Niolajt Jardzen Mrff, second in command of the battleship commanded by Baskylla Jardzen Khla, rests his head on his fist as he watches the chaos.

Laurel is a cooperative and responsible woman who accepted a burden placed upon her by the Fievegal-loyal Grodrrns and made it her own. Sold by the idea of loyalty, the human female has carried a pregnancy with pride and dignity, manipulating the Grodrrns who are counting on her child to save the future of the Fievegal.

Of course, a second branch is being secretly carried out by the human fleet, though not with the Fievegal in mind, but the Grodrrns themselves.

In the present place and time, though, a demon is splitting the ears of the scientists trying to understand its nature and how to care for it.

Laurel’s pregnancy ended. It ended in the birth of an apparently healthy human female infant. And, quite possibly the healthiest part of the infant are her lungs.

Laurel is gingerly rocking the baby back and forth, trying to calm her, as the scientists crowd around her, covering their sensitive ears while trying to plead for steps they can take, and desperate to ensure the girl is healthy.

Laurel and Mrff are the least panicked. Laurel, because her maternal instincts assure her that the baby is just agitated -likely from all of the giants crowding around her-, and Mrff because he’s been listening to this for over {2 weeks} now. The baby, named Sarah, cries constantly for everything. Laurel chose the name because Sarah will one day be the next Saurmynnyka’s mother, and she felt that Sarah was similar to Saurmynnyka, but easy enough for everyone to pronounce, including the Grodrrns.

Of course, Laurel may be a caring and instinctively driven mother, but her instincts didn’t kick in fully until after Sarah was born, and as such, many of the necessities she realized she needed for a baby, such as a crib, diapers, and anti-moisture powder have to be rush-manufactured or adapted from what is already on the ship. The human fleet, apparently having seen a little ways in the future, sent a set of reusable diapers, but there are stringent cleaning requirements. And, the Grodrrns have a second drawback when dealing with human infants; their noses. Mrff thought Laurel was a foul smelling monstrosity with all of her different hormones and responses.

Then Sarah was born.

Grodrrn hatchlings are messy, to be true, but a Grodrrn’s diet -especially an infant- is comparable to an adults, but more strict. They eat meat and prepared vegetables, where as the human infant has to eat almost digested foods when she’s shifting off of her mother’s milk, and the mother’s milk produces plenty of foulness as is.

Of course, the scientists are excited. It’s a science experiment as well as the fate of the Fievegal. Though humans are mammals, which are all but animals on Grodurra, the scientists have been able to set aside any biases in order to dedicate their attention to the task. And, in this case, this task is to make a mother and daughter happy, healthy, and well-mannered to imprint upon the Saurmynnyka.

Of course, Mrff is just hoping to survive each day that comes without bashing his skull into the wall. His ears ache, his head hurts, and he is the personal guard to this particular pair of humans.

Interestingly enough, the scientists showing the most fervor for helping Sarah and Laurel are the female Grodrrns. And, Mrff can understand why. The most important humans on the ship are a pair of female humans, and Laurel has not been shy about letting everyone know that she approves of receiving female aid over the much larger and more intimidating males. On the flip side of that, the female Grodrrns tending to them see their one true chance to be an important part of a child’s life; even a child that may not be theirs. Fievegal culture very specifically favors males, though the immense drawbacks of long-ago decisions are glaringly obvious now, and the females are capitalizing. They aren’t trying to change culture, but they are trying to prove that -even with the ability taken away from them-, they can be effective Chulm’chns.

Of course, these scientists are on the right ship. They’re learning to mother a creature far more needy, noisy, smelly, and all around difficult than any Grodrrn hatchling would ever be. And, they’re taking it in stride.

Mrff vows, however, that he’s going to get his helmet to muffle the noise the next time he can make it to his locker. He forgot it because he isn’t sleeping.

“{Jardzen Murf?}” He looks at Laurel, who just asked for him. “{Do you think we can take Sarah to the… um… star-deck? I think she likes seeing the stars.}”

He inhales and exhales, “{The bridge?}” He thinks about it for a moment. They are docked at a space station with a race the Fievegal has a treaty with. The main reason, Mrff knows, is because they’re in the demilitarized zone between the Fievegal and the Zarakyssn Horde. This makes them unconquerable for the time being, but with trade treaties in place, the Fievegal can use their space stations for recon and resupply.

He nods, “{Very well. Come.}” He pauses, asking, “{You already changed her diaper, yes?}”

Laurel giggles, “{Yes. Sorry…}”

He snorts, “{It’s fine. Cost for everything.}” He escorts her to the bridge, and almost instantly, the child seems to stop crying. Her bright eyes stare at the stars visible through the various surfaces of the bridge.

Baskylla Jardzen Khla is present, sitting in the command chair. He turns, musing, “{Ahhh, a Helmdraavv in the making, I see.}”

Laurel giggles, asking, “{A like for stars, Yarjen?}”

He nods, “{Indeed. Neezha loved the stars upon hatching. She all but became nocturnal just to see the stars more.}”

Laurel giggles, “{That’s adorable. I hope Sarah finds a place that makes her happy.}” She hugs the tiny human to her cheek, as the scientists salute and take notes.

Khla then looks to Mrff, musing, “{You look tired, Yarjen.}”

Mrff replies as calmly as always, “{I am fit for duty, Yarjen.}”

Khla snorts in amusement. “{I shall escort Lady Laurel and Sarah for a while. Go and rest, Yarjen. Thank you for all of your hard work.}”

Mrff nods, looking to Laurel. “{Will you be okay?}”

She nods. “{Yes. Thank you. I-I swear she’ll get quieter as she gets older.}”

He smirks and nods. “{I’m waiting with an itch.}”

As he excuses himself, he can easily hear Laurel asking softly what that means. He smirks. It’s easy to forget that each race has their own sayings, and an ambush predator’s descendant would shame his ancestors to break the ambush by scratching a harmless itch.

He may not be hiding in swamps and sand waiting on prey, but a similar philosophy still applies. Mrff can handle being a little tired. He is a warrior. Losing sleep is a part of the job. If anything, being a ship’s second in command has made him soft.

As he passes several junior officers, they step out of his way, saying timidly, “{Niolayt Yarjen.}” He can hear their bodies tense. He glances at them briefly, and he simply nods.

It’s only as he makes his way down to the food deck that he realizes that EVERYONE seems to be greeting him. He catches one of them, asking, “{Niojen. Why did you greet me?}”

Caught off guard, the young female officer squeaks, “{Y-You… It’s policy, Yarjen. A-And you looked… like…}” She trails off nervously, unsure how to finish it, or if she even should have said as much as she did.

Mrff looks at his reflection in one of the screens nearby. He tugs on his face a little, realizing that he looks particularly grumpy, rather than his normal serious and stoic expression.

He sighs. Far be it for him to tell a junior to shed courtesies rather than ignore when they aren’t expressed constantly, Mrff says quietly, “{I look grumpy. I see.}”

“{N-No Yarjen! I only meant that-...}”

“{Calm yourself. Thank you for answering my question. Carry on, Niojen.}”

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“{As you wish, Yarjen. Thank you.}” She walks off briskly.

Knowing is good enough. Mrff has a reputation sometimes for being a stickler for policy, especially when visiting officials are on the ship. Seeing him apparently in a bad mood is a fair assumption that it’s a good time to turn full propriety on.

Now that he knows, he doesn’t have to worry that it’s something else. He’s the second in command on the ship. He can’t know every single thing, but he can do his best to know almost everything.

He eats a quick meal and continues walking around the ship, relaxing his head. He hasn’t meditated clearly for a few days now, and his head is foggy and sore. He far from hates Laurel anymore. The humans have proven to be noble creatures, even if it is one of their weaknesses. But, he also is not a human. He doesn’t know how Laurel is keeping such a warm spirit. She’s directly responsible for the infant.

Mrff pauses to study the supplies being brought onto the ship and carried to the storage holds from a distance. The Ryglyths, the race’s own name for themselves who own the space station they’re docked at, are a naturally aquatic race -though, the liquid they reside in naturally is actually a bit thicker than water, like oil-. This makes them powerful swimmers in actual water, and lethargic and sluggish outside of fluids. Regardless, they have pursued the stars like many other races, and have adapted to their amphibious lifestyle.

The syrup-like fluid heavily abundant on their world, however, is a commodity, and part of their treaty with the Fievegal is a defensive pact and assistance tracking smugglers that steal it, as -unlike water and its simple chemical structure-, the Ryglyth syrup is much more complex and far less abundant in the universe.

Fortunately, the Fievegal can trade ingredients that the plant life of Ryglog uses to produce the syrup, which the Ryglyths farm for trade. It makes an excellent and high nutrient food source when properly sterilized and prepared.

He starts to continue on his way, when he nearly bumps into a young Niodzen, and she squeaks, “{E-Excuse me, Niolayt Yarjen! My sincerest apologies.}”

She continues quickly on her way, and Mrff watches her only long enough to shake his head. She was extremely young and nervous, and seems to be focused solely on her current task, whatever it is. The Niolajt Jardzen shrugs it off. She looks even younger than Helmdraavv Neezha Khla, and even has a perfectly pressed and cared for uniform. She has pretty blue striping on the back of her head and neck, and she must constantly have to work extra hard to get around blue-scale stigmas. How can he fault a hard-working and professional young officer?

He makes it a few steps as a somewhat sweet odor reaches his nose. He can’t quite place what it is, at first. He feels like he’s smelled it before. Ryglog syrup? No, that’s not it. Grodrrn milk pastries? No, he’d recognize that far easier. Some kind of soap? Rather amazing anyone would have any personal soaps left after deployment stretching so far.

Mrff slows to a stop.

Younger than Helmdraavv Khla? Blue scales?

One of those factors should be impossible. Baskylla Jardzen Khla was one of the last few Grodrrns in Grodrrn history to recieve an egg before the Saurmynnyka was assassinated. There are obviously a few other Grodrrns out there that should compare in age to Neezha, but none should be much younger. Mrff can’t even remember the last time he saw a Grodrrn who appeared to be no more than {20 years} old. And, most importantly, Neezha WAS the youngest.

He looks up the hallway the young Grodrrn went. She’s out of sight already, having made a turn somewhere.

The other inconsistent detail he didn’t catch immediately; her blue scales. While blue scale Grodrrns haven’t been given egg rights for decades, if a hatchling happens to have an atavistic recurrence of blue scales, they aren’t automatically killed in most cases. They can simply be guaranteed to never be eligible for egg rights.

All of that said, blue scales are an extremely rare trait anymore. Is it feasible that there is anyone -officer or soldier- on the ship that Mrff hasn’t passed at least once? He knows he doesn’t have perfect memory, but the effects of Dzhonn’s weapon have worn off. And Dzhonn had…

Blue scales.

Mrff would never have even thought about it. Dzhonn was present on the ship since deployment started, and though Mrff had no reason to interact with him prior to their mission, Mrff had seen the young male helmdraavv who had blue patterns on his arms.

And, Dzhonn was a traitor who nearly doomed the Fievegal and jeopardized Khla’s battleship.

Mrff has seen a lot in his long service history. He has a long way to go before he can retire. Some small part of him looking after Laurel and Sarah dreams of the day he can once again perhaps pursue having a family.

It’s then that he connects the sweet smell to the young Grodrrn. She must have recently washed in something, or be covered in something from wherever she came from.

One fact has to be true, though. She doesn’t belong on the ship.

Mrff follows his nose, tracking the sweet smell up the hallway. He doesn’t sprint or start a panic yet. She seemed too timid and normal to be associated with treason.

Too timid and normal, now that he thinks about it. Everyone else was particularly startled by his appearance. This young female didn’t give him a single thought. She recognized him, but didn’t even give him a chance to say anything.

And, with the ship in dock, what could be so important that a young officer is in such a rush that she virtually ignores her ship’s second in command?

Should I report it? What do I say? A suspicious young Grodrrn ignored me? I don’t even know her name.

He’ll get two hatchlings to one egg, though, apparently, as the scent leads him to the bridge. Mrff enters with sharp eyes, but it does no good.

The young Grodrrn is speaking to Baskylla Jardzen Khla, or so it seems.

The longer Mrff is on the bridge -seconds at this point-, the more he realizes that it’s dead silent.

A blade hits his torso from his left, and a shock pierces and courses through his body. Laurel’s voice cries out, “MURF!”

Mrff whirls his arm out as powerfully as he can, focusing his entire mind -filled with thunder and sparks- on just one motion. His arm slams the wall, denting it as the pain relents. An acrobatic form narrowly flips away from him, and he lunges sideways. He hears the crackle of a second blade as he avoids its lightning bite. He grips the staff it’s attached to, and he yanks it free of the wielder.

Sarah starts crying again, but Mrff’s attention is focused on the cloaked attackers. Fabric obscures them, but shimmers when they move. He lunges towards the second attacker with the spear-like weapon, but his arm is stopped by a powerful grip.

The first two attackers were much smaller than him, and far more acrobatic.

However, the grip holding his arm now is powerful, sharp, and chitinous. Whatever race it is, it is holding back an enraged Grodrrn. He looks, and the being allows its cloak to fall away from its head.

Blue is the first and most prominent feature; chitinous plating with a shimmering blue. Beneath the chitinous, insectoid plates, however, is a distinctly leathery, slightly fuzzy and scaly skin with a blue and grey hue. A mouth instead of mandibles holds sharp, vicious teeth polished to a perfect shine.

The being is a little taller than Mrff, though its head structure seems familiar -femenine-, in spite of the monstrous appearance.

Femenine…

He sees it, and it sends a chill up his spine.

This creature resembles a Grodrrn.

It also speaks fluent Grodrrn, “{Niolayt Yarjen. Mrff, yes? You served with my Chulm’chn, if memory serves.}”

Mrff’s warrior instincts kick in; fight or die fighting. He spins, attempting to slash the creature with his left hand. The strange being blocks, and a powerful, sharp, and piercing kick throws him back, doubling over. She adds, “{Ironically, you also served with my brother. Briefly, of course.}” Her lips curl into a devilish smile, and Mrff coughs. “{As soon as I saw you, I knew you would withstand the stun-staves of my sisters. You reeked of the Drulkannocstra.}” Mrff looks directly at her, shocked.

She scrapes a tooth with a three-fingered hand -reminiscent obviously of Grodrrn, but also… Zarakyssn-. She then licks her teeth as Mrff tries to recover his balance. When he looks at Khla and the mystery Grodrrn, though, he hesitates. The young Grodrrn is holding Sarah, with a sidearm aimed at her. That explains why Khla is holding steady. Laurel is being held by one of the smaller attackers, who are all still invisible. But, Mrff has a pretty good idea what they are. Though, he’s never seen such capable soldiers in the ranks of the Horde. Seemingly within seconds, a troop of Zarakyssn soldiers stormed the bridge and captured it right under the sensitive noses of Grodrrns.

The strange Grodrrn-esque being walks in with soft boot-falls, carrying her seemingly disembodied head with grace. She approaches Laurel, touching her cheek, “{So, this is a human?}” She fidgets with Laurel’s hair a moment, smelling her hand as the mother freezes in terror.

Two more blades appear in front of Mrff, indicating they’re ready to attack him if he moves, and he looks to Khla. The Baskylla Jardzen’s expression is angry, but he is restraining himself for the sake of the human infant.

The monster stalks around the room casually, stating coldly, “{Such a tangled mess this Saurmynnyka business has become. But, it has also shown a lot of promise.}”

Khla growls, “{I don’t know how you got onto this ship, but it will serve you no good. If our mission is incomplete, the Fievegal will not hesitate to disable and recapture the ship.}”

The creature replies calmly without looking at him, “{Your mission to carry a new Saurmynnyka to term using the infant, yes?}” She waves her hand once, and the young female Grodrrn approaches.

Mrff coughs, “{Niojen. That infant is Sarah. She is the hope of the Fievegal.}”

The predatory commandant doesn’t do anything violent yet, simply petting the infant’s head as the baby is strangely silent. She does explain though, “{The Fievegal doesn’t care about individuals even now, hmm? Tell him, Gree.}”

‘Gree’, the female Grodrrn, turns and says rather caustically, “{Sister Azure wants to undo what the Fievegal has done. The right to have a family shouldn’t be determined by a government. And it shouldn’t be for the selfishness of one.}”

The strange being pets Gree’s head gingerly, adding, “{They are very old, Darling Sister. They do not understand a different perspective.}”

One of the scientists suddenly bursts out, “{P-Please be gentle! The girl is very delicate! P-Please?}”

The one apparently known as ‘Sister Azure’ looks to the scientist who spoke. “{Fear not. I need this daughter alive. In fact, I need many on this ship alive.}”

Her face turns wicked and evil, and she all but hisses with wicked glee, “{But, that certainly does not mean ALL of you.}”

***