Starlight Gleaming Ch. 17

Janetta looked startled at first, but her eyes quickly blazed. I knew the anger was no longer directed at me.

"The gang stopped by regularly to steal her money and whatever food they could find. When I saw her, there were old bruises mixed with new ones on her arms and face and neck. And I seriously doubt if she's even a hundred pounds. You've lost weight, Janetta, during my absence. Your mother is slowly starving to death. Or at least she was."

Starting to pace, anger flashed briefly across her face at the news of her mother's mistreatment. Anger. And something more. Yet she remained silent, letting me continue.

"I introduced myself to her and told her I am in love with you. She wanted to know how you were doing. I could see right away how much you resemble her. Large, intelligent eyes as black as night. The way you move your face when you're pondering something. Two women with fierce tempers and strong wills, both grieving for the man they both adored."

"You think you know her?" she snapped at me.

"Janetta, she told me she considered herself a failure as a mother, and that she knew you hated her. It was apparent to me that she believes she deserves your hatred."

That observation seemed to trouble Janetta. Looking away, she muttered, "I don't hate her."

"If you believe in the gods, maybe my going there was to give her some peace. I remember the night of the first hurricane at High Guard. You were in the hospital, recovering from your injuries. We had a visitor and she told you how your father died. It helped you to know the truth, didn't it?"

She nodded.

"I can see now it was a terrible cruelty to lose the man so important to both of you, and worse to not know what happened to him. I told her what we'd learned. I think her tears were as much relief, from knowing at last what happened to the man she still loves and mourns. Later I tried to convince her to leave that house and live somewhere else safer. She said it was the house her husband bought for her, and all of her happiest memories were there. Including seeing the joy in her husband's face when he first looked at his baby girl."

I wasn't sure how to proceed with the next part, other than to just get it over with. Even though she was calmer now, I could see she was still angry with me.

"I, uh... I paid the House debt to Teela, and--"

"House debt?" she demanded. "What House debt?"

"For taking care of your mother, of course!" I said. "For nursing her back to health when she was too injured to care for herself. Giving her food. Teela did those things as an act of friendship, repeatedly. But Teela is not in your mother's service."

Bilan nodded, and Janetta realized the implications.

"What did Teela ask for?" Janetta asked quietly.

"Sex."

Her mouth dropped open. "You know she's like a hundred years old! She has grandchildren as old as I am!"

Bilan struggled to keep from laughing at me.

"Teela's in her sixties. That's... not so old," I scowled.

"You... fucked Teela?" Janetta's arms flew up, her face incredulous. "You actually put your cock inside her and hosed down her insides? Gods of North and South! I think I'm... words fail me, Kandikan. Zinja keeps thinking that she's too old to be your lover. She needs to quit worrying. You'll bang her when her tits are hitting the ground." She looked away, then gave me an odd look. "You actually fucked that old woman? Yes, I can see it in your face. You did."

Then she started laughing. For several minutes, as she tried to collect herself, she'd look at me and mutter, "Ranji fucked Teela," and then she'd be off again.

Bilan was more discreet, but he did smirk and shake his head at me.

When Janetta was finally ready for me to continue, she said, "So you took her to the bedroom and did the dirty deed. So, what next?"

"Uh, no. She insisted on some role-playing."

"What sort of role-playing?" my lover asked curiously.

I felt my face heat up. "She wanted me to bend her over the table. I was the young lord who found the young, virgin milk maid."

"Did she actually say that?" she asked, disbelieving me.

"Yes." And, in retrospect, that part of the encounter was amusing, so I cracked a smile myself.

"Okay," Janetta said. "I'm still trying to handle the notion that you fucked Teela. Is that all?"

"Um, no. As part of the role-play, she wanted me to pretend to take her against her will. So I, uh... ripped off her dress, and spanked her some."

Janetta's mouth moved, but no sound came out.

"She must have liked it, though, because she came really hard--"

"And how do you know that?" she asked, incredulous.

"Well, she squirted all over floor--"

Both of them erupted again with gales of laughter. Bilan handled it better, but Janetta grabbed her sides as she laughed. She tried to sit down, she was gasping for breath so hard, but she missed the chair and tumbled to the floor. Rolling about as she laughed hysterically.

"Teela screamed so loud, and with her dress torn off, well, your mother thought I was actually raping her, so she hit me with a frying pan."

Their laughter rose a notch or two, both of them wiping tears from their eyes.

"She squirted..." Putting out her hand before her, Janetta gasped out, "Stop! Stop! Ranji, No more. I can't... take it... anymore. Can't... breathe..."

She really was getting rather purple in the face. Bilan wasn't much better.

"Teela explained things to your mother, and somehow they got my pants back on. Teela must have run upstairs naked to get a new dress, Because of all the screaming and yelling between your mother and Teela, Teela's grandsons were banging at the door to get back inside. Both of them are big men -- as big as Anton, and they carry these big clubs with them, everywhere they go..."

She was laughing so hard no sound came out, and she couldn't get enough air. I definitely preferred her laughing at me than her being angry at me. And it was good to see my warrior laugh.

The master-at-arms re-entered the room, and paused, looking at both of the two officers nearly incapacitated with laughter. He raised his eyebrows as he asked, "Should I come back later?"

I shook my head. "Show me what you have, Sergeant."

He handed me the shoulder holster. I inspected the magazines, and put it on. The sergeant set the case onto the table and opened it. There were foam cut outs for the barrel and main part of the gun, and a space for the scope. He pulled out his knife and cut out a space for the noise suppressor.

"This is perfect, Sergeant. I can keep this? And this combo lock will keep it safe from my little girls."

"Yes, sir. Right now, the key is set to zeros. You set the number on the inside, here, to change it to something else."

"Perfect, Sergeant. Thank you."

Heaving for air, Janetta pulled herself toward a chair. "So what happened... after she hit you?"

"I don't know exactly," I admitted. "She knocked me out."

Janetta slid back onto the floor as they roared with renewed laughter.

The sergeant looked at me quizzically.

"I visited her mother. She hit me with a frying pan. They think it's funny. And yes, she literally hit me. Knocked me cold."

I have to give him credit. He didn't burst out in laughter, but he did smile with amusement. "Your mother-in-law doesn't like you?"

"It was a misunderstanding, Sergeant. We have things worked out now."

He nodded.

Focusing on the task before me, I took brush and cloth and began working it through the rifle barrel. Then I ran the cleaning rod through with cloth dampened with oil, then a second time with dry cloth to remove the excess. I repeated the cleaning process for the bolt action pieces, inspecting them for dirt and debris.

The sergeant, a middle-aged soldier, set two boxes of 8.5mm cartridges onto the table, then broke down my Caiman and worked on cleaning it as I finished up with the rifle.

"Have you had a chance to use it much?" he asked me.

"The rifle? Only ten rounds. But it's a good weapon, and the sights are spot on. Thanks for the box. I was completely out of ammunition."

He nodded, examining the parts for dirt and damage. "There's a target range we've set up down the road, another ten rads away, if you're interested, sir."

"I'll bear that in mind."

With the sergeant and I quietly working, Bilan and Janetta pulled themselves together. Both of them were several shades of purple from lack of air.

For several minutes, the sergeant and I quickly and efficiently cleaned and serviced my weapons.

The other two worked a bit slower. They'd look at me, then at each other and snicker.

The sergeant recommended I replace the magazine for the Caiman. He pointed out a small dent that could cause problems. I agreed, and he left to get a replacement.

Janetta put down the part she was cleaning and folded her arms, shaking her head at me. "I still can't believe you fucked that old woman, that you bent her over her own kitchen table and... and fucked her virgin pussy... until she squirted all over the floor!" Bilan had to put down the tools he was using to wipe his eyes.

"For the honor of House Tlacotli no less!" she continued. "Gods above, Kandikan. You must have hammered that old woman pretty good."

I wiped off my hands and turned to give her my attention. "Look. Bilan is my brother, and you are my lover, and I love you both, though obviously not in the same way. While you two are laughing, think about these things. I have no notion about what went on between you and Teela, other than the idea that you two butted heads nearly as much as you did with your mother. And, for the record, your mother was thoroughly scandalized by Teela's request."

Janetta shook her head, quickly sobering up at the mention of her mother. "I don't think I will ever be able to look at that old woman without seeing her in my head, bent over her kitchen table, yelling as she got spanked and pounded by you. Did you pull her hair, too?"

I nodded.

The snort of laughter she gave was rather loud.

"If you think about it, Teela's forced abstinence is part of the same problem I'm fighting."

Eyebrows raised, she asked, "How's that, Ranji?"

"You and the others want the right to say no. And that's a right you should have, no question. By the same token, shouldn't a woman also have the right to say yes, without having to have a man's permission?"

Janetta gave me an arch look. "Are you actually trying to say that you poked that old lady to advance the cause of women's rights? Ranji to the rescue, filling one pussy full of sperm at a time? Get real, Kandikan!"

I frowned. "Teela made the choice, and I did my best to get her to pick something else, but she insisted. And once she made the request, I was bound to do as she asked. I did it to repay the kindness shown to your mother. Teela may be old, but that's not her fault. And if you called her silly, Teela would probably agree with you."

"All right, then what are you saying?"

"During my short time there, this is what I learned. Teela herself said that she had enough money to get by on, but that she hadn't been touched by a man in seventeen years. She obviously loved her late husband, but readily confessed that his inability to satisfy her sexual needs before his death had been a hardship. After a few years of being a widow, she wanted a new husband. She told me that after his death, her sons feared she might have more children, and refused to let her remarry. Fortunately, your mother successfully argued with Teela's sons to let Teela keep her house, instead of selling it and forcing her to be a live-in servant to one of her daughters-in-law. That old woman more than repaid that act of friendship.

"Janetta, you have told me that you are proud of me fighting for your right to say no to a demand for sex. That's what I intend to continue focusing on. But that's only a first step. The other side of that right to say no, is your right as a woman to say yes, to fully have control over your own body -- like that of a man. Because caste considerations aside, I see that equal legal and social rights between men and women as crucial to the Empire's survival against our enemies."

"I am proud of you, Ranji," she replied quietly. "But what you're talking about might take years, even decades to happen."

"You will also face a lot of resistance along the way," Bilan warned. "Many of those in power will see these changes as a threat to themselves and their wealth and privilege."

"Both of you are right," I conceded. "I don't know what these social changes will do to our society. But I believe that the Empire is strong enough to withstand them. I also believe that in the long run, we as a people will be the stronger for it. People who have hope, who believe that they are happy -- those people are willing to fight harder to keep their way of life."

"I don't know, Ranji," Janetta said, shaking her head. "It sounds like you are starting some sort of crusade. Where will I fit in all this?"

"Right by my side, I hope," I answered. "You are the best combat pilot at High Guard, Janetta, and I would not be surprised in the least bit to learn you are the best in all the Empire. Tell me, Janetta, was everything you endured at the Academy worth the price of being able to fly?"

"Yes, it was." Her large, black eyes glittered with painful memories.

"If you had a brother, especially an older one, you might not have even been allowed to enlist, but instead you might have been forced into an arranged marriage at fourteen. In some states, the marriage age is twelve."

"But I didn't," she snapped. "I am a pilot in the Air Service. It is what it is, Ranji. I'm not interested in playing what-if games."

"But it could have been," I reminded her. "And for many women, it still is--"

"So what, Ranji?" she shot back. "I can support the Protection Orders. It's a start, and an important one. But I don't want to start some movement that's going to keep you away from me. Or worse, get you killed!"

I waited a moment while she mastered her feelings. "I love you, Janetta Tlacotli. You are an amazing Warrior, and I feel privileged to be a part of your life. I could say that this goal of mine was because of you, but that wouldn't be completely honest. Rather, it is because of all the women who've made an impact on my life. My parents, for showing me how loving and rewarding a marriage based on mutual love and respect can be. Calia for showing me how to properly love a woman, for her devotion, and teaching me the importance of kindness. And yes, for you, Janetta. But also for Zinja, Ixma, and Cholan, too. And for my daughters. Each of you has played a part -- an important part in opening my eyes to how women are treated. I daresay you are happy being a combat pilot. And I believe Rana loves being a wife and mother. You should have the life you want based on your choice and your ability, not because you happen to be female. I know you are afraid for me."

Janetta just nodded, her eyes full of emotion.

"I feel the same, you know, every time you go into the air."

I turned to the Master-at-Arms. He'd reassembled the Caiman, and was nearly finished with my Wampag Talon. "Thank you for your assistance, Sergeant. We need some privacy now. If we need you further, we'll call for you."

"Captains. Lieutenant." Giving a quick nod, he exited.

I locked the door. "Grab a seat, both of you. I'm going to tell you everything that happened to me at Sparantzlo. Beginning with the hours of interrogation I got for saving my mother's life. For you see, my personnel file had been altered, removing my certification to fly the Sunskipper. One of Itznacoco's people made sure I had a parachute before I left. There was a winter front moving in over the mountains, but I was ordered to fly an Albatross to the base, and it was after dark by the time I reached the mountains. "

Janetta's eyes widened at that. Night flying, in the mountains, during a winter storm.

I nodded. "Yes, it was hours of nerve-wracking flying. I made it to the base, though, intact. What I didn't expect was the two active SAM batteries. I managed to dodge the first two volleys, mostly by blind luck and the terrain. I bailed but was hit by debris from the explosion, and ended up hanging by my parachute in a small nook, somewhat sheltered from the winter storm. Deedee Marrin had been warned to expect me. She went out into the storm, alone, to search for me. She rescued me and got me to a shelter. My entire left side was badly bruised from being hit. I had a bad case of frostbite on my face and couldn't feel my most of my feet. My hands weren't much better. It took us three days to climb back to her snow sled. If she hadn't gone out into the storm, I'd have died from the cold. No question."

Both were incredulous.

"Once I arrived, no one was interested in the fact that I had been shot down. Rather, they put me in the tanks to heal me up. So that I could be tortured. Just like Deedee warned me they would."

"Torture?" Janetta demanded. "What did they do to you?"

So I told them. Some of it, in detail. Peeling off my skin. Laying in filth, too hurt to move.

"I love you, Janetta, and I love your whole body. I need you to know, though, I loved your butt before I left, and I love it now. I love to caress it and I will even kiss your ass because I think it is perfect. I won't claim to understand what you endured, but I will never ask to fuck your ass."

She burst into tears at that. "You think I was worried about that? Gods of North and South, Ranji. Fuck. Just... gods damn it."

Bilan shook his head. "They extended your stay by three weeks, just so they could torture you to near death, throw you in the tanks, and then do it again?"

I nodded. "Me and everyone else there."

"Holy gods."

Wiping her face, Janetta looked at me. "Calia... she... During those first few weeks you were gone, she had nightmares about you. Said you were alive, but that you were hurt. How did she know, Ranji? How did she know?"

"She's an empath," I answered. "Last year, my father told me he had had her tested. She's quite strong. It's why she's so good when you need space and when you need to be held. She also sometimes sees ghosts."

"You were almost two thousand rads away from High Guard, and she knew you were hurt. How can I compete with her love for you?"

"The same way you do for the women of your flight crew, Janetta. By knowing that you are first in my heart, above all others."

Mollified, she said, "Okay. There's more, isn't there."

"Oh, yes."

I told them what had been planned for the women. To be raped daily, and then forced to take on all the men on weekends in a round-robin rape party. Three women taking on seventeen men, and for all I knew Strkyer and the other instructors as well.

"I know this because Deedee had been through it three years earlier, and she'd returned, under a new alias, to protect me. Considering her upbringing, which she told me about later, I'm surprised she hadn't snapped. Her father is an officer in the Ground Service. He used to pimp her out to other officers. When he wasn't raping her himself. Her own father! It was the deal he made with the wife, you see. His daughter wasn't a human being or even his child. She was his property. Deedee had to fuck the men, and the second daughter was kept virginal for an arranged marriage.

"Even thinking about it now, I am amazed at her strength. I asked her how she could return to Sparantzlo, knowing what she had to face all over again. She told me she was following orders. She asked me to be her partner to better protect me. She had already saved my life by risking her own out in the snow. I told her about the Unit Protection Orders, and she was stunned. Even before I knew about her history, I resolved to protect her."