Lattus Kai (Died 429 IE) was a young Gelt nobleman granted the planet Essenar to develop. He had a concubine named Tishla, a childhood friend who agreed to bear him an heir in exchange for her honors (similar to a Ph d.) in genetic engineering. Growing up, he called her “Buckteeth” and “Tizzy.” He wanted to marry her but could not due to his status as a High Born, even if he freed her from her term of indenture.
Lattus ran Essenar as a penal world populated by transported convicts. However, food shortages threatened his grant and his charges.
In 429 IE, General Laral Jorl offered to take Essenar as payment for invading two rogue colonies the alien Marq stated were illegally settled by “Tianese,” with additional compensation in ten percent of the new colonies’ harvest and Tishla’s indenture. Kai declined to give up Tishla, but made Laral swear a vow to execute the operation.
Tishla admitted to Kai that she had been taking fertility suppressants. Kai opted to “punish” her by having more sex with her and exercising his option to extend her indenture. He hoped to use the time to find a way to marry her. Knowing that she carried his child and would be freed upon entering Compact space, Kai made her his heir, being a free woman carrying his offspring. He also sent her a dagger to show to a man he had stabbed during a war of first contact with the Laputan Guardianship. He instructed her to return and, if she found he was dead, stake her claim to the world Hanar, believing Laral Jorl and his family were involved in planet grabbing. He challenged Laral to a duel before the Sovereign, resulting in his death. However, it also setup a confrontation with Tishla, now his wife, over who had the claim to Hanar.
Appearances: The Roots of War