Jack's Moonlighting Pt. 02

Bayly nodded and enjoyed the wave of relief she felt from all the gathered Dannt. She grinned widely as she looked into their eyes. "Your relief feels so good!"

"You haven't finished telling us how you got the ability!" Mara insisted.

"Oh! Yes, the plague virus blocks our ability to feel each other's emotions. When I infected Jack, uh, I mean Ambassador Danner, he almost died but managed to pull through. After he recovered, his doctor discovered his body produced a natural defense that kills the virus. The doctor was able to take this and make a medicine from it which I volunteered to take. It cured me of the plague. I no longer have any of the virus in me. That's how I got the ability to feel emotions from Dannt minds... and Ambassador Danner."

"You can feel the Ambassador's emotions?" Mara asked.

"Not as strong as I can from Dannt minds," she responded and once more felt a sensation of guilt from the High Priestess. She turned to face the female. "You knew about this ability."

Laannaa jolted from the direct question and began to sputter. She saw Mara's eyes lock on hers then the Queen turned to Bayly. "Don't be rude, young one."

Bayly dipped her eyes, then looked to the High Priestess. "Apologies."

Mara looked at her curiously. "How did you infect Ambassador Danner if he isn't Dannt?"

Bayly's face warmed up. "I, uh, I kissed him," she said for her ears alone. She looked into Mara's surprised face and felt her amusement. Her face got hotter. "He's not Dannt, but he's... very special and rare." She said this loud enough for all to hear and turned her face to look directly at Warrez, Gruun, and Lena, whose expressions of surprise told her they knew exactly what she meant.

Mara's grin and delight told Bayly she was going in the wrong direction with what she'd said. "Could... could I speak privately with you for a moment?"

Laannaa gasped at the insolence of one of the most junior members of the Dannt asking for a private audience. Especially one who'd defied their laws!

Mara held up a hand to the High Priestess to block her outraged attack. "I can spare a moment for someone who risked everything for her people," Mara said.

She guided Bayly away from the group and faced her away from the others. "Now, what did you need to speak to me about privately."

Bayly looked into Mara's soft brown eyes. "Ambassador Danner is what the Tik call a Hybrid. He's... compatible with other races. He's had children with multiple different and distinct races, including the Queen of the Altarians," she gestured to Gee and Bal, "and the Sultessa of the Ishilon. It's possible, he... he might also be compatible... with you."

Mara's eyes widened, and Bayly felt her pain and sadness begin to well up.

She took the Queen's hands in hers. "I'm sorry to cause you pain, and I know it's terribly selfish of us to spring this on you out of our desperate desire for you to continue being our Queen. You decide what you want to do, but I wanted you to know there is an option. The Ambassador doesn't know anything about this. I spoke with several females who live with him, and they told me not to tell him. They said to leave it to chemistry."

Mara snorted softly in surprise at her chemistry reference, and Bayly could see and sense the Queen was struggling to control her emotions. She waited and felt a calm settle over the monarch's mind. She smiled in admiration and saw the Queen's interest flare.

"I would think having access to knowing another's emotions would be a very useful ability," Mara said.

She nodded. "Jack said it would enhance our ability to communicate."

Mara grinned gently. "You like him. You must if you kissed him."

Bayly's lips flushed. "The kiss was just—I-I was overwhelmed with gratitude when he volunteered his people to come to the rescue of the Dannt without knowing anything about us except the Krreegah were trying to kill us."

"His people?" Mara asked.

"The Ishilon. Jack isn't Ishilon, but they call him their Shadeem. That's like a spiritual advisor," Bayly said.

"This Ambassador Danner sounds very interesting. Will he be coming to visit?" the Queen asked.

Bayly's eyes widened. "Oh! He's waiting on the ship for me to give the word they can come through."

Mara smiled. "Let's not make him wait any longer."

Bayly rushed back to Sarexa and bowed to it. "I'm so sorry. Please let them know they can come through!"

She turned to the Queen, who moved to stand beside Laannaa with a smile.

"The Ishilon don't look anything like us, but they are very honorable," Bayly said quickly.

The first to come through the Gate was Dennesh. She bowed to the Queen and moved to the side.

The next one through was Jack. Wearing his black gown with his long, flowing, sandy blond hair and those majestic black horns, Bayly pulled her eyes away to look to her queen. She was also watching Jack closely.

"Queen Mara, may I present Ambassador Jack Danner. He and the Ishilon, with the assistance of the Tik, came to our rescue when members of the Krreegah race threatened to kill the Dannt for the perceived crime of killing their people, the beings who devolved into the beasts we call Rakka." Bayly had been practicing that introduction in her head for hours.

She'd done what she could. Against all odds and orders from their church, she'd left the planet, traveled halfway across the galaxy, found a potential mate for the Queen, and returned with him. As she'd said to Mara, it was her decision what to do next.

Bayly just prayed there was chemistry between them.

-=-

Jack bowed to the Queen of the Dannt and did his best to keep the surprise from his expression. When he met Bayly, he'd assumed she was a full-grown female as she was almost his height. As he smiled up at Queen Mara, he understood he'd been mistaken.

He also immediately recognized her as the leader of her people. She had that gravitas, a presence that radiated calm and strength of character. Most importantly, there was intelligence in those lovely eyes.

Exactly like Queen Elissa. He just knew if they ever met, they'd be the best of friends.

Physically, Mara's presence took his breath away. She was almost a head taller than him and as broad in the shoulders. Her muscles were more pronounced, but he wasn't threatened by that.

The size of her mane of hair seemed proportionally larger than the others as well. Jack had an almost impulsive need to touch it.

He thought she was beautiful.

He suddenly realized he'd been checking her out and glanced up to see her eyes were locked onto his horns.

Gah! His Achilles heel, looking like a dork wearing horns. She probably thought he was a weirdo!

Then her eyes met his. She had the sweetest smile, and her lips were darkening! Was... was that the same as a blush?

"Greetings Ambassador Danner! While it doesn't seem enough, I want to thank you on behalf of the Dannt for your timely intervention with the Krreegah," she said, and he heard a slight wobble in her voice. Perhaps this was due to meeting people from other worlds for the first time. Maybe she had a touch of xenophobia?

He smiled. "It was our honor to protect one of our neighbors in the Gate Network."

Queen Mara smiled as she tilted her head. "We haven't joined the Gate Network... yet."

Jack froze. "What?" he asked in surprise. Then he looked to Tito. "You failed to mention this point on Maghadahn."

He looked back to the Queen quickly. "Not that it would've altered my decision to assist. It does mean that it would have been extremely unlikely that Maghadahn's Grand Assembly Committee would support any action to come to your aid. You were just lucky I have such excellent friends in the Ishilon!" He sighed. "It might make things more difficult for me when I report these activities on Maghadahn." That made the gathered Tik shift uneasily.

"What is the status of the Dannt?" Jack asked Tito.

Another Tik approached. "My name is Juju, and this is TkaTken. We were assigned to Danat. The Dannt are a special category for the Tik. When the Tik found their worlds, their civilization had fallen from the stage where they would have been contacted for inclusion in the Gate Network. Their culture was at risk of disappearing, so we did what we could to preserve the knowledge of them while hoping they would rebound on their own. As they were spread across their three planets, we linked them by Gates, hoping that reuniting them would help slow their decline. The Gates are not open to the Gate Network, but Bayly's mission necessitated her access."

A Dannt wearing some kind of ceremonial robe suddenly squawked. "Bayly's mission! She had no permission to defy—"

"Laannaa! Please allow them to speak. You will have the opportunity to express the Goddess' concerns shortly," Queen Mara said in a firm voice.

Jack watched the priestess stare at her Queen in surprise, but she backed down.

Jack saw an opportunity. "It's my understanding that the Tik discovered the source of the plague. I got to experience it on the journey here, and I, fortunately, survived with the help of the Ishilon's physician and my friends Gee and Bal here." He gestured to the two Altarians, who stared at him in surprise.

"The Ishilon physician determined the virus was not natural in origin. Tito told us one of the Dannt in a lab on Danax created it intentionally. It would be helpful to know why. One of its effects is to suppress the Dannt's ability to sense emotions." He looked at Bayly. "Is it working for the Dannt?"

She smiled. "Yes!"

"How did you catch the virus? Did others in the Gate Network become infected?" Warrez asked in alarm.

Tito began to speak, but Juju took over. "The Tik do not allow dangerous or infectious diseases to leave any planet. Gate scanners confirm the health of travelers and will not allow passengers to leave the planet if it detects something harmful to other Gate Network members. The Dannt virus was Dannt specific and therefore not a threat to others."

Now, Tito chimed in. "However, Ambassador Danner is a Hybrid and genetically flexible. When Bayly kissed him—"

"What?" Warrez exclaimed as Lena and Laannaa made noises of shock.

Jack held up his hands. "It was a moment of heightened emotion as we'd just finished discussing our plan to come to Danat to stop the Krreegah. It was innocent."

"Apologies for my insensitive delivery of that information," Tito said contritely, looking between Jack and Bayly.

Jack continued, forcing back his embarrassment. "Yes, catching the virus turned out to have a fortunate outcome as we now have a vaccine to completely eliminate the plague virus from the Dannt. Everyone will be able to be free of its effects."

He smiled at his audience. He hoped this news would be well received.

-=-

"STOP!" Laannaa-Klovalis, High Priestess of the Dannt had heard enough. Everything about this encounter was an affront to their religion. "You must leave Danat at once! Take this one with you! She is banished!" she pointed at Bayly with a contemptuous look.

"No," Queen Mara said firmly. "Bayly's willingness to sacrifice herself for the good of the Dannt is exactly what the Goddess demands of her people. I'm still the Queen of the Dannt, and I will not turn away the people who came so far to rescue us from being murdered by the Krreegah."

Laannaa stared into the eyes of her Queen in shock. She'd never directly denied her from performing her duties before.

Mara's gaze softened. "Laannaa, the Goddess loves us as strongly as she guides us. I believe in my heart she would not punish those who protect us."

As High Priestess, she'd spent much time discussing the will of the Goddess with their Queen and knew Mara loved the Goddess with all her heart as she loved her people. They sometimes had differing opinions on how the will of the Goddess would be presented to the people. Laannaa was less lenient with the people as she knew they'd quickly slide into anarchy without a firm hand to guide them.

Truthfully, she envied Mara's ability to inspire her people to follow the will of the Goddess so easily, but Laannaa didn't have their love as the Queen did. She had to settle on enforcing the rules.

"Without consequence, there can be no justice," Laannaa said.

"For true justice, there must also be mercy," Mara returned. "I agree with Ambassador Danner. We must know why one of the Goddess' people created something that killed so many. Having the ability to feel each other's emotions would greatly enhance our empathy for each other." She sighed as she saw Laannaa's frown, then continued. "We follow the will of the Goddess. I know she would not let her people crumble away into dust. She wants us to live. If she didn't, she wouldn't have sent Bayly so far from home to find an answer to the needs of her people."

Laannaa watched the expression on her friend's face and wondered what the sudden deepening of her lip color meant.

She wanted to argue with Mara but couldn't refute the point regarding the Goddess' desire for them to live. She remained puzzled by the Queen's current emotional state.

She realized it would be helpful to know what she was feeling now.

Mara turned back to the Ambassador. "I would like to volunteer to be the next vaccine recipient," she said.

"Mara! No! You cannot risk your life this way!" Laannaa cried.

"Should I be less brave than Bayly when it benefits my people?" Mara asked.

Laannaa opened her mouth to protest Bayly's life was already forfeited, but she knew such words would not fly with Mara.

The Queen nodded as she held the Priestess' eyes, confirming her thoughts.

Deeply unhappy with how this meeting was going, Laannaa stepped back.

"Goddess, save us from these off-world menaces... Bayly included," she prayed in her mind.

-=-

Juju entered a silent conversation with TkaTken, Tito, and the two new Tik, Sarexa and Bronka.

"Greetings! I believe an important mission has been presented to us. Ambassador Danner has identified that the Tik's determination of the cause of the plague is incomplete. The Queen concurs, so we must go to Danax to complete the investigation. Someone at the lab created the virus. It could be one or more individuals. We need to gather information on who they were, what motivated them to create the virus, and what kind of citizens they were. This will be presented to the Queen. The Danat Gate is lost, but TkaTken and I can open a Gate to Danax if Sarexa and Bronka would be willing to take on this mission."

"We would be honored to fulfill this mission!" Sarexa said, and Bronka tipped forward to accept as well.

"The Tik at the Gate Terminal on Danax were the ones who did the research on the lab, so you can gather the information you need from them before beginning your own investigation. Thank you!" Juju said.

Tito remained with the others as the four moved a short distance away to create the Gate to Danax. Without further ado, Sarexa and Bronka slipped through the mirror surface. Juju and TkaTken released the Gate and returned to share in the historic meeting.

Also, to enjoy seeing Jack Danner in person. He was every bit as interesting as their experience led them to believe.

-=-

"As we mentioned to Bayly, there is always a risk when taking medication like this. She exhibited some symptoms that were frightening but proved to be temporary. What she experienced may not necessarily be the same for you. As you've lived with the virus for longer, your symptoms may be worse or lighter. We don't know. Bayly can tell you what it was like for her and how long it took her to get through it. Again, that could also be different for you," Jack explained.

He could tell she was nervous, but her firm nod said she wouldn't back down.

"For maximum safety, I would suggest you take the vaccine in the ship's medical center so you can be monitored like Bayly was. You can also do it here, but you should rest while the medicine works," Jack suggested.

Mara shook her head slightly. "I will remain here with my people, but I will take your suggestion of resting. I would like Laannaa, Warrez, and Bayly to accompany me," she said, gesturing to identify her choices as she smiled and held his eyes. "I would also like to hear more about who Ambassador Danner is and the how and why of your rescue efforts. Will you join us?"

"I would be honored," Jack said, then glanced over his shoulder as Dennesh leaned forward to whisper in his ear. His smile dropped away as he listened to her report.

Finally, he nodded and turned back to the Queen. "There has been a development with the battle above us. The Krreegah ships have been disabled, and their warriors are being collected and moved from their ships into Peacekeeper's brig as prisoners. They'll be returned to Krreegah to stand trial. Lorrem Tessen, the Ishilon Commander, just reported that the Krreegah Commander, Freskkay Nuugaat, managed to flee from the flagship in a small, high-speed craft that eluded Peacekeeper and headed for the planet's surface. He may have a few warriors with him. They've tracked his destination to a densely forested area on the other side of the mountain range. Peacekeeper's sensors have detected what they believe is the original Krreegah invasion craft, but it doesn't seem intact. Nuugaat may be attempting to access the weapons of that ship."

Jack glanced at Gee and Bal, and they immediately nodded. He looked back to Mara. "With your permission, I'd like to send my two friends on a quick mission to the site to evaluate the situation."

Mara frowned in concern. "Our people stay out of that forest because of the Rakka." She paused, then glanced at the Priestess. "How are your friends going to get there? We won't send any of our people with them. It's too dangerous."

"They've brought their own transportation and will be extremely careful," Jack said, holding the eyes of the Altarians, who nodded.

Jack looked back at the Queen. "Do we have your permission?"

"Yes," Mara said.

"If the Krreegah attempt to attack them, they may need to retaliate. Is this allowed?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Mara said again.

"Thank you," Jack said with a little bow. He walked over to speak softly to them. "Take no chances. If they try something stupid, ensure it's the last thing they do. Watch out for the Rakka. They may be more dangerous than the non-feral Krreegah. Come back safe!"

They nodded to him as they prepared their skimmers.

"Make sure you have Tik witnesses nearby," Jack said, and they rolled their eyes, then quickly sprung up onto the decks of the skimmers and shot away into the sky, heading for the closest mountain pass.

Jack watched them go, then walked back to the Queen's group as one of his security detail dipped into their Gate and returned momentarily holding a small rectangular box. He handed it to Jack. "Thanks!"

He looked inside and saw it was the injector and ten doses of the vaccine. "Ah. This is the vaccine," he said to the group.

"I have to take all of those?" Mara asked.

Jack smiled. "No, just one. I guess Doctor Chena thought there might be more volunteers."

"We'd like to take it as well," the one Mara identified as Warrez said. She was speaking for herself and the younger male and female next to her, who were both smiling at Bayly.

He saw Bayly grinning back at them.

"Fine, but you will all join us in my tent, where we can keep an eye on each other," Mara said. She turned and led the way.

The Queen glanced back at Jack, and he took that as an invitation to walk next to her. He smiled up at her when he reached her side.

"Bayly tells me you are the spiritual advisor to the Ishilon. A Shadeem, she said," Mara expressed with interest.

Jack flicked a glance over to the young female, but she was excitedly chatting with her team. "Uh, yes, they gave me that title."