Chapter Eight #2
Geri muttered, “According to the cameras, the unit auto-set itself to Zowoth. No one did it to her. It was a data malfunction. She simply registered as the other species.”
Chloe walked with them, and Trin went ahead to get the doors open so no one had to stop and start. They shoved and walked through the base before putting the unit in the med bay.
Once all the power connections were up and it was off the emergency battery, everyone exhaled slowly.
The system indicated that she was thirty percent complete. Whatever was happening had a bit of time to go.
They sat around in the food court, and Trin fidgeted. “What do you think Margo would like as a get-well present?”
Delia appeared. “Light sabre. She’s a huge fan. It’s why she opted for pilot training. She wanted to be Han Solo.”
Geri grinned. “I guess that makes me Chewie.”
Skylar looked at Delia. “What are you attached to? I am not feeling any kind of pull when you come in and out.”
“Dude, that’s my mom. Take a guess.”
Skylar paused. “Right. I have been dealing with more folks in Margo’s situation than yours.”
Trin took a tablet and started sketching. “The hard part will be controlling the length of emission.”
Delia snorted. “That sounds dirty.”
Trin waggled her brows. “I know.”
They laughed and offered ideas for the lights on the unit, including a spate of cursing that could be triggered with a pinky. The middle finger made a lusty moan, as was appropriate.
Trin nodded and then headed to her workspace. She needed to be alone while working through the layers of tech needed to get the result.
The rest of the ladies remained on vigil, waiting for Margo to finish her fusion.
Delia smiled. “So, she’s coming out Zowoth-human?”
Skylar nodded. “That’s the theory.”
“Nice. She needs to see less of me in the mirror.”
Skylar said, “She wants to see it. She misses you with everything in her soul. You are part of her, Delia.”
“I know, but she needs to start a life out here. I saw what Chloe did, and now Mom will be half Zowoth. She has time to start over. I want to be there to see it.”
Skylar smiled. “How solid are you, Delia?”
“Um. Why?”
“Because one way to make sure your mother started a new life would be to reduce the old one. Changing the settings on the healing unit would do that nicely.”
Delia froze. “Fine. You’ve got me. She likes him. Really likes him. This was just a nudge.”
Chloe said, “You almost killed her.”
“Yes, but you helped her. So, it worked. Is working. I am dead, I am not in a great place for consequences.”
Skylar sighed. “That is... accurate.”
Delia bit her lip. “How long will she be in there?”
Geri asked, “Six or eight hours, why?”
“Because a ship just landed, and there is no alarm, so that means Birun is waiting for them. It narrows down the possibility.”
Geri frowned. “How did you know?”
Delia pointed out one of the large windows. “I can see them.”
Everyone turned and watched the three Zowoth walking across the snow.
Geri muttered, “Well, Margo is going to be pissed when she wakes up.”
Delia smiled. “It is her natural state. I am gonna go spy. Back in a few.” She disappeared.
Geri grinned. “Now that is handy.”
They waited for their spy to bring back news.
* * * *
The timer finished, and the chamber opened. Margo sat up and looked at her arms. She was now golden green, but her scars were still silver. Chloe was no joke. They were in her DNA now. Margo just had to figure out what else was in there.
“Margo.” The low voice made her jump.
“Aken-Var. Where are we?”
“Sanctuary Base. Birun was kind enough to invite me in so you and I could finally speak face to face.”
“Feel like yelling again? Go for it.” She moved slowly and got out of the repair unit, looking down at her naked self. “Huh. Freaky.”
She looked around and saw folded clothing on a table. Aken-Var just looked at her, his hands opening and closing.
She pulled the ship suit on and closed the front. “So, Aken-Var. Why are you here?”
He looked at her and said, “I came for you.”
“Yeah, I vividly remember that, but why are you here?”
His expression turned astonished, and then he smiled. “You glow to me. You glowed on Amtha, and you glow even brighter now.”
She blinked, and there was a white-hot glow around his head and body. “So, like a weird halo around me? Is it a common thing?”
“If a Zowoth is lucky, it is once in a lifetime. If not, they never meet their match.”
Margo looked at him and glanced away. “Ah. How unfortunate for you.”
He looked at her and said, “I am sorry. I lied. I trapped you because I wanted you more than anything, and I am sorry. I never wanted to cause you pain, and I did.”
She stared at him. There was nothing she could say to pile on. “Thank you for the apology.”
He nodded. “It was overdue.”
“Well, I need to get back to whatever shenanigans the ladies are up to.”
“Please allow me to escort you.”
She nodded. “I can’t really stop you.”
She looked around and said, “Boss, where am I going?”
“Down the hall, dark grey stripe.”
“Thanks, Boss.” Margo left the cargo area she had been in and headed toward the ladies who had been under her care. She glanced at the man who was with her. “Did you get smaller?”
“No, bright one. You are taller.”
“Aw, too bad. You like your ladies smaller.”
“I... have a deep appreciation of your figure at any height.” His voice rumbled.
She felt her knees get weak and other parts of her tense. That voice was almost as hypnotic as his scent.
She swallowed. “That tall dude isn’t here yet, is he?”
Aken-Var chuckled. “He’s on the way.”
“Damnit. I will ask Geri if she’s ready to travel. I am pretty sure Chloe and Skylar are good to go.”
“You are going to leave without speaking to me?”
“I have spoken to you. I am speaking to you now.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I am not going to screw you against the wall, and can you even get it up without people watching?”
He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her back against him. “Would you like me to demonstrate?”
“Gee, in the middle of a hallway on a Hmrain-owned station? You do like that thrill of discovery.”
He kissed the side of her neck. “Alone on an asteroid or on a station full of other beings, I would love to have you wrapped around me. You feel like home.”
She shivered. “You feel like... I don’t know. I’ve forgotten.”
He jolted and let her go. Apparently, he hadn’t considered that. Of course, she hadn’t forgotten anything, but that was the point. She hadn’t forgotten anything.
“It is better for you that I have forgotten.” She resumed her walk.
His voice was thick as he followed her. “You think it is better that I forget the coupling that gave my life meaning?”
“Wow. Dramatic. No, I think it is best that the coupling and all associated with it are put into the forgotten category. Knowing that I was discarded so easily would eat at me if I kept it in the forefront of my mind.”
He exhaled. “So, may I try again?”
“I am still scarred. That isn’t changing.”
“But you are now blooded Zowoth. That puts you into a different social category.”
“I thought you couldn’t go after warriors under your command.”
“There is always an exception for the bright ones.”
“Really?”
“Of course. No one can stand between matched partners.”
She listened to the words, and in Zowoth, the words matched partners translated to life and soul bonded.
“So, before this, I was just a pet?”
“After our coupling, when I saw you in the court, you glowed to my eyes. That is why I flew into a rage when I saw you were injured. I wanted to destroy the one who had hurt you, but it was your own hand driven by my blindness.”
“Well, I found a nice job and am having fun in space. No confinement. No panic that the walls will crush me.”
“So, you will not return to the court?”
“Absolutely not. Not unless you want me to slaughter people until I get second ranking.”
Aken-Var nodded. “I see. There is only one option for me then.”
She didn’t ask about what the option’s name was.
“I will remain at your side. When you want me, I will be at your side in a moment.”
“The fuck you will.” She scowled at him as they walked into a food court area where the ladies were waiting.
Delia was with Skylar, and she stood up. “Mom!”
Margo opened her arms, and her daughter was against her a heartbeat later. “I have a tenacious attachment to life. It’s a hard habit to break.”
Delia held her tight.
Aken-Var cleared his throat. “Who is this?”
Margo turned to him. “This is the soul of my daughter. She has gotten shorter since I had that headache, but she is the core of my heart and always will be.”
Delia turned to stare at Aken-Var. “You really don’t wear a shirt, do you?”
His eyes widened, and then he grinned. “The links to my people run me hot. Shirts get in the way.”
“Huh. Well, my mom likes your body, so you just have to be less of an arrogant vacuum-sucker, and she will forgive you.”
He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. “You are solid.”
“The Terran Dyturan is right over there.” Delia pointed. “She is storing me, and I came out of her.”
Skylar chuckled. “Margo and I have both transported her, but now she is firmly attached to her parent again. Margo, she is haunting you.”
Margo looked at Delia. “Why you little minx. Do you know what kind of power draw it is?”
Delia grinned. “I am taking the edge off your grief. It is what is powering me.”
Aken-Var stared. “I have not heard of this kind of thing before.”
Chloe grinned. “Get used to it. There are a lot of normal Terrans, and then there are the not-normal ones. Guess where you are standing, Aken-Var?”
He smiled slowly. “Right in the middle of the unusual Terrans?”
Trin walked down the hall with a box in her hands. “Correct. We have more matches for the Hmrain than there are Hmrain, and a lot of other species have dipped into our gene pool historically.”
Geri snorted. “Very polite. Did you do it?”