My brother frowned. “What of my ship?”
“It’s to be towed away from our planet and destroyed, Captain. It is too overrun by the slugs to be saved,” Hastor replied.
“You expect me to believe such a story?” Quinn snarled.
“Believe what you will, Captain,” Hastor answered. “My King is doing your planet a favor. We could have let you leave knowing full well those creatures would soon infest and destroy Xolia.”
“Quinn, I’m sorry,” Our First Father said from the screen. “I will replace the ship, of course. We have a war cruiser just outside the Raidership territory. They’ll be at the moon shortly.” The screen went dark.
I touched my brother’s arm, making him turn. Once I had his attention I remarked, “I’m very sorry, Quinn, I know how much the Narada Marant meant to you.”
Del looked even more shaken. The little human’s blue eyes sparkled from tears that threatened to fall. He stepped closer to Quinn, murmuring, “This is my fault.”
My brother grasped his mate by the shoulders. “Don’t berate yourself. You did what I would have done. Save the crew. You did that. As my father said, the ship is replaceable. Lives are not.”
“The Narada Marant is my home,” Del said sadly. “You can’t replace that either.”
---------
In solemn silence we boarded the space runner. Patiently we waited for Quinn to check on the crew in the other small ships. When he returned, he nodded to Hastor that we were ready to leave. Quinn took his seat and buckled in next to me.
“Is everyone all right?” I asked my brother.
“Yes, they were treated well, surprisingly,” Quinn remarked. “I don’t believe your mate, however. They’ll keep my ship and dissect her for technology or parts.”
His mate frowned. “I hope the slugs did infest the ship. Maybe they’ll get a nice infestation going on Rathia.” Del noticed me listening and added, “Sorry, Braxx. I didn’t direct that towards you. I hope you stay safe and find something in common with Hastor. That life can’t be easy. Thankfully I got mated to a Xolian not a Rathian.”
I shrugged. “It’s okay, Del, really. I’m adapting.”
“You may even have an effect on the Rathian rat,” Quinn said.
“I heard that,” Hastor barked from the controls. “Ha hasn’t effected me one bit, never will. Now get ready to disembark my damn ship.”
In the front view screen the moon loomed closer and we banked to go behind it. When Quinn noticed, he inquired, “Aren’t you landing, Hastor?”
“The far side has the safest landing areas,” Hastor explained.
The moon drifted silently from view and as soon as we cleared it we came face to face with several huge Rathian War Cruisers. Between them sat the Narada Marant and another Xolian ship. Hastor did not seem in the least bit surprised. He reached forward, clicking his comlink dial a few notches and said, “MC, tell Sestus to drop the shields, I’m coming aboard.”
“Yes, Captain Hastor, we’ve been waiting for you.”
“What the High Hells is going on, rat?” Quinn growled.
“A coup,” Hastor announced. I could tell he was quite pleased with himself. He flicked an eyebrow up at me as he added, almost bragging, “You’re going to be mated to the King of Rathia, Brats.”
“Then get my damn name right, Haz.”
----------
“It’s simple really. Any whelp could understand but I’ll explain it again. On this side of the moon there is a blank space in our defenses. We can’t see anything here, that’s why we post at least three War Cruisers behind this moon. I have crew loyal to me on each of the ships - don’t smirk like that, little human - Rathian warriors can at times be loyal to one another if the price is right. Anyway, we have cleared the Narada Marant of the one and only slug. We will then detonate explosives in space to trick our King into thinking we have destroyed the vessel. In triumph of our glory over the idiotic Xolians we will return home,” Hastor explained.
“And you just want us to remain as back-up in case the Raider King tries to escape. We won’t have an actual part of the coup? I’m certain my First Father wants us to stay out of this. You may fail,” Quinn replied tightly.
Hastor said, “That’s all you have to do, just wait for it to be over. I’ll notify you when to drop off my mate. I want to keep him safe.”
“Watch it, Haz,” I teased. “Somebody might think you’re starting to like me or something.”
“Pah,” he grumbled, making a fierce face. “Protecting an investment, that’s all. As a new King I’ll need powerful allies like Xolia.”
“Right,” I said. “Makes sense. Anyway, be careful. I have a lot invested in Rathia too.”
“I will be, Braxx,” he replied, turning from me just before saying my name perfectly.
Hastor walked away and I was too dumbfounded to fling a sarcastic comment at his retreating back. Rathian asshole.
----------
I paced for hours.
My elder brother finally grabbed my arm and pulled me to a chair. “Braxx, he’s fine. He’s a crafty bastard.”
“What if he dies?” I inquired. I waved a hand to stop Quinn from answering. “I know. If he dies I go home to Xolia.”
“Don’t sound so happy, Braxx,” Del said from the other side of the Ready Room’s table.
“How long has it been?” I asked. When Quinn actually rolled his eyes, I pointed out, “You picked up some bad habits from your human mate, Quinn.”
Quinn ignored the jab. He said, “You like him, don’t you? You are starting too.”
My legs bounced nervously as I glanced at the chronometer on the wall again, considering his question. After a slight pause I told him, “Maybe. I don’t know. There’s something there, yes. He said it best. He dislikes me a little less than before, can tolerate my presence. That’s what I feel for him.”
Quinn nodded. “You don’t hate each other. Couldn’t ask for more from an arranged bonding.”
The three of us glared at the comlink station in the center of the table when it beeped for attention. Quinn answered gruffly, “Yes, Duron. What is the news?”
“Captain, Raider King Hastor of Rathia bids you well and asks that we bring his mate to the planet before we depart for Xolia.”
I’ve never felt more like cheering in my life.
CHAPTER TEN
Brync:
Captain Quinn and First Officer Del returned from Rathia’s surface after delivering Braxx to his mate. As they joined us on the Bridge, Kai’s father, in his rather large humanoid form, was already angrily berating the crew from the main viewing screen. His ire was directed mostly at his son and I but as he caught his breath he shook his fists at the entire bridge crew too. We had been out of touch with Kai’s parents on Sigma Seti Six and they now demanded that Kai be brought home.
Captain Quinn tried to interject his statement, “As I was saying, Sir. Your son is safe and…”
“Safe! Not only was he stung by some sort of creature but he was taken captive by the…what are they? The Rathians! He could have been tortured and killed!” The red headed shifter snarled. “Bring him home at once.”
“Terrin,” Our captain replied, trying to calm him. “I will be returning your son very soon. My mate is due any day now and carrying twins. He may deliver earlier than expected. I need to take him home to Xolia first.”
“No. I won’t go back to Sigma Seti Six at all!” Kai interjected. “I’m old enough to decide what I want, papa. I want to marry Brync. I want to stay aboard the Narada Marant!”
“What?” Both Captain Quinn and I asked sharply.
I grabbed Kai’s hand and murmured to him, “Maybe you could have picked a better time, Kai.”
The Polvo glared at me. “No, Brync. My father does not own me like Braxx’s fathers own him. I can choose my own mate.”
“Now hold on,” I scolded lightly. “No-one owns Braxx. He could have refused the mating. But we’re not talking about Braxx anywa
y. We’re talking about you and me.”
“He’s young, Brync. He jumps to these crazy ideas. He probably doesn’t even know if he’s compatible with you,” his father explained. Kai looked furious.
“We are compatible! Dr. Freelyn has tested us. Anyway, whether or not we are a compatible species or whether we even want children is not your business,” Kai argued.
“This is a discussion between you and your family, Kai. It should be done in privacy,” Captain Quinn told them.
The hurt look on my lover’s face pushed me to speak on our behalf. “I’d like to come to Sigma Seti Six so Kai and I may discuss this with you. Would you allow that? Consider what he desires? What we both want?”
The elder Polvo grumbled under his breath but finally nodded. “I want him brought home. We are worried for him. But I will listen to him. If he can convince his mother and me, perhaps we will change our minds. I’m not making promises, Xolian. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Sir, ” I said.
“I’ll bring him home as soon as my mate decides he and the twins can safely travel,” The Captain announced.
Kai’s father snapped, “That may be weeks, perhaps months!”
Del rose from the First Officer’s chair and joined his mate in front of the view screen and remarked, “Quinn, Doctor Freelyn assures me I have at least two weeks. The babies are fine and I’m doing well. Sigma Seti Six is not too out of the way to drop by and let Kai’s family visit with him.”
Jory and Rue, our ship’s young navigators, glanced at our Captain nervously. Xolians never questioned their captain’s leadership or decisions in front of others. The only person that had done so to Captain Quinn previously had accidentally fallen out of an airlock. I knew they were worried for the First Officer’s hide.
Quinn took a long deep breath, leveling his mate with an intense stare. Finally his ire passed and he clamped his hand on Del’s shoulder, replying, “If you feel up to it, we can chance a quick trip.”
When the screen went dark a few minutes later, a deep rumbling growl issued from the Captain directed to his mate. “Del, Ready Room. Now.”
As the First Officer passed me, I said, “Thank you for doing that, Del.”
“Anytime, Brync. I hope it works out the way you want it too. I know how it is when bossy parents are inolved.”
----------
We reached Kai’s ocean covered home of Sigma Seti Six far sooner than I would have liked. The bright blue-green planet filled our space runner’s front window as we entered orbit. Captain Quinn insisted that he fly Kai and me down personally. Del tagged along to keep us company in the passenger seating area. Once we had landed out front of the resort hotel it was not a far walk to reach it. We would be meeting Kai’s father, Terrin, and his mother, Kaylas. While we waited for them in the lobby Kai paced its length nervously. He passed me a tenth time and I grabbed his hand, pulled him into my arms.
“Kai, you are wearing a path down in the tiled floor. Just relax. How bad could your father be? He’s just a big mollusk right? I got this,” I told him.
“Brync, you don’t understand. My father expects obedience. No questions, just do as he says. I guess I kind of ran away when I crawled into your bag.”
“And your father blames Brync?” My Captain inquired. “I suppose that’s only natural. I think I’d be angry with him too.”
“Great,” I said. “Exactly how big is he?”
Kai, looking past my shoulder, suddenly went very still and I sensed his father’s foreboding presence before I even turned. Terrin was a barrel chested shifter with the flame red hair and beard. Kai’s mother accompanied him. She was petite and had gently flowing greenish hair that settled around her alabaster shoulders. Her eyes twinkled with love when she saw Kai while his father’s burned like coal in the Pits of High Hell. To my surprise my lover dashed up to his parents and embraced them both.
“Ah, Kaius, you naughty boy, I’ve missed you so,” his mother sighed as she kissed the top of his head.
“I’ve missed you too,” he replied. He snagged my sleeve and yanked me to his side. “This is Brync.”
“We’ve met already on the Vid from the ship, sweetie,” she reminded him. She smiled at me, remarking, “You’re such a tall boy, Brync, in person.”
“Ma’am,” I said. I felt my face burning.
She clicked her tongue. “No, Brync. Please call me mom.”
My face was surely on fire. I replied, “I’ll try but it’s not a word often used on Xolia.”
Kai turned to the Captain and his human mate Del and introduced them as well, “Captain, my mother and father. Mom, father, this is Quinn and Del.”
“Oh my,” His mother remarked, laying a hand on Del’s very swollen belly. “You are very close to having those babies, Del. Perhaps you three should be on your way. We don’t want to keep you.”
“What? I don’t understand,” Kai snapped. “I want to go back to the ship with them!”
“Absolutely not!” His father grumbled loudly. “It’s unseemly! Nothing against you, Captain or your fine security officer here but you are not Polvo. You are not even from my planet. This will not do.”
“I assure you that my security officer’s intentions are honorable and that my ship’s physician has found them to be compatible,” My Captain said, defending me.
“Honorable? Pah,” Terrin snarled. “If he’s so honorable in his intentions why haven’t they wed, hmm? And if they are compatible why haven’t they started a family?”
I attempted to explain, “We do want to be mated, Sir and have children someday.”
“No,” the octo-shifter continued, unabated. “You want to drag my son around and have him in your bed. You have the fish but offer no basket!”
Confused I frowned at Kai for help. He explained, “We have sex but are unwed. You offer me no real home on the ship, just a bed.”
“No son of mine will wander aimlessly around space! Only if he is properly wed here in front of family and made a recognized part of the crew will I allow him to do such an uncouth thing! Space explorer! Pah! He should be at home in our kelp beds, not running around on two feet, gallivanting with strange aliens like humans and Xolians! You can't even SHIFT!” Kai's father stormed. Abruptly I found myself facing an immense octopus and I had to duck under a tree branch sized swinging tentacle to avoid being smashed flat.
Kai's mother also shifted. She was daintier in size and shape, her color more blues and purples than her angry mate who was a mix of greys and reds. Calmly and soothingly, she patted my hand with the back of a soft tentacle and whispered close to my translator, “You're a lovely boy, Brync. Just give Terrin some time, he'll calm down.”
The mighty mollusk in question ripped the hotel door off the hinge, flung it aside and scuttled down the front walkway. Other visitors scattered quickly as he overturned the outdoor café’s tables and ripped down the sun umbrellas as he went. Kaylas rippled smoothly behind her spouse and tsked to herself lightly. Kai stared after them, his face caught between anger and disbelief.
“That went well,” First Officer Del said with a sigh. “What now?”
----------
Thankfully not long after Terrin and Kaylas agreed to see us at their beachside home. I looked around at the sparsely appointed room, admiring the ornate paintings of the sea on the walls. Trying to find a way to appease them I said, “Those painting are lovely.”
The Polvo couple were back in their humanoid forms. “Thank you, Brync dear,” Kaylas answered, handing me a cup of something dark and hot. “I painted those.”
“Oh, that’s quite a talent,” Quinn remarked.
“Stop trying to appease us, Xolian. Let’s talk fish and baskets,” Terrin stated firmly. He shook his head as his spouse tried to hand him a drink.
“He wants to talk about the marriage,” Kai said. His hand slipped into mine and squeezed it reassuringly.
“Yeah, I interpreted that, thanks though, Kai.”
Quinn spoke up fi
rst. “Brync’s fathers have agreed I could speak for them at this discussion. They have given permission for him to marry your son.”
“That is kind of them, isn’t it, Terrin?” His spouse asked. He shrugged.
“The issue is however that there is no official position for your son aboard the Narada Marant at this time as you stated earlier that you require for him to remain onboard,” Quinn added.
“He’d be flotsam?” Terrin inquired.
“Um, an extra person I think is the closest I can explain, Captain Quinn,” Kai explained when the Captain looked puzzled.
“Ah, yes, that is an apt analogy,” the Captain replied.
“Then I’m sorry,” Terrin said. “He cannot be wed. All Polvo are to be gainfully employed as adults. This is our law, Captain. He’s been allowed to play but must now return to his responsibilities.”
Kai’s cry of pain broke my heart. I wanted to be with him too and saw only one solution. “Captain, I resign my position aboard the Narada Marant. I wish to marry Kai and stay on Sigma Seti Six.”
Kai grabbed me and kissed me joyfully but I kept my eyes trained on my Captain. Finally he said, “Yes, Brync, I suspected you might say that. I’m sad to leave you behind but I completely understand.”
“Would you bless us to be married now?” I asked Kai’s father.
His mother, practically dancing around, popped her husband on the shoulder when he sat stonily, glaring. With a long sigh he nodded and said, “Yes, the wedding can be arranged today.”
“Today?” The Captain, Del and I asked at the same time.
Terrin stood and indicated Del with a meaty hand, “Well that human looks like he’s going to burst any second. We need to let them get going soon. I’m assuming you want your old shipmate’s at your wedding, son?”
“Yes, all of them!” Kai replied enthusiastically.
----------
It took quite awhile to shuttle all the crew to the planet but in the meantime, Kai’s extended family and friends had to be gathered. I stood amazed as Terrin lifted a large shell and placed it to his lips, blowing hard three times. The sound reverberated out across the beach and to sea.
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