Page 54
“I didn’t get this pigment because I am bored. This is home now. It will be what we make of it.”
He kissed her neck, and she leaned against him. His hand slid into her robe, and she said, “I swear, if you cop a feel in front of your relatives, I am going to find a way to break your wrist.”
The folk in the room froze.
Vecchin said, “You are aware that threatening one of my bloodline is a death sentence.”
“Fine. Kill me.” She stepped away from Hazor. “It wasn’t a threat; it was a declaration of a boundary with consequences if he embarrasses me. I was told Hmrain had thicker skin, but I am not going to play polite with Hazor. He needs things explained in no uncertain terms.” She looked at Yvari. “Did you or Mathon drop him as a child before he could fly?”
Yvari snickered. “No, but I know what you are saying. I crafted two strong-willed children who don’t suffer fools or flattery. You are good for him, and my father was simply stating a general fact.”
Cloudy turned to Hazor and prodded his chest. “Then why didn’t you kill me when we first met, nosey? Lazy? Tired?” She poked him again and again. Her eyes glowed, and she glared at him. He kissed her and burst into flame.
Vecchin snorted. “Ah. I understand. Apologies. It slipped my mind that you have your own active strengths.”
She was holding onto Hazor, and the kiss went on and on.
He finally lifted his head. “Take that, alien scum.”
She burst out laughing, and he pressed his forehead to hers.
There were chuckles around them, and Yvari announced, “I am having an open day for visiting Terrans. If they are nearby for Landing Day, they can join the party.”
Cloudy blinked back tears. “Any of them?”
“If they are nearby, they can come with a five-day visa without question. I am advertising it at all nearby stations.”
Cloudy smiled. “Thank you, and Overseer Vecchin, if you don’t like to hear hostilities, stay clear of my cousin Molly and Arkon. Bess and Morsek are into talking, but Arkon and Molly are scrappy. Protocol would have stopped that courtship before it started.”
Hazor grinned. “They are moving in next week.”
Yvari nodded. “I am interviewing housekeepers and cooks. Nannies can wait for a few months.”
Yvetha grinned. “I never thought there would be the possibility of little ones in quantities. This is very exciting.”
Vecchin looked at his consort and smiled. “It is very exciting. I am happy you are here to share it with.”
She smiled at him with rueful love. “If you are worried about people threatening Hmrain, I beg you to recall our first few days together. I seem to remember cursing you out for weeks.”
Hazor murmured, “And that is why I didn’t take off with you. I don’t have the stamina for that kind of rage. I save it for fun stuff.”
Cloudy laughed.
Yvari said, “Now, Cloudy, what kind of thoughts do you have for Landing Day?”
“Well, we need a national dress that can be versioned across all species. Unifying and identifying all at once.”
Yvari nodded. “We can hold a competition and do a vote on the day.”
Cloudy looked at Yvetha, catching interest, and the planning session kicked into high gear when Molly, Elspeth, Thunder, Bess, Morsek, and Arkon arrived. Sunny had a date with an uplander Vecchin that night.
They would take the plans to the different families, but everything was inclusive enough to be accepted by all. Now, they just had to see if Yvari’s call could bring any Terrans to visit.
* * * *
Cloudy linked arms with Hazor as they walked through the pathways and stalls, and tried all of the fusion food that was on offer.
The strains of familiar music got her moving faster. It wasn’t part of the music archive, it was live, and it was fiddle music. The woman playing with enthusiasm was familiar.
