Page 36 of Ava Stargazer (Planet Xai #2)
Ava sought out Pyra during the next cycle. It was one thing for Vox to say the quorum was okay and another for them to actually mean it. And he was quiet during the last meeting with everyone there. She wanted to meet with him herself. And ask for herself.
Vox was still inside the engine hall, in a deep, restful sleep now that they’d left Cipra and the plan was in motion, but she was restless and needed to move around some now that she knew he was alright.
I’m glad he’s resting. Vox had been obstinate about trying to stay awake even though it was clear he needed to sleep more. She even went to the med bay at one point to get him a sedative patch that he flatly refused.
After wandering around trying to find Pyra and coming up blank, Ava went into the mess hall to ask Sai, “Sai? Where’s Pyra? I’d like to talk with him.”
Sai frowned as she looked at her, but then cast her gaze upward. “He is in his room. Hold on.”
Ava waited a minute while Sai walked away, connecting with him. She had to go up the stairs a few steps to overcome the ship’s dampening of her mental waves. She came back a moment later. “I told him you want to meet with him. Fijjak is in the solarium so...”
Ava said softly, “There’s a seating area outside the med bay. Have him meet me there. It’s far enough from everything.”
Sai nodded and wandered off to convey the message as Ava walked to the seating area directly.
She sat there and watched the stars zoom past in the little alcove by the med bay, alone, while she waited. Her body was pressed into the little corner booth with a cushion that was designed to provide a lookout.
It was restful here, on a different floor from the mess hall and navigation where the others mingled. Ava hitched up the patchwork blanket she’d brought with her. “No more Cipra. And after the board, back to Xai,” she muttered.
She had to admit to herself how nice that sounded. Her voice hitched, speaking her mother's prayers. “Oh, child of the stars, what do you see? Among the celestial, heavenly beings?”
With her hand pressed against the window she said it again, looking at the stars through her fingers. Her fingers closed and opened, making the stars look like they winked back at her. Ava sat, doing that, until she heard Pyra’s solid steps behind her.
His tone was a low pitch, but still a bit higher than Vox’s. “Is this about the Humans, Ava? Is that what you want to ask about?”
Ava turned and regarded him and his kind face, which still looked gentle. He sat down next to her, his older body moving slowly and the shells around his neck swaying as he did so.
She swallowed and held her fingers together as she forced herself to ask, “The Vorbax Quorum was so opposed to Humans before. What changed? And did it really change?”
Pyra shifted in his seat and answered slowly, “There are some who are still against it. But, we are still Vorbax males, Ava. We are not weaklings, even though most of us have not fought in combat.” He paused and added, “Before I left, there was much talking. It is easier for word to spread across our city being who we are and relying on mental ties. Most everyone on Xai has seen your face and an echo of your mind at this point. And we can feel their reactions. We know times are changing.”
“Outside the quorum, what was the feeling?” Ava leaned forward to not miss a single word. It was hard for her to understand that there was a large group, living farther away, that now knew her but still were unknown to her personally.
In fact, it made her sweat as she saw Pyra think through how to explain. “You felt them when you first came to Xai. There was a very large gathering then. They were welcoming. That feeling hasn’t changed. The women further out, outside of the group you met, are more indifferent. And the men are...” Pyra cleared his throat. “It is enough that the interest is there. We know we cannot be as isolated as we have been. Especially after I shared what I learned from Cipra with them.”
“Not all approve still?”
Pyra hesitated and Ava grimaced, seeing it. He spoke to her, softer, looking out the window next to her. “Enough to have a majority. Ava, if you hold out for universal approval, nothing would ever get done.”
A majority. The words felt light in her stomach. Her body relaxed its posture. “Vox always says individuals can make up their own minds.”
“Yes, and to that extent, if he is deciding to take you as a mate, and we are in need of more females, who are we to disagree?”
“What if Humans don’t want to be that? If they don’t want to have children? What if we just need a safe haven to live?” She added a second later, “What if we find some males?”
After a moment's pause she thought about how males at Cipra were scarce, and then nearly nonexistent as the years passed. Joy had even mentioned that only women and children were taken from Earth, at the end. I don’t think there would be many males. If any.
Pyra hesitated before saying, “We will welcome them and adjust if there are any. As for any females, you have your own arrangement with Vox, do you not? We do not force our females. It will not stop our males from trying to court them, but it will not be mandatory. Our males are just happy for the chance.”
Ava's eyes narrowed. “But it will be hoped for.”
Pyra tilted his head and regarded her. “Don’t we all hope for love? None have to come to Xai if they do not wish to do so.”
Ava smiled at that, and again as Rhutg came up to them both.
Rhutg leaned his big frame against the doorway. “I didn’t want to intrude, but we need some DNA and scans. Iryl wants to arrange the files before we get there to make it quick and easy.”
The small medical room at Cipra flashed before Ava’s eyes, but that left as soon as it came. She stood, and on impulse gave the sign of deference to Pyra, who waved her off as she fell into step next to Rhutg, walking from the alcove to the med bay right next door. “Is all my information not there already?”
“Everything Erox took is, but a lot was lost once the ship was uncoupled from the Phor mainframe. The board wants fresh samples.”
Ava breathed deep and walked into the med room. “Alright.”