John thought it was a good sign Nani Ikaika had the three middle seats of the half circle formed by all the Nanis Heiau. Despite the clan Koa designator, Amber was officially within clan Ikaika.
Three cameras floated in three different spots, two of them pointed right at John. After getting down on one knee and bowing his head, he waited, trying to seem as humble and obedient as he could make himself seem. This wasn’t the day to mess around. His future, his children, and his happiness were all on the line.
“Li Five-two…you know how ridiculous that is to say? A five as a Li! Did you kill four subhumans protected by the Empire’s Peace in the city of Victor upon your return to Peerless space?”
John wanted to say it wasn’t that ridiculous. Nine was six as a Li. Instead, he said, “Yes, Nani.”
“Did you ask permission to kill these subhumans?”
“No, Nani. I wasn’t sure if they’d be there.”
“Did you lie to the Alii of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi by telling her you only wanted to stop at a bar and have a celebratory drink, Li Five-two?”
John sighed. “Not exactly, Nani. Not really. I won’t lie – I was hoping the makans would be there. I really wanted to kill them.”
“And why is that, Li Five-two?”
“They were supposed to bring me and the Oliua of Kauwa Mara Pi to Isb. They sold us to the Kaw’n Federation instead. I can’t let subhumans get away with that.”
One of the Nani scoffed. “Are you not also going to claim they were terrorists, Li Five-two?”
“I’m not sure they were. They certainly hated the Peerless. As far as I know, they were all talk and bluster. I do believe they were more subhumany than other Kahako. Intolerably subhuman. I had no choice but to kill them.”
John heard another scoff. A Nani to his right said, “You were absent without leave for nearly half a year before being rescued by the Alii of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi. A serious crime.”
Now that the Nani were getting into his major offenses, John thought it was best to keep silent. As for the makans in Victor, killing Kahako usually wasn’t a crime, but the makans were under the protection of the Empire’s Peace, and that made it a different story.
The punishment was just a standard gig and a loss of one credit per kill. No big deal. John figured since he was already going to lose all his credits, there was no good reason not to squeeze a little vengeance in. They were passing by Victor anyway. He was just disappointed Koni Dral hadn’t been there.
A Nani asked, “Do you have anything to say for yourself, Li Five-two?”
Nine and John had rehearsed many possible answers for questions they assumed would be posed to him. “I was captured by our enemies, Nani. I maintained the highest ideals of the Aikapu throughout my imprisonment. I always acted in the best interest of the Peerless Empire.”
“Did you? If that were true, you’d still be called Four-five and you would’ve made your way back to us as did the Oliua of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi. Yet, neither are true.”
After long and tense moments, one of the Nani asked, “Do you believe you’re above the praised Aikapu my blessed husband and father, Akua, laid out for us to follow, Li Five-two?”
“Definitely not, Nani. I honor the Aikapu over all else.”
“Then why did you ignore it? You were AWOL for a very long time, you ascended to Gold as a Li outside of a kauwa and without permission. Unlike the Oliua of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi, you did not purchase your freedom and return to us. Explain yourself, Li Five-two.”
“There were extenuating circumstances, Nani,” said John. “I was captured, made a slave, poisoned, and thrown in an arena against 20 opponents, including two Diamonds and two Salts while I was a four-five. Can anyone in this room name another Li that could’ve survived that? I ascended between my first and second match out of necessity.
“They call Kahaka dogs of the Peerless. They called me the Undying Dog. No matter what they threw at me, I lived. They couldn’t kill me no matter how hard they tried. Not within their rules. Know how many Diamonds I killed as a low Gold? How many Salts? I didn’t run because I truly am Peerless. I didn’t buy my own freedom because of the Aikapu. I don’t run. I fight. And I fought. And I put fear into the hearts of our enemies.
“If the Alii of Kauwa Mara Pi hadn’t rescued me, I’d still be there fighting because that is what the Aikapu demanded of me. Without direct orders from an Alli or someone deemed a superior, when faced with enemies, Oli are to stand and fight until dead. No retreat. After I gave my funds over to the Oliua of Kauwa Mara Pi, per the Aikapu, I couldn’t leave. Not until my Alii rescued me. And…”
One Nani interrupted by saying, “False! You know the Aikapu. You know the section on retreat has more exceptions than any other. You are expected to stand and fight when ordered to do so, not when captured, and not when your freedom can be purchased. Don’t play stupid with us.”
John decided to continue as if he weren’t interrupted. “And my first act after being rescued was to gift that same Alii, my future Alii, the only Alii I’ll be an Oli to, a planet I heard the Nanis Heiau wanted. We all talked about it a good deal the last time I stood right here. Isb. A planet filled with rare metals and other fine resources. And it cost the Peerless nothing. Not one crystal.
“Cultists of Kazthun had almost taken over the world. If they succeeded and a high-tier version of her was summoned, this whole sector would’ve been hers. I stopped that, and in doing so, saved this empire. I killed six Salts. I killed four of them while they were merged together to form two different Transcendents. The remaining three Salts of the world bent their knee to me and many sacred beasts honored me.”
John was glad he could see the Nani with his orb-eye. He wished his speech had persuaded them, but it didn’t look like it. That end part wasn’t rehearsed. Nine thought mentioning Isb before the Nani did themselves would only hurt instead of help, but if they weren’t accepting his reasons for not escaping, changing the topic to one that made him look great seemed a good idea.
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One of the Nani Ikaika said, “The Alii of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi will not be allowed to bid on you. You will not be hers.”
A great deal of anger infused John’s heart. Enough that it was hard for him not to do something reckless. He took a calming breath and looked up. His eyes bored directly into those of the elder who spoke those words. “No. I am hers already. She is my Alii. Nothing any of you say can change that. Flog me, flay me, keelhaul me, castrate me and send me to Palm, she’ll still be my Alii. As long as I draw breath, she’s my Alii. It may not be official but it’s true all the same. I’ll have none other.”
A Nani on the lefthand side of the half circle snapped out, “You dare defy us? You dare speak to us in such a disrespectful manner.”
“Yes. For my Alii, there’s nothing I wouldn’t dare, and no one I wouldn’t defy. Let what’s already true be official or have me rot here as a Li forever. Wasted. And I mean forever. You all know I don’t age. I vow now I will die before I accept any but her. Today I become her Oli, or never one at all. Make your choice.”
John hoped he hadn’t been too disrespectful or pushed things too far, but he had to make his point perfectly clear. He had to make them see this was an all or nothing decision. If they wanted to toy with him, they’d find out just how stubborn and vindictive the man that had just saved the sector from Kazthun and conquered Isb could be. He continued to stare defiantly at each Nani in turn, right on down the line.
After a very long and tense moment, surprisingly, all the Nani started to clap. Many tears trickled out of watery eyes and down cheeks. The Nani all whispered to one another, most saying something along the lines of, “Beautiful. So touching. Such love. I told you this would work.”
The reason for the cameras became clear. John held in his annoyance. They could use him all they wanted as a propaganda tool if it meant he’d get what he needed, and he needed to be in Amber’s kauwa. He needed to be the first and only Oli to spend credits and father children with her.
One of the Nani of Heiau Ikaika, while wiping her eyes, said, “That…that was beautiful, Five-two. Beautiful. We have our new ‘Lost Li’ story. If only all our Oli loved their Alii as much. As they should. As the Aikapu demands. Beautiful.”
The Nani next to her said, “If you accept some stipulations, you’ll be able to swear to the Alii of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi today. We’ll get to that in a moment. First, your punishment, then your reward. As punishment for being AWOL and ascending to five as a Li, all the credits you’ve accrued are lost.
“Now, the reward for conquering Isb on your own is a tricky matter. Such a feat should come with an Ake offer, but you’re only a Li, and there is no precedent. The Nani Aikapu said we still must offer. Would you like to be granted Akeoli status?
“Not if I can swear to my Alii, Nani.”
The elder smiled and said, “We knew you’d refuse. We knew you’d want to serve the Alii you so passionately claimed is yours already. You honor the Aikapu. Isb was conquered by a Li without a kauwa. The Alii of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi will award you the maximum she’s allowed –five credits.
“But that is far from enough for conquering a planet at your tier completely on your own without tech, possibly preventing Kathzun from being summoned within this sector, and gifting this Alii and your empire such a coveted planet. We have struggled with how to reward you.
“It’s not lost on us that if Kathzun was summoned, depending on certain factors, this truly could’ve posed a real and serious threat to our empire. Because of this, the zenith award was considered. It will not be granted for the following reasons.
“As the presence of her cultists on Isb was unforeseen, this action was incidental. The NCS states that she often lies by telling her cultists their activities are meant to summon her to their world while her true intent is only to drain inhabitants of said world. If she were to be summoned, we don’t know at what tier and Tree. Many scenarios could have benefited us such as the Sector Council races and forces spending themselves fighting her before Galactic Council forces arrived to put her down.”
The Nani paused to look at John. He thought she was judging his reaction. He tried to look disappointed. Then she continued. “The usual award for refusing Ake status isn’t enough in this special case. This is outside the usual class and category of rewards. Since nothing works in this unique situation, the Nani Aikapu have decided how you are to be rewarded.
“Five credits from each member of the Nanis Heiau and Nani Empire. 120 in total, not counting the five from the hand of Alii of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi. A great amount and fitting your deeds. Do you know how point cost and bidding work, Li Five-two?”
John said, “Somewhat Nani. Not all the specifics. I know earned credits are worth half as much as currently held credits. I believe being a graduate of Premier Grand Akua Koa Academy, the top Li academy, and holding the First in Class position increases my price.”
“Correct, among other factors,” replied the Nani. “We must follow a specific order of events. You both lost and gained a great number of credits today. We don’t want to seem petty, but these new credit awards must be factored into your current price. You now cost nearly as much as a decorated Transcendent Olini.”
Part of the rear wall slid away and the sound of stone scraping on stone echoed through the large room for some time. A somber looking Amber walked through the door.
As usual, the sight of his wife took John’s breath away. She was wearing a very illicit outfit he wished she wasn’t. The deployment outfit Aliis wore was much less revealing and he wished she’d just always wear that.
A different Nani said to Amber, “Award this Li five credits.”
Amber looked at John, smiled, and said, “Li Five-two, for gifting me a world, for gifting me Isb, I gift you five credits.”
John almost said something corny such as he’d gift her a million more, but since this was being recorded, he held his tongue and only said, “Thank you, Alii.”
The Nani that had told Amber to gift John the credits spoke again. “Now review his new price in the CSL. If you still want him and find his price acceptable, rebid on him.”
A few seconds later, Amber said, “Done, Nani.”
The Nani nodded her head and turned to John. “Li Five-two, we were informed that you know of the unique stipulations of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi. Do you understand this Alii cannot grant the usual reward in exchange for credits? Do you agree to this modified reward? Do you have any questions?”
“I do understand, gladly accept, and have no questions, Nani,” replied John.
“Li Five-two, do you accept the Alii of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi’s offer to purchase you?”
“Yes, Nani. I will accept no other.”
All the Nani clapped. Once they stopped, the same Nani said, “You must accept through your CSL, Li Five-two.”
John did so and the Nani turned her head slightly towards Amber. “We’ve approved your purchase of this Li, Alii of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi. Li Five-two accepted your offer. We’ll all witness the swearing in here and now. We want this recorded too.”
Amber walked around the half circle of Nani and stood before John. Since he was already kneeling, he just bowed his head. He wished this wasn’t being recorded.
“Li Five-two, take my hand and swear to me.”
John looked up into Amber’s eyes and took her offered hand in his own. “I give you my word that I am without defect and take you to be my Alii. I swear my undying loyalty to you, Alii of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi. From this day forth, I will love, cherish, and honor you. I will obey your every command. For you, I will give my only possession – my life. No demon or subhuman will touch you while I yet live. This, I solemnly swear. We are one, united, Peerless.”
Amber smiled graciously. She then said, “And I give you my word that I am cleared to birth children and take you to be my Oli. I will provide you all that is needed to fight our enemies, be they demon or subhuman. I will always cherish you and reward your worthy deeds. From my hand you will find food, from my stores you will find arms, and from my flower you will find both love and sons to carry your mighty genes onward. We are one, we are united, we are Peerless.
“Rise, Oli Five-two of Heiau Koa, Kauwa Mara Pi. Find succor within my kauwa and know you will always belong. Now, perform many worthy deeds for me and fill my flower often.”