Page 17 of Bred by the Alien Prince

“That won’t be a problem.”

“Lorvian. When you return home, things will be different.” His voice became grim.

“I don’t get your meaning.”

“They will dock your ship in the civilian sector, and you will pay a fee for them to keep it there.”

I laughed. “This is a joke. We just discovered…”

“Have you ever known me to joke?” He said sternly. Now, there was the old man I’ve always known.

“Why am I docking a military vessel in a civilian sector?”

“Because your division is no longer needed. You should consider what else you would like to do.”

“I’m a warrior; I fight; that’s what I do!” Now, it was my turn to push back. I couldn’t help myself. The two of us never got along much. Things improved as I grew older, but getting better doesn’t mean you forget.

“You are a warrior without a war to fight. The military police are more than capable of handling Daruuk’s illegal business. I’m afraid you’ve done your job too well, son. You’ve helped me claim total dominion over all fifty-one habitable planets and the various aliens who live in each of them; there is no need for a massive fleet; there are no more wars to fight.”

“I’m a war hero! I can’t be among normal folk, being normal.”

“If you wish to become King, then you will be King of a peaceful galaxy, not the war-torn one I had to endure. It would be best to make another name for yourself than that of a warrior. Beating Daruuk is not enough to secure a legacy. Most folks have forgotten about him and his crimes. As it should be.”

“Then they need a reminder of Daruuk’s crimes!” I exclaimed. “Perhaps find a few Travols and make an example. Let our people see them as the threat they still are.”

“That would just make you look petty. And what will you do? Start with the Travol princess who has served you loyally?”

He had a point.

“Listen, one day, our species will die out; the youngest woman in my harem is six hundred years old. Her child-bearing years are almost at an end. I’m trying to have her birth at least one more child before the end. We must etch our names in the stars but not through war. Just think about it when you return.”

“And they will ground my ship until I figure that out, huh?”

“Goodbye, Lorvian.”

The line had ceased, and this talk of ours left me confused and pissed. Why the hell would he choose me as an heir and then strip me of the one thing I knew I could do!?

I returned to the bridge after I calmed myself.

“Sir, that alien is in medical.” Swarti was the first to see me, as always.

“Good, we’re going to Eros.”

“Why not home? Eros is further away.”

“Because my father wants to ground my ship in the civvie sector.”

“Oh.”

“You don’t seem too surprised.”

“We do little; everyone fears us, so they give us no grief. I also plan to marry soon, and it will secure my wife’s father’s freedom. I thought of working on their farm after my military contract.”

“What the hell is wrong with you? You are a warrior. We all are.”

“Look at how easy it was to defeat Daruuk. Like it or not, he’s just blowing hot air now.”

There was no point in continuing this conversation. I wanted to do something interesting like check up on this new alien species, so I headed to medical, hoping for some good news. I tried to tell my father about these new alien arrivals, but so far, all I had was a torn ship my spies were investigating and one possible survivor. Even if this creature should be of some use, we may have to torture it to find information on his home planet, and what a shame that would be to cause pain to such a comely-looking thing.

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