All That Glitters Ch. 53

The pair heard a squeak of sorts and then Drane Mutt Hoylle was there, pulling Angelique into her embrace.

"Thank-you, thank-you so much," she burbled, her voice catching. "You cannot know how much this means to us."

"Actually, I do," Angelique answered. "I once lost a child in my womb. When I heard of your plight, I remembered my own moment of sorrow and had to help in any way that I could. I understand, as only an mother who has experienced loss can."

Drane let out a cry that surprised the watchers. It was intense and passionate. "You have helped to allow me to have my clutch. I had feared losing it. Now, I will have the chance to see my children. I cannot express how much you have touched us.

"There is a tradition that I have heard of on Liramor-23, it is called Godparent. I can think of no other couple that I would want to share this tradition with. Will you permit us to call you Godmother, Angelique?" Drane asked, surprising all those that were present.

Tears dripping down her face, Angelique nodded her head and crushed her face into the chest of the much taller Asocan female. After a moment, the President and Vernet Mutt Shummet claimed their respective females and Sylvie directed them to carts for the short trip into Denders.

As the Asoc and Asost were lead to their cart, the Asocan staff from the Johal Compound gave them two items that made them smile. They turned to the new couple.

"We do not have the official robes of office of the Holy Couple, Drane, Verned, however, will you accept these from us?" the Asoc asked, holding out crowns of flowers. The couple smiled and lowered their heads as the Asoc and Asost placed the crowns on them. They couple were placed in the first cart with the Asoc and Asost in the second, the President and Angelique in the third, along with Hanalei, Junelliya, and the children, who quickly jumped into the laps of the President and Angelique. The others were placed where they could on the following carts and the small caravan headed to Denders.

The weather had cooled considerably, the humidity and heat of high summer having made way for a more pleasant warmth at Denders, which meant there were many more people now at the resort. They all lined the roadway, waving small towels, as the caravan passed through the resort, the Asocans in the crowd roaring out a cheer as the couple passed.

Sylvie had arranged for the carts to bring the couple directly to the swamp and they quickly arrived at the edge, with many Asocans waiting near the marked entrance. The happy couple got out of their cart and moved in front of the Asoc. They bowed formally to her.

"By your leave, Asoc," Drane said.

"This day is yours, Drane Mutt Hoylle, Verned Mutt Shummet. Go with the blessings of the Holy Couple and your Asoc and Asost," the Asoc returned.

"And our blessing as well," the President added, holding Angelique's hand. The children smiled and blew kisses to the pair.

The other Asocans started singing an Asocan song that heralded new life. The couple smiled as they heard the first of the words, took each other by clawed hands and marched into the swamp, following the path that had been laid there by the staff from the Johal Compound. They were followed by the three new Asocans that Junelliya informed the President were hired Caregivers for the Denders Nursery

As the couple walked away into the swamp, the singing Asocans got louder and louder so that the sounds would follow them to the crèche.

All over Asocan space, Asocans watched the images and smiled. They were pleased how the Asoc and the humans had come to aid this couple. They were not so pleased with how Unaayel had used the humans she had bought. By word of mouth, thoughts started to get around the realm. They did not speak courteously of Unaayel. In fact, they rarely spoke her name at all...the name Belgedra was being heard more and more often.

Sandekk Imperial Arl, Asoc Shall, AsocAR, The Asocan Realm, 364 Light Years from Terra

The great Sandekk elder, Shusshhttookkann, sat under the protective sun shelter in her Arl (a kind of large paddock). The great war beast was pensive. She hadn't seen her >Catal in some time. >Catal had told her that she was going away for a short time but, from what her friend had said, she should have returned by now.

Shusshhttookkann was also bored. She had not been exercised properly since her >Catal had left. She missed her friend who had taken the time to come out to her Arl almost every day and spent time exercising with her every three days or so.

The Sandekk were the other intelligent race that inhabited AsocAR. Had it not been for the advent of the Asocans, who lived their lives so much faster than the Sandekk, the Sandekk would probably have been the dominant species of the planet. Though the Sandekk were just as intelligent as the Asocans, they would not have created the amazing devices that the Asocans had. However, they were more than intelligent enough to understand the science and mathematics behind those trinkets.

The Sandekk and the Asocans had a symbiotic relationship. Early in their mutual history, the Sandekk and the Asocans warred with each other, the Sandekk found the flesh of the Asocan a delicacy. The Asocans were losing the war when one of them noted that the Sandekk could talk to each other. He spent time learning the language of the Sandekk and eventually managed to tame them. He did it with food of course. The Sandekk promised never to attack the Asocans again, so long as the Asocans took care of them. Thereafter, the Sandekk acted as beasts of burden and war beasts for the Asocans who in turn provided for the Sandekk, leaving the great beasts to live their very long lives in relative simplistic leisure.

While the Asocans had been building their technology for millennium, since the advent of the strange Djinaëte some 1,800 cycles ago, the Asocans had been relying more and more on technology to transfer items instead of using the Sandekk as they had in the past. The Sandekk had diminished in number since that time, though that fall in numbers had been accelerated by the civil war against the Asoc Minatran when the Gurn had risen up and deposed the wicked one.

The Sandekk had been used as War Beasts during that conflict, carrying their Asocan riders and other troops into battle on their backs. The civil war to oust Asoc Minatran some 600 cycles previously had been devastating to both sides, especially the Sandekk. Already on the decline from not being used by the Asoc, they had lost almost 70% of the remainder of their kind in that battle, leaving them with some 50,000 members of a species that was interminably slow to breed. It had been a truly sad time for her species.

But being beasts of burden wasn't the only things the Sandekk did for the Asocans. The Sandekk had the ability to see people's destiny. The Asocans appreciated this ability above all others the Sandekk had.

Shusshhttookkann preened her scales. They were amongst the most beautiful scales of any Sandekk. The older a Sandekk got, the more iridescent and colourful their scales became, and Shusshhttookkann was the oldest Sandekk still in the public eye. There were only a handful of older Sandekk (like the Asocans, the Sandekk have four digits on their paws), but those four had retired from public life.

Shusshhttookkann was no ordinary Sandekk, she was the eldest unretired Sandekk. She had lived now for almost 2,000 cycles and had seen a long list of Asocs, the last three as the Asoc's own War Beast. As a member of the Imperial Arl, she and the other Sandekk of the >Clot< were presented the candidates for Asoc for their judgement.

Shusshhttookkann had been part of the Imperial Arl since before the war to depose Minatran. She remembered Minatran and how the Imperial Arl had told those responsible that Minatran had a 'dark' spirit and that she should not be considered for the position of Asoc. Those responsible had ignored the Sandekk's warning then. The entire realm had paid the price for that decision. They had at least listened to the Sandekk this time when the Imperial Arl had told them that Unaayel had an even darker spirit than Minatran had. Those responsible had chosen >Catal over the others. >Catal had vindicated their decision by being one of the better Asocs in recent history.

Now, her friend was elsewhere and Shusshhttookkann missed her, while Unaayel was working hard to take the title of Asoc from her friend.

She was thinking about this when another presence impinged upon her thoughts.

What was SHE doing here? Shusshhttookkann though to herself, her scales bristling.

No sooner had she that thought, then the dark one herself appeared at the entrance to her private Arl.

"Why arrre you herrre, Unaayyyeeelll?" Shusshhttookkann demanded loudly before Unaayel could speak. She could see Unaayel flinch at her question.

"I wish to speak with you, Shusshhttookkann, about my becoming Asoc," Unaayel told her, trying to appear unphased. Shusshhttookkann was having none of that. She knew that Unaayel was unhappy to be in the Imperial Arl and amongst the Sandekk.

"You werrre neffferrr consssiderrred forrr the posssisssion of Asssoc, Unaayyyeeelll," Shusshhttookkann stated. "No new Assssoc can be consssiderrred beffforrre the rrreigning Asssoc passsessss. >Catal ssstill lifffesss, Unaayyyyeeelll, and you know thisss."

"Asoc >Catal is no more!" Unaayel snarled. "She has left AsocAR and rescinded her position as Asoc! Another must be chosen and I am the only logical candidate."

"You lie, Unaayyyyeeelll," Shusshhttookkann thundered in return. "You would hafffe the Sssandekk believe that >Catal hasss rrreeesssigned but thisss isss not trrrue. >Catal hasss not gifffen up the posssisssion offf Asssoc.

"Efffen ifff it werrre trrrue, Unaayyyyeeelll, the new candidatessss would be frrrom a new ssselection and not include you," Shusshhttookkann ended imperiously.

"I will be Asoc, Shusshhttookkann, and the Sandekk will support me in this or they will be punished!" Unaayel shouted.

"You would punissshhh the Sssandekk, when you need ourrr sssuporrrt, Unaayyyyeeelll? What kind offf fffool thrrreatens thossse ssshhhe needsss to sssuporrrt herrr?" Shusshhttookkann demanded. "You werrre neffferrr able to intimidate usss, Unaayyyyeeelll. We know yourrr trrrue naturrre. We fought Minatrrran long ago and lossst ssso many of ourrr brrrethrrren in sssuporrrt offf the Asssocansss. We will not be intimidated by one who hasss no sssuporrrt with the people."

"I have the support of the people!" Unaayel replied. "They do not oppose anything that I have brought forward!"

"Of courssse not, Unaayyyyeeelll, you would beat them into sssubmisssion ifff they had," Shusshhttookkann replied sadly. "You cannot equate fearrr offf rrreprrrisssal asss sssupporrrt forrr yourrr polissseesss, Unaayyyyeeelll.

"Minatrrran had the legitimate sssupporrrt of halfff offf the people, Unaayyyyeeelll. That isss why it took a sssifffil warrr to rrremofffe herrr frrrom offfisss. You hafffe only the sssupporrrt offf thossse you hafffe bought in one forrrm orrr anotherrr, Unaayyyyeeelll. When the Gurrrn rrrisssse up againssst you, and they will, you will fffind yourssselfff alone againssst them."

"The Asoc does not need the support of the people, Shusshhttookkann," Unaayel shouted. "The Asoc makes the laws and the people follow them. The need for support has only come about very recently. Before then, the Asoc ruled supreme! We need to return to such times!"

"YOU FFFOOL!" Shusshhttookkann bellowed in return. "In the old daysss, the Sssandekk werrre perrrmitted to kill thossse we fffound unworrrthy! That wasss changed beffforrre Minatrrran became Asssoc. Had it not been changed, Minatrrran would hafffe been executed by the Imperrrial Arrrl! Asss you ssshould hafffe been, Unaayyyyeeelll"

In a lightning swift move, Shusshhttookkann lifted her left paw and tried to bring it down on Unaayel. However, while Shusshhttookkann was fast, Unaayel was faster. She didn't have time to draw her >Curlat, but she did manage to draw her Damate.

Unaayel had practiced being a warrior all of her life. She was not just good with her weapons; she was the best in all the Realm. She also understood how and where to apply the force she had available to her to give her an advantage against any adversary.

As Shusshhttookkann foot came at Unaayel, her digits wide to best give full coverage on Unaayel for a strike against the new tyrant, Unaayel slipped sideways to provide the smallest profile and pushed the hand with the Damate deep between those formidable digits.

Unaayel kept her weapons sharp, if not always clean. As Shusshhttookkann great paw came down, Unaayel's Damate sliced through the webbing between her digits and then deep into the flesh at their center.

Shock passed through Shusshhttookkann as she swiftly pulled her foot back, bellowing in pain and rage. Her entire body moved back more than a meter in a swift jump. She shook her great paw back and forth as she tried to deal with the pain. By the time she had it under some semblance of control, Unaayel had fled Shusshhttookkann's private Arl.

Shusshhttookkann was shaken. For the first time in many years, she had been injured by an Asocan, and not just any Asocan, a Martte, one of the Imperial family. She roared out her anger and frustration. Where was her friend >Catal? Why was she allowing this dark one to do as she willed?

She closed the great paw into a fist to stop the flow of blood and retreated into the swamp to heal. It was the wrong decision, but she would not discover that for several days...

************

The eleven other members of the Imperial Arl found Shusshhttookkann deep in the swamp. Speaking to her in their own language, which was much more sibilant than Asocan, they asked what had happened.

*The dark one was in my private Arl,* Shusshhttookkann told them.

*Why was she here at all?* Chellitanni, the youngest of the Imperial Arl, asked.

*She wanted our support for her attempt to take the title of Asoc for herself,* Shusshhttookkann replied.

*She is a fool!* Shassshgallann, interjected. He was the only male currently in the Imperial Arl and at 1,500 cycles was still in his breeding prime. *The Sandekk do not change their minds on an evaluation until a turning point has been met.*

The other members nodded, agreeing with him.

*What has happened to your forepaw?* one of the others demanded.

*The dark one cut me,* Shusshhttookkann explained, bringing surprised looks to their faces.

*A Martte cut you!* Chellitanni raised her voice in shock and surprise.

*Remember her destiny,* Shusshhttookkann answered. *If she becomes Asoc, our species will die. We must hope beyond hope, that >Catal will fulfill her destiny and defeat the dark one.*

None of the others knew how to respond to that comment so they remained silent for a time. Then, Shassshgallann began to sing. It was a plaintive song. It spoke of the long history of the Sandekk, and how that history might be coming to an end.

The song carried far into the swamps and was heard by other Sandekk, who took up the song themselves. Before the end of the day, all the Sandekk were aware that a day of reckoning was fast approaching.

************

Unaayel was badly shaken. She had never come so close to death before. She had always been in control. This time, she had not been. She had allowed the other to set the conditions of a battle, and almost lost that battle because of it. She had been surprised at the speed that Shusshhttookkann had shown in that strike against her.

Unaayel had instinctively pulled her Damate on the great Sandekk. Had she not, had she gone for her >Curlat instead, she would likely be dead as there had simply been no time for her to draw her primary weapon. But the Damate had sufficed, this time.

As she retreated to the >Clot<, she heard the great beast bellowing with rage and pain. Her heart thumping, she moved faster away from the Imperial Arl. She would not make the mistake of returning there anytime soon. The Sandekk would have to be dealt with, eventually...

Damn, too many things that she could not control were happening all at once. She had received a report this morning that the Asoc had taken possession of several ships for the Navy. Admiral Grazia had informed her that it would take many months before the Asoc's Navy would be ready to take on Unaayel's fleet. He doubted that they would be ready before the end of the year.

Still, it was a worry that Unaayel did not need...

Anger flared in her mind as she contemplated the facts of life around her. Everything seemed to be conspiring against her wishes, her goals.

As she approached the >Clot< she saw her daughter rushing towards her, a look of trepidation on her face.

"What has happened, Tarrest?" she demanded as her daughter approached.

"Gurn Sekkek Mutt Beddan is stirring up the other local Gurn, mother," Tarrest explained. "We need to do something about her."

Once more anger flared. Unaayel thought for a moment, and then an idea came to her...a very wicked idea...

"Open a link to the ships in orbit. I have need of some Marines," Unaayel told her daughter.

PV The Wanderer, Parking Orbit of Liramor-23, The Piscium System

Raymond was happy to see the face of Lady Aurelia Adenomere on the monitor.

"How are you doing, Aurelia?" he asked solicitously.

"I'm doing very well for five months," Aurelia replied, gently rubbing her now prominent belly. "It's a boy and a girl."

Raymond smiled at that. "Have you picked out names for them yet?" he asked.

"I have, but I will not tell you. Your name will be included in the boy's name, but it will not be his first name, Raymond. That is the best I can do under the circumstances," Aurelia informed him.

"Now for the real reason I am calling you. We have some additional information on the missing fleet. The Admiral of the Fleet, one Rudolph Grazia, is one of the most wanted men in human space.

"Back in 2466, then newly minted Captain Grazia had just taken possession of his new ship, Confederation of Planets Ship The Trestor. It was one of six ships that attacked New Anglia with C-charged rocks and the only ship and captain of that group that have not been accounted for. That ship is also confirmed to have been part of the nuclear attack on the four mining stations that turned the tide of the unaligned planets to aligning themselves with the Union.

"I believe that you have confirmed that those four mining stations were first attacked by Confederation ships, the survivors having been sold as slaves to the Alliance, before the stations were destroyed with nuclear weapons, basically obliterating all clues as to their previous slaving actions.

"When it became obvious that the Confederation was losing, Grazia chose to take his ship and join the Alliance under letters of mark. He and his crew became pirates and have continued at that dubious profession ever since.

"From the records we have now, there are only a handful of the original crew left, including Admiral Grazia.

"The ship itself has gone through at least two refits, the latest one five years ago. However, our records indicate that the atomics were never removed from the ship. They are most likely the original Confederation thermonuclear weapons which means they are the same weapons put on that ship in 2466.

"The Alliance has never issued atomics to our ships. If former CP ships had them, they kept them. The crews were responsible for the upkeep of those weapons, but I understand that those particular weapons didn't get that much maintenance which is why that particular weapon did not work properly during the attack on Semt Shall, even though the weapon completed its objective in destroying the target.