Alex hadn’t noticed Nata’s reaction. He’d moved on as soon as Carbon had looked away, going to gather up Keta and Desaya and their wet-but-not-as-cold jackets. He took one for the team and scooped all of that into his arms, even the wet towels that they had generated. Points for whoever designed their translators, as they were looking to be waterproof, not merely resistant.
The Clan Mother watched him work, Astada’s chin stretched out on her shoulder, still asleep. If Alex had seen her doing that, he would say that she was appraising him.
“Hey guys. We’re going to go find the showers so you can actually warm up and dry off fully. Doctor’s orders.” He crouched down beside them, chattering teeth and miserable gaze turned his way. All of Kaseya’s hard work hadn’t done much other than make their faces look more normal. While appreciated, not that big a change. The rest of their bodies and clothes were still soaked. Alex stood with his bundle of wet garments and the shivering Entwined-to-be followed, everyone still dripping a little bit. “Man, I hope this floor is waterproof.”
“It is. It rains here frequently.” The Clan Mother gestured for them to follow her, heading back through the dining area in the center of the great house. Kaseya stuck to her side as they walked. The older woman waved to a few curious onlookers, stopping once to say something very quietly to a young woman who looked particularly startled. She leaned in, whispering into her ear with a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Whatever it was, it would stay private.
Alex assumed she had a translator, as that reply had been in Tsla. And while Kaseya still had the earpiece in, Nata had left with the device it was paired to.
She led them back, under the staircase, a glowing green EXIT sign visible from this angle marking a hallway that ran along the outer edge of the yurt-building. It looked to only serve as an emergency exit so anyone on the upper floors didn’t have to run through the front half of the building to leave, or try for the one in the kitchen. It made sense to him.
“Hey, I’ve heard two people call the little one Tado so far, but when I met Nata earlier she introduced him by a different name. Is that a nickname, or what?” It had been bothering him, and it seemed a perfectly safe thing to ask about.
“An old tradition that has been revived. When you live near wild lands, you should not use the young, trusting child’s real name when discussing them where a malevolent creature might hear, to prevent them from being stolen away.” She reached up and patted the child’s head. “Tado is among some very wild areas, and he is precious to us all. I do not believe in malevolent creatures stealing children, but it was nice to have everyone talking about what he should be called for about a week.”
Alex was quite sure that the only malevolent creatures stealing children were, as usual, people. “Huh, that’s neat. What does it mean?”
“A factory worker.” She chuckled softly. “It makes sense if you see him eat.”
Alex got a laugh out of it, too. “Well, that will surely throw off any creatures with ill intent.”
“So it should. Here it is. The far door ought to be unlocked.” The Clan Mother pushed the door open and held it for them, a short paved path leading directly to a smaller but similarly constructed yurt - and covered the entire way. Astada sneezed as a blast of cold air hit them, letting out an annoyed fuss as Alex and the rest of the group hurried past her.
While cold, they did not get any more wet. It wasn’t even ten meters away, a brief jog getting them there in seconds, and the doors were unlocked as promised. The overhead lights responded to movement and came on, illuminating everything with an almost sterile brightness. The interior here was laid out similarly to the great house but much more utilitarian, silver metal ribs holding the ceiling up, gloss white walls, and tan non-slip tile on the floor. The back half was split into men’s and women’s showers, walls taken up by several washing machines, one of which was industrial. A sizable folding table and some benches took up the space in the middle of the room, carts and empty baskets sitting ready for use.
Keta and Desaya didn’t recognize Human iconography as well as he did, and both shivered their way into the men’s showers. Didn’t particularly matter, clearly no one else was in here and... Alex hadn’t really seen anything split up like that on the Sword. He chalked it up to cultural differences as he grabbed a plastic basket and set it by the door to the showers and called in after them, “hey, toss your clothes out here so I can get them dry too.”
Cultural differences or not, he wasn’t in the business of seeing a bunch of people naked. Had enough of that in the hot springs.
In the meantime, Alex put their jackets and towels into separate dryers, one to the convenient towel setting, and the other to low. He wanted to assume that they were made from some sort of fully modern fabric that could take being dried in the most absurd cycle that Humanity had yet conceived of, but at the same time he was pretty sure his was handmade and, while technically produced through synthetic means, likely based on a natural fiber.
He’d hate to fuck up his most normal looking piece of identifiably Tsla’o clothing.
A pile of clothes arrived in the basket with a wet slap, a hasty thank you yelled as the door swung closed. Sounded like Desaya. Alex gathered those up and hefted them into the next dryer over as the Clan Mother arrived, Astada’s head covered up with the corner of a blanket that had been tucked into his carrier. “Hey, thank you for the assistance. I’m sure we would have found this eventually, but with those two how they are, the sooner the better.” He did not add his own shirt to the dryer before he clicked the door closed and turned it on. It wasn’t too damp now, and that bite mark on his shoulder would be immediately identifiable to everyone.
She waved a hand and carefully took a seat on the bench facing the dryers he was using. Kaseya ran over to the corner to grab a small basket of toys that she hefted up to the other bench, and immediately started digging through them. “It is my pleasure. Raseta enjoys all of the talking, the showing around. I do not share these interests.”
Ah, skipping out because it was boring. Alex found a smirk growing on his lips. “I think I understand that very well. Oh, Alex Sorenson, by the way.” He bowed, nice and formal. She had a title and nobody had used her name yet, so he figured that worked.
“Sorenson, yes. Lan Tshalen mentioned you.” She nodded then gave him a once over, eyes lingering on his face. No, next to his face. His ears. “Briefly, but she spoke well of your character, and does not seem to have exaggerated in the least.”
“Please, Alex is fine.” Oh no. Was this another ‘love struck in front of the admirals’ moment? He would play it straight. Worse case, she would think that he was just clueless to Carbon’s interest. Just steer the conversation away from Carbon and her reactions, that will do for now. “I haven’t met a Clan Mother before, what is the appropriate way for someone like myself to address you?”
“Oh, you can call me Su.” She reached up and patted Astada’s head, the child yawning and getting comfortable on her shoulder again. “It is just a title around the village, it carries no power or status in the Empire, or the Confederation.”
“Is it so?” Alex took a seat on the other end of the bench, stretching his legs. He didn’t think that was quite right. Sure, it probably didn’t mean anything to an actual government, but that didn’t change things on the ground. “It seems to mean a lot to the people here, though.”
Su ruminated on that, a wry smile creasing her silver muzzle with a quiet snort of a laugh. “There is truth in there. Once, generations ago, Clan Mothers were important. There would be several in a village. They would settle disputes, network with neighboring villages for the seasons, protect and share generational knowledge. We left the villages behind, and it was not so important anymore.”
“But now you’re back in a village.”
She tipped her head in assent. “On an alien planet, beside a strange plain and a stranger forest. The old ways suddenly seem like something to adhere to.” Su paused and laughed, another whining grumble coming from Astada as she interrupted his nap again. “Do not tell anyone, but I believe I was only chosen because I am very old and the only one here that fits the stereotype. Most of them do not know I spent my life maintaining reactor coolant systems, not learning the ancient ways of village life.”
Alex found her laugh to be infectious, joining in and shaking his head. “You wear it well. Lots of folks looking to you when you were leading us over here. The young woman in the great hall seemed to be comforted by whatever you said to her. You know what they need. Might not be how things were, but it works now.”
“Tamaa has had a particularly hard time. She does not trust strangers, and few things are as strange as a Human when you do not expect to see one.” Her dark green eyes sparkled as she launched into a story. “One of the first groups to visit were... Forgive me, I have forgotten their name. It was unlike anything I have heard before, and they spoke it without hesitation. They said they are here to preserve their traditions, so far from where they were first forged. They did not bring a shuttle, not a hover-truck, like many others. They rode up to the village on your horses. This is strange to say, but that may have been the first time I really understood I was on an alien planet.”
“I get that. I’m from Earth and I’ve never seen a horse in person.” Maybe if he hadn’t grown up in an arcology? Probably not even then, a flat city usually didn’t have horses either. On the other hand, Alex had seen them in plenty of movies. “They’re weird looking, right? Real nervous.”
“Yes, agreed. They did seem ready to panic any time we came near.” She was bemused by that, eyebrows pulled down in thought for a moment. “I would much prefer a rakaro for such duties.”
“You, uh...” How does he say this politely? Pretty clear that no one explained it to them, given her confusion about the experience. “Tsla’o do look kind of like one of their terrestrial predators, who would hunt them in packs.”
Su stared at him, absolutely deadpan before she started laughing. “Oh, do we? That does explain why they did not like being approached by us.”
“Yeah, they probably didn’t say anything because that aligns with a pretty common slur, so... Not the best thing to drop during an initial meeting.” She was going to find all this out at some point, he was sure. “I suppose I’m doing that right now, though.”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“About once a week another Human delegation comes to say hello. They are not how I expected, but they have all been... friendly, at the least. Many have donated things we need, sometimes things we did not know we needed.” She gestured to her jacket, getting Alex to take a close look at it for the first time. Leather the color of dark honey and quite long compared to most Tsla’o designs. Something that did look Human-made, like the clothes the kids were wearing. “The first visitors, may they forgive my soft ears, they sent me this jacket once they arrived at the next town a few weeks later. Hand made as they traveled. Whoever did it has an excellent eye, because no measurements were taken and it fits well.”
“It sounds like everyone is looking out for you.” The kids had said as much, but Su was more involved with the day to day operations and well being of the entire group. She would have a more refined view of things.
“So it is.” Her countenance darkened for a moment, eyes cast away to the spinning laundry in the dryers. “I understand that the Empire is... limited right now. It is difficult to reconcile how things were, with how they became. We were not abandoned, the resources available to us were just severely limited. Your Confederation came to our aid, I am told, but until merchant freighters started to arrive at the outpost, I had not seen it.”
“Yeah, I’ve been hearing a bit about that. There was some resistance to using what we sent, apparently, particularly once it was outside the Empress’ immediate domain.” Hey, he knew people directly responsible for holding that assistance up. He was related to one of them now. “We’ve been preparing for something like this to happen for over a century. Figured it would be one of ours, you know?”
“Forgive my attitude, there was much time... Half a year, at least, where we were living in a launch bay that had been welded closed, surviving on starvation rations.” She exhaled a curt laugh. “The freighter that arrived first, the... On A Roll, it was. After they offloaded the cargo, suddenly they had an issue in engineering. Had to take care of it before they departed. Word gets around the outpost that they’re having a problem with reactor cooling. ‘Oh, Su knows cooling.’ So they hand me this terrible translator and send me over, like I knew anything about Human systems.”
Alex had been about to say she shouldn’t worry about it, as clearly everyone had a bad time of things and it’s all right to be mad about those things, but he was invested in her story already, nodding along as she spoke.
“So I shuffle up to the loading ramp and one of them comes out. I don’t remember who it was, but I remember how haunted he looked. It was the first time I’d seen a Human up close and the shock of this meeting was clear on his face. I say I used to maintain reactor cooling systems, if I can help, I would like to. He runs and gets the chief engineer, who invites me in, not even asking about my qualifications. Kev, everyone called him. Kev has his office in the engineering section - I did not work on ships, but I know that concentration of technology when I see it - and they are clearly not working on anything. Even to my alien ears, everything sounds fine. Nothing is taken apart that I can see, not a tool out to be used.”
“By now, I am suspicious. Why are they lying about this? Kev gets me seated in his office and says specifically, ‘I have heard Tsla’o drink tea, would you like some?’ I hadn’t had any tea in about a year at that point, so I agreed. He makes a call and we have some awkward conversation through this little plastic translator. He’s from somewhere called Pelekania, where they prefer tea as well. They bring in a tray with tea and snacks and we continue to chat. He looks worried the entire time. This was too strange, you know? Nothing made sense.” She looked back at Alex, seeing if he agreed.
Alex nodded again. Su had laid the dots out pretty clearly for him to connect. “Yeah, I think I kind of see why they were doing that.”
“I asked directly what was going on. They were not fixing anything, the ship did not appear to be in any sort of disrepair. I figured I had nothing to lose, I was old, I did not know if any of my family still lived, what was the worst that could happen? He hesitates, looks away. Says they did not know things were so bad here, they wanted a few days to run their bulk dispenser so they could leave more food, but they didn’t want to just say that. I did not understand it at first. Of course things were bad.”
“But just how bad had not been communicated to them, right?” His guess had been right, and this was a bit eye opening for him as well. Hearing about desperate measures from a comfortable spot on a capital ship was one thing. Talking to someone who had been sleeping in a launch bay was something else entirely. “And by that point, your definition of bad had shifted quite a bit.”
“That is the crux of it, yes. I had thought things were improving somewhat. I did not consider how I would look having lost nearly twenty kilograms. I tried not to think of my health, in general.” Alex’s translator left the weight digitized a little bit to let him know that it was an approximate translation. “To have it noticed by someone else, not even one of our kind, was startling. I could not think of anything to do but thank them. What else was there to do? Tell them no? In the end they left about three more pallets of grains, and just stripped the dispenser out of their stores for us to have.”
“I’m not surprised. Nobody likes to see people suffer.” He would have done the same thing, once he was sure there were enough supplies to get to a place that had replacement units.
“It has become clear that many of your kind are similarly minded, for that I am thankful. They came back in about three weeks, mostly basic comfort items - pillows, blankets, soft toys, cleaning supplies of all sorts, but a few more dispensers and power generation supplies for all of it. It was an entire kitchen. The outpost already had one, but it was not getting much use.” Su paused here and chuckled, mirth warming her eyes after a long sigh. “We did not know how we would pay for it, we had nothing, not even barter. Apparently the Empire was paying the bill for whatever was delivered, as long as the manifest matched what was received, so they outfitted us well.”
Alex exhaled through his teeth, getting a little worked up over it. “See, that’s the exact stuff that you should have already had. Emergency buildings - they sent like a million tons of those - can be configured into damn near anything, and you could put them anywhere. There should have been self-powered dispensers for basic stuff like rice, proteins, and water. It was all in the first wave of supplies.”
Su was quiet for a long time, Kaseya playing behind them and the dryers tumbling the only sounds in the yurt. “Is it so.”
“When I was getting ready for the Kshlav’o expedition, I saw the initial mobilization report. Details were redacted, but the equipment that was being moved wasn’t.” He gritted his teeth, eyes narrow. “When I find- The Empress finds out who was preventing these supplies from being distributed to people who clearly needed them, I am sure there will be a reckoning.”
“I am sure. I am also thankful these details are not falling on deaf ears. I know the Lan is related to the Empress. She was very keen to hear what we have gone through, her reactions similar to yours.” Su was very amused by this exchange. “You both seem to have a very intense desire to protect the Tsla’o.”
“Yeah, well...” Shit was he blushing? No no no, not right now. “Even before I had met Car- Lan Tshalen, or any Tsla’o for that matter, I had seen what happened to Schoen. It... I have been afforded the opportunity to help, and I will make the most of that.”
She nodded, and seemed happy with that answer. “Is it common for Humans to pierce their ears in unusual locations? I have seen several with them through the dangly part, but never through the top.”
Shit, fuck. Could she see the holes in his ear from that angle? They should be miniscule! Just little dots! Her hearing isn’t great but her eyesight was fucking incredible, apparently. “Ah, just a bit of rebellious youth. Don’t really wear them anymore.”
“Interesting. It does not mean anything in particular? I have gotten a few to commemorate some things in my life. The birth of my daughter, my grandaughter, my retirement...” She gestured to the lower edge of her ear, tapping three silver rings that disappeared into her matching fur. “I was considering getting another for having arrived here. Perhaps when we have spent a year in this village.”
“Is that the usual reason Tsla’o get piercings?” He’d just skip over her asking anything about his. People love talking about themselves.
“No, I just wanted something more than a memory. Some get them for decoration, some to stand out... Some to mark their station and show their commitment.” She gave a little shrug. “It varies.”
“Very much the same with Humans.” Alright, disaster averted.
“Curious.” She stopped as Keta and Desaya returned from the showers, partially dried and draped in several towels each. Su continued before they sat on the last empty bench and continued to dry off. “You two look to be in better spirits already.”
“Very much so, yes. The water gets incredibly hot, it was very nice.” Desaya said, a towel draped over her head as she used another to dry between her toes.
Alex was once again struck by how little they all seemed to care about ‘nudity’ as he considered it. For Carbon having made such a big deal out of ankles way back when, regular Tsal’o really didn’t seem to care much. Maybe it was a class thing, or she did just have a fetish. “Excellent. Are you both feeling back to normal? No more sitting around in the rain, right?”
“Yes, that was an accident that I do not wish to repeat.” Keta added, also continuing to scrub himself dry.
Suppose it would take a lot longer without the big fur dryer. Hot showers meant humidity, so it was likely much easier to get everything finished out here. Su didn’t even seem to care, and Kaseya hadn’t looked up from her toys. It was just how they did things. “Good, so... Your plans still on?”
They both got a little laugh out of that, a flash of a grin on both of them. “We discussed it once we warmed up a bit, and yes. We do not have much in the way of plans, yet, but we will.” Keta was excited to announce that, looking up at Alex from under the towel he was wearing as a hat.
“I fear I have missed something.” Su looked to Alex, an eyebrow arched at him.
“They’re getting Entwined. He popped the question while they had hypothermia, though, so... I was curious if it was going to be a thing once they did not have hypothermia.” He shrugged. That was about the jist of it. “Good to hear. You two really seem made for each other.”
“Oh, congratulations! I wish you both a long and loving future!” Su had a smile that matched theirs, her green eyes bright and happy. “I have not heard of anyone getting Entwined properly in some time.”
“Oooooh! A blessing on your future!” Kaseya added, kneeling on the bench and stomping some plastic dinosaurs onto the folding table. “They are getting Entwined too.”
Alex did not think that a T-Rex and Stegosaurus marriage would end well, but held his tongue.
“Thank you, all. It is early yet, but we would like to extend an invitation to you, ka- Alex.” Keta stopped himself before he could say whatever he had actually intended to, probably a formality that he wasn’t supposed to mention. “I do not know if it would be possible, but I would invite the entire village, seeing as how it gave us the opportunity to say these truths to each other.”
“Invitation?” That was a sweet gesture, but... “I was under the impression that an Entwinement was pretty personal. Doesn’t it involve biting?”
The mayor opened the door to the utility yurt, a blast of cold air that lasted just as long as the group that filtered in behind him chilling the room. Him, Carbon, Nata, this prefecture’s Administrator, and someone else that Alex had not been introduced to all dispersed through the room, Nata going to her sister as the rest congregated by Alex and Su.
The cold did nothing to reduce Keta’s enthusiasm. “That part is, yes, but there is traditionally a speaking of intentions beforehand, and a reception.”
Administrator Gyal, the only other Human in the area, was not so used to seeing naked Tsla’o. Alex caught her eyes bugging out of her head when she noticed the lovebirds wearing little more than a towel each, and then immediately looking away. He understood that, even if the Tsla’o indifference had successfully worn him down about it.
“A speaking of intentions and a reception.” He looked to Carbon, smiling. She had made no mention of such things around their becoming Entwined. Just getting stabbed in the ears by Eleya and then being bitten without warning. “That sounds really interesting.”