Page 28 of Into The Rift

I gazed down at the surprisingly sturdy little boys in the baby bed beside him, who were a bit premature, though they didn’t look it. Then again, they were only a quarter human, so they had the size of Tygerian babies. Except for their hair, which was surprisingly thick and very blond, they could have been fully Tygerian.

Their hair was the first thing Rakkur commented on when I went to see him.

“Tariq said it might darken as they get older, but I hope it doesn’t. I’d like them to look at least a little like me.”

Tariq, who was sitting in a chair beside him, half asleep, shook his head. “I hope they don’t.”

“What? Why not?”

“You’re far too pretty. It’s been a lot of trouble for me.”

Rakkur narrowed his eyes and glared at him, and I quickly spoke up to avoid the explosion.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” I said. It was a platitude, but I was trying to soothe him. I didn’t really know what to say in such situations. I thought Tariq would probably get his wish. Both these little bruisers were about as Tygerian as it got, despite their fair hair. They were beautiful though, just like both their dads. I knew Blake would be thrilled when he saw them and no doubt spoil them shamefully.

“Have you decided on names?”

“This one,” Rakkur said, indicating the one on the left, looks more like Tariq, so his name will be Kaden after Tariq’s omak. He was a human, you know, and lived in a large city on Earth. One day I’ll take Kaden there to see it.”

“That’s nice.”

“And the other one,” he said, caressing the head of the absolutely identical baby, “he looks more like me, don’t you think? But I have no idea what goes with Kaden.”

“Does it have to go with Kaden?” I asked.

“Foolishness,” Tariq muttered disapprovingly.

Rakkur rounded on him again, and I tried to head him off. “My father is a twin, you know, and his brother is named Vannos, which is nothing like my father’s name.”

“They’re my brothers, Jago, so of course I already know that. Though I always thought it was an odd thing. These babies are identical, so their names should sound alike or look alike or something.”

Tariq opened his mouth to say something again and thought better of it when he saw the look Rakkur shot his way.

“Maybe they could start with the same letter,” I said.

“Oh, I like that. What about Kay-lee? I’ve heard that name, and it’s human.”

“I think that’s a girl’s name.”

“Really? Oh. Then what?

“If you like a human sounding name, what about Kyle? That’s a ‘K’ name, and I met a human once named Kyle.”

“Kyle and Kaden. That does sound nice. I think I like that. What do you think, Tariq?”

He met my warning gaze over Rakkur’s head and sighed. “It’s fine.”

“Fine? Nothing more to say?”

“No. Nothing at all.”

“Hmm. Good. That’s their names then. Tell the doctors so they can put it on their paperwork.”

Tariq looked up again from his communicator. “Just in time. I received a message that the king has just arrived.”

“So soon? How did they possibly manage that?”

“They must have taken a smaller ship and come ahead of the others. Maybe a striker craft.”

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