WIP Wednesday – Alien Redemption (Clans of Kalquor 6)

Trouble, trouble everywhere for Dramok Erybet.  He’s not a happy man these days.

            It was their third attempt to attract a mate for their clan.  A third hope for Erybet that having a woman to devote themselves to, to protect, to care for, would at last fix his broken clan.

            He could understand Sletran’s difficulty in reaching out.  The man was still in shock from the war.  No, not the war.  True, the fighting had been terrible.  But it was what came after, when Earth had fallen and all that was left to do was clean up the aftermath.  That was when hell had truly begun.

            But Conyod was being stubborn.  He refused to see that with his clanmates bound to secrecy by their superiors that a new, fresh start was needed.  A fresh start a Matara could bring.   Yet he kept dragging his feet when it came to attracting one, even though their chance was beginning to fade. 

            It was hard for a clan to come up on the lottery that allowed them the opportunity to add a childbearer to their group.  Kalquorian women were rare, fertile ones of childbearing age almost nonexistent.  Few Earther women from the nearly annihilated race were willing to choose Kalquorians over their own kind.  It took a lot of luck just to get the chance to impress one.  And the lottery only allowed a clan five chances to do so before the opportunity passed them by.

            If his Imdiko would just cooperate!

            Erybet was distracted from his angry thoughts at the sounds of sobbing.  Coming down the hall towards them was an orderly escorting a young, crying woman.  The medic had an arm around her thin, shaking shoulders and whispered gently to her as they walked.  Her gaze was locked on Erybet and Sletran, and she began to resist coming closer to them.

            Erybet realized he had clenched his fists at his sides, so upsetting were his ruminations.  He quickly released the tension in his body and slowed his progress.  He gave his gentlest smile to the poor little blonde, whose black-hollowed eyes gave her frightened face the visage of a skull. 

            He didn’t often visit Conyod at his work.  Seeing the damaged Mataras from Earth, the ones who’d endured so much trauma that they couldn’t join the lottery or be returned to the scattered Earther colonies, was hard.  Looking into haunted eyes of such fragile creatures made him hurt.

            Better than seeing them ripped apart physically, his mind whispered.  Like the ones at New Bethlehem after you gave the order…

            Erybet’s mind skittered from the memory.  He would not think about that.  Would not.

            Now the young woman was trying to hide behind the orderly.  He continued to whisper gently to her, but she wanted nowhere near the unfamiliar Kalquorians.  The orderly smiled apologetically at Erybet and Sletran, shrugging a little.  “It’s all right, Matara.  No one wants to hurt you.”

            Erybet glanced at Sletran.  His Nobek had emerged from his emotionless state enough to look stricken.  Erybet hoped it was only because seeing a crying woman was so awful, and not because Sletran was remembering New Bethlehem too. 

            Not daring to look at his clanmate for too long lest Sletran take the attention the wrong way, Erybet stepped close to the orderly and his patient.  Sletran stayed close to his side.  They bowed deeply to the frightened Matara. 

            Taking his cue from the orderly’s whispering, Erybet very quietly said, “Good evening, Matara.  Please accept my apologies if our appearance frightens you.  I hope you have a pleasant night.”

            For a wonder, Sletran also spoke.  His voice was soothing in its deep tones.  “I too apologize for having upset you, Matara.  We will be on our way and distress you no more.”

            She abruptly stopped crying, her eyes wide and wondering as she looked at them.  The orderly chuckled.  “See?  There’s no one to be afraid of here.  You’re just fine.”

            He nodded to Erybet and Sletran, ushering the woman past them.  She cast nervous but much calmer looks at them over her shoulder as she went.

Coming this November.