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Once Venik joined Callie and Harum, he seemed to completely ignore Dawn. She touched the comm on her wrist and swallowed her confusion. It was moments like these that threw her. The protective nature Venik exhibited could be attributed to interest but according to Harum and the others, it wasn’t. Or rather, it wasn’t normal. There was no telling. Her understanding of his culture was too limited to figure it out.
“Are you well, lom?” Towa asked.
A light bulb went off in Dawn’s head. She had experts on Vassi culture right here. “I know I promised to discuss Earth but can I ask you a few questions about Vassi too?”
“Yes. I would be honored to answer.”
He was adorable, and for a minute, his excited expression distracted her from being stared at. It felt as if every person in the dining hall had watched the exchange between her and Venik.
“What is your question?” Towa pressed.
“Um...right. Can you tell me about Vassi relationships?”
Corin choked on his drink and set his cup down to smack at his chest. Dawn looked on in concern but Corin waved away Towa’s offer of assistance. When Corin settled, he glanced at Dawn with knowing eyes. “Are you sure you want to pursue that line of questioning?”
She had to know. No one else would tell her. “Yes.”
Groaning, Corin murmured. “I don’t need to be a psychic gifted in telepathic healing to know this won’t end well.”
That caught her attention. “Psychic? As in real telepathy?”
A smile curved Corin’s mouth. “As real as any other Alapodin from my world.”
Alapodin must be his race. She’d ask about that later. For now, she faced Towa. “I want to know what a Vassi male does to show interest in a female.”
“Um.” Towa flushed to the roots of his dark hair. “I am only in my sixtieth senim. I’m not looking for a female. Also, I’d like to live to see my one hundredth senim without having my face broken.”
Dawn gaped. Did he think she was hitting n him? Who would break his face? “What? Oh, no. I’m not...I don’t want you.”
Chuckling, Corin kept eating. “This is the most amusement I’ve had in ages.”
“Hush,” Dawn snapped. “Lim Towa. I only want to know what’s involved. Like do’s and don’t’s.”
Frown lines formed between Towa’s brow ridges and Dawn tried to be as simple as possible without asking straight out if Venik liked her. “Okay. I’ll ask questions. What’s the first sign a Vassi male likes a female?”
His expression cleared. “Protectiveness. We become extremely protective toward her.”
Corin groaned and stuffed more food in his mouth.
Ignoring him, Dawn paused and wondered if ordering guards to watch her every move counted. “Right. Does she—is the female supposed to accept this protection?”
Towa shrugged. “Why would she refuse?”
“Because she can fight her own battles,” Dawn muttered.
“Ah, if she is a soldier, then a male might not be as extreme in that behavior,” Towa said.
“What about gifts? Does he give her gifts?” Hands beneath the table, her fingers caressed the new comm Venik had given her.
“No. That’s unnecessary if interest is established.”
Dawn groaned and threw her head back. That didn’t help at all. Beside her, Corin chuckled and pushed his plate away. “Somehow in someway, I’m going to pay for this. She wants to know how to tell if a certain male Vassi is physically attracted to her, Towa.”
The look that came over Towa’s face was full of such revulsion, he looked downright ill. “Likes her? The soft skin?”
“Soft skin. I’m not a soft skin,” Dawn protested, forgetting to pursue why Towa looked disgusted at the thought of a Vassi being attracted to her.
“To the Vassi, your thin skin compared to their tougher layer would be considered soft. You’re also paler in complexion than they’re used to,” Corin explained with patience.
“I’m not pale. I have a golden tan year around thanks to an eclectic gene pool.”
A snort burst from his nostril slits. It was an unexpected sound from an individual who appeared to carry himself with grace and elegance from his slender frame to the delicate way he’d eaten his meal. Even his red uniform flowed about his body in style.
“Alright,” Dawn conceded. “Granted, I’m not as dark as the bronze tones of the Vassi. I’m tough, though, and being referred to as a soft skin isn’t exactly a compliment.”
“You are the only example we have as a representative of humans from Earth. You were frail upon arrival,” Towa added with an apologetic look.
Dawn palmed her face. “I was sick. Am I ever going to live that down?”
Towa and Corin both shrugged. Towa really did come across as youthful and naive. The fifty year thing to reach adulthood was starting to make more sense to her. Dawn zeroed in on Corin, who seemed more receptive to answering her questions now. “You know what I’m asking and why.”
The tentacles on Corin’s head pulsed for a moment, the blue lines running through his skin seeming to come alive. “Yes, but it’s not my place. The answers you seek are dangerous.”
Dawn didn’t understand how she and Venik’s potential attraction for one another could be deemed dangerous unless there was more she was missing. “At least explain this unnatural desire thing to me.”
“It has been my pleasure to meet you while awake this time.” Corin rose from his seat and inclined his head. Before Dawn could question what he meant with that ubiquitous statement, his bulbous blue eyes twinkled. “I also would prefer my face not be broken before the age of one hundred.”
***
That afternoon news on the rescue of three pilots flew around the ship. While Dawn didn’t understand all the details, she knew enough to realize the men were from a crew on another battleship and after a fight of some sort, their jets had been stranded in space for three weeks waiting to be picked up.
No other ship had been closer than the Black Star. Thus the reason Dawn wasn’t back on Earth. She didn’t begrudge the Vassi for saving their own. Her anger at being pseudo-kidnapped was gone. She hesitated outside the door to the entertainment lounge and took a deep breath. A celebration was underway and everyone was invited to attend.
Going inside meant facing a large group of the very people who seemed ambivalent about her presence. After the morning meal, Dawn had decided her choices were limited on how she handled the gossip about herself. She could hide way in her room until she got back to Earth or continue doing the things she found small enjoyment in—i.e., sparring and learning the Vassi combat form.
Possibly lusting after a certain infernally annoying man too. Though that was probably a dead end with no chance for fruition.
With a defiant inhale, Dawn pushed the door open and strode inside. The lights were turned low and an odd beat pulsed in a strange rhythm from the music blaring above. She hadn’t thought of music in terms of the gruff race, but apparently, they liked pounding drums with tribal overtones.
She scanned the area for a familiar face and didn’t see anyone she recognized. Propped along one wall, Callie’s dark eyes shot daggers at her. Well, one familiar face, but Dawn had no intention of joining Callie and the other woman she stood next to with drinks in hand.
Dawn deliberately headed in the opposite direction toward the waist high counter that ran the length of one wall. She braced her palms on the smooth surface and looked over the mounted digital display of offerings behind the counter.
At least there were images. She randomly selected a blue drink in an S-shaped glass with bits of fruit floating inside. Moments later, the drink dispensed from a slot that opened on the counter and rose on a mini-platform.
“Ingenious,” she muttered and took the drink. The platform lowered and the slot closed. Sipping carefully to judge if she’d ordered something alcoholic or a basic sweet juice, Dawn questioned her presence here.
Why had she come? Did she hope to see Venik?
According to Towa, Venik giving her the comm didn’t mean anything but Corin’s words and behavior lingered on her mind. There was something there. Something within reach she just had to figure out.
A loud cheer went up behind her and Dawn turned slightly to observe three Vassi not in uniform raise their large glasses and slam them together before downing them. At the end, when each glass was empty, they let out another cheer.
Chuckling, she tasted her drink again. If there was a stimulant or liquor of some sort she couldn’t tell but she enjoyed watching the Vassi cut loose for once. She’d never seen them so relaxed. Hell, getting one to smile seemed like a chore. Or maybe they didn’t find her funny.
Gradually, Dawn found herself enjoying the atmosphere and getting accustomed to the driving music. Every now and then, she caught curious stares turned her way. It took a lot but she managed to ignore the looks and murmurs.
Since her drink was empty, she ordered another and downed the second one faster. Soon her mood dimmed and the jovial spirit of the others while she sat by herself was getting to her.
Being here reminded Dawn she was different, far away from home and quite frankly, lonely. As the only human onboard, this sucked. Maybe it was time to head back to her room.