My Kingdom Come book 1: The Saints We See
Chapter 38: Hunting

665 standard years after the signing of the Alliance

Hathu stood in the dark hallway, his arms crossed, looking out a large window. The view was of a courtyard that the school maintenance used to store their vehicles in, but this was one of Hathu’s favorite windows. Here he could be alone with his thoughts.

He heard quiet voices in the distance and half a smile pulled at the corner of his lips. Rarely, his peace at the window was disturbed by the Bukanisono ambassador, but Hathu didn’t mind. The ambassador was one of the few people/sentients who didn’t either loath Hathu or think of him as some sort of mystical hero. He didn’t recognize the voice or scent belonging to the other voice. The only thing Hathu could tell was that they were Ir’klahn and they were male. He wondered if the ambassador would pass him by today.

The voices grew closer, turned and came up the dead ended corridor where Hathu’s window was. Hathu kept his gaze fixed out the window. The cloud of peaceful goodwill that always surrounded the ambassador folded around Hathu.

“Hello, Hathu.” The ambassador said in his odd language. The tinzim in Hathu’s ear translated the ambassador’s words to Shoigan as he spoke. Bukanisono physiology made them incapable of speaking any language other than their own. Their empathy, willingness to remain neutral, and high levels of intelligence made them highly sought after negotiators all over the galaxy.

Hathu turned and gave the ambassador a small bow. “Hello, ambassador.” He turned his eyes to the Ir’klahn walking next to the ambassador. He was a few years older than Hathu. There was nothing distinguishing about how he dressed or looked. He was looking Hathu over without hostility or awe. Hathu relaxed.

“Hathu, I would like you to meet my friend, Jed.”

Hathu was about to give him a bow as well, but Jed held out his hand.

Hathu grasped Jed’s forearm and gave it a respectful squeeze. Jed reciprocated. “Pleased to meet you,” Hathu said.

“Likewise,” Jed replied.

“You see how narrow his irises are?” The ambassador said to Jed, gesturing with one of his four narrow arms.

Hathu stiffened.

Jed held up a hand. “Please, take no offense. I have a half sister with the same condition. I used to take her hunting so that she could relieve herself of the extra venom and pent up emotions. She got married a few years ago and moved away. I don’t have anyone to hunt with anymore. The ambassador thought you might be interested in joining me.”

Hathu looked at the ambassador. He gave Hathu a little bow of the head. Hathu looked back at Jed. “Thank you for the offer, I wish I could accept, but I can’t.” He pulled up one leg of his pants slightly to show the bulky monitoring device that was bolted around his ankle. “I’m only allowed to go certain places at certain times and if my emotions get too far out of an acceptable range, I’ll be locked up again.” He waited for the expression on Jed’s face to change. It didn’t.

“Have no concern about your house arrest requirements.” The ambassador said. “If you want to go, I will see that you are allowed to go.”

Hathu swallowed, afraid to hope. He wasn’t sure how much sway the ambassador had in his case. He dropped his pants leg. “You’re sure you’re wiling to take a crazy stranger like me with you?” He eyed Jed.

One corner of Jed’s mouth pulled up in amusement. “You’re not exactly a stranger to me. My father works in the capital and knows all the particulars of your case. I have heard them discussed in detail, many times.”

Hathu frowned. “Who’s your father?”

Jed made a dismissive gesture. “You’ve never met him. But I’m more than willing to take you hunting, if you’re willing to go with me.”

Hathu searched Jed’s golden eyes for a moment. He seemed sincere. Hathu nodded. “Thank you, I want to go hunting with you.” He turned to the ambassador. “If you can make it happen, Ray.”

Jed burst into laughter. “Ray?”

“I can’t pronounce his name.” Hathu said defensively.

Jed grinned. “It is difficult for us poor Ir’klahn to pronounce Bukanisono names. It took me several years of tutoring to even make an attempt at saying the ambassador’s name and I’m sure I still don’t pronounce it perfectly.”

The ambassador let out an amused sound. “The attempts each of you make to say my name are acceptable to me.”

Jed turned to the ambassador. “Imagine the look on my father’s face if I called you ‘Ray’ in front of him. He would send me out to be whipped in the hall of justice.” He let out a snort of amusement.

“Your father has good reason to adhere to the highest level of etiquette.” The ambassador answered calmly.

“He does, and I would never embarrass him like that.” Jed turned back to Hathu. “You have a school holiday in two weeks, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Can you spend the entire week with me?”

Hathu blinked. “Yes, if…” he looked back at the ambassador.

The ambassador gave Hathu another little bow. “It will all be arranged, Hathu.”

“Good!” Jed looked pleased. “I have missed hunting on Kihiri. Thank you Hathu.”

“No, I-” Hathu shook his head. “I know the emperor, has stood against some of his best generals and shown me a lot of mercy by allowing me as much freedom as he has, but the restrictions he placed on me have been hell. I’m grateful for a little-” he swallowed. “To be able to breath a little.”

One corner of Jed’s mouth pulled up. “I understand.”

* * *

Hathu knocked on Veli’s study door.

“Come.”

Hathu pushed it open. Veli was working on his desktop, Nojus was curled up with a book in the armchair by the fireplace. Hathu took a deep breath. “Sir, may I speak with you for a moment.”

“Of course, Hathu, you’re always welcome in my study. Come in.”

Hathu could feel Nojus staring hostilely at him from her chair. He went over and stood in front of Veli’s desk. His fingers tightened, slightly crumpling the message in his hand before he remembered he was holding it.

“Sit down, Hathu.” Veli said, gesturing to one of the chairs in front of his desk.

Hathu sat, feeling uneasy under Nojus’ eyes.

“What can I do for you?” Veli gave Hathu his full attention, his eyes full of warmth.

“I have a school holiday coming up in a week, sir.”

“Yes.” Veli nodded.

“I’ve been invited to go hunting with a friend of the Bukanisono ambassador’s for the week.”

Veli frowned slightly. “The conditions that the emperor set for you will not allow that.”

Hathu leaned forward and held the message out to Veli. “I received this today.”

Veli leaned forward and took the paper. His eyes ran quickly along the message inside. He made a sound of surprise. “Well, it’s all set then. Very good! Have fun. Do you need anything for your trip?”

“No, sir. Thank you. I just wanted you to know what my plans were.”

“I appreciate that, Hathu. How are your classes going?”

“They are going well. Thank you, sir.

Veli smiled a little sadly at Hathu. “I’m sorry that life has been so difficult for you these last few years.”

“You have made my life immeasurably better, sir. I’ll never be able to properly show my thanks to you and your family for all the trouble you’ve gone to on my behalf.”

“Hathu, it’s our pleasure to have you here with us.”

Hathu swallowed. He could see Nojus glaring at him out of the corner of his eye. “Thank you, sir. I have an early class in the morning. I think I’ll go to bed now.”

“Good night, Hathu.” Veli said warmly.

As soon as Hathu shut the door of Veli’s study behind himself, he heard an explosion of angry words from Nojus. Veli’s voice rose sternly above hers. “This is his chance for a little freedom, Nojus. Would you deny him that?”

Hathu sighed and rubbed his face. The rest of the family had always been warm and welcoming to him, but no matter what he did he could never win Nojus’ approval and he didn’t know why.

He debated whether or not he should go upstairs. Nojus would probably replace him and then there would be noise and trouble near Regia’s room and she was not doing well today.

Hathu went to the kitchen instead. The servants were finished in the kitchen for the day, so the kitchen was dark and empty. Hathu flipped on the lights. He found a pot and started making some warm sweet-milk. Nojus found him a few minutes later.

“What are you doing?” She asked from behind him.

“Making sweet-milk.”

“Still trying to eat us out of our home, I see. Where are you going over the school holiday?”

Hathu’s fingers tightened around the wooden spoon he was using to stir the sweet-milk. “Hunting.”

“Hunting.” She snorted. “Why? All the things, dad does for you isn’t good enough?”

Hathu focused on his breathing. She was going to be angry no matter what he did or said. It was not his problem. “That’s not what I said.”

“No? tell me then, why are you going hunting?” Hathu glanced over at her as he retrieved two mugs from a cupboard. She was leaning on the other side of the island, which was in the middle of the kitchen.

Hathu poured the warm sweet-milk into two mugs. “It will be good for my condition.” He carried one of the mugs over to the island and slid it across to her.

“I don’t want that.”

“Then don’t drink it.” He brought the pot and spoon he had used over to the sink and started to wash them.

“Hunting will be good for your condition, hm? So what you’re saying is, that what dad does isn’t enough for you.”

Hathu didn’t answer.

“Do you have any idea what we’ve given up to have you here?”

“I’m sure you’ll tell me,” Hathu muttered.

“You are such an ungrateful bastard, you know that?”

Hathu swallowed and took a deep breath. He turned around and stepped close to her. He was almost a head taller than her. She tilted her head back and stared defiantly up at him.

“What do you want Nojus? Why are you always badgering me? Are you trying to goad me into attacking you? Do you hate me so much that you want to force me into harming the only family I have?”

“You’re going to attack me? That would be the perfect way to show your gratitude to my family. Don’t think that just because you live here you’re part of our family.”

“Fuck.” Hathu turned away. “I’m tired Nojus. Regia isn’t feeling well. Now isn’t the time to start a fight with me.” He picked up the other mug of sweet-milk and left the kitchen.

“So now you’re worried about Regia? You’ve taken years off her life with your stupid rages, and now you’re worried about her?”

Hathu froze. His hand clenched around the mug.

“What, you’re telling me you didn’t know that-”

Hathu swung around. He shoved the mug at Nojus.

“I don’t wa-”

“Bring this to your sister.” Hathu gritted, lifting her hand and forcing the mug into it. Then he stormed down to the basement where Veli had set up a small gym for him.