Eternity Row (32 page)

“You are very welcome, Lady Cestes.” Xonea stepped forward to give her a Jorenian kiss of welcome, thought better of it, and bowed instead.

“You may address me as Garphawayn.” Lady Cestes’s gildrells became straight white sticks as she looked around. “None of you are Omorr. This is completely unacceptable. Where is he? Lemesen, have we arrived on the correct vessel?”

“Mama?” My daughter appeared beside me and put her hand in mine. “Who dad parkwy wady?”

I picked her up and leaned close to whisper in her ear, ‘This is Squilyp’s friend. Her name is Lady Cestes.“ I cleared my throat and took a few steps forward. ”Um, excuse me, I have a message from Squilyp for you.”

“You do?” The female Omorr hopped down the line to inspect us, then reared her head back a bit. “Why is this infant here?”

“This is my daughter, Marel.” I kissed the top of her head. “She tends to pop up in unexpected places.”

“You allow children to run about this vessel, unsupervised? What sort of mother are you?” Squilyp’s intended didn’t wait for an answer, but sniffed in my face. “Children must be safeguarded by a proper care-giver. Something like this would never happen on Omorr.”

“We take care of our kids, too,” I replied, showing her some teeth. “It’s just sometimes we get distracted by visitors.”

“Your attention span wants improvement, then. Now, where is this
adoren
who sent for me? Has he not the simple decency to greet me upon my arrival?”

“Whad dad?” Marel asked her.

Garphawayn peered down at my daughter. “It speaks?”

“
She
speaks, yes.”

“It is impossible to tell the difference between your genders. You should wear markings on your garments.” To Marel, she said, “Of whom are you speaking, infant?”

“Whad dad ’doren?”

“An
adoren
is an unmarried male who seeks to contract matrimony with an unmarried female.” The Omorr female seemed offended by my darling daughter’s wide grin. “Your name is Marel, infant?”

“Dad’s me.”

“I see. Someone”-she gave me another snotty look-“should instruct you on the proper behavior to use when greeting visitors for the first time. You are far
too
precocious.”

Marel cocked her head to one side. “Why?”

I closed my eyes briefly. Ms. Congeniality had no idea what she’d just set off.

Lady Cestes lifted a membrane and made an imperious gesture. “On my world, children also do not speak to adults unless they are spoken to.”

My kid rubbed the back of her hand across her nose, then asked, “Why?”

Garphawayn took a breath. “They are taught by their parents that such behavior is disruptive and inconsiderate.” Another haughty look came my way. “You should learn better manners as soon as possible.”

Marel gave her another, ingenious smile. “Why?”

Squilyp’s intended wasn’t going to give up easily. I had the feeling she liked having the last word. “Children are more presentable when they have had the opportunity to develop proper social skills.”

“Why?”

“Because without them, you display a lack of consideration for those who are older and superior to you.” The female Omorr held up one of her three arms, and flared her membrane. “Do not ask me to explain further.”

My daughter frowned. “Why not?”

“Do not ask-”

Xonea coughed, probably to cover a laugh, then said, “Forgive my ClanNiece, Garphawayn. Her curiosity is as endless as her mischief.”

“I beg your pardon, sir. You may be the commander of this vessel, but that does not give you the right to interrupt me.” As Xonea’s big hands clenched, Garphawayn turned to the other Omorr. “Lemesen, attend me. I would have your opinion on this pathetic state of affairs. Aside from the criminal lack of breeding and civility displayed by the
adoren’s
absence.”

The older female came over. “It does not appear as unfavorable as we feared,
adorelee
. They are an unmannerly lot, but seem otherwise agreeable.” She sent me a pitying look. “Certainly there is no competition apparent.”

I kept Marel on my hip and a smile pasted to my face.
Squilyp, you owe me big time for this
. “Right. Well, as you may know, Squilyp is our Senior Healer, and ship’s surgeon. He-”

Lemesen interrupted me with a titter, then said, “I assure you, Terran, there is no need to inform us of these details. We know
everything
about Squilyp of Maftuda.”

“Including his unfortunate choice of occupation.” Garphawayn didn’t seem to think anything was funny. “I cannot fathom why he would desire a position here, either. I see nothing of merit about this vessel, except for its size, which is of exceedingly vulgar dimensions. The exterior design reminds me of a certain soil-boring parasite we regularly exterminate on Omorr. And all this blue about… are these beings color-blind?”

The Captain leveled a look at Garphawayn that would have sent half the warriors on the ship running for cover. “The
Sunlace
has traveled extensively through hundreds of civilized systems. It has safely conveyed and protected my HouseClan for over three decades, and is the envy of the Jorenian fleet.”

Garphawayn drew herself up like a hissing snake. “Then apparently the Jorenian fleet has as little taste as you do.”

“Urn, about Squilyp.” I stepped between the two. “He would have been here, except he’s in the middle of an operation. As soon as he finishes with his patient, he’ll be on his way to meet you.”

“Indeed? How long does this operation take?”

“Another hour at the most.”

“I must loiter here for another hour until it is convenient for the
adoren
to make an appearance? Among all these impertinent savages? This is too impolite to be endured.” The younger female gave me the once-over. “Why does Squilyp of Maftuda entrust his messages to you? Are you his personal valet?”

“I’m beginning to feel like it,” I admitted.

Xonea put a hand on my shoulder. “Healer Cherijo is one of the physician surgeons who works with the Senior Healer.”

“He should have sent his representative,” Lemesen said, sounding very righteous.

“Another oversight on his part. We shall have to make do with this underling.” Lady Cestes fingered one of her many ornaments and studied the deck overhead. “I am fatigued and hungry. Spending
too
many days in space is tiring, particularly when I am called upon to stand and wait on an unmannerly laggard who thinks himself a proper
adoren
, yet sends enormous barbarians and inattentive stuntlings to stand in his place.”

“Barbarians?” The tips of Xonea’s claws appeared. “
Stuntlings
?”

I nudged my ClanBrother with a discreet elbow. “Like the lady said, she’s fatigued. And obviously has had no contact with Jorenians prior to today. I’m sure with a little time we’ll all get to know and become accustomed to each other.” God, I was becoming such a consummate liar.

Xonea retracted his claws and somehow produced a strained smile. “Allow me the pleasure of showing you and your party to your quarters.” His tone indicated extended torture would have been preferable.

“I think not, sir.” The female Omorr somehow stared down her flat nose at the Jorenian towering two feet over her. “You are
too
large,
too
loud, and
too
blue. I dislike being in close proximity with beings of improper size and coloring.”

“Then you’re not going to be very happy on this ship,” I muttered under my breath, before adding in a louder tone, “I’ll take you.” As I saw the skin over his cheekbones darken, I handed Marel to Xonea. “Go with your ClanUncle, sweetheart.” I gestured to the door panel leading to the main corridor. “Follow me, if you would, Lady Cestes.”

“You may address me as Garphawayn,” she said as she led the procession out of the launch bay. “On my world, only social equals address each other by formal title.”

I had a couple of things I would have liked to call her. “Good to know.”

We didn’t make it to the Omorr’s assigned quarters. Not surprising-by the time we’d worked our way through two levels, Garphawayn had managed to insult every crew member she met on the way. And she refused to use the gyrlifts, despite my repeated advice that it would speed things up.

“They look far too flimsy to be trusted with my person.”

“I promise, they’re very safe-

She plucked at the line of her cloak. “When I require your assurances, Terran, I will ask for them.”

“When you want to leave, be sure and mention that, too.” I wanted to pop a few bottles of champagne.

“Greetings,” one of the engineers passing us said, and stopped to offer the usual Jorenian warm welcome. “You are Omorr, like our Senior Healer.”

“So these barbarians do have functioning mental organs,” Garphawayn observed aloud. “I was convinced when I looked in their eyes I could see the back of their skulls.”

Another pair of Torins working on one of the corridor panels paused long enough to say hello and be insulted over their choice of garments.

“What is the obsession with blue?” the female Omorr asked me as she declined the traditional Jorenian kiss of welcome from the workers. “Is it not bad enough their skin resembles that of an asphyxiated corpse?”

“Omorr have such an edgy sense of humor,” I said to the workers as I hustled the harpy and her friends past them. “Half the time you think they’re serious.”

“I am!” Garphawayn said. Then she added in a tight voice, “
What
is
this
thing?”

Alunthri had come around the corner. In its arms were two kittens, who were batting at each other with their paws. “Small nephews, you must not fight with one another.” The Chakacat lifted the kittens up to its shoulders, where they began batting at its whiskers. “Hello, Cherijo. I tracked these two for Duncan. He said they slipped out of your quarters this morning.”

Lady Cestes sneezed explosively. “Take them away! At once.”

So much for making more introductions. “Would you mind taking them home for me, Alunthri?”

“Of course. Fare you well, Lady Omorr.” Politely, it whisked the cats in an opposite direction.

“Lady Omorr.” Garphawayn made a contemptuous sound. “I thought Chakacats were well-versed in proper forms of address. Why does it not wear a collar and leash? It should be in an animal carrier, along with its litter.” She made another grand gesture. “Go and lock it up immediately. We shall wait here.”

“Garphawayn.” I took a deep breath. “No matter what you’ve heard, Alunthri is a free and sentient being. We treat all sentient beings with equal respect on this vessel. I hope I can count on you to do the same.”

Her brow ridges elevated. “You can actually count? I am astonished.” She stomped past me. “I trust in your tireless pursuit of respect and equality that you will not feed us from a bowl on the floor.”

Alunthri appeared from around the corner, and beckoned to me. “Is that Squilyp’s bride?”

I glowered. “If she lives that long.”

I barely got them to Medical before half the crew considered declaring group ClanKill. Luckily, Squilyp was not only finished with his surgical case but had changed into his finest garments. He looked handsome and nervous.

No way is he marrying this bitch
.

“Senior Healer.” I stepped aside and gestured toward The Harpy from Hades with a casual hand. “The Lady Cestes, Garphawayn.”