All That Glitters

Second Denders Summit day nine to twelve.

A sports day. Formal dining, human style. A graduation.

© bigtddybr July 2022. This story 'All That Glitters - Ch 50' or the series 'All That Glitters' cannot be transferred to any other site besides Literotica.com in whole or in part without the prior authorizations in writing from the author and bigtddybr must be credited for this work.

Due to the number of abbreviations, ship listings, and list of characters, in this story, I include a glossary that is now in a stand-alone chapter called

'All That Glitters: Notes'

. Any and all information that you want or need to know about the series is included in Notes. It will be updated frequently simply by re-issuing the chapter to Literotica.

There is little attempt to explain the back story, so it is necessary to read previous chapters to fully understand where we are.

As before, I claim sole responsibility for the story line. This story is a fantasy, with no basis in reality. Any similarity that you may perceive to current events, people, or situations real or imaginary is completely unintended. Look no further than the story line for its intent and purpose.

A big shout out to SaddleRider and my other editors, who wish to remain anonymous, for all their help.. With their guidance, I'm making fewer and fewer errors. If you find any errors still left in this chapter, they are mine, as I have ignored sage advise to make a silly point.

Please rate and comment. But keep your comments respectful. If you rant and rave or are disrespectful in your commentary, it will be deleted.

'Nuff said...enjoy.

The Asoc's Villa, Denders Resort, South-West Coast of North America, Terra, The Sol System

Leifram Mutt >Kottane entered the Asoc's villa at 05:30 on Monday the seventeenth of July. She knew that the Asoc was already up, attending to her day. She bowed to the Asoc and set herself down on her tail where the Asoc directed.

"Good morning, Asoc," she said, giving the sign of one lower to one higher.

"Good morning, Minister Leifram. I am sure there is a situation or you would not have requested my time?" the Asoc stated more than asked.

"Unaayel," was all that Leifram needed to say.

Martte Unaayel Mutt Herrtt was a thorn in the side of the Asoc. She had once been a contender for the position of Asoc, in fact, the contender, being the older cousin. However, she was overlooked because of her tendencies to view the position of Asoc as a position of power instead of a position of service. There had been enough Asocs previously, who used the power of the position to the detriment of the people. The Beerlen decided to favour >Catal to the position of Asoc ahead of Unaayel because of >Catal's dedication to service to the people. She had proven their choice, making an excellent Asoc in their opinion.

There had been three attempted coups against >Catal and Unaayel was suspected in all of them. However, there had never been enough proof to have her arrested and charged. Instead, she was shunted to ShemetAR to be the Asoc's hand as the Raddon (Governor) of the planet. It was the best way to keep her out of the central politics of the realm.

"Damn, what has happened now?" the Asoc asked.

"It appears that Martte Unaayel has left the surface of ShemetAR without prior permission, Asoc. She took with her several chests from the treasury of ShemetAR. She returned without those chests.

"Conservative estimates set the contents of those chests at more than four billion Roppar, Asoc. This tells me that she purchased something in orbit that she did not want others to know about. What that is we can only speculate about," Leifram informed the Asoc.

"And the Minister of Internal Affairs for ShemetAR did nothing?" the Asoc asked.

"We can only assume that Unaayel now has him in her pocket, Asoc, as any other would have at least called for direction on her breach of parole, if not have arrested her on the spot," Leifram indicated.

That received a nod of understanding from the Asoc.

"What is your intent, Leifram?" the Asoc demanded.

"We are currently attempting to find out what it is that Unaayel purchased, Asoc. However, I think that is not the issue. Unaayel would not be so bold as to do so much without purpose. I believe that she is about to make another attempt against you. She is beginning to inquire with other Raddon (planetary Governors) about backing her. Kurraod Raddon ShaddonAR has indicated that she has been approached by those who are Unaayel's emissaries. Other Raddon have indicated the same.

"The Raddon profess support to the Asoc, however, the Mutt Gurn (clan high mother) will have a great deal of influence over their Raddon," Leifram stated.

Once again, the Asoc nodded to the truth of this situation. The Mutt Gurn of a planet control the Mutt that financed the opening of the planet. With the exception of those planets where the financing Mutt has died out, the Raddon of such planets were selected from within the dominant Mutt. While they professed loyalty to the Asoc, their true fealty was always with their Mutt and Mutt Gurn.

On the four planets where the original Mutt died out, the Asoc had the privilege to appoint her choice of Raddon, which is why Martte Unaayel was now the Raddon of ShemetAR.

"When do you expect her attempt to happen?" the Asoc asked.

"You are currently off Asocar, Asoc, for the second time in three months. I would expect Unaayel to try to convince those who would support her that you are unworthy of the position of Asoc because of the amount of time you are spending away from the >Clott<, from AsocAR, and from Asocan space.

"If she is to make her move, I suspect it will be when you return to Asoc Shall. She will attempt to garner enough support to have you arrested for dereliction of duty on your return. We can make arrangements to prevent this and will, Asoc.

"We will watch the demands for Djinaëte transports from ShemetAR. If she attempts to gain FTL transport I will have her arrested.

"I will also make inquiries within the >Clott< and Asoc Shall to determine what she might be doing there politically," Leifram finished.

"Very well. Continue to dig for information, Leifram. Find out what she is up to and find out what her timeline is. We need to know this. Whatever her method of coup, she needs to await my return to complete it. That gives us a week's worth of time."

It did not occur to either that their time estimates would be wrong...

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

The Asoc had made a request for a face-to-face conference and her comp now indicated that the recipients were ready. She called out to her mate. The Asost came into the room carrying the diadems of the priest and the priestess.

"Will you act as witness for us, Leifram," he asked.

"Of course, Asost, Asoc," Leifram replied immediately, stepping to the side where she could see but not be seen.

The pair placed their respective diadems on their heads and opened the link. Two faces showed on the monitor.

">Kurtin Clott, Gurn Mutt Hoyle, >Kurtin Clott, Gurn Mutt Shumett," the Asoc said, greeting the pair, who were immediately on their guard, until they saw that the pair were wearing the diadem of priest and priestess.

"Asoc >Catal Mutt Herrtt, or should I say, Priestess >Catal Mutt Herrtt," Gurn Mutt Hoyle replied.

"Priestess >Catal Mutt Herrtt, it is unusual for the Asoc and Asost to assume the role of the representatives of the Holy Couple," Gurn Mutt Shumett answered, stating the obvious.

"I made an offhanded remark here at Denders that came back to haunt me," the Asoc explained to the pair, getting grins back from each.

"Who is the lucky pair?" Gurn Mutt Shumett asked.

"Drane Mutt Hoylle and Verned Mutt Shumett," the Asost replied for his mate.

"Verned?!" Gurn Mutt Shumett retorted. "How did he manage to attract Drane Mutt Hoyle?"

"That I would like to know myself. No offense, Gurn Mutt Shumett, but I have met Verned and he did not impress me as a candidate for Drane," Gurn Mutt Hoyle stated.

"None taken and I concur with your estimate, which is why I was surprised at this revelation. How is this possible?" Gurn Mutt Shumett responded.

"Perhaps I can answer that with a short story, if you would allow me?" The Asost said. Getting nods, he started his tale...

"The humans have a story about a man and his ten cow female from the tribal days of humankind. The names change, but the story remains constant.

"In the tribal days of humanity, it was the custom of a male to pay a bride price to the family of the female for his mate. This was negotiated between the parents of the bride-to-be and those of the husband-to-be.

"Most brides went for the price of two or three goats," the Asost showed a picture of a goat and a human for scale. "Goats give milk, meat, hides and provide manure for many purposes. They are valuable in and of themselves. The higher the number of goats offered, the higher the estimation of the bride by the intended.

"However, a female worthy of the price of a cow was seen as even more valuable as a bride. It is considered poor form to offer too low a price so the negotiation is a balance between desire and thrift." Both Gurns were members of Mutts that did extensive trading and understood immediately what the Asost meant.

"For a male to offer a cow as bride price, means that his estimation of the bride's worth is much higher than any other," and here the Asost showed an image of a cow. "Cows provide more milk, more meat, more hides, more of everything. The more cows in the bride price, the higher the value of the bride.

"There is the tale of Rumick and his friend, Shagran, two young males who were performing service to their community. This service was in the form of acting as warriors to protect the community as a whole. Males in service to the community did their service in a place other than the village where they lived. Males looked forward to doing their service as, after their service, they would be permitted to find a mate.

"Rumick and Shagran did their service in a village not too far from where they grew up. This village was a village of goat herders. There, Rumick saw a female who took his heart. She was a rather plain female named Layette. She was nothing noteworthy to speak of, her only good point was that her crafts were exceptional.

"Speaking in plain terms, this female's bride price was not worthy of more than two goats. She was worthy of being a second or even third mate, but not the principle mate in a household. But Rumick was taken by her and wanted her as his primary mate.

"He petitioned her parents and asked for her hand, who set her bride price at a minimum of one goat but Rumick told them they were foolish to let her go so cheaply. That irked the sire, who raised the bride price to five goats. 'A bargain at that price,' Rumick told him.

"Layette's parents talked to their extended family and wondered at the words of the young male as they did not hold the female as anything special.

"But something was happening to Layette. She was the third daughter of a lowly village herder and always went about the village with her head hung low, her pride battered by those who were prettier or more competent in those things that she was not or simply had higher status than the third daughter of a herder.

"But when Rumick said that he held her in such esteem, her head rose. She walked about the village as if she was the village head's daughter and not the youngest daughter of a simple herder.

"The Elder Mother, the Gurn, of the village told the parents to make Rumick pay more. 'See how far he will go to gain her hand,' she told them.

"The Elder had noted the way Layette acted around this male and the way the Rumick acted around Layette. She began to get an inkling into what Rumick was doing. The Elder Mother took over the negotiations for the bride, pushing the parents aside. 'Why do you see this female as special, young man,' asked the Gurn.

"Rumick gave the Elder a smile that told her everything. 'Mother, she is the female who claimed my heart. She is the female that I wish to sire progeny with. She is my all, my destiny.'

"Layette heard him speak and her head rose even higher. She walked around the village with a smile on her bright, cheery face. When she sat with others of the village, she sat with her posture up and showed a poise and grace that she had lacked before.

"Shagran was Rumick's long time friend, both being from the same village. As his friend, he tried to talk him out of doing this thing. He too believed in what the villagers thought of Layette. 'She is not worth the price you are bringing,' Shagran told his friend who laughed at him.

"But Rumick would not be swayed. 'Shagran, you do not know the true worth of a female. No one in this village does. Layette is worth the price and more,' Rumick explained. The Elder heard him and decided to test him. 'I set the bride price at ten cows,' she told Rumick.

"The villagers were shocked. No ordinary female's bride price in the village had ever exceeded two cows before. Only the brides of the Ruler of the people went for a price of five or more cows.

"Layette feared that the Elder had gone too far and would push Rumick away. 'Elder Mother, you have set the price too high. He will not be able to pay this price. Most males cannot pay this price.' Fear was set in her heart, fear of losing this new and important male in her life.

"The Elder gave Layette a look of derision. 'Child, let your Elder do this thing. He will pay the price if he wants you that badly. I will give him concessions on finding the price, but I will not lower your value in his eyes.'

"Layette's heart was torn. This male would beggar himself for this bride price. She could not do that to Rumick and said so to the Elder. But the Elder would not be swayed. 'Do you not feel that you are worthy of this price, girl?' she asked Layette.

"Layette looked gave the Elder a sad look. 'I do not wish to lose him as a mate, Elder Mother,' Layette replied, panic beginning to take her heart.

"The Elder spoke to her sternly. 'Trust me, girl, you are worth the price in his heart. Fear not, he will find a way to pay it. But then you must become worthy of his price when the time comes'.

"Layette quailed at that thought. She was not a ten cow woman, no one in her village was. But she nodded to the elder and rose with all the poise and grace that she could muster. She did not show the fear that she held in her heart at not being worthy of the price nor the fear of possibly losing Rumick because of the price.

"Rumick told the Elder that he would find a way to pay the price. He said that it would take time for him to do so. 'Will you allow me one year to do this thing?' He asked of the Elder.

"The Elder smiled. 'Child, I will give you five years to do this thing. But fate may intervene if you take too long. She is no longer a one goat woman in the eyes of this village,' the Elder advised.

"Rumick nodded his understanding. 'One year, Elder Mother, that is all I will need.' Rumick bowed to the Elder and to the parents of the female. 'May I be permitted to return as often as I can during this year, to speak with my bride-to-be?'

"The Elder smiled. 'You may be permitted to do this, so long as you are never alone with her until you are mated,' the Elder admonished.

"Rumick returned her smile. 'I would never tarnish her reputation, Mother. This you can trust of me.'

"He spoke to the Layette, calling her his mate, his beautiful bride, his ten cow female. He told her he would come by as often as he could over the next year but that he would be working hard to provide for the bride price and her future.

"Rumick spent some time with Layette and her family then convinced Shagran to go with him to another village where he bargained their work for goats. It took them some time to earn enough for twenty goats. Rumick then negotiated five cows for the twenty goats.

"He placed the five cows in the care of his sire, in his home village and went to visit Layette. They spent a pleasant few days together then Rumick and Shagran left for another village to earn more cows. In six months, Rumick had earned his ten cows for the bride price but still he kept working.

"His friend was curious. 'Why do you not claim Layette?' Shagran asked him.

"Rumick smiled at his friend. 'I have my bride price, Shagran, but I do not yet have a home for her.' Rumick kept working. At the end of the year, he had another fifteen cows.

"He took the first ten cows, four of which now were pregnant and thus much more valuable and brought them to the Elder of Layette's village. 'Elder Mother, I bring you the bride price and more. I have also worked to earn more cows so that I can keep Layette in a manner that she is worthy of.'

"The Elder was well aware of what Rumick had accomplished, all in the space of a single year. She smiled at the male. 'And where will you bring your new bride, Rumick?' she asked.

"Rumick thought for a moment. 'Are you asking me to settle here in your village, Elder Mother?' he asked.

"The Elder smiled. 'Who will take care of the ten cows you have brought to us, Rumick? This village is a village of goat herders, not cow herders. We do not know how to properly take care of the cows you have brought us. Will you live here and make them part of your herd of fifteen cows?' she asked him.

"Rumick smiled. 'Elder Mother, are you offering me the use of the bride price?' he asked.

"The Elder smiled at him, nodding her head. 'As long as you stay in this village, Rumick, you will have use of the bride price. The next village over has a bull for sale. This village will pay the price of the bull for our herd but we will need someone to manage the bull and the combined herd. Will you be that person?'

"Rumick said that he would. He brought his fifteen cows and the village purchased the bull. Shagran, stood by Rumick as he claimed his mate. In thanks for his unswerving support, Rumick gave Shagran five of his cows to bargain for his own bride.

"Shagran left for a time and returned a year later to ask the favour of his friend. 'Rumick, I have found a mate. She has the price of one cow. But I need more to keep her in a proper manner,' he told his friend, reminding Rumick of his own words.

"Rumick smiled and told his friend he could have the five cows he was promised. 'My herd now numbers thirty-five cows. You helped me earn those original twenty-five cows, Shagran, you may claim your five.'

"Just then, the most beautiful female that Shagran had ever seen came out of a hut and set herself down on a mat. She had a small child beside her and she and another female worked a loom to make clothing for her household. When the woman came out of her hut, many of the other village females came to sit with her to chat and work together.

"Shagran could only stare open mouthed at the woman. 'Rumick, who is this woman who is sitting there?'

"Rumick smiled. 'Do you not recognize Layette, Shagran?' he asked of his friend.

"Shagran looked again and then saw the similarity between the woman and Layette. 'How is this possible, Rumick? Layette did not look like this last year.'

"Rumick laughed at Shagran. 'My friend, what is a ten cow female supposed to look like? Layette has become the ten cow female. She has worked hard to be worthy of that name. Her crafts have always been exceptional, now the rest of her is too. The village no longer sees her as a one goat female. Her value has grown in their eyes and her own.'

"Shagran cursed himself, understanding what Rumick had done.

I could have had a five cow female

, he thought.