Chapter 3
~ Daron ~
Climbing up to the twelfth level, Daron moved horizontally across three platforms before finally climbing into his secluded area. In this spacious new battleship, he was afforded ten cubic feet all to himself. As the commander of the clanless, he was expected to manage a punishing workload for all four hundred of them, receiving few perks in return. Space was the one luxury he allowed himself.
All things considered, Daron considered himself one of the lucky few. Military service was the last true path to clanship for Krylon males rendered clanless. Naturally, even the military wouldn’t accept warriors who had been de-clanned for breaking the law. But those who were let go, secondary to internal clan politics or were made clanless by the dissolution of a clan, were at least eligible for service, though they earned a small percentage of what properly clanned warriors in their classification did. His com buzzed, and he reached for it before he even made it to his bunk.
“Commander Daron, you have a visitor.”
“I don’t get visitors to the subsection.”
“You do now, and she’s very pretty. I’d get here before the others become overly curious.”
“I’m on my way. Don’t leave her side.”
Shoving his top knot back into place, he climbed down as quickly as possible. Why would a female be in the lower levels? If it was the captain’s wife, Yearl would lose his mind. Barreling through the doorway of the common room, he stopped short at the sight before him.
“Females aren’t permitted on the lower decks with the clanless.”
Standing her ground, she responded politely, “Are you aware that my sister and I were considered clanless on our world?”
“Females cannot be clanless, for you are few and precious.”
“Not on my home world. Women outnumber men four to one at this point.”
“As fascinating as that is, I must ask you to return to the decks sanctioned for your use.”
“I was wondering if you might join me for dinner?”
“I had an energy bar earlier.”
“That can’t be enough for a big, strapping guy like you.”
“It will have to suffice. Come, I’ll escort you to your quarters.”
“Fine, but I have to warn you about something. I’ll do everything I can to lure you to stay for a little visit.”
Smothering a smile, he approached her. “In that case, it will be my obligation to do everything I can to resist.”
“You’re good at this game. Are you sure you haven’t played with human females before?”
It was an absurd question, Daron found himself laughing aloud. “I can assure you, I haven’t. Come, human.”
“Cassidy, not human.”
“Miss Cassidy, my name is Daron.”
“I know. Remember, I nearly ran you down.”
Edging her out the door, he snorted a laugh. “As if a slight thing like you could run a Krylon warrior down.”
“I heard the clanless are easy to run down.”
“Ah, this must be a human attempt at comedy. I find humor is a hit or miss with your kind. In case you’re wondering, that last comment was a miss.”
“Hey, I’m a female. Aren’t you supposed to be falling all over yourself to win my affection?”
“Sorry, Miss Cassidy, I only engage in battles I have some hope of winning.”
“Ouch, you make me feel like I’m not worth the effort. Is it because I was low status on my world?”
“Nothing could be further from the truth. Because of my clanless status, I’m not permitted to pursue a female.”
“Does that mean I’m the one who must pursue?”
“No woman in her right mind would pursue a warrior with so little to offer. You’re beautiful. I expect you’ll have many well-clanned males vying for your attention. As for myself, I have no intention of growing a liking for a female I have no hope of ever possessing.”
By that time, they stood outside her quarters. “Will you escort me inside and check to make sure it’s safe?”
Even though he knew she was manipulating him, he acquiesced, “Certainly, Miss Cassidy. It will be my honor to put your fears to rest.”
Stepping into the spacious room, he noticed the space wasn’t only huge but well appointed. In the middle of the room was a table with two plates and some vegetation. Suddenly, the lights dimmed. Jerking his head up, he saw her gesture towards the table. There were several small balls lighting the table area.
“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to eat something with you. Do you mind if I ask about the lighting?”
Sliding into her chair, she murmured, “It’s the customary lighting for courting rituals on my world.”
“Just to be clear, we’re not courting.”
“Whatever you say. So how was work today, sweetie?”
“Dirty and dangerous, as always.”
“Please explain.”
Taking a deep breath, he tried to get a handle on his negativity. “The clanless are hired for the most difficult, tedious, dirty, and sometimes dangerous tasks. Tasks the military is reluctant to risk clanned warriors over. We work for a tenth of normal wages for each classification, and are seen as readily expendable.”
“That’s pretty horrible. Do you mind if I ask how you became clanless?”
Appreciating her bluntness, he answered without hesitation, “My clan mother wished it, so it was done.”
“Why would she wish something like that on a man?”
“My mother passed when I was a small child, and by some miracle, my father was able to secure a second mate. She bore him several sons and upon his passing, I was promptly de-clanned to make way for her eldest son to inherit my father’s estate.”
“I’ll bet you didn’t see that coming.”
“It isn’t unheard of among my people, but I didn’t foresee it happening to me.”
“Didn’t anyone advocate for you?”
“Against a clan mother? You must understand, clan leaders are only outranked by their females. Since my father was clan leader, his mate was our clan mother. Her word was law. None would oppose her, for fear of being rendered clanless themselves.”
“Aren’t there any rules to protect you?”
“Clan mothers have total discretion to follow even their most whimsical emotions. Warriors sometimes get marginalized or de-clanned. No one gives intervention serious consideration, for keeping females satisfied is paramount. The clan sword handed down to me by my father was stripped from my back, and the entire clan shunned me. It’s of little import; as a warrior, I was trained to endure hardship and suffering.”
“Still, that must have been difficult. Is that how you ended up in the military?”
“The military conducts a lottery for the clanless. I went for almost a year before I entered the service. During that time, I slept outdoors and relied on handouts to survive. To be honest, if I’d not been fortunate enough to be allowed to take what personal possessions I could carry, I’d have died. Selling those few precious items kept me in food for weeks. Just when I was losing all hope of finding a way forward, my number came up. I consider myself fortunate. Many die clanless on my world.”
“I’m glad you ended up on this vessel.”
“Do you mind if I ask how you lost status on your world?”
“I was an artist on Earth, one of the few properly trained at a university. When our ozone layer disintegrated, a solar flare hit Earth, and everything kind of went to hell in a handbasket.”
“I’m not familiar with that term. I can guess that it was this event that precipitated Earth’s societal collapse.”
“Yes. That was almost three years ago. At first, we were able to scrape by with our savings. Eventually, we resorted to selling off our possessions to the more fortunate, much as you described doing when you were de-clanned. The last two years, we were homeless. Much like the clanless on this ship, we lived in the seedy underbelly of the major underground cities. Instead of sharing tiny cubicles as your men do, we slept on the floor, scavenging for food. I became used to not being able to cleanse myself properly, wearing soiled clothing, and eating food left on their plates by others at eateries. Looking back, I think my sister and I only survived because we stuck together.”
Daron glanced away, realizing that her experiences being so similar to his own affected him on a deep and profound level. No female should endure such hardship.
“It was pretty bad. I got sick about a year ago. My sister gave me our full allotment of water to keep me from getting dehydrated. She drank from a polluted underground stream, and ended up with some kind of parasite. I feel guilty that she put my needs before her own.”
“I know this may be of little consolation, but I’m glad that you both survived.”
“Speaking of which, it’s a good thing they sent us to your ship. Your medical team saved her life. You should try to eat, before your food gets cold.”
“Thank you for inviting me. I must admit the clanless probably present poorly compared to the other warriors. We’re given a small stipend, which most of us refuse to spend, even for cleansing or extra food rations. Our one hope of rejoining society is to save enough to purchase clanship. Sometimes, the less wealthy clans take on honorable former soldiers in exchange for much-needed credits.”
“They don’t charge the females for cleansing or extra food.”
“I should say not. Women are to be protected and well cared for.”
“I did spend some of my stipend on art supplies.”
“It’s good that you still practice your vocation.”
Daron watched her push food around on her plate.
“I was wondering if I could sketch you.”
Taken aback, he glared at her. “Is this some kind of sick attempt at Earth humor?”
Her eyes got perfectly round, as she froze with her eating utensil halfway to her mouth. “Of course not. What would make you think that?”
“Handsome, high-status males with flawless skin are immortalized in art. Who would want to create a drawing of a scarred, clanless warrior?”
Her face relaxed. “It’s not like that for humans. The best artists look for interesting and unique subject matter. Many are famous for painting the lined faces of our elders. Warriors with lots of scars would present an interesting challenge and help me develop my skills.”
That made sense to his mind. “I see. If that is what you wish, I’ll make myself available.”
Standing, she extended her hand. “Come, I’ll prepare you just the way I want.”
He hadn’t expected it to happen so swiftly. Standing, he looked down at his empty plate. It was useless to wonder about her preparation. She was a female. Whatever she wanted, he was obligated to do.
Lifting his chin, he slid his hand into hers. Touching her was nice. He didn’t think human females would be soft, warm, and sweet smelling. Shaking his head to clear his own stupid thoughts, he corrected his thinking. Of course, they would be alluring. It was the reason every warrior wanted one.
He watched her start a shower and remove her clothing. As she shed the baggy garments, her smooth, white skin came into view. Daron had never even imagined such beauty existed in the verse. Realizing his mouth hung open, he snapped it shut again. She stopped undressing, leaving a small swath of cloth around her breasts and another covering her intimate parts.
Reaching for him, she removed his uniform. Swallowing thickly, he allowed her to peel off everything down to his sarong. The thin, waterproof garment covered his privates, hiding from view the only part of his body not covered with scars. When she pulled him under the warm cascade of water, he froze as her hands rubbed cleansing foam over his body.
Closing his eyes, it hurt to realize she probably thought of cleaning him as he had thought of cleansing his pet as a child. It was a thankless task but one that required doing, nonetheless. Confused about why such things mattered to him, he became aware that she was taking down his hair. Gently working cleansing foam through it several times, she finally rinsed it, along with the rest of his body.
Turning his back, he quickly cleaned his privates and rinsed beneath the sarong. A blast of warm air had them both dry in no time. Leading him out into her sitting room, she grabbed something from a nearby drawer. Kneeling behind him on the settee, she worked the tangles out of his hair.
“I was planning to just cut the knots out.” His comment offered the easiest solution to the problem.
“That would be a shame. You have such nice hair. Plus, I like combing it.”
Not believing that for one micron, he sighed. The little artist finished her task surprisingly fast. A moment later, she set up a stand with a huge old-fashioned sketch pad. He watched with no small amount of fascination as she sharpened her drawing implements and laid them out neatly.
He tensed when she moved closer to him.
“Relax. You have the easy part. Just lean over the armrest, and find a position that feels comfortable.”
He complied with her request, though it felt incredibly awkward. She finished by draping a synthetic fur across his shoulder and down his side. Though he couldn’t see it in his mind’s eye, he felt certain she attempted some kind of artistic pose. As if on a whim, she moved several of the lighted balls around him and lowered the lights on his side of the room. Whatever she was up to, it was clear that she took her work seriously.
Daron had to admit that he enjoyed watching the diminutive human moving around, making her preparations. Her long, light hair reminded him of the color of a seatil flower on his home world. No male who saw her undressed would mistake her for being a youngling. The fact that she scented of her quickly diminishing fertile phase messed with his head.
Her head tilted from side to side as she glanced back and forth between him and the paper. Her eyes weren’t only sharp and assessing, they were a little admiring. Daron couldn’t imagine what about him drew the admiring look. He was all too aware that his body was a mess, and certainly nothing to draw the notice of a beautiful female.