Veral accompanied her much of the time, conversing with his cousins or with his far-kin as he lingered nearby. When he was absent, she always had guards hovering close. It had taken time, but after a few days, he reduced her guard to one so that Malraha and Dreth could alternate shifts. It allowed them to engage in other activities in their downtime and was far less stifling to her, so she approved.
She was going to miss the place when they left. The days had passed quickly as Harahna grew by leaps and bounds. At a month old, she was able to crawl around a bit before she exhausted herself and was interacting with everything she could grab and stick in her mouth. They would be leaving any day now. Veral conferred with his people on the best way they could bring the starship down to collect them. It was going to have to be a quick exit directly from the canyon to avoid sand blowing into the engines and vulnerable points ofthe Wanderer.
Dari’samah met her eyes and smiled as they worked together, weaving knotted fibers into a large rug between them.
“You will be leaving very soon. I will miss you, Terri. When your daughter returns to our world, you must come with her. We can speak of all of our offspring and return to our weaving together… and you can tell me of all your adventures,” the female added with a teasing light in
her eyes.
“And will probably bore you to death with half of them,” Terri snorted with a laugh. “Salvaging and doing odd jobs isn’t glamorous. It’s often just dirty and boring work. I’ll miss you too, and will send you comms. I know they’ll take time to get to you, but I will stay in touch so you’re updated on all of the dull details.”
Dari chuffed.
“I am sure you will find a way to make it interesting in your duty, unlike some.” She grinned, her head tipping toward Malraha, who stood stiffly a short distance away with her dorashnal standing tensely at her side.
Poor animal seemed as miserable as her bonded Argurma.
“She looks like someone has asked her to hold a galgar in her mouth,” she whispered, her mandibles vibrating with amusement.
Terri bit back a laugh. A galgar was a small scorpion-looking insect, but rather than possessing a venomous sting, its tail, easily twice the size of its body, sprayed a foul liquid in self-defense. The comment wasn’t nice, but not incorrect since Malraha had a tight expression that Terri was starting to identify as her put-upon expression. Even the firm press of the Malraha’s lips looked sour.
Knowing that the female would have been able to hear the comment with her enhanced hearing, Terri didn’t want to embarrass her further. It was bad enough that the female had embarrassed herself with bitter comments and rude observations about everything. Veral’s far-kin had tolerated it, but it seemed that Dari wasn’t above poking at the too-serious female.
As they finished their knots, completing the rug, Dari sighed and pushed up to her feet. She shot a narrowed look at Malraha but smiled at Terri as she folded up the rug and tucked it over one forearm before scooping her son up into her arms. Although toothy, Terri decided she enjoyed the genuine smiles of the Galithilan people.
“Come, Terri. We have finished our work. Now is time for enjoyment… if your guard knows such a thing,” she said.
Malraha bristled, but Terri jumped to her defense before a fight broke out.
“Things are different beyond the Galithilan, but they do enjoy games of chance and strategy as well as gardens.”
Dari’s brow rose in surprised as if it never occurred to her that those beyond their territory knew how to enjoy anything at all.
“Indeed,” Malraha snapped. “Just because we are controlled and civilized does not mean we do not have our enjoyments. We are not as crude as the Galithilan people. Judging by the way Veral growls and moans, rutting like a beast whenever he has the opportunity to be alone with his mate, it is clear where that comes from. This entire place stinks of beasts and is unworthy to house our Ahanvala.”
Terri’s jaw dropped at the vehemence in the female’s voice, but Dari stiffened, her eyes slitting and heating with blue fire.
“I’m sorry, Dari,” Terri said quickly. “I don’t know what just came over her. I’ll talk to her and join you in a moment.”
Dari nodded stiffly, her expression glacial as she focused intently on the guard for several heartbeats before turning to Terri. Her expression softened.
“I will be by the lower pool,” Dari said. “Once you are done, she can bring you there. Do you know the way?” she asked, directing the question to Terri’s guard.
Malraha predictably stiffened
“I am aware of the route,” Malraha bit out. “I have the layout recorded in my processor.”
The other female’s lips turned in distaste, a small shudder running through her, but she nodded.
“How fortunate that you come equipped with one,” Dari replied. “Having the seat of your soul opened and experimented with benefits you at least in one way, whether your soul escapes or not.”
Terri bit her lip. Having discovered that the Argurma of the Galithilan believed that the head housed the soul, she was not surprised to learn they believed that those Argurmas who were processed stood a chance of losing their souls to it. It made them even warier of interacting with those they didn’t personally know to still be ensouled. The dig in response to Malraha’s comment was clear. If she didn’t separate them soon, a fight would break out.
Malraha might have been confident of winning but Terri wasn’t so sure. There was a subtle strength to the females there, even if most lacked enhancements. Those few who did were not treated any different by the brethren but nor did they lord over the unenhanced like the guard was clearly doing, whether it was conscious or not on her part.
“We’ll be along soon,” she assured her friend. “Go ahead of me. I’ll put our supplies away while I speak with my guard.”
Dari nodded and shifted her son up higher in her arms as she adjusted the weight of the rug where it lay folded over one forearm.