WIP Wednesday - Clans of Europa: Tina

 

 

Claiming their Matara

“Do you see her?” Osopa pulled his gaze from the pale stare of naked fear.

“I hate that she’s terrified. Along with the rest.” Tukui also brought his gaze to the Nobek, as did Yorso.

Osopa found some solace in Tukui’s obvious discomfort. His Dramok saw the misery the Earther females suffered, and he was acting appropriately. Osopa had been half afraid Tukui would dive into attempting to charm the prisoners, who would no doubt reject such wrongheaded efforts. As goodhearted as his clanmate was, Tukui had a bad habit of not looking before he leapt.

Yorso bit his lip. “I wish we could do something to comfort them.”

“It’s not in our power to help any but one. We’ll concentrate all our efforts on her. Do you still prefer Tina, Osopa? Yorso and I agreed she’s a wonderful choice for our clan.”

Osopa drew a deep breath. His concerns that Tina might be selfish or egocentric hadn’t been proven. Despite her tears, she’d spoken to the other girls with some calming effect. He wished he knew what she’d said to ease the worst of their horror.

“From what I’ve seen so far, I’d choose her over the others.”

Tukui nodded. He glanced over the huddled captives, careful to not let his gaze rest overlong on Tina. No doubt he was trying to avoid spooking her too badly.

It fascinated Osopa to watch as the commanding cast of a born Dramok settled over Tukui’s youthful features. It was happening more often as the months under Captain Tranis taught him the leadership skills he needed.

With respect, Osopa suggested, “My recommendation is to get this over with quickly. That female—” he nodded towards the frail-looking blonde talking to Nobek Miv “—might interfere. The others look to her. If she tries to stop us from claiming our Matara, the rest may decide to help her. It will be traumatic enough for Tina without adding a struggle.”

Yorso paled at the idea of turmoil, but Tukui nodded. “Then let’s make this as fast as possible. Since this is more in your line of expertise, take the lead, my Nobek.”

Osopa wasted no time, not wanting to give himself the opportunity to second-guess what had to be done. He strode toward Tina and her three companions, weaving around two other clusters to get to her. Tukui and Yorso followed close behind.

The Nobek kept his expression impassive, as was proper for a warrior carrying out his orders. He showed no reaction to the females cringing from his approach. They cried out as he neared; heartbreaking sounds he pretended weren’t driving spikes in his chest. In the space of seconds, he stood over the knot of white-clad Earthers that included Tina.

Her eyes were wide. Her face had lost all color, but for the little dots of pigment standing in stark relief on her nose and cheeks. A surge of adrenaline shot through Osopa, readying him to catch her should she faint.

He held his hand out to her. “Valentina Novak. Come with us.”

She shrank from him, and he realized he should have ditched the stoicism for a smile. Or at least softened his naturally gruff tone. It was too late to fix the matter however. Tina called out to the startled golden-haired woman standing with Miv.

“Sister? They say I have to go with them.”

Osopa swooped down and scooped Tina into his arms. As he pivoted, Tukui and Yorso stepped out of his path. He noticed his Imdiko’s expression of rebuke.

I know, I know. I’m not handling it as well as I should.

He dodged as much of the tiny fist shooting at him as possible. Her blow grazed his chin as she screamed piercingly. The strike was barely noticeable, but his ears rang. He managed to secure her squirming body so that her arms were pinned against his chest. She kicked, and Tukui had to dodge.

Bedlam erupted.

Releasing December

WIP Wednesday - Clans of Europa: Tina

 

Excitement, then concern.

Fortunately, Tukui was no more than ten minutes later than usual. His handsome features, exuberant by nature, were avid with excitement. His wide-spaced eyes, purple like all Kalquorians, were positively shining as he walked into their quarters. While his smile came easily, he didn’t usually show his teeth the way he was at that moment.

Yorso jumped to his feet. “Is it true we’re getting a Matara?”

“Yes!” Tukui grabbed him by the shoulders and would have no doubt swung him around if there’d been room to do so.

The next few moments were filled with shouting and hugging in celebration. They could have been small children who’d been given a pet kestarsh instead of grown men. Osopa wouldn’t have given into such nonsense, but Osopa wasn’t there.

Why shouldn’t there be excitement at such incredible fortune?

Finally, they calmed enough for Tukui to pull out his personal com. “Our Nobek has been stingy with information. He barely dropped me two lines today, and only to say he had to concentrate on his job.”

“Considering his position and the fact he works directly with that hardass Commander Lidon, you can’t blame him.”

“I know, I know. It’s frustrating is all.”

“Patience, my dear Dramok,” Yorso reminded him, as if he hadn’t been on edge only minutes ago.

“He should be off guard duty pretty soon. Com, contact Osopa.”

“Osopa here.”

“How long until you’re available?” Tukui wasn’t yelling, but it was close.

“Hello to you too, my Dramok. My relief is here. I’m in the middle of updating everyone on how to handle things in my absence.” Osopa might have been discussing weather conditions, he was so controlled. Typical Osopa, to shield his feelings at such a momentous occasion.

“We’re coming down to the moon to have a look at potential lucky ladies.”

If Osopa had been composed before, he was downright cold now. “Tukui, that’s not the appropriate attitude. The women aren’t happy to see us. We’re invaders, after all.”

Tukui’s smile dimmed only a hair. “Well, no, of course they’re upset. We’ll be sensitive.”

Yorso crowded him to add, “Obviously. Stop being so gloomy, my Nobek.”

His tone forbidding, Osopa said, “If you’d spent the last hours dealing with weeping females and screaming children, you wouldn’t be in the best mood either.”

The vision of such cooled Yorso’s high spirits in an instant. Concern replaced elation. “Oh. But now that they know we won’t hurt them, they’re doing better, right?”

“They’re terrified. All the pretty words in the universe aren’t going to change that.”

Yorso gripped Tukui’s arm. “Maybe we should wait to meet them until they understand Kalquorians aren’t so bad?”

Tukui had deflated as well. However, his optimism had always been a stubborn characteristic, and it hadn’t fled despite Osopa’s warning. “They’re surrounded by Nobeks, my Imdiko. Our warriors aren’t the most comforting presence a scared female could ask for. No offense, Osopa.”

“None taken,” the clan protector sighed. “We’re at a loss as to how to soothe their fear of us. That’s without a doubt the realm of Imdikos. Especially given what they expect we’ll do to them.”

Yorso considered his research as his disquiet grew. “They’ve been told some pretty awful things about Kalquorians. Maybe an Earther Matara isn’t such a good fit for us.”

“If not an Earther, then who?” Tukui asked. “Do you think the handful of our own women who are left would look twice at us? By the time we’ve achieved sufficient rank, they’ll all be clanned anyway.”

He had a point. “Who knows how many Earthers will opt for clanning with us once the war is over? The Royal Council has already agreed there’ll be no more forced unions, even if we win.”

Though they had been his words, Yorso’s gut clenched as forced unions bounced around his brain. He didn’t like the connotation at all. But many of the Earthers on Kalquor had come willingly. Surely some of those on Europa would see the worth of three men who would conform to a Matara’s every need?

“It’s not the best situation, but we can’t turn down this chance for a female clanmate. It may be the only opportunity we get.” The way Tukui doggedly argued for it made Yorso think he was trying to convince himself as much as them.

Osopa’s tone had a note of defeat. “I can’t dispute that.”

“That settles it then. If we find a promising candidate, we can show her what a fantastic future she’s in for.”

 

Releasing in December.

WIP Wednesday - Clans of Europa: Tina

 

 

An impetuous Dramok hears good news:

Dramok Tukui kept his head down at his computer station, trying to look busier than he was. With the spyship locked in orbit, there wasn’t a lot for the navigator to do, however. All the action was on the small moon of Europa.

Even so, he performed an instrument calibration he wasn’t required to run and checked his unchanging readings. With Captain Tranis on the main holo-vid, his bearded face taking up the middle third of the circular bow of the bridge, Tukui didn’t want to attract attention for the wrong reasons. He’d done more than his share of that in his short career on the spyship.

He listened to the conversation between the captain and First Officer Simdow, a Dramok barely older than Tukui. Ever since hearing there were fertile women on the moon, every man on the spyship was eager for information. Like everyone else stuck on the vessel, Tukui wished he had been among those who’d gone to the colony to hunt for General Hamilton. And maybe encounter females.

Lucky Osopa. My Nobek had better be ready with details when he gets back. If Tukui’s taciturn clanmate dared to show up with no more than generalizations, he’d—

Tukui’s head snapped up, cutting his train of thought clean off. Had Captain Tranis just said the three-man clans on board would get their choice of Matara?

The holo-vid was set up so that those on either end could look each other in the eye. The captain’s gaze flickered to Tukui, and he visibly winced before saying, “Of course, if a clan doesn’t feel they can shoulder the responsibility—the heavy responsibility of caring for a Matara—they need not claim one.”

Tukui’s mind raced along with his heart, disregarding the obvious suggestion that Captain Tranis spoke for his benefit. A Matara? For his young, low-ranked clan?

It took all his self-control to keep a delighted grin from spreading wide. He somehow managed to maintain a composed expression. Of course he could handle caring for a Matara. Even he, as impetuous as he tended to be, was capable of doting and loving and telling a woman how wonderful she was. His fathers had made it seem easy.

 

Coming in December.