Vailen preceded us as we walked down more and more silvered hallways that never seemed to look any different from each other, yet everyone on this ship seemed to navigate them effortlessly.

"Is everything alright? Were there any issues?" I thought back to the heaving nausea I'd had when I'd first ended up on this ship and the disorientation. I couldn't stomach the thought of some other person going through that same experience, desperate for some ounce of familiarity. "I wish I had been there when she'd first come up. That way she could at least have a human there."

"All is well from the communication we've gotten from the transport bay. The males there were more than happy to make Cecelia welcome until you could meet her," Vailen's voice always bordered on aloof.

But as he answered, it occurred to me he might just be a tad bit unaware, "I'm sure they probably were."

Vailen inclined his head, though he was walking in front of us I could tell he was considering my statement. When he finally responded it was deliberate and slow, "It would be a lie to say there weren't more males on hand to receive her after the news got out." He glanced back our way and though there was an air of concern in his voice, the color in his eyes was brighter. I'd have even sworn it might have swirled but when he blinked the odd shifting silver vanished, "There have been more inquiries as well as volunteers in the transport bay and other nearby professional spaces. It concerns me for her living accommodations."

"How so?" Esayr beat me to the question, but I had half a mind that I already knew the answer.

She'd never find herself alone.

Vailen was quiet again for a spell while we turned down a fork in the hallway, "The males will find reasons to be in the vicinity. While I have the utmost faith in their behavior, it's their...presence...that concerns me."

Esayr grunted in a purely masculine assent of agreement, "They won't be untoward they just be," he paused like Vailen did, trying to think of a tactful way to say it, "they'll just be there."

Vailen nodded politely, "It's even worse that she'll be housed closer to the civilian district in higher traffic areas."

"Why not just put her in the mated quarters?"

Vailen sucked in a hissing breath, "Because of the nature of this searching parameters were changed from the lack of interest from the planet sending envoys. Addison was a surprise. A delightful one," he amended quickly, "Cecelia --an unmatched female-- is plain unexpected. Even if we began changing the system it would be at least a day maybe a few, before the ship recalculates living arrangements for her in a quarter closer to either of you."

"That seems inefficient." What it seemed was oddly convenient that she'd have some reason to get stuck on the outskirts of housing putting her out and about with a bunch of males sniffing around her.

Vailen grimaced again when he paused outside of the transport bay, "The Aarond Form is a pinnacle of technology. It can grow and approximate the needs of a ship full of people for decades upon decades. It is without a doubt nearly sentient if you haven't realized that already, and because of this, it can be widely temperamental about some things --first and foremost the changing of its programming.

"Then have her stay with us."

The words were out of Esayrs mouth because he was a kind and giving creature and I wanted nothing more than to shove them back through those perfect lips of his and make him choke on them. I whirled on him quickly and shot him an exasperated glance, which obviously surprised him. I was met only with a question in his gaze.

I had neither the time nor the personal space to tell him all the dirty things I had planned to let him do to me tonight as long as we didn't have company, because Vailen spared not even a second glance between his mused "That could work," and the placing of his hand on the silvered wall that opened the door into the transport bay, revealing males and Cecelia.

I had expected more from her, though I wasn't sure what 'more' was to me, though a hundred different versions of her coalesced into my mind. There was the punk-roc hacker I'd pictured from the fact she'd gathered those videos from our government. Then there was the woman with the harsher features, calloused in a way that only someone used to living nearly entirely off the grid fleeing from the government could be. Then there was the sleek, tall willowy spy sent by the same government from her 'cover story' to tear apart the Val'Dornn from the inside.

She was none of those women.

She was of an age with me, though because of the softness of her features and the way she held herself, I couldn't pinpoint which of us would have been older. She was shorter than me by a few inches, but the way she stood --with her spine straightened-- told me she was either anxious or had confidence that lent her an ease to navigating unfamiliar situations in a way that most didn't.

She didn't jump when the door slid open, only casually looked our way when we interrupted her conversation with a male I didn't recognize. She had warm wide eyes framed by unbelievably thick lashes that matched her hair.

She met my gaze with the same measured curiosity I'm sure was mirrored on my own face. I was struck by mild envy that she'd handled the transport so well. When I'd first come up here I'd puked on Wyland's shoes and then been too incapacitated to even help clean it up.

And you'd never apologized for it either. I filed that thought away for later. Wyland made a point to mostly avoid me, which I didn't particularly blame him for. I'd been a massive bitch originally and had made myself hard to like.

"I take it, it's safe to assume you're Addison?" Her voice shocked me. It was the same voice from the phone, oddly cadenced it pulled my attention immediately to her. It wasn't anything overt, if I had to quantify it, I'd say that she put emphasis on odd parts of some of her words, changing my name from "Add-isson" to something closer to "Ah-dissin". I chalked it up to her having an accent I was unfamiliar with and left it at that.

"That's me!" I fell back into my customer service accent so quickly, brightening my words and pitching my voice slightly higher.

Cecelia canted her head a moment, studying me.

I cleared my throat and attempted a better introduction. One that wouldn't entirely bungle our first meeting, "Sorry, I'm a little nervous. You've been quite the enigma. We didn't know what to expect. But, yes, I'm Addison." I held my hand out to her.

She glanced down at my hand, sparing it only a glance before her attention returned to my face. There was nothing malicious in stare, just intense study. Just as the attention began to be too much she blinked and returned her attention to my hand. She spoke then, and during the whole of it, she studied my outstretched hand. "I've had reasons to maintain my anonymity."

That word came out like Anna-numitty.

"Your government hasn't been as kind to you. They've broadcasted your face every moment they could." She glanced back up at my face curiously as she gripped my hand in a slight squeeze.

I shook it and she didn't resist. "And I'd bet they didn't choose the most flattering of images either. They probably plastered up the picture of me sobbing, to forward their agenda smearing the reputation of the Val'Dornn." No use beating around the bush. I figured I might as well put my stance out there and see how receptive Cece would be to it.

Her eyes flicked from me and back to the two makes behind me, I'd imagine trying to guess if either of them were my mate.

When I didn't immediately feel Esayr's warm presence behind me, I reached back with my other hand to him. United front. Get up here. His warm fingers were gentle and a little hesitant. I tugged him forward until he stood so close beside me that his shoulder brushed against my own. You're mine. From here until the end of time before Val, human, and whatever Gods might be watching. Not for the last time, I wished we had that bond between us flowing, so he could feel the depth of this claiming. But, when he looked at me I knew he could read it in my face in the same way I could tell the shifting of his emotions in the darkness of his eyes. I squeezed his hand and returned my attention to Cecelia, who'd pulled her own back from our fumbled greeting.

"I take it this is your mate?" Her gaze was never malicious, never angry, or judgemental; only ever curious.

"Yes, this is my mate, Esayr."

"They'll both be your guides on this ship. You'll be staying in their quarters for the next few day cycles if that's amenable to you?" Vailen spoke over the top of my head to Cece. There was a chatter behind her regarding that news, but it settled quickly.

I squeezed Esayr's hand, intending to tell him we'd have a discussion about this in the future. I couldn't keep the smile off my face, though when the errant thought flitted through my mind that told me he was lucky that he'd already won the right to the couch today because he'd have ended up there metaphorically and literally if I had anything to say about it tonight. He was too considerate and I was too selfish with him.

He'll tell you, you have all your lives to be selfish with each other.

Cece brightened, it crinkled the corners of her eyes and pulled her lips up. It made her look younger and less rigid. She looked more natural and at ease with the environment when she let her guard down. "That's perfectly amenable to me."

*****A/N*****

Today is a lazy Sunday.

As a constant affront to my sunburn, I found myself back out in a pool yesterday for the 30th birthday of a close friend of mine. I was, however, smart enough to put on sunscreen regularly and seem to have gotten away unscathed for the most part even though summer is in full swing here in Florida.

These parts have been a little shorter of late because I've been doing some like...personal challenges with myself to try and further the growth of a daily work ethic. I started walking 1-2 miles with my mother and brother 4 days a week and also started a 30-day restorative yoga challenge that I've been sticking to really well! Both have helped tremendously with my mental health as well as my physical health which can fluctuate quite a lot.

The daily check-ins for me have been really helpful in regulating my creative process too. I get inspired more in the earlier part of the day when I usually sit down to write. On top of that, I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that I haven't let a missed goal completely derail me as I would have previously. I still have something fun planned with my friend, which will definitely be a far-future thing, but we'd put a tentative date down for a goal to be met, and while I haven't quite reached it yet despite the date having come and gone, I'm really unbelievably happy with my progress so far.

Slow and steady,

Layla.