The Technician's Fight, Draft 1, CH53

Gralgiran listened to the silence.

Too many months now. Too many of them without a Spreading Branch broadcast. He was growing concerned there might be nothing left to rescue by the time he found out where they’d been taken.

He contacted his investigation beta. “Batrix, anything on Spreading Branch?”

“Nothing directly, Alpha. People are talking about the silence. Few believe they’re just relocating anymore. The number of them worried who aren’t Earther is surprising. At least half those involved are from Federation Species.”

“Earthers who’ve claimed citizenship?”

“For some, likely, but most Earther kept their citizenships, claiming asylum with the Federation itself, instead of one of its species.”

“Any indication whoever took them is involved in those discussions?”

“No indications, but it would make sense they’re paying attention. It’s easy to leave a program connected to record everything, then run that through filters for what matters. It’s what we’re doing.”

“Any idea who is behind the conversations?”

“Most are on low bandwidth, slow exchange public boards, making the person who set them up someone in the masses. Three are hosted by media, one Federation, one Ridoshi, and one Taournian.”

“What do we have on the Taournian Media?”

“As honest as Taournians get. A clear species’ bias, but they aren’t the only ones with that. I know how you feel about them, but I don’t think they are doing this for nefarious reasons. We have four private hosting, masked, but it’s instant comms, no identifier required, and able to host millions of communications at the same time. We won’t be able to find out who is behind them, but they have money.”

“Which means personal interests.”

“The broadcast needs to have backers, if only to manage instant the way they did.”

“And there will be wealthy people who object to its existence.”

“No one agrees with everything, Alpha.”

“Keep at it. Let me know the instant something happens.”

“I will, Alpha.”

He contacted the comm board. “Did we receive any distress signals?”

“No, Alpha.”

He knew that. Even without the current situation with the broadcast station, procedures were to contact him when those were received.

“Thank you.”

He hated this uncertainty. People were in danger. He knew it, but he could do nothing to help. Every scent was someone else’s to sniff. He checked the time. Jer was still working, and Gralgiran should leave him be. There were already enough interruptions with his ongoing training.

“Jer,” he sent to his message center. “If I’m not there when you get home, I’m either exercising or with a friend. Contact me if you need me.”

He contacted a beta to take over bridge duties, then headed to the gym. Exercise first, then see who was off shift to spend time with.

*

The bed shifted, and Gralgiran became aware of tossing. He turned and pulled his Heart against him. “It’s okay,” he mumbled, half consciously nuzzling the back of his neck. “You’re safe. It’s just a nightmare.”

Jer settled, and Gralgiran returned to sleep.

*

“Try this,” Jer said, offering something that smelled of meat and something sweet.

“After coffee,” Gralgiran grumbled, raising the cup to his lips and sipping the hot, pleasantly bitter beverage. “You got up early.”

“Sorry if I woke you. Nervous about today’s session. Another pain resistance training. I figured I’d keep busy cooking.”

The meat at the end of the fork looked ripped off the animal instead of properly cut, and covered in a red sauce.

“Sweet and source chicken,” Jer said. “Or the best I can manage. Agarian meat tastes pretty much like what I printed from the recipe, minus the usual print offness. I swear, living on this ship is going to make it impossible for me to survive off printed food if I’m ever forced to.”

“Couldn’t you cut the meat?”

“Traditionally, it’s chunks, according to the history that came with the recipe. I had no idea how much history some of them had. It’s like that database contains every recipe Earth ever came up with and needs me to read it before it’ll give the print instructions.”

“And you worked this from those?” He planted a claw into the meat and studied it. It was bite size, so there was that. He licked the sauce and raised an eyebrow.

“I made it less sweet than the recipe calls for, knowing what you like.”

The sourness wasn’t bad either. He popped it in, and then it was like eating any other piece of larger meat.

“What’s with this reluctance with eating large chunks of meat?”

“You’re only asking about this now?”

Jer shrugged. “Figured I could find the answer in the historical files, but all I came across were old ballads about even older times where clans are eating while traveling.”

“That’s basically why. Preparing our food is when we became civilized. When we were able to maintain the herds, instead of always chasing after them. We were able to remain in place. To take the time to prepare our meats, instead of eating on the move, off the bone. When I have to do that, it’s because things aren’t going well. A hunt that’s out of control, emergencies.”

“Taking the time to fully prepare food means everything is going well,” Jer said, pensive. “Okay, I’ll keep that in mind. What do you think?”

“It’s good. Reminds me of droshda, with the sourness, and the sweetness is just right.”

“Smaller chunk? Cubed instead of just cut off the bone?”

Gralgiran chuckled. “If you want to make it so Kelsirians won’t hesitate, that would help. If it’s going to be a traditional Earther meal, I’m sure we can manage.”

“If I can manage the batter, I’ll see. It’s supposed to be coated in batter and fried in fat.”

He tried to imagine fried meat. The eateries and restaurants had fried sweets. Small puffs of something crispy sprinkled with spices and sweetness. He couldn’t figure out what it would do to meat.

“It’ll be interesting to try it.”

“Hopefully.” Jer sat with a bowl of them coated in the sauce. “You going to be there when I’m done?”

Gralgiran smiled. “Of course. I’ll carry you to medical if you need it again.”

“I hope there won’t be any broken bones this time. Those are the worse.”

“It will improve. You’ll be able to think through more of it, to tell your captors what you want to tell them, instead of what they want to know.”

“I know. Doesn’t make the training any easier to endure.”

“I remember.” He speared a chuck of sauce covered meat. “But it is worthwhile.”

*

“Are you sure?” Gralgiran asked the comm hunter as he looked over the debris.

“This is where the message originated from, Alpha.”

“Scans, what do you have?”

“Bodies, Shimbarian. Damage is consistent with plasma.”

“Three Shimbarian Merchants are registered to operate within our space, Alpha,” Comm said. “All three are marked as active.”

“Any markings to identify the ship?”

“No, Alpha. The tag is also not responding.”

While not impossible to destroy, those were built to withstand a lot of damage. Space was too vast to let a ship drift unnoticed. “Batrix,” He contacted his investigator. “Get your pack together. I need you to look over the wreckage. We have a silent tag.”

“Are you going to leave us to sleep there again?”

“Didn’t you enjoy your time in my bed? We both did.”

“I did, but wreckage means no oxy. Shuttles only have a few day’s worth.”

“Alright, we’ll stay here, just don’t spend your time admiring the stars.”

The male snorted. “I stopped doing that after my second day stuck in space. Admiration is wasted on them. They never invited me to their bed.”

“Is that your subtle way of asking to be invited to my bed again?”

“You the only one on the bridge, Alpha?”

“I’ll have a schedule worked out before your pack’s back.” He terminated the contact.

“If we’re setting up a schedule,” the pilot asked, “can I ask to have the entire pack in my bed?”

“At the same time?” Scans asked.

She grinned. “I have heard some very impressive things about the investigation pack.” She glanced at Gralgiran.

“I can’t speak of his pack, but the beta is certainly memorable.”

*

“Are you certain?” the Shimbarian seated on the other side of the projection asked.

“The ship’s tag was taken. You need to contact your species’ merchants operating within our territory to confirm which ship is still active. The pirates made sure we couldn’t identify it.”

“Who did this?”

“We don’t know. The only bodies left are Shimbarian, and every piece of the wreckage belongs to that ship. They were very careful.”

The representative considered him. “I have the right to demand blood.”

“When we find them, you will be given Right of Revenge.”

“That isn’t enough. Eighteen of my people died at the hands of yours.”

“You aren’t allowed to enter our territory to seek revenge. You know the laws.” And there were no certainty the Halans were behind this. Pirates didn’t respect species’ territories.

“I will contact the Authority. They will hear my voice.” The screen turned black, and Gralgiran returned to his desk. The Authority was the Shimbarian’s equivalent of the Leadership and the politicians made into one. They would contact his species not long after, so he’d be contacted at some point and unreasonable demands would be made of him, which he’d have to turn down, and which would make them dislike him all the more.

He wondered if things were easier in the old days, when an Alpha could be on the line and not be reached until he returned with his hunters. Only the quiet of the wilderness, the heat of the hunt and the comfort of his packs.

“And eating on the run. Only trees between you and the others when pissing. Water that can poison you. Sleeping in the snow or under the rain.”

There were no good old days outside the ballads. And he knew too well how those twisted what had been into something barely like their reality.

The hunt was the hunt, and the gods never promised it would be easy, just satisfying. He returned to writing his report, now that he could add that the Shimbarians had been informed. He’d done his part; it was on them to find out which tag had been stolen if they didn’t want to be held accountable for the crimes committed with it.

*

Gralgiran dunked Jer under the water and held him there, looking around innocently. His Heart wanted an underwater contest, he could have one. Gralgiran had well over five minutes before he had to worry about—

He stared down, barely making out the hand stroking him through the small waves, but definitely feeling it.

He looked around urgently this time. The reservoir wasn’t marked as a leisure zone. What Jer was doing, if they were caught, would—he closed his eyes as the orgasm hit.

Jer surfaced. “Liked that?”

“That.” He panted. “Was risky.”

“No one saw.”

“You couldn’t know. If someone had swum this way. They could have seen.”

“I’d have bribed them with a hand job of their own.”

“Could have been a female.”

“Okay, in that case, we’d have been in trouble.”

Gralgiran shook his head in annoyance and amusement. “I can guess who put you up to this.”

“Hey, don’t go blaming Xen. You were the one holding me under the water at the right height for me to admire. If I’d been able to move my head without you knowing, you’d have gotten more than a hand job.”

He pulled his Heart to him, feeling his erection and reacting to it. He growled before rubbing his muzzle against his cheek. “You are asking to be punished for this.”

Jer grinned. “You going to do that here?”

Gralgiran buried his laugher in Jer’s shoulder. “Absolutely not. I’m taking you to the nearest leisure room. I don’t want to have to explain to my beta why he has to put his Alpha in a cell for indecency.”

“Do the cells fall under the investigation pack?”

Gralgiran narrowed his eyes. “No. And if you want Beta Batrix again, you don’t need machinations. You invite him. Or you ask him to invite you to his apartment.”

“So, you’re okay with me inviting someone in our bed.”

“Of course, Jer, when have I ever—”

“How about Xen?”

He stared. “Jer, that’s not the same, and you know it.”

“You two are becoming friends.”

“Friendly, we’re becoming friendly. I’m nowhere near shortening names with him.”

“Sex doesn’t need shortening of name.”

“Did he put you up to this?”

“No. I just want to share him with you.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, Jer. But I’m not ready. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for him.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to push.”

“You can push, just respect when I say it’s enough.”

Jer nodded and rested his head against his shoulder.

Gralgiran caught the hand before it reached his cock. “And that’s definitely enough of that.” He pulled Jer with him as he exited the water. “We’re going to a leisure alley and getting this out of your system.”

“Says the male who’s ready minutes after he’s done.”

Gralgiran grinned at him. “So you can expect us to be there for a while.”