Disclaimer:
See Chapter 1 for the my comments.
Chapter 3: Cultural connections slide
Approaching Beka as he had earlier had helped Tyr say exactly what he meant to the ship's projection.
The projection flickered out for a minute or two.
After he had dressed in the leather outfit Beka had requested, she came back. As he wrinkled his forehead, he looked at her laughingly saying, "Was it something I said?"
As he walked about, he tilted his head and asked her, "Or was it something I didn't say, but should have added?"
Andromeda's projection considered him for a moment. She told him, "I offer you whatever services you need. It is simply for the asking Tyr Anasazi son of Barbarosaout of Victoria."
"I will take you up on that Andromeda after my duty shift. I have several minutes before meeting Beka. I wondered if you would be able to get one of your androids or bots to synthesize roses and chocolate for me to take to Beka.
I also wanted your avatar to help me bring Beka her favorite fruit about an half hour into our meeting. If Harper and Trance are correct, I need scented oil, scented candles, and a mechanical butterfly. Go back to Hydroponics when Trance calls and collect those items. After about an hour, please bring those items to her suite of rooms."
"Alright, Tyr. If you don't need anything further, I will contact you when Rommie is free."
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Rommie had just left Beka's room and reintegrated herself with the physical body.
She felt a jolt in her core matrix when she put together the conversation her projection had with Tyr with all its accompanying meanings and the visual aids she had displayed for Beka concerning Nietzschean mating rituals. Rommie wanted her own look at Tyr's sexual prowess.
If she were to gain some confidence in her sexual abilities, Rommie just might be able to snare Dylan. She knew he was capable of overcoming his belief that she was just a war ship created solely for duty...but she had to plan for his needs too. It wouldn't do to gain the man she really did want but lose him for lack of preparation.
She wondered what Beka or Tyr would say if she asked to monitor their encounters. Would they become disagreeable or did they mind someone watching?
She would find out soon enough. Rommie had instructed Beka how to engage privacy mode if Tyr and she got involved intimately.
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Beka cast a final glance at her rooms. She knew that she had seen to every detail she could think of to start the courtship, but she knew there were instinctive parts of Tyr's culture she would have to be taught. The unspoken language was the hardest part of a culture that an outsider had to learn to duplicate.
Tyr arrived promptly within 2 hours. As he reached for the intercom to alert her to his presence, she opened the door.
He arched his eyebrow. He didn't know whether her move showed her eagerness or her desire to be done with the whole thing. He searched her eyes for remorse or some sign of feeling forlorn.
She slowly smiled as she looked at him. Beka thought *finally* I have caught him when he is speechless, he must be dazzled by the way I look.
After she caught his eye and gained his rapt attention, she slowly turned before him. She knew her dress was sensual and would be greeted with approval. She awaited his reaction to the flawlessly crafted body art she donned to imitate a Nietzschean woman who selected it so a possible suitor knew she favored him.
Tyr was struck dumb and frozen to the spot.
Rommie had to apply the ink to her skin and help her adorn her back with a design of gold spindled threads. The threads were sliced as thin as wisps of hair, but formed an intricate pattern to her backless, spaghetti strapped gown. The body art was impeccable.
Beka must return this favor. Rommie did not have to help her prepare for a date with Tyr. Beka became fiercely determined to help Rommie gain Dylan's favor.
Beka went to the lengths she did spending a disproportionate time getting the Nietzschean customs' correct because she knew his culture must be important to him. She didn't plan on making the mistake she had when he offered her a drink in the past. She had longingly watched him from near and afar for the last two years and wanted more.
But her resolve couldn't take another setback with him. It was safe to flirt with him, but she always felt like there was more to them than just lust-filled glances and guarded innuendo.
She demurely cast her eyes down waiting for his response. At least she hoped she mimicked the demure Nietzschean women from the video displays. At the very least if her attempt to persuade him to give her serious consideration failed, she would give him plenty to think about.
She realized as she reviewed his people's customs that she was tired of having mindless sex. There was something reverent about his customs that made her want to be accurate. Her sex life had been good, but she needed more in her life. Why not start with him?
His eyes were glued to her back and arms. The gown was beautiful. He was transfixed by the art. The lines were similar to the ones his mother wore when his father courted her. He could not insult his mother's memory and ruin her bearing as matriarch by offering Beka less than his father, Barbarosa, offered her when she appeared before him like this.
Damn it!!! He knew he was putting his cards out on the proverbial table by telling her he wanted to address the sexual tension, why didn't they use the opportunity to just have sex. Why did she add this layer to it?
She must know by now that Nietzscheans did have recreational sex before and if they committed to mate for life to each other.
Why had she asked him to dress in this particular leather outfit if she didn't plan to give him a chance to slowly loose these garments from his body?
After a full minute passed, Beka raised her down cast eyes. His perusal was so complete that she involuntarily stepped back inside her place. His expression didn't calm her alarm, it heightened her disquiet.
Tyr took her retreat as a sign that she welcomed him to her humble abode and they should start the question and answer process. As he followed her into her haven, he turned to give her the flowers and chocolates as it was custom for Dylan's Commonwealth. Since she had obviously studied Nietzschean customs, he stooped down and pressed his semi-bearded cheek next to hers. He turned her left side to his, put his right hand above her right hip and sang his greetings.
Surprised by this greeting song, she dazedly returned his salutation. She hugged him. Then she turned and strode to the far side of the room. As far as she knew, Nietzscheans only sang to those they found partners worthy of marriage. She sat and stared at him bewildered.
This was a little too ambitious for her. There was a wide gap between simply having sex to alleviate pain and stress and being committed enough to someone to get married. She was perplexed. What were his intentions?
From her reading, Nietzscheans didn't mate unless they were ready to breed. Strangely enough, they learned from human efforts at having sex for pleasure that their younger members would stray if they weren't allowed to roam free in their youth. She realized that she might have initiated the wrong ritual by having Rommie paint her with ink and weave this thread around her back. How did she extract herself gracefully?
Knowing Beka the way he did, Tyr knew she could not mean what Victoria did when she approached Barbarosa this way. His panic subsided long enough for him to start the bid without betraying his amusement.
Looking among the choices of seats, Tyr chose to sit next to her across the room.
"Shall we start?"
Readers:
As always, I'd be more than happy if someone volunteered to be a beta reader or give me any helpful comments about the grammar, misspellings, or storyline. Stargenna@yahoo.com
Title Tyr pursues, unites his Pride, Beka caves
Author Genna Star
Rating NC-17
Pairings Tyr/Beka other possibly pairings