Claimings 5, chapter 1

Ondry stood at the top of the ramp and breathed in the smoky air of Earth. He knew the Grandmothers had traded several clean energy designs, so why the planet still stunk was a mystery to him.  “Are you happy to return?” Ondry asked. They had avoided Earth for fifty years after discovering the distress their presence caused those who had lost family members to the Anla. Humans had learned to distrust their government’s judgment after officials had called Anla safe only to have children taken and killed.

“I’m relieved that humans are no longer blaming Rownt for what the Anla did.”

Ondry showed a tooth. “We would never do what the Anla did, and assuming we would is offensive.”

“Are you truly surprised that human civilians couldn’t distinguish between two alien races?” Liam gave Ondry an amused look that clearly questioned Ondry’s good judgment. If he were Rownt, he would be trilling with derisive amusement.

“Considering how they war with themselves, I am not.” Ondry had to use the human world for “war” since Rownt engaged in battle but they did not continue aggression past the initial encounter. War was the ultimate proof of human insanity. Even when a war was won, such as when Command Central reclaimed the planets in rebellion, the conflict did not end.

Ondry suspected that fighting was a biological imperative for humans the way plants would battle for access to sunlight.

“We should focus on selling element 98 first,” Liam said.

Ondry rumbled his agreement.  Humans had to create the element artificially, so they would make a good profit, especially if they could sell a significant amount to Command Central or the local embassies before they realized the Calti had a mining platform that had identified a source.

“Have you made appointments?”

“Command Central as well as the Petra, Zhongguo and Prathet embassies.”

Ondry nodded. Liam would have chosen their best customers, so they would meet with them first.  They had both refined elements of their own to sell as well as measures from the miners who had contracted with them to sell their percentage.

“Will we sell our own or our commissioned goods first?” Liam asked.

Ondry was still young enough that he selfishly wanted the greater profits for himself, but as a tuk-ranked trader, he had to consider the community first, and miners who earned well would work harder for the betterment of the community.  Mining was a difficult task, and they deserved the profits. As the youngest tuk-ranked ever to join the Calti, he had to ensure he did right by them.  “We will trade the commissioned metal first.”

Liam nodded, and then the back of their hands brushed against one another. Liam turned and offered a bright smile, and Ondry wanted to take his paleteia back to their nest and toss him into the pillows before engaging in so much non-reproductive sex that Liam could not walk.

However, that is not what a tuk-ranked Rownt would do.  “You tease me, palteia mine.”

“After so many years, can you still suffer from such a small touch, chilta mine?”

“I suffer greatly,” Ondry said before he twitched his tail at Liam.  Human guards stood at the fence, and they watched with wide eyes. Ondry had to remind himself the expression was alarm and not curiosity. They had not traded on Earth for so long that his instincts for human reactions had dulled. He wondered if they worried about having aliens on Earth once again or if Liam’s and Ondry’s height caused alarm.  Liam insisted that humans could grow to seven feet tall without Imshee genetic engineering, but it was also a rare human who was that tall, and Ondry was nearly nine feet tall now. Before Ondry could ask Liam for his thoughts on the guard’s alarm, Liam spoke.

“My poor, suffering chilta,” Liam teased.

Ondry curled the tip of his tail around Liam’s leg. 

Liam chuckled. “It’s almost like you want your tail pulled. If so, we will definitely be late for our appointment at the Prathet embassy.”

“No tuk-ranked would endanger a business appointment to pull a tail,” Ondry said, tightening his tail around Liam’s ankle. “But one can wish one still possessed such foolishness.”  When Ondry had first earned his ka-rank for recognizing that Liam was a palteia in need of protection, he had often neglected his obligations to remain in their nest and hold his Liam.

However, while his desire remained, he had greater weight on his shoulders. He carried the highest rank possible for a male. Only Grandmothers outranked him, and he could not disrespect that status.

Even if he wished to.

“Sirs,” a human guard greeted them while opening the gate that separated the shipyard from the street.  “Is a car coming?”

“No,” Liam answered for them. Ondry had his wrist computer that allowed him to communicate in English, but it was easier to allow Liam to interact with his people. The guard looked startled. “The embassies we will visit are only a few miles away.” Liam sounded as though he were soothing the human guard.

“But sir….” The human looked at his guard partner.

“We’re used to walking, and there’s an autowalk part of the way,” Liam said. Ondry would prefer to use his own feet the whole way there, but if Liam preferred to use the motorized walkway, Ondry would not disagree.

“We could call a vehicle for you,” the second guard said.

“No need.” Liam hurried out the gate fast enough that he pulled Ondry’s tail. Liam turned and gave Ondry a wicked look that suggested it had not been entirely an accident.  Ondry followed, his gaze on the crowds.  For fifty years, humans had seen Rownt on their news. Rownt ships travelled human space. Rownt built mining platforms and came to the rescue of ships that had broken down. The Calti Grandmothers had decided that humans had enough time to get used to Rownt.

However, Ondry noted that the Grandmothers were not exiting the ship. Ondry would have to test the path and see if trading on Earth was possible. Given that the Grandmothers were at least twelve feet tall, they might be wise to wait until humans had grown used to see Ondry.

The area near the shipyard was lined with shops not unlike what a trader might find near the trading square of any town on Prarownt. Small cafes had windows that showed prices for food and shopkeepers had clothing or personal technology displayed. But unlike Prarownt, there were no trees where one could pluck a fruit. Vehicles crowded the roads where on Prarownt, traders would push handcarts.  The roads were straight and one could see miles in any direction at the crossroads, but on Prarownt, all roads curved.

To rush from one point to another was to emulate a child who did not know to stop and search for opportunities. Traders searched for customers and goods. Farmers watched for new plants from which to harvest seeds. Hunters searched for signs of prey and forgers sought new customers for their tools. 

Ondry watched a female grab the human walking near her. Had he grabbed another Rownt that way, he would expect a counter-attack, but the two females leaned close and whispered.

“We are causing alarm,” Liam said.

“I believe you may have grabbed the tail of truth,” Ondry agreed. At least Earth was not as hostile this time. Last time, protesters had surrounded the shipyard. Those who had lost immediate family to the Anla were no longer young enough to maintain such passionate hatred. 

“Colonel Munson! Colonel Munson! Can we talk?” A woman ran across the street, darting between vehicles that sounded horns and squealed brakes.

“Colonel?” Liam said softly, his voice almost trilling with distress.

“You have been promoted again,” Ondry said. At least this rank was close to the tuk-status Liam held in the temple.

Liam gave him an unhappy look, and that gave the reporter a chance to reach them.  Ondry recognized the small drone that followed her, recording Liam and Ondry. Ondry had destroyed a few before the press had learned to program the drones to keep them out of the reach of unhappy Rownt. 

“Colonel Munson, what do you say to Congressman Eset who has suggested banning travel to Prarownt without a government permit?”

“And who would issue this permit?” Liam asked.

“Norte American Department of Travel.  What do you say?”

Liam was silent for a time, and the reporter shifted uncomfortably as the silence continued.  “I think the Grandmothers will not stop a human from joining a ship and the possession of documents will not change their policies.”

“And what about the man who disappeared on Prarownt?” she asked.  This time she looked at Ondry. He stared back, uninterested in engaging with this human female.

Liam said in a conciliatory tone, “Prarownt has large areas of wilderness and those who visit should either stay in the city where their ship lands or they should be able to defend themselves. Ondry and I were attacked by a kawt during one of our trading trips, so predator attacks happen. Ondry’s mother died young, likely from a predator attack.”

“What can you tell us about your mother?” the reporter asked, jumping on the chance to interrogate Ondry, but he did not want to discuss Asdria with strangers. He had taken his first status before she died, but he had felt her death as an eggling might.  As an adult, he knew he had pushed himself to grow up too soon, and that pain was as private as the color of his pillows.

“Discussing death is not polite in Rownt society,” Liam said.  “Returning to the topic of humans visiting Prarownt, the Rownt find humans generally reasonable visitors. The sociologists and artists are welcome, and even those whose goal is tourism are typically well behaved.”

Ondry glanced at his palteia, amused by how much was hidden within that word “typically.”  The rare poacher had discovered the fervor with which Rownt would defend their planet, and even those with less egregious crimes, such as littering, had found themselves dragged to the temple and chastised like children. But as Liam had said, humans typically maintained polite behavior, and Rownt typically ignored the human sociologists and historians and tourists who now visited Prarownt. What other adults chose to do with their time did not matter to reasonable Rownt. And those who were not typical were taught better.

“What about Congressman Eset’s claim that Prarownt is dangerous for humans?”

“It is no more dangerous that visiting a national park without a communication device,” Liam countered. “And I would say it is much safer for children. It is just that Rownt expect humans to protect and inform themselves when travelling.”

“Would the Grandmothers protest a new travel restriction?”

“You would have to ask the Grandmothers. I would not dare to speak for them.” Liam offered her a smile that made the woman twitch her body the way a Rownt might twitch a tail. “Now, if you will excuse us, we have an appointment.”  Liam started walking, and Ondry followed, keeping his own body between Liam and the reporter. 

They had walked a block before Ondry spoke.  “The female wished to procreate with you,” he observed.

Liam stumbled, and Ondry slipped a hand under Liam’s arm to prevent him from falling.  “She does not!”

“I have seen many videos of human flirting. She was twitching her tail at you.”

Liam snorting. “Only if she hoped the tail twitch would lead to an aggressive touch. Twitching a tail could mean either.”

“That was not aggression,” Ondry countered. He was not upset at the woman’s interest. Liam was a vicious, brilliant, profitable trader with high status. A female would do well to claim his genetics. Ondry was proud of how many Grandmothers had pulled his tail. Prarownt had suffered a period of drought before he was born, so Ondry was the only surviving egg of Asdria, and Asdria had been the only surviving egg of Hasha.  Now many children would carry the unique angle of Ondry’s eyes.

“Are you jealous?” Liam asked.

“No.”

Liam’s eyes widened—an expression of curiosity. “I am not interested in having either procreative or non-procreative sex with any human female.”

“Do you not feel a need to have a child of your genetics, perhaps to even raise one?” Ondry asked.  They had been together more than fifty years now, so it was not unreasonable to consider adding a child to their nest. Had Ondry been alone, he would have complimented every child he saw in hopes that a woman would leave an eggling on his step.

“Heavens, no.  My mother was so overwhelmed with just trying to feed us that she never gave any of us the attention we needed. I don’t know how to be a parent. I would damage any child I tried to raise, but given that I don’t see a wife in my future, it’s not an issue.”

Ondry followed Liam, his gaze studying the crowds that grew thicker as they approached more popular trading areas.  Liam stopped at the entrance to a moving walkway and used a card to purchase two entrance tickets.  He had to duck to get through the entrance, but Ondry had to bend deeply to follow. Human proportions were not built for Rownt anatomy.

Once they were moving toward the central areas of the city, Liam turned to Ondry.  “Do you want children?”

Ondry darkened with pleasure. “I hope to see many egglings who share the angle of my eyes. Many Grandmothers have pulled my tail, so I believe my hope is grounded in reality.”

Liam stepped closer so his shoulder pressed against Ondry’s chest.  “That’s true. You are very popular with Grandmothers.”

“I am.” Ondry did not hide his pride.

Liam tilted his head. “Do you want to raise one of those children?”

Ondry did. Of course he did. However, he was a chilta, and his first pleasure would always be found in ensuring that Liam had a happy nest that made him feel safe. If he felt unsafe around children, then Ondry had no difficulty in putting Liam’s needs first.  “I have a palteia in my nest so it is no longer empty as it was before I claimed you.”

“We’ve been together fifty years. You’re not supposed to be so sweet.”

“Truth does not require sweetness,” Ondry said. “A fool searches for the proper color of air, but I seek nothing as long as you share my pillows.”

“You are a closet romantic.”

“Rownt do not use closets.”

“Not literal ones,” Liam said. Ondry curled the tip of his tail around Liam’s leg, and Liam leaned back into him as they allowed the moving walkway to take them to the district of embassies. Ondry hoped that this visit to Earth ended with more profits and fewer irrational protests. Sometimes Ondry suspected that he knew the only rational human in existence. However, he would endure all the irrational protests and strange customs and lack of egglings in his nest if it meant he got to keep Liam.