What You Never Know (Won't Hurt You?)

Chapter 10


[Tor’ac’s POV]

“Oh…wow!” Meeya cried.

My mandibles rose as Meeya stood near my seat, staring out of the large window panel in front of us. It was a welcome sight to see as I guided the cruiser into the upper atmosphere of the backwater planet. Watching her eyes widen, a deep rumble came from my chest. My Meeya was seeing her world as I had seen it so many times before.

“What do you think, Meeya?” I asked, chuckling.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed, turning towards me with her lips curled up. “Tor’ac, it’s so much better than the photos in the book.”

Trilling, I reached a hand out to grasp hers. “You will see many worlds just as you see yours now.”

“I’m sure you’ve been to a lot of them.” Meeya returned her gaze to the view beyond the window.

Tilting my head to the side, I raised a brow, saying, “I have seen dozens, perhaps hundreds, but there are many more beyond those.”

“I’ll bet it’d take several hundred lifetimes to see them all,” Meeya stated, then faced me and squeezed my hand. “But we can try to see as many as possible in one.”

“When the high arbitrator makes you a sol’rach, you’ll be given access to all we know about those worlds.”

Meeya blinked at me, asking, “How do you know I’ll be made…um…one of those, Tor’ac?”

“You already are one, Meeya. It just needs to be made official with an assessment,” I assured her. When she opened her mouth to protest, I raised a hand. “Trust in your mate’s words, Meeya.”

Meeya shook her head and stood behind me, her hands lightly touching my shoulders. Her touch was gentle, and I inhaled slowly to savor her scent being so near to me. Smiling to myself, I would make sure to have that scent surround me at all times.

“So where’s the clan ship?” she asked, leaning over my shoulder and facing me.

“Beyond the largest planet in this solar system,” I replied, tapping my claws along the console to adjust our velocity and coordinates to the clan ship. “It’s a safe distance from any of your planet’s detectors. The cruisers can be hidden without using as much energy as it would take a clan ship.”

“Beyond Jupiter…wow,” she said. Unexpectedly, Meeya placed a hand against her head and quickly crouched down to sit on the floor panels.

Standing and moving to her, I asked, “Meeya, what’s wrong? Are you ill?”

“No…I’m all right, Tor’ac. Still just a little overwhelmed by all this, that’s all,” she said, curling her lips into a smile.

I clicked my mandibles and placed a gentle hand against her head, finding nothing unusual. Her temperature was normal by ooman standards and her pulse was steady. Still, Meeya’s action made me think of what I would need before she could come onto the clan ship. Although I’d adjusted the air content of the cruiser to accommodate the different needs of her species, she would need a filter to breathe on the clan ship. She would also need a translator; already my throat was getting sore from speaking with her for so long in the Ooman language.

Bending down, I scooped Meeya into my arms and walked into the small sleeping chamber, saying, “Rest, Meeya. We still have some hours until we arrive.”

She tried to speak but instead her mouth opened into a yawn, and she blinked hard several times. Twisting her mouth to the side, Meeya said, “All right. Apparently, my body agrees with you, Tor’ac.”

“I will wake you when we arrive.” Setting her on the bed, I reached down to the foot and pulled the blanket over her. Then, Meeya grasped my hand, and I gave her a questioning trill, tilting my head to the side. She brought my hand up, rubbing her cheek against the back of it and smiling at me.

“You’re so warm.”

Sighing, I closed my eyes as my focus briefly shifted to the swelling beneath my cloth. If she only knew why I was so warm…I trilled to myself and looked at Meeya. Readily cupping her face, I trailed my fingers down her cheek to the tip of her chin, running a finger over her lips. A deep rattle left my throat when she shivered at that touch.

“Sleep, Meeya,” I told her, watching as she nodded and closed her eyes. Part of me wanted to stay until she did sleep, but the other more logical part reminded me once more of what I needed for her on the ship. I’d need to send a message to So’len about obtaining the filter and translator for when we arrived.

Moving back to the control panel, I sat down and opened a channel to the clan ship. A holographic image of the Yautja in the communications room appeared and his voice requested my name and rank.

(Arbitrator Captain Tor’ac,) I growled to him, tapping a claw against the armrest.

He nodded and asked, (Where shall I direct you, Captain?)

(Arbitrator So’len, my second, should be there on the ship along with the high arbitrator’s party. I need to speak to him,) I answered. Pausing for a moment, I added, (If he claims to be ‘busy’, inform him that his head will be on the sparring floor at our next match if he doesn’t respond.)

The communications Yautja raised a brow but did as I asked. I raised a hand to cover my smirk; I knew my second well enough to know that after returning to the ship, he would be after one of two things. The first was either a match in the sparring ring, and the second was a female. Shaking my head, I thought, ‘He won’t settle down with a mate of his own, but he will chase after other unmated females on the ship.’

(At least it’s not with mated females,) I mumbled to myself.

(What’s that, Tor’ac?) So’len’s voice interrupted my thoughts, and I looked to find his image in place of the communications Yautja.

I waved my hand dismissively, saying, (It’s nothing, So’len. I was thinking of what Meeya would need when we reach the ship, and it would assist us greatly if you could obtain them by the time we arrive.)

(So, you didn’t scare her off, huh, Tor’ac?) So’len joked, trilling in laughter.

I growled, annoyed. (At least I don’t scare every female on the clan ship, So’len.)

(Point taken, Tor’ac, I apologize. And I’m glad she decided to become your mate.) My second bowed his head and raised his mandibles.

(Thank you, So’len. Back to the point,) I said.

So’len nodded, lifting a curious mandible. (She’ll need a translator, of course.)

(Yes, but more important is her air filter,) I stated. (She won’t be able to tolerate our air for a long period of time, so that’s a valued necessity.)

(Of course. I’ll have both available when you dock. Anything more?)

Looking off to the side, I tapped a claw against my belt, feeling something small and metal there. I glanced down and saw the hair ornament still tucked away, and I removed it, bringing it up for So’len to see. (Could you possibly replicate this item?)

(What is it?) So’len asked, leaning closer.

(A hair ornament…Meeya’s hair ornament,) I replied. Setting it on the console, I did a quick scan of the item and sent it to So’len. (Everyone on the ship knows you’re the best when it comes to configuring and constructing small items, So’len. You think you’re up to this challenge?)

(Ha! This is no challenge, Tor’ac,) So’len trilled, smirking. (I’ll have several made in different metals.)

(Make sure the shape is exactly like the original.)

He raised a brow at that comment, looking off to the side at what I assumed was the image of the ornament. (Looks almost like a…large claw. I’ll make some new ones, though they will most likely be ready after you’ve arrived and settled down.)

(That should do, So’len, thank you,) I told him, raising my mandibles in approval. (We should be there within a few hours.)

(I will see you on your arrival. Safe return, Captain,) So’len said, bringing his fist to his chest before closing the channel.


[Mya’s POV]

Stretching out on the enormous bed, I smiled even though my attempts to sleep were failing. Who could sleep at a time like this? I’d just seen Earth exactly as the astronauts had, a radiant blue and white orb suspended in the blackness of space…and now we were heading to Jupiter or rather the other side of it. And then off into space once we were on Tor’ac’s clan ship.

That made me pause for a moment, my mouth twisting to the side in thought. ‘So many other Yautja will be on this new ship…but I’ll have Tor’ac with me, so there’s no need to be really concerned,’ I mused. Still, it paid to be cautious, and I doubted every being on the ship would appreciate my presence. There would be others like that one law keeper who roared at me in the warehouse.

Inhaling a deep breath, I released it slowly, thinking, ‘I’ll just take things one step at a time and deal with whatever happens when it occurs.’

Then, my thoughts drifted to Ka’jai, and I wondered if Tor’ac had any other family on the clan ship. I understood they called it a ‘clan’ ship, but that didn’t necessarily mean it was composed of members of Tor’ac and Ka’jai’s family. It would be interesting to meet more of his family…then I cringed. What if they didn’t like me? What if they ordered Tor’ac to leave me?

“Calm down, you’re being paranoid and that’s going beyond cautious,” I told myself, taking another slow breath.

Thudding footsteps approached the room and Tor’ac entered through the sliding doors, asking, “Meeya? Why are you still awake?”

“Sorry, Tor’ac…I guess I’m a bit nervous,” I admitted, sitting up in the bed. I was cracking my knuckles absentmindedly, so I clasped my hands together to stop. “Makes me unable to really sleep.”

“What troubles you, my mate?” He sat down on the bed, facing me, his head cocked to the side in what I took as concern.

Biting my lower lip, I looked down at my hands, saying, “It’s not being your mate, Tor’ac…well, not the idea at least. I guess I’m just worried about how others will react on the clan ship…to me as your mate.”

Tor’ac slowly inhaled, and my eyes flicked up to look at him as his gaze moved to the side. “Meeya…I will not deny that there will be those who…will not want you there. I cannot say how most will see you…but I can tell you this.” He turned towards me, leaning closer, and placed a warm hand along my jaw. “You are my mate, and any who have issue with that will answer to me.”

Seeing his determined stare, I blinked and then a smile spread across my face. I reached out and wrapped my arms about his torso, feeling his arms pull me to him. “That’s some relief, Tor’ac, but I’ll try not to be too much of a problem.”

“You won’t, Meeya,” Tor’ac rumbled as he released me long enough to place one thick leg over my body, swinging the other over to settle beside me. Instantly, my heart thudded in my chest, and warmth flushed my cheeks as I looked at him. Trilling, he propped his head against an elbow. “Be calm, Meeya. Until I have claimed you as my mate in front of our clan, I will show you no dishonor in mating now.”

“Hah…th-that’s not what I was worried about at all.” A shaky laugh left my throat as I settled down, turning to face him. “I don’t know where your mind is, Tor’ac.”

“Would you like to know?” He raised a brow, curling his mandibles up.

My eyes widened just a bit before I blinked, saying, “Sure, why not?”

“I’m wondering…why my mate has not already fallen asleep when she needs rest.”

Laughing, I stretched my arms and yawned, settling back against the soft, fur-covered pillow. “Just one more inner worry, Tor’ac…”

“Yes?”

“Do you have any other family in the clan…besides Ka’jai I mean?”

Holding up two fingers, he rumbled, “Two sisters, one between Ka’jai and I and one younger than me. You’ll meet La’rn, the youngest, on the clanship. Mi’dea is a huntress and prefers to…not remain in one place for very long.”

“Oh,” I said, a little surprised he didn’t mention their parents. “What about your father and mother?”

“Both have…passed on.” Tor’ac sighed heavily, and I saw what looked like a twinge of grief pass over his face. “My father was a great warrior and hunter. He died honorably while on a training hunt with a group of young bloods.”

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my hand covering his between us.

Shaking his head, Tor’ac stared at me with renewed intensity. “Don’t be. As I said, it was an honorable death, and I am proud of him. My mother’s death…” His hand clenched beneath my own, and his eyes narrowed into a fierce glare. If looks could kill, this one would make a dozen others collapse to the floor.

“It’s okay,” I told him, my fingers folding around his fist, and Tor’ac blinked, returning his gaze to me. The tension I felt from him made me want to drop the subject. “It’s okay if you can’t talk about it right now, Tor’ac.”

“Thank you, Meeya. I’m not sure I could tell you…without wanting to hit something.”

Nodding, I could relate to his feelings. When my own parents were killed, I had been always on edge, lashing out at anyone within range. It had taken a long time to get over those feelings of anger, and even then, I wasn’t sure I really got over them. I just managed to maintain control over my emotions, not allowing my temper to get the better of me.

“Meeya.” Tor’ac’s voice brought my attention back to him. “You have to sleep, and I’ll make certain of it if I must.”

I smiled at him, laughing silently. “If you insist, I guess I just have to sleep.” Slipping further under the blanket, I turned onto my stomach still facing Tor’ac and closed my eyes. A low, rumbling purr resonated from him, and I exhaled in exhaustion, sinking into slumber.

~~~

“Meeya.” Someone shook my shoulder, and my eyes squinted open to see Tor’ac lying where he had been when I fell asleep. “We’re approaching the clan ship.”

“What?” I yawned and stretched my arms up in the air, rubbing my eyes. “Already?”

Tor’ac nodded and sat up, crawling over my body and stroking a hand along my cheek, his claws grazing my skin. “We should prepare the cruiser for docking. Come, Meeya.”

“All right, I’m up, I’m up,” I yawned out, pulling the blanket away and immediately yanking it back over me. It was ice-cold without the blanket, and I shivered to warm my body. Apparently, they weren’t kidding when they said deep space was as cold as night especially when compared to the warm cocoon of our bed. Wrapping the blanket around me, I stood and looked at Tor’ac as he cocked his head to the side. “I’m ready, let’s go.”

Curling an arm around my back, Tor’ac trilled and shook his head, leading me back to the cockpit of the ship. I took my seat and watched him sit down, then glanced out the windows. My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. Outside the glass panes, an immense structure loomed ahead of us; I couldn’t really describe it since any words I could have thought of would not have done this ship justice. “That’s…the clan ship?”

“Our home,” Tor’ac confirmed, glancing at me over his shoulder. “It houses several hundred families, and ours will be the newest.”

A blush enveloped my face as I thought about the life I would be starting with Tor’ac as my husband figure. My heart raced and I stared at him as he directed the ship towards a long, narrow opening in the massive clan ship. ‘Our family…wait. Will I even be able to…have children despite the differences in our races?’ This line of questioning brought on a whole new bout of nerves, but I squelched them, still staring at Tor’ac. Worrying about it wouldn’t do any good, and all I could do was place my trust in him.

“Meeya, after we finish docking, I need you to remain on the cruiser until I return.”

“Why? Is something wrong?” Standing, my grip tightened on the blanket wrapped around my shoulders, nervous about his leaving.

Turning around to face me, Tor’ac rumbled, “No, but I need to get some things from So’len before you can enter the clan ship. Be calm, Meeya, no harm will come to you.”

I nodded and released a breath I didn’t realize was held, sitting back in my seat. Rolling my shoulders, I tried to relieve some of the tension stored there, watching as the cruiser entered the clan ship. There wasn’t much to see outside of the windows, at least not at first. As the lights flashed on inside the clan ship, I saw the cavern that was the docking area. And as I leaned closer to the window next to me, I saw many beings moving around.

There was a small cluster gathered in the area just in front of the nose of our cruiser, and thought I recognized the hulking figure of the High Arbitrator among them. Slowly breathing in, I thought, ‘Okay…here we go.’


[Tor’ac’s POV]

Shutting off the cruiser’s jets, I stood and moved to Meeya, wrapping an arm about her shoulders. “I will return quickly.”

“Okay,” she said, curling her lips up even though I could hear the slight strain in her voice.

I strode to the opening hatch and made a quick descent immediately heading where So’len stood. (Captain, the items you requested,) he clicked, holding out the small filter and metal translator ring.

(Thank you, So’len, we’ll be off the cruiser soon,) I told him, giving a quick bow to Ga’av where he stood behind So’len along with Lieutenants Ir’o, Ku’r and Na’km. Re’hd was not among them, and I raised a curious brow, striding back up into the cruiser. “Meeya?”

“Yes?” she asked, standing from her seat where I’d left her.

Holding up the filter, it was no larger than the very tip of my claw, and I pointed to her nasal passages. “This will allow you to breathe while on the clan ship. Our air is…not appropriate for an ooman’s body.”

“Okay, so that needs to go…up my nose?” Meeya eyed the filter, and I nodded. She worked her lower lip between her flat teeth, tilting her head back and shutting her eyes.

“It should not hurt that much, Meeya,” I assured her, purring deeply. “You might feel a little discomfort at first, but it should pass.”

She opened one eye and looked at me, nodding. “Go ahead, Tor’ac.”

As gently as I could, my thumb pressed the filter deep into her nasal passage until it could not even be seen. Meeya’s eyes scrunched up and she released a sneeze, quickly turning her head to the side to avoid doing so on me. “How does it feel?”

“Weird,” she said, wrinkling her nose and then sniffing a few times. Reaching up a hand, she gently squeezed along the bridge of her nose. “Very weird…but I think I can handle it.”

“Good,” I told her, my mandibles curling up. Then, I held up the thick, metal translator ring, pointing at her neck. “Your translator. It will register any words you say and form them into the appropriate Yautja words and do the same for your language with any Yautja speaking to you.”

Raising a brow, Meeya’s mouth pulled up on one side as she said, “Gee, Tor’ac, I didn’t think you were into bondage.”

“What?” I hadn’t quite understood the last word in her sentence, cocking my head to the side in confusion.

“Never mind, I was just joking,” she laughed, her hand reaching up to grasp my free one. “All right, go ahead with the translator. But after this, is there anything else?”

“You’ll need to see our healer, but that will come later, Meeya.”

She nodded and, gripping the blanket around her in one hand, she gathered her long hair into the other hand, lifting it high on her head. Her neck was slender and as pale as the rest of her body, and I held up the hinged ring then stopped. Meeya looked at me, her eyes meeting mine with a questioning stare. “Something wrong, Tor’ac?”

“No…I just need to tell you that the ring will grow warm to the touch,” I said, then holding up the inside of the ring to show her the tiny, nearly invisible holes lining the entire circle. “Then, it will feel as though tiny needles are pricking your skin. But it will only last a little time.”

“Okay,” she told me, her eyes moving from the ring to me. “Let’s get it done.”

Nodding, I placed the ring around her neck, closing it and watching my mate’s reactions. I had only known one other Yautja who had needed to make use of the translator ring, and he assured me it didn’t harm the sentient being he had placed it on. My only concern was that the sentient being wasn’t an ooman, but I knew that other clans who had oomans living among them probably made use of the rings, too. Still, having some word from them would have reassured me more.

Meeya winced as the sinews of muscles in her neck clenched, and I grasped her arm gently, asking, “Meeya?”

Then, she relaxed, exhaling a long breath and looking at me, her hand touching the ring. “Okay…that was…even weird…than the filter. How do…we know…it’s work…?”

As I suspected, it was already tapping into her vocal patterns and translating them into Yautja to where I could understand most of her words in Yautja even though I already understood the Ooman language as well. The real test would be for other Yautja who knew little to none of the Ooman language as well as for Meeya to understand what Yautja words meant. There was a little static when she spoke, but that would go away the more she talked; the translator needed to adjust to the speech of each being who wore it. Clearing my throat, I clicked to her in Yautja, “It should be working now. Can you understand me?”

Her eyes flared wide as Meeya stared at me, nodding her head as her mouth curled up, spreading into a wide smile. “Wow…I hear the words…but your mouth’s not moving like it was before.”

“Because the translator’s working, Meeya,” I chuckled, relieved to finally not have to communicate solely in her language. Reaching up a hand, I massaged my throat and coughed to clear it again. ‘Too long, I’ve been speaking Ooman too long…but at least now we can speak our own languages without worry.’

“Tor’ac, are you okay?” she asked, placing a hand on my arm. “You’re not getting a sore throat are you?”

“Speaking your tongue for as long as I did must have irritated it some, but it will be fine now that I’m using my throat muscles in a normal way for Yautja,” I assured her, lifting my upper mandibles in a grin. “Now, let’s go so I can show you the clan ship.”

TBC


A/N: Once again, I want to thank all of my readers for sticking with my story despite the rather long breaks between each chapter, especially considering how short this chapter is. I really want to thank: Ripe wickeD plUm (absolutely love your play, and when’s the sequel? lol), shortest_warrior (lol yep, so many more questions…that I just can’t answer), prairiefire (I swear, I tried to keep the muse on a leash, but somehow he escaped), Capt_Davy_Jones_Lover (working on it!), Death God Dist (oh, yes, a whole new area and wellspring of thoughts to swamp me like they did, lol, but I look forward to it, too), Ehlonna Bloodstorm (aw, many thanks, and here I am, taking forever with an update, trying not to do that again), ArShiya-The Death Warrior (many many thanks, Shiya, and I’m working on harnessing this wandering muse of mine…and having trouble keeping him restrained), The Scarlet Pervygirl (I’m happy you’re enjoying the story as it’s being told through Mya and Tor’ac’s eyes, and I hope to keep that up with this new part of their lives), Zellezra (I hope this next chapter kept you enthralled, too), Hell_Spawned_Cat (hopefully, the next chapters will live up to your thoughts), Nahaujaret (it wasn’t as soon as I would’ve liked, but I hope you enjoyed this one, too), Shadow (aww, I’m honored and appreciate the compliment, and I plan on finishing this story…just working on the when), Talene (many thanks, and I notified you as per your request), Peya Luna (slowly working on it, promise).