Kaden's Breeder (14 page)

He turned and pierced Nal with a penetrating stare. “Why?"

It was a simple question, but Nal looked as though he was debating whether or not to disclose the information. He glanced at Carina for a moment; the worry in her face was enough to convince him that Kaden had a right to know

To keep him ignorant of the Grub intentions or the Council's decision in the matter would be dishonorable. “The Grub have demanded you release your Breeder to the mantra. Since they do not have any alliance to the Three Galaxies, the Mantra are representing them."

Kaden regarded Nal as he absorbed the information.

"The Mantra claim that your Bre ... eh Carina, was deposited on Yor in error and the need to bring her to the correct location, since she has already been claimed by the Grub."

He looked back at Carina and sighed, “I believe she is to be used as a host."

"Why do they need Carina, I'm quite sure they have other hosts” Kaden spat the word host with total disgust at its implications.

Nal placed his hand on Kaden's shoulder and stared him straight in the eye; so that he didn't miss anything that was about to be said, “Carina is Grath's host, the Grub King himself."

Kaden's eyes narrowed, his indignation and hatred of the Mantra blazed through him. How dare they think to do such a thing, and how could the Council agree to this. Did they?

"And the Council? Did they agree that I am to turn Carina over to such a fate?"

Nal didn't say a word but the look on his face was confirmation alone

"I will not give Carina to the Grub. She is now a citizen of Yor, and should be treated with the same consideration as any other citizen of a Council represented world."

Carina stepped forward. She was worried and tired of being left out of the conversation especially since it was about her. “Kaden what can be done? I have no idea what you two are talking about, but I can certainly put two and two together. The attack was because of me wasn't it?"

Tears flooded the backs of her eyes and she fought to keep them from falling. Now was not the time to break down and cry like a baby. Both men turned to look at her

Nal's expression was sympathetic, while Kaden looked determined and undaunted in his decision to keep her from the Grub

"Please Kaden tell me!"

"It is not your fault you were taken from your home against your will. Nor is it your fault that the Council allowed Yor to be attacked, when it should have protected us."

He pulled her into his embrace. “Never fault yourself Carina for the misguidance of others."

He held her face between his hands and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “I need to accompany Nal to the Galactic Governing Council's command center. I believe that since I know they could have prevented the Trellian attack, it will be in their best interest to acknowledge your Breeder status on Yor."

Nal took a step forward and stood next to Kaden. “The Council will have to listen now. Kaden is right, if they do not at least give Kaden the right to plead his case they would be breaking one of the most important laws that govern all the planets represented. Every planetary government has the right to air their grievances if they feel the Council failed to protect it from threats against its people."

Carina nodded her understanding, but inside she still felt responsible for much of the trouble Kaden and the Dregs have been through. She hoped that Kaden and Nal were right and the Council would at least step in and help Yor get some justice. Helplessness was definitely not a feeling she wanted to add to her already frantic emotions

Kaden and Nal left that evening to meet with the Council. He had assured that he would be back in three days’ time. The minute he left, Carina felt an inexplicable sense of abandonment. She spent the next two days keeping as busy as she could, in order to keep her mind off her current dilemma. Alura and Zya had been her constant companions and she found refuge in their friendship

Thoughts of leaving Yor hadn't really been at the forefront of her mind. Instead all she could do was wonder about how Kaden was handling the Galactic Governing Council and whether they would lift their decision to turn her over to the Mantra. It sent shivers down her spine at the thought of being a host for the parasitic Grub

Still her worries fell mostly with Kaden and his safe return. It was ridiculous, to think that anything was going to happen to him. After all, this was a political mission not one where he was sent off to war. The truth was she missed him the moment he stepped aboard Nal's shuttle

A slight flutter rolled in her lower abdomen; she had just gone to the bathroom not even a half hour ago, yet she felt like she needed to go again

God she hoped that she didn't have some type of urinary tract infection. It had taken her some getting used to the bizarre bathroom facilities which were more like backwoods out houses back on earth only much more cleaner, advanced and thankfully less smelly.

Maybe she just had some indigestion

"Hello Dara Carina.” The friendly voice came from a Breeder that Carina had met while she tended to the wounded after the attack. Natali was her name. She was a pretty Zen Breeder the same one who had introduced the tiny Dreg children at the harvest celebration

She walked hand in hand with one of the little tykes and waved as she passed by. He looked over at Carina and blew her a raspberry before flashing a semi-toothless grin

Carina winked at him and blew him her own raspberry. A warm feeling settled in her chest and she pictured a little boy like that walking between her and Kaden while they swung him back and forth as he giggled delightfully

Love had crept up on her the moment she set foot on Yor and saw Kaden standing at the top of the hill before the Mating Hunt. Her decision was becoming more and more clear. Although she would miss Earth, Yor had much more to offer her

A sudden feeling of relief as if a heavy weight had been lifted off of her, fell over her. She smiled up at the sky just before nausea hit and she made a beeline to the bathroom shack.

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"I'm pregnant?"

Carina stared disbelievingly at Alura and Zya

Alura's face beamed with joy. “Yes daughter, the k'nig root never lies.” The woman was bursting at the seams

Zya stepped forward and gave Carina a tight hug. “This is wonderful news and I was hoping to tell you this evening when Kaden returned, but now given the circumstances...” Zya placed a hand on her belly, “Zeth and I are expecting a child as well!"

Alura clapped her hands together, like a kid who just got the toy they'd been waiting all year for, on Christmas morning. She began shaking her hands excitedly. “Oh this is wonderful news. Thank the ancients I never listened to Jarrow and gave away Kaden's infant pallet and bassinet. Men!"

She said the word “men” with such exacerbation, Carina chuckle. She looked at Zya as if she had just had an epiphany, “Our children will grow up like siblings!"

Alura's expression suddenly became perplexed and she looked at Carina for a moment, before rushing out the door babbling about bassinets and baby baskets

Zya laughed as she watched Alura running towards her own Communal hut, talking to herself the whole way

"Well it looks as though you are going to have quite a time keeping Alura from driving you insane by the time the babe is born."

Carina shook her head at Zya, but smiled warmly. “Congratulations Zya, I sincerely hope that Zeth's mother is as uhmm, attentive as Alura will surely be."

She winked at Zya, who looked down shamefully, “Uhmm, well I haven't told her yet, she has been asking every day since Zeth and I mated. I have a feeling you are right though."

Carina laughed, “Well at least we will have two eager babysitters.” Zya chuckled and gave Carina another hug saying good-bye before she turned and left

Pregnant. Oh Crap! Somehow Carina just could not bring herself to be anything but happy with news. Well if she had any doubts about staying, this definitely sealed the deal. Instead of feeling, discouraged as she expected, Carina felt nothing but pure joy

For the first time since she landed on Yor, she was truly content, happy and most importantly, loved. Laughing she looked down at her belly and placed a hand over her womb. God, she could wait to tell Kaden.

"Dara Carina?"

Kiana almost choked on the title of High Matriarch, she was forced to refer to Carina by

Startled, Carina turned towards the entrance of her hut.

She noticed the worried look on Kiana's face, “Kiana? What's wrong?"

The woman started crying, “I'm so sorry to bother you, but a child is missing. I have been searching all morning! However, I have not been able to find him!"

Carina reached over to give her a soothing hug. “Okay calm. Down do you know whose child it is?"

Kiana wiped her tears with the back of her hand, “I believe it is one of the orphans. He was so distraught at having lost his parents, he ran into the jungle before anyone could stop him. We were organizing a kicking ball game and when I turned to call his name he was already off the path and running into the jungle."

Carina handed her a piece of fabric so she could wipe her face, “Okay, we need to get a search team organized, I will find Jarrow and..."

Kiana stepped in front of Carina halting her. “We can't interrupt the warrior's training, the children are the Breeder's responsibility, if they know I lost a child in my care, I will be punished."

The look of utter fear on Kiana's face gripped Carina's heart. She certainly didn't want to get the poor woman in trouble especially since it wasn't her fault the child took off

"All right then, we will try to look once again, however if you or I can't find the child we will have no choice but to tell Jarrow."

Kiana reluctantly nodded her agreement and led Carina into the jungle where she stated the child was last seen

It was getting dark. She and Kiana hadn't found any sign of the young boy. Carina was beginning to wonder if the child had actually run into the jungle at all. Maybe Kiana had assumed he did.

"Kiana, I really don't think he is in the jungle, we should be getting back before it gets dark. We'll get a search party together and ... huh ... wha...!"

Two muscular arms suddenly wrapped around Carina's waist and lifted her off the ground. She began to struggle but the warrior that held her was much too strong. It was the same warrior who had given her the digging job before the harvest feast

He swung her over his shoulder and she began to pound on his back with her fists, screaming for him to let her go

"Kiana help me get Zeth!"

She screamed at the Aquarian woman to help her, but she remained standing there with hands firmly planted on her hips

Carina looked up at the woman's face and saw the satisfied smirk. She had planned this. “You bitch!"

It was the last thing she said before Kiana injected something into her shoulder, knocking her out.

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Her head felt like it was splitting open when Carina came to. She was no longer in the jungle but on a space ship she recognized from her abduction

Lifting her head she tried to sit up but straps had been securely fastened around her chest legs and wrists; she was barely able to lift her head higher than a few inches off the table she was on

A long skinny arm with five bony digits swept hair from her eyes. Before her stood a Mantra holding a long tubular instrument, he was slowly moving over her body. The end bent down and a yellow beam shot out spreading over her body as he maneuvered it down her length. His swirling crimson eyes reflected her face as he hovered over her

"Damn it you sonofabitch! Let me go!” Her voice shook with rage, and she growled, frustrated with his obvious intent to ignore her pleas

""Human will not be hostile."

Carina turned her head towards the sound of the high-pitched voice coming from her right. It was another Mantra, but this one wore a black uniform with a bright silver and yellow sash falling across its upper body. He was also much taller than the own currently examining her

"What do you want with me?” She demanded from the taller one, whom she assumed must be the one in charge

"Kaden has been judged by the Council.” His high chirping voice was a bit hard to understand

The mention of Kaden's name momentarily distracted her. “What do you mean judged?"

The Mantra tilted its head to the side as if trying to decipher her question. “Galactic Governing Council has condemned Dreg leader to death for disobedience."

Carina's chest sunk, her head reeled at the Mantra's disclosure. It couldn't be true. This had to be a trick

Kaden was confident in his ability to sway the Council

"You're lying take me to him! Take me back!” Anxiety swelled through her body and settled in the pit of her stomach. Suddenly the room began to close in on her and she felt the need to scream her pain

The Mantra leader moved in closer and leaned over her. “No lie human."

His tiny slit-like mouth barely moved as he spoke. She saw a glowing nodule underneath his chin near the base of his throat. Each time he spoke it blinked in sequence with his words

"Dar Kaden, Dreg Leader will die tonight."

Carina couldn't hold back her tears and they streamed down her face, “No it's not true, let me go to him!"

Her chest lifted and fell spastically as she tried her best to hold in her emotions. It was no use. She couldn't fight the vast feeling of sorrow and loss that gripped her core

"No human ... true ... but we can help..."

Help? The word barely registered in her grief stricken mind. “How?” Her breathing was heavy and she struggled to control it

"We tell the Council you agree to leave with the Mantra, all was a misunderstanding.” He tilted his head to the side studying her expression as his explanation sunk in. “We tell Council to release Dreg Kaden ... no need for execution if problem removed from Yor ... fixed Mantra error."

Everything spun inside Carina's head. Her emotions clouded her judgment. She couldn't understand why her remaining on Yor would cause such a big intergalactic issue. However she remembered the way the East Commune had been decimated