For once, I didn’t mind being the one on baby duty, because it gave me time to think.
Assuming we’d run acrossmore‘mercenaries’ at the next Muonova, I’d simply picked a random direction before getting us back on the Intergalactic Highway. Then, I’d reactivated the Lodger’s cloaking device and put us on autopilot while I contemplated our next move.
Learningmultiplealien species had hired Hydrassians to scout for karnilianwas jarring enough, but the revelation this search involvedPedroconfirmed the creature wasthe reason Irathians had attacked Stellaria.
Which means we can’t return until we’ve unloaded the asset.
I would have preferred to consult with Honnor and Bron on these new developments, but my maker had promised to contact meafterthe battle, so the least I could do was be patient.
But what if…
“What the fuck?” Micah muttered under his breath, leaning down to take a closer look at the soggy ball of fur in the basin.
Pedro appeared to be enjoying themselves—splashing and cooing in an oddlybaby-likeway—so it didn’t seem like an emergency.
Plus, I have zero interest in participating in “bath time.”
“Hey, Zig? Can you come look at this, please?”
Sigh.
Turning off the water, I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my waist before exiting the shower stall. With how tiny the bathroom was, this put me directly above the basin, so I crouched down to better see what had Micah concerned.
“Sooo, Pedro’s fur is thick as fuck and layered, which is probably why I didn’t notice this until now…” he murmured, attention fixed on parting the fur on the creature’s chest.
I sighed again. “If you’re going to show me the defensivetentaclesPedro has, I am well acquainted.”
And still slightly annoyed they caught me off guard.
Micah glanced up and smiled sweetly. Deceptively so. “Mmhmm… and have you noticed how Pedro hasn’t felt the need to flash those tentacles since you started playing nice?”
Another rhetorical question, I presume.
“Although…” He chewed his lip, already puzzling through the next problem. “It’s weird they didn’t activate their defenses when the first Hydrassian showed up at the Muonova. Pedro was clearly uncomfortable…”
I frowned down at the creature splashing around the basin, remembering how they’d been curled up in the sling while I’d shopped for guns.
Until I lured them out for some “enrichment.”
“They did…” I murmured. “It was a different sort of defense mechanism—similar to how novasare taught to curl inward to protect our core while our tendrils are still developing.”
My stellar collision had abandoned his task in favor of gaping at me in awe. “Is your core morefragilethan your tendrils?”
I shifted uncomfortably at the thought of sharing my secrets, but sternly reminded myself Micah would never use this intel against me.
Even if he is powerful enough to kill me.
“Yes,” I haltingly replied. “The only way to destroy a Stellarian is to tear our core to pieces and return us to the stars.”
Micah sharply inhaled, and I cursed my thoughtlessness, realizing exactly which traumatizing memory I’d just invoked.
“It’s over quickly, sunshine, and relatively painless,” I lied, attempting to calm his growing panic by sending soothing energy through our bond. “It’s also an injury that’s easy to reverse if a piece of that core happens to be permanently lodged inside our perfect mate.”
That did the trick as he snapped back to scientific focus. “The piece of you inside me is from yourcore?”When I nodded, he beamed. “That’s my favorite part of you! So pretty…”
To my absolute horror, I blushed. “Yes, well… a Stellarian has little control over the colors our true form displays. It’s most likely a combination of our makers’ hues and other genetic factors?—”
“It’s okay to be a pretty boy, Space Daddy,” Micah purred, making me blush harder and scowl down at Pedro. “Is that the only reason I’m able to glow for you?” he added, barely audible.
