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Chapter 6

Miktes was starting to get nervous. So incredibly, incredibly nervous. Within a short amount of time he would be a mated male and all of his dreams would be coming true. He'd have a beautiful female on his arm, his dad off his ass, and strangers willing a spot waiting him on the council in a few years. His edgy threatening to make him explode the warrior began to back and forth in the hexagon shaped room where both he and his father were waiting for the arrival of Ocher and her father. Coming to one of the many pillows that were lying around the perfumed laden room Miktes gave it a hard kick, the soft item flying through the air and past one of the temples many priests, only coming to rest when it struck an attendant's face.

"Why aren't they here yet?" Miktes shouted with a growl. "Am I supposed to wait here all day to get my prize?"

"Please calm down Miktes." Daleer said tempered calmness. Picking up the pillow his son had just kicked across the room, the Verdomian chief quickly apologized to the attendant that had been hit and then place it on one of the couches lining the walls. "We have only been here for a short time and it will take Ocher longer to get dressed then you."

Miktes stopped his infernal pacing and whipped around to meet his father fire in his eyes at being told yet again what to do. Who was his father to tell him to be calm? It was his mating day after all; there were plenty of reasons for him to be on edge. "I don't care!" He growled at the older man. "I want to hurry and get this over with so that I can enjoy the outcome."

Daleer blinked a few times processing what his son had just said. When his firstborn's words finally did hit home the Verdomian chief couldn't help the large smile which crossed his face. "My, my this certainly is a change for you Miktes." He said. "You are now looking forward to, and I'm using your words here my son. You are looking forward to "being bounded to some weak willed sub."?"

Turning away from his father's amused eyes, Miktes cursed at himself for being so obvious about his change of heart. He was supposed to be showing his father that he was still angry that he was forcing him to go through the ritual of destiny. "I changed my mind ok." The redhead admitted after a few moments. "Can you blame me though? I'm going to be mated to one of the prettiest females in the village." He smirked. "Heh, she's going to have to wait on me hand and foot. Cooking, Cleaning, and letting me have her in bed every night. It's gonna be great! I'll be in charge for once."

"There's more to being mated then that Miktes." Daleer said as he gave Miktes a disappointed look. "Finding ones true mate has nothing to do with the control and obedience you have just spoken of. It is supposed to be about the love and respect that develops between the two individuals involved. How we share our lives and-"

"-Don't give me that shit father." Miktes interrupted with a snort. "Every Verdomian knows that our lives are all about control and obedience. Why else are we split into dominates and submissives? The subs make sure we are comfortable and satisfied by doing all the chores and letting us sleep with them and we're the hunters, leaders, and most of all the tops during rutting."

Daleer continued to look upon his oldest son with a touch of pity. He shouldn't have said what he had said in the baths. To see the submissives as nothing more but "slaves" was a horrible frame of mind to have. They were to be their partners in life. To be protected, loved, and most of all cherished every day as the gifts from the Strangers that they were. Not to be servants and playthings for their sexual amusement. Hoping to try and change Miktes' mind the older man opened his mouth to speak once more, before a word could leave his mouth however the door leading out into the hall opened up and two Verdomians walked into the room.

One of the Verdomians was an older male, just a bit younger then Daleer, his head shaved and his clothing that of a farmers. In front of him, gliding into the room like a feather was a young woman with a long purple ponytail which hung down to her rounded hips. Her clothing unlike the males was a female version of Miktes own ritualistic clothing. Arm and leg gauntlets with a long dark blue dress that had a flap hanging down from a belt that bore her clan's emblem.

When the young woman had entered she was smiling brightly, obviously excited about the upcoming event of her mating. But upon taking notice to the inhabitants in the room she had just entered, and more importantly to Miktes, the young girl made a face as if she were constipated. "YOU?!" She gaped in horror. "You are to become my mate? By the strangers what have I done to offend them to such a degree?"

"Ocher!" The girl's father said in shock. Turning to the chief and his son the beast herder bowed lowly. "I am sorry for my daughter's outburst Chief Daleer, Chief's Son Miktes. She was just... um, overtaken with happiness. Yes, that's it."

"Happiness a latcet's rump!" Ocher said haughtily. Frowning the upset young woman turned to her father with furious eyes. "Father you know what I told you about this horny jerk yesterday. What he said to me and my younger sisters."

"I've said worst." Miktes defended, trivializing what his soon to be mate had just said. "Besides what do the things I said yesterday matter? They are in the past. Wouldn't you rather talk about what we will be doing in the future?" Grinning, the pleased Verdomian male went to take Ocher's hand, the girl only giving it to him after her father cleared his throat. Looking up at her with a wiggle of his eyebrow ridges Miktes pressed his knuckles against the bridge of his nose as a sign of affection. "I hope you are able to make me happy." He said.

His genteel maneuver and self-absorbed words had little effect on their target. Ocher pulling her hand away with a groan of disgust and a glare of scorn. "I can't believe this is happening." She lamented. Right then the purple haired Verdomian really wished that she could just leave the temple then and there and never have to talk to the man in front of her ever again.

Miktes however was obvious to her growing distaste and beamed up at her with hungry eyes. "Can we begin now?" He asked his father excitedly.

Daleer stared at the soon to be couple for a few moments wondering if it was the wisest thing to bind someone to his son who so obviously despised him. In the end however he knew none of them really had a choice in the matter. The Strangers had seen it in their infinite wisdom to give his son a vision that foretold of this mating match. Finally nodding to the asked question the older man moved over to the priest who had remained quiet during the exchange between families. "We shall begin." He announced in his best chiefly voice. "Younglings will you both please stand before the temple priest here, facing each other."

Patiently both fathers watched as the their offspring obeyed the command, Miktes giving a small smirk as he got into place while a frowning Ocher got into hers. "Like this?" They both asked at the same time.

"Yes exactly like that younglings." Daleer peered over to the row of attendants in the room, giving a snap of his thick fingers he motioned for one of them to come over. "Bing us the blindfolds will you my dear?!"

Giving a small yelp of surprise one of the temple attendants hesitantly approached the Verdomian chief, the timid looking man holding out a tray with two strips of embroidered cloth on it. "What are those for?" Miktes asked eyeing them.

Daleer gave a quick smile to the man holding the plate and then picked up both of the blindfolds, handing the second to Ocher's father. "They are part of the ceremony." Was his simple reply to the asked question. "In order for us to precede you must both remain blindfolded until the ceremony is over. Do you understand son?"

Miktes gave a noncommittal grunt and bent down so that Daleer could place the blindfold around his head, blinding the young warrior completely and leaving him a little on edge. "I ain't liking this." Miktes grumbled.

Daleer made a shushing sound. "Be quiet my son. It will only be until the end." Stepping back into place Daleer waited as Ocher's father blindfolded his daughter and then gave the priest a small nod. "Begin now if you would Priest Blearm."

"Yes chief Daleer." Clearing his throat the ancient Priest present began to speak in a slow and almost sleepy manner, his voice echoing as a sudden quiet fell over the hexagon shaped room. "Today, we have come as one to take part in one of our most treasures traditions the binding of two clans, two families, and most importantly two hearts and souls. From days of old our people have taken heart that the strangers know what is best for us. That our destinies are in their capable hands and that through them we will find true honor, love, and glory. It is also through our trust of them that we..."

{Ugh... how long is this stupid thing gonna be? I swear the more this old man rambles on the more I start to feel like taking a nice long nap. Like I really give one shit about honor, love, or glory. All I care about is how once this stupid ceremony is how I'm going to enjoy my new life to its fullest. Large meat laden feasts every meal every day and rutting like an animal with my new mate over and over again every night. Who knows, maybe in a little while we'll have a youngling. I'm sure I'm man enough to father a dozen or so. They'll all be strapping boy dominates like me too. Little ones who I can teach all my studly ways and watch as they make everyone in the village absolutely miserable as they rage hell like their old man. All I got to do is endure this stupid old man's speech a little and I'll have everything I've come to want in these few short hours and maybe more. That is unless something happens to ruin it all. And if that does happen I'll make sure to make whoever messed it up sorry they ever crossed me.}

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The inside of the temple was more crowded then Barnabus and Rana had previously expected. The map they had seen in the outpost not being nearly as extensive as the real thing. There were dozens of Verdomians walking about, some in robes, some in guard uniforms, and some to Barnabus pleasant surprise completely naked. Whatever the green skinned inhabitants of the planet were doing that day it had to have been big. With so many of them milling about however it also meant that sneaking through the hallways was only that more difficult, invisible or not.

Peeking around a corner Barnabus watched silently as a heavyset woman with red tuffs of hair walked up to a door and opened it. Whatever she had seen within must have surprised her because the woman let out a loud gasp and started saying something in the Verdomians unusual language that caused her to start crying.

"Is the chamber on the map down there?" Rana asked from behind the Jack captain, growing impatience at having to wait.

Barnabus shifted his attention away from the woman and back to his second in command. "Naw, nothing down there but a dead end." Pulling out his P.A.D Barnabus brought up the picture he had taken of the temple's layout. Studying it for a few moments he unsurely said. "I think... we can get to where they're keeping the artifice if we go down..." He pointed to a nearby corridor. "... That hallway over there."

"Are you really sure this time Captain Comet. Or is it like the last three times?" Rana said a little sarcastically. He companion had said the same exact thing several times since they had started wondering around the stone fortress they had infiltrated. "Maybe I should be the one with the map."

Reaching forward Rana tried to snatch Barnabus' P.A.D out of his hand, but the other Jack was quick to pull it out of her reach with a smirk. "Hey don't get so handsy." He joked. "I know what I'm doing here."

Rana rolled her eyes. "If you say so." She said humoring him.

Falling into a tense silence the duo carefully began moving again. Stealthily making their way through hall after hall, going down one flight of stairs only to go back up another as they hopefully worked their way closer to their goal. Though invisible there were a few times where they had to hide. The duo pressing their bodies against the walls or ducking behind a corner as a stray group of Verdomians passed them obvious to their presence. But as soon as the "orcs" walked by them they were off again, knowing that it was only a matter of time before they found what the sought. Finally after what seemed like hours of walking the two Jacks came across a small hallway located near the center of the temple. The elaborately carved doorway at the end guarded by a pair of large men armed with spears, who looked bored to be in such an isolated place.

"...And here we are." Barnabus said with a touch of relief. "I knew that I'd be able to get us here."

"Yeah after I had to tell you to turn the map around." Rana was quick to point out.

"That was an honest mistake Rana." Barnabus gave a pout which made his friend scoff. "Heya we got here anyway, didn't we? Now all we got to do is get into that room somehow." Barnabus surveyed the area in front of them. There really wasn't any way they could distract the pair guarding the door or sneak past the two without them seeing the doors open when they tried to gain entry.

"I think I got an idea." Rana suddenly said. As her companion turned to ask her what said idea was, the Middle Eastern woman reached up and tugged at one of Barnabus' nose hairs, yanking the follicle free with a vengeful smirk.

Barnabus' eyes instantly watered at the pinch of pain from his nose and without thinking he let out a loud, "Son-of-a-bitch!", which rang out in the stone walls of the corridor. "What was that for Najjar!" the older man snapped while he rubbed his now sore nose.

He quickly found out why Rana had done what she did when one of the guards held his weapon up and shouted an angry sounding, "San nafu!" down the hallway.

The other guard quickly joined in his friend's aggressive action, pointing his weapon towards where Barnabus and Rana were standing. "Zarno temppa qousai!" He growled. "San nafu!"

"They don't sound happy." Barnabus whispered nasally as he continued to hold his nose. He knew that the two Verdomians couldn't see because of the cloaking devices they had on. But, still having two angry brutes in loincloths coming at you wasn't something he was too crazy about. Well not crazy about in this particular context, if something like this happened after an exceptionally good night at the bar he would have been delighted at the prospect of two men coming at him with their "spears" pointed in his direction.

Pushing lecherous thoughts aside however Barnabus grabbed Rana by the arm and pulled her out of the way as the two guards still searching for the source of the noise stomped past them and went into a connecting hallway. Once they were sure the two Verdomians were gone the two intruders laughed quietly to each other and calmly strolled over to the doorway the guards had been protecting, Barnabus pushing open the carved barrier so that they both could slip inside.

Once in the hidden room both Jacks were surprised to find a true wonder within. Inside was a large pool that glittered a bright shade of Bluish-green, light dancing off of the rippling surface and bathing the entire room in a dim light. At the center of the man-made, well Verdomian-made pond was a tall pedestal with a small shrine sitting upon it that had a small waterfall of clear water running over it, the clear fluid turning the same color of blue as the water in the pound as it fell downwards.

"I wonder how they get the water to change color like that." Rana said as she walked up behind Barnabus. She watched for a second taking in the entire scene. "Alfred said that the Verdomians are a Bronze Age people, right? They shouldn't have the technology to do that yet."

"Don't know, don't care." Was Barnabus' quick response. They were here to finish a mission and get their pay not wonder about unimportant things. "You think that what we're looking for is over there?" He asked thumbing over to the shrine in the center of the room.

"Most likely." Rana agreed. Together the pair approached the large round pool and stared down at their reflections in the swirling water. "I don't think I want to step into that stuff." Rana said as she squatted down to get a better look. The glowing water looked thick and for some reason made the hairs on her arms stand up on end. "Who knows what it does. Might be poisonous."

"It's just water Rana." Barnabus reasoned. To prove his point the balanced himself on one leg and dipped the toe of his boot into the water. When it didn't begin to boil and dissolve he grinned over to his fellow Jack and raised his foot up to her face. "See."

Rana slapped the offending booted foot away and rubbed her forehead as Barnabus tried to remain balanced. "For the love of... what would we have done if that had been acid or something?" Rana chided the bearded man. "I don't think I'd be able to drag you all the way back to the Wilde Comet."

"But it wasn't acid so everything's ok." Barnabus said back without a hint of remorse.

Rana gave him a hard look and then waved her hands around. "Yeah we know that now!" She shouted. "But... I just wish you would refer to the official Jack rulebook in instances like this instead of taking risks. Your mulitool has a handy scanning feature on it that you could have tested the water with."

Barnabus gave a dismissive huff. "Those things are only right half the time." He took his own tool out of his holster and showed it to her. "Scanned a hotdog once for fun and it said something about Styrofoam and chicken beaks which I know was wrong. E-cooleye brand hotdogs are the best in the entire colony. And as for the stupid "Jack handbook" the centers push on us, I think I've been a Jack long enough to know exactly what I'm doing."

Not wanting to waste anymore moment Barnabus threw caution to the wind and stepped into the pond, sloshing his way through the glowing blue water and towards the shrine. He made good distance for the first couple of steps but then suddenly the water got deeper about five feet in and before he knew it Barnabus found himself tripping over an underwater ledge and falling face first into the pool with a yelp and a big slash.

Watching as her foolhardy leader sputtered and splashed around in the water trying to right himself, Rana rolled her eyes and began walking along the edge carefully searching for something. "See now if you listened to the official Jack Handbook you'd know that whenever you come across a body of water. No matter how shallow you think it is you should always-" Seeming to find what she had been looking for the dark haired woman then took a step forward and surprisingly began to walk calmly across the water's surface, defying physics and Barnabus sense of reason as he floated in the pool with an open mouth. "-you should always look for a bridge or submerged pathway." She ended with a superior smirk.

"Yeah, yeah you're smarter than me. Congrats!" Barnabus grumbled. Wading over to her in the now waist deep water, the older man managed to climb onto the hidden underwater bridge ungracefully. "Ugh I think I swallowed a bit of it." He said with a cough as he crawled onto the stone surface. "Tastes a little like a metal striper's pole."

"I really don't want to know how you know what those taste like." Rana deadpanned. After helping her friend to his feet with a tug at his sleeve, the pair quickly went over to the small shrine and stood before it with some small bit of wonder. The structure appeared to be made of dazzling gold and silver, bright figures of monsters, Verdomians, and some other strange humanoid species carved onto it holding precious stones.

"Maybe we should steal the whole thing." Barnabus suggested looking over the object. "The professor that hired us might just have kittens if we present him with this."

"We're already stealing their sacred relic. Let's at least leave the Verdomians with something." Rana scolded. Reaching forwards she opened the tiny doors on the shrine, revealing the item that they had been sent to get within. A strangely simple carved rock in the shape of a sitting Verdomian child. "This is it?" Rana wondered as she went to remove it.

Barnabus gave a gasp of shock and grabbed his pilot by the back of her shirt, pulling her back and away from the shrine. "You just can't take it Rana!" He said wide-eyed. "Haven't you seen that ancient earth movie where the archeologist guy tries to steal a statue and gets chased down a corridor by a giant rock?" Taking a small satchel out of his back pocket Barnabus gave Rana a quick grin and leaned forward slowly, letting his right hand hover over the relic, fingers wiggling while he held the sack in the other. "We got to do this just right..." Barnabus said with a look of intense concentration.

Rana watched the ridicules display for a few moments before she let out a huff. "Barnabus..." She said in a near whine. "The Verdomians are still using pointy rocks on sticks! I'm sure they can't build elaborate traps that require the use of advanced pressure pads." Pushing her friend out of her way and almost back into the water Rana quickly snatched the stone statue from its place in the shrine and held it over for Barnabus to take.

"RANA NO!" Barnabus shouted as he covered his face, truly expecting some sort of trap to be sprung and for them to be killed. When nothing happened he sheepishly peeked over his own fingers. "Well... ok then ready to go?"

"Yeah unless you want to try looking for a bunch of crystal feet or something." Rana joked.

Barnabus shook his head with a chuckle and turned around so that they could leave the room. "You know I'm starting to think we're going to get out of here with no trouble at all." He said smugly as they crossed the bridge. "I mean those stupid, smelly "orcs" don't even realize that we're-"

"Gappasha!" A voice shouted across the room. Shifting their eyes from each other and to the entrance of the pool room the two thieves were surprised to not only see the guards who had been guarding the door standing there but two more buff looking Verdomians. All of the green skinned aliens gathered sporting shocked expressions on their faces as they stared in their direction. "San Nafu te zurd gappasha!"

"Dam they must have noticed the open door." Barnabus cursed in a whisper. "But at least they can't see us."

"R-Right." Rana answered. "But let's get out of here before the notice that the shrine doors are open too." Hesitantly the two took a step forward, the Verdomians instantly taking a step backwards. Blinking at each other the two jacks tried it again, getting the same result. "Um... Barnabus... I think they can see us."

"WHAT!?" Panic growing Barnabus glanced down at the cloaking device which was on his hip. When he did he found out to his horror that all of the blinking lights on it were dead and that the gauge on the side which read its remaining energy was stuck on "E" for empty. "Oh son-of-a-bitch!!" He groaned.

"Mazzaka tenzuu!" The guards all shouted in unison their shock wearing off. With a deep growl three of the four guards began to advance on Barnabus and Rana, the lead guard barking something over his shoulder to the forth which made him reply with a gruff response before he ran out of the room shouting.

"So what were you saying earlier about this being easy?" Rana asked, reaching for her weapon.

Acting on instinct Barnabus quickly pulled his mulitool out of his pocket and shifted it into the weapon configuration. "I take it back!" He shouted as he took aim and fired. The blast of bright white energy traveling through the air and hitting its mark with perfect precision. The unfortunate Verdomian that it hit falling to the floor, stunned and twitching as energy coursed through his body.

Barnabus' aggressive action seemed to set off a powder keg as the other two guards let out roars at the sight of their friend going down and charged at them ready to skewer the two humans with their spears. Rana was there to take care of them though. The young woman pulling out her weapon from its holster and using it to stun the angry men with two well-placed shots to the chest.

"Well, we took care of them." Barnabus said with a sigh of relief. "Now all we got to do now is get the hell out of here before-" The sounds of horns being blown throughout the temple rang out through the air, the sound almost instantly followed by the uproar of several gruff voices. "-Before everyone knows that we're here." He finished with a sigh.

After giving each other a special look of understanding, the pair nodded to each other and took off out of the room and back into the hallway. Exiting the room the Jacks were greeted by the sight of two more guards who cried out in shock and backed up against the walls as they ran by. Realizing that they had just allowed the intruders to get past them, the red faced duo quickly regained their courage and chased after the two intruders into one of the larger passageways of the sacred temple.

"Come on I think the exit is this way!" Barnabus shouted as him and Rana ran down the busy hallway, trying their best to completely ignore all the gasps and cries of horror that came from the numerous Verdomians that witnessed them fleeing from the guards.

"Captain?" Rana asked from his left. "I know this isn't the right time to say it, but you did promise me I could."

Barnabus turned to his second wondering what she could possibly want at a time like this. "What Rana?"

Rana took a deep breath and shouted at the top of her lungs. "I TOLD YOU SO!"

[You know, I should be mad at my "faithful" second in command for bring that up when we're running for our lives. Really though I can't blame her. Look at us! We're running and dodging through a mass of green bodies trying to escape before we end up like that guy in the video Alfred showed us. And it's all because of my stupid scheme to get us some more money and glory. I'm supposed to be their captain. The one who makes sure everyone is safe and happy and all I've managed to do the last three days is lead us into a horrible situation that'll most likely get me and Rana killed. And when we don't return to the ship I just know Alfred and Moah will come looking for us and meet a similar fate. ... ... come on Comet don't think like you can make it out of this mess. All you got to do is do what those old heroes in those movies do. Keep firing your weapon and pray to high heaven that lady luck will take mercy on your poor ass.]

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Elsewhere in the temple Miktes continued to not so patiently stand in place as the priest proceeding over his mating ceremony continued his long and tiresome speech about the strangers and how grateful they should be towards them. It was only when the priest took a long pause and seemed to be stuck that Miktes' last nerve began to temper. He and Ocher should be mated already, not listening to some wheezing old man prattling on.

Giving a growl the warrior went to open his mouth to shout for the priest to hurry. Thankfully before He could however the priest raised both his hands to the sky and announced, "And thus comes an end to the ceremony of mating! Shall Miktes of Hestry clan and Ocher of Woncig clan forever be happy in their new lives!"

"Finally!" Miktes said rudely. Reaching up to his forehead the young warrior tried to remove his blind fold. But found himself unable too as his father grabbed him by the wrist and held onto him tightly. "Hey knock it off!" The young warrior snapped looking around blindly. "The ceremony is over ain't it?"

"Not yet Miktes!" Daleer responded through gritted teeth. The older man had to remind himself to remain calm and not allow his unruly son to ruin his own mating ceremony. "There is still one more thing you must do before you and Ocher are to be mated."

"And that is...?" Miktes let out a haughty puff of breath and glared at the older man through his blindfold. He was starting to get really tired of all these stupid steps. He should just be allowed to take his new mate to his bedroom and have sex with her. That'd be a sure fire way to "bind" them together.

"You must drink the sacred water that will bind you and my daughter." Ocher's father provided. He too was starting to get annoyed. But not at the length of the speech or the steps of the ritual of destiny. No, he was beginning to become irritated at the thought of allowing this unruly man into his family. Miktes had done nothing but act rude and annoy his daughter since him and Ocher had walked into the room. The older man's only hope was that his sweet daughter would have the strength to be able to keep his brute of a new son-in-law under control

Seeing the growing anger in the beast herder's eyes Daleer realized that he had to hurry along with the ritual or things would turn ugly. Peering over to the standing attendants, he motioned for a young female to approach the altar. The woman quickly obeyed the summon and went over to the soon to be mated pair and their parents. Giving a bow she held up a plate similar to the one the man who had given Miktes and Ocher their blindfolds. However instead of strips of cloth she carried a pair of crystal vials which were filled with the same glowing blue liquid that was flowing through the ender's chambers and relic room. "Here you are my chief." She said demurely.

"Thank you." Daleer said with a grateful nod. Taking both the vials the older man handed one to his son. "Now younglings, when I say so you will both take a drink from these vials. Make sure to get every drop. After you have done this we shall leave you alone here in this room. It is then and only then that you will be allowed to remove your blindfolds."

"Seems like an awful lotta trouble just at get mated." Miktes said shortly. Rising the vile to his nose the blindfolded man took a sniff from it. "This stuff ain't gonna make me see stuff again is it?"

There was a chuckle from the Verdomian chief. "No my son it won't cause another vision." Daleer assured as he placed a hand on Miktes' shoulder. "All it will do is start the process of binding both body and soul. Which reminds me! Miktes, Ocher once you drink this do not touch anyone or look into another's eyes. It must be each other who you first see and feel." The older man got a fond look on his face a memory of him and his own mate flashing before his eyes. "That is the only way to ensure that the liquid has its full effect and starts your soul-bound"

"What happens if I look into someone else's eyes or touch them?" Miktes asked. "Will I get stuck with them or something?"

"Don't worry my son. Even if you do you will not be bounded to them." Daleer assured. "Only those who drink the sacred water in your hand can be bounded. All that would happen to you would be that you'd never be able to become bounded to Ocher. The sacred water only works once, understand?"

"I hear ya father, I hear ya." Miktes said dismissively. There was no way he was going to look or touch anyone but his new mate. After all who could resist with such a beautiful Verdomian. Raising the rim of his vial to his mouth, Miktes quickly gulped the strange substance down in one chug. The bright blue liquid passing his green lips and running over his tongue with a metallic taste. As it traveled down his throat the warrior had to resist the urge to spit the substance back up as it started to burn on the way down into his gut into his belly. "UCK!"

Daleer gave Miktes a sympathetic look. He knew what the stuff he had just made him drink tasted like. "I know my son it is not a pleasant taste." He said with a small smile. Turning to Ocher the Verdomian chief handed the second vial to the purple haired woman. "Now you my lovely new daughter take your drink and we shall be united as one clan."

Raising her head as if praying Ocher let out a long sigh. The young woman was not looking forward to a life of being the mate to the selfish and spoiled Verdomian in front of her. Rising her vial the depressed girl went to take a sip as she had been instructed to. But just as the shining blue liquid was about to touch her lips the door to the ceremony room burst open and a cry of alarm rose up from everyone making her drop it.

Daleer was the first to recover from the shock of being interrupted, the Verdomian chief leaving the gathering and storming over to a scared looking guard who had just entered. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" He said with a savage growl. "You are interrupting my firstborn's mating ceremony!"

"I-I am sorry Chief Daleer." The guard said bowing his head and putting his fists together in a Verdomian salute. "But this is an emergency!"

Daleer couldn't help the snort he made. If this was about the priests flirting with the attendants too much again he'd kill the man standing in front of him. "What could be so important that you have to barge into this sacred cera-"

"-Some creatures have stolen the artifact of the Stranger!" The guard cried out before the older man could finish.

Daleer's heated anger instantly evaporated and was replaced by ice cold fear. "W-what!?" He asked. The Artifact which was stored in the uppermost area of the temple was the source of the water which was responsible for their soul bounds. To have it removed meant that no new sacred water could be created for mating rituals. "Where are these intruders?" The Verdomian chief demanded.

"Unsure my chief, they raced out of the room where the artifact was kept and are now running about the temple." The guard replied. "We cannot stop them. They have some sort of weapons that can fell a warrior with one spark of light."

"This is troubling." Turing back to the room, the older man quickly took stock of the situation they found themselves in. Trying to decide whether he should advocate the capture of the two intruders to the guards and temple staff or continue on with the ceremony. In the end he realized that as important as the ritual was to his clan and to his son getting the relic back was more important. If it was somehow lost to them then there would be no more rituals of destinies at all. Looking over to Ocher's father Daleer calmly said. "... I know this is unorthodox but I'm going to have to postpone the ending of the ceremony for a little while until I am able to-"

"-I understand completely Chief Daleer." The beast herder said with a bow. He knew the importance of the artifact and what it meant that it had been stolen. "Me and my daughter will wait here until your return. Please be safe."

Daleer gave the man a grateful nod and went to leave the room. Before he could however Miktes realized what was going on and chased after his father still blindfolded. "Hey wait a minute." The younger man shouted as he nearly tripped over a pillow. "You're not leaving till we finish this damn ritual!"

"I'm afraid I am my son." Daleer said forcefully. "But I will be back soon. Remain here quietly and await my return."

Miktes let loose an annoyed growl. "I will not wait here while you go running off around the temple!" The warrior declared. "I am your firstborn son, your heir! I demand that you listen to me and resume my ritual!"

Daleer felt his whole body beginning to tingle at the way he was being spoken to. The obvious disrespect and nerve his son was showing. For a moment Daleer wondered where he had gone wrong. Where he had lacked in teaching his son the values that a proper adult should have. When Miktes gave him a smirk to top off his insubordinate words he realized that now was not the time to ponder such things. Letting out a growl the angry older man said with a raised voice that made everyone in the room cringe. "I WILL NOT BE TALKED TO LIKE THAT MIKTES! YOU ARE TO STAY HERE, SHUT UP AND WAIT, AND THAT IS FINAL YOUNGLING!!"

Staggering back a few steps Miktes let his mouth hang open, completely in shock that his father had just yelled at him in such a way. Daleer despite being a pain in his ass had always been calm with him, only slightly raising his voice when angered. Right now he sounded so furious that Miktes was actually intimidated by his father for the first time since he was a small child. Giving a small whimper Miktes nodded stiff ok. "Fine father I shall wait until you return." He said sulkily.

Daleer gave his chided son a sad look. He didn't want to shout at him like that. But, it was the only way to get through his boys temper. He raised his hand to pat the younger man on the shoulder but stopped at the last second remembering that he had drunk from the vial. Instead he spoke softly and fatherly to him. "Listen, my son I am sorry that I yelled." He began. "But you must wait here where it is safe. What I am about to do is more important than our problems, our struggles. Our people need that artifact. It is a gift from the Strangers themselves."

"Whatever father." Miktes snapped. Walking back across the room the peevish warrior plopped down on one of the pillows on the floor and began to pout.

Daleer shook his head at his son's behavior. 'Be safe while I am away little one.' He thought to himself. After giving Miktes one last look he and the guard slipped out of the room. Off to find the mysterious creatures that had infiltrated their sacred temple and get back what had been stolen from them.

***************

"Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!" Barnabus repeated again and again as he hustled down the temples main passageway Rana running right next to him. Behind them were about thirty or so shouting and growling Verdomian guards, the savages closing in on them with every step they made. "This isn't how breaking into a secret base goes in my stories."

Coming to a skid the pair of Jacks rounded a corner and ended up running right into a large group of guards. For a few moments the orcs stared at the humans in shock, and then all hell broke loose. The green skinned aliens raising their weapons and letting out a war cry as they threw their spears and launched slingshots. "Now you see in my story I'd have-"

"-don't really care Barnabus." Rana said over him. Quickly the younger woman grabbed her captain by the scruff of his vest and yanked him behind a large vase just as a spear thrown by one of the Verdomians came flying towards his head. Flinching as the pottery behind them was bombarded by stone arrowheads Rana glared over to Barnabus. "Well? You got any ideas how we're going to get out of this?" She asked. Charging her weapon she used their hiding spot for cover and fired, trying her best to keep the advancing guards at bay while she let her captain think of how they were going to escape.

Ducking as a shard of vase sailed over his head; Barnabus pulled out his P.A.D. and brought up the map he had brought with them. Running his eyes over it frantically for a few moments he finally found a potential way out. "I got it!" Barnabus pointed over to a room across the hall from them. "There's a hexagon shaped room over there that has a doorway which eventually lead us outside." He said happily. "We can make our escape from there."

"Good work Comet." Rana said relieved. The female Jack took a few more shots, the laser blasts stunning a few more guards. "You lead the way I'll cover you."

"Got ya." Barnabus shifted into a crouching position, ready to launch himself through the hail of spear fire and into the room across the hall. "We'll go on the count of three Rana!" He announced. "One... ... Two... ... ... Thr-"

Meanwhile inside of the room where the mating ritual was supposed to be taking place, a waiting Miktes gave a frustrated growl. His father hadn't returned yet and he was getting tired of waiting. Be dammed being ordered to stay put. "That's it I'm sick of this." Miktes said jumping to his feet. "I'm going to go drag my father back here myself."

"B-but you cannot Chief's Son." The attendants all shouted together.

"Yes Miktes the chief forbade you from leaving this room." Ocher's father added as he watched the younger man stumble across the room. Looking around for something to stop the temperamental youth the older man's eyes fell on his daughter. "Besides, you must remain here to look after my daughter and myself."

"I don't care about looking after her! I just want to get mated to Ocher and get the hell on with my life!" Not noticing his contradiction Miktes began stomping towards where he thought the door his father had just gone through minutes ago was. As he reached for the handle the strangest sounds began coming from outside. Shrill cracking sounds like thunder, and odd voices saying things that the Verdomian warrior didn't understand. 'What the hell is that?' He wondered.

He quickly got the answer to his question, the loud words, "We'll go on the count of three Rana. One... ... Two... ... ...THREE!!!", drifting into his pointed ears just before the small room's door burst open for the second time that day and two strange hairy creatures ran through it, the larger of the pair colliding with Miktes and causing them both fall to the ground in a heap of limps and angry shouts.

Struggling with whatever had crashed into him Miktes let out a curse and tried his best to push the heavy body off of his. His harsh movements only earned him an elbow to the face which knocked the blindfold from his head. Opening his blurry eyes the angry young man found himself staring straight into a pair of amber colored eyes. So unlike a Verdomians but somehow comforting. For a few moments Miktes and the creature stared at each other in shock, neither of them noticing the slight glow that appeared in each other's eyes, so entranced by what they were seeing.

Staring back at the Verdomian under him Barnabus let his mouth hang open in shock. For some reason at that moment he felt like his body was on fire and he was unable to pull his gaze away from the savage alien's reddish colored eyes. It wasn't until he remembered that he had been fleeing for his life that the Jack's senses came back to him in full force making him realized that he had to get off of the Verdomian. It was also that exact same moment that the green man he was laying on top of seemed to regain his senses as well, both of them drawing back and letting out a frightened shout of, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!", as they scrambled away from each other in blind panic.

The red headed Verdomian was the first to bounce back from the shock of their meeting though, sneering at Barnabus and lunging forward as if he were going to strangle the bearded man. "Tusu gaffer no tay senta buu go jun jinza treeo funatt!"

Thankfully, Rana was right there to defend her stunned captain. The Middle Eastern woman landing a hard roundhouse kick right to the orcs jaw that sent him flying onto his back moaning in pain. "Come one Barnabus!" She said grabbing the captain by the arm and pulling him to his feet. "We were escaping remember?"

Barnabus rubbed his jaw, it aching as if he had been the one who had just gotten a boot to the face. "Y-Yeah, yeah I remember." He responded to his companion's question. "Just sort of got a little dis- AHHH!" A sudden surge of electricity shot through the bearded man's upper body, causing him to grab his chest in a tight grip and fall back down onto one knee. "R-Rana...?" He desperately whimpered.

"Come on Barnabus!" Rana repeated. She knew something was wrong but they didn't have the time or luxury to stop. "We have to leave!"

Barnabus quickly regain his bearings and stood up straight. She was right; they'd get caught if they dawdled any longer. Giving the Verdomian he had been on top of one last look, the dark haired man and his second in command ran towards the door at the back of the room, pushing aside a group of horrified Verdomians as they escaped from the temple and out into the afternoon light of the late Verdomo day.

Groaning on the floor Miktes let his head fall to the side and watched as the strange creatures fled, his vision getting blurry and his chest starting to ache something awful. The last thing that crossed the dazed warrior's mind as he slipped into unconsciousness was surprisingly the same thing that Barnabus was thinking as he and Rana made their way across the field next to the temple and back into the thick jungle.

[{Barnabus & Miktes: What the hell just happened back there?]}