Page 27 of The Omega's Unexpected Bounty
“The hell I will,” screamed Caan.
“The weapons are a danger, and his behavior is proof.” Balo’s gaze went down to Caan’s stomach. “We can’t interfere with your upcoming child… if one is coming,” He sniffed long. “I don’t smell my brother on you, but his scent is more powerful onyouGraden. Who’s the Soturi here?”
I stepped forward and heard my father’s protests while I whispered to Balo. “Whatever point you have does not give you the right to disrespect my mate. If you lean in and inhale his scent again, I will make you regret it, and it will be the last mistake you make. Don’t confuse restraint with weakness.”
“And the spine returns,” he whispered. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to get rid of your Omega. It looks like he brought out the Soturi in you.”
“And don’t disrespect my mate,” said Caan from behind to my surprise.
Balo’s hands went up. “First Father, do I not have a point?”
Wrinkled skin shifted on his bald head while he thought. He stared directly into Caan’s eyes. “You nearly caused a planetary incident with Matros kingdom and potentially the Ryba. Peter is well respected with them.” He bit his lip in thought. “You are familiar with the ‘Boot and the Hand?’”
Caan’s voice lowered. “Carrot and the Stick we call it on New Texas. Punishment and enticement.”
“Volardi help when reasonable and apply penalties when needed. You cannot keep your claws. Nobody on Augo has them – except for the Ryba – and you proved you cannot wield them with restraint. However, there are still too few Femeni or Omegas and we cannot have an accident injure you. Provided the Royal Physician is agreeable, you may retain your nanites.”
My eyes narrowed as Caan exhaled long. “Fine,” said Caan, “as long as the nanites stay active.”
***
Chapter Fifteen
CAAN
“I’m not so sure about this?” My fingers went along the three warm gills from each side of my neck then to my bare back. “No tank or something?”
Graden smiled and stood in our bedroom with nothing but a short black kilt. Blue-green soft lights from the outside water over the dome danced over his folded arms while he spoke. “The Emperor decreed Omegas wouldn’t have specks or purple eyes so we could honor Earth with their contribution. He wanted them to be obvious on sight. Twenty years ago, Volardi and Ryba were not at war,but it approached. They gave us their biotechnology for political power and as a gift. They saved Matros’ Oma – his father’s Femeni – and strengthened our empire. Thus we usetheirgifts to honor them.”
“It’s weird breathing like this. I can feel air going through my throat’s sides and along my back.”
“Its speed will increase when we’re in the water. It’s working slowly now, so you have time to get used to this and other things.”
I blinked. It’s been a few days since the party or fight. Both terms were true. In the last couple days, I’ve lost my claws and got gills.What’ll happen in another few?
“If you worried about not using Volardi technology, don’t be. We have the vocal implants. They’ll translate the vibrations in your throat, and we’ll hear it.”
“We?”
He grinned wide. “There’s something I want to share with you.”
It didn’t take long for us to get into a silver sphere and fly to the grey stone and white crystal docks. Near the water, I saw wooden planks and boats that wouldn’t have looked too out-of-place back in New Texas. My expression must have puzzled him.
“Something wrong?”
“I don’t get your people sometimes.”
“They’re your people too.”
For a year. I didn’t say it out loud but thought it was enough to make me frown.
“You have the technology to make it look more modern. You guys have moving metal, and I’ve seen your crystal space stations. Just figured it would look... sleek and alien?”
He grinned, but there was no condescension. “ItisSmart-Metal, but we cannot have every planet be identical and thus settled on certain colors and textures. Your homeworld uses wood and stone does it not? Sometimes mud with grass?” I nodded that it did. “You can changeyourenvironment, yet do not. Why?”
That was a decent question. Twenty years back, the Volardi created my homeworld so it could be like Nate’s Old West. After a while, it changed into its own animal. It was still a lawless planet, and higher technology dripped in over the decades. Despite the changes, folks tended to the cattle, met at the saloon for whiskey and beer, and rode horses on the range. When done, they went back to their wooden house or stone dwellings.
“Ireckonit’s because it’s us.”
