TICEES (20 page)

She moved to the main doors and stepped through them, finding Lazen and Yanis at their usual post.

“My Lady,” they addressed simultaneously as they removed their hoods.

“Good morning,” she smiled and then nodded to the other men present. She took a step toward Lazen. “I seem to have misplaced my husband. Perchance do you know his whereabouts?”

Lazen chuckled. “I do, my Lady. He is working out with some warriors in the main training hall. I know he had hoped to be back before you awakened, but I see you have thwarted his plans.”

Chelan beamed with excitement. “Would I be permitted to observe?”

Lazen raised his brows. “Of course, my Lady. You are permitted throughout the ship. The only places his Lordship wishes that you abstain from are the firing ranges and the decks of the main flight centers, and for good reason.”

Chelan nodded. “Can you take me to him now?”

“I would love to.” He beckoned for additional men to accompany them. “The center where he is located is about five hundred meters from here. What is your wish, to walk or to take a connector?”

Chelan was silent for a moment, once again reminding herself of the momentous proportions of the ship and wondering just what a connector was, but she was unwilling to ask. Then she looked up at him. “I think I would like to walk. It will do me good, and I will be able to see more of the ship.”

Lazen went to nod his approval when her face fell and she reached out and grabbed his arm. “Oh,” she amended, “but that would probably inconvenience you and your men. We should therefore take a connector.”

Lazen frowned and then shook his head. “With all due respect, my Lady, and at the risk of being shot for insubordination, are you kidding me?”

Chelan held very still, utterly perplexed by his comment.

Lazen threw back his head and laughed heartily. “My Lady, you inconvenience none of us ever. We are at your beck and call around the clock. And if you would prefer to be carried to the training center, I would be more than happy to oblige.”

Chelan smiled and blushed deeply. “This is going to take some time to get used to,” she whispered.

Yanis nodded at her. “You have all the time in the world now, my Lady. And we are all more than grateful to be within your service.”

The other men instantly agreed with Yanis, and Chelan just about melted on the spot. “Okay, then shall we depart?”

Lazen bowed to her and led the way, the rest of the entourage flanking her while Yanis stayed by her side. The trip was all too short, and it seemed but a moment into the journey when Chelan could feel a strange vibration emanating from the ship. She glanced at Yanis, but he seemed unconcerned, and so she kept quiet. But as the walk continued, the vibration amplified, and Chelan’s eyes widened. She heard music.

Yanis looked down at her and smiled. Chelan pressed her hand to her chest, the beat reverberating through her. If she had to pinpoint the tune, it was almost like “Tusk” from the Fleetwood Mac band on Earth. It was amazing.

Lazen stopped in front of two massive doors. He turned to Chelan. “This is the hall, and these doors open to an upper observation deck. We will be about thirty meters above the floor. What you will be observing is a basic workout. I’m not sure just where they are in the routine, so there may or may not be weapons. I warn you, the music will seem loud, but it will not affect your hearing. It is transmitted through the floor and walls in such a manner that it penetrates your mind and body but does not harm your ears.”

Chelan nodded, percolating with excitement. “I hope I will not be interrupting anyone.”

“Believe me, my Lady, you will not be interrupting anything. They will be so immersed in the routine that we will be but a momentary blip in their concentration, if that,” and he turned toward the doors, which parted at his silent command.

Chelan stepped into the cavernous room, and her jaw dropped. It was every bit as big as the hall used for the Koll, and as Yanis ushered her forward she thought she was going to burst from sensory overload. Before her was a sea of warriors, tens of thousands of warriors, all moving as one entity to the music which boomed through her so strongly her bones felt like they were vibrating.

Below and closest to her was Korba, his upper body gleaming with moisture, a long saber in each hand. All the warriors held the same weapons, all of them going through a stunningly beautiful and extremely intricate series of motions to the music, the sabers flashing, slicing, and ripping through the air. Bodies writhed, flipped, and contorted in a series of actions requiring astonishing strength and agility. Chelan was spellbound. Her fingers went to her lips, the music threatening to carry her away. She felt like dancing, yet she was rendered still by the spectacle before her.

Lazen glanced at Yanis, and they both smiled at one another. Chelan continued to stare, and then she squinted. All the warriors had their upper bodies bare, and suddenly she realized there were almost as many women as men among them. “Holy hell,” she mumbled.

Lazen looked down at her. “My Lady?”

Chelan peered up at him and shook her head. “Sorry. I just—I mean, the women, they … they’re …”

Lazen chuckled. “Yes, they are.”

Chelan turned a slight shade of red. “Getting used to your people is going to take longer than I anticipated.”

Lazen smiled warmly. “You are more than welcome to participate.”

Chelan had to refrain from hugging herself defensively. “I wouldn’t be able to do that, I mean, without a uniform top.” She licked her lips nervously and glanced up at the officer. “I don’t mean simply because of my modesty. I’m too heavy. I think it would hurt.”

Lazen raised a brow. He had not thought about the possibility of physical discomfort being experienced by one so well endowed, but he would give up nearly everything he held dear to watch her dance unclothed. He looked out over the masses. “Well, I don’t think anyone here would expect you to participate in our warrior’s exercises no matter what your state of dress. What Korba is taking them through is grueling even by our standards.”

Suddenly, bodies twisted through the air and each and each person landed in a defensive crouch; the music stopped just as a war cry thundered through the masses. Chelan clutched her hands to her chest, the whole exhibition stealing her breath. The warriors then laid their swords upon the floor and stood, everyone on a high of adrenalin and endorphins. People yelled and hugged, congratulating each other.

Korba turned and faced the crowd, tossed his head back, and roared. The entire hall erupted in response, the sound deafening, and Chelan covered her ears. When the fevered pitch of the celebration abated, Korba spoke. “Well done as always, my friends. We shall do this again soon!” Everyone began to celebrate in jubilation.

To Chelan, it was pandemonium. Everything she had seen of the Iceaneans was so well controlled, but this was unrestrained enthusiasm of a most basal form. As the cacophony continued, Chelan was shocked by what she began to observe. While most of the warriors simply mingled and others sparred, some were coupling in the most intimate of ways.

She swallowed hard and realized her body temperature had just risen several degrees. She began fidgeting with her hair, one part of her wanting to turn away while another part of her was riveted. When Dar had originally told her of their free society, she had had no idea just how free it was until this moment. If a man and a woman wanted each other now, they took one another, and no one else seemed to notice.

Chelan felt herself tingle, and in a desperate measure to contain the heat that was spreading though her, she forced herself to think about other aspects of the whole display. When she finally caught her breath, she looked to Lazen. “They all have weapons, and Korba is by himself. Is he not in danger?”

Lazen nodded to the crowd. “The men and women on this ship are his best and most loyal. That’s not to say that complacency is wise. Nasty things happen. But he is not undefended.” Lazen urged her forward to the edge of the observation deck.

She looked down and gasped. There stood a fortress of black shrouds all facing the crowd, all visibly armed, all there to watch Korba’s back. He was far from undefended. She sighed with relief. “I guess he has it all covered.”

Lazen laughed. “Yes, he’s done this a few times.”

Chelan then sobered as several women approached Korba. She could tell he was bantering with them, and their laughter easily reached her ears. She could actually see the admiration and the desire in their eyes, but they never touched him. She bit her lip. She knew it was because military protocol kept him just beyond their fingertips, and no more. But it was obvious that he had only to say yes and he would be covered in a heap of more-than-willing female flesh.

Her eyes shot forward to the crowd; one of the engaged couples was now a threesome. Her mouth dried at the thought of what could be so easily. She subconsciously reached for Lazen’s shroud to steady herself. “Now what?” she blurted.

Lazen chuckled to himself. “That’s up to you, my Lady. We could go down and greet him, or I could escort you elsewhere. It’s all up to you.”

She continued to stare at the more-than-eager and smitten women. “I … don’t know … what I want to do …”

Lazen leaned into her, his voice low and steady. “He made his wishes clear at the Koll, my Lady. I know what you are thinking, and it simply won’t happen, not now, not ever.”

Chelan continued to stare down at Korba, his gleaming body beckoning to her as it undoubtedly did to all the women. He was pure male perfection, all hard lines of cut precision. At seven feet and 290 pounds, he was a deadly, potent blend of dense muscle and catlike sinew. He was a human war machine, as finally tuned for the savage kill as he was for the pleasures of the flesh. He wielded a sword, slicing into his prey as easily as he cleaved into her. But she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Lazen was right. Korba was different. She’d known it from the beginning. She had nothing to fear despite her Earthly wariness.

She contemplated Lazen’s offer to take her down to him and then shook her head. She really didn’t want to interfere with the electric atmosphere below, and she knew she would put Korba on high alert with just her presence. “I think I would like to go back to the Command Center, if that’s okay. I think he will be back soon.”

Lazen nodded to her. “As you wish, my Lady.”

*****

In no time, Korba returned to the Command Center looking for his Lady, and Chelan rose from the command chair to greet him. Korba smiled at her slyly. “Attending my early morning workouts now, are you?”

Chelan swayed to and fro mischievously. “So Lazen spilled the beans, did he?”

Korba scooped her up into his arms. “No, I spotted you the minute you entered the observation deck.”

“You did not. You were a little more than occupied.”

Korba pecked at her cheek as he started toward his chambers. “Do you think I got to my position by relying on the eyes of others? I see all.” And he let her slip from his arms by the bed.

“Are you serious? You saw us enter?”

Korba reached for her gown and stripped her of it. “Yes, I’m serious. I could spot you anywhere. And from the moment I saw you one thing has been on my mind.” He pushed her back, letting her fall to the bed.

Chelan squeaked with surprise and watched as he stripped off his gloves and then released himself from his pants. She looked at his huge organ and then grinned. “Surely all that exercise wore you out, my Lord?” And she tried to scamper back from him.

But Korba grabbed her by the legs and yanked her to him. “Do I look fatigued? What all that exercise did for me was raise my metabolism, along with my thirst for your depths.” And he spread her legs wide and pushed into her, burying himself deep.

Chelan moaned, reveling in the thickness that stretched her delicate flesh so deliciously … so completely. He hunched over her and bit into her neck. She grabbed his hair and pulled him to her hard. “Lazen offered to take me down to the training floor at the end.”

Korba maintained his rhythm and licked up her jaw and to her mouth. “Oh, did he?”

Chelan gasped as he thrust into her hard, his teeth raking her lips. “Yes, but everyone seemed so amped up, I didn’t want to intrude.”

Korba sank himself to her core and then paused. He held her face as he savored her skin. “You wouldn’t have been intruding, but I might have taken you right there on the floor.”

Chelan put her hands on his chest and pushed him back. She looked up into his smiling face, his entries resuming, slow and controlled. “Surely you jest?”

Korba withdrew from her creamy depths, the head of his swollen penis just teasing her opening. He smiled slyly. “Shall I call Lazen and his men in here to watch right now? It would not bother me in the least, my Lady. I’m sure that you noticed some others engaged in ... celebration.”

Chelan blanched, but she knew better than to challenge him. Besides, she now knew just enough about his society to know he wasn’t kidding. All three of the men that she had experienced intimately would take her anywhere, any time. “I will be cautious, my Lord. I still prefer to do this in private.”

Korba let a growl of satisfaction leave his throat as he once again sheathed himself to his base, their passion for one another renewed throughout the rest of the day and into the night.

*****

Korba had not told Chelan when he would resume his command again, preferring to simply exist together, day by day. But tonight would be the night before his resumption, and he wanted to spend it with her in his arms, her love for him unhindered by thoughts of the morning.

But Chelan was learning quickly how to read her Lord, and she knew that this coming day was going to be different. His lovemaking had become intensely slow and tender, and Chelan had felt his unwillingness to leave her body. She knew that the morning light would bring with it the resumption of his duties, although it was obvious he was not going to come right out and tell her.

They awoke early, the light in Korba’s chambers still young, and Chelan pushed herself from his arms. She turned and looked into his dreamy eyes and smiled. “Well, teacher, it’s my first day at class, and we mustn’t be late.”