12. Chapter Twelve

2days, 17 hours, 51 minutes EST remaining "Awaken quickly, Mari." Crey shook her shoulder gently.

She sat, rubbing her eyes. "What is happening?"

He set her boots beside her. "We are leaving. Another option has presented itself."

"I'm going with you?" Mari groggily shoved her foot in one boot and, then, the other.

"Yes, I told you I would not consider leaving you behind." He cast her an admonishing look. Crey was stowing everything they had in his bag, including her own bag. After pulling the overfilled pack on his shoulders, Crey latched all the belts around his torso—belts he normally let hang for easy access to his pack.

By the time Mari's second boot was on, all that remained out were the straps Crey held, in addition to the blaster. He tucked the blaster into his side holster while approaching her determinedly with the straps.

If this wasn't Crey, Mari would have concerns.

"I know you desire an explanation, but there is no time, bayantar." Crey gathered her into his arms. "Wrap your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist." He carefully helped her to get her legs in place.

If she wasn't so damn exhausted, Crey's hands grasping her ass while she pressed against him would have aroused a helluva lot more than just a fluttery feeling.

"I am strapping you to me. You are still recovering and may have a moment of weakness while I am defending us." He tied the wide straps around their waists, looping them through Mari's belt loops.

"You're not planning on running all the way, are you?"

"No. You will see. Trust me."

"I do."

Her absolute faith in him got a tad shakier when Crey ran straight at the shield, fired his blaster three times, and launched their bodies directly out into the air.

They were airborne.

They were gonna die. They were flying through the air, and the rocks were far enough beneath them that this would hurt incredibly bad, right before half the predators on the damn planet attacked.

This could not end well.

Mari buried her face in Crey's tunic and screamed into it. Something snatched them from the air, causing an abrupt jolt to their bodies, knocking the breath from her lungs. The air whooshed by as they were carried up into the sky.

Below, a slew of nasty mean creatures roared at being denied their chance to murder them. Mari didn't even want to check it out so she could gloat. Nothing good had been outside the shield, which Crey must have destroyed with his blaster. There'd been three perimeter devices, and he'd fired three times.

They "flew" higher.

Crey shifted, and his hand brushed her side as he tucked away his blaster. He'd holstered his blaster? What was he thinking?

"All is well, bayantar. I have you safe," he said.

The wind whipped against her back as they continued to fly through the air. They went up and down in swoops, suggesting whatever carried them had wings. Had Crey tamed one of the nasty flying creatures?

Taking a deep breath, Mari lifted her head to look.

Whoa.

Holy hells.

An enormous copper-colored hawk flew above them. They were being carried by a giant hawk, easily two or three times their combined mass. Its enormous claws were latched onto Crey's pack, and the sharp talons had torn through the thick fabric.

"Creeeeey." Terror elongated his name into three syllables.

"Yes?"

"Why is a monster bird carrying us?" And how are you okay with it?

"I saw this hawk hovering outside our shield and planned accordingly."

Mari swallowed. She shouldn't naysay a plan she didn't know in its entirety, but this was irrational. "Doesn't it want to kill and eat us?" The evil hawk was probably dragging them off to feed vicious bird babies.

Crey huffed out a short laugh.

He'd lost it. Maybe she could wrestle the blaster from Crey and shoot the hawk.

"This is the one thing on Lyatan not trying to kill us, my Mari." Crey hugged her closer with one hand while he reached up with the other. His rapped fist made a deep clang clang against the hawk's leg.

It was metal. They were being carried by a metal hawk. "What is going on?"

"This is a Gaiian invention for taking inventory or moving items or people. I had heard of this impressive variation on a drone, as they are used elsewhere by my people, but I had not previously seen one." He frowned. "Actually, the hawks are a Loturrian invention. We strongly encouraged their race to create them for us, at their financial gain. They are difficult to motivate, even if well-paid."

"Who is controlling the hawk?" That seemed key.

"A Gaiian at the relay station. They sent it to retrieve us."

Crey certainly had a lot of faith in this metal hawk and an unknown Gaiian to have leapt into the air, over the heads of a bajillion monsters, and let it catch them.

"Why the rush to get ready?" she asked.

"This hawk uses Navarian energy, like our bands, and could be observed by Thalarins monitoring. Therefore, I did not want it to," he drew his blaster and shot behind her, "waste energy or attract attention. This hawk has a laser attachment to shoot attackers. Though, I suspect our hawks are avoided by intelligent flying creatures. The hawks are not edible and therefore not worth the risk. This hawk was killing other flying creatures in the vicinity, preparing for our exit from the rock overhang. I did not want Thalarins noticing its presence or its actions."

"How long will we be flying?" Mari clutched Crey tighter. She had a lot more faith in him than this bird.

"Not long, melayfah."

"What does melayfah mean again?" Mari dimly remembered a conversation during her semi-lucid times.

"My favorite. However, you are only allowed to use ‘melayfah' when referring to me and when we are alone."

Ahhh, melayfah was the Gaiian equivalent to that damned Prime translation of "intimate." Of course, now, "intimate" applied to her feelings for Crey. Melayfah. Melayfah. She should really study Gaiian, instead of learning through exposure to the profanity and these "endearments" Crey was using.

Mari wasn't much for heights. Rather than appreciate the majesty of Predator Planet from a distance, she buried her face in Crey's tunic and enjoyed his warmth and scent. Mm, Crey smelled good. This was better than being stupidly noble in a rock hole—alone. Not that she had ever been one hundred percent confident she could convince Crey to leave her, but she'd had to try.

Chances were, if Crey had done any of "the lingering," Mari would have tackled him and kept him with her. She was like Priscilla when confronted with the baron—her protests were more for show than substance.

Crey drew his blaster and shot at something else, which fell with an angry roar. "This whole damned planet belongs in the dark-cursed depths."

"If you don't consider it a religion, why do you believe in a sort of hell?"

"Hell?"

"The dark-cursed depths and pits and so on? Also, you referred to the Thalarins obeying ‘the Dark One.'"

"The Thalarins' leader is known as the Dark One, as our current leader is called the All Father. ‘The dark-cursed depths' is how my ancestors referred to black holes, which is where the Greater Beings threatened to send our whole race if we did not stop building warships."

"Gaiians really are the ‘problem child' race. Do you believe in life after death?"

"The Greater Beings told us that our essence would join with the universe and exist on a separate plane. This is a fact, not a religious belief. They are of a higher intelligence and would understand other planes."

Mari had never known anyone who stuck to "facts" like Crey. Yet, he'd recited from a romance novel until he lost his voice.

Her mate shot another flying monster. As it fell, its screeching grew gradually quieter.

Exhaustion pulled on her. Mari relaxed in his arms, as much as she could. She was safe. Crey had this.

Crey's free hand, which wasn't permanently on his blaster now, slid down to her ass to hold her. By necessity, their bodies were pressed intimately close together. Intimately in a Prime sort of way.

Mmm. Crey's scent surrounding her and his warm body helped chase away her exhaustion. Briefly, Mari entertained the possibility of initiating things with Crey, here, beneath a giant metal hawk.

Hells, Mari was like Priscilla. Also, she was a hypocrite because she'd mentally mocked the sex on the horse as being implausible.

Settle down. Think boring thoughts.In her mind, Mari comprised new contributions to botany records for Crey's ship's database regarding Lyatan aka Predator Planet.

It felt as if they were flying forever, but it was likely around a half an hour when the bird began its descent. Mari chanced a look behind her. They were headed toward more of the rocky terrain they had been traversing before Mari scraped her hand. "Is this where we're going?"

"Yes. You are safe, Mari." From anyone else, this might have been comforting platitudes. Crey would ensure it was a fact.

A massive rock face slid sideways, revealing an expansive hangar with several ships inside. They glided toward the hangar, and the hawk set Crey smoothly on his feet. The second they cleared the hangar door, it moved back into place. The Gaiians took their secret bases seriously.

"Captain Darfothahar." A Gaiian woman dressed in a flightsuit approached them. She did this salute where she pounded her fist against her chest twice. "We were unaware you would be landing here."

This was awkward. She was holding onto Crey like an Earthen monkey baby. She probably also looked like hells after being unwell. The Gaiian woman wasn't staring at Mari as if her pose was unusual. There was that.

Crey unstrapped them, while pressing a hand splayed against Mari's back. "It was unexpected. We were on our way to Ninitar when a significant fleet of Thalarins blocked us off. We could either land here and trek to relay a message or face them alone. They were biding their time outside the planet's atmosphere. Have you picked them up on your scanners?"

"I have found something. The relays orbiting Lyatan are primarily for transmitting coms and data, but I rotated several around where I believe their ships are and bounced thousands of relays between them. I outlined their approximate locations, but they are remaining cloaked and not advancing."

"I would like to see this…after we have dealt with my mate's immediate needs." The straps came loose, and Crey lowered Mari carefully onto the hangar floor. "This is my mate, Dr. Marigold Clemons. She has sustained an injury and is healing. She would greatly benefit from further sleep."

Without thinking, Mari held out her hand to shake.

"She is Earthen," Crey said with a half-smile. "They grasp hands and shake them. It is their way."

The Gaiian woman grasped Mari's hand and shook it once. "Base Pilot and Engineer, Lueantha Tarmaphour. I am called Lue by most, Dr. Clemons."

"Please, call me Mari."

Lue dipped her chin and gestured toward a gray metal door. "I will lead you to a room for you and your mate, Captain. Our quarters are not spacious. Our base holds no more than seventeen of us at a time. As this is a watch time, in between harvests, there are fewer than normal. Only eight are on staff, and that is primarily to support relays and monitor the crop."

"How do you harvest trees on this planet, without getting killed?" Mari asked as they followed the Gaiian from the hangar.

"Planting, cultivation, and harvest are all done with drones and bots. The tree farms are much denser and more organized than the sections you have crossed through as well as being monitored more heavily. Also, they have had a perimeter around them for five passes. That enables us to contend solely with the trees."

"Which trees do you harvest?" Mari was highly suspicious it was the mean bastard trees, but she wanted the validation of being right.

"Dr. Clemons is a xenobotanist," Crey said. "Her father found the diastratorphium."

Lue stopped and spun to face them. She removed her databand, revealing a diastratorphium tattoo similar to Crey's. "My mother, father, and brother likewise wear the mark of life."

"While my father has passed, he would be glad he helped." Mari's throat was thick, and she blinked rapidly. She didn't want to perpetuate the belief that Earthens were emotional chaotic nightmares.

Crey put a soothing hand on her lower back.

Mari took a deep breath. It helped. He helped.

Refastening her databand on her wrist, Lue continued escorting them down the long corridor. "We harvest a tall conifer tree called ferraphyta. You may have been attacked by it."

Hah. She wanted to point and shout, "I knew it!" but that would terrify her new Gaiian friend. Still, she knew they'd harvest a tree that would fight them. "The damn thing threw cones?"

"Yes. Our farms often take down the hawks we send out to survey them. Their fury is a sign they are strong."

Crey clasped Mari's hand. They'd held hands frequently while hiking here, before her injury, but this was a "professional" setting. None of her previous university boyfriends would hold hands on campus.

"I was injured by a red moss, which secreted a toxin. Do you know of it?" If not, Mari almost wished she'd taken samples. Though, now, there weren't enough credits in the universe that could convince her to go back "for science." Science was on its damn own with that bastard moss.

"Yes. Marusoniam. The symbiotic moss works with a creature which is called a cannitor upon our records. The moss grows on the beast's fur. The cannitor, then, plants the marusoniam and preys on the poisoned victim. It is significant that you lived."

"It is significant." Crey's vehemence was most likely justified. He had been both tender and fearsome in nursing her back to health. "The cannitors came for her. Three of them. The moss's toxins were also a complication; however, she had a toxin-neutralizing saber."

Mari had a dim recollection of the attacks and the aftermath. Several times, her survival must've been a very close thing.

Lue examined her, clearly impressed Mari was alive and kicking. "I would like a report on your experience, Captain, for our records."

"Yes. I will create one."

Stopping, Lue pressed the wall outside a room. The door opened, revealing boring gray décor in what was most likely their largest quarters. A bed. It had a bed. Excellent. After days spent "roughing it," Mari was desperate for a softer surface.

"These are the only quarters which contain a bed." Lue gestured at it. "I am told Earthens use them. This room has doubled as a med bay. It has been sanitized since then. I will key the door to your biosignatures."

"Only our biosignatures," Crey said.

Lue began inputting commands rapidly on the screen. "Yes. After, I will take you to view the scans of the system."

Crey nodded. "We will build plans from there and make contact with others. I would not deny our people this chance for vengeance."

Lue smiled. "I have a ship. I would like to meet our enemies."

That might be a race-wide reaction.

Crey touched Mari's elbow, guiding her into the room. "You may rest, bayantar. I will not be long. It will take one or two rotations for other ships to arrive; you will have time to finish recovering."

"Okay." Despite how much sleep she'd had the last few days, Mari wouldn't mind an hour or two more after that flight. A shower and changing clothing was high up on her list also.

Removing his pack, Crey set it inside the door. Unexpectedly, he wrapped his arms around her and bent his head to ask in her ear, "You will be well here, navi'ian—my breath?"

"Yes. I'm feeling much better today." She'd regained a lot of her strength, and getting clean would do wonders for her well-being.

Crey brushed a kiss across her mouth. "I will return soon." His words were a promise and a heated warning. Hopefully. He had mentioned talking about their relationship, since she had accepted him as mate. That might be what he was suggesting. Maybe she was imbuing everything with intimate connotations, now that she wasn't at death's door.

"Okay," she said.

When he stepped away, Mari caught sight of Lue's surprised expression. Then, the other woman looked down. Beneath the deference of Lue's behavior, repressed aggression and taut strength were visible. Gaiians always appeared as if their skin caged an angry beast, waiting to act.

With a lingering gaze from Crey, which seemed purposeful, he and Lue left. The door closed, swooshing softly.

Mari headed toward the internal door. A cleansing room. Yes! Her eyes got a bit misty at the possibility of getting clean. Her path had taken her by a closet which opened to reveal many sizes of suits, similar to the one Lue wore, in addition to a variety of loose tunics and pants. Clean clothes sounded glorious.

Exhaustion dragged on her as if gravity had increased by a factor of twenty. She might fall asleep in the shower if she didn't get moving.

Mari gathered clothing and headed toward the type of heaven even a Gaiian might believe in.

"All that has been said about your union with an Earthen is true?" Lue asked as they entered a survey and relay room.

"Mari is mine, and I am hers. What we choose to do with our lives remains to be seen; however, she has accepted me as mate." He did not know why he said it, but Crey added, "In less than the allotted courtship interval. Two days, sixteen hours, and approximately fifty-eight minutes still remain in Earthen time." He held up his databand, which he could power on while inside the base. "I switched the time to EST."

She shook her head. "Earthens and their time."

Crey shrugged. "It is a simple amendment to my life, and Mari is a remarkable Earthen, worthy of such changes." He was willing to do this and far more for her.

"She is." Lue's glance returned to her wrist, where the band covered the diastratorphium. "I did not know about her father. This bond is significant. Other races might think it suggestive of things to come. Though, certainly, we do not believe in signs or superstitions."

"No. We do not. I purposefully withheld information regarding her father. I wanted privacy during our courtship. I want Mari to have freedom and choices, but I recognize she is important to our people—both because of her own accomplishments and because our relationship affects my placement as a first son. Maintaining her lifestyle and career choices of before will be difficult, if not impossible."

Even though he and Mari had independently come to this realization, Crey still felt some guilt that he could not simply join the exploratory ship as a crewmember. His ranking came with both responsibilities and dangers. He would prove to Mari that their relationship was worth the impact on her life.

"Do not allow our people's needs to outweigh hers," Lue said emphatically. "I was once in a position to have my life decided for me and allowed no input." She exhaled heavily. "If we become nothing more than parts of a machine, we begin to resemble our enemy." Her eyes widened. "I did not mean to presume, Captain."

"No. You are correct. She will have choices. I will fight for them."

It was unusual that the aggression typically present between him and outsider Gaiians was not impacting him. Crey could speak with Lue easily, effortlessly, as if she was a less belligerent version of his sister.

Lue was similarly not posturing for acknowledgement that she was powerful in her own right. This was the way it typically was among Gaiians of all genders. Lue was also paying him more deference than he generally received, even as a wealthy first son and an accredited ship's captain.

"Your mate lived through the marusoniam and cannitors," Lue said, recalling his attention, "—she is the first, of any species."

Crey winced. If Mari had not known what to do and had the toxin neutralizer… "I will make certain you all carry the neutralizing saber that my mate does. It saved her life, in addition to my efforts."

"We would appreciate that, Captain Darfothahar." Leading him toward nearby viewscreens, Lue showed him the empty space in scans where access to orbiting relays was blocked.

"This looks like what I observed." The blank spots would be cloaked ships. The armada of Thalarin ships remained hidden on the edge of the system.

"That appears to be a substantial fleet."

"I cannot confirm I saw the entire force, but there were four carrier class and fifty to sixty fleet or fighter class initially." Crey further clarified to Lue what he had devised their plan to be. Explaining himself was growing less tiresome, as was involving others. He was changing. Being with Mari was changing him—who he was and what he valued. It was for the better.

"They are not abandoning this initial step to obtain you and your mate." Lue shook her head. "They have even allowed ships to pass through while remaining cloaked." Her expression was frustrated as she said, "This act cast doubt on my findings among the clans."

"They were searching for us on Lyatan approximately two rotations ago." Crey well remembered having to "hide" in a tree.

"They still are," Lue said. "Though we do not have many monitors on this planet to verify how many of them are here. I have seen them in patrols with my hawks, which they have shot down. I also saw several downed ships. When I reported all of this to Gaiia and the system governance, I was told you may be on the planet. I immediately began my search. The dark clans believed the ships, which are all fleet ships, to be scouts."

"Scouts?"

"Yes, and, as I said, that ships have passed nearby unharmed impacted their willingness to mount a full attack. They are waiting to see what the Thalarin ships I have seen on Lyatan do before rendering judgment. As all aspects of interest on this planet are well concealed, there was not a great concern they would learn anything."

No. If he and Mari had not come to Lyatan, the Thalarins would have had little interest in this planet. They had their own lumber planets.

"That the Thalarins have continued searching is curious," Lue said.

"Yes. Possibly, they wish to torture me for information about the strengths and weaknesses of the dark system. We do have many cloaked traps set."

"We do. This must be why they stopped immediately within the system. They have lost previous scouts to our traps—many times in fact."

Thalarins certainly did not mind sacrificing ships for information.

Lue stared at the screen. "They are committed to preventing you from contacting the Allegiance. You would be believed, and an assassination attempt of this magnitude cannot be ignored. Nor can our people disregard this intrusion into our territory."

"Indeed, it will start a war." He had no doubt that would be the result.

"Yes. It will, and the assassination attempt will bring us allies among those who support the Allegiance."

"Have the rumors of a faction promoting insurrection within the Allegiance reached the dark system?" Crey asked.

"Yes, they have. Though, those who live in this system have long believed the Allegiance is corrupt, without substantial credible proof. Now, it is becoming certain the Thalarins have had help from within the Allegiance. We are beyond conjecture to statistical probability. I do not think it is cowardice that has prevented appropriate reprisals from the Allegiance—reprisals the Thalarins have deserved for their incursions and crimes against dwarf planets and moons."

"No. I was on Oneth shortly after the pirridium regulations went through. The Thalarin representatives voted for them. They would not support governance, which profited the Allegiance, without their own reasons for doing so. The regulations have sown insurrection with such a strong ruthless cunning that I can see how purposeful their intentions were. These regulations are creating a wide chasm within the Allegiance. Politicians and nations have already begun to turn against each other. As the regulations go further into effect, the internal strife will spread like a contagion. Much of the pirridium mining is on dwarf planets and moons, and I do not trust the Enforcer stations there."

"Within this system, the Enforcers are considered to be as reprehensible as the Thalarins, even if they are seen as less adept." Lue exhaled a frustrated breath. "While we are not superstitious, the dark system is not ruled by logic and will not feel the need to save the Allegiance. They will, however, be willing to fight against Thalarins for whatever reason. This system is filled with stookt fools, but they are still Gaiian and desire vengeance."

Crey examined her. "You wish to leave the dark system?"

"I do not belong here. This lack of logic is a poisonous chaos. Their irrationality is a noise in my thoughts, which plagues me." Lue glanced briefly at a door, as if to assure they were alone. "They believe what they are told and never search for answers. Also, they cannot see beyond the obvious, and I find it difficult not to punch them in their faces for this." She sighed. "The frustration is easier to repress since you arrived."

"You have not mentioned a mate, but your thoughts are remarkably clear for an unmated Gaiian." Her disdain for those with her was evident, and it was, indeed, unusual that this room was empty, despite the presence of Thalarins on the planet.

"I was a neefwa," she said, identifying herself as a highly-intelligent child. "I have always been adept at channeling my aggression, but your presence and command enable that to a greater degree. The hierarchy of first children is not as compelling here in the dark system. I can only assume that is what it is."

"Possibly. I have felt that way in the presence of the All Father and with my own parents, but none other." Nearly all the mated pairs in Bogarta had died from the disease, and Crey was not around many whom he might recognize as dominant. Prior to becoming mated, he had begun seeing the mated state as the Gaiians of old—they were different and soft.

A slow smile spread across Lue's mouth. "That is why the Thalarins want you dead or captured. You have the ability to mobilize Gaiians into an army against them and you are, additionally, a captain. Your mate will be revered for her father's work and for her own qualities. You will be ranked second. If you lead, the dark system will follow. The All Father would not have such support. You are Bogartan. The dark system trusts Bogarta more than anyone from Gaiia. Bogarta resists the Allegiance's influence, as the people of the dark system do."

"Your supposition is very probable. It would be best if you did not share our conclusions until we know more."

Lue nodded.

"Have any other planets in the system reported activity?"

"No. The Thalarin fleet is waiting just within the system, unmoving. It is why the dark clans latched onto the belief they are scouts, despite what Gaiia suggested. I was the only one who believed this was a planned attack on the dark system. I requested the dark clans send Hunters to do more thorough scans." She shook her head vehemently. "They said it was a waste of resources and might give Thalarins information on our defense resources."

"That they are able to cloak beyond what passing ships can see is impressive. They have improved their cloaking technology."

"Yes," Lue agreed. "After we have dealt with their incursion, I plan to search the wreckage of the ships here on the planet to salvage what I can, so I may examine their technology. I can use my hawks to do so—though I have lost many." She winced. "When I sent hawks looking for you, it was against the clans' directives, as well as the company's." Her jaw grew taut. "I have had several hawks shot down. The other engineers here are stookt, but they have not reported the losses."

"I will pay for the hawks you lost," Crey said immediately. The hawks were quite expensive. She had some cause for concern. "In the end, you have saved many lives." Her plan had been far better than any Crey had been able to come up with during the dark-cycle. "You saved my mate's life. It is a blood debt, which you may collect on." Using his databand, Crey transferred credits to the lumber company's and Lue's own accounts. "There. This is not to cancel the debt, but I have sent you credits for your efforts on our behalf." He stilled. "You spoke Prime when in the presence of my mate." Lue had switched to speaking Gaiian after they had left Mari.

"Yes, it was instinctual to show her that respect."

"I am…grateful." This moment was strange and slightly uncomfortable. Gaiians did not have conversations like this. Crey would, going forward. He was the mate of an emotional Earthen. It was necessary.

Several Gaiians walked into the room, shoving each other aggressively and talking loudly. Seeing Crey, they stopped abruptly, saluting.

"Captain, you are here," one of the engineers said. A visible calm descended on him. "We thought Lue was keeping busy by playing with her hawks."

Lue sent the newcomer a glare.

Her fellow engineer shrugged.

Lue folded her arms. "Captain Darfothahar supports my claim that it is not a few Thalarin scouting ships here on the planet. There are carriers in orbit. He has seen them."

"Yes," Crey said. "Shortly after we entered the dark system, my ship was set upon by four carriers and up to sixty visible fleet and fighters. My mate and I took down twenty-two ships. My ship destroyed the last of the ships following us before flying off as a decoy as we landed on the planet. After that, Dr. Clemons and I continued here on foot. Unfortunately, while climbing, my mate scraped her palm on marusoniam."

The Gaiians blanched.

"My sympathies on your great loss," a Gaiian engineer said, and they all dipped their heads in acknowledgement.

It served as a reminder of how close she had been to death. Never again.

"She lived," Crey stated. "She is simply resting in our quarters here."

"She lived through the marusoniam?" The astonishment in the engineer's voice was obvious. It had been so close.

"Yes, and the cannitor attacks." Those beasts had been formidable—some of the fiercest creatures Crey had fought. "It was Dr. Clemons who took down eighteen ships, and I used her strategy to take down an additional four with my unmanned ship."

They stared.

Yes. His Earthen was brave, unpredictable, and wondrous.

"Dr. Clemons's father found the diastratorphium bloom. She is Dr. Raymond Clemons's daughter." Lue knew the Earthen botanist's full name. There was a bright intelligence and keen ingenuity in this Gaiian. Her abilities were being wasted here.

Another Gaiian looked at his wrist, as if he also wore the mark of life. The tradition had spread extensively.

It could be said that Mari wore their mark of life, in addition to other tattoos. Her tattoos. He needed her. So much. With a subdued sigh, Crey prioritized far less interesting tasks. Work first—then, Mari. "You are all adept at passing relays?"

They nodded.

"Are there others here? Secure coded relays must be sent to the entire Gaiian race, not just the dark system."

Lue tapped behind her ear. "You are needed in the command room. Report immediately."

Less than a shift later, three more Gaiians hurried in.

"Good," Crey said as they stood at attention, awaiting his orders. They were willing to obey him, without any formal recognition of hierarchy or monetary reward. It was unusual. Perhaps the Thalarins did fear his ability to mobilize. "Those who want vengeance may come here. Additionally, you will relay my mate's unorthodox ways of taking down Thalarin fleet and fighter ships with a laser and a heat mine."

Their expressions were incredulous; Mari was that exceptional.

"Lue, I will need you to arrange a com with the All Father." It was time to rebuild their warships. A war was coming, and they should be ready.

Mari awakened when Crey slipped into bed beside her. "You're done?" she asked, turning to face him.

"Yes. I would have returned sooner, fwennif, but that many relays do not go quickly. I spoke with my sister and Nathe. Neva is well. There have been no further incursions on Bogarta. Nathe reports that the Beagle-2230 and its captain are not easily conquered." Crey's hair was damp from a recent shower. He smelled of soap and his own unique scent. It was glorious. Crey gathered her into his arms. "The bond is complete. I can feel it. There is no innate hesitation preventing me from touching you—no need for permission."

"That's why you asked permission to touch every part of me? I thought it was purely ceremonial."

"My people have customs, but no ceremonies."

"What's the difference?"

"Customs are repeated behaviors as they have significance. Ceremonies are repeated behaviors of no purpose for an emotional significance."

Hm. Semantics and because "customs" sounded more factual.

"My people have union ceremonies like marriage to signify a permanent bond," she said. Marriage was not as strong as a mate bond, but it was the closest connection Earthens had.

"I have heard of this. If we were to marry, you would be bound to me?"

"Yes." That might make him rethink his ideas on ceremonies.

"Do you wish to marry me?"

Mari stared at him. That was not the way a proposal typically happened. Trust a Gaiian to cut through to the heart of it.

He waited.

She loved him, and they were mates. Be brave, Mari. Grab what you want and hold on. "Yes." So much yes.

Crey's mouth lifted in a half-smile, and he kissed her forehead. "Excellent. That is settled. Now, who is able to marry us?"

"Allegiance officials, Earthen ambassadors, religious leaders, ship captains—"

"Ship captains?"

"Yes, a ship's captain can declare a couple married, and, boom, done." If they returned to the exploratory ship, her captain could marry them.

"A captain may simply declare it?"

"Yes."

"They need no training or license?"

"No, if they're a registered ship's captain, they are considered a binding official, as long as the parties agree, and the documentation is filed." Captain Ockler might enjoy marrying them. It might be her first time.

Crey grinned. His mouth moved from her temple to her ear, his lips brushing her skin. "Very well. We are married. As you have said—boom, it is done."

Uh, how did she not see that coming?

Huh. She was married. In bed. Suddenly.

"We're supposed to have witnesses." Her skin flushed to his favorite color.

Crey kissed a line from her ear to her collarbone. "You desire witnesses for this?"

"Mmm." The noise she made as he kissed lower was arousing. "For our marriage to be official, it must be declared in front of witnesses."

Crey unbuttoned her tunic, exposing the vines of her lovely tattoo. "I will go get us witnesses." He made no attempt to leave.

"Don't you dare." Mari threaded her fingers through his hair.

"Marigold?" Moving overtop her, Crey kissed a tattooed leaf from the tangled garden covering her. He had tried to ignore the glorious garden as he was changing her clothing during her illness.

"Mm?"

"Mari," he punctuated it with a kiss on a leaf, "my Mari, later, I will do every ceremony of all civilizations we encounter," he placed a lingering kiss on another leaf, "on each planet in every system we travel through," Crey licked this leaf, "no matter how obscure." This leaf he sucked. Her taste was delicious and arousing. He had never wanted anything or anyone to this degree.

As he continued sucking and licking, Mari moaned and clutched his head tighter.

"I will bind you to me so securely that you cannot leave me." He nipped lightly at a leaf.

"Who said anything about wanting to leave you?" Her words were breathy.

"Mari, may I kiss the curl of this vine?" Crey asked, poised above it.

She lifted her head. "Yes. There."

He did, drawing her skin into his mouth, until Mari wrapped her legs around his waist. He traced the vine with his tongue. "Here? May I kiss this leaf?"

Mari's eyes were black with the dilation of her pupils. "Yes. Please. Yes."

Crey paid that leaf its due attention before moving on. "This one?"

"What are you going to do?"

"What do you want me to do, my navi'ian?" She stole his breath. It was hers.

"Everything," she pleaded.

Crey did everything he could think of—everything he had wanted to do. He licked, sucked, touched, and kissed. Afterward, he followed the delicious path of vines again with his tongue. Her skin was both sweet and salty.

"Mmm." Mari dug her blunt nails into his shoulders, causing a pleasant sting.

Turning his head, Crey nipped at her right wrist with his teeth, making her smile. He clasped her hand and examined the scrape on her palm.

"It's fine." Still smiling, Mari watched him with her eyes half-closed. "You don't need to kiss it better."

Crey frowned. "That would not make it better. I would be introducing new bacteria to the wound for no reason." What unhealthy and bizarre Earthen tradition was this? Thankfully, Mari had him to watch over her.

"Mm. Never mind."

After having that dark-cursed moss nearly take her, Crey had not been fond of plant life in general. Then, he had discovered Mari's garden. The ivy vines twisted and twined across her torso and down to the tops of her thighs. Returning to kissing her, Crey removed her clothing as he tasted vines and leaves, asking permission each time. This was why one lingered. Crey was in no rush to leave this verdant paradise.

"What is this?" Crey traced the golden intricate design around her navel with a finger.

"It's a representation of Old Earth's sun." She laughed with each brush of his finger.

"Why do you laugh?" He flicked his finger lightly against a ray.

She laughed again and squirmed beneath him. "It's, um, ticklish. I don't know the Prime word for that."

"Ticklish?" he repeated the English word, brushing the pad of his finger across her skin. He smiled when she snorted, trying to keep her laughter inside.

"Stop," she said, with no real firmness, as he touched the sun's rays again.

"Stop? It makes you laugh."

Mari laughed, even though his finger hovered above her skin, without touching it.

Crey dipped his head and licked across the sun. Her laugh abruptly turned into a moan. Crey returned to the vines, kissing a leaf on her hip. "Turn over. I want to see where the vines go."

"Only if you catch up. You are exceptionally overdressed for this wedding of ours. Our naked wedding."

"Is that something that Earthens actually…?"

"No. I mean, possibly…probably." She shrugged. "Earthens. But, still, get your clothes off now."

Rising, Crey discarded the clothing he had just put on, tossing them to the floor.

"Wow. If we'd had witnesses for that, they would have clapped. I want to clap, but it'll ruin the mood. You are hot." Mari turned over. "Ta-dah! The rest of the vines."

He had not previously seen her back. Returning to the bed, Crey traced the vines down her lower back. She wore an exquisite dress of vines. "I could get trapped in these vines."

"That doesn't sound factual."

It felt factual.

The vines and leaves curved out along her hips and ended in curls below her ass.

"What is this creature?" He touched the insect's wings. The delicate wings were unfurled across the small of her back and the same color as his mate's eyes.

Mari groaned. "It's a cliché. It has been for forever."

"Cliché?" It was not an Earthen word he recognized.

"Uh, well, in this case, cliché means it's the first tattoo someone, but particularly women, get when they've had too much lanaroot juice. I was drunker than drunk."

Earthens and lanaroot juice were often a poor combination. "What is this creature depicted here?"

"An insect from Old Earth called a butterfly."

"It is beautiful."

"It is silly."

"No. You are wrong. I will show you." Crey brushed the delicate wings with a finger. Crey leaned over and licked the wing as his hands spanned her waist. She was both delicate and strong, his Mari—and wild—so wonderfully wild. Her strength was apparent in each band of muscle, but he also saw her ferocity in all Mari's actions. Feminine. Sweet. He put more force behind the next lick of a blue wing.

She moaned. "Mmm. Maybe it's not so bad." Then, Mari added after more of his tongue's ministrations, "Okay, I like it."

He kissed both wings, gliding his hands across her body. "This leaf, Mari?" he asked, resuming his exploration of Mari's garden. "Can I kiss this leaf?"

"Yes. Please, yes, Crey."

Crey kissed the allowed leaf slowly, making his lovely Earthen squirm. "This one?"

"Tell me," she commanded. "Tell me what you're doing."

"What do you want?"

"All of it again. All of it…twice."

Crey traced the vine downward.

Mari lasted through one time before she pushed up from the bed. Twisting beneath him, Mari grabbed Crey by the neck, and pulled him atop her. "We're doing this, Gaiian."

When he had seen her in Bogarta, he could not have imagined the emotional connection he would feel to this beautiful Earthen. Their love was real. Their love was a fact.

Mari pressed kisses all over his skin—down Crey's neck and across his chest. His passionate Earthen.

Ducking his head, Crey kissed her, gentling the intensity. "Yes, we will do this. After, I will return to exploring your garden with my hands, mouth, tongue, and teeth."

They were nose to nose. "I never imagined you, Crey. I had dreams, but they now seem boring and tame compared to what I ended up with."

"You did not think you would have your own little green alien in your life?"

"Little?" she asked, wrapping her body around his.

He grinned. She did that to him…made him smile.

Gaiians did not imagine—they planned. Crey had planned this, but nothing could compare to the experience of joining with Mari. It was a thrill like he had never known. She arched into him, her breath getting faster. They moved together, stopping only to kiss and, a few times, to laugh. His mate was "ticklish" in several places.

"Will it always be this good?" Mari clasped his hands tightly above her head.

"No." Crey kissed her throat, chin, cheek—anything he could reach.

His beautiful mate's gaze met his.

"It will be better," Crey stated.

Her body arched. "Mmm. Not possible."

Her nails clenched against the back of his hands, and Crey pressed an open-mouthed kiss to her collarbone as she cried out his name—his name. It felt like when Crey had held Mari close and leapt off the rock to be caught by the metal hawk…only more. The exhilaration, the emotions, the mate beneath him were all more than he deserved. He and Mari took this exhilarating leap together, calling each other's names. He would have marks from his Earthen's nails.

No Gaiian had ever been so blessed by the corrections made to their molecules. Gaiian words of awe and gratitude poured from Crey's mouth. This was his Mari—his breath, his heart, and his life. There was nothing he would not do to protect his mate. His mate. He had a mate. He wanted to shout it. He had a mate.

Crey shifted to the side, keeping Mari close as their breathing slowed. Now, he could hold her while she slept and healed. He could protect her and love her.

"Not possible." Her voice was soft, but fervent. "No way sex gets better than that." Her words brushed his skin, causing perhaps this "tickling" she had described.

He was wrong about contentment—the opinion he had arrived at while reading of Lady Priscilla. Crey was content while holding Mari. Her presence was soothing and, yet, still exciting. Their bond was steady and strong. He had found his balance, and this filled him with satisfaction and peace. He was content.

Crey kissed his mate's temple and whispered against her skin, "You have much to learn about Gaiians—we always find a way."