Cassie

"I have them in sight."

"Shh. Silence, woman, before he hears us with that crazy human sixth sense or something! Signal with a hand or even write it down if you must."

Cascade's wing covers Nara'Denyali's mouth with a seemingly well practiced movement, muffling the Apuk woman with Cassie's soft, downy feathers. She was wildly frustrated with Nara'Denyali. She might not be your average Apuk warrior woman, but she was not Undaunted trained, and subtle things like hand signs for silent operations were completely beyond her. It was something she'd be sure to recommend changing to Colonel Ghorza before the next day cycle.

She might be a contractor, but Nara'Denyali would be a liability if she couldn't operate in a combat environment properly alongside Undaunted soldiers. It was something Cassie put down to Apuk stubbornness usually... but she senses that the other woman would gladly take the training—A strange pattern of behavior for an Apuk. People usually joined them, not the other way around. They were also never prone to adopting the ways of others, especially not stealth.

The two of them were crouched around the corner of a maintenance corridor on the promenade of the Crimson Tear. The center of the social heart of the ship, it was even more filled than when they'd left somehow. Perhaps the Captain had sold off supplies en route as various non military spouses had come to him with business ideas? Or he could’ve even outright loaned or gifted them. It fit the pattern of the man called Skipper to Cassie's mind.

The Promenade had all manner of restaurants of varying qualities and little food stands that sold everything from meat skewers and sweets to a strange ball of tasty dough. It apparently contained some sea meat known as octopus that the humans called takoyaki. It was enjoyable, though it did require care in preparation and ordering. Some of the usual ingredients and sauces were dangerous to other species, but the rich substance called mayo was universal enough a topping.

One large deck with a mezzanine above the promenade to increase the perceived size of the room really was a blessing. That went double for the screens above them which were revealing the "sky". It wasn't completely accurate, the void was the void after all, but rather enhanced stellar cartography of nebulae and planets they passed near, keeping the scenery pretty. At the far end of the promenade, a set of hatches lead into the park that was perhaps the primary attraction in this part of the ship.

There was something to be said for getting some grass under your talons, or being able to actually fly and stretch your wings with some trees. Some madman even had the idea to implement a simulated breeze—A true goddess send. It certainly beat the hell out of the warships she'd served on as a fledgling back in the day, that much was clear.

Nara rises a bit, glancing down at Elyria and Tyler before dropping back to a knee. “She looks incapable of defending my lord in battle should someone try to seize him.”

“...How do you mean that? She’s a soldier and a Seramali huntress you know.”

“She’s unarmed, unarmored. Wings count for little in such tight quarters. The talons would be lethal to unarmored combatants.” Nara allows.

Cassie let Nara’s words roll around in her head for a second.

“Nara… are you… jealous perhaps?”

“What!? Of course not. Who could possibly be jealous over my lord’s cunning eyes and deceptively strong chin?”

Cassie just rolls her eyes and holds a wing up again. “Shh!’

“I mean. Uh. Of course not. I’m merely concerned about my lord’s physical safety. He has only one wife, and one knight to his banner. And while an Apuk knight is more capable than most—even dishonored as I am—we would be hard pressed to resist if a sisterhood came together to attempt to seize him as a husband.”

“Does that… happen often in Apuk space?” Cassie peers at the other woman, now mildly concerned.

“Yes.”

“That’s barbaric.”

“It’s romantic, and barbaric. Such is the nature of my people.”

“...Maybe I should reevaluate our plans for shore leave on Serbow.”

“Mayhaps.”

Cassie refocuses herself, trying to put the other woman’s words out of her mind to focus on the task at hand when Nara’s tail taps her shoulder.

"Why are we doing this again?"

"You want to know what's happening while he's on his date don't you?"

"No-mmph!"

Cassie's glare and another mouthful of feathers silences Nara and the other woman looks away for a moment. She’s blushing with the kind of heat only an Apuk can muster. This "tsundere" act was wearing thin with Cassie's patience already. She suspected that Nara was holding back because of her allegedly dishonored status... but the way her eyes lingered on Tyler. The way her eyes were going to him almost made her want to smack the other woman up the side of her head.

She wasn't about to beg or invite her to join their marriage, but this was just frustrating! Especially when she was always around! She had to defend her "lord" sure, but she seemed to be ever three steps behind them these days. Which is the other reason Cassie had corralled Nara into this spying mission... there was no way in hell Elyria would tolerate the Apuk warrior woman just... languishing nearby.

Cassie quickly gets herself back on task. A little quick scanning with her longer range eyes lets her easily focus on her darling husband and his date for the night. She focuses tight on his handsome face which had been recently ruggedized slightly with the growth of a beard. She involuntarily feels her nethers clench as he turns back to face Elyria after pointing out some stall or another to her. She silently berates herself for being so giddy. She was soon to be gravid after all, and she got more than enough love considering she was the only wife in the relationship so far—keywords, ‘so far’.

She eyes the Apuk woman out of the corner of her gaze. Nara'Denyali had fervently sworn up and down when she'd brought her on this little task that she had no romantic interest in Tyler. While part of her didn't mind not having to worry about a potential power struggle for the role of first wife with someone as dangerous as an Apuk—no matter what she did or didn't do with an axiom—a more irrational part of her was almost insulted on instinct. Was her husband somehow not good enough for a vagrant Apuk?

That particular silly thought as a capstone to the confusing nature of Nara'Denyali is enough to shake Cassie from her musings, they were on a mission; she needed to focus. She extends a hand, and Nara passes over the special equipment they'd borrowed from the intelligence division.Quietly, they tune in to the conversation that Tyler is having with Lieutenant Junior Grade Elyria Darlentra. She was a lovely blonde with fair skin and the prized twin sets of golden eyes that the Seramali considered the height of beauty since time immemorial.

Cassie gestures to Nara and gets passed the listening device they'd also borrowed from intelligence. The subject of their investigation was sitting at a little cafe type place having what appeared to be coffee for Tyler and tea for Elyria. The two women huddle closer to share the earphones as they tune the electronic listening device.

"So tell me a bit more about yourself Elyria. How did you find yourself here of all places?"

Cassie's feathers flex as she hears Tyler's voice. He was smooth talking to her already! He probably didn't even know he was doing it. It made her want to rush down and give her husband a squeeze. He wasn't entirely comfortable with taking more wives, but he wasn't letting Elyria see it in the slightest. He was doing his absolute best to be a perfect gentleman to the lady seeking his hand and it made Cassie want to spoil him rotten with affection—Possibly with Elyria's help.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Well, I'm sure Lady Cascade told you that I'm a fantasy author in my spare time. I actually make pretty good money doing that, but I've spent most of my life so far in school and studying... When the Undaunted turned up and began recruiting... I thought it was maybe my turn to have an adventure, too. I met with other Seramali women joining, including Lady Cascade, and I decided to volunteer for the Crimson Tear when the billet came available. The chance to get off Centris and get out there immediately was far too good a chance to miss."

Elyria cocks her head, clearly thinking about something for a second. "Hmm. It's funny, you know? I went through Huntress training in my youth, but for whatever reason... I just couldn't take the Oath... The Oath of the Undaunted, though? I didn't even have to think twice."

"Boyfriend opportunities that good huh?"

Elyria blanches briefly before the color quickly bleeds back into her face, clearly Tyler was wearing that little smile that he said was called a shit eating grin in his mother language and she'd realized she was being teased.

"Not all of us are pirates who think within nothing but our base needs you know."

"Sorry, I couldn't resist an easy set up like that. Go ahead and tell me more about your work. Being a novelist seems exciting."

"Hmmm... giving me an opportunity to not so subtly brag? I'll forgive your earlier jest."

The playful tone in Elyria's voice spoke volumes to Cassie, and from a quick glance to her right she can tell Nara's picking up on it as well. She was doing her best to appear carefree, like she was ignoring the events occurring below, but she was leaning in towards the machine as if it would let her hear better.

"As to my work I'm currently writing a modern adventure novel at the behest of one of the agencies of the Undaunted. They offered me an excellent deal to write a story about adventure and excitement with one branch or another of the Undaunted. Honestly I could just report on true events and get a decent enough story. I believe they hope to use it as recruiting material."

"Adventure and excitement in an environment with more men than most women can even fantasize about seeing in one place? Seems like solid fantasy fodder to me."

"Oh yes, you boys don't understand that you're quite literally the stuff dreams are made of, especially for more... base individuals. Err. Perverts, perhaps? There's a whole genre of fiction and games out there centered on a woman building herself a harem of men."

Tyler clearly snorts, fighting to contain himself in front of a lady. "I'm terribly sorry, it's just... there's the exact opposite back in Cruel Space. I can't say it was ever anything I was interested in, but the "harem genre" was quite popular with some people."

"Seems human men really have been primed for the galaxy, between that and your striking tendency towards xenophilia."

"That might be sample bias, honestly. Most of the people—man and woman alike—who joined the Dauntless did so because they had a dream. Maybe not quite as intensely as the nerd squad... Despite that, we all wanted to come and see what was out there, and were willing to stare death in the eye and spit to do it. Now we've found a universe of wonders. It’s hard not to be enthusiastic. It’s especially great to be with such welcoming locals... maybe even a little too welcoming sometimes."

Elyria is hanging off his every word, tea forgotten completely.

"Goddess, you talk like a protagonist in one of my books. You’re much more sturdily built though. That style of protagonist is a bit more like one of my colleagues writing."

Sensing a potentially amusing and far less serious topic, Tyler immediately follows that thread.

"Oh? What does she write?"

Elyria blushes slightly. "Ah. Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned it? She's an Apuk woman by the name of Erana'Aternae. We correspond quite regularly. She's on Serbow. I'm hoping to meet her when we make a port call there. Where I tend to write either modern adventure stories or sword and axiom fantasies... those sell like crazy to the Apuk, I'm sure you're surprised."

"The girls who manage to be knight, dragon, and princess from high fantasy stories all wrapped up in a ball gown like what we call high fantasy? I never would have guessed."

"Exactly! Anyway, Erana ah... writes another kind of fantasy. It's… It’s slightly more... lowbrow, shall we say?"

Cassie watches a familiar tilt of Tyler's head from the back as her husband tries to put the pieces together. "...Does she... write romance novels?"

"Yes. Rather lurid ones, too."

"...She writes goddamn bodice rippers!"

"I'm not sure what a bodice ripper is, but if you're talking about trashy romance novels then you're certainly following what I'm saying."

"I absolutely mean trashy romance novels. A bodice is an older style of garment worn by women, which will inevitably be ripped off by the handsome and studly hero, his hair blowing in the wind even indoors as he takes her to bed to have his way with the heroine."

"That sounds awful... I don't suppose the Undaunted media servers have some?"

"They absolutely do. You'll get a laugh out of them at the very least. What was it about Erana writing "sturdy" men though? That's what got us on the subject in the first place."

"I'm known for writing more active male heroes than a lot of people, Erana takes it a step further with down right male warriors, not sorcerers like the Apuk either! Warriors! Unsurprisingly, she was one of the first to market with a novel featuring a human male lead. I can only imagine you were... well, a dream-come-true more or less to her. Especially if she writes her men how she prefers them?"

"Heh. Probably so.”

“Her current project is about outside her usual fare, she’s writing a licensed, fantasy story based on the romance of Princess Miro’Noir and her husband Vernon Shay.”

Cassie can feel more than see Tyler’s jaw drop.

“...No. No way.”

“Absolutely. It’ll be reset as an Apuk fantasy story as opposed to current events, a mysterious sorcerer from another world pre space flight for the Apuk in a distant memory for their species. Lots of dashing action, adventure, sorcery of course. Seems Erana has a source in the palace, apparently she has all the details about Princess Miro’Noir and Vernon. I’d kill for that kind of access. The details on Miro’Noir’s battle style alone…”

“Hmmm. That is interesting. I feel like she’s gotta be more than just a bodice ripper writer if she’s got that kind of access… But enough talking about another woman, I'm on a date with you last I checked."

"Shit, that was smooth."

A voice echoes in Cassie's ear. She starts to nod to agree, then realizes it's not Nara's voice. Her head snaps up and Wichen Bridger is standing above them, looking down with a bemused smile.

"You know, it's probably easier and stealthier to just work a bug or a wire into your man's shirt if you want to scope out how he's doing on a date with a wife candidate."

"Wichen!? How did you know we were here?"

"...Cassie, you've seemed really nice every time we've spoken, but I have to be honest with you: You suck at hiding. You have a massive pair of fluffy white wings and a giant Apuk warrior woman crouched around a corner. I could literally see you from the far side of the mezzanine deck."

Seemingly on cue, Cassie's communicator chimes, the pattern of its little sing-song tone telling her Tyler's calling.

"Oh, hello darling!"

"Hi, gorgeous, Elyria was wondering if you and Nara would like to join us for dessert?"

"Oh, I wouldn't want to make you wait."

"It's only a minute walk from that part of the mezzanine deck, we don't mind!" Elyria calls out.

"...When did you find out?"

"Spotted your wings when I pointed out the takoyaki vendor to Elyria."

"Oh,” she sheepishly looks at her now folded wings, “feathers."

"Heh. Come on, we'll have something indulgent to take the edge off."

Carrie glances over at Nara and nods, more or less to herself.

"We'll be right down."

Before hanging up, shutting off the equipment and returning it to its container.

"Come along, Nara, we have an invitation for dessert."

"What? Why me?"

Cassie sighs internally as Nara does the worst job of acting shocked she’s ever seen.

"I suppose because you're here and Ms. Elyria is a generous spirit, come along."