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The Seventh Realm: Volume Four

By Mantrid Brizon

Episode 44: Old Bosses

Sitting in the library and cradling Darius, Cy meets with Mirkon, Zia and Jinaso. Jinaso, a middle-aged male Ketlan, was leading the refugees of several tribes. Standing six-feet and two-inches-tall and with a muscular build for his age, he is a somewhat imposing figure clad in snow-white fur marked with thin, cobalt blue lines, long blue hair and blue eyes. Surprisingly jovial and forthright, Jinaso did indeed seek out the Sa'kesh, if not to join them outright than to at least forge an alliance. However, Jinaso and the collective tribes were elated when Cy invited them to adopt the Sa'kesh banner, the only tribe of its kind and the only one fighting Kincaid's human-centric tyranny.

Though he did not order the juveniles to steal, and offered restitution with what little they could spare, all are pleased that the events unfolded as they did; in a single day, the Sa'kesh more than doubled in number. After reporting to Cy, revealing important updates on how the newcomers are settling in, he and Zia depart, leaving Cy and Mirkon to more pressing business. Zakera enters the room as they leave, drawing Jinaso's attention. He, nor any of the tribal Ketlan or Zelkona that have adopted the banner of the three-trees have seen a mixed pairing; they always fail to ignore the sight of such couples in public and their py'sel children. It is a sight they welcome, proof that Kincaid is incorrect about his beliefs.

“Lodin, Zakera." Jinaso bows his head.

“Lodin, Jinaso." She bows back.

Zakera takes her seat directly beside Cy, reaching out her arms. Passing Darius to her, Mirkon prepares a tome, withdrawing it from a vishkachay cloth satchel.

“I have finally finished the task, and it was quite a task." Mirkon chuckles.

“I can imagine; it's taken you a few days." Cy grins.

“The current census for the Sa'kesh: 695 humans, 882 Zelkona, 573 Ketlan and 1 py'sel, Darius. That is 2,151 souls in total now living as Sa'kesh."

“Has Kanafa given birth yet?" Cy asks.

“No. She is barely a month away." Zakera answers.

“I would have marked '2 py'sel' otherwise." Mirkon points out.

“Damn. I really want to see what a human and Zelkona py'sel looks like." Cy murmurs.

“Are you thinking of creating one?" Zakera growls softly.

“Is that permission?"

Zakera narrows her eyes, smacking Cy playfully in the chest with the back of her hand.

“You know I only have eyes for you." Cy coos.

Leaning forward, the couple share several impassioned kisses.

“Ahem… I have noted their progress, Cy. As ordered, English is being taught to all of the children. Many of the Zelkona who have been here since Zia have aided in teaching the newcomers on their own time. They certainly learn much faster than us and the Ketlan. That will take longer; in only a week, many of the new Zelkona are nearly conversational. Showing the typical Zelkona zeal, many I have spoken with will ask for the English word if they do not know it, rather than resort to Ketlanic. I don't even hear them speaking it privately." Mirkon continues.

“I wish I could learn a language in a week. It would give me something to do with all of my free time." Cy jokes.

A knock on the open door of the library draws their attention. Turning to the source, they see Yasmin standing in the doorway.

“He's ready to go." Yasmin says, giving Cy a thumbs up.

“How much is he taking?" Cy asks.

“Enough to pack two of his ships." She replies.

“Figures…"

Downstairs, Yulan stuffs his pod with packaged food; faval bread, dried and smoked meats and cheese made from genashin milk. Though many creatures on Monala have reptilian appearances, most are actually mammalian, including the genashin and kodana. Sitting outside and reading an old book, Isabella turns her eyes to Yulan as he carefully packs the cockpit of his ship, lining every square inch with food that was promised him by Cy. For his service, he arrives for a weekly pick-up, of which this is his second, the first occurring when Cy and the others were still marching back to the Sa'kesh after massacring the primitive Ketlan tribe.

Stretching out his back, Yulan glances to over his shoulder, catching Isabella as she looks him over. The now seventeen-year-old girl immediately turns her eyes away as she looks at the astronaut, who by his own account is twenty-seven. It is one of the only pieces of information that he has given his supporters. Stepping outside, Cy, Zakera, Yasmin, and Mirkon walk into the courtyard. In the distance, Katero speaks quietly with Zia who gives him an exceptionally long and compassionate hug. Her dense, raptor-like tail sways as the red and yellow two-toned woman holds Katero close for some time.

“It seems like they become a little friendlier every day." Cy remarks as he watches Katero and Zia.

“She pities him for the loss of his wife, as we all do." Mirkon remarks.

“There's sympathy, and then there's that." Cy retorts.

“I believe that she is fond of him." Zakera adds.

Ending the hug, Zia and Katero turn to see that they are being watched by the others. Approaching the group, Cy and Zakera say goodbye to Mirkon, Zia and Katero, as the latter no longer lives in the fortress with them. After staying in the courtyard, their eyes following the three as they depart, Yulan watches as Cy and Zakera turn and enter the fortress. Yasmin remains outside. She looks to Yulan and waves her fingertips, a little grin on her face. She prides herself on maintaining the facade of interest for as long as she has.

“So, how are we looking?" Yulan asks.

“Cute, as always." Yasmin answers.

“I meant the census." He chuckles.

“Oh, that." She casually approaches him. “If your updated estimate is correct, we are outnumbered by Kincaid by two and a half to one."

“I'm always correct." Yulan chirps.

“So that's why you're still single." Yasmin giggles.

“There are other reasons."

“Such as?"

“Just reasons… So… Do you like being outnumbered?" He asks with a twisted grin.

“Naughty boy." She winks.

“That's not an answer."

“Maybe…" She cutely rolls her eyes.

“Maybe what?" He presses.

“Maybe, I'll see you around."

Turning back, she sashays inside the fortress, glancing over her shoulder at the spaceman.

“The things I'd do to that woman…" He sighs.

“Why does she get all of the attention?"

Startled by the voice, Yulan spins around. Standing just behind him and a few feet away is Isabella. With narrowed eyes, she stares at the astronaut from the future. Quickly relaxing, he sidesteps and leans against his ship with a forearm, taking his free hand and gently resting it on Isabella's shoulder. Her eyes turn to his hand before she looks back at him and takes a few steps closer.

“Well… Who said she has to?" He grins.

Marching along the road and toward the Sa'kesh, Zikata glances back at his war-guide. The muffled voice of a frightened male tries to speak through a cloth gag. Muzalfur pushes forward, keeping the man moving. Standing before the gate, they see a surprising and rare sight, the space craft of the astronaut that Cy had spoken of. Though they see two sets of feet on the other side, both clearly human, their bodies and heads are obscured by the craft. Zikata speaks to a gate guard who stands just inside; he darts into the fortress to fetch Cy.

“Cyrus!" The guard exclaims, entering the dining hall.

“What is it?"

“Zikata has arrived." The guard says.

“So soon?!" Zakera exclaims.

“It sounds important."

“Yeah… It always is." He sighs as he stands.

Leaving the fortress and entering the courtyard, Cy stops in his tracks as he witnesses Yulan leaning in and whispering something to Isabella, her hand resting over his groin. Clearing his throat, he gains their attention.

“I think someone should be leaving." Cy says sternly to Yulan.

“Yes, dad." He quips.

Climbing into the cockpit of his ship, he stares at the Kelanethaka on the other side of the gate. Walking around the ship as it begins to hover in the air, Cy begins to scold Isabella for her choice in men, stopping mid-sentence when he sees Zikata and the others before him.

“Hello, my son and daughter. We have brought you a gift!" Zikata chirps.

“H-… Wha-…" Cy chokes.

Exiting the fortress with her MP5K in her hands, Yasmin slides on the grass and comes to a halt as she looks ahead of her.

“We caught these thieves. It was rather easy; when they saw our form, we just walked up to them and took their weapons." Zikata laughs. “They claim to know you, and spoke your name."

Approaching the gate, Zakera looks back and forth as Cy, Yasmin and Isabella stare at several bound men. Only twenty feet away is J.T., the father of Johnny, Isabella and the late Gabriella.

“D-daddy?!" Isabella asks, her voice shaking.

“Mmm-mm-MMM!" A gagged J.T. responds.

On Cy's orders, the gate guards open the barricade and allow them entry. Cy and his guards, all Zelkona veterans from the first wave of refugees, take hold of the humans, of which there are nine.

“We do not understand the operation of their weapons, so we have brought them as well." Muzalfur adds.

The Ketlan approach and rest a dozen combat rifles and submachine guns on the ground, accompanied by nearly two-dozen assorted pistols and revolvers.

“We believe these were the people brought here during the last storm. It hovered over the lake, far down the coast." Zikata begins.

“The storm we saw while standing on the ziggurat." Zakera murmurs to her mate.

“We caught them sneaking into our village to steal food. All are quite weak from hunger and thirst. I suspect they wandered in the jungle ever since their arrival. When they spoke your name, we brought them right away." Zikata continues.

“Thank you, Zikata!" Cy exclaims, tightly embracing his father-in-law.

Patting his pledge-son on the back, Zakera soon joins them, holding Darius in one arm while draping the other over Zikata. Yasmin takes J.T.'s bound wrists, violently yanking him closer.

“We're going to have some real fun with you." Yasmin grins sinisterly.

Isabella hugs her father with tear-filled eyes, who struggles with his bindings. After an extensive praise of the Kelanethaka's deeds, Zikata and his men depart; they have not come for any other reason than to deliver the men they've captured. Cy whispers orders to a gate guard, who immediately darts off to find Johnny. With a man each held by one Zelkona, a task not overly difficult for the powerful race, they march the captives down the street and toward the city proper. J.T. and his men stare in a combination of shock, awe and horror as their eyes take in the ancient looking city. Never before have their eyes seen such sights.

Skillfully constructed of mud bricks in a fashion similar to ancient Egypt or Babylon, the bustling thoroughfare is crowded with gawking humans, Zelkona and Ketlan. While many female Ketlan wear traditional clothing, such as Zakera's hide breastplate and skirt, many men walk with cloth trousers and opened vests. The male Zelkona and humans wear flowing garments that look like robes common to the middle-east, while female Zelkona often wear more form fitting, vishkachay clothing, such as tops that hang from one shoulder, or breast coverings as small and revealing as Zakera's. Blacksmiths craft cykera metal, which turns the fires of their forge a vibrant, cobalt blue.

Michael and several apprentices carve wooden beams, and Lara emerges from her clinic after treating a wounded Zelkona's hand after a minor construction accident. The wash of vivid colors that the female Zelkona and both genders of Ketlan bear is like an explosion to their senses. Mirkon soon arrives, and J.T.'s eyes grow wide as he sees his son, Johnny. Though he was eighteen when he fled, Johnny now appears to an adult of twenty or twenty-one. How can this be? Standing beside him is a female Ketlan with what he considers a frightening appearance. Dainty and attractive, if she were a human, the white furred girl with thin, cherry red stripes, tall, rabbit-like ears and a fluffy tail holds Johnny's arm.

Unlike Isabella, Johnny immediately stops in his tracks and glares angrily at J.T. Minoma looks to her husband, her wavy red hair swaying in the breeze. Leaning in, she whispers to him.

“What is wrong, my love?"

“That's my father…" He answers.

Like Cy and Zakera, Johnny has adopted a policy of transparency. She has heard all of the stories and knows the details of J.T.'s sordid criminal past as well as any of those who have lived it. Looking back at the prisoner with her vibrant red eyes, she narrows them in disgust.

“Who are they and why are they bound?" Mirkon asks.

“It's a long story. Is that new building ready yet?" Cy asks.

“Oh… The prison is not yet ready, but I can rush the construction."

“Please do. These aren't the kind of people we want getting away." Cy says.

Upon Cy's return, he saw the need for a proper prison. Without it, he must improvise. Taking them to a warehouse at the edge of the city and near the farmland, it was only recently constructed and designed for the excess faval grain that they will harvest. The windowless building, with walls made of two layers of brick and a single large door, makes an excellent choice for a temporary holding cell. Isabella doesn't even bother to beg and plead for her father's freedom. She knows that as soon as she is away from him Cy will order her visitations to be monitored; to this day she still complains about arriving at this world after being kidnapped from the old by her brother and late sister.

Taking the men into the prison, they tie their bindings together around two central support beams. With eight of the nine men now in a square, their backs facing the beams, they sit helpless on the ground. J.T. does not have a beam available to him, but there is are several cykera hoops inserted into the ceiling and walls, designed to hold the sacks of unprocessed faval upright. Using a set of metal chains and a simple pair of shackles, the only things that are available to him for use in the upcoming prison, Cy personally locks J.T. to a loop on the wall. Sitting on the ground with his hands before him and about ten feet of chain to play with, J.T. stares up at his former assassin who now binds him like a common criminal. Cy then removes J.T.'s gag.

“I will blow your motherfucking brains out when I get free…" J.T. immediately growls.

“You have neither the strength or the will." Cy smirks.

“And you can't pull a trigger with no fingers." Yasmin teases.

“Don't hurt him!" Isabella cries.

“She is not to be left alone with him, period. I want at least two guards inside at all times, no matter what." Cy says to Muzel, the captain on duty at the time.

“Understood, Cyrus." She nods.

“I'll volunteer to guard him." Johnny offers.

J.T. laughs as he rests his back against the wall.

“What's so funny?" Johnny asks.

“I should have been harder on you. You were supposed to run my empire in Belize, have the finest women and live a life of luxury, Instead, you wound up here, listening to this two-bit criminal with a bloodstained heart of silver."

“I never wanted any of it. Mom didn't want it either. Why do you think she shot herself? It was the only way that she could get away from you! I have never been happier since I've come here, and even if I could, I never want to go back. Fuck you!" Johnny growls.

“I never wanted to believe it. I suspected it when I saw you always palling around with Cy, but it's true; you're a little bitch, just like your mother." J.T. chuckles.

Johnny charges his father but is quickly tackled by Muzel, who leaps upon his back.

“This is not the way. Please do not force me to stop you." She says softly into his ear.

Lifting Johnny from the ground, the orange and green striped Zelkona female brushes him off and pushes him back toward Minoma, Cy and the others. Yasmin volunteers to take first watch and sit outside while Muzel assigns two Zelkona guards to stay inside and monitor the men. Dragging a weeping Isabella from the warehouse, she cries out to her father while Johnny cannot help but flash a middle finger before slamming the door closed behind him. Now left alone with two terrifying beings that appear as a male and female anthropomorphic raptor, J.T. sits in the darkness with his bound and gagged men. They listen only to the sounds of each other's breathing, and a strange growling sound.

Small sparks fly as one of the guards strikes a flint and steel several times, setting an oil-soaked torch on fire. As the fire grows brighter, J.T.'s eyes struggle to adjust. He jumps and cries out in fear as an orange, yellow and white stripped raptor woman sits cross legged in front of him, her orange eyes glaring at him from only a few feet away.

“My apologies." She growls in a deep voice.

Cy sits at Mirkon's dinner table with Zakera, Johnny, Minoma and Isabella beside and around him. Zia, Katero and Jack also join them after hearing about the newcomers. They explore their options, and as she expected, Isabella is the only one who does not want to execute J.T. on the spot.

“Are you certain that he cannot become a valuable member of the Sa'kesh?" Mirkon asks.

“Positive." Cy calmly replies.

“But he could be useful! Isn't that always something you give a shit about?!" Isabella whines.

“He's a cruel, abusive and narcissistic sociopath who cannot live by our laws. He'll be in and out of our new prison so often he won't even need a house." Yasmin explains.

“Thank you!" Johnny exclaims.

“Even if he is as bad as you say, we still can't publicly execute him. No one in the village will understand why, and I doubt you want to air your dirty laundry for all to see." Jack begins.

“What do you suggest?" Cy turns to him.

“How about a nice exile… Into a dirt pit a half-mile in the jungle?" Jack replies.

“There is also slave labor." Katero remarks.

“Perhaps not the best choice…" Zia murmurs.

“That would set a poor example and give the impression that we condone slavery, and we do not." Zakera retorts.

“That's my girl." Cy grins.

Slipping an arm around his mate, he kisses her on the cheek and holds her close.

“Well we have to do something with them. I have heard the stories my mate has told me and I do not believe it wise to keep a man like him here." Minoma says.

“The other men are just paid goons. A lot of them never did much of anything besides walk around and look mean. They might be useful, but J.T." Yasmin says.

“No fucking way does he get to live here, not after all of the things he's done and made both of you do!" Johnny barks.

Cy sits in silence for a moment, contemplating his options. After some deep thought, he rises from his chair and helps Zakera up from her own before turning for the door.

“I'm going to talk to him, and then I'll figure it out."

“Please, Cy! … He's my dad…" Isabella whimpers.

Glancing back, he looks at the tears in her eyes and turns away, heading for the door. Walking through the streets with Yasmin, Johnny and Minoma following, they return to the warehouse. Yasmin claims her post from the lone human guard assigned to watch it in her stead. Opening the door, they all pour in. Isabella is forbidden from joining them, held back and just outside by two human militia. The Zelkona female sits in front of J.T., who leans back in fear.

“You didn't need to sit that close." Cy chuckles.

“I wanted to be sure that he would not escape, Cyrus." She answers.

Rising from the ground, she walks away and sits in a corner, staring at the former crime lord. Rising to his feet, J.T. looks back and forth between Johnny and Cy. His eyes land on Minoma, Zakera and baby Darius, whom Zakera is carrying.

“Hello J.T., Would you like to tell me how you got here?" Cy asks.

“After you took off, we took a truck and left for the docks. The Malevolence was drifting off, but you knew I was going to come for you; we took my Yacht, the Animus, docked at the nearby marina. We followed you with shipboard radar, but a crazy storm with purple lightning struck. Before I knew what was happening, the ship dropped some thirty-feet into another ocean." J.T. explains.

“It's a lake." Cy remarks.

“Whatever. Anyway, the hit broke a hole in the hull, so we beached the ship. After a day of working up to it, we grabbed our gear and started walking… So… Who are those monsters?" He asks, looking to the Ketlan and Zelkona in the room.

“The pink, white and cyan one is Zakera and she's my wife. The little guy with the black, gray and teal is our son, Darius. Those two are part of my badass army." Cy chirps.

“The peppermint is my wife. Her name in Minoma." Johnny adds.

“Ugh… I always knew there was something wrong with you, Cy, otherwise I wouldn't have made you kill all of those innocent people, but you, Johnny? I never thought my own son would go native and fuck some talking animal…"

Minoma's eyes narrow. She had expected this from J.T., but it still enrages her to be belittled like that.

“Minoma and our unborn child is the best thing that's ever happened in my miserable, blood-soaked life, and I will tear your head off and shit down your neck if you even think of ruining that."

“Damn, Johnny." Yasmin says from the doorway.

Minoma wraps her arms around Johnny's bicep, nuzzling his face with her snout before a visibly disgusted J.T.

“Whatever… I hope Gabriella hasn't gone native." He mutters.

“She's dead. She was killed, by a human."

“For sucking an animal's prick?" J.T. asks.

Unable to hold back, Cy steps forward and punches his former boss in the face, knocking him to the ground.

“Oh, I see… I knew she was too classy to lower her standards like that. It was your fault, wasn't it? She was hanging out with you and someone came gunning… Wrong place wrong time, right?"

J.T. sniffles as his eyes begin to water. Cy steps back as a single tear runs from the tip of his nose, dripping onto the brick floor. He has never seen his former boss show such emotion before. Even Johnny is unnerved as he watches his father crying at the realization that he will never see his eldest daughter again. Turning back, he takes a deep breath and looks to his mate with a melancholy expression. All but the two designated guards leave the warehouse. As they swing the door closed, J.T. speaks up.

“What are you going to do with us?"

“… I don't know…" Cy says, glancing over his shoulder. “I'll figure something out."

“You could let us go. You've got more power here that I probably ever did." J.T. pleads.

“Don't tell me what to do. You're not the boss anymore…"