Page 21 of Jessica's Mates
They all nodded and agreed with me but didn’t admit who it was. I didn’t want to upset them or make them feel ashamed. I was all for wild stuff… just further away from camp.
Vallyn—Luna’s first mate—asked us all to be quiet while K’Tem did his news speech. It was very important.
“Clan Wolf, as you all know I am K’Tem, mate to Jessica.” He nodded and watched all the faces behind me. He shifted his weight on his heels… oh boy. I think he was really nervous. I waved at him and caught his eye. I could see him watching me now. I smiled and nodded. He cleared his throat.
“I might be M’Mori, but most of our people are not like the ones you have met. These government ones are corrupt; they are taking advantage of the Aashi. I joined the service to help the different planets, but I didn’t expect to be transporting human females across to Aarzyn.
“My brother, he is in tech. Most of you won’t know what that means, but he can do things many others can’t. He can hack into M’Mori ships and other governments to spy on them.”
A few of the Aashi gasped.
“He couldn’t hack into the ship carrying the humans, so I helped him once I was stationed on board. That is when he found out many things that were illegal in the Universal Federation. That is like, ah… your Queens in your clans. But many Queens, whose job is only looking over all the clans and their queens. Making sure everyone is treated equal and none are taken advantage of.”
I guess this was going to be harder than K’Tem thought. It was new for most of us, but more so for the Aashi people as they were so behind in terms of technology.
“I understand. Does any Aashi not understand these words?” Vallyn asked. A few called out they didn’t, but most understood his terms.
“Ah, good.” I could see he was nervous again. K’Tem wasn’t much for public speaking, I could tell. I wasn’t either, but he was doing really well. He pointed behind him.
“Out there, that’s where M’Mori mine aket. It is a rock, and you have much of it here on Aarzyn. And for many years, too many years, they have taken your free lands. At first, they took just a little, and slowly, your free lands have shrunk to very small levels.
“Even now, we stand here on top of the aket. It is hidden beneath layers of earth. This makes this area very much wanted by the M’Mori. But they bribe the clans. They have bribed you all with females to help continue your people. But only six. That is not many for what they have taken from you all.”
He sighed and rubbed his face. Oh man, this was going to be bad news… He told me he would explain it to all. That he didn’t want to worry me until he had confirmed it all. I was nervous about what he was going to say.
“The mines have poisoned your water. The aket has seeped into the underground water supplies. This causes anyone who drinks to become infertile over time.”
Us girls all gasped. “What the fuck,” Luna muttered. I watched as all the girls held their baby bellies. I instinctively placed my hand on mine. I knew it was too early to be pregnant but I didn’t want the chance to be taken away from me.
When none of the Aashi responded to that, K’Tem added, “Infertile… not be able to have kits. No more kits to be had.”
That had them all up in arms. They were loud, they were mad, and they had every right to be.
“But wait, wouldn’t the Federation people stop this?” Elle asked. It was a very good question. Why weren’t they stopping this?
“I do not understand what is happening between both peoples. M’Mori supply most aket in the Universal Federation. There are many planets under its care. But they also agreed that in return for the land M’Mori had taken, they would supply females that could bear kits to continue the Aashi race, as it is slowly dying out. More rapidly now than ever.”
This was not good. This was bad…very bad.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Tomlee
Isat behindJee-seka,as K’Tem did his speech. I didn’t know all the words he spoke, but I understood his tech. He had shown me his datapad earlier today. He was speaking with his brother on there.
But when he said the words that the M’Mori were poisoning our people, that it was why we no longer had so many kits, that made me angry. How could they do such a thing? This was not the way; they were killing our people. Many males were yelling and screaming about wanting to kill the M’Mori while Vallyn tried to get order within the clan.
A loud, high-pitched sound rang through my ears and I looked to see Luna now standing up beside her mate. Everyone went quiet and watched as she held Vallyn’s lower hand.
“Alright, stop, now. This is important for us, because this means we are not safe here. Is that right, K’Tem? That’s why you’re telling us this now?”
K’Tem nodded. “Yes, I had been waiting on my brother to do scans and assess the area. He says we are not safe here. That we need to head south, below the mountains—there is no aket there—at least until he can find a way to stop the aket contamination in the water supply. Stop the mining altogether on Aarzyn… It is best to move.
“I wanted to warn you all. I want to warn all the clans. I’m unsure how without us being attacked, but they need to know that this is happening, and to stop it we must leave. Head south where it’s cooler weather. There are many foods down there that don’t grow here. So, it will be different in some ways, but it is for the best. For the health of the females.”
I wrapped my arms and tails aroundJee-sekaand the other mates did the same to their females. They were all in shock as I was. This was not the way I thought today would go. I didn’t wish for myJee-sekanot to have kits; I wished to give her many… when she chose me as a mate, that was.
“Tomlee.” She laid her head back on my chest. “This is bad… so bad.” I agreed but I didn’t wish to upset her further. So, I kissed her neck and I watched as she smiled up at me.
