Affiliations, Aliens, and Other Profitable Pursuits by Lyn Gala

Author:Lyn Gala [Gala, Lyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: m/m sci-fi
Publisher: Loose Id LLC
Published: 2015-11-22T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

After a few hours of sleep, Ondry woke. Liam was sprawled over the pillows, one leg tangled in the covers. Moving slowly, Ondry slid out of the nest. It smelled of Liam’s musk, a remnant of the pleasant hours they had spent in nonreproductive sex; however, Ondry could not wallow in the luxury of a well-lined nest when he needed to speak to the Grandmothers. Clearly they knew more of this interaction with Framkie than they had told him, but that was the way of the Grandmothers.

Ondry put a small monitor next to Liam to warn Ondry to return if he began to stir. When Ondry had discovered the human need for sleep exceeded his own, he had thought nothing of leaving the nest, but Liam’s nightmares had brought him running back often enough that Ondry feared wandering too far without some warning in case memories returned to harm Liam in sleep. The idea that Liam had to face enemies that Ondry could not protect him from was disquieting, but Liam had assured him that all humans suffered from dreams and nightmares. Ondry trusted his palteia, but he had looked up that information because it seemed odd for a sentient being’s own brain to cause such fear and dwell in such unhappy memories. For a species that lived such short lives, humans had a great need for sleep, and that sleep appeared to pose many challenges.

On the other hand, as far was Ondry could tell, humans never had regenerative periods. The last time Ondry had felt the need for rotilac, he had slept for many months. Normally a palteia hibernated when their chilta did. Eventually Ondry would have to prepare Liam.

But that was a concern for some time in the nebulous future. Ondry was more concerned about the present. Liam had taken his former battle mate’s words to heart, and they were like a poisonous thorn stuck in that vital organ. Ondry didn’t know how to pull the venom out, but he was unwilling to allow it to fester.

As he walked toward the temple, Ondry ignored the few Rownt walking the corridors. He had to speak to the Grandmothers about what had happened and how the words had damaged Liam. When Ondry came into the temple, only two younger Grandmothers were there sitting on a bench and discussing something on a handheld computer.

“Grandmothers,” Ondry said with a quick bow. “I would discuss what happened with the humans today.”

The one Grandmother handed the tablet to her sister and stood. “The Grandmothers who met with the humans are not in the temple.”

That was a statement of the obvious, and Ondry struggled to control his annoyance. “When will they return?”

The nearest Grandmother studied Ondry, but it was the one who remained seated who answered. “They are having their meal. Perhaps you should seek them out in the common space,” she suggested.

Ondry widened his eyes and considered her. Only the tuk ranked would dare to share a meal with a Grandmother, so he

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