“We hold ourselves to a high moral code. My clutch-brother will never lie to you, and he will never betray you. This is not our way.” The tip of S’kasia’s tail lifted. “But it is hot for you to be out in the suns like this, and my clutch-brother will fuss if I keep you. I do not have anything to offer today, but come visit my home in a few days, and I will teach you how to brew g’gek. It’s S’samph’s favorite. Although the stubborn male will never admit it.”
“Thank you. I’m excited to learn.” As Eleri made her farewells to S’kasia, she started thinking aboutwhat she could teach in exchange. There were several Earth recipes she loved to make when she lived at home, but rustling up the ingredients might be a challenge. She’d go to the general store and see what was on offer. As a farming community, most of the ingredients came directly from Laurus’ farmers, but she imagined they might get some other things shipped in from Abwele or even Brasnia Prime.
As she headed back toward the clinic, she tapped the interface button on her wrist and pulled up her credit balance. She couldn’t afford to eat much, and if she wanted anything left to purchase ingredients and keep a slush fund for emergencies, she’d need to survive off clinic rations until she had a proper income stream. They were nutritionally balanced, but generally miserable to eat unless you were too ill to know otherwise. Not to mention her extremely limited supply of clothing. Aside from the medical scrubs provided by the clinic, a few threadbare shirts, and her IA jumpsuits, she really had almost nothing to wear.
Well, it wasn’t going to be forever. Her mastery of Universal was nearly up to par to pass the written part of the IA examination, and she was systematically filling in her clinical hours. Aglao predicted she would be ready to pass the exam by the time the flooding season had passed. All the time indoors would give her an opportunity to study for her exams.
“Eshar, female. Does S’samph know you have fewer credits than an iridescence addict at the end of a memory bender?”
Eleri glanced up to find the other latil’e male she’d met a few times before, K’kaen, peering over from behind her. She stumbled away from him, banging her knee against her medkit as she did.
“Seriously, K’kaen!” Eleri crouched to examine her smarting kneecap. “You should warn someone before you just sneak up on them like that.”
K’kaen’s tail swished. “I did warn you, little human. It isn’t my fault you can’t smell my pheromones as I approach.”
Eleri sighed and picked up her medkit, balancing the heavy container on her hip. “My credits are none of S’samph’s business.” The IA had been suspiciously quiet about her incomplete contract, but she suspected it was only a matter of time before they came inquiring. But she would deal with them when necessary. For now, the only goal was to finish her training.
“He would be unhappy to know how much you’re struggling. I’m unhappy, and you’re not even my responsibility.”
“I appreciate your concern, but I’m really not struggling. I have a place to sleep and food to eat, and that’s enough for me.” She gave a reassuringsmile without her teeth showing and tilted her head to the side in the closest approximation of the rising and falling motion of a frill. She had no idea if she was communicating the correct idea, but the last thing she needed was S’samph on her case about her lack of credits. They were finally making progress on having a more reasonable relationship, and she didn’t want to ruin things by bringing talk of credits into the balance.
“He should still know. You’re his mate.”
“It’s very kind of you to be concerned, but S’samph and I aren’t mated. I’m not his responsibility either.” She stopped in front of the clinic. “Was there anything else?” Eleri tried to read him, tried to parse whether or not he was going to go ahead and tell S’samph anyway. It seemed likely he would, and Eleri was not looking forward to the conversation with S’samph after he found out.
“Not yet anyway.” K’kaen’s frill rippled. “Be well, Eleri. Stay away from the kyrot male. I suspect violence will follow if you do not.”
Eleri nodded. He was talking about Minio. The warning wasn’t needed. She had no plans to go anywhere around him or his sister for the time being, but she wasn’t going to avoid him if they happened to encounter each other. “Thanks, K’kaen.” She started walking away until she remembered her question from earlier. “I have a question for you, actually.”
“Anything I can answer, little human.”
“Do latil’e use sarcasm or irony when they speak?”
The question must have been stranger than she thought because K’kaen’s tail thrashed hard enough to thump against his own spine in what she’d learned was an indicator of amusement. “We do. It’s considered rude, but I suppose it probably is for most intelligent beings as well. Don’t let S’samph’s dryness fool you. He can use sarcasm with the best of them.”
Eleri’s mouth twisted a bit with acknowledgement of the information. “That’s good to know. Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. I won’t let S’samph know you’ve discovered his secret. I want to see his reaction when he realizes you know.” K’kaen hopped back on his bike and rode a few paces over to the charging blocks. Eleri hurried back to the clinic, where she discovered a crowd gathered in the clinic atrium.
“Welcome back, Eleri.” Aglao greeted her with their customary bobble up and down. “We have multiple males injured in a machinery accident. Go clean up and get changedinto a clean uniform. We’ll learn about removing metal parts from skin and protocol for treating plasma burns."
"Will they be stable in the meantime?" Eleri asked as she began unpacking her medkit and removing her dusty boots in the doorway so that she didn’t track grime through the clinic.
"Yes. I have everything stable, but I want you to learn. These accidents are all too common with the farmers.”
Eleri hurried to change and scrub herself clean of the omnipresent blue dust. It was going to be a long night. She found herself grateful for the distraction. Busy with learning the right tools to extract metal particulates and the correct wound care protocol for plasma fuel burns, she found herself with little time to think about either S’samph or her own predicament.
CHAPTER 13
S’samph
Whatever medication Eleri had given him put him to sleep like nothing he’d ever experienced. Even the normal sounds of nightlife and heavy wind heralding the approaching rains weren’t enough to disturb him as they usually were. He woke groggy and disoriented as K’kaen pounded on the door to his nest. Dressed in only an oversized pair of pants, he slunk to the door and opened it before his friend decided to kick it in.
“You’re doing this intentionally.” S’samph glowered at K’kaen. The other male’s identity chip was keyed to his door, so he could have entered at any point without all the banging.
“Of course, I am. Making you angry brings me great joy.” K’kaen entered with a cooler filled with food and a tail twitching with amusement. “How’s the hole in your arm?”
“I haven’t taken the initiative to look.” S’samph rifled through the contents of the cooler and found it filled with boxes of utilitarian cooked meals. “You prepared this?”
