Namazozo came in at the end of her shift and jumped onto the desk. She was the size and general shape of an otter, and had a lithe body covered in white fur. She wore a little jacket around her middle in blue and silver to indicate her position in the guard. Her huge black eyes shone above her black nose, and her small hands had black pads on the palms.
She raised herself onto her hind legs. ‘You look pale, Jian, are you unwell?’
‘She may be pregnant,’ Marque said.
‘Could it be another false alarm?’ Namazozo asked.
‘Her hormone levels are the highest I’ve seen,’ Marque said. ‘I’ll know in a couple of days.’
‘Marque, this is my business!’ I said.
Namazozo dropped onto all four legs and spun a couple of circles on my desk, her long tail swishing behind her. ‘That is the best news!’ She stopped and propped herself up on her hind legs again, her voice becoming desperate. ‘You need a deputy to take over management of the guard if you are pregnant – please don’t appoint me!’
‘I don’t intend to, even though you’re the best one for the job. I’ll tell whoever I appoint to defer to you for advice anyway.’
‘A golden dragonscales baby. This will be wonderful,’ she said, her little hands clasped together. She looked up. ‘Will it be an egg or a live birth?’
‘We don’t know, this is the first one,’ Marque said. ‘Either way I’ll remove it at term so Jian isn’t at risk.’
Namazozo spun in another circle. ‘This is so exciting!’
‘Don’t say anything yet, it’s not confirmed, and it’s quite possible it’s another false alarm,’ I said. ‘Was there something you needed, Zozo?’
‘Yes, ma’am.’ Her huge liquid eyes were full of delight. ‘The Empress asked me to convey this message in person: she asks that you, Graf and Leggy accompany her when she visits the Hive tomorrow.’
This sharpened my attention. ‘Why does she want to intimidate the Hive?’
‘No idea. Marque?’
‘I don’t know either,’ Marque said. ‘I mean, we all know why she’s going: the Hive have been permitting those cat ships through their space and the Mushrooms are pissed about it. But I thought she’d want her Mushroom guard, Green Sunset.’
‘Why? Put a Mushroom in their face to remind the Hive that what they did was criminal?’
‘Yes.’
‘They didn’t know the Mushrooms were sentient,’ Namazozo said.
‘Yes, they did,’ I said. ‘This will be very interesting.’
‘Ma’am,’ Namazozo said, falling back onto all fours. ‘Go home. Your husband and dragonspouse are already there and your husband has made something that smells delicious. I think it’s teriyaki salmon. The entire tower is full of the appetising smell, and I’m starving.’
‘You’re not pregnant, are you?’
She rubbed her little forepaws together. ‘Me and my dragonspouse have been talking about it. But we don’t want to abandon the Guard with you possibly leaving as well.’
‘Don’t let that stop you – it really could be another false alarm. The Guard will be perfectly fine with both of us in advisory positions.’
‘Please do it, Zozo,’ Six-Eighty said from the ceiling. ‘Your species’ babies are adorable. And Captain?’
‘Yes, Six?’
‘Go home.’
‘Humph. Are you in uniform?’
‘Sorry, ma’am, I felt like letting my conductivity waft in the breeze today.’
I arrived home to find Haruka, in elaborate make-up and wearing a gorgeous, feminine-styled, pink and green formal kimono with a blue obi, frying salmon in the kitchen. Namazozo was right: the apartment was full of the delicious smell of the teriyaki sauce he was creating. Miko was in goldenscales form next to him, up on her hind legs with her front feet propped on the kitchen counter and watching the process closely.
‘Can you drain the soba?’ he asked. ‘I need to watch this.’
‘Sure,’ I said.
‘Not you!’ Miko said, her voice full of laughter. ‘Sit. This is us.’
‘Very well, Princess,’ I said, and sat at the table. Haruka had already set out the platters Japanese-style. Each place setting had a number of small dishes. I checked them: savoury chawanmushi egg custard, seaweed salad, some glisteningly fresh tuna sashimi, and a small dish of assorted pickles.
‘There we are,’ Haruka said, plating the salmon and covering the crisply fried fillets with the shining teriyaki sauce. ‘Noodles, Miko?’
‘Ready,’ Miko said, and placed a portion of noodles on each plate next to the salmon. She grinned up at him. ‘Our timing is perfect.’
‘It is,’ I said through a mouth of delicious pickled burdock root; it was crunchy and sour.
They put the plates on the table and sat with me.
‘I can’t believe you did all that in your kimono, and didn’t get a speck of sauce on it,’ I said, waving my chopsticks at Haruka.
He quirked a smile. ‘I was too lazy to take it off – it’s a full set – so I asked Marque to put a barrier around it.’ He clasped his hands together, and the three of us said the blessing in unison. ‘Itadakimasu.’
‘Is that a new obi?’ I asked him.
He looked down at the design of tuna fish in different shades of blue. ‘Yes. A gift from the colony I visited today, to thank me for arranging the trade deal and facilitating the fast transfer of the embryos and harvested tuna.’
‘What about the icosapod talekeeper?’ I asked.
‘Haruka showed it Pacifica, and it was very impressed,’ Miko said. ‘It will speak to its family, and they’ll let us know in the next day or so. We want to move them off there as quickly as possible.’
‘I think they’ll take the Pacificans’ offer,’ Haruka said. ‘We need to spread the word over their planet, but I had to hurry back to do the tuna negotiations.’ He swept his long green hair back over his shoulder. ‘Eat this before it gets soggy.’ He dug his chopsticks into the salmon, pulled the skin away, and tried it. ‘Particularly this part.’
He was right – the skin was crisp and melted in my mouth. I devoured the salmon while they discussed the trade deal and the other goldenscales’ progress in gating.
Haruka stopped. ‘Did you skip lunch again, Jian? You need to look after yourself.’
‘Not only did I not skip lunch, I’ve been snacking all afternoon and I’m still starving,’ I said ruefully.
‘Her hormone levels are borderline indicating early pregnancy,’ Marque said.
‘Stop telling everyone, Marque, this is my business.’ I spoke to my spouses. ‘Don’t get too excited, it could be another false alarm.’
They shared a delighted look.
‘Who will look after the Guard if you’re pregnant, though?’ Haruka asked, rising to collect the empty plates. ‘No, you sit, I’ve seen the news – you were rushed off your feet as the Empress showed the new species around.’
I sat back down as he collected the plates, put them in the kitchen for Marque to clean, and pulled a big platter of fruit out of the fridge. He placed it on the table and I selected a peach.
‘Have you had enough? I can make another salmon for you and more noodles,’ he asked, concerned.
‘No, this is plenty, although I may snack later,’ I said.
He glanced at Miko. ‘She’s definitely pregnant.’
‘Yeah, looks like it,’ Miko said. She shook her dragon head. ‘This is overwhelming.’
‘You had five years to get used to the idea,’ I said, peeling the peach. ‘I still have no clue on who to appoint as acting head if I take the time off.’
‘Namazozo or Graf are the obvious choices,’ Haruka said. ‘Although Graf can be a little . . . prickly, and Namazozo’s really too sweet to command respect.’ He saw my face. ‘No, I have nothing more to offer than what you already know. I have no idea.’
‘Honoured Ex-Captain of the Guard Shudo requests entry,’ Marque said. ‘He said he’d like to visit.’
‘Show him in,’ Haruka said.
Shudo came in, accompanied by his grandchildren, who were six years old now. They were smaller versions of him, as tall as my knees, round and furry with wide mouths full of teeth. Some of them still had their dark purple baby stripes against their bright pink fur. There were nine of them, and they ran through the apartment like hobgoblins, looking at everything.
‘You’ve seen everything in here before, why do you have to check it again?’ he asked, exasperated.
‘It’s fun!’ one of the kids shouted.
One of them came up to me and pulled at my uniform. ‘Where’s the furryfriend?’
‘Nashi’s visiting my son and his daughter. You just missed her,’ I said. ‘She’ll be back in a couple of days.’
‘We want to see her next time!’ the child yelled, then ran back to the others. They had an excited conversation about ‘furryfriends’.
Shudo pulled himself up onto one of the chairs. ‘Ooh, Earth fruit. Any potatoes?’
‘Not today, we weren’t expecting guests,’ Haruka said with a smile.
‘Potatoes!’ one of the children shouted, and they started an impromptu dance circle in the living room, making up a song about potatoes.
‘Sorry,’ Shudo said. ‘They should be exhausted; I took them swimming today. I think they’re over tired. But’ – he glanced at them with affection – ‘they’ll be big enough to go to socialisation school on my homeworld in a few weeks, and I can return to duty.’ He turned back to us. ‘If you’ll have me, Jian.’
‘Do you want your job as captain back?’ Miko asked. ‘Because Jian really enjoys being captain and doesn’t want to resign. If you want the job back she’ll be unhappy because you’re her friend and she doesn’t want conflict with you.’
Shudo waved one furry arm at Miko. ‘Are all the goldenscales like you, Princess, once you have them talking? You’re wiser than your coloured sisters.’
‘I know,’ I said. ‘They’re all very wise. Being in servitude may have had something to do with it.’
‘I can’t believe I watched you serve Masako for years and never knew,’ Shudo said. ‘You were so quiet and meek – and you hid your skills and insight. What a waste.’
‘I think so too,’ she said. ‘But some of my goldenscales sisters are having difficulty making the transition to full citizens. It’s hard being responsible for your own life decisions.’
‘And as to your question, no, I don’t want to take over as captain. I think Jian’s doing a fine job and she can have the paperwork with my genitally fragrant blessings,’ Shudo said.
‘Is there anything to eat? I’m hungry,’ one of the children asked him, tugging on his fur.
‘We’re having a meal when we get home, so you can wait,’ Shudo said, pulling the furball onto his lap.
‘I need to use the toilet right now!’ another one shouted.
Shudo raised his voice. ‘Does anyone else need to use the toilet?’
‘No!’ all the other children yelled.
‘I’ll take her,’ Marque said. ‘You were in the middle of talking about the captain’s job.’
‘I’d love to appoint you as deputy if you can handle being number two,’ I said. ‘And you can definitely act in the position of captain if I take time off.’
The furball jumped down from Shudo’s lap and ran to follow Marque’s sphere to the bathroom; he’d changed his mind about the toilet.
‘Yes,’ Shudo said. ‘I’d like to re-join the Guard, as an ordinary member, or deputy if you need my skills. Graf approached me and asked me to do it; it’s concerned that you may give it the job of acting captain if you take time off. You definitely smell pregnant.’
‘Do I now?’ I asked.
‘Uh . . . yeah,’ Shudo said. ‘You smell . . . more acidic.’
‘You said that the last time and I wasn’t pregnant at all,’ I said.
‘One of the kids is having trouble,’ Marque said. ‘They have faeces in their fur and they’re too embarrassed to let me clean them up.’
‘That’s my cue,’ Shudo said, climbing down from the chair. ‘The best part of being a care-parent. Poo Patrol.’ He grinned at Miko. ‘Can you gate us home when I’m done cleaning him up? They demanded to come here with me because they know you’re a goldenscales and they want to see a gate.’
‘Oh,’ Miko said, her eyes wide. ‘Of course. I’d love to. They’re adorable.’
He went into the bathroom, passing the remaining children who had graduated to jumping on the sofas.
‘Are human dragonscales children this much work?’ Miko asked.
‘Absolutely,’ Haruka said with relish. ‘Back in Tokyo, I ran the entire Imperial household ragged. Three staff members resigned, and I was relatively well-behaved for a dragonscales.’ He grinned. ‘I love every part of being with children. I’m definitely looking forward to Poo Patrol.’
‘A tenth says you’ll get poo on one of your nicest kimonos within a couple of weeks, even with Marque’s help,’ I said.
‘I’m glad all dragonscales are girls,’ he said amiably. ‘Boys squirt when you change them.’
‘You’ve had that done to you?’ Miko asked, horrified.
He nodded. ‘When I visited Aki and his kids.’
‘You’re a dragonscales and you’re not a girl,’ Miko said.
‘Damn straight I’m not,’ he replied, his voice determined. His expression went wry. ‘I wonder why I feel so male? Being in a female body felt very . . . wrong.’
‘We have a theory about that, but we don’t generally share it with other species because it freaks some of them out,’ Miko said, lowering her voice so the rowdy children couldn’t hear her. ‘It may have something to do with the bodies your soul has inhabited over the millennia through natural reincarnation. If you’ve been incarnated human male more than human female, your soul feels more comfortable in a male body.’
‘What about non-human bodies?’ I asked, fascinated. ‘We must have inhabited millions of them.’
‘Those would be the people whose identity is “I don’t belong in a human body and all my sensory inputs are confusing and wrong”—’
I raised my hands. ‘I see your point.’ I lowered them. ‘I wonder what sort of bodies I’ve inhabited in the past. I certainly feel human female.’
‘I definitely feel human male, regardless of the dragon scales,’ Haruka said. His expression softened. ‘And I cannot wait to have a daughter.’
‘Neither can I,’ I said.
‘Me three,’ Miko said, and we shared a smile.
Shudo came out carrying a child under each arm, both of them still damp. ‘I’d better take them home, they’re starving and whatever that is, it smells delicious. Miko, could you show them a gate?’
‘I’d be delighted,’ Miko said. ‘Where to exactly?’
‘My house in the residential district? I’m in . . .’ He said the name of his homeworld in his own language. ‘Tower, floor two hundred eighty, apartment two.’
Marque rattled off a series of numbers.
‘What, just like that?’ Shudo asked, astonished. ‘You can hear the co-ordinates to a place you’ve never been, and just gate there?’
‘If it’s within a light year of where I’ve been before, yes,’ she said, and the gate appeared in the middle of the living room. The children squealed with delight and ran up to touch it with their little hands, making more noise when their hands went inside.
‘She’s the only one that can do it,’ I said with pride. ‘She’s trying to teach the others, but they don’t seem to have the skill.’
‘You’re right, Jian, she is exceptional.’ Shudo bowed to Miko. ‘I apologise for many years of treating you as lesser. I think Jian’s correct when she says you’re the equal of any coloured dragon.’
‘Just don’t say that in front of them, I don’t want to antagonise them,’ Miko said. One of the children went through the gate and came back, and now all of them were swapping in and out. ‘I love my sisters.’
‘Saying you’re an equal isn’t antagonising anyone,’ I said.
‘Heh, dragons,’ Shudo said. ‘Bye, Jian. As soon as I book the kids for socialisation, I’ll give you a call.’
‘I look forward to it,’ I said.
He shooed them through the gate. Miko concentrated for a moment to make sure they were all safe, then closed it.
The room was silent, and we shared a look.
‘Nope, I still want this,’ I said.
‘Just don’t have a litter,’ Haruka said, returning to his tangerine.
‘Oh, yes, please,’ Miko said. ‘I’d love a dozen of them.’
Both Haruka and I stared at her.
‘Maybe I should do it too?’ She looked from Haruka to me. ‘What?’
‘Two babies at once might be a little difficult,’ I said. ‘Particularly when a goldenscales child is an unknown quantity.’
‘Let’s see what happens with Jian’s child, then you and I can talk,’ Haruka said.
‘We must include Jian in that talk,’ Miko said.
‘Of course,’ Haruka said.
‘I’m still unable to confirm,’ Marque said from the ceiling. ‘Wait another couple of days.’