**And?**
**What do you mean and? That’s all there is to it.**
Webber rested his arms on the table and leaned in to her. **Then why do you look like you’re about to jump me and ride me like a bull at the rodeo?** He laughed when she shifted her gaze away. **Don’t sweat it, sweetness. I know how I look. And if you were my kind of date, I would have ditched the babysitters and ran for the nearest bed two seconds after the door opened.**
She frowned at him. **Your kind of date? You’re gay?**
**And how. You’re cute and all but you’d need a flatter chest and a joystick to get me going.** He shrugged. **I have a fairly good imagination though. If we go doggy-style, I could probably get us both off with no problems. Want to give it a go?**
She couldn’t believe it. Of all the men they could have gotten her, they chose one who was gay. It had to be her luck at work. Nothing else would account for it. She was doomed to be celibate for the rest of her life.
Amusement bubbled up inside her. She threw back her head and laughed. It was too rich. The situation couldn’t have been funnier unless they’d managed to get her someone impotent.
Nausic entered the room. “I’m glad to see you in a good mood again, Starling.” He placed a tray on the middle of the table. “What is so funny?”
She shook her head and reverted to jehlvan when she said, “Nothing. Nothing. Nausic, this is Webber.”
Nausic nodded but didn’t look at Webber. “So I was told.”
“Webber, this is Nausic, my personal guard. Our personal guard now.”
Webber moved his gaze over Nausic in an appreciative way.
Starling said, **Don’t even think about it. Gay relations are illegal too.**
Webber sucked his teeth. **How the hell can they call themselves an advanced race and they’re so closed-minded?** He sighed before turning his attention to the food tray. **What’s to eat?**
Starling lifted the food cover and handed it to Nausic. **All of my favorites.** She explained each of the foods.
She had lapsed into English without thinking. It felt good. She spoke English to the translation tablet but those were simple phrases, not conversation. Even if Webber couldn’t be a sexual partner, he filled another need—companionship. She finally had someone to talk to.
* * * * *
Bekion’s day couldn’t get much worse. He prayed for strength.
Tinette asked in an innocent voice, “Why that face, Bekion?”
He changed his request to patience. “Mother, I could overlook it once but not twice. How do I explain to Supreme Emperor Udo that I now own two Earth-origin humans purchased from a poacher, probably the same poacher?”
“Simply, my love. You tell him you captured the poacher, had him executed for his crimes and then gave shelter to the humans he’d taken. And yes, he is the same. He still had the payment voucher I gave him. I guess he couldn’t find a bank to cash it without proper identification. That money returned to the treasury so technically we did not purchase your first pet. No laws broken.”
Bekion said in a deadpan tone, “That is little consolation.”
“One human remained aboard the ship, which is why you do not have more. It’s a shame really. I would have liked a whole herd. The ones from Earth are so cute. Yesterday Starling had tea with me. She emulates our culture quite well. So cute.”
Bekion gave his mother a hard look. He hadn’t heard about Starling having tea with Tinette. Even if Starling didn’t mention it, Nausic should have. But that didn’t cause Bekion’s sudden apprehension. “Executed?”
Tinette said happily, “Yes. The captain and his entire crew, earlier this morning. Beheading.”
Bekion made a mental note to have all execution writs cross his desk from that moment forward. An entire ship’s crew shouldn’t be put to death in his palace without him knowing.
He asked, “Where is the one, then?”
“I had Schel escort him to your chambers so he could meet Starling. They are the same coloring. I hope that endears them to one another.”
“He? It’s male.”
“Isn’t that lucky? She will have an acceptable mate now.”
Something in the way Tinette said acceptable made Bekion think her suspicions about his true relationship with Starling had returned. The tea session had probably been Tinette’s way of ascertaining the truth for herself. He doubted Starling would have given anything away intentionally. Tinette, however, had mastered the art of hearing unspoken words and reading body language.
Her talents didn’t work on Bekion because Tinette had trained him in the same talent, so he knew how to conduct himself. He wouldn’t rise to her baiting. And arguing with her about the matter would justify her current line of thinking.
Bekion said in annoyance, “Fine. I would like to meet this new pet I now own.”
“I would like to see him as well.” Tinette linked her arm with Bekion’s. They walked down the hall together back to Bekion’s chambers.
He didn’t want his mother with him. She slowed his progress. He needed to get back to his chambers quickly. Another human was visiting his Starling. Not only was the other human from Earth and Starling’s coloring, it was male. Bekion didn’t want to think Starling would fall into bed with the male right away but she’d already professed to loneliness.
Couple that with his negligence the past few days and the two of them had to be in bed together already. He had to stop them. Starling belonged to him.
Tinette said, “Bekion, my heart, slow down. There is no need to hurry. Nausic and Schel are with them. I’m sure they’ll keep the male from hurting her if it comes to that.” She pulled on his arm, making him walk at a slower pace.
Bekion wanted to shake her off and run to his room. He checked the urge and prayed for calm. His imagination ran wild without justification. Starling wouldn’t fall into bed with the first man she met who happened to be from her planet. She wouldn’t.
And yet he couldn’t be sure.
Every time his thoughts moved his feet faster, his mother pulled him back to a more languid pace. It had never taken him so long to reach his chambers before. He needed to see that reality didn’t match his imaginings.
He almost sighed in relief when they finally arrived. The door opened from the inside. Nausic stood in the entryway with his head bowed.
Bekion asked, “Where are Starling and the other?”
Nausic stepped to the side and gestured behind him. “They are eating lunch.”
Lunch.
Completely innocent.
Nothing to worry him at all.
Bekion entered the room. “Starling, I hear I have a new—” The words stalled on his tongue.
Tinette gushed happily, “You see, Bekion? They are getting along already.” She clapped a few times and made a happy noise.
Bekion couldn’t share in his mother’s happiness. Another man was kissing his Starling. What’s more, she was enjoying the kiss. He knew her look of longing all too well.
She didn’t even bother to act guilty at being caught when she ended the kiss and glanced his way. He clenched his teeth at her dazed expression. It should belong only to him.
Her partner sat back against his chair with a smug look curving his lips into a smirk. The man said, “How goes it, big guy? The name’s Webber. You must be Bekion, right?” He leaned forward and drew his finger under Starling’s chin in a motion that could only be described as a caress. “Starling’s been telling me all about you.”
Starling batted at Webber’s hand in a playful manner and said something to him in her mother language. The man replied back in the same language. It served to make Bekion angrier.
Beside Bekion, Tinette said, “Please continue, you two. I think you look darling together.”
Bekion turned and left the room. He ignored Starling when she called his name. He needed to get away before he did or said something he would regret.
He wanted to wring Webber’s neck.
* *
* * *
The events of the last few minutes confused Starling. Right before Nausic opened the door, Webber pulled her across the table and kissed her. The action came with no warning. Webber kissed her thoroughly and without shame. She found herself responding to it even though he’d surprised her.
Bekion’s words pulled her out of her dazed state. He had looked as surprised as she felt, except his surprise had anger mixed with it. Before she could explain, Bekion left.
Tinette and the extra guards followed after him.
She asked Webber, **Are you sure you’re gay?**
**As an eight-dollar bill.**
His comment gave her pause before she burst out laughing.
Webber laughed with her. **Kissing has nothing to do with orientation. Lips are lips no matter what gender they’re attached to.**
**Some people say that about holes too.**
**Those people are idiots and have never done anal before. The two holes feel nothing alike.**
**How would you know?**
He shrugged. **I was straight until I realized girls weren’t doing it for me.** He looked at the door. **So, that was Bekion?**
Starling’s laughter dissipated as reality brought back Bekion’s angered visage. **Yes,** she said in a sober voice. **Why did you kiss me?**
**I wanted to see what he would do when he saw his woman kissing someone else. Guess the answer is look pissed off and leave. His mother seemed happy enough.**
Starling didn’t have anything to say to that. The day before, Tinette had invited her to a very boring tea session. Starling didn’t know the woman’s reason behind it. Tinette spent the entire time talking about herself. Starling had felt sure the woman would grill her about Bekion. Tinette mentioned him once and spent the rest of the time boasting of the highlights of her career as Panagiota’s monarch.
The encounter didn’t even bear mentioning to Bekion. She said as much to Nausic, who had agreed because nothing happened. Telling Bekion would have made him anxious for no reason.
Starling wondered if Bekion felt anxious about Webber. He shouldn’t. She would have told him that if he had let her explain instead of storming out of the room.
Webber said, **Tell you what though, if you were my woman—if I was straight—and I caught you kissing another man, the other guy wouldn’t be breathing anymore.**
**Thanks, Webber.**
**Then again, I’m the overdramatic type. Bekion is a king. He probably has other people kill his rivals for him.**
**Bekion won’t have you killed. He doesn’t think of me that way.**
**Uh-huh.** He grinned at the door. **If you say so, Star.**
She didn’t want to say any more about it. The subject had gotten old. She ran around in circles and the outcome would never change. **Enough about that. Tell me about you. How did you end up on this crazy ride?**
**The same way you did.**
**You did?**
**Understandably, you didn’t notice me since there were no introductions and you were out cold for most of the trip.**
**Most of the…** She trailed off and blinked at him. **You were there?**
**Right along with you and the others. Unlike the others, no one wanted me. I’m too tall. The jattikans can pretend we’re animals because we’re so much shorter, you especially.**
She flipped him off.
**Hey, don’t get pissed at me because you’re a midget.**
**I’m not a midget. I’m a foot too tall for that designation.**
Webber shrugged. **At first the poachers were accused of trying to pass a jattikan off as a human from Earth. It simply boiled down to me being too tall.**
**How did you know that was the reason? Did you figure it out?**
Webber tapped his head. **I speak jehlvan. The poachers gave me the language visor so we could understand each other. After running around and around trying to get rid of me with no luck, they put me to work as a gopher. They even forgot I wasn’t jattikan from time to time.**
Starling made a derisive noise. **Yeah. I don’t have that problem.**
**Something tells me you wish you did.**
She sighed as they went right back to a topic she didn’t want to talk about. **You have no idea.**
Webber reached across the table and patted her hands. **Come on and tell Uncle Webber all about it.**
She didn’t get a chance, because Vieve threw open the outer chamber door. The woman looked as though she had been running. She asked in a breathy voice, “Is it true?”
Before anyone could answer her, she looked at Starling and Webber. She said in a high, happy voice, “It’s true.” She rushed over to Webber. “Hello.”
Webber backed up quickly, giving her a wary look.
Starling waved a calming hand at them both. She said in jehlvan, “It’s okay, Webber. This is Vieve, Bekion’s secretary. Though she’s not normally this frantic.”
Vieve grasped Webber’s hands. “I heard Bekion received another human and had to see for myself. This is…” She trailed off with a shake of her head, still grinning. “You’re so pretty.”
Webber said, “Well, that’s a new one on me but I’ll take it. Thanks.” He pulled his hands free and rubbed his wrists.
That brought Vieve’s attention to his arms. “You don’t have arm cuffs.”
Starling said, “He just arrived, Vieve.”
“That won’t do.” Vieve pulled out her tablet and started tapping away at it with her stylus. “He knows jehlvan, so I’ll assume he’s already worn the visor. Have you had a nanite bath, Webber?”
“A nano-wha?” Webber turned to Starling for an explanation.
She wanted to answer but had to dodge back to keep from being run over.
Vieve grabbed Webber’s hand and started pulling him out of the room. “Come. We need to take care of this right now. Who knows what diseases you could have picked up during your prolonged exposure to the poachers.”
Starling trailed behind them with Nausic and Furielle bringing up the rear.
Vieve called over her shoulder, “Furielle, we’ll need a full wardrobe for Webber. Make sure the seamstresses are ready.”
Furielle said, “Right away, my lady.” She curtsied and returned to Bekion’s chambers.
Starling said, “Looks like Vieve has someone else to spoil. I don’t know if I should be amused or jealous.”
Webber said, “You could start by explaining what’s about to happen to me.”
“It’s called a nanite bath. Microscopic computers will enter your body and regulate you from the inside out.” She laughed at his incredulous look. “Don’t worry. It doesn’t hurt. You won’t even know they’re there. Make sure not to hold your breath when they dip you.”
“Dip me into what?”
“A pool of the nanite solution.” She got a kick out of the faces Webber made so refrained from giving full explanations. “You’ll see.”
The doctor and her crew were waiting for them when they arrived. Unlike Starling the first time she visited the infirmary, Webber had full knowledge of jehlvan and knew his situation. He acted wary instead of lost and scared.
Starling said in a happy voice, “Strip.”
Webber shot back, “We just met.”
“You have to be naked for your dip in the nanite pool. Take it off.” She would have waved money at him if she had it.
He looked at the others in the room. “Is she joking?”
Everyone shook their heads in perfect unison.
He sighed but took off his clothes.
Starling looked over his body without shame. She gave a wistful sigh when her gaze dipped below his navel. The man was blessed with more than looks.
**Not fair.**
**My boyfriends think so too when they find out I only top.** He winked at her.
The doctors ushered him to the dunking chair and strapped him down. The chair lowered with Webber looking around and shooting Starling worried looks.
Starling jogged around to the cons
ole but couldn’t see. She signaled over Nausic, who picked her up, giving her a better vantage point. She leaned over the console then tsked. She mumbled, “I told that dope not to hold his breath.”
The doctor smiled at Starling and indicated a blinking blue button. “Would you like to do the honors?”
“With pleasure.” Starling pressed the button, knowing an electrical jolt would be sent through the chair, forcing Webber to inhale.
Tiny air bubbles floated out of the viscous liquid, indicating Webber had let out his pent-up breath.
The doctor said, “That’s better. The nanites have achieved full penetration. I’m raising the chair.” She pushed a different button and then looked at the nanite pool.
Starling tapped Nausic’s shoulder. He let her down and she rushed to the pool.
Webber came up looking confused and a little angry.
She said, “I told you not to hold your breath.”
He snapped, “Well, I’m sorry. It’s not every day I just ignore years of instinct. But that little jolt cured me of that.” He sat forward and shifted against his bonds. “Get me out of this chair.”
The nearby attendant pushed the release button.
Webber jumped down.
Starling handed him a robe. She patted his shoulder and said, “That was the hard part. Everything after this is gravy.” She stopped to think about that for a second. “Then again, the seamstresses might molest you when they measure you.”
“What the hell?” Webber yelled when his hair started falling out.
Starling snapped her fingers. “Oh yeah, and your hair will fall out.”
“Thanks. I noticed. You couldn’t have mentioned that before?” He smoothed his hands over his head in irritation.
“You look good bald.”
“I look better with hair.”
“Don’t worry. It’ll grow back.”
He glared at her. “Anything else you failed to mention?”
“Could be.” She winked at him. They hadn’t outfitted him with arm cuffs. Webber’s reaction to the demonstration of the bells would be worth a good laugh.
This was definitely more fun from the other side. Starling didn’t mean to keep teasing Webber but she enjoyed having a companion. Webber wouldn’t be the kind of companion Tinette had planned but Starling found she didn’t mind so much.
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