"Sir I'm telling you this is some sort of misunderstanding! I just rendered aid to a ship in distress, now that lighter's pilot is saying she needs to speak to me like she knows me or something? I barely know any Apuk women! I haven't even met one before besides Gaucha, I'd remember that. Those girls kind of stand out! And that's before they start throwing full size starships around!"

Tyler Sarkin is having a very weird day. It's not that uncommon that a woman turns up at the Dauntless more or less demanding a certain member of the crew fulfill some spoken or unspoken obligation to marry said alien. But an Apuk turning up with what could very well be such a demand in deep space? Setting aside the very odd location, with the newness of their relationship with Serbow and Apuk space... that could be... sensitive.

Tyler gulps.

"Seriously Skipper I can't just marry some random alien woman because she demands it."

Jerry looks on with a sympathetic smile that nonetheless communicates ‘This is your problem now.’ to the younger man.

"Well I've cleared her aboard the ship after her initial security screening, and this Nara'Denyali is on her way up now so the two of you can work it out with Lieutenant Sarkin. I don't care what the resolution is, but you will find me a resolution Commander. I've got my hands full with my usual dance card, the prize we just captured, prisoners, and now I have a shiny new security risk that just popped up in my messages before you walked in here, these Takra aliens, the Arli'Toss or whatever are apparently stalking human personnel on Centris. So we're going to have to be all kinds of more aware when doing things like making port call. They're not hostile per se... but we're going to need to be vigilant."

A loud chime interrupts Jerry and he stabs at his desk intercom with an irritated sigh. "Yes?"

"Sir, there's an Apuk woman here to see you and Commander Sarkin, Lieutenant Sarkin has also just arrived... they uh. They might be about to fight some sort of honor duel." Jerry's secretary is whispering excitedly, clearly deciding if he should duck behind his desk for some modicum of cover from what were probably two of the most dangerous women on the ship potentially needing to have it out.

"Get to cover, I'll deal with it."

Jerry storms across his office, pulling the door open to reveal Cassie Sarkin and a blonde, fair skinned, blue eyed Apuk woman who was presumably Nara'Denyali squaring off with each other, the two warrior women clearly tensing to attack. Two naval armsmen had ducked into the conference room and were clearly at a loss of whether they should stay out of the way or try to subdue the would-be combatants.

Before Jerry can call axiom into his hand Jaruna pushes into the room from the passageway. The Cannidor woman steps through the door and racks her massive custom shotgun. Its cavernous 40mm bore, wicked bayonet and the loud cer-chunk of the action as the heavy steel involved moves a giant gleaming brass shell into position is more than enough to get everyone's attention.

"Alright bitches, let's relax before I give my new toy a field test. With what Hubby calls buckshot at this range I promise that you'll be undergoing a healing coma to replace whatever hunk of shit this rips off of you and throws all over the wall of my husband's office if you survive."

The Captain takes that moment to quietly cough, the sheer irritation pouring off of him more than enough to hold everyone's attention once he's got it.

"Thank you Warrant Officer. All three of you get in here."

Cassie blushed heatedly, her blood was clearly up. "But sir she...!"

"I know why she's here Lieutenant, we're going to talk about it like adults. Or I'll have Jaruna smack some sense into the lot of you, then we'll talk about it like adults. Office. Now."

His icy tone leaves absolutely no room for argument, even from the mysterious Apuk woman who flinched along with the rest of the office at the full weight of Jerry's command voice.

Now that he has a better chance to get a look at her, Jerry notes all sorts of interesting things about this Apuk woman. She was standing at around 6'5", tall, about middle of the road for Apuk, which suggested a decent amount of self confidence. The next thing that stands out is she's in armor. Modern, high quality armor. Not power armor, though it is powered with what appears at first glance of his axiom enhanced senses to be a variety of sensors, emergency medical systems, shields, a normal enough HUD... all perfectly normal.

If you weren't an Apuk. Who tended to prefer going to a fight with nothing but their bare hands, an evening gown and a nice pair of high heels on the whole. He also got the impression that she was extremely muscular. More muscle than most Apuk physically carried, though the race of warrior women looking like proper turtle tailed amazons wasn't uncommon.

The strangest thing though had him utterly baffled, that had him already mentally composing an email to Vernon Shay to get more information. What might be the oddest thing he'd ever heard of connected to an Apuk. Namely, she didn't glow white hot with channeled axiom like the other Apuk he'd met as part of his diplomatic duties. He'd spent a fair amount of time with a few dozen different Apuk of varying ranks now. Even met a few battle princesses.

Serbow was on the list of places the ship would be touring now, both to supply the hidden village, and to service commercial contracts. He'd made a point of getting to know the Apuk, and everything he knew told him that what he was looking at was very, very strange. Most Apuk had a decent, warm glow. Like a pleasant camp fire. Warrior Apuk were like a very large fire. Battle Princesses were a towering inferno of axiom energy.

It made Jerry want to know who this Nara'Denyali was. Compared to Masha, the Apuk who’s axiom presence Jerry was most familiar with, a battle princess caliber wielder of green warfire, Nara’Denyali was more akin to a talented human axiom user. Even compared to a normal Apuk civilian, she still stood out from what Jerry could tell.

Setting aside the mystery of his new guest, Jerry resumes his seat and adjusts his collar, all three involved parties now seated before his desk as Jaruna takes up a comfortable spot in the corner.

"So. Ms. Denyali I am informed that you believe you have some sort of claim on my squadron commander. Or more specifically that you desperately need to speak to him? Before taking commentary from either Commander Sarkin, or his first wife, who you've just met, I'd like you to tell us who you are, and explain the situation to us."

Nara'Denyali clears her throat slightly. "You are his liege then?"

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That draws a blink from the human man. "...For all intents and purposes as I understand Apuk social conventions, yes, I am Commander Sarkin's lord, and he is the leader of one of my *war banners*."

Jerry had been studying up on the Apuk the old fashioned way, and unfortunately Cinder Tongue was about the only Apuk language the Nerd Squad had seen fit to send notes back on in English.

Nara'Denyali blinks with obvious surprise at the use of cinder tongue. "A sorcerer? Here? I had heard there were human woods walkers but I..."

Jerry holds up a hand to stop her. "Just a warrior, I learned a smattering of cinder tongue the old fashioned way so I can greet the Empress properly later this year and present her with gifts from Admiral Cistern."

Nara nods slowly, clearly processing that information.

"I see. I also believe there's a misunderstanding. I am not here to marry anyone. I was once a knight, and I am not a member of that august body of individuals any longer. I have been dishonored, and have surrendered the use of axiom for combat save the most basic of reinforcement and defense. I have surrendered my warfire as I go on pilgrimage to regain my honor, and have my flame rekindled. Previously I have been in search of a worthy lord, that I might be in proper service again… and perhaps slowly reclaim some semblance of honor. I have now found that person. I owe the pilot of that gunship, Commander Sarkin, as you say, a life debt. He came to my aid in a very timely rescue. My associate was incapacitated from an early hit on our vessel, I am no pilot, and I was certainly fated to die without his intervention."

"...A life debt." Jerry steeples his fingers for a moment. "Well. I honestly can't say I'm surprised that that's a thing considering the Apuk's culture. Hmm."

Jerry considers it for a moment longer, rolling the idea around in his head. Another Apuk fighter wasn't exactly a hardship provided she could play nicely by his rules and make herself useful.

"Commander Sarkin serves the Undaunted, that means you would need to serve the Undaunted. You would be given tasks, orders to carry out. To act and fight as one of our troops aboard this ship. Is that acceptable to you?"

"If you are willing to accepted one who's dishonored herself as I have, then yes, I shall serve the Undaunted so long as Tyler'Sarkin serves them."

"A little further background then if you please."

"As you say. I was exiled after accidentally killing an opponent in a duel to first blood. Previously I was training to join the Shellcracker Tournament in hopes of winning honor for my clan and a crown for myself. Since then I have wandered, seeking self and galactic absolution for my mistake. As I told your Commander Lawson I have so far carried this out as a bounty hunter, destroying the wicked without the natural gifts of my people. It has forced me to... reexamine what I understand of fighting and combat. There are many problems that can be solved better with a more subtle hand than a hand holding warfire. We ended up near death after claiming bounty on a pirate admiral. She had an eight figure bounty on her head, which we have now claimed. We also purposefully picked a more obvious escape ship in an attempt to let a freighter full of slaves make it to a secure system. Last I saw they'd made a successful jump without being pursued."

Jaruna and Tyler both let out a low whistle, before Jaruna comments;

"Eight damn figures? That's one expensive skull."

Jerry nods slowly, exactly what she'd told Commander Lawson.

"I see. You'd go that far for an accidental death? Admirable indeed. If you didn't have a potential debt to one of my officers I have no doubt we'd be trying to recruit you. Well that's good enough for me. Commander, Lieutenant, you have my blessing to do whatever you want as far as this situation's concerned. However I'm stepping out of my office because I really don't need to be involved with what appears to be personal business."

"This Apuk woman wanting to fuck my husband is hardly that personal sir."

Jerry gives Cassie a withering stare, but is interrupted by Nara before he can respond.

Much to everyone else in the room's confusion Nara's axiom presence is lit up in what Jerry and Cassie understand as the galactic equivalent of a deep, burning hot blush. Tyler, who's not nearly as axiom sensitive or skilled, is just confused as to what's happening as the Apuk lady in question stammers out.

"I don't! I mean! I wouldn't! I certainly wouldn't ever put it so crassly and really that's not the point of an Apuk life debt. I don't even know his lordship even though he is a talented pilot who displayed admirable skill and courage but he's really not my type and..."

Jerry slides from his chair and slowly moves towards the door as the very embarrassed Apuk warrior woman continues to run her mouth, denying any possible attraction to Tyler or any latent desire to have him lay her back on silk sheets and take her in a manly fashion. Or whatever it is that Apuk liked to do in bed as part of their ongoing attempt to be a society of walking talking dragonic knights right out of the most tawdry bodice ripper ever written.

Jaruna firmly shoves a fist in her mouth to stop herself from laughing. Axiom or no axiom, Apuk were a decent challenge in a fight, and an emotionally distraught Apuk even more so.

Then a sudden realization hits Jerry as he slides towards the door. He was handling one alien, but Nara'Denyali had been working with a second alien bounty hunter she said... one alien unaccounted for wasn't much of a big deal on average. One Apuk unaccounted for however? Jerry had to get to the bottom of that now.

"Hold it. I'm inclined to let you continue this important heart to heart talk that I'm sure you'll tell your many children about in the future with fondness, but I have a more important problem that I need to handle right the hell now."

The other four people in the room stop and look at Captain Bridger.

"Nara'Denyali... didn't you say you came here with another? Where's the second Apuk?"

"Oh, your grace, I may have misspoke. The woman I was working with before entering the service of your vassal isn't an Apuk. She's a Takra."

Jaruna face palms softly. "Aww fuck."

"Goddamnit. Setting aside being called ‘your grace’ like I'm goddamn Miles, I haven't even finished reading the bulletin about the Takra apparently stalking humans on Centris. Jaruna, what's the gouge on these girls? They can't be that bad can they? What kind of alien gives a Cannidor the shits?"

Jerry finds himself very concerned all of the sudden. That sort of reaction from Jaruna was not what he'd been expecting.

"Y'see honey, it's not that the Takra are... extremely strong per se. Well. Not all the time. They're shapeshifters. They turn into what they call a war form. Like in that movie Dog Soldiers, but like a Feli on all the drugs with teeth the size of short swords instead of a roided out and frenzy patched Lopen from the seventh hell. Courtship wise they're generally considered decent enough... but they can be enthusiastic. Which sounds fine till you understand their enthusiasm can ring up seven figure property damage bills."

Nara nods. "That is an... apt description of them. The Takra are an extremely contentious people. They fight everyone and everything they can, and are constantly challenging each other over matters of honor and pride."

Jerry groans softly. "Do they happen to wear tartan?"

"Tar-what? I'm terribly sorry, your grace, I am unfamiliar with that word."

"It's a human word. It's a colorful stripe pattern worn to signify one's clan."

Nara cocks her head slightly, clearly confused. "Not... not that I know of? Their clans are rather loose things, though, rather volatile outside the largest of them as they're..."

"...Contentious, I got it."

Jerry sighs, pulling himself to his feet and pulling off his uniform blouse and reaching for his armor on a nearby rack.

"Jaruna, you're with me. We found an alien were-sabertooth tiger scotswoman and I'm not letting her wander around on my ship without giving her a firm idea of who's in charge around here."