Wednesday Briefs: Ancalagon Ch. 80

  

“I shall go back and prepare my people for your ambassador’s visit.” Garjah tilted his head, one fist over his chest in salute. I guess he respected the Fertet who’d agreed to come in place of the Glo’ots the Council had tried to send in the first place. I’d vetoed that immediately, ignoring my mother’s hiss behind me. They were a species long part of the Galactic, but they were stuffy, bureaucratic types who would not do well with Garjah’s people.

No, to foster a relationship, they’d needed a species who held similar values and who would appreciate the beauty and landscape that invaded the city in ways that most spacefaring species no longer prioritized. The Fertet were a shifter species who needed land to roam in their bestial form, and the Council member’s son was a trained diplomat, so he was a natural choice for ambassador.

Plus I’d known him while I’d trained at the Institute, so I wasn’t as worried about him being a spy. Of course he’d be reporting to the Council, that was his duty. But he didn’t need to pick around for things that weren’t his business.

We’d surprised many of the Council members over the two days of meetings. Not only that Garjah was as capable an envoy and stringent at setting terms, but that I was by his side and would remain there.

I should have known that wouldn’t last.

“Of course you should, but Essell Deray will be going nowhere. He is a Fleet assigned researcher sponsored by the Institute and assigned to the Rinta.”

In an instant, Garjah had one hand locked around mine, and Bouncer was standing at alert, his ears erect and posture rigid. He rumbled in his chest, it echoing strangely. I glanced sideways and realized that it wasn’t an echo from Bouncer, but that Garjah was also rumbling as he stared at the sanctimonious Fleet officer blocking our retreat from the Council meeting room.

“You stole a skimmer, among other things.” Sonez glared at me. “You will return to your post and answer for your actions.” He curled his lip. “And then go straight to medical.”

“He will not.” Garjah squared off against Sonez. “I have made my terms very clear. Essell is one of my people now, and we do not answer to you.”

“You would dishonor your Fleet contract?” Sonez asked, trying to look at me over Garjah’s shoulder. He looked ridiculous, straining to make himself taller. “Disgrace your family name?”

“I would have disgraced my family name far more if I’d agreed to sleep with you to be allowed to go on missions, since you issued a standing order to keep me on ship until I agreed.”

We’d moved to a smaller chamber to finalize the details of arranging Ases’ role as ambassador, but there were three Council members present plus several staff members. At least a dozen heard me accuse him of abusing his rank and coercing junior crew members.

Red suffused Sonez’s cheeks, and he spluttered. “I would never do such a thing.”

“Funny, the vid I have of you making just such an order, in person I might add, counters that. Should I broadcast it?” He’d been talking to one of his cronies in security, and they’d locked me out of all legitimate missions and even the lab I’d been given.

He spluttered, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. I knew he wanted to hit me; I’d seen him do it to another crew member. He was an arrogant, self-important bully, but I knew how to handle those. I had evidence on him, and I would use it.

Not that I needed to. The second he took one step toward me, Bouncer crouched and his rumble turned into a snarl that showed off his impressive fangs. His claws slipped out of their sheaths and clicked on the metal floor.

The captain’s ruddy complexion paled at Bouncer’s threat, and he didn’t even realize the glistening claws were coated in a poison that would mean his death in seconds. All it would take was a single scratch.

“I am, first and foremost, bonded to this male and this friend who protects us.” I squeezed Garjah’s hand and placed on one Bouncer’s front shoulder. Even crouched, he was nearly waist high. Huh, when had he grown? “My commission in the Fleet is over. I do not work for the Institute. I am working for Garjah’s people now.”

What were they doing to do? Arrest me? As far as I was concerned, as soon as we left this city-covered rock, I was never coming back. Retiring to play host to a Fertet ambassador while Garjah handled security was more than enough work for me. He and Bouncer would probably get along great. One time, at the end of our first year, Ases had shifted into his beast form and climbed halfway up a building before he got scared and stuck. They’d had to use a personal skimmer with a net to get him down.

He tended not to look before he leapt into situations, or he had. It’d been two years since I saw him last, but he’d agreed immediately when I’d asked for him today. I figured being a low-level adjunct to some other official his dad got him in with was probably boring him to death.

“Now move, or you will be moved.” I didn’t give an inch; whoever had tried bringing Sonez into this situation thinking I’d listen to him or his arguments was seriously delusional.

Bouncer advanced, and Sonez scrambled back and toward the Heeze who’d sat silently while we negotiated. Ahh, that made sense. With his ebony skin and tinted eyes, he had to be at least part Heeze, and they were a race of beings who could not see past their own superiority.

I don’t think I hid my smirk very well.

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Julie Lynn Hayes