Alien Redemption [Clans of Kalquor 06] (24 page)

“
Kestarsh
?” she guessed. From what the Imdiko had told her, his small breeding stock was similar to Earth’s horses.

“We could go riding. My stables are an hour away by shuttle. The weather is supposed to be comfortable.”

Erybet nodded. “I hear the last of the freezes are over.”

The Imdiko was almost childlike in his hope. Rachel smiled to see the big man so obviously excited over the prospect. She nodded her agreement.

Sletran crooked a half-smile. “You should know his parents live on the adjoining property.

It would be unseemly to go and not visit with them.”

The voltage went down a little in Conyod’s happiness, and the Nobek narrowed his eyes at him. “They should meet Ray-Ray.”

“I agree.” Erybet’s hand went to the back of Conyod’s neck to rub. The Imdiko rolled his eyes. “It’s the proper thing to do,” the Dramok gently chastised. To Rachel he said, “My parents and Sletran’s live much farther away, so it would take extra effort to visit them. It may be a while before it can be arranged.”

The in-law gauntlet
, Rachel thought with little enthusiasm. Judging from Conyod’s expression, he looked forward to it as little as she did. Well, if she was meeting parents, then maybe that meant she was a step closer to being the clan’s Matara.

Conyod blew out a breath, giving up. “I guess we should stop in.”

“At least for a few minutes.” Erybet was still rubbing his neck, as if to calm him.

“You know it’s never just a few minutes with my family.”

Sletran ruffled the Imdiko’s hair like he was a cranky child. “Then we’ll spend more than a few minutes.” He gave Rachel a look that was half-amusement, half-grimace. “Conyod’s parents are extremely possessive, particularly his mother and Nobek father. Don’t be upset if they don’t approve of you.”

“It won’t change my mind one bit about making you my Matara,” Conyod grouched.

“Don’t let anything they say make you think it will.”

Rachel raised her eyebrows. Well. This meeting was going to be interesting.

* * * *

After a pleasant flight, their shuttle landed on a broad expanse of tall grass on a mostly flat stretch of land. Rachel stepped out of the shuttle with the men and looked around. Tall grasses waved in the breeze, and mountains jutted from the land only a few miles away. It fascinated her to see how the peaks seemed to suddenly rise from the otherwise level ground, as if the jagged heaps had been plucked from elsewhere and scattered at random.

The only manmade feature Rachel spied were three circular buildings. The unadorned wooden structures apparently housed large animals. Outside the doors, metal poles speared the ground at regular intervals as far as the eye could see.

“My parents’ stables,” Conyod said. “The posts emit a containment field for the kestarsh.

It’s programmed to keep them in and predators out.”

Rachel squinted at dark, moving shapes in the distance. The only thing she could tell about them was that they were large and six-legged. She pointed.

Conyod nodded. “My parents’ herd. There’s the home where I was raised.”

The area he indicated rose slightly out of the ground at an angle. Painted to match its surroundings, Rachel had missed the structure at first glance. It sloped gently up from the landscape, the front wall no taller than the height of Sletran and Erybet if one stood on the other’s shoulders. A wide door and two pairs of windows on either side of it looked out towards the shuttle. The one side wall she could see disappeared into the small hill that it was built into.

Rachel realized the house was partially underground, in keeping with the Kalquorian devotion to marring the natural landscape as little as possible.

As she looked at it, the door opened and four Kalquorians emerged from the structure.

Three men and one female hurried towards them. With a nod to Erybet, Conyod took the lead to meet them.

The group of elder Kalquorians closed around the Imdiko, beaming with delight to see their son, embracing him in hearty hugs, ruffling his hair, exclaiming over him. Rachel wondered at his reluctance to visit. Their devotion and love were apparent.

His mother, Matara Lafec, was an Amazon compared to Earther women. She was still small next to the men, who were all about the same height as Conyod. Her clothing was simple; pants that molded to her sturdy legs without seeming too tight, and a blouse that hung loosely, its hem almost to her knees. After a moment, Rachel decided Lafec wore one of her mates’ shirts. Her scuffed brown boots reached halfway up her shins. Her shining black hair was caught up in a braid that reached to her waist. Her face was pretty despite being careworn. Rachel noticed the Matara frequently glanced over at her from the corners of her eyes.

Rachel identified Conyod’s fathers from the vid pictures he’d shown her. All three wore long suede leather-looking pants with padded inseams. Thick gloves hung from straps on their waistbands. Their shirts were long-sleeved despite the warm day. They looked like they’d already done a full day’s work to Rachel.

Dramok Tuher was an elder version of his son, obviously the biological sire of her beloved.

Rachel knew such things weren’t remarked upon. All three men claimed fatherhood of the clan’s children. Tuher’s jaw was strong and his smile came readily. More restrained but obviously pleased to see Conyod was the goateed Nobek Vel, whose hand went to the Imdiko’s shoulder and stayed there. His piercing gaze looked over his son carefully, assessing Conyod’s wellbeing.

As fervent with affection as Lafec was Imdiko Sema, who wrapped his arms around Conyod to hug his son with no sign of restraint or embarrassment. His broad face, which his long, wavy hair kept falling over, was delighted. “You don’t smell of kestarsh yet,” he chuckled. “What did we do to deserve first look?”

Conyod didn’t answer, but his face reddened. “You’ve been busy in the stables,” he said, appraising them all.

“Getting the eldest mare ready for your stud. She’s coming into season soon,” Lafec said.

Her gaze flicked to Rachel again. She turned from her son to look over those he’d brought with him. In a much more formal tone she spoke. “Hello Erybet and Sletran. It’s good to see you again.”

Her mates also acknowledged the Dramok and Nobek with polite faces and slight bows.

“We are always glad to have a visit from our son’s clan,” Tuher said. His voice was pleasant, though not quite enthusiastic.

Erybet nudged Rachel, and he led her and Sletran over to the group. Lafec’s smile was downright stiff as she too stepped forward to greet them. “This is the young woman you told us about, my son?”

Conyod grinned at Rachel over his mother’s shoulder and gave her a wink. Reassured, Rachel smiled with all the warmth she could muster at Lafec.

Conyod said, “May I present Matara Rachel. We call her Ray-Ray.”

Lafec dipped her head in a nod while her clanmates executed respectful bows. Tuher said,

“Welcome to our home, Ray-Ray.”

“Metla thlard gauted fapo mik pifral.”
The words didn’t stumble despite the guttural language her clumsy tongue found so awkward to speak.

“And we are pleased to meet our son’s friend,” Tuher responded in kind. He exchanged impressed looks with the male members of his clan. Lafec only continued to eye Rachel.

“Please, everyone come in.”

Sema thumped his son on his back with a strong hand. “Don’t worry, Conyod. We won’t keep you from your kestarsh for long.”

Everyone chuckled. Even Conyod quirked a smile.

Vel inclined his head towards Rachel. “While he was growing up, there was a time he would sneak out and sleep in the stables instead of his own bed. I think he often wished he could transform into a kestarsh.”

Conyod scowled at the insistent teasing. Rachel grinned. Marcus used to be just as embarrassed by his parents when they visited. Earthers and Kalquorians were very much alike.

She patted his back sympathetically as they went into the house, and he uttered a long-suffering sigh.

Rachel thought she should be used to the Kalquorian use of vids to simulate windows by now. She’d managed to forget yet again. She was startled to see the main room well lit by what appeared to be natural light from all around instead of just the windows surrounding the door.

She settled on a tan overstuffed seating cushion, which was part of a seating circle. A stone fireplace was the focal point of the room, and Rachel thought it was probably quite cozey when the fire was lit. Conyod sat to her left and Sletran to her right with Erybet on the other side of the Nobek. Lafec sat on the opposite side of Conyod, her broad hand on his. She smiled up at him in utter devotion, and Rachel swallowed. Her own mother had never looked at her like that, at least not that she remembered. Not even before her father had died.

But Lafec’s expression was perhaps too devoted, obsessive even. Rachel thought she might be starting to understand the Imdiko’s unease around his parents.

Lafec turned her attention to Rachel, and her expression went wary. “I’m surprised to hear a traditional greeting in Kalquorian from you, Rachel. I was led to believe you didn’t speak at all.”

Conyod’s tone was gentle. “It is her own language that gives Ray-Ray difficulty, Mother.

She was tortured for information on Earth and put up a mental block against saying anything to her captors.” He smiled at Rachel as if proud. “Kalquorian is something they wouldn’t be able to understand, so she feels safe speaking it.”

Sletran added, “She is working hard with me to learn our language. I think she might be able to hold a simple conversation in three weeks at her present rate.”

Tuher nodded with approval. “Very impressive. I have heard Earthers find our language as difficult as we find yours.”

Rachel typed on her handheld and gave it to him to read.
But you all speak English so
beautifully.

They did. Only a trace of accent marred otherwise perfect diction.

Imdiko Sema, sitting directly across from her, answered. “We made it a point to immerse ourselves in your languages, each of us learning English and Spanish. I speak German in addition to that. Tuher speaks Russian, Vel Arabic, and Lafec Chinese.”

Rachel was impressed and chagrined. They knew more of her world’s languages than she did. She only knew English.

Sema continued. “It was necessary for our business. We have hopes of selling the kestarsh we breed to some of the Earther colonies. They are strong and obedient animals, more agile than your horses.”

Tuher beamed. “Technology has not yet improved on the kestarsh for its farmwork capabilities in mountain regions. To this day they are still used in canyons and highlands here on Kalquor, more so than any machinery.”

Sema added, “Not to mention so few of your horses survived the explosions on Earth. It will take a few years for the clones to grow to maturity and be capable of working for your people. We have already introduced the kestarsh to the Mercy and Haven colonies with pleasing results.”

Rachel had been eyeing a vid picture on the low table that sat in the middle of the seating group. It was of a muscular beast, with six thick legs and a thick chest. Despite its heft, it managed to look graceful, with a long, curving neck, a streamlined face that tapered from a strong jaw to slender nose, and a gently arched back. A sweeping snow-white tail hung from its rounded hindquarters, and the rest of its short, curly black fur gleamed with health. The animal’s eyes were gentle and intelligent as it seemed to stare at her from the still photograph.

She typed on her handheld.
They are beautiful animals. Quite sensitive to their handlers’

wants too, from what Conyod has told me.

Vel’s sharp eyes moved from her computer to her face. The man had the most intense gaze she’d ever been subjected to.

He said, “That still you’re looking at is of Dresk, the champion Conyod bred and trained.”

Rachel looked at the Imdiko in surprise.
You never told me you bred a champion.

Lafec visibly swelled with pride. “Dresk has won more championships than any other kestarsh on record. My son is a natural when it comes to training the kestarsh. It is what he was born to do.” Her eyes narrowed at Conyod. “I keep hoping he’ll come out of this psychology phase he insists on wasting his time with.”

Rachel felt him stiffen, and he looked away from his mother, his mouth tight. Sletran caught his eye and surreptitiously winked. Immediately, the Imdiko relaxed and his lips curved in a private smile.

Tuher said diplomatically, “Conyod knows his own mind. He is talented in more than one field.”

Rachel typed
, I’m certainly glad he became a therapist. I can’t imagine anyone helping me
more than he has.

That earned her a smile from Conyod. His free hand found hers, and he laced his fingers in her grip.

Nobek Vel, sitting on the other side of Lafec, leaned forward to look at the Earther. “Matara Rachel, what is your opinion of the security protocols in the hospital? Do you feel they are adequate for the safety of the nurses and doctors against the more violent patients?”

Conyod rolled his eyes. “My father, I work exclusively in the traumatized Matara wing. As I’ve told you before, the majority of the women are more danger to themselves than anyone else.”

Vel was dogged with his inquiries. “But there are those who lash out against their caregivers. Even a small Earther can cause plenty of damage, given the right tools.”

Rachel thought she felt Sletran jerk the smallest bit.

Lafec nodded her own disapproval. “And don’t forget the Empress herself was abducted leaving that wing.”

Conyod was almost growling in his irritation. “My father, how many times have you visited me at my work? You were just there the other day when you came to the city to take care of those licensing issues.”