Page 7 of Kailirex (Brides of the Mylos #6)
CHAPTER 7
KAILIREX
“How are we getting on with casting Gorfo’s assistant?” I asked as I entered our production office.”
“I’ve reached out to several talent agencies in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles,” Ritl replied, “and placed an open casting call Fleet-wide for both that and the Playtime Fleet resident children. First auditions are in three week’s.”
“Excellent. We’ll cast the remaining adult positions from those who show up. Do we have a name for Gorfo’s assistant yet?”
This time it was Tithys who answered. “We polled several names and the test group responded best to Sam.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Really? Shopkeeper Sam?”
Tithys shrugged. “Not that he’ll go by that. He’ll just be Sam.”
“Alright. Sam, it is then.”
“The head puppeteer wishes to know if you have a preference for Sparkles the Star Kitten’s fur,” he continued.
“A normal cat color.”
“They come in a large variety of fur patterns, black, white, black and white, orange striped…” he began to list.
“Black and white is fine. Just make sure she’s glittery,” I decided, wanting it done so choosing at random.
“I’ll let her know.”
“I take it your meeting was as delightful as expected?” Ritl asked.
“The kidnapping brought out the usual bigots who tried to grasp onto yet another flimsy excuse to shut us down.”
“Seriously? I thought they’d be pressing for more of our surveillance, each citing public safety concerns.” He shook his head.
“No,” I sighed, rubbing my hand down my face. “They went on a tangent about how we must be hiding things from them. They accused us of having non Mylos working here within the Fleet, citing my green skin as proof, and Playtime Fleet as a vehicle for alien indoctrination.”
“Alien indoctrination? Whatever is that supposed to mean?”
I shrugged. “Apparently we’re really here to colonize their planet or something like that in their wild imaginations. And it turned out to only be two males from the US House of Representatives, not their ambassador, nor a presidential delegation, or anything like that.”
“So possibly Humans First sympathizers,” he postulated.
“Maybe. I’m sure the Commander will be apprising Lieutenant Commander Sachuu.”
“Glad I’m not in Security. Bad enough being in Public Relations,” he muttered.
I wanted to ask him if we had word on the Playtime Fleet Saucer prototypes but my kunnarskyn made an urgent alert sort of chime. Ugh! What now? I glanced down, tapping it to open the message.
“Sir?” Tithys asked, sounding concerned.
“Everything alright?” Ritl pressed.
I lifted my gaze to meet his. “I’ve got to go,” I managed to say.
They looked alarmed. “What’s happened?” Ritl gasped, taking my stunned expression for a reason to feel alarmed.
“Is it Humans First again?” Tithys fretted.
I shook my head. I’d known in the back of my mind that there had been a small possibility that my mate match would be found here, but truly, I had never expected it to actually happen. Hoped, yes.
“No, nothing like that. Just…galaxies above! This is going to mess with our production schedule!” I was going to have to delegate more than I had been, for sure. “I’ve got to go,” I repeated. “I’ve been matched.”
“Really? That’s fantastic!” Tithys shouted.
“Don’t worry about a thing, sir. We know what to do and if anything actually needs your attention, we’ll send you a comm message. Go fetch your bride.”
I nodded. Yes, that was what I needed to do. I had a bride waiting for me. On Earth, so I needed to get to the shuttle bay Xeranos texted in the message. So why were my feet seemingly rooted in place? My kunnarskyn chimed again, letting me know I had a voice comm. I answered it, wondering who could possibly be calling me now. Huh. It was a Lieutenant Piloris, from the quartermaster’s office.
“Kailirex here,” I answered crisply, proud of how steady my voice sounded.
“I just received notice that you were matched at the same time I was,” he began.
“Oh, wow,” Tithys breathed.
“It seems our matches are siblings who shared an appointment. I’ll meet you at the shuttle in ten minutes, I’m just about to arrange our new quarters first. Are you aware our mates wish us to share a dwelling?”
“I hadn’t read the file yet,” I confessed.
“Neither have I. Xeranos alerted me to that fact as part of the housing request that came through at the same time. Anyway, that will require some configurations, which will take a few days. I’ll explain more on the trip down.”
Share quarters? I definitely had never considered that as a future possibility, but if that is what they wished, then that is what our brides would have.
“I’m on my way now,” I said, my temporary paralysis gone.
“See you soon.” Piloris ended the comm.
“Invite us to the wedding!” Ritl called out.
Wedding…I hope our brides knew what they wanted and that it wouldn’t require a lot of planning on my part. I hurried through the door before lengthening my stride to eat up the distance along the corridor.
“Already so much to do,” I murmured, but my hearts didn't feel heavy at the extra that had just landed at my feet. I smiled, feeling happy. “I’ve got a mate!” I said aloud, startling a crewman walking past.
“Congratulations,” they smiled at me before continuing on their way.
I reached the elevator. “Shuttle bay 3-C,” I requested once I’d gotten inside. As the doors closed and the elevator began to move it hit me, I was now a mated male! My life had just changed forever. Work would take a back seat to my mate and any young we’d have. I smiled. Today was turning out to be a good one after all.