Crave - 21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Merrick stood in front of the see- through wall of the observation deck and watched a large moon pass by the ship. They had been in orbit over Alectera for over twenty-four hours now, and he was getting antsy. He wanted to get down to the planet and start on his investigation. He, Kalen, and Landin had reviewed everything Jenson had sent them on the Alecteran culture, and felt as prepared as he could get. Thinking of the vampire brought a smile to Merrick’s lips. He knew the older man loved him, but hadn’t been sure he would ever admit it to himself, much less proclaim his love to Merrick. Now that he had, Merrick felt they could make some real progress.

They had commed each other several times since Merrick had left Alect-3. He knew the vampire was concerned about him, and was grateful for the insight the older man was able to provide. From all accounts, the Alecteran society as a whole was not very welcoming of outsiders, so gaining the cooperation he would require for the investigation could prove problematic.

“Commander Weir?” A voice from behind him drew him out of his thoughts. He turned to see one of the security officers standing at the open entryway. “Counseur Mentach asked me to advise you that the shuttle will be departing for the planet shortly.”

“Thank you.” Merrick smiled at the young looking male, who bowed before leaving the room. With a flutter of anticipation, he left the observation deck and made his way to the quarters Kalen and Talin were sharing. As Commander, Merrick had been given his own room, which was larger than the room provided to his men. He pressed his palm onto the door sensor, stepping inside when the door slid open.

“The shuttle will be leaving shortly,” he said, without preamble. They’d been prepared since the moment they arrived at the planet, so it didn’t take long until they were packed and strapping themselves into the seats on the shuttle that would take them to the planet.

“Commander.” Counseur Mentach acknowledged him as he took his own seat. “I’ll be taking you to meet Maser Luda when we land.” He looked to Kalen and Talin. “Your… assistants… will be taken to the rooms that you have been assigned for the duration of your stay.”

The trip to the planet was quick, and when they disembarked, several guards met them in the landing bay. Landin and Kalen were assigned two guards for ‘their protection’ and led out of the building. Merrick followed the counseur and their guard to a sleek hovering shuttle. It was long and thin, requiring them to sit in a row, rather than side-by-side. Another male, who was waiting by the vehicle, climbed into the seat behind Merrick. As soon as he sat down, a harness moved over his torso and chest, strapping him to the seat. He was startled, but noticed the other males also wore harnesses. When the door clicked shut, the shuttle lifted from the ground and moved slowly out of the hanger. Once clear of the doors, it lifted high above the buildings and took off like a bullet. Merrick suddenly understood the reason for the harness.

It seemed like only moments before their transport came to a halt and descended to the ground. When they stopped moving, a group of males walked down the steps of the building in front of them. Their movements were graceful and nearly synchronized. The building looked like a fortress carved into the towering cliff.

“Commander Weir.” A tall male greeted him when he stepped out of the vehicle. Merrick swallowed several times, willing his stomach to settle back into its proper place. “It is good to see you again.”

Merrick recognized the tall male as the Senator who met them on Alect-3 several weeks ago. “Senator.” He dipped his head slightly in deference to his position. “It is good to see you as well.”

“Maser Luda is waiting for you in the throne room.” The taller man indicated that Merrick should walk with him. After greeting the senator, the counseur and guards from the shuttle bay climbed back into the vehicle, which soon rose above their heads before flying off at an incredible speed. Merrick turned his attention back to the senator. The steps they climbed were well worn and polished, obviously crafted from solid stone. It must have taken years, and incredible patience to create. Many of the buildings surrounding them were also carved into the cliffs. Any freestanding structures were made of a combination of large slabs of stone and wood. For such an advanced society, their dwellings certainly appeared to be rooted in the past.

The entry was flanked by large columns on either side of a door that could have been used by giants. The foyer had high walls reaching up to soaring ceilings. The walls were carved with what looked to be a form of hieroglyphics, and the ceiling bore a depiction of what Merrick believed to be this system’s constellation. He would have loved to have time to examine the artwork more closely, but stayed beside his guide. “The carvings are beautiful,” he said instead.

The male nodded without turning his head. “They were carved by our ancestors a millennia ago.” Dark eyes turned in his direction briefly before looking away again. “It’s very important to our people that our history is carefully preserved. We do have a fondness for our traditions.” Merrick felt his mouth twitch with a suppressed smile. Fondness was an understatement from everything he heard about the culture.

Their footsteps echoed in the cavernous room as they made their way to an archway on the far side. The opening led to a wide hallway lit by sconces along the walls. Although they looked ancient, he realized they were illuminated by an artificial light source. An intricately woven carpet ran the length of the long corridor, muting the sound of their footfalls. There were several closed doors lining each side, etched with swirling patterns and depictions of ancient battles. Merrick was again impressed with the talent of the Alecteran craftsmen.

After several turns, they finally stepped into another large vestibule with a high rounded ceiling. He noticed several paintings of Alecteran males lining the walls, and there was what appeared to be writing inscribed in the stone floor, but in a language Merrick had never seen before. Senator Elsan led him to a set of double doors which were surprisingly plain. The taller male opened the heavy-looking doors and stood in the threshold.

“May we enter, Maser Counseur Luda?” Merrick heard a male voice bidding them to come in. The senator stepped inside, not waiting to see if Merrick would follow him. Entering, he found himself in a cavernous hall dominated by a large stone table surrounded by high-backed, wooden chairs. To the right of the table against one wall was a stone platform holding a large metal and wood throne. A smaller, but no less ornate chair stood to its left. The back of each chair around the table was inscribed with a unique symbol. Like everything else Merrick had seen, the workmanship was impressive.

A tall, broad-shouldered male stood at the far end of the room, near the dais. He moved around the table, walking towards Merrick’s group. Unlike the rest of the Alecterans Merrick had met, one side of his head was shaved and tattooed with inscriptions similar to those on the floor in the vestibule. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the Senator subtly shifting to keep himself between Merrick and the advancing male. Although his features were alien, the male was handsome in a powerful, masculine way. He exuded power and confidence.

“Maser Luda.” The senator bowed in the direction of the other man, his voice filled with respect. “May I present Commander Weir? Commander….” He turned to Merrick. “… Maser Counseur Luda.” With a look the human took to be a warning, the male stepped back, but still remained close to the Maser’s side. Merrick remembered Jenson’s warnings about physical contact and bowed instead of offering his hand to the Maser.

“Maser Luda, thank you for allowing me to visit your planet.”

The man’s mouth turned up with a small smile. “Commander Weir, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. Senator Elsan has told me of the troubles your party encountered on Alect-3. I cannot tell you how sorry I am for your losses.” The male was either an excellent actor, or he was sincere. Although Merrick realized planetary leaders could be very adept with false platitudes, since the male had negotiated the settlement of Alect-3, he tended to believe the man.

“Thank you.” He dipped his head, slightly. “Councillor and Envoy Shey have asked me to extend their greetings.”

The leader made a sound like a crackling hum in the back of his throat. “Yes, I was also advised of Envoy Shey’s injuries. It is unfortunate. He’s a good male. I rather enjoyed discussing his travels with him. I trust he will recover?”

“Yes.” Merrick could hear the relief in his own voice. “The damage was extensive, but they were able to treat him quickly.”

“That’s good to hear.” The male turned, gesturing to a seat near the head of the table. “Come… sit. We have much to discuss.” He walked to the head of the table directly in front of the platform.

As if this was a cue, all of the guards left the room, shutting the doors behind them. The senator stood in front of a chair directly to the left of the Maser, while Merrick was directed to the seat to his right. He waited until the Maser was situated before taking a seat. They made small talk for the next several minutes, and he patiently answered questions about Jenson’s injuries, Councillor Shey’s well-being, and other pleasantries before the Maser finally turned the conversation to the investigation.

“I must be honest with you, Commander.” The male looked directly at Merrick. His stare was unwavering and intense. Merrick silently met the male’s gaze and waited for him to continue. “Our investigation has uncovered very little, but I’m certain that at least one, and likely more of my Counseury is involved in the flauros attacks.”

“I agree. There would be too many security systems to bypass for this to be the work of an ordinary citizen.” He was a little surprised the Maser was being so forthright with him, but he thought he hid his shock well.

“Under ordinary circumstances I would not be so… open… with an outsider, however, with these attacks and other evidence Senator Elsan has gathered, I’m now convinced there is a conspiracy brewing to overthrow my rule.” The other man shot the leader a look as if to say ‘it’s about damned time.’

“Why not just back away for now and slowly welcome more visitors from other species to the planet? It could give more of your people time to acclimate to the changes you’re trying to make.” Merrick was truly curious.

“It was a dream of my father’s to see our people make their mark in the universe. He wanted us to develop a more accepting attitude towards other races. He was worried what our isolation would cost us. He died before he could make very many changes, but he did set into motion the negotiations for the settlement of Alect-3 and an agreement that some of our more adventurous citizens could apply to your academies. Since his death, I’ve tried to carry out his vision. In the last couple of decades we’ve welcomed more visitors to Alectera, and have established a small trade business with a neighbouring system. Many of my people, especially our young ones, have been accepting of the changes I’ve been introducing, and support the settlement of Alect-3. I’ve even been petitioned by several of our young ones who wish to attend school on Anglia. Others, including several members of my own counseury, have been quite vocal in their objections.”

The Senator cleared his throat, drawing both men’s attention. “We believe these objections may have been the motivation behind the flauros infestation. If the Anglians retaliated because of these attacks, or if they simply withdrew from the negotiated contracts, it would give the dissenters more ammunition against expansion.”

“It makes sense. They want to disrupt the process before it starts.” Merrick leaned forward in his chair, resting his forearms on the table. “Whoever is responsible won’t be happy with my presence.”

“That’s my hope.” The leader smiled, and Merrick thought he saw a gleam in the other male’s eyes. “Our societal constraints prevent me from directly questioning those I believe are involved. Aevahn… Senator Elsan has interviewed anyone who could’ve had access to the security systems, but his duties as my emissary keep him too busy to devote the time required. I don’t trust anyone else in the Counseury to be unbiased in an investigation. It’s possible they’re all guilty. You, on the other hand, have a vested interest in discovering the truth. I believe your presence will unbalance the culprits and cause them to make a mistake when they try to cover their tracks.”

“It sounds as though you’re throwing me into the room like a grenade, hoping the explosions will jar something loose.”

Maser Luda stared at for a moment, unblinking, before a slow smile crept over his face. “Yes, that’s precisely what I’m doing.”

Fuck! Merrick suppressed his irritation. From the moment the Anglian ship landed on Alect-3, they had been no more than cannon fodder in a brewing civil war. He only hoped his team could find the answers they were looking for before all hell broke loose.

p>Thank you, Gary for everything you do and your unwavering support.   Thank you to all of you who read and support the story. 

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