Her Alien Commander (21 page)

He held her gaze, his expression harsh. When he spoke his tone was chilled. “Let me make two things clear to you. One, you are to be punished for endangering yourself and our baby, not for attempting to escape. And two, you will not escape from me because you will have no need to. I am prepared to take you back to Earth.”

“What?” Caria stared at him, dumbstruck. Why, how had this happened? Why had he changed his mind? “But, what about the baby? I thought you wanted it.”

“Her. I wanted
her
. I still do, but the situation has become more complex.”

Caria’s head whirled. She blurted out the first question that occurred to her. “You are quite certain our baby is a girl?”

He gave her a sardonic grin. “I have already explained that the gender of our offspring is not left to chance. This baby
will
be a girl, have no doubt of that, little human.”

“Oh. Oh…” Caria considered that for a few moments. A girl, a baby daughter. In that moment it became real for her. She was to have a little girl of her own, at last.

The second thing Phahlen had said to her registered. “You’ll take me back home? To Earth? Why? Why would you do that?” Unless…” A horrible thought occurred to her, a vile possibility. “You mean to leave me there, don’t you? In an Earth prison while you steal my baby and take her back to Vahle with you. I won’t. I won’t let you do that. She needs me. And—I need her.” Caria scrambled from the bed and retreated as far as her tethered ankle would allow. “You’re a bastard, a mean, manipulative bastard. I loathe you.”

If he resented her outburst, he hid it well. Phahlen regarded her from his seat on the edge of the bed, and smiled. The lowlife jerk actually fucking smiled at her. Incensed, Caria clenched her fists and started for him.

He put up his own hands in a gesture of surrender. “Whoa, no more of that, little human. I said we needed to talk and I am not finished yet.”

“I’m finished listening to you,” Caria spat.

“Tough, because there is more. We shall start with the real reason I am prepared to take you to Earth, shall we?”

“Real reason?” Caria glared at him, perplexed. She knew his reason and was having none of it.

“Yes, the real reason. And note, I said I was
prepared
to return you to Earth, not that I intended to. It is your choice, Caria. I will take you there if you want to go, but not otherwise.”

“To spend the rest of my life in jail for a crime I didn’t commit?” Despite her protestations, Caria knew what her future on Earth was likely to consist of if she fell into the hands of the authorities. If she’d succeeded in escaping and managed to return to her home planet her way, she would have every intention of eluding the forces of justice.

“Exactly, and therein lies the dilemma. You see, we have been doing some investigating of our own and the advice of my on-board attorney-mediator—that’s a Vahlean legal practitioner with expertise in trans-galactic legislation and litigation—is that it would be possible to present a reasonable defence to the allegations that have been made against you.”

She frowned at him, her suspicions raised at once. What was he up to? “A reasonable defence? What sort of defence? And that would involve a trial, surely?”

“It would, certainly. And that trial could take place on Earth if you so choose.”

“Could? Why would I not choose to go back to Earth? I might get off.”

“Get off? If by that you mean that the charges would be dropped, I am afraid that is unlikely. You were on board the
Luminaire
, and you are without doubt guilty by association. No amount of legal argument would be able to make that go away. It is the level of guilt and degree of culpability that is in doubt. Our attorney-mediator has advised that you could ask the authorities to consider a lesser charge more commensurate with your actual involvement, and that this proposal might be accepted. In a Vahlean jurisdiction he would be confident of success, and I have to say I share his view. The uncertainty arises in seeking to predict the likely outcome of such a plea bargain attempt on Earth. The human judiciary is known to be much more difficult to negotiate with, and politically the authorities on Earth have long held a presumption of guilt around interstellar piracy. It is regarded seriously in the Terran quadrant because of the history of cross-galactic raids that plagued your world for centuries, and the penalties are severe. If our legal arguments fail, and there is that chance, you would face a lengthy prison term, in all probability the life sentence you mentioned.”

“I don’t understand. Why are you telling me all this if no one’s going to listen anyway?”

“Vahle would listen. As an ally of Earth, and because you were arrested in Vahlean space, we could hold the trial on my home world. The likely outcome would be better, though I should warn you, you should still expect a custodial sentence. But it would be much shorter, and could be served in my custody. Your situation would remain much as it is now, but with the vital difference that there would be an end date. And once your sentence is served you would be free to go wherever you choose to. You could even return to Earth.”

Caria gaped at him, processing this new and bewildering set of options. Freedom. It beckoned… a glittering prize and suddenly it was within reach. She could return home eventually a free woman; she could start over and put these last dreadful years behind her. She and her baby—

No, not her baby. Phahlen might allow her to leave his world but he would never let her take his baby with her. And she knew with absolute certainty that she could never leave her child behind. She would be trapped on Vahle as surely as she was trapped here on the
Empyrean
. More so even, as she would never again try to escape. Not on her own.

But what was the alternative? To try her luck with a hostile judicial system that she knew was already prejudiced against her? If she was found guilty, she would not be permitted to keep her baby with her in an Earth jail so she’d be no better off. At least Phahlen was offering something better than that. Wasn’t he?

“If I was in your custody, would my baby be with us? Here? On your ship?”

“
Our
baby. And yes, of course, at least until she is old enough to require an education. She could go to school on Earth or on Vahle, though I would prefer her to learn of her own world and people. As a Vahlean female she would not be permitted to take a mate from another species, for reasons which I assume will be obvious, but that issue is many years away and we need not address it now. In any case, our daughter may select a Vahlean male by choice, or the High Congress may relax the regulations in years to come, if our repopulation programs meet the target numbers we have set. We cannot know what the future holds so I am not about to concern myself with that and I suggest you do not either. We should deal with the here and now and do what seems best… for you.”

“Best for me?” Caria took a few moments to consider that. “You think I should go with you to Vahle, don’t you?”

Phahlen nodded. “I do believe that would be best, yes. The most prudent course. It is what our attorney-mediator advises.”

“Can I speak to him? This lawyer of yours?”

“Of course. Wherever you decide you wish your case to be heard, Leken will be at your disposal to assist you in preparing your defence. Would you like me to send for him now?” Phahlen got to his feet, his lip curling in a sensual grin. “You can consult with him whilst I talk to Morele regarding our other item of unfinished business.”

* * *

“Have you made your decision?” Phahlen closed the door on the retreating lawyer and regarded his diminutive captive across the living area of his quarters. In the new circumstances he had deemed it unnecessary to restrict Caria’s movements to just the bedroom, so she once more had the freedom of his chambers. Depending on her response now, he would likely allow her unrestricted movement around most of the ship, with the exception of the cargo bay and launch deck.

“I have.” She stood to face him. “I will go with you to Vahle.”

He exhaled a relieved sigh. “I think that is wise. I will ask Baren to negotiate the necessary adjustments to our course and mission. Meanwhile, Morele wishes to examine you to make sure neither you nor our baby have suffered any ill effects from your recent adventures. He will be here shortly, and has requested that I be present. He mistrusts you, little human. I cannot start to imagine why.”

“I’m not ill. Everything’s fine, I’m sure of it.”

“Let us hope so.” He turned at the sound of the bell on the outer portal. “Ah, that is probably him now.”

Phahlen admitted the medic, then turned to Caria again. “Remove your clothes, girl. Let us get on with this.”

“But…” She looked from Phahlen to the medic. “Is this really needed? I mean, I’m pregnant, it’s a normal enough state.”

“Do as you’re told.” Phahlen’s curt command brooked no argument, no further discussion. The doctor’s countenance was far from compassionate also as he set his medical bag on the floor a good distance from where Caria stood. No sympathy to be had there.

She knew better than to dispute this instruction. Moments later Caria stood in the centre of the room, naked. As Phahlen lounged against the wall beside the door, Morele approached her brandishing his hand-held diagnostic probe.

“Please remain perfectly still, Caria. The scans will take just a few par-secs.”

He was as good as his word, running the small, glowing probe around the contours of her body, paying particular attention to her breasts and lower abdomen.

“Any tenderness here?” the medic asked as he pressed the probe against the lower curve of her right breast.

“Yes, a little,” admitted Caria. “They feel sore, and achy.”

“That is common with human females and not necessarily a cause for concern.” He turned to Phahlen. “You might take it into account however when you discipline the prisoner.”

“Noted,” agreed Phahlen. “What else?”

“My scans indicate thirty-seven cycles since conception, so the pregnancy is still at an early stage and vulnerable for that reason. If you wish to spank her, whether with your hand or another implement, I would recommend not doing so until the pregnancy reaches ninety cycles. You should also avoid such punishment during the final sixty cycles of the pregnancy, though that would be for psychological rather than physical reasons. Human females undergo massive hormonal shifts during pregnancy and those final cycles are usually quite… emotional. Your prisoner will require care and tenderness at that stage, so any chastisement is likely to prove counterproductive.”

“So, no spanking right now? Is that what you are saying, Morele?”

“It is, Commander.” The doctor shoved his probe back in his medical bag and made some notes on his diagnostic tablet. “You will no doubt be able to come up with some alternative course of action. Meanwhile, I recommend that you ensure she takes the nutritional supplements I shall programme into her feeding regime, and that she has plenty of rest. Will that be all, sir?”

“Nearly. Will it endanger the baby if Caria experiences orgasm?”

“No, sir, not at all. In fact, there is a reasonable body of evidence, though not firmly proven, that orgasm is actually beneficial in pregnancy. In human females it reduces stress. Pregnant females appear to benefit from the experience.”

“I see. I am obliged to you, Doctor, and I am sure Caria wishes to thank you too. Is that not so, girl?”

In truth, he would not have described her current demeanour as in any way suggesting gratitude, but the little human managed a nervous nod.

“You are welcome.” The doctor nodded at Phahlen but offered no such pleasantry to Caria. He had clearly taken her earlier assault hard. Phahlen resolved to have a word with him later. It needed to be let go. Caria might have need of the doctor’s skills in the coming cycles and he would insist that she be treated with respect. He wanted her to have no cause to be reluctant to seek the medic’s help if she needed it. There was too much at stake here for that.

Morele saw himself out, leaving Phahlen to regard his nervous little captive. She dropped her gaze but made no attempt to reach for her clothes. Wise girl. He approached her slowly, circling her stiff figure, then came to stand before her. He tipped up her chin with his fingers.

“Orgasms, Caria. You heard the doctor, they are good for you, though I expect you already knew that. And will not harm the baby, which is convenient. But I know you humans have a saying, something along the lines of having too much of a good thing. Do you think that is possible, Caria? Is it possible to have too much of a good thing?”

“I don’t know, sir. Perhaps…”

“We shall see. Come with me, please.” He walked past her in the direction of the bedroom.

Caria followed him, as he knew she would. He gestured to her that she was to get onto the bed. “Lie on your back, with pillows under your hips, then spread your legs as wide as you can.”

Her expression was baleful as she scrambled to do his bidding.
Ah, little human, if only you knew how much more pissed off with me you are going to be
.

She arranged the bedding then climbed on top of it to position herself as instructed. Satisfied that her bottom was suitably elevated, he smiled to himself as he bent to release the straps secured to each side of his bed. He wrapped one around each of her knees, then used a remote control to increase the tension, forcing her legs even wider apart.

Phahlen gauged the exact moment to stop. He wanted her uncomfortable but not actually in pain. Then he went to the table beside the bed and retrieved several items from the drawer there. He dropped those beside Caria, where she could easily reach them with her unbound hands.

“So, you have a couple of vibrators, a butt plug which I’m going to insert for you in a moment… you may thank me later, and you have plenty of lube. I’ve also provided you with the thermal beads and I will show you how to use them. I may introduce other items as we go on, that really depends on your progress.” He sat beside her, and trailed his fingers idly up her inner thigh though he stopped short of actually touching her pussy.