Chapter 10 #2
They all turned to see a female Talin step out of one of the rooms. The similarity between her and Zeph made it clear this was his sister, Sandar.
The moment Sandar saw them, she froze. Her eyes jumped back and forth between Zeph and Tumoro. “Who are you? What are you doing here? Get out or I’ll activate the defenses!”
Han cursed her determination to dye Zeph. Sandar’s lack of recognition was going to emotionally wound him, and it was all her fault.
Han stepped out from behind Tumoro. “This is all my fault! I’m so sorry—”
“A human!” Sandar cried then sounded a rattle so loud it hurt Han’s ears and rushed across the room to her. “I’ll keep you safe!”
Han was covering her ears with her hands when Sandar gently grasped one of her arms. The Talin tucked Han behind her and moved them backward to the front door.
“When we get out the front door, run to the small building to the east. I’ll hold these males off. Lock yourself inside until I come to get you.”
Han could barely make out Sandar’s words over the rattling. She caught a glimpse of Tumoro’s confused expression and Zeph standing as still as a statue. Han tried to move around Sandar, but the Talin matched her move. “Don’t be scared, human. I’d never hurt you or force you to do anything.”
“Sandar, stop!” Zeph said, finally shaking off his stupor.
Sandar went stiff and stopped rattling. “Zephrum? Why are you red?”
“That’s what you say to me?” Zeph asked, his voice angry. Han was stepping around Sandar when Zeph stomped up to them and snatched her up into his arms. Cuddling her to his chest, he moved back until he was even with Tumoro again.
“Zephrum, I, uh, I thought about…but I couldn’t. And then…” her voice trailed off, her arms flopping to her sides and her eyes dropping to the ground.
Han could feel Zeph practically vibrating with tension and emotions, but she still didn’t expect what came out of his mouth next.
“Sandar, you’re pregnant! How could you?”
Zeph
All his earlier concerns and worries vanished at the sight of Sandar’s gently swollen abdomen.
At his accusation, Sandar stiffened her back, met his gaze unflinchingly, and protectively placed her hands on her belly. “It was an accident, but I have no regrets.”
Han wiggled in his arms. “Zeph, set me down. This whole meet-and-greet went wrong, and I want to meet your sister properly. Then you guys can explain to me why being pregnant is so scandalous.”
“Is it because you only have one husband?” Tumoro asked, moving to stand at Zeph’s shoulder. “Mom always said that women should have at least three husbands before having children. Then you can add other matriarchs and husbands.”
“That’s not it,” Zeph said to the young Ugarian. “If only the issue was that simple.”
“Zeph!” Han said. His name was a warning that if he didn’t put her down soon, she’d get angry with him. As much as he didn’t want to let go of her, he didn’t want to upset her more.
Setting her on her feet, he waited until she’d straightened her clothes before drawing her back against his front. It wasn’t as good as holding her, but it was enough to help him calm his chaotic emotions.
“Hi, Sandar. It’s nice to meet you,” Han said. “My name is Han, and you already know I’m human. This is Tumoro, and he’s Ugarian. Of course, you know Zeph.”
“I’m First Matriarch Han’s first son,” Tumoro added, standing tall and proud to claim Han as his mother.
Han gave him a fond smile. “For now, yes, you’re my first son.”
“I read that humans are quick to make a family of any species. It’s nice that you’ve adopted Tumoro as your child,” Sandar said. “I’m sorry you couldn’t have a human pup.”
“Um, sure. Anyway, I think we should all sit down,” Han said, gesturing to the area with Leemron-style lounging couches and several Talin-style chairs. “It sounds like there’s a lot to discuss, and you should be comfortable.”
Sandar moved her gaze down to Han and sounded a soothing rumble. “Would that make you happy?”
Zeph could tell Han wanted to say something but stifled it. Probably one of her human jokes he never understood.
“Yeah, sitting down would make me happy,” Han agreed.
“Can I do anything?” Tumoro said, looking uncertain. He’d finally noticed the tension between Zeph and Sandar, and it was clear he didn’t know how to react.
Zeph wanted to say something to soothe the Ugarian but was struggling to process all the implications of Sandar’s pregnancy. Thankfully Han spoke to Tumoro for him.
“You should make tea,” Han said. “I saw a can of Tlash tea.”
“I can do that!” Tumoro jumped into action.
“But maybe not as strong as Ugarians tend to make it?” Han suggested.
Tumoro gave an Ugarian snort of laughter. “I forgot you don’t drink tea, you drink hot, colored water.”
“Whatever,” Han muttered with a roll of her eyes before turning her attention back to Sandar. “Now we can all do the sitting down I suggested earlier.”
Sandar sounded a rumble of agreement and walked smoothly despite her extra bulk. She eased down on the Leemron lounging couch with a quiet sigh of relief.
He followed Han to one of the chairs, but when she went to sit, he swept her up. He took her seat and settled her on his lap.
Once they were all seated, silence descended. Zeph wasn’t sure what to say when he couldn’t even figure out how he felt.
Except there was one prominent emotion, bone-deep fear for his dear sister.
Thankfully Han started the conversation. “Let’s start with explaining to the clueless human why this pregnancy is such a big deal.”
Sandar sounded a soothing rumble. “It’s against Talin law.”
Han gasped with surprise. “That’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard! How do you guys expect to maintain a population if pregnancy is illegal?”
“We use artificial wombs,” Sandar explained.
“Oh, that’s right,” Han said. “I remember Zeph telling me about that and the cresh system. Still, it seems extreme to keep anyone from having their own kid.”
Sandar sounded a rumble of agreement. “I suppose to someone outside the empire, it would seem outrageous. Let me be more clear. Technically it isn’t illegal to have a child, but for Talin’s to get pregnant, they have to scent-bond with a partner.
That’s what’s illegal. If they find out I’m pregnant, then they’ll know I did something illegal. ”
Han looked fascinated and a little appalled. “Right, scent-bonding. I think I read about that on the ship’s UniBase. Something about becoming addicted to each other’s smell.”
“Yes, exactly,” Sandar said. “It wasn’t efficient, so thousands of years ago we moved away from scent-bonding and live birth.
First it was simply out of fashion, then it was taboo, and finally they codified it into law.
” Sandar took a deep breath before continuing.
“Rensom’s parents contacted my parents and suggested the match.
We agreed and soon entered into a marriage contract.
He was respectful and kind. We became friends.
Without realizing it, we developed strong attachments to each other.
It was impossible to resist scent-bonding. ”
Han made a strange awww sound. “That’s so romantic. You guys basically had an arranged marriage but fell in love anyway. It was meant to be.”
Zeph’s mind finally started working. “Is that why you’re here?”
Sandar sounded a negative rattle. “The trip was arranged before we noticed the change in my body. We realized it would be a good place to sequester, so we arranged to double our time here.”
Fear for Sandar consumed Zeph. “This won’t work. What happens after the child is born? How will you explain it to the Talin authorities? Your ruse will be discovered.”
Han’s expression turned sympathetic. “What happens if you’re caught?”
Zeph couldn’t say it.
“My child would be taken from me to be raised in a cresh,” Sandar explained, her voice flat and devoid of any emotion. “After that, Rensom and I would be separated.”
“Wait, wouldn’t that mean…” she shook her head. “You guys die if you’re separated after scent-bonding, right? I read about that on the ship's UniBase. It’s called Finishing or Closing.”
“Ending,” Zeph choked out. “It’s a painful, lingering death.”
“Fuck that!” Han burst out. She jumped off Zeph’s lap and rushed over to Sandar. She knelt next to his pregnant sister. “You and your husband are going to come with me. My community lives deep in the Ilgorian Federation. The Talin Empire will never be able to touch you. We’ll keep you safe!”