Copyright 2024 – Daemon D. Hart
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The Human Bearer
Riordan had to admit that he admired how cool-headed Xenos were under pressure, because Kanto definitely didn't look like a security breach had happened on his mighty ship.
"According to everything I found out," Xana explained, "it appears that Counselor Menor used the air vents to sneak outside his quarters where he had been confined."
"A strange development," Kanto agreed with a short bow of his head.
"How did it happen? How did he know where to go?" Riordan asked.
Kanto set his eyes on him. "While only navigators have as an obligation to understand how our ships are built down to the last nut and bolt, it is not the sort of knowledge kept from anyone else."
"Are you saying that anyone who wants to learn about the ship and its air vents can do it? And how? Do they just walk in here and ask you for the schematics?"
"Nothing as simple as that. All I say is that Counselor Menor could have had plenty of opportunities to learn about it. Such as from all the times repairs were needed. The maintenance crews report to one of the counselors, through a rotation system."
"Ah, okay," Riordan said and took a step back so that he didn't look like he was in charge of the conversation and undermining Xana's position.
However, it appeared that his Xeno husband was already caught in something else. He was in Kanto's usual seat and he was going through all sorts of data displayed as holograms that he made move at a dizzying speed with a flick of his hand.
"What is the information you are searching for, Your Excellency?" Kanto inquired politely.
"I am searching the supply logs. Just as you said, Counselor Menor could have had a natural inclination towards learning of things that weren't his immediate jurisdiction. I suppose that his curiosity must have extended to other aspects of the running of this ship."
Riordan observed both Xenos with keen eyes. They were communicating both ways, through speech and telepathically, so it was impossible to follow them. For sure, he needed to find the time to get more lessons from Ferix.
"To say it directly," Xana continued as he perused a sheet of data in front of him, "Counselor Menor has never been known to be a fool. He must have increased the capacity of the fuel tank and used an attachment for an extra supply room so that he could increase the range of the scout ship he used."
"You mean that he prepared for a long flight?" Riordan interjected. "But how could he have known that he'd need such a thing? I mean, I suppose that it took some time to do all that."
The Xenos in the room appeared to ignore him because Kanto moved by Xana's side to stare at the same data sheet.
"I do not recall to have authorized this," the high commander said and straightened himself, turning all rigid all of a sudden.
"And yet, it appears to have been approved by you," Xana insisted. He got out of the commander's chair and for what seemed like an eternity, he stared at Kanto only to be stared back.
"Okay, what's happening?" Riordan asked when it felt like the silence stretched forever.
"I see," Xana said and relaxed his stance. "Counselor Menor must have used his leeway to pressure some of the maintenance workers into making these changes for him."
"When did they occur, though?" Riordan asked, trying to get the others' attention to the point he'd made earlier.
"Only a couple of days ahead of his leaving," Xana replied. "It appears that he must have understood how tenuous his position with his peers was starting to become, due to the situation pertaining to his firstborn."
"Wait a minute. Did he plan all this? But he didn't--" Riordan stopped in time. Kanto couldn't know his role in hiding Cario. "He didn't show a sign of getting all restless like that," he ended on a lame note. By now, the high commander must have figured out that he was lying or saying only half-truths. Good thing that he was married to the big kahuna, and Kanto couldn't interrogate him at length.
"It appears so," the commander replied. "This revelation, brought to light by His Excellency, points out at this having been planned. Counselor Menor ensured the highest chances of survival for him, as well as his son and his bearer by taking all these precautions."
"Still, they can't be too safe out there," Riordan said anxiously. "Shouldn't someone bring them back, and you know, convince them that they would be safe?"
"His Royal Chancellor," Kanto said, "has already dispatched a search party, according to my knowledge."
Right, Xana had told him he would do that. He had probably fired the order the moment they had stepped out of their quarters.
"What I'd like to add to the measures already taken," Kanto said, "is my own offer to join the search party."
"Can you do that?" Riordan asked. "Is the ship navigating itself? I swear I'm not sarcastic. I'm just wondering."
"The ship is set on its course. And there is a young navigator with great ambitions who I believe would love the opportunity to be in charge of Tu'lek while I'm on this mission," Kanto replied.
"Lakni, right?" Riordan said. "I bet he'd love that, yes."
"Do you grant me permission, Your Excellency?" Kanto asked.
"Proceed," Xana replied. "If there is someone capable enough to find them and bring them back, it must be you. Please report to me at the slightest sign that you found them."
That was their cue to take their leave. Riordan nodded at Kanto and followed Xana out of the command room.
"What do you make of all these?" Riordan asked while hurrying after his husband.
Xana moved with purpose, which meant quickly, and Riordan was reminded for the umpteenth time that he was not that well equipped to keep up with this species as fast as he could run on two legs. He could barely catch Junior, and even him only if the kid allowed it.
"The situation is far from ideal," Xana explained, slowing down some when he realized that Riordan tended to remain behind. "I will have to run further investigations, such as questioning the workers that made the modifications."
"Why don't you let Kanto do all that? Ah, right, he's going on the search. By the way, could they have gone in the same direction? Tanez? I thought that would be the logical choice, right?"
Xana's lips were set in a grim line. "If Drato thought of a different destination, he'd surprise me in the worst possible way. That is the logical assumption, yes."
"But we're still far from it, right? And how sure we are that it is where it should be? The planet, I mean. All this is..." he trailed off, not knowing what to add.
"We know because my father found it," Xana reminded him.
He stopped and took Riordan by the shoulders. "Go make peace with our son. Spare nothing."
"Great, leave the heavy lifting to me," Riordan joked.
"I'm counting on you," Xana said with a gentle smile. "In certain ways, I assume that he's a lot like a human child. So, closer to you."
"Yep, it must be so, but I'm still as unprepared for him to hate me as I was so loved by him until yesterday. But, I suppose I need to do my best to get into his good graces. See what the workers have to say." Riordan pondered for a moment about the thing that had been struck him as odd just before. "Are the workers lizards, as well?"
Xana confirmed with a short nod.
"And how good you are at reading this species's thoughts?"
"What are you thinking, Riordan?" The slight frown on his husband's face told him that he had too much on his mind already.
"Nothing clear. I just feel like they're more than meets the eye. Don't mind me right now. A lot of things have happened, and I'm a bit messed up on the inside."
"Then I'll make sure to put everything back in order," Xana said and kissed his forehead.
"I was talking about my head, you pervert," Riordan joked.
Xana didn't appear to get the joked because the look he gave him next was tender. "I can get in there and soothe you. If you let me."
"Later," Riordan said, smiling. "Now, I'm on to the difficult task of getting Junior to like me again."
Xana chuckled. "I would not worry so much if I were you. You're his favorite parent."
The security detail was right outside the med bay's door, and Riordan acknowleged the guys with a short nod. While Xana was busy with running the ship and getting to the bottom of how Drato had managed to pull such a thing, he could befriend these guards and see what they were made of. All in due time, since he had something else he needed to do right now.
Ferix had Junior by his side and was animatedly explaining something to him while holding a couple of vials with liquids of different colors. Riordan was thinking it was animatedly because Ferix gestured with his hands fast, while they were likely exchanging thoughts at the speed of light. He really needed to ask for those extra lessons.
"And how are my favorite boys doing?" he asked.
To his surprise, Junior abandoned Ferix's side to hurry to him. He wrapped his arms around Riordan's thigh briefly and then looked up at him. There was no sign left on his cute face of the sorrow and upset from earlier.
"Ferix is a genius, dada," he said with shiny eyes.
So, the nerdy doc had succeeded where he had failed. Ferix had somehow mamaged to make Junior forget about having been abandoned by his friend. Whatever that cookie recipe that was, Riordan needed to learn it from the doc.
"That's awesome, baby. Thank you for keeping Junior company, Ferix."
Ferix nodded. "Xeus here is very pleasant company. Curious and with a penchant for learning. Too bad his coat is that of a warrior."
"Hey, if he wants to become a doctor like you when he grows up, I will support him."
To that, Ferix stared at him as if he had just grown another head.
"Yes, I know," he said with a sigh, "you guys are born into it. But I think you can still have a secondary specialization or something like that."
"Unheard of," Ferix said with a wave of his hand.
"I beg to differ. My Xana is both a warrior and a diplomat."
"We're all warriors when the situation requires it," Ferix explained. "That doesn't complicate things."
Riordan didn't care about contradicting the good doc at this point.
"Thank you," Ferix added suddenly. "I will be able to study the human anatomy and thought process because of you."
"Oh, already?" Riordan asked. These guys did everything fast. So Xana must have given the doc the greenlight for his new learning.
"Yes. The high commander asked me directly to examine his bearer. With His Royal Chancellor's permission, of course."
"Florent? He's an empath, I suppose that it makes sense."
"The high commander is looking forward to placing his egg into his bearer, but given Florent Kasido's former bond with General Gafilos, extra cautions must be taken."
"You're talking about his mind."
"Yes, mending it to reach the same form as before the severance will be a difficult process."
"But I thought that Kanto took care of that, since he is now bonded with Florent," Riordan said, frowning. "Florent is my friend, doc. I really want him to be happy."
"I assure you that his mind will reach the proper form under my care. I can't guarantee he will be happy. Human sentiments... I find them elusive," Ferix said.
"Then I guess it will take you some time to become a good shrink, but since we're still far enough from Tanez, let's say we have all the time in the world for you to learn. Just don't experiment too much on my friend. Our minds tend to be fragile, compared to yours, at least."
"I am well aware of this aspect. My purpose is to reach my goal, which is, I believe you'd say on Earth, my patients' wellbeing."
He was so serious while talking like that Riordan wanted to pinch his cheek. He kept from doing that, though. Locked in his med bay, with only his experiments and whatnot to keep him company, Ferix was less in touch with handling humans than other Xenos. That was good, in a way. As a young member of his species, he was a lot more open to learning new things compared to his seniors.
"How are our friends?" He gestured towards the water tanks in which Xeus Sr. and Marn were sleeping peacefully. Or so he thought. He had no way of telling whether that was true or not.
"They're in the best shape they could be at the moment." Ferix appeared calm as saying that, which meant that he was in control. Calm was a good quality in a doctor, and it gave Riordan hope that Florent would be in good hands.
Junior had climbed on his back and had his arms wrapped around his neck, so Riordan had to bid farewell to the doc for now.
"When do you think I could take more lessons with you? So that I can communicate like you do?" he asked Ferix. "It looks to me like you have your hands full."
"That's true. You should ask Xeus to help you."
"But my father-in-law is not exactly in any shape--" Riordan started.
"I'm talking about your son," Ferix replied. It appeared that he preferred to call Junior by his given name, not his nickname. Maybe that was why the good doc was so good friends with the boy already. He wasn't babying him.
"Can you do that, honey bunny?" he asked, turning his head slightly.
Junior pressed his cheek against his in an endearing display of affection. "Yes, dada."
"Cool. Then we should tell the good doc goodbye and leave him to his work."
"Thank you," Ferix said politely. "And if you ever need me for the same task, I will be glad to help you. Xeus offers excellent company."
Riordan shook his head in mirth. "You guys are so formal. It's a little funny. Just admit that you and Junior are pals now. You are, right?"
"Pals," Ferix said with a small frown. "Sure, we are pals."
Clear as day, the good doc had no idea what the word meant. But he looked like a guy that would look up the meaning of it as soon as possible.
"Ferix is my best friend," Junior announced with emphasis.
Riordan had no idea if he should be happy Junior had found a replacement for Dario so fast or disappointed. While Xana had to think that he would be better at soothing Junior's hurt over losing a friend at the moment because he was also human in many way, Riordan wasn't as sure of his skills. After all, it wasn't like he had been raising kids since forever, humans or aliens.
For now, he decided to count his blessings. Junior was feeling better, and with Kanto at the head of the search party, the chances were Dario would soon return. Then, the two Xenolites would mend their well-tried friendship in their particular way. Seeing how they could communicate mind to mind, it couldn't be that difficult. Or at least that was what he was trying to convince himself to be the truth.
"You guys ever miss home?" he directly struck a conversation with the lizard guards since they seemed willing to chat. However, this time, he would be the one asking questions. Kyle was rolling quietly behind them, in record mode, as quickly established before they left Ferix's med bay.
"Fatiah IV is a place we left behind when we pledged our loyalty to Xeno," the guard that seemed to talk for all the others replied.
"Okay, but that's not really what I asked." Riordan was happy that Junior seemed quite taken with braiding his dada's hair – badly – so that he wasn't too intrigued by his parent questioning the guards. With his sharp mind, he was probably listening in anyway.
"The concept of longing--"
"Oh, no wonder you get along with Xenos so well," Riordan commented dryly. "The concept of longing is Earthian, and therefore, foreign land for you."
"That is not what I meant to say," the guard replied, seeming slightly disconcerted by that prompt rebuttal.
"Okay, sorry, my bad. What did you mean to say?"
"The concept of longing," the guard repeated her earlier words, "is forbidden to those of us that pledge alliance with another species."
"Forbidden? Come on, a man can be free in his own mind. Or woman. Or anyone with a mind," Riordan said quickly.
"Our queen takes care of transforming us to fit the purpose we are given. It's not as difficult as you suggest. That if I interpreted your words correctly."
"So you get a lobotomy?"
"What is a lobotomy?"
"Never mind. You're as an alien a species to me as I am to you. I should be the one to stop wondering already at how different we are."
"That is not necessary, Riordan Lei. Please continue to wonder. I am here to answer all your questions."
"Do you speak for all your sisters?"
"Yes. We share a common conscience between us, similar in nature to our Xeno masters."
"Ah, I see. But you do have minds of your own, right?"
"That is correct, to the extent that is allowed."
Riordan mulled over the new information just provided. If that were the truth, how come those guards under Gamni Gafilos's rule didn't share the same purpose as their sisters on Tu'lek? It was a matter that needed further investigation. He let his eyes wander at Kyle for a moment, and the way his bot's digital eye blinked told him that they would explore this matter at length together.
tbc
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