Chapter Thirty- Seven
Xexis
Heavy-footed, tired, and sweaty, the pack headed back toward the ship. Xexis was ready to expire, legs and back aching. Grooug grunted as the group stomped down the dusty earth. “Nothing, the scans were useless.”
“Not useless,” Reevar panted for air with all four of his hands behind his head. “The area is safe; that’s something to celebrate.”
“Ah, yes, not useless, just a complete waste of my muscle and time,” Grooug sneered, jabbing Reevar teasingly in the ribs.
“Well, I had fun!” Kiefgr cheered from beside Xexis as the four hungry and spent hunters trudged back toward their ship.
Xexis’ only solace was they were still in good spirits.
That, and that he’d not received any notifications from Aphrodite other than clearing the area of weird readings.
After investigation, everything that came up with that reading showed massive growth of the Zhaba Muscaria.
They’d brought some back to the ship, according to Aphrodite’s notes, but nothing since.
No readings or alerts from Buddy either.
That was comforting. However, returning to the ship to find all the lights on, sounds blaring from inside, and all the Vroz on the ramp dancing? That wasn’t comforting.
“Kannatch?” Kiefgr whispered, pointing a finger toward the only human in the group. “Is the Mphronatch okay?”
Xexis knew that dancing was a uniquely human thing.
Bodies like Vroz were not meant for swinging hips or spinning in circles.
However, that did not seem to stop three of his researchers, his best engineer, and his favorite pilot from wiggling strangely beside Aphrodite.
Now, Aphrodite seemed to be able to dance.
Her hands were in the air, her long yellow hair flowing behind her, hips swaying.
From a mate point of view, he enjoyed it. She was smiling and swaying and making his trunk swell.
From a Kannatch point of view, however, fury licked up inside him as Kern, his well-honored and professional pilot, waddled toward them with three Orv on his tail. “Where did they come from?”
“Kannatch,” Reevar tried to stifle a snort but was unsuccessful. “I think the locals welcomed our crew; the only way the locals know how to have a good time.”
“I will stuff them in tanks,” Xexis snarled. “Kern!”
“Yes! My Kannatch!” Kern snapped to attention, smacked his fist to his chest and bowed. Only, as he dipped, he dropped face-first into the dirt. The Orv waddled behind him, hands in the air, before they mimicked his face down, rear end up position.
Xexis slapped a palm to his face before dragging it down his skin.
Excellent. Xexis turned his attention to Reevar, who looked away, clearly hiding his smug expression.
Then to Grooug, who watched the scientific team with a twinkle of bemusement.
Finally, he eyed Kiefgr who immediately beamed and waved furiously at him.
“Kannatch, will we be joining the Mphronatch in the Orvian tradition of getting intoxicated on flora?”
“No!” He huffed before pointing to the trees. “I want a full search of the trees; Reevar, Kiefgr, ensure our surroundings are secure. Grooug, return the Orv to their homes or the nearest patch of flora.”
“And what will you be doing, my Kannatch?” Reevar snickered, trotting toward the trees.
“Attempting to wrangle my mate, it seems.” He stepped up to Kern, picked his intoxicated pilot under his arm and carried him luggage style toward the ship.
Xexis wasn’t trained to deal with Orvian hallucinogenic or intoxicated pilots.
He was trained to keep his people safe. How does one do that if they ingest the problem?
Xexis loved science, he loved how elated it made Aphrodite.
He didn’t understand a sentence coming out of her beautiful lips, but he enjoyed the look on her face while she spoke.
That being said, he despised how unorganized and lacking discipline the scientists were.
His hunters would never ingest something the Orv gave them.
Only scientists would take a strange, foreign flora and eat it…
And no doubt, they would claim it was for scientific discovery.
Aphrodite caught him carrying the pilot over and gasped. Flinging her arms in the air, she danced rapidly from foot to foot as if she were charging up. “Xexis!” she squealed.
He immediately dropped his pilot into the dusty earth as his mate came flying at him. She flung herself into his arms and wrapped herself around him like wet parchment. “Oh, I missed you! You should totally try the Zhaba Muscaria! It’s fabulous!”
Her Anglo-saxis was slurred and she was unable to focus on his face as she swayed in his arms. She’s intoxicated, very intoxicated. He groaned, “My mate, why did you ingest it?”
“Etic!” She cheered, tossing her arms over her head. The entire crew cheered with her, throwing their hands into the air again. He watched them sway like leaves in the wind.
Xexis took a deep breath in. “Who taught you that word?”
“Shhhh, don’t tell Xexis,” she giggled cutely, smashing an armored finger to her plush lips. At least she kept the armor on, or do I have Buddy to thank for that? Putting a weak hand to his shoulder to steady herself, she laughed harder. “He hates when I learn naughty words.”
“Yes, because my mate should never use naughty words,” he growled, cupping her tighter against him. “It’s bad manners.”
She flopped her head back with a hard snort. He tossled her back to him. Aphrodite mixed her bubbly laughter with a surprised yelp as he cupped the back of her head with a hand. She pouted heavily, “Not fair, you know all my naughty words.”
His trunk ached again, and he was trying his best to refrain from misbehaving.
Her eyes were hooded and there was a clarity in them as she scanned his face.
She is too alluring, and I am weak for her.
Xexis pincers curled as he tried his best to breathe steadily.
And remind his mating trunk that no matter the pretty curl of her words, or the way she was arching into him, was he to misbehave.
“My mate,” she hummed, leaning her face in closer. No, no! Her lips pressed against his skin and he felt his resolve waver. Aphrodite let out an airy chuckle, “You know, while everyone’s out here, we could—”
Xexis swallowed loudly, “Aphrodite, you’re intoxicated and very, very…wiggly. We need to get you and the crew sobered.”
“The fastest way to sober up is—”
He put an armored hand over her mouth and choked down the lusty growl forming in his chest. They could take up the lab while everyone was busy cleaning up. No one would stop him. He was Kannatch. She knew exactly where to press his buttons. But Xexis had his resolve.
“My mate will go to bed unclaimed tonight.”
Aphrodite huffed, letting out a low whine. “What? You never deny me.”
“Aphrodite Kerso will behave,” he warned affectionately, setting her down on her feet. Her eyes blew open wide, hands gripping onto his arms for support. “And when we return to the station, I will hunt my mate properly and claim her in the hall of our chambers.”
Aphrodite bit down onto her lower lip, cheeks red. “Can I fight you for it?”
“I expect you to fight harder than ever.”
She giggled, leaning into his chest. “Deal.”
Xexis had to think of many things to get his trunk in order.
It was swollen and commanding, and he did his best to bring it down.
Thoughts of rotting fruit, of dust, of decay; it took him a little longer than he’d like to admit to find his resolve again.
Then he picked up his snoring pilot from the ground where he’d dropped him and held the hand of his mate to steer her back to the ship.
They were never allowed to be left alone with the Orv ever again!
As Aphrodite neared the ramp, she gasped and clapped to gather everyone's attention. “Let’s show Xexis the conga line we made!”
Everyone cheered, rushing to Aphrodite. Xexis stumbled back a step, baffled as everyone lined up behind his mate.
She clapped, singing something goofy as they did a kick line into the ship.
Xexis left his pincers twitch with amazement and irritation at the same time.
He glanced around, finding Reevar and Kiefgr walking toward the ship from the opposite side of the trees as Grooug.
“Kannatch,” Reevar called out as they all gathered at the ramp.
“My mate has gotten the whole crew intoxicated with Orvian flora.”
“At least someone had a good time,” Grooug laughed, stopping as Aphrodite came twirling up to them. She giggled, her hair flowing behind her as she tugged on Xexis’ arm. Grooug eyed the Kannatch, bemused. “A very good time.”
“Dance with me, Xexis! Human couples waltz on their wedding night, and we never got to have a wedding!” She tugged him into her body.
“Is that what my mate wants?” He smiled as she spun in his hands. She pulled him to the middle of the cargo hold where the two drones were playing music off the data pads perched inside metal bowls to amplify the sound.
“Buddy! Play a romantic waltz!”
Xexis had no frame of reference for how to move.
But she put two of his hands on her side and took another in her hand.
Aphrodite used her hips and arms to dictate which direction to move.
He stepped with her. One two three, one two three, twist and one two three.
She spun herself out then back in with a brilliant smile.
He used his one free hand to cup her face.
Repeating himself, he breathed heavily. “My mate, do you want a wedding?”
“Well…” She chewed on her lip, giggling more. “I never thought about it till just now, but I wouldn’t mind it. We got to do your tradition, but I would love to do mine.”
He continued to spin them steadily, keeping up with her foot work. One two three, one two three. Humming softly with approval. “I agree, we should.”
“Really?” She spun herself out then twirled in.
Except, when he expected them to keep dancing, she bound up into his arms. He hugged her tight to his chest. Continuing to move, following the rhythm, they swayed with her legs and arms wrapped around him.
Aphrodite exhaled heavily, “We don’t have to do everything, just the party part, that’s what I like most about it.
A dance floor, lots of music and food, everyone you love and your friends all in their fanciest gowns, dancing. A ball.”
“I shall inform Xnasis of our impending wedding. I’m sure he’d enjoy a reason to open the western wing of the station. We only use it when holding court with large entities.”
“I’m actually about to be a space princess. Child me would be screaming right about now.”
Xexis set her on her feet, pressing their foreheads together. “How about when we return, we have the wedding?”
“That soon?”
“Vroz are known to party.”