Chapter 124: Attendance
The morning came faster than Joseph would have liked. He awoke with Tel buried in his chest and Jax completing the sandwich behind him, the male’s arm making sure that both of them wouldn’t be getting up quite yet. His neck was oddly stiff after having grown more than used to having his fiancee opting to be a pillow, but he just dealt with the discomfort; it was worth it to enjoy the feeling of holding his mate as consciousness reestablished itself again and he begrudgingly accepted that he would need to start his day.
He wasn’t quite able to move with the arrangement of the current company, though.
Pan was usually the one to curl into him, her significantly smaller frame giving him more room to manoeuvre when the other’s limbs got in the way. It was a bit of a challenge to remind himself that she wasn’t the one he was holding after so long doing it. His chin had gotten used to resting on her silky fur and the light taps of her ears whenever he breathed out too heavily and disturbed them, but Tel chose to nestle against his neck, her paws holding him at the shoulder blades. He couldn’t shift forward, nor really wiggle backwards out of the embrace with Jax acting as a wall, so he resigned himself to taking his time waking up while nuzzling back into his fiancee.
It would be amusing to see if this new sleeping position held up when he got back. Hopefully, it wouldn’t turn into something for them to compete over—he wasn’t sure how he would be dragged into it, if so.
The tired blinks eventually gave way to a yawn, the room coming into focus to reveal that they were the only ones still in bed. It wasn’t too odd for him and Tel—they had spent some time through the night just taking comfort in each other’s company before finally laying down—but Jax was typically up pretty early, based on Harrow’s half-hearted complaints.
His stirring caused the black-furred arm over them to tighten, pressing his back even further into Jax’s chest. He waited for the pressure to lessen, but it remained constant, the long exhale from above cluing him in that there was only one person actually still asleep.
“Hey, Jax,” he murmured in greeting, tilting his head up to look at his furry backrest.
“Hello, Joseph.”
“You okay? It’s weird for you to still be in bed. I figured you’d be out bothering Rob or something.”
Jax hesitated, his hold tightening enough for Tel to grumble in her sleep. “...I am well.”
“Jax.”
He sighed, blowing Joseph’s hair with the force. “I am...troubled by my thoughts.”
“Is it about the talk with your sister?”
He nodded, giving one last squeeze before letting his arm go slack. “I learned that I have lost a sibling. It has weighed on me. Apologies for constricting you as I have. I felt it to be comforting.”
Joseph shut his mouth, glancing down at his mate as he stroked her fur. “No, no. If it helped, it helped. I don’t mind. If anything, I’m sorry to hear it. Do you want to stay behind today? You can take however long you need, I won’t force you to go. I know how valuable it can be to have some time to process things.”
The male’s hug returned, pressing the cuddling pair into him. “I would rather be there for when you are in need of me, even if only in company.”
“Seriously, Jax, you can take the day to yourself if you need to.”
“I am being sincere, Joseph. That you care so much for us is why we dedicate our all to you, heart and soul. It would ease my mind more to stay with you.”
Tel groaned as she came to life, somehow snuggling even closer and stretching her legs out. She opened an eye lazily to figure out why she was trapped against him, but only hummed a note in acknowledgement once she noticed Jax. She placed a kiss against Joseph’s neck, dragging her tongue over his skin from his collar up to his ear. Her whisper burned his ear.
“I accepted Pan, but if you are having thoughts about indulging in Jax, I must make my disapproval known.”
She pushed away before he could respond, deftly slipping free of the black-furred arm attached to the chuckling male. Throwing herself off the bed, she bounced on her feet with her back to them while her arms extended high over her head, a groan signalling her reluctance to start the day.
“I was telling him he could stay back today,” he deadpanned, patting the male for release. His feet dangled slightly from the floor when he shuffled to the edge of the bed; a side effect of being a little short compared to a Lilhun, he supposed. Pan would have to be careful if she had to sleep on something this high up; she was far from tall as it was, let alone for her species. The image of the white-furred female’s legs resting so far from the floor brought a smirk to his face before he turned his attention back to his other mate. “How’d you sleep?”
Tel leaned side to side, working out whatever stiffness had built up. “Better than I likely should have.”
He smiled a little. She looked to be doing better; her eyes were no longer strained from the breakdown last night, her seductive streak had proven to be recovering, and she put a little sway to her hips when she noticed his gaze fall that low, her tail curling to highlight her features. He got a wink when he dragged his eyes away from the mesmerizing display.
Considering everything that was going to happen today, he wasn’t sure if he should be lingering on the fact that they hadn’t done anything since Sunundra’s settlement, but Tel certainly knew how to bring it to mind.
Joseph rolled his wrist before getting off the bed, finally getting some feeling back in his arm now that blood flow could resume. “Well, we have that going for us. Jax, how long has everyone else been up?”
The male pushed himself up to sit, momentarily distracted by Tel’s flirtatious actions before he refocused on the question. “They have been awake for some time, but I believe they have only just started preparing food.”
“Just in time for breakfast. Works for me.” He stepped up to the grey-furred female, giving his mate a kiss between the ears before moving to his bag to dig out fresh clothing and started changing without minding the audience—Tel was familiar with it all, and Jax had shared a bath with him enough for nudity to be a pretty normal thing between them. It had long since lost its awkwardness.
The casual acceptance of his lack of modesty had him wondering if he’d be so unreserved around other humans now, but it didn’t look like he’d be able to test that theory for a while—assuming he even wanted to.
He could offer to share the bathhouse with the ship’s crew the next time he needed a wash, but they preferred the on-board accommodations typically. Plus, knowing his luck, it would get twisted into an invitation for the female staff as well, and then he would need to sort out that mess. Last thing he needed was people accepting because they wanted to experience the culture.
…And his pack giving him shit about ‘seeking females of his own kind’ for weeks—Harrow and Jax especially... And Sahari... Nalah... Tel...
On second thought, it’s best not to give them ammo.
The rest of the morning routine for getting ready went by smoothly, save for Tel being a touch clingier than before. She barely let him have his own arm, only releasing her tail from curling around it when he needed it to grab something. As soon as he was dressed, back it went, claiming his wrist as she led the way into the main area.
“He lives!” Rob cheered from his seat at the table next to Sil, raising his mug in greeting. The Trilaxin chirped her own hello as her fiance grabbed a can to toss. Tel shifted a chair for the two of them to sit on as the beverage went airborne.
Joseph caught the energy drink, fiddling with the tab through a yawn before the satisfying hiss of carbonation was released. His thumb rubbed over his nail as he took a long drink and took a seat. “You guys have nail clippers? It might be time to trim mine. And where’s...”
He looked around the room, noting that the largest of Robert’s security guards was the only one present at the moment. Tom—assuming Joseph’s memory was correct—was leaning against the wall, his massive frame dwarfed by the Atmo resting on the ground next to him. It looked like the time together yesterday helped ease the tension between the species, which was good news. Tom was in the process of describing a gun he seemed pretty enthusiastic about, and Rose listened intently, nodding along and gesturing out things where the intended message was simple enough.
Violet was busy helping Scarlet cook up some of the food they brought along, following in Mama’s steps by dicing the various meats and veggies while Volta cleaned off the countertop between food types. He couldn’t quite pin it down, but the two females including the adopted child looked as natural as anything else they did, and the pair looked considerably more at ease than they had recently. Volta kept stealing glances at Scarlet while the Wraith prepared servings, smiling to herself when she thought no one was looking.
He pushed away the impulse to poke and prod at her for fun. In all honesty, he still didn’t know her very well, but he was happy if she was. If not for her, Violet wouldn’t have anyone to... Wouldn’t have anyone to support her like Mama did...
Tel’s tail tightened on his wrist, drawing his attention to her oddly soft expression, concern hiding behind her eyes. It must have been pretty obvious where his head was if she noticed; her bond didn’t really work for a lot of emotions. He felt for the tip of the furry appendage, stroking it with his thumb and nodding that he was okay before forcing something resembling levity into his voice.
“Ah, there’s Violet.”
His daughter waved in greeting at hearing her name, holding her arms out towards the blue-furred cleaner and getting them wiped down before coming over, scratching two languages into her tablet. [Good morning, dad!]
The smile grew on his face. “Morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?”
[Yes!]
“Enthusiastic little darling,” Rob chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. “I’ll have to thank Pan when we get back.”
Joseph looked at his brother as he accepted the hug that the young Queen offered, Tel releasing him long enough to allow it. “For?”
“Correcting whatever bad influence you were.”
Though Jax’s laugh could be heard from the bedroom, his mirth only lightened the deadpanned frown on Joseph’s face slightly. Everyone else laughing at his expense, however, did the rest.
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“Is everyone ready?” Rob called from the centre of the room, smiling at his baby blue-feathered fiancee. Silva nodded once she checked her pockets to make sure she had everything, turning to Joseph for further confirmation.
“We’re as ready as we’re going to be,” the Grand Hunter sighed, giving Tel’s tail a squeeze and glancing around to see how everyone else was getting along.
Violet was carrying her tablet and a pouch of snacks in case she got hungry. Rose was fully armoured and patiently waiting for their departure. Jax was bouncing the haft of his axe on his shoulder. Volta was all but clinging to Scarlet in nervousness, and the Wraith was failing to hide the comforting paw resting on the blue-furred female’s lower back. His pack seemed to be on a scale ranging from curious to hesitant, all looking to him for orders.
“Anxious?” his brother asked, adjusting his blazer and politely refusing the drink offered by his guards. Even on an alien planet, the man never failed to have a suit ready for a meeting. Joseph shook his head in response, running his fingers through his hair as a part of him mused a haircut again, then instantly regretting the thought.
“No, just worn out.”
“We haven’t even gone yet.”
“Isn’t that going to be fun,” he muttered, adding only the slightest of mock enthusiasm. He clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. “Alright boys and girls, we get to go sit at a table with the big kids and pretend that none of us will shit ourselves in terror. This is the final call for those who would rather stay back instead of going. I won’t judge you if you need to.”
A series of waiting stares and shaking heads met his eyes as he checked with everyone one by one. Jax was resolute in his decision, and Volta simply shuffled a bit closer to Scarlet when it was her turn to back out. The Grand Hunter nodded.
“Then you know the rules. No starting fights, even if they insult us—yes, insulting me is included. No speaking out of turn, because as much as I appreciate the scathing sarcasm some of you are known for—“ He shot a glance to the two Wraiths. “—that will probably count towards rule one. Next rule is for Violet, and it pains me to say this, but sweetie, I need you to not hug everyone you see, even if everything starts going well.”
The Queen deflated, the dejected posture making him feel like a monster for denying her favourite pastime. No, this was something that needed to be said; as adorable as she was, and as much as he loved his insectoid daughter, she was still an Atmo, and being an Atmo made for a fucking terrifying first impression.
[Okay... I won’t...]
He blinked, pinching the bridge of his nose. Someone, at some point, taught her how to write sad, and now he felt even worse about telling her that hugs were banned. The soothing cooing noise from the avian in the room gave him a hint to who would have given his daughter the advice, but he wasn’t sure if he disapproved or not. At least she could express herself a little more now, even if it meant that she now had the ability to guilt trip him.
God, he hoped that she didn’t go through the same teenage phases that he did growing up; he wasn’t sure he could refuse her if she was too disappointed because of something he said.
A knock on the door drove him out of his regret, their escorts having arrived to bring them to the congressional.
He didn’t know what to expect, exactly, but whatever it was, there was everything on the line, and he could only do his best to make sure that he kept it.
“Alright, kiddos. It’s showtime. Hunt Mother help us.”
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The First Claw’s building turned out to be the meeting hall—the second story acting as her office and whatever else they stuffed up there. The ground floor had signs of recent expansion, which explained the sounds of construction. All in all, it was maybe a bit bigger than the hub of the den, offering plenty of space for who was expected to attend, and a bit extra for the UM soldiers who would keep the implication of order while they were there.
The large doors were parted for the group, exposing them to the broad, open room, with a massive circular table occupying the middle. It was missing most of its material past the first foot or so in front of the chairs, making it look more like a doughnut than anything he was used to seeing. A smaller island table rested in the centre of the blank space, an electronic device sat atop it. Maybe a recording device?
Besides the initial trickle of soldiers trading out their shifts, the room was free of anyone else. A single chair was arbitrarily placed at the ‘head’ of the table, the logo from the First Claw’s office and the distance between it and the others designating it as hers. The rest were evenly spaced out, so Joseph didn’t see a particular arrangement to follow. The only thing of note was that there was only enough seating to support the actual leaders in attendance, and it was starting to look like the guards were expected to just stand back a bit. It made enough sense to him, and his pack had options if the meeting ran on too long; Rose had proven on multiple occasions that they were fine with being furniture, and even found it amusing to some degree.
With the four chairs they needed, Rob and Sil took the ones closest to the ‘First Claw’s seat,’ while the Grand Hunter moved the chair next to Sil out of the way for Violet. He was starting to regret bringing her, but he needed to accept that she was a representative the same as him. Mama would have watched the young Queen with pride during something like this, so he ventured to do the same in her memory. Once she was settled, he picked the last chair, idly watching the pack and Robert’s guards situate themselves behind him.
Tel’s tail lingered in his grip, but she sighed before letting him go, taking a place next to Scarlet, Volta, and Rose. Jax joined the humans in watching over the Martian and Trilaxin, flipping his axe to rest at his feet while the other three uncomfortably gripped their knives. The ban on firearms obviously bothered them, but they remained stoic and focused, so there wouldn’t be any issues as far as that, hopefully.
The doors opened again after a brief wait, a pale-furred grey and yellow female entering the room wearing the dress attire that Pan and Idee made for her—a simple strapless top that flowed over her torso, and a pair of tight-fitting pants that had material removed around her scars in a purposeful way. Sunundra’s expression was one of contempt and annoyance as she stepped into the room, but as soon as she noticed her human friend and the others in attendance, it melted away to a hesitation and wide eyes.
His greeting was interrupted by a series of clicks, Cobalt following close behind the Grand Huntress with their heavy armour, and Daisy nervously inspecting the room before committing to entering it. Excited pantomiming flashed on either side of him as the two Queens greeted one another, Violet only just barely restraining herself from flying across the room to hug her sister. Rose and Cobalt were less enthusiastic, casually meeting in the middle and leaning into one another as they oversaw the distanced conversation.
Were they... Joseph shook the thought from his head. He never bothered to consider the Atmo relationships before now, and there were more important things to be focusing on anyway. That being said...he was curious...
Not the time, Joe.
“Hey, Sunshine!” he called, waving a hand high over his head. “Glad you could make it! We forgot the snacks, but the movie should be starting soon.”
She paused in her step, cocking her head to the side with a confused expression. Ah, right. She doesn’t know English yet. He cleared his throat, preparing it for the guttural language.
“Sorry, I just said ‘hi’ and made a bad joke.”
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A smile cracked the permanent scowl on her face. “That sounds to be in character. I see you are well.”
“As much as I can be, anyway,” he returned, watching her eyes flick to Robert and back. “Right, right. You haven’t actually met my brother.”
She shook her head, falling silent as she sniffed at the air. Her voice came out as a fleeting whisper, only a part of it reaching Joseph’s ear. “...the same...”
“What? Sorry, couldn’t hear.”
“Nothing of note,” she deflected, turning her attention to the group. “I see you chose to bring everyone. That would explain the delays.”
He shrugged, gesturing to the representatives of their menagerie. “Well, save for Pan and them, yeah. The wording of the request said that this was okay, so I brought them. Rob runs a massive conglomerate of metal foundries, factories, and mines. Sil is the chosen representative for the Trilaxin in this whole thing, and Violet is one of two Queens for the Atmo on the planet. I figured that they fit the bill.”
Sunny frowned, glancing at the two young Atmo catching up at a distance. “If I had known, I would have arranged for others to attend as well.”
“I’m surprised you brought just them, actually. Figured you’d want someone from the pack as a guard.”
A sigh was returned from the Grand Huntress. “My pack is less than pleased to be in tight confines with myself, as you know. I fear it would be little more than unjust punishment to force them to be in my presence for the duration. I wished not to separate the kit from Cobalt as well; the two have been attached since we returned.”
Joseph hummed his understanding, raising a finger as an idea crossed his mind before levelling it at the female. “Hey, after this is done, you and Daisy should stop by the den we’re staying in. I think someone brought alcohol. A few drinks and conversation sounds like a good way to end the sun, right?”
Levity returned to her face at his suggestion, a slow nod confirming her agreement. “Indeed. I would very much enjoy that.”
“It’s a date.”
A flash of recognition passed behind her eyes at the English phrase before her nostalgia weighed her smile, but she seemed happy about the arrangement all the same. A tap on his shoulder had him turning to see who needed his attention, Tel stealing a kiss as soon as he faced her. She smirked, using a claw to support his chin.
“I take it you will wish for my services to extend to her as well?”
He blinked to dispel his surprise, thinking for a moment before nodding. “As a guard, sure. Cobalt is good, but Daisy will take precedence, with Violet being tied for priority. Cover for Sunny, if you can.”
She rolled her eyes, getting in another peck before separating. “Anything for you, my love.”
He cleared his throat as he worked off the blush, ignoring the amused looks from...well, everyone. Even Violet and Daisy paused their conversation to chitter their amusement at the Grand Hunter being so off kilter. A disapproving frown had everyone feigning disinterest, the smirks and chuckles ruining any illusion of his reaction being forgotten about.
Yeah, he needed some time to get used to the new vocabulary.
Sunundra took the chair to his left, Daisy sitting herself between Rose and Cobalt where the guards were expected to stay. He was happy he ended up bringing who he did, otherwise it would probably be pretty scary for the young Queen. She hadn’t been given the same chances Violet had, which meant that she was flying blind with every new situation she encountered. Considering how hectic the last little while has been, that was pretty much all of it. At least now she had people around that she knew to ease her nerves a bit. Based on how focused she was on Tel, he could take a guess on who she was most comforted by.
Actually, he remembered seeing Violet look at him and Pan the same way pretty often. Was she interested in Tel as an advisor or parental figure? She didn’t have a Hatcher to make the decision for her, so she was doing the most she felt she could?
His theory had additional merit when the yellow Atmo nudged herself closer to the Wraith, and surprisingly, Tel accepted the proximity by placing a paw on the Queen’s back and lightly scratching at the carapace under her claws. Whether she noticed she was doing it or not was a different question, because before he had the chance to see if she would acknowledge the small display of affection, the doors opened again, revealing Trill, a Blade, and someone he had only known about through descriptions.
High Hunter Loptr, if memory serves. The orange-furred male carried a quarterstaff that clicked against the hardwood floor to punctuate his movements. His eyes scanned over the occupants before settling on the remaining chair meant for the attendees, the male closing the distance to pull it aside and increase the distance between the seats. Sunny had already scooted her chair closer to Joseph, so all it did was make Trill seem like a social outcast as he sat down, his eyes focusing on Tel and the Grand Hunter.
True to the image he gave off, Loptr whispered something into the Blademaster’s ears, glancing at Scarlet and Volta. Trill simply nodded, his smile widening into a more genuine form to replace the polite one it started as.
“It seems my High Hunter has recognized a Blade of mine, Joseph,” the grey-furred male started, folding his paws on the table. “Though, I would suppose that ‘Wraith’ would be a more accurate moniker for one under your tutelage, no?”
Joseph raised a brow, checking to see how Scarlet felt about being called out so blatantly. To her credit, she seemed more occupied with keeping Volta calm, since the cleaner was considerably less okay with the Blademaster bringing attention to them.
“Not yours anymore, Trill.”
Though Loptr and the accompanying Blade tensed up, Trill simply nodded, unbothered by the terse reply. “Quite. I must make my surprise known, however. I would have never guessed.”
“Never seen a happy Blade?”
The tension at the table skyrocketed, Sunundra glaring at him out of the corner of her eye. He kept his bored stare on the Blademaster until a rumbling laugh came from the male. “You are an amusing individual, Joseph, I must say. Since you seem to believe your methods are superior, perhaps you might have advice for this old, incompetent male? How does one refine a Blade into a Wraith, hmm?”
Joseph leaned back in his chair, feeling Tel’s fur brush over his skin as she made a point of draping herself over him, her paw cupping his chin. Her eyes bore into her father as she nuzzled into her mate’s cheek and adopted a sickly sweet tone. “Be better, be worth being better for, and be worth the love of your subordinates. Perhaps then you might know what true loyalty is, instead of having your Blades be reforged by another.”
Trill’s face fell slack at the direct insult, his guards' movement causing him to raise a paw to stop them. His gaze fell to the table, brow furrowed in contemplation. Eventually, he smiled again—the same soft smile that he wore when he described how he felt seeing his kit happy. The male looked back to the pair, nodding his approval.
“Then I will take that into consideration and make amends to Avalon posthaste.” He bowed his head lightly to the Grand Hunter. “And you, Joseph, have certainly proven to be an interesting male for her. Loptr, my documents, if you would.”
The orange-furred male tucked his staff against his arm, reaching underneath his clothing to produce several bindings of paper before passing them to the Blademaster. Trill leafed through them, selecting a pair and laying the rest to the side. He pulled a writing implement out of a pocket and skimmed the pen across the edge as he read, hovering the tip over the bottom. With a final glance to the mated pair, he signed the pages, taking one copy and folding it up to be returned to his vest, gesturing for the other to be passed along with a claw. As disgruntled by their behaviour as the male appeared, Loptr obliged, grabbing the document and walking over to present it to them.
A questioning look from Tel was met with a wave from her father’s paw to accept it. She took the paper, reading over the contents. Her eyes widened as she did. Eventually, she stopped, slowly raising her head to stare at Trill, her confused expression asking more questions than her voice could ever support. The Blademaster nodded.
“You are free from my meddling. I officially approve of your Sheath and will no longer assert my own suggestions. I would congratulate you for being a full-fledged Blade, but I believe you have another title that would perhaps be more fitting, no?”
Tel choked down the saliva in her mouth, her gaze falling to read the contract again, then darting to Joseph. He wasn’t overly surprised—Trill mentioned as much last night—but he was taken aback by the disbelief in her eyes. That reluctance to accept reality drew a dampness with it, but she blinked it away, placing a fist to her chest and bowing towards the grey-furred male.
“My deepest gratitude, Blademaster. This one is unworthy of your praise.”
Trill chuckled, shaking his head and waving dismissively at the ceremony. “For one who completed what was thought impossible? No, I would say it is quite warranted.”
A blur of motion elsewhere at the table drew Joseph’s attention away, Rob tipping his head towards Trill with a questioning look, then wiggling a finger to point between the two grey-furred Lilhuns. The Grand Hunter paused in his confusion, realizing that not only was he the only person who was privy to everything discussed so far, but that his brother had no clue who they were talking to, nor what was said. He pursed his lips, exhaling in defeat for forgetting something so obvious.
“Right, right. As you can tell by the colour, that’s Trill, Tel’s dad. He’s been trying to pick a Sheath for her for a long time, and he just signed off on the agreement that would stop that.”
Robert’s brows twitched, his surprise suppressed. “Did the leader of the assassin’s guild just give you his daughter? An acknowledgement of you as a man? An informal brotherhood, perhaps?”
Joseph fought back the mixture of amusement and frustration at the old video game reference. He had been wondering how long it would take for them to pop up. “Yes, Rob. That is what happened, but it’s not a ‘brotherhood.’ Please stop referencing things no one else gets.”
“Hmm. What a dark turn of events.”
“Sil?” The befuddled Trilaxin looked at him. “Slap him for me, would you?”
A soft thump came from his brother’s chair, the pair ignoring Rob’s quiet yelp. “I thought a kick was better.”
Joseph sighed. “Works for me. Jax, run translation for them, would you? Didn’t cross my mind that they couldn’t speak the language.”
“It will be done, Grand Hunter,” Jax replied, shaking himself from his thoughts and stepping between Robert and Silva. The Martian’s guards didn’t seem too thrilled about being relegated to back-up security, but they begrudgingly accepted that the black-furred male was actually qualified for the task at hand.
“While we’re here,” Joseph continued, pointing his thumb at the rest of the new additions. “That’s Sunny, and you’ve met the other two. Sunshine here isn’t synced up, so if you need to talk with her—or anyone else for that matter—just let Jax know and he’ll mirror whatever you say. He speaks pretty formally in his own language too, by the way, so any attempt at being casual is out the window.”
“Should we really be acting so...carefree?” Silva asked, subtly tipping her beak towards Trill and the still vacant seat of the First Claw. Joseph shrugged.
“Honestly, I gave up on giving a shit about appearances a while ago. You can be proper if you want, but I’m done playing their game.”
“Is that a good idea? I’m actually asking,” she clarified nervously. “You are our expert for the extra-species political side of things.”
He shot a finger out at Jax’s mirthful smile, stopping the male’s voice from leaving his muzzle. “You shut up. Silva, all you need to know is that hierarchy is paramount. You’re fine because you’re the same rank as pretty much everyone else for this discussion, but they might be annoyed if you’re polite to security or servants. As far as the military goes? I’m not sure. Sunny?”
The Grand Huntress jumped at the switch in language and redirection of conversation, her eyes focusing as if she had been lost in thought. “Apologies, I am afraid I did not hear you. What was the question?”
“They’re asking if there’s any rules or guidelines for talking with the military. It’s probably best if I’m at least aware of it too. You’re the longest serving person here, so I figured you’d know.”
“Show them the same respect they give those who rely upon them: none,” Trill chimed in, his bored tone doing nothing to take away the venom in his words. He raised his claws to inspect them absently. “They are vile and self-indulgent, deluded with visions of grandeur playing behind their power-blinded eyes and crude commands. They come crawling into our domain with promises and compromises consisting of mist and daggers. Unless held accountable, they will vow to provide the moon itself, then leave you bitter and wanting while they bathe in the riches they acquired in the process. Hold no reservations with your demands, for they will slaughter to see theirs achieved.”
The male shifted his gaze across the others at the table before settling on Joseph. “Were you in need of direction in which to traverse the conversation, my advice is ‘whichever way buries them the deepest.’”
Sunundra opened her mouth, closing it as conflict passed over her expression. She looked to be biting back a scathing retort, while also hesitating to point out where she disagreed with his assessment. She took a breath, closing her eyes and keeping her tone even. “Your methods, Joseph, have been unorthodox, but successful. How much of such can be attributed to circumstance is unknown, but I believe that as long as you do not openly antagonize them, you will manage sufficiently.”
“So don’t threaten them again?”
Her eyes snapped open. “Again?”
He shrugged, ignoring the amused huff from Trill. “Had to make a point.”
Her voice caught in her throat as she scowled at him, the table, and finally the floor, before dismissing it with a long exhale. “Do take care not to do that again, yes.”
Rob sighed after getting a delayed translation, while Silva kept looking between his pack members with distress written all over her face. When no one seemed bothered by the reveal of his less-than-polite interactions with the very people who were housing them—not accounting for the fact that several of those people included the soldiers standing around the edges of the room—she chirped a disapproving note.
“Is this normal for him?”
Tel finally took her attention away from the contract in her paws, mimicking her father in folding it to fit in her pocket. “My Sheath has a habit of choosing not to bend the knee to anyone, while also offering kindness to all who cross his path regardless of station. Perhaps, before I was to meet him, I would agree with your distrust, but his results speak for themselves. He attends this meeting with the full support of his pack, an ally in the Grand Huntress, and the…approval…of the only other power of concern.”
The Trilaxin shifted in her chair uncomfortably until Robert rested his hand on her shoulder, his thumb smoothing out her ruffled feathers. “If it makes you feel better, he was worse when he was a teenager.”
Before anyone could comment on the allusion to his past, the doors opened again, the First Claw entering the room with an even stride and several more soldiers in tow. Her uniform cut a striking figure, especially when added to the height advantage she had on most everyone. The gold trim only made her eyes more sharp, the tight fit of her clothing hugged her curves to accentuate her well-trained body, and all of it was paired with the brutal-looking gauntlets attached to her hips. His best guess was that it was similar to a ceremonial sword, because they were equally over the top in complex engravings and blindingly polished metals.
Her gaze rose from a tablet terminal held in her paws as she observed the gathering, rounding the table to her seat. Her expression soured somewhat as she glanced between Joseph and Jax. She seemed to note how close Sunundra sat to him as well, but she didn’t see fit to comment on it, instead seating herself in her assigned chair and clearing her throat.
“I see that everyone has taken the time to acquaint yourselves with the other attendees.” She propped the terminal up on the table, going through something on the screen without bothering to wait for a response. “There are several items on the agenda for this meeting, but there is a prerequisite that was established first. Trill, have you taken the opportunity to make arrangements with the others?”
“Of course, First Claw,” the male replied, his muzzle wearing the usual business-like smile. Robert placed his hands on the table, raising a single finger when Jax finished passing along the conversation so far.
“I was under the impression that this was a discussion regarding collaboration between the United Military and the others in attendance for this congressional. Is it appropriate for you to condone outside conspiratorial actions?”
Both Jax and Joseph stared at the Martian, though Jax recovered quickly enough to translate the question. The First Claw flicked an ear, struggling to suppress her glower as she treated Jax as little more than the translator he was acting as.
“Due to the circumstances we find ourselves in, and agreements made prior to this gathering, Avalon was free to approach whomever they wished regarding the impending cohabitation while on this planet. It is not our responsibility to inform the other participants of meetings nor dealings regarding the other representative powers.”
Rob smiled, nodding along and settling back into his chair. “Thank you for clarifying, First Claw.”
She gave him an odd look before returning to her terminal. “Your gratitude is noted. To reiterate for the purpose of the recording, the participants are as follows: Blademaster Trill, acting as representative for the whole of Avalon. Grand Huntress Sunundra, previous STO and currently representing her pack, as well as a secondary species that has fallen under her rule—“
“—Correction,” the pale-furred female interjected, ignoring the annoyed stare. She sat up straight, firming her expression before bowing her head to him. “Former Grand Huntress. This one submits to Grand Hunter Joseph and offers all that is hers. My pack, my territory, and my life are forfeit.”
She got up, moving her chair out of the way. With a smile rife with nervousness, she lowered herself to one knee, placed the opposite fist to the ground, and closed her eyes, ignoring the indignation of the First Claw and the humming of amusement from Trill.
“Joseph, I am but an empty vessel before you. I shall be filled by your will and guided by your command. You shall lead my pack with my blessing. I shall be yours in both form and spirit until I have neither left to give. For all that he is, I recognize Joseph as the Grand Hunter of me and mine, with the permission of those who seek his leadership. Do you accept this lowly female and her possessions to fall under your rule?”
Joseph blinked, pushing away the feeling that he heard something eerily similar before this.
“Wait, what?”