Redux Vol1 Ch13: Mina

Hisra sighed as she leaned against the wall of the lakehouse, she didn't really know how she felt at the moment. On one hand her father had spent a small fortune, no a medium-sized fortune to get the Altrasi. It was the best armor available, bar none extremely rare and sought after, as such the cost for it was extremely high even for someone in her family. And if they were just to get rid of it it would be next to worthless as it had already taken to a bond, meaning it would not be able to be used by anyone else. It would hardly be worth the component parts making it up, if they sold it not only would it be an insult to her father but also the return would be meager.

On the other hand she didn't want any other girl to be intimate with Jack, even if this other girl was simply the manifestation of her own love and feelings for him, and in all honestly wasn't even alive.

“I’m not going to repeat myself, no matter how I phrase it you don't like the answer and ask again, so unless you have a different question for me we are done here” Her older sister gave her an exasperated look before sighing and pushing her hair back behind an ear so that she could get a better look at Hisra, she grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her so that the two of them were eye to eye. “It is really not so bad, I am the third wife in my relationship, and my husband doesn’t love me any less for it.” Arka said, pushing the hair out of the distraught Hisra’s eyes.

“I don't know how you can do that sis,” she sniffed, fighting back the tears. “I can't stand to see him with other women, what if he stops loving me and loves them instead? I can't be just some wife and have to compete for him.” Arka’s hand came up and the tears which squeezed out when she blinked were wiped away with gentle fingers.

“Well I can't speak for every situation, but I doubt he would stop loving you.” she said softly, “And you seem to have the wrong idea, they are not just my husband’s wives, they are also my wives. I am also married to them.” she gave her sister a soft smile. “I can't tell you how to handle this situation, I can however tell you how I would handle it.” she lifted up Hisra’s downcast face from under the chin so she could look into her eyes. “I would keep her, she will not only protect your beloved even when you can’t” Hisra opened her mouth to respond but before she could Arka cut her off”- ah don't interrupt me, I know what you are going to say, and I will tell you there will have to be times you cannot be there for him, isn't it a good thing that he will have someone to take care of him when you cannot?”

Arka had a point, deep down inside of her Hisra knew it, but something railed against it. Nothing about this situation was fair, she had barely had any time with Jack, hell she practically didn't know him, and yet there was another that was going to take up his time now. She closed her eyes and tried to push down the anger and sadness that the mental image of him smiling and walking away with another caused.

Most of the races in the galaxy thought of the Trilska as clingy, and to an outside perspective she could see it. The thing was, it was a survival strategy for them, it was how their species survived and was therefore hard wired into their very biology. A single Trilska female could mate with any sentient, and once bonded not only wouldn't want to mate with another, but also would never be able to have a child by any other. The bonded individual’s most advantageous traits would be passed on to their children and given that the average gestation period of a Trilska child was less than half the galactic average and there was no risks involved in their birthing meant that a single Trilska woman could increase the population, and there would be no risk of the genetic issues other races seemed to have.

“A mixed marriage is not for everyone,” Arka said softly, “It works for me, and I have a loving husband and two loving wives, it's like having sisters, or best friends when you need them at all times, and then some.”

“I haven't even bonded fully with him,” her voice came out weak, pathetic, and she felt some self-loathing for her whining, but she also found she couldn't help it. “I just wanted some alone time with him, but now I'll never have any.”

“That is not true,” Arka gave her a smile. “You just have to set the ground rules, time for everyone is good, but sometimes you just need some time for yourself with your husband. Talk to Jack Hisra, you can work this out, trust me.” Hisra nodded miserably but still she nodded. “Good, good, and for your information, just, you know for future reference, you look terrible when you cry, not a good look at all!” The two of them stared at each other for a moment both of them blank-faced before they both started to laugh, Arka’s her normal laugh and Hisra’s a hiccuping laugh. Arka pulled her into a hug, her hand going up to stroke her younger sister's hair as they both subsided into giggles.

Jack was currently lounged on the couch, in his lap was the sentient form of the Altrasi, she was currently snuggled up against his chest vibrating softly in contentment almost like a cat. Occasionally she would rub her head up against his chest and murmur a contented ‘Mine’.

She looked exactly like Hisra, down to a tee, with the exception of her age and the color, she was completely silver, as though she was made out of some mercury or some other substance like it. She was however surprisingly soft and warm as she lay there. The warmth was more surprising than anything else to be honest when he had first placed his hand into the liquid it had been cold to the touch but now it gave off the sort of comforting warmth that you got on a cold day when you were young and your mother wrapped you up in a blanket and gave you hot chocolate.

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Hisra had somewhat explained the bond to him, he still wanted more details but if he remembered and understood correctly it was not just something that went one direction, it wasn't just Hisra’s symbiotic attachment to him, but also him to her. He didn't understand how that quite worked, but perhaps it was one of the reasons this comforting warmth this feeling of safety existed, after all this Altrasi was that bond personified in a physical form.

Or perhaps he was simply overanalyzing things, after all, he had no real understanding of how any of this worked. He had tried to remove her from him a number of times, but had found that much like his mother’s cat even if he physically picked her up and placed her somewhere not on his lap she still ended up right back there as though that was her spot and woe betide any who disagreed. The last time he had tried it she hadn't even let him pick her up, instead of being solid where his hands hand grasped her she had gone liquid in those areas, and his hand had literally gone right through her and she had simply remained where she was. Which was the point where he had stopped attempting to do so.

This was a mess.

Hethuk sighed and looked over at the two on the couch from his chaise lounge across the way. “I have to apologize to you Jack, I seem to have made more of an issue for you.”

“It's fine it's not your fault,” Jack made the appropriate sounds, but in all honesty, he was in agreement with Hethuk’s statement, in fact he couldn't have been in more agreement even if he tried.

“Looking back, and considering Hisra’s, erm, shall we say peculiarities, which even for a Trilska are on the more extreme side this outcome should have been obvious, I really should have seen this coming.” He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, it was a gesture that both his race and Jack’s shared, which was a rather interesting thing now that Jack thought about it.

“It's fine, every relationship has bumps in the road, we just need to find a solution for this.” Jack sighed, as the Altrasi put the crown of her head up under his chin and made a satisfying little ‘mine’ as she rubbed her head against his neck.

“Isn't that the truth, so do you think you will keep it?”

“I don't know I will leave that up to Hisra,” Jack said, “the less of an opinion I give, the less likely it will be construed and twisted against me.”

“Smart man, smart man.” Hethuk laughed. “Always pick your battles and know when to retreat, especially when dealing with women.”

“Jack?” He had been about to respond to his soon-to-be Father-in-law but a voice caught his attention, and both Jack and Hethuk looked over to see Hisra standing in the living room doorway. As Jack looked at her he saw that there was a noticeable tick in her right eye at the sight of him and the Altrasi on the couch. He had to fight down the panicked urge to push the Altrasi off of him and stand up saying nothing was happening, but the truth of the matter was that had he attempted to do that it would have likely not worked, and furthermore it would have simply made him look even more guilty. “Can I talk to you please?” she asked.

“Sure,” Jack answered, standing up and heading for their room. The Altrasi turned almost liquid as he stood up and it flowed around him, reforming behind his back as the smaller silver Hisra and wrapping her arms around him once again, it all happened in a split second, and jack marveled at the level of control the Altrasi had over the liquid.The room was silent for an awkward amount of time as she looked at both Jack and the Altrasi.

“You.” Hisra pointed at the Altrasi. “I have decided you can stay, for now...” she growled, finger still aggressively pointed at the silver creature that was currently nuzzling up against Jack’s side, probably because she was too short to reach the spot on his neck she seemed to like to nuzzle when they had been sitting down.

“Mine?” it had a slightly confused look about it, almost as though it did not realize that it had just been granted a reprieve, or even what was going on in this very moment.

“Is that all you can say? Mine?” Hisra scoffed, before stopping herself as she realized that she was laughing at her own feelings, when viewed in that light it really did not feel good. “Sorry,” she mumbled, before looking up and once again growling at the Altrasi ”The only reason you can stay is because you will protect him, that is it!”

“Well if it is staying then doesn't she need a name?” Jack asked, and instantly regretted opening his mouth, the glare Hisra pointed his direction could have melted through tool-grade steel like it was a hot knife through butter.

“How about pain-in-the-ass? It's a suiting name.” she snapped.

“That's not nice,” Jack laughed, attempting to interject some levity into the situation. “You shouldn't put yourself down like that.”

“This is serious Jack!” she said, almost at the point of tears again, though these tears looked more angry than sad. “I am not my sister, I can't just be some secondary wife, I don't want to share I want you all to myself.” a single tear slid down her face and she wiped it away angrily before her shoulders slumped and she hung her head, “I just want you to love me,” she mumbled into her blue hair as it hung down in front of her face.

“Hey, I do love you,” he said, leaning forward and planting a kiss on the top of her head, only slightly surprised to find that it was true, he had never fallen in love this quickly, and he wondered if the bond had any say in that was it messing with his mind or- he cut off the thought, even if it was true to some degree it would not pay to examine that possibility to closely. “And I know you love me, I can take this thing as proof of that.” he motioned to the Altrasi who was currently staring at Hisra, a look of deep thought in its eyes. “So you want to keep it?”

“Yes,” Hisra sighed, she sounded a little defeated. “What should we call it?”

“Mine?” it asked.

“How about Mina? What do you think about that name?” the Altrasi paused for a moment, frozen like a silver statue for a second before she stretched up, taller than she should have been able to, and placed a kiss on his chin, before quickly placing one on his lips.

“Mine!” she said, in a loud and happy voice. He was not sure if it was acceptance of the name, or something else but it was obvious it was happy as it started planting kisses all over his face and neck.

“Ours?” Hisra asked softly, it was obvious by the tremor in her voice that that was a very difficult thing to say. Mina stopped her movements and looked back at Hisra, before straddling Jack and narrowing her eyes.

“Mine,” it said defiantly, and Hisra’s right eye started twitching.

“You little bitch!” she yelled as she lunged at the Altrasi, her eyes blazing in anger.