Ingenious #1

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Q uiggs pulled himself out of bed after a restless night. It was noon. The surgery was over. He showered, dressed. His stomach rumbled. He’d been gone over a month, and the sucker-toes had invaded his food cabinet and repaid him with a nest of active babies. He shook them out of his boots, then laced up.

Quiggs would honor his promise and ask Beau to marry him. Maybe if he asked now, Beau might be in such agony he’d refuse.

Nah. He’d find Beau sitting up in bed whining for Quiggs to set the earliest date.

Quiggs opened the door, expecting to find the hallway filled with couriers.

A single military courier stood at attention in the hallway, wearing a navy armband emblazoned with a red fanged skull that identified him as the commander’s personal courier. The armband gained him immediate access anywhere his boss directed. He grinned at Quiggs. “Got a message for you from Commander Bronn.”

“Miller?” Quiggs recognized the cadet he’d fantasized over. Delicious pounds of new muscle stretched his brown tee. The slight bend in his nose was as sexy as ever .

“Sergeant Miller now.” Miller went into military mode, standing at rigid attention as he recited, “The commander has instructed me to inform you Beau was removed from his cell early this morning and has enlisted in the military.”

Quiggs slumped back against the wall, unable to speak. Beau was intact. They didn’t have to marry.

Miller glanced around the empty hallway, then dropped the formality. “You should have been there, buddy. The commander stormed the jail with his claws displayed. What a sight! The jailors about pissed themselves trying to unlock the cell. Beau was drugged for surgery. Max wheeled him to his barge in a cart, stripped him, and shackled him to a whipping post on deck. When the sun rose, soon as the rays hit Beau’s back, you could see his skin twitching like needles stabbing him.”

“Beau begged me to take him outside into the sunlight,” Quiggs murmured.

“Because sunlight completes the transition of his voice and sex organs. The Commander learned this during his own transition when he was ten. Max sent the governor specific instructions to expose Beau to sunlight. He told her Beau wasn’t dangerous around human women. Transitioned males only lose control when exposed to a female feral’s breeding heat.”

Quiggs fisted his hands at his sides. “Governor Lyre never mentioned the letters. Why didn’t the commander visit us to follow up?”

“He was tracking feral sightings. It’s bad out there. He sent you letters, but they must have been intercepted. The governor wrote him she supported the vote to free Beau. Letters from the three mayors confirmed this. He never suspected she’d tack on a stipulation right before the vote. He’s furious.”

“But the vote passed. If Beau’s out of jail without the surgery, he’ll be hunted down and executed.”

“Max spoke to the Assembly this morning asking them to withdraw the castration clause and revote. He politely told them Beau can speak, he hates sex with females, and he’s officially employed as an enlisted soldier.” Miller guffawed. “Quickest vote ever.”

Quiggs struggled to absorb everything. “Beau won’t make a good soldier. He won’t kill anything, not even a sucker-toe.” Except he did eat his herd when he transitioned.

Miller hesitated, then lowered his voice. “Ever hear of feral bait?”

“Huh?”

“Know that funny ring around Beau’s penis? Means he shoots a gamey cum. Drives the female ferals crazy. The commander has a ring too. He baits trails to lure the females into a trap.”

Quiggs laughed at the absurdity. Miller and his ribald humor.

“Don’t laugh,” Miller said. “The commander gets touchy when people laugh about it.”

“Oh, shit… you’re serious.”

“It’s like this. The commander needs Beau’s feral bait to defend the territory. Beau is an enlisted soldier, answerable to his commander. The governor can’t touch him.” Miller opened his satchel. “Here’s a slate from Beau. Hard to believe the little goof can write.”

Quiggs smiled as he read the squiggly lines.

Thank you for helping me, my good friend Quiggs. I am sad we cannot marry. The sunlight makes my balls feel funny. My friend Max says I will not be sad for long. My new voice sounds scary when I yowl. I do not like to yowl. Max says if I am good and train hard, I may visit you. Your good friend forever, Beau.

“Do you have a reply?” Miller asked.

Quiggs’s smile stretched into a grin. “Tell my good friend Beau to train hard and come tell me hello.”