Good.
Dante needed to keep both himself and Ter healthy so they could protect themselves until Regi came. Dante was a little surprised to find that he had no doubt Regi was coming. He trusted Regi with every cell in his body.
With that certainty in the forefront of his mind, Dante sat on the couch next to Ter and swallowed his fear.
Chapter Nineteen
Once the gravity eased, Dante sat up, his limbs shaking. He had to appreciate the slavers had kept him unconscious while they left Earth because taking off from the planet was not pleasant. At least the Kowri ship was gentle enough that he could lie on a padded bed without needing any other support, but his hips still ached. If he’d been on an Earth ship where Mars colonists had to be strapped into a gel bed for take-off, he would have lost his mind.
“Are you well?” the Kowri tech asked Dante.
“I'm not well,” Ter snapped. “There are very specific cradles that are supposed to be used for my people during any gravitational force above two-point-seven, and that take-off felt very close to three. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to take a member of my species through high-gravity take-off without the appropriate accommodations?” Despite his complaining, Ter sat up without assistance.
“No, but as I am supervising your health, I know that none of your joints have been compromised and all of your physical responses are within ten percent of standard. I assume that means you are fine.”
“The huuman is less fragile than most believe,” Ter groused. “Meanwhile, I am susceptible to gravity.”
The Kowri had a certain tightness around his eyes Dante associated with annoyance. “I am concerned for the huuman because I was not told to expect any other aliens besides you, soI do not have a second monitoring station set up. That means I have more concern for him as I have not monitored him.”
“I am too valuable for such mishandling,” Ter shouted.
“Ter, enough,” Dante said firmly.
Ter considered Dante with the same sort of expression he sometimes aimed at a junior engineer he was about to make cry.
“I am Dante a’Divashi,” Dante introduced himself. “My people touch hands to greet one another, but I don't know if you would be more comfortable touching hands or having me touch my temples. Some people act like I am mocking Kowri when I do that, and I am simply trying to be respectful of your culture.” Dante kept his voice even and low, even while his gut churned. He had no allies on this ship other than Ter, and he doubted that Ter would prove much help.
“I am Alana a’Waquil,” the Kowri said. Despite the feminine-sounding name, Alana was a da-male with broad shoulders and huge hands. He continued, “I've not heard of outsiders who wish to avoid offense before.”
“It would help if you people didn't constantly shoot outsiders down every time they tried to approach your borders. It's hard to be friendly when you're dead.” Ter looked like he might say more, but he glanced in Dante’s direction and closed his mouth.
Alana pressed his lips together until the fur at the corners stuck out.
Dante sighed. “Ter is rude to everyone. Please don't take offense.”
Ter shifted to face off against the Kowri. “I demand to be returned to my ship.”
Alana held his palms toward the floor in a gesture Dante recognized as an attempt at reassurance. “As I understand it, this ship is currently designated your home ship. You are safe and will be afforded temple rights, which is a great honor foran outsider. Only one other outsider has ever been given temple rights.” Alana looked at Dante.
“Is there any chance you could give us some privacy so that we can talk?” he asked Alana.
“You are an exalted. Of course I will listen to your requests and honor them. If either of you need my assistance, please let me know. I can provide a variety of medical interventions if they are necessary.”
“Thank you. We’ll call you if we need anything,” Dante said.
Alana touched his thumbs to his temples before he excused himself from the room.
At least Dante had retained his temple status. As an exalted he should be able to protect them, even if he couldn’t free them. For some reason, the thought of having to regain his freedom was the tipping point where his panic started to claw through his chest and his face grew warm with fear.
Peaches waddled up to his shoulder and chittered to reassure him Divashi was watching. Between her and Regi, Dante would escape. After all, the Kowri said that opportunity was the gods’ second blessing, and it usually came on the heels of disaster. This situation had a high potential for disaster, so he hoped to find a little bit of opportunity.
“Ter, we need to talk about how you are speaking to the Kowri. You are reinforcing their view that you are a child who needs to be taught to be respectful.”
Ter's elbows jutted out even farther and if there had been anything within reach, Dante was certain he would've picked it up and flung it at his head. “Do not speak to me about disrespect. My culture values honesty, and under Coalition guidelines, I am entitled to share my honest opinion of these morons. No one has a right to demand that I compromise something as culturally fundamental to me as truth.”
Dante gritted his teeth. “I'm not suggesting that you stop speaking the truth. I'm suggesting that you stop insulting these people.”
“These people are contemptible and deserving of insult—that is my truth,” Ter insisted. “I will not compromise.”
