Chapter 120: You Deserve To Be Happy
“Joseph, stop pacing.”
He heard Tel speak, but the actual request failed to register. He had too much on his mind—too many considerations—to actually place meaning to the words directed at him. He hummed noncommittally as he continued to walk circles around the hub.
The time for their departure was just around the corner, and despite the time he had to think about it, he couldn’t help but feel like everything was one dice roll away from falling out from under him. The pack was healing, the new additions had taken to assisting with gusto, and Rob’s ship was under repairs—even if it was going to take some time to rip it apart and replace things.
With everything going so well, he thought he’d be hanging around in the bath house with his brother, the two humans having some casual time with the crew and pack. Jax would probably set them up for inappropriate discussions while playing innocent, but the embarrassment would be outweighed by the laughter. They could spend time with Silva and maybe the rest of the fairer sex, letting Violet experience how different cultures and races socialized and what they thought of things; it could be a real learning experience for her.
Hell, he was sure he’d be dragging along Steve or someone else from Robert’s security as they hunted for some of the more elusive game, shooting the shit while keeping tabs on the inevitable pissing contest and bravado.
All things he would sigh and complain about with a smile, putting off the major issues with layer after layer of entertainment and inconsequential jokes.
“Joseph.”
Of course, that wasn’t what was on his mind—he wouldn’t be slowly grinding trenches in the floor if that was the case. No, he had been fully aware of just how fucked he could be in the upcoming days, and how many disapproving looks were directed at him for what he had asked to be done. Even Rob seemed to distance himself a little after he found out, regardless of how he claimed to understand.
Putting aside people’s general distaste for tampering with the dead, he was stuck in a loop of possible decisions and how carefully he needed to play his hand, making sure that even the slightest slip didn’t screw them all. Eight guards. He could take eight guards, assuming Robert, Silva, Violet, and himself were assigned two. Would it be pushing his luck to just show up with four times the expected muscle? Yep. Would it be a slap to the face to have as many unexpected VIPs? Also yes.
The UM could nuke them from orbit, take serious offence to the power play, or even just leave them on the ground to rot until reinforcements showed up and simply annex them into compliance. None of the outcomes would be remotely good news, and even thinking that there was an alternative seemed like a longshot. If, by some miracle, he could get them to hear him out, he might be able to persuade the UM that his pack truly was his pack, and that humanity wasn’t going run to the Union the instant Rob was allowed to leave.
All he had to do was convince the same people who were so paranoid about ‘experimental technology’ falling into the wrong hands and being used against them, that they fried Tech’s augmentations into worthless hunks of metal and circuitry...
It was exactly as hopeless of an idea as it sounded, so why in the hell was it looking like his only option?
A paw gripped the side of his neck, dragging him in for a deep, passionate kiss. The stun lasted longer than the affection, but his perplexed blinking brought his focus to a very annoyed Tel.
“Calm down,” she ordered flatly, swinging an arm wide to point at the white-furred female curled up on a couch. Pan hugged her knees, ears pinned back, pupils wide as she sat and stared at them. “The longer you remain trapped within your thoughts, the longer she remains victim to that which she can not address.”
His voice hitched in his throat as he met the fearful gaze, a defeated exhale slumping his shoulders. “Sorry.”
The Wraith’s expression softened, her paw returning to rub over his cheek. “You have until the rise to decide, and have undoubtedly considered every avenue in which to prepare for failure. This is not an inadequacy, but it is proving to be counterproductive by now.”
He brought his hand up to gently remove the contact, smiling thankfully. “I know, I know. There’s just so much riding on this, Tel. We’re not some walled-off community with an edge in weapons anymore. We’re some ‘sticks and stones’ mini-society facing off against something that can just remove us if they don’t like the answers we have.”
He walked back to the tables, letting his touch linger on her paw before hauling a chair out. He sat down heavily, resting an elbow on the table and supporting his head with his wrist. “Let’s ignore Mi’low’s plan and how utterly livid they would be if they caught on—“
“—Which they will not, as long as you adhere to instruction,” his grey-furred fiancee interjected, getting behind him and draping her arms over his shoulders. His fingers found her claws, following them up to absently rub at her pads.
“And ignoring the possibility that they might get very pissed off when the negotiations suddenly have far more participants than they were ready for—“
“—Which will be accommodated, when the true scale of those participants’ influence is acknowledged.”
“Then I still need to assign...” He paused, letting his head fall back to rest in the crook of Tel’s neck with closed eyes. Soft touches of her lips on his skin made staying focused on the sheer scale of his decisions difficult. “I don’t know, four, five, six guards? Depends on if Rob leaves any of his security behind for the ship.”
A gentle nibble of his collarbone caused a wince as her teeth pinched the skin.
“Alright, alright. I’ve calmed down. You can stop.”
The Wraith giggled sweetly into his ear. “Must I?”
He ignored the warm breath and soft bite following her words, shifting as she mixed claws into her ministrations, dragging them over his chest at a languid pace. “I still have to figure this out, and we have an audience, so yes.”
He felt her lift her head from his neck—presumably to check on Pan. Her voice returned, close and promising. “I am rather competitive, you know.”
“Yep. Can I go back to freaking out?”
Claws crept up his throat, thought becoming a difficult task. Her tail played across his lap, dexterously tracing along his thighs. “Perhaps it is time I show my other how things are done, no?”
A very primal part of himself paused out of interest, but what little shame he still had intact made him hesitate. He cracked an eye to look at Pan. She wasn’t balled up anymore—instead sitting up straight, her once terrified expression replaced by intrigue as she watched them with expectation. Though delayed, she averted her gaze when she noticed that he was looking at her, feigning disinterest in the events through the blush.
The pause was enough for him to snap out of his haze. He cupped Tel’s muzzle, kissing her on the snout before gently freeing himself of her. “I need to get this straightened up first, sorry.”
The grey-furred female pouted, sighing as she walked over to rejoin the other mate on the couch. She crossed one leg over the other and wrapped an arm around her smaller counterpart, tipping the Paw onto her thigh. Pan seemed surprised, but relaxed when Tel started stroking her fur, melting into the impromptu lap-pillow.
“As your mate and as a Wraith, I’m going. I will accept no replacement.” Tel smiled down at the soft purrs of contentment Pan let slip. “None other know what lengths my sire will reach to see a contract met.”
He groaned. “I forgot about Trill.”
“And I am the reason you need not think of him further.”
“At least Sunny won’t cause any problems for me,” he mumbled, thankful to have made friends with the Grand Huntress. A jettison of air was forced out through his nose. “So you, I guess, then three others. Two extras, in case Rob only takes half his team.”
“Sahari?” Pan asked quietly, smiling at having her fur played with.
“Busy with the new people and micromanaging things.”
“Nalah?”
“Reconstruction efforts.” His voice was muffled by palms covering his face. He rubbed his eyes with his fingers. “The fires weakened a couple things that we didn’t catch before. Plus, there’s a need for a few more dens now.”
Tel hummed. “Harrow is occupied for the foreseeable future as well.”
He dragged his hands down and dropped them to the table. “Wouldn’t take her anyway. Too much risk.”
“You still haven’t told me why you are so concerned,” the Wraith prodded, grinning at the side-eyed glance.
“Not my thing to say,” he reminded her. Pan rolled onto her back, the grey-furred paw on her shoulder shifting to stroke her cheek. She nuzzled into the touch.
“Jax?”
Joseph paused. “Jax could work. Security is being managed by Mi’low’s crew for now... Two more.”
“Violet would like Scarlet to go,” the white-furred female offered. He leaned back in the chair, chewing his cheek and crossing his arms.
“Rose too. So, backups.”
Tel’s paw was captured and held by Pan, the smaller fiancee looking fairly disappointed by her thoughts. “I am required to remain here, but you still have the Wraiths.”
He exhaled slowly, feeling more than a little guilty that he couldn’t refute her claim. She was needed to keep things going at the settlement. If it was just the pack, then it wouldn’t matter so much; everyone was used to each other. With the new additions, the ship, and Trilaxin being accepted with a fragile trust, the Lilhuns needed someone in charge to turn to if grievances needed addressing. The next in the command structure for a lot of them was Mi’low, and though progress had been made on that front, he couldn’t help but feel like the female would blow a gasket with the right amount of pressure.
And he didn’t blame her one bit.
“I might just take Volta at this rate,” he groaned. Tel’s ears perked.
“As security?”
“Figured we’d need someone to clean up the mess this is going to be.”
Pan chuckled softly, juxtaposing the Wraith’s rolled eyes. “Her and Scarlet have been spending time together. Perhaps it is justified by that?”
He paused his thought. “Actually... Yeah, fuck it. I’ll ask her later. It would give me an excuse to pick her brain a bit. I’ll run it by Raine too. Faye needs to stay back and keep tabs on the wolves.”
“Kaslin?”
“She’s unofficially in charge of the new people,” he clarified, bobbing his head as he thought it over. “Backups for the backups will have to be Tersa and...god, I don’t know, another Atmo? Wouldn’t hurt. I’m sure Violet could recommend someone.”
Tel continued her gentle stroking, returning the small smile that Pan let grow on her muzzle. “Which leaves us with Jax, Scarlet, Rose, and myself as your primary candidates, as well as Raine and...Volta...as your tentative additions, should they be required.”
Joseph sighed, letting his arms drop from his chest. “Sounds about right. I should go run it by everyone. Make sure they’re okay with doing it before I start committing.”
The grey-furred female smirked. “You are their Grand Hunter; they will obey any command you have for them.”
He pushed off his knees to get to his feet, walking over and giving both of his mates a kiss before straightening back up. “They’re still people; if they have a problem with going, I won’t force them. Anyway, I’ll track ‘em down and see what they think. Love you.”
Tel let Pan return the words sweetly while wearing a predatory grin. “Do tell me if the Wraiths refuse, yes?”
The Grand Hunter strode to the doors, waving a hand over his shoulder. “No bullying the girls, Tel.”
He vaguely heard something suggestive as he left the den, but he was already thinking about where he would find everyone. Admittedly, he wasn’t sure where to start. He took a breath as he surveyed the settlement, waving back at the greetings from the pack.
Maybe a higher vantage point would make it easier.
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Though she wasn’t quite sure when she had drifted off to sleep, it was likely after Volta. It was hard not to doze in the sunlight, especially after several suns of foregoing sleep. The fairly consistent schedule Scarlet and the other Wraiths had been assigned led to her body expecting some sort of respite at regular intervals—a far cry from years prior where ‘rest’ was simply breaths taken between targets or the scant silences after training.
Volta had taken to mirroring such a lifestyle as of late, save for the lack of violence. She had most of those who would normally assist her during their downtime constantly busy with other matters. It left her to be reliant on the Atmo kits who found themselves of free time, and the odd pack member distracting themselves while waiting on other things. Scarlet took it upon herself to assist any moment she wasn’t occupied with something else, even at the expense of her own rest.
Eventually, Volta had reached her limit, and the dark red-furred Wraith had suggested viewing their progress from atop the master’s den. She refused at first—citing that there was still much to be done in the wake of the assault—but Scarlet’s insistence eventually wore her down. A bit of not-so-subtle prodding got the blue-furred cleaner relaxed and watching the clouds. From there, it was just a matter of time until her chest rose and fell with the deep breaths of dreams.
It was obvious to Scarlet why Volta had been so Void-bent on getting everything back to how it was; the reason was threefold, really. She wished for normalcy to contrast the violence that had disrupted order, she desired to prove her worth in the position of a Head by doing her task to an impeccable degree, and lastly, she felt it her duty to present only the best for the visitors that the master’s sibling brought along—not that she would ever admit it.
As much as she was wary of their human Grand Hunter, there was a need for acknowledgement present within the blue-furred female. Some of it was due to the master’s mate, surely, but Scarlet liked to think that the wanting gaze had diminished since the Wraith asserted herself more often, offering more than self-imposed solitude into her life. It wasn’t healthy to pursue one who wished nothing of your affections, let alone to do so while wilfully isolating oneself.
A familiar feeling brought her gently out of her unconsciousness, though her only experience with it was the one time before her reforging. A soft pressure started just on top of her snout, travelling up between her eyes and following her skull to the base of her neck, where the claws would scratch the fur before repeating the action. It was slow and soothing, the scent of the master’s mild anxiousness and occasional deep breath telling her that he was lost in thought as he used her to quell his mind. She knew not how long he had been ruminating with her ‘assistance,’ but she was more than content to provide it.
Volta’s shifting to her side had the female’s arm brush against her own as adjustments were made for comfort. A brief consideration was held about if he would have done the same to her, assuming the blue-furred female was inclined to rest on her stomach rather than her back.
“Sleep well?” Joseph asked quietly. Scarlet smirked, wondering what gave her wakefulness away as she opened her eyes.
His expression was relaxed, but a tint to it suggested that he had been adrift in his pondering for a while. Dull claws continued their passive scratching as the heel of his paw rested between her shoulder blades. She almost allowed herself to fall back asleep because of it, but if he was here, then either her services would be required, or he would appreciate a conversational partner for something that others would be more inclined to repeat.
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“My rest was unintended,” she admitted, failing to stifle a yawn. Unlike the mistress, he had no qualms with his Wraiths taking solace in moments of peace, so she was free to let her jaw stretch and take her time coming to grips with functioning again. “Apologies for my negligence.”
“You haven’t slept since the attack, Scarlet. It’s not healthy.”
“I was needed.”
He stopped his idle comforts, rubbing forcefully between her ears before placing his paw in his lap. His gaze shifted to Volta. “She should sleep more, too. I appreciate what she’s done, but she’ll drop dead from overwork at this rate.”
“You could order her,” Scarlet suggested, rolling onto her back and blinking away the vestiges of rest. The master snorted.
“Yeah, that’d go over well. She’s already terrified of me.”
That wasn’t strictly true, but it was close enough that she didn’t see the need to correct him. Volta did not fear him, but rather what his opinion represented. Regardless of if he was aware of it or simply chose ignorance, the majority of acceptance within the pack was earned by his word. Should someone lose the Grand Hunter’s blessing, then the others would quickly isolate them. It was likely quite difficult to place oneself in such a position without erring greatly, but the fact of the matter remained. You were only welcome as long as the Grand Hunter welcomed you.
She pulled her gaze away from the sleeping female and returned it to the Blademaster. “You have need of me, sir?”
He shook his head, pausing mid-action to wince. “Kind of. The trip tomorrow. I need four guards.”
Scarlet placed her paws to the roof, sitting herself up and letting the remains of the more casual exchange fade. “Shall I gather the Wraiths?”
“No need. Tel’s going, and I wanted to ask if you would be interested. I think Violet would appreciate it, since you two are pretty close.”
There wasn’t much need for consideration. Attending to the young mistress had started as a chore, but the kit had quickly cemented her place as second only to the master—and even then, Scarlet held no doubt that the Queen would be the higher priority in the event both were in danger. The decision would be made quickly as well; her loyalty to her Blademaster was only matched by how fond she had become of the ‘small’ insect.
Bright and kind, Violet had proven time and time again that the master’s influence was one of prosperity and acceptance, allowing different species to find joy in the company of those unlike themselves. Numerous occasions could be pointed to as moments where Scarlet’s otherwise blurred recollection of life was vivid and pleasant. Watching the kit befriend the birds that were being tamed, assisting the Atmo with gathering healroot, then seeing the fulfillment as she tended to minor wounds with the collected supplies...
Perhaps it was because of how earnest and genuine the affection was, but it gave a small light in which Scarlet wished to protect.
And—admittedly—Violet was the one who suggested Scarlet offer her company to Volta, thus starting their relationship beyond the bounds of mere packmates. Even now, the insectoid kit would ask how things were going, bouncing gleefully as the dark red-furred female told of the conversations and activities since last time. When Scarlet asked why the young mistress was so elated by something as trivial as a Wraith socializing beyond her duties, a single message was presented. Scarlet still held that image dearly within her heart.
[Because you seem happier now. You deserve to be happy.]
The Wraith smiled, nodding to the master’s request. “If she is to be accompanying you, then so shall I.”
His paw patted her back lightly, a fond scratch signalling his appreciation. “Thanks, Scarlet. I need to ask Jax and Rose next, but I’m not sure where they are. I’ve been looking around from up here, but nothing so far.”
She thought for a moment. “It has been some time, but Jax was planning to relax in the bath house before we came here. As for Rose, they are assisting your kin with the ship, I believe.”
Joseph blinked, sighing as his body slumped slightly. “I forgot I asked them to help haul shit.”
Scarlet smirked, allowing a soft laugh when he returned the expression.
It was a strange feeling, laughter. Worn as a facade to lower guards of others, sure, but as a genuine response? Even with the additional ‘service-oriented’ training she was given by the Heads, each emotion shown was mostly for display purposes, but they had become real as of late. The master was a comforting presence, her mistress deserved only the utmost respect, and countless others drew their own opinions beyond if she expected to remove them or not.
Huntress Pan has long since surpassed the curious position of being an exception to the rules enforced by their tenets. Now, she was an extension of the Blademaster—one who practised a facet of Blades that had previously been overlooked. A Shield. Framed within such context, it didn’t feel so incorrect for the master to wield both. A Sheath could only support one Blade, but a many a shield was crafted with a Sheath behind its protections. Was it so strange for the master—an alien being in more than just the literal interpretation—to employ such? To find value and worth in not just a means to preemptively remove threats, but to offer shelter through his influence?
Was that what a Wraith was? Was that why she wished to protect the blue-furred female resting by her side? Was that why she felt compelled to see her through such sleepless moons?
Those questions occupied her mind at times. A Blade was a simple tool for bloodshed, yet she still remembered the odd vision of silver brickwork beckoning her to join it. To assist in defending that which resides within. From the kinship and conversations, Faye felt much the same as Scarlet—a yearning to protect the sanctuary they had been given—yet Raine and Kaslin felt drawn more to the mistress than the master. It created a divide between their desires, yet not their loyalties.
Does that mean that she had begun drifting even further from being a Blade? Is she less than she was, or merely different—tuned and meticulously adjusted to fit a new purpose?
“I need a few backups in mind, anyway,” the master continued. Scarlet tried to recall what she may have missed while lost in thought, but her memories supplied nothing.
“Apologies, it seems my mind has wandered.”
He raised a brow, but smiled gently anyway, patting her thigh. “It’s fine. A lot of thinking has been happening lately. I was saying that we might need more than four guards if Rob leaves any of his security behind, so I’d need backups to fill the slots. I was thinking of Raine for one.”
Scarlet nodded her approval. The brown-furred female preferred long-range engagements or being close enough to see her target’s pupils widen in fear. It was a fine complement to Scarlet’s own preference of more moderate interactions, and Rose would excel at drawing attention from both with their thick armour.
“The other...” He hesitated, frowning slightly as he considered it, his eyes drifting beyond Scarlet. “Well, Volta, honestly.”
The Wraith glanced between the Blademaster and the sleeping female, not wanting to question his decisions, but also feeling a deep pit of dread and confusion. He held up a paw haltingly.
“I know, I know.” He smiled apologetically, letting the arm drop. “She’s one of the few here who hasn’t done any real sparring or training past whatever was drilled into her by the military.”
“Then why...” Scarlet closed her mouth, unsure why she felt compelled to know. Joseph chuckled quietly.
“Company for you, mostly. It’s rare to see you not glued to her side nowadays, so I figured you’d like her to come along.” He leaned back, letting his paws support his weight behind him as his gaze focused on the settlement below. “We’re fucked if anything goes wrong out there, Scarlet. Outnumbered, outgunned, and orbital bombardment looming over our heads. I could take the entire pack and it wouldn’t change a single thing. I don’t see a problem with taking her if it makes you a little happier.”
The image of the young mistress presenting her tablet flickered through Scarlet’s thoughts. [You deserve to be happy.]
Her muzzle opened, her voice finding nothing to project. She was a tool, a weapon to be turned against those that displeased or threatened the power of her Blademaster. It was what she had clung to as her identity since she had memory at all—raised from a young age with a dagger in her paws, yet only somewhat recently able to wield it properly. Chosen amongst others like herself, she survived the trials, then was picked to accompany Blademaster Trill as he embarked upon the colony ship.
She was nameless, faceless, and little more than ammunition for his grand design—expended and utilized when the order was given. She was to be emotionless. Unmovable.
Joy was to be felt once a Blade had properly found and claimed their Sheath, so why were her tears building at such simple words? Why was the text etched by a kit and the sentiment given by a human warming her from within?
“It’s up to her, though,” he sighed. “Hopefully, I don’t need to worry about it, but if it comes up, she can tag along.”
Joseph grunted, pushing himself to his feet and stretching, brushing off the dust on his clothing. “I’ll go let the others know what’s going on. Try to get some sleep tonight, okay? I’ll want you awake tomorrow. Run the idea by her too. I don’t want it to come as a surprise if I need to fill the gap at the last second. I’d feel terrible if she said yes because I dropped it on her without warning and put her on the spot.”
Scarlet returned her agreement, watching him climb back down the ladder. When his scent faded from the air, she turned her attention to the blue-furred female. “He has departed.”
Volta opened an eye slowly, discomfort showing in her expression. “I will have to go, will I not?”
“Only if you wish to,” the dark red-furred female replied, pausing as a thought crossed her mind. “You have synchronized?”
The cleaner sat up, shaking her head. “Not in its entirety, but enough to understand portions of the conversation.” She regarded the Wraith with a weary gaze. “He was referring to the meeting with the UM, yes? Where the fate of the pack will be decided?”
Scarlet watched the blue-furred female curl up on herself somewhat, the cream-coloured fur of her chest peering beyond the clothing as idle claws nervously fixed a small tangle. “You still have the option of reintegration. You can leave behind the place which makes you so anxious. Be free of the worries you harbour.”
Volta paused, the smallest pause and flick of her eyes to the Wraith quickly rectified by turning her head away. “I know.”
Silence layered the air, broken only when Scarlet poked the female, receiving an exasperated glare that softened after a moment. Nothing was said, but Volta shifted a bit closer, allowing the faintest of contact. The two remained on the roof for a while, watching the pack below carry on with their duties.
“I will remain.”
Scarlet turned an ear towards the whispered words, Volta’s eyes remaining fixed on the people in the settlement. A smile crept up on her as she leaned into her company, feeling the blue-furred female stiffen, then relax.
[You deserve to be happy.]
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Jax rested on both the haft of his axe and the wall, the familiar-yet-foreign feeling of flight pulling at his sense of balance after so long travelling by foot. Leader had come to collect them early in the sun, and they had finally met one of the others who belonged to the tiny crew of the scout ship. Comms, as he was called, was a fairly unremarkable brown-furred male, though he was polite as he thanked Joseph for carrying out Tech’s funeral rites. It was obvious that the Grand Hunter was uncomfortable accepting the gratitude, but he did so after a moment’s hesitation.
Robert and Silva were assigned a room with their security for the sun, while the rest of them opted to stay with Joseph for the duration of the flight. The distance they were travelling wasn’t very far by ship, apparently—much less than would warrant a room—but they needed somewhere to stay in the meantime, so they were shown to the area their Grand Hunter used when he visited Sunundra’s settlement.
Tel took to the desk immediately, performing maintenance on her knives and lazily offering the same for any weapons brought along. Jax kept regular care of the large implement gifted to him, so it was unrequired, but Scarlet gratefully allowed the female to critique her habits.
Joseph unenthusiastically tossed himself onto the bed, Violet taking the opportunity to cuddle into his side and request Jax do the same. The black-furred male chuckled, denying for now and claiming that he wished to stretch his legs out for a while. The kit nodded her understanding, burying herself into her adoptive blood-father.
Rose—being a fully grown Atmo too large for the bed—occupied a place on the floor, their armour polished to a shine and exaggerating the already imposing presence of the insect. Volta stayed near Scarlet, quietly selecting a chair to sit on as she ensured everything within arm’s reach was clean. The blue-furred female shifted anxiously, and even took to tidying the servant’s attire when her own failed to have anything disorderly. Scarlet patiently allowed the cleaner her fidget, noting where the problem areas were so as not to need adjustments in future.
Samair, the medic of Robert’s security force, was the one who stayed behind with the pack. It was apparently to sate the male’s curiosity regarding the Lilhun pack, but he had already successfully made friends with some of them, and was assisting a subset of the crew with organizing a language patch for their translators. No one was ready for the reveal that the human spoke several languages, and even less so for finding out that a good many of them were of human origin. He was a ‘polyglot,’ assuming Jax’s memory served.
Though the black-furred male made a show of idly watching the others in the room for a while, in actuality, the Head of Security was nervous. His excuse of comfort while leaning against his weapon was because he knew that his fidgeting would be noticed otherwise. Perhaps it already had, but Joseph was kind enough to leave it unspoken, closing his eyes on the bed and putting an arm around his kit to stroke her scales and carapace. It was an omission Jax was grateful for, because he wasn’t much in the mood for discussing the source of his worries.
Harrow had immersed herself in her work with the engineers of Robert’s ship, working sun and moon with little room for breaks or rest. Despite his concern for the health of their young, she assured him that she would slow down as soon as she was able. He couldn’t quite bring himself to deny her the latest obsession. Not when there was such a drive behind those beautiful eyes.
She always lit up whenever their Grand Hunter proposed something strange for them to work on. From bows to Bratik’s mobile seat, she was right there, smiling as she examined and refined the designs. It was like her mind found something to latch onto and wouldn’t cease until everything had been learned or improved. It became unhealthy at times, but such was often managed by more intimate solutions. The recollection drew a smile on his muzzle. He would have kits on the way because his mate saw fit to dive into whatever interested her without coming up for air. Well, until something of equal or more interest came up.
That smile faded as he acknowledged his usual suggestion failed to coax her out this time. There was more riding on her actions than mere fascination or compulsion. Were he of a skill set to assist, he would be right with her, reverse engineering the designs and coding, guiding the humans and Trilaxin through foreign technologies, but he only had some experience with bypassing general security measures. Outside of that, technology wasn’t something he bothered with much.
For now, he was doing the only other thing he could while his security members were healing; he was accompanying their Grand Hunter—the second blood-father of their kits, and one who the both of them owed everything—while their pack’s continuation hinged on the meeting they were to attend.
He felt that he had every right to be anxious.
A low chime played over the audio system after a while, warning the occupants of an incoming address. Leader’s voice filled the ambience, his normal formality disregarded. “We’ll be reaching the congressional soon. I recommend gathering your items and I’ll let you know when we’re ready to disembark.”
Tel motioned at the door, Scarlet bowing before leaving to translate for those in the other room, much to Volta’s discomfort. The grey-furred female went through her equipment, checking each and every quill, knife, and roped dagger she kept. Jax blinked as the number of sharp implements continued to increase, the Wraith piling numerous needles on the table and testing their sharpness against her pads. Once she was satisfied, two were broken in half and discarded, while the rest were tucked away within her short fur systematically. If he hadn’t watched most of the process, he would never hazard a guess as to how many she had on her person, let alone where she chose to hide them.
“You may stare all you like, Jax. Only one may see me as I am without their final thoughts being fond remembrance.”
He cleared his throat, silently chastising himself. Not for following each quill to their resting position, but for not registering that he had been doing it.
If he was going to get made fun of, he might as well actually get a good look.
He smirked at Tel, shifting his arms on his axe. “Two, more accurately—assuming we forget our time without garments. That is unless Pan has fallen out of your favour?”
The female stiffened, sheathing her daggers on her thigh before standing. Her annoyed glare was met with a mirthful grin and a glance at Joseph, their Grand Hunter having fallen asleep with his kit. Tel’s expression softened, a sigh exiting her muzzle.
“Fine. Eventually two. I refuse to count your previous gawking. Now prepare your things. It would be best to be prepared.”
He chuckled quietly, tipping his head towards the dozing male. “Are we waking him?”
The Wraith considered it before shaking her head. “Not yet. His rest was fitful last moon. Let him get what he can.”
Jax nodded, accepting the answer. “So be it.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Luckily, the remainder of the trip was short. The subtle shake of their landing could have been mistaken for turbulence, were they not given the periodic update of their progress. The Grand Hunter was woken up and his apologies ignored. Several attempts led to Jax making suggestive comments about having two mates taking up his time during the moon, which received mixed reactions.
Joseph rolled his eyes to disregard the comment, Tel chose not to comment, and Volta blushed, taking shelter next to Scarlet as the Wraith failed to suppress her amusement. Violet queried about the jest, but was quickly distracted by the announcement that they had arrived.
Gathering the last of their things, they met with Robert, Silva, and the three security guards at the airlock. Leader was the only one waiting for them, offering a token smile before the doors quietly parted to allow the sunlight in.
The area had certainly been set up in anticipation of their arrival. Temporary structures littered the broad area, the only evidence of construction being the occasional stump where a tree once stood. Each building was nearly indistinguishable from its normal counterpart, but the seams along the corners and roofs gave their prefabricated nature away. The ship must have had them prepared some time in advance. The collection of red-tinted faux wood contrasted pretty heavily with the natural yellows and silvers, but it made a striking statement.
The United Military controlled this area.
Soldiers wandered around with materials while mostly ignoring them, even when Joseph and Robert stepped out. A curious glance or two was given at Rose, Violet, and Silva, however. There were numerous guards spread about, their paws on their weapons as cautious eyes observed the group—doubtlessly wary of the increase in number from the expected party.
“I take it she’s the one in charge?” Joseph whispered to Leader, the dark green-furred male nodding in response. He gave an airy whistle, careful not to produce any sharp noise. “I thought Jax was the only one that big.”
Jax raised a brow, not seeing the female in question. He turned his head, finally having another group enter his field of vision that was reduced by his blind eye. Sure enough, there was a large black-furred female in a uniform denoting her high station, flanked by heavily armed soldiers who all looked less than pleased by the unexpected additions. Oddly enough, the female seemed fixated on him, rather than the aliens he was tasked with protecting. Her expression was stuck between surprise and curiosity, but she stood there with expectation burning in her eyes and her tail swaying behind her. Another soldier approached, breaking the anticipation and replacing it with a cough to clear her throat. She adopted a confident stance.
While Leader was called aside by her stern voice—the female excusing both of them and leaving with the dark green-furred male—their group was directed to their temporary lodgings. An apology was issued, stating that they would be staying in one building despite their number. No one complained, since they could hardly be expected to know how many were coming when Leader purposely ‘forgot’ to include it in the update.
“You know her?” Joseph asked, pointing a claw in the direction the two had left. Jax shook his head.
“She does not look familiar, no.”
He frowned, dismissing it with a raise of his brow. “Whatever. Let’s go see how cramped our place is before I start thinking about where we are too much.”
Jax gestured for them to go ahead, looking back to where the high one had left. With little coming to mind, he followed his pack, keeping a tight grip on his axe.