Sentinel Fic | Star-child cont'd
SEE PART ONE FOR WARNINGS AND HEADER INFORMATION. Part one of Star-child
* * *
It was a solemn ceremony, the procession of young woman who walked towards the perimeter gate, their progress viewed on huge screens within the meeting room and recorded for posterity. Two hundred and fifty of the Maven women, and Jim knew from his briefing that they were no younger than twenty and no older than twenty-five.
At the head of the line was the High Maven herself, long dark hair worn loose, as was the hair of each of the Maidens. They were visions in white, wearing tunics and leggings, and each wore a green jewel on a headband.
Jim's sharp eyesight saw the signs of excitement, of stress, an occasional tear sliding down a youthful cheek. The Mothers, the ones who had once journeyed far from their homeplanet and returned with precious babes in their arms, formed an honor guard on both sides of the road. They smiled encouragingly at the Maidens, but Jim saw no hugs or quick touches to arms.
Banks re-joined him, both of them in their dress uniforms, as were fifty other men and women waiting to escort the Maidens into the compound.
“Everything set up on our end, Sir?” Jim asked. The Maven had transmitted the bio-signs of the Maidens in preparation for their departure onto the different vessels that were currently in orbit or, if small enough, sitting on the lots. Banks had been called away to deal with a minor problem about the departure.
“I'm sure something else will screw up, wouldn't be an Exodus if there wasn't at least one Maiden who refuses to get on board or a ship's captain who claims to not have received the passage credits. Oh, and Blair will be allowed to stay here for a week, after the ceremony.”
“Why?” Blair hadn't mentioned that to Jim.
“As the High Maven explained it to me on her com call, he agreed to meet with the Maidens and teach them a little about what to expect with Outlanders, sort of a basic tourist type of deal. The week here is his reward. You'll be in charge of him, as usual. I trust that's not a hardship, Sub-lieutenant?”
“No, sir.”
Banks smiled, and it reminded him of pictures he'd seen of sharks, from Ancient Earth. “I also trust that you're being... careful with him.”
“With all due respect, sir, how is this your business?”
“I've made Blair my business. You transfer out in a month. I don't want to see any new scars on Blair's wrists after you leave.”
Banks and Blair had talked together a few times on Blair's visits. Blair barely came up to Bank's shoulders, and Banks could be an intimidating man. Thanks to his new hearing abilities, Jim had heard Banks reduce argumentative ship captains and incompetent compound staff to silence. Chastised and compliant, they would slink out of Bank's office, not meeting anyone's eyes as they left the admin level. Blair, though, called Banks by his first name and would hug him when they met. Banks let him, and Jim found that interesting.
Banks acted like he found Blair a pain in the ass, but his scent didn't back up that observation. Blair would just keep talking to Banks about the hundred and one things that interested only Blair, despite the occasional growl from Banks that some Star-children chattered more than the noisy ricka birds that filled the frond forest with racket from daylight to dusk.
Jim decided to come clean with Banks. It was good that Blair would have a friend looking out for him after Jim left. At least until Banks retired and shipped out.
“He knows I'm leaving. We've just kept things on the physical side. No happily ever after. No bonding. No smuggling him off planet. He didn't even ask about that, sir. Said he could tell I wasn't... flexible. I've tried to look out for him, give him what he needs in--”
“That's enough, Ellison. I don't need or want to know about what you two do in the sack.”
Banks sighed, though. “No, happily ever after isn't in Blair Star-child's future. Someday he'll lose this dream of leaving, and he'll finally submit. He'll give the Maven the children they want from him and stop resisting being molded into the ideal Maven male.”
“It can't be as harsh for the males as it sounds, Captain. If it was, why haven't they revolted against the way they're treated?”
“There's been times in past centuries when the men had more rights, could vote, and wore what they liked. The pendulum has swung back to being more conservative right now. And the trouble makers, well, they're drugged until they're willing to toe the line. And then there's the sex.”
“Sir?”
“Blair can explain that better than I can. Ask him.” Banks jerked his chin up at the screen. “It's showtime.”
They watched as the High Maven instructed the Maidens on their duty to widen the Maven gene pool. They were to disperse to their assigned worlds before gathering Outlander genes. Within three years time, they were to return, pregnant or carrying their babes.
The High Maven turned to the first Maiden in the line, touched the green jewel on the young woman's forehead and blessed the Maiden. With her right hand, the High Maven reached into a small pot and smeared something in a slanted line on the Maiden's cheeks.”
“It's sacred earth. It contains a pinch of the ashes of the first female settlers to this world,” Banks said.
The Maiden bowed to the High Maven and placed her thumb into the blood scanner, a single drop of blood verifying by mitochondria analysis that she was a daughter of the first Maven to settle Homestead.
The shield doorway formed and the Maiden stepped inside the meeting room, carrying a travel bag. Jim knew the Maiden would receive a hefty amount of credits once she arrived at her destination. New clothes, furnishings, a residence were waiting for her, paid for by the trade arrangements Jim had been overseeing.
“We're up,” Banks murmured. Jim nodded and they walked to the Maiden. She was maybe twenty-two, Jim thought, and her auburn hair was as curly as Blair's.
Banks said, his voice loud enough to ensure the other escorts heard him. “Maiden, by what name are you called?”
“Amina. I bear the name of an ancient earth queen.”
“Welcome, Maiden. May your journey be safe and fruitful. We're here to escort you to your ship.”
Banks moved to Amina's right, and Jim stepped to her left. The three of them walked through the meeting room upon the ceremonial frond rug that led to the exit to the compound. Banks went through the archway first, the light overhead changing from red to green. The force field shaped itself into a doorway and Banks stepped through. When it had resumed its former configuration, Amina looked hesitantly at Jim and he smiled at her. He waved her to step through the archway, and with a tremulous smile, she did. Her bio-metrics were accepted and she joined Banks in the compound.
Jim shook his head as he waited for his turn. Funny. Amina didn't much look or act like an oppressor. Well, he thought to himself cynically. Give her time.
* * *
Jim had waited in the meeting room, his eyes on the screen watching the Mothers walk away, two by two, the final part to the ceremony's conclusion. When the last pair had left, he made his way to the bar.
Two beers later, Jim was rewarded for his patience by the sound of an air skate swooshing up to the perimeter. He paid his tab and walked swiftly to the perimeter doorway, watching as Blair hopped out, followed by a tall woman. Well, she seemed tall to him and she towered over Blair. For the Maven, though, she was only average height. Within twenty-eight generations, gene manipulation and natural selection had ensured that Maven females would almost certainly be taller and stronger than Maven males.
The woman was Rachelcarson. Jim had met her months ago during negotiations. Blair waited until she took the lead, and then followed her, several paces behind and a bit to the left.
A better man would have been disturbed at seeing this kind of submissive gesture from Blair, as if he was a well-trained Maven male. Jim wasn't a better man. His erection swelled in proof of that.
He couldn't wait to fuck Blair. His fingers itched with the need to tie him to the bed, naked and spread out. Blair would let him. Blair would always let him. Blair wanted to be tied down, held, made to yield his body to Jim.
His body, but not his mind.
Out of curiosity, Jim had tried ordering Blair to accept Jim's beliefs on topics ranging from politics to sports. Blair stubbornly argued his own viewpoints. Even when Jim tried sabotage by pulling Blair into Jim's lap, Blair wouldn't yield. Well, not his well-thought-out positions, backed by quotes of this research and that longitudinal study. Even when Jim put Blair in the exact position in his lap as the High Maven had done, imagining that this increased Blair's feelings of helplessness since not even his feet were allowed to touch the floor, Blair hadn't agreed with Jim. Well, he had lost the ability to talk, but after he'd come out of the fog of his orgasm and Jim had let him stand back up, he'd gone right back to arguing with him.
Jim grinned fondly at the memory, but wiped his face clean of his smile as Rachelcarson and Blair entered the meeting room.
Rachelcarson nodded to Jim as he approached, and then bent down and wrapped her arms around Blair, pulling him up on his toes. She kissed him, long and slow, and left Blair panting when she stopped. He stumbled a little as he regained his footing.
Jim noted sourly that Blair's body had liked what she had done. It didn't take sentinel eyes to see the soft frond fabric at Blair's crotch shaping around his erection.
Rachelcarson smiled at Blair and flicked him on the nose, and then casually cupped his erection. Blair bit his lip, and she tsked at him. She traced his lips with one hand, and Jim smelled the precome before he saw Blair's trousers becoming stained.
Jim crossed his arms and plastered a bored expression on his face. He knew what this was about. Another message. Blair would have his week here and could choose to do as he pleased within the limits of the meeting room, with the exception of being intimate with women, but he belonged to the Maven. Rachelcarson was marking Maven territory in front of the Outlander. He supposed Blair was lucky that she didn't pee on him.
Blair had shut his eyes, but obediently opened his mouth when his molester pushed an index finger against his lips. He sucked on her finger and she quickened her touch on his penis, rubbing against him hard now.
He came with her finger in his mouth, sucking on it like a hungry babe on a breast, like he was sucking Jim's dick.
Rachelcarson wasn't watching Blair though. She looked triumphantly at Jim as Blair came, her hand continuing to stroke Blair as his body shuddered. She raised the hand that was damp with his semen and wiped it on Blair's face, and then on his shirt.
She kissed Blair and traced the blue star on his face. “I shall see you when you return, Star-child. I have wonderful news. The High Maven has granted my request. Instead of wasting your seed into your trousers like an infant wets their swaddle cloth, perhaps you'll agree to give me a child. My mother's house has not had a Star-child's Blessing in four generations.”
Blair just looked dazed and she slid her arm around his waist, holding him against her.
Jim grunted. “Are you done? Want a bigger audience?” He hoped he sounded unimpressed. He glanced at his timepiece on his wrist.
Rachelcarson looked him up and down. “Good eve to you, Sub-lieutenant. I shall return for Blair in one week, as agreed.”
“So I've heard. See you around the negotiating table, Rachelcarson.”
“Elder Rachelcarson, Sub-lieutenant Ellison. I have gained that honor since we were first introduced.
Jim got it then. “So, Blair's part of your promotion, isn't he? Going to fuck him in front of your mother's household?”
She smiled at him, and eyed his own erection. “Perhaps. And I don't think the idea displeases you, Outlander.”
Jim drawled, “Consensual sex is fine with me. In any shape or form.”
She laughed. “Blair did not forbid my touch. He cannot turn against his nature.”
Jim looked at Blair. “So you wanted this, Chief?”
Blair looked ashamed, but he nodded.
“See, Outlander. And he enjoyed himself, as you can see.” She waved a hand at the stain on Blair's trousers. “Really, it is no concern of yours, but the Maven know of your fascination with Blair, so I will ease your mind if you like.”
“Go ahead,” Jim said, wishing he hadn't engaged in this conversation, but his mouth had overridden his brain once again.
She said, in the manner of a teacher, “Our customs forbid that any Star-child be forced to beget a child, or bear one. Blair will yield his body to me or to those others who wish to enjoy him, as he has done since he outgrew childhood. But I hope to convince him to give my mother's house a Blessing. The High Maven has sent him to us for six months. We are honored to have him and pledge to ensure he is... relaxed during his visit.”
“Relaxed.” Jim snorted. “As in you and your house members will make him come a lot, right?”
“But of course. You really know nothing of the Maven, do you? Blair? Teach him our ways, so that he does not fret so about you.”
She pushed Blair towards Jim. Blair stumbled and Jim caught him and slung an arm around his shoulder.
“Yes, Elder.” Blair said quietly.
“And since you can speak again, have you forgotten your manners?”
“No, Elder. Thank you for my release.” Jim could feel how Blair's muscles had tensed with every polite word from his mouth.
“I look forward to your next release by my hand, Star-child. Now enjoy your time with the Outlanders, and reflect upon how honored my mother's house would be to raise a babe of yours.”
She smiled like she was shooing a couple of kids outside to play and it annoyed Jim to no end.
After she'd exited, Jim tilted Blair's head up.
“So you liked that? I don't think you told her the whole truth, Blair.”
He sighed. “Can we go to a room, Jim? One where I don't have to walk past all those people?” He pointed to the recreation side of the meeting room.
“Sure you don't want to show all of them what you look like right now and get off on it? Because being made to come in public does do the trick for you, Chief.”
Blair's eyes blazed and he pulled away from Jim. “I know it does. I don't want it to, but I'm wired to enjoy it when it happens. Afterwards, no, it's not any fun. Are you going to be an asshole about this? Because I don't have to spend this week with you.”
Not be able to touch Blair, watch his red, red mouth utter such broken words as Jim took him down deep? Jim assessed the situation and made a change in his strategy.
“I was being an asshole. Sorry. You're wired to enjoy being dominated during sex; I guess I'm wired to enjoy watching you submit, whether to me or to someone else. I kind of forgot my promise to take care of you while you were with me. I apologize to you, Blair Star-child.”
Blair slumped a little, and started to pull his hair free from the tightly braided coil at his neck.
“Okay. Maybe I should do what she said and tell you more about my mother's people. There's a purpose to the sex customs, Jim. And you know what? I have to say, it's worked pretty well for seven hundred years. The Maven have never warred with each other.”
Jim stepped in front of Blair, hiding him from the sight of the six men and women who were chattering to each other as they ambled past the two of them, apparently intent on playing cards at one of the tables nearby.
“Here, let me.” He gently loosened Blair's hair, enjoying the feel of the silky curls. He felt himself start to focus too much on his sense of touch.
Blair kicked him in the shin. “Don't you zone on me, Jim. Not now.” Blair still sounded upset.
“What guide technique was that, Chief? Kick your sentinel in the pants when he needs it, subsection 8.5?” It had worked, though. He decided not to mention that to Blair.
“Do I need to go to subsection 9? Jimmm! C'mon, man, I want to change my clothes.”
“Hey, don't get tensed up. I've already booked a room for us for the week. It's right over there. C'mon, I'll walk you to it and then go get your rucksack. Nobody's gonna see you right now.”
Blair sighed in relief. “Okay. Umm. Sorry.”
Jim unlocked the door and Blair hurried inside. When Jim returned with the rucksack Blair had dropped by the wall upon entering the meeting room, Blair had stripped off his clothes.
Jim eyed him, and his erection became harder. He wanted to walk around Blair, make him hold absolutely still while he touched him, examined him. Feel the weight of Blair's balls in Jim's hands.
Make him suck on Jim's finger. Watch Blair's penis fill again, harden, become wet at the tip.
He looked at Blair and saw Blair was biting his lip. He looked tense, not happy.
Jim said ruefully, “Raincheck, eh?” Because of course Blair knew what Jim was feeling and instead of wanting to have sex, it was making him feel anxious. Jim wasn't a total bastard. He liked Blair for himself, aside from being such a great fuck. He wouldn't make him submit to him, not now, not when Blair didn't want to let himself go like that.
Blair swallowed. “I will if you want me to. Once you start touching me and telling me... things, I'll forget everything else. Until later, that is.”
“I've got that kind of power over you?”
“Yes. But don't think it's only you. There's been a lot of women and men who've found my submit button and pushed it.”
“Even when you didn't want them to?”
“Every time.”
“Well, I won't. You want sex with me, I'll be there pushing that button so hard you'll pass out when you come. You say no, or not now, or get lost, Ellison, I won't play your body against you, Chief. I swear on my father's name I'm not going to do that to you.”
Blair was silent for a time, a searching expression on his face. Finally, he said, “Okay, you really believe what you're saying. So, uh, I'm gonna take a shower. And um, sorry about leaving you hanging?'
“Don't sweat it, Chief. But I'm not a saint, okay. And I'll be upfront with you. While you're in the shower, I'm gonna watch the video I made of you coming in the High Maven's lap. I'll be all... relaxed, when you get out of the shower.”
Blair snorted. “Knock yourself out, Jim.”
“You don't care?”
“No. You have my permission.”
“Wasn't asking for it, Chief.”
Blair swallowed. “Okay, I'm just. I'm going to, uh. Before I think too hard about what you just said and I. Okay, going now.” He scurried into the bathroom and Jim heard the sound of water rushing through pipes in the building. He thought about Blair standing naked in the shower, warm water running down his skin. He dropped down on the bed. Maybe he wouldn't need to watch the video after all.
Chapter Five
“You been with a lot of lovers, Blair?” Jim was comfortably entwined with Blair on the bed in the little chamber. He started twirling one of Blair's curls, inhaling the sharp herbal scent of the soap Blair used to wash his long hair.
“More than some, less than others.” Blair sounded sleepy. It was their last night before Elder Rachelcarson returned to take Blair to her mother's household.
“By your choice?” Blair tensed and rolled away from Jim's side. He sat up, placed his feet on the floor, before glancing at Jim.
“It's... complicated.”
“Complicated.” Jim stared at Blair. He really liked seeing Blair naked. Naked Blair was a good thing. But he wanted Blair to be able to choose who got to see him like this. “See, I don't get that. I don't care who your people are or what their customs are, you should be able to say no to sex you don't want. That includes you having to touch other people so they get all 'relaxed' or somebody wanting to do the same to you when you don't want them to.”
“Jim...”
“Why is that complicated? Seems pretty easy to understand to me.” Jim moved off the bed and crossed his arms, looking down at Blair.
“Well, it's not, not with the Maven.”
“So, explain it to me. Explain their sexual customs. I'm not going to like them, that I already know.”
Blair sighed. “I'm an anthropologist, you know. I study cultures, and since I'm grounded to this one culture, this one planet, I've studied my own people. Except, I've never totally accepted the Maven or their culture as mine. So I've got some outsider perspective, which speaking as an anthropologist, it's wise to keep some distance between yourself and the people you study.”
“So what have you learned from keeping your distance?”
“That I don't feel that I have to defend this culture. It is what it is, and it's a fascinating example of a directed colony. For seven hundred years, the Elders have kept the Maven intact, despite the very natural growth and development of new towns and ecologically sound industry and trade.”
“Why don't they let Outlanders into the towns?” Jim had seen plenty of pictures of the small cities that dotted Maven territory. They seemed neat and well-organized, attractive with parks and residential neighborhoods and community gardens. Even the industrial areas were based on sound ecological practices, from what Blair had told him.
“The Elders think Outlanders and the change they might bring would be too disruptive. They want to control it. Every Mother will eventually become an Elder, although a woman doesn't have to be a Maiden and travel off planet to become an Elder. But the Mothers have had enough contact with Outlanders to help guide the Maven, but not so much that they've lost their loyalty to their people.”
“But not every Maiden comes back.”
“No.” Blair kept his eyes on Jim's. Pretty eyes, Blair Star-child had. Right now, they looked thoughtful. “But that's very rare. And me being returned to the Maven, well, that was incredibly symbolic to my mother's people.”
“Do you wish you hadn't been sent to Homestead?”
Blair got up from the bed and put his arms around Jim's waist.“Yes. Because I can't leave. I, I don't hate it here. There's a lot of very nice people that I'm friends with, and I enjoy my work.”
Jim let one hand run up and down Blair's naked back, aware that he was again breaking his own rules about just how affectionate he should be with Blair. “That's not enough for you, is it?”
“No. I don't want to live my life in a culture where my rights are curtailed. Even my schooling and work, it's seen as frivolous.
“So why do the Maven have a matriarchal society?”
Blair tightened his hold on Jim and then let go and moved over to a chair where he'd flung his clothes. He pulled on loose, sky-blue trousers. He looked back at Jim. “The Maven emigrated here with a plan. A well-thought-out one, based partly on primate research.”
“Primates?”
“Mm-hm. Some ancient primate groups developed a matriarchal society, and the females figured out that they could use sex to pacify the males and that sex between the females resulted in cooperation between them. Less aggressive behavior, a more content society, even though those primate females weren't as big as the males. Banding together like they did, they kept the males in line.”
“The Maven aren't a bunch of monkeys, Chief.” Jim found his own clothes and started dressing. He was technically on duty, but he'd brought casual clothes with him, dark trousers and a tight short-sleeved pullover shirt that showed off his biceps. Blair appreciated Jim's arm muscles.
Blair buttoned up his white shirt, and slipped on a pair of sandals. “Of course the Maven aren't a bunch of monkeys. But they use sex as reinforcement for desirable behavior.”
“Reinforcement. Bet that had something to do with why you like being dominated during sex.”
Blair snorted. “I'm sure it does. I was sort of trained to respond that way.”
“Do you wish you weren't like that?”
Blair said, “No. I am who I am, and I'm okay with myself. I've already been through my period of self-doubt, Jim.”
“Well, I wouldn't want anything about you to be different.” Except, Jim thought, that you could live without all these restrictions.
Blair smiled at him, and Jim started thinking about them having another round of sex after getting something to eat.
“All right,” Blair added, “back to Maven sexual customs. So, bonding hormones are released during sex. You tend to be more tolerant of your sexual partner. Maven Elders who have different viewpoints will follow the custom of sharing sex with each other and that enhances cooperation and compromise. The Maven are polyamorous, Jim. There's some taboos, incest for one, which is why the Maven keep such good genetic records. And it's why they send their Maidens out to other worlds, to harvest Outlander DNA to keep the gene pool healthy.”
Jim grabbed his trousers and stepped into them, fastened the closure. “Guess your mother was as much of a maverick as you are.”
Blair laughed. “Naomi told me she had every intention of returning with a baby to Homestead, but once she got a taste of all there was to see and learn in different worlds, she didn't want to give it up.”
“What happened to her?”
“Just a stupid accident. She was killed in a vehicle crash and since she'd never designated a guardian for me, I was sent back to Homestead. But I was eleven; I'd already been exposed to lots of different societies and so I didn't slot into Maven society like Star-children who came back as infants or toddlers did. I've never assimilated, although the Maven think I mostly have.”
“They let you come here, though.”
Blair nodded. “They indulge me with these visits because they want to keep me pacified and not suicidal. They want me to father children. I haven't yet. I won't. I'm afraid that they'll take my DNA anyway, if I don't follow their wishes soon. There's been some hints about that which worry me a lot. But if I can I'm not going to leave a child of mine here when I escape.”
Blair walked over to the door, and leaned against it. Jim halfway wished he hadn't opened up this package of trouble, had just kept quiet and kept Blair's naked body against him. They could be having sex again. It was just that it bothered him, knowing that Blair didn't get a veto when it came to his body.
Rachelcarson's words echoed in Jim's mind. “Blair did not forbid my touch. He cannot turn against his nature.”
“Okay, Chief. Those two shows you put on, when you came for the High Maven and the Elder, if you had told them to stop, would they have turned you loose?” Jim grabbed his boots and sat down at the small table, yanked them on, tied the strings.
“No. Refusal is only allowed during the first touch. And I didn't refuse. So according to our custom I had given consent and you can't take that consent back. If I had fought them, they would have stopped, but then I wouldn't have been allowed to continue to come here if I had. And I would have been... retrained.”
“That refusal rule just for you? Or does it apply to everybody?”
“It applies to males. The women negotiate encounters between themselves.”
“It means that much to you, to be able to come inside the perimeter and talk with Outlanders, that you're willing to do things you don't really want to do sexually?”
“Stop thinking that I'm a victim, Jim.”
“I didn't say that.” Jim walked over to Blair, put one hand on the door above Blair's head. Blair put a hand on Jim's chest.
Blair said, tartly, “I can read you, remember? Stop feeling sorry for me. Someday I'll talk an Outlander into helping me leave this world and everything I've had to do will have been worth it.”
Blair looked fiercely determined. Jim knew he'd just keep trying to escape and if the Maven found out they'd lock him down. He wouldn't have access to Outlanders anymore. Sure, Banks was covering for him, but Banks was leaving. The new commander was an unknown variable who might well inform the High Maven about any future escape attempts Blair tried.
“Why haven't you asked me to help you?”
Blair just shook his head. “I read you, man, when we first met. You aren't uh, somebody who I could persuade to go against the regs of this base.”
“You were right about me, Chief. You couldn't manipulate me into breaking the rules. Now. Read me again.”
“Uh, why?”
“Just do it.”
Jim watched as Blair's eyes grew wide.
“You.” He swallowed, his eyes intent on Jim. “You're gonna help me?”
“I don't need you to talk me into saying to hell with rules I don't agree with. I'm capable of doing that all on my own, Chief.”
“You're going to help me. I know you mean it, but why? You don't love me.”
“No, I don't. But I like you, Blair Star-child. I'll get you off this planet, and then you can go your own way.”
“How?”
“Well, Chief. I am pretty good at missions. Especially when I think the mission is righteous. Let's eat, and we'll get planning.”
Chapter Six
Blair returned to the room, carrying four bottles of the best beer the barkeep had available. He sat them down on the table and handed one to Jim, opening another for himself. He dropped into a seat and took a long swallow of beer. Jim was distracted watching the graceful line of his throat, but then he got hold of himself. He had work to do.
“I can get my hands on a flyer,” Jim said.
Blair looked at him sharply. “You're not going to just smuggle me out of here,” he waved a hand to indicate the perimeter meeting rooms, “to a ship?”
Jim shook his head. “Too risky. I don't want to leave a record of you entering and not returning back to the Maven. And I'd have to get your bio-metrics added to this exit. That would be the first place to look to track you down. Be better to not have that record there, even if I go back later and delete it. That's how Mitchell caught you in the past.”
“So what have you got in mind?”
“I'll use a one man flyer, but they'll be room for you, Chief. And I can get Banks on board, no problem. He's due to ship out a week after I leave and he's already told me how busy he's been getting things ready for the new head guy. I'll talk to him tomorrow. Be a little off kilter if he thought I was ignoring being with you to ask for an extra assignment tonight.”
“Jim, when I show up missing, the Elders will complete the logic pattern. They'll know, man.”
“They won't know. Ever play Swindler's Cups, Blair?”
Blair gave him a slow, wicked grin. “Yes, I have, Sub-lieutenant James William Ellison. Yes, I have.”
* * *
It was a long two weeks until Jim was able to meet with Blair again, following the last trade meet that was Jim's responsibility.
Blair didn't meet any of the Mavens' eyes. That didn't concern Jim. The fact that Blair wouldn't meet his eyes did. Something was wrong. Blair was, well, he looked sick. But there wasn't any nauseating scent of infection wafting from him. He just smelled... sad.
When the Maven left, this time mercifully without molesting Blair, Jim wrapped him in his arms and hugged him hard.
“What's wrong?”
Blair laid his head against Jim's chest. He was trembling, just a little. Jim held him, the conference room their own private domain for the moment.
Finally, Jim stepped back and said, “Blair, look at me.”
Blair slowly raised his eyes, and Jim felt it then, the first stirring of the bond, because Blair was a guide in distress and Jim's instinct was to protect him and make him feel safe.
Blair's eyes were wet, but he didn't let himself cry. He said quietly, despairingly, “I couldn't stop them. I couldn't talk them into waiting while I decided which House should be Blessed. Instead, they just took what they wanted.”
“What happened?”
“They stole my future Blessings. They asked if I would agree and I said no, that as a Star-child I had the right to choose who would bear my babe. The High Maven agreed that was true but then she said for me not to worry, that my seed would be preserved for future generations and that I would long be in the ground before any child from my donation would be born.”
“They made you give a sperm sample and they froze it for future generations to use after your death?”
Blair nodded. “I said no. They held me down and drugged me and made me ejaculate. They said I was being too slow with granting Blessings. They blamed that on my years spent with the Outlanders. They wanted my DNA added to the gene pool, even if I never chose to Bless a House during my lifetime.”
“I'm sorry.”
“I know, I can feel it.” Blair was silent for a while, and then he sighed deeply. “I need to meditate about what the Elders did.”
“How guarded is the facility where the samples are kept?”
“It's not. Why would it...” Blair looked shocked. “Jim, am I reading you right?”
“Don't know? Why don't you tell me what you think I'm feeling.”
“Pity, sympathy for me, anger, but it's the feeling of... wanting to right a wrong, and competence? Feeling smug about... Okay, you've got a plan, don't you? To steal back what was taken from me?”
“Don't see why not. I can give you the tools to break in and you can take your sample and destroy it. It can be the reason that you disappear, if you leave a note saying, well, the truth about how you feel about what the Elders did. Or if you're caught on security cameras smashing up that vial.”
“There aren't security cameras there because to do what you're suggesting is so far against what the Maven stand for that they can't even conceive of somebody doing what you want me to do.”
“Do you want to destroy your sample? I don't have a zenox in that race, Blair. Your decision, okay? But it would work into what I was planning for your extraction out of there.”
“I'll meditate before I decide. I, maybe I'm a little more in tune with what the Maven believe than I realized.”
“It's okay. Like I said, your decision.”
The look Blair gave him was painful to see, and that surprised Jim. He felt a wave of tenderness and protectiveness flood him again.
Blair noticed and looked puzzled. “And that, that... What is that? Do you feel something, too, Jim? Like there's something just out of reach and it's beckoning to me to come closer.”
“Haven't you read descriptions of what the bond between a guide and a sentinel feels like, Chief?”
Blair's eyes went wide and he pushed against Jim's chest, stepping backward.
Jim let him go and Blair moved three feet away.
“Ah, man, I'm sorry. Me and my troubles. I triggered it, didn't I?”
“Yeah, think so, buddy.”
“Sweet stars above, I know you don't want to bond. How do we stop it?”
“Maybe we can use it.”
“For what? Why? You don't really want to be bonded to me, Jim. And I don't want to be bonded to you.”
“Because we can use it to get you off this rock, Chief. And then we can let it break.”
“Won't that hurt? Or kill us? I've read some case histories, I know it's possible?”
“Not for us. Don't worry. Those scare stories are about the very deepest bond. We're just going to have a surface bond and right now, we aren't even bonded. I've just extended an invitation to you and you haven't accepted. But I want you to because this way I'll have a lock on you where ever you are.”
“A lock on me? Why not just use a tracer?”
“Because a tracer can be recorded. When you disappear, we don't want the Maven pointing to tracer records and accusing the base of helping you to escape. I want to help you, Blair Star-child. I don't want to screw up the trade arrangements.”
Blair said hesitantly, “So what happens to us if we surface bond?”
Jim held a hand out and flipped it back and forth. “You'll be able to read me a little better. For me, if I was having any trouble with my senses, having you to touch or talk to would help me stay grounded. But, we can find each other. In some cases, with a strong guide - and you are very strong, Blair-- telepathy can happen.”
Blair chewed on his lip, his teeth leaving small indentions and Jim wanted to kiss him, make him stop even mildly hurting himself. Blair said, “And when I leave and you're still here, will you be okay? Will I be?”
Jim rubbed the back of his neck. “Wellll...we'll have the mother of all headaches and some mood instability but after two weeks without physical contact to keep the surface bond going, it'll just wear off.”
Jim stepped closer to Blair, and waited. “I'm willing to surface bond because it'll give us an edge. But I won't force it on you.”
“Could you?” Blair's eyes were wide. He was planning on leaving one kind of bondage and he had to be wondering if he was just trading that for a different one. With Jim.
“I don't know. You are strong, so you might be able to keep me out.” Jim thought it best to be totally honest. Blair would detect any sort of deception, even if it was meant kindly, to not worry him.
“It's my call?”
“Your escape, your call.” And, Jim didn't say, your body.
Blair seemed to have caught that part of what Jim was trying to convey, judging from his expression. He stepped forward and put his arms around Jim's waist.
“I consent to this bond, Sentinel, and swear loyalty to you as long as the bond exists.”
“Yeah, me too. How did you know the ritual, Chief?”
“Anthropologist, Jim. We love studying about rituals.”
He poked Jim in the ribs. “Say the words, man. Do it right, even if it's only for two weeks.”
Jim shrugged. He thought for a moment, remembering the words he'd seen other sentinels say to their guides during bonding ceremonies. “I, James Ellison, consent to this bond with you, Blair Star-child, and swear loyalty to you for as long as the bond exists.”
Jim kissed Blair, making it passionate and wild. He had never bonded with anyone before, and so what if this was just a surface bond and for only two weeks. He would do this right. Jim would take Blair to bed in their little hole of a rented room and when pleasure was cascading for both of them they'd let the bond settle into their bodies and minds.
* * *
Jim waited in orbit for Bank's signal, and rubbed his forehead. He hadn't touched Blair for a week and the bond was starting to fray. If he closed his eyes and concentrated he could sense that Blair was alive. Worried, but not injured. He could find him once he was close enough to the planet. Right now, the dominant feeling he had about what direction to go to find Blair was down.
Banks had readily agreed with Jim's suggestion that they give the new commander a break by doing the required drill before they both shipped out. Banks said he'd been asking permission to do them once a month ever since he was promoted to Captain and placed in charge, but the Maven had restricted him to conducting them only once a year.
The Maven were as touchy about their air space as they were about the rest of their interactions with Outlanders. Still, being one of the designated raiders gave him a legitimate reason to swoop down near the Maven settlements. As a raider, he would be expected to use hit and run techniques to steal from the Maven and take their people prisoner.
As advanced as civilization had become, there was still a market in human trafficking, and the Maven could appeal to some collectors. They were considered to be exotic.
The last real raid on the Maven had been ten years ago, and Banks had put an end to it without any of the Maven being harmed or their trade goods stolen. It was one of the reasons the Maven tolerated the compound's presence, in order to benefit from the protection offered by Space Services.
Banks' deep voice boomed from the comm. “Ellison, Peterson, Garcia, Nunoy, Shining Waters, Clayton, and Belewa. The word has been given. Countdown for attack patterns in five, four, three, two, and one. Disperse.”
Jim gunned his flyer, knowing that as soon as their fast airships crossed into restricted territory that he'd be chased as soon as the alarm sounded.
Except for Banks and the seven raiders, no one knew this was scheduled. Banks would announce it was just a drill after letting the adrenaline shock the officers on duty for a few minutes. The High Maven would be notified so that she could assure her people that they were safe.
If all had gone as planned, Blair would be waiting for him at the remote area they'd chosen together.
Jim flew straight for that location, dropping low and buzzing a small city on the way. The comm screens amplified the view and he saw the citizens of Homestead rushing outside from work buildings and out of large homes into courtyards and gardens to gawk up at him The men were dressed in earth and sky colored clothing similar to what Blair had worn, their hair tightly braided, and women in the brilliant colorful long tunics and leggings the Elders had worn. He noticed that the men stood behind the women, even during this unexpected occurrence for them.
Jim shook his head. His recommendations to the High Maven would stress that her people needed to get their asses inside into reinforced areas during raids. If he'd been a real raider, he could have shot a pulse at them that would have disabled any electronics they could have used to call for help and he could have dropped a gas bomb that would drop them unconscious. They would have been easy prey for a transport to come in behind him and snatch them.
Now that he'd made the token run at the Maven, he headed his flyer towards the river that flowed into the heart of the city and followed it upstream, the terrain becoming higher and wilder, trees and shrubs taking over instead of the fields of grain and vegetables.
He looked for the landmarks Blair had described: the waterfall on the left, then the tall spire of rock on the right.
Except the bond was telling him that Blair wasn't near here at all.
The plan had been for Blair to make it look like he'd committed suicide by jumping into the river from the top of the cliff. There was an overhang and more than one person had ended their life by doing exactly that. Blair figured it would be one of the places he would be looked for when he went missing. He was going to leave a note and a set of his clothes, making it seem like he'd undressed before jumping to his death in the cold river. Then he was going to climb down a trail and hike several miles away and wait near a clearing for Jim to pick him up. He was going to smuggle camping equipment out to the clearing and hide it away days earlier.
Blair hadn't known the exact date of the drill, but Jim had told him that it would be no earlier than four days from when they'd said goodbye and no more than a week. The raid was taking place exactly a week later.
A thousand things could have gone wrong. Blair might be held captive in one of the Houses. He could have gotten ill or hurt himself and was unable to get away or maybe he'd been hospitalized.
He could have changed his mind.
Maybe leaving Homestead and being all alone was too much for him.
Jim let his mind open, banishing away distracting thoughts about where the hell Blair was and if he was still on board with their plan. He pictured Blair's face, his upturned nose, dark blue eyes, the grin that he often wore when he was with Jim. He remembered Blair's scent, the salt taste of his skin during sex, the sound of his voice.
The bond sung to Jim and he followed its pull to the next little river city. He made a point to dive bomb some of the buildings, noting that these folks reacted just like the ones in the previous city. Civilians. His report was going to be blistering.
He continued flying upriver. Jim could feel the bond tugging him closer to Blair's position, which was a fair distance from the last city. So Blair hadn't changed his mind, just the place they were to meet. He dropped in altitude until he was almost skimming the top of the water, but immediately he knew that wasn't right. Blair wasn't within a stone's throw of the river.
He rose in the air, and shifted to flutter-mode. Better.
He slowly idled along the cliff faces and then he heard Blair's welcome voice within his mind. Jim.
So, Blair was strong enough to project his thoughts to his bond mate. That ability would make him very attractive to any potential sentinels. He scowled at the thought of Blair giving himself to some other sentinel and then decided he needed to kick his own ass. He and Blair only had a temporary surface bond. Blair was going to get on a ship and fly space to another planet and Jim was going to keep his commitment to the space service. They'd probably never meet again.
Jim. I feel you, and am I ever glad you're here. I'm in a cave on your right. You're close. I can see the flyer.”
Jim edged his craft closer to the cliff face and saw an arm leaning out, waving a brown shirt.
He hovered outside of the cave and turned the flyer so that the storage door faced Blair. He extended the ramp so that it was inside a little ways into the cave entrance.
He heard Blair walk into the flyer slowly, carefully, and when Blair was safely inside the cargo area he retracted the ramp.
There was no space for a co-pilot, but there were several pull down seats in the cargo area.
“Hey, Chief. Glad you could make it.” Jim let Blair hear the relief in his voice. He could feel Blair's tumultuous mix of emotions - the relief that mirrored Jim's, sadness, joy, anxiety.
“Oh, Sweet Gaia, me too.”
“Okay, we'll talk in a bit. For now, strap yourself in, I'm going to push on to the next town fast, and then head back to the compound. We've been lucky so far that we haven't been tagged by any of the responders.”
Jim heard Blair comply, “Jim, man, I can't even...”
“Hold it together, Blair. You're not safe yet.”
He heard Blair take several deep breaths. “Okay. But man, you are getting one grateful kiss when we land.”
“I'm looking forward to it, guide of mine.”
* * *
That kiss had segued into quick and dirty sex against the cold wall of the flyer. Jim had yanked off his own pants and then stripped Blair naked, throwing the clothes the Maven had given Blair to the floor. He had a flash of appreciation for the symbolism of that action, but when Blair reached up to kiss him again, he could only think that this was the last time he would be with Blair.
He lifted Blair, who wrapped his legs around Jim's waist. Blair's eyes were wild, dark with desire.
Blair would probably have bruises on his back from the way Jim had pushed him against the hard metal of the flyer. Jim wished he could fuck him, but he didn't have any slick with him. He lost himself in Blair's scent, using all of his senses to know Blair. He could feel the bond renewing, glowing, strengthening.
They came just from the touch of skin on skin, and Jim just held Blair against him for several long minutes as their heartbeats slowed. Jim could hear Blair's heart synch in rhythm with his own.
Finally, though, Jim stepped back from the wall, still carrying Blair. He walked with him over to a cargo area and Blair uncrossed his legs and let himself slide down Jim's front until he was standing.
Jim reached into a bag and handed Blair a cleaning cloth, and then used it on himself to wipe away their seed. “Here, Chief. I've got you a tech's uniform and false ID, clothes. Some makeup to cover up your star. Everything you're gonna need to book passage out of here is in this satchel. Take your old clothes with you, okay? Let's not leave any evidence that you've been in this flyer.”
“Thanks, Jim. So, did your buddy come through for us?” Blair stepped into the coverall and quickly braided his hair into a long, thick tail, then stuffed it all under the cap Jim handed to him. He pulled on the boots and laced them up.
“He's parked on the edge of the landing field since his ship was small enough to land. He knows to expect you. You're going to have to go through one security check, but I entered your bio-metrics and restricted it to just that gate. When you've gone through, I'll delete it. Henri Brown is a good guy, we served together for years and he's going to drop you off in Cascade. Ever been there, Blair?”
“No,” Blair said and fished out the stick of makeup from the bag. Jim took it from him and twisted the lid off. He tilted Blair's face to the side and began covering up the blue star that covered most of Blair's cheek.
“It's a nice planet, lots of rainforests, waterfalls, and beautiful oceans. It's, ah, where Henri and I grew up. In that satchel I've given you a list of people you can go to for help if you need it. Just tell them I sent you.”
“Okay. But I'm gonna be fine. I'm not exactly leaving Homestead empty handed.” He pointed back to the small backsack he'd brought with him. “I've got that packed with sparkler stones.”
Jim whistled. “Yeah, you'll be fine. Why weren't you at the original spot we picked out? It's damn lucky we did bond after all.” He finished with covering up the star and stuck the makeup back in the satchel.
“I tried to go there.” Blair crossed his arms and looked annoyed.
“What happened?”
“The note I left in the bedroom at Elder Rachaelcarson's household was found too soon. See, I kept thinking, what if a bird picked up my note by Death Leap Cliff or a kinga got curious about it and my clothes and carried them off? I guess I shouldn't have left it, but I wanted to make doubly sure that the Maven thought I'd killed myself. I think what happened was that I was noticed going into the Genetics Center after hours and when someone came to investigate they saw that I'd pulled my Blessing donation from the cryo-chamber and had destroyed it. I, uh, left a very strong note there about how I felt about what had happened.”
“Good for you. Maybe the Elders will think twice about making some other man donate against his will.”
“Maybe. Anyway, I think Elder Rachaelcarson was contacted about my vandalism and they found the note I'd left in my room prematurely. The path to the cliff was being guarded when I got there, and I was lucky that I was able to hide and sneak away before they saw me.” Blair made an exaggerated expression of relief.
“Sounds like a close call, Chief.”
“I thought I might have a panic attack, but I got past that.”
“How'd you end up in a cave?”
“I stole a pedal bike and made my way up past Cleopatra City, ditched the pedal bike, and headed for the cliffs above the Boadicea and found the cave. I thought you might stick with the river. I left my clothes and note at another spot that hikers frequent and they were found. Rescue and Search were contacted. I watched them dragging the Boadicea for my body while I waited four days in the cave for you to come.”
“You're good at thinking on your feet, Chief.”
Blair gave him a small grin and then his expression sobered.
“So, I guess this is going to be it,” he said.
“Yeah. I've enjoyed you, Blair Star-child. Have a good life and stay free.”
“Thank you so much, Jim. You've given me my freedom. I won't ever forget you.” He moved close to Jim and put his arms around Jim's neck. He whispered, “Thank you,” and kissed Jim sweetly.
Jim could have aroused Blair. He knew what to do, how to play Blair's body so that he'd do anything Jim asked for. But that wasn't what this kiss was about. This was goodbye, and he wasn't going to send Blair out of this flyer with his brains scrambled from submitting to Jim. He kissed Blair back gently and ended it.
Jim said, “I'm going out first. After I'm through the gate, leave the flyer. The doors will automatically lock, so don't forget your things. Just walk like you're on your way to a job, get through the gate and head for Area M. Henri's ship is Rainier's Luck. He's going to lift off as soon as you're aboard.”
Blair nodded solemnly. Jim walked out of the cargo area to the cockpit and commed Banks. Banks told Jim to report to him in his office, and congratulated him on ducking the responders.
Jim opened the flyer door and stole one last look at his temporary guide. Blair's eyes met his and Jim had the strongest urge to keep Blair right beside him, and to hell with the Maven and the Outlander's hard negotiated trade agreements. He squashed that feeling down hard, but he knew Blair had felt it and that Blair was sorely tempted to let Jim do exactly that.
That wasn't fair to Blair, and once this bond had dissolved, Jim would be glad he hadn't acted on that impulse. It was just the bond talking to both of them.
Jim winked at Blair and opened the cockpit door. He walked down the automatic steps and headed out towards the gate.
Blair told him telepathically when he made his bid for freedom, waiting until Jim was on the other side of the gate. Jim slowed his steps but didn't look back at Blair, even though he knew when Blair passed the gate.
When he was in Bank's office, he could feel Blair's anxiety lessen. After Jim gave Banks his report, he felt the strong surge of Blair's relief. He glanced up at the shipyard display over his head. Rainier's Luck had lifted off.
“Ellison, the High Maven passed along some bad news to me when I notified her of the drill. I'm sorry, Jim. Blair committed suicide. She wouldn't give me details.”
Jim schooled his face to show shock and sadness. “He's a good man, Simon. I'm sorry for your loss.”
“He is a good man. And I'm sure he's in a better place now.” Banks raised an eyebrow at Jim and smiled that shark tooth smile again. “It's just as well that I okayed your idea about having the drill this week. The paperwork will keep both of our minds on work and not on Blair.”
“Yes, sir.”
Banks pointed to the display. “Looks like Rainier's Luck has left Maven airspace. I've met Henri Brown before, her captain. He's an old pal of yours, isn't he, Ellison?”
Jim swore to himself. Henri was a great friend, but he was too talkative at times. He said, “Brown and I served together for a number of years.”
“I remember. He mentioned a Jim Ellison, said he was a surly son-of-spacer sometimes, but you'd never find a better man to have at your back when a mission blew up on you. I remembered that when your name came across my desk when the higher-ups wanted to send you here for taking down Oliver. No good deed goes unpunished, does it, Jim?”
“Guess not, sir.”
“Well, I accepted your transfer. And you've done a good job here, Jim. You've taken care of a problem that's bothered me for a long time.”
“Pointing out to the Maven that they need to train their people to react to raiders?”
“Something like that. I was notified of an anomaly with the security records with the gate you came back through. Did you notice anything wrong?”
Jim shrugged. “Electronics get fussy sometimes.”
“Oh, I'm sure it was just a glitch. I've sorted it out.” Banks opened a desk drawer and got out a bottle and two glasses. Jim felt his own eyebrows go up. Banks was holding Starlight Brandy. Jim watched Banks fill the two tumblers half full.
“As of this moment, we're off duty, Ellison. And my name's Simon.”
Jim smiled. “Okay, Simon.”
Simon held up his tumbler. “Let's drink to Blair Star-child. He's finally free.”
Jim lifted his glass to Simon's. “To Blair.”
* * *
Final part of Star-child
* * *
It was a solemn ceremony, the procession of young woman who walked towards the perimeter gate, their progress viewed on huge screens within the meeting room and recorded for posterity. Two hundred and fifty of the Maven women, and Jim knew from his briefing that they were no younger than twenty and no older than twenty-five.
At the head of the line was the High Maven herself, long dark hair worn loose, as was the hair of each of the Maidens. They were visions in white, wearing tunics and leggings, and each wore a green jewel on a headband.
Jim's sharp eyesight saw the signs of excitement, of stress, an occasional tear sliding down a youthful cheek. The Mothers, the ones who had once journeyed far from their homeplanet and returned with precious babes in their arms, formed an honor guard on both sides of the road. They smiled encouragingly at the Maidens, but Jim saw no hugs or quick touches to arms.
Banks re-joined him, both of them in their dress uniforms, as were fifty other men and women waiting to escort the Maidens into the compound.
“Everything set up on our end, Sir?” Jim asked. The Maven had transmitted the bio-signs of the Maidens in preparation for their departure onto the different vessels that were currently in orbit or, if small enough, sitting on the lots. Banks had been called away to deal with a minor problem about the departure.
“I'm sure something else will screw up, wouldn't be an Exodus if there wasn't at least one Maiden who refuses to get on board or a ship's captain who claims to not have received the passage credits. Oh, and Blair will be allowed to stay here for a week, after the ceremony.”
“Why?” Blair hadn't mentioned that to Jim.
“As the High Maven explained it to me on her com call, he agreed to meet with the Maidens and teach them a little about what to expect with Outlanders, sort of a basic tourist type of deal. The week here is his reward. You'll be in charge of him, as usual. I trust that's not a hardship, Sub-lieutenant?”
“No, sir.”
Banks smiled, and it reminded him of pictures he'd seen of sharks, from Ancient Earth. “I also trust that you're being... careful with him.”
“With all due respect, sir, how is this your business?”
“I've made Blair my business. You transfer out in a month. I don't want to see any new scars on Blair's wrists after you leave.”
Banks and Blair had talked together a few times on Blair's visits. Blair barely came up to Bank's shoulders, and Banks could be an intimidating man. Thanks to his new hearing abilities, Jim had heard Banks reduce argumentative ship captains and incompetent compound staff to silence. Chastised and compliant, they would slink out of Bank's office, not meeting anyone's eyes as they left the admin level. Blair, though, called Banks by his first name and would hug him when they met. Banks let him, and Jim found that interesting.
Banks acted like he found Blair a pain in the ass, but his scent didn't back up that observation. Blair would just keep talking to Banks about the hundred and one things that interested only Blair, despite the occasional growl from Banks that some Star-children chattered more than the noisy ricka birds that filled the frond forest with racket from daylight to dusk.
Jim decided to come clean with Banks. It was good that Blair would have a friend looking out for him after Jim left. At least until Banks retired and shipped out.
“He knows I'm leaving. We've just kept things on the physical side. No happily ever after. No bonding. No smuggling him off planet. He didn't even ask about that, sir. Said he could tell I wasn't... flexible. I've tried to look out for him, give him what he needs in--”
“That's enough, Ellison. I don't need or want to know about what you two do in the sack.”
Banks sighed, though. “No, happily ever after isn't in Blair Star-child's future. Someday he'll lose this dream of leaving, and he'll finally submit. He'll give the Maven the children they want from him and stop resisting being molded into the ideal Maven male.”
“It can't be as harsh for the males as it sounds, Captain. If it was, why haven't they revolted against the way they're treated?”
“There's been times in past centuries when the men had more rights, could vote, and wore what they liked. The pendulum has swung back to being more conservative right now. And the trouble makers, well, they're drugged until they're willing to toe the line. And then there's the sex.”
“Sir?”
“Blair can explain that better than I can. Ask him.” Banks jerked his chin up at the screen. “It's showtime.”
They watched as the High Maven instructed the Maidens on their duty to widen the Maven gene pool. They were to disperse to their assigned worlds before gathering Outlander genes. Within three years time, they were to return, pregnant or carrying their babes.
The High Maven turned to the first Maiden in the line, touched the green jewel on the young woman's forehead and blessed the Maiden. With her right hand, the High Maven reached into a small pot and smeared something in a slanted line on the Maiden's cheeks.”
“It's sacred earth. It contains a pinch of the ashes of the first female settlers to this world,” Banks said.
The Maiden bowed to the High Maven and placed her thumb into the blood scanner, a single drop of blood verifying by mitochondria analysis that she was a daughter of the first Maven to settle Homestead.
The shield doorway formed and the Maiden stepped inside the meeting room, carrying a travel bag. Jim knew the Maiden would receive a hefty amount of credits once she arrived at her destination. New clothes, furnishings, a residence were waiting for her, paid for by the trade arrangements Jim had been overseeing.
“We're up,” Banks murmured. Jim nodded and they walked to the Maiden. She was maybe twenty-two, Jim thought, and her auburn hair was as curly as Blair's.
Banks said, his voice loud enough to ensure the other escorts heard him. “Maiden, by what name are you called?”
“Amina. I bear the name of an ancient earth queen.”
“Welcome, Maiden. May your journey be safe and fruitful. We're here to escort you to your ship.”
Banks moved to Amina's right, and Jim stepped to her left. The three of them walked through the meeting room upon the ceremonial frond rug that led to the exit to the compound. Banks went through the archway first, the light overhead changing from red to green. The force field shaped itself into a doorway and Banks stepped through. When it had resumed its former configuration, Amina looked hesitantly at Jim and he smiled at her. He waved her to step through the archway, and with a tremulous smile, she did. Her bio-metrics were accepted and she joined Banks in the compound.
Jim shook his head as he waited for his turn. Funny. Amina didn't much look or act like an oppressor. Well, he thought to himself cynically. Give her time.
* * *
Jim had waited in the meeting room, his eyes on the screen watching the Mothers walk away, two by two, the final part to the ceremony's conclusion. When the last pair had left, he made his way to the bar.
Two beers later, Jim was rewarded for his patience by the sound of an air skate swooshing up to the perimeter. He paid his tab and walked swiftly to the perimeter doorway, watching as Blair hopped out, followed by a tall woman. Well, she seemed tall to him and she towered over Blair. For the Maven, though, she was only average height. Within twenty-eight generations, gene manipulation and natural selection had ensured that Maven females would almost certainly be taller and stronger than Maven males.
The woman was Rachelcarson. Jim had met her months ago during negotiations. Blair waited until she took the lead, and then followed her, several paces behind and a bit to the left.
A better man would have been disturbed at seeing this kind of submissive gesture from Blair, as if he was a well-trained Maven male. Jim wasn't a better man. His erection swelled in proof of that.
He couldn't wait to fuck Blair. His fingers itched with the need to tie him to the bed, naked and spread out. Blair would let him. Blair would always let him. Blair wanted to be tied down, held, made to yield his body to Jim.
His body, but not his mind.
Out of curiosity, Jim had tried ordering Blair to accept Jim's beliefs on topics ranging from politics to sports. Blair stubbornly argued his own viewpoints. Even when Jim tried sabotage by pulling Blair into Jim's lap, Blair wouldn't yield. Well, not his well-thought-out positions, backed by quotes of this research and that longitudinal study. Even when Jim put Blair in the exact position in his lap as the High Maven had done, imagining that this increased Blair's feelings of helplessness since not even his feet were allowed to touch the floor, Blair hadn't agreed with Jim. Well, he had lost the ability to talk, but after he'd come out of the fog of his orgasm and Jim had let him stand back up, he'd gone right back to arguing with him.
Jim grinned fondly at the memory, but wiped his face clean of his smile as Rachelcarson and Blair entered the meeting room.
Rachelcarson nodded to Jim as he approached, and then bent down and wrapped her arms around Blair, pulling him up on his toes. She kissed him, long and slow, and left Blair panting when she stopped. He stumbled a little as he regained his footing.
Jim noted sourly that Blair's body had liked what she had done. It didn't take sentinel eyes to see the soft frond fabric at Blair's crotch shaping around his erection.
Rachelcarson smiled at Blair and flicked him on the nose, and then casually cupped his erection. Blair bit his lip, and she tsked at him. She traced his lips with one hand, and Jim smelled the precome before he saw Blair's trousers becoming stained.
Jim crossed his arms and plastered a bored expression on his face. He knew what this was about. Another message. Blair would have his week here and could choose to do as he pleased within the limits of the meeting room, with the exception of being intimate with women, but he belonged to the Maven. Rachelcarson was marking Maven territory in front of the Outlander. He supposed Blair was lucky that she didn't pee on him.
Blair had shut his eyes, but obediently opened his mouth when his molester pushed an index finger against his lips. He sucked on her finger and she quickened her touch on his penis, rubbing against him hard now.
He came with her finger in his mouth, sucking on it like a hungry babe on a breast, like he was sucking Jim's dick.
Rachelcarson wasn't watching Blair though. She looked triumphantly at Jim as Blair came, her hand continuing to stroke Blair as his body shuddered. She raised the hand that was damp with his semen and wiped it on Blair's face, and then on his shirt.
She kissed Blair and traced the blue star on his face. “I shall see you when you return, Star-child. I have wonderful news. The High Maven has granted my request. Instead of wasting your seed into your trousers like an infant wets their swaddle cloth, perhaps you'll agree to give me a child. My mother's house has not had a Star-child's Blessing in four generations.”
Blair just looked dazed and she slid her arm around his waist, holding him against her.
Jim grunted. “Are you done? Want a bigger audience?” He hoped he sounded unimpressed. He glanced at his timepiece on his wrist.
Rachelcarson looked him up and down. “Good eve to you, Sub-lieutenant. I shall return for Blair in one week, as agreed.”
“So I've heard. See you around the negotiating table, Rachelcarson.”
“Elder Rachelcarson, Sub-lieutenant Ellison. I have gained that honor since we were first introduced.
Jim got it then. “So, Blair's part of your promotion, isn't he? Going to fuck him in front of your mother's household?”
She smiled at him, and eyed his own erection. “Perhaps. And I don't think the idea displeases you, Outlander.”
Jim drawled, “Consensual sex is fine with me. In any shape or form.”
She laughed. “Blair did not forbid my touch. He cannot turn against his nature.”
Jim looked at Blair. “So you wanted this, Chief?”
Blair looked ashamed, but he nodded.
“See, Outlander. And he enjoyed himself, as you can see.” She waved a hand at the stain on Blair's trousers. “Really, it is no concern of yours, but the Maven know of your fascination with Blair, so I will ease your mind if you like.”
“Go ahead,” Jim said, wishing he hadn't engaged in this conversation, but his mouth had overridden his brain once again.
She said, in the manner of a teacher, “Our customs forbid that any Star-child be forced to beget a child, or bear one. Blair will yield his body to me or to those others who wish to enjoy him, as he has done since he outgrew childhood. But I hope to convince him to give my mother's house a Blessing. The High Maven has sent him to us for six months. We are honored to have him and pledge to ensure he is... relaxed during his visit.”
“Relaxed.” Jim snorted. “As in you and your house members will make him come a lot, right?”
“But of course. You really know nothing of the Maven, do you? Blair? Teach him our ways, so that he does not fret so about you.”
She pushed Blair towards Jim. Blair stumbled and Jim caught him and slung an arm around his shoulder.
“Yes, Elder.” Blair said quietly.
“And since you can speak again, have you forgotten your manners?”
“No, Elder. Thank you for my release.” Jim could feel how Blair's muscles had tensed with every polite word from his mouth.
“I look forward to your next release by my hand, Star-child. Now enjoy your time with the Outlanders, and reflect upon how honored my mother's house would be to raise a babe of yours.”
She smiled like she was shooing a couple of kids outside to play and it annoyed Jim to no end.
After she'd exited, Jim tilted Blair's head up.
“So you liked that? I don't think you told her the whole truth, Blair.”
He sighed. “Can we go to a room, Jim? One where I don't have to walk past all those people?” He pointed to the recreation side of the meeting room.
“Sure you don't want to show all of them what you look like right now and get off on it? Because being made to come in public does do the trick for you, Chief.”
Blair's eyes blazed and he pulled away from Jim. “I know it does. I don't want it to, but I'm wired to enjoy it when it happens. Afterwards, no, it's not any fun. Are you going to be an asshole about this? Because I don't have to spend this week with you.”
Not be able to touch Blair, watch his red, red mouth utter such broken words as Jim took him down deep? Jim assessed the situation and made a change in his strategy.
“I was being an asshole. Sorry. You're wired to enjoy being dominated during sex; I guess I'm wired to enjoy watching you submit, whether to me or to someone else. I kind of forgot my promise to take care of you while you were with me. I apologize to you, Blair Star-child.”
Blair slumped a little, and started to pull his hair free from the tightly braided coil at his neck.
“Okay. Maybe I should do what she said and tell you more about my mother's people. There's a purpose to the sex customs, Jim. And you know what? I have to say, it's worked pretty well for seven hundred years. The Maven have never warred with each other.”
Jim stepped in front of Blair, hiding him from the sight of the six men and women who were chattering to each other as they ambled past the two of them, apparently intent on playing cards at one of the tables nearby.
“Here, let me.” He gently loosened Blair's hair, enjoying the feel of the silky curls. He felt himself start to focus too much on his sense of touch.
Blair kicked him in the shin. “Don't you zone on me, Jim. Not now.” Blair still sounded upset.
“What guide technique was that, Chief? Kick your sentinel in the pants when he needs it, subsection 8.5?” It had worked, though. He decided not to mention that to Blair.
“Do I need to go to subsection 9? Jimmm! C'mon, man, I want to change my clothes.”
“Hey, don't get tensed up. I've already booked a room for us for the week. It's right over there. C'mon, I'll walk you to it and then go get your rucksack. Nobody's gonna see you right now.”
Blair sighed in relief. “Okay. Umm. Sorry.”
Jim unlocked the door and Blair hurried inside. When Jim returned with the rucksack Blair had dropped by the wall upon entering the meeting room, Blair had stripped off his clothes.
Jim eyed him, and his erection became harder. He wanted to walk around Blair, make him hold absolutely still while he touched him, examined him. Feel the weight of Blair's balls in Jim's hands.
Make him suck on Jim's finger. Watch Blair's penis fill again, harden, become wet at the tip.
He looked at Blair and saw Blair was biting his lip. He looked tense, not happy.
Jim said ruefully, “Raincheck, eh?” Because of course Blair knew what Jim was feeling and instead of wanting to have sex, it was making him feel anxious. Jim wasn't a total bastard. He liked Blair for himself, aside from being such a great fuck. He wouldn't make him submit to him, not now, not when Blair didn't want to let himself go like that.
Blair swallowed. “I will if you want me to. Once you start touching me and telling me... things, I'll forget everything else. Until later, that is.”
“I've got that kind of power over you?”
“Yes. But don't think it's only you. There's been a lot of women and men who've found my submit button and pushed it.”
“Even when you didn't want them to?”
“Every time.”
“Well, I won't. You want sex with me, I'll be there pushing that button so hard you'll pass out when you come. You say no, or not now, or get lost, Ellison, I won't play your body against you, Chief. I swear on my father's name I'm not going to do that to you.”
Blair was silent for a time, a searching expression on his face. Finally, he said, “Okay, you really believe what you're saying. So, uh, I'm gonna take a shower. And um, sorry about leaving you hanging?'
“Don't sweat it, Chief. But I'm not a saint, okay. And I'll be upfront with you. While you're in the shower, I'm gonna watch the video I made of you coming in the High Maven's lap. I'll be all... relaxed, when you get out of the shower.”
Blair snorted. “Knock yourself out, Jim.”
“You don't care?”
“No. You have my permission.”
“Wasn't asking for it, Chief.”
Blair swallowed. “Okay, I'm just. I'm going to, uh. Before I think too hard about what you just said and I. Okay, going now.” He scurried into the bathroom and Jim heard the sound of water rushing through pipes in the building. He thought about Blair standing naked in the shower, warm water running down his skin. He dropped down on the bed. Maybe he wouldn't need to watch the video after all.
Chapter Five
“You been with a lot of lovers, Blair?” Jim was comfortably entwined with Blair on the bed in the little chamber. He started twirling one of Blair's curls, inhaling the sharp herbal scent of the soap Blair used to wash his long hair.
“More than some, less than others.” Blair sounded sleepy. It was their last night before Elder Rachelcarson returned to take Blair to her mother's household.
“By your choice?” Blair tensed and rolled away from Jim's side. He sat up, placed his feet on the floor, before glancing at Jim.
“It's... complicated.”
“Complicated.” Jim stared at Blair. He really liked seeing Blair naked. Naked Blair was a good thing. But he wanted Blair to be able to choose who got to see him like this. “See, I don't get that. I don't care who your people are or what their customs are, you should be able to say no to sex you don't want. That includes you having to touch other people so they get all 'relaxed' or somebody wanting to do the same to you when you don't want them to.”
“Jim...”
“Why is that complicated? Seems pretty easy to understand to me.” Jim moved off the bed and crossed his arms, looking down at Blair.
“Well, it's not, not with the Maven.”
“So, explain it to me. Explain their sexual customs. I'm not going to like them, that I already know.”
Blair sighed. “I'm an anthropologist, you know. I study cultures, and since I'm grounded to this one culture, this one planet, I've studied my own people. Except, I've never totally accepted the Maven or their culture as mine. So I've got some outsider perspective, which speaking as an anthropologist, it's wise to keep some distance between yourself and the people you study.”
“So what have you learned from keeping your distance?”
“That I don't feel that I have to defend this culture. It is what it is, and it's a fascinating example of a directed colony. For seven hundred years, the Elders have kept the Maven intact, despite the very natural growth and development of new towns and ecologically sound industry and trade.”
“Why don't they let Outlanders into the towns?” Jim had seen plenty of pictures of the small cities that dotted Maven territory. They seemed neat and well-organized, attractive with parks and residential neighborhoods and community gardens. Even the industrial areas were based on sound ecological practices, from what Blair had told him.
“The Elders think Outlanders and the change they might bring would be too disruptive. They want to control it. Every Mother will eventually become an Elder, although a woman doesn't have to be a Maiden and travel off planet to become an Elder. But the Mothers have had enough contact with Outlanders to help guide the Maven, but not so much that they've lost their loyalty to their people.”
“But not every Maiden comes back.”
“No.” Blair kept his eyes on Jim's. Pretty eyes, Blair Star-child had. Right now, they looked thoughtful. “But that's very rare. And me being returned to the Maven, well, that was incredibly symbolic to my mother's people.”
“Do you wish you hadn't been sent to Homestead?”
Blair got up from the bed and put his arms around Jim's waist.“Yes. Because I can't leave. I, I don't hate it here. There's a lot of very nice people that I'm friends with, and I enjoy my work.”
Jim let one hand run up and down Blair's naked back, aware that he was again breaking his own rules about just how affectionate he should be with Blair. “That's not enough for you, is it?”
“No. I don't want to live my life in a culture where my rights are curtailed. Even my schooling and work, it's seen as frivolous.
“So why do the Maven have a matriarchal society?”
Blair tightened his hold on Jim and then let go and moved over to a chair where he'd flung his clothes. He pulled on loose, sky-blue trousers. He looked back at Jim. “The Maven emigrated here with a plan. A well-thought-out one, based partly on primate research.”
“Primates?”
“Mm-hm. Some ancient primate groups developed a matriarchal society, and the females figured out that they could use sex to pacify the males and that sex between the females resulted in cooperation between them. Less aggressive behavior, a more content society, even though those primate females weren't as big as the males. Banding together like they did, they kept the males in line.”
“The Maven aren't a bunch of monkeys, Chief.” Jim found his own clothes and started dressing. He was technically on duty, but he'd brought casual clothes with him, dark trousers and a tight short-sleeved pullover shirt that showed off his biceps. Blair appreciated Jim's arm muscles.
Blair buttoned up his white shirt, and slipped on a pair of sandals. “Of course the Maven aren't a bunch of monkeys. But they use sex as reinforcement for desirable behavior.”
“Reinforcement. Bet that had something to do with why you like being dominated during sex.”
Blair snorted. “I'm sure it does. I was sort of trained to respond that way.”
“Do you wish you weren't like that?”
Blair said, “No. I am who I am, and I'm okay with myself. I've already been through my period of self-doubt, Jim.”
“Well, I wouldn't want anything about you to be different.” Except, Jim thought, that you could live without all these restrictions.
Blair smiled at him, and Jim started thinking about them having another round of sex after getting something to eat.
“All right,” Blair added, “back to Maven sexual customs. So, bonding hormones are released during sex. You tend to be more tolerant of your sexual partner. Maven Elders who have different viewpoints will follow the custom of sharing sex with each other and that enhances cooperation and compromise. The Maven are polyamorous, Jim. There's some taboos, incest for one, which is why the Maven keep such good genetic records. And it's why they send their Maidens out to other worlds, to harvest Outlander DNA to keep the gene pool healthy.”
Jim grabbed his trousers and stepped into them, fastened the closure. “Guess your mother was as much of a maverick as you are.”
Blair laughed. “Naomi told me she had every intention of returning with a baby to Homestead, but once she got a taste of all there was to see and learn in different worlds, she didn't want to give it up.”
“What happened to her?”
“Just a stupid accident. She was killed in a vehicle crash and since she'd never designated a guardian for me, I was sent back to Homestead. But I was eleven; I'd already been exposed to lots of different societies and so I didn't slot into Maven society like Star-children who came back as infants or toddlers did. I've never assimilated, although the Maven think I mostly have.”
“They let you come here, though.”
Blair nodded. “They indulge me with these visits because they want to keep me pacified and not suicidal. They want me to father children. I haven't yet. I won't. I'm afraid that they'll take my DNA anyway, if I don't follow their wishes soon. There's been some hints about that which worry me a lot. But if I can I'm not going to leave a child of mine here when I escape.”
Blair walked over to the door, and leaned against it. Jim halfway wished he hadn't opened up this package of trouble, had just kept quiet and kept Blair's naked body against him. They could be having sex again. It was just that it bothered him, knowing that Blair didn't get a veto when it came to his body.
Rachelcarson's words echoed in Jim's mind. “Blair did not forbid my touch. He cannot turn against his nature.”
“Okay, Chief. Those two shows you put on, when you came for the High Maven and the Elder, if you had told them to stop, would they have turned you loose?” Jim grabbed his boots and sat down at the small table, yanked them on, tied the strings.
“No. Refusal is only allowed during the first touch. And I didn't refuse. So according to our custom I had given consent and you can't take that consent back. If I had fought them, they would have stopped, but then I wouldn't have been allowed to continue to come here if I had. And I would have been... retrained.”
“That refusal rule just for you? Or does it apply to everybody?”
“It applies to males. The women negotiate encounters between themselves.”
“It means that much to you, to be able to come inside the perimeter and talk with Outlanders, that you're willing to do things you don't really want to do sexually?”
“Stop thinking that I'm a victim, Jim.”
“I didn't say that.” Jim walked over to Blair, put one hand on the door above Blair's head. Blair put a hand on Jim's chest.
Blair said, tartly, “I can read you, remember? Stop feeling sorry for me. Someday I'll talk an Outlander into helping me leave this world and everything I've had to do will have been worth it.”
Blair looked fiercely determined. Jim knew he'd just keep trying to escape and if the Maven found out they'd lock him down. He wouldn't have access to Outlanders anymore. Sure, Banks was covering for him, but Banks was leaving. The new commander was an unknown variable who might well inform the High Maven about any future escape attempts Blair tried.
“Why haven't you asked me to help you?”
Blair just shook his head. “I read you, man, when we first met. You aren't uh, somebody who I could persuade to go against the regs of this base.”
“You were right about me, Chief. You couldn't manipulate me into breaking the rules. Now. Read me again.”
“Uh, why?”
“Just do it.”
Jim watched as Blair's eyes grew wide.
“You.” He swallowed, his eyes intent on Jim. “You're gonna help me?”
“I don't need you to talk me into saying to hell with rules I don't agree with. I'm capable of doing that all on my own, Chief.”
“You're going to help me. I know you mean it, but why? You don't love me.”
“No, I don't. But I like you, Blair Star-child. I'll get you off this planet, and then you can go your own way.”
“How?”
“Well, Chief. I am pretty good at missions. Especially when I think the mission is righteous. Let's eat, and we'll get planning.”
Chapter Six
Blair returned to the room, carrying four bottles of the best beer the barkeep had available. He sat them down on the table and handed one to Jim, opening another for himself. He dropped into a seat and took a long swallow of beer. Jim was distracted watching the graceful line of his throat, but then he got hold of himself. He had work to do.
“I can get my hands on a flyer,” Jim said.
Blair looked at him sharply. “You're not going to just smuggle me out of here,” he waved a hand to indicate the perimeter meeting rooms, “to a ship?”
Jim shook his head. “Too risky. I don't want to leave a record of you entering and not returning back to the Maven. And I'd have to get your bio-metrics added to this exit. That would be the first place to look to track you down. Be better to not have that record there, even if I go back later and delete it. That's how Mitchell caught you in the past.”
“So what have you got in mind?”
“I'll use a one man flyer, but they'll be room for you, Chief. And I can get Banks on board, no problem. He's due to ship out a week after I leave and he's already told me how busy he's been getting things ready for the new head guy. I'll talk to him tomorrow. Be a little off kilter if he thought I was ignoring being with you to ask for an extra assignment tonight.”
“Jim, when I show up missing, the Elders will complete the logic pattern. They'll know, man.”
“They won't know. Ever play Swindler's Cups, Blair?”
Blair gave him a slow, wicked grin. “Yes, I have, Sub-lieutenant James William Ellison. Yes, I have.”
* * *
It was a long two weeks until Jim was able to meet with Blair again, following the last trade meet that was Jim's responsibility.
Blair didn't meet any of the Mavens' eyes. That didn't concern Jim. The fact that Blair wouldn't meet his eyes did. Something was wrong. Blair was, well, he looked sick. But there wasn't any nauseating scent of infection wafting from him. He just smelled... sad.
When the Maven left, this time mercifully without molesting Blair, Jim wrapped him in his arms and hugged him hard.
“What's wrong?”
Blair laid his head against Jim's chest. He was trembling, just a little. Jim held him, the conference room their own private domain for the moment.
Finally, Jim stepped back and said, “Blair, look at me.”
Blair slowly raised his eyes, and Jim felt it then, the first stirring of the bond, because Blair was a guide in distress and Jim's instinct was to protect him and make him feel safe.
Blair's eyes were wet, but he didn't let himself cry. He said quietly, despairingly, “I couldn't stop them. I couldn't talk them into waiting while I decided which House should be Blessed. Instead, they just took what they wanted.”
“What happened?”
“They stole my future Blessings. They asked if I would agree and I said no, that as a Star-child I had the right to choose who would bear my babe. The High Maven agreed that was true but then she said for me not to worry, that my seed would be preserved for future generations and that I would long be in the ground before any child from my donation would be born.”
“They made you give a sperm sample and they froze it for future generations to use after your death?”
Blair nodded. “I said no. They held me down and drugged me and made me ejaculate. They said I was being too slow with granting Blessings. They blamed that on my years spent with the Outlanders. They wanted my DNA added to the gene pool, even if I never chose to Bless a House during my lifetime.”
“I'm sorry.”
“I know, I can feel it.” Blair was silent for a while, and then he sighed deeply. “I need to meditate about what the Elders did.”
“How guarded is the facility where the samples are kept?”
“It's not. Why would it...” Blair looked shocked. “Jim, am I reading you right?”
“Don't know? Why don't you tell me what you think I'm feeling.”
“Pity, sympathy for me, anger, but it's the feeling of... wanting to right a wrong, and competence? Feeling smug about... Okay, you've got a plan, don't you? To steal back what was taken from me?”
“Don't see why not. I can give you the tools to break in and you can take your sample and destroy it. It can be the reason that you disappear, if you leave a note saying, well, the truth about how you feel about what the Elders did. Or if you're caught on security cameras smashing up that vial.”
“There aren't security cameras there because to do what you're suggesting is so far against what the Maven stand for that they can't even conceive of somebody doing what you want me to do.”
“Do you want to destroy your sample? I don't have a zenox in that race, Blair. Your decision, okay? But it would work into what I was planning for your extraction out of there.”
“I'll meditate before I decide. I, maybe I'm a little more in tune with what the Maven believe than I realized.”
“It's okay. Like I said, your decision.”
The look Blair gave him was painful to see, and that surprised Jim. He felt a wave of tenderness and protectiveness flood him again.
Blair noticed and looked puzzled. “And that, that... What is that? Do you feel something, too, Jim? Like there's something just out of reach and it's beckoning to me to come closer.”
“Haven't you read descriptions of what the bond between a guide and a sentinel feels like, Chief?”
Blair's eyes went wide and he pushed against Jim's chest, stepping backward.
Jim let him go and Blair moved three feet away.
“Ah, man, I'm sorry. Me and my troubles. I triggered it, didn't I?”
“Yeah, think so, buddy.”
“Sweet stars above, I know you don't want to bond. How do we stop it?”
“Maybe we can use it.”
“For what? Why? You don't really want to be bonded to me, Jim. And I don't want to be bonded to you.”
“Because we can use it to get you off this rock, Chief. And then we can let it break.”
“Won't that hurt? Or kill us? I've read some case histories, I know it's possible?”
“Not for us. Don't worry. Those scare stories are about the very deepest bond. We're just going to have a surface bond and right now, we aren't even bonded. I've just extended an invitation to you and you haven't accepted. But I want you to because this way I'll have a lock on you where ever you are.”
“A lock on me? Why not just use a tracer?”
“Because a tracer can be recorded. When you disappear, we don't want the Maven pointing to tracer records and accusing the base of helping you to escape. I want to help you, Blair Star-child. I don't want to screw up the trade arrangements.”
Blair said hesitantly, “So what happens to us if we surface bond?”
Jim held a hand out and flipped it back and forth. “You'll be able to read me a little better. For me, if I was having any trouble with my senses, having you to touch or talk to would help me stay grounded. But, we can find each other. In some cases, with a strong guide - and you are very strong, Blair-- telepathy can happen.”
Blair chewed on his lip, his teeth leaving small indentions and Jim wanted to kiss him, make him stop even mildly hurting himself. Blair said, “And when I leave and you're still here, will you be okay? Will I be?”
Jim rubbed the back of his neck. “Wellll...we'll have the mother of all headaches and some mood instability but after two weeks without physical contact to keep the surface bond going, it'll just wear off.”
Jim stepped closer to Blair, and waited. “I'm willing to surface bond because it'll give us an edge. But I won't force it on you.”
“Could you?” Blair's eyes were wide. He was planning on leaving one kind of bondage and he had to be wondering if he was just trading that for a different one. With Jim.
“I don't know. You are strong, so you might be able to keep me out.” Jim thought it best to be totally honest. Blair would detect any sort of deception, even if it was meant kindly, to not worry him.
“It's my call?”
“Your escape, your call.” And, Jim didn't say, your body.
Blair seemed to have caught that part of what Jim was trying to convey, judging from his expression. He stepped forward and put his arms around Jim's waist.
“I consent to this bond, Sentinel, and swear loyalty to you as long as the bond exists.”
“Yeah, me too. How did you know the ritual, Chief?”
“Anthropologist, Jim. We love studying about rituals.”
He poked Jim in the ribs. “Say the words, man. Do it right, even if it's only for two weeks.”
Jim shrugged. He thought for a moment, remembering the words he'd seen other sentinels say to their guides during bonding ceremonies. “I, James Ellison, consent to this bond with you, Blair Star-child, and swear loyalty to you for as long as the bond exists.”
Jim kissed Blair, making it passionate and wild. He had never bonded with anyone before, and so what if this was just a surface bond and for only two weeks. He would do this right. Jim would take Blair to bed in their little hole of a rented room and when pleasure was cascading for both of them they'd let the bond settle into their bodies and minds.
* * *
Jim waited in orbit for Bank's signal, and rubbed his forehead. He hadn't touched Blair for a week and the bond was starting to fray. If he closed his eyes and concentrated he could sense that Blair was alive. Worried, but not injured. He could find him once he was close enough to the planet. Right now, the dominant feeling he had about what direction to go to find Blair was down.
Banks had readily agreed with Jim's suggestion that they give the new commander a break by doing the required drill before they both shipped out. Banks said he'd been asking permission to do them once a month ever since he was promoted to Captain and placed in charge, but the Maven had restricted him to conducting them only once a year.
The Maven were as touchy about their air space as they were about the rest of their interactions with Outlanders. Still, being one of the designated raiders gave him a legitimate reason to swoop down near the Maven settlements. As a raider, he would be expected to use hit and run techniques to steal from the Maven and take their people prisoner.
As advanced as civilization had become, there was still a market in human trafficking, and the Maven could appeal to some collectors. They were considered to be exotic.
The last real raid on the Maven had been ten years ago, and Banks had put an end to it without any of the Maven being harmed or their trade goods stolen. It was one of the reasons the Maven tolerated the compound's presence, in order to benefit from the protection offered by Space Services.
Banks' deep voice boomed from the comm. “Ellison, Peterson, Garcia, Nunoy, Shining Waters, Clayton, and Belewa. The word has been given. Countdown for attack patterns in five, four, three, two, and one. Disperse.”
Jim gunned his flyer, knowing that as soon as their fast airships crossed into restricted territory that he'd be chased as soon as the alarm sounded.
Except for Banks and the seven raiders, no one knew this was scheduled. Banks would announce it was just a drill after letting the adrenaline shock the officers on duty for a few minutes. The High Maven would be notified so that she could assure her people that they were safe.
If all had gone as planned, Blair would be waiting for him at the remote area they'd chosen together.
Jim flew straight for that location, dropping low and buzzing a small city on the way. The comm screens amplified the view and he saw the citizens of Homestead rushing outside from work buildings and out of large homes into courtyards and gardens to gawk up at him The men were dressed in earth and sky colored clothing similar to what Blair had worn, their hair tightly braided, and women in the brilliant colorful long tunics and leggings the Elders had worn. He noticed that the men stood behind the women, even during this unexpected occurrence for them.
Jim shook his head. His recommendations to the High Maven would stress that her people needed to get their asses inside into reinforced areas during raids. If he'd been a real raider, he could have shot a pulse at them that would have disabled any electronics they could have used to call for help and he could have dropped a gas bomb that would drop them unconscious. They would have been easy prey for a transport to come in behind him and snatch them.
Now that he'd made the token run at the Maven, he headed his flyer towards the river that flowed into the heart of the city and followed it upstream, the terrain becoming higher and wilder, trees and shrubs taking over instead of the fields of grain and vegetables.
He looked for the landmarks Blair had described: the waterfall on the left, then the tall spire of rock on the right.
Except the bond was telling him that Blair wasn't near here at all.
The plan had been for Blair to make it look like he'd committed suicide by jumping into the river from the top of the cliff. There was an overhang and more than one person had ended their life by doing exactly that. Blair figured it would be one of the places he would be looked for when he went missing. He was going to leave a note and a set of his clothes, making it seem like he'd undressed before jumping to his death in the cold river. Then he was going to climb down a trail and hike several miles away and wait near a clearing for Jim to pick him up. He was going to smuggle camping equipment out to the clearing and hide it away days earlier.
Blair hadn't known the exact date of the drill, but Jim had told him that it would be no earlier than four days from when they'd said goodbye and no more than a week. The raid was taking place exactly a week later.
A thousand things could have gone wrong. Blair might be held captive in one of the Houses. He could have gotten ill or hurt himself and was unable to get away or maybe he'd been hospitalized.
He could have changed his mind.
Maybe leaving Homestead and being all alone was too much for him.
Jim let his mind open, banishing away distracting thoughts about where the hell Blair was and if he was still on board with their plan. He pictured Blair's face, his upturned nose, dark blue eyes, the grin that he often wore when he was with Jim. He remembered Blair's scent, the salt taste of his skin during sex, the sound of his voice.
The bond sung to Jim and he followed its pull to the next little river city. He made a point to dive bomb some of the buildings, noting that these folks reacted just like the ones in the previous city. Civilians. His report was going to be blistering.
He continued flying upriver. Jim could feel the bond tugging him closer to Blair's position, which was a fair distance from the last city. So Blair hadn't changed his mind, just the place they were to meet. He dropped in altitude until he was almost skimming the top of the water, but immediately he knew that wasn't right. Blair wasn't within a stone's throw of the river.
He rose in the air, and shifted to flutter-mode. Better.
He slowly idled along the cliff faces and then he heard Blair's welcome voice within his mind. Jim.
So, Blair was strong enough to project his thoughts to his bond mate. That ability would make him very attractive to any potential sentinels. He scowled at the thought of Blair giving himself to some other sentinel and then decided he needed to kick his own ass. He and Blair only had a temporary surface bond. Blair was going to get on a ship and fly space to another planet and Jim was going to keep his commitment to the space service. They'd probably never meet again.
Jim. I feel you, and am I ever glad you're here. I'm in a cave on your right. You're close. I can see the flyer.”
Jim edged his craft closer to the cliff face and saw an arm leaning out, waving a brown shirt.
He hovered outside of the cave and turned the flyer so that the storage door faced Blair. He extended the ramp so that it was inside a little ways into the cave entrance.
He heard Blair walk into the flyer slowly, carefully, and when Blair was safely inside the cargo area he retracted the ramp.
There was no space for a co-pilot, but there were several pull down seats in the cargo area.
“Hey, Chief. Glad you could make it.” Jim let Blair hear the relief in his voice. He could feel Blair's tumultuous mix of emotions - the relief that mirrored Jim's, sadness, joy, anxiety.
“Oh, Sweet Gaia, me too.”
“Okay, we'll talk in a bit. For now, strap yourself in, I'm going to push on to the next town fast, and then head back to the compound. We've been lucky so far that we haven't been tagged by any of the responders.”
Jim heard Blair comply, “Jim, man, I can't even...”
“Hold it together, Blair. You're not safe yet.”
He heard Blair take several deep breaths. “Okay. But man, you are getting one grateful kiss when we land.”
“I'm looking forward to it, guide of mine.”
* * *
That kiss had segued into quick and dirty sex against the cold wall of the flyer. Jim had yanked off his own pants and then stripped Blair naked, throwing the clothes the Maven had given Blair to the floor. He had a flash of appreciation for the symbolism of that action, but when Blair reached up to kiss him again, he could only think that this was the last time he would be with Blair.
He lifted Blair, who wrapped his legs around Jim's waist. Blair's eyes were wild, dark with desire.
Blair would probably have bruises on his back from the way Jim had pushed him against the hard metal of the flyer. Jim wished he could fuck him, but he didn't have any slick with him. He lost himself in Blair's scent, using all of his senses to know Blair. He could feel the bond renewing, glowing, strengthening.
They came just from the touch of skin on skin, and Jim just held Blair against him for several long minutes as their heartbeats slowed. Jim could hear Blair's heart synch in rhythm with his own.
Finally, though, Jim stepped back from the wall, still carrying Blair. He walked with him over to a cargo area and Blair uncrossed his legs and let himself slide down Jim's front until he was standing.
Jim reached into a bag and handed Blair a cleaning cloth, and then used it on himself to wipe away their seed. “Here, Chief. I've got you a tech's uniform and false ID, clothes. Some makeup to cover up your star. Everything you're gonna need to book passage out of here is in this satchel. Take your old clothes with you, okay? Let's not leave any evidence that you've been in this flyer.”
“Thanks, Jim. So, did your buddy come through for us?” Blair stepped into the coverall and quickly braided his hair into a long, thick tail, then stuffed it all under the cap Jim handed to him. He pulled on the boots and laced them up.
“He's parked on the edge of the landing field since his ship was small enough to land. He knows to expect you. You're going to have to go through one security check, but I entered your bio-metrics and restricted it to just that gate. When you've gone through, I'll delete it. Henri Brown is a good guy, we served together for years and he's going to drop you off in Cascade. Ever been there, Blair?”
“No,” Blair said and fished out the stick of makeup from the bag. Jim took it from him and twisted the lid off. He tilted Blair's face to the side and began covering up the blue star that covered most of Blair's cheek.
“It's a nice planet, lots of rainforests, waterfalls, and beautiful oceans. It's, ah, where Henri and I grew up. In that satchel I've given you a list of people you can go to for help if you need it. Just tell them I sent you.”
“Okay. But I'm gonna be fine. I'm not exactly leaving Homestead empty handed.” He pointed back to the small backsack he'd brought with him. “I've got that packed with sparkler stones.”
Jim whistled. “Yeah, you'll be fine. Why weren't you at the original spot we picked out? It's damn lucky we did bond after all.” He finished with covering up the star and stuck the makeup back in the satchel.
“I tried to go there.” Blair crossed his arms and looked annoyed.
“What happened?”
“The note I left in the bedroom at Elder Rachaelcarson's household was found too soon. See, I kept thinking, what if a bird picked up my note by Death Leap Cliff or a kinga got curious about it and my clothes and carried them off? I guess I shouldn't have left it, but I wanted to make doubly sure that the Maven thought I'd killed myself. I think what happened was that I was noticed going into the Genetics Center after hours and when someone came to investigate they saw that I'd pulled my Blessing donation from the cryo-chamber and had destroyed it. I, uh, left a very strong note there about how I felt about what had happened.”
“Good for you. Maybe the Elders will think twice about making some other man donate against his will.”
“Maybe. Anyway, I think Elder Rachaelcarson was contacted about my vandalism and they found the note I'd left in my room prematurely. The path to the cliff was being guarded when I got there, and I was lucky that I was able to hide and sneak away before they saw me.” Blair made an exaggerated expression of relief.
“Sounds like a close call, Chief.”
“I thought I might have a panic attack, but I got past that.”
“How'd you end up in a cave?”
“I stole a pedal bike and made my way up past Cleopatra City, ditched the pedal bike, and headed for the cliffs above the Boadicea and found the cave. I thought you might stick with the river. I left my clothes and note at another spot that hikers frequent and they were found. Rescue and Search were contacted. I watched them dragging the Boadicea for my body while I waited four days in the cave for you to come.”
“You're good at thinking on your feet, Chief.”
Blair gave him a small grin and then his expression sobered.
“So, I guess this is going to be it,” he said.
“Yeah. I've enjoyed you, Blair Star-child. Have a good life and stay free.”
“Thank you so much, Jim. You've given me my freedom. I won't ever forget you.” He moved close to Jim and put his arms around Jim's neck. He whispered, “Thank you,” and kissed Jim sweetly.
Jim could have aroused Blair. He knew what to do, how to play Blair's body so that he'd do anything Jim asked for. But that wasn't what this kiss was about. This was goodbye, and he wasn't going to send Blair out of this flyer with his brains scrambled from submitting to Jim. He kissed Blair back gently and ended it.
Jim said, “I'm going out first. After I'm through the gate, leave the flyer. The doors will automatically lock, so don't forget your things. Just walk like you're on your way to a job, get through the gate and head for Area M. Henri's ship is Rainier's Luck. He's going to lift off as soon as you're aboard.”
Blair nodded solemnly. Jim walked out of the cargo area to the cockpit and commed Banks. Banks told Jim to report to him in his office, and congratulated him on ducking the responders.
Jim opened the flyer door and stole one last look at his temporary guide. Blair's eyes met his and Jim had the strongest urge to keep Blair right beside him, and to hell with the Maven and the Outlander's hard negotiated trade agreements. He squashed that feeling down hard, but he knew Blair had felt it and that Blair was sorely tempted to let Jim do exactly that.
That wasn't fair to Blair, and once this bond had dissolved, Jim would be glad he hadn't acted on that impulse. It was just the bond talking to both of them.
Jim winked at Blair and opened the cockpit door. He walked down the automatic steps and headed out towards the gate.
Blair told him telepathically when he made his bid for freedom, waiting until Jim was on the other side of the gate. Jim slowed his steps but didn't look back at Blair, even though he knew when Blair passed the gate.
When he was in Bank's office, he could feel Blair's anxiety lessen. After Jim gave Banks his report, he felt the strong surge of Blair's relief. He glanced up at the shipyard display over his head. Rainier's Luck had lifted off.
“Ellison, the High Maven passed along some bad news to me when I notified her of the drill. I'm sorry, Jim. Blair committed suicide. She wouldn't give me details.”
Jim schooled his face to show shock and sadness. “He's a good man, Simon. I'm sorry for your loss.”
“He is a good man. And I'm sure he's in a better place now.” Banks raised an eyebrow at Jim and smiled that shark tooth smile again. “It's just as well that I okayed your idea about having the drill this week. The paperwork will keep both of our minds on work and not on Blair.”
“Yes, sir.”
Banks pointed to the display. “Looks like Rainier's Luck has left Maven airspace. I've met Henri Brown before, her captain. He's an old pal of yours, isn't he, Ellison?”
Jim swore to himself. Henri was a great friend, but he was too talkative at times. He said, “Brown and I served together for a number of years.”
“I remember. He mentioned a Jim Ellison, said he was a surly son-of-spacer sometimes, but you'd never find a better man to have at your back when a mission blew up on you. I remembered that when your name came across my desk when the higher-ups wanted to send you here for taking down Oliver. No good deed goes unpunished, does it, Jim?”
“Guess not, sir.”
“Well, I accepted your transfer. And you've done a good job here, Jim. You've taken care of a problem that's bothered me for a long time.”
“Pointing out to the Maven that they need to train their people to react to raiders?”
“Something like that. I was notified of an anomaly with the security records with the gate you came back through. Did you notice anything wrong?”
Jim shrugged. “Electronics get fussy sometimes.”
“Oh, I'm sure it was just a glitch. I've sorted it out.” Banks opened a desk drawer and got out a bottle and two glasses. Jim felt his own eyebrows go up. Banks was holding Starlight Brandy. Jim watched Banks fill the two tumblers half full.
“As of this moment, we're off duty, Ellison. And my name's Simon.”
Jim smiled. “Okay, Simon.”
Simon held up his tumbler. “Let's drink to Blair Star-child. He's finally free.”
Jim lifted his glass to Simon's. “To Blair.”
* * *
Final part of Star-child