Harrigan had been true to his words, somehow working his magic to get her in. He had even scheduled that an entire field be left cleared for Tomak to land, and a car scheduled to come pick her up. It had been a good thing that the ship could cloak, or she wasn't sure it would have gone as smoothly as it did.
But not everything had clicked together.
She still had yet to tell Tomak her true intentions for coming here, to this state. He didn't know the purpose of this visit and the fact that he still brought her all the way down here, hundreds of miles from her home without knowing a thing, filled her heart with a warm glow.
After a successful landing, Tomak's claws clinking against the dash full of electric blues and reds momentarily distracted her from her worries.
But when he was seemingly finished with whatever sequence he had put in, he slowly turned to her, his glowing eyes penetrating the very marrow of her thoughts. "You have been quiet," he noted gently, curious and yet non-pressuring.
To this she nodded, biting her lip. How to go about this? She twirled around that question, before deciding on something Tomak would prefer; directness.
"Do you know why we're here, Tomak?" she asked gently, scared to meet his eyes, but incapable of eluding the action.
His mandibles fluttered tensely over his mouth, before stilling completely. "Tell me."
Taking a short breath, she began hesitantly, "Remember that woman I had spoken about? Amanda?"
Recognition lit within his eyes, "The human female that kept you from me."
She smiled. Tomak always took things so personally, but he wasn't entirely wrong. "Yes, well, she has a son that is dying from..." she tried to put cancer into the simplest terms for him, "a disease that can either kill you slowly, or it's aggressive and spreads rapidly in the body. But it isn't contagious!" she quickly added the last part, hoping to hit all the bases that his concern could stem from. Very quickly though, he caught on to what she was saying.
Suddenly his hands were on her forearms pinning them to the armrests and completely halting her from continuing.
"Gorgeous," he growled, his eyes admonishing and cautious. "Tell me you are not thinking about healing that pup."
She blinked, then swallowed, her teeth clamping down nervously on her bottom lip.
He read her facial expression and sighed, rattling softly in disaccord. "Why do you want this?" he demanded. "Why show mercy to the offspring of your enemy when they deserve none?" He tried to understand her reasoning, but it confused him.
Rae took a breath. "Because at one point in time, that was me, Tomak. I was the kid waiting to die. My father found a way to save me, and that was what Amanda was trying to do, but I had an escape, her son doesn't. His only shot is me, and there's a chance I can save him."
"A chance." He looked at her then. "You do not know."
She lowered her eyes, "No, I don't, but I have to try."
He growled, shaking his head, which caused his dreads to shift and sway. "He does not deserve your help."
Laying a moment of silence between them, she looked him directly in his amber eyes, beseeching him. "The actions of one person don't define who we are. It would be unfair of me to blame him for the mistakes his mother made. He had no say in it."
This quieted his thoughts, stamping out his anger quicker than a dying campfire.
Seeing him soften, Rae took her opening, "Please, let me do this, Tomak. I have to, for my own sanity."
At first, there was no movement or sound from him, and it had her heart skipping anxiously in her chest. Then just when she was beginning to think the worst, the hand on her right arm lifted to cup her chin.
"Your heart is so gracious and your mercy so bountiful," his purring paused, staring at her pointedly with a raised brow, "even when it shouldn't be, gorgeous."
She blinked up at him with large eyes and he sighed.
"If this pleases you, if this is what you want, I will not stand in your way."
With a relieved little laugh, she lifted from her seat and threw her arms around his wide shoulders, pressing her front completely against his blisteringly warm chest. "Thank you," she whispered, her heart beating faster at the sensation of his thick arm crossing over her back.
He grunted, still not completely agreeing with her decision, but she didn't care. She was just thankful he was going along with it. That was until she told him, "I can't have you with me this time though."
That was it. He was up in an instant, the peaceful moment gone, he scooped her up in his arms and pressed her back solidly against the closest wall.
Overwhelmed by his heat and explosive anger, she barely had time to even realize what happened and why she was staring up into two very angry glowing eyes.
"You expected me to agree with you healing the offspring of an enemy, and being beyond my protection? Do you take me for a fool?"
She flinched at the darkness of his voice and stuttered a coherent answer, "N-No! Of course not, I–"
"You," he growled in declaration, "you are mine. You have no say in how I protect you. Do you understand?"
Swallowing under his fierce gaze, she drew in a shaky breath, her hand sliding further up his strong arms, feeling the tension rippling through him. "Okay," she spoke softly, "I get it, I'm yours. But doesn't that also make you mine?"
He tilted his head slowly, the pupils in his eyes dilating at a fast rate.
She knew she had him by his titillated expression and that was when she drilled her point home. "Then the same rules apply. I don't want you to risk following me through the city into a large enclosed building full of sick people."
His pupils contracted, his expression hardening into a deep scowl. "You have no say in—!" His words were cut off abruptly as she leaned up and brushed her lips against the smooth fleshy ridge of his lowest mandible, silencing him and the growling rumble that had started up in his chest.
Slowly, ever so slowly, Rae pulled back to gaze into his eyes only to smile gently, kissing the opposite side. It felt good knowing she had this kind of power over this big beast, not that she intended to control him. She would much rather he relax and listen than fight like he was trained to.
From early on in their relationship, she had realized that it didn't matter whether it was physical or verbal, Tomak was always on the offensive, and she partly wondered if that was ingrained in them since childhood. It was something she was only now adjusting to, but in time she hoped he would feel less inclined to be combative with her and learn to listen more than react. He had certainly improved by leaps and bounds within the time they knew each other, but she wondered for the future how this might further improve his temperament.
Now that she had his full attention, she stroked his arm soothingly, "I can't worry about you and properly focus my energy on Jamie. I need to be fully immersed in what I'm doing. Besides, you don't need to see me in person to monitor me, right? Can't your ship do that for you?"
He was quiet, unbearably so, his mandibles flicking outward as he considered her daring suggestion. "It can detect your energy signature," he gruffly admitted, "but I do not want to risk losing track of you if its scan is faulty."
"Hey," she reached up to cup his face hearing the anger and anxiety begin to rise again, "do you trust me?"
He was quiet, his mandibles fluttering lightly, anxiously.
"Do you trust me?" she asked again, already knowing the answer, but wanting to hear it from him directly.
Deflating inwardly, he sighed, the sound ending with a deep confirmative grunt.
She almost accepted that as an answer, but decided against it, staring at him with a hidden expression underlaid with glee. "Words, Tomak," she grinned using his own line against him. "I don't do this caveman talk."
His silence quickly transitioned to a guttural growl, his arms tightening around her in warning. "I am not caveman," he chuffed, his hot breath hitting her face in a sharp gust that blew her hair out of his way, as if giving him direct access to drill his next declaration home. "I am yautja."
"Yes," she giggled, "a yautja caveman."
He growled at this, making her laugh.
"Well?" she waited expectantly. "Are you going to say it then?"
He huffed again, the exhale rattling her in his arms. "Yes."
Her smirk turned wicked as she tilted her head a little more. "I'm sorry, one more time."
His eyes widened in blinking shock and that was about her only warning, before his knee was between her legs and pressed against the wall, his muscular thigh now rubbing against both of hers. Now supporting her weight better, his other hand forced her face to the side, giving him ample space to tuck his sharp pointed mouth against the rapid pulse in her carotid. Feeling her stiffen, he chuckled darkly having exposed her confidence as fraud. "What am I to do with this sudden boldness you have acquired?" he purred delightfully, nipping her punishingly and enjoying her sudden rise, her back arching off the wall.
"Tomak," she squeaked, her voice breathy and desperate to be released. He nipped her again, a little harder and she jerked. "Ahh! I was just joking. I was just joking!"
"Good," he growled against her.
His proximity was so intoxicating she could hardly take a breath! "Well then..." she cleared her throat uncomfortably, still feeling the tips of his bony tusks making indentations against the soft skin of her throat. Just swallowing, she felt them press further into her, causing that teasing unexplainable zip of electricity to course through the cavity in her chest. "Are you going to let me down now?" She was itching to have her feet planted safely on the floor again and for her body to be a safe distance from the walking temptation that Tomak was.
He shifted, his position changing, his eyes holding some sort of hidden intent like he was considering keeping her there for a while longer. But after remembering how they had gotten here in the first place, his playfulness died out and the idea passed as quickly as it came.
The mood was immediately pensive between them, killing the mischievous tension that had plagued them both. Rae recognized his almost meditative manner as he searched for the right words. And patiently, she waited for him.
"Rae, I have never experienced fear like this. Losing you once exposed a weakness I did not want to acknowledge. You understand that our separation is worse to me than a dull blade delivering a death blow."
She couldn't curb her response to his confession. Her moistened eyes were large and probing as she studied him. Faster than he expected, her arms were up and around his neck burying her face into the small concavity above his clavicle. "I'm sorry. I didn't know telling you my plan would trigger this in you." She didn't know what she could say to comfort him, but she was quite serious behind her reasoning for him to stay behind.
Squeezing him, she breathed in his naturally male scent. "What if I said I wouldn't hold back if something did happen." She loosened her arms to look at him clearly. "The only reason I was captured last time was because I was concerned about Damon's safety," a lump formed in her throat at the mention of his name. To think her efforts and sacrifice to save him were for nothing, sickened her.
Her eyes had drifted, engrossed so much so in the memory of that day, she didn't feel Tomak shift his arm, his knuckle nudging her chin to look back at him.
Meeting his eyes ones again, she spoke shakily but solemnly. "What if I promised I would do what I had to, to ensure my safety? Would that ease your conscience?"
Lightly brushing her jaw with the back of his fingers, he held her stare. "I know you, gorgeous. You are not yet capable of that. You care more for the lives around you than your own."
Sharply inhaling, she lowered her hands once again, becoming a little frustrated. "I have to go, Tomak. I don't know how else to reassure you. The man that wanted me, wanted my blood, is dead, you made sure of that, and Mr. Harrigan is ensuring safe delivery to the hospital." Taking a breath, she lowered her tone, "I know you're worried, but Jamie needs me and I want to go. Don't you think I'm strong enough to do this on my own?"
To her regret, there was no immediate answer from him to her question, and his silence stung deeply as she waited for him to agree with her, but as the seconds stretched on into a minute, she felt her gut drop. Did he really not have faith in her?
In reality, he was greatly conflicted, but eventually he reluctantly lowered his arms, letting her slide down his body and once again stand on her own two feet. He did think she was capable, just not more capable than if he was there with her.
After having been reacquainted with the ground, she tilted her head back, carefully reading the silent message he was trying to convey to her as she ran both her hands down his biceps and forearms.
"Thank you," she said, tracing his arms one last time before slipping away from him entirely. But she hardly took a foot outside of the bridge before pausing to look back at him. "Did you want to see me out?"
The tension in his muscles rippled and bulged once again as his displeasure regenerated. Silently brooding, he stalked past her, leading them outside. He was still very much against this idea, but she appreciated his support nonetheless.
The only thing that brought herself comfort was knowing Price was gone. That in itself greatly reduced the danger. Now, that didn't mean she was stupid enough to let her guard down, on the contrary, she was going to be on high alert, but she certainly didn't need a hovering, overprotective bodyguard watching her every move.
Feeling herself become agitated, she counted to ten and dropped her eyes to rivet her attention on something mundane and ordinary as a disciplinary exercise. The first thing she noted was the vibrant green grass of the field they had landed on.
She assumed this must have been used for soccer practice, if the soccer goals lined in the distance were anything to go by. Breathing the fresh air, she noted the unique green scent of recently cut grass, trimmed to a fine, neat height, perfect for kids to play on.
This must be a very popular, public area, she realized, wondering how much effort was required for Mr. Harrigan to set this up for them, and in such short notice too. Of course, they wouldn't be here for long, an hour or so at most, but the likelihood was that it would be much less. It should hardly disturb the usual activities if everything went as planned, and there wouldn't be any evidence that anything had been here at all.
Unless, her mind suddenly conjured a completely new image, one spawned by a random thought. She imagined a group of kids standing around the unique shape Tomak's new ship would likely leave behind on the field. Forget crop signs, any field could likely yield a similar result. That was if her eyes were not fooling her and the ship was not completely resting, but in fact, hovering a few centimeters off the ground.
She was just about to ask Tomak her absurd and very random question, when she saw movement in the distance. A black car was parking on the edge of the parking lot facing them. It must have been her ride, and Tomak must have realized it too.
She felt the tension pouring off of her companion and gave him a brief once-over, going as far as hugging his side. "You gonna be okay while I'm gone?" she asked tentatively.
He tilted his head down, meeting her large inquisitive brown eyes. Although he was irritable, he could not stay angry with her, despite his strained efforts. Enfolding his arms over his meaty chest, he chuffed, avoiding the pleasant features of her soft heart-shaped face to brood some more. "You know how I feel about this."
To Rae's ears it was almost an accusation, but Rae knew not to take it as such, knowing it was just the natural roughness of his voice. Smiling comfortingly, she pressed her face into his side, her arms hugging him tighter, failing to completely encircle his waist. "I'm going to a hospital for sick people, nobody will hurt me there, big guy. Promise."
He rumbled an incoherent response, getting her to smile wider before she kissed his hardened flesh and pulled away. His gaze seemingly turned molten, the temperature around them now having felt to have risen a few degrees. It made her chest tighten in a strangely thrilling way; a false anxiety.
Resisting the urge to shiver, Rae gave him one more smile before stepping out into the open field. "I'll see you in a bit!" she called, running off to the other end of the large green field.
Tomak watched her go, noting from afar how the driver stepped out of the vehicle and shook her hand, even opening the door for her. It made him edgy and irritable.
Scanning the male's vitals, Tomak did not find any proof of the male finding her attractive or even a spike of nervousness to reveal any deceit on his side. He was an older male, who appeared genuinely happy to assist his female, even despite his own obvious injuries. His arm was in a sling, likely supporting the shoulder that from his scans held minor inflammation.
Discovering this, he wondered if this was a soldier that had come to his female's aid a few nights ago, and was now given a commission by the human male Rae trusted so much, Harrigan.
There was a chance she was right, that no harm would come to her, but seeing the vehicle pull away and drive out of his immediate sight, a growl bubbled up within his chest.
He needed a distraction if he wanted to heed Rae's request for him to remain where he was.
Taking a large breath, he went back inside the ship and decided that charting a course to Korari would be wise. He did not want to chance hitting another asteroid field in case this ship also had a faulty hyperspace engine, which could be easily avoided if he skirted around any questionable areas marked in the star chart. Then again, the ship was old enough that the reliability of the outdated star chart was questionable, he would need to be cautious if he was to proceed with his idea.
Walking through the halls of the ship, Tomak scanned every section of the hull a third time. Thankfully for their sake it was in good condition. And due to Rae's ingenuity, the power had been restored to three-hundred percent capacity.
He finished off his inspection in the cockpit where he sat down heavily in the command chair. Breathing deeply he managed the spark of doubt that simmered in the back of his mind. He had every intention to take her home to his clanship, but it could not be their first stop.
He needed to be smart about introducing her to his clan. They would not take her in if they knew what she was, which was why he needed to prove her worth first, before they found out. Of course, with all the sensors in the ship, they would undoubtedly detect her energy signature, but that could be explained, her identity mark however, could not.
If they saw the Corvius Flame, they would kill her without question, thinking her to be the enemy he knew she wasn't.
He would protect her to his dying breath, but he could not arrogantly assume that he could take on every hunter in the clan at the same time, nor one after the other. There were just too many. He had to be reasonable, which meant they needed to hide the mark, keep it hidden, and he knew of just the substance that could work to their advantage.
He hated being secretive and hiding evidence, it was the quality of a badblood, but it would be against his honor and his heart if he let anything happen to her. He couldn't protect his mother, but he could certainly protect Rae, that he was certain of, and in time he knew the clans would too.
So although the ship was in great repair to travel to the system he was thinking, he wanted to put in place a contingency plan. As this thought traced in the background of his mind, faded red stipples of light began to emanate from the transmission's processor, which eventually altered into an unblemished holographic image that appeared on the cockpit's dash.
"By the gods, it is good to see the Dark One has not claimed you yet, brother. I was beginning to think you would not be returning in one piece."
Tomak chuckled, lifting his eyes to the yautja he hadn't seen in some time. "It is good to see you too La'mech."
The older male hunter with sand dusted scales and brown stripes was sitting at his desk, his eyes exhibiting a tiredness, but he hid it well for the most part. Tomak was aware he had likely called on one of his busier days.
"So?" he looked at him pointedly with an expectant gesture of his hands. "Are you going to divulge some need-to-know details or are you leaving me to predict your unexpected disappearance on my own?"
Tomak chuffed. He should have expected this. "I was pulled out of hyperspace too early and flaunted into an asteroid field. I was forced to crash land on Earth where my ship was destroyed. Fortunately, I managed to locate another craft that was detained by humans. This is how I was able to create a strong enough connection to contact you."
La'mech was silent as he listened, receptive as always to his words. It was one of the qualities he admired of him, always quick to listen and slow to speak, rare amongst the yautja.
Breaking his silence, the slightly older male chuckled. "I am certain Guan will give you a hard time about it when you return. When can we expect you?"
"Not yet, I still have one hunt I wish to complete. In case something were to happen a second time, it's on the planet Korari."
"You are not one to take such precautions," he noted carefully.
"Well," he spoke cautiously, "I am not alone."
La'mech appeared intrigued by this small news, but before he could question him further about it, Tomak intervened.
"How is A'dah?"
Knowing he was avoiding the topic, he narrowed his eyes briefly, but obliged him. "She is well. Though she does not admit it, with your prolonged disappearance she has grown restless. She thinks of you often."
He nodded with acknowledgement. "Do not tell her of my return."
"Do you wish for my death so soon, brother?" he chuckled humorously.
Tomak chuffed, in disagreement. "You are far too valuable to the clan and she knows it," he looked at him pointedly. "See to it that she knows upon my arrival, not any sooner."
"It will be done," he conceded, thumping his fist against his chest in an honorable gesture.
But Tomak didn't end the call just yet. "There is another matter I must discuss with you," he sighed, deciding how he should bring it up.
"Does this have anything to do with your mysterious passenger?" he treaded lightly, unsure of Tomak's temperament regarding it.
"Yes," he nodded in acceptance. "I am bringing a female from Earth."
"The backwater planet?" he questioned curiously. "What for?"
"I am to take her as a permanent mate, a life mate," he added, holding his brother's gaze fiercely. Although he knew La'mech's personality to be calmer than most yautja, he was prepared for a rare show of anger from the yautja. He would stand up to any opposition regarding Rae, his honor mandated it.
"A human?" Though he was indeed shocked by his statement, La'mech recovered quickly. "I would have never guessed that such a species would entice you, Tomak."
"She is... different," he spoke carefully. "I trust you will keep this between us. You might be the only one I can trust with her."
La'mech's mandibles fluttered tensely, unsure of his rather cryptic explanation. "I will not speak of it, though you have intrigued me. I look forward to meeting this unique female."
"I would also appreciate it if you could educate yourself on her general anatom–"
"I am a medic," he interjected flatly, his gold eyes flaunting at that, "and a hunter. There is little I do not know of the species, but I will refresh my knowledge on human fertility and compatibility with our seed if that so pleases you," he goaded, enjoying Tomak's growl.
"It is not so simple," he stressed. "She is... different."
"So you have said." La'mech tilted his head, fascinated by his hesitancy to speak. "What makes her... different?"
Using half-truths he explained that she was experimented on in her youth which gave her her abilities and that yautja blood had been used to heal her from a sickness she had from birth. La'mech may have been a wise and trusted friend, but he did not want him knowing her true identity. If he wanted him to accept her, she needed to be there in-person where he could see for himself how non-threatening she was.
She wasn't their enemy, she was different from the others, and she could prove it to them.
"Her anatomy is what it is from birth, no amount of experimentation can change the basic building blocks that make up what she is. But," he relented, "I will also familiarize myself with the fertility of like-species if that will appease you."
He grunted, finding it acceptable.
"Now if you will excuse me, your resurrection has suddenly made me very busy."
Tomak snorted, his mandibles pulling out into a grin, "It is good to see you, La'mech."
"Likewise, old friend. Now do the rest of us a favor and stay alive this time."
Crossing his arms, he stared at him unwaveringly. "Death was never a concern."
"Good. Keep it that way."
At that, the hologram fizzled out, and Tomak was left alone to ponder the next step to ensure Rae's safety.
Entering through the tall glass doors, Rae walked into the hospital with wariness. Having not a clue as to where to go, she went to the front desk's receptionist. Thankfully, there wasn't a line.
"Hi, um," she thought about how to start this. "A friend of mine called ahead. I'm looking for Jamie's room. Jamie Colt?"
"Are you Rae Veetra?" she asked.
Rae nodded stiffly at the usage of her full name, "Yes, I am."
"If you could write and sign your name on that form over there," she pointed in the general direction of a clipboard as she typed something onto her keyboard, her eyes wandering over the screen. "And you will be looking for room forty-two, that's two flights up and the room will be on your left. Please make sure to sign out when you leave."
Looking over to where the sign-in sheet was, she dipped her head in thanks. "Thank you so much."
"No problem."
After putting down her name and signature, as well as the time of day, she turned for the elevator only to decide that stairs were the healthier and less claustrophobic choice. Tomak would have preferred she take it easy since she had been through quite a bit the last week, but Rae knew her limitations, stairs wouldn't stop her, and being in a cell-like box inside of a clinical building was only asking for trouble.
When she reached the second floor, she turned left and looked for the numbers on each door, finding that she was close, already at number forty-eight.
A lady at the desk on this floor looked up at her briefly from her computer before getting back to whatever she was typing.
Smiling politely, Rae went on her way down the hall watching as the numbers began to decrease. She was thankful. The sooner she got there, the sooner she could leave.
She hated the odor that lingered here. It predominantly smelled like disinfectant, which meant it was clean, but it just reminded her of Price's labs, which put her on edge more than anything else.
Finally, much to her own relief, she found room forty-two. Standing there at the door, she tried to ignore the nervousness that had suddenly come over her. She hoped everything would work out, she hoped she could do what she came here to, but honestly had no idea if it was even possible. Other than meeting Jamie, this trip could be a waste for what she intended.
No, stop! she silenced the influx of doubt. Just go in there and try, she reminded herself, managing to talk herself down. She could do this. "Okay," she breathed, lifting her hand slowly to knock on the door.
The sound of her knuckles lighty rapping against the polished wood almost echoed, but it was most likely in her head. Then she heard movement from the other side followed by the muffled voice of a man, "Come in!"
There was no backing out of it now. Holding her breath, she turned the door handle and heard the inner dial click and release, allowing her access inside.
The first person she saw was the father. He was a taller man, about the average six foot, but as she entered, he slowly stood to stand, his face carrying a tired calmness.
Taking in his kind expression, she quietly stepped inside and gently closed the door behind her. Turning back around she took a peak toward the bed on the far right, where the little boy was sitting with a jigsaw puzzle.
She let out a breath, her heart breaking at the sight of him. He looked so young and helpless sitting in that bed, his soft little hands picking through the few pieces he had left of the small puzzle. He wasn't much older than she was when she had been sick, only he had lost all of his hair from his chemotherapy. He was so beautiful though with his soft features and big enormous hazel eyes that lifted as her presence was made known. She could see his mom in him.
"I heard from a nurse you would be coming to visit," the father stretched out his hand, which she readily took, shaking firmly. "I'm Nathan," then he nodded towards the bed, "and this is Jamie. Jamie say hi."
"Hi," he shyly hugged one of his fluffy blue blankets as he stared at her.
"Hi Jamie," she lowered her voice sweetly seeing the young boy perk up at her friendly tone. "It's nice to meet you both, my name is Rae."
"You don't look like a doctor," Jamie frowned thoughtfully as he observed her casual clothing, making Rae smile.
Looking to the father for permission first, she continued to converse with him. "No, I'm not. I'm actually a friend of your mom's."
"Really?" he asked with big bright eyes.
"Yes," she looked over to Nathan who was once again watching from the chair in the corner. "We go way back," she clarified, carefully sitting down at the end of his bed.
"Is she coming soon?" he asked next, hope interlaced in his small voice.
Rae looked to the father for help in answering this, only to notice his saddened expression, his eyes lowering to the floor. He took the liberty in answering the question for her. "Mama said she had some things to take care of, buddy, but we'll be visiting her real soon."
Jamie seemed to accept this answer.
"What are you working on?" she peered down at the puzzle pieces that were scattered atop the bedsheets, awaiting to construct the rest of the picture that was sitting on a hard flat food tray.
"Spider-man," his voice was so soft, she almost didn't hear him. He was adorable.
"Spider-man huh?" she looked down at the forming picture. It was a twenty-four piece, so the image was pretty clear already. The green goblin was sorely missing some body parts, but she got the idea of what was happening. "So is Spider-man your favorite superhero?"
"Yeah."
"Tell her about your mask, buddy," his father urged.
Turning back to Jamie she smiled in fake shock, "No way, you have a spider-man mask?!"
Shyly he dropped his eyes, but she saw the smile plastered over his little face.
"That is way cool!" she enthused, getting the boy to come out of his shell a little more. "What do you like about him?"
He shrugged, looking at his dad, who chuckled at his shy behavior.
"Go on buddy, she isn't going to bite," he coaxed.
Clasping his little hands, he avoided her eyes and quietly informed her, "Red and blue are my favorite colors."
It took her a moment before realizing that was what he liked about the character, he wore his favorite colors. "I like those colors too," she smiled, watching him put a corner piece in.
She quietly and patiently watched him put a couple more puzzle pieces in place, before she attempted the discussion she needed to have. "So I heard you haven't been feeling well," Rae prompted, tentatively reaching out to rub his arm gently. In doing so, she felt the weakness lurking under the radar, its unnatural flow making her frown thoughtfully.
"Yeah," he said quietly, not adding too much to her statement. He accepted it, and it struck her heart.
"What if I told you I may have a cure," she watched as the little boy looked at her with large eyes, making her heart feel like it was going to implode. "But you have to do exactly as I say," she looked at him seriously.
"Okay," he sat up taller. He was so cute, so eager.
"And your dad has to agree to never speak of it to anyone," they both looked at Nathan.
The man snorted, crossing his legs as he leaned further back in his chair. He looked at her then his son, "My lips are sealed," he ran his fingers from one side of his mouth to the other in a show of zipping his mouth shut.
Rae knew what the man was thinking. He probably thought she was playing a game with his son. He would see soon enough though.
Turning back to the now excited little boy, Rae smiled rubbing her hands together, "Okay, we're going to use a bit of magic to do it, but in order for it to work you need to wear a blindfold," she looked around for one and the little boy offered a small blanket from his bed. Tying it around his head, she booped his nose, getting him to laugh. "You can't see anything, right?" she tested.
"No," he grinned, showing his cute little teeth.
"How many fingers am I holding up?" she put up two fingers.
"Ummm, a hundred," he smiled big, being silly.
"A hundred?!" she squawked. "How many fingers do you think I have?" she spoke outrageously, filling his lungs with contagious laughter. Waiting for him to calm down and catch his breath, she smiled, "Try again."
"Five," he chirped out a reasonable number this time.
"That's better, now stay still." She encouraged him to put his little hands on her shoulders, which allowed her to place her own hands on either side of his ribcage. Taking a slow easing breath, she focused her attention on the various areas of sickness, sensing where the disruption of energy was located inside of him.
It was bad. The cancer was littered everywhere, but mostly in his bones, she wondered if this was leukemia since she was certain it developed in the bone marrow. This poor kid was on the fast track, she had never felt such weakness, and she was utterly shocked he had the energy he did to interact at all.
She prayed that this worked, that she didn't give the family false hope. Finishing a silent prayer, she felt her energy begin to flow down her arms and to her hands. The second her hands began to glow, she heard the father in the corner make a strangled sound of shock. In half a second he was up on his feet like he was about to interfere, but the sound of his son's giggles seemed to stop him in his place.
"It tickles," Jamie laughed, wiggling in her hold again.
"I know, I'm sorry," Rae grimaced, trying to maintain the flow. "Just try and hold still a little longer, bud." Within a matter of seconds she had given everything she had and her hands returned to normal.
Feeling like she sprinted up a dozen staircases, she breathed deeply and looked up at Jamie who was already pulling at the blindfold.
"Jamie, are you okay?" his father asked, his body still tense from what he just witnessed.
"Yep!" he looked up at his dad with bright, happy eyes.
Hiding her fatigue the best she could, Rae got to her feet and roved her hand over his body a moment before giving the boy an affectionate and relieved smile, "You're all better." His happy whoop made her chuckle.
Ignoring his son, the man had taken a hesitant step closer to her. "Are you being serious?" hope gleamed desperately within his irises, his face ridden with a tiredness she could relate to.
Turning towards him, she nodded, "Yes. Have the doctor do a blood test if you don't believe me."
"He's cancer free?" his voice shook, and it nearly broke her.
"Before when I touched him, I felt a weakness that spread all through him, but now," she placed her hand on the fidgeting boy's shoulder, "I don't feel that anymore. His energy is strong and uninterrupted now."
The man choked, happy tears welling up in his tired eyes. Turning to his son then, he practically fell to his knees, gathering the boy into his arms and hugging him tightly. A muffled sob escaped him as he held him close.
Jamie, having no idea why his father was crying, lowered his head on his dad's shoulder. "Don't cry daddy," he tried to comfort, only making him choke harder.
Even Rae was on the verge of tears. The visual alone of Jamie in his father's arms reminded her of herself hugging her own father after her miraculous recovery. His astonished whispers did not leave her memory even to this day.
It worked. It really worked. Thank the creator. Thank the creator.
She inhaled sharply, hot tears blurring her vision. Don't, she warned herself. She told herself she wouldn't cry. Not here. Not in this hospital. Now was not the time to get emotional.
Knowing it would be wise to excuse herself from the room, she turned to leave, only to be stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Turning in surprise, she was suddenly and most unexpectedly hauled into a firm, chaste hug by none other than the father, his sobs still wracking though his body and threatening to tear her reservations down as well.
Thankfully, he pulled away, regaining some control of his wayward emotions. She could only imagine how long he had held that all in, the many nights he must have stayed awake to watch over his little boy, probably wondering when he would take his last breath.
"Can I give you money? Not that I could repay you for how much you've done," with shaking hands, he went for his pockets, fighting to pull out his wallet.
With wide eyes, Rae lifted her hands to stop him, uncomfortable with the idea of him giving her anything. He was likely up to his head in hospital bills and she didn't want to have any part in deepening his debt. So she spoke up, "No, please don't, I can't accept that. Besides, I don't need it." She really didn't. She doubted paper dollar bills would be the state-of-the-art currency used in the worlds above.
Dumbfounded by her words, the man stood there with tear filled eyes. "Well there has to be some way we can show our appreciation."
"There is. You can promise me that you won't tell anyone about this."
"No one?" Jamie asked, almost pouting.
Kneeling down, Rae held Jamie's hands and looked within his eyes. "Like spider-man's secret identity, what happened here has to be our little secret, no one else can know."
"What about mommie?"
She conceded, "Okay, your mom is an exception, you can tell her what happened, but no one else. Promise?"
"Promise," Jamie held out his little pinkie, "pinkie swear."
Rae smiled, enjoying his adorable nature and wrapped her pinkie around his much smaller one. "Thank you Jamie." Looking adoringly down at the little boy, she felt another tug at her heart as she leaned over to give him a hug. Which Jamie was more than happy to give, squeezing her as much as he could with his little arms.
Releasing him, she stood up once again and looked to the father, who was staring at her in wonder.
"Why us? You could have chosen anyone in this building, why do this for us?"
She stared at him with sad eyes, considering his question, "I–" she thought over her next words carefully. She didn't want to go into her abduction or how Amanda had something to do with it, so she decided to explain herself in a different way. "I guess Jamie just reminded me of myself. If someone had healed me when I was little, with no strings attached, my life would have been infinitely easier," she silently added that her father may have still been alive and present with her now, though she did not voice that. "I don't want Jamie to suffer the same life I did at his age. Standing off to the side wasn't an option, I had to help; I wanted to."
Likely surprised to have learned she had a similar childhood, he nodded, more than accepting her answer. "Thank you, thank you for saving my boy," his voice trembled. "What do we say bud?" he looked down at his son expectantly.
Jamie met his father's eyes then smiled at her real big. "Thank you!" he chirped cheerfully from his bed.
"You're welcome," she smiled.
Feeling her own emotions clog within her chest, she waved her goodbye and stepped out of the room, making sure to close the door behind her with a secure click before she did cry in front of them. Taking a deep breath, she tried to make herself presentable as she passed the many nurses and patients on her way to the exit.
She didn't even entertain the idea of going down the stairs this time. She didn't have it in her as she did before. If her lack of energy wasn't warning enough, her dizziness was. Barely making it to the elevator in time, she pressed the button for the main floor and leaned heavily against the back door, her grip on the handle crushing.
Stay conscious, she cautioned herself. The last thing she wanted was to pass out in a hospital of all places. She didn't need them trying to help with something they didn't understand. She just needed to sit down and get some fluids in her and then she would be fine.
Getting herself out and not looking like a marathon runner that collapses out of sheer exhaustion, nor a stumbling drunk was advised. But her wobbling knees and her sudden light-headedness almost scrapped her goal.
Focus, she grit her teeth, tersely reprimanding herself and forcing her legs to stand strong.
The ding of the elevator alerted her to its opening before she carefully straightened and strode out, not before scribbling her name on the sign-out sheet, she doubted it was legible anyway with how fast she did it.
The moment she was outdoors, she inhaled sharply and purposefully taking in a refreshing breath of air that replaced that awful artificial sanitized smell that had filled her lungs. The fresh air did wonders for her swirling head and helped her maintain her concentration on the parked black car waiting for her off to the side.
And she was immediately noticed by the pleasant driver, who was waiting patiently inside. Mr. Brown, or as he requested, Gabriel.
His kind smile gave her all the strength she needed to march across the parking lot to her seat in the back. Despite her attempts, Gabriel had made it clear that he had volunteered to act as her chauffeur, and he intended to make it as relaxing as possible.
"So," he put the car in drive and slowly began pulling out of the parking lot, "how did it go?"
It had been such a dad question, she delayed her response with a tired, amused smile, appreciating his genuine interest.
She resisted the tempting urge to give Gabriel the simple answer almost all children gave their parents to that question, and instead answered truthfully. "It went well. I was never really good with goodbyes though."
"I don't know many that are," he attempted to mollify.
Finally letting out the breath she had been holding, Rae relaxed further into the leather seat, turning to watch the hospital fade from view. Even fighting fatigue, she felt her heart swell in overjoyed happiness at the relief she brought that small family.
Amanda deserved a lot of things coming her way, prison, isolation, being stripped of her credentials as a scientist, but she didn't deserve to hear about and watch her only son die. Maybe saving his life had been that last message to her that she was above Price's way of doing things, that she was better than that. But in no way did she forgive her. Perhaps one day she could, but not now.
It would take years for her to bury the trauma and anguish she faced in those labs with no one to truly trust to come to her or Damon's aid. Amanda was among the ones that had snuffed out her hope, driven her back into the dark place she tried fervently to stay away from.
That same darkness still crept about in the recesses of her mind, only showing itself when she was most vulnerable, especially in her nightmares.
Sniffing sharply, she flung the awful thoughts away and stared ahead as Gabriel took a left onto the ramp leading to the highway. She was thankful he didn't prolong the drive back. She craved to be in Tomak's presence again and experience the raw masculinity of his arms. Just the sound of his slow beating heart could evoke a sensation in her that soothed, and his warm fixed expressions always build up her broken spirit.
"Did you need me to stop somewhere and get you a drink or food? It's my treat," he offered kindly, making her smile.
As much as she wanted to see Tomak though, her body had demands that she usually met by this time after draining herself. "Actually, just water would be great. I don't need anything special."
Not a second later, he passed her an unopened water bottle, "Here."
"Oh, I can't take your water," she tried to decline, but he was insistent.
"You're not," he assured, "I brought an extra one for you in case you were thirsty."
She was surprised by his thoughtfulness and gratefully took the plastic bottle. "Thank you," she twisted the cap off and lifted it hungrily to her lips. She felt deprived of water and tasting it on her tongue only amped up her desire for more until she had chugged down the whole thing.
Screwing the cap back on the empty bottle, she held onto it as she slumped into the seat, breathing a little heavier.
"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" He looked at her through the rearview mirror doubtfully.
"I'm sure," she smiled with closed eyes, enjoying being the passenger for once.
Sensing her exhaustion, he let the current car atmosphere taper off to allow her the rest she needed. What Rae didn't expect to happen was fall asleep on the short trip back. What was normally a twenty minute ride, with the help of sleep, felt like five measly seconds. Not nearly enough to feel satisfied.
"Hey, uh Rae?" Gabriel's gentle voice effectively pulled her from a sleepy haze to a pin-point focus. Sitting straight up, she clutched the door and immediately looked out all her windows, checking to make sure she hadn't been taken off-course, not that she didn't trust Gabriel, she just couldn't take any chances.
Rolling down his window, he stuck out his head, looking out toward the seemingly empty field. "You sure this is it? This is where you wanted to be dropped?" he questioned.
Rae smiled, also peering out the window, her trained eyes and enhanced vision easily noting the shimmer of the large ship ahead. "This is great. Thank you for your service Gabriel."
He chuckled rather lowly, lowering his gaze. "It was nothing, really. I wish I could do more for you."
Leaning forward in her seat, Rae pressed her hand to his good shoulder with a genuine smile, "No, it was much more than that. Risking your life to get me out isn't for the faint of heart. I will never forget what you did for me."
His mouth twitched, turning into a sheepish smile, "Well... your welcome."
Opening the backdoor, Rae stepped out and turned to Gabriel one more time, "Take care of yourself."
"You as well," he tipped his hat to her, about to pull away only to hesitate. "Are you sure you don't want me to wait for your other ride to get here? I'd hate to leave you alone."
Rae laughed, her eyes brightening immensely as she took a few steps back in the direction of the field, "It's okay. I'm not alone."
He seemed a little confused by her statement, but conceded, "Alright then." Reversing out of the edge of the field, and back on the road, he gave a friendly farewell toot, before driving away.
Once he was completely out of view, Rae wasted no time trekking across the freshly cut grass towards what she hoped would become her new haven.
Nearing where she recalled seeing the ramp before, she welcomed the sight of Tomak materializing at the top, his arms folded, and his lean muscular body leaning against the hatch's frame. Even as tired as she was, she felt her heart stutter in her chest at the sight of him.
"Was your pursuit successful?" his deep bass voice made her swallow, her mouth suddenly felt dry again. She needed more water.
Nodding, she gave him a small, pleased smile, remembering Jamie and Nathan's expressions. "It was. They were very appreciative."
Staring at her as she approached him, he ran his eyes over her body, inspecting and noting the subtle drag of her feet and the tired slow blink of her eyelids. "You have much honor, gorgeous."
Her heart warmed at his compliment and she leaned in his direction, wrapping her arms around his torso. "Thank you," she whispered against him, her body inwardly groaning at the incredible feeling of his arms gathering her closer to his heat, the warmth now pressed up tightly against her. If it were possible, she would sleep here, in his arms, but one thought prevented such a satisfying activity.
"So," she stepped back, lightly clearing her throat. Her heart pattered nervously in her chest at the prospect of what would happen next. "Are we doing this then?" she peered up at him, meeting his gold, yellow eyes.
"Doing this?" he chuckled, tilting his head as he considered her.
"You know," she sighed anxiously. "You gonna beam us up, Scotty?"
He cocked his head even more.
"It's a Star Trek reference. You've– you know what, never mind," she laughed softly to herself as she entered the ship, an attempt to hide her true feelings.
Tomak saw through all of it though, and kindly reached for her.
The touch of his hand to hers effortlessly tugged her out of the negative cloud that was making her doubt, and the sensation of his fingers interlacing and gliding inbetween her own made her tingle and her breath hitch. Staring up into his eyes then, she felt her heart throb in her chest.
His eyes absolutely glowed, his pupils wide and searching as he examined her closely. Without even saying a word, she knew he was aware of what was going through her mind, but the look he was giving her was explicit. He wanted her to open herself to him, something she was really struggling with.
She was so used to fending for herself these last several years, she was still unaccustomed to relying on someone else and sharing her innermost thoughts. Now, was especially hard as she faced the fork in her road.
Truthfully, she was terrified of what was to come. It didn't matter if they had discussed it and Naomi had encouraged her to go and take the leap, it still didn't make the decision easier.
She had no other reason or excuse to stay any longer, he had fulfilled his side of the bargain and took her to see Jamie, now she had to hold her end.
Expressing this was not easy, and it took way more courage than she thought she had, but eventually she told him this, thankful that he was quick to listen and very slow to speak, absorbing everything.
After about a moment of thinking to himself, he carefully pulled her arm closer to him in a silent and gentle request to follow him.
Swallowing her saliva down her tight vocal cords, she forced the first step before the next few fell in place. Tightening her fingers over the skin between his large digits, she obediently followed him all the way to the bridge where she looked out of the large viewing window seeing the city's tall buildings in the distance, as well as the remaining soccer field.
"I do not want to take you from your home, Rae," he purred gently, the claw of his thumb caressing the top of her hand. "If your heart is here and it cannot be convinced, then I will go where you go."
She blinked the tears in her eyes and swiftly spun in his hold, turning to look at him. "What?"
Stepping forward, he cupped her cheek with his free hand and cooed softly, clearing away her tears. "My soul is tied to yours, gorgeous. If this is where your heart lies, then I will stay with you."
A choked sob broke her defenses, her eyes weeping uncontrollably as she pressed herself against him, untying their hands and fully wrapping herself around him to be as close as possible. "How can you say that, Tomak? What about your home? Your family?"
"You are both," his deep voice hummed around her.
She shook her head, face completely hidden against his abdomen. "You have sacrificed so much for me already..." she couldn't have him sacrifice more. She wasn't worth that.
Forcing her head up, he purred adoringly, "Spending a lifetime with you is worth any sacrifice." He was adamant about this. "So answer me truthfully, gorgeous. Will staying here make you happy?"
"I..." she delayed her response, thinking about it instead.
It would have been easy to say yes, this was where she was comfortable, where everything came easy. Up there she knew nothing, she would have to work harder to learn and belong in Tomak's culture, she knew that. So either she stayed here and took the easy way out, or she took a chance and started that new chapter that had all sorts of new opportunities.
Staying was instant gratification that wouldn't last, she could see it now, Tomak wouldn't want to stay here forever, he was born in the stars, his life and ambitions were up there.
Looking up into the sky from the viewport, she took a breath. She couldn't deny that there was something up there that called to her, something she wanted to explore. The only thing getting in the way was herself. She had to trust Tomak, get out of her own way, and take action; delay the gratification.
Turning back to Tomak, she met his eyes and shook her head, "No. I don't want to stay here."
His eyes narrowed, "You are certain of this?" he looked at her earnestly, wanting to make absolutely sure she had thought it over. "If you are only saying this for my benefit–"
"Not just for you," she assured. "Yes, this was where I was born and raised, this is what I'm most familiar with, but you," she smoothed her hand down the slope of his chest, "you are my home."
"Your home?" he purred, his eyes roving over her face.
"Yes, Tomak. Wherever you go, I will follow. At times, it might not be easy for me, but I will overcome it with your help."
Leaning down, he purred louder, gently bumping his crown against her forehead, the tusks of his mandibles ticklishly caressing her cheeks. She could see an excitement in his eyes as he looked at her. "You will not be disappointed," he promised with fervor.
She smiled at that. "How could I possibly be disappointed when I'm with you?"
Holding her look, any attempt at lowering the volume or muffling the intensity of his purr was lost. So he carefully took her and directed her to sit as he himself took the pilot seat at the large console, his hands moving knowingly over the sequence for a successful pass through the planet's atmosphere.
Rae's attention was quickly captured as several colors lit up under the surface area beneath Tomak's hands, lights switched from red to green and the area beneath his palms changed from an electric blue to a bright yellow. She continued to watch with rapt interest, trying to decipher what it all meant when his right hand pulled toward his body.
She gasped, clutching her seat tightly as she felt a slight change in pressure, the ship now rising higher and higher above the ground and further into the seemingly endless sky. Seeing nothing but clouds strangely did not agree with her center of balance, and she swiftly shut her eyes, listening now only to the powerful hum of the engines and the sensation of being pressed down further in her seat, she waited for the feeling to stop. And eventually, she heard the thrusters ease, and she settled comfortable in her seat once again.
"You can open your eyes now, gorgeous," Tomak chuckled humorously.
Doing as he said, she felt her stomach do flips as she looked out into a black space full of twinkling stars that lit every corner of the galaxy. "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" she whispered softly, leaning forward in her chair.
His answer was unexpected as he looked at her from the side, "I have seen much greater beauty."
Rae felt something like electricity pass through her seeing that he had been looking directly at her when he said it. But as if covering himself from such words, he rotated his hand on the console, turning the ship until the visual of her home came into full view.
She gasped, her eyes growing wide at the magnificent sight before them. Having been successfully distracted, she let her eyes wander over the lands with no borders, trying to identify what part of the world she was admiring. No words could describe how happy she was.
How many humans could say they saw their planet from outer space? Maybe several hundred at most? Still, it was special. A privilege reserved for only the brave and adventurous.
Running to another window that showed even more of her home, she pressed both her hands on the glass-like material. Her eyes roamed over the landscape before her, she could see north america and its various elevations, textures, and shades.
The planet itself was like a gigantic blue marble of cloudy white swirls overlapping various shades of blues, greens, and beiges, with a light blue halo surrounding its circumference. Absolutely majestic.
The world seemed so big from this perspective and she felt tiny, insignificant even. No matter how hard someone looked, people weren't visible, nor their activities, not even the largest skyscraper could be seen from this vantage point. Mankind from up here was like a microscopic bacteria, requiring a specialized tool to even see what was happening; easily overlooked. It was humbling as it was magnificent.
The hand that had remained on the cold glass, slowly slid down to rest at her side. She was doing it, she realized as the planet slowly became smaller with distance. She was going where literally no man, woman, or child had ever ventured before. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. There would be no going back, she had chosen her path, and now she felt prepared enough to walk in it.
Thankfully, she wasn't alone.
She pivoted in Tomak's direction, seeing the glossy black dreadlocks at the back of his head over the rise of the chair. He would be her guide in this new and strange life. He would help her conquer the new fears she would have and get her settled. This was only the beginning. There was so much to look forward to and she was ready to discover it all with him.
La'mech had barely closed out his communication with Tomak, when he heard a commotion outside his door. Paya, what now?
Not in the mood to greet whoever was at his door, he grudgingly entered the access code using his gauntlet from the comfort of his desk, allowing whoever was outside entry.
With a pressurized hiss, his door opened to the sight of Guan who had a broken mandible and several long and deep lacerations down his left arm and side. This was not unusual, something La'mech often saw from yautja that got into a fight, or rather lost one.
Hardly even greeting him, Guan limped inside continuing his argument with the burly yautja who followed behind him. "I did not need your help!" he snarled.
"Of course not," Kish'on chuffed in amusement, his tone a little more than derisive as he fully entered the room. After the door hissed shut behind them, he didn't waste time freeing his mask from his face, automatically stretching his mandibles as he connected it to his belt at the hip. Leveling his head, his upper tusks lifted in mirth as he looked from Gaun to La'mech, sharing with the medic a knowing look.
Oblivious to their silent communication, Gaun growled, plopping himself down on the examination table with a groan. "I was handling the situation!" he hissed angrily, his hand spreading over the laceration that was still swollen and sore, blood once again seeping from the wound.
"By receiving a beating I see," La'mech's eyes glowed with amused warmth as he placed his med kit next to the younger hunter.
Not appreciating being teased from both of his friends, Guan glared readily at them both, his tusks tucked in close to his mouth, his frustrated mumbling pout his only reply.
Chuckling, Kish'on sat beside him, patting Gaun's uninjured shoulder in an encouraging gesture. "Wear your scars proudly, I did not become renowned for my fighting skills by starting out a winner. I learned from my opponents as should you."
The smaller yautja huffed in irritation. "You did not need to step in," he grumbled, turning his face away from him.
Bumping his much larger shoulder into his playfully, Kish'on chuckled, "Pick your fights more wisely and I will not have to."
La'mech chuffed at that, sealing another one of Guan's wounds. "Even if you were winning, he would have still stepped in. If there is a fight on this clanship, this one will be right in the center of it," he gestured to the black yautja.
To this Kish'on snorted. Standing once again, he walked over to the medic's workstation curiously picking through his tools. "If it were not for you taking a lifemate, you would be using the same tactics to attract more," he shot back from over his bulky shoulder.
La'mech leveled a glare on him, "I am more than satisfied with my one mate. The thought of fighting to earn another's attention does not even enter my mind. Perhaps one day you will understand this."
Kish'on chortled, twirling one of the more costly medical tools deftly between his large fingers. Crossing his arms over his wide chest, he leaned against the wall as his eyes flicked up to the medic challengingly. "Doubtful."
Standing tall, La'mech growled irritably, snatching the expensive piece of hardware from the large yautja's paw, and placing it back in the order he had originally placed them in.
Seeing that he was getting to the older yautja, he chuckled.
"It would seem I am not the only one that finds your annoying presence to be taxing, brother," Guan snorted from the medical table.
Green eyes flaring, Kish'on let out a rattling rumble, dropping his arms and taking a threatening step towards the smaller yautja, who looked as if he was readying himself to run.
Having seen this behavior between the two on several accounts before, La'mech knew it always led to roughhousing, something he normally found amusing. Now, however, it was different. Standing between the two with a sharp snarl, La'mech pointed to the door commandingly. "I will not have you two trashing my unit! If you wish to act like pups, you will take this to the kehrite!"
His outburst caught the both of them off-guard, managing to diffuse the situation, at least for a short time.
Snorting arrogantly, Kish'on cross his arms once again resuming his previous position against the wall. "That will be unnecessary, brother. Gaun's pride has already been trampled, I do not intend to flatten it further."
Guan abruptly stood and let out an outraged roar, cursing his dark friend with colorful words which only made the large yautja laugh.
Rising over Guan's tone, La'mech silenced them both. "Enough! Take this outside, I will not hear another word of this." He ignored the way Kish'on stared at him, and the unsure glance Gaun gave. He understood why.
It took a lot to offset his patience being that it was one of his more predominating qualities. That was not seen now, however. And none of his companions seemed to know how to respond to it.
Glaring solidly at Kish'on, Guan slid off the table and stood tall, rolling his shoulders. After uttering a quick thanks to La'mech for treating his wounds, he made his leave with his head lowered.
Kish'on however did not follow him.
Waiting until they were alone, he turned to La'mech, with a scrutinizing look. "Something is off about you. You always have the patience to tolerate our ribbing. What is it that bothers you?"
"I was busy with work when you two stormed in, I need peace is all."
The large yautja was quiet at the admission, genuinely surprised he was as quick-tempered as he was, it was simply not in his character. In fact, it sounded more like himself than La'mech, and that did not sit well with him. Lingering in the charged silence between them and wanting to get to the bottom of this abnormality, he frowned, admitting, "I may not be as wise as some yautja, but I can see something eating inside of you as plainly as I could see a female in my bed."
La'mech growled at the yautja's crude words, not appreciating them, but the large yautja was not finished.
"All I am saying is, you are not yourself and it concerns me."
La'mech sighed, annoyed with his own lack of control. Out of the three, he was the oldest of them, not by an exaggerated stretch, but he was old enough that his experience was well beyond theirs. His maturity and wisdom was usually sought out. Aside from his abilities as a medic, he was known for his patience, a quality that was proving to be elusive at this time. "I am deep in thought Kish'on, though I appreciate your concern. You will find out soon enough what has been weighing so heavily on my mind."
"Does it have anything to do with Tomak?" he asked, his glowing green eyes assessing him carefully. In a hesitant tone he added, "I assumed they would leave his trophy collection be for several more–"
"It has nothing to do with that," La'mech waved his worries off. Everyone knew how close Tomak and Kish'on were. Their friendship had been a strong one since they were pups. Knowing this, La'mech carefully chose his words, "Like I said, you will find out soon enough, but I am under oath to remain silent."
Kish'on narrowed his eyes at that. "I see," he flared his mandibles. "Very well," he turned on his heel, taking his mask from his hip and placing it over his face. "Forgive my... intrusion," he snarled over his shoulder, swiftly exiting the space and blending in with the bustling halls outside.
Staring in the direction he left, La'mech huffed in annoyance. Ki'shon could be such a brute, short-fused as always.
But he could not say he was any better at this time.
He was concerned about the secrecy Tomak had curtained around this human female. He could not foresee the future, but he hoped he knew what he was doing. It was not everyday that a reputable warrior brought in an alien with the claim that they were to be mated.
Only time would tell if she would meet the clan's standards or not. He hoped she did for Tomak's at that. "I see," he flared his mandibles. "Very well," he turned on his heel, taking his mask from his hip and placing it over his face. "Forgive my... intrusion," he snarled over his shoulder, swiftly exiting the space and blending in with the bustling halls outside.
Staring in the direction he left, La'mech huffed in annoyance. Kish'on could be such a brute, short-fused as always.
But he could not say he was any better at this time.
He was concerned about the secrecy Tomak had curtained around this human female. He could not foresee the future, but he hoped he knew what he was doing. It was not everyday that a reputable warrior brought in an alien with the claim that they were to be mated.
Only time would tell if she would meet the clan's standards or not. He hoped she did for Tomak's sake.
Author's Note
Well there you go! So we are finally moving away from Earth and starting a whole new chapter in this story... literally. And I have introduced you to some of the new characters that we will be interacting with more as we go. Cannot wait! Please tell me what you thought, and out of the 3 new yautja, who are you most excited to learn about? (I've decided to turn this question into a poll, so please participate if you can. I will leave it open until I post the next chapter.)
I also wanted to mentioned that Chapter 33 will be a little slow going as I have a lot going on next month, but I will work on it when I can and try to post it as soon as it's ready, but I wanted to give you that little warning. Anyway, thanks again everyone and I really appreciate all the kind and encouraging comments! It means a lot.