Chapter Twenty
TESSA EXPECTED the entrance to Rian to be well hidden, so when they parked the vehicles inside a large cavern with whitish gray stalactites and stalagmites, she figured they were taking a break in their journey. But after the men shut down their engines, they dispersed in several directions—all except Etru and Kahn, who escorted her deeper into the cave.
Glowing stones rested every few feet along the polished floor, lighting their way. She’d expected to feel claustrophobic after the floor angled deeper into the mountain, but the wide passageway and high ceilings gave the feel of an office building’s hallway back on Earth.
Kahn held her hand and walked by her side. “We are careful to hide Rian’s location from Jypeg and the Endekians by using a multitude of entrances and exits.”
“Don’t they have heat sensors? Or radar?”
From behind them Etru answered. “The radiation helps hide our presence. There’s no need to be afraid. We have lookouts posted.”
“And the Endekian presence in still small,” Kahn added quickly, as if he feared she might take Etru’s words as an insult about her courage, but she’d known immediately that the man was trying to comfort her, not insult her. “The party that captured us must have tracked us when we entered the atmosphere, and they tortured Xander because they needed to learn the location of Rian.”
As they strode through wide corridors, Tessa saw many men, fewer women, and even fewer children. The Rystani people shared skin tones that varied from tan to deep bronze and a wild assortment of eye colors. But what struck her hardest was that no one carried extra pounds on their lean frames.
Kahn greeted his people with a nod of respect, a pat on the shoulder, and short welcomes. He never once failed to proudly introduce her, either. She read respect for their leader on their faces, and curiosity about her. But no one asked questions or tried to impede their progress.
Through open doorways, Tessa saw cramped quarters overflowing with people, rounded rooms with a hearth full of glow stones, a central gathering place. As they walked, she spoke quietly to Kahn. “What makes those glow stones light up?”
“They have a natural phosphorescence. We would export them to other worlds, except with their atomic interior they can so easily be made into weapons.”
“There’s nothing else to export?” she asked.
“The unique formation of our planet which produced glow stones denied us gems and metals in the non-radioactive areas.” Kahn accepted a ceramic decorative plate from one of his people. Another gave him a string of beads. And he passed out candy to the children.
The Rystani people in this corridor seemed more familiar with Kahn, though no less respectful. Children made a game of running over to touch him, accepting pieces of candy and then careening away with pleased laughter. Men and women alike approached him with gentle smiles of welcome, giving small tokens of their esteem.
Laden with gifts, Kahn turned into an elaborate hallway decorated with an arched golden ceiling, carved stone columns of fantastical creatures and an intricate mosaic floor of deep pinks sliced with streaks of green. After the plain walkways they’d already passed, this one seemed overdone and gaudy, yet conveyed that a man of importance lived here.
Although Tessa had always known Kahn was a leader of Rian, which was the capital of Rystan, seeing hundreds of his people react to him made her realize that she might be expected to be a role model for the women—something she was ill-equipped to do. But first she had to win the Challenge.
The luxurious hallway ended in a set of double doors guarded by two sentries who opened them to let them pass. After the opulence of the hallway, she’d expected a palace. Instead they entered a homey living area with a massive hearth full of glow stones and intricate tapestries on the opposite wall.
Two women, both taller than Tessa, waited in the room, lounging on a huge sofa left over from the era before suits and null-grav were in use. Miri’s hollowed cheeks and the dark shadows under her sun-colored eyes suggested she hadn’t been sleeping or eating well. She walked to greet the men with a graceful waddle, her long flowing dress unable to hide her swollen belly. Miri kissed Kahn’s cheek and hugged Etru with a fierce gladness.
Etru gently cupped her neck and tugged her to him, wrapping Miri in a tender and possessive embrace. “I told you I was uninjured.”
“Yes, my love, but sometimes a woman needs to see for herself.”
The young Shaloma greeted Kahn with a proper bow of the head, but with bright-eyed curiosity she focused on Tessa. Although half a foot taller than Tessa, Shaloma’s waif-like appearance and the tilt of her violet eyes gave the appearance of a teen on the verge of adulthood. Her face, framed by flowing blond hair, possessed arrogant cheekbones, a bold nose, and full lips. When her face fleshed out to match her features, she would be a knock out. However, she seemed totally unaware of her potential, moving with the brisk steps of an eager child, not a woman making an entrance.
After Kahn made formal introductions, the women handed the men drinks and retreated to the kitchen, taking Tessa with them.
Shaloma’s eyes glinted with pleasure, barely waiting her turn as Miri hugged Tessa. “My, you are just a tiny one. It’s hard to believe you saved my Etru’s life. I will forever be in your debt.” She pulled back and placed a blue glass jar into Tessa’s hands. “This is a perfume that has been passed down from my grandmother’s time, to be used for special romantic occasions.”
Touched by the gesture, overwhelmed by the friendly psi coming her way, Tessa shook her head. “I can’t accept so precious a gift.”
Miri’s hand closed over Tessa’s. “You’ve already given me the most precious gift on the planet, the life of my baby’s father. I will be insulted if you say no.”
Embarrassed by Miri’s warmth, Tessa ordered herself to breathe. At a loss for words, she wanted to convey how much Miri’s welcome meant to her but couldn’t speak past the sudden lump in her throat.
“My turn,” Shaloma moved in for her hug, saving Tessa from having to respond. Shaloma might be thin, she might be a child, but she embraced Tessa with a fierce enthusiasm that bubbled up from her in a genuine welcome. “I am so glad Kahn married you. I can’t wait to hear about Earth. Is it warmer there? How far away is it? And however did you get Kahn to allow you to wear that stunning pantsuit? Do you think he’d let me—”
“Shaloma!” Miri laughed. “Give the poor woman a chance to settle in. You can pester her with your questions later. Right now we have a feast to prepare, although Kahn’s favorite meat is not as good without Jarballa to spice it up.”
After they’d arrived at Rian, Tessa should have remembered to change out of the pantsuit that had become her uniform while on the spaceship. However, she’d been so caught up in her new surroundings, she hadn’t given her suit a thought. She suspected Kahn had noticed and was gratified that again he was making more allowances for her.
However, now was not the time to think about how pleased she was with her husband, especially when she could actually contribute to the meal. “I might be able to help with the spices. Dora, where’s the food materializer?”
“Stuffed in the broom closet.”
Miri and Shaloma’s eyes widened. “Who said that?”
“Dora is a computer and a friend. She’s been watching over the items we brought with us from Zenon Prime. If you could lead me to the broom closet, we could unpack.”
“Wow.” Shaloma let out a most unladylike whoop of glee that made Tessa chuckle. “You have a computer for a friend?”
“Dora, say hello to Shaloma and watch your manners.”
“That means she doesn’t want me to talk about sex,” Dora spoke out with absolutely no shame.
“Dora!” Tessa warned her. “Shaloma is not yet an adult.”
“But I would love to talk about sex.” Shaloma giggled.
Miri tried to keep the amusement from her face and failed. “Let’s leave them to get acquainted. If I don’t spice the octar meat soon, it’ll be too late.”
The broom closet turned out to be a huge pantry where cooking items and food stuffs were stored on floor-to-ceiling shelves. Miri waddled into the pantry and using a small glow stone like a flashlight, she perused the stores. “The robots could barely fit all the supplies you bought in here, and we have one of the largest larders in Rian.”
“After Kahn told me about the food problem, I stocked up on supplies.”
“You?” Miri turned from the supplies to frown at her.
“Yeah. Me.” Tessa saw no reason to mention the details to Miri. “It’s kind of a sore point between Kahn and me, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention—”
“The men aren’t concerned about the kitchen. They don’t even know how to boil water, never mind cook.”
“Um, Miri.” Tessa appreciated Miri letting her off the hook without explaining how she’d blown their credits and now felt compelled to be honest. Biting her lip, Tessa picked up the food materializer. “I don’t know how to cook, either.”
Miri patted her shoulder. “You can learn. I will teach you. And I know all of Kahn’s favorite meals.” Miri then winked at Tessa. “However, as much as I like to cook, sometimes it’s a chore that I wouldn’t mind turning over to a machine. I’m eager to try it out.”
Tessa grinned. “Wait until you see the cleaning machine I bought.”
“What does it do?”
“Wash dishes. Mops. Dusts. Whatever we ask it to do.”
“Oh, my. That sounds wonderful.” Miri patted her stomach and confided. “This pregnancy makes me sleep a lot, and Shaloma is the sweetest child, but she isn’t too thorough with her chores. She prefers to daydream.”
Tessa carried the food processor into the kitchen where Dora and Shaloma were chatting away about fashion on Zenon. A bit relieved that for once Dora hadn’t turned the conversation to sex, Tessa interrupted, “Dora, what kind of power supply does this machine require?”
“It comes with a hundred-year battery. All you need to do is connect the hose out the back into the raw ingredient container.”
While Tessa connected the hose, Shaloma set the table, and Miri opened the oven to check the food. Mouthwatering smells of roasting meat and baking bread, plus some kind of fruit tart wafted into the room.
Tessa sniffed appreciatively. “Smells great.”
Inside the oven, meat roasted on a turning spit. Miri collected juices and basted the meat. “How soon can we have the Jarballa?”
“Coming right up.” Tessa dusted off her hands and gestured to the food materializer. Although she dearly wanted a cup of coffee, she thought it would be rude to help herself to a drink after Miri had gone to such trouble to prepare a meal. “Why don’t you break it in?”
Miri closed the oven, placed the baster in a sink and peered at the machine. “What do I do?”
“Imagine the taste of the spice. Then push the taste at the machine with your psi.”
Miri closed her eyes, twitched her lips. “Done.”
“How’s this?” Tessa opened the door and handed a pungent concoction to Miri who smiled in delight.
“Perfect.”
Enthusiasm lit up Shaloma’s face. “I want to try.”
“Shaloma, you know better than to waste food. We already have a feast. We haven’t eaten this well in almost three years, but for Kahn and Tessa’s welcome, we had to splurge.”
Tessa stepped back and let Shaloma stand in front of the machine. “We needn’t scrimp. I bought enough raw ingredients on Zenon Prime to feed ten people for a thousand years. You and Shaloma must increase your caloric intakes.”
Miri pursed her lips, carefully spreading the spice over the meat. “We cannot do so while others are hungry.”
“No one will go hungry in Rian.” Tessa thought of Rob One and Rob Two who were busy digging out a cavern large enough to house the hydroponics equipment. “We also brought—”
“Do I smell octar meat and Jarballa sauce?” Kahn poked his head into the kitchen.
“Celebrating your safe homecoming and your wedding to Tessa demands a special feast.” Miri tried to shoo him out with a rueful grin.
Kahn didn’t budge. “You told me you used the last Jarballa on my birthday.”
“Did I?” Miri basted the meat, flustered that Kahn was questioning her. She was trying to honor Tessa’s request not to mention the food purchases. Obviously, she wasn’t good at dispensing misinformation, and Kahn angled his head, questions in his eyes.
As if sensing Tessa was behind the problem, he arched a brow in her direction. “Something you want to tell me?”
“No.”
The other women gasped at her direct reply. Dora chuckled.
“But you will tell me.”
“Oh, Kahn. Miri has spent days hoarding food and working hard to prepare this meal, please don’t spoil the celebration.” Tessa tried to soften her clear warning to him to behave.
In the best of moods since his arrival at home, Kahn crossed his arms over his chest, attempting to look stern, but his mouth twitched. “Fine, I promise not to spoil the celebration, so it’s safe for you to tell me what you’ve done now.”
Miri’s jaw dropped in shock. Shaloma’s eyes went from Kahn to Tessa back to Kahn in wide astonishment.
Kahn didn’t take his gaze from Tessa but spoke to the other women. “I’ve given Tessa extra leeway because Earth customs are different. Miri, I trust you to teach her our ways. And, Shaloma, don’t even think about imitating her, or we’ll never find you a husband.”
“She’s a little young for a husband,” Tessa protested, forgetting once again that she wasn’t supposed to argue with her husband, especially in front of others.
“Could you find me a husband?” Dora asked, cutting the tension and causing everyone to laugh.
Tessa knew Kahn still waited for his answer and rolled her eyes at the ceiling. “If you must know, I brought back from Zenon Prime a food materializer and supplies to run the machine.”
“And it took you how long to tell me?”
“You didn’t ask. And the subject never came up.” Tessa figured since he’d already promised not to fuss, now might be a good time to confess the rest. “I also bought a cleaning robot.”
“Machines that will cook and clean. Did you also buy one that will hunt? Then no one on Rystan will have to work,” he teased, and she liked the easy grin on his face, the dancing glint in his eyes.
She’d been about to tell him about the hydroponics equipment, but reconsidered. Perhaps he’d had enough surprises for one day.
“Kahn, I could use the mechanical help.” Miri rubbed the small of her back and Tessa wondered exactly how far along she was in her pregnancy.
She also found the family interaction more than interesting. Miri was backing Tessa in a way that made it difficult for Kahn to turn her down without seeming unsympathetic to her pregnancy.
As if accustomed to attempts to softly manipulate him, Kahn didn’t give in easily. “Shaloma and Tessa will help you.”
“Yes, but Shaloma has her studies, and Etru told me over the talkie that Tessa must practice daily for the Challenge.” Miri opened the oven again and savory smells drifted to Kahn’s nose, and his nostrils flared in appreciation.
Kahn grinned, seemingly none too upset that the women had out maneuvered him. “You do know how to bribe a man.”
“And after Tessa tastes your favorite dishes, she’ll be able to produce them herself with the food materializer.”
Kahn sighed. “I should know better than to come in here.” He ducked back out of the kitchen, and they could hear him say to the men, “We’ll be eating soon.”
Tessa sagged in relief. She hadn’t realized that she’d been holding her breath, anxious over Kahn’s reaction. And she appreciated Miri backing her more than she could say. A sincere thank you seemed inadequate.
“Miri, I . . . thanks.”
Miri took a hot pan of bread out of the oven with her fingers, exhibiting total temperature control of her suit. “You didn’t think we would help you?”
“I didn’t know what to expect. I’m a stranger here. Your ways are very different from mine.” Tessa drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as the other two women exchanged a long glance and frowns. “Look, I want to make this work. So if I say or do something wrong, rude, inappropriate, I want you both to tell me. In exchange, I promise not to ever do anything that would deliberately hurt either one of you. Deal?”
Tessa held out her hand to Miri to shake. Miri clasped her hand and embraced her, then gestured for Shaloma to join the three-way hug. “Deal.”
Miri stepped back, removed a large round fruit pie from the lower oven, and handed it to Tessa. “Can you take—”
“Shaloma,” Tessa couldn’t touch that burning hot pie plate without getting badly burned.
Shaloma rushed over to help Miri then both women looked at Tessa oddly. Miri angled her head. “I know you don’t know how to cook, but you can help serve.”
“I can’t.”
“Is this kind of work beneath you?” Shaloma asked.
Tessa shook her head. “I don’t have that kind of temperature control over my suit yet. If I’d touched that hot—”
“I’m sorry,” Miri calmly handed the pie cutter to Shaloma and gave Tessa another task. “Why don’t you pour the drinks, then.”
Tessa found glasses and filled them, then brought them to the table in the dining area off the kitchen. “I haven’t learned how to operate the null-grav controls, either.”
“It will come, dear.” Miri said encouragingly. “Etru told me that Kahn said you’re doing marvelously well. He’s proud of you.”
He was? This third-hand gossip could be quite useful. She wondered how else she could help. But Miri assigned her tasks, and she carried plates and utensils to the table, feeling like a small part of the team. She hadn’t felt like part of anything for a long time, not since Earth.
She hadn’t expected to like being in a kitchen or being around a woman like Miri who spent her days cooking and cleaning. However, Miri hadn’t just welcomed Tessa, she’d made her feel like part of a family.
So when Miri began to carve the meat and asked about her life on Earth, Tessa didn’t brush her off with a curt answer. She told the women about losing her parents, her foster homes, and how she’d found a second home in the Secret Service.
Shaloma was fascinated, especially about Tessa’s work guarding a business tycoon and a president. She wanted to hear all about the business details. About the wheeling and dealing. And finally when dinner was on the table and Miri called in the men, Tessa wondered if she’d be able to eat past the giant lump in her throat.
She might not recognize the food on the table. She might have to stand since she couldn’t operate the null-grav in her suit. She might have just met Shaloma, Miri, and Etru, but instead of being the outsider, they’d accepted her. She belonged.
Kahn raised his drinking vessel in a toast. “To the newest member of our family, my wife, Tessa.”
“Cheers.”
Everyone sipped. Tessa’s drink tasted like beer, but more mellow. Miri sputtered and Shaloma gasped.
Kahn’s brows narrowed. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Miri replied.
Oh, God. She’d poured and served the drinks. Given everyone alcohol. Miri was attempting to cover for her mistake but a pregnant woman shouldn’t be drinking.
“I’m sorry.” Tessa walked past Miri and Shaloma and picked up their glasses, adding them to her own. “I’ve made a mistake.”
Etru dropped his head into his hands. “You gave Miri and Shaloma spirits?”
“Not on purpose.”
“Women aren’t supposed to ever drink alcohol. Didn’t you know that?”
“I did. I just didn’t know this beverage was alcoholic.”
“Any child—”
“Etru, she wasn’t born here,” Miri defended her. “It was only one sip and caused no harm.”
Etru raised his head and looked at Tessa. “This time, she caused no harm. But what will she do next?”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to all of you about.” Tessa came in with fresh drinks for the women, something fruity and non-alcoholic. “I have a plan to suggest. Is dinner the appropriate time to talk business?”