Page 38 of Warrior (The Outlander Book Club… in Space! #2)
Ewok
If he had to be stuck somewhere, it was a nice room.
One wall hosted a bank of windows where he could gaze upon the vastness of space.
A long table sat in the center, surrounded by four smaller tables.
Ewok knew it was the Chieftain's private dining room. He’d been here before—when he and the others waited to see if George could save Daicon, the night they celebrated Daicon's healing, and another time when Daisy and Daicon gave the younglings news of the families awaiting them on Tau Ceti.
After that, each youngling visited the dining room privately with Daisy and her friend Emmy to video chat the family they would call their own.
Except him.
Ewok didn’t hold any hope that his presence here would be another celebration.
He’d heard from Cuietsu earlier in the day that Emmy said no more families were available on Tau Ceti. Plus, tray after tray of his favorite treats covered the long table. All the good stuff, so whatever brought him into the private dining room wasn’t good.
Ewok wandered to the window, staring into space as if he could discern Tau Ceti from the twinkle of a million stars.
He knew what this was about.
He was a Kerzak.
He never knew what that meant before coming on board the Bardaga.
He wasn't the only youngling in the mine covered in fur, but it wasn’t really about how he looked.
It was the way everyone thought he would grow to behave.
Some of the crew told stories about the Kerzak a species…
creatures known for bloodthirstiness and violence—enemies of the Vaktaire.
One of his kind had even tried to kill the Chieftain's mate Emmy.
No one on Tau Ceti wanted to invite a Kerzak into their home. People were afraid of him.
It didn't matter that Ewok didn't want to be like the rest of his species. He wanted to be a warrior like Daicon, known for his skill, honor, and courage. He wanted to help people like his kida.
Ewok's stomach hurt as he pondered the two of them.
He'd learned about the human concept of love from the Earth videos on board—Kerzak had nothing like that.
What he had was a near-crippling ache when he thought of parting from his kida and the warrior.
He would do anything just to stay on the ship to be near them.
He'd done his best to be a help to Bartuk, but unlike George, Ewok didn't possess any skill useful to a warship. He didn't understand piloting, navigation, or engineering, and wasn't big enough to offer himself as a warrior.
Perhaps they would take him to a space station and offer him as an apprentice there. Ewok knew how to work hard and was strong for his size, but he worried that beings on the space station would be as fearful of Kerzak as humans.
The swoosh of the opening door made him jump. From the smiles his kida and Daicon wore, it didn’t appear they noticed his unease.
Daisy stretched her arms wide, and Ewok rushed into her embrace, relishing how safe and cherished she made him feel. He loved her hugs and mourned the idea they would soon end.
Daicon's hand landed on his shoulder as he wrapped himself in Daisy's embrace.
His gaze lifted upward, catching the two of them staring into each other's eyes.
They were true mates. Ewok felt happy for them, despite feeling slightly grossed out by their face smushing.
A human custom that George said was called kissing. It looked uncomfortable and unsanitary.
Daisy loosened her grip around his shoulders, her gaze dancing between Ewok and the table. "You didn't eat much. I asked Orzon to make all your favorites.”
Ewok issued a shrug. "I'm not all that hungry."
“I am,” Daicon chuckled, aiming for a handful of besserat, a salty/sweet pastry.
Daisy's laughter tinkled like bells as she rolled her eyes at Daicon. "You have such a sweet tooth."
Daicon crammed a pastry into his mouth before playfully swatting Daisy’s backside. “It’s because you’re so sweet.”
“Behave,” Daisy rolled her eyes with a laugh.
Ewok watched the exchange with a mix of pleasure and pain. He felt truly happy they had mated, but the idea of never seeing them again made his heart clench and ache.
“Sweetie, you know we’re going to arrive at Tau Ceti in a few days,” Daisy turned her attention from where Daicon decimated the tray of pastries to him.
Ewok mustered a nod but kept his eyes averted, terrified his kida would recognize his heartache. It would make her sad to know how he felt; he would do anything to spare her pain.
"We wanted to talk to you about what will happen once we get there.”
“Everyone is excited to meet their new family,” Ewok offered, trying to stave off the inevitable.
"Your kida and her friend Emmy worked very hard to ensure the younglings found the best possible home," Daicon told him, settling his large frame on the edge of the tabletop. "I don't scrutinize potential warriors as stringently as they did potential families."
Ewok gave another jerky nod and meandered to the window. If he kept looking at his kida, he feared his eyes would do that leaking thing that signaled sadness. He didn't think Kerzak would do that, but he was so sad he didn't want to take the chance.
“I guess you’ve realized by now we didn't find you a family on Tau Ceti." His kida's voice didn't hold the sadness he would have expected to accompany the news.
Ewok steeled himself with as much courage as he could muster. "I know it is because I am Kerzak. No one wants me because they'll think I'll be mean like others of my kind."
Daisy practically ran to his side, her hands landing on his shoulders. "No, Ewok honey, that's not it at all. We didn't give anyone on Tau Ceti the opportunity to adopt you because …" She glanced at the big warrior, and the two of them shared a smile. "We want you to stay here with us.”
“Really?" Ewok blinked, unsure his ears worked correctly as his gaze bounced between them. ,"You want me to stay on the Bardaga?"
“Really,” Daicon agreed, abandoning the pastries to stride to Daisy’s side.
Ewok would not let this opportunity go to waste.
He rushed to the big table and began straightening the trays and dishes.
How in the stars had Daicon eaten so much in so few minutes?
It didn't matter. The warrior could eat as much as he wanted, and Ewok would gladly clean whatever mess that entailed.
"I'll work really hard," he promised, hands sweeping away a pile of crumbs. "If Bartuk doesn't want me as an apprentice, perhaps Orzon will. I like helping in the kitchen... like I helped you, kida. I'll cook and clean and be so much help to you…."
"No, Sweetie."
Daisy watched him, her eyes shimmered with wetness, on the verge of doing that leaking thing. Ewok knew that meant she felt sad.
"Come here, Ewok." Daicon gestured.
Ewok shuffled his steps, moving as slowly as possible. His heart sank when he reached their side and felt the consoling touch of Daicon's hand on his shoulder.
Daisy's soft fingers made furrows in the fur next to his cheek. "Ewok, we don't want you to serve us or be anyone's apprentice. We just want you."
It wasn’t what he expected at all.
“I don’t understand?”
Daisy and Daicon shared a glance, and a single drop of water snaked down his kida's cheek.
“We want you to belong with us… as a part of our family.”
Ewok gawked at them, twitching the ear his translator lay near to ensure it functioned properly.
The hand on his shoulder squeezed tight. When the warrior spoke, his voice was thick and husky. "As our son."
“Really?” Ewok blinked up at them, that awful worry that threatened to crush his heart disappearing with a pouf.
"Really." Daisy ruffled the hair on the top of his head. "We love you, Ewok."
Happiness bubbled in his body with such force it flew out of him in an excited whoop as he danced about the room.
His kida stood with the warrior's arm around her shoulders, laughing as wetness streaked her cheeks.
So, tears weren't only for sadness but also great happiness.
Ewok flung himself toward them, caught in a tight embrace.
He wasn't sure he understood the human concept of love. Still, it was the only word he thought might fit the unbelievable joy and sense of belonging coursing through him as he gazed into their smiling faces.
"I love you too, kida." His dark eyes bounced from Daisy to Daicon as he added, "Kidara.”
As the word for father escaped his lips, the warrior coughed, blinking furiously before his arms tightened, sandwiching Ewok between them… between his parents.
He cuddled close, basking in the bliss of being held with such affection.
His cheek pressed near Daisy's stomach while Daicon stood at his side, the warrior’s strong muscular arms surrounding them both.
His kida and kidara… his family. The faint, happy thumping of Daisy's heartbeat against his ear only increased his joy.
Ewok snuggled closer, realizing with curiosity that the beat underneath his cheek wasn't his kida's heartbeat. That rhythmic sound was louder, stronger, and in perfect rhythm with his kidara’s heart.
This was something else beating low in her stomach. Ewok pressed closer, the smile on his face growing to the point of aching. The bop, bop, bop was faint but steady and strong… healthy. The only thing Ewok couldn't tell from the sound was whether it was a boy or a girl.
He had his kida and kidara and now a baby brother or sister.
A family.
It didn’t matter where they went as long as they were together.
Wrapped in each other’s arms, they were home.