Chapter 131: A'lena
The local transport landed atop the dirt landing pad, rocking as the outdated suspension bore the weight of the craft. Green and reddish hues dominated the somewhat expansive plains, crimson-topped trees providing shade for the docile wildlife that escaped the sun’s harsh rays in their shade. It was a fairly featureless flatland—minus a waist-high fence that formed the bounds of the property. What was once used for rearing livestock, now simply played host to a large den, freed from the tedium that came with animal husbandry. The owners had apparently long since retired from that lifestyle, yet kept the land for the familiarity and small kits who ran through the grass freely.
Her tail tightened around Jax’s almost painfully, but the bond insisted that he found the physical discomfort emotionally comforting. It was the only reason he was able to keep the tension at bay.
Though the transfer from shuttle to ship, ship to shuttle, then shuttle to transport had proven to be disorienting, Harrow maintained a loose idea of how long she had been away from Joseph. From her den. The sun’s length differed with each metal capsule they were stored in—every new craft being tuned to different solar cycles—and the matter wasn’t helped by the never-ending Void that rested beyond the screens in which she watched the planet she had grown attached to shrink until it was nothing more than a mote of dust.
Only Jax’s firm embrace kept her from panicking, and his own sorrow at leaving reminded her she wasn’t alone.
True to their promise, they left when Rey’zel did, and Jax had tersely requested to be seen by the onboard medical staff. The response was pretty exasperating though; they would need to wait until they were planet-side for his nose and eye to be treated, and that was assuming they didn’t need to just replace the eye. Apparently, the damage to both were far more extensive than anyone assumed.
One would think the black-furred male would be angry to learn that the disability he had been inflicted with was even more troubling than previously thought, but Jax took to rubbing his snout almost fondly, as if his inability itself was a reminder of the male he and his mate had come to love. The procedures would have been almost prohibitively expensive anyway, yet the new High Elder quietly stared at the doctor. The entire billing, recommendation, and even Jax’s odd request for specific features were promptly relayed to a facility that would see him in a few suns from now, covered by the UM in full.
Nepotism at its finest.
“That’s it for us,” the speaker embedded in the ceiling of the small, closed-off passenger area croaked, the surprisingly talkative pilot drolling in his regional accent. “We’ll be back to pick you up bright and early in a few suns.”
“Thank you,” she returned politely, hoping that she didn’t need to raise her voice for the derelict microphone to hear her now that the rumble from the engine had died down. Thankfully, she didn’t.
“Nothing worth thanking, kind one.” The male paused. “Say, you don’t happen to know Gerret, do you?”
Jax perked up. “He is my sire.”
The pilot laughed, overloading the tinny address system. “Is that so? We’ve been running around these parts for a season, yet I haven’t the chance to stop by. Tell ‘em O’ret sends his best?”
The black-furred male smiled. “I will.”
They disembarked the tiny shuttle, watching it take off and roar its way into the distance. After every other transport they had been on, Harrow almost winced at the volume it produced for such a slow travel, but at the same time, it was the most soothing sound of them. She had repaired quite a few of the junkers as a kit working in a mechanic shop of dubious repute, and it took some of the loneliness away to have a part of herself grumbling about the tools she’d need to fix it.
She gazed back at the den in the distance, wondering what it would look like with her young running across the open plains, excitedly inspecting everything they didn’t trip over. The thought quickly soured as she imagined Violet chasing after them, Pan watching with endless love, Tel teaching them questionable things...Joseph holding them tight to his chest, as if the entirety of the world rested within his arms. Things that she could never see here, no matter how peaceful it would seem. Things that would exist, and that would come to be, but not here.
She looked at her mate as he watched the craft disappear out of view, and knew that he wanted nothing more than to return to their friend. Their den. This was where he was raised, but that planet was where he truly grew up.
A sentimental statement, but true all the same.
Harrow gripped his paw, stepping towards the place where she would see a loving den, knowing that she would be drawing parallels the whole time she was there—between her den as a kit, and the den she missed now.
Jax squeezed her back.
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Since her last exposure to a den—besides the unorthodox one she formed with literal aliens—was one that...well... The point is that she wasn’t sure what to expect when they finally reached the door. Jax’s sister, Rey’zel, would be joining them later, so the only marker she had to go off of was Jax’s outward reaction and any emotion strong enough to feel through the bond.
At the moment, that was a mixture of excitement to see his family, hesitant comfort that Harrow was there, and a longing to be back with their own den.
It was pretty easy to guess which was the strongest, but she hoped that things would change once they were inside.
He reached out to press the button next to the door, pulling a breath and forcing a much more mirthful expression that his emotions supported. Harrow kept her tail anchored to him in support as the bell alerted the inhabitants to the new arrivals.
Did she mention that it had been some time since she had been around kits? Because she had forgotten how loud they were. Some muffled voices of curiosity were heard beneath the excited yells of young bouncing to see what was more entertaining than listening to adults speak, getting more prominent as less-than-careful footfalls got closer to the door. With a stuttered click of an unsure grasp, the door opened, and Harrow blinked.
Why is she so big?
Despite her misgivings about her short stature, she figured that Jax was in the same vein as Pan, being that they both existed in the outermost extremes of height distribution. Sure, Jax wasn’t the tallest male out there, but he was notably large. Pan, inversely, was possibly the shortest female Harrow had ever come across, and the orange-furred female was rather happy not to be the smallest in the pack. Not that she’d ever say anything about it—her own height was a consequence of being malnourished as a kit, and she didn’t want to look too deeply into pasts that weren’t freely offered.
With all that in mind: Why was this kit so big!?
Innocent yellow eyes stared up at Jax, and only slightly up at Harrow. If it wasn’t for the scent confirming it, then Harrow would assume the Lilhun in front of her was a victim of unfairness like Pan, but her olfactory informed her that this was indeed an adolescent kit.
Were her kits with Jax all going to be this big? Was she going to be so much smaller than her offspring? They would rebel as soon as possible! Given that Jax was about as firm with Violet as he was with denying displays of affection, Harrow dreaded the prospect of keeping her kits in line long enough for them to internalize pack structure. What about Joseph!? It was bad enough he was an alien, but he was smaller for a male Lilhun as it was! They would waste no time trying to...take over...
The thought brought her admittedly foolish concern crashing down. Joe might be quick to give Violet what she wants, but the den-kit never asked for anything unreasonable. Even when she did, the Grand Hunter was quick to state the denial, the reason why, and ask to make sure that Violet understood the logic behind it—at least enough to better know what was acceptable and what was not. If he were to decide something was to be stopped immediately...it was.
The image of her kits—large or not—trying to insert themselves as important enough to lead the pack was met by another; said kits were scowling at the ground they were pinned to, Joseph’s stern but amused expression asking if they’d like to try again while he sat on them. She chuckled, knowing just how easily he would do so, and how loving he’d manage to be while subduing the over-energetic young.
...By the Hunt Mother, she missed him.
“Hello,” the kit greeted, deciding that Jax was the more interesting of the pair. She sniffed and tilted her head, perplexed by a scent similar to her own, yet having never come across it before.
“Who's at the door?” came a voice from inside. A brown-furred male took his time in rounding the corner of the small porch, weak in step, but not in spirit. His form looked sickly, yet he still carried a perpetual smile of care and friendliness, defiant of the condition that sapped his strength. The male froze with widened eyes as he caught sight of them. “Jax?”
Jax nodded, squeezing Harrow’s paw just a touch more. “Father.”
“You... You’re not...” Tears brimmed in the male’s eyes. “We thought...”
“I owe my life to another,” Jax offered, glancing down at his mate. She met his gaze with a smile. “We both do.”
A deluge of voices called out from inside, both young and old. One asked who had visited, another relayed that it was Jax, and pandemonium broke out as more and more Lilhuns jostled to greet the returning male. Jax’s sire eased his way forward, assisted by others whose scents confirmed they were Jax’s siblings. Harrow released her mate’s paw to allow them an embrace.
“We thought you were dead,” the male whispered, tears of joy matting his fur. He parted abruptly, glancing down at the orange-furred female.
Did they all have to be so big?
“Ah, his mate,” the male chuckled as he wiped his eyes and held his arms out in offer. “Forgive this one for his foolishness. I am Gerret, den-leader and feeble.”
A nudge from Jax pushed her into the hug as the male laughed at his self-deprecation. She was wrapped tightly, taking a moment to return the unexpected affection. “Harrow.”
He separated, placing both paws on her shoulders with a nod. “My kit has kept my standards, I see. Only the most beautiful for males of our line!”
For once, Jax groaned, however softly. “Father...”
“Yes, yes. No need for standing out here. Come in, come in.” The male turned, ushering them to follow, his stride ignoring his condition as they were led into a common room, the furniture occupied by numerous members of the den.
The adults were soldiers, all of them, yet some still had kits playing around the periphery of the room, the smallest tagging along with their larger as they were guided by the tail. Some young came up to inspect the new additions, but most were content to bother their parents and their siblings. A few of Jax’s brothers and sisters seemed about to inundate him with questions and exclamations about his perceived demise, but they stayed their tongues as Gerret took a seat next to an equally old—yet much healthier—female that introduced herself as his mate. They explained that the other den-elders would be along after picking up Rey’zel, and Harrow was more than a little aware of all the glances at her.
She and Jax were offered a seat once he was done politely refusing to kick off the current inhabitants, but the words fell on deaf ears, and she took her place next to him while listening in on the cheerful comments about one of their younger siblings ending up being among the tallest.
Thankfully, no one seemed to mind that Harrow was quite obviously...small.
She sighed internally. She missed Joseph and Pan. Even Mi’low passed her thoughts, if only because she was the only other female that was shorter. Sunundra, Volta, and Kaslin were at least approximately her height, but everyone here towered over her.
A loving den, surrounded by those that made her feel small. All she was missing were smiles filled with regret and apologetic tones as she was told how much she was loved, even as they left her one by one, until she alone bore the weight of the crippled den. One by one until she worked herself into enfeeblement. One by one until smoke filled the air, and cries for help and screeched apologies—
Jax held her tight to his side, the tremors finally coming to her attention. She was shaking, her breathing bordering hyperventilation. Her heart pounded in her chest, her muscles tensing and screaming at her to move, to save—
“Harrow,” Jax whispered in her ear. She had ended up on his lap at some point, his arms wrapped around her chest as his tail caressed her stomach. “How might I help?”
She blinked away the terrified tears, the acrid scent of ember and singed fur fading. Worried expressions gazed at her, each and every occupant of the den concerned for her odd behaviour. Concerned for her. She could only stammer in response. “I-I’m sorry. I don’t... I’m not...”
A small brown paw was placed on her lap, and an even smaller toy was offered by a second. A tiny female offered the only possession she had, her eyes still blurred and unfocused, likely having only opened fairly recently. An entire world of the unknown and large, yet she noticed someone in distress, and thought to give them something in an effort to help. The murmured ‘first’ reached Harrow’s ears.
The kit was presenting their most cherished object to soothe her. The one thing she knew more than anything else, the thing that represented light and stability.
Cautiously—spellbound by the object—she accepted it. The toy was simple, yet she recognized it immediately as she turned it over in her claws, tracing the signs of gentle use. Brelle was so happy when Harrow had brought one back to the den, devoid of the payment she was promised, yet still bearing gifts for her sisters as hunger silently reared its ugly head. The smallest had thanked her endlessly, and made a point of including it in any playing that occurred.
“Is oaky?” Harrow looked at the squinting kit, the small one asking if she was better in imprecise and fumbled speech. Without a word, she picked up the kit and deposited them onto her lap, holding their head to her breast. The kit was so different, yet she couldn’t help but feel like she was embracing her sister again.
And so, she cried. Silently, thankfully...but most important of all, happily.
“Everything’s okay,” she whispered.
She whispered it to the worried den, the kit which smiled at knowing she had helped, to herself, to her den-parents that sacrificed everything so their young could live, to her blood-father who likely joined the Union testing to support his loved ones...and to the memory of her siblings who just wanted their older sister to stop suffering.
“Everything’s okay now.”
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Once Harrow had her fill of coddling his sister’s kit, she remained quite content with staying on Jax’s lap, apologizing once again for causing a scene and sheepishly holding the toy she was given to her chest. His family still raised questioning brows, but all he could offer was a contrite shake of his head. Only one was informed of the full story regarding Harrow’s past, and until she herself declared that others should know, then it would remain that way. Thankfully, his kin were understanding, relieved that whatever caused the breakdown had passed.
His father gazed at him with equal parts concern and pride, having witnessed Jax’s single-minded task of ensuring his mate’s safety. Jax might not have known the trigger, but he knew she needed him close, and that she need not be flocked upon by others. His gaze had been sharp enough to dissuade even the most doting in the den, and his posture geared for a swift exit if that proved inadequate.
If the worst were to pass, he had been prepared to use force to bring her elsewhere.
It all occurred in the span of a moment, yet it was not driven by bond or training. He merely noticed the constriction on his tail, and the rapid shaking by his side. Then, he grew worried, knowing the signs of something that had been dormant since the assault and her conversation with the Grand Hunter.
He wasn’t sure how to handle it at first—back when Joseph had been gone and the effect became pronounced—but he had since observed his closest friend whenever those under his command grew weary. He watched the human offer an attentive ear and supportive shoulder, logical solution and foolish jests. He watched Joseph care for everyone, from his mates to the newest in the pack, and watched that care bloom into loyalty and sound minds.
Then came a simple answer to a simple question.
What was one to do when their loved ones were in need of them?
Anything.
And that answer was infallible in Jax’s mind. It was lived, breathed, and exuded by the one he had sworn his life, and so too would it be by him. Even when concern grew to caution, and even with his hindered sight, he made certain all knew that the female in his arms was to remain that way. For his mate, for his unborn young, and for the promise to return to Joseph, nothing would separate them, because he would be dead before he allowed it to happen.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Yet there was one who knew not the signs of peril—or perhaps did, and yet chose to act anyway. His eldest sister had brought along her youngest kit, and that small female heard the sounds of Harrow’s plight. Abandoning her play, she dragged along a toy, stopping once she touched Harrow’s lap. It was a moment of great consideration for one so young, to see another in need yet not know how to assist. After a moment of thought, the young one looked at her possession, smiled, then returned her bleary regard back to the distressed female. With a parting hug of the toy to her chest, she offered it to the orange-furred female in hopes of imparting even a fraction of the joy it brought her.
And Harrow cried.
It was a mournful weeping of catharsis as she claimed and coddled the thoughtful kit, leaving a drained, if peaceful female behind.
Once Harrow had released the kit to resume their play, Jax relaxed, and the den followed suit. Conversation swiftly resumed, though curious glances were still given. Surprisingly, they settled on him, rather than the female who was humouring some polite questioning. She seemed much more at ease now, which only gave him less reason to protest when one of his siblings offered her photos of his youth, then dragged her along to see more.
At least Harrow was doing better.
“Are you okay?”
He turned to look at the speaker. One of his elder den-brothers stood next to him, glancing down out of the corner of his eye.
Jax nodded. “I am. Yourself?”
“I have been worse,” his brother admitted, crossing his arms as he watched over the kits. Jax couldn’t quite tell who was the offspring of who, but he could make some guesses based on which parent was approached. “I take it you are partly blind?”
The bluntness of the question made him flinch. He couldn’t stop the comparison between now and when Rey’zel had asked. He nodded again, trying to make it seem unimportant. “I am.”
“Was it worth it?”
Jax raised a brow. His brother lazily gazed back, the lack of malice striking him as strange. “How do you mean?”
The male shrugged. “You either did something great, fought something dangerous, or survived something stupid. So, was it worth it?”
The Head of Security blinked, his eyes finding the floor during his thought. With a smirk, he conceded. “I have done all three, but I believe my ignorance led me to antagonize someone dangerous, and through him, achieve great things.”
His brother hummed curiously, reaching out to pat Jax firmly on the back with a fond but composed smile. “I’m glad you’re not dead, Jax. Father might not look it, but he’s...”
“I was informed,” Jax stated, glancing across the room to the brown-furred male in question.
He was struggling to lift a kit, but a helping paw from his mate eased the process. The male might carry himself proudly, and dismissed any overt displays of concern, but it was obvious enough that he was unwell. It was only a matter of time now. Time that Jax could share in, because the Grand Hunter had made his decree.
If it were possible, he would rather Joseph be with them, so he could show his kin the one who made his life worth living, the one who gave him his mate, and the one who would share in raising his young. His closest friend, and his trusted leader. Pan would be delighted to spend time with all the kits here, Violet would adore the attention, Sahari would get along well with his kin, Nalah would do well with the more stoic of the family, and Tel would likely amuse herself causing chaos.
“You’re not staying, are you?” his brother asked, the words coming as a statement, rather than a question. Jax shook his head after a moment.
“No.”
“It appears you have a story to share,” Gerret decided, apparently having been listening in on the conversation. Jax cracked a smile as the male laid the kit down. His father always paid close attention to his offspring, be it while telling tales or scolding them. Some habits remain in old age, it seemed. “I was pondering why it looked as if your mind was elsewhere. I wished not to ask until you were ready, but something in your tone tells of a great journey.”
Every word was delivered in the same theatrical voice used to deliver grand epics of otherwise mundane deployments. Already there were ears turned, trained since youth to recognize when they were to gather. One of his sisters returned with an excited expression and Harrow in tow, the orange-furred female looking amused and a little confused.
Small faces peered from behind furniture and legs, wonder written on their faces. It didn’t take long until the den had congregated, some eager to hear yet another of the male’s tales, and others guessing which deployment was about to be exaggerated into entertainment. Those eyes turned towards Jax when the male gestured.
“Well, Jax?”
He looked at Harrow, his mate quickly joining him and taking her place on the seat by his side. He raised a brow in a silent query, her contemplative nod becoming more firm. She took his paw in her own. “If you want to. I mean, we have a whole audience who can laugh at him with us.”
The rumbling chuckle set his nerves at ease. Seeing his mirth, the den—both young and old—got comfortable, passed around refreshments, and settled in for the story of how their departed kin returned. Yet Jax didn’t notice all the hushed chatter and corralling of kits. He didn’t even notice Rey’zel and his other den-parent return, watching the room cautiously. He was focused on his father.
The male’s eyes were bright with worry, anticipation, and love, fixated on the offspring who he thought he had lost, eager to hear the tale of what happened, and what eventually brought him back.
Jax smirked. This was something he was prepared for. His father taught him how to stretch the boring into the fantastic, Joseph taught him how to pace himself when speaking for long duration, and he wanted others to learn of how proud he was to be friends with the strange biped that threatened his life.
He began a tale of hardship, defeat, determination, and the makeshift den they had come to love, Harrow’s smile assuring him that she would help through the more difficult portions. She was there to support him, just like she always was.
He couldn’t love her more if he tried.
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Robert checked again with the scheduling, making sure that the confirmed absences would be covered by as many verification points as possible. A few engineers and doctors here or there wouldn’t make too much difference in the grand scheme of things, but a high grade fabricator and multiple loads of rare metals certainly would. If they were his alone, sure, he could drop them here and leave without thinking twice. The problem was that they belonged to SteelWright, and that they were very expensive. Not a big deal in Sol, but for the sake of paperwork, quite a big deal for it to go missing after he visited a planet that he was purported to have only gone on a honeymoon to.
Most honeymoons didn’t involve enough equipment to arm a small village, after all.
Or in this case, rebuild a heavily cybernetic-enhanced alien using schematics that were stolen from various research facilities of said species, then improved where possible by more stolen schematics from different alien research facilities.
...Joe owed him big time.
Worryingly large favours being called in aside, he was glad that his brother took things the way he did. Thanks to some...less than ethical decisions, Joseph had a place he could actually live without the Union getting too close for comfort, and wouldn’t be overly burdened by the methods that allowed it. Trill would secretly manage things in the background so that Joe never had to deal with it, the UM would get their assistance, and Horizon would get theirs. The biggest pain was all the red tape Rob would spend the next year or two going through to get permits for transporting enough material to turn a chunk of the planet into manufacturing plants, then building the facilities needed to supply a Horizon headquarters out here.
Of course, all of that was going to be a slow process. Joseph was going to focus on getting the packs more up to date technologically, the UM were going to start migration using proposed routes within the month, and Robert needed to kick it all off by weakening his shielding to the warp-spike and waiting a safe distance from the planet for the Union ‘guests’ that were ‘kindly’ checking on him to ensure he was ‘happy’ with his purchase.
That happens when one of the richest humans in Sol suddenly plummets to only the tenth most wealthy on Mars over a single expenditure: people get curious, corporations get bloodthirsty, and the Union gets paranoid.
It was his job to make sure they never found out that they were right to be.
A few personal shipments of materials wouldn’t look too suspicious; he could just write it off as building something for Silva to enjoy. A benign reason, and one that would have him overlooked as some eccentric crackpot with more money than sense. Perfect for sending supplies.
And supplies would be needed. With four humans, three Trilaxin, and most of what he brought being left on the surface, the ship would ironically be about what he submitted—as far as storage goes. Any external scans would show him having a few extra staff that he could wave off with the claim of volunteer accompaniment, and only marginally more surplus than a rational person would keep on for repairs.
So, yeah. Crackpot.
He closed out the messages in the terminal with a statement that he would be returning to work in just over a week. That would give him time to actually spend a day or two with Sil before he needed to start cleaning up his mess and making back the money he spent. True, Horizon would help by buying his materials at a considerable—though not suspicious—markup, but that would only cover so much.
At least he knew his brother would be safe here. The guy survived a year with dangerous wildlife to the point of taking down one of the biggest threats with a glorified dagger. He had wives, a daughter, and friends who treated him like family—hell, as far as anyone was concerned, they were. Rob felt a little disheartened that he wouldn’t be able to see Joe much, but the anniversary between him and Sil would be a good enough excuse to stop by and see how things were going, and he could always call...
He sighed, getting up from his desk onboard the ship and making his way through the hallways.
He just wanted to keep his family close, especially knowing that the Union had a heavy hand in his father’s death. He wanted to raise hell, bring the entire thing to its knees, unveil all the wrongs it had done, and...
But reality had different plans. He couldn’t be too brash, or it would end with more than just him paying for it. They needed to be covert and act behind the scenes until they had enough built up to act; manipulate data, breach the research facilities in both personnel and hacking, then push tests or fake the results. Their only hope now was to keep stalling until Lilhuns were in a stable enough position to start supplying strike-teams that could take out the logistical side of the Union’s shadier dealings, and if they were lucky, rescue and warn captive or observed species.
Which meant more waiting.
It was always more waiting.
For his funds and business to grow enough to support moving his family to Mars. For his brother to recover from what Emma did to him. For the cruise to get back so he could hold on to the last family he had left. For his desperate calls to reach a brother he refused to believe was dead. For his people to find where his brother had crashed. For the day he could see him again.
And now, he will wait for the next time. At least he could delay the start of that wait by just a little bit longer.
Robert walked down the ramp, gazing at the walls surrounding the place Joseph built by hand—Imposing bulwarks that declared his intent to keep those inside safe. The strange silver and yellow hues of the planet’s flora would likely lead to some interesting opportunities once he had the foundation to start working with it, but for now, all he could do was look.
Members of the settlement nodded or waved at him, most having at least paid respects to the kin of their ‘Grand Hunter.’ Rob always knew his brother would be good at helping people do their jobs—that was why he wanted him on as an advisor—but seeing an entire people follow so ardently... Well, it was surreal. Maybe it was just how the species were wired, or maybe Joseph really was more special than Rob had given him credit, but the proof was there anyway.
He adjusted his suit, the stuffy attire having grown on him after so many years trying to seem ‘professional’ to prospective investors. Now, it was just what he preferred to wear. It kept him looking like he wasn’t someone to take lightly.
A chuckle slipped as he acknowledged that his brother achieved the same effect in a t-shirt and sweatpants.
A light tap of claw on stone drew his attention, Scarlet bowing politely after having appeared from somewhere. “Your presence is requested in the Hall.”
He raised a brow, but took it in stride. Joe probably wanted to share a drink or something before he left that night. “Sure. I’ll grab Sil—“
“—Your mate and staff are awaiting you there,” she interjected softly. It drew a frown from him; he wasn’t used to being cut off. Whatever, he had been locked away in his room long enough for the missing crew not to be strange. It wasn’t a surprise that Joseph would have invited everyone for one last meal.
“Should I bring anything?”
Scarlet shook her head. “You meet the set criteria as you are, sir.”
Set criteria? “Alright. Are we good to go?”
She nodded and led him through the settlement as he tried to figure out what about him was being judged.
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Well, he certainly wasn’t expecting...this.
From his limited time in ‘the Hall,’ he was under the impression that it was just an oddly named office space for Joseph to work in and receive visitors. Now? Turns out that there’s a church or something too.
And that Joseph had spent the last few days arranging a wedding.
Robert’s wedding.
And Silva looked...breathtaking.
Though not a part of their tradition, she wore a flowing white dress—probably repurposed silk from one of the crates he brought—and the gold trim almost glowed around the slits for her wings. Actually, when she turned to face him, it was glowing. He could just barely remember seeing the stuff in Joe’s ‘medbay.’ They had sewn ‘healroot’ into the dress to accentuate it in elaborate designs. It blended from traditional earth styles, to something reminiscent of how Joseph’s office was decorated, and finally, ended around the neck in spirals and lines like he remembered seeing in Trilaxin art.
Even wearing one of his nicer suits, he felt under-dressed. She was there, glowing, and… Wow.
Joseph stood as his best man, the shit-eating grin reminding him exactly how big of pain the younger brother could be. The guy was wearing a tuxedo that looked professionally tailored for him, along with members of the crew and some of the ‘pack’ he had gotten to know. One look towards Pan standing at the front of the room reminded him that, yes, Joe had access to a personal seamstress.
And far too much time on his hands now that the UM wasn’t a threat.
“I would have waited for Jax and Harrow to get back, but you’re leaving first,” Joseph explained casually. He gestured for Robert to come forward. “We need to skip some of the music and whatnot, but I figured being the first human and Trilaxin married by a Lilhun would be a big enough kick to make up for it.”
Rob walked forward in a daze, his eye catching sight of the ‘girls’ with their wolves. One had a rock-worm thing in its mouth, the scratched exterior illegible through the dopey maw holding it. By the look that...Faye was giving it, the chew-toy wasn’t part of the plan, but it was too late to complain openly.
The strangeness of the situation helped ground him. Yep, his brother was doing this. Yep, he had managed to slip it under Rob’s nose. And yep, Silva was absolutely beaming at the idea.
Sorren stood in front of a lectern in the moderately-sized room, the walls partially decorated in scrawled brickwork and a mechanical motif. A stack of thin wooden plates acted as his ‘bible’ of sorts. From the bemused expressions from the furry aliens, it was as novel an experience for them as it was for him. Did Joe run them through the basics?
His attention was once more stolen by the enrapturing sapphire gaze of his fiancee, her baby blue feathers looking radiant when contrasted by the whites and gold draped around her. It was foreign, it was unique, and it was…perfect.
The Lilhun priest checked his notes and cleared his throat as soon as Rob joined her side, Pan standing slightly behind to offer translation and support.
“We gather here on this sun to celebrate the binding of life between...”
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“You couldn’t have told me?” Rob asked through a chuckle. Joseph excused himself from the rest of the pack, his friends returning to the fires that had been set up for everyone to enjoy.
“You would have just argued the whole time.”
“This isn’t official, you know.”
Joe gave him an unimpressed glare from the corner of his eye as they walked away. “This is why I didn’t tell you.”
Robert sighed, unable to keep the grin from his face. “Seriously though. Thank you.”
They reached a building far enough away that they could be alone, but close enough to still watch the Lilhuns mingle. The wedding had quickly turned into an excuse for a settlement-wide celebration, and that turned into fires, food, and a surprisingly large use of the alcohol they had. Joe leaned against the wall as he sipped at his drink, his eyes watching Silva interact with Pan and Tel.
“I just remembered that you had to delay everything because of me,” he admitted, stuffing his free hand into his pocket. “Felt like it was the least I could do.”
Rob tilted his head in concession. “Well, I doubt anyone can quite top this for a while, but it’s a shame I can’t brag about it back home.”
The Grand Hunter grinned over his cup. “Isn’t that the best shit to brag about though?”
The Martian laughed. “I’ll find someone to make jealous, I’m sure.”
“Well, we’ve certainly put ideas in people's heads,” Joseph noted, gesturing back to the fires. Like Silva, Sahari’s dress was trimmed in glowing gold, but was primarily black instead of white. Maybe a bit of a faux pas on Earth, but here? No one much minded. “I think Nalah is going to be dragged through something similar soon enough.”
“Think so?”
“That, or I need to consider doubling up on sound-proofing.”
Rob snorted, shaking his head. “Too much information.”
His brother shrugged. “Part of having a pack.”
“Do I want to know?”
“Probably not.”
“Good.”
The two smirked, watching others enjoy the festivities as they let a comfortable silence linger between them.
“Well,” Rob started glancing from his new wife to his brother. “We got married on an unnamed planet.”
“Yep! Neat, huh?”
“Do you want to name it?”
Joe hovered his drink in front of his lips. “What?”
“The planet. Do you want to name it?” Robert shrugged. “It’s yours now, give or take. Might as well. I’ll need a location for when I brag.”
His brother’s hand lowered slowly, a wistful contemplation crossing his expression as he stared at his reflection in the cup.
“A’lena,” he decided. “The planet is named A’lena.”
Rob raised a brow. “I mean, it’s a nice name. Does it mean anything?”
Joseph’s eyes grew distant. “It’s the first promise I’ve ever broken here.”
The weight behind those words gave the Martian pause. “What was the promise?”
“I promised her she would be safe here. That she would have a meaningful life under me. That she would matter and be happy.” The Grand Hunter took a deep swallow before turning his drink over to show it was empty. “Come on. I need a refill and you need to get ready.”
The Martian paused, letting his brother get a few steps away before he spoke. “So why name it that?”
Joseph slowed his pace, glancing over his shoulder.
They were not the eyes of the boy he grew up with, nor the shattered remains of a man that Rob had coaxed into going on the cruise. They belonged to a man who had stared death in the face, then demanded it to leave his family alone. A man who was hellbent on having them safe.
They were the eyes of someone who would do anything to keep it that way.
And then they were Joseph’s, the edge gone with a blink—as if Rob was just imagining it.
They finished up the night, Joe and his new family seeing them off with promises to have a nicer place to visit next time. It was only when he was in bed next to his sleeping wife that he worried about the response his brother gave to the question. He looked at the camera feed of the planet shrinking to the size of a baseball—the distance he needed to meet the Union. He put the terminal away, settling himself in to sleep and deal with everything that required his intervention.
Yet still, the words echoed, uttered by a man with such conviction in his answer that it might as well have been a divine order.
“Because I’m never breaking that promise again.”
Robert slept with that on his mind, but would forget with time.
It would be years until he learned the full name that the planet was given by the Lilhun people, unanimously decided by the species’ religious figures.
“A’lena: The Garden of the Guardian.”