tight white tank top.
“To represent the average human,” Kest explains, not that I care.
The telerings go rigid, forcing my arms behind my back and raising my posture. They force me to march, and then we are on our way. I remember my first time on the Dominus and seeing the Council’s grand hall. This time, the massive bowl is full of Dominars—they occupy nearly every seat, and many are still stepping through the rings toward the empty chairs. The din of thousands of beings echoes through the space. I’d marvel at the assembly if they weren’t here to condemn humanity to either prison or extinction.
We wait almost a half hour for the full Council to finish arriving. In the meantime, my nanites interface with the chamber’s display systems, providing a series of statistics about me for their viewing. Apparently, in the weeks I’ve had them they’ve repaired a genetic disorder that would have made me very sick in my sixties, they’ve cleared out some cholesterol, and improved my bone density.
I focus on the displays above until one last councilor takes his seat, directly in the first row ahead of us: Bakan. He winks at me as he sits; I try to maintain my poker face, which isn’t hard. I can’t indicate what I’m going to do if I don’t know what that is.
“Esteemed Councilors, thank you for your presence,” Kest begins when all are ready. “It was not my desire to summon everyone at this time, but a decision is now required, and it must be made by us all. More than half a century ago, I filed a report about the planet Earth, which was at war, in danger of complete destruction. Though the danger passed, humanity is again on the brink: Earth’s environmental devastation will soon become irreparable for human technology, and the fabric of its society is in no position to make the necessary advances. Therefore, I felt it necessary to alert the Council and advocate for an immediate invasion.”
Kest begins recalling his time on Earth throughout the last century, telling them specifics of Earth’s history, culture, and scientific advancement. I tune it out, not wanting to think about what’s about to happen. All that time we spent on Ohalessa, I felt that I was here with a purpose, that I could help save my people. Now I see that was just a dream.
But what if I returned to Earth and warned them? Is it arrogant to think I could make a real difference, that people would believe me? Or would it be possible, knowing what I know?
“…I then spent time on the Earth continent of South America, journeying through its jungles and climbing its mountains. The terrain offered many challenges, and incredible beauty. Even in its current state, the planet has no shortage of exciting opportunities…”
What bothers me most is the fact that Kest and Bakan don’t really disagree about humanity’s dim future; their conflict lies in what to do about it. Kest may want to save humanity too, but Earth is his real priority, isn’t it? In which case, shouldn’t I do what I can for my people? Doesn’t that mean I should take Bakan’s offer?
But what if I can’t really help on my own, and the Dominars can?
And what if they’re both wrong about humanity? What if the invasion works?
“…And that was when I knew it was time to leave,” Kest concludes. “However, in a twist of fate, before I could get to my ship, I encountered a human in need. I couldn’t help intervening, and saved her life. Unfortunately, I could not leave her on Earth after what I’d done, so I took her here, and now she stands before us.”
He turns to me and pats my shoulder. Though he can’t see my face through the heavy muzzle, I hope my anger is clear in my eyes.
“As you have by now noticed, humans are short, with less muscle strength and longevity than ideal. These can be corrected through nanites, thankfully, because humans have not developed this technology yet. Even without them, they are still more than acceptable in terms of physical beauty.”
As Kest says this, he directs my arms to rise so that he may pull off my shirt. He then pulls down my jeans, and directs my legs to step out of them.
Showing them my figure causes an excited murmur to fill the audience chamber. I blush, hating how the attention is bringing forth dampness between my legs, a condition noted on the displays above me.
Great, I think, trembling against my restraints.
“My time with the specimen, Haley Feyn, has been one of extraordinary physical pleasures; humans can make for exceptional mates,” he says, cutting off my bra and panties. “However, not all of my time with her—or the rest of humanity—was perfect. They keep many secrets and often lie. They refuse to listen to their superiors, and guard their pride against attack to the point of folly. They fear change, rather than embracing it, and rely on emotions instead of facts to make decisions. Their strong will is sometimes an asset, but just as often leads to their ruin. Hence, our presence here today.”
Fuck you, Kest!
I’m more mortified by his words than by my nakedness. I’d rather the Dominars stare at my body than think so little of me and my people. How could Kest say all this?
Are you so surprised?
In my head, I hear the question in Bakan’s voice. After all, he flew you across the galaxy because of what he believes about humans.
“You see, the specimen is suffering from a heightened emotional state,” says Kest, removing my muzzle and mask. “They are frail, mentally and physically.” His hand shoots out, catching my ass in a hard slap. My yelp echoes out into the chamber, and I see a number of Dominars flinch. Bakan laughs loudly, earning some dark looks from his colleagues, but he doesn’t act as though he cares.
“Even the slightest pain can make them howl in agony,” he says as I struggle against the telerings. “And they are too weak physically to escape from the most basic bindings. As you can see, they pose no threat to us whatsoever.”
Goddamn you, Kest!
“Hey!” I scream, eliciting a tremendous collective gasp from the audience. “I’ve got something to say!”
I look to Kest, then Bakan, while the uproar gradually dies down. Kest’s withering glance makes me shiver, though not as much as Bakan’s confident smirk.
“The human specimen speaks out of turn,” the praetor barks, rising to his feet. “We did not gather to have our time wasted by the ramblings of a primitive pest. I request that the human be gagged so that Agent Kest may finish his presentation.”
“Screw you, Bakan!” I snarl back, drawing the kind of laughter one hears when a naughty child makes a scene.
“Your insolence will be severely punished, human,” says Bakan. “I will happily administer it myself—”
“Enough!” Kest interrupts. “You will not mock my claim again, Praetor. Be silent, or I will have you removed.”
Bakan sneers, but takes his seat.
Kest motions for the crowd to quiet, then turns to me. “As for you, Haley. Your infraction will necessitate a punishment. I will administer it at the conclusion of this meeting. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” I grumble.
Kest shoots me a wink. “Good. And since you’re going to be punished anyway, we may as well hear you out. So, if you’re ready, proceed.”