Reaper Inc. (16 page)

"I will
approach him tonight at the ball. I have a special ensemble to wear just for
the occasion. I will kiss him here and here, she pointed to the neck and cheek.
I believe he will have a hard time keeping his hands off of me. Do you not
agree, young princess?"

"You are
beautiful Queen Tazleaha but Benjamin is his own man, as humans say. He may
want you and like the way you feel in his arms and still walk away if he feels
the price is too high. He values his freedom to help others in need so if you
show him he has that and you, you may have a chance."

"Yes, I
see that and how will you feel, princess, if one day he becomes my
betrothed."

"I have
been hard on him and I feel it has hurt our friendship but we love each other
as family. I would love to see him truly happy and to count you as a friend,
Queen Tazleaha."

"We are
all assembled because my empire is a threat to all of your empires. If we go to
war, princess, how will you call me friend?"

E'Aria said,
"Let us look for peaceful ways to avoid war first."

"Benjamin
has some ideas on how to help feed my army. They are not a fast solution but they
are a good solution over time."

"Let us
talk to him later together about them. I will bring them up when the meetings
start." Queen Tazleaha said, "Let us return to the palace, young
princess, and prepare for our evening."

Ben walked hurriedly,
thinking and mumbling to himself.
"They assign me a damn baby sitter. I
haven’t done anything to anyone for this whole damn trip unless you count last
night."
Some around him stared at him.

"Excuse
me, were you speaking to me?" Colonel Tawniz Dakkon asked, just arriving
and matching Ben's stride.

"No, just
thinking."

"I see. Do
you have a servant that takes care of your offspring?"

"What! No,
I have no offspring. What are you talking about?"

"So why
are you cursing the servant that watches over your offspring?"

"What are
you talking about? I have no offspring."

"I heard
you say damn baby sitter, my translator bots have determined it to mean cursing
the one who takes care of your offspring."

"Just
forget it, colonel, do not translate anything I say that is not directly spoken
to you. With the mood I am in, there is no telling what kind of shit will come
out of my mouth."

"I am
vaguely aware of human anatomy and I do not believe that shit can come out of
your mouth."

"Colonel,
just don’t listen to me, at all, or analyze what I say, ok? I am a bad example
for you to be learning from. Your impression of the human race will be so
fucked up its not even funny. Your new translators will take some getting used
to."

"I am
sorry, Benjamin Jamison, if I have made you angry."

"I 
just wanted to be alone colonel. It’s not your fault they assigned you to watch
over me. There are a lot of shops along this street. Do you want to shop for
something for yourself? You might as well get something out of this stupid duty."

"No, I
have no immediate needs. The military takes care of everything I need."

Ben saw a shop
with bright colored clothing displayed. He didn’t know if it was for male or
female or both, it didn’t matter for what he had in mind. He made his way
through the crowd and inside.

"May I
help you?" the voice was feminine and soft. The speaker was dressed in the
same bright-colored clothing that was sold in the store.

"My
friend, the colonel, spends her days wearing only military clothing. Could you
find her something similar to what you are wearing?" Ben asked the clerk.

Colonel Dakkon
said, "That will not be necessary. I told you I have all that I
need."

Ben asked,
"Colonel, do you have a mate?"

"No, but
that has no bearing. . ."

Ben interrupted
her. He smiled and winked at the clerk then said, "You see why she needs
our help. Put together something she can wear for special occasions. You can
send the bill to the Emperors Palace to the attention of Benjamin
Jamison."

The clerk
looked at the colonel, hoping this strange being was not lying to her.

"What he
says is true but I do not want anything."

Now the clerk
was unknowingly totally committed to Ben's plan. She took the colonel by the
arm. "Come, it will not hurt to look. You have a beautiful skin tone and I
have just the colors to make the males swarm for your affection."

The colonel
stopped and turned to Ben. She looked as if deciding what to say but Ben didn’t
wait on her.

"Colonel,
seventy five percent of the crew of my ship is female. Before leaving to travel
here, I shared a home with six females and one male. Shopping and buying
yourself things is a favorite past time of human females. I would assume this
shop exists because it is the same here on Allond. I believe it is programmed
in the female DNA of every species." Ben was just talking to distract
them.

"I do not
believe you can say such a thing. There is no proof. . ."

"Colonel,
I told you to stop listening to me. That is what we call a joke or to jest or
whatever the hell. Really, you’re taking all the fun out of this. I have other
people to buy for, I have not been myself lately and I need to try and make up
for my behavior. That is why I wanted to go out today and alone so I could buy
gifts and surprise them." Ben began to look through some scarves or maybe
they were veils; he didn’t know. He walked around looking and touching things
making sure the Colonel could see him. He grabbed six silky dress looking
things. Four of about the same size and two smaller and laid them on a table.
The clerk saw and nodded.

He didn’t see a
counter or register to take money so he wasn’t sure what he should do. He
turned, looking back towards the scarf display and the front of the store.
Someone stood looking at the glass either using it like a mirror or looking in
the store. Two very white human hands began to adjust the hood, pulling it back
slightly.

Ben was frozen
in time. He didn’t know if he was seeing things, going crazy, losing his mind.
She stood still for a second, pushing her black hair behind her ear. The blue
eyes couldn’t belong to anyone but her. It can’t be though. No one could have
survived with no helmet or a direct impact from something moving thousands of
miles per minute. She put the hood back in place and walked on. He looked
around and saw that the colonel was engrossed in something the clerk was
holding. He walked easily around like he was still looking for things. One
final look at the colonel and he was out the door.

Looking in the
direction she walked in, he moved, hurriedly scanning both sides of the street.
He saw her on the opposite side looking in the glass of another shop about
fifty yards away. She turned and walked on, turning a corner and disappearing
from site. Ben picked up his pace hoping he wouldn’t lose her.

The colonel was
enjoying herself. She picked out some comfortable garments she could relax in
when not on duty. She looked for Ben to ask him what he thought of her choices
and didn’t immediately see him. A quick couple of steps and she still didn’t
see or hear him.

"I have to
go, send all of the things he picked out and mine as well to the palace. I
think I am about to earn them." The colonel went out the door and looked
in the correct direction, had she not, she would have missed him turning the
corner. She moved through the crowd at a run.
"Why would he take the
back entry way passage? There is nothing to see there."

Two males began
to argue and push each other in front of her, blocking her way. She stopped for
a second then pushed one of them out of her way. Four long strides and she
rounded the corner. She could see Ben about fifty paces away confronting a
hooded figure and surrounded by six beings of different races. Her sudden
appearance must have been a sign to speed up whatever was happening.

Ben saw the
colonel coming towards them. She covered the distance quickly.

"Colonel,
run, this is not your fight."

"I can’t
let anything happen. . ." She never finished. As she hit the pavement
hard, she moaned and tried to stand when she was stunned again. Ben charged the
alien who had stunned the colonel then he was hit and went down. He wasn’t out
but he lay there and waited. He heard the stunners get holstered and the group
began picking up the colonel and him. He waited till they started moving with
him then he kicked out at whoever was close. The two holding him up by his arms
let go and he elbowed one of them when a stunner hit him again. Before he
blacked out, he saw who had done it and wouldn’t forget her.

They moved him
none to gently this time into the back of a building, the colonel right along
with him. The whole group rode down into an underground passageway wider than
the main street on a elevator. It was used to bring in goods and keep large
delivery traffic off the public streets. Loaded in an enclosed cargo hauler, no
one ever saw them leave. It had already been cleared by an inspector of customs
to depart and made its way to the coordinates to meet a shuttle and then left
to drift. The inspector was a few coins richer for looking the other way.

                                   
****

The shop clerk
walked out on the street and looked both ways. Not seeing her customers, she
went back inside. She had kept everything together thinking they would be back
soon. It would be time to close soon so she packaged it all up and called a
delivery service. Addressing it and inserting the bill inside, she smiled and
wrote a ‘thank you for your patronage’ note. Hers was the most expensive
clothing store on the street and his purchase was the best commission she had
earned in a while. She hoped to gain some additional business from the palace
when they saw the fine garments he had purchased and his friends were wearing.

                                   
****

E'Aria heard
the knock on the door. A servant with another in tow carrying a large box stood
at the door.

"Sorry to
disturb you, your highness, but a delivery has come for Benjamin Jamison and he
isn’t in his room. In fact, he has not returned since leaving yesterday."

"Has
anyone talked to Colonel Dakkon?"

"No, your
highness. She has not checked in."

"I will
sign for the package. Would you contact the Colonel and report back to
me." She motioned for the package to be put down and pressed her hand
against the scanner. Both bowed, the palace servant closed the door on his way
out.

E'Aria wondered
what kind of weapon he had bought and pushed on the box with her foot. It was
very light which made her very curious. She cut the invoice off the package and
saw it was from a clothing store, one that catered to females. She read the
items listed then the note at the bottom.

The door to the
adjoining room opened and Natalia walked in. "What did you get?"

"Don't
know that I got anything. Your father bought some things and isn’t here to sign
for them."

"What is
it some new weapons?"

E'Aria laughed and
said, "No its clothing, female clothing."

"Do you
think he bought me something? I wanna look, let’s open it."

"Natalia,
these could be a surprise for you, he will not be happy if it is ruined."

"Well I
know about it," Natalia pouted.

"But you
have not seen anything but a box." There was a knock on the door. Natalia
thought it might be Ben and ran to open it, a giant smile on her face. An
energetic pull on the giant door and she froze.

"Hello,
Natalia," the deep voice rumbled. "I need to talk to the princess."
General Raza saw E'Aria and could read her expression. She knew his visit was a
bad omen.

                                   
****

Ben woke up to
find the colonel sitting across the room on the floor. He was on something
soft. He groaned and sat up to fast. His head began to pound.

Ben asked,
"Where are we?" He laid his head back down.

"On a
shuttle to where I don’t know."

"I'm
sorry, colonel."

"For what?
Did you ask to be taken by force from our planet?"

"No, of
course not, but I did do something stupid that caused you to be abducted as
well."

"When my
brothers find out, there will not be a place for these abductors to hide that
my family will not follow."

"How will
they find us, colonel?"

"Right
now, I am unsure."

"Shit."

She said,
"Yes, I thought you would say that."

"Why did
you leave the store to confront the being in the hooded cloak?"

"Colonel,
you will think I am mentally ill if I tell you."

"You mean
more than I already do."

"Yes, even
more."

"It’s a
long story, colonel, that starts about six earth months ago about the time I
met your brothers. You know they are going to kill me right after they kill
these idiots."

"It’s
possible but doubtful. They seem to like you, which makes me think they are
mentally ill also. So tell me your story Benjamin and I will decide for
myself."

Ben launched
into his story all the way back to his recruitment and meeting Andrea. The
colonel sat quietly, not saying anything at first until he got to the Hyson
rescue, she made some small noises. It was clear she was fascinated. She had
heard about his fight with the Allith onboard her brother’s battle cruiser and
the gifted sword. He continued on to his rescue of Andrea and the team from the
Cjittan.

"They just
left after you talked to them? I cannot believe that. They are a horde and
would take no notice of just one human."

"They did
and before they left, I fed the officers to them who caused the deaths of many
good sailors and hurt my Andrea."

"That was
a strong statement to the Cjittan and the galaxy."

"Colonel, are
you sure you didn’t already know my story? Your brothers, the queen have both
been talking about it."

Ben continued
on, not wanting to get into what it could all mean, he didn’t give a shit,
bastards needed killing. The colonel listened as he continued explaining about
the business and his plans to grow it and build a bigger home for everyone. She
grew excited again as they escaped Anubis along with the Warhammer. He slowed
his narrative to a stop and rubbed his eyes. His story was full circle back at
Hyson. He exhaled and started with the beacons and the discussion. She squirmed
when he began talking about the Cjittan still being on Hyson and how the
starving spider had tried to kill him.

He stopped and
exhaled heavily again. He began again with the giant spider and shooting the
Allith so the Cjittan could catch them. He picked up with them leaving,
destroying the beacons and entering space and the attack. Tears streamed down
his face and he continued as best he could. He told her the stupid Allith fired
an old torpedo and didn’t arm it so when it hit, it just ripped the front of
the shuttle off and how he had been in the process of getting Andrea's helmet.