Chapter 20
Miran
Working without help made it hard to get the gunship ready, but fear gave Miran extra strength.
The heavy line he was trying to unhook from the enviro port suddenly became lighter. Looking over his shoulder, he found Nerin and Lazil helping him lift the line. The three of them were able to unhook it without droid assistance and pull it away from the ship.
“What are you two doing here?” Miran asked, surprised to find his team in the chaotic bay. “Weren’t you assigned tasks?”
“Of course we were,” Lazil said. “But you needed us more.”
“We heard Nova’s missing,” Nerin said. “We’re here to help you get her back.”
Miran wasn’t able to speak.
Thankfully Nerin was able to say what Miran was thinking. “We are brothers, Miran. We wouldn’t let you go without us any more than you’d let either of us run into danger alone.”
“What Nerin said,” Lazil said with a scowl. “But when we get her back, we’re chaining you together.” Then he stomped off to pull the safety stops out of the engine start coils.
If the situation wasn’t so dire, he might’ve laughed. He exchanged a look with Nerin, then they got to work. Even without the help of droids, they got the ship ready quickly, although they skipped through several safety checks.
It wasn’t long before they were loaded, getting clearance from the bay controller, and launching. There were so many ships launching that no one questioned their purpose.
They were halfway to the Diniki space station when the Ardent demanded a comms link. Miran braced himself for a reprimand as he opened a link.
Before he could even speak, the section commander bellowed through the link. “What do you think you’re doing? I told you to find Nova and move to the Assist. Now you’re in a gunship and traveling to the Diniki space station? Do you realize what that looks like? Turn around right now!”
“Nova is with the envoy,” Miran said, keeping his voice calm but strong.
“She is not,” Belor said. “We contacted the envoy while they were en route. She wasn’t on their ship. They’ve docked at the space station now and if you keep going, you’re going to ruin any chance of negotiating a peaceful resolution.”
Miran didn’t get a chance to answer. Someone else on Ardent spoke to Belor, loudly enough for it to come through the comms link.
“Section Commander Belor, Hisum is reporting that Nova is on the Diniki station! They don’t know how, but she was hiding on their ship. Hisum said that they were greeting the Diniki, and she seemed to appear and took over the conversation.”
There was a beat of silence before Belor let out an aggravated roar, highly uncharacteristic of the usually calm and controlled leader.
“Leave it to Nova to push Belor past his breaking point,” Lazil whispered only loud enough for Miran and Nerin to hear.
A light and chime on his console indicated there was another comm link request from an unexpected source.
“Section Commander Belor, the Diniki station is asking to talk to my ship,” Miran said.
“Answer it and try not to start a war,” Belor snarled. “Leave my comm link open so I can hear what is said.”
“Yes, Section Commander Belor,” Miran said and tapped on his console. Someone speaking in heavily accented Space Standard asked a question before he could say anything.
“Is this Miran?”
“Yes, this is Miran of the—”
“You are late!” the Diniki snapped. “Ambassador Nova refuses to continue our negotiations before you get here. Are the other husbands there?”
“Other husbands?” Miran repeated, thoroughly confused.
“Nerin and Lazil,” the Diniki clarified impatiently. “She said all of you were supposed to be here but that it might only be you. Are all three of you on the ship?”
“Oh, yes,” Miran said, realizing he needed to follow Nova’s plan, even if he had no idea what it was. “All three of us will be docking soon.”
“Good, keep the link open for docking instructions,” the Diniki said and then was replaced by an automated system giving them coordinates and procedures.
“I guess I’m a better kisser than I thought,” Lazil said. “I went from teammate to husband. I didn’t even know that was a rank I could get in the military.”
Miran glared at Lazil. “Not amusing.”
Nerin snorted. “A little amusing.”
“Why doesn’t anyone do as I tell them?” Belor asked in a deeply aggravated voice, reminding them that a link to Ardent was still open. “Get Nova back and don’t start a war.” Then the link ended.
“Collect the human and don’t get everyone killed,” Miran muttered. “Easy.”
Nerin snorted again, Lazil grumbled, and Miran prayed to the moons for help. They were going to need it.
***
The moment they opened the hatch, there was a Diniki waiting there.
“Hurry,” he said. “Husbands must hurry.”
His space standard was so bad that it took Miran a moment to understand. When he didn’t move right away, the Diniki clapped his boney hands together impatiently.
“Hurry!”
The moment they were all off, the Diniki turned and jogged away.
Miran wasn’t expecting that and had to sprint to catch up, his team right behind him. The Diniki didn’t slow down and weaved his way through the confusing floorplan of the station without hesitation. If they didn’t stay close to the Diniki, they could’ve easily gotten lost.
When the Diniki came to an abrupt stop, Miran almost plowed into him.
Nerin and Lazil came to a stop on either side of him.
They were in a small room with no furniture, decoration, or even control consoles.
For a brief moment, Miran worried this was a trap, but then an entire back wall moved to reveal a lush space decorated in pastels.
Against one wall was Nova, Hisum, and Cifon. Nova was in the center with Hisum and Cifon kneeling on either side. On the opposite wall were four Diniki standing shoulder to shoulder.
Miran wasn’t sure what to do until Nova looked over. “It’s about time you got here,” she said, her voice was annoyed, but she was smiling.
“I’m sorry, um, Ambassador Nova?” He didn’t mean it to come out as a question, but it didn’t seem to bother anyone.
“Over here,” she said, pointing with both hands to either side of her. He and his team moved to stand against the wall. When he felt a tug on his pants from Hisum, he sank to his knees. Nerin and Lazil followed his lead.
“No!” Nova said. “How many times do I have to go over this? Miran is the primary husband, he should be at my left hand. I shouldn’t have to remind any of you.”
They all mumbled “sorry” and quickly shuffled around until Miran was at Nova’s left.
She rested her hand on his head and whispered, “Thank you.”
He grunted in response because he wasn’t sure he was even allowed to look up at her.
Sliding his eyes to the side, he was relieved that she wasn’t touching Cifon who was at her right.
“Now that your husbands are all here, can we begin?” the Diniki standing in the center of their line up asked.
“Of course,” she agreed. Keeping her hand on him, she began. “Tell me about your soul’s journey.”
That was the start of a back and forth between Nova and the Diniki who must be in charge because he was the only one talking.
They spoke in Space Standard so he should’ve been able to follow the conversation, but he was lost within the first few volleys.
They spoke in nothing but flowery language and euphemisms.
After several hours, it became more about enduring than anything else. This position was making his knees hurt, and it was becoming harder and harder to ignore the aches and pains. He felt Nerin sway a little next to him but then steady himself.
The only indication that Nova knew they were uncomfortable was that she started petting his head. At least that’s how he interpreted her touch.
“Then we will consider this as a day well finished,” Nova said.
“It’s been satisfactory interacting with you,” the Diniki said. Miran wouldn’t have realized that those words meant that anything was coming to an end except all the Diniki turned and filed out of the room. The moment they were entirely out of sight, Nova jumped forward and turned.
“You guys can move,” she said.
Everyone groaned with relief as they stood up. Except for Hisum who fell forward with a thud.
“I don’t think my knees will ever work again,” he moaned, voice muffled against the floor.
Nova knelt next to him, looking terrified. “Hisum, you need to be able to walk back to the ship. We can’t be seen as weak. They gave a huge honor by leaving first so you guys could have a moment to move and stretch, but they’ll be right back in this room if we have to carry you!”
“You’re so mean,” Hisum said, then rolled over to display a grin. “I’m fine.”
She smacked his chest and stood up. “Leave the drama to the professionals.”
Miran stepped close while Cifon and Nerin helped Hisum to his feet.
“What happened?” he asked. “What was decided?”
“You guys need to take back all the money you’ve paid them,” Nova said.
Miran felt his heart sink. “Does that mean war?”
Nova rolled her eyes. “No! It means you have to pay them in a different way. The Hissa are now the primary contributors to an entirely new facility dedicated to the study of sumasra.”
Miran didn’t recognize that science. “What’s sumasra?”
“The study of Diniki culture, expansion, government, and superiority,” she said with a grin. “It’s not real. They’ll build a shack with a learning pod, then pocket the rest, but that's how you bribe the Diniki. Doing it this way means everyone gets a cut and no one is guilty.”
Miran couldn’t believe his ears. “Really?”
She shrugged. “I got a better deal than I expected. Having three more husbands who loyally knelt without complaint the entire time put me in a position of strength.” She looked around at all the warriors. “All of you did amazing!”
“So we’re all your husbands now?” Cifon asked with a laugh.
“Well, yes,” she said. “For as long as it takes us to leave this station.”
“Then we leave now,” Miran said.
“I second that,” Hisum said.
“Everyone listen up,” Nova said. “This is our last test. Here is how we have to walk out of here.”
With Nova’s detailed instructions, they made it back to the ships and left the station without incident.
The moment their gunship was far enough away that Miran was sure they were safe, he got up from his chair, grabbed Nova, and refused to let her go.
“Please don’t ever do that again,” he begged.
“I can’t promise that,” she murmured. “Not when you refuse to listen to me.”
“I’ll always listen to you,” he said. Then made the vow he knew she needed to hear if she was going to be happy.
“If you ever want to leave again, for a day or for a lifetime, I’ll go with you.
I won’t question or try to talk you out of it.
I’ll pack, say goodbye to my friends, then follow you.
I don’t even care where we go as long as I can be with you. ”
Her eyes went wide. “You mean that? You’d give up everything to be with me?”
“I won’t have to give anything up,” he said, speaking from his heart. “Because you are my everything.”
A single tear trickled down Nova’s face. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He nuzzled the tear away with his cheek. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize who I needed to be to deserve you.”
She let out a sound that was half sob, half happy sound and hugged him tight. They remained like that until the gunship docked on the Ardent. Miran hoped to carry Nova back to their room and spend time worshiping her body.
Section Commander Belor had other ideas.