Page 7 of Ava Stargazer (Planet Xai #2)

Vox stood, arms crossed, next to Erox and Rhutg in front of the hologram on Celestial . The three of them were meeting with Iryl and three Vorbax Quorum members, at Iryl’s request. Vox wouldn’t let more than the three on the ship, claiming it was for the biologics’ comfort, but truthfully it was because he was still angry with them for how Ava and the biologics were treated at that meeting yesterday.

He eyed them distastefully. It is good Ava agreed to visit Orla. She didn’t need to be in front of any of the quorum members for a long while. His lip curled. Useless.

Iryl cleared his throat. “I have another thing I have waited until now to share.”

Vox leaned forward, staring at the hologram intently. At least he is to the point.

Iryl flicked his wrist and a video popped up, large in the room.

A looping clip played, and a flash of fear ran down Vox’s spine as he watched. It was a video clip of Ava leaving the vents on Torga in Vox’s arms, scratched and bloodied. Vox’s mouth turned chalky looking at the video, shocked. What is this?

His hands clenched into fists. Rhutg’s eyes were narrowed, and Erox leaned forward in concentration. They shared their mental concern with Vox as they watched the feed loop, exchanging wary glances.

The three quorum members, Keervel, Pyra, and Drua, all watched with varying levels of concern. Vox didn’t have the energy to have anything but disdain for them, as his focus was glued to the feed their enemy had. Of his Ava.

Iryl spoke as the others watched the video. “Right. So. I wanted a chance to talk with all of you first before alarming Ava or having her see this feed. I figured Vox would know how to tell her best, after everything she went through.” He clicked on the screen as he elaborated, the feed changing to play different scenes. “The Tuxa sprang this on me at our last meeting.”

Vox watched, jaw tight, as he saw himself rip away the vent and pull Ava out before turning and exiting the area the women had been kept in back on Torga. His hands clenched at his sides. I don’t like seeing this. How wounded Ava had been after they rescued the women on Torga was something he would rather forget. He looked away from the feed and breathed deep. “What did you tell the Tuxa?”

“Well, I was put on the spot so I omitted some details . . . a lot of details. I said Ava was one of our females.”

Rhutg leaned forward, his eyes also fixated on the images. “Did they question that?”

Iryl’s tone was frustrated. “Yes. They said that she looked different, but I told them that we were compatible.”

The quorum member Druau, next to Vox, shined a brighter blue at this. Keervel, the one in front, stepped forward. “You overstepped.”

Rhutg spoke over him. “Was this accepted?”

Iryl shook his head and said in a strained voice, “No, not really. They said that they had passed the photos around and found out Ava was a Human, a Class 3 species from a planet called Earth that was deemed void of sentient life. They know she isn’t one of ours.”

Void of sentient life? What a lie. Vox’s eyes narrowed. Ava’s face splashed through his mind, her eyes sparkling with intelligence. Ava’s words from back on the ship, when she was dressed up to be a Vali to serve him, came back, echoing in his mind in her soft, scared voice as she described how Humans were labeled. “We’re in there next to the prey animals and fungi,” and then his response to her of, “Neither of those are sentient like you.”

Those thoughts weighed heavily on him as Iryl continued, eyeing the quorum members, who looked back with stony expressions, “Look, I know I overstepped, but Ava is going to be one of ours, right? Any offspring Humans have with us will be a part of us anyways.”

Vox nodded, inwardly satisfied with Iryl’s actions. The quorum likely would not be as pleased as he was, as their hand was being forced now. No matter . He stepped back to look at the three of them. Keervel was stony faced with the lackey, Drua, behind the others, but there was a hint of concern in Pyra’s eyes. Iryl’s lie by omission would cement Ava more with their people. And it would become public record, regardless of Humanity’s current official status.

He looked with renewed gratitude to Iryl, wishing he could convey it mentally, but unable to do so with Iryl only being a hologram image. Instead Vox leaned forward to ask, “Who told the Tuxa about Humans and Earth, and that they are not sentient?”

Iryl answered, “I don’t know. The Tuxa were interested, though. The bit I could read from them saw them wondering if Humans were breedable and worthwhile to find.”

Erox cut in, “They didn’t learn their lesson from stealing ours? It didn’t work for them, though Orla and the others never told them how they could control their fertility.”

After a moment, Iryl spoke again. “Yes, but can the Humans do that? The Tuxa were asking questions. They are clearly interested.”

Erox glanced at Vox. “I don’t know what Humans can do with their fertility. Ava doesn’t want any more tests right now.”

Keervel spoke in the background. “Like we said the other day, so many unknowns . . .”

Vox ignored that, and his eyes narrowed as anxiety raced down his spine. He exchanged a wary glance with Rhutg. “What could that do to our goal of trying to find more Humans? Are the Tuxa going to look now as well? Or others who saw this video?”

Rhutg thought back, “On Xai, Ava is still safe.”

Iryl continued speaking, “Ava aside, after this happened, I also had something interesting happen. I found a camera, at least I think it was a camera, in my rooms.”

Vox ground his teeth as he forced out. “A camera? How?”

“It was ingenious. I only noticed it because it gave off a very faint signature similar to our IO minerals, but it looked decorative. There was a power outage here in my sector and it must have been planted then. I bet there’s more elsewhere in the board, but I only noticed this one because I know all the electrical signatures so well in here that I could spot the difference.”

Rhutg leaned forward. “Was it the Tuxa? That would make sense. Who else . . . ?”

Iryl shook his head rapidly. “I don’t think so. The Tuxa keep trying to mess with me, don’t get me wrong, but it didn’t feel like any of their technology. And I don’t think they could have gotten it in my room. Somehow the power outage was related, and they don’t have the ability or connections to do all of that.”

“Who does?” It made little sense to Vox.

Iryl shrugged. “I don’t know. But it puts me on edge here to think someone else is interested enough to go through the effort. If I didn’t work so much with the IO minerals directly during all these trades I wouldn’t have noticed, since the device was powered differently.”

Erox scoffed. “Maybe other species are becoming wary of us?”

Iryl said, haltingly, “Maybe, but that raises a bit of a concern. We do not want to be viewed as a hostile offensive species. Defensive is fine, but there is a line.” He added quickly, “There is a balance here that I am coming to learn about.”

Rhutg leaned forward with a leer on his face. “I don’t mind it. Camera was probably planted because the Tuxa are whining about being hurt and others are curious.” He paused, then added, “I’d wipe them all out if I could.”

Vox chewed on that a minute as silence fell. “Or it was planted because the Tuxa are flashing that picture of Ava around.”

Rhutg looked at him. “I know we care for Ava, but there’s so many species . . . why would that be connected?”

He thought back on the logs that Ava had recently looked through from Ebel, from Cipra. A lot of this doesn't add up. A whole breeding facility. A whole planet, wiped out. Ava labeled as non-sentient, Class 3 species, even when she was clearly intelligent. “Not Ava in particular, but someone went through a lot of effort to keep information about Cipra and Humans limited. Now there’s the Tuxa being bold and stupid talking about her? And it’s known now that we have her?”

Rhutg’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe.”

Vox pushed off of the counter. I hate diplomacy. As he rewatched the fight on Torga, his lip curled. “If you are insistent that these inane peace talks continue, then I wish to be present for one with the Tuxa. I want to stare them in the eyes so they can remember exactly what happened, and go on record with our side of the story. I’d also like to find out what they know. Any more information about Humans can help.”

Turning closer to the hologram, Rhutg added in a measured tone, “No offense, Iryl, but all of us have more experience with the Tuxa and will be able to feel them out better. Maybe find out what is going on there.”

Iryl shook his head, animated. “None taken. I would welcome that. It’s only me and Lirell here, and we could use the help.”

Erox unfolded his large body to stand next to Vox. “I would like to be present for this as well.”

Iryl cleared his throat. “Yes, all of you.”

Keervel walked up next to Vox, who watched him with detachment. “What would smooth everything over so we can quit these forced peace talks?”

Smooth things over? Vox prickled at that implication. Like their grievances could be so easily solved and brushed under the rug. He turned to glare at the three quorum members, ready to object. “There might be balance with others, but not the Tuxa,” Vox eventually ground out. “I don’t think that the quorum have accepted that things can never go back to how they were before we first fought with the Tuxa.”

Rhutg snarled, turning to Keervel, “I do not want to give even the illusion of cooperation. There is nothing to smooth.”

Vox crossed his arms. “Agreed.”

Rhutg’s words hung in the air, their tense notes coating the navigation room.

Keervel turned toward Rhutg. “I understand you don’t want anything to do with them, Rhutg. I don’t either.” He hesitated and added, “But, like Iryl just said ... I want lasting peace, and will do anything if it means we will no longer be adversaries. The other quorum members are in agreement that it does not hurt, and arguably could help, to at least explore how this could happen with them. We are forced to participate in these talks anyway.”

Vox and Rhutg’s gazes were hardened in opposition. Erox stood fixedly at the panel in front of the hologram, looking on.

Ignorance . Vox shifted his feet impatiently. He looked at Keervel coolly, who had taken the lead over the other two members. The other one, Pyra, remained silent, his aged face speculative.

Iryl watched over all of this silently from his vantage point in the hologram call and didn’t offer any further insight, except to state, “I think coming and visiting is a good idea.”

He nodded at Vox, Rhutg, and Erox. “You should be able to get more clarity than I can about their plans. I do not have as much battle practice as any of you, and therefore my abilities are limited.” Iryl’s tone turned frustrated as he averted his gaze. “I have to be so careful now in these meetings. I don’t want to tip my hand more about what we can do. Other species are already wary after hearing the Tuxa spin the tales of us taking over their bodies.”

Rhutg leaned forward on the navigation controls, his arms outstretched. “Yes, let’s come and figure it out. We will come with the next transport.”

Iryl sighed heavily. “Understood, I will arrange it.”

Vox focused back on the call, taking his mind off the video feed of an injured Ava. “Thank you Iryl,” he said with feeling, hoping to convey his gratitude. He has been more helpful than anyone.

“Please do let us know of any progress,” Keervel added, stepping forward.

Iryl nodded. “I will. Like I said, there is a balance we need to learn to strike.” He then terminated the call.

Silence fell as the call ended. The tension was almost comical in its difference to how Iryl’s earlier conversation with Ava went after she heard about Joy.

Rhutg pushed off the table, his large, muscled body walking closer to Keervel and the others in a swagger. “This quorum is making a mistake in even entertaining thoughts of talking with the Tuxa civilly. Other species, like the Spry, fine. You see that the Tuxa are even now looking for other species to victimize. They are trash. They will not stop. You forget our wars and sacrifices.”

Keervel focused on Rhutg. “We do not forget. Any agreement would be in name only.” His nerves betrayed him, though, and he stepped back as Rhutg walked forward to engage him.

Rhutg spat, advancing further. “I don’t even want to pretend to be cordial. Anyone that thinks they can force us to become neutral toward each other is mistaken.”

Vox hardened his posture and crossed his arms. “Tell the rest of the quorum they are being fools to try to pretend a false peace. Or better yet, show them this.” He glowed a deep purple and stared at Keervel, who stepped back, alarm on his face.

Rhutg nodded along with Vox’s display, stone in his eyes.

Look. See. Vox breathed heavily, and his nostrils flared. He had no mercy in his gaze as he gifted the quorum the memories their women had shared from when they were taken. Of how the Tuxa had acted toward them, and the things they endured. Vox focused his mind, trying to make it hurt, his face fixed in a leer as he felt the wince in the three quorum members’ minds once he finished the transfer.

The first cracks of awareness, of emotion, appeared in Keervel’s eyes before he swallowed and looked away.

Rhutg kept his stiff demeanor as he watched on, his eyes as dead as his mate at the Tuxa’s hands.

Pyra came forward and spoke softly, his aged voice strained. “We know. I feel their pain as well. We are not without feeling.”

Vox breathed heavily and looked aside. “We have fought and fought. I do not want to just roll over now. We are respected and have status now because we fought back. Ask any who defended Xai and lost loved ones. Ask the ones who fought after we first discovered the Tuxa looting our planet how they felt.”

Pyra looked at him again. “Yes, but like Iryl said, we need to look at how everything is connected. Like your Human even. Ava. Nothing is simple. Iryl is right that we are not able to fight everyone on our own.”

Vox pointed at the now empty feed. “Never that filth. Never the Tuxa.”

Pyra nodded, then turned to his other two companions. “We will leave now and talk with the others. Perhaps the Spry will give us more of a perspective when they come.”

They left, but tension remained high in the room. Vox’s posture slumped now that it was just him, Rhutg, and Erox alone. He rolled his shoulders, still taut with stress from the conversation.

Vox glanced at Rhutg, sympathy in his gaze. “I’m sorry for making you relive that memory. Of Violie. You should have shielded yourself.”

Rhutg just shook his head and broke the quiet. “I don't want to forget. I think it finally hit its mark though, to make them see, and feel.”

Vox spoke in a low voice as Erox nodded. His head hurt. “They have not actually fought before. Regardless, we will take matters into our own hands. I need to see what is happening myself.”

Solidarity traveled through their connected gazes as Erox continued nodding and Rhutg joined him.

Vox looked down at his hands, which were trembling with the stress of forcing that vision on the quorum. He breathed deep and willed the shaking to stop, slightly concerned, but it didn’t. Why? His hand kept the tremble as he balled it into a fist. Alarm flared in his gut.

Erox noticed and walked closer, concern in his eyes. “Brother.”

“I am fine.”

A hand landed on his shoulder. Erox shook him slightly. “You need to rest. You are still stretched too thin after Torga.”

Rhutg’s eyes narrowed on Vox’s hand, which finally stopped shaking a moment later. “There should be no conflict while traveling to Elyheim. We will share the mental burden there on the Galactic Board if it is needed. Go back to Ava and rest now.”

“Why do you need to go?” Ava asked softly. Her brown eyes were worried as she looked at him, seated at the table in Vox’s house. Night had fallen, and they were reconnecting again after their afternoon away from one another.

It was on the tip of Vox’s tongue to omit the reason, knowing she couldn’t look into his mind and see the truth. He didn’t want her to worry about the Tuxa. I don’t want her to fear anything. He sighed deep, thinking, and pressed his forehead against hers as he sat next to her at the table, feeling restless. It would be wrong to not tell her .

It was wrong for a relationship with Vorbax females to be built on hiding things, and even though he could do it with Ava, it would be distasteful. He sat back in his chair again to look at her. She looked back at him with absolute trust and innocence, sitting in the nightshirt she always used, her hair let down loose for the evening, and fingering the little container of biologics on her chest.

His jaw clenched and he dreaded telling her, but he had to. No secrets. “I feel threatened, that is why.”

Her face scrunched, trying to understand. “The peace talks?”

“No, those are just for show mostly. Iryl showed a feed where they saw you, Ava. They studied you. On Torga, when I took you from the vents. There were cameras all around that arena, and the Tuxa are interested in Humans now after seeing that.”

Ava inhaled sharply as Vox watched her process this information , her brown eyes darting rapidly from side to side. “The women said there were cameras when they were there. I don’t know why I forgot about that until now. Absolutely they would have videos of me.” She ran her hands through her hair nervously. “Do they know what I am?”

The temptation to lie came back, looking at her nervous expression. It made his hearts pang to see her distress. Vox, again, tamped down that urge. He wanted to duck his head and look away, but instead held her gaze. “Yes. They know the basics at least.”

“Okay. Okay,” Ava breathed out. She tugged on her hair absently. “What a cycle. Day. Too much information. This day has lasted forever.”

He watched her face as she processed, her brows furrowed before she said, “First the quorum and now the Tuxa. I’m not making any of the right moves for Humans right now. Or myself.”

“Well, the Tuxa were always technically your enemy. And really, they can’t reach you here.”

“Yes, that’s true.” He watched her pull her hair again in thought before she added, “I think I’m more bothered personally that the quorum doesn’t like me.”

I wish that meeting had gone better. Vox gentled his eyes at her. “I like you.”

Ava looked at him and scrunched her nose. She was so adorable it broke the tension and made him grin, especially when she said, “You don’t count.”

Vox tilted his head, regarding her playfully. “Why don’t I count?”

“Because you never disliked me ever.”

I can’t deny that. Outwardly, he shifted his body in the chair and replied, “I mean, some of the jokes you come up with are pretty bad.”

“You still find them funny.”

“Because they are so bad. And in your mind you are so happy about them. I just can’t...” He chuckled, remembering. “Especially when you try to surprise me.”

“Oh, like this?” Ava looked at him, her eyes turning bright, and Vox connected with her, getting a vision of her and all the items in the house floating. Through her mind, her imagining, he saw Erox’s coar joining them at the table too.

Vox groaned as he closed his eyes and disconnected, shaking his head even while filled with wonder at how she did that. “Yes. If it’s absurd, I know you are making it up.” Initially he had run to her in fear the first time she had tried to bait him mentally, forgetting that she could imagine things that weren’t real. Which only made Ava try to do it more to trick him.

Ava hid her smile behind her fingers, giggling. “It’s funny though, to make you see things.”

He chuckled. “You should have done that with the quorum. Their reaction would have been worth it.” The grin on her face fell quickly at his words. I shouldn’t have mentioned that. His hearts fell as well, seeing her mood shift out of being playful.

Ava leaned forward to grab his hand. “How do the Tuxa know what I am?”

“They’ve been asking around. About Humans. If there’s a chance they might have some additional information before we go to Cipra, I want to find that out.”

Ava sat silent, a little v puckered on her forehead as she listened.

Vox breathed out heavily, his glow turning to an intense shade of purple as he did so. “The Tuxa are looking into Humans and Iryl found a camera in his quarters, so I am wondering if others are now interested. Something is being hidden there.”

“Camera? Oh. Do you think it’s connected?”

“It’s too much of a coincidence. It could be related to Humans, or it could just be another species feeling threatened after hearing the stories from the Tuxa about how we fight. Regardless, when we get back, I think going to Cipra needs to become a priority.”

“Yes. Okay.”

Vox’s eyes snagged on her face as she nibbled on her lip before she said, softly, “It’s the most confusing thing. I know we need to go to Cipra and I want to, but I also don’t.”

He squeezed her hands, desperate to have her understand, looking her in the eyes. “It’s hard when it’s so personal.”

“Will you be able to break one? When you go? There on the board?”

Vox looked away, frustrated that he couldn’t do just that. “Probably not. These are official peace talks, and we do not want any blood spilled on Elyheim. Iryl will play the feed of you, and hopefully that will be enough to bring some insights to the top of their minds that we can gather. That’s about the limit we can risk.”

He watched Ava mull on that for a moment. “Why was Iryl not able to find enough out?”

Vox shook his head. “Iryl tried, but he has not been in battle with the Tuxa as much. Familiarity strengthens the connection and lets us go deeper easier. Rhutg is truthfully the strongest of us right now.”

Vox swallowed, his throat dipping and his eyes molten as he continued, “I do not want to leave you, Ava. I really don’t. My mother can come stay here, or Sai ... or you can go to the communal housing and sleep with the other women. They usually band together when the men go off.”

He watched as Ava swallowed down her anxiety and put a determined look on her face. She said just as forcefully, “I need to learn to be alone sometimes too. It’s fine. It’s safe here. I don’t need someone to watch me.”

Good. A flush of pride went through him, seeing her resolve. “Yes, it’s very safe. There’s beasts deep in the jungle, but nothing that will bother you here.”

Ava shook her head. “I want to stay here and continue sorting. It will be best for me to keep busy.”

He reached for a hairbrush and held it up in question, needing the solid activity, and to feel her safe in his arms again after watching that video from earlier. “I will still talk with Sai about visiting. Construction will also be happening on the ship, so you won’t be truly alone.”

Ava scooted close, and he brushed out her hair. She winced as he found a knot. She asked, her tone speculative, “Did the quorum have any opinion? About everything?”

They were still not understanding. He said though, as he brushed, “They were nervous, but they always are. They are nervous without attempting to do anything about it.” Their reactions flashed through his mind, but he kept his hands calm as they stroked her hair. “The quorum will find more and more that things will start moving faster and faster without them.” He finished and set down the brush, still unsettled.

Ava sat and ate the eggs that had grown cold during their talk. He watched her, contemplative. I wish we were past all this and able to just finally settle.

He enjoyed watching her eat the food he prepared. It fulfilled his need to take care of her. Just like how going and facing the Tuxa filled that need as well. He was solid in his plan to go to the board and assess the threats for himself. I will take care of this. The need to protect was in his biology, and the satisfaction of taking action thrummed in his veins. Yet, watching her eat, his resolve firmed as much as it wanted to break again when she looked up at him with those vulnerable brown eyes rich with the knowledge he would be leaving her.

Her tone was wistful as she said, “How long will you be gone?”

He forced his voice to be soothing. “Not long. A week at most.” Ava will be alone though. Vox shifted, and his hearts began to pound. Alone and unmarked. That thought made his vulnerability express itself in a bright blue hue that flashed across his body as he looked away. Was leaving like this really the best move? But if their dynamic, their relationship, was to work he needed to be able to address things like this as they happened.

He looked back to see Ava’s eyes narrow on him. “What are you afraid of, Vox?”

Distaste coated his tongue. No secrets . He hesitated only a second before he pressed forward and said in a rush, “Other males might make use of my absence and attempt to charm you. The interest in you is strong.” The curiosity he felt from others put him on edge when they were in public. In his home, though, none would dare approach uninvited.

He was not expecting to hear a laugh from Ava at his confession. It was a tinkling sound that he adored, but not right now in this context. Like bells ringing. Vorbax could laugh, but it was more guttural than the sound she made when she was happy. Nothing sounded like Ava did when she laughed. He loved that sound almost as much as he loved her imaginings.

She turned and put her hand on his arms, and he moved to put his over hers. “You’re going on a mission to help me and you’re worried about other males?”

Vox ducked his head, confused by the rush of emotions he felt. Should I not be?

Ava took his head in her hands, climbing into his lap. She angled it down so her eyes met his. “Look. Inside.”

He didn’t need to be asked twice as she let herself fall open in a way that was becoming easier every day between them. He felt it, clearly, how loved he was by her. Her commitment. Vox breathed heavily, his shine deepening into a purple. He pressed his forehead firmly against hers. “I am yours, Ava. I will make sure you stay safe.”

She returned his forehead kiss, then angled down to kiss his mouth for real.

Vox returned the motion, kissing her deeply. I’ll prove it .