Delivered by the Defender (Kindred Tales)

At last the Major Domo seemed to reach his destination.

“Your Majesty,” he said, bowing to the Emperor—who was invisible on their end, since only the person in the direct line of the communicator’s holo-cam was visible on a call. “Forgive me for interrupting your pleasure session, but I have an urgent message from the Kindred Ambassador. It is about a favorite of yours—Selena Bates of Earth.”

“Selena Bates again, is it?” the Emperor said. “Give me that communications device, Major Domo!”

The device must have switched hands, because a moment later, the Emperor’s pudgy face and shoulders came into view.

“Now then, Ambassador Tolern,” he said, frowning. “What’s all this? We thought we settled this matter yesterday when we had our Major Domo call the spaceport to release those records you needed, or some such like that.” He waved one plump, beringed hand vaguely.

“Your Majesty, forgive me for bothering you again, but we have found Selena Bates and she is in deep trouble,” Tolern began. “We are at the High Court but they won’t allow us entrance. We—”

But just at that moment, the communications device switched hands again as someone snatched it from the Emperor.

“Oh please, your Majesty—this is foolishness!” It was Empress the Third, her sharp, pretty features plain to see on the holo. “Forget about that little bimbap and let me finish pleasuring you! She’s yesterday’s concern and today I must suck the royal shaft until his Highness bursts with pleasure!”

“No, wait—your Majesty!” Tolern cried, trying to make his voice heard. “Please!”

“How dare you bother his Majesty with such trivial nonsense?” Empress the Third demanded haughtily, glaring at him. “How dare you interrupt his pleasure session?”

“Now, Empress the Third…” the Emperor could be heard muttering in the background, but it was clear the Empress was doing everything she could to distract him.

“I’m hanging up now!” Empress the Third informed them. “His Majesty has no time for your trivialities.”

Valen leaned over and spoke directly into the device.

“Your Majesty,” he said loudly. “We’re not just calling about Selena Bates—we have new information for you about Empress the Fourth.”

“What?” the Emperor could be heard saying…and then the line went dead.

“Damn!” Tolern stared at the blank screen of his device. “She hung up!”

“Call back! Call back!” Jessica demanded, dancing with impatience.

He shook his head.

“By Ma’shorkan law, I cannot. I may only invoke my Diplomatic Privilege to contact the Emperor once. If he wants to speak to us, he must call us back. To do otherwise will incur a prison sentence or even the death penalty.”

“What? But that’s not right!” Jessica exclaimed. “Look at the clock!” She gestured to the chronometer. “We don’t have time to wait! Selena could be on the way to that prison transport right now!”

“I cannot—” Tolern began, but just then the device in his hand buzzed. Hastily, he hit the connection button, accepting the call. A holo of the Emperor, both of his mouths frowning sternly, appeared above his screen.

“Tell us Ambassador,” he said. “What did you say about Empress the Fourth?”

70

“All right, you lot! Everybody in line for the transport!”

The guard who had taken the other prisoners to the courtroom was back, swinging his pain prod menacingly. He had brought several other guards with him and all of them had drawn weapons, presumably to make sure none of the inmates got up to any mischief.

Until we reach the transport, that is, Selena thought, feeling sick. And then all bets are off…

She shivered as she filed out of the women’s cell, along with the other female prisoners. The males were already lined up against the wall, waiting to go through the metal door. Big Horn was at the very end of the male’s line, eyeing her like a lion eyes an antelope.

Selena wanted to stay as far from the big Ma’shorkan for as long as she could. But when she started to go to the end of the women’s line, one of the guards motioned her with his pain prod.

“No—front of the line.”

“But…” Selena began helplessly. Being at the front of the female line meant she’d be right next to Big Horn, since he was at the end of the male’s line.

“Take your place, bimbap!” The guard waved his pain-prod menacingly in her face and Selena jumped to avoid its sparking, crackling end. She barely avoided slamming into Big Horn, who was smirking down at her.

“Just you and me now, girly,” he snarled, showing those sharp white teeth again.

“Hey—no funny business out here,” one of the guards snapped at him. For a moment Selena hoped he would keep Big Horn from touching her but then he added, “Wait until you’re on the transport and out of the eye of the cameras.”

Big Horn nodded equably, still grinning at Selena.

“I can wait. Been waiting all night—a few more minutes won’t matter.”

Selena felt like someone had dumped a whole freezer full of ice cubes into the pit of her stomach. Oh God, what was she going to do?