Calysta let Illya put his hands in the gloves to allow Swyft's son to get the smallest bit of contact. What he said next made her heart ache and her throat tighten against impending tears. He had never admitted his heritage do openly and he knew what it was to be hated for his blood. It was his choice to do what he wanted with the time he had, not his blood's destiny. The children were giants. Brave and beautiful giants.

His words touched a deep well of something she never quite showed to anyone purposely. That feeling of sadness. It took that chilly well and warmed her from head to toe. Words caught in her throat and she barely managed a strangled hello to the next child. Swallowing her tears, she mustered a watery smile and did her best to encourage each and every one of them.

Seeing Illya tucked over each child in turn made her think of the hologram. It has been years since she has seen a hologram of him cradling his lost daughter but it was an image that was always stark in her mind. The pain was so palpable it made her own chestache. Perhaps his words were what he would have wanted to tell Lana to comfort her too. That she was strong and beautiful and brave. The thought of it made her choke back tears again.

They didn't have much time because the kids were on limited visiting hours. When it came time to leave, Illya requested they find a place to have tea before going back. She obliged him and found a quiet little tea shop with a private room for them to sit in.

It was good that they had a private space. She should have felt drained and empty emotionally but she didn't. That warmth was still there wrapped around her chest and making her feel strangely light all over.

Calysta took a sip of her herbal tea and Illya draped an arm around her shoulder, then kissed her gently on the top of her head. He was warm, just like that feeling in her chest. It took her a moment to realize it, but she was feeling more than affection. More than lust too. The feeling transcended every feeling of love she had ever experienced. Was there even a word for it? Was it even appropriate to feel when she felt so heartbroken for the children in the hospital?

She turned closer into him and laid her cheek on his shoulder, abandoning her tea in favor of being close to him. "I wouldn't have anyone else by my side, my love," she whispered, "Nobody else. You were so brave...I'm so lucky You're here." She craned her neck and missed his cheek, that warmth begging her to do more.

******

They made it home to a gaggle of very excited and rambunctious children. Over dinner, their thoughts on the coliseum came pouring out.

"Dah. Its boring down here," Cypher said, "I want to go with you tomorrow. Can I?"

Calysta poked her nyte beast and nodded. "Aye. You and Lohgan both will be going. You will have to do exactly as I say or your Dah says, yeah? Or I'll have Rezna march you right back here."

Cypher brightened considerably and nodded. "I'll do whatever yah ask," he said confidently.

Lohgan spent her evening wanting her father's attention in every way possible. She put clips in his hair and even asked if he would play spa day with her which included a suspect looking mud mask of her own creation. There was more glitter in it than mud.

By the time the evening was over, Calysta leaned in the door way of their bedroom and stared at her husband as he began to undress. His body was scarred and his false leg made metallic clicks across the stone floor. His hair was mussed and he had glittery mud smudged near his ear. All the things he had said and all the things he had done earlier washed over her in a wave of warmth. He was working so hard and today had been tough but he had done so many things. He had stood by her side no matter what happened and to hear him talk to those children and to her. It was precious to her. He was precious to her.

An overwhelming need to express herself and to show him her love made her stare at him openly until their eyes caught on each other. When they did, she gazed at him for a long moment, then slowly unzipped her gown to reveal her lingerie underneath. She walked forward slowly and straddled his lap while he sat on the edge of the bed. Her hands slipped up the nape of his neck and she gazed at him. "You're the most dear thing to my heart, my love. Can I show you more?"
 
The instant they arrived home the kids just about clobbered them. Illya was barely feeling recovered enough to have kids in this moment and yet there they were. His beautiful children. They didn't understand the things he did and he was grateful for it. Cypher was eager to go with them and Kalizda granted permission. In a way Illya wanted to protest the decision, but he couldn't hide them away from the world forever. It was difficult for children to understand that kind of suffering.

Quietly he listened to Kalizda give her instruction to the children and then they had the family meal. Lohgan was rather insistent that she sit next to him, show him almost every bite of food she took and she even wanted to feed him a few bites. The girl desperately wanted his attention. Her little curls bounced merrily and if they had been black he would have sworn for a brief moment that she looked very much like Lahna did.

No sooner was dinner done than Lohgan demanded they play spa. Illya was treated to a rough massage of his scalp that included the brush getting caught in his hair. It was a mercy his hair wasn't any longer. Lohgan brushed and brushed his hair and one time hit his head with the brush out of frustration. "Dah! Make yah hair behave." Sitting up a bit Illya rubbed his head, "Owe...I dun have control of meh hair. Et's always like dis." Lohgan pursed her lips and grunted, "But yah hair needs tah be straight." Chuckling some Illya took the brush away from her and tossed it across the room. "Et will nut be straight. Put some oils en meh hair and den et es little easier tah work wit." Leaning back his chair he tried to appear relaxed, but he never knew what he was gonna get when his daughter decided to make him pretty. When she returned she actually had some of his oils and he closed his eyes.

Relaxation could only last so long though. Lohgan doused his hair in a very strong oil and the scent was about ready to burn his eyes out. He could hear sniffling and he chanced a peek to see that Lohgan as wiping her nose and then running her oily and snotty little fingers right back into his hair. Her eyes were watering and her nose. He definitely had to shower after this. During her little oiling it wasn't so bad until she began to twist his hair and clip it with many pretty little hair clips.

Once that was done Illya was sure that his 'spa day' was over. However, Lohgan trotted off again and returned with a little bowl. Illya didn't even want to know what was in it. "Don't yah tink Rezna might like some special treatment? Look at her face, et needs dah mud more den mine." Illya gave a hopeful suggestion, but to no avail as his daughter wrinkled her little nose and then shook her head. "Nope, I think you're face needs it."

Crawling up onto Illya's lap the girl half fell into him and managed to knee him in the stomach before she was finally comfortable and ready to apply the final touches. When she finished Lohgan gave a little wave with her glitter mud hands and pronounced him beautiful. "Wait, dun I get tah take dah mud off?" Illya held onto Lohgan as he sat up in his chair. Lohgan nodded and followed him to the bathroom where she instructed him on the proper process for washing his face.

When he was done Illya found flecks of glitter in his eyelashes, eyebrows, on his nose and in his hairline.That was going to take a little while to get out. On top of it, his hair was so well greased he was likely going to have to wash before bed and in the morning when he got up. Smiling down at his daughter he gave her a high five. "Well, dat's pretty amazing what yah did. I jes dun know ef I can handle looking dis pretty more den once in a while." Lohgan giggled and she gave him a big hug and then kissed his cheek before skittering off to tell her mother how successful she was and exactly what daddy said.

******************************

Illya had barely stripped and he sat on the edge of the bed. For a moment he was nowhere at all. It was just a world of nothing and then he slowly came to realization that he was buck naked, sitting on the edge of the bed and he hadn't even got himself to the shower yet. Tomorrow was going to be a very long day if he didn't do something about the overly oiled hair and left over glitter.

As he gazed toward the bathroom he saw Kalizda was staring at him. There was a look in her eye that he wasn't familiar with. Then she unzipped her dress and let it fall away to reveal a very enticing bodice and long leg socks. Illya's eyebrows raised and he let out a long breath. She was spicy tonight. His eyes looked her up and down as she sauntered over to where he was and then she set her legs on either side of him and then sat on his lap. It was a rather seductive move and he wasn't afraid to admit it. Most of what she said was still processing, but he definitely heard the part about more and he nodded eagerly, "Oh yes, I tink more es exactly what I want tah see."

********************************************

The next morning Illya pulled Kalizda a bit tighter to himself and he breathed in the scent of her hair deeply before he moved her hair out of the way and nibbled gently on her neck and earlobe. "Yah make meh feel like very lucky man. I dun tink I would ever have woman dat loves meh like yah do." Keeping his hands carefully at her waist or higher he moved his hands along her body and smiled some. "Yah very brave woman. Yah agree wit meh even when yah know tings about meh past dat make most shudder." Kissing her again he whispered in her ear, "I like dat yah tink I can be better man. I am better man wit yah here."

While he nibbled playfully and flirted with her he missed his first alarm and he didn't notice till the second one went off. He only noticed it because he could hear Dane wandering around. "Uh oh." Illya looked at his pad and cursed under his breath. "Kalizda, we gonna be late." He'd spent too much time flirting with his woman instead of paying attention to business.

By the time Illya was done with his longer shower and dressed they were going to be a good 10 minutes late and this one couldn't be blamed on Kalizda. It really would be his fault because he forgot to shower last night to get some of the extra oil washed out of his hair and he still had a few sparkles he couldn't quite rub out of his eyebrows, eyelashes, hair or off his face. The glitter seemed to spread rather than wash out and he was sure he looked a bit funny.

Lohgan and Cypher were both anxious to get moving and Illya smiled a bit before he offered his hands. While it looked odd to have a General walking children, it was better than undermining Kalizda's image as the Councilwoman. They needed to view her first as the statesmen and second as a mother. His identity had already been established in the public's mind. Hers was being established.
 
Calysta smiled at Illya when he seemed so enthused about her sudden need to straddle his lap. She kissed him once, then again, pulling herself a bit closer until she was pressed thoroughly against him. Words and expressing her emotion was hard sometimes. Nobody had been around to really tell them to or would care to listen before Illya. Now, she was so full of feeling she didn't know how to put into words. It was spilling out of her with the want to show him exactly how she felt. He was starting to get riled up, she could feel it and she wasn't going to stop, even if she took it slow.

And take it slow she did. She kissed his neck and his chest and whispered sweet things to his left ear with breathy Quoti. When they finally made it to real hard work, she took that over too, letting him relax. After, she kissed on him with sleepy, content kisses and held him close to her. They were both too tired to talk or say much more. It had been a long day for both of them and all she wanted was to be close to her husband. She wanted him to feel how much she loved him. Calysta smoothed his glitter infested hair as they both began to drift off.

When she woke up, it was a slow rise from a good, deep sleep. Illya snuggled her closer to himself and she burrowed in contentedly until he pushed her hair aside. The cool air met her bare neck and warm lips began nibbling a trail from her ear to her shoulder. The feeling woke her up in more ways than one, but she was still too bound up in her content drowsiness to fully commit to another loving making session. He was teasing well enough though and whispering in her ear. She gazed at him through half lidded eyes when he spoke. He wanted to be a better man because of her? She was worthy of that? Calysta slinked arm around his waist and a lef up his calf with gentle touches, simply feeling him close and revelling in the presence of her husband. "I'd do it all over again. Every single moment. I love you with all my heart. I'm a better person when you're with me too."

Their little flirtation session ended at the sound of Dane thumping around in the kitchen and a secondary alarm on Illya's pad alerting them it was past time to get up. Calysta reluctantly left the warmth of her husband's arms and began to make the bed quickly. "Oooh it's only 10 minutes. It was worth it," she said, giving him a little wink.

As she made the bed, specks of glitter sprinkled her arms. All of it had come from Illya's head where Lohgan had slathered him up in a mud-mask for spa time. The glitter refused to come off after Illya's shower too. It speckled his hair line and clung to his temples and earlobes in some places. She plucked a few pieces off of his shoulder and raised a brow. "Lohgan really decorated you this time. You're going to be a sparkling General today, love."

They got Cypher ready to go with a little help from Illya when it came to combing down his hair, and Lohgan when it came to pinning down a proper outfit. Calysta braided her daughter's hair and put her favorite flower pins in the curly plait.

"Where are we going today?" Cypher asked as they left the coliseum.

"We're going to visit the children in the hospital," Calysta explained, "You want to make a new friend, yeah?"

Cypher grinned and Lohgan poked at her hair. "Will they let me play with their hair?"

Calysta chuckled. "If you ask and they say yes. No glitter this time though, yeah? And when we walk outside there will be people taking pictures and holograms. I want you to keep a hold of Dah's hand and don't worry about them okay? I'm going to be upfront so they don't bother you. If someone tries to talk to you and you don't like it, just ignore them." She was nervous about stepping out into the world with her children in this capacity. There would be onlookers, nosey reporters, and worst of all, protestors. It was alot for her children to take in and she didn't want them exposed to the hate other people sent to her. At the same time, they were on their way to cheer up kids and she knew her children would love to meet them. This would be a good visit for them to join them on. They couldn't live under the shadow made by the purists.

As they began to exit the coliseum, Calysta took a deep breath and put on her best smile as she waved into the media holograms. Her children stepped out behind her with Illya and immediately the reporters began capturing hologram footage while they asked questions. "Councilwoman! Are these your children?"

"Yes, of course," she nodded back as she walked.

"By you?"

Calysta smiled. "Naturally."

Her smile faded though as a group of protestors stood on the sectioned side lines, pushing their way to the front. "Half breed, defective, sick blood!" They pointed at her and gnashed their teeth with their insults. "You're the product of an unstable genetic code! Disgusting mix that shouldn't be procreating. It's a lie! Those pups aren't hers!"

Calysta ignored them until suddenly, someone grabbed her hand and clamped down. She jolted to a stop to find Cypher gripping her hand with both of his tan little paws tightly. His face was red and his brow was furrowed in angry confusion. "Yah don't talk to my Mam that way!" he bellowed back. "Yah talk tah her nasty. She's not dirty or sick! Yah tell her yah sorreh for yah lies right now!" There were tears of anger welling up in his blue eyes but he wasn't backing down. "My Mam is good! She works hard! Yah telling lies about her and that makes yah bad. Yah all screaming at her with lies. Yah the ones who are nasty!"

She looked down at her son and felt his hands cinch tighter around her arms protectively. That single look of horror and anger on his face made her heart rip into pieces. Maybe this had been a mistake. Should she have shown her children this? Yes, it was reality, but they didn't have to see it. They didn't have to come out there with her. She had thought it was a good idea. Now, the results were setting in and that look of shock on his face made her feel horrible. His grip was starting to bruise her, but she didn't tell him to let go. Instead, she knelt beside him and put a hand over his. "Hey," she whispered in Quoti, "They don't matter, yeah? I'm alright. We're alright. Those kids are counting on us to be there today. Why don't we keep walking-"

No sooner had she gotten the words out of her mouth, did a screech erupt from behind them. Calysta whipped her head around to find Illya holding their daughter off the ground by her waist. At first, she thought it was because someone had attacked them, but it was Lohgan who had been the one doing the attack. Her feet dangled off the ground, one of them missing a shoe, and her lower lip was puckered in such a look of disdain at the protestors, she looked positively enraged. "Yah take yah meanness away. I'm not gross! You take it back!"
 
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The walk to the hospital quickly turned volatile an Illya watched the children carefully. Dane and Rezna were watching him and Kalizda. It seemed that the closer they got to the hospital the worse it got. Cypher began to pull away, but Kalizda was only a few steps further ahead. Illya let their son go to his mother and then Lohgan started to kick one of her shoes off before she threw it at a man sneering at her and calling her names. Their children were now being targeted along with the children in the hospital.

Yesterday had been easier with their supporters being much louder, but it seemed the purists brought out every reinforcement they had for today. Snatching Lohgan up, Illya held her and then walked over to the man. He towered over him and held his hand out. "Give meh dah shoe. I will talk wit her about trowing tings at people." The man seemed to think that this was all going to head in his favor as he smiled smugly and thrust the tiny shoe into Illya's hand. If they thought he was going to stand by and let this happen they were gravely mistaken. There were a few times that called for a little thing called confrontation and they were going to get it. Putting Lohgan's shoe back on her, Illya walked with her in his arms and he kissed her on her cheek. In uniform or not, he was going to do it because she was his daughter and they had insulted her for no reason.

Lohgan wrapped her little arms around his neck and sniffled some until he whispered in her ear. "Yah know better den tah trow tings at people. I will tell yah someting dough. I have some tings tah say to dese people because dey start dah fight." The girl pushed up on her elbow and dug it deep into the top of his shoulder as she gazed at his face. "I'm nut in anymore trouble?" Illya shook his head and kept on walking with her held tight in his arms.

When they finally reached the steps Illya turned around instead of stepping inside. Still holding Lohgan in his arms he waited for the crowd to quiet down a bit. Once they were quiet enough he started to talk. "Dah Councilwoman and I do have children tahgeter. Dey are nut sickly as yah accuse or bad blood." The crowd began to boo again and he waited for them to get quiet before he spoke further. "Dah shame es on yah! For all dah effort yah put into dis protest and oters and money yah pour ento et yah might have found cure already. Instead yah waste time, money and resources tah protest a blood dat dah children dun choose! And yah call yahselves sophisticated. Sure, yah dun have executions anymore, yah dun have war on yah own soil, but yah choose member of society dat deserves protection and yah attack dem like wild animals. Yah venomous mouts belong en dah wilds where oter rotten tings grow. Pick up yah damn signs and get dah hell out of here. Dere es nut time for dis kind of disgrace. Yah find ways to raise up dah weak and help dem be great, or yah fall apart. Dis es war yah wage enside and et makes yah weak and easy tah corrupt. Dis es how an enemy defeats a people. For yah kind dey dun need soldiers. Jes ideas."

Without waiting for any further comment he turned and ushered the children into the hospital with Kalizda. It wasn't till they were inside that Illya sat on a waiting bench and beckoned Cypher to come sit with him and Lohgan. "Now, what happen tahday es difficult ting. Yah bot have problem controlling yahselves and so did dah oter people. Yah dah might have had problems too. Et es important tah remember dat when yah show fear dey will attack harder. Lohgan, yah jes take dat a bit too far. Trowing tings maybe gets yah in fight and yah dun know how tah fight well enough for dat. Also, dere were too many even for dah tah fight witout getting hurt. Cypher, when yah say what yah say et was right words. Yah cry and dey tink et es fear. Yah make good stand, but yah dun be afraid when yah do et." Leaning over he gave both his children kisses on their heads. "Dun worry, yah mum and I be here for yah. We help yah learn tah fight back dah right way for dese tings."
 
Calysta could feel the tight clutch of her son growing tighter when her words did little to comfort him. She couldn't pick him up anymore, he was far too heavy and she could tell Dane and Rezna wanted to usher them forward with Lohgan under control. Swallowing hard, she hugged her boy close, tucking him under her arm protectively, then looking into his bright blue eyes. His dark eye lashes had tears clinging to them and she squeezed him. "You look at me, yeah?" she whispered in Qouti, "I'm right here and there's nothing else but you and me. Look at my eyes."

He focused on her with her all of his anger and his worry and she mustered a gentle smile. "There's my brave boy. C'mon and let's go make some new friends." Cypher's eyes stayed on her as she tucked him close and walked with him the rest of the way up the stairs. She could feel their hot stares at her back, but she didn't cow her shoulders down. Instead, she straightened her spine as white hot rage threatened to pour out of her. She was simply going to go inside and not give the protesters the time of day. Ignoring them would get her children out of the limelight and her only goal was to get inside with them. Inside where more children just like her and her own children were being terrorized. Had been terrorized for generations.

Her jaw tightened some as the rage made her cheeks flush with heat. If she even tried to speak right now all the anger was going to come roiling out of her tongue and that would only add fuel to the fire. It would prove she was emotional, unbalanced...defective. She swallowed the rage down and tried to stuff away in that place in her mind that she always put it. But she found that place was compromised. She couldn't shut it down.

Illya suddenly stopped on the steps with Lohgan in his arms and looked across the crowd. She knew there were people there who were not protesting. She could see them trying to fight through the rest. There were as many there as there were protestors. The protestors just happened to be more organized. Illya began to speak and she frozen there on the steps, her son under her arm and watching the angry faces.

His speech made her jaw set and her eyes fix on her grandparents who were not at the front but at the back of the protests watching and guiding the mob. Illya was right though. This division could cripple them and this is exactly why she wanted to do the tour to begin with. The rest of the crowd grew quiet at his words, leaving on the protestors shouting. Suddenly, there was much less steam behind the protestors as they realized their voices didn't blend with the crowd anymore but they were being singled out. They sounded weaker. As if their voice was nothing but a mewling in comparison to Kinte and to all of the Alliance.

Slowly they stopped jeering and looked around at the rest of the silent crowd in confusion.

Then someone shouted. "Go home haters!....Terrorists! Shaaaaame! You're not even from Kinte! Go home! Not our children, not our city! Get out.! You don't speak for all of us!"

The silent crowd swelled as people poked out of their shops and their homes. They were no longer focused on Illya and Kalizda, but focused on the protestors began to shift, pushing the nasty purists away from the front. The purists didn't resist, realizing they were out numbered. The Hero of Kinte had made a call to arms to protect the ideas that all people were equal in the largest port city on Kaereal.

Calysta saw the purists abandoning their signs in favor of not brushing against the growing crowd. Soon they were dispersed and her grandparents, her biological ones at any rate, were swallowed by the crowd. It was a relief to see them go. She walked inside with Cypher and they came into the lobby with both of children looking very hurt and confused. That was her fault.

He tried to explain to them that it would happen again. It would happen again. This was the kind of thing she had worked so hard to keep from happening on Pyrta. Now, she would be working hard to do so for all half breeds anywhere they were. When Illya was done speaking with the kids, she mustered a gentle look and kissed both of their cheeks. "Aye, listen to your Dah. Those people are angry. Their hearts shrivel up with all that hate. But we don't hate back, or throw things. We don't show them that. We're stronger together, yeah? You've got me and Dah and I have my two brave children."

The nurse came around and waved them toward the side hall. Calysta smoothed down her dress and looked to Illya. "I...think I need to use the restroom before I go see the children. Why don't you three go ahead and get decontaminated? I'll be along as soon as I'm done, yeah?"
 
Illya stood as the nurse came in and announced that they were ready to be taken back to the decontamination capsules before seeing the children. He would get to go through the whole process again. Still, it would be worth it for the children. As he was collecting the kids to go back with him Kalizda said she was going to the restroom. Nodding a little he watched her leave. She was upset and she needed a few moments. Normally he would have just followed her to the bathroom and asked her what was wrong, but he couldn't really do that in a public setting. This was just something he was going to have to ask her about later.

As he was going through decontamination Lohgan squealed and scratched at her head while Cypher just seemed to dance in place with the itches that were springing up all over his body. Even if he shouldn't smile, Illya did. He wanted to do the same thing both of them were doing, but it wasn't quite sophisticated with the potential of the media watching or anyone else. Next they put on the plastic suits over their clothing and went through decontamination again. It wasn't as bad the second time, but the itching sensation was still there.

Inside the room there were several children that appeared to have red rimmed little eyes. "Why yah sad?" He'd barely finished asking when one of the older children ran up and explained. "They were crying because you were late and they didn't think you'd come, but I told them you would cause the Councilwoman said she'd be back and your married to her. So you had to come!" Illya chuckled a little, "Well, dat's true. I also came because I wanted tah come see yah again. I bring dah Councilwoman's and meh children wit meh tahday. Dis es Cypher." Illya gestured to his son who was standing at his side dutifully, "And dis es Lohgan." Illya pointed to his daughter who was already raiding the toy area.

The children seemed excited to meet Cypher and Lohgan and while they were distracted Illya stepped into the second decontamination room and pulled the boxes out. "Dese are from dah Councilwoman. Dey have names on dem. Eh....she will be here en a minute." Squinting at the boxes he tried to make out the names, but he wasn't sure how to say them because he was certain he was seeing them wrong. "Who es dis?" Holding up one box a girl dashed up and snatched it with a giggle and ran away. With each consecutive box the girl that it belonged to ran to collect it and then disappeared.

Kalizda came into the room only a few moments after the last girl disappeared and Illya told her what happened. Then Kalizda disappeared too and he was left with the boys and Lohgan. There were plenty of games and little stories to read. Every now and then Illya would look toward the doorway where all the girls had run through and wonder what was going on.

At last there was a creaking sound and the first girl poked her head out and she giggled some before she skittered out in her pink dress. Then one after another the girls came out in their dresses with their hair made and pretty little necklaces and shoes to match. One of the smaller girls walked over to him and smiled at him hopefully. "Would you dance with me?" Her big blue eyes were lined by thick black eyelashes. There were dark rings under her eyes and her pale cheeks looked a bit thin, but it didn't dim that smile on her face one bit. Illya gave a bow in Kaerelean fashion and then smiled at her, "Of course."

One after another he danced with the little girls. For each dance he was bent over slightly to at least make it more comfortable for the girls to dance with him. The ones that were too small, tired, or weak to dance much he would hold and dance with them. When it came time for the final girl to have her dance she looked at him with sad eyes, "I can't dance and I'm too big to pick up." She was always told she was too big and she didn't want to dance with her walker.

Illya winked at the girl. "Nonsense, yah nut too big." Walking over he gave a bow the same as he did for all the other girls and then knelt on one knee in front of her. "Would yah allow meh honor of dis dance?" Giggling nervously the girl nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck as he picked her up. Her smile grew wider and wider as they danced and she got to twirl a bit in his arms. "Again," she insisted and when the dance was over she kissed him on the cheek. Illya looked at her a bit surprised and then smiled as he set her down. "Yah better be careful. Being such a pretty girl and kissing a boy like dat. He jes might pick yah up and run away wit yah." All the little girls laughed at that statement and squirmed in their seats as they waited for a nurse to bring in the tea.

They didn't wait long for the nurse to come in with their tea and snacks. Even the boys joined, though it wasn't for the team time. They were interested in the snacks. Illya finished the tea time and snacks with a story selected by the children and then it was time for them to go. It was clear that the children had nearly exhausted themselves with the anticipation and activities of the day. Illya knew that while they were in better health than the others it could well have been a day they wouldn't trade for anything, but it could also have made them sick to have so much activity in a day. The only comfort he could take from the potential of causing the children to feel worse was that they seemed to enjoy themselves and they would soon have a cure.

The next two wards were more difficult. Illya hated to see the children in the bubbles and he noticed that a few were less responsive than they had been the day before. However, they were all still delighted to hear stories in the second ward. With a shorter time span in the last two wards it was at least good that Cypher and Lohgan would be waiting for them in the waiting room. They didn't need to see this part.

By the time they were done with the day Illya felt almost sick. The children were so hopeful and they were miserable feeling for the most part, even when they thought they felt good. He hated to see children suffer an the final ward reminded him of Lahna even if it shouldn't have. There was no tea house this time. They had to get Cypher and Lohgan back to the Coliseum and there was another big event tonight. He wouldn't be getting much of a chance for recuperation. Just enough time to focus on a few things with Kalizda.

***********************

There was only a few hours before they needed to leave again, but the kids were at least settled in and they seemed more calm now. Illya walked up behind Kalizda and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Yah wanna come relax wit meh for a few in dah bedroom?" He planned to try and talk with her a bit in there. They had a few things he wanted to go through before any other major events.

Once they were in the bedroom Illya sat on the bed and motioned for Kalizda to sit with him. "We have two tings we should try tah figure out before tahnight eh? Et's noting bad. Yah pick dah one dat we talk about first. Dese two subjects, yah upset about someting tahday and I need tah know how tah help because we have a lot of tour left and next we need tah make sure dat yah have teme pecked out for yah tour. Et es important tah have consistent message and I have a few ideas ef yah dun already have a teme pecked out. So eh, which of dese do yah wanna talk about first?"
 
Calysta promised the children she would be right back and proceeded to the bathroom. It wasn't two seconds before she realized the tall Udine woman was following her, back straight and alert. Calysta said nothing until they reached the bathroom door and Rezna began to enter it with her.

"Please wait out here," Calysta said, pushing the barthroom door aside.

"Councilwoman, you hired me on for a job," Rezna shrug, "The way I see it, you can go in there now and I go in with you, or you can wait 10 seconds or me to sweep it."

Calysta's jaw clamped so tight she could hear her teeth creak with the effort. Why didn't anybody simply listen to her? She spent an awful lof of time listening patiently to what others had to say, yet when it came to her own orders, her own simple existence, she gets screamed and back talked, jeered...pushed back...

Her mind railed against everything she wanted to say to the cruelness outside, not just for herself but for her children and the children in the hospital and everyone else. It was the same white hot rage and bitterness that she had fought so hard to keep control of as a child. To let go of.

"Sweep it." she said through her teeth as evenly as she could.

Rezna didn't question her tone and simply walked forward with her long legs, then dissappeared into the bathroom. Thirty seconds later, she returned and nodded. "Safe. I'll be out here."

Calysta mustered a curt nod and then walked into the bathroom. Rather than going into a stall, she put her hands on either side of a sink and sighed. Tiny drips of water fell into the basin and rolled down to the drain, but they weren't from the faucet. She had just put her children through something she never wanted them to see. Ever. The looks on their faces were stark in her mind. It could have been so much worse though. A memory flashed back and a man's voice screamed at her. "Genetic defect!" Then pain on her wrist. Calysta looked down at her wrist and saw bruises popping up already where Cypher and gripped in her rage and terror. This time, it wasn't just her she had to protect. It was her children too.

How would she be heard if the purists drowned her out? She couldn't and wouldn't let them compromise the tour. It was too important. She had to be louder, stronger than that. Illya had gotten their attention. It helped being the Hero of Kinte, and a well known fan favorite. She was none of those things, but if they listened to him maybe some of what she said might get through. As long as she could get through to them, it didn't matter how it happened, right? She could do this. She had to. Illya and the Chippeqouti were counting on her. The entire home planet was. She had to be better than this.

She looked at herself in the mirror and signed before grabbing a paper towel and dabbing at her eyes. Guilt sat heavy on her, but she had to be prepared to meet those children. They didn't need to know anything was wrong. This was their day. She thought back briefly to what Illya had said to Swyft's son the day before.

"Well, love. Let's see how giant I can be," she whispered, her voice a little froggy.

When she was looking better, she sat her spine straight and her chin high and walked out of the bathroom. Rezna followed her wordlessly for a moment, looked to her. "You know, on my planet they don't care what you're mixed with. I don't get it."

"Neither do I," Calysta replied as they walked toward decontamination.

"Aye, you would have been left on a cliff top to die," Rezna shrugged, "No protests there."

Calysta raised a brow at her guard. "Aye I suppose that's one way of solving the problem."

"But it if was the right way to solve it," Rezna mused, then grinned widely, "You wouldn't have this excellent body guard with you."

Calysta let out a strained but genuine laugh and shook her head. She had been helping Rezna navigate life on Kinte when she arrived for sometime nad helped the woman get set up at Skycorp after she passed entrance exams. The great thing about Rezna was her confidence and Calysta appreciated it. She arrived at the decontamination room smiling because of that and they went through the process of light exposure and dressing in plastic before they entered.

As soon as she hit the door, the gaggle of little girls met her, already excited. They had discovered the boxes she had sent and were eager to look inside. She waved them to the side room and one by one helped them into their new dresses. She had ordered them in different styles with every color except blue. They begged her to do their hair too and she chuckled. "Aye, a princess always has her hair done too. Let's give you all beautiful braids." It didn't take long. Their hair was thin from medication or patchy in some places. She simply combed through it and braided around it so they never saw then thin spots, then clipped beautiful flowers in their hair.

One by one, she sent them out to the main room, calling them each beautiful princesses. They scuttled out in puffs of tulle and sparkles, holding their skirts and giggling wildly. When she finished the last girl, Calysta emerged from the room and saw Illya with one of the little girls in his arms, dancing with her. She grinned as she stood in the door way and watched him dance. Both of them were smiling as they swirled around the tile floor. This is what she had come there to do. Make children happy.

Soon after that it was tea time and they all sat down for snacks. The boys had asked if there was something for them, at one point, and she nodded. "Aye, but they're being made specially for you," she assured them, "They'll arrive after I'm gone, but I expect a hologram when you get them, yeah?" Her children played happily with the others in the ward. Cypher showed them adventure stories and when he was told he couldn't show them any wrestling moves, he simply shrugged and nodded. "Eh, we try someting else. Yah like playing games?"

Lohgan was running her own princess school, showing the little girls how to bow and courtsey and how a Chippeqouti Princess drinks her tea. Then she brought out the coloring books and they helped her design beautiful dresses on butcher paper. Calysta listened to the girls twitter about where needed more sequins and bows.

Despite the rough start to the day, and how the children reacted, this had been worth the effort.

Eventually, it was time for the children to rest again and she knew how tired they would be. They told the sweet kids goodbye and then went to visit the other wards. Those were always more difficult and if anything, they resolved in her mind to be better. She had to speak for them because she had the biggest voice any half breed ever had before. No one else could do this but her.

It was difficult knowing she was leaving some of those children and saying goodbye to them for the last time, but there was no real time for tea to process that like yesterday. They were do back at the coliseum to prepare for the festival that evening. The children would be attending with them. All of them. That meant extra prep work and coordination. However, Lohgan and Cypher needed a nap in the hours between the hospital visit and the festival.

When Illya offered a bit of respite for her too, she took it and slinked off to the bedroom with him. Calysta sat down next to Illya and part of her worried he was about to tell her how upset he was she dragged the children into such a mess, even if ultimately she didn't regret it. His voice was gentle though and she relaxed some when he said it wasn't bad. When he spoke, his accent was heavier but she understood what he meant. They were fair questions and she folded her hands thoughtfully in her lap, thinking carefully before she spoke. He wanted to help her and she had to think of how.

"A theme?" She hadn't thought about it before but it wasn't a bad idea to have a theme. She had done most of her work being herself but that wasn't enough for these people. She had to stand up and be heard. Her mind went back to the day. She wasn't simply strong on her own. Illya had been there and Rezna. Her children too. They all came from different backgrounds and were wholly different people, but they had done something wonderful today as a team. That solidified her theme.

"Unity. We're stronger together, Illya. I really do believe that. The purists see me as the weak link. But together. United? There's nothing we can't achieve. That should be our focus. What do you think?"

The answer Kalizda gave was very pleasing. Illya waited until she was finished and then he smiled. "Unity was going tah be meh first suggestion for yah. Dis es good topic tah make yah teme. We already begin setting for dis and et es someting we jes keep on building. Dah Chippequoti focus has been tah work harder at being part of Alliance and dis es part of unity. Den tahday we address concern of singling out mixed blood. Et es also important for war."

These were just a few things Illya wanted to point out in advance so she could see where it was all tying in together. "What are some areas dat yah see as concern and yah want tah address and den what are strong points dat yah can congratulate yah people on? Den how are yah working tah achieve dese tings wit yah people?"

Calysta's titled her head some, thinking about to handle his barrage of questions regarding the idea of her recently chosen theme. The theme was something he looked almost pleased to hear about. She knew that Illya and the other Elders had been working extremely hard to be apart of of the Alliance. "The purist issue is a main goal. People who don't follow the purist message may get angry at the purists. I don't want to start a civil war over my blood. I want to draw out the best people and our allies on Ewen. That means making good contacts and showing myself as willing not to lump them all in with purists ties."

She shifted a little on the bed and rubbed her hands together a little. "I've made good strides with them, but that's where the purists are most prolific. Then there are more remote continents who often don't feel like they see the limelight very much. When I visit, it brings business and I want to make my presence good for them. They want to be heard and their voice represented in the Alliance. I had planned on spending extra time in these places to remind them that they are a part of a whole and they are heard."

"We'll be parlaying with the Udine Colony as well and I would like them to join the Alliance, not just for our benefit but for their own safety. The same for the Terran Colonies," she continued, "There's...a bad taste in the mouths when it comes to Terrans on some of the Kaerelean views. They're sometimes seen as...taciturn and perhaps not as sophisticated. They couldn't come together when their planet needed it and wavered back and forth on entry into the Alliance long before Terra was lost to the Federation. I have hope that the Colonists are more open and solidified now that they are stable. Appearing there, and addressing my....my mistake...when I offered them sanctuary will be key. Then Uria, Reylia, Pyrta, Kinte.and the Chippeqouti... can always be counted on for solid backing and are good examples of unity. I would like to spot light smaller continents as well."

The answer was a bit scattered and close, but not quite was he was thinking. Despite his best attempt not to laugh Illya did a little bit. "Well, dat was good. Yah need some work. Eh...I will show yah good way tah start wit dis. What yah tell meh es all good tings and we use et all, but yah need yah whole message more togeter eh?" He couldn't think of the exact word he wanted, but the one he used was good enough.

"So, dah teme es unity. Yah are concerned wit some trends dat may cause some en Alliance to reject oters. Yah want tah prevent dis by nut making all inclusive statements and providing additional support tah bring dose into support of unity. Yah can congratulate many of dem for improvements and contributions dey have made tah unity of dah Alliance, or expressing dere desire tah be part of dah Alliance." Illya paused there and waited for her to catch up with where he was going.

"Dis es yah over arching teme. Yah plan for each place we visit. Den we talk about how dis looks for each place. We dun trow et all out dere right now. We take each place as et comes and we study et tah be sure dat dah data follows what we say and we are familiar wit dah trends so yah have knowledge dey cannot refute and yah have good tings tah encourage dem on and tings yah want tah see tah support unity, strengt of Alliance and tah see dah Federation ended. Dese are all good tings eh? Does dis make more sense now?"

He chuckled at her and her humor failed to rise up to find the joke. She knew she needed work. She just thought it hadn't been so glaringly obvious. Calysta listened and felt like a stone was dropped into her belly. He was trying to make sure she succeeded and what he said made sense. She should have worked harder or done better some how. These are things she was already doing in some form or fashion, but not in quite the format he suggested. What did she really know about all this anyways?

She was not a stateswoman and perhaps she really shouldn't be up there. But then there was all the good she had done with the kids at the hospital and for the Chips. The words from protestors came to mind and she nodded before they sucked her into too much. "Aye makes sense. We have one more day here, and then we can come up with a plan together for the next stop?"

It was easy to see by the way Kalizda's eyes first flashed to him and then away that she was not finding the humor he did in this. Illya was about to begin to explain himself and then she asked if they could plan for the next stop and Illya grinned and nodded. "Oh yes, we plan." He was not sure how to back track and correct his error, but he was going to try.

"I dun laugh because yah bad. I only take tings yah say to meh and help put dem in order tah create consistency. Yah got good start and here es good. Everyting yah do here has laid good foundation. Tomorrow yah make public statement of tings yah find great about Kinte and yah compliment dose dat rise up and show support for dah mixed blood. Witout knowing et, yah already carry all dis out wit Chippequoti and Kinte. I jes want tah make sure yah know tah keep doing dah same. Et helps tah line et out. I laugh because yah already jumping ahead. Jes be careful yah dun forget yah plan eh?"

Calysta looked at him, gazing into his bright green eyes. He wasnt trying to say these things because he didn't mean them. He wasn't trying to back track to make her feel better. Illya was honest with her, even if he was sometimes gentle in doing it. More importantly, he believed she could do something and he was one of the very few she knew meant it. Calysta nodded slowly and a small smile flickered to her lips. "I won't forget. Sometimes I remember things when they scream like that and its hard to focus. I spent a long time ignoring them and now that I'm in a position to be a voice for others...I was so angry...I didn't know what might come out of my mouth. The look on the children's faces. It...scared me. I don't know if that makes sense?"

She was quickly moving along and Illya wasn't quite done going over the part about plans for future tour locations. They could always finish talking about those places later. Illya hated to see her start out so well and then forget part way through the tour how she could deliver the message best. It was a common mistake for those that were newer to this kind of work. It was a mistake he had learned from. Now, he had another thing to talk with her about, the second subject. "Well, I tink yah did right ting. Tahday yah could nut speak because dey would see mixed blood defending mixed blood. Dah children see what happens, but dey also see most people dun support dah purists. Next time yah will be able tah talk about dis issue witout showing bad en public. Yah can speak wit grace. I did dah nasty part. Den yah jes speak of unity and strengts of research. Ehaui would like mention of dere work tah find cure. Et enhances yah message and yah speak well of dose showing support for dese children and encourage dem tah welcome dah children as dey are cured and go out tah begin dere lives. Dere es much success and dah children have a lot tah offer. Dis will nut be speech too far away. Et will be very soon."

What he said made sense and he saw how difficult it was to speak to them. He didn't think she had done the wrong thing. It wasn't like she hinged on his approval, but it was important to her to listen to him and to learn. He was trying his best to help her. Swallowing, she nodded and put a hand over his gently. "How soon would you say?"

Illya listened to her question and thought for a moment. "I tink yah could say after successful treatment of tree or four children. Ehaui have samples for two more and dey will be staggering surgeries. Dah first surgery dey tell meh will be en about 1 week. Dey put dah marrow on fast grow plates and dey plan tah visit children tomorrow and begin merge of dere bone marrow on plates. So eh, about 2 weeks from now we will see tests from Ehaui showing enhanced immune function and den en about 5 weeks dey will have sign of new immune system and function. Dey will be able tah go home wit dere parents en 6-8 weeks after surgery ef all goes well. Ehaui are being very cautious wit dem." It wasn't that long when some of the places they needed to make a trip to would take a minimum of a week or two. "Last ting, yah keep en mind dat I can help yah wit some statements wit public witout diminishing yah position as Councilwoman. Yah tell meh what yah want from meh when yah ask meh tah help yah plan eh?"

Calysta listened to him explain and nodded, her mind turning over the information. "That's a good idea...it will only be a few weeks and I would want to try to visit the children again when their treatment is done." When he mentioned him helping with statements Calysta looked at him. "I don't want you to have to subject you to that, but I will warn you before hand. There will be times there they won't listen to me. It's maddening. I will tell you what I need though. Can I start right now?"

Now that Kalizda was understanding it was going to be easier. Illya gave her a wink and nodded. "Yeah, yah start now. I jes make sure dat I listen tah what yah say and plan so dat when I get questions from people dat want tah talk to meh I stay consistent. Now, what yah need from meh?"

Calysta's smiled genuinely at his wink and her cheeks turned a rosy shade. "Well, the first thing. I need a hug. Maybe a kiss. Okay...definitely a kiss. Then I'll tell you about the festival tonight and what we can do to work together...I dont have to do this alone."

"Dat's easy." Slipping a hand under her legs he pulled her onto his lap and held her close while he kissed her. It was fun to get a little carried away before they had to get serious about plans. "Mmmmm...jes tell meh when ets good enough." Giving her a few more kisses he planned to keep going till she said stop.

Calysta wrapped her arms around his neck when he pulled her into his lap. She chuckled a little as his kissed her. He was such good husband. A good man. She kissed on him right back, peppering him with sweet pecks until he started to get a little breathless and she was too. They still had to go to work that night to the festival and there wasn't enough time to properly make love to him the way she wanted.

Slowly she pulled her lips back and gave him a fierce hug before clearing her throat. "After the festival..." It took her a few more minutes to calm down. "Um...at the festival, I will have to make a speech. It made be hard to get their attention at first. Especially if there are protestors there. It would be helpful if you could grab their attention. We're there to celebrate unity, yeah?"

“Ooh yeah, I like dat kind of assignment.” Illya almost laughed at the very idea and kissed her one more time. “Let’s get ready and yah jes know dat yah will have all dere attention.”

Calysta chuckled and stole one more kiss before she went to get ready. While she worked, she told Illya all about Kinte.

"Kinte used to be one big continent," she told him, as she got dressed, "One of the largest on the planet. During the war against the Reylian Empire around 700 years ago, the continent was bombed. Reys tried to destroy it before the Alliance could take the major trade hub, yeah? They bombed several other continents as well, Hyrule is one of them. You've visited the ruins in the Wilds. Millions were killed. It shocked the entire planet. We only had so much landmass to live on and suddenly, millions of people were dead and we had less land. Less resources. Out of the four trade hubs that were bombed only Kinte survived. Rather than giving up their land, the Kintenites, lashed the islands together, making the continent the set of several landmasses you see on maps now. Kinte continued it's tradition of trade and eventually became an intergalactic hub. It was chosen to be the meeting place for the Alliance Councilmembers for symbolic as well as practical reasons. It was forged back together after the war and seemed like best place to start over, yeah? The people here are diverse and accepting. It's why the University came here and Skycorp too."

She pulled on her stockings and looked up at Illya, realizing she had been talking for sometime. "Does that help?" If he was going to get their attention he needed to know a little bit about them and she was sure some of what she said could be helpful to him.

**********

Calysta stood on the stage and looked over the crowd. There was so much noise it was hard to tell how many protestors were there, though she did see several signs and some banners hung over balcony railings in the distance. Otherwise, the street was filled with cart vendors and bright streamers wafted in the wind along with slowly falling paper confetti. There had to be thousands of people in the circle, crowding the fountain and playing games. Music echoed from every corner. There were people laughing and yelling as they rode small rides erected through the streets. It was the biggest festival she had ever seen, barring the new years festival. Multi colored lights flickered to life around them and suddenly the podium she was meant to stand on faded into view on the hologram-trons all over the city. It was time for them to speak before the festival continued.

Kayleb swept by in his traditional Kintenite robes with patterns all along the edges and smiled an encouraging smile. "Are you ready?"

Calysta looked at Kayleb and nodded.. "Illya will be introducing me once your official welcome is done."

Kayleb opened his mouth in surprise, then closed it again. "Certainly not traditional, but as you wish Councilwoman." He offered her a bow, and she returned it before Kayleb turned and stepped up to the podium.. His face appeared on the hologram-trons all over the city. "My friends and fellow Kintenites. It is my pleasure to officially welcome Councilwoman Calysta Marie Monroe to our home. We are honored to have her hear among us. Please join me in making her feel welcome and enjoy her stay on the islands. Let us show her the full force of Kinte hospitality."

She could hear cheering at his words, but also protesting as Kayleb rendered the stage and the podium to Illya.

***********

Kalizda's outfit:
 
After chatting with Kalizda there wasn't much time to get ready. Kalizda busily gave a run down on Kinte while she got changed and Illya reached for his uniform. "Oh..." Illya looked to the side of the closet and saw that an outfit was already laid out on the chair next to the closet. It was a tunic with gold and more slender fitting pants than he was used to and tall black boots. He was used to taller boots and they weren't the problem. Glancing at Kalizda and then back to the outfit Illya sighed. He would likely get to wear his gold earrings again. She seemed to like them and they would probably look good with this outfit.

While he was getting dressed she finished talking about Kinte. At the end of the entire speel Kalizda asked him if it was helpful and Illya shook his head at first and then nodded. What any of that had to do with making sure he had obtained everyone's attention he didn't know. "Yeah, sure et's good tah know." The thing he didn't want to tell her was that he had no idea how to get people's attention. While the history was interesting, it wasn't quite an attention getter.

Illya slipped the pants on and put on the boots and earrings. The last article of clothing he put on was the tunic. It was a bit tight feeling in the biceps and definitely tight in the forearms. Whenever he had to bend his arms the shirt got tighter and his shoulders felt almost like they were squished into the shirt if he reached in front of himself. At least the shirt passed the movement test, but it felt strange. Then, it hugged his hips a bit tighter than he cared to admit and he pulled it up some so it bunched almost at the belt buckle. The pants were just too tight to tuck the shirt into them.

Looking in the mirror, Illya could see Kalizda standing behind him in their room. She had a strange shirt that reminded him of a camel sweater. At least that was what he thought the thing was called. However, even if it was plain, she was smiling at him and seemed quite pleased. "Alright." Illya turned around and let her get a good look at him. He also let her adjust his shirt to pull down over the belt buckle. It was supposed to come down lower even if he didn't like the feel. "Hmm...I guess now we're ready tah go eh?"

*********************************

By the time Illya had made it to the back stage it felt like the body of the shirt and the sleeves had twisted. Pulling at the tunic he got it straightened again and then the sleeves felt twisted, but they weren't. What was worse was that the tunic felt like he should be able to roll the sleeves up, but that wasn't possible. The sleeves were way too tight for that.

Illya glanced around for any last ideas of how to get the crowd's attention. It shouldn't have been this hard. There were a few more ideas forming in his mind and he beckoned to Dane. "Give meh dah pistol." Dane unholstered Illya's pistol that he had carried in. Since there was not room for Illya to carry his pistol on his current civilian outfit Dane had carried it with him. Illya took the gun from Dane and checked it again to be sure that the loaded round was a blank with extra sound capability. If they were going to need to pay attention this would do it. The tactic had never failed even in some more difficult situations. This was not one of those situations that counted as difficult.

The end of Kayleb's speech marked the point for Illya to step out. With the gun in hand he held it at his side with the barrel pointed to the ground. It was barely visible. Stepping up to the podium Illya thought he might adjust the microphones and found them a bit short. He was going to have to lean forward slightly. Pointing the microphones almost straight up he leaned slightly forward and then spoke.

"Uh, hello." His deep raspy voice almost boomed through the speakers and he winced, "Dat was loud. Dese tings work better den I tought dey would." A few people chuckled and he stood a little straighter. "I'm here tah introduce dah Councilwoman. Since I'm nut sure how Kaereleans do dese tings I figure I will jes tell yah little story." The crowd didn't seem opposed to the idea. In fact a few leaned in and especially the reporters. This was where things got interesting. He hadn't entirely made up his mind on this speech and it was on the fly, but it was all the better he could come up with. "Before Calysta Marie Monroe was dah Councilwoman she was many oter tings. She was accomplished pilot. I see her record of fame en dah academy nearby. She was student wit distinguished records and she was cast out by many for her blood. Despite dese tings she still had enough courage tah try and find way tah see past a few little problems when we first met."

The crowd was somewhat listening. Those that he had the attention of were completely enraptured with the story. There were still many others that were not listening and Illya didn't particularly care. He still had his solution for that. "Et was because of her courage and determination dat dah Chippequoti came tah call her Kalizda. She knew dat her people, even ef dey did nut always wish tah accept dere own would nut turn away dah Chippequoti. Et was at great risk she returned, she gave up her career as pilot and even put her life at risk tah see dah Chippequoti united wit a people dat would stand by us. Dis was big leap of trust she asked of Chippequoti. I am still amazed at dah Kaerelean peoples. Dey are a good people wit courage tah face dah unknown. Dese are unknown times, dah future es full of mystery, but wit courage and compassion dah Councilwoman seeks tah unite her people and help dem conquer dere future hand en hand. Yah will welcome her now." With that final statement Illya pulled the trigger on the gun and the blank fired with a boom that nearly shook the stage. With Illya standing behind the podium it was not immediately clear where the sound came from. Simply turning on his heel Illya stepped behind the curtain and onto the backstage. "Tanks Dane." Dane took the pistol and holstered it with a smile before he pointed to the screen showing the effect that the attention getter had on the crowd. With a grin Illya looked at Kalizda. "Yah have dere complete attention."
 
Calysta waited behind the stage as Illya approached the podium. She wondered what he was going to do to get everyone's attention. Illya usually had a plan when it came to these things and she trusted him. As he took the podium, it was obvious it was meant for a much shorter person and he had to stoop to get his voice into the microphone. Kayleb started to reach for the adjustment, but paused when Illya just kept going with his opening line. She listened as Illya was simply himself, and the crowd chuckled as he admitted he had no idea how Kaereleans did things like this.

As he went into the story, she could see the crowd stilling some, though the protestors would boo or jeer at times, mixed in with the cheers. His speech left her pink cheeked. She'd never heard her career put quite like that. People usually asked about her accomplishments as a way to ask about Illya's. This was right in line with her chosen theme, but it was also all true. All of it was genuine.

Calysta raised her hands to be ready to applaud his introduction from backstage, but suddenly a loud, horrible crack followed by a thunderous boom exploded through the speakers. A hard hand snatched her backward and she found herself dogpiled by Rezna. Kayleb hit the ground next to her, his hands folded over his head. Wynry and Thomas grabbed up the kids and covered them too.

The echo didn't stop there though. The sound of the gun blasted in succession echoes all through the city like miniature bombs. It brought all of the islands of Kinte to a grinding halt as everyone focused on the holo-trons from between their fingers or from ducked positions.

It was Rezna who realized what happened first. She looked up to see Illya retreating on the hologram and then pass by the curtain to give a pistol back to Dane. "I can't kill him, but I might strangle him," she hissed as she lift off of Calysta.

"What was that?" Calysta said, wobbling to her feet breathlessly.

"That was your husband trying to give everyone a heart attack," Rezna growled.

Calysta snorted. "Aye, he does that regularly. You'll get used to it."

About that time, Illya came into view grinning like a wolf. Calysta smoothed down her outfit and glanced down at Kayleb who was just now unfolding from his covered position. "Aye," Calysta said, "I think I most definitely do. That's...well that was certainly one way to do it."

With a quick kiss on his cheek, Calysta he hurried into the curtains and stepped out on stage to an almost silent crowd, her heart still thumping loudly in her chest. The silence from the crowd was the best thing she had heard since arriving on Kinte.

"Hello Kinte," she said in Kaerelean, then she repeated it in traders tongue and Terran before continuing in Trader's Tongue. "I was given a wonderful introduction and I thank my husband, Illya, for his kind words. I fear I'm not particularly good at giving speeches. Mostly I like to say what's on my mind and on my heart. There are many things on my mind and my heart tonight. The biggest one is how proud I am to be among you tonight. How amazed I am at your ability to come together. Kinte was built on a history of rising from destruction as an inclusive place. A place for everyone's voice to be heard and for the Alliance to unite all peoples. You are the community that people look to and see hope. That's what I saw too when I came here as a Skycorp Cadet and its where I came to now. You have not changed Kinte, but you have grown to accept, and defend the values of equality you were built upon. It takes courage and compassion to stand up for the things we know are right, and just, and to do so at personal risk. But you do it because the Alliance is your home and all of the peoples in it, no matter their blood, are yours to build up and to encourage. It is your diversity that gives Kinte and the Alliance it's beauty and it's strength. I see strength and courage in all of you. Tonight, I want to invite you to join me at this incredible festival and to celebrate not just Kinte, but the strength of it's people and their importance to all of the peoples in the Alliance."

She finished talking and her hologramed voice trailed behind slightly as it was repeated through the city. At first, she wasn't sure if it had gone over well. There was almost dead silence for a moment or two after her speech ended. She looked over the crowd, her palms sweating slightly under the podium until finally applause broke out. The sound grew louder and louder until cheering and whistling erupted with it. There had to be ten thousand people in the circle and on the adjacent streets, and by in large, most of them were applauding her. She smiled warmly and waved a little, then gave a bow before retreating from the stage. If the protestors were still going at it, they were impossible to hear. She came back stage smiling and looked at Illya. "I think it worked."
 
Illya waited for Kalizda to finish her speech. It was incredibly short, but it was effective. She hit the points she needed to. Personally, he would have tried to be a bit more direct. However, her subtle ways were more in line with the Kaerelean politics and it was likely more appropriate than his speech had been. Once she finished he clapped loudly from behind the curtain and pulled it open as she approached. Since he was not in uniform it was easier to show some affection. Offering her a hand he led her back away from the crowds and let the curtain close as the applause grew to a steady roar. Kissing her gently he smiled. "Yah did well. Et was good speech. Nut too long."

Walking with the family to the back steps he let Dane clear the way and then they exited to join the festivities. There were bright colors everywhere and stands with food. So many of the foods were fruits and vegetables. While most of it was tasty Illya was disappointed to find that there was very little meat in the traditional foods. Still, there was plenty to eat since Kalizda seemed insistent that he try so many kinds.

Eating the foods couldn't last all night and the children were reminding him of the fact that there were rides and lots of entertaining little things to do. The first ride was a simple little train like device. There were carts that rolled along a track at moderate speeds. Illya's knees were nearly to his chest and listened to the kids squeal with delight and put a hand over Cypher and Lohgan to help hold them firmly to their seats when they began to turn upside down. They were strapped in firmly, but Illya still didn't want them falling out.

The next ride was a cage that went in large circles. It was made worse with each bit of motion as he discovered his weight made the cage turn perpetual circles as the cage rotated on a large oval. They appeared to be near to crashing into the ground several times. Again his children squealed with sheer delight and he could feel his stomach churning. While he could handle a little fancy flying as needed, he never cared for the sensation of falling. Illya was about to give up the rides and then Cypher spotted the human flyer harness. He wanted his dad to go on it with him. The human flyer ride had a simple harness and a person was brought within a mere foot of the ground before they were swept up as if by a wind current all while laying on their stomach within the framing.

Cypher fit in his frame and harness after padding was added and the straps tightened. Illya needed almost all adjustable padding removed and they had to pull the straps out almost to the maximum. Due to his weight the entire ride was allowed to be filled to try and provide counter balance to his weight. After it looked like he was gonna hit the ground for the fifth time and his ear kept getting a horrible ringing in it Illya was ready to be done. Some of the older rides might have been governed in part with radio frequencies. While radio frequencies were not common in many things, it was what he had in his ear. It was an advanced radio frequency technology and sometimes older machinery would interfere with it and he felt slightly off balance and nauseous after that. As soon as the ride was up he swerved slightly and made his way over to Kalizda. "Yah take next couple of rides eh? I jes watch for a while."

While food might have been tempting, Illya decided to wait on it. He knew he didn't want to eat if he would potentially go on more rides with the kids. Dane and Rezna might have been good victims if they weren't so busy keeping crowds away from Kalizda. Even with the crowds controlled it didn't stop the constant hologram images being taken.

However long the next few rides were Illya didn't know, but it felt too soon for the kids to be asking him to ride some more. Illya gave Cypher a somewhat strained smile and went on the next flying ride. It was too much. By the end of the ride his right ear was sending too many signals and he was having a hard time hearing anything except muddled sounds. The radio waves were too much in combination with a slight motion sickness. "Ok dats et for meh. I jes can't do anymore." Patting his son on the shoulder Illya wandered behind a tent in hopes of avoiding the press. Dane followed and tried to minimize the number of people that could get into the area while Illya grabbed a garbage can and puked into it.

******************************

Heart, Dedication, Surprise & Motion Sick?

Well ladies, what can we say? It has been confirmed many times over that the Hero of Kinte is quite happy with his wife, the Councilwoman. At least that is how it appears. However, as we've seen with previous leaders the tour can be a difficult hurdle even for the most dedicated married couples. Based on the events here in Kinte I would say that it appears the General and Councilwoman will weather any storms that come their way. They are standing firm.

Who wouldn't want a man that could shame a crowd of protestors to defend his woman? There is hardly anything hotter than that. Is it all political? I think taking a look at the children in the hospital, a charity that he announced in honor of his wife that it's more than a political stunt. He's got some heart. The guy loves his wife, she's a halfbreed and they confirmed the two adorable children were of their own blood. This makes a first. How did he get her pregnant? We can't help but wonder especially since we all gush when he wears that green uniform. Then he went into the hospital and spent two days with those little children. The Councilwoman helped the girls dress up and they got a dream come true. It was a party the rest of us could have only wished to have been invited to. Each girl got a dance with the General.

To end their time in Kinte it seemed that the General had to go out with a bang. He made a supportive speech in favor of his wife and her contributions. I'm beginning to think this will be a regular event. However, that blast you all heard? It appears from replay footage that it was perfectly intentional. He never bats an eye as the blast sounds around the continent. The rest of us might have been huddling in our homes, on the streets or considering fleeing for our lives, but he seemed fine with it. Ladies, this has brought us to some interesting questions. How did he come up with that idea? It certainly silenced the protestors and everyone else. The Councilwoman's speech was memorable because we were all stunned, but that was a strange way to get our attention.

Finally, you would think that for being married to the renowned pilot, Calysta Marie Monroe that he would appreciate a little motion. I found him hiding behind a tent with his head in a garbage can after a few festival rides. Soooo...how does that work when they go on a pleasure flight? Every good flier knows about the Monroe Maneuver. It looks like, if I want to get a little closer and know more about our person of interest that I'll have to find a way to get to the Councilwoman too. She's clearly got an in with him and he's pretty exclusive with his information.

We can all say one thing for the Councilwoman so far. She's got good taste. That is confirmed whenever we see her husband, but also confirmed in the wardrobe. When I reviewed the archives I didn't find him wearing anything like what he's been wearing on the tour (she must be picking his outfits). The gold on the front of his tunic was clearly her addition to help honor the Chippequoti traditions. If you can ignore the garish gold thread that the Chippequoti love, you'll notice it is nicely fitted in all the holograms I was able to collect. There is something interesting to note with this tunic. You can see when the front of it gaps slightly as he's helping the kids out of the festival ride seats that there's a scar in the center of his chest. Typically this indicates an open chest cavity surgery of sorts. These are often emergency procedures. There is nothing in the archives that would indicate this has ever happened. There are so many time lapses since he's arrived that it would be difficult to know if this is a surgery scar that is recent, older, or not even a surgery scar. The more I dig, the more I find out that there is very little known about the General and the Councilwoman. They seem to have a history and yet nobody seems to know what it is.

I've got my name on the books for interview time and I've requested an interview with both of them. Expect to have some questions answered in my next installment.
 
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The festival itself was something Calysta always wanted to attend as Councilwoman or not. She wasn't healthy enough for a long time, and then while living on Kinte, she stayed off the streets and on the Skycorp compound. Henaiah had not done a tour during her year long training on Skycorp either. So, this was her first real Kintenite festival. It had all of the traditional foods and games of course.

"Oh! You'll like these. Omne fruit tarts with cream in the middle," she said, "And these are fried rolls covered in flower syrup."

Calysta visited so many stalls and offered Illya foods from Kinte. Everywhere she went, the vendor insisted it was for no charge, but she transferred the proper amount of credits anyways. Free food was nice, but not necessary or something she would look for as a person, much less a councilwoman when she had money to pay for it.

She ate the fried dough balls on their little sticks and helped the kids eat theirs. Edgar was covered in flower syrup by the time he was done and Calysta helped wipe him down, laughing merrily as she did. "Ooh it was tasty, yeah? I thought so." Little Edgar pointed at his sisters and gave her a very polite. "More?" Chuckling, Calysta got Edgar another to share with his brother and for any of the other kids who wanted it too. In fact, she was feeling like eating another one herself.

All along the path, people were clamoring for their attention, calling out to her, taking holograms and asking for just the barest hint of her attention. She waved occasionally, or stopped, if there was a child or someone older to speak to as time allowed. As for anyone else with anything else to say, she ignored them. It was easier to do among so many people who were wishing them well and with her family.

As they began to pass by deeper into the festival, they came up upon one of many rides areas.
The kids were begging for their father to ride a few rides and Calysta rode with them on a few, however, she left Illya to have some alone time with both his daughter and his son too. The Whirly-Wind was the most spectacular one and Calysta felt she should have warned Illya about it before he got on. His weight made the ride booth spin impossibly fast. She rode that one with her father and his weight made them twirl, but Illya's booth spun on hits axis like a wild tornado. She could hear the kids squealing for joy and the excitement the whole time.

She laughed along as the ride ended and her father exited the booth with her. "I think that's my last ride," he admitted, "My stomach for spinning isn't what it used to be." Her father slinked an arm over her shoulder and gave her a surprisingly merry laugh. "I'm glad you're having a good time. It's good to see you like this."

Of course, the media couldn't help but snap a few holograms of her father looking quite so fatherly and the moment ended, but he agreed it was time to take the twins back for bed for them.

By the time Calysta caught up, Cypher had convinced his father to get on Gyl's Human Glider ride and Illya was coming off of it looking the color of a copper pot that was slightly tarnished with green. Before anyone could say much, Dane was blocking the view of the trashcan while Illya heaved into it.

When he was done, he wobbled over in surrender. The next few rides would be up to her for entertaining the kids. "Aye," she nodded, "I can do that, but first, this might help your stomach."

She walked over to stall and it was so strange to see the people parting like a wave to allow her access to the front. No matter how much she insisted on waiting in line, it was causing more time and trouble in denying anything than it was going to the front. So, she stepped up and purchased the drink she wanted and then returned to Illya. Inside a cup was a citrusy smelling liquid lightly sweetened and with a hint of herb akin to mint.

"That might settle your stomach," she smiled, then kissed his cheek as she was being tugged by Cypher and Lohgan in the direction of another ride. "I'm being summoned. I'll meet you at the ride exit, yeah?"

No sooner had the council woman been ushered off to ride another ride with her children, did Kayleb appear, his arm looped with another man who was taller and wearing brighter clothes. "General," he nodded, "I wanted to invite you to a festival tradition if you're interested. How do you like contests and spicy food?"
 
It seemed that people had kept the same pattern all night. Kalizda was always given the front of the line. When she returned only a few moments later she handed Illya a strange smelling drink. After vomiting it didn't smell that good. Still he decided to give it a try. He was hungry anyway and he would want to fill up after this drink. "Tanks." Taking the drink from Kalizda he sipped at it and frowned a little. It had a very strange taste to it. Just nodding a little he waved at Kalizda. She was talking just loud enough for him to hear, but it was still hard with one ear having limited hearing.

Movement out of the corner of his eye caught Illya's attention. Illya glanced at Kayleb as he approached with another man. It seemed odd they were holding arms as if they were romantically involved. Still sipping at the drink he tilted his head some. They were too far away for him to hear properly though it appeared Kayleb might have been talking to him. "Sorreh, ef yah talken to meh I can't hear yah."

Kayleb smiled congenially and patted the other man's hand to free up his arm in order to step closer. The festival was incredibly loud with all the rides and so it was no surprise he couldn't hear. "Aye!" He said loudly as he leaned in closer. "You're being invited to a competition! Do you like spicy food?!"

An invitation for spicy food and a competition sounded good. Illya nodded. "Yeah sounds good. I jes wait here for Kalizda. She's finishing ride wit dah kids." Pointing to the ride with one hand Illya noticed it was just starting. It would be a few minutes. This would also give him a chance to finish drinking the little stomach settling drink.

Kayleb nodded at his response and then smiled. "How are you liking the festival?!" Then his eyes grew wide when he thought about the councilwoman being the man's wife. "Apologies! I've been rude!" Waving to the man who had accompanied him, he nodded beckoned him forward. "This is Terryn, my husband." The darker skinned man bowed respectfully and then offered his hand to shake. "It's good to meet you General."

"Festival es good. Very lively." Illya answered between sips of the drink and he glanced at Kalizda's ride again before he looked back at the two men. Just as he feared the second one was indeed romantic with Kayleb and even worse they were married. Keeping a neutral expression Illya reached across and shook the other man's hand. "Yep."

Terryn nodded and gave Illya's hand a shake, then released it. "The competition will be interesting. We'll both be competing, yeah? I betting I can beat you but you're no doubt the favorite to win once people figure out you're joining."

Apparently the other man was only waiting for Kayleb to introduce him. The more Illya thought about this the less confident he began to feel about his choice. "I guess we jes see. Yah say spicy food and dis means dat et es food spiced wit herbs and products of dah ground?"

Terryn nodded. "Indeed. A quintet of spicy curries. The cayolyn pepper and a few other spices that grow gradually hotter. If you win, you get some prize money and the title of Iron Stomach." The Kaerelean laughed a little. "I've won before but that was a few years back."

It was relieving to know he hadn't' signed up for some sort of debauchery. Illya wasn't about to get involved with another man. "I am nut familiar wit so many Kaerelean spices. Maybe Chippequoti spices are similar. I guess we find out eh?" With a small smirk he turned to see that Kalizda's ride was ending and he nodded to the two other men and went over to greet Kalizda with a kiss. He wanted to be sure that the message was clear he had no interest in anyone else. Definitely not in men. Telling Kalizda about the contest he grinned and then turned to join Terryn again. "Now we go eh? We see ef I have iron stomach or no."

Calysta came wobbling off the ride and grinned as Illya's lips pressed against her cheek. "Ooh, Cypher had us spinning fast." When she saw Terryn and Kayleb and smiled warmly and bowed. "Its good to see you in person Terryn." He replied in kind and Illya mentioned something about an iron stomach, she grinned. "Oh you're competing, Illya. My bets on you to win. Let's go!"

With Kalizda coming to watch Illya felt a bit better about this. Sipping down the last of the drink he tossed the cup into the recycler. Giving Kalizda a wink Illya couldn't help making a comment about her bet, "Yah always know tah bet on meh." Placing her bet on him could have been habit, but he figured she must know the spices were something he could handle. When they arrived Illya had to add his name to the books for the contest and he stared at them for a moment. He was feeling a bit shy about trying to write his name in Kaerelean. He didn't know how. "I can sign meh name en meh own language?"

Calysta chuckled and slipped her fingers in to his while Cypher held tight to her other hand. "Oh aye. I always bet on my Chip." The volunteer was staring at him with wide eyes for a moment and nodded as a wide grin came to their face in awe. "Aye, General sir," she said, "Sign it in your language. We already know your name."

Since the book keeper said he could sign it in his own language Illya nodded and immediately set to work writing his name. He didn't want them to change their mind. Illya connected slashes and dots together to create words and when he finished several words his name was complete. Standing aside he let Terryn lead the way. He had no idea what the decorum was for this contest and so he was going to let Terryn show him the ropes. Illya could learn a few things from an ex champion of this contest. He'd never joined an eating contest like this before. At least not that he remembered.

Calysta kissed his cheek and ushered him forward with Terryn who smiled and brought Illya to a stage lined with tables. An administrator invited them to sit at a long table with cards indicating numbers down the row. Terryn sat down at the spot he was told to, and Illya was placed right beside him and napkins were given to both of them. Terryn pointed to the rows. "Each contestant is given a bowl of curry to start. At the sound of the buzzer you have to finish the curry before the next one is given. Water is fine to drink, but if you reach for the cooling cream and drink, you're out. If you don't finish the curry completely, you're out. If several people finish the very last curry, everyone who makes it that far will be given the hottest pepper to eat raw. The first person to finish the pepper entirely wins. Make sense?"

The entire process seemed a bit odd and when the rules were explained Illya nodded. "Dat sounds easy enough. At least simple eh?" If they had to eat fast that was fine. He did that plenty of times when he was on the run with missions. The cooling cream in front was going to be easy to avoid if he simply set it under his seat. Then he couldn't accidentally drink it. Illya took the cream immediately and set it under his seat and then waited for the first bowl of curry. To be sure he wasn't going to be in too tough of shape Illya took a bite of the curry and then up ended the bowl and drank the rest of it.

To Terryn's surprise, Illya placed the cooling cream under his seat rather than keep it easily accessible. Not to be outdone, Terryn laughed and did the same, then rolled up his sleeves as the call went out for the contest to begin. He grabbed his own curry and began drinking it, pausing only to chew the bits of nyte beast meat or vegetable. It only took him a minute, but when he looked over to Illya, the man had already finished his and was on to the second. The second curry was three times as hot as the first and the peppers stung before they even touched the tongue. He finished that up as quickly as possible, but Illya was some how still ahead. Already people were beginning to drop out of the competition, reaching for the cooling creams or getting up to puke. Calysta waved and called from the crowd cheering on her husband. "You're in the lead!"

The second bowl was a bit hotter and Illya only took a single modest bite before deciding it was safe to swallow too. By the third bowl it was getting hotter yet and Illya stopped to take a single bite again. It was just to see how hot it was. This one he drank in two separate gulps rather than a single gulp and then he took a sip of water and waited for the next curry. Kalizda was cheering him on and he gave her a thumbs up and a big grin before starting into the next bowl and drinking it in two gulps. When this was all finished he wanted to ask them for one of the more spicy curry dishes so he could take his time and enjoy it.

The last bowl of curry came around and only three contestants remained. A Terran woman, Terryn and Illya. With all the curries complete and three people still left standing, a bright pink pepper was brought out on a plate for each of them. "The infamous Goddess pepper!" The announcer boomed. "This little pepper has been used in everything from curry to tactical defense! Coming in at 1.4 million heat units, this is by far the hottest pepper on Kaereal. Chew and swallow the entire pepper without cooling cream and keep it down. Then the title for Iron Stomach is yours." A little buzzer went off and Terryn snatched up his pepper and bit down before immediately breathing into a coughing fit.

With the contest nearly finished Illya looked at the little pepper. So far the spices hadn't been that bad and he wasn't familiar with their heat units, but they gave a high number to the little pepper. He would have swallowed it whole if they hadn't given the instruction to chew it. Illya didn't hesitate when the buzzer went off. Taking the entire pepper he dropped it into his mouth only to look over and see Terryn coughing. Biting down on the pepper he immediately turned a bit red in the face and took a sip of water before chewing three more times with his eyes watering. Illya took another sip of water and then swallowed the pepper. When that was done he coughed several times. "Ooh, dat was hot." Eyes still watering he looked at the other contestants to see if he'd been beaten.

The Terran didn't reach for the cooling cream, but her entire face was burning too much to continue eating. Terryn chewed up the entire pepper with tears streaming down his face but belched loudly and painfully before grabbing for the cooling cream. "And there's our winner folks! Illya of the Chippeqouti!" Thr crowd went wild as reporters snapped up holograms. A Kaerelean walked out on stage and handed him a trophy and an envelope full of credits. "You can drink the cream now, yeah?" She chuckled to him.

Being declared the winner was fun. Illya grinned and took a large gulp of the water. The woman that handed him the prize said he could drink the cream and Illya shook his head even though his eyes were still watering. "I jes wonder ef yah have more of dah last curry yah serve. Et es best food all night. I like dah Nyte beast and spice. Maybe big bowl and nut testing bowl size?"

The crowd laughed and cheered at the Chip man's request for more curry and the Kaerelean woman laughed along with them before nodded. "Aye. We can send you along with the left overs. Give us just a moment, yeah?" All around, hologramers were capturing the shot of Illya and his trophy. "What are you going to do with the prize money?!"

While Illya waited for the leftovers the first question was asked and he shrugged. "I dun know. Dun tink about dat yet. I jes joined tah have contest and et was food. I was hungry."

Another good natured chuckle roared from the crowd and the woman reappeared with a canvas bag with massive bowls inside, and offered it out to him as the holograms flared all around them as she passed them off. "That's the fastest I've ever seen anyone eat that pepper. You really do have an iron stomach." Calysta was brought to the side of the stage and gave him a wave before coming over to him. Some of the crowd were begging her to kiss him and she shook her head. "Ooh no. He was good looking before but his mouth is a little to spicy for me right now." She gave him a kiss on the cheek instead and winked at him.

The gentle kiss on his cheek only made Illya grin a bit broader. He almost thought that he would return the kiss, but he remembered what she said about his spicy lips. They did feel slightly numbed by the spice. Perhaps it was best to just grin and call it good for now. Taking the prize and the large canvas sack of curry he started out behind Kalizda.

Dane eyed the bag with envy as they worked their way toward a table somewhere. It wasn't the neatest as it appeared to have had several people eat there before them. Illya simply brushed the crumbles away and set the canvas bag on the table and invited Dane to eat with him. "Rezna, yah keep watch. We're en safe spot here. We eat dah foods and den do yah want any?" Illya offered some of the food to the rest of them. Whoever called dibs he would simply nod and tell them to grab their portion.

Both Chip men grinned and opened the spiciest curry. Illya used a spoon and Dane grabbed his tactical gear spoon and the two of them shared the bowl with their black curly heads nearly bumping as they leaned over it. "How spicy was dat pepper." Dane managed to mumble between bites. "Oh, I tink et will burn on dah way out. Et's burning all dah way down. I can still feel et." Illya chuckled as he answered an kept right on shoveling in more food.

Since no one seemed interested in eating the next spiciest dish Dane and Illya ate that one together too and then they were done. "Oh, dat was good. Best Kaerelean food I've ever had." Illya moaned in satisfaction and patted his stomach. Dane nodded in agreement and tipped the bowl to slurp out the last of it. The two of them got up and then they stood guard while Rezna ate. There was going to be a lot of work to do before they reached the next destination, but for tonight they were going to enjoy the activities.

*******************************

When they got back to the Coliseum the sky was beginning to turn pinkish again. Illya yawned and he stretched some. "Oh, I hope dah kids sleep en eh?" Chancing a little grin at her he leaned in close and then sniffed. "Mmm...I need tah get cleaned up. I tink I jes smell like walking curry pot." All the spices had managed to work their way through the pores of his skin and it was probably good he'd made his bathroom trip at one of the portable restrooms made available at the festival.

Illya peeled the tunic off and sighed in relief, "Finally..." and began to kick the pants off. It was all so tight, unfamiliar and plain uncomfortable. Once he was down to his boxers he noticed Kalizda staring at him and he did a little hip sway. "I smell spicy, do I look spicy?" Dropping his boxers and scrambling out of them he ran for the bathroom and slowed down just enough that he didn't fall when he got into the shower. Even if they were tired, he was still feeling slightly energetic at the idea that after he got clean they might have some activity. At least that was his hope.
 
Rezna grinned at the promise of tasting some of the curry. Spicy foods didn't effect her all that much at all and what these squishy people couldn't handle or considered hot was something she thought had real flavor. They stood guard while she sucked down some of the curry, chewing the meat when she came across it. Nyte beast was starting to grow on her as a meat choice. "Finally, some real protein," she grunted at Dane and Illya, "These Kaereleans eat like trap animals. All vegetables and fruits. No wonder they don't grow past 6 feet."

The rest of the night was one ride or Kintenite delicacy after the next. Calysta spent a fair portion of her time with the children and when it was time for them to go to bed, she talked with the locals. Many of them simply wanted to meet her or thank her. A few of them asked questions about Skycorp and some brought her problems they had been facing. She was asked her opinion on the high market value of housing and how it was pushing lower income families to work over time or triple time to make up the difference. Calysta was aware of the problem, and surprised them with her knowledge on the issue. "Land is at an all time high value on Kinte in comparison to the past. There isn't alot of it left that isn't owned and it's in high demand because of its proximity to the ports. We've invested in making sure the land is stable so that what we have left of Kinte remains safe and have helped those families by capping the rent to a reasonable price for now. The requirements that landlords must ensure their rentable spaces are clean, livable places with running water, solar energy, and access to exits along the streets are still in place and audited. This will allow people, particularly people who were displaced by the war and came here to start a new a chance to land on their feet, avoid poverty and have greater safety and mobility." She smiled to the Kintenite man, nodding. "We all deserve that chance and I want to see our people prosper with the peace of mind with roofs over their heads."

She was asked several more questions regarding her opinion on Kinte and what she hoped to achieve. She kept her answers simple and focused on strength through unity. Using their differences to make themselves stronger.

By the end of the night, her feet were aching from her high heels and she wobbled into the bedroom with Illya near dawn. Illya sniffed a little and mentioned something about smelling like a curry pot. She raised a brow and gave him a sniff. "Ooh...Aye you smell pretty pungent," she laughed, "Even your skin smells like spice, oooh."

They made it to the bedroom and Illya began to strip down to his boxers while she shed her own clothes. He sounded just as relieved to be out of his clothes as she was to be kicking off her high heels. No sooner had Illya dropped his drawers, did he give her a wiggling, causing all his bits to bounce. She snorted and threw a pillow at him as he scampered into the bathroom for a shower. "Aye!" she laughed, "You look spicy alright. Spicy enough I might just have to cool you down when you come out of there."

She took off the rest of her clothes and picked up Illya's from the floor, putting both of their clothing on the hangers carefully. By the time he came back into the bed room with a towel wrapped around his waist, she was burrowed into the bed and looking up at him with a smile. Quickly, she lifted the covers and waved him in. "Quick! You'd better get me before the sun rises and we it's a new day."

*********

Calysta yawned as they sat on the ship. Wynry had them cruising comfortably through the air. More than anything she wanted a nap, but there was more to do. They had approximately 24 hours before they landed in Aerikta. She had to brief her team on Aerikta and it's customs. Wynry would be familiar, but Rezna, Dane and Illya would not be.

"We're landing on the edge of Aerkita," she said, pointing to the hologram, "It's a dense forested area on the back half here and the climate is arid. Most of the Aeriktan's live in the city of Aerikota. It's in the center point here. Their city is built above the forest floor and doesn't have very many visitors. Aeriktan's are also tribalistic in nature, several of which survive today. They are some of the few Kaereleans left who have their own tribal disputes with one another. We will be welcomed by the Karotiks, Verut, and Maktakoa tribesmen. The other two tribes have elected not to send delegates at this time." Clearing her throat, she looked to her security team and Illya. "Any questions so far?"

**********

Dear Diary,

It's been a few weeks since I last wrote here. I tried a few times, but every time I pick up a pen, all can think about his Harry. His funeral was two weeks ago and it feels like a lifetime. The image of his burning motorcade wont get out of my head no matter how hard I try to think of something else. I keep hoping he'll walk up behind me and put his arms around me, put his chin on my shoulder and whisper to me again. He used to do that all the time in the garden. Now, I'll never see him smiling again. He'll never find me in the gardens again. We wont talk at night over icecream anymore. So many little things I'm reminded of through the day, that I'll never get to do with him again. I don't know what will happen now. When Harry died, all hope for Terra's salvation from corruption from within died with it. Terra is lost to the Federation now and so many people are dying. I don't know if I will be able to stay here or what the council woman will want to do with me. For now, she seems content to let me grieve. If they tell me I have to leave, I don't have anywhere else to go. I am alone...
 
When Illya got out of the shower he quickly dried off. It was barely enough to wipe the water from his shoulders and chest. His hair was still dripping wet and the oils were a bit stronger than usual since he used extra to help get rid of the spicy curry scent. As he stepped out of the bathroom he spotted Kalizda already snuggled up in bed and she was awake. What was even better was her invitation. "Oooh yes."

Illya made a quick dash for the bed, but diverted at the last moment to grab a single sock. Slipping the sock over his prosthetic foot and most of the way up the leg he dropped his towel and then got in bed with her. "I notice dat yah sometimes feel meh fake leg and ets cold. I figure dat I give yah benefit of nut freezing yah foot right away. Yah jes feel sock first eh?" If there was one benefit to his prosthetic leg and foot it was that it couldn't possibly sweat in the sock and make it stink. So it was technically safe to wear to bed and then all the next day.

Without a potential freezing experience for her toes Illya moved over the top of Kalizda and started working on warming her up to the idea of a little fun. "How about a little kissing tah start maybe a bit of extra activity eh?" He was feeling particularly adventurous as he kissed the side of her neck and started to move lower and lower. In fact he'd decided to try what he did the other night again. Maybe it would have the same effect.

*************************************

After staying up all night and then having a good bit of hard work with Kalizda, Illya fell asleep. He hadn't even realized that he fell asleep on his stomach with his face planted in his pillow and his right arm flopped over Kalizda. Part way through the morning he moved his arm and turned to his left side. Without Kalizda close it felt strange. Only half awake he reached across the bed with his right arm and pulled her closer before curling around her slightly and nuzzling the top of her head.

The sound of the children running up and down the coliseum hallway echoed and reverberated loudly through the hallway leading to their room. Illya groaned some and turned to his back. "Ugh...We have tah get up." Even if they had some help with the kids it wasn't quite fair to assume someone else would feed the kids.

Muttering under his breath he reached for his pad and saw that he and Kalizda only had approximately 3 hours of sleep. "Mmm..." Patting her hand gently with his he turned his face toward her and grinned sleepily. "C'mon we got tah get up." He didn't care to try moving too much yet. For whatever reason his back was feeling especially tender and he wanted to see if the pain would subside with some rest. When Kalizda started to move he could feel stabbing pains run through his back and then fade into a deep throbbing sensation. Wincing some Illya tried pushing himself up on his elbows and he took a sharp breath. Slowly lowering himself back onto the bed Illya stared at the ceiling and waited a few seconds before asking for some help. "Kalizda, yah grab meh back brace for meh and meh clotes. I'm gonna be slow tah get up and move tahday."

Illya felt the clothing graze his legs and he shook his head lightly, "Nah, put et all on yah side of dah bed. I dun want tah bend meh back. Et's easier tah roll." It sounded pathetic and he knew it, but his back hurt. "I might need meh muscle relaxers and dose waterproof electric pads for meh back." Sometimes the pads would help get him at least functional and he rarely went that far with the treatment because between the pads and the back brace things got bulky.

Rolling to his side Illya put his back toward Kalizda. "Yah jes put pads on meh." Once the pads were on he rolled onto his back again and took the muscle relaxers. "Ok, I be fine." Wincing some he nodded to her. "I jes take a little more tah get up. I can get et from here."

Half an hour later Illya emerged from the bedroom and making the final adjustments to the back brace. It looked like everyone was done eating and moving toward the living room. "I get whole couch or recliner." Dane glanced in his direction and grimaced. "Oh, I'm guessing dat shot finally wore off all dah way eh?" Illya nodded in response and limped toward the living room before gingerly seating himself in the recliner and then laying back in it. "I'm ready for briefing." He knew Kalizda was giving one before they got packed and left on the ship.

The explanation from Kalizda was good enough and Dane and Illya both nodded as Kalizda finished. "Sounds good. I'll get everything loaded back in the ship with some help from you." Dane pointed to Thomas and then nodded at Rezna. "You stay here and guard the place. Wynry can come with and start checking controls on the ship to get us ready for takeoff."

Illya remained laying the recliner while Dane packed things onto the ship. Periodically one of the kids would run by and jostle his back by hitting his feet and he would groan. Then the twins decided they wanted to lay on him and it was a different sort of torture. The two of them pulled on his boots until he was about ready to scream. It kept on pulling at his back. Finally Illya moved to a sitting position long enough to grab the kids by their shirts and haul them up onto his lap. Both the boys stayed with Illya until it was time to load into the ship and then Dane carried them since they were too big for Kalizda.

***********************

Ehud finished reading the diary entry and then ventured forward a few more. He knew that she would be coming home in about an hour. Normally he read more each day, but today he had a special plan. The diary had been most helpful since he discovered it. Each day when he put it away after reading the most recent entry and then a few past entries he would place it back exactly as he found it.

He had a few minutes to catch Pris at her shop. The bakery wasn't open yet, but she was busy ordering and directing folks as stuff was installed. Walking himself down to the bakery he stood outside for a long moment. His heart was beating a little faster and he wondered if she would actually like what he had in mind. Mustering all the boldness he had Ehud stepped into the building. It was loud as electric saws cut through material and drills ran. It wasn't quite what he'd imagined, but it was going to have to do.

Reaching out with his hand he gently brushed Pris' elbow and then smiled at her. "Hey, I uh...I wanted to see if you'd like a little sandwich with me?" He had a lunchbox in his other hand and he held it up. "Figured you might want a little picnic and to get out of the noise."
 
Illya made a dash for their bed, but suddenly diverted to go digging in his suit case near the foot of the bed. Tilting her head, she sat up a little and started to ask what in the wilds he was doing. When he pulled out a single crew length sock and rolled it onto his prosthetic leg, she almost asked again what he was doing. Before she could ask, he was dropping his towel and sliding into bed with her.

"I notice dat yah sometimes feel meh fake leg and ets cold. I figure dat I give yah benefit of nut freezing yah foot right away. Yah jes feel sock first eh?"

Calysta smiled shyly and chuckled at the strange sweetness of the sock on his prosthetic leg to keep her toes warm. It was something only her husband would think of and his wild ways were something she loved about him. "That...is one of your best ideas," she told him with a grin. Illya was still too riled up for sleep and slinked on top of her to start a little fun. What good was being alone together if they couldn't make love when the sun rose after partying all night? Illya had a little more in mind than just their usual sex too. He made little trails of kisses lower and lower down the length of her body until he reached what he was looking for. She hadn't even asked for that and he was treating her very nicely. It was easy to get her all worked up with him down there.

Like before, he took his time until she was too feverish to take things slow anymore. Then he really went to work. Calysta was left panting and totally relaxed in satisfaction as she slowly came down. The last time he went down on her a few days ago it had been a little apprehensive for both of them. Neither one of them had known what to expect or how they would like it. This time, she was sure he felt more comfortable. She certainly did. It was even better the second time! Smiling dreamily, she rolled over and began kiss on him in slow, sensual pecks until she had come down enough to make love to him properly too. He deserved it for some many reasons, but most of all because she loved him and wanted to show him.

They enjoyed each other as the sun came up on the hologram screen over the wall. It reflected the real sun rise that day and it was a beautiful one, starting out in pale purples and pinks. When they were done, she turned off the hologram using a voice command and cuddled up with her husband.

He fell asleep with her on his belly and eventually rolled over to tuck her in against him. She smiled happily as he nuzzled into her hair and held his arms around her. "I love you," she mumbled sleepily to him in the dark. He was probably too asleep to hear it but that was okay. She could tell him when they woke up.

********

Calysta was used to the morning silence being broken by the pattering of feet and the sound of mischievous giggles. She was the mother of 5 children and it was a familiar sound, even if it wasn't particularly welcome in the moment. She wanted more sleep, but they had a schedule to adhere to. She woke to Illya smiling at her sleepily and she kissed him, smiling just as hazily back. Their night had been long, but it had been a good one. A great one, in fact. "Aye, we need to get up...but you're so warm." Her tiny leg slinked up his prosthetic leg and onto his real one. The sound of Edgar looking for 'noms' near the door stopped her progression though. They really did need to get up.

She started to slowly untangle herself until Illya asked if she would get his back brace. A flicker of concern passed over her face and she nodded. Whatever he asked for she did. That epidural to block the pain in his nerves couldn't have lasted forever. She knew that, but the after effects made her heart ache a little.

When she was done giving him his muscle relaxer and putting heating pads on his back, she smoothed his hair down, then gave him a gentle smile. "It's alright, yeah? Relax a little while I get dressed. I'll take care of things." She left him with a peck on his cheek. Normally, she would have stayed with him, but the kids were ready for breakfast and for Mam and Dah to make an appearance.

********

Priscilla felt the gentle brush at her elbow. The bakery was crowded and there wasn't too much space to work. It was almost too much going on. At first she thought it had been a construction worker trying to get her attention above the noise, so she turned expecting to see a Kaerelean man. Instead she got her husband. Her eyes widened some in confusion and then crinkled at the corners in delight that he had come. He had come to see her with all the chaos and brought lunch for her no less. Her fingers found his forearm and encircled it in a gentle grip. "Absolutely," she smiled. He was a welcome relief to all the noise going on around her. "Did you have a spot in mind?"

At first Ehud was afraid that his attempt had been in vain. She took a moment to smile. That smile brought a great relief. Perhaps she really did like this. Her fingers squeezed at his forearm and his grin relaxed a little with the rest of him. "Oh, uh the park." That was exactly the spot he planned on picnicking with her at. He couldn't think of any place else that would be considered proper for the activity.

She slid her hand down to his and laced her fingers into the spaces between his own with an excited smile. "Let's go, before they ask me more questions," she winked. The cacophony of construction was all around them as she followed him to wherever he wanted to take her to the park. "I thought you were going to work. I'm surprised you came to see me. " Taking in the fresh air, and sunshine she squeezed his hand as they walked. "I'm glad you did though. A little fresh air does everyone some good, huh?"

Ehud just nodded dumbly as Pris laced her fingers with his. He hadn't really thought they would be talking much on the walk to the park, but Pris seemed to have other ideas. He just let her chat away. None of it was really requiring him to say anything except the last sentence. "Yeah. Fresh air is good."

He lead her to a omne tree just spitting out its buds for what Kaereleans would consider "spring" and they sat down together in the partial shade. She let his hand go so they could ease into the soft red grass. She wore high waisted crop pants today and a breezy button up blouse tied at her belly. Whatever sandwich he handed her, she took without question or comment other than a smiling thanks. Things had been going better since he had brought her home and she didn't want to mess that up, especially now that Ehud was back at work. "I was thinking that once the bakery was open that you might want to come for opening day, too?"

As they settled underneath a shaded tree Ehud began pulling out the sandwiches. Pris was still talking. She loved to talk and he was going to have to find some subject to talk about if this was how she did things. "Uh yeah, I planned to have the day off. I'll just let my secretary know. Figured I might want to be there to see how things go and to eat a few things. Do I get a sample of anything before you open the bakery?" Giving her his best attempt at being playful he grinned at her and then handed her one carefully wrapped fish sandwich.

Priscilla returned his grin. She liked it when he let his playful and wry side show more. He did have humor and he was fun to play with when he let her. "Oooh, I think I could scrounge up more than a few samples for you," she chuckled, giving him a gentle nudge with her shoulder, "You don't seem to eat sweets very much, but I'll have plenty of breads too. Croissants, challah bread, french bread with butter. I can almost smell it baking already." She up wrapped her sandwich and smelled the light scent of fish wafting up to her. Ehud really did like fish. He had told her as much and she was going to bake him some that night as a surprise. With a delicate bite, she sampled with sandwich and chewed. "This is really good. Are you sure you shouldn't be in the bakery with me?"

It sounded like she knew how to bake a lot of Terran breads and he smiled. "You'll want to make extra challah on opening day. Maybe some extra matzo too." It might have sounded funny, but there was a reason for it. "Some of dah Chippequoti will come just because they are curious and seeing a flatbread like matzo will surprise them. I'm betting most of them will even like the challah if you give them a little bite. Lots of samples. They like samples and they won't take more than one, but if they like it they will buy it."

She took another bite of her sandwich and listened to Ehud. His suggestions were important to her. Not only did he know the people more than she did, but despite everything that and hadn't happened between them, she was sure he wanted to to succeed in this. "That's a good idea. I've seen the flat bread they make. Calysta makes it from time to time. It will attract them into trying new things, huh? I'll give away as many samples to new customers as I can. Are there any other suggestions you have on what I should offer?"

A grin spread across Ehud's face and he nodded. "Mmm." Swallowing his bite of sandwich he continued. "If you have any seasoning in the flatbread they would like that too. I would see if you can get the Chip flatbread recipe from Kalizda. Also, they will like any little pastries with fruit in them. Dark Chips lived in deserts and jungles. So, there are still some that like fruits like berries."

Make him darker skinned and blue eyes with dog tags. That's approximately what Ehvan looks like.

Priscilla brightened some and fumbled into her pocket for her pad. "I can ask Calysta for the recipe. And what about these?" Leaning close to him with her sandwich in one hand and her pad in the other, she showed him a recipe with a picture for fruit danishes. "Here they use apple, cherry with cream, and raspberry, but I could make it with any flavor. Including strawberry. What do you think?"

Nodding at the picture of the little danishes Ehud gave his approval. "Yeah, I would put strawberries on it too. They would like that. I'd make one with raspberry and cream for Ehvan. He's a stick in the mud, but if you get him eating stuff you'll get almost anyone else to try something. Just make sure you give it to Ahvah and tell her it is for him. That you made it specially for Ehvan."

She titled her head curiously at him. "Specially for Ehvan, huh? She won't take offense to that?"

Ehud grinned. "No, just offer something sweet for their boy too. I'm trying to think of his name. Amil, that's it. He would like something with just cream and Ahvah loves almost everything. You just talk with her. She'll feed her men what you recommend. I'm just telling you what they will like. Amil and Ahvah will be dragging Ehvan there. If Amil and Ehvan approve you'll have Ahvah at your bakery regularly."

Priscilla listened to his explanation and chuckled. "Selling baked goods by tactical subterfuge. I like it," she replied with a playful smile, "What else would you recommend my master planner?"

"Offer tea if you want them to sit a while. The longer they sit the more apt they are to try more samples and buy more things from you. The Chippequoti love tea. For the Pytrans I would recommend maybe some Omne danish pastries and some challah. Everybody loves challah. Never met anyone that didn't like it. Maybe have some donuts or something pretty and exciting for the kids. They love cookies because Dora always makes them for the children. The adults are very curious about the cookies."

He lost the playfulness some and went right to the point, which was fine. She knew he was the more serious sort. For a moment, she had forgotten. "I'll get some tea recipes from Calysta too. That should be easy enough to brew fresh along with coffee and Terran varieties," she mused, taking another bite of her sandwich, "I'll get the ingredients ordered too. There will be plenty of challah bread. And what can I make special for you?"

Ehud thought for a moment about what he wanted and shrugged. "I don't know. Don't have much of a preference besides challah bread."

Priscilla raised a brow and nodded. "I'll bring home a loaf for you then." She finished up her sandwich and dusted off her hands, then smiled at him. "Thank you for lunch and the company."

Nodding a little he continued to eat on his sandwich and noticed she was already getting up. Shoving the last of the sandwich in his mouth he reached over to grab one of her hands. "Yah shoul staaay." His mouth was still full, but he wanted to spend a little more time with her.

A hand grabbed at hers, tugging gently. He was asking her to stay? He usually wasn't so vocal with what he wanted. She sat back down surprised, but no less pleased and giggled a little. "You don't have to tell me twice," she chuckled. Scooting closer, she used her thumb to wipe a crumb at the corner of his mouth while he finished chewing. When was done, she invited him to lay back with her on the grass. "I like spending time with you," she admitted.

Swallowing the bite of food he nodded again and remained sitting next to her. Digging into his lunchbox he pulled out a small package wrapped in paper. "I made this for you." He was hoping she liked the present and he waited for her to sit up and accept it. "I like having you around too." Ehud added nervously and he almost stopped breathing while she opened the little package to reveal an apron.

No sooner had she laid down and shuffled to get comfortable with him, did he pull something else besides a sandwich out of the lunch box. She sat up when he offered it to her and took it carefully. It felt light in her hands. He had gotten her something? No, he had made it. Smiling, she very carefully unwrapped the package to find a lovely pattern fabric. She picked it up by the neatly folded corners and held it up so she could see the entire garment. It was a beautiful sky blue apron with a pattern of pink and white flowers. Bright and cheerful colors that she liked. "This is beautiful," she grinned, her eyes taking in the gift. When had he even had time to make something like this? "Her eyes shifted to him and she held the fabric close to her chest before giving him a gentle kiss. "It's perfect."

"Oh, I'm glad you like it. I might have stayed late at work one day this week to make you about half a dozen. They really don't take much time." He was more than accomplished in his trade and a few of the aprons were fancier than others, but he wanted to see if she liked the basic design. "Now we can relax for uh..." Looking at his watch he sighed. "About 10 minutes before I have to get moving and get back to work."

Priscilla blinked in surprise. Half a dozen? He had made them for the entire store? Before she could ask he was checking his watch with a sigh and saying he only had 10 more more minutes before he had to go back to work. She should have been going back herself to make sure the carpenters were doing what she wanted, but 10 more minutes wouldn't hurt. "I could think of a few things we could do in 10 minutes," she mused. Then she hugged him and drew him into a kiss. "Mmm...did you ever play 7 minutes in heaven on Terra?"

Ehud paused and looked around the park a bit nervously when she started to talk about what they could do in 10 minutes. "Oh uh..." Then she kissed him and he relaxed a bit before rolling to his side so he could see her better. "No, I never play this game. Does it mean I get to kiss you a few more times?"

Priscilla chuckled and slid a hand over his waist as they faced each other in the grasses. "Mhmmm...7 whole minutes in heaven," she leaned in and kissed him again, "Tonight we can try the longer version."

Kissing her gently on the lips Ehud smiled. "We'll see if I last seven minutes, or if we need to cut it short and make a brisk walk."

Apparently, she was getting him a little too riled up when he mentioned a 'brisk walk'. Stealing a few more kisses, she ran her fingers delicately along the length of his spine, occasionally stopping to rub a few places. Then their time was up. With a sigh, she sat up with him and smiled. "I'll see you tonight?"

Somehow the time went by a little faster than Ehud had planned and he felt a bit disappointed that it wasn't long enough. When Pris sat up he slowly sat up next to her and he nodded. "Yeah, I'll be late. Gotta make up some time. I dilly dallied a little too long this morning. Still had a good time though."

Priscilla grinned and kissed him. "Dilly Dallying is healthy sometimes. Particularly the dallying. I won't look for you until a little later." I felt strange to leave him and for them to separate to go wherever they needed to. He probably didn't have time to walk her back to the bakery, she offered her hand. "We could walk together back to your office and then I could come back to the bakery. If you wanted a little more dillying. We'll save the dallying for tonight."

Taking the hand Pris offered he nodded slowly. "I'll walk you to the bakery. I might need a few extra moments to get to the office anyway. John might notice a little extra skip in my step otherwise."

That surprised her. He didn't seemed to mind walking her back to the bakery rather than the office. She had been in the office once before to bring him lunch a on a date, but had never been introduced to the staff. Maybe he didn't want the secretary to know about any of his dillying or dallying on lunch. He was a bit shy that way. John was sure to notice at any rate, given the amount of lipstick coloring her husbands lips. "Do you not want him to know you had a little fun?" she mused.

"No, I don't need John knowing anything. He's just trouble. Worst secretary I've ever had. Should probably fire him." Ehud grumbled and looked at Pris briefly before nodding toward the bakery. "We're almost there. Any last minute kisses you wanna give me before I go to walking?"

"If he's that awful, you should. And oooh I think so, but I'm going to do it right," she said. She stopped walking for a moment and tugged him close to give him one final and very thorough kiss on the lips. When she was done she used her thumb to smudge away some of her lip stick and then released him to sashay away. His lips were still plenty stained enough to make it obvious he had been smooching on someone.

Ehud grinned when she pulled him closer for the final kiss even if he almost stumbled into her. With a half drunk grin he tripped off the curb and hopped back up on the sidewalk all while staring at her and then bumped into someone before he started to pay attention to his walk to the office.

************

They docked on the edge of Aerikta with a bit of a bump. "You forgot to account for that updraft," Calysta noted to Wynry. The young Skycorp Airman turned a bit pink and nodded. "Aye Ma'am. Apologies."

Calysta smiled. "No harm done, but those kinds of drafts are frequent here, so expect it to happen again when we lift off."

She wore her travel tunic of black and silver while she had asked Illya to wear his dress uniform. "They'll find it impressive," she had told him. She was worried about his back, but there wasn't anything either of them could do until they had convened with the tribal leaders.

Dane and Rezna lowered the gangplank and opened the hatch before stepping out to clear either side. There was no crowd here waiting for them to land. Instead, only three people waited for them. The three tribal leaders. They sat mounted on strange looking creatures that were large as a Terran horse but looked like a mix between a rabbit and a kangaroo. Their long back feet were perfect for springing.

"Chief Vatu, Chief, Wareen, Chief Kovu," she nodded up to them, "It's a pleasure to see you all again."

Vatu gave a wide, sharp toothed grin. "It will be more of a pleasure back in the city. Ride with us."

Another of the same mounts was tethered nearby with an attendant. It snuffled into the grass and waited for someone to come claim it. There was only one, however.

"And my family?" Calysta asked, her brow raised.

"Will b' escort on foot an' wagon," Kovu said, his accent heavy, "It's tradition, no?"

Calyasta kept her eyes on the chiefs, but spoke in Quoti to Illya. "They want me to ride with them. If I insist on an escort, it will be taken as a sign of distrust. I don't believe they will harm me, yeah?"
 
Illya took his back brace off before he and Kalizda exited their ship. As they walked off the gang plank with Rezna and Dane he saw some strange looking animals and the small hairy people they were here to visit. This was one of the few places that Illya was allowed to wear his full tactical gear and he felt better in it. The full tactical gear was a bit heavy and it was a little harder on his back, but he was in much better shape to be keeping Kalizda safe if things did go wrong.

Looking at the animals he was concerned for just a moment about having to ride one. They were large and looked to be rough riding. His back wouldn't handle that very well. If his face wasn't so well known he might have even let Dane be his decoy just long enough to ride that thing. Surprisingly they brought only one and wanted Kalizda to ride it. While it was relief that he wasn't going to have to find an excuse not to ride the thing it was also a bit unsafe to just let her go with them. "Yah can go, but Dane will be running wit yah." He didn't want her actually going that far ahead. "I jes follow up behind."

The walk to the massive tree house took long enough. Dane was there ahead of him with Kalizda. Dane had fallen behind some, but he managed to stay mostly caught up and he was winded for it too. There was sweat dripping from his face and he looked at Illya for a moment before smirking, "You get to deal wit dah bunny hop tings next time."

Climbing up the ladder ahead of Dane and Kalizda, Illya made sure it looked fine to join their hosts in the giant tree house. So far it was different. He liked that much. However, he hadn't seen any women yet. They were all men. Did this society not allow women in public? Perhaps there was something about strange men not being allowed to see their women. He'd heard of these strange sort of practices before. Following closely behind him Kalizda climbed up and Illya offered his hand to her as she came up the last rung. He stayed standing near the doorway and then offered his hand to Dane too.

**********************************************

Calysta folded herself into freshly cleaned reed mat and tucked her legs underneath her. The room smelled like pine and candles. The city itself had electricity and electric lights but this was meant to be a traditional meal. They were all seated around a circular table that slowly spun thanks to a hot air crank from below. A shallow dish the size of a landing wheel was hauled in by 3 Aeriktans . It was piled high with grains and vegetables sauted with fragrant herbs. Another pot came around double stacked on hot coals. In the center was a vat of sizzling oil while hunks of meat were placed around the outside. No utensils were provided. The chiefs waited until strong smelling liquors were poured and then began reaching to the communal bowl with their hands. "Eat," one of them smiled to Illya, "We like out meat fresh, yeah?" The chief stabbed a hunk with his own knife and sank it into the sizzling oil.

The seating arrangements were a bit uncomfortable and Illya sat himself down very slowly. His entire back seemed to scream with the pressure from sitting directly on the hard floor. However, he was going to have to do this. Then the food came out and he was slightly disappointed at first. It appeared that he might end up eating a meal of vegetables. At last the meat came out and that was more than pleasing. Since there were no utensils provided it turned out to be a good thing that he was wearing his uniform and he had a few knives. Handing a smaller one to Kalizda he then grabbed his larger knife and jabbed a chunk of meat. He didn't really care to eat it sizzled in oil. It looked fresh enough. "I like meh meat fresh too." With a grin he slipped the mostly raw meat off the knife and popped the bite into his mouth before Kalizda could do anything about it.

Calysta took the smallest of Illya's knife which was still hard for her to get her hand around, but it was the smallest he had available. She started to poke her own piece of meat when Illya looked at his own bite then chomped it down whole. Chief Kovu grinned wildly, his sharpened teeth gleaming in the lamp light, and nudged the other chiefs. "Oooh this one knows how to eat meat." All pretense was gone and they picked up their own pieces and tore into them with their pointed incisors. Calysta raised a brow at Illya and poked her piece into the oil. "Karananyu is a delicacy only found on Aerikta. The animals we rode in on," Calysta told Illya. Chief Vatu nodded with a meat stained grin. "Aye. You know about your Aeriktan culture, Council woman." Calysta nodded. " I make it a point to." Vatu rubbed his chin and then took a handful of the grains, rolling it around in his palm until it was a tight, mushy ball, then he slurped it down. "Then you know why the other two chiefs did not come?" Calysta nodded. Kovu snacked on another raw piece of meat and looked Calysta and Illya together. "What would you say if we told you to go into their territory?"

Stabbing another bite of meat Illya watched a few other men begin to eat theirs without sizzling it in oil. He was apparently in good company here. Kalizda explained to him where the meat came from and he grinned. "Well, I dun usually care what et looks like, jes what et tastes like." With a chuckle he ate another bite and then let the men continue with their little customs as they ate. It wasn't until they mentioned the other tribes and going into their territory that Illya shifted his gaze from the meat to the men. "Why boter go to dere territory? Dey care nut tah come dey forfeit chance tah speak dere minds."

Vatu shrugged non-commitally buts grin became wider as he knifed another piece of meat. "Those bastards are as ugly as they are stubborn," he chuckled, "Aeriktan can look backwards t' some outsiders. You're familiar wit' that, yeah? But even here we have holograms. We watch. How can the councilwoman talk about unity without them?"

"Yah have point. Dey still have choices. Dey will nut unify and dey become weakness. Dat will be dere plague, nut ours." Illya wasn't about to go try to rustle up a few guys that would only want to come to criticize Kalizda.

Kovu wiped is knife on a tattered looking, but clean rag tucked into his belt that was clearly used for that purpose frequently, then reached for a handful of grain himself. "But that is not the voice of unity," he observed, "Aerikta was one of the first to be slaughtered by Reys when they come and their dislike outsiders is still strong after over a thousand years. If they could be...persuaded to join the table, it would be a feat for the councilwoman."

"I'm nut dah Councilwoman. I speak only as security. From point of security dis es dangerous choice. Et es decision and matter yah should address wit Councilwoman, nut meh." Stabbing another piece of meat Illya decided it was time to let Kalizda talk about stuff. They tried talking with him first and he wasn't the best with unity speeches when he felt they endangered Kalizda. So, she needed to show her power and make the call.

Calysta watched the exchange. It was clear that these chiefs respected Illya more than her. It was to be expected, but it didn't make their passover any less irritating. She listened and then looked to the three chiefs, her eyes a steely grey. She was going to make them address her. A heavy silence fell over the hall as she waited for them to get the picture. She was not going to speak unless they recognized her. Finally, Vatu looked to her and noticed she was waiting expectantly. "Councilwoman." She cleaned Illya's knife on the side of the plate, making a scraping sound as she did and took her time until she had the attention of the other two. "Aye. A problem of purity has been around for close to a thousand years, so clearly you must think it's possible to convince the other two chieftans. Aeriktans chiefs wouldn't be so dishonorable as to send their representative on a meaningless quest for their own entertainment, would they?" The silence hit again, only this time it was heavier until it was broken by the one chief who had yet to speak, Wareen. "No. Not this time," he said, casting a glance at the other two in annoyance. "We think if you approach them, show they strength, then you will have their attention. Going into their territory without an invitation...could go well for you...or not. These two idiots they like to call chiefs and myself would prefer a united Aerikta if it comes to war on our own land. We were united under Henaiah and pure blooded council members, but you have caused a rift. Only you can fix it."

They were still pushing things and Illya felt irritated for Kalizda because the chiefs were still staring at him as if he could fix it. "Address dah Councilwoman please. I'm jes here as security. Ef yah look for security point of view, I say dat yah accompany dah Councilwoman and make yah arguments for unity too."

"I will think about it," Calysta said. She knew that answer would look weak to them, but it would not be fair to her or her security team if she said yes without a full assessment of the dangers involved. "That is my answer for now, chiefs. In the mean time, I understand that we are having festivities tomorrow?" Chief Vatu's mouth twitched some but he gave up pushing for the moment and sat back and nodded. "You'll be joining us for a wryoek, yeah?" Calysta nodded. "Aye. I look forward to it. " Then explained what it meant to the group who wasn't fluent in Kaerelean. "It's some what like a Terran rodeo. There will be food and entertainment. The skill is about how well you handle your mount." Kovu was pleased to hear that the councilwoman knew of this too and nodded. "And you'll all be participating, yeah?"

"I tink I will get et a try." Illya was always ready to give some kind of contest a try. He wasn't familiar with what a rodeo was, but it sounded like he was gonna get to ride some kind of creature.

Vatu's sharp teeth glittered as he grinned. "Good." About that time Vatu was about to continue speaking, he whipped out his knife and sent it end over end past Calysta's ear. It sank into the wood tree trunk behind her, skewering a long insect with two stingers dripping with poison.

One of the short men drew a knife and both Illya and Dane reacted. Illya jerked Kalizda toward himself and he half laid on top of her while Dane lunged forward with his knife pointed at the offender's throat.

Calysta found herself pressed into Illya as the knife whipped past her and Vatu stared down Dane's blade with his hands held up. "Do you not kill vermin in your own homes?" he grunted, gesturing to the flailing insect stuck to the wall by his knife.

Hearing the explanation both Illya and Dane looked where the man pointed and they retreated their positions. Illya grit his teeth as he helped Kalizda regain her composure. "Usually we warn dah guest before making et look like assassination attempt."

Vatu watched as the councilwoman righted herself and smoothed down her black tunic. "If I wanted to do that, I would have already done it," he mused, "A warning would only made things worse. They react to sound and movement, yeah? You are a guest here. No harm will come to you by our hands, trust that."

"Ah, so next time I want tah eat a bug I jes trow knife at et." Illya smirked and he leaned back to where the bug was pinned to the wall and let the little carcass hit the ground before returning the knife. "I dun trust yah, but I believe yah story dis time."

Vatu grinned his shark toothed grin and took his knife back wiping it off on the same cloth at his waist. Then he picked up his cup, tilting toward the guests. "To unity, without trust. May it be more common on Aerikta than anywhere else in th' galaxy." Then he drank back all of his liquor in one shot. Calysta didn't lift her cup at all nor did the other chiefs but Vatu didn't seem to care.

Any charitable feelings Illya might have been inclined to have for these people vanished with Vatu's statement. He was such a nasty fellow and Illya was half inclined to just reach across the room and hit the tiny man. However, he was supposed to be defense, not offense. For the remainder of the dinner Illya stayed quiet. It was quite thankfully Kalizda's job to speak with her people. These ones he wouldn't want to claim. The midgets and Silx were better than these folks. In fact the Silx and midgets were pretty darn likable people after he beat on them with fish. Even if the moment in conversation wasn't that funny he smirked. Just remembering the look on that midget's face when he slapped it with the fish was satisfying.

**********************

The next morning Illya took his back brace off before heading out. He was wearing his brace when there was no chance of the public seeing it. Anything related to his health was private and he intended on keeping it that way. People were already curious enough and being a wounded or handicapped hero was not on his list. Ladies didn't need to decide that they felt badly for him on top of thinking he was cute.

Illya was dressed in his full tactical gear again. The challenge he had accepted yesterday was coming right up this morning. They had the odd little creatures out and he was challenged to ride one. "Yeah, I give et try." Illya swung the gun strapped to him around so it was in the back and he approached the animal slowly. It was sniffing at the plants and trees and seemed to be calm and fairly content. Since he didn't want to alarm it, Illya let the animal see him and he kept on getting closer. So far it didn't appear to bother the creature.

Suddenly it whipped around with a strangled sort of screech sound and it slammed into his shoulder with it's head and jabbed at him with it's sharp claws. "Huuuuh," Illya hit the ground and he kicked the animal in the chest. It backed off long enough for him to get up off the ground. Dusting himself off he set his jaw and decided to just go from the side and try to mount it. Perhaps it didn't like seeing people approach it.

This time the animal got wide eyes and skittered to the side and gave a nasty kick at the end. The kick landed directly under Illya's belt and he curled up and hit the ground. "Ooooooh," Rolling to his knees he stayed curled up for a few moments and then limped off into the brush to puke. When he returned he looked at the animal and shook his hand at it. "I will get yah. I jes need little time tah recover." Limping over to the side lines he sat himself down and winced. "Ugh...feels like its bleeding." This time he spoke in Quoti and he took a sharp breath.

After he'd sat out of the activities for nearly an hour he decided to give it another try. This time Illya was going to approach from the back. As he worked his way up behind the animal it kicked and loped a few steps ahead. The foot from the animal caught him in the chest and threw Illya back on his rear end. It felt like it jarred his back and he grunted when he hit. With a slur of creative and filthy Quoti words he ran at the animal again and got hit in the stomach and puked for the second time this morning.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand he ran at the animal from the side again and he managed to get his arms around it's neck while it wildly kicked and loped along. Illya held onto it and jumped beside it to try and get onto its back. With all the wild hopping the animal somehow managed to kick his legs a few times and he started to kick back with his prosthetic leg every time it kicked him. Eventually the two of them came to a sort of agreement. It would stop kicking him if he stopped kicking it. Finally mounted on the creature he tried to urge it to go forward and it sat with it's eyes narrowed. Illya urged it again and it hissed before running and loping its way up a tree and then it continued running for a time.

Illya rode the creature for nearly an hour before he brought it back winded. The animal appeared to be broken at this point and he got off the creature gingerly for the sake of his back and crotch and then walked around to the front of it. Even though it put its ears back it didn't dare attack. Illya walked away and then back to it and mounted the creature with no problems. "Dats because I won yah little bastard." Grumbling at the creature he gently pat the side of its neck and then found his place near Kalizda. He was going to get checked by the Ehaui tomorrow. He wasn't going to do it today, but he could tell he would need to get checked after that stupid thing kicked him and threw him around.

His back was sore, crotch still felt like it was about ready to swell up and fall off, his right wrist felt like it was swelling and he had tingling in his hand not to mention it hurt to even breathe. Giving Kalizda weak grin he pulled the tactical glasses off so he could see her better. They were covered in bits of grass and dirt. "Well, I rode et."
 
The little bunny-roo animals looked cute, Calysta had to admit, but she knew the truth all too well. She had seen them box a man into the dirt, leave gashes deeper than nyte beast tusks, and generally be nasty biters. So, when she approached the one tethered to the tree with a small Aeriktan attendant, she did so with an abundance of caution. Of course, she could only show so much caution.

If she had refused to ride, they would have scoffed and found her weak. If she asked for another accommodation, it would result in the same. She had to go at this animal confident. When she approached, the attendant took the tether and held the animal still. It's nostrils flared angrily as she put her hand in the leather saddle and slung her booted foot over the wide back. Her mount protested some, gnashing it's teeth before it settled down thanks to a rap on it's sensitive nose by the attendant.

Illya announced that Dane would be running along behind her, she almost protested. He was in heavy gear and these things moved fast! He would be hard pressed to keep them insight, much less run along side them. Of course, he had already said so and she wasn't about to contradict him in front of the Chiefs either. They were grinning in amusement at the idea.

"You doubt our good will?" Vatu smirked.

"Not at all," Calysta said, "But I'm always prepared for any eventuality, chiefs. It's what makes me a good councilwoman. My security understands that implicitly."

Vatu laughed and slapped his thigh with a hearty pop before turning his mount toward the trees. "Let us see how the famed Chippeqouti fare on Aeriktan foot paths then."

Without another word, there were 'kips' and 'yeups' from the chiefs as they dove into the underbrush with their mounts. Calysta nodded to Illya and Dane, then sank her boot heels into the critters side with a gentle but firm squeeze. "Yeup!"

To the chief's surprise and to her own, very secret surprise, Dane wasn't far behind them when they came into the tree top city. He had leaves in his hair and sweat pouring down his tan face as he panted hard, but he had made it within a minute of their own arrival. Chief Wareen raised a brow at the Chip man, then looked to Vatu. "Now, things are getting interesting. I don't believe you'd be able to out run this man, Vatu."

The chief merely laughed. "Ooohoo....this will be very interesting." Then he nudged his animal forward. It let out an angry snort, then stretched its claws, to climb the massive tree in front of them.

*****************

Calysta sat on the bed and let out a sigh, before rolling her shoulders a little. Stress came with the job and she had to stay loose. Of course, she wasn't sure how the conversation she was about to have with her husband was going to go either. She rubbed the bad of her neck with a slender hand and closed her eyes. "Illya? I think we need to go to the other chiefs."

Before getting in bed Illya pulled his back brace out of the bag and put it on. His back was a bit sore and sitting on the floor for that long didn't do him any favors. While he got ready for bed Kalizda sat on the bed and started to talk. "Yah probably right. Yah know dat I dun like dah idea."
aryamajor — Yesterday at 7:16 PM
She nodded slowly. "Aye. I know you don't, but if I don't try, what does that make me other than the coward they want to think I am? How does that help the people? It may not be pretty. I don't know what to expect." Calysta noticed him crawling into bed with his back brace and a reached down to get him a muscle relaxer. Opening the cap to the bottle, she dumped one into her hand and offered it to him with his evening tea. "What do you think?"

Illya listened to her as he peeled the blankets back on the bed and began to get under the covers. He was barely getting himself settled and she offered him a muscle relaxer. "Tanks," taking the capsule he swallowed it and then continued to sip on his tea. "Yah would look better going dere because of reasons yah mention. Et could get bad and I will shoot dem ef dey attack. I will go wit yah and we'll make sure dat yah safe."

Calysta nodded then slid her pad to the side and pulled off her tunic. Sliding into the covers next to Illya, she draped her hand over his chest. "Are you alright?"


"Oh, I tink I will be fine. Meh back es jes little sore. Et will be better tomorrow eh?" Illya grunted as he turned onto his side and then gulped the last of the tea down. "Et makes meh look sexy wit dis on. Mmmm especially good when I remember tah get dat sock on meh prosthetic leg. Den I look very tempting."

He was trying to save face, but the grunt he gave when he rolled over told his back was more than a little sore. "You'd be tempting to me even if you had one eye and two socked prosthetic legs to go with the back brace too," she chuckled.

Illya raised one eyebrow and squinted one eye shut. “Ef I put meh oter sock on yah could see ef et was actually tempting.”

Calysta rolled over and sat her chin on his chest gently, her grey eyes gazing up at him as she giggled. Her toes played along his legs, one of which he could feel. "You look like a scoundrel that way," she told him, "But you'd always be mine, scoundrel or no." Scratching her chin a little, she mused. "I doubt you'd still find me tempting if I had a beard and sharp teeth."

Her little chin dug into his sternum slightly and Illya frowned as he tilted his chin so he could see her. "Of course I look like scoundrel. I always was at heart. Yah know dis." Then she followed up with one of the most ridiculous things he'd heard yet and he laughed. "Dat would make yah an ugly little Aeriktan man. I would nut find dat so attractive. I like yah jes as yah are."

Mirth lit up her face and she began to giggle, pressing her face into his chest to stifle the sound. There were a few things he didn't seem to know. "That would make me an ugly little Aeriktan man...or woman," she chortled into his chest, her shoulders wiggling with a fit of giggles. "Illya, what were your impressions of the three chiefs tonight?"

"Woman?" Illya wince as he pushed himself up on both his elbows slightly. "I tink dat one chief was more quiet and probably better person tah work wit. Dah loud one was ill mannered, nut well governed and dey really deserved getting slapped wit a fish."

Hearing his surprise made her giggle all the harder and she rolled away when he sat up on his elbows, wiping tears from her eyes. "Aye, a woman. It's a genetic trait. They grow varying degrees of facial hair like men do. Built like men too in a few ways but-" she gestured to him below "-but one, I suppose. You're right, Vatu is....a man and a prick. You'd like to give him the Demosian treatment, huh?"

Illya couldn't help the bit of shock from showing on his face. "So dah women have no breasts? Dey jes...Eugh..." Almost shuddering he fell back into the bed. "Dat's jes gross. I uh....dey are a special people. I imagine dey dun find people willing tah agree wit dere kind very often."

He was clearly very shocked at this revelation and already working on the ramifications of what that meant. "Some women have small breasts, but are just very lacking in size, like me," Calysta told him as he flopped backward, "And they do not find many partners outside of their people, though it does happen. Some of the women shave and some don't, as you saw tonight. It doesn't help when you're trying to beat a purist mentality. But..aye...its best not to call everyone man or he while we're here, yeah? I actually thought you knew because you'd seen them before."

"Nope, I eh...I jes tink dat maybe dey hide all women when strangers are present." Illya shrugged, "So which one of dah Chiefs was woman. I dun know dat we were wit any women. Dey all kinda look dah same tah me."

Calysta chuckled. It was fair for him to say that. They really did look all alike at a cursory glance and unless you knew what to look for, it was an easy mistake to make. "Wareen," she told him, "The quiet one who suggested I go see the other chiefs and didn't make an ass of herself with knives. I've studied the three of them before we arrived, their profiles. She and her half sister are chiefs. Her half sister feels differently about halfbreeds. It would explain why Wareen wanted me to see them."

"Ahhhh..." Illya nodded. "I will nut call Wareen a man den. Even ef she looks like one. Et's still very different tah tink she es woman." Suddenly a thought occurred to Illya that never had before and he started to laugh. "Oh, dey must tink dat dah bald bodied Chips are nut manly at all. What do dey tink of Chips?"

She settled a little closer now that he was laying still again and looked up at him. "Aye, they don't exactly find Chippeqouti attractive. Though I think there are some misconceptions...the largest one being that you specifically like men, or that some of your women appear as men...or that you may be hermaphroditic. I'm not really sure where all those rumors came from to be honest."

"What?" Illya started to sit up in the bed. "No, where would dey get dis rumor? Et must be joke since dey all look like men. Who dah hell would tink I want a man tah have sex wit. Et's jes nasty." Feeling slightly offended he continued to frown and thought for a long moment. "Nope I jes dun know where dis rumor es from."

No sooner had she settled in was Illya sitting up again in protest over these rumors, which is exactly why she hadn't mentioned them before. She moved off him again as he thought over the nasty little rumors. "I honestly don't know where they came from," she shrugged, "But the broadcast of the Chippeqouti part of the tour did help dispel a few of them. They could clearly see your women look like women."

"I only have one woman. Do dey tink meh so immodest dat I have more den one?" He was shocked to discover there were those who assumed not only that he was immodest, but that he also indulged in these activities with men. It was truly a horrifying thought. "How would I find how dis rumor started?"

This news seemed to trouble him more deeply than it did her. Sure, she corrected people when they were wrong in their assumptions, but when rumors started they were hard quash. "I know you only have one woman. I dont think they think your not modest. They just think you're at least bisexual. Something they've recently discovered isn't true. I dont know how you could find out who started a rumor like that. It could be bored housewives or anything else."

"Well, I jes like tah know where dis idea comes from. I dun care who started. I care how dey tink dey have dis information. What was done dat dey tink dis." It was very disturbing news and Illya thought for a moment longer and then decided it wasn't worth getting worried about tonight. "Well, we could have some fun and I know yah nut man."

Calysta studied her husband for a moment and played with the end of her braid. "People make up all sorts of rumors and the Aeriktans are...they do things for the entertainment value sometimes. Though other people rarely find them entertaining." When he mentioned having some fun she raised a brow at him. His back had to be killing him if he was in a back brace. "Aye, we could do that. I could think of a few ways to prove I'm very much a woman. Do you have an idea of which way you'd like?"

Now that she was offering Illya felt a little more excited. "Oooh, we could see jes how exciting we could get et. Maybe little snuggling tah start and we jes see how wild we feel eh?" He knew he would feel wild enough to get going, but he couldn't always count on her feeling the same.

Calysta thought for a moment, her brow quirked and then she bit her lip. He wanted some fun but his back was hurting. She certainly wasn't going to enjoy any sort of intimacy if he was half in pain while attempting it. "Snuggling to start, yeah? I have an idea, if you're alright trying it out."

"Oh?" Illya leaned closer to her and winced some as his back twisted slightly with the motion. "What kinda idea do yah have en mind?" There was no telling what she thought she wanted to try. It was a little exciting in a way and he wanted to know, but at the same time he was almost afraid of what she might suggest.

He seemed interested which was good. She had read about it in one of the seduction books she had been trying to implement, but had been a little cautious in the bedroom about trying anything too new. Illya had trouble sometimes but had been so open to new things in the past week. She wanted to show she was willing to try new things within his comfort zone too. "Well, it's not a big change, but it might be comfortable, yeah? Roll over to your left side and hold me close. Like you do when you tuck me under your chin. Then we...warm each other up a little and try some slow work from that position."

Kalizda made a different sort of suggestion and Illya rolled to his left side a little more. Holding out one of his arms he thought for a moment. "Yah want meh tah hold yah close wit yah back to meh?" He wasn't entirely sure what she was getting at, but it sounded fine. Carefully pulling her in a bit closer he felt her back press into his stomach and he rested his chin over her shoulder. "Like dis?"

Calysta let him adjust as he needed to. At least he wasn't saying no outright and he didn't seem to be nervous, or so she thought. He made it to his left side and then opened his arm up for her to slip in beside him. Her back met his warm belly and chest before his chin and face peeped over her shoulder curiously. "Aye, just like this," she smiled encouragingly. Strangely enough, having him so close like this felt nice and her heart pattered in its own excited rhythm for a moment. She guided his other hand around her waisted and titled her chin so that she could kiss him on the lips. " We're very close this way. Including our hips, yeah?"

The little bit of adjusting Kalizda did made it very clear that their hips were close and Illya grunted a little before he smirked. "Oh, I see. Dis es very comfortable. We get tah do bot tings we like at same time." Kissing her in return he shifted a little and he could already see the benefit of the position. "Well, ets very easy for meh back and I tink ets nice feeling. Yah like et?"

She smiled when he seemed pleased with the idea. Maybe her study in how to pursue him was working and he felt more wanted and more comfortable at the same time. it certainly improved his back pain now that he had some support. Plus, having him hold her like this was more than enjoyable. "Aye, I like it when you hold me like this. Now we can enjoy a little bit of everything, so long as you like it and want to keep trying it once we give a go tonight."

A chuckling sort of growl sounded from Illya and he nibbled at the side of her neck gently. "Oooh, yes I tink we try dis more often." They both had a little bit of control and he always liked holding her close. Moving his hand over a little bit he caught her fingers and held onto them for a moment while they just relaxed. "Yah tell meh what yah like eh? Maybe later dis week I go down again and we finish like dis. Ets nut so much work for yah or meh." He liked to take things easy at a slower pace and he hoped it didn't bore her.

That little growl tickled her neck and she smiled. That usually mean he really liked something and his words only confirmed it. The fact that he wanted to try this after their other new experiment was exciting too. Being held like this was more plan pleasant and she squeezed her captured fingers gently as she pulled them tighter around her. "Aye, I like that idea very much." In fact, it wouldn't hurt her feelings one bit if he decided to fall asleep holding her like this when they were done.

**********

An Aeriktan wyreio wrangling was a special affair. Since it was close to the warm season, all the wyreio were spitting out babies. They filled up warrens dug all over the continent. To keep the population in check, and to find good animals for riding, the Aeriktans had a large round up and system. Some animals were left to the wild, others slaughtered for feasting meat, and some chosen for breeding and riding. It was all kept in very careful balance.

As councilwoman, it was her job to attend ready to work along with the Aeriktans. So she had on a dusty grey tunic with her hair pinned back into a braid, and tall working boots. On the forest floor pens built to withstand dozens of the fiesty critters had been constructed and Aeriktans bustled about. A butcher shop was near by and the stable area was in the opposite direction. Near the center was the most fun portion of the day and that was the games.

She was expected to participate and that included dealing with young, wild wyreio. This would not be the somewhat tame creature she rode the night before. These would need to be broken. Before she could tell him the trick to it, Illya was leaping the gate and taking up a challenge delivered by Vatu. The crowd around the pen cheered and bellowed in excitement. They all wanted to see the stranger try to wrangle a wild wyreio. It was sure to be a good show.

Calysta's mouth went a little dry and she tried cupping her hand around her mouth so Illya could hear her over the crowd. "Hit it on the nose!"

He couldn't hear her though and she grit her teeth as he approached a grazing wyreio. The animal was perfectly fine until Illya stepped a pace too close. Then the game was on. It lashed out with its claws, jabbing him in the shoulder. He backed off and then tried again. That earned him a kick a little too below the belt. All the Aeriktans watching Illya let out a collective 'oooooh' as he rocketed back, curled up, and then limped away.

Before she could get to him to make sure he was alright, Wareen found her and leaned in close. "Your turn councilwoman." Wareen lifted her up and from the back of her mount and plopped her into the ring in front of a large wyreoi. Calysta could hear Rezna protesting in the background, but the sound of her own heart beat had taken over most of her hearing. She had been plopped right into the path of a male wyreio and it was leaning backward to lash out with its claws.

"Oh shit."

Calysta dove out of the way and the massive claws grazed her rather than sinking in. The scrapes stung down her shoulder and sent her off balance. She stumbled into the gate and felt the arch of another boxing claw coming at her. Calysta yelped and dove into the dirt, flat on her belly, and rolled until she could get to her feet again. This thing was really after her! She ran fast in the opposite direction, her boots digging into the soft dirt to gain traction.

She was at a disadvantage because of her size, but the Aeriktans were only a little bit bigger than she was. They were cheering and laughing, like she was some great entertainment. Calysta dodged another claw, and as she ran, anger started building up. She wasn't some joke and neither was this tour. Vatu and Wareen were having their fun and now she was going to show them up. Spinning around, she dove toward the critter in a sudden fury and arched up with her own fist. Her tiny hand connected with the animal's tender nose with a slap. Suddenly, its eyes went wide and rolled back and it let out a whimper.

Calysta slipped off her belt and capture the animal before a leather tether was tossed to her from the crowd. Nobody was laughing now. Instead, they were all cheering in excitement. She saw a few credits exchanging hands. Apparently, she had been the point of a few bets. Her eyes scanned the large enclosure until she found Illya exchanging rabbit kicks with the animal until it gave up.

"Well, that's one one way to do it," she mumbled as she tugged her captured critter along. At least he had managed to get his under control too. Now all the they had to do was break them in.

Capturing them was one task, but riding them was another entirely. Their loping gate nearly jarred her teeth out of her skull as they rode through the trees. It was nearly impossible to guide them. She was smashed against trees, shredded through shrubbery, and bonked through the high branches of trees her mount insisted on climbing.

By the time she was done wearing the animal down, Illya was along side her looking as tired as she was. When he saw her, his mouth wobbled up into a smile and he removed his tactical glasses. His face was so smeared with dirt and grass that the glasses left a ring of clean around each of his eyes. She couldn't help but start to laugh a little at the sight.

"Aye, you did," she said. She highly doubted they would be riding much else outside or in the bedroom that night.

*********

Calysta woke up stiff. Everything was bruised, or muscle sore or scratched. Of course, she looked nothing like her husband. His chest, his legs and hips and his shoulder were exploded with black bruises deep under his skin. "Illya," she said, blinking at him, "How many times did you get kicked?!" He looked awful! No wonder he was grunting in pain during the night.

When he told her, she rubbed her temple and sighed. They were supposed to be going to see the other chiefs today, but she didn't want to go without Illya and she wasn't so sure he didn't need a doctor. "Maybe we should postpone our trip to see the other chiefs. They can wait another day, yeah?"

"
 
The next morning Illya woke and he felt like someone had thrown him on the under side of a flyer and decided to land with him as the bumper pad. "Oooh..." Kalizda bumped his chest and he breathed in cautiously. His chest was sore yesterday and today it was even worse. His ribs were a dark purplish, black and he was sure the other places that hurt were that color too. Illya's heart leapt into the bottom of his throat. Things felt a bit tender last night, but if his chest looked like that, what did his manly bits look like?

Careful to keep the sheets around his waist he tried to grab them with his right hand, but it was swollen and he had a hard time feeling with his fingers. Adjusting so he could hold the sheets with his left hand he met her gaze. "Nah, we go tahday. I get checked tahmorrow. I tink yah need tah get checked too. Yah got terrible gashes and dey're red. We have little oils tah help wit dat and I put on some oils tah help wit dah bruises and swelling."

At this point bruising and swelling felt like an understatement. For the way his ribs ached with each breath he was fairly certain he'd cracked a few and his wrist looked like it might be broke. It was swollen badly enough he doubted he could put his tactical glove on that hand. Then his legs were horrible sore from the repeated kicks. There was only one problem with getting washed up with Kalizda like usual. She was definitely going to notice the part he was the most worried about and it wasn't his legs, wrist or chest.

While they got showered and then oiled one another gently he tried to keep his man bits hidden from view, but she did notice. "Eh, I'm sure I will be fine." Illya could feel a little rock in his stomach. He wasn't entirely sure of that, but for now he had to say it. There wasn't any undoing what happened at this point.

Putting on clothing was a whole new struggle and Illya tried not to let Kalizda see him struggle with every button, or snap. His fingers on his right hand were too swollen and numb for him to tell if he was getting stuff done. When he was finally dressed he grinned at her weakly and limped for the doorway. "Let's jes get dis done. Go see dose trouble makers dat are making yah come see dem."
 
Who Illya thought he was trying to fool was beyond her. She had seen him get kicked in the crotch and the shoulder. Why he insisted on trying to cover his bruised hips with an equally swollen hand was beyond her other than sheer pride. A man did need his pride, she knew that but it was dangerous to take him into the field when he was injured and still on antibiotics. His immune system was in his bones and if his arm was broken or something worse was wrong below the belt it could compromise him severely enough that the tour could be totally shut down and he could be horribly and irreparably sick. Images of his bruised and almost necrotic right leg came back to her mind from years before. No. They had to take care of things now. As stubborn as he was, so was she.

They bathed and Illya put some cleansing oils on the deep scratches she had earned messing with the wild wyreoi. It stung a bit but she didn't make a sound while they got dressed.

She watched Illya struggle to stuff his swollen fingers into his tactical glove and fought the urge to sigh before canceling their trek through the forest.

"Illya?" She said, "As much as I don't want to bring a doctor here, I think I am going to call. The scratches on my shoulder are deep, yeah? I'll keep it quiet and they will meet me on the ship here when we come back tonight. I can't get an infection and put a hold on the tour. The purists would never let me hear the end of it if I did. While the doctor is here this evening we should probably get that hand checked out too, yeah?"

She rubbed her shoulder where those razor claws had raked her skin and frowned a little before sending out her orders for the day. Wynry and Dane would be staying on the ship while she, Illya, and Rezna went to see the other chiefs. It would look funny if she had two Chippeqouti with her instead of a diverse team.

*********

They set out into the forest toward the coordinates Wareen had given them. The forest was windy today and she could hear the branches creaking under the sound of bright red leaves crashing into one other. The sun was bright, dappling through the canopy to the forest floor as they walked along a slightly over grown path. It felt far away from the streets of Kinte. Almost like an alien world and not part of Kaereal at all. Yet, this was still floating above the Wilds like everything else.

They were almost to the coordinates when a dart shot out of the trees so fast it was imperceptible...until it tinked off of Rezna's skin. The Udine woman raised her gun. "Oi! i wouldn't try that again."

Suddenly, Aeriktans melted out of the shadows of the canopy, surrounding them with dart guns. Their faces were painted with stripes and their spare clothes were brownish red, meant to blend with the foliage. They were far out numbered.

Calysta looked around and saw the first chief riding a war painted mount, it was climbing head first down the length of a tree trunk in front of them. He pointed a painted spear at them. "What are y'doin here?"
 
Despite all his best attempts to hide his hand and the painful bruises Kalizda had noticed. Illya knew he couldn't have possibly got away with hiding them, but he had hoped it wasn't obvious that he was in pain. His back was borderline absolute misery and his arm wasn't bleeding anymore after the surgery, but it was certainly sore. Somehow he was far more tender feeling today than he was yesterday when he got beat on by the bunny creature.

When Kalizda mentioned the Ehaui Illya nodded. "Yeah, I tink et would be good tah get yah some help very soon. We can't have dah purists tinking yah sickly. Nut sure how dey would get dat idea after yesterday, but we dun need dat rumor starting." His hand was hurting too much to keep the tactical glove on it and Illya peeled it off and winced as he did so. "Oooh, ugh...yeah I tink I will have doctors look at meh hand. Et hurts a little." As he finished saying that his hand throbbed and he could feel the blood pumping into it almost as if it were yelling at him that it hurt a lot. "Might have dah doctors jes make a general check on a few tings while dey're here. I need some cream for meh bruises eh?"

Once they were settled on the fact that the doctors were coming for a secret visit he was ready for the day to start. Dane was staying at the ship with the rest and Illya was going to accompany Kalizda with Rezna.

It was a blessed relief that the other tribes were close enough to walk to them and Kalizda chose to walk there. Illya was sure he would have about squeaked every wobble and bounce if he had to mount one of those dreadful little creatures again. Instead his leg was almost in pure agony by afternoon. The stupid bunny bounce animal had kicked his leg where the prosthetic was drilled and connected to his femur bone. It had been a while since his leg felt like this and he struggled not to limp or drag the leg slightly as he walked.

Suddenly a dart flew past him and bounced off Rezna. Illya was tired, irritated and ready for the day to be over. A tiny, overconfident and entirely pompous chief rode down a tree. He or she stared down their nose at him and Kalizda and pointed a spear at them. Illya stepped in front of Kalizda to block her from the spear's point and answered. "Dah Councilwoman comes tah talk wit yah." He desperately wanted to add a few expletives with it, but he didn't dare.

The chief looked Illya up and down but didn't move the spear yet. "Y'looked t'be trespassers from d'treetops. If I don't show t'greet ye, that means I don't want t'talk. Ye see?" The spear lowered and the chief looked around Illya slightly. "We respect the Alliance but ye should not be here. Go back."

It was hard not to act on his immediate response as a soldier and Illya clenched his jaw. The temptation to grab that spear and tear the chief off their little animal in the process was entirely attractive sounding about now. Instead he stepped closer until the spear was pressed against the chest of his body armor and then stepped forward a little more. With his body armor on the spear wasn't going to hurt him. "No. We're nut going back. Yah dun come tah see dah Councilwoman. She comes tah see yah."

The chief didn't move. If the tan man wanted to stab himself that would be on him. "Yet she cowers behind you. She did not come t'talk from behind ye back did she?"

"No, she dun cower." Illya answered, "I'm her bodyguard and yah spear es problem. Yah agree tah be peaceable and talk wit her eh? I also want drink. Long walk here."

Calysta put a hand on Illya's back very gently and poked her head around him. "If you respect the Alliance and its laws, you'll remember that using that spear on another citizen is illegal. I came to speak. Do I not have the hospitality of the Aeriktans?" "Does a coward need hospitality?" The chief replied. "If not for me, then for my guard," Calysta said, "I am here to prove I am not a coward. Here I am." Calysta stepped out next to Illya as the spear point stayed trained on his chest.

When Kalizda mentioned using the spear on a citizen was illegal he almost felt indignant. He was ready to take action. "I have jes one question. Does dah law specify what part of dah spear es illegal tah use." If he couldn't use the tip of it he had no problem bludgeoning someone with the butt of it.

Calysta looked between the two of them and then up at the chief. Bothof them looked ready to fight and illya would really hurt the chief. "What do I have to do in order to not be a coward?" That question made the chief blink in surprise. Nobody had ever asked that before. They usually just denied it. "You want to be tested?" The chief barked. "If that's what it takes. Lower your spear and tell me." It took a moment of consideration, but the chief lowered the spear away from Illya . "Fine. You will be tested. Come to the village along this path. We will talk more there."

It didn't sound like a good thing to be tested and Illya clenched his jaw again. He really wanted to do dismount that chief and just tell him or her to take a hike off the edge. Instead he was walking along next to Kalizda. Speaking in Quoti he let her know his thoughts. At least no one here understood his language except her. "Just so you know. If you're in too much danger I'll burn the whole damn village to get you out if I have to."
 
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