“They don’t need us,” Zeph said.
“You’re right.” Han put her mouth close to his. “Tumoro is out there, young and ready to help.”
Zeph’s Ident chimed. He was going to ignore it but then Rensom’s voice came through the door’s display.
“They won’t release the cargo unless Zeph is here to inspect everything.”
They both let out ragged breaths.
“Damn,” Han cursed. “Someday we’re going to live someplace where everyone can get along without us for an entire day at a time!”
“I’ll beg the ancestors for it,” Zeph agreed.
He’d make sure they got privacy eventually, assuming they all survived the next and last adventure!
Chapter 16
Zeph
“Say them again,” Zeph insisted.
Han rolled her eyes but obliged. “Clutch, cling, mane, dam, sire, pup or cub, and, um, lip press.”
Zeph sounded a rumble of agreement. “Yes, very good. What should you call Rensom?”
“Master or use his nickname,” Han answered.
“I have a nickname?” Rensom asked, looking up from the game of grav he was playing with Tumoro at the table. They’d managed to pull the second seat out, but like the other one, it wasn’t going back into the wall without some repair work.
“You do now,” Han said. “One thing you guys got right is that we humans love giving out nicknames as a sign of affection.”
Sandar took a break from reading while snuggled in the nest to look up at them. “What name have you given him?”
“Rennie,” Han said.
“Ah, you changed the sound of my name,” Rensom said with an approving rumble. “I like it.”
“I want a nickname also,” Sandar said, sitting up. “You call Zephrum Zeph, Rensom is Rennie, would that make me Sandie?”
Han titled her head at Sandar. “Do you like the name Sandie?”
“It doesn’t matter if it sounds good to me, you’re the one who gives nicknames,” Sandar answered. “So it’s more important for it to sound good to you.”
“Can I call you San? Then we’ll be San and Han the besties!”
“Besties?” Sandar asked. “My INT isn’t giving me a translation for that.”
“It means we’re very good friends,” Han explained. “I kind of expect to be the godmother to the kid you’re baking right now.”
All them, including himself, stared at Han. “You have some of the strangest ways to phrase things. You don’t bake children; they grow.”
Han snorted. “You guys are just going to have to get used to it. We humans are creative with language.”
“At least you’re not like the Hunga,” Tumoro commented. “They speak in riddles and everyone is simply supposed to figure out what they mean.”
“They don’t speak in riddles,” Sandar corrected. “They use a lot of symbolism and flowery language to communicate. It can be frustrating when all you need is an answer.”
“Very frustrating,” Tumoro agreed.
