One More

by PredatorPewPew

Summary:

Preparing for a risky mission, Elder Val'jek finds another male to care for his ooman mate. Raz'ha, a warrior from another clan, is eager to protect and mate the gentle ooman. Earning her affections will be nearly as difficult as protecting her from his own clan's hardships. Can the ooman, Amelia, learn to love one more yautja as she struggles to live among a dangerous new clan?

Chapter 1

Notes:

I've revised this first chapter and added about 1,700 words to it. Some sections aren't touched very much, while others have additional scenes.

If you're new to this fic, know that the writing quality has improved over time. Also it's fairly fluffy and smutty for the first 15-ish chapters. After that things take more of a serious tone with danger and drama.

Amelia loved Val'jek. There was a certainty in both heart and mind that her giant black yautja returned her feelings, or had been. Giving up everything she knew back on Earth was starting to appear as a grave error.

"No," Amelia said for the third time.

"It is important." Val'jek's mandibles clicked with agitation though his voice remained calm and certain.

"On Earth, when a grown man loses interest in a woman, he tells her so. He doesn't pawn her off on someone else." She clung to her anger in order to stave off her tears.

"We are not on Earth," he barked at her, equally frustrated.

"And I am not yautja." Her face burned with anger and humiliation. "I do not mate with more than one partner. It's called monogamy and you agreed to it."

"I agreed to mate only you and I honor my word. You taking another mate is not the same." Val'jek stood taller, his chest out.

Amelia had insulted his word, his honor. She wouldn't take it back. "So then you can take on another mate after, no doubt," she shot back.

"No. I have my pups and that duty is satisfied. I have given my word and I will honor it. Bad blood has never entered my bloodline." He closed in on her but she backed away.

"I don't want to take another mate." She didn't want to be mated based on his honor either. She choked on the implication.

"You must." His mandibles clicked together with agitation.

"I won't. If you are through with me, drop me on Earth." She turned away and retreated, her cheeks wet with tears.

He didn't follow her into her private studio. It was forbidden to enter her domain. The small room had been her gift from Val'jek, given to her after their mating ritual. It was an art studio for her to express her creativity, and a sanctuary from an overwhelming alien culture.

It was never intended for her to hide from her mate. She felt shame at the cowardice using the generous gift against him. Crumpling on the thick mat on the floor, Amelia wept out her jumbled emotions.

#

It was an uncomfortable affair for Honored Warrior Raz'ha of the Saracens to be honored by the Tauren Clan.

Unfortunate events led to Raz'ha lingering on an ooman colony planet where he hunted four prized trophies. The foolish oomans had a hard meat infestation he was honor bound to destroy. He had rescued the Tauren Elder from captivity in the process. That was the reason his clan was lingering on the Tauren trade post.

But it did come with some benefits he could not pass up. 

He still hoped his elders would allow some honored warriors to visit more of the Tauren vessel. It was a sight to behold, expansive, advanced, ornate, and diverse. Yautja from all over the empire traded and visited. There were a plethora of aliens on any given day as well, though they had even more restrictions as guests.

The only time he was glad his hunt brothers didn't attend was when he caught a tempting female scent. One was in season. It was unheard of for only one going into season, but perhaps she hailed from a visiting clan.

Her scent lingered in a small, basic kehrite often and he imagined her to be a skilled hunter. Or perhaps picking a breeding partner as she watched them compete without the advanced training technology. He trained harder, hoping to be formidable and also to finally see this elusive female with his own eyes.

But on the Tauren's clan ship, he was still subject to his own clan's expectation, no matter how ill-fitting he was for the task.

"You will use your guest pass daily." Elder Mur of Saracen Clan clicked a warning at him. "It is expected. The Taurens will be offended if you do not make use of their hospitality." 

Raz'ha nodded because had no qualms about using his guest pass to enjoy their facilities. Their kehrites boasted extreme programs and prototype technology unavailable for purchase. The food was better on the Tauren vessel too.

Raz'ha wished his hunt brothers could join him in the new training room. The advanced systems weren't just complex repetitive patterns. They learned and adjusted to the participant's skills and weaknesses. He'd like to see them toppled by the advanced programs as much as he was. Even recording the proprietary experience was forbidden. 

On the tour, he had seen bazaars with vendors excited to hear of his hunt. It was the best trading opportunity to replace his old mask and deteriorating weapons. Trade with Taurens benefited them all.

Raz'ha made several trips to bazaars to trade their equipment for better. Sain'ja, his hunt brother, had assisted with haggling techniques and fair pricing. His hunt brothers seemed eager and happy enough with the trades.

"Accept invitations from elders and report their leanings directly," Elder Mur said. 

That directive was confusing to Raz'ha. "Their leanings?" 

"Their political stance, goals, weaknesses."

"It is unlikely  an elder would wish to send an invitation or discuss their duties with a warrior from another clan." Raz'ha clicked a query because he wasn't sure.

Politics never interested him. He was an honored warrior. A hunter. An instructor, training younger males to hunt. Not an elder. 

Elder Mur clicked annoyance. "You  will try earning such an invitation as a loyal Saracen." He rumbled. "Trade contracts with Taurens are prosperous for all." 

Raz'ha never understood how his rescue of a captured Tauren elder would lead to a desirable trade agreement. "I am loyal. I will report any invitations and news." 

Elder Mur clicked about Raz'ha's ineptitude. "Come, make introductions and I will try to perform the task  for you."

Raz'ha took no offense. He was inept in this role.

In a large feast, Taurens socialized, drank, danced, and challenged. But there was an undercurrent of something else. The trade clan seemed to be establishing trades, partnerships, surveying competitors, and otherwise had dual purposes in all interactions.

Sain'ja would have thrived here. Raz'ha would show his mandibles for as long as his elder required and then try the new training room. 

He approached two Tauren elders, but he had only met one before. 

"The mural is on schedule?" Elder Gorg asked the other elder. 

Raz'ha chirped a polite interruption. 

The elders clicked an acknowledgment and he waited for them to complete their conversation as was polite. 

"Yes, there was a delay with my research on planet 87501, but since I have been tasked with the preservation project, my mate intends to dedicate more time to her mural." 

"Good." Elder Gorg chirped his pleasure. "The initial plans were exciting and I have  recommended her work to be featured prominently in the art revival archives." 

The elder trilled. "She will be pleased." 

"Will she make an appearance tonight? I want to discuss a commission," Elder Gorg pressed. 

"My mate retired early to  continue on the mural tonight." 

Elder Gorg clicked disappointment. "Perhaps there is something you can do for her poor constitution."

Elder Val'jek trilled amusement. "I could have let her rest today but we will have a long separation with my new project."

Elder Gorg chuffed. "At least you washed this time." Then he rumbled in amusement. "I will hold you accountable if the mural is delayed."

Elder Val'jek answered with a chuff. 

Elder Mur clicked an interruption. It was less polite than Raz'ha's.

Elder Gorg clicked irritation and the other elder surveyed them visually. 

"Excuse our delay, Elder Val'jek's mate is a vital part of our art revival directive from the matriarch." He rumbled. "She is very elusive however, and if I do not demand answers from Elder Val'jek in a good temper, I will never know the project's status."

The elder preened to be managing such a prestigious project.

Elder Val'jek chirped amusement though Raz'ha didn't understand what was humorous. 

Elder Mur gave Raz'ha a pointed look. "You have art leanings, Elder Val'jek?"

"No," the elder chuffed. "My mate deems me passable in taste but too literal in interpretation to understand art."

He offered no information on his leanings.

Elder Gorg however used the opportunity to gush, "Yes, she has an interesting talent for symbolism that allows for unique and beautiful representations of traditional work."

"Perhaps you would enjoy working closely with her while I am away." There was a keen look surveying between the elders and Raz'ha was reminded of the persistent dual purposes for everything the Taurens did.

Elder Gorg's head tilted and he hesitated before clicking a query—a more specific question of certainty.

Elder Val'jek gave no reply as he continued to watch.

"Your mate can rely on my patronage." He clicked a delicate apology, soft and genuine regret.

Elder Val'jek nodded.

"If you met Cetanu, your expectations would—"

"I understand." Elder Val'jek clicked dismissal and turned to Raz'ha. "You hunted on planet x5284."

"Yes," Raz'ha said.

Now Elder Mur preened on his behalf. "He cleared a wild hard meat infestation there."

"And the oomans?" Elder Val'jek asked though he didn't elaborate on what he wanted to know.

"He avenged the experiments on your esteemed elder," Elder Mur assured.

Elder Val'jek flicked a glance at Elder Mur.

"Were they in the cold region?" Elder Val'jek asked.

"No, the warm forest near the largest crater."

Val'jek nodded. "Strange that they captured a yautja and experienced an infestation at the same time in such a remote place."

"Unlucky for the primitive primates, but that is Cetanu's test of their worthiness. They never pass into Paya's good graces."

Elder Gorg glanced at Elder Mur but his attention snapped to Elder Val'jek. "When our elder recovers we can determine if it was a coincidence, but I too find it unlikely to be happenstance. There are those rumors of oomans moving into restricted territories."

"What are your thoughts, honored warrior?" 

Elder Gorg chirped. "Yes, you were a witness to the slaughter."

Raz'ha rumbled. "The elder had a medical tube as a cage much too large for oomans. There appeared to be structured security measures. For the appearance it seemed planned. There were more empty tubes." He shrugged. "Hard meats arrived on one of their smaller ships, but it was destroyed. I did not see anything useful."

"Could be a supply ship that encountered a ghost ship en route." Elder Gorg chirped. "They can never resist shiny bits of metal in space."

"Possibly." Elder Val'jek gave a noncommittal single click. 

Raz'ha had thought it strange but ultimately unimportant if oomans raided dead ships or studied dangerous hard meats. This must have some political significance. 

"You believe oomans are advanced enough to intentionally capture both species?" Elder Mur chuffed.

"Elder Val'jek is an expert on the species," Elder Gorg said as he eyed the other elder. "His research is unimpeachable."

"They have been advanced enough for a century or more. Now they develop awareness of other species in the universe. It is the natural path. One that it's hypothesized we also followed."

"You work in primitive alien development," Elder Mur surmised.

Val'jek clicked a dismissal of the topic. "I was impressed with your feat, Honored Warrior Raz'ha. Congratulations on the honor and may you enjoy the hospitality." 

"Thank you, Elder." Raz'ha bowed.

The elder clicked polite farewells and left. 

# 

Time was against Elder Val'jek. He needed someone to protect Amelia and care for her if he met Cetanu. He briefly considered broaching the subject with his offspring, Cov'o. He was newly honored and not a compatible match for Amelia however. 

Protecting Amelia was the simple part. Ensuring a happy life beyond him proved to be infinitely more complex. 

Elder Gorg wasn't ideal, but he was safe and reliable. Strong. Gorg had a giddy excitement about Amelia where most held mild curiosity or indifference. But ultimately unwilling to mate an ooman and fight for her place at his side.

Val'jek had heard rumors of an unofficial clan vessel protecting freed oomans, but they were in a different region and difficult to contact. He'd made inquiries but heard nothing useful yet.

He was short on time and his ideas were becoming desperate. Neither ever garnered health and happiness. 

He returned to his quarters, a failure once more.

#

Raz'ha had seen the ooman many times in the last few weeks. Rich and potent mating scent had assailed him whenever he entered a room she had been in. He had chased the scent for two cycles, seeking a yautja female in season.

He had missed the mating season, when most yautja females went into heat, and hunters returned with trophies to impress them into a chance to sire sucklings. He had many great trophies, and a skill to beat most challengers, in order to mate as much and as many females would allow.

He admitted laughing upon hearing an ooman lived with the Tauren clan. No wonder an Elder had been imprisoned by silly oomans. Raz'ha was stunned, and embarrassed, when he finally caught a break in tracking down the mysterious female in season.

Staking out the storage room, he often found her scent lingering near, Raz'ha waited with patience. He planned to show the female his trophies, demonstrate his combat skills if necessary, mate and sire a suckling.

His clan elders were already frowning at him for being a prized warrior with only a handful of sucklings. He had been too busy with the hunt and honor to sire more. It did not help that his clan had few females and thereby fewer windows for mating.

Upon laying eyes on the ooman, Raz'ha simply stared at her.

She was small, no larger than an adolescent pup.

She was startled to find him lingering, staring up at him with wide green eyes. She spoke in a language he didn't understand, something short and nervous, before he thought to record it.

The ooman had smelled better in person. Raz'ha was purring at her before shame could stop him.

She had tilted her head, giving him no sign of acceptance.

He had tried again, closing the gap between them as he purred. His mandibles opened with intent. The ooman backed away several steps and he followed.

She turned and left through a corridor he wasn't permitted to follow through, being a guest.

Every time he saw the ooman, and he made certain it was often, Raz'ha purred to no avail. He wondered if she understood what he wanted from her. She hadn't declined his offer. Perhaps it was a test, or an ooman custom. Frustrated, he gathered any research to be found on oomans. There was little on their females or mating customs.

Raz'ha wasn't the only hunter vying for the ooman's consent. She worked in a training room most days, after training ended. A Tauren unblood was seen coming and going as she painted a battle scene on the wall.

A handful of Saracen young bloods lingered to smell her—apparently using their very restricted day passes on this. They purred at the ooman and sparred with each other, in hopes of gaining the right to mate.

The ooman was standing on a table to reach a higher sections of the wall. She ignored the two sparring young bloods, who roared and battled precariously close to her.

She was not impressed with their skill, nor any other fighter's skill. Raz'ha had bested several warriors in a similar effort.

Raz'ha clicked his mandibles in warning at them. One thing he did discover in his research was the frailty of oomans, especially their females.

Rumors said she mated with an elder and no other. He was starting to feel foolish pursuing a silly ooman. Taking one mate was uncommon though, and certainly not done with an ooman. He convinced himself the rumor couldn't be true.

He considered challenging the elder but the events were out of order. The elder must show his intent to mate for Raz'ha to issue the challenge. He had yet to see this elder.

The ooman let out a cry of protest, ripping Raz'ha from his frustrated thoughts.

The young bloods had gotten too close, bumping her table and making her wobble. The impetuous yautja didn't let up in the heat of battle. The table took two more quick hits as he barked at the young bloods to hold.

She started to dismount the table but it was too late. It buckled, the ooman slipping to the floor, and the table flipped on top of her followed by a yautja. Raz'ha crossed the training room. If they injured the ooman, he would break them in return.

The yautja rolled off the destroyed table and the ooman groaned. The standing young blood shoved the ruble away, spouting an apology as he helped her to sit upright. Her hand touched the young blood's chest as he purred, if only for a moment.

It was an odd form of the gesture to Raz'ha but it didn't matter. Consent was given. The chosen young blood purred louder, mandibles flaring and chattering with triumph.

"Pauk," the losing young blood said as Raz'ha closed in on the trio. The two had a pact not to challenge the other for her choice, but he did not.

The winning yautja lifted the ooman off her feet as he stood.

She squirmed, speaking rapidly and Raz'ha quickly recorded the chatter. It was rare to hear her speak so much.

The winning young blood wasted no time to start mating. His claws pawed at her and fumbled with her strange ooman uniform as she flailed.

Raz'ha's mandibles flared with jealousy. Why had she chosen the young blood over him?

He grunted, prepared to issue the challenge when the Tauren unblood roared from the doorway. All eyes turned toward the Tauren as he stalked into the room and shoved the winner's shoulder.

"You cannot mate," the winner said.

"Maybe unbloods can mate oomans here," the loser said.

"You have no right to her. If you are no coward, you will meet my challenge." The Tauren didn't allow the warrior to decline as he charged in.

Forced to fight, the winning young blood released the ooman, who quickly dodged the fight with a shriek. The unblood was ferocious despite taking several hits to the face.

Raz'ha clicked his mandibles in annoyance.

The young blood won, being older and more experienced. Mating musk emboldened the warriors as well, while the Tauren emitted no musk.

Raz'ha didn't understand the meaning of his interference if not for mating.

Once more the victor, the young blood returned to the ooman, his chest puffed up with pride. Raz'ha beat him to her.

"Let us see how you fare against an experienced warrior." Raz'ha shoved the young blood's shoulder.

His opponent accepted and the battle started and finished quickly. The young blood was skilled, but still inexperienced compared to Raz'ha. He beat the young blood easily.

Raz'ha intended to claim his prize but she ducked out of his reach.

Common for yautja females to lead a chase and fight during a mating game, he pursued. He caught her quickly, taking them both to the floor, though he didn't bear down on her as he might a fiery yautja. Oomans were fragile and he would be cautious with her, even if her scent spurred him into a rough mating.

The unblood wasn't ready to surrender however. The unblood hissed insults and pelted him with harmless projectiles, keeping Raz'ha from taking his prize.

The ooman kept repeating a strange phrase and speaking to the unblood by name, Mah'sic. Raz'ha recorded that as well.

"What is your claim on my mate?" He growled, hurling a paint brush back at the youngster, who dodged it.

"She is not your mate. She declines your mating." Mah'sic pelted him in the face with some ooman cloth trinket.

"I can smell her musk," Raz'ha barked.

"Oomans always smell like that. I would know, she mates with my sire." The unblood trilled and paced with irritation, just out of Raz'ha's reach. "Release her to me."

#

Val'jek felt fear. The realization was late as it was a rare occurrence. Heart pounding in rhythm with his feet, he raced through the corridor. Young bloods ducked out of his way.

Mah'sic, his youngest pup and apprentice, had contacted him, frantic.

"Come quick, Amelia is in danger," Mah'sic had said through the com. A ruckus and yautja roaring could be heard in the background before the message ended.

Images of Amelia's broken body and terror filled eyes assailed his imagination.

He should have never allowed his mate, an ooman, to run free on the clan vessel. Being a common trade stop for many clans, yautja of all backgrounds and temperaments docked on the vessel. Any passing yautja could have taken issue with an ooman painting a mural on a clan ship.

He charged into the training hall, wrist blades extended.

Stopping, he was surprised.

Amelia was unharmed, but Mah'sic was bleeding bright green blood from several abrasions on his face and shoulders.

His mate was pinned to a mat on the floor and a large green and yellow yautja warrior straddled her petite body. Struggling, her scent of fear was thick in the air.

Amelia's scent wasn't the only potent smell. Thick male musk filled the large training hall. The large warrior on her wanted to mate, not harm her. He wasn't the only one either. Two young bloods were agitated and bloodied to one side, both emitted the musk.

Mah'sic was nervously dancing before the victorious warrior holding the prize. An unblood, Mah'sic was no match for the large warrior, but his offspring antagonized the warrior regardless.

"You are not permitted to mate, pup. If you do not cease, I will accept your challenge and not be so forgiving," the large yautja barked, mandibles clicking in rapid succession.

"You cannot fight me and keep the ooman at the same time," Mah'sic taunted.

"Mah'sic, whatever you're saying isn't working. He looks pissed," Amelia said, squirming.

"The warrior is correct, you are not blooded yet," Val'jek interrupted.

"Oh, thank god you're here," she said. She pushed at the warrior above her and Val'jek trilled an acknowledgment.

"Elder, I was stalling." Mah'sic bowed in deference. "These Saracens desire Amelia though she does not return their interest."

"The female determines who she mates. She does not decline me and I have bested the other." The yautja sniffed the air. "The ooman is in season."

"She tells me she is unwilling in her tongue," Mah'sic spat out.

The warrior looked down at Amelia, uncertain for a moment. Mah'sic edged closer and the warrior snarled, mandibles flaring in warning.

"A trick to steal the ooman," the warrior snapped.

"Mah'sic, young bloods, you are dismissed," Val'jek ordered and the three shuffled out of the room.

"The ooman is in season," the warrior said, though not as confident.

"Is he going to kill me?" Amelia asked, swallowing.

"He intends to mate you," Val'jek explained, in English, for her.

"Tell him I don't want to mate," Amelia insisted.

"Be still, you will be unharmed." He returned his attention to the warrior. "You scent her fear. She believed you meant her harm."

"She gives off musk and accepted the young blood's offer. Both say she wants to mate. You speak her tongue, tell her I will not harm her," the warrior insisted, brushing her face with his claw. The gesture was gentle for a warrior intending to rut.

"Do you know how to mate an ooman? She will die if you are not cautious." Val'jek shrugged again as if that thought didn't create a very real fear in him. The warrior may be gentle, but he knew little of oomans if he thought she agreed to mate.

"I have seen oomans mate, it is similar. Do you intend to challenge for her or simply pester me with talk?" The warrior was losing his patience.

"Your name is Raz'ha, isn't the right, warrior?" Val'jek asked.

"Honored Warrior Raz'ha, of Saracen Clan," the warrior relented.

"I am Elder Val'jek of Tauren Clan. My mate is named Amelia. She may have indicated a desire to mate in our customs, but oomans are creatures with their own customs. If you desire to mate Amelia, you must court her first." He knelt beside her head and she looked up at him with worry.

Raz'ha looked down at Amelia once more. Leaning in, the warrior nuzzled her neck, making her gasp.

"I will teach you, if you let her up." Val'jek made the offer in earnest. The warrior was just what he was looking for.

"Tell me ooman, do you desire mating?" Raz'ha asked, touching her cheek again, his dark green claws contrasting with her pale skin.

Val'jek translated and Amelia vigorously shook her head, no.

The warrior understood that. Cursing, Raz'ha released her. "It's true then, she mates only you." The warrior grunted with disappointment.

She scrambled to Val'jek's side like prey darting for cover.

"It's not so simple." He scanned his mate. She was bruised but nothing more. He placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her erratic heart.

"You desire to mate her badly?" Val'jek asked.

Raz'ha grunted an affirmative. "But if she is unwilling, I will not force the issue."

"It is an ooman custom in your way. It is taboo to mate without a courtship. She may wish to mate you, if you follow some of her customs." Val'jek dangled the chance before the warrior.

"Can she bear my pups?" Raz'ha cocked his head at Amelia.

"If she is willing." This warrior was more than Val'jek dared to hope for. "Would you like to learn the ways of ooman mating?"

"Show me." Raz'ha nodded.

#

Raz'ha was surprised to find himself in the Tauren Elder's private quarters to share a meal. The room was larger than his own quarters and it was only a section of the Elder's domain.

The Elder was generous to make the offer and informative about oomans. Chasing the scent didn't seem so foolish while sitting at the formal table with the female and elder.

"What is the ooman saying?" Raz'ha asked. She chattered on several times with the Elder but he had understood none of it.

"She wants to know why I have you as a guest when you have assaulted her." Elder Val'jek was nonchalant as he heaped meat on a plate for the ooman, who could not reach across the formal table.

"I did not assault the ooman." He was offended. Assaulting an unarmed female was dishonorable. Bad blood.

The elder spoke to the ooman again in her language. The ooman's face turned pink and she mumbled something.

"I explained that she gave her consent to mate and then reneged, that it is not assault," Val'jek said. "The least we could do to compensate for the misunderstanding is share a meal."

"You said you would show me how to mate the ooman," he reminded after a moment of silence.

The ooman spoke again, drawing Val'jek's attention. The elder nodded to her and took her plate.

"You can start by serving her more kali." The elder handed him the plate.

"This is part of mating among oomans?" Raz'ha served a generous helping of the kali because the ooman looked underfed.

Elder Val'jek nodded. "You are courting, which precedes mating."

"Pash?" Raz'ha asked the ooman.

She responded after a small hesitation and glance at the elder.

"She said, yes, please," Val'jek translated.

He served her plate and passed it back, perplexed by how it pertained to mating.

"What is this courting?" he asked.

"Oomans do not choose mates as we do. Females require a longer period to take an interest in a mate, but that is because they are monogamous." The elder paused to eat.

"One mate?" Monogamous was not a word Raz'ha heard often.

"Usually, but there are a few who deviate, taking on more than one mate. That is my reason for inviting you, in truth. I hope that in time, Amelia will have you as a second mate." The elder touched the ooman's arm, stroking his knuckles along her bare flesh as if he did not notice he was doing it.

"And to do this, I must court her as an ooman would? I do not think I would make a good ooman." Raz'ha wanted to dismiss the idea out of hand, but it peaked his interest. And the human did smell tantalizing.

"Not as an ooman, but a warrior that respects her and her beliefs. An important one being monogamy and you'd be wise to consider my words. If you mate Amelia, you agree to mate only Amelia for as long as she will have you." Elder Val'jek gave him a level stare.

"I have obligations to my clan. Our numbers are small," Raz'ha said after some thought. The elder would understand the necessity of siring many more sucklings for his clan. "I could sire more sucklings after her time has passed." He hoped.

Elder Val'jek nodded and spoke with Amelia for a while.

"She does not learn our language?" he asked. It would be difficult to retain a mate he could not communicate with.

"She is learning. Mah'sic instructs her, but I fear her derogatory vocabulary is the most developed. It takes oomans much longer to learn." Elder Val'jek trilled with amusement, looking over his mate. "She does understand most customs, but I did not think she would require yautja mating refusal. The issue will be rectified tonight."

The elder had said refusal specifically. She likely knew what his mating gestures meant then.

"And her scent? Your apprentice, Mah'sic, claimed she always smells of heat," Raz'ha said.

"Sense of smell is weak in oomans and their females are always capable of rutting. They have a short cycle that peaks and wanes. When she peaks the scent is much stronger." The elder nodded.

"She already smells as a yautja in the height of her season." He rumbled his appreciation of her scent. If she emitted the mating musk every day, he'd be glad to mate her exclusively.

"Wait until her menstrual cycle begins. It is a week of smelling blood and mating musk in which she doesn't wish to mate." Elder Val'jek clicked his mandibles in both amusement and agitation.

Raz'ha spent most of the evening learning the details of ooman courting, even after Amelia retired to Val'jek's room for the night. He was curious about the pair sleeping in the same bed each night, mating or not. He had never considered that and was suddenly eager to try.

Notes:

I tried to add it between chapter 1 and 2, and I hated it. So I went ahead and edited the chapter, lol.

Thoughts on the update? Do we like Raz'ha introduction better?

#

As always, remember to show appreciation for your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start, you can say something you liked about the chapter or story, or drop some emotes, etc.

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Taking a deep even breath, Amelia calmed her nerves. She was at her wits end. She felt ridiculous in a skimpy makeshift outfit, but men liked to see their women scantily clad. At least she hoped yautja men were similar to human men in that regard. It showed off the vicious scars on her belly and down her thigh. Amelia knew Val'jek appreciated those at least.

She had thought it was his culture's fascination with scars that had her mate touching her marks whenever they shared an intimate moment. One night, shortly after their first sexual encounter, Val'jek brought it up.

#

"Why do you hide them?" Val'jek had asked her, panting from their last round of lovemaking. His cock was still inside of her as he hovered above her, their bodies flush against each other. Val'jek's large claw was pressed against a particularly nasty scar on her thigh, his thumb caressed the base like a sacred talisman.

"Why do you touch them so much?" Amelia had shot back, unsure of what Val'jek expected of her. Every time she felt Val'jek's claws brush over them she was reminded of her unsightly imperfections. The wounds had healed well, thanks to Val'jek's diligent care, but bright red lines marred where the "hard meat" clawed her. Her stomach and leg would forever be blemished and ugly.

"They are proof of your honor. It reminds me of your bravery and sacrifice." Val'jek had purred at her, moving from her scar to the nub between her thighs.

Amelia gasped with renewed interest. "I was scared, not brave."

It was their third round and Val'jek was still hard inside of her.

"Your companions had fled. You aided me. Kept me alive." Val'jek stroked the small nub beneath the pad of his clawed finger.

"I dragged you twenty feet and pushed a desk against a door. There was nothing chasing me for the moment, and you were the only one equipped to handle hard meats. Scared, not brave." Amelia didn't know if she could continue the conversation as Val'jek rocked his hips against her.

"You did not let your fear overrule your judgment. For your own benefit or not, I was as you call it, 'a sitting duck.' You kept me alive." Val'jek tapped his mandibles against her cheek, over the other scar she had acquired during their meeting.

She had a great deal of trouble moving his unconscious body into a safer room and face planted into his chest. Hard meat acid blood lingering on Val'jek's armor had burned her face. She had cut her hands on his weapons righting herself. Their eventual escape had been narrow and she had been a bloody mass of injuries by the time they made it to Val'jek's cruiser.

"You saved me more than once. Keep me safe in your world even now." Amelia struggled to retain her train of thought. She had to focus on Val'jek's voice in order to process his response.

"I am a trained warrior. You are a soft ooman, unskilled in battle," Val'jek's gruff reply ended with a purr. Pressing harder against her, his rocking picked up to a more vigorous pace.

#

Shaking her thoughts from the passion Amelia had shared with Val'jek that night, she inspected her scars. They had turned white, no longer a contrasting color from her pale skin. The marks still looked hideous to her, but after that night Val'jek's attention stopped bothering her.

Amelia fanned herself. It wasn't useful to be lost in lust just yet. She had to stick to the plan to retain Val'jek's interest. Plans were not a sign of desperation, or so she told herself several times. Amelia was simply making a proactive effort to maintain a relationship she was happy with, as is, with no other yautja involved. Ever.

That's where the obscenely short skirt and string bikini top came in. Amelia couldn't sew and after several attempts simply used glue in order to create the stripper-wear. She was a terrible seamstress, otherwise she'd have made herself a pair of panties long ago.

The costume was flimsy, making it easy to remove, but that was the point. If she placed her bet on the right horse, when she danced for Val'jek he would want to mate. Giving in right away wasn't part of the plan. She intended to tease him until he lost his long held restraint.

Amelia wasn't sure what else to do. She had been getting along with her mate well for more than a year until he brought up his plan to find her a second mate. They barely spoke now without the issue coming up and ending in an argument.

Val'jek retreated to his research and Amelia to her studio under the pretense of dancing. She painted instead. When her mate discovered the lie, he sent her to paint a training room. Amelia thought it an odd forfeit at the time, but now she realized his intention was to hang her out like bait to see which fish would bite.

Raz'ha bit all right and he had been on her heels ever since. The large yautja from the visiting clan was constantly purring at her, lingering too close until she became warm and aroused. It would doubly annoy her because Val'jek had not mated her since Raz'ha appeared. She was aching with need after spending her nights pressed against Val'jek's hard body. He had used every opportunity to entice her and leave her wanting.

The barbarian even groped her from time to time, and gave her an innocent look of confusion when she pushed his hands away. When Raz'ha pushed her too far with his forced affection, the aggravating yautja always bowed in apology and then would bring her a gift. She refused them and he would always bring another. She was firmly avoiding Raz'ha's trophy room.

Val'jek was encouraging Raz'ha. Mah'sic, her usual escort, was kept busy. When Amelia wanted to leave their quarters, her mate ensured only Raz'ha was available to escort her. Her mate went so far as to invite the warrior to dine and then slipped out for some feigned emergency. Val'jek was eccentric, by yautja and human standards, but it was apparent subtlety was lost on even him.

When she wasn't so aggravated with the two yautja, she could credit Raz'ha with being considerate and attentive, but those moments were short lived. Accepting the warrior felt like she was releasing Val'jek and it made her chest ache to consider the possibility.

Hearing a tap at the door, she straightened her skirt, checked that her media center was queued, and answered the door.

He stood in the doorway to her private studio, towering over her. It was rare anyone entered the space and she was almost as excited about his presence as enticing him.

"Come in," Amelia said, smiling and stepping aside. Her smile froze when Raz'ha shuffled in behind her mate. The giant yautja bowed his head to her as he passed. His mandibles clicked in a pleasant greeting.

"Val'jek, what is this?" she asked, her mind stumbling over this sudden turn of events. How the hell was she going to seduce her mate with that big barbarian hanging around?

"I invited, Raz'ha. He is curious about your species and he would benefit from viewing your performance." Val'jek sounded so formal.

Her heart somersaulted looking at the intruder. Raz'ha moved closer to her, much too close. Feeling the warmth from his skin, she shimmied away, closer to her mate.

"Today isn't a good day. I had something else planned. Perhaps tomorrow?" Amelia didn't think she could perform with Raz'ha scrutinizing her every movement.

The warrior said something to Val'jek, the only word Amelia understood was the yautja equivalent of uniform. Amelia crossed her arms over her chest, feeling both their gazes scanning her in the skimpy outfit.

"It would please me to have Raz'ha's company. What do you have planned?" Val'jek touched a thin strap of her top, distracting her.

A simple drag of his clawed finger or a warm look and her temperature rose and a throb started between her legs. Taking a deep breath, her chest rising closer to his hand, she smelled the faint scent of mating musk. At least one of them was interested. Amelia just hoped it was Val'jek.

Val'jek purred at her and she bit her lip. It used to be that if she but said the word, her mate would move their clothes aside and press his thick cock into her throbbing core. He wouldn't care if anyone else was there to watch and she had to be the restrained one, insisting they move to his quarters. She had to admit the thought of being watched sent a thrill through her. She'd never given into the urge.

"Amelia?" Her mate nudged her chin with two of his knuckles. "What do you have planned?"

"It is private," she said. "For you."

"Show us," Val'jek insisted.

Looking to the larger yautja, Amelia bit back a curse. If the warrior had made the request, or said anything at all, it would be easy for her to decline, but he hadn't. Val'jek was making the request and it would be counterproductive to turn him away. Turning this new warrior away would spoil all her plans, if they weren't ruined already. Cursing Raz'ha in silence, Amelia nodded her consent.

"I will repeat the last performance."

"I am eager to see your new performance, and understand the meaning of these ooman clothes." Val'jek touched the strap again.

"Okay, sure." Amelia didn't know what the hell she was going to do. She had to improvise. Raz'ha was not going to ruin her plans. "There are rules for this one."

"I will translate for Raz'ha," Val'jek acknowledged.

"You must sit over there." She pointed to the long bench near the wall. "Hands off me, no matter what. In fact, hands at your sides at all times." She had never seen her mate masturbate, but it would certainly be counterproductive to her plans if he decided to start now.

Val'jek clicked his mandibles for several moments, looking her over again before translating. Both yautja seated themselves on the bench and waited.

After taking a moment to calm her nerves, Amelia started the music. Both yautja watched her take her position. It was unnerving to face them, but necessary. Looking Val'jek in the eye, slow sensuous music filled the room. Amelia danced, swaying her hips.

#

Val'jek had an idea of what Amelia's small clothing meant when he entered her studio. His hope had been for Raz'ha to smell her natural scent when she exerted herself in combination with her physical grace. Forcing the warrior into his mate's sanctuary was underhanded, but sometimes a clever ploy was required with his stubborn ooman.

She would bond with the warrior in a place sacred to her. Bringing Raz'ha was doubly fortunate with Amelia dancing so provocatively in clothes that left nothing to the imagination. Oomans were modest and Val'jek never saw his mate with so much flesh exposed outside of their mating.

Her ooman dancing was different from her normal private performance. Hips swaying with innuendo, Amelia's moves were purely sexual. Eyes locked with his, her movements were not controlled with her usual precision, rather flowing with lust.

When she turned away, bottom swaying as she stomped to a chair, Val'jek glanced at his companion. The warrior's mandibles were tense, half open and unmoving. Val'jek was resisting the urge to purr as well. Amelia wanted to mate, the scent was strong with her arousal.

She slid the chair across the mat with a fluid movement. Amelia mounted the chair as she would a lover, her lean thighs spreading and straddling the seat. Val'jek clicked his mandibles and Raz'ha purred for a moment before cutting it off. As his mate molested the chair in salacious and enticing ways, the air in the room seemed to fill with thick mating musk.

Reaching behind her back, she tugged on a string and the top loosened. Groping and stimulating her mammary glands, breasts she called them, beneath her top, her scent became more potent. Bending over, her legs spread wide, the top slipped over her head and fell to the floor. Upright again, she covered her breasts with her hands before revealing them one finger at a time.

Amelia lifted one foot on the chair, her back to them, her bottom jutting out. Looking over her shoulder, her lip curled with a seductive smile. Her delicate ooman hands hooked into the scrap of material tied around her hips.

Val'jek was riveted to her sensuous gyrating hips as the scrap of material loosened and was removed inch by inch. Raz'ha clicked his mandibles, leaning forward as if to see better. Twirling the material with her fingers, she tossed it at their feet. Val'jek reached for it, but stopped short and allowed Raz'ha to take it.

The perfect round globes of pale flesh, exposed and positioned for mating, beckoned to him. Val'jek grunted, wanting to rise and end her dance with mating. She was not finished and mounted the chair again, arching and gyrating, her sex exposed to both yautja warriors. Val'jek was aching with the need to mate, his loins tightening beyond comfort.

Amelia marched to him, her eyes set and breasts bouncing with each determined step. She mounted him like her chair, straddling him and humping the air in front of his abdomen with her naked sex. Reaching for her, Amelia tsk'd at him.

"Rules," she said, her voice thick with arousal.

Val'jek gripped the bench in order to follow the rules he agreed to. She smelled tantalizing. Groaning as Amelia pressed her breasts and sex all over his body, Val'jek was struggling with his control. He purred at her, trilling with need and Raz'ha joined in.

Amelia responded by pushing her fingers between her thighs and opening the folds of her sex. Groaning, she stimulated the small bud between her folds then dipped her fingers inside her sex.

"Pauk," Raz'ha grunted, reminding Val'jek of the other warrior's presence.

#

Trying to spite Raz'ha, she punished herself. Amelia was aroused beyond good sense. She hadn't expected Val'jek to have the willpower to keep his hands to himself, despite her rule. Before Raz'ha sent her plans scattering in the wind, she was supposed to be beneath Val'jek having her first orgasm by now.

Time to see where the rabbit hole led, she decided. Either Val'jek would be more aroused or jealous and she'd have a reason for all his planning. Amelia admitted she was aroused by the idea of Val'jek watching her play with the aggravating yautja warrior.

She mounted the clothed warrior. Who knew she was into kink?

Raz'ha reached for her.

"Rules," she said sliding away from his hands.

Raz'ha made a show of placing his hands on the bench as he purred at her. Amelia knew what that type of purring meant and the warrior did it often.

Raz'ha didn't need his hands to tease her. When she grinded against his abdomen, he grinded back. Lifting his hips, his groin pressed against her. The warrior groaned, clicked his mandibles, and trilled at her in appreciation.

Each time she became a little hotter and a little wetter. Amelia was dripping on him, but she didn't care.

Pressing her breasts near his face, Raz'ha brushed a tusked mandible across her sensitized nipple. She groaned with the thrill it sent between her legs. Unfortunately, Amelia had no idea how to transition from erotic teasing to erotic screwing.

In the end, the warrior helped her along. His large clawed hands were careful not to touch her as he loosened and removed articles of clothing and armor. Straddled by her naked thighs, his leg armor was stuck on but he loosened it. His deep set amber eyes never left hers.

Raz'ha was giving her the option to mate, or not. He removed the hard cover for his loins and shoved aside the cloth. The next time she would grind against him it would be flesh to flesh.

The warrior's erect cock was thick and long, throbbing with his elevated pulse. Amelia was tempted to slide down and impale herself on his erection. She wanted to end the torture that had been building for weeks. Damn Val'jek.

Licking her lip, both yautja trilled and purred. Placing her hand on Raz'ha's shoulder for balance, Amelia slid against his length, wetting his impressive manhood with her juices. Raz'ha arched nearly sliding in her entrance but Amelia lifted her hips away. She was rewarded with a frustrated grunt.

Val'jek straddled the bench closer and she realized he had undressed.

"Share," her mate ordered, though which one of them he spoke to she wasn't sure.

Raz'ha nodded her to Val'jek, still keeping his hands to himself.

She had to wing her lap dance with her mate's new position, but no one seemed to mind as long as she presented her over sexed flesh. Taking more liberties was easy with Val'jek too. They knew their boundaries.

She wrapped her legs around her mate, using the bench to lever her hips up and grinding against his abdomen. His straining cock brushed her bottom. Leaning back on her elbows, she clumsily bumped into Raz'ha. Both yautja steadied her with their hands then released her to continue her game.

Tilting her head back to see Raz'ha watching her, his cock nudged the back of her head. She rested her head on his thigh, his erection flush against her ear and cheek. Raz'ha rocked his hips, brushing his cock against her. Amelia let him have his fun, focusing her attention on Val'jek again.

She nudged Val'jek's cock with her sex, wetting him. Val'jek jerked a little, nudging her folds and Amelia pressed down in return. The bulbous head slid inside of her opening. Before it went too far, Amelia lifted, releasing his cock which bounced against her aching folds. Val'jek made a hissing sound, his mandibles flaring and flattening as she repeated the tease several more times.

Splayed out and tangled between the two large yautja made her feel euphoric and reckless. Turning her head, she snaked out her tongue and stroked Raz'ha's shaft, licking the ridges. Raz'ha made a similar hissing sound but her playing was cut short.

Val'jek slid his entire erection inside of her with a quick hard push. Raz'ha steadied her, his eyes glued to where her body joined with Val'jek.

"You steal my self control." Val'jek's rough voice sounded apologetic but she was giving a silent thanks to whatever god was out there. Amelia moaned, finding it difficult to speak. Val'jek's clawed hands gripped her buttocks as he pounded into her wet opening, pushing her hard against Raz'ha.

The warrior said something, she didn't understand, with a grumble and his hands closed over her aching breasts.

"What?" Amelia mumbled, nuzzling Raz'ha's cock, just out of reach of her mouth.

"If I'm going to use my hands, he will too," Val'jek translated between long rumbling purrs.

The warrior explored, surprising Amelia with his firm but gentle touches. Neither male seemed deterred by the other. Raz'ha even leaned over her to touch the folds of her sex as Val'jek continued to ride her, unperturbed by the hand splaying between them. Surely Val'jek felt the fingers brush against his cock.

"Pretty ooman," Raz'ha said and purred.

It was the first English she heard him speak. She was supposed to say something in return but nothing came to mind as he found the bud between her folds. The warrior pressed down, then rubbed the nub gently. Pleasure lanced up her spine directly from Raz'ha's touch.

Gripping the warrior's thigh, Amelia gasped and moaned with each thrust and stroke. Feeling her peak climbing, she writhed, dimly aware of both yautja holding her in place. Her dance was officially over. She bucked against Raz'ha's hand and Val'jek's cock.

"Jesus Christ." Amelia swore she was in heaven. Close enough to release that her core trembled and clenched, she arched her back.

Val'jek was saying something and she had to focus on it. It wasn't English.

Raz'ha's talented hand moved away and she grasped at it, insisting that he finish her off. She was no match for a determined yautja. The warrior took her wrist and placed her hand on his cock instead. Oh. Raz'ha wanted his pleasure too.

She stroked him with clumsy fingers but a firm grip.

Val'jek lifted her hips higher, never once slowing his thick cock sliding in and out of her.

Her clit felt bereft, swollen and ignored. She groaned, tightening her legs around his trim waist, hoping to draw him closer. With a little more stimulation, she would find her release.

Raz'ha's hand closed over hers, showing her how he liked his cock handled.

Harsh breathing was loud in the room, as the music ended.

Val'jek groaned, his thrusting becoming erratic and rough. Amelia felt him pulsing inside of her and warm seed made her more slick. Her mate grinded against her, emitting more groans and a soft trilling purr.

Amelia blinked in surprise, forgetting the warrior's cock in her hand. Val'jek had never left her behind before, not even their first time. Back when he was learning her alien physiology he had still pleasured her. She whimpered in protest as he slid out of her.

His cock wasn't soft yet, that took a few minutes, often hardening again before becoming limp enough to slide out of her. There was more than enough time to return the favor but he didn't. Panting and trilling with his appreciation, he set her bottom on the bench.

"But-" She thought of nothing else to say.

Val'jek rubbed her thighs and then took her in his arms. Raz'ha let her go. Upright she looked her mate in the eye and his mandibles twitched upward, his equivalent of a smile.

"I ache," she said desperate for relief. Her vagina throbbed with unfulfilled need.

Her mate trilled and dragged her flush against him, her hardened nipples smashed against his smooth muscled chest. He pulled her legs over his thighs, as if she were giving him another lap dance.

Raz'ha pressed against her backside, his erect cock pushing against her bottom. The yautja had a short conversation before Val'jek lifted her hips and Raz'ha's cock nudged the folds of her sex. It took two tries before he nudged her opening. Raz'ha purred with self satisfaction and slid home.

She hissed.

Raz'ha had looked about the size of Val'jek but inside her throbbing sex he felt a tad bigger. Val'jek had to work many days to stretch her sufficiently to make sex enjoyable. Jesus, the warrior was large.

Her mate purred a soothing tone at her, rubbing her sides. "He will go slow, relax."

"You planned this," she blurted out, the sting taking away some of passion's fog from her mind.

"I took an opportunity and gained satisfactory results. You do not mind two mates," Val'jek reasoned and nuzzled her neck with his mandibles.

Raz'ha's hand reached between them to touch her clit. She had to show her mate the purpose of that nub, no way the warrior figured it out without coaching from Val'jek.

 

#

Raz'ha had never felt anything so soft and tight wrapped around his cock before. And the smell made him near delirious. Arousal was infinitely better smelling than heat. If she walked around smelling so good, he would be fighting off hordes of warriors wanting to rut the little ooman. Over his dead body, he thought.

Amelia clenched around his cock, pressing down harder, trying to take more of him inside her sex. He grunted, almost seeding her prematurely.

He tried to distract himself by focusing on pleasuring the ooman exactly as the elder had instructed. Even that made him want to seed her.

Amelia's soft ooman body was sensitive and responsive. Her scent flared, her temperature rising with it. Oomans made soft throaty sounds when pleased and he shivered from hearing her. Even her mammary glands swelled, the nipples peaked and she moaned when he had tested their softness. She was a warrior's fantasy that he never knew to have.

"Please," she said, her voice breathy.

Raz'ha recognized the word from dinner and groaned. She was pleading for him to mate her. He couldn't take much more pleasure. He humped her, rough and erratic like a young blood mating for the first time. She groaned in return. At least Raz'ha had enough brain capacity left to continue rubbing her sex, so she might feel pleasure too.

Raz'ha wasn't prepared for what her pleasure would mean for his cock.

Amelia arched with unknown ooman strength and cried out. Her entire body shivered, even around his cock, sucking and wetting him more.

Raz'ha was too stunned to roar his prowess with his release, making only a choked hissing noise between his teeth. Sparks burst behind his eyes, his entire body clenching beyond his control as wave after wave of his seed streamed out of his cock and into his new mate. He hoped he gave her a suckling, but couldn't voice that thought. He slumped back on the bench, out of breath.

Amelia was slumped over on Val'jek also out of breath and trembling. "Jesus Christ," she said again.

He didn't know what it meant, and then belatedly realized he had erred. Oomans wanted to be held and "cuddled" like a suckling after mating. How he was supposed to do that when his bones had turned gelatinous Raz'ha wasn't sure.

Val'jek covered for his error, the elder's arms secure around Amelia and petting her sweat slicked spine.

Gathering his strength, Raz'ha sat up. The elder nodded his approval and let Raz'ha take the ooman. Settling her in his lap, the ooman squirmed and fussed like a suckling so Raz'ha held her like he had seen mothers do. He cradled her body to his chest and rubbed the top of her head with his jaw. He trilled soothingly for her.

Elation filled him. It worked. Amelia sighed and slumped against him, her ooman arms twining around his torso.

The elder gave a second nod of approval. "Come," Val'jek said, rising.

Raz'ha rose as well and floundered. They had not covered what happens now. Was he supposed to set her down? Leave? He would rather sit for a while. This cuddling was not as silly as it sounded.

"Amelia prefers to rest after mating. We will accompany her in our bed," the elder said.

Raz'ha was half naked, while not modest like the ooman, it was bad form to leave armor strewn across the floor for anyone to find.

"Our armor," he said.

The elder was naked, all his armor on the floor with Raz'ha's.

"No one is permitted here. It will be fine for now." The elder he led the way toward the private room.

#

"When she is finished resting she will be embarrassed," Val'jek warned Raz'ha.

The warrior clicked his mandibles in acknowledgment, though he couldn't understand the ramifications of it yet.

Val'jek prolonged Amelia's satiated state by quickly moving the trio to their bed, where they curled up together. She dozed for a while, never quite asleep but lingering on the brink for the better part of an hour. It was time for her short sleep cycle now. Both yautja kept speaking to a minimum to prevent disturbing her.

He showed the warrior how to help soothe his mate and watched as the warrior followed his directions with careful precision.

The warrior's large clawed hand smoothed her hair down, playing with the soft locks, a curious tilt to his head. Raz'ha used his claws on her scalp, careful of his strength and sharp natural weapons.

Amelia hummed her appreciation and sighed.

The warrior looked up with the silent question.

Val'jek merely nodded. It was simple to tell with his ooman if the warrior made a mistake. She would give a quick, high stress verbal response, a cry of pain or anger.

The warrior returned his attention to pleasing Amelia and allowed Val'jek to contemplate her second mate.

The second mate plan turned out much better than he expected this soon, at least. Val'jek had spent months figuring out how to draw Amelia into mating. Neither of them knew how to communicate their desire in a way the other understood back then.

He had given her all the signs of his interest, purring and trilling, showing her his trophies. Val'jek smelled her arousal, but never managed to earn her consent to mate. Even underhanded tricks earned him little progress. He had a makeshift guest bed, but he never showed it to her, forcing her to sleep beside him. He used every chance given to touch her.

Frustrated, he had pinned her on his bed and enveloped her ooman jaws with his mandibles. The gesture was pushing too far for a yautja and disrespectful if the female wasn't willing.

His mate hadn't understood how to acknowledge, or refuse, the gesture and pressed her strange mouth to his face, avoiding his razor sharp teeth. Locked in the embrace, they were still at square one. Language had to come first and mating shortly after. Raz'ha had only been pursuing her for weeks.

The warrior was far more interested in Amelia than Val'jek dared hope for in the beginning. His expectations had been closer to finding a willing yautja who could look after his beloved and be discrete when mating with other yautja. If he did not return from his upcoming mission, he needed to know his mate would be cared for.

He dreaded explaining the mission to her. She could not accompany him. It was dangerous and oomans could not survive the planet's surface without protective gear which yautja didn't have for an ooman. He refused to leave her on a ship in space. Alone. The need for supplies and air aside, any number of things might go wrong and she would have no way of getting help. It was too risky.

She must remain with the clan ship. The problem was his mate was only considered his pet. Property. She needed a protector to ensure she remained safe.

Val'jek's offspring, Mah'sic, was not scheduled to be blooded before the trip and therefor not a viable option. Any number of blooded yautja could claim her and Mah'sic wasn't experienced enough to fend them all off.

The only alternative was to secure a second mate, one who had an interest in Amelia and keeping her happy. That or drop her off on Earth. It was forbidden because she knew too much about yautja. He had been willing to risk the dishonor if he couldn't find her a mate however.

The warrior was more than adequate. Raz'ha was curious about every aspect of his mate, from her smell to every nuanced gesture she made. It was not love, Val'jek knew. The warrior's understanding of her personality and customs was still too limited.

There was potential there. He had checked into the warrior's background to be sure. Love was ideal but not required. Val'jek shared love with Amelia. Raz'ha and Amelia must merely be fond and attracted to each other for Val'jek to feel secure leaving her for a mission.

The warrior gave a soft purr as Amelia stirred, shifting into a more comfortable position for sleep.

There would be repercussions for mating in her studio. Oomans courted longer first. She hadn't intended that dance for Raz'ha and they all knew it. The erotic event was spurred on by mating musk and prolonged need.

Val'jek added his purr to Raz'ha's. He mused, Amelia did some irrational things when aroused.

# # # #

Notes:

Edits: Polished some of the writing but left most of it "as is" because it's very old writing. Otherwise I made a few minor adjustments to better fit with the more developed version of the story.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Amelia twiddled her thumbs in Val'jek's lab. Her mate of course was not in his lab after the argument she had with him that morning. Was that in the morning? She couldn't tell in space. Yautja had more hours in a day than she.

She tried to cycle her hours so she slept when her mate slept, then took a nap in the middle of his day. Had she taken a nap or slept eight hours? It was getting late and time to sleep again, but with Val'jek or without she wasn't sure because he was working late often.

Amelia had been stupid. Beyond stupid. Sex with the warrior had been a mistake she couldn't take it back. With encouragement from the incident Val'jek and Raz'ha were running rampant.

Since she had encouraged her mate's ridiculous scheme, the warrior was twice as persistent with his gifts, trophies and purring. Purring was a weakness. The sound made her warm and achy.

Amelia was near smothered by the warrior most days. If he weren't so intent on keeping her, she would certainly enjoy exploring the yautja's sexual nature. Her mate clearly wanted her to.

The studio was enough to fluster her whenever she remembered the way Val'jek and Raz'ha pleasured her. Their purrs made her shiver with anticipation of a repeat performance. Why couldn't he be like most humans, or even normal yautja? Yautja didn't appear to linger with one mate no matter how many times they screwed. One time with Raz'ha and he was ready to get down on one knee, figuratively speaking.

She was never having sex with another alien as long as she lived.

To make matters worse, her mate had invited Raz'ha to remain in their quarters, in their bed. Amelia balked. Unpleasant words were exchanged and Val'jek had stormed out to continue working on whichever project kept him away the past few weeks. Another secret he wasn't sharing.

She started to wonder if he had found another woman, one of his own kind. Was this a ploy to pawn her off on Raz'ha?

"Do you miss your kind?" Mah'sic asked, drawing her from her paranoid thoughts.

They were quiet together today.

The unblood usually had a million questions and a million more tests to run when she was in the lab. After witnessing her fight with Val'jek, Mah'sic had grown quiet and withdrawn. He hadn't asked his questions, nor asked her to do anything but sit on the table and wear a sensor. The unblood had watched his alien computer screen since.

"Sometimes." She shrugged. She missed her brother more than humans in general, but he was gone and living with her people would not alleviate that ache.

"You fight with Val'jek now." Mah'sic never called Val'jek father and she didn't know why. They were close, abnormally so for Yautja father and son relationships. Yautja knew their bloodlines but were raised by their mothers and then trained by skilled warriors. There was little, if any, bonding done between fathers and sons, at least in their clan. Val'jek mentioned other clans were structured differently.

"We have always fought, just not in front of you." Amelia picked at the sensor on her arm. Fighting in front of Mah'sic was testament to how badly the relationship had gone off course.

"Is it because Elder Val'jek goes on a mission and is leaving you with Raz'ha?" the unblood asked in earnest.

"Mission? What mission?" Her heart skipped a beat. Her mate was leaving her behind. Forever?

"To the kainde amedha hive." He looked up at her, his head cocked to the side, his work forgotten for the moment. "You did not know."

"He said nothing. How long will he be gone, do you know?" She twisted the sensor with unsteady fingers. Yanking it from her skin with a sting and a plop, she set the device aside. If her mate was ditching her then she wasn't sitting still for any more tests.

"Until the mission is successful." He looked at the discarded sensor. The large unblood fidgeted, unsure of what to do with her now.

Sometimes she forgot Mah'sic was a grown male when he fret.

"What mission?" She slid off the table. He reached to steady her from the long drop, but she swat his claws away. She wasn't in the mood to be coddled like some pet.

"The hive must be relocated to a suitable planet. Elder Val'jek is leading a team of four. They leave before my Chiva," Mah'sic said. "May I continue the scan?"

"No. No more exams." She felt a vicious anger burning in the pit of her stomach. Val'jek was abandoning her. All the pieces fell into place. He was distancing himself from her. The fights. Raz'ha. They were all ways for Val'jek to run off and leave her in his strange alien world.

"Where is Val'jek now?" she demanded.

The unblood was hesitant, looking her over as if trying to figure out the best course of action.

"Mah'sic, I will search for him if I must." Demands didn't usually work on yautja but threatening to do something incredibly stupid got her a boon or two in a compromise. She had more than a year to work that one out on her mate. Mah'sic made an easier target for the dirty play. The unblood answered to Val'jek, but her mate seemed to answer to no one.

"I will request that he return," Mah'sic said.

She nodded and left the lab, wishing there was a manual door to slam in anger. Fortunately for the doors, they were all automatic.

Val'jek made her wait, but she took comfort in that he didn't bring Raz'ha along.

#

Val'jek entered his quarters with caution. His mate was no threat to him, but fighting with her was arduous and occupied his thoughts for days when he could ill afford the distraction. If he was careless in his planning, he would perish on his mission.

Amelia was pacing the sitting room and Val'jek scanned her to see just how angry she was. Red hot heat signature consistent with anger. Her fists clenched and her strange Ooman nose flared with erratic breaths. She faced him.

"I had to find out from Mah'sic," she snapped at him, her fists clenching again.

"I heard," he acknowledged.

"Were you ever going to tell me or was the plan to disappear and hope I didn't notice?" She was fair seething at him.

"You were not ready to hear of the mission." He crossed his arms over his chest. She still wasn't ready, but it was too late now.

"What the pauk is that supposed to mean?" She glared.

He hesitated before constructing his careful reply. "You were not prepared for my absence. I saw no reason to worry you needlessly early. I meant no offense."

Her fists unclenched and she softened. "What is this mission, Val'jek?"

"Come, sit with me." He settled on the cushioned chair, holding his hand out for her to join him.

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and waited. She watched him with lingering anger and indecision.

"We will speak and discuss my arrangements." Val'jek left his hand in the open, waiting.

She took three slow steps until she stood between his thighs. "You aren't going to consult me, are you?"

"Within reason," he said, stroking her face. Feeling her soft skin, he slid his hand down the front of her, from cheek to belly. His mate was tiny compared to a yautja. It never ceased to amaze him. His claws spanned her waist, touching. Her pulse thrummed through her stomach and he felt it against his claws. Val'jek rubbed small circles against her pliable flesh to soothe her.

"Come, sit." He tugged her, but let her make the choice.

She settled in his lap, legs curling, breasts against his chest.

Val'jek purred low and soothing, though he doubted it would be enough to keep her anger at bay.

"Tell me," she insisted with a level chin. "Everything."

"Kainde amedha are near extinct. We must preserve them in order to preserve our traditions," Val'jek said and purred again.

"And you are on a mission to preserve monsters?" she asked. "This doesn't make me feel better."

"There are few planets where we keep them, but one is located near a star. This star is dying and will destroy the planet. Before that happens some prey must be harvested and relocated." He rubbed her back.

She gasped, her lips parting and eyes widening. "They're dangerous. How will you relocate them?"

"We will freeze a few and transport them to a safe planet," he said. He intended to take a queen but he needed to work his mate into that revelation slowly. The last queen she had seen still gave her trouble with terrible night dreams.

"You are going to be on a ship with live hard meats in space?" Amelia's fingers gripped his armor, her knuckles brushing his skin.

"They will be frozen and stored properly." Being locked in a ship with dangerous prey was not the difficult part of the mission. The dying star could destroy the planet at any time. Flares or spikes in radiation could be lethal if he was caught unaware.

Retrieving the necessary specimen in an active hive was going to be difficult. Not just any kainde amedha would do. Val'jek was only relocating a few and he needed to find perfect specimen and they had to be captured, not killed.

He always considered capturing prey the ultimate hunt. Even Amelia, an untrained ooman with a tender heart could kill. The skill required to bring in live prey was significantly greater than killing.

"Then you just take them somewhere else? This is insane. Hard meats kill people and you're going to make sure they survive?" She squirmed in his lap.

Val'jek locked an arm around her. She wanted to speak of his mission and he would do so in full measure. "Our preserves have always been maintained and controlled. There is no risk of infestation once they are on the new planet."

"And p-132 was what? They killed my brother and all those other people for what? So you can bring back a skull?" Amelia's chin rose a notch.

"That was not us. Oomans found wild kainde amedha and brought it into their population." He shrugged. He had handled that infestation with her help.

"Then what were you doing there?" Her head tilted and her brow furrowed.

"I was studying oomans from the planet's orbit and my ship detected the hard meats. We do not let them roam free. When we find wild infestations, we destroy them. Which is why it is necessary to save the ones in our preserve." He knew she didn't want to understand. She harbored fear and anger over her brother's death.

"Some species should be extinct," she said stubbornly.

"I have met yautja who have said that about your species." Val'jek purred at her upon realizing the insult he dealt. He clicked an apology.

She let it pass. "So you are going to capture your prey. Load it on your ship and fly through space to another planet. Where you will let them go and come home?" Amelia blinked up at him like she didn't understand what she just said.

"I must ensure they thrive." This part his mate was not going to like.

"What? Are you going to build them houses, pools, and swing sets? You can build them a nice little club house where they can eat people and spawn more bugs." She glared again.

He removed his mask, setting it on the arm of the chair. He clicked his mandibles thoughtfully.

"You are. You're going to give them people to make more of those things." She scrambled off of his lap.

"Bad bloods. I will give them bad blood oomans." And only because it would be easier for her to accept. Val'jek watched her glaring at him.

"How fitting using monsters to breed monsters," she snapped.

"Amelia, I will not fight with you about this," Val'jek said. "My people hunt kainde amedha. We hunt pyode amedha. You acknowledged this. You remain here knowing this."

She glared at him.

"Let's discuss Raz'ha," he said, changing his mind about mission details. She was not ready to hear all the risks and precautions in full.

She took a sharp breath and looked away. He had no idea why she fought her desire for Raz'ha so hard. They were compatible.

"I don't suppose you'll take him with you. I'm sure he would produce very lovely kainde amedha." She gave a smile that held no humor. The backward ooman gesture had confused Val'jek early in their relationship.

"You will remain with Raz'ha while I complete my mission." He stood and his mate stepped back.

"No." She shook her head.

"There is no other choice to keep you safe."

"Mah'sic is here. I can remain with him. I will stay in our rooms and not leave until you return." She was babbling, her hand covering her mouth, muffling her words. It was a strange habit unique to Amelia when she was nervous.

"Mah'sic cannot keep you safe. He will leave for his chiva, and should he not return there will be no protection." Val'jek reached for her but she slapped his hand away.

"Don't say that. Mah'sic will not die on that stupid hunt," she said, raising her chin in challenge again.

He half expected her to shove him and make the challenge official.

"How many arguments do you wish to have, Amelia?" he asked gently.

"I don't want Raz'ha. I want you. I love you." Her green eyes shined with the strange ooman liquid grief. Taking her in his arms, he lifted her off her feet. He brushed her face with his mandible tusks.

"And I love you, that is why Raz'ha is necessary. I must leave you protection so I may focus on my mission. I will return to you with honor," Val'jek said. He purred for her.

"Why must it be you?" she murmured, her face pressing to his neck.

"I possess the knowledge and so I must go." The wetness from her eyes leaked down his neck leaving a warm itchy trail.

"Stay." Her voice was muffled against his flesh.

"There is time yet. Let me ease your worry." Val'jek purred deeper. He would soothe and love her until the worry was forgotten, for at least a few moments.

Sliding her down his body, letting her feel how simple proximity aroused him, he placed Amelia on her feet. Her ear pressed to his chest as she listened to his purring. He cradled her against his erection but for only a moment.

He loosened her dress and let it slip to the floor. She pressed her warm, bare flesh against his armor. His sharp tipped claws grazed down her back, tracing her spine and chasing her pleasure shivers. Amelia's bottom was round and smooth, still small in his too large claws. The wetness from her eyes dried quickly and Amelia's potent scent of arousal pleased him.

Her fingers worked his belt and loin coverings with ease. Val'jek removed his chest armor, Amelia's ooman skin didn't abide it during mating.

Clever hands stroked his cock with a tenderness he had never known before Amelia. Groaning his pleasure, he hefted her up into his arms.

She gasped, gripping his biceps, still awed by his strength.

He trilled his amusement, wrapping her slender legs around his waist. Her natural lubrication smeared on his cock, wet and warm as he rubbed their sexes together. Her breath panted on his chest followed by wet and warm touches from her fleshy mouth. The word she called those touches of her mouth to his flesh escaped his passion fogged mind.

Aligned with her sex, he slid his cock into her welcoming heat.

"Val'jek," she moaned.

He enjoyed the idle pleasure of her tight sheath for a moment.

"Please." Amelia strained against him.

Gripping her bottom, Val'jek lifted her, exposing his cock to humid air. Artificial gravity allowed her to slide back down until their bodies met.

"Purr for me," Amelia gasped against his chest.

Val'jek purred deep in his chest for her. Amelia pressed her ear to his chest, murmuring her appreciation.

Val'jek slid her up and down on his throbbing erection, shivering with the tightening of her inner muscles. Amelia was close, more in need than he anticipated.

"Your mouth." Val'jek nudged the top of her head, ceasing his purring.

Her head tilted up and Val'jek hunched to reach her. Mandibles encasing her human jaws, He pressed the sensitive inner flesh against her mouth. Her mouth brushed against him. The soft fleshy tongue laved at him between nips from her blunt teeth. Val'jek groaned before resuming the purring she craved.

A gasp against his teeth and she tightened around his cock. Amelia rode him hard, her thighs squeezing and hips bucking in his hands. Moaning, she grasped the tendrils at the base of his skull. She convulsed and cried out, scraping her cheeks against his tusks.

The hot gush of wetness slid down his cock with her womanhood clenching and relaxing around him. He gave a broken purr, dropping to his knees and releasing her face. Pleasure burned through his cock and he throbbed his seed into her. Val'jek roared his pleasure, holding her too tightly to his chest.

Spent, Val'jek rumbled his affection and panted. Amelia made herself more comfortable in his lap, humming in response.

"Do you plan to abandon me?" Amelia said, face in his chest, sex still gripping his cock.

Val'jek struggled to determine her meaning. Did she consider going on a mission without her abandonment?

"Val'jek?" Her voice rose in pitch and her heart pounded all over again as if still mating.

"I intend to go on the mission and return." Hoping that was the right answer, he cradled her.

"But what of me?" she persisted.

"I do not understand what answer you seek, Amelia." Val'jek clicked his mandibles, frustrated by this invisible communication barrier.

"When you return. Will you still want me as your mate, just me?" she asked.

"I have not given you any indication otherwise." Val'jek balked at the idea. He wasn't giving her up, not for anyone or anything.

"Then Raz'ha is just your temporary solution?" She fingered the base of his head, where tendrils met flesh.

Val'jek clicked his mandibles. Raz'ha was intending to be permanent. It was cruel to the warrior to give him a mate then rip her away after a handful of months. Once Val'jek returned, Amelia did have a choice in the matter. If she refused Raz'ha, Val'jek would work hard to change her mind, but ultimately it was her decision. Yautja did not force women of any species.

"We will see," he said after a while.

"Come to bed with me." Her voice was soft and breathy against his skin.

"I must return to my work," he said.

"For a short while," she insisted, her hips rocking against his, wet heat coaxing him to another round.

"A short while and then I return to my work." Val'jek clicked his mandibles with feigned annoyance and she smiled. He stood, holding her body locked to his. She murmured her appreciation as he walked to the bed chamber.

Val'jek tarried longer than he intended, making her writhe in pleasure half a dozen more times. It was fortunate she fell asleep after a gentle mating or he would have stayed longer when he was already late.

He donned his armor, forgoing cleansing in deference to time. Warriors were waiting for his instruction on the best methods to capture and contain prey. They would all smell Amelia's scent mixed with his musk but few commented on such a thing to his face. Still, it was disrespectful to be late when Val'jek had been the one to schedule the training outside the usual time. There was much to do and so little time before the star destroyed the preserve.

Val'jek draped a fur over Amelia's sleeping form. He considered informing her that Raz'ha had access to their quarters. Raz'ha was expected to be arriving at any time to sleep. Clicking his mandibles with indecision, Val'jek considered her. She slept soundly, her chest rising and falling with even breaths. It would be a shame to wake her for another dispute when she was satiated for the moment.

Val'jek brushed her hand with the back of his knuckles and left the room in silence. He would send word to Raz'ha to let Amelia rest undisturbed this sleep cycle.

# # # #

Notes:

Edits: Polished some of the old writing but left most of it as is. Hopefully no one minds and quality will improve as the chapters progress. :)

Chapter 4

Notes:

Not sure if people are reading here, but did some more polishing in this chapter and a few detail changes.

Chapter Four

It was late when Raz'ha entered Elder Val'jek's quarters because getting a translator implant had taken longer than expected. The lights were dim, signaling the occupants were asleep. Opting to leave the lights alone, in case Amelia was sensitive to the change, he explored the quarters.

They were considerably larger than his own on the Saracen's clan ship. The quarters were divided into several rooms, compared to his two; one for sleeping and the other for all else.

Elder Val'jek was a respected and, by all accounts he heard, a feared politician and fighter. Stories of the elder ripping out yautja spines in challenges were widely circulated. A few whispered he might be leaning into bad blood territory.

There were claims of secret dealings between the elder and the clan's high priestess, or so everyone insisted. It was all speculation, but it made him wonder how else Elder Val'jek was able to make so many arrangements for an ooman. Taurens swore Amelia had a seat beside the elder at sacred ceremonies. Some were quite disturbed, but most seemed amused, to see the eccentric yautja settling with alien prey. All were adamant about their respect for the elder.

Raz'ha was an experienced warrior, respected, but not wielding the kind of power Elder Val'jek was rumored to hold. His own quarters were standard and he did not have his own ship. No one did in his clan. Ships were shared and many hunts were performed in groups. Being one of the more skilled Saracen warriors, he was allotted more usage of ships for private and small group hunts.

Elder Val'jek had his own ship, an upgraded mid-size vessel he spent more time on than the clan ship. The elder spent most of his time researching alien species and worlds. It was an oddity being from a famous bartering clan. Clans from all over traveled to the Tauren clan ship to trade for supplies. It was easier than returning to their home world, Yaut.

If he had quarters and privileges like Elder Val'jek, he might never leave the ship. He could easily slip into a training position and spend his free time learning Amelia's quirks. Hunting would be a matter of sport instead of a bid for status and survival in his clan.

The entry room was tidy and sparse like those of most warriors. There was a dining area and seating that doubled as storage, likely where entertainment was kept. He had seen it when he dined there so Raz'ha moved on.

He was familiar with the middle door, which led to Amelia's private room. The Elder made him agree to never enter her room without her permission. It was the only condition set upon gaining rights to Elder Val'jek's quarters. There was even a biometric lock on her door. He wondered if the elder had given himself access rights on the lock or not.

To the left was the door to the sleeping quarters, slightly open. He had never seen a door paused so. The elder explained Amelia refused to sleep alone with the door closed. Knowing the doors were not meant to be stopped mid motion Raz'ha shook his head. It must have been modified. He doubted the elder owned anything that wasn't adjusted in some way.

To the right were two doors and he tried the first one. The door slid open to reveal a lavatory. The washroom was fully equipped for excretions and washing. Raz'ha clicked his mandibles, impressed with the private accommodations. On the clan ship, he used public facilities to relieve himself or wash. It was common for many yautja.

He entered the other door to find an office of sorts. It doubled as a trophy room and mounted skulls lined the walls. In the center was a desk with half a dozen beakers and electronics, many Raz'ha couldn't identify. He backed out of the sterile room, doubting the elder wanted him poking around in his work space.

That left the sleeping quarters, where he was expected to enter, undress and sleep next to Amelia without disturbing her rest. Blood pumped into his cock at the mere thought of her. With his manhood full and aching, Raz'ha steeled himself to comply with the difficult task.

The door had three settings instead of two and was simple enough for Raz'ha to figure out. He entered and set the door partially open as the elder had left it.

The sleeping quarters were a contrast to the rest of the rooms. Personal items adorned the available surfaces. Tiny leather shoes were beside the door, next to much larger yautja leisure sandals. Skins with painted designs were mounted on the walls instead of skulls or other trophies. A strange plant sat on a storage unit. The scent of mating musk lingered in the air, inflaming Raz'ha, drawing his eyes to Amelia.

She slept on her belly in a round recess in the floor. The bed was large enough for several yautja males to rest in comfort. Covered in a fur, Amelia's pale skinned feet peeked out. He moved closer and leaned in to see her strange feet better. The flesh appeared soft, but he didn't dare touch her to confirm the assumption. He was perplexed by how oomans survived so long being made in such a delicate manner. There wasn't a claw or sharp tooth on her.

She smelled good though, and perhaps that was the secret of her species. Such a rich intoxicating scent might give predators pause. Amelia stirred, her feet disappearing under the fur. If he didn't know better, he might assume she was a sickly suckling burrowed in Elder Val'jek's bed.

Raz'ha stood and undressed. He placed his possessions in an open storage bin with care. Naked, he lowered himself into the bed far from Amelia. Careful not to disturb her, he settled beneath the fur.

He watched her sleep. He didn't know if she was attractive for an ooman, having seen few of their females. And never at length. Her skull looked to be favorable. She appeared thin to him, but the elder assured him she was healthy in weight and height.

Amelia's facial features were delicate in form, the skin pale with a few speckles of faint coloring. Her mouth was framed with flesh, hiding her blunt teeth. It was different, but similar to his own inner mouth. The protrusion above her mouth was more interesting. Used for breathing and sensing smells, the thing looked alien to him. He wanted to touch it, wondering if it was soft or hard.

In yautja females Raz'ha looked for bold sturdy features. He preferred a contrast in skin coloring and skin pattern. A deep red pattern over a creamy base was magnificent in his opinion, but strength was still more important. A strong female produced strong offspring.

Amelia was none of those things. She was rather plain, apart from the shock of coloring from her ooman hair. It was strange auburn color that seemed to be a mix of lighter and darker shades adorning her head and above her eyes. He wanted to touch her hair again, to reconfirm its softness in his hands. Loose and flowing, it was so unlike a yautja's. His hair growth was supposedly similar, but it looked and felt nothing alike.

Her fleshy mouth was a pale pink and so soft, like the tongue she kept behind her flat teeth. Elder Val'jek told him the touches from her mouth were referred to as kisses and that oomans pressed their mouths together in courtship. Raz'ha wondered what it was like to press his mouth to hers.

Small dark hairs framed her eyelids. Her eyes moved beneath their lids and they opened, revealing her deep green eyes. Blinking, she focused on him. Amelia's mouth parted and she jerked upright, clutching the fur to her chest.

He cocked his head to the side.

"Val'jek?" she called, looking around before snapping her gaze back to Raz'ha.

He purred, sensing her discomfort.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice was near drowned out by the translator. He didn't like it, but understanding her was necessary.

Pulling on the fur, Amelia scrambled back to the wall of the bed.

Raz'ha sat up as she dragged the fur off him.

"Are you naked? Why are you naked?" She spoke strangely, repeating syllables and making it slow for his translator to understand her. Her gaze was locked on his groin, where his cock throbbed with interest.

Raz'ha held up his hands in a placating gesture before lying back. The translator allowed him to understand her, but he didn't know how much she understood of his language. Her mate denied his request to get her a translator, insisting languages must be learned on both sides. The elder said that relying on technology to learn for them was setting them up for failure.

He made a gesture he hoped conveyed sleep to her.

She was too distracted by his manhood to notice his motions, her gaze riveted between his thighs. Purring, Raz'ha shifted, giving her a better view.

"What are you doing in here?" Her eyes dragged away from his manhood and searched his face.

He repeated the sleep gesture and settled, as if to sleep. He wasn't sure if she understood him.

"Where is Val'jek?" she asked.

He searched for a word that would convey the elder's location. "Kehrite," Raz'ha said, hoping she would understand.

"Then why are you here?" She stood up, wrapping the fur around herself. "Cover yourself, please."

She held the only covering available. Raz'ha stretched out and flexed his muscles, mandibles included, before relaxing. Raz'ha purred, beckoning her closer, to touch what she plainly admired.

Her chest rose with a sharp breath. She stared for a long moment. Then she turned away and climbed out of the bed recess. She struggled, giving him a good look at her pale legs, round bottom, and a quick flash of her womanhood before making it out of the bed.

Amelia opened a storage unit and pulled out an ooman-like garment. Yautja women did not cover so much flesh. He ogled her as she was forced to relinquish the fur to dress. She was lean and graceful as she pulled the dress over her head. Her petite mammary glands were tipped with pink buds pointing up as she arched her back.

The plain cloth dress was simple, loose and hiding her form from him. She normally tied a cloth around her waist and it conformed to her mammary glands and the flare of her hips.

She pet her own hair vigorously with her fingers. It seemed to smooth and straighten the locks. It was a strange thing to do, Raz'ha thought.

She glared at him, a challenging look from a female that aroused him further. She stomped away, not quite turning her back to him. The fur, in hand, dragged behind her.

He climbed out of the bed and followed through the door. She was laying the fur on a large sitting chair. He clicked his mandibles but she ignored him, folding her fur in half. She settled into it and hid her face in the cushion.

"Amelia?" Raz'ha had trouble pronouncing her name.

She huffed so he moved closer. He nudged her shoulder, careful not to issue a challenge, though he doubted she understood such a gesture.

"What?" Amelia huffed again, whipping her head around to face him. Strands of her hair brushed his engorged cock, her breath following. She jerked back from his manhood in her face. Raz'ha did the same. A yautja did not flaunt his manhood in a female's face if he wanted it to remain whole.

He was used to dealing with yautja, but knew oomans didn't have the same reaction. She had used her tongue on him briefly in her private room. He thought he might have enjoyed the sensation, but was too alarmed at the possibility of losing his manhood to a puny ooman. Once he realized she didn't intend to unman him, her tongue was gone. She hadn't done it again.

"Well?" She frowned.

"What are you doing?" He didn't know how to ask in her language.

Her forehead scrunched in an odd way at his question. "I don't understand anything but 'what,'" she said.

He made his sleep gesture again.

"I'm sleeping here," she said.

"Why?" He persisted.

She glared at him. "Because you invaded my bed."

Well she understood what he said at least. Raz'ha didn't mind her temper, in truth. He had mated much more onerous females. Amelia wasn't tough enough to harm him and she hadn't tried. She was all bark and no bite so far. It was a novel concept that thrilled him.

Elder Val'jek insisted she was kind, and Raz'ha had watched her interactions differ. She touched her mate often, casual gestures of affection and intimate touches. She used her mouth to convey her greetings and farewells to the elder but not with anyone else.

Relying on the elder's assurances to guide him, he believed that in time she would grow used to his presence. Her kindness and greetings would follow. Until then, he would amuse himself with her irritable temperament. He was rather fond of it.

He trilled at her. On the other hand, he hoped Amelia grew accustomed to him soon because she smelled so pleasing and felt so soft. He wanted to explore every inch of her strange body.

"I'm going to sleep now. Do you understand?" Amelia ripped her gaze away from his erection to look at his face.

Raz'ha nodded.

She rolled over and closed her eyes.

He purred to lull her to sleep. His mother had done it when he was an ill tempered suckling and Amelia liked many other things mothers did for pups.

She covered her head with the fur. "I'm ignoring you."

Raz'ha's translator didn't understand her words, perhaps because they were muffled. He trilled but she said nothing else so he resumed purring, kneeling beside her.

"Are you kidding?" she said.

"No joke," he answered.

Lifting her head, she glared at him. He thought the translator was malfunctioning because she was not pleased and he said nothing of amusement.

"I don't know what you're saying. Speak slower and I can pick out nouns," she said, turning again and sitting up.

He leaned back on his haunches. He had no idea how to explain what he had said. It was then he got a whiff of her. He took a deep breath, his mandibles twitching as the potent scent of arousal assailed his senses. He purred, moving closer, taking in more of her sweet scent. He emitted his own mating musk, but couldn't discern if she was affected by it.

"That makes me crazy." She let out another huff. She didn't look pleased with him but clearly she desired him.

He didn't know how to proceed. No wonder the elder had wanted her left undisturbed.

Raz'ha took a chance. She was too small to do him real harm like a yautja female after all. He would stop if she looked distressed. He purred deeper, moving closer. He brushed her cheek with his mandibles, coming up short. How was he going to lock mandibles with her? He tried locking his mandibles over her cheeks.

She tilted away and Raz'ha heard her swallow, saw her throat working. Her scent was heady. Her pulse seemed to pound through her arteries, beating in her throat for him to see. Clicking his mandibles, he was perplexed. She wanted to mate but didn't consent.

With a yautja, he would present a gift at this point. A bone trinket to show the female his prowess and flatter her vanity that he pursued her often settled the matter. Amelia never liked any of his gifts before. She had gasped and dropped the tiny ooman bones he strung into a wrist trinket for her.

Val'jek had laughed heartily upon seeing the rejected gift. The elder's only clues were to stay away from ooman trophies and to seek something pretty. Most yautja females found the trinkets attractive so he was at a loss as to what an ooman would like.

The door opened and Elder Val'jek entered. Raz'ha stood and bowed quickly with respect.

"I said to leave her undisturbed." The elder was displeased and he eyed him from head to toe, clicking his tusks with irritation as he glanced at Raz'ha's aroused manhood.

"She awoke and was surprised." He had a complaint of his own with the elder. "The Ooman was not expecting me."

The Elder cocked his head as he approached Amelia, who glared at Val'jek. It appeared Raz'ha wasn't the only one to irritate the ooman.

"I was distracted," Val'jek said in their language. The elder trilled at Amelia and Raz'ha moved out of his way.

"Don't start that. I'm mad at you," she said.

"That does not change my plans," Elder Val'jek said, using the ooman language. "Come to bed." Scooping her up, fur and all, the elder carried her to the sleeping chamber. "We will pleasure you and rest."

Raz'ha followed close behind, perking up at the possibility of mating. The elder must know how to gain consent as her permanent mate and could demonstrate.

"I don't want to screw," she said.

He didn't understand her meaning and considered the translated word. He waited for Elder Val'jek to undress himself, and Amelia, before the trio continued to the bed.

"We smell your arousal. The warrior is near drooling on himself with want from it," the elder said and Raz'ha determined that "screw" must be an ooman slang word for mating.

"He's the one that wouldn't stop making that incessant purring noise." She glared at him as the elder placed her in the middle of the bed.

"She doesn't like my purring?" he asked Elder Val'jek.

"She is angry because she likes it too much." The elder trilled amusement. "What did you think caused her musk?"

Raz'ha trilled as well. The ooman was aroused by his purring.

"What are you guys saying about me?" she grumbled.

"I explained the cause of your arousal," her mate said.

"Damn it. Now that he knows he's going to take advantage of it." She shoved away from the elder, right into Raz'ha's arms.

He purred slow and deep for her. She flushed, her scent thickening as she rolled away again. Elder Val'jek joined in, taking the game further than Raz'ha intended.

"This isn't fair." She cocooned herself in the fur. She pretended not to hear them and the elder pulled her onto his chest. Amelia gave stilted protests, fumbling in her fur.

Raz'ha couldn't see beneath the fur but she gasped, arching her back and Elder Val'jek groaned. They were mating.

"I hate you," she said, tightening her hold on the blanket.

"False words." The elder purred and Raz'ha joined in. Elder Val'jek's hands moved her hips, prompting a gasping moan from Amelia.

"You play dirty," she said. "Unfair."

"You are well pleased by it," her mate countered as he moved her faster.

"I'm due for a period any time now." Amelia smiled at that.

He didn't know what Ooman punctuation would do to please her.

Elder Val'jek laughed.

"Purr," she demanded.

"But it is unfair," Val'jek said.

"Please." Her breath was shallow and her hands braced on the elder's chest. The fur slipped off her shoulders. Her mammary glands were peaked and the rounded flesh bounced slightly.

He wanted to purr for her but Elder Val'jek did not give into her plea so Raz'ha held off.

"I am honorable. I will not use unfair advantages over you." The elder grunted, mandibles working as they rut. The elder was saying all sorts of compliments to the ooman, but it was all clicks and grunts that she couldn't possibly understand.

"I hate you," she said and then, "Purr, please."

The elder trilled with amusement, pulling the fur back and exposing her nudity in full. Elder Val'jek caressed her ooman body with unhurried gentleness. "Perhaps Raz'ha will purr for you," he teased her, dragging his claws over the round mammary glands Raz'ha admired.

"If it is unfair, I will not take advantage of an ooman female using it," Raz'ha said. He wanted to purr for her. He flexed his mandibles and waited.

"I hate you both," she said. Her words held no malice and Raz'ha felt warmth in his chest at being included in their game.

Pushing her mate's hands from her hips, she smiled. She braced herself on the elder's chest. Amelia rose and fell on the elder's engorged cock on her own.

Raz'ha stifled his urge to purr, smelling her mating musk and seeing her graceful movements. She let out a string of breathy moans and her fingers traveled to her sex where she stroked herself. He was impressed by the tiny bud she was touching. To be located externally and give her sexual gratification, he had never heard of such a thing. He intended to ask Elder Val'jek about it some other time.

Val'jek held her hips again as she pleasured herself. Amelia gasped, hunching with a groan as her fingers moved faster. Her back shivered and the elder let out an answering groan. The elder moved her over his cock a handful more times then stilled, gripping her in place.

She panted, slumping. She rubbed the elder's chest and stomach. Her hands looked exceptionally small on the expanse of her mate's torso. It should not please Raz'ha, as small females were weak, but it did please him.

The elder still panted when he beckoned Raz'ha closer. He followed the command.

"Remember our discussion earlier?" Elder Val'jek held her arms, rubbing in a slow motion.

She nodded.

"It is time to acknowledge the future, Amelia," the elder rumbled softly.

"Perhaps tomorrow," she said.

"Now," the elder insisted. "It would please me greatly."

Amelia's throat swallowed and Raz'ha hesitated, unsure of what was decided, sensing this was about him.

"You are set on this?" she asked. "There would be no taking it back tomorrow."

"Yes," the elder said, bringing her face to his. Elder Val'jek enveloped her face, his mandibles massive compared to her small features. It was the yautja gesture of affection Raz'ha had tried and failed. Amelia had no mandibles to respond. Elder Val'jek rumbled, not quite a purr but a pleased sound.

"I will consider it," she said when her mate released her face. "Tomorrow."

The elder eased her off his chest and Raz'ha smelled a wave of their mixed mating musk. She laid down on the edge of the bed, keeping the elder between her and Raz'ha. She settled down to sleep.

He trilled his inquiry to Elder Val'jek.

"She will relent, but she is not through resisting," the elder clicked back.

Being full and aching with desire, Raz'ha didn't feel like she was starting to accept him. Sharing a bed when he wasn't mating was not as thrilling as he assumed. She had looked at him with interest at least. Though the elder mated the ooman, it was Raz'ha who prepared her.

He needed to do things without the elder's help if he was to care for Amelia on his clan's ship. Raz'ha needed to start by finding her a proper gift. He could think of little else to earn her favor. She refused to enter his trophy room but that resistance might be for the best since she didn't favor ooman trophies. He had quite a few.

# # # #

Chapter 5

Notes:

Catching up with old chapters here. The writing improves over time and I don't have the energy to rework 20 chapters to equalize the quality. If it bothers you, I apologize.

There are new chapters on the way, but first the old ones need to be posted.

Amelia ignored Raz'ha as he followed her around in Val'jek's quarters. She wondered if the warrior didn't have obligations of his own to be breathing down her neck all morning. He looked like a lost, very curious, puppy, tilting his head at her.

When she entered the bathroom to wash, the Yautja was close on her heels. Raz'ha followed her into the room and Amelia gaped up at him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Amelia scowled at him.

Pausing inside the doorway, Raz'ha chirped. He gestured to the bathing tub with his large clawed hand.

"No. Absolutely not." Amelia's heart somersaulted.

"Wash." Raz'ha used his own language but she understood.

"I wash alone." Sometimes she bathed with Val'jek, but she wasn't about to inform the pesky Yautja of that.

Cocking his head at her, his dreadlocks swished.

"Please, leave so I can wash alone." Amelia made a placating gesture, hoping politeness won out.

Raz'ha clicked at her, bowed his head and then took two large steps back. Even after her rebuttal, he stood outside the door, watching.

Thinking that Raz'ha getting a translator was the best news Amelia had gotten in a while, she pressed the button to close the door.

Washing in the large tub; more like a swimming pool to Amelia, she was at the mercy of her jumbled thoughts. Val'jek didn't intend to leave her, but he still wanted to include Raz'ha. His reasoning was sound, as it always was. Amelia didn't know if she wanted the added work of a second mate. Being in a relationship was work. The effort was worth it, but still requiring energy and attention. Being an alien among Val'jek's people made it more difficult. Adding a third alien in the mix seemed daunting. What if she didn't like Raz'ha? She didn't know him.

Her encounters with Raz'ha were starting to remind her of her early days with Val'jek. The older Yautja had been attentive at the time. Nothing else was more important to Val'jek than discovering how she worked and why she did things the way she did. He had made Yautja passes at her many times, but she hadn't understood it.

Amelia assumed Val'jek was just curious when he watched her too long or touched her intimately. Now, she knew what Raz'ha was doing following her around, inspecting any limbs she let him get near. She missed Val'jek and the time they had spent on his ship learning to understand each other. Raz'ha made her miss Val'jek.

Her first time mating Val'jek had been a surprise for her. Amelia had thought the large alien out of her reach, that he didn't want a small human when he was strong and intelligent. Val'jek had picked up on her language quickly, while she was still learning his more than a year later. English wasn't the only human language Val'jek spoke either. Russian and French were languages he picked up before they met.

Her initiation into mating was worth it, but the steps to get there were confusing and uncertain.

# Flashback #

Val'jek purred at her, rumbling deep in his chest. Amelia felt the vibration throughout, making her toes curl and fingers twitch with want to touch his chest and feel the vibration directly. His skin, Amelia knew was smooth, not quite scaled and not quite rubbery. He reminded Amelia of a reptile, but warm.

Val'jek's belly and chest were a creamy gray. His back blended into a deep brown color and looked black in most lighting. Long black hair that looked like dreadlocks draped over his shoulders and halfway down his back. They felt smooth, like rubber over flesh. Lines of gray were starting to appear, making Amelia wonder if he was an older alien.

Val'jek was nearly seven and a half feet tall by her estimation and Amelia had to crane her neck to look up at him. His armor was practical and heavily armed. The silver colored metal didn't quite glint in the light and bore many scars. Several scars across his chest armor, that he no longer wore, were claw marks from the "hard meat" they had fended off. Her stomach and leg had similar scars, but hers couldn't be discarded.

Val'jek always adorned himself in many bones and skulls, strung together around his neck and from his belt. One small skull settled on his bicep off his right shoulder. Amelia wanted to ask about them, but the last time she did, Val'jek offered her one. He was irritable for an entire day when she refused the gift. Skulls weren't her thing.

"Would you like to learn another custom?" Val'jek asked, still struggling with his English.

His large mandibles twitched as he spoke, revealing more of his pink inner mouth. Val'jek's brow moved much like a human's, rising with his question. His eyes were a strange expressive yellow. There was something he wasn't telling her. She had known it for days looking at those eyes, but Amelia was afraid to ask.

"Yes." Amelia wanted to know everything.

"Come." Val'jek guided her from his trophy room, where he had just shown her his prized trophies.

Amelia followed to their bedroom. The room was pure torture. Amelia saw him naked, slept beside him, but was never able to draw him into anything more than sleeping. She would be humiliated if Val'jek laughed at her advances, if she ever gathered the courage to try anything overt.

Val'jek stopped at the entrance. He stared down at her and purred. She smiled, suddenly a nervous flutter in her belly. He clicked his mandibles and seemed to ask a question. Amelia tried to pay attention through the warmth spreading in her belly from being near him.

"What do I do?" she asked.

Val'jek purred again and took her hand in his, his claws wrapping around her wrist. The Yautja was gentle with her, the pads of his fingers rubbing over her pulse. Val'jek brought her palm to press flat against his chest. The vibration made her arm tingle and she took a deep breath before she got carried away. Already Amelia wanted to press against him to kiss the inside of his mandibles. Val'jek released her hand, but she didn't move it.

"You have accepted now," Val'jek said after he purred.

"Accepted what?" She stared up at him, watching his mandibles tighten together.

"Mating," Val'jek said.

"Oh." Amelia's stomach somersaulted. If Val'jek was playing with her, she would die.

"How do Oomans accept a mate?" Val'jek asked.

"Oh." Amelia repeated and felt stupid. He was interested in learning about her race, not "mating" with her. "Nothing so formal. You could ask to go on a date and if it goes well then there is mating."

"Date?" Val'jek tested the word, saying it several times.

"Yes, and at the end of the date couples kiss if they are receptive." Amelia felt awkward trying to explain relationships in one sentence.

"Show me this kissing." Val'jek sounded eager, like he had discovered a new species.

"All right. I need to reach your mouth," Amelia said.

Val'jek wrapped an arm around her. It was like a warm, solid band of steel. He lifted her to face level and trilled, eager to learn. His eyes were happy watching her, almost reflective in the dim light. Amelia could think of no other way to describe it.

Amelia took another steadying breath. Val'jek was holding her several feet off the ground, strong enough to crush her, but gentle in his handling. His strength turned her on and Val'jek's was likely able to feel her nipples pebbled against his warm chest.

"Kissing?" Val'jek asked.

"Move these aside, please," Amelia spoke softly, not quite touching the lower right mandible. Amelia had seen him do some serious damage to meat during dinner. She didn't care for him to repeat it on her face. "Try not to scratch me, please."

Val'jek spread his mandibles wide and Amelia grew nervous. He couldn't actually kiss her, but it was close enough for Amelia. She leaned in slowly, careful in case he startled. For all Amelia knew this was an offensive gesture to aliens.

Amelia pressed her lips to his lower mouth, grazing the base of his pointed teeth. Because Val'jek wouldn't know any better, Amelia pressed kisses along his inner mouth. Experimenting, she used her tongue. He tasted faintly salty.

Val'jek purred, making her gasp at the flood of wetness between her thighs. She could feel the vibrations so much better while being held against his body.

Val'jek touched her cheeks with a gentle brush of his tusks. Amelia used the excuse to touch his face, feeling the dark ridges and bumps around his face that always beckoned to her when he slept. They were hard beneath the smooth skin and he didn't seem to mind. Val'jek's purring grew and Amelia used her teeth, nipping at the softer flesh.

Amelia was abruptly on her feet and Val'jek jerked back a step. He panted. Val'jek asked her a question in his language. He trilled, cocking his head to the side. Amelia didn't know what to do.

Val'jek snatched her off her feet and set her on her knees, in the bed. He purred, lifting her hand level with his chest, but not touching.

"You want to mate?" Amelia asked.

Val'jek nodded, releasing her hand.

Amelia didn't need to think twice. She laid her palm on his chest and he purred deep.

# End Flashback #

Amelia sighed, stepping out of the pool. She dried off, trying to forget the memories of her first time with Val'jek. Raz'ha was probably still about and she didn't want him getting any ideas from her scent. Now that he wasn't purring at her every five seconds, she felt a semblance of control. Amelia wanted to keep it that way.

Wishing she had brought her clothes into the bathroom with her, Amelia stepped out in her towel. Raz'ha was standing right in front of the door, blocking her path. She craned her neck to look up at the Yautja. Amelia grunted. Raz'ha must be an inch or two taller than Val'jek, which annoyed her. He was a little bulkier in the arms and chest too. Amelia consoled herself with the fact that Val'jek's mandible tusks were larger.

Really looking at Raz'ha, Amelia decided he was good looking for a Yautja.

She liked Val'jek's rich brown and black contrasting with his creamy underside, but Raz'ha's coloring wasn't offensive. Raz'ha's belly was creamy as well but with a yellow base where Val'jek was gray. Raz'ha had dark spots of green which lightened and brightened, blending into the yellow of his underside. His pattern was different, more spotted, like some sort of green leopard. Raz'ha had fewer bumps and ridges on the sides of his face.

She saw no graying in Raz'ha's shoulder length dreadlocks as they gleamed inky black. The locks were bound with gray, and a few golden, metal bands. Val'jek's hair trinkets were all engraved with geometric designs while Raz'ha's seemed to be plain, just like his armor.

Neither Raz'ha nor Val'jek wore most of their weapons while on ship and she was grateful for that. Val'jek seemed to arm himself for war whenever he was intending to leave, making Amelia risk life and limb to say farewell. An accidental touch in the wrong place and she could lose a hand or eye. On ship, Val'jek carried around a collapsed staff thing but she couldn't pronounce the name of it. Raz'ha had one attached to his belt as well.

Raz'ha, like Val'jek, wore his plain metal armor stripped down around the ship, taking it off entirely for leisure pursuits or bed. There were few masks worn and the bulky equipment worn on their backs was never seen. Armbands, that had their version of personal computers, were plain and without bombs if worn at all.

Unlike Val'jek, Raz'ha's armor didn't have more than a scratch or two on it. The dark gray armor fit him well, chest plate conforming to his broad chest and shoulders. Amelia secretly laughed at warriors with giant metal shoulder pads. They looked like cartoon characters to her. Raz'ha's armor was not decorated in any way so Amelia assumed it was practical.

Less armor gave Amelia a better look at the black mesh suits they wore. Val'jek had one made for her but she refused to wear it, despite his insistence. It looked like stripper wear, especially when coupled with a metal loin cloth. She was never going to say that to a Yautja.

Raz'ha trilled at her, probably wondering why she was staring at him. "Excuse me," Amelia said. "I need to get past you."

Raz'ha stepped aside and followed her to the bedroom. Amelia stopped him, turning to crane her neck to look up at him again.

"Stay out here while I dress." Amelia entered the room and closed the door, not waiting for his answer.

She dressed quickly, knowing Raz'ha could enter any time he wanted. She slipped on a simple sack-like dress, an uninteresting tan color with no shape. Val'jek could have little else made for her as aliens weren't up on the latest human fashions. Amelia improvised by using a strip of cloth as a belt. What she wouldn't give for a set of bra and panties.

She combed her shoulder length hair after towel drying it. Looking in the mirror, she wished she had makeup to cover up the freckles on her nose and cheeks. The curse of freckles seemed to come with her red hair. Amelia lamented that her hair wasn't even that red, more of a light brown with red highlights. There was no makeup to be had on the ship. She turned away from the small mirror.

Amelia slid on a metallic wrist cuff, one of her favorite gifts from Val'jek. The silver colored metal wasn't anything she could identify, but she didn't care. She was happy that it wasn't bone and as far as she knew, no one died securing it. The cuff was several inches wide with a pretty Celtic link design engraved. Val'jek swelled with pride whenever she wore it.

Amelia slipped on her flat leather shoes, thinking they still reminded her of ancient Native American slippers. She exited the bedroom to find Raz'ha in the doorway, again. She sighed.

"Don't you have something you should be doing?" Amelia asked.

Raz'ha shook his head, no.

"Well, I do. Mah'sic wants to run some tests and then I have language lessons." Amelia gave him a stern frown. "He will be here momentarily and I will be busy all day. So please, go find something else to amuse yourself with."

Raz'ha shuffled his feet then bowed his head. He clicked something she didn't understand. Amelia was slow on the clicking translations as most sounded too similar to distinguish to her.

"Goodbye." Raz'ha spoke in his language.

"Have a nice day," Amelia answered politely.

The persistent Yautja picked her up then.

Amelia gasped. "Hey!"

Smashing her breasts against his chest, both of his bulky arms wrapped around her tightly. Her face was buried in the corded muscles of his neck and she took in his musky male scent. He brushed the underside of his jaw on the top of her head. Amelia squirmed and he set her down.

Raz'ha bowed and left her feeling warm and unsettled.

#

Raz'ha entered the bazaar. Yautja filled the wide corridor with items to barter. Raz'ha was almost as overwhelmed as the first time he visited, and this was the smaller bazaar. There were others on the Tauren's ship, but they were filled with ship supplies, weapons and armor exclusively.

Raz'ha was honored among the Taurens for bringing back an Elder. The story had been widely circulated upon his arrival. Raz'ha reaped the benefits in trades. The weapons he used in the hunt he traded for better ones. Taking the chance to upgrade in full, Raz'ha traded nearly everything he owned. His weapons and armor were now the most high tech that the Tauren Clan had to offer.

The Taurens weren't the best armor craftsman, but they were upgrades. As far as weapons however, Taurens had the finest Raz'ha had ever laid eyes on. The bazaars were filled with weapon craftsman looking to barter. Most craftsman were lame or retired warriors who used their experience to improve the accepted standard of weaponry.

Raz'ha palmed a dagger made from Kainde Amedha bone, one of the few items he had held onto. He had a second one to match and he would keep that one. They were made from his first Kainde Amedha kill on his Chiva. Proud of his victory, he crafted them himself. The second kill gained him an intact skull for a trophy.

Raz'ha passed the weapon vendors. He glanced at armor vendors. Nothing was made for Amelia's size. Something custom, perhaps ceremonial, might impress an Ooman. Raz'ha didn't have much to barter for such extensive work. He had little to barter that the vendors wanted anyway. Taurens didn't want their own products back. They wanted something different, many wanting something with a story of honor to smooth the way.

Baskets, loin cloths and various other practical wares were clustered together. Raz'ha browsed but had trouble believing Amelia would find any of the wares appealing. Val'jek likely provided any items necessary to her.

Raz'ha pushed through a crowd to come to the end of this bazaar's corridor. Exotic pets and trinkets were on display across from a Yaut Hound breeder. Reptiles and furry mammals were in cages lined and stacked.

Amelia might like an exotic pet. Raz'ha browsed under the watchful eye of the vendor, an old warrior missing a hand. The scars up his arms were grizzly, a display of an honorable kill. Raz'ha tapped a cage, amused by the four legged reptile inside. The green reptile looked strange with a long waving tail. It hissed and lunged at Raz'ha, ramming into the cage bars, teeth snapping.

"A fine pet to impress your clan, Tauren." The vendor was lively.

"I need no pet." Raz'ha turned away from the vicious reptile.

"Then move along." The vendor dismissed Raz'ha, turning to another Yautja who pointed to the reptile that tried to bite Raz'ha's claw.

"What do you have?" the vendor asked the new customer.

The customer held up a mask Raz'ha recognized. It belonged to him before he traded up for a new one with better sensors and vision. Shaking his head with amusement, Raz'ha watched as the vendor traded eagerly.

"This belonged to you, yes?" the vendor asked, holding the scarred mask.

Raz'ha nodded. "I need a gift, for a female."

"Ah, then I have just the thing." The vendor shoved aside a cage full of four legged small mammals huddled together. He pulled out a small cage. A legless reptile slithered in the bottom, seeing Raz'ha, it climbed the side of the cage. Raz'ha had seen such a reptile before on many planets. Their lack of legs and swallowing prey whole were the only interesting qualities.

Raz'ha shook his head. Amelia didn't need a living decoration. She needed, well, Raz'ha wasn't sure.

"A companion for a female." Raz'ha figured if Amelia was a pet and yet a companion then she might enjoy one of her own. "Something docile," he added.

"I do not think a female will be impressed but I have these. They are like Yaut Hounds, or are supposed to be but they are feeble things. They cower and whine when Yautja come to see them." The vendor shrugged, holding up a the cage of ugly four legged mammals, the one he shoved aside for the reptile. Feeble wasn't going to harm Amelia, Raz'ha decided.

"What are they?" Raz'ha looked closer.

They had four legs, two eyes and a snout like a Yaut Hound, but the similarities appeared to end there. The mammals were covered in fur, some black, others brown and white. There were fleshy protrusions growing from their heads. The pointed and sometimes floppy flesh may have been ears, instead of nubs that would grow into tusks. Raz'ha could see little potential in the development of any claws or tusks. Lacking extra mandibles, a signature feature of a Yaut Hound, the mammals reminded him of Amelia's plain face.

"Mammals from an Ooman planet. They are supposed to grow into hunters, but they have no aggression. I think they are lame like the breeder's demonstration pup." The vendor poked one of the mammals and flared his mandibles, hissing.

Raz'ha perked up at the news. The mammals whined and cowered together. Several urinated. The terrified creatures were offensive but they were from Amelia's world.

"This is from my Chiva. I brought back two Kainde Amedha and made this from one." Raz'ha held up the dagger.

The vendor perked up. "I will give them all to you and throw in the cage to be rid of them."

Raz'ha gawked at the cage. There were eight squirming animals, seven too many by Raz'ha's thinking.

"One is all I require," Raz'ha insisted.

"It would be dishonorable to give you only one." The vendor clicked his mandibles with disappointment. "Have you anything else?"

Raz'ha clicked in irritation, only one other dagger of the same value. He shook his head, no. "Take the dagger and give me one beast."

The vendor shook his head. "Perhaps another vendor will barter for something else, then you return here." The vendor was displeased with his own suggestion. He handled the dagger, running his claws over the bone blade.

Raz'ha nodded, though irritated. The vendor reluctantly handed the dagger back.

Raz'ha moved on to the Yaut Hound breeder, pushing through the small crowd to see the demonstration ring. A dozen small Yaut Hounds were in cages hissing and tails swaying.

The hounds were superior to the Earth mammals in every way. Their legs support their own weight properly without wobbling or trembling under the strain. Overall the hounds were leaner and longer from tails to snouts.

The Yaut Hound paws were accentuated with beige nubs where strong claws were starting to grow. Nubs sprout up along the hounds' backs in a similar fashion. Once the pups were grown, the tusks in their backs would protect against predators in trees. Tusks surrounding their mandibles would allow the hounds to gore prey.

The breeder took a pup from a cage, dwarfing the hound in his hand. He placed the Yaut Hound in the ring and it hissed, flaring its Yautja-like mandibles. It would be a good hunter one day. The breed looked strong, the color a healthy gray with yellow and brown highlights. The legs and tail looked to be sturdy and proportioned. Raz'ha wanted one, eventually. He spent too much time off world to own a Yaut Hound.

The breeder talked up the Yaut Hound's good breeding and its early developed hunting skills. The breeder took out a second, smaller, Yaut Hound and placed it in the ring. The second Yaut Hound was lame, Raz'ha realized. The runt had a badly formed hind leg making it clumsy and unbalanced as it tried to follow the first Yaut Hound. The healthy hound circled like a predator.

The healthy Yaut Hound pounced and tore into the runt's shoulder, drawing a speckle of green blood. The wound was superficial as neither Yaut Hound's teeth had fully dropped yet. They were pups only a few weeks old. There must have been a female suckling the pups somewhere about.

Raz'ha didn't like the idea of the lame animal tortured to death. Better to give it a quick death than drag it on. Perhaps the lame animal would be cheap and Raz'ha could purchase it to put out of it's misery.

Raz'ha presented his dagger. The breeder inspected it, then shook his head, no. Raz'ha explained the history and haggled.

"I have my own. I wasn't always thus." The vendor pointed to his mangled leg.

Raz'ha, impatient, wanted to put the breeder out of his misery with the pup. "Something else then? I want a mammal from the exotic pets, but the dagger is too much." Raz'ha knew he was being gruff with the breeder, but his patience was wearing thin.

The breeder perked up. "That cankerous old invalid has a legless reptile. He wants two purebreds for it. Get the reptile and I will give you one purebred. That should be enough to get your mammal," the breeder offered, his mandibles fluttering rapidly with enthusiasm.

"I want the lame Yaut Hound too," Raz'ha insisted. He would pay the dagger for a single mammal just to be done but the pet vendor wouldn't budge. If he was going to participate in the complicated trade, he may as well see to the lame animal.

"The runt makes a good display prop. He does not fight back or make the others look worn. Good for business." The breeder was indecisive, eying the exotic pet vendor.

"It is that or two purebreds for a legless reptile," Raz'ha haggled the breeder.

"All right. Bring the reptile and I will give you one purebred and the lame mix breed." The breeder bowed his head and Raz'ha did the same.

Back at the exotic pet vendor, Raz'ha presented his dagger. "The legless reptile." Raz'ha pointed at the cage.

"That is quite rare," the vendor warned, meaning expensive. "I will require more." The vendor still looked at Raz'ha's dagger covetously though.

"I am returning with a Yaut Hound to trade, a purebred. It is too much for a single mammal, but since the reptile requires more, it will make us even, yes?" Raz'ha dared to sound hopeful.

The vendor paused as if trying to understand the logic. "You will be at a loss, to the breeder," the vendor warned, but his gaze dropped to the dagger.

"The reward for the pet will compensate," Raz'ha grumbled, hoping he was correct in his assumption. He deserved a great deal of mating for keeping his patience.

"Then we have a bargain. One snake for the dagger and a promise to return with a purebred Yaut Hound." The vendor bowed his head and Raz'ha did the same.

The vendor handed Raz'ha the cage with the hissing reptile and Raz'ha handed him the dagger. Raz'ha was struck by how glad he was to be rid of it after the bartering process. It was once a prized possession to Raz'ha.

Raz'ha took the cage to the breeder who clicked his mandibles with glee. The breeder presented several Yaut Hounds for Raz'ha to choose from. Raz'ha glanced at them to ensure they were not lame before selecting one at random. He was not keeping it and cared little.

"This is a certificate, here. It proves his lineage and my guarantee. If the Yaut Hound has defects or dies, combat, accidents and neglect excluded, I will provide a replacement," the breeder's speech was rapid.

Raz'ha nodded, accepting the certificate and the Yaut Hound. The breeder handed him the lame Yaut Hound. "There is no guarantee on this one. Be assured he was not malformed. A male got in the pen and tried to eat the young." The breeder sounded apologetic. "You can breed him. His bloodlines are good but not pure. Though he is quite docile and needs much training to be a hunter."

"Thank you." Raz'ha bowed with the vendor.

Raz'ha juggled the two squirming Yaut Hounds, putting both in one hand to hold the certificate in the other. The lame one squealed as the larger Yaut Hound scratched and bit at him. The runt squirmed as Raz'ha separated them.

Returning to the vendor, Raz'ha set down the Yaut Hound pups, well away from each other. The vendor clicked his mandibles with excitement.

The vendor opened the cage with the runty mammals and pulled out four.

"I need one, a healthy one," Raz'ha balked.

"The purebred is worth at least four," the vendor insisted.

"One," Raz'ha growled. "Or I will cut off its head and trade only that."

The vendor clicked in frustration but set two mammals in the cage again. "There is a male and a female of no relation. Your female can breed them for amusement."

Raz'ha was tempted to strangle the vendor but huffed and nodded. "A cage too then," Raz'ha relented.

"Ah, good thinking. Take this one. It is nice, sturdy. It will make us even," the vendor said, delighted.

The vendor pulled out a small empty cage and put the mammals in it as they squirmed and whined. The Yaut Hound runt whined in response. The purebred hissed, mandibles flared. The purebred would grow into a fine hunter.

The vendor put the cage in front of Raz'ha and took the purebred. He inspected it closely before nodding his approval at the snarling beast. The vendor put the purebred in a cage and placed it on proud display before a "Not for sale!" sign.

The vendor bowed and Raz'ha looked at the runt, abandoned on the make shift table. "The runt?" Raz'ha held out the squealing Yaut Hound for the vendor.

"We are even and I have no need of it." The vendor shrugged, dismissive.

Raz'ha groaned. He would put it down if the vendor didn't take it. "You can breed him. He is injured, not malformed."

"They are both male," the vendor clicked his mandibles. "Perhaps your female will be amused by it."

Raz'ha should have considered the breeding and picked the healthy female. Too late for such things. Raz'ha bowed and the vendor did as well.

Raz'ha took the cage in one hand, mammals squealing with fright, and the runt in the other, which squealed as well. Raz'ha huffed. If Amelia didn't like the mammals, Raz'ha was going to feed them to grown Yaut Hounds. The runt too.

Raz'ha hurried back to Val'jek's quarters. He could dispose of the Yaut Hound before she finished in the lab and be ready to present his gift.

Chapter 6

Amelia slipped out of the private lab in Val'jek's quarters.

"Your blood pressure is elevated," Mah'sic called behind her.

He informed her of every microscopic change in her body and expected her to explain the why of it. For being a Yautja, Mah'sic knew more about her body than she did.

"That's nice, must be all the green meat," Amelia called over her shoulder as the lab door slid closed.

Facing forward, she bumped into a solid wall of warm flesh and armor. "Excuse me." Her cheeks were burning with embarrassment as she looked up at Raz'ha.

She thought her earlier rebuff had sent him away permanently. Tests throughout the first half of the day had been slow and she half expected the Yautja to make an appearance. Amelia had desperately wanted him to break up the monotonous experience of Mah'sic's scans. She was left wondering what caught Raz'ha's attention when she settled into bed for her nap.

Upon pain of death, she would not admit that she had missed the warrior's annoying habit of breathing down her neck. Still, she wondered what he had been doing all day.

Clearly the warrior was no longer occupied and she braced herself to turn him away, again. Despite wanting the amusement, accepting this particular Yautja into her day to day life was not a step she was ready to take.

Both his arms were behind his back, making his chest puff out. Dressed in his armor, Raz'ha's chest plate shined a bit without a single scratch or dent. Val'jek had ceremonial armor that was kept in perfect condition, but it was highly decorative and gold colored. Even his new armor was dented or scratched within a day. Perhaps Val'jek was mistaken about the warrior's status.

Raz'ha started to purr then quickly cut it off. He bowed his head, more of a nod to her since five foot seven was much shorter than the seven and a half foot tall Yautja.

Amelia skirted around him, intending to hide from Mah'sic and his prodding for an hour while she painted. Language lessons were daunting since she was the slowest learner on the ship. The younger Yautja wanted to scan her brain while she practiced. He hoped to figure out why she was not picking up his language.

Raz'ha stopped her. "Amelia." Her name came out a bit mangled as he struggled with the sounds.

"Raz'ha." She looked at him expectantly.

She was supposed to be considering him as a potential mate, but she avoided the thoughts. Taking on two men was wrong where she came from. Her brother must be rolling over in his figurative grave. Amelia paused at the thought and realized she was mistaken. Amelia had walked in on her brother with two women once. They weren't doing anything yet, but clearly the trio had intended to.

So maybe it wasn't as taboo after all. Then again, Raz'ha and Val'jek were aliens and that was taboo enough to avoid all other taboos, right? Amelia was starting to wonder. There were no other humans to know if she did take on a second mate. No one whispered mean things behind her back, or looked at her differently, after fooling around in her studio.

Raz'ha was clicking at her and she shrugged. Amelia didn't catch enough to understand what he wanted.

Raz'ha lifted a large cloth covered box, which he balanced on one hand. Mewling came from inside.

"What's this?" Amelia got presents from Val'jek this way. Many of the Elder's gifts were covered by fur or cloth. She explained wrapping paper, and Christmas once, but it hadn't translated well. Amelia had a difficult time convincing Val'jek that Santa Claus wasn't something he could hunt and take as a trophy. Apparently a trespassing character bringing presents to minors had all sorts of mating repercussions to a Yautja. Saint Nick was a sex offender to her mate.

Raz'ha trilled and pressed his present closer.

"I don't need a present, really, but thank you." She pushed the box back toward him, feeling bars and the shift of weight. More mewling was heard and she grew curious.

Raz'ha pushed the present back at her. Amelia didn't take the box but tugged at the cloth.

Amelia gasped covering her mouth with surprise. Two small black puppies were huddled together in the cage. Puppies from Earth. Her heart wrenched with longing and wonder. She didn't think it was possible to ever see another living being from her home planet. She stuck her fingers through the bars and touched the soft fur as they wiggled and mewled.

"Where did you find them?" She was ecstatic, taking the cage from him.

"Gift." Raz'ha used English, drawing out the word by a syllable or two.

"Mah'sic!" Amelia called. She needed a translator for this. Settling on the giant sofa, she opened the cage.

Mah'sic entered, chirping a greeting to Raz'ha. He hovered close as she pulled out the puppies.

"Oh, they're so precious," she murmured, bringing one to her face to nuzzle. It mewled. He was a male, solid black with floppy triangle ears, a little tail and paws too big for his legs. The other was a female black as well but with a patch of white fur on her chest. Her feet happened to be proportional but ears were equally floppy. They were mutts but Amelia didn't know enough about dogs to figure out what kind of mutts. She loved them anyway.

"What are they?" Mah'sic asked and put his mask on, undoubtedly to examine the situation with all his tools and tests. "Your blood pressure is normal."

"Puppies." Amelia ignored his last statement. She placed the male puppy in her lap. She held out the female to Mah'sic. "You pet them, like this." Amelia showed Mah'sic and placed the puppy in his hand. "Careful with her. She's fragile."

Mah'sic trilled at the puppy who whined, squirming in his open palm. Another, heavier, mewl answered.

Raz'ha jerked his arm with a huffing grunt.

Amelia realized he had been holding his hand behind his back the entire time. The warrior looked stiff and uncomfortable to her. "What do you have?" Amelia eyed him with suspicion.

Raz'ha clicked something to Mah'sic, who shook his head and then answered her. "He says nothing."

Mah'sic was lying. Amelia knew the word and sounds for nothing. She frowned, petting the puppy in her lap. "Nothing is noisy. Is it a gift for one of your other females?" Cause to reject Raz'ha immediately without real consideration was preferable. Val'jek couldn't dispute such a failing.

"No," Raz'ha said to her, then spoke to Mah'sic again. He used a handful of words she picked out, even in his rapid speech.

"It is a lame Yaut Hound. He must put it down. He did not want you to be offended by its unsightly appearance," Mah'sic explained. "You appeared before he was prepared."

"Show me," Amelia insisted. She had never seen one, though Val'jek told her there was a breeder on the ship.

The warrior hesitated but drew closer. He held before her, not too close, a puppy sized alien creature.

The little thing looked silly and clumsy with his squirming. His head was too big for his body, mandibles, not unlike a Yautja, opening and closing like a sideways fish. He mewled like a puppy but deeper than the high pitched tones. The small Yaut Hound had no fur and his skin was a pale gray and yellow. Amelia detected a few hints of red and green streaks down his back which had several in little bumps and nubs. The tail was long for his body and curled around his leg, hiding under his belly.

"Can I pet him?" Amelia asked.

"Why?" Raz'ha used his own language.

"He is cute, in an ugly kind of way." Amelia shrugged. She reached for the Yaut Hound and touched his fleshy side. His skin felt like a Yautja's as well, smooth but not quite soft. He made a rumbling purr sound and she felt encouraged by the gentle vibrations under her fingers.

Raz'ha was watching her, head cocked to the side in confusion, but he held the creature out for her.

The creature settled as she pet him fully. He was warm, running several degrees hotter than her hand. Amelia risked touching his head. The Yaut Hound's eyes widened, the beady blackness following her movements as it saw her hand. The animal latched onto her finger, sucking the tip into his wet mouth.

Raz'ha growled and ripped the creature away. Discarding the hound haphazardly on the table, he grabbed her hand in an unbreakable hold. The Yaut Hound squealed and the puppies joined in. It was a full scale commotion as Raz'ha and Mah'sic spoke to each other in rapid clicks. The warrior examined her finger, leaning in close.

"It's fine. He didn't hurt me, but I think he is hungry." Amelia suppressed the urge to laugh at the overreaction. She tugged on her hand, hoping the Yautja would take the hint.

He rubbed her "injured" finger with the pads of his fingers. She blushed for an inexplicable reason.

Raz'ha released her hand and Mah'sic gave her back the puppy. Amelia settled both puppies beside her, smoothing down their furry sides with one hand.

"Is the Yaut Hound ill?" she asked, wondering if Raz'ha would let her hold the alien puppy.

"No." Raz'ha flipped the Yaut Hound over and held up a hind leg which looked mangled and stumpy. The hound squealed and squirmed, trying to right himself.

"You are going to put him down for that?" Amelia balked. "That's cruel."

Raz'ha clicked and Mah'sic translated. "The breeder uses him for demonstrations. The other Yaut Hound pups tear at him to show their prowess. It is kinder to kill him." Raz'ha showed her the green scrapes on the squirming hound's shoulders and face. Amelia had barely noticed them and assumed the marks were a part of his natural appearance.

"But you own him now. There are no Yaut Hounds to attack him," Amelia argued.

Raz'ha shrugged and Mah'sic said nothing, likely scanning the puppies or her. "Your blood pressure is even higher."

"He is going to kill a poor defenseless animal for no reason." Amelia waved her arms, as if the motion would help the hard headed aliens see reason. "Why buy him if you're just going to kill him?"

"He says it is a mercy killing. When Raz'ha is lame, he would rather die than be a target dummy." Mah'sic was probably paraphrasing. She didn't think the other Yautja understood target dummy.

"Could I buy him then? I have human things to trade," Amelia suggested. Giving up one of Val'jek's gifts was worth the alien's life. Her mate would understand.

"He will be dangerous when he gets bigger," Mah'sic supplied. "If he does not attack you, he will surely eat your puppies." Mah'sic struggled with the word puppies but it was passable.

Amelia gave the point consideration. Val'jek said the beasts were bred and trained to be vicious hunters. According to Val'jek, the beasts came up to her chest on all fours and they reared up on their hind legs to rip the heads off of taller prey. The visual made her shudder. Val'jek feared letting her in the same room with one in case it attacked her. She was prey to Yaut Hounds.

Looking at the Yaut Hound, that was only slightly larger than her puppies, she had trouble believing the creature could rip the head off of anything. When he latched onto her finger, he hadn't dug into her flesh. The hound only sucked as if looking for milk.

"Puppies are similar to your Yaut Hound. Men use them to hunt and fight, but we also use them as companions. It depends on what you teach the animal." Amelia wasn't ready to believe the the Yaut Hound was vicious on principle.

Mah'sic clicked, Raz'ha too but neither actually said anything so she continued. "If we teach him to be a companion he won't eat me."

"Even his play could harm you or your puppies." Mah'sic shook his head, his dreads swaying.

"We could try at least. At the first sign of aggression I will agree to find him another home." Amelia saw their reluctance so she went for Mah'sic's weak spot. "It will be a fine experiment. You and Val'jek could monitor his progress and I hypothesize nurture will prevail over nature."

Mah'sic clicked, encouraging Amelia. Raz'ha barked something and the younger Yautja backed down.

"Let's test the theory. We'll see if he can sit with the puppies peacefully." Amelia picked up the Yaut Hound, which was considerably heavier than he looked. His bones must have been denser than the puppies.

Raz'ha moved closer, reaching for the hound. Amelia shouldered his hand away and gently placed the Yaut Hound with her puppies. All three mewled and sniffed each other. Amelia held a hand above the them, just in case. When nothing but sniffing and whining happened, she relaxed. She pet all three, pleased by their puppy introductions.

Raz'ha did not relax. He moved even closer, kneeling on the floor. His bulky arm draped over her legs in a gesture much to intimate for her. She nudged his arm, but the warrior was oblivious. Raz'ha grunted at the Yaut Hound, making the puppies whine with fright.

"Don't be mean to them." Amelia pulled the puppies and alien closer.

Raz'ha said something Mah'sic didn't translate. The warrior poked at the Yaut Hound's head. The hound burrowed under a puppy for cover, making Raz'ha grunt again.

"Raz'ha, enough." Amelia shooed his claws away from her pets.

He made a few angry sounds despite her demand.

"He says you cannot keep him. Raz'ha doesn't want a trade," Mah'sic insisted, inching closer.

"Tell him," Amelia hesitated, gathering her pets and standing. Raz'ha stood too but let her pass. "Tell him that possession is nine tenths of the law."

Amelia bolted for her room, holding her pets to her chest. She slid her hand over the lock and the door slid open.

Mah'sic was actually translating what she said.

Raz'ha was right behind her and she ducked under the door as it slowly opened. She let out a surprised squeak as she narrowly escaped the claw that reached for her ankle.

Amelia scrambled across the floor on her knees and one hand. It was undignified but effective. Careful not to crush her pets, she slumped. Lying on the floor, she wondered why Raz'ha wasn't prying the lame hound from her hands. Panting more from excitement than physical activity, she looked back and a hysterical laugh bubbled up.

The door was open but Raz'ha and Mah'sic lingered outside it. Trespassing was a serious insult to Yautja. She suspected they were more concerned about disrespecting Val'jek than offending her. Amelia wasn't picky. She was safe with her new pets and that was all that mattered.

Amelia considered closing the door in their faces but thought better of it. The door being open likely gave her added protection. If the Yautja saw she was safe and not being savaged by a scared, toothless, runty beast, then their excuse of her safety was off limits.

Sitting on the floor, she settled her pets together in her lap. "Thank you for the gifts, Raz'ha." Amelia smiled, feeling cheeky.

Raz'ha huffed. He didn't look pleased.

Mah'sic anxiously shuffled his feet. "Stealing is a challenging offense, Amelia." Leaning so far through the doorway, the younger Yautja was practically in the room.

"You wish to fight me for the Yaut Hound?" Amelia asked, surprised. Raz'ha intended to dispose of the animal.

"Pets cannot fight in a challenge. Val'jek must as your owner. Your crime is his crime," Mah'sic hissed.

Amelia frowned then glared at Mah'sic. "Then let him challenge Val'jek. Raz'ha will be the loser." She got up. Now she really wanted to close the door in their faces.

"No challenge." Raz'ha used passable English and it irritated her. Even the warrior was learning faster than she did. The warrior trilled at her, questioning. He shifted to see her better as she moved deeper to the corner of the room.

Amelia ignored the two Yautja in her doorway as she settled the pets on a cushion. She considered the alien animal. It really was like a puppy to her. She rummaged through her supplies as her new pets sniffed and explored the large pillow.

She needed to make them a bed or pen until they were bigger. They weren't very coordinated, still bobbing their heads and trembling as they walked. She wondered where their mothers were as they all looked small enough to still live on milk.

Amelia made a mental check list of preparations. Food, toys and bedding were needed. Research was necessary to figure out how to care for her alien puppy.

She laughed as a puppy slid off the pillow, face planting with a yelp on the metal floor. The Yaut Hound, a little more coordinated, slid down and jumped off. He fumbled a little on his hind leg.

The puppy was wiggling to his feet and the alien sniffed, pushing against the puppy's side.

The third puppy, the female with a white patch, called from on top the pillow. She was nervous being on the edge, as if it was a great height and not a few inches.

The alien and male puppy called back, lifting their front paws to the pillow. They reached up and the female leaned down. She slid with a whine, right into the alien. They landed in a heap, fumbling to their feet.

Amelia laughed and emptied out a box. She would need Val'jek to secure something better suited but tonight they would be safe in the open storage container. She dragged the pillow toward the door, allowing Mah'sic and Raz'ha could see her easier. The gesture was the only courtesy she'd give them, and only because it scored points with Val'jek. Her mate was a stickler for safety measures.

She scooped up her pets and settled on the cushion. They sniffed her and mewled. Amelia thought they were hungry but there was nothing to feed them in her room. She tugged the string holding her hair back and dangled it in front of the puppies.

The puppies sniffed and pawed the string while she twirled it. They followed the string as she dragged it over the pillow, just out of their reach. Amused, Amelia had thought string only worked on cats.

The alien watched with rapt attention. No matter how she enticed him to play the hound didn't take the bait. His head cocked and she laughed. He looked very much like a Yautja when he considered the string. He wiggled with excitement as she teased him.

When he still did not try for the string, Amelia lured in the other puppies. They pounced and chased readily. Because their Tails still too short to wag, their butts wiggled with their excitement.

Letting out a wimpy rasp of a war cry, the alien sprung, tackling the string. Tail wagging with excitement, he ripped the hair ribbon from her hand. Keeping the string well away from her, the hound brought it to the puppies. The alien plopped down with the string between the male and female.

The puppies chewed on it and Amelia laughed again. The alien was too cute.

She picked up the string, tugging it from the puppies' mouths. They struggled but were no match for her.

The alien latched onto the end of the string and she tugged but he tugged back. Amelia heard the Yautja behind her click with a flutter of commotion. She ignored them.

"He may bite you," Mah'sic warned from behind her.

"He is playing." She was confident as they played tug of war with the string. The hound didn't flare his mandibles or make any aggressive moves. She might be mistaken but happy body language seemed universal. Her Yaut Hound wagged his tail, huffed and snuffled happily. The animal tugged and then relented when he expected Amelia to tug.

The male puppy gnawed on the string and the female pawed it, oblivious to the tug of war. The Yaut Hound fumbled on his lame leg and Amelia's tug dragged him down on his belly. His jaws stayed locked on the string.

"Oh, poor thing," Amelia cooed. She rubbed the alien's back as the puppies took up tugging the string.

The alien flipped over and his mandibles spread wide. He latched onto her finger tip again. He suckled her finger. Blunt claws wrapped around her hand, keeping her secure in his mouth. She lifted him, amused.

Raz'ha's meaty arm locked around her and he grabbed the Yaut Hound.

"Hey," Amelia cried as Raz'ha pried the hound from her hand. "Don't!"

Amelia grabbed at Raz'ha's hand, trying to pry his claws open. It was a futile effort. Her heart pounded in her chest with fear. The warrior was strong enough to crush the puppy with ease.

"He didn't hurt me. He's hungry," Amelia insisted.

Raz'ha growled at her, sounding like an animal himself. The Yaut Hound cried out in a higher pitched yelp.

"You're hurting him," Amelia gasped out.

He was going to kill the poor hound and she didn't have the strength to stop it. Amelia desperately reached for Raz'ha, cupping his face. "Please, stop. Please, I'm begging you." Tears burned behind her eyes.

Raz'ha stilled.

She blinked up at him, daring to hope.

He let out a low purr, rumbling from his chest. His claws opened and the Yaut Hound wiggled, cowering.

Cautious, Amelia took the Yaut Hound from his open palm. She held the animal against her chest, cuddling him close. He trembled and wiggled. Sniffing her, the hound burrowed deeper in her hands. The alien puppy appeared frightened but all right.

Amelia looked up at Raz'ha, who was making a strange gesture with his mandibles. His left mandibles seemed to sag and the bottom right one tweaked outward. His finger touched her cheek, wiping at a tear that escaped.

Her nose had started to run and she sniffled. Knowing the Yautja was going to be just as curious with her snot, she tried to keep any from escaping.

Raz'ha rubbed the wet drop between his fingers before putting it in his mouth. Definitely not a good time for a runny nose. She sniffled again, just in case.

Raz'ha clicked something, then added, in English, "Sad?"

"For the Yaut Hound." Amelia nodded.

Raz'ha clicked something to Mah'sic, who lingered in the doorway still.

"He thought the Yaut Hound was attacking," Mah'sic translated. "We both did."

"He's trying to suckle, not use his teeth." Amelia shook her head, irritated. The hound didn't really have teeth, just blunt nubs that felt rather rubbery on her skin. "Could you get him something to eat?"

Mah'sic nodded and disappeared.

"You scared him." Amelia sighed at Raz'ha, subdued. The other puppies pawed into her lap. Curious about Raz'ha, but not brave enough to paw over to him, they stretched their necks for a better sniff. Amelia pet the puppies with one hand, coddling the Yaut Hound with the other.

"Gifts." Raz'ha spoke in his language. He nudged the female in her lap toward her.

"Thank you for them, but it doesn't mean I'll let you kill this one," Amelia admonished, petting the Yaut Hound.

Raz'ha clicked and nodded.

"It wouldn't be fair to keep him without compensating you." She didn't want him taking the hound back and compensating the Yautja would prevent such a disaster.

"Trade." Raz'ha used mimicry. He made himself comfortable on the floor, stretching out and pressing too close to her. She felt his body heat along her side.

"I will give you something of comparable value for him." Amelia assured quickly, distracting herself from his warmth.

Raz'ha nodded.

"What is a Yaut Hound baby slated for death worth?" Amelia asked.

Raz'ha held his index and thumb fingers an inch apart, indicating he thought the pup was worth little.

"One man's junk is another man's treasure." She shrugged, cuddling the alien hound.

Raz'ha seemed to give it thought before nodding.

"Since you are here, does anything interest you?" she asked, gesturing to her studio. She kept most of her paintings lined against the wall.

Raz'ha nodded and pressed his hand to the center of her chest. The giant clawed hand spanned from the swell of her breasts to the base of her throat, pooling warmth in the area.

"That is called prostitution and it is a crime." Amelia laughed, though she should have been offended. She tugged his hand away.

Raz'ha snorted and shook his head. He tapped his chest with his fist and bowed his head to her. Amelia didn't quite understand the gesture but knew it was some sign of affection, or perhaps respect.

"I paint." A wave of shyness came over her upon sharing her passion with the warrior.

"Paint?" Raz'ha used mimicry again.

"The skins on the walls. I make the pictures on them. Perhaps you see one you like, or I can make one just for you," Amelia offered. The gesture had merit for the gifts he had brought her.

Raz'ha nodded and leaned closer to her. His mandibles opened, spreading wide.

Her belly fluttered. She was nervous but leaned forward, accepting the gesture. This was definitely a sign of affection and mating interest. Raz'ha's mandibles closed over her face, nervously fluttering over her cheeks and jaw. The trick was to remain still and let the Yautja figure out where he was putting his tusks. A tusk jabbed her ear and she laughed despite the sting.

His mandibles settled and she inched closer to plant a chaste kiss on his chin-like jaw.

He purred for a moment but cut it off again. She was grateful since she didn't intend to mate with him. Prostitution wasn't appealing to her.

His mandibles tightened and she gave him a second dry kiss to the more sensitive area of his inner flesh. The puppies were worth it and the gesture was no true hardship.

She tugged back and he let her go. Amelia looked up at him, seeing his mandibles closed and tilting up in a repressed cocky smile. The expression was the Yautja version of it anyway.

Amelia hid her smile, looking down at her puppies. She settled the alien puppy down with the human puppies as they were all settling down. She pet them absently.

"Here, pet them, like this." Amelia took his lax hand. He let her guide him to the closest puppy. She rubbed his hand down the puppy's back. The male wiggled his butt in appreciation.

"That means he's happy. He likes your attention." Amelia nodded her approval.

Raz'ha purred at the puppy and she placed the male in his hand. "Remember to be gentle." She spoke softly, warmed by his purring.

The warrior curled his fingers and pet with his other hand. One finger really, as his hand was so large and the puppy so small.

"He's cute, isn't he?" She tried to make small talk.

Raz'ha shook his head, no.

"Well for a puppy he is. For a Yaut Hound, he's probably ugly," Amelia agreed. "Is my Yaut Hound cute? Apart from the leg, I mean. I have never seen one."

Raz'ha shook his head, no. He held up his hand and made the little gesture again.

"He's the runt of the litter?" she asked.

Raz'ha nodded.

"Perhaps he won't grow so large then," she speculated.

Raz'ha laughed, a deep rasping bark sound, making the puppies mewl and sniff at him again.

"They go by smells. It helps them get to know you if you hold your hand out like this." Amelia held her hand in front of the female puppy in her lap.

He mimicked her motion. The puppy licked Raz'ha and he jerked back.

"It's a friendly gesture," she assured.

He said something and she shrugged, having no idea.

Mah'sic returned with two shallow bowls. He cocked his head to the side, looking from her to Raz'ha and back.

"Food?" Amelia asked, cheeks burning. She was caught being friendly with the warrior.

Mah'sic nodded. He waited at the door.

"Come in." Amelia motioned him over.

Mah'sic brought her the bowls. "All three can eat it. The extra nutrition won't harm your pets. The Yaut Hound will eat more and may be territorial," he warned. He clicked to Raz'ha and Raz'ha tensed, waiting for something.

Amelia set the bowls on the floor, letting the curious animals watched. Raz'ha put the puppy down and she moved the others to their bowls. They all greedily drank after a sniff.

Raz'ha watched the Yaut Hound carefully.

"Your blood pressure is down," Mah'sic commented.

Amelia nodded. "Pets lower blood pressure and make humans live a little longer."

"Why? How?" Mah'sic perked up at the new revelation.

"I'm not sure. A stress reliever, maybe." Amelia shrugged. They watched the puppies lap at their milk.

Biting her lip, Amelia considered her alien puppy. She needed a way to secure the Yaut Hound. Something more than batting her eyes and insisting she wanted him was required. "Would a Yaut Hound make a good guard dog?" she asked.

Raz'ha nodded and spoke. She picked out a handful of words this time, since he spoke slower for her. "With training?" She confirmed the gist of it. The warrior nodded again.

"Yaut Hounds are intelligent. If trained properly, a hound will kill or defend upon command," Mah'sic chirped.

"Will you help me name them, Raz'ha?" Amelia moved on, having secured an arguing point.

"Name them?" Raz'ha struggled with the English words.

"You gave them to me. I would be honored if you helped me give them names." She tried to ignore Mah'sic's head tilting to the side as he watched her. She hoped he didn't voice whatever he was curious about. She was in a good mood and Mah'sic had a talent for putting his foot in his mouth.

The warrior nodded and trilled.

"Perhaps you should wait to name them. You may get attached and if Val'jek refuses to house them-" Mah'sic stopped abruptly as Raz'ha growled.

Amelia hadn't considered that. Val'jek had no pets when there were lots of exotic pets on the ship. What if he was allergic? Amelia gave a weak smile and hoped for the best. She wanted to keep her pets. "I want to name them now." She leveled her gaze on her potential mate.

Raz'ha clicked his mandibles together, surveying her. He nodded, eyes shining with desire.

Chapter 7

Val'jek entered his quarters and was surprised to see Raz'ha and Mah'sic in the sitting area with Amelia. His offspring had a tiny black mammal in his lap, sensor attached to it's side and portable reader in his palm.

Raz'ha had his own black mammal fumbling in his lap gnawing on one of Amelia's hair strings.

He moved closer to see his mate past the warrior. She was reclining on her back and instead of a black mammal, a Yaut Hound pup was curled up on her chest. Val'jek felt a wave of alarm course through his veins before determining the animal was not developed enough to cause her real harm.

Mah'sic clicked a distracted greeting. Raz'ha promptly dropped the hair string and Amelia locked eyes with him. Her hand shielded the Yaut Hound from his gaze. She knew he was not pleased.

"What is this?" Val'jek inquired in English for Amelia's benefit.

"Raz'ha brought them." Mah'sic's response was immediate and edgy. His youngest offspring knew better than to bring deadly creatures near his mate.

"For me," Amelia added quickly. The Yaut Hound stretched and yawned on her chest before slumping and returning to sleep. She cooed at the hound, rubbing its back.

"The mammals are for Amelia. The Yaut Hound was to be put down," the warrior spoke up finally.

"Yet Amelia holds it." He clicked in frustration and Mah'sic translated for her. This was not what he had in mind when suggesting the warrior bring gifts. His mate was already attached and Val'jek was going to bear the brunt of her dissatisfaction when he took the potentially vicious animal away.

"We made a trade agreement actually. One painting for one lame Yaut Hound pup." The set of her jaw told him she was ready for a long fight.

"She made Ooman water with her eyes and the pup has not been aggressive." The warrior shrugged though his claws fumbled with his guilt.

Val'jek clicked his displeasure. Oomans were emotional and giving in every time his mate leaked water from her eyes was a good way to shorten her life span.

"We named them." She was insisting rather than sharing the news.

"The Yaut Hound is dangerous. You cannot keep him." Val'jek grunted and said the first thing that came to mind. It was a dumb thing to say when he didn't have the right to take her property. He needed to make her see reason or the situation would get out of hand quickly.

"He is not aggressive, and we plan to train him to be a guard dog." She elbowed the warrior beside her.

"Tell him, Raz'ha."

The warrior nodded, though reluctant. "I prodded him and supervise as she handles the beast."

"He has no teeth yet. He will get bigger and his play will be deadly for an Ooman." Val'jek towered over Amelia. Glaring, she held the Yaut Hound away from him. The gesture was protective but futile if he chose to take her pet.

"I will let him go at the first sign of aggression. I swear." Her glare disappeared and she bit her lip, looking up at him. The gesture was still strange to him. Yautja did not try to cannibalize their own bodies when they worried.

"The first sign of aggression may be your death," Val'jek warned.

Amelia lifted her chin. "Give him a chance. He is good with the puppies. I have named him Hult'ah. Raz'ha says it means sentry." She was babbling and that was not a good sign for Val'jek. He was starting to believe there was a direct correlation between irrational thought and stubbornness in Oomans.

He clicked his mandibles, silently cursing Raz'ha for this. The situation was asking for trouble no matter what he decided. His mate was technically his property and it would be easy to make his final decision despite her wishes. There was no recourse for her to protect the hound, but Val'jek had never crossed that line before.

He had agreed that Amelia was his equal during their mating ceremony. To disregard that promise was the ultimate dishonor in their relationship. The hound was hers, gifted or traded by Raz'ha, and Val'jek had no right to overrule her decision.

He hissed his frustration.

"They are aggressive even as pups. I will show you." He held out his hand out, expecting her to comply.

"If he doesn't show aggression, will you let me keep him?" She held the hound away from him.

Val'jek paused, considering her words. She was asking permission when in truth she didn't need to. He wasn't going to mention that fact. There was little chance the pup was truly docile and this was a solution to satisfy all parties. "If he shows any sign of aggression, no matter how small, you will not protest when I get rid of him."

"You won't hurt him. You will find him a home and not kill him." She glared at Raz'ha who shrugged.

"I agree to your terms." If formalities got her away from the hound, and ensured he wasn't the "jerk," then Val'jek was all for it. He still wasn't quite sure what a jerk was but his mate only said it when she thought he was doing something unethical.

Mah'sic put on his mask now that an experiment was to take place. His offspring monitoring the pup would give him scientific evidence to back his decision. She would have to let the pup go.

Amelia brought the Yaut Hound to her face. She kissed his tiny head then carefully set the Yaut Hound in Val'jek's palm.

The sleepy Yaut Hound yawned and lazed in his hand. Val'jek nudged it, jabbing it with the pad of his finger to wake him up. The beast presented his belly and stretched out. He nearly rolled himself out of his hand. That woke the Yaut Hound as he righted himself, clinging to him.

Amelia laughed, rising up to see better. She reached to pet the hound but he pulled the animal out of her reach.

He gave the hound several rough nudges. The pup tensed and made himself smaller by curling up. The animal was defective all right. Hounds were bred and trained from birth to be fearsome fighters.

"He is a weakling and fond of Amelia already." The warrior shrugged again.

The hound was still young enough to be impressionable. It was possible to teach a Yaut Hound to be her guard pet. Hounds were domesticated beasts but the risk worried him. An Ooman was no match for such a beast.

Val'jek set the cowering beast on the table, lest the frightened creature urinate in his hand. The hound appeared confused and cowed. The pup's long tail curled by a defective leg.

He knelt down, moving his face closer and the Yaut Hound crouched low. He hissed but the hound remained still. Splaying his mandibles wide, Val'jek gave an aggressive roar. He felt Amelia flinch beside him. The Yaut Hound bolted with fear, running directly to Amelia. Jumping off the table, the hound landed in Amelia's open hands.

Surprised, Val'jek plucked the animal from her grasp. She protested but he glared and she let the animal go.

Setting the animal on the table again, he prodded some more, growling. The animal cowered and moved away. Val'jek was at every turn, poking him. Not one sign of aggression could be pulled from him.

"It is a good thing the Yaut Hound almost ate him. He makes a terrible hunter." Raz'ha trilled with amusement.

"Is that what happened to his leg?" Val'jek asked. Perhaps the experience traumatized the animal since he was so young. The hound may have realized he was not invincible and now cowers. It was all speculation, but he had briefly done research on similar experiences in prey animals.

"A male got into the pup's pen. Hult'ah wasn't fast enough," Raz'ha said while Mah'sic quietly translated the conversation.

"Why would a male do that?" Amelia watched him prod the Yaut Hound again. She was uncomfortable, tensing and chewing her lip.

"So the female will go into heat again with her pups dead," Raz'ha said.

"How awful." She stopped her self cannibalization.

"They are aggressive even while mating." He pulled the hound across the table by his tail. The hound tried to grip the table with nub claws to no avail. The hound squealed and called to Amelia with high pitched whines.

"So are Yautja. You don't hurt me," Amelia countered, putting her hands on the table. She didn't reach out for the hound but he knew she wanted to.

"Bring me food for the Yaut Hound." Val'jek ignored her point. It was not the same. A Yautja's brain was much different from a Yaut Hound's. While he had aggressive instincts he had self control, discipline and more importantly honor. He knew right from wrong and a hound did not.

Mah'sic quickly brought a bowl of white milk. This test was near impossible for a Yaut Hound to pass and Val'jek was confident the beast's time was up.

He nodded to Amelia. "Set it out for him."

The hound wasn't going to accept an offering from Val'jek after he'd threatened the animal.

Amelia pet the Yaut Hound, who latched onto her hand and tried to crawl up her arm.

"He's fine," she said sharply when he reached for the hound. The hound could not harm her so he settled back to watch.

She gently tugged the Yaut Hound loose and set him on the table to eat. The Yaut Hound hesitated and Amelia dipped a finger in the milk.

"Don't," Val'jek and Raz'ha both warned but she smeared milk on the Yaut Hound's mouth anyway.

The animal licked her finger and she tapped the milk. The Yaut Hound lapped at the milk hungrily, deeming it safe.

"Good boy," Amelia cooed.

Val'jek watched him eat, suddenly worried the Yaut Hound might pass his tests. Any other hound would have bitten her finger off, or tried to with his stubby baby teeth.

He let the animal get comfortable before putting his claw in the milk. The animal paused, tongue lolling out of his mouth with uncertainty for a moment. The Yaut Hound crouched lower, tensing. Val'jek splashed the milk and the hound flinched away.

He tried to flick the hound but he skittered away, heading for Amelia again. Val'jek caught him and set the squealing animal back by the milk. The Yaut Hound tried to hide behind the bowl with his path to Amelia blocked.

"Get him to drink again," Val'jek ordered gruffly. The hound was going to pass the tests and he couldn't take back his deal with his mate. Pauk.

"You're going to give him a complex or heart attack," Amelia protested.

"His heart rate is elevated but not at risk for failure or malfunction," Mah'sic said, monitoring the experiment closely. "He is afraid but has no bodily signs of aggression yet."

Amelia picked up the Yaut Hound and she held him to her chest. She took the bowl next, setting it beside her. She pet the hound for a full minute, murmuring nonsense at him before setting him in her lap. She inched the bowl closer. It took more coaxing to get him to drink but the hound did.

"Pet him," Val'jek said. The animal hadn't the teeth to harm her otherwise he'd forbid such a risky test.

Amelia cooed and pet the Yaut Hound down his back. The hound didn't think twice, merely lapped at his milk.

The test result gave him pause. It was possible the animal had somehow managed to bond with Amelia already. That improved the odds of never being harmed, but Val'jek didn't think he wanted to risk it any chance of an accident. Hounds played too rough for his mate to come away unscathed.

"Put the bowl on the table, away from him," Val'jek said.

Amelia tugged the Yaut Hound away and did as Val'jek instructed. The hound whined at her. Amelia pet him. "You have to wait a minute," she chided. More whining followed.

His mate followed half a dozen more instructions and then he repeated them. He frightened the pup but could not pulling a single aggressive gesture out of him.

The pup simply wasn't aggressive, not even when Val'jek prodded his lame leg. The Yaut Hound squealed in pain and Amelia cooed, soothing the animal.

He grunted in defeat to his mate.

"If he ever shows any sign of aggression, one look or hiss, I will add his skull to my collection. Decide now if you wish to keep him or give him away," Val'jek hoped the threat of death forced her to give the pet away now. It would spare him a lot of worry.

"Raz'ha says that he will make a good guard dog. Does that count?" Amelia asked, though she didn't look indecisive.

"Protection is not the same." Val'jek had no expectation of anyone attacking Amelia. Should something happen, a guard Yaut Hound would be welcome. He was struck with the urge to test his surrogate mother theory.

"I would like to keep him," Amelia said.

Val'jek hissed a warning, and the hound tensed in her lap. Encouraged, he spread his mandibles and roared, making himself appear large and menacing. Straddling his mate, he jerked her shoulders roughly.

Amelia squeaked, her green eyes widening with surprise.

Raz'ha was reaching for him with a growl, but Val'jek was focused on the Yaut Hound. The pup's mandibles were spread wide and he gave a raspy attempt at a roar. The hound stopped short of lunging at him but reared up on his hind legs. It was quite a display since standing on the injury must have pained the hound.

He released his mate, who stared as if he lost his sanity. Shrugging Raz'ha's tight grip off his arm, he ignored the tense warrior. He focused on the riled pup in Amelia's lap.

Val'jek grabbed the hound and it hissed at him. Pressing his thumb down the hound's underside, he prevented the angry pup from trying to gnaw or claw at him with nubs.

"Don't hurt him. It doesn't count," Amelia said quickly.

"That was full scale aggression." Mah'sic trilled his amusement, muffled by his mask. "In Hult'ah and Raz'ha."

The warrior expressed his irritation with rapid clicks and puffing out his chest.

"They defend my mate when she is scared." Val'jek set the hissing Yaut Hound back in her lap now that the animal understood he could not hope to win against a Yautja.

"I was startled, not scared," Amelia grouched. She coddled the animal blocking the hound's view of anyone else. The hound settled.

"It is the same, biologically." Val'jek shrugged and Mah'sic chirped his agreement.

"So I can keep him, even though he showed aggression?" Amelia asked, petting the Yaut Hound. Her brow knit together with confusion.

He nodded, moving back.

"Won't he try to attack you again, later?" She sounded worried and tried to cannibalize her fleshy mouth again.

Val'jek considered playing on her fear, but discarded the idea. The Yaut Hound had proven himself protective and otherwise docile. He speculated that Amelia was a surrogate mother to the animal, but he required more time to test the theory in full.

"He will know Yautja are dominant males and I will bond with him once he has settled." Val'jek shrugged.

"You will be careful with him, regardless of these tests. Do not play rough with him, any of you." He spoke to both males.

All three nodded.

"You will not let him nip you, even as a pup. No biting, gnawing or mouthing. You will teach him not to use his mouth on you or I will remove his teeth." Val'jek already worried over relenting on the matter. "If he does these things when he is grown he will maim or kill you. Do you understand?" He was tempted to remove the natural weapons while she slept.

He gave the males a hard glare. They had encouraged this by allowing her contact with the beast. "You will tell me if there are any issues, at once, no matter how small. A Yaut Hound can kill her." Val'jek glared at Raz'ha. "No matter how much water leaks from her eyes."

The Yautja males trilled their agreement.

"Thank you." She leaned over and kissed his shoulder. It eased his irritation but not his concern.

"Show me your gifts, Amelia," Val'jek said. There was nothing to do now but watch and ensure proper hound training.

His mate perked up. "Hult'ah does well with them. We named the male Odin and the female Freya after Norse gods. Well I guess Norse deities were really you guys, but human myths of you guys."

Val'jek listened as Amelia chattered on about her new animals. He nodded appropriately as he made a mental check list to contain the mammals. He needed to examine the hound's leg, but he had little time while preparing for his mission. He preferred to spend his spare time with his mate and not in the lab with a mutt.

Mah'sic was in no position to take on the project either. His offspring was due for his Chiva and had barely trained recently.

Amelia handed him a sleeping puppy. "Be gentle. She's fragile."

Val'jek warmed, all other worries forgotten for a moment. She was protective of her mammals. His mate needed the bond as her friendships were limited to three males who were busy. Knowing Oomans were social creatures, he often worried over her lack of companionship. He handled her pet with care, grateful to have it.

"Where did you come by them?" He traded for Ooman wares to please Amelia. It was well known throughout the bazaar and yet Val'jek hadn't heard of these creatures.

"The small bazaar, in the hall. The vendor with exotic pets had them." The warrior's chest puffed up with pride.

It tended to be hit or miss at the bazaar for Val'jek. The ornament on Amelia's wrist was the final result of a miss. He had bartered a modified mask for a trinket from Earth but upon presenting it to Amelia, he realized he had been duped.

"It's a soda can." His mate had laughed, fumbling with the shiny trinket.

"What is that?" he asked, perplexed at the time. He understood only that she was amused and not happy. The subtle difference meant a great deal to Val'jek.

"It is a container for storing a beverage. I will use it as," she struggled, "decoration. It will remind me of home." She was trying to make him feel better. He recognized the false smile and confused look in her eyes. He also knew Oomans did not prize beverage containers any more than he did.

Grunting, Val'jek had taken the soda can from her. He was shamed for bringing her trash. "I will return, soon."

"You don't have to. It's a fine gift, really." Amelia had been stifling her laughter when she said it.

He returned to the bazaar and smashed the soda can in the vendor's face. The pathetic Ooman trash wilted without causing any harm. The vendor had growled and challenged Val'jek for the insult.

The lame vendor didn't stand a chance. Val'jek walked away with his honor, his mask and one of the vendor's prized dreadlocks ornaments. Amelia accepted the ornament with wide eyes and no laughter. Finding it more valuable than trash, she wore it on her wrist most days. He was pleased.

The warrior had exceeded Val'jek's standards with the organic presents from her home world. Amelia had clearly softened toward Raz'ha, enlisting the warrior's aid against him. With progress being made, it was time to tell her that he was leaving soon.

Val'jek held out his hand and Amelia understood his request. She took his hand and curled up in his lap, placing the puppy with Hult'ah.

He purred quietly for her in low soothing tones while rubbing her shoulders.

"What is it?" she murmured, giving him Ooman kisses around his armor as Raz'ha and Mah'sic watched. She always had a good sense when something bothered him. She called it female intuition.

"I leave in two weeks." He watched for a reaction.

"So soon?" she asked, her chin tilting down so he couldn't see her face.

"The sooner I leave the sooner I will return." He widened the circle, rubbing her back and shoulders. She was tense.

"How long do you expect to take?" She coddled her female pet closer.

Val'jek had to calculate the time into a unit of measurement she understood. "Four months, perhaps longer," he said. It was possible to return in three, if everything went as planned, but nothing ever did.

"I was not expecting something so long. Will you be able to send messages?" Amelia gathered her Yaut Hound closer as well. He got the sense that she used the pets to fortify herself. He understood her worry. She had never been left alone on a clan ship longer than a week.

Mah'sic and Raz'ha both shifted in discomfort at the private conversation held before them.

"Some. The dying star will make it difficult. There will be periods without communications to the ship." And anywhere else. If Val'jek and his warriors missed the appointed time for pickup, the ship was going to leave them.

"But you will send messages otherwise?" she prodded.

"Yes." Val'jek nodded.

"I can reserve comm time for you," Raz'ha added and Mah'sic translated.

Amelia nodded, playing with the Yaut Hound's stubby horns. Those nubs would grow to be as long as her arms one day.

"Time will pass quickly, you'll see." Val'jek thumbed her chin.

Amelia shook her head.

"You will be on a new ship with new places to explore." Val'jek continued when she looked sullen. "You will have your pets to care for. You must train them to be well behaved. Mah'sic will help you."

"From this ship?" Amelia asked.

"Mah'sic will go on the Saracen's ship and finish his Chiva training." He rubbed the soft skin with his thumb. "The arrangements are completed."

"I wish to test your hypothesis. It is a long held belief that nurture wins over nature, but I wish to see if Hult'ah will make a guard hound while his brothers are trained to kill you." Mah'sic chirped happily.

He had similar thoughts but wanted to groan at his offspring's words. The unblood knew more than even Val'jek about Ooman anatomy and language but he lagged behind on etiquette and customs. Most words expressed to Amelia were clumsy or offensive.

His mate was forgiving and gracious, taking the unintended barbs in stride. Once in a while, however, Amelia's face grew red and her vital signs climbed. She would give Mah'sic a murderous look then disappear in her private room for hours. Val'jek assumed she was working off her aggravation but knew better than to highlight the incidents by asking.

"Hult'ah will be a fine companion." Amelia made an Ooman version of a grunt, something she picked up recently. "Will there be problems as a human on the Saracen's ship?"

There had been minimal problems with his Ooman mate on the Tauren ship because Val'jek ensured her safety with a few well displayed fights. Amelia took the challenges badly and feared entering the main halls to eat a meal. He dragged her for many days to ensure his clan understood she was there to stay. Anyone who said a word in her direction got a broken mandible or two for the trouble.

"I do not expect so. You are listed as my property in care of Raz'ha." He made provisions that she belonged to the warrior if Val'jek did not return. That information was kept private.

"Does that mean much on another clan's ship?" Amelia flushed in an instant, uncomfortable with her social blunder. "I mean that I don't understand clan relations, no offense intended."

He smoothed down her soft hair, reassuring that he took no offense.

"Val'jek is honored and feared. The Elders and High Priestess will respect Val'jek's wishes." Raz'ha was watching Amelia was rapt interest as he spoke.

Taurens and Saracens alike would expect to see spines ripped out if his wishes were not respected. Those long ago challenges followed him to this day as both a blessing and a curse. He had been a young blood at the time and given extreme cause to rip out spines. In truth, he had hoped word would spread and he'd be saved from partaking in many more challenges.

The fearsome reputation earned him more fights than it deterred. Being a competitive race, every blooded warrior wanted to test their skill against Val'jek, much to his dismay. The challenges had waned in recent centuries but the whispers and speculation had only increased.

"The regulations are met and formalities nearly finished. Raz'ha will protect you from challenges." Val'jek shrugged.

He was never sure Amelia grasped the significance of Yautja regulations. She was documented as his pet, voiding anyone else's claim or dispute with her. All interactions, friendly, aggressive or bureaucratic must be done through Val'jek. Ignoring such a rule gave him grounds to rip out spines in a challenge. It was the best protection she could ask for.

"I can bring my pets, right?" She was asking Raz'ha, who nodded.

Val'jek clicked to his offspring who nodded his understanding. Mah'sic handed Amelia a sleeping puppy, keeping the sensor for himself.

"Good night, Amelia." His youngest bowed his head. He had taken to the ritual soon after her arrival.

"Night, Mah'sic." She bowed her head too.

"Where are you keeping your pets tonight?" Val'jek asked, wishing to retire.

"There is a box in my studio. Hold them, please." Amelia placed the beasts in his lap without waiting for an answer. Val'jek watched as she flit around the room. She retrieved an empty storage unit and stuffed a pillow in the bottom. With care, she placed her pets into the makeshift bed and carried it to the sleeping chamber.

Val'jek trilled his amusement, following her with Raz'ha. Of course she would decide to sleep near her pets. Oomans were silly.

Amelia settled into the bed, clothed, with the storage unit beside her.

"They will not be sharing our bed. It will be crowded," Val'jek said.

Amelia looked over her shoulder at him and made a show of rolling her eyes. That gesture was common in Yautja women as well. It seemed some things were universal.

"You brought your friend. I can bring mine," she said.

#

Raz'ha stifled his laughter at her barb. He undressed, placing his armor in the proper storage units. Val'jek did the same beside him. Amelia was looking stubborn, her chin out like when she refused his gifts.

He had mixed feelings about his presents. The Ooman pups worked wonders on her temperament, but she spent the day laughing and cuddling her pets instead of Raz'ha. She did include Raz'ha in silly games with her pets as a consolation. Amelia was accepting him.

Her interest in mating was not impacted however. She smelled good, even gave off the scent of arousal a time or two, but she shied away from his advances. Raz'ha resigned himself to not mating this sleep cycle.

She had called it prostitution. He was offended by the implication that he paid her for intercourse. He was trying, desperately, to win her favor. It was not the same. Gifts were a sign of his affection and ability to hunt. It proved he was capable and therefor a good genetic candidate for healthy pups.

If she found immediate mating offensive, he would use his patience and wait an appropriate amount of time. His affection and his genetics would outlast her stubbornness and silly Ooman customs.

He settled in bed beside her, the storage unit annoying him in front of his face. He grunted but let Val'jek be the one to deal with the issue. It was the Elder's bed.

Val'jek turned off the artificial lights and joined them. The Elder lifted the storage unit and set it beside the bed, above her head.

"Hey," Amelia protested. He had heard her use the word several times but his translator said it was a greeting. She reserved it for expressing her dislike.

"No pets in my bed," the Elder decreed with mild irritation.

"I'd be happy to take Amelia to my bed, then," Raz'ha offered.

"Did he just call me a pet?" she grouched. Her language skills were better than he thought.

"I believe so. Shall I challenge him for stating a technical fact?" Val'jek chirped with a laugh as he pulled off Amelia's clothes.

The mood lightened considerably and Raz'ha chirped his amusement in return. She squirmed, much like her pets, when manhandled.

"Will you promise me his skull?" She gave a playful smile. The Ooman version had a remarkable resemblance to the Yautja expression.

Val'jek set the clothes aside. "Do you have a place of honor to display the skull?" The Elder held back the fur for Amelia to slip under.

"Not at the moment, no." She shrugged one naked shoulder.

"Ask me again when you do." Val'jek clicked his approval as she sprawled out over the Elder's chest and shoulder.

"Thank you again for the pets, Raz'ha." Her words were muffled in Val'jek's shoulder.

Raz'ha chirped in response.

"In Yautja culture, accepting a gift is a way of encouraging an invitation to mate." The Elder pet her hair with his claws.

"Human culture calls that prostitution." She sounded displeased.

The Elder snorted. "That is not the same."

Val'jek explained the finer points of Yautja mating. Raz'ha was disinterested in the clinical recitation. He watched the pale bare flesh of her back rising and falling with her even breathing.

"I'm not having sex because he brought me puppies." She was adamant and sounding a little disgruntled.

"Then because you have found some affection for him in return." The Elder was tentative, making the statement more of a question.

"If she finds it offensive, it is all right." Raz'ha didn't want to push too hard after making such gains.

Val'jek clicked an acknowledgment.

"What was that?" she asked and the Elder translated.

Amelia rolled over, facing him with surprised green eyes. She looked him over as if measuring his worth.

Raz'ha endeavored to be stoic, unsure about which qualities won Ooman favor.

"This doesn't mean we're mating. It's just a friendly gesture for your thoughtfulness." She gave him her stern Ooman face, much like her stubborn one.

He nodded, eager for any friendly gesture. Surely she would let him lock his mandibles with her or kiss him. He had watched her kiss the Elder's body many times before retiring.

"Roll on your belly," she instructed.

Raz'ha did as she asked, curious and a little disappointed he wasn't getting kisses. The Ooman gesture really was strangely thrilling.

She sat up, holding the fur to her mammary glands. She moved closer, her leg pressing against his side. He wanted to purr.

Amelia tugged the fur from both males and wrapped it around herself. For someone eager to stay covered, she often looked her fill of his unclothed body. Raz'ha wasn't shy and stretched out for her perusal.

She placed her hands on his back. Her fingers pressed into his flesh and rubbed in slow circles.

Raz'ha purred with pleasure. This he understood.

"No purring," she chided, though she continued to rub his back.

Raz'ha complied.

Amelia's hands were delicate and tiny but she covered every inch of his back with gentle, soothing pressure. Massages were common in his culture, but not like this. Healer assistants were clinical and precise, following a checklist of motions in an exact order.

His Ooman rubbed where she pleased. Her hands moved up, then over, then back and down. The pressure was light and uneven but relaxing with calm and affection. The experience was bliss with tension easing from his muscles. He tried to remain alert, to savor the experience of her personal gesture, but his eyes were drooping closed.

Chapter 8

 

Raz'ha couldn't stop smelling Amelia. The scent was more potent than the effects of C'ntlip and turning him into a mindless young blood getting his first whiff of a heat cycle. It was the addition of blood Mah'sic informed him on the first day of the new scent.

Ooman females went through a breeding cycle and this blood was Amelia's body discarding her unfertilized eggs. The explanation disappointed him on a base level. Raz'ha's seed hadn't taken root. The scent of her musk and internal cleansing was enough to make him forget the disappointment, for a while.

Amelia was displeased with her body. She sulked and grumbled in bed for many hours until Val'jek gave her medicine. Then she was displeased with everything that walked on two legs. He wasn't sure if the Ooman was jesting or not, but she threatened to unman him if he didn't stop sniffing her. She wanted neither mating nor Mah'sic's exams. She threatened the unblood with castration as well when he followed her around wearing his mask.

Raz'ha wanted to mate but if she was experiencing discomfort then he'd resign himself to smelling her. He thought Mah'sic's tests relevant however. Her blood scent was thick. What if she bled too much and became weak or ill? He wanted to remain close, just in case, but the unblood insisted they both leave.

They went to a small kehrite and trained. The room was remarkably empty and almost private with the Tauren's females starting their heat cycle. All the blooded males were busy fighting and vying for female attention. The unbloods, not allowed to mate, avoided being caught up in the commotion and lingered in their own quarters.

On the second day they returned to practice, even though Amelia was no longer irritated. Mah'sic was adamant they not push their luck with Ooman menstruation. There was little pushing done with her locked in her private room, allowing only her pets to join her. She said she was busy with "Puppy Training 101."

The time in the kehrite was well spent keeping him fit for hunting. Raz'ha was physically lazing about to pursue Amelia and learn her language. "Courting" progress was slow, but the simple Ooman language was easy enough to learn. However, he had no desire to die on a hunt because he chased pleasure. It was time to resume training on a more regular schedule.

Avoiding aggressive females, and ornery males looking to prove their prowess, was an added benefit. The mating musk made him want to fall into the natural course of his people and rut. His body wanted to settle for a Yautja female but he refused. Easier was not always better when it came to sating his aching erection.

There were sucklings and honor to consider, and deep green eyes. His mind conjured up images of Amelia's soft Ooman flesh wrapped around him. He could almost hear her moans already and it sent shivers down his spine. Rutting with her once was not enough but imagining an unclothed female was not conducive to training.

More than Raz'ha, Mah'sic needed to train in preparation for his Chiva. He didn't mention it but the unblood was behind. He suspected spending most of his days studying Amelia was the reason. He sparred with the unblood, giving him instruction and a chance to practice his technique. The unblood was a quick learner, competent but not passionate about the hunt.

As they ended their second day of private training, both ached from long sparring matches. Raz'ha wanted to return to smell Amelia while she slept. If he was clever he might persuade her to let him watch her puppy training later.

A blooded warrior entered as they prepared to leave. The warrior was nearly his height and darker than Mah'sic, much like his sire. The newcomer was likely a relation to Elder Val'jek but no greetings were exchanged.

Seeing Mah'sic, the blooded warrior strode directly to the unblood and stopped much too close to be respectful.

The unblood straightened and pretended to inspect his combistick.

Raz'ha gave the blooded warrior a once over. He was years older than Mah'sic, dreadlocks adorned with many trinkets and with armor markings of an experienced warrior. He was not newly blooded but still young and overly aggressive by his measure. He looked too much like Val'jek and Mah'sic, even with a bit of yellow coloring on his face.

"Mah'sic," the blooded warrior greeted, stiff with tension.

"Cov'o." Mah'sic bowed his head in greeting, stiff as well. "This is Raz'ha, of the Saracen Clan."

"Elder Val'jek's guest, greetings. I am Cov'o." The newcomer bowed his head, giving Raz'ha a brief appraisal with dark amber eyes.

"Greetings." He nodded.

"Excuse us, warrior. Raz'ha and I are sparring." Mah'sic stepped away from Cov'o.

They were quitting for the day, in truth. He shook his head but followed the unblood's lead to the sparring mat. They both lowered into a fighting stance.

"I will watch. I want to see how the Elder's experiment is progressing." The warrior stretched his mandibles with a bored gesture.

Mah'sic stiffened and looked Raz'ha directly in the eye. It was the first time he saw the heat of battle in the unblood's eyes. The unblood gave a sharp jerk of his head, an informal agreement to start the sparring match. He mimicked the motion.

The unblood moved to strike first, a quick jab directed at Raz'ha's mandibles. It was a bold move, especially since Mah'sic never made the first attack. The unblood was more of a reluctant defender. Whatever stood between Mah'sic and the young warrior had him ready for combat.

He was forced on the defensive as the unblood lashed out at him with many quick hard swings of his combistick. He grunted and pushed back, deflecting a wild swing and tapping Mah'sic's hand to remind the unblood to hold the combistick in the right place. The weapon was the unblood's weakest. The tap worked and the unblood adjusted without a moment's pause.

Going on the attack, he was impressed by Mah'sic holding his own. The unblood deflected most of his attacks entirely. He landed several glancing blows on the unblood's shoulder which he still left open for attack. Raz'ha gave the shoulder a good whack, an unconventional hit that was supposed to make a point.

Mah'sic was more clever than he anticipated. The unblood used the intended lesson against him and got a solid hit to his chest. He grunted from the impact but he still landed the blow to Mah'sic's shoulder. The unblood winced and staggered a step to the side. Raz'ha was forced to take a step back as well.

He clicked his mandibles in encouragement. The unblood was smart and simply needed the right motivation to apply it in combat. Mah'sic bowed with respect, understanding the chatter as the end of the short sparring match. He bowed in return.

"Be careful with that strategy. On a hunt, prey will use the opening to kill you, not teach you." Raz'ha was compelled to say it but after two days of mechanical fighting from Mah'sic, he felt a swell of pride. The youth would be prepared for the sacred trial, if he applied himself.

The blooded warrior snorted and closed his mandibles tightly. He stepped forward onto the sparring mat and extended his combistick.

The unblood stiffened and Raz'ha expected the warrior to give an official challenge. Cov'o bowed, indicating only a sparring match.

The unblood hesitated but Raz'ha moved off the mat. Whatever spurred an unblood on in training was a positive in his opinion so he gave Mah'sic a nod of encouragement.

The unblood clicked a curse and mumbled a prayer to Paya. He bowed and upon righting himself Cov'o was on the attack, jabbing with his combistick.

Clumsy and fumbling, the unblood danced around to the side, a glancing blow landing on his shoulder.

Raz'ha clicked. The warrior was taking advantage of his blows to the same shoulder. It was smart and a good lesson for Mah'sic. Once he sustained an injury on his Chiva, and everyone did, he would have to fight with that weakness.

Mah'sic parried and dodged many attacks, letting the warrior expend his energy in a blatant dance. The warrior was no fool and eased on his attacks, surveying the unblood.

"Did your bearer teach you nothing of sparring?" Cov'o chirped, moving into a defensive stance.

Mah'sic growled, mandibles flaring wide in a genuine sign of rage. The unblood charged with a roar.

The warrior swung around and used Mah'sic's momentum to send the unblood to the floor. The loud thud made Raz'ha shake his head. The unblood let the warrior rile him into a stupid attack.

"Never fight in anger." The warrior chirped his superiority standing over the unblood. "Your bearer taught me that."

Mah'sic rolled over, dreads whipping around as he planted a solid kick to Cov'o's belly.

The warrior doubled over, a mistaken that was quickly exploited. The unblood grabbed one of the warrior's lower mandible, to hold him off balance. He jabbed Cov'o in the face with his fist a handful of times. "My sire taught me that." Mah'sic was snarling like a rabid Yaut Hound.

Cov'o endured several punches, roaring with pain and anger. He broke the unblood's hold, falling to his knees over Mah'sic. The warrior rained down his own punches on the unblood's face.

Raz'ha shook his head at the lack of sparring. Two young Yautja with a grudge were pummeling each other in an undisciplined, juvenile brawl.

Mah'sic blocked several punches and managed to roll Cov'o off of him. The warrior didn't let him gain the advantage and both got to their feet. Their combisticks were disgracefully forgotten on the mat as they circled each other.

"Ki'cte," Raz'ha barked, stepping onto the mat.

Mah'sic deferred to him immediately, dropping his fists and bowing his head.

The warrior surveyed him, determining the chances of winning in a fight. Raz'ha flared his mandibles and roared, puffing up his chest and dropping into an aggressive stance. If the warrior still wanted to fight, he would give him one worth remembering.

The younger warrior backed down. He bowed, not quite looking at Mah'sic. Cov'o retrieved his combistick and left without another word.

Mah'sic picked up his own combistick and Raz'ha put on his mask. He scanned the unblood but he was only bruised and scraped so he removed his mask again.

"What was that?" He tapped his mandibles in a series of clicks, compelling the unblood to answer.

"He is my-" The unblood shook his head, securing his staff on his belt. "Val'jek sired him with the High Priestess. He has hated me since I started training."

Half brothers then.

"Why is that?" Raz'ha could take a few guesses with Mah'sic being raised by a male. Then too in the Saracen Clan the Elders and Priestesses had offspring that tended to be spoiled sucklings. They grew into sub par warriors with questionable honor, in Raz'ha's opinion. He avoided any in his leaders' relations for that reason. It was likely the same with Cov'o.

"I do not know. Perhaps my bearer has shared her displeasure with me. She is close to Cov'o, or so I am told." Mah'sic shrugged but Raz'ha heard the longing and jealousy.

"Your bearer lives and yet Val'jek has reared you?" He hadn't heard of such a thing.

"She finds me lacking." The unblood stood straighter at the admission. "She declared I will not return victorious from my Chiva."

"You need focus but I saw no reason you cannot come back blooded." Raz'ha spoke truth and the unblood took a deep rasping breath.

Mah'sic nodded, acknowledging the statement.

"I will practice with you on my clan's ship." He pat the unblood's back.

"I am honored." Mah'sic bowed.

#

Raz'ha returned to Val'jek's quarters with the unblood. Amelia was awake, surprising them. Oomans needed more rest and she slept through the middle of their days. She took one look at Mah'sic and started fussing.

"What did you do to him?" Amelia reached up to touch the unblood's head with wide eyes and gentle fingers.

"I am fine. It was only sparring," Mah'sic grumbled. The unblood hunched down and let Amelia take liberties, touching his face and even his mandibles.

Raz'ha's gut burned with instant jealously.

"Nothing looks broken." Amelia let the unblood stand erect again but she took his arm and led him to the lavatory.

"He is unharmed." Raz'ha followed quickly but the unblood huffed instead of translating. He did not want her touching the unblood.

She glared at him as they crowded into the smaller room. "Sparring doesn't mean you get to bloody his face. He's still training. Isn't there someone your own size to pick on?" She forced the unblood to sit so she could tend his face.

Raz'ha choked on his response. Amelia was berating him for Mah'sic showing up bloody.

"Amelia." The unblood was stiff and fiddled with his Awu'asa, embarrassed. "It was not Raz'ha."

"Oh," Amelia said. "Sorry, Raz'ha." She looked up at him, her face somewhere between smiling and embarrassment. Then she returned to flitting about the cramped room, retrieving medical bandages and disinfectant.

Raz'ha nodded. "He sparred with Cov'o, a warrior. They got heated." His explanation was a combination of his native language, English and hand signs. The unblood was refusing to translate. Frustrated, he vowed to get her a translator.

"Val'jek's son? What were you fighting about?" She tended to the unblood's scraped mandibles, touching him as a mate would. Raz'ha grunted but he was ignored.

"It was sparring, nothing of note." Mah'sic was mumbling his words as Amelia dabbed his mandible with a soapy cloth.

"Does Val'jek know you two are fighting?" She was persistent.

"Do not tell him." Mah'sic sighed with a huff.

Amelia snorted in response. "You better start talking then."

The unblood's mandibles tightened mutinously for a moment before letting out a breath and slouching.

"He does not like me. He reminds everyone my bearer favors him over me." Mah'sic shrugged as if he did not care when clearly he did. "She trained him with the High Priestess herself, while I have only Val'jek, a male."

Amelia paused, then applied bandages to Mah'sic's scrapes. It was unnecessary but the unblood allowed it. Raz'ha settled his jealousy. She was interested in mothering the unblood and not mating.

"So he beats you up because females trained him when he was a child? I thought that females stopped teaching when you entered formal training." She seemed perplexed, but Raz'ha knew that was more than enough to gain quite a bit of taunting from young males.

"Mah'sic fought well. The warrior is as bloodied." He chirped, taking pity on the unblood and forgetting his English. She flicked him a glance and he wasn't certain she understood him.

"Maybe you could talk to him, or Val'jek could talk to your bearer and-" she stopped talking as Mah'sic huffed and stood, towering over her.

"It is not your affair, Ooman," the unblood growled at her.

She shrank back a step, bumping into Raz'ha's chest. He gave the unblood a warning growl of his own, pushing in front of the Ooman. It wasn't necessary to defend her.

Mah'sic turned and stomped out of the lavatory much like a spoiled pup in his first year of training. The unblood headed for the exit with Amelia following steps behind.

"I didn't mean to upset you, but if he is bullying you then-" The slid door shut and she sighed.

"I messed that up." She pulled her lip between her teeth, watching the closed door. The repeated gesture was strange but now wasn't the time to look closer.

"His pride stings. If he is to be a warrior he must settle his own matters." Raz'ha wasn't sure what she wanted to hear or if she understood. He hoped he said the right thing because he didn't wish to explain that Amelia had humiliated the unblood.

"Is Cov'o truly as bloodied?" Amelia looked up at him.

Raz'ha nodded with relief. She understood. He became aware that he was alone with her and forced himself to focus on her face instead of her scent. He was stepping closer to her.

"Will you check on him? I can't go out smelling like this, not without Val'jek." Her cheeks turned red at the mention of her scent.

"He will be fine. Unbloods don't need coddling." Raz'ha had a difficult time conveying his response and they both grew frustrated before she finally understood.

"Please, check on him. I would ask Val'jek but he's busy with his mission planning." She did look worried but she smelled tantalizing. Her pheromones begged him to rut with her.

"Why are you awake?" Raz'ha used English and hoped changing the subject would allow him to remain longer. Perhaps he could lie with her in bed.

"Hult'ah got hungry. He eats all the time." Amelia nodded to the hound sleeping by his empty milk bowl. She picked up the pup, which snuffled and let his tongue loll out of his mouth. Smiling, she cuddled the pup to her chest.

"You sleep now?" Raz'ha pressed, wanting to join her. She might allow him to touch her loose hair while she settled for rest.

"Soon, but Mah'sic is upset. Couldn't you just check on him?" She sounded worried again.

He clicked his mandibles in annoyance. If he refused or agreed there was no opportunity to touch her. Some sort of touching was required if he was going on the fool's errand.

"Kisses." Raz'ha clicked his tusks together with the demand. He wasn't going to negotiate the matter.

She looked at him, confused for a moment before understanding dawned in her dark green eyes. "You want me to kiss you and you'll check on Mah'sic?" She was indecisive, looking to the closed door, then his face and back to the door.

He nodded.

"Okay, but no groping or anything funny. And for the record this is unethical for you to take advantage of the situation." Amelia shuffled Hult'ah into the crook of her arm.

Raz'ha didn't intend to do anything humorous and he was too aroused to consider ethics. He closed the distance between them, taking a deep breath and smelling her thick heat and blood. He groaned.

She tilted her head back and rose up on her toes.

Raz'ha secured his mandibles over her cheeks, a maneuver that required considerable hunching. Her moist breath sent warmth spreading over his skin. Her soft flesh puckered and pressed to his inner mouth. He let out a long low purr of pleasure. She hummed, the vibration tickling his teeth as she repeated the kiss twice more.

He wanted to pull her closer. He fantasized about lifting her and rubbing his throbbing erection against her soft genitals.

Amelia tugged against his mandibles and he tightened his hold for a brief moment.

"Enough." Her voice was husky and soft.

Raz'ha forced himself to release her and straightened. She was flushed, giving him a covetous glance. It was all the evidence needed to prove that he was making progress.

"Tell Mah'sic I'm sorry." Amelia bowed her head and took several shaky backward steps. Yaut Hound still tucked in her arm, she sought her bed.

He took a step in her direction, following the intoxicating scent, before catching himself.

#

Raz'ha wasn't sure where Mah'sic went. He checked the kehrites and the dining hall, where he found Val'jek.

"Elder Val'jek." Raz'ha used the formal greeting out of respect seeing several warriors eating across from the Elder.

The Elder waved him to the table to join them.

"I am honored, but I seek Mah'sic. Would you know where to locate him?" He was aware of the four warriors scrutinizing him.

"The unblood is running an errand for me. Why do you seek him?" The Elder's lower mandibles twitched. "Is Amelia well?"

"Yes, Elder. I was wondering if Mah'sic is well." He wasn't sure what to divulge, if anything, in front of the warriors. He was acquainted with none of them. He also wasn't in the mood to defend his masculinity by admitting he was doing an Ooman's bidding. The warriors were unlikely to understand the pleasure to be gained by pleasing Amelia.

"Mah'sic is fine." Val'jek tapped his mandibles in thought. "Join us."

"Amelia is-" Raz'ha started to decline.

"Smelling wonderful but unwilling to mate. Staying away is much simpler. Trust my experience on the matter." The Elder motioned for Raz'ha to sit beside him, a show of respect and honor from an Elder.

There was no excuse to refuse and word spreading of the gesture would elevate his status and in turn his clan's status. His clan's Elders very much wanted relations with Taurens and there was no better place to start than with Val'jek, in their opinion.

The Elder didn't introduce the warriors. Raz'ha nodded his greeting and they nodded back, scrutinizing him.

"Have you heard the story of how I met Amelia?" Val'jek asked.

"Only rumors," he admitted. All thoughts of his clan settled in the back of his mind for another time.

The warriors seemed to take an interest in the topic and he got the impression the Elder did not share the story often.

"It was a grand hunt that started with a string of mishaps, but in the end she saved my life and assisted in killing the queen." The Elder tapped his puffed up chest.

"Does she have a trophy?" A warrior with a stumpy mandible asked.

"I've met her," another spoke as if Amelia was a rare creature. "She is not blooded."

"She gave me these from her first kill." The Elder unhooked a homemade trinket from his belt, ignoring the blooding commentary.

Food forgotten, the warriors all leaned in close with interest.

The Elder held out several leather strings bound together, each one containing a memento or two of bones or teeth. The hand crafted trinket gave soft clacks as he jostled them with fondness. Pulling out one in particular, three Kainde Amedha phalanges strung together on it, he proudly displayed proof of Amelia's kill.

The warriors chirped approval and respect. Receiving a gift from a female's kill was rare since it signified a personal bond. The Elder was telling all that he was bonded with the Ooman in no uncertain terms.

"Her three skulls were not salvageable." There was a twinge of regret in Val'jek's voice.

Raz'ha was surprised. Amelia, a small Ooman female, killed three Kainde Amedha. The warriors trilled and battered the Elder with questions. How could she manage to kill three hard meats?

All questions and chatter ceased when a Saracen unblood approached the table. He twitched his mandibles as he gave jittery bow.

"Elder Mur demands your presence, honored warrior," the unblood stammered to him. Demanding was insulting and more than one messenger had been beaten over the ornery Elder's wording.

Raz'ha's first response was irritation. He wanted to hear the tale of Amelia's hunt more than he wanted to do the bidding of a notoriously cankerous elder. He grunted and rumbled his distaste but nodded to the unblood.

"Pardon, Elder Val'jek," he said.

"Good luck." The Elder used English and it was unlikely than anyone else understood. It took Raz'ha a moment to recall the meaning of the words. Val'jek's mandibles twitched and his eyes held amusement.

"I'm honored." Raz'ha wasn't sure what was so funny but bowed anyway. He left the table, nodding out of respect to the other warriors. He regret not hearing the full story but he could not refuse Elder Mur.

#

He followed the unblood to the same level that housed Val'jek's quarters. His clan must have made political progress without him. He was almost relieved.

The unblood announced his arrival through the comm and Elder Mur's voice barked through the door, "Enter!"

The door opened and Raz'ha squared his shoulders before entering.

The quarters were a replica of Val'jek's floor plan but it lacked Ooman touches, making it feel inhospitable.

Elder Mur was an average height Yautja with a bland and murky green coloring. Long since grayed dreadlocks held few traces of black left. His head was too wide for his narrower shoulders and decorated with wide clawed scars. The Elder stood rigid, waiting, dressed in more armor than Raz'ha thought necessary.

He bowed and the Elder and was led into what was a lab in Val'jek's quarters. Here it was a bureaucratic room with a desk and chairs dominating the center of the space. Elder Mur sat behind the desk, motioning for Raz'ha to sit in a guest chair. Unease crept up his spine as the Elder made himself comfortable with twitchy mandibles.

"You summoned, Elder?" Raz'ha said after a scrutinizing silence. He was uncomfortable in these bureaucratic settings that were suddenly becoming popular.

"What is your progress with the Tauren Elders?" Elder Mur asked.

"I have not spoken with Elder Goran and Elder Val'jek has little interest in political topics. He prepares for his mission." He resisted shrugging. He was a warrior and had no desire to involve himself in clan politics, never mind diplomatic relations with other clans.

Raz'ha was already honored for returning Elder Goran, who made a full recovery. His own Elders pestered him about making introductions but he could not. He did not know the Elder he had rescued. He found Elder Goran unconscious and returned him that way, only identifying the clan mark. Upon his recovery the Elder held a formal banquet and acknowledgment but that was all.

He had no political conversations with Val'jek since the topic pertained little to Amelia. He focused most of his attention on the Ooman and thoughts of status and his clan slid to the back of his mind. The realization disturbed him. Amelia was an Ooman pet he would have the sole care of for a lengthy period. It was plenty of time to persuade her to accept his claim. Val'jek was leaving soon and his loyalty to his clan should have been more important.

"Is there anything you would like to tell me honored warrior?" The Elder said the word honored with disdain, shaking him from his thoughts. Elder Mur's reputation was notorious for being derogatory but also for his skill in fighting. He supposed the Elder would have to be a prized fighter in order to continue his insulting behavior into his ancient years.

"Perhaps you can tell me what you heard and spare us both unnecessary details of my visits." Raz'ha stiffened. He wanted to spend as little time as possible with this Elder.

"The Taurens sent a courtesy message. They offer you a place in their ranks." The Elder's mandibles clicked together, hard.

"There must be some mistake." He was stunned, his mandibles gaping with ill formed words.

"An Elder," he paused to look at his palm console, "Val'jek, has vouched for you. I hear he requested the Tauren High Priestess grant you room and status." The Elder was furious and rightfully so. To accept the offer was to abandon his clan.

Raz'ha wasn't sure what to make of it. Taurens rarely took in warriors from other clans. It took virtually an act of Paya and any warrior changing clans must start at square one, an unblood. Warriors had to repeat their Chiva and work up their reputation. To be offered a retained status was a great honor.

"Well, what is the meaning of this?" The Elder was near snarling with his mandibles splaying in a dominating show of aggression.

"I-" He struggled to figure out why Val'jek would go through great lengths for him. "I am caretaker for the Elder's mate. I mean his pet. The Elder is fond of his Ooman pet." He caught his babble and straightened. "I can only assume the offer is in case the Elder meets his end and his pet wishes to remain on the Tauren's ship." It was as good a guess as any.

The Elder contemplated him, settling back and tapping his lower right tusk. "Setup a meeting for the High Priestess." It was an order as much as a dismissal.

"With Elder Val'jek?" He floundered.

"Yes. Send in the unblood." The Elder was already looking at his palm console, distracted.

Dismissed, he left feeling like an unblood himself. How was he going to broach the topic with Elder Val'jek? What was Val'jek intending with the offer in the first place?

 

Chapter 9

Raz'ha wandered the ship with irritation and confusion. He had spent the better part of the day as a messenger, no better than an unblood apprentice. Upon speaking to Val'jek, the Elder insisted he join the Tauren clan. To give the old warrior credit, he had been persuasive and respectful, but Raz'ha could not. Loyalty to his clan was prized above nearly all else and they needed the numbers.

Declining the invitation made Elder Val'jek refuse a meeting with his High Priestess and Raz'ha was forced to explain to Elder Mur. Furious, his Elder had his own message for Val'jek. Raz'ha was not allowed to look at it but was forced to track down Val'jek to deliver it.

Val'jek then let out a barking laugh, shook his head and wrote a message back. He was forced to endure this for half a day before Elder Mur received a message that satisfied him.

Dismissed, Raz'ha wandered the hall. He could not return to Amelia with irritation boiling in his veins.

Aggravating him further, the mating cycle on the Tauren clan ship was peaking. Mating musk was in the air no matter where he went. Several Yautja were mating in the public washroom, grunts and growls mixed with purrs as females let males rut. That was not done on his clan's ship. Warriors were quick to ensure privacy to avoid challenges from other males in the middle of rutting.

Raz'ha groaned, ducking into a guest hall, away from the lavatory.

A tall yellow female approached him emitting a strong musk. She was in the height of her cycle and most receptive to being seeded. She clicked and purred at him but he did not acknowledge the gesture with a purr of his own. The female stalked him, moving with clear intent of bagging herself a trophy.

Raz'ha backed up.

"Mate with me, Saracen," the female demanded, pressing her hand to his chest. That wasn't precisely how mating was initiated in the Saracen Clan. There were few females so when most went into heat males fought each other to approach a female. The female would encourage potential candidates and ultimately choose. It simply wasn't necessary for a female to approach a male.

Raz'ha choked back his purr. Her musk was almost as thick as Amelia's natural scent and the desire to sire a suckling on a healthy female was strong. He took a deep breath, ignoring the pheromones, and held it.

Oomans didn't share their mates. If he wanted Amelia, he could have no other. As tempting as it was to sire a suckling, and ensure his bloodline in a strong clan, he refused. If only the Ooman would let him mate her refusing the female would be easier.

He took the female's wrist, removing it from his chest. "I am honored but I have no interest in mating." Raz'ha bowed with respect. If the she took his rejection as an insult, he was in for a possibly lethal fight with this unknown female. He hoped she merely intended to beat at him until her anger was satisfied.

The female straightened, towering a head taller than him. "You do not find me worthy, warrior?" She growled at him.

"Raz'ha prefers his own clan." Another female said from behind him.

He glanced quickly, not wanting to turn his back on the Tauren female.

The Tauren flared her mandibles but only hissed. She stalked from the room. "A Saracen is not worth such a display." She meant two females battling over him. In his clan, females did not battle with a surplus of adequate males available.

Raz'ha clicked in irritation, turning to the tan and red Saracen female with dread in his belly. It was Sh'an. She was a head taller than him and a good deal heavier too. He hadn't considered their size difference so daunting the last time he had seen her.

She was a skilled fighter for a female and also under scrutiny from the elders for having too few sucklings. She preferred to hunt, like Raz'ha, but for different reasons. He needed to hunt if he wanted respect, quarters worthy of a hunter, weapons and even food. Sh'an merely enjoyed hunting. She was daughter of an elder and a priestess. There was little else she needed to gain status in the Saracen clan.

That wasn't the reason his insides tightened into knots. The last time Raz'ha left for a hunt, he told the female he would bring a trophy worthy of her. It was a blatant expression of his desire to mate once she was in heat.

He gave a sniff but didn't smell her musk. Relief was short lived as the female circled him like he was a trophy.

"Sh'an." He trilled, hoping for a friendly greeting.

"The female was a fine specimen. She could bare you a healthy suckling." She stopped in front of him. "You did not want her."

"Correct." Raz'ha clicked his tusks and eyed the door. He was going to remain in Val'jek's quarters until the Tauren females were no longer in heat. Better to smell Amelia and want than risk his mandibles rebuffing aggressive Yautja females. There were just so damn many females on the ship.

"I heard a rumor that you are mating prey," she hissed. "Is it true?"

"Yes. I mate an Ooman." It was true technically. "I gave my word to mate for life." He did give his word, to Val'jek, but he falsely implied Amelia accepted a mating ceremony. He clicked his mandibles with irritation, hoping to hide his unease. Sh'an had a right to be furious with their last encounter promising a suckling between them.

"An Ooman." Her mandibles flared and she took an aggressive step closer.

"It is my right to choose a permanent mate." Raz'ha grumbled, not without pride. The female could deliver heavy blows, but he was the more experienced fighter in truth. Sh'an being a female, a giver of life, meant he could not risk fighting her. Not in good conscience. If he hindered her breeding abilities, he would be dishonored. He intended defend himself however.

"You choose an Ooman who cannot produce sucklings over your own clan?" Her abnormally large mandibles tightened with contempt.

He ignored her statement about Ooman sucklings. The Elder indicated it was possible and the female did not spend time learning about breeding prey.

"I regret not fulfilling our last exchange but I have made my choice." He was lucky to inform the female now. Sh'an, he knew, would try to kill him during her heat when he reneged on the informal agreement. At that moment she might merely try beating him to a pulp. Part of him knew he deserved it for abandoning his clan while their numbers dwindled.

Male pride made him want to fight and squash efforts to control who he seeded. Good sense made him want to avoid the situation in its entirety. There was no beneficial outcome and all paths risked his honor.

"You are a fool." She stepped back to reexamine him. Once she had looked at him with interest, but now only disdain could be seen across her beautiful features.

Raz'ha bowed and made a hasty exit. The female did not pursue him.

#

Raz'ha made it to the safety of Val'jek's quarters. He took a deep breath of air not contaminated by Yautja mating musk. Amelia's Ooman musk and blood lingered in the air faintly. Aching from the abundance of mating hormones, he followed the scent to the sleeping chamber. She rebuffed attempts at mating due to her bleeding but he wanted to smell and look at her while he endured this torture.

The door slid open and Raz'ha was assailed with a thick wave of Yautja musk mingling with Amelia's scent. He nearly choked, entering the room.

Stunned, his mandibles sagged.

Val'jek was naked in the bed with Amelia. She still wore her Ooman garment but that didn't stop the Elder from fondling her mammary glands as she knelt between his thighs.

Moving closer, he understood the awkward position. She was using her mouth on the Elder's erection. Her head bobbed and her hands fisted at the middle of his cock. Val'jek groaned and bucked his hips.

The scene sent a bolt of lust straight to his groin and all thoughts of clans and Yautja females fled. Stripping off his armor in haste, he joined the pair in bed.

The Elder let out a roar and arched with tension. Amelia worked her hand and throat. Milky green fluids trickled down from her mouth. Raz'ha was too aroused to care that his seed couldn't survive digestion. He wanted her mouth on his straining cock. Now.

The Elder sagged with a purr of satisfaction. Panting, Val'jek spared him a glance, noticing him for the first time, then closed his eyes.

Amelia wiped her mouth and worked her jaw. She knew he was there but refused to look at him. Frustrated, Raz'ha clicked but she merely straightened her dress.

#

She was feeling hot and needy with a throbbing ache between her thighs. More so, she was embarrassed and didn't have the courage to face Raz'ha. The green Yautja presumed a lot by getting in bed while she was with Val'jek. The warrior was presenting his aroused manhood to her, expecting the same treatment as her mate. She gathered her courage and willed herself to be furious, but she merely blushed.

Right now, she was supposed to be getting her relief from Val'jek. She pleasured him and then he was supposed to pleasure her in return. He couldn't multitask with her mouth on his erection and she liked it that way. Creating a pleasure overload that temporarily lobotomized her very-in-control mate was a feat worth bragging about. Not that she had anyone to brag to and nor was she was the bragging sort. Still, she was ridiculously proud of her skill.

Val'jek was no help. Ignoring them both, he lulled from exertion and lack of sleep. He wasn't supposed to be in bed at this hour but the mating cycle was peaking. An Elder was a prime catch to breed with and Yautja women tended to be forceful. Her poor mate was harassed by horny women reeking of mating musk, which by design aroused males.

It was the first time the mating "season" coincided with her period. Val'jek had stormed into his quarters growling and clicking like he was going into battle. He towered over her, rumbling and sniffing her as she gawked up at him. Scooping up her very confused and frightened puppies, he put them in an open storage unit while barking for her to undress.

Her response had been to flip her ornery mate the bird, but the middle finger gesture was lost on him.

Val'jek tossed her over his shoulder and carried her into the bedroom. He dumped her in their bed and stripped off his armor in a scattered the mess across the floor. That was usual during a mating cycle. He always came to her desperate for relief and they spent several days rushing to bed every few hours. It was great fun when she wasn't on her period.

Her mate always said she smelled better than Yautja women, but that they used other triggers to stimulate males further, like aggression. Yautja males, on a biological level, responded to female aggression with mating. The science behind Yautja reproduction was complex and Amelia followed along as best she could.

Some concepts seemed wrong to her. Yautja fought prior to mating and sometimes during. She always conjured up images of redneck wife beaters and domestic violence. Her mate assured her it was more like sparring, with equal participation. He insisted no one came away with a serious injury.

Her mate thought sexual sparring was great fun but having never seen it, she had reservations. They played chasing games, tore clothing and he hinted at wrestling in bed, but nothing was ever overt.

Yautja women tended to be considered the superior sex but wanted the men to try their hand at domination, to ensure the males were strong. Which all boiled down to proving desirable genetics for healthy sucklings.

Val'jek's, and especially Raz'ha's, interest in her made no sense within the mating explanation. Human genetics were not considered desirable for sucklings. Her mate just shrugged at her questions on the anomaly.

"We are not animals. I know you. I want you beside me." Val'jek had intended to mate with her at the time but she found the words flattering, however not scientific.

Mah'sic theorized that Val'jek was taken in by her scent and biologically her mate received a signal to impregnate her all the time. Because he spent so much time with her, his mind never saw reason over his instincts. That was not flattering and it didn't explain Raz'ha's interest. The warrior had spent quite a bit of time away from her scent when he started his pursuit.

Raz'ha was currently invading her personal space and clicking compliments at her. It was nice to hear the warrior say her eyes were like jewels and her complexion as radiant as Paya's. However, she didn't let it go to her head since he was hyped up on hormones and begging her for Ooman kisses on his-

Amelia flushed at the colorful word he used to describe his genitals. She had never heard it before but it sounded dirty.

The warrior reached for her. She resisted the urge to slap his clawed hands away before he discovered her traitorous body was interested. Slapping to an intent male was only going to get her dress ripped. Val'jek tore her clothes every time she feigned maidenly outrage.

She opted to feign ignorance instead and ignored him.

Raz'ha pressed against her front anyway, ruining her plan in just short moments. His warm solid bulk made her thighs tremble and nipples pebble. She flushed, surely he understood the correlation of that and arousal. He purred deep, making more vibration than sound that had her skin tingling.

"Have pity, Amelia. The females are tenacious and the smell torture." Her mate hadn't moved but watched with interest as Raz'ha tried to become a second skin on her.

"Please." Raz'ha used English and her resolve crumbled.

"This once, since it's the mating season." A voice in her head reminded her that this was the second time she was giving in to him.

The warrior didn't appear relieved like she expected. He tensed and his thick arms locked around her. His purr was softer and he looked to her mate for guidance.

Her mate shrugged and she knew the response well. He wanted them to wade through the experience on their own. He usually reserved the response for Mah'sic or students.

Raz'ha dragged her to the edge of the bed and mimicked Val'jek's earlier position. She wanted to roll her eyes but a smile tugged at her lips. The warrior was as much fumbling through alien culture as she was. He rasped at her, an inquiry without any true words forming.

She could do nearly anything she wanted to make the experience awkward and uncomfortable. The warrior wouldn't know any better. Cruel and humorous ideas popped into her head and she let out a laugh, then snorted. She couldn't do that to him.

The green Yautja chirped his inquiry with words. "Have I displeased you?"

He was trying very hard to please her and she wanted to dislike him. She wanted to hate the secret joy she got from his persistence.

"No." She had intended to stop there. "You please me very much." The words just popped out and her heart lurched at the admission. She bit her lip when he purred, the ban on the sound ignored for the time being.

"You are a most pleasing mate. I-"

She leaned down and took the head of his erection in her mouth, not wanting him to finish that sentence. She wasn't ready to acknowledge it.

The warrior let out a yelp and then a hiss. She released his manhood, just in case. He grabbed her with hands and even his feet pressed her legs. He pushed her back and then jerked her forward, playing tug of war with himself for a brief moment.

"Relax," her mate warned. It was a command really, but Amelia could handle the warrior's response on her own.

She knew Yautja females didn't perform oral sex with a mouth full of sharp teeth and no lips. Val'jek had been reluctant to let her mouth near anything sensitive. She had been the persistent aggressor and now her mate was sedate about the lovemaking tangent.

Raz'ha panted and his erection twitched with a throb.

"Are you ready to try again?" she asked and touched her tongue to the crown of his bulbous manhood.

The warrior jerked his head with a nod. His hands tensed on her but did not move more than an uneasy twitch.

She licked at the tangy slit because his tense mandibles didn't look ready to her. He let out a breath, making a hoarse sound she never heard a Yautja make before. It sounded like a whine and she heard Val'jek choke back his laughter.

Licking around the crown like an ice cream, she worked up to taking him in her mouth.

Yautja genitals were similar to human men on many levels. They worked the same, flaccid when uninterested and filling with blood when aroused. Yautja genitals, like humans, were a bit softer and more sensitive than the rest of their skin. Raz'ha's erection was colored and patterned similarly to the rest of him. The weeping head was a pale yellowish green that mottled into darker rich green at the base of his erection.

The only major differences between humans and Yautja were the testicles and ridges. The handful of ridges on Raz'ha's erection were small, almost a texture that were more prominent on the underside of his shaft. Yautja had testicles too but they were internal just under the penis. A lump swelled under Raz'ha's erection, his testicles essentially swelling in preparation for ejaculation. She brushed her fingers over the lump, knowing it was too sensitive for more than that.

The warrior jerked and hissed at the touch. His erection shoved against the back of her throat making her gag. Amelia jerked away, coughing and swearing under her breath.

Val'jek clicked a reminder. He wanted them to learn on their own, but his presence was reassuring for her. He was a worrier and obsessively prepared for every possibility. Her mate had most situations resolved before they ever arose and that knowledge made experimenting with Raz'ha easier.

The warrior tried making an apologetic gesture while sitting. No Yautja words were quite right for their situation.

"My fault." She leaned on Raz'ha's meaty thighs and fisted a hand around the middle of his erection. She gave him a brush of her thumb and a gentle squeeze. Letting her breath caress the tip of his erection she heard him take a bracing breath.

Determined to have no more mishaps, she took him in slowly. Laving his erection, she sucked him down as deep as she felt comfortable. She adjusted her hand accordingly to mark the distance. Now, she could move with him and prevent any more choking.

The warrior purred long and low, his claws tightening on her shoulders.

Encouraged, she moved at a steady pace. She sucked lightly and alternated with her tongue, testing his sensitivities. Her mate liked his crown stimulated, but Raz'ha let out groans and small jerks when she stroked the small ridges down the underside of his manhood.

She used both her hands to stroke the lower half of his shaft. She paid careful attention to the base ridge that was more prominent than all the rest.

Raz'ha let out a string of groans. His hips rose and fell, urging her faster. She moved with him, accommodating him while keeping her throat safe. He was close and she wanted to scrape her teeth on his sensitive shaft but crushed the urge. The warrior wasn't ready for that. She sucked a little harder and bobbed her head a little faster.

She wished the warrior would touch her aching body instead of gripping her shoulders. It was too late to explain her needs to him.

"Amelia." Raz'ha was warning her but she already knew the warrior was close. His chest heaved with rattling purrs and he clicked unintelligible half sentences. She heard a "Paya" or two. He shuddered and she prepared for a wave of tangy fluids, splaying her tongue along the slit at the tip of his erection.

He arched, repeating the whining sound and his erection throbbed.

The taste was all right, salty and warm, but it was the result of an uncontrolled pleasure that only she could provide. The knowledge that she did something Yautja women could not helped her through a few uncertain days. But she would never say that out loud. There must be something wrong with her to get a self esteem boost by performing oral sex on an alien.

She drank as much as she could but Yautja males provided much more than a human. Most of his alien fluid slipped down his shaft. The warrior slumped back and she continued to gently suckle his semen coated erection. She was rewarded with a rumbling purr.

Looking at him through her lashes, she caught his eye. The warrior was pleased, giving her an adoring look with his mandibles tipped up a fraction. Her hands released their grip and he tentatively touched her head. He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself.

She released his erection, not wanting to entice him into another frenzy. Her jaw ached from straining over two large erections. Rubbing the joints, she settled down on the bed.

"Do Oomans do that often?" Raz'ha sounded dazed and she laughed.

"Some." She shrugged. Human culture varied widely and she didn't have words to explain.

"Can you do that again?" The warrior moved closer, pressing his loins to her bottom. The position was awkward but the bulky male made it look effortless.

"Not for a while. My jaw aches." She should shoo him away and focus her attention on her mate. Val'jek was leaving very soon.

"When?" The warrior was persistent.

Her mate clicked and made a rude sound, a universal sign of reprimand. Amelia couldn't help her laugh. Val'jek managed everyone and everything.

"I will rub your ache." The warrior sounded embarrassed.

"No thank you."

Her mate picked up where they left off before Raz'ha appeared. Rubbing her limbs with firm strokes, he was slow to pleasure her. It was enjoyable but she wanted instant gratification.

"Val'jek," she murmured, hoping she didn't have to voice her wants in front of the other warrior.

Her mate clicked and pushed up her dress.

"Thank you," she said.

He touched his forehead to hers and his dreadlocks curtained around her face. He shifted to lock his mandibles over her cheeks with a purr. She kissed around his mouth, feeling his hands push her thighs apart. He fumbled with her makeshift feminine hygiene product. The frustrating wadded up cloth and string required a solid ten minutes to secure. She would kill for a tampon and a pair of panties but pushed the thoughts aside. Enjoying her mate was more satisfying.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she twined her fingers with his dreadlocks. Feeling where they met his skull, she massaged and tugged. His left side was sensitive to gentle touches but he didn't feel much on the right side of his head. An old hunting injury had seen half of his dreadlocks ripped out and chunks of his flesh and bone shorn off.

Disappointing her mate, his dreadlocks had all grown back in and the scars were barely visible if you looked for them. She could feel the uneven bone and raised flesh though. Touching the scars made him swell with pride and amused her.

She suspected he enjoyed it so much because no one else could be impressed with the healed injury. Val'jek had told her about the spectacular fight but there was little point in telling it to others. The marks were not prominent enough for a showing and he salvaged only a tooth for a trophy. Making sure to tug a little harder on that side, she smiled up at him.

She closed her eyes as his work roughened finger touched her intimately. His caress was gentle and unhurried, finding the small nub that sent waves of warmth throughout her body.

Purring started, but it wasn't Val'jek. Raz'ha's purr was a slightly different pitch which she started to recognize. She felt him stretch out beside her, pressing close and sandwiching her between them. The warrior's mandibles scraped her shoulder and his hands trailed down her belly.

She groaned, keeping her eyes tightly closed. The blind sensation was incredible and she arched her back. Val'jek circled her sensitive nub with quick motions and his palm pressed on her pubic bone, the pressure grounded her.

Raz'ha grew bolder, hands and mandibles lavishing gentle touches on her aching breasts. The fabric of her dress dulled the touches but not the heat radiating from him. The warrior pushed a hand beneath the fabric and experimented with a variety of touches. Her nipples tightened painfully.

Four hands on her in the dark was thrilling. Too much for her senses, she tried to hold back her orgasm. Instant gratification be damned, she wanted to remain on the edge forever.

The warrior purred louder. He slid down her body until she felt him between her thighs. His breath and mandibles stroked her inner thigh and a hand slid under her bottom. She reached out to him blindly, wanting to feel him herself. A hand tangled with hers, pressing her into the bed.

Whimpering, she was pushed over the edge by her mate's rumbling purr and a handful of quick strokes. Legs tightening on Raz'ha's shoulders, her hands gripped Val'jek's dreadlocks. Both purred low and soothing. She shivered and heated pleasure crested again and again, washing over her in slow waves.

She slumped, relaxing into the bed and cracking open her eyes. Val'jek watched her with amusement and his sharp teeth nipped at her lower lip with a scrape. She was too relaxed to care if he was smug.

Her mate moved first, releasing her face and sliding her makeshift pad back in place. She panted and nudged the warrior with her foot. He took the hint and stretched out along her side with an inviting rumble. Flushed with embarrassment, she turned to her mate and tried to catch her breath.

"You interrupted Puppy Training 101." She didn't want to sit in silence. It was oppressive and left her to think about her worries.

"I could not wait." Her mate pulled her into his lap and she sprawled across his thighs.

"Since you didn't rip my dress, I forgive you." She kissed a hip bone. He was aroused again but she ignored it.

"I am grateful." He ruffled her hair teasingly, making no effort to satiate his body again.

She wanted to lay with her mate forever like this. Taking a deep breath, she tried to memorize his musky scent.

"I love you." Her mate spoke those words rarely, opting for words in his own language instead. They meant the same thing to him but hearing her native language made them sweeter for her. It eased her worries to hear it, if only a little.

"You are my honor and my heart." Her Yautja words were mangled and she knew it, but her mate purred his pleasure.

As if Raz'ha sensed her melancholy as well, his hands rubbed her legs. He joined Val'jek in purring, not quite an arousing sound but a lulling vibration that made her sleepy.

#

Val'jek watched his mate drifting to sleep when her eyes popped open. Raz'ha clicked his query but she looked up at him.

"Tell me about Cov'o." She sounded drowsy, her voice husky.

"You saw him at his honored banquet." He shrugged a shoulder.

His son had become an honored warrior. Val'jek wanted to introduce him to his mate but she left early. Amelia had been frightened when a blooded warrior challenged him for bringing his mate to the ceremonial feast. The battle had been beneficial with most of the clan present to view the spectacle. No one else had bothered to challenge him that night.

She had insisted on retiring, feigning exhaustion. He relented and escorted her to their quarters then returned to participate in Cov'o's honoring ceremony.

"But I haven't met him. What is he like?" She shifted her weight on his thigh, growing more comfortable.

"He is an honorable warrior. Intelligent and skilled with a Naginata. He will become a Spear Master one day, if he chooses to pursue it." Val'jek felt a swell of pride with that knowledge.

He was proud of all his offspring but had a special bond with Cov'o. He raised the warrior from the day he was birthed. For ten years he had the sole care of his offspring, learning and making mistakes. The two of them had muddled through. Letting the pup go was the hardest thing Val'jek had ever done.

He reached for the leather string he kept on his belt but he wasn't wearing his belt. He had discarded all his armor in his haste to seek relief. Cov'o's first baby tooth and first kill were secured on a leather string. He had several strings, one for Mah'sic with his baby tooth and kill and the other from Amelia's Kainde Amedha kill. He liked the way they all clicked together when he played with them.

"He is very skilled with a combistick too," Raz'ha added in a mixture of English and their native language.

"You have met Cov'o?" Val'jek was surprised.

"Cov'o was sparring with Mah'sic. He doesn't want me to tell you though." She shrugged. That meant his mate wanted him to not mention to Mah'sic that he had heard. This subtlety had led to several misunderstandings in the past before he caught on. Oomans were like puzzles that needed careful thought to solve on occasion.

"Sparring is good practice. Cov'o can help Mah'sic with his Chiva training." He thought it was very good news but his mate shrugged. The warrior grew silent.

"Cov'o's mother is the High Priestess?" she asked.

"She was not High Priestess then, but yes. Why?" He clicked his mandibles in irritation. His mate was grasping for information and planning to give him none in return.

"What about Mah'sic? His mother knows the High Priestess." She rubbed his thigh absently. Her eyes were distracted with his mating history. It was a topic she avoided in the past upon hearing about his numerous offspring. What was a proud feat to Yautja males translated into an irritated Ooman female.

"A priestess but she was not one at the time. Why, Amelia?" He nudged her because ordering her to answer would have the opposite effect. She was far too close to his painful history for his liking.

"I want to meet them at your banquet." By the guilty look in her eyes he knew she was giving a half truth. She was an atrocious liar.

He clicked his indecision. His offspring and High Priestess would be respectful, but Mah'sic's bearer was an unpredictable variable. She was venomous and a rigid supporter of old traditions.

"Why?" he pressed.

"I want to understand your family structure. You are close to Mah'sic and you sound proud of Cov'o. Are you close to him?" Amelia persisted with her half truths.

"I was, but now he is grown and busy gaining honor and creating sucklings of his own." He felt the sins of his past coming back to haunt him. It felt like a sharp blade digging between his shoulder blades.

"I heard you cared for Cov'o as a suckling," Raz'ha interjected and his mate insisted on a translation.

"Is it true?" She tilted her head like a young pup discovering her first prey.

He clicked his mandibles. "Yes, for a short time. It was long ago."

"I don't understand. What happened?" Her brow scrunched but the warrior clicked his understanding.

"Females have rights to their sucklings," the warrior said.

Amelia didn't grasp the words. Val'jek had to translate, much to his irritation. He didn't want to have this conversation with a warrior who didn't understand a personal bond with offspring. And he absolutely did not want this conversation with his Ooman mate who didn't understand his culture's views on offspring.

"Did the High Priestess not want him?" His mate sat up with interest.

"I must return to my training." He stood and his mate did as well.

"You're upset," she said.

He grunted a noncommittal sound as he dressed, picking his armor from Raz'ha's. To be upset was weak but to deny it would make her more persistent. He needed to leave, quickly. Even the warrior watched him with a speculative gaze.

"I'm sorry, really." She approached him and he took a step back like a coward. She stopped.

She was too understanding and too accommodating for him to remain. His mate would tell him it was all right and he would admit to his misdeeds and his weakness. If she forgave him, she would forever have the knowledge of his crime and his lack of shame. He would do it all over again in a heartbeat, even knowing about the painful turn of events.

"I must return to my training," he repeated. She took another step closer and he forced himself not to flee like a pup.

"I love you." She spoke softly though the warrior could hear. She wrapped her slender arms around his waist and pressed her face to his chest plate.

Val'jek nodded, unable to form words. He gripped her a fraction too tight in an Ooman hug.

"Have a good day." She used a common Ooman phrase and it made him feel an iota of relief at the mundane farewell.

He brushed her face with his mandibles and gave the warrior an acknowledging nod, then he fled from his quarters.

 

Chapter 10

Finally ready for the banquet, Amelia secured her puppies in their open storage unit. They weren't old enough to run unattended in Val'jek's quarters yet.

Hult'ah was getting much larger than Odin and Freya. The Yaut hound nearly doubled their size and required two hands to carry. Soon the puppies would need a larger pen. That was for another time though, Val'jek was waiting for her.

She gave each a quick pet as the three settled down for a nap together. Hult'ah lapped at Odin's back, which he did before every nap, and she frowned. The gesture seemed friendly to her and Odin didn't seem bothered by it. The bald spot forming down the puppy's back concerned her however. She nudged Hult'ah away but decided to ask her mate before reprimanding the hound.

Val'jek chirped from the main room and she hurried to him.

He stood impatiently wearing his ceremonial armor; an impressive matching silver with gold accents set. His mask, hooked on his belt, was handsome and imperial with a raised Yautja brow. The cheek bones were high, sharp planes. The mouth piece flat but elongated like a short muzzle. It was expressive where most ceremonial masks were highly decorated blank faces encrusted with precious metals and gems.

His chest plate was asymmetrical, covering his right side and exposing a wide scar down his abdomen. The light tan flesh raised and slightly jagged around the edges. The mark was from another Yautja, a Bad Blood, he bested in his youth. Youth was a relative term, as Val'jek was older than 100 at the time.

His wrist guards held a concealed personal console but little else that was practical. An amber gem on each forearm was the center piece, it looked to be a sun with strange winged creatures fleeing from it down on his wrists.

He adorned himself in dead animals over his armor. His customary belt trinket was joined with another skull that seemed to be placed like a belt buckle at his waist.

Three skulls, separated by fangs, dangled from around his neck. The skulls looked demonic, staring out at her, with the bone around the eye sockets narrowing to a squint. She forced herself not to look at them. Instead she surveyed the gold links at his neck that clasped a long blue cape in place.

His collapsed combistick was not decorative and it seemed inevitable that the weapon was going to be used tonight.

She wondered what Raz'ha was wearing. Would his armor be silver or gold? Most didn't mix them as her mate did.

Amelia had decorative wear too, but not like a Yautja. She had her usual plain sack dress but dyed a deep blue. Val'jek had a belt made for her, a soft leather with a silken fabric cover sewn over it. The silver fabric was adorned with an amber colored gem. The oval cut gem was set in a silver frame and hid the hooks securing the belt in place.

She had spent an hour fiddling with her hair to get it clipped in a pleasing coiffure. It took almost as long to create the curled locks framing her face and dangling down her neck. Yautja didn't care if her hair was pinned up, but it was a feeling of rightness. Val'jek dressed up so she wanted to look nice beside him.

Her mate looked over her new hairstyle.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

"How did you make it stay in this shape?" He chirped and his claw brushed a curl.

"I raided your lab." She flushed with the admission.

"I was not aware my lab was equipped to modify Ooman hair." He trilled, amused, as his fingers trailed down her neck.

"I used your small beakers as curling irons, and a dab of that medicine goop to make it stay in place."

"Curling iron." His pronunciation was off.

She explained the wonders of the human invention and he nodded.

"It looks pretty, very feminine and Ooman." He clicked then added, "and formal." He was a man covering all his bases in case he offended.

"But do you like it?" She couldn't help her smile.

He considered her and took a step back to look her over from head to toe. "Yes."

Her smile broadened and she blushed like a school girl getting her first compliment.

"I believe it will complement your present well." His mandibles widened with a slight flutter and tipped up.

She had a present for him too but it wasn't ready. She was going to present it to him after their family dinner. Val'jek and Mah'sic didn't quite grasp the concept of a going away party. The banquet was essentially that, but Amelia wanted to have a private dinner for family and close friends. That was if either male could be bothered to invite anyone, otherwise it was just dinner.

Val'jek disappeared in his lab and returned with a small storage unit. It was tied in a lopsided bow with one of her hair ribbons.

She stood a little straighter and he presented the gift with both hands.

"Thank you, Val'jek." She accepted the gift and pulled on the bow.

"I have been trying to get you one for many months, but the crafter never produced one worthy enough." His back stood erect but his head tilted forward to watch her. "If you do not like it, I will have another made."

"I'm sure I'll like it," she assured. Her mate was getting good at picking presents and if she didn't like it, she would pretend. The thought was more important.

She opened the lid and was surprised to see a metal face staring up at her.

"Wow," she breathed. It was a silver mask inlaid with gold accents and symbols similar to Val'jek's.

"Do you like it?" He stepped closer, pressing against her side with his warm abdomen and cool armor.

"It's beautiful." She ran her hand over the almost human face. The expression was serious, penetrating with the hint of a secret knowledge. The mouth was similar to Val'jek's mask but without such a pronounced protrusion. Golden symbols linked together made up the eyebrows.

"Will you wear it to the banquet?"

"It's wearable?" She looked up at him, surprised.

"Of course." He clicked with amusement. "It has only minor functionality since you have no mandibles." He took the shining face from the box and showed her the underside.

The inside frame was soft leather and a video screen appeared where the eyes were. He used a long black claw to touch a symbol on the edge of the mask. The screen lit up and he pressed several more times, cycling through colors and vision settings.

"Wow," she repeated. It was like his own mask.

"It is not for combat with external buttons, but perhaps you will enjoy it on research planets. It has a short range comm and a positioning system." Val'jek showed her all the settings and buttons that doubled as discreet decorations.

"This is amazing." She experimented with the buttons.

"Try it on," he insisted.

Amelia fit the snug mask to her face. She had to hold it and realized she had no idea how it was supposed to stay.

Val'jek fiddled with the sides of her mask and she felt him hook soft leather behind her ears. She dropped her hand and the mask remained secure. Looking up at Val'jek, she saw him as a red blob. Laughing she reached out to touch him. His hand covered hers as she stroked his head ridges.

"It will translate for you too," he said in his native language and a rasping computerized voice repeated it in English. Text appeared on the screen in both languages.

"Does it cook breakfast too?" She mused, but was grateful to have a translator for the banquet. Now she didn't need to beg a favor from Raz'ha.

She fiddled with the buttons, experimenting with the visions. "Best present ever. Thank you." She reached up to kiss him but only smashed her mask into his mandibles.

He trilled, setting her back a step and rubbed his left mandibles.

"Sorry." She fumbled with the ear hooks and tugged the mask off her face.

He trilled again and lifted her in his arms. "You are my honor and my heart." His mandibles caressed her cheeks and jaw.

"I love you too." With her feet dangling in the air, she wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed around his mouth. "Do we have time for a proper thank you?"

His chest rumbled a purr. "We must be punctual. I am being honored with my hunt brothers."

"Then you better put me down." She rubbed the underside of his chin.

"After the banquet?" He rumbled again.

"Of course," she murmured, giving him several more kisses.

He slowly let her slide down his armor. "Let us go now."

She nodded, straightening her dress.

"Thank you again." She looked over the decorative face of her mask.

Her mate puffed up with pride. "You are welcome."

#

She forced her legs to widen her stride and keep up with her mate. A tremor made her knees wobble but she didn't ask him to slow down as they pushed through a throng of Yautja.

"It is all right." Val'jek's claws squeezed her arm gently.

"I know." It wasn't all right. They hadn't even made it into the dining hall before a warrior challenged her mate.

The warrior hadn't been large but he made up for the fault with numerous battle scars.

Amelia had caught his eye across a hall. Before the warrior moved she knew what was coming. He stalked toward them, his mandibles flaring at her. The warrior hadn't bothered with a taunt, shoving her mate's shoulder. The rough gesture had made her mate take a step back and growl.

Val'jek had nudged her aside, out of the way. Then he accepted the challenge with a rough shove of his own.

Right in the hall, they circled each other and proceeded to fight hand-to-hand.

Amelia's heart nearly pounded out of her chest as they swung, dodged and landed hits on each other. More Yautja gathered, purring and roaring encouragement at the spectacle. A few trilled at her and approached, but she refused to make eye contact.

No one ever touched her in the challenges and her mate was never seriously injured. It seemed unfathomable that anyone could beat her mate after she watched him kill a Kainde Amedha queen. Still, she couldn't help thinking it was only a matter of time. She didn't know what would happen if her mate lost.

She was uneasy, despite Val'jek's assurances that it was safe.

The fight was rather short, much to the crowd's disappointment. Her mate landed a solid kick to his challenger's abdomen and sent him into the far wall. The warrior groaned and slumped on the floor for a moment. He struggled to his feet but it was too late. He had been on the floor and that alone made him the loser.

Her mate, the winner, received trills and nods from other warriors. He had collected her and led her to the next hall as if all was normal. She wanted to ask if he was all right, but it was a sign of disrespect in the public setting. He looked all right, walking tall and swiftly. She resigned herself to silence.

Wandering the ship wasn't that bad on an ordinary day. She could walk by herself, unhindered, to a number of places and most other places Mah'sic could escort her. He wasn't blooded, and not real protection from a fight, but he was an effective deterrent simply by being a Yautja.

The added challenges were about her species attending a sacred ceremony like an equal. When not all Yautja were invited her presence was insult to injury.

Amelia could agree that she didn't belong at Yautja ceremonies. She was an outsider and the events weren't spiritually important to her, but Val'jek insisted. Her mate was important to her, so she grit her teeth and put on a brave face for as long as she could manage.

She forced her thoughts in a new direction before she crumbled in a ball of nerves. Her mind jumped to Val'jek's impending departure. Tomorrow might be the last time she ever saw her mate. Amelia shook off those thoughts quickly and settled on a benign topic to distract herself.

The dining hall was not called a "dining hall." It was some word with half a dozen syllables and two and a half clicks she couldn't mimic. She couldn't skip them either because then she was saying something insulting about reproductive organs.

Mah'sic and Raz'ha found her attempts amusing but she had grown frustrated with their trills and clicks. She was going to simply say "food room" in the Yautja language. That was much simpler and required no clicks.

Val'jek's hand brushed the small of her back, in an affectionate gesture, as they entered. "You are distracted."

"I can't say dining hall." She forced a shrug, taking in the large room filled with a dozen long formal tables in two neat rows. Nearly fifty Yautja dressed in ceremonial armor crowded the room. Walls were lined with the more prominent trophies like small shrines. In the center a large pit, filled with scented logs, waited to be set ablaze during the festivities.

"It is not a dining hall," her mate corrected, leading her through a group of Yautja warriors. Most clicked as she passed. Several bowed their heads to her mate and he nodded in return. He was formal, and in an odd way comfortable, as the large reptilian-like humanoids parted for him.

"What is it then?" She hoped there was food because she hadn't eaten dinner under the assumption that banquets meant food. The half a dozen other banquets she attended had food.

"It is the ceremony banquet hall. We do not take casual meals here." He directed her toward the very front.

"Where are we going?" She dragged her feet. They usually sat one table down the line, with the Elders.

"To the Table of Honor," he said.

She didn't know what that was.

Her mate growled at an unblood in their path. The shorter brown Yautja jumped and scrambled out of the way with two different stuttered apologies. After gawking at her, the unblood belatedly bowed his head.

Her mate directed her to the last table which was piled high with food. The giant chairs surrounding the table were devoid of Yautja but decorated with skulls. Worry settled in her belly as he pulled out a chair for her.

"We're sitting here?" she asked dumbly. "Isn't this the female table?" She had seen males sit at the table from time to time but it was rare. She didn't want to sit here.

"It is the Table of Honor. The banquet honors our mission so those on the mission sit at the table." He was irritated. "You wish to meet The High Priestess, yes?"

She nodded, staring at the high backed seat with an animal skull adorning the top. It was oddly shaped with a dome head and one hole in the center.

"Sit." Val'jek lifted her into the seat and her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Her feet didn't reach the floor in the massive chair.

"Where'd the skull come from?" She craned her neck to see the macabre decoration.

He spared the skull a glance and clicked thoughtfully. "From a Magok. They are small mammals but deadly. It stumbled upon me while I was hunting larger prey." He shrugged. "It had a nice skull."

"Of course." Because all chairs are adorned with presentable skulls. She bit her lip.

Her mate took his seat beside her. The chair was designed for a female and large even for Val'jek. A Yautja skull adorned the top of his chair and she assumed it was a Bad Blood Val'jek had slain. It gave her the creeps.

Amelia scanned the room, trying to find Mah'sic or Raz'ha. Unfortunately, they couldn't sit together without disrupting the pecking order. Once the dinner formalities were over they could socialize with Raz'ha but Mah'sic would be busy with duties.

"There's Mah'sic," she said.

Val'jek clicked a distracted acknowledgment.

Mah'sic was conversing with several other unbloods near the table by the door. His armor was decorative but plain with only a few symbols on his mask. A few skulls were draped around his neck.

The closer to the door, the lower rank the Yautja. Small groups of unbloods were cycled through banquets and ceremonies to learn proper etiquette. The young Yautja were seated at the lowest ranking table but were excited simply to be in the room.

Searching for Raz'ha, she craning her neck to see around two Yautja who blocked her view.

"What is the Ooman doing?" one asked, in the Yautja language.

She jerked and stopped leaning over to look up at the speaker. He appeared amused, which was good for her health but not her pride.

"Looking around your ugly face," the other Yautja said in English.

The first huffed but let the insult pass.

"Ramsee, Lukis." Val'jek nodded to them and they bowed. Her mate made introductions.

"Pretty Ooman," Lukis said. It was a generic greeting she received from time to time. It wasn't personal, like between humans, but a friendly word from a Yautja who didn't understand English.

"Greetings," she said using their language. She bowed her head and looked to her mate for her cue.

He shook his head. They were just warriors then and no other formalities were required.

"Lukis does not speak your language, but he has a translator." Her mate pat her shoulder as Lukis took the seat across from him.

"I speak perfect English, and I will sit beside you so Bosch does not." Ramsee clicked his mandibles together with amusement and Amelia noticed the bottom left one was missing a tusk.

"Bosch?" she asked, following his conversation prompt.

"Ornery old warrior, not much for conversation." Ramsee pat her shoulder, mimicking her mate's gesture.

She flushed, unaccustomed to random touching from strange Yautja. Her mate grunted at the male and clicked a nonverbal warning.

Ramsee leaned back and trilled. "Pardon."

She smiled, feeling the knot of tension ease. Dinner beside the warrior would not be as awkward as with the Elders.

The table filled out with two other warriors that Val'jek introduced and they gave her surveying glances but few words.

Small talk with Ramsee was cut short when her mate stood, followed by everyone else. She struggled out of her massive chair. Seeing everyone bow their heads, she quickly did the same as a hush fell over the room.

Amelia heard a parade of footsteps drawing closer, signifying The High Priestess and her entourage were moving closer.

Hoping no one noticed, she stole a glance at the High Priestess and her entourage of Priestesses. It wasn't the first time she had seen her but Amelia still felt a sense of awe. The High Priestesses was taller than her priestesses, more than a head taller than Val'jek. Her ceremonial armor was a sold gold color encrusted with dozens of green gems. Her skin was darker than Val'jek's too, even on her underside which was a dark brown. The armor was a stark contrast against the mottled black spots all over her skin. Most Yautja Amelia had seen were green or tan, not nearly so dark.

She took deep, even breaths. Female Yautja were more intimidating than their male counterparts. On top of growing taller than the men they were heavier. They also didn't speak English, at all. Females were a class above males in most cases, which didn't seem to bother Val'jek. He was an Elder, though. The only people higher in the pecking order than her mate were Priestesses.

She was the bottom rung. A pet. She got the impression that trophies ranked higher than her. Females often looked at her with disdain and irritation. Her mate protected her, but it was a frightening thing to see a female posture with aggression. No female ever took up a challenge with her mate over her presence, though Val'jek issued many. She wasn't sure why because males had often enough.

She was counting the minutes until some younger male shoved her mate while snarling at her. If females were superior, they should be lining up to challenge him.

The procession stopped at the table. An authoritative female voice said, "sit."

Chairs scraped as the entire room sat down. Val'jek held her arm and helped her back in the chair.

Another female voice chirped something about a "suckling" and a "chair." Amelia didn't need to understand the rest to know it was directed at her.

Laughter and trills of amusement went down the table as heat bloomed in her cheeks. She was the child sitting at the adult table. Her mate pat her shoulder, which should have reassured her but just made her embarrassment worse.

"Disrespect at my table?" The authoritative voice snarled from the other side of Val'jek and Amelia straightened.

Her stomach hit the floor and she instinctively reached for her mate. She knew it was a bad idea to sit at the Table of Honor. Her mate might get that female challenge tonight after all. That was assuming The High Priestess didn't jettison them out of an airlock.

"You," The High Priestesses said.

Her pulse pounded in her ears and she dared to look up. The High Priestess wasn't looking at her but a female across the table.

"Stand." The High Priestess ordered.

The tan and yellow female bowed her head and stood. The room almost sizzled with anticipation and The High Priestess barked something she didn't understand. It was rude to wear the mask at the table and Val'jek offered no translation.

"Pardon High Priestess." Properly cowed, the female gave a lengthy apology but Amelia only understood a few words.

"To the Ooman," The High Priestess voice raised so slightly in pitch and Amelia flinched.

"The Ooman, High Priestess?" The Yautja female was appalled and shocked with sagging mandibles.

"To the guest at my table." The High Priestess stood and everyone followed suit. "Sit!"

Everyone sat and Amelia wanted to curl up and hide beneath the table.

"You disrespect guests at my table and you disrespect me." The High Priestess paused. "I do not tolerate disrespect."

Val'jek's claw squeezed her thigh beneath the table as she pieced together the rapid reprimand.

"Pardon, Ooman. No disrespect." The Priestess's words were tense and the room remained in silence.

Her mate nudged her and Amelia looked at him with dismay. She didn't know what to do. The female didn't speak English.

"Ooman, do you accept?" The High Priestess pinned her with a hard stare and tense mandibles.

Amelia squirmed and nodded. "Yes. No harm done."

Val'jek immediately translated her words into something more formal. "The transgression is forgiven." He pinned the Priestess with a glare of his own. "By Amelia."

The female moved to retake her seat but stopped at the rude noise from The High Priestess.

"Sit with the unbloods." The High Priestess pointed to the door. "They too learn respectful behavior at ceremonies."

Amelia quaked in her chair under the female's venomous glare.

The room watched the high ranked female walk with stiff outrage through the hall. The unbloods shuffled, making room for the female with nervous glances. She was seated and The High Priestess looked over the room.

"Eat," she ordered and took her seat.

Chatter started as plates were filled. The females at the Table of Honor all chirped and laughed.

"Raina will be furious for many cycles," one said.

"Now she faces her offspring as equals," another trilled and more comments were shared but she picked out only a few words. It was enough to discern that they were gossiping.

"Who was that?" She felt sick as Val'jek piled food on her plate.

"Priestess Raina. " Her mate poured her a green drink. "Mah'sic's bearer."

Poor Mah'sic. She inadvertently sent him the woman who publicly belittled him.

"Mah'sic—"

"Will be fine." He squeezed her leg again. "Eat."

She blanched. In order to give Val'jek a son, the priestess had slept with her mate. How had he found such a venomous female appealing?

"I am going to more banquets if you are in attendance." Ramsee chirped, elbowing her in a friendly shove that hurt quite a bit.

"That was mortifying." She rubbed her abused arm.

"Nonsense. Priestess Raina is offensive." Ramsee really did speak perfect English.

"Where did you learn English?" she asked.

"Here and there." The warrior was being obtuse with a flutter of mandibles and a tilt to his head.

Ramsee actively made small talk through the meal and Amelia felt her unease lighten. It was nice being able to speak to a stranger. The warrior was amusing and friendly while Val'jek was able to have a conversation without translating everything going on at the table.

Once the meal was finished The High Priestess made a short speech, praising Val'jek and the warriors under him. Val'jek said a few words that couldn't quite be called a speech. The High Priestess chose a lucky unblood to light the bonfire and the giant aliens mingled casually. Tables were moved and c'ntlip was served by unbloods, who were not permitted to partake.

Several fights broke out before musicians entered and dancing started.

Val'jek made formal introductions to The High Priestess as Amelia slipped on her mask. Nervous, she made sure to bow and keep her eyes lowered. She recited the Yautja praise that she could muster and bowed again.

"Enough." The High Priestess flicked her wrist. "Greetings, Ooman."

"Greetings, High Priestess."

"Do you miss your home?" The High Priestess tilted her head.

"Sometimes," Amelia admitted.

The High Priestess nodded and the silence grew awkward.

"I have heard your offspring, Honored Warrior Cov'o, is a skilled warrior," Amelia said.

The High Priestess flicked a sharp look at Val'jek, stiffening. He stiffened too.

"He is." The High Priestess clicked.

There was something to the story, Amelia could feel it in her gut. There was no dragging it out of the highest ranked female however. She had to find a different path and already knew where she wanted to start.

Val'jek steered the conversation away from Cov'o and Amelia returned her attention to Ramsee, who was happy to chat for a while.

"I see Raz'ha," she said spotting the tall green Yautja in his usual armor. It was as practical as ever, sporting a few more scratches from his daily sparring.

Val'jek was wrapped up in conversation with another Priestess. Her mate nodded and looked to Ramsee. "Escort my mate to Honored Warrior Raz'ha of the Saracen Clan."

The warrior bowed and placed a hand on her shoulder with a formal flourish.

#

Raz'ha nodded and made polite clicks of interest at Elder Mur, who was droning on about the necessity of firm tactics in clan negotiations. The gray haired elder was preening with the victory of securing an invitation to the ceremony.

These mission events were private, a small festival of well wishing and praising of the gods before warriors hunted. Raz'ha had planned to decline Elder Val'jek's invitation, fearing the wrong impression was given if he attended. Then Elder Mur threatened exile if he declined.

It was interesting to see the Taurens' take on customs, but Elder Mur was monopolizing all his time.

He had a nagging suspicion Elder Val'jek was meddling further in his clan affairs but Elder Mur would never admit to help from an outsider.

"Honored Warrior Raz'ha of Saracen Clan?" a Tauren warrior greeted, cutting off Elder Mur from his preening. The Elder growled but the warrior was nonchalant. The warrior, who Raz'ha recognized from the dining hall with Val'jek, bowed.

Raz'ha bowed in return. He started to introduce the Elder but the warrior pulled Amelia forward and presented her formally, claws dwarfing her narrow shoulders.

A ceremonial mask peered up at him and she waved in greeting. Raz'ha was impressed by the careful blend of Yautja and Ooman features. He was also starkly aware of his own plain armor beside the Ooman's ceremonial garb. He had nothing to trade for a presentable wardrobe and previously no time to work for one.

"I present Elder Val'jek's pet, Amelia," the warrior said but it was Elder Mur that grabbed his attention.

The Elder stepped up to Amelia and leaned in close with a snort. He looked the Ooman over with a critical eye, appearing tall beside her small stature.

Raz'ha pushed closer, disliking the rude gesture his Elder was making. He clicked but the Elder ignored him.

With his meaty claw, the Elder picked up a lock of her hair unnaturally curled hair.

She leaned away, looking to Raz'ha for answers. He moved to intervene.

"Do not touch Elder Val'jek's pet. It is forbidden." The Tauren warrior snatched her hair from the Elder and put it back in place, making Amelia wince.

Elder Mur stepped back but snarled. "Is that a challenge, pup?"

The warrior puffed his chest.

"No challenge," Amelia said with a forced grunt that was meek at best. She turned to the warrior behind her, trembling and smelling of fear. "Get on with the formalities."

"It is my duty, Honored Warrior Raz'ha, to leave Elder Val'jek's pet, Amelia into your safe keeping. May your honor guide you." The warrior growled and clicked the words rapidly, skipping half the required statement.

"I accept Amelia." He physically took her under his arm. It was the way of passing along prized goods and loans. The process was absurd when discussing a mate, but he admitted respect for the extra layer of protection.

The warrior bowed without farewell and stalked away.

"This is the Ooman pet?" Elder Mur moved closer and she pressed against Raz'ha's side.

"Elder Mur, this is Amelia, Elder Val'jek's mate and pet." He clicked with uncertainty and Amelia bowed her head.

"It is an honor, Elder." She bowed and kept her chin tilted down in submission. Her formal greeting was impeccable and Raz'ha was impressed.

Elder Mur cocked his head, unimpressed. "It speaks like us."

"And I understand you." She looked his way but he couldn't see her expression through the mask. "You enjoy the ceremony, Elder Mur?" Her words weren't grammatically correct but understandable.

"How is it a pet is welcomed here so easily?" The Elder ignored her and looked his way as well.

"Elder Val'jek is well respected and I imagine she causes little trouble." Raz'ha brought her a fraction closer. This was dangerous territory he was treading. Amelia was in his care, as if he was Val'jek, and any insult toward his mate was met with a challenge.

Elder Mur was an Elder of his clan. The cankerous warrior could strip his rank or make his life miserable in a number of other ways. Raz'ha wasn't certain he was skilled enough to take on Elder Mur. The Elder had nearly as many stories of challenges and battles to his reputation as Val'jek.

Raz'ha needed to stage a strategic retreat, before the old brute said something neither could back away from.

"Little is accurate. How does the Elder mount such a weak creature without causing death?" Elder Mur stepped closer again, reaching for her.

"Elder Mur." He growled a warning, pulling Amelia out of his reach. She complied without complaint and her cold fingers curled around his wrist.

The Elder snarled and flared his mandibles and Raz'ha knew a challenge was imminent.

"Pardon, Elder Mur?" A Tauren blooded warrior pressed closer and bowed.

Raz'ha recognized Cov'o instantly and was grateful for the warrior's timing.

"Who are you?" The Elder's eyes were locked on Raz'ha.

"My bearer, that is, The High Priestess sent me to deliver a message." Cov'o stood closer, casting a curious glance at Amelia. "Greetings Honored Warrior." The Tauren didn't take his eyes off her, despite addressing him.

"Greetings, Honored Warrior Cov'o." Raz'ha shifted slightly to better defend his Ooman charge from the newcomer.

"Cov'o?" she murmured with interest and nudged him with her elbow. It was Ooman code for something that he didn't understand.

"The message?" Elder Mur gave Cov'o his full attention, taking the warrior's measure.

"After considering Elder Val'jek's petition, on behalf of Honored Warrior Raz'ha, she invites High Priestess of Saracen Clan to a meeting, tomorrow, for the last meal." It was not the first message errand the warrior had delivered to speak flawless formalities and titles.

Elder Mur was surprised, his mandibles fluttering, and he directed his questioning look at Raz'ha.

He was more surprised than the Elder. Yes, he had made the request, along with half a dozen others that Val'jek denied. Raz'ha hadn't expected the turn of events any more than Elder Mur. His debt to Val'jek was ever increasing.

"Tell High Priestess of Tauren Clan that High Priestess of Saracen Clan accepts the invitation." Elder Mur puffed with pride. "I will inform her immediately."

They exchanged formal farewells with Elder Mur, but the warrior remained.

"Will you not introduce your charge, warrior?" Cov'o looked Raz'ha's intended mate over from head to toe.

Chapter 11

Raz'ha was tempted to deny the Tauren. His position as Amelia's mate was not official until a mating ceremony was performed. With Elder Val'jek still in residence, any warrior could usurp his position by winning her favor. To look her over so thoroughly, the Tauren warrior wanted something.

"My name, Amelia," she said in broken Yautja words, giving Raz'ha no choice in the matter.

"Honored Warrior Cov'o." The Tauren gave a deep bow.

The surprising show of respect made Raz'ha uneasy. Most Yautja gave her courtesy at best, as required by Elder Val'jek, but not a show of genuine respect.

Stepping away from his arm, she mimicked the bow.

"Do you understand English?" she asked.

"I have a translator." The Tauren nodded, scratching the side of his head where translators were implanted. It was new if it still itched.

"We should move along," Raz'ha prompted. A new translator, and the warrior's sudden interest in Amelia, made him suspicious. If Cov'o wasn't pursuing mating then the Tauren pursued his vendetta against Mah'sic. He wanted to challenge the Tauren, but Ooman females did not like violence.

"Not yet." She stood her ground. The uncertainty she expressed with other Yautja encounters had gone from her body language. Her anxious scent remained the same.

Raz'ha dragged her small frame back to his side, locking his arm around her shoulders. Whatever game the two were playing, he wanted her in his grasp.

"You look very much like your father," she told the Tauren.

"Do you think so?" The Tauren looked taken aback. Cov'o flicked a glance at the Table of Honor, where Val'jek remained alone with The High Priestess.

Raz'ha frowned. Of course the warrior looked like his sire.

"Yes and he speaks very highly of you." Her voice was assertive and a little triumphant.

She was scheming something and he did not like it. Raz'ha squeezed her shoulder briefly, but she ignored him.

The Tauren warrior puffed up with pride, on the verge of preening.

"Amelia," Raz'ha warned. No words came to mind with only vague suspicions to guide him.

"I hear your bearer is exceptionally proud as well, as are the other Priestesses," she pressed the warrior.

The Tauren looked her over again, as if reevaluating her. Surely Cov'o sensed that the Ooman was leading him in some female game. No seasoned warrior was that daft.

"They expressed pride, yes." The Tauren's chest deflated with the rise of his wary mandibles.

"With reason. You are skilled with a combistick." Raz'ha hoped to smooth over whatever Amelia was about to say. An Ooman could not realize how close to a challenge they were. He would happily take on the Tauren warrior, but she would not like it.

"Mah'sic said as much after you two sparred." She spoke her lie evenly. Her head rose and tilted back in a decidedly unfriendly gesture. All warriors understood the move, but Amelia must have not realized that. Oomans appeared to be verbal where Yautja used body language to communicate.

"Paya, help me." He realized belatedly that he had pushed the Tauren into her trap.

"The unblood-" Cov'o started.

"Mah'sic," she corrected, inching forward in another small, but aggressive, gesture.

The Tauren looked to him for help and Raz'ha shrugged, irritated. When Cov'o didn't immediately challenge her behavior, the younger warrior gave up all his ground. Now they all knew the Tauren wasn't going to insult Val'jek's mate, and she clearly used the knowledge to her advantage.

Raz'ha felt simultaneous relief and irritation at avoiding a challenge in front of Amelia. He wanted to prove he was a worthy mate, but Oomans did not mate that way.

"You are fond of the- of Mah'sic." The Tauren chose his words with long deliberation.

"As is Val'jek," she added with brazen disdain.

"You are threatening me." The warrior stepped closer with his hand raised, as if to hush her.

Raz'ha shifted her back into a defensible position and growled. He clicked a warning and clenched his fists to keep them from issuing a challenge.

"It is a warning." She lifted her chin, provoking the warrior and near inviting a challenge.

He chirped. Did she want a challenge then? Raz'ha fumbled with indecision. To challenge when she did not wish it was foolish. To flee when she desired a match was cowardly.

"The rumors are true then." The Tauren straightened to look down at her. "You do hold sway over my sire. Will you ask him to challenge me, or will your Saracen be the one?" He flicked a glance at Raz'ha then back to her.

He straightened and prepared to challenge the Tauren. It was better to be foolish than a coward.

"Does it matter?" She sought shelter at his side. Her small hand gripped his arm and her scent grew pungent with fear. Her swift change gave him pause.

Amelia could not desire a challenge because she was faking her female superiority. He grumbled with irritation.

"It is best we part ways here." Raz'ha bowed to the Tauren, and ushered her to the side for a hasty exit. If her ploy was to work, the Tauren must not see her as weak or frightened.

The warrior stalked them, forcing them to stop.

Raz'ha growled a warning, but the Tauren gave only a minor pause.

"The unblood uses an Ooman to fight his battles." Cov'o leaned in close to her masked face. "What has he done that is worth your loyalty?"

Amelia held her ground, despite the tremors in her hands, but gave no answer. She looked at the Tauren's face for a long moment. Her mask was disconcerting, hiding her expression behind a beautiful mixture of Ooman and Yautja facial features.

The Tauren warrior clicked his displeasure, shifting with obvious dicomfort.

"You're jealous of him," she accused too loudly.

The Tauren jerked back a step and clicked a quick denial.

"You are." She pressed closer.

The Tauren retreated, as if she was Cetanu, coming to claim him in dishonor.

"The unblood is weak. I am not jealous of that." Cov'o clicked, standing upright with indignation and Raz'ha knew Amelia had the right of it.

"But you're jealous of something he has." She was aggressive as a Kainde Amedha moving in for the kill.

"No," the Tauren insisted. His eyes darted to the Table of Honor, then narrowed on Amelia.

She looked to Elder Val'jek at the table and lowered her chin. "He is proud of you."

Cov'o snorted but then straightened, cutting off any more telling responses. "You are correct, Honored Warrior Raz'ha. It is best we part ways here." The Tauren bowed to him and then Amelia.

They both bowed in return and the Tauren turned to leave.

"Wait," she called, following. The Tauren turned to look at her. "Come to dinner with us."

"What?" The Tauren's mandibles tightened with distrust.

"It's for Val'jek, a private going away dinner, tomorrow. I would like for you to join us." Her hands wrapped around Raz'ha's forearm and she looked up at the Tauren.

"If Elder Val'jek wanted me in attendance, he would have extended the invitation." The Tauren distanced himself once more.

"I am hosting it. It's a human thing," she persisted.

The Tauren shrugged a shoulder with indecision.

"I will inform Val'jek that you're coming. Escort me to him." She approached Cov'o, who started to shrink back. "Please," she added, but it wasn't really a request.

Amelia wanted to press the warrior, and Raz'ha felt the first sliver of amusement watching her verbal sparring.

"Don't worry about challenges. I'll fake a fainting spell and my mate will come to the rescue." She inclined her head with respect.

She was faking her confidence. The room full of Yautja made her muscles tense and scent change. Raz'ha supposed most Yautja didn't know what a calm Ooman female smelled like, and may not have noticed the difference.

Cov'o looked her over before relenting.

"Now, let's rescue Val'jek. He's looking annoyed by your mother," she said.

The Elder didn't look annoyed to him, but he walked beside her anyway. Cov'o led them to the Table of Honor. Whatever aggression she harbored dissipated and she moved closer to the Tauren warrior companionably. Raz'ha didn't like it.

"Are all Oomans like you?" the Tauren asked, still cautious.

"We're as individual as Yautja." Her mask tilted up in Raz'ha's direction to look at him.

He nodded an acknowledgment, though he did not know the meaning of her look.

"Do they smell like you?" The warrior asked.

Raz'ha clicked a warning that the Tauren acknowledged with a respectful click. Now he knew why Val'jek clicked at him so often. It was unnerving to speculate about unsatisfactory outcomes of Amelia's encounters with other Yautja.

"I'm not sure. We can't smell as well as you. It's possible but that's a question for Val'jek or Mah'sic." She shrugged.

"I understand." The Tauren guided them around the dancing Yautja. "Are other Oomans receptive to mating my species?"

Raz'ha clicked, indecisive. Did the Tauren have an interest in Oomans, or Amelia? He couldn't tell.

"It would take some convincing. We're a little slow on the alien species thing. Most people don't realize there are advanced races similar to us." She looked up at the warrior. "Are you in the market for a permanent mate?"

"Permanent? No." Cov'o shook his head. "An experience, perhaps. There is much fuss about Oomans between your elevated status and the hunting ban on your home world. I consider another type of hunt."

"Hunting ban?" Amelia looked at him over her shoulder.

Raz'ha had not heard of it either but he didn't much care. The Tauren wanted to rut and he understood rutting warriors. There was no consideration of permanent mates and any willing female would suffice.

"You did not hear?" The Tauren shook his head again. "The Matriarch has banned all hunts on the Ooman home world while she considers a petition to make it permanent."

"Do you think it will be permanent?" She sounded hopeful.

"No, but it won't matter. We still hunt off world settlements and we will create preserves if need be. The true hardship will be the clans who have seeded the planet with Kainde Amedha," The Tauren said.

#

Val'jek kept one eye on his mate as he bickered with The High Priestess Ellika. They were alone at the table and able to speak freely for the first time that night.

"If you did not antagonize Raina with your pet she would not be so hostile." Ellika clicked at him when he didn't respond. "You bring dissent to ceremonies by parading around a pet as if it was one of us."

"They bring their irrational racism. It is their disgrace, not mine." Distracted, he watched his mate beside Raz'ha and the Saracen Elder, Mur.

"It is an Ooman. Your wall is lined with them, Elder Val'jek." Ellika growled, drawing his attention wit her spread mandibles. "You are a hypocrite."

"Our society is hypocritical. We force males to endanger their lives in order to gain status. While females may remain on the clan ship, safe. The laziest female is born superior to the hardest working male." He growled back at her. "Females have long since grown lax in their abilities. Worse, we have a generation believing this is acceptable."

"Is that what the Ooman is about, your political agenda?" Ellika snorted. "The Priestesses will be inclined to listen if you ceased with the Ooman nonsense."

"Amelia is my mate." He clicked a warning.

Ellika straightened. "I should not have allowed you to keep it."

"You owed me." It was a fact. She owed him a great deal more too.

She nodded at that.

"I would have challenged you for her." He kept his voice and expression even, but it was necessary to make The High Priestess understand his stance on the matter.

"You were made Elder because you used violence as a last resort and kept your honor all the same. Now you take every look and word as a challenge." She looked him up and down. "This is not your way."

"I learned that those pauking weak minded Yautja cannot be bothered with reason." He growled in irritation. "Their way has garnered more favorable results."

"You are as difficult as a sulking suckling." The High Priestess hissed with exasperation, then straightened with tension. "Pardon, I meant only-"

"I know what you meant." His claws clenched with the sudden anger.

"Cov'o-"

"Don't you speak his name to me," he hissed.

"I did not do it to harm you," she hissed back. "It was not about you."

"It wasn't about the pup either," he leaned closer, to hide his anger from lingering Yautja. "You did not consider him, only your own wants."

"Why must you harbor this grudge? He has become a fine warrior. You have Mah'sic to take his place, and now an Ooman too, because you will not settle." She turned away from the crowd as well.

"You cannot replace one bond with another. They are separate and you know it, Ellika." The obtuse rhetoric, from her of all females, made his mandibles spread with outrage.

"It cannot be undone. We made a deal and we all live with those consequences." She straightened with regal dismissal.

Val'jek gave a grudging nod. The High Priestess was correct and he was as guilty, if not more so, in the disgraceful debacle.

"Now explain why you bring the Taurens to me when they have no use." She shrugged off the tension and sipped her c'ntlip.

"Because they struggle." He shrugged too, but the tension did not ease. "And they have something I want."

She glared at him for the admission.

"I am honest in my dealings. Can you say the same of your other Elders and Priestesses?" He scowled. "Of yourself?"

"What do they have?" She ignored his prodding. "They are inefficient, weak and verging on going rogue."

"The Honored Warrior Raz'ha."

The High Priestess tilted her head. "I have granted your request. The Taurens cannot block the transfer."

"The warrior is loyal to Saracens, but I struck a deal. If I soften you toward their alliance agreement, an Elder will give me the warrior."

"And you complain about sexism and racism while trading my time for a warrior. Our clan is not your personal bazaar." She clicked. "You are no better."

"It is a fair trade. I recommend aid for the clan regardless and the warrior would likely come on his own. He is pleased with my mate." It wasn't cheating if he was only speeding up the outcome.

"And if I refuse to soften to their plight?" She rolled her eyes.

"Then you cast off a struggling clan. You condemn them to eventual extinction, or worse, Bad Blood." He caught her eye. "They can be pulled back from this calamity."

"There are rumors that they are bad bloods already. Someone has been poaching preserves of other clans and Taurens are suspect." She leaned back, giving the matter thought.

"So are half a dozen other clans and they all have two things in common. They changed leadership in the last full cycle and they all struggle to survive." He was exasperated with the matter. His race favored progression but hated change.

"Do not preach to me." She clicked with irritation. "Tell me of your impression, in truth."

"The warrior is honorable but confused about the way of flourishing clans." He chose his words with care knowing a clan's future depended on this conversation. The meeting between High Priestesses meant little to Ellika. She would enter the meeting with her decision made.

"He was instructed by Bad Bloods," she hissed with indignation.

"Unproven." Under her glare, he clicked. "The clan has overthrown their former leaders and the warrior is worthy, dependable. His time with my mate has proven he is open to change."

"But he is not an Elder. You have proven how little his opinion matters, if you trade my time for him." She chirped with a knowing scowl on her dark features.

"Elder Mur is abominable. Rude." He grunted. "There is no sign of Bad Blood but he is desperate for an alliance. He will sacrifice much to keep his clan alive." Val'jek didn't like the insufferable Elder but he would do well with Ellika.

"But do they have anything to offer? I cannot face the Elders and Priestesses with a questionable clan out of pure charity, not even for you, Val'jek." She tilted her head, considering him.

"They are desperate. Demand their sucklings if that is your wish." He hissed in frustration.

"I command you to let go of the past." She glared at him.

He grunted and shook his head.

"We were close once." She softened. "I considered you for my consort."

"If you had convinced me, perhaps it would have been different." Before Cov'o's existence, he would have been pleased with such a prospect.

"Could I convince you now?" She looked uncertain for a moment, reminding him of the timid Priestess she had once been. He had been close to her then.

"I am happy with my mate." He didn't need to consider her offer.

"If you weren't?" Ellika pressed, evaluating him with her keen yellow eyes.

He clicked thoughtfully. "I cannot forget past transgressions. Yours or mine."

She nodded and looked over the dancing Yautja. "I will insist Raina cease with your pet."

Val'jek nodded as well. "Mah'sic will train with the Saracens. I will have him compile a report for you."

"If neither of you return, what shall I do with your warrior and your pet?" she asked.

"Protect them." If he did not return, Raz'ha would ensure Amelia's happiness. He would need Ellika's protection to keep an Ooman however.

"You have my word." She clicked and gave a slight nod.

"And so you have my loyalty." He nodded, watching Cov'o approach with Amelia. Val'jek excused himself to meet them.

He clicked a greeting.

Amelia wore her mask, hiding her expression, but her body was tense and jittery.

He looked over his offspring for the source of her tension. Cov'o stood straight with tension, more frazzled than his mate.

Raz'ha lingered beside Amelia, nearly shouldering Cov'o aside.

"All is well?" Val'jek inquired.

"Yes, I was telling Cov'o about dinner tomorrow." Amelia spoke up before Cov'o had a chance to click a mandible. "I invited him."

"Very well," he chirped to her, glad to have his offspring in attendance. It had been too long since he and Cov'o shared a meal. It was a good opportunity for his offspring to get to know his mate.

"Thank you for the invitation, Amelia." His offspring gave a tense bow.

Val'jek didn't know what to make of the odd behavior.

"Perhaps your bearer might wish to attend," his mate added.

Val'jek stifled his grunt.

Cov'o clicked exasperation. "She is busy with clan relations." His offspring looked over his shoulder. "Pardon, The High Priestess summons."

It was a lie, but he let it go as Cov'o bowed and left without waiting for Val'jek's farewell. The haste was grossly inappropriate. If his offspring had been anyone else, he would have taken him to task.

"Val'jek, he was looking for your invitation, not mine." Amelia slipped off her mask to frown at him.

He chirped, confused.

She huffed and threw up her hands. "He wants your approval. So when he comes over tomorrow, be a good father and give it to him."

Raz'ha huffed too, casting a sideways glance at Cov'o across the room.

Val'jek rumbled. He didn't understand what she meant. His offspring had his approval. It must have been an Ooman cultural difference but he didn't want to discuss Cov'o tonight.

"Come. It is time to dance," Val'jek said, standing.

"But Cov'o-"

"The dance is important. We must honor the gods." He tugged her toward the dancers.

"You don't believe in gods." She was smiling at least.

"It helps morale." Val'jek shrugged.

"You're not off the hook for this," she said but moved with him as Raz'ha followed.

Close to the dancers, heads turned to view his mate. She had never joined in the dance before, though the activity was a favorite of hers. There was going to be trouble, so he scanned the nearest onlookers.

Carefully choosing his opponent, he discarded several young bloods puffing up their chests. Posturing was important, but young bloods were not respectable enough.

His opponent found him, blocking their path into the throng of dancers. The warrior was honored and that was good enough. The light tan warrior tilted his head at Amelia.

Raz'ha moved in front of her, puffing out his own chest.

"Paya has no favor for slaves." The warrior stepped closer.

Raz'ha growled.

Val'jek shrugged and shoved the warrior's shoulder, hard.

The warrior was forced to give a step of ground.

Val'jek followed, flaring his mandibles and spreading his arms wide in invitation. He knew this game well.

The honored warrior shoved him, flaring his own mandibles with a roar.

Val'jek punched the warrior with a quick jab to the eye, not wasting even a moment.

The warrior staggered, shaking his head before righting himself.

He punched the warrior again, and then again, aware of the growing clicks and thrum of purrs surrounding him.

The warrior lunged at him.

He braced himself, and gripped the front of the warrior's armor. Using his momentum, Val'jek threw the warrior over his head and into several young bloods.

The young bloods stumbled and the warrior climbed to his feet, defeated but enraged.

Amelia approached him, but Val'jek warded her away. Raz'ha lifted her by the waist and moved her to a safe distance.

The warrior wasn't finished. He flared his mandibles and roared, charging once more.

Val'jek trilled, amused, at the warrior closing in on him. He met the warrior head on this time in a jarring collision. Not one to miss an opportunity, he elbowed the warrior in the ribs before sweeping his legs.

The warrior on the floor once more, Val'jek towered over him. "It seems Paya has no favor for you, pup."

The warrior was bested, the young bloods were awed and the rest of his clan had a fine show. Now he could enjoy his time with his mate without males pestering him. Val'jek took his mate under his arm and led her through the dancers to the ceremonial fire.

She trembled and begged to return to their quarters. It took quite a bit of coaxing, and a firm hold, to convince Amelia to remain.

His first instinct was always to soften to her pleas, but he could not. Watching her hide in his quarters for her entire lifespan was not a sight he could bear. After a few years, his people would grow accustomed to her presence. The challenges would die down and she could be at ease. Until then, he would beat challengers and drag her into public.

Beside the roaring fire's heat, he lifted her in his arms. This was her first ceremonial dance, though it was her more favored activity. He carried her through the steps several times, soothing her with his purrs.

Raz'ha remained close, unfamiliar with his clan's variations of the dances. He mimicked well enough.

Setting his mate on her feet, he nodded to Raz'ha.

The warrior understood and closed rank, keeping other Yautja from bumping into Amelia as they danced.

Touching his mate, he slid flesh to flesh, teaching her the movements to celebrate the gods. Soon her scent changed and eased.

#

Val'jek was grateful that Raz'ha sought his own quarters for the night. Alone in their sleeping chamber, the setting felt intimate. Thick mating musk hung in the air, his and Amelia's. They were both primed for copulation, but he took his time undressing. He wanted to enjoy this private moment with his mate. She was different, more relaxed and receptive.

Wearing only her loose dress, she paused. "I'll be right back."

"Hurry." He let out a long, low purr filled with promises of pleasure.

She flushed and darted out of the room.

He finished undressing, securing his ceremonial armor in the appropriate storage units.

When she returned, Val'jek was naked, waiting beside the bed with his manhood aroused and weeping. He approached as she closed the door. He purred long and low to emit more musk.

Oomans could barely detect musk in large quantities, but she still felt the effects.

She touched him first, trailing his belly to his erection with her soft fingers. Her grasp light, she stroked him from tip to base.

He reached for her then.

She smiled up at him. It was a secret smile of amusement. Jerking away from him, she turned and fled deeper into the room.

Surprised, he let her flee. Instincts quickly overtook his hesitation and he gave chase. With a stride much larger than hers, he had her by the fourth step. Gripping her arm with his claw, he yanked. His claws slipped off her arm, but she was still knocked off balance. Ever the opportunist, he tumbled her to the floor.

She squirmed with a laughing shriek, her thin limbs flailing.

He pinned her wrists above her head. "A game?" he chirped with anticipation.

"Yes." Her mouth curved into a mischievous smile. She gave a half hearted squirm to entice him.

He used his free claw to open the front of her dress. The flimsy material tore easily with his yank and he was rewarded with a gasp. He dragged his mandibles over her Ooman mammary glands, fluttering and caressing her flesh.

Her skin flushed and she arched, then squirmed against his hold. Wiggling her wrists, she slipped free from his grasp.

Impossible, he thought. He gripped her arms, but to his surprise he couldn't hold on to the slippery flesh.

She wiggled away from him.

Val'jek let her go and examined his hands, perplexed. He rubbed the pads of his claws together, testing the slick sheen.

She climbed to her feet and laughed. "I can't fight, but I'm not so easy to catch."

He sniffed his claws. "Salve?" He chirped, wiping his hands on his thighs and smearing the slippery goop. It was a mild medicine to help bruises and abrasions heal. They had used it to mate in the beginning, when Amelia had difficulty with his size. The slick medicine eased his way and muted her discomfort.

"We've run out, by the way." She smiled again. She must have bathed in it to use the entire supply. Clever female.

Val'jek lunged for her with a playful growl, letting her flee around the bed as he gave chase. He grabbed a fistful of her torn dress and yanked her back against his chest.

His mate squirmed against him, stimulating his erection trapped between them. He purred at having caught his quarry.

She went limp in his arms, sliding down the front of him.

He couldn't ravish her with her skin giving no purchase. He was forced to take her to the floor.

On the floor, she grinned, scooting away on all fours as his claws slipped over her skin.

He jerked her dress, which caught around her hips, but then she wiggled free of that too.

Grunting, he watched her crawl to the opposite side of the bed. "Very clever." He clicked with amusement and frustration as he stood. His heart thumped with excitement and he could almost taste the scent of her arousal. He liked her game very much, but he needed to devise a plan if he intended to win. And he had to win, or there was no mating.

She climbed to her feet and watched him, circling the bed.

He took his time, countering each of her steps with the bed recess between them.

"Will you chase, or just watch?" she taunted.

Taking her bait, he leaped over the bed with a roar.

Amelia shrieked and ran, but she was no match for him.

He tumbled them both to the floor again. He didn't risk crushing her and rolled to take the brunt of the fall.

Using his chivalry against him, she wriggled out his claws and crawled away. The salve was more effective than he thought possible.

On claws and knees, he chased right behind her and then over her, covering her backside. He slid an arm around her waist and shoved his erection inside of her welcoming heat.

His mate gasped and shoved forward, slipping through his claws and off his aching cocking.

Struggling to find purchase on her, he growled and flared his mandibles. They repeated the process a handful more times, neither managing a complete victory. He couldn't have been more pleased, or aroused.

She gave a throaty laugh, slipping and sliding across the smooth flooring beneath him.

Locking an arm over her shoulder, he stopping trying to use his hands. He used his weight to force her shoulders to the floor. His free arm slid beneath her, to hold her in place. Wedging her legs apart with his knee, he positioned her for mating. He mounted her with a hard shove, and they both groaned with pleasure.

She gave half hearted wiggles, keeping up her pretense, as she moaned.

He tightened his grip, a natural reflex to her enticement, but she was truly stuck for the time being. He could ride her at his leisure but couldn't help the rough humping. This was how Yautja mated. It was a battle that only the strong and clever could win.

Val'jek laughed, his chest rumbling against her shoulders. His mirth was contagious and she joined in, laughing until water leaked from her eyes.

His bout of laughter settled into steady purring.

"Val'jek," she murmured, moving her hips against his. She shivered, ready for her pleasure

"C'jit." His muscles bunched. He shoved against her a little harder, sliding them along the floor.

He felt her wet mouth on his bicep, her tongue stroking his skin. She shuddered, her female core gripping and massaging his erection into releasing his seed. Her teeth sinking into his bicep finally pushed him over the edge with the pleasant sting of her bite.

Hot pleasure coursed through his body, making him shudder too. Roaring his victory, he lifted her hips, until her knees no longer touched the floor. She tried to lift her head, but he held her still. Innate male need to seed her made him perform such an irrational act. He knew she could not be impregnated.

When the rush of pleasure subsided, he panted but held her hips in the air, attached to his erect manhood. He enjoyed the warm sheath.

"That was fun." Limp in his arms, she panted more than she laughed. "You can put me down now."

He complied, sliding out of her and easing her to the floor. "You are well?" He thought she appeared well pleased, but she liked it when he asked.

"Yes." She turned over on her back to smile up at him.

"What inspired this game?" He laid down beside her on the floor, catching his breath. He flexed his bicep, aware of the stinging from her bite.

"I wanted to do something special before you leave. An experience for your caveman instincts." She shrugged a shoulder. "I know you take it easy on me, but sometimes it's okay to do it your way."

He rumbled his appreciation. His mate would never be a physical threat to him, but her game was the very essence of Yautja mating. She had to prove she was worthy by enticing him into a challenge. He had to prove his worth by completing the challenge.

"And your mark?" He chirped, inspecting the set of teeth marks in his skin.

"I thought Yautja liked that kind of thing. If it makes you feel better, I don't think it will scar." Her teeth barely broke the skin in places.

"Tusks and claws usually." His claws touched the imprint, wanting to keep the reminder. "Perhaps next time it will take."

"You do want it to scar then?" She surveyed him with interest.

"I am proud to wear proof of your pleasure." His mandibles fluttered and caressed her face.

"Maybe next time." She grinned.

She was going to be sore and bruised in the morning but the salve would ease the aches. They laughed and wrestled, making his limbs shine with excess salve from her skin. He gave her impromptu wrestling lessons after a short nap. He always won, but he gave her several small orgasms for her efforts. Between bouts of rowdy lovemaking, he held her and they murmured affectionate words in both languages.

He was going to miss her.

Chapter 12

Amelia sat on a stool in Val'jek's private lab as he examined Hult'ah. After several scans, her mate checked the range of motion of the injured leg, eliciting several whines and yelps from the hound.

She pet the hound's smooth head and stroked his stumpy mandibles, cooing quietly.

She had already endured her mate's exam, which got her a needle in her arm to round out her nutrition and help "clean" her blood. Details from her mate went over her head, and she simply nodded and accepted the most basic explanation. Her blood needed tending once in a while.

"Can you help him?" She hoped so. The poor hound limped around in obvious pain after playing with the puppies.

"Yes, but he will never have full use of the leg." Val'jek let the hound roll onto his belly.

Hult'ah kept his lame leg off the ground, hobbling to her.

"His hip was not in place and grew around the injury." He clicked his tusks with a huff. "It will take time and many surgeries."

She nodded and lifted the hound to kiss his head. The hound mewled, fluttering his mandibles and wagging his tail. He loved kisses and attention.

"I have duties until your meal is scheduled. I could rise early and perform the first surgery." Her mate looked at her, waiting for her decision.

She bit her lip because it was unfair to her mate. The surgery would cut short their private farewell time, which was usually spent in bed. "If you don't mind. The leg pains Hult'ah and I don't want it to grow worse."

Her mate nodded his agreement. "When I return from my mission, he may be ready for the next surgery."

"Thank you, Val'jek. I'm sorry we're taking up so much of your time. I know you have important mission duties."

He cupped the back of her head with his large claw and tugged her closer. His mandibles fluttered and dragged down her face with a light caress. The gesture said more than any words could.

Hult'ah mewled with a swaying tail, demanding attention as well.

Val'jek chirped, sounding like a small bird, and released her to pat the hound. "He is spoiled by your affection already."

"He's not spoiled." At the lie, a smile tugged her lips and she kissed Hult'ah's head. "He's a very well mannered hound."

The hound panted and near wiggled out of her arms with excitement from the attention.

"I must return to my duties." He pat the hound once more and then embraced her briefly.

"I have one more question." She had more than that, but quelled the need to chatter with her busy mate. "Hult'ah is licking Odin, and it seems friendly, but Odin is balding and his skin is irritated. What should I do about it?"

"It is a good sign. The hound sees the puppies as litter mates, but you are lax in your care for him." He gave her a dubious look.

"Oh." She flushed. She had read Mah'sic's translated instructions twice. How could she have missed something?

"Litter mates clean buildup from tusks. He must have buildup so he licks Odin to encourage the puppy to return the favor." Examining the hound's back nubs, he clicked disapproval. He scraped off chunks of gray gunk with his claws to show her.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't realize I was doing it wrong." She pet Hult'ah in apology.

Retrieving a rough cloth from one of his many storage units, he handed it to her. "Use that to remove the build up." He clicked at her as he would Mah'sic during a lesson. "If you do not manage this problem, his tusks will have no where to grow. They will compact and injure, or kill, your hound."

He gave her a short speech and demonstration, explaining proper care. Then he urged her to let Mah'sic examine her pets from time to time.

Embarrassed, she intended to take her mate's advice. If Hult'ah hadn't licked Odin near raw, she would have never known there was a problem.

When her mate left, she used the rough cloth to carefully remove the excess buildup. Hult'ah enjoyed the thorough process, purring and arching his back. "A year later and we still can't communicate fully," she mused. She didn't know how she was going to get along with Raz'ha without her mate.

#

Dinner was a bumpy ride of hiccups and good luck. She had wanted to cook the meal herself, but private quarters had no kitchen. Using the ship's kitchen was not done. Mah'sic, who she roped into setting up for the gathering, had balked at the idea. He had taken a list of desired food and drink to the kitchens. Everything had been delivered by young unbloods, much like their usual dinners.

The food was well prepared, and on time. The unbloods brought extra chairs as well, which she didn't think were necessary.

Then Val'jek entered with all four of his hunt brothers. She had expected one, or perhaps two at most.

Glad to have missed that blunder, she greeted the guests with her best smile and simple Yautja greetings. She had no clue how to entertain them, but they seemed content to make small talk with her mate and each other.

Mah'sic, quickly set out more plates and cups.

Cov'o arrived shortly after, seeming reluctant, but entered Val'jek's quarters. Father and son shared a trilled greeting in passing.

Raz'ha was late, and apologetic, bowing to both her and Val'jek.

Amelia, hurried to set the food platters on the table, but her path was blocked by a large tan Yautja. She struggled before recalling his name. "Bosch." She gave what she hoped was a friendly smile.

He took the platter from her hands with a growl.

"Ah, I was just going to put that on the table." She didn't think he looked inclined to give it back.

His mandibles clicked together. "Unbloods and slaves serve."

Amelia didn't quite grasp his meaning, but clearly he waited for her reply. "If you have a seat, we'll all eat in a moment." She wasn't sure he even understood English.

"No."

That wasn't helpful, she decided. "Please, let me have the tray back."

"No."

Ramsee chirped, approaching with Lukis. "Do not pester your hostess, Bosch. It is bad manners."

"It's all right, if I could just have my tray back. We can all sit to eat."

"What are you doing?" Ramsee asked Bosch in their language.

That was the last she fully grasped as the three warriors exchanged a rapid conversation about the tray, unbloods and slaves.

Raz'ha joined in the disagreement, chirping and shrugging.

Ramsee threw his arm aside with an annoyed, "No."

"I just need the tray, really. Raz'ha, a little help here." She nudged the green warrior.

"Honored warrior Bosch says that only unbloods and slaves serve." Raz'ha shrugged a shoulder, as if agreeing with the warrior holding her tray hostage.

"I am trying to explain this Ooman custom, but the old goat is being stubborn." Ramsee clicked something foul at the other warrior.

Bosch growled and stalked off with her tray. He placed it on the table and returned for another.

"I don't understand." Her frustration made her grumble.

"He believes you are either a slave or a mate. You cannot be both. To serve is to be a slave. If you are a mate, it is degrading." Ramsee huffed at Bosch.

Bosch huffed back.

"I think I understand now, but really, it's okay. Where I come from, we don't associate status with who sets out the food." She tried not to laugh as her frustration slipped away.

The warrior set out the food anyway, ignoring her protests.

She did understand, as absurd as the notion was to her. To the warriors, degrading a female was dishonorable, and anything broaching on dishonor was destroyed with extreme prejudice. She was grateful they considered her more than a pet.

Behind her, Val'jek brushed the small of her back with his palm. "What amuses you?"

"Alien customs." She smiled.

"Oh?" He led her to the table, seating her beside himself.

"I kind of like Bosch." She had intended to set out the food and fill the cups, but clearly that wasn't going to happen.

The guests joined them at the table and she realized her error in forgoing assigned seating. Mah'sic and Cov'o were inadvertently forced to sit beside each other. The two shared a look of mutual dislike before ignoring each other.

As they ate, Ramsee kept the mood light with humor. The warriors all shared old hunting stories, and showed off scars.

"I believe The Elder has the most elusive mark of battle. Come, let us see it." Ramsee chirped and the table rumbled and clicked with peaked interest.

Val'jek chirped, cocking his head.

"You've been preening over it all night. Don't be shy now. Those are Ooman teeth marks." Ramsee goaded her mate.

Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

Val'jek trilled, then barked a deep laugh. He stood and held up his arm for everyone else to see her teeth marks.

The table erupted with trills and laughter. Several of his hunt brothers chirped at her. Lukis pat her back.

One grumbled.

"Bosch says it will not scar and does not count." Ramsee translated for her, though she understood the gist of it.

Raz'ha saved her from stuttering a lame reply. "She can practice on me until The Elder returns."

That was almost as embarrassing to have announced at the dinner table.

The meal finished and guests lingered for a short while, discussing hunts and trophies as warriors were prone to doing. Mah'sic suggested she present her puppies. Odin and Freya brought some amusement as she instructed the giant alien warriors how to properly pet an Ooman puppy. It was difficult to stifle her laughter but she managed. Barely.

The warriors merely clicked over Hult'ah's defective leg and inability to hunt her mammals. She gave the hound extra attention, and a few table scraps, as Odin and Freya were passed around.

With numerous bows and farewells, eventually their guests filed out of Val'jek's quarters.

Cov'o lingered, uncertain as he was upon entering.

"Would you like to speak with Val'jek?" She smiled, trying to reassure the warrior.

He shook his head, picking up her mask off the table.

She accepted the mask and put it on.

"May I speak with you, in private?" He sounded formal and antsy, claws fidgeting and twining together.

She nodded but Raz'ha chirped an inquiry. She shook her head and led Cov'o to the only private place available.

"Are you all right?" She asked once the door to her studio was closed.

Cov'o nodded, looking around her room, then he shook his head.

"I'm sure Val'jek will help, whatever is bothering you." She took a chance and touched his elbow.

"I approached at the banquet to see you." His mandibles twitched with his indecision.

"I see." She really didn't.

"I wanted to bargain with you but I have nothing my sire cannot provide." He shifted his weight. "I must beg a favor of you. I greatly need your assistance."

She blinked, stunned into silence.

He chirped, waiting for a reply.

"Maybe you should tell me this favor."

He nodded and chattered quickly, eager to unburden himself.

#

Val'jek thought the meal had gone well with casual banter and an acceptance of his mate. She had thrived exchanging chatter with his hunt brothers. He would make certain to repeat the evening for her in the future.

Now he was nervous. Amelia had fled into her studio with his offspring, Cov'o, and not returned for some time. He wanted to interrupt her meddling. He should be the one to enlighten her about his disgrace, not his offspring.

He waited, pacing outside the door, as Mah'sic and Raz'ha cleared away dishes from the table.

Mah'sic was silent, pretending not to notice their agitation.

Raz'ha was antsy, watching the door and grumbling. The warrior was assuming Cov'o wanted to mate Amelia but Val'jek knew better.

The door slid open and Cov'o stepped out first. His offspring didn't meet his eyes and clicked a farewell before fleeing Val'jek's quarters.

Amelia crept out of her studio.

Raz'ha clicked, approaching and sniffing her for musk.

Val'jek grunted. "I do not like it when you meddle."

"Pot meet kettle." She frowned at him.

Val'jek didn't understand her words, frustrating him more. He rumbled his displeasure.

"He came to me and we need to discuss it." She looked around. "In private."

Val'jek clicked his tusks together, not wanting to have the conversation.

Mah'sic retreated with barely a backward glance. Raz'ha lingered.

He clicked, impatient to have the ordeal finished.

"He wants me to help him by convincing you to help him."

"He need only ask me. He knows this." Val'jek didn't like this. She made it sound like his offspring was afraid to seek him out.

"No, he doesn't, Val'jek. He's sure you will refuse him. This is his last ditch effort before doing something stupid." She sighed, twining her fingers in her hair, then tried to cannibalize her lower lip.

His instincts told him he would not like this new development. "What is the problem?"

"It's complicated."

"It is best if you explain then." His patience waned.

"He had a child and the mother died. Now the child is with another female who doesn't provide care he approves of." She bit her lip.

"He needs to give a complaint to any priestess. Another female will be charged with caring for the suckling." His offspring did not need help for that.

"That's the thing. He doesn't want the child passed on to someone else. He wants to raise the child himself."

Raz'ha chirped his surprise but said nothing.

Val'jek felt a tightening of his chest. Cov'o had begged Amelia, a stranger, for help instead of coming to him.

"He wants me to convince you to help him get custody of his child." She hesitated. "He sounded sincere and if you want my opinion, I think you should, if you can."

"It is not a simple matter and I haven't the time. I leave in less than a cycle. It would take many cycles. Months." This was a mess. If only Cov'o had come to him sooner, he could lend his aid.

"When you return, maybe?" She pressed against his front and stroked his bicep.

"It may be a lost cause. Females raise sucklings. Males have no rights. We can complain about ill treatment but we cannot interfere." He clicked with frustration. His offspring should have rights to his suckling with the bearer deceased. It was too late to address before his mission.

"Couldn't you ask the High Priestess? If you both asked, maybe she would help," Amelia suggested. "Cov'o says she owes you favors."

"It is too complex."

She accepted that answer. "I told him I would pester you into meeting with him tonight."

"I will speak with him now." He squeezed her shoulders as she hugged him. She was full of questions that required answers, but first he had to see his offspring.

#

Upon opening the door, Cov'o shrank back, letting him inside. His quarters were smaller than Val'jek's but still large being an honored warrior.

Cov'o offered him a seat.

Val'jek sank down, feeling like a failure.

"I know your answer if you have come this soon." His offspring choked on a chirp, fiddling with his wrist guard.

"You know there is no time before my mission." Val'jek fidgeted too. "I will help when I return, if I can."

"If you can?" Cov'o looked away.

Loathing himself for Cov'o's disappointment, he pressed his eyes closed tightly before looking at his offspring again. "It is not simple. There is no precedent for a male to gain a suckling."

Cov'o's fists clenched. "You have had two."

"Arranged before conception." Shamed, it was his turn to look away.

His offspring growled in frustration. "You traded me to curry favor with my bearer. You must be able to assist."

"You believe that?" Val'jek snorted, realizing Amelia had been correct in her assessment.

"Everyone knows it." Cov'o stood and Val'jek followed. "Mah'sic is lacking so you keep him as apprentice because Priestess Raina offers no favor as my bearer does."

"Ellika curries my favor." Val'jek jerked Cov'o to face him. "She stole you from me."

"I do not believe you." His offspring yanked free of his hold, taking a step back.

"I had no choice but to give you up. If I took you back, I'd be labeled bad blood." He clicked in frustration. "There is no future while fleeing arbitrators."

"You said nothing of what happened." His offspring flared his mandibles in challenge. "You left me with strangers."

"I was forbidden from seeing you. Ellika thought I was going to kill her or steal you." Val'jek had intended to do both, at the time. In the end, he had put his offspring's best interest ahead of his anger and pain. Cov'o was not ill treated by his bearer. He could not destroy Cov'o's life for his unnatural need to bond with his pup.

His offspring lifted his chin in challenge. "If I ask her to confirm your words?"

"She will speak truth. She knows she was wrong and she did not intend harm. You were well cared for."

Cov'o clicked, looking away for a long moment before nodding.

They both sat down in charged silence.

"I wish to gain my offspring."

"Have you met the suckling?"

Cov'o nodded. "I visit her in the nursery. She is there each day, and most nights, unattended by her guardian."

"The suckling is female?" Val'jek felt his gut squeeze. The cause was near impossible then. A male he could argue that males knew like gender and his own offspring turned out just fine. But what did males know of raising a female?

Cov'o nodded. "Six cycles now and still she has not had her first hunt. I want to take her but her guardian denied me."

"Who is her guardian?"

"Cha, the younger sister of Me'na. She hunts for weeks and gives favor to her own offspring over mine. She is neglectful but not abusive. I could provide better."

Val'jek nodded in understanding. He had felt the same about Cov'o's handling. The female guardian was notorious as a fighter and hunter, but not for her skill. She was gruff and brutal. Me'na, by contrast, was skilled and well respected, but was known for taking up her sister's battles.

"You could challenge her for the offspring but her sister will claim the suckling."

Cov'o shook his head. "I do not wish to orphan more sucklings."

"It will take time and bartering. If you do claim the suckling, Cha's honor will be tarnished. She will fight to save her honor."

"It's possible then?"

"I do not know. When I return, we will find out," he chirped.

"If you do not return?" His offspring fidgeted again.

"Goad Me'na into a challenge. Best her with such a showing that her sister will know she cannot win. Perhaps she will value her life more than her honor." It was risky but the best way to attempt on Cov'o's own.

Cov'o nodded. "What shall I do while you are away?"

"Record Cha's short comings. Prove you are capable and bond with the suckling." Val'jek squeezed his shoulder. "Tell no one your intention. Do not let them prepare for your claim or there will be no hope."

"I will tell no one." Cov'o sagged.

"Understand you battle our society as a whole." He wanted to tell his pup everything would work out in his favor, but it would be a lie. Females have always raised the pups. Most males never gave offspring a second thought until they grew into blooded warriors.

"I understand. Thank you, Elder Val'jek." Cov'o bowed his head. "Give your mate my gratitude."

Val'jek hesitated and then hugged his offspring.

Cov'o paused, stiff in his embrace, then mimicked the gesture.

"You are welcome to come to me for aid, or share a meal. Amelia is not needed to convince me."

Cov'o nodded but said nothing.

Val'jek retreated, wishing his offspring truly believed his words.

#

He returned to his quarters to find his mate alone in their bed. Wordless, she watched him undress and join her.

"Are you all right?" She hugged him in greeting.

"I owe you an explanation." He created this mess and she deserved to know.

"Are you okay?" She pressed, touching his mandibles.

"I am heavy with my guilt."

"You don't have to tell me now. It can wait until you come back." Her voice was gentle. She rubbed his shoulder and cooed at him.

"I must." As painful as it was to bare his weaknesses, it was necessary.

"If you're sure." She was cautioning him.

"I do not know where to begin."

"At the start." Her delicate fingers traced the ridges down his face.

"I have always been strange, even as a suckling. I was more interested in science than hunting." His mandibles twitched, remembering the scrutiny and taunts from his unblood training class.

"That's not such a bad thing," his mate assured.

"I suppose it started here." He took her hand and dragged her palm over the scar down his chest. He had been displaying the mark proudly the day before. Now it was tainted with a touch of shame.

"Your scar." Her fingers brushed it, smoothing the healed wound.

"I was young, not yet an honored warrior, when I was charged with challenging a Bad Blood. He had murdered a female and her suckling. The suckling was mine so the duty fell to me."

She nodded. "You challenged him and won."

He had told her the story of the battle. It was his first Yautja trophy.

"I considered the challenge an opportunity to establish myself as skilled. After I took my trophy I saw the female's bearer." He rumbled, searching for the appropriate words. "She was stricken with grief for her offspring. She lashed out at me with her claws. Her reaction made me curious and I realized that I felt no grief."

He clicked, unsure his mate would understand when she was from such an emotional race. "I felt only distaste for the waste of life. I could not even recall the suckling I was avenging."

She said nothing but continued to touch him, offering a silent comfort.

"I wanted to feel a bond that evoked powerful emotions for myself. I sought out my offspring of all ages, but their bearers were reluctant to let me form an attachment. There was little I could do so I turned to studying other races where males bonded with their offspring."

"Like humans?"

"Yes, especially Oomans, but it was not enough. After many years, I became Elder and I was in a position to bargain with females."

"Bargain?" She raised a brow.

"I approached Ellika. She was a Priestess at the time, wise but timid with few fighting skill to take on other females. In secret, I offered to teach her combat skills if she would give me a suckling to keep."

"And that's how you got Cov'o?"

"Yes. We both held up our end of the bargain, for a time. I was able to explore the bond of parenting for many years, but then The High Priestess fell ill."

"And it was Ellika that took her place?"

"Replacing a High Priestess requires a vote of all Priestesses and Elders, but Ellika did not have the support of the Priestesses. They were suspicious of her when they discovered she was the one who gave me Cov'o." Thinking of the day still made him scrape his mandible tusks together in anger. "The votes became heated."

"How old was Cov'o?" She was frowning with her brows knitting together.

"Ten full cycles, but it is not the same as Ooman children." He clicked, for once not interested in the species differences.

She sat up. Surely she was not abandoning him now.

Alarmed by the prospect, his heart pounded in his chest.

"Shh," she murmured, splaying her hand on his head ridges.

He hadn't realized he was making a choked whining in his throat.

His mate moved closer and urged his arm out of her way. She laid along his side, throwing a leg over his hip. Propping her head up, she leaned in to kiss along his mandibles.

He relaxed, familiar with this position.

Small fingers caressed his ridges, dragging in a lulling rhythm. "I love you, no matter what."

"Bartering for offspring is a crime punishable by one hundred lashes." He didn't know why he said it, but it seemed necessary.

"So don't tell anyone." She placated him with a reassuring smile. Her fingers distracted him, moving lower beneath is jaw.

"She stole him from the nursery while I was voting in a meeting." His mandibles tightened with anguish. "I was voting for her. I argued for her. Not because of Cov'o but because I thought she was honest and wise."

"She betrayed you," Amelia supplied, her hand stilling. "You must have been angry."

"I was terrified when I could not find Cov'o, and the females refused to tell me what had happened. When I discovered the truth, I intended to kill her and flee with the pup."

"What stopped you?" She resumed her exploration with her fingers, dragging her blunt nails along his thick skin.

"She hid from me, then I was not permitted near her." He shifted restlessly. "When we finally spoke, I had come to my senses. I could not steal Cov'o's future by becoming a Bad Blood."

"I wouldn't blame you if you hated her." Hunching, she kissed his mandibles. "What she did to you both was cruel." Her voice pitched higher with her genuine empathy.

"I do not feel hate. Once, I cared for her but no longer. I know now that it was more than political gain that motivated her betrayal." It was no secret on the ship, but few placed the two scraps of knowledge together. "She could no longer bear sucklings and Cov'o had been her last. She cared for him well, though I could not see him for many cycles."

"Cov'o doesn't realize that, does he? He thinks you abandoned him."

"I realize that now. I never thought to discuss it with him and neither did Ellika, it seems. But I wonder how you knew his wants, with only a meeting, while I was unaware."

She sighed, tracing his tusks, and tilting her head as if in thought.

"Female intuition?" he asked. He had laughed the first time she explained that Ooman concept to him. While he could not prove the phenomenon with any scientific test, she had an uncanny ability to sense inconspicuous emotions.

"Perhaps because I am human," she offered quietly.

He stroked her fingers with his tusks, rumbling for her to continue.

"Mah'sic was the key. He is hurt and jealous that his mother is fond of Cov'o but not him. I think that's why they fight." She bit her lip and frowned down at him. "I was a little slow in making the connection, but it's not much of a leap to think the same could be said for Cov'o."

His brow lowered at the offensive implication. "I don't belittle Cov'o as Raina does to Mah'sic."

"That's not what I meant." Her thumb smoothed his brow with a firm stroke. "I mean Cov'o is jealous that Mah'sic has you, just as Mah'sic is jealous of Cov'o's female parent. They both were raised outside the norm and struggle with an emotional need for an absent parent. That's my guess anyway."

His sense of shame deepened. Val'jek had damaged his children with his unnatural want.

She looked down at him, her hair curtaining her face. "Val'jek, this is a sad story, but there is no shame in it."

Was that female intuition or was he that easy to read? He couldn't tell. "It is not finished." He looked away.

"Go on." Her encouragement was coupled with a soft voice and brush of her mouth.

"Ellika wanted forgiveness that I could not give." He rumbled, still struggling with the long ago betrayal. "She tried to barter for it. There was nothing I wanted until many years later."

Amelia nodded.

"She wanted an unpopular female to be a Priestess, but didn't want to alienate the Elders by ignoring a unanimous no vote. Ellika came to me with a deal. If I voted for the female, the female would give me a suckling to keep." He clicked. "I was weak and lonely."

"Priestess Raina?"

"I did not want her as a Priestess because she is much like a suckling in her politics, volatile and unreasonable. It was a bad choice, but I was weak. I wanted a suckling to fill the gap here." He pressed his fist to his chest. In those days there was a constant ache that no exams could record.

Her hand covered his fist, squeezing him firmly. "She was going to be a Priestess anyway though, right? Did it really matter if you got something out of it too?" She was trying to reassure him but as an Ooman, she could not understand the gravity of what he had done.

"Accepting bribes is a crime punishable by two hundred lashes, in addition to the hundred for bartering offspring. I would be demoted, possibly dishonored, if it is proven." His reputation would be tarnished forever but that was not the worst of it. "Ellika would have backed down with so many protests. Now, Raina will stand in the way of Cov'o's pursuit of his suckling."

"If she's fond of Cov'o, maybe she won't."

That alone couldn't forgive his actions. Priestess Raina was in a position of power, could one day become The High Priestess, because he had been weak. "She is spiteful against me and I will have to champion this cause before the council, not Cov'o. She fights against all my motions and suggestions. Few heeded her, but Cov'o's request will lend weight to her spite. Few will support him as is. If he loses, it will be my fault."

"You're jumping to far ahead. He has not lost yet." She hunched to kiss his mandibles again. "There is hope and time to work through the problem, but you cannot blame yourself. You didn't know this would happen."

He shook his head. "My want of sucklings is unnatural. If I had left my curiosity with my studies, Cov'o would not be faced with this hardship."

"You're right because he would not be alive, and neither would Mah'sic." She rubbed her cheek against his head ridge, her loose hair tickling his face. "I prefer them alive."

A weight eased from his chest as processed her logic. "I did not consider that."

"You should keep it in mind. To wish away your misdeeds is to wish away your children. Your actions are not so bad, from my human perspective." Her mouth touched a ridge along the crown of his forehead. "It is natural to want offspring. Every hunt and trophy is about creating life and then society denies you the fruits of your labors."

He could not wish away his offspring. Cov'o and Mah'sic were a part of him as much as Amelia. "You are correct in your Ooman wisdom."

She nodded with female superiority. "Of course I'm right. So enough of this sulking, you're too rational for it. You must speak with Mah'sic though."

He chirped, not understanding her meaning.

"He's almost as jealous as Cov'o. His mother publicly belittles him and wants nothing to do with him. You owe him an explanation. Help him understand that this is not his fault."

"When I return, I will make him understand."

"Tomorrow, before we leave." She narrowed her brows and frowned at him.

"Tomorrow." He rattled a huff, feeling like a scolded suckling.

"Good. Now that we have your horrible misdeeds out of the way," she smiled brightly, teasing him, "I have a present for you."

Val'jek wasn't certain he was ready to be merry, but he chirped for her anyway.

She climbed out of the bed and retrieved a small bundle from her storage unit, then hurried back to his side. She offered him a pleased grin, holding out her hand, presenting his gift in her palm. The bundle was small, wrapped in soft leather, and tied with a blue hair ribbon.

He was still uncertain of this gift giving custom. Yautja females only gave a gift to a male to signify a bond, then again during a mating ceremony. Usually it was a small offering from a kill and never again. Males gave many gifts from hunts, in hopes of mating, but Ooman females felt the need to continuously prove affection. He wanted her to understand that he knew she loved him.

Accepting the gift, he felt the solid weight and his curiosity peaked. Her gifts were often artistic, or intangible, since she did not risk a crowded bazaar alone.

"Open it." Her hands pressed his, urging him to do her bidding.

The ribbon untied easily and he set it aside. Unwrapping the leather, a round piece of metal gleamed in the dim light. The cool silver ring was small but made of quality metal. The front widened into what appeared to be a miniature replica of an Ooman skull. It grinned up at him with a set of fangs.

"Mah'sic helped me a lot by gathering the materials and running errands. The crafter had to cast the metal, but I made the design and sanded it down by hand. It's my first foray into metal work."

He trilled, looking at the decorative piece. The design was incongruent with true Ooman anatomy, but many times Amelia had assured him art was not science.

"It's for your middle finger. I measured the fit while you slept." She took the Ooman trinket and slid it on his middle finger. "Mah'sic says the metal is the strongest you have, and you won't have to worry about damaging it while hunting."

Chirping, he understood this gift now. She wanted him to carry her trinket with him, to remind him of her.

"You're quiet. Do you like it?"

"I am confused." He clicked his mandibles. "It's an Ooman skull, but you do not like it when I hunt your kind."

"It's not literal. It's sort of a human symbol for being a bad ass, a tough warrior." She stroked his finger around the skull. "And you don't have to kill anyone for it."

His chest puffed up and he rumbled a purr. His mate thought he was strong warrior. "I am honored to wear your trinket."

Her fingers twining with his claws, she smiled again. "Don't get me wrong. I really think Yautja should convert to symbolic trophies, but as a prey species can you blame me?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." She kissed him and coaxed him into a gentle mating.

He didn't want to leave her, but he would not be weak again. Honor and duty demanded he complete his mission. Heavy with his worry and his desire to remain, he held Amelia through the sleep cycle. His forgiving mate was a balm for his aches that no other could replace.

 

Chapter 13

Notes:

Another batch of catch up chapters!

It was time to say goodbye and the words stuck in her throat. She watched Val'jek don his armor, unhurried and meticulous with each hook and clasp. She should help him dress, but couldn't bring herself to do it.

He glanced over his shoulder at her. "You are quiet."

"I don't know what to say." It was a lie. She wanted to beg him to stay with her, to forget absurd notions of hunts and game preserves. What value did animals have compared to a person's life?

That was the crux of the matter. Val'jek wasn't a person. He was Yautja and the hunt mattered very much to him and his species.

"You say that you love me and that you will miss me. Then you instruct me to be safe between kisses." He shrugged, pausing in his ritual dressing. "You have always done such before an absence."

His head tilted as his claws fumbled with a wrist guard. He rarely looked so indecisive.

The word slipped out before she could stop herself. "Stay."

He chirped.

"I do love you and I would miss you, but I don't want you to go. I want you to stay with me, please." She touched his chest armor with her palm and tears burned behind her eyes. She was wasting their last private moment on an impossible request.

"I have no desire to leave you, Amelia. It is my duty." He brought her into the shelter of his body.

"I don't want you to go out there alone and-" She choked on the English. "Thei-de." It seemed safer to say it in his language, as if it were less of a jinx.

"I will have my hunt brothers and I intend to return to you." He opened his mandibles to lock over her face.

She turned away. Burying her face in his bicep, she blubbered out her first sob. She was a single human among a violent alien species and she was beyond pride. She clung to him, seeking his skin around his armor.

He cradled her in his arms, capable arms, she reminded herself. His chest rumbled, a quiet thrumming that calmed her nerves.

"I could go with you. I wouldn't get in your way." She knew she couldn't or he would have mentioned it.

"You cannot survive where I am going," he chided.

"I can't do this. I can't live here without you, Val'jek, please." A sense of overwhelming fear pressed against the wall of her chest.

"I promise I will return to you." His large palm rubbed down her back. "No more grief."

She shook her head. "No one can make that promise."

"I will do my best. I too, wish to see you again." He purred again, soothing and arousing as she collected herself.

"I'm sorry. I let my fear get the best of me." She sniffled and wiped tears from her flushed cheeks. "I know you'll do your best and I do love you. I love you so much." Her throat closed again.

"And I love you, my honor and my heart." He brushed her cheeks with his four mandibles, dancing lightly down her face.

Tilting her chin up, she accepted him fully. "Be safe."

His mandibles settled over her face with his mouth pressed to hers.

She kissed his pink flesh.

His mandibles tightened a fraction too tight. His tusks pinched her skin with a sharp sting.

She squeezed him tighter and tried memorizing his fresh scent.

The com at the door beeped, shredding their private moment.

Val'jek held her a moment longer, taking a deep breath. He released her and opened the door.

Amelia wiped her face and smoothed down her hair. Privacy was over and now it was time to be a grown up. She would honor her mate and control her rampant emotions in public.

Mah'sic entered the room, tilting his head at his sire. "You are not prepared."

"When you are allowed to mate, you will understand." Val'jek continued putting on his armor with quick efficient movements.

Mah'sic chirped and shrugged a shoulder. "Raz'ha requested I inform you that he took a meeting with Elder Mur, but he will arrive soon to collect Amelia."

"I will make sure my belongings are ready." Amelia nodded to Mah'sic as she passed. "You two can say your farewells." She gave her mate a pointed look.

Val'jek huffed but nodded in return.

#

Her belongings were already packed in neatly stacked metal storage units with double latched lids. She checked them twice. She greeted her puppies, smiling as they wagged their tails and licked her hands. Hult'ah slept, caged separately in her mate's lab, while he recovered from his surgery.

Raz'ha entered Val'jek's quarters a few minutes later, and chirped a greeting.

She forced a smile, hugging Freya to her chest.

"Are you prepared?" he asked.

"Yes. Val'jek and Mah'sic are speaking now."

The warrior nodded. "We wait, yes?" His English was broken but understandable.

She nodded.

He sat beside her. His three-hundred pounds of muscled flesh dipped the cushion, drawing her closer.

The spacious room felt suddenly small. Her cheeks flushed as his body heat emanated through her dress. She struggled for something to say. "How was your meeting with the Elder?"

"Short." He picked up Odin and inspected his floppy ears as the puppy licked his claws. "How is Hult'ah?"

She should inch away, or move to a chair, but she didn't. "Sleeping in his cage. He can't move around until tomorrow."

They sat in awkward silence for several more minutes until Val'jek emerged from their bedroom, his mandibles twitchy. Mah'sic followed, his large claws awkward and fidgety.

"I will scan the hound pup to ensure he can be moved." The unblood darted out of the room to Val'jek's lab.

Once the door was safely closed, her mate said, "He had little to say."

"It's better that he understands now," she assured.

"He is unhappy."

"He's probably surprised. I'll talk to him tomorrow and make sure he's okay." She looked at Raz'ha and nudged him with her elbow.

The green warrior chirped his confusion.

"I'm sure Raz'ha will look after him too," she added.

Val'jek and Raz'ha both nodded to each other, male understanding arranged in a single look.

"I have her medical supplies. There are instructions." Her mate held up a palm console. The device was similar to his wrist guard computer, but designed for medical purposes instead of combat. "Most are simple and Amelia or Mah'sic can explain."

Raz'ha nodded his understanding.

Val'jek showed the warrior the buttons. "This accesses her vital signs monitor and tracking device."

"Tracking device? I have a tracking device?" The concept disturbed her, even if her mate knew her whereabouts at all times regardless. "Why am I just now hearing about this?"

"It is for your lung filtration system. This monitors your air requirements. The device in your lungs is the first and only of its kind." He spoke as if that explained everything.

She scowled. "And?"

"And if the device malfunctions, you will grow tired and weak. You will fall asleep and never wake." Her mate clicked his mandibles and rumbled in his throat. "This alerts me of abnormalities before you suffocate and die. There is little purpose if I can't locate you immediately."

Her anger evaporated. "Oh."

"I do not monitor your location unless I receive a warning."

"Has it sent you a warning before?" She was going to worry whenever she became sleepy now.

He hesitated, then nodded. "When maintenance to the air recycling systems is performed, adjustments and monitoring are required."

"We need to have a chat about lies by omission." She glared, hiding the sense of alarm his admission caused.

"The adjustments were minor. There is no reason to worry." Her mate shrugged a shoulder, unapologetic. He returned his attention to Raz'ha, continuing his demonstration.

She couldn't help but wonder if the air was slowly killing her. The thought made her chest tighten in response. She needed to think about another topic and fast. "How are my puppies breathing your air?"

"Genetic mutation to the bearer." Raz'ha clicked, distracted.

Val'jek pressed on with his instructions. "This must be given to her each cycle with a meal. The formula is in her records if you need more." Her mate held a vial of blue liquid, which was a nutrition supplement and birth control combined for efficiency. Val'jek redesigned the drug, saying it was safer than the human versions. If only he were inclined to design a tampon.

Her mate finished his emergency lessons, and stored everything in a compact medikit. "Any questions?"

"No." The warrior bowed. "I will be diligent with my care."

Matter settled, and medikit returned to her packed crates, they gathered her possessions. Mah'sic rejoined them, remaining silent.

"I will carry your possessions. Your puppies are lighter." Raz'ha reached for her shoebox sized metal box.

Val'jek translated.

"No, I'll carry that one." She snatched the it from his claws. Her most prized possession, her family, was in the small container. Amelia wasn't going to let it out of her sight while she moved ships.

Raz'ha chirped, raising a brow. "Shall I carry these for you?" He gestured to the stacked crates.

"Sure." She put her family mementos in with her puppies. They sniffed the new object as she picked up their cage. "Thank you."

He nodded and picked up her belongings with ease.

Mah'sic carried Hult'ah's cage in addition to his own meager possessions.

Val'jek had explained that Mah'sic didn't need much. Since he was training for combat he would be sharing quarters with ten other unbloods. She felt guilty. Mah'sic shared with only two others on the Tauren's ship, but he didn't complain.

Her mate escorted them to the docking station. The Saracens were leaving sooner than Val'jek's ship. His claws stroked her shoulder, reassuring her every step.

Saracens coming and going all seemed to take notice of her, heads turning and mandibles clicking.

The farewell was formal, exchanging bows and ritual words of honor and good fortunes. She wanted to cling to her mate again, but bowed instead.

Her mate purred and brushed her cheek with his claw. His expression softened and he gave her an encouraging nod. "I will return."

It was better than an assertion of affection.

#

The Saracen ship was considerably smaller than the massive Tauren ship, but from Amelia's understanding, the clan had fewer members. Mah'sic told her they were resource poor and suspected of producing bad bloods.

The notion had worried her, but Raz'ha was honorable. Surely the suspicions were inflated by rumors.

Entering the ship, the corridor was dark and chilly. Dim yellow lights mounted on the sheet metal walls were sparsely placed. She was left to walk through long stretches of pitch black, making it difficult to judge much else about the clan or the ship.

Yautja had exceptional night vision in certain light spectrums, but she did not.

Like a bird in the dark, Mah'sic chirped. "Use your mask."

"It's packed away." She hadn't thought she'd need it. The plan was to walk to Raz'ha's quarters, unpack, and wait there while the warrior performed his daily duties.

Raz'ha chirped to her right, his amber eyes catching dim light as they neared another fixture embedded in the metal wall. "You cannot see?"

"Not without a light." She inched closer to the large warrior.

"The Ooman eye sees a brighter spectrum to contend with their sun," Mah'sic supplied.

They passed the light and she was submerged in blackness again. "Is it always like this?"

The warrior huffed. "We do not waste fuel for nonessentials."

She guessed his chest was puffing with effort to express his clan pride. Two minutes into her stay and she was already blundering her manners.

"I didn't mean to offend. I'm sure the darkness is simple for your superior eyes, but mine aren't equipped to handle the darkness."

"Actually, it has been proven that the darkness and low spectrum lighting weakens eye sight and increases visual degeneration throughout generations. There are clans that are near blind on planets because of these lights." Mah'sic rattled on about the studies behind her.

She wished she could see Raz'ha. Knowing the unblood intended to be informative, and not insulting, often did little ease the sting of his words. If she could see the green warrior's reaction she'd know more about his character, and whether she needed to smooth over the unblood's social blunder.

Another chirp sounded in the darkness, a few paces ahead.

"Raz'ha?" She blindly reached for him, touching only cool air.

A rumbled affirmative sounded, but she couldn't pinpoint the location.

"To your right," Mah'sic said.

A claw from that direction touched her elbow, and another high pitched bird called from her left.

"Raz'ha?" Gripping the hand, she confirmed the warrior's identity. She scrambled away from the disembodied sound.

"Sh'an," Raz'ha rumbled again. "Greetings."

Amelia felt him bow and did the same, uncertain of which direction she should face.

She heard Mah'sic chirp a greeting, but even squinting could not give her a visual.

A rapid conversation passed between Raz'ha and what sounded like a female. The voice was more lyrical and softer than a male. The conversation was decidedly unpleasant. Foul words were exchanged, making her cheeks flush from the list of derogatory comments flying over her head.

Her puppies barked, yapping noisily in the cage.

Raz'ha's claw tightened on her arm, pulling her off balance. He growled, a menacing sound like a rabid dog in front of her. He released her.

She fumbled in the darkness, shrinking away. Her heart pounded and her legs trembled with the urge to flee. Her human eyes saw no visible path. She felt a brush of air, a shift of movement near her face, and stilled.

Raz'ha roared, his large claw shoving the center of her chest.

Amelia emitted a strangled cry, stumbling but keeping her balance. Whatever transpired had turned physical. She heard her crates hit the floor, thudding and rattling.

The two clicked and growled. Flesh striking flesh mingled with the chorus of noise.

Too afraid to bring attention to herself, she whispered, "Mah'sic?"

He rumbled a quiet purr, inches above her head.

She touched his arm and the cage containing Hult'ah. "What's happening?"

"The female challenged Raz'ha."

"Why? Is he," she struggled to find the right word, "winning?" Asking if he was all right implied she considered the proud warrior weak. It simply was not done.

"Yes," he chirped. "Though, the female is fearsome." He rumbled a louder purr.

The surge of anger ate at her fear. "Tell me you aren't picking out a mate right now."

"No." The unblood trilled. "She would kill me."

Raz'ha roared, cutting off any reprimand she might give.

She squinted and stepped closer to the commotion. Was he hurt?

He growled, followed by a rasping female cry of outrage. The sound was cut short. Panting and clicking carried in the corridor.

She hoped he was okay. She reached but felt nothing.

A claw gripped her shoulder from behind. "Raz'ha has won. The female is leaving," Mah'sic warned quietly.

She felt and heard someone passing and held her breath.

Raz'ha chirped, then rumbled a soft purr as he closed in on her. "You are safe."

Reaching once more, she touched the warrior's claw. She followed the claw to the forearm and thick bicep. Muscles rippled and clenched beneath her fingers. "Are you-" She stopped herself from insulting him with her concern.

"The bleeding is minimal." Mah'sic sounded several steps ahead of her then. She heard him digging through the crates.

"You are unharmed?" Raz'ha asked, his claws touching her cheeks, engulfing her face. He tilted her head to one side, then the other. His mask scanning light glowed an ominous red, but didn't allow her to make anything out.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" A creeping unease knotted her belly.

The warrior only trilled, tugging her forward.

Her mask was pressed into her hands. Securing the device over her face, she cycled through the vision options until she found the low-light setting. Though grainy, and dimmer than she liked, she finally saw the long corridor.

She took a step back, seeing half a dozen Yautja occupying the hall, watching her watch them. Until she heard the female Raz'ha called Sh'an, she had thought the hallway empty.

Turning to the warrior, she took stock of his broad chest glowing with fluorescent green blood. Four claw marks raked down his right side. Blood was smeared on his tusks, though who it belonged to, she couldn't tell. Mah'sic was right. The bleeding was minimal.

She touched his chest, careful not to aggravate the wounds, hoping he understood her concern.

"Come," the warrior said and her mask translated.

They passed a knife embedded in the sheet metal wall. That had been the breeze she'd felt before Raz'ha shoved her. Had the female intended to kill her? If the goal was to frighten her, it worked. Amelia shivered.

She pressed close to Raz'ha's side. For the first time, she realized her entry onto the Tauren clan ship had been easy. And well lit.

#

Raz'ha's quarters were small with the three of them crowded in the main room. The room boasted only one dim light on the far wall beside another door.

The warrior placed her crates on the only available seating, a large chair draped with a thick neutral colored fur. A small cyclops-like skull was mounted on the top. She recognized it as a Magok.

More of Raz'ha's trophies lined the wall, taking up most of the room really, as narrow as it was. She'd risk impaling herself on a few polished skulls if she stretched. She could forget about dancing here.

The room was cozy, in a macabre way.

Taking a deep breath, she settled the nervous flutters in her chest. She was safe in his quarters and only had to hide until her mate retrieved her. Amelia could handle the situation.

"I must report to my quarters. I will return after the sleep cycle." Mah'sic fidgeted. "I will scan you, and your puppies, to see how you respond to the environment."

And to see a familiar face in this strange new place, she silently added. She knew how he felt, but only nodded, saving the unblood's pride as well as her own.

They bowed with farewells.

Alone with Raz'ha, she didn't know what to do with herself. She was out of her depth with guest etiquette, and didn't see any medical supplies on hand to aid the warrior. "You should take care of those before they become infected."

Chirping, he shuffled to the side and opened a floor to ceiling storage locker. He retrieved a medikit then tended his wounds. He leaned against the wall and spread a clear salve along the long scratches, hissing.

To avoid watching his broad chest, and dexterous claws, she glanced at his trophies. She identified the usual suspects: Kainde Amedha, humans, magok, carnivorous deer, dinosaur-esque skulls, and a few little green men as well. No queen skull, thankfully. She shuddered at the thought.

The human skulls were strategically placed, she noted. They weren't precisely hidden, but the gruesome reminders were farther back, overshadowed by the larger skulls.

Raz'ha had rearranged his collection for her. There was no other explanation. Yautja warriors prized human skulls above average prey, and prized trophies earned a place on prominent display. His were not. The warrior was making a genuine effort by deferring to her feelings over his pride.

She faced him, wanting to convey her appreciation. "Thank you for your generous hospitality, Raz'ha."

He chirped again, surveying her. "I am honored to be selected for the task."

Smiling, she bowed her head in respect.

Putting away his medikit, he swiftly changed the topic. "Your pets may roam our quarters. I have secured my possessions." He took both Odin and Freya from their cage and placed the puppies on the bare floor.

"Thank you." She noted his use of "our," but didn't correct him. The morning had been tumultuous, and he was being exceptionally generous.

Awkward silence carried on as the puppies explored the temporary residence.

"I will assist you with your possessions." He took her belongings and led her through the second door.

The bedroom was slightly larger than the main room and had only one light fixture. The bed, a thick pallet fastened to the floor, dominated the space. More neutral tan furs covered the mattress. A polished Kainde Amedha skull grinned over the pillows from a wall mount above the bed.

She swallowed the lump forming in her throat and turned away from the macabre display.

Raz'ha opened several empty drawers built into the wall.

She knelt beside him and they put away her clothes in silence. The activity felt intimate with his green claws neatly refolding her dresses and placing them in a drawer.

He carefully worked around her memento box, stealing glances but saying nothing.

"It's my family, what I have left of them, anyway," she said.

His green brow rose and his mandibles clicked together. "You keep their remains?"

"No, but reminders of them. Things that belonged to them. Here." She knelt on the bed and opened the container.

Raz'ha moved closer her, leaning over with his curiosity.

She held up matching rings. "These belonged to my parents."

"What are they?"

"Wedding rings. Humans exchange them in a kind of mating ceremony."

"Rings mean mates?" Raz'ha inspected at her unadorned fingers.

"Yeah, sort of. It's different on Earth. We have our own mating customs, consisting of rings." She touched the rings, thoughtfully.

"You do not consider Elder Val'jek your mate then? He has given you no ring." Raz'ha touched her fingers individually.

"He is my mate. We compromised with the mating ceremony. We made promises and exchanged gifts. He gave me my studio." She shrugged. A wedding ring was nice but she wasn't married to a human. She mated an alien who had generously given her a section of his limited space.

"What did you give the Elder?"

"Something else." She flushed, remembering their first foray into oral sex and the near disaster it was.

He chirped.

"He formally accepted Kainde Amedha bones from when we met." At the time, those were her only possessions and her mate had eyed the bones since he cut them off the hard meat for her.

Raz'ha nodded and clicked. "An excellent mating gift."

She smiled, amused by males and their trophies.

"Why do you keep their mating trinkets?" He returned his attention to the rings.

"To remind me of them. They died in an accident when I was four." She thumbed her father's ring. "I can remember him smiling at the breakfast table the morning he died, but little else about either."

"Were they warriors?"

"No, workers, just every day working people." She let him hold the rings. "What about your parents?"

"My bearer lives. She is unpleasant and we do not speak often. My sire is from another clan. We have never met, but my bearer has a skull from him. It is in a place of honor in her quarters." He brushed the rings with the pad of his thumb claw. "I held it often when she was away. I imagined what kind of hunter he was."

"Do you ever think of seeking him out and meeting him?" she asked.

"There is no purpose for such an errand. My bearer says he is honorable and nothing else is important." He tilted his head and his smooth dreads brushed her bare arm.

Goose flesh rose from the touch. "To find out for yourself? To show him what's become of you? I guess it's a human concept." She shrugged again and pulled out a slip of paper. "I don't have a picture, but this has my mom's signature on it."

Raz'ha looked over the paper, then sounded out the words. "Sales Receipt?"

"Yeah. It's a purchase agreement. Mason kept it when they died. Two medium cups of coffee was the last purchase she ever made."

"Mason?"

"My brother." She dug through more of her parents' trinkets until she felt cold metal. "These were his dog tags. I wasn't supposed to take them but I have nothing else of his." Before he could ask, she added, "I was visiting him when the Kainde Amedha attacked. Val'jek saved me, but Mason had already been killed."

An ache spread in her chest and her eyes stung. She could still see his determined face framed with sandy blond hair as he shoved her into an air vent to escape. He never followed like he promised. "He killed an alien or two first."

Raz'ha touched the metal. "He was a warrior."

"Yes, a marine. He died fighting."

The warrior tapped his fist to his chest. "A good death. Paya must have welcomed him."

Amelia nodded, wondering if Paya was real and if she made room for humans. "I hope so."

Helping her put away her mementos, he rumbled a quiet purr. "I must see to my duties. There are rations in the main room for you."

"Thank you." She hugged him, feeling shaky and alone.

He squeezed her a little too tight and chirped.

#

Exhausted from a day of training, and irritated from ridiculous meetings about keeping an ooman pet, Raz'ha returned to his quarters.

He had imagined his evening all day. The morning started with elicit fantasies of Amelia naked, splayed in his bed and beckoning him closer for mating.

As the day progressed, those fantasies transformed into visions of her tiny hands massaging his aching muscles. Eventually he resigned himself to curling around her soft body as he slept. He was too tired for much more.

Amelia stood in front of the door, blocking his path. "Thank god," she gasped, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

He chirped. She should be sleeping at this time.

She pressed against his chest. "You have no bathroom."

"There are public facilities on the next level."

"I don't know what you just said, and I don't care. I've been holding it for hours. Show me the bathroom, quickly." She squirmed, then pushed past him and out of his quarters.

"This way." He took her arm to ensure she understood.

She walked strangely and quickly. "Hurry, please."

He obliged, clicking his confusion. A trip to the facilities shouldn't warrant haste. "Are you unwell?" He scanned her, but found nothing, save an elevated pulse.

Her knees wobbled inward and her voice pitched higher. "I have to pee."

"We are going to the facilities now." Perplexed with the strange behavior, he watched her wiggle, squirm, and even dance as they climbed the stairs.

"Please tell me we're getting close," she pleaded, gripping his arm as they entered the room.

He knew she could not see without her mask, but she had not brought it. "This is the facilities."

The room was better lit, but not by much. She squinted at the row of toilets across from the row of bathing pools.

Two warriors Raz'ha recognized occupied the room. Yeyinde bathed and Guan-Thewi used the nearest toilet.

Amelia nearly bumped into Guan-Thewi before yelping and scrambling back. "Toilet, find me a toilet," she insisted.

Raz'ha led her to the next available toilet and lifted her onto the seat.

She wobbled and latched onto him, gawking at Guan-Thewi beside her.

"Your pet needs a lesson in manners." Guan-Thewi clicked his displeasure, then growled for good measure.

"Apologies, honored warrior, but she is blind." He bowed quickly to smooth over her disrespect.

The warrior huffed, but Amelia babbled over any response he may have given.

"Maybe one farther away. Is there a toilet with a wall, or a curtain, for privacy?"

His translator struggled to keep up with her rapid speech, skipping key words. "Privacy?"

"I can't pee in front of people." Her face flushed and she squirmed.

He heard a chirp and laughter behind him. The bathing warrior, Yeyinde, likely had a translator too.

Raz'ha carried her to the farthest toilet then placed her on the seat. He held her upright, her frame much too small for the Yautja facilities.

"I can do it, just uh, turn around." She squinted up at him, her face scrunching in an odd fashion.

Huffing, but too tired to inquire about the absurd request, he turned his back. Listening to her fumbling with her dress, he hoped she did not fall in. The chemicals keeping the toilets sanitary were harsh enough to burn him. The effect on her soft hide would likely be devastating.

"Do not slip," he reminded over his shoulder, hoping she understood. "It is dangerous."

"Face forward." Her voice pitched to an irritating screech and she shoved her Ooman garment down over her thighs.

This returning modesty pricked his patience. "I have already seen all of you."

She did not reply, but he heard the telltale sounds that this misadventure was coming to a close.

"Um," she mumbled after a moment.

"Press the button behind you. It is similar to the Tauren facilities."

"What?"

They struggled through the translations before she understood.

"Val'jek's is modified so it won't burn me."

He hadn't considered that before. Of course the cleansing laser was much too powerful for an Ooman.

"Do you have a wash cloth, maybe?"

"No. Come, you will bathe now." He carried her across the room.

"But," she started.

"There is no choice." Untying her garment, he was surprised when she remained compliant. He pulled the dress over her head.

She covered her nudity with her hands and hurried to lower herself in the water. She hissed.

"What?"

"It stings." Splashing in the blue water, she rubbed her limbs with quick efficient movements.

"Be quick," he said. The cleansing chemicals were only mild irritants. He hoped.

"The pool across from the door is watered down," Yeyinde called from his own pool.

"What was that?" Sinking lower in the water, Amelia squinted at the warrior.

"Thank you," Raz'ha called back.

"Raz'ha?" She squinted at him.

"It's nothing. Are you finished?"

"Yes."

He lifted her because she made no move to climb out. Holding her away from his body, to avoid wetting his armor, he carried her to the dryer. Thinking better of it, he placed her several steps away before pressing the activation button.

A gust of air shot out at her. The ancient machine sputtered and then functioned properly, blowing uninterrupted air.

Gasping, she stepped back several more steps and cursed in his language. "That's hot."

"It's supposed to be."

"I don't understand. What?"

He shrugged. "Yes. Hot."

After a minute of silence, she asked, "Can they see me?"

The bathing warrior's laughter beat him to the answer.

She snatched her dress from the floor and covered herself. "Why didn't you tell me?" she hissed.

He purred, smelling her anxious odor overpowering the harsh chemical cleansers.

"Let's go. I'm dry." She hurried, pulling her Ooman garment over her head.

Raz'ha shut off the dryer and guided her back to his quarters. He ignored the water trail dripping down her back.

In his quarters, he undressed for sleep, watching her wring her hair with a cloth. Then she darted for the bed and pretended to sleep.

He followed, perplexed by her strange behavior. She did not act like this in the Elder's quarters. "Amelia?"

Heavy silence weighed the air and he thought no answer was coming.

"Yes?" Her voice caught strangely.

He leaned over to see her.

Her eyes clenched shut but liquid escaped, streaking down her reddened face.

Purring a soothing baritone, he pulled her into his arms, smashing her against his chest. "Sad?" he questioned.

She shook her head.

"Amelia?"

"I can't. I can't do it." She hiccuped, her body heaving. "I want to go home."

A part of him wilted with her plea. His home made her unhappy. "To the Tauren ship?"

"Earth," she mumbled. "I want to go home. I want lights. I want a human bathroom, and human clothes, and tampons. I want my brother to come back and tell me to stop worrying over nothing. I just want to go home. I want Val'jek to come back from his stupid mission because I can't do this. I'm just a regular human."

He did not know what to make of the ramblings. Most of what she said conflicted. She said her brother had died. He could not come back to tell her anything. When Elder Val'jek returned, she would not go to Earth, but the Tauren ship.

She sounded like a suckling wailing for her bearer so he rocked her, rumbling quiet purrs. He hoped Mah'sic knew what to do for her. He considered fetching the unblood until she quieted, her grief coming silently and wetting his chest.

Chapter 14

This was not how she expected to wake in the morning. Perhaps an awkward moment or two before dressing, but not Mah'sic hovering over her with a sensor stuck to her arm and palm console in her face. She didn't know whether to be angry or mortified.

Amelia flushed, covering herself with the bed fur. "You told him? Raz'ha that was private."

Raz'ha's shoulders hunched and Mah'sic had to translate his explanation. "You did not ask me to withhold the information. I thought you were ill."

His answer sucked all the steam from her anger, but left her cheeks burning and body restless. Her meltdown must have seemed major to the warrior. She wouldn't say it out loud, but it had felt catastrophic to her at the time.

Mah'sic tapped buttons on his palm scanner. "I could deduce the event from the swelling."

She touched her puffy eyes. "It was nothing, just a few jitters."

"Your vital signs are elevated, but you are healthy." The unblood took his sensor and moved to Hult'ah's cage. He adjusted the scanner for the hound's vitals.

Now that her eyes had adjusted to the low light Amelia could see better, but not well. She squinted, surveying Mah'sic.

He hadn't pestered her with questions or long explanations about her current health status. Tension held his shoulders bunched and the usual excited chirps were silent. She wanted to talk with him about the revelations of his birth. He must be upset or confused. But she couldn't have that discussion in front of Raz'ha, and absolutely not while she was naked.

Raz'ha pat her arm, drawing her eyes from Mah'sic. The warrior watched her, tilting his head. "You will accompany me to my duties."

"That's okay, I'd rather stay here." She fiddled with the fur. "Just, maybe you could come back for a bathroom break? Or a jar. I could use a jar. Then you won't have to worry at all."

The warrior huffed and rumbled in his throat. The sound was answer enough. "I will keep you close in case you experience more jitters."

She didn't grasp all his words, but she pieced the meaning together on her own. "I won't."

"I will be certain. We leave soon. Dress." Though his grammar sounded short, he held his hands up in a placating gesture and continued in his own language. "Please."

"Hult'ah should remain in his cage for another cycle, but handle him for a time today." The unblood pet Hult'ah's head through the bars. "I have given him a pain suppressant."

The hound whined and his eyelids drooped.

"Shouldn't I stay here to watch him?"

"Bring him." Raz'ha pulled on his body netting.

She turned away from his unabashed nudity. "I'm supposed to send Val'jek a message today."

"I train near the communication room."

There was no deterring the warrior. She had to go with him. "I'm sorry he made you get up early for nothing, Mah'sic."

The unblood stood, dressed in full armor, though he carried only a combistick for a weapon. "Unbloods train before blooded warriors rise. I was awake, but I must return to my duties now." He bowed.

"Wait, when I send a message to Val'jek, would you like me to tell him anything for you?"

The unblood paused, then rumbled. "I have nothing to say."

"I'm going to tell him that I hope his trip is going well. I'll tell him the same from you. Is that okay?"

Mah'sic nodded and hurried from the room.

Amelia slipped on her mask since their translator had left.

Raz'ha latched his chest plate on his shoulder. "Bring a fur. You may sleep during my duties."

Amelia dressed and combed her hair, her nerves returned and made the simple tasks take longer. The ship lived in darkness and the locals were hostile. She had to put on a brave face, even if no one could see her expression through the mask. They'd smell her scent.

#

The trip to the bathroom was more embarrassing with her mask. The room had zero privacy with half a dozen occupants, and Yautja didn't believe in toilet paper.

Raz'ha produced a cloth scrap and soaked the material in one of the tubs, then handed it to her for toilet paper. She was grateful he turned his back without being asked and blocked her view of half the room. The other half clicked and chirped at her strange custom.

When she finished, Raz'ha took the scrap back to wash again.

Life could not be more awkward.

Walking through the halls was chaotic. Yautja bumped each other, fought, and argued all around her. Raz'ha had chirped for her to hurry twice and cleared the path.

Amelia jogged to keep up with him and hooked her fingers in his belt so he knew she followed. She shamelessly hid behind his broad, heavily muscled back that narrowed to a defined waist and a toned buttocks. Why did he have to look like some sort of Greek statue? Val'jek had put a piece of chocolate in front of her and said, "Have a bite."

She ran into him, smashing her mask into the rock hard flesh she had been admiring. Touching him must have turned her mind to mush.

He chuffed as a door slid open.

Sharp white light blinded Amelia stabbing pain through her eyeballs. She yanked off her mask, but the light and pain remained. She squinted and shielded her eyes until it dulled to an ache.

Eight Yautja milled about on mats, facing a mirrored wall. It was a training room and well lit. Relief flooded her and she adjusted her mask settings so she wouldn't be blinded when she put it back on.

"Kehrite," she said, hoping the pronunciation was correct.

"Yes." Raz'ha guided her by the shoulder to a corner.

The Yautja were small, at least a head shorter than Raz'ha. The young unbloods weren't close to her size though. Even the juveniles had more than a hundred pounds of muscle over her hundred and fifteen.

They surveyed her as she surveyed them. Heads tilted, mandibles clicked, and bird calls passed through the group.

He set her blanket on the floor in the corner and Hult'ah's cage beside it. "Remain here. No one will bother you."

"Sure." She seated herself on the fur.

Raz'ha clicked his mandibles, staring down at her.

"Have fun training," she said awkwardly to fill the silence between them.

#

Boredom plagued Amelia. The young Yautja repeated the same kick for the last hour and there was nothing else for her to do but watch. Even Hult'ah abandoned her in his sedated glassy eyed look. She held him in her lap and pet down his back. She had checked twice for any build up, hoping for an activity to occupy her time.

Raz'ha growled something she thought may have been insulting at a training unblood. The warrior corrected the youngster's stance and demonstrated. It was the high point of her afternoon. He barked a command and the unblood performed a proper kick.

Raz'ha stepped back to watch his class.

She waved him over and put on her mask for the translator.

He nodded and kept his eyes on the students as he approached.

She shrank down at his imposing figure. Raz'ha stood stiff and tall, the instructor not the Yautja of leisure pursuing her. He clicked and looked down at her, waiting.

"Is it all right if I move around and stretch back here? I don't want to distract your class." She bit her lip behind her mask.

He looked to his class, then back at her. After a moment he nodded. "Give the mats and door wide berth." His tone and mandibles clicks were gruff.

She would move no where near his class. "I understand." She bowed her head. "Thank you."

His nod was a jerk, jingling his dreads. He whirled around and barked an order at his class. Several unbloods jumped to attention.

As she settled Hult'ah in his cage she wondered if military school had been similar for her brother. The old ache settled in her chest. She hadn't thought of her brother much in months and now he crossed her mind several times in the last few days.

She removed her shoes and shivered from the cold floor beneath her feet. Amelia performed thorough stretching routines, and then repeated them. She hoped using a simple routine would prove inconsequential to the class, but she was wrong.

Raz'ha cuffed more than one student over the distraction.

#

Amelia woke from her midday nap by slow increments. She threw an arm over her face and muttered about the light. She heard a trill and bird calls and then felt a poke followed by another.

"I'm awake," she said.

Another trill sounded and she sensed a flutter of movement above her.

"What are you doing, Raz'ha?" She opened her eyes and squinted.

The tan and brown face staring down at her was not Raz'ha. Orange eyes, wide as saucers, blinked and stumpy mandibles fluttered. Another face edged closer. The new comer, green with a tan face, peered down with the same orange eyes. They stood three feet tall. Children. Pups, Yautja called them.

"Hi," she said. She had seen Yautja children from a distance, but never interacted with any.

They chirped to each other and the brown one reached for her face. His black claws loomed large and poked her nose.

She jerked upright, finding her feet.

Both of the children stumbled back. They stared up at her, mandibles sagging and mouths open. She didn't let the height difference go to her head. Even small Yautja could inflict damage.

The green one shuffled to her, chirping and fluttering his mandibles. He pointed at her and then stood on his toes. His index claw, black and stubby, poked her chin and reached higher still.

She jerked away.

The green Yautja jumped back and both children trilled. The green child pushed the the brown one toward her.

"Are you playing a game?"

The nervous brown child looked over his shoulder to the other, then grabbed her bracelet, yanking.

She didn't know whether to be amused or nervous. "Please don't do that."

Trilling at her, he pulled the cuff harder and her arm with it.

"H'ko," she said firmly, using their form of no. Tugging back, she was surprised when she jerked the Yautja forward and onto her poor toes. "Ouch."

The brown Yautja latched onto her thigh and made a whining sound that bloomed into a wail. The other mimicked the noise, stomping his feet and bringing his fist to his mouth.

"Thewi! Guan!" Raz'ha jerked the child away from her by the back of his neck. Barking a reprimand, he grabbed the green child by his arm.

The children quieted to whimpers and bowed their heads.

"Apologies, Amelia." Raz'ha dragged them to the mats where almost a dozen other children milled about.

Raz'ha shouted an order and the children formed two lines facing each other, except most watched her instead of Raz'ha. Giving rapid instructions, the warrior cuffed several on their large foreheads.

"Begin!" he shouted.

The young children roared and wrestled.

Noisy and chaotic, the class was unlike the other training lessons Raz'ha taught. The children fidgeted, socialized, and waved at her in greeting. Amelia waved back.

When they were dismissed, two females entered and escorted them single file from the room. Amelia caught their attention for a moment. She felt the look, and the shock, from across the room. A tall brown female exchanged hushed words with Raz'ha then stormed from the room.

Raz'ha turned to Amelia as more warriors entered. His claws clenched into fists and his stride was predatory.

She slipped her mask on more to hide her face than for the translator. Her presence had caused him trouble. Yautja females were particular about raising children. If males weren't even allowed custody, they would have a complaint or two about Amelia lingering in the vicinity.

"Apologies, Amelia." There was no anger in his voice and he bowed his head. "The pups have not started discipline training yet and they are more curious than intelligent."

"That's okay. They were cute." The topic was safe and she clung to it. "Is this their first year of training?"

He chuffed and shook his head. "They are from the nursery. They have many cycles before they learn discipline, but once they master basic self control, formal training begins."

Tension between her shoulders eased. "You're like the gym teacher then."

"Gym?"

"Physical education so they don't grow lazy." Amelia never had a gym teacher that muscular or attractive. She may have tried harder if that had been the case.

"Yes." He looked her over and his mandibles fluttered. "Are you experiencing jitters?"

She flushed. "I'm okay."

"Good." He placed his claw on her shoulder, his thumb caressing her neck. "I have time, if you wish to use the facilities and then the communication room."

Her pulse kicked up a notch and her stomach tightened. "Yes, please."

#

Using the com was as awkward as urinating in front of Raz'ha. Communication to outside clan ships was monitored and subject to approval of two females.

Forbidden from touching the communication station, Amelia hovered to the side. The females hissed if she moved too close to the bulky device that looked ancient even to her human eyes. The females didn't understand English either. She had to dictate the message to Raz'ha, who typed it, and then stepped aside for the females to review it.

They clicked and growled.

"You cannot reveal our screening procedures or our environmental status," the first said.

The second added her own clicks. "You must address the communication properly."

"I don't understand," Amelia said.

"I do not understand as well," Raz'ha said in English, then switched to his language to address the female Yautja. "Address the communication properly?"

"The missive is from you, Raz'ha of Saracen Clan, is it not? It must be addressed accordingly."

Raz'ha chirped. "The missive is from Amelia. I am merely translating so you may inspect the message."

"Slaves cannot use the communication system."

Raz'ha grunted and tapped rapid changes on the console touch screen, making the green glyphs dance and shift. "What would you like me to tell him about your stay here?"

She frowned at the clicking females. "Tell him there are a few awkward hiccups, but I'm all right."

"They will not understand hiccups." Raz'ha gestured to the females. "We do not suffer this Ooman affliction."

"A few awkward moments then," Amelia said.

"It sounds strange and it's head is small. Do you think it is a juvenile?" The first asked.

"No," the other trilled. "Human females are inferior to males."

Raz'ha cupped the back of Amelia's head, his claws tunneling into her hair and stroking her scalp. He addressed the Yautja, "Does this meet your approval?"

The females reviewed the message, clicked and glared at Raz'ha, but nodded. "We will send the communication before the sleep cycle."

Her heart sank. "Not now, what about his reply?"

"We will see his reply tomorrow and send another." His hand dropped to her shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze.

Com time was reduced to sending letters that everyone else read and edited. Disappointment hunched her shoulders as she was escorted from the room. She had wanted to see and hear Val'jek.

#

Amelia walked beside him since the halls were empty at this hour, but her arm brushed his on occasion. She had not done that on the Tauren's clan ship, but the victory was muted by his turmoil.

Raz'ha felt suspicion take root and he could not dislodge it now that he had the thought.

Elder Val'jek had negotiated a number of provisions for Amelia's care. Raz'ha knew because the Priestesses and Elders had fumed at him over a number of terms the cycle before. He suspected that Elder Val'jek expected more communication from his mate than a few vague sentences.

Raz'ha saw Amelia's disappointment in her every sluggish step and acrid anxiety tainted her pleasant scent. She did not complain and Raz'ha felt acute embarrassment over the incident.

It was possible the Elder was ignorant of his clan's tight control over communications, but Raz'ha doubted it. The Elder must have known when demanding com time each cycle. Were audio, visual, and other provisions forgotten in the agreement? Raz'ha wanted to see the contract, but his request was being taken into consideration and likely to be left in limbo forever.

Excuses and platitudes about the procedures ensuring clan survival came to mind. Still Raz'ha doubted.

He understood the safety of his clan. If the Hish, sworn enemy of all Yautja, discovered they struggled, they would pursue an easy kill. Raz'ha doubted the Hish would decipher the coded message and then plan an attack based on Amelia's inability to see in their lighting.

The Priestesses grew more paranoid by the cycle, and they considered Amelia a potential threat. An Ooman. A pet. She hailed from a clan who extended an opportunity for aid. Trade agreements alone would ensure his clan thrived, and rumors circulated that the Tauren's offered more than that.

"What now?" she asked.

"I must train." He could return her to his quarters since she did not suffer jitters, but he wanted her close.

She nodded and let the conversation die and his mind returned to his suspicions.

Raz'ha could only assume the Priestesses did not realize Amelia was sentient and emotive, or they misunderstood her importance to Elder Val'jek. Either was possible since female Yautja had little contact with Oomans and it was difficult to fathom anyone treating a pet as an equal.

Elder Val'jek championed their treaty with the Taurens and to offend the Elder in any way was beyond insult. He would not be pleased to hear the terms of his contract were violated, or that Amelia's stay was miserable. The former was unproven, and the latter could still be changed.

He rested his hand on the small of her back, brushing her spine with his thumb.

He wondered if the Elder had already known about the lighting issue. The mask had been crucial for Amelia and it was a well-timed gift. And too expensive for Raz'ha to acquire on his own. He huffed and shook off his thoughts.

"After I train, I will escort you to our quarters and retrieve our meals." He intended to keep her well away from the meal hall, where combat was as common as it was in a kehrite. She would cause quite a stir in the all male gathering.

Another nod from her, but no words.

"My hunt brothers are coarse and full of jests, but they hold their honor above all else." He intended to peak her interest.

She said nothing, but leaned into him.

Raz'ha led her to a separate kehrite reserved for honored warriors to train after daily duties. It was one of the few perks for his rank. Four other warriors occupied the room. All eyes and mandibles turned their way upon entering. The honored warriors sniffed, some more discreet than others.

Raz'ha chirped a greeting and received several back. He pointed to each honored warrior and said his name for Amelia. They nodded with respect, but exchanged chirps and trills of amusement. Amelia bowed her head when he finished.

"Is this your new sparring partner?" Yeyinde asked, his mandibles tipping up.

"This is Amelia, Elder Val'jek's mate." He led Amelia to another corner. "And you would not find it amusing if you tried Ooman sparring."

Yeyinde trilled. "Are you offering to share, brother?"

Amelia tensed. Her mask translated everything.

Raz'ha flared his mandibles. "No."

"Then why is it here?" Yeyinde approached them.

"Because he plays nursemaid to the pet for an Elder. Forget the Ooman, let's train before I am fat and old." Guan-Thewi extended his combistick.

"We are a man short still. I will sit out this round." Yeyinde kneeled beside Amelia.

"Shouldn't you be hunting?" Raz'ha snapped as he laid out Amelia's fur. It was Yeyinde's turn to lead a small group of warriors on a hunt and he should be collecting trophies, not harassing Raz'ha.

Trills and laughter followed behind him.

"The ship is being repaired," Sain'ja said.

Mar'cte extended his combistick. "It is always being repaired because the piece of shit is always broken."

"I would not miss the Ooman musk I hear so much about either." Yeyinde chirped. "Do not worry, Raz'ha, I will watch your pet."

Raz'ha growled, towering over the honored warrior. He knew they were jesting, but his blood ran hot at the mere thought of Yeyinde mating Amelia. "You do not have my permission to touch her."

Yeyinde chirped. "I will take in her scent then." The honored warrior leaned into Amelia, dangerously close to touching.

Amelia inched away, her mask hiding her expression but her stiff body language clear enough to display her discomfort.

Issuing a challenge, Raz'ha shoved the honored warrior's shoulder.

More trills and laughter sounded behind him, but he ignored it. He didn't want them harassing, or worse, courting Amelia.

She stared at him, her expression hidden by the mask, but remained silent.

Yeyinde's mandibles closed and twitched. "It appears I am not sitting out this round. Who else would like to sniff the female, perhaps you, Mar'cte?"

Mar'cte trilled and took a step in her direction.

"You will leave the Ooman be, all of you. She is in my keeping." Posturing, Raz'ha flared his mandibles and growled at the group. "Your foolishness is not welcomed and will be met with a challenge."

More trills and laughter.

"We only jest, Raz'ha. You can keep your precious Ooman to yourself." Yeyinde fluttered his mandibles at Amelia. "Unless she would like a new protector, one with more trophies?"

Raz'ha growled and shoved the warrior's shoulder once more.

Amelia jerked and shook her head, declining the invitation.

Yeyinde shrugged and returned to the training mats. He stood at the ready to spar, the challenge left unanswered.

Raz'ha would have named a lesser warrior a coward, but not Yeyinde. He was an equal match to Raz'ha's skill and sacrificed much for his honor.

He counted the warriors in the room as his hunt brothers, and all had proven honorable, but they knew little of Ooman females. Their jests to rile him could cause her strife. She could break if their teasing turned physical. Raz'ha wanted her happy and healthy.

"Do not forget the Tauren Elder listens to her words as his equal. When he returns for her, she must speak of pleasant experiences," Raz'ha warned. Where they would prod him for a challenge, they would not risk dishonoring their clan.

"I will give her a pleasant experience." Mar'cte made a lewd gesture at Amelia with his groin guard.

Amelia made an Ooman gesture with her middle finger in response.

"What was that?" Mar'cte chirped, head cocking to the side. "Does the Ooman accept?"

"No," Raz'ha barked. Though he wasn't certain of the specific meaning himself, he was sure it was offensive. "It means no."

Yeyinde trilled. "I believe that is Ooman for, 'Your cock is too small.' Even little creatures have standards, Mar'cte."

"Pauk-de, Yeyinde." Mar'cte made another rude gesture, but at the warriors this time.

"Enough, let us begin," Guan-Thewi said, tapping Mar'cte with his combistick.

They paired up and Sain'ja was the odd man out. He sat beside Amelia, but at a respectful distance.

As Raz'ha sparred with his hunt brothers, he was aware of Amelia's presence. He hoped she rooted for him. It was rare for a Saracen female to back a warrior. They wanted the winner, not the particular male.

#

Raz'ha had retrieved food from the meal hall and washed himself before returning. He didn't mention the challenger he defeated over her ration. They ate together on the bed because there was only one chair in the main room.

"You fought well earlier," she said. Her cheeks turned pink.

His chest puffed. "Thank you."

"You must be sore after all the training." Her cheeks turned a darker shade and the color crept over the rest of her features. Her scent held more than a hint of interest.

This was an opportunity, perhaps a test, but Raz'ha didn't know the correct answer. Would she want him to be proud and invincible, or honest and admit his muscles burned?

"Yes," he said because a Yautja would wish him to deny it. He watched her for a reaction.

She tilted her chin down and ate more kali.

He had failed her test. Even Oomans wanted a strong warrior. He clicked his mandibles, contemplating how best to rectify his slip.

"I will give you a massage," she said.

"Now?" He set his bowl aside. He had passed, not failed.

"No." A smile split her features. "After dinner, and we've played with the puppies. They're lonely from being abandoned all day."

Raz'ha hurried to finish and socialized her pets while he waited for her. He suspected she slowed her pace on purpose, but couldn't fathom why.

Her puppies were always eager for attention, and he doubted one day would make a difference. Amelia appeared to enjoy doting on the small creatures. Larger ones too if her interactions with Elder Val'jek and Mah'sic were taken into consideration. Now he would join that exclusive rank.

#

Amelia wanted to take back the offer and deny knowing why she made it in the first place. She lied to herself, insisting he was sore after the rough fighting with the other warriors. Her reasons were much more selfish.

There was no other excuse, outside of a mating invitation, to touch him. This way she could satisfy her craving and deny giving into the urge.

She made her meal last after his eager reaction. The warrior was ready to throw the food aside and mount her, and the image appealed to her on a base level. Her cheeks warmed and her stomach fluttered. That reaction made her nervous.

Being with him twice was a fling, an extension of her monogamous relationship with Val'jek. A third time, alone with the warrior, would be more.

An affair wasn't possible for her. She grew attached to everything and forming an intimate bond with the warrior was a terrible idea. She was loyal to Val'jek, and Raz'ha was from a different clan. Who knew how often their paths would cross? She'd have to let him go, and she was tired of letting things she loved go. The only option was to avoid growing attached.

She shouldn't have offered a massage, but watching his masculine displays all day made her fingers antsy to touch. Once she worked the urge out of her system, he would sleep and she could snuggle close without him knowing, or reading into the action.

By the time she finished, her pets were socialized and settled in their own makeshift bed for the night. Raz'ha undressed and sprawled out beside her on the mattress.

Careful to tuck her dress between them, she straddled the warrior.

"This is different."

"It makes it easier, so I can," she fumbled for an explanation, "use my weight to massage harder."

"I understand." He ended with a purr.

"I hope not," she said under her breath.

She kneaded along his spine, following the length down to the small of his back. His thick skin wasn't human by any means, but neither was it scaled or cold as would be expected from his lizard-like appearance. He radiated heat and it seeped through her dress.

She admired the spotted patterns, designed to blend into the jungles and attract a mate out of them. She brushed his dreads aside and massaged his upper back.

He groaned and his back vibrated with a thrumming purr. "Paya, you are magnificent."

Smiling, she held her tongue. No need to encourage the compliments, but it warmed her none the less. Pulling more groans and arousing purrs from the warrior, she worked the muscles until tension seeped out of his body.

She moved up, settling higher on his back, and continued her ministrations on his shoulders.

His breathing evened and his purrs turned into a quiet hum she struggled to hear. The sound hypnotized her, drawing her closer to listen. She pressed her ear to his back.

He continued the hum, the sound reverberating in his chest. It was a purr, but more than that, a vocal sound, almost lyrical, came from him.

Amelia laid flat to better listen. His weight shifted and she splayed her hand on his arm to stop him. The sound cut off.

"Amelia?" he said, his voice rasping.

"Make that sound again," she whispered.

She felt tension beneath her, then his muscles relaxed and a purr started. Like a large cat hidden in his chest the rumbling carried on for a few moments. It lowered and quieted until the soft hum took its place.

Sighing, she rubbed his side in silent thanks.

#

Raz'ha laid her sleeping form beside him and draped the furs over their bodies. He wrapped his arms around her when she burrowed closer and mumbled nonsense.

Elation and relief hummed through Raz'ha's body. He had been embarrassed to realize he had made the strange sound, but she had listened and requested he continue. She had enjoyed it enough to fall asleep on his back.

The strange hum presented itself when his muscles relaxed enough to lay his vocal chords against rigid scar tissue. He had suffered a neck wound during his Chiva. The injury had healed well on the outside, but beneath the skin the scar tissue was thick.

Keeping his chin up and avoiding too quiet purrs had kept his secret. He was ever vigilant because no one wanted to breed a Yautja who suffered from a defective purr. The sound was necessary for communication and mating. He wasn't born with the defect, but a female would not risk the possibility when other males vied for the right to mate.

Amelia was an Ooman and ignorant to the issue. Her ears struggled to differentiate Yautja clicks and purr types already. She had noticed though, and laid her ear to his back to listen. She had not done that for his normal purrs.

He stroked her silken hair and watched her sleep. He made steady progress. His body came to life, responding to her new scent. She was aroused in her sleep, a phenomena that always amused him.

Raz'ha wanted to wake her for mating, but laid still, enjoying her musk. He understood her pacing better, if not her reasoning. Soon she would mate him, but not yet.

Chapter 15

They settled into a routine over the course of one ooman month. Amelia grew accustomed to the public bathing and even allowed him to wash with her. She was growing accustomed to him in a way as well. He understood it as progress when she no longer murmured for Val'jek in the night as she snuggled against Raz'ha's chest. His clan never grew accustomed to her, but his training classes knew better than to allow a distraction.

Raz'ha mused that she helped their training. Focus, no matter the distraction, was important for hunting. Even Raz'ha had trouble ignoring her lithe body swaying and dancing in the back of the room. The mirrors allowed the entire class a view of her ooman dances. Today she drew on a treated animal skin. He was hard pressed not to investigate this new activity.

"Honored warrior?"

Raz'ha dragged his attention away from Amelia. "What?" he barked at his student.

"Your next instruction?"

Raz'ha hadn't paid attention. He had no idea where the class left off on the day's activities. "Pair up and spar."

There was no such thing as too much sparring for young warriors. The students trilled in barely stifled amusement, but broke off and formed two lines.

"Begin," Raz'ha ordered. He watched the less skilled students, satisfied they were competent enough, and approached Amelia.

She slipped on her mask as he neared despite his near fluency in her language. She asked, "Is everything okay?"

"Yes." Her canvas was covered in the likeness of the yautja form in motion and fighting stances. He looked closer but her hands slapped over the canvas. Her chest and neck turned crimson, indicative of her blushes. "You were an artist on your world?" he asked.

She shook her head and her fingers tapped in a nervous tick. "Accounting student. Art doesn't pay the bills." She looked down at her work. "Mason joined the military to pay for my schooling. When I found a job, he was going to get out and I'd pay for his schooling."

Though he had trouble understanding the details of her customs he understood her plan never came to pass. Mason, her brother, had died as a warrior.

"Will you tell me the story of your hunt with Elder Val'jek?" He heard tellings from rumors but he wanted to know what it was like for her. He wanted to know how she bested three kainde amedha.

Her gaze shifted to the sparring unbloods. "Now?"

"Over our meal." He reached for her other skins. "May I?"

She nodded, but said, "They're not finished yet."

The first was of Elder Val'jek, drawn and half painted. The Elder's scowl looked as if he had too much c'nlip and his large claw reached out as if he might grab the viewer.

"That was the first time I saw him conscious. He was a bit out of it," she said.

It looked like the Elder intended to kill her if that was their first encounter. He chirped and looked at the rest. Sketches and figures, but no faces or discernible features. A few were of his students loosely sketched and not yet painted. "What will you do with them when they are complete?"

"Maybe hang them up." She shrugged a delicate shoulder. "Give them away."

"You owe me a trade for the hound." He clicked his mandibles, wishing he had phrased that better.

"Yes. Do you have something in mind?" Her neck turned pink with another blush.

"Will you paint one of yourself?"

Her head tilted and she looked down. "What kind of portrait were you thinking?" the blush deepened.

He hesitated at her discomfort. "Is this not appropriate with oomans?"

She didn't answer the question, but said, "I'll make one for you."

#

Amelia was glad she wore her mask. Raz'ha couldn't see her blushing. She had jumped to the wrong conclusion when she assumed he'd asked for a nude portrait. Just because she doodled him in a state of undress all day didn't mean that was his first thought too.

She had never seen a yautja nude portrait and wondered if there were any. She made a note to ask Mah'sic, or perhaps wait until Val'jek returned. Thoughts of Val'jek made her feel guilty and alternately yearning. It had only been a few weeks and they exchanged messages daily. Val'jek sent her videos that were obviously edited, jumping every other word on occasion.

She was glad to see his face and hear his voice even if she could not record a video in return. His first mission objectives were met without injury. She tried not to think of the humans in cryo sleep on his ship. Val'jek swore they were the worst sort of criminals and they deserved their fates. She had to trust that he spoke the truth.

She doodled Val'jek naked beside her sketch of Raz'ha naked. Regular sex with Val'jek must have turned her into a nymphomaniac, she mused. She understood more clearly why her mated had insisted that she accept Raz'ha. Life was lonely, and if she was honest a little scary, without Val'jek. She quickly steered her thoughts away from that disturbing topic and reconsidered her sketches.

Maybe she should paint herself naked just to see the expression on Raz'ha's face. He had seen it before, as he liked to remind her often. Half the male population on the ship had seen her naked. Thankfully female and male facilities were separate.

Mind working, she made several quick sketches for poses. If she set her mask to record she could use a picture for reference while he retrieved dinner. Raz'ha would have no idea what hit him.

#

Hearing the door, Amelia hurried tying off her dress. She'd taken several pictures of herself using her mask's camera and didn't want him to question what she was doing.

Raz'ha chirped a sour greeting, hiding a smear of green blood on his bicep from her. He probably thought he was doing a good job keeping her from realizing that he had to fight for her meals. She'd been through similar situations with Val'jek and knew the fresh-from-a-fist-fight swollen knuckles. She spotted a swollen mandible too. He'd taken at least one hit to the face, but appeared well enough.

She'd let him think she was ignorant. Talking about the challenges wouldn't end them, and she didn't want the friction to spoil their evening meals. It was the only time either of them could relax.

"What's for dinner tonight?" She gave him her best smile. If he had to fight for the meal, she'd make it pleasant for him.

"Only pash." Raz'ha clicked a few rapid curses. "There is a food shortage and food is being rationed. Meat is reduced to every other cycle."

The news distracted her from his ever growing fluency in english. She would normally compliment his english as they shared their meal, but it was quickly forgotten. "Is the shortage bad?" She accepted the shared bowl. Taurens never had shortages. They constantly brought in meat and fresh crops for trade. Any necessities they ran low on could be acquired through trade long before rationing became necessary.

Raz'ha shrugged a shoulder. "It depends on mechanics. If ships can be repaired, hunters will kill talbucks and," he struggled for a moment, then settled on, "store the food."

"If the ships can't be fixed?"

"We have rations and will find another way. Already we travel toward a hunting planet." The tension in his shoulder spoke volumes about his concerns.

"Can we store some of this and save it, just in case?"

He shook his head. "It will spoil."

"Should I do anything?" There was often little to be done in space. It wasn't like Earth, and there weren't grocery stores on every corner.

Raz'ha trilled and seemed to give the question consideration. "Stop exercising."

Her brows rose with surprise. "What?"

"It requires energy, yes? Energy requires food and more exercise requires more food."

"Okay then, I'll work on my drawing instead of dancing while food is rationed." The shortage suddenly seemed more ominous and a weight settled in the pit of her stomach. Pyode amedha literally meant soft meat. She would make a decent sized meal if a yautja was desperate enough.

"Thank you, Amelia." Raz'ha knelt in front of her. They settled and ate in silence for a time. Then he broke the tension with a simple, "Will you share your hunt with me?"

"My hunt?" she asked.

Dreadlocks swaying, he nodded. "With Elder Val'jek."

"Yes, of course," she said. "The end is a bit fuzzy though. I was unconscious once the queen went down."

Another nod and he waited, his amber eyes never leaving her face.

"I was visiting my brother on p-132. I wasn't there long when everything went wrong." She shrugged a shoulder, faking the casualness males used to relay their triumphs. "It was a mining planet, but they had found some creature's eggs and were studying them."

"Kainde amedha?" Raz'ha asked, mandibles lifting.

"Yeah, but they didn't know that, and they didn't know what the creatures could do." She bit her lip. "I guess one got loose and started laying more eggs. The first person went missing and then thirty six hours later everyone was dead." And she was on Val'jek's spaceship.

The warrior chirped, prompting her to elaborate.

"Once they realized what was happening there were dozens of the creatures, kainde amedha. They dragged off so many people, breeding in them, eating them." She shuddered. "They tried to evacuate, but there were no more pilots. By the time we tried to reach the surface, there were too many hard meats. The soldiers decided to fight their way out." Her brother had agreed, but she had been terrified.

"We were cut off. There were so many I couldn't count them. They slaughtered half the soldiers before we started running. It was chaos."

"And Val'jek?"

"He wasn't there yet. The hard meats trapped us in the east wing. The plan was to use the ventilation shaft to bypass the nest and use the stairs to reach the surface. Only problem was someone had to stay behind to hold off the ones chasing us." She swallowed. "Mason stayed behind to give the rest of us time." His grim face still haunted her whenever she thought of him.

"He said he'd be right behind me so I would go." Tears leaked down her cheeks and words were difficult to form. "But he didn't follow. He stayed so we could get away."

"A good warrior." Raz'ha thumped his chest. "You must be very proud."

"Yeah, in a way," she said, wiping her cheeks. "But I wish he hadn't."

Raz'ha tilted his head, his eyes uncertain. "Why?"

"Because I love my brother. I wanted him to live." Trembling, she sniffled and swiped her cheeks more firmly. "I'd rather have family than honor."

"A warrior would rather die than risk a life giver." He touched her shoulder, his expression softening. "If he loved you, then there was no choice."

She nodded, swallowing past the lump in her throat. Her brother likely had very similar reasoning.

Raz'ha purred low, drawing her under his arm and letting her lean against his side.

"He killed a couple before they got him. You would have been impressed." Val'jek had been when they later discovered the two alien bodies beside his. They didn't have a chance to carry her brother off for breeding and eating and she was able to say her goodbyes. Val'jek had let her mourn for a few moments, but then ushered her on in search of the queen.

"Good for one ooman," Raz'ha agreed. "Impressive," he added in his language.

"I was separated from the group as we fled." She frowned. "It was crazy. They didn't wait for me, and for a while I thought I was going to die there. Left behind while they escaped." She looked up at Raz'ha watching with rapt interest, food forgotten. "They all died. They were no match for the creatures and if I hadn't been separated-or abandoned-I'd be dead with them."

"Paya smiled upon you," he supplied.

She gave a wan smile. "I was very fortunate because while I was trying to find another way out, I found Val'jek. He was finishing off a creature and it was truly impressive. He made it look easy until the ceiling came down on him and he hit the floor like a ton of bricks." She couldn't help the small laugh. "He weighed a ton of bricks. I was pretty sure if anyone could make it out, it was him. I was hoping if I patched him up, he'd take care of the problem and just maybe I'd survive. So I dragged him to an office, barricaded the door, and bandaged his head."

He grabbed her arm and inspected her muscles. "You are small. Val'jek is large."

She laughed, feeling genuine amusement for the accomplishment for the first time. "Fear gives me adrenaline which makes me stronger for a short while. I was terrified so moving Val'jek's tough hide was hard but I made it work."

Raz'ha chirped. "Continue, please, Amelia."

"He had a bump on the head and when he woke up he took a good couple swipes at me. I hadn't thought he would be all hugs and gratitude, but I was hoping he would have been more agreeable at the time." She shook her head. "Once he settled down and patched up his wounds with his own medkit, he just stared at me for a while. I didn't know what he was thinking. He probably calculated how useful I would be as bait."

Shaking his head too, he said, "That would have been dishonorable. He owed you a debt for saving him."

"I know that now, and he didn't try to use me as bait. Much anyway." She waved a hand dismissively. "He let me come with him, and I figured that was the only option I really had so I went. It didn't take long to realize he was there to kill the creatures, not just flee." That had been a difficult pill to swallow.

"You killed three kiande amedha," he prompted.

"Yes, but not really because I wanted to." She held her hands out in a placating gesture. Yautja were all about killing and winning trophies and she had merely wanted to survive and hadn't cared one bit about all that other stuff. "I just wanted to live or at least not die in such a horrible way."

Raz'ha said nothing and simply watched her then. Perhaps he didn't understand this sentiment.

"Anyway, the first two I led into some of the machinery. After watching Val'jek kill a few by luring them where he wanted them then killing them with his disc, I figured it was as good a plan as any. I didn't have weapons though. When one chased me, I bolted for the machinery and nearly killed myself falling into an industrial stone grinder thing. It jumped in after me. I pulled myself out and turned it on before it could kill me with its tail. It essentially hacked up the whole thing and sprayed acid everywhere." That hard meat nearly had the last laugh but she was already fleeing back to Val'jek and narrowly missed the spray.

"Grinder?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know what it is. They were processing rocks and ore or something. It had a big shoot that moved huge rocks into a machine that would turn them into tiny rocks. Pretty effective against hard meats too."

He chirped his approval. "You lured a second one into this trap as well?"

She nodded. "I was headed back to where Val'jek was fighting like half a dozen more when a second dropped down in front of me." She didn't mention that she nearly peed her pants when it had dropped down within arm's reach. The only reason she made it was because it was focused on Val'jek fighting and hadn't noticed her until she was already running. "I ran back to the grinder and apparently the second one didn't know what a grinder was either because he stepped right onto it while I waited on the other side. A quick hit of the button and that one was dead too." And the machine was covered in so much acid there would be no third kiande amedha killed in it.

It had been scarier at the time. If it had decided to go around or simply jump over while she stood there crossing her fingers, she would have been the one dead. Not to mention she was on her tip toes trying to avoid the acid eating everything around her. One face plant and she'd have been in a world of pain and suffering.

She took a breath when he hadn't weighed in. "See, not too impressive. I was just using some industrial machines to do the dirty work for me."

He leaned closer to her, his brows lowering. He took her mask from beside her and helped her put it on. He spoke in his language. "When I train unbloods, the most difficult lessons are the ones with patience and resourcefulness. Warriors master many weapons easier than they master either skill. Some never master resourcefulness fully. They bring weapons on hunts and die when they are lost or damaged." His claw brushed her throat. "You devised a trap in an environment your were not familiar with, using tools you were not familiar with, and stood before a charging kiande amedha that had helped kill all your people. With no training, you waited for your trap to close. Many warriors have difficulty with this."

She didn't know what to say. His face was serious and perhaps a little sad instead of the male pride she expected whenever they spoke of hunts. "I never thought of it that way. I remember it as being terrifying, as having no other choices. Warriors aren't scared."

He chuffed and said, "Everyone feels fear." He traced her collarbone with his the pad of his thumb. "Warriors act with reason even when they feel fear. That is bravery. You are brave."

She covered his hand with hers. "Thank you, Raz'ha." She did her best to mimic some clicks and said in his language, "I am honored."

He gave her a solemn nod. "And the third kiande amedha?"

"That one Val'jek made me a flamethrower for." She smiled behind the mask. "Coolest thing ever once I realized it wouldn't blow up in my face."

He perked up at that.

"I just had to guard the entrance and spray the smaller ones-the drones-down with fire while Val'jek was fighting the queen. When she got close I hit her with it too so she'd stay where Val'jek wanted her for the fight." She hadn't quite understood the reasoning behind the positioning, but had stopped questioning his directives. He was the trained creature slayer and she was the girl trying not to die.

"Val'jek finished everything off except one that had it out for me. No matter how much I hit him with fire, he kept coming back to take a swipe at me. He eventually clawed me too before he died to the fire." At the time she hadn't felt as terrified as she thought she would. It wasn't until later that the nightmares started that she realized how frightening it had been to hold off dozens of drones and keep an eye on a massive queen at the same time. She had been detached in a way with her sole focus on surviving the night. She had come too far to die there.

"I passed out as Val'jerk killed the queen." She vaguely remembered seeing the queen hit the ground from her own vantage point on the ground. She'd barely had the strength to keep the flamethrower aimed at the few drones left.

"Show me your scars," Raz'ha insisted, his gaze falling to her thighs. This was more warrior bonding than sexual. After harrowing tales other warriors demanded proof of the adventure.

"Sure," she said, rising to her knees. Hiking up her dress she presented her thigh for his inspection. "The kiande amedha got me here."

Raz'ha leaned in, examining the old wound he'd seen daily with new interest. "And the other?"

She hesitated, but his demanding rumble had her lifting the dress higher to show the scars on her abdomen.

Raz'ha didn't show the least bit of attention to her genitals. He inspected the three claw marks raking from her navel to the dark curls over her mound. Raz'ha traced the path with his own claws, tilting his head. "It almost destroyed your child bearing organs," he said. "This is why many yautja females do not hunt."

"There was minor damage, but Val'jek fixed it."

Raz'ha nodded and traced the scars on her thigh. "You would make a fine warrior, if you desired to become one." He purred up at her.

"I don't like death. I don't like killing creatures."

"You eat meat." His left brow rose with question.

"Yes, but that's necessary, and I shamelessly go out of my way to never see that meat alive. Then I don't have to think about it." She blushed. "There is an ooman saying, 'Ignorance is bliss.'"

He trilled at that. "I understand."

She dropped her dress, but Raz'ha didn't understand the hint. He shoved the fabric to her breasts and continued to look his fill of her scars. "The Elder carried you to his ship," he said, his claws prodding her thigh. "You could not walk on this."

"I survived all that then pretty much fainted from the pain." She laughed, seeing the humor for the first time. The whole experience seemed much more humorous now that she was relaying it to a warrior who likely had experienced worse.

"You should keep that to yourself." He stroked the crease between the scar and her mound. "Blood loss makes oomans faint too, yes?"

She nodded.

"That is more warrior-like."

"I see. Have you fainted from this blood loss before?" She smiled.

His mandibles fluttered across her belly. "Perhaps once on a talbuk hunt." Leaning back he presented a faint scar spanning across his ribs. "I was a young blood hunting with other young bloods. A herd changed course suddenly and a youngling trampled me."

Amelia moved closer, removing the mask, and touched the faint scar. "It must have been gory for a long time."

He nodded. "My insides were worse." He took her hand and firmly used it to rub a rib.

She felt a strange ridge and bump on the bone. "You broke your rib."

"Every rib. Some in more than one place." He moved her hand over to his other side where a similar ridge was found beneath his bulky muscles.

"A baby talbuk did this to you?" She had no idea how big one was and always pictured a cross between a cow and a deer. The creatures must be much larger if a small one inflicted that much damage.

Raz'ha nodded. "I returned to my clan before the blood loss took me."

A smile tugged at her lips. "Yes, blood loss does sound more warrior-like." Still, it said something that he returned to his hunting party on his own. Amelia would have died before walking on her torn leg.

Raz'ha grinned at her, his top mandibles lifting and opening. He told her more hunting stories, some dangerous and others humorous from his youth. He'd present his scars and wait for her to inspect and touch each before continuing.

Flushed and aching she knew she had long since entered dangerous water in their relationship. His purrs softened and his amber eyes were bright in the dim light. Intimate lighting, she silently called it in an effort to stave off the fear of the dark. It was a perpetual romantic setting and that was better than the alternative.

#

Raz'ha watched her appreciate his body. It was common to use her eyes, but rare with her hands.

She was ready.

The thought pulsed through his veins all night. Something had changed and she had eased over some edge in her mind. He didn't understand it, but he'd not argue his good fortune. If he removed her dress and laid her back, she would allow it. But he wanted more than a quick rut. He needed her to acknowledge his pursuit-to want him fully. That would take more time, but now was the first step. She would accept a formal mating request that had been overlooked their first time.

Amelia traced the faint scar at the base of his throat, her soft fingers grazing his collarbone. "Will you tell me this story?"

"Another night," he said, taking her hand in his, comparing their size difference. She was small, soft even.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"Join with my body and accept my offering," he said the formal request in his language. Then he purred, releasing more musk to entice her.

Her chest rose, her breasts tantalizing beneath the dress. Her eyes brightened. "You want to mate."

"If it pleases you, Amelia."

She tugged her hand from his and pushed a lock of her hair behind an ear. She surveyed him with interest. There appeared to be a flicker of hesitation that crossed her features. Her chest rose with a deep breath. "Okay," she said finally.

Raz'ha purred deeper.

She placed her palm to his chest and it was done. He covered her hand with his and pulled her closer. Her breath caught and she pressed her breasts flush against him, the nipples hard points. Eyes locked, he carried her to the sleeping room and knelt on the bed. She did not shy away. He lifted her dress, caressing her warm flesh as he progressed upward until it was over her head and tossed aside.

Amelia kissed his chest, her hands exploring the planes of his abdomen. The light touch sent shivers through him. No yautja female touched a male as gently as this ooman touched him. He forgot his intent to lay her down as he reveled in the caresses.

Her mouth closed over his neck and he expected her blunt teeth to sink in, craved it even. Her tongue laved at his skin and a gentle sucking sensation pumped blood to his groin harder. She was going to kill him with tenderness. He groaned, holding her to his neck. The new sensation was worth dying for.

Her teeth scraped, tingling his arms with residual pleasure. "Paya, your mating customs are too much." Already he humped her belly through his loin cloth.

Her soft laugh encouraged him further. Her hands slid between them and made quick work of the confining garment. Those clever hands cupped him skin to skin.

He huffed from over stimulation. How had he survived the last encounters? Her heady scent was enough to drive him into a rutting frenzy. Her mouth and hands would kill them both.

Growling, he pressed her flat on the bed and secured her hands above her head. "You push me beyond control," he rumbled roughly.

She smiled up at him, seeming proud of his distressed state. "I don't mind."

He chuffed. "Our official mating will be slow and gentle to account for your delicate flesh."

She lifted her head and kissed his mandible, then nipped with her flat teeth. "You think I'm made of glass."

"I think you are made of soft flesh and delicate bones. You will break if you push my control beyond limits." He grumbled when she did not appear chastised.

Trapped beneath him she wiggled and undulated, rocking his self-control. He rumbled, torn between growling his anger and purring his pleasure. "Amelia," he breathed.

"I won't break, Raz'ha." She lifted her head to kiss his neck, her hair tickling his chin.

He released her to shove his hand between their bodies. Touching her dark curls, he found them damp and warm. Pleased, he searched the small bud between her fleshy folds so unlike a yautja female.

She groaned, wrapping both arms and legs around him as if her ooman strength could overpower him.

Circling the bud with the pad of his claw, he elicited more moans and breathless pleas.

"Raz'ha, no more," she cried.

Perplexed, he drew away. She wanted to stop? He was pleasing her, he was certain of it. What had gone wrong?

Her arms clutched him, pulling closer still. "Please," she murmured.

He trilled. "You wish to renege on our mating?"

Her eyes popped open. "What?"

"You said 'no more.'" His brows drew together and he wished Elder Val'jek had prepared him for this scenario. Declining mating was binding, no matter the species. To proceed without consent was dishonorable.

"Teasing, no more teasing." Her lips parted and she grinned. "I want you, all of you. Now."

She reached for him, delicate fingers stroking his weeping erection. Her eyes darkened with her desire.

He shook his head to focus on their misunderstanding. "When we mate, no means stop. Understood?"

She nodded. "Let's continue, please."

"I wish to take my time," he said. It was common for mates to plainly state what they expected from a coupling.

"Next time. I don't want to wait now."

Next time. She was allowing him to mate her again when they had not yet mated this time. His head swam with his good fortune and he obliged her demanding needs. Raz'ha pushed her thighs wider to accommodate his hips, his erection nudging her folds.

Her eyes brightened and they both watched as he guided his cock inside her slick heat. They shared a groan as her soft sheath gripped him.

"Oh, that kind of stings," she said. Her fingers flexed and her blunt nails dug into his thick hide.

"No?"

"It's okay," she said. "Just stay like this for a moment."

Raz'ha wanted to rut. Mating was an active exercise not designed for stillness. He forced his purr and nodded his agreement.

She stared up at him, cannibalizing her lip with uncertainty. Her expression was clear and her hands rubbed against his back in some off kilter motion that was clearly forced.

A compliment should ease her, he reasoned. "You are beautiful."

"Thank you," she murmured but seemed no more ready finger her pinched features.

Elder Val'jek instructed that when in doubt he should stroke between her folds and stimulate the pleasure nub. Raz'ha doubted that would soothe her where a compliment failed, but there was little choice stuck in this position.

Touching the nub made her swallow thickly, but that could be a positive or a negative. He continued circling it with the pad of his finger and added a purr. Her skin flushed and her breasts rose with her heavy breathing.

She tugged his dreads, pulling his face down to hers. "Kisses," she said. "Oomans like to kiss while mating."

Raz'ha locked his mandible over her face, eager for her lips on his mouth. They stayed this way for as long as he could manage.

Giving a testing push, he watched her face. Her features pinched but then she moaned and met his gentle rocking. She was small, clinging to him like a second skin and resisting his invasion. It felt magnificent, heat blooming from his cock and through his vein. His heart pounded, but he held his control. Their mating had to be gentle. Oomans were breakable, he reminded himself.

"More," she demanded, her back arching. "Touch me."

He humped faster, holding her still for his rutting, then stroked her pleasure bud again. He remembered she needed it often to feel her pleasure.

They rose to the peak together. Amelia cried out, arching and shivering beneath him. Moments later, he roared as pleasure pounded through his cock and he streamed his seed into her. All thoughts and awareness dropped away. He was alone with Amelia and their pleasure.

He held her still beneath him for several moments as the sensations bled away. Staying joined would increase his chances of seeding her, and the thought thrilled him. She would grow round with his suckling.

She wiggled beneath him. "You're heavy."

He rolled off of her, his erection sliding free with a wet plop. She cuddled against his side, resting her head on his shoulder and her hand splaying across his chest.

As he had seen the Elder do countless times, he tangled his claws in her silken hair. "Thank you."

"You're not supposed to say that after sex." She smiled into his skin.

"What do oomans say?"

"We don't have a set line. A lot of nothing and more snuggling." She draped a leg over his thigh.

"That sounds preferable." He massaged her scalp and enjoyed this intimate closeness with his ooman.

"Are you too tired to go again?"

His manhood stirred at the mere mention of mating a second time. "I am able."

Chapter 16

There was a food shortage. He should not be doing this. No matter how many times he reminded himself, he succumbed to the ooman temptation with the first touch of her soft hands.

More than the wasted energy, he was concerned by Amelia's behavior. He could not express what was different but the way she fell into mating with him seemed improper. With Elder Val'jek there was a close affectionate display and the bond could be seen from across the room. With the elder, she approached him and mating was a natural result of the encounter.

Amelia was not cold with Raz'ha, but he often sensed that she was struggling with her thoughts. Then she would approach him with a strange tilt to her fleshy mouth and the sole intent to mate. Even now with her soft backside pressed to his thighs, the thoughts nagged him as, well, off.

"Raz'ha," she murmured.

He gently dragged his mandible tusks along her shoulder pulling a shiver from the petite ooman. He had quickly learned she enjoyed gentle touches with his natural weapons. Shivering from pleasure was different than fear. Sexier. Amelia arched into gentle caresses. His hands explored freely, and dragged his claws over every inch of her delicate skin. She was thinning. He had maintained near full rations for her but as he stroked her ribs he felt more definition. Circling her arm with his fingers, he measured the difference every cycle. Definitely thinning. Not drastic but he should not be preparing her to mate-to waste more energy.

Another concern surfaced despite the heat coursing through his veins. Yautja females did not breed successfully during a food shortage, but Amelia was not yautja. He should not risk a suckling by impregnating her when the shortage was growing desperate.

"Please," she said, breathless.

He clicked at her in frustration. "We should conserve energy."

She pressed her bottom to his erection in reply, the smooth flesh rubbing suggestively. His eyes were drawn to the exotic contrast of her pale flesh against his mottled green skin.

He groaned. "Amelia, I do not understand."

"I want to mate," she said softly. Even her breathy tone beckoned to his engorged member.

His nagging thoughts wouldn't be denied. He was honor bound to ensure her welfare and this was the opposite. Collecting his thoughts, he relied on his warrior discipline to resist temptation. He gathered her in his arms and turned her to face him.

"You know we have limited food and no more can be hunted for many cycles. We cannot waste energy." He moderated his tone and interspersed reassuring clicks in an effort to smooth over what was a firm rejection.

A yautja female would become violent, but Raz'ha knew his ooman could become "upset." He struggled with the precise meaning of this word, and the complexity of emotions when Amelia felt it. It wasn't simply one emotion, but a tangled knot of many he decided. And Raz'ha was not adept enough to combat it yet. His best defense was to prevent this "upset" before it could form.

She stiffened against his hold, but she said nothing in reply.

Raz'ha felt a trickle of unease. Amelia was not prone to silence. Whether it was all oomans or simply Amelia, he wasn't certain but she spoke her thoughts and feelings on every topic. She explained and liked to converse. This silence was an indicator of something. Was it lack of proper nutrition? Perhaps hungry oomans spoke less.

He discarded the thought as he surveyed her. There was a tension in her body that had been growing slowly over time. Assessing her posture and stiffness with a critical eye, he decided something was wrong. It reminded him of what she called her "mini meltdown" from her first night in his quarters. There were no tears or noise but the look in her eyes was the same. Her scent had slowly shifted over time as well. It was more acrid now.

He trilled his inquiry.

Her erratic breathing was the only reply as she stared at his face.

He stopped himself from purring to calm her. That might encourage her attempts to draw him into mating. Instead he smoothed her auburn hair away from her face.

She swallowed thickly, her green eyes searching for something else to look at.

Raz'ha was not skilled at the lengthy and indirect way that oomans communicated sensitive topics to each other. He was more comfortable with directness, so he said, "What troubles your thoughts?"

She shook her head.

What did that mean? It wasn't a yes or no question. Was there more meaning to her head gestures? "Explain."

"I don't want to talk. I don't want to think." She took a sharp breath. "I want to forget everything and feel."

He tilted his head. A warning from Elder Val'jek haunted him before he foolishly conceded to her desires. Bowing to Amelia's fears only fed them. It would be twice as difficult to address the next time. How many times had he made this blunder without being aware of it? It appeared that Amelia's fear was the only thing well-fed during this food shortage.

He rumbled a not quite purr in his chest and gently said, "We cannot."

She looked stricken and a flush swept up her cheeks. This was the harbinger of tears and upset.

"What troubles your thoughts?" He rubbed her forehead, trying to smooth the pained expression from her features. The situation would spiral out of control quickly if he didn't figure out the problem.

She didn't like the gesture and shooed his hand. "What is there to be troubled by? I'm only a human on a rickety space ship filled with carnivorous aliens who are short on meat right now. Let's not forget that your nickname for my species is soft meat. I don't see anything to worry about." She wrenched away.

He let her go, tracking her progress with his eyes.

As she yanked on a dress she continued her rapid, and erratic, speech. "It's not like my alien husband is somewhere in another solar system with a bunch of humans locked on his ship ready to be sacrificed to even scarier aliens." She waved her arms in a gesture she swore was frustration but looked more like a signal for help. "Add in a queen, and a dying star for good measure, and what could possibly go wrong?"

He struggled to follow her sarcasm, but understood the bulk of her concerns. She was frightened. "Elder Val'jek protects himself. I protect you."

Why was she struggling with this concept? He sorted through potential reasons and discarded many. Perhaps it was because they were in another period of com silence with the elder's ship. He also considered that she was a creature that thrived on frequent touches. She could not touch her mate for many cycles and many more would pass before she would again.

"What happens when all the food is gone?" There was the tension coiling her muscles too tight as she stared at him again. "It won't be a warrior challenging you to a fight. It will be many and they will kill us both."

He growled, reminding himself not to take offense at her words. She was frightened, and the future she pictured was savage in her imagination. Yautja were not savages, and he was capable of protecting her should a bad blood present himself with that disturbing intent. "It will not happen."

She made an ooman chuffing sound of disbelief and turned away from him.

"Fearing this outcome will neither prevent it nor prepare you to overcome it." He chirped, hoping to lessen the sting of his words. "Your fear only harms you."

She said nothing for several moments, pausing her morning routine. She did not directly acknowledge his assessment but said, "I want a place to hide the puppies while we're gone. I don't want anyone to break in here and find an easy meal."

He clicked his agreement. He had already been considering options, but wasn't sure she would appreciate locking the animals in a confined space. A warrior certainly would not try to eat Amelia as she feared, but her puppies were lesser beings and meat had been depleted quickly.

If the shortage did grow as desperate as she feared, Raz'ha would have them available to butcher himself to provide sustenance for Amelia. She would not like it, and he admitted to being fond of the small creatures, but if forced to choose, he would ensure his ooman's survival without regret.

Raz'ha opened a wall panel that had a narrow space. Upon Amelia's questions of suitability, and approval to house her pets, he left her to tend the animals as he retrieved their paltry breakfast ration. A scoop of pash was all he was allotted. They were forced to share because Amelia had no allotment but he did not tell her that.

Unlike Amelia's fear, he was only challenged by one blooded warrior who clearly had at least one other challenge today judging by his bloodied chest. It was likely how he lost his own scoop of pash. If he was smart, he'd have accepted the loss and waited until the less skilled warriors were receiving their next rations. Challenging Raz'ha when his blood was already heated by a near mating and an insinuation he could not defend a mate was a mistake on the other warrior's part. Raz'ha bested him quickly, and found himself wishing another would challenge him so he could vent more of his frustration. No one did.

He returned to Amelia with the meager meal and they ate in silence. She did not protest the amount he placed in front of her, and he mentally prepared himself to have that argument with the later meal. She was incapable of eating two meals in succession in which she had near full rations while he ate only a small fraction of his normal requirements without a dispute. He was finding it difficult to find new ways to explain that even if it he ate her entire ration, it would not be near enough for him to be satisfied. It was best to maintain her strength because weakening her would serve no benefit to either of them.

He was a seasoned warrior. Hunger was not unknown to him, and he was disciplined enough to manage it. Her records indicated that oomans starved within seven of their cycles. That was less than four of his cycles. He could easily survive twice that with only water.

He allowed her a few moments to cuddle her puppies and murmur quiet farewells that they could not possibly comprehend. She had made them a small palette in the wall space and laid out cloths for their excrements as well. Hult'ah barely fit in the narrow space and was unable to turn around.

"Take care of the little ones," Amelia said to him with a final pat.

Raz'ha carefully replaced the wall panel, ensuring there was no evidence that it had been tampered with. Theft was not frequent, but in a food shortage it was not precisely uncommon either since all bartering surrounded food. Items that were once prized would change hands for a mere scoop of pash.

Amelia's animals were not much meat, but they would be more valuable than she could imagine. If they were stolen, they would not be readily eaten. They would be bartered for something of value or a larger portion of food that was not meat. Then they would be eaten by someone who could offer this. Likely a Priestess or Elder would enjoy fresh meat and have the ability to acquire it.

#

All cycle, suspicious thoughts nagged Raz'ha. He instructed students in light routines and used the opportunity to impart information rather than simply correct fighting stances. Everything reminded him of unfairness. His students were singularly curious about oomans, no doubt because Amelia was ever present. As he spoke about her kind, he couldn't help but think of her views on his kind. Like a pup learning that life was a challenge for the first time, Raz'ha struggled with his thoughts. Unfairness was life. It hadn't bothered him before. Why should it bother him now?

The new view of his clan's methods unsettled him. It was well known that females had more rations. In previous shortages, that seemed proper. Why would they have less when they were larger and had pups to care for? That would be proper, in his opinion, except the females hadn't began rationing. They had called them rations, but they were full meals. Not a single ounce was reduced until the meat had run out. It was insanity to think eating a full portion was reasonable during a prolonged shortage. The meat could have lasted much longer. Even if males were to abstain, females could still have eaten meat if they had simply eaten less of it.

Raz'ha wished Yeyinde had never shared his knowledge on the matter. He had barked at his hunt brother to silence him when Yeyinde furiously chattered on with his outrage about the amount of pash the females still consumed. Apparently Yeyinde had heard Elder Mur grumbling that even the Elders had reduced their rations to half as the females consumed, presumably, much more. Half was still more than any warrior received.

Raz'ha didn't want to know how much the females ate. As far as Raz'ha was concerned, only females with sucklings and pups should eat filling meals in a shortage, and only as long as it was reasonable.

Even Amelia, a petite female who consumed less than a pup, was prepared to sacrifice. He was disturbingly aware of the contrast between his ooman female and his clan's females. Amelia had asked him what she should do. She was prepared to begin rationing early and wanted save portions of their meals. Unfortunately that was impossible as it would spoil. Though it would not be effective in the long run, she tried to share her portions with Raz'ha. She knew he required more. Whether her calculations were off, or it was simply an emotional gesture, he wasn't sure why she persisted with that idea. He suspected it was the latter because he had explained many times that her ration would not be enough. Therefore was most efficiently used by her.

His focus should have been on resolving issues that caused Amelia's tension and not his clan's political leanings. He couldn't separate the two for some reason.

Amelia's sense of equality disturbed him. She did not speak of it often in direct terms, but all her thoughts and opinions clearly indicated that she believed everyone deserved equal treatment. At least on a basic level.

At first it was easy to assume she meant her own status as a pet, which did not always please her. Upon further examination he realized she was equally displeased with his status ranking lower, as she described, "for growing a penis." He always trilled his amusement in reply, knowing it was not simply because of an appendage. Now he realized that it was an intentional oversimplification. It made him think of the true differences between males and females and how that determined status.

She had confided in him once that her society gave more power to males. This was accepted, but it was not agreeable to females, she explained. They made many gains and had equal basic rights but socially were unequal. He struggled to understand the complexity of how two genders could be both equal and unequal. Unsure, he thought perhaps it was more like rankings among males. They all had the same basic rights, but young bloods were perceived as untried and weak compared to an honored warrior. Ooman females received less respect and opportunity because they were considered weaker. If he understood what Amelia tried to convey, females were not given an opportunity to rise as males were. Oomans had a strange ranking system, he decided.

Now he thought perhaps Yautja had a strange society as well.

Those conflicted thoughts cost them both a meal. Perhaps they had noticed his preoccupation or perhaps he was skilled enough to use as an example, Raz'ha would never know. Regardless of their reasoning, Raz'ha should have seen the threat and used another hall while he carried their precious food.

The first challenge from a young blood was a quick shove from his right side. Raz'ha had nearly passed the green yautja that had more vanity than brawn. Seeing his opponent with his other young blood and warrior friends, Raz'ha accepted the challenge readily. The young blood preened more than he fought and Raz'ha sent him to the floor in a slump with two punches to the young blood's crown.

But that wasn't the end of it. One of the young blood's friends challenged him next. That one was a little more wary and managed to land a handful of kicks to Raz'ha's thighs and abdomen.

It wasn't until the third challenge that Raz'ha realized he had stumbled into a well executed trap. Those friends were part of a plan to take food from more experienced warriors. He could easily take on several other warriors, but they had gathered ten. And Raz'ha had to hold onto the food while he fought or risk setting the platter on the floor. It would be stolen if he did.

By the eighth challenge Raz'ha was bloody and tired. He felt his hunger gnawing at him-weakening him. His limbs were slower to respond and blood in his right eye made it difficult to clearly see his opponents. The food he held onto was splattered all over the tray's interior and anyone eating it would be scraping through the mess for a while. He didn't want to think about how long it would take to separate hound food from the pash.

Two more, he reminded himself. Two more and then Amelia would eat.

It wasn't two more. Challengers he defeated earlier had regrouped and challenged him again. They were wearing him down and Raz'ha was helpless to stop it. Even when he took down the young bloods in two hits, another was there with a challenge for his meal.

He should kill them. Once he killed two or three they would retreat. It was the only successful strategy they had left open to him.

But how would Amelia view it?

She would see young yautja who were likely preyed upon for their rations already. This was an ill-conceived plot born of desperation in a group of yautja that were too young to have gained the experience needed to protect their rations honorably. It wasn't against the laws of conduct per se but it was clearly dishonorable in practice.

They saved their most skilled warrior, who was strong but sloppy with his technique, for last. Raz'ha sensed the growing nervousness from the young bloods. He suspected they were expecting Raz'ha to have surrendered already. Raz'ha had dealt with trickier kiande amedha and bested more skilled yautja than they could hope to become. He would not surrender to the pathetic group.

But he knew he wasn't going to kill them either.

Just as he had bolstered his reserves to fend off his last challenger, he was "bumped" by a "clumsy" young blood as the warrior kicked at Raz'ha's ankle. The tray went flying into the sheetmetal wall and the lid popped off with a clank. Pash splattered everywhere. As Raz'ha lunged to save the remaining food, the warrior pummeled his back. He hit the floor and didn't care if he was defeated as he reached for the platter's remains. He stopped short. Not because his honor dictated he surrender the prize with grace, but because he had difficulty processing what he was seeing.

Raz'ha should have stood and challenged the warrior to rematch after the dishonorable interference. He couldn't.

A young blood, who hadn't challenged Raz'ha, scraped pash off the floor. "Too young," Raz'ha thought. He was barely finished with his chiva by the looks of his short dreads. He was little more than a starving scavenger. Another joined him on the floor, an unblood who had suffered a serious beating recently. It wasn't from Raz'ha hands.

The young bloods who challenged him had already snatched the platter and began shoveling bits into their mouths like rabid yaut hounds. Raz'ha was frozen, still belly down on the floor, watching the scene. They were desperate fools who didn't look at him. Obviously they felt secure in their belief that Raz'ha was honorable where they were not.

The unbloood scavenger noticed Raz'ha's stare then. "No warrior lasted as long as you." It sounded like an apology as much as a compliment.

Raz'ha should have been consoled that he would have won if the match was fought with honor. He wasn't, and it helped neither his pride nor Amelia's empty stomach.

He stood slowly, assessing his body for any real damage. There were only annoying cuts and tender spots. He wiped blood from his eye and watched the scene, noting that they squabbled over scraps but no challenges were issued between them. The unblood was soon chased away as they began eating pash, and hound food, from the floor and wall.

Raz'ha nudged the "clumsy" young blood with his foot. The unblood looked up from the floor with uncertainty.

"Your trap may seem clever now." He knelt closer, as the young blood inched away in fear. "Later, when most of you have been killed, you will recognize your foolishness."

He shrank down and the others inched away. One voiced an indignant reply, "Warriors take our rations. Instructors demand rations for training. We have nothing to trade and nothing to eat."

"And you have no honor," Raz'ha added to the list. "You cheat in a challenge. You have stolen from a female ooman. You eat hound food from the floor." He pinned them all with a hard stare and forced his mandibles to be only half splayed. "If any of you challenge me again, I will kill you."

Raz'ha knew that warriors would kill them if they persisted. He wasn't sure if they would heed the warning but felt compelled to issue it. "Soon news of this will spread. Experienced warriors will realize the only way to retain their ration is to kill the challengers."

A collective nervousness spread among them. The clumsy one spoke up, "But we will die without food. Better to fight than wait for Cetanu's arrival."

There was truth to the young blood's statement. What alternative did Raz'ha have to offer them? They were not female and therefore must fight to survive. It was unfair.

"Cease this dishonorable ploy and you may come to me if you are forced to endure five cycles without food." He looked them over. "You will be miserable, and I will have very little to offer, but when you have survived the shortage you will be stronger. You will know your body and what it endures well. The experience will make you better warriors."

Like his students, they all straightened and appeared to absorb the piece of advice eagerly. Or perhaps it was the near guarantee of survival he offered. Either way, he was certain this group would stop tarnishing their honor with this ploy.

He wondered if any of his own students were this desperate. Raz'ha memorized their faces but did not ask their names. "I am Honored Warrior Raz'ha."

There was some chittering and clicks as they all bowed their heads in respect to him. "Thank you, Honored Warrior," another young blood said.

"We agree to your conditions, Honored Warrior, and thank you for your generosity," the clumsy one added more formally.

He told them how to find him and parted ways.

He would not challenge another warrior for a ration, he decided. Pushing more warriors into desperation would be worse than one hungry sleep cycle. He forced himself to return to Amelia without food. It was humiliating but he would accept any ridicule with dignity. There would be no excuses and he would provide her with a larger portion from his next ration.

#

Upon entering his quarters he took in the sight of Amelia rolling on the floor with her pets. It was a common game they played with a knotted cloth as a toy. There was a treat tied into a knot that Hult'ah would eventually dig out, but only after Amelia was finished playing tug-of-war with him. The earth hounds were on her back, yapping at Hult'ah. Hult'ah was currently dragging her several inches on her belly as her laughter filled the room. It was a rare sound since the food shortage. Both pleasure and shame suffused him.

Hult'ah noticed him with a quick glance but continued the game. The earth hound pair trotted to him, tails wagging with their friendly greetings. That drew Amelia's attention.

Her green eyes were bright with amusement but that faded as she surveyed him. She stood, dropping the cloth, and Hult'ah fell on his rear as his gimp leg gave out. The cloth was forgotten as the hound was attuned to Amelia's tension. The hound stood, his posture aggressive as he scented the air and surveyed the room for a threat.

Amelia rushed him, her hands reaching for him but stopping short of touching.

"Are you hurt? What happened? You're bleeding," she said in a disjointed rush.

He bowed his head with shame. "I lost a challenge and we will be hungry this sleep cycle."

Amelia's hands touched him gently as if she didn't hear his words. She was leaning close to inspect a scratch on his side as if he was injured. "Is anything broken? I don't think you need stitches but I will get the medkit to clean them."

She turned away and grabbed the medkit.

Perhaps she didn't understand. "I apologize for my failure to secure your meal."

As she rummaged through the neatly organized interior she huffed. "I don't care about a scoop of pash, Raz'ha." She looked up at him with her stubborn face. "I asked if you were hurt." There was a bite to her words that he hadn't heard before. It was a demand.

He hesitated at her declaration. He had failed but she was not concerned. What was he misunderstanding? She had been terrified of the scenario, and now that it happened she wasn't concerned with food?

Her furred brows lowered closer to her eyes and she approached him with her antiseptic as if it was a weapon. Her body language conveyed aggression but her demand did not. She planted herself in front of him as if she meant to challenge him.

Hult'ah stalked toward him, also reading her aggressive stance and positioning himself for battle. The hound pup was much larger than Odin and Freya but his head was only peaking above Amelia's knee joint. He could not harm Raz'ha while this young.

Part of him was curious to see what would happen if he refused her demand. He was in no danger, and he felt certain she did not intend to inflict violence, but he didn't know what she did intend. He had failed however. He should be fulfilling her demands without hesitation.

Raz'ha complied after a tense moment. "I am not injured." He motioned to the fluorescent blood that always made her worry. "It is a scratch."

If he had been alone, he would give it an extra rub when he washed and do nothing more. It was inconsequential. He understood that oomans were easily damaged and assumed she looked at his body from that frail perspective. Amelia's fussing over him was a pleasant experience despite being unnecessary. Usually. Right now he felt embarrassed to take pleasure when he had failed her.

As she wiped blood from him, she asked softly, "They wanted the puppy food too?"

He grunted. Even her pets were to go hungry. "The young bloods were desperate."

The stillness took her mid-swipe. "More than one?"

He clicked pensively. She had prophesied this, and he was reluctant to feed her fear, but she had already demonstrated her imagination was vivid. If he did not tell her, who knew what idea would form to frighten her more.

"I will explain when we use our bed," he said.

Her brow quirked and the corner of her mouth tipped up.

He clicked.

"Oomans say 'when we go to bed.' 'Using the bed' is awkward phrasing and more for sex."

"When we go to bed then," he amended. "We cannot use the bed."

She rolled her eyes, seeming to accept the situation with humor, but Raz'ha still saw the tension in her body. It should not surprise him that oomans appeared to present two conflicting opinions simultaneously. She was a mass of contradictions and frequently spoke with sarcasm and used phrases that were opposite of their literal meaning.

He had to resolve the tension. That was the dangerous problem. He couldn't determine why it was dangerous but his instincts warned him loudly.

They fed her pets a few extra treats as Raz'ha explained his access was restricted to where her hound food was stored. He could ask for more, because the food belonged to Elder Val'jek, but not until his next ration was allotted. He promised to bring extra. She seemed satisfied with that, but the tension remained.

They left their quarters to wash. Amelia visibly trembled while they walked though no one accosted them. Only one of the young bloods from his challenge watched them with interest. Raz'ha noticed him lingering as Amelia undressed to bathe and he blocked the young blood's view of her nudity. Amelia was uncomfortable with blatant stares and it was easy enough to hide her small body behind his own. The young blood appeared to be curious and not solicitous as he did not approach. Amelia was unaware of the audience without her mask to see in the darkness.

When they returned to their quarters, she settled the half-asleep pets on the sleeping palette. Raz'ha didn't protest though they had their own. If she found comfort sleeping beside her pets he would make room for them. Odin and Freya tucked against her side and promptly slept. Hult'ah was more restless and alternated between sniffing Amelia's face and laying at her feet. She rubbed the hound's neck whenever he approached.

In the dark, Raz'ha related the story of his failure. She twined her fingers with his and murmured short reassuring comments as he spoke.

When he finished she asked, "Can we eat dog food?"

Raz'ha stared at her. He didn't want to feed her hound food any more than he wanted to feed her the hounds.

Unprompted, she continued, "We brought it from the Tauren ship. It belongs to us and we have extra so the only question is if it's edible for us."

Yautja could live on it for a time, but oomans? He wasn't certain. "I will ask Mah'sic." Discretely and with significant embarrassment.

After a few moments of silence she spoke quietly. "I know what happened is embarrassing to you, so I tried not to say anything but I can't." Ooman water formed in her eyes.

He rumbled a low purr to comfort her. "Speak your ooman thoughts. I know we are different."

"I don't care about pride or food." She closed her eyes tightly for a moment and her face scrunched. "I would rather have you in one piece. I'd eat dog food every day if it meant you didn't have to fight."

He rubbed her scalp with his claws to delay a response. They were very different indeed. She was concerned for him and not angry or disappointed with his failure to provide for her. He was simultaneously intrigued and embarrassed by this strange notion. Her fear of injury to him would be offensive from a yautja. He was a successful warrior and it implied he was helpless or weak.

Amelia was a "worrier" as she described. It seemed to be what she called her savage imagination, and didn't account for Raz'ha's proven skill. Her descriptions of her fears never had him as an active participant. Her imagination turned him, and everyone else, into a prop that terrible events happened to. It was another contradiction he didn't understand fully but realized was not a reflection of her true opinion of him. He wasn't sure what it was or why she allowed it to make her fearful beyond reason.

It frustrated him to chase those thoughts.

He settled on a basic answer. "I understand." He couldn't promise not to fight. There would be challenges even if she was not aboard his clan's ship.

She accepted the answer and curled closer to him.

He purred her to sleep and considered happier thoughts. This was a trial and, despite the uncomfortable hardship, it was bonding them together. She valued him more than life-sustaining food. He wanted to speak of his feelings for her, but sensed it was not appropriate timing for an ooman.

Chapter 17

Amelia woke feeling an ache in her belly and a pounding in her head. She felt weak and groggy after no food and a night of bad dreams. Hult'ah panted in her face and she sensed the puppies sleeping somewhere by her knees. Hult'ah nudged her but she kept her eyes closed.

"H'ko," Raz'ha said, his voice hushed but commanding. Not ready to open her eyes, she felt Raz'ha shift his weight as he sat up. He commanded Hult'ah to lay down and the hound complied instantly. Puppy training was working on that one. Odin and Freya were a little slower as they followed a command for all of two seconds before resuming previous activities. She idly wondered if she could teach Hult'ah to corral the pair.

Then her belly rumbled with a hunger pang and Raz'ha left their bed. "Hult'ah, guard," he commanded as he left.

She cracked her eyes open to see Hult'ah had moved to the foot of the bed and plopped down to stare at the door.

Amelia wanted to burrow in the covers and stay in bed all day. She couldn't. Raz'ha had duties and she had no desire to be an unprotected hundred pounds of meat. Even if it felt scarier to wander the halls, it was safer with Raz'ha. It didn't stop her from wanting to flee every time another yautja looked her way. She knew she had to control herself. She had to keep a tight grip on her fear or she was going to freak out again like the first night. Raz'ha didn't need the distraction when everyone was ready to fight over scraps of food. And she didn't want to be a raving lunatic by the time Val'jek came back.

"Please come back," she murmured. It had been almost two weeks. A message should come any day now, and then nothing again until he was coming back. She couldn't stop imagining horrible things that could be happening to both Val'jek and Raz'ha. While she was playing with Hult'ah, Raz'ha was being beaten by a pack of yautja. She felt guilty to have been happy while he was struggling to save their dinner. Was Val'jek struggling? Was he hurt? Was he fighting for his life while she was snuggled up with Raz'ha?

Amelia rolled out of bed before those circular thoughts could start a meltdown. She was stiff as she pulled on a dress and combed her hair. A perpetual ache seemed to settle in her shoulders since she stopped exercising regularly. She wanted to stretch and do something light, but didn't dare when Raz'ha had asked her to stop. He was fighting to feed her and she couldn't disrespect him that way.

Yet again she dragged her thoughts away from their current problems as her chest felt tight and her breath struggled to stay even. She had to think about something else. She fumbled with her canvases. The painting for Raz'ha was completed and she had been careful to hide it from him. She had intended to give it to him last night, but it hadn't been appropriate. Should she give it a waiting period? Maybe in a couple days things would smooth out and she'd give it to him. Maybe he'd make an exception about not using the bed. A smile formed as she remembered his many reprimands and denials even as he reached for her. He still treated her like a delicate flower, but she'd be lying if she said she disliked it.

She heard the door open and she quickly put the painting back in its place. Raz'ha entered with a platter and another larger sealed container. She hoped it was dog food. There was plenty of that, and if they kept some on hand the puppies wouldn't go hungry if something happened.

"Any problems?" she asked though she didn't see any fresh marks on him.

"No fighting," he said. He looked annoyed with his mandibles partially splayed in a weird yautja gesture of aggression. She didn't think they realized how silly they looked walking around with their mandibles half spread, but she wasn't going to say it. It'd be more offensive than explaining that their suits looked like stripper wear.

He handed her the platter and retrieved the dog bowl. As he poured dog food into the bowl she waited for him to elaborate. The dogs quickly began to eat and he didn't say anything else.

"What happened then?" she waved to his mandibles, hoping he understood.

He grunted as he resealed the dog food container. "They wanted to ration the hound food. I had to threaten the female with a challenge before they would produce what I requested."

"But doesn't it belong to Val'jek still, technically? How can they do that?" Another terrifying thought hit her. "What if they keep the dog food?"

Raz'ha didn't deny it right away, and that scared her. He thought all her fears were ridiculous and there was something reassuring when he said it wouldn't happen. It was noticeably absent now.

"They may not have known it belongs to Taurens." His mandibles spread just a tiny bit wider and she she suspected he didn't believe that.

"But they gave you the food eventually, right?" She was scrambling to shove everything back into Pandora's Box now that she'd opened it.

They had all been skirting this topic since the shortage started. Mah'sic had warned her not to press Raz'ha with her concerns or that Mah'sic suspected the Saracens were breaking laws. She knew Mah'sic was struggling to eat but he wouldn't accept any of her offers to help. She'd assumed he'd lost challenges, but he wasn't bloodied like he had fought. When she pressed Mah'sic he alluded to other ways of stealing rations from unbloods. He even claimed that females weren't eating reduced rations. He wouldn't say how he knew it though.

She didn't know what was safe to say. If they were breaking laws, how long before they went so far as to eat a human pet, or even her pets? What would Raz'ha do if she said she thought his clan was full of barbaric and selfish leadership?

Mah'sic seemed to think it would be a serious problem, but she had trouble imagining Raz'ha would rage at her. He took all of her accidental offenses in stride. She couldn't think of a time he had done more than rumble a warning at her. There had to be another reason that Mah'sic wanted her to remain quiet because Raz'ha simply wasn't ill-tempered. That scared her more.

"Yes," he said, pulling her from her thoughts. "It will be well. Your pets will eat." He showed her the container that had at least three days' worth of food in it.

"Okay," she said though she wanted to scream. Instead of screaming, she settled on the bed with Raz'ha and ate in silence. It felt good to put something solid in her stomach after such a long stretch. She didn't mention it to Raz'ha, but before the shortage she was already spacing meals between long periods as he performed his duties. Their days were longer and while they ate more food, they did it with less frequency than she needed.

He gave her a larger share than usual. Instead of talking about it, she ate her usual portion and left the rest there. He gave her a look, and a few clicks, but then ate it himself when she ignored his prodding to gather her things for the day.

#

The morning was uneventful and Amelia watched Raz'ha teach. It was more interesting than watching them practice one move for an hour at a time. They were prone to doing that before the food shortage. Instead of making the students burn energy, he imparted information. He related lessons by telling stories of his hunts and methods he learned the hard way. He gave advice, answered questions, and quizzed his students with hunting scenarios that they had to verbally walk through. Apparently you don't stalk tipsin from the underbrush of their homeworld because a magok would likely see it as encroaching on their territory. They were notorious for sneaking up on hunters and injecting them with paralyzing venom.

She recognized magok skulls but didn't know what either creature actually looked like. His students probably knew since yautja were fond of watching hunting videos. Amelia didn't have the stomach for it. She hadn't even been able to watch the one of Val'jek fighting the queen.

After his first class was dismissed, the next filed in. A young warrior, perhaps a young blood, she hadn't met before entered as well. He approached Raz'ha and bowed formally. Amelia watched them speak for a minute from her spot in the back. Whatever the young blood was saying made Raz'ha's shoulders tighten and his chest puff up with anger. Then his mandibles splayed for a moment before he closed them. The young blood bowed his head. Raz'ha said something and the young blood began to thank him profusely with several more bows.

Grunting, Raz'ha pointed to the mat and the new young blood found an empty place. The other students chittered and trilled with questions. Raz'ha didn't answer them but had the class start a light routine.

Amelia watched as Raz'ha inspected the new young blood's skill, or lack there of. He was clumsy and couldn't perform two of Raz'ha's instructions to his satisfaction. When another student laughed, Raz'ha leveled him with a stare. He didn't even have to splay his mandibles to make the student bow his head. She realized that Raz'ha rarely made aggressive gestures at his students and when he did they were tightly controlled.

"You are his new partner," Raz'ha said, his voice a sharp command. The laughing young blood's head snapped up with shock. Raz'ha wasn't done. "If you believe you are skilled enough to mock another, then you must be skilled enough to ensure your partner succeeds with you. Or you will both fail together."

Raz'ha didn't wait for a reply, he instructed his student to sit. When they complied, he began teaching them about edible foliage on a planet where they hunted talbuks. She went back to working on a sketch for that one. Not even Raz'ha could make that interesting.

#

Once Raz'ha's duties were finished, they checked for a message from Val'jek and were disappointed. Raz'ha rested a hand on her shoulder and held her close as they walked after that. He had to sense her fear and sadness, but she couldn't talk about it. Maybe he understood because he didn't prod her. He just escorted her to the bathroom, and then to training with his hunt brothers.

She missed her home with Val'jek, but she had to admit, it was interesting to see so many more yautja in safe environments. Sure the walk to and from places was scary, but once inside Raz'ha's kehrite classroom, or the one where he trained, they were safe. No one would challenge them.

There was a certain novelty to watching younger warriors learn too. Now that everyone was talking instead of exercising, her vocabulary was expanding. Certain clicks that all sounded the same before were starting to distinguish themselves. She might just eventually learn to understand the language fully.

The children were especially amusing. Raz'ha clearly didn't understand them and did his best to wrangle them into some orderly conduct with little success. Since the point was to keep them active, and probably practice moving to a new environment, she doubted it mattered if the class was perpetual chaos. It was fun to watch him try to maintain order and end up with two or three children in his arms for a stern reprimand. She suspected several students caused trouble just to have Raz'ha pick them up, grumble at them, and put them down where they were supposed to be. It didn't appear to bother Raz'ha to do it constantly either, but she was pretty sure he was clueless that they had him wrapped around their tiny claws.

When Raz'ha trained, she realized that he had friends. She wasn't sure Val'jek had close friends. Yes, there were yautja he cared about, and those he shared some connection with, but she had never seen him socialize frequently the way Raz'ha did with his hunt brothers. There was an informal camaraderie and banter between them. She wasn't sure how deep it ran, but she suspected they were close for their kind.

Today they were skipping the sparring as well. Yeyinde and Sain'ja were both sporting some scratches and green patches that were the equivalent of yautja bruising. Raz'ha wasn't the only one to have trouble then. They spoke briefly when she took her mask off. Raz'ha's friends all glanced at her. She looked to Raz'ha but his back was to her. He barked something and the group looked away.

"Well, that was awkward," she thought. She should put her mask back on to figure out what was being said, but decided against it. Raz'ha had waited until she took it off and moved out of hearing range for a reason. Maybe he was explaining what happened to him the night before, and she wouldn't want to intrude on that.

She put her things down and started to settle in when Raz'ha motioned her to his side. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of this new development. He motioned again as the group watched and she relented as she put her mask on.

The group chirped their welcome and she bowed her head in respect.

"We meditate today," Raz'ha said.

"Uh, okay, I'll be sure to be quiet," she said.

"No," Raz'ha said. "Join us."

"No, that's okay," she started.

In english, he said, "You will feel better."

She stiffened. "I don't know how." She had meant that as a reply to meditating, but Raz'ha gave her a long assessing look.

He reverted back to his language and used his instructor voice that left no room for protest. "We will show you."

When she didn't protest again, he motioned to the mat and sat down with his hunt brothers. She sat in a wide circle with them. Noting their positioning and posture, she tried to mimic them. Raz'ha scooted closer to make minor corrections. His hands were firm and reassuring on her, but otherwise professional.

"This is done with closed eyes, but you will watch first," he said.

Raz'ha lead the group through a type of guided meditation, using references to things that yautja and oomans could both understand like breathing and rainfall. He taught her to inhale a deep breath, pause, exhale slowly and pause again. Beyond meditation, they performed stretches and poses like a form of yautja yoga. After a while she closed her eyes like the others and followed along with semi-ease.

Before she knew it she was relaxed and laying on her back. She hadn't realized how much time had passed while listening to his guttural voice speak soft instructions beside her. She'd forgotten everyone else was there. Now she heard their breathing without a single click or rumble. The ship hummed along in the background but was otherwise silent. After a time they began to move, a soft shuffling and sitting upright. This too gave out to soft exchanges until everyone was sitting up. She noticed Raz'ha watching her closely with his amber eyes.

"You were right." She bowed her head with respect. "I feel better now."

Raz'ha touched her knee, engulfing the joint with his much larger hand and giving a gentle squeeze as he nodded. There was a closeness to the gesture. He wasn't preening that he was right or that he proved himself capable of sorting through the complexities of human emotions. There was no sign of the competitiveness that yautja drilled into their males. It was companionship. Caring.

She covered his hand with hers to return the affectionate gesture.

The others were speaking quietly but her mask picked it up and translated. They were strategizing ways to gain more food. They floated several ideas ranging from trade to theft and even a consideration of challenging a female. The last was deemed too risky in most circumstances. Females were rarely in public with food as their area was restricted. If a female was carrying food who knew what the purpose was. It could be for pups or a female with sucklings.

She wanted to change the subject and turned to Sain'ja, who was closest. She used the opportunity to practice her alien speech and said, "A human participating does not offend you?" Her pronunciation was off and Raz'ha corrected her twice but she finally spoke the sentence to his satisfaction.

Several chirps were her reply.

"If we were to take offense we must challenge over it. There is little use displaying displeasure to you." Sain'ja nodded as if this was universal knowledge.

"Oh," she said.

Mar'cte shrugged. "I have no desire to fight to death over an ooman when there is nothing to gain."

They couldn't see her raise her brows behind her mask. "To the death?" She repeated his phrasing, and they seemed to understand her without issue.

Yeyinde chuckled. "It is conveyed at every glance."

"What is?" They didn't understand that right away without a click and she had to try again before they understood.

Her reply was laughter from them all including Raz'ha.

She looked to Raz'ha. "What's so funny?" Was her pronunciation off again? Had she accidentally made another genitals reference? Yautja found those mistakes hilarious.

Yeyinde clapped Raz'ha on the shoulder. "You did not translate her mask."

Raz'ha chirped as his amusement still rumbled in his chest. "I assumed the Elder had explained."

Amelia took off her mask to examine it. It was beautiful and she recognized Val'jek's symbols and his clan's symbols. She tried to remember the other ones but the yautja language wasn't phonetic and a character was different based on grammar. There were more than five written representations for most words. Nevermind synonyms. She assumed them to be primarily decorative or more clan markings.

She thought she recognized a symbol for Cetanu that she had painted in a Tauren mural but assumed she was mistaken because it had no business on her mask. "What does it say?" she asked in english.

"A severe warning." Raz'ha covered her hands to trace the symbols.

His hunt brothers added commentary but she focused on Raz'ha's gentleness. He continued to touch her as if she was fragile and foreign, caressing gently with his rough fingers exploring her skin and nails. He pressed the mask to her face then, his claws brushing her ears for an extra moment when he hooked the straps. A warmth settled in her belly.

"It warns that any disrespect, or any touch, is an invitation to meet Cetanu," Raz'ha said using his language.

"That is severe?" She had expected something graphic like a notice that Val'jek housed two yautja trophies-with spines. The importance of that never translated well to her, but everyone else was awed by it.

Raz'ha translated her question.

A chorus of laughter sounded again. "What would an ooman present as more threatening?" Yeyinde prodded.

She flushed and didn't answer.

Raz'ha explained for her. "It is a notice. Warriors understand they will be challenged to a death match if they touch you. They cannot decline."

"Or disrespect," Yeyinde added. "But I wonder. Is that if the ooman feels disrespected or if the Tauren Elder feels she has been disrespected?"

Guan'thewi grunted. "Does it matter?"

"Yes," Yeyinde said. "Perhaps we should all learn ooman customs to avoid offending the ooman."

They were joking. She hoped. "I'm sure Val'jek means within reason."

"H'ko," Raz'ha said bluntly. "He means with prejudice." Then he had to translate their exchange for his hunt brothers.

"That settles it." Yeyinde moved to sit beside her. "You must teach us your customs lest we all meet Cetanu for giving accidental offense."

There seemed to be some silent communication that the warriors all shared. They each resettled in a circle and watched her with keen interest.

She was definitely logging some language practice today. "Uh, sure. Will you ask them what they want to learn, Raz'ha?"

After a nod, Raz'ha put the question to the group.

There was some shrugging and brief discussion. They seemed to settle on greetings, but then Mar'cte abruptly demanded, "What is the ooman mouth exchange?"

"Mouth exchange?" she asked. What on earth was that?

The others rumbled agreement and threw support behind the question.

She looked to Raz'ha. "What is that?"

His mandibles tipped just so into a yautja grin. "Ooman kisses."

"Oh," she said. "That."

When she didn't elaborate quickly enough, Yeyinde said, "What is it for? What do oomans do when they make this exchange?"

"It is a gesture of affection. It is pleasurable." She used their language, and looked to Raz'ha for any necessary correction. She was rewarded with a nod of approval.

"But what does it do?" Yeyinde pressed.

"Um, it expresses love and can be a step in mating. If a couple are interested in pursuing sex one will attempt to kiss the other. If they are receptive they kiss." She had to use english and she tried to come up with an answer that would satisfy them. Raz'ha translated readily.

"They do not simply ask? What does the exchange do?" Sain'ja said.

"It can be more subtle. We don't always mate the same day. It is one of many steps." Amelia continued to struggle and Raz'ha appeared content to watch her with amusement as he translated her babbles. "Perhaps Raz'ha can explain. He has experience in kissing."

Raz'ha's amused mandibles sagged with dismay as his hunt brothers turned their expectant gazes on him.

"You do not have an ooman mouth. How do you?" Mar'cte motioned at Amelia.

"Amelia kisses me. It is like locking mandibles," he started as his friends perked up, "but better."

There were skeptical clicks.

"It is soft and warm." Raz'ha touched around his mouth where she usually kissed. "They use the fleshy parts of the mouth and then," he struggled with his explanation with a couple beats of silence. He finally blurted out, "Oomans have soft tongues they touch with."

Like a group of teen girls hearing about kissing for the first time, they were scandalized and eager for details. Raz'ha was forced to describe what her tongue felt like on his skin. That prompted more various questions and insistence to see this human tongue.

Raz'ha always declined requests made of her and she was grateful for it. The honored warriors were respectful to her and when Raz'ha said no, she decided to make an exception. "I will show them. I don't mind," she said in english, just in case.

Raz'ha rumbled his amusement at her and used english to say, "They will want to touch it."

She gave it some thought. "I will let one of them touch it." She doubted it would be considered mating if yautja didn't have a tongue they could stick out. "Just one," she said firmly. "You pick who."

Raz'ha's mandibles tilted up and fluttered for a moment, clearly thrilled to make the selection. He translated her agreement to the warriors and they all chirped eagerly except Guan'thewi who made a yautja grunting noise. He did not want to touch a live human tongue because it was probably slimy.

Amelia couldn't help but laugh.

Raz'ha selected Sain'ja, who happened to offer half of his ration to her for the opportunity. She continued to laugh as Yeyinde accused Sain'ja of bribery.

"Show us, pretty ooman," Mar'cte said as he shuffled closer on his knees.

Amelia took off the mask and they all waited eagerly, reminding her of the yautja children. She took a deep breath more for effect than anything else. Then she opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue for their perusal. They all clicked or chirped and leaned closer to see better.

Raz'ha translated as they commented but she suspected he couldn't keep up with the rapid chatter.

"It's very pink," Mar'cte said.

"I thought it would be longer," Sain'ja said.

Yeyinde asked, "It moves more, yes?"

Amelia wiggled her tongue for them and then flattened it so it would look wider. They were very impressed with another round of chirps and a couple trills this time.

"Touch now?" Sain'ja shuffled in front of her.

"Ask if his hands are clean," she said to Raz'ha.

There was a short conversation and then Yeyinde passed Sain'ja a tube. She assumed it was some sort of sanitizer laser that he waved over his hands. After a moment he nodded to her. Raz'ha also nodded to her.

Amelia stuck her tongue out and leaned forward for him.

The tan warrior very cautiously moved his hand to her mouth and she waited patiently. He used one finger to touch the tip of her tongue, but he didn't move it as he tilted his head. She waited as the warriors seemed to pepper him with questions he didn't answer. Then he shifted his finger around, experimentally pressing down and testing the give, then he slid around to the underside and back up to the top. He was serious about this inspection and she wanted to laugh but found she couldn't with her tongue out.

Finally, Sain'ja said something that Raz'ha didn't translate. The others trilled and laughed.

Amelia's tongue was starting to feel dry and tired. She wiggled her tongue on his finger and he snatched his hand back in surprise. The others roared with laughter and she grinned at them.

She put her mask back on to hear them ribbing poor Sain'ja for being afraid of a little human. Sain'ja took it with a good nature and proceeded to describe the feeling of her wet and only-a-little-slimy tongue to them.

#

When it was time to leave, they all thanked her for the demonstration and bowed. Except Sain'ja and Yeyinde didn't go their separate ways. The pair kept pace beside them as they walked the corridors to Raz'ha's quarters.

"Are we having guests for dinner?" she asked Raz'ha hoping to sound casual. This was the scariest part of the day for her.

"Yes," Raz'ha said, surprising her. She hadn't been serious.

She looked them over as they were all making their angry faces with puffed up chests. They were banding together, she realized. Where a group would take on a single warrior, they would think twice before taking on three honored warriors.

"I'm happy for the company, but where I'm from you're supposed to discuss it with me first, otherwise it's rude." She slipped her hand into his so he would know she wasn't offended.

"Apologies," he said as he traced her wrist with his thumb. "I would like to have company for the dinner meal for many cycles. We have made an agreement to ensure none of us will go hungry. Is that agreeable to you?"

"What kind of agreement?" she asked, suddenly skeptical. If her "second mate" decided it would be a good idea to take on a third and fourth mate she was going to have some strong words that he wouldn't want hurled at him in a public hallway.

"We will retrieve our rations together and eat together in our quarters. We will share everything we acquire equally to ensure everyone has a meal each cycle."

"But only for the evening meal?"

Raz'ha nodded. "When we are allotted the first meal, many yautja have required duties to attend."

She understood what he was trying to tell her. It was less likely someone would challenge him for his meal in the morning.

"Company sounds good as long as it's only food we're sharing," she said with warning.

He chirped his inquiry but she didn't reply. If he didn't know what she meant, he hadn't been thinking anything sordid with his plan.

They escorted her to Raz'ha's quarters without further conversation. She thought that they might be trying to focus on looking as menacing as possible and didn't want to pester them with more questions. Once she was safely inside, the three left to pick up their rations. She felt much better about the three of them going together and wondered if an arrangement like that would help Mah'sic. She made a note to ask Raz'ha about when they went to bed.

She retrieved the puppies from the wall panel. It was more difficult to maneuver than Raz'ha made it look, but she managed. Once the panel was off, the puppies bounded out with wagging tails and eager kisses for her ankles. Hult'ah had more difficulty fitting, and his leg was noticeably stiff, but his tail was wagging and mandibles fluttering.

"Hello, my babies, are you hungry?" She set the pane aside, deciding to have Raz'ha put it back later, and cuddled her pets on the floor. While she waited for the warriors to return she tended her pets, and even gave Hult'ah a quick rub down with sandpaper.

#

When the warriors returned they entered the bedroom together, and she realized her error. She left the wall panel open, exposing where they hid the puppies. She stiffened as they chirped a greeting and made themselves comfortable on the bed. They both shamelessly watched her puppies with interest. Raz'ha greeted her and guided her to the bed with a hand on her lower back.

"I left the panel open. I didn't think they'd come in here."

"There is more space and a bed here." He flicked a glance to the panel. "They are honorable warriors, not thieves."

"You're sure?" She looked to her pets. "They are defenseless without you here."

"Yes," he said, nudging her to take a seat on the bed.

She sat stiffly though the trio seemed to be relaxed as they started to eat. She was pretty sure they weren't expecting sex, but for all she knew this was some weird yautja orgy custom. Sain'ja offered her half of his ration, and she quickly declined as she removed her mask. Raz'ha gave her part of his as her eyes adjusted to the dark.

Yeyinde chirped at her.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" She paused eating as he motioned to her food. She looked to Raz'ha and squinted to see that he was busy frowning at Yeyinde.

Yeyinde made some questioning clicking noises and said, "Your food."

"My food?" she asked, then remembered to say it in his language.

The three warriors had a conversation about her not having food. In the end, Raz'ha tried to hush them.

"What do they mean I don't have food?" she asked Raz'ha.

Before he could reply, Yeyinde helpfully pointed to her Pash and said, "Raz'ha's food."

Raz'ha gave the warrior a murderous glare and his mandible were tense. He didn't spread them with aggression but he clearly wanted to.

Yeyinde said something convoluted. Amelia understood it as questioning Raz'ha about Taurens not providing food for her if she was a Tauren pet.

Sain'ja chimed in, "A Tauren Elder must possess a large quantity of food." He said something on the end that she didn't grasp. Then he also looked at Amelia, and said, "None for a pet?"

Understanding dawned on her. She felt embarrassment cut deep as she realized that Raz'ha was sharing his own ration with her. She had no idea and spent all this time offering to share. He must think she was an idiot. This whole time she was his burden. Her cheeks flushed.

Raz'ha growled a deep warning she had never heard him make before. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and even Hult'ah sank down on his haunches. It was like a cross between a really big dog and lion letting everyone know they were one wrong move away from being ripped to shreds. Both warriors returned to their food without further comment on the topic. She stole a glance at Raz'ha from the corner of her eye to confirm his mandibles were indeed spread wide with aggression.

Why didn't she have food? She wondered at that. She turned the thought over and over in her mind. Val'jek couldn't have known there would be a food shortage, but he had to know Raz'ha's clan was resource poor. He wouldn't throw her on their ship to be a strain on their limited resources, would he? Was it a test for Raz'ha? Was this a rare oversight on Val'jek's part? No one was infallible.

Awkward silence carried as they finished their meal and Amelia put her mask on again. She didn't want the warriors to leave while they felt unwelcome so she called her pets onto the bed and introduced them to the warriors. They were all wary of new warriors, but Odin and Freya quickly warmed up to the newcomers once she nudged them along.

Amelia kept Hult'ah by her side as he eyed the warriors with decidedly unfriendly looks. She passed Odin to Sain'ja and Freya to Yeyinde. "Be gentle. They're fragile."

Both warriors were clumsy upon hearing her warning and she was aware of Hult'ah focusing all his attention on the warriors now. She helped Yeyinde, moving his hand to hold Freya and pet her with the other.

"They like head scratches," she said and Raz'ha translated. She demonstrated on Freya and Sain'ja mimicked it on Odin. The puppy leaned into the scratching as he panted and wagged his tail furiously.

"They are harmless hounds," Sain'ja said with an amused trill.

"Nearly harmless," she said. "They are for companionship and still very young."

"You are wise to hide them," Yeyinde said and nodded to the open wall panel. "They cannot defend themselves." His eyes surveyed her and she was sure he was thinking the same of her.

She nodded her agreement and cautiously said in their language, "Elder Val'jek provided the food." She motioned to the container beside the food bowl, hoping they wouldn't think they were all a huge burden. She felt terribly rude to eat their food while their clan was hungry.

All three warriors stared at the container, then one by one their eyes drifted to her. The silence was tense and long. She had said something wrong. Her cheeks flushed and she tried to think of something to say to smooth over whatever blunder she made. When nothing came to mind, she tried to think of something to change the subject.

Raz'ha made a chuffing sound and she flinched. Hult'ah nuzzled her leg and pawed her with the pad of his foot. Then Raz'ha was rubbing her lower back. He had a rapid sort of conversation with the other two warriors using purely clicks and chirps. She understood little, and she was sure they wanted it that way because she could normally pick up parts of a conversation at least.

They seemed to settle on some sort of agreement, each nodding. Then they quickly said respectful farewells as they returned her puppies to her. Odin, who was easily excited, slobbered all over Sain'ja's claws in parting. Yeyinde was already ribbing him about alien slobber twice in one day.

"Goodnight," she said and inclined her head to each. She wasn't sure what happened, but at least there was no expectation of sex and no mention of eating her puppies.

Despite her resolve to grasp for positive thoughts, worry gnawed at her.

Chapter 18

Raz'ha woke early and was careful not to disturb Amelia as he left their sleep palette. His mind still struggled with the revelation he shared with his hunt brothers before the sleep cycle. They didn't dare speak the words aloud, but they all thought it and used clicks to dance around it. They knew the truth.

His clan stole Amelia's supplies.

It was impossible that Elder Val'jek had remembered to provide for a handful of hounds and forgotten his beloved ooman.

Impossible, his mind railed as he dressed for the day.

All the other provisions Raz'ha had been skeptical about were inconsequential to this. Yes, the Elder would be annoyed that his mate could not com him with video. He would be angered that lights in his quarters were still restricted to dim settings when she could not see clearly. What would the Elder do once he realized that Amelia suffered hunger? They were en route to a hunting planet, but it would be a great many cycles before they procured more food. The shortage would grow even worse before it was resolved and Amelia was already thinning. What would happen if Elder Val'jek returned to a skeletal mate?

He had seen the Elder's trophy room. It was crammed with skulls from his most deadly hunts with very few lesser hunt skulls. They were likely disposed of or gifted as he acquired more prized skulls in his age. Raz'ha couldn't miss a dual set of yautja skulls with their spines on display. Bad bloods, he knew right away. He had wondered why the Elder wasn't an arbitrator at the time, as killing another yautja for a trophy was rare, and killing two without joining the prestigious ranks of arbitrators was unheard of.

Arbitrator or not, the Elder had taken yautja skulls before he met his ooman mate. Raz'ha knew there would be a catastrophic reckoning in Amelia's name if she was seriously harmed.

He had to speak to Elder Mur before it was too late. He put in the request for an urgent meeting before he retrieved the first meal.

There was no reply before his duties began.

#

Unequivocal frustration plagued Raz'ha throughout the cycle.

Raz'ha didn't dare curse or express the emotion as he motioned four more young bloods to the practice mats. He was up to a dozen new students now. He had known more would come after he accepted one the cycle before. The young blood, named Thewi, had been part of the group to challenge him. Raz'ha had seen him again when he bathed Amelia.

Thewi thought it was futile to simply accept a portion of Raz'ha's ration after five days. The only way to acquire regular food was to acquire a new instructor that didn't demand his rations.

Raz'ha agreed with Thewi's assessment and accepted the transfer.

Now Raz'ha's class was beyond capacity. They all fit while listening, but there wasn't adequate room for simultaneous practice. His original students were growing agitated and nervous over the flood of new ones as they were forced to make room. Even Amelia shrank farther into her corner.

Two more young bloods stood at the entrance of his kehrite. He rumbled his displeasure and they bowed their heads quickly.

"What is it?" He knew what they wanted, but he would judge them before giving them entrance.

"Pardon, honored warrior." They both bowed. "We respectfully request to transfer to your kehrite for training."

Raz'ha made a show of looking them over from head to toe. They were thin and pale for warriors who were supposed to be young and athletic. The sight only agitated him more. "Why would you wish to transfer? Are you ungrateful for the training you've received? It has been adequate enough to guide you through your chiva."

Both chirped respectfully. The talker said, "They say you are the best ooman tactics instructor. You were my first choice, but you were away when it was my time to join a kehrite for ooman studies."

Raz'ha lowered his brows, a gesture he was aware of being more frequently used by oomans than yautja. "You waited many cycles to make your request."

The previously silent young blood blurted out, "Rumors circulate that you do not demand food for training."

The talker clicked a warning at the other. The other clicked back a rude sequence.

Raz'ha held up his hand to halt what looked to be the start of a bout of bickering. Both fell silent. "You are Honored Warrior Trin'ko's students?"

They shook their heads.

That surprised Raz'ha. He was aware that Trin'ko was forcing students to surrender rations in exchange for training. Unfortunately, training was mandatory until warrior status was reached. The young bloods had no choice. A majority of Trin'ko's students were now shuffling anxiously on Raz'ha's training mats as he interviewed this pair.

"Honored Warrior Mack'o?" Raz'ha demanded.

They both nodded.

Mack'o taught his young bloods during a different cycle session. These students were supposed to be somewhere else right now. "Have you transferred to other instructors in this schedule yet?"

They nodded again.

"How much pash is required for training with Mack'o?" he asked.

The talker said, "Half of first meal, and all of last meal."

The growl in Raz'ha's chest wouldn't be quelled. Not even the greedy Trin'ko demanded that much. What were they doing with all the food they stole from their students? They would be overly round if they were eating it themselves.

The other young blood added in a rush, "The rest is taken by other instructors. They require little, but you are the only one who does not demand payment."

Raz'ha opened his mouth to utter a foul curse when another young blood entered the kehrite. The young blood's eyes widened at the full room and then quickly bowed to Raz'ha. "Honored Warrior Raz'ha, I respectfully request to transfer to your kehrite."

Before the sentence was finished another young blood entered, and then an unblood as well.

They all stared at him with a mixture of anxiety and hope. His kehrite stunk of it. Raz'ha knew his answer for them all, but he didn't utter it. He had to formulate a new strategy to train students. They would not all fit and more would come as news spread. More importantly, their instructors would come.

Raz'ha wanted that fight. His heart thrummed and his muscles clenched. His body was primed for a fight and his mind knew it would serve him well to expend his aggression on formidable opponents.

Raz'ha nodded the first pair to the mats. "Find a place to stand. Do not approach my ooman."

Dismissed, the pair spouted profuse thanks and they shuffled past him. He turned his attention to the next two young bloods. Then his gaze narrowed on the unblood. "What do you require, unblood?"

The unblood bowed and chirped a greeting.

Raz'ha inclined his head.

"I request to transfer to your kehrite," the unblood said.

"This is the young blood session."

The unblood shuffled his feet and bowed his head. "Perhaps I can transfer my other sessions and join your unblood session."

"Who is your instructor?" Raz'ha demanded.

"Honored Warrior Mack'o." The unblood stole a glance at Amelia. "Unblood Mah'sic of the Tauren Clan recommended that I request the transfer."

Raz'ha clicked for the unblood to continue.

"Many of us wish to transfer," the unblood said quickly. "We were unsure of the possibility since you are on the opposite cycle. I was selected to make the request."

Raz'ha stared at the fidgeting unblood who emitted enough anxiety scent to make his stomach turn. He glanced at the young bloods. They too watched the unblood.

"You," Raz'ha pointed to the young blood who had entered first.

The young blood bowed. "Yes, Honored Warrior Raz'ha?"

"What do you think of the unblood's request for a transfer?" Raz'ha clicked a warning, letting the young blood know it was a test.

The young blood looked at the unblood, and then surveyed Raz'ha. He dithered, his claws fidgeting with this combistick on his belt.

Raz'ha turned to the remaining young blood. "While this one finds his thoughts, you will answer the question."

The second young blood stiffened and darted glances around the room. "I think it would be a difficult task and a great cost to you, Honored Warrior Raz'ha."

The unblood's anxiety kicked up a notch.

"It is worth the effort," the first young blood finally said.

"Why?" Raz'ha demanded.

"You will command respect," the young blood said and then clicked respectfully. "More than you do now, I meant. We will one day be warriors, and we will remember your strength and honor for as long as we are in Paya's favor."

"You think I am dissatisfied with the respect I receive?" Raz'ha prodded.

The young blood paused again and Raz'ha saw him formulating his response.

"Speak quickly or be gone."

"You do not demand payment for training. You've exceeded your kehrite capacity. You are experienced enough to know that the other instructors will challenge you for this." He flicked a glance at Amelia in the back.

"That does not answer the question."

"You are not dissatisfied. You have earned respect but you are not motivated by it," the young blood said finally. "You will not turn away the unblood because-"

"Enough," Raz'ha cut him off. If he finished the sentence, the young blood would suffer retribution from the honored warriors who demanded food from their students.

The young blood bowed his head.

"Young bloods, find a place on the mats. Do not approach my ooman." He ignored their thanks as he surveyed the unblood. He thought of Mah'sic and the unblood who had eaten hound food from the floor. It struck him as odd that Mah'sic hadn't made the request himself. The unblood visited Amelia in Raz'ha's quarters every third cycle. The unblood had never once made mention of his hardships.

"Mah'sic wishes to transfer with you?"

"He," he clicked several times. "The Tauren says he is required to remain with his assigned Saracen instructor if he is to accurately report his findings." There was more uncertain clicking.

"You disagree," Raz'ha prompted impatiently.

The unblood clicked furiously. "He will die. We will all die. None have eaten an entire ration in five cycles."

"Your request in granted," Raz'ha said.

The unblood chirped his surprise and then slid a cautious glance to the young bloods.

"This is the young blood session and you will return to your quarters to rest. The session prior to the last meal, you will come to me for your training." Raz'ha trilled in an effort to reassure the stunned unblood. "Inform the other unbloods who request a transfer of my instructions."

"Thank you, honored warrior," the unblood sputtered and bowed deep. "May Paya-"

"I am busy. Do as instructed now." Raz'ha informed the unblood where to find him. As the unblood turned to leave, Raz'ha added, "Tell unblood Mah'sic that his presence is required as well."

The unblood spouted more exaggerated thanks as he backed out of Raz'ha's kehrite.

Raz'ha turned his attention to his students. He surveyed them for a long moment, noticing the disparity between his original students and his new ones. There was a weight difference, and a pallid strangeness to the hungry yautja. They weren't in any condition for assessments today. Once they had a couple rations in their bellies, he would address their combat skills.

Today he would ensure that his students were equipped with the skills necessary to eat. He counted thirty-two students. "Form four lines. News students opposite of original students."

The young bloods complied quickly, familiar with combat orders to do the same. Many settled into a fight position, ready to spar.

"Your opponents are now your partners. You will enter my kehrite together. You will leave my kehrite together. You will spend your leisure time together. You will bathe together. You will eat together." Raz'ha circled them, watching their body language for dissent.

There was surprise and nothing more.

Raz'ha continued, "When you are able, you will train together. If your partner loses a challenge, you will challenge the victor. If your partner has no rations, you will share yours. You are a team. You will rise together or you will fall together."

There were a few chirps and a couple clicks of surprise.

"You will do this if you wish to remain my students. You will be successful at this if you wish to be warriors. Is that understood?" he demanded.

His class gave a unison bark, "Sei."

He circled his class once more in silence. They would survive. He would ensure it. "When it is time for your rations, you will eat together as a class. You will not trade. You will not make payments to anyone. You will eat. You will be strong."

There was some shuffling.

Raz'ha said, "In order to do this, you will never retrieve your rations alone, nor in useless groups of twos and threes. You will all meet outside the meal hall and you will enter in formation as you've been taught. You will not shuffle into a pathetic, indefensible line to wait for your food and subsequent challengers. You will use your minds. You will strategize. You will distract. You will outwit, and when necessary you will fight your challengers."

One chirped an inquiry.

"Speak," Raz'ha said.

The young blood stepped forward as was proper. He said, "What of other instructors that demand payment?"

Even as thoughts of Amelia's fear crossed his mind, Raz'ha spoke, "You will inform them of my requirement and direct them to me if they are displeased."

Question answered, the young blood returned to his position.

Raz'ha singled out two of his better strategist students, calling them forward. "You are in charge of your respective groups." He motioned to each side of the room, leaving each with fifteen students to manage.

Both young bloods pounded their chests with their fists.

"It is your responsibility to ensure your groups thrive. You enforce my rules. You protect your hunt brothers." Raz'ha stared them down. "If you fail this task, and your hunt brothers suffer, I will interpret this as disrespect to me and this kehrite." He splayed his mandibles. "I have no mercy for those without respect."

They both bowed their heads and declared their respect for him. They would not fail him.

He nodded and they returned to their places. "Sit." His class quickly complied.

Raz'ha used the session time to quiz them on strategies to navigate the meal hall successfully. It was slow at first as his students hadn't considered the hardships in terms of a hunt or challenge. They had perceived it as a matter of fate or luck. Raz'ha quickly corrected that notion, and then the ideas flowed freely.

#

As the training session neared an end, they were all confident with at least half a dozen strategies ready to enact. More specifically, his original students quickly deduced that until the new students were strengthened with food, they were all at risk of failure. They would prioritize ensuring the new students ate first.

As they stood to leave, the entire class paused with gazes trained on the entrance.

Raz'ha looked to Amelia first. She was also staring at the entrance with her mask on. Her hand pressed her vision buttons on her mask. She stood and appeared agitated.

He suspected that Trin'ko darkened his entrance. The brutish honored warrior would appear massive to Amelia with his wide and stocky frame.

"You will greet me as is proper," Trin'ko demanded from the entrance.

Raz'ha left his back to the warrior for another long moment. This honored warrior was despicable and greedy. Raz'ha would not show respect to that.

"Clear the mats for a demonstration," Raz'ha said to his students. He would not have them shuffle from his kehrite to wonder at their fates for another cycle. Raz'ha would have them know that he protected them.

Raz'ha turned to Trin'ko. And said nothing. No greeting. No acknowledgement other than a hard stare.

Trin'ko's mandibles spread and then retracted to click rapid agitation. "You think you're clever to steal my students." He flicked a glance to the over filled room.

Raz'ha moved to the center of the mats and shook out his muscles. They were too tense in anticipation of a challenge. It was more important that his students learned to recognize a smart fight over a brutal squabble.

When Raz'ha said nothing still, Trin'ko approached, his shorter legs making up short strides with speed.

"I have not poached your students or Mack'o's." Trin'ko eyed a student from Mack'o's kehrite. "You are greedy. Too greedy, Raz'ha."

Students began clicking and chirping. Raz'ha chuffed at the misinterpretation. "Are you merely here to inform me of your thoughts, Honored Warrior Trin'ko?"

At the use of the respectful title, his students grew excited as if Raz'ha called Trin'ko a foul name.

Agitated but not entirely stupid, Trin'ko surveyed Raz'ha and then the room. "I had thought to challenge for the return of the ungrateful young bloods, but perhaps I will challenge for something else." Trin'ko's gaze narrowed on Amelia. "Meat would be a sufficient replacement."

Raz'ha saw her stiffen from his peripheral vision. Students turned to her and then several shuffled in front of her. They blocked Trin'ko's view of her.

Raz'ha chuckled in amusement and retracted his thoughts of Trin'ko's intelligence. The honored warrior was an idiot.

"To claim Amelia of the Taurens you must fight to the death." He looked to his students to ensure they heeded and then returned his gaze to Trin'ko. "Elder Val'jek would appreciate an expansion of his yautja trophy collection. If I were to be bested, her mate would destroy every living creature on this ship to reclaim her." He would not give serious credit to claims of eating Amelia's flesh. It was a ploy to enrage Raz'ha and nothing more.

Trin'ko chuffed. "Such a weak, simpering creature is not worth the death of any warrior, not even a greedy one such as you."

Raz'ha tilted his head and stifled any sign that the words annoyed him. He said nothing and the long silence appeared to unsettle Trin'ko.

Finally Trin'ko shoved his shoulder and stepped back quickly.

"A death match?" Raz'ha asked. He wanted to hear his opponent decline to fight for Amelia.

"I challenge you for the students." He splayed his mandibles. "All your students."

Raz'ha shoved Trin'ko's shoulder in reply. He did not show aggression with his mandibles despite the desire to beat his opponent into a broken mess. This was to teach his students.

They circled and took cursory swipes at each other. He had seen Trin'ko fight many times and the warrior was strong but impatient. Raz'ha would use that weakness.

He let Trin'ko do the attacking and dodged with a show of ease. The warrior grew frustrated quickly and swung more wildly as he invaded Raz'ha's space. Raz'ha used his height to rain down blows on Trin'ko's head crest.

Trin'ko didn't stagger back as expected. He squatted low and shoved a shoulder into Raz'ha's belly. They both stumbled into a line of students but remained on their feet. Students moved away. Raz'ha sidestepped from the wall and returned to the mat's center with Trin'ko on his heels like one of Amelia's hounds. He stifled his chuckle with a chuff.

They began circling once more and exchanged more aggressive body blows. Trin'ko growled and roared his prowess. Raz'ha limited his responses to clicks and grunts.

Then Trin'ko appeared more impatient. He bellowed a roar with spittle flying from his mouth as his mandibles splayed as wide as possible. The threat display was overly loud and exaggerated as if he could intimidate Raz'ha into surrender.

Raz'ha heard Amelia squeak but couldn't look for her. Trin'ko charged Raz'ha.

Raz'ha didn't plant his feet to meet the ridiculous charge. Instead he sidestepped at the last moment and gave Trin'ko a shove to unbalance him.

Too late Raz'ha realized his error as Trin'ko went flying at Amelia and young bloods. She must have moved closer to watch the fight beside his students. Raz'ha reached out to stop Trin'ko's momentum but it was pointless. Too late. His claws only skimmed the warrior's back.

Students dodged out of the way in a flurry of movement. Thewi and another student grabbed Amelia awkwardly by the shoulder and thigh and yanked her aside with them. Amelia's limbs flailed and she yelped in surprise. The warrior slammed into the wall and clipped Thewi.

Trin'ko growled, shoving the student away and dragging claws along his shoulder in the effort.

The trio ended up in a heap on the floor as Raz'ha reached them. Growling as well, Raz'ha lifted the student off Amelia and onto his feet. His students were yautja and sturdy enough to take much more damage than that. He was annoyed to have them disrespected, but Amelia was not sturdy and could break under a pile of young bloods.

The challenge wasn't over though and there was little time assess her. She appeared startled to be sprawled out on the second student. She looked uninjured. He scented no ooman blood.

Trin'ko was already swinging his fist at Raz'ha. He shifted to take the blow to the shoulder so he could assess Amelia for another second. More students dragged the group farther away from the dangerous fighting.

Raz'ha accepted two more blows to watch them find their feet with assistance. This fight was done, Raz'ha decided. Then he elbowed the warrior in the mandibles.

Trin'ko staggered back.

Raz'ha closed the distance and struck Trin'ko's left mandibles three more time with his closed fist. It kept the other warrior staggering backward. Raz'ha halted the momentum before he reached the line of students along the opposite wall. He grabbed Trin'ko's lower left mandible and stepped on Trin'ko's right foot. Trin'ko jerked but Raz'ha merely maneuvered the warrior's weight to keep him at an awkward angle.

Trin'ko landed several weak punches to Raz'ha's hip and lower abdomen. There wasn't enough room for a decent blow. Raz'ha grabbed Trin'ko's wrist when he didn't readily acknowledge the situation. He leaned in, forcing Trin'ko's weight back at a more severe angle.

Now holding the warrior's weight in his hands, Raz'ha glared down at Trin'ko, invading his space farther. "Strike those in my kehrite again, and you will have a death match, honored warrior."

Trin'ko growled, but before he could utter a reply, Raz'ha released his grip on the warrior and stepped away. With flailing limbs and a choked noise, the warrior crashed to the mat on his back. It was a humiliating display that the warrior deserved.

Raz'ha addressed his students. "There is no honor in striking students in anger. There is no honor in stealing rations from students. To those of you who are new, this is the only warning you will receive about disrespect and dishonor in my kehrite." He eyed them and puffed his chest.

Trin'ko was growling in frustration as he stood on his feet again.

"We are honor bound to destroy bad blood," Raz'ha turned to Trin'ko, "wherever we may find it."

"I am no bad blood," Trin'ko snapped. "It is not a crime, but a due-a trade-for teaching my skills."

What the other instructors did was dishonorable in principle, but there were no clan laws forbidding it. Raz'ha had no right to label them as bad blood, but he knew they verged on bad blood if they were not already. Only the depraved preyed upon the young of their species this way. They did not steal merely enough to eat. They stole excessive amounts. They were selfish and greedy pauk-de.

Raz'ha would rather sacrifice all his free time teaching these younger warriors than have them taught dishonor by other instructors.

"I believe I demonstrated what a poor trade that is," Raz'ha said. "Leave my kehrite and do not return."

Trin'ko stood defiant as a pup. For a moment Raz'ha considered that he might have to physically remove the other warrior from his kehrite. Then the warrior growled as he turned. He exited without further comment.

Raz'ha returned his attention to his students and decided to stall for a few more moments. He was reluctant to dismiss them with Trin'ko still in the vicinity despite his next students waiting outside his door.

Raz'ha bowed to his students. "You have my thanks for protecting Amelia of the Taurens." He gave a nod of approval to the young blood who bled for her.

Amelia stood beside the pair who had moved her.

They bowed to her and Raz'ha was elated. His students had no reason to give a pet more than passing thought and certainly no expectation of protecting her. Hopefully it would ease Amelia's fears to see that even his students were disturbed by an insinuation of eating an ooman female.

She bowed to them and murmured a yautja thanks, but her posture was stiff and movements jerky.

#

Amelia was terrified. All thoughts of safety in Raz'ha's kehrite fled and she realized just how mistaken she was. She'd heard the exchange. She'd heard Raz'ha's instructions to his students. More warriors would come to challenge him over the food shortage. What would happen if Raz'ha lost? What would happen if they banded together as Raz'ha had done with his hunt brothers?

The warrior had wanted to eat her!

Her heart raced and she felt light headed at the thought of Trin'ko butchering her corpse for meat. Her vision spotted and she stared down at her shaking hands. She could barely lift them.

Raz'ha had been wrong. So very wrong. He was her kind and accommodating yautja who was too honest for his own good. He hadn't even known that everyone was exploiting students for rations. Everyone but him.

She was dimly aware of one of the young bloods trilling at her. She felt claws on her arms and stiffened.

A young blood who saved her from being crushed by Trin'ko was looming over her, his face inches from hers and looking distinctly surprised. He said, "Honored Warrior Raz'ha?"

Why would he say that to her? She didn't understand.

She realized she was dangling from the young blood's grip when Raz'ha lifted her away. In her face, Raz'ha was moving his mandibles as if he was clicking at her, but she could only hear blood rushing in her ears.

"Amelia?" Raz'ha voice was a sharp bark cutting through the noise.

She felt like she couldn't breathe suddenly. All awareness centered on her lungs gasping for breath in greedy desperate puffs. Was the filter broken? Had it given out? Had someone figured out how to access it, or had Raz'ha sat on the button and turned it off by accident? She gasped and tried to take in more air. She knew that she was taking in air, but it felt all wrong.

Raz'ha was laying her on the practice mat and barking orders over his shoulder. This wasn't a good sign. If she died they would eat her corpse!

"Raz'ha," she whispered. "Don't let them," she said, her voice weak and desperate. It was hard to talk when you couldn't breathe. She tried to cling to him for help, but her limbs felt weak and shaky.

Raz'ha appeared to be too busy inspecting her to reply. His mask was on and he was scanning her. Then her vision faded to black as she passed out.

Chapter 19

Amelia woke with a jerk. A chirp greeted her in the darkness and she stiffened.

She sensed more than she saw that she was in his bed with a fur draped over her. Doggy breath hit her face and she turned to see Hult'ah on the bed beside her. "Raz'ha?" she called.

"He is in his kehrite training unbloods," Mah'sic's voice said from across the room.

"What happened?" She was alive, that much was apparent.

Mah'sic rumbled and she grew nervous. Val'jek's son was always excited to examine her and make discoveries about humans. His rumble was frustrated, not excited.

"Was it the lung filter?" she asked. "Is it working?" Hult'ah shoved into her side, and pushed his head under her arm. He was trying to force her to cuddle him and she clung to him shamelessly like a lifeline.

"It is working, but was confused when you tried to breathe too much air for your body." Mah'sic sounded closer now. "The scans Raz'ha performed indicate that this did no true harm to you, but it is recommended that you avoid over-breathing again. In oomans it causes loss of consciousness."

Over breathing? She drew a blank for a moment. Then understanding hit her. "Are you saying I hyperventilated?"

"Sei," Mah'sic said. "If that is what oomans label it."

"Oh." Well, that was embarrassing. "So I'm okay then?" As okay as a hundred pounds of meat could be when surrounded by predators. All her fears were founded and they were truly trapped in close quarters with deadly predators.

Mah'sic rumbled. "No."

"No?" she squeaked out.

"Many of your tissues and organs show signs of deterioration, and I do not know if this is repairable in oomans. Your red blood cells are reduced. Your body is also trying to maintain your breeding cycle and will discard your womb lining soon which will worsen the issue. I do not know why it has not shut down that function yet." Mah'sic chuffed and added, "Your body is cannibalizing itself already."

It sounded like she was dying. "What? Why?"

"It has nothing else to eat," Mah'sic rumbled again. "I believe this is why over-breathing caused you to lose consciousness quickly."

"I'm starving is what you're saying?"

"Sei," Mah'sic said. "Raz'ha does not protect your rations?"

"He shares his with me," she said stiffly.

Mah'sic only made clicking noises and she grew disturbed. This wasn't the Mah'sic she knew. This quietness had been growing since their arrival and wasn't right, but he wouldn't tell her what was wrong.

"It's not Raz'ha's fault. The food cycle is different here. They only eat twice, and now it's only pash. It's more likely that there isn't enough variety of food rather than the amount." It was a little fib. She was damn hungry between meals before rationing started, but it was a valid point regardless.

There was a long silence and she saw a red light flick on beside the bed. She realized he was scanning her.

"I will modify your vitamin supplement so you can increase the dose. Perhaps that will slow the progression of damage."

"Okay," she said. There was nothing else to say to that.

"Raz'ha asked me to analyze the hound food. It is edible to oomans," Mah'sic said. "It has a larger variety of nutrients than pash, but they are not designed for oomans. It is better suited for yautja and will not sustain you long."

"I'll let him know," she said softly.

Silence carried and the dark felt oppressive. It felt like the vacuum of space was creeping into the room and reaching for her. Her chest felt tight and she resisted the urge to gasp for a deep breath.

"I miss Val'jek." She didn't know why she felt compelled to say that.

It seemed to take the unblood by surprise and he trilled at her. "I do as well."

It had been too long since she received a message from him. What had happened? Amelia changed the subject from those dark worries. "Have you eaten?"

Her mask had overheard Raz'ha interviewing his new students, and she now knew how desperate Mah'sic and the others were for food. Perhaps it was too much hard truth to process in one day, but there was no more choice in the matter. Others suffered worse than her. They didn't have Raz'ha's presence and Val'jek's rank to protect them.

Mah'sic moved back and sat on the edge of the bedding. "Honored Warrior Raz'ha has given me a portion of your hound food. Should I bring you some?"

She was almost hungry enough to say yes, but was pretty sure she would need water to wash it down. It never smelled tasty, and like earth dog food, looked as dry as cardboard. "I'll wait for dinner time."

He gave a doubtful click, but said nothing.

A lump formed in her throat to match the tightness in her chest. "Will you tell me the truth about something?" she asked, unsure if she wanted more truth, but it was time to face it even if she wasn't ready.

"Sei," Mah'sic said in the dark.

"Do you think the Saracens would use me for meat?"

There was a long silence again. She sensed him moving closer and then felt his claws touch her shoulder. He gave her a light squeeze and rumbled. "There is no record of Saracens stealing an ooman to eat."

She covered his hand with hers. "That's not an answer."

He let out a breath and seemed to deflate with it. "I would not trust them alone with you."

She had asked for truth and now she knew.

#

Raz'ha was permitted entrance to Elder Mur's office. The room was not as well lit as a kehrite, but it was by no means dim, and Raz'ha removed his mask as he bowed.

"I thank you for accepting my request for a meeting, Elder," Raz'ha said and gave a chirp.

Elder Mur grunted from behind his desk. "I did not summon you to discuss your petty problems."

Raz'ha stiffened, but let the insult pass. If he was to protect Amelia, he needed an elder's help. "Apologies, Elder, what is it you desire to discuss with me?"

The elder didn't even look up from his reader. "Return the students to their instructors."

Raz'ha chuffed. "I cannot."

"There is a reason we have sessions, and cycles, and multiple instructors." The elder clicked his annoyance. "You are unbalancing the order."

"The students are starved and their skills are lacking. The order is unbalanced already." Raz'ha made several respectful clicks.

"You hunt dangerous prey." Elder Mur looked up and assessed Raz'ha from head to toe. "And you are not even aware that a hunt has begun."

There was little Raz'ha could say to such a cryptic warning. He persisted with the defense he had prepared for justifying his actions.

"If our clan is to thrive, we must have our young survive to maturity. They must be strong. They must be skilled. What is the point of making sucklings if we only let them wither away as they grow into warriors?" Raz'ha bowed his head in respect. "What I do is for our clan, not personal gain."

Elder Mur accepted the response but continued to give him warning clicks. "You cannot be soft with them. You have survived many food shortages and you are an exemplary warrior in all things except producing sucklings."

It was a reprimand that Raz'ha was hearing more often. Leadership expected him to breed clan females, but Raz'ha had not in the last short mating window. Only a few females had a cycle, and he had not sought their favor because he had Amelia's favor. It was a stalemate for the time being as Raz'ha wouldn't risk losing Amelia's favor, but neither could he explicitly explain the issue to his clan.

Instead of his lack of breeding activities, which he felt keenly as Amelia was not carrying a suckling yet, he focused on the more pressing matter. "My instructors did not force me to surrender all my rations. No one thrives without food."

Elder Mur snorted. "You cannot train every male below a warrior's rank on this ship."

Raz'ha had prepared for that argument as well because it was a fact. He could not simply train them all and expect them to be adequately prepared for hunts.

"I have enlisted the aid of several hunt brothers who are as skilled as I am." Raz'ha looked the elder in the eye. "We are able to train them all with only basic changes to the schedule."

The elder leaned back in his chair and was silent for a long moment as he stared at Raz'ha. He gave no clicks to offer context as he spoke in a neutral tone, "Do you think I care that you've decided to train all the lower males on this ship?"

Raz'ha tilted his head. "No."

"Good. I don't." His mandibles slowly tapped together as he surveyed Raz'ha once more. "I do care that I've had my schedule cleared to accommodate frivolous meetings to discuss this change and what it means."

"I apologize for the inconvenience." Raz'ha bowed his head. He would not agree to abandon the students and there was nothing else to say on the topic.

"What did you intend to discuss with me?" The abrupt question was Elder Mur's version of kindness.

"Elder Val'jek's ooman." Raz'ha clicked his caution. "She is not allotted a ration and her health is deteriorating. The elder expects us to return his mate in good health."

Elder Mur clicked his amusement. "We are in the middle of the worst food shortage in Saracen history, and you expect me to be concerned about one ooman pet?"

"Relations with the Taurens will help ensure there are no food shortages in the future. Clan relations are dependent on Elder Val'jek's support." Raz'ha bowed his head and made several deferential clicks to ease his next words. "I have been informed that he will withdraw support and oppose the treaty if we are incapable of maintaining one ooman pet."

Elder Mur clicked his annoyance. "One pet he ruts with would destroy the entire treaty?" He chuffed.

"Yes," Raz'ha said. "The elder may be viewed as eccentric for taking an ooman as a permanent mate, but he has done this in full measure. He views all slights against the ooman as personal insults against his honor." Raz'ha clicked and added as a reminder, "She grows weaker by the cycle. She lost consciousness in my kehrite."

"Were you not the one tasked with caring for this pet, warrior?" the elder said more than he asked.

"I share my ration with her, but as a warrior I am only allotted pash." Raz'ha shook his head. "I could feed the ooman all my rations, but she would still grow weak. It is the lack of variety that ails her more than the quantity." He was already going to feed her more pash whether she was agreeable or not. More food would help, but Mah'sic's words were clear. He had to find the ooman different foods.

"And you think we have other food to waste on an ooman?" The elder sounded annoyed as he gave rapid clicks.

"She does not eat a large quantity-less than pups. Perhaps Elder Val'jek's contract has a stipulation for this situation that might convince females to share. A few scraps can be allotted at least to ensure the treaty will survive."

Raz'ha grew nervous from the increasing annoyance on the elder's face. Amelia needed this, and he knew Elder Val'jek would have contracted something for her. He couldn't simply say that however. It was a gross accusation that required proof Raz'ha could not acquire.

"I will make a request to the priestesses." Elder Mur chuffed. "They will likely laugh."

"I can send you the medical records to assist with your request," Raz'ha said.

Elder Mur held up his hand and Raz'ha grew silent. "They do not care about an ooman. I do not care about this ooman. Since you are the warrior tasked with ensuring its survival, I trust you will find a way when the females deny the request."

Raz'ha bowed his head. "Thank you for your time, Elder Mur. I apologize for burdening you with this."

Elder Mur clicked his displeasure over the meeting. "You're dismissed."

Raz'ha clicked his own displeasure. As he left, he paused at the door. Over his shoulder he said, "The ooman's words carry more weight with Taurens than that of all Saracens together."

Elder Mur said nothing and Raz'ha left in defeat.

#

Amelia massaged around Hult'ah's back nubs to ease some of the stiffness as they grew in and it had the added benefit of avoiding her thoughts. The hound sprawled out under her care. To Mah'sic she said, "Talk to me. Tell me about something to keep my mind off missing Val'jek and the food shortage."

And she needed a distraction from the inevitable conversation she would have with Raz'ha. Like when Val'jek left for his mission, it was time to dry her tears and be a grown up. Life was cruel, but it continued.

"I have nothing to discuss. My cycles are filled with menial chores and training for my chiva." Mah'sic chuffed. "An emergency request to tend to you has been the most pleasant part of my day."

She made a choked noise somewhere between amusement and annoyance. "Is there any happiness on this ship?"

"Your pets are happy." He chirped and motioned to Odin and Freya sleeping behind her on the bed. "When they are not sleeping all cycle."

"You're right," she said with a wan smile. They were blissfully ignorant and well fed. There wasn't misery everywhere. "Are you prepared for your chiva?"

Mah'sic grunted. "I am considered an excellent student here."

"Isn't that good?" She raised a brow.

"My skills have not greatly improved and my chiva is scheduled directly after the hunting planet mission." Mah'sic made more annoyed clicks lengthening his response.

It took her a moment to grasp what he was telling her. She asked, "Lower expectations here?"

"And poor instruction from many instructors." He huffed. "I believe my sire's expectations of this clan were greatly inflated by Raz'ha's skill. He is exceptional and many here could not be considered average."

She was beginning to suspect the same thing given the challenge in Raz'ha's kehrite today. "Raz'ha said he would train with you to make sure you were ready."

"He has. Some." He clicked. "I am on the opposite cycle schedule and it is difficult to find the proper time."

Mah'sic's reluctance concerned her. If he wasn't fully prepared, he could very well die on the hunt. She knew firsthand how scary and dangerous kiande amedha were. To survive them you could think of nothing else. You had to want it. She didn't know how to convey that to the unblood so she said, "There is still time. You should join his kehrite with the others."

Raz'ha would teach him how to survive.

"It is not that simple," he said stubbornly.

This stubbornness was something she understood, and quickly countered with, "It would make me happy and that would help ensure I feel well."

Mah'sic trilled and then chuckled.

"It's not funny. It's true." She couldn't help her grin and wished she could see him better in the dark.

"I begin to think clan laws should be based upon what makes you happy." He clicked, turning serious. "There would be less misery for all."

She did too, but what use was it to say that? She pressed with her real concern for Mah'sic. "I don't want you to die on some hunt." She looked at his outline in the dark. "Train with Raz'ha."

He didn't reply.

"Are you afraid that you'll fail?" She was fiddling with Hult'ah's nubs to avoid looking at Mah'sic. "I'd be terrified, but I think of my brother and this is something he would be on board with. I think maybe that's what the military was about for him. Proving he was man enough."

She frowned and wondered if she could have done something differently with her brother. Did he simply need more encouragement from her to feel he was good enough? She added absently, "He was always proving himself for some reason."

"I do not know if I'm meant to be a warrior." He rumbled. "But a chiva is required. Perhaps, if I survive, I will be able to devote more time to my studies in a few full cycles. My sire goes on few hunts now." He shrugged. "It is possible."

"You could think of it as part of your studies. Field study is important, isn't it?" She was grasping at straws, but he seemed to be pleased by this and trilled.

"Yes, and my chiva will take place on a planet seeded by Saracens so I've never been to it. There will be oomans and kiande amedha as well. I could test my hypothesis of the host size impacting the kiande amedha size and growth rate." His excitement paused. "If I survive, it will be an interesting essay."

Amelia climbed out of bed. She felt light headed and weak as she stood and Mah'sic was there to steady her.

"You are supposed to rest," he said.

"I will. I want to give you something first." She shuffled past him to her storage unit and retrieved the box with her mementos.

"Gifts are for mates," Mah'sic said with an amused trill.

She had made several blunders with that cultural difference since they met. They had slowly worked out a compromise in which they would exchange gifts on certain human holidays with many profuse reminders that it was not mating related. Otherwise, anything she thought should be given to Mah'sic became a suggestion for Val'jek to gift it to the unblood.

"It's not a gift. It's a loan." She retrieved the item she wanted and put the box back. "I want this back when you return from your chiva."

She returned to the bed and presented the item to Mah'sic. Her chest tightened as he took it from her hand.

Mah'sic held up the chain with Mason's dog tags on it. He examined them closely as he held them up to the light. "What are these?"

"They are tags to identify a soldier. The chain is supposed to stay with the fallen soldier's body, and one of the identical tags goes with the surviving hunt brothers to track and report the dead." She forced herself to shrug casually but a lump in her throat felt like it was choking her.

The unblood continued to inspect the tags, comparing them side by side.

"They belonged to my warrior brother, and everyone else had died so I took it all to remember him," she said. If Mah'sic didn't come back, it would be like losing her brother all over again.

"Why do I want this?" Mah'sic asked, looking up at her.

"Because it will remind you that you have family who wants you to return home. Alive." She frowned. "You must bring it back to me, or you'd be stealing the last reminder I have of my brother. It's very rude and dishonorable to humans."

"You could retrieve it from my remains." He shrugged and then settled back away from the light again.

She snorted. "You have to hand it back to me because you're the one getting the loan. That's how this works with us oomans." She didn't care if she was lying through her teeth. She wanted him to come back in one piece. "So take care of it, and bring it back to me when you've passed your chiva or be dishonored."

He seemed to consider this with some serious clicks. Then he said, "I will care for your property and return it with honor, Amelia."

She saw more of his outline than his face as he bowed his head to her.

She inclined her head. "Good. It'll be your lucky charm if you wear it."

Mah'sic fiddled with the chain and chirped at the clasp.

For once a simple human invention was too complicated for a yautja. Amelia smiled and showed him how it worked. Mah'sic hooked the chain onto his belt since he didn't wear any neck ornaments yet.

"I will wear it until I return it to you." He bowed his head again. "Thank you, Amelia."

#

In the honored warriors' training kehrite, Raz'ha watched over the large unblood class. He had been relieved when his hunt brothers had agreed to use their training space and their time to help the students. It's not as if his hunt brothers were interested in wasting energy by sparring, but training unbloods was now a responsibility added to their duties. It would unfortunately involve them in future challenges.

Beside Raz'ha, in the back of the room, Yeyinde shook his head. "It was foolish to meet with Elder Mur."

Raz'ha chuffed. "Amelia needs more food."

Yeyinde muttered something Raz'ha couldn't hear, but he was sure it was foul. "Mechanics say it will be twenty-five cycles until we reach a hunting planet. Add five more for hunting, food preparation, and shuttle travel. Surely she will survive this long with more pash." Yeyinde chirped. "We will contribute rations and keep her well fed."

"It cannot wait that long. The unblood, Mah'sic, believes damage to her organs will be exponential as time passes." Raz'ha clicked his frustration. "What is minor now will kill her soon."

There was a short silence. Yeyinde looked away and said, "It would be simpler for Elder Mur to explain her death than explain why she is malnourished."

Raz'ha was spared from uttering a reply by Sain'ja's entrance. Several in the class watched as he walked along the edge of the mats and approached Raz'ha and Yeyinde. They chirped their greetings to their hunt brother. Sain'ja leaned against the wall beside them and watched the distracted unblood receive a verbal reprimand from Mar'cte.

Quietly Sain'ja said, "I have made inquiries and it will be difficult to acquire anything on your list."

Yeyinde made annoyed clicking. "We will pool resources and Raz'ha can settle the debt when the shortage ends."

Raz'ha said, "I will more than repay the debts."

"Good, we will need to barter much to secure anything that resembles the grains you specified. Only elders are allotted that once every three cycles." Sain'ja shrugged. "The real problem is fruit and vegetables. No males are allotted these and now that females are on reduced rations, they are reluctant to trade away food. They certainly won't do so for anything you are offering."

"We will need to find someone who has something a female would want, and make a trade with them," Raz'ha said. It was not an uncommon practice with bartering, but it would be difficult. "An elder or one of the greedy pauk'de instructors would be able to trade with the females."

They clicked agreement.

"Amelia is a skilled artisan," Raz'ha rumbled after a moment. "Perhaps the novelty of work by an ooman would have value."

He didn't fool himself. It wouldn't directly garner what they required, but perhaps it would tip the scale in their favor. If she was willing to trade her work for lesser items, they could gather more resources to trade for scraps of food.

"It will," Sain'ja said. "Meat would be better."

"No," Raz'ha said. He knew they spoke of Amelia's pets.

"No one has meat," Sain'ja said. "You could have everything on your list for half the meat you'd procure from the hound. She could eat the other half."

That was a high value as the hound was still small, but Raz'ha refused to consider it.

Yeyinde clicked agreement. "A yaut hound would be simple enough for the Tauren elder to replace, and she would still have the harmless ones for companionship."

When Raz'ha didn't readily agree, Sain'ja said, "If the ooman is reluctant, let me kill it and bear her anger. You could challenge me for the offense to retain her favor and still trade the meat."

Raz'ha chuffed and clicked his disagreement.

They did not realize yet that Amelia would not be angry. She would be upset and terrified. Mah'sic told him that her fainting was largely due to malnutrition, but the trigger was her fear. Mah'sic suspected that when she had no outlet to address the fear, her body had turned on itself.

Raz'ha was confused by this explanation, but he had seen the results. It was enough to know that fear was as much of a concern as malnutrition. He suspected the tension that plagued her was a symptom of her fear. It was why his instincts had warned him though he could not determine the cause for alarm.

By helping the younger males, Raz'ha was ensuring she would experience a great deal more fear in the future. He couldn't add to that with Sain'ja's plan that may be well-intentioned but was not fully considered. Warriors she was beginning to trust would be considered dangerous. She would question Raz'ha's ability to protect her if he couldn't protect a mere yaut hound in their quarters. It was a doomed idea.

If that wasn't enough, Elder Val'jek would never let another hound near her and she would never have the replacement they assumed. He didn't explain it because they needed more time to know Amelia to fully grasp his explanation.

Yeyinde broke the lengthy silence and offered, "Since meat is valuable, perhaps we could compromise. Remove the hound's damaged leg and barter for a few items from your list. A scrap of meat is still meat."

The topic had never come up with Amelia, but Raz'ha was certain it would not be more agreeable to her.

"Enough," Raz'ha said. "The hound food will suffice as a meat replacement. We will acquire the rest by more conventional means."

His hunt brothers clicked reluctant agreement.

#

Raz'ha finally arrived and gave her a brief greeting. Then he asked many questions about how she felt, performed two thorough scans, and proceeded to have a lengthy conversation with Mah'sic. Once he was finished with his extreme caution routine, Raz'ha knelt beside her. He didn't make himself comfortable and appeared unsettled with his stiff posture and equally stiff mandibles. He looked as nervous as she felt about this conversation.

Mah'sic excused himself, and they were left alone.

"I'm sorry for fainting," she said to break the ice. "I'm sure it looked scary, and I'm sorry if it disturbed your classes."

Raz'ha rumbled a short purr. "Do not apologize for such events."

"I'm sure it was an inconvenience and I wasn't really having an emergency to warrant a fuss." She shrugged a shoulder. "I feel bad that when I have an issue you have to stop what you're doing to address it."

"That is what I'm tasked with. Why would you feel bad for this?" He tilted his head at her and chirped confusion.

She shook her head, realizing that she was off track with the conversation already. "I think it's a human thing. Just know that I'm trying to avoid rocking the boat."

He chirped. "Rocking the boat?"

"Uh, it means," she thought for a moment, "to cause problems for others. So when I don't want to rock the boat, I don't want to cause problems for you or others."

He clicked his understanding and practiced the phrase.

"Are your students okay?" she asked. Mah'sic didn't know the answer to any of her questions since he was with her when everything was happening. "Did they get their rations tonight?"

Raz'ha nodded. "I received word. All except the new unbloods ate rations." He clicked something incomprehensible. "Their session to eat had already passed this cycle, but they will eat next cycle-tomorrow," he said.

Relieved, she said, "That's good."

She rolled Hult'ah on his side and rubbed his belly. His tongue flopped out of his mouth and he made a strange sound of pleasure that sounded anything but pleasant. It was like a cross between a grunt and growl from a chain smoking hell hound. She'd mistakenly thought he was angry and growling at her the first time he did it a week ago.

"Yes, for them," he said. His mandibles made slow, pensive motions without forming any clicks and drew her attention away from Hult'ah. "There will be many more challenges."

"I know," she said quietly. "I know it's necessary."

He nodded his head once.

"I didn't know it was that bad for them." She didn't understand why Mah'sic never spoke up about it. She was still reeling from the news. "I feel bad for fainting when they have less."

"They did not speak of it and your species is different." Raz'ha shook his head. "They were concerned that they damaged you when they fell on you. I assured them it was unrelated."

She was pretty sure she was sporting a few bumps and bruises given how sore she felt, but it was minor. It wasn't worth the energy to bother complaining about it, and she was aware that the situation was almost much worse. They had helped her. She wasn't about to complain about her bumps when one of those young bloods bled for her.

She sighed. "What happens with them now? Can you teach all of them? Will they be forced to go back to their instructors when the shortage ends?"

It seemed like a terrible idea to return them to greedy thugs who stole their food. Who knew what kind of retribution the instructors would dish out to the students?

"My hunt brothers will join us for the last meal and we will make arrangements to divide the students between us." He chirped and his excitement was difficult to miss. "Are you agreeable to Mar'cte and Guan'thewi joining us as well this cycle? If you are tired, we will meet after the meal in Yeyinde's quarters."

"No, I'm good. Meet here," she said readily. "I know this is a yautja issue, but I'd like to hear what you guys decide to do. Maybe I can even help or something."

"We are straying from the common path," Raz'ha said as he clicked his agreement. "A different process is necessary and your perspective has been essential in helping the students already."

Amelia was surprised by his answer. "What do you mean?"

She was pretty sure fainting wasn't the best impression and was in no way helpful.

He clicked some reluctance, but said, "When I lost the challenge, I could have killed the some of the challengers. Then they would have ceased. I didn't kill them. I considered what you would see when looking at the young bloods. They were hungry, pale, weak, and possessed clumsy skills. It was desperation that motivated them because they had no way to keep their food. I did not think you would praise me for killing the helpless." He shrugged a shoulder, but it didn't make him appear any less stiff.

"I wouldn't have," she murmured. "It's terrible what is being done to them and you were right to help."

Raz'ha let out a breath and his shoulders sagged with relief.

"Were you worried I would tell you to let them all starve?" She made a choked laugh and wasn't sure if she should be offended or amused.

He clicked an abrupt no. "I worried that you would be fearful of the challenges," he said.

"I've been giving it some thought," she said, turning serious. "Challenges are coming whether I'm afraid or not. You were right when you said fear only harms me, and I can't say that I'm not afraid-because I'm terrified, but it can't dictate what you do."

Raz'ha chirped and clicked for her to continue.

She took a deep breath to fortify her nerves. "I want you to do what's necessary. I want you to help them because what's happening to them wrong and cruel."

He stared at her and was abnormally silent and still.

To stave off the oppressive feelings creeping in again, she rambled on, "They need you even more than I do. It's okay if that means challenges and other scary yautja things. I will promise to do my very best to not have any more panic attacks or meltdowns."

Because she didn't want to end with a reminder of her wimpy constitution, she quickly added, "I will do what I can to help too, if you can think of something that might be remotely useful."

Last time she checked, yautja didn't need an accounting student or an artist, but maybe he could use more back rubs or menial tasks.

He rumbled a purr as he leaned in and looked truly pleased by her words. "Thank you, Amelia."

She nodded, trying to downplay her nerves. "And thank you for keeping me safe and fed."

Raz'ha cupped her face in his hands as his purr deepened. "It is my honor. I will do better."

"You must be sore and tired after the challenge." She leaned into his touch and kissed his palm. "Come, lay down with me for a while."

He carefully moved the sleeping puppies to Hult'ah's side and joined her on the bed. He spooned along her backside, and tucked her against his chest with a soft rumbling purr. She pressed a kiss to his bicep and let herself sink into the warmth of his body. He was strong and would protect her. She drifted off to sleep with that thought.

#

Elder Durnst, the largest Saracen male in history, clicked his agitation with excessively large mandible tusks. Elder Mur was hard pressed not to join him in the agitated display.

"No one can know of this," Durnst said, his fully gray dreadlocks swinging with his abrupt turn. The tan and cream elder was pacing in Mur's office. His long legs made all of four strides from wall to wall.

"I know," Mur said feeling unsettled as he watched the pacing. His office only ever felt this cramped when priestesses decided to invade it.

"How much of the contract has been broken?"

"At least a dozen provisions that I discovered at a glance, but I don't recommend looking into them directly if you like your head attached to your shoulders." Mur chuffed. "High Priestess Mer'ik would see it as treason with as paranoid as she grows."

The tan elder ignored the very relevant point that their current meeting was treason if they were caught. Instead, Durnst asked, "What happens if the pet dies of starvation?"

"I am told it is malnutrition, not starvation." Mur chuffed from behind his desk. "The females believe we will pay restitution for lost property and that will be the end of it."

"I know what the fools believe." Durnst paced the length of Mur's office once more. "I want to know what the Tauren Elder will do. Truth."

"It is a pet, one he is fond of. I believed he would require more than simple compensation, but now I think it will be much worse." Mur clicked pensively. "The warrior, Raz'ha, gave me a warning."

Mur felt ridiculous repeating the warning. It was unfathomable that a powerful elder would listen to a pet, that he would hold it in such regard that clan relations could be broken. Mur understood that it was the elder who championed the treaty with a reluctant high priestess. The elder's opinion was the one that mattered above all else for Taurens, but the stupid, greedy, arrogant Saracen females refused to acknowledge this reality.

"Tell me," Durnst demanded.

"He says that the ooman's words carry more weight than that of all Saracens." Mur tapped his claws on his desk. There had to be a way to convince the females to release some of the food to the ooman. He just couldn't see it yet.

"And you believe him?"

Mur thought carefully of his own encounter with the pet. Raz'ha had told him more than once that the ooman was the elder's mate, not his pet. The other Tauren warrior, the offspring of the high priestess, had treated it with deferential respect, as if she was a high ranked yautja and not a mere pet.

When Mur didn't reply readily, Durnst spoke, "The elder is certainly thorough with his terms for the pet's care, but he was equally as thorough with the terms for the unblood. Perhaps he is simply this way with all his contracts."

"Except that more than one Tauren has spoken of the anomaly in which a certain Tauren elder raised a suckling. That suckling has become the unblood we host now." Mur closed his mandibles tightly for a moment as he let the truth sink in. "Raz'ha spoke truth. The elder is eccentric and will listen to the pet. He will find the females' actions to be a personal insult."

Durnst rumbled in distaste. "Confiscating the Tauren's supplies is a broken contract, no matter the elder's opinions. They will claim it as theft."

It was theft. They had robbed a defenseless pet and an unblood. It wasn't just humiliating that the females had dragged the clan so low. It was wrong.

"What were they thinking?" Mur said it out of exasperation. He knew what they were thinking. It was free food in a shortage to keep them from feeling the hardship.

"Why didn't the warrior come forward sooner?" Durnst clicked. "When there was more food the females could have been reasoned with. Now they won't hear of this."

"He did."

"And you did nothing?" Durnst barked at him.

"Not to me. I have only been made aware-unofficially-that the females decided to confiscate the supplies today." Mur clicked and looked at his reader records. "Raz'ha followed the chain of command and made four initial requests to the food distribution manager, Sh'an. When that received no response, he made forty-seven additional requests for rations to the quartermaster. All were ignored."

Ignoring those requests would not have been done on a whim by the female quartermaster. She would have requested the contract to review provisions for the pet. Since Mur knew what the contract contained, the quartermaster should have fulfilled the request immediately. The only one who could deny such a request was the high priestess.

Mur's thoughts swirled to the past and felt his anger rise. This time was supposed to be different. The bad blood was cleansed. High Priestess Mer'ik had sworn her leadership would be different. And yet here they were, trying to control the precarious situation created by her lies and theft.

Durnst quickly shook off the news. "We have time before the elder returns. How do we repair the damage?"

"We hope he does not return." Mur shrugged a shoulder. "The pet speaks. It will speak of hunger even if we could restore the food supplies this very cycle."

Durnst returned to pacing. "Tell me of the pet."

"It is puny. Female. Ooman." Mur chuffed. "Quite frail and in desperate need of fruits and vegetables before it expires."

"But it speaks. The elder holds it in high regard. It holds reason and intelligence." Durnst trilled. "Perhaps it is the wrong females we are trying to reason with."

Mur rumbled his agreement. If they could convince the pet to not speak ill of what happened, what Saracen females did would not matter.

"Convincing the pet to remain silent will not matter if it dies. We will need to trade with the females first." Mur chuffed. "The warrior, Raz'ha, he is an excellent hunter, but he will never be able to obtain all the foods the pet requires, not on his own."

Durnst chuffed as well upon looking at the list. "Who knew that oomans required such maintenance?"

Mur agreed. He would never take an ooman pet. They were more useful as sport and trophies to convince females to mate. "We will both need to trade if we are to obtain enough."

Durnst chuffed. "Then we will simply hand the food to the warrior and hope that the pet will hold its silence? This will be much more complicated than sacrificing supplies."

Elder Durnst was correct. The food was the easy problem to resolve. Hiding the crime would be the difficult portion.

"I have an idea, but you must be the one to enact it if we are to avoid further suspicion from Raz'ha." Mur tapped his claws on his desk again. "The Tauren elder may listen to the pet, but I know he will listen to Honored Warrior Raz'ha as well. He must not know what has happened."

"Why do I suspect I will not enjoy this plan?" Durnst's overlarge body dwarfed the guest chair as he settled in it for their planning.

Mur tilted his mandibles into a grin. He knew how to fix this now. They simply had to be precise in their actions.

Chapter 20

Notes:

Another batch of chapters!

The group had entered Raz'ha's quarters together with their rations and made themselves comfortable on the bed. They politely inquired about her health. Amelia didn't protest when they gave her more pash than usual with each giving up a portion of their ration. She gave a formal thanks and kept her head down from embarrassment. They ate companionably with small talk.

Once the food was finished, Raz'ha's friends put on their masks to allow Amelia to join in the conversation. Raz'ha left his off as he was fluent in both languages.

They quickly devised plans to handle all the new students Raz'ha had accepted. They divided them among each warrior and shuffled their schedules. Since lower ranked males had other duties on the ship that amounted to chores, the hunt brothers had to tweak their own schedules to ensure the chores were performed regularly.

Yeyinde had taken the initiative and informed the unbloods that he was willing to train in other classes them as well. He would take the place of some of the other instructors that were demanding only tiny amounts of pash for their classes.

Raz'ha had banned all his students from paying any instructor with food. Amelia realized that Yeyinde was taking some of the challenges that were sure to find Raz'ha. If Yeyinde replaced them before the students could inform the instructors of Raz'ha's command, they would challenge Yeyinde instead of Raz'ha. It was genius, and brave. It also meant they would be spending more time with those students and packed their own schedules full.

The next issue became where they would teach all these students. The kehrites in those timeslots essentially belonged to those instructors. Since Raz'ha's hunt brothers weren't typically instructors they didn't have their own kehrites. They couldn't all cram into Raz'ha's. They needed to challenge others for viable space. Once they had a list of locations and schedules, the conversation broke down over who was going to issue challenges for the selected locations.

"Raz'ha cannot challenge for these resources," Sain'ja said firmly.

"It is his idea, he should make the challenges or he will look weak," Guan'thewi said.

Yeyinde clicked a disagreement. "We all agreed to this course of action."

"It would send the wrong message to the leadership," Sain'ja said. "It is uncharacteristic of Raz'ha."

The hunt brothers began clicking their disagreement to each other. It was quickly degrading into annoyance.

"Have you ever challenged for anything, Raz'ha?" Amelia cut in, hoping to stall for time to let the agitation cool. "I don't mean when someone insulted you or challenged you. I mean have you ever wanted something that someone else had and so you challenged them for it?"

"Not Raz'ha," Sain'ja said and trilled. "Not since he was a young blood."

"I have recently," Raz'ha said.

His hunt brothers stared at him in a moment of silence.

"I don't believe it," Yeyinde said, and the others quickly chirped agreement with him. Clearly they were as surprised as Amelia to hear Raz'ha had beaten someone over a possession.

"Why have we never heard of this?" Mar'cte demanded. "I would have liked to see this challenge."

"It was not worth viewing when the young blood was defeated with little effort." Raz'ha shrugged one shoulder, but his mandibles were tilting into a yautja grin and his eyes slid to her.

"What did you challenge over?" Yeyinde asked.

Guan'thewi, with his ever grumpy demeanor, chuffed and said, "What could a young blood possibly possess that would entice an honored warrior?"

Amelia flushed as she realized the answer to that question.

"Mating rights," Raz'ha said, his eyes never leaving her though he spoke to his hunt brothers.

The honored warriors caught on and all turned to her with chirps of inquiry.

Guan'thewi grumbled. "They are unworthy of rutting even with an ooman."

Sain'ja shook his head. "Ooman, you should never mate a young blood. They are reckless and untried."

"Yes, a young blood would damage your frail body in his haste to rut," Mar'cte agreed.

"I wasn't going to," she cut in as Yeyinde began to offer his own opinion on the matter. "It was an accident and I did not, nor did I intend to, mate with any young blood or Raz'ha for that matter."

That garnered confusion and Raz'ha chuckled.

"But Raz'ha won the challenge," Mar'cte said.

"She didn't know she accepted a mating proposal. The reckless young bloods had fallen on her and in the commotion she accidentally accepted." Raz'ha chuffed his annoyance at that.

"And honorable yautja don't force women of any race," Amelia said and crossed her arms over her chest. "I didn't actually agree to anything."

The yautja grin returned and Raz'ha said, "Not during that cycle."

She blushed as they all chuckled at her.

"We're off topic. Let's get back to talking strategy." She didn't wait for their reply. "Since Raz'ha is known for not challenging, we should weigh the pros and cons of him making challenges for resources like kehrites."

"It is boldness that will reduce challenges later. They will know he is serious in his efforts to see the young bloods and unbloods trained," Mar'cte offered.

"There are whispers that Raz'ha is using the younger males exert power. This is only a few more whispers from being suspected of an uprising." Sain'ja's gaze slid to Yeyinde. "We know the dangers of that."

There were clicks in response, ones that they didn't seem inclined to form into words. Her mask interpreted them as clicks of support and hesitation. It was difficult to understand when they offered no words for context. Which part was the support and which was the hesitation?

"There is little point in this exercise if we're all executed for treason," Guan'thewi said finally.

Mar'cte, who seemed to be the only person Guan'thewi really got along with, also agreed. "We must consider that this path may be the path to treason as well. Tension is high and females grow more reclusive. It would not take much to cause a mishap we cannot control."

Amelia grew unsettled with the rest of them. They believed this could very well lead to executions. Why would that happen? What were the females like? She knew this was dangerous in the form of challenges and desperation in prolonged hunger, but this warning was different. This was political.

"How likely is this to spin out of control?" Amelia asked.

There was a tense silence in response.

"We cannot lead an uprising to seize power." Raz'ha chuffed, but it was more amused than real. "There are only positions as an elder or advisor above us. They are both filled with endless meetings and few hunts."

The group rumbled and chirped their amusement as if Raz'ha told a great joke. The tension eased immediately.

Raz'ha shrugged. "I would see all males properly trained without subjecting myself to that unfortunate rank."

The other warriors agreed with him and moved on. Amelia couldn't shake off the ominous warning so easily.

They discussed the possibilities and consequences of their approach in circles several times. Eventually they came to the conclusion that they would divide the challenges between the hunt brothers. Raz'ha would be the alternate should one of them lose. Since Raz'ha had already made an open invitation to instructors to challenge him over the students, his hunt brothers would be the ones to issue challenges for the resources.

Amelia interpreted this decision as an attempt to spread the number of challenges among them more evenly. They also agreed that those who were subjected to more fights would have a larger portion of the dinner rations to maintain their strength.

Once the plan was agreed upon, they moved onto trading to secure more food for her. Amelia did her best to hide her embarrassment as they all discussed what tradable goods they owned. They were willing to trade nearly everything they owned to help Raz'ha feed her. It was equal parts stunning and reassuring. They were more than close friends. They were a tight nit group willing to sacrifice without question for each other.

The conversation was rapid as they shared information on who was willing to trade what on the ship, and more importantly who had access to what.

Then the conversation turned to her.

"Sain'ja has made inquiries. If you are agreeable, trading your paintings will help." Raz'ha motioned to the stack leaning against the wall. "I would repay you for them once we have recovered from the shortage. Perhaps I could even reacquire some if you wish."

Amelia was flabbergasted. "You want to use my things to feed me and then want to repay me?"

Raz'ha nodded.

He was serious. She looked to the other warriors who watched her for a response. "Uh, sure, use my paintings. I'm not using them for anything and they end up in storage or as gifts so you don't need to repay me."

"I must," Raz'ha said simply as he motioned Sain'ja to the painting pile.

Amelia watched Sain'ja approach her paintings. Instead of rifling through them, he carefully examined the first one, bringing it to closer to the light source.

"Okay we will work out repayment later." She would think of something small and easy. "I will just be glad if they help at all. I can make others if you want, if someone has a request I can do it."

Raz'ha nodded.

Sain'ja moved on to the second painting and gave that one careful examination as well. He treated them as if they were delicate and expensive.

"It is worth advertising for requests," Yeyinde said. "Raz'ha says you make art for Taurens?"

She nodded. "I painted a mural in a kehrite and a couple elders have my work in their quarters."

"What did they trade for?" Yeyinde asked.

She shrugged. "Nothing." Then she added, "Nothing that I'm aware of."

Since Val'jek had been the one to give them away, in a society that didn't present gifts often, it now occurred to her that they may not have been free. They were cluttering her studio and she'd asked Val'jek to find something to do with them. The details hadn't mattered to her and there was no financial need between them.

Guan'thewi chuffed and the others rumbled. Yeyinde said, "Do not mention that."

"I do it because I enjoy it not because I want to make a profit." She held her hands in surrender when she was met with more chuffing. "You can tell people that three elders hung my work in their quarters."

Yeyinde rumbled agreement and asked Sain'ja, "Is it good? Will they trade?"

"Sei." Sain'ja chirped as he continued to examine her work. "Art is not valued as highly here but it trades well off ship and those willing to wait will earn a significant profit later."

She felt some pride that he considered it tradable. "If there is any subject you think would do well I can work on that."

Sain'ja said nothing in reply.

"A worthy battle," Mar'cte said. "Warriors like battles to match their trophies."

"Or Cetanu," Guan'thewi said grudgingly.

Sain'ja chirped. "More like this would be sought after."

Everyone turned to Sain'ja and chirped inquiry.

"Which one?" Raz'ha asked.

Sain'ja pulled out the painted canvas and turned to present it to the group.

It was the self-portrait she had created for Raz'ha! Amelia made a stunned croaking sound as she stared at the risqué nude of herself.

The yautja trilled and rumbled purrs.

Amelia jumped up and yanked the painting from Sain'ja's claws. She hid it against her body.

"Not this one." She felt her whole body burning with her blushing. "This one's private."

"It would trade well," Sain'ja said and trilled behind his mask.

"I've already traded it for something else," she stammered as she leaned it against another wall, hiding the picture. She draped a fur over it as if it would make the warriors un-see her naked body.

"Who owns it?" Sain'ja asked.

"Raz'ha, and it's not for resale under any circumstances." She faced Raz'ha, and though he couldn't see her warning expression beneath her mask, he nodded agreement.

"You should make more," Sain'ja said.

Yeyinde rumbled his agreement and gave her a purr from the bed. Raz'ha elbowed Yeyinde and the purring stopped with a grunt.

She shook her head, but then her common sense kicked in. They had limited access to supplies, and this conversation was solely to determine ways to find food she needed. They were doing this for her, and she was turning prude on them. She looked over her shoulder to Raz'ha again. He wouldn't push the issue, but if it might help, she should do it.

"If you find someone who wants a nude painting, I will do it, but it will not be of me." She gave Yeyinde a frown that he couldn't see behind her mask. "I will paint imaginary naked women or men if you want, yautja or human. I will do it upon request only and you will demand a higher payment for this."

"Those are agreeable terms," Sain'ja said. Then he asked, "What did Raz'ha barter for it?"

"A yaut hound," she said.

Yeyinde chuffed, looking to Hult'ah by her side. "You should have demanded a healthy one for it."

"I like the one I have," she said primly and settled beside Raz'ha once more.

"I will use the common value of a yaut hound as the starting price," Sain'ja said diplomatically.

She didn't know how much a hound was worth, since the leg injury made Hult'ah rock bottom pricing, but she nodded her agreement.

"Since I made mention of Am-Amall," Sain'ja mangled her name several times before giving up, "of the ooman, I received offers for trade."

Raz'ha chuffed.

Sain'ja looked to her. "Raz'ha says you are not willing, but should you change your mind." He shrugged a shoulder instead of explaining.

"Offers for what?" she asked.

"Some males would exchange rations and goods with Raz'ha to request rutting with you." Sain'ja spoke of this plainly as if it wasn't scandalous.

"Oomans refer to that as prostitution and it is insulting to them," Raz'ha said when she simply gaped at Sain'ja.

Sain'ja clicked acknowledgement but didn't seem bothered. "I merely relay the offers. There was another before I arrived here that I do not think you will appreciate." Then he did click caution.

What could be more scandalous than prostitution? She braced herself.

Raz'ha clicked, prompting Sain'ja to explain.

"An elder offered very generous terms if you would transfer Amelia's care to him," Sain'ja said.

She blinked. "Why would an elder want that?"

"Which elder?" Raz'ha demanded.

"Elder Durnst." Sain'ja looked between Raz'ha and Amelia. "Do you want to hear his offer?"

"No," Raz'ha said.

Mar'cte chirped. "Elders have more access to food. He could secure the necessary items more easily."

"The elder would give you something and he would shoulder your most pressing burden." Yeyinde clicked suspicion.

"Too good to be true," Amelia said softly.

Yeyinde nodded to her. "What does the elder gain from this exchange?"

Sain'ja said, "He did not say why he wanted the ooman, only that he would follow the terms of the contract and return her to Elder Val'jek of the Taurens once he returned."

"And if the elder does not return?" Mar'cte asked. "I understood that Raz'ha kept the ooman then."

Sain'ja shrugged. "It would be settled in negotiations."

Yeyinde rumbled and clicked disapproval. "Does Raz'ha have the right to transfer the contract without a challenge?"

Amelia didn't even know. She hadn't seen the contract and since she couldn't read the language, it wouldn't have mattered if she owned a copy. She was woefully unprepared, and Raz'ha was noticeably silent as he watched her. Was he considering it?

"The elder said it was possible." Sain'ja turned to Raz'ha. "It is your decision."

"It is Amelia's decision," Raz'ha said, his voice rough. "The elder's intentions are unknown, but his ability to secure your necessary food is superior to mine. He is a strong fighter and none would challenge him for you. By all accounts he is known as honorable."

Amelia took a breath and held it. Raz'ha was seriously giving her the choice, but was it because he wanted her to unload a burden or because he was concerned with fairness? His expression was tense but she couldn't determine an answer from it.

Carefully, Amelia said, "I am reluctant to stay with another yautja, especially when we can't discern his motives and I don't know him. I would prefer to remain with you, but if you aren't satisfied with our arrangement-"

"I prefer our arrangement," Raz'ha said sharply.

Amelia turned to Sain'ja. "Decline the offer politely, please."

Sain'ja nodded and the conversation moved on. "I should be able to make trades in the next cycle for some of your food."

Amelia bowed her head. "Thank you Sain'ja." She looked to the group. "Thank you to all of you. I know this is a very difficult time and I appreciate everything you are doing to help. I am in your debt."

The warriors, even Guan'thewi, nodded and clicked with respect at her words.

Raz'ha stood and retrieved the hound food container. Hult'ah lifted his head to watch as Raz'ha served everyone a small portion of the dry pellets. They had two containers now since Raz'ha requested excess puppy food each time he was allotted a ration. They'd decided to supplement their rations with it and use some for trading. Amelia was pretty sure it would help Raz'ha negate some of his trading debt.

None of the warriors appeared eager to eat it as they removed their masks to inspect the dry brown pellets. Yeyinde sniffed it and his mandibles appeared to tremble with dislike.

Raz'ha gave her a handful and she found herself also sniffing it. Before this moment the dog food seemed perfectly fine. Now it felt rock hard in her palm and smelled like cardboard and mystery meat had a love child. There was nothing identifiable as edible about it.

She couldn't understand how Hult'ah could look at the pile in her hand with interest. He fluttered his mandibles at her and his beady eyes followed her food. "Guard," she reminded.

The hound snapped his attention to the yautja in the room and gave her no more covetous looks.

Sain'ja was the first to place a pellet in his mouth. The crunch was loud in the otherwise silent quarters. Then Sain'ja clicked his dislike. The others rumbled and each began to try it for themselves.

Amelia licked one of her pellets. Definitely tasted a little like cardboard. All things considered, that wasn't so bad. It could have tasted foul as opposed to just unpleasant. She popped one in her mouth and struggled to chew it. It was rock solid and seemed to suck all the saliva from her mouth. Crunching and clicking was heard all around her.

"It is disgusting." Guan'thewi grumbled. He shoved the handful in his mouth. He shuddered as he rapidly crunched the pellets and swallowed.

Raz'ha chirped at her. "Is it agreeable?"

"It could be worse," she said. It took a while and her jaw grew sore, but she eventually ate the entire handful. Almost the entire handful anyway. She slipped Hult'ah a couple pellets when Raz'ha wasn't looking.

Once her pellets were gone, Raz'ha poured more water from the pitcher for her. She drank it greedily and put her mask back on.

"He eats from your hand," Sain'ja said beside her. He must have noticed her slipping pieces to Hult'ah. The warrior wasn't wearing his mask so she only nodded in reply.

"Did you teach him this?" he asked.

She wasn't sure she understood the question entirely, but she nodded. She'd hand fed Hult'ah frequently since Raz'ha gave him to her. Raz'ha got over his initial objections after a couple dozen feedings that didn't result in her losing fingers.

Sain'ja clicked and put on his mask. "How did you teach him this?"

Amelia was uncertain. Most yautja were surprised that the hound didn't try to kill her and didn't seem to understand how she made this one friendly. She suspected they left hound training up to breeders and had no clue that pets could be friendly. "I don't know. I got him when he was still tiny and just fed him myself. He has always been agreeable to it."

"Will he eat from my hand?" Sain'ja asked then, his gaze turning back to Hult'ah.

"I don't know." Amelia was pretty sure she could encourage the hound to warm up to the friendly warrior, but right now Hult'ah was practicing being a guard dog. If he wasn't friendly with the warriors tonight, he was going to be rewarded with two doggy treats when they went to bed. "Perhaps we can try tomorrow."

Sain'ja nodded.

#

Amelia awoke with a groan. Raz'ha was leaning over her, the pads of his fingers prying her eyelids open. She bat his hand away and blinked in the darkness.

"What are you doing?" She felt awful like she swallowed battery acid and it was eating its way out of her stomach.

"You were making sounds but you were sleeping." His hands searched her face and neck.

"Humans do that sometimes," she said. Yautja did too.

Raz'ha didn't appear appeased and he drew the fur away to continue his physical assessment. "It was different."

The air on her skin felt like a relief and she realized she was sweating and clammy. She felt bile burning the back her throat. "How long was I asleep?"

"Approximately an hour," he said.

Her next question was cut off when her stomach heaved. She turned her head to avoid Raz'ha and wretched on the bed. The foul taste was almost as bad as the painful spasms stemming from her stomach. She rolled onto her knees and heaved a handful more times.

Once her stomach settled for a moment, she realized Raz'ha was gone. In his place was Hult'ah who whined at her.

"Raz'ha?" she croaked.

#

Clad only in a half tied loin cloth, Raz'ha raced through the halls at a dead run. They were nearly empty and anyone he passed was too high ranked to simply order on an errand. They clicked at his haste and he ignored them. He passed the lift in favor of the stairs. Once he entered the stairwell he jumped over the railing to the next floor and then again. Two young bloods gaped at him as he dropped down before them.

"Move," Raz'ha growled as he pushed past them. He could send them to fetch Mah'sic, but he was so close it would take less time to retrieve the unblood himself.

"Honored Warrior Raz'ha," one started as Raz'ha ran down the hall.

The pair ran after him, chirping inquiries as he pushed into the unblood quarters where Mah'sic slept.

"Mah'sic," Raz'ha commanded into the pitch black room. They were all asleep at this hour and several chirps questioned him from the darkness.

"Raz'ha?" Mah'sic called.

"Amelia is ill, come now," Raz'ha said, trying to see the unblood but unable to make out anything with no light source.

There was a commotion and unbloods made inquiries that Raz'ha did not answer as he secured his loincloth.

"What has happened?" Mah'sic asked, sounding closer.

"She vomits and excretes water from her skin." Raz'ha clicked his concern. "It is violent." He had only seen frail creatures heave and shudder with such ferocity when they were in their death throws.

"She will need fresh water," Mah'sic said as he reached Raz'ha.

They exited the room with the pair of young bloods still making a nuisance of themselves. Raz'ha turned on them. "Fetch water and bring it to my quarters quickly."

They chirped their agreement and took off at a dead run in the opposite direction. Mah'sic followed Raz'ha as he ran back to his quarters.

#

Amelia gaped as Raz'ha sprinted through the bedroom door and came to a startling halt at her side. Mah'sic was right behind him with his palm console out and already prepped to scan her before even kneeling on the bed.

Amelia yanked the fur to cover her nudity even as Mah'sic pressed his sensor to her arm.

"I think it's just food poisoning." Her stomach gurgled in reply.

Raz'ha's mandibles spread wide. "You have been poisoned?"

"No," she said quickly. "I think I ate something bad, like with germs in it. I don't think anyone poisoned me. I think I'm okay." Her stomach didn't agree with the last statement but Amelia was confident that it felt like an unpleasant case of food poisoning. Raz'ha was overreacting.

Mah'sic was clicking to Raz'ha. "It isn't germs."

"Was it poison?" Raz'ha demanded, his hand sliding to the back of her neck as if he could help her if that had been the case.

"No, it was the hound food, unless she ate something else new," Mah'sic said. "I do not know this word in ooman." He said something in his language to Raz'ha.

Raz'ha growled. "You told me the hound food was safe for her."

"It is safe for oomans." Mah'sic shrugged a shoulder. "Ooman bodies are not uniform. Amelia's rejects the hound food and will not tolerate it."

"I'm allergic?" she said, clutching her stomach that wasn't finished emptying itself.

"No. Your body wishes to purge it, but it is not directly damaging you." He looked to Raz'ha. "She will be unharmed if she remains reasonably hydrated."

As if her stomach took the cue, it heaved and she vomited. Raz'ha didn't seem to know what to do and his hands gripped her shoulders.

"Help her," Raz'ha demanded.

Mah'sic trilled. "There is nothing to do but let it purge, and maintain hydration when possible."

"We brought the water," a voice said from the doorway.

Amelia wiped her mouth with the back of her hand as she made sure the fur was still covering the important parts. It felt awful hot under it, but she wasn't ill enough to go naked. A pair of what looked to be Raz'ha's students approached her.

Hult'ah was up within a heartbeat and growling with genuine menace at the newcomers.

"H'ko," Raz'ha commanded, but Hult'ah didn't heed him.

The hound splayed his mandibles at the pair. The students looked to each other and then down at the hound. Hult'ah must have looked ridiculous to them with his runty size, gimped leg, and tusks only as long as Amelia's fingers.

"Hult'ah, come," she called softly, her throat feeling raw.

Hult'ah's beady eyes sized up the strangers a moment longer before he sidled over to her. Amelia tugged his back tusk to draw him closer. "Be nice," she chided.

They presented the water jug to Raz'ha, who then handed it to her.

"Thank you," she said and took a sip. It eased her throat and washed out the foul taste. "Thank you very much."

Mah'sic translated for her. The students bowed their heads and trilled at her.

"Raz'ha," she said cautiously.

He chirped at her in reply.

"This purging thing kind of has to happen out of both ends," she said.

He clicked his confusion.

"I have to use the bathroom. It's going to be unpleasant as the puking." Her whole body flushed with the realization that it would be a humiliating experience.

Raz'ha's head reared back and his mandibles made stress clicks. He looked as concerned as she felt embarrassed.

"We will secure fresh linens while you assist Amelia," Mah'sic said.

Raz'ha nodded to the young bloods. "Do as Mah'sic instructs, and do not touch the ooman's things." He flicked a glance at the sleeping puppies in their crate. "That includes her pets."

The dark look Raz'ha gave the young bloods had them chirping agreements and bowing like he was royalty.

"I will ensure the pets are safe." Mah'sic put away his reader.

"Give them some hound food as a reward for helping us," Amelia said. It's not like she'd be eating it. "It's late and they must be tired." And cleaning up her vomit was a terrible task to be stuck with.

Mah'sic nodded. "They will be pleased."

Amelia struggled to her feet and found her whole body to be shaky. Raz'ha was steadying her and she clung to his arm to hold herself upright. "If it's not too much trouble, I think it might be easier if you could carry me."

Raz'ha held her with one hand and his other seemed uncertain of how to pick her up. They fumbled together before he huffed and cradled her to his chest, blanket and all. Amelia shamelessly hid her face as he carried her to the bathroom.

Then they spent the most embarrassing three hours of her life alternating between the toilet and bathing pool. There were few other yautja in the public bathroom at that time, but they all made inquiries to Raz'ha about what the ooman was doing. They were particularly offended by her smell, and she couldn't blame them.

Raz'ha briskly replied to the inquiries that she was ill, and that seemed to make them move along. Perhaps it was rude in their culture to gawk at the ill.

Rumbling a constant soft purr, Raz'ha remained gentle and attentive with her. She showed him how to hold her hair when she puked, and he carried her to the bathing pool and helped her wash after bouts of diarrhea. If he was offended by any of her purging, he didn't show it.

She was half asleep and feeling raw all over, inside and out, when they finally returned to his quarters. Amelia was surprised to see the young bloods and Mah'sic asleep on the foot of their bed. They were all crammed together and still dressed. As Raz'ha approached with her, the young bloods stirred and sat up. They exchanged greetings.

"You didn't have to wait for us," Amelia said to Mah'sic.

Mah'sic chirped. "We didn't want to leave your pets unprotected during the sleep cycle. Most theft occurs at this time."

"Oh," she said as Raz'ha laid her on the bed. The linens were fresh and there was no sign of the ones she puked on. "Then thank you very much for thinking of the puppies."

Mah'sic nodded. "Are you well?"

"Tired, but I'm okay," she said.

"Thewi brought more water for you." Mah'sic motioned to the jug beside the bed.

Amelia thought she recognized the young blood from the challenge earlier. She squinted to look at what appeared to be claw marks on his shoulder. It was the same one. "Thank you, Thewi, and to your friend for helping," she nodded to the second young blood.

"Ra'jek," Mah'sic supplied.

"Ra'jek," Amelia amended.

The young bloods nodded to her. "Thank you for the food," Thewi said.

Raz'ha gave a more formal reply and his own thanks. Then he dismissed the trio with orders to rest.

Alone, Raz'ha checked on her puppies. Odin and Freya were curled up together in the crate and Hult'ah was sprawled out on the floor beside it, fast asleep. Satisfied, Raz'ha joined her in bed and she settled into his warmth.

"So, dog food is out," she mused. It was one hell of a day between the young blood upheaval, challenge, panic attack, strategy meeting, and to top it off "purging" the dog food. She'd eaten dog food in the first place. As an orphan, she had known hardship, but never like this. She and Mason always came up with a solution before they grew desperate. They had struggled, but they hadn't suffered the way Raz'ha's clan suffered.

In that moment she acknowledged that she could very well starve to death. It would be slow and difficult while Raz'ha struggled to stave it off. Every bite of food and every ounce of energy conserved would count. She had to survive long enough for Val'jek to come get her. That was the goal. Hold onto every moment within her grasp and hope she outlived the shortage.

"Yes," Raz'ha said, "but we will find you more food soon." His claws combed through her damp hair. "Rest now."

"Night, Raz'ha," she murmured as her eyelids drooped closed.

#

It was time for sleeping, but it would not come.

Val'jek's body ached. The radiation treatment made his belly feel like molten lava was burning through him. He hadn't slept in several cycles. Even his mandibles were tired. Whenever he closed his eyes he pictured ooman water streaking Amelia's cheeks as she begged him to stay with her. He'd sworn he'd return and he very nearly broke that promise more than once.

The queen was secured and frozen to ensure she stayed that way this time. The remaining oomans were also stored safely after three were killed by equipment damage the queen caused. The solar flare had done considerable damage as well, but repairs were being performed. The com system was gone, but that was an insignificant loss compared to the navigation damage or the hull breach that nearly killed them all. The power core system remained intermittently unstable, but Val'jek had at least a few hours before the alarm would wake him for manual adjustment.

Navigating and piloting manually was an easier hardship to endure than having no communication with his mate. Val'jek stroked the ooman trinket she'd gifted him, tracing the fangs with his claw. She was miserable on the Saracen ship and Val'jek regretted that most.

"If you're not going to sleep, you could at least keep me awake by talking," Lukis said from across the room.

"What makes you think I'm awake?" Val'jek chirped.

Val'jek could see neither as he rested beneath a console beside the power core. The pair made repairs to navigation and life support systems a dozen paces away. Bosch had the misfortune of patching the hull breech on the other side of the ship. They all took turns resting and now it was Val'jek's, but it would not come.

"We can hear you thinking of your mate from here," Ramsee said also from the across the room.

"She is miserable," Val'jek said.

Lukis chuffed. "She would be dead if she was here."

It was true. The radiation they were exposed to was painful for a yautja, but they would recover. It would have killed Amelia within a cycle.

"That doesn't make her misery any less painful to her mate," Ramsee supplied.

Also true.

Lukis clicked annoyance at the console he worked on. "The messages are short and censored. Perhaps your ooman is not miserable. Perhaps they delete all the happy tidings to annoy you in retaliation for all your angry messages."

That was a sore point with Val'jek. Her messages were short notes with nothing of substance in them despite the significant fee he had paid from his personal supplies to ensure she could communicate with him directly and at will. Val'jek had sent several angry messages to the Saracen leadership, but they were met with generic letters saying they had to tighten security protocols. They claimed they would notify him if the status changed.

Val'jek's hunt brothers would review Amelia's messages and guess what was really happening on the ship. It had become a game to stave off boredom when they traveled for endless cycles. The latest theory that held support was that the Saracens misinterpreted Amelia's messages of affection as coded spy messages for the hish. It had amused Val'jek in the beginning but as the weeks passed, he grew restless.

Before the com system was destroyed, Val'jek had been on a com call with Cov'o. He was in the middle of asking his offspring to visit the Saracen ship and check on Amelia when the signal died. Val'jek was unsure if Cov'o had received the request or if that portion had died in the buffer before being transmitted.

"She is miserable," Val'jek said, fingering Amelia's trinket again.

"You cannot be certain," Lukis said.

"Oomans speak differently when they are happy," Ramsee said. "Her messages are not happy."

There was a moment of silence as the pair worked.

"Why would you choose an ooman for a permanent mate?" Lukis asked. "They do not live long and you feel the loss for the remainder of yours."

Val'jek clicked he heard, but didn't know what to say. Lukis only recently began to study oomans as a species, and not as trophies, for this mission. Simply saying that he loved Amelia would not make sense to the warrior. Permanent mate bonds between yautja were infrequent.

"Half a century of joy is worth the pain," Ramsee said. "If you are fortunate, you have pups and, if you're not a terrible parent, then they have pups, and you will have a lifetime of happiness."

Val'jek rumbled his agreement. He would enjoy the experience of pups with Amelia. Now that he knew how to accomplish interbreeding successfully, he simply had to wait for her to be ready. Except she would not even speak of the subject with him anymore. Since Raz'ha was an honored warrior, he wanted to sire as many sucklings as possible while in his prime. As a result, Val'jek was confident that the warrior would work diligently toward soothing that old wound for his mate. Val'jek simply had to continue to be patient.

"You said the pups were the ooman's and not your blood," Lukis said.

"It only makes them prettier," Ramsee said dismissively.

"Oomans raise pups with the bearer and sire together as a family unit. To bond with an ooman is to bond with their offspring whether it is a shared bloodline or not," Val'jek said.

There was a moment of silence. "You've raised the sucklings?"

The question was to Ramsee, not Val'jek. Everyone knew he raised Cov'o and Mah'sic. Few knew that when Ramsee had vanished over a century earlier, he had settled with an ooman female and raised her pups. Their hunt brothers only knew because they had taken a short detour during the mission to search for Ramsee's granddaughter. It was how Val'jek had convinced Ramsee to join the mission.

"I have raised three pups with my mate." Ramsee rumbled with pride. "Two produced large broods that continue to flourish. The third was not as compatible with oomans. He would have been more comfortable as a yautja warrior and only produced one pup, Ellika. She is as bold as her father, but she settled with an important ooman in her village and he tempered her spirit." The warrior spoke with warmth whenever he told them of this granddaughter. She was the one that Ramsee had given a strong yautja name and now searched three solar systems to find.

They were unsure of her fate after her village had been destroyed. Her ooman mate was dead. She was missing with her children. Signs of flesh traders were all over the settlement's remains. They'd made inquiries at a planet known for peddling slaves in hopes of finding her or the traders who'd stolen her. She was not there, but they did find a significant lead. Unfortunately it was too far removed from their flight plan. They would have to follow the lead once the mission was completed.

Val'jek wouldn't take Amelia along for the search and he grew restless at the additional separation that would come. He had forgotten how lonely the universe was since he grew accustomed to her companionship. It was difficult to imagine long full cycles dragging on once Amelia's short lifespan ended. He would need more memories to face that day.

A loud buzzing blared above Val'jek's head cutting off all musings and conversation. Val'jek climbed to his feet and began working on the power core. He punched in the access code to open the protective casing. As it slid open, he clicked his mandibles in dismay. More warning alarms blared.

"What is it?" Lukis shouted over the alarms.

"The cell is out of alignment." Of all the absurd problems to have. It was both stupid and lethal. Val'jek shoved the power cell back in place as the flesh of his palm sizzled and flared with white hot pain. He jerked his hand away. The alarms shut off in an instant.

The cell held for a moment and then it slid several degrees to the right. He flinched as the alarms blared warnings at him once more.

Ramsee shouldered Val'jek aside to shove his head against the casing and look under the power cell.

"The base plate is cracked. We need to stabilize it now." Ramsee clicked frustrated curses.

Val'jek stifled his own curses. The base plate was exactly what it sounded like. A plate the power cell sat on that held it in place so it could power the ship. The ship also regulated the power in the cell and the cell doubled as an efficient self-destruct bomb. If they didn't stabilize or deactivate the power cell, it would trigger the self-destruct.

If they deactivated it, they had no way to reactivate it and would be reduced to emergency power. It would run life support and coms for many cycles, but nothing else. Since they had no com, they would simply die when the life support ran out. No one would know to search for them until it was too late.

If they didn't fix the base plate, they would die one way or another.

Lukis joined in the inspection and they flit back and forth in an effort to fix or replace the plate. Val'jek used the ring Amelia made for him to hold the cell in place several times. The metal quickly heated and began to burn his finger. Then he swapped to a claw. Then another claw when the first grew too hot. For now it bought them precious moments to resolve the crisis.

"The other plates are more damaged," Lukis said.

They had deactivated all the other cells and this was the last.

"We just need to hold it in place. Find something to secure it for a few minutes," Val'jek barked. He was burning the shit out of his hands while the pair bickered over which plate was less damaged.

"We can double up the plates. Pressure will keep it in place," Lukis said.

"We'd have to trim the sides." Ramsee shoved his head inside the casing again. "We can shove something under the cell, but it will need to be hollow and round to fit. Find some nuts, Lukis."

Val'jek hissed as he swapped to another claw to hold the cell in place. "My ooman trinket."

Ramsee didn't wait for an invitation, he spied the ring and yanked it off of Val'jek's hand. Lukis handed Val'jek a large clamp. "Use this."

Relieved to spare his hands, Val'jek clamped the cell and moved it out of the way for Ramsee. The ring wasn't a perfect fit. Ramsee pounded it into the plating with his palm. There was a spine-tingling scraping heard over the blaring alarms.

"It's in," Ramsee said.

Val'jek set the power cell on the plating and released the clamp that was already turning bright red from the heat. The alarms shut off. The trio stared, counting the seconds.

The power cell remained in place.

"How long until the trinket melts?" Lukis asked.

"Minutes." Ramsee clicked pensively. "At most."

After a quick glance at the damaged plates sprawled on the floor and Val'jek ordered, "Fetch the welder."

Lukis sprinted from the room as Ramsee began sifting through the plates for the best option. "We were fortunate to have your ooman trinket."

Val'jek trilled. "I am sorry that it will be destroyed."

Lukis returned with the welder.

Ramsee trilled in response. "If we survive the trip home, she can make you another."

"If we return." Val'jek clicked.

"We must return," Lukis said. "Your mate is miserable."

The trio rumbled their amusement as they began to repair a base plate.

Chapter 21

Two Days Later

Raz'ha had little time to spend with Amelia since her illness, but he was aware of her as he performed his duties. She was quiet in the back, appearing to have withdrawn inside herself instead of working on her paintings. He'd asked if the purging continued to bother her, and she said she was tired but well. He still scented her fear musk, but it wasn't heavy unless he was being challenged. He'd worried that she would faint again, but she was merely shaky and quiet for a few hours after each. Soon the challenges would settle, and he hoped this was a sign that she understood that.

The students were aware of her as well. Many offered condolences on her illness and wished him happy tidings in caring for her. Word had spread that she shared her food with two young bloods when she was ill. They weren't sure what conclusions to draw from it and she had acted strange since.

As the cycle progressed, she drew strange symbols on her sketch canvas. It wasn't art. It looked like hieroglyphs, and she'd draw circles and lines between some of them. She wore her stubborn expression while she did these things. Then she'd tap her fingers as she stared at nothing.

She'd barely moved as he trained students, but he could sense a flurry of activity that made no sense to him. Was this an improvement over her fear? He thought so, but oomans were known for surprises.

Between classes, Sain'ja arrived with news and a scrap of food for Amelia. She set aside her strange drawing to greet them formally.

Sain'ja asked, for the fifth time in two days, "Are you well since your purging?"

"Yes, I'm fine today, thank you." She smoothed her ooman garments in a show of embarrassment. "How are you doing?"

Sain'ja motioned to the food before her. "I've successfully made three trades to secure your food, and have a lead on a possible request for your art."

She made a dismissive motion with her hand. "But how are you doing? Are you well? Having a good day?"

She didn't understand that what he said was a good tiding. Raz'ha rumbled amusement.

"A good day," Sain'ja confirmed with a nod.

"Good," Amelia said.

Raz'ha motioned for her to eat. To his shame, she shoved the scrap of food into her mouth like an unblood trying to eat before a challenge could be issued. She was hungry.

"There is problematic news." Sain'ja gave him a sidelong look. "Elder Durnst has made another request for a meeting."

"I have not changed my mind," Raz'ha said flatly. The Elder had sent for him the cycle before. Raz'ha had politely declined.

Amelia's head snapped up. "You think it's a good idea to decline multiple requests?"

She had not thought it prudent to ignore the meeting the first time. Her worry over the elder's thoughts was excessive.

"Yes." He clicked. "I will not barter my responsibility for you and will not take a meeting regarding the topic."

She didn't seem to understand that the more Raz'ha interacted with an elder the more opportunity the elder had to find some fault with him. Once that happened, the elder could use it as leverage.

Sain'ja chirped, cutting off Amelia's reply. "Elder Durnst requests a meeting with Amelia not you."

Raz'ha clicked. "No."

Sain'ja nodded.

"I accept or decline my meetings." Amelia's voice was edged with anger. "I want to attend."

"You will not like what he says." Raz'ha chuffed and clicked his annoyance. "I cannot escort you while performing my duties."

She didn't acknowledge his excuses, and turned her head to his hunt brother. "Sain'ja, can you escort me to this meeting?"

Sain'ja looked to him.

Raz'ha clicked a warning.

"I have duties I must attend to," Sain'ja said.

Raz'ha felt relief that the meeting was thwarted, but then Sain'ja added, "Yeyinde is available for this errand."

"Would you please ask Yeyinde to escort me to Elder Durnst at his earliest availability?" Amelia asked Sain'ja.

Sain'ja nodded.

Raz'ha rumbled a warning at Amelia. "He wishes to purchase you as a pet." Something she often grew irritable over when her status was referenced.

"I will help him understand that you won't sell me," she said stubbornly.

"He wants something we don't understand." Raz'ha didn't understand what the elder wanted any more than he understood why Amelia abruptly decided she wanted to attend a meeting with the infamously large yautja. She was behaving strangely and he wanted to hide her in his quarters until he determined if it was good or bad.

"How will we understand if we never speak to him?" she demanded.

His students were waiting for him and watching the exchange. Even Sain'ja appeared to have a great interest in who would win the dispute.

But there could be no dispute. Amelia was a pet in name only, and a legal right to take away her choices was not a true right to do so.

Raz'ha turned to Sain'ja. "Tell Yeyinde that if she makes ooman water I will break his mandibles."

Sain'ja chirped behind his mask and his shoulders were shaking. The pauk'de was laughing at him.

Raz'ha clicked annoyance at his hunt brother.

#

She tried not to gape at the massive elder towering over her. He was a giant among giants! No wonder Raz'ha was so nervous about her going alone.

A bulky arm motioned her forward into the room. Her eyes followed the motion still awestruck but the sheer size of him. She was supposed to say things, but all she did was stare.

The elder chuffed and she shook herself from her stupor. She moved into the office as directed and resolved herself not to think about how easy it would be for him to yank her in half with his bare hands.

They exchanged formal greetings, and she explained her need for the mask. The elder appeared to have a translator implant as he understood what she said in english.

Amelia settled into the office chair though her feet dangled above the floor. The brighter lighting reminded her of home in Val'jek's quarters. The layout and sparse furniture had looked almost similar to this before he cleared it out for her studio. She longed for that place again. She longed for Val'jek.

The room was designed to be intimidating with harsh angles and the desk dwarfing the guest chair. To Amelia it felt comfortable, like home, a place where she could speak her mind without fear of consequence. She was equal at home. She reminded herself of this often.

Yeyinde was waiting outside the door since he was her escort and not invited to the meeting. He was more nervous than she was and had grilled her about formalities during the walk to the elder's office.

The elder settled himself in what looked like a custom made chair on the other side of the desk. Maybe the desk wasn't designed to be intimidating so much as he just needed one that massive. His long legs barely fit and the elder shuffled his weight to stretch beneath it. His sandaled feet peeked out at her on her side.

She took a moment to survey the elder. Yes, his size was terrifying, but he didn't seem aggressive. He held himself in a pose that was more relaxed and comfortable with his status. She might consider him regal even. He was an elder and not a warrior trying to prove his worth at every turn.

"Raz'ha won't give me to you," she said firmly. It was better to be blunt and cut directly to the topic if she wanted to impress upon the elder that the decision was final.

He clicked cheerfully. "I have many ways of being persuasive."

"He knows my mate would kill him," she countered and really hoped one of those ways of being persuasive wasn't plucking her limbs from her body.

Elder Durnst seemed to contemplate that and showed no signs of aggression. "You would not be harmed. It would be more beneficial to you and an elder would support my reasoning."

"No, he would not because when Val'jek comes for me I will to make water from my eyes and tell him how terrified-and how ill-I was in your care. I will give him long and confusing explanations about how the transition is damaging to humans and how the damage can never be repaired." She waved her hand dismissively. "Eventually he'll realize I exaggerated, but that won't be for many cycles after his rage has settled. By then you'll be dead."

She could just ask Val'jek to challenge the elder, but doubted Elder Durnst would understand that. If she tried to spin lies, Val'jek would probably beat Raz'ha senseless first so she had no intention of actually following through with the threat. The elder didn't need to know either facts.

"I was told you were frail and cowardly. It was even suggested to me that you possessed lower intelligence," he said and clicked his mandible tusks together with a slow clicking. "I see others were mistaken in their assessments."

She gave him a sidelong look. "Why do you really want me transferred to your care?"

"As you have noticed, we are resource poor and I would like to ensure the treaty survives." He clicked frustration. "There are reports that you've collapsed and have been ill. I hear rumors of desperate attempts at trades to procure your basic necessities. Honored Warrior Raz'ha is a skilled warrior but that skill is not suited for caring for an ooman."

She nodded as if she wasn't offended by the elder's assessment. She was pretty sure he'd prepared that speech in advance. He was rather well prepared for this meeting in general. At no point did he treat her as inconsequential, which was unnerving. He was playing with her and trying to lull her into lowering her guard.

She tilted her head because he couldn't see her raise her brow. "And you're not hoping that by taking over the contract you could snack on my puppies?"

He seemed amused, his mandibles splaying into a grin. "You have more than one hound?"

"One from your home world and two from mine," she said slowly as she realized he wasn't after meat, at least not from the puppies. Was this really just about the treaty? It didn't quite add up.

"I hear it is lame," he said casually.

She frowned. "No one understands why I want an injured companion, and that's okay as long as they understand I do want him."

He clicked an acknowledgement.

In the silence she said, "You know when I first arrived on the Tauren clan ship, the yautja were surprised to see Val'jek select me as his permanent mate. Some thought it was a joke. Others were offended." She shrugged and pretended it was as equally as terrifying as the Saracen ship.

"He fought a few challenges and that settled most of the issues. Except there was this one warrior, an honored one, I believe. He couldn't let the issue pass. He let everyone know of his dislike." She played with her wrist cuff to distract herself from the memories.

"He challenged Elder Val'jek," Elder Durnst supplied following along with her little story.

She shook her head. "No."

That drew his interest and he trilled in question.

"The warrior splashed a bucket of human blood at my feet." She kept her face impassive, but she could still feel the cold splatter on her ankles. It soaked her shoes. Once she snapped out of her shock and realized what had happened she'd scrambled out of them.

Elder Durnst seemed genuinely surprised and managed to make no noise.

"I didn't understand the culture at the time. I was horrified-terrified. Val'jek didn't handle my reaction well and I'd never seen him so furious." She collected herself, trying to avoid picturing his splayed mandibles as he deafened her with a roar. It was a difficult image to block out.

"Val'jek issued the challenge and proceeded to break both of the warrior's arms which should have ended the challenge right then. But he wasn't satisfied with such a small retribution so Val'jek didn't let him fall down. He beat him to a pulp first. When he got tired of pummeling the warrior, Val'jek ripped off a mandible and broke the rest before he finally allowed the warrior to slump on the floor." She tilted her head back in the way that always made Raz'ha nervous. "All because I panicked over a pair of ruined shoes."

The elder clicked and it sounded like caution. Her mask confirmed the assessment.

"I'm very fond of my pets and Raz'ha. I'd be more upset over losing them than a bit of blood and ruined shoes."

He tilted his head to the side watching her for a long moment. "In my quarters your hounds would have a guard to ensure their safety. You would have a guard."

"I'm staying with Raz'ha."

"I will assign Raz'ha as your guard," he said.

She made a chuffing sound of her own. "Raz'ha already guards me."

He clicked the unmistakable rapid sequence that signaled his annoyance. "Why do you refuse to cooperate? This is best for you, ooman."

She paused, uncertain of the best approach. Should she give a half answer or change the subject? Ask a question of her own? She didn't know what would happen as a result. She opted for the truth. "I don't trust you."

He straightened at the offense making his already large frame appear larger and menacing.

She looked at the wall just to the left of his head to avoid being intimidated by the display.

"My mate is an elder as well." If she kept reminding herself of that maybe this meeting wouldn't be as nerve wracking. "We share quarters, meals, a bed, and he speaks of his work. I may not participate in politics, but I have a fair idea of what a scheme looks like." She lowered her chin to mute the offensiveness of her statement. "If you wanted to ensure I was fed a balanced diet, you would make arrangements with Raz'ha to secure the food."

He clicked and opened his mouth to start speaking, but Amelia cut him off. She had to keep him off balance.

"Also, I can't figure out why an elder I've never met, in a clan that barely knows I exist, would suddenly want to be responsible for my welfare. It doesn't add up. I'm pretty sure you didn't even know my name until you decided it was a good idea to offer a trade for me. That, by the way, is a grave insult in my culture, if you were wondering." She made a show of settling back in the chair and making herself comfortable.

Elder Durnst leaned back in his chair, mirroring the gesture and saying nothing as he eyed her.

She had really hoped that would garner some response.

"Is your sudden interest because Raz'ha is teaching so many students?" she pressed.

The fear that they were going to execute Raz'ha after they secured the contract for her had swirled in her head for two days. The timing couldn't be coincidental, could it? In theory it would be simpler to execute Raz'ha and then transfer the contract, wouldn't it? Perhaps there was a death clause that didn't suit their needs. She couldn't be sure.

"It is to ensure the treaty survives the food shortage," he said stubbornly.

She mulled over his persistence. Maybe he was speaking the truth. Maybe they were worried that Val'jek would drop support after such a terrible shortage.

Only one way to find out. She said, "Maybe I can help with that."

He tilted his head with a trill. "What do you propose?"

"Val'jek is the one that sponsors the treaty," she said.

He nodded. "Without his support the treaty may fall apart. All know this."

"We've established that my mate gets offended on my behalf, but it works the other way too. I can talk him down from his anger. I can help smooth over grievances." She arched a brow before remembering he couldn't see it and tilted her head instead. "If I choose."

His watchful gaze grew suspicious. "And what would make you choose to do this on behalf of Saracens?"

"I would do this on your behalf. You would be the party responsible for ensuring the treaty comes to fruition. For a price of course. But surely between the treaty and the credit you'll receive, it will be worth a few small favors," she said.

He trilled. "Name these favors."

"First you're going to help the unbloods and young bloods," she said.

He clicked confusion.

She crossed her arms. "They were being starved by instructors demanding payment. I hear that warriors have been stealing rations from younger males by way of challenges in the meal hall. I've seen the young males. They're thin and sickly. They're too young to survive in those conditions."

And the leadership was doing nothing to help them. It hung in the air between them but was left unsaid.

He clicked that he was listening.

"I understand that you can't give them more food, but I want you to pass a ban on instructors requiring payment."

"I cannot."

"Find a way."

"There is a law specifically allowing this and it passed recently. Attempts to revoke it will fail." He chuffed. "Your request is impossible to fulfill."

Raz'ha already handled a majority of that problem so it shouldn't have come as such a disappointment. She had hoped this would remove some of the challenges he'd face while helping the younger males, but the elder looked seriously annoyed. She wasn't any happier with the response. Her first real negotiation was off to a weak start.

"Then ban the warriors from challenging the younger ones for rations." That would probably happen when hell froze over because just about everything in yautja culture involved fighting. A ban on challenges was probably similar to a ban on voting for humans.

He started to click denial but then paused. "Perhaps I can meet this term."

She quelled her excitement and stole a line she'd heard Val'jek use once. Calmly she said, "If you can't, I expect any report of failure to be accompanied by an alternative solution that meets my requirements."

He gave her a warning look, but also nodded his agreement.

"Next I want you to spread the word that Raz'ha is not using students to gain power or status. He just wants to help the younger males learn to survive so they can strengthen the clan and future generations. He does not care for politics or higher rank." She'd practiced that during the trip through the halls with Yeyinde.

He tilted his head. "I agree to this term."

She didn't let relief distract her. This was too important. "I want it to be your full effort. Whenever you hear that someone thinks Raz'ha is starting some sort of revolution, or whatever else might get him executed, you deny it. You speak on his behalf. Be convincing. No half measures."

He leaned forward, his massive elbows dwarfing the desk's surface. "I have a meeting scheduled this cycle to discuss that very topic. I will begin there."

That set her heart pounding against her ribs. They were already having meetings about Raz'ha. "What kind of meeting is it?"

"It is council business," he said, dismissing the topic.

She stared for a long moment, wading through possible implications.

"Do you have other terms?" he prompted.

"Food," she said absently as she continued to mentally speculate on the thousand different meanings the council meeting could have.

He chirped.

"You will read Raz'ha's list of food I need. What you have access to you will trade to us regularly. Since I'm also paying you in goodwill with Val'jek, you will accept reduced payments for the food."

He trilled and rumbled amusement. "I agree to this term. I am told you create ooman art on demand, and you will trade this for my rations."

She nodded. "I will make paintings for you. They are worth more off ship, and Tauren Elders found them interesting enough to hang in their quarters."

He rumbled more amusement. "If that is all-"

"One more thing with the food," she said.

He waited.

"You will help facilitate trades for Raz'ha to ensure he acquires items on the list that you cannot access."

He clicked. "Trade with the female."

She shrugged as if she didn't know that's exactly what she was asking. "If that is what is necessary."

He paused for a long moment. She worried he might deny this one, but then he nodded. "I agree."

"Good." She nodded too.

And then awkward silence stretched between them. He continued to stare at her, watching and assessing every breath and move she made.

"That is all I need." Amelia cleared her throat after her blunder. "I mean, I'm glad this was a productive meeting, but I have other matters to attend to now. I will have someone contact you to facilitate trades."

Dropping from the large chair to the floor, she stood. He lingered in his seat a moment longer. These pauses and stretches of silence were making her nervous. This elder wasn't an idiot and she feared he was seeing through the façade she presented.

As the elder found his feet, Amelia took a deep, steadying breath. She couldn't let fear control her yet. She forced herself to wait for the elder to bow his head to her before she bowed her head in return. There was a staring match, and she was pretty sure he was waiting for the same thing.

Then he relented with an amused trill. His head bowed slightly. She returned the more-of-a-nod head bow in equal measure.

#

The ooman female kept her head held high as she entered the dark hall where Yeyinde waited. He surveyed her from head to toe, finding her in the same condition as when she entered Elder Durnst's quarters.

"Will Raz'ha break my mandibles?" he asked.

"No," she said.

He motioned for her and they walked side by side toward the stairs. He was finding it easier to maintain her slower pace after several cycles of walking to Raz'ha's quarters.

"What did you learn?" he asked.

"He's hiding something, something big, but I don't know what." She shook her head. "Probably something yautja related that I don't understand."

"How do you know?"

She made an ooman grunt. "I mated an elder. One of the most calculating and manipulative ones you'll ever meet. Val'jek's better at it than Elder Durnst, and your elder doesn't know anything about humans."

Yeyinde chirped. "He has plenty in his trophy collection."

Her head jerked to look up at him. He couldn't see her face, but her posture was aggressive. "There's still time for me to produce a little water from my eyes."

He rumbled his amusement. "He is an elder, of course he is hiding something. What did you learn? Was there a gain to this meeting?"

She took a great risk by accepting the invitation and he hoped she had something of value to show for it.

"I made an agreement with him," she said and then casually listed off her numerous gains.

Yeyinde garbled a trill. "What did you give him in exchange for all this?"

He sniffed her for musk. Perhaps Elder Durnst was trying to lure her to be a mate. If a Tauren elder and Raz'ha found her worthy, why not a Saracen elder?

"Are you really sniffing me right now?" Her head made another jerk in his direction. "I am not a prostitute."

Clearly she was offended and agitated. He clicked an apology despite not understanding the offense he'd given her.

"I told him I would ensure Val'jek continued supporting the treaty between Taurens and Saracens."

"Can you do this in truth?" Yeyinde was surprised. Raz'ha claimed the Elder Val'jek listened to her as an equal, but what the female spoke of was more than that. If she spoke truth, the female was powerful.

And Yeyinde had been playing games at her expense to tease Raz'ha.

She shrugged a shoulder as if it was inconsequential. "I don't see why not. Even if Taurens back out, Val'jek would be able to find a suitable alternative. As my mate, he would pay my debts with his considerable resources."

Yeyinde clicked his apprehension. If Saracens stole the supplies the Tauren elder provided, would he feel compelled to pay the debt? There should be no debt.

"The treaty is the least of our problems right now," she said. "There's something going on. Yes, Val'jek is scary, I know that, but your elder was willing to give me everything and the kitchen sink. It was as you thought and too good to be true."

It took a moment to discern her ooman meaning.

"I believe the treaty is the true problem," Yeyinde said. How could she think otherwise knowing they stole from her?

"I don't understand."

"Raz'ha did not tell you." He trilled surprise.

This female was the center of Raz'ha's praise. His hunt brother often remarked on her intelligence. Until this conversation, Yeyinde assumed the remarks were a response to yautja perceiving her as inferior. Now Yeyinde knew better. This female was clever and perceptive. Why would Raz'ha not explain the entire situation to her?

"Tell me what?"

Yeyinde looked around the stairwell. He heard footsteps several floors above them. Quietly, he said, "Your mate provided a large quantity of food for your hounds."

"Yes," she said.

He tilted his head. She didn't understand.

He leaned close and she craned her neck to watch him warily. "No food for you? Is your calculating mate forgetful or just negligent?"

Her chin lifted and her voice was sharp. "He is not negligent. Something must have-" She stilled. "Oh."

He nodded.

"They-" She motioned toward where they came from.

He held his hand up to stop her.

She heaved a deep, shuddering breath.

He motioned her to continue down the stairs and she complied.

"Raz'ha didn't tell me." She sounded annoyed.

"He can acquire no proof." Yeyinde shrugged. "I believe he is concerned for your health." There was no other rational explanation.

She made an ooman chuffing noise. "He let me walk into that meeting completely ignorant to this information."

"He counseled you not to attend." And threatened to break Yeyinde's mandibles over it. Clearly Raz'ha did not want her involved.

"I think they intend to kill him," she whispered.

Warriors passed them in the stairwell as Yeyinde tried to minimize his reaction to her soft declaration.

"It wasn't said, but there is something going on and there's going to be a meeting about Raz'ha taking over all the classes." One of her arms cradled her belly. "I have a bad feeling about this, but I don't have all the information."

Was her perceptiveness accurate enough to glean that information from one meeting or was this her excessive fear that Raz'ha described to him? He couldn't be sure. She hadn't yet realized that if they intended to kill anyone, it would be simplest to kill her. If she was dead, her mate would never have reason ask what she ate. The true question was how they would have it done.

Yeyinde rumbled to shake off the thought of finding her broken body sprawled on the floor in Raz'ha's kehrite. "Speak no more of this in public."

She nodded her understanding.

When they reached the proper level to return to Raz'ha, she stopped short.

He motioned her to the door.

She made strange and meaningless gestures with her hands. "I can't see Raz'ha right now."

He chirped his question.

"I want to go somewhere else-anywhere else." She stepped away from the door.

He chuffed. "I have duties. Where would I escort you? Raz'ha will worry." And probably break his mandibles.

"Take me to your duties. You're training young bloods, yes? It's safe enough and I'm a pet in name only." Her chin lifted. "My choices do not require approval."

Hers may not, but Yeyinde's did if he wanted to spare his mandibles. "Why?"

"I have to think."

He clicked as he considered her. Why she couldn't perform her thinking in Raz'ha's kehrite, he didn't understand. She was restless, moving with an edginess that supported her claim though.

This was the first time Yeyinde saw her without Raz'ha, and it was also the first time he saw her forget to cower. She didn't appear as afraid when she was busy being clever it seemed. Perhaps time away from Raz'ha's overprotectiveness would stimulate her cleverness more.

He motioned her down the stairs. "I will send word to Raz'ha."

"Thank you." She bowed her head, and then resumed her restless fidgeting the entire walk to Yeyinde's newly won kehrite.

He watched her with new interest and wondered what the ooman was capable of when prodded.

This was an opportunity to find out.

 

Chapter 22

Notes:

More catch up chapters

The ooman distracted everyone as she paced in the back of the kehrite. It was a trial in focus and discipline to ignore her. Yeyinde caught himself trilling amusement more than once as he assessed young bloods who could barely pry their gazes off her to follow instructions.

His old instructor would have been disappointed in these yautja students and that knowledge dimmed his humor. The young bloods could repeat phrases Trin'ko had drilled into them, but they couldn't string together a complete thought of their own.

"Why do we hunt oomans?" Yeyinde asked the class. He had to determine the best way to make the young bloods forget their previous learning and look at the topic anew.

His new students trilled and chirped. They called out foolish answers, eager for his approval. As if Yeyinde's approval meant anything.

"To take trophies," a voice called from the far side of the room.

"Because females want gifts," another said. Many chirped their agreement.

Yeyinde shook his head. "No."

These fools would not be mating females any time soon, and likely not ever after they died from ineptitude on a hunt. This could have been Yeyinde. This should have been Yeyinde in his youth. But his instructor had given him a chance and Raz'ha had not let him fail.

The old instructor would have been more than disappointed. He would have been enraged at the lack of proper instruction. Yeyinde shook off the memories of the once honored warrior. He should never again think of it because the past could never be changed. Mek'ja was not a name to be remembered.

The present was more interesting.

Yeyinde had just discovered why chiva death rates were higher than ever, and it had nothing to do with poor genetics as the leadership insisted. He was surprised these young bloods had managed to pass their chiva. Suspicion nagged him that Amelia and her cleverness would perform better than these ignorant yautja. Raz'ha claimed she killed three kiande amedha on her own. Only one of his students managed to kill more than one kiande amedha during the chiva, and then it was only two.

Two was considered average. Yeyinde had killed three, and Raz'ha had killed four, though they managed to damage most of their skulls in their eagerness to pass.

Yeyinde watched the ooman pacing in his kehrite. Her movements declared both her flustered thoughts and her familiarity with graceful motion. She may be weakened from hunger, but if she was an armed combatant, she'd make formidable prey. Instincts insisted on this and Raz'ha's claims supported it.

Yeyinde surveyed his students as they watched her. They were riveted, forcing Yeyinde to compete for their focus. They would listen to the ooman, and since the topic was oomans, who better to give them information?

And Yeyinde would see how Raz'ha's female would react.

"Amelia of the Taurens," Yeyinde called to her formally and motioned her to his side.

His students and the ooman turned to him in mute surprise. Then their gazes all returned to Amelia who stared at him over her shoulder.

She gave no reply and put on her mask.

"Please assist me with teaching young bloods about your species." He motioned her to join him at the front.

She surveyed his students for a moment. "You want me to teach them how to murder me and my kind. Why would I help with that?"

There was some clicking and questions as she spoke in her native tongue. A couple young bloods translated her words. Yeyinde watched as his students considered this, unsure of what to make of her biting assertion.

"Good question." He nodded to his students. "Why should Amelia of the Taurens instruct you in ways to murder her species?"

There was considerable hesitation. Then one, the brown one whose name Yeyinde could not recall, said, "It is hunting, not murder."

There were chirps of agreement and the students donned their masks to hear her reply.

Amelia made an ooman chuffing noise. "You kidnap good people and murder them to steal a body part so you can use it in a strange mating ritual. Just because someone told you it isn't murder, doesn't make it true."

"But we cannot mate if we don't present a trophy to a female." The brown yautja swung his gaze to Yeyinde. "How else could we reproduce as a species?"

Yeyinde couldn't stop his laughter. It rumbled in his chest and rattled from his throat and he made no effort to quell the sound. They were all going to die.

His students stared, but he couldn't stop the laughter from rising. It wasn't proper and Raz'ha would reprimand him when he heard the news.

It was the little ooman female that reprimanded him presently. "It's not funny, Yeyinde, what the hell kind of nonsense do you teach young bloods here?"

When he continued to rumble his amusement, the ooman crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head back to make her disdain clear.

"All right, you win." She sounded irritated. "I will teach your students about humans, but it comes with a price."

Yeyinde tilted his mandibles into a grin as his laughter settled. This was not what he expected, but he'd pay the ooman for her services. "Of course, would you like my ration?"

"No," she said sharply. "Your students are benefiting from this, so they'll pay for it." She seemed to give it another thought and added, "You know how to murder my kind well enough, I hear, but it is help with teaching so you'll pay as well."

Her words were clumsy, he noticed, as if her mouth was trying to give her mind time to form thoughts. She spoke much more eloquently in Raz'ha's quarters.

"Raz'ha forbade them from trading rations." Yeyinde tapped his mandibles to warn her. He was charged with ensuring these students became competent warriors, and he could allow no hindrances. Even if he was pretty sure they were doomed.

"They need food more than I do." She chuffed as her mask glanced at their thinned bodies. "I want something I find much more valuable, and anyone who doesn't agree to it will sit outside for the lesson. Everyone else will guard the information I share as a secret."

She was being clever again, and since her words had smoothed, her mind had settled on her thoughts. Instincts cautioned him that what she required was a heavy price with repercussions an ooman couldn't understand. He still wanted to see what would happen. He wanted to see how she'd make her demand. Would it be clumsy, or was she fully prepared now?

"Name your price, Amelia of the Taurens," Yeyinde said.

"I want an oath, on your honor, that you will only hunt bad blood humans," she said. She lifted her chin again. "In all other instances you will only kill humans if you are defending yourself or others from serious harm. That's it. No free passes. You will be completely dishonored if you break your oath."

Yeyinde's mandibles sagged for a moment and then spread wide with his surprise. There were no signs of humor in her stiff and regal stance. The female was more clever than he realized. She knew what she demanded.

Several students chuffed and clicked annoyance. Then the chatter started.

"Stupid ooman," someone said in the noise.

Yeyinde barked, "Silence." He clicked a reprimand for their disrespectful behavior.

His students ceased their chatter and fell silent.

Amelia stood her ground with her arms still crossed, though he was sure she heard an insult or two. She didn't demand that Yeyinde take them to task as would be appropriate. The little ooman appeared immune to the disrespect, as if it was beneath her notice to consider a young blood's opinion. Yeyinde supposed it was beneath a Tauren elder's mate.

"Amelia of the Taurens had made a generous offer to teach you about her species. You must consider her terms and give your answer. Those of you who decline will wait outside." He motioned to the door.

"And if you decline, Honored Warrior Yeyinde?" the brown young blood demanded.

"Then I will wait outside," Yeyinde said. "You may discuss her terms openly, but if you disrespect the female again, I will not be lenient a second time."

In truth, Yeyinde needed a moment to consider her terms.

The young bloods chirped and eyed Amelia. There was heated debate about whether her information was valuable enough to warrant such an oath. Then there were questions about everything from her knowledge of fighting yautja, to accidentally killing oomans, to whether there were enough bad blood oomans for all to earn trophies.

"I will answer questions," Amelia cut in finally when Yeyinde let the questions hang in the air. Clearly the young bloods didn't have to wisdom to simply ask her to clarify her terms.

They turned to her and waited.

She rambled about uninteresting history of her time as an elder's mate and watching his hunts. Then her words grew more interesting, "I killed three kiande amedha myself, and assisted my mate as he killed the queen."

He disliked that she didn't puff with pride as she listed these accomplishments. She had been casual about her successful negotiations with Elder Durnst too. Were all oomans nonchalant about their triumphs? Perhaps it was a clever ploy to make her appear less threatening.

"Amelia of the Taurens took both the outer perimeter position and the corralling position during the battle," Yeyinde supplied when she did not elaborate. Raz'ha had impressed their hunt brothers with the news, and to Yeyinde's shame, he had doubted the claim until this cycle. This ooman female bore little resemblance to the one Yeyinde viewed in Raz'ha's quarters.

Yeyinde's clarification sent excited clicks and questions about the hunt through the students. He clicked a reprimand at their lacking discipline. They were not here to discuss the ooman's kiande amedha hunt in detail.

Once they quieted, Amelia continued, "There are a great many bad bloods in my species since we don't use the death penalty as liberally as yautja. Criminals that we catch we put in prison and labor colonies. You could find a great many murderers there, thousands at least, and those are just the ones we can prove are criminals." Her chin lowered as did her voice with warning. "Be cautious though because we also imprison people for petty crimes too, such as theft or unpaid debts. Those are not true bad bloods."

"There are more than enough bad bloods and they would be easy to identify with these prisons," Yeyinde agreed when the students looked to him for confirmation. He had seen these places and hunted a few as a younger warrior. In the future he would select prey from them again it seemed.

Amelia nodded and continued. "If you accidentally kill a human or the wrong human, you will not be dishonored if you right the wrong. If you mistakenly take a life, you must save two lives. This only applies if it is truly a mistake. Negligence is not an excuse."

The students exchanged looks. "How would we do this?" one asked.

"Oomans are often doing dangerous things. It would be resolved in a few cycles." Yeyinde shrugged a shoulder. "The difficult part would be not being seen."

The young bloods mulled over her proposition, some exchanging a few words.

"I will accept your terms," Yeyinde said.

Amelia nodded as if this was expected, but he detected a tremor in her hands when she dropped them to her sides. She quickly crossed them over her chest again as if she could not control them. It was one of the few signs that reconciled the ooman female that stood in his kehrite and the female she became in Raz'ha's quarters.

Yeyinde bowed his head to Amelia and then pressed his fist over his beating heart. "I swear upon my honor that I will only hunt bad blood oomans. Otherwise I will only kill oomans to defend myself or others from mortal harm. If my mistakes kill an ooman who does not meet this criteria, I will restore my honor by saving two oomans."

She stood taller as he lifted his head. Like a high priestess giving her approval, she offered him a regal nod of acknowledgment.

He turned to the silent young bloods. "Who else will know ooman secrets and cease murdering their innocents?"

One by one the young bloods swore the oath. Now they were all honor bound to follow the oath or they would be bad blood.

#

Elder Durnst clicked at Elder Mur, who made himself comfortable in his guest chair. The ooman's acrid scent still lingered there, and he wondered at this musk that the warriors whispered of. He smelled little musk during their meeting. It was one of many oddities about the ooman female that he had difficulty deciphering. He could not discern what gesture or scent was important or inconsequential. Yet.

"The unblood said you had happy tidings," Mur said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

Elder Durnst had instructed the unblood messenger to say that to lure Elder Mur out of his cramped office. The chairs were uncomfortable and when Durnst wanted to pace while he considered his options, the walls were too close together. He dreaded every meeting Mur summoned him to attend in that tiny space.

"I do," Durnst said absently as he tried to reshuffle his legs under the desk. Not even furniture made for females was large enough for his cursed frame.

Elder Mur was one of the few who did not whisper about his abnormal size, and as Durnst slid his feet beneath the desk's backing, the other elder didn't even glance at the awkward display. Elder Mur was hyper focused on success, and petty gossip didn't interest him.

"What is the news?" Mur demanded, impatient as ever.

Elder Durnst clicked, suddenly reluctant to share his full thoughts with Mur. He stalled for a moment longer, pretending to settle in his chair more comfortably. There was no comfort in the confining space.

"I negotiated terms with the ooman female," Durnst said.

Mur clicked excitement. "You have secured the contract for her?"

"No," he said, "and I don't believe it is necessary. We have negotiated trade terms." Durnst chose his words carefully. "She is ignorant to the contract terms for her care." Or she was intelligent enough to feign ignorance.

Elder Mur appeared displeased with this answer and his mandibles clicked as much.

Durnst didn't allow him to voice opposition just yet. "To ensure our new strategy is successful we must immediately pass a ban on males challenging below their own rank, and convince the females that Honored Warrior Raz'ha is not following the path of Mek'ja."

Elder Mur stiffened and his mandibles spread out in an equally stiff gesture at the mention of Mek'ja. It was going to a heated meeting.

#

Amelia was rambling as a dozen students watched her like it was Thanksgiving and she was the turkey. She couldn't see their expressions but they leaned forward to hear her when she spoke too softly. No one chattered outside of a few surprised chirps from time to time. No one looked away. The young bloods were eager for even the most asinine details about humans like their frequency of food and bathroom breaks.

Yeyinde watched her from the sidelines. His gaze would swing to the students as well. He didn't seem impressed with his students to begin with, and she wasn't sure if she was helping or making the problem worse.

She hadn't expected anyone to take the oath, and knowing how important it was to bring back a human skull, she'd used it as a ploy to force Yeyinde to back off. Clearly he didn't understand the hint, and now she was trying to give a health lesson to young bloods. And running out of things to say.

"That is very informative, Amelia of the Taurens," Yeyinde said. "May I ask questions?"

Relief washed over her. "Of course, Honored Warrior Yeyinde."

Students chirped with excitement.

"Do you know why we hunt oomans?" Yeyinde asked.

Her relief vanished. It was like she was back in high school and receiving a pop quiz.

"Because humans are a species close to yautja in intelligence that are legal to hunt since there is no standing treaty with a species that doesn't know you exist. Other intelligent species, that have mastered space travel, have entered into agreements with yautja long ago. They would go to war over another race hunting and brutally murdering their people."

When she stopped, Yeyinde let the silence drag on.

She took a breath and said, "It's the same reason you like us as hosts for kiande amedha because the combination produces a more intelligent queen."

Yeyinde nodded an acknowledgement.

It felt easier to talk about when she framed it as something else. "To a warrior, more intelligence means more of a challenge, which translates into needing more intelligence and skill as a hunter to secure a trophy, which is a convoluted way of proving you have superior genetics and therefor can produce superior offspring."

Yeyinde clicked, but gave no reply for a long moment.

She knew her answer was correct because she made Val'jek suffer through long discussions about the hunting practice in which she tried to convince him that he, and his culture, were just wrong. It wasn't as simple as right or wrong, but she wished it was. Val'jek accepted her difficulty with the topic with more grace than she did.

"You have seen my new young bloods spar. You have heard their answers to my questions." Yeyinde clicked, prompting her to reply.

"I did not assess them, but I'm aware you are hoping to be a better instructor than their former one." It was the politest way she could think of to say they weren't impressive. Raz'ha's students were more confident, more graceful, and even more disciplined when in class.

Yeyinde gave a slight nod. "If one of my students was to select you for a hunt, who do you think would win that battle?"

Her brows shot up behind her mask. Was this a trick question?

"Consider my question fully," Yeyinde said and clicked caution.

Amelia made a show of looking over his students as she considered what Yeyinde wanted with this line of questioning. His goal was to teach his students to hunt humans. Humans were considered sly prey for a reason so she had to show them that.

"Any one of your students could kill me in a challenge," Amelia said easily. "They're larger than me." She walked down the line of them, looking over their size as if they were meat at the market. "They're stronger than me." She motioned to a particularly muscular brown yautja. He puffed up at the attention. Amelia moved on to survey Yeyinde. "They're better trained than me."

Yeyinde's ego was not as easily stroked and he simply watched her as he remained stoic.

"But I would be the victor in any hunt." She lifted her chin and pretended she believed it entirely.

The students clicked and rumbled with the letdown after so many compliments.

Yeyinde gave a nod, lowering his chin more than usual in a show of respect. "I concur with your conclusion, but please, explain to the young bloods why they would fall to an ooman female that is smaller, weaker, and ill-prepared for a hunt."

There was some clicking, but as Amelia spoke, it died.

"In a challenge, we're locked in close quarters with hand to hand combat. Size, strength, and training matter there." She looked around. "You don't kill humans this way because killing an opponent in one blow is not a story worth telling. So instead you drag them off somewhere. You let them know they're being hunted. You give them time to prepare. You think about the nice trophy you're going to rip from their bodies. You think about the female you might present it to. You think about the story you'll tell your warrior buddies."

As she paced before them, their masks followed her every move.

"While you're distracted with all those silly things that you think make you superior, all I'll be thinking about is surviving. That's all you'll have left available to me to think about. And that's where you run into trouble. My need to survive will always trump your want to take a trophy. I will have nothing left to lose and that's when humans do impressive things," she said. "It's basic laws of nature. I will need it more than you so I will find a way to survive you."

She was pretty sure she was fibbing with the end portion, but couldn't think of anything more impressive to say.

The students looked to their instructor for confirmation. Yeyinde was silent and stone still. His mandibles were closed tightly over his mouth as his yellow eyes bored into her. It wasn't malice but his expression was dark.

She felt compelled to stand taller and meet his gaze.

The students chirped their inquiries and Yeyinde turned his gaze to them, appearing to snap out of whatever occupied him.

"Amelia is correct, but as any sly prey, she failed to mention all her strengths." Yeyinde clicked amusement that contradicted his stiff posture. "She is a clever one, even for her species, and excels in improvising traps. As she has demonstrated today, she also excels in manipulating predators into seeking alternative prey. Should I unleash her on any of you in a hunt, I suspect she would need less than a cycle to convince all of you that yautja skulls would make better trophies."

"My mate tells me they do make better trophies. The pair he has are remarked on as impressive by the tauren's high priestess and many women mention them when they pursue him for mating," Amelia said.

"Females pursue warriors who have bad blood trophies?" the brown yautja asked. Excited chirps followed.

"Absolutely. My mate fends off half a dozen women every mating season." They couldn't see her smile behind her mask and she struggled to hold in her laughter.

Their excitement doubled and she was inundated with questions about acquiring yautja trophies.

Yeyinde chuffed at his students and shook his head, but they didn't notice as they continued to question her. Amelia's laughter bubbled over and she couldn't answer the young bloods.

"Already you are convinced." Yeyinde chuffed. "Next the ooman will convince you that males should be the dominant gender."

She wasn't sure if that was a leading a question, or if Yeyinde didn't know that human males were dominant on earth. She had no time to mull it over as the young bloods responded. Yeyinde's declaration sent a flurry of clicks and chirps through the room followed by rumbles and questions.

"The ooman tricked us?" many questioned.

"Yautja trophies are not better?" one asked.

"We should not have agreed," another said.

This was about to spin out of control. She started, "They are good trophies. I didn't lie. I offered fair terms and-"

Yeyinde cut her off, "It is a fair exchange, but consider fully what has occurred."

Amelia crossed her arms over her chest at Yeyinde's patronizing tone. "While you do that, you should also consider that males are labeled the dominant gender in human society, but I'm a firm believer that everyone should be equal. Elder Val'jek agrees with me."

That set off another wave of questions with equal enthusiasm about human society and Tauren society.

Yeyinde remained silent and didn't interfere so Amelia instructed them to raise their hands. She answered dozens of questions and as she did the room grew quieter. A wave of contemplation and uncertainty quelled the excited chatter. It wasn't until she saw Yeyinde giving her that dark look again that she realized what she'd done.

And then the inevitable question arrived.

"How do Taurens ration food in a shortage?" a stocky green yautja asked.

There were no chirps of support, but all masked faces watched her for the answer. Silence dragged on as they waited.

She wished she could deny knowing the answer, but she'd asked Mah'sic the same question. Amelia looked to Yeyinde for help. He gave no reply to her silent question.

She took a steadying breath and shared what she knew, "They don't have shortages, but in such an emergency protocol states rations are to be divided using a formula that calculates need based on medical scans for each individual."

The silence blanketing the room became oppressive and was met with a tense stillness from the young bloods.

"They ban all trades and challenges for rations." It came out barely more than a whisper, but there was no doubt that all heard her and understood.

Chapter 23

Raz'ha barely contained his aggravation as he walked Amelia to his quarters with Yeyinde. His splayed mandibles were for usually for the sole purpose of appearing aggressive and ready to beat a challenger. Now his mandibles stretched wide and his muscles bunched with tension because he felt aggressive.

He had no challenges this cycle. He chuffed at himself because several hours earlier, he had been relieved over this fact. Amelia was frightened of challenges, and any cycle that did not have a challenge he considered a success.

He wanted a challenge now, and then maybe five more.

Amelia walked between him and Yeyinde, watching Raz'ha more than anything around them. Her body was stiff, but not with fear. She was annoyed with him for not agreeing with her reckless actions. They had argued upon her return to his kehrite.

Her trading skills with Elder Durnst may have impressed Yeyinde, but Raz'ha did not like it. She may have stepped into a trap that the elder simply hadn't sprung yet. They still did not know with certainty what the elder sought in truth. Worse, this trading agreement meant she would have more interaction with the elder. It was more opportunity for the elder to gain leverage over them.

Already the elder had sent his aid to establish a meeting with Amelia for her art. Except it wasn't a request. The elder had selected a time, when Raz'ha was known to be occupied, and had the aid inform them of the decision. All of Raz'ha's alternative suggestions were declined.

The elder was herding her like prey, but because it was political, there could be no challenge. Raz'ha would not be able to rescue her with a simple hand-to-hand match.

He recognized the necessity of it, he did not like politics. It was sly and manipulative. Those were words he would use to describe a bad blood and wanted no part of things that would draw similarities between him and something that vile.

He preferred to address issues with blunt discussion and settle disputes in honest combat.

No matter how often he reminded himself that Amelia could not settle disputes in that manner, it rankled him. He would settle disputes for her. That was what he was tasked to do by her mate. That is what he was honored to do for his gentle ooman.

She must not deem him capable if she resorted to reckless actions against his advice. And that was where his true irritation settled.

She found him lacking.

Yeyinde chirped from the other side of Amelia.

Raz'ha grunted at him, ignoring the inquiry. He was no more pleased with Yeyinde, who Amelia had grown to favor. She had stayed with Yeyinde during classes instead of returning to Raz'ha. The pair seemed to share some secret exchange when Raz'ha inquired about the length of time.

When Yeyinde returned her, Amelia had shown the other male an ooman gesture that included hand touching. Raz'ha had seen oomans make this hand touching gesture on hunts, but he did not know the precise meaning. To his shame, he had sniffed her for mating musk. She was irritated by it and his hunt brother had trilled amusement.

Smelling no evidence of mating helped Raz'ha's temper remain in check. Barely.

He still considered challenging Yeyinde to prove he was the better fighter to the ooman female. Perhaps after they shared their meal he would. Then Yeyinde would not be solicitous with learning her ooman touching traditions and would stop letting short purrs slip out.

"Perhaps you prefer to bathe Amelia before we share a meal," Yeyinde said.

Raz'ha rumbled displeasure at the suggestion. Yeyinde wanted to see her unclothed again. His hunt brother was already touching Amelia's shoulder to steer her away from the hall that led to Raz'ha's quarters.

Raz'ha shoved his hand away from her and moved to confront Yeyinde when he realized his error. In the distance, Raz'ha spotted what Yeyinde alluded to. He wasn't angling to see Amelia's body. There were three warriors at Raz'ha's door.

One was pounding on it and started shouting as the other two huddled closer. In the dark they were difficult to identify, but they were clearly older than young bloods.

"What is that?" Amelia asked, spotting them as well as she looked in their direction. She wore her mask and would see them as clearly as he did.

Raz'ha rumbled his pleasure. He would have his challenges. Then he turned to Amelia and uncertainty hit him. He wanted her to see him fight, but she would not enjoy it.

"We know you are inside! Stop cowering and face us!" one of the warriors shouted and his voice carried to them.

Raz'ha stiffened. If the warriors had arrived only minutes later, Amelia would have been alone in their quarters. She would have been terrified as they shouted and pounded on the door.

"If we cannot eat then neither will you!" another shouted and also pounded on the door.

"No, we will eat what they have," the first insisted with a growl.

"My puppies!" Amelia darted toward the warriors.

Raz'ha grasped her shoulder to halt her and slid his arm around her waist, lifting her off her feet. She struggled for a moment.

"None will harm what I protect," Raz'ha said keeping his voice firm and low for her. "Be calm."

Raz'ha did not feel calm himself, but his rage would not reassure her.

Amelia was stiff but she nodded. "Can we at least walk quickly before they break down the door?"

Yeyinde rumbled amusement.

"Do you want to see me fight this challenge?" Raz'ha hoped her answer was affirmative. "Yeyinde can wait with you."

"I can fight this challenge if she prefers." Yeyinde chirped his eagerness and his muscles flexed.

Raz'ha growled and Amelia jerked in his arms at the sound.

"Let's all go see what they want. Maybe there can be a peaceful resolution." Amelia pushed at Raz'ha's claws until he put her on her feet. He pulled her close to his side as they moved forward.

"There will be a challenge," Raz'ha warned.

Amelia gave no reply as they approached.

"Come out!" The warrior pounded on the door. "Bring your pet that thinks it can starve us without retribution!"

Amelia's masked face looked up at him.

Yeyinde rumbled more amusement, alerting the warriors. The three turned to face them and their body language betrayed their surprise.

Raz'ha released Amelia, urging her to stand beside Yeyinde. Regardless of his annoyance, he knew his hunt brother would protect her while Raz'ha focused on the challenge.

"You fools are shouting at an empty room." Yeyinde barked more laughter at them.

Amelia nudged Yeyinde with her elbow. "You're making them angrier."

Raz'ha stalked toward the warriors. Two gave ground but the middle one, the one that pounded on his door first, inched forward to meet the challenge.

Raz'ha heard Amelia reprimand Yeyinde more, but he listened to the sound of her voice and not her words. She was annoyed at the warrior and only held a hint of fear.

He focused on the challenges before him. These were warriors and considered experienced, but it didn't worry Raz'ha. He was certain that he had fought and bested half the males that ranked above warrior in the last few cycles. His body still felt the ache from it no matter how much Amelia massaged his muscles during the sleep cycle.

The warrior was shorter than him by several inches, and his body was a rarer tan for their clan. He was still fit and not overly thinned by hunger yet, which meant he'd found a way to eat regular meals unlike Raz'ha's students. This was where the rations not demanded by instructors went.

Raz'ha chuffed as he realized the reason these warriors were pounding on his door. Amelia had caused a ban on challenging below one's own rank for rations. Elder Durnst had enacted the ban shockingly fast. The cycle had not yet ended and it was already done. Word must have spread faster.

And they knew Amelia had caused it. What purpose did sharing her involvement serve for the elder? Was it a trick to turn the warriors against her? That was the obvious consequence.

The warrior puffed his chest as he stalked toward Raz'ha.

Raz'ha chuffed and shoved the warrior's shoulder, beating his opponent to the challenge. It seemed to surprise the tan warrior and he flared his mandibles as he shoved at Raz'ha in return.

Raz'ha punched the warrior in the eye socket. Then repeated it two more times as the warrior reeled.

The warrior didn't recover as expected. Raz'ha kicked him, and met with no defensive moves as his foot connected with the warrior's unprotected belly. The warrior stumbled back and sprawled on the floor several feet away with a choked groan.

He heard Yeyinde laughing but shut out all distractions.

The warrior's friends looked to their felled companion and then each other.

Raz'ha closed in on them before they could flee. He shoved both of their shoulders because clearly they would rather humiliate themselves and decline than suffer the consequences of Raz'ha's anger.

They rumbled with uncertainty. "Two against one?" the left one asked, still reluctant.

"Yes." Raz'ha clicked an insult at their cowardice.

The right one lunged and shoved Raz'ha's shoulder to accept and quickly back peddled.

The left one clicked a curse at his companion. He sized up Raz'ha with wariness. The right one clicked and motioned the other forward toward Raz'ha.

The left one chuffed and approached an inch at a time like one of Amelia's frightened puppies. He kept his gaze trained on Raz'ha's face and with excruciating slowness reached to shove Raz'ha.

When the claws made contact, Raz'ha grabbed the warrior by the throat. No better than an unblood in his first challenge, the warrior froze in Raz'ha's tight grip.

Instead of taking down this opponent right away, Raz'ha shoved the warrior at his friend. They collided with grunts and both stumbled with chirped surprise but maintained their balance.

The left one elbowed his friend in irritation. Then they collected themselves and squared off with Raz'ha.

They circled, and Raz'ha waited. They would come to him with their obvious and clumsy attacks. Amelia had more grace than this pair together. He caught sight of her from the corner of his eye. She stood beside Yeyinde, but she wasn't watching him. She was watching the third warrior who had collected himself from the floor.

Surprised, Raz'ha turned toward her. Was the warrior threatening her?

Yeyinde stood at her side, watching Amelia and not the warrior.

Amelia made a motion with her hands at the warrior and Raz'ha heard her say, "Are you all right?"

A fist hit Raz'ha's clavicle and he jerked to block the other fist from his connecting with his face. He twisted and grabbed the second fist that attacked him. The other attacker had quickly backed away upon realizing Raz'ha was paying attention again.

Raz'ha growled at the warrior in his grasp. "Do not move," he grabbed the warrior's other fist, which was trying to punch his way to freedom. He wasn't done beating them.

The warrior's mandibles sagged with confusion as he stilled.

Raz'ha barked to the sidelines, "You are supposed to defend my ooman, Yeyinde."

"This human is having a polite conversation while you're busy being a barbarian," came Amelia's brisk reply.

Yeyinde trilled. "This warrior is less dangerous than a kiande amedha, Raz'ha. She is well."

Raz'ha heard Yeyinde's purr for a moment before his hunt brother cut it off.

Raz'ha growled and shoved the warrior in his grip to the floor. The warrior chirped surprise at Raz'ha.

He glanced to find Amelia performing this "polite conversation" with the warrior who now wore his mask. The warrior leaned down to listen to her as she spoke softly.

Raz'ha grumbled his annoyance and stalked to the second warrior who backed away like a coward.

"If you run, it will hurt more," Raz'ha warned.

The warrior stopped in his tracks and then braced himself.

Pathetic.

The warrior didn't try to fight and let Raz'ha punch the crown of his head until he fell to his knees. It wasn't officially over on his knees, but there was no pleasure in such a pathetic display. Raz'ha had pity and shoved the warrior to the ground without punching him anymore.

The other warrior rushed in to help his friend find his feet as they chirped surprise at each other. They had not expected to escape without a broken bone or two.

Raz'ha chuffed at the notion of seriously damaging the clumsy idiots and turned to the tan warrior that challenged him initially.

Amelia had her arms crossed over her chest and her head tilted back as she conversed with him. She demanded of the warrior, "You thought it was a good idea to come pound at our door and shout at me?"

The warrior stiffened at the clear reprimand and growled out his reply, "You expect us to come beg a pet for assistance like the unbloods."

Amelia stood her ground. "You could have started with a polite conversation instead of making a fool of yourself and trying to bloody Honored Warrior Raz'ha," she glanced in his direction, "who was kind enough not to break you in half."

Yeyinde openly laughed as Raz'ha closed in. She might just push the warrior to issue another challenge.

The warrior rumbled his anger.

There was a moment where it appeared they were at a stalemate and silence reigned.

Then Amelia broke it before Raz'ha could dismiss the warriors. She said, "I think you should thank Honored Warrior Raz'ha for not breaking every bone in your body over this offense, and then we can start over to have a polite conversation about what I may have done to cause your displeasure. Do you agree, Warrior Goz'la?"

The warrior, apparently named Goz'la, seemed to consider it and Amelia turned her gaze to the warrior pair still lingering where Raz'ha left them. "Do you two think this is a wise course of action?"

The pair looked to Raz'ha.

Raz'ha stifled his chuff and clicked his support of Amelia's idea. He wanted a real challenge, but they were incapable of providing one. She wanted them to speak with her so he encouraged them. For her.

"Thank you for not maiming us, Honored Warrior," one of the pair said, and the other quickly repeated it.

The tan warrior, Goz'la, grumbled and chirped his grudging thanks.

Amelia raised her chin at the warrior.

"Would you prefer a rematch?" Raz'ha asked.

The tan warrior shook off his annoyance. He chirped a thanks and said, "I know I am beaten and thank you for not," he glanced to Amelia, "breaking every bone in my body." He gave a quick bow of his head.

Raz'ha nodded to them all, but said nothing else. He wanted them to go away so he could continue to reason with Amelia. It was imperative that he find a way to prevent her from meeting with Elder Durnst again.

"Good," Amelia said with her own nod. "In my culture when we meet new people we like to introduce ourselves and shake hands. Since we're starting over, I think we should all try it."

As eager as a young blood, Yeyinde said, "This is a good custom."

The tan warrior clicked apprehension but agreed. "My name is Goz'la, I am a Saracen warrior."

"Nice to meet you, Goz'la. My name is Amelia," she said and Raz'ha could hear her smile. "We must shake hands now, and Yeyinde will help me demonstrate."

She turned to Yeyinde and stuck out her hand. Yeyinde matched the gesture and they touched hands. Yeyinde gave a small shake and then dropped her hand. It was the exchange Raz'ha had witnessed earlier, but it did little to settle his annoyance to discover it was only a greeting.

"See, it's easy," she said.

She moved to the tan warrior and Raz'ha rumbled a warning at the warrior. She held out her hand.

The warrior looked to Raz'ha and then her mask. "To touch you is to meet Cetanu."

"To be disrespectful," Amelia corrected. "This is a human custom of respect."

"You may touch her if she agrees," Raz'ha said grudgingly. "This once."

The warrior cautiously held out his clawed hand as directed. Amelia slipped her hand in his and then shook them up and down once. "It's nice to meet you, Goz'la."

When she released Goz'la, he stepped back with a rumble. He inspected his hand and then peered at Amelia over it before returning to inspect it once more.

They repeated the ooman greeting until everyone was introduced to her satisfaction. The warrior pair were known as Hev'ja and Dev'o.

Raz'ha admitted that it cooled much of his agitation to watch their cautious attempts at the ooman custom. Amelia was not fearful of the fumbling warriors.

"I respectfully request a meeting, Honored Warrior Raz'ha," Goz'la said and bowed his head. "May we enter your quarters to speak?"

He clicked at the warrior. They would smell Amelia's pets if he admitted them inside his quarters. The small creatures were not a secret, but he would not allow strangers close to the temptation of meat.

Raz'ha declined. "You came to shed blood, and I will not permit you in Amelia's sleeping domain even if she overlooks the earlier transgression."

"We can speak out here, right?" Amelia looked to Raz'ha.

Raz'ha nodded.

The warriors rumbled and clicked to each other about whether they should return another time before deciding the hall was better than nothing.

"It is said you had the ban on challenging for rations passed." Goz'la clicked displeasure, but then said, "We respectfully request you have the ban lifted."

"No," Amelia said, her arms crossing her chest. Then she shifted her weight to her other foot and uncrossed her arms, "I mean to say that the ban is in place to protect young bloods and unbloods from starvation. They could die if higher ranked warriors continued to steal-I mean challenge-for their food."

Goz'la's head tilted. "Then we will be the ones to starve with this ban in place. What are we to eat?" He rumbled frustration at her.

Amelia didn't flinch as expected. She held her ground, staring up at the large aggravated warrior towering over her. "You could eat your assigned rations."

The trio chattered. "But then how will we bathe and maintain our rank?"

"And power our equipment," Hev'ja added.

"Excuse me?" Amelia said.

Goz'la chirped an inquiry. He did not understand her question.

"You're required to pay for all these things with your rations?" she asked.

Goz'la nodded.

Amelia grew agitated and her hand moved to her hip in a familiar display of displeasure. "What happens if you don't pay?"

"We will be moved to quarters like the unbloods with no lights and no charging stations to power our equipment." Goz'la motioned to a warrior. "Hev'ja would lose his position as lead mechanic in the engine room if he cannot charge his tools. We will not be admitted into the bathing pools for warriors on our level." The warrior clicked dismay. "Elder Ev'jek will demote us back to young blood. He has done it to Vorkmeta."

Amelia looked to Raz'ha. "Do you pay for us to bathe or for power? For any of this?"

Raz'ha shook his head. Most honored warriors lived on his level however. They would have serious challenges if anyone tried to leverage power or bathing here.

"Is this all from Elder-?" she struggled and made some mangled version of the name.

"Elder Ev'jek," Raz'ha supplied.

"No, the resource manager on our level demands payment for power, and the water manager for the ship controls the bathing pools. There is a warrior that collects on her behalf." Goz'la clicked. "We have complained, but there is nothing to be done. We must earn more rations another way if we are to eat."

Amelia made a heavy sighing noise in her mask. "Okay, we're going to fix this. I just need a minute to think."

Raz'ha rumbled. "We cannot fix their problem, Amelia. This is-"

Amelia touched his wrist and her gentle touch warmed him as he was reminded of her tender affection. She said, "Just give me a minute to think this through because I did this."

"You did not." Raz'ha chuffed at her illogical conclusion.

She didn't demand their rations, and she may have traded to ban challenges for rations, but ultimately it was not her decision. Elder Durnst and the rest of the leadership did this and it was likely the elder's intention to set these angry warriors upon her.

She said nothing and they were all left waiting as she performed her ooman thinking.

He caught Yeyinde looking her over from head to toe with interest. Over her head, Raz'ha splayed his mandibles at his hunt brother in silence.

Yeyinde's mandibles fluttered with amusement in reply, and then he returned to surveying Amelia.

Raz'ha would challenge his hunt brother after the meal.

"Okay," she said.

They looked to her.

"Come," she motioned them to the hall, "we're going on a field trip."

"Field trip?" Yeyinde asked.

Raz'ha shrugged and no one budged.

She said, "We're going somewhere as a group is what I mean. We're going to go visit Elder Durnst."

Raz'ha chuffed and clicked denial as Yeyinde chirped agreement.

Amelia didn't wait and was already moving down the hall as if she expected them to follow.

"This way is shorter," Dev'o said with some confusion as he motioned toward the opposite end of the hall.

The other warriors chirped their agreement.

"Oh, sorry," Amelia said and turned around. "Someone who knows their way around lead the way. Come on, Raz'ha, I'm apparently on a roll today whether I want to be or not."

He wasn't sure what the ooman term meant, but she knew he was displeased he realized. He rumbled at her and her small hand touched his side as if to comfort him. Her voice was low and gentle as she spoke to him, "We'll go speak with the elder and it'll help."

Who it would help she did not specify.

"I desire that you never speak with him again," Raz'ha said flatly.

Her laughter was breathy and short.

"I don't see a way to avoid it." She grew somber. "I'm in over my head and I really need your help to fix this."

She wanted to help everyone and everything, but Raz'ha hoped she didn't grow attached to these warriors. They were terrible fighters and were probably alive because of pure luck. He had no desire to tie himself to them or put Amelia at risk. If the situation ended in violence, they would not be reliable hunt brothers.

"Will you help me and answer about a thousand and one questions as quickly as possible?" she pressed.

Raz'ha agreed because they were going to speak to Elder Durnst despite his protests. It was better to help her odds of success using a bad plan rather than ensure defeat by undermining it. He gave the warriors a baleful look to ensure they knew it was not an invitation of friendship.

Yeyinde was noticeably silent on the topic as the warriors chirped and clicked, wondering if an ooman could help them eat.

She thanked Raz'ha as they walked and then asked him approximately fifty questions instead of her proclaimed thousand. Many of them did not seem related, as she pressed him for details on everything from prices for goods, to Val'jek's contract with Raz'ha, to what her pets ate, to diplomatic protocol, and even whether honored warriors were being extorted for rations. Then she asked him to make rapid calculations with vaguely familiar numbers. She left no time for questions of his own.

They reached the correct hall. An unblood stood on duty making it easy to identify the elder's door.

Amelia stopped short and leaned against the wall heavily. She hunched and Raz'ha heard her taking rough breaths through her mask. She yanked it off, revealing her flushed face as she sucked in more air.

Was she over breathing again? Raz'ha crowded her, blocking the warriors from viewing her vulnerability. He purred to sooth her as he clicked an inquiry.

"Just need a second to prepare," she said and took his clawed hand in hers. She squeezed and twined their fingers together as she was prone to doing when they went to bed. Her breathing settled.

The feel of her body along his stirred both his mating interest and a deeper warmth in his chest. He slid his free hand over her tense shoulder and tunneled his claws into her soft hair. He would never tire of this closeness with her.

"You do not have to do this," Raz'ha said softly in her language though he was sure the others could hear him. With his hunt brother, he had provided better rations for her, but she was still thin and weakened.

"I do," she said. Her voice lowered. "I think did something worse than make this mess today, but there isn't time to explain it all and it's too late to undo it. At least for this I have a solution." She motioned to the warriors. "But it will only work if you go along with what I say in there. No matter how much you want to disagree. Can you do that for me?"

Raz'ha hesitated as he took in her fresh anxiety and her hand gripping his like a lifeline. He wanted to remain agitated and annoyed with her, but his concern had smothered that notion during their "field trip" walk.

"I will not agree to relinquish you to anyone, Amelia." He clicked for emphasis, and then said, "I do not like this, but I vow to do as you direct in all other matters."

Her reply was to bring his hand to her mouth and press a soft kiss to his swollen knuckles. Then she straightened and stepped aside. Most signs of her worry and fear slid away as she smoothed her small hands down her ooman garments.

She squared her shoulders and donned her mask like a warrior preparing for battle. A sense of calm settled over her body language, but Raz'ha recognized it for the shallow façade it was. This regal posture that bordered on stiffness was not how she appeared when she felt genuine confidence.

It would fool anyone not familiar with her though.

As the other males watched, she approached the unblood at Elder Durnst's door as if they had never halted their journey. Amelia held her palm out behind her, indicating they should wait. Raz'ha clicked an order for the group to hold so the warriors would understand.

She exchanged an ooman greeting with the unblood, presenting herself as overly friendly for the mate of an elder speaking to a low ranked male. The unblood became as friendly and eager to do her bidding as she made her ooman "small talk" that had nothing to do with their intended meeting.

When the young male nodded and disappeared inside the elder's quarters, Raz'ha realized that was her intention with her friendliness. The unblood should have protested the lack of appointment and sent them away since they didn't have a suitable emergency to gain entrance at this hour.

They waited in the hall for the unblood to return with acceptance or denial for their meeting request. Amelia showed no sign of fearing rejection and did not look back at him for reassurance as he expected. Was she certain of the outcome, or was she pretending to be certain? Raz'ha couldn't tell from where he stood and that made him nervous.

She was not wrong to help the males, Raz'ha decided at that moment. However his highest priority was Amelia. As she stood in front of them, ready to negotiate with a feared elder, it seemed as if Amelia's lowest priority was herself. A whisper of doubt invaded his thoughts. She could simply find Raz'ha's care lacking and now took matters into her own hands.

She was not stupid and must have realized politics were more dangerous than challenges. Challenges between warriors could lead to broken bones and the occasional death. Playing stalking games in politics was how one started a culling. To take that risk must mean-

The unblood returned, cutting off Raz'ha's thoughts.

After an exchange, the unblood bowed to Amelia and motioned for her to enter Elder Durnst's quarters.

 

Chapter 24

Notes:

Last batch of catch up chapters

As a skilled warrior, Raz'ha was aware of everything in the elder's quarters. Its layout was designed to intimidate and give the elder an advantage that any warrior would identify instantly. The elder was not expecting them as he was lacking trinkets and the light armor elders usually wore for meetings. His combistick was hastily strapped to the belt securing his plain loin cloth. Ornamental weapons mounted on the wall were within his long reach. The elder would not move away from them until he ascertained their intentions.

The unblood clicked apprehension when they all followed Amelia inside the elder's quarters, but one menacing rumble from Yeyinde silenced the young male.

"Let's remember our manners," Amelia said, her mask looking to Yeyinde over her shoulder.

Yeyinde said nothing and ducked his head to her. Elder Durnst dismissed the unblood with a few clicks.

Amelia bowed her head to the elder. "We offer our sincere apologies for disturbing you at this hour, Elder Durnst of the Saracens."

The elder watched for a long while before replying. "What is your urgent business?"

The elder had skipped pleasantries, signaling his lack of forgiveness at the slight, and the warriors shuffled as they eyed the exit. Cowards.

"I must apologize again." Amelia's tone was smooth and solemn as if she didn't know what ignoring pleasantries meant. Raz'ha knew that she was not only intimately familiar with the intricacies of meeting with an elder, but she was hyper sensitive to them. They determined whether or not her mate would fight in a challenge on the Tauren vessel.

The elder looked to Amelia and then surveyed the rest of them as he clicked for her to continue. The elder missed nothing as the warriors revealed their nervousness through fidgeting. Raz'ha watched the elder's eyes track the signs of their challenge down their bodies and then to Raz'ha's swollen knuckles. Raz'ha flexed his hands and then squeezed them into fists to show the elder he was more than willing to engage in another challenge. He wasn't entirely certain his skill surpassed the giant elder's, but Raz'ha was more motivated. It would have to be enough.

"I was hasty when I left our meeting earlier today. I had other matters I thought more important at the time because I didn't realize how quickly you could pass the ban on challenging for rations." Her hands raised with her palms upward in a gesture that meant nothing to a yautja but indicated a friendly concession to oomans.

Elder Durnst looked to her hands and then looked to Raz'ha again. It was a strange pattern that Raz'ha didn't understand. What was the elder doing? Did he anticipate an attack from Raz'ha?

"The ban on challenges below your own rank," Elder Durnst corrected with a few clicks to reprimand her careless words.

The warriors put out a nervous stench now. Raz'ha stiffened and prepared to step in for a challenge.

Amelia lowered her chin with a nod. "Of course, that was very important to ensure that males could still challenge those at their skill level."

Her acquiesce put Raz'ha at ease. She was not picking a fight as he half expected from her warning in the hall.

The elder repeated the pattern as his eyes tracked from Amelia to Raz'ha.

"The ban is why I've come with these warriors." She motioned behind her.

"It meets our agreed upon terms," Elder Durnst said.

"Yes, it does, but humans do not pass laws as quickly and I mistakenly assumed there would be more time to complete our important trade for my nutritional pellets." Her head tilted and Raz'ha could almost sense her willing the elder to agree with her.

The hound food. Raz'ha cut off a chuff and a denial. She was going to trade her hound food.

The warriors chirped surprise but Yeyinde remained stoic.

Raz'ha found the elder surveying him again and realization hit him. The elder couldn't read Amelia!

Elder Durnst had no idea that her head tilt was genuine but her stance was a façade. Even if her reactions were genuine, the elder couldn't know how to interpret most of them. The elder was trying to read Amelia through Raz'ha's reactions.

The elder opened his mouth to speak, but Amelia cut him off as if she hadn't noticed. "Since the warriors heard that I prompted the recent ban, they came to me to express their concerns."

The elder's mandibles flinched and surprise widened his eyes for a fraction of a moment. He quickly covered the slip, but Raz'ha had noticed, and he was certain Amelia had as well. Elder Durnst had no idea that someone spread the news about Amelia's involvement in the ban. It hadn't been him.

The elder eyed the warriors with a scowl. "They should address the proper elder with their issues and not press their agenda on our trade negotiations."

Quick apologies were chirped and clicked from the warriors. Raz'ha annoyance doubled. If Amelia could hold steady under the elder's scrutiny, trained warriors should remain no less than stoic.

She said, "There are other concerns with that, but at this time I believe it is best to complete our trade tonight. These warriors can assure the others that the leadership knows there is an issue with food distribution and it will be addressed as soon as possible."

She motioned behind her. "They have been kind enough to enlighten me about how important it is to resolve sooner rather than later, and I am willing to sacrifice my evening to ensure their needs are met. I have hope that you do not have even more pressing business as an important elder."

The elder surveyed Raz'ha, but Raz'ha held his body and expression impassive. The elder clicked pensively.

"There have been many meetings this cycle." He motioned to her. "What was our failure point in negotiating for these nutrition pellets?"

She revealed only the smallest hint of her relief with her shoulders lowering a fraction with released tension. She covered it with a simultaneous nod, and spoke evenly, "I have concerns about racketeering. I want to donate half outright, but understand culturally this is unacceptable. To trade for a pittance would be agreeable to me, but what I find unacceptable is that food is not distributed where it needs to go. I'm not comfortable with my supplies going to the greedy instead of critical and vulnerable clan members."

Gesturing to the males behind her, she continued, "One of these warriors is our lead mechanic and he is forced to choose between starvation and losing his job. In either case, we no longer have a lead mechanic. Then who will maintain the ship?"

The reprimand was too far and Raz'ha tensed without thought.

The elder clicked his own reprimand over the forwardness, but his posture didn't change. Amelia gave no acknowledgement a yautja would recognize.

"You can understand why I would be invested in safeguarding skilled laborers who ensure our survival in space." She held her palms out once more. "This is a crisis and we must all contribute if we are to survive. I am willing to continue doing my part by trading my resources if you are willing to continue working with a human. We have already had such productive trades for my supplies."

Her voice was placating but her body was daring the elder to dispute her as she took a step in his direction. She had done something similar when she was pressing Honored Warrior Cov'o. She had insulted, stalked, and then befriended the warrior. Raz'ha didn't think this would end half as well.

The elder looked at her long and hard. "I have concerns about the legality of trading these supplies. You are not the owner."

Her head tilted with her chin lifting a fraction, but then she controlled the gesture. "I understand the concern, which is why I brought Raz'ha, the equivalent of a legal guardian for me on this trip. He has a separate agreement with my mate, Elder Val'jek, that I am to make my own decisions, and he must execute my will in these matters. In short, he will sign a document to give you the legal right to negotiate with me once you have it drawn up."

The elder looked to Raz'ha for confirmation, but Amelia did not. Raz'ha didn't give any response. Elder Durnst must accept Amelia at her word if they were to negotiate, and Raz'ha couldn't undermine her authority now that she'd declared it. His lack of denial had to be sufficient.

The elder glanced at the rest of the males. "You are dismissed."

The males bowed and clicked more apologies. Yeyinde bowed but made no apology. His hunt brother gave a short rumbling purr and a nod of approval to Amelia instead.

Amelia said a polite yautja farewell to the males, ignoring Yeyinde's improper behavior.

Before he exited, Yeyinde turned to the elder, "The session for Raz'ha to feed his ooman will end soon. May I retrieve his ration for him?"

Elder Durnst clicked disdain. Then said, "Sei."

"Thank you, Elder," Yeyinde said with a nod.

As they exited, Raz'ha heard the warriors offering to walk with Yeyinde to protect the rations. They'd all starve if they were depending on that trio for protection.

#

Sain'ja flared his mandibles at another warrior coveting his ration. The stupid ban on challenging the younger males for food had warriors crowding the halls and looking toward the higher ranks. Of all the cycles to not find Raz'ha and Yeyinde, this was the worst possible one. Sain'ja had traded for a scoop of dried kali and his hunt brothers were supposed to meet him in the meal hall after escorting Amelia to Raz'ha's quarters. He must have arrived too late because he waited at the entrance and they never passed through.

Now he carried Amelia's kali and his own ration alone in the corridors while all the warriors were looking for a challenge. Sain'ja could beat many, but Raz'ha and Yeyinde both experienced coordinated attacks for merely pash. He had kali which no warriors had seen since rationing started.

Sain'ja received it in a sealed bag. Realizing he was alone, he'd secured it to the inside of his mask and hooked it on his belt. If he lost a challenge, he'd only admit to having his pash. While not explicitly dishonorable, it was not honorable to smuggle the kali if he was. His only justification was that it would be dishonorable to let the ooman starve when his clan stole her food.

He'd traded two of Amelia's paintings and a fortune worth of equipment, including his favorite whip, over two days to finally secure the kali. Cetanu could have him and his honor before Sain'ja would part with it now.

He approached the corridor to Raz'ha's quarters and shouldered aside a warrior looking at his container of pash too long. The warrior growled but was deterred from the challenge.

Almost there. Sain'ja forced himself to maintain his even stride and not dart for the door like prey.

Another warrior eyed him and Sain'ja flared his mandibles as he reached Raz'ha's door. He turned to tap, to let Raz'ha know it was a hunt brother, but the light on the lock caught his eye. The door was unlocked.

Raz'ha's door was always locked without exception. Sain'ja had secured the trade with the engineer that made the modification to ensure the door autolocked whenever it shut. It was one of many arrangements made in preparation for the ooman female's arrival.

Sain'ja withdrew his combistick and listened at the door. Was this why Raz'ha and Yeyinde hadn't met him? He heard no roars from the males to indicate they fought an intruder.

The ooman could be alone and defenseless against an attack. His heart pounded as a dozen scenarios raced through his mind. This could be retaliation for taking over the lower males. Would they kill the ooman to punish them? It was more likely over her stolen supplies. In either scenario, if he entered and witnessed, his fate would be settled with hers.

Sain'ja engaged the door and it slid open silently. There was no time for hesitation. He tossed his ration container on the table as he entered. At best it would create confusion. At worst it would free his hand to fight.

It did nothing but clang on the table. The room was ransacked and the door leading to Raz'ha's bed was open. He heard the ooman hounds yowl and the yaut hound growling with menace. They were not alone then. He sniffed, scenting a stranger. Male. Probably one, but he couldn't be certain.

Sain'ja reached for his mask, but then recalled it was stuffed with kali. There was no time to empty it and he changed his plan.

"Hult'ah, come," Sain'ja commanded. He could only hope the hound recognized him as a friend.

One of the defenseless hounds squealed. Something crashed in the bedroom.

They were after the meat. Sain'ja barreled into the room combistick first.

Something large and dark swung at his head, but Sain'ja dove for the bed. It was a soft landing and would separate the intruder from the hounds if they remained near their bedding or hidden panel.

A loud crash sounded behind him. He was up in an instant as he got his first look at the intruder. It was one male warrior that matched Sain'ja's size, but clearly not his skill. The warrior had bloodied hands and was enraged. It appeared the hound had given him unexpected trouble.

Hult'ah limped to Sain'ja's side with something small and dark in his mouth.

There was no time to assess or marvel that the hound obeyed, albeit late. The warrior lunged, swinging what looked to be a shelf ripped from the wall. Sain'ja blocked the attack with his combistick, meeting the jarring attack, then slid the stick up to slam the other end into the warrior's jaw from beneath. It made a satisfying crack and the warrior stumbled back.

Sain'ja pressed his advantage and jabbed the warrior's weak belly with the end. He followed it with three more whacks before the warrior was scrambling out of the door on hands and knees.

He moved to follow the intruder.

A whine made him hesitate and the warrior fled Raz'ha's quarters. Sain'ja didn't know his name, but he had seen him before. It could be settled later when there was someone to guard Raz'ha's now unprotected quarters.

He cursed. How had the lock been disabled?

Sain'ja glanced around the room to find the contents of the shelf once secured to the wall scattered on the floor. Hound food and other debris were scattered on the bed. The wall panel, where the ooman's pets hid, was wrenched back and needed to be replaced.

Hult'ah whined at him. The dark object still in his mouth.

Sain'ja knelt as he collapsed his combistick. The hound presented his burden into Sain'ja's open palm.

It was one of the harmless hounds. It was wet and still, unlike whenever Amelia let him hold the creature before. It was the male, the one that touched everyone with his wet tongue in greeting. He gave no greeting now. Inexplicably Sain'ja hoped it wasn't dead.

He flipped it over and pressed its chest. Its heartbeat pumped steady and strong. Still alive, but Sain'ja saw lacerations down his side. His hand was wet with blood and Hult'ah's slobber.

"Where is the female?" Sain'ja asked the hound eying him.

Hult'ah whined at him.

Sain'ja settled on the bed and emptied his mask. If the pet was gravely injured, he would trade the meat quickly before the ooman had to see the carcass. Raz'ha was convinced she would be "upset" if they butchered the animals. Sain'ja couldn't glean a clear meaning for this ooman word from Raz'ha, but his hunt brother made it sound distressing. Sain'ja would ensure she did not witness the butchering and leave Raz'ha to explain it to the ooman.

Where was the ooman and his hunt brothers?

It didn't matter now. He could not search for them and leave the pets unprotected. He had to tend them and if his hunt brother did not return soon, he'd send word to Mar'cte. He and Guan'Thewi would search for them. They could not simply disappear on an isolated clan ship.

He scanned the male ooman hound to find the wounds were superficial. The pauk'de warrior must have scratched him trying to grab the wiggling creature. The minor swelling on his head could be from being dropped or a glancing blow and explained why the small creature did not stir. He would survive.

"Freya?" Sain'ja called because the hound did not bring him the female.

He had to call twice more and began to wonder if the female had been stolen before a yowl answered him. Hult'ah moved to the storage locker and gripped the bottom corner with his mouth. It took some clumsy yanking but the hound opened the door.

Sain'ja peered inside to find the female in one of the bottom bins. She shivered and looked up at him with wide pleading eyes. There was a puddle of urine beside her. A purr rumbled from his chest for the poor helpless creature.

Hult'ah shoved his head into the bin to sniff at the female.

His mask indicated the female was unharmed. How did they escape the wall panel without being killed by the warrior? Had the hound hidden her in the locker? Why hadn't he hidden the male as well?

Sain'ja would never know the true answers. He looked from the yaut hound to the ooman hound in his hand. "If this one dies, you would have no competition for the female when she is breedable."

The hound tilted his head at Sain'ja, clearly not understanding what was offered. It had been a jest, but the idea took hold. He could claim the warrior had dealt severe injuries. No one would know.

The meat would be worth more than a ration of kali. Raz'ha's ooman could eat many meals with trades the harmless hound would provide.

He looked down at the female that had peed on what looked like a stack of Raz'ha's loincloths. She was helpless.

So was the male.

Raz'ha would be enraged. His hunt brother was fair, but what would Raz'ha consider a reasonable penalty for killing the ooman's companion? The intruder deserved punishment, but to frame another for this crime would taint them all. Raz'ha would not thank him if he discovered the truth.

Sain'ja picked up the female hound and carried her to the bed. Hult'ah followed, limping at his heels, and never taking his eyes from the ooman hounds. Sain'ja suspected if he killed the other male, the yaut hound would attack. If he killed one male, he'd have to kill the other or explain why the yaut hound gnawed on him as well as the intruder.

Trading. Finding information. Fighting. Those were things Sain'ja excelled at and prided himself on. They were respectable and useful. Lying and deceiving were useful, but they weren't respectable.

Too bad the ooman couldn't eat Sain'ja's respectability.

#

Elder Durnst motioned for them to join him in his office. "Come ooman, we will negotiate more of your absurd requirements."

Much of the formalities vanished with the elder, and Raz'ha even caught him giving Amelia a less than subtle sniff as she passed. She was about to start her ooman "period" within a few hours, but Raz'ha doubted the elder understood what the scent was exactly.

She pretended not to notice the sniffing, and her tone remained friendly as she said, "If it is absurd to ensure everyone eats their fair share, then I'm happy to be absurd."

"Be cautious, female, the noble have a way of turning bad blood on this ship." Elder Durnst's gaze slid to him for a moment and then clicked to change the subject.

Raz'ha watched the pair as he entered the office behind them. The elder was deflated, grumbling, and looking as if he was more than ready for the sleep cycle. Amelia stood proud from a victory and appeared immune to the severe office setting. She climbed into a chair much too large for her as the elder crammed into his chair behind his desk. It was as if they were familiar, comfortable even, with this setting and with each other.

"Sit, warrior," Elder Durnst motioned to a chair toward the side wall, "the ooman uses excessive words when she negotiates and the sleep cycle approaches."

Amelia made an amused sound in her throat.

Raz'ha interpreted her amusement as her agreement that he should sit away from their negotiations. He was close enough to defend her, though the elder, for all his grumbling, made no shows of aggression. There was no intention to attack Amelia that Raz'ha could detect, and he was familiar with even the most controlled signs. So Raz'ha deferred to Amelia's guidance. It appeared that she was competent in this situation, and he knew this was not an area where he excelled.

Amelia spoke terms first, surprising Raz'ha. "We need a way to ensure food goes where it's supposed to."

"To distribute additional rations will raise prices of trades." The elder tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair. "You will only return to my door with more demands the next cycle. I expect you will soon have nothing left to trade."

She ignored the prodding about the possibility of more trades. "If we cannot find a suitable method, I'd be forced to distribute without help from the leadership. Since I can't very well give away this food, I'd need to find some payment to demand from all those hungry and angry warriors. I'd also need an infrastructure for distribution, which would mean employing a number of lower ranked males." She tilted her head. "No one wants that to happen."

The elder's gaze slid to him, his mandibles moving but making no clicks.

It was only then that Raz'ha realized what she insinuated. She could feed an army with her hound food. If the leadership wouldn't distribute the food as she demanded, she'd have all the males, and probably some females at her disposal.

Elder Durnst clicked agreement. "That would not be a desirable outcome for any involved."

"I have questions," Amelia said, abruptly changing the topic.

The elder chirped that he listened. It was more solicitous than the clicking version, extending a show of friendliness to Amelia despite her threat. Raz'ha surveyed him, searching for signs of deceit. Warriors would take her words as insulting, but the elder acted as if it was common behavior.

"Racketeering runs rampant on male levels, but what about the female levels? Are there lower ranked females that aren't getting their food?" Her hands were animated, punctuating her words in a strange ooman method that even Raz'ha had trouble deciphering. It was jittery, but not precisely anxiety.

"I do not know." Elder Durnst watched her hands. "They would not admit to such a weakness if it exists."

"Because they segregate themselves now?" Amelia pressed.

The elder hesitated. "I could only speculate without facts."

"What about the kids? The pups. Raz'ha's class has been shrinking-that is, there are less in attendance now." Her hands made more rapid movements, gesturing to Raz'ha, and the door, and even the elder as she spoke. "The females are in charge of the pups, are they favoring the females over the males?"

"I do not know." The elder held her gaze, his posture stiff.

Raz'ha knew the answer to her question, but didn't interrupt. He would inform her of the illness that swept through the nursery when they were alone. But why didn't the elder know of the chirnik outbreak? Perhaps he was simply unwilling to explain it to Amelia.

She shifted in her seat, moving restlessly. "So if I were to demand that males receive the nutritional pellets, will females come to pound on Raz'ha's door next?"

"They would not travel to that level." He clicked thoughtfully. "They would send males to summon you if that was their desire."

Silence ruled for several seconds as Amelia appeared to consider the situation. "We'll have to assume the problem is equal for males and females and hope they aren't finding more clever ways to extort rations."

The elder agreed with her. "It is simple enough to ban redistribution of your nutritional pellets. However, where a warrior would pay half a ration for power, it would increase to a full ration if they had another food source."

The elder clicked thoughtfully as they both considered the obstacle.

"Why not just ban it completely?" Amelia huffed. "Surely that would be more beneficial to everyone?"

The elder chuffed, appearing equally annoyed. "It never passes a vote."

Amelia perked up at that response. She leaned forward, and though he couldn't see her face behind her mask, he was certain a smile would be found there. "So let's make a ban that doesn't look like a ban."

"You wish to trick the council." The elder clicked amusement, leaning forward and resting his arms on his desk. "They will be enraged, ooman."

Amelia shrugged off her amusement and her chin lifted, challenging the elder. "But they won't be able to undo it once everyone experiences the joys of eating food that belongs to them."

Elder Durnst hesitated, his brows rising at the sudden change in demeanor. "Ooman-"

"Some things cannot be said aloud. It's called plausible deniability where I'm from." Amelia tilted her head, releasing the elder from her challenge. "I assume you weren't involved, but managed to be tasked with damage control. Tell me I'm wrong."

Elder Durnst gave no indication if he struggled with the ooman sayings because he was stiff and guarded.

Raz'ha watched, waiting for the elder to say something-to deny the theft or explain it. There was no response or acknowledgement. That in itself was an acknowledgement, or as close to one as an elder could give on the matter. The clan stole from Amelia and the elder knew. Was this respectful behavior toward Amelia to right the wrong, or to hide the evidence?

Amelia had been ignorant in the last meeting. Now she expressed her knowledge and it made him restless. Raz'ha eyed the elder, prepared to defend her if the elder pressed for her silence. Through Elder Val'jek, she could destroy what was likely many of the leadership, male and female, with that knowledge. What would this elder do to prevent that?

She let out a heavy breath muffled by her mask, now the one appearing tired. "We need a nondisclosure agreement for our negotiations. I'd like it to be retroactive. I don't know if that word translates, but it means that it would apply to all trades, even ones that have already passed."

"Nondisclosure agreement?" the elder questioned.

"It means that anyone who signs it is not allowed to discuss anything about our negotiations to anyone unless it is explicitly allowed in the contract." She glanced at Raz'ha for an unknown reason. "It offers protection. You cannot tell your council I want to trick them, and no one can tell anyone how much resources we gave up for such a small return. Not even my mate."

The elder was surveying Amelia and then Raz'ha.

Raz'ha didn't bother to hide his surprise. The ooman was-

"This is a wise course of action, female," Elder Durnst said finally.

Wise. Yes, and so very clever.

"I'm glad we agree. You can have the document written, and we'll sign it just as soon as we figure out how to ensure everyone eats." She nodded as if this was a foregone conclusion and not another politely presented threat. If they did not distribute food as she wanted, she would not offer them the protection of her silence.

Elder Durnst trilled amusement. He did not protest her use of more leverage as he agreed to her terms.

The elder was not against Amelia, Raz'ha realized. He did not disagree with her conclusions or her desires to feed everyone. This was not a well-disguised ruse from the leadership. It was plotting-collusion-to legally circumvent the leadership and protect all involved. Amelia must have realized this much sooner than he had.

Raz'ha had heard of secret meetings, where laws were determined, but he had not imagined he would ever witness one. Did Amelia come to the elder with this specific intention? Did she know the ramifications, the potential danger, of this meeting? She was comfortable here, but he couldn't decipher if she knew all the consequences of these meetings.

"I have an idea." Elder Durst chirped as both appeared more at ease with their negotiations. "It was inspired by you, female."

Amelia made her amused sounds again. "I'm listening."

"You cannot be separated from your guardian despite my considerable efforts, but in truth, this is better for all. The same is true of the nutritional pellets. We should have them combined with our rations."

"Combined?" Amelia asked.

The elder nodded. "If the contract bans redistribution of the pellets, it would extend that protection to the rations if they are crushed to powder and mixed. We will use this ooman nondisclosure document to our advantage."

"So it would effectively ban all trading of any rations it's mixed with." Amelia mulled it over. "You could mix it with everything? Make it too difficult to separate?"

"It would be necessary with the foul taste." The elder trilled with a shrug. "They would last longer as a supplement."

Amelia was surveying the elder again, tension returning. "You've tasted them?"

"I traded with Honored Warrior Sain'ja." The elder was surveying her in return, perhaps trying to crack the code of ooman expression. "He needed assistance to trade with the food distribution manager for kali. She expressed reluctance to make such a trade knowing it was on behalf of Honored Warrior Raz'ha."

The mention of Sh'an was forgotten as Raz'ha realized he was witnessing sparring. They were not challenging for domination, but they were testing each other, surveying each attack and defense.

"I asked about females, and pups, and even honored warriors. It didn't occur to me that elders would be subjected to the same issue, especially since I hear at least one is extorting warriors." She tilted her head. "Where do your rations go?"

Amelia didn't doubt Raz'ha's ability to care for her. She doubted his clan's ability to care for itself. The revelation should have relieved him, except the idea had stuck. She wasn't wrong.

"You are not the only one fighting to ensure our survival." His mandibles splayed, but he leaned back instead of making an aggressive move toward Amelia. The elder wasn't angry with her. He was just angry and showing he would not attack. The way his eyes slid to Raz'ha, he suspected it was more for his benefit than Amelia's.

Raz'ha was too stunned by the blunt declaration that they were fighting battles. It was in their own arena, with a different set of rules than in a kehrite, but they were fighting challenges and skirmishes to ensure the clan survived. Fighting battles meant there were opponents-ones who opposed their efforts. What did it say about these opponents?

Raz'ha knew what it said about them. He knew what would happen if these secret meetings and tricks were discovered. Those thoughts were for another time, when he was alone to consider the full implications.

Amelia seemed to give the elder's angry display no response and replied to his words instead. "I am happy we have become allies then and hope we can resolve many issues with our combined efforts."

Giving a chirp of surprise, the elder hesitated. Then he trilled. "I share your pleasure with our new alliance."

They both bowed their heads in respect and their alliance was solidified. Raz'ha could only hope they were successful together because if they weren't, the consequences would be devastating.

Chapter 25

Yeyinde was surprised to find Raz'ha's door unlocked. More than that, he was surprised to find Sain'ja on Raz'ha's bed with an injured ooman hound in his hands. Both rooms were a mess. Stunned, he deposited their rations on an overturned bin. The idiot warriors who challenged Raz'ha were shuffling in behind him though they weren't invited.

"What have you done?" Yeyinde found himself demanding before thinking better of it.

Sain'ja splayed his mandibles at him at the same moment that Yeyinde noticed the healing ointment in his lap. His hunt brother was tending the pet.

"There was an intruder when I arrived." Sain'ja's suspicious gaze slid to the warriors at his back. "A warrior looking to steal from the ooman, or perhaps harm her."

Of course. They had left no one to protect Raz'ha's quarters while on their "field trip." They had been stupid and foolish to not consider more warriors would come.

"Will it live?" Yeyinde assumed as much if Sain'ja tended it. There was no need to care for a corpse, but who knew what strange things oomans expected to be done with the dead.

Sain'ja nodded. "Where is Raz'ha and the ooman?"

Usually Yeyinde would laugh and prod Sain'ja for still struggling to make her name sounds. Even Guan-Thewi could make the sounds. Yeyinde picked through the debris because he didn't feel the humor now. There was only an old and familiar anger simmering in his gut.

It was an anger he swore he would never experience again. He tore himself away from the feeling to focus on the mess before him.

They would need to send for Mar'cte and Guan-Thewi, despite it being a sleep cycle they intended to share alone, to repair some of the damage before Raz'ha and his ooman returned. Amelia was tidy. She was also nervous whenever warriors entered her sleeping domain even for friendly encounters. She would not like this.

"I think we will see this upset Raz'ha warned of," Yeyinde said.

Frustration bubbled inside his gut as he kicked aside a broken bowl and scooped up some dog food. Nutritional pellets she'd called them as she told the elder she wanted to give them her hound food. For free. Oomans had a word for this. Donate. It sounded as foreign as she looked with her flat face and blunt teeth.

"Where are they?" Sain'ja demanded with rapid clicks. "Who are these warriors?"

Yeyinde turned on the warriors. "They were here for the same purpose." He clicked his burning anger. "Amelia decided to help them instead of allowing us to break their bones. She is in a meeting now with Elder Durnst."

"We did not do this," the tan one said but he inched back into a more defensible stance.

"No, but it was one like you. They came to frighten and steal from the ooman. For this!" Yeyinde pelted them with the pellets. "For what she trades right now for nothing but a promise that you will be permitted to eat it. You could not wait a cycle?"

The pair chirped to placate him. The tan one didn't back down. "We will help with the repairs." He looked over his shoulder. "Hev'ja, will you repair the lock?"

Hev'ja nodded. "I will bring my tools."

"First tell maintenance to bring new panels. I will begin repairs." The tan yautja turned to the other warrior. "You will spread news of the ooman." His gaze slid to Sain'ja and the hounds. "Ensure they understand we want the friendly ooman to remain friendly if we are to eat."

Perhaps they wouldn't need to disturb Mar'cte and Guan-Thewi after all. It did little to ease his anger. The anger he was not supposed to feel anymore.

Both exited and the tan yautja said to Yeyinde, "I do not have the power or ranking as Honored Warrior Raz'ha, but they will be able to convince the right warriors to ensure this does not continue. We wanted to challenge, not dishonor ourselves." His eyes tracked through the debris and then landed on the hounds. "We did not know of the meat."

"Companions," Sain'ja corrected with a chuff. "They are for making the ooman happy and not for eating."

Yeyinde was supposed to reply, but appropriate words didn't come to him. One thought consumed all others. They were all doomed.

It was only a matter of when.

#

As they walked to their quarters, the halls were empty, making the ship seem eerie through her mask's low lighting setting. They had completed their negotiations, including provisions to restore ranks to warriors who were demoted over food payments. Much of their agreement relied on Elder Durnst being able to pass laws and apply leverage to the right yautja. If he failed, all their provisions were moot.

"I did not realize you were a skilled politician." Raz'ha rumbled pleasure. "Is this what your hieroglyphs are for?"

"My hieroglyphs? What do you mean?"

"The strange things you have been marking on your skins instead of painting."

"Oh, no, well, yes. I can show you, but they're notes. Names. Yautja rules I've heard. Things I try to remember about who is who, and who does what, and what Val'jek likes to usually do. A little speculating about why elders might suddenly take an interest in either of us. I even did a little math. I had trouble with the calculations on the dog food because Val'jek likes to triple everything-I think three might be his favorite number-but the dog food was more than triple. I realized on our way to the meeting that he was counting triple the timespan and tripled that number to account for spoilage, but the part that tripped me up was factoring what I assume is Hult'ah's rapid growth. I can't be sure, but it seems about right when you crunched the numbers for me."

Raz'ha trilled amusement. "You speak too fast."

She shrugged. "It ends up being a lot of extra dog food we don't really need. Which means other supplies he may have provided would have been plentiful as well." She glanced around for listeners though she didn't directly say it. No one was nearby.

Raz'ha let that topic pass without comment. "I am pleased that you are no longer as fearful though I do not understand all that you do."

His hand squeezed hers gently. The green warrior seemed more at ease with the meetings now, but her worries weren't abated.

She let her hand drop from his. "I may have planted the seed of revolution today."

And revolutions were always bloody.

"The elder is discreet," Raz'ha started.

"Young bloods are not." She took a steadying breath and then rambled out what happened in Yeyinde's kehrite. She couldn't look at him as she spoke, too afraid of his reaction. He'd been careful to not draw female ire, to avoid what amounted to revolution. No one said the words, but they all danced around it as they danced around her stolen food. As if avoiding the words would circumvent the truth.

"I am going to challenge Yeyinde." It was a hard and flat response.

"That is all you have to say?" She glanced at his stiff body. "I may have just explained to the biggest gossips on this ship that they live in a world full of corruption that oppresses them. They know it doesn't have to be like this now. They aren't disciplined. They don't think ahead. They're going to say or do something stupid and then who knows what will happen." That was a lie. They all knew what would happen. They would die.

Abruptly, Raz'ha changed to his language and he said, "You will not feel upset." He grabbed her, his big clawed hands lifting her off her feet roughly.

Amelia yelped and steadied herself on his biceps. "What?"

It was like they were having two different conversations and Raz'ha's was turning physical.

"You have not eaten proper meals. You are weakened. You will not feel upset over what has not occurred and may never occur." His upper mandibles flared at her.

It wasn't anger, not exactly. It was a demand. Maybe a reprimand. "Okay, but-"

"No." He jerked her closer to his face. "You need no words beyond your agreement."

With her feet dangling at least a foot above the floor and his wide spread mandibles inches from her masked face, she nodded readily. Raz'ha was being entirely serious. It was better to agree now, since she had no counter argument, and question what had happened later.

It occurred to her that she should be frightened by his confusing display of strength. "Are you trying to intimidate me?" she squeaked out.

"No," he said roughly. "That would only serve to make you suffer upset."

He was still holding her off the ground though and he had dropped english with the exception of the word "upset" which had no clear translation in his language.

"I don't understand what it means when you do this," she waved to them, her hand bumping his chest.

"I do not want you distracted from here. Once the upset begins, you will find many topics to feed your fear before I am able to bring you back to the present."

Her brows rose. "So you're trying to keep me focused on the here and now?"

"It proves effective," he declared with all the confidence of an experienced warrior.

He looked so proud of himself that she wanted to laugh. Except she didn't think he'd see the humor. Maybe it wasn't funny. Maybe it was hysteria creeping in.

She continued to dangle there. A warrior passed them in the hall and chirped an inquiry. Raz'ha clicked a polite reply but offered no explanation for his strange behavior.

This may have been the most bizarre experience in her time with yautja. It was definitely stranger than letting one touch her tongue. "I think it's safe to put me down now."

He waited a few more moments then gently placed her on her feet, but his hands didn't release her. "You will not feel upset."

"I promise I won't be upset tonight." She could easily credit him with preventing it. While her concerns weren't addressed, it did remind her that there was still time. Having another meltdown wouldn't address them, either. She could feel the swell of emotions, but Raz'ha was right. His method had worked to prevent her from being swept away by them. For now. She suspected it would come later.

Raz'ha nodded and his hands dropped. They continued their walk to his quarters as if it hadn't been interrupted.

She kept her voice even and her words slow. "What do you think we should do about what I told the young bloods? Is there anything to do?"

She stopped herself from rambling out the dozen other ideas her mind raced through and waited for Raz'ha to reply.

"If everyone is able to eat their rations, there will be peace." He shrugged a shoulder. "It will not matter during this shortage."

Could she have accidentally resolved the young blood problem by resolving the warrior problem? It seemed too easy.

But there would be future shortages, and there was always a chance their plan would fail. There would always be criminals. There would be a black market if trading was banned. They couldn't stop these activities, but maybe it would be curbed enough to keep the peace. If it didn't- She cut off those thoughts. She promised not to become upset.

She would consider options like Val'jek did. Make plans. Prepare the way she had done over the last couple days. If something happened, they would deal with it. She hoped.

"Did Elder Val'jek teach you to negotiate?" Raz'ha asked.

She smiled. "Not intentionally."

"You use these tactics on him?" he asked.

"Sometimes, and I've attended many of his meetings. We have meals with the elders frequently when Val'jek is on the clan ship too. They ignore me for the most part and focus on business." She shrugged a shoulder. It felt like a lifetime ago. "I didn't always know what was said, but protocol and their moods were easier to understand than all those clicks. Elders aren't reckless. They have little to prove. Plus they always have agendas they want to negotiate. It seems that's true here as well."

He trilled. "Elder Durnst does not understand your ooman gestures or your posture."

"I know. He's as confused as you used to be." She bumped his arm playfully. "I throw in some random gestures just to slow him down a little. But I'm going to be in trouble when he figures out I smell scared when I go in there."

"Anxious," Raz'ha corrected. "Your fear scent is different, and anxious could mean you are concerned over many different things."

"Good to know," she said. "Did you pick up anything I should worry about from him? Any lies?"

"No. He appears to agree with your intentions." He clicked thoughtfully. "Be cautious, Amelia, he may agree now, but he may not continue to agree in the future. We cannot know who else he negotiates with or for what purpose."

"I will be careful when dealing with him," she said, but Raz'ha wasn't listening.

He picked up the pace, making her jog to keep up. It was a strange thing to do when she wasn't supposed to exercise.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Warriors."

She spotted them then. There was a warrior crouched at their door and one standing beside him as they both fiddled with the access panel.

"At our door?" Good grief, would this never end? She steeled herself to watch another challenge.

Raz'ha motioned for her to stop and she planted her feet as he turned away. He inched behind the warriors. Then in a flurry of movement, he grabbed the standing warrior by his tool belt and threw him into the opposite wall. He didn't look to see the warrior sail through the air. He was too busy kicking the crouched warrior to the ground. Face first.

His silent approach turned to a roar of anger. "Get up and fight me, thieves!"

The warriors stayed on the ground, chirping surrender.

Amelia recognized Hev'ja by the door. Had he come back to rob them knowing they were gone? Why would he do that? She felt a pang in her chest at the betrayal.

"Pardon, Honored Warrior, we make repairs." Hev'ja held up some sort of pen tool as if it would prove his claim.

Their door opened and Yeyinde greeted them, his tone nonchalant. "Raz'ha, they make repairs."

Raz'ha spread his mandibles at them. "Repairs for what purpose?"

Yeyinde's gaze slid to Amelia and her heart stuttered in her chest as she realized why someone would repair a door lock. She asked, "Did someone break in?"

Without waiting for a reply, Amelia and Raz'ha were both trying to fit through the door as Yeyinde shuffled out of the way. Rapid clicks and chirps passed over her head and debris crunched under her feet.

"Are the puppies okay?" she asked, but Raz'ha was demanding answers to his own questions about how someone had accessed his quarters.

She was nearly trampled in their awkward shuffle past several warriors as she scrambled to their bedroom. Sain'ja sat on their bed and he gave no greeting as she approached. Her heart pounded and her hands shook as she reached for the dark lump cradled in his clawed hands.

Hult'ah rumbled at her, and Freya was at his side, both trying to gain her attention.

"Odin," she breathed. "Is he?"

"Minor injuries." Sain'ja passed the puppy to her. "He sleeps."

Tears leaked free as she cradled the limp puppy. She inspected the damage, finding claw marks down his left side. The wounds looked wide and grizzly but they were shallow. "Did you give him something to sleep?"

"H'ko." Sain'ja watched her. "Minor head lump."

She yanked off her mask. She didn't want to hear or see anything but her puppies right now. Hugging Odin close, she moved to the dog bedding. It was the only thing still where it should be on the floor. She sank to the cushion and gathered her stressed pets close. Freya climbed on her for reassurances, her body shaking. Hult'ah nudged at Odin and sniffed at her. Amelia wiped at crusting blood from his mouth. Bright green. Yautja blood.

There was a commotion and conversation around her that was nearly impossible to tune out. Sain'ja had interrupted the intruder and several males were making repairs, though it looked like a big mess right now. Raz'ha had to leave to see to some undisclosed matters, and her stomach somersaulted at hearing that. He couldn't leave her alone with all these warriors in their bedroom.

Raz'ha knelt in front of her then. His clawed hands cupped her face, wiping at her tears she didn't realize she still shed. "You will not feel upset tonight."

She gave a nod because words wouldn't form past the lump in her throat.

He lifted her chin higher and his face inched closer. In fact his whole body invaded her space, making her feel his warmth. "None were seriously harmed."

She nodded again, trying to stay with him, to focus on his claws and face.

"It will not happen again." His mandibles clicked emphasis of a promise, brushing her cheeks in the process.

No one could promise that. She wheezed as it felt like a vice tightened on her chest.

"Today is a victory." He gripped the back of her neck. "You did well. All will eat."

"But," she croaked out.

The claws began to knead and he refused to let her speak her denial. "You have resolved this problem. The warriors will know it tomorrow."

Hult'ah forced his body between them to greet Raz'ha, rubbing his nose under Raz'ha's chin. Raz'ha jerked and chuffed at the hound.

She choked on her surprise. Yautjas did not like anything with sharp teeth to get near vulnerable areas like their neck or face. Hult'ah seemed to think he was a human puppy and tried to nuzzle like one. He didn't seem to understand why Odin and Freya could do it, but Raz'ha didn't like it when he did.

The distraction made her realize the males were all watching them. The workers were more discrete, stealing glances, but Yeyinde and Sain'ja openly watched. When she caught Yeyinde's eye, he rumbled a purr for her. Sain'ja bowed his head and looked down-shame-faced for some reason.

Raz'ha made her face him again, his firm grip on her bringing attention to both his face and his claws. It didn't hurt, but it constantly pulled her awareness back to his touch. He spoke in his own language, "You promised. You will not suffer upset."

She took a deep breath and replied in his language, which took considerable effort to process the words. She said, "I promised."

He nodded and his mandibles flicked out then tapped her cheeks with approval. "Our quarters are being repaired by many warriors. They are safe." His eyes searched her face for a long time. "Do you understand?"

She nodded into his claws.

"Good." He gently raked his claws down her arms until he covered her hands holding Odin. "You will feed and exercise your pets now."

"I can do that," she said, proud that it came out even.

He didn't release her. "You will tell my hunt brother if the upset begins."

She started to voice denial. It was too embarrassing and she wouldn't begin to know how to explain it to them.

He clicked at her, his hands gripping the back of her neck again. "He does not know the signs and you will tell him."

Raz'ha wasn't going to let it go.

"Okay," she said. She opened her mouth to add a "but" then closed it. He wanted agreement and nothing more.

"Good." He watched her face for several more moments. Then he gently released her and settled back on his haunches. "Tend your hounds, Amelia." His voice had gentled from his hard commands.

She nodded and realized Yeyinde was holding a container of food to her. She accepted it with a soft thanks, and didn't ask what had happened to their bowl. Focusing on one task at a time seemed to help so she did that.

Raz'ha moved away and into the next room with Yeyinde. Sain'ja moved closer, standing between her and the warriors replacing wall panels where there had once been shelves.

She busied herself with hand-feeding and cuddling her pets. Odin stirred with whines but didn't wake fully. Exercise was on the agenda, but all she wanted to do was hold them close.

Sain'ja must have noticed she wasn't doing as directed because he settled next to her on the floor. "May I hold the female?"

Amelia nodded, passing Freya. Hult'ah followed with a huff of annoyance when the female was secure in Sain'ja's lap. The hound stood before him, not touching but clearly wanting to remain beside Freya. The warrior made a show of petting the female and bringing her close to his face so his mandibles could ruffle her ear. The dark puppy was pleased, as always, with the attention.

The hound watched with laser focus and grumbles of displeasure that couldn't quite be called a growl.

"Are you teasing Hult'ah?" Amelia asked and put on her mask to hear his reply.

"Sei," Sain'ja said. "He is as protective as Raz'ha and nearly as well trained."

Amelia shook her head. "Don't expect me to reprimand him if he bites you."

"The female is in no danger," Sain'ja said to Hult'ah and held out Freya for his inspection. They shared puppy nuzzling and sniffs before Sain'ja reclaimed the female in his lap. She looked so small in his much larger hands.

Sain'ja always took an interest in Hult'ah, watching the hounds every move over their shared meals. When Raz'ha explained the warrior wanted to trade her hound for his meat, she assumed that was why. She hadn't let him close to the hound again despite an earlier offer to let him feed her pet. But the warrior had been alone with the puppies. He'd defended them when there was no one else to know who did what with them.

"Do you want to hold him?" Amelia asked.

Sain'ja perked up. "Will he allow it?"

She nodded and hefted Hult'ah off the floor with both hands. It took some struggling but she placed him in her lap close to Sain'ja. Soon he would be too big for that as well.

"Be good," she said to Hult'ah in the yautja language. The hound interpreted this command as lay down and he flopped on her legs with a rumble, but his eyes were trained on Freya in Sain'ja's lap.

"Give me your hand." She held out her own to Sain'ja.

The warrior followed her instructions and she drew his calloused hand to Hult'ah for a sniff. "Friend," she said to the hound.

Amelia rubbed his snout with her own fingers then brought Sain'ja's in for a touch. If the hound wanted to bite the warrior, he'd have to bite Amelia's fingers as well. Hult'ah had never bitten anyone before that night. While she was sure he wouldn't hurt her, she wouldn't risk any misunderstanding during the exchange with the warrior. Thus far the hound seemed indifferent to the additional touching, neither acknowledging it or showing displeasure.

It took a few minutes of coaxing and petting with Amelia guiding Sain'ja's hands as she cooed soft words to the hound. But he finally acquiesced to the treatment and nuzzled the warrior's hand in response.

"Good boy," she said, keeping her voice soft and soothing to counter the bustle of construction.

Amelia grabbed a hound treat from the floor and passed it to Sain'ja. Carefully she shifted the hound to the warrior's leg as she cooed at him, "Friend."

Sain'ja repeated it, letting the hound sniff him.

Hult'ah appeared more interested in Freya than the giant warrior and traversed the warrior's larger legs to reach her. The hound gave the puppy a thorough sniff and ear licking inspection. Finding nothing amiss, the hound flopped down beside her as he did when they sat with Raz'ha.

She was impressed with the hound's easy acceptance. "Hold your hand flat and offer the treat. But make him reach for it, don't bring it to him."

Sain'ja followed her instructions.

Hult'ah craned his neck, spying the treat. It was Freya who knew a good thing when she saw it and snatched the treat from his hand with a furious tail wag and quick chomp. Hult'ah sniffed at Freya's mouth, Sain'ja's hand, then wagged his tail and looked expectantly at Sain'ja. Like the best beggar, the hound fluttered his stubby mandibles.

Sain'ja rumbled amusement and retrieved another treat from the floor. He held the female back and offered the treat to Hult'ah who quickly moved forward and took the offering.

"Good boy," Amelia said, rubbing down his side. "He likes to have his back massaged while his tusks grow in." She demonstrated and Sain'ja quickly took over much to the hound's pleasure. He was quickly making his demonic happy sounds which made the warrior rumble a short purr in response.

She could almost forget the day as she watched Sain'ja enthralled with the puppies. The warrior had always used words sparingly compared to Yeyinde or Mar'cte, but looking him over now, she realized he was more physically expressive. His movements were direct and controlled like any experienced warrior, but beneath that there was an open warmth his dexterous fingers kneading the hound's back. His expression wasn't excited like the young bloods, but his mandibles tipped up with a simpler pleasure. He just enjoyed petting Hult'ah.

"Thank you for allowing me to touch your hound," Sain'ja said, probably noticing her watching him.

She nodded. "I can't thank you enough for being here and protecting them." A lump formed in her throat. "I love them very much." And they almost died. Almost she reminded herself. Always just short of a disaster.

How long until their luck ran out completely?

Sain'ja inclined his head to her, accepting her thanks. "The female was hidden in the bins when I arrived. The hound carried the other." He clicked praise. "He will be a good protector when he is grown."

She could think of nothing to say to that so she nodded.

"I contemplated killing the male." The confession was a soft rumble and his head was down again like he was submitting for a punishment. "You could have eaten many meals from the sacrifice."

It took her brain time to process what the warrior was telling her. At first her heart pounded because he admitted to wanting to kill her puppies and he now held two.

But he chose not to hurt them and the reminder settled her fresh anxiety as swiftly as it had risen. Sain'ja chose to protect the puppies and that was the important lesson. Doubts and temptation existed in every situation, but he chose to do the right thing.

She yanked off her mask and dropped a kiss on Odin's nose. "Better to starve than to sacrifice what you love."

Sain'ja nodded and continued to massage Hult'ah's back in silence now that she'd reduced their ability to communicate with words. He often watched her from the corner of his eye.

#

Raz'ha and Yeyinde returned and Amelia caught her breath at the sight of them. They were both bloody from fighting. It struck her that Raz'ha had intended to challenge his friend. Was this the result or had they run into trouble dealing with whoever broke in? She'd assumed they left to handle the latter, but it looked like more of the former.

Neither spoke of what happened while they were gone and they made a show of using the medkit. She suspected it was more for her benefit than anything else. The warriors completed repairing their quarters and were thanked, rewarded with some dog food that may or may not have been on the floor, and sent on their way. Then they shared dinner as if the day was like any other with food divided among them and praise given to Sain'ja for securing kali for her.

Amelia couldn't decide if it was reassuring or unnerving to act as if nothing was wrong. Then that too was usurped by embarrassment as her period started in the middle of the meal. The warriors shuffled from the room to allow her to secure some rags in private. There were no comments about the interruption when they returned and resumed eating. They didn't even give a telling sniff as warriors were prone to doing when she bled.

"We can't pretend nothing is happening forever," she murmured.

Raz'ha's hand was rubbing her back in an instant. "No pretend. All that can be done this cycle has been accomplished and dwelling offers only harm."

Don't dwell was quickly becoming Raz'ha's mantra for her. But how did he go from being adamantly against her involvement to accepting and then ignoring the situation? Raz'ha didn't let her contemplate it long. He stayed with her constantly touching, nudging, and engaging her with menial tasks. Raz'ha was keeping her busy and distracted.

Though Odin's "head lump" was deemed minor, Raz'ha even sent for Mah'sic to look him over and talk to her while the warrior was busy reorganizing their belongings. The unblood was not surprised by the attack it seemed, and she worried that Mah'sic would become irreversibly jaded before Val'jek returned. Mah'sic however was more concerned about the fact that her period started when she was malnourished. She could only shrug because there was nothing else to do about it.

Later, they left Sain'ja and Yeyinde in their quarters and bathed. Raz'ha brought a stack of loincloths that Freya had apparently peed on and they washed them together. When they returned, he decided it was important to review the schedule for the next cycle with his hunt brothers.

"I will escort Amelia to her meeting with Elder Durnst." Yeyinde chirped, making it more of a question than a statement. "My students would appreciate more lessons after their oath, if you're agreeable."

"I think I've done enough damage with them already," she said.

Yeyinde tilted his head. "You spoke the truth to them."

"But it was a bad idea." She shook her head. "Do you think you can minimize the things I said to them? Talk them down so they don't do something reckless?"

Yeyinde clicked a denial.

Raz'ha cut in, his voice commanding like when giving instructions to his student, "Yeyinde will help you do this when you speak to them."

Yeyinde scowled at Raz'ha, and Raz'ha chuffed in response. They had a staring match as both warriors scowled and clicked irritation at each other.

It was Yeyinde who relented as his clicks turned into frustration. "I will assist you with this task when you speak to the young bloods."

Sain'ja blocked any more discussion on the topic. "Will you carry the hounds with you, or will you leave a guard?"

Amelia blinked, stunned mute for a second as Raz'ha seemed to consider the options. "Wouldn't bringing them with us make them more of a temptation? Wouldn't warriors challenge to take them?"

They all clicked, but no one provided a definitive answer.

"We will assign student guards," Raz'ha said, then looked at her. "They don't have the skill to defend against a challenge, but they will send word if someone tries to enter."

"Okay," she said. "More like a deterrent."

Raz'ha nodded. "We must pay them with a small portion of your hound food."

She nodded too. "That makes sense."

She had left padding in the supply she kept for the hounds. They still needed extra to make trades and for Raz'ha and his hunt brothers to eat.

#

Curled up in bed and pressed against Raz'ha's chest, sleep didn't come to Amelia. Neither did the tears she was expecting as she laid under the furs feeling wrung out and exhausted. She absently traced a scar on his chest with her fingertips. And strangely thought about how different Val'jek was from Raz'ha.

Her mate still hadn't sent her a message, but no one spoke of that topic. Not even Amelia dared think about what it could even.

Raz'ha didn't sleep either, judging by his claws dragging up and down her spine. Maybe he couldn't sleep, or maybe he waited for her to sleep first. She knew that Val'jek would wait for her to sleep in this instance, but it was hard to tell with Raz'ha.

As quickly as that thought had come, she discarded it. She did know with Raz'ha. He was patiently waiting for her to fall asleep first in case she felt upset.

She broke the dark silence. "You're not like your clan."

He trilled, both amused and confused.

"You're," she hesitated, fingers stilling "honest. You're good, and helpful, and weirdly understanding."

He trilled again and she couldn't see his expression in the blackness. "How many yautja do you know on this ship?"

She didn't know many well, but she had seen many more recently. She was beginning to understand what was being said around her and in turn what was happening. "I've seen and heard enough to know that you're different."

She felt him shrug a shoulder.

He said, "Perhaps it is you."

She shook her head. "You were like this before we met. My over sensitive human sensibilities may have given you a nudge, but you were ready for it. So I'm wondering who taught you to be like this? Who raised you and made you who you are? Where are they now?"

Raz'ha didn't just accidentally turn out this way. It could have been a form of rebellion when raised in systemic corruption, but he seemed almost unaware of the corruption. You can't rebel against what you're ignorant to.

His good humor faded and his mandibles clicked a slow staccato.

"What?" she asked, her humor fading as well. "Did I say something inappropriate?"

He clicked an affirmative, but his mouth said, "No."

She raised a brow. "You said you haven't met your father and you don't get along with your mother."

"Yautja males are molded by instructors." He clicked. "We learn how to be warriors, how to behave, how to follow the honor code from higher ranked warriors."

"I forgot," she murmured into his chest. And it begged the question as to why Raz'ha had turned out so well and the others were satisfied with preying on their own clan mates.

Raz'ha seemed to be giving her comment some thought. Then he said, "If oomans are raised by the bearer and sire, how were you taught to be honorable? You were a pup when yours met Cetanu."

"We have a government system for orphans. It's a place where they put all the children without parents and paid adults make sure living conditions are acceptable. It's probably a little like your nursery, but I haven't actually seen one." She forced herself to stay away from those memories and give only a brief explanation that Raz'ha might understand. "It was rough, but Mason and I stuck together."

He rumbled and didn't seem to understand after all. "Is this not better to be raised by many?"

"They weren't raising us so much as making sure there weren't any emergencies. We didn't form connections with them. We didn't learn honor from them." She shook her head. "We were a chore that they had to do in order to eat. Make sense?"

He rumbled displeasure and emphasized it with clicks. "It is strange to not teach pups honor and conduct."

"Yeah, it is," she said. "So who taught you?"

"His name is no longer spoken," he said.

That sounded ominous and secretive. "What does that mean?"

"He was a Bad Blood," Raz'ha said heavily.

Amelia was stunned. Someone who was labeled a criminal had taught Raz'ha to be ridiculously honorable. It made no sense. "What happened? Was he an instructor?"

Raz'ha rumbled and nodded against her head. "He was the most skilled Saracen warrior, when I was an unblood, and there was a fierce competition to join his class. He had trophies from creatures I've not yet seen even now, and all females selected him for mating. Rumor said he was being considered for a position as elder. I was desperate to join his class so I selected Yeyinde for my sparring opponent. I thought if I beat his offspring, he would admit me to his class."

It was Yeyinde's father she realized. "Did it work?"

"Not in the way I had hoped. I was very young and full of arrogance and thought strength and fighting skills were all that made a warrior." He shook his head making his dreads brush her shoulder. "Yeyinde was not skilled yet and was easily bested. I had no opportunity to show my own skill and the warrior did not look pleased with either of us. He intended to deny us both."

"So what did you two do?" It sounded like this was how they became friends.

"At first I was angry and insulted Yeyinde for being weak, but Yeyinde stood and wanted to challenge me again. And again. Over and over." He trilled his amusement. "We came to an understanding. I showed him how to improve his sparring and we insisted the instructor let us spar for him again."

"And he let you?"

Raz'ha chirped. "No."

"Really? So what happened?"

"He accepted us both because we were willing to work together and improve." He clicked his mandibles softly, not quite tapping. "He had never stopped assessing us while we stood in his kehrite. Instead of judging our skill level, he judged our potential."

"Oh," she said. "Well, that was better then."

He nodded. "Yeyinde and I both learned to excel under his instruction and trained together since."

"It sounds like this instructor earned your respect," she murmured, not sure how to reconcile her understanding of bad blood and the picture Raz'ha painted of his teacher.

"I learned much from his wisdom which led me to instruct the younger males after he-"

She resumed tracing his chest scars as she waited, but he didn't seem inclined to tell her more about this unnamed instructor. Somehow she drifted to sleep while contemplating how Raz'ha's respected instructor, Yeyinde's father, turned out to be a yautja criminal.

It was better than dwelling on what almost happened to Odin or what might happen to the young bloods.

Chapter 26

Raz'ha watched his students huddled in small assigned groups on the kehrite's training mats. They whispered their plots and tactics to each other and stole glances at other groups. He had never seen his students as cooperative or eager to win as a team before this assignment. Usually one or two scuffles broke out over a disagreement, but not this time. Raz'ha heard only a few raised voices which were quickly hushed and the dispute settled as swiftly.

The assignment was simple one that was given to every class at some point. Raz'ha gave his students a hypothetical hunt and their jobs were to devise the best strategy as a team. The results were always mixed the first few times. Students gave strategies that were competent, but not individualized. They rarely took into consideration their own strengths and weaknesses as they would in a real hunt. This was to teach them to consider practical application instead of theory.

This time they were competing for more than a passing assessment. The group with the best solution would win shifts to stand guard outside Raz'ha's quarters. Guarding his quarters was a boring duty and not the reason the unbloods formed tight secretive circles and shared their best ideas in hushed voices. It was the ration of nutritional pellets guards received as payment that the students wanted.

Since they weren't expected to defend Raz'ha's quarters, it was the easiest path to extra food for the young males. He'd received an overwhelming number of requests for the shifts once word had spread he sought volunteers. This assignment was the fairest method he could think of to select guards. Each class would have a winning team that would be assigned short shifts to stand in the hallway and send word if anyone attempted breaking into Raz'ha's quarters again.

Mar'cte entered and the students were too busy with their assignment to notice. Raz'ha greeted him in polite clicks as they stepped out of earshot of the young males.

"Sain'ja's information was correct and the mechanics confirmed who borrowed the tool used to bypass the lock to your quarters," Mar'cte said.

"Where can I can find him after the last meal?" Raz'ha demanded. This one could present more of a challenge than the last.

His hunt brother trilled. "That won't be necessary unless you intend to challenge him in his medical bed."

Raz'ha chirped.

"The mechanics demonstrate their appreciation by retaliating on your behalf. They asked me to pass their thanks to Raz'ha's ooman." Mar'cte trilled his amusement. "It will be several cycles before the pauk'de returns to duty and his access to tools will be restricted."

Raz'ha joined in trilling his amusement at that news.

This wasn't the first time Raz'ha heard of males wanting appreciation passed along to Amelia, though it was never by name. They had taken to calling her his ooman or his pet. It came with a slew of offers for mating that Raz'ha omitted whenever he spoke to Amelia about the topic. She was overly sensitive about sex and wasn't healthy enough for the strenuous activity anyway.

It was the first time someone retaliated on her behalf. And Raz'ha understood that to be the case because no one thought Raz'ha needed assistance with fighting challenges. The warriors were reciprocating Amelia's goodwill and proving their intent to cooperate. He could not think of another time when warriors would take up a personal challenge on behalf of a stranger.

Raz'ha supposed this was personal for them despite not knowing Amelia.

The small ooman provided a food supplement that offered more nutrition than pash. Even though it wasn't filling, it was more than they had before, and since it wasn't legal to trade it, yautja were able to eat more of their pash as well. The warriors had spread the word that disrespecting "Raz'ha's ooman" risked their food supply and that wasn't tolerated. So they took it upon themselves to challenge the yautja who helped break into his quarters. The warrior Sain'ja saw had been easy to locate and challenge that same cycle. He too was still recovering in medical.

Raz'ha considered filing a formal complaint, but having the warrior whipped fifty times seemed excessive. Odin was making a complete recovery. Hult'ah had taken a chunk from the warrior's hand, destroying tendons and ligaments that would require a lengthy recovery. Raz'ha overheard that the warrior would never regain full use of his hand. Sain'ja had bruised the warrior's organs and made him an unworthy opponent, too weak and injured, for a true hand-to-hand challenge. Raz'ha had been swift and merciful by only breaking his arm in the challenge.

It hadn't given Raz'ha satisfaction the way challenging Yeyinde had.

"Your ooman is not here," Mar'cte said glancing around the kehrite. "Am I not to escort her to her meeting with Elder Durnst now?"

"Amelia was summoned to the meeting early. Again." Raz'ha chuffed. "Sain'ja escorted her."

Mar'cte clicked his annoyance. "Guan-Thewi and I escort her to Yeyinde's kehrite then?"

"If you are not busy, I would appreciate it. She can attend early if you have duties at that time."

"We are not too busy to perform duties." Mar'cte tone was sharp, drawing attention from a nearby group. They glanced at the disturbance then returned to their plotting.

Raz'ha clicked caution. "You are offended."

Mar'cte chuffed. "You should have sent for us when the pauk'de destroyed your quarters."

Raz'ha rumbled to stifle his amusement. Mar'cte was offended that he missed the commotion. "Sain'ja and Yeyinde did not send for me either."

"When you returned then." Mar'cte clicked a reprimand. "We would have come. We should have come help."

Raz'ha tilted his head. "I know you would have come, but it was resolved at the time. There was nothing more to do and no need to draw you away from Guan-Thewi." He chirped. "Guan-Thewi needed you more and we all respect that the same as you respect Amelia's needs."

"Guan-Thewi adjusted to our ways long ago. He merely pretends at being feral because he deems ship life annoying," Mar'cte chuffed, "and you are not ignorant to that, Raz'ha."

"He disagrees with our plans and wanted to be alone with you," Raz'ha reminded. "Why disturb him more with the interruption?"

"He doesn't believe we are wrong, but he thinks oomans are too frail by design to ensure her survival, and he's right." Mar'cte clicked emphasis. "But he will follow because that is what we have decided to do. All of us. That should not be doubted."

Neither Guan-Thewi's loyalty nor status as their hunt brother was in question, and Raz'ha clicked as much, but was prompted to ask, "Even if he thinks this path leads to a purposeless death, he intends to follow?"

There was something disturbing about that. Tensions were easing and the situation improved every cycle since Amelia's trade with Elder Durnst. They planned to remain vigilant, but it appeared the danger was passing for now. Guan-Thewi had been vocal as always about his skepticism of the that however. Their hunt brother was certain this was the quiet before the true battle.

"He sees no purpose in living if everyone he can tolerate is dead. He has no other ties here and won't go back to being alone-clanless." Mar'cte shrugged and clicked to dismiss the topic. "Since the Elder intends to continue changing the schedule, it's best if we all agree to escort her based on availability when she is summoned."

"Agreed." Raz'ha nodded, eager to talk about something more straightforward. "I will tell the others."

"Guan-Thewi has a class later. We will escort your ooman from Elder Durnst's quarters directly to Yeyinde." Mar'cte trilled amusement once more as if they hadn't just discussed their deaths. "I hear she reprimands him in front of his students. He will enjoy her early arrival."

Raz'ha ignored the mention of Yeyinde because he knew Yeyinde did enjoy her visits in truth, but the matter between them was settled with their challenge. "Her name is Amelia," Raz'ha said instead. "Encourage the others to use it, or if they cannot make the sounds, she is Elder Val'jek's mate. Not a pet."

Mar'cte trilled more amusement, at Raz'ha's expense, even as he clicked his agreement. "It's a fucked time we live in, hunt brother."

With that, they clicked farewells and Mar'cte left Raz'ha to focus on his students.

#

Elder Durnst's aid entered his office and nodded to him before exiting again.

"What was that?" Elder Mur asked from his guest chair. "News?"

"The ooman is waiting for our meeting," Durnst said.

Elder Mur clicked his disapproval. "Raz'ha's pet arrives unscheduled again?"

"I summon her at random times to see what she will do." Durnst rumbled. "Now I will see what she does when I make her wait."

He had learned much about the ooman mated to a Tauren elder in the last three cycles. They sparred verbally and he tested her response in subtle ways. The female was aware of these and it became a game to decide which of her responses were genuine and which were disinformation. That in itself was an opportunity to learn her strategies.

Mur clicked disapproval again. "And are you making progress with these secret dealings between you and the ooman?"

Mur had been furious to discover their trickery with the food distribution vote, but not because he disagreed. No, Mur hated being shut out of the negotiations.

What he learned of the ooman thus far made him certain that Elder Mur's tactics would not result in a positive outcome. What he knew of Mur made him reluctant to share many details of his ooman discoveries. Mur had been the one to spread the word that the ooman wanted the ban on challenges for food. It had been risky and foolish to incite warriors to confront her.

"Yes," Elder Durnst said.

"What progress have you made?" Elder Mur demanded.

"She remains cooperative. My assessment is that her goals are in line with our goals. As long as they remain thus, there will be no problem." It was the truth.

Elder Mur chuffed. "Why would her goals be in line with ours? She is a pet. An ooman. I doubt she understands our goals."

Elder Durnst tilted his head. Mur was a known snob and it blinded him to reality in this instance. "Her motives are different, but she desires the same outcome."

"What do you know of her motives?" Mur demanded once more.

"Her survival of course is a major motivator, but also the survival of those she meets. She spends time with young bloods and unbloods and then wants to help them. Warriors beg for her aid, and then she wants to help them. She sees pups missing from classes, and she wants to know if they are safe." Elder Durnst shrugged a shoulder in an effort to appear casual under Mur's blatant scrutiny.

Durnst clicked slowly, forcing himself to not give away his full opinion on the topic. "She wants to protect all things as she becomes aware of them. It is short sighted, and very strange, but not a deception. She will maintain her silence because she wants to prevent bloodshed."

What Durnst wouldn't say was that she would be a difficult opponent if those she protected were at risk. Much of their plans required Mur's support and they would not have it if Mur doubted the alliance.

"And you can swear to your certainty that once this ooman is safe from the consequences on a Tauren ship that she will never speak the truth?" Mur clicked skepticism.

"I am certain. She doesn't understand the full extent of what happened and I convinced her to sign an agreement never to speak of our trades." Durnst trilled with the lie to hide his deception. "What she does understand we are safe from as long as we fulfill our contractual obligations."

Mur still looked skeptical but clicked his agreement. "And Raz'ha? Does he understand what happened?"

"There is no proof he can obtain and he has nothing to gain from the accusation." Elder Durnst clicked to signal a dismissal of the idea. "He signed a contract to maintain his silence as well."

"That was very clever of you," Elder Mur said and then moved on. "Has Del'is requested a meeting with you yet?"

Elder Durnst rumbled displeasure at that. "I speak with her tomorrow."

"She intends to-"

"Select the next high priestess as she had done with the last four." Elder Durnst shook his head. "If we have learned anything from our past mistakes it should be not to trust her candidates."

"It's not her fault the females are corrupted by power." Elder Mur leaned forward. "She has the most support with the priestesses. They listen to her counsel and they will be swayed to her reasoning."

"She had no issue with the current leadership until they stopped catering to her desires." Elder Durnst tilted his head. "As those that came before, she will select a priestess she can control to usurp High Priestess Mer'ik."

"She has chosen Ark'ee." Elder Mur trilled. "You supported her selection as a priestess."

"That was long ago," Durnst said. "What was her vote on stealing from an ooman and risking our entire clan by crossing Taurens?"

"You know it was unanimous. You say this to rile me," Elder Mur chirped with amusement instead of unleashing his notorious temper. "All voted for it even if they did not agree because there would be retaliation, perhaps even civil war if they did not. You are familiar with such difficult choices."

"I do not need a reminder," Durnst snapped.

"You do." Elder Mur clicked. "You are as guilty as the rest of us for all your denials, you participated in two unsanctioned removals of a high priestess, and let's not forget that vote on Mek'ja's fate."

"Those were mistakes. Grievous mistakes we should learn from instead of repeating."

"Those mistakes ensured our survival," Elder Mur countered. "Let us not forget that Mek'ja was executed while Raz'ha was busy hunting for a reason. For all your assurances, the warrior is known for an unhealthy penchant for honesty."

"I do not demand that he lie only that he not speak and he will do that to protect the ooman."

"This could as easily end with arbitrators destroying us all in disgrace," Elder Mur said. "Now is the time for caution and defensive measures not uncertain alliances with lower species."

Durnst pounded the desk. "We have no choice but to make these alliances now. The females saw to that when they broke the contract and stole."

Mur spread his mandibles and growled.

Durnst mirrored the expression.

Elder Durnst's aid tapped on the door and then entered without permission. The unblood peeked his head in the entrance with a chirp and an apology. "Elder Val'jek's mate asks if all is well." He clicked another apology. "We heard," the unblood stammered, "noises. She is concerned."

Elder Mur chuffed. "It is not an ooman's place."

Durnst was about to say the same thing, but hearing the words spoken aloud changed his mind. The ooman was concerned or the ooman was being clever. Perhaps both. Either way, the inquiry should not be met with disrespect.

"Inform Elder Val'jek's mate that all is well," Durnst said. He wanted to ask his aid about her behavior, but not while Mur still occupied his office. Instead he dismissed his aid and returned his attention to Elder Mur. It was time to conclude the meeting.

"I will listen to Del'is and will consider her schemes if they are in line with our goals," he said to make peace with Mur. They were allies, not enemies, even if they rarely agreed.

"She acknowledges past mistakes and has plans to address those mistakes," Elder Mur said. "Only a fool ignores her."

Durnst disagreed, but he nodded. "I thank you for your time, Elder Mur."

They exchanged proper farewells and Elder Mur exited. The ooman female entered as Mur exited and the two made an awkward shuffle around each other. She wore no mask and Durnst didn't need to be an expert on oomans to know she was gleaning information from the exchange. Once Elder Mur was gone, she thanked the unblood aid for his company and the unblood replied with enthusiasm before exiting the office. She then greeted Durnst formally.

Elder Durnst felt certain she had been soliciting loyalty from his aid if not outright prying information from him. Making the ooman wait was not an ideal tactic to be used. She was not unsettled or otherwise affected by the lengthy wait he subjected her to.

"I hope everything is well with you, Elder Durnst," she said pleasantly and showed him her ooman teeth in what was supposed to be a friendly expression for oomans. In any other species he had hunted such a display would have been associated with aggression. "I know firsthand how difficult and rude Elder Mur can be. I hear he means well though."

She was seeking information with this friendly conversation and put on her mask to hear his reply.

"He is abominably rude but our closest ally," Durnst said flatly. It was best to tell the ooman what she wanted if he didn't want to spar at length on the topic. "He wanted more information on our trade agreements and assurances that they are secret from all others."

"Well, he'll have to be reassured by the fact that you aren't telling even our closest ally what's really going on." Her voice was muffled by the mask which gave her more advantage as he struggled to associate her tone with the proper assessment of her moods.

This ooman was the only creature to make him feel at a disadvantage in his own office. He clicked his agreement with her words.

She took his response as a cue to begin their meeting and spouted rapid questions as she was prone to doing. "How are we progressing with our trade agreement? Is food going where it should? I hear tensions are lower now. Is that what you hear? What about the females, are they angry?"

"The females were angry, but they are quieter about their displeasure now that males are quieter about their demands for food." Elder Durnst rumbled his pleasure at having good news to convey.

#

Amelia wasn't sure what to do. Raz'ha was near sulking and she had never seen that before. He'd been his usual self through dinner and after his hunt brothers left for the night. When they returned from washing a batch of rags from her period, his shoulders were more than a little hunched. Somewhere between protecting two entire ranks of males, managing training efforts, coordinating security for her pets, and giving her lessons on his clan's lengthy history of bloody regime changes, he had to squeeze in extra trips to the bathroom to wash her bloody rags. His hunt brothers took over much of the escort duties for her meetings with Elder Durnst and assisting Yeyinde in his classes, but Raz'ha always helped her personally with this task.

"I'm sorry we have to make extra trips to wash," she said softly. "I could do something for you. Maybe I could polish your trophies, or your armor, if you want."

She felt bad to add to the extra tasks he'd already taken on to help his clan.

He shook his head. "You are no hardship."

She would believe him if it wasn't for his lack of supporting sounds. He gave only words and no clicks or chirps to give them context which was rare for any yautja.

"You look unhappy and we're so busy now. I just thought-" She struggled with something to say but came up with nothing.

He chuffed but then said, "I am honored to care for you."

Again there was no context offered and he gave her only words.

"But?" she prompted.

He laid out her cloths to dry and she thought he might not reply.

After a moment he shrugged his large shoulders. "I am disappointed that I have not given you a suckling. It is foolish because we have not mated this cycle, but it reminds me that we have mated during other breeding cycles with the same result."

That was the last thing on earth she expected to hear. "You're disappointed that I'm not pregnant?" Dumbfounded, she stammered incoherent nonsense before managing, "But I'm on birth control. You give it to me every morning."

He made a mangled chirping sound that was more like a croak from his throat. "Birth control?"

"Prevents pregnancy." She motioned to the locker where the medkit was stored. "The blue vial."

His entire body went rigid and his mandibles closed tightly over his mouth. She grew nervous, uncertain of what was happening. He said nothing for a long time as he just stared at her seeming as dumbfounded as she felt.

She opened her mouth to say something, but then stopped. He had thought she could get pregnant. He wanted her to have a child with him. The thought came with a stab of pain and she quickly shook it off. Yautja wanted to have as many babies as possible. It was duty and pride, not a desire to have a family. Val'jek could barely remember the names of some of his children and had never met two that he knew of. Raz'ha said he had a few children, but made no other mention of them. This wasn't about her. It was about his pride.

His body jerked into motion and he yanked open the locker with tremendous force, denting both the locker and the wall. He grabbed the medkit and wrenched off the lid snapping the hinges.

Realizing his intention, she darted to intercept him. "Don't!"

Raz'ha held the kit away from her grasping hands with one easy motion of his long alien arm. He made an angry grunt as she continued to reach though her human arms would never be long enough to reach their goal.

"It prevents pups!" he barked at her as his breath fanned her face.

"It keeps me healthy," she countered.

That gave him pause, but he was still holding the kit away from her. He leaned closer and rumbled a dark accusation, "The elder claimed you could bear my pup."

That gave her pause and she hesitated. They stood at a standstill. Neither moving to press or give up ground.

She broke the silence and her voice was weak. Unrecognizable. "He said I would have a baby for you?"

Her mate was known for being devious with his carefully worded negotiations. There could be no doubts that he had pulled Raz'ha into some sort of meeting when he had first shown interest on the Tauren ship.

She felt sick to her stomach. Had they bartered her body?

Raz'ha stiffened and then recoiled a fraction at her question. "He said you were able," he said, then added more grudgingly, "if you were willing."

He looked at the open medkit, glaring at the blue vial in it, and seemed to make some sort of connection. He opened his mouth to speak again, but she cut him off.

"You never asked me," she snapped at him with all the frustration of months living in uncertainty. "Neither of you bothered with that pesky formality of asking me what I wanted to do with my body. You never asked whether having a child with you was what I wanted."

He chirped and clicked disbelief. "Why mate if not for sucklings?"

Why mate? She couldn't believe her ears. Was that all it was for him?

"For love and affection." It was her turn to recoil. She had just said that. To Raz'ha. She quickly blurted out, "The medicine does not belong to you."

She turned, with a calm she didn't feel, entered the bedroom, and left him alone with her birth control. It wasn't possible to physically stop him from destroying it. Only his sense of honor could do that.

Hult'ah greeted her with a rigid posture and huffing breaths to take in her scent that must have been rife with anxiety.

A moment later she heard Raz'ha exit his quarters and she let out a shaky breath.

It was all wrong. Why would he want half breed children? Was she a chance to have babies when yautja females weren't in season? Perhaps it was a way to inflate his numbers, or some other ridiculous plot to puff up his male pride. Those reasons were flimsy at best, but she couldn't piece together a reasonable explanation.

They had enough problems with his clan right now. No one in their right mind would want to add a baby into this mess. Why did he want to subject a baby to this madness?

None of it made sense. Not to her human thinking.

Notes:

After this, it's all new content finally!

Chapter 27: NEW CONTENT

Notes:

CW: The first section of this chapter discusses past miscarriages. To skip that, start at the # for the next section. There WILL be continued mentions of it however.

Ordinarily this chapter would be layered in within the next few chapters and everything would flow much better. Doing that is a major obstacle that historically this small section has prevented me from finishing up this fic. So, since it's fanfic, and people are still interested in reading it, I decided to just Frankenstein this chapter together in a big mess. That's going to let us all get to the eventual end of this story.
It's messy. I apologize and understand if you're disappointed. Just keep in mind that it's this or literally nothing so be gentle, please.

Two Days Later - In the morning before duties  

 

The deception tore at Raz'ha making him restless and distracted. He didn't want to believe that Amelia had deceived him, but he knew she was capable of it. She proved that with her clever--and sly--negotiations with Elder Durnst.

His mind rebelled against the assessment.

The negotiations were not an easy thing for her, and Raz'ha could think of no reason for her deceit. It was never her plan to mate with him and she'd resisted the idea because it was considered taboo for most oomans. Or so the elder claimed.

She probably hadn't known, he acknowledged after some time, even though he still felt conflicted about it.

She'd been shocked to learn his expectations because they never discussed it. The confusion was simple enough to trace. Oomans weren't direct with these conversations. It was what Elder Val'jek had told him many times when explaining ooman courting rituals. Like many things the elder said, it was not false. Amelia was not amenable to directness with a list of topics as the elder described.

But the elder, Amelia's mate, had known Raz'ha expected to breed with her. Did the elder also know that Amelia didn't understand this part of yautja mating?

In truth, Raz'ha should have realized sooner. They were very different species, and though crossbreeding was not unheard of with advanced races, it was never considered a simple feat. But Raz'ha had ignored a more obvious clue than that. The elder had mated her for full cycles and there were no sucklings mentioned.

The true question, more important than how deceptive Elder Val'jek had been, was why Raz'ha hadn't wanted to see the truth.

There was no other explanation for how he'd missed the obvious clues that should have prompted questions. Raz'ha hadn't wanted the truth.

He'd wanted Amelia.

Amelia didn't want sucklings if she chose to actively prevent it every cycle. She'd never once faltered or hesitated when taking her "medicine" in the blue vial.

But where did that leave him now? He could no longer pretend and he was uncertain if he could reconcile reality with the fantasy he'd lived.

All his efforts to ease her through the food shortage were undone now. The tension would not leave him either. It infected them both as he eyed her tightly coiled hands twisting together. As a warrior, he knew the benefits and costs of this tension were not equal in all situations. The costs outweighed the benefits here.

"I've been pregnant." She glanced at his face and then her eyes averted as her hands tightened a fraction more.

He made a low sound, unable to force a light chirp as would be appropriate to express he was listening with interest. Too much tension.

She said nothing more for long moments and he wondered if she left pups behind on an ooman planet. He could think of no reason for that to create a problem for a yautja, but oomans were different. This was an ooman issue he could not glean from the little information the ooman and her mate had revealed on the topic. Did they not trust him?

He could admit that it stung his pride. He had considered himself on the path to being an expert on oomans, or at least this ooman female. Now everything he thought he knew came into question.

"When Val'jek and I started," she struggled, "mating, I thought we were too different to have a baby."

She had carried the elder's pup. Dread settled on his shoulders and the tension made his muscles ache. They had no pup now. Was she grieving her young? Her face was a blotchy red but her cheeks were still dry of ooman water. She still did not look at him and it set him on edge for an unknown reason. She did not appear to be lying, he was certain of that, but it made him uneasy. Instincts insisted that this inability to look at him was important as they insisted her tension was important.

"Turns out we aren't different enough and right away I got pregnant." She swallowed loudly, her throat visibly convulsing. "I was surprised and so was Val'jek though he suspects now that our species had mixed quite a bit in the distant past. I always wanted kids and assumed I'd have a couple eventually, but I was a little freaked out too. Everything was new. I was just getting over the alien thing." Her voice cracked, elevating to an unpleasant pitch.

He forced himself to give her a chirp though he could not bring himself to give her an ooman hug for comfort. He still felt surrounded by deception and struggled to determine which carefully worded conversations and false implications were betrayals and which were his own lack of caution.

Questioning the Elder more thoroughly would have been prudent. Raz'ha had been duped like an unblood by the elder's perceived kindness and followed the elder's every instruction with a blind allegiance that had not been earned or proven to be reciprocated. Amelia's scent had distracted him. But he suspected the elder counted on that. It was more in line with those of rank in his clan. He should have known better.

"We would have made it work despite all the problems," she took a deep breath, "but I lost the baby around 18 weeks."

He didn't know how long oomans carried pups but he did the conversion to yautja time. It was long enough for her to grow attached to the idea at least.

"I told him that sometimes humans just lose babies." Ooman water was leaking down her cheeks. "Sometimes the embryo just doesn't develop or is defective. Lots of things can happen in 9 months." She turned her face away and swiped at the ooman water.

He leaned in, growing more uncomfortable with her avoidance.

"Val'jek had to know what went wrong. So he studied it, a baby girl," her voice cracked again, "and it turns out that my body wasn't compatible with the embryo. I couldn't provide the right environment."

He moved to hug her, unable to control his body's movements. She flinched away, stopping him short. Her thin arms wrapped around herself with the ever-present tension twisting them tight. He made a jagged purr, giving it a low and soothing rumble. He knew now was not the time for his grievances as an ominous feeling settled over him.

"After that heartbreak, we decided to use birth control. Only the formula wasn't perfected and we quickly ended up in the same situation." She hung her head. "I carried the second baby for a little longer with Val'jek working around the clock trying to keep it alive inside me. It didn't matter. The bleeding started." She swiped at fluids leaking from her nose and took a shuddering breath. "I asked him not to tell me what went wrong."

He leaned closer to her, trying to draw her focus in the tight silence. She shifted her body to counter the move. Her eyes remained trained on the floor.

She sounded strangely detached despite her body language expressing her anguish. "He didn't lie to you. He says it's possible. He says he only has to select the right egg for the right sperm." She shrugged with a jerk. "I couldn't go through with it. Not after losing two like that."

He moved to hug her again. When she shied away he simply yanked her into his lap and cradled her close to his chest. The tension in her body nearly thrummed with vibration. Then she shuddered, her body wracked by her pain. He gripped her tighter to counter this terrible shaking to no avail. It only grew worse as she made an ooman cry of pain and liquid wet his chest.

He tried every purr he could make and all the progress he had to show for it was a soft keening noise to replace the tortured sounds.

#

 

Amelia woke feeling wrung out. Her body ached and her face still felt stuffed and swollen after crying for half the day. Once she'd started that morning, she couldn't seem to help herself and it unsettled everyone including Raz'ha's students.

Yautja couldn't cry and were disturbed by a process that made fluids leak from her body. She had overheard one unblood offer to retrieve water so she didn't expire from dehydration. Raz'ha had agreed, and she mumbled a thanks when the juvenile had presented her with a large canteen. She drank it more for their benefit than thirst and decided it was time to sleep it off.

The training room was now filled with small children exercising and she knew it was time to sit up. She had rubbed her face, straightened her dress, and even finger-combed her hair before realizing one of the children was lying less than a foot away from her.

She paused, seeing his beady amber eyes watching her as he lay on his side.

He was a light tan, and perhaps a little peach on his underside. It blended into the more natural dark brown. He was unnaturally still for the children. The unruly class never lost their fascination with her, often waving to her in mimicry of their first meeting or mimicking her dancing. Raz'ha never let them move close to her after that first day.

Until now.

She quickly tied her hair in a ponytail and then felt uncertain. Should she tell Raz'ha? It was unlikely he had no idea the child was lying down in the back. But Raz'ha was currently busy disciplining a pair of children as two others appeared to be mimicking him out of his field of vision.

Returning her attention to the one beside her, she waved in greeting. His tiny mandibles mirrored the gesture then his hand did the same.

She greeted him verbally. He started to reply but it was cut off by a cough. Not a human cough but a wet and rattling yautja cough like when Mah'sic caught the chirnik. It was a pup illness that Mah'sic retained no immunity to. She suspected other unbloods teased him about it and that fueled his frustration.

After his coughing fit, the child made gasping noises and clutched at his chest. She moved closer as he spasmed, his face stricken with distress. Without thinking, she sat him upright, holding onto his shoulders. He spasmed once more before she heard him take a slurping breath. Good grief, it was like Mah'sic's yautja cold on steroids. Why was the child even in gym class?

The child reached for her, saying a word she didn't understand. When she didn't reply he took it upon himself to latch onto her, wrapping his skinny yautja arms around her neck. Understanding what he wanted, she hugged him close as he made himself comfortable in her lap. The poor baby was stuck in class and wanted someone to comfort him. She rubbed his back as he buried his face in her neck. She felt his mandible tusks pressing into her skin.

"It's okay," she said softly and rocked him.

He tried to purr but it caused another coughing fit. Once he settled, she did what worked for Mah'sic and bounced the yautja child. Mah'sic obviously bounced himself as he was nearly full height but he needed help patting his back. This child was a little heavy for her to bounce, but his arms clinging to her neck helped.

It only took a moment before he made the wet slurping sound of warning in his throat. Before she could react she felt hot, wet slime run down her shoulder. She had to stop herself from making a disgusted noise. She had known what would happen. It just never happened that fast with Mah'sic and he was old enough to direct his lung vomit into a bowl. This yautja clearly was not.

The child returned to hiding in her neck, not acknowledging what had happened. She rocked him as she listened to his wet and labored breathing.

She braced herself before looking at the slime. She wanted to gag. It was mostly black with only a little naturally gray mucus. There were specks of green. Was that blood? Why did he have so much black gunk? Mah'sic only hacked up small amounts of black goop coated in gray mucus, not this black goop with small amounts of gray mucus. It smelled awful too. Worse than yautja mucus. It smelled like rotten food mixed with mildew.

It looked like chirnik on steroids but what if she was wrong?

"Chirnik?" she asked him.

He made a noise she couldn't interpret so she drew his face from her neck to address him. "Chirnik, sei?"

"Sei." Then he coughed in her face.

She shoved him back into her shoulder as she patted his back. Her reward was more slime down her arm. If she wasn't so busy trying to puzzle out this odd predicament she was in, the foul gunk would have made her wretch.

How much slime had he been hoarding? Why had no one taken care of this?

Part of her was grateful for the questions keeping her mind from her own problems.

A glance told her the new slime was just as black. Mah’sic never had that much black goop. After a few tablespoons, he had hours of rest before more black goop was produced to expel. Was it worse because this was a child?

She didn't want to assume the worst but the slime came up too easy. Mah'sic had to work hard, bouncing for up to 15 minutes before anything could be expelled. This kid was ready to coat her with slime on the third bounce. The whole scenario was all wrong. This child was not a stray or neglected otherwise. He was a supervised, if not tightly controlled, yautja pup.

Someone had to be caring for him, didn’t they? So why was he here spewing black slime on her?

Notes:

There is a completed draft of this story, but it needs edits. That's what I'm working on and hopefully we'll see it wrap up in the next few months. If I happen to die before then, a friend has agreed to do brief edits / spellcheck and post the rest for everyone (yay!).

Chapter 28

Notes:

CW: Continued references to past miscarriages. Please be kind to yourself if this might be upsetting.

Notes:

I accidentally cut off the previous chapter in the wrong spot (too early-oops) which is why it was very short. I went ahead and hurried to get this new chapter ready and resplit so it makes some sort of sense at the break point.

Raz'ha jerked to a halt mid-instruction to the pups. Amelia was holding Du'sa.

He swore a foul oath and the pups all chirped and twittered with excitement at the forbidden word. Raz'ha leveled the pups with a fearsome scowl and they quickly quieted. Using his best training voice, he warned them to never repeat the foul word because only honored warriors were strong enough to fight off challenges over it.

"Who here is strong enough to challenge me?" He lowered into a fighting stance and splayed his mandibles in challenge.

The pups lowered their gazes in silence and several hunched with submission.

"Good. You are all intelligent enough to recognize a fight you cannot win." Raz'ha stood straight and instructed the pups to pair off and wrestle.

He gave them quick assessing glances to ensure they were following instructions. Satisfied, he approached Amelia with caution.

He had known it was a bad omen when the yautja female had carried Du'sa into his kehrite, but he couldn't refuse. It was the pup's last request. The female told him that he would not survive the sleep cycle. Du'sa wanted to play, and much to the female's chagrin, he wanted to see the ooman once more.

Paya was punishing him. For what he wasn't certain. Was it because he had upset Amelia by making her speak of her lost sucklings? Why else would she bring a dying pup to see his ooman who made ooman water over her own? This was a cruelty he could barely comprehend, and he knew with certainty Amelia would make more ooman water. Any resolution to the problem eluded him.

Amelia had been sleeping, and Raz'ha had carried the pup to look at her for a few moments. Since she was just lying there doing uninteresting things, Du'sa had decided he wanted to play. He quickly tired himself out, and Raz'ha had let him nap near Amelia if he agreed to be quiet and still. It didn't look to be a challenge as the pup had to be carried.

It took Raz'ha a moment to figure out how to properly carry the pup as his limbs flopped around. Even his head had flopped back at an awkward angle when Raz'ha lifted him. The pups he picked up before had been unruly and about to be disciplined. They had full control over their limbs. This one pitifully could not hold himself up after performing warm-ups.

There was an unfamiliar sorrow for Du'sa that Raz'ha didn't want to think about. He would never see this one again. It occurred to him that he had never seen a pup about to die. They were his students, and sometimes one would never return. In passing a female might inform him the pup had died. He never gave it much more than a passing sad thought. Not until Amelia shared her story of loss with him.

He had laid the pup down and hoped that Amelia would not wake. There was nothing else to do. He would not deny the simple last wish to see the ooman.

Now that the ooman was awake, he struggled with what to say to her. How could he explain the child she held was going to die this cycle?

"Amelia," he said softly as he approached.

"Oh, Raz'ha, thank goodness. I thought you'd never find a moment," she sounded exasperated as she rubbed and rocked the pup who clung to her.

He barely understood her meaning, and her demeanor had changed significantly since her nap.

"Du'sa was not to wake you," he said because he assumed death was a topic oomans wouldn't want to discuss directly either.

"He didn't," she said and opened her mouth to continue but Du'sa had a coughing fit. She cooed at him in her language. "Not yet, not yet. You have to breathe a little longer first."

Did she know he would stop breathing soon? She looked stressed but not sad. He determined she couldn't realize the pup was dying or she would make more ooman water. She grew attached to everything that breathed, even a lame yaut hound. That, much to his frustration, left him with his initial problem of explaining she was holding a dying pup and should put him down before she grew attached.

Looking at her thin arms securing the pup flush against her body, he suspected that he was too late. He hoped she didn't expect to keep him. "He is not a yaut hound, Amelia, you cannot keep him."

Her brows quirked. "Good grief, Raz'ha, he's a child, not a puppy."

He shrugged a shoulder at her reprimand. "If you grow attached, you will only feel pain. I do not desire that."

"Why is he here, Raz'ha? He's very ill with what looks like a gnarly case of chirnik. Don't you guys have a nurse or something he should be seeing right about now?"

He chirped. "You are familiar with chirnik?"

She spoke rapidly, sounding unconcerned, as she repositioned the pup in her lap. "Mah'sic gets it. I think he had his shots before getting on this ship, but you should make sure he knows you have an outbreak before he catches it too."

"Mah'sic isn't a pup," Raz'ha said, "and they only contract it once." Was she confused then?

She snorted and looked up at him. "Yes, he is very aggravated to get a baby illness whenever there is an outbreak. Val'jek made him some meds that will give him immunity for a few months, but it only works if he takes it before he comes in contact with the illness."

Raz'ha was disturbed by the idea of suffering chirnik more than once. It was lethal to one in three. How many times would Mah'sic catch it before it killed him? However if the unblood had medicine to give immunity for a short time, then perhaps he could help prevent more pups from catching it. He hadn't known such a thing existed and worried it might be rare or expensive.

"I will have him notified when the females come to collect the pups." He couldn't leave the pups unattended and they were not old enough to deliver a message.

"Great, so please explain why you have a sick kid in class today?" She sounded aggravated.

"It was his final request." He knelt, ready to take the pup but unsure how to do that. "He will not be able to breathe tonight." He fidgeted before admitting, "He wanted to play and see the ooman one more time."

Her brows drew together. "But this is chirnik, isn't it?"

He nodded solemnly. "He cannot expel the," he struggled-having no word for it in her language, "the sickness in his breathing organ. It is full."

"Chirnik?" she asked again.

He nodded once more, unsure of why she repeated the same question.

"The childhood sickness of the lungs, chirnik?"

He chirped.

"It's not lethal?" She seemed to be asking and telling him at the same time.

"Some expel the sickness. Some cannot." He tilted his head. "Du'sa cannot."

"You mean this sickness?" She presented her side for his inspection, showing him the foul black discharge from Du'sa's lungs.

He chirped. "He expelled."

Looking at it closer, he realized it wasn't very much. The child would still die, but perhaps he would survive another cycle.

"Yeah, he's practically drowning in it." She was scowling, her brows drawing together. "I don't want to think the worst of people, but this isn't some survival of the fittest nonsense is it? Because he's a baby, and there is no reason they can't be taking care of him."

The way she looked at him made Raz'ha cautious. She may have denied her intention to keep the pup, but her demeanor looked more than willing to fight him over it.

"They care for the pups," he said, but clearly she thought pups did not die from this and there was only one other conclusion to draw. "Is chirnik lethal on the Tauren vessel?"

"Of course not. According to Val'jek it's like a space flu." She frowned at him. "Do you not-" Du'sa's coughing interrupted her.

She patted his back from bottom to top as he coughed violently. Abruptly he made a slurping noise and black discharge spewed onto Amelia's shoulder. For a fraction of a second she flinched and made a disgusted face, but then she was cooing her encouragement to the pup like she often did for her pets. "Good. Big good, Du'sa."

"You can make pups expel the sickness," he said finally.

"It's not hard." She frowned.

She could cure chirnik. "You can do this for more pups?" he demanded.

She stared at him for a long moment. "This is why your students haven't come. You guys don't know how to treat it."

He shrugged a shoulder, sensing they were going around in another circular conversation. "Some survive. Some do not," he said again. "But you know how to cure this."

She gave a nod. "It's not difficult." She gave a short explanation on how she and Val'jek helped Mah'sic through it. "There's an oil, I don't know how to say the name. Kind of sounds arch linen to me, but there are some clicks in the middle. It smells like mint-scented vomit, but Mah'sic rubs it on above and below his mouth every few hours."

Raz'ha knew the oil she described and chirped his confusion. In tiny doses, the oil made the lungs produce mucus which treated dry lung. No one would consider using it to treat an illness that filled the lungs with sticky black tar. That would only kill a pup faster by filling the lungs faster, he thought. But Taurens used it to cure chirnik. "You are certain?"

She nodded. "Mah'sic probably has some in his personal medkit. As a fellow chirnik sufferer, I'm sure he'd be willing to help." Then she shrugged. "If you don't have any, you don't actually need it. Mah'sic says it's just to make it easier."

Paya was not cursing him. She was saving a pup by bringing him to Amelia.

"You will cure him?" He looked over his shoulder at the pups growing unruly again. "I must maintain order."

"Yeah, I think I can handle this one," she said. Humor was written on her features. "But you have to say something encouraging to Du'sa first."

He chirped. "Does that help?"

"Absolutely." Her smile was filled with mischief and for a moment the tension was gone. There were no lost pups, no starving clan, and no absent mate.

#

Amelia shifted so Du'sa faced the warrior. In his language, Raz'ha said a couple of sentences and appeared to be laying it on thick with his I-give-important-instructions voice. Raz'ha then nodded to her and returned to his instructions.

"Looks like it's just you and me, Du'sa," she said. He looked up at her strange language. In his language, she said, "I help you."

He clicked his mandibles in a baby agreement. "Ooman."

"We're going to be all right," she murmured and proceeded to bounce him. Belatedly she wished she'd asked Raz'ha for something to clean up with, or even a bowl for the child to puke his lung mucus. She was going to need a thorough scrubbing later.

As the class wore on, and he was still spewing black slime, Amelia grew too tired to bounce him. She stood with him, and holding his hands, showed him how to bounce himself. It seemed to work. Then Du'sa grew too tired to stand, and Amelia took her turn bouncing him in her lap.

"I'm so glad Mah'sic can do this for himself," she cooed, running out of new endearments to say. Du'sa seemed wrung out and his eyelids drooped. His breathing did sound better, but he didn't have the strength to see this through. She suspected that since he hadn't been getting rid of the buildup his lungs would not empty today. Tomorrow would be another long day for the child. She just hoped that someone would take care of it now that she told Raz'ha it was possible.

She didn't fool herself. She may never see Du'sa again, not after she'd been holding him for hours. The lump in her throat formed once more, and she swallowed around it. She wondered if she hadn't miscarried if her daughter would have caught chirnik as well. Would she have bounced her own baby through this?

Amelia tore her thoughts away from the topic. She had decided to leave that heartbreak in the past and meant it. She'd done it before. She'd shove it back down and focus on real problems that she could actually impact.

Don't dwell, as Raz'ha liked to tell her.

The females would not appreciate her interference. She half expected them to challenge Raz'ha when they came to return the kids to the nursery. A solution for Raz'ha's awkward situation was churning in her mind. What would Val'jek do?

She could only hope that Raz'ha was a quick thinker because he certainly never showed her that he was a devious one.

#

When the females arrived, Raz'ha was eager to show them Amelia's cure. Foolishly he expected them to be as excited as he was. The tall red female was annoyed by his chatter before he had a chance to explain and she was furious upon seeing Amelia holding the dozing Du'sa. Raz'ha was hard-pressed to reach Amelia first. She stood, struggling to hold the heavy pup as she found her footing.

Raz'ha was torn between gratitude that Amelia cared for the pup so diligently and frustration that she was carrying a heavy weight for lengthy periods when he hadn't properly fed her.

Amelia whispered as if the female could understand her language. "Act like the offended party, Raz'ha."

He chirped his confusion.

"Trust me. Make it sound like she made this a burden for you so you both have a grievance." Then she added, "Val'jek uses the tactic all the time."

The female was upon them and he took Du'sa as Amelia whispered a yautja farewell. Once Raz'ah held him, the pup began fussing and squirming.

Amelia lovingly petted the pup's forehead. She could not be oblivious to the angry female yautja towering over them, but she continued to soothe the pup as if violence was not about to break out.

"Hold him upright," Amelia said.

The female was snapping at him but Raz'ha focused on Amelia's instructions. The ooman could save pups and the female could not. The other yautja female was ushering the remaining pups from the room. The three of them were now alone with Du'sa.

"Support his head," Amelia said. "And tell them that he has to sleep in a more upright position."

Raz'ha fumbled but followed her instructions, bringing the pup chest to chest and letting him shove his face in Raz'ha's neck. Instantly the fussing ceased and a tiny arm wrapped around his neck.

"Thank you," he said to Amelia.

She inclined her chin. "Put on your offended face before she beats us bloody."

He didn't quite understand her word choice but grasped that she wanted him to pretend now. It was easier than it should have been to feel aggravation at the large female. She was threatening to have him punished for mishandling a pup and letting a foul-smelling ooman touch Du'sa.

Raz'ha rumbled and clicked a warning. "You brought an ill pup to my kehrite. The pup required extra attention away from my students. He dirtied my floor. I am not idle, female. I have tasks to be completed." He struggled for a moment to make up a grievance. "I was forced to use Elder Val'jek's pet to care for him. She was very taxed by helping the pup expel the sickness. She is an ooman and weak from hunger. She is not strong enough to perform your duties for you."

The female's mandibles flared as if to roat but she paused before the sound came out. "The pup expelled?"

"Of course he expelled. Amelia - the ooman - has helped him endlessly and he expelled all over her." He turned Amelia with his free hand to present to foul goop on her side. "I was forced to smell this all cycle and now must waste more time washing the ooman." He plucked at the ooman garment. "This will take many washings if it is not ruined. Ooman clothes are difficult to procure. Will you be the one to replace it?" he demanded.

"I did not ask you to let the ooman touch the pup!" She glared at Amelia who shrank back an inch.

"You should have helped the pup yourself then." He mimicked an imperious look he had seen Val'jek use many times. "You expected us to ignore his needs?"

The yautja female seemed furious and yet said nothing in reply.

"I agreed to an ill pup because I was told he was dying." He held up Du'sa. "I did not realize it was a ploy for females to shirk their duties and force me to be responsible for helping with simple chirnik."

"He is dying," she snapped but then her gaze shifted to Amelia's slimy arm. "How did the ooman do this?" she demanded.

"You don't know?" He tilted his head and chirped as if he was unaware of her ignorance. "Even an ooman pet knows the cure. I will have Amelia instruct you."

She flared her mandibles. "If this is a trick, warrior, I will see you lashed."

He ignored the threat and turned to Amelia. "You will demonstrate and I will translate."

He tried to give her Du'sa. She waved him off and said, "He is too tired for the day."

"You must if you want the females to listen."

"Bring another sick one?" She looked almost hopeful.

He realized she didn't understand that this was the best opportunity, perhaps the only one, to show the female how to cure chirnik. He forced the pup into her arms. "They would not allow it, but you have already held this one."

She grunted with the weight and Du'sa wrapped his arms and legs around her, eager for the gentle ooman. She muttered something incomprehensible but he suspected it was a curse.

"Okay, explain that he is done for the day. They cannot do this to him more because he's tired."

While Raz'ha translated to the skeptical female he was too aware of Amelia soothing the pup by whispering soft endearments and swaying gently. Did this not pain her to care for a pup when hers did not survive to take a first breath?

Raz'ha agreed to make all translations and insisted that the females address each other. Amelia was saving countless pups, and the yautja female would give her the courtesy of acknowledging her existence.

The female continued to glare. "He looks half dead. I am not certain he will survive even if he has expelled."

"He is exhausted but he breathes better now. Tomorrow he must do this many times again. Once there is little to no black gunk, then he must do it 4 or 5 times a day until he is well," Amelia replied and waited for his translation.

"Demonstrate this cure," the female demanded.

Amelia spoke to Du'sa then, "I know you're tired but we need to do a little more for you to feel better. Can you do that? Can you be a strong little warrior and show everyone how you get well?"

Raz'ha translated to Du'sa. The female rolled her eyes and Du'sa gave a raspy agreement as he tried to puff his chest.

Amelia proceeded to bounce with her toes on the floor and lift her heels. It took longer than her last demonstration with Amelia shifting the pup to her hip and pacing in a small circle. She chattered continuously in her language and though the pup didn't understand he seemed pleased to hear her speaking to him. The pup clicked happily in response to her. Raz'ha suspected Amelia understood little as well.

As the female grew more annoyed, finally Du'sa made a particular slurping sound. Amelia tilted the pup to the side and he expelled onto the floor.

She rubbed his back. "Good. Very good job, sweetheart."

The female appeared shocked. She inspected the pup and floor. "That is all that must be done?"

Raz'ha shook his head. Amelia and the pup were forced to demonstrate the second method. The young bloods had already entered the room as they waited for the right cough. Raz'ha sent a message to Mah'sic and another to Yeyinde as he waited.

When Du'sa expelled again the class chirped and murmured in response to an ooman female curing a pup.

Raz'ha translated Amelia's simple care instructions and insisted the female speak to Mah'sic about the oil. They likely had the oil in stock, but it was better to confirm the name and dosage with the unblood.

"Why does this work, ooman?" the female demanded, her mandibles clicking with apprehension.

Raz'ha understood her confusion. This was no great discovery through technology and research.

"Uh," Amelia said. "I'm not sure. It's something about dry lungs. When I caught it, I only had a minor cough for a couple of days and Val'jek said it's because my lungs, uh, produce more mucus or something, so I think the sickness can't stick to me." She rambled more confusing things and threw a panicked look at Raz'ha before blurting out, "Mahsic can explain it."

The cure was beginning to make sense. If mucus prevented the sickness from attaching to the lungs, then it explained the reason for the oil to treat dry lungs. More mucus would, in theory, prevent the black slime from clinging to the lung walls. In turn, bouncing and patting the pup's back must have helped dislodge what was already stuck.

Instead of translating or sharing his theory, Raz'ha said, "You have wasted enough of my time. Speak to the Tauren unblood, Mah'sic, if you have more questions."

The female looked ready to make demands but Yeyinde entered the kehrite. Ignoring the female, Raz'ha greeted Yeyinde. His hunt brother appeared reluctant to approach upon seeing Amelia with a sick pup and angry female. Raz'ha motioned him forward anyway.

"I have been summoned for emergencies before, but never one as strange as this." He then chirped a greeting to Amelia and the female. "Shall I bathe your ooman, Raz'ha?" Yeyinde appeared eager to do so with two mandibles rubbing together suggestively.

The female snorted and said, "Return the pup, warrior. I have no desire to touch the filthy slave."

Appearing to understand, Amelia kissed Du'sa's large forehead. "Goodbye, sweetheart. Feel better."

Du'sa fluttered his mandibles at her in a sleepy gesture as she passed him to Raz'ha. Raz'ha made the transfer, giving the pup his own words of encouragement.

The female cradled him on his back and Raz'ha tapped his mandibles in reprimand. "You must hold him upright." Doing his best to mimic Elder Val'jek, he added, "and support his head."

The female huffed but followed the instructions. She left with only a murderous glare as her farewell.

He turned to his hunt brother. "I must care for Amelia. I will be in your debt if you train the young bloods today."

Yeyinde appeared to give it thought. "I would much prefer you train the young bloods and I care for the pretty ooman."

Raz'ha growled.

"Or I can train the young bloods." He chirped his amusement.

Raz'ha bowed. "Thank you, my hunt brother."

Yeyinde chirped a good-natured taunt. "It is unwise to owe so many favors during a food shortage, brother."

 

Notes:

Thank you to everyone who commented or sent a message or kudos over the years!

Chapter 29

Notes:

CW: More discussion of past miscarriages.

They retrieved fresh garments from his quarters and headed directly to the wash facility. The washing room was nearly empty with only a couple warriors and an unblood bathing.

Raz'ha ordered an unblood out of the bathing pool with weaker cleansing chemicals. The unblood quickly chirped his agreement and scrambled into the next pool. "Apologies, honored warrior. I didn't know you intended to bathe your ooman at this time."

Raz'ha forced his gruff reply down as he undressed. The unblood was a student and did nothing wrong to warrant his annoyance. In truth, his annoyance was over his own lack of understanding his ooman. "Thank you. Ooman flesh is sensitive to strong chemicals and this is where she must wash."

The unblood chirped, trying his best to steal glances at Amelia without provoking Raz'ha to a challenge. "I am honored to relinquish the pool for your needs."

Raz'ha nodded and helped Amelia into the pool as the unblood discreetly watched. He was relieved that Amelia simply ignored the unblood's attention. He took off her dress and began scrubbing it in the water as she rubbed the slime from her arm in silence. Much like the unblood, Raz'ha also stole glances at her. She seemed tired and lost in her own mind. She was neither upset about the pup near death nor happy to have saved many pups today.

Remembering that oomans approached subjects less directly, he said, "You are quiet."

"Sorry, I'm just worried about Mah'sic. If he catches chirnik here, he will be humiliated." She used her blunt nails to scrape off dried mucus from her arm. Even the cleaning agent struggled to dissolve the mess. Her garment would probably not come clean.

He gave her response some thought. "The females will question him about chirnik. He will be praised if he aids pups with knowledge as you have done."

"I don't know if he will see it that way," she murmured. "He's finally getting a little food to eat and if they're leaving for his chiva soon, he can't get sick now. You told him there was an outbreak?"

"Yes." He struggled with something to say. "If the unblood is ill, I will offer my aid in expelling the sickness."

She gave him her amused ooman smile. "You will regret that."

He chirped in question.

She understood the sound and said, "He is very disgruntled when he is sick. Worst patient ever."

He was not concerned with the unblood's ill temper. "Mah'sic's temperament is easier. I understand much even if Taurens have different customs."

"But you are confused about me." She looked at his face. "About me and babies."

He gave a nod. "I expected you to make ooman water for Du'sa."

She gave it thought. "To you he was dying, but he only had a seasonal cold to me. It's just a nuisance sickness." She shrugged. "He will get better."

Two of his students hadn't survived, but he didn't tell her that. "You are not proud to save his life?"

She quirked a brow. "I don't know. Should I be?"

"One in three pups die of chirnik." He tilted his head. "It is the most frequent cause of pup death on our ship. It ensures my clan remains small."

"That just makes me sad and frustrated." Her brows lowered as she made her angry face. She scrubbed her shoulder cleaning off the last of the mucus.

He did not understand. "Why?"

"It's a simple sickness with a simple treatment. You don't even need medicine." She waved her hands at nothing in an angry gesture he recognized. "It just seems ridiculous that anyone should die like that. Many ways here seem unnecessary and," she made a choked noise, "sad."

The unblood was growing nervous in the next pool as he watched the exchange. He clearly did not understand her language but seemed to discern her anger.

"My clan may not thank you for your aid, but I do." He gripped her shoulder as he would for a celebrated warrior. It saddened him that his clan would not honor her. They would profit from her again while Amelia remained frightened and hungry. "You accomplished an important task and should feel pride."

She looked up at him helplessly. "Raz'ha, I," she shook her head, "I don't want anyone to die. If I can help, I will, but you guys should really have a chat with Mah'sic about things like medicine. Honor him. He knows more than me."

"I will recommend it to the elders." He returned to washing her garment. "May I ask you questions you will dislike?"

She made a laughing huff. "If you are okay with answers you will dislike."

He clicked at her sarcasm, recognizing that he said something inappropriate for an ooman.

"Ask away, Raz'ha." As she agreed verbally she shook her head in a confusing no gesture.

Already having erred he could not retreat. He shrugged a shoulder and asked, "Did Du'sa make you sad for your own sucklings?"

Her gaze dropped from his face similar to the way she refused to see him before. He did not understand this gesture but began to suspect it was a sign that she was withdrawing despite standing beside him.

"Amelia?"

She shrugged. "Maybe."

He chirped his confusion.

"I don't know what you want me to say." She twisted her hands together. "I know Du'sa is not mine and I have no plans to try to keep him if that is what you're asking."

"I am asking if the pup made you sad."

"A little, maybe, wondering what mine may have looked like. If things were different." She shrugged again. "I don't focus on that. What happened can't be undone and is best left in the past. I don't like to talk about it."

He stopped himself before blurting out his next thought. Carefully he said, "I am not ooman. I know I will offend but I ask only to understand."

Her profile shifted more away from him as she nodded her consent.

He rumbled a purr preemptively. "I heard a female bearing a pup to care for would ease grieving. Is this not true for oomans?"

"One doesn't just replace the other." She took a deep breath and shook her head, no. "It's not that simple."

He chirped but it was a long time before she replied.

"The next one may not survive. There are never any true guarantees." Her voice sounded detached. "What if one did survive? Would my child be yautja?" She did look at him in a strange blank way that made him uncertain. "Would my child be a slave or free? Would they be accepted or would they be lonely and friendless or even mateless for a long miserable life?"

The detachment dropped and her brows creased again. "Why would anyone put another life in that situation? That wouldn't make me feel better."

"I would ensure their happiness," he said readily even as he was unsure how to do that. He would learn. "I would do what is necessary. I would find it a suitable mate even if it requires an ooman."

"Raz'ha, it isn't that easy. I made my choice to be with Val'jek, but a child would have none. They would probably be a slave. We both know it."

Raz'ha disagreed with that assumption. Instead of voicing his thoughts on that, he reminded her, "You are slave in name only and do as you wish. Elder Val'jek ensures it. He would ensure this for your offspring if necessary."

There was no shame in relying on the elder's higher rank. It would offer more for Amelia and her pups, and ensuring both were protected was more important than his pride.

"And if my child outlives him? Val'jek will probably outlive me but what about a mixed race yautja?" She was making her stubborn face.

"He has taken measures to protect you. The same would be done for your offspring." He rumbled. "I would ensure there is protection."

He intended to say more but he was rendered mute by a startling realization. Amelia was not opposed to bearing a suckling. She was afraid of what might befall her offspring. If she did not want a pup, she would not question him with these numerous fears she appeared to harbor. She would not have those fears if she did not think of pups.

She frowned at his answer. "Yautja men don't typically care for babies. In my culture, we call fathers who don't care for their children deadbeats."

"I am unfamiliar with this word." He cocked his head trying to mimic her.

Her voice was flat. "It's derogatory. It means they are irresponsible, disloyal, and losers."

He recoiled. Amelia thought this of males? "Yautja do not think this way. Females do not want males to care for pups."

Is this how the elder bonded with her? Elder Val'jek had an unnatural relationship with his offspring. Thoughts of how he struggled to hold Du'sa came to mind and he felt suddenly inadequate. She had seen this deficiency in him today.

"I know." She sank lower and began washing her ooman hair. She had dismissed the topic and Raz'ha was left feeling more unsettled than before he questioned her.

He did his best to clean the garment but as he suspected, it was stained. He moved on to washing his own body and ignored the unblood trying to figure out a way to broach a conversation. It was likely about mating with Amelia.

Unbloods and young bloods couldn't seem to help themselves and he had numerous requests to mate her. They would not challenge Raz'ha for her, since they had no hope of winning, but they could be annoying and persistent. He suspected half of the males would still be willing to pursue the ooman even after knowing how difficult it was to engage in ooman mating. They were full of confusing rituals and unspoken expectations.

And they didn't mate for offspring, which was the most confusing part of it all.

#

The next day

He placed the medkit beside her pash breakfast. Before she could ask, Raz'ha said, "I will not hinder you, but I have difficulty fulfilling this duty."

His mandibles closed tightly and she realized his face was expressing his discomfort or perhaps even humiliation. She ached for him as he was caught in her alien culture. He hadn't known sex was about love and pleasure instead of just babies.

"I understand," she said and took a steadying breath. She inched closer and gently touched his mandibles. He flinched and his body grew more tense. Undeterred, she stroked his face with both hands. "Neither of us knew what we were getting into. It will be all right though. I will manage my medicines and you won't have to feel conflicted."

He seemed torn but his mandibles released their death grip on each other. "Forgive my failure in this task."

"It's no failure," she started but realized she would never convince him with denials. This was his ingrained culture. "It would be unnecessarily cruel to require you to perform this task. I release you from this duty." Her words sounded awkward to her ears, but she hoped formalities would make him feel reassured.

"Thank you, Amelia." Like magic the tension melted from his big body. He leaned into her palm and his opposite mandibles lightly dragged over her wrist.

"Thank you for understanding why this is important," she said.

He covered her hands and gently returned them to her. "We must eat before I am late for my duties."

She did her best to smile her agreement but couldn't help her concern. Did no babies mean Raz'ha was finished with her? She had known better than to grow attached to the warrior and yet here she was worrying that he may not want her anymore. What happened to the plan to keep him at arm's length?

She added her medicine to her food and they ate in silence both stewing in their thoughts.

#

That evening

She was in the hall with Yeyinde when a procession of females caused a stir. A sinking feeling took residence in her belly at the sight of them coming to a level meant for males.

"Maybe a different route is best," Amelia murmured.

Yeyinde clicked agreement as he motioned her to take a right at the adjoining hallway. Even with her mask she barely made out anything in the dark hall. She heard that locations frequented by the younger males had even less lighting but this was downright blinding. How did Mah'sic and the others cope?

"Amelia of the Taurens," a distinctly female voice called.

Amelia froze and Yeyinde gripped her shoulder, steering her a step behind him as they turned to face the owner of the voice. His mandibles spread wide and his chest puffed in a display that would intimidate most. She recognized his subtle nudges as the procession approached them. He was shielding her, and through her history with Val'jek, she recognized that the claw on her shoulder wasn't happenstance. If he decided to carry her, he'd steer her into his chest by that shoulder and lift her by the hips with the other arm.

Yeyinde expected to flee with her. That could only mean that if there was a confrontation, he didn't expect it to be honorable because he certainly wasn't a coward.

"Amelia has a meeting to attend," Yeyinde said as he clicked a simultaneous greeting.

"I will let Honored Warrior Raz'ha know she will be late." The female waved a hand and one of her procession broke off. The nameless female headed down the better lit hall.

Yeyinde rumbled indistinct displeasure.

"Make introductions, warrior," the female said.

Yeyinde stared for a moment too long but then did as instructed in his own way. "Amelia, this is Del'is, an esteemed female of our clan." His clicks were technically praise, but Amelia had the impression they were sarcastic. As sarcastic as clicks could be anyway.

Amelia bowed her head as appropriate.

"Del'is, I introduce Amelia of the Taurens, mate to Elder Val'jek also of the Taurens, and sponsor of our trade negotiations, and curer of chirnik."

That was a serious deviation from the script and she gaped at him behind her mask.

"I am honored to meet with you, esteemed ooman," the large female said.

Amelia bowed her head again as her mind raced. This was no happenstance and she struggled to remember who this female was and why everyone who entered the hall stopped to watch this introduction. She hadn't been introduced by any title so couldn't be a priestess, but yautja ranks and titles could be a little more categorical rather than specific to a person. The female hadn't used Yeyinde's honored warrior when addressing him. Though Amelia was pretty sure that was a subtle jab feigned as if she hadn't noticed.

"We must go if the ooman is to eat." Yeyinde added subtle pressure to her shoulder, encouraging her to inch back.

"That is why we have come to visit this level," the female said as if he wasn't trying to make an exit. "There are rumors of harsh conditions and terrible hunger in the male quarters. We are told it is exaggerated complaints, that males whine over small discomforts." She chuffed. "We see now there is much truth to these rumors. Don't you agree, ooman?"

Amelia said, "It's rumored that all suffer on this ship."

"It was wise and generous of you to alleviate that with your own food supply and join us in our hunger." There was a note of expectation as Del'is tilted her head in Amelia's direction.

"Any would have," she said hoping to mitigate the praise in case an insult was to follow.

"Many have not." Del'is stepped closer. "Many will not."

And then it clicked. This was Del'is, the person pulling the strings in the background. She was the driving force in most regime changes during Raz'ha's adult years.

"I can't say I speak for others or know truth from rumor for sure," Amelia said, evading the implications of the clan leadership doing nothing.

Del'is chuffed. "I say it is truth."

"That is very disheartening then."

"Yes, and unacceptable. Is it not proper to address these disheartening practices as you've addressed the hunger and now the chirnik outbreak?"

Amelia looked around and understood the purpose of the procession now. It was a campaign stop. Del'is was rallying support and trying to capitalize on the dumb luck of Amelia helping their young. If only the female knew how unimpressive a human endorsement would be. An answer was expected though, so Amelia pulled herself together.

"That depends on what replaces the current practices. Where I come from it's important to be diligent and look closely at new ideas and new leaders or we risk repeating the same vicious cycle of oppression and corruption. I am told it's a universal trap, this blindly ushering in the new when we are done with the old."

The female tilted her head. "Of course, though we have a system in which we choose our leaders from priestesses who are experienced and constantly scrutinized."

"Yes," Amelia said cautiously but for an inexplicable reason her anger crept up. "That can be an advantage if someone wanted to look back on past issues and see where a candidate stood. It makes it easier to see what they do when they aren't needing to make desperate attempts at endorsements or support." Amelia shrugged, feigning indifference.

Amelia watched the female stiffen, but her tone remained friendly. "I agree and understand you are skeptical as a newcomer from a corrupt homeworld of lower beings."

"I'm glad and hope you report back to leadership about the living conditions. Now, please excuse us, I'm incredibly hungry and others are waiting before they can eat as well." She bowed her head to Del'is and said a farewell without giving the yautja female a chance to reply or protest without being rude.

With one last assessing look between them, they walked in opposite directions.

They traveled two halls and Yeyinde remained silent. A very strange thing from the warrior.

"Tell me what happened with your father," Amelia said.

"He was labeled bad blood. I performed my duty." No hesitation. No elaborate explanations or excuses.

This was murky water, given their new friendship, but she had to know. "But he wasn't one, was he?"

No clicks gave his words context. "He never denied the charge."

Amelia mulled that information over, trying to imagine a younger Yeyinde tasked with killing his own father. Yautja didn't have strong familial relationships as adults, but this was different. Mek'ja had been a mentor and therefor one of the biggest influences on Yeyinde. Thinking about Raz'ha and his students, it was simple enough to see he cared for them in his way. He risked much to protect them. Mek'ja was where they'd both learned it from.

"Of course he didn't deny it," Amelia murmured. "That would have made you a murderer."

"Sei," Yeyinde said softly.

"Did you know at the time?" she pressed but kept her voice low in the hall.

Yeyinde didn't answer.

Raz'ha barreled at them at a dead run, ending any more prodding she would have done. The green warrior lifted her off her feet as he scanned her with his mask.

"What are you-?"

"You met with Del'is," Raz'ha said.

"We spoke," she said, "nothing more."

He placed her on her feet as abruptly as he'd picked her up. Then he ushered her along as the males exchanged informal greetings.

"She speaks out against leadership and seems to be raising support, but didn't say who for," Amelia said.

"Sain'ja believes it's Priestess Ark'ee," Raz'ha supplied as Yeyinde returned to his abnormal silence.

"What do you know of her? Is she better? Can she take over without starting a civil war in the halls?"

Raz'ha's hand dropped away as if he'd just noticed he still touched her and he clicked at her. "With the right strategy it has been done before, but she is like all the other priestesses. It is only now that she becomes interested in males and criticizing leaders."

There seemed to be no alternative. Democracy didn't seem suitable with their social structure. There was no one else stepping up to lead. Amelia wasn't sure it would do any good though.

If only she could stop noticing Raz'ha's distance, that his hand remained at his side instead of on her back to reassure her. She cut off the thoughts and reprimanded herself for getting caught up in her attraction to him again. This wasn't permanent. Val'jek was coming and she would go home and Raz'a would stay with his clan.

Living in darkness. Risking his reputation and life protecting his students.

She couldn't leave him like that. "More of the same isn't going to work."

Raz'ha clicked agreement.

"I'll talk to Elder Durnst and see where he stands."

"I wasn't certain until after," Yeyinde said.

Raz'ha trilled confusion.

Yeyinde didn't reply to Raz'ha and watched her as they walked. "It was already done per his wishes which was to maintain peace." He trilled. "I have known."

"But how did you discover the truth?" she pressed.

Yeyinde looked away and she thought he might not reply. "They wanted me to take a trophy, but we hadn't challenged. He surrendered to me."

And that wasn't done. You took trophies from battles not executions. The lie would have been counter to his entire life of learning.

"You said nothing of this," Raz'ha said, appearing to understand the topic now.

"There is no proof." Yeyinde shrugged. "Only my interpretation and instincts."

That had both warriors turning silent.

"I'm sorry they did that to you, Yeyinde," Amelia said softly. She touched her fist to her chest.

Yeyinde mimicked the gesture half heartedly.

His father and teacher must have felt very deeply and been honorable to willingly volunteer for execution. It worried her that he was labelled a bad blood and executed so easily though.

"He was being considered for an elder position at the time, wasn't he?"

Raz'ha answered for Yeyinde. "Sei, and it's said that's how they discovered his plans for treason and to assassinate the high priestess."

"Who got the position instead?" she asked.

"Elder Ev'jek."

She snorted. "The one demoting males over food. Of course."

They arrived at Raz'ha's quarters. There was an awkward moment before the warrior left to retrieve their food, but no words explained the moment that passed.

"If females enter the hall, run to retrieve me as fast as you're able. Don't wait," Raz'ha could be heard saying to the unblood guard at the door.

Notes:

We have a lot going on for our poor characters with even more stress and mess on the way!

What do we think of this impromptu campaign stop in a dark hallway?

Chapter 30

Amelia turned over what she knew as she played with her puppies. Politics between yautja was not that different. Del'is was like earth of old, pulling strings for power and probably wealth. Now it was corporations on earth, but the principals were similar. Though yautja were individuals and didn't seem to have corporations the same way.

If Del'is was campaigning and drumming up support of the people by gaining endorsements, Amelia hadn't given one. Optics were still important. That was a good sign, in theory. They were unlikely to start massacres, like the ones she heard so much about, if they cared what clan males thought.

But it wasn't the current leadership campaigning. Would the current high priestess do something reckless before being replaced? No former leader survived the regime change before. Everyone knew that.

It was hard to tell from the rumors but no one had seen the high priestess outside her private level in some time and visitors were restricted. Whispers of her demands of food and dismissal of unrest filtered through the ship's ranks.

Rumors and more rumors. There was no proof of wrongdoing that she had herself. For all Amelia could honestly prove was the high priestess was reclusive and nothing more. It was unlikely, but technically possible, that priestesses acted alone in the theft of Amelia's food. No one had been executed but there was lashing daily for minor infractions. They were strict, but not unlawful in theory. While recounting her limited evidence, Amelia could not say she lived among a bad blood clan. She wouldn't be able to convince anyone that it was true.

It was a fork in the road. On one path they had to search for evidence and prove the clan was led by bad bloods. On the other path they continued to pretend like nothing was wrong.

Raz'ha and his hunt brothers entered as she continued to mull the options.

"What are you plotting?" Raz'ha asked as they settled on the bed with their food.

"I'm considering if we should search for proof of bad bloods or continue on our current path." She joined them, settling between Raz'ha and Sain'ja.

"Current path," Mar'cte said. "I have no desire to be shoved out an airlock."

"Neither do any of us, but what happens later? What about when I go home with Val'jek?" Amelia frowned. "When has oppression ever resolved itself?"

That gave them all food for thought more plentiful than their enriched pash. Amelia ate her plain portion slowly, trying to make it last. "What if I got Val'jek to help? Taurens are a big clan, powerful, surely they can-"

"Arbitrators would exterminate us all," Yeyinde said. "Too many unlawful changes in leadership will have us expelled from the empire at best."

"What if we leave then? Everyone who wants to can go-join other clans, yes?"

Guan-thewi rumbled a denial, but it was Mar'cte who spoke. "No clan would accept that many and to be clanless is as bad as expulsion." The warrior chirped and added, "Guan-thewi would never be accepted."

Guan-thewi clicked agreement. "Better to revolt and die than to be alone with no clan."

"But if we stage a revolt with no proof of bad blood, what happens then?" She could barely believe the words were coming out of her mouth.

"Arbitrators would be required to investigate with so many leadership changes. Without proof, all involved could be labeled bad blood. With proof, the whole clan could be labeled bad blood given how many we've given power over the cycles." Raz'ha shook his head.

Sain'ja said, "All except Guan-Thewi have bad blood in their bloodlines. The risk is too great."

"To do nothing," Yeyinde started but then shrugged and resumed eating.

"It's so unfair." She huffed her frustration.

"It's what we allowed to happen," Raz'ha said. "We helped create this conundrum."

"This goes back generations. You were all too young to know better and then it was too late and you were all in too deep." She chuffed. "There must be some way to make arbitrators understand. If Del'is is trying to usurp the high priestess, she must have a plan. So what's her plan and how do we make it benefit the whole clan instead of her?"

The warriors clicked and rumbled. There was wisdom to this reasoning in their opinions, but it didn't answer the question.

"There must be some rumor or whisper of what comes next," Mar'cte pushed, eying Sain'ja.

"Nothing overt, but," he rumbled, "perhaps it is the obvious."

Sain'ja looked to Raz'ha and the green warrior trilled. "Insanity."

"Sei," Sain'ja agreed.

The others rumbled.

"Does the high priestess being considered insane help? Because it's not bad blood then the arbitrators won't come?" she asked.

"Sei, she could be removed with a council vote and submitted evidence to the matriarch." Raz'ha trilled. "But we cannot do this. The council must and they will replace her with a priestess of their choosing."

"Are there any priestesses we trust at this point?" It began to feel like this was a bad blood clan.

The silence was awkward and telling.

"We can do nothing," Guan-thewi said.

She wanted to blurt out a denial but what option was there? She wasn't really equipped to handle this and faking it wouldn't get her by forever.

"We will do what was done for us. We teach the males. They will learn to survive and they will learn what happens here is not normal. They will see for themselves and in time there will be small changes." Raz'ha clicked sadness. "Perhaps in a few generations there will be bigger changes."

The warriors all rumbled sad agreement and her heart ached for them all. She said, "I'll talk to Val'jek in confidence and see if he has any ideas or knows any loop holes."

"Loop holes?" Raz'ha asked.

"They're when laws are made and there is an unintended opening that people use to get around the law legally. That's a loophole." And if anyone knew how to work a loophole she was sure it was her mate.

They clicked polite thanks with zero enthusiasm and she wasn't sure how anyone would resolve these issues either. If nothing else, she'd ask Val'jek to bring Raz'ha and his hunt brothers. If they could all be made Taurens maybe it would save them at least, but she didn't delude herself that it would be simple.

Maybe if more Saracens saw Tauren vessels it would help teach younger generations too.

Yeyinde interrupted her tangent thoughts. "At least there are no more warriors challenging us for resources."

That lifted the group's spirit with rumbled amusement.

"The hunting planet is near and the competition to join will be fierce," Raz'ha said.

She'd been hearing that they approached the planet for a while, but she'd started to assume it was rumors or disinformation to settle unrest. It seemed that it was actually close now. Though, yautja's idea of soon and hers were likely different regardless.

"To eat a few cycles sooner I'm tempted to join," Sain'ja said.

"With your young blood students? They'd all be trampled," Yeyinde rumbled.

Sain'ja trilled his agreement without taking offense. "At least one cuts himself every session. Yesterday one tried to assist another retrieving his smart disc and cut off both their fingers."

"My students are little better though they've hunted before at least twice. Three died on the last hunt and not one requested for me to try to join this one." Mar'cte rumbled. "They are fearful."

"So some students go on the hunts then?" Amelia asked.

"Sei," Raz'ha said. "A few unbloods, three young blood classes, and ten warriors will hunt."

"Does that mean teachers challenge each other for the right of the class to go?" She was sitting beside most of the teachers right now.

"Sei," Raz'ha said.

"Are you going?" She wasn't sure how safe she'd feel with him off the ship while she was hiding in his quarters. Raz'ha could win a slot easily she was sure though.

"I remain to care for you and my students have been on many hunts," he said. "The new ones less, but there will be future hunts for them."

"You normally win slots," she said with a nod. That made sense.

"Sei, and I rotate students when there are many. It's important they all gain planet experience."

"Who's going on this hunt then? You guys could probably make the decision right now," she prompted.

"The ooman would like us to talk instead of challenge." Guan-thewi snorted but didn't offer any disagreement.

"Mar'cte should take his fearful students," Raz'ha said, nodding to the warrior. "They will do better if you let them assist first and see how it's done properly."

Mar'cte chirped surprise but clicked agreement.

"Sain'ja's students need a safety and basics review. It's best if they not attend or they may endanger other students."

Sain'ja nodded. "I have no desire to see them fumbling to hunt without safeties. They will likely kill me along with themselves."

The males trilled their amusement. To them, it'd be a terribly embarrassing way for an honored warrior to die.

"Yeyinde's young bloods would benefit from the experience but remember they require demonstration and supervision. Many forget the basics in the excitement which leads to unnecessary deaths in a hunt this size."

Raz'ha turned his attention to Guan-thewi next. "There will be some time between hunting and camp you can use to show your students terrain and practice survival skills. You should take your young bloods for this."

"And the unbloods?" Yeyinde asked. "We take none of them?"

Raz'ha clicked a negative. "Mak'o's students attend their chiva within cycles of the hunt. Let them go and gain experience and eat sooner. They need to regain their strength if they are to survive."

Guan-thewi grumbled. "Trink'o is more likely to win against Mak'o."

Raz'ha hesitated but said, "I will challenge for the position and allow Mak'o to take it after then."

Raz'ha would lose the fight on purpose to let Mah'sic and the others have better odds of surviving. Such a sacrifice was significant in a society where reputation and fighting skills secured your resources.

"Are any of your students taking their chiva?" she asked.

Their response was a round of chuffs and offended clicks.

"They are half starved," Mar'cte said, "and still stupid."

"We will not give approval until the next opportunity," Raz'ha said. "The ones that are ready need more time to recover strength and the rest need more time to practice their skills."

"But Mak'o has approved a chiva," she murmured. Mah'sic was one of the students going on the dangerous hunt.

"It is irresponsible even for Mak'o, but the seeded planet is near and the ship will not return for some time. The other seeded planet will take many ooman months to reach." Raz'ha shook his head. "It is believed to be a bad omen to have no chiva."

"It would be strange to have no chiva in a full cycle," Sain'ja agreed. "But wiser to skip it, I believe."

Amelia swallowed her frustration. It felt like yautja, Saracen leadership in particular, were hell-bent on finding ways to get killed. The more ridiculous the reason the more eager they seemed to be about it. Half-starved and impoverished teenagers were being sent on a deadly hunt that less than half survived in optimal conditions. It was beyond frustrating. It was heartbreaking. And Mah'sic wouldn't change his mind about going.

So what did that leave them for options?

"Is it possible to mentor the ones going? You know, give them tips and some training before they go?" Amelia asked. "It seems so unfair to send them off like that."

There was some hesitation in the group and she sensed her question was inappropriate.

Raz'ha clicked agreement though the others did not. "We will."

Yeyinde chirped first of his hunt brothers. "When we are on the hunt we will observe and help when possible."

"Do not confront Mak'o or interfere in his teachings directly," Raz'ha warned.

Yeyinde rumbled. "That would be half the fun."

Raz'ha chuffed. "Until he interferes with your teachings. Your own students are your highest priority now. They are ill-trained and need guidance before their worthiness is determined."

Once they were trained then their lives were their own and an early death was their own lack of skill. Smart warriors continued to learn and hone their skills once they outgrew young blood status.

"Of course, brother." Yeyinde bowed his head in a rare show of seriousness. "I will protect them as you expect."

If only Razha wanted to understand politics, Amelia thought dismally. He was a natural leader and so damn reasonable about everything. Almost everything. She still smarted from their conflict over birth control. If the clan wasn't full of bad bloods, Raz'ha would make a great elder one day. For now, he taught future generations and shaped his clan that way.

Notes:

A short update this time because an earlier oops has me all awkward about my chapter breaks now. Don't think about the chapter length too hard pls lol

Thank you for all the comments and kudos <3

Chapter 31

Notes:

Sorry for the long delay! I had to renovate my house, got sick a bunch, and fell down a heaven official's blessing / danmei rabbit hole. Thank you to everyone who commented on the previous chapter. It reminded to get a move on with edit <3

There was a scuffle as she walked with Raz'ha. He steered her around it as a young warrior thrashed and roared. Five others subdued him quickly and he was dragged off as she stammered out, "What are they doing to him?"

"Taking him for punishment--whipping." His clawed hand remained on her shoulder which was rare these days. "He will recover."

"Do you know what he did?"

"No," Raz'ha said.

"Is this normal?"

"Not usually on this level. Most submit for punishment because it is ten lashes more if they come to collect you."

That wasn't reassuring at all.

"In a shortage, this happens as time goes on and hunger gnaws at the belly." He clicked. "There will be more this cycle and next."

"It's not related to the bigger issue then?"

He trilled. "It is usually small theft and public intoxication. Some drink c'nlip to dull the ache and become a nuisance."

An honored warrior like Raz'ha might not be worried, but five burly warriors had tackled and dragged the offender off. No one even protested or questioned what they wanted with the warrior. "You're sure everything has settled?"

"Sei," he trilled. "Tomorrow there will be food and a celebration. You will see then."

Amelia made a noncommittal noise in reply.

#

The hunters returned victorious, Ra'za and Sain'ja escorted her to the hall outside the shuttle bay. They stayed in the back since it was probably inappropriate for her to attend the event. She had her first glimpse of the priestesses and high priestess through the open doors. Amelia could barely make out the tall green females at a distance but their dreads gleamed with so many golden trinkets it was almost impossible to identify their color beneath them.

Her mask picked up pieces of the speeches over the crowd's chatter. A lot of thanking paya and patience and today all eat thanks to her generosity and guidance of the high priestess.

Maybe the high priestess was insane as the crowd rumbled and chattered with that notion.

The high priestess motioned to the successful hunters and considered them her arms, an extension of her will. They seemed to bow appropriately but gave no comment.

Raz'ha was scanning their surroundings and made no sound as he eyed the crowd that grew louder by the minute. The saracens were displeased and no one had eaten yet.

Amelia steeled her nerves. "It might get better when everyone eats."

"If she ever stops praising herself to allow it," a yautja she didn't recognize beside them said. Others clicked agreement.

Someone in the crowd shouted, "Meat!"

Another shout from across the room joined in. "We want meat!"

Others joined in and soon they were chanting a steady, "Meat! Meat! Meat!"

Raz'ha gripped her shoulder and ushered her away. Amelia and Sain'ja kept pace readily without question. As she looked back she saw Del'is in the doorway. The older female's head tilted and she watched them leave through her ornate mask.

It wasn't a good sign.

Tension had simmered beneath the surface. When hope of the hunting planet was an endless possibility, optimism was easy. Now reality returned and it didn't live up to the expectation that everything would be okay.

Sain'ja entered Raz'ha's quarters with them.

"What's happening?" Amelia asked because they hadn't relaxed. If anything the pair seemed tense and they moved across the room and began opening storage lockers. She scooped up Odin and Freya trying to greet them and Hult'ah kept at her heels but out of the way.

"Lockdown," Raz'ha said.

As if on cue, the lights shut off leaving them in the dark.

The dim light setting on her mask needed some lighting to work. She fumbled with the buttons, trying to find a suitable alternative when Raz'ha's hand found hers in the dark. She flinched and moved closer to him as the ominous sound of metal grinding reverberated through the ship.

"What--?" Amelia asked

Raz'ha was doing something to her mask and she felt it suddenly suction tighter to her face. Stale air filled it. He'd hooked up an air tank to her.

He took the puppies from her and replaced them with a cold metal cannister. Then he carried her, cannister and all, to the bed. He wrapped her arms around the air tank and clicked something incoherent at her.

She turned her mask to heat signature and watched the warriors move around the room quickly. They both had their own airtanks hooked to their masks. Raz'ha traded her puppies for furs Sain'ja pulled from a storage bin. He then pulled out his hunting netting. It was designed for both camouflage and temperature regulation and she had the sinking feeling it was about to be very cold. Supporting this assumption, both males joined her on the bed. They shuffled the air and puppies between them and pressed close to her sides as Raz'ha wrapped her in two furs.

The loud grinding banged to a halt and the silence that followed was stark and eerie.

"What's happening?" she asked.

"The air is is thinning and heat is off," Raz'ha said.

"Why?" She wanted to gasp for breath even though she was breathing from an air tank and there was nothing wrong with her air supply.

"To calm the crowd." He clicked. "They must seek shelter in quarters for air and warmth."

"If it continues, we lose gravity," Sain'ja warned.

"What about the others? Yeyinde and--"

"They will seek shelter," Raz'ha said.

"And how long are we stuck here?"

"A cycle at most," Raz'ha said. "When the lights are restored we can move freely."

None of this sounded reassuring even with both warriors rumbling purrs and clicking that it was only a minor issue.

"Just how cold is it going to get?" She eyed the males under their own furs and keeping their air tanks tucked against their bodies.

"We will not die." Raz'ha's clicked weren't as certain as his voice.

#

Amelia discovered that it only took an hour for the temperature to drop enough to make her shiver under two furs. Raz'ha and Sain'ja still felt warm and moved closer to keep her between them.

The warriors took turns giving the puppies extra air. They had passed out quickly and she was thankful for that. Hult'ah stayed huddled in her lap beneath a blanket and due to his genetic engineering only needed breaths from their air tanks every few minutes. Apparently yaut hounds were engineered and bred to survive even the most inhospitable planets without equipment.

Both warriors purred often, maintaining a constant low thrumming in the quiet space.

"Does purring help keep you warm?" She'd never heard such a thing, but couldn't help but wonder.

Raz'ha answered. "It keeps the hounds sleepy and heart rate lower."

"And keeps you calm to not disturb them," Sain'ja added.

"Good thinking," she said lamely.

Boredom was killer. Several hours later she lost count and her sole awareness was how cold she felt. It was bone deep and aching. Now they were taking turns using their netting and it made Amelia nervous as both seemed to cool despite being huddled together. They must be concerned about power if they weren't running the netting that kept them warmer full time. Did they have to be concerned about air? They continued to share the air with her puppies without rationing it further. That had to be a good sign.

Was it worse to suffocate or to freeze to death?

"Tell me about the breeder on the tauren ship," Sain'ja said.

"He has many hounds, ten at least, and a dispute with the exotic pet vendor," Raz'ha said.

"Pure bloods, or only ones like Hult'ah?" Sain'ja asked.

"Both," Raz'ha rumbled. "He used Hult'ah to demonstrate how ferocious other hounds were. They were agile and aggressive. Good hunters one day."

"Not Hult'ah?"

Raz'ha chuffed, glancing at the hound. "No."

"Were there others like him?" Sain'ja trilled. "Is he from a specific line of hounds?"

"There is no certificate and no others like him there."

Sain'ja rumbled disappointment.

"Why do you ask?" Amelia chattered out.

"Yautja hounds are aggressive and not housed alongside us. They need kennels which we don't have. Perhaps if another like this one lived, I could trade for one."

Amelia mulled that over.

"Perhaps when Hult'ah breeds I could trade for one of the offspring."

"I don't know how we'd breed him," she started. "But if we do, I'd give you one," she said. "Uh for services, of course, you don't do gifts."

He rumbled a pleased purr.

"But I think it's just training, Sain'ja," she said. "Not the bloodline."

"Your special ooman training I've seen does this?" He motioned to Hult'ah, who was in her lap and nosing his way to Raz'ha who had his netting turned on.

"Sei," Raz'ha said for her. "But trainers start aggression training early. If you prevent that and perform ooman training, it should be a companion and guard."

Sain'ja trilled at the knowledge. "I will try this the next time we encounter a breeder."

"I think if you remember that love and affection are key, you'll have a great friendship," she said.

#

While Sain'ja and Amelia continued the conversation, Raz'ha was having a revelation.

Love and affection she had said. She'd said those words before to him. This was why she mated without intent to produce a suckling. It was because she valued and cared for him. This ooman wanted those in a mating. The notion seemed important before though he hadn't truly understood. Now he realized they had been cultivating a permanent relationship beyond rutting.

And now they were not cultivating a relationship of that nature. What they were doing, he wasn't sure.

It was because he accused her of deceit and demanded a suckling she wasn't ready to bare. Now she was reluctant and reserved from intimate touches. Even now her legs weren't casually twined with his. She didn't lay her head against his bicep as before. She sat between him and his hunt brother but touched both equally down the side as required for warmth sharing. Nothing more.

She held no desire for Sain'ja and treated them both the same. It must mean her desire for Raz'ha had waned with his demands.

He had balked at his clan trying to nudge him into breeding. How could he not understand the insult he dealt her by demanding that she breed? That path had been foolish and he had been rude.

He knew what he wanted as the air had thinned. Offspring or no, he wanted to continue with Amelia and share love and affection. He understood now why the elder wanted a second mate for her. An inheritance and trustworthy guardian wouldn't ensure love and affection. Safe was not enough. Raz'ha wanted Amelia to be happy and loved.

"You are too cold," he said and gently shuffled her and Hult'ah into his lap.

Sain'ja shifted closer to close the gap. It would be more effective for them to share their warmth that way anyway.

She was stiff for several minutes and he wasn't sure how to rectify the discomfort she displayed. He used an ooman hug to increase her warmth and eventually she curled into him.

"Thank you," she murmured.

It was a start.

#

 

Notes:

welllll, that little section at the beginning was supposed to go elsewhere earlier in the story but got shuffled in my notes and never quite made it, so I tacked it on the beginning of this one. I'm a messy writer it turns out lol. Just squint and pretend it's seamless :D

Chapter 32

Notes:

Thank you for all the comments and love on the last chapter!

I have covid now (who gets it the first time in year five?! wtf?!) but I'm chipping away at these edits, I promise, while also taking it easy to not aggravate the germs that have hijacked my body for the moment.

The lights flicked on several hours later. The air would take time to warm so Sain'ja went out alone for information and food if possible.

Amelia napped and he considered his options for regaining her favor. This time there could be no confusion and no demands. He had to do it right this time. Now he understood more. And now he understood that there would be things he wouldn't realize and might always feel foreign. Even if they were alien to him, they were important for Amelia.

Sain'ja returned with their hunt brothers and Mah'sic.

To their amusement, Amelia bolted from the bed and hugged the unblood tight. She proceeded to interrogate the young male about his health and hunt before anyone could share news of the lockdown.

While she was distracted, Sain'ja murmured. "Seven dead. Two from exposure."

That meant five were killed in a fight or executed. It wasn't as much as he feared.

"It has calmed?" he asked.

"Sei, but everyone is tense in the lines." Sain'ja motioned to his bowl of boiled meat.

"The distribution manager allowed us to retrieve your ration," Yeyinde said, passing a bowl to Raz'ha.

"Thank you." Raz'ha settled on the bed, motioning for Amelia to join them.

They added extra meat to Mah'sic's bowl to help him regain strength quickly.

The evening was jovial with much of the tension melting away as their bellies filled. They relived the hunts and discussed students. None were killed and only a few were injured which was a first in many full cycles.

"This is delicious," Amelia murmured as she shoved another chunk of meat in her mouth.

It wasn't really. The meat was bland and likely the parts about to spoil. Taurens meals in the cafeteria tasted better with full seasoning and the rapid freezing technology to preserve the meat without modifying the taste. His clan had long ago traded away that technology for ship parts. Now hunters slow froze the meat they could and cooled what they couldn't. If they hurried home, they could bring extra meat to be cooked on arrival before it spoiled.

Tomorrow the meat would still be bland, but it would taste better. He suspected her enthusiasm was more due to having protein and a generous portion.

Yeyinde trilled. "It is nice in my stomach."

Mar'cte said, "That's all that's nice about it."

"I've eaten garbage that tasted better," Guan-thewi said.

There were chuffs in reply. Guan-thewi never had stored meat before he joined the clan. Adjusting to the meals and metal ship had been difficult for him at first. It turned out that Guan-thewi was a wild, abandoned pup who lived his former life alone on a preserve with little technology. He'd made a primitive home and only ate fresh or jerked meats. Upon arrival, they thought the clan had saved the clanless yautja, but looking at him now, Raz'ha thought the warrior had been better off on that planet.

And yet Guan-thewi refused to be clanless.

Death was better in his hunt brother's mind. Because it was lonely. Nothing else earned Guan-thewi's favor. He hated the metal ship with recycled air and water. He hated the harsh chemicals to sanitize everything, the challenges for resources, the ceremonies, and even the appeal of breeding females was short lived. At the time Guan-thewi said he gained nothing from breeding females, though he'd done it enthusiastically the first two cycles as a warrior.

Raz'ha hadn't understood what the warrior meant at the time. His eyes drifted to Amelia and he understood. Breeding yautja females was often impersonal and short. There were no feelings and no suckling for males to bond with. What did males gain from breeding females? They were just adding numbers to the clan and nothing more. Once that had been enough of a reason.

Males didn't often speak to their offspring until they were an accomplished warrior and then it was in passing. Raz'ha had little interest in socializing with younger males, and those males would expect training not socializing. It seemed strange and foreign to consider talking to them at length.

The females must. His mother had spoken to him often and told him stories as a pup. Other females would hold him and rock him when he was ill. As he grew, that all decreased as his size increased. He was acclimated into following male instructions and then eventually moved to unblood quarters. Other unbloods showed him around the ship he'd never seen in full and told him what males to watch for.

When he saw his mother in the hall, she didn't acknowledge him. He had trilled once and she continued as if he wasn't there. It hadn't hurt exactly. He realized what they were always told then when they said that soon he'd join the males. That meant leaving all the females and the nursery behind. Not even Mek'ja had favored Yeyinde, he simply showed more interest in all his students and mentored each individual. Raz'ha was considered his most prominent student, but they never shared evening meals the way he did with his hunt brothers.

#

The next day Amelia resumed her regular appointment with Elder Durnst. Everything resumed. And yet, everything felt different.

"There's food but it feels as if everyone is still tense," Amelia said. "I don't understand."

"Shifts are longer and new restrictions are in place." Elder Durnst clicked. "We travel to a kiande amedha planet through dangerous territory and it's important to avoid conflicts so we have been ordered to begin 40% longer shifts. Keeping the ship functioning and moving fast enough requires more labor and resources."

Amelia sighed. "Does it ever feel like you can't get ahead here?"

Durnst trilled.

"Are they still pushing to replace the high priestess?"

"Unofficially." He clicked that she was on the right path.

"And all these restrictions aren't the response to the potential uncertainty?" She arched a brow behind her mask.

"There is no credible evidence." He clicked that she was on the correct path once more. Unofficial confirmation.

"What's the correct path to take now that the shortage is over?" The question plagued her in every waking moment that competed even with her disturbing uncertainty about how to stop caring about Raz'ha.

"The path with less danger," he said and it was very unlike yautja to take that approach.

"The lesser of two evils," she said.

"An ooman saying?" He tilted his head.

"Sei, but we have another." she glanced at his desk. "Better the devil you know than the one you don't."

He rumbled giving it thought. "I think I can only delay, but soon there will need to be a side."

"No one even admits there are sides yet." She chuffed. "There needs to be a real solution, a permanent one. There must be someone who isn't corrupt here."

"If there is, would they not be corrupted by the effort to take power?" he countered.

"And we're talking in circles again." She leaned back feeling exhausted though she'd eaten better than she had in weeks.

"Sei," he said also leaning back and letting out a heavy breath.

"What can I do?" she asked. "Seriously."

"Give Del'is favor when she asks. The males will accept if you do and the transition can be peaceful enough followed by a period of improvement."

"You hope," she said.

"It is usually the pattern. Perhaps we can install protections and transparency quickly as she presents an image of reforming broken leadership."

"The problem is if I do that, they might believe me," she said, "but more likely they will know it's a lie. They will realize there is no hope that things won't get better in a real way."

The elder gave her words consideration and seemed to size her up for the first time in weeks. "Live to fight another day," he said. "That is ooman, yes?"

"Yes," she said, wondering how many human phrases made it throughout the universe. There was a lengthy silence. "I will think about it."

"This is what it is to be elder. You advocate for them. You're responsible for them even when there is no good solution. Something must be done."

It struck her that sometimes nothing was the right answer. Maybe they let it play out and wait for a better opportunity and ignore both sides. "It's a complicated position," she said.

After they parted, the thought of doing nothing still lingered.

#

It was time for Mah'sic to leave and she felt that overwhelming dread as tears filled her eyes. When Val'jek left she'd begged. She couldn't do that to Mah'sic.

"Stay safe, Mah'sic," she said around the lump in her throat.

He nodded.

"You're trained and you're smart like your father. You can do this." It was more for her benefit than his.

He nodded again, saying nothing.

"Are you afraid?" she whispered.

"I know what happens now," he said. "I am not afraid."

"Don't forget what I said about these." She touched the dog tags he hooked around his neck trinket.

Another nod. "I understand your tradition."

His subdued manner discouraged her. "You will come back," she said. "I'm rooting for you and wherever Val'jek is, he wants you to come home safe."

He tapped his fist to his chest plate. "I will bring honor to my name and my clan," then in her language he added the nontraditional, "and my family."

"The good thing about family is they love you no matter what so don't show off. Meet your objective and come back. They have you at a disadvantage. So nothing fancy and no extras. Just come back. Okay?"

"I swear to do my best to follow your directive, Amelia," he said.

"It's time," Raz'ha rumbled from the doorway.

"Goodluck," she said and hugged him tight.

The unblood hugged for a fraction too tight and gave a soft rumble in parting.

Raz'ha walked him out as he gave quiet reminders about hunting. Amelia waited with her hounds as Raz'ha escorted Mah'sic to the shuttle bay. There was a formal send off from Elders and Priestesses that Amelia wasn't allowed to attend as a human. She'd asked Raz'ha not to fight for a place for her. She'd said what she needed to in private.

"He'll be okay, don't worry," she murmured to her pets.

#

After seeing off the unbloods for their chiva, Raz'ha collected Mah'sic's things from his shared quarters. If the unblood didn't return, he was to return them to Taurens. Under Amelia's watchful but silent gaze he stored them securely in his storage locker.

Like she refused to discuss Val'jek's extended absence, she shied from discussion of the chiva. That was simpler to accommodate because there was nothing to do for the unbloods now. The four would pass and return or fail and die.

She focused her attention on other things like regaining her muscle strength and reminding his hunt brothers to discourage angering the females. For all the satisfaction with meat, there was little else to eat and heavy restrictions and long shifts continued.

To conserve power, even bathing was restricted to certain hours and the bathing pools remained crowded. So far he had no problem getting males to vacate the watered down pool for amelia. She was uncomfortable with so many watching her bathe and thankfully hurried, allowing several warriors to use the pool after her.

The dryers were shut off and most males air dried, but Amelia used an extra dress to dry off and exit the crowd quickly.

Time passed this way in a tense limbo as they waited for the unbloods to return. He and Amelia watched each other carefully, but said little of their uncertainty.

####

Notes:

The story is about to get moving with some drama now, I hope you're all ready and enjoy!

If you ARE enjoying this story, or any other fanfic, please remember to tip your writers with comments. It's all the encouragement we get and we soak up every bit of it like a sun-starved house plant. Don't know what to comment? That's okay! You can write some emojis, or a simple "I liked this chapter / story / scene" will do. It's all appreciated so writers aren't talking into the void :D

Chapter 33

Notes:

Well, I got over covid with antivirals, but now I have rebound covid. D: So this took a bit longer than I hoped, but it's coming along. I took the opportunity to read over the rest of the draft in full to avoid anymore oops arrangements of information.

Despite their usual routine, Amelia struggled to feel busy as they waited for the unbloods to return from their chiva. No matter what she did, the endless feeling of waiting encroached. While she lectured students, took meetings with Elder Durnst, painted commissions, and even socialized with Raz'ha, her mind felt like she was just killing time. It was the equivalent of small talk with a social worker while waiting to hear if that pleasant couple with the big house and three cats decided if they wanted to adopt the sad orphaned siblings.

Raz'ha and his hunt brothers often lingered and made efforts to keep her occupied. His hunt brothers and many students had become a permanent fixture in her days. Even now Sain'ja seemed to be in their quarters for no other reason than to socialize.

She supposed it made sense given the day. The unbloods returned today, hopefully to be recognized as young bloods.

Right now, they were on the ship getting closer. Was Mah'sic alive? If not, he had died three days ago and she wouldn't have known. He didn't feel dead. Val'jek didn't feel dead.

Because there was no proof yet or because both still lived was the question.

She played with her wrist cuff from Val'jek. Mah'sic should be on a ship admiring his trophy right now and perhaps tending to wounds.

What was Val'jek doing? He hadn't made contact since the blackout. He should have come to claim her a week ago if everything had gone well. His true expected date was tomorrow. He could be on a ship approaching the Saracen vessel as well.

With no contact, at best, he was delayed. The window for his return was still about a month away. Plenty of time to return with a perfectly reasonable explanation for not contacting her.

She was growing paranoid and wondered if his messages weren't being relayed to her anymore. Could it be retaliation for her part in the food distribution?

"Definitely paranoid," she muttered.

It was difficult to think of anything else while she exercised. She used to enjoy it because it cleared her mind, but now all she could do was think too much about things she couldn't control. Her muscles strained from disuse but every day it was easier and she felt stronger. Her body remembered what to do.

Raz'ha fussed and reminded her to take it slow because the meat lacked some nutrients she needed, but overall the constant hunger and lightheadedness vanished. She felt like she could run a mile without struggling. In feeling better, she realized how slow and heavy her body had felt during the shortage.

"Paranoid about what?" Raz'ha trilled.

"Nothing, was just talking to myself," she said, flushing.

He looked her over and let it drop.

"There will be a celebration after duties," he said.

She nodded. "To congratulate the new young bloods."

"And honor the dead." He watched her and she felt him measuring her reaction.

"I've been to a few on the Tauren ship," she said.

It was only a few simple words and a reading of the names. Hardly a proper funeral but as close as yautja got to it. Death was common to them. Death was expected, especially for young males. It was heartbreaking to her to see them almost forgotten immediately. What of their friends and mothers?

But yautja didn't have family units the same way humans did. Maybe that's why death was easier or rather why mothers distanced themselves from sons when they started training.

It was one of several aspects of yautjan culture she really didn't understand. She pictured her brother's face and her chest ached. Did a yautja not feel this same pain? They had empathy and formed close attachments too. Why was it so different? How did losing a loved one not become a throbbing wound?

"What do permanent mates do when one dies?" she asked.

Raz'ha hesitated, eying her. A purr rumbled from his chest with low melodious tones meant to keep her calm. "Val'jek left protection for you and an inheritance. You will be safe—"

"I wasn't asking that," she said sharply. "He isn't late." Then after a beat she asked, "Do you know what his will says?"

He was measuring her reaction again. "I have not read it, but he said there were many resources, the ship, preserves, supplies for you and to trade. There is a double guardianship in place. I am primary and Honored Warrior Cov'o is secondary."

Sain'ja joined the conversation at that, "What kind of supplies?"

Raz'ha shrugged. "I wasn't given an inventory but the elder is wealthy."

"There are six preserves but only two are suitable for me," she said. "And some land on Yaut Prime but I don't know if I'm allowed there. He said he bought it with his hard currency."

When they'd had the conversation, she hadn't quite understood everything he said. She'd never heard of hard currency before or since the conversation. Yautja bartered everything so she wasn't sure how a currency worked.

They chirped at her.

"Hard currency?" Raz'ha asked.

"Maybe I misunderstood?" she shrugged. Maybe it was a bad translation since it was only a few months after they met and the language had been difficult.

"How much?" Sain'ja asked.

Okay, maybe hard currency was a thing, but the amount seemed small. "He said there were 8 left at the time."

Sain'ja's mandibles drooped and he blinked slowly.

"Speak of this to no one," Raz'ha growled.

"Is that bad?"

"It would take us a thousand full cycles to earn one hard currency as a clan," Sain'ja said.

So how did Val'jek have 8? What did anyone even do with currency? "If it's that valuable Val'jek could pay any debt I accumulate easily."

Sain'ja rumbled laughter. "You could buy a solar system."

If only money would solve the problem. Somehow she doubted giving corrupt politicians more resources would help the clan. But maybe it could help them recover once they had stable leaders. But how would they make that happen without civil war flooding the halls with green blood?

Amelia shut down all those thoughts. "I was asking about traditions to mourn the dead. Surely mates do more than attend a banquet and forget their long-time partner the next day?"

That garnered shrugs in response.

"If not, it is private." Razha clicked an apology and again she struggled to understand this casualness about death.

#

Uncertainty plagued Raz'ha, something he rarely felt before Amelia, and it agitated him. He should not spend his time mulling his choices like a pup with no responsibility. While he should be watching for danger and political changes that could threaten Amelia, he was distracted thinking about how to regain her favor.

Elder Val'jek had warned him that once lost it was unlikely to be retrieved. Was that true here despite that he never broke his agreement to be monogamous? Either way he had clearly lost her favor because she didn't seek his reassurance or touch him more than her species felt necessary. It was more than yautja touched, but less than she used to.

She kept her own counsel on her feelings now. He hadn't realized how much of her feelings were private and only shared with those in favor until it had stopped. The distance between them was farther than ever, and he only realized how close she had allowed him now that she held him away.

A small consolation was that she had not accepted another in his place. Yeyinde offered his services as a temporary guardian should something happen to Raz'ha. His hunt brother would easily become enthralled with the ooman as Raz'ha had. The idea of it frustrated him into a foul mood. It was jealousy. Something he was not accustomed to.

Amelia spoke more to Yeyinde than the others and they shared some understanding, but Raz'ha knew it wasn't mating. She never encouraged that. She treated Yeyinde as she did Mah'sic, well perhaps with more deference since the unblood was not a proven warrior.

Looking at her now he had no greater desire than to be privy to her thoughts. They must be dark and worrisome to ask about death rituals between mates.

Elder Val'jek hadn't sent word and rumors whispered that he died in a sun flare or on the hunt. Nothing was substantiating the wild gossip, but perhaps she overheard it when she was in a meeting. His hunt brothers knew they were not to speculate to her. Ever.

Was she going to become upset? He watched for visual cues because she told him lies in the form of pleasantries when he asked.

How did he earn her consideration as a mate a second time? The first had been pushed by Elder Val'jek and Raz'ha suspected he could not follow the same path anyway. They were not starting anew as if there was no history.

How did he repair their past?

He shook himself from the thought—distracted again by his mating conundrum when he should focus entirely on their survival and her health. It was selfish and reckless to spend that much time in his own head.

If she became upset, he would do as he always had done with her and watch for cues. He navigated the issue before with limited knowledge. Now he had practice to aid him.

He prayed to paya that Mah'sic was successful on his chiva. The Tauren unblood was the most skilled of the four. Though mishaps happen, Raz'ha expected Mah'sic would likely be the sole survivor of the hunt. He'd worked hard to improve his combistick skills and began to excel at the wristblades. Time to recover from hunger fully would have made Raz'ha comfortable that he'd pass his chiva with at least two kills.

"You should go and see who came back," Amelia said. "There will be a crowd if you wait."

He rumbled softly. "Sain'ja is going now. He will bring word as soon as they disembark."

She only nodded as Sain'ja chirped a farewell and left. Her thoughts remained her own.

He wanted to encourage her and speak of Mah'sic's improvements, but misfortune could find any warrior. Even Elder Val'jek had luck turn on him in the form of an ooman structure falling on his head. In the end it gave him Amelia, but that was rarely the case. Mah'sic would only have inexperienced unbloods to help.

He held his reassurance and practiced patience as his mentor had taught him so long ago.

"We will pass the time tending Hult'ah," he said, and retrieved the gritty paper to remove buildup from around the hound's tusks.

Hearing his name and seeing the paper, Hult'ah did a three-legged trot to Raz'ha.

"Lay," he said.

The hound fluttered his mandibles and wagged his tail as if one of the earth hounds.

Amelia settled on the floor beside the hound and petted down his side. In silence, she accepted the gritty paper and they both worked on the hound's tusks, meeting in the middle. Hult'ah rumbled happily at the attention and Odin occasionally tried to join in. Amelia patted the earth hound but otherwise ignored the bid for attention.

When they finished, Amelia remained on the floor and began massaging the hound's back. On impulse, Raz'ha joined her and kneaded the lower back.

She glanced at his claws beside her hands but showed no sign of protest as she continued.

"Soon you can lift him by his tusks," he said, measuring the growth. Raz'ha's hand was too big, but Amelia's ooman hand had ample room to grab the longer back tusks that were several inches now.

"I can barely lift him now. He's too big and heavy."

He wasn't sure of the weight conversion without his mask, but nodded. Hult'ah was too heavy for her to carry around as she used to prefer—much to the hound's annoyance. Now that Amelia had stopped, the hound tried to encourage Raz'ha to start by climbing up his legs. A growl curbed the attempts and he'd never done it to Amelia with her softer flesh.

Sometimes the hound bumped her while struggling with his defective leg, but the hound took well to the boundaries she set. Perhaps he realized she was delicate in comparison or perhaps he simply accepted her commands as absolute. She rarely had to repeat herself once the yaut hound understood her desire.

The ooman hounds however required much repetition and often broke rules and displayed open shame afterward. Like pups, they knew it was bad but did it anyway with minimal impulse control. He hoped the ooman hounds grew out of it as well.

Sain'ja tapped on his door before opening it himself. Raz'ha had the warriors added to the biometric scanner as a precaution so Amelia wouldn't have to open a door not knowing what awaited her.

The door slid closed and Raz'ha knew what news his hunt brother came to deliver.

Amelia looked at him and pain pinched her features. She knew as well.

Sain'ja approached, removing his mask. Raz'ha reached for her mask so she could hear the news herself. She shook her head as a stiffness seemed to spread down her limbs.

Raz'ha nodded to Sain'ja.

"Only Akop returned," he said. He clicked an apology for bringing bad news.

Amelia stared at her hands on Hult'ah, paused mid-massage. Her chest deflated with a choked noise and then heaved.

Raz'ha touched her hands but she drew them away to cover her face. The heaves grew rapid and heavy as water leaked down her face, escaping her hands. The noises from her throat sounded like impending death but he knew oomans survived this thing called upset.

Sain'ja watched, his mandibles clicking alarm. "There is more."

Raz'ha grasped her arms and gently pulled her from Hult'ah and into his chest. She curled into herself with a sob muffled by her arms and he added his larger ones as a tight cocoon. With a soothing purr, it seemed to be the only remedy once started.

"Tell me," Raz'ha said.

"You are summoned. The high priestess demands that you bring Amelia." Sain'ja glanced at the door. "The summoning procession walks slowly and I sent word to the others to meet us in the justice hall."

"To the justice hall?" Raz'ha clicked. Punishments and trials for males were held there.

"It's said they have other business there and don't wish to move over a simple matter." Sain'ja clicked caution, that he didn't believe the truth in those words.

If Amelia heard, she gave no indication and her body heaved and trembled. Hult'ah forced his nose beneath her arms and stayed there as if sensing there was no other solution.

"Do you know what they want?"

Sain'ja shook his head.

It was unheard of. Perhaps it was unrelated and they likely didn't understand the ooman obsession with death.

His hunt brother clicked questions and uncertainty. "They will not accept excuses."

That was an understatement. To decline was to disobey the high priestess and that was treason.

"Fetch her sandals," Raz'ha said, flicking a glance at the bedroom. "And a cloth."

Raz'ha rumbled. "Amelia," he said. "Pretty ooman."

He nudged her arms down, overpowering her smaller muscles gently. Her splotchy red face bore the evidence of excessive ooman fluids to express emotion. Her hands covered her gasping mouth.

"Amelia," he said firmly.

She hiccuped and he took it as a sign she was grappling with her control.

"We are summoned," he said. "I have to take you to the high priestess and the council. There will be many gathered and I don't know the purpose of the summons."

He pushed the hair from her face. "Ooman upset is private, yes?"

She nodded but didn't cease shaking and heaving.

The door sounded and her face crumpled.

Raz'ha feared deep in his bones. She was struggling to breathe and wasn't capable of navigating complex introductions, nevermind competing in a political battle with the entire leadership.

Sain'ja opened the door and the messenger delivered the summons. Raz'ha called an acknowledgement and he put her sandals on her feet. It was his duty to protect her and it fell to him to navigate this summons.

Notes:

Thank you for reading and as always, please remember to tip your fanfic writers with kudos and comments if you enjoyed their work (not just me)! It's the only thing we receive for hours of effort and hard work. We all survive off them like a marathon runner getting a sip of gatorade. :D

If you're not sure what to say, that's okay! A few options are some emojis, an "additional kudos!" comment, or saying something you liked about the work or chapter, etc. Comment whatever you'd like, those are just some options if you struggle with starting a comment.

Chapter 34

Notes:

Thank you for all the comments and well wishes last chapter! And sorry for all the emotional damage. D: I am better from covid now, thankfully.

Yeyinde looked around and estimated that at least half the ship's males were present in the justice hall. It made sense as this was where males often received judgment and punishment, but a few female officials lingered.

When in use, the large room was better lit than most portions of the ship, much like kehrites. In the back was a raised platform where the elders and priestesses flanked High Priestess Mer'ik who sat regally on a throne-like structure adorned with skulls and precious metals. Del'is, though not a priestess herself, stood close at hand to the high priestess. Of course, there were a great number of guards, and the high priestess's personal—all-female—bodyguards between leadership and the regular males.

Below the platform, some distance, three punishment posts with well-used shackles secured to them loomed. The posts and floor surrounding them had been stained green since long before Yeyinde was born. The males gave the area a wide berth creating a large empty circle in an otherwise packed room.

He stood close to his students who lingered much too close to the punishment posts for his comfort. It was half to keep them from doing something reckless and half to hear updates discreetly. Sain'ja was with Raz'ha who seemed to be delayed given the council's impatience. The young bloods would run to see the summoning procession's progress and return with news.

"Honored Warrior Raz'ha carries Amelia of the Taurens," the latest update spread throughout the room in a murmur like an open secret.

He tried not to react.

"She must be ill. He carried her in the bathing pools when she was ill," another student insisted.

"I've seen it too," someone added. "The smell was foul."

Sain'ja hadn't run ahead as expected, which lended weight to his student's assessment. Raz'ha would be alone with his hands full of ooman without Sain'ja at his side.

Yeyinde caught sight of Guan-thewi with his own students corralled beside Mar'cte's. The latter approached. They nodded greetings.

"Guan-thewi overheard an aide," Mar'cte said lowly and facing away from the leadership platform. "They have something for Amelia."

Yeyinde clicked, questioning what they could possibly have for her.

Mar'cte responded in kind. "I hoped you would know and it might explain." He glanced at the lashing post.

Yes, it was strange indeed to meet here, but Yeyinde could think of nothing. He clicked his worry. "Raz'ha carries her through the halls."

"Is she ill?" Mar'cte asked and glanced again at the lashing post.

Yeyinde rumbled. "I think it is upset caused by the unblood's death."

Raz'ha warned them of it many times but they only ever saw the aftermath. The way Raz'ha described the symptoms, it sounded like seizures and death throes from poison all at once. She couldn't do that before the council.

Yeyinde eyed the students and the council. If they protested, they might overpower the council guards and females. They had the numbers, but no plan or coordination was established. And the guards were armed, whereas the regular males were not. It would be a mess that could cost all their lives.

Mar'cte seemed to have the same thoughts. "We need a signal."

Yeyinde remembered the last thing Mek'ja ever said. "Honor is not doing what you're told is right when it is not right."

There was no malice and Yeyinde thought his instructor and mentor justified his own actions. Now, Yeyinde understood in a room full of young bloods and unbloods that it was Mek'ja's last lesson.

It was not fair to take this gamble recklessly.

"I will give the signal only if necessary." He clicked. "It is the name of our mentor."

Mar'cte rumbled. "Don't wait too long. We need every advantage to succeed."

"Move your students into optimal position. Guan-thewi will take the ooman if they're separated," Mar'cte said.

Yeyinde trilled. "He requested this?"

"No, but I know he will not hesitate to move her into a defensible position and do what he must to hold it." Mar'cte glanced at females and young unbloods. "It will not be a proud cycle for any."

Yeyinde could only nod his agreement.

They separated and Yeyinde cajoled a line of his students to take several steps back from the punishment posts. It would keep them from being the first cut down by guards. Already warriors filled the space, pleased to have a better vantage point to view the proceedings.

He spied Mar'cte and Guan-thewi separating their students and moving them into more strategic positions around the whipping post. They moved unbloods to the back. If they chose to flee, they would have an easier path to the doors. There would be a strategic advantage to placing unbloods up front. They'd be a distraction to the guards. The time they spent fighting unbloods would allow Yeyinde and older warriors to cut down the guards.

But most unbloods would be taken by cetanu with even those refusing to fight trapped in the middle of the battle between enemies.

Seeing the lashing post, Yeyinde acknowledged they were enemies with the leadership. This was no convenience. It was intimidation if they were lucky and a trap if they were unlucky.

Raz'ha's silhouette filled the entrance. As described, Amelia was clutched to his chest and Sain'ja stood at his side. He set her on her feet, his claws dwarfing her narrow shoulders, holding her steady. Yeyinde couldn't hear his words but his mandibles made moves of stress clicks. Amelia nodded several times.

A young blood aid announced Raz'ha and Elder Mur called for silence. As Raz'ha guided Amelia to the center ring, Mar'cte stopped Sain'ja to relay the signal. Sain'ja caught his eye and nodded. His hunt brother moved to his own students gathered near Yeyinde.

#

Raz'ha rubbed Amelia's pulse in her neck trying to ease it. He rumbled a purr for her shamelessly while standing before the council. Priestesses and elders alike clicked at the display as he gave lengthy formal greetings for them both. He carefully named her as legally Elder Val'jek's pet who he claimed as mate.

In the crowd, Yeyinde lifted his claws in acknowledgement. Raz'ha could give no sign he saw and understood what that motion really meant from his hunt brother, not while he stood before the council. It ratcheted up his unease several notches.

He still had no idea yet why he was there with Amelia.

He found hunt brothers in the crowd who had spread out with their students. If Raz'ha didn't know better, he'd swear they were intending to swarm the platform of elders and priestesses. That or flee through separate exits. They weren't in the back though. Did they know something he didn't?

Raz'ha stepped into the center, forcing himself to ignore the whipping post and heavy scent of fresh blood. At least one yautja male had been whipped today given that the post was wet.

"Something unusual happened on the chiva," an elder said. "The Tauren unblood volunteered to sacrifice himself so the other successful hunter could survive."

Raz'ha clicked his understanding politely.

"With that decision he spoke to Young Blood Akop first." The elder motioned to the young blood.

Akop was tall for his age, but still thin like a youngster. His steps were cautious as he moved closer to Raz'ha but looked to Amelia as he bowed. The new young blood clicked regret.

"Unblood Mah'sic sacrificed himself to stop an infestation. Before he set his bomb, he gave me a message and a trinket to return." The words were firm. Certain. But the clicks were not.

Raz'ha rumbled. "What message?"

"It is to the ooman he called Amelia of the Taurens, family to Mah'sic." He bowed to Amelia a second time as if this was an important introduction. "He said, 'Thank you for your ooman tradition and he follows them as he promised on his honor.' He gave me an ornament that is meant to be returned to you."

Amelia's tears had paused and she stared almost blankly.

Raz'ha had translated more to reassure Amelia than to enlighten her of the young blood's meaning. Her speaking skills may have been lacking, but her grasp of the language was significant. At the moment, he wondered if she misunderstood with her strange reaction. The trembling wormed its way through her limbs again. Her face crumpled in a new way that was more than sadness. He'd almost describe it as angry.

The unblood held out Amelia's dog tags and Raz'ha recognized them immediately. This was all she had left of her brother. The chain dangled with one tag. The other was missing.

Raz'ha intended to take it on her behalf but Amelia wrenched forward and stood before the outstretched hand. Her chest heaved twice as she had eyes only for the trinket.

Raz'ha began to give excuses for her behavior, citing ooman custom.

Amelia grabbed the trinket with her left hand and her right hand did something she had never done before. She struck the young blood. Her open palm slapped his left mandibles in a useless display of aggression.

Raz'ha was so shocked that he belatedly processed that she had shouted. "You're a liar! You're lying!" She waved her trinket, brandishing it like a weapon. "Where's the rest? Where is it?!"

Raz'ha snatched her up, and the young blood shuffled back as if he'd been injured and expected more blows. He touched his mandibles and then inched back more.

Amelia was hysterical, thrashing in his arms as she tried to break free. It was then he realized how slippery and flexible she really was as he struggled to hold her. Raz'ha was terrified of what she would do if he let her go so he held tight in a bruising grip.

"You're liars and murderers!" her shouts continued. "He shouldn't have been there! You're liars! Bad bl—!"

He covered her mouth and she bellowed behind his hand, refusing to be silenced. She kicked out at his knees and her blunt nails dragged down his arms like an untrained pup. He was rumbling and clicking as many apologies as he could rapidly squeeze in at the same time.

Looking to the council full of splayed mandibles pointed at him, he knew the damage was already done.

"Oomans mourn fiercely and irrationally. It is tradition to do it in private to prevent outbursts and disbelief." He spouted the half-truths as quickly as they came to him. It didn't matter if they made any sense and several contradicted each other. He needed to appease the leadership. Now. "I apologize for the ooman's behavior. She is upset and has little control from it. She knows not of what she speaks."

There were chuffs from all. No one believed that she had no understanding of her accusations. A shamelessness he never knew he possessed gripped him and he plainly lied and then lied some more. He lied about his precious ooman and her knowledge. He lied about her customs. And he did it all not just to his clan's leaders, but before all the males he respected and all the males he taught to be honorable.

He was willing to do almost anything, even chip away at his long-standing honor, and that unnerved him almost as much as what her outburst would cause.

"These are serious allegations that cannot be ignored," Del'is said, cutting off his excuses. "If there is bad blood we must root them out and if not we must silence the slander."

Raz'ha's pulse raced. Del'is suggested they kill Amelia!

The high priestess clicked as she stared at Amelia, her brows lowered with displeasure.

"How else will we govern fairly if we do not prove our honor?"Priestess Arkee added.

"Del'is is correct." The high priestess nodded as her mandibles slowly closed. "There will be a challenge to address the accusation."

Elder Durnst stood, his large frame looming over the seated elders. "A half-formed accusation from a flailing pet that looks half-dead means little. It has even been withdrawn as nonsense. I do not think anyone can consider it seriously."

Del'is hissed softly and several priestesses splayed mandibles at Elder Durnst who waved his arm dismissively.

"That—" Del'is started, but as a female without an actual rank, Elder Durnst cut her off before she could argue.

"However, the pet has spoken and behaved offensively and that cannot be accepted. We would be remiss not to correct the behavior with its guardian. For that, I gladly challenge on your behalf, High Priestess Mer'ik. I will prove our clan's honor and your leadership as fair." Elder Durnst tapped his fist to his chest twice.

The high priestess gave it consideration, raising her hand to silence another protest from Del'is. Eventually, the high priestess nodded and rumbled praise to the elder.

Raz'ha clicked warily in acceptance because he could not decline.

He shook Amelia enough to jostle her, trying to bring her back to focus. The shouting had stopped during the leadership's disagreement, but she still squirmed against him. "Yeyinde will protect you."

His hunt brother was there, accepting her in his arms. Yeyinde took no chances and covered her mouth as he carried her to his students like little more than an unruly pup. Warriors parted with wary rumbles for them.

Raz'ha bowed his head to Elder Durnst. The elder nodded and his eyes strayed to Amelia.

"I apologize once more." Then he took a fighting stance and accepted his beating with dignity. This was not a challenge he could win if he wanted Amelia to survive.

The elder sounded more aggressive than his punches felt. The giant male could have cracked Raz'ha's ribs with the first hit but didn't.

Realizing the elder was giving a show, Raz'ha played his part, letting the hits land in safer areas and giving a show of suffering. What was one more lie in the dozen he'd just told if it meant Amelia might survive the encounter?

It hurt, and that was no lie, but he made little effort to remain stoic. Neither could he be too easy. He gave the elder several solid punches at they danced around the lashing post in the impromptu arena.

Then suddenly the challenge ended. The giant elder grabbed Raz'ha's dreads and his leg in his wide reach. In an infamous move, Elder Durnst tossed Raz'ha like he was no more than an errant pup at the lashing post.

Pain exploded in his hip and shoulder, and then he hit the ground with a heavy thud. He was stunned for several seconds before clicking an acknowledgement of his loss. The challenge was over and spectating rumbles could be heard all around.

Finding his feet, Raz'ha assessed his body. Nothing was broken, but everything hurt. He'd hate to face the elder on the battlefield as enemies.

For good measure, he turned to the leadership and bowed deeply. He gave another formal apology for Amelia's behavior.

"Now the ooman will give an apology," the high priestess directed him with splayed mandibles.

His stomach sank and he moved to where Yeyinde had her tight to his chest. The look of fear on his face was mirrored by Yeyinde. They had no idea if she'd calmed enough to make a wise decision. Though she no longer flailed, her leaking eyes were unfathomably emotional.

"Now, warrior," the high priestess hissed.

Raz'ha quickly presented her. "Apologize, please, Amelia."

She looked stricken as she stared up at him and said, "I'm so sorry, so very sorry for my reckless words and what they have done."

"What did it say?" a priestess demanded.

"She gave a lengthy, deep apology." To Raz'ha. He did not misunderstand that look. She spoke to him and not the council.

"She will acknowledge her false words," another priestess demanded.

The high priestess clicked in agreement.

"They demand you acknowledge your words as false." He clicked the seriousness of the demand.

She made a choked noise and gripped her brother's trinket to her chest. "I apologize for making a quick judgment without proving my words. It was reckless and damaging."

Again she stared at Raz'ha. He translated but kept his relief in check. Just because she seemed reasonable now, it did not mean this would continue to a happy conclusion.

There were clicked agreements, but not precisely forgiveness over the slight. "You will control your pet and its rude outbursts while we conduct official business, warrior," the high priestess warned.

Raz'ha wanted to request returning Amelia to his quarters, but it could be interpreted as another slight.

Confirming his words, Del'is said, "You should remain to watch how justice to true bad blood is served."

"Bring back the bad blood," the high priestess called to the guards at the suggestion.

Two guards quickly left the room for the errand.

A clicked dismissal had Raz'ha stepping back, pulling Amelia with him. When she was slow, he carried her and purred a soothing rumble for them both. They had narrowly escaped with their lives. He couldn't believe he'd avoided being whipped.

Elder Durnst returned to the council platform to much praise.

Warriors clicked respect to Raz'ha discreetly. What they thought of Amelia wasn't shared aloud. There should have been open chastisement but there wasn't. They looked at her and said nothing as they parted for him. Many eyes were drawn to her tight fist clenching her ooman trinket to her chest.

Amelia was murmuring apologies to him as she clung to the trinket like a talisman.

Raz'ha didn't know what to say to comfort her and helplessly said, "I will always protect you."

More tears leaked from her eyes, but she otherwise had control of herself. He rumbled the softest purrs and squeezed her gently as they did their best to ignore the rest of the room.

Notes:

Those wanting to see the body as proof, well, those bombs wreck everything so, sorry, we can't produce the evidence. D:

A little bit more about this chapter: Poor Raz'ha is dealing with the fallout of the bad news. The warrior is really just a "I kill things and I teach others how to kill things" kind of warrior who unfortunately got thrown into a delicate political situation. Thoughts and prayers to all the stomach ulcers I'm sure he is developing right now. One day he might learn to tell a convincing lie, but that isn't today. It's from Raz'ha's pov so we didn't really get what he looked like doing that song and dance of excuses, but it wasn't pretty. Good thing Durnst was like, sure, I guess I can save you this time.

And that very small back-and-forth between members of leadership about bad blood accusations looked pretty simple to Raz'ha, but it was actually quite a bit of political maneuvering with many different (and selfish) goals. If it had been Val'jek spectating the short conversation, with his political acumen, it would have been like Val'jek watching the world cup level of excitement and upheaval. But Raz'ha is our lovable warrior and he's doing his best. It's okay if all that went over his head.

As always, please remember to figuratively tip your fanfic writers (not just me!) with kudos and comments. Engagement is the best way to ensure writers know you like their work and want them to continue. It's easy to get disheartened if you don't say anything. :D

Chapter 35

Notes:

Thank you to everyone who has been commenting! I know this has been a bit of rough ride with Mah'sic getting run over by the plot.

After a few minutes, guards escorted a stumbling unblood through the doors and marched him to the punishment posts. Raz'ha only vaguely recognized him as he wasn't one of his students.

A special guard, trained to punish, stood to the side and unraveled his whip as the young unblood shivered and rattled out harsh breaths. Green rivulets of blood tracked down his body. He was at least ten lashes in already. They shackled him facing the post.

"Resume justice," High Priestess Mer'ik ordered.

The whip cracked, lashing over open wounds. It paused for three seconds as the unblood heaved and whined like a pup from the nursery. They repeated this five more times causing small flecks of blood to speckle anyone nearby. Despite not being squeamish about blood of any sort, collectively the onlookers shuffled back, though it did little good.

"Perhaps you are ready to name your accomplice now unblood Gahta," a priestess said.

"I worked alone," the unblood rattled out.

The female chuffed. "You stole from sucklings and mothers like a greedy harno during the worst of the shortage. You should not have known where it was stored. You could not know the lock code or schedule alone. Are you all-seeing and all-knowing, unblood?"

"I watched." The whip cracked. "I watched."

A whipping was the reply from the high priestess. "Any who steal are foul creatures, but to steal from our females, our young, is the lowest crime a male can commit."

The unblood clicked acknowledgement but he didn't give an agreement.

The whipping continued, pausing every five lashes to demand an accomplice's name. The unblood gave nothing. Not even when he sagged and his wrists held his weight did the torture stop. A river of blood pooled at his feet and spread across the floor. The whip was cleaving open thick flesh and muscle now to expose bone beneath.

Amelia faced away, her arms wrapped tight around his forearm. With every slash of the whip, her body flinched. Her tears never ceased and a subdued hiccup punctuated her flinching.

"Was it another unblood?" the high priestess demanded.

"They would not be able to do much assisting, my high priestess," Del'is said lowly, but still loud enough to be heard, as all unbloods grew fidgety at the possibility of being named an accomplice.

"Yes, you're correct. Someone higher up would have to aid in such a crime. Perhaps an instructor known to meddle in food distribution. You've had several such instructors, have you not, unblood Gahta?"

"I acted alone," he rasped.

"Perhaps it was an instructor, the one who helped you. That was at a similar time was it not?"

Raz'ha thought they referred to the class restructuring to help the students not pay food to their instructors, but he couldn't be sure. Amelia is the one who did most of the helping by negotiating for rule changes.

Were they trying to force the unblood to name them as accomplices? It stood to reason that the unblood couldn't have acted alone, but Raz'ha also didn't have access.

The unblood shook his head. "None helped."

"Liar!" she bellowed and the whip cracked once more. "Someone helped you gain access!"

The whipping continued as the room filled with disturbed clicking.

Priestess Arkee glanced at the crowd and made a cajoling sound. "High Priestess, perhaps—"

High Priestess Mer'ik roared at the priestess. "This ends when we have the accomplice and not a moment before!"

They would whip the unblood to death.

Raz'ha found himself clicking displeasure as well and it garnered him dark looks from the council. He ceased for Amelia's safety as his blood heated with anger. Raz'ha was a warrior, long ago honored for his skill in battle, and he could take a beating. This was a student and barely out of the nursery and in the unblood quarters at that.

"They're going to kill him." Amelia's voice cracked and others heard her and must have understood. Like an echo, her translated words spread throughout the crowd.

Several more lashes rent the air, drowning out the murmurs, but the crowd pushed closer, forcing Raz'ha to take a firmer stance. The warriors beside her shamelessly tried to see her ooman trinket and even clicked at her a few times though she gave no reply.

"Enough!" a harsh female voice shouted.

Sh'an pushed forward, forcing her way through a group of males. At the edge of the blood pool, guards stopped her from reaching the chained unblood. She heaved a distraught noise and clicked. "It was me."

All eyes turned to her. The high priestess's mandibles splayed wide. "You!"

"I helped him. I took the food meant for females, but not the suckling's food, and I gave it to him."

As food distribution manager, she would know what went where and belonged to whom. She disputed the claim of stealing from sucklings, a much more serious crime. But she admitted to stealing from females. "I stole from myself and I stole from you who had plenty so unblood Gahta could survive."

"What care have you for one unblood?" a priestess asked, giving Sh'an a sideways appraisal.

Sh'an looked around and there was some hesitation.

"Answer the question," the high priestess demanded. "Why have you stolen from us?"

Sh'an splayed her mandibles. "He is my pup." She chuffed. "Forced from the nursery a full cycle too early so he couldn't use our plentiful resources anymore."

"Holy shit." Amelia could barely be heard with the rumbles from the crowd.

The high priestess nodded to the guards. They seized Sh'an and she didn't protest.

"He only ate what I stole. Let him go, he has suffered greatly already." She clicked and trilled her pleading for mercy from the council. "I will accept any punishment."

The high priestess chuffed. "You will not survive your own."

The high priestess turned her attention to the guard. "I sentence this vile bad blood to death." She nodded and the guard released his wrist blades.

"No!" Sh'an roared, yanking at her captors. She was larger than the males, but there were five of them.

"Your punishment is to watch before you receive your own." The high priestess puffed with pride. "Watch what your betrayal has wrought."

Raz'ha flinched as the guard shoved his wrist blades through Unblood Gahta's back. The unblood roared but it was cut short as he slumped in death.

Sh'an matched his roar and then the high priestess nodded again. Sh'an was skewered in the same fashion, restrained and stabbed through the back.

Growls and rumbles sounded from the warriors around him. Raz'ha withheld his angry displays as several council members scrutinized him from a distance. Amelia crumpled with more sobs at the executions. He picked her up and covered her mouth just in case. It was noticed.

She tried to pry him away, but he refused to let her get herself killed in this manner. Nothing should die that way.

"They are dead. You cannot help them," he said quietly.

That stopped her protests.

"This female stole from our sucklings and feeding mothers. She sought to overrule council decisions herself. This is unacceptable. Those who wish to circumvent our peaceful hierarchy will meet this fate. We must remain strict and organized if we are to survive. Breeders of chaos and bad blood will not be tolerated. Until further notice, lingering and crowds in the halls are forbidden. You must explain your destination to the guards if you travel the halls."

He didn't know how much Amelia understood of the speech, but she was keen on the displeasure of the crowd. Her mourning eased and she grew alert. Raz'ha placed her on her feet once more, but kept her under his left arm. Before displeasure could turn into a riot, the females exited, followed by the elders.

Enforcing new rules immediately, guards ushered them out of the justice hall.

The bodies remained on the floor.

Raz'ha gave them one last look and wondered at ooman mourning rituals. It seemed wrong to leave them on the dirty floor. Maybe that was what those rituals were about.

#

Hours of sobbing later, Amelia turned her brother's dog tag over and over as she lay in bed. Tears had settled into a strange numbness that lingered as long as she didn't think about the loss. It was a yawning chasm in her chest that she couldn't examine or she'd start sobbing again as it swallowed her whole.

Freya slept on her chest as Amelia considered the full implication of her unhinged actions. She wasn't stupid. The interaction had been the worst and they were only saved by Elder Durnst redirecting the point of the challenge. If he hadn't been there, then Raz'ha could have easily been chained up and—

She couldn't think of that either.

Thoughts of Mah'sic's message intruded.

He hadn't followed her tradition at all. He was supposed to bring it back himself. He knew that. And why not return the whole thing? It could have been lost, but there was no explanation given. Was he confused?

Mah'sic wasn't confused when they spoke of it. Like usual, he'd lapped up every bit of information he could glean from her and analyzed it a dozen times over.

If this was no mistake that meant he was telling her something. Obviously. She'd assumed it was that the young blood lied. But now she thought it was curious Mah'sic kept the half meant to go with the living.

Raz'ha nudged her, his claw gently rubbing her calf as he knelt by the bed. "There is no food today," he said softly. "Lockdown begins soon."

She nodded.

"The others join us to be safe."

She nodded again and returned her attention to Mason's dog tag. Both were killed by kiande amedha. Both sacrificed themselves for others.

But maybe that wasn't the case at all.

She'd told herself it was a denial of his death, that it was grief that made her mind make such a dangerous leap. If Mah'sic followed her directive, he kept the part for the living. He was saying he was alive.

That assumed the young blood told the truth. Assumed that he hadn't lost the other half.

With Raz'ha preparing for a lockdown, Freya woke lazily. The puppy yawned and huffed on Mason's dog tag. She blinked sleepily at Amelia.

Would they kill Freya if she accused leadership of lying again? They'd kill Raz'ha without a second thought, that was clear today. How close did her outburst come to killing everyone in the room? She didn't believe her death would set off the warriors, but Raz'ha's certainly would. His hunt brothers would have attacked and sides would have been decided quickly in the chaos.

If Mah'sic lived, only she knew it and dying would leave him stranded on an alien planet. He was there for three days or more already. She could only hope they had prevented a kiande amedha infestation. At least there would be a chance for him then.

Was he really alive? Or was that just her denial?

How did she confirm the suspicion and help him now? She'd have a long time to think about it as the males piled onto the bed beside her.

They brought air tanks, furs, and what looked to be playing cards with them.

No one actually said anything and they all gave her a wide berth. Were they pissed? They should be, but they didn't seem angry and yautja were pretty easy to read in that regard.

It was Sain'ja who cautiously settled next to her. Hult'ah was fast making friends with the warrior and came when he was offered a treat. Odin was never far behind his favorite playmate and climbed into Sain'ja's lap, demanding his own treat. Freya, rarely food motivated, resumed her nap as Amelia rubbed behind her ears.

Necessities now placed among them on the bed, Raz'ha took up the other side of her. He made no move to encourage her to sit up, so she stayed where she was.

Everyone was safe for now so she returned her attention to Mason's dog tag. She felt along the letters that spelled his name. She could still picture her overprotective brother's face, with that determined look, as he said he'd be right behind her.

He knew what would happen and he hadn't been afraid.

Mah'sic had said it. Is that why he said he understood her tradition? Why would the young blood lie? Why did the clan have to witness him return her dog tag?

They were politicians in the midst of an obvious power struggle. This public display was no accident, but which side had orchestrated it and which merely capitalized on it? Did she give the response they wanted? She'd have to wait and see which side benefited most.

She noticed the warriors played cards in the dark. The card faces had a special paint coating that was registered by masks.

She turned off the setting for a while and was greeted with total darkness.

When she tried to think of other things, the executions plagued her. They'd killed Sh'an and her son. Not even females were safe and they could do as little as Amelia to protect their young males. How would Amelia, a lone human, determine what really happened to Mah'sic and whether he'd died?

It felt hopeless while she lay in the cold, dark room with strangely silent honored warriors.

She wanted Val'jek to come hold her. He'd grip her tight in a warm hug. He'd know what to do.

Except, he was going to be heartbroken.

#

Raz'ha watched his hunt brothers playing cards. No one cared who won or lost and his hunt brothers watched Amelia more than their cards to be played. They all waited for some sign from her in case she wanted to discuss what happened.

If not, they would wait for her to sleep to avoid her becoming hysterical again.

Either way, they needed to discuss what happened and strategize about how best to keep Amelia safe. He wasn't entirely sure what to do because he wasn't sure how things would change now. Things may not change on the surface, but he'd felt the energy—the anger—in the justice hall from both the males and the high priestess. Something was bound to happen.

She looked to be resting, but then would turn over the ooman trinket to inspect it at another angle. She was deathly silent and it unnerved them. She didn't want to be held like before. Perhaps she feared being restrained again. Only the napping hound was welcomed. Even Hult'ah's nudges were ignored in favor of the trinket.

His hunt brothers stayed silent because they thought noise would disturb her into another "upset" episode. It had shocked many to see her hiccuping and leaking ooman water from her eyes and nose. He didn't correct the notion because he wasn't sure it was wrong this time.

She hadn't let him tend the scrape on her hand and became hysterical when he tried. His mask said it was superficial so he had let her be.

The room was cold and soon she'd need more warmth than furs, which meant he had no choice but to disturb her.

"Freya needs air," Raz'ha said and gently took the hound from her.

Amelia said nothing and he passed the hound to Sain'ja. His hunt brother used a spare air tank to emit air in front of all three pets. Odin fussed, but Sain'ja pet him into quieting.

Raz'ha purred for her and gently pulled her to lay in his lap.

She clutched the trinket to her chest as if he'd take it, but otherwise let him move her. She tucked her legs and shifted her weight to make herself comfortable.

When she didn't stir, his hunt brothers gave testing clicks. Raz'ha nodded. For as disturbing as her silence was, she seemed calm.

Yeyinde moved between her and Sain'ja. He shamelessly scanned her with his mask and pushed closer to share warmth. Even with the furs, they all smelled her distress. It was a strange thing for such a placid display to carry the stench of turmoil.

As if sensing the inspection, she buried her masked face into his chest and hid.

"The hounds rest, but do well with their own air," Sain'ja said, his voice low. "It is good Mar'cte brought a spare."

Raz'ha clicked praise and Mar'cte nodded in acceptance. It started more chatter, low and neutral in deference to Amelia.

 

Notes:

Idk if I had quite enough of Amelia's sadness coming through this chapter, and I tried to fit some parallels in with her brother's death. There are also so many traumatic and dangerous things happening that she doesn't have room to fully grieve or process. D:

#

As always, remember to tip your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start you can say something you liked about the ch or story, or drop some emotes, etc.

Chapter 36

Notes:

This chapter took so much longer than expected! I had to write most of it new, instead of just edit, and fill a plothole. Somewhere in the middle there my ac broke, froze, and caused quite a bit of damage to my bedroom. The ac thankfully is fixed, but the house damage is still a thing for another couple weeks. D:

That said, I've had some of the most amazing and lovely comments from you all over the last couple chapters. Thank you bunches! I've been rereading them to keep me motivated and sane through house repairs.

Elder Durnst watched Amelia carefully as she entered his office for their routine meeting. After her outburst a couple days ago, she'd hidden away in Honored Warrior Raz'ha's quarters for ooman grief rituals and was only seen using the wash facilities.

Many assumed that was just how she was during her outburst at the justice hall. But that was understandable since more have never spent much time with her, or any human. Durnst knew better now, and it had made something in his gut panic at the sight of her erratic behavior.

The entire debacle in the justice hall had been a disaster. Priestesses had vied hard for their own interests and the high priestess had fallen into numerous political traps. His contacts on the female levels said that even there tensions had escalated. Some were openly criticizing the high priestess now.

He'd spent the last two days navigating the fallout that seemed endless. But worst of all, priestesses had nearly succeeded in killing Raz'ha and endangered Amelia.

Only many years as a warrior and then elder helped him maintain his calm, rational thinking during the conflict. It was experience, he was reminded, that Amelia of the Taurens did not have. Not yet, anyway.

Now, when he assessed her, she mostly gave the outward appearance of calm, if a little too stiff. He could sense that it was a very thin veneer. Was she controlling her hysterical inclination now? Would she launch into another outburst at a provocation?

It would be dangerous for all, if she did.

He'd need to start planning around it. He'd need to reinforce the assumption that she was a bit crazy and erratic in mourning. But not too crazy, or they'd not trust her agreements. He'd need to spin a careful story or everything would collapse and their internal struggles would pale in comparison to a conflict with the Taurens.

He greeted her softly, which she didn't reciprocate as she took her seat across from him.

As politely as he could manage, ignoring her rudeness, he started a gentle reprimand, "Yautja do not understand ooman grieving rituals, and it's important for your own safety that you appear calm in public. If the leadership questions your ability to adhere to our agreements—"

"Did you know?" she asked flatly.

Durnst chirped. "What?"

"Don't make me say it. Did you know about Mah'sic beforehand?"

Durnst hesitated, piecing together what she meant. He considered lying outright, but ultimately it would only break her trust and he had this ooman "plausible deniability" anyway. "Not the details." He clicked. "Not the solution to the problem of ensuring his silence."

"You didn't think to warn me that there was a problem?" Her chest heaved twice. "We could have—" she turned her head away and a tremor coursed down her limbs. "It's too late now."

Warily, he gave a few clicks of agreement. Though he didn't know the plan, and hadn't exactly known they'd kill the unblood, he'd understood that was the likely solution. Warning her wouldn't have resolved it. It would have worsened the situation.

"What really happened out there?" she demanded finally. The edge to her voice was sharp, and the tremors had vanished.

Durnst stiffened as internal alarm bells sounded and he came to a startling revelation.

He'd severely miscalculated what that thin veneer was hiding. It wasn't hysterics at all. It was something much more dangerous.

"I don't know." But he could easily guess. The answer was obvious.

"He understood what was happening enough to send me a message. There was time. Are they certain that he's—" she swallowed loudly, "that he didn't escape?"

He considered sharing speculations, but it wouldn't accomplish anything. Whether she was correct and he sent a message or not, didn't matter. It couldn't be proved.

"I was told he died the same as everyone. I'm not privy to any other details. The official reports won't have more than you already know. Only the Honored Warrior in charge of the hunt would know and he won't reveal anything incriminating even if threatened. There would be no benefit or safety in such a betrayal, if it is as you suspect." He clicked an apology that he wouldn't say with words. "There is nothing I can do regarding this matter."

She looked down at her clasped hands for several seconds.

"Without proof—" he started.

"Okay. I appreciate your cooperation." She stood. "I have other business to attend."

Halfway to his door, she looked over her shoulder, wearing that beautiful mask designed to warn all that to touch her meant their death. "Thank you for saving Raz'ha with your challenge. I won't forget your help."

He chirped as she left without waiting for his reply.

Alone in his office, unsure of the next move to make, unease gripped the elder. Pyode amedha earned their dangerous reputation because they were persistence predators with a penchant for creativity. They often claimed victory by ripping it from the hunter in baffling and previously unimaginable ways.

#

Outside Elder Durnst office Amelia nodded to her escort, Mar'cte.

"Did your meeting go well?" he asked cautiously.

Amelia gathered her thoughts, trying to process whether anything could be considered going well. "It went as expected."

Durnst couldn't give her the answers definitively, but she'd already known that. She'd wanted to see how he'd respond and thank him for saving Raz'ha.

They couldn't prove anything yet, but she was sure that Mah'sic was sending her a message now. That's what mattered.

She rubbed her brother's tag absently. It was time to share what she knew with Raz'ha and the others. She'd need them for her plan to work. "Tell your hunt brothers we need to talk about something important. About Mah'sic. Tonight."

Mar'cte trilled an affirmative, then said, "Raz'ha's kehrite is the other direction."

"We're going to the communication room. It's time for my routine message, and someone needs to notify Mah'sic's brother of the news."

"Is that allowed?" Mar'cte's head tilted.

"They have a contractual obligation."

"But if you say something suspicious, they will kill you," the warrior said bluntly.

"I prepared an appropriate message." It was a long shot that Cov'o would understand her hints because they didn't know each other that well, but if nothing else, Val'jek would understand them when he returned. If she didn't survive—

Amelia rubbed her brother's tag again. She had too much to do before she could worry about dying.

#

Three Days Later

Raz'ha ignored Yeyinde's chirped inquiries as they traveled the less frequented wasn't the first time his hunt brother questioned Raz'ha about Amelia's reckless plan.

"If we are not revolting, why do this?" Yeyinde pressed quietly.

"We must know the truth," Raz'ha said after double-checking their surroundings for potential eavesdroppers.

"We know the truth. They murdered him to ensure his silence."

"Speculation without proof," Raz'ha said.

"Yes, that has allowed us to ignore the problems since we were unbloods. Now you seek proof but intend to do nothing with it." Yeyinde growled. "This is foolish."

"It is for ooman grieving," Raz'ha countered.

"It will get us killed if we don't act on what we discover—"

They spied someone down the hall and halted their dispute until they were out of hearing range.

"No," Raz'ha said and clicked rapidly to express his thin patience. "Amelia won't survive a rebellion. She's too visible and too vulnerable."

"She contends with elders. She has hunted kiande amedha. If ever someone was capable—it is Amelia I'd choose to ally with," Yeyinde said. "The others see this. If an ooman can—"

"For our gain, not hers!" Raz'ha snapped and then quieted himself. "This is not her fight. It's not her responsibility."

Yeyinde rumbled disagreement. "They murdered the unblood."

"That is still not her responsibility. She is Tauren and we are Saracen. It is our duty to confront bad blood when she is safe, not involve her more. Yes, she helps us, but that is our shame, not her duty." Raz'ha waved off Yeyinde. "It is my duty to protect her and that is what I am doing."

"She wants—"

"She is experiencing ooman grief," Raz'ha warned. "She can assist us by enlisting Taurens for help but only when it's safe."

Yeyinde rumbled and clicked disagreement but ceased the argument as Amelia approached with Mar'cte and Guan-thewi. They exchanged greetings and nods.

"Is it done?" Amelia murmured.

"Sei," Raz'ha said and guided her to Yeyinde's quarters.

When guards stopped them they easily said they were taking a meal in Yeyinde's quarters, only a few doors down from Raz'ha.

Inside, Amelia glanced around briefly at the standard quarters given to honored warriors before focusing on the frightened young blood seated on the only chair. Sain'ja stood behind him with wristblades extended.

"Young Blood Akop only gives denials," Sain'ja said.

"Because you hit like pyode amedha," Guan-thewi said.

"Let us have a turn," Mar'cte agreed.

Raz'ha clicked consideration as he surveyed the bruised and only mildly bloody young blood.

"You said not to damage him too much before you arrived," Sain'ja shot back.

Raz'ha still didn't want to damage him enough to notify medical of injuries. He didn't want the young blood to feel secure in that safety measure however. "I've reconsidered."

The young blood quaked at that and began clicking denials.

Amelia was helping herself to Yeyinde's medical kit. "You don't mind, do you?" She motioned to the warrior.

Yeyinde trilled and shrugged.

"You hold his leg and I'll—" Guan-thewi started as he and Mar'cte loomed over the young blood.

"Wait!" The young blood yelped as Mar'cte reached for his leg, though he hadn't touched him yet.

"I haven't reconsidered," Amelia said, approaching the group. She shuffled between them with her much smaller frame and knelt in front of the out a few supplies, looking up at their captive gently.

"Lash out and Sain'ja will cut off your head," Raz'ha warned. A solid kick would kill Amelia in an instant.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Young Blood Akop," she told the nervous male. "I'm sorry for slapping you before."

Akop trilled and shifted away from her as if she were the dangerous one in this room.

"Mah'sic wouldn't want them to kill you," she said. "I don't want them to kill you." Using a cleaning agent, she gently dabbed at a cut down his leg. "So I will clean you up and make amends."

The young blood remained stiff and fearful, saying nothing as she freely tended his minor wounds and eased the pain of his bruises with ointment.

"Mah'sic is my mate's son and part of my family," her voice remained low and soft, "I'd do anything for him, and I was distraught when you gave me his message. I wanted to blame you and I wanted it to not be true all at once, but that was wrong. It wasn't your fault, I know that."

Tears shined in her eyes as she looked up. "It broke my heart to hear those words."

The young blood rumbled sadness. "I am sorry, Amelia of the Taurens. He did not say it would pain you."

She nodded. "It's important to me, so I can process his message and the pain to know what he said entirely, and I need to know what happened to the other half of this." She touched her dog tag.

"He said little—that he was honor bound to ensure it was returned to you, that he would be eternally shamed so I agreed to deliver it so he could be taken by cetanu without disgrace." He purred, mirroring her sadness. "It was his last request."

Tears tracked down her cheeks and she swiped at the liquid. "And the other half of my trinket?"

"He said he was supposed to keep it, that he could only return half through me." The young blood clicked apprehension abruptly. "Is this bad?"

Amelia thumbed the dog tag. "It's a message."

The young blood trilled a nervous inquiry, perhaps realizing now that what they sought could have dangerous repercussions.

"He gave you the half meant for the dead and he kept the half meant for the living," she said.

Akop stiffened and eyed Sain'ja. "Don't kill me."

"It was a warning, not an order," Amelia murmured. "But it's also a message and you know what it is as well as I do." She stared him in the eye.

The young blood huffed and limbs moved nervously in aborted motions.

"Mah'sic didn't volunteer to sacrifice himself and we both know it. He's not dead," she said. "Now tell me what you did and why."

"I didn't do it." He glanced at the warriors and gave a rapid explanation to Amelia as if being timed by an instructor, "I said it was done. I was trying to figure out how but Mah'sic knew. He said he would leave and no one would hear from him again. No one would know if I delivered the trinket as instructed." He took a deep breath and admitted, "I agreed and he set his bomb remotely to fool the instructor."

"And your video feed?" Amelia asked.

"It was off because I was to kill him while his back was turned. They didn't think I could beat him in a fair challenge. I wasn't to try."

Amelia took a shakey breath and nodded. "The instructor said to do it?"

He nodded. "And the high priestess's aid confirmed it was sanctioned but bad for clan relations to identify Mah'sic as bad blood. They did not say what crime he committed."

Raz'ha and his hunt brothers exchanged shocked looks. They hadn't just ordered the males to orchestrate a murder, they had a direct link to the female leadership.

"Did Mah'sic say where he'd go? What he'd do?" Amelia pressed, her voice hitching.

"Stay on the planet but move far away from the preserve. He'd live clanless." He glanced at Guan-thewi and then looked away.

Guan-thewi in turn rumbled displeasure.

Amelia touched her dog tag once more. "Is there anything else you remember? Directions? Things he said or did?"

The young blood shook his head. "We were busy with the difficult hunt for much of it. Our conversation lasted only moments."

Amelia nodded, but didn't look too dejected by the answer. "Thank you for the truth. You can go now."

The warriors clicked protests but she stood and walked the young male to the door, pushing through them.

"I'm sorry for my part in this," the young blood said and bowed his head. "I understand now."

"You are forgiven. I, too, am sorry for your injuries and difficult situation." She bowed her head in return. "Feel better, Young Blood Akop."

He clicked a farewell and fled once the door opened.

"Honey works better than vinegar sometimes." Over her shoulder she said, "Thank you, all of you."

She said nothing else to him that night, saving her gentle words for her hounds. Her hushed voice spoke of love and praise as she groomed her pets and fed them. Hult'ah stayed close to her side, likely smelling her turmoil that hid below her placid facade.

Raz'ha ached for her and himself. He wanted to curl around her and purr her to sleep but sensed he was unwelcome. Yeyinde's words haunted him. He couldn't unsee and unhear the evil ruling his clan, but his first duty above all else was Amelia's safety followed closely by her happiness. His honor was a distant third and he had to wait to act.

Amelia had to be safe with Taurens, preferably with Elder Val'jek, before he could do his duty. And he knew his duty would never be complete until bad blood were removed from power and never allowed control again.

He was no politician but he understood the males and knew their strength and how to fight. There would be heavy losses. Raz'ha knew he and his hunt brothers would likely die. If Amelia was on board she'd be an easy target. None could protect her indefinitely in a conflict so it had to wait. It tarnished his honor to wait, but he accepted that risk when he swore to care for her above all else.

He'd die and let his clan suffer the consequences of their negligence before letting her be collateral damage. Mah'sic had been innocent and now he was likely dead or at best stranded on an alien world all alone with no supplies. His small ooman wouldn't make such a lucky escape.

 

####

Notes:

Isn't that AMAZING fanart of Raz'ha and Amelia by black-tenacles on tumblr. So gorgeous! Thank you so much! :D check out their other predator art too!

Okay, so, yeah, you guys all knew, our baby Mah'sic didn't die like that. But no promises he's actually okay or anything lol. He's still stranded in a hostile environment with no way to be rescued. :D

As always, remember to tip your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start you can say something you liked about the ch or story, or drop some emotes, etc.

Chapter 37

Notes:

I spent so many hours editing and rewriting this and I'm still not entirely happy with it. D: But at least it's in the right ballpark of where I want it now.

Thank you for all the lovely comments on the last chapter!

It was early morning, days later, too soon to start the day, but both Raz'ha and Amelia were awake. Lying beside each other in his bed, they didn't touch beyond a few strands of her soft hair on his shoulder. He could feel warmth from her proximity, yet she was farther away than ever before.

Raz'ha could think of nothing to say to fix this space between them. His failings and shortcomings plagued him, making him feel off-kilter and unsure in a way he'd never experienced.

His hunt brothers were split on the course of action, and they spent days debating among themselves accomplishing little. Yeyinde, the most vocal, insisted they should act immediately—today, no matter the day—or cease all activities until Amelia was gone. Sain'ja, less vocal, suggested a calmer and lenient version of Yeyinde's sentiments with reminders of timing and preparations.

While Mar'cte was strangely reticent on his thoughts, Guan-thewi suggested they secure Amelia safely in a shuttle and destroy their clan ship and everyone on it. As a bad blood clan, they should thoroughly handle the issue instead of passing on the traditions to younger generations. They couldn't hope to win a fight against leadership that controlled the ship's functions, including life support systems, so the most effective strategy was to wipe the board clean.

Being a warrior required confidence and calculated risk. All his previous calculations, his whole world view, felt incorrect now. The universe was the same, but somehow he'd only just seen it for the first time. With that new understanding, his warrior training, his very soul, demanded that he rebel against the bad blood surrounding him.

But to do that questioned his honor in a different way. He'd sworn to protect Amelia on his honor. That was only an excuse, fortunately one others would understand, but still an excuse. He wanted to protect her above all else, even his own honor. Even his own clan.

It turned out he hadn't even seen himself properly. What pathetic yautja would forsake his clan and honor for one person? Even if they cherished them deeply.

Amelia's soft voice pulled him from his chaotic circular thoughts. "Will you rebel?"

"You would die," he said as a dismissal.

"Raz'ha," she said, "what's one life compared to so much suffering?"

He clicked that he heard, but he wasn't sure why she said it. Everyone knew many would die. They spoke of it often and she was most adamant about saving the lives of them all.

"We were negligent and earned our suffering. It is our duty to ensure the innocent do not pay for our weaknesses. It would disgrace us all even in victory."

"It's not your fault." Her eyes searched his face.

"I accept that we earned this fate and all share the blame. But you have not." He shook his head. "You are not saracen. You are not responsible to die here with us. It tarnishes our honor if you do." He chuffed.

She may be willing to overlook her own death, but she wouldn't overlook other deaths. "Many of the young will die. Many bad blood will survive to plague us for generations. The river of blood will gain us little but the knowledge that we tried."

He didn't want her to die.

"How do we keep them from dying?" she murmured. "Is it possible to keep any safe?"

"I don't know." He barely knew how to keep her alive and that felt precarious at best.

She moved restlessly and her hair slid off his shoulder silently. "Things will probably get out of control here first, but maybe help could come if we're lucky. Val'jek would help."

Raz'ha faced her. "This is Saracen honor and trouble."

"As the wronged innocent bystander, I insist you repay my losses by accepting assistance. You'll get Yeyinde and the others to wait for help." She sounded firm but her hands were moving anxiously. "Think of the babies and the unbloods."

He chuffed but nodded at having his excuse turned back on him. "We wait for aid, if possible."

That was a promise for later, but for now, he had more pressing concerns of avoiding such a rebellion while she still resided on the ship.

"Thank you."

He willed Elder Val'jek to be alive and return for her soon. It seemed nothing else could protect her. Nothing else would make her happy, that was for certain. He touched her hair, careful not to disturb her. He would forever miss his soft ooman and regret his failings as her unofficial mate.

Her gentle ooman fingers circled his wrist. "It's okay to be upset. It's normal to be upset."

A denial started in his throat, but he let it go before he voiced it. He was upset. Not in the ooman way, and he certainly couldn't leak fluids the way an ooman would. But perhaps in his own yautja way, with the inexplicable weight on his chest and a phantom itch in his mandibles, his body expressed his turmoil. He rumbled an acknowledgement.

"It feels…" No words came that could explain it.

The tiny ooman wrapped him in her arms. "Yeah. It's like that sometimes."

He should be comforting her. She was the one so wronged. She was the one grieving a close family bond. She was the innocent in this situation. His mandibles trembled.

They stayed like that for a long time, saying nothing as he soaked up her comfort. But eventually they had to see to their obligations and begin their morning routine. It was only moments after leaving their bed that they continued as if it were any other day.

"I meet with Durnst later than usual today," she said once more, using the elder's name instead of his title. It was as if leadership titles no longer existed to her, as if she could will their titles and positions from existence by not acknowledging them anymore.

"Sei," Raz'ha said. "A student will escort you."

"I'll see if I can work with him and find out how to fix this to prevent more dying," she murmured. "If we can't brute force our way, maybe we trick them into another resolution."

He nodded. If anyone could, it was Amelia and Elder Durnst. "Be cautious of his loyalty. He survived many leadership changes." He clicked reassurances as he said it.

#

Amelia stiffened to find Del'is in Durnst's office. She stood across from the desk, towering over the guest seat, and her calculating gaze raked down Amelia's body.

"Your aide said to enter. I didn't realize you were in a meeting already." She bowed awkwardly. "I will come back later."

"Stay." Elder Durnst motioned to the chair. "I desire that you speak to Del'is."

Amelia clutched the dog tag around her neck in her fist, feeling the warm metal dig into her palm. "I can't give her what she wants."

Del'is clicked at her. It was rude to talk about her while she was present.

"I have given my answer already," Amelia said, keeping her voice even.

Del'is tilted her head and looked at her closed fist for a long moment. "Even if I can ensure justice for your friend?"

Her chest tightened and her throat closed. "Coming here to sell justice for the low, low price of injustice. That's your plan? Sway me when I'm grieving family and presumably too vulnerable to notice your schemes? That's it? That's the grand scheme from the infamous yautja kingmaker who has been changing regimes for decades."

Del'is straightened, making herself seem impossibly tall in the tiny room. "You are a rude creature."

"I think manners are low of the list of the clan's priorities right now. Somewhere between theft and murder we have to fit in treason, so I don't think manners are really going to make the top 3. What do you think, Elder Durnst?"

He chuffed. "I think many more will die in a revolution if it even has a chance to begin."

"So you think we should all go along with her? Install a new high priestess and just hope that she'll be better than the last or the one before that? Isn't that what happened last time and the time before? Your results, from my understanding, have always been a few months of improvement and then everything is back to corruption, oppression, and death." Her chin trembled in her mask. "I won't encourage them down that path like there is any other possible outcome when they go along with corruption."

"You think you will survive this if you don't? You believe your protectors will?" She clicked disdain. "You are foolish to think your death isn't already planned."

"Sacrifice their future to save myself," Amelia murmured with disdain. "I'm pretty sure you have no intention of keeping your promises, even if you could—which is still in doubt."

"What good will your death do them?" Del'is trilled. "They will be as they were before without your immature schemes and ideals to mislead them."

Amelia swallowed and looked to Durnst though she answered Del'is. "My murder would be the best thing that could happen to this clan. Elder Val'jek would demand justice and he isn't gullible. He'll see through this leadership in an instant and he will make sure all the bad bloods are identified."

"I hear your tauren owner may be declared dead." Del'is trilled almost gleefully at the news.

Amelia's stomach dropped at that. Did Del'is know something or was she making it up to frighten her? It was a worry for later. There was no time to play that game right now if she was to be convincing in front of this notorious schemer.

"If it's true, you're alone here. There is no one to—"

Amelia cut her off. "My mate would never leave me alone and unprotected. If not Elder Val'jek of the Taurens, then someone he trusts will come. The outcome will be the same." She leveled Del'is with all her cold anger. "Bad bloods can't escape that."

The tall female reared her head back at the charge. A beat of silence hung in the air awkwardly.

"It would seem my expectations were too high for an ooman slave." With that Del'is exited the room.

Durst deflated in his chair with a deep exhale from his chest. He seemed exhausted.

"She won't kill you yet. She's hoping the high priestess will do it, and you're useful in that capacity for now." He clicked. "But she will see you dead eventually after that."

"I know." She rubbed the dog tag between her fingers. Maybe what she'd said was true. Maybe it would be better for everyone if Amelia died here. But what would happen to Mah'sic? "I came to tell you that Mah'sic was definitely still alive when they left the planet."

He chirped in surprise, but her mind had already moved on from the topic.

She had to swiftly recalculate her assessment of how fractured the council was now. Del'is herself coming to talk to her and asking Durnst to mediate? That was the edge of the abyss. Perhaps the priestesses were tired of waiting, or perhaps something new happened. Either way, things were going to happen quickly.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but I can see that now it has largely become out of our control. You're gonna have to choose a side." She swallowed thickly at the implication. "And I have a favor to ask if you're on the surviving side when it's all over."

He clicked apprehension but nodded.

"Tell the taurens that I believe Mah'sic is alive. Someone should look for him." Her throat closed and she could say nothing else to implore her saracen counterpart to help. Instead, she forced out a weak, "And tell my mate that I love him very much."

He tapped his chest. "You have my oath to carry your message."

"Thank you, my friend." She touched her own chest. And with that, she left Durnst to his dilemma.

#

Amelia exited the office to find Durnst's aide fretting by the door.

"Amelia, your meeting ended too soon," he said. His mandibles tapped a rapid sequence. "Del'is sent your escort to perform an errand for her. I requested another escort for you, but I haven't received a response yet."

And he was stressed because she couldn't just sit in an elder's quarters while yautja attended meetings.

Though not on the council, Del'is was a high-ranking female. She could send almost any male on an errand if it pleased her, but why her escort? This was not happenstance. Maybe it was to make her walk the halls alone so she was easier to kill.

That made no sense.

The expectation was exactly what the aide was doing right now, fretting while he found her an escort and Amelia waited.

"I will request Elder Durnst send an escort with you. Perhaps—"

"No, but thank you," Amelia said impulsively. "I know the way through the halls."

This was either to delay her or someone's meeting with Durnst. The only thing she could think of to circumvent the unknown was to not be delayed. She'd walk, quickly, herself.

"But you—"

"Thank you for all your assistance. You have always been helpful and kind." She gave her farewell even as he rumbled protests at her. There was nothing he could do to stop her because she belonged to a tauren, not saracens.

As she stepped into the dark hall, she adjusted her mask settings to see better. With her first steps, she couldn't help but think that no matter what happened, taurens would come. Her death would have meaning because it would help those subjugated in this clan. It was simply a matter of running out the clock now.

It was during a minor shift change and the halls were not empty.

Amelia looked ahead and focused on her steps to curb her unease. They would not know she was afraid to walk these halls alone because she would not be afraid to do it. She'd done what she could and failed. What more could they do to her?

That thought summoned macabre imagery of what yautja hunters did to their prey.

In the first hall, she reminded herself that she didn't walk among yautja hunting her. She walked among sentient beings oppressed by their leaders and stripped of their dignity.

By the second hall, she considered more fully that killing her would probably set them free. Though selfish, it was almost a relief that she wouldn't have to explain to Val'jek that she let his son get caught up in political intrigue.

Toward the end of the third hall, she acknowledged that she wouldn't have to face the reality that Val'jek wasn't just late in calling. The window for his return was rapidly closing.

With no way to find Mah'sic, and no Val'jek, the last thing she could do was free Raz'ha and his hunt brothers by dying.

They deserved freedom.

"Are you lost?" A yautja male rumbled as he fell in step at her side.

"H'ko," she said and didn't look at him. She continued her steady pace and so did he.

They made it six steps before he spoke again. "You should not be alone. It's dangerous for you."

She struggled to continue to stare ahead and not notice the other yautja males in the hall noticing her. She heard footsteps behind her, at least one more set.

"Are you here to kill me?" she asked without addressing anyone in particular.

There were three denials in answer. Two were behind her.

A warrior they passed trilled at them. "Are you escorting Amelia of the Taurens? You have favor with Honored Warrior Raz'ha?"

"I have no escort," Amelia said flatly.

That warrior kept pace with her as well but he was looking at the others. "Are you harassing the ooman?" he demanded with threatening clicks.

"We are speaking," the one beside her said. "She has not asked us to leave."

The newest warrior looked to the others and then to her. "You are accepting conversation?" But it wasn't really a question as he trilled. "Is it true, what you told the young bloods? The taurens distribute supplies based on medical needs?"

"Yes," Amelia said as she struggled to understand why these yautja were crowding her now.

"I have seen their ship. They have lights in every room," one said.

"You have not seen every room. It's said they only make it appear that way when other clans arrive." A second behind her clicked. "When clans leave, they live in darkness as we do."

"They do not," Amelia said. "There is ample lighting in every room I've seen on the Tauren ship. And as a trading clan, it's rare not to have visitors."

"And they eat meat at every meal?" the first demanded.

"Yes," she said. They just had questions about things they had never seen. "There is no hunger there, not even for the lowest ranks."

"That is your proof that the young blood lied?" A large claw motioned to her dog tag. "How do you know it's proof? It is only a trinket."

"My people track the dead with them," she said. "Mah'sic sent back the half that stays with the dead and kept the half that stays with the living. It was a message from him. It was the only way to send me a message that no one else would understand."

"He warns you of danger."

"If only you know this, how will you prove it?"

"Elder Val'jek understands this. He will believe me and so will anyone he sends." She dropped the dog tag, letting it fall against her chest once more. "He will make sure justice is done for his son and in doing so, he will notice other discrepancies in the clan."

"You wear a trinket meant for the dead," the one beside her rumbled unease. "Do you not fear it will bring cetanu to you?"

She didn't have an answer for that and another yautja joined them and peppered her with questions. Others joined in.

Amelia gave short answers where she could and as she approached the door to Yeyinde's kehrite, she stopped. The males waited, rumbling softly in question.

"I've answered your questions where possible. I would like for you to consider my questions now." She waited for them to nod. "What will Taurens think of your way of life here? Do you think the way of things here will seem normal to them? Do you think the way of life here is worth praising?"

She held up her hand to stop their replies. "Ask others. Think about it for a while because there will come a time when another clan will see your way of life and judge who you are and what you do. You must know what you'll say to them."

The silence that greeted her was ominous.

She bowed her head and said a formal farewell. As she opened the kehrite door a yautja called to her. She waited for his question.

"What will you tell them of us?" a warrior asked.

"The truth," she said. "You were naive and misled, but now you are seeing things for what they are."

The warriors bowed their heads as she entered the kehrite.

#

Amelia was stunned to see a yautja female in front of her. She took a step back and bumped into the now-closed door.

 

Notes:

Some timeline notes:
I lowkey can't remember the dates for when Val'jek was supposed to be back as compared to the current timeline's dates. So where we SHOULD be is right after the end of the expected return window where things went not great and they had some standard mission delays.

That makes him sort of late, but it could mean they had more problems or delays than they expected. There were a lot of moving parts to the mission and multiple stops which gave them a large return window.

What that means is no one would be presuming him dead legally (so his legal will wouldn't kick in) just based on the timeline. However, his ship did have problems and no one has heard from him for much too long. The Tauren's protocol would have them investigating earlier than this moment if they knew about the trouble or didn't receive communication at scheduled intervals.

#

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Chapter 38

Notes:

Thank you for all the lovely comments! You all are the best with all your observations and speculations, hope you're continuing to enjoy yourselves.

Amelia was stunned to see a yautja female in front of her. She took a step back and bumped into the now closed door.

The female tilted her head at Amelia and clicked displeasure. 

Amelia glanced around to see Yeyinde several yards away and the class watching them.

"What are you staring at, slave?" the female demanded.

Amelia bit her tongue as she realized the female was watching the class and had planted herself by the door. Skirting the female, Amelia side-stepped and shuffled deeper into the room. 

Yeyinde greeted her, then asked, "Where is your escort?"

"Del'is sent him away on an errand." Amelia glanced at the female planted by the door and everything fit into place. "I see why now. You have another guest teacher?"

Yeyinde rumbled without answering. "You came without an escort?"

"Yes," she said. "Many warriors had questions for me. We had several pleasant chats and a few not-so-pleasant ones about the state of political affairs."

He tilted his head and assessed Amelia and then the female. "We skip the ooman demonstration today. This female is—"

"Her name isn't important." Amelia waved her hand in dismissal because politeness wouldn't help, so she may as well be petty. It couldn't make the situation any worse at this point. "Is she helping you instruct?"

The female splayed her mandibles wide in outrage. The students froze in silence.

"She gave a short talk," Yeyinde said and added soft clicks. "Now she observes."

"You mean she is assessing who needs to be murdered next," Amelia said.

Yeyinde hissed through his teeth and his mandibles tapped rapidly, but it didn't really express anything coherent. It was more a jumble of started expressions that he didn't complete.

She turned to the female yautja. "That's true, isn't it? You're here to see which students would believe us and which can still be controlled or ensnared in plots."

"You accuse me of murder?" The female growled. "You, an ooman pet, not worth more than the meager pounds of meat clinging to your bones?"

"Well, I don't think you'd do it yourself," she said by way of acquiescence. "You're not just here deciding who has to die, I think. You're probably picking out who to manipulate into doing the killing for you."

The female's eyes slid to Yeyinde and then darted away. 

Such an obvious tell surprised Amelia. Was the female not skilled in deception, or just flustered by a human pet's bluntness?

"Ah, I see," she said. "You guys thought that since Honored Warrior Yeyinde did it once, that he could be manipulated again—that he would do the killing for you if you just told him the right story. He—like the many previously tricked yautja—would believe he was doing the right thing."

"You speak nonsense," the female said and turned to Yeyinde. "Make her stop."

Yeyinde clicked an apology, but the truth was that there was nothing he could do. No one in this room had the right to shut her up. In truth, any chaos or offense she created would have to be taken to Raz'ha first.

"He was younger then but he knew something was strange about the situation." Amelia lifted her chin and gave Yeyinde a subtle assessment. If he looked like he wanted her to stop sharing his business, she would use another tactic. But he didn't. The warrior simply shrugged and clicked another "I'm helpless to interefere" apology.

With that implied permission, Amelia pressed on. "He knew something wasn't right and Honored Warrior Mek'ja knew the consequences of failure. This game was not clever then and is less so now. You understand that, don't you? This game only works when the honorable warriors like Mek'ja are willing to sacrifice themselves."

"You will cease or I will rip out your tongue," the female growled and took one menacing step toward Amelia.

She didn't press further, however. What was one step? There was at least five more between them. It was a whole conversation's worth of insults in Amelia's opinion.

"We all know that says more about you than it does about me," she said. "Besides, you don't have the authority or the skill to do it."

"You challenge me?" The female took another step in her direction. 

Four more steps was still a lot of room.

"Of course not. I'm merely sharing one of my many observations. Another is that the High Priestess doesn't know you're here, and leadership is still pretending I'm untouchable right now." She looked the female up and down, pretending to be unimpressed.

The tall and built yautja was actually immaculate. Beautiful, strong, well-styled, and even carrying small trophies designated as creatures she'd hunted herself. She was pretty sure few could compare to this female.

"Only an idiot would kill me today. It's too soon. Everyone will know I speak the truth. You have to minimize my impact. Marginalize what I said. Plan a cover story." She counted off on her fingers. "Discrediting me would be best, if that's even possible after you fumbled this conversation. You have to do these things first or it immortalizes my words. So, I guess I am still untouchable today. Otherwise, you'd be demanding Honored Warrior Raz'ha's presence already."

Whispers could be heard throughout the class, but the female didn't reply with more than splayed mandibles.

In the face of the female's silence, Amelia shrugged. She hadn't pushed enough buttons. "Or maybe you just know Raz'ha would humiliate you in an embarrassingly brief fight."

"I would kill that pathetic ooman fucker!" the female roared, taking another step closer and making the room full of students flinch.

Amelia tilted her head. "That's the part you find offensive?"

Seeming to realize what Amelia had walked her into saying, the female took a half step back in shock.

No one even breathed loudly as they all watched the female's reaction.

The yautja female collected herself, shaking off her rage with a flick of her arms. After several huffed breaths, she said, "I am not allowed to challenge, but that is the only correct observation your weak eyes made." She chuffed. "When it is allowed, I will be there first, slave, and you will not be so arrogant then."

"If you are an indicator of skill and intelligence, I think the High Priestess's followers will probably get there first." Amelia—who had carefully not taken a step forward or backward throughout the conversation—turned to Yeyinde, giving the appearance of dismissing the female.

An angry huff could be heard in response to the slight, but that too was ignored.

To Yeyinde, Amelia said, "We have an agreement and we won't be skipping my session today. I find I have lots of wisdom to share and it would seem there is a shortage of time before my inevitable demise."

Yeyinde nodded and moved aside for her to take his position at the head of the class.

#

Mar'cte rushed to his quarters at a dead run. He barely barked where he was going—laced heavily with curse words—as he knocked down a guard blocking his path.

"Let him go. There was an accident," someone said behind him.

A fucking accident.

They happened often enough on a ship that was held together more with shitty patches than ship parts, if his friend in maintenance was to be believed. The older warrior wasn't known for exaggeration though.

It could have been an accident. Something was always broken on their trash ships. The shuttles, their lifelines allowing them to hunt and trade for supplies, were always breaking down when he was hunting—sometimes dangerously so. Once, he'd nearly suffocated when life support shut off the air supply and the alarm speaker had unknowingly been broken. It was only when he felt lightheaded and another hunter had passed out that they realized something was wrong.

He could only imagine the million additional things that went wrong on a clan ship.

But the accident's location was suspicious. Pauk'de leaders must really think they were all idiots.

He knew little of ship repair or systems, and couldn't say for sure if it was unlikely for a dangerous fume leak to happen in such a small section of the ship—one containing the kehrite where Raz'ha and Amelia spent most of their time. The one slightly away from most kehrites. The one that had once belonged to Mek'ja and no one else wanted to teach in.

The timing was suspicious as well. A few cycles ago, Amelia had a conflict in Elder Durnst's office with Del'is, and then another female in Yeyinde's kehrite. The words were heated and the accusations even more serious. Rumors spread throughout every level of the ship. Even his students were asking him about it.

There was gambling on when and how Amelia of the Taurens would die.

He knew Yeyinde and Sain'ja were safely in their kehrites, which was where he'd been when news spread of the leak. Raz'ha and Amelia were trapped in the accident zone though.

But Guan-thewi wasn't teaching right now. He had a gap in his schedule when he'd seek out the quiet of their quarters to meditate away from all the noise and overwhelming presence of so many yautja. The warrior had never grown comfortable with crowds and the social demands of clan life after growing up with only one male to raise him on an uninhabited planet. He had spent many years entirely alone when the male died.

While their quarters weren't in the affected area, over their morning meal, Guan-thewi had mentioned possibly assisting Raz'ha with a demonstration around this time.

Had he gone already? Perhaps he'd finished and was on his way back. Or perhaps he was there right now—dying.

Mar'cte stopped in the hall.

He considered running to the affected area. He'd tear his way through the ship walls if he had to.

He shook his head. No, he had to hope his hunt brother was safe in their quarters. He pictured him in their bed, sitting in his meditation pose and unaware of the emergency. Safe. He willed it into existence as if one could simply wish for safety and make it so.

He should be more worried for Raz'ha, and for Amelia, and for all those trapped and likely about to die. But he was consumed with the one who mattered to him most. Very little else could fit in his heart when competing against Guan-thewi.

He was ashamed to admit how much he knew himself to be willing to sacrifice—to overlook—if it meant Guan-thewi was safe.

That was why he'd stayed quiet on the topic of their clan situation. He knew Guan-thewi was correct. They were duty-bound to destroy themselves. It was the only honorable option left to them. They'd let too much happen through ignorance and complacency.

But Guan-thewi hadn't been born into this clan and didn't deserve to die with them. They'd taken him from his peaceful planet with clean air, fresh food, and everything his hunt brother knew of life. His adjustment had been difficult and filled with angry outbursts that made most think he was a savage.

Guan-thewi wasn't savage at all. Just overwhelmed by unfamiliar stimuli and unfair treatment.

The first time he'd laid eyes on his hunt brother, he'd thought Guan-thewi was the most beautiful yautja he'd ever seen. His features were proportioned slightly differently than most, almost harsher, making him look uncanny and discomfiting to their clanmates. Mar'cte had been mesmerized and determined to claim him as a hunt brother before anyone else could realize that he was also stronger than anyone else too. That had confounded even Mar'cte. Was it because he grew up on a planet and not a ship?

Their friendship and then more intimate feelings had developed quickly. They'd given the excuse of acclimating Guan-thewi to share their quarters early on, but they had simply wanted to be closer all the time. They didn't mind that they were two warriors crammed into quarters meant for one. Living on top of each other was a benefit, not a nuisance.

Outside those very same quarters, he paused. This moment might be his last time believing his hunt brother was still by his side. Part of him was terrified for it to pass.

He opened his door. The room was still—lifeless even. His heart pounded erratically.

"Guan-thewi?" His voice shook, making the name almost unintelligible.

A faint rumble—one only Mar'cte was privy to—came from deeper in the room.

His knees went weak with emotion and he sank to the floor.

"Mar'cte?" Guan-thewi's voice approached. Mar'cte struggled to his feet with large, scarred claws assisting him. "Are you ill?"

He shook his head and grabbed his hunt brother by the waist. "I thought—I-I-"

"Come inside." They didn't do this where others could see. It wasn't illegal, but it wasn't encouraged. Guan-thewi didn't like the stares, regardless.

"What happened?" Guan-thewi rumbled a soothing purr, pressing them tight chest-to-chest. His mandibles stroked over Mar'cte's, further comforting him.

"An accident. A leak." Mar'cte rambled what he knew. "Raz'ha is there. We should go and help."

"In a moment." Guan-thewi gripped the back of his neck, his claws grounding Mar'cte. "Calm your breaths. I am well. Safe."

Mar'cte followed the techniques he'd once taught Guan-thewi to rebalance his emotions. He had to control himself to help anyone. He took several practiced breaths.

Much inside him eased from just being in his hunt brother's grip. He was alive. He had to stay that way. Mar'cte couldn't let him die. Not for their clan's mistakes. Not for any reason.

"Good," Guan-thewi rumbled. "Settled now?"

"Yes."

"Let us see if Raz'ha and his ooman live."

Mar'cte nodded and set aside his previous thoughts. Raz'ha and his kind ooman were in trouble and they needed to help if possible. "We must hurry."

They ran through the halls together, heading to the scene of the supposed accident. Though Guan-thewi rarely allowed such a public display, he didn't try to pull away when Mar'cte kept a tight grip on the other warrior's hand.

Notes:

As I do more edits I find myself adding more scenes and rewriting some sections when I had really just planned to kind of do more of a slapdash edit of the material I wrote years ago. I'm having quite a bit of fun though so I'm going to keep doing it :D

The whole section with Mar'cte's pov I added as new writing not in the original draft. I found some notes that I had wanted to include his pov and explain a bit more about some of his reticence and most importantly his relationship with Guan-thewi. This seemed like a good place to do that without dropping the escalating tension of the plot.

This chapter became too long so I had to chop it in half. D: I didn't mean for it to be a cliffhanger (they aren't dead, there's loads more story to tell). The next chapter needs a few more edits but because it was all going to be released together, it's almost done. So, good news, it should be out much sooner than usual! (ao3 curse, pls do not come find me!)

As always, remember to tip your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start, you can say something you liked about the chapter or story, or drop some emotes, etc.

Chapter 39

Notes:

Thank you for all the comments on the previous chapter, you all are great!

This chapter is out a little faster because I had chopped the last one down after most of the edits. Next chapter won't be quite as quick, unfortunately.

Please enjoy :D

An incessant beeping prodded Amelia awake from her nap. Raz'ha loomed over her as she squinted with the kehrite's light blinding her over his shoulder.

"Stand. Quick!" His voice sounded off as if he swallowed sandpaper and strained to talk without scraping it.

"What's happening?" she asked, sitting up as her brain still struggled out of sleep mode.

He yanked her to her feet and then wobbled himself. "Gas is thicker on the floor."

Gas?

His young blood students also swayed on their feet as they pushed to the exit. That beeping continued and became identifiable as her vital signs monitor sounding the alarm.

Fear sprang up quickly, Val'jek's words coming back to haunt her. She could fall asleep and never wake up if the filter malfunctioned.

The air smelled wet and harsh like bleach. She slipped on her mask, trying to reduce the smell at least. It wasn't effective for breathing without an air tank though.

She gripped Raz'ha's arm and tried to steady the warrior. "What's happening?"

A student collapsed at the entrance and then two others struggled to drag him forward.

"Off the floor," Raz'ha rasped and helped yank the fallen student vertical. The limp weight toppled another student trying to assist.

"Hold your breath down there." The warrior's voice seemed fainter by the word as he helped that student stand too.

In the hall, Amelia gripped Raz'ha's waist. When he wobbled away from her, she leaned her own weight as a counterbalance to steady him. They moved as an unsteady group toward the main hall. More and more yautja filed out of rooms, stumbling along the walls.

Raz'ha wobbled in her direction and her knees buckled under his heavy bulk. It was mere luck that he hadn't crushed her as he and another student stumbled face-first into the corridor wall.

Clawed hands helped her off the floor. "Up, ooman," a student said.

"I'm all right," she assured. But she had no idea what was happening. Despite the terror gripping her, she didn't feel unbalanced like the others. Or sick. Young bloods began vomiting as they pushed onward.

Raz'ha reached for her. She hurried to him.

"What is this? What do I do?"

"Exit." His shaking claw pointed at the crowd forming at the end of the next corridor.

Amelia heard shouts and more vomiting.

"This is a poisonous gas? It's filling this section?" Several other yautja groups that she didn't know but saw in the halls frequently made their way to the designated direction. It was difficult for her to see that far, even with her mask.

"Sei. Malfunction—perhaps."

"I'm breathing fine," she said. The lung filter must be working on the gas.

It was a sort of all terrain device that helped her breathe not only on a yautja ship, but also a few planets. Whatever was in the air it seemed to handle enough for her to feel okay. Not knowing what it was, she couldn't assume it would work indefinitely though. It might just be slowing it down, or she might be a little more resistant as a human.

They reached the crowd at some sort of sealed safety gate or bulkhead. Yautja collapsed several at a time. Others pulled them up only to collapse themselves.

Something was wrong. Why was the door still closed?

She looked to Raz'ha gasping shallow breaths and grasping an unconscious student to his side.

"I'll see what the problem is," she said and didn't wait for a reply. He wouldn't make it through this crowd.

Amelia pushed and stepped over a dozen yautja on the floor. She risked being crushed twice and tried to steady a smaller unblood with no success.

When she reached the sealed door she heard pounding from the other side and two warriors were disassembling the door's control panel. Their hands shook and they breathed in harsh rasps. Wires hung everywhere and they tied several together. The door must have malfunctioned.

"Hurry!" several in the crowd called.

Someone puked on her foot and another dropped to his knees beside her. She could only slow his dissent. She just wasn't physically strong enough to keep dead weight upright. Helping them this way wasn't possible.

"Override is set," the yautja at the panel said.

The one beside him slumped on the floor and his body spasmed twice.

Horror settled in as more and more fell around her like dominos.

The yautja at the lock mechanism swayed as he stood. He pressed the open button. The door flashed a red light and didn't budge.

"The power source is depleted," he rasped as he sank to the floor.

A warrior in the corner called the announcement back.

Another warrior opened a panel on the opposite wall. He looked to an unblood at his side. "There are some in bin two. Bring them all."

Amelia followed the unblood stumbling to do as he was bid.

She wrapped an arm around his waist and had an easier time helping his smaller stature. It was still a struggle though. "Show me where they are and I can move faster."

The unblood nodded and opened a door. He stumbled to a storage unit labeled "Disposal" and opened a bin. He handed her a shoebox-sized container.

"This everything?"

"Sei," he whispered and slumped back against the storage unit. "Go."

"Stay off the floor," she encouraged as she hurried from the storage room.

She did her best not to step on any fallen yautja as she returned to the locked door.

"Bin 2," she said.

The half-passed-out warrior blinked twice before clumsily reaching for the box.

Amelia opened the lid, finding a haphazard pile of metal cylinders inside, and pulled one out, closing his claws around it for him. "I can help."

He dropped it.

She picked it up and pressed on. "Tell me what to do."

He didn't understand, and she was pretty sure she said it wrong while panicked. Instead, she tried, "Instruct me."

"Hold this down, remove the power." He vomited down his front. "Insert a new one, release the lever."

"Okay. Okay. This lever?"

"Sei. Hold hard or door breaks."

"Okay. Hold it or it breaks. I can do that, I think," she mumbled to herself in english.

She fumbled to remove what looked like a metal tampon identical to the items in the bin. She held the designated lever and put in a metal tampon replacement. Once it was secure, she said, "Correct?"

"Sei, release."

She murmured a "please," and released the lever.

The warrior at the panel was on the floor. Another pressed the door button.

The red light flashed.

The door didn't open.

Rumbles of desperation started. Warriors weakly thumped on the door. She heard return thumps and shouts but didn't understand what was said.

"Try another. Try them all." He dry heaved. "Old. Used. Try more."

Her stomach somersaulted but she didn't let herself calculate the odds of used batteries having enough juice left to power an airtight emergency door that likely weighed a ton. If that was what even powered it. For all she knew it was merely powering the lock.

"Yeah," she muttered, "probably just powers the lock. Old batteries can handle a lock."

She was on her fourth failed battery when no one was able to reach the button to try the door. A fallen warrior's arm swayed upward but couldn't reach it.

Amelia slid through vomit and carelessly stepped on someone's hand as she scrambled for the lock across the hall. She hit it only for the door's indicator light to flash red.

She scrambled back to the power panel. Her hands shook as she struggled to change the battery. Once it was in, she chanced a glance down the corridor. No one remained standing. Her heart squeezed and she wanted to search for Raz'ha.

Her only reassurance was the warrior by the door still breathing in raspy pants as she tried yet another battery. Another failure.

She panted as well, but from panic, as the only other sounds she heard were from the other side of the door.

Maybe they would reach them.

She doubted it.

"Come on, come on," she breathed. She was getting faster at the battery change and she stopped avoiding yautja. "Sorry, sorry!" she said as she stepped on several in her haste. They could be mad at her later if they survived.

Another failure.

She didn't bother swearing. The noises from the other side of the door grew quieter. She didn't think that was a good sign. Five more batteries failed to open the door. Raspy breathing from the closest warrior wasn't as audible anymore. She didn't dare stop to see if he lived.

As she reached for the last battery, her heart filled with terror.

"Come on, God, Paya, whoever, not like this. Not like this." She swapped it efficiently and scrambled to hit the button. "Please, please."

Red.

Her heart dropped.

It really hadn't worked. One of them should have worked. She'd tried. They had all tried.

Her mind screamed to do something.

Anything!

Her arms flailed in several aborted movements. She even patted her dress as if checking her nonexistent pockets. What would she even have in her pockets to fix this?!

Forced to stop herself, she dropped her hands to her sides and took a deep, slow breath. She closed her eyes to block out the corridor full of dying yautja—Raz'ha dying among them somewhere in the shadows. There had to be something else to be done.

She mentally walked through the problem of a blocked exit and what the yautja had done at the panels. She could try for another exit and maybe help could get in that way. But if that were possible, wouldn't someone already be doing that from the other side?

Then it occurred to her.

Other things must have batteries. She pulled off her mask and yanked open the lining. Nothing inside looked like that kind of battery. She put her mask back on to look for more things.

Amelia scrambled back to where she had left Raz'ha. His chest rose and fell, spurring her on. She tried his mask with no luck and then her vital signs monitor. There she found something. It looked similar but not exactly the same.

Hoping for a miracle, she pulled out the potential battery. The monitor's power immediately shut off, which confirmed it was likely the battery. It had the same shape as the one for the door, just a bit thinner. The connectors looked the same too, she thought. It would fit in place. But would it work?

Maybe she should find another security door and pull open the panel? But the nearest one was pretty far.

They hadn't sent her to that when they needed a battery. But were they thinking clearly after being exposed to whatever the gas was?

She'd have to try her own battery. If it didn't work, she'd run for another door.

She searched for more equipment, just in case, as she returned to the door but didn't see anything with a similar battery. This was it. There was nothing else nearby. It would work or not.

Amelia muttered nonsensical pleas and prayers as she removed the battery. She compared them again. The ends and length matched. A lot of symbols—numbers—were identical. That was probably a good sign even if the numbers didn't mean anything to her.

But it being thinner bothered her. That probably mattered.

"There is nothing else," she said, shoring up her commitment.

She used the borrowed battery, and it slid in place like all the others. Rushing to the door button and stepping on more yautja, she used the last of her prayers.

She slapped the button.

It didn't flash red.

Nothing happened in two terrifying heartbeats.

Then heavy gears sounded with an ear-piercing shriek. If felt as if the ship was ripping open, with the heavy thunk and shrieking.

The door separated from the floor at a slow crawl. Success!

"Don't be too late. Don't be too late." Over and over she chanted as yautja feet came into view on the other side of the door.

A commotion of shouts started and yautja faces dropped to the floor. They scrambled, claws grabbing the nearest fallen warriors and pulling them under the slow-moving door the moment they'd fit.

She could see cutting equipment and other items strewn on the floor. They must have been trying to cut through the door to reach them. There was some relief that they were trying to help and didn't leave everyone to die.

"They breathe!" someone called.

More shouts followed and Amelia helped, or tried to, but yautja were heavy and vomit was slippery. She managed to pull one to the door from two feet away.

The sooner the front of the line moved, the sooner they could help Raz'ha and his students.

"Ooman?" a warrior faced her, his head tilting and surprised to see her.

"Hurry—yautja ill," she said, passing a hand to him. She glanced at the door panel and again at the warrior. He wore a mask, so she opted to use english to say, "I don't know if the power source I used is safe for the door. Will it close again?"

He pulled the yautja through, passing him back to others. He crawled under the door. "Where?"

She showed him both panels.

He used a flashlight and traced the exposed wires and other alien electrical components. He tilted his head at the battery, then moved to the button panel. "Sei. the door is rigged. It will not close." Looking up at her, he asked, "You did this?"

"No. They rigged it and then showed me how to change the power. They were too sick to continue. None of the spares worked. I had to improvise."

"Good work by all. Good wiring. Good improvise." He nodded. "Good, ooman."

"Wait, there's some sort of gas. Won't you get sick too? Won't it spread?" she asked, horrified. Had she just killed the next section of the ship?

"H'ko. Gas is off and the scrubbers are working." He pointed to some equipment on the other side of the open door.

They resumed rescuing the fallen yautja. "Will they be okay?" she asked.

"Any that still live, sei."

Amelia only mumbled a thanks and rushed back to Raz'ha to check his breathing.

He was covered in vomit, but his chest rose and fell with soft breaths already sounding much better than before. What yautja defined as okay in this situation, she wasn't sure.

"Everything will be fine. It will." She petted the crown of his head and kissed his brow. "It's going to be okay."

It didn't matter that her hands shook and tears wet her mask.

He lived. He was going to be okay. At least for today.

"Amelia!" Mar'cte and Guan-thewi ran down the hall from the safe area.

"He's alive! He's going to be okay!" she called through her mask and hugged Raz'ha's limp arm to her chest.

They stepped around the other unconscious yautja carefully. "Are you injured?"

"I don't think so. I think my filter protected me."

Mar'cte trilled.

Guan-thewi looked them both over and simply said, "I will help move the ill."

"I will take him." Mar'cte hefted Raz'ha over his shoulder without waiting. "They are administering treatment farther down."

Still feeling shell-shocked, Amelia followed. "They nearly killed so many of us."

None of them were gullible enough to believe it was a coincidence.

"They will try again, but not too soon," Mar'cte said. "Maybe."

She hiccuped a laugh that held no humor. "You'd think they'd kill just us rather than all these yautja too. Are all these males so disposable to them?"

"Too suspicious if it is just you after all the rumors."

Amelia nodded. They were hiding the murder within a crowded tragedy.

"I hope Val'jek rips out their spines." She had wanted to say it with her full chest, with all the venom she could muster at this horrendous attack, but it came out almost sad. Resigned.

She wouldn't get to see it.

"Me too." Mar'cte chirped happily.

The retrieved yautja were laid in a line and a handful of medical staff were tending to them. Their movements were quick and efficient. No signs of panic was probably the best case scenario here.

He set Raz'ha on the floor, and another yautja started a scan.

Amelia hesitated. "Is it safe to trust them with treatment? Wouldn't it be easy to—"

The yautja scanning Raz'ha glanced at her but didn't comment as he resumed his duties.

"This is Warrior Le'ev," Mar'cte said with an amused trill. "He is a shit hunter I would never fight beside because I don't want to die—"

"Mar'cte!" Amelia gasped.

Mar'cte continued as if he wasn't just reprimanded, "But he is honorable and an excellent doctor."

Le'ev chuffed and chirped in a full display of reciprocal amusement. "I do not wish to fight beside you either, asshole. You forget I have seen the results of your mishaps every time you need treatment."

Mar'cte only chuckled.

They were friends, she realized belatedly. "Oh."

Warrior Le'ev explained the injection treatment plan and showed her that others were receiving the same thing.

Still, she looked to Mar'cte for confirmation before allowing the doctor to do anything with Raz'ha since he was passed out. The honored warrior nodded, and the doctor proceeded.

Then the doctor moved on to the next victim in need of treatment.

"How do we check your health?" Mar'cte asked.

"Ah, we need a battery for my monitor." She passed the monitor to the honored warrior. "I had to use it for the door."

They quickly found another battery and checked her status. Thankfully, she was fine because with Mah'sic gone and Raz'ha passed out, she wasn't sure if she trusted the inexperienced Mar'cte or the unfamiliar medical staff less with mixing a drug for her.

Despite still being in the hall, surrounded by so many, Amelia couldn't resist talking about the situation.

"We need to figure out a strategy," she said. "If they can gas a section of the ship like this, or impose lockdowns with environmental controls, we're screwed. We need to do something to—I don't know, protect ourselves."

Mar'cte huffed. "Rest today. Guan-thewi and I will make preparations for tomorrow."

"What kind of preparations?"

"Tomorrow."

"Okay," she said, though it wasn't easy. She was pretty tired after the scare, and who knew how long Raz'ha would be unconscious.

"After duties are finished for the day tomorrow, we will establish the new plan," Guan-thewi said as he joined them. He must have been listening.

Mar'cte and Guan-thewi seemed to have some sort of private exchange that she pretended not to see. It felt like she was intruding.

Once the pair nodded to each other, they returned their attention to her. Guan-thewi said, "I will take Raz'ha to his quarters. Mar'cte will notify the others. Do you have any errands, Amelia of the Taurens?"

The way he spoke, while gruff, sounded formal and she didn't understand why.

"Should I be doing something—? No, nevermind, no." She waved off the question. "I'm staying with Raz'ha. He nearly died. Everything else can wait."

The honored warriors chirped agreement and they went their separate ways. While Mar'cte was off to spread the news to their hunt brothers, Guan-thewi silently carried Raz'ha as they walked to his quarters.

#

Raz'ha woke in the morning feeling worse than after his challenge with Elder Durnst. Even his throat felt dry and sore. His eyes burned, and his lungs ached vaguely.

Amelia murmured something beside him and tilted a cup of water to his mouth, giving a few sips. It soothed his throat some.

"Are you well?" he rasped.

"Sei, I am well." She gave him a few more sips of water. "My filter, I think, protected me."

He clicked agreement. That was what made him realize something was wrong at all. The monitor for her filter had started beeping to notify him of the change in air quality. It had changed settings to accommodate.

Without the alarm notification, it would have taken him much longer to realize they were being poisoned.

The leadership would say it was a faulty part or an accident that caused a leak, of course. He brushed those thoughts aside for now. Leadership wanting them dead wasn't new information.

"I am thankful you are not hurt."

She covered his claws with her much smaller hand. "You all nearly died, so worry less about me and let's take care of you."

"Medical staff have seen me and the others?" Waking in his quarters and not the medical facility meant he would recover.

"Yes, you're going to be fine. No one died, but two needed extensive treatment from what Sain'ja heard. They should recover, but it's too soon to know the extent of the damage to their nervous systems."

"My students?"

"They're fine. It wasn't any of them, fortunately." She gave him what information his hunt brothers gathered about who was injured and the official explanation of the leak—faulty parts.

"You slept all day and night. You'll feel hungover—like you had too much c'nlip—today, but the guys think you should attend your duties and show your face anyway." She sighed. "I have to agree, but let's take it easy on any demonstrations. And I canceled my schedule. I'm staying with you for the day just in case."

Her fingers had squeezed him tight as she spoke. He couldn't do anything but agree and bask in her concern.

"We have a little longer before we need to get out of bed. Do you need anything, or do you want to rest more?"

"I would rest if you would lie with me," he said shamelessly.

Without a verbal reply, she carefully lay beside him. She tucked herself down the length of his body and slid an arm around his waist. "This okay?"

"Sei, it is good." He rumbled a short purr.

She pressed her face to his bicep. "Sleep more. I'll wake you when it's time."

#

Raz'ha was surprised to see a group around the entrance of his kehrite. He was a little late since it had taken him and Amelia longer to walk today. She'd insisted he take his time at a "stroll" and he had let her have her way. Though he still felt "hungover," as she called it, he would be fine if a little uncomfortable to exercise. Walking was no trouble.

Students clicked and rumbled nervously at the closed door. Ordinarily, they'd enter the kehrite and begin warmups even if he had not arrived yet.

He held Amelia close as he pushed through the group.

His students clicked caution at him as they moved out of his way.

Raz'ha had a sinking feeling and his instincts told him to send Amelia to safety. Instead, he held her closer—because where would she be safe?—and opened the door.

The lights were on already and in the middle of his kehrite was a body in a puddle of green blood. The metallic smell of blood was fresh enough. It couldn't have been here more than an hour or two.

Amelia gasped and clung to his arm. "Is that—?"

Raz'ha urged her to his students with clicks to be cautious and entered alone. Nothing else was amiss in his kehrite so he approached the body.

The body was mutilated beyond recognition. Only his mask and coloring identified him as Young Blood Akop. Someone had tortured the young male and dismembered him, hopefully after he'd died, but Raz'ha doubted the young blood was that lucky.

The male who confessed to Mah'sic being alive was now dead. Had he told the murderers the same information he'd told them? Did they know Mah'sic lived? They might have done this merely because Akop confessed to the plot to murder the unblood. It was possible the secret was still safe.

Raz'ha exited his kehrite and closed the door behind him. 

"Who is it?" Amelia asked breathlessly. His students waited for an answer as well.

"The mask belongs to Young Blood Akop."

She hunched. "Someone—They—He—" 

He gripped her shoulder for support and turned to his students. "Call the guards and move to Honored Warrior Guan-thewi's kehrite for the cycle. I will be there shortly after I tend Amelia." 

His students nodded and clicked condolences for Amelia, who was making more ooman water behind her mask. 

"Stay in groups of three," Raz'ha commanded as he ushered her back toward his quarters. He thought better of it and moved toward Mar'cte's level instead.

He stopped an unblood and sent word to Sain'ja that the hounds needed tending, along with the secret code that there was a problem.

"Thank you," Raz'ha called as they parted. 

#

Mar'cte chirped a greeting as they slipped inside his quarters. His hunt brother started his duties later, and Guan-thewi was already gone for his own duties.

"What has happened?" Mar'cte asked.

"Young Blood Akop was murdered in my kehrite." He glanced to see Amelia gripping her brother's trinket.

"They went after him because of me," she said. "Because I wanted to question him. They must have seen us. I-I'm sorry. I—"

Mar'cte chuffed. "We can't stay here."

"They will see us in the halls."

"We hurry through unblood paths," Mar'cte rumbled. He was prodding them back through the door, but as he joined them he grabbed a pack left on a hook.

Mar'cte led them away with calm nonchalance until they reached a dark corridor usually frequented by unbloods. Then his hunt brother urged them to move quickly—to run.

Sain'ja chirped at them from the end of the hall. He was sprinting in their direction with a bundle against his chest, puppies in their small cage, and Hult'ah keeping pace at his side.

He slowed down to run at Amelia's pace, as they shared rushed greetings. "The guards—Yeyinde keeps them occupied," Sain'ja said.

Raz'ha clicked inquiries as Amelia asked her own rapid-fire questions. They reached the stairwell. He picked up Amelia to jump down the stairs to the next deck. She clung to him but remained silent at the rough handling and jarring landings even after the fourth descent.

He was feeling the strain from the effects of the gas, his limbs sore and lungs burning. There was nothing to do but ignore it as they ran through more halls.

Mar'cte had led them to the shuttle bay for some reason. Mechanics ushered them into the smallest shuttle before Raz'ha really understood what they were doing.

Everyone around them was moving too quickly. Too many things were ready for their departure without much thought. The sack Mar'cte brought was tossed in a storage bin. Sain'ja had brought Amelia's pets to them for some reason.

They were prepared for this moment.

"You planned this," Raz'ha said.

"Sei," Mar'cte said. "We were going to tell you tonight."

"Are we leaving? But—" Amelia started.

Raz'ha quieted her as rapid instructions for the shuttle were given to him. They were removing parts from the second ship to prevent it from giving chase. 

"It must be repairable or all starve," Raz'ha warned.

"Sei," the lead mechanic said.

Sain'ja secured what looked like a bundle of clothes in a bin and then strapped down the puppy cage. "It has been an honor, Amelia of the Taurens." He pat Hult'ah goodbye.

To Raz'ha, Sain'ja inclined his head and they shared a wordless farewell. Likely their last. Mar'cte's farewell was half insulting and full of swearing as he pat Raz'ha's shoulder. To Amelia he gave a respectful farewell due to any elder or priestess.

Mechanics passed up food and water.

"Go quickly before you're caught here," the lead mechanic said to Mar'cte.

Amelia gripped Sain'ja's arm as he passed. "Don't fight, not unless you have to—Help comes, Sain'ja, don't let Yeyinde do anything reckless, please, trust me. I swear I will bring help. I'll figure something out."

Raz'ha clicked his reluctant support. 

There was only a moment to make a decision. After a pause, Sain'ja nodded and tapped his fist to his chest. "Safe travels."

With that, the males exited the shuttle bay and Raz'ha began flipping switches to power on the ship. "Secure your chair restraints."

And that fast they had stolen a ship and were fleeing the clan vessel. The only home Raz'ha had ever known.

 

Notes:

It was quite the harrowing few days for our unfortunate characters! Everyone could see the writing on the wall, that there was only so much that could be done on the clan ship to keep them safe. Honestly, they stayed much too long IMO, and they had way more prep time than most people do when fleeing destructive regimes.

I mostly gave them the extra prep time, and Raz'ha's hunt brothers were doing a lot of prep in the background, because it felt much more viable than having Raz'ha and Amelia flee at the drop of a hat. They'd want to take others. They'd be wishy-washy about whether they really should go. How would they get the puppies? How would they secure supplies for the ship? How fast could they convince mechanics (etc) to let them steal a ship and supplies? All without getting caught.

So really, Guan-thewi and Mar'cte managed a lot of it for them with their hunt brothers, and it was easier for them to just do it, rather than try to convince Raz'ha first. While they weren't quite planning to just shove Raz'ha in a ship and be like, "Bye!" They did prep it as an option just in case.

#

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Chapter 40

Notes:

Thank you to the bunches of you who left really wonderful comments on the last chapter!

The crew exited the bay as Raz'ha busied himself with pressing buttons and switches.

Amelia strapped herself into her seat with fumbling hands. She could barely feel her limbs, or maybe she could feel them too much with a wash of sensation sending too much information to her brain all at once. The cacophony competed hard against her mind screaming that Akop was murdered. That everyone she cared about was about to be murdered.

She looked back to check on her puppies. They were whining in their cage at the noise and unfamiliar location.

Red warning lights flashed and wide airlock doors parted, revealing the abyss of space. Raz'ha easily flew out of the Saracen's clan ship in such a small shuttle. He muttered prayers to Paya that scared her more than anything else. Raz'ha was a confident warrior. And prayer, when faced with danger, was reserved for things a warrior could not handle or control.

No one followed with the other ship disabled, but the warrior remained tense as they put distance between the shuttle and the clan ship. 

"They won't risk destroying the only working ship, right?" she asked, her voice sounding strangely even for how terrified she felt.

Yautja being largely nomadic meant they were constantly moving, but clan ships were slow. They were often more similar to space stations, designed for living and not maneuverability. That also meant clans tended to fortify them with heavy defensive weaponry. Taurens could wage a veritable war and tended to be faster than most because—well because they were a rich trading clan.

Clan ships weren't designed to land or even dock with anything. Shuttles and mid-sized ships were used to transport supplies or even make large repairs. Not having any shuttles created major problems. They'd need another clan's assistance if they couldn't repair it.

But if Saracen leadership assumed this shuttle was lost to them anyway, they might just—

"Sei, I hope."

That wasn't reassuring but it was honest. The clan ship turned in their direction, but no telltale weapons lit up to indicate imminent fire. A shuttle was no match for the heavy weapons of a clan ship. 

After a few minutes, she saw the lights from the airlock. Her heart thumped in her chest. She leaned forward and squinted at the viewing screen. "What is that?"

Raz'ha zoomed in on the airlock as what looked like debris flew out. 

"Are they coming after us?" It didn't look like a ship. Something was off about it.

Raz'ha zoomed out from the display and shook his head. "H'ko."

She gripped her seat restraints, desperate for something to steady her. When it wasn't enough, she gripped Raz'ha's arm. "What is it then?"

"Execution," he said softly. He covered her hand on his arm with his and squeezed gently.

"Sain'ja and—"

"I don't know." He clicked more buttons and flipped some switches, presumably navigating the ship. "We are too far away to identify them. There is nothing we can do."

Tears tracked down her cheeks. They got them killed because she needed answers. For all her demands to wait, she sped up and fed the attacks by the leadership.

It was her recklessness.

Whoever it was didn't deserve that death.

Raz'ha clicked and rumbled what may have been reassurance. The clan ship can't fly as fast. They can pursue but not catch up until the other shuttle is repaired, perhaps not even then. Her mind struggled to process it all.

Finally, she said, "Please, I need a minute. Just, please, be quiet. Just a minute."

They sat without talking. Only the sounds of her puppies complaining and the ship's hum could be heard. If only her mind could be that quiet. Her mind kept imagining that debris—the poor executed yautja—as their friends. Mar'cte and Sain'ja had been with them. Did they not flee in time? Was Yeyinde apprehended for creating a distraction? Perhaps Guan-thewi had tried to intervene, or maybe students had—

She pinched her wrist. And then she did it several more times until the pain could pull her mind from the haunting imagery.

A deep breath recentered her mind enough to focus on their current situation. "Can we reach out to Taurens? Call them from here?"

"H'ko." Raz'ha clicked angrily and cursed. "This is an unauthorized flight and the com is locked down. Not even mechanics can enable them without an authorization code."

"But we can reach them, right? Just fly there? We can't just hide, can we? Surely they have tracking beacons on this shuttle." Tracking was pretty standard even for humans.

"The mechanics removed them. If we make it far enough from their sensors, they can't track us. But we would have to cross contested territory to reach the Taurens and without a way to communicate, we would be destroyed." 

None of that was good. Maybe they should have stayed. "Then what are we going to do?"

He trilled. "Try to lose the ship. Find a suitable planet to land while I figure out a way to bypass the com's security lock. If I am unable, then we find a safe flight path around dangerous regions and to the Tauren's territory. It would take a very long time."

It was an insane idea, but she blurted it out anyway. "Let's find Mah'sic then."

He chirped surprise and glanced at her.

"Maybe they won't expect it, and if they do, we're better off with more numbers, aren't we? Mah'sic is good with technology, maybe he can help with the com. What's the difference between that planet and any other?" They could do nothing for those trapped on the clan ship, but maybe they could help Mah'sic.

He rumbled. "It's worth trying."

#

It took three days to travel to the chiva planet. Raz'ha had to spend most of that time glued to the ship controls. Between navigation, lack of automation, and things routinely needing a "corrective restart" when whole systems crashed, he could do little else but keep them afloat. Twice they were adrift without essential systems while he made a quick repair.

She did her best to help and keep an eye on things while he slept for tiny increments at a time. Her most important contribution was keeping the warrior awake. Talking, teaching him things like human idioms, answering cultural questions back and forth seemed to work the best.

There was much they didn't say, a chasm of emotion they didn't share because everything was too raw. And they were too emotionally exhausted. Only brief looks, and the occasional comforting touch, provided a glimpse of deeper feelings.

"I wish Val'jek was with us," she said once. Then wished she could take the words back, afraid it would imply that Raz'ha wasn't enough. He was enough. It was just that she missed Val'jek dearly, deep inside that gaping hole in her chest. But part of her was glad he wasn't with them. No one deserved this dangerous journey. She'd rather imagine him safe on his way home from his mission.

Raz'ha surprised her when he said, "Me too."

"Yeah?"

"He'd know how to hack the com." He fluttered his mandibles in amusement.

"Yeah." She laughed. "He would."

She'd wanted to stuff her emotions back down under whatever lid that kept her functional throughout these dangerous misadventures. But talking about Val'jek in turn brought thoughts of the rift between her and Raz'ha. It seemed silly in the face of death, but rationally, she knew their conflict was a big deal.

"I know Val'jek was the source of our misunderstanding," she said after a while. "It wasn't fair to either of us."

Raz'ha tapped his mandibles in a slow, thoughtful manner. "He may be the source, but it was my fault. I was full of myself and my understanding of ooman customs, but I didn't understand as much as I assumed. I have no right to be angry or disappointed over things only half understood."

"You were tricked," she said dismissively.

He rumbled. "That does not give me rights to vent my frustration on you, the one who had no blame in the misunderstanding. Were you not also misled by omission?"

She sighed. "I understand your frustration. I was very frustrated too, and shocked. I thought—I thought you liked me how I liked you. It was an upsetting realization and I needed time to reexamine all the time we spent together. I thought we were building a relationship and it takes time to get over that even if it was only real for me."

Raz'ha looked at her sharply. "We were!"

She blinked. "What do you mean?"

"We were building a relationship. That was my intention." He trilled and clicked rapidly. "It is only that I thought offspring was a part of that. I thought it was an important part."

"Well, kids can be an important part of romantic relationships but it's complicated. It's just that they happen later, and everyone usually knows and agrees to it first. And some people choose not to or can't have any. Their relationships are still important." She had explained off-handedly, but her mind centered on his admission that he had liked her too. It had been real and not just a bid for children.

He seemed to think it over too. It was a minute before he said, "I wanted to explain my intentions, but while on the clan ship it seemed selfish."

"I don't know if I'd have been receptive then. I'm not sure now is a good time either with both of us—" she motioned to the shuttle. "It's not a good situation to make these kinds of decisions. But I think, maybe, once everything is less dangerous, we could possibly think about trying again. If we're both still interested in that."

"Yes," he said firmly and covered her hand with his. "No misunderstandings."

She nodded, squeezing his hand, and an immense weight slipped off her chest. They could figure this out. They didn't have to know everything right now. He had liked her too. For real.

Once the momentary relief wore off, they spoke of little else emotionally charged.

In a way, it helped keep her from spiraling. They didn't know what happened after they left. There was no way to discover it either. Though her mind wanted to return to her horrific speculations time and again—imagery plaguing her if she didn't stay occupied—she had to keep it together. The shuttle felt like as much of a deathtrap as living on the clan ship. One wrong move and they'd both die.

They were both beyond exhausted by the time a big blue planet appeared on the view screen.

The landing was more than a little rough. Lights had flashed and a hideous alarm screeched at them for the entire forty-two-second descent. The inertia forced the air from her lungs and she felt like an elephant had sat on her chest.

If Raz'ha was praying she couldn't hear it.

Hult'ah was jostled from his chair and slid across the plate metal floor with a yowl as his claws searched for purchase. He slid into a panel back first. She could do nothing but watch as he flailed and growled, trying to free himself from the crushed metal. Sparks crackled above him and then they were cast in darkness. 

They slammed into the ground hard enough to make her insides feel like they'd been pureed. The sound, or maybe her head slamming back into the chair, made her ears ring and equilibrium swim. She thought she might vomit.

"Are you well?" Raz'ha chirped in the dark. "Amelia?"

"I'm here," she breathed, more relieved to hear his voice than anything else. Her sense of up and down returned quickly. "I think Hult'ah's hurt. Are you hurt?"

"No," he rumbled. 

She heard snaps and shuffling nearby. 

Hands cupped her face, feathering along her eyebrow and lending reassurance. Raz'ha asked, "Where is your mask?"

"I'm not sure. I think it fell on the floor."

A red light from his mask scanned her.

"I'm okay, really. Is Hult'ah? The puppies?"

"Stay in your restraints." His clawed hand squeezed her shoulder. "I will check on them."

There was shuffling and the sound of debris scattering as she tracked the pin light from his mask in the shuttle.

"He's well." Raz'ha chirped. "Just stuck in our power conduit."

That sounded dangerous to her, but Raz'ha hadn't sounded bothered so it must be fine. "Can you get him out safely?"

There was a wrenching of metal and an offended yowl from Hult'ah. It was followed by debris being scattered and Hult'ah's heavy weight against her legs. She blindly reached and touched him, following his back tusks to his smooth skin. "Hult'ah, you scared me."

He must have been scared too because he nosed his way along her leg and then climbed into her lap.

"Oh, okay, it's okay," she said, shuffling ineffectively under his big paws. He didn't fit in the chair with her, but he didn't seem to mind one bit as he huffed dog breath in her face and slumped on the armrests. 

"Puppies are well." Raz'ha trilled at them as he turned on a portable lantern, illuminating their awkward position. 

"He's a big baby, I know," she said around the alien puppy's back tusks. "Is the ship all right?"

"It looks worse than it is. The casing took most of the damage." He looked at the mangled metal. "I need to repair it quickly to cloak and move us before we're noticed."

"We're in one piece and that's the important part." She'd take any win they could get.

"Sei," he rumbled. 

Amelia helped Raz'ha when possible make the emergency repairs. It was a quick and dirty patch job that had them in the air within fifteen minutes and landing in a safer location. If Raz'ha was stranded on this planet, this water source is where he'd head. He'd scanned and did a brief scout of the area, searching for danger that might lurk. There was nothing close enough to spot them, but he saw evidence of oomans to the west. 

He deemed it safe for her but Raz'ha wasn't sure about her ooman puppies. They were still young and might struggle to acclimate and weren't well-trained for planetside adventures yet. Hult'ah was allowed outside as long as he remained close to her. 

While Raz'ha worked on a more stable repair, she explored the surrounding woods. It was a denser forest. Her hound had never been on a planet before and seemed intent on huffing in every scent and nudging every plant he could find. She practiced his training, commanding him to remain with her even when he saw small creatures that would probably be a tasty snack scurry by.

He sealed the ooman hounds in another room and left the main hatch open and listened intently for any signs that she struggled to control the hound or if danger approached.

#

Amelia was restless waiting for Raz'ha to return from his more thorough scouting. He was searching the area for signs of Mah'sic and making sure the nearby humans weren't looking into their bumpy landing. It'd been hours and she had started to wonder how long it would take Saracens to catch up to them. 

Their stolen shuttle was patched, and they waited for diagnostics to finish and give the okay. The com was still locked out and Raz'ha was considering erasing the software entirely to get around the lockout. He'd have to create a new program from scratch for the hardware and it would take time since he had little experience. If he had to fly and program at the same time, it'd take days to complete. Once the ship was safe to fly, they'd search for Mah'sic, move to a new location to complete the program, then leave the planet. 

Assuming Raz'ha didn't get into trouble and Saracens didn't find them first. Big assumptions.

All their plans were flimsy at best, but it was the best they could do.

And alone on the ship, Amelia was left wondering what she would do if he didn't come back. Would all her loved ones leave on some hunt and never return? She'd be alone on an alien planet with a ship she couldn't fly. The only good news was that the air was breathable and Hult'ah could probably help her hunt for food. 

But she'd be alone in the universe. Saracens would still be at the mercy of their bad blood leaders. And if Val'jek was alive he'd never know where to search for her. She'd never see her mate again.

The ship hatch opened and Raz'ha stood at the bottom of the ramp. He trilled up at her as he entered.

"You're okay?" she asked and forced herself to remain planted where she stood. Her puppies had no such self-control and greeted him with wagging tails and nudging. 

"Sei," he said as the hatch closed. "Mah'sic was captured."

"Shit." Humans did awful things to creatures they didn't understand. "You're sure? You saw him?"

"They spoke of him." He tilted his head. "I'll find him at nightfall in their underground stronghold. It is to the north and I believe he is still there. They only found him yesterday."

They'd been here yesterday. They had just missed him. Had he seen them landing? Heard the commotion? Had he headed in their direction only to be intercepted by humans also investigating? Maybe he fought them and was hurt or worse.

"Alive?" she said.

"Sei." He tapped buttons at the ship's console. "When they captured him."

He could already be dissected if that's what they planned, or even be tortured right now. Was he scared and in pain?

"You're going to break into an underground base and break him out? What if you're caught? What if he's not there?" Amelia was once again reminded of what terrible things could happen. He could have been moved already, though she wasn't sure how many bases they'd have on one colony planet. What if he was already in space being sent to some hidden lab people whispered about?

"Then I will discover where he was taken." He shrugged. "I must make system adjustments first, but there will be time before night to hunt fresh food."

"We have rations. It'd be better if you took the time to rest or prepare," she said readily.

Raz'ha nodded and began working on the navigation panel in the wall. 

#

A beeping disturbed Raz'ha as he finished the system adjustment. He glanced at the warning on his viewer. It was Amelia's air filter system giving him a moderate-level warning that her air requirements weren't being met. Without adjustment, fainting was likely within minutes and death within a cycle. Raz'ha tapped the filter settings to try other cycles as he clicked surprise at the readings. The air she was breathing was acceptable for her species, but her filter's adjustments made it unacceptable.

If she breathed air meant for her species, that meant she wasn't on the ship. Her air filter had to be turned off when she went outside and he quickly tapped to turn it off.

Raz'ha called to Amelia but only her hounds came. He searched the ship to find her gone as his heart pounded. He checked her last tracking location to discover her miles away and headed toward the ooman stronghold.

She was too far away to be on foot.

#

Val'jek could feel it. Something was wrong.

He knew it for sure when he exited his ship and Amelia was not waiting to jump into his arms. No, not just wrong. Amelia was not coming. And if she wasn't coming—

Val'jek stared blankly ahead, forgetting that he was in the middle of descending onto the Saracen deck. A pair of nervous warriors and some elder came to greet him in her stead.

Amelia was dead.

Notes:

We finally got another glimpse of Val'jek, and oops, he's on the clan ship! Are we excited? :D

I took longer than usual on this one because I got really snagged on trying to do the relationship between Amelia and Raz'ha justice while not being in the mood to write about Feelings, lol. Then I had the bright idea to modify and reshuffle a couple scenes for drama.

As always, remember to comment for your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start, you can say something you liked about the chapter or story, or drop some emotes, etc.

Chapter 41

Notes:

A lot of this chapter is completely new content I wrote these last couple weeks. I was going to do little snippets of Val'jek but decided that we all really deserved a full chapter of him after all the bullshit characters had to deal with.

Val'jek and his hunt brothers had limped in on their wrecked ship without notice, surprising Saracens without a working communication system. Saracens in turn made him wait an hour before allowing them to board the clan ship. 

The hour felt like an eternity as he waited to reunite with his mate.

In the days their ship limped slowly toward the Saracen vessel, Val'jek had dreamed of nothing else but an excited Amelia leaping into his arms—lively and certain he'd catch her.

Now on the deck of the Saracen shuttle bay, his arms were empty. 

Val'jek was greeted by a pair of warriors and an elder. Their  great formalities were intricate, lengthy, and designed to placate him for whatever excuse they were about to provide.

Because Amelia wasn't coming. 

He had left her here to ensure she survived, but instead he ensured her death. 

A great pain tore through him. It was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Instead of a stabbing from a weapon, it was almost a hollow feeling, as if his insides had simply vanished and only a layer of skin was left behind to try supporting him. His knees wanted to collapse. Surely skin could not support him without muscles and bones. It would be easy to simply fall to the deck and die. Not in battle like the warrior he'd long since been, but in shame like the failed mate he now was. 

He could not. Not yet.

Val'jek looked over his shoulder without acknowledging the Saracens before him. "You will all join me and partake in Saracen hospitality." 

He would need all his hunt brothers to save the pathetic clan from his wrath because that hollow feeling quickly filled with something else.

Lukis was the only one by his side. The plan had been for him to secure parts to fix the communication system while Bosch rested and Ramsee worked on repairs. Lukis appeared to sense something had gone wrong and quickly summoned their hunt brothers. Val'jek heard him give a hushed, coded message that they were to prepare for unspecified threats. They would come ready to battle another kiande amedha hive.

Already Val'jek's thoughts had turned dark and his mandibles clicked through his mask settings. He had set his mask for leisure to greet his mate. Now he changed it to ship combat. 

He would kill whoever was responsible and they would die the most painful death Val'jek could provide in the short span of time before warriors stopped him.

Val'jek reached for his ring, but it wasn't there. He'd sacrificed it to save himself. Her last gift.

Bone gifts were his culture, and though those were precious, he'd loved the ring more because it was her culture. She had a full understanding and intention with the ring. It meant more than bones ever could.

The Saracens were giving them guarded looks as they continued their ridiculous formalities and introductions. Val'jek had insulted them by ignoring and speaking over them, but still they persisted. Someone of significant rank was responsible then.

They'd censored his messages from Amelia more and more as time went on. He'd known something was wrong but had made extra stops and delayed because he'd thought it was paranoia. He'd convinced himself that it was simple political maneuvers from a new alliance.

They searched for Ramsee's family. They'd followed leads for slavers. Then the queen had broken from her containment, crippling the ship. Since that catastrophe, they'd been performing nonstop repairs. None had enough sleep. The ship was barely survivable. 

He'd planned to request pickup from his clan instead of risking Amelia on the damaged ship. He was supposed to go home first, but he had missed Amelia. With no communication possible, she must have been worried. So they had gone to Saracens first. But the clan ship wasn't where they expected, and he'd lost a day searching in the wrong direction. He'd thought them lucky when they found their path on the second try.

His hunt brothers moved into position behind Val'jek. He nodded over his shoulder to acknowledge them.

Taking the cue that he wasn't catering to formalities, Ramsee said, "Your mate is not here to greet you."

"No one is here to greet me," Val'jek said. Not even Mah'sic. He touched the bones on his belt. Her first gift. His children's first kills. 

Ramsee, familiar with oomans, understood what that meant, but the others needed the cue to grasp what made Val'jek ready to battle. There were exchanged looks behind him. Understanding passed between them. Good.

Finally, the chatter ceased and the Saracens bowed to Val'jek. 

Val'jek didn't bow in return, which was a great disrespect. He commanded, "Produce my mate."

The warriors exchanged looks and the elder stiffened. When no reply came readily, Val'jek descended onto their deck and faced down the warriors who barred his path.

"Now," Val'jek said, looking to the elder.

"Elder Val'jek of the Taurens, we honor you with—"

Val'jek shoved the warriors aside to tower over the Saracen elder. "You do not honor me." He rumbled a warning at the Saracen and said, "You seek to assuage my wrath with empty words."

The warriors extended their wrist blades. His hunt brothers did the same.

Val'jek stared at the elder, his mask monitoring his rapid heartbeat. The fearful coward.

The Saracen elder relented with a nervous click. "Apologies for your loss, Elder Val'jek. The ooman pet has expired."

He'd known what they were going to tell him, and yet to hear it aloud still—

Val'jek had struck before he considered the action. His fist met with a heavy crunch of the Saracen's mandible. He wanted to do it again. It wasn't satisfying. It wasn't enough. It was a tiny spark compared to the inferno he felt. 

The elder Saracen stumbled back out of reach. The warriors moved into position to attack Val'jek.

"Hold," the Saracen elder said and straightened. He looked at Val'jek in the mask and said, "The High Priestess will speak with you to convey her condolences and offer tribute for your lost property."

"Where is Honored Warrior Raz'ha? I would accept him as tribute for this failure." He would kill Raz'ha for letting her die. Val'jek did not assess the honored warrior as a coward, but he had also thought the warrior would protect her efficiently. Both assessments were clearly flawed, and Amelia had paid the price.

"Honored Warrior Raz'ha has greeted Cetanu with honor." The Saracen elder shifted his weight a fraction. There was a lie in the elder's words. Because Raz'ha was alive and they protected him, or because Raz'ha had not died with his honor?

"I want her remains secured on my ship immediately." He would pay his respects to his mate before he would consider the excuses of any Saracen.

"We incinerated them and jettisoned the ashes." The elder clicked an apology. "We are not equipped to preserve ooman remains."

The elder failed to mention it, but Val'jek understood. "With trash!" Val'jek growled and cut himself off. If he lost control now, he'd destroy everything before seeing to her beloved pets. "Take me to her quarters. Where are her paintings and pets?" 

He moved to the door, forcing the Saracens to follow. 

"We must see the High Priestess first," the elder protested.

Val'jek whirled around and gave the elder a murderous glare he couldn't see. The elder understood his body language and the dangerous clicks he gave. "I entrusted your clan with my mate and my offspring. This is the most vile disrespect you have returned to me."

Mah'sic wasn't here either. He didn't need to ask to know that his offspring was dead as well. That was all Saracens offered him. Death and disrespect. He would retrieve her pets and belongings. Then he would speak to the High Priestess and discover who and how many were to die in retribution.

Then he didn't know what would happen. What did one do when their heart had been destroyed? Nothing would be the same again. He had let his happiness slip through his fingers while he was busy with silly things like honor.

Honor would not curl up beside him as he slept.

Honor could not excuse his failing.

His hunt brothers walked in formation at his back. The Saracens blocked communication on their vessel, but as long as his hunt brothers were in close proximity their equipment was impervious to the outside influence. They were passing encrypted messages to each other through their masks, preparing to defend themselves from Saracens should Val'jek decide to go on a rampage. 

He sent his own message. "You are here to ensure I don't turn Bad Blood." 

It was a lie, but Val'jek couldn't tell them the truth. They were here to put him down when he did turn Bad Blood.

Bosch was the only one to reply. "They are all afraid of you. Fear is for the guilty." 

Apparently, his hunt brothers weren't convinced that the Saracens spoke the truth either.

As they left the shuttle bay, the lights dramatically changed. In the first couple halls the lights were in a spectrum easily visible to yautja and Amelia's mask could decipher easily as well. 

Early in their relationship, he'd assessed and extensively tested which light spectrums she could detect and which ship lights were best. Oomans needed lights for their biological clocks and general wellness. Yautja did too as it turned out, but it was easier to adjust and manipulate after millennia in space than the mere centuries for oomans.

These lights were the cheapest and not very effective for yautja. They'd do nothing for his mate. As they passed more corridors, the lights grew less frequent and he had to adjust his vision settings. 

A few yautja lingered at a distance, watching as they passed until the elder motioned them away. One moved as if to approach, but another pulled the young warrior away. The elder had reached for his combistick.

The elder was expecting to fight.

Deeper into the ship the scent of blood permeated. Not as if fresh but an overwhelmingly stale, cloying scent, almost like a wall of humidity hit them. Like entering an abandoned battlefield.

There were almost no lights now. Bosch shamelessly used a lamp from his toolbelt. They could see the signs of combat in the gouges in the ship's structure. Even the ceiling was damaged. Traces of blood weren't fully scrubbed away leaving the scent and humidity. 

Judging by the differing weapons and the sheer number of marks stained with blood, at least fifteen warriors fought their way through the corridor. It had been vicious too. The kind of battle that drenched every crevice in blood.

"Was my mate here for this battle?" It was recent. 

The elder chiped, "Dead already."

One of the warriors simultaneously said a firm, "She was not involved." 

They stopped at a door. It was scrubbed clean. Pristine. Someone had gone to great care to ensure it wasn't stained with the marks or blood. Everything about it was inconsistent and yet screamed Amelia had suffered here.

"The priestesses will explain, if you like. It did not involve your pet." 

"And Raz'ha?" 

"H'ko." The elder used an override on the door lock.

Val'jek had to brace himself before entering Raz'ha's quarters. They stepped out of the battlefield and into the last place Amelia lived. 

It was clean, not freshly so, but tidy and lived in. No scent of death lingered, just her visible touches in the belongings. 

"These were Honored Warrior Raz'ha's quarters. There hasn't been time to clean them yet. It is all as they left it," the elder assured as if he wasn't submitting proof of contract breaches.

This was where his mate had slept for the last time. This was the misery he had subjected her to for her last precious months. 

The lights were too dim for her. Since the room hadn't been cleared of Raz'ha's trophies, it was safe to assume no maintenance had been performed to adjust the lighting back to dim settings. They had left her in the darkness when he had a contract to prevent that. He had traded resources to ensure it.

She was fearful of the dark.

They all crammed into the room and barely fit as Val'jek examined everything. A knotted cloth laid forgotten on the floor. He had shown Amelia how to make it for Hult'ah. Where were her pets?

Val'jek opened the door to the sleeping quarters but did not step inside. It was small and he effectively kept everyone else out of her sleeping domain. The bed was a mess with furs shuffled to the side and linen tousled as if she'd just gotten out of bed. 

The room held a faint hint of her warm scent and Raz'ha's musk. Val'jek took a deep breath through his mask, wishing to savor it one last time. She had been alive in this room a few cycles past.

If he had come sooner, she would be alive. Did Val'jek forsake his own mate to help Ramsee?

Raz'ha's leisure sandals sat beside hers, making Amelia's shoes look like a pup's. Her painting canvases were neatly leaning against a wall as if she was coming back to work on them more. He would treasure them and hang them in his sleeping quarters whatever she may have drawn on them. 

Those thoughts drifted away. A future without Amelia was no future.

Val'jek said, "No one else will enter this room." 

He moved to the storage unit and reviewed the contents. He noted only one dress for Amelia and the rest of her things were in disarray. This was not the tidy mate he recalled.

He found her memento box smeared with spilled paint supplies. He rumbled his sadness. It was sacred to her, storing all she had left of her kin. He would take the items now because no one else had the right to touch them. Val'jek opened the box.

And found it empty.

He stared at the small box in his claws.

Gone.

Rage engulfed him in the span of three heartbeats. Someone had stolen her mementos. The box cracked in his tight grip and he roared his anger. He whirled around to face the elder lingering in the doorway. Val'jek threw the useless box aside.

It crashed into a cage in the corner.

The elder was speaking and trilling, trying to placate Val'jek, but Val'jek heard little.

There was an empty cage in the corner. 

Something was wrong.

He moved to examine it abruptly. The bedding inside was gone. The transport crate for the puppies was gone too. 

Val'jek quickly took inventory in the room and they trilled from the doorway. Some of Raz'ha's things were missing. Amelia's mask was gone. Her favorite gifts from him, including her wrist cuff, were gone. Perhaps she had been wearing them when she died, but they would have been removed and returned to him. 

They were all gone. Just vanished. Had someone stolen them?

Even if Saracens decided to ignore protocol and burn what they deemed Val'jek's possessions, she would not wear all these things at once. There was only one dress remaining and yautja would have little interest in ooman garments. She had several. Val'jek picked up the single dress to examine it. There was a black stain on the shoulder and down the side. 

Chest heaving with anger, Val'jek asked. "Where are her pets?"

There was silence from the doorway and Val'jek looked over his shoulder. 

"Dead," the elder said finally.

"This must have been a mighty accident to strike down my mate, her protector, and all her puppies."

"Honored Warrior Raz'ha died defending the ooman pet in a challenge. Another warrior won her." He clicked rapidly. "The warrior killed her before word spread of the challenge. The High Priestess herself sent warriors to claim the ooman under her protection, but the pet was already dead. There was nothing to be done."

"And the hounds?" Val'jek touched the stain on her dress, wondering what it was. It didn't look like blood and it certainly wasn't paint.

"The warrior killed them for meat." The elder shifted his weight. "We had a food shortage and food is still in short supply."

Bosch growled from the other room.

Images of a faceless warrior butchering Amelia for her meat blinded him for a moment. Then he shook it off. That was not how it happened. It didn't add up. Was the dress important? Val'jek didn't know. The lack of everything else was important. It was more like they had left in a hurry.

Val'jek approached the elder who lingered in the doorway—whose toes crossed the threshold. Saracens followed none of his directives with competence, not even the smallest one. 

"You would have me believe that Honored Warrior Raz'ha was bested in a challenge. That my mate was murdered by this warrior. Then this warrior broke into Raz'ha's quarters to steal my mate's pets to eat. Yes?"

The elder's head tilted. He must know that Val'jek baited him, but there was no other reply the Saracen could give. That was what he told Val'jek. "Sei. That is the unfortunate sequence of events. The High Priestess—"

"The quarters are not ransacked. This warrior searched for nothing else of value." He looked to the cage. "He must have been kind in the hound's last hour as he stole the bedding. He must have a strange perversion as well since he stole ooman dresses."

The elder clicked a denial though Val'jek made no accusation. The warriors behind him slid their wrist blades out with a metal snick. Val'jek didn't blame them. They knew violence was coming.

"Tell me something, Elder of the Saracens," Val'jek released his own wrist blades, "but think carefully because your life depends on it. Can you produce my mate?"

The elder took a breath and held it. They all knew it for the trick question it was. "H'ko."

Val'jek swiped at his neck in one swift motion. Blood sprayed him and the elder sank to his knees. He didn't even try to stem the flow or fight back as his life poured from him. Warriors knew when Cetanu had come for them.

Still it was not enough. One death was too small and insignificant when compared to the vibrant life they'd robbed from him.

Val'jek looked up to find one of the Saracen warriors dead on the floor. The other sat on his knees in surrender. His hunt brothers had followed his lead and he tried to snuff out his resentment. There were others for him to kill. 

"Warrior, I put the question to you." He clicked a warning. "Can you produce my mate?"

The warrior trilled and bowed his head. "No, and I do not know what happened. I only know that there was no challenge to honored warrior Raz'ha for the pretty ooman. The challenges were over the students. Raz'ha was the victor."

"And yet he is not here now." Val'jek lifted the warrior's chin with his wet wrist blade. "Why is that, do you think?"

"I am not sure but there are many rumors." He chirped to placate Val'jek. "One cycle he did not attend his duties. There was a search for him, but it ended abruptly. We were told he died in a challenge but no one bore witness to a challenge. No one lays claim to the feat. Elder Mur or Elder Durnst are the only ones who might be skilled enough to best him and they were in meetings at the time."

Val'jek rumbled to quell his hope. There were no places to hide on a ship in space for extended periods. They must have been found if they were hiding. That begged the question of why they were hiding. 

Val'jek sent an encrypted message to his hunt brothers. "We take the ship quietly. Override their controls. When we meet the High Priestess, lock it down."

He returned his attention to the warrior on his knees. This one's fate had yet to be decided, but Val'jek didn't hold his breath as Amelia would say. "Take us to your High Priestess."

Notes:

Sheesh that was eventful! A lot was crammed into this chapter for poor Val'jek to procress.

I'm a little worried that some of his inconsistency might be misleading to readers. He's like "im going to be bad blood and murder people before I die," but also "im going to hang Amelia's paintings in my room." Val is just very stunned to find out his mate is dead. So I was trying to have his thoughts and plans scattered and conflicting a bit since he can't have a breakdown yet.

When he's asking for the elder to produce his mate, he doesn't expect him to do that. It's more about driving home the fact that Amelia being dead is why Val'jek is killing. And no, he really wasn't paying attention to names. He has no idea which elder he just killed.

As always, remember to show appreciation for your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start, you can say something you liked about the chapter or story, or drop some emotes, etc.

Chapter 42

Notes:

Omg this chapter took me way too long to slog through edits. It has been killing me. I lowkey dislike a couple sections still, but it's at least functional enough for the story. I'm so relieved to finally be posting it so I can move on to the next chapter.

Thank you for everyone who has been commenting. I had an influx of new readers and rereaders who comment and have been thoroughly enjoying the reactions as you make your way through the story :D <3

Trigger warning for this chapter: Amelia has an unpleasant encounter with a soldier who intends to commit sexual assault. There is some minor violence but no sexual assault.

If you would like to skip it, it starts with: Corporal Johns

You can resume at: The door slammed open.

Amelia knew it was reckless, and she knew that Raz'ha would be worried. She was dangerously running off into enemy territory.

It couldn't be helped.

Raz'ha would have to sneak in and be extremely careful to find Mah'sic in a strange environment. Everything would have to go exactly right for him and much of it was out of his control. She could easily get captured and find out more. Everything could go wrong for her and she'd still have more information than they had before.

But if Raz'ha was captured, she couldn't just waltz in and rescue him. She'd be alone.

She'd be left waiting without any news from him until she fled or the Saracens found and killed her.

She wasn't stupid. She'd need Raz'ha to rescue her in the end. Raz'ha would follow once he realized she had left, but by the time he caught up, she'd know more. And since she was familiar with human buildings, she'd be able to move things along for him. If she hadn't gone ahead, Raz'ha would have left her behind.

Val'jek would have brought her at her request. Her mate would have been the one to suggest it himself because he mistook her as brave and skilled.

Raz'ha didn't have an overinflated sense of her abilities like her elder mate. Instead the kind warrior underestimated and tried to coddle her. He wanted to protect her and his own honor by handling Saracen misdeeds, and all the consequences, by himself.

But it wasn't practical. They needed to hurry before trouble caught up to them. Rescuing Mah'sic while being chased by Saracens was infinitely more dangerous.

Convincing humans to bring her inside their base was easy. If they had an alien captive, they were monitoring the area. So she simply hiked toward the stronghold until uniformed soldiers found her.

The scouting footage Raz'ha showed her had revealed that they were government soldiers using a base of operations here. It wasn't a surprise. And yet she felt a jolt of something like shock in her chest when she faced them in person.

Maybe it was because she hadn't seen any humans up close in years and their plain faces now seemed off or uncanny. Or maybe it was the camouflage uniform that was exactly what her brother had worn when she'd seen him for the last time. She'd stared, stupefied, for several moments while they demanded identification.

She shook out her unsettled feelings and proceeded with her plans.

They clocked her strange clothes, accepted her description of Mah'sic, and promptly zip-tied her hands. After a physical search, and a short debate about what to do without direct orders, they took her right into the military base for questioning.

Some of the soldiers were crude and rough during the misadventure, but she had expected that from the few times she had been around military bars.

Somehow, they didn't feel very intimidating after years of living with yautja. They seemed, well, short. And narrow. Almost comically so. One had towered over her and a laugh wanted to bubble up despite his muttered threat if she didn't behave. Were humans always so insubstantial? Even their hands felt small and soft despite their calluses.

She must look like a toddler to yautja warriors. How had they not laughed in her face when she stood her ground with them? She probably looked even more ridiculous to yautja females who towered over even the warriors.

The feeling of uncanny valley not withstanding, the whole ordeal was fast and simple.

She just remained vague, cooperative, and most importantly, open to bartering. Humans loved any chance at alien technology or secrets. She didn't know if the interrogator believed her lies about wanting to stay in human territory with Mah'sic, but it at least gave her time. Her offer was too good to pass up.

They took her to their base which struck her as unimpressive. There were a few squat buildings within a laughable perimeter fence. A few guard towers were built behind the fence, but even those were minimal constructs—barely a box with a roof to stand under. The main entrance had more of a presence with the makings of a building, albeit without doors, and several soldiers on both sides.

For some reason, the main building was primarily an underground one. There were two levels above ground, but based on amount of equipment just laying around and number of guards, there wasn't enough room to house and feed everyone with just the above ground buildings. Perhaps this was one of their secret lab locations and they wouldn't be moving Mah'sic after all.

But that left the possibility that they were already doing something horrible. Like dissection. She could only hope he was okay still. If they were too late—

She wouldn't think about it. She'd hurry. They weren't too late. They couldn't be.

She didn't know what she'd do if they were.

Already she had a basic layout, thanks to a convenient directory and emergency exit posting by the elevators. And based on what was and wasn't on those signs, she had a few ideas about where Mah'sic could be imprisoned.

Raz'ha should have no trouble finding her with the tracking device. If she was very lucky, she might even see Mah'sic before he came, but she doubted it. Humans wouldn't be that accommodating.

#

Raz'ha considered his options quickly. He wanted to chase after Amelia immediately, stealth and responsibility be damned. They'd teetered on the edge of a knife for many cycles, balancing desperately to survive in space. Now they were planetside and she was gone, probably captured.

Rumbling, he was forced to acknowledge she'd run off for some reason. Whether that was because she was caught unaware or because she intended to leave him behind, he didn't know. She hadn't taken Hult'ah, which meant it was more likely she'd made a plan, but not guaranteed. She might have stepped out to look at something and been lured away. He'd hunted that way many times.

Thinking of Amelia as prey made his mandibles click restlessly and renewed his desire to drop everything and chase after her.

Her hounds had to be considered. If they were gone for a few cycles, the pets would die without water.

Raz'ha clicked at the hounds. He set out food and water for them, gathered his supplies, including Amelia's mask, and then did something reckless. He moved the ship closer to the ooman stronghold because it moved faster than any ooman vehicle. Then he raced to the stronghold's perimeter.  

The problem with turning the filter off was that it turned off the tracking device as well. She was headed to the ooman stronghold, that at least, he was sure of. But to locate her specific location once she stopped, he'd have to turn it back on and risk compromising her breathing. 

He didn't know if she was hiding in an ooman transport vehicle, captured, or if she was involved in a conflict. It could be a significant risk to her safety.

He had already blocked all possible communication in the area to prevent oomans from relaying information or requesting help. Once oomans began to die, they always requested help and more would come so it was standard procedure when in their territories. And their home planet was most definitely their territory where they'd have many weapons and resources to assist against an attack. 

# 

Raz'ha had to maintain some distance and the high ground as he began searching around the ooman stronghold. He decided the ooman guard tower at the main gates was the best place to watch for her. His camouflage made him nearly invisible to oomans, but all prey eventually sensed a predator lurking too close, so he stayed quiet and out of sight on their roof. 

He listened to them talk below him, discussing the ugly monster they had discovered. It was all they spoke of when last he lurked as well. 

"Those eggs though, they have eight-legged monsters in them. I'd take the ugly alien over that shit. Like bugs, giant fucking bugs," one guard said. 

Kiande amedha eggs! The fools brought them inside their stronghold.

The other guard scoffed. "Bugs only have six legs, moron."

"What? No, some of them have eight, like spiders."

"Spiders aren't bugs, they're arachnids and they have eight legs."

"Well, like scorpions then. Those definitely have eight."

"They're also arachnids. Fucking christ, what did you do at school if it wasn't learn shit, dumbass?"

"Fuck you."

There was a short silence.

"They're still fucking creepy."

"They're locked up tight in the lab, nothing gets out of there," the other guard assured.

Of course oomans were still arrogant enough to think that. Yautja didn't keep them on ships or even on the same planet as their populations. Kiande amedha always found a way to procreate and that was why they seeded alien worlds and always crushed outbreaks. No matter the cost in warriors, equipment, or even bystanders. 

A noisy ooman vehicle approached and the guards discussed their unscheduled arrival with some confusion.

Raz'ha leaned over at a better angle to see inside the transport. Relief eased his tense shoulders and he rumbled a soft purr. She was there.

She appeared unharmed but a prisoner, but it looked like that was her intention. Raz'ha assumed this was her ooman tactics, but the warrior oomans with her seemed oblivious to her friendly chatter being used against them.

Whatever her plan, Raz'ha didn't like it. She was too far away to safely rescue and they had no easy retreat option. Plus, once they were aware of his presence, they'd be diligent in their security. It would be harder to gain entrance to the underground stronghold to rescue Mah'sic.

The guards checked the identification from the entering vehicle and looked Amelia over. They were passed through the gates.

She didn't have her mask. If the kiande amedha infected her, Raz'ha didn't have the technology to save her. Raz'ha clicked a warning but she probably could not hear him over the engines. As frustrating as it was to watch her pass, he did not interfere.  

He had to find Mah'sic and then come for her. That'd be the fastest path to accomplishing both goals. 

He had limited time already. If the second shuttle had been repaired quickly, his clan could easily follow their shuttle's trail. Once planetside, his clan should be able to locate them based on Raz'ha's jamming signal. It'd be like a beacon to his kind on the planet. 

He was a student and teacher of patience. Battles were won based on timing and opportunity, not reckless actions like he was forced into here. But in this hunt, speed would determine if he was victorious.

Raz'ha followed the path of the ooman transport, sprinting to pass through building gates as they closed behind them. He had to stay to the side, hoping no one would notice the disturbance in the light. 

Inside the stronghold, Raz'ha had trouble staying hidden. Low ceilings and empty halls offered no places to hide above the ground. His camouflage wasn't entirely invisible and if he moved while others occupied the halls he'd be noticed. He immediately lost Amelia and her captors when they entered an elevator.

Surveillance cameras posed another major obstacle. If he opened doors, oomans watching their many cameras would notice them. He had to creep along and use his mask to peer into rooms without opening doors. 

After searching several levels with no luck using the stairs, he decided he needed a faster approach. The underground building was much more extensive than he expected. It could take days to search the entire thing at this glacial pace.

He recognized the ooman elevator and slipped in with a uniformed ooman. He stayed behind him even as another joined, thankfully busy looking at a file in his hand.

"You see the prisoner?" one asked.

"Going to see her now," he said. "Heard she's a nice piece of ass."

Raz'ha didn't quite understand the phrase's meaning, but he sensed it wasn't good. He reminded himself to be patient. Hiding bodies required time he'd rather not waste.

"Gives me the creeps, ass or not," the first said, but then seemed to change his mind. "It has been a while though and I got six more months in this bug-infested shit hole."

"It's all the same from behind." The second shrugged.

"Heard she knows about the creatures," the first said. "Claims to live with them."

"Maybe she's into ugly," the second said, "so you might be a step up with your busted face."

The other snorted as they exited.

Raz'ha followed slowly. They parted and he proceeded after the one going to see Amelia, following him down several long halls. He scented her now. She had passed through recently. The man entered and closed the door too quickly for Raz'ha to squeeze in as well.

Through the door's window he saw her. She appeared safe and his mask showed no injuries. The air vent above her was a concern because kiande amedha used them to travel quickly. Raz'ha had already seen signs of at least one loose in the vents several levels below this one. Where there was one, there were at least five more. 

All these oomans were dead and just didn't know it yet. Perhaps Amelia's recklessness was warranted, but he really wished she was still safe on the shuttle right now.

He moved on to search for Mah'sic. He was likely sedated and vulnerable if he still lived. The oomans spoke as if he did, but it was difficult to tell sometimes with their many meanings. 

#

Not for the first time, Amelia wondered what the room was normally used for. It was a bit dusty and had the grimy outlines of what looked like a couple tables or maybe desks on the floor. They'd probably cleared the room while they did a more thorough search and processed her into the building.

Now it seemed to be her interrogation room with a plain table and two folding chairs the only furniture in the room. She tried not to pace too much, being aware of the cameras watching her. It was incredibly boring between bouts of military personnel coming to ask her questions.

They hadn't thought her much of a threat since they removed the zip ties and didn't otherwise restrain her. She saw a guard at the door and they locked her in, of course.

Said guard opened the door and entered alone. Maybe they put together an actual cell to house her. It would be good to see more of the building and take another ride in the elevators. Those handy fire exit maps really were helpful.

Amelia felt the first twinge of unease as the soldier poked his head out the door and checked both ways in the hallway. Then he closed the door.

She vaguely remembered him from the group that picked her up initially. He was the one who warned her to behave while trying to appear large and intimidating.

That twinge of unease turned to a cautious fear as the soldier locked the door again.

Corporal Johns, according to his uniform, closed the gap between them as she stood from her seat. He reeked of sweat and an overpowering cologne. His smile was cruel.

Amelia hadn't figured this part into her plans. Sure, she anticipated being locked up and considered that they might torture her some before Raz'ha retrieved her, but old-fashioned rape? It hadn't crossed her mind. At all.

Yautja didn't believe in rape. Rape made a yautja bad blood and they were hunted down and slaughtered. Living among the warrior clans made her forget how violent and dishonorable humans could be.

She had overestimated her ability to handle her own unpredictable species. Now she'd pay the price if she didn't think her way out of this situation quickly.

Johns touched a lock of her hair. "Been a long time since I've had a woman out here."

She shrank back, but he only pressed her to a wall. Giving ground was weak, and a yautja only gave ground when it provided an advantage. They weren't about to show when they didn't have an advantage. Demoralizing an opponent was a common weapon.

Amelia squared her shoulders and schooled her features into indifference. "I'm flattered, really, but I'm taken already."

She couldn't let him see her sweat. Her throat felt dry and she wanted to swallow, but couldn't allow the sign of weakness.

Johns' face tightened and he continued as if he hadn't heard her. "You're not much to look at, but pussy is pussy out here."

He reached for her face and she slapped his hand aside.

He grabbed her throat instead, flexing his grip painfully.

Her heart lurched and pressure built behind her eyes. She clutched at his wrist, trying to pry him off.

He continued to grin and loosened his grip before dropping his hand of his own accord. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Her mind stumbled over plans as she took a shuddering breath. The assault had lasted a few heartbeats at most and hadn't done any actual damage. But everything felt shaky and sore. She wanted to stumble away but forced herself to relax. She could bluff her way out of this.

"I doubt it. I'm really terrible at sex." Her voice was only a little uneven.

That cruel smile was back as if it all really was a joke to him. "I'll teach you a few tricks."

She was not alone and it was time the soldier realized that. "You really don't want to put your hands on me. Scent transfers so easily and you wouldn't want to give my friend the wrong impression." When he looked confused, she continued, "They're very territorial and sensitive to other males encroaching on what's theirs. They fight each other over the smallest insults."

"The aliens?"

"Yes." She nodded. "Rape is beyond insult. They go out of their way to kill men like you."

"Fat load of good he can do sedated in the lab."

Jackpot! That was certainly useful information! Bolstered by his stupidity, she relaxed for real. "I think you're forgetting one thing, Corporal."

He grabbed her by the hair this time, gripping at the back of her skull and pulling her head back. "Shut up."

She ignored his words and threatening grip. "I'm not alone here and my friend is going to be mighty cranky to smell you on me. He's going to recognize your stench, slaughter you and take your skull before anyone can bat an eye."

He shoved her away from him and she stumbled a few steps but managed to keep her balance.

"When your skull is nice and polished, he'll show it off. Then present it to me in hopes that I will be impressed with his skill and mate with him."

His eyes narrowed. "You're one twisted bitch."

He didn't approach though.

"Pot meet kettle. By all means, Corporal, if you think you can best the ultimate predator, then let's go." She waves her arms in challenge. Then realized too late she had pushed too far and pricked his pride.

He stepped closer, reaching.

The door slammed open. They both jumped.

A soldier she knew as Sanchez stood tall in the doorway. A pair of soldiers bracketed behind her, peeked inside curiously.

Sanchez's voice called sharply, "Corporal."

The corporal saluted. "Major."

"Guards are meant to guard the door." She looked over the pair of them, her dark eyes missing nothing. "Get out."

The corporal marched from the room, but Amelia remained wary. She really understood why humans were desirable prey now. You couldn't underestimate one or you'd find yourself in over your head. It was disconcerting to be on the receiving end.

The major made herself comfortable in a chair and motioned for Amelia to sit as well. The other woman, who appeared to be in her mid-thirties, carried herself in a no-nonsense manner. Her words were especially clipped and straightforward, "I'm not here to hurt you. I just need some more background information."

It wasn't the first time they asked her questions. A couple grunts already went through her identifying citizenship information and a lot of sputtered questions about how she ended up surviving with a deadly species. It had been almost nice to talk about insignificant things for a while.

This wasn't some grunt though. And that meant after a few routine questions, more difficult ones would be asked. Part of her wondered if they'd sent Johns in to spook her first on purpose. Maybe it was a fucked up good cop, bad cop game they were playing with her.

"Who are you to the alien?" Sanchez asked after the basics were done with once more.

"I'm his friend," Amelia said. "Where is he?"

"His friend? How do you know him?" Sanchez countered.

"His father introduced us," Amelia said.

"His father an ugly fucker too?" Sanchez asked despite them both knowing the answer.

The insult had lacked much conviction from the soldier and was probably a probe to see her reaction. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Amelia shrugged, "but he is an alien, yes."

"How did you get caught up with aliens exactly?"

"P-132. Mah'sic's father and I helped each other make it off that rock. He took me with him and saved my life," Amelia said.

"P-132?" Sanchez raised both eyebrows in surprise. "Wasn't that base destroyed years ago? You say you were there?"

"With Mah'sic's father, yes. I was visiting my brother, Private Mason Sanders, when the disaster happened," Amelia said.

"So you can tell us about these aliens. What was your friend doing here?"

"It was a rite of passage," Amelia explained. "He was killing the other type of aliens."

"Other aliens? The black ones?"

"Yes," Amelia said.

Sanchez nodded as if she'd heard such a thing a million times before and then asked, "You lived with them for two years. Here?"

"No, on their ships," Amelia said.

"How many ships?"

Amelia frowned. "Where is my friend?"

Sanchez matched her frown and the real interview began.

Amelia negotiated with the major over the better part of an hour and both parties came to a verbal agreement. They would take Amelia to Mah'sic and she would tell them all she knew of aliens. For Mah'sic's cooperation, they would let them live peacefully on the planet. In secret, of course. She had to wait for a superior to signoff however, and Amelia was left alone once more.

It was all lies. Amelia would tell them nothing else useful and the humans would not let them go.

The plans mattered little. Amelia would find information on Mah'sic's location and Raz'ha would destroy the evidence of yautja before they left.

#

Val'jek paced the overlarge throne room. And chuffed to himself. And paced some more. It had been hours and he was no closer to determining what had happened to Amelia.

He even had Ramsee scan the ship to see if ooman lifesigns were present.

There weren't.

She was dead then, but what had befallen his beloved? Was it quick and painless? Had she been terrified? There were several mentions of a food shortage. Had they eaten her flesh and tried to hide the crime?

She must have known there was a problem if she fled Raz'ha's quarters. Where had they gone?

"This is a ridiculous throne room," Bosch said gruffly, distracting Val'jek from his thoughts.

His hunt brother was leaning over to inspect a golden throne molded into the shape of a giant skull. He paid no attention to the dead High Priestess sprawled out on it. Her head was somewhere on the floor behind it.

Lukis finally com-called him through their masks from another part of the Saracen ship. "There are no records on the matter."

"None?" Val'jek asked. It was one thing that there were no records to indicate the lie, but having no records at all was bizarre. 

"We did not contact them with our impending arrival since our com is damaged. I suspect they scrambled to create their story and had no time to create false records." Lukis rumbled. "I will decrypt their other records and determine what secrets they hold. This is not a clan endeavoring into bad blood territory for the first time."

"Notify me with any relevant records." Val'jek ended the call. 

Ramsee com-called him immediately after. "Systems are secure except the communications. They invested all their security to lock everyone out of it. We were not as quiet as we thought upon entering."

"Can they access it?" Val'jek asked.

"No, I added my own lockout to it, but neither can we. Records indicate a communication was sent before I secured it." Ramsee paused.

"What was it?" Val'jek prompted.

"A distress call requesting an arbitrator's assistance. It named you as a bad blood." 

Val'jek clicked dismissively. "Continue to work on the system for the cycle. If you cannot access communications, try using their parts to repair our system. We need to contact our own clan ship."

Val'jek turned to Bosch. "Bring me a priestess to interrogate, and move the rest to the private chambers." He nodded to the door behind the throne. It led to what had been the high priestess's private quarters. It would be secure and Val'jek wanted the leadership on hand for his questioning.  

Bosch stopped his inspection and bowed his head. "Certainly," he said.

Val'jek turned his attention to the ship's systems. He flipped through data and settings, familiarizing himself with them should he need to make quick adjustments.

It would not be easy for four warriors to hold an entire clan ship for an extended period. For now they maintained control by overriding the systems and locking all sections of the ship. Then they had made an announcement instructing those in the halls to go to the nearest kehrite or quarters. They only unlocked doors as necessary.

Val'jek didn't need to say it. He could easily kill off entire sections of the ship simply by shutting off their life support systems. Only a few warriors had even tried to escape their confinement. None were close to being successful.

Still, it was strange to Val'jek that the clan was primarily complacent with his instructions. They knew nothing of what was happening. He could kill them all with a few taps of his claws.

Notes:

I really forgot to look up military ranks, so don't look too hard at those. They aren't actually important. >.>

I'm spending much more time editing this month so we should see chapters come out a little faster for a few weeks! I also removed a couple things from my draft that became obsolete to the story so we are much closer to the end now. Probably an unedited 30k away. My edits tend to add rather than subtract words so maybe (very very rough estimate) around 40k words left in the main story. I also have some extras and bonus content for once the story wraps.

As always, remember to show appreciation for your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start, you can say something you liked about the chapter or story, or drop some emotes, etc.

Chapter 43

Notes:

This chapter was a million times easier for me to edit. I hope I don't hit any snags like ch 42 again lol.

Thank you for all the wonderful comments on the last chapter! 100% appreciating those!

There were no windows and no clock in Amelia's interrogation room making it difficult for her to tell time. They provided a simple meal earlier but she was hungry again. It felt like hours, but she didn't know. The guards changed at least twice, but that didn't give her much either.

She was pretty sure Sanchez had Johns removed after his threats and had not waited for the end of his shift.

She'd napped a couple of times, slumped over the desk.

There were no signs of Razha yet. Where was he? She was really regretting not telling him anything before she left. But it wasn't like she could leave a note since he couldn't read english.

Was the underground structure blocking the tracking signal? She'd assumed that once he was in the building too that it wouldn't be a problem, if it had even been one to begin with.

She had endless time to think and to picture any number of problems and terrible fates for him and Mah'sic.

The base's communications were down, slowing the process to see Mah'sic. The soldiers were insistent that they needed permission. They didn't come out and say their systems weren't able to communicate, but she already knew they were blocked by Raz'ha.

She'd need to insist when someone came next. The systems weren't coming back online. She just needed to figure out the right thing to say to make it happen.

Though she did wonder how close they were to earth to expect a reply within hours. Maybe their superiors were on a nearby station or a more populated planet.

What they were doing on a hunting planet anyway was a mystery.

Maybe they discovered aliens were visiting and investigated. Or maybe it was a coincidence. But if there was an equipped lab, that was doubtful.

Could they have been waiting for yautja? Discovered the kiande amedha?

Some clans had elaborate temples to store and trigger a xenomorph hunt. Humans might have found one here, and those must be incredible discoveries for alien language and history. Many were built centuries before humans entered space.

Distant loud noises distracted her.

She couldn't quite place what she was hearing, but her guard looked both ways down the hall, something he did several times in the last few minutes.

Soldiers jogged past the door.

She could hear voices, a short question and answer but couldn't make out the words.

Something was happening.

Raz'ha?

She hoped it was him coming to get her and Mah'sic. Then she hoped it wasn't because she didn't want him to risk confrontation with an entire base of humans. Regardless of her flip-flopping hopes, she couldn't know what caused the commotion.

Being trapped in this room was the worst.

It couldn't hurt to ask the guard.

She knocked on the door gently.

The guard jumped and drew his gun as he whipped around. She didn't know what he had expected from her with a locked door between them.

Amelia lifted her hands in surrender and stepped back.

He was swearing and checked the hall again. Then opened the door.

He barked, "Back up."

"Hi, sorry," she used her best placating voice, "I was just going to ask a question."

"What?"

"Oh, um, well, I have to pee, but I was wondering what's happening. What's all that noise?"

They heard it again, sounding muffled and distant.

"Gunfire."

"What? Why?"

"You tell me," he said.

"What? I've been here with you. Wait, is my friend out there? If he is, I can talk to him and sort out whatever is happening. He trusts me and there's no need to fight with him." Please don't let it be Mah'sic getting shot at by soldiers!

"It's not that thing. It's—It's something else."

She tilted her head at that. "Like another one of his type, or like something else entirely?"

He swallowed.

"I might be able to help. Maybe if I know what's—"

"I'm not allowed to talk to you."

"Okay. Maybe let's talk to your commanding officer. We don't need to cause trouble for either of us."

He edged to the door. "I'm not supposed to be in here."

"Well, you can tell them you heard noises and came to investigate. It's true, you know."

He looked so pale.

"Might be safer than in the hall alone. If something goes by, you can get the drop on it."

He shook his head. Definitely didn't want to do that.

"But it might be better to guard your prisoner in here since that's your job. It's someone else's orders to deal with whatever the problem is, right?"

He nodded.

She nodded. "Okay but maybe we point the gun elsewhere for now. I'll stay over here, away from you."

He snapped out of his daze and lowered the gun.

It was then that Amelia heard the most ominous sound of her life, a soft skittering in the air vent above them. Endless taps of many legs against the metal ducts followed.

The hair raised on the back of her neck.

"Oh fuck," she muttered.

Their gazes snapped to each other and they moved away from the ceiling vent. Judging by the sounds, at least three face-huggers ran through the ducts above them. Maybe more.

The soldier whimpered and pointed his gun at the vent.

"Shh." She waved him off.

"What the fuck was that?" he whisper-shouted.

"Kiande amedha," she breathed.

"They're popping up everywhere," he admitted.

She covered her mouth as if that would protect her. "They latch onto your face and implant the black aliens in your chest to incubate."

"The black ones? The big black ones?" The pale soldier looked ready to faint.

She nodded. "How long has it been since they appeared?"

"About the same time as you." There was suspicion there.

Well, that might explain what was keeping Raz'ha. "Fuck."

"What did you do? Smuggle it in?"

She shook her head. "They're incredibly dangerous because they're fast and build their nest before you notice them. They've been here for at least a few days already if they stopped hiding."

He looked to her for more answers. "What do we do?"

"Find my friend to help," she said absently as she kept an eye on the vent.

He shook his head, the small amount of trust they'd been building vanishing.

"No, really. He was here hurting them—" but it was too late. She'd missed her opportunity to enlist the soldier's help.

He shook his head, eyed the vent, then her, and headed for the door. "I shouldn't be here."

"Wait!" she whisper-shouted.

He warded her off by pointing his gun at her. "Don't approach the door again."

Amelia was forced to back off. "Get your superiors?"

The door slammed.

"Fuck!" It wasn't as satisfying to say in a whisper.

She quieted and crossed her fingers that the door hadn't garnered attention from the vents. Drawing face-huggers her way would be bad. She had nothing but a table and two folding chairs for defense. She couldn't even block the vent.

Her best bet was to be still, silent, and out of sight of the vent.

She huddled in a corner and curbed her fidgeting.

Several times she heard skittering and covered her mouth to silence the desperate whimper.

This was a mistake.

She couldn't do this again—trapped in a facility while kiande amedha ate their way through the residents despite their resources, weapons, and military training. One by one, they were all killed regardless of their desperate attempts to flee or fight back.

For a while back then, she had thought they stood a chance of making it to an escape shuttle. Then her brother sacrificed himself and things only spiraled into more danger. Eventually, she was separated and abandoned by the group.

While trying to find the fleeing group of humans, she found Val'jek instead. His mercy was what saved her in the end.

None of the others survived.

As they traveled, she found their corpses one by one. Picked off and used for food and the more horrifying incubation.

Their looks of terror were forever imprinted on her memory as they lay frozen in death with gaping holes in their chests. She didn't want to be them.

Mason, at least, had been killed outright. It had been quick with massive blood loss and a giant stab wound to his chest. It was a terrible thing to know the difference between a death by a tail stab and a death by a chest buster.

Amelia shuddered.

She didn't want to die like that.

Raz'ha had good odds. He was a warrior. Though even those could be overwhelmed or caught unaware. He was in the best position with his gear and experience.

The tauren-made mask alone had advanced settings to identify and track kiande amedha. He would receive alerts if one approached, giving him a crucial few seconds to respond to the threat.

Mah'sic's mask wasn't as advanced as an unblood, but it would still alert and identify the threat. He was locked in a lab—probably unconscious and the most vulnerable of them all. Even a face-hugger could easily take advantage of his state and grow a more advanced yautja-kiande amedha hybrid.

Those she heard were extremely difficult to subdue and even more impervious to harsh environments.

Huddled in a corner, she covered her ears as more gunfire sounded much closer. She glanced but didn't see her guard. It was a narrow view, however, so he might be beside the door.

Thoughts of Mah'sic being even more vulnerable than her, locked in an empty interrogation room, plagued her.

She was just huddling in fear.

Useless.

Carefully, she got to her feet and skirted the edge of the room to the door.

It was locked.

She knocked softly and tried to see more through the window.

Her guard was gone and no one else was nearby.

She tried the handle again. Her stomach sank. She was truly trapped.

If she tried to break the door, it'd be noisy and face-huggers would come. Calling for help posed the same problem.

Fuck.

She took one of the chairs and folded it. Even if it was a bad weapon, it was still better than her bare hands.

She swung it a few times to get a feel for it and adjusted her grip.

The lights died, leaving her in the dark.

Only dim emergency lights lit up the hall and she moved to stand by the door in the small sliver of light.

For once, she had no plan or strategy to fall back on. She was just waiting.

#

It had been almost an entire ooman day as Raz'ha searched the elaborate structure. He found more stairs and even used a few elevator shafts to search deeper in the structure.

His mask couldn't read signs and he had often found himself in washrooms and other useless areas. Some rooms he thought were useful but he couldn't take advantage of because the language was alien.

As he progressed, he found more signs of kiande amedha. They were no longer small, though they gave him a wide berth still. They would be as aware of him as he was of them. 

Ooman corpses were stuffed in warm, dark areas. Most had already spawned more kiande amedha, but he put down the few that hadn't. They would be foraging for more oomans to make a full nest now.

Raz'ha turned back. The infestation was growing too fast and must have been here longer than he estimated. Perhaps Amelia had better luck with discovering the unblood's location. 

As he approached her level, the lights died and then dim lights flickered on in their place.

The kiande amedha were known and would overrun the stronghold soon. He hurried down the halls toward where he saw Amelia last, not caring if he would be seen anymore. 

#

The waiting felt endles to Amelia, but it was really short-lived.

Sanchez unlocked and opened her door with her weapon drawn. Her face was a dark scowl and red blood splatter stained her uniform. She demanded, "The guard says you know something about this shitshow."

That must be where the guard went then. He went to get his superior. She didn't dare ask if the guard was okay because she didn't want to risk adding another face to her mental list of the dead.

Amelia put her hands up. "Kiande amedha made a nest here and we need to move quickly if we don't want to die." 

"How do we stop it?"

"We free my friend," Amelia said.

"He'll just kill us all," Sanchez said.

"Not with me there to talk to him. His kind are trained to kill those creatures." Amelia lifted her chin. "You have a better idea? Know someone who has dealt with this before?"

Sanchez seemed to consider her words.

"I don't trust you and if you do anything—anything at all—I will put you down with them," the soldier said.

Amelia nodded. "I want to live and get my friend. So let's get him and his gear now."

Sanchez lowered her weapon and motioned her to the hall.

Outside the room looked a thousand times creepier with only dim red lights illuminating their path. Why did the power always go out when kiande amedha made a nest? Were they attracted to electricity? If they made it out alive, she'd have to ask Raz'ha.

They crept along the hall quietly. Sanchez kept Amelia in her peripheral vision as they both remained vigilant.

"Is he close?" Amelia whispered.

"No," Sanchez said.

"Is he with his gear?"

"Some."

"His mask on?" The skittering from creatures she couldn't see in the dark had been terrifying. Just thinking of the sound sent shivers down her spine.

"I don't know. Does he need it to breathe? If so, probably."

Thinking of their own vulnerable state, Amelia asked, "Don't suppose you have gas masks handy?"

"They're in the opposite direction. Do we need them? Do they spray gas?"

"Not like that. I don't know if they'd help much anyway." Amelia frowned.

She looked at the soldier with her gun ready to shoot at anything that popped out. "Alien killing advice for you, they bleed acid. If you poke holes with bullets, it will spray acid. So don't do it up close and make damn sure you shoot to kill."

Sanchez nodded. "That explains a lot."

They'd collected more people as they moved toward Mah'sic's gear. The female soldier wasn't forthcoming with the new additions about the plan to set free the giant alien hunter so Amelia said nothing.

She was concerned about the amount of noise they made talking, debating, and questioning her motives already.

She looked to Sanchez, finding the soldier alert and silent.

The last time Amelia was in this situation everyone else died. Would Raz'ha be able to save some? That wasn't his objective. It shouldn't be hers, but she couldn't let them just die without trying. Not like this. 

"I think we should split up," Amelia said.

"No way, they'd pick us off," a soldier said.

"We're too noisy, too big. At least some will have a chance and I need to get to the lab. You should find the nearest exit." That was assuming none were infected already. There was a short incubation time for some people which would create one hell of a surprise. 

That was a problem for later, for when she met up with Mah'sic and Raz'ha.

"Let's just hurry," another soldier said. They moved faster in silent agreement. 

Amelia heard a faint clicking. She glanced around but saw nothing, slowing her pace.

More distinct clicking from behind followed them. She turned, seeing nothing in the dark without her mask.

"Raz'ha?" she called easily. "Is that you?"

A red target appeared on her chest and Amelia dove to the side. Not Raz'ha!

A soldier took the projectile hit and blood showered the group as screaming started.

Amelia scrambled around a corner. "Run! Run! Don't look back!"

The group scattered like roaches in different directions. Yautja wouldn't send just one, which meant any number of the humans could run into other warriors.

She heard gunfire from someone standing their ground, but she could do nothing for them. A simple gun wouldn't be enough, and Amelia was unarmed herself. 

She ran for her own life down several hallways and had to double back to change her route when she saw kiande amedha at a distance.

She yelped as she rounded a corner and slammed into another person. The human man, one of the soldiers, covered her mouth and yanked her forward. Relieved, she relaxed and he released her. He motioned her to walk quickly with him.

They came across Sanchez next and silently moved forward as a group. 

They heard distant cries and gunfire. Explosions followed and she recognized the yautja shoulder canons firing. 

"Friends of yours?" Sanchez whispered.

Amelia frowned at the barb. "They will want to kill everyone here. Us, my friend, and the aliens."

"What can you tell us that's useful here?" the other soldier asked.

"They come in groups of three, sometimes four," she whispered. They had only seen one, but there would be more searching. "They can see heat signatures most easily, but that's not the only spectrum available to their masks."

They continued down several halls, avoiding anywhere that wasn't dead silent.

"We're here, let's get the gear." Sanchez cleared an outer lab.

Inside, Amelia rushed, scrambling to collect Mah'sic's armor that was strewn about at different stations for study.

Thankfully she found his combistick. She tested the opening mechanism. The soldiers eyed her as the spear extended into a deadly weapon. It was big and a little too heavy for her size, but it was better than nothing. 

Sanchez made a sack for the gear out of a lab coat and guzzled water found at a desk. She split a snack bar with Amelia, neither bothering to chew much. They completed their rest stop in less than two minutes and moved on.

"How far is he?" Amelia asked.

"Two levels down."

"We have to take the stairs," Amelia murmured.

"Too dangerous," Sanchez said.

"You don't want to see what they do to an elevator." Amelia shook her head. "I think we go in quietly. We see movement and we run, then split up if there's more than one."

It took some silent looks exchanged between the soldiers but they agreed. 

They carried the heavy gear to the nearby stairwell entrance. Upon opening the door a kiande amedha lashed its tail at them from above. The male shot it and it fell but wasn't killed.

As it found its feet, Amelia speared it with Mah'sic's combistick. A second popped up from behind it and Sanchez emptied her gun into its skull with perfect aim as she stood her ground. 

As Amelia's hands shook, she realized Sanchez wasn't shaking at all. Not even a little. The other woman was focused and moved around the sizzling bodies to clear the stairwell.

"Noise brings more," Amelia reminded. They hurried down two levels as they heard eerie hissing from below.

Sanchez dropped a hand grenade down the stairs. "Distraction."

The sound was near deafening and her ears rang even though they were in the hall and not the stairwell when it went off. She didn't even hear the hissing kiande amedha when it had lunged for the male.

He was impaled twice before Amelia jumped back.

Sanchez unloaded a new clip and acid poured over the man as he screamed horribly.

Amelia couldn't look away as the horror settled deep in her chest. 

"Move," Sanchez ordered, shoving her along. "He was dead already."

 Amelia knew that but it didn't help the sick feeling.

Noise would bring more. They had to be quick and quiet now. Except they ran into the forever unpredictable obstacle.

Another ooman.

#

This was going no where. Val'jek watched the back of yet another priestess scramble through the door and back to the illusion of safety in the high priestess's quarters.

The priestesses would not tell them anything useful yet. Val'jek was uncertain if it was because they were all guilty or because they didn't know the answers. As such, he couldn't simply slaughter them as he desired. Not yet.

A cycle had passed and they had no evidence and no answers. There were other concerns, like providing food for the nursery if this was going to carry on longer. 

He com-called Lukis. "Status update."

"I'm still working on it." Lukis sounded cranky. "I'm also helping Ramsee fit the ancient piece of junk hardware from the Saracen's ship into our high-tech ship at the same time."

Val'jek clicked an acknowledgment. "Raz'ha's records. Do they indicate who he was close to? Who did he trust and spend time with?"

They were going about this the wrong way by seeking a confession from the guilty. If Raz'ha and Amelia had fled, they may have had help. Who did Raz'ha trust on this ship full of bad bloods?

Lukis chirped. "No, but there is a list of his students. They should be easier to persuade to share information."

Lukis sent Val'jek a list and their current locations. "Good. Continue working."

Lukis grunted and ended the call.

Val'jek pulled up the locations on the Saracen ship and singled out several that would be easy to retrieve. He wouldn't risk sending Bosch to a room full of Saracens when he could easily send him to a room with only one or two.

Soon after, Bosch presented one of the specified students for Val'jek's questioning.

The young blood bowed as if he was taking a meeting and not as if Val'jek held his life within his hands. It wasn't brashness that Val'jek could determine. It looked to be respect.

It perplexed him.

"You are not afraid to meet Cetanu, young blood?" he asked as he circled the young blood.

The young blood inclined his head with respect again. "I have had many several cycles to prepare for the meeting." 

Since Val'jek didn't know he was going to be overthrowing a clan several cycles ago, he wondered what the young blood knew that he didn't. "What is your name?"

"I am Young Blood Thewi."

"And how did you know you would meet Cetanu today, Thewi?"

"Honored Warrior Raz'ha foretold this. He said that you would come and kill every living creature on this ship to retrieve Amelia." He clicked. "Rumors say both died several cycles ago. You are here now as he expected."

Val'jek continued to circle the young blood at his leisure. Young bloods were not typically the ones to know all as they were not low enough ranked to perform chores for leadership, and not high enough ranked to take meetings with them.

Raz'ha and Amelia both must have had some interaction with this young blood however. He didn't miss that his mate's name was used. Not pretty ooman, not pet, but Amelia he had said. 

"When did Raz'ha say this to you?"

"He said it to Honored Warrior Trin'ko before the entire class many cycles ago." The young blood clicked with some reluctance. "Honored Warrior Trin'ko implied he would eat your mate."

Val'jek rumbled his displeasure. 

"We would not have allowed it," Thewi said sharply. He presented his shoulder, showing faint lines that were becoming scars. It was a yautja claw mark. "When the challenge spilled off the mats, we protected the ooman female as Honored Warrior Raz'ha would expect of us."

The young blood gave no indicators of lying, and Val'jek recognized the signs of a yautja marked by his mate. She gave no scars as the young blood sported, but the way he spoke was different. The young blood had paid close attention to his mate, that much could not be denied.

"This Trin'ko challenged Raz'ha for my mate?"

The young blood shook his head. "He did not desire a death match and challenged for all of Raz'ha's students. We were great in number when all the students fled their instructors because they demanded rations and—"

"Stop," Val'jek ordered.

The young blood snapped his mouth shut and closed his mandibles in deference.

"Speak slower. Start from the beginning. Tell me what transpired while my mate resided on this ship." Clearly a great many things had happened and Val'jek was old enough to know that they were likely all intertwined.

 

Notes:

Question: I have a partial chapter that I had written years ago that introduced Raz'ha on the Tauren ship and his first encounter with Val'jek. I had planned to rewrite chapter one heavily and include it, but I'm less keen on completely redoing chapter one now. Should I post it as a chapter 1.5 or something between chapter 1 and 2? "Edit" chapter 1 and tack it onto the end?

I really don't know how to reasonably distribute it which is part of why I keep putting it on the back burner.
#

As always, remember to show appreciation for your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start, you can say something you liked about the chapter or story, or drop some emotes, etc.

Chapter 44

Notes:

Yay, another fast update! I had set a goal to update 5 chapters in October, and I don't know if I'll quite get 5 since that first 1 took forever. I'll definitely be happy with 4 though.

This marks the 3rd chapter. I've already been working on the 4th while letting this chapter "sit" before doing the final polish. I think I might actually finish the 4th before the end of the month! (ao3 curse, please don't come for me!)

Razha moved quickly through the stronghold. He had to cut down several humans and kiande amedha, but they were easy enough to avoid much of a delay.

The oomans, for the most part, seemed more interested in fleeing than attacking him, allowing both parties to pass without incident. If the oomans startled and pointed their weapon at him, but didn't shoot, he was satisfied with exchanging nothing more than wary looks.

He burst into the room where Amelia was held.

Inside was not a human, but a yautja warrior who launched his spear at his head.

Raz'ha dodged the weapon, and it embedded itself in the corridor wall behind him. It was foolish to sacrifice the weapon on one attack against an honored warrior.

His attacker—Mar'cte!—chirped, "Fuck! I thought you were Mack'o coming to finish me off. Bring me my spear back."

Raz'ha glanced around the nearly empty room. Amelia wasn't there! She'd vanished again! He wanted to run and search, but his hut brother was injured. Was she here when Mar'cte arrived?

Razha rumbled, "You thought that would defeat him?"

"The bastard doesn't have your reflexes. Besides, if I missed, he'd think it safe to approach." Mar'cte showed him an ooman weapon, a small, round one with a ring at the top.

"Is that?" He'd seen those seemingly innocuous balls explode.

"Sei." Mar'cte tilted his mandibles in amusement. "The pauk-de and I could die together."

Mar'cte protected a wound on his upper belly. It was wide, spanning the width of his torso. The sheer amount of blood pooling in his lap spoke of the wound's terrible depth. He was holding his organs inside his abdomen.

With quick treatment, he could survive. Yautja were hardy. But his knee had a visible hole in it. He couldn't walk.

So the honored warrior had swapped to defensive tactics in this room. Judging by the corpses eating through the floor, he had been attacked by several face-huggers and a juvenile. His hunt brother had been victorious even while half sprawled on the floor, propped against a crumbling wall.

Raz'ha shook his head. "How serious is the wound?"

"Enough to demand Cetanu's attention."

Raz'ha rumbled and moved closer. "I have a med-kit."

"Save it. You will need it with the hard meat nest and Mack'o around."

"He is the only other one?" Raz'ha didn't think the leadership would only send the pair.

"I killed the other two and destroyed the shuttle. You should be able to handle one pauk-de, yes?" Mar'cte rumbled amusement. "Or do you need me to do that too?"

Razha chuffed but it was a shallow humor. "I'll take you to the surface."

"H'ko." Mar'cte clicked. "Mack'o is hunting Amelia. You need to leave me here."

Razha jerked but stilled the urge to run heedless of direction. "Her specifically?"

"Sei. You're easy enough to label as bad blood. The elder's mate—she can't be discredited like that. Not to her mate."

Raz'ha understood the reasoning, he supposed. Then he paused. "When we escaped, there was an execution. The others—"

"Our hunt brothers were alive when I left." Mar'cte clicked apprehension. "Guan-thewi is a hostage to ensure my cooperation and will likely die when they don't receive a report. Yeyinde was imprisoned, probably executed by now. Sain'ja was still free but under watch."

Raz'ha didn't know how to feel about any of it. He'd expected worse news, but this wasn't good news by any stretch. "Then who?"

"The mechanics who helped with the shuttles." Mar'cte clutched his bleeding wound. "It was fast but a terrible death. Poor bastards."

They hadn't deserved it and he silently hoped Cetanu found them worthy for their sacrifice.

Raz'ha was torn between helping his hunt brother and protecting Amelia. "I will carry you."

"No."

"You can't defend your position for long."

Mar'cte barked, "I am dead already, Raz'ha."

"On the shuttle I can—"

"No," Mar'cte snapped.

Silence carried for a moment.

"If you see Guan-thewi before me. Tell him—" Mar'cte purred and his harsh voice softened, "tell him he is my favorite pauk-de and I have no regrets."

"I will." Raz'ha couldn't argue any longer. There wasn't time. "Thank you. May Cetanu recognize your honor."

"It was an honor to be your hunt brother, Raz'ha. May Paya guide you to your ooman." Mar'cte tapped his chest with his fist before clutching his wound closed again.

He returned Mar'cte's spear, blocked the door, and continued on his way. He would mourn later.

His search was difficult, finding much carnage but no discernible sign of Amelia herself. Then he heard—and felt—large explosions several levels above him. It was followed by shouting and the loud bangs of ooman weapons.

Desperate, he turned on the breathing filter for a few seconds to establish her location. He set a marker and turned it off immediately after.

He ran hard because she was on the move. Her position was several levels below him, closer to the nest than he liked, but at least away from the larger explosions.

There were signs of a yautja warrior fighting oomans and kiande amedha nearby. The remaining Saracen, Honored Warrior Mack'o, was blocking his tracking access to clanmates. He had no idea where the pauk-de was, forcing him to move with caution through some areas.

The relief he felt was almost euphoric upon seeing his ooman down at the other end of a long corridor. She looked unharmed! Thank Paya.

He was about to call out, except he realized Amelia was in danger from …an ooman male.

The projectile weapon pointed at her would mean instant death.

Raz'ha had to approach with stealth. Amelia did a fantastic job distracting the male. The other female seemed to be with her and not the male, which reduced the danger.

He vaguely listened to Amelia speaking to the male as he moved closer.

#

They crept around a corner and Amelia stopped short, sucking in a sharp breath as she came face to face with the barrel of a handgun. She held out her hand to stop Sanchez, but the soldier bumped into her, clearly missing the silent signal.

"Corporal Johns," Sanchez said with some relief and lowered her weapon.

Amelia really wished she hadn't done that because Johns didn't lower his weapon in kind. Johns flicked only a quick glance to Sanchez before settling his hard stare on Amelia. She tried not to swallow but her throat felt suddenly dry. Why did she ever think it was a good idea to separate from Raz'ha?

She had the combistick to defend herself, but it was collapsed while she took her turn carrying Mah'sic's heavy gear.

"What are you doing? She's with us," Sanchez whispered harshly. When she moved to take the gun, he pointed it at her. She started to raise her weapon, but didn't quite bring it up all the way.

"Corporal," Sanchez said firmly, "stand down. That's an order."

"I don't take orders. Not anymore," he said. "Put the gun down, Major."

"Corporal." Sanchez glanced between the man and his steady gun pointed at her.

"I'm not kidding. Put it down now or I'll just shoot you."

Sanchez complied slowly, putting her large weapon on the ground at her feet.

"Kick it over here."

Once the major kicked the weapon to his feet, he scooped it up and pointed it at Amelia while holstering his handgun. "I want out of here. You're going to get me out."

Amelia tried to relax her muscles. "Then don't point weapons at me."

He cocked the gun with an ominous click that was so different from the reassuring clicks yautja made to her. 

"Corporal Johns," Sanchez snapped.

He flinched and Amelia held up her hand to stop the female soldier. Johns was no longer following orders, and Amelia was sure he was going to snap if they didn't play their cards right.

"You want me to get you out," Amelia said, keeping her voice low and cautious but not deferential. She couldn't present weakness to this monster or he'd take advantage.

He glanced in the darkness as if he had heard something. "Yes."

"You put your hands on me earlier." She wanted to lift her chin, but that open show of defiance was too soon. "You intended to rape me."

He shoved closer, breathing hard and pressing the gun under her chin. "I'll blow your fucking head off and fuck your corpse if you keep running your mouth."

Her heart was racing, and she had to tune out his words to focus on her breathing, feeling the air enter and leave her lungs. There was awareness. She may very well die in the next few moments. She wouldn't do it begging, not with this piece of garbage.

"I can get you out," she said. "I have to be alive for that though."

"She's leading me," Sanchez said, readily taking the cue. "We were looking for other survivors."

Johns wiped sweat from his face. "Let's go then," he motioned her with the gun. "Two steps ahead of me, where I can see you at all times."

Amelia did as he instructed, taking a slow pace with her hands up and visible as she gave him her back. It was awkward with the heavy makeshift sack but that was part of the plan.

After a while she'd lower it due to weight and shift it around in her hold a few times. She'd use it as cover to extend the combistick. Or maybe use the armor as a shield. It was definitely bulletproof.

She just needed a good opportunity to make use of the equipment.

Sanchez gave her a sidelong look.

"You too, Major," he said, "you bitches got close all of a sudden."

Sanchez lifted her hands. "Just trying to get everyone still alive out of here, Corporal."

He snorted.

"If you fire that weapon, they'll be on us within a minute," Amelia said. "None of us will survive."

"She's right," Sanchez again agreed, though she couldn't know for sure. The soldier was working out, and Amelia hoped they both survived this encounter.

"Then don't do anything stupid," he snapped. "Walk faster."

Amelia marginally increased her pace, keeping an eye out for kiande amedha. The hall was clear ahead, but she didn't dare check behind them. She really wished she had her mask, despite knowing it had been impossible to bring.

"You remember what I told you earlier?" Amelia asked conversationally, as if he wasn't intending to kill her upon leaving the building. She shuffled the sack over her shoulder and then pretended to change her mind and lower it. "I do fuck the humanoid aliens. 'Predators,' you guys call them?"

Sanchez blanched at that, but she didn't know what Johns's reaction was.

"I married one," she offered. "While he is away for an extended period, he secured another male for me. That male is in an awkward position right now."

"What the fuck?" Johns sounded agitated.

"Yeah, I've been saying that all day. See, he isn't as assured in mating rights with me. He has to earn it and has been trying really hard to convince me to get on board with this second husband thing."

She gave a quick glance over her shoulder to see the gun lowered fractionally and he looked more than a little disgusted by her revelations.

Amelia shrugged and slipped the combistick into her hand, holding it out of Johns's line of sight. "Yeah, I know, weird at first. They're a little scary to look at and their culture revolves around the hunt. Even sex. So to convince me to let him fuck me, he will have to bring me a gift. A serious gift from a hunt."

"What are you doing?" Sanchez whispered.

"Shut the fuck up and walk," Johns demanded.

She turned, facing him, and tilting her head back. She also, conveniently, swapped the sack position again. "You understand my meaning. He is going to kill you for a chance to fuck me."

That gave him pause, but then his face turned crimson. "Why you—"

Amelia interrupted, "He's not just going to kill you. He is going to challenge you for putting your hands on me—for disrespecting his claim. You will feel every moment of agony as he breaks your bones, and only when you have suffered adequately for the offense will he kill you."

She tilted her head, taking a step closer to him and finding the right position for the combistick. If she extended it at the correct angle and on the right setting, it would impale him before he realized what happened.

She said, "Your fun will be over, but at that point it gets really good. He'll take your skull, clean it up even though you're bad blood and don't deserve the honor. Then he'll present it to me as a gift, and hope that I will be impressed enough to fuck him."

"I'm done with your fucking games, bitch." He punched her with his free hand, the swing catching her by surprise as pain exploded down her face. "Shut the fuck up or I'll ghost you here and take my chances."

Collecting herself, Amelia saw Sanchez crouched nearby with her hands up as Johns pointed the gun at her. Amelia regripped the combistick to try again.

Then she saw Sanchez's face go sheet white.

Amelia looked to see a yautja's cloak slip away, revealing a very pissed off Raz'ha.

"Raz'ha," she whispered. He was okay! She couldn't see any serious injuries, just a few scrapes, as she found her feet.

She had never been so relieved to see an enraged warrior. His clawed hand was gripping the gun, including Johns's hand as the man stared in mute horror at Raz'ha's mask.

Raz'ha didn't reply if he heard her as he yanked the gun from Johns's hands. The smaller one from its holster followed and the warrior tossed both aside. Raz'ha shoved the man's shoulder.

Unsure of what was happening, Amelia stared dumbly as Johns fell back.

Raz'ha towered over him, his stance predatory and his arms out in open challenge. He made a menacing rumble, though clearly his tense and puffed body language indicated he wanted to roar his challenge.

Johns scrambled back, muttering curses as he drew his knife.

Raz'ha didn't give chase, merely stepped a foot closer. His menace was clear though he could have killed the man at any time.

Johns finally made it to his feet, holding the knife out as if it would ward off an enraged warrior.

Raz'ha merely began circling him, watching and clicking taunts.

"What's happening?" Sanchez whispered. "Should we run?"

"He's with us." Amelia shook her head as she realized what was happening. Raz'ha had challenged him as Amelia described. He was doing what he thought she wanted. He was going to beat him to a broken pulp and then—

Horror dawned and her stomach lurched. Raz'ha was going to take his skull and give it to her.

Protests formed and lodged in her throat. She should tell Raz'ha she lied. She had bluffed to unsettle the man. It wouldn't come out. She could only watch as Raz'ha dodged a wild swing from Johns and then grabbed his arm. She flinched as she heard two quick crunches followed by a third.

Johns started to scream before Raz'ha even released him to fall to the ground. It was a horrific, high-pitched squeal that followed as Raz'ha kicked him, sending the man sliding across the floor and into a wall.

Raz'ha tilted his head and spread his arms wide in invitation again. He continued to taunt the man with clicks that she barely understood and neither Johns nor Sanchez appeared to realize was communication.

Johns spied the gun nearby and lunged for it, rolling onto his belly and dragging his badly broken left arm. His right hand closed over the barrel as Raz'ha stepped on his back. Air wooshed from the man's lungs with a squeak.

Raz'ha added more pressure, and there was more snapping. Was it his ribs? His spine?

Johns made muffled hoarse noise. More crunching ensued and Amelia couldn't look at the man's horrified face any longer.

She should have stopped this.

She did this.

Raz'ha picked the man up by the back of his neck.

"H'ko," Amelia cried. "Raz'ha, ki'cte."

Raz'ha tilted his head for a brief moment, looking at her. She was aware of him scanning her as he held the dying man dangling in his hand.

"Please," she said, her voice cracking.

Raz'ha extended his wrist blades with a sharp slide of metal on metal.

Amelia looked away, but could still hear the sound of metal sliding into flesh and the last gurgle of a dying man.

When she opened her eyes she saw Sanchez watching Raz'ha in stunned horror. Amelia couldn't look.

She had never seen it with a human, but she had seen Val'jek take skulls from prey before. It would be removed, perhaps even skinned and emptied of pesky things like eyes and brains, then stuffed into a net bag for later tending.

By the sound of things, Raz'ha was doing the basics.

She should tell him she never wanted to see Johns again, but something stopped her.

Raz'ha was a pissed off warrior. He wasn't about to hurt her, but this wasn't a disagreement they could have here. Not now.

And part of her knew that this was her punishment. She had orchestrated the man's gruesome death. She had spelled it out and Raz'ha followed her directive. She hadn't stopped him. She hadn't protested. She had let him torture and kill a man.

She had asked for his skull and she was going to get it. 

A tremor started in her hands, warning her that her fear was taking over. She had to control herself and think of anything else.

Raz'ha chirped, his footfalls audible as he approached. He was giving them a courtesy, approaching calmly, blatantly, to avoid startling them.

Sanchez must have retrieved her gun during the fight because she pointed it at Raz'ha, and Amelia heard Raz'ha's shoulder cannon activate.

"Lower the weapon," Amelia said, her voice breathy. This was certainly a distraction from her horror. Now, if she could just prevent it from turning into another horrific death, she might just make it through this misadventure.

Sanchez didn't take her eyes off Raz'ha as she regripped the handle. 

"Don't kill her, Raz'ha. She's just shocked," Amelia said, not yet ready to look at him.

The footfalls stopped and he trilled his agreement to her.

Sanchez nervously looked between them.

"He is being patient with you, but that is limited," Amelia warned, her mind reasserting itself. "We are safest with him so let's not antagonize our ticket out of here by pointing little guns at him. It won't even kill him, just piss him off a lot."

Sanchez slowly lowered her weapon.

Raz'ha trilled again. "Amelia," he said.

Amelia took a steadying breath. "I don't want to look."

Behind her, he shuffled close and she felt his warm claws on her shoulder. He gave a gentle squeeze and he circled in front of her. His masked face looked down at her for a long moment, saying nothing, not even a single click or rumble to indicate his thoughts.

She wanted to cry, but no tears came. 

His claws touched her face, avoiding her swelling cheek, and she was aware of Sanchez flinching at her side. Amelia covered his hand with hers, holding him to her for a moment longer. He was real and solid. Safe.

He rumbled. "You ran off."

She nodded and her eyes drifted to the skull in his net bag. It was still covered in blood and bits of gore. "I regret it."

Raz'ha tilted her chin up to look at his masked face again. His body was still tense and his tone was gruff. "Very foolish. A bad blood ooman nearly killed you."

She could only nod. "Thank you for coming."

He chirped confusion at her thanking him for something he was honor-bound to do. He didn't appear intent on discussing it however.

Taking her mask from a hook on his belt, he secured it over her face and pressed the buttons along the side so she could see properly. She had never been so happy to have her mask before.

Amelia dropped the sack of gear with a loud clank and practically jumped into Raz'ha's arms. Tears welled up behind her mask as he caught her.

She listened to the soothing purr he rumbled for her. "I just need a second."

"I will protect you," Raz'ha assured quietly as he rubbed her back. "Don't be afraid."

"I know you will." She was worried about him and Mah'sic too though. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Think we can get the fuck out of here now?" Sanchez muttered, eying them cautiously.

Amelia pulled herself together and Raz'ha set her back on her feet.

"Mah'sic is close," Amelia said for Raz'ha. "We're grabbing him and running for the ground floor."

#

Val'jek began to pace before the kneeling young blood. He should have never let her leave his clan ship. He should have—

It was done now. He could not take back her suffering. He had to focus on what happened now that he knew the misery she lived in.

She lived in darkness, hunger, and terror. She had fainted in front of students. She had a physical altercation with a young blood. She had mourned Mah'sic the way she mourned her brother. Warriors had threatened to eat her.

They may have eaten her.

The stupid fools.

Saracens could have asked for help. They should have asked for help. He would have done anything to protect Amelia while aboard the Saracen ship even if it meant funding their food trade himself. 

"I must express my regret and beg forgiveness for my part in your mate's suffering, Elder Val'jek." Thewi bowed deeply and did not rise. "I am without adequate words to express my regret for eating the ration intended for your mate."

Val'jek clenched his fist. This foolish young blood wasn't to blame but he wanted to strike him anyway. He wanted to strike him and everyone else on this ship down. He wanted to rip them apart with his claws until there was nothing left alive on this ship.

He should not.

Amelia had known this young blood to some extent, and she hadn't harbored ill will. Raz'ha had accepted this young blood into his kehrite for a reason.

"Your assistance for my mate earns your forgiveness." Val'jek clicked and motioned to the claw marks. "Your assistance now earns you your life. Tell me, young blood, who did Raz'ha trust on this ship of bad bloods and traitors?"

The young blood clicked agreement readily. "His hunt brothers. They are honored warriors."

With a list of names, Val'jek dismissed the young blood. While Bosch escorted him back to where he found him, Val'jek com-called Lukis with the information.

Through com-call, Lukis said, "Honored Warrior Mar'cte is not on the ship. Perhaps he met the same fate as Raz'ha and your mate."

It was possible. Likely even. "And the others?"

"Guan-thewi is in a kehrite with ten others. He is making efforts to escape but the others refuse to participate." Lukis chuffed. "Sain'ja is alone in his quarters and easy to retrieve. Yeyinde—" Lukis only clicked confusion.

"What is it?"

"Yeyinde is in a cell and to stand trial. The file only says that he is a traitor. No details or evidence are included."

"Send Bosch the location of Yeyinde." Val'jek wanted to speak with this supposed traitor.

Notes:

Finally some updates on Raz'ha's hunt brothers! Guess Val'jek really saved the day by showing up and taking over when he did. Otherwise, Yeyinde and Guan-thewi would probably be dead. Poor Mar'cte was forced to go prove his loyalty by hunting Raz'ha and Amelia. Of course he wasn't going to let that stand and attacked those loyal to leadership instead. He did good and will be missed.

#

As always, remember to show appreciation for your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start, you can say something you liked about the chapter or story, or drop some emotes, etc.

Chapter 45

Notes:

And I made it through the 4th chapter, yay! I might try to get that 5th done in a few days even if it's not quite still October. Fingers crossed!

Happy Halloween! If it's something you celebrate, stay safe and have fun!

Finally in the lab, Amelia's heart dropped to see Mah'sic strapped to a gurney. "Mah'sic!"

She rushed to his side and checked him for injuries with shaky hands. Thankfully his mask was on and his organs appeared to still be inside him. Monitors and equipment beeped continuously but the unblood didn't stir. Humans couldn't keep him contained for long if he was awake, she knew that, but actually seeing him so vulnerable and unconscious scared her.

Raz'ha scanned and declared him free of alien parasites.

She grabbed his chart but understood little of the medical terms. "I think he's sedated but who knows what else they've done."

Raz'ha cut through restraints. "Sei, ooman drugs wear off in half a cycle."

"We don't have however-long that is," Sanchez said, eying the door. "We have to move asap."

Raz'ha trilled, familiar with that human term. "Sei."

"We could try adrenaline to get him up faster." The soldier dug through the nearby cabinet and pulled out a vial. "How much do you think he weighs?"

Raz'ha chuffed and pulled out his own alien syringe. Without preamble he jabbed it deep into Mah'sic's chest. 

Mah'sic flinched, and nothing happened for three seconds.

"What was—" Sanchez started.

Then Mah'sic's whole body convulsed violently, rattling the table, for several more seconds.

Like a rocket, Mah'sic shot from the bed with a roar.

Covering her ears, Amelia scrambled back with Sanchez. That was definitely going to draw attention to them!

The disoriented unblood swiped at the air with his claws and then stumbled to the ground. 

Raz'ha trilled and flicked the crown of Mah'sic's mask. "The sleep cycle is over. Time to escape."

Mah'sic rumbled and chuffed as Raz'ha yanked him to his feet.

Amelia approached but Raz'ha warned her off. "He is confused still."

The unblood said nothing but leaned heavily on Raz'ha and shook his head several times.

Amelia wanted to feel relieved seeing the unblood alive. But watching him stumble and lean on Raz'ha, completely disoriented scared her more. How were they going to navigate to the surface? He was too heavy for Amelia to support, and if Raz'ha was hindered by carrying him, they'd both be in danger.

Her breath hitched and she wanted to run and hug the unblood regardless of the danger. She clenched her muscles and remained a safe distance away. Losing her shit would only make everything worse.

He was alive. They would work it out. Raz'ha knew what he was doing. She reminded herself over and over.

"What?" Mah'sic said in his native language. Then said nothing else for a minute as Raz'ha strapped his gear on for him.

"Raz'ha," Amelia murmured as her mask flashed bright red warnings at her. "Two are close."

"I see them." He clicked reassurance. "They wait to ambush us at the door."

"I got it." Sanchez pulled the pins out of two of her grenades as she jogged to the outer lab doors. Through glass windows, they watched her shove an office chair through the doorway and then the grenades.

Amelia covered her ears before the explosion. It was thankfully muted by the sealed lab and exterior doors. They were all going to be deaf before they made it out of the building at this rate.

"We ready?" Sanchez asked as she reentered the lab. She glanced at Mah'sic still clinging to Raz'ha.

"Walk, unblood." Raz'ha guided the younger male out of the lab and they followed behind the yautja. "Keep moving."

They made it up two levels, Raz'ha maintaining one hand on Mah'sic at all times. The unblood gradually found his own balance and coordination though he didn't speak still.

They had to climb over a shit ton of debris that wasn't there on the way down. The building was looking more and more like a crumbling war zone than a building. Amelia started to wonder if the whole thing was going to collapse on them.

Sanchez frowned, eying the massive hole in the ceiling. "Looks like the level above collapsed. If we go around this way," she pointed to a different hallway, "there is an access stairwell."

"We must hurry," Raz'ha warned.

Mah'sic walked unassisted and trilled. "Amelia."

"Hey, I got your message," she said with relief. He was looking more like himself with the passing minutes. She wanted to hug him, but it was too difficult at their pace. "Glad you're still alive."

"You should not have come," he rumbled, but cut it short.

There was something else in the distance that had the group fall quiet and come to a halt.

"What?" Sanchez whispered.

"Yautja," Amelia breathed. The Saracens found them again.

Raz'ha readied his spear, and Mah'sic followed his lead, as the yautja exited the access stairwell that provided their most direct escape route.

Her mask flashed as she found the yautja setting. The clan markings registered as Tauren. The tall figure stood proud and trilled at them.

"Val'jek?" she breathed, her heart soaring.

And then she recoiled.

It wasn't him. He was younger and a little leaner.

It clicked as Mah'sic rumbled, "Cov'o."

Honored Warrior Cov'o clicked a greeting and looked behind them. "They come."

Amelia turned around to see five charging kiande amedha. She yanked Sanchez behind the warriors.

With three of them, they worked in tandem to slaughter their attackers. It looked deceptively easy with their spears and wrist blades.

All they had to do as humans was avoid the acid splash damage, though both managed to be hit with a couple of droplets. They quickly wiped at them with hushed curses but the wounds were on par with the dozen scrapes they received so far.

Breathing hard, the yautja trilled to each other once all five kiande amedha were killed.

"How did you find us?" Raz'ha asked.

"I saw you leave the clan ship." Cov'o tilted his head at Amelia and scanned her. "You were too far to intercept and I didn't know it was you at first."

Raz'ha nodded.

"We can catch up later," Amelia said. "Let's get out of here first."

"I'd like to not run into any more aliens," Sanchez seconded.

Mah'sic hesitated and looked to Raz'ha. "I'm not blooded."

Cov'o trilled and Raz'ha rumbled. They had a brief conversation with clicks that Amelia mostly understood.

"There is no precedent," Cov'o said.

"But what happens?" Amelia insisted. "He can go on another chiva, can't he?"

Cov'o shook his head. "He will be declared incompetent."

Being declared incompetent meant he wasn't entitled to more than basic necessities to live, and he would never be given any rank so those circumstances would never change. He would never be allowed to hunt. He would never mate or have offspring.

He would be assigned a menial work assignment and no matter how intelligent or skilled he was there would never be any promotions or recognition. Taurens were considered humane in this. Many clans expelled incompetent males and some outright killed them.

Amelia looked at the dead kiande amedha bodies. He'd definitely killed one on his own. "So grab yours and let's go?"

"The chiva is over," Cov'o said.

"So let's lie. Who is to say that skull came from his chiva or not?" She looked to Mah'sic. "You killed at least one on your chiva, right?"

"I did, but the lie is easily revealed." Mah'sic rumbled. "The honored warrior monitoring the hunt must certify the evidence."

"There must be something," Amelia said. They didn't come all this way to lose his future now. Could they lie and say he never had a chiva at all? That would probably be easy to discover too.

"The queen," Raz'ha said.

Cov'o nodded.

Mah'sic leaned against the wall heavily and nodded, resigned to the fate they'd just decided with those ominous words.

"You're not serious," Amelia said.

"What?" Sanchez demanded.

"Maybe Val'jek can talk the high priestess into giving him another chiva. I mean, he killed one here right in front of us, and he really did complete his chiva. These are extenuating circumstances."

The yautja exchanged looks. It was Cov'o who said, "It's not possible. He must do this. It's the only way."

"What's happening?" Sanchez cut into the conversation that ping ponged between English and the alien language.

"He kills the queen," Raz'ha supplied.

"If it is impressive, they might blood him regardless," Cov'o offered but his contribution wasn't helpful since it wasn't in English. "Maybe."

Raz'ha rumbled. "We can't help if it is to count as a chiva."

"It's suicide." Amelia took off her mask and scrubbed her face with dirty hands. "Even Val'jek needed my help."

Raz'ha ushered her mask back on, chirping about safety. His claws lingered, petting her hair.

"No one says oomans can't help," Cov'o rumbled.

Humans could help? Oh god, Amelia wanted to puke. A queen was the stuff of nightmares. Harsh memories of the giant black alien coming for her flashed before her eyes.

"What's going on? Why aren't we running?" Sanchez asked growing frustrated with them.

"We have to kill the queen," Amelia said in English for her.

"What?" The soldier's brows lifted.

"The queen laid all those eggs and controls the drones we've been fighting. She's much bigger and smarter. We have to kill her before we go." Amelia frowned.

"So let's blow up the building and go." She motioned to the mountain of debris down the hall. "It's not like it's structurally sound at this point. It shouldn't take much."

"It's a ritual—a hunt—Mah'sic and the two of us have to kill her so he can take the skull or this all means nothing." Amelia bit her lip. "And we have to be sure she's dead or she will make a whole new nest. Once that happens, they can infest the entire planet."

Amelia didn't mention that Raz'ha probably had a bomb that could level a neighborhood. But was she sure about that? He'd never said he had one explicitly.

Was she sure it would be enough in the underground structure? She wasn't an engineer or contractor, and maybe the lower levels had blast doors or escape tunnels. In theory, she had plausible deniability for that bit of manipulation.

Sanchez's gaze slid to Raz'ha's net bag, where a human skull stared at them without eyes.

"No way," Sanchez said. "That's bat shit crazy."

"We don't have a choice," Amelia said.

"I won't. Let them take care of their own problems."

"You want to take your chances alone, fine, it's that way." She pointed to the dark exit. "But I don't know how far anyone will make it alone. They protect us from the infestation that oomans caused by being stupid enough to bring eggs into the building. So we have to help them. Then we're square."

Sanchez grumbled some curse words that were profane even for a soldier. She looked to the emergency exit sign with narrowed eyebrows.

"There's another yautja hunting us. If they're wise, they will lay traps at the entrance." Amelia frowned behind her mask. "Be careful when you go."

Amelia turned to the warriors. "How do we get this done?"

Sanchez looked between them and the exit. Then her eyes tracked back to the five fresh kills eating through the flooring. "Fuck me."

"You could die, Amelia," Mah'sic protested. "It is too dangerous."

Amelia opened her mouth to stop his argument, but Sanchez interrupted.

"I'll stay. We kill this bitch and then they get us out of here," the soldier said darkly. "No more side trips. No more bullshit."

"Agreed." Amelia nodded before the yautja could say anything that might change her mind.

It wasn't fair to Sanchez, not really. But Amelia was willing to risk herself and others if it meant giving Mah'sic a chance at survival.

She'd have to process what that said about her morals later.

When they weren't in peril.

#

Raz'ha stressed as they fought their way to the lower levels, where the queen had made her nest. He positioned the oomans between or behind him and Cov'o whenever a stray kiande amedha attacked.

If the oomans or Mah'sic were injured, it would reduce their chances of success against the queen.

Amelia had fought a queen before, but it was still dangerous. He wasn't sure how to express his dismay either. It was her choice.

But it was dangerous and he didn't want her hurt. He didn't know how to navigate that conundrum.

It still scared her even if she'd firmly told Mah'sic that he couldn't stop her from fighting. She'd taken several shaky breaths and tried to take her mask off a second time. His reminder about face-huggers stopped that.

Though they saw signs of Mach'o, they hadn't encountered them as Amelia had. It made Raz'ha cautious. Mach'o could be setting a trap for them if he wasn't engaging them directly. He doubted they were lucky enough for him to be dead.

They stopped to rest the oomans and Raz'ha turned to Honored Warrior Cov'o.

"You arrived sooner than we thought possible," Raz'ha said.

"I took the fastest shuttle available." Cov’o tilted his head. "I was near the Saracen clan ship when Amelia's message was relayed to me."

"Do you have permission to be here?" Raz'ha asked.

Cov’o nodded stiffly. "The high priestess has given orders that I am to take no ooman trophies, leave no evidence that any yautja were here, destroy the entire kiande amedha hive, and return with you both."

"How did you know we were here?" Amelia asked.

"I followed the ship once I realized the Saracens were delaying me. I asked for permission to land on this world during the journey." Cov'o rumbled. "I submitted the request as two vessels."

"And you will take us all back to the Tauren ship?" Amelia demanded. "Raz'ha too?"

"Yes, Elder Val'jek made provisions for you." He paused. "I was on my way to retrieve you."

Amelia did not appear to understand what that meant, but Raz'ha did. His stomach sank.

"Thank you for coming. I was terrified you wouldn't understand my message." She hugged the warrior who stood awkwardly in her arms. Cov'o looked to Raz’ha for assistance as he patted her back once tentatively. 

"Sorry," Amelia said quickly, stepping away. "I forget yautja don't do that much."

Cov’o appeared helpless with his hand out in a strange gesture. He shook it off and said, "Your message—I did not understand what you wanted, but clearly it was a coded message and you required assistance. When I discussed this with the high priestess, she shared my concern that there was a need for deceit to request aid."

"I was trying to indicate that I didn't believe Mah'sic was dead and I wasn't going to let it go." She shrugged. "I was afraid to be too clear about what I wanted, so I thought vague was best."

Cov’o nodded. 

"I'm glad you came." She bowed her head. 

Cov’o mirrored the gesture. "I will do what is necessary to ensure your safety."

Raz'ha didn't like how the warrior said the statement. Did the elder intend Cov’o to be a mate in his provisions for Amelia's care? He did not think his little ooman would take the younger warrior asserting himself as her mate well.

Raz’ha didn't relish the idea of instructing another on ways of courting his ooman either.

He couldn't help but wonder if that was what the elder intended. Val'jek felt it necessary to introduce a second mate to secure Amelia's future. It stood to reason he would expect the same of Raz'ha.  

He watched as they spoke for a moment more and then Amelia returned to the ooman female. He motioned Cov’o a step away to speak in private. 

"Was there certain news?" He knew that the elder's mission missed the communication window, but that could have meant a simple delay or malfunction. "Is that why you were traveling to retrieve Amelia?"

Cov’o hesitated. "The high priestess wanted to ensure the Saracens would not use Amelia or you to barter with her. She is honor-bound to protect you and she found it unacceptable that she may have to choose between her honor and our clan’s best interest. I was dispatched to retrieve you under the pretense of removing a resource burden."

"You do not know for certain?" he pressed. 

"The information relayed indicates the ship was moments from destruction. There is a chance that the situation was resolved. They were actively working on it, but it is unlikely it was a success since no other communication was sent."

The honored warrior's tone was formal, but his body language was jittery, betraying his own dismay. For all their confusing relationship, Cov'o was unsettled by the elder's death.

Raz'ha's thoughts strayed to Mar'cte, feeling the loss. If he didn't die in combat, he'd have bled to death by now. He shut down that line of thinking.

"It was best to retrieve you, per Elder Val'jek's provisions, before releasing the news or gaining confirmation of death." Cov’o looked around the ooman structure. "Our suspicions of Saracens being led by bad bloods appear to be confirmed now. It was the wise course of action."

He should have expressed shame over his clan or offered apologies and a vow. All he could think of was Amelia. She was going to be devastated. Would this break her? How much heartbreak, that Amelia explained as an ooman affliction, did an ooman heart handle? He could only hope that the organ could be repaired.

"Amelia does not understand what you have told her." Raz'ha rumbled his own sadness over the elder's death. "Do not explain what has occurred until she is safe."

It was why he hadn't mentioned Mar'cte yet. They weren't safe enough for her to mourn.

Cov’o tilted his head. "I heard oomans make water from their eyes. I thought it was a myth when it did not happen."

"It is no myth. She will make much water in her eyes and breathing holes as she wails and struggles to breathe." Raz'ha felt his muscles bunch with tension. It was alarming to watch and it was best the other warrior understood what was happening.

Cov’o looked at her as he chirped his surprise. "Is it fatal?"

It certainly looked fatal, but it hadn't been yet. "I don't think so."

#

Yeyinde couldn't figure out what day it was. He struggled even more with figuring out why he was alive. Surely enough time had passed for leadership to make up a crime he had committed.

That led him to try to determine how much time had passed. But in a cramped box, where he was forced to curl up on his back and couldn't extend his limbs, there was also no light to mark any kind of day period.

Sometimes he heard vague noises such as a bang or a shout. Sometimes he heard ship sounds that he didn't know or understand. They didn't have real frequent intervals.

He had been given water just before they forced him into this box. The first two days, he could track by his excrement. That had been an indignant ordeal. No matter how carefully he tried to aim away from himself, there was no room to move. And the foul mess pooled under his back.

He tried to calculate the following days based on the drying excrement. But there was barely any airflow in the box. He'd vomited from the smell, both adding to the liquid and re-wetting it.

If he estimated two days for the first part and three for the next, that left him with a blank after the mess turned to the current sludge consistency that didn't seem to dry.

It didn't take five days to come up with a crime and manufacture evidence or convince a false witness. Had they forgotten him? Was his trial over and his sentence to die slowly of dehydration in his own filth?

That wasn't how they liked to handle traitors. They didn't like quiet or practical executions, which was half their problem.

His dehydration was not advanced enough to cause delusions yet, which meant he was under nine days. Based on his past experience without water, he guessed it was getting closer.

The hunger irritated him most, even if it was the least likely to kill him. Pain gnawed at him. The only thing to distract from it was the filth that started to sting his skin recently. Yautja flesh wasn't prone to sores, but eventually even his tough hide failed against acidic excrement like a terrible case of diaper rash all over his back half.

His cramped limbs alternated between numbness and an infernal ache that made him twitch with the need to move and stretch out.

It was maddening.

He had taken to purring to self-soothe before he lost his mind. Then he recited the rules of honorable hunting that Mek'ja had taught him.

Sometimes he thought about his time in the nursery all those full cycles ago. More than his own mother, he remembered the nursery managers. They purred and trilled for him and carried him around while tending their duties. They had fussed, deeply amused, that he was a clingy pup much like a little suckling.

He wondered how they fared. He wondered if they were also responsible for his clan's bad blood problem. It seemed difficult to imagine the females who had been kindest to him when he was most vulnerable were also perpetrators of bad blood crimes.

They probably simply tended to their duties, doing the best they could, like the rest of them.

Yeyinde heard rough swearing from a male moments before his box door was yanked open without warning. The noise grated and the light stung his eyes. He lay there, stunned.

"Ugh! Fucking disgusting." The male turned away and made a hacking noise.

The fresh air hit Yeyinde and he gulped it down despite not being able to open his eyes yet.

"Hurry out unless you want to die in the shithole." He hacked again. "Yautja should not make those smells."

Yeyinde tried to climb out, but his limbs were clumsy and the box was tight.

"Fuck." The male grabbed his shoulder and yanked him out.

Yeyinde dropped to the floor with a groan. Everything burned and ached.

The male banged around the room, probably trying to intimidate him.

Yeyinde carefully uncurled his limbs, letting out hisses of pain. A bucket of water splashed him.

Yeyinde sputtered. "What?"

"You stink."

"Obviously," Yeyinde rasped. He squinted but his eyes hurt too much to look yet. He couldn't quite place the voice.

"Can you walk?"

"If you give me a drink, I can." He'd still probably make the bastard drag him, but he'd be shameless enough to lie for a sip of water.

Water was practically poured directly down his throat. He sputtered but then guzzled down the endless stream.

The water paused. "More?''

He would puke if he had another drop. He might anyway. "No."

"Let's go." The male hauled him upright.

Yeyinde's knees gave out.

The male swore. "Pauk."

Despite the rough grip and rougher complaints, the male didn't hit or threaten him. He was being... nice? as he half-carried Yeyinde from the room.

That made no sense. Something must have happened after he was imprisoned.

Yeyinde did his best to consider all the nefarious plots and options. He wouldn't cooperate, not truly, but perhaps if he pretended to, he could ruin their plans as a final fuck you.

They most likely wanted him to accuse others of colluding in schemes or find out the extent of help in Razha's escape. He wouldn't do that. Not for anything in the universe. He'd refuse and let them do what they will, even if it meant returning to the box for a slow death.

He'd regret the water. Maybe he should vomit first.

He vaguely sensed the dark halls were empty but that was to be expected with only one escort. It would be too risky to let others see him, and worse still if someone tried to help him.

It took too long to realize he was being taken through the female corridors. And then to …the high priestess's throne room?

Where were her female guards?

Something was not right.

They were messing with him and anger churned in his guts. He'd give them nothing.

#

 

Val'jek clicked displeasure.

This honored warrior didn't bother with formalities. Once Bosch presented Yeyinde before him, by half-dragging the stumbling Saracen, the honored warrior slumped to the floor and sprawled out. He clicked relief and shielded his eyes from the nearest light fixture. Val'jek turned on his mask's filter to avoid smelling the warrior who hadn't been washed in some time.

"They keep them in boxes. No light. No room to sit upright. No place for excrement." Bosch clicked his disgust. "It is foul."

And illegal. "Document it."

Val'jek intended to have more than cruelty to prisoners not yet convicted of a crime, but it would secure him more time should the arbitrator arrive early.

Bosch nodded. "I will arrange food for the nursery now."

Val'jek inclined his head in acknowledgment and his hunt brother left. Bosch would retrieve rations from the food hall and leave them in the hallway outside the nursery. Once he departed, the warrior would then open access to the nursery door, but only to the hall. It would allow the females tending the young to retrieve the food and nothing more.

Val'jek scanned the warrior, seeing signs of a beating with a few fractured bones. He was malnourished and dehydrated. The warrior was not seriously injured, but must be damn miserable.

"You can do what you want. I will never tell you anything." Yeyinde rumbled his defiance from the floor. The warrior was in no condition to resist anything.

Val'jek clicked thoughtfully. "Did you know my mate?"

Yeyinde squinted at him then, seeming confused. He clicked as much.

"Her name was Amelia. She was an ooman that Raz'ha cared for." He tilted his head. This warrior had no idea what had happened or that Val'jek now controlled the ship.

The warrior surveyed him again but the hard edge remained in his voice. "You have arrived too late, Elder."

"So I have discovered." Val'jek asked again acerbically, "Did you know her?"

Yeyinde nodded. "We shared many meals." He clicked. "When we all thought you were dead, she was convinced you would return for her."

But he returned too late. Val'jek felt that judgment keenly. "Will you tell me of her time on this ship?"

Yeyinde gave him a suspicious look. "What is it you wish to know, Elder Val'jek?"

He was supposed to interrogate this warrior to determine what happened. If what he and the young blood claimed was true, then this warrior had seen her more than most. Impulsiveness made him ask, "Was there any happiness for her?"

Yeyinde seemed to consider the question. His mandibles were set in a cautious position and only clicked hesitation. The warrior seemed to think that Val'jek was tricking him, but couldn't figure out how.

Finally, the Saracen said, "There was much unhappiness shared by most, but there was some happiness, yes."

"Tell me," Val'jek said. He desperately wanted to know she had something other than misery before she died.

"Her harmless hounds. The funny little creatures without claws." He tapped. "They made her show her teeth often. What were they named again? I don't recall."

It was a test. The warrior suspected he had lied about his identity. Strange.

"Odin the male. Freya the female. Hult'ah was the lame hound. Showing her teeth is an ooman's way of smiling."

The warrior grunted but still didn't seem satisfied.

Val'jek grew annoyed. "Saracen, if you would please roll to your side for me." He motioned toward the throne.

Yeyinde hesitated and his eyes watched Val'jek with wariness. Then he relented and looked where Val'jek directed. The warrior jerked with surprise and chirped upon seeing the high priestess's body still occupying her throne. Her blood had long since pooled and dried in the seat and on the floor at her feet.

"My name is Elder Val'jek of the Taurens. I have seized control of this Saracen vessel by right of exterminating bad bloods. I am here to discover what has happened to my mate." He knelt over the warrior's head. "I have reason to believe you have the information I seek."

Yeyinde rumbled a sad purr up at him. "You have arrived too late, Elder."

Notes:

So much stuff to juggle in this chapter. Finally a Mah'sic reunion, but there is no time to really appreciate it. Cov'o arrived to help out, but there isn't really time to appreciate that either. And we see some unfortunate consequences of that chiva debacle, but we have to definitely deal with that problem. Our fav hunt brother, Yeyinde!, got some pov time, which is a rare thing in this leg of the story. Now if I can just get my software to stop misspelling his name.

Next chapter will be more Val'jek heavy and battle prep so it will be a little shorter (maybe) before we have the battle since that will be a long chapter with no good way to split it.

But yeah, who's looking forward to a queen battle? :D

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As always, remember to show appreciation for your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start, you can say something you liked about the chapter or story, or drop some emotes, etc.

Chapter 46

Notes:

I changed my mind about the chapter order, so now you get queen prep and combat in this chapter. These things are happening roughly simultaneously in the timeline so it doesn't quite matter which comes first chronologically speaking.

This one is quite a bit longer at 6k words too!
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Thank you to everyone who commented last chapter! There were quite a few lovely ones that I enjoyed immensely. <3

Amelia leveled her best serious look at the soldier. "You're military. You're trained, capable, and keep your cool in tough fights."

Sanchez nodded, appearing to understand that a "but" was coming.

"We need to work together as a cohesive unit, in a way that works against the alien queen that might not align with your training, or we all die here."

Before the soldier could protest, Raz'ha interrupted, "Only the female and Mah'sic will die. You will be protected, Amelia."

His chest wasn’t puffed and he made no aggressive gestures. He was laying out a fact as he saw it and not marking territory. 

Sanchez stiffened after Raz’ha effectively explained how low she was on the priority list. The soldier hadn't even made it onto such a list.

Amelia never felt that way with Val'jek. Sure, he had dragged her into crazy combat, but he made obvious moves to protect her. She felt certain he would protect her when things went wrong. That feeling kept her moving forward and built trust at the time. 

That gem from Raz'ha did not help enlist the soldier's help. They couldn't focus on contingency plans if they wanted the real plan to succeed either.

Still, it had to be addressed. She expected him to try saving this poor woman caught up in yautja politics if he was going to be coming to the rescue. 

She understood there was no rescuing Mah'sic. If there was a rescue attempt, it would be a direct result of his death. That dark thought also wasn’t helpful.

"Raz'ha, Cov’o, I understand this is a crapshoot, but if you are jumping in, I expect you to try saving us both." She tried giving them a stern posture, but she was well aware of Raz'ha watching her hands tremble.

"I will try as you desire, but you are my priority," Raz'ha said in his language.

"If Honored Warrior Raz'ha has you, I will retrieve the female," Cov’o offered. 

"Thank you." She nodded with respect.

Cov'o trilled.

"Cov'o says he will be your designated rescuer if things go wrong," Amelia said, returning her attention to the soldier.

"Thanks, I guess," Sanchez said. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Amelia sighed her agreement with that sentiment. This really was a crapshoot, but they had to try. "We need an overall strategy."

The yautja threw out several examples of how it was usually done and tried to find some modification that would work for them.

"I do not think Amelia is strong enough to climb up the tail." Raz'ha crossed his arms at Cov’o's plan. "They will need a fourth as a second distraction too."

"Your plan is no better." Cov’o crossed his arms as well. "The oomans cannot pass beneath the queen's belly frequently. They will be crushed or bathed in acid."

Mah'sic huffed. "No one has used this configuration to battle a queen. We need our own plan. Since the oomans are weak and untrained, we should strategize based on their abilities, not mine. It is likely how my sire bested the queen with Amelia."

She couldn't help but feel both pride and trepidation at Mah’sic’s declaration. He was coming into his own. But he was also placing responsibility squarely on her shoulders. The warriors chirped their agreement and they turned to her.

"What are you capable of, oomans?" Cov’o asked.

"What are they saying? Do we have a plan?" Sanchez looked between the huffy warriors.

"They want us to help strategize around our skills because there are no plans for this."

The soldier gaped. "I thought they killed queens all the time?"

"It is usually a five to seven-man party with an elder, two honored warriors, and two skilled warriors." She shrugged. "We are doing this with a young warrior and two humans."

The soldier made a choked noise. 

"It's doable. I've done it with only one other," she said quickly. Amelia held out her hands, inviting Sanchez to look her over more critically. "I survived. The skull resides in my home and it still scares the shit out of me every time I see it."

"Okay, then how do we translate that to our current configuration?" Sanchez asked.

"Normally, they draw it out to weaken the queen before going in for the kill. It slows her down, I think." Thinking quickly, Amelia said, "Val'jek did it fast. He didn't waste any time with fancy moves or weakening the queen too much. He jumped in and kept at her until she died."

"Okay, fast we can work with." Sanchez nodded.

"But, he didn't have anyone but me. I defended against the drones she called back to help her, and tried to keep her in position. We have the warriors to prevent the drones from swarming. That gives us a lot more flexibility to weaken and even distract her for Mah'sic."

"Makes sense. What about the environment? Was it different? Is there something we can use here?" Sanchez pressed.

Amelia nodded. "Yeah, I think we can keep her in a smaller, more controlled area here."

They worked together to hash out their options for a plan. Eventually, the warriors joined in to refine it.

"They will work better as separate distractions. Three targets will ensure others will have time to strike and move," Raz'ha said. "Amelia is skilled in movement and can avoid the tail."

"I hate the tail," she muttered, "but I will need something to draw attention."

"Mah'sic is required to use only his weapons, but we can provide for the oomans." Cov’o began removing his personal armory. "What can you use?"

Raz'ha began to do the same.

"I don't suppose you're any good with spear throwing?" Amelia asked the soldier. "They will provide us with weapons to help."

"I'm more of a glock girl." She looked at the strange weapons with skepticism. 

Cov’o demonstrated how to open and close them as it became apparent the weapons were foreign objects.

"I don't suppose they have something like a gun?"

"Not that we could use." Amelia sighed. "They are integrated into their masks."

"Your mask won't work?"

"It's not designed for that and I'm not trained on it. We are probably less likely to commit suicide with simpler items." She took Cov’o's wicked looking staff-thing that wasn't nearly as simple as the standard combistick.

"My naginata," Cov’o demonstrated the motion to extend and collapse it.

"You will be at the side. This will give you some range in attack and defense." She handed it to the soldier. "Having the queen up close is dangerous, and a couple of feet can be the difference between living and dying to a face full of acid."

The soldier tested the naginata. It looked huge in her hands. The soldier was fit and didn't struggle to hold it up, which gave her a little more confidence in the plan.

"Don't forget that it bleeds acid. When you attack, move first, strike, then retreat back to your position." She gave the combat boots a pointed look. "If you step in acid, you will never get those off in time to save your feet. Try to configure your laces into something to give yourself a chance."

Amelia had witnessed that horror firsthand.

The soldier nodded and immediately started re-lacing her boots.

Raz'ha was handing her his smart disc. "Press here to release and retract. It is programmed to return to the sensor." He used yautja duct tape to strap what looked like a watch battery to her wrist, then hooked the disc to her belt. "If you cannot catch it, dodge it, then retrieve it."

"I've never used one before," she started. "Can you call it back if I can't catch it?" She really wanted to know if he was watching enough to keep her from accidentally hacking off her own limbs.

He nodded.

"He cannot make it attack. We can only aid you if you are in danger and only if," Cov’o paused, then simply said, "We cannot interact with the queen in any way." He turned to Raz’ha. "I intended to record the event, but it is best that you do as well. We will need proof that Amelia wields the smart disc in truth."

"I need a spear or something, but it needs to be my size if I have to dodge the tail." The position required frequent movement and dodging. If she carried too much weight, she wouldn't last long.

"My combistick is heavy." Raz'ha tested the weight. "But it is reliable."

She shook her head. No way was she lugging that around as she played jump rope with a deadly tail. "You guys are going to need at least one to defend the entrance. If we're overrun, this will be pointless."

"Use my combistick. It is basic and weighs less." Mah'sic extended his and held it to her. Raz'ha and Cov’o both chirped a protest as she accepted it.

"You will need a spear to face the queen," Raz'ha said, his mandibles clicking in rapid succession. 

"I will make one, and a shield, from one of the drones. They will be too heavy for oomans to maneuver quickly." Mah'sic shrugged. "I am not as strong with a combistick. My wrist blades will serve well enough."

"It will work," Amelia said. The weight was a little more than she liked but it collapsed quickly into a small baton and was acid-resistant. 

Weapons sorted, they mulled over the queen positioning with a map from Raz'ha's armband. They took the basic roles of front, side, and back leg, which was better known as tail dodging. It would keep her in position for Mah'sic to battle the head while Amelia and Sanchez distracted and weakened the queen.

Amelia realized that it really was necessary for her to sit at the tail. She had to tell Mah'sic what it was doing or an attack would blindside him.

Communication was quickly determined as a key component. They shared basic battle commands in both languages and discussed possible pitfalls such as injury.

"Val’jek killed the last queen by pretty much cutting off the head. Is that how we are going to?" Amelia wasn't quite sure what Mah'sic would do at the front, but she did know how crazy scary the mouth was.

Mah'sic nodded. "I must."

"Why not the brain? The fastest way to kill anything is a bullet to the brain," Sanchez said.

"We need the skull in mint condition, if at all possible," Amelia said.

It wasn't exactly a requirement, but they weren't entirely sure this would work to secure Mah'sic's place. Damaged skulls weren't usually taken as a trophy. The point was the hunt. If the hunter shot prey in the head with a sniper rifle a mile away, it wasn't much of a testament to their prowess. Trophies were supposed to be hard-won in combat.

"Mint?" Raz'ha chirped.

"Pristine," Amelia clarified.

He nodded then. "Need the skull."

"Great," the soldier muttered.

"That also means that we are backup. We can't kill it. Mah’sic has to do it."

"There are so many rules." Sanchez dry scrubbed her face. "This is crazy."

Raz'ha rumbled his amusement. "No more rules than ooman mating."

The soldier blanched and looked away from Amelia quickly.

Amelia shook her head and returned to the topic at hand. "Look, it's good that we have a strategy, but don't forget that the queen is smart. We do what we must to improvise. When things change, adapt." Or die was left unsaid.

They finished their strategizing as Mah'sic created a crude spear and shield from a drone he killed. Then they finished their trek to the queen.

#

The queen's lair was in a deep basement at the very bottom of the underground structure. The ceilings were low while they crept to where the actual nest resided. Like the rest of the building, it was dark with eerie emergency lights illuminating the path.

Raz'ha motioned his hand, signaling that drones were taking notice of their approach.

They were too close to the nest for drones to block them from entering.

The nest itself was in a much larger room that looked roughly two levels tall. It was difficult to see the room's original purpose now that it was covered in gunk and other things she didn't want to consider. The dark left much to the imagination and Amelia's imagination had never been kind to her nerves.

As expected, when they entered the room, the queen hurried to defend the nest at the entrance. She wouldn't let them go too far into the room to protect the eggs.

She was massive. Well over twice the height of Raz'ha, probably more.

"Oh, fuck," Sanchez breathed out in shock, seeing her first alien queen bearing down on them.

"Pauk," Mah'sic muttered.

"Agreed." Amelia nudged Sanchez as the queen drew closer. "Just don't think about it too hard."

Sanchez rasped but moved into position like they planned. That was halfway to victory already then if the soldier didn't flee or freeze at the sight of a deadly alien coming to kill them.

Mah'sic ran forward to meet the queen, who barreled towards them.

If a fight with a giant, scary alien queen could ever be considered easy, it was the beginning of their battle. They ran into position, corralling the queen where Mah'sic directed.

They all played their parts and ignored the dozens of drones swarming the entrance. Raz'ha and Cov'o had said they would do their part, and they would trust the more experienced warriors to do it well. 

Amelia focused on her task of calling out tail movement and prodding around the back leg as needed. They had a few hiccups with vague commands or status updates but quickly settled into a rhythm. She even took a couple extra swipes at the queen's upper back with the smart-disc. A quick call to Raz'ha and he directed the disc away from her when it returned.

They were doing well. All she had to do was keep doing her job. Focus. Don't die.

She was so focused on the queen that the translated text in her mask didn't register at first. She saw the letters but she was busy calling out a tail swipe at Sanchez.

The letters flashed again.

"Pauk-de." From Raz'ha. No, it was Cov’o and Raz'ha.

She was about to look their way and see if they were hurt. 

"Amelia, left!" That was definitely Raz'ha bellowing at her and, jarred from her focus, she spun around like an idiot.

He was grappling with a large drone at the entrance more than thirty paces away, but he was looking beyond her.

Cov’o was moving in her direction.

She bit back her denial at his interference. The fight had to be clean. No doubt could linger that Mah'sic had bested the queen without help from either warrior.

Raz'ha's initial command registered half a second later, and she shuffled to the side as she turned around.

"Pauk!" she cried.

A kiande amedha, bigger than the drones, was charging at her.

Where the hell did it come from? Was there another access point the aliens made somewhere deep in the nest?

She saw another movement just beyond the creature in the dark. Her mask didn't display what it was with a kiande amedha bearing down on her taking priority.

She didn't ponder it beyond those fleeting thoughts as red flashed across her screen several times. There was no time. The kiande amedha was nearly on her and she threw the smart-disc in a wild panic. 

The kiande amedha tried to veer, its body twisting, but it was mid-gallop. The smart-disc sliced through the lower jaw like butter and her mask tracked it as it shot out through the back of the creature's neck.

The creature—decapitated—landed in a deadly heap of acid within kicking distance of her feet.

She let out a shaky breath.

The movement behind the kiande amedha came into focus with a flashing, red warning of imminent danger.

A yautja!

Her stomach dropped and for an instant she thought she would die where she stood. An enraged yautja would cleave her in two with his wrist blades.

Her mask auto-identified his clan markings. Saracen. The clan name tormented her as it flashed on her screen.

The commotion was overwhelming in the space of a couple of heartbeats. Raz'ha shouted. Cov’o shouted. The queen's tail rose.

She would die.

Then Mah’sic would die to the tail.

Val'jek would be heartbroken.

Raz'ha would never live it down. He would take this as a personal failure.

Raz'ha's voice clicked in her head and she snapped out of her terror. The smart-disc will come back. Dodge it if you can't catch it.

"Mah'sic, tail." She shuffle-danced to the side to force the warrior between the queen and the pile of acid if he wanted to approach her. "Raz'ha, let it come back."

The unknown warrior roared as he closed most of the distance between them, and Amelia lifted her arm. She didn't think about what was going to happen or she wouldn't be able to go through with it.

Her mind raced through the scenario's after effects and absently called, "Tail's up." Again. The queen really wanted to impale Mah'sic with it.

The warrior seemed uncertain for a moment, stopping short.

She half-circled the dead kiande amedha, keeping it between them as the warrior assessed her stance and circled with her.

Her arm was up and away from her body. That was good. It wouldn't kill her that way, and she could afford to lose a hand. Maybe Val'jek could fix it.

The Saracen seemed perplexed.

She'd use her belt to stem the bleeding as she backed off the queen. 

She heard Cov'o roaring.

She couldn't afford to faint from blood loss. Raz'ha would have to cauterize the wound.

The warrior lunged for her.

She would have to jump back into the battle before the queen took advantage of the opening. 

She took a half step back, uncertain if her plan was well timed now. She made a strangled noise as the massive yautja invaded her personal space. She felt the air displaced and the heat of his body. 

This was it. Succeed or die.

Green fluorescent blood rained down on her and a heavy weight slammed into her side. Amelia sprawled on the ground with a painful thud that had her teeth clanking together. Breath escaped her lungs, and she spasmed to get more air.

There was a moment of fleeting panic. She couldn't breathe. What had happened? Something had hit her from the wrong direction. Was it the queen? 

It couldn't have been the queen. Amelia's body hurt but it was a painful hurt, not a blinding pain.

She was intact somehow. Her fingers all wiggled and she spied the yautja dead at her feet and on top of the kiande amedha. Even now she saw acid eating the flesh on his legs. The sizzle was barely audible in the commotion of battle but the smell was overwhelmingly potent.

Cov’o towered over her with his hand out and clutching the smart-disc. He had saved her. He wasn't looking in her direction and she wasn't able to form words to thank him. Without acknowledgment, he tossed the closed smart-disc onto her belly.

"Tail!" Sanchez shouted. "Acid tail!"

Amelia barely had breath in her lungs when she got to her feet. Pain down her leg registered, but she ignored it.

She looked up to assess the situation. The tip of the queen's tail was missing! She was spraying acid with each wild swing.

Cov’o took off into the dark, where more drones were approaching. The warriors would stop the onslaught. She had to do her job.

Only they needed a new plan to defeat the queen.

Sanchez rolled under its belly to avoid an acid bath. Her area was no longer viable with the ground sizzling in acid.

Amelia raced to the front.

"Need to kill it now." Amelia threw the collapsed combistick to Mah’sic, who whirled away from the queen's mouth attack. He caught it with ease and a chirp.

"Sanchez, mouth!" Mah'sic handed the spear and shield to Amelia as he passed.

Amelia clumsily dropped the spear and hunched under the skull's protection as the queen tried to impale her with the tail stump. She was forced to the ground under the heavy blow.

The skull shuddered but held.

She heard Sanchez shouting obscenities. "Come on, you fucker, over here!"

"Up, Amelia," Mah'sic called.

She had trouble getting to her feet and scrambled around acid to grab the spear from the ground.

Sanchez dodged mouth attacks and Amelia used the opening to jab at the nearest shoulder to draw off attention.

The queen whipped around to her and Amelia realized there wasn't a safe place to dodge. She slid beneath the chest in a panic. 

The queen spasmed and flailed. Then she tried to two-step to find Amelia. 

"Shit, shit, shit," she chanted as she passed Mah'sic, who was doing who knew what, as they both dodged feet. 

Mah'sic growled. "Steady her."

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," she chanted, searching for a safe exit.

Sanchez screamed—a blood-curdling scream—that raised the hair on Amelia's arms.

Amelia looked to Mah’sic and they both stilled for a fraction of a second. In unison, they used their spears and jabbed them deep into the belly side-by-side.

Acid poured like a waterfall between them.

The queen gave her own blood-curdling shriek, sending echoes through the room.

Mah’sic and Amelia moved in opposite directions. 

Amelia dodged feet as she gave prodding jabs with the blunt end of the spear. "Sanchez?"

She could hear swearing and what sounded suspiciously like sobs. Amelia made her way to the front, forced to divide her attention between the queen's rapid attacks and finding Sanchez.

Amelia spotted the soldier sprawled on the floor. Sanchez was shirtless and rubbing her side on the ground like a dog with an itch. Amelia stepped over the disintegrating shirt and gasped. Acid burns marked her arms and blood was trailing Sanchez's path.

"Get up, Sanchez," Amelia shouted and then mimicked a roll she had seen Raz'ha teach his students to dodge an attack. She was sure he would criticize her sloppy form to favor her injured leg, but all she cared about was keeping Sanchez and herself alive. 

"Hurry, Mah'sic!" Amelia shrieked in fright as the inner mouth clipped her shoulder. The pain seared down her arm. She couldn't distract it by herself forever. "Sanchez! Pull it together, soldier!"

She couldn't watch Sanchez any longer to see if it had an effect.

Amelia danced. She used every move she ever learned as the queen swung, slashed, and bit at her. She was running out of clean ground and became oblivious to everything but the queen's next attack. The way it swayed, the quick thrusts, and wide slashes were all instructions—warnings—that told Amelia what to do next.

There was too much acid around her already, but Amelia was out of options. When the tail rose to "spear" her, she threw the smart-disc. 

And missed. 

The terror she felt was only a dim awareness. "It comes back. It comes back."

She danced away from the tail's swing, stumbled and lined herself up with the tail as it arched again. "Wait for the last second, Raz'ha." 

She didn't know if he heard her.

The disc came back. Acid sprayed on the queen's head. Scary but harmless, another chunk of the tail fell beside the creature.

The not-so-harmless disc nearly took her head off before diverting. It lodged into the wall some distance behind her. 

"Thank you, Raz'ha, thank you, thank you," she chanted, unable to stop her insane babble as she dodged more rapid mouth attacks.

"You lost this," Sanchez said beside her, her voice rough and breathy. She tossed the collapsed smart-disc to Amelia.

Juggling, Amelia tossed the shield to Sanchez. There was no time for relief. "Don't die."

Sanchez moved slower but she made herself known with threatening spear jabs. Most attacks from either woman made no contact, but that wasn't the point.

"Getting tired," Amelia called.

Tired wasn't the word. She felt a vague awareness that her body hurt. Her body wasn't moving the way it should and it was slowing despite the adrenaline rush. Claiming injuries, a more accurate description, would just cause panic.

Raz'ha answered her call, "Focus!"

"Attack now!" Mah'sic shouted from somewhere behind the queen.

Amelia lunged, aware of Sanchez on the other side doing the same. They both shouted with a ferociousness Amelia didn't feel. Her legs felt numb. Weak. A niggling fear crept in.

"Attack!" Mah'sic shouted as if he sensed her thoughts. He sounded closer.

Amelia shut down the fear. Feeling the breath enter her lungs, she jabbed at the side of the queen's neck. She saw blood pouring on the floor from both sides.

Sanchez's shouting indicated her hit. "Take that, bitch!"

"Retreat!" Mah'sic demanded. 

That command meant imminent death if you didn't haul ass when Val’jek said it. She was trained to react—not think—and bolted toward safety.

To Raz'ha.

He waited as a sentry in the entrance by a pile of dead drones. They must all be dead now.

She heard the queen squeal. Mah’sic roared. Everyone swore. A loud thud and wet splash hit the ground behind her.

Amelia glanced over her shoulder to see the queen flat on the ground, and her severed head lay several feet away. Mah'sic stood on top of the body like a conqueror claiming new lands.

She didn't stop running. She ran until she collided with Raz'ha's chest armor. She snaked her arms around his neck to cling to him as her heart raced and adrenaline continued to pump through her veins.

He chirped as he hoisted her up by her hips. "My brave ooman."

She hooked a leg over his hip, but the other barely lifted and couldn't latch on.

"Raz'ha," she said. And then repeated it a handful more times. Her brain wasn't working. Nothing else came to her. She couldn't feel anything. 

Raz'ha was speaking, giving orders in that instructor tone of his. None of the words were processed. She ripped off her mask and gasped for fresh air.

She heard the others talk and felt Raz'ha walking. She closed her eyes and shoved her face into his neck guard. Done. She was doing nothing else.

When Raz'ha set her on her feet, she slumped on the ground. He helped her lie on her back.

Sanchez was beside her on the ground while Cov’o and Mah’sic hovered. No, not hovering. Cov’o was holding the woman down while Mah'sic rubbed her bloody side.

Amelia was pretty sure there was screaming, but it was distant to her awareness.

They moved off Sanchez.

Cov’o forced her mask back on and then gripped Amelia's shoulders. Dimly, Amelia knew it was going to be unpleasant, but she just stared at the warrior who looked just like his father.

"Val’jek," she murmured. 

Then she screamed. 

Like a fresh wound, whatever they did burned up her legs. Were they pouring acid on her? It was killing her. Her jaw clenched but it did nothing to stop the horrendous noise from her throat.

Her body spasmed and Cov’o held her down. They were clicking mandibles at her but she heard only her own screams ringing in her skull.

Then the pain subsided to a dull ache as quickly as it had washed over her. Cov’o’s claws were still gripping her as she let out a shaky breath.

"Raz'ha," she said. The memory of the pain had her shuddering still. She felt wrung out and weak.

"He stands guard." Cov’o nodded to Mah’sic. "See to your trophy."

"You fought bravely, Amelia." Mah'sic touched his fist to his chest and moved away.

"I don't know how you talked me into this." Sanchez sounded raspy. "Next time, just do me a favor and shoot me."

Cov’o trilled his surprise and clicked his inquiry.

Amelia laughed in response.

Sanchez snorted, unable to realize Cov'o questioned her sanity. "Really. A bullet between the eyes is a better way to go."

"We lived," Amelia reminded, her own sanity seeming to come back to her with the levity. "We'll heal and never volunteer for this again."

"Volunteer." Sanchez made another snorting sound and Amelia felt guilty over dragging the soldier into this mess.

Cov’o was staring at Amelia through his mask. His head tilted. 

"Val'jek is going to be so pissed off," she said softly.

"Pissed off?" Cov'o's translator probably gave him a literal translation.

"Angry. Livid. Enraged."

She lifted her head to see her raw legs. Those were definitely acid burns down both her legs. She was missing large patches of skin. When she squinted, she realized the muscles down her left leg were damaged in places too. The burns had gone too deep.

"He isn't going to believe me when I say this looks worse than it is." She didn't think she believed it. Was this repairable? Would she need crutches for the rest of her life? Would she be able to dance? A very human fear about being ugly slithered in for a moment.

Cov’o bowed his head. "He will not be angry."

"You know him better than that," she murmured. 

"My sire," he said and then stopped, shaking his head. He stared for a moment longer, his expression hidden behind his mask. "We cannot linger here. I will assist with your trophies."

Cov'o didn't wait for her protest. He hoisted her onto her feet and steadied her shoulders.

"I don't need a souvenir from this misadventure," she said.

Cov'o dragged the upper half of the yautja off the kiande amedha.

"The skulls are mint condition." He seemed proud of using the human term.

"You can keep them," she said readily.

Cov'o recoiled from her and dropped the dead yautja with a thump.

"Gifts are for mates." Mah'sic chirped from his perch on the queen despite being some distance away. Her inappropriate offer to Cov'o clearly amused him. 

She was too exhausted to be embarrassed. "I didn't mean that," she said to Cov'o who still held his body an extra inch away as if she'd rip off her clothes and attack him. "It's different for humans."

Seeming to accept her explanation, the tension left him and he said, "Trophies are good." He pulled out a short blade. "I will show you." Without preamble, he sliced the head from the neck with a wet snick.

Amelia cringed.

"He was from Raz'ha's clan. He might know him." It was rude. And gross. And—shit, shit, shit! She'd killed a yautja. A person. One Raz'ha probably knew. She sank to the floor with horror.

"Bad blood." Cov'o made a rude noise and followed it up with disgusted clicks to emphasize his point.

"Cov'o," she said, feeling queasy.

He glanced at her.

"I can't cut up his head. I really can't." She shied away from the severed legs.

He looked her over, then looked over the corpses. One shrug and he went to work on her trophies himself. 

"I don't even want to know," Sanchez said.

"You really don't," Amelia agreed.

Yautja trophy culture was much more complex and refined than the human version of grabbing a body part from something you killed, regardless of how or why you killed it. But Amelia didn't have the energy to explain. She was sore and exhausted. Her hands were shaking again and, for some reason, they wouldn't stop.

Raz'ha returned and had a small exchange with Mah'sic she couldn't hear. Mah'sic tensed, but then returned to preparing his trophy. Raz'ha approached them, his mask scanning her.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"For now. Are you well?" he pressed.

"For now," she said. There would be tears and nightmares later. She reached for Raz'ha and he held her close. She pressed the forehead of her mask to the mouth of his. Her hands brushed his bicep.

Even as she opened her mouth, Amelia knew this wasn't the best time to say it, but she blurted it out anyway, "I do love you, if you didn't know."

She felt his chest rise with a sharp breath.

"I am glad to know now." He purred low, the rumbling vibration rubbing her chest, and his hold on her tightened. "We will speak more of this topic soon."

Cov'o interrupted, asking over his shoulder, "Do you want the kiande amedha fingers?"

She shuddered. "I don't—"

"Yes," Raz'ha insisted. "She does."

She didn't argue and said the next thought that came to her instead. "The warrior was from your clan. I'm sorry."

Raz'ha growled a rumble deep in his chest. "He was a bad blood."

"Did you know him?"

"Honored Warrior Mack'o." He made a rude clicking sound. "His death was better than he deserved."

She bit back any denials and apologies she wanted to say. Bad blood was to be destroyed from his perspective. Protests would be perceived as defending the criminal and his behavior.

Mah'sic approached with his skinned skull. Amelia turned away. She didn't want to see another skull for as long as she lived. 

"Were the other bad bloods slain by kiande amedha?" Cov'o inquired as she continued to hear the sound of flesh being peeled away from bone.

"No," Raz'ha said. "Mar'cte fought them. My hunt brother killed the other two and destroyed their shuttle before he was slain."

"Mar'cte is here? He's dead?" Her heart leapt in her throat and she felt like she was choking on it. "And the others? Guan-thewi and—"

Raz'ha's claw gripped her shoulder. "Only Mar'cte."

She didn't know what that meant for them. "What will happen to the others on the Saracen ship?"

"They were alive when he followed us, but he doesn't know what happened after." As if sensing her rising panic, he smoothed down her hair. "Come, we must leave this place. It is a steep climb and you must hold onto me."

She wanted to question him further about both his friends and the plan to leave. How were they all going to climb out with all the skulls? Where was Mar'cte's body? Amelia and Sanchez would need to be carried. Why had leadership sent Mar'cte of all the warriors?

Mar'cte was dead.

She could do nothing for him but cry and that was best done somewhere safe. If she shed a few tears in her mask, no one had to know.

Raz'ha knew what he was doing, she reminded herself. They were capable warriors and loading everyone into a spaceship would be the easy part of the misadventure.

They didn't even have a conversation about it. The yautja all seemed to know what to do. Raz'ha added the yautja skull to his net bag and carried her using a familiar harness attached to his belt.

Cov'o carried Sanchez and the kiande amedha skull on his back. Mah'sic brought up the rear with his giant queen skull strapped to his back.

They climbed through a damaged elevator shaft. By steep, Raz'ha meant vertical, and the warriors dug their claws into the walls to climb at a cautious pace. Harmless debris rained down and Amelia was grateful for her mask as she rode on Raz'ha's back.

Cov'o, below them, made impressive time as he used one arm to carry Sanchez and did an awkward three-limbed climb. She couldn't see Mah'sic beyond him but heard his chittering.

For the first time in a long time, Amelia could relax. Someone else could manage the situation and the future. Soon, Val'jek would return and her life could go back to some semblance of normal.

Maybe she would be able to hole up in his quarters in the meantime.

She would get help, but she certainly wouldn't be returning to the Saracen ship in person. Would Raz'ha, though? The insidious thought crept in as they neared the top of the shaft. It would be suicide. She discarded the idea quickly. She wouldn't let him.

She focused on her aching body to shut down all her frightening thoughts.

Notes:

Next chapter will be Val'jek. I realized that I forgot a couple of important things and needed to make a bunch of other changes so that chapter wasn't as ready to post as this one.

The next chapter will take a little longer because it needs a LOT of work beyond usual edits. I need to rewrite and expand a lot of it. In case anyone forgot, the first draft of this story is complete and these are all edits I'm doing from the draft, which is how a lot of it varies in time needed.

My writing goal for November is to complete a minimum of 3 chapter edits, but I'm hoping to complete 4. This chapter marks the first one. :D

#

As always, remember to show appreciation for your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start, you can say something you liked about the chapter or story, or drop some emotes, etc.

Chapter 47

Notes:

First, I UPDATED CH 1. It has like 1700 new words or something, go check it out if you're interested.

Second, this one really did take a long time again. I've been working on it a lot this whole time. It went from the first draft 2k words to 6k words after editing. It was a LOT!

I saw Predator Badlands and loved it! It was a lot of fun and we finally got a predator protag AND he was a baby hunter, probably Mah'sic's age, so cute. After the movie I immediately renamed a character being introduced in this chapter to Kwei after Dek's older brother because he deserved the honor.

Yeyinde had wondered for a long time in the dark about the fate of his clan and hunt brothers. Now that he was out, though not free, he wasn't sure he was ready to find out. Living a few more minutes with the possibility that everyone he cared about still lived would have to be enough.

With Elder Val'jek looming over him, his eyes tracked over the elder's practical mask in silver and gold that likely had understated decorative details. But all Yeyinde could focus on was the large seam cutting down the right half.

Masks were sturdiest as a rule to protect vital body parts like the eyes and brain. This one had been badly broken in a jagged line just missing the eye socket. Then someone welded it back together in the ugliest repair job he'd ever seen.

Whatever damaged the mask would have surely killed most.

He idly thought that Amelia's mate was as imposing as she claimed. He was a tall, athletic figure with dark coloring that was often featured in depictions of Cetanu. Like any aged warrior he sported numerous scars.

The elder's dreads were long and well into graying. The ornaments told the stories of his important hunts, layering his dreads with decoration and impressive history. In particular, Yeyinde noticed the intricate bands telling of his battles with bad bloods.

Two. The elder had killed two bad bloods.

He'd known that. Amelia had said it more than once. But seeing it displayed on the elder's body was jarring.

This elder was someone to fear if only Yeyinde could bring himself to be fearful. He was just tired now.

He glanced at the dead high priestess and wondered where Amelia's mate would place the band telling the tale of this encounter.

Most would have placed their bad blood ornaments parallel in height on separate dreads to highlight that there were two separate victories. Amelia's mate had stacked them on one strand as if they were one ornament, almost giving them a lesser position in hunting history. The elder clearly didn't view them as significant based on that placement.

Would Amelia's mate simply add this ornament to the bottom of the stack, or would he give it a place of prominence? This endeavor was to avenge attacks upon Amelia after all.

"Did you find them?" Yeyinde finally asked but remained listless on the floor. Clearly his exhaustion was beyond bone deep and had seeped into his soul. This was what bad blood clans wrought.

Elder Val'jek clicked. "Where did they go?"

"I was imprisoned for assisting their escape, but there is no evidence of it in truth. I am embarrassed to say that all my participation entailed was complaining to a pair of guards about my noisy neighbor," Yeyinde said, offering many details that weren't asked of him. "I don't know the details. We didn't—it was better to not know where they were flying."

"Flying? On a ship?" The elder leaned closer with each word, looming over Yeyinde. "They escaped the clan ship?"

Yeyinde tilted his head, confused. "You didn't know?"

"They said they were dead." His chest heaved heavy breaths. His mask muffled much of what he was clicking in a rapid sequence. "They said—but no, no this makes more sense. Their things were gone. Her mementos. The hound bedding. They fled. We knew that. But to make it off the ship—"

Elder Val'jek gripped Yeyinde's shoulders with rough claws and repeated, "They escaped."

"They might be dead. They made it off the ship on one of the shuttles that my hunt brothers secured without a tracker, but I was assured a hunting party would be sent after them." Unable to bring closure or comfort to Amelia's mate, Yeyinde purred sadness.

The elder's grip tightened and he wheezed a breath.

"The chance of success was never high, but it was the best we could do." Yeyinde tapped his frustration. "If you had arrived only days sooner."

Elder Val'jek backed up, no longer looming over where Yeyinde laid on the floor. He tapped on his wristband as he made a com-call.

"She escaped on a shuttle. Another probably gave chase. Her shuttle has no tracker, but the one after it will." Elder Val'jek trilled into his com-call, but it wasn't a happy sound. It was one of desperation. "Can you gain access to it? Or any information on their location?"

The elder paced and in his distraction some of his regal bearing slipped away, revealing injuries. "Yes, I know. We have been here for cycles! Oh, Paya."

Yeyinde watched as the elder continued his call, stopping frequently to wait for answers from whoever he called.

A slight limp affected the elder's left side, probably a hip injury but nothing serious. There was an awkward way he carried himself, as if he might have a cracked rib or five.

Now that he thought about it, the elder's skin was dry. Not the regular dryness one could oil away, but there were patches with large borders where skin had obviously peeled. Yeyinde wasn't sure what would cause that.

It was probably whatever had delayed him. The elder was not unscathed during his mission.

"She could be far away or even dead by now. Nothing on this shitty ship can move faster than a slug. Our own ship is barely functioning." Elder Val'jek yanked off his mask to splay his mandibles in angry frustration. "Pauk!"

If Amelia's mate had arrived a few cycles earlier, she would still be on the ship then.

If they had waited cycles to shove Raz'ha and Amelia into a shuttle, they'd still have been on the ship to meet the elder.

There was something interesting about that scenario where Amelia's mate arrived to find her competing against bad bloods in a political arena. If he was fanciful, he could imagine the elder storming in and subduing bad bloods with ease.

But that wasn't reality.

He could more easily imagine Amelia being a hostage, or swiftly killed to hide their crimes.

It was always going to be a blood bath when their crimes were revealed.

What would happen now? Maybe Amelia would be found. Either way, his clan suffered. If she lived, she could protect many innocents from the repercussions. If she was dead, Yeyinde wasn't sure this elder, newly revitalized with a desperation masquerading as hope, would spare them.

Perhaps the end would be quick.

It couldn't be worse than Saracen executions.

There wasn't much to do about any of it yet anyway. He'd bide his time and then do whatever it seemed like Amelia would want as things happened. With all the effort she'd invested, she'd more than earned it.

"Enlist Ramsee if you need him. I'll interrogate the prisoners for more information." Elder Val'jek ended his com-call.

Yeyinde didn't much feel like getting up, content to simply let his limbs stretch out, as he watched the elder storm through the doors leading to the high priestess's quarters. Some rumbles and complaints from several different yautja sounded from deeper in the private quarters, but nothing was visible from his place on the floor.

Amelia's mate had prisoners in there. Yeyinde chirped surprise.

The elder dragged a priestess along the floor by her dreads. She scrabbled and clawed at the impervious elder's wrist guard.

The door closed. No one had tried to help her.

The elder threw the priestess at the feet of the throne, in the puddle of drying blood.

She splayed her mandibles and revealed her face. Priestess Ark'ee.

They locked eyes.

"You!" she hissed at Yeyinde. "Traitor! What lies—"

Elder Val'jek backhanded her.

She yelped like a pup and clutched her mandibles.

"Amelia escaped on a shuttle," Elder Val'jek said.

"I don't know." Her dreads swayed as she shook her head. "As we told you, the high priestess was insane and paranoid. She didn't tell us what evil she did!"

Yeyinde growled his outrage. "Lies!"

Elder Val'jek held his hand up to silence him.

Yeyinde shut up because the elder looked murderous.

"Tell me about the shuttle sent to hunt her," Elder Val'jek commanded, his mandibles spread wide in threat.

"I don't know anything about any shuttles," Priestess Ark'ee insisted.

"Your only working shuttles. Both are off the ship and you didn't know?" Val'jek snorted. "The whole clan knows if there are no shuttles available."

In a fit of temper, the priestess shouted, "They are hunting food!"

"Food?" Elder Val'jek chuffed, leaning close to her face, looming like Cetanu himself ready to strike down the priestess. "Was my mate's food not enough for you?"

Priestess Ark'ee flinched.

Rumbling, Elder Val'jek said, "Last Chance."

Priestess Ark'ee growled, splaying her mandibles wide. "You would not dare!"

Using one swift motion, the elder extended his wrist blades as he impaled her through the chest.

The priestess choked on blood as the blades withdrew.

It was all very fast and anticlimactic even as the priestess struggled for breath.

Elder Val'jek left the female to die and dragged in another priestess, dropping her on the dying Ark'ee. She was as uncooperative, spewing the same verbatim lies of being ignorant.

Clearly they had used the opportunity in captivity to create a simple story but did not vary their explanations. Yeyinde had expected them to be better at lying after full cycles of deception.

But he supposed they had others telling the lies for them. No one could treat them viciously or question them directly like Elder Val'jek did now.

It wasn't until the third was dragged in that answers were babbled out. The female rapidly shared secrets and reported leadership crimes before she even reached the pile of dead.

Still she was dumped unceremoniously on the bodies.

The female yelped, scrambling to avoid the bodies, but there was nowhere to escape with Elder Val'jek blocking her path and the body-riddled throne at her back.

She jerked, looking at the bright green blood on her hands and arms, then turned to look at the bodies. Her mandibles spread low in horror and she tried to crawl away.

Elder Val'jek shoved her back in place, apparently having deemed this spot as the place for executions.

Yeyinde supposed it was appropriate that the priestesses die at the foot of the throne with the cold corpse of the high priestess sitting behind them.

Seeing the female's face, Yeyinde clicked surprise. It wasn't a priestess at all, it was Del'is. He opened his mouth to inform the elder of this tricky female's role in Amelia's misfortune. "Elder."

"What?" the elder snapped and clicked a dire warning.

"This female is not a priestess." Yeyinde clicked caution.

"Yes, that is correct!" Del'is nodded quickly, accepting the lifeline before Yeyinde could explain. "I am not part of priestesses. I am a regular female and had no say in their crimes."

"You are worse!" Growling at her, Yeyinde splayed his mandibles, but it was a pathetic display from the floor. He faced the elder and said, "She has a long history of manipulation and orchestrating leadership changes, each worse than the last. She tried to use your mate in her schemes. Amelia did not trust her. Do not trust her!"

"Lies from a traitor who would see us all suffer," Del'is said. "I have no rank which is easy to confirm. What could one common yautja do against an entire corrupt regime? How could I be responsible when so many others were in charge? I am no more responsible than you, Traitor Yeyinde."

Yeyinde levered himself up on his elbows to shout, "You tried to use her to change regimes! I was there!"

"I was trying to expose leadership!"

"Tell me why," Elder Val'jek demanded from the female. He didn't look at Yeyinde.

"Why what?" Del'is sounded guarded, as if she didn't just babble out answers before the interrogation even began.

"Why did you make her suffer? She did nothing to you." Elder Val'jek heaved harsh breaths. "She is kind and soft and generous! She would have helped you!"

"I did not do anything to your pet." Del'is simpered like a pup. "I thought our goals aligned for exposing the high priestess and tried to enlist her. But in truth, what could a common yautja and mere pet accomplish—"

Elder Val'jek roared and punched Del'is in the mandibles.

Shocked, Del'is clutched her face. "Wait—"

Lunging at the female, Elder Val'jek forced her flat on the pile of bodies with a knee on her belly. She clawed at him ineffectually, the armored elder ignoring or batting aside the attempts.

Then the elder pummeled her with punch after punch. His fists rained down without end, even as the soft crunch of broken mandibles gave way to the harsh cracks of broken facial bones.

Amelia would not want this for her mate, but still he said nothing. She was not here. She might have been murdered.

Yeyinde did nothing to stop the brutal attack as the sounds turned decidedly wet. Satisfaction settled deep in his chest at the sight of a bad blood finally feeling consequences—as meager as they were. Del'is deserved more and worse.

It was a long time before the elder finally slumped back. He caught his breath, chest heaving, and bloody fists resting on his thighs. Staring down at the unrecognizable corpse, the elder cursed her with a slur and found his feet.

Turning to Yeyinde, the elder gave him a dark look. Briefly he wondered if Amelia's mate might kill him too, but then it passed.

#

Val'jek abandoned the pile of corpses, feeling no better about the situation. Amelia could be anywhere. She could be stranded or—

He needed to focus on something else. Something he could do. Some task. Otherwise he might rip apart the entire ship with his bloody hands.

Except ship repairs wasn't his area of expertise. Sure he could make reasonable repairs and modifications with a manual, but not this conversion of trying to mesh together two incompatible technologies.

And he had even less experience with hacking secure clan systems. He had libraries of programs to hack alien systems, but those were primitive in comparison to yautja technology.

He'd just be in the way of his hunt brothers who had extensive experience with such things.

Val'jek's expertise was in research. His current focus was biology and sociology. He dabbled in history and medicine as they were adjacent to his interests and useful to his position as an elder. All elders were experienced in politics and negotiations.

These priestesses weren't interested in negotiation. They couldn't. To do so would admit their crimes which could only lead to death. The only option they'd left themselves with their terrible schemes and inept coverup was staunch refusal to admit anything.

He'd known that, but part of him still hoped one of them would have information or an update on the hunting party sent after his mate.

They likely had no information or one would have at least tried to save themselves.

Only Del'is, an obvious manipulator, tried, but she didn't understand his intent at all. She spouted crimes and secrets. Nothing that might help his mate.

That left him with waiting. He had to rely on his hunt brothers to find his mate.

His poor, sweet ooman.

She'd suffered. He'd brought her here.

He'd done this to her.

And he didn't know how to make it right. No amount of dead Saracens could fix what happened.

He should have made them suffer more.

There would be others worth punishing on this ship. After the horrors he heard from the young blood, he was sure there would be even more to uncover. Unfortunately for them, Val'jek had nothing else to fill his time while waiting.

Val'jek turned to the warrior once more. "Tell me what happened. Why would they want to kill my mate?"

Yeyinde rumbled. "She challenged the leadership."

Val'jek trilled in surprise. His fearful ooman had challenged Saracens? "What?"

"Lots of reasons, but I suppose if I must choose what tipped it over, it was for the Tauren unblood. Your offspring." Yeyinde shook his head as if Val'jek was slow. "The unblood did not return from his chiva. They said he died honorably, that he saved the hunt by using his self-destruct bomb."

Mah'sic was gone and the tiny trinket on his belt would forever remind him that he'd killed him by sending him here. He wasn't even blooded. He'd sent an unblood to his death so callously.

Val'jek rumbled sadly as the warrior told him the entire story.

"They returned Amelia's trinket. She claimed it was proof that they lied about the unblood's death." Yeyinde clicked his uncertainty. "I did not think it was enough proof, but when she made the accusation, the high priestess wanted her silenced. That was proof enough for me. They lied."

"And they wanted to kill Amelia for this?" He compared the story between this warrior who sounded so much like Amelia and the young blood he'd spoken to earlier. So far they matched and he didn't foresee deception. However, it was foolish to blindly trust anyone from this clan despite this warrior showing many signs of Amelia's influence.

"They challenged Raz'ha for it. My hunt brother is smart. He took a beating to ease their pride, but Amelia needed more answers." Yeyinde grunted. "We foolishly questioned Young Blood Akop, who was with Mah'sic. He admitted that he lied but said it was sanctioned."

"The leadership discovered she was seeking answers still." Val'jek sat on the floor near the warrior. "This was folly." 

His stubborn mate who could not ignore the injustice any more than she could let Raz'ha kill a hound pup. Poor Mah'sic who had been set on this path by Val'jek. He deserved better. He deserved an opportunity to pass his chiva and live a long life. He would not let his offspring be forgotten.

"The young blood was murdered, but first he told Amelia that Mah'sic was alive. He claimed the unblood was dead to leadership, but secretly left him alive on the hunting planet."

"What?" Val'jek tilted his head. Could he believe this warrior who was telling him that both Amelia and Mah'sic were actually alive? Was it a trick? There would be nothing to gain from it.

The Saracen warrior tapped his mandibles in thought. "It is impossible to know if he still lives. But someone should search for him. Amelia wanted that. She asked that someone tell you if she couldn't."

It was no trick. This warrior knew Amelia.

Val'jek didn't know how much hope he should cling to. It seemed like the universe was playing a game, baiting him with the chance of having both his mate and offspring by his side again. 'Too good to be true' as Amelia would say.

"When we can access the secure records we will know where to search for him." Val'jek rumbled a purr of mourning because it felt like too much to risk hoping for a second life being spared. "Even if he was taken by Cetanu, he will be found."

"I did not know him that well, but," Yeyinde rumbled lowly, "you raised him well."

Val'jek clicked acknowledgement but didn't dare think about it.

The warrior looked over at the pile of dead bad blood once more. "Why did you believe me and not Del'is?"

The answer was simple enough. "Because my mate trusted you."

"You can't know that for certain." The warrior faced him. "I could have lied as easily as she did."

"You speak like someone who spent much time with my mate. Someone who Amelia shared conversation with and my mate is selective, cautious even with who she becomes close to." Val'jek gestured to the bodies. "She spoke like a grifter."

And anyone who thought his mate was a 'mere pet' was not close to her.

A long silence carried.

Val'jek felt impatient to have more answers. "They fled together. Raz'ha is your hunt brother. Where would he go?"

"Probably wherever your mate told him to go." Yeyinde sighed. "Could she have wanted to return home? She spoke of enlisting your help often."

Val'jek rumbled dismissal. Did they even get far? Their small hunting ships were all old and badly maintained. Luckis was aggravated to have no suitable parts from any of them.

"Was the clan vessel in pursuit or only the hunting shuttle?" If the clan vessel was in pursuit they could carry along the original trajectory and at least be closer. If they were really lucky, they might narrow down potential destinations.

That assumed Raz'ha hadn't decided to pick a random direction to throw off their pursuers. There were too many possibilities.

"I have been in the box." Yeyinde shrugged on the floor. "You will need to ask my hunt brothers if they know."

Considering, Val'jek tilted his head. "Would Honored Warrior Sain'ja know?"

"Perhaps. He is prone to gossip and was also fond of the ooman." Yeyinde trilled, looking livelier than before. "She let him touch her tongue once."

Val'jek grunted. What had the warriors been doing with his mate?

He messaged Bosch his instructions, telling him to take his time. There was more Val'jek wanted to learn from this warrior first. "While we wait, tell me more of Amelia's time here."

Yeyinde gave it some thought.

Eventually, he said, "She was often afraid, but very brave and clever. She changed much and protected many. Anyone who came to her for aid, she found a way to help, even if they were rude and not worth her efforts." Yeyinde rumbled. "I hope it did not kill her."

The warrior spoke for a long time about Val'jek's mate. Where the young blood described Amelia like an ethereal fairytale creature, this honored warrior called her familiarly and seemed quite bold in his descriptions of her actions, even when he clicked disagreement with her choices.

"It always felt as if she was several moves ahead of everyone else and yautja fell into her traps like we were all little more than reckless pups." His mandibles tilting up, Yeyinde trilled amusement. "But it was really that she was willing to be kind and flexible with plans. It is difficult to villainize kindness to those receiving said kindness."

"She is a clever, quick thinker," Val'jek agreed. In some twisted way he wished he could have seen her out-maneuvering opponents here. Most—Amelia especially—doubted her abilities, but from the first meeting, he recognized her cleverness.

Such a skill was the most desirable because it was useful in every situation from hunting to politics. His resourceful ooman defeated kiande amedha, a predator she'd never heard of before that cycle, using vaguely familiar tools in an unfamiliar environment.

"Sei. She tricked my class into swearing to only hunt bad blood oomans." Yeyinde trilled and laughed. "I knew she did not really want to teach them and she thought they would refuse the oath."

"She gained something either way then." Val'jek trilled. "What did she teach them?"

"That oomans are much trickier than they could imagine." Closing his eyes, the warrior sighed. "And our clan was not something to be proud of."

Imagining such a thing, Val'jek absently fingered the black stain on the dress Amelia left behind. He wasn't sure why he had carried it with him to the throne room.

Maybe it was because he had no idea what had happened to his mate. Each day was a mystery that their limited communication hadn't allowed her to share. She had stained a dress which was uncommon. He wanted to know what had happened.

He looked to Yeyinde still stubbornly laying on the floor and basking in the light.

"Honored warrior," Val'jek chirped, "do you know what happened to this dress?"

Yeyinde clicked his confusion as he stared at Val'jek. He only glanced at the garment. "It is one of Amelia's. She left it behind."

"Sei," Val'jek said and towered over the warrior to present the stain. "It has black marks on it. What is this?"

Yeyinde clicked his agreement to look, but his expression was exasperated.

Val'jek didn't care. He held the stained part above the warrior's face. "It is neither blood nor paint."

Yeyinde trilled amusement. "You are a worrier."

That was a distinctly ooman description. One Amelia used. The thought of her chuckle as she accused him of worrying wrenched his heart in his chest and he made a choked noise.

Before he could ask again, the warrior touched the dark stain. His mandibles clicked with recognition and solemness overtook him. "It is chirnik."

"Mah'sic was ill?" That surprised him, but the description fit. He inspected the stain and realized it was a very advanced case of chirnik. How would Mah'sic become that ill? His vaccine must have failed earlier than expected, but that didn't explain how it was this advanced.

"No, the pups." Yeyinde trilled. "We had an outbreak during the food shortage. One cycle Raz'ha summoned me with with an emergency to his kehrite. I arrived to see your mate holding a dying pup—Du'sa she said was his name—an enraged female looming, and Raz'ha trying to translate for them. Raz'ha asked me to attend his duties so he could bathe her." 

The warrior let out a heavy breath. "No more pups died of chirnik after that. They did not give her credit as was her due, but the young bloods had seen her save the pup. It was all they spoke of for many cycles. The ooman who saved pups and cured chirnik. Many learned her name." Yeyinde touched his fist to his chest, offering a show of respect. "Amelia of the Taurens."

And then they had tried to kill her.

Something else bothered Val'jek. "I heard she was ill."

Yeyinde chirped a question, but then said, "Ah, yes, that."

"That?"

"The food manager refused to give her rations and made Raz'ha share his. With all the challenges and tricks for food, we agreed to share among our hunt brothers and your mate," the warrior explained.

Had she been ill from malnutrition or starvation? That didn't match what the young blood had described.

"But even then it wasn't enough. Not really. Amelia decided to share her hound rations with us to supplement the nutrition." Rumbling irritation, the warrior said, "It was maddening—a cosmic joke—that she turned out to be allergic. She owned the most nutritious food available to us and was the only one who could not eat it."

An allergy? Val'jek tapped his mandibles thinking of the long list of potential allergy symptoms. She was lucky it was a digestive allergy and not a respiratory allergy. He had stocked her medkit with emergency injections for that, but would Raz'ha have figured it out in time?

He wouldn't think about it.

The warrior continued, trilling amusement, "The younger males talked about her illness for days. They were shocked by the smells. They thought she was dying and kept trying to give Raz'ha water for her. Her face would turn very bright red when she overheard them."

Val'jek rumbled half-hearted amusement, then sobered. "I had provided fresh food for her. A full cycle's worth of rations and trade goods to secure more fresh plants. I had expected some to be lost under questionable circumstances, but this—Did she receive any of it?"

"Perhaps early on, but I was not there. During the rationing, no, she received nothing at all. Raz'ha tried his best, but it was too much for any warrior to handle alone. As a group we pooled resources for trades. She made many paintings and took many meetings with Elder Durnst to secure her meals. She could have hoarded her hound food for such trades, but generously traded much of it away to help us males. She even used it to trick leadership into banning challenges for rations."

He'd known that from the young blood and it had enraged him then. Now, he thought of how scary and painful that must have been for Amelia. She suffered and feared every single cycle while she waited for him to come back. She'd waited for his help. And he had failed.

When they mated, he'd promised to always protect her because staying with his people meant she had to rely on him for everything. She should hate him for his failures here, but he knew his kind mate would not. She would understand and make excuses for him.

The thought suffocated him. He would never forgive himself on her behalf because she wouldn't nurture such a grudge in her heart.

To torture himself, he asked, "And the accident? A gas leak, was it?"

"That was a good attempt at murder. Leadership nearly killed the entire section trying to kill Amelia and Raz'ha. They would have succeeded if Amelia hadn't been impervious to the gas. She managed to finish opening the door after everyone else lost consciousness." The warrior chuffed irritation. "Not that we could prove anything. But everyone knew."

"Is this not too much? How could so many things go wrong for her on this ship?" Val'jek wanted to rage, but it came out mournfully. "She deserved none of it."

"Such a little creature and yet she saved many of us. She stood up to bad bloods where even warriors cowered." Yeyinde rumbled softly. "I cannot fathom what any of us did to deserve her protection."

Val'jek rumbled. Wishing she hadn't protected this clan's members was pointless. It was ingrained in who she was as an individual. She'd protect them every time and he couldn't ask her not to be who she was.

#

An alarm blared from the console by the throne, startling Yeyinde. It was followed by the tablet hooked on Elder Val'jek's belt beeping rapidly. Then the notification for a com-call went off.

The elder huffed and turned off the alarms one at a time. He answered the com-call. "I saw the warnings."

Yeyinde couldn't hear the other half of the conversation.

"I understand." The elder rumbled and clicked. "Let them board and send the files to me."

Bosch returned with Sain'ja at his side. They seemed to be discussing something.

Yeyinde chirped, rising to his knees.

"I thought you were dead!" Sain'ja hurried to his side. His hunt brother looked well, with only a few bruises and healing knuckles.

"Not yet." Yeyinde trilled. "I was in the box."

"Ugh, it smells like it." Sain'ja wheezed to the side and then froze. His hunt brother eyed the pile of bodies.

Yeyinde elbowed him then motioned to the elder. "This is Amelia's mate, Elder Val'jek."

Sain'ja looked back at Bosch, who was already leaving the room. "He wouldn't tell me what was happening."

Yeyinde nodded. "I cannot answer questions about what happened once I was captured. Did they really send hunters after Raz'ha and Amelia? Mar'cte and Guan-thewi, are they alive? Our students? There was a rebellion?"

"Much happened." Sain'ja clicked caution and turned to the elder. "Yeyinde's wounds are infected, they must be tended if—"

Interrupting with clicks, Elder Val'jek stood before them. "You have a very short time to answer questions before guests arrive. Then he can be treated."

"Anything for the mate of Amelia of the Taurens," Sain'ja said readily and tapped his fist to his chest. "What do you wish to know first?"

"They sent a hunting party after my mate?"

"Sei." Sain'ja glanced at Yeyinde. "They forced Mar'cte to go with three others to prove his loyalty to the leadership or they would execute Guan-thewi, his partner."

Yeyinde gasped.

Val'jek hissed.

"Mar'cte is honorable. He went, but there is no universe in which he would assist with the hunt. He would not hurt Amelia or Raz'ha." Sain'ja shook his head. "I cannot say what he did or how effective it was, but I would bet my honor that he sabotaged the mission. The hunting party stopped responding to inquiries once they arrived on a planet. My sources did not know which planet however."

"Who would know?" Elder Val'jek asked.

Sain'ja glanced at the corpses. "Still alive? Maybe Elder Ev'jek."

"Not Elder Durnst? Or Elder Mur?" Yeyinde asked. "They were cooperative with Amelia."

"Dead in the rebellion." Sain'ja clicked awkwardly. "I tried to delay it, but after they declared Raz'ha and Amelia dead, new rules were implemented. Things were— Nothing could be done to stop it. Many died on both sides."

Elder Val'jek made a com-call, requesting Elder Ev'jek.

"On which side?" Yeyinde asked.

Sain'ja trilled in question.

"Were they part of the insurrection or did Durnst stand with the leadership?" Yeyinde sat up. "Who else died? Are there prisoners? Others in the box?"

"The insurrection. Elder Mur too. I was surprised by that." Sain'ja clicked his mandibles. "They took no prisoners, but at least that meant their deaths were quick and in combat. Cetanu would not have abandoned them."

Elder Val'jek rumbled displeasure and ended his com-call with, "Understood."

"What?" Yeyinde asked.

Huffing, Elder Val'jek said, "I killed Elder Ev'jek earlier."

Sain'ja huffed too but did not comment.

Yeyinde wondered just how bloody his entry onto the ship had been, but knew better than to ask.

"It is fine. We will have access to the clan systems soon. The tracking device on the shuttle will provide an answer."

"Guan-thewi is alive?" Yeyinde asked.

Sain'ja nodded. "He is in a kehrite with warriors."

"How do you know that?" Elder Val'jek demanded.

"It is simple enough to remove wall panels in quarters. And there are only a few of you maintaining control of the ship. The halls are empty."

"The hall doors are locked."

"But panels in the halls are as simple to remove as quarters. You cannot do it normally because it is impossible to keep hidden in crowded halls." Sain'ja shrugged. "It's kehrites and secure rooms where the panels are more difficult."

Val'jek chuffed. "The headcount always remained the same."

"I return to my quarters frequently." Sain'ja explained he had been poking around the halls since the second day, though it was a fairly pointless endeavor.

His clever hunt brother hadn't been idle in his quarters. He'd written his accounting of the events. He'd written an urgent plea to search for Raz'ha and Amelia. He'd written a plea to help Mar'cte because he was not bad blood and while forced to hunt with the warriors, he would never betray their hunt brother.

A sound at the door interrupted the exasperated elder's questions.

With a strange beep, the doors opened and in the doorway stood a large male in full arbitrator armor.

Yeyinde shamelessly gaped at the figure.

An active shoulder canon focused on Elder Val'jek as the arbitrator entered the room, and a line of warriors marched in behind him to surround them. Bladed weapons pointed at all three of them.

Elder Val'jek stood still, making no aggressive moves, but neither did he show submission like Yeyinde and Sain'ja. Glancing at each other, Yeyinde wondered if he should try to coax the elder to the floor with them. It wouldn't do to let Amelia's mate to die here.

"You are the Tauren elder?" the arbitrator demanded.

"Sei. I am Elder Val'jek, Mate to Amelia of the Taurens," the elder stood proud, "and your name?"

"Arbitrator Kwei." The arbitrator nodded. "Do you surrender, or shall we fight?"

Elder Val'jek trilled.

Notes:

While editing I kept being like, "oh yeah, I forgot about this, oh and that, and that other thing" until the chapter ballooned. It was really difficult to try to fit in all the things I thought would be important to include for a reader because this story is almost 200k words now and a LOT happened to Amelia while he was away. I tried to aim for more his reaction and less recap since we already know what happened to her, but it was a weird balance to maintain for me.

Next chapter is in much better shape and should only take a few days.
#

As always, remember to show appreciation for your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start, you can say something you liked about the chapter or story, or drop some emotes, etc

Chapter 48

Notes:

Thank you for the lovely comments on last chapter! I've been working through my inbox and still have a few to catch up on but I read and loved them and used them as motivation to get a move on with this chapter. :D

Edit: cleaned up a bunch of grammar and typing errors that slipped through editing.

Raz'ha was relieved to finally be on the planet's surface. He carried Amelia through the woods toward the ship, injured but alive. They'd been victorious in their mission, but there was an underlying tension in them all. Many problems were not resolved, and the new ooman female was growing fussy.

"Seriously, you can put me down here and I'll find my own way," the female said for the third time.

Cov'o had her over his shoulder and his weapons out of her reach. They'd had some sort of muffled altercation once they'd reached the surface. Cov'o hadn't explained and Raz'ha hadn't seen what happened. Both were irritated.

They weren't allowed to release her because she knew too much. Protocol was to kill her honorably. An armed combatant—neither ill nor pregnant—was to be faced and defeated.

They didn't even discuss it. Amelia would find it abhorrent. The ooman had helped battle the queen and Raz'ha had to admit he found the idea abhorrent as well. There was no choice but to take her with them. As a pet. 

Did Amelia understand that? When Elder Val'jek took her, it was a rescue. She could not survive on the planet's surface and would have died if left behind. This new ooman would survive if they left her.

"Sanchez, we can't let you go." Amelia said, assuaging his concern. "You're military and you know how things like secrecy work. You know we can't risk it."

"The fuck you can't," the soldier barked, rearing up over Cov'o's shoulder to look at Amelia. She looked comically nonthreatening as she scowled. "You tell these ugly fuckers to put me down and we'll go our separate ways."

"You know too much." Amelia breathed heavily against Raz'ha's shoulder. 

The female swore at that. "I'll get a case of amnesia. I won't remember shit from before yesterday."

Amelia buried her face against him and said a muffled, "It's too risky." She too grew fussy, but in a different way. Instead of angry, his ooman grew tired and restless.

Raz'ha trilled and clicked to Cov'o. In his language he said, "Sedate her." 

Cov'o shuffled the increasingly loud female and retrieved his ooman medical supplies from his belt. One quick jab had the ooman shouting obscenities and then she slumped after a few seconds.

The warrior scrambled to keep his grip on the now dead weight. Her legs whacked the ground with a thump and Cov'o chirped surprise before hefting her in his arms properly.

The warrior passed him, his mandibles clicking his embarrassment as he hurried ahead. 

Amelia chuffed. "What's a kidnapping without an accidental dropping?"  

Raz'ha trilled. 

#

Amelia waited anxiously as they reached a safe distance from the human military base. Cov'o scanned for Mar'cte, or other survivors, and shook his head when he found no one for them to rescue.

A pang of pain settled in her bones. Mar'cte was dead. So many were dead. Not even a few stray humans were nearby.

She could only hope that some had escaped early on and made it beyond the scan's perimeter. They'd do a wider scan from space to ensure the infestation was completely eradicated.

Cov'o detonated a bomb they'd planted deep in the building with a disposable drone. The sky lit up in the distance in a big blue flash. The ground trembled. And then it was over. All traces of their misadventure were gone along with the bad bloods' and Mar'cte's remains.

No one spoke of it and they continued moving toward the Saracen shuttle.

They agreed Raz'ha would fly it to space, while the rest of them would go on the Tauren vessel. They would dock the ships together and Raz'ha would join them and tow the ancient ship behind theirs.

Cov'o had placed the unconscious Sanchez on the ground. Raz'ha opened the hatch and disappeared up the ramp to retrieve the puppies and her things. 

Tilting his head, Cov'o inspected the ship from the bottom of the ramp. He chirped disbelief. "It is ancient."

Mah'sic chuffed in reply. "You should see the other one."

"You arrived in this?" Cov'o's masked gaze settled on her. "It is space worthy? It landed?"

As if the ship wasn't settled right where it was landed. Her brows raised at his rapid questions.

"I don't know about spaceworthy with rigged power regulator but we got here in one piece. There was only about nine minutes of concern when it broke down halfway here, but Raz'ha fixed it." She found herself chuffing as well.

"Rigged power regular," Cov'o garbled at her. He didn't wait for a reply, instead he had a rapid conversation with Mah'sic who was trying to place Sanchez's limbs in a less awkward position on the ground.

Amelia didn't care to concentrate on their dispute as she moved to join Raz'ha inside the ship.

Cov'o's hand shot out and stopped her on the ramp. He rumbled a growl as he towered over her. "The Saracen will bring your property."

"It's fine." She waved dismissively. "I'll just make sure we have everything."

He didn't budge with his hand gripping her shoulder. "Elder Val'jek wouldn't want you on that—" He chuffed.

Amelia tugged from his grasp. "It's not going to explode."

That earned her a rumble in warning. "It could."

And with that he was ushering her ten paces away from the ramp, as she asked, "Are you serious?"

Mah'sic shrugged. "It is unlikely, but possible."

"But Raz'ha's on there, and my puppies, and—"

Cov'o grunted. "Let the Saracen deal with his garbage vessel."

"That's unfair," she started, but the argument never had a chance to come to fruition as Raz'ha returned with her caged puppies in one hand and box of her things in the other. Hult'ah rushed over to greet her for a few distracted pats.

Seeing they had moved away, Raz'ha chirped a question.

Cov'o stormed to Raz'ha but then halted, taking in his full arms and the puppies. Rapid clicks had Raz'ha growling and putting Amelia's things on the ground. Cov'o growled in return.

"You transported Elder Val'jek's mate on this flying trash not suitable for animals!" Cov'o clicked inside his mask and his growl deepened. "His ooman mate!" His arm flung in her direction. "She's ooman!"

"I do not answer to you," Raz'ha ground out.

Cov'o growled at that. "We will see about that."

Why were they behaving like this? They just had a terrible adventure and survived. Wasn't it time to rest so they could plan their next move? Amelia heaved a very tired sigh. "Are you guys really going to fight right now?"

#

Raz'ha watched as Cov'o turned away from their standoff and stormed to Amelia, closing the distance between them.

"Amelia, my sire is going to be declared dead." Cov'o tilted his head. "His letter instructs that if you are unhappy, I should return you to earth and fake your death. This is complicated, you understand?" 

"I… I—" Amelia's chest heaved with the shock and Raz'ha's belly sank.

She wasn't supposed to find out like this. He'd wanted to wait until her wounds were treated and she'd had time to rest. A calm moment aboard the ship was better than this. They were in the woods on earth when ooman soldiers could come investigate their silent stronghold whenever they pleased.

Raz'ha chuffed and the other warrior didn't wait for her answer. 

"There may never be another chance as this." Cov'o clicked the seriousness. "You can remain here, on your home world, and be free."

He stifled his protest. He could make no demands of her. She was safest on her home world surrounded by her own kind. 

Mah'sic made a soft rumble and his hands lifted as if he might interject, but Raz'ha motioned to stop him. The younger male let out a loud breath and said nothing.

"Dead," she said softly. "You're sure?"

"No, but it's complicated." Cov'o shook his head. "The search for him revealed nothing but debris. The ship has vanished. To protect his wishes my bearer sent me to retrieve you before the declaration."

"But he could be alive. Like Mah'sic," she said, motioning to him who had managed to survive with small odds.

"The last signal indicated an imminent explosion," Cov'o said impatiently. "They likely met Cetanu."

Would Cetanu be thwarted twice? The odds weren't in their favor. He wanted to purr for her and pick her up, but he waited. If he touched her, he might never let go. She had to make her choice.

"But if he's alive then he wouldn't be able to find me," she said with clenched fists.

Cov'o rumbled at that. "If that happened I would tell him where you are."

"I couldn't go back with him then. You'd be punished—killed for letting me go."

"Sei, maybe, but maybe not. I could assume you dead in the explosion," Cov'o said. "But he is likely dead, Amelia, and you could be a yautja pet forever." His gaze drifted to Raz'ha. "He would be your caretaker and I would have limited supervisory capacity. It was Elder Val'jek's choice to grant you equality, but Raz'ha has no legal obligation to uphold that."

Amelia swallowed and took several wet breaths. Her mask turned away from them all.

"It is safer for you here," Cov'o said, "on earth."

"What?" She snapped back to face them. "Earth? This is earth? We're on earth?"

"Sei," Cov'o said. "You did not know?"

"No." She looked to Raz'ha then shook her head. "The planet doesn't matter. That's not—"

Raz'ha grew nervous.

She turned away from them, mumbling out some gibberish. She leaned against the tree heavily and covered her masked face. 

"Amelia, I did not want to do this now, but there is no longer time so I must." Raz'ha could stand no more. He knelt at her feet. "You are my honor and my heart. I would build my reputation and provide the best quarters and comforts. I will care for and protect you. I was foolish to demand a suckling before," he said.

Shaking his head, hoping he wasn't causing a misunderstanding, he continued, "I want a suckling with you, but only if that is your desire. I would learn to care for one, but I make no demand. If you prefer, I will find an ooman for you to breed. Whatever you desire is what we will do."

She touched his mandibles, stopping his babbles and promises. Her voice was even as she asked, "You love me?"

"Sei." He covered his heart, desperate for her to understand his sincerity. "I would mate you permanently and only you. Forever."

"I love you too, Raz'ha," she murmured and sniffled. Then she wrapped her arms around him, sinking into his lap. She pressed her mask into his head crown.

Raz'ha gripped her and purred loudly. She loved him too.

"I wish we had this moment in happier times," she whispered. "You deserve more than sitting in the dirt and being freaked out."

He rumbled both joy and sorrow. "I am honored to have this moment at all."

He only wished that she had been more comfortable and not forced to make these choices. But he would accept his good fortune because for a long time he thought this out of his reach after his mistake.

There were no words to adequately express how relieved her was to stay by her side permanently. A heavy weight dropped away all at once and he briefly thought he might float away, or faint. He squeezed her gently and closed his eyes for a moment to process that this wasn't a dream. It was real. She loved him.

"I'll stay with Raz'ha," she said to Cov'o after a few moments, finding her feet with Raz'ha's assistance.

Cov'o clicked displeasure but cut it short. "If your opinion changes," Cov'o said, "you will send word. I will not abandon my duties to you."

While Raz'ha rumbled warmly, Amelia addressed Cov'o and his many revelations.

"We will look for your father," she said sharply as if angry. "Unless we find definitive proof, he is not dead. I won't believe it."

Cov'o nodded once.

She looked to Mah'sic. "We will do what we can, I promise. We have to figure out what to do about the Saracens we left behind too. We'll figure it out though. You understand? We aren't abandoning Val'jek."

"Yes, our sire is as resilient as his mate and may live." Mah'sic rumbled. "I am glad you are staying regardless of the circumstances, Amelia."

"Me too." Nodding, she let out a breath. "This is my home now and you are my family. All of you."

Mah'sic rumbled warmly. Cov'o nodded and looked away.

Raz'ha hadn't stopped purring happily and nodded as well.

#

Amelia was wrung out but feeling bolstered by her decisions to stay with her family and be with Raz'ha. That didn't quell her anxiety about her mate however.

Cov'o led them to the Tauren ship in silence. He hadn't said much to her declaration, but he was clearly flustered.

Amelia kissed Raz'ha's mandibles in parting. "Stay safe."

Raz'ha purred. "I will see you soon."

She nodded and because she was now anxious about the other ship exploding, she said, "I will hold you to that."

Some of the pain returning as a dull ache, she limped onto the Tauren ship.

Once inside she recognized her own home. It was Val'jek's personal ship. She touched the wall where one of her landscape paintings hung as the ramp closed.

Tears welled in her eyes as they all strapped in for takeoff. Mah'sic had secured Sanchez in a seat and used the special human attachment to secure her smaller frame properly. Amelia did her own. 

Cov'o harnessed Hult'ah to a foldout seat and placed her puppies into padded storage boxes that secured into the wall. 

"Can they breathe in there?" she asked.

"Sei," Cov'o said and took his own seat at the pilot's panel.

The ride was only a little bumpy thanks to the modern ship, making the harnesses more of a precaution than necessity, and they cleared the atmosphere quickly. 

She unstrapped once the safety lights turned off and limped to her room, pretending not to hear the chirped inquiry from Cov'o.

Inside everything was as they left it. Her chest heaved as she circled the bedroom, touching all Val'jek's things stored in lockers. The painting of him she leaned against, touching his mandibles and sobbing. It didn't purr or wrap his arms around her like her mate.

It was only a painting.

And in the midst of her heartbreak she realized she didn't have time to cry over Val'jek.

She needed to help the Saracens.

Could Cov'o do that with his connections? Could she buy help with her supposed inheritance?

"Val'jek," she sniffled. He was missing, likely struggling to survive, and all this time she'd been stalling, waiting for him to come save the day.

She didn't know what to do. Her mate was larger than life and it felt like he'd have all the answers if she could only just wait until he arrived. He always fixed everything.

There wasn't time to worry for Val'jek, nor mourn for Mar'cte either, who for his ultimate sacrifice was barely spared stray thoughts of sadness. He deserved much more.

She was just overwhelmed.

And now felt guilty for being unable to juggle it all simultaneously. Reality couldn't be paused however and she had to prioritize what to focus on. Once she had a plan there would be time to worry and mourn as they traveled.

Saracens needed help, then she'd have all the time in the world to search for her mate and mourn Mar'cte—and whoever else hadn't survived the Saracen ship. She pictured Raz'ha's hunt brothers and students, then shook her head.

Struggling to order her thoughts, she gave herself the hour until Raz'ha arrived to just sit by herself and cry. There was something cathartic about it, even if half of it was for herself and not knowing how to help everyone.

#

The tension from their parting continued when Raz'ha joined them on the Tauren ship, and he did his best not increase it. They all struggled with loss but there was much to do still and they had a quick meeting in some sort of communal space.

Amelia nudged his leg and he understood. He picked her up and settled her secure in his lap. The other ooman eyed them from her own chair. She had woken up cranky but subdued by the situation. There was little for her to do once they were in space already. There was nowhere to escape.

"We're going to the Saracen ship," Amelia said decisively.

"We should go to the Tauren ship where you will be safe," Cov'o said.

"This isn't a debate," Amelia said. "If you're counting my mate as dead then you do as I say and I say I promised the Saracens help. I promised Val'jek would know how to help them. You can help or you can go to the Tauren ship by yourself."

Cov'o tilted his head and seemed to weigh the options. 

"How will we help without Elder Val'jek?" Mah'sic questioned.

"You have the same option, Mah'sic. This isn't your fight," she said softly.

"They left me stranded on the ooman home world." Mah'sic chuffed and clicked his anger. He wanted revenge.

"I don't know how, but maybe I can trade with them and get those who want to leave," she said.

"Better to ask High Priestess Ellika for assistance in diplomacy," Cov'o said. It appeared the other warrior intended to help.

"Would she do it?" Amelia asked.

Cov'o clicked caution. "It would nullify her debt to Elder Val'jek. She'd never owe another favor or any goodwill to you."

That was a significant price for Amelia to pay as a pet. As an ooman she would benefit from the extra protection, and he was not an elder. Raz'ha rumbled. "We should try first and then Amelia can return to the Tauren vessel if we fail."

Amelia hesitated. "How long would it take to get your mother's help?"

"Diplomacy takes time, maybe ten cycles if they rushed. Twenty if not," Cov'o said.

"Too long." She frowned. "We go ourselves and will return the ship we stole. Then we'll offer a trade or something. They don't know we don't have the full backing of Taurens and we can use that. You will help ensure Tauren trade agreements stand, Cov'o." She paused. "That's something that can be done, right?"

He nodded. "It is not the same as an elder, but I at least have connections and know the current trade standings."

"I'm not above paying Taurens as well," Amelia added. "We need to get this done right and either overthrow the leadership or free those who want to leave the Saracen clan."

Raz'ha worried because those weren't simple goals at all.

Amelia was tired and trembling, however. With some rest she would make better decisions so he waited. 

"It would help speed up the process." Cov'o nodded. "I will contact elders able to aid us now."

"Thank you. If you decide to head to the Tauren ship, take our guest with you where she'll be safe."

Cov'o eyed Raz'ha. "I remain with you."

"Then I ask that you help protect her." She frowned. "She didn't ask for any of this."

He nodded. "How will you do the paperwork?"

"I don't know." She shook her head. "Maybe under Val'jek for now? That would probably be a problem later though. Let's wait on that for now until I've had a nap."

"The deadline is when we reach the Tauren vessel. Pets must be declared and documented. She's vulnerable for theft before then." Cov'o chuffed. "I would declare her if needed."

Amelia shook her head. "Only in an emergency."

"I must treat your wounds," Mah'sic reminded.

"Of course," Amelia said and judging by the strain on her face, she was in pain. "Cov'o please set a course to the Saracen ship. I'd like a notification when we're a couple hours away."

Cov'o chirped agreement. As he exited, the warrior called over his shoulder, "You should eat a meal. You are all thin."

Mah'sic waved his hands at the other ooman female who stared at him.

"He's practicing his human motions," Amelia said.

"As what, a Parkinson's patient?" the female said.

"He's going to treat our wounds and give us some pain reliever," Amelia said with a frown but didn't reply to whatever a Parkinson's patient was.

The female followed Amelia without additional comment and Raz'ha was unsure of the interaction. The females seemed displeased with each other. 

In the medical lab, Mah'sic moved to treat the other ooman first. She put her fist up and bared her teeth in an expression that was certainly not a smile. "Don't think you can get handsy."

Mah'sic trilled. "Ooman garments prevent treatment.

Raz'ha made no comment but the garments were ruined and stained as well. They did little for ooman modesty with tears and holes. 

"I'll go first," Amelia said and the situation defused in an instant.

Raz'ha helped her onto the table because the special steps installed for oomans looked difficult with injured legs. 

Mah'sic trilled praise and began diagnostics. 

"I know it's scary right now, but it'll be okay," Amelia said, looking to the other female.

The female snorted. "Says the mastermind."

"I'm sorry," Amelia murmured. "It's the only way the save your life."

Raz'ha rumbled his support at the truth of that. 

They finished exams and Mah'sic treated her in silence. It was painless with the full resources of the medical lab modified for oomans—for Amelia. Raz'ha watched over Mah'sic's shoulder at the treatment plan that would regenerate damaged muscles and regrow flesh. On the Saracen vessel, this would not be possible.

Mah'sic showed Raz'ha how to wrap the wounds in sponge gauze that would act as skin and stimulate flesh growth. Amelia stared at the ceiling, refusing to look at her wounds. 

He then provided her with a wrist brace and an ankle brace. Then, impossibly, Mah'sic wrapped her knee in another brace.

Raz'ha blinked at all the splints. "Are they broken?"

"The bones are well, but the soft tissue requires support," Mah'sic said.

"It's not a big deal," Amelia assured and was able to secure them herself with confident movement, clearly familiar with these braces.

When it was the other ooman female's turn she climbed on the table herself. She frowned the whole time and watched every move and demanded an explanation for every scan, injection, ointment, and gauze.

The muscle damage was severe on her left arm and Mah'sic made several clicks and flipped through several options. 

Raz'ha clicked an inquiry that the unblood gave no answer to. 

In the end, the unblood gave the ooman a treatment similar to Amelia's—including a concerning number of braces—but he added an additional injection to help her immune system and a second layer of gauze that Raz'ha had never seen before. 

"I must tend this again after you rest," the unblood told the ooman.

She female scowled for a long moment. Then she bit out, "Will it work again?"

Mah'sic trilled, not understanding the question.

"My hand. I can't move it," she said. "Will it work again?"

The unblood clicked uncertainty. "I will do more research."

The female nodded at that, turning away sharply. She slid off the table and said, "Where can I get a shower around here?"

"They can't get wet," Mah'sic said, motioning to his bandages. He'd sterilized the areas before treatment, but the rest of their bodies were still covered in grime from the hunt.

"Great," the female grumbled.

"We'll show you," Amelia said sounding no more enthusiastic about the news. 

In the washroom, Raz'ha realized he had to help both females. Amelia pressed a button on the bathing pool labeled "ooman" and pulled out some drying cloths from a storage locker. She looked over the deep pool and then down to her legs. She couldn't get in. 

Raz'ha undressed and the other female turned away.

"There better not be any funny business going on," the female said.

"Yautja aren't concerned with nudity. Visuals aren't really how they initiate sex," Amelia said, taking off her own clothes and braces she'd just secured, and wrapping herself in a drying cloth. "Keep your underwear on if you want. The water will clean it too."

Amelia limped to the pool and sat on the edge. Raz'ha climbed into the pool. They awkwardly shuffled as Amelia leaned in to dip her arms. He held her up lest she fall in.

Amelia grabbed a drying cloth and dipped it in the water and wrung it out. She used it to wipe her legs around her bandages and up her body. Then she wrapped herself in a clean dying cloth and tucked the edge to make an ooman garment. 

The other female watched them for a long time making no move to wash herself. He could smell the blood and grime from her even over the cleaning chemicals. If was an infection waiting to happen.

If she refused to wash, they'd have to sedate her and wipe her off. Perhaps he could convince the unblood to perform the task. 

"Lean over," Raz'ha said to Amelia. "I will wash your hair."

Amelia complied, laying awkwardly along the side and dangling her head over, trusting him to support her.

Something settled warmly in his chest. He washed the locks and gently rubbed her scalp as he'd seen her do many times. This was the first time he'd done it for her however and he did his best not to tangle his claws in the mass of strands. 

After she pressed a quick kiss to his mandibles, then resumed her bathing. She splashed the water on her face and wrapped her hair in a drying cloth.

Raz'ha finished his own quick scrubbing since the chemicals weren't harsh enough for his hide. 

It was only when Amelia moved away did the other ooman approach in her strange ooman undergarments. She watched him as she climbed over the edge of the pool. 

Raz'ha watched her from his peripheral vision. If she slipped, he was supposed to catch her, but if ever a female wanted to be left alone it was this one. Not even when Amelia was displeased with him in the beginning did she give off such a standoffish appearance.

The new female sat on the edge of the pool and found purchase on the bench—one custom made for Amelia—beneath the water. She lowered herself into the pool, dangerously close to the bandages on her side.

Raz'ha clicked a warning and the female hesitated. 

Both her arms were bandaged but it mattered little as the chemicals would cleanse her without scrubbing. 

Amelia approached with a small container and drying cloths. "The water has chemicals to clean you. You don't need to scrub just don't get it in your eyes. It'll hurt more than you can imagine."

The female didn't give a proper thanks and began using the items Amelia provided. If it offended Amelia, she gave no indication as she continued her own cleaning routine, brushing her teeth and applying moisturizing cream to her skin. 

Raz'ha waited though he was long finished. He wanted to rest and Amelia needed to sleep, but if the female fell in the water they'd be delayed taking her back to medical. So he waited, ready to catch the ooman who wanted no assistance. 

Once both oomans were clean and moisturized, Raz'ha said, "We must rest."

Amelia showed them to a room with fold out bunks. Several were down already and Mah'sic occupied one as he worked on polishing his queen trophy. He trilled a greeting that Raz'ha returned. Both females looked away from the skull and Raz'ha was glad he'd done his initial trophy cleaning while waiting to dock with the Tauren vessel. 

The earth female muttered low and grudgingly laid on one of the upper bunks across from the unblood. She glared at Mah'sic. "Don't think about getting handsy while I sleep."

Raz'ha was going to have to ask Amelia what the ooman meant when she repeatedly told them that strange saying. It didn't translate.

Mah'sic tilted his head at her, trilling. Then he returned to his trophy without further comment. The unblood probably understood the meaning. 

With the ooman settled, Amelia said goodnight to Mah'sic and Raz'ha escorted Amelia to her own room. He hesitated. They were not official mates and this was her ship, a place she shared with Elder Val'jek. Perhaps he should make use of an extra bunk. 

"I'm ready for a long night in my own bed." She tugged him inside, leaving the lights off, and limped to the bed. Unceremoniously she dropped the drying cloth on the floor and laid down. He followed.

She curled into him, her tiny hand stroking his collarbone. "I'm sorry," she said in the dark.

"For what?" he trilled thinking of nothing she could have done to offend him.

"Everything, the mess, your clan, for being stubborn all that time." Tears leaked and her voice choked. "I do want babies, but not alone and maybe I need a minute to get ready to try again. I just—"

Raz'ha rumbled deep purrs and rubbed her body vigorously. "You have done nothing that requires an apology. You were brave and helped. You could have done nothing."

She nodded. "You don't think it would have been better? Mar'cte—"

"More would die," he said, and more might still, but he wouldn't say that while trying to comfort her. "Now we have a chance to be free of bad blood."

She sniffled wetly. "I don't know how we're going to do it short of a bribe."

He rubbed her scalp through her damp hair. "Succeed or fail, we do what is right. That is honorable and you should feel pride."

She settled with his assurances. It was after a minute and he could feel her attention turning to their relationship. "You were quiet about a baby. Have you changed your mind?"

"H'ko, but it was inappropriate to demand this of you. No female would find my behavior acceptable." He clicked another apology.

"They don't have sex unless they are trying for a baby." It was a dismissal.

"Sei, but oomans do for love and affection." He traced her hairline now that she seemed to settle for sleep. "I was thoughtless of how much better this is." He trilled. 

"And you want a hybrid?" she asked softly. "One that may not be as strong as you?"

"Strength is more than muscles." He cupped her face. His teacher had always reminded him of that, and here Amelia was, proof of this truth. 

She nodded, rubbing her cheek into his palm. "We'll search for Val'jek after we settle your clan. If we survive all this I mean. Then we'll consider if it's possible for us to raise a baby."

He nodded and rumbled, not wanting her mind to be caught in elaborate plans again before sleeping. "Rest now."

"Mm," she murmured. "Talk more later."

He purred softly until she began to snore softly and then left himself drift to sleep as well.

#

A beeping at the door woke Amelia abruptly. Raz'ha rumbled a warning, grumpy to have his sleep disturbed.

The beeping continued and Raz'ha climbed from the bed naked to answer the door.

Amelia pulled the furs up to cover herself. Light spilled in and for a moment her heart lurched. The yautja looked so much like her mate. He trilled a greeting and it was different. Wrong. Not Val'jek.

It was Cov'o, she reminded herself.

"Are we approaching?" Raz'ha demanded. It was much too soon for that and they all knew it. Who knew that Raz'ha could be so grumpy when tired.

"We are a cycle away." Cov'o chirped, far too amused at Raz'ha's agitation.

Raz'ha chuffed. "Then why are you here?" 

"Arbitrators request to dock with us." Cov'o clicked seriousness then. "They want to inspect the ship for illegal activity."

Amelia climbed from the bed, dragging a fur with her. "Are we in trouble? Is Sanchez legal?"

Cov'o looked to Amelia.

Raz'ha clicked impatience.

"My request for two vessels to land on your home world was approved and should cover the Saracen trash ship, but it is questionable. The ooman will not be a concern, but the trophies might." He shrugged a large shoulder. "If they are confiscated, it will only be a fine."

Amelia didn't feel reassured and Raz'ha clicking even more annoyance. 

"We will dress." He closed the door in the warrior's face without farewell.

Amelia pulled on one of her dresses and her leisure sandals she hadn't seen in months. "Do you think arbitrators would help us with Saracens?"

"It is a great risk," he said as he secured a loincloth.

"If we could convince them, then maybe," she said but didn't finish. She didn't know what else to say as she played with her brother's dog tag. Mah'sic still held the other half.

"Let us see if we are to be fined first," he suggested. "Their temperament will tell us more."

She nodded and they finished dressing.

Notes:

Poor Sanchez getting abducted by aliens after helping them out. D:

Not Cov'o out here accidentally forcing a legit confession out of Raz'ha and in turn making Amelia respond lol. Talk about terrible timing. He means well. He was just very shocked to see the deathtrap they'd been riding in and had a little bit of a moment. And as much as he doesn't talk about it, he misses his dad and is upset that he's probably dead (as far as he knows).

Mah'sic found out after the queen fight so he wasn't surprised, but he's not looking to lose his stepmom (even though there isn't really stepmom culture in this story, she isn't a mother figure precisely, but is a close relationship).

This is as close as we're getting to a decompressing chapter before we're on to the next drama with the arbitrators. :D

Chapter 49

Notes:

This chapter is a whopping 6.8k (I aim to keep ch around 3-4.5k and fail spectacularly all the time) and I should have broken it up into two chapters, but it was already done, so everyone please enjoy the large feast. :D

And to the regulars who comment frequently, you all are the mvps of getting fanfics written. Hopefully you know how much that helps motivate writers and it's all really appreciated (and gives me a good excuse to babble more about the story!). May you have all the chill days you deserve. :D

Amelia knew that they looked like a mess of a group gathered in the docking bay, but they did their best to present a united front. They'd only had about ten minutes to sort out a game plan for facing the arbitrators. She'd panic if only she had the time. Instead they tried to look presentable and calm to greet guests.

They would just not mention Saracens, or the Saracen ship they were towing unless they had to. There was no reason for the arbitrators to assume it was stolen.

She took a breath to calm her nerves.

The arbitrator boarded the Tauren ship with six warriors in formation behind him. It was definitely a show of strength they put on, and not a social call, with all the armor and gear they had at the ready. Arbitrators wore more elaborate and stylized body armor, but it wasn't decorative. Dings and scratches proved it was combat tested despite the pretty patterns and decorative trims.

It was easy to feel intimidated because arbitrators were the definition of intimidating.

"I am Arbitrator Kwei." The large male had lengthy dreads that were almost entirely white, and numerous scars, but for all that he was almost whole. Only a missing tip on his outer finger could be seen.

Cov'o stood in front of their ragtag group in the docking bay as their spokesperson. He greeted the officials formally but deferred to Amelia after he made proper introductions. It was almost like he was behaving as her aid—as if she was an elder or priestess. It was a bit disconcerting.

Arbitrator Kwei only chirped interest to hear that she was the highest ranking person aboard and gave no complaint. Her many braces and bandages did seem to interest him, but then his eyes settled on Sanchez.

The soldier was introduced last as a pet. Sanchez still wore her damaged military fatigues, but they were so tattered and torn they were indecent—and a little gross. Not wanting to give up her clothes, they compromised and Amelia loaned Sanchez a dress. In a strange mishmash of looks, Sanchez wore the dress over her clothes along with her own braces and bandages. Amelia would need to figure out a wardrobe solution later.

Amelia wore her regular dress, more for time's sake as it was the first thing she grabbed, and one of her decorative belts for formal functions. She clipped her mask to the belt as it was politer to greet them without it on.

The arbitrator's gaze swept between them several times with a tilted head, his gaze landing on Amelia's expensive mask and belt and then returning to Sanchez's damaged clothes. The silence carried on for several uncomfortable seconds. 

"She is newly acquired and we are determining the best approach for her documentation," Cov'o supplied.

Sanchez's brows narrowed but remained silent, likely because the conversation was entirely in yautjan. Amelia was thankful because she wasn't sure she could handle any additional complications. The soldier had asked many questions about what this inspection meant for them and specifically her as a newly kidnapped human. She'd obviously been checking the angles to see if it could benefit her to cause trouble.

While Amelia could respect the sentiment after being kidnapped, she had done her best to gently discourage the notion without any deceit. The arbitrators wouldn't care about them taking Sanchez because knowing about yautja meant she had to be kept or killed. In theory, nothing Sanchez said would matter, but Amelia knew better than to underestimate the creativity of humans.

"You have hunted on the banned ooman planet," the arbitrator said instead of acknowledging the explanation.

"Not by choice," Amelia said flatly, doing her best not to sound or appear defensive. "There was a lost clan member and a kiande amedha outbreak. Both had to be resolved."

"So the report says, but I've come to inspect trophies to validate the claim." He nodded to three warriors behind him who moved forward.

Their ragtag group shifted with a ripple of unease but didn't protest.

"We have trophies." She glanced at Mah'sic. "We need one as proof that Unblood Mah'sic completed his chiva, but we will surrender any others if they're illegal."

The arbitrator gave a noncommittal clicking as the warriors began to inspect the ship methodically. They didn't ask where the trophies were, just simply started a thorough search. That made sense at least. If they were searching for illegal trophies, they couldn't expect people to simply present them all for inspection.

She looked to Cov'o who seemed calm enough. They probably had nothing illegal aboard. While she'd believe her mate crossed a few legal boundaries on occasion, she was confident he wouldn't be reckless enough to leave obvious evidence on the ship. Mah'sic or Cov'o would have noticed as well.

She was pretty sure.

"Human hospitality means we offer a drink and a place to sit. Would you like—" she started.

"H'ko," the arbitrator said.

"Is there a yautja hospitality custom I should follow?" she asked.

"Not to arbitrators." He clicked again. "Your cooperation is sufficient."

She nodded and awkwardly felt like she should bow, or shake hands, or something. "We have nothing to hide and are willing to discuss any issues until you're satisfied."

"Show me this ship." He looked around and then up at the lights above them. "It is very peculiar."

"Certainly." This she could do easily. She motioned to the lights. "They're bulbs for outer lights because they help my mate and I both see in the ship and the emergency color changes."

He rumbled. "You can't see the standard flashing lights?"

"Not even a little, which can be a problem in an emergency," she said.

He nodded once.

She gave him a tour, leaving behind his warriors and most of her guests, and explained all the modifications made for her alien physiology. She noticed Raz'ha listening with interest, remaining close. The arbitrator was especially interested in the bath that could be adjusted for concentration at the push of a button and the toilet as well. They spent an excessive amount of time crammed into the bathroom together.

"How do you reach the storage?" Arbitrator Kwei rumbled at the bins high in the bathroom and then looked down at her short stature. 

Amelia pulled open a lower cabinet and lowered a foldout shelf. "I step on these, but that's mostly Val'jek's extra storage."

"Elder Val'jek of the Taurens made these changes for you?" He clicked interest. "Did you demand them?"

She wasn't sure why he asked, but answered as honestly as she could. "He had another ship and I needed help with everything, which was time consuming for us both. So we got a new one and had it customized. I explained things that were especially bothersome and he made designs that were safe for space travel." She motioned to the foldout step. "I wanted a ladder I could move from room to room for simplicity, but it was too risky to be floating around in an emergency so he commissioned things like this for safety."

He nodded and they continued the tour. She let the lone arbitrator examine her bedroom, not wanting a bunch of strangers in there. Hult'ah was on his best behavior, following her commands for a proper greeting. The earth puppies were rambunctious but did their best to follow commands. In a few months, they'd be older and have better impulse control. The arbitrator seemed amused and gave each a little pat to placate them. It was cute, but she kept that thought to herself.

Raz'ha was called away to answer questions for one of the arbitrator's warriors as they finished in the bedroom.

"How long have you mated Elder Val'jek?" he asked while they stood in Val'jek's work lab.

"Around three full cycles," she said.

"You prefer him to your kind?"

"I prefer him above everyone," Amelia said simply, "he is my mate."

His head tilted and dreads swayed. "Even if you are forever a slave?"

"Only on some document filed in some computer." She glanced at the arbitrator and waved dismissively. This was a frequent question and tiresome. "No one treats me like one thanks to Val'jek and now Raz'ha."

"You mated the Saracen warrior?" he asked as they left the lab.

"Soon," she said in the hall as the door closed behind them. They hadn't discussed the formal ceremony but yautja weren't really interested in waiting periods once a decision was made.

They rejoined the others in a common room. Raz'ha was growling and clicking at the arbitrator's warriors with his human skull between them on the table. 

The arbitrator clicked an inquiry. 

"There is no license for an ooman skull," the warrior said flatly.

He seemed to be some sort of lead warrior who she'd seen directing the others while she'd given the arbitrator a tour. The warrior was unimpressed with Raz'ha's posturing but also not seeming offended by it. Amelia supposed that made sense. This was essentially just a warrior doing his job.

Amelia felt guilty about it, but secretly she hoped that the arbitrator declared the trophy illegal and destroyed it. Raz'ha would always have the story and she'd comfort him over the loss. 

She'd comfort him lots.

"He was bad blood and attacked my charge." Raz'ha puffed his chest in pride. "She demanded his skull in retribution." 

The arbitrator examined the skull without touching it. "This is to be your mating gift, sei?"

Raz'ha trilled affirmation. "It is proof I defend my mate. It belongs to her soon."

"There is no license," the arbitrator's warrior said softly—a warning.

"Technically it is banned to hunt this prey." The arbitrator clicked. "But it attacked and wasn't hunted. Which is why it is banned to visit the planet—to avoid this conflict—and I cannot simply allow the infraction to go unpunished." After a pause, he nodded to Raz'ha. "Pay the fine and you may keep it, but do not attempt to hunt under a ban again."

Raz'ha bowed his head and gave profuse thanks as he retrieved his skull. Well, she couldn't be too upset with how pleased Raz'ha was about keeping the thing.

The lead warrior then motioned to the yautja and kiande amedha drone skulls. "They said these belong to one of the oomans."

"They're mine, but I'm okay with giving them up. I don't need them for anything." Amelia showed her hands as if in surrender and desperately hoped they would confiscate her trophies.

"Yours?" the arbitrator asked. "You killed both of these? What did the yautja do? His skull is entirely intact. How did you kill him?"

"Ah," Amelia said awkwardly, unprepared to tell the tale like yautja would expect, "he tried to sneak up on us while we were fighting the queen kiande amedha and the smart-disc killed him."

Raz'ha trilled. "She killed both with the same smart-disc throw. First the kiande amedha, and then positioned herself to decapitate the bad blood when it returned. It was glorious."

"I don't know about glorious," Amelia said, flustered, "but that's—"

"I had never seen such a thing done with advanced prey before. It was very clever how she lured him into position," Cov'o added.

"I don't know about clever—" Amelia protested.

Mah'sic joined in the excitement with, "It was amazing how—"

"Okay, enough. It was scary and I just tried some things and we were lucky that it worked." Amelia squawked and waved her hands to stop their nonsense. "Back to the point here. If they're illegal, I'm happy to surrender them."

Arbitrator Kwei rumbled a full laugh. "There is no ban on oomans hunting on their home planet. You may keep your trophies, and perhaps one day share the story of your hunt in full. It sounds interesting."

"What?" Amelia blinked. "Humans aren't banned from hunting there?"

"It is your planet," the arbitrator trilled his amusement, "that would make no sense."

"Oh," she said, disappointed. "Okay, thank you then. For the information, I mean."

The arbitrator nodded.

"The queen trophy?" the lead warrior asked impatiently, motioning to the trophy that was larger than the table it balanced on. That had the amusement dying down as they all turned to the scary skull.

Amelia quickly stepped in, afraid that Mah'sic would say something a little too blunt and simplistic to excuse the trophy. "The humans had an outbreak that we needed to resolve, and Mah'sic was accidentally left behind on his chiva, so we figured it was best to deal with both issues at the same time. Hitting two birds with one stone, if you will."

The lead warrior tilted his head and his eyes narrowed. "What do you mean he was left behind?"

They had to be careful with their answers or the questioning would lead to discovery of Saracens hunting on the planet illegally.

"The one in charge of his chiva stupidly thought he was dead because the warrior is an idiot. While Mah'sic did complete his chiva, being abandoned left him vulnerable to capture by humans," Amelia said flatly.

"When we searched for him, we found that humans had not only taken him to their stronghold for experiments, but also had a kiande amedha outbreak. We figured the best way to secure his blooding after the botched chiva was to let him kill the queen." She raised her chin. "We need to keep the skull to secure his future. It isn't his fault that the warrior in charge of the chiva was an idiot after all."

"It is still illegal," the warrior said.

"I can understand that, but there must be some flexibility. We didn't go there to hunt, but it is only responsible to clean up an infestation. Should we have left it to take over the whole planet before someone noticed?"

The lead warrior wasn't easily thwarted. "Killing the kiande amedha is not the issue. The trophy is."

"Could we work out an alternative solution?" she asked, trying a different approach. "Perhaps we could keep the skull temporarily. Let's say he keeps it for ten cycles to prove he completed his chiva to Taurens, then he surrenders it for disposal or whatever you do with confiscated trophies. Could we do something like that since he didn't do anything wrong?"

The lead warrior looked behind her to the arbitrator.

"Do you not speak for yourself, Unblood Mah'sic of the Taurens?" Arbitrator Kwei asked Mah'sic.

Mah'sic bowed his head. "Amelia of the Taurens is much better at speaking and negotiation than I am."

"It is the results of your chiva at stake. You trust an ooman with your entire future? She does not understand all the nuances of a chiva, or even receiving guests on a shuttle," the arbitrator prodded.

Unfazed, Mah'sic simply said, "Oomans are clever and Amelia's alternative solutions are effective even if she does not understand every custom."

Arbitrator Kwei trilled. "And if she is not successful in her bid to save your future, what will you think of her then?"

"I will think she tried her best because we are family and that is all that could be done." Mah'sic nodded at her.

Her heart swelled even as her stomach tightened with unease. He trusted her to protect him and she wanted to be worthy of that trust.

"Family." The arbitrator gave thoughtful clicks that weren't a question.

Amelia was a ball of anxiety she desperately reined in as she wanted to blurt out a dozen excuses to convince the arbitrator not to ruin Mah'sic's life.

Instead she said, "It is only one suggestion to resolve this issue. Surely no one wants to make a young warrior suffer needlessly for the sake of rigid rules. We are open to other ideas. Perhaps, like Raz'ha, we could pay a fine. The skull is a kiande amedha and there is no ban on that."

In reality, even if this failed, there were other things they could try. Negotiating with the Tauren's high priestess wouldn't be too difficult in comparison to everything else during her misadventures. It wasn't ideal for Mah'sic though. The rumors would follow him for decades, maybe for life.

"There is a ban on seeding the ooman planet with them however," the lead warrior said.

Oh, no. She couldn't tell if they'd put it together or were fishing to see her reaction. She did her best to remain calm. "I wouldn't know anything about that. When we arrived, humans already had an outbreak. You would have to ask them how that came to be."

The arbitrator trilled more amusement, for some reason finding most of these proceedings entertaining. "Then let us ask the ooman who was there."

Amelia's heart stuttered and she internally screamed at her own stupidity. Why would she challenge that when Sanchez was right there? The soldier had been silent the entire time and Amelia forgot she was there.

"Of course." She cleared her throat and turned to Sanchez.

The soldier stiffened at the sudden attention.

In english, Amelia very carefully kept her voice even as she said, "The arbitrators want to know how the kiande amedha—the black aliens—came to infest the military base."

"I don't know. They escaped the lab, I think. Why?"

Amelia looked to the arbitrator who simply stared at her. It wasn't enough of an answer.

Sighing, Amelia said, "How did they find the kiande amedha?"

Sanchez paused and stared at Amelia's mask. Silence carried for a second. "Why?"

"Because it is illegal for yautja to bring kiande amedha to earth." And with that sentence, Amelia handed Sanchez the perfect weapon to attack them. All she had to do was say that yautja had brought them and they'd all be detained.

Sanchez frowned and let out a rough breath. "I don't know how they got there. I'm not sure they were even found on earth. Researchers bring specimen from all over. Sometimes space, sometimes deep ocean, sometimes stolen from other labs, and they don't exactly tell us where they get them. I wasn't on the retrieval team."

Amelia nodded, relieved, but trying to hide it. "Arbitrator Kwei, as you heard, we are unsure of where these particular kiande amedha came from. I can assure you that no one here transported them to the planet however."

The lead warrior clicked and opened his mouth for his next question. "The chiva—"

Arbitrator Kwei cut off his subordinate and said, "If no other evidence is discovered of illegal activity, he may keep the trophy with a fine."

"Temporarily, or…?" Amelia asked.

The arbitrator chirped and clicked mild annoyance. "I have no desire to fill out the documentation to explain this alternative solution of a temporary trophy. It is much simpler to let the unblood keep it permanently."

"I understand." Amelia swallowed her laugh that Mah'sic kept his trophy to avoid additional paperwork. "Thank you for your fair judgment."

Mah'sic quickly trilled and gave a formal thanks. Their ragtag group let out a collective sigh of relief.

"I'm guessing the problem is solved?" Sanchez asked.

Amelia nodded. "Thank you for cooperating with the questions. I know it's difficult not understanding the language or what's going on."

The soldier made a noncommittal grunt. "I'm still pissed."

"Understandable," Amelia said softly. She held back her desire to offer words of comfort. While Amelia wanted to reassure the other human, Sanchez wanted her space and that needed to be respected.

Cov'o offered polite pleasantries and directed the subject to any other questions they might have. When they were finished, it was like a hundred pound weight left her shoulders. They'd made it through the inspection.

"If you're satisfied," she said, "we'd like to be on our way."

"There is one more matter we must discuss." Arbitrator Kwei clicked and looked her over.

"Okay," she said cautiously. Whatever this interest was, it couldn't bode well.

"Do you think your mate could be bad blood?"

She stiffened at an obvious trap question. "Raz'ha is—"

"Elder Val'jek," the arbitrator corrected, his keen eyes watching her reaction.

"Why would you ask about—?" she started and her stomach flipped with anxiety. Something was very wrong.

"Elder Val'jek is to be declared dead," Cov'o said and clicked an apology for the interruption. 

The arbitrator didn't acknowledge Cov'o as he stared at Amelia. "Answer."

She didn't want to lie because she didn't know what question would follow. "He doesn't follow all the rules, but if he breaks them it's with good reason. He's fair and honorable, but understands that sometimes you have to make hard choices." 

She felt her chest tighten. Had she been wrong about Val'jek not keeping illegal things on the ship? Had some human modification for her been illegal? The arbitrator had been overly interested and she might have blatantly shown him contraband of some sort.

"He is accused of being bad blood and currently holds a clan ship hostage near this location." The arbitrator clicked. "What is a good reason for him to do this?"

"He's alive." Her knees weakened and the room felt off-kilter beneath her feet. It should have been joy and relief, but only anxiety skyrocketed at the news he was accused of being a criminal.

"For now," the arbitrator said. "You deny your intention to meet him? Your navigation is set to his location."

Raz'ha was holding her up by the elbow. "We are returning the Saracen ship," he said for her when she gave no answer. "We were unaware he lived or arrived there."

Cov'o and Mah'sic were both rumbling and clicking objections. "Elder Val'jek is no bad blood," Cov'o said. "They must have provoked him."

"Yes, it appears Saracens provoked him by abusing his mate, and yet here she stands, mating a Saracen." He rumbled amusement. "I suspect this has the most interesting explanation." 

"I-It's—Yes," she said. 

"You will make explanations and assist in negotiating his surrender." The arbitrator nodded. "If all goes well, perhaps he will survive."

"He will want to see me in person." It was all she could think of to buy time. "We'll sort this all out face to face."

"He has demanded this as well, yes." Arbitrator Kwei rumbled. "You will follow us to the Saracen vessel." He clicked a dire threat if they deviated.

"Saracens are bad blood, not Elder Val'jek," Mah'sic growled. His chest heaved and fists clenched. 

Amelia placed her hand on his arm. "We'll sort this out, but remember not all Saracens are bad."

The arbitrator watched the exchange and Mah'sic nodded without any more dangerous protests. They weren't sure what this arbitrator would do to Raz'ha's clan, or even Raz'ha with them. She remembered Raz'ha's hunt brothers fearing an arbitrator's investigation. They had to be careful with what they revealed before they arrived.

She pulled herself straighter and addressed the arbitrator. "We want a peaceful resolution and will cooperate as long as it continues to be peaceful. My mate doesn't take honor lightly and neither do we."

The arbitrator only trilled as if she said something amusing and said a formal farewell. They locked down the navigation and communication systems and left two warriors aboard. The rest returned to the arbitrator's ship.

Amelia returned to bed because it wasn't like they could plot their next steps with the arbitrator's warriors lingering. Raz'ha stood guard with Cov'o instead of joining her. It seemed they were somehow united in their offense that the arbitrator only left two warriors on the ship to ensure cooperation. How that translated into standing guard instead of resting, she didn't understand. She didn't have the energy to figure it out either. She simply nodded and left them to it.

Cuddled with her puppies, she wanted to cry but couldn't. Late tomorrow they'd reach the Saracen vessel and she'd have the most important meeting of her life.

Val'jek and Saracens weren't the only ones in trouble. She'd stolen a ship with Raz'ha, which she was sure had to carry a severe punishment and would be complicated by her status as a pet. But that compared little to the fact that she might see Val'jek one last time only to watch him die.

Because she wasn't there when he returned. Had she ruined everything by fleeing?

#

When they arrived, Cov'o and Sanchez remained on Val'jek's shuttle as they weren't part of the Saracen drama. Amelia reminded him that humans were tricky and to make sure Sanchez didn't accidentally hurt herself exploring the alien ship.

The rest were transported to the Saracen clan ship in the arbitrator's shuttles. Mah'sic was directed to a separate shuttle and Raz'ha was allowed to come with her.

They were sandwiched between the arbitrator's warriors in a row of seats. Her human-sized safety harness, brought from her own ship, was inspected by the shuttle pilot before they disengaged from her shuttle. 

The arbitrator's warriors were excited, passing trills and chirps now that they were being allowed aboard the Saracen vessel once more. Events such as this were infrequent and they considered it lucky that they were in the area when the distress call went out.

She was stunned to discover that they already knew that Saracens were bad blood, but it was still up for debate if Val'jek was as well. Her careful avoidance of outing Saracens had been pointless because the arbitrator had already known the truth before coming to find them. It had all been a test and bid to learn more about Val'jek. It was a good trick using a trophy inspection, she had to admit.

The conversation seemed to perpetually turn to calling dibs on fighting and with each blithe comment and chirp of eagerness to begin the killing, a ball of pain and anger grew in her stomach. 

"There will be plenty of killing for all," the lead warrior from their inspection said. "A whole clan of bad bloods is more than enough."

"Prisoners," Amelia murmured darkly.

The warriors turned to her and several chirped.

"Prisoners," she said, "or maybe we should call them hostages since I've paid significant resources to keep them alive."

There were clicks at her admonishment.

"They're not all bad. There is Du'sa, a pup who nearly died of chirnik because leadership can't be bothered to ask how to cure it." She gave Raz'ha a sidelong look. "And there are the other pups, Thewi and Guan who are always getting into the mischief because when they do, Raz'ha will pick them up to reprimand them face to face. They like to touch his trinkets because they're shiny and the only way to do that is to make him pick them up. I imagine they'll be clever hunt brothers if you decide not to murder them before they have the chance."

"We don't murder pups," one of the warriors said. "They will be inducted into new clans."

Clicks and chirps of agreement sounded down the line as the warriors agreed they didn't murder small children.

"What about unbloods?" she shot back. "They're not even adults, but they're still trapped by manipulations and exploited for their labor and lack of rank. Despite all that they look out for each other and do their best to maintain honor. Several guarded my door from intruders for many cycles. They took shifts in their free time."

She swallowed around the lump in her throat. "I was sure to give them some hound food for their trouble. They would take it back to their quarters where they would share it with ten other unbloods crammed into a room with no power, not even lights. Do you intend to murder them? Bad bloods haven't gotten around to killing them, but you look forward to doing it?"

 She didn't let them reply. 

"I like to think you won't kill them since they're kids. Young bloods are legal, though it's arguable that they're adults, but little good it does them with their rank. If anything it can be harder. They have more complex studies without receiving more rations, and sometimes they're assigned special duties, things they suspect are wrong, but don't have the rank to question or confirm. To question it would at best have them whipped, but most likely will have them murdered under the guise of criminal execution."

Her voice cracked, but she pressed on. "Or worse, if they disobey an order they know is wrong, they're brutally tortured before being murdered. Then to add insult to injury, they display the poor kid's remain in the middle of a kehrite to serve as a warning to others." 

"He was so mutilated he was identified by his mask. He'd been blooded for all of a few cycles. Practically still a child and faced with the most terrible choice of murdering his friend or being murdered himself." She stared at Arbitrator Kwei across from her who had silently let his warriors go on and on in front of her. "He knew what would likely happen to him, but he still did what was right. He didn't murder his friend and it cost him his life. So no, it's not a clan of bad blood. It's bad blood leadership imprisoning yautja." 

They were giving her guarded looks now and only the arbitrator and lead warrior watched her openly. No one said anything else during the twenty minute shuttle ride. 

Raz'ha covered her hand with his and she gripped him like a lifeline.

#

The halls were eerily empty and she wondered how Raz'ha's hunt brothers were doing—if they still lived and were lurking somewhere nearby. It wasn't the time to ask.

She was sandwiched with an unarmed Raz’ha and the armed arbitrator in the middle of a six yautja heavily armed procession. They were not silent as warriors usually were. She heard them marching an ominous cadence and suspected that it was intentional.

These warriors were all older and, from her limited understanding, considered elite. They were the best of the best to enforce the universal laws of the Yautjan Empire. Mah'sic mentioned their trophy rooms would contain more yautja skulls than anything else as a way of explaining. They hunted bad blood. And they were there to determine if her mate was one.

Raz'ha rested a hand on her back, likely in response to what must be an overwhelming fear scent. The others gave no indication that they noticed it. 

They were giving her concessions though, which seemed odd. Their pace was matched to her slower walk and not faster as their yautja long legs would find natural. Perhaps it was due to her injuries.

Mah'sic had pumped her full of pain medication before they left, but it didn't give her better control of her legs. They were still damaged, and he didn't want her walking on them this much. There was no choice. She didn't want these warriors to see her being carried. She absolutely didn't want Val'jek's first glimpse of her to be her unable to walk.

The bandages and braces were bad enough but she couldn't forgo those.

She limped along as quickly as she was able. No one had insulted her or gave her looks to indicate they wished she could keep up.

They had looked her over since the beginning. She was an oddity to them and everyone was curious on some level. More so with this group because she had somehow become the center of what could only be described as a hostage situation in which her mate decided he was claiming the whole freaking Saracen ship.

It just sounded absurd that it was all over a human pet to them.

Val'jek had killed at least six already by the arbitrator's estimation. Everyone was on lockdown and he kept the remnants of leadership as personal prisoners.

Her mate had only one true demand. Arbitrator Kwei, walking beside her, had played it for her listening pleasure. In a gritty bad recording, like a recording of a recording, Val’jek's deep growl sounded and he said, "Produce my mate—" 

He hadn't let her hear more.

The arbitrator was watching her. Sure he was looking ahead and taking in his surroundings, but she could feel his awareness of her. She could only hope he wasn't deciding how he intended to skewer her if this fiasco didn't end the way he wanted.

Raz’ha rubbed small circles on her shoulder and began to purr softly. 

That drew attention as several of the arbitrator's warriors trilled in question. Raz'ha gave no reply and the warriors were obviously busy on this pseudo-hunt. They quickly returned attention to the task at hand.

"You spent a short time on this ship?" The arbitrator's question startled her. 

She stammered false starts at an answer before saying, "A few months."

"What are your thoughts on Saracens?"

She looked to Raz’ha before saying, "I may not be the best person to ask."

"I am asking you." His head turned and she suspected his look was a direct reprimand that had yautja scurrying to apologize. 

If he was considering killing her mate, she would not apologize to him. "We are about to meet my mate. He will have the same questions."

A tension thrummed through the group at her refusal to answer and Raz'ha pulled her closer to his body. His big, warm body felt reassuring in a primal way that wasn't rational in the least.

The arbitrator clicked, tilting his head at her as his dreads swung loosely. "You fear me and yet you refuse a simple query."

"Honorable yautja do not hurt unarmed females even if they find them to be difficult." She looked to the group. "My understanding is that you guys enforce the honor code. If that is true then it stands to reason that I am safest beside you." 

The arbitrator trilled, and made a rumble in his chest that signaled his amusement. "Then what is it you fear, little female?" 

She suspected no one had ever said they weren't afraid of him.

She had to give the question thought. Not because she didn't know why she was scared shitless but because this arbitrator would make the final decision of what happened to her mate. 

"I'm afraid because I don't know what will happen. I don't know yautja protocol for this situation. I fear something terrible will happen and I will lose my mate when he is merely trying to ensure I'm safe. Is that not what a male should do for a female he has bonded with?"

The arbitrator appeared to give her question thought. "That will depend on if you were truly in danger."

She snorted and said, "They implied I was food more than once."

There was another head tilt and a click in question. 

Raz'ha answered for her for some reason. "There was a severe food shortage."

The arbitrator accepted the answer. "Ah, this explains what the elder said when I spoke with him."

She wanted to ask what exactly was said, but decided it was more important to ask after Val'jek. "You spoke to Val’jek. Do you know if he is well?"

The arbitrator trilled at her sudden question. "You refuse my query and expect answers to yours?"

"I only delayed, not refused," she said before she thought better of it. The arbitrator appeared interested and solicitous which made her more comfortable. That could be a ploy to loosen her tongue more or worse, use her against Val'jek. 

"You will see the elder soon," Arbitrator Kwei said with a peculiar double click, turning her own defense against her. Then he trilled more amusement. "I did not know ooman females were skilled in verbal sparring. Perhaps we hunt the wrong gender." He gave her an assessing perusal from head to toe.

He was yanking her chain because it wasn't that yautja prioritized hunting men over women. It was well known that they hunted armed combatants, and human misogyny meant that was often men who met the criteria.

"Uh, as a human I'm always going to vote against hunting people in general." She forced herself to shrug, trying not to cower under the arbitrator's assessment. 

Arbitrator Kwei made another rumble of amusement. 

It emboldened her. If he was listening then she may as well utilize that or at least try. "The least you could do is hunt bad blood humans. We have plenty of them. More than enough to keep everyone's trophy room stocked."

"I will recommend it to the matriarch." His series of clicks after he said it indicated his seriousness. 

"You make recommendations to the matriarch? The leader of the entire empire matriarch?" Amelia blanched. She didn't want to be on the radar of any more ranked officials. Never again.

"She too follows the honor code." The arbitrator probably smelled all her anxiety, but most yautja didn't know the difference. Or maybe he was just good at reading people. Whatever the reason, he knew she was a big faker.

"Oh," she said lamely. 

He did not comment and she wondered what conclusion he drew about her. Like her mate he was clearly making assessments and comparing data as he gathered it. What was he thinking? Why was he gently messing with her?

Silence settled over the group save for the sound of marching. 

She couldn't shake her fear for Val'jek. "Are you here to kill my mate?"

The arbitrator answered readily. "My duty is to enforce the honor code."

A non-answer. 

"He doesn't always follow rules well, but he is honorable." She tried to sound casual, but her voice was strained.

Arbitrator Kwei only clicked that he heard and gave no reply for a long time. When he finally spoke, he said, "I give you my protection, if the outcome is not to your satisfaction."

Raz'ha tightened his grip on her and the others appeared more alert. She seriously hoped he wasn’t calling dibs if Val'jek wasn't around. She really couldn't tell with a lot of males and that could be anything between sexual interest and casual reassurance.

As politely as possible, she said, "I already have Honored Warrior Raz'ha's protection."

There was no reply to that, only a brief sidelong glance at Raz'ha. 

The marching stopped and Raz'ha's hand on her stopped her from colliding with the yautja in front of her. There was a short exchange and the door slid open. 

Amelia quickly adjusted her mask setting to avoid being blinded in the well lit room. The warriors extended their combisticks. They cautiously stepped into the room. She could see little beyond wide yautja backsides.

The arbitrator stepped forward. "Elder Val'jek."

She heard the chest thump of respect and her fear escalated with her excitement. 

"Arbitrator Kwei," Val'jek replied.

At that familiar voice, her heart pounded and she shoved through the yautja. Raz'ha hissed her name. The warriors didn't stop her but with a quick bark from the arbitrator, Raz'ha was blocked from following. 

At first sight, her mate stood tall and fearsome in full, very damaged, battle armor. His combistick was extended and his shoulder cannon was active. She ran—hobbled—to him crossing the 20 feet separating them. He didn't watch her, rather his focus stayed beyond her at the group of warriors.

Against all sane judgment, she threw herself into his arms. He grunted and picked her up with one arm. She felt his muscles bunch and he shifted her away from his ribs.

"I love you." She thought she would never have a chance to say those words to him again. "I love you so much."

"Amelia," he rumbled a soft purr as his hand squeezed her hip. "My honor and my heart."

"Don't ever leave me like that again." She shoved her face into his neck guard because they wore masks and she couldn't kiss him properly.

"You are injured." His displeasure was to be expected, but there was an edge to his voice.

"So are you," she whispered. "What's happening here? An arbitrator brought us."

His hand covered the back of her head. "I did what I must."

"What are they waiting for?" She didn't have to look to know they were where she left them.

He rumbled in his chest. "My surrender."

"I'm scared." She tightened her grip.

"No harm will come to you." He squeezed her for a moment. 

Stupid man. "I'm scared for you. I'm afraid of losing you." She clung to him as he nudged her away from his neck.

"Amelia." He purred, the rumbling in his chest a deep and low tone meant to calm her.

"I am so very angry with you, Val’jek. You can't die here because I have a bone to pick with you about how awful this little vacation turned out." She hiccuped, realizing that she was crying like an idiot. At least no one could see it in her mask.

He carried her with both hands, cradling her to his chest like a child. Over his shoulder he said, "Come sit, and let us begin our meeting."

Notes:

We finally have our reunion! This is also part of why I didn't break the chapter into two. We all deserve to FINALLY see the pair reunite. I couldn't wait another week. We all deserve nice things. :D

I really enjoyed adding thousands of words to the first half of this chapter and I'm very excited to talk about it. One of my fav parts was the guys trying to gush about Amelia's trophies and she's flailing around like wtf is happening why r u guys doing this???

It might be hard to pick up on, but the arbitrator and his warriors are very much so like, "we've heard some crazy shit in our time, but we have no idea wtf is even happening with this group and their really weird dynamics." They're all trying to stay professional and Kwei is just like "lol whut" to half the shit Amelia's explaining. He is normally a very serious guy while working, but this is all just batshit crazy so he keeps laughing/trilling etc.

His lead warrior: ahem we r supposed to be trying to pull info out of them, sir, get it together, sigh, fine i'll do it myself while you go pet hounds and TALK ABOUT TOILETS—why r u like this?! And why r u letting them keep everything?!

But he is professional so you just see a straight face, unfortunately. We'll get a little more of this dude with Kwei privately later.

#

As always, remember to show appreciation for your fanfic authors if you enjoy their work (not just me!). It's the only way we'll know you're enjoying it and keeps us motivated. If you're not sure how to start, you can say something you liked about the chapter or story, or drop some emotes, etc.