CHAPTER 2
Having left the bridge of the Relentless, Gral'hilanth headed for the lift. She closed her eyes as the doors shut behind her. When she opened them again, the lift doors opened. Gral'hilanth stepped out into a dimly lit corridor. She didn't call out for the ship's environmental controls to increase the luminescence. She didn't wait for her eyes to adjust. She could navigate every centimetre in the dark, because she knew every bulkhead, every display panel, every circuit as well as she knew the lines on the palm of her hand. She was on board the Glyndwr, and that's when Gral'hilanth realised that she was dreaming again. She had grown used to these dreams now. She almost looked forward to them.
Kamina appeared in front of her and danced down the corridor of the freighter out of her reach. Gral'hilanth gave chase.
The young woman's giggle echoed off the bulkhead as she disappeared around the corner.
"Kami!" Gral'hilanth stopped giving chase and stood still. There was a heat behind her. An olive-skinned arm draped over her right shoulder. Another slipped between her left arm and her body. The hands linked, and she felt the young woman's body press into her. Light kisses brushed the back of her neck. It felt like her groin was on fire.
"I miss you when you're not here," Kami's voice whispered in Gral'hilanth's ears. "Stay with me, Hila."
"Gral'hilanth. My name is Gral'hilanth."
"Kamina. My name is Kamina," the ethereal voice echoed.
The hands unlinked and the pressure left her back. Gral'hilanth turned. The young woman stood an arm's length away, her face hidden in shadow.
"Kami," Gral'hilanth whispered. "I can't stay."
Kamina stepped forward. The shadow lifted from her face. Her skin was pale, her eyes lifeless. "I love you. Stay with me."
"I love you, too."
"Then stay."
Gral'hilanth reached out and brushed the long black hair from Kamina's face. The scar on her left cheek was red and raw, as if it had only just been made. She tilted the young woman's face up and placed a kiss on her lips. "I can't," she whispered into Kamina's mouth.
Kamina melted away into the void as her playful laughter continued echoing around the corridor.
Gral'hilanth opened her eyes with a start, unsure of where she was until her slave stirred and sat up. Gral'hilanth silently cursed and climbed out of bed. "Breakfast," Gral'hilanth growled.
Gral'hilanth averted her gaze from the bruised body that climbed from her bed and hurried out of the bedroom. She splashed cold water on her face to wake up, and then slipped into a robe and headed into the lounge.
The slave, still naked, stood with Gral'hilanth's usual breakfast, a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice. Gral'hilanth took the food. "Get dressed," she mumbled.
"Yes, Mistress."
The aloyd sat down and started eating her breakfast. The sharp juice did little to take away the sweet taste of Kamina's lips. The dreams were becoming more frequent, more tactile. The memory of them lasted longer. Part of her was unsettled by the dreams; another part of her was elated to spend more time with Kamina, even if it was only in an altered dream state.
The slave returned and stood against the wall. Gral'hilanth noticed its uniform was stained, and then recalled having thrown her dinner at it the other night.
"Why haven't you cleaned your uniform?"
"You ordered me not to, Mistress. You told me to not to bathe as well."
"I know what I told you!" Gral'hilanth snapped. Actually, she only had a vague memory of the incident. "Come here," she said, directing the slave to stand in front of her. "Why did I tell you that?"
"You didn't say, Mistress." The slave kept its eyes downcast. "I only obeyed your command."
"You only obeyed." Gral'hilanth knew why. Her encounters with Ambra left her feeling dirty and full of self-loathing. She had wanted her slave to be as dirty as she felt. "Bathe. Wash your uniform."
"Yes, Mistress."
The aloyd sighed heavily and climbed to her feet. She had a shuttle to catch.
~~~~
Ambra ap Lentol detested the old basement office under The Council of Administration Chambers, especially on a beautiful summer's day, and could not wait for her new office complex to be completed. It was currently under construction – a tower that would look over The Civic and connect to the Council Chambers building with a lateral maglev lift. As Bren, the leader of The Kalenth Hegemony, her office suite would be on the top floor, and her ministers would have offices on the floors beneath her. Just as it should be, Ambra thought as she studied the plans. In the meantime, she would make do.
Ambra glanced at the chronometer. Aloyd Falentha was almost late for her meeting. Being late is bad and bad people must be punished. Her business with the aloyd could have been done over a comm call, but Ambra took a perverse pleasure in making Gral'hilanth come in person.
The Bren walked to her outer office, where her private secretary, Lonnodren ap Onacon, was busy working. She took note that he wore a charcoal-coloured business suit with a high-collar jacket in a style reminiscent of the suit she had fashioned for herself. She considered the idea of a military-style uniform, but she wanted to be easily recognisable and had settled on rich burgundy high-necked jacket and matching skirt. The only jewellery she wore was a silver, multi-pointed star brooch pinned to her jacket just on her right breast.
Lonnodren stood and acknowledged her presence with a pleasant smile. His dark angular features were considered handsome, and while she had no attraction towards men, she could appreciate them. Ambra noted that his smile disappeared and was replaced with a disdainful look when Aloyd Gral'hilanth ap Falentha entered the office.
"You're two minutes late," said Ambra. She didn't know if that was true or not, but if she said it, no subordinate would dare dispute it.
"My apologies," said Gral'hilanth.
"A true Elit would always be on time," Lonnodren said.
"What's a couple of minutes among friends?" Ambra remarked.
"Nothing among Elit friends." He smirked at Falentha as he spoke.
"I apologise for the smell," said Gral'hilanth. "I must have stepped in some— Lonnodren, I did not see you there. That explains it."
Lonnodren's smirk thinned as he tried not to show his distaste at being made the butt of her lowbrow humour.
"Now, now," chided Ambra as if she were speaking to her children. "We are all friends here." With that she put an end to the infantile display between her two aides. "Come with me, Aloyd Falentha," said Ambra, and walked into her inner office.
"Yes, Bren."
As the door closed behind Gral'hilanth, Ambra spoke, "Such childish behaviour."
"Apologies—"
Ambra silenced her with a wave. "I don't want apologies and excuses. I want loyal subordinates."
Gral'hilanth stood to attention. "Yes, Bren."
The Bren walked around to the other side of her massive desk and looked at Gral'hilanth with a sweet, innocent smile on her face. "Report."
"There is nothing further to report at this time," said the aloyd. "We have had no encounters with any opposing forces. There has been no intelligence on their whereabouts. Yet," Gral'hilanth hastened to add.
"What of Karthen? She should have received our message by now."
"Yes, Bren. Lardis' ship was tracked through the Theelin sector, but the transponder signal was lost after it entered the Graelands."
Ambra made no effort to hide her displeasure. "I want Karthen found!" She sat down at her desk, leaving the aloyd to stand on the other side. "If Karthen is in the Hegemony, as that slave and other woman claimed, she's most likely with her family organising the other founding families and their supporters in defiance of my rule. If Karthen is not here, those families are still opposed to me and in command of some of my ships. Either way, I want her found, and I want those traitors executed and my ships back!"
Ambra glared at the aloyd while Falentha searched for an appropriate response. Secretly, Ambra was hoping the response would be inappropriate, so she could mete out punishment.
Eventually the aloyd's face arranged itself into a calm facade. "Yes, Bren."
Ambra's ire evaporated, because Gral'hilanth was finally learning her place. "Thank you, Aloyd. Return to duty. I will call when I have need of you."
"Yes, Bren." Aloyd Falentha said with almost audible relief.
Noting the blonde woman's buttocks as she made an about turn, Ambra watched Falentha leave with anticipation for their next encounter, when she would not be so accommodating. The best way to break a headstrong submissive is to keep them off balance, she thought. Another way is to achieve that is having an antagonist of Falentha's sitting outside her office.
Determined to find out more about the history between Falentha and her private secretary, Ambra got up and went to talk to him.
Lonnodren immediately put down his work and rose to his feet. She gave him leave to sit back down. She moved a chair next to him and sat down as well.
"Aloyd Falentha seemed a little rattled by your barb," she said. "Was that directed at her Fethusal father?"
Ambra's assistant seemed reticent to answer. "You may speak freely," she said.
He relaxed and answered. "In part. The Falenthas have always been an odd family. I suspect the infusion of Fethusal blood doesn't help."
"Aloyd Oalanic ap Falentha is a fine upstanding officer – a credit to the military and the Elit," Ambra replied. "Don't forget, at some point, most of our Elit families were Fethusal."
"Yes, Bren. I meant no offence to him. I am sure he is all that you say."
"Elit purity is important, I agree," said Ambra. "However, I am forging a new Elit. Certain Fethusal families have been begging for admittance into the Elit for generations. If I allow them in, they will forever be grateful. Fethusal blood is not that different, but anything lower…" Ambra shuddered for effect. "Once the new Elit is formed, we will not allow it to be diluted any further."
"A wise policy, Bren," said Lonnodren.
She liked her underlings to be compliant, like slaves, but there was also a certain attraction to one who resisted, like Gral'hilanth. Ambra smiled at the thought of the pleasure she had taken in forcing the aloyd to her will: watching the consternation on the aloyd's face as Sarray serviced her, or lying there as Ambra took pleasures that would see both of them rejected by Elit society.
"I need to ensure that the next generation of Elit are perfect. How does arranged marriages sound? Stricter controls on who breeds for all of the Hegemony…" Ambra became lost in her thoughts as more ideas came to her.
"Yes, Bren. A stronger, purer Elit to lead a stronger, purer Hegemony." Lonnodren looked enamoured by her suggestion. "Weed out the undesirable children, mould the acceptable ones in your image, your ideals."
Ambra half listened to his sycophantic words. Suddenly a word that Lonnodren had said filtered through and stuck in her mind. She smiled. "Yes. Children," she said.
~~~~
Ambra strode into The Council of Administration Chambers and took her place in the Chairman's seat at the front of the hall. The old, ornate Council Chairman's chair had been replaced with one more suited to Ambra's tastes and her position as Bren: more modern, cleaner lines, and most importantly, more imposing. The old chair spoke of privilege, the new one spoke of power – Ambra's power.
She looked out at the assembled councillors. "I have called you here to announce a new policy." The expressions on the councillors' faces went from expectant to concern. Maybe they should be concerned, thought Ambra.
"The ousted families are still out there. They have been forming a resistance to my rule. There have already been skirmishes with some rogue ships controlled by aloyds loyal to them." Ambra paused for effect. "One such traitor, Governor Ultessi ap Taliss, rose up against our ground forces and was defeated. Let her execution stand as a warning to those who would take up arms against our government."
Murmurs rippled through the assembly.
"These undesirable families cannot be allowed to topple us." Ambra hated to use the word 'us', but needed to impress upon the others that the resistance threatened them as well.
Ambra stood up, stepped down from the dais, and walked to the centre of the chamber. This was her way of saying she was one of them.
"Now, I know you are all loyal to me. However, some of you did not vote for me on the first ballot. This could lead others to suspect that you or members of your family might be sympathetic to the opposition."
Murmurs of denial became more audible.
"I want to ensure that loyalty throughout your families is maintained. Therefore, I am instituting a new policy." Ambra looked back and gave a nod to her assistant Lonnodren, who activated the monitor on each councillor's desk. "I have drawn up a list of children, one from each family, who will be collected and moved to a safe location on Kalenth."
Objections began rising above the din as Ambra's pronouncement was being digested by the assembled Elit family representatives. A simple signal to the guards at the doors ensured that any opposition was quickly silenced. The soldiers stepped forward in unison and brought their weapons to half-ready positions as Ambra returned to the dais in front of the room.
"What do you intend to do with our children?" asked Councillor Kendai.
"Keep them safe." Ambra paused. "Unless your family thinks of betraying me. Then I will reluctantly take measures." She held up her hand to silence the barrage of protestations.
"Believe me, I have no wish to harm them. They will be well looked after. I will ensure they are educated. They will be free to play with each other. They will be free to have contact with you."
"But not free to leave?" asked Kendai.
"Once a child is of an age to assume their role in society, then they will be free to do so, and another child from that family will be selected."
"What of my family?" asked Councillor Falentha. "Two of my family members serve you as aloyds. My cousin is commanding aloyd of your flagship. Surely you do not doubt our family's loyalty?"
"No," Ambra replied, and allowed a smile to form on her lips. "Your family's loyalty is not in question. However, are we not to be seen as equal? I cannot single out any one family for special treatment."
"What about the Lentol family?" asked Councillor Retnee.
"I am confident in their loyalty to me. However, my twin boys will be there to interact with the children, to be their friends."
Ambra looked around. She could see faces that wanted to object more vociferously. She could see the eyes on the scowling faces flick between her and the guards that flanked her, and they thought better of their objections.
"You must not see this as a negative thing," she continued. "Think of the positives. These children will be the vanguard of a new Hegemony. They will be the best and brightest – the favoured few to take us to greater glory. You wouldn't want your family name to be missing from the annals of history." Ambra moved to her seat and sat down. "You have heard my proposal. I put it to you for a vote."
It was nearly a minute of awkward silence before the screen in front of her started registering the results of the votes. She was only concerned with one figure. Those against. She was pleased to see it stay at zero.
~~~~
Having won another unanimous victory in The Council for her agenda, Ambra returned to her penthouse and rewarded herself by having Sarray perform oral sex on her. The slave had become skilled under her guidance. As her orgasm took hold, Ambra raised her hips off the bed. Sarray knew what that meant. Ambra cried out as the slave's tongue traced a path to her anus. Her hands clutched at the sheets as the ripples of welcome release coursed through her body. Ambra finally relaxed her leg muscles and slumped down. Sarray knelt between her legs, head downcast, awaiting further instructions.
Ambra sat up and leaned forward, she tenderly brushed the slave's long dark hair away from its face and cupped its chin with a couple of fingers. She tilted its face up.
"Do you love me?"
"Yes, Mistress."
"Say it."
"I love you, Mistress."
Ambra wondered if Sarray enjoyed the depravity they shared, but she knew the slave was only saying what Ambra ordered it to. Ambra longed for a mutual connection, but no one could be her equal.
She placed a kiss on the slave's moist lips. Savouring the salty, sweet taste, she captured the slave's tongue between her teeth and drew it into her own mouth.
If there was one thing she loved more than the taste of her own juices, it was the taste of another's. She twisted and pushed Sarray down onto its back. She allowed her lips to graze the slave's skin as she moved lower, pausing only to catch a nipple between her teeth. The slave's smooth olive skin tasted salty. Ambra knew that was only the appetiser before she reached the sweet nectar between the slave's thighs.
She put her own skill to use and before long the slave was fighting to keep its moans of delight silent. "Let it out," said Ambra.
Hearing Sarray shriek with pleasure intensified Ambra's gratification. Ambra climbed off the bed when she was done, and in an instant, they were mistress and slave again.
"Get dressed and change the bedclothes."
"Yes, Mistress."
Sarray set about removing the sheets, while Ambra showered and changed into dark blue trousers, with a pink floral patterned, loose fitting shirt. Sarray halted its bed making to help Ambra dress.
Ambra wandered into her office. The sun was setting on the long Kalenth summer day. However, being a leader of the greatest domain in The Orion Spur meant there was little time to enjoy the beauty of a sunset. She sat down at her desk and started going through communiqués that had arrived while she was debasing herself with her slave.
One in particular caught her attention, and she hit a button on her desk. A cube of light from the hologram projector appeared and coalesced into the face of her father, Benlen.
"One moment," he mumbled. His wrinkled face and bulbous nose faded and a short time later it reappeared with the image of Ambra's mother, Kartrine.
"Ambra, how are you?" her mother asked. Her pinched face wore a forced smile.
"I am fine. How are you both?"
Her father's expression was sombre. Her mother's smile tightened. "We are both well," she replied.
"You are causing trouble again," her father stated.
Ambra didn't want this conversation. "I am maintaining control."
"You are kidnapping children." He couldn't have looked more disapproving of her.
"Ambra, say it isn't so," her mother pleaded.
"I am not kidnapping children. They are being voluntarily collected and housed at a safe location. My councillors voted unanimously for the project."
"Project!" Her father was struggling to maintain control. "They are hostages. You threatened to kill them if their families go against you."
"They will not be hostages. They will be my guests."
"Children being taken from their parents are still hostages," her father said.
"Call them what you want. I cannot have my power compromised," Ambra replied.
Her father threw his hands up, walked out of range of the scanner, and disappeared from the display.
Kartrine admonished her daughter. "Ambra, we didn't raise you to be this way."
No, you didn't, Ambra realised. Her mother had always been loving. Her father, though distant, had never treated her badly. Still, she had been raised in the shadow of their weakness – their failure to protect her.
Bad people deserve punishment.
Ambra thought back to what made her this way. When Ambra was twelve, her cousin Elord caught Ambra playing with a naked female slave. She had been curious. Even at that age, she knew where her desires lay and that they were wrong, but she could not control them. Elord, who was nine years her senior, told her that she was bad and that bad people deserve punishment. Part of her agreed, but when he suggested that he be the one to punish her, she had panicked and tried to run. He had grabbed her and threatened to expose her deviance to her parents unless she complied. She had walked away from that punishment with a sore backside and vowed to supress her tendencies. However, Elord was a regular visitor and somehow each time he managed to get Ambra alone and declare that bad people deserve punishment. Her pleas that she had been a good girl fell on deaf ears. Each time he declared that he had to keep punishing her to make sure she didn't do it again, and he threatened to tell her parents if she didn't comply. Before long, his physical abuse escalated to a demand for sex as punishment for her deviance. Always as punishment – it was never consensual and it was never pleasurable. To alleviate her anger and shame, Ambra had taken to punishing the female slave to whom she was attracted in the first place. It went on for four years. After that his visits became less frequent and eventually stopped. However, she didn't stop when Elord no longer visited.
Five years ago, Ambra heard that Elord had been murdered – found tied up and strangled in a disreputable brothel on the planet Dailan. She was finally rid of the threat of being exposed, of being labelled as a pervert, perhaps declared Hebsifilla. Ambra had celebrated the news by deflowering her new personal slave Sarray in the most painful way she could think of.
Now that she had attained the highest position imaginable, those years of abuse to save her and her family from disgrace were being recouped, yet her parents were still not pleased. Maybe I should tell them that the child they raised likes nothing better than wallowing in the filth that pours from the genitals of a lowly slave, that I just licked the cunt of my slave before talking to them.
Her mother's voice brought Ambra back. "Ambra?"
"You only raised me so far," said Ambra. "I raised myself to the top. I looked around and saw the Elit were bloated and sick. I have given it a cure. It had allowed itself to dilute the idea of Elitness. It was… impure." Ambra saw her father step once more into the scanner's range. "I will use the children to breed a new Elit. A pure Elit breed."
Her mother and father looked at each other. They seemed disappointed once more in her actions. That summed them up to Ambra. Why can't they be angry and show it? I would take their anger over their pathetic disappointment any day.
"You're placing too much emphasis on this purity idea," her father said. "A leader needs to think of the economy, health, education, foreign relations. It's not about trying to construct a superior clique."
"If you only want to talk to me to complain, then I would rather we didn't speak."
Her mother implored. "Ambra, please."
"I have important business that needs my attention. I will call you when I have time."
"Am—" The connection ended.
~~~~
Garin wanted nothing more than to be alone to dull her frustrations with drink, but coming to a public bar had been the wrong way to go about it. She looked across the table at her First Officer, Commander Enice Peamertin, who had invited herself along on the shuttle down to Ralkatar, the capital city of Kalenth.
The commander was busy chugging down her fourth beer. "Ahh," Peamertin made a satisfied noise and put her glass down. "It's a wonderful time to be a soldier. I hope we see action again soon. The battle against the Sword was exhilarating." The commander took another mouthful of beer.
"This is what we live for," continued Peamertin, "a strong leader with vision. I'm sure once we deal with any remaining opposition, the Bren will turn her sights to a proper enemy – the Andantians or the Losper." The commander grinned. "We'll be promoted for sure."
Or dead, thought Garin. A year ago, she would have been agreeing with Peamertin. What changed? she asked herself. Destroying theSword in battle, she provided her own answer. The military was Garin's life. She was trained to fight in defence of The Kalenth Hegemony against its enemies who needed to be defeated for the good of the Hegemony. When she had engaged the Sword in battle over Kalenth, she was no longer fighting for the good of the Hegemony, but for the whim of a despotic ruler. I need to get out.
Garin drained the last of her durmywid. She grimaced as the aniseed flavour burnt the back of her throat.
"Don't know how you can drink that stuff," said Peamertin.
"An acquired taste, I guess."
Peamertin finished her beer. "That's all for me. Coming back?"
Garin shook her head. She needed to blot out the thoughts that were plaguing her. That meant either getting drunk or laid. Preferably both.
"See you tomorrow then." Peamertin stood up, gave a half-hearted salute and left.
Garin flagged down the server. "Same again."
"Ma'am?" The server stared at her blankly.
Garin stared back. The long dark hair and smooth feminine features didn't match the short brown hair and stubble of the server who had been attending her all night. "Where's…" she tried to recall his name.
"Samid?" offered the server.
"Yes, Samid."
"He's left. His shift finished. I'm Breena. What may I get you?"
"Breena!" Garin tried to focus in the low lighting and saw a short woman with light skin and brown hair standing in front of her, not the familiar olive complexion and black hair of her sister. "Oh, sorry. My sister's name is Breena."
"Um, that's nice. What may I get you?"
"A dyodpeth," said a man's voice. "Make it two."
Garin watched the server make a note and leave as someone sat in the space vacated by her first officer. The smiling face was a pleasant surprise. "Cayle! It's good to see you."
Cayle Eadmon was dressed in his uniform, a perfect shade of light grey that seemed untarnished by age or wear. The silver 'X' with three overbars of his insignia shone to perfection. He was also wearing a captain's cap. It was an optional part of the uniform and something he hadn't worn previously. Garin suspected it was to hide his receding hairline, much like the sparse moustache that clung to his upper lip in an attempt to prove he could still grow hair.
"What are you doing in a dive like this?" her brother asked, looking around disdainfully at the décor.
This wasn't the seediest of bars around the military HQ on Kalenth, but it was not usually the place to find the commander of the Bren's flagship.
"Getting drunk." Garin raised an empty glass and tried to squeeze another drop out of it. "Hoping to find a young body to warm my bed for a night." She focussed her gaze fully on her brother. "What are you doing here?"
"I am…" Cayle paused as two cups of dyodpeth were placed on the table. "Thank you." He dropped some credits on the server's tray and waited for her to leave. "I am looking for bodies too. Rounding up my crew before we depart tomorrow."
"That's not a job for a captain."
"Neither is getting drunk in a place like this."
Garin lowered her eyes and picked up the cup of dyodpeth. She took a sip and grimaced. Why was I getting drunk? Oh, yes. Our Bren is insane. "Where are you going? If you can tell me, that is."
Cayle took a sip from his steaming cup of dyodpeth and then answered his younger sister's question. "We are going to retrieve some guests for the Bren."
"Guests? You mean the children?"
"Yes," Her brother acknowledged as he brought the cup up to his mouth again. "Brilliant idea, isn't it?"
Garin had heard the announcement and felt sick to her stomach. She was a soldier. She thrived on action. She lived to pit her wits and skill against a worthy opponent. She had not signed up to kill her own colleagues or take children from their families. "Don't you think it's a bit… extreme? Taking children."
Cayle returned the cup to the table. "What better way to control those who might be thinking of plotting against you?"
Garin was about to launch into a list of things that would be better, but her brother seemed to have his feet firmly in Lentol's camp. She couldn't risk alienating him at this point. He may be inclined to inform of her dissent.
"We shall see," she muttered as she took another few sips. The caffeinated beverage was having the desired affect of sobering her up a bit. "Any news on Breena?" she asked, hoping to divert the conversation onto a topic on which they could both agree.
"No." His face took on a stern countenance. "I feel she may have betrayed us. She served under Willenth. She must be loyal to him, otherwise she wouldn't have gone into hiding."
I hope she stays hidden. "Maybe she's hiding from Willenth."
Cayle challenged her. "Do you see Willenth in control of Yerhulin, or anywhere? He's in hiding. There is no reason for our baby sister to be hiding from him, is there?"
"No."
"Then I fear I am right. Sister or not, she will face the consequences."
Garin hid her reply in the cup of dyodpeth.
"Looks like you need that one as well." Cayle pushed the cup in front of him towards her and stood up. "I will speak to you when I can. Goodnight, Garin."
"Goodnight, Cayle."
She waited for him to leave, pushed the cup of dyodpeth to one side, and signalled the server. "Durmywid, make it a double." She fished inside her pocket and dumped the credits on the server's tray. "Have one for yourself."
"Thank you."
The server went to get Garin's drink while Garin scanned the bar for any available men.
~~~~
It had been an uneventful shift on the Relentless for Gral'hilanth - a short patrol around the Kalenth system in the morning, before returning to orbit. She had hoped the rest of the shift would remain uneventful, but the inevitable call from the Bren came. She dare not keep Ambra waiting, so handed command to Captain Eadmon, who was looking a little worse for wear after her shore leave, and called for her shuttle to be prepared.
The churning in her stomach started as soon as her shuttle landed and got worse up to the moment she pressed the chime to signal her arrival.
Sarray let Gral'hilanth into Ambra's penthouse suite.
"This way," the slave said automatically, and led the aloyd through to the Bren's living room.
"That one!" a child's voice cried out.
"I want that one!" another child protested.
Ambra was seated on the floor and smiling as her twin boys argued over who was going to get which present. A simple vocalisation from the Bren silenced the two boys. "Then it's a good job I got two of each. Haran, go look under my desk."
One of the boys scooted off and returned beaming as he carried the toys back.
Gral'hilanth had seen Ambra interact with her children before. Ambra had a genuine love for them that stood in stark contrast to the disregard she showed for other people. She envied the boys to have such love from a mother. Gral'hilanth's mother had always been distant.
No, that's not true, she thought. By the time I went to the Academy, I had pushed her away. I was only interested in pleasing my father.
After a few more minutes of excited chatter, the boys settled down to play with their toys. Ambra placed a kiss on the top of each of their heads and stood up. The look in her eyes when the Bren turned towards Gral'hilanth was far from the loving one with which she looked at her sons. There was a darkness behind the glacial blue gaze. Her mouth may have been turned up in a smile, but the eyes were definitely cold.
"Aren't they beautiful?" Ambra turned to look at her sons.
"Yes, Bren." It was the only answer Gral'hilanth could give, whether it was true or not.
"Sarray, a pitcher of juice and two glasses."
"Yes, Mistress."
"Come." The Bren headed to the corner of the room and opened a sliding door onto the balcony.
As Gral'hilanth stepped out, she was grateful to be wearing her uniform with its built-in temperature control. It was gloriously warm at ground level, but at this height it was quite breezy. Ambra, on the other hand, seemed unaffected. Cold-hearted bitch, Gral'hilanth silently observed.
Sarray appeared carrying a tray with a pitcher of chilled juice, placed it on a table, and poured two glasses.
"Go and keep an eye on my boys."
"Yes, Mistress." Sarray swiftly obeyed the command.
Ambra reached for a glass and took a sip of juice. She stood at the railing and looked out to the horizon. "Many thousands of years ago, a ruler could stand on top of the highest hill and see all of the lands that were part of their domain." She waved a hand at the clear blue sky. "Even on a clear night I can't see all the stars that are part of mine." She looked at Gral'hilanth. "I almost pity you. So close to ultimate power, but you are so far beneath me as to be invisible."
The thought of picking Ambra up and throwing her over the balcony flashed across Gral'hilanth's mind. Instead she picked up her glass and took a drink. "I am happy where I am."
"No, you're not. Or if you are, you don't look happy." Ambra put her glass down. "Still missing that Labror whore of yours – Kamina wasn't it? Tell me, did you wait for her to ripen before plucking her?"
Gral'hilanth put her glass down lest she crush it in her hands. "That's none of your business." She tried to keep the growl out of her voice.
"You're in my realm. You're my subject. Everything about you is my business."
Gral'hilanth squirmed under the Bren's scrutiny. "She was not a whore. I loved her. I still do." Gral'hilanth looked out over the city. "I still dream of her."
"How sweet," Ambra said with barely veiled contempt.
The sound of the door chime filtered through to the balcony. Ambra walked by Gral'hilanth as if she weren't there. Reluctantly, the aloyd followed her. Ambra's husband Larndan followed Sarray into the living room. The boys rushed to their father to show him their new toys. He crouched down to greet them.
"I will be home in a couple of days to spend more time with them," said Ambra.
Larndan looked up at her. "Very well." He stood up and glanced at Gral'hilanth as if he wanted to say more, but not in front of her.
Ambra bid her boys goodbye as she followed the three of them to the door. When she returned, Ambra gestured for Gral'hilanth to sit. A quick nod at Sarray saw the slave retrieve the drinks from the balcony. "I have begun the implementation of my latest policy. What do you think of it so far?"
Gral'hilanth was appalled by Ambra's policy of collecting children from the Elit as insurance against siding with any resistance. However, she could not voice those thoughts. "It is not my place to say. I only obey."
"Good answer." Ambra grinned. "They will be a good start to my new Elit. We can weed out any impurity. Any weakness. Any… anomalies."
"Do you mean like us?" Gral'hilanth asked.
"Yes!" Ambra slammed her glass down. Some of the contents splashed onto the table and Sarray quickly appeared to wipe it up. As the slave moved away, Ambra grabbed its wrist to prevent it leaving. "Look at it." Ambra jerked her head at Sarray. "A lowly slave. An object. However, it's female. The form is pleasing to the eye." She turned to look at the slave. "We should not hold desire for the female form. It goes against our millennia-old values." Ambra released the slave's wrist and moved her hand to cup Sarray's breast.
Ambra looked across to Gral'hilanth. "We are damaged goods, you and I. There is impurity in us. All we can do is recognise that and ensure that Elits of the future are not tainted by the same imperfections."
"The Quernal see nothing wrong in it."
"They will. I will ensure such deviance is removed, not just from the Elit, but all of Hegemony society." Ambra paused. "We will feed our corruption in private. It feels so good." Her hand squeezed the breast it was holding. "However, we must not sink to the low you did – falling in love with a lower caste. That is a depth I will not allow."
Without thinking, Gral'hilanth made an observation. "You desire Sarray. Is that not love?"
"No." The answer was swift and angry. "Karthen lowered herself to fall in love with a slave." Ambra stood up and loomed over Gral'hilanth. "I am not Karthen."
"I apologise." Gral'hilanth didn't know what else to say.
Ambra turned to the slave, who remained standing near Ambra's chair. "Sarray, strip and get on your hands and knees."
"Yes, Mistress." The slave obeyed the command instantly.
Gral'hilanth was confused when Ambra walked out of the room.
A short time later she returned. "As a special treat for Sarray, you are going to fuck it until I tell you to stop," said Ambra, and placed a device on a table in front of Gral'hilanth.
Gral'hilanth dreaded having to strip naked and perform for Ambra's amusement, but she obeyed. She knew it would not be wise to refuse. She picked up the device – a double-sided strap-on dildo. Gral'hilanth had to insert one end inside her in order to strap it on properly. It filled her and pressed against her clit. Her body was already betraying her and she hadn't even started. She glanced at Ambra and saw the leer. Gral'hilanth silently vowed not to give Ambra the satisfaction of thinking she could break her. She took up her position behind Sarray, guided the other dildo into place, and entered the slave. Each time she did, the dildo moved inside her as well, filling her as she withdrew. There was no way to avoid being aroused by it, though she did her best to stifle a moan.
Knowing Ambra was watching, Gral'hilanth picked up the pace. After a few minutes, Sarray's body tensed and pressed into Gral'hilanth. She thrust as deep as she could and held on as the slave came with a muted orgasm. Gral'hilanth was close to orgasm herself, so she was relieved that she could stop before she felt further humiliated by coming. She started to withdraw.
"Keep going," Ambra ordered, as she slowly undressed.
Gral'hilanth wanted to refuse, but thinking better of it, she said, "Yes, Bren."
Gral'hilanth tried to stifle her orgasm as she continued fucking the slave, who strove to muffle its whimpers.
Ambra knelt down in front of Sarray and stroked its hair. "Let it out. Enjoy this."
"Thank you, Mistress," Sarray panted, her moans of pleasure increased.
"I am going to put you down now, Sarray."
"Yes, Mistress."
Ambra produced the belt she had worn and wrapped it around Sarray's throat.
"What!" Gral'hilanth stopped mid-thrust.
"Keep going, or it'll be you with the strap around your throat."
Gral'hilanth numbly acquiesced, and continued at a steady pace.
"Do you love me, Sarray?" asked Ambra.
"Yes, Mistress," Sarray grunted.
"Say it."
"I love you, Mistress."
Ambra's mood suddenly turned dark. She yanked her slave's head back by the hair. "I do not love you, Sarray. I despise you as the slave scum you are." The blonde woman roughly gave the slave's head a push forward and stood up. "You have been honoured to serve me. You should be grateful that I allowed you to give me pleasure."
"I am, Mistress. Thank you, Mistress."
Gral'hilanth could only look on in mute horror as Ambra started tightening the strap. Sarray's lifeless body slumped to the floor. Gral'hilanth withdrew and fell backward onto her heels.
"Did I tell you to stop? Keep going," said Ambra.
Is there no end to this woman's depravity? Gral'hilanth felt the repulsion rise up like bile.
"Fuck the corpse. Isn't that what you want to do with your precious Kamina?"
That was crossing a line for Gral'hilanth. Part of her wanted to choke the life out of Ambra for even invoking the name of Kamina. Ambra was responsible for Kamina's death. No she isn't. I am. It was the price of Ambra's help to become an aloyd. And now Gral'hilanth was Ambra's, body and soul.
Reluctantly, Gral'hilanth positioned herself over Sarray's lifeless body. She did as she was told.
Gral'hilanth glanced and saw Ambra calmly walk back to her chair, sit down, and start fingering herself as she watched Gral'hilanth penetrating the corpse of the dead slave. When Ambra came, she finally called for Gral'hilanth to stop.
"Now I will have to go to the trouble of training a new one. Sarray was a quick learner." Ambra stood up and walked over to Gral'hilanth. "In the meantime, there are some of Sarray's duties you can take care of right now."
Gral'hilanth's heart sank. "Yes, Bren." She heard herself say.
"No. Not Bren." Ambra stood in front of Gral'hilanth, who sat exhausted on the floor. "Mistress."
"Yes, Mistress." Gral'hilanth was surprised she got the word out through the gritted teeth.
"What a good slave you are. Do you love me, slave?"
No! Gral'hilanth stared at the floor. "Yes."
"Yes, what?"
"Yes, Mistress."
"Then say it."
"I love you, Mistress."
Ambra ordered Gral'hilanth to remove the dildo and assume the same position as Sarray had – down on all fours. Ambra strapped it on and took her pleasure right there next to Sarray's corpse. Gral'hilanth closed her eyes so she did not have to look at the blank face of the dead slave. She closed her eyes and closed her mind.
I only obey. I only obey.
Her mantra repeated with every thrust.
I only obey. I only obey.