by Ruby Dixon
“How many of her people are here?”
I shrug. “Your guess is as good as mine. She hasn’t said much about them, but I don’t think she’s hiding anything.” I feel strangely protective of her, and I don’t like that the captain’s being a pain in the ass about her. She means no harm. If anything, we’re the harmful ones. I’ve known her for all of an hour or two and I already tried to kill her damn pet.
Chatav considers this carefully, then nods. “I’ll determine what to do with her over dinner. Be sure she’s dressed appropriately.” He turns his back to me and marches out of med bay, military-crisp.
Keffing hell. Dinner? Every time the ship has visitors, the captain loves to put on a military-style formal dinner for everyone. It’s more or less the politest interrogation possible. I was hoping he wouldn’t pull this shit, but the captain loves ceremony. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea for Trakan to know that she’s here,” I call after the captain’s back.
“I did not ask you, Vendasi.” The captain’s response is icy. He doesn’t even turn around. “This is a small crew. We don’t keep secrets from each other.”
Sure we don’t. We just don’t ask about shit we don’t want to know about. I rub my jaw. “Fine.”
I don’t like this, but I don’t have a choice. I’m not in charge here, and even if I dig my heels in, Niri and Trakan will go with what the captain says. I’m just the mech. But I can’t get over the feeling that I’m somehow ruining Farli’s life already, and it doesn’t sit well in my gut. I know what it’s like, first hand, when someone invades a peaceful land and brings unwanted technology with them. And it makes my blood run cold to think of Farli losing the happy innocence in her demeanor.
I’m going to do my damnedest to protect that.
4
MARDOK
I have to finish up my work outside, because leaving the parts scattered in the bloody snow isn’t a good idea. I leave Farli with Niri and go back to my task. I clean up the engine as best I can, but I’m distracted. It’s impossible to work without thinking of Farli and her wide-eyed wonder. She’s beautiful, and there’s something so pure about her that I feel…hungry for. I’m the last one she should get involved with, but I feel like we’re connected nevertheless. And I think about her when the distant twin suns go down and the air grows even colder. Farli was naked in this. How did she not freeze her damned ass off? It’s a mystery to me, though I know it has to do with the symbiont she carries that makes her eyes blue and her skin radiate warmth.
By the time I clean up the engine and take a quick shower in my quarters, it’s time for the captain’s dinner. I head into med bay, but it’s empty of both women, the only occupant the still-sleeping furry animal. At least it’s still breathing and its vitals are good. I heave a sigh of relief at that. Least she can’t hate me for killing her pet.
For some reason, it’s really important to me that she not hate me.
I head to the mess hall, and the formal dining table has been unfolded from the wall. I inwardly cringe, thinking of Farli sitting at dinner in nothing but her loincloth. Is the captain trying to embarrass her? Or us? Put the little savage in her place in the hopes that he can wring out the ‘truth’ of why Farli showed up? I don’t think she’s hiding anything. I don’t think she could. I think she’s as guileless and innocent as she seems, and I get angrier and angrier at the thought of the captain trying to force her into some sort of ridiculous confession by embarrassing her or putting her out of her element.
All of that changes the moment I see her, of course.
She’s smiling. Of course she is. Farli seems to love everything, and the fascination of the dining hall setup is no different. Her eyes are wide with excitement as a nearby bot sets the table and drinks are poured. Niri’s talking to her, but I suspect Farli isn’t listening. She’s trying to take in everything around her, from the holo on the wall that shows pastoral landscape scenes, to the silverware placed on the elegant table, to the smells filling the room. She looks more beautiful than before, too. She’s wearing one of Niri’s extra jumpsuits, and it doesn’t quite fit her like it does Niri’s lanky form. It’s tight across the bust and too small through the arms and thighs, because Farli’s far more muscular than the rail-thin medic. It looks almost indecent, and as if Niri has realized this, the jumpsuit is open in the front, revealing a sliver of borrowed under-tunic. Layers, so she doesn’t look as if she’s busting out of the top. Smart. Farli’s thick, wild hair has been pulled back into a ponytail knotted high at the crown of her head, and her bare, unadorned horns look as prominent as her beaming smile.
Her attention turns the moment I approach, and I can hear her purring. Niri’s eyebrows go up, and she moves away, programming drink stations at each seat. “Mardok,” Farli exclaims at the sight of me. Her eyes light up. “You have returned.” She moves toward me and puts her arms around my waist, tucking her head against my shoulder. She inhales deeply. “And you have bathed. What is this marvelous smell?”
“It’s ah…just the ship’s generic soap.” I pat her back awkwardly, glancing at Niri. Her mouth is thin with disapproval, and I’m not sure if it’s for me or for Farli. Probably me. She likely thinks I’m taking advantage of Farli. And certain parts of me are very, very okay with that idea. So I reluctantly pull her away. “Why don’t you have a seat? I can show you how to operate the drink menu.”
For the next few minutes, while we wait for the captain and Trakan, I demonstrate how the drink station operates. Niri’s already got it set up, but I show her anyhow, and she orders several different things just to taste them, grabbing her glass before it finishes filling and making a mess. A bot immediately slides onto the table to clean it up, which causes even more excitement, and after that, I think Farli deliberately spills things just to see the reaction. Niri doesn’t approve, but I love the childlike wonder in Farli’s face and the way she wrinkles her nose when she tastes everything. She doesn’t like beer, or fermented milk. She doesn’t like the fizzy drinks that Trakan is addicted to, or the bitter stims that I chug on late nights. In the end, she settles on water.
The captain appears, and I jump to my feet. So does Niri. Farli watches us with fascination but does not leave her seat.
“You stand when the captain appears,” Niri tells her.
Farli blinks. “Why?”
“Because that is what you do.” Niri seems impatient with Farli’s endless questions.
Farli looks to me, curious. I shrug and give her a nod, and this seems to infuriate Niri even more. Not my fault that Farli wants me to guide her instead of Niri. She gets to her feet, and the captain moves toward his chair, his hands clasped behind his back. He ignores the rest of us, like he always does. Behind him is Trakan, and his eyes are devouring Farli’s lithe form in the tight jumper.
That protective surge rises in my gut, and I have to fight the urge not to jump in front of her and shield her from his eyes. I glare at him, hoping he keffing notices that I don’t like the way he’s looking at her.
The captain sits. Niri and I sit down, too, and Farli does a moment later, though it’s clear she doesn’t understand the ceremony. Trakan immediately glides over to her side, extending his hand. “Well, well, Niri told me that we had a visitor, but I didn’t believe her. Hard to think that a beauty like you is hiding out on this iceball of a planet.”
Farli looks delighted at his words, but she ignores his hand. “You are speaking my language!”
“Niri sent us the language file so we could all chat. I look forward to hearing more of what you have to say.” He winks at her and nudges his hand closer. I notice his tail is flicking in a rather predatory fashion, and anger burns in my gut. He’s got a girl back at spaceport. He needs to leave Farli alone.
She eyes his hand and then looks at me. Maybe it’s me being an ass, but I shake my head, indicating she should ignore it.
“Gonna be like that, huh?” I can’t tell if Trakan’s talking to me or to her, but it doesn’t matter. I lean
in so I’m closer to her and give him a challenging stare.
He smirks at me and moves to his seat, across from Farli.
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” the captain says in an austere tone as he presses the button to begin the first course. “Why don’t you tell us why you are here?”
She looks at me, and then her brows crease in a frown. “I was hunting.”
“Here on this planet,” the captain amends smoothly as the first course is served. Bowls of kelp soup are placed in front of us, and the others begin to eat, delicate eating sticks clinking against the bowls.
Farli sniffs over her soup and then looks at me again, a distressed expression on her face. I take my eating sticks in hand slowly and take a mouthful with exaggerated motions. She picks up the sticks at her side and examines them, then lifts one to her nose to sniff.
Trakan snorts with muffled laughter.
I scowl at him.
“I am not sure what you mean, here on this planet,” Farli says as she tries to balance the sticks between her fingers like I am. After a moment she gives up, uses one stick to fish out a stewed leaf, and takes a small bite—and immediately I can tell she hates the food. She chews for a long time, and I try to think up what excuse I can give if she spits it out, but she swallows bravely and then sets her eating sticks down. “I live here.”
“Do many of your people live here?” Chatav asks.
“Oh, all of them.”
Trakan chokes another laugh off, hiding behind his drink.
“And how many is that?” the captain asks smoothly, and I hate this. I hate that he’s interrogating her and she’s got no clue of what he’s doing, because she doesn’t have a bit of guile in her body.
She gives a bright little laugh. “I cannot count that high. At least ten hands worth, and that does not include the humans.”
“Humans?”
“Yes. They came here several seasons ago. The bad aliens left them here, and my chief found Shorshie and the others and rescued them. They are all mated to good strong hunters now. They all have kits, too. Some have several.” Her expression goes from pleasant to slightly wistful, and I notice she’s looking at me again.
“Tell me more about the humans,” the captain says. “They are stranded here like your people?”
“No, they live here like us.” She talks happily about the different ‘mated’ people in her tribe and the personalities of the ‘humans.’ I see Niri pull out her personal pad and begin to type, while Trakan and Chatav eat their soup. Farli does not eat, just talks, and it is clear she has great affection for everyone in her ‘tribe.’
In a break in the conversation, Niri murmurs, “Humans are life forms from Sol III, Captain. Primitive culture. D-class planet.”
“Kef,” Trakan says, pushing his bowl aside. “D-class life forms, too? I hope we’re not touching that with a ten-foot pole.”
I know what he’s thinking. Niri looks uneasy, too. Planets with a ‘D’ classification are off limits to any and all contact. If we’re found with contraband aliens, we could get nailed for kidnapping, even if we aren’t the responsible parties. A tricky situation just got trickier.
The captain doesn’t look worried. He finishes his soup, and the bowls are cleared away. I’ve barely eaten mine—no appetite. Farli’s is barely touched. New plates are set out, this time delicate little veg-cakes garnished with fanciful spirals. I watch as Farli’s nostrils flare, and she makes no move to eat this, either.
“So your people and the humans arrived at the same time?” Chatav continues. “Together?”
“No. We have always been here. The humans came a few seasons ago.” She’s starting to get frustrated with the conversation, it’s clear. “Why?”
“I’m just trying to figure out the best way to proceed from here.” I imagine the captain’s mentally running numbers on how much it’ll cost us to dump our cargo and pick up at least forty refugees, some of them D-class. Trakan’s no longer laughing, and Nisi looks upset. They’re seeing their pay slip away, and normally I’d be upset, too. But Farli’s more important to me than a few credits.
“Proceed? What do you mean?” Farli looks at me.
I nod at her plate. “You should eat.”
She leans closer, and as she does, she starts to purr again. Her expression goes soft as she looks at me, and then she whispers, “Will we get meat soon?”
“Meat?” I ask, surprised.
“Meat?” The captain echoes, appalled. “You eat animal flesh?”
I can see Farli cringe back in her seat, and that protective feeling surges through me again. “Not sure what else she’s supposed to eat while she’s here, Captain. Didn’t see a lot of farms or processing plants out in that snow.”
“Mm.” He still looks repulsed.
I shoot Farli a reassuring glance. “We don’t have meat, I’m sorry. Maybe we can find something else for you.”
Her smile in my direction is dazzling, and it almost makes up for Trakan’s quiet snickering. I reach under the table and squeeze her hand. I’ll make sure she gets what she needs.
FARLI
By the time the endless, strange meal is finished, I am ravenously hungry and exhausted all at once. I have never talked so much at one time and yet managed to say so very little. Every time I spoke, the sly-looking male would smirk. Niri would frown. And the other one—Cap-tan—would just throw more questions at me and misunderstand everything I said. I feel frustrated and tired, and I need to ask for fire, even though I haven’t seen any since arriving. It is a long way back to the closest hunter cave in the dark, and I’ll need a torch.
I return to the healer’s room with Niri after the eating, and check on Chahm-pee. He is still asleep, but he snores like he always does, and I feel a little better seeing that. I sit at his side on one of the strange stools and stroke his furry nose. I am not sure if I am comforting him or myself. These strangers are…odd and not entirely pleasant. I do not understand why they make me feel…like less. It is a sensation I have never felt before. The sly one laughed all through his meal, and I sometimes got the impression he was laughing at me. I have always imagined what I would do if I met strangers like Vektal met the humans, and I never pictured them being…unpleasant.
All except Mardok, of course.
My mate.
I give a dreamy sigh, picturing his face. He is stern but protective. He tried to make me comfortable throughout the strange meal, and when the others made faces at my words, he scowled at them. I liked that. I think my mother would like Mardok, too. I cannot wait to return to the village and introduce him to the others. I am so proud of how handsome and strong he is. My khui has chosen wisely, and we will make adorable kits together.
As if my thoughts have summoned him, Mardok appears in the healer’s room, looking around. He pauses when he sees me, a faint look of relief on his face. “There you are.”
“I followed Niri,” I tell him, and stroke Chahm-pee’s nose again. “I wanted to see if he was well before I left.”
“Left? You’re leaving?” Mardok is shocked.
“Once I get fire for a torch. I will be back in the morning to check on my fat one here.” I lovingly smooth my fingers down Chahm-pee’s brow.
“Are you going home?”
“No.” I give him a puzzled glance as I stand. “I am out hunting. My home is many days’ travel away.”
“Hunting alone?”
“Of course. Some hunt with their mates, but I have not had the opportunity,” I say, feeling shy. Should I point out to him now that we are mated? That even now, I am resonating to him because I wish for our bodies to join together? It does not feel like the right time. Not yet, with Niri in the next chamber.
“Fire?” he echoes thoughtfully, then shakes his head. “I can give you an electronic light source, but it’d be easier if you stayed here overnight.”
Here with him? He’s finally inviting me to touch him? Pleased, I move forward eagerly. “I would love to share your furs.”
His expression grows stiff. “No, Farli, that’s not what I meant.” He clasps my hands in his, but gives a small shake of his head. “I would not use you like that. You can have my room, and I’ll sleep in the storage locker.”
I pay no attention to most of that. Use me? Use me how? I would love to mate with him, but he is gazing down at me like it is a terrible idea, and I do not understand why. “You want me to sleep in your furs, but not with you?”
“Just to give you someplace safe to sleep.”
He gazes down at me, and the expression on his face is hungry—just for a flash, but it’s there. And I feel a little better. He is attracted to me, I think, but does not know how to handle it. Maybe with his people it is not appropriate to show interest? I do not know any of the rules and feel a little lost. “All right,” I say softly.
Mardok glances over at Niri, who is watching us. “Farli’s going with me,” he tells her. “If you need her or her pet wakes up, buzz my room.”
She nods, and her mouth thins out again. “I’ll let the captain know.”
“You do that.” His tone is short, and I am puzzled again. I thought they were friends.
Mardok leads me out of the room and down a series of dark, narrow halls. It smells like the Elders’ Cave in here, that strange hard scent that Har-loh calls ‘metal.’ We turn down another passageway, and I hear the sound of voices, in the strange language. Mardok halts and tucks me behind him, against the wall, and listens to the others.
It must be the two males I met at dinner. The elder and the sly one. I did not care for either, and I feel ashamed about that. Perhaps they just need time to adjust to me, like the humans needed time to adjust to living on our world. I should not dislike them just because they made me feel foolish at their strange dinner. In their strange way, they were trying to be polite.