Chapter 35
Atem
In the tenday that followed the attack on Peony, Atem doubled his efforts to find her home world – this uncontacted Earth.
Not because he wanted to return her or his sisters, but because he was afraid for what would happen to the females of that planet.
Before the ratchi's body was burned, they accessed his combot and found messages between him and an unknown ID demanding that he retrieve the female – unnamed, though the description could only be Peony.
He had been promised that human females were beautiful and sensual and had the hottest, tightest cunts.
If he came to get her on Turv, he could not only get a pleasure female, but he could pass his coming-of-age mission with honors for bringing home a new, undiscovered species.
The fact that anyone knew anything about the humans disturbed him greatly.
While his initial instinct was to assume that someone betrayed him and was trying to harm his females, Tuvo countered with the much more reasonable argument that, perhaps, humans weren't as unknown to the greater universe as he assumed.
But if someone did know of them, they were keeping their discovery well hidden.
Using his privileges as ruler of Turv, he had access to the Coalition's complete databases.
However, no variation of 'Earth', 'human', or 'new species' turned up any results that might be Peony's people.
In the last ten standard universal years, there had been only three newly discovered sapient species.
All of them had been noted from a distance.
Two were still in the pre-civilization stage of evolution, and of those two, only one seemed likely to begin gathering in such a way anytime soon.
The third was a warrior culture post-civilization but pre-technology, not dissimilar to how their own had been in the days of the ancient ancestors.
However, unlike the domini, they were not learning the importance of restraint and peace and were close to wiping themselves out.
Their planet was being marked as a possible source of resources if and when the native sapient species killed themselves out, which seemed likely to happen in the next decade.
He didn't think any of them were Earth. He still showed them all to the females, but they didn't recognize a single planet.
His hope that maybe they didn't know what their planet looked like was dashed when they assured him that they had traveled to their own moon, though no further, and they had a great many machine satellites in orbit.
Earth, wherever it was, was progressing fast according to their description.
They would likely be ready for contact within a few generations.
The first meeting was only made after piloted flights breached their solar system.
The females told them that, to date, they knew of only a single machine that had done so and they had no way of recalling or communicating with it. It certainly had no humans aboard.
If they were a known species, the Coalition leaders – of which he was a member – would already have begun making plans for first contact.
Such things were potentially dangerous and required patience and a delicate approach.
The domini army would be there to provide protection in case the new species reacted badly, so Atem would definitely be one of those who knew.
Such an event didn't happen often and each time another species was added, it was a big deal.
But there were currently no plans for welcoming a new species. All the current species being monitored were many hundreds to thousands of years from being candidates for contact.
Which meant one of two things.
Either a Coalition species, maybe even the ratchi themselves, already discovered Earth, but had not made the discovery known.
Which, on the whole, was foolish. To prevent abuse of weaker, primitive species, the Coalition offered rewards for reporting new planets and severe punishments for taking advantage of a native species.
Discovering a new sapient species brought accolades and honor.
Not to mention, the right to act as the new species' sponsor and guide when they were ready to be contacted by the Coalition.
That kind of privilege was a big deal because it meant a tighter relationship, better treaties and trade deals, and the chance to expand power and influence in the Coalition.
But the leader of the ratchi knew nothing.
The older male, who had ruled his planet since Atem's father's time, informed him, after apologizing for the acts of his foolish citizens, that he had heard nothing of a new species.
Since Atem knew him to be an honest male, he took him at his word.
To a point. He still made a note to keep an eye on him.
So, if it wasn't hidden information that the ratchi had, then the other option was one Atem was more inclined to believe, no matter what Tuvo said.
Betrayal.
Third Guardian Quvi seemed horrified by what had happened to Peony. She seemed genuinely afraid for her job and swore to help First Guardian to secure Calvitorum personally. He wasn't inclined to believe her innocence, but he had no proof, so he let the matter drop.
However, he was quite happy to replace her position as the humans' caretaker with Tilii. He would have preferred someone outside of Quvi's clan, but Peony insisted. Apparently, they were friends. And Atem was helpless to deny Peony anything.
A few days after the event at the market, an older male came by with fabrics in an array of patterns that confused him until the females spotted him.
They squealed with excitement. Apparently, the plain, monochromatic clothes the domini preferred were too boring.
Without camouflage to worry about, the females were able to indulge in any number of dizzying patterns.
Atem wanted to distrust the old man, wondering if he was involved in the attack somehow.
Peony called him a fool, bought the old man's entire stock, and begged him for more.
They even made requests for specific patterns.
Some so complex, they had to draw them out for him.
He promised to try, beaming as his eyes glowed with pleasure.
And just like that, the human females had a new fabric supplier. Atem really could deny her nothing and Peony looked astounding wearing a diagonally striped, black and white skirt with the tight, red shirt she showed off for him.
He honestly thought that the human’s inability to camouflage would detract from their appearance, but the opposite was true.
Since their skin never changed, they could adorn themselves however they pleased without concern for straining or damaging the chromatophore cells that were responsible for the color shift.
A condition which was a fact of life for domini as every elder eventually began to turn gray as the cells lost their strength, but which could be hastened by trying to camouflage to a difficult pattern or rapidly changing colors within a short time.
The result of the humans' skin sturdiness was a stunning combination of colors that dazzled the eye – like particularly beautiful flowers in full bloom. And each female had a different style that made her bloom unique.
Peony liked showing off her body for him, her belly specifically.
He rather enjoyed it, and he thought his appreciation influenced her style choice.
She liked the color green to match her eyes, or red to match his.
She really liked long, fluttering skirts, but also had plenty of equally fluttering pants.
She never wore camocloth but loved mismatching her clothing in ways that would have looked ridiculous on a domini but seemed just right on the humans.
She and the others never drank blood, and preferred their meat cooked, which was beyond the suitability of consumption for the domini, but she delighted in sharing new foods she tried with him.
When he returned to his rooms, where she waited, she seemed excited to ask about his day.
She listened and asked questions, extremely interested in his answers.
That day, after finishing his tasks, he returned to his rooms to find that she had discovered how to get her combot to play music and she had found some songs that she liked and was dancing all around the space as she rearranged things.
He had told her to make herself comfortable and to change whatever she liked. She spent more time in his rooms than hers anyway, and he wanted to see how quickly she would do it.
It took only two days – and that extra day was just because she wanted to plan.
The adassi was the one who nested. The domin might create a den, a home, but if the adassi was uncomfortable in it, they would never be happy there. Part of that comfort involved changing it to their tastes. They might not be the same species, but Peony still had those nesting instincts.
That she was so willing to change his space after getting his permission told him that she was already comfortable in his space.
The way she danced, so strangely sensual compared to what he was familiar with, told him she was happy.
The smile she gave him when he returned told him how much she liked him.
And in that instant, seeing her glowing with happiness as she rushed to give him a hello kiss – a human tradition he very much approved of – he knew that his instincts weren't wrong.
She wasn't his lovir. She was his adassi. His everything.
“Atem, welcome home!” She leaned up to give him her quick kiss. That was the one downside about hello kisses – they were very short. “How was work today?”
“My search for Earth has born no fruit,” he said regretfully, watching as she gestured at her combot, turning off the music. “I'm sorry for that.”
“It's okay. We knew it was a long shot.”
He smiled gently, glad she didn't appear upset. “I did, however, approve the final budget for the Hortii Kristivar.”
She cocked her head, confused. “The what?”
“It's the ceremony to celebrate the end of my seventh year as Dominani.”
“Oh! Tilii told me about that!” She beamed. “That means, afterwards, people won't be able to challenge you willy-nilly for your position, right?”
He laughed at the strange words. They didn't translate, but he understood the idea.
“Correct. The very last day of my seventh year, a big celebration is held. Domini from all over the planet are invited to Calvitorum to attend. Most choose to celebrate at home, of course, but those who come are given the chance to perform for the Firsts. If they earn all their approval, they have the chance to challenge me to hortii vai right there in that moment. Most do it only playfully, for a chance to say that they fought their Dominani. There are a few who are serious. However, mostly, it is all fun.”
Peony frowned at his explanation. “You won't... lose, right?”
He grumbled unhappily. “The day of the celebration, you are going to be right beside me, as are the other females. As my clan, it is your right to stand by me. And you will finally get to see that I am not a weak male.”
“No! No, I know that. It's just... I guess, the whole battle mentality of this place still gets to me.
It seems weird to base your entire government system on combat.
Not that I'm judging!” She rushed to say, her skin blanching.
A color change that he didn't like since it seemed to appear with fear in her eyes.
“You guys seem to be doing so great at it.
It's just weird to me as a human because cultures that decided leaders on brute strength never lasted on my planet.”
Atem grunted once, unoffended. “Most do not. Domini are unique in that aspect. It helps that the position must be earned from all the Firsts and that every domini on the planet has the right of challenge. If a leader is undeserving and ruthless, it does not take long for him to be supplanted.”
Peony smiled as she led him to the lounging area and sat beside it. “So, when's the celebration? What are we going to be doing?”
“You and I and the other females will be down in the fighting arena. The crowd will be celebrating with me, and it will allow them to watch my challengers. We still have another tenday before that. Plenty of time to get you and the others fitted for traditional garb.”
She leaned into his shoulder. “Sounds fun. A bit weird, but I'll think of it like an MMA fight.”
“A what?”
“Never mind. It is going to be fun, right? I don't have to worry about you being deposed, do I?”
“Peony, my pride cannot take many more blows,” he groaned, rubbing his chest. “I will not lose. Don't worry. I am Dominani for a reason. This kind of thing is easy.”
“If you say so.” She sighed, contented. “Hey, can we go out on a date or something?”
“Hm? A date? Isn't that what it's called when your species is courting?”
“Yeah. Couples go out and just spend time together. Have fun or get romantic or something. I kind of want to see more of Calvitorum. Maybe not the market yet. Don't know if I'm ready for that. But somewhere else could be good.”
Atem fought not to frown. Peony's species must be a very peaceful one if a single battle was enough to burden her psyche. She tried to insist that they were not, but it certainly seemed that, even if they did have the concept of battle and war, they weren't designed for it like the domini.
“I think I can finish my tasks early tomorrow. Will that do?”
His Peony beamed like he had offered her a star. “Really? So soon?”
He chuckled, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. “Of course. My female asks and I am only too eager to provide. That is what a male is supposed to do.”
She giggled like he had told a joke, though he couldn't imagine what it might be. However, before he had the chance to ask why his devotion was funny, she was kneeling between his legs. His belly tightened in excitement, his cock already hardening as she pulled it from his pants.
Peony seemed to enjoy him in her mouth just as much as he enjoyed her. It must be a human thing because she didn't seem all that surprised by her desire to please him in that way. Not for the first time, he wondered about this species.
Human males truly were the luckiest of all males. He imagined that, to have such females, they must be quite powerful, generous, and protective.
Then, Peony was bobbing on the head of his cock, one hand on his shaft, the other massaging his knot, and he forgot what he had been thinking about.