Chapter 33
Vytln
Trek-Nine wasn’t a station that they’d ever stopped at before.
It was, like every station, a place for starships to resupply and crews to rest with some leave time.
However, it was also designed to be, in and of itself, a destination.
Some stations did that, becoming places that people went to, not just places they stopped at.
Some would cater to families, others to thrill seekers, others to those who were looking for relaxation.
Trek-nine was a destination for couples.
It had events and packages and services specifically for mates – both pleasure and true.
Of course, it welcomed more than ‘couples’, as there were species that mated in groups.
Sorbet and Tebros, for example, would both mate a single female together, creating a trio rather than a couple.
There would be service packages for them as well, and for the species that mated in bigger groups.
There was even a space on one floor specifically for offspring.
A care facility where younglings would be safe and tended while their parents were enjoying the rest of the facility without worry.
Before their females arrived, their crew had no reason to go to Trek-Nine.
It wasn’t a station that they typically passed by necessitating them to use their resupply services.
They had no mates to take to this place before.
And a place like this, peaceful and happy and built for pleasure, wasn’t likely to need their services.
Therefore, it was the first time the Humility pulled into their port.
The docking fees were a bit higher than typical because it was considered a high end station, but now that they had a fully functioning suite of subspace crystals, they were able to work consistently and were earning a lot more credz than before.
After paying, they all met down in main storage.
Alred, naturally, couldn’t leave the starship, so he would remain behind.
Trove also offered to remain behind. This place was for mates and so didn’t have any brothels onboard.
There was, therefore, nothing that would tempt him out.
So, he had volunteered to keep Alred company and watch the ship.
The rest of them were all going into the station. The females had claimed the first day to do their shopping together, so Vytln and the others were going to trail behind. They wouldn’t let their most vulnerable crew out alone without protection.
The second and third day would be for the mated pairs.
Sorbet and Tebros had been given a task by Tanin, to track Vytln’s brother and gather information on them.
Rok, the other unmated male, would be gathering supplies for them.
After their tasks were done, they could do whatever they wanted with their time.
Vytln already had plans for what he wanted to do with Haven.
He’d found the lot sale. It was taking place on the lowest level of the station.
They had some small repair docks there. Nothing on the scale of the station that did the major overhaul of the Humility, but it was meant for emergency repairs and basic maintenance.
It was also where ships would offload their inoperative, old, or broken machines that could then be auctioned off to those willing to chance them.
He had a feeling Haven would absolutely love that.
Then, he’d found a restaurant that served food from Nct’nl. Food that his delicate mate could actually eat, and not the fiery dg tyvlt his brother had served. Not that the flames weren’t delicious, but her soft skin was very susceptible to such things.
But fire wasn’t the only thing his people ate.
Honestly, it wasn’t even really a food. There was no nutritional value to it.
It was like eating air or light. Mostly it was just there for the effect and what it did to the actual food.
Food that Vytln really wanted her to try.
Their food synthesizer had a few recipes from home, but nothing like what could be cooked for them at a restaurant.
Then, he’d found a spa for them. One with a sauna and couples massages that he imagined she would enjoy much more than him. And then he’d also found a data shop where they could purchase information on youngling rearing.
They had two years to prepare for their offspring’s arrival, but he imagined she would feel better the sooner she knew more.
She liked information. She liked knowing things.
And sure, their youngling wasn’t a machine or broken problem to repair, but it was still a problem, a conundrum, and he knew she loved figuring those out.
And then, finally, before they set out again, he was going to take her shopping for nesting material.
He knew females loved doing that. Sway liked purchasing nesting material for Grace, especially now that she was carrying his young.
And, in turn, she liked getting it so she could start using it to build the safe place for their egg.
While Haven wouldn’t be laying an egg, their youngling would still need an incubator.
Lvtl young couldn’t regulate their body temperatures.
That meant those from the dark side needed to keep their wylps cold, while those from the bright side needed to keep them hot.
Their youngling would need to be kept constantly in a heated chamber so that their temperature didn’t go too low.
They stayed in the womb longer, letting them survive in their respective climates without issue, but they couldn’t leave that climate. Not for a while.
Haven’s nest was too cool for a youngling.
Actually…
A new thought occurred to him as they listened to Tanin give out tasks for their time on the station.
It didn’t matter that they were going here for leave time, they still had chores to complete.
If they divided them out among them all, then it would be done faster and they’d have more free time overall.
But he wasn’t listening, because he had a new worry.
Haven’s body temperature was significantly lower than his own. He could go places in the engine that she couldn’t reach without wearing her envirosuit.
Temperatures that were perfect for their youngling, but dangerous for her.
But what did that mean for the developing wylp in her womb? Would it be viable if her body was too cool? If her body tried to get hot enough to support a southern lvtl, then wouldn’t it be dangerous for her?
Then again, he’d heard when humans first joined the Coalition, it was determined that they could successfully breed with every species without issue. So, he didn’t have to worry. Right?
No. He was definitely worried. Now that the thought was in his head, he couldn’t get it out.
She wasn’t the only one who needed to know something once the thought was in their head.
And he was highly invested in finding out what would happen since he cared greatly for both his mate and the wylp she was growing.
Haven, oblivious to his thoughts, was focused only on the exciting plans she and the other females were having.
Tanin, Sway, and Vytln stood behind them.
They’d be walking with them on their trip through, but they weren’t the only ones.
Since Goldie was going as well, Rok would be accompanying them so he could watch out for her.
The twins, Sorbet and Tebros, would be coming along, though they wouldn’t be with the group.
Those two worked better in the shadows, keeping watch for trouble and intercepting it before it arrived.
Their being out of sight also meant that no one expected them, so if something did happen, they could intervene by surprise.
It was a tight, familiar formation. They worked together to keep their females between them as they went through their shopping trip. Completely oblivious to any sign of trouble.
To be fair, there weren’t any. Outside of themselves, of course.
His crew received a great many cautious, uneasy looks as they moved through as a unit.
More than a few times, he spotted the blindingly white armor of the peacekeepers trailing after them.
Surreptitiously keeping an eye on them just because they looked like trouble.
He couldn’t even blame them. He’d be watching them too in their place. They didn’t have any bad intentions, but anyone with half sense would immediately recognize them as a threat.
Despite the apprehension of the station authorities, nothing happened as they followed the females on their shopping trip.
Rok, having four arms, ended up holding most of their purchases.
They bought clothes and female potions for their skin and hair, as well as loading up Haven with a bunch of supplies she had sacrificed before.
Her previous lifestyle, living within walls, meant she had to give up a lot of life’s simple luxuries.
She could only have so much in the way of clothes and toiletries. Comforts were rare and small.
But she had a permanent home now. Her nest had plenty of space inside, there was storage underneath, she had access to the entirety of his workroom, and if she really needed it, she was more than welcome to make use of his private room.
She had a great deal of room now for whatever luxury she wanted. For whatever comforts she desired.
She indulged herself in some extra clothes, especially stretchy, tight pants.
Though, that wasn’t really a luxury. It was honestly a necessity since he kept ripping them apart.
He made a note to buy such things for her more often himself, since he certainly had no intention of stopping.
He liked how she looked with her clothes hanging off her, in shreds.
If that meant he had to sink a chunk of his credz into clothes for her, it was a worthwhile expense.