Drekkan

DREKKAN

I ’m staggering down the street. It’s getting light, slowly, and all around is snow. I have my own internal heat source, and it’s the only thing which is keeping me going. My leg is next to useless, and while I’ve managed to shift my tail and a wing, nothing else is happening.

But I must prove it was not me who took the power source. It was always the last thing on my mind, always. I might have been annoyed with Kitchik and their endless enthusiasm for their out of the way place, but they gave me a home and left me alone (sort of) when I wanted to be alone, yet were prepared to indulge me when I wanted to be in the thick of things.

Kitchik has been good to me, and it’s about time I returned the favor. At least then Jade will know I’m not some reprobate who takes instead of giving, although if she deigns to look in my direction again, I should count myself the luckiest Sarkarnii in the galaxy.

By now she must know what I’ve been keeping from her. The threats, the fact the mayor felt the need to collar me, how I got her the dwelling she adores.

Jade has to hate me, and I don’t blame her, not for one second. I hate me too. I should have made peace with my situation long ago, not allowed things to continue as they have done, letting it eat me from the inside

It hollowed me out, until she came into my life, my Jade. My heartsfire.

My heartsfire . My fate. My mate.

The realization of what she is has my knees buckling, and I can only just retain the ability to stand by force of will.

I have well and truly nevved things up. Jade is mine as much as my tail and my shift belong to me. And I let her go.

Snow is falling again as I limp around the side of the spaceport and immediately duck back behind a bulkhead when I see the mayor’s guards.

“Nev!” I grumble under my breath.

I’ve always stood out on Kitchik, mostly because of my size…and ability to change my form. I’m going to struggle to get past them without the ability to fly.

Instead I take the long way around, each step becoming more and more painful. But I know where the power transformers are really kept, and I need to get to them. As I approach, I hear the oddest sound.

Something like music, but it’s not music because it’s so bad. Tuneless and I don’t know much about tunes unless it’s to dance for my mate.

I should have danced for Jade .

The thought of claiming her in front of all of Kitchik hits me hard and this time when my knees go, I go down too, with a groan and a thump into the snow.

“Oh, hey, .” I look up from my prone position, but the voice is coming from a silhouette I can’t place. “What are you doing here? Are you okay?”

The dark shape is beside me. All I can do is groan under my breath. A scent hits me. One of galactic oil and ozone.

“Mizax? Is that you?” I blink furiously to clear my vision, even if I can’t move any other muscles, one wing sprawled in the snow.

The furry Cirmos engineer from the spaceport is looking at me with some concern, his tail swishing from side to side.

“Yeah, it’s me,” he says, his bright green eyes fixed on me like a predator looks at prey.

“I thought you were off world with the Gryn freighter, the one having trouble with the star drive?” I have to screw up one eye to only see one of him.

“Nah, I came back for the celebrations.” He laughs. “But I remembered I’d promised the mayor I’d ensure the power supply for the lights and markets was fully overhauled. My mate is less than impressed it has taken over the main room in our dwelling for the last half nova-day.” He’s wiping his hands on an oily rag. “I’m refitting it now and the celebrations can get underway.” Mizax grins at me. “I know how much you love the celebrations.”

“Stop that Sarkarnii!” a strong voice bellows out across the snowy wasteland.

“I don’t think I’m going anywhere.” I look up at Mizax. “Tell my mate I love her.”

“Don’t be an idiot.” Mizax shakes his head. “You can tell her yourself…wait. You have a mate?”

“Yes, I have a mate,” I say with some ire. “Why would I not take a mate?” I grumble as boots surround us, mushing up the snow.

“She must be one patient female to take on a grump like you,” Mizax says with a grin. “Still, I’m proud of you.” He stands, and from my position, I can’t see who he’s looking at. “What do you want with the Sarkarnii?” he asks the mystery pairs of boots.

“He’s wanted for disrupting the celebrations by stealing the power supply.”

“I didn’t steal it,” I grind out.

It takes a huge effort, but I manage to flip myself over so I’m staring at the sky and the snow.

“Of course he didn’t steal the power supply!” Mizax fires out at the cohort of mayoral guards. “The mayor knows I was doing maintenance on the thing.” Mizax waves his hand at the open door to the supply container. “That’s the reason the lights and market have been offline for a few hours. I’m about to turn it all back on now, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Told you.” I lift my head as much as I’m able to look at the leader.

He narrows his eyes.

“I’m going to have to speak to the mayor,” he says.

“You do that.” I drop my head back into the snow, enjoying the cool feel against my skin.

“Is here? Is he?” Qrow shouts, late to the party as always.

“I’m the Sarkarnii on the ground,” I call out, unable to stop the laughter bubbling within me. “The useless Sarkarnii who can’t fix his ship or his life.”

“You need to come, quick.” Qrow is pulling at my arm. “It’s Jade, she needs you.”

“She doesn’t need me.” I fend him off weakly. “No one needs me. I’m a waste of scales.”

“She’s in labor, she’s having your young. You need to…”

I don’t hear his last words because I’m already in the sky.