Chapter 5 #2
“We did not have a mate,” Zul admitted, not needing to express that his triad had greatly desired a female of their own.
Uribern had not yet made contact with Earth when the Uk’khadir Prime and Second were killed in battle.
He recalled his astonishment upon learning how quickly the nations on Earth agreed to trade their females for Triune Alliance technology and protection.
Humans, apparently, did not properly value their abundance of females as a blessing.
“You will treasure yours for the divine gift she is.”
“We do,” Gil confirmed. He grimaced. “We are aware that our commanders seek to free our mate of a broken triad to give her to a whole one so she might bear more young.” He bared his teeth. “We will not permit that.”
Zul nodded. “I am not surprised. Politics cares little for well-being, only for victory.”
“We sent the Ogranox running again for the time being,” Bran said of their latest deployment, his tone matter of fact rather than boasting. “They’ll be back after they recoup from this latest defeat. The Kaan are worthy allies.”
Zul interpreted the comment to mean the feline warriors were vicious, effective fighters.
He’d not met one himself. “I have not battled beside them, but agree that our alliance with Kaan and Ahn’hudin will eventually ensure our triumph over the Sivuul and the Ogranox.
They are evils that must be obliterated from existence. ”
The three warriors fell silent, each remembering their many battles against the implacable and terrifying enemies threatening many planets and civilizations throughout the universe.
The Ogranox and the Sivuul desired meat, hosts, and slaves.
Conquered species reduced to mere livestock fulfilled those functions, yet never satisfied the conquerors’ rapacious appetites.
“Why do you wander alone as rosvo?” Gil inquired.
Zul wanted to wince, but held on to his composure. He wanted to prevaricate, but his hosts, fellow warriors, deserved truth. “The loss was more than I could bear or bring into a new triad.”
“We know of the battle that killed your First and Second,” Bran said, not mentioning the humiliating defeat Uribern suffered in that battle. “I lost one of my sires there.”
“Shortly after that, the Council Supreme decided it was in Uribern’s best interests to deploy broken triads more often,” Gil added.
“After the battle that killed Crow, we hoped for a reduction in deployments to spare other mated triads; but a broken warrior triad” —he gestured at himself and Gil— “is useful only as cannon fodder. However, we are determined to live and to keep our mate.”
Zul nodded in complete understanding. “That is why, before the official mourning period ended, I removed myself from service. I am all who retains the memory and honor of the Uk’khadir Triad.”
“And wealth,” Gil murmured. “War is expensive. With your death, the Uribern government would be pleased to reclaim your wealth.”
Bran sighed. “It pains me to admit that our people’s leaders are more conniving and less honorable than they should be.”
“Then perhaps you have not received word of the regime change on Ahn’hudin?” Zul was happy to change the subject.
“Regime change?” Gil echoed, expression brightening with interest.
“We have not had time or opportunity to review updates in Alliance news,” Bran explained. “We were most eager to return to our mate.”
Gil nodded. “Our mate and youngling are our highest priority.”
And that, Zul knew, was the Uribern government’s true reason for reducing the frequency of deployment of mated, unbroken triads: their highest and strongest instinctual loyalties were to their mates.
No amount of training could overcome that.
“In my travels, I hear a good deal of news. The emperor of Ahn’hudin perished, and the heir behaved with grave dishonor.
As was justified, their general superior—”
“I’ve seen the brute on the battlefield,” Gil muttered under his breath, his tone tinged with respect. “He’s a mighty warrior.”
“—defeated the heir and assumed the crown,” Zul continued, knowing his hosts would understand “defeated” meant “killed.”
“General Superior Yas’kihn is reputed a hard and honorable warrior,” Bran commented. “With him as emperor, Ahn’hudin will be well-ruled.”
“Have you met him?” Zul asked.
Bran shook his head. “No, I only know him by reputation.”
Zul shrugged. “I did meet him when my triad was still whole. Your words are accurate: he is a hard and honorable warrior and mated now.”
“Mated?” Gil echoed in surprise.
“His bride is like yours, a human hybrid.”
“It seems we’ve been too long out of touch with Alliance news,” Bran muttered. Gil nodded in silent agreement. “We will speak with the Omari Prime to see if this lack of information is common. It will not do for Uribern’s warriors to be uninformed.”
Zul nodded. He wasn’t sure what Bran would or could do if he learned that the government wasn’t keeping its military informed, but the golden warrior’s molten gaze promised hellfire on them. He hoped Bran’s vengeance wouldn’t result in the male’s death and Ursula’s reassignment beyond his reach.
Not that she wasn’t already beyond his reach.