Starlight Gleaming Ch. 23

It was with quiet anger that I digested these revelations; she had not gone into detail with me, saying that I had been the warrior she'd searched for. Izel should have been offered Sanctuary and Imperial mediation. In a state that prides itself on its warrior traditions, that no one came to her defense spoke volumes, and to me, none of it was good. As for this absent General Kraggit, he was most definitely an enemy, and whatever civilian actions Izel decided to take against him, I would back her.

I got the impression that this General Zlots was trying to ingratiate himself into my wife's good graces, and that he had been among those who had stood by doing nothing to help when Izel had truly needed friends. As an Air Service widow she wasn't guaranteed support, but the lack of anyone stepping forward to her defense wasn't a good look for the many flag officers stationed at Mohingo. It wasn't wrong per se, but it was akin to the many civilian friends who said they couldn't help her because "it was family business"; it was a convenient excuse to avoid challenging someone with political power.

Wanting to reassure my wife, I put my hand on her shoulder, giving her a brief squeeze.

What I did not expect was the scowl aimed at me from the general.

At my touch, Izel gave me a warm smile. "General, let me introduce my husband, Lord Commander Ranji Kandikan, commanding officer of the 602 Air Security regiment at High Guard War Base. He not only defied Kirfan, but when Kirfan tried to take me by force, he bravely faced all sixty of Kirfan's men at the same time. He personally killed over a dozen men and wounded many others in a spirited gunfight, all while shielding me with his own body. When other Imperial troops restored order, my husband then arrested Kirfan for his crimes against the Empire, of which there were many, resulting in Kirfan's execution as the traitor he was."

The general lost his scowl, quickly looked at me over, then just as quickly dismissed me. "Awful young to be a commander, aren't you? Are you even twenty years old?"

I stared back at him. "Lord Bantochi, the Air Marshal, personally promoted me to the rank of a full Commander during his recent visit to High Guard War Base. If you have a problem, General, I suggest you take it up with his lordship."

His eyes widened at my sharp response.

Izel chimed in with a grin, "Are you aware that the famed Second Sergeant Styen Topangiti, the renowned former Fight Master of Copán War Base, presently works for House Kandikan? His Uncle Styen personally instructed him in the schools of Jaguar and Snake to the rank of master in each!"

Several of the older officers blanched as my wife announced my warrior credentials. I had to admit it was a struggle to keep a straight face.

"In-indeed!" the general managed. "No need to bother the Air Marshal. I-I'm sure he had perfectly good reasons for his decision." By his sudden glances left and right, the general clearly wanted an escape from our presence, and I realized his many aides were mostly to provide General Zlots with the appearance of being a busy man.

"General? The meeting at C&C?" ventured the field commander.

The general looked relieved. "Ah, yes, thank you! Lady Ocotepán, as much as I would like to visit further with you, I'm afraid all I have time for is to offer you a sincere welcome back to Mohingo War Base. Congratulations on your marriage. As much as I would like to dally further, I must get back to C&C. Urgent Ground Service business, you understand."

"Of course," my wife drolly replied.

Without ado, they turned in a half-ordered mass and hastily strode back to their vehicles. In short order, they were driving away.

Janetta snickered, shaking her head with amusement.

"That's three, Commander," Mack intoned.

"Three?" echoed Corporal Fay.

"Three generals who challenged Commander Kandikan and fared poorly for it," Mack answered. "The first was General Dagantochtlo, the previous Commandant of High Guard. He tried to get the commander to drop criminal charges against another officer, and when he wouldn't, challenged him to a hand-to-hand duel. The general cheated and was caught doing so, losing his command and his honor. Then there was Field General Ulee'ar, recently arrested by our CO for violating Commandant Rikoletsi's express written orders. He was forced to depart High Guard in shame, tail between his legs. Now we see Captain General Zlots, who when confronted by a true warrior, also tucked in his tail and ran away in fright. No disrespect meant to you, Lady Ocotepán."

"No offense taken, Sergeant," my wife answered, then she burst out laughing. "And all of it is perfectly true! Tolmec was an arrogant bastard through and through. He believed the rules didn't apply to himself, including duels of honor. At least he had the decency to commit suicide once he was caught cheating. I never met General Ulee'ar, but based on what I've heard, I'm glad I was spared the displeasure. As for your assessment of General Zlots, it's spot on, Sergeant. I have no doubt he's a terror to deskbound men like himself, but I think if he ever faced a serious challenge, his first act would be to empty his bladder, and possibly darken the brown of his trousers."

Janetta and Zinja joined Izel's laughter. While the reaction of Zlots was funny, to me the other two situations had been no laughing matter; while I was right both times, I hadn't exactly escaped unscathed either time.

To distract myself as well as the others, I took Izel's hand in mine and brushed my lips against her knuckles. I was rewarded by a hug and a lingering kiss.

"It was fun watching him scurry away like a rat afraid of the light. Can I keep you, Lord Kandikan?" my wife asked with a giggle.

"At this point, I do not intend to let you go, Mrs. Kandikan. The keeping will be mutual, I assure you."

That earned me another short yet passionate kiss.

I felt the warm afternoon breeze, with its underlying coolness of approaching winter.

Izel shivered, then said, "Husband, the little children shouldn't be exposed overlong to this breeze."

"Agreed. At the rate the loaders are moving, it will be another hour or so before all of our things are retrieved. Perhaps you and the others can wait in the Terminal away from the wind?"

"I'll wait with you, husband. But the others should go inside out of the wind and have a chance to sit down and relax."

"Maybe we should think about food, too," I added. "It may be mid-morning here, but our stomachs think it's nearing lunch time. Janetta, you've been here before. Any good places to eat?"

Janetta frowned. "We're near the Eagle Commissary, but it's been three years since I was last here. I have no idea if the food's still good, and it's about four rads thataway."

I motioned to Sowitwee and he came over. "Wit? Go in the Terminal and see if there's chairs for people to sit on and if the temperature is okay for the little ones. The breeze out here is a little on the cool side, but I don't want to shock them by sending them into some place with a radically different temperature. Check it out and let me know?"

He grinned at me, nodding. "You got it, Commander. Be back in a few minutes." Then he trotted off toward the Terminal.

Some of the babies were beginning to fuss; Nariya, Leetsi, Mack, and the rest of the troopers with babies collected their children and uncovered, guiding little mouths to nourishment. Little mouths latched on and set to determined suckling.

My wife gave me a nudge as I watched them. "That is their true purpose, husband."

Nodding, I replied with a smile, "I'm aware. It's part of what makes a woman beautiful."

She turned to face me. "So, you believe all women are intrinsically beautiful?"

"Of course," I agreed. "But to be sure, when I tell you you're beautiful, I'm not just talking about your physical aesthetics, of which you have many, dear wife, but I also refer to your personality, intelligence, and yes, the quirks that make you uniquely an individual. Janetta is hands-down the most beautiful woman in the world." Janetta looked away, flushing at my compliment. "But you are wonderfully gifted, dear wife, and I treasure the fact that you are in my life. And Zinja, Ixma, and Calia are each amazing and beautiful in their own right. I am truly blessed by the love each of you give me."

Izel laughed. "Good save, Ranji!"

She moved closer, put her arms around me and drew me down for a nice long kiss. When she broke it, she stepped back, she turned to Janetta. "Well, I claimed the first kiss. Ranji says you are hands-down the most beautiful woman in the world. Surely that has to be worth a kiss of your own!"

"I'm an Imperial officer. It's not seemly to show affection in public, especially when in uniform!" Janetta hissed.

Hands on her hips, Izel frowned. "Says who? A kiss is not the same as dropping your trousers, Janetta! He's your man! Do you love him?"

"More than I care to admit."

Izel gave her a stern look. "Okay, we're going to talk later in private about that remark, and you aren't going to get away with blowing me off with some pat phrase either. Living with this man has shattered many of my long-held beliefs, beliefs that served to deny me love and the true enjoyment life offers. You are not on duty here. By kissing him, I showed every casual passerby that I am his and he is mine. You are not just a warrior woman, Janetta, you are a Nahua warrior woman and blood-sister to the ruler of Ocotépan! Decorum be damned! You are loved by a brave, strong, and giving man. He's given you a family and a home to call your own. Show him and the rest of us that he is yours and you are his. Give the man a kiss!"

"This isn't High Guard, Izel," Janetta growled back.

"By the gods, I'm well aware of that fact!" Izel snapped back, exasperated. "Do you think if that fat general tried to order you to fuck him, that Ranji would stand by and not take him to task for it? That he wouldn't beat the fucking shit out him and all the men with him? No, as soon as he learned who trained Ranji, he couldn't wait to run away!"

Pausing a moment, Izel asked, "Are you worried about the men here who previously forced you to fuck for them? If you see them, look down your nose at them, Janetta. Sear them with your scathing glance. Even if they outrank you, if they try anything, Ranji will make them wish they'd never been born! Do you think any of these brave Air Security troopers would let you come to harm? No, they would not. He treats them with respect and takes care of them, too. I daresay they love their commanding officer. What's more, you are my sister. Do you think I would not visit my wrath on anyone who dared hurt you?"

Janetta stared back at Izel.

Izel shook her head, disappointment clear on her face. "Whatever, Janetta."

Janetta grated out, "It's not how women warriors are expected to behave!"

"Damn expectations, Janetta! Do you or do you not believe that having the right to say no to sex you don't want is worth fighting for? Yes, it's a radical idea, but if people weren't ready for it, it would not have found ready root at High Guard. You aren't a cum dumpster existing at the behest of the men around you. No, you are a valued human being, a brave warrior who happens to be a woman. You have the right to say no!"

"This isn't High Guard, Izel. It's Mohingo War Base," Janetta responded. "The Protection Order doesn't exist here."

"You think if any man tried to demand sex from any woman in his command, that Ranji wouldn't land on them like the wrath of the Jaguar god Himself? The Protection Order is coming, Janetta. The Empire needs it, and it's ready for it. High Guard has embraced this change so strongly, right from the start, because during Ranji's absence, the women of High Guard were terrorized by evil men who profoundly abused their power, not just to rape, but also to beat up women or murder them in cold blood. Your man is fighting to make this right universal throughout the Empire. Are you not Eagle and Jaguar, Janetta?"

Standing straighter, she took in Izel's words. "I am."

"Do you love him?" Izel demanded.

"Yes, I do."

"Then look Ranji in the eyes and tell him so! And then show him with a kiss how much he means to you!"

"All right," she replied. Turning to me, a smirk on her face, she said, "Come on over here and give me a kiss."

"No!" Izel shouted. "Stop with the games, Janetta. Stop fighting him. You are his mistress, an important part of his household. Accept the fact that he's your man, your mate. Admit that he is worthy of you and that you are worthy to him. Accept that he will stand by you in battle, as you will stand beside him."

Knowing Janetta's heart, I met her halfway. My fierce lover's arms wrapped around me tight, and her mouth hungrily tried to devour mine. As I held her, lifting her up, her legs encircled me, her ankles locking around my waist. When the need for air became too much, our foreheads touched, and I was surprised to see tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Oh, gods, I love you so much, Ranji," she murmured. "I'm so sorry for all the shit I put you through. Izel's right. I'm your woman and I need to own that."

"I love you, Janetta Tlacotli. You are mine and I am yours." My hands dropped down to cup her butt, to help keep her aloft.

As she calmed down, we kissed again, taking our time to explore each other's mouth, and savor the lips, sucking on them and nibbling. When she nipped my lower lip rather hard, I jerked back, seeing the heat in her eyes. I tasted a bit of blood.

She grinned at me, licking her lips. "Jaguar, remember? Cats bite."

Janetta still had the remnants of hickey I had given her earlier, so with a growl, I latched onto her neck and began to suck.

Realizing what she'd started, Janetta's flailed against my shoulders and back. "Ranji! Stop! Please don't!"

I held onto her and her protests quickly faded. I sucked for several minutes, refreshing the mark on her neck. When I was done, her legs unlocked and I released her. "I share you with Zinja, but make no mistake, you are both my women. Am I clear?"

Her large black eyes gazing at me, she said, "Yes, Ranji. I'm your fierce warrior and she's your farm girl that you enjoy plowing over and over until she's limp as a rag."

Ixma snorted, then said, "Go on, Mama. Your turn to kiss our man."

As Zinja approached, she asked, "Are you going to mark me, too?"

"Is that what you want?"

"Not especially, sir. I don't need marking to know you're my man."

I pulled down the tall woman and kissed her slowly and thoroughly. When we were done, we gazed at each other. "I love you, Zinja."

"I love you, too, sir."

Ixma handed off Mina to Calia, then took her place in my arms. She eagerly gave herself over to our kissing. Not too exuberant, yet her kisses were full of promise and love all the same.

After Ixma retrieved her daughter, Calia eagerly took her turn in my arms, happiness suffusing her face. "I love the fact that I get to live with you and love you. I love you so much, master of my heart."

"I love you, too, Calia." We kissed lightly yet affectionately, I caressing her face and she caressing mine, all while we enjoyed holding onto each other. I loved her with a steady warmth built on our years together. All it took for me to harden for her was to see the need in her eyes, and I was more than willing to bury myself within her snug, wet warmth.

Each of my lovers answered something different within me. They were wonderful, amazing women. I treasured my time with each of them, whether it was a quick coupling or the chance to spend as much time as we needed to sate our need for each other.

After Calia and broke our embrace, Izel encouraged them to hug me in a group hug, and to no surprise, I found Sisi in the middle, a part of the family squeeze. And instead of moving apart, Izel invited Salvia and Terra to join in, then enjoined her own attendants and Nariya to join in. With my wife's continued encouragement, even my troopers were part of the outer circle.

While we were all touching, Izel raised her voice. "Gods above us, thank you for bringing us safely to Mohingo. We ask that you extend your divine protection to each and everyone here, that during this vacation, we all find the relaxation we need and return us safely to High Guard at the end of our trip. I also ask that you watch over my husband, Ranji Kandikan, who has made so many positive changes in all of our lives and who seemingly has a talent for getting into trouble." There were more than a few snickers and guffaws at that. Then she concluded, "Thank you for listening."

There was an echoing chorus of thank yous, and then we broke apart, people grinning.

I hadn't been expecting the group prayer, but everyone seemed to enjoy it. Though I worried that I was gaining a reputation for being a trouble magnet. Calia distracted most everyone when one of her bags was located. Opening it up, she began moving about handing out home-made cookies to everyone for a snack. The only ones who missed out were the troopers securing our extra vehicles, but Calia handed the bag with the rest of the cookies to Sergeant Alto, telling him they were for those absent.

Sowitwee said there were indeed chairs to sit on within the Terminal, but the air conditioning was going, so it was cooler inside than out where we were. So it was that House Kandikan stood outside, waiting for our luggage while the Condor was being unloaded.

I drew both Izel and Janetta with their backs to my chest, my arms possessively on their bellies. Both seemed to enjoy leaning against me, letting me be their windbreak. The little ones were near us, and the other adults in our group formed another barrier to help shield them from the cool breezes.

Three of Chiatl's men lit cigarettes, having apparently taken up the habit while at High Guard. Cigarettes were becoming a profitable export for the Seven Nations. I wasn't fond of the smell, but not enough to make a fuss about the practice.

As forklifts offloaded racks and crates, other ground crews worked outside performing safety checks and spot inspections. Yet other clusters of personnel moved up stacks of cargo in preparation for loading once the huge bay was emptied of the goods destined for Mohingo.

A Condor is huge; it's literally the biggest transport in the world. Forty-seven feet high and one-hundred and sixty-two feet long, it has a wingspan of one-hundred-and-forty-four feet.

The newer versions, Model D and later, like the one we just disembarked from, have three massive Sharsoo turbo-prop engines on each massive wing. Older versions were equipped with Chayloc engines, giving them an average cruising speed of 600 rads per hour. The newer Sharsoo engines gave the Condors a cruising speed of 670, and provided it with greater fuel efficiency, increasing its range by nearly four hundred rads, substantially prolonging the useful lifespan of these aircraft in the Imperial Air Service. The upgraded Condors could fly from High Guard to Mohingo and could return without having to refuel, with enough reserve to fly another three hundred rads, sufficient to account for most contingencies.

While jet transports were being developed, the Condors continued filling a vital role in keeping the Empire's many war bases supplied, from High Guard to Defiant in the north, and down to Southern Star on the ice-covered southern continent, the Condors were an indispensable and welcome sight wherever they flew.

Movement across the tarmac drew my attention.

A tow-tractor pulled along a civilian commercial jet, its presence at Mohingo War Base caused me some surprise. I knew there was a busy civilian airport in Western Mohingo, and that's where it should have landed.

The jet was being driven in our direction. A ground marshal with glowing batons rode behind the tow-tractor driver as they hauled the sleek, brightly painted PE-28 King Pelican toward us.