Page 1 of Jewel of the Alien Bandit
CHAPTER ONE
Luan
LORIC, MY MOTHER’Sadviser, and my pain-in-ass watcher, was a pushover for the most part, so I didn’t think I’d have any problems convincing him or my mother to delay another cycle of the mating ceremony once again. There were more important things to worry about, like how the planet Krelis was trying to devalue our jewels so they could scam us out of more food imports.
Sure, we could survive off of eating some of the more edible jewels, but they were hardly what I would call delicious, and as more and more of our population bred with outside species, the more and more varied nutrition our offspring required to survive.
It just wasn’t sustainable, and our already complicated mating rituals only increased the stress on our slow population growth.
“Are you thinking about the krelins again?” Loric asked, lifting a brow and shaking his head.
His blue skin was finely chiseled, which most of my friends have told me is delicious. If only he were part of the mating games more often they would have devoured him. I can admit he is quite attractive, even his sapphire jewels down his arms are impressive.
Almder, our leader, and my mother, would not have chosen him as an adviser if he were not skilled, and powerful in both mind and body. The more jewels displayed on an estreld’s arms the more powerful they were. It is the way the land has blessed our species to absorb more of the moon's rays.
Papers were spread out on the desk of Loric’s office while he worked on his next diplomatic game plan to assist Almder.
In frustration I slammed the book in my hands closed before replying, “Of course I am, not only is food tastier from the krelins, but they know our offspring are becoming dependent on their supply for nutrition and they are trying to rob us!”
I stood, storming across the room, and rushed out the open door to head directly to the library for another book. There had to be something that could help me figure out a way to reverse the pressure from the planet Krelis, and regain control of our trade market.
Something perhaps in the journals of the almder’s before my mother. One of them had to have dealt with unreasonable trade mongers before.
Loric casually strode alongside me, his longer legs able to help him catch up to me without effort.
“Do you not trust our Almder?”
There he went again, trying to make me feel ashamed, or guilty for even trying to help. Of course, I trusted my mother, but she had enough on her plate already with making sure our population didn’t go extinct after a few more generations. It’s only because of the last five cycles of Estreldez opening up the mating ceremony to offworlders that we were seeing any uptick in offspring.
“There’s only so much one estreld can do,” I insisted, “and my mother doesn’t have to do it alone.”
He had to know I’m right about this. He’s seen how hard I work to learn what I can to fill my mother’s role of Almder one day.
“She doesn’t,” he objected, obviously offended by my statement. He was her adviser, and he did help her, but what did that have to do with whether or not I should help?
“You know what I mean.” I wasn’t going to tip toe around Loric of all beings, I’ve known him since we were both offspring ourselves. He was like a brother to me, but like a brother… he got on my nerves. He followed me through the halls and unfortunately we were stopped by one of my mother’s other advisers, Mabel.
“Luan, Almder has summoned you,” she informed.
I pursed my lips, not wanting to be distracted from my task, considering every shipment was another chance for Krelis to withhold for more payment. It wasn’t Mabel’s fault that my mother was impatient.
Nor was it her fault that the mating ceremony was coming up soon.
Ten male mates were chosen every planetary rotation of the moons around Estreldez to lead the mating ceremony. Some are from Estreldez, and others are chosen from far away planets to port in, under diplomatic award, to increase the odds of fertility. Many of Estreldez’s females participate in the mating games after they feel the pull of their shoulder glands pulse, letting them know that they are likely to be ready to release their eggs. I’ve never once felt such a pull, and I’m several cycles past the age of mating, as my Almder would say.
The Almder is the leader of our clan on Estreldez, and my mother, I conceded internally with a groan. I couldn’t stop her plans for me indefinitely. I’d avoided the Moon Mating Ceremony for many cycles, and she’s graciously allowed me to watch instead. But, my mother was becoming more testy of lateabout my participation and I’m pretty sure it had to do with Loric.
He’s always lurking around like a glorbin flighter, those creatures are always flitting about when they see something shiny. Our whole planet was shiny, our specialized trade was our abundance of jewels, which the glorbin flighters gladly eat for breakfast. The jewels are fun to toss at them, especially if they are fast enough to catch them. And I’m equally entertained by teasing Loric about my interest in the ceremony when he’s been talking about it so much recently. He’s been acting more unusual and dropping many hints over the last moon cycle, trying to convince me that joining the mating ceremony may be something that I would enjoy.
Loric watched me with that smug expression on his face, almost like he was saying I told you so. How would he know if my mother was calling to tell me to stop researching and join our mating ceremony this cycle? I glared at him, before taking Mabel’s arm and being led to the assembly cove.
The room opened up into an open air courtyard carved from our favorite stone of black tarnpul, the strongest of our mineral deposits, and the most reflective of the moon’s rays. Shaped in a cone, lifting up from the ground on all sides to create a dish that helps focus the moon’s light for us to absorb. This was where only the chosen came to have a better chance at successful mating during the ceremony. I cringed at the thought. I’ve had to sit with my mother during these displays to show my support and I never understood why I had to watch front and center, when the whole thing was recorded for the whole planet. I could easily watch from my room if I wanted. There was no need to be so close you could see the seams of a male’s shaft open to fill their mate. I shook my head to rid myself of the thought.
“Where have you been hiding?” My Almder stood from her seat wearing her traditional robes draped over her pale white skin, her jeweled arms and chest on full display.
“If I were hiding then I wouldn’t be here,” I grumbled.
She was always so dramatic, when she found I’d been avoiding her advisers. Loric was different, he’s always following me when he’s not meeting with my mother to tattle on me.
