Voices by M J Marlow (uplifting novels txt) 📕

me frown. “If you are
feeling stronger tomorrow, we will do some shopping.” He looked
at what I was wearing. “You need some clothing for the journey
home.”
“You didn’t bring the contents of my closet with you,
Grandfather?” I teased him shyly. He looked at me in confusion.
“My clothing seemed to follow me every time I moved. That can’t
have happened on its own.”
“I might have brought a few things with me,” Natan smiled
ruefully. ”I just thought you might like something new. There are
things on this station you will never see anywhere else. I think it’s
time that you were allowed to be a child, Melaura; with nothing
more to worry about than flirting with a handsome young prince,”
he saw me blush and knew he’d read me right; “and buying
something pretty and frivolous because you like the way it looks or
sounds or feels.”
“But that’s so impractical, Grandfather,” I protested. I saw
his knowing smile and knew he had set me up. “All right,” I
nodded agreement; “I will try being frivolous and impractical
while we are here on the station. I’m not going to be very good at
it.”
“That’s what your handsome prince is here for, Melaura,”
Natan smiled at me and then at Aden, who was standing out in the
corridor waiting. “He is a fine young man, child. He will not let
anything happen to you while you are in his charge.” He saw my
frown. “Is something wrong, girl?”
“Is that all I am to him,” I asked softly so only my
grandfather could hear; “a duty?”
“I sincerely hope not,” Natan smiled and patted my hand
where it lay in the crook of his arm; “or Hazri princes have
changed a great deal since I befriended Leonid.” I looked at him in
shock and he laughed. “It is the duty of every young prince to flirt
with pretty females, my child. I nearly lost your grandmother to
Leonid and his silver tongue.”
We crossed through the hatch into the space station and
found our way to the elevators going up to the residence levels.
David stepped back so I could go in first and I was astounded to
find a wall of windows that went up all three levels of the quarters.
The stars and planets were on full display in the dark skies and the
sight froze me in my steps. I found myself being herded up a set of
stairs to the next level and there was the apartment that I would
share with my grandfather. It was more spectacular than anything I
had ever seen in my life. The maid showed me to my room and
Natan kissed me on the forehead and left me to rest. But I was too
excited to rest. The sight of the stars and planets had filled my
mind with a strange energy and I wanted to explore. I left my room
and found Aden in the main room below. He rose to his feet as I
joined him and handed me a glass of water.
“If you wouldn’t mind,” I said shyly; “I have a matter I
need to take care of. Could you take me to the Infirmary?”
“The Infirmary?” Aden looked worried. “Are you unwell?”
“I didn’t want to admit it to my Grandfather, Aden,” I told
him, “but I wanted to speak to the doctor about something that’s
bothering me. Something I could only talk to a doctor about.”
“Your wish is my command, my wife.”
“Please don’t call me that,” I frowned as we left the
compartment. “My name is Melaura.” I looked at him worriedly.
“Is it improper for you to use my given name in public, Aden?”
“Of course not, Melaura,” Aden smiled down at me
warmly, his hand under my chin so he could raise my eyes to his.
“You are my wife, after all.” His smile grew even warmer and I
could feel my heart doing strange little flips inside my breast. “All
right?”
“All right,” I nodded and held out my hand. “Shall we
shake on it, Aden?”
Aden took my hand in his, and the amusement that had
been dancing in his eyes turned to something else. I could feel
myself start to shiver in reaction to the expression I saw in his
eyes. I blushed and pulled away from him as his head lowered
towards mine. I moved away from him onto the service level and
we went into the Infirmary. I looked around the place in true
delight. They had devices on hand that I had never heard of; and
the Doctor was more than happy to show me how they all worked.
While she did so, Aden moved out into the corridor and I asked the
Doctor my question. She took me into a private room and we
found the answer together.
“Was I foolish to seek confirmation?” I asked her as I got
off the table.
“They held you drugged and helpless for three weeks,
Princess,” Doctor Martha Crow replied. “It was wise of you to
have yourself checked out. Unfortunately,” she continued as she
checked the readings one more time; “there is absolutely no doubt
about my findings. You are pregnant, Princess. In your fourth
week, to be exact.” She saw Aden hovering out in the corridor.
“Go back to your handsome husband now and have some fun.
Forget about this for now.”
“I take it that the answer was not what you were hoping
for?” Aden asked as the rest of the tour found me smiling even less
easily.
“Doctor Crow was very helpful,” I said vaguely. I could not
tell him what I had learned; I was having enough trouble dealing
with the fact myself. My eyes opened wide in astonishment as I
saw a group of Ferengi coming out of a shop run by another
Ferengi. “They are here?” Aden looked at me in confusion and I
nodded towards the shop. “I didn’t expect to see Ferengi running
shops on a Federation space station.”
“They are very big on business,” Aden said tightly. “Your
experience with them was tainted, Melaura,” he assured me. “Not
all Ferengi are as greedy as the ones I ‘convinced’ to help us.” He
nodded to the man and the alien nodded back. “Durn is a very
close friend of Lieutenant Wainwright’s and mine.”
“The ones who held us could not be considered anyone’s
friends,” I said harshly. I shuddered as I remembered the way they
had looked at me.
“I had to go with what presented itself,” Aden replied;
looking very apologetic. “We were the ‘guests’ of a rogue band of
Eliminators, Princess.”
“Eliminators?” I couldn’t help the shudder that ran through
me. “That sounds ominous.” I was watching the Ferengi as I spoke.
“I should be glad all they wanted with us was ransom.” Aden was
quiet and I looked over at him to find him watching some of the
other Ferengi with a scowl on his face. “I take it your memories of
Ferengi are not all pleasant ones?” He flinched and looked at me.
“I’m sorry. I am still learning how to keep out. Your feelings are
so close to the surface, it makes it easy to slip into your mind.”
“What are you feeling, Melaura?” Aden asked softly. “No,”
he said as he held up his hand. “Let’s take this conversation back
to our apartments. You are looking very pale. I’d rather not get
lectured for taking you out and running you to exhaustion.”
He offered me his arm and we made out way back to the
elevators that led to the residence levels. I heard a strange clicking
noise and turned to see Daimon Kur standing behind us. Aden
moved to stand in front of me protectively, and Kur’s smile
widened. He was up to something, I realized. I heard movement
behind me and I did the only thing I could think of. I ran to the
intercom and called Security. The officer arrived with David in
tow and found the Ferengi hurrying away from us as Aden held me
in his arms.
“My wife had a very unpleasant experience with some
Ferengi recently,” Aden explained what had happened to the
officer as he escorted us to the apartment. “She is having a hard
time being around them right now.”
“They always make my skin crawl, Your Highness,” the
Major smiled reassuringly at me. “You never know what they’re
thinking; the two-faced opportunists.” He saw David’s frown. “I’m
sorry, Lieutenant Wainwright…”
“That’s all right, Major,” David broke in. “I may have a
more thorough perspective on their race, but I still find most of
them very hard to read. As they say themselves: ‘There is no bond
that cannot be broken when there is profit to be made.’” He saw
the man out. “Thank you for taking the time to see us all back to
the apartment.” He closed the door and turned to see me looking at
him in confusion. “Why didn’t I tell the Major who they were?” I
nodded. “Habit. Programming.” I was still confused.
“People got beaten for telling tales on other Ferengi where
David was raised, Melaura,” Aden told me. “If Kur is up to
something, it’s better for you if he thinks we are not watching.”
“But we are watching?” I couldn’t seem to get past
confused with this man. “Did I miss something during your
conversation with the Major?”
“Yes,” David smiled at me. “When Aden told him that you
had a hard time around Ferengi; it was a code. The Major will have
his men keep a very close eye on any Ferengi who takes too much
of an interest in you while you are here.”
“You’re really shaken, my wife,” Aden frowned as he
raised my eyes to his. “I am looking out for you, Melaura. You
don’t have to be afraid…”
“But I am afraid, Aden,” I told him bluntly. “I haven’t
stopped being afraid since I woke up and found myself locked in
that quarantine cell on Chandras.” I went to stand at the windows.
“Grandfather is right. I am too young to handle this on my own.” I
pulled away from him as he came towards me. “I’ll go back to my
room now. Thank you for your assistance, Lieutenant.”
David watched us go; wondering what he had done to cause
me to revert to the formal use of his rank again. He had seen the
terror in my eyes when we had run across Kur and he understood
it. He had seen that look too many times on the faces of too many
women. It angered him to know that I had been subjected to such
an experience. I entered my room and lay down on the bed with a
sigh of relief. I was confused. I was frightened. And I was feeling
things for Aden Zed that I had no business feeling if I meant to end
our marriage. I dialed up a sedative and took it; falling almost
instantly into a deep and dreamless sleep.
Natan and I were sharing the afternoon meal with Aden the
next day when Admiral Wainwright arrived and joined us. He was
an older version of David; he had the same deep green eyes, the
same chiseled features. And, at 65, he was still every bit as
handsome as his grandson. I could see women swooning around
him. He smiled as if he could read my mind and shook Natan’s
hand.
“It’s been a while, Natan,” Wainwright said as he stepped
back and bowed his head to me. “I definitely see Talya in this
child. It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess.” He shook Aden’s
hand and clamped his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “It’s good to see
you again, boy.”
“You know my Grandfather, Admiral?”
“I was in the Academy with your grandfather and Leonid
Zed,