"Heh," Polt's sister teased smugly. "Daddy's darling, the pride of our clan...wearing a bell collar? What, did you become some human's pet?"

"Pala!" Polt's father snapped fiercely, the declaration almost a bark.

Pala immediately backed up, her ears going flat against her skull.

"Despite her rudeness for speaking out of turn," the Grand-Eldest spoke softly, "Pala's question is valid." She fixed her gaze on Polt. "We came when we received word of this...engagement in the offing. And we find...this."

"At first it would only have been myself coming, Polt," Polt's mother offered, her tone conciliatory even if her gaze was judgemental. "But when we learned that it was to an off-world human, and you were but one of many for this prospective union...Grand-Eldest decided to come herself, along with us."

"You know the lore," Polt's father growled deep in his throat. "You know what the Ancient feared would come of us, that they left the Shroud, the Keeper, and the Key."

"Parei, Korr, enough," the Grand-Eldest insisted, causing Polt's parents to subside. "Polt...one thing at a time. Why the bell collar?"

Polt swallowed nervously. While being able to explain one thing at a time and to only one family member was a relief, the sense of presence her many-Great-Grandmother exuded did nothing to ease her nerves. "W-well-" she began.

[First Lieutenant Polt, Captain Caboose requests your presence and that of your family in the infirmary,] Polt's Freckle unit suddenly spoke, floating in from elsewhere in the gym where it had been assigned to help clean things up.

Korr, Parei, and Pala instantly tensed at the sight. The Grand-Eldest observed it calmly. "An Ancient's Orb. Where did it come from?"

[This unit was constructed by Captain Caboose, assigned to assist First Lieutenant Polt,] it responded immediately.

It was plain to Polt's eyes that only the Eldest's firm expression kept her parents from whispering to each other at this revelation. "And why does he send this request, interrupting our discussion?"

[Processing information request...translating to colloquials…] A blue line of light passed across the unit's optic for a time. [Captain Caboose considers his marriage friends - his potential fiances - to be his tribe, with himself as the Chief. This unit broadcast the fact that First Lieutenant Polt was in emotional distress. As Captain Caboose could not leave Lieutenant Cerea's side to assist while she is injured, it is requested that First Lieutenant Polt and the source of her distress join him in the infirmary where he can assist without leaving the side of an injured member.]

Korr rubbed his chin thoughtfully before nodding approvingly. "I, personally, see no reason to deny this request," he murmured, his tone a bit more neutral.

"We did want to meet with this Caboose as well," Parei agreed.

"We will go," the Eldest declared firmly. "Lead us, Polt."

Swallowing nervously, Polt turned to lead her family to the infirmary. She could only hope that Caboose would make a good impression on them. His ability to manipulate and construct alien tech made him of interest to the tribe and the Eldest...but that could go either way. At least her father no longer looked like he would try to disembowel Caboose at first sight. ...the spear was a tribal relic, after all, and replacing the blade would be a huge deal.

She was somewhat relieved to see that Agent Smith and Cerea's mother were both in the infirmary as well, though was somewhat surprised to see Zombina also there. There was mutual respect between the Centaurs and the Kobolds, and Cerea's mother was very important within the Centaur's social structure, so her testimony on Caboose's behalf - assuming she gave it - would be helpful.

Or she might say something that could completely screw me over, intentional or otherwise, Polt though despairingly as she sat beside Caboose. Caboose immediately lifted one hand to scratch her behind her ear...which both relaxed her and freaked her out. As much as she did enjoy such an intimate closeness, it really didn't help when she was trying to convince her family that she wasn't his pet.

...maybe I should just go for "not his pet outside the bedroom", she thought ruefully. I could swing that, right?

"You wear a bell collar as well?" Korr asked in surprise as he glanced from Agent Smith to Cerea to Zombina.

"Caboose is ungodly - or perhaps godly - strong and...does not react well to being startled," Agent Smith explained. "To prevent any...accidents, all 'Blues' under Caboose's command - those girls who have become enamored with him with intent to wed him, or are assigned to him as homestays - wear bell collars. I've...sort of been co-opted into that." She reached up to touch her bell, and Polt could smell her conflicted emotions.

"Caboose has one too," Zombina pointed out. "It's hard to see under his helmet, though." As she spoke, Caboose lifted his chin so he could reach up and playfully jingle his bell.

"Well, I've heard of stranger tribal traditions," Parei admitted.

Realizing she'd been remiss, Polt spoke up. "Caboose, this is my many times removed Great Grandmother, the Grand-Eldest of our tribe, Palaka."

"Hi Granny!" Caboose greeted warmly.

As nearly everyone else in the room tensed up, Palaka brought her hand to her mouth, her expression inscrutable. Polt decided to move past this as quickly as she could. "This is my father, Chief Korr, and my mother, High Priestess Parei."

"Oh wow," Caboose declared in surprise. "With how young everyone's parents have been and closely resembling them, I thought they were your grandparents and the other girl was your Mom."

Polt winced at that, fearing a very negative reaction to that, but Parei chuckled indulgently. "Kobolds generally wait until much later in life than other races to mate and have children," she explained softly. "And we're amongst the more skilled of races at controlling the effect the full moon has on us when we so choose."

"Okay!" Caboose accepted happily.

"And this is my older sister, Pala," Polt finished, frowning as she noticed Pala presenting herself in such a way as to show off her more pronounced curves, especially her larger chest. Polt knew her own curves were far more modest, closer to what humans of New Japan had rather than the more robust or exaggerated figures of other demi-human species-

"Did you want some I-Be-Puffin, Pala?" Caboose asked curiously, pulling a bottle of painkillers out of a nearby drawer.

"...why would I want that?" Pala asked, confused.

"For the back pain," Caboose explained helpfully. "Given how oversized you are for your frame, you're bound to have some!"

Polt did her best not to burst into laughter, no matter how much she enjoyed hearing Caboose shooting her sister down in so innocently vicious a manner. Zombina had no such compunctions, and her peals of laughter made wonderful music to the sight of Pala struggling to hold herself back from 'kill!' as an infuriated expression covered her face.

So far so good, she thought to herself. I've got some good backup, and so far Caboose is making a good impression on my parents, and isn't going to be tempted by my sister. Now as long as nothing really bad comes up-

"Have you lain with my daughter?" Korr asked Caboose, suddenly and incisively.

Caboose stared at Korr for a time. "...I do not understand the question," he replied finally.

...I'm dead. Polt closed her eyes, wondering if it would be easier to ask her Freckle to vaporise her then face this discussion with her family.