Voices by M J Marlow (uplifting novels txt) 📕

torment as husband to that hateful bitch
would not last long; he had that assurance. He heard someone
moving nearby and opened his eyes to see Danel standing there.
“You are not supposed to be here, Captain Noris,” Tal
frowned as he recognized the man’s Romulan face from their
dealings together over the years. “The Magistrate said you were
off-world.”
“I am,” Danel replied. “Did you mean what you said about
Sa’vek?”
“Yes,” Tal nodded. “If Sa’vek is allowed to control this
situation, he will destroy the Hazri.”
“That will be our look-out,” Danel replied. Tal nodded. “He
will not know what hit him.”
“Your niece has to be removed from this, Noris,” Tal said
to him bluntly. “She is having Aden’s children,” he continued as
Noris looked at him. “She must go somewhere she will be safe
from this intrigue.” He frowned. “It is a shame Aden cannot be
allowed to go with her.”
“He is quite accomplished,” Danel told him. “He will find a
way to escape. Melaura and his children will be waiting for him
when he does.”
“I leave you to plan then, Captain,” Tal said as he pondered
the situation. “I must resign myself to becoming husband to that
spoiled royal bitch.”
“You may not get that far, Tal,” Danel said. He shook his
head as Tal looked at him. “It is better if I don’t say anything
more.” He hurried out of the center and met his team. He went
over the plan. “Do you agree?”
“It is the best move,” one of the females nodded. “Prince
Tal has earned this from us for all that he has done to warn us of
the Romulan movements over the years.”
“Then we move.”
My eyes shot open as someone clamped their hand over my
mouth. I looked up to see Danel standing over me, motioning me
to silence. I saw what he was planning and I nodded and followed
him out of the penthouse along the service tunnels. We boarded a
shuttle and I saw a starship waiting for us. I was taken to the
womens’ quarters where I spent the next several days drifting in
and out of the nightmare surrounding Aden’s near murder. I ate
and I slept and I worried as Danel’s friends saw me safely away
from Jarusian. I got to my feet and put on the garment that had
been left for me. I found several women in the main room sharing
a meal.
“We tried to wake you for the morning meal, Princess,”
Andira said, “but you obviously needed your sleep more.” She
looked at me. “I am Andira Maxen. You are aboard Counselor
Aitli’s vessel, the Sanctuary.”
“Counselor Aitli’s vessel?”
“Aitli has told us about your husband’s plan, Princess,”
Andira smiled as he indicated that I should sit. “We are quite
happy to be part of it.”
“If all goes well,” Aitli’s voice spoke up from the doorway;
“your children will be born on Betazed.” He held his hand out to
me. “If you are through with your meal, Laura; it is time for you to
take on a new life.” I saw the truth in his mind and my joy died. “If
both you and the prince had disappeared, Laura, your enemies…”
“Counselor,” Andira called down to the Infirmary. “We
have company. Hazri.”
We followed him to the bridge and remained out of sight as
he nodded for Andira to answer the hail. The face of the hated
Hazri elder who had been trying to turn her into his tool; his thick
blue black hair silvered in streaks on either side of his head,
appeared there. He did not look pleased. He scowled at Aitli as the
Counselor met his anger with calm.
“You have a fugitive aboard your vessel, Counselor Aitli,”
Lord Councilor Ystban Iago said bluntly. “You will turn her over
to us immediately.”
“And if it is her wish to remain on board?”
“Then prepare to go to war, Counselor,” Ystban replied.
“The princess Melaura is to return to her husband.” His eyes were
cold. “The Federation is no part of this.”
“I am acting on behalf of my adopted daughter,” Aitli
replied; his manner calm and unconcerned. “I owe life debt to the
princess Melaura.” He was enjoying the mounting rage in Ystban’s
mind. “The Council on Betazed has given her sanctuary. If prince
Aden wants his wife back, he will come to her there.”
“You have no voice in this matter, Councilor!” Ystban
snapped. “The princess is Hazri now and the Emperor…”
“Has no voice in what happens to me!” I snapped and
stepped out of hiding. Ystban bowed his head to me. “Lord
Councilor, I have made my choice and I stand by it. I was married
against my will, and I will not remain with a man who has no true
feelings for me.”
“But the prince Aden…”
“Is too wrapped up in intrigue to care what happens to me,”
I broke in and saw his look of shock. “He can tell his people that I
am spending my pregnancy in seclusion.”
“There will be trouble, Princess,” Ystban looked at me
coldly. “You bring trouble down on your head by this action. Are
you prepared for it?”
“I do what I must,” I told him. I had to catch myself on the
seat nearby as a wave of dizziness struck. I looked at Andira.
“Please close the channel. Let him stew for a while.”
“You are setting yourself up for trouble, Melaura,” Aitli
smiled at me.
“Then let it come,” I said as I kept my eyes on the blank
screen. “I will not let that bastard anywhere near me. I accept your
offer of sanctuary, Counselor.”
“We have one stop to make,” Aitli smiled at me. “Admiral
Wainwright is getting married. He and his Captain would be very
happy if you would attend.”
I walked out onto the Service Level with Major Thompson
the next morning, unaware of the threat coming my way. He had
called after breakfast to ask if he could escort me during my stay
on the station. He was a nice man so I could think of no real reason
to say no to him. If his mind was heavy with thoughts of me; I
could ignore that. We walked down to the merchant level and he
bought me fruit and juice. He was telling me stories about some of
his more amusing security problems when there was a scuffle at
the other end of the corridor. I assured him I would be fine and he
headed off to see if he could help. Almost the moment he was out
of sight, I found myself surrounded by Ferengi. I had to struggle to
keep from screaming.
“Pretty females like you should never be left unguarded,”
Kur smiled as he sat down next to me. “My companions and I are
willing to keep you company, Princess”
“How is it that you are not in prison, Kur?” I smiled at
them politely. “I am here for Admiral Wainwright’s wedding.” I
looked past them for the Major, but he was still occupied. “If you
will excuse me,” I said as I got to my feet; “I promised I would
meet him…” I looked down at the hand on my arm and then up at
Zun. “I have duties I need to attend to, gentlemen. Please step
away.”
“We would rather you came with us, Princess,” Kur’s smile
grew and I felt my skin crawling as I saw his thoughts.
“No thank you,” I shook my head and pulled away from
him. He rose to his feet and I backed away from him; directly into
Zun. “Please leave me alone.”
“Now why would we want to do that?” Kur laughed and
reached out to touch my hair. He froze as someone pressed a gun
against the back of his head. “That would be one answer.”
“I believe the Princess asked you to leave her alone,
Ferengi,” Doug hissed as he pressed the gun barrel in harder. “Tell
your associate to take his hands off of her and find someone else to
bother.”
“How could they think such horrible things,” I choked as
the Ferengi left and I collapsed at the table. I looked up at Doug in
gratitude. “Thank you, Mr. Carey. I don’t know what I would have
done if you hadn’t helped me.”
“I am certain you would have handled them,” Doug replied
as he holstered his weapon. “Are you out here on your own, Your
Highness?”
“I was with Major Thompson,” I told Doug honestly; “but
he was drawn away by a fight at the other end of the Promenade.” I
laid my hand on his. “Thank you again.”
“It’s the least I could for a friend of Maya’s,” Doug smiled.
“Your Highness?” the Major frowned as he came back.
“Who is your friend?”
“Major Thompson,” I smiled as I made the introductions.
“You’ve met Mr. Carey. He just rescued me from some Ferengi
who were being a bit too friendly.”
“I should never have left you!” Thompson frowned. “I am
sorry, Your Highness. You should have come first.”
“No, Major,” I shook my head. “You can’t set aside your
duty that easily. You are in charge of this station’s security. I
would never stand in the way of that.” I got up and laid my hand
on his arm and he melted. “If you care to escort me to the dress
maker’s? She should have my dress ready.”
“Of course, Your Highness,” Thompson beamed. He
nodded to Doug and we left.
A half hour later, I left the shop with the Major and he
carried the box for me. He left me at Aitli’s apartment and Aitli
nodded to me as I passed his counseling chamber. I did not
interrupt him. He was working and I was just amusing myself. He
shot me a quick thought that I was entitled and I went up to my
room and laid down. I laid my hand on my abdomen and frowned.
These children of mine were draining me. I would have to talk to
the Doctor about something I could take to give me a bit more
energy. I shot Aitli this thought, and he was distracted enough that
his reply was noncommittal. I arrived at the Infirmary without
incident and the Doctor and I discussed supplements and vitamins
to help with the exhaustion.
“Triplets?” I looked at her in shock. “They are all still
well?”
“The scans don’t lie, Melaura,” the doctor smiled at me. “It
would explain why you are so exhausted. You look scared.”
“It is hard enough to raise one child, Doctor,” I said to her;
glad to hear that the triplets were still all fine. “How am I going to
handle three?”
“I’m certain your husband will be a big help,” the woman
said. She bit her lip as she remembered my situation. “I’m sorry,
Laura. That was thoughtless of me.”
“It’s all right, Martha,” I said as I touched her hand. “I have
to get used to the idea that I may wind up raising these children on
my own.”
I was deep in thought as I left with the small box of
supplement disks. My mind was on the babies and I did not hear
the people moving up behind me. I had just pressed the button to
call the elevator and the doors had opened when someone came up
behind me and shoved me inside. I turned to see a strange
Romulan facing me. He was as tall as prince Tal, but broader in the
chest. His eyes were cold as they looked at me with an insolence I
found quite insulting. He didn’t say a word as we took the elevator
up to the apartment he had been given. He followed me inside
where I saw Tal with two guards behind him.
“You were told to return to