Page 79 of Alien Peacock

“It’s not,” says a new voice behind us.

As always, Arelion yanks me behind him, putting himself between me and danger. “Archmagus Yomeran! I’d forgotten you exist.”

The old magician-slash-alien-slash-insufferable busybody is standing behind us, all white lion’s mane and black robes.

Yomeran peers at us. “Had you indeed? I suppose that’s a good sign, although clearly meant as an insult.”

Arelion straightens. “I no longer need your acknowledgement of being the Supreme Leader of Eo, Yomeran. Buroteo is dead, as are most of his alien forces. You’re free to go.”

The old alien chuckles. “I’m always free to go, Arelion. But I suppose your anger is understandable. I should first tell you that I have acknowledged you. On Eo, that is. The whole planet knows that you’re the legitimate Supreme Leader, as affirmed by an archmagus. Your position has been secure for five hours now.”

“Thank you very much,” Arelion says coldly. “Unnecessary, but appreciated.”

“Well, the issuehadbeen raised,” Yomeran says. “I found it better to put it to rest for good. Thank you for saving the slaves on Sprenk. I’ve been watching you.”

“Watching, but not helping,” Arelion points out. “We heard nothing from you after the Sprenk thing.”

The archmagus scratches his beard. “I don’t remember having promised that I would somehow appear to repeat my statements, or put your mind at rest that I was really going to do that which I indicated I would. I am here now, and even that is more than I promised. All my obligations have been fulfilled.”

I pull Arelion’s arm. “If we hadn’t gone to Sprenk, we wouldn’t have found out about Tara or Xap Station. It was actually a big help.”

“Oh, Arelion!” Yomeran says with a grin, “you have gone and gotten engaged to a woman with a working brain! That will be such a fine addition to your life. Congratulations, by the way. And as I told you, Maeve, I can only sympathize. Being married to this blue narcissist would take its toll on anyone. But if anyone can do it, you can.”

I take hold of Arelion’s arm with both hands. “Thanks. It won’t be as hard as you think. I wonder if you may have helped us more than we will ever know.”

Yomeran chuckles. “Keep wondering. I must maintainsomedegree of mystery. By the way, good work on destroying that Xap Station. It was a terrible den of slavers and repressors. The galaxy is a better place without it and its inhabitants. It was a much better use of your terrible bombs than what they were really made for. Never regret what you did there!”

Arelion puts his arm around me and squeezes. “We agree about that, at least. Those antimatter warheads were meant as a last resort, but they came in handy as a pure offensive weapon. So where should we go? Eo isn’t the best place, you said?”

The archmagus smiles at me. “Maeve, you’re now engaged to the Supreme Leader of Eo. How do you feel about a state wedding, with thousands of admiring Eoans in attendance, planetwide broadcasts of the ceremony, recording your every move for all eternity, and then sitting through smarmy, fake intimate interviews with catty reporters for months after?”

I feel my knees go weak from horror, and the room spins around me. I didn’t think of that when I said ‘yes’. “Fuck!”

Yomeran grins. “That was what I suspected. You see, Arelion is the most popular leader Eo has ever had. Things will take on a momentum of their own the moment you land there. Perhaps it would be better if you are already married when you arrive?”

Arelion shrugs. “Well… I wouldn’t mind a public ceremony. But my bride decides.” He lifts me up and kisses me on the mouth. “But I want it done as soon as possible. Can you arrange something, Archmagus? You said the Fire Mages are out of the wedding business, but perhaps you can be persuaded to perform one last ceremony?”

“Perhaps,” Yomeran says. “On your base, the Gigori thing. See you there. Exactly one day from now.” He’s suddenly gone, like a candle being blown out.

“All right,” Arelion says. “Set a course for Gigori, please, Tara.”

“Yeah…” she hesitates. “Whereis that, exactly?”

- - -

My jumpsuit no longer exists, having been blown up by the double antimatter explosion that removed Xap Station from the galaxy. And the Bululg don’t keep clothes in theirships. So I’m stuck in only panties and bra all the way through hyperspace to Gigori.

Arelion can only take about an hour of it before he drags me out of the control room, his crotch twitching like crazy.

He pins me to the wall in one of the other rooms. “I love you.”

I look up at him. “I love you, too. And I love that you came after me.”

“I Marked you,” he growls. “Nothing else in the universe existed. Only you.”

“I never knew you were that serious about it. But I love that you are.” I need him now, so I undo the fastening of his pants.

He kisses my wrist where I cut the skin open to extract the warhead. “My love is a warrior.” He pulls my bra off and cups both breasts, none too gently.

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