Beside him, I cough.
“Are you well, my sweet mate?” Dante says, his face filled with concern.
“I am not your sweet mate, and yes, I am well, despite everything.” I lean my neck to one side where the marks on my skin are silvery. “Despite you notbeing yourself.”
“Is that what we’re calling it these days?” the young Sarkarnii says. “I thought our brains were nevved because of the wormhole. I prefer your version.”
The young Sarkarnii grins at me until Dante releases a growl which could curdle milk.
Undeterred, the warrior turns sinuously, his tail fully shifted, and bounds down the passage to the interior of Dante’s quarters.
“What does he mean?” I glare at Dante.
“Nothing important.” He flashes his fangs at me. “Let me show you my ship, theGolden Destroyer,”he says with all the enthusiasm of a pirate captain.
“TheGolden Destroyer?” I query. “That’s some name.”
“Probably because we used to blow up most things we came across, even if Dalox didn’t want us to,” Dante says with an even bigger grin. “Oh, and there was that time we managed to deal with an entire fleet of Farker by ourselves,” He adds. “Which was fun.”
I’m not entirely sure what to make of his puppyish enthusiasm for destruction, some of which I’ve seen firsthand.
“I’d prefer not to be blown up,” I say as Dante ushers me into his ship.
“First rule among my crew is not to get blown up,” Dante says. “Well done.”
We make our way down the passage until it opens out into a large atrium which is filled with greenery, something I absolutely wasn’t expecting in Dante’s sector. Huge vines with heart-shaped leaves tumble from high above, and great tall plants with their leaves almost as big as a Sarkarnii wing cast shade from the two bright suns above the atrium glass high above us. I think I can hear water running, and as Dante goesdeeper into this internal jungle, I see the water flowing from a spout about halfway up a wall and creating a mist as it descends into a pool which is a beautiful deep blue.
“My crew like to tend to plants. We grow most of them for their chemical properties, but it helps with calming too.”
“Chemical properties?”
“We manufacture a variety of different chemicals. Some for the production of star fuel, some to trade with other warlords for supplies, and some to trade off world,” Dante says. “Some we use ourselves though.” He gives me a funny fanged smile as if he’s letting me in on the biggest secret.
“Are those the ones which make you forget your pants?” I query as a couple of Sarkarnii wander past, arms around each other and pantsless.
“In my sector, pants are optional,” Dante says.
“Yes, I can see that,” I respond.
“Pantsarevery restricting when it comes to wanting to shift.”
“I appreciate that too.” I look up into the atrium where I see a dragon fly overhead. “You go outside?”
“As Sarkarnii mostly, to stretch our wings. It makes us feel better,” Dante says, leading me further into the jungle. “Most of what we do is to feel good,” he says as another Sarkarnii, maybe a little older than the guard on the airlock, sidles up to him.
I recognize this Sarkarnii from the clan chamber. He was stood next to Dante before Dalox gave his verdict and disappeared soon after.
“Boss, I’ve got the clan captains ready as you asked.” His eyes flick briefly to me and away again.
“Excellent.” Dante thrashes his tail. “Dart, this is my female,” he says. “My second in command, little mate.”
“Rosalie,” I respond. “Or Rosie.”
Dart looks very hesitant as I hold out my hand. Dante growls like a V8 engine through a loudspeaker, and Dart takes several paces back.
“Mine,” Dante says.
“Let’s get one thing clear right now.” I put my hands on my hips. “You bit me. I didn’t choose this, Dalox did, and I’m not spending the next month cooped up in some living quarters somewhere without seeing my friends or meeting other Sarkarnii.”
