RESURRECTION (RIBUS 7, #5) Page 6

  Korba’s brows rose. “That thought has occurred to me.”

  Chelan stretched up and took his lips. “I will contain myself in that regard. After all, she is your best. And that means she has great value to the Empire.”

  Korba smiled and then glanced toward the chamber doors. “Is the wild one sleeping?”

  Chelan rolled her eyes. “Not yet, but she has been fed and changed, so outside of not seeing her daddy, she should have no complaints.” Chelan turned to lead him away, but Korba did not move. She turned back and looked up in to his eyes. “What is it?”

  “What if I had slept with her? What if I had completed the act?” he asked quietly.

  Chelan chose her response carefully. “Like I said, I would have understood, my Lord, but I would not have been too happy with myself.”

  Korba groaned. “Oh, my Lady, why do you say that?”

  “Because it would have been my situation, my stubbornness about doing everything myself, that ultimately opened up this opportunity for her, thereby driving you to engage with her.”

  “Regardless of what precipitated all this, it is I and I alone that would have conceded to her pressure. It was ultimately my choice.”

  Chelan kissed his lips. “As you have told me, we do not always have optimal choices, and when we do, we do not always make the right ones. Nothing is perfect. Our ultimate decisions are often dictated to us by our dire circumstances. We make compromises and hope those compromises work out for the best for all.”

  Korba looked at her, his awe of her expanding. “You have come so far, my Lady.”

  Chelan smiled at him coyly. “I know. After all this time, I still have you, do I not?”

  Korba nodded. “Completely, my Lady.”

  Chapter 5

  CHELAN PACED BACK AND forth, taking the odd pause to look over at the sleeping Shanna. Then she turned around just as the doors to her suite opened.

  Marri stepped in and nodded to Chelan. “My Lady.”

  Chelan took a deep breath and smoothed her gown. “Marri,” she acknowledged.

  Marri averted her eyes momentarily and then looked back to the Empress. “The injections are complete, my Lady.”

  Chelan tried to still her tumultuous emotions. “Then you still wish to help?”

  Marri’s breathing hitched. “Yes, my Lady. Of course. Is there something wrong?”

  So many things instantly went through Chelan’s mind that she felt like exploding, but she shelved them all. “No, no. I just had not heard from you since you left to see Stose a couple of days ago. I was not sure.”

  Marri hesitated. “I am sorry. I just assumed you knew I would follow through.”

  Chelan ran her fingers through her hair. “Korba said you would, but things can change.” She moved to a chair and sat down. Then she offered another chair to Marri.

  Marri studied her, but the Empress was unreadable. “How are you doing?” she finally asked as she sat.

  “Fine,” Chelan responded curtly. She winced and moderated her tone. “Relieved that you are here. But Stose wants to see me now.”

  Marri nodded. “Shanna will be well, my Lady.”

  Chelan tapped her fingers on the arm of the chair. “I know she will.”

  Marri looked down. “I know his Lordship tells you all, my Lady, intentionally or not.”

  Chelan watched the warrior closely.

  Marri hesitated. “My behavior was deplorable. I must apologize.”

  Chelan stared at the beauty clad in ebony, and slowly, her tension abated. “I can only imagine what pain you must endure daily, Marri. Yes, I am angry, and hurt, but I am also sorry. I do not know what to do or say. I know of your world’s ways. I have taken advantage of them, but—”

  Marri shook her head. “He does not save himself for you exclusively, my Lady. He does it for himself also. Therefore, I am wrong to direct my animosity at you. Long before your abduction I offered myself countless times, as did hundreds of women, but he never accepted.”

  “You know he cares.”

  Marri smiled wryly. “He did, my Lady. But he made it very clear that with my demand, I severed any emotional bonds he once had with me. I cut my own throat, and justifiably so.”

  Chelan stared at the contrite woman. “And yet you still wish to help me?” she whispered.

  Marri smiled. “If you permit me to be candid, my Lady...”

  Chelan nodded.

  “I have known for years that I could never have his heart. That belongs to you. But through that time I have prayed for his body. Now I have forfeited what small chance there ever was.” Marri took a moment to collect herself. “I can only imagine what it must be like to make love with him, my Lady. I envy you so hard at times that I hate you. But ultimately, I respect both you and him. Now I know for sure that I will never have a piece of him.”

  She glanced away for a moment. Then she looked back at Chelan. “The closest I can come to him is through the honor you have been forced to bestow upon me. For some reason, it has become enough for me that I am allowed care for and to nurse his one and only child. I wish with all my heart that she was mine, but that is something he will never share with another. And so, I give myself to him the only way I can. I hope you do not mind?”

  Chelan felt her throat burn. She could empathize precisely with the pretty woman. “No, I do not mind, Marri. In the past, I have come to call you friend because of our Lord’s feelings for you. And I have always known about your feelings for him. Though it must be painful for you, I do not mind that you do this for him.”

  “I also want you to know, my Lady, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I originally offered to do this with never an intent of extracting payment in any form from his Lordship. What happened when he came to my suite was totally spontaneous.” Marri sucked in a deep breath. “In a moment of weakness that could only be described as desperation, I made my bid for him.”

  Chelan remained very still, wondering how many more opportunities would arise over the coming decades for Marri to attempt to bed Korba, but to dwell on it would be a crippling exercise. Besides, in her heart of hearts, she knew very well that Marri could try as hard as she was able to seduce Korba, but the man was loyal to her and her alone, almost to a fault. She had no worries when it came to any woman.

  Chelan went to speak, but Shanna stirred, and she began to rise. Marri gestured to her to stay seated.

  The warrior stood and picked the squirming infant out of her cradle and then sat on the bed with her. Marri spoke. “When you nursed her last, did she drain both sides?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. We will see if she accepts me without a fuss. If she does, you can scamper off to Stose.”

  Chelan nodded as she moved to sit right next to the warrior. She watched as Marri undid her uniform jacket and then deftly positioned the infant to her breast.

  Shanna’s emerald eyes seemed to study her new food provider for a moment, but in the end she did not seem to care. She latched onto Marri’s dark nipple with a vengeance. Marri gasped. “Good god... no wonder you are sore!”

  Chelan smiled. “She is not subtle.”

  Marri smiled back as she stroked the infant’s silken hair. “No, she is not. In fact, now I am not so sure that she has her tongue in the correct position after all.”

  “What do you mean? You have checked before.”

  “Yes, and the times I did, all seemed well. But sometimes they do not have their mouth positioned quite right. If they curl of their tongue back, they do not suck properly. Maybe the times I checked her she was latched on correctly, and other times not.”

  “Is that why it hurts?”

  Marri shrugged. “I will see how hard she has to work and how long it takes her. Then I will know for sure.”

  Chelan nodded. “Shall I go now?”

  Marri smiled. “Yes, we will be fine.”

  Chelan hustled from the room and headed straight for the sickbay.

  Marri watched Chelan go and then held Shan
na’s little hand. “Oh, you are a beauty, aren’t you.” She admired the baby for a long time. “Let us hope you do not run into anyone like your daddy when you grow up.” Then Marri frowned. “Actually, the best thing you could do is run into someone like your daddy. Just do not take any lessons from your Auntie Marri, or you too will fail dismally.”

  Korba’s soft voice startled the warrior. “You are too hard on yourself, Marri.”

  Marri tried to catch her breath. “How long have you been there?”

  “Only moments. I saw Chelan leave.”

  Marri watched him nervously as he spread his shroud about him and sat. Then she looked down. “Shanna is doing fine,” she commented.

  Korba rubbed at his jaw as he watched the two of them, but he did not speak.

  Finally, Marri looked up. “Uh, Chelan should take the next nursing. We do not want her ducts to plug. Then you should take her Ladyship to your private room, my Lord; she needs the rest. I can give her at least eight Earth hours.”

  Korba continued to stare.

  Marri could stand his silent scrutiny no longer. “Is there something wrong, my Lord?”

  “No, I am just watching you with my daughter.”

  Marri looked away. “She is beautiful.”

  Korba straightened. “I have forgiven you.”

  Marri’s eyes watered and she tried to concentrate on Shanna. “So has my Lady, it would seem.”

  Korba continued to study them. “I want you to think about my offer of payment. I could provide you with many things.”

  Marri chewed at her cheek. “No, thank you, my Lord. This is all I ask for.”

  Korba stood and then squatted down in front of them. His hand stroked over Shanna’s head. “You provide so much. You sacrifice so much. I am indebted to you.”

  Marri’s tears flowed, splashing softly onto his ebony glove. “No one owes anyone,” she whispered.

  Korba took a moment before he stood once again. “I will leave the two of you in peace.”

  Marri nodded but she did not look up.

  KORBA LEFT AND HEADED straight to sickbay, where he found Chelan with Stose. “My good doctor. What do you have to say?”

  Stose smiled. “I have changed the type of salve we have been using and applied the new one to our Lady here. She must keep reapplying it. And there is no harm to the baby—there is no need to wash it off. Time and a break from Shanna will heal all. But in the interim, Chelan still needs more sleep and more nutrition.”

  Korba smiled at the two of them. “That has been all arranged. May I take her home now?”

  “Yes, you may. She is fine otherwise. A little lean, but rest will restore her appetite.”

  Korba nodded and took Chelan by the hand. Once back in the Command Center he began leading her straight to the little blue room. Chelan protested. “I have to relieve Marri. I have to—”

  “Shhh... Marri is nursing her now. She lasts at least three hours. Now is our time.”

  Once in the room Chelan sat down beside him, noticing that he seemed to have an air of excitement about him. “What is it?” she prodded.

  “I have a small diversion planned for you, providing you begin to heal.”

  “What diversion?”

  “A little trip. You have been confined to our chambers for weeks now. It is time for a change.”

  Chelan’s eyes lit. “A trip where?”

  “Well, hold on! A lot has to be worked out yet.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Korba grinned. “Remember the day Zane called and said something required my attention?”

  “Of course I do?”

  “Well, that is what has had me preoccupied all this time.”

  Chelan slapped his leg. “You are keeping me hanging! Out with it!”

  “How about I show you rather than tell you.”

  “Okay.”

  “So, a convoy a couple of months ago was cleaning up the Balatesian system when sensors registered an anomaly.”

  Chelan’s face fell. “Oh no—not that place again!”

  “No, listen. All is well out there. The trouble planets are gone. Talon’s forces have been eradicated. And the anomaly was neither celestial nor military in nature.”

  Chelan took a minute to still her thudding heart. “What is it?”

  Korba took her by the hands. “It is a ship.”

  Chelan was perplexed. “A ship?”

  Korba drew her up with him and hit a switch. A small panel slid away and revealed a monitor. Korba pressed some buttons and a three-dimensional image formed before them.

  Chelan stepped up to it and stared at it. “I do not understand. It is... It is... What is it?”

  Korba took a deep breath. “It is RIBUS 7, my Lady.”

  Chelan instantly stilled. She raised her trembling hands to her mouth. “Oh my god—she is... She is completely destroyed.”

  Korba hugged her, his voice soft and low. “No, my Lady. You see, that is the anomaly the convoy picked up. She is not dead.”

  Chelan tore her eyes from the display and frantically searched his. “What are you talking about?”

  “She has life. Our engineers have boarded her, and they think she is salvageable. If all the engines had been destroyed, she would have been junk. But it seems she still has power. Just how much they are still ascertaining.”

  Chelan looked at the image floating in cold, dark space. “What does all this mean?”

  “If she has sufficient power, they may be able to repair her enough to make the leap to hyperspace. With a tractor beam from another battleship, she could be towed back home.”

  Chelan felt her heartbeat quicken. “And we could have her back?”

  Korba straightened. “Resurrected just for you, my Lady. Mind you, it could take years to rebuild her, but it would be possible if we can get her back on Iceanea.”

  Chelan stared at the ship as its form slowly rotated before her, its hull breached by blackened jagged holes too numerous to count. Her former shape was barely recognizable, and outwardly she showed no life. But it still caused Chelan’s pulse to race. Then she looked up to Korba. “Fremma?”

  Korba’s face fell. “Oh no, my Lady. He is gone. The ship has been scanned. There is no life. She has been floating in space now for over five years. Anyone who may have initially lived has long since died or gone.”

  Chelan looked back at the vessel. “Back on Earth, I felt what I thought was Fremma’s presence wash over me. Even then I knew he was dead. But he seemed to be calling me. He seemed to want me to come to him. At least, that is what it felt like to my heart.”

  Korba stared at her, but he remained quiet.

  She peered up at him. “I told Dar about it. He felt it too at one point, but not as strongly as I did.”

  Korba opened his mouth to speak, but he knew not what to say.

  “I asked Dar to search for him if able,” Chelan said. “I felt that was what Fremma wanted.”

  “My Lady, that was an impossible task. Space is so vast. We could not even locate you in the caverns. Dar could have never hoped to find him.”

  “Oh, I know that, but this was different. You know your sixth sense?”

  Korba nodded. “Yes, but—”

  “No, this was the same as that. It was as if something... a feeling deep inside me was leading me to him, or leading me to something he wanted me to find.”

  Korba took her by the shoulders. “You speak of spirits, or energies in different dimensions. I grant you that as there is so much out there we do not understand. But Chelan, I speak of human bodies in space. What you speak of is impossible. And there are no life signs to search for.”

  Chelan nodded. “I know. It is just that after all these years, to find RIBUS 7, a spark within her... It makes me think, maybe it was not Fremma we were to find after all. Maybe it was the ship.”

  Korba suddenly felt uneasy. He had come to rely on and heed his sixth sense when it washed over him, but whatever Chelan was attuned to dist
urbed him. Regardless, he knew he could not solve the puzzle for the time being. “Well,” he said, “for now, what we both need is some rest. Come here and lie with me.” And he turned the screen off, the projection vanishing. He led her to the bed and they lay down together. But Chelan could not sleep.

  Korba watched her for a long time. “It is the soul of RIBUS 7 that beckons to you, my Lady. She has always been within your heart.”

  Chelan looked up at him as he cradled her in his arms. “You may be right. She was my one true home away from Earth.”

  Korba hugged her tight. “Well, once the reports give us the go ahead—providing they do, of course—we could be there within three months. Then we would stay there indefinitely until the crews get her up and running again. With an army of engineers, workmen, and the Telesians, maybe we will get her mobile within a few short months. Then home.”

  Chelan hesitated. “But what of Jason and Shanna?”

  “They would come, of course.”

  “But security?”

  “We would not travel alone. I would take along at least two other battleships. RIBUS 1 is up and ready as we speak. She just requires a full crew—and us, of course.”

  “Zane has RIBUS 5.”

  “Yes, and Lethiason can take any ship he wants.”

  Chelan smirked. “Since when is Lethiason a Warlord?”

  “Close enough. He is a Commander of unprecedented ability. And he has had plenty of experience with battle. He did not come up through the Guild, but he is no less fit.”

  Chelan sat up. “He can be all the Commander you wish him to be, but I do not want him at the helm of a battleship, especially one accompanying us.”

  Korba propped himself up and looked over at her with astonishment. “My, we have strong feelings about this!”

  Chelan eyed him. “I do not like the part he has played in all that has gone before.”

  “Chelan, he served me then, as he does now.”

  “He is an expert at deception. I have never trusted him completely.”

  Korba raised his brows. “Very well, my Lady. I have never promised him a battleship or a commission to Warlord. This is a journey for you. You may pick the Commander and the ship.”