On Another World Ch. 04

The girl seemed to partially compose herself. "Who is there?" The girl asked again. "P-Please, whoever you are, g-g-get a message to my m-master, Lord Dee-Ess. M-M-My m-m-mistress, V-V-Verella is on her way to Zoqeland. S-She is to be m-m-made c-c-concubine to an evil man named Kahn. S-She will be dishonored. Someone, please help her."

I was frozen in disbelief. "Tiq-qah?" I blurted.

"M-Master?" She asked; her eyes turned toward me as she began reaching out in the direction of my voice.

I knelt by her side. "Tiq-qah..." She grasped my hand in both of hers. The pain that must have caused her had to be incredible. My voice seized up in my throat. I felt even more terrible about not getting to her sooner. Logically, I knew that I never had a chance to save her, but my heart was still broken. To see her charred body was almost more than I could bear. Why the Tushüks would do this to an innocent Qoo-jan slave girl was beyond my ability to comprehend. "I will save her." I knew that Tiq-qah would know I was speaking about Verella.

"F-Forgive me, M-M-Master. I have failed my mistress and thee." Tears ran down her charred cheeks. "Master, please tell my mistress how very sorry I am." She took a deep breath. "And Master?"

"Yes Tiq-qah?"

"P-P-Please, p-please...I b-b-beg thee...t-to t-t-take my life from me...Thou knowst that I c-cannot take it myself. Please Master, the p-pain i-i-is too great."

Indeed, this I did know. Suicide is an even far greater sin on Terrania than in any culture on Earth. "E-Even were I-I to l-l-live, I would be nothing, but a h-h-hideously scared, blind c-cripple. I would be u-u-unable to serve my mistress and thee, my Master. I did not wish to live such a life. Thee and I both know that I will most likely die anyway."

In my peripheral vision, I saw Seq-qah nodding in agreement. She speaks the truth, Master. Two days...perhaps three at the most. She thought to me. It was up to me to end her suffering. That was when I noticed that I felt nothing from either of them. Even without the bonding, I should have getting some of their emotional telepathy. I could see that Seq-qah was grimacing in pain and sweating profusely.

I was about to ask when she thought to me. I am blocking her emotions and pain from thee, my Lord. I glared at her and shook my head. She sighed audibly and nodded.

That's when it hit me. The pain and despair Tiq-qah felt took my breath away. I almost cried out in misery. "Is there anything else?" I asked her through gritted teeth. Tears began to run down my face. I swore to myself that Tiq-qah's murder would be avenged.

Her breathing was becoming labored. "I-I-I n-need to pray, M-M-Master. Pray to K-Kreigor for my s-s-soul and f-f-f-forgiveness. I-I-I beg thee, M-Master...do it before I f-f-f-fin-n-nissh." She wanted to die during her prayer...in one sense, it was logical to me. I waved all those around me away as Tiq-qah began her soft whispered prayer. I pulled the Colt from its holster. I brought it up under her chin. Then I bent close over her and spoke to her in Qoo-jan fashion. I spoke so softly, only she and I could hear. "Tiq-qah, may all thy sins be forgiven. May Kreigor bless thee and keep thee. I wish thee all the happiness thy heart can bear. Farewell, my Tiq-qah." I was not certain why I spoke to her in the way that I did, but she seemed to like it. I felt peace and happiness battle with her pain. I pulled the trigger. The .45 went off with a soft pop. Tiq-qah's body went rigid for about a second. The last thing I felt from her was gratitude. Then, she went limp as her last breath eased slowly out of her body. I felt nothing. She was gone. I wept silently. I was grateful that the bullet I fired had not exited out the top of her skull creating a mess...though it would have, had Tiq-qah been human.

After a short time, I sensed someone standing next to me. I looked up. Seq-qah put a hand on my shoulder. "I greave for thee, Master. Though I did not know her, I know that she loved thee. I felt it."

"Should we not bury her?" I asked.

Seq-qah shrugged. She said to me in a seemingly unemotional voice. "If you wish, my Lord. The one you knew as Tiq-qah is gone. She is in the hereafter with Kreigor now. That," She pointed at Tiq-qah's body. "...is nothing more than an empty husk.

I nodded. There were more important things to tend to now anyway. I went to the prisoners. Defeated as badly as they had been, they were a sorry looking lot.

I gave them a baleful glare. "Where is she?" I had no doubt that they knew who I was asking about.

One who had a great deal more courage than common sense stood. "We do not know who you are talking about. You shall pay for your insolence and disrespect to us." He said arrogantly.

That turned out to be a fatal error for him. My rage at Tiq-qah's death boiled over. I quickly stepped up to him and grasped his head in my hands. I pulled up and twisted violently intending to break his neck. However, I underestimated my strength again and ripped his head completely off his body. The body flopped on the ground as I tossed the head at the remaining prisoners. They recoiled in shock and surprise.

A petite woman stood and stripped off her garment and smiled at me, standing nude, excepting her dirty boots. She was more than a little attractive. I was beginning to think there were no ugly women on this world. With an inviting smile, she said. "For my life, my Lord. I will serve your pleasure."

At that time, her body odor hit me. To say it was awful would have been an understatement for the history books. The Tushüks, it seems, were apparently not big on bathing. The whole lot of them stunk to high heaven.

I was disgusted and mildly surprised at her offer. That a supposedly proud Tushük warrior would trade sex for special consideration like this was beyond anything I could have expected. Before I could even open my mouth respond, Seq-qah jumped forward and slapped the woman right off of her feet. "Be silent wench! Thou knowst not who thou speaks to."

The woman jumped to her feet and reached out to grab a handful of Seq-qah's hair. "How dare you strike me, slav..."

Almost faster then the eye can follow, Seq-qah, drew her kattari and cut off the woman's right arm just above the elbow.

The woman screamed looking at her severed arm lying on the ground. Blood sprayed on the ground. Then, she took another step toward Seq-qah. "Now, I shall kill you, bitch!"

Seq-qah struck with her kattari again. Everything went quiet for a moment. The woman stared in wide-eyed shock at Seq-qah. Blood suddenly coating the entire front of her naked body from a deep cut running across her throat. She fell backward onto the ground...her feet and remaining hand drumming on it as she tried, unsuccessfully to draw her last breath of air. There was only a gurgling sound as blood flowed into her lungs. She coughed a few times, and then went still.

Seq-qah looked at me contritely. I beg thy forgiveness, Master. I feared for thy life. She bent over the body pulled a small sharp dagger from the woman's boot and showed it to me. Though, I cannot prove it, I know she meant to kill thee. Her thoughts filled my mind.

Then, one of the Tushük's Qoo-jan slave girls jumped to her feet, quickly approached me and fell fearfully to her knees. "M-My Lord, I shall answer any of thy q-q-questions. I-I-In turn, this one asks only that she be allowed to die q-q-q-quickly." Seq-qah would have killed her had I not stopped her.

I looked at her is if considering her request. I would not let her know that I had no intention of killing her. "Your name?" I asked.

The irises of her eyes were white as snow. "This slave is called A-Ayl-lah.... S-S-Slave to the one thy physician just k-k-killed. Her n-n-name is...was T-Ti-Ti-Tika." The girl was very obviously terrified, but seemingly resigned to her fate.

Oh, shit! I thought. Since Seq-qah had killed her mistress, by Terranian law, I now had a choice to make. Either kill her or make her my own slave. I had read during my research that if I or any slave I owned killed a slave owner, the responsibility for that slave fell on me. Since Seq-qah believed she was acting to protect me from a potential threat, there could be no repercussions against her.

I didn't want to kill her nor did I want another slave. I had learned that it was common for a man of high cast, to have half a dozen personal slaves or more. But, I did not need or want anywhere near that many. I did not really see the need for more than one...and that would be more of an assistant, than a slave. That I had two who were ready to cater to my every need was far beyond any desire I might have had in previous life on Earth. I was, to some extent getting used to owning slaves...though I was still not real happy about it.

"When did they leave with her?" I asked Ayl-lah. I made a decision and continued, saying. "Fear not girl. If you answer me truthfully, you will live."

She looked at me disbelievingly. "S-Sun-up yesterday, my Lord." Her fear was beginning to ebb. Obviously, the idea of living appealed to her. She hesitated a moment before saying. "The others were taken two days before that, my Lord...They...Qaj-jah and Qij-jah are thine, my Lord?" I noticed that unlike nearly all of the Qoo-jan women I'd met, this one was not dressed in any way provocatively. She was wearing what looked like a cloth sack with holes cut for her head and arms.

"They are...." I answered bitterly.

Ayl-lah smiled shyly at me. "Ah, Ayl-lah envies them both. Worry not, my Lord. They shall remain true to thee." She looked at me, her fear nearly gone. Her eyes returning to their natural black/gold coloring. She went on. "Is it true...what they said? Art thou The One?"

I mentally groaned. I was very quickly tiring of this. Actually, I was already well past tired of it. I glanced at her. "I am he."

She looked at me with wonder in her black/gold eyes. Then from her kneeling position, she bowed her head to the ground. She then looked back up at me and whispered softly. "I thank thee for mine life. It will be an honor to serve thee...Master."

I nodded, not saying anything. I was about to speak, when a commotion rose outside the camp in the direction we had entered. There was a large group of men, most mounted on kyliah. The men were all dressed in chain mail with black tunics.

Gilliam stepped up to me and said. "The Home Battalion. I ordered them to follow us, and then join us at this camp."

A tall slender man dismounted, and approached me. His tunic had three gold stripes around the collar. He was a colonel in the army that I lead. He saluted me and said. "M'lord! Colonel Rango, of the Home Battalion, reports."

This, to me was not what I had in mind. My party had gone from twenty-five to over a thousand without my being consulted. The war had been in a lull for several cycles. This would restart the war in earnest if I pursued the Tushüks, who were clearly to me, secretly allied with Kahn. Yet, I could not, not go after them. I had hoped to proceed with the smaller party. Apparently, that was not to be.

Gilliam suggested that we camp for the day and pursue the kidnappers at first light the next day. Colonel Rango sent out small scouting parties. Five to be exact...one due west in the direction I was sure that Verella had been taken. The other four went to the WNW, WSW, NW and SW in order to cover any minor change in direction they might have taken. The Silent Service had determined that they would be moving in a general westerly direction.

I summoned Major Kôjar and asked him to see to the retrieval of our kyliah. Kyliah is the same, whether singular or plural. It seemed at times that there were as many exceptions to the rules in Terranian as there was in English...maybe more.

"At once, M'lord." Kôjar said, saluted smartly and left.

I walked back to where Tiq-qah's body lay. I picked it up and tossed it onto the still burning platform that supported the stake she had been tied to. Despite what Seq-qah had told me, I would not risk these people desecrating her remains...if I allowed any of them to live.

"Colonel Rango...." I spoke loudly.

He was at my side in an instant. "Sir!"

I want you to have two of your least experienced men take this Qoo-jan back to my quarters in Tertapolis. I pointed out Ayl-lah. "She is to remain there until I return. Have your men turn her over to my household staff."

Ayl-lah spoke. "Master, this one would prefer to remain with thee."

"Now is not the time to argue with me, Ayl-lah." I told her. I pointed to the body burning not too far away. "Tiq-qah was mine too. Now, she is dead. Dead! She was terribly tortured and murdered just to entertain these...people." I pointed at the Tushük prisoners.

She looked at me sadly. "This one understands, Master. This one shall obey thee."

"Why are you referring to yourself in third person? Try this...say 'I understand. I will obey.'"

Ayl-lah looked up at me horrified. "Nay, Master. This one cannot. It is forbidden."

"You are no longer a slave of the Tushüks. You will do as I say!" I said angrily.

"Yes, Master...I-I understand." She said contritely. "If Master would allow it...I would prefer to remain with thee, Master."

I shook my head. This girl was a bit on the stubborn side. "You will go to Tertapolis and assist my household staff."

"Yes, Master."

She turned and left with two soldiers that had just arrived. While she was unwashed like all of the Tushüks, she didn't reek as badly. She had at least been keeping up with her personal hygiene a great deal more than the others had. Living with them must have been an ordeal for her. I figured that given the choice of killing her or keeping her, I'd opt for keeping her. She might make a good domestic servant.

I turned to Colonel Rango and said. "See to the prisoners. Do with them as you see fit."

"Yes, M'lord." He said and walked quickly away.

The men...and women of the Home Battalion began quickly and efficiently setting up camp. There were a few female warriors in my army, albeit not many.

A while later, one of Kôjar's men returned with our kyliah. We would depart to pursue the remaining Tushüks taking Verella to Zoqeland at first light. I cared a lot for her. I doubted that I loved Verella, as I hardly knew her. I was doing this for her uncle as much as for myself. Also, I was quite sure that she had been taken as an insult to me and perhaps to harm my status on Terrania.

I went to my tent. The tent was much larger than I expected. It was about 20 feet square and was more like a pavilion. In one corner was a bathing area, including a large tub of hot water to soak in, although where the hot water came from, I had no idea...nor was I likely to complain.

Seq-qah, Zeq-qah and Zog-gah, all nude, awaited me there. Then they approached me and within seconds, it seemed, had me naked as well. They guided me to the bathing area and bathed me quickly and thoroughly. Seq-qah shaved me and afterward helped me to dress in one of my gi's.

A short time later, I was relaxing in a very large cushioned chair, sipping a tea made from a flower indigenous to Terrania. Seq-qah was snuggled next to me also had some of the tea. As was typical for Qoo-jan women, she wore as little as possible. Tonight she had on lingerie that could be described as a poncho...though it was sheer and diaphanous. And very see-through.

Master? Her thoughts were again seeping into my mind.

Is there something you want Seq-qah? I asked her with my own thoughts.

I could feel that she was more than a little aroused. Might we be sharing the pleasures this night, Master?

I chuckled softly to myself. Being an older woman, by Qoo-jan standards, she had practically given up on ever having sex again. That was, of course until I came into her life. She appeared to be in her mid-30's by my old reckoning. By Terranian reckoning, she was over 300. Well past her supposed sexual prime.

Dost thou choose not to answer, Master? Or shall we not share the pleasures this night?

Patience, girl. I teled her. Tel was the word I had decided to use for our telepathic communication.

Then it hit me! She had not heard my other thoughts. Apparently, she could hear my thought only if I wanted to. I would have to direct my thoughts directly at her for her to hear them. I wondered if it was the same with her...then decided that I didn't care. She did, I felt deserve some measure of privacy.

I desire thee, Master. But do not wish to offend or take liberties with thee that are unwanted. She teled me.

I tore away her thin, diaphanous lingerie and kissed her roughly. Then I put my hand over her mound. I eased the kiss a little and gently slide my tongue into her mouth a bit. At the same, I carefully inserted a finger into the moist folds of her wetness...then another.

Her reaction, while expected came much more intense than I thought it might. Her hips bucked involuntarily against my hand. "Ohhh, Master" She whispered softly into my ear. Her thoughts then entered my mind. Oh, Kreigor...I thank thee.

Then a really peculiar thought entered my mind. I started to wonder if Qoo-jan females had a g-spot like the women I had known on Earth. I deepened my kiss and began probing inside, in an effort to find out. To many, this might have seemed a little silly, but if it gave Seq-qah pleasure...why not? Then I found it.

It was very nearly in the same location as human women, though closer to the entrance. Seq-qah sucked in a deep breath and stiffened. "Oh!" She cried out loudly. She started to tremble from the waist down. "M-M-Master...M-M-Master, I am c-c-coming! She stiffened completely, as if every muscle in her body turned to iron. Her cum flowed out of her...and she screamed through gritted teeth.

Then she went limp, but only for a moment. Seq-qah then held me tightly. Master...I love thee, Master. She kissed me roughly. "Take me, Master." She pleaded. "Use your slave as she is meant to be used." All this time, she was tugging at my clothing in a very serious effort to get me out of them.

I picked her up and carried her to the bed, managing to lose my clothing along the way. I laid her down with care, and then positioned myself above her, my hard shaft scant millimeters from her moist opening. Within my mind, I asked her. What is it you want, Seq-qah?

She hooked her heels behind my thighs and attempted to pull me closer...to get my cock inside of her. Master! Her mind nearly screamed at me. She reached down and began to fondle my cock. Master...please do not tease. I need this. She very lightly tugged my manhood.

Then, I plunged into her. She wrapped her arms and legs around me and met my thrust. "I cannot find the words to tell thee how much I love thee."

We made love until well past midnight. It was the most fulfilling sexual experience of my lives...both of them. Afterward, Seq-qah curled up close to me, repeatedly speaking of her love for me.

It had not yet ceased to amaze me how she seemed to be so sure of her feelings so quickly. I could not help but wonder if that was contagious. I had very strong feelings for her as well. Far beyond even, what I what I had come to feel for Qaj-jah and Qij-jah, which mystified me. This had something to do with the bonding process, I was sure. I wondered if the Olygard had anything to do with this.

I fell asleep thanking the powers that be for Seq-qah...and the 'Q-girls'. I was in my mind, lucky to be healthy, young enough to fight again and to have this mission. Although it was risky, it gave me a sense of purpose.

The following morning, the blue-white sun rose in the eastern sky. There were no clouds at all and it was shaping up to be a beautiful morning. It was early springtime in Terrania.