ASHTAR

I am the only drakoni gladiator that is in our group. Of all the slaves, there are the sixteen female humans, two a'ani gladiators, and a bestial male I have never seen the like of before and must be tied down lest he attack. He snarls and rages, and the two a'ani are silently mistrusting.

Me, I just want to know when I can see the females again. Well, not all of them. Just the one I have decided is mine. They have been taken off to another chamber and we are forced to sit here with the one called Vektal while he tries to explain our situation. I listen absently, making note of the big details. Khui for survival. Ice-world. No rescue. Freedom from slavery. That last part I will have trouble believing. Slavers are one of the few sureties in life. When he mentions the females, though, I pay attention.

"Your khui, it will select a female for you, one that will be your perfect mate," Vektal says.

I sit up straighter, and I notice the other males are paying more attention, too. If they are gladiators like me, they have never been around females, either, unless given one as a prize.

Vektal taps a hand to the center of his plated chest. "You will resonate here. It will fill you with intense hunger for the female and it will want you to mate immediately. She will be your female and the only one you will ever want. When you resonate to each other, you will give her a kit." He hesitates, then frowns. "Do I need to explain to you how a male puts a kit in a female?"

I rub my chin and lean forward. "Tell us more about the females and this resonance. Do we choose the female?"

"No. But it does not matter. The khui always chooses."

One of the red a'ani shifts impatiently, glancing at the room that the females have disappeared into. "One of them has a kit inside her already. Where is her mate?"

"She has none."

"Then you lie?" The a'ani looks insulted.

Vektal shakes his head. "She was given a kit before she came here. I am told by the other humans that this does not mean she has a mate yet. The khui will decide."

"If she does not have a mate, then I want her," the a'ani declares.

The other frowns. "I want her."

"If we are claiming females, the clumsy one is mine," I say quickly. "If another male so much as looks at her, I will rip his throat out with my fangs." And I display them just so they know I am not joking.

The beast-male just growls furiously, as if he needs to declare his territory as well.

"No," Vektal says, raising a hand in frustration. "No one is claiming females. They get to decide for themselves!"

"But you just said—"

The mesakkah—or sa-khui as they call themselves here—raises both hands, his jaw clenched. "You do not listen. The females can do as they please. If they wish to take a pleasure-mate amongst you, they can. But it will be temporary, because if the khui resonates, a mate will be chosen."

"And then we claim our females," I declare proudly. I like this planet so far.

"No, then you must wait for the female to give you permission to claim her."

"But you said the khui chooses," the a'ani begins again, rubbing his jaw. "So both the khui and the female must choose?"

"It is complicated," Vektal agrees. "But human females are very complicated creatures. They do not like to listen to what they are told, as well I know. My mate is human."

"Which one?" I demand to know, my possessiveness flaring. I can feel my eyes go black. "Not the clumsy one with the brown hair?"

"She is not here. She is back in our village."

I relax. "So my female is unclaimed, then."

"She is not yours."

"Not yet," I tell him confidently. "She will want me. Am I not strong and appealing?" I gesture at myself.

Vektal's mouth twists. "You have not met many human females, I see. As I said, they are complicated creatures. You will learn."

"Then you will not keep us separated from them?" One of the a'ani sits up, red body stiff with alertness.

I watch the blue sa-khui warily. I am curious about this question as well.

"As long as you are not violent to them, I see no reason not to."

The two a'ani exchange a look. I mull this as well. It sounds like more freedom than any slave pen has ever given in the past. "So we are not to mate with them without permission."

"No," Vektal says. His tail flicks and I can tell he does not even like that we bring it up. Near him, the beast-creature just snarls his displeasure and struggles in his bonds. If he knows how to speak, he does not indicate it. I do not care about him at all, save that his bad behavior might cause us to be separated from the females.

So I ask more questions. "What if the females invite us to mate them?"

"Then you may mate them." He rubs his brow.

"What if…" one of the a'ani begins, sitting up straighter. "What if one trips and falls and lands upon my cock? Can I mate her if she is on me?"

This seems like a valid question. I look at the leader.

For some reason, he has both of his hands over his face. "No," he says flatly. "No one will trip and fall upon your cock."

"They might," I add. "You never know." I think of the clumsy one who dropped her blanket and revealed her breasts and belly. In my mind's eye, I see her bending over to pick something up, her rounded, strangely pale buttocks in the air. My cock stirs with excitement and I send out another mental pulse, trying to connect to her. I am disappointed when I contact nothing again.

"No, they will not," Vektal says again. "Because you are going to be wearing clothing."

"Bah," I say, hating the idea already. "Only a fool wears something that can have him grabbed by an opponent in the arena." One of the a'ani nods agreement.

"You are not in ree-nah, whatever that is." Vektal stabs a finger at the ground. "You are here in my tribe, and you will wear at least a loincloth, so I do not want to see anyone tripping and falling on females!"

"Bah," I say again. "How are we supposed to find out if they wish to mate, then? I do not know a human's mating battles."

"She will tell you."

Interesting. "Is that all it takes?"

"For some. This is very new to them, though. You must be patient. The khui will choose, and then you will understand. Until then, you must be patient." Vektal gets to his feet. "And now we will get you clothing."

Patience. Clothing. I suppose I can do these things if it will get me the brown-haired female with the big, watchful eyes. I can be patient. I can wear clothes if I must.