Mau-Nis rounds a corner and is met by Leyyu. The unblooded youngster gazes at Mau-Nis with a worried expression. Leyyu’s mandibles hang slack and his eyes are wider than Mau-Nis would have ever thought possible. Leyyu nods respectfully and addresses his command leader.
“Command Leader…I…I,” Leyyu stammers. “We’ve completed our sweep of the station. All remaining oomans have been gathered into the ooman eating place. There are forty-one in all. Three are not of sound mind. One female bit the hand of warrior Meityu. He is fine. But he worries of contagion. If he will also become of unsound mind. And…”
At this point in his speech, Leyyu hesitates. He glances around furtively.
“We have not located the ooman scientist, Command Leader,” Leyyu says. “At least, not officially.”
Mau-Nis methodically removes his mask and peers at Leyyu with narrowed eyes.
“What do you mean…Not officially?” Mau-Nis growls.
“I witnessed…” Leyyu begins.
The unblooded youth shakes his head and takes a step back. Mau-Nis’ eyes narrow further and he takes a step forward.
“You witnessed what?” Mau-Nis hisses.
“On one of the upper decks…I witnessed a mating between an ooman female and a yautja hunter,” Leyyu recounts. “I was not able to identify the yautja in question. However, I am certain the ooman female…Was the ooman scientist we were ordered to bring back for interrogation. As for the ooman’s lover…He was bigger than most yautja. Bigger than even you, Command Leader. I know of only three yautja bigger than you. Unless…He was not of our team.”
Mau-Nis stands straighter than before, his mouth drawn tightly shut. He studies Leyyu very carefully.
“Are you certain…That what you witnessed was a mating between an ooman and a yautja?” Mau-Nis questions. “Is it possible…That you are mistaken?”
“No, Command Leader,” Leyyu insists. “The noises they made…Were both ooman, and those of a yautja. I was able to view the warrior’s hands as he stroked the ooman female’s chest mounds. It was definitely a yautja. The female…She made strange noises. Similar to those of a youngling wikir beast. There can be no mistaking it.”
Mau-Nis’ face twists into a cruel sneer and he leans toward Leyyu almost conspiratorially.
“You will tell nothing of what you have seen…To anyone,” Mau-Nis growls. “I will investigate this matter personally. If the other hunters get word of this…It might hinder my investigation. Tell no one.”
“Yes, Command Leader,” Leyyu says.
The young warrior prepares to walk away. Reconsidering, he stops on a line with his command leader.
“Do you think there is a traitor amongst us, Command Leader? Would one of our own dare betray us to the oomans?” Leyyu asks with naïve uncertainty. “A bribe? The ooman female’s life…For something else? I cannot believe such a thing could be true. Perhaps…There is another yautja here? A rogue?”
Mau-Nis grins cruelly and turns to fully face his subordinate. He ejects his arm blade and visually inspects it from end to tip.
“I don’t know what you witnessed, Leyyu,” Mau-Nis says. “But whatever the situation…I will deal with it. I am a true yautja. My word is my oath.”
Leyyu nods respectfully a second time and heads down the corridor. Mau-Nis retracts his arm blade and watches the yautja youth as he strides with purpose toward another part of the station. The grin quickly disappears from the command leader’s face. Replaced by an expression of indecision.
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Mau-Nis enters Dr. Wessinger’s office and glances around. The command leader’s eyes land on N-Vorl’s robe lying across the back of the couch. It is as he suspected—and feared. Sniffing the air, Mau-Nis catches a hint of Teresa’s scent. He stands perfectly still for a few moments more. Contemplating.
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When N-Vorl returns from his shower, Mau-Nis is seated at Dr. Wessinger’s desk. The command leader’s shoulders are slumped and he gazes across the room at nothing. N-Vorl sees no sign of Vor’taalnis.
“Mau-Nis? What do you have to report?” N-Vorl says. “Have you found my son?”
Mau-Nis’ eyes slowly shift to N-Vorl’s face. The command leader straightens, and then rises from the extremely uncomfortable ooman chair. Mau-Nis strides toward N-Vorl and stops only three feet from his future leader.
“You were seen, Elder,” Mau-Nis explains in a dry voice.
N-Vorl meets the steady gaze of his second-in-command. There is only a negligible height difference between the two yautja warriors—Mau-Nis is barely two inches taller than N-Vorl. However, where size is concerned—N-Vorl is the larger of the two.
“Seen? In what sense?” N-Vorl questions. “Do you mean to say that the others are aware of Dr. Boyd’s presence? That she is still alive and well on the station?”
Mau-Nis’ briefly averts his eyes before returning his attention to his elder’s bewildered face.
“One of my subordinates wandered into this part of the station,” Mau-Nis explains. “He sought to give me an update on our…Operation to purge the station. Upon doing so, he claims he heard…Noises. He chose to investigate. He witnessed you and the ooman doctor…Carrying on.”
N-Vorl’s eyes widen and his mouth folds flare with agitation. Mau-Nis lifts a hand before N-Vorl can speak.
“However…He stated that he was not able to identify the yautja warrior in question. Only that it was a yautja warrior of very large stature,” Mau-Nis reassures his anxious leader. “He was quite confused as to the nature of the encounter. He believes that we have been betrayed. That the ooman female has offered herself in exchange for information—or safe passage off of the station. This did worry me…At first. Yet, I reassured the young warrior that I would investigate the matter. I cautioned him to speak to no one about this. Nevertheless, something will need to be done.”
“What do you suggest?” N-Vorl says, his eyes flashing.
“I don’t suggest anything,” Mau-Nis replies. “I am not mission leader. However, if I may give you a word of advice, Elder? If you cannot control yourself around the female…I suggest you send her away from you. Get her off the station as soon as possible. Once we have purged the facility’s information…I can make the arrangements. Next time, it may not be possible for me to divert attention. We can continue to search for your son—.”
“That is out of the question, Mau-Nis,” N-Vorl exclaims bitterly. “And even if it were not…Where would you have me send her? Certainly not to Yautja Prime?”
“No,” Mau-Nis says without elaborating.
N-Vorl glares at Mau-Nis but holds back his anger. Mau-Nis is of the old blood. He thinks like every elder whom he has every served. But those ways of thinking are of the past. The more time N-Vorl has spent with Teresa, the more he has come to love her. He will not send away the mother of his descendant. He has already been too long without her.
“She is my mate, Mau-Nis,” N-Vorl insists. “She has borne my descendant. I was not there to hear his first sounds. I could not protect him from the spite of the oomans. I did not even know he existed. I will not…I cannot…Send Teresa away.”
Mau-Nis releases a grieved sigh and shakes his head solemnly.
“I know you will not wish to hear this…,” Mau-Nis says. “But I would do you a great disservice not to mention it. The ooman female can never be your mate, N-Vorl! Not if you truly wish to be elder. A decision will have to be made. You cannot have it both ways.”
“What if I do not wish to make such a decision?” N-Vorl challenges.
“Then, the matter will surely be decided for you,” Mau-Nis retorts, his patience growing thin. “Once the council learns of your relationship to the ooman…And of the existence of your male descendant…Any hopes you have of being elder will no longer be of consequence. You will be barred from serving as elder of any clan…For as long as you live. The same was true of your father…For a much more trivial crime.”
N-Vorl becomes thoroughly incensed. Clenching a fist at his side, he considers shaking it at Mau-Nis.
“You call the birth of my descendant a crime?” N-Vorl chitters angrily.
“As is your usual way…You read too much into my words,” Mau-Nis hisses. “Because you do not wish to hear them. What you have done…Puts every yautja on this station at risk. The deception. The risk of discovery by other oomans…Should they gain access to your son.”
Mau-Nis places his good hand on his hip, above his combistick.
“Which begs a question? When exactly did the ooman become heavy with your descendants?” Mau-Nis inquires, catching N-Vorl off-guard. “And when did you plan on informing Elder Glandis?”
N-Vorl simply stares at Mau-Nis, dumbfounded beyond words. Mau-Nis sighs and offers N-Vorl a sly smile.
“No matter. That is in the past,” Mau-Nis says. “We must look to the future. I will continue to seek the whereabouts of your son. I’ll order the others to conduct a final sweep. After which, we can commence the destruction of the facility. P’taal will be assigned to this level. So as to avoid any more…Incidents. I will keep you informed.”
Mau-Nis strides confidently from Wessinger’s office without another word. N-Vorl chitters with frustration and whirls in the direction of the door. His beaded dreadlocks whip about his head from the effort of turning around. The sooner they all leave this ooman station the better. But what to do about Teresa? And his son? Where will they go? It isn’t exactly like he can smuggle them aboard the ship. N-Vorl’s heart sinks with the realization there is only a slim possibility his new family will leave the ooman station intact.