Chapter Seventeen #3
“Did you hear what he said? What if the baby was conceived the first night we made love?” Sasah whispered. When we were still in the program. Could he—”
“He’s not going to be a fit parent after this, Sasha, and the program ended, no matter who was in it. You are mine, and this cub is ours—and the future—maybe a little bloody and bruised, still belongs to us.”
“HE’S INSANE. WE KNOW this, Gideon. I am so, so sorry he harmed you and your Queen. I am appalled. And ashamed.”
Gideon held Sasha on his knee, ignoring the bandages and bare, furless spots on his arm and shoulder.
“Thank you, Mr. Imazi,” Gideon said, surprised that the elderly, ill Leonid was speaking to him on the screen the morning after the attack.
“That doesn’t change the fact that he snuck aboard this ship and tried to kidnap a pregnant Queen, a Queen who has never touched him, who could never have conceived his child. ”
“No, I know. I know, Gideon,” Memhet spoke from his screen, clearly not in the same room as his father. “It was evil madness. You don’t have to forgive him. We have made arrangements for him to serve a long, healing stint in the Tigerite System, somewhere remote, where he can... Uh... heal.”
“You mean a place where he won’t embarrass your wealthy family,” Sasha snapped.
Gideon squeezed her knee. He knew the likelihood was that Farhet would never get a true measure of justice as a criminal, not with his family's wealth and connections. He would spin it as a huge misunderstanding. The fact that his family realized this and had arranged to transport him to a sanatorium or facility for mental health help was at least something—and Gideon suspected that part of it was that they knew the media festivities would be endless, and the witnesses like Talos, Dr. Marcus, Sasha, and others would clearly point to Farhet’s madness and dangerous, illegal actions, creating shame and a spectacle they could never undo.
“I know you cannot understand this, young human Queen,” Mr. Imazi said in his aged, shaking voice, “But my son has lost his looks, his mind, and now his freedom, all because of his desperate thirst for control of a Pride. That is my fault. I am an Imazi, and I raised him to lead as I led. Now, after losing so many Queens, with the world changing so drastically, we can see that building a Pride is about people, not riches. Or at least, it is a combination. Gideon, we can handle this matter discreetly, with assurances that Farhet will never bother you again, and that he will remain under a facility’s care for many years. ”
“He’s your son!” Sasha yelped. “You’re going to send him away to some insane asylum on another planet for years?”
“It is better for the Pride if people do not see him. Let them think he is managing our accounts somewhere else,” Memhet said in a heavy voice.
Gideon looked at Sasha. “You see what I see,” he whispered, and he knew she did. They could see fear, greed, and shame dressed as compassion, as a sympathetic plea, as promises of handling the problem they helped create. “I will not lie to any magistrate, Mr. Imazi. I will tell them what happened."
“I know, but... But they’re going to find him insane anyway, Gideon.
He has gone mad if he believed he could simply kidnap you and your Queen.
Listen, you know I know the right people.
This is ultimately what will happen, but it is also the best outcome.
Farhet needs help. A criminal prison will only fuel his rage and his desire for revenge, to regain control of the Pride.
A place on Tigerite-Four with caring staff and tranquil cures will help him focus on healing and getting back to a solid place where he can someday be presented to the family—and he will never again have access to the Imazi wealth or connections.
Memhet will not allow it,” Mr. Imazi waved a shaky paw as if to wave any protests or details away.
“I do understand that my son offered you 300,000 credits for your ‘assistance.’ Prostitution, more like,” Mr. Imazi sneered.
Sasha bridled, but Gideon remained relaxed, sitting back in his seat, his Queen on his knee.
For once in his life, he held all the power, no matter how much the Imazi Pride might like to believe otherwise.
They might believe Farhet would end up isolated and “cured” on some Tigerite planet, but he would tell his story and let the magistrates decide.
“We haven’t always treated you well, Gideon.
And we can’t make up for Farhet’s sins,” Memhet said in a tired voice, a weary expression on his face.
“I’m to be married next cycle, to a beautiful young Servali Queen.
If it hadn’t been your Sasha that he attacked, I suddenly find myself fearing what he might have tried with Yalana. ”
“Mem!” Mr. Imazi snarled, then dissolved into a coughing fit.
Sasha’s expression softened. “I know this is hard on your Pride. I truly am sorry about that.”
“We know it won’t help, but we want to honor my brother’s just debts. We think you should have the 300,000, plus a share of a mine on Lynx-Nineteen that my brother was speculating on. We heard during the comms earlier that you were planning to settle there, with other Felid-human couples.”
“That’s right,” Gideon said, mouth dropping open. “A mine? On Lynx-Nineteen. Hillhead? Eastshore?”
“Peterhill.”
“That’s only about a hundred miles south.”
“We’ll send a hoverbike for you,” Memhet nodded eagerly, hoping to hear Gideon accept the deal.
“They will keep the luxury shuttle your brother so foolishly used in an attempted kidnapping,” Mr. Imzai barked.
“Oh. Yes, that’s more convenient.”
“This stuff isn’t going to buy our silence. We’ll still tell what happened,” Sasha reiterated, even though her expression remained soft when she looked at the two Leonids on the screen.
“It’s not a bribe. It’s an apology and a wedding gift. Be well, Gideon. Be well, Queen and cub. You always have a place in the Imazi Pride, should you want it.”
“Thank you, sir. I think we must give our allegiance to another Pride, the Comet Stalker Pride,” Gideon said, bowed, and ended the call.
“WITH THE ADDITIONAL money and the mine shares, I believe we can eventually expand to a small herd of razortusks. Not right away. We will have much to learn—but we also have quite a ways to travel. And as we are both free from our former contracts, we can take on tasks of helping around the ship—but we ask for no pay. Your friendship has been more than enough for us.”
Sasha glowed with pride as Gideon finished his little speech around the communal table that evening.
Farhet remained in the brig, awaiting a transport that would take him to a Leopardine planetoid to await trial.
The conceited Leonid seemed to think his troubles were over and that Gideon would be the one in trouble, and Sasha was guilty of looking forward to seeing him lose it when he realized he would be the one dragged away under the care of the Intersystem Criminal Investigations Office.
Rupex nodded gravely. “That’s very ambitious, and it will take time and patience.
You and Sasha could not be better suited for such things.
I know that Jade and Ardol will help you get anything you need.
He was an amazing freight coordinator. He might be a bit conceited, but as much as I hate to admit it, he had reason to be.
He had connections and charm that opened doors that others would find slammed in their faces.
And Dane, the sheriff, is a good man. You could not ask for better neighbors.
Doc Weaver will be able to help you and Sasha, if you should ever want to pursue a sibling for your cub.
” The captain nodded again. “It sounds like you two will begin a wonderful life in a wonderful place very soon. Hard, at times, but wonderful. We visit each year, so we’ll not lose touch. ”
Gideon extended his paw. “I would hate to fall out of contact. I was hoping we could call you every cycle and check in?”
“Please do. You must tell us what everyone is up to and show us around your new place. I want you to know, Gideon, that you and Sasha will always have a place in the Comet Stalker Pride.” Rupex took the offered paw and shook it heartily.
“I am honored.” Gideon bowed. “Although Sasha and I are very excited to start a little Pride of our own. Right, my Queen?”
Sasha beamed and squeezed his paw, eyes shining at him. “Right, my King.”