Even from a distance their shape was unmistakable.
Tall, bulky, and wolflike.
Rijitera dropped from the ship twelve at a time. After each one stepped out of the ship, another one replaced them in the doorway and dropped a few seconds after them.
Each one was smiling.
“The Unity is so, so fucked,” I breathed under my breath as the ships banked away.
Rathal laughed just as I started descending into the city; the buildings smoking, burning ruins now. Ragged holes and scorch marks marred their once gleaming silver surfaces. The city streets below us were much the same. Burning debris, blackened holes, smoke, and bodies.
“Now that the Riljitera know how low the Unity is willing to go they will crush them into a bloody pulp so as not to take any chances this time around. Diplomacy is a dirty word now. There will be no quarter. There, darling. That is the place. Land before Hella kills everyone and takes all the fun for herself.”
I looked where he pointed over my shoulder. It was a garden of sorts, with green walkways crisscrossing over waterways. A huge building stood in the center. Two small white shuttles had landed at the base of the stairs and golden figures were watching our approach. One of them towered over the others like a monolith to Rijiteran strength.
I slowed, pulling my nose up and rotating my ship around and brought it down so the ramp was facing the waiting group. I cut the belly jets the second my landing gear touched the ground and powered down the ship. Rathal was already unstrapped and standing, a kind of nervous excited energy radiating off of him. He bounced on his toes like he wanted to hurry me up.
Unhooking my restraints, I stood and stepped out of the cockpit, coming to stand next to Rathal to look up at him.
“Nervous?” I asked. He hadn’t seen his kin in over five thousand years. He’d been all alone out in the universe. Sure, he’d made his own family on Erral, but it truly wasn’t the same.
Rathal swallowed, humming a little before clearing his throat and pulling down his shirt before smoothing nonexistent wrinkles in the sheer material. Finally, he sighed, chuckling dryly. “Yes. Holy Mother, yes. But I am also piteously excited. I feel as if I might burst into tears at any moment, Callie. Is that normal?”
I hugged him, squeezing tightly. “I think you’d be crazy not to be having this reaction. You’re about to be reunited with your family after damn near longer than recorded history. I’d say you’ve earned a little emotional turmoil.”
Rathal chuckled, his voice cracking a little, and held me out by my shoulders before placing a sweet kiss on my lips. “Thank you, my darling wife.” He ran the tips of his fingers down my cheek and kissed me again. “My greatest prize.”
I patted his furry cheek. “Flattery will get you laid, but stalling will probably get you killed by that hulking brute Jack calls Mother.”
Rathal straightened with a put out sigh and straightened his clothes with nervous hands. “Caught me. Though I meant every word.”
I know,” I said, pushing him through the ship and down the ramp. “Now get your butt out there and say hello to your cousins.”
We stepped out onto the grass and into the sunlight. Real sunlight, not artificial garbage. The primary star to this purple hued planet had a blueish tint to it. I held my hand over my eyes as I squinted up at it. The heat felt wonderful after so long on a space station and it didn’t smell like recycled air out here. Granted, the cooling breeze carried with it the scent of smoke,chemicals, and death but hey, it wasn’t the stale slightly bitter air I’d been breathing the last few days and I’d take it.
Rathal’s sudden grasp of my hand had me looking up at him but his gaze was fixed ahead of him. I turned, saw what he was looking at, and grinned madly at the big goofy smile Jack was shooting my way. She was still in her human form with Ohem looking dashing in his Rijitera armor just behind her, his many tentacles and tails seemingly caught in the breeze and waving gently behind him. They were surrounded by a dozen golden armored Rijitera of various shades and in the center, wearing a stern look on her terrifying furred face, was Hella.
I tugged Rathal along with me. Jack and Ohem met us halfway. I let go of Rathal’s hand to do something completely out of character for me. Or it used to be. The new me didn’t care about appearances anymore. I threw myself into Jack’s arm with a girlish squeal and laughed as she bearhugged me back, twirling me around in a circle before setting me on my feet again, though she didn’t let me go entirely, her grip holding me firmly by the forearms.
“I missed your cranky face,” she said, grinning. “Though it doesn’t look so cranky now. You’re practically glowing, girl.”
I shrugged, flicking my gaze at Rathal who stood frozen staring at Hella.
“I found a little fun I guess.”
Jack’s eyes looked Rathal up and down before returning to me with a lascivious grin.
“I’ll say.”
Hella stepping forward halted my retort. Good god she was huge. Over the holovid she’d been scary but in person she was like a living god of death just out here gracing us with her presence. Well over seven feet tall with brown fur darker than her daughters, Hella’s Rijiteran form was heavily muscled and wide.
She stopped a foot away from Rathal and they stared at each other for several long moments and then, wordlessly, Hella opened her arms and Rathal stepped into them. They held each other while the rest of the Rijitera gathered in close, laying hands on shoulders until they were all connected by touch.
Tears burned in my eyes as I watched.
An explosion broke the solemn moment, close enough I ducked instinctively.
Hella sighed audibly. “Alright my clan. It seems a more thorough reunion will have to wait until after we deal with the vermin.”
