The young female yautja caught his shoulder, "You seem to care for her, would you like to see her? I have access to the ships personal cameras, but the clan does not."

They went back into the tent, and she tapped her claws on a tablet before handing it over to him. A brief trill escaped him at seeing Zuri. She was sitting in front of the ships screen, gazing at the stars. A young unblooded male paced back and forth, purring at her as an invitation to mate. Keta-ki felt bad for the young male, as he wasn't getting so much as a fleeting glance from Zuri.

When he got home, he found that hunting hound had stolen a fur from his bed to lay on. It was a pure white fur with scattered metallic tips to some strands. The fur was short, dense and incredibly soft. It had been Zuri's favorite. Keta-ki scolded the hound, and ripped the fur out from under it.

The hound then tried to jump up in his bed, where it used to sleep with Zuri. Again, he scolded the hound. The animal got down but started to whine like it was injured. With the pelt in his hands, Keta-ki could smell Zuri's scent still on it. The hound missed her already too.

He thought that would be the last time he ever saw her, but then only a few days later, he got a transmission saying that the runaway ooman had been caught-by a traveling merchant. Blood coursed through his veins like lava. Keta-ki should have known better than to have trusted that female at the market! He had the option to attend the trial, or not. If he didn't show, they would likely chose to dispose of her. But, if he attended and they chose that fate anyway, he didn't know if he could contain an outburst.

Predictably, Keta-ki went to the trial-he just had to see her again. The room was large and richly decorated, and Zuri was restrained in the middle of it. An official judge was presented evidence by arbitrators and elders. Then, it quickly moved into the testimonials.

The older merchant that had been operating the ship went first, "She stowed away on the ship, hiding in the engine room. None of us knew she was there."

Keta-ki's hands gripped the armrests of his chair tightly. He stared at the male, trying not to flare his mandible at him in the middle of a trial. The male was lying, and Keta-ki knew it, but could but point it out without incriminating himself as well. If he ever saw the male in the market again, he would initiate a challenge, and beat the male so badly that he never came back to the city. He deserved it for lying, backstabbing, and illegal smuggling.

The unblooded, one of the merchants sons, went next, "She didn't put up a fight once we found her."

The arbitrators and elders seemed to like that, and Keta-ki hoped that because she hadn't resisted arrest that she wouldn't get a death sentence.

Finally, Zuri was interrogated and said, "I take full responsibility of my actions."

The judge and all the elders discussed the case briefly.

Then, Keta-ki was asked, "Would you take the ooman back into your custody?"

Keta-ki hesitated, unsure. She was reckless, a danger to his reputation if she tried to run away again. Keta-ki didn't want to battle with her if she asked him to help her. He had previously thought that there just wasn't room for him in her shattered heart after Uri. But he was afraid now that they were more of a badblood pair.

He reached a decision, "Unless she is to be terminated, no, I do not wish to have custody of her."

He wouldn't look in her eyes to see her reaction, but then Zuri's words surprised him, "I know I seem like an unfit parent at the moment, but I request that my child be relocated with me."

Zuri knew that he'd become attached to the child, and another escape attempt would not work with her caring for Meketre. "May I speak to the oomam for a minute?" Keta-ki asked.

One of the arbitrators gave a nod, and Keta-ki rose to go stand in front of Zuri.

She spoke before he could, "I know I've messed everything up, and you don't have to take me back, but I have to have Meketre."

"You were ready to abandon him before. What makes you care now? Do you think that the judges will lean in your favor because you want to raise the child?"

"I can't live without him, and I don't want to live without you either."

"But we are a second choice. Earth was your first priority and when that plan failed, only now do you want to raise your child."

Zuri shook her head, "I made a huge mistake."

"Admit it, your only mistake was trusting that merchant!" He hissed.

"He didn't turn me in, I did. I turned myself in."

Keta-ki didn't believe her at first, "Why?"

"I made a huge mistake. I wanted to go to Earth and forget everything, because I was falling for you. You were the one chasing Uri. You kidnapped me. You were the one that killed my mate, the father of my child. I hated you...but I still fell for you."

Keta-ki didn't want to be manipulated just because she didn't want to die, so he asked the judge, "What is her sentence? Is she to killed if I do not take her into custody?"

The judge seemed reluctant, but said, "The ship landed on Earth, but she did not touch it's soil. She is to remain unharmed whether she is in your custody or anothers."

Keta-ki turned to Zuri, "There, you are in no danger. Leave the child in my care and you can torment some other yautja."

"I know I've been a bitch to you, but I can make it up to you, I swear."

A yautja female was much more suited to his needs as a mate, but he was lured to Zuri like insects to light. He wanted her, but he wouldn't admit to her how much, "If I find you in any way unsatisfactory, your gone the next day."

Zuri bit her lip, looking sightly worried, but nodded.

"Let her out of the restraints; she is coming with me." Keta-ki demanded.

One of the guards clicked a button on his wrist controls, and Zuri was released from the cuffs. The chains clattered to the ground, and she rubbed her wrists before she threw her arms around Keta-ki's torso. He peeled her off of him to haul her up into his arms. Her legs went around his waist and her hands rested on his shoulders.

"Your not going to deny me your body any longer, are you?" He asked, leaning his face closer.

Her cheeks lit up red and she squeaked, "Everyone is watching!"

Keta-ki held her tighter, his mandibles spreading over her cheeks, careful not to scratch her with his tusks. His skin was heating and his chest rumbled with a purr that was more vibration than sound. He didn't care who was watching; he pressed his mouth to her pink lips. Her mouth carefully parted and moved over his teeth. Her hands went behind his head, lightly grasping at the base of his mahogany-colored dreds.

One of the arbitrators acted disgusted, "Is this case dismissed?"

The judge huffed, then addressed Keta-ki, "Do you accept full responsibility of this ooman and its future actions?"

Keta-ki pulled away from Zuri, giving her a warning glance before he said, "Yes."

"Case closed."

Keta-ki took her home, and she was eager to hold Meketre. As soon as they got in the door though, the hound wanted her attention first. The hound launched across the room, stuffed his face in her crotch, then excitedly snuffled and smelled her all over. Zuri was playfully shoving the animal away as she giggled. But then, the hound reared up to see her face-to-face, and ended up knocking her down.

Keta-ki growled, and grabbed one of the hounds short bony protrusions to yank him off her. Zuri sat up, and felt the back of her head. Her hand came back with a little blood on it. Keta-ki growled at the animal and scooped Zuri up. He set her down in the medical room and quickly healed her head.

"That hound is not an appropriate indoor pet." He scolded her.

"I just need to give him more commands...Your not going to make me get rid of him, are you?"

Keta-ki pushed her towards the nursery, "If he becomes any more of a danger, I will. And if that happens I expect that you will trust my judgement."

Zuri's mouth opened, probably to say some smart-ass comment, but she thought better of it. Her jaw closed and she walked to the nursery with Keta-ki and the hound on her heels. Meketre was awake and he lit up at the sight of her. His arms moved up and down excitedly until she scooped him up. She cradled him against her arms, cooing soft apologies to the child for leaving him.