They'd be arriving at the mothership in only a handful of hours. The second day of the mating season had begun and during the festivities, they'd slip in almost unnoticed.

Miana would. Abba stuck out like a sore thumb with his pale skin tones, decorative armor, and eleven-foot stature.

"Abba?" Miana shifted foot to foot outside of his room.

"Sei-i?" He busied himself by packing a few things he would be moving.

When she didn't respond, he stopped his work and came to stand before her.

"Miana," he purred gently, tugging her inside where sat her on the foot of his bed. "Is there something bugging you?"

"A little…" Abba sat next to her, as patient as ever for her to continue. "Do I have to mate?"

He trilled at the perturbation in her voice and ran his claws through her hair.

"H'ko, Lar'dha. You most certainly do not." Abba cocked his head as a question came to mind. "You are… too young?"

He figured she would have been as old as Lex, but she appeared a lot younger.

"I'm old enough!" A blush covered her cheeks and she swatted away his hand. "I'm just… not into that sort of thing."

"Mating with another species is an experience or so I've heard." Abba nodded as if finally realizing her worry, but Miana puffed her cheeks up.

She blew air out her nose and shook her head.

"I mean… that I'm…" She hadn't run across any terms so far that would help explain herself. "I'm not into sex. Like-"

But, to her surprise, Abba nodded.

"Ki'sei. You do not have to mate. I will make sure any interested do not bother you. If I am not there, find Elder K'ash, he will help you should they be inappropriate."

"Can't I just-" She mimicked an uppercut with her arm and he trilled again.

"Only if they lay a hand on you." She nodded to that. "Unless in the kehrite." No rules on the mat other than not threatening your opponent's life. One of the first things Night taught her.

"Will Celtic - I mean Nagaris be on the ship as well?"

"I would assume." Abba returned to his packing. "You have something else on your mind."

"Do you think he's mad at me? I mean I never apologized for what I did in the temple when I screamed and never thanked him for saving me when the ground caved in and not leaving me alone in the dark and he got in trouble with the council and I saw all that and-"

"Lar'dha," he chided. "Nagaris told of a small, female warrior in the temple who armed him to fight back the kiande amedha. She even came out of hiding to help him fight them off when he provoked her. He told of how she bravely ducked under the Queen and sliced open her softer underbelly, at the risk of her own life to help gain an advantage."

"He ignored me before we left. I hadn't meant to get him in trouble."

Abba shook his head at her.

"Lar'dha, you witnessed his trial and to be brought before the council for a serious charge is damaging to his reputation." He finished his packing and moved his belongings to the door. "Let's get you packed and ready."

They took almost everything she had and packed them neatly away. This way, when Elder K'ash came to inspect in person her room, he could see what she hunted and how well she had taken care of the trophies.

"You said before you wouldn't be welcomed…" In the control room, Miana sat beside Abba, Beanie having been put up in her room for the time being.

"Sei-i. My… parentage isn't the best. I am used to the bias. It shouldn't be a bother to you." Per usual when she mentioned something personal or sensitive, Abba only replied polite but curt.

"So… they're very critical about you because of your parents?" She could somewhat relate to that.

"Sei-i."

"Ki'sei." Her words made him laugh. "Did I pronounce it wrong?!"

"H'ko." Still, he trilled. "I realize why Elder K'ash asked for me specifically."

Miana pondered that for a moment. She knew Lex had been very detailed in what guardian would be matched with her.

So far, Abba had been patient and understanding, not brutish or off-putting as younger Yautja could be. He only raised his voice that one time and never again. His ranking gave him the flexibility to watch her and guard her against others. He never seemed bothered by her attitude, whether distant or angry, answered her questions as best as he could, and while he acted his ranking, he never held that over her. Or anyone for that matter.

"'Cause you're nice?"

"Sei-i and h'ko." He purred at her compliment, a bit amused at her first guess. "We are a bit alike. There's not a thing I have that I hadn't had to work twice as hard for. Not a moment when my actions haven't been speculated by my peers and superiors."

"All because your parents screwed up?" Miana twisted her nose up at the thought. To be judged because of the sins of the father.

"Sei-i."

"Sorry, Abba." He waved off her apology.

They docked at the mothership, Elder K'ash awaiting their arrival with several other elders and high ranking Yautja. Lex and Scar were also with the group, but a little ways away.

Abba and Elder K'ash spoke for awhile. Abba kept his head bowed as the elder looked to be scolding him.

For what? Miana had no idea, but the others present ignored her and she had no one to help translate the fast pace sentences from the elder.

Lex and Scar approached, coming to stand just behind Miana.

"What's going on?"

"Elder K'ash is reprimanding him for allowing you to get hurt…" Lex furrowed her brows. "What happened?"

"I got sunburned pretty badly."

"The elder is saying Ic'weii will have to be punished for being careless." Scar piped up, nodding his head to Elder K'ash and refocusing their attention.

"Ic'weii?" Lex looked as confused as Miana.

"Abba's name." He laughed at the two, shaking his head. "What is the saying? Peas in a pod?"

Lex smacked his arm, a tic in her jaw.

"It doesn't sound like a very good name…" At Miana's puzzled expression, Lex elaborated, "it means impure."

Which made sense considering all Miana knew. He didn't care what she called him because it couldn't be as bad as the name they had given him. A name they gave because his parents did something awful and ruined their bloodline. Something none of them could ever properly express was just how important bloodline meant to their society. More important than honor, hunting, and money.

"Um… Elder K'ash? If I may have a word?" Her interruption stopped him mid-sentence and several of the Yautja's growled at her.

Elder K'ash moved past Abba to stand before Miana.

"Sei-i, Lar'dha?"

"Can I ask why he's in trouble? I'm sure I can clear up the problem." She smiled, a bit nervous as he towered over her.

Kind as ever, the elder nodded in agreement.

"I'm sure you might be able to help. Elder Va'rak has informed me of the many things you've been up to, but we can discuss those interests later." Lex raised a brow at that but kept silent. "Abba let you out of the ship on a planet where the conditions were extremely unsafe for your kind and you were gravely burned."

"Burned?" Lex snapped her head to look at Miana. Abba usually kept her pretty informed of these things, but he never mentioned her getting burned.

"I got nasty sunburn blisters, but…" Lex opened her mouth to cut her off, then stopped.

She noticeably bit her cheek and turned to look at Scar. He placed a hand on her back and purred quietly to keep her sudden temper in place.

"But?" Elder K'ash ignored Lex's almost outburst.

"He did warn me that if I went outside not to stay out too long."

"So he told us. Doesn't excuse the fact you were harmed under his care as a current guest of the council." Elder K'ash turned back to Abba. "As such, his actions do require punishment."

The other Yautja trilled at the thought.

"Um… Elder K'ash?" He turned back to her, confused at what else she could have to ask. "Abba's a… an arbitrator, right?"

"Yes, they hunt bad bloods at the council's command." K'ash titled his head in that particular fashion they all did when puzzled.

"And, I would be a… New Blooded? Young Blooded?"

"A New Blooded would be appropriate for your experience, yes."

"So, Abba is…" Miana stopped to think for a moment, her pointer finger randomly moving through the air. "Sorry... he's higher in rank than me, so I would have to follow his command. Especially since he's supervising me."

Elder K'ash straightened himself, a noise of surprise coming from him.

"Are you saying Abba ordered you and you disobeyed?"

"Well, he did say not to stay out too long because of those conditions." At the elder's stare, she hastily continued, "sei-i. I stayed out too long and got burned."

"I will speak with Elder Va'rak about the issue. For now, both of you are to remain in your quarters." He typed quickly into his gauntlet, summoning several unblooded to move their belongings and show them their room.

The other Yautja present growled in displeasure but dispersed at the elder's command.

Lex and Scar followed them to their rooms. A suite located in the middle of the ship where families, high personnel, and lifemates were allowed to stay.

The couple left them to settle in with a promise to bring them meals later. Their room wasn't too far away, so if Miana needed anything, she could sprint to them.

"I'm sorry, Abba."

He snorted, "you apologize too much."

She almost said sorry again, but bit her lip and headed into her room.

A large living space sat in between them with pretty tapestries and landscape paintings hung on the wall. Each bedroom had a nice bathroom, plenty of drawer space, and a trophy room for them each.

Abba wordlessly entered her room, helping her with the shelves and how to place the skulls.

"Why didn't tell you them that I didn't follow your instructions?"

"Why did you tell Elder K'ash I had ordered you when we both know that I did no such thing?" Lying to an elder would only add to the punishment, but Miana held to the fact she hadn't lied.

"Well…" Her cheeks puffed out. "I didn't want you to get in trouble because of me."

"How is your back? You haven't complained…" Her jaw locked at the mention of it.

"Scarred. But okay." He stood from the box he had been sorting through and approached her.

"Scarred?"

She turned around and slightly lifted her shirt in an invitation. He lifted it all the way up to see the dark and light skin that peppered her back as well as the light scarring he recognized from his work. The traces of acidic burns could still be seen.

"We can just make something up." She looked at him weirdly. "Tell them you survived an ambush and made it through a desert or something," his elaboration made her laugh.

"Yeah, 'cause they'll totally believe that."