He hated going into a mission with so many question marks, but it was what it was, and he’d be on his guard and alert for any deception. In the end, it was the nature of his mission to start with, to find those answers and learn those truths, so of course they were blanks. Another reason to hate the diplomatic missions, but he’d go where his king sent him and do what was ordered.

  He owed the king that, and far more in truth, from his way of reckoning.

  Chapter Three – Interlude

  Prelate Aria crossed her arms and legs and sat back in her throne, and her eyes were cold as she looked down from the dais at Blessed George, and archbishops James, Jezebel, and Santos. She could see clearly that the message in that body language had struck home.

  “What is it that is keeping you here, instead of returning to your worlds.”

  There were sixteen worlds in the Grand Communion. Each one was run by either a Blessed, or an Archbishop. The blessed of course were blessed by the goddess to wield diverse magics with their will alone, similar to the royal family and celestial knights of the Moiroi Star-Kingdom. There were currently only six blessed in the theocracy including her, which had ten of the worlds watched over by archbishops, who not so incidentally were also wizards or healers.

  The home world of the Grand Communion of course, was ruled by the prelate, which was the ultimate position in the church, Aria herself. Her word was law, and the word of the one goddess.

  Bishops ruled the cities, and clerics ran the churches. The other clergy in the churches were brothers and sisters, and they were at the bottom rung in the church’s hierarchy. Others served the church of course, but they were usually volunteers and had no standing in the hierarchy, even if they were equal in the eyes of the goddess.

  The four of them looked at each other in doubt, then turned back to Aria.

  George spoke, “We wished to urge you one more time to see reason. The heretics should be converted at all costs, and you have one of the worst of them coming…” George trailed off as she held up her hand.

  “The goddess works in mysterious ways, I asked for Celestial Black specifically to a purpose, and the presence of the goddess sits at ease in my heart. As for the heretics, they do need to come to the one true goddess, but you know my policy on it. I will not listen to you regurgitate the same old arguments that were settled with finality last week in the vote. It is her will that we move forward as one. I have sixteen worlds to watch over, and you each have one to assist me and the goddess in keeping the flock. All the other archbishops and blessed have taken their leave, I suggest you do the same.”

  There was a veiled threat in that last, but outside of stirring trouble and mischief, and perhaps fomenting rebellion, she could see no reason at all they’d want to remain here. The four of them had been the most rabid of her archbishops and blessed in pushing for things to go their way.

  It was also a problem, she had won, the bishops, archbishops, and blessed had voted. They’d picked a side. The problem was that vote had been awfully close when she’d been raised from blessed to the prelate, which was a lifetime post. Very close. More than that, on the vote she knew the archbishops and blessed were against her by nine votes out of sixteen. It was only because almost two thirds of her bishops had voted for her to replace the previous prelate that she was sitting in the chair.

  Which would make the early days of her rule difficult, as she had over half of her immediate juniors against her foreign policy moving forward. The Grand Communion had never had a revolution that unseated a prelate, but there was a first time for everything. She’d have to stay on top of things.

  Jezebel bowed her head, “I will take my leave, prelate. My world does need me, I only wished for one more opportunity to speak frankly on the matter. I can see now you’re too busy, and I will pray on the matter.”

  The others followed suit, and she blew out a breath as soon as they left the room.

  “Benjamin?”

  Benjamin was a brother, and her assistant. He kept her schedule straight, and organized her day, so she could focus on what was most important. He was passably attractive in an average way, with a medium build, brown hair and brown eyes. He was also a healer and checked every single one of her meals and drinks for poison before it reached her.

  She trusted him absolutely, one of the few in the church she could say that about. Not the only one, but high up there. Mostly, because he was her own son. He was also an unusually powerful healer, but the blessing of being a blessed had passed him over. He definitely took after his father as well, because she had straight and light blonde hair, and vivid blue eyes.

  She was weary of the arguments. So many in the church had been waiting for the old man to die, in the hopes the next prelate would go forth and convert the rest of humanity. By force if necessary. In the end, her words and stance on the matter had won her the uncomfortable chair she then sat on.

  Still, she was looking forward to launching the aggressive campaign she had planned.

  Benjamin said, “That was the last audience of the day. You have an hour for prayers and to prepare yourself for tonight’s homily.”

  “Thank you, Ben,” she turned her head to the side thoughtfully, then said, “I’ll be in my private chapel. Please find Sister Leanne and send her to me. She knows the way.”

  Benjamin bowed, “At once, eminence.”

  She sighed, “Call me mom when we’re in private, or if you must, prelate.”

  Ben laughed, “Sure, mom. Did you want something to eat before the homily?”

  She shook her head, “I’m fasting until I break my fast at dawn tomorrow.”

  He bowed, and then left the room.

  She stood up, and then took a different door from the audience room into her private hallways and home. If she turned left another private hall would lead to the back of the main altar room and public sanctuary where many thousands came to worship on a daily basis. She turned right instead, and moved farther back into the private section of the grand temple complex. Once she reached the entrance room to her personal suite, going straight ahead would lead into the living room with the kitchen, bathroom, exercise room, and master bedroom beyond that. As well as an inner courtyard garden and private altar.

  To the left was a dining room for when she had many guests, and to the right is where she was going. The small chapel was a simple clean space, without much in it except an altar to the goddess as well as a few cushions on the floor to kneel on. There were three candles on the altar and a stained-glass window depicting the one goddess in all her glory.

  She knelt and centered herself, then with a shake of her head pulled out a bug detector from her robes. It was a place of prayer, and she always felt a little out of place doing what she was doing in that room, but her reality was that she wasn’t just the head of a church. She was the head of a sixteen-world interstellar government, and not nearly all her clergy were humble servants of the goddess.

  Too damned few, really.

  She of course, had more than her fair share of ambition as well, but it’d been being blessed by the goddess that had gotten her there. Her competition had been limited to five others, only one of the blessed could ascend to the exalted status of prelate of the church. But to keep that position she’d need more than her facile tongue and passion in her goddess. She’d have to play the game, if she didn’t want to go down in history as the first unseated prelate since the founding of the Grand Communion.

  She put the device away, there were no bugs in her private chapel. She truly did not want her conversation with Sister Leanne to be overheard, by anyone.

  She prayed while she waited, trying to calm her mind.

  She sensed Leanne arrive, and kneel next to her and bow her head. She took a moment to look over and study the sister, who was not strictly speaking, exactly what she appeared. Even a theocracy needed spies, after all.

  Leanne was a stunning woman, even in the black shapeless dress and no makeup to speak of, she was among one of the most beautiful women she’d ever seen. Long and straight, rich golden blonde hair and vivid blue eyes. The sister was petite in stature at five foot three, despite being two inches taller than herself. In those two ways, they could be sisters, with very similar hair and eyes, if she was twenty years older than the sister in her presence.

  That’s where the comparison started to fail, however. She was generously endowed for five foot one, but average and had an hourglass body on the lithe side. Her guest however, had at least double d breasts, and a very shapely bubbled ass. Her body with those measurements at just five foot three was more waspish than hourglass. At just twenty-one years old she had a flawless complexion on a cute heart shaped face. Her face and full lips, high and very soft cheekbones, spoke of innocent cuteness.

  She was quite sure that made her a very effective spy, and likely drove men mad with that cute innocent face sitting on top of a lushly wicked body built for sin. Evoking both the need to protect and underestimate her, while at the same time stoking thoughts of… another nature.

  It wasn’t her usual thought process to linger on such things, but it was relevant to her purpose this night.

  Leanne said softly, “Your eminence, you wished to see me?”

  “You understand the position I’m in, don’t you?”

  Leanne nodded subtly, “I do, prelate. I will also do my best to root out any signs of insurrection. If you’ll forgive me for saying so, we need your firm hand, and the goddess needs you leading our church into the future.”

  She bit her lip, “Would you die for the goddess, Leanne. Would you give everything up for me, and where I plan to take our church.”

  Leanne didn’t even blink, “I would, your eminence.”

  Unlike her archbishops and blessed, she had no trouble reading Leanne with her magic. The truth of those words was like the sensation of brushing silk on her senses and magic. For a moment, she was tempted to take the young woman into her bed. The goddess did not require chastity of her clergy, and the startling beauty was willing she knew, but she pushed that down as foolishness. Leanne was perfect for the mission she had in mind, and although she’d always liked pleasure, she’d never been a slave to it.

  “Then I have a mission for you. Goddess willing it will turn into a blessing, but it’s also the riskiest thing I’ve ever asked of you, and even if it goes well, it will likely take you away from us. Very dangerous, because the one that you will interact with will be able to read you as easily as I can.”

  Leanne turned and looked into the prelate’s eyes, “I am yours to direct, prelate.”

  She nodded, “Thank you, Leanne. May the goddess bless you for this, child. This is what you must do…”

  Riesa stretched and arched her body, putting her hands behind her feet. It felt really good, after being stuck in the pilot’s chair for so long. There were still ten light years to go, but she needed rest and sleep. It was why there was usually three to five wizards on each ship, a single wizard could only hold the space-fold for so long before becoming exhausted.

  If she’d faltered during transit, an uncontrolled exit from a space fold collapse almost always killed the crew, and more often than not tore the ship apart as well. She’d rather rest for eight hours in the void, than risk that end out of foolish pride.

  She was the only one on the ship. Well, her and Daisy, but an artificial couldn’t wield the power of magic. She was really looking forward to seeing Dacen again. She was almost positive he wouldn’t recognize or remember her. She’d only been twelve at the time, and not the shapely adult she was now at twenty. He’d only been fifteen, but he’d saved her life.

  She’d been following his career and learning about him ever since.

  She was almost positive the man would have her submitting in seconds, and after that who knew what might happen between them. She’d heard enough salacious stories from others of her kind that served around the palace to know he was a deliciously firm and dominant lover, intense too, but never in a way that would feel degrading or overbearing to a Cheelah.

  Too many humans thought the dominant and submissive instincts of their kind was an invitation for abuse or shaming. So few humans did it right, and from what she’d heard he was one of them. That the stories also included the fact he was a generous accomplished lover and had a huge cock that wasn’t so big it was painful, had her a bit excited.

  She just hoped it was all true, and she’d be able to seduce him into making her his.

  Despite all that, she did not transfer from her promising post in the palace guard just for a good and wild fuck with a man that truly understood a Cheelah’s needs, no matter how hot the idea was getting her. No, the reason she’d volunteered was because she owed him her life and her honor.

  She was almost sure he wouldn’t remember her.

  Most humans were good, as were most Cheelah in her mind. But there were always evil men and women in this world. Given the two different races, there was bound to be slavery and trafficking on both sides. It was the nature of life, and such men and women deserved death for their crimes.

  The exotic attraction between the species went both ways, and for less than honorable people that could lead to some dark things. It was natural to see another species as inferior, after all, and it was only after several wars and serious misunderstandings that things became as good as they were now between the species.

  Still not perfect, but given the darkness in some beings’ hearts, it might just be the best it would ever be.

  It had been him, a newly trained celestial that had freed her mother and several other Cheelah from sexual slavery through misused dominance. The cowards had even used weapons during the dominance struggle, which was against tradition. It was what it was, and she’d have been one of the ones on her back as well, just six months later if she’d still been stuck there under their authority. As it was, she’d been a maid and cook, while her mother was abused nightly.

  So, he was her hero, and she owed him a lot. That was the true reason she was there. Still, it was the idea of playing his body servant and easing his needs that had her tail vibrating at the moment. Cheelah tended to have… strong appetites, and she was no different.

  It also had the potential to be more than a single mission. The king had spoken to her personally, and while she tried to calm her mind and find sleep, her thoughts wandered through the conversation.

  The king had asked, “How would you feel if this became a permanent assignment?”

  She’d felt a thrill at the thought, but had replied, “I am willing to serve as you will, but I think I would also enjoy that.”

  The king smiled, “I see. The truth is Dacen Black is one of my best agents among the Celestial Knights, but he is also unique. Most knights have that blank non-emotion going on, but not Dacen. That is a good thing at times, and a style I respect, but it can rub the military wrong. Especially recently, after the destruction of the Eagle it didn’t dampen his… relaxed enthusiasm at all. Like it didn’t affect him at all, the deaths of all those people under his command.

  “The truth is it did affect him. I know him well enough to know that, but he hides his darker emotions under that unflappable and relaxed exterior of a playboy. The military always accompanies my knights, even if just a company of marines to watch their back.”

  The king then shook his head, and continued, “Point being, he doesn’t fit the mold, and as a result I’ve slowly been coming around to the idea his support as well as himself needs to be a rule unto their own. It goes against standard procedure, but I am the king.

  “You are one of my best guards. Loyal, competent, and extremely deadly to any assassins or enemies that threaten the nobility or the palace. So, not only is this mission what it looks like, it’s also a test run. If things go well, I may station you with him permanently. Perhaps a few others as well in time, a small yet elite team that works exclusively under Dacen. So he won’t have to deal with the military anymore, and they won’t have to deal with him.”

  “Yes, your majesty. I am still willing.”

  She blushed, more than shamelessly willing in truth, and she was sure the king had picked that up, even if she’d downplayed it. There was no lying or even shading the truth to a celestial, and the king’s whole family were celestials.

  He nodded, “Keep that secondary mission objective to yourself, if you can. Don’t try to deceive him if he asks, just don’t bring it up if he doesn’t. Lastly, without military involvement to ferry him around from mission to mission, he’ll need an armed ship for most missions, which we’re working on now. It should be ready by the time you return from New Blessing. It won’t be just a refitted ship, but an entire new class. A Celestial class cruiser, it’ll be about two thirds the size of a corvette and it’s meant to be run by a minimal crew with artificial support.”

  “I understand, your majesty.”

  She’d gotten the impression from that conversation that the king was excited about the idea of an elite team with their own ship. This mission might be the test run for her, Daisy, and Dacen, but she got the idea that if it went right, it would be the continuing test run toward a new policy and way of doing things for all celestial knights. Even in the case of war, there was no reason a celestial couldn’t accompany a whole fleet in their own celestial designed ship.

  It was all like a dream come true for her, and she could hardly wait to get to Dragos and pick him up for their first mission. She just hoped she wasn’t building it up in her head to much.

  Daisy finished rewriting the software control systems, and she felt a little better about the ship that she was housed in. There’d been nothing too bad in there, but there had been bugs present in the system. The engineers had been rushed to get this ship disarmed and part of the diplomatic fleet. A few bugs, but also a lot of bloated code, that was now elegantly written and pared down. Her efforts would increase the response time of most systems and terminals by almost forty percent.