"With those questions?” Zahra snorted. “How many kids do you want? What do you want in a man? Do you think of settling down? On and on they went, and can I mention how none of the same questions were asked of Holly when she was asked a question?"
“Hmm." Khaazai rumbled as if he was thinking on her words. "I suppose you're right, but can we blame Vera? Perhaps she likes you and wishes to keep her new sister-in- law."
"She barely knows me." Zahra argued.
"After the questions she asked, I doubt that's true anymore."Khaazai joked
Zahra laughed and the musical sound washed over him in pleasurable waves.
After a few moments in silence as they walked around, she eventually commented, "The garden is gorgeous." She bent to examine a dark yellow flower. The petals were beaded with water from the light drizzle, more of a mist today.
"My mother's handiwork." Khaazai said as he pointed to the flower.
"Where is she?" Zahra asked as she examined another flower.
"Both of my parent's perished in a shuttle accident many years ago."
"Oh," Zahra straightened and glanced over at him. "I'm so sorry to hear that."
"They lived a good, happy life and created this beautiful home that their descendants could enjoy." He waved a clawed hand at the home standing proudly over the immediate land.
"How old were you? If I may ask?" Zahra inquired as they moved further into the garden.
"As my wife, you are welcome to ask what you'd like." Khaazai said honestly. "I was a young male, but already in the military. My sister, however, still lived at home. It took her longer to come to terms with their deaths. She railed against the gods for how unfair it was."
"Gods?"
"Yes, we have the god of death, life, the sun... although the sun god is less worshipped in these space faring days."
"Any others?"
“Other gods?” Khaazai growled with laughter. “Yes, I believe we have nearly a hundred gods, but the only ones worshipped regularly would be the gods of life and death, as those affect our modern lives the most."
"Do you believe in these gods?"
Khaazai's chest rumbled with amusement. "Not so much, but I remain respectful of them all the same. We havetemples for them all over our cities. I would be happy to show them to you, if you’d like."
Zahra smiled. “Yes, I would like to see them. Although I’m not religious myself, I’ve always enjoyed the detail invested in religious monuments.”
“Then I will take you to see them. I find the sun gods temple to be the most beautiful of them all, but each is stunning in its own right.”
Zahra turned her face up to the sky, the small droplets of rain catching on her eyelashes. "Depending on which religion you celebrate, we've got a few gods as well. But like you said, as we began exploring space, I think it became... less important?"
"Space has a way of occupying your mind like nothing else." He agreed. “Once you fly where the gods are supposed to dwell, you start to question it.”
“I was the first of my family to join the military.” Zahra volunteered some personal information. “My mother and father work on a mining station with my brother and sister within Earth Alliance space. My father was supportive, but my mother worried I might end up dead. It caused some tension between the two of us.”
"Has she seen you fight?" Khaazai wouldn’t be afraid for Zahra’s safety if she picked a fight. Zahra seemed to have a good head on her shoulders and knew how to fight a stronger opponent.
Zahra laughed. "No, and I’m glad for it because if she did, she'd probably faint with fright."
"It is uncommon for females to join our military. Yours?"
"Not uncommon.” Zahra shrugged a shoulder. “I mean males outnumber females, but we're there. We've had our fair share of great female generals as well."
Khaazai rumbled with his approval. “I am trying to change our way of thinking. I believe we should give any female the chance to join our military, and if she's able, I believe she should be offered a place amongst our soldiers."
Zahra cocked her head. Her brown eyes watching him. Studying him. "You support women joining the military?"
