Princess of Zenina Read online

  The ensuing performance would not have achieved qualifying marks in competition, but it was effective. Tippy’s colour started wavering, flashes of Ruby, Green, Blue and Silver dappled his skin, and then faded. His skin glowed all over, generating an aura which pulsed in the same way as Marina’s. Next his skin turned Ruby, then patterns of Blues and Greens over-laid the red. Sweat was pouring from his body, but they had not broken rhythm. His colour flickered, merging into Green, still they strove. The colour glowed; throbbing like a creature alive had covered Tippy, seeking to suffocate the life from him. The Greens spotted with Blue and Silver. The Blue patches began to dominate and the Green areas were driven out by the Blue. The small areas of Silver mottled, fading into the Blue background.

  He was breathing hard now, his pulse was racing, but still she urged him on. There was no going back now. The Blue colour glowed, streaks of Silver spread over it like cement in crazy paving. The streaks faded, the Blue remaining, his breath was coming harshly in gasps. She moved him onto his back and mounted him. His eyes bulged from his face; his body was shaking as if in convulsions, yet still he was driven to pound into her body. Then for a split second his colour flashed and he was Silver all over, the Blue started to grow again, but the Silver fought for control. No sooner had a patch turned Blue than it marbled back to silver.

  The flashes of colour glowed on and off. They were tiring on the eyes. Vellina flicked her eyes back and forth from the polarised screen to ease the ache it caused. The next few seconds were critical. Marina drove on, her concentration undimmed, but the Silver held steady, glistening no longer glowing and pulsing. Tippy’s eyes fluttered closed and his breathing subsided. The shaking stopped and he lay quiet. Then he opened his eyes and looked at Marina.

  “Who are you?” he said “Where is Karella? My head hurts badly.”

  “It’s a long story, Corporal Tipstrang,” said Marina, “Do you mind if I shower before I explain?”

  Whilst Marina showered and dressed, a nurse assisted Tippy in washing and dressing. He was given some small white tablets which he swallowed as ordered, finding his headache miraculously disappeared. Then Marina and Vellina explained to Tippy what had happened to him. How he had arrived in Zenina and why Karella was not there. Tippy answered many questions, but to most of them, Marina had already guessed the answers.

  “I don’t remember much of Blengaria. It all seems so vague and misty, nothing fits together,” he answered.

  “When did you last see Karella?” Vellina asked.

  “I love Karella, she’s my fiancé, she was with me in Blengaria. We were going to get married in a few months… she was there, they had tied us both up. There was some strange sort of machine. Then it all goes hazy again.”

  “Do you remember who else was there? Who operated the machine?” Marina enquired.

  “Sorry when I even try to think about them, my mind sort of slips around it,” Tippy admitted.

  “You are doing very well, Tippy. What do you remember about the Xandabal massacre?” Marina continued.

  “It was horrible, I am glad I could not see all of it. Those innocent women and children butchered. I was sick, I wanted to tell Major Bromarsh that I believed in him and that I would be a defence witness at his court martial…” He trailed off distracted by the glitter of his own silver skin.

  “What did you want to tell the court martial, Tippy,” Vellina questioned gently.

  “It wasn’t Major Bromarsh who was in charge, he wasn’t even there.”

  “Who ordered the massacre, Tippy,” Marina wanted to know, but Tippy could not remember that important fact. He could not remember how he got to the massacre, why he was there or who was in charge.

  “What do you remember about being on a pirate ship, Tippy?”

  “Not much really. It was sort of like I was in a dream sleepwalking. They told me to do things and I did them, but I wasn’t really all there. I don’t think I talked much with any of them, they must have thought I was a loner. But there was a raid somewhere and some of the pirates died and it was very bloody. Then everything went blank and I woke in bed with you, Doctor. Have we ever met before?”

  “You came to Zenina on my yacht, Tippy, but you were sedated for most of the time as your mind was not working properly. What does your Karella look like, Tippy?” Marina wondered aloud.

  The description he gave matched that of the amnesiac female at the Alphan Embassy. The Internal Security Department came back with Tippy’s Markaban records. His file listed his promotion, a couple of military medals. One mention in dispatches and he had been listed as absent without leave, just before Major Bromarsh’s court martial. The file remained unclosed with the recommendation he should be cashiered for desertion when caught, his pension rights rescinded.

  His medical records indicated a man with basic good health. Treatment for bronchitis, a strained back and a touch of frost bite were the only entries after the usual childhood diseases, inoculations and accidents. He had a bank account in Markaba with a far healthier balance than one would expect for a lowly Corporal, but then many years interest had been accumulating. His mother was still living but he had no other close living relatives. His school records showed a fairly intelligent lad who had worked hard, loved sport and was liked and well-behaved. He had no criminal record and his fingerprints matched those on his file.

  “Why am I this strange colour and why do you have shiny skins too?”

  “You’ve undergone colour change, you are now Zeninan. Our natural birth colours reflect our intellect and prospective abilities; my natural birth colour is Gold, the highest colour. You have become Silver, which is the next highest colour. Before we gave you those tablets, you had a headache, which is the result of the sudden acquisition of telepathy, and the influx of a babble of telepaths’ thoughts into your mind. You will be taught how to use your new abilities,” Vellina told him.

  “So I really am silver and you really are gold? This is not part of this mental illness? But all the Zeninans I’ve seen before had pink skins.”

  “You were not really mentally ill. That machine you saw, we believe it was used to wipe parts of your memory so you would not tell about the Xandabal massacre. You will be able to alter your colour at will, in a week’s time,” Marina informed him but the information did not entirely reassure him. She showed him how she could change colour but then went back to asking him about any injuries he might have had and which were not in his Markaban medical history.

  “I remember being knocked down by a land vehicle on Alpha. I was taken to a sort of hospital. A female Doctor checked me over; she recited some legal information about treating me. I passed out before she finished. The next thing I remembered was lying on the floor of the hospital with the Doctor pushing my chest in and out. I got better very quickly and left the hospital two days later. I don’t remember knowing about Karella then. I had a few women in Alpha, but I don’t recall names or if any of them was Zeninan.”

  He was settled to sleep again, dosed to reduce the headache that followed colour change. Marina took her leave of Vellina.

  “What funeral arrangements have been made for Carina’s burial?”

  Marina had forgotten to inform Vellina of Carina’s bequest.

  “Carina left her body to you for your personal use. I asked most of my friends to put that clause in their wills.”

  Vellina was staggered. She had been unaware of Marina’s request to her friends. They would have to reach a decision about it.

  “I’ll have to think about it,” Vellina said and Marina hugged her before leaving.

  ***

  Dalzina was pleased with her interview with Ondiella. The woman’s venom towards Marina was stronger than she had hoped for. It had been easy to win her confidence and enlist her in the battle against Marina and her mother. Ondiella had been ready to do her bidding. Dalzina was satisfied with her decision to take Kapalina’s place. Her only regret was she had to leave her bid on that slave with her agent. The old f
ool would probably muck it up and fail to buy him. Now, she considered the matter again. She should have given her agent a higher limit. He could reach a very high price. Jelen was a friend of Charles and it would annoy Charles if she brought him. Anything that angered Charles would irritate Marina. Jelen was known to be well-trained, but annoying Charles doubled his value in Dalzina’s eyes.

  Chapter Thirty-three - Auction

  Jelen was the last lot of the auction. A large crowd of onlookers and well-wishers gathered to watch his sale. A few preliminary bids were taken but Etapa had higher bids written into her book, so she seemed unconcerned by the slow start. Charles could not see at first who was bidding, nor could he pick up the thoughts of the would-be buyers. He recognised none of them. The prices were now moderate but Charles caught Lahoda’s first bid with surprise. The bid that topped it Charles did not catch, but Lahoda bid higher. The next bid he caught, but he did not know the mental voice. Lahoda raised her bid, but the other bidder capped it again. A third bidder came in but she was only Jazna. This time he picked out the second bidder by sight; the older Blue woman standing down by the rail. “Who is she?” he asked Chilka.

  “I don’t know her name, but I know what she is. She’s Dalzina’s agent, I heard she retired from her other clients and only keeps Dalzina on now.”

  The bids crept higher, Jazna dropped out, but Lahoda and the agent bid on. The agent seemed determined; she appeared to have no upper limit. Then Lahoda made one more bid. The auctioneer sought another to top it, but the agent dropped out. No further bids were forth-coming. Charles, Chilka and Jelen breathed sighs of relief. Dalzina had not bought him.

  Lahoda was not quite so happy with her purchase. She had bid far more than she had intended, but when she realised who was bidding against her, she could not let Dalzina have him. “I’ll have to sell some jewellery to pay for his purchase. Etapa will wait, there are some advantages to being the Queen’s Chamberlain; I’ll be broke for some time, but Etapa will be generous to a senior Palace official.”

  She signed for Jelen and went to fetch him. Chilka and Charles together with the Major congratulated her on her purchase, inviting them to join them for a celebratory lunch at Halabala’s.

  The project had been brought forward because of Marina’s invitation to the Major to accompany her to the Royal Banquet.

  “I’d love to come but I can’t afford it. Halabala’s prices will be too much for my pocket for a long time to come.” Lahoda turned to Jelen and laughingly said “I hope you can cook because I can burn a boiled egg and we’ll be eating in for a long time.”

  They all laughed. “It’s true,” commented Charles “I was there, it took ages to get rid of the smell and she had to get a ladder to peel the pieces off the ceiling.”

  Neither Jelen nor Lahoda needed to know how to cook, as she resided in the Golden Palace, the problem was always trying to eat as little of the delectable food on offer as possible.

  Chilka said she would pay for the lunch and that included Lahoda and Jelen.

  “I’ve arranged to pay for the Major and myself. Halabala will be upset if you paid for us,” Charles stated.

  The five of them set off for Halabala’s in good spirits - the table having already been reserved. If Halabala had some juggling to do with tables and chairs to fit in the extra couple then she never mentioned it, all was arranged, by the time they reached the restaurant.

  Chapter Thirty-Four - Beauty Redefined

  Zadina stretched, examining her reflection in the mirrors. She was so beautiful. Her hair had been elaborately arranged in long ringlets, with looped up plaits entwined with golden bands and combs. Her deeply lidded eyes were coloured amber brown, their lashes tinged with indigo.

  Looking at her body, “I’m still more beautiful than most, no, all of those younger women,” she thought to herself. She moved lazily, rustling the silver cloth of her embroidered skirt. A ruby encrusted dagger dangled from her belt, bouncing gently on her hip, swaying as she moved. She had reserved a table at Halabala’s for lunch, she was late. It had taken her longer to dress than usual.

  The violet silk had not pleased her and the apricot looked too frivolous. The silver was acceptable. She always looked good in silver. I’ll wear the silver train with peacocks embroidered in sapphires and other gem stones for the banquet. “I’ll be the best dressed and most beautiful woman there. My sister Kerina looked utterly haggard, when I last saw her,” Zadina thought maliciously. “Well Kerina’s time has to come and I’ll guarantee its coming. My studies assure me of it, the planetary aspects to her natal star are undeniable. Kerina will die and Marina with her. I’ve chosen the date carefully. Sixty years I’ve waited for my sister’s downfall. I can wait a few more days.”

  Her mind wandered to the Kurgian Prince who would be present at the banquet that night. “Ga’Mikkal is so beautiful, and so potent. I’ll bewitch him again with my beauty.” Zadina was looking forward to seeing him again, she had missed him. She took the transport to Halabala’s accompanied by a young Kurgian, one of her many slaves.

  Marina returned the machine to the Internal Security Department, checking her office for any new information. She shuffled the papers on her desk and found a report on the capture of the pirate ship Tippy and Bromarsh had crewed on. They had tried to run and fought. There were a few pirate casualties, but most not fatal.

  The crew had been interrogated, examined for space leprosy, another six cases with early symptoms and ten who had the disease, but were not showing symptoms. The disease was a new strain. She checked their ship had been thoroughly sterilised and the remaining crew had been healed and inoculated with Gold blood not Silver.

  They had been, but there was the usual statement from supplies, that Gold blood supplies were running low. She went through the palaver of producing her own weekly donation, providing a little more than usual, then she requested the blood donation records.

  “I will have each laggard, reminded of her duty. If this leprosy strain is that virulent, it is possible Rubies could actually catch it. We need to build up blood supplies. We can produce enough blood to cure galaxies if all Golds co-operate. If the other Golds had produced their legal requirements, the stores would be overflowing.”

  Marina asked for an individual breakdown of the donation records on each Council member. “I’m going to have a rough ride over the slavery issue.”

  She tabled an emergency motion, that if all Golds and Silvers had not caught up with their donations by six months hence, they would be fined one twentieth of their total property. With the fine to be repeated every six months, until there was no deficit.

  She let a few of her friends and medical colleagues know of her action, asking them to pass it on like a chain letter.

  “A little public support on the issue before the meeting will be useful. With the people on my side I might even push my motion through. I‘ll explain the risks of the leprosy out-break to frighten them out of their complacency. Peer pressure is a wonderful thing when properly directed.”

  There were other matters to keep Marina occupied, she ate a light lunch while she worked, far less than usual because she intended to dance that night.

  “I can eat afterwards. Although I’m fit and my muscles are in good shape, I no longer look like a dancer.”

  For a Zeninan to dance solo at a Royal banquet, there was an expectation of a great performance. Zeninan dancing was a competition event at the Games; Marina had won the ruby florette at many previous Games, but had retired from active competition in that event. She had done so, because some events required a greater muscle build-up, so she had chosen between the ultimate in gymnastic beauty, that dance required, and the stronger, more heavily muscled body she now possessed. It was neither as beautiful nor as sexually attractive, but as a fighting force it was hard to beat.

  Marina knew her muscles, whilst effective, were not as aesthetically pleasing as she would wish for dancing. It was impossible to return to the physique with which she ha
d won florettes in that discipline, for her muscles were far more prominent than a dancer wished for.

  “I’ll reduce the obvious level of muscle temporarily to accentuate the grace and fluidity of my dance movements. It will mean losing condition, just before the Games for other events. I’ll have to increase the exercise before the Games to replace the muscle again.”

  The Zeninan diet would not work on Marina. The catalyst had been genetically engineered to turn fat to water, not muscle. Marina was not fat. No doctor, including herself would recommend what she was going to do.

  There were several methods to deal with a build-up of excessive muscle. Surgery was one. Marina threatened this occasionally to Charles, that if he increased his muscles one millimetre more, she would personally remove it without anaesthetic. Both Charles and Marina knew she would not do it, but he was not foolish enough to build them more. He knew her oath as a doctor would not permit her to carry out her threat, but she could show her displeasure in other ways.

  There was also a drug that would force the body to burn muscle, to use it you had to eat double, or it might eat into heart muscle. It was dangerous, foolhardy and would reduce muscle considerably all over the body. It was only used rarely carefully supervised for exceptional cases. Marina would not use the drug on herself and personally disapproved on its use on others for any reason. A slower method for the reduction of muscle would be to enforce indolence and reduce food intake to starvation levels. That would take months, caused bloating and bone weakening, but it was still preferable to the use of the drug. Three months would reduce the most muscle bound hunk, but if the food intake and exercise were increased carefully afterwards, the Zeninan physique would regenerate satisfactorily.