Especially not one bearing an offspring of only half Argurma blood.
Tension radiated down his spine as he plotted out their course. As much as he preferred not to seek out advice on the matter, he opened a line to Kaylar. The male’s mother currently sat at the head of the household. If anyone had any insight as to how his mother’s sister might receive his mate and offspring, it would be him.
This better be good, Veral. You interrupt my hunt, Kaylar’s brusque voice snapped through their connection.
Veral paused in surprise. He had given his cousin such convoluted coordinates to Earth, tracing the most haphazard route that he could come up with, that he had not truly believed the male would find his way there before turning his attention to something more profitable.
My apologies, cousin. Your hunt?he inquired cautiously.
The male’s amusement came through so clearly that he could visualize Kaylar’s sharp grin.
Clever of you to attempt to hide this planet from me. I imagine it is due to some softness you have developed when it comes to your mate that you wished to protect her people. It is admirable, but a waste of effort. What was it that you were truly attempting to do with this?
To delay you until you lost interest, Veral retorted honestly.
There was a stunned silence and then a chuffing laughter that filled their shared mental pathway. More than that, there was an edge of excitement that indicated that the male was on the trail of the one he pursued.
Clever indeed. Perhaps that would have been true once, but things change. This was worth the wait, and with all my assignments cleared, I have had nothing but time to unravel the tangled trail you gave me. Now tell me, to what purpose do you contact me now if not to inquire on the fruits of my hunt?
Does your mother, Featha, still head the household?
Another weighty silence fell before his cousin begrudgingly answered.
She does, but I have no immediate knowledge of anything going on within the household. She and I have not spoken in many revolutions.
That surprised Veral. Of all his mother-kin, Kaylar was the male who was entrusted in a way that Veral had never been due to his mother’s misfortune, with upkeeping the welfare and honor of their line. Although Argurma offspring had their pasts erased, upon the finalization of their implants, they were reintroduced into their extended family units to provide them with guidance and tutelage even if the parents had chosen not to rear their offspring when they were younger. To guide a juvenile Argurma was considered the responsibility of the entire family, and those who had not yet met their offspring established lineage bonds with them, which determined inheritance.
As his mother’s heir, Veral had not been forbidden from the Monushava complex of his mother’s line. Yet no one had made a secret that there were concerns he would draw scrutiny onto their line rather than being the son of an unfortunate isolated case. It was one of the reasons that Veral had not felt duty-bound to remain on Argurumal, hiding his malfunctions like the rest of his line did. His absence had made it safer for everyone. So Featha took up the head of the line, and Kaylar was entrusted to guard it.
This turn of events, however, was not one that Veral had ever calculated for.
For what reason?
Another mirthless chuff filled their connection as well as a general dismissive feeling.
My mother did not like that I refused to mate. She did not find my reasoning satisfactory because I did not wish to bring a female to our complex whom we would all have to keep pretense around. I was not amenable to her objection over my refusal. It has been five revolutions, twenty-three rotations, four hours, and three minutes since I was last in communication with her. For what purpose do you wish to know?
There may be a medical emergency with my mate, Terri. Something unexpected has occurred, causing our offspring to develop unnaturally fast. I will need to seek the opinion of our line’s medic.
And you are worried that she will not be welcoming, Kaylar reasoned.
Among other things,Veral agreed. He hesitated for only a moment as he debated with himself on how much to tell.Terri carries a female of the line.
Tension flooded the pathway, and a sort of shocked stillness that Veral could appreciate. When Kaylar spoke again, his mental voice was halting as if he were attempting to find the correct response.
This is surprising… Are you aware of the reason that the council wishes to have Earth females?
For some experiments. Terri mentioned something about breeding, but there is a high probability in her moment of duress that she misheard. Our kind doesn’t breed with others.
She is correct, in a manner of speaking,his cousin admitted slowly.They want to dissect and study the effects that breeding and bonding with one of our males has on their physiology… not only on the females but on any offspring conceived. They have been unable to find the cause of the malfunctions within our own species and are hoping that observing the alien females might give them further insights to where inhibitors can be placed without doing significant damage. To our knowledge, we have had no other instances of mating bonds between an Argurma and another species, much less offspring bred, and so the council sees this as a profitable opportunity.
Veral’s claws extended from his fingertips and dug into the metal of the armrest with a metallic screech as a tremor of rage ran through him. His cousin’s silence was understanding even though the male was currently in pursuit to fulfill the whims of the council.
And yet you hunt for them, he bit out.
I do what the council demands. We both know the risks of going up against them. You have gotten away with your unlicensed departure from Argurumal, but I cannot risk their further disapproval on our line. It does not bring me pleasure, but I will do my duty.
Releasing the armrest, Veral dropped his head into his palm and rubbed the sensitive spot just above his orbital sockets. The bone was thinner there, unprotected by the thick bone that covered his brow. Unfortunately, it brought him little relief from the tension that clawed through him.