Second Contact (Okal Rel Saga #1)

Chapter 13.1 - Playing by the Rules

Jarl spoke from behind H'Reth. "They found it," he said, "so I told them about Von."

H'Reth whirled to confront his captain of errants.

"I told them Von must obey you or die," Jarl said, staring at H'Reth as if willing him to exceed his usual thick-headedness. "It seemed important to them to make sure that Von docks. So I showed them that recording you made of having him bonded to you."

"I made?" H'Reth stammered, horrified. Was this betrayal? Why should he be surprised!

"Dishonorable, of course, to harbor a secret slave of conscience," Larren's voice spiked through the rising murmur Jarl's announcement had caused among the guards. "But useful to us just now. The Watching Dead plan better than we know."

The suggestion of supernatural forces at work produced a hush in which H'Reth tried to catch up with what was going on. Clearly Jarl had told Larren about Von's conscience bond. But was that all?

Yes, H'Reth decided. It's still in Jarl's interest to keep me alive. He just wants to see Von die!

"The Reetions have forced Von off their station," Larren declared, shaking back his golden locks. "But I was unsure how I might compel him to land until Jarl showed us your Reetion device, documenting what you'd done."

"Incredibly stupid to record a secret conscience bonding," Farin remarked.

Terror began to release its grip on H'Reth's organs. If they were harping on the impropriety of the conscience bond, they couldn't know that he was boy-sla. He hoped.

"This is Von," came a voice over the radio, emanating from a speaker panel on the wall. H'Reth's heart jumped. It was Von's voice, sounding a little jaunty for the occasion.

"Von!" H'Reth surprised even himself by rushing forward. "They're waiting to kill you! Don't land!"

Farin heaved H'Reth into the hands of his own erstwhile errants. Before H'Reth regained his balance, Farin's sword was out and held to his throat.

"We know that H'Reth is your bond master," said Larren. "You are, therefore, bound to obey him. But we think he may change his mind about the nature of his orders very soon." He nodded to Farin, who whipped H'Reth's face with the tip of his sword.

H'Reth yelped, and raised a hand to the hot wound.

"Order Von to dock," said Larren, "and you'll be taken back to Gelion to be tried for having an illicit bonding done. Refuse, and Farin will put out an eye."

"High culture comes to Killing Reach," Jarl mocked the Golden reputation for gentleness.

H'Reth shot Jarl a wounded, desperate look.

"I had to tell them," Jarl explained with a shrug. "They threatened torture. You're not up to pain, H'Reth," he finished soberly. "Order the pretty brat down."

H'Reth's eyes were hot. His stomach knotted. But there was nothing he could do! It was too cruel.

"Von," H'Reth said, struggling to side step his choices, "wh — what did those Reetion fiends do to you?"

"Nothing," Von replied by radio, "just detained me. They even bunked me with a woman, Ann. She was really something."

That sounded all too much like Von.

"Von," H'Reth said gravely, "It seems I cannot save you, but you can save me." It was so like an epic poem that warmth swelled H'Reth's chest, pressing on his aching heart. On the crest of the feeling he dared to appeal to Larren who was a Golden prince after all, susceptible to glorious art. "Why must you kill him? He's only a boy. What has he done?"

"Done!" Larren cried as if stung, then his voice dropped low. "It drives Delm mad to live amid the crudity of people like your wife!"

"Ah," muttered Jarl under his breath at H'Reth's back, "Von offended Delm by pleasing Anatolia. That's gratitude, when Von taught her how to please—"

Larren overheard and struck, backhand, connecting with a nasty smack, but Jarl knew how to take blows. He reeled into the guards surrounding H'Reth, breaking his fall.

"Take him out of my sight," ordered Larren, "I've no time to kill him as he deserves now."

Jarl snarled and struggled, but was overpowered. "I know what you are!" he hurled back at Larren as he was dragged out. "Like me! That's what! I'm honest about it! That's all!"

"Tell Von to dock, now," Larren ordered as soon as the commotion died down. "And surrender to me."

"I am sorry," H'Reth said to Von, hoping the tremor in his voice conveyed how upset he was. "I must order you to dock."

There was a long silence. Then Von's voice said, "All right. Where?"

It was only after he heard it that H'Reth admitted he had been holding his breath for fear Von decided he would rather die of bond revolt, out of spite. But he had chosen to obey and trade his life for H'Reth's, instead.

H'Reth's tears mingled with the blood trickling down his cheek. Farin lowered his sword. Larren gave Von instructions by radio.

H'Reth stood rooted as the eager audience inched forward. It was a poignant moment for him when the airlock cycled open, torn between wanting one last exchange of looks with his dear boy and knowing he could not bear to look upon him lifeless. He did not even want to imagine how the paladins might implement the order to destroy Von once he landed.

The wall gave way between the airlock and the freight room; and a murmur of mild surprise followed at the sight of an alien looking ship a little different in design from the one that the Reetion pilot Ann had flown. The twenty-odd people assembled waited for Von to climb out.

"I want to leave," H'Reth whimpered, his courage deserting him.

Farin gestured to a crewman. "Take him to join his captain of errants."

The man touched H'Reth's arm. "If your Grace will come with me?" he asked, apologetically.

H'Reth blinked at the man who just yesterday took orders from him. The man looked nervous, as did most of the crew. They disliked so many changes coming so suddenly. But the simpletons trusted in Okal Rel's power to ensure the safety of Vanilla Rose, their life raft in the vast hostility of space, so far from home, so long as they played by the rules. They would not help H'Reth get his station back. Not without a proper duel.

The hatch of Von's ship opened.

"Your Grace?" said his hesitant escort, urging him to come. But H'Reth's feet were rooted.