"I'm not abaya," I said, still careful to smile in a nonthreatening way.I walked over to the edge of the room, and set my swords down by Araxis's jacket."I look pretty normal for a human."
The trio of children trickled in, until they were standing a few feet inside of the room.Sadin was tallest by several inches, looking sharp in his blue tunic; he blinked at me with his black eyes, tilting his head to one side.
And then, strangely, he sniffed.Then trilled a little laugh.
The child with the short gray crest – Adrathi, I thought – gave his shoulder a shove."Don't, Sadin, that'srude."
"I just wanted to know!"cried Sadin, his nose wrinkling.
"Know what?"I asked, flat, although I had a pretty good guess.I wiped a bit more at my damp hair, self-conscious.
For all of the clients I'd had who couldn't get enough of me, there were still plenty of aliens who thought humans were pretty disgusting.We bled (dramatically), we got sweaty and clammy, we left skin oil wherever we touched.We shed hair and skin cells.Andwe were apparently, on average, more strongly scented than most other species.
I'd been told that clientslikedhow I smelled, and I worked hard to keep it that way.I worked hard to not be disgusting.I'd had enough of that on Seraphim.
"What a grown-up virra smells like," the child chirped happily, grinning at me toothily from across the room."That's whatyou'llsmell like, Talvi!"
The last child, shortest and standing in the back, hissed."I willnot.I might be sinnenthi!Our Araxissaid–"
"Araxis doesn't know everything!"
"Araxis knows more thanyouand –"
"What is it that I know?"As if beckoned by repeating his name three times, Araxis appeared in the door behind the children.He had changed out of the crisp charcoal flight suit and into different dark clothes – carefully draped pants that shimmered, just a bit, in the light, and a nearly sheer tunic that left his collarbones exposed to the chilly air.
At once, the bickering children stopped, all three turning to blink up at him.The littlest one, Talvi, ducked their head, while Sadin's crest bristled slightly."We just wanted to see the virra," said Adrathi, her voice edged with a rumbly whine.
Araxis glanced at me, worry pinching the skin between his eyes."And did you introduce yourselves and ask his name?"
"Sadin justsmelled him," Adrathi said, reaching up to grasp the fabric of Araxis's shirt in her little fist."And Itoldhim it was rude, Araxis!I said!"
Araxis frowned at Sadin, who tugged hard on his blue tunic, quills still rustling with unease."That is rude.You know better."
"And Sadin and Talvi said he looks funny," Adrathi continued, apparently eager to unburden her guilty conscience.
Araxis nearly winced at that one, looking at me again.I shrugged, and shot him a smile – just to show I wasn't bothered."Thick skin."
"Well," he said, returning his attention to the children, "I don't think he looks funny.And do we agree that, while I may not know everything, I certainly know more than the three children of Creche Thiel?"
"Yes, Araxis," they said solemnly, a chorus of three.
"And what should we do now?"He reached and took Sadin's shoulders, turning him in my direction and giving a little nudge.The child looked back over his shoulder at Araxis, whose mouth was set in a firm line, and then Sadin proceeded to pace across the room to come and stand in front of me.The other two trailed behind, dragging their feet, each of them flushed silver.
"We areverysorry for being so rude," said Sadin, staring at the floor by my feet.He touched one hand to his chest in an unfamiliar gesture."Thank you for coming to our ship.We've nevermeta grown-up virra before and –"
"Introduce yourselves," Araxis said firmly.
The child glanced back at Araxis again, and next to him, Adrathi elbowed his ribs."My name is Sadin of Creche Thiel," he said, still not looking at me."And this is Talvi and this is Adrathi."He dared, then, to peek up at me, and almost startled when he met my eyes.
"My name is Sashen," I said."I'm very grateful to be here.Araxis has been very generous, and the rest of Creche Thiel too.And, uh, thank you for the apology?"
Sadin whirled, then, and stomped back across the room toward Araxis."Can wegonow?"
"Please do.You should be safely tucked in your nest.Our Vivith will be most displeased that you are up at this hour," Araxis said, arms crossed, as he watched the parade of children turn, march back toward the door, and vanish into the ship beyond.As soon as they were out, he pressed the door shut and fluted out a long breath, shaking his head.
"So," I said."Virra?"
"Vivith will be horrified by their behaviour," he said, tipping his head against the door for a moment, before straightening and coming to join me."Iam horrified by their behaviour, and I'm not the one raising them.It's your… gender."
