Sholan Alliance - AU Bk 04 Ch. 10

Another slave stood, she was also older and as all the slaves looked thin and abused, "I'll help in the kitchen Sir. Worked there before and did adequately. Not sure how gooda food I can help with. Some of their food is crap. Others is decent. I know a few others who have worked in the kitchen. Those pigs couldn't be bothered with cooking. Swill was good enough for most of them."

Another person stood, "Cans help with cleaning the rooms." He shuddered, "Anythings better than the pens. Strip everything from rooms, scour them clean of stench, and make ready. Wills do Sur." He sat back down.

It took a bit of time before a number of the former slaves spoke up and offered to take part of this or that work. Once they were done the Officer gave all of them a good smile, "Thank you. I'm going to have one of my senior enlisted take your names and what you want to do. I am going to need you to provide your names and where you are from. We are going to do everything possible to get you back to where you should be. Thank you for this." He called for one of his enlisted to take charge.

~~~

Pirate base 2

Over the last two days the quarters had been searched by his troops. They didn't care about personal items but data chips, documents, anything with information they could find. Anything of value such as gold, silver, jewels, artwork was collected and carefully packed. Some had to be returned to the owners if possible. What was left would be sold and the funds given to the former slaves. The amount of valuables was honestly staggering. They had found vaults of valuables as well. It included a number of metals, minerals, jewels and so much more.

While the quarters were getting cleaned the officer had talked to his staff. He had told them the people needed the security of having real quarters. All had agreed that would work. For now, they could crash in several large rooms. Many of the troops had clenched their jaws as the civilians had done what they could to clean the rooms for them. The former slaves wanted to do it for the ones who had saved them. They had to tell them a number of times they, the civilians, they were getting the rooms first. As the quarters came clean the civies were deciding who were assigned to the room. There tended to be several to a room.

What didn't help was there had been several attacks on some of the slaves who had worked with the pirates. He didn't blame them for what was going on but the officer couldn't let it keep happening. After the third attack on one of the informants the officer had called another meeting.

"I'll not allow any punishment against those who might have been working with the pirates. If they were I need to know and I'll deal with them. We've worked fairly with you, haven't we? We've given you the quarters before my troops, right? We've asked for help and not demanded it. Come to us and we will deal with the accusations. If you do try and get back at one of the others for something they might have done I'll deal with you as well. We do come from a law-abiding civilization and I won't let chaos and anarchy take control. I don't want to lock the doors to your quarters down at night but if I have to I will. Don't try me on this." He looked around the room, "Think about this before any of you try and get revenge on one of the others who had been slaves." He turned and left the room.

One of the senior enlisted glowered around, "We support our officer. Please don't try us. I want to help but I won't allow lawlessness to rule. We are here to help but we can only help you if you help us. Go back to what you are doing and we'll keep protecting and helping you." He called for those on duty to get back to work before leaving the room.

~~~

Back with Ike and Co.

By now Teo had moved to their quarters and in the morning, she and Ike would head to the Barque. Amanda would come with several days a week. She was still dealing with the incoming gifts, money, and letters for the women who had been on the pirate ship. When the report about Crystal came out the shit had hit the fan. The amount of mail had almost tripled for several weeks. It didn't help that she had been sick for much of it. Her staff had dealt with much of it but some they had saved for her.

Those correspondences were asking for any information on how Crystal was doing and what she was doing now. Some of those Amanda could handle but some she simply disposed of. How could someone offer to let her be her wife or even a mistress after what had happened. It was the same for the other women as well. Anything like that was trashed and the name and address added to the blocked list. It was massive by now.

She did have to laugh when she received several more batches of the hash brownies from that commune. Amanda finally had to send a message to them that as much as they appreciated them the women couldn't have them. She had eaten several before the surgery since it did help with the pain. They were darn good but she wasn't sending them to the women. Instead if they wanted to support them send essential oils, healing crystals, and even sage bundles. Her staff had looked the place up and it was well respected and did a great deal of humanitarian support.

What didn't help was she started receiving mail about the request for human telepaths, "Oh hell, not what I need." She started rubbing her face as she was talking.

One of her staff looked up, "Direct those items to the Clan Lord. It is one of the reasons he is here. Out of god knows how many applications he has to select twenty to send to Shola. This includes their families as well. This is something for him to deal with."

"Thank you for that Kliven. Good idea and ask our tech to set some sort of filter for that." She went back to what she was doing.

~~~

Clan lord and telepaths

Anddar had done as suggested and called several of the Telepath Mentors down. After churning through every bit of data they had there had been about three hundred applicants. It didn't include the families since if one of the parents was it was possible a child could be. If a child ended up showing talents they would be taught along with the other telepathic students.

The next week they would be starting the testing. It was going to take several weeks to process the three hundred to identify the best twenty. At most each telepath could do three or maybe four a day. Since he only had three that was twelve a day. Divide that by three hundred and that was going to take time. Depending how many ended up with families he might send the first half to the Fijishi for indoc and then forwarded to Shola.

What didn't help was all the identified people were from different polities on this planet. Each and every one was demanding different requirements for their people. He had sent the telepath code of ethics but not all the polities accepted some of them. He had finally sent out an ultimatum. If they didn't accept the Telepath's Guild code of ethics they wouldn't be accepted. It was cut and dried, they either accepted it or they would lose out. That and once on Shola they would be taught their ethics. If they didn't accept it they would be returned to Earth.

They wouldn't be trained and would continue the way they were back on Earth. The Clan Lord didn't care if Earth complained. He wouldn't compromise his ethics or honor just for them. They could go to Zandru's hell for all he cared.

~~~

Billy, Tasha, and Z'Marl

When Billy disconnected from Ike and the other two he decided it was time to take a break. He walked out of his office and into the lounge where he found Z'Marl, Satasha, and their kit, "I have some news for both of you." He gave both a kiss and nuzzle.

Satasha gave him an odd look. Even though he had linked with Z'Marl she still had a link with him. Over the link, she was getting a mixture of amusement and reassignment, "So what do you have for us? You feel amused yet worried."

He settled down and urged Satasha on his lap, "Um, Ike and Amanda took Teo as their companion. I have a feeling if things keep going they will all end up as life mates. Just for good measure they all had the ni-uzu virus. I don't think they have to worry about a Leska link since I don't think Ike or Amanda have any abilities. It doesn't mean they won't be fertile with each other."

Z'Marl stared at him and lowered her ears, "Sorry Yilly but I hope they don't have to deal with the link. I love you dearly and what you have done for me but I don't like this. It's to invasive and personal." She wasn't going to need to talk to the priests of Vartra for help. Several months ago they had linked but it wasn't the invasive link like this was.