Alien Ruler Needs a Nanny: Alien Nanny Agency #3 Page 2

  But the endless negative coverage was getting old. At a certain point, a man had to be free to concentrate on ruling the planet after all.

  A happy squeal coming from the rose garden made him chuckle to himself. His daughter, Pia, loved hide and seek. His personal pilot’s daughters had been playing with Pia along with Drayven’s youngest ever since they’d all arrived.

  His son, Jax, was around here somewhere too, probably kicking a gravity-ball around. Jax had been quieter since the move, but Ba’sh figured that was natural. The teen was growing, and their lives were changing. Ba’sh hoped he he’d have a chance to find Jax and toss the ball around for a while before they brought out the dessert.

  Most of the events for planetary heads were disappointingly boring and unsurprisingly not child friendly. Today was a wonderful exception, even if it was just an open meeting with the architect.

  “Gun,” a familiar voice shouted, shattering the peace and raising gasps of alarm from all over the garden. A chaotic flood of panic struck him like a blow, making him glad for the psionically-dampening circlet he wore.

  He turned instinctively to see his Head of Affairs tackling a man in a gardener’s uniform.

  “What the hell?” the man shouted from the ground, arms pinned behind him.

  Mrs. Slaite sat astride him, huffing a little. Her steel gray hair was pulled back between her horns in a smooth bun, which perfectly matched her gray suit and sensible gray flats.

  As Ba’sh’s security detail jogged up to check out the situation, Mrs. Slaite wrestled something out of the man’s hands.

  “False alarm,” she called out, holding up a trowel.

  Ba’sh winced. This wasn’t the first time she’d reacted a little too enthusiastically to a perceived threat.

  Mrs. Slaite rolled off the man and hopped to her feet.

  “Sorry, kid,” she said. “We can’t be too careful.”

  She offered him a hand getting back up.

  But he got up on his own, not even looking at her, an angry expression on his face as he dusted himself off.

  “I quit,” he said to Ba’sh. “Sir.”

  He was jogging off before Ba’sh even had a chance to reply.

  Of course, Tommen was taking a constant stream of photos, and his drone had recorded the whole encounter. This would obviously be the new focus of what should have been a fluff piece about the palace.

  “Madge, walk with me,” Ba’sh said to Slaite, holding in his sigh of frustration.

  She buttoned her lips and marched alongside him, the staccato rhythm allowing her shorter legs to keep up with his longer ones.

  When they reached a small stand of pines that gave them a modicum of privacy, he stopped and faced her.

  “I apologize, My Ruler,” she said immediately. “I thought he had a weapon.”

  “I appreciate how protective you are of the family,” he told her. “But I think you need to let your hair down a little. We’re at home now.”

  “Vigilance doesn’t take vacations,” she said, quoting some famous warrior from her ancestors’ homeworld of Maltaffia.

  “Nonetheless, this level of suspicion is putting everyone on edge,” he told her. “The other nanny quit because of the atmosphere. We want to provide a workplace that feels safe.”

  “A workplace that feels safe?” she asked. “Or a workplace that is safe?”

  “Ideally both,” he told her. “I have a head of security and a detail on around the clock. We have stealth drones, cameras, and sensors all over the grounds. I think it’s time for us to take comfort in the fact that we have done all we can.”

  “On the contrary,” she said. “You need to beef up security. Your detail is lazy. And sure, you have all those digital things, but they’re only as good as their operators. Besides, no one can see them. Anyone might think they can just get a job here and then try to take you out.”

  Which brought up another unpleasant point.

  “No one can get a job here,” he groused. “You have a backlog of applicants a parsec long who haven’t been approved. The garden is only half-staffed as it is. And now we’re down by one more.”

  “My Ruler, if you are dissatisfied with my work I will resign, effective immediately,” she said stiffly.

  “Of course not, Madge,” he said, sighing. “That’s not what I’m saying at all. You’re indispensable to me, and your loyalty means the world.”

  She stood a little straighter, which he wouldn’t have thought possible, but didn’t respond.

  “Why don’t you take a few days off and relax?” Ba’sh continued. “When you come back, we’ll regroup.”

  “A couple of days off?” she echoed in horror.

  “Absolutely,” he replied, choosing not to respond to her tone. “Pick a destination if you want, I’ll pick up the tab from my personal funds. No one deserves a break more than you do.”

  The golden circlet he always wore in public was meant to repress his psionic powers, and it did a good job of blocking out all but the strongest emotions. Even with it on, he had no problem reading his longtime colleague and companion now.

  She felt betrayed and hurt. And she was filled with despair that something would happen to him and the children while she was away.

  Madge had been with him long enough that she was like an aunt, or even a second mother. It pained him to see her hurting. But he was convinced this was best for her.

  “We will be extra careful while you’re off, Madge,” he told her gruffly. “I promise you.”

  She buttoned her lip once more and marched away without another word.

  He stood looking after her for a moment, feeling a little heartbroken for her. But this was just one of the drawbacks of hiring passionate people. At the end of the day, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

  Besides, with her away, maybe he could work through a bit of the backlog of new hires himself. Even if the palace wasn’t quite complete, it would be good to have a full staff onboard.

  He headed back toward the party, happy to hear Pia’s laughter on the air. She was excited for the adventure of the move, but he could also tell she was nervous. He wanted to do his best to give her some structure she could rely on.

  If he could just get the nanny situation straightened out, they would be off to a great start.

  3

  YASMINE

  Yasmine watched the glass spires and golden domes of the city disappear as the spacecraft floated toward the palace in the country that belonged to the new ruler of Ulfgard.

  Today was filled with so many firsts for her. Her first time leaving her planet, her first space travel, her first confidentiality agreement being sealed by a witness.

  But the blue-green stretches of land and shimmering ribbons of river in the Ulfgard suburbs were probably the most incredible.

  Back home on Terra-17 water was in short supply. The only greenery was allotted its share of moisture based on utility alone. The rest of the landscape was a dusty gray-brown, no matter the season. The planet had been developed before Terrans perfected their terraforming techniques. The later Terras were possibly more like Ulfgard, though she found it hard to imagine.

  “It’s far from the city,” she remarked to the pilot, who had allowed her to sit in the cockpit so he could introduce her to her new planet.

  “You know about the diversity on Ulfgard, right?” Captain Rivvor asked.

  “I’ve heard that just about every known race and species is represented here,” she said.

  “It’s a point of pride for Ulfgardians,” he agreed with a smile.

  She wondered what race he was from. His green skin seemed to have faded and darkened at least once since they began the flight. But it was surely bad manners to ask.

  “That’s wonderful,” she said instead.

  “The new leader is a Thyphian,” he said. “Are you familiar with them?”

  “No,” she said. “His picture makes him look almost Terran, but a bit larger.”

  “I never t
hought of it that way,” the captain chuckled. “He does kind of look like a big Terran. But the Thyphian are known more for their ability than for what they look like.”

  “What ability?” Yasmine asked, captivated by the idea of a special ability. All of this intergalactic diversity was still pretty new to her.

  “The Thyphian have psionic powers,” Captain Rivvor said. “They can read the emotions of others, sometimes even their thoughts.”

  “Oh,” Yasmine said, taken aback. She had expected he would say the children could fly or lift heavy objects. That would have been tough enough to deal with. Mind reading sounded positively intimidating.

  “Most people have that response,” the captain chuckled. “They don’t always get the best welcome. Another thing they have in common with Terrans, I guess. But they know it makes people uncomfortable. That’s why they wear those circlets.”

  “Like a crown?” she asked.

  “Kind of like a crown,” he said. “Not as fancy as all that, though. It inhibits the gift so that the person wearing it can’t pick up the thoughts or emotions of others unless they are really strong. It makes them seem more approachable to other races, but I think it’s even more of a relief to them.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “Well, imagine if everyone around you was just shouting all of their thoughts all the time,” he explained. “I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound very peaceful to me.”

  She supposed he was right. She’d been thinking about her own thoughts as if they were something someone might be interested in, instead of just a bunch of noise.

  “Wouldn’t the circlets be annoying, though?” she asked.

  “I’m told they’re quite comfortable,” he replied. “And of course, the ruler’s family will have access to the best materials and craftsmen.”

  “No,” she said. “I meant wouldn’t it be annoying to have one of your senses blunted? Like flying with a blindfold on?”

  “I… guess I never thought of it that way,” the captain admitted, frowning. “Maybe they’ll tell you when you get to know them.”

  She nodded and studied the landscape below as they passed over a small village that looked like something out of a fairytale.

  But she knew life wasn’t all happy endings on Ulfgard.

  She’d done some research when she found out this was where she was headed, and learned the dark reason why nannies were in such high demand.

  Only a few years ago, nearly every woman of child-bearing age had been viciously slaughtered at the hands of the Armada.

  While the Ulfgard Home Forces gathered across the system, preparing to repel an invasion, the Armada launched a sneak attack on a helpless planet right next to Ulfgard. There was no time for the forces to return, and if the attack was successful, it would give the Armada the foothold it needed to target the rest of the system.

  The civilian women of Ulfgard had all completed a mandatory military training, so the ones of fighting age rallied and headed off to face the Armada before it was too late.

  They managed to buy enough time for the Ulfgard Home Forces to join the battle, but the cost was high. None of those women returned.

  In the end, the Home Forces won the day, but everyone knew it was the women who were the real heroes.

  Now all of Ulfgard had statues and memorials to The Women, as they were known. The mourning husbands and the kids who were left motherless were taught to be proud of the loved ones who gave everything to secure their freedom.

  But pride was a poor substitute for a mother.

  “Here we go,” the captain said, snapping her out of her thoughts as he activated the manual controls.

  The craft began to descend more rapidly as they sailed over what felt like an endless stretch of woods.

  Suddenly, the forest thinned and a massive pale house appeared in a huge meadow that was broken up by trees and flowers. The building looked almost like the pictures of Old Terra’s Greek architecture in the books at the library back home.

  The craft hovered over a massive rectangular landing area a short distance from the building, and then touched down with a barely perceptible stop.

  “You’re a good pilot,” she said without thinking and then felt her cheeks go hot.

  Of course, he was a good pilot. He was the personal pilot for the Ruler of Ulfgard.

  “Thank you,” he said, winking at her. “Best of luck to you. The family is great. I’m sure you’ll love them.”

  She unbuckled her straps while he opened the hatch.

  “I can help you with that,” he said, indicating her bag and the pretty potted plant Zanfredd had given to her as a going away present.

  The bag didn’t hold much, just a change of clothes and the nanny manual she’d gotten from the agency at the end of her very brief training. It was called 132 Tenets of Childcare & Maintenance, and was full of gems like, “Choose your clients wisely.”

  It was a little late for that.

  “Oh, no, I’m fine,” she insisted, swinging the bag over her shoulder and clutching the plant in both hands. “Thank you very much for the ride, and the talk, too. I feel much more at home now.”

  “I’m sure I’ll see you again soon enough,” the captain said.

  Yasmine moved quickly down the stairs and across the lawn, her dark hair floating upward in the breeze that was kicked up when the craft lifted off again.

  The house looked even bigger from the ground. It was hard to believe that it was actually a house at all.

  She walked through a rose garden and past a fountain with golden fish swimming in the crystal-clear water.

  Twelve stone statues flanked the open porch, as if they were guarding it. Some were male and some female. They reminded her of the books in the library too, but she couldn’t place why.

  Some of the statues were naked and she tried not to be overly shocked or curious about their bodies. She was in a new place with a new culture. She would have to adapt, not the other way around.

  When she reached the front doors, Yasmine shifted the plant to one arm and lifted her other hand to knock.

  But the doors slid open before she could touch them.

  “May I help you?” a big Bergalian security guard asked with a smile.

  Yasmine had never seen a Bergalian in person before. She tried hard not to stare at the huge, furry man.

  “I’m supposed to report to Mrs. Slaite,” she said, hoping he would know what she was talking about. His smile was welcoming enough, but he did have a blaster on his hip.

  “She’s not here, but I’ll comm the offices for someone to retrieve you,” he told her with a wink.

  He began swiping the bracelet that clung to his huge, hairy wrist, as she looked around the vast hall.

  The floors inside were polished marble, or something that looked an awful lot like marble. Massive columns soared up from the floor to the extremely high ceiling. And cleverly placed windows filled the space with so much light that it was almost possible to believe there was no ceiling at all.

  It was all so fancy. Yasmine suddenly felt very under-dressed in her utilitarian garb. She’d dressed comfortably for the long trip, in typical Terran clothes more suited for work than impressing anyone.

  She’d feel better after a chance to freshen up and change into something a little more appropriate. Although now that she was actually here, she was beginning to think that she didn’t own anything that was truly appropriate for a place like this.

  I guess I know where my first paycheck is going, she thought to herself as she surveyed the space.

  An extensive collection of hologram artwork hovered next to the walls. There were many dignified busts and a few ancient maps of Ulfgard. A smaller image of trees with tiny figures flickered in the far corner.

  Yasmine stepped closer to look.

  In a moonlit forest, a huge satyr pursued a voluptuous woman, his eyes sparkling. The poor woman clutched at her thin robes as if to hide her nudity, but her pink
tipped breasts and the shadow between her thighs were easily visible through the nearly transparent cloth.

  Yasmine felt her cheeks go hot and she looked away quickly, moving back to the center of the hall.

  She had just made it back when footsteps echoed on the stone floors.

  A very tall and attractive man was striding toward her, his dark hair and leather armor a perfect contrast to the ethereal light of the entry.

  TENET: 2

  Always provide a proper introduction.

  - Dr. H. VynFleet, 132 Tenets of Childcare & Maintenance

  4

  YASMINE

  Yasmine watched the big man approach, sure that it must be just the long day of travel making her feel strangely breathless.

  “Welcome,” he called out brusquely, his booming voice echoing off the mostly empty space. He seemed to have an awful lot of confidence for someone who worked in Staffing. But she guessed someone of his size would. He looked almost Terran, but quite a bit larger than any of her friends or family. And he wore a plain gold circlet that reminded her of…

  No.

  It’s him.

  Yasmine had done a brief search on the Ruler and his family after signing the confidentiality agreement and receiving his info. The man was wildly handsome in spite of the stern expression he always seemed to wear, and his no-nonsense approach to governing. Half the comments on the article she read were just women swooning over him.

  The daughter, Olympia, was adorable, with sparkling eyes full of mischief. And the son, Ajax, was an absolutely strapping fourteen-year-old, who already looked an awful lot like his dad.

  She hadn’t expected to meet the Ruler on her first day, let alone have him be the one to welcome her here.

  Desperately, she searched her mind for etiquette rules and came up with nothing. Was she supposed to bow? Curtsy?