|35|


After some sorting over where they would go, it was decided that Casnar and his guests would be brought first to the coniulde—a chamber within the main part of the head family's cottus where guests were taken in and treated to meal…Casnar explained to Sieis and Catherine what would happen for housing from there, and they would all get a night's uninterrupted rest….Which Casnar was looking forward to with Braith. If they could make it through one night without any further hassles or fears he would be able to regroup his faculties and perhaps enjoy some hard-earned time with his intended mate for the following days…They were heading down the ramp towards the tram-skim when Casnar noticed one of the drells who had accompanied Tetonbaum and the third up into the hauler with him, stop and put a hand to Braith's arm—immediately he realized whose hand it belonged to and he pulled back the hood to expose his nephew—startled, both Kolyat and Braith.

"Oh my…God…" Braith took her arm away and stared into the black eyes and tiger-splashed markings of the teal-onyx face, and she stared questioningly next at Casnar, "…Do you to know each other?" Tetonbaum paused ahead of them on the ramp to look back at the interesting event that was transpiring…Braith heard Kolyat's voice and a sounding of the rasp of one other she had met, made love to, adored beyond all possible human companionships, and here was his echo, back to haunt her as she stood in the midst of Kolyat and Casnar…

"Commander," Kolyat's rasp had deepened with his age, "….I can't believe it's you…My father—" Casnar stiffened, instantaneously making the connect like a bolt of lightning had just electrified him…He stepped back and looked at Braith, Kolyat, then Miranda who hid a small smile of Shoulda-Told-Ya.

"You're…You know each other….Through Thane….Thane Krios," and an irascity overcame Casnar suddenly…His tebris filled with a violet and blue shimmer in the glim lights of the bay, Wrex about to shut these off before leaving…Braith smiled with some nostalgia at Kolyat…

"He was what brought us together," she said, and turned to see Casnar's expression—her eyes widened, "….Casnar?"

"What are the odds," Tetonbaum said from below a few steps, he chuckled and waved everyone on their way, ascending to take Casnar by the neck and power him down to the tram-skim before anything else could be mistakenly said…Kolyat and Braith looked at each other.

"Am I seeing things or are you really here—"

"I live here…My mother's family," Kolyat said, taking her arm and looping it over his as they descended into the rain, "…Come on, I'd like to catch up with you…It's amazing we're here after all that's happened," he glanced behind Braith at Miranda, "…She didn't tell you Casnar's my uncle?"

"We haven't…Gotten to know each other well enough….To swap family stories, I guess…" At his surprised eyeridge raise, "…We've been meaning to…"

Casnar scowled as he was pelted once again by rain, Tetonbaum holding him in a vice of an arm as they went over the tarmac, up into the tram-skim by several steps, and once inside he was bundled all the way back into the front now facing the city through a shroud of dark fog ahead…

"Casnar, why so frownsome," Tetonbaum smacked him hard on the shoulder, a bit of spray from the water-sodden cloth hitting the post supporting the tram-skim cover. The gold one said nothing as the tram-skim shifted with the weight of everyone getting in, "….I think we will need to make two trips," Tetonbaum pondered aloud, turning from his block of Casnar as he looked over the heads cramming into the tram-skim….The bantons took longer, not seeming to mind the downpour, and some even walked about and spoke to each other about the welcome change of scenery….

Casnar pushed away from Tetonbaum to squeeze out and find Braith talking with Kolyat…He stood still, ignored for the better half of a minute while the pair spoke warmly of things past and remembrances…

"I'm going to wait with the others," Casnar interrupted, "…There's not enough room on this vessel….Since it is my home, and you two are acquainted," he nodded to both their inquisitive stares, "…Kolyat, good to see you….Take Braith and those on this skim to proper quarters….I'll catch up with you," he pecked Braith on the mouth and left, deliberately putting Kolyat and her between him and Tetonbaum.

Braith leaned around Kolyat to see Miranda and Kasumi pressing in, obstructing her view of Casnar as he went down the length of the crowded tram-skim to the steps, and then with Wrex in the way, she couldn't even see the tarmac as more bantons were guided up by the drells outside.

"I think he's upset about something," Braith said, and Kolyat watched her concerned expression drift to his again, "…Did he and Thane not like each other….Thane never mentioned him—"

"He wouldn't," Tetonbaum said, sliding up next to them and nodding to the direction Casnar had gone, "…His sister, my half-sister Irikah, she died and Casnar never got over it," he curled his finger over Braith's wet black lock hanging over her face, "…And to know you have slept with the one drell he hated the most, that might just undo him…." The sapphire eyes were somber but bright, and Braith covered her lip thoughtfully with a fingernail.

She saw him turn to watch the tram-skim take off towards the city's shroud in the rain, and leaving Sieis to open his mouth and catch water on his gums, she approached the wet drell between the forms of the four others, "….Casnar?" He turned and looked down at her, the other guards turning to keep watch on their sered.

"You're all wet," Casnar said, seeing the hint of nipples through the blouse plastered to her shirt, "…You should go stand under the ship or have Sieis hold his hand over your head," and Catherine chuckled, holding her hands together in a teepee over his face, "….Thanks, but I'm fine with a little rain from the sea." Her smile was growing, muted but still lightly white in the rain and dimness, Casnar feeling lukewarm water down his chest and pants, "…How did you manage to keep your smile so clean all those years in Lothiraxl?"

"I did have access to water, and a brush…But it comes with a secret…Want to find out?"

"Cat…" He moved her hands over her face, then took his own behind his back, stretching the shirt buttons against the wet threads printed over his skin, "…I'm going to find you someone to work out your urges with—"

"What urges," she pushed water off his nose and rose up to kiss him in the rain….Casnar's body stiffened and he pulled away urgently, glancing over at the bantons playing chase on the tarmac, grown creatures as big as krogan and unaware of what Catherine had just done without Sieis watching, and she pressed against him again and whispered under his jaw, "…I can do it with you….I've been watching you and Braith….I think I can please you too—" She backed away as the guards said something to one and other, noticing Casnar's struggle with the woman, and he himself wiped his face and stared in shock at her.

"Where's the next skim," Casnar muttered as he started walking towards the city, wanting to be alone…..From everyone.

Catherine looked beyond the drells barring her from following him, and a finger caressed her cheek, causing her to turn and look up into Sieis's eyes, "…It's all right….I'm just lonely, Sieis…"

"Catherine want to come play in the water with us?"

Catherine smiled, pat his chest through his wet clothes and walked with him to join the other bantons splashing about and stomping like children.