Sister Katherine by Tracy St. John Page A

delights.  Yet these women he looked at now were startlingly similar to his own race.  They were shorter, smaller, and of differing colors, but still remarkably like him.  And there were so many of them!
    His gaze swept over the dozens of frightened faces that turned to stare at him, but he couldn’t seem to locate the pretty blonde Vadef had sent him a picture of.  He did see Miv watching him.  His Nobek’s face showed unmistakable relief, his tight jaw easing as he nodded to his clan leader.
    Simdow and Vadef walked over to Miv.  The other guards the first officer passed issued slight bows, acknowledging his rank.  He gave brief nods in return.
    He looked up at Miv, who stood a good five inches taller than himself.  Vadef made him feel like a behemoth, but their Nobek reminded Simdow he was only average height for his species. 
    He shook his shaggy, shoulder-length mane of hair back and twitched a grin at Miv.  “My Nobek, it seems you have the best duty of them all, guarding these pretties.”
    Simdow’s address to him as a clanmate rather than a lower-ranking crewmember allowed Miv to respond informally.  The Nobek grimaced.  “You’d think so, wouldn’t you, my Dramok?” 
    Simdow cocked his head.  He rarely saw Miv look upset.  The expression on his face was as fierce as usual, but there was definitely unhappiness in his eyes and the tight set of his mouth.
    Restraining the urge to put a comforting hand on Miv’s shoulder, Simdow asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”
    “They’re frightened, my Dramok.  They cry.  They call us monsters.”
    Vadef’s face paled.  “It’s been explained to them that they’ll be taken care of, hasn’t it?  That we won’t hurt them?”
    Miv snapped a sharp nod.  “As best we can manage, but they don’t wish to hear it.”
    Simdow’s excitement faded quickly.  “They are prisoners who are being taken from the lives they know.  We should have expected this.”  He could have punched his own head.  Had he really hoped the women would respond any other way?
    Vadef bit his lip.  “Oh no.  What of the one we’ve chosen?  Kather-Ine?”
    Miv blinked.  “She said her name was Sisterkatherine.”
    “Katherine.  Like you said, Simdow.”  Vadef hurried to explain.  “‘Sister’ is her rank, my Nobek.  She’s a kind of religious leader among the women, if I understand it correctly.  She’s third in command of this colony.  The one called Mother Superior is the ultimate authority here.”
    “Oh.”
    Simdow was more interested in Miv’s earlier statement.  “She spoke to you?  You’ve talked to her directly?”
    Miv nodded.  “She has many questions.  I don’t know how to make her understand she’s safe with us.”  He blew out a frustrated breath.  “I’ve left her alone since she first approached me because I’m afraid I can’t explain the situation well enough to make her feel better.  I’m sorry, my Dramok.”
    Simdow gave him a half-smile.  “You’ve done fine.  There’s probably very little anyone could say to any of them to ease their fears right now.  Who’s in charge here?”
    Miv nodded to a Nobek lieutenant who stood a few feet away.  The other man watched them and nodded respect at Simdow’s notice.
    The lieutenant said, “I’ve already received word Nobek Miv is off duty to attend his Matara upon your arrival, Commander.”
    “Thank you, Lieutenant.”  Simdow turned back to his clanmates.  “Well, my Nobek and Imdiko, let’s see what we can do to give Matara Katherine a sense of relief.  Miv, which one—?”
    “She’s in the center of that group.” 
    Miv nodded at the largest cluster of white-gowned women.  They stared and whispered in fearful voices as they realized they were the center of the trio’s attention.
    At last Simdow saw her.  That tiny face surrounded by foaming golden curls was just as afraid as the rest, but unlike those surrounding her Katherine displayed