Chapter Thirteen
Sasha paced in the corner of Gideon’s quarters, sipping citrine juice. It was early in the morning, and according to the brief exchange she’d had with Talos and Layla at breakfast, they were now deep into the Leopardine System and would be entering the Servali System in the next few cycles.
Gideon sat in front of the database computer in his quarters, immaculate in his light, cream-colored shirt and flowing black trousers. It was all she could do to stay hidden in her corner, moral support and a silent witness to what might be her love’s humiliation or a moment of great triumph.
“Gideon. Make this quick, I have a Leopardine delegation coming over, and I’m terribly behind without you here.
” Farhet’s face appeared. He wore a sparkling jewel at his neck, and his dark red mane was stylishly parted and slicked back.
As Sasha watched, he took a bottle of some kind and started rubbing oil into his fur, which instantly made the color a deeper, darker shade of gold.
“Good evening, sir,” Gideon murmured. “I’ll not keep you for more than a moment. I just wanted to say that I appreciate all the years of sound employment that you’ve given me. Please express my fondest farewells to your father and brother, and the rest of the household.”
“Gideon, if this is your way of reminding me that you don’t work for me any longer, or harping on about me sending your belongings, I’ll get to it. Honestly, do you even need to wear clothes for what you’re doing?” Farhet gave a sneering laugh. “Well, I certainly doubt you’d need trousers.”
Gideon didn’t respond, and that made Farhet sober, then fidget. “Is that all?” the rich Leonid finally demanded.
“I know you said you are behind, sir. That must mean you haven’t yet seen the letter from Doctor Marcus or the notice of my contract termination.”
Farhet dropped the expensive-looking bottle, and dark splashes appeared on his white shirtfront. “What? What the fuck have you done, Gideon? It’s your stupid broken genetics, isn’t it, you freak? You mutant!”
Sasha put down her drink and began to march over, mouth open to throw insults right back at the pompous ass who apparently dyed his fur. Gideon held a paw out, down low where Farhet couldn’t see it, a staying motion that froze her just off-screen.
“It’s not my genetics, sir. I have successfully bred with the surrogate—”
“She’s pregnant! Bastet be praised!”
“No. But I have fulfilled my obligations.”
“No, your obligations are to keep breeding the human slut until she’s fat with my cub!”
“Well, sir, the contract says that I need to try. I have. The doctor will attest to it. So will she, if you have doubts.”
“No, I have no doubts that someone like you would be content with someone like her.”
Sasha felt the snarl before she heard it, feeling the subtle rumble in her skin and under her feet before she realized how Gideon’s lips were pulled back from his fangs.
“Do not speak of her like that.”
“Why are you leaving the program? If this is a ploy for more money—”
“No. I will not get the 300,000 credits you offered. That’s all right.”
“But... But... what’s wrong? And where will I get some other surrogate sperm donor? Of all the stupid, inconsiderate things, Gideon!”
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry about that, sir. But, if you will take the time to go through your communications—”
“I haven’t had time to hire a new secretary yet, Gideon.” Farhet glared as if his choice to send his secretary on an incredibly difficult mission had been Gideon’s own fault.
“I gathered. But when you do, you will see the surrogacy program is being restructured. Couples will be given aid to connect first, and then to conceive.”
“Couples? There aren’t many of those, for fuck’s sake! If there were, we wouldn’t be in this stupid situation!”
“That is why human Queens will still be used, sir. There are very few Queens here, but millions in the Sapien System. Perhaps hundreds, or even thousands, might one day live here. A brave few will be matched with Felids, and then, because of the intimate nature of procreation, those few will hopefully form loving couples, and those couples will have children.”
“But... But human Queens are repulsive to most right-minded Felids!”
Sasha threw up her hands and walked off, cursing under her breath.
“Not to many of us, sir. For those who find them ‘distasteful,’ there may be another option. In four years, perhaps?”
Farhet’s angry face slackened, twisted, and then a torrent of angry, growling words came flying from his lips. “You stay there, and you fuck that little human until she has my cub, Gideon! I’ll give you a million credits!”
“I don’t want the money. The program is dismantled, sir. You can take it up with Dr. Marcus.”
“But... But you bred her while you were still there for me! So if she’s pregnant—”
“There is no proof she is pregnant, and no way to tell when she might conceive.”
“Yes, but you’re not going to remain with the program, so we just have to hope it took and that she is pregnant before the next male arrives on a shuttle to claim her!” Farhet exclaimed, looking relieved.
“Uh. No, sir. She is also out of the program.”
“But... But she could be pregnant from that attempt, and you’re not going to sleep with her again, and it’ll be days, weeks, maybe even a cycle before someone else arrives to try her.”
“She is not something you try. She is someone. A person worthy of love and respect, and you are wrong. I am going to continue sleeping with Sasha, and no other Felid ever will. She is to be my wife.”
“Wife?” Farhet blinked and said the word as if it were foreign and unfamiliar.
“My Queen.”
“Yes. His Queen. He is my King, as soon as I ask the captain of the Comet Stalker to marry us,” Sasha burst in, head held high.
“Wh-what? This is laughable. You cannot be selected as her partner.”
“He can, and he has been. He’s mine, I’m his. We choose each other. And yes, before you say anything—we don’t need your credits or contracts. We have each other, and we can start that way.”
“You... You can’t claim her. I sent you to meet her! She is my match, my surrogate, the mother of my cub!” Farhet ranted.
“It was never your child,” Sasha whispered. “And if you were here, and we did sleep together—you wouldn’t want a girl, would you?”
“Well, I... You... Queens are not useful for a line of succession, for claiming rulership of a Pride, not that you ignorant humans would know that.”
“Ignorant Leonids don’t know the value of daughters in a world where millions of Felids are missing wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters,” Sasha snapped back.
Gideon put his arm around her waist, staring down Farhet.
“We know each other’s worth. That is something that some of the wealthiest have overlooked,” he said in a steady, quiet voice.
“So, again, please give my regards to the family and household, and send my things on to the Comet Stalker, or ahead to the sheriff’s office of Hillhead on Lynx-Nineteen.
I have enclosed the exact coordinates in my termination notice. ”
“But... The money! I paid thousands of credits to Bastet Mercy so that you could take my place.”
“And Bastet Mercy has agreed that this surrogacy model doesn’t work at this time. Your donation was made to be charitable—at least that’s what you claimed. If someone did you favors, sir, that will not be written on your credit transfer,” Gideon allowed himself a small smile.
Sasha reached over and disconnected the call as a torrent of curses split the screen.
“Come on, my love. Let’s see if the captain has time to marry us tomorrow.”
“But... But Sasha, you do not have the ring, or the bridal jewels, or the traditional veils and red dresses of Leonid brides, or the white dresses of human brides.”
“I have a white dress. I have a red dress. You know what?” She grinned.
“I also have a pink dress, which is what happens when you mix red and white. When you mix Felids and humans. When you mix you and me. And... And I have no family to share this moment with, and neither do you. I think the crew aboard this ship is the closest thing we have to friends and family. I know if we ask Kamau, he’ll pass out with joy at the idea of making a wedding banquet. ”
“You... You would join your life with mine now? So soon? I know it is soon, Sasha, I know I do not deserve this honor yet,” Gideon whispered, looking at her with wistful eyes.
“You are taking a huge risk with me, and I know that you were not intending to love or wed anyone, let alone your partner in surrogacy.”
Sasha nodded at his words. “You’re right. But all of this was a risk, and frankly, every contract I took on Sapien-Three was a bigger one, and even opening my door sometimes was a risk. I don’t feel that anything is risky with you. So, yes, I’m sure. I’m sure that it’s fast, but it’s not too soon.”