Chapter 45
Atem
“You're sure this is correct?” Atem asked, his voice growling with anger.
Second Scholar Romival grunted, standing to one side, Tuvo on the other, as the three males looked over the latest message Romival brought to the council chamber.
Not even half a mark ago, Romival's program had alerted him that another message had been sent from the device they couldn't yet track. The fact that they were single messages made it impossible to try. If the device made a comm, they would have a chance, but single messages could only be captured.
This one was direct but frustrating:
'They've identified my device. Instructions to follow from a different signal. Stand by.'
“Did you tell anyone?” Atem asked, glaring at Romival. He knew Tuvo would not have and, besides the three of them, no one else knew.
Romival gestured no, his expression darkening. “No. But after reading this, I looked through the computer I have running this program. Someone had planted a tracker on it. They were watching everything I was doing.”
“Did you remove it?”
“No. I left it there, but I've since moved my search to a different device, one I've thoroughly checked, to continue.”
Atem grunted once, approving of the move. If he destroyed the tracker, then the person who put it there would know it had been found and might become more cautious.
“Tuvo, your soldiers are in place?”
“Yes. They've been watching the females closely.
Holly has a set schedule and rarely leaves the palace.
Scarlet only ever goes to the archives or healing center.
Alanna and Hattie go out a lot but they're usually together. Peony stays close to the palace and only explores around it with Tilii. They alert me if anyone does anything out of her personal schedule.”
“Are they back from the healing center yet?” He asked, his claws emerging with frustration.
Tuvo had informed him that Peony, Holly, and Scarlet had all gone there earlier.
None of them had informed him, so he was choosing not to worry.
Most likely, one of them had begun her menstrual bleeding and hadn't wanted to tell him since they were so unreasonably uneasy about it.
Tuvo checked his combot and grunted. “Yes. They just returned moments ago. They're all gathered in their room. They've ordered food and appear to be settling in for the next few marks.”
Atem let out a breath, some of his tension easing. If they had returned from the healing center, then it must not have been anything serious. He was sure Peony would tell him about it later. For now, he could put it from his mind and focus on this latest message.
“Someone is plotting against me,” he growled. “Someone who has access to Romival's computer.”
Second Scholar gestured no. “That list can be quite long. Until recently, I had no reason to keep my personal research secret, so I would never have worried about others being near it. I don't know how long that tracker has been there, so there's no way of knowing who could have put it there.”
“See if you can learn anything about it without disturbing it.”
“Vas, vi Dominani.”
“And Tuvo, work with Havali. None of my females leave this city and I want this city to be so safe, a cup can't be stolen from the beverage vendors until this is over.”
“It will be done, Atem,” Tuvo assured him. “I'll get to work looking through everyone close to you as well. Havali will be useful in that regard. If someone is behaving suspiciously, we'll find them.”
Atem's jaw clenched. “No. Not until I know I can trust Havali.”
Tuvo grimaced but didn't attempt to fight him. “I'll look at Havali first. Though, it will be difficult. He's secretive by nature and occupation.”
Atem grunted in agreement but didn't take back his word.
Tuvo was the only person he trusted and, though it was Romival who brought these messages to his attention, some part of him couldn't help but wonder if it was an elaborate ruse Second Scholar created.
A way to throw him off his trail. After all, neither message had contained anything identifying or particularly helpful.
But if he started going down a mental list of why everyone around him couldn't be trusted, he would soon be suspecting everyone of treason. It was smarter to just wait until Tuvo brought him a proper suspect. He could begin making his mental accusations from there.
“Thank you, Romival,” he said, saluting Second Scholar. “You may return to your work. Keep up your investigation and report anything you find to me.”
Romival saluted him back before leaving the council chamber at a quick clip. Tuvo watched him, remaining silent until he was gone.
“Romival is eager to prove himself,” he said, grinning. “Torvii will have to watch his back, or he'll find himself knocked down to Second Scholar again.”
Atem grinned, but there wasn't much humor in it. “I'm fortunate to have the seven year cap on my ability to be challenged.”
“Yours is the only position better served by longevity than just expertise.”
The two males sat down onto one of the low cushions that ringed the room. Atem with a groan, his tail flicking with agitation.
“What is happening, Tuvo?” He asked, voice soft. “At times, it seems like the ratchi are just after the humans. And at others, I feel like the blade is aimed at my back.”
Tuvo crossed his massive arms. “No blade will be finding your back, Atem. Not while I'm watching it. And those females won't be harmed either.”
“If Torvii can find their Earth, I would be willing to put it under Turv's protection.”
Tuvo didn't look surprised at the confession. He only grunted once, accepting the decision.
To be considered a member of the Coalition, a species had to develop technology that took them beyond their own solar system.
However, it wasn't the first time that a species had been discovered and exploited before that point.
In such cases, it wasn't uncommon for a different species to claim protectorate rights.
Usually, that species became a close ally when they developed their technology enough to earn their right into the Coalition.
Until then, it fell to the protectorate planet to keep stronger planets from abusing them or giving them technology they shouldn't have yet.
By the description he got, Atem wouldn't be surprised if Earth was close to the point of joining the Coalition on their own. Until then, he was willing to utilize his own resources to protect the little planet and its females – and he supposed its males too – from species like the ratchi.
“I'd be willing to extend them my protection,” Tuvo agreed. “And First Voice would enjoy the challenge of speaking with an uncontacted species.”
“If they can be found.”
“If those stray ratchi males could find them, then we should be able to as well.”
“Unless they stumbled upon them by accident.” Atem tensed his fingers, fighting the urge to extend his claws with his frustration. “It wouldn't be the first time a subspace swing went wrong and landed someone somewhere new.”
“Torvii will do the best he can, I'm sure. For now, put it from your head. Nothing will touch those females while they are here, and finding their planet is beyond our control. You have plenty of work to keep you busy until-”
His voice was cut off as the door to the chamber opened and Donivi stepped inside.
“First Healer.” Atem got to his feet. “It's unusual to see you out of the healing center during working marks. What's the occasion?”
Donivi waved away the question as though unconcerned, easing some of Atem's immediate nervousness that had flared upon seeing him. Peony and the others had just gone to him, after all. This was probably just him reporting on the menstrual bleeding thing.
“I just saw Peony. Did she tell you?” He asked, confirming Atem's suspicions.
He gestured no. “That she saw you? No. I imagine she was waiting until I finished work. She tries not to bother me during the day. It's very sweet of her, actually.”
Donivi grunted, accepting that reasoning. “Well, in that case, this might come as a surprise, but I need to tell you so that you can be prepared.”
“Prepared for what?” He asked as Tuvo stood as well.
“Peony is pregnant.”
Those three simple words, spoken without preamble or warning, made the floor drop out from Atem's feet and stumbled back in shock as his breath caught in his throat.
“She's what?” He gasped, his heart pounding in his chest.
“I know little about human pregnancies, and only what Scarlet has mentioned, but she is displaying typical symptoms. Food cravings and separation anxiety. It's all very common for carrying females of most species.”
“She's... what?” Atem barely managed to repeat.
“I'm sorry, vi Dominani, do you need a moment?” Donivi exchanged a look with Tuvo who was frowning at his friend.
“Are you all right?” He asked, grabbing his shoulder.
Atem was most definitely not all right.
“She lied to me,” he whispered, mostly to himself.
She had promised that she had no one waiting for her at home.
He didn't know the gestational period of humans, but it had to have been recent for her to not know.
Or else she did know, and she had lied to him knowing she was carrying.
After hearing her promise that she had no one, the pain at finding out otherwise was that much sharper.
“How far along in her pregnancy is she?” He heard Tuvo ask as he grappled with that pain.
“Hard to say. She didn't let me finish the scan and I know little about human gestation. I was planning on asking Scarlet tomorrow to detail their pregnancies for me. Peony didn't seem capable of having that discussion at the moment.”
Atem wasn't sure that he was capable of having that discussion at the moment either.
Donivi pressed forward with it, however, unrelenting.
“I gave her some general advice for now, but I'll be able to be more specific if she lets me scan her fully. It might take a while, considering her phobia.”