Devotion (18 page)

“No. That has already been taken care of. The tags were destroyed when they escaped the resistance. They have been living like wild animals in the wilderness for months. I shudder to think what they look and smell like.”

“I am pleased you have not lost your compassion, Hier Commander.” Okil smiled to himself at the look of disgust on Torac’s face.

Torac made a derisory noise at the thought, and then lowered the ramp for Okil. As soon as he was on the ground, the ramp was closed. They were going to drive through the city streets and out into the countryside for the pickup. If they were asked their business, they were to say that they were collecting soil samples for the scientists on Karal to analyse. The more information they had, the easier it would be to find a new Earth. It sounded plausible, as long as no one delved too deep into their mission.

As the cruiser rumbled over the rough tarmac and onto the road, Okil hoped they would be here waiting for him when he came back or whether his punishment might be to be stranded on Earth instead. That would not happen. The council might not see him as particularly valuable, but they would never leave a Karalian at the mercy of Earth. Especially now that there was the very real threat of the virus.

Making his way across the city, he hurried to the Presidential Palace. It always made him uncomfortable to gaze on the green grass through the bars of the gate leading into the home of the President. It was opulent, such a contrast to the city outside the gates. Worse was the knowledge that the President spent little time there; he had a pent in one of the Oxydomes, a fact that he kept very quiet. But the Karal’s probes had watched and monitored him enough to know that was where he spent most of his time.

Okil showed his ID to the guard, who took it and then phoned through to the palace. Okil was then asked to stand in front of an image scanner, and only when the control went green did the gates open to allow him in. That was the first of three security checks. Okil was used to them, although he often wondered whom it was the President was protecting himself from.

Did he ever suspect the Karal? If he didn’t, now might be a good time to start. Okil knew the council too well. Lytril, especially, would have a festering wound where this betrayal was concerned.

“Okil. So pleased to see you again.” The President came to meet him, hand outstretched, Okil shook it politely, hating the coldness of the human’s flesh in his. “I hope you bring me good news. We are running out of time.”

“I understand. And that is why the Hier Council have decided to move forward the deep space mission. The first weekly lottery will be made up of females who fit the mental and physical conditions for the mission.”

“I see. But that does not answer my question,” the President replied, flashing a false smile. “You would make a first-class politician, Okil. If you ever need a job, you know where to find me.”

“My loyalty will always be to Karal.”

“But is Karal loyal to you? I only ask because you have never been rewarded with a female, have you?”

Okil was unsure where this was heading, and he felt uncomfortable. Did the President know about Tikki? It was more than possible the President had been tracking the movements of all Karalians on the planet, and his fear for Torac and the others intensified. It would be quite a coup for the President to arrest the Hier Commander for kidnapping.

How had Charlie’s parents been found? With no tags, Torac could be on the way to pick up an imposter and they would never know. Until it was too late. Did they have the virus prepared, was this the first move against Karal? Okil felt the air grow heavy. Despite oxygen being piped into the room, it was stale and flat.

He fought to control his colours. They wanted to pour across his skin; liquid fear flowed through his veins.

“When I have completed my duties, I will be rewarded. My time away from Karal, visiting Earth, would make it impossible to for me to be with a female. Although that may change. I have been given the honour of helping with the mission to find you a new planet.”

“I would celebrate with you. But I want the ability for my people to travel the universe and find their own home. Do you think it fair for us to put our fate into the hands of another species?”

“That is why your females are participating on the missions. Mr President, that is the terms of our agreement.”

“
Your terms
. Exactly.” He paused before continuing. “When you first came here, we were so in awe of the Karal. Lately though, we feel taken advantage of. My government has been discussing it at length and we feel that the only way for our species to work together is if you share your technology in the same way we have shared our women.”

Okil understood the implications. “Are you saying that you will withdraw from the lottery?”

“I never said that exactly, did I? Now, Okil, do not put words into my mouth. I may have to sue you for defamation of character.” He grinned widely, and Okil knew he was playing a game of cat and mouse with a master. He had to get out of there soon.

“I will convey your message to the Hier Council. I do not have the authority to make negotiations that in any way concern our technology.”

“And that has been our problem all along, hasn’t it, Okil? You are just the messenger.” He clapped Okil on the back good-naturedly. “So you run home now and tell your Hier Ruler, that the next time the Karal want to discuss terms, they send the organ grinder and not the monkey.”

“Thank you for your time, Mr President,” Okil said, keeping his emotions in check. He could not let his colours free. If he did his face would be black, and death might visit the President of Earth by the hands of its greatest protector.

She waited anxiously; there had been no news all day. Maybe that was to be expected. Or maybe something had gone seriously wrong. All she knew was each minute without Okil, without knowing he was safe, was a minute too long.

“He’ll be OK,” Elissa said, coming to sit beside her. “He is the bravest person I know. So many times he could have simply left us humans to our own devices.”

“I agree. When I first came here, it was Okil who looked after me,” Evie said. “Ishk took a while to come around to having a human female around.”

“How are things now between you all? I know it must be difficult.” Tikki felt a large amount of guilt for bringing this on them. The scene in the council chamber had been hard; she hoped there was no lasting permanent damage done to the women’s relationships.

“Oh, they get over it. The baby kicked for the first time yesterday, and Lytril was ecstatic,” Vanessa said.

“You must be worried too, Celia. About Torac going to Earth,” Tikki said.

“I have learned that the Karal have a way of looking after themselves.” Then she turned and looked up at the sky as something bright flashed across it. “We’re about to find out. That was a cruiser. I’m sure it must be them.”

“Charlie,” Tikki called, “We should get you cleaned up.”

“Why?” the boy said, coming over with dirt smeared across his face from digging in the dirt. They had been weeding the garden that Evie had begun to plant when she was going to live here.

“Because we will be eating soon.” She did not intend to tell him his parents might be arriving on Karal at any moment. It would be awful if they hadn’t been able to locate them, and Charlie would be so disappointed. Just as Tikki would be if they weren’t on the cruiser. Okil had been convinced they had been found and it was just a matter of smuggling them off Earth. And he had done that before.

Charlie stood patiently while she sponged his face, and then they had some refreshments while they waited. The cruiser had become visible briefly, and then it had disappeared as it flew lower. She could only imagine the furore of getting Charlie’s parents out of the airport. Okil had mentioned a debriefing by the Hier Ruler himself.

“If they do have to talk to Lytril,” Vanessa said, “they will be ages. He does like to make himself clear.”

“Do you have any idea why he has allowed them to come here?” Elissa asked, without mentioning names. They had all been very careful not to talk too much about the situation in front of Charlie, but they were all desperate to know the reasons behind the Hier Ruler’s change of heart towards Charlie’s parents.

“Even now, he is a law unto himself. I’m sure he has something planned but he doesn’t tell me.” She watched Charlie and smiled. “I would like to think it was because he saw Charlie and thought of the child I am carrying. But I don’t think so.”

“They’re here.” Vanessa got up and dusted herself down; the others did the same and then followed her to the entrance of the breeding house.

Tikki held out her hand to Charlie, and walked with him, trying not to let on how nervous she felt. In his arms, he still clutched the old teddy, now neatly sewn up. Who would have guessed the secrets one stuffed bear could hold?

The cruiser drove in to the courtyard, and halted. Tikki’s breath did the same, catching in her throat. Then she let it out as the ramp came down and Okil walked down into the courtyard. He was safe, she wanted to run to him, to throw her arms around him, but she couldn’t, not yet. Because beside her Charlie stood, clutching her hand, and her heart began to sink. His parents were not on board.

“Mommy,” he said quietly, and Tikki looked down at him, thinking he meant her. But he wasn’t looking at Tikki mommy; instead, he was looking at the ramp and the dishevelled woman who was coming down it, her hair all wild, her clothes torn. “Mommy,” he said more loudly and then he loosed her hand and ran forward, weaving in amongst the legs of the other women to dash towards his real mom.

The woman bent down and scooped him up, holding him close to her chest, and then a man appeared too, putting an arm around both of them and burying his head in Charlie’s chest as he sobbed.

The courtyard fell silent. All eyes on the three members of a family united at last. Then Celia sobbed too, heart wrenching as she put her hand over her mouth and cried at the sight. Torac, who had come down to join them, went to her and held her close.

“Are you unwell?” he asked.

“No. I just miss my family so much.” He held her, kissing her head as she cried. There were no words to comfort her. The Karal were not suddenly going to start bringing other family members to Karal. However, once the colony was set up, then Celia’s family might be chosen to live there and she might see them again.

Tikki went and put her hand in Elissa’s. “I’m so happy we are both here.”

“Me too, little sister. Me too.”

He saw her across the courtyard. She smiled and waved, and all Okil wanted to do was take her in his arms. But he had to be patient; first they had to get Charlie and his parents settled here. The Hier Council had been adamant that the small family would not be able to leave the compound of the breeding house. His only surprise was the knowledge that the council had decided to install a scientific lab here. For what purpose he didn’t know. But he could guess.

“Okil,” Darl called.

“Darl. Hello, Reja. I hadn’t expected you to be here.” Okil hugged Reja warmly. “I am pleased you two have been kept out of this.”

“Thank you, Okil. And thank you for your part in me being on Karal,” Reja said. “It has been so much more than I could ever have imagined.”

Darl’s face went a deep shade of blue, and Okil laughed. “Why don’t you go and see Elissa and Tikki? They can introduce you to everyone else.”

“I will see you in a moment, Darl.” Reja kissed his cheek and then went over to Tikki and an ecstatic-looking Elissa.

Okil looked at his friend. “I think having a female at home agrees with you, Darl.”

“Yes. Thank you, Okil. Although I was called before the council while you were away. I assume our stories are the same or else I think we’ll be under arrest.” Even while he talked to Okil, Darl’s eyes followed Reja wherever she went.

“I hope this is all over. The mission for a new Earth and the baby Elissa is carrying signifies a new beginning.” Okil slapped Darl on the back. “As you are experiencing a new beginning, Doctor.”

“Indeed, she is quite a woman. I never imagined anything like the things I have experienced with her. I think I can understand why you risked so much for Tikki. I also think that is why we are both free men. With three members of the council having women of their own … well, they have a unique understanding that others cannot even begin to fathom.”

“We were lucky. Now my feet are going to stay on Karal for the foreseeable future.”

“And I have to treat these two humans,” Darl said. “They completed decon’, I take it?”

“Yes. We made sure there was no trace of the virus.”

“Good.” Darl moved away, towards the two humans who were crying and embracing Charlie. “Maybe we can meet later. I know Reja has been itching to see Tikki again and become part of the human female crowd. Which is growing.”

They both looked over to the six females, all hugging and laughing with Reja.

“Maybe tomorrow. I would like to have Tikki all to myself for this evening, if you don’t mind.” Okil looked at his woman, wanting nothing more than to shut the door on both of their worlds and think only of themselves for one night.

“I completely understand.” Darl winked at Okil and went to Charlie’s parents.

Tikki turned to look at him and in the moment their eyes met, he knew she had the same idea.

Having her here, with all the other human females, seeing them happy and laughing, finally put the ghosts of the mothers to rest. He hoped to never again hear the wailing in his head, or wake up feeling as though he had a thousand hands on his body. Clutching at him, wanting to know if he was their child, their baby.

For Okil, he had accomplished a dream he had never known he had. He had given the next generation a chance to be something more, to be something greater, and to have two parents to achieve that greatness. A Karalian father and a human mother, both taking part in bringing up the children of a generation where girls and boys would run free on his beautiful planet after so long.