Starlight Gleaming Ch. 21 Pt. 04

"I hope it doesn't come to that," I answered. "Two of his men died honorably in defense of my family. Chiatl might be an ass, but that doesn't mean his men are necessarily so."

I turned to the big man sitting patiently on his bunk. Speaking in Nahuatl, I asked, "Do you remember me?"

He nodded.

"Do you remember meeting Lady Izel and Calia earlier today?"

Oceotl surprised me when he smiled as he nodded. "Do I have your word you will not harm me or my family? And, that you will not run away?"

Nodding again, he listened attentively.

"Your contracts with your former master are ended. You no longer have to do what Kirfan says. Do you agree with my statement? And do you understand what I'm saying?"

Oceotl nodded again.

"All right. I'm taking personal custody of you. That means you leave here and will be coming with us to my home."

I could see he had questions but had no way of making himself known. The man stood up, tears of gratitude spilling down his face. Wiping them away, he gave short, deferential bows to both of us.

Gesturing at Doyya, I said, "This is my second in command, Captain Lovyanchiti." He bowed again to her. "All right. Well, let's get you out of here, shall we? Once we retrieve any of your property from Holding, we'll go home."

Frankly, I had no idea where he was going to sleep, but I felt good about getting him out of the cell.

Oceotl was a big man. Six-foot-four and at least three hundred pounds. He was given the opportunity to get a quick shower. He removed the prison jumpsuit and stepped naked under the warm stream, liberally lathering up the soap over his body.

Even flaccid, the size of the man's equipment was remarkable. At least eight inches, possibly more when erect, his shaft was fatter than a riot baton. I admit, I felt a moment of envy. A woman's insides could stretch and lengthen to accommodate, but she would have to be bigger inside than normal to begin with. I enjoyed pleasuring my lovers. Oceotl would need a big woman to safely accommodate what he carried, and that was a fact. Doyya and two of the guards watched him shower, impressed with his size.

At the front entrance to the stockade, I spent half an hour signing forms and then waiting while the troopers retrieved his personal possessions. There wasn't much. Leather boots, socks, a loose jacket that went to his knees, and a small coin purse that clipped to the inside of his wide belt. Three copper pennies and seven silver and his ID card. I wondered if there was more with Kirfan's possessions, but Oceotl simply put on socks and boots and put on his jacket. The small coin purse with his ID card and coinage slid onto the inside of his belt.

While I worked on getting Oceotl out, Doyya kept busy, working on her tablet, compiling the list of officers to be loaned to Ground Security. By the time I was done, so was she. She showed me the list, I verbally okayed it, and she sent it to the appropriate parties.

Mack and Akama both surveyed our new passenger with big eyes.

"His name's Oceotl. He's mute but hears just fine, but only speaks Nahuatl."

"Yes, sir," Mack said, staring at him.

As we exited the building and got into the cruiser, we quickly discovered that the safety belts simply would not fit around him. There was nothing for it, so we let it go. Because of sheer space considerations, Doyya had to sit up front with Mack and Akama. There simply wasn't room for all three of us to sit in the back-passenger seat.

I informed Mack and Akama that we needed to go to the hospital up the road to see Dr. Jehantli. Akama got us going in the right direction without delay.

Doyya said to me, "I don't think Captain Isokor is going to be the new CO for the 1267."

That had been my impression as well, but I was curious as to her reasoning. "Why do you say that?"

"He's had hours to get used to the idea of becoming the new CO. Yet after our meeting, he still wasn't sure. The 1267 needs someone to take charge and not dilly dally around. They've lost their CO, their Second, and a Watch Commander is in critical care. Isokor may be great as XO, managing reports and helping with administration, but he's not a leader. He hadn't even considered who to pick for his Second or to take the XO slot. The regiment will suffer under his command."

"I agree," I told her, pleased with her explanation. Doyya Lovyanchiti was going to make a damn fine CO herself one day.

"Are you going to let General Barankoshto know?"

"I'll send my thoughts to her later tonight." The 1267 was part of the 67th Armored Division. Giving the XO the opportunity to step in was standard protocol, but Isokor wasn't right for the job.

I called ahead to Jehantli, and ended up routed to Sergeant Nuna, his admin. She acknowledged the call, then surprised me by adding, "Be sure to bring Oceotl in with you. The doctor wants to meet him."

"All right." I hung up.

Doyya looked at me. "Something up?"

"The doctor knows about Oceotl and wants to meet him."

"Interesting," she observed.

We parked and entered the Nanotech Treatment Facility adjacent to the hospital. The doctor was notified, and after greeting each of us, led us to his office.

"First," Dr. Jehantli began, "your personal project has been completed, Commander."

"Oh? Which one?" I asked.

"Early this morning, ten techs and half a ton of programmable nanobots arrived by express rail through the Seven Nations. We were able to finish the healing on the last three of the students from Hoopa Valley, including Kosumo Bitawel, and process another thirty critically injured patients besides. The Bitawel boy and the others were discharged just before the lunch hour earlier today." He handed me a sealed letter, addressed to me. "They had the opportunity to leave and they left by civilian airline. They should be in Sugarland by dinner time, and home sometime around midnight. Two of the terminal cases from the Seven Nations were also processed, and the second one is due to be released this later evening, fully recovered. Miss Reo was on hand to witness the first one, and accompanied him to Capisco General Medical Center, where the president of Kenne-Tuck is being given a full battery of tests to verify his cancer is gone."

I frowned as I glanced at the letter from Emilo, but slid it into my jacket pocket. "All right. Emilo and the kids are all healed up and on their way home. Why did you want me to bring Oceotl?"

"With the extra staff, we're making headway through all the critical cases. However, Lady Izel said you would almost certainly have him with you, and she asked me to repair his mouth. I understand his tongue had been removed. Lady Calia said to fix his knees as well, because they'd been troubling him."

"Don't you need to do a genomic profile first?" I asked.

"Already done. Your wife was quite persuasive," he answered. "I understand he only speaks Nahuatl, but is pretty much illiterate and doesn't know sign language. Yet Lady Calia, while she does speak Nahuatl, was privy to his ailments. Fascinating, Commander, wouldn't you say? If you could please let Oceotl know we're ready for him, the whole thing will only take half an hour."

"What?" I exclaimed. "But... what reason would you have to do a profile on him? Not that I'm ungrateful, but there are surely many more serious cases needing healing ahead of him."

"Lady Calia let me conduct a profile on her as well," he explained. "I processed it myself. I haven't had a chance to examine it in any detail yet, but I have the results in my office safe."

"She's my Personal Servant, Doctor!"

"I know that, and I recall your earlier conditions. But she explained she was being freed soon. She also made an appointment for in-vitro fertilization and implantation. The eggs and sperm will arrive from the Seven Nations toward the end of next week."

Doyya stared at me, her eyebrows raised in question.

"Yalcamara and Stimmi were harvested, in case something happened to either of them," I explained to her. "Calia was deeply offended by their murders. She asked me, as the Executor of their estate, for permission to resurrect their family line. I agreed."

"Holy fuck," Doyya whispered. Tears began to spill down her cheeks. "She's going to...?"

"Bear their children and raise them. I expect that she will appreciate it if you and Chita hang around and tell their kids stories about their parents. Yyou know, stuff to go with the pictures."

"Commander?" Dr. Jehantli queried gently. "Will you tell Mr. Oceotl the news? We need his permission to go forward. If we don't proceed soon, we'll have to make a later appointment."

"Are you okay, Doyya?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Go on, get this done. I'll sit here for a bit."

Shifting attention to Oceotl, I asked him if he was ready to speak again, and if so, we needed him to sign some papers. Surprisingly, he was able to make the pictograph for his name, and I signed my full name as witness.

Mack and Akama waited with Doyya while Oceotl and I followed the doctor out of his office. Soon, he was sedated and in the tanks. The doctor, with a busy caseload, made his excuses and moved on to his other patients.

With yet another surprise, I noticed the many tattoos beginning to fade away from the big man's skin. When I asked the tech, he looked at the orders.

"Hmm, yeah, there it is. Mouth repair, cartilage repair to both knees, and tattoo removal. Everything all right, sir?"

"Apparently, today, I'm playing catch up to my wife and house manager. Don't mind me."

"Ah," he replied sagely. "At least they like each other. Imagine what it would be like if they didn't get along."

Yeah, that shut me up. Such a situation didn't even bear thinking about! I pulled out my work tablet and answered a few more emails.

Soon enough, the tank began to drain, he was rinsed off, dried, and slowly came awake. A nurse practitioner had him sit up in the recovery room and checked his knees, then examined his mouth. He was asked to say something, and I ended up translating.

His speech was difficult to understand at first, but quickly got easier to understand the more he practiced. One thing I noticed was that without all the fierce bear tattoos, he wasn't quite as imposing. Make no mistake, Oceotl was a big man. Still six-foot-four and over three hundred pounds, and most of that muscle. But now he looked more normal.

Once he was dressed, he started thanking me for restoring his speech.

"Not me," I told him. "I think you need to thank Lady Izel and Calia."

"Lady Calia? She's really nice!"

"Indeed."

Collecting Doyya -- who was fully recovered from the shock -- as well as Mack and Akama from Jehantli's office, we dropped off Doyya at her place, then continued on to the office. It was nearly quitting time and I needed to pick up Cholan.

I said goodnight to Hanami, picked up Cholan, and we went home.

Oceotl was the focus of fascination for my girls. Sisi managed to clamber onto his shoulders, looking proud of herself. Ixma, however, collected her sister, admonishing her for being too forward with someone she didn't know at all.

Many others gathered in the main room to watch, and the big man knelt before Izel and offered his services to her.

She smiled even as she shook her head, responding in their native tongue. "My status with the people of Nahua is uncertain. I have given my loyalty to Lord Kandikan. He is both my husband and my protector, and I defer you to his judgment."

With a look at Calia, she nodded to me, also speaking Nahuatl. "My lord, Oceotl is a good man who wants to make up for what he was forced to do."

He glanced at Calia, then to me and put his forehead onto the floor, turning his head slightly so that his words were easier to understand. "Great Lord, you have freed me from unsavory bondage. You have restored my speech and offer me a chance to redeem my honor. I beg you to accept me as your man, to direct as you see fit, and I will serve you loyally, even to my last breath."

Oceotl reached out toward my leg. It was a common act for the nobleman to put his foot onto the head of the one seeking service, a means of showing their submission. Instead, stepping forward, I patted his shoulder and said, "Rise, Oceotl. I accept your service as one man to another. Welcome to House Kandikan."

As he stood, I held out my hand. Surprised, he grasped it and we shook. "Lady Ocotépan is my wife and Lady Captain Tlacotli is my mistress and head of my household. You will obey their instructions as if they came directly from me." I pointed out Janetta, and he bowed to her. "You already know Calia. She is the house manager, and is in charge of keeping everything running smoothly. She may give you orders to follow as well. This is Sergeant Sowitwee, who is my personal aide. He may instruct you as well. At this time, only myself and those four may give you orders. I expect you to be respectful to anyone in uniform or who is a member of my household, even if you must refuse to do what they say. If they insist, refer them to me, and if I'm not available, to either Lady Ocotépan or Lady Tlacotli."

Giving me a serious look. "Yes, my lord."

Izel slipped her arm inside mine and leant against me. "We will orient him, dear husband, and we'll begin teaching him to read and write Nahuatl and to speak Queschuan. Maybe your daughters could study with him? It might be useful for them to learn Nahuatl. I understand that Terra and Salvia sometimes study with them already?"

I smiled gratefully at her. "Yes, so they do. Speaking another language is easier the younger they start. I will leave it to you and the others to orient him to the ways of House Kandikan." Despite my intentions, I yawned, blinked, and yawned again.

At mealtime, Oceotl was astonished that I and the others ate with the staff and servants. When handed his plate and drink, he sat against the wall and dug into his meal. When he tasted it, it was clear he found it tasty and ate with a great deal more enthusiasm. He also ate both seconds and thirds when offered the choice.

When everyone gathered around to hear stories being read to the girls, the room was packed with listeners. My stomach full of good food, my body began to relax. I made it through the first story just fine, but started to fade partway through the second book. When I started to nod off during the tale, Izel took the book from my grasp and read the rest of the chapter. I rallied a bit when she began to read, her voice clear and engaging, but I was asleep before I realized it.

I vaguely recall hugs from my daughters and kisses from each of my lovers, and being carried upstairs -- I think it was Oceotl himself, and though the ceiling and bedroom archway was low enough to be worrisome, I arrived without injury. Warm bodies snuggled close. I cannot say for certain what happened after that.

# # #