Nova (22 page)

Even now, K’llan could feel the strength of Serros’s
concentration on K’llan, charged with seemingly endless energy yet enduring
patience and sensitivity.

Turning towards Avara, the Vosaia finally replied, “The
answer to your question is somewhat… complicated.”

The Captain took a seat on the couch and gestured for K’llan
to do the same. “How so?”

Following suit and sitting a foot or so away from her Human
friend, K’llan responded “I know you are aware of the Vosaia biological urge to
Feed in order to survive. Before the Blood Schism, it was the norm for Vosaia
to Feed on other sentients and consume life–soul energy, or
nya
, for
sustenance. Many rituals surrounded the act of consensual Feeding, as well as
rules of etiquette and decorum.”

Pausing for a moment to carefully consider her vocabulary,
understanding the importance of this rather personal topic in a way that Avara did
not, K’llan absently traced the ridge of her sapphire streaked brow as she
reached for the right words. “At the same time, though made a crime for Vosaia
to perpetrate
within
our species, it was also common for Vosaia
to
non–consensually
Feed on others. The ultimate expression of non–consensual
Feeding was, of course, symbolized by the legal slavery of sentients.”

K’llan again found herself searching for the appropriate lexis
to explain one of the most significance developments in her people’s history. “It
was with this practice in which the origination of deep dispute first rooted
within Vosaia society and ultimately expressed itself in the split between
Vosaia and Karukai. During the Blood Wars and with their end, within society
there developed a…
cultural stigma
, I suppose you could say, in regards
to casual Feeding of any kind. This stigma became further stressed and
solidified by a host of legal definitions and limitations of how Feeding can be
enacted. The emphasis is prompted by the potential to go too far when Feeding,
and thus cause harm to the person being Fed upon.”

With a somewhat self–deprecating shrug due to her own
familial connection, K’llan added, “All of this was, of course, made truly
possible in such a wide–spread manner by the development of Vitani.”

K’llan watched as Avara nodded slowly in response,
understanding lighting her lustrous night–blue eyes as she clasped her hands
together, elbows resting on her knees and position canted towards K’llan in an
oddly inclusive manner. Without the utterance of a single word, the action
symbolized a quiet acceptance of both Vosaia culture and of K’llan. Musing, Z’arr
knew that it was
this
manner of inclusivity and acceptance, fused with
her unbendable strength of will and moral code that encouraged others to so
enthusiastically follow Captain Avara Serros into almost any circumstance she
directed. In this, Avara resembled no other individual K’llan had ever
encountered.

“So,” Serros began, mouth working to keep up with her mind,
“essentially, there are no longer regular customs and traditions around the
sharing of sustenance due to its association with Feeding, Vitani or no.”

“Exactly.”

“And yet, as you alluded to, consensual Feeding is still
allowed.”

At the Captain’s statement, which also represented an
implicit question, K’llan felt a slight flutter in the core of her being, a pin
of anxiety delicately stabbing through surface–flesh. Of course Avara would not
be satisfied with anything even remotely representing a half–answer. It simply
was not in her nature to do so.

“Yes, consensual Feeding is not disallowed.” Z’arr
continued, forcing herself to directly meet Avara’s gaze. “As I said, however,
except in very specific… circumstances, it is
never
a casual act. You
must understand,” K’llan uttered, and she could feel herself unconsciously
gripping her right knee in emphasis of the importance of the concept she was
trying to communicate.  “Firstly, it is an
intensely
deep and personal
joining. Not only is the very life energy of the two people involved exchanged,
but so are the most intimate and private memories, thoughts, and experiences. Feeding
is typically conducted only between the closest of individuals; that is to say,
almost always between Life–Mates.”

Avara’s eyes widened slightly and her lips compressed in
concentration. K’llan could feel the Human react to the emotions Z’arr knew she
was broadcasting. She also knew Avara could sense K’llan’s need for her meaning
to be understood and her vague, but very real anxiety regarding the potential
for rejection due to their cultural differences. Feelings that were further underscored
with heavy significance by the link the two of them had, in an almost unheard
of fashion, spontaneously developed.

 Yet
still
had yet to discuss.

“I see.” The Captain slowly mouthed a moment later. “You
said Feeding is never a casual act except in very specific circumstances?”

K’llan could not help herself. She felt a low bubble of
laughter peal forth despite the loaded discussion. “You are more exacting than
any Professor I ever studied under, Avara.” She remarked, letting the bemused
warmth she felt filter between herself and Serros. “Yes, so I did.”

Serros issued one of her trademark, crooked grins that did
much to dispel the quiet tension of the unexpectedly weighty topic. “Sorry; I frequently
drove my own teachers to distraction, and not always to good result.”

“I can only imagine.” K’llan responded, still laughing slightly.
“Mm. How should I say this? Though looked down upon by some within society,
there are what you would call… prostitutes, I suppose would be the most appropriate
if not entirely accurate term. Those who allow Feeding by Vosaia who are
willing to pay for the pleasure. As it is consensual, it is quite legal.”

“Ah, I see.” Serros answered, mulling the thought over.
“That description makes Feeding seem almost sexual. Is that an accurate
assessment?” Interestingly, K’llan read not a hint of reserve or embarrassment,
only curiosity.

K’llan nodded in the affirmative. “There is a reason why
Feeding is usually only shared between Life–Mates. As I have described, there
is certainly the emotional, cognitive, and spiritual connection in the act, but
also a decidedly physical exchange. Feeding does not have to, but almost always
does, include sexual intimacy. Additionally, due to the emotive exchange,
physical release is magnified many times and is more… pleasurable than purely corporeal
sexual release alone.”

To K’llan’s own slight dismay and despite over two–hundred
years of life, she found that it was
she
who experienced a slim thread
of embarrassment at her own declaration.

“Ah. And have you ever… participated in consensual Feeding?”

K’llan fought the urge to squirm under the hawk–like gaze of
those too bright eyes. And the unmistakable interest that lay pulsing in the
space between them. “No. Though I have taken lovers in the physical sense that
Humans understand, I… always had yet to meet someone with whom I wished to
share such a joining with.”

To her vast relief, Serros did not pursue the grammatical
tense or half–stutter K’llan had just issued. She could not decide if Avara’s
decision to cease her questing was due to an understanding or lack of
understanding. The Vosaia
could
, however, feel a bloom of what could
only be described as faint satisfaction rippling off of Avara, though K’llan
was not sure of its exact meaning. Nonetheless, she did recognize the pleasure and
warmth she felt flowing from Serros as the Captain said “Thank you for sharing
such a personal matter with me. I am honored by your trust.”

“Of course, Avara.”

“Well,” The Captain began as she stood up and offered a hand
to K’llan, a playful smile curving her naturally rouge–touched lips, “as I know
there is at least
one
every day ritual we Humans and Vosaia
do
share, shall we each have a glass and begin this evening’s entertainment?”

K’llan responded with another laugh, an experience that was
quite common, she had noted, when spending off–hour time with Avara Serros.
Taking the Human’s slender yet strong fingers in her own for a brief moment,
Z’arr could once more feel a shot of the Captain’s emotions; genuine fondness,
regard, and delight at being in her company. They were all sentiments that were
echoed by K’llan. “Most certainly.”

Still faintly smiling, Avara released her grip and walked
over to the cabinets located next to the petite kitchen area of the cabin and
retrieved two small bottles, which she then uncapped and poured the contents of
into cobalt–colored glasses. The one she handed to K’llan was filled with
Vosaia Irenoth, the same drink she had consumed when the Captain had asked her
to join Nova Squad. Since the two had developed their friendship, it was a
beverage the Captain consistently kept on hand in her quarters. Serros’s own
glass was filled with Kylosian Honey–Water, her preferred social drink.

After raising then clinking their glasses in the Human
tradition K’llan had grown accustomed to, as had become their habit, they then
settled at their respective places. Avara was seated on the bench of the small
Human piano located to the left of her work–desk, a miniature Milvan
constructed of stained, polished hardwood. K’llan sat in the desk–chair placed
next to Avara, her silver, sokath–crafted firanelle gripped in her left hand, while
cupping her chin on its base. The instrument’s matching bow was loose in her right
hand.

“Shall we begin with Irlen’s Seventh?” K’llan asked, and at her
friend’s affirmative nod and count–off, they began.

Within minutes, K’llan felt herself slipping into the notes
that she and the Captain created. Tone, rhythm, and emphasis placed on both
keys and strings countering and yet blending perfectly. As always seemed to
happen they played together, K’llan felt the relaxation of thought and feeling
as she was immersed within the music they generated and the emotion the Vosaia
felt pouring from Serros like heated water into a chill pool.

An only too frequent occurrence these days, K’llan found
herself speculating as to how much Avara was truly aware of the depth of the
connection that the two shared. If Serros understood that, especially at times
like this when duties were relaxed and they were in each other’s company, her
nya
and the Human’s both merged
with,
and were sub–merged
within,
one
another’s.

There was no doubt that their friendship had continued to expand
in the last few months as they not only worked quite closely together but also often
spent off–hours in each other’s company. It had begun with sparing matches of macti
as they’d noted very early (in truth, during their first encounter and night–filled
rooftop chase), that they were quite close in skill level. Certainly, they were
the most practiced on the ship in that particular form of martial arts. The
bouts quickly turned into regular engagements.

After the first month, the two experienced a mutual recognition
regarding their life–long study and love of music, passed on to both of them by
their respective mothers. Soon, Avara and K’llan met weekly then bi–weekly just
as tonight; to play together, share a drink and conversation.

Gradually they had begun to comprehend more about one
another, from perspectives and opinions to likes, dislikes, and experiences. K’llan
knew that Avara was introduced to art from her father, a mechanical engineer
and painter. It was a love that Serros carried even through the Academy where
she Majored, somewhat unsurprisingly, in Tactical Strategy, but Minored in Art
History. Though Avara had spoken but a little of the matter, K’llan also knew
that the Captain had lost her father to violence when she was barely eighteen
years of age, and that continuing to practice art was not only something she
enjoyed for herself, but in some way, acted as a living memoriam to the deceased
parent she adored.

In return, K’llan had shared that, though an unusual love–match
in Vosaia society, her mother Ry’anlyar Z’arr had chosen as her Life–Mate
not
only
a male, but a
Human
male, and that K’llan too had also lost her
father at a young age. Though her memories of him were sketchy, as she’d
communicated to Avara, her interest in the military that eventually resulted in
her becoming a Vosaia STF Agent was initially spurred by his own life’s
vocation.

Still, despite the closeness the two had built, K’llan could
not be certain how Avara, a Human, viewed their relationship. K’llan discerned
that Captain Serros felt and sensed their psychic bond, just as K’llan knew it
was distinct in Avara’s experiences. Yet she was unsure if Avara Serros
understood what such a connection meant to a Vosaia and within Vosaia culture,
how unique their bond truly was.

K’llan found the topic somewhat maddening to consider.

Despite the other friendships she was developing, most notably
with Commander Marcus Perez and Major Ca’rrakk, Z’arr did not feel that it was
a subject she could raise with another aboard the
Excalibur
. The issue
was further made opaque by the fact that Avara seemed to possess a penchant for
forming close friendships. Indeed, she had crafted several with various
crewmembers, most notable Perez, Adeline, and her Captain’s Steward, Gaius. Yet
also with Naxos, Ca’rrakk, and Dr. Argos. K’llan wished she could discuss the
topic with her mother, who of all Vosaia would most certainly understand and in
be able to offer some flavor of insight, but as of yet, Z’arr had not had the
courage to broach the topic over the Net.

K’llan’s flying thoughts found anchor in the gentle yet
swelling emotion she suddenly became aware that Captain Serros was
broadcasting. The two were playing through the chords of a minor–keyed Human piece
that Avara had introduced K’llan to some ten minutes before and, almost as if
by their own violation, Avara’s fingers gracefully danced across the ivory and
hematite colored keys of her Milvan to stretch far beyond what they had as of
yet worked on together.