Devotion (Chosen by the Karal #5)(46)
“I would celebrate with you. But I want the ability for my people to travel the universe and find their own home. Do you think it fair for us to put our fate into the hands of another species?”
“That is why your females are participating on the missions. Mr President, that is the terms of our agreement.”
“Your terms. Exactly.” He paused before continuing. “When you first came here, we were so in awe of the Karal. Lately though, we feel taken advantage of. My government has been discussing it at length and we feel that the only way for our species to work together is if you share your technology in the same way we have shared our women.”
Okil understood the implications. “Are you saying that you will withdraw from the lottery?”
“I never said that exactly, did I? Now, Okil, do not put words into my mouth. I may have to sue you for defamation of character.” He grinned widely, and Okil knew he was playing a game of cat and mouse with a master. He had to get out of there soon.
“I will convey your message to the Hier Council. I do not have the authority to make negotiations that in any way concern our technology.”
“And that has been our problem all along, hasn’t it, Okil? You are just the messenger.” He clapped Okil on the back good-naturedly. “So you run home now and tell your Hier Ruler, that the next time the Karal want to discuss terms, they send the organ grinder and not the monkey.”
“Thank you for your time, Mr President,” Okil said, keeping his emotions in check. He could not let his colours free. If he did his face would be black, and death might visit the President of Earth by the hands of its greatest protector.
Chapter Thirty – Tikki
She waited anxiously; there had been no news all day. Maybe that was to be expected. Or maybe something had gone seriously wrong. All she knew was each minute without Okil, without knowing he was safe, was a minute too long.
“He’ll be OK,” Elissa said, coming to sit beside her. “He is the bravest person I know. So many times he could have simply left us humans to our own devices.”
“I agree. When I first came here, it was Okil who looked after me,” Evie said. “Ishk took a while to come around to having a human female around.”
“How are things now between you all? I know it must be difficult.” Tikki felt a large amount of guilt for bringing this on them. The scene in the council chamber had been hard; she hoped there was no lasting permanent damage done to the women’s relationships.
“Oh, they get over it. The baby kicked for the first time yesterday, and Lytril was ecstatic,” Vanessa said.
“You must be worried too, Celia. About Torac going to Earth,” Tikki said.
“I have learned that the Karal have a way of looking after themselves.” Then she turned and looked up at the sky as something bright flashed across it. “We’re about to find out. That was a cruiser. I’m sure it must be them.”
“Charlie,” Tikki called, “We should get you cleaned up.”
“Why?” the boy said, coming over with dirt smeared across his face from digging in the dirt. They had been weeding the garden that Evie had begun to plant when she was going to live here.
“Because we will be eating soon.” She did not intend to tell him his parents might be arriving on Karal at any moment. It would be awful if they hadn’t been able to locate them, and Charlie would be so disappointed. Just as Tikki would be if they weren’t on the cruiser. Okil had been convinced they had been found and it was just a matter of smuggling them off Earth. And he had done that before.
Charlie stood patiently while she sponged his face, and then they had some refreshments while they waited. The cruiser had become visible briefly, and then it had disappeared as it flew lower. She could only imagine the furore of getting Charlie’s parents out of the airport. Okil had mentioned a debriefing by the Hier Ruler himself.
“If they do have to talk to Lytril,” Vanessa said, “they will be ages. He does like to make himself clear.”
“Do you have any idea why he has allowed them to come here?” Elissa asked, without mentioning names. They had all been very careful not to talk too much about the situation in front of Charlie, but they were all desperate to know the reasons behind the Hier Ruler’s change of heart towards Charlie’s parents.
“Even now, he is a law unto himself. I’m sure he has something planned but he doesn’t tell me.” She watched Charlie and smiled. “I would like to think it was because he saw Charlie and thought of the child I am carrying. But I don’t think so.”
“They’re here.” Vanessa got up and dusted herself down; the others did the same and then followed her to the entrance of the breeding house.
Tikki held out her hand to Charlie, and walked with him, trying not to let on how nervous she felt. In his arms, he still clutched the old teddy, now neatly sewn up. Who would have guessed the secrets one stuffed bear could hold?
The cruiser drove in to the courtyard, and halted. Tikki’s breath did the same, catching in her throat. Then she let it out as the ramp came down and Okil walked down into the courtyard. He was safe, she wanted to run to him, to throw her arms around him, but she couldn’t, not yet. Because beside her Charlie stood, clutching her hand, and her heart began to sink. His parents were not on board.