"You don't think this will start a new war do you?" Giselle asked Kagan, gnawing on her lip in concern.
Kagan looked down at her then back at the trio of ships on the landing field.
"I hope not little warrior, but we can't let them continue as they were. The Jurou Biljana must know we are not an easy mark."
"That is true. I was just thinking though that you're going to be a little too tired and busy from midnight diaper changes to be planning a new war." Giselle rubbed her belly.
Kagan's eyes flew to her stomach then back up to her smiling face. He pulled Giselle in close.
"You are... There's a..." Kagan was at a loss for words as his hand moved to her stomach.
Giselle nodded. She hadn't even known if getting pregnant was possible but apparently it was.
"Sabin is hoping for a little brother."
Giselle grinned as she recalled the exuberant child's reaction. It reminded her of how excited he'd gotten when Kagan asked the boy if he wanted to be part of their family. The adoption ceremony was beautiful and touching. Now Kagan had a new name inscribed on his back, potentially one of many to come.
"How did that little tail find out before I did?" Kagan smirked like a petulant child.
Giselle reached up and tweaked his pouty lip. "Well your son was playing Hunt with Fera and was hiding under the bed when I took the test Jolana gave me."
Giselle smiled at the memory of Sabin popping out from under the bed and running around the room like his tail was on fire, whooping so loud she was sure the entire citadel heard the news.
"And both you and Sabin kept this from me?"
"For a few days. You would've never let me come if you found out before we made this trip." Giselle smiled demurely.
"I should turn you both over my knee." Kagan shook his head even though he had a broad grin plastered to his face.
"Promise?" Giselle winked.
Kagan growled at her saucy reply.
"Well I guess I better not screw this up then." Her giant handsome warrior turned reluctantly back to the task at hand.
Kagan rose his fist giving the signal and Giselle watched his men fly into action. Fiery explosions erupted in various locations across the landing field and outside the market tent. Cadi swarmed the starships and the vendors that had already set up on land. Both the Vidya Cadi and Scelus Cadi worked together to surround the reptilian Jurou Biljana. The overgrown lizards looked shocked as they were marched off their ships towards the auction tent.
Giselle took perverse pleasure in their fearful expressions. Now the Jurou Biljana got to know what it felt like to be paraded out like animals for sale. They were just lucky Kagan wasn't as cruel as they were.
Kagan moved to the middle of the auction tent and mounted the steps to the dais. He stood up tall and commanding. His feral grin held a new purpose and was twice as frightening as before. Kagan's tail swished in annoyance as he walked up and down the line of reptilians.
"We have some things to discuss." Kagan informed the lead Jurou Biljana male. "First from this day forward you are not welcome to set foot on this planet nor occupy the orbit around it. There may come a time that we are willing to trade with your people again but you have overstepped your bounds." Kagan snarled and the Jurou Biljana cringed.
Giselle wanted the Jurou Biljana to be dispelled for eternity but Kagan wisely pointed out that many of the merchants in the universe were opportunist like the reptiles and would likely attempt to take advantage until they were put in their place. If the Cadi were going to take their place in the universe, they had to start somewhere.
"Second, we require reparations for a weapon that murdered countless people, which you are responsible for, as well as goods sold that were flawed. We expect better from those we deal with." Kagan bellowed so that all in the arena heard. The Cadi stomped in agreement.
Kagan had discovered the Jurou Biljana had pawned off bad parts intended to repair the Cadis starships to more than just himself. It seemed the Jurou Biljana wanted to keep the Cadi people planet bound and dependent on trade with them. Bad move.
"So we will be taking two of the three ships you brought today along with the Toufik here." Kagan boldly informed them..
The lead reptilian male started to balk but Kagan held up his hand and the male clamped his mouth shut.
"That is the deal and you leave with your lives. Otherwise I will take that too." Kagan snarled baring his fangs as he towered over the male.
The Jurou Biljana male looked angry but wisely nodded though he was a bit curt. The reptilians were led out to the smallest of their ships and forced to board as the Cadi warriors pointed their laser weapons at them. Several Cadi warriors had already commandeered the other two vessels and had the defense systems pointed on the lone Jurou Biljana vessel as it lifted off the planet surface and rocketed through the atmosphere.