Max had seen enough documentaries with his kids to know that was not true. “Hidden ones hunt smaller creatures. Jellyfish have intelligence. You are a danger to them.” Technically, the animals weren’t jellyfish, but a local life-form that Hidden onesstill hunted in the ocean to show off their prowess, and they farmed commercially for food. “Hidden ones kill whales that approach Hidden one cities.” Again, the whales weren’t whales, but enormous prehistoric monsters that hunted in the deepest parts of Hidden one oceans and sometimes threatened their ships and swimming paths. Hidden ones had huge machines to kill them, and their meat was a delicacy. An expensive one. As far as Max could tell, the machine required to kill an encroaching whale was huge, costly, and likely to be destroyed in the process.
“Outsiders are dangerous to Hidden ones,” the official said.
“Yes, they are.” Max used Xander’s terms from earlier. “That is why I create hidden places in outsider laws to shelter my family. But outsiders are dangerous because they see danger in Hidden one technology. They fear the machines that deny them the ability to travel here,” Max said. “All sentient life is dangerous.” Max looked around the room. “Are we done with registering?”
“Yes,” Rick said loudly, adding a belch at the end. “Registering is complete.”
The new guy curled the tips of his tentacles in frustration, but then seemed to relax. “Agreed. Registering is acceptable. Designation mate of Great Thinker. Ceremony will continue.” He turned and headed toward the door, and the other Hidden ones followed.
“Who was he?” Max asked.
“Official of senior ranking,” Rick answered. The translator couldn’t assign names, but this guy seemed like a know-it-all, rule-following, officious butt-licker, which was annoying even when he was kissing Rick’s ass.
“Percy,” Max said. “He is a perfect Percy. Now, what are you guys doing here?” he asked the kids.
“James provides inadequate assistance,” Kohei bellowed, his largest eye focused on his little brother.
James sank lower until most of his eyes were hidden behind the bed.
“James is adequate,” Rick said. “Hidden ones are uncareful with boned tentacle structure. Harm was unintended or intended harm was minimal.”
“Max Father should still use maintenance hook,” Xander said with a little bugle at the end.
“I will not take a maintenance hook to anyone,” Max said. “Killing is never acceptable unless you are trying to prevent more deaths. Understand?” he glared at his three children. Xander and James sank lower, but Kohei straightened his walking tentacle until he was as tall as the medical equipment at the side of the bed.
“Understand,” Kohei said with a seriousness that only Max’s eldest child ever seemed to have.
“Thank you for coming, but I’m fine. You three should head back to the ship. It’s unkind to leave Dee alone for too long.” Max still felt bad that she had been isolated for so long at that space dock, and he didn’t want the kids ignoring her. Maybe Hidden ones were independent creatures, but humans weren’t.
“I agree,” Rick said. “You three may return to the ship or explore the city. You are not required for healing of Max. He will be repaired by sunfall.”
Wow. Hidden ones had great health care, and Max noticed that Rick was no longer worried about the ship. Something had changed... either that or Rick had a little paranoia that made him assume the worst of his people. Max would ask directly, but sometimes that sent Rick into a full retreat. He’d talk when he was ready. Hopefully.
Chapter Eight
The kids were slow to leave, but Max reassured them that he felt fine and that the Hidden one doctor of bones had much better medicine than human doctors, so he wasn’t suffering. Too many medical dramas from Earth had made them a little paranoid that Max would develop mystery symptoms and nearly die three times in an hour if they left.
Rick had backed Max in insisting the children leave, although it did take nearly a half hour to get them through the door. When leaving, James said he had an experiment he wanted to work on, which had led Rick to chase the boy out of the room and down the hallway. Max assumed he was extracting a promise that James would not blow up the ship while they were gone. When Rick returned, his tentacles were all soft curves and undulation.
“Our children are annoying,” Rick announced as he came back to the room and closed the weird pivoting door behind him.
“They are,” Max agreed. “They are unique and independent and annoying. Very, very annoying.”
Rick blew raspberries and returned to Max’s bed. “I am proud of their uniqueness, but I would prefer less waste of resources and annoyingness.”
“The joys of parenting,” Max said sympathetically. “So, will my leg be repaired by sundown?” The doctor had said that, but it felt unrealistic.
“The veterinarian insists bones of sapient species are equivalent to bones of sentient-only species,” Rick mumbled ina semi-soft tone that reminded Max of tumbled rocks rolling downhill.
“I assume that means yes. So I guess I'll hang out in the bed until my leg feels better,” Max said.
Rick settled next to him on the bed and wiggled around until his tentacles were curled around Max’s good leg. Max tangled his arm around the closest tentacles tugging gently. Maybe his leg wasn't up to any feats of athletic sex, but he didn't mind a little gentle foreplay. “I had no idea you paid such close attention to my tentacles,” Max said.
“I am exceptional fond of your tentacles,” Rick rumbled.
“Why do you say I have two dominant tentacles?” Max asked.
Rick reached over Max’s body and curled a tentacle tip around his right wrist. “Dominant tentacle used for tools of construction,” Rick said.
