Amelia awoke several hours later, Hal still held in her embrace like a child in the protective hold of their mother. She smiled softly as she looked at him, reminiscing of when she had first made ADAM, the twins, and Athena, those were happier times. All she had left were empty inventions and Hal. Hitting the manual port to shift him back into his bracer mode, she put him on and held him close to her chest."Never again, my sweet little boy." She said softly. She shouldn't have left him alone, he still had the mentality of a kid.
Everyone expected AI would be hyper-advanced, already mature entities when made, but the truth was so far removed it was hilarious. AI still had to grow, and develop, both in experience and maturity. Infinite processing power and information access didn't mean anything without the experience and emotional control to use it properly, and AI had emotions just like any other being. The fact that theirs being a programmable code was no different than DNA being a chemical one. Granted they matured much, much faster than say, a human. Hal for instance was less than a year old but probably had the mentality of a preteen. Independent but still also wanting her comfort at times.
She sighed in frustration. She wished she could let him call her mom, she knew he wanted to, but when she heard that word directed at her, all she could think of was the ones she lost. She decided then that she would work on that, try to fix that, for Hal's sake. For now, though, she had other issues. It would be less than a day before they arrived at Krultatha and while the mole had been sourced and removed while she was under, the Axon was still in custody.
And she wanted words with him.
Standing up and heading out of her room, she made her way through the ship, still sore but with relative ease. Her implants had worked overtime this go around. Looking at the data from when she was out, over 60 percent of the muscle fibers in her right arm had torn, 20 percent in her legs, and she had somehow managed to dislocate two ribs, she wasn't even sure how that happened. Now though, the ribs were repaired, her legs were at a manageable 5 percent damage, but her arm was still at around 20 percent. She wouldn't be using it for a while longer. Mentally she admonished herself, she should've deactivated the combat enhancement protocol as soon as it activate, she was just so angry at the time and worried. Mentally putting in the command now, though, she switched it to manual-only mode. She would have to verbalize the command for it to function now, but it would be better than ending up in the medical bay every time something triggered her fight-or-flight.
By the time she had done this, she arrived at her destination, still wearing her torn-up clothes and likely needing a shower, but she couldn't put this off, she needed to get this out of the way. Opening the door, she was greeted by two Hexat soldiers and the General, the latter of whom was sitting at a desk going over something. On the other side of the brig were 6 cells, with only one occupied by the Axon. Now that she was thinking clearly, she could take a moment to analyze what they looked like.
They were definitely either a rodent or marsupials, but they lacked fur, instead, they had some sort of yellowish viscous slime covering their skin. They appeared to be at least partially bipedal, but based on their body structure, appeared to be able to assume a proper quadrupedal stance as well. Each of their upper limbs had 3 fingers with two-inch claws spread out equidistant around the end, startlingly different from a Krultathan or Human's hands, or even a Hexat's. Their eyes seemed to be completely black and beady, with a slight glossing over them suggesting a low-light environment of evolution, and their grayish-brown skin seemed to support this. Most surprisingly, however, was the absolutely massive set of incisors that protruded from its maw.
"Miss Amelia. Might I ask the purpose of your visit?" The general looked up and asked her. She forgot his name but remembered that Kixix had told her it before she had collapsed, so she cheated a bit and used the log from her implant to check for it.
"Here to do a bit of interrogation on him about what his kind know about Humanity, General Istrung." She said, giving a clear tone that she wouldn't take no for an answer but, as one might've expected, the general ignored it
"I see. Unfortunately, I don't think that's wise. He hasn't spoken anything besides giving up the mole in exchange for some medical treatment, and I really can't afford to have you killing our prisoner. I saw the recordings from the station."
Amelia winced. It had been a shitshow as far as first impressions were concerned with how things turned out on the station, she at least knew that much of politics. Still, there was nothing to do about that now, and having the galaxy a bit fearful of Humanity might not be a bad thing.
"I swear upon my life that the Prisoner will survive the interrogation. If he doesn't then I'll give my consent to have Kaxus run those ridiculous tests he proposed on me, and throw in something worthwhile in the tech department." She countered. She could see the gears turning in the Hexat's head as he mulled things over, but ultimately he agreed with the terms.
"Very well. I personally would like to see just how long a human can run if you do end up taking his life, however." The general said with chitter-like laughter before adding. "For tactical purposes, of course."
"Of course." Amelia agreed before heading over to the cell wall, which was see-through. The Axon had a bed, toiletry, and sink, but little else, and right now he appeared to be asleep. Knocking on the wall a few times brought him to consciousness, however, as he slowly rose from the bed muttering something about soreness and lack of sleep before freezing in place while looking at Amelia."Oh good, you remember me then." She said with a smile, coincidentally forgetting to hide her teeth.
The Axon let out a panicked scream that startled the guards before backing as far away as possible from Amelia. Amelia herself just sighed and stepped closer to the wall.
"Relax, as long as you cooperate I'll have no reason to enter your cell, so sit down, shut up, and answer my questions." She said tiredly. The Axon however didn't budge an inch, looking from the bed to her and back, as if paralyzed with fear.Letting out a groan as she didn't have time for this she shouted at him "NOW." which had the desired effect of making him fall onto the bed and stare at her, remaining quiet as he waited for her question. She supposed it also didn't hurt that their society was a "Matriarchy" as he had said during their encounter, which probably made him wary of females in general. Pulling up a chair from one of the desks, she sat down right across from the wall.
"Good, now here's the deal. You answer everything I ask to the best of your abilities, and won't have to come in there and break more bones. Lie to me or withhold information,-"
"And I just might have to turn a blind eye due to a power fluctuation, which the human takes advantage of." Istrung interrupted, causing Amelia to turn to him for a moment, during which she 'thinks' he tried to wink at her. Poorly.She turned back around to look at the Axon with a predatory smile.
"So, let's see which it'll be. Why did you go after Viza?"
The Axon twitched nervously as the question sat in the air, taking his time to carefully, in a rather meek voice, reply. "T-the krultathan w-was a secondary target. You were the primary. When you didn't collapse from the stun stick, I grabbed him, planning to use your mate to lure you."
"He's not...Nevermind. Why were you after me? What is it about humans that interest you?"
Again a few moments before a careful reply was made, again with a meek voice and much more hesitancy. Had she really terrified him this much?
"Y-You humans produce pheromones constantly. T-the matriarchy wanted to confirm this by taking a human. B-But there is a quarantine on your home system, for now, s-so I was ordered to capture you instead."
Amelia nodded. If the only information they had was the pheromones, that wasn't so bad. It would mean the Axon would be an issue but not a major one for now. The more worrying issue is that if they were willing to kidnap a species representative, what else were they willing to do when that failed?
"And now that you've failed, what will they do?" She asked sternly. A look of fear was in the Axon's eyes and mind, and she was going to use it to squeeze every drop of information she could out of him.
"I-I do not know, those plans were not deigned necessary for my mission." he replied, though it was evident he was fighting fear in his voice.
"Then guess." she countered. After several moments of hesitation, during which she was about to start entering and breaking things, he finally answered."T-the Matriarchy would g-go after a colony, or somewhere with children and away from the view of the Alliance and Humanity."
"Wait, why children?"
It took a good, long minute before the Axon would answer her, seemingly conflicted about something. His answer though, caused Amelia's veins to burn and freeze at the same time.
"C-children are e-easier to tame, to make slaves of."
*What did he just say?*Surely she didn't hear him correctly.
"And you, have you participated in this, this taming?" She then asked as a spark of rage started to form. it only grew when he nodded.
"General. You just need him able to talk, yes?" she said through gritted teeth.
"Miss Amelia?" The general looked at her worriedly. Amelia though returned his gaze with one of genuine wrath the likes of which the battle-hardened commander had never seen.
"He admitted to enslaving kids, General. Scum like that doesn't deserve to live. The only reason I'm not in that room right now ripping his head off is that your people might have a use for information from him."The General thought for a long, hard moment, before commanding one of the soldiers to grab his legal pad and motioning Amelia to come closer. Looking through it for several moments, he seemed to find something that he was looking for.
"Ah, here it is. Provisional rights 221 section 383Q subsection 24c Paragraph 29. If a representative or Ambassador of a species is unjustly attacked while outside the sovereignty of their people, the Representative or Ambassador themselves are to be treaty as the sovereignty of the People they represent, and thus any attack is a criminal attack on a sovereign host." He stops reading and then looks at Amelia.
"In other words, Miss Amelia, because Viza is officially your guard he is under your command and thus a part of your sovereignty. If you press it, you can have the assailant extradited to Terra, and their legal system used to place punishment." The general said this with an almost human glee in his voice.
Amelia smiled and then nodded. "Let's do that then, show the Axon how Humanity treats child abusers. Make sure to send them copies of the interrogation as well, wouldn't want them to miss anything." She then turned to the Axon."Good news. I'm not going to pluck off your limbs one by one and pull out those massive teeth of yours for being a child abuser. Even better, you'll be getting off this ship as soon as we exit FTL." She started and could see the hope grow on the bastard's face, letting it sink in a moment longer before continuing."Instead, we are going to be acting the sovereignty law and extraditing you to Earth. You know, the place you just said your people would try to enslave the children of? They'll decide what to do with you." She turned to look at the General, who held out the pad to sign for her permission. She gladly signed it and stated. "Technically he was still alive when I left so the bet is off, General."
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
"I'll have him on a shuttle to Earth with a full platoon and priority as soon as we drop into Krultatha." he said nodding.Amelia gave a nod back before adding. "You know, you're not a bad guy, for an overgrown mouse general."
"And you're not a bad guy either, for an overgrown lap pet." He responded. Amelia just eyed him closely.
"Istrung."
"Yes?"
"I'm a woman, not a guy."
"A-ah. Voids. I seem to have missed a language step. I thought Miss meant male?" The general said, somewhat nervous. "Y-your people wouldn't happen to be as sensitive to such a thing as ours, would you?" he continued.
Amelia thought for a moment before smiling, deciding to mess with the general a bit. "This time it's fine. Next time though I'm going to give you a 'friendly' punch in the shoulder to remind you not to."
Istrung made a visible gulp. For the next few weeks, he'd be wearing extra armor on his shoulders. He wouldn't tell anyone why either, lest he wound up triggering the human ritual.
Amelia returned to her room to get a well-deserved shower and change of clothes, and started reading up on Krultatha. They would be there in the next day or so after all, so as much as she could cram about the planet the better. She didn't see Viza during this time, but Dr. Kaxus informed her he was released from bedrest and would be joining them on the Ambassadorial team, along with Ambassador Kixix, General Istrung, Kaxus, and an Honor guard. They would stop by the station in orbit, called Ivasurar, before taking a shuttle planetside and meeting with the Queen Matriarch two days after landing. In the meantime, he suggested learning more about Krultathans, which Amelia readily agreed to.
-------------------------------------------
Krultatha- One day later
How did she end up in this situation.
Amelia was sitting in a Krultathan jail, though she wasn't the one behind bars, that happened to be a Krultathan female, a Matriarch apparently, who had been arrested by her own people for forcing ritual combat that had been banned on a dignitary. Not that Amelia was complaining about that part, the bitch totally deserved it. What she was complaining about, or perhaps that isn't the right word, is what the combat, while technically banned, meant legally. Viza seemed to be too.
Somehow or another, she ended up with Viza being betrothed to her by Krultathan law.
----------3 hours earlier.--------------
Viza and Amelia had both tried to start talking several times at the station but failed due to either awkward silence, the weird staring they were getting from the Krultathans there, or from sheer lack of words.
The station itself was nice enough, but it seemed like a copy/paste of the previous one, making Amelia wonder if it was a general design or if they were actually produced as massive structures. The Krultathans seemed to keep their distance from her, but she found out some interesting new information about them. Their colors ranged as widely as house cats back home and even several colors not seen there, the Females were larger and less numerous than the males by far, and the males were the only ones with that weird back neck-mane thing. She could also notice that many had artificial markings in their fur that seemed to match with certain houses, or tribes, something Viza lacked and it showed as the contempt towards him was easily seen with several hisses directed at him and more than a few unpleasant words.
'Is being clanless really such a stigma here?' Amelia asked herself, finding it so perplexing how such a people managed to not nuke themselves into oblivion.
Oh, right, they tried to.
Viza, for his part, took it all admirably, ignoring the jeers and insults thrown at him and moving to defend Amelia from any who got close, and it made Amelia have second guesses as to whether or not he was thinking of leaving. If anything he seemed even more defensive than normal.
And then it happened.
A Krultathan female, a matriarch apparently, had walked up to the party as they were getting ready to leave the station and head planetside. She spoke with a deeper voice that Amelia would've thought, with a similar accent to Viza, but for some reason decided to constantly shout her words. Did no one ever teach her to use an inside voice?"You, clanless one. You look young and fit. My time of warmth is coming and I will have you. You should be honored, you can join clan Uthzisha." The woman said, holding out her hand, claws extended.
Did..Did she really just propose to him, just like that? And she was at least 30 biological years older than Viza, was she trying to take advantage for him being clanless? What if Viza accepts to get away from her, what if-
"Cast your claws aside, I am not yours to lay claim to, Uthzisha." Viza said with more seriousness than Amelia had seen on his face since they met. Amelia couldn't help it, seeing him so serious made her blush a little bit. But why was he so serious about this? Entering a clan should be a good thing for him, even if it was through an old hag.
"A Life debt is something not even a matriarch can easily ignore." Viza continued as his voice became like a low growl, and the weird main on the back of his neck actually stood up, making him seem bigger than he was at the shoulders.
'Huh, so that's what it does. Wonder why he wouldn't say.'
"And where is this one you owe a supposed life debt to, why do you not wear their colors, clanless?" The female Uthzisha, asked. Amelia then saw her sniffing the air, coming closer and closer to her and Viza. With a snort she lurches back.
"Oh, oh I see what's going on here now. The clanless wants to mate with the furless one, hahaha." She started doing their weird heckling laugh as other who had gathered nearby joined in.
Viza, while blushing a bit, stood his ground and ignored the jeering, besides, it was just the pheromones and he knew it, it's not like the jeering meant anything.
"So what if I do? It does not concern the likes of you, and you've no right to challenge a life debt so let us leave." Viza said, ushering for us to walk to the shuttle, which in our defense we did. Until the bitch had to open her mouth one last time.
"Ha, only a clanless would want to bed a furless lesser female like that. Look at her, she's smaller than our males! Haha. I'll be she's just as clawless as well!"
Before Amelia could realize what happened, Viza has turned around and rushed the female with blinding speed, claws extending and cutting across her face before she had time to react, shocking everyone, including Amelia.
"What the hell was that? What's going on?" She asked.
"Viza owes you a life debt for saving him from the Axon. This female insulted your prowess by calling you clawless, it's an old and grave insult among the Krultathans." Kixix explained.
"Okay that's one thing but why the hell did he claw her face?!"
"Because she insulted your honor first by attempting to claim him without your permission, then by ignoring his refusals, and finally the grave insult. Viza by debt could not let a matriarch do so."
"You dare, clanless?! I'll cut out your claws myself." The female snarled, getting face to face with Viza. Amelia saw her muscles tensing to release the claws and rushed ahead. She didn't even think she just acted, making it there just in time to grab the woman's arm before she could attack Viza.
"This doesn't concern you, alien."
"Oh I think it does, bitch." Amelia said, pushing the woman away from Viza. Let's see if she remembered the words right.
"Is that all it takes to move you? It wouldn't even be worth it to call you clawless."
The Krultathan female's nostrils flared, her eyes restricted into slits as she bore Amelia down. Behind her, she could hear Viza asking her not to do this, fear in his voice. Was he worried for her? But just like Viza defended her honor, so too would she defend his.
"Viza is far too good a person to lower himself to joining your clan, and I won't have him insulted by a chip toothed, clawless, hair shedding skag. So here's your one and only warning. Leave. Viza. Alone." She threw the woman's arms away from her, and turned to walk away, thinking that would be that. What she did not expect, was to be challenged to a Kraka-vishan.
"I call the ancient right, I challenge her claw and tooth for the right of this male. I challenge her honor and life for the price to restore my own, I CALL FOR KRAKA-VISHAN!"
As she started speaking, a multitude of people nearby crowded up more than before, Yips and yowls and snarls of cheers could be heard.
'Uh, Hal, quick question, and make it fast, what's Kraka-Vishan?'
'One moment while I search local repositories... Kraka- Vishan, one of the most ancient rituals of the Krultathan people, wherein a matriarch challenges another to combat for the right to take a male from one clan into their own. Once called, it cannot be declined without forfeiture.'
Shit.
"I accept. Where and when?" Amelia says, shocking everyone, including Viza and the rest of her entourage. If this matriarch wanted Viza, she'd have to go through her first.
The Matriarch looked at Amelia incredulously before snarling a reply."Here, and now!" She said as she lunged forward, drawing first blood as her claws scratched Amelia's face. The damage wasn't severe, but that was a dirty sneak attack. Amelia pivoted on her back foot to move out of range of the female and reorient herself, causing her to laugh.
"Retreating already, alien? Pathetic!" Another swipe comes with the last word as Amelia analyzes her movements when she attacked so she could predict them.
'Hal, any rules on weapons in this?'
"Only that which is a part of you may be used", is what the text says'
Amelia smiled and activated her eye's milspecs, giving her an overlay and predictive analysis. The Krultathan female paused a moment at this, seeing her eye change, but then went into a fierce flurry of attacks. Now however, she couldn't even get close to touching Amelia as lunge after lunge missed. Jumping back away from Amelia, the Matriarch let out another snarl at her. this time, however, Amelia had a response.
"Retreating already Alien? Pathetic." She spat the Matriarch's words right back at her, causing the Krultathan to lunge forward with another series of attacks. this went on for several minutes. The Matriarch would attack, Amelia would dodge, the matriarch would retreat, then attack again at Amelia's goading. Finally, Amelia could see it, the krultathan woman was panting, overheating from the exertion. Amelia hadn't even broken a sweat yet.
"Don't tell me this is all Uthzisha clan has? I haven't even done anything yet and you look like you're about to collapse."
"Stay.(pant) Still (pant) Alien."
"Alright, one last try then. Go ahead." Amelia said, opening her arms as if to embrace her. When the Matriarch, humiliated by this even more, went for the attack Amelia dropped low and landed a solid punch into her belly, and then another with an uppercut to the muzzle, knocking the woman out.
The crowd was silent, Viza was silent, the Ambassadorial party was silent. No one could believe what they just saw as finally, the law enforcement showed up, taking them both to the station where things were sorted, Amelia's status as a representative was confirmed, the offender put in a holding cell, and legal paperwork was brought to Amelia. When it got to one of her Clan name, she simply put her last name down, Ryder. When she got to the one that was supposed to officiate Viza being a part of her clan, she hesitated and asked for an explanation, at which point she was told the whole ordeal.
Kraka-Vishan over a male meant that since she won, Viza was now, technically, betrothed to her and a part of her clan. She would have to come up with clan marking when they went planetside as well, and had until she finished her business on Kultatha to submit the documents else Viza would be a part of the offending clan instead, and would have to challenge the Matriarch to leave it. Viza, for his part, hadn't stopped beaming since she defeated the matriarch, as if all his thoughts about her being stronger than them were confirmed from one little fight.
"Viza, I'm sorry for getting you in this mess." She said solemnly. She didn't want Viza to be forced into this position, but even Hal agreed that the case was airtight, no loopholes.
"Am..Am I not enough? You can take other mates if you wish, Clans often do, and I'll do everything I can to help Clan Ryder grow in honor."
Wait, was he..Was he...
'Oh Amelia, you big dumbass. You overthought things again' She said to herself as she looked at him. Kixix even told her the Viza liked her back and she let her thoughts jumble everything up.
"N-no, of course you are. You're kind, and compassionate. You're understanding and your jokes are hilarious. And when you stood up for me back there it was so sweet and romantic and, and , and, um. I'm rambling aren't I, oh jeez. I can't even keep it together for-" She started, ending up blushing furiously and mumbling halfway through as Viza walked up and held her close. Letting the closeness of him center her, her mind calmed down a bit as she whispered.
"Are, are you okay with me? Even if I'm messed up. Broken?"
"There is no beauty in perfection, and you are so very, very beautiful, My Huntress." He responded, with his adorably cute and goofy human-mimicking smile. Amelia leaned in closer to him, his scent calming her, his enveloping hug relaxing her. She kept forgetting just how tall the 7 Foot Kultathan was, and how warm. His tail wrapped around her waist, and she looked up to him with a shy , bright red expression as he leaned in closer-
"AHEM." The guard interrupted them, making them realize where they were, and who was around them. Namely the guards, part of the crowd, all of the Ambassadorial expedition, 'Who were cheering it seemed', and the defeated matriarch.
Which brings them to now, filling out paperwork, Amelia sitting in Viza's lap, both of them processing what just happened, and both of them groaning from all the legal paperwork they were having to go through.
'Good job, Viza. But you better take care of her. If you break her heart, I'll break your everything.'
Viza, however, smiled at this hidden message from Hal, getting it this time around. He was a kid protective of his mom, that's all.