Page 6 of Pirate by Parrot (Terran Reset #9)
MEL EXITED WITH MARKO on her shoulder and walked toward the Rai Guardians, who had come to them to make sure that they were legitimate.
“Pardon me, sirs and madams, which way to the retreat?”
The Guardians grinned, and one woman asked, “Are you really the same species as Kyna?”
“Yeah, though no one will confuse me for a snow bunny.”
They laughed, and with the ice broken, they led them down a path that ended in a lovely little set of buildings with private bathing areas and a wide outer structure that faced an inner courtyard. The sliding doors were beautiful.
Annabelle whispered, “What are you thinking?”
“I am thinking that the Admaryn and Yokai got along really well.”
“What are Yokai?”
“Japanese elves and fairies and the mix.”
“No way.”
“Way. You know that the Admaryn tried to kill humanity, right?”
“Uh, no.”
“Well, they knocked us back down to almost nothing in quite a few regions.”
Annabelle blinked. “How do you know all this stuff?”
“History was played into my brain during my delivery flight.”
A group of women in kimonos walked toward them, and Mel smiled and bowed thirty degrees.
Ageka paused and laughed. “Of course, that is all we would get from a Vedari.”
“That is all you get from a Terran who can’t quite get a grip on her own body. Still growing.”
“Fair enough. So, what would you like to do first? Get changed?”
Mel smiled. “This is Annabelle; she is here to go through therapies. I am merely here dropping her off and to have a chat with Amethyst and Kyna.”
“Yes, they told me. I thought you would like to be properly attired.”
“I don’t think you have my size, and I don’t have the means to pay for anything.”
“We have put something together for you. Can you sit or kneel or something?”
Ageka muttered.
“Not in the dirt.”
The woman blinked, and she realized what she had been saying. “Right. Annabelle, please go with these ladies, and they will check you in. Melora, please come with me.”
Mel looked at Annabelle. The smaller woman hugged her. “I want to see you before you leave, Mel. You, too, Marko.”
Marko chittered and bobbed affirmative.
Annabell let Mel go, smiled, and left with the other ladies.
Ageka nodded. “Come with me, Melora.”
“Sure, Ageka.”
They walked down the lane to a teahouse, and there were a few ladies there with folded fabric.
“Lady Amethyst has offered you a memory of Rai. Please kneel at the edge of the deck.”
Mel nodded and knelt. They eased off her robe, and Ageka asked, “Why do you need the suit?”
“It controls my limbs and keeps me from flying in lower gravity, apparently. Like a leash on an animal.”
Ageka blinked. “Oh, right. We will leave it on.”
“Thought you might.”
She was directed to put her arms out, and three layers were yanked and tucked around her. One woman muttered about a waste of fabric in Rai.
Mel sighed and responded, “Yes, I understand. I am not to grips with it myself.”
The woman flushed and bowed in apology. “I meant no offense, lady.”
“Yes, you did. You just didn’t think I would understand. Are we done?”
Ageka said, “One more layer.”
When Mel was wearing three layers of smoothed robes, a sash was wrapped around her waist, and it snugged everything together. There was no way to get the Obi into standard configuration.
“Thank you, ladies.”
She got up, and Ageka blinked. “Did you grow since you sent the information?”
“Yes. I told you that.”
“I didn’t expect it to be this much.”
“Sorry. I can remove this, and you can recycle it into a wardrobe for all the staff.”
Ageka laughed and said, “Come with me.”
Mel walked carefully and tried to balance her weight as she let Ageka get ahead of her.
The ladies were looking cute and sitting under a silk canopy that had obviously been set up for her. Mel walked up silently and bowed. “Ladies.”
Amethyst got up, her black hair pinned high on her head. Kyna’s crimson hair was half up, half down. She got up and smiled. “You are a Reset?”
“Apparently.”
“To what?”
“Something called a Vendari.”
Kyna looked around. “Where is he?”
“I don’t know. I have been on my own since I woke up. Well, until Annabelle floated past.”
Marko squawked and thudded to her shoulder. “And Marko. Marko has been with me, but she’s on good behaviour here.”
Kyna blinked. “Is that a parrot?”
“She was. Nearly at her expiry date when I got the offer, so she had to come with me. She jokes she gave me her feathers.”
Kyna chuckled and nodded to Marko. “Greetings, Marko, welcome to Rai.”
Marko flapped happily and stuck out her beak for pets. Mel lifted her hand, and her buddy stepped onto her wrist. She lowered the bird to where Kyna could give her scratchies.
“I thought it would feel like metal, but it’s so soft, like feathers.”
Marko was on good behaviour and chortled happily.
Amethyst joined in, and eventually, Marko was back on Mel’s shoulder, and they were all sitting down for a meal.
Mel looked at the foods. “I am just going to use my fingers if that is acceptable.”
Kyna nodded. “It is very acceptable. The bowls are coming now.”
Mel carefully washed her hands and dried her fingertips.
The food was good, a little awkward, but it was shared with ladies who felt the distance from home, and it felt nice to be there with them.
Mel looked at Kyna. “Can you help Annabelle find her path? She feels very lost, with patches of panic when she thinks I am not paying attention. I have seen that before, and she’s going to pretend to be normal until she blows.”
Mel sipped at the small food bowl that was doubling for her teacup. “She may feel better when she learns that some of those men have been Darwined.”
Amethyst and Kyna chuckled. Kyna said, “Well, you are looking for a hobby.”
“Yeah, but I am dependent on Ves to get around.”
She tapped her lips with a finger. “I do have access to all the information attached to the pod she was in. I should be able to figure something out from there. My problem is stealth. That is one thing I don’t have.”
Kyna nodded. “Right.”
“Look at me, bitch!”
Marko raised her wings.
“You aren’t stealthy either, twit. You are a giant cursing, silver bird.”
Marko looked sly and moved coquettishly. “Pretty bird.”
“Yes, honey, you are a very pretty bird.”
Marko started grooming her hair.
“Weirdo.”
There was more chortling as the hair was straightened strand by strand.
She swayed as the grooming relaxed her.
If you are tired, you can come and rest on board the shuttle, Mel. Ves’s voice was soft in her mind.
Kyna blinked. “What was that?”
“Ves was talking to me. He offered me a nap spot.”
“Ves is the avatar?”
Mel kept her lids low. “No, Ves is the Vendari Station computer.”
Kyna paused. “Oh. Oh dear. Has the computer been really attentive to you? Consoling you?”
Mel heard the suspicion. “Yes.”
“Station computers don’t have nurturing personalities. They have cold and efficient personalities. Whatever Ves is, he isn’t a standard computer.”
“Yeah. I know. I have known for a while.”
You have?
“Ves, I was delivered to the station. That means that my caretaker was supposed to be there. Since he was the only one there, it had to be him.”
Ah, yeah. I hadn’t noticed you noticing that.
She smiled and stroked Marko’s side. “I think I should say goodbye to Annabelle and get my butt back in the shuttle.”
Kyna smiled. “You have an emotional attachment to the computer.”
“He looked up how to deal with PMS in a giant human. That is some niche research. I have a ton of fruit from Veth that has a lovely mood-boosting effect when I am feeling blue.”
She smiled. “I think he is freeze-drying it to add to my morning tea.”
Amethyst laughed. “That’s a great feature.”
“Yeah, I am going to tell Liona about the powdered stuff. I had a friend who was a prepper and freeze-dried everything. It’s a nice way to sneak vegetables into everything.”
Mel smiled. “Thanks for the meal and the conversation.”
Kyna said, “Do you want to stay overnight?”
“I would love to say yes, but crawling into a room where a bunch of beds have been shoved together to fit me doesn’t sound appealing.”
Kyna wrinkled her nose. “Right. I see what would happen there.”
“Plus, I need a blanket and a pillow. I am a fussy sleeper.”
Amethyst nodded. “Gotcha.”
Mel moved to her feet, and Kyna chuckled. “I wish I was that graceful.”
“When you grow up, you can be just like me.”
Mel grinned.
She picked up the folded robe and looked at Amy. “Where do you want the kimono?”
“Keep it. It is our gift to you.”
“I am going to outgrow it even more in a few days. I am serious. It will be too small for me, and Marko doesn’t wear robes.”
She tugged at the sash, and the robe easily opened as if it was under strain. She slid the layers off her shoulders and folded the fabric over her arm.
“It has been lovely meeting you, ladies. Thank you for being so hospitable.”
Kyna smiled. “It was our pleasure.”
Amethyst smiled. “Come back for a visit whenever you like.”
“When things have settled and I can learn who I am again.”
She gestured. “Or learn who this is. There is one thing: people are very nice to me. If that is a side effect I can control, I want to.”
“You don’t want people to be nice to you?”
“If it is a side effect of the Vendari genes, I want to control it. This is probably why they got in trouble to begin with.”
She shrugged. “There had to be a reason that other populations tried to stamp them out and succeeded.”
Amethyst blinked. “That would definitely make you feel some instability.”
“Yeah. All my life I have fought to keep my head above water, fought to make a place for myself in the world, but now, I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
She shrugged. “Just when I feel I have gotten the hang of it, I grow again, have to balance again, and when I stumble, I hit the walls. Marko tried to catch me once, but she got a bit squished. So now, she just encourages me. I play lots of basketball back at the station.”
Kyna asked, “Where are you going next?”
“Possitt II. Yet another pregnant reset.”
She smiled. “You look cute, Kyna.”
Kyna blushed. “How did you know? I am not showing.”
“You have two heartbeats but only one Terran heart, and a mid-belly beat isn’t a standard adaptation.”
She smiled. “Liona is pregnant as well, but hers is going to take longer.”
Kyna was blushing. “Interesting talent.”
“I have always known when folks were pregnant, but now, I can hear it.”
She slipped her robe on and carried the folded kimono and sash. “So, where am I going? I need to say goodbye to Annabelle.”
Ageka smiled and then scowled as she saw the fabric in Mel’s grip. “Are our offerings not sufficient for you?”
“Lady Ageka, you are forgetting that I am still growing. This will be knee-high by the end of the week. That isn’t a good look, and you can use the fabric to clothe others, guests, anyone you like. It was pleasant to wear it, but as I am not finished yet, it would just take up space with clothing I cannot use. I am living at the grace of the Vendari Station and cannot fill space that isn’t mine.”
Ageka blinked, and understanding filled her gaze. “I believe I understand.”
“So, please, allow me to return this with my thanks for allowing me to wear it during my visit.”
Ageka sighed and accepted the folds. “Thank you for folding it properly.”
“You are welcome. It was very pretty, but I think it clashed with my hair or hands.”
The older woman laughed.
“May I say goodbye to Annabelle? I promised I would.”
“Of course. Please come with me. She is comfortable, fed, and in the meditation garden.”
“Good. I will be quick.”
She nodded to her lunch companions and said, “I will be right back.”
She walked with Ageka to the meditation garden where Annabelle was kneeling on a cushion on a wide, flat stone.
Marko launched and landed near Annabelle, squawking softly. The specialist opened her eyes and looked around. “Oh, are you going so soon?”
Mel stood waiting, and when Annabelle got up and walked over to her, she smiled at the hug. “Hey, you rest, get better, and find out what you want to do.”
“I will. You take care of yourself, and be kind to yourself.”
Annabelle mumbled into her chest. “Let Ves take care of you, too. And eat the fucking fruit. Your PMS is terrifying.”
Mel laughed. “It always was. It’s where Marko learned half of her cursing.”
The hug got tighter, and she looked up at her. “I am going to set something up for your return to the orbital station.”
“I will be there in a few hours.”
“I can make a fast call. I think I know what you need to complete the outfit. Something to give it some pizzaz.”
“Wait. Clothing?”
“This will fit. Trust me. You are going to have to stare down a l’nal, though.”
“Oh. Big spider?”
“Very big. Your height, actually.”
“Fun.”
“I will get Fade to help me with the contact or maybe Ageka.”
“If you like. Tell them to leave a message for Ves. He will let me know.”
Annabelle smiled. “Thanks for being a friendly face at a distance when I came out.”
“Thanks for not freaking out when I stood up.”
“Thanks for being a friend, even if you were a bit morose sometimes. You have cause.”
“Call Ves whenever you want to talk to me.”
Annabelle smiled. “I will. I have all the contact information.”
Mel smiled. “You need to let go now.”
Annabelle chuckled. “You caught that.”
“I did. You are safe; they will take care of you and help you to take care of yourself. If you find a guy, remember that they frown on premarital sex here.”
Annabelle looked at her in shock. “I wouldn’t...”
“Never say never. Now, do what you need to do. I need to head back to Ves.”
Marko hopped over, and Annabelle whispered her goodbye when Marko replied, “Fuck off, bitch!”
“Right. Love you, too, Marko.”
Marko returned to Mel’s shoulder, and they began to walk cautiously through the retreat. Amethyst and Kyna came with them and walked them to the ship.
There were hugs, there were well wishes, and then Mel and Marko were in a slowly rising shuttle, heading back to the station to have themselves frisked and the shuttle examined for any contraband.
“Mel, there is a seamstress on six waiting for you. Annabelle wasn’t lying; she called ahead.”
“Is it okay for me to go?”
“It is. No problem. Go ahead.”
Ves’s voice was calm.
She nodded and headed out with her companion while Marko was tense and vibrating as they moved through the station.
Marko flew off when Mel faced the seamstress and started laughing at what had been chosen for her. Hip scarves that would flutter in the breeze when she moved were made available in a lovely array of colours.
Two dress outfits were available, and they were both in a handkerchief style that exposed a lot of her skin but still looked lovely.
“Annabelle went overboard.”
Mel turned from the left to the right to see herself.
The seamstress and weaver clacked her mandibles. “You are lucky in your friends.”
“It is a small collection, but yes, I am.”
“Lady Ageka has commissioned a kimono for you when you have completed your growth. Do you know when that will be?”
You have four more inches until you are done.
“I have four more inches until my growth is complete.”
“That is acceptable. I can work with that. Where will the work be sent?”
“Um, Vendari Station, I suppose?”
“Ah, you are heavy grav. That explains your restraint system.”
Mel smiled. “I guess it does. This is complete?”
“Yes. Change out of things and take the parcel. You can return to your ship feeling much more stylish.”
“Thank you, Madame K’vekna.”
“You are welcome, Vendari-bride.”
Mel blinked but removed the dress, which was folded and tucked in with the scarves. She carried the bundle back to Ves, and Marko flew into the ship just as she stepped onboard. “Okay, Ves. We are ready to travel.”
She tucked her parcel in her quarters and returned to the seats.
“Very well. Clearance is achieved, and we are on our way back to our warship.”
“Wait. Warship?”
“I would never take you out without defenses, Mel. You are precious.”
She smiled. “Just fly the ship, Ves.”
There was a chuckle, and they glided carefully through traffic and rejoined their larger ship.
Marko was settled in her little three-quarter egg and was chortling happily.
Mel looked at the egg but could only see her buddy preening.
She shrugged and stretched. “I guess it is back to the gym for me.”
Ves said softly, “May I speak to you for a moment?”
“Sure. Where do you want to talk?”
“In the dining room.”
“Okay. On my way.”
Mel headed up to the dining area, and a bot brought her a cup of tea.
“What did you want to talk about, Ves?”
“I believe it is time to show you what I look like and explain why we are here.”
“Well, I am all in favour of any information.”
A bot moved forward, a projection appeared in front of her, and Mel blinked. “Well, that explains a bit.”
He had a red body, blue hair, and green arms. She could tell because he wasn’t wearing anything.
She cleared her throat finally. “Did you mean to appear naked?”
The figure smiled, and clothing appeared. Loose silky trousers and a long vest, both white and embroidered with teeny star systems. His ears were pierced in a number of places, and his hair was in a thick braid draped over his shoulder.
“Better?”
“Less distracting and very pretty. So, this is you, Ves?”
“It was. I was attacked during the fall of the Vedari, and that is when Vendar bonded with me. He split me into two beings. One was a blank body that he could use to do maintenance on his worlds, and he left me at the high-security station in stasis, as there was no reason to fix me. He had the body he wanted.”
“Oh. Well, you are fixed now.”
“Vendar heard about the project and sent the specifications needed for one of our kind. Far sooner than he had imagined, he received notification that you existed, and the transformation could begin. Vendar authorized it, ordered the very long delivery, and flew out in the clone to create a world for you, scavenging ancient buildings and making them new so you would be happy with the world around you.”
“What happened to you?”
“He began the repair and recovery process, but I remained in a capsule until I was complete.”
“So, you are also the avatar of Vendar?”
“Yes, but as long as he has the clone, there is only a tenuous link between us. He does not need to be actively in control.”
“I see. So, why are you speaking about this now?”
“Because I am waking and would like you with me.”
“I thought I had to go to Possitt II.”
His projection sighed. “You don’t have to, but your other Reset member is there.”
“I don’t really need to meet in person, I don’t think. I feel more at home in the station than I do in any court.”
She shrugged. “You are driving.”
He chuckled.
“Oh, your name isn’t Ves then?”
“My name was Occorin.”
“What is it now? New life, new starts.”
“Occor?”
He looked at her with a slight smile.
“Occor it is. I will probably call you Ves when I can’t see you.”
“That is fair.”
He paused. “What does Marko have?”
“What? Nothing. She shouldn’t have anything with her.”
She got up. “Is she still in the shuttle?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you asking?”
“There has just been a warrant issued for your arrest. Marko took something.”
“Shit.”
She got up and said, “Sorry to leave this discussion. Is that outfit standard wear?”
He chuckled. “It is formal-casual. We don’t really wear tight clothing. Everything is light. I am checking to see if the stolen item can be purchased.”
“Please tell me you bounced the signal off a few satellites and other ships.”
“Of course. They say that they are priceless and a protected species.”
“Fuck.”
Mel ran through the halls to the shuttle and found Marko still in her little pod, making happy crooning noises.
“Marko!”
There was a trill as she lifted her head and looked at Mel.
“What do you have there?”
“Mine, bitch! Hands off, cunt!”
She sighed at the frantic tone. “Honey, let me see who you have there.”
Marko looked at her and moved aside. Mel saw the cutest, fluffiest little creatures with wide eyes and stubby little beaks. “Oh, hello, babies. What are you?”
Little, happy, warm images flowed into Mel’s mind as the tiny creatures hopped excitedly.
Ves spoke softly. “I have some data on them. They are called Yaluthu and are an emotional symbiote for those they feel a connection to. The Citadel controls them, and I am getting this information from Annabelle.”
“Wise choice. Oh, they are hungry.”
Ves paused. “What?”
“They are hungry. Marko, can I take them, and Ves will help get something to eat?”
Ves murmured, “What do they need?”
“Finely crushed high-protein seeds. Marko can do the crushing if you get the larger seeds ready.”
“Right. They are on their way.”
Mel looked at Marko. “You go to the food dispenser and start making food for the babies, okay? I will carry them.”
Marko looked and huffed with uncertainty.
Mel just scooped up the Yaluthu and started walking. The little ones were chirping happily, and a hungry note came into their voices. That got Marko’s attention. She shot past Mel, screaming epithets for her to follow.
Mel grinned and followed with the little creatures wiggling against her hands and chirping encouragement.
Marko had made a large pile of dust on the table, and Mel let the little ones hop out of her hands and over to the food. She went and got a shallow dish of water and brought it out for them, setting it a few inches away from the food.
Mel smiled as she watched the little ones going at it under the watchful eye of Marko.
One of the little ones was crimson and gold, and the other was silver and vivid blue. The fluff around their eyes started the wave of stripes that covered their bodies.
“They are cute, Marko. I can see the attraction.”
Marko watched over them and kept nudging them to the food. She was crooning a special song for them, and it made Mel smile. “You’re a good mom, Marko. You swear a lot but still a good mom.”
Marko chortled and watched the little ones eat.
Mel smiled. “I have to go and see if I can do damage control.”
She scratched under Marko’s chin, and the crimson Yaluthu stopped eating. When she took a few steps away, the little one flapped after her, cheeping loudly.
Marko screeched. “Up!”
“Shit. Right. Up. First, drink some water, baby, and then I will just take you with me.”
The little red buddy just turned around and hopped with a funny left-to-right motion, drank, and then turned back to her with the out-of-control frenzy of a windup toy.
“Oh, wow. Okay. Do you want to be carried or...”
Marko squawked. “Up, up.”
“Right. Up, up.”
Mel carefully scooped up the tiny creature and frowned, shrugged, and put it on her left shoulder. The bursts of cheerful delight that rocked through her were infectious. She smiled as the stresses of the last few months seemed to wash away.
“Uh-oh.”
She sighed and stroked the tiny creature with a fingertip. “Did she steal you for me?”
There was the sound of Marko shrieking when they arrived at the station and, then, while Mel was entering the seamstress’s shop, the sight of Marko and her landing near them. The two ran to their new mama the moment that Mel whistled. The beings around the Yaluthu realized that they were being taken by the bird when they were halfway to the shuttle. There was shouting behind them, but Marko was already inside the closed shuttle, and they were on their way to their ship.
Mel winced. “Oh. So, they are pissed.”
The little fluffy thing purred and rubbed against her neck. It didn’t care. It had found its person.
“Uh-oh.”
Mel sighed and went to deal with the fallout of being bonded by a creature smaller than her hand.