“I admire a skilled beverage mixologist.” I nodded and shuffled my wings to help calm the sudden nerves that shot through me. “It’s always a letdown when I have to order something from the drink dispenser at a meeting.”
Something about having her here ruffled my feathers.
My encounter with Sah-Rah had demonstrated that I was not only bad at conversing with females, but also with humans.
I had purposefully removed myself from the management of Earth and its sol system’s protection from the rest of the universe, wanting to focus on the galactic economy and new business ventures the Ekoiskra could undertake.
Before the Yzefrxyl disaster, departments like mine had to put everything on hold to search for the human escape pods, cataloging where they were discovered, and deciding whether to enroll in the sponsorship program or relocate to the sanctuary that was being built.
“I completely understand that feeling.” She drew her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes. “I’m not even going to get started on how difficult it is to find a bar that isn’t full of robotic bartenders, let alone work for one, which is why I was so excited to work for Cosmic Connections on theStardancer.”
“It’s unfortunate what happened.” I shuffled my feet, unsure what else to say to console her. I wasn’t a disaster relief worker, dealing with people in need after a traumatic event, but rather someone who worked with numbers, credits, laws, and products. “We attempted to stop the vessel by hailing it, but your crew’s leaders did not respond. I even sent a scout to Earth to find someone to speak with them, but they were too late.”
“We were like theTitanicin space, but instead of colliding with an iceberg, we were attacked, all because the people in charge wanted to push the limits.” She sighed, dropped her arms, and took another look around her new room. “The one thing I’m thankful for is that I didn’t have to fight anyone to survive on a door, even though now I’m here, unsure what I’m supposed to do next.”
“I’m not sure what a door has to do with anything...” I cast a glance at the doorway, curious about her obsession with them. “But if you want, if you’re hungry, we can talk about your future over the evening meal... If not, I should show you how to use the food dispenser and where to find the raw ingredients in case you get hungry.”
“I’d like that.” She nodded and shook her head, scanning my body up and down before pointing to my bandolier. “I’m assuming your kind doesn’t wear anything else? Or do you happen to have something for me to change into?”
By the Four Wings, they were definitely testing me. I should have known she needed clothing. While humans could live in a variety of demographics, they needed a wide range of clothing to keep cool or warm, depending on where they were.
And yet, I stood there, bare naked in front of her, and it wasn’t because I was trying to seduce her into mating with me—that was the purpose of my dance.
“Until I contact my junior councilors to send a team here to clean up the wreckage, all I have available for you to wear are my councilor robes.” I clicked the top of my beak, a nervous habit I had when I was unsure about something. “I can also ask Lyave if he could craft some clothing with his hometree for you in exchange for some credits. If that’s what you want, your companion, Soraya, should be able to help him with the task.”
“Robes?” Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “Would you happen to have any robes that I could wear here?”
“Yes, I do have robes with me here.” I ruffled my feathers and shifted my weight between my feet, trying to figure out if there was an underlying meaning to her question. “I always keep a variety here in case I have to host any unexpected guests. Sometimes when the Calyzis learns that I’m staying here, they’ll occasionally send a few representatives to my villa in the hopes of getting an update on IPA matters and requesting things they want me to support and bring up at the next meeting.”
“But could I borrow some?” She snatched her dress’s golden fabric from her thighs and yanked it away from her body, rubbing the fabric between her fingers. “My dress isn’t something I would feel comfortable wearing daily. When I’m not working, I like to wear sweats and a hoodie, but I’d overheat if I wore those here. Until you can provide me with adequate clothing, I’ll wear whatever you have available here.”
“They were custom designed for me…”
The frown on her face cut short my words, making me regret what I had been about to say and realize how much of a dimstar I was.
“I apologize.” I took a step back, clicking the top of my beak and retreating toward the threshold. “I meant that my robes were of high quality, and I would be honored to let you borrow them until I could provide you with clothing more appropriate for you.”
“Thank you.” Her voice was lighter, her shoulders relaxed, and she smiled softly at me. “I swear I’ll look after them.”
“It’s the least I could do until I can either persuade Lyave to make you clothing from his hometree, or have the cleanup crew sent to the crash site to bring something for both you and your companion—”
Hostile sounds rumbled from deep within her. I jumped back outside the guest room, my wings spread wide, unsure what I’d done to make her so angry with me.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t better prepared for guests,” I squawked, knowing how aggressive females could be if they didn’t have their necessities. “If you want, I can page Lyave right now and pay him some credits to rush—”
“There isn’t any need.” She squeezed my hand tightly as she cradled my wing between her two hands. She shook her head, a wide grin on her face, and a series of trill-like sounds escaped her lips. “It’s just my body expressing how hungry it is.”
“Your body has an alarm that tells you when it’s time to eat?”
“Sorta.” She cocked her head and looked down at my stomach. “I’m assuming you don’t have anything similar?”
“No, nothing at all like that.” Looking down at our clasped hands, I rubbed my thumb lightly over her skin, being careful not to scratch her as I felt how smooth her bare skin was compared to mine. “We only have to be concerned about the condition of our feathers, and missing meals causes them to become weak and unhealthy for flight.”
“Which is important for the survival of your species,” she mumbled, guiding me to tilt my wing as her gaze studied its feathers. “I can’t believe I’m standing here speaking to a birdman in his bird house. I know a lot of people back on Earth who wish they could fly and would be jealous that I’m here with you.”
“I’m not a bird man, and this isn’t a bird house,” I squawked as I yanked my hand away from hers. She dropped her arms and opened her eyes in shock as she let go of my wing. “My species is far smarter than any bird. We are Ekoiskra, a highly respected avian species in the IPA.”
“I apologize for offending you...” She yanked her braids over her shoulder and combed them with her fingers while biting her bottom lip. “I didn’t mean to do it. It’s just a quick way for me to describe your appearance to any human I come across. I’ll make certain that I never refer to you as such again.”
