We jump back into Majah Prime space and we're approaching the planet, and an interceptor squadron surrounds us. "Well Jahní my love, it's looks like they were waiting for us." She stays silent. I can feel the fear in her, as we descend to the planets surface.
We touch down not at the fighter base, but right at the palace pad. She sits there for a moment and I can hear her breathing slowly, and I feel her relax. Popping open the canopy we both jump out; there is an escort party that comes up and immediately disarms us. At the rifle point they make us walk to the palace entrance. Once inside we are taken to a room we're there is a curtain that divides us and clothes, for us to use.
I realize that these are my dress greys. How the hell did they get here? I dress quickly and look to the other side of the curtain. "Are you ready?" I ask Jahní.
She pulls the curtain aside and she's in her black uniform. She has even the medals she's earned on missions; they have her dressed in full regalia. There is a knock on the door. It's opens before we even say enter and the guard motions for us to step out.
We are escorted to the main chamber where the throne is. Once there I see the King sitting on it flanked by Lahí on the right and Zahn on the left. All three of them are dressed the same as Jahní, to my left I spot Mandy and Hal with a Fully armed squad of Marines. That explains my uniform.
We are stopped ten paces from the first step of Dias. From the right steps out an old Majah-tu man dressed in an ornamented robe, that must be some kind of symbol of privilege or prestige.
He walks up to Jahní grabbing her hand seeing the ring he turns and looks my hand.
He lets go of Jahní's hand and beckons another similarly dressed man to him, and he carries some kind of stone. The old man takes it and I can feel the raw fear in Jahní. He holds the stone with his thumb and index finger of both hands, putting it against her abdomen where the uterus is, and it glows warmly.
I see Jahní shudder in fear; I look up to Lahí and her face is paler than normal. Jahní turns to me and smiles. The old man looks to the king and nods. He leaves his job being done.
"Crown Princess Jah-Jahní, what have you done?" The King asks in a stern voice.
Jahní looks up towards her father, but standing regal her head high she says nothing.
"You have nothing to say?" This seems to make him even angrier. He stands up and paces across the front of his throne. "Pledged with this human an off worlder and now you dare come here with you womb quickened, with his child!"
"I love him Father!" She retorts. "I pledged of my own free will, as did he and nothing can be done. The child to come is ours!" She says to him.
"Very well, since you admit your crime now I must decide the punishment." He looks at me than at her. "Is the crowd gathered out side." One of the guards nods. "You will be stripped of all titles and ranks, as well as your privileges. You will be publicly shamed and shunned." He looks at me. "Further more since you pledged yourself to this human you will be confined to the palace, until further notice!"
"As for you Captain our laws do not have any weight against you, so you are to remain on you Embassy grounds!" He motions for the guards to take Jahní. "The child, when born shall be given to you Captain for here it would have no future."
"No!" Jahní shouts and she struggles; I knock down the guard nearest me, and I wrestle with the other one, only Some one knocks me in the back of my head. I hit the ground. "Antonio!" Jahní shouts. I'm picked up roughly and taken outside as well. They stand me up to witness her punishment. The King speaks in their language, at the gathered multitude.
He steps up to Jahní and rips all the medals she has on her uniform; then he rips her sleeves and pulls off the silver tassel rope off her shoulder. He nods to the guards on ether side of her and they hit the back of her legs with batons, causing her to fall to her knees. She doesn't make a sound, though the pain is evident on her face.
The old man shows up again, with the other guy in Tow carrying a knife. The old man takes the knife and mercilessly grabs her hair and cuts it with uneven slashes. Leaving her beautiful long hair on the ground, and what's left raggedly cut. Then the guards proceed to hit her, with the batons on her arms and leg. She covers her abdomen to protect the forming baby, and still she doesn't cry out once.
The King raises his hand and the beating stops. Jahní is softly wincing from the pain she feels, which I feel. The King looks at me and he orders his men to release me, and I fall to the ground as well. I crawl over to Jahní and turn her over; she's half unconscious from the pain.
I look to My people and Mandy has a cruel smile on her face, enjoying her rivals fall. Hal looks like he's about to go to war and Dr. Olsen is just trying to get to me.
Lahí comes over to her sisters side. She looks at her then she looks at me. She stands facing her Father. "This is cruel."
"It is the law and we are not above the law." The King says. "Mercy cannot trump justice." He looks at Jahní and his face slightly softens. "Bring them inside." He commands. "Just my daughter and the Captain."
Jahní is gently placed on a stretcher and I'm picked up by two guards. "Wait just one minute here! Why are you taking Captain Valdez with you?" I hear Mandy's voice. I slowly turn to her and she has this vicious expression on her face.
The Kings aid intercepts her and begins to explaine to her the why I'm being taken, as we pass through the main entrance of the palace. We are both carried into the King's residence, and laid to rest right on the King's bed. The Kings himself put Jahní on the bed. The guards leave and the King steps out.
I roll over and slide to Jahní's side and I gently pick her up and cradle her in my arms, lightly stroking her cheeks. "Jahní. Oh my Jahní can you hear me." She doesn't respond. I look around the very large room that almost seems unused, how could he do this to his own daughter and pregnant as she is.
She groans and I hold her as softly as possible to me; I can feel her pain and discomfort, and I'm pissed off right now. She opens her eyes and at first they are out of focus, but she starts to look around as she gets her bearings. I let out a breath. "Take it easy. You just got a beating that would have put anybody in the hospital."
She reaches up to my face with her fingers and smiles. "Why are we here?" She asks.
"I'm afraid you'll have to ask your father, because I don't know what's going on." I'm wondering myself why we were brought here. The door opens and Lahí is there and she runs to our side.
"Oh Jahní." She says tearfully. "How are you Captain?"
"About as well as I can be considering the circumstances." Jahní's eyes are closed again. I look to Lahí and she checks Jahní's vitals.
"She only sleeps." I relax some. I look at her hair and recall the cruel manner I which they cut it and I feel my ire rising.
"The King has retired for the day and I'm here to watch over the two of you, so please try to rest as well." I nod, but there's not going to be any rest for me tonight.
She reaches to take Jahní, but I draw back pulling her with me. "No! I won't let you take her from me."
Lahí's eyes well up with tears. "I'm not going to take her away I promise. I just want to help her." She reaches again for her and this time I let her tend to Jahní. I help her remove Jahní's tattered uniform, then we remove her shirt and the welts left by the batons makes me wince.
Lahí brings out a bag that she has slung behind her back. Opening it she pulls out a container, and she uncovers it. It's filled with a cream that has a strong scent to it. She begins to apply it onto Jahní's injuries. We then take off her boots and her pants and she does the same there.
Once she finishes she dresses her injuries, and I grab the blanket covering up Jahní's nakedness. "What is going on Lahí?" She looks at me not sure what to say. "Why go through all this and then bring us here?"
She shrugs her shoulders. "I'm not sure what my Father is think about, but if I were in your shoes I would be grateful."
She's right of course, though I have a nagging feeling. "Something is not completely adding up; he made Jahní go through all this suffering for what?"
"I suppose we'll find out tomorrow." I suppose I will.
I look at Jahní and I feel pain. "Lahí will you fix her hair, please." I ask almost pleading.
"Of course I will. I will take good care of her." I nod and lean my head back on the head board.
The next thing I know I'm waking up and Jahní is on her side with her head on my lap, and Lahí is sleeping at the foot of the bed. I straighten up and Jahní rolls over looking at me; she sits up reaching for me and we grab on to each other. She starts to cry.
My heart is in pain... her pain is in me. I want her to be calm, to be happy and to feel loved by me, but how do I accomplish that when her own Father is the one who's doing this. "Ant, are you hurt?" I touch her face and run my hand through her short hair. I hold her face.
"I love you Jahní and we will find away to get through this, no matter what I won't give up." I say to her and she smiles tenderly at me putting her head on my chest.
"I know you will." She say softly; I look and Lahí is almost in tear listening to us.