Starlight Gleaming Ch. 16

I took the suggested special trip, but encountered great difficulties along the way. Using alternate methods to return home at soonest opportunity. I would not recommend that travel package again.

- R

After hitting the send button, I watched in silence while my laptop worked furiously. Months and months of email messages began downloading and the progress bar slowly worked its way toward one hundred percent.

The oldest one was from Janetta. She'd written it the night I'd left. I opened it and read it, eager to read her words for me. A short note telling me how much she loved and missed me already, and urging me to hurry home. How much she longed to feel me come inside her without a condom. How empty our bedroom was without me there sleeping beside her. Instantly, I ached to feel her in my arms again. Thinking of her, how much I missed her and wanted to see her again, I had to struggle to avoid getting hard. I missed my family so much!

A wave of light-headedness briefly washed over me. I took a long, slow breath until it passed.

Zaniyah broke her silence at last. "You carry a year's wages for most men in your wallet, and you have already spent a small fortune earlier today. Your family must be very wealthy."

I shrugged, closing Janetta's message. There were more messages from Janetta as well as from the other women. Also from my parents, Styen. Doyya and Chita. I even saw some from Bilan and one from Rana. I wanted to read them all, hungry to reconnect with the people important to me, but my head didn't feel right. The words on the screen started to become meaningless gibberish.

I closed the lid and pushed it aside. Hopefully a break would make things better.

"We do all right," I replied slowly. "Lady Zaniyah, I want to take care of you. I can afford it, so I'm going to do so. I may be paying the wages and upkeep, but I want it clear that you are the Mistress of House Tlacotli. You are in charge of your House and how it's to be run. It's not confirmed yet, but she is hired, you will be Pelita's mistress. If you don't like the people she hires, tell her and she will hire new ones. If you don't like your house manager, tell me and I will take care of getting you a new one."

She gave me a troubled look. "But why? I know you love her, but as it was pointed out to Teela, you and my daughter can't get married. You have no obligation to me. I am not your mother-in-law, and you two will never have children. You are spending a fortune on me, and I want to understand why."

That wasn't strictly true about the children. We just couldn't have them in the traditional way. However, that was something best left for Janetta and I to discuss privately first. Still, I answered her.

"Zaniyah, Janetta belongs to me, and I belong to her. You are her mother. Regardless of how Janetta feels about it, that makes you part of my family, too. Her feelings about you are still mixed up, but now that I know how things are here, I had to do something. You have placed yourself in my care and I intend to honor your trust. As for the relationship between the two of you, I will encourage her to examine her feelings, but I won't force her to reconcile with you. As you admit, both of you are hard-headed. She has to decide on her own to reach out to you. I can't force her. If she decides to not see you or talk to you, I will have to abide by her wishes. But because I love her, and you are her mother, you are family and I will take care of you."

Janetta really hates it when I keep things from her. I don't do it intentionally. The fact that I came to visit her mother will probably make her go ballistic and I will be right in the line of her wrath, and may end up with more than one extra orifice. But Janetta is a Warrior who lives by her honor. If her mother had died, enduring poverty, terror, and abuse from the local street gang? That would have wounded Janetta's honor and pride, and probably her heart, too. Now that I had met her mother, I was sure that underneath the anger and pain and bad history, Janetta loved her mother. Besides, her mother was her only close blood-kin.

I continued. "I don't intend for Janetta to find out that we have met and what I'm doing here. At least not right away. When she does, I'll deal with the consequences. I have never lied to her and I don't plan to start. But we both know she has a temper and it sometimes gets away from her. Eventually, I will catch holy hell for what I've done. Huh! Who am I kidding? She will probably chew me a new .. well, you know what I mean."

I took a breath, rubbing my head gingerly.

Zaniyah closed her eyes and smiled. "You forget, Lieutenant, that I was a sergeant's wife before I was a captain's widow. I have heard language much coarser than that and survived. And, I have had a lot more experience living with Janetta and her temper than you do."

I smiled at her. "My point is that I've found that when she makes a mistake, Janetta owns up to it. If for nothing else, you needed to know how your husband died, and out of respect for you, you needed it hear it in person, not by some message. You needed to know just as Janetta did. When the time comes, I will take my lumps."

"But what if the two of you separate?" she asked. "What then?"

I closed my eyes briefly at the thought, remembering the short time we'd spent apart. Neither one of us had fared very well. "That will be a black day for me. But it won't alter my pledge or my commitment to you."

"Because you've given your word?"

"Just so."

"You tell me Janetta takes her duties as a Warrior seriously. You do, too. Which means that you are a good match for my Prickly Pear." Janetta meant Prickly Pear in Huestican. "Your words about protecting her dreams and her heart, they tell me you love her as she is, for which my heart sings in gratitude. For as much heartache as she gave me while growing up, all I ever wanted for my daughter was for her to find herself and to be happy. The news you gave me - it made the loss of my husband fresh all over again. I'll never stop missing him. Somehow, Janetta came to believe I was to blame for her father's death, and she hates me for it." Zaniyah took a steadying breath. "And as much as I'd wish otherwise, there's nothing I can do to change her mind. Once you leave, you should never return. I do not wish to repay your kindness and generosity by coming between the two of you."

"Funny you should say that," I said. "Before I left, Janetta admitted to me that she hadn't treated you very well. That fact troubled her. Her feelings are still mixed up. But hate you? No. That I know isn't true."

Zaniyah raised her eyebrows. "What makes you so sure, Lieutenant?"

"Please, my name is Ranji."

"Only if you call me Zaniyah, or Zani."

"Fair enough, Zaniyah. I know she doesn't hate you. I saw that you have your wedding picture. This may sound strange, but was there a time when it went missing?"

Startled, she looked at me strangely. "Yes. Yes, it did! A couple of years after she left, I thought I heard someone enter the house during the middle of the night. I searched, but all that I could find missing was my wedding picture. I thought she'd come at night to avoid speaking with me and taken it. It's a good picture of her father. One of the very few I have of him."

I nodded. "It was stolen by two men. Despicable, vile men. Zaniyah, while Janetta was at the Air Academy, they both raped her, repeatedly, and often at the same time. They used that picture to blackmail Janetta. They told her they would rape you and murder you if she protested what was happening to her. For more than a year, they hurt her badly. She endured their treatment of her for your sake."

Zaniyah looked at me in horror. "My poor, poor little girl," she whispered. Then she said, "But... but the picture. It came back!"

"She took it from them and returned it to you. Janetta had her father's pistol. She felt the wedding picture rightfully belonged to you."

"She... killed them?"

I nodded. "Janetta is a fierce Warrior, proud of her father and what he earned for you both. She is a good officer. She accepts the privilege of being a noblewoman, but also believes it is a sacred trust that demands she act honorably, for herself and for the women under her command. I believe if he were alive, he'd be proud of her. I know that I'm proud of her."

"My girl loves me," she whispered, suddenly wiping at her eyes. "Thank you. Wait. You spoke of the pistol in the past tense. It's lost?"

"Stolen. My people are looking for it, though."

Sensing the emotional turmoil, baby Keemo began fussing. Zaniyah gave him her attention, rocking him gently while humming. I was floored when she began quietly singing to him. It was the Farming Song, but the words she sang were in Nahuatl!

Seeds of plants are collected by the farmer

The farmer plants them into the giving Earth

Sunflower, squash, climbing bean and ground bean,

Rice, and millet, all to feed the happy People

I came in on the last two lines.

The People grow old and return into the Earth

Seasons of the year, the cycle of life complete

Zaniyah smiled, surprised. "You know the song?"

"I do. It's a favorite in our home."

"Not Janetta's, I'm sure! It was written by the Oexacan folk singer, Chayloon Sepkilikl. My parents loved the song. Mother knew the original Oexacan, and she taught me the translation. It's charming and full of hope."

For several minutes, as she rocked the boy, I talked about Janetta. How much just seeing her the first time had stunned me. I skipped telling her of our closet interlude, but did talk briefly of our trip to Chingli Point, and the nights that I visited her and her flight crew at the hangar. Talked of her flight crew, and how much they loved her. That despite her initial resistence to becoming my lover, that Janetta agreed to keep seeing me, and my getting posted to High Guard with her, and me moving in with them.

I mentioned her continued resistence, and the fight we'd had when Zinja said she knew that Janetta loved me. And how both of us ached at being apart. When I mentioned Janetta's decision to include her flight crew as my lovers, she scowled as she raised her eyebrows. However, when I explained the protection the neckerchiefs gave her crew, and Janetta's reasons, that it was to not be caught in a lie as well as to take care of her crew's own needs, Zaniyah's scowl faded and her gaze became thoughtful.

Before I could say more, my laptop beeped. Pelita's contract. "Excuse me," I said.

Zaniyah resumed humming the tune, calming the boy.

It was difficult to do any reading, my eyes had trouble tracking the words, but I managed to scan through Pelita's contract. I found it acceptable, and affixed my digital signature to it. Before continuing, I looked for and found the bottle of pain-ease and took two tablets, dry. Zaniyah watched me, saying nothing.

Next, I paid the Guild transaction fee and I posted it to the Guild website with my contact information. Then I sent a chat inquiry to Pelita. She answered right away. There was an open suitcase on the bed behind her.

I smiled at her. "I see that you saw the Guild notice."

She grinned happily, clasping her hands together. "Yes, my lord."

I gave Pelita Zaniyah's address and my current phone number. I turned the camera to Zaniyah, and they exchanged pleasantries. While they spoke, I connected with my bank. I created a new "Extended Family" subsidiary account, and transferred in twenty thousand credits, setting it up so both Pelita and Zaniyah both had to sign for expenditures greater than five hundred credits at a time, or for more than a thousand credits in a month. I also set into place a notification if the account should get below a thousand credits. While she waited for me, she began emptying her dresser into the suitcase. Then I asked for Perlita's banking information. Once I had it, I transferred eight thousand credits to her personal account from my own .

Her computer beeped almost right away. Her eyes big, she fell back against her chair. "My lord? What's all this?"

"Six thousand is your first year's wages, including bonuses and to cover travel expenses. With the two thousand, I want you to buy a ChoCac, cargo-carrier style if possible. That should be more than enough to get a decent quality used vehicle, and to hire a permanent driver. Make sure the driver is bonded. I want you arriving here safe and sound. If you find a driver with handyman skills, so much the better, but if not, look for someone who can drive and do odd jobs around the house. If you can't get a cargo-carrier vehicle, get a sedan. Pay a mechanic to go with you to the dealer to make sure the ChoCac that's in good shape and is reliable. Do not get a 1480 series. Their electrical system is sub par, prone to shorting out. Or a 1260 series. They are a maintenance nightmare. But I need you here to help Lady Zaniyah because I need to return to my duty station as soon as possible.

"Hire a housekeeper, too. I also want you to hire a one or two bodyguards. Ex-military preferred. I will authorize the expenses, including weapons and gear purchases. But all those hires can wait until after you arrive."

"Professional bodyguards? Is there something I should be aware of, my lord?"

"Local street gang. They have been allowed by the local police to go unmolested. They've been harassing Lady Zaniyah and actually robbing her on a regular basis. And physically injuring her. I will not allow that to continue! You have our contract to show you have the right to hire bodyguards, and to provide them with weapons, including firearms. I do not want Lady Zaniyah to be further injured or intimidated by the local trash. You are authorized to use deadly force to protect her, yourself, and anyone in her House. For the record, consider her next-door neighbor Teela as both a resource and part of that household. The house is in need of repairs, deep cleaning, and probably more that I haven't thought of. Pelita, I need you to get here as soon as possible."

Pelita looked thoughtful, but then nodded. "Yes, Lord Kandikan. I will get there as fast as I can. I look forward to meeting you in person. And I thank you for this opportunity."

"I'll try not to disappoint you," I grinned. Surprised, Pelita laughed in delight as I broke the connection.

Zaniyah's big, black eyes looked at me.

"Zaniyah, you are a woman of the Warrior Caste. Teela is your friend and you may let her call you by your first name, but you a noblewoman. You are Lady Zaniyah Tlacotli, the widow of a respected and brave hero. Those who have insulted you and your family have done so at their peril. You may not have had protection before, but those days are done."

I took a breath before continuing. "I'm not expecting you to parade about with fancy airs, nor to change who you are or tell you what to do or how to act. You have placed yourself in my hands, but what that means is I will do my best to see that you do not want for protection, food, or respect from strangers. Teela is your friend, and a good one. And your relationship with Pelita and anyone else in your House is whatever you choose it to be. That being said, you are the Mistress of your House, and a noblewoman. I insist that you be treated with the respect due your station or I will know the reason why. That's the way it is."

"Yes, Lieutenant."

"I thought you agreed to call me Ranji."

"When you order me about like that, I feel compelled to call you Lieutenant." She saw my look. "You're right, that's not fair to you. I know you mean well. Please give me time to adjust. For years, I've just been Mil's widow and Teela's friend."

"Take your time," I grinned.

Zaniyah suddenly flushed, whispering to me. "Can I ask you a question? Um... This is really embarrassing, but I'm dying to know. Was... was that urine on the floor? In the kitchen?"

Listening, I heard Teela busy chopping vegetables in the other room.

"No," I answered quietly, as I grinned. "Teela's a squirter. Some women can ejaculate a semi-clear fluid when they orgasm. Some do it all the time. Others, infrequently. Still others, not at all. Everyone's different. Just the way it is."

"I thought female ejaculation was a myth."

"Some say female orgasm is a myth, too, but I would venture to say that we both know that's a bald-faced lie."

She glanced at me but said nothing, as she absently rocked Keemo.

To me, the two occasions when a woman was at her most beautiful was when she was coming, and when she looked at someone with love. Yes, it was mind-blowing when the two were together. But orgasm is centered on the self as the body is suffused with pleasure. Love is what we give to others. Watching a woman come is a beautiful thing. But I remembered the night I first met Sisi, with the hurricane raging outside, and how Zinja and Ixma sang a frightened little girl to sleep between them. That, too, was incredible beauty.

I needed to get home. To get there, I needed to finish what I'd started here.

Turning my attention back to the laptop, I browsed, seeing what I could make of Zaniyah's financial situation. My military clearances automatically gave me a lot of access to her personal records. Checking with the local utilities, I quickly learned just how bad things really were. Taxes were two years in arrears. Electricity, telephone, cable, and water were months behind and had been shut off because of non-payment. I paid them all off, and put a substantial credit toward future bills. That took almost an hour in itself, setting up the accounts and issuing payments.

After that, however, I needed to get up, to move around. I put the laptop on standby and stood up. "Rest here. I'm going next door to see how things are going."

"Will you tell me more about Janetta and your other family tonight?"

"I will," I assured her.

While I was no longer so wobbly, I still felt worn out. I walked carefully outside and went next door. It was a very warm, late afternoon.

Inside the house there was a lot of dust in the air. Windows were open to help with ventilation. But, the four of them had made good progress on the cleaning, and the air was filled with the smell of disinfectant and soap. Based on the parts of the house they had yet to reach, they'd worked hard. There were signs of vandalism, though. Holes in a few walls. Graffiti in a couple of rooms, some of it whitewashed, but showing through. Pelita had her work cut out for her.

I watched for a bit, assessing progress as well as additional repairs needed, but then felt another wave of dizziness. My head was suddenly pounding again. I grabbed the wall for support.

Eesa saw me, and moved to steady me, looking anxious. "They said you fell and hurt yourself earlier. Rest, my lord. We will manage this."

Nodding, I let her escort me to a clean guest room. I laid down and closed my eyes.

* * * * *

It was the choked-off scream the woke me. Bolting upright, a wave of nausea passed through me, so I moved upright slowly. Feeling better, I flipped the safety off my pistol, and pulled back the charging handle. Opening the door quietly, I stepped out into the hall, then peered briefly around the corner toward the front room.

There were seven of young men in the room, and possibly others out on the porch. The front door was open. Five of the men were shirtless, a large snarling jaguar tattooed across their chests. Wrist guards with inch-long spikes. Belt knives, and some of them quite large.

One had Eesa pressed against a wall while another stood by, holding his blade near her face.

The one holding Eesa slapped her. "Where's that bitch with my money? Tell me! She owes me extra for being short last week, and making me come all the way out here again. Are you working for her?"