The day of the naming ceremony arrived and true to Odette's prediction, it was a grand production. Etlon of Etlon arrived with all the pomp and circumstance of a world leader and was escorted first to the command center for a chat with his son and then to the center of camp. It was apparently a standing room only ceremony, for which Jane breathed a sigh of relief. That meant it would be short.
Jane stood back and watched the drama surrounding her husband and the two babies, both seeming intent on outcrying each other. Athen and Scrubs were beside themselves, new fathers, warriors caught between wanting to comfort their sons and acting like tough warriors. It took a mother's touch to quiet them, finally. The moment Clover took her son into her arms, he started cooing like a happy pidgeon. Odette's baby did the same.
Zenik just stood there between the two babies, looking awkward the whole time. It made Jane smile. The rest of the warriors seemed to be taking this naming ceremony very seriously. Everyone had even turned out in their formal uniforms for the occasion. The only shirtless Mahdfel to be seen was Zenik, and he definitely was not feeling comfortable in his own skin. It was more than just the babies. He was worried about something else too.
"No matter the ceremony, you will not interrupt." Zenik had made her promise earlier. The third time he asked, Jane was tempted to ask if he trusted her. She knew in her heart that he did, but there was something that told her their baby was the least of his worries today.
Jane herself was feeling queasy anyway, due to her own little package she was carrying. But she would take her morning sickness like a champ. She'd hurl her guts up with the best of them and then get right back to work. There was so much to be done around camp. Being gone for a few months had led to a power struggle, but she still was expected to play sherriff the moment she landed on the planet.
Finally, through some signal of Athen to his warriors, everyone fell immediately in line. The warriors formed a tight circle and the wives, a little less sure of what was going on, milled about in the center, until all focus was on Athen and the instrument he bore in his hands.
"As Warlord, one of the duties that falls to me is the Naming Ceremony. It is one that I have not performed as of yet, but I do intend on repeating the honor many times in the coming months," Athen began. The warriors let out a collective ‘Huah!’ like the well trained military group they were. Some of the wives jumped. Others clapped.
"My own son, the first of many!" Athen announced.
Another loud cheer and Athen wasted no time in placing the device against his son's pale green chest.
"I name and claim you as my clan, from this day to my last. Baby Athen!" When he lifted the device, the baby let out a happy gurgle and then hiccupped, but all could see that he now had a spiral tattoo over his heart. This time, the warriors let out a shout and the wives let out a hardy whoo hoo, obviously getting the picture of how this ceremony was going to progress.
"Scrubs!" Athen called out.
Jane heard Bright mumble something under her breath, probably still grumpy that he had been renamed, but not willing to voice her displeasure to the warlord.
Scrubs turned to Clover, taking the child into his arms. "I present Trevor!" he proclaimed loudly, holding the baby aloft.
"I name and claim you as my clan from this day to my last. Trevor!" Athen declared. A quick press to the chest and the baby was similarly tattooed with no fuss.
"Zenik." Athen said. A hush fell over the crowd.
"In my eyes, Zenik never lost his honor, but now that he has defeated his foe, and killed many Suhlik and conspirators along the way," Athen paused for the inevitable victory shout of the warriors. "You wish for the Ceremony of Honor to reclaim what he stole?"
"I do!"
Athen nodded. A warrior handed him a much larger device than the one that had been used on the babies, but it was clearly designed to apply tattoos to an adult warrior.
"Zenik, I reclaim you as my clan, from this day to my last."
When he pressed it into Zenik's flesh, the only sign of movement was a flutter of the eyes. It was not something that most people would have even noticed. In fact, the wives and warriors all cheered. Jane knew the truth immediately. This device was not designed to dull the pain as the baby device was. This was a searing brand into the chest. Zenik, true to Mahdfel and warrior form, refused to acknowledge the pain.
Athen wasn't finished. "For your service on Zatlan 415." He pressed the device in again, lower on his chest. Again, Zenik didn't flinch. "And for Noven 90." In quick succession, Athen called out achievement after achievement and branded Zenik again and again. The damn fool was intent on regaining all of his tattoos in a single sitting. Jane took a step forward, but Bright grabbed her hand and squeezed. To interrupt him would not just be a breach of protocol. It would signal that she didn't trust him or think he was strong enough to weather such a painful ordeal. There was nothing to do but watch.
His eyes sought hers and their gaze locked. Zenik said nothing, showed no emotion, but she knew the minute it was over and there was no audience to consider, the pain would overwhelm him.
Finally, Athen stopped and the warriors let out a shout. As if they knew Zenik had little strength left, the circle dissolved and everyone headed toward the refreshment line that the wives had insisted a celebration like this needed. Jane simply put out her hand towards Zenik, and he stepped toward her. No words were spoken as she guided him the short distance to their quarters.
"Is there anywhere I can touch you that won't hurt like a fucking bastard?" Jane said as she surveyed the damage. His normally mint skin was a sickly green, covered with black swirls. It was going to take some getting used to, all these new marks on her husband. She had thought she knew every inch of his body, and now it was like looking at a different man.
"Here." He pointed to his mouth. She kissed him, letting him wrap his arms around her, rather than returning his embrace. She was sure that his skin was still on fire. Despite the pain, when he ended the kiss, Zenik had a lopsided grin on his face.
"Yes?"
"There is another location that is not in pain."
"Uh huh." Jane rolled her eyes. She noticed a jar on the bed that she had not noticed before. Odette's handiwork, Jane bet. She ducked away from her husband and grabbed the jar. With a twist, the lid came off and revealed a green cream with a pleasant minty smell. Jane scooped up a handful of the cream and dabbed a bit on his first tattoo, over his heart.
"That is not necessary," Zenik said. "That other location would-"
"What in fucking hell possessed you to get all your tattoos back at once?" She wanted to punch him, then fuck him, and then punch him again. She settled for slathering on a thick layer of cream.
"It is not something a warrior would do in stages."
"Why not? Get a tat for every naming ceremony. I'm sure you'd be covered in a few months."
"I will be fine. Like pulling off a band-aid. The pain is momentary. It will only last for a short time."
"How short?"
"The Mahdfel skin is quite tough."
"Tough?" She turned around and began to slather his back. She ignored the fact that his speech was getting a bit slurred. Even if she honored his suggestion, he'd probably pass out mid blowjob.
"Sweetie. Have I told you that you are the love of my life?" Zenik said, surprising Jane. He'd never been this open before.
"You sound drunk."
"No, that would be dishon- dishonable."
It finally sunk in that there was more to the cream than mint. Jane kept slathering it on. She wasn't too worried about overdosing, considering the Mahdfel metabolism would probably kick it with a night's sleep.
"You should probably get to bed. Which side hurts more?"
He had to think about that for a while. He pointed to his lips again.
"Okay, Mr. Stubborn Ass. Lie on your back." Jane purposefully added a bit of suggestion to her husky voice. Any sober man would have seen right through it. Her husband practically leaped onto the bed. His skin rippled with pain, but then it dulled and he managed a smile and a wave.
Jane climbed up on the bed next to him, rubbing the last of the cream into his skin. His hand creeped under her t-shirt. Jane pulled it away and knelt on the bed. She performed a bit of a striptease, drawing out slipping her shirt off and unhooking her bra.
By the time she got to her panties, he was asleep.
"Good boy," she said. Jane gave him a kiss on the nose, and then lay back beside her husband.
***
The pain was gone when he awoke, and Zenik was glad, but suspicious. Jane was asleep next to him, but she was not wearing the same color of panties that she had been wearing when he'd passed out.
He rolled onto his side to inspect her closer. Her eyes opened and she smiled at him.
"Good morning, Sunshine."
"How long was I asleep?"
"A bit. About eighteen hours."
"I missed a shift," Zenik said as he sat straight up in bed.
"Hold your horses, cowboy. Your boss's wife dosed you. You think he didn't automatically assign your shift to someone else while you were unconscious?"
"I-"
"Besides," Jane put her hand on his chest and pushed him down onto the bed. He didn't miss the fact that she avoided pressing on any of his tattoos. "I believe that you were hinting heavily at something the last time you had your eyes open."
"I was?"
Jane wrapped her hand around his cock. How had he missed that his own clothing had also disappeared? He'd been too focused on her panties. Now as she hovered over him, her nipples were of great interest.
"Jesus Fucking Christ!" Jane said. She laughed. "You're gonna light up like a night light!"
Zenik saw the bioluminescence of his tattoos begin to glow brighter as he got harder under her hand.
"I gotta see what this does." That was all the warning he got before her mouth descended on his cock. The pleasure of her tongue circling and the delight in her eyes as the room got brighter nearly sent him over the edge, but Zenik was determined not to disappoint Jane. He didn't have to wait too long before she stripped her panties off and mounted him.
"Am I hurting you?" she asked as she ran her hand along his newly reclaimed marks. There was no pain. Only the pleasure of showing his mate how much he desired her. How he burned for her.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
Zenik pulled her down and flipped them over. "It is only painful when I stop moving."
She laughed. "Well then, someone had better get to moving."
Zenik pulled nearly all the way out of her before thrusting back in, hard and deep. "I do not think I shall last long."
Jane wrapped herself around him. "That's okay, as long as you let me light you up like a candle in an hour or so."
"Done." Zenik began to thrust, holding on to his last shred of will until he felt Jane tighten around him and throw back her head in ecstasy before he emptied his seed inside her.
After a moment, Jane loosened her grip on him and Zenik rolled off, collecting her against him.
"Is that ever going to get old?" Jane mused to herself.
"I will love you as passionately as I do today for the rest of my days. Though we may have to rethink our positions as your belly expands."
Jane said nothing. She just snuggled closer to him.
"Sweetheart." Zenik said to her, tattoos engulfing her in light.
"Mmm hmmm?”
"You are going to have to alter multiple routines."
"I know. But if you think I'm going to stop working and living and instead act as a brood mare, you've got another thing coming."
Many of the other Mahdfel took the position that mothers could not carry on any tasks that they had previously done. Jane had already taught him that she was more than capable of being a mother and a kick ass, as Meadow would put it.
"I just meant teaching the women self-defense is going to get awkward when your belly is extended and you cannot see your toes. You should probably instruct them from afar and let someone else take over the flipping and punching."
She patted his chest. "Glad we're on the same page." Jane sighed.