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The bang startled Grace so badly that he knocked his teacup and half a dozen pens off the table.
“What the –,”
“Hi Grace.”
He squinted, and realised it was Rocky who’d slammed his back door against his immaculate kitchen wall. He was standing in the middle of the doorway, unmoving. The light outside the airlock was switched on, but the living room was dimmed for what was supposed to be a relaxing ambiance, so he appeared as a vaguely threatening silhouette.
“Rocky?” Grace said, relieved there wasn’t an active shooter, or something. “What the heck’s the matter with you? You scared the crap out of me!”
He collected his teacup, which was hardy enough to withstand Grace’s general klutziness, and therefore Rocky’s too. The pens had scattered to the four winds.
“Dang it,” he muttered, kneeling down to search for them. “Rocky, there had better be a good explanation for why on Earth –,”
“Not on Earth,” Rocky said, still over in the doorway, bouncing a little. Grace stuck his head out from behind a dresser and frowned at him.
“For the millionth time, it’s a figure of speech,” Grace said suspiciously. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing wrong,” Rocky said instantly. He started tapping two of his claws together. “Hmm.”
Grace got to his feet, his suspicion warping into concern. “Pal, you okay? Adrian okay?”
“Yes, yes, yes,” Rocky said, and then he gave the Eridian equivalent of a massive sigh.
“Right,” Grace said, approaching him. Rocky was in his newest suit, which flexed along with him, shimmering faintly. It looked fine; so did Rocky. Apart from the nervous twitching, of course.
“Rock, you’re freaking me out,” Grace said, crouching beside Rocky and checking him all over for damage. “Are you hurt? Did something happen?”
“Something happen, yes,” Rocky said, rubbing his claws together. He suddenly shot one out and fastened it around Grace’s arm.
“Okay,” Grace said slowly, patting Rocky’s hand and wondering how he could have become so bad at reading his best friend’s body language since he last saw him that morning. “Um – related to your seminar earlier? Or the meeting with those politicians, I know you said that was coming up –,”
Rocky’s hand tightened, and Grace cringed. “Ow, Rocky.”
“Grace promise to be very calm about many things immediately,” Rocky said, his voice low and serious. “Grace promise now.”
Grace gaped at him. “I mean – I am calm, so what do you –,”
“Went to meeting,” Rocky said, releasing Grace and sidling past him into the house. “Met wardens and governing chiefs an hour ago.”
“Okay, great,” Grace said, shaking the pins and needles out of his arm. “What –,”
“Grace calm?” Rocky interrupted, coming to a stop in the middle of the living room. He swung around and hammered the floor with his fist, like it would give him a better view of Grace’s insides. “Make heart slower. Now.”
“I’d love to!” Grace said irritably, following after him. “If I had any clue what the eff this is about, it would be easier!”
Rocky went still again. “Rocky made, hm. Big decision.”
Grace folded his arms. “Okay,” he said. “What decision, exactly?”
Rocky tapped the floor.
*
It began with a disrespectful noise. That was how Rocky would defend himself much later.
He was standing in the middle of the rounded hall, opposite the group of elected province chiefs and their community wardens, and the assembly was just about to dissolve. They’d covered a lot, in the hours they’d spent cloistered together in the city’s most revered theatre. Rocky had been debriefed on the Tau Ceti mission months earlier, of course, and multiple follow-ups had focused on the dispersal of the taumoeba, the location of his ship and his deceased crewmates, a timeline for the restoration of 40 Eridani’s luminance, and Grace. Rocky tended to swerve all topics to Grace eventually, especially since all the appearances and gatherings took him away from the dome for hours at a time. He always made sure the chiefs, wardens and their underlings were aware of the planet’s newest priority now that their star was saved. If they tried to broach the subject of human technology or scientific advances instead he usually managed to defer that subject to someone more qualified: him, at an unspecified future date.
“The water in Grace’s dome is at the correct temperature, but there needs to be more power funnelled to the wave-making rotors,” Rocky informed the group, who were chittering amongst themselves. “They’re much too slow. I also propose expansion, to allow for a better facsimile of the Earth landscape. There is a quarry to the north of the city that could service broader facilities. If we redirect the wind power of the factories by the Leipidol Fissure –,”
“Several dozen acres have been dedicated to the alien Grace,” Chief Kyan said, rapping his claws on the ground. “At this time we may not be able to provide more.”
“The quarry has sat empty since before I left for my mission,” Rocky said tartly. “Grace requires a wide area so his physical and mental needs will be met, and this is a minor sacrifice for the county.”
“But –,”
“He is owed comfort and safety, at minimum,” Rocky continued, readjusting his stance. “I was assured by the speakers upon orbital docking that Grace would receive anything – and I quote, ‘anything’ he required. We were duly given materials and space to make Grace welcome. I assume that arrangement still stands.”
“Well – yes,” Chief Kyan said, sounding more than a little embarrassed.
“Excellent,” Rocky said, perking up. “I’ll let Grace know, and send the plans on to Senior Sonographer Malach’s office. They’ll contact the turbine ministers posthaste, and as soon as that’s done I’ll have plenty of time to schedule in the media interviews. Many thanks!”
“You’re – you’re welcome,” Chief Kyan said, their large, domed carapace rocking with unease. Rocky figured if they had something to complain about, they’d do it. Rocky would just have to bring up the fact that they were only alive because of Grace and Grace’s generosity, and that any offence to him may be liable to initiate an interstellar war. He’d done it before, and he knew credibility was waning, but it was fun to try.
Rocky was about to make his goodbyes and step down from the theatre’s central podium, when he heard a rippling note of disapproval, emanating from one Warden Jasper.
The group fell almost silent, which was a feat in and of itself. Rocky craned his carapace to see over the girthier chiefs, and found Warden Jasper picking their way through them to stand opposite Rocky. They only stopped when they loomed over him, taller even than Adrian, with spikes between their vents and many stalagmites jutting up from their arms and claws. Their carapace was pocked and uneven, and their joints scraped mercilessly when they moved, a resounding grind that put Rocky on edge. They were the oldest person in the room by a large margin, and rarely spoke unless called upon; Rocky had believed them partially insensate.
After an awkward silence, Rocky felt the tug of his other duties and made a brief bow.
“Warden,” he said politely, hoping whatever this was would resolve itself quickly. There were always one or two members of these meetings that liked to steal his time and patience with their rambling, and he’d learned to tolerate it as best he could. Perhaps Warden Jasper was trying to get his allotted few minutes.
“Saviour Rocky,” Warden Jasper rumbled, their voice sending little shockwaves through Rocky’s body. “I appreciate you honouring us with your time today.”
“Oh,” Rocky said. “You’re most welcome. I’m very glad to –,”
“However,” Warden Jasper said, juddering the sparse gravel under their claws. “I must confess I have… reservations. Regarding the delegation of our society’s resources, specifically.”
Rocky could feel his hackles rise. He hadn’t heard brazenness like this before.
“Do you,” he said, keeping his notes light.
“Indeed,” Warden Jasper said, dipping their carapace so that their voice thundered clear as an earthquake right through Rocky’s body. “I, and many others present, would like to address the demands of the creature – ah. The alien, Grace.” Warden Jasper rumbled again. “Your fellow saviour.”
Rocky’s vents were bleeding steam. “I’m not sure what needs addressing, Warden,” he said levelly, fighting every instinct to let his temper spiral. “Grace cannot survive within our atmosphere, and needs many environmental alterations –,”
“Needs, needs, needs,” Warden Jasper said, the bass undulating. “The foreigner has multitudinous needs, yes. As do the natural-born citizens of the thirty-three provinces of this nation.”
“That ‘foreigner’ you speak of saved this entire world from destruction,” Rocky said, his tone growing harsh. “This nation would be a wasteland without him. His needs are more important than the conveniences of people who are not a fraction as courageous, as selfless, as kind and goodhearted –,”
“My, that is quite the declaration of loyalty,” Warden Jasper said silkily. “It seems the reports by the news criers were factual, tabloids included.” Warden Jasper sank even lower, so they were inches from Rocky’s carapace, the surface of their chitin chalky and crumbling. “Our homegrown saviour may have more affection for an alien than his own kind.”
There was an outbreak of murmurs, the other wardens remarking upon their disappointment, while the chiefs seemed to be expressing confusion more than anything else. Rocky listened to the drivel surge like he was elsewhere, so blankly furious that he was immobilised, speechless.
“Your repeated extortions of this party to supplement the alien with luxuries beyond its own capability to produce cannot continue, Saviour Rocky,” Warden Jasper said, their voice easily rising above all the others. They stood to their full height, so enormous they blocked out most of the rest of the assembly. “Our people cannot suffer purely so a creature foreign to our form, beliefs and culture may flourish. It is being kept alive, as was agreed by the Federation’s speakers when you returned. That is all that is owed, and nothing more.”
“Nothing more!” echoed another warden, then two, four, eight more piped up in assent. The chiefs were starting to appear very uncomfortable, Rocky noticed, shuffling in place. They were the ones who made the concessions for their provinces, and he knew there had been some complaints by various community wardens, who represented the counties within each province. He’d never taken them seriously. Nobody in their right mind would argue that Grace wasn’t the most important shared responsibility of their race.
“Grace,” Rocky began, his arms trembling with shackled rage, “is owed more than we can ever give him. How dare you speak of him like he’s some – some unwanted pet –,”
“I would never imply such a thing,” Warden Jasper said, shaking their carapace at a glacial pace. “The alien is a guest.” They growled a subterranean chortle. “Only a guest.”
There was another wave of agreements, the wardens getting bolder as a few chiefs added their uncertain voices to the mix. Rocky crept a few steps back. The sudden deluge of resentment was unnerving. The meeting had turned on him so quickly, and over Grace – whose fragile health was a constant worry to Rocky and his team of medics, Grace who had a plethora of Eridian friends and millions of supporters across the globe – including many of these chiefs, who he’d received in his own house, no less –
“The Rights of the Sentient apply only to those classified as such under the lan-Eridian banner, a motion which has long been endorsed by the International Federation,” Warden Jasper was saying, preaching to the people around them as much as Rocky. “They encompass all persons born on lan-Eridian soil. Foreign entities, extra-continental or otherwise, are not mentioned in the original convention, which dates back before the Great Pyroclasm.”
Rocky stood up straighter, his arms prickling.
“The rights must be revered as highly as those who erected the obsidian tablets,” Warden Jasper said solemnly, to much cooing and appreciative clicking. “We can be magnanimous to travellers, of course, of course. But our labour and our struggles must champion our people and our country above all else.” Warden Jasper cast a long, low crackle towards Rocky, tensing the nerves on his already tender auricles. “Wouldn’t you agree, Saviour Rocky? As a true patriot?”
Rocky’s brain wasn’t finished conjuring the idea when he spoke, but he did anyway. “I completely agree, Warden.”
The assembly quietened to a hush. Warden Jasper tapped a scythe-shaped claw off the ground. “Is that so, Saviour Rocky?”
“Yes,” Rocky said, his vents puffing loudly in the rapt theatre. “The Rights of the Sentient apply to those naturally born –,”
“To recognised provinces within the premier state of lan-Erid, and equivalent administrative divisions in contiguous continents, where colony assets abide,” Warden Jasper said smugly. “Which means that –,”
“And their mated.”
Warden Jasper, who had been in the process of turning around to orate again, paused, and tilted back towards him. “Apologies, Saviour Rocky. I thought you said –,”
“And their mated,” Rocky repeated loudly, his voice resounding around the curved hall. He felt like he’d been filled with sand. He couldn’t move.
The assembly had been reduced to utter silence, which was such a rarity among any sort of gathering at all that it clearly knocked Warden Jasper off kilter. They recovered rapidly, squaring their arms and coming to tower over Rocky once more.
“Are you attempting to quote the full convention to me?” Warden Jasper asked, their vents dragging against one another like tectonic plates. “You may trust I am familiar.”
“Then it should be clear why Grace is due indefinite protection, aid, and resources dedicated to his quality of life,” Rocky said curtly, his claws gouging lines in the ground below. “As outlined in the Rights of the Sentient, relating to veterans of state defence, recovery specialists and exploratory agents, the latter expounded upon in sub-section six, with space and stellar explorers being classified as such with the advent of the exospheric elevator within lan-Eridian boundaries, and the construction of the spacefaring monolith vessel –,”
“Yes, I understand,” Warden Jasper snapped, the sound so forceful it sent Rocky skidding back a few inches. “That still only refers to lan-Eridian trueborns.”
“And those they have mated,” Rocky said, girding himself. “That part was added in to ensure immigrant widows received succour after the third Colony War. It’s centuries old now, but it hasn’t been changed.” He purred in satisfaction. “I checked.”
The absolute silence rang out like a tangible sound. Rocky tried to withhold his body’s urge to sway and tap to hear better, not wanting to appear nervous or doubtful. He had studied up on nuptial and mating laws while waiting for the dome to be built, and he knew he had recited the information correctly. He’d been happy to use Grace’s celebrity and his own people’s goodwill to get Grace’s new home built, but he had contingency plans just in case. He trusted his world’s leadership, sure. But not with Grace’s life.
“And how exactly,” Warden Jasper said, creaking, “does that convention apply to the alien?”
Rocky had the theatre’s undivided attention now, he knew that much. Warden Jasper seemed too incredulous to attract the group’s interest away from him.
“Well,” Rocky said “I am a trueborn lan-Eridian.”
What was it Grace said? In for a penny, in for a pound? An oddity of an idiom, but made sense when he explained it.
“And I have mated Grace,” Rocky said, and the theatre exploded.
*
Grace goggled at Rocky like he’d grown four human heads. And six extra arms. And a top hat, and maybe another human head out of that.
“So is clear Rocky not at fault,” Rocky said, releasing a gush of steam. “Wardens force Rocky to share solution.”
Grace found himself making a very high-pitched squeaking noise. He wanted to do something productive, like yell or run or hide, but he couldn’t decide which would make this situation less real.
“Only telling Grace now because wardens and chiefs are coming,” Rocky said, very fast, as though trying to expel the information from his immediate proximity. “Not want to stress Grace, but – they wish for – evaluation –,”
“Rocky,” Grace eventually ground out, his breath becoming gasps in his chest. “Rocky, what – why did – what about – you can’t – Adrian, and – they think – they know – why –,”
“Grace always be safe on Erid,” Rocky said firmly, hurrying up to him and pulling at Grace’s hands, easing them out of curled fists. “But some leaders, they try make it seem is too difficult to manage. Rocky will make certain this never become problem, never again. Everyone must respect Federation law. Have been carved in stone since Rocky’s great, great, great, great, great ancestors were babies.”
“And this law says we’re married,” Grace said, breaking out an icy layer of sweat. He felt it trickle down his back.
“Not married, mated,” Rocky said brightly. “Rocky mates with Adrian, Grace knows this. Rocky and Grace mated, which means Grace under my protection.”
Grace pinched the bridge of his nose in a vice. “Rocky, that explains nothing. How can we be m-mated, if Adrian already –,”
“Adrian and Rocky mate, then have ceremony, promising bond in love and care forever,” Rocky said, stroking Grace’s leg reassuringly. “Others can be mated without ceremony, for pleasure and making children only. This is common for many lan-Eridians. Much diversity in population this way!”
“And you told them that was us?” Grace said, his stomach sinking. “That you were trying to – have kids –,”
“Obvious not make children with Grace,” Rocky said, throwing up his arms. “Mate Grace for pleasure! Now you will be treated as also lan-Eridian –,”
“I can’t believe this,” Grace said, unsure which specific part of this clusterfudge was stoking the roiling horror inside him. He stepped out of the range of Rocky’s grasp, the tension in his body on the verge of becoming nausea. “You told your government, basically, that you and I were – like, doing – sex things – on our mission –,”
“Is not lie,” Rocky said, slumping a bit. “Grace and Rocky mate many time. And help masturbate!”
Grace dropped his face in his hands. He regretted teaching Rocky that word. He was wondering if he should be regretting much, much more than just that.
“That is private,” he whispered into his palms, as his cheeks heated to a boiling point. He had switched off every recording device on the Mary, he’d prayed to God in apology and then thanks, he’d made Rocky swear a thousand times that he wasn’t ruining a marriage, he’d cried after the first time and cuddled Rocky’s ball every time after that, then his flexible suit, squeezing like he could feel the real surface of his body. It had gone from shameful to beautiful. It had existed solely for them, and then Adrian, once they gave their (slightly surly) blessing. Grace had thought he’d gotten away with it. Being happy.
“Grace?”
“Not right now,” Grace said, spinning around and heading towards his bedroom. He still couldn’t control his breathing. “What you did was m-messed up, Rocky. I want to be alone.”
He needed to think. He needed to draft up an official statement, or perhaps an apology, explaining to the Eridian public, as well as his own medical and security staff, who he saw every single day, that he was not actually a hussy and that he would really prefer if that wasn’t the byline for the planet’s first and possibly last alien. He’d toss in a few pleas, maybe. Send a direct missive to his students’ parents – Christ on a bike, his students, what would they hear –
“Grace –,”
“I need a minute,” Grace barked back at him, shaking with frustration. He wasn’t used to feeling like this around Rocky. Rocky always went out of his way to make Grace’s life easier, not comically cruel.
“Grace,” Rocky said desperately, clattering up beside him. “It’s –,”
“What,” Grace fired back, just as the front door rattled with a series of echoing knocks.
Grace stared at it, then back at Rocky.
“Wardens and chiefs are here,” Rocky said, putting his hand on Grace’s leg again. “They insist, have to speak to you to confirm – confirm relationship –,”
“This is crazy,” Grace said, pulling away from Rocky’s claws. “Oh my God. They’re here to – what, check if I’m a – a virgin, or something?”
He was in a nightmare. A bona fide torture device, manifested by the universe to punish him for enjoying sex for the first time.
“Not know word,” Rocky said impatiently. “Please, Grace, will explain properly later, please – say we are mates now, please, I will handle rest –,”
“There is no way in hell –,”
“Never ask favour,” Rocky said sharply. “Need Grace to do this, please, for Rocky. Please, Grace.”
He was fiddling with his claws again, juddering his carapace back and forth. He looked genuinely scared, and he wouldn’t allow that if he could help it, if he really believed he could solve this problem on his own.
“Fine,” Grace relented, still vaguely sickened by his brand new reputation being soiled already. But Rocky was right – he never asked for anything except that Grace look after himself. He wouldn’t hurt him carelessly. Grace had to believe that, or he may as well gear up the skeleton of the Hail Mary and rocket home that minute.
“Will explain,” Rocky said again, as the knocks returned. “Promise, Grace. Promise.”
Grace knew about the necessity of a united front when covering for someone. He knew he’d die for Rocky, so being brutally humiliated had to come under that umbrella, no matter how horrible it seemed. If he could encourage his new overlords to continue to allow him breathable air, all the better.
Grace crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to reply on principle. Rocky patted him quickly and ran to the front door, easing it open. A gust of pleasantly balmy air washed in, along with the sound of waves and the distant recordings of extremely faraway gulls. Not much else was able to get in, considering the wall of blood-red stone that was filling the doorway.
“♪Hello♫♫again♪planet-whole♬♩maker♫♪Rocky,” the wall rumbled, and Grace took an involuntary step backwards when he saw the curve of an enormous arm arc down beside the stone. He realised it was a person, not an optical illusion.
“Warden ♪♫♬,” Rocky replied, one of his claws tapping so quickly it was more of a vibration. “Welcome. Rocky bring Grace out now.”
“♪♫♪speak such ♪♪ wa♪♫y, question?” the warden asked, and Grace knew he was missing the finer aspects of the sentence. He still wasn’t thoroughly fluent in lan-Eridian, and this guy had a strong accent.
“Grace still learning language,” Rocky said, shifting so that he was in the centre of the doorway. “Will keep speech simple, for translate. Grace bring machine for also translate.”
Rocky clicked at Grace, and he caught the imperative, if not the wording. He nodded hesitantly and went to the kitchen to fetch his synthesiser, which he’d abandoned there the previous night. He swiped at it to make sure it was clean of dust or crumbs or anything incriminatingly human, and jogged back over to where Rocky was hovering, his vents popping in a rhythm.
“Out♫♬♩now,” the warden said, so loudly that Grace’s shoulders hiked up. He had the weird urge to shake that voice off of him.
“Yes, yes,” Rocky said, and he curled an arm around the back of Grace’s knees, ushering him out of the house and onto the cliffside, where the warden and about fifty other Eridians of various sizes were waiting. There were so many of them that Grace could see them queuing down the incline of the rocky slope, like mountaineers taking their turn getting to the peak of Everest. It was nevertheless clear that the speaking warden was the leader amongst them. Not only were they front and centre, but they were easily over ten feet tall, towering above their colleagues, with a spiking dark red carapace that was pitted with craters and marbled silver all over, similar to the colouring of jasper. They had sharp growths on their arms, which meant their xenonite suit – clearly woven to be adapted to multiple body types – was clunky and ill-fitting. It didn’t make them any less intimidating; quite the opposite. Grace was mildly worried they’d bust out of the suit any second and start a rampage.
“Hi – hello,” Grace said awkwardly, and when that was met with silence, he hurriedly played out a formal greeting on the synthesiser.
“Well♫met,♩♬alien♪♫water♩planet-whole♬♩maker♬Grace,” said Warden Jasper, in a ripple of booms that made Grace wince.
“Warden Jasper,” Rocky said abruptly. “Appreciate if talk quiet and slow. Grace will hear better.”
There was a brief harmony from the rest of the politicians, which Grace decided was rather judgemental. Warden Jasper’s claws ticked against the ground. The junctures of their arms and elbows creaked and groaned, even though they appeared to be totally immobile.
“Will♪♫keep♩♬♩short,” Warden Jasper said after a moment, at a slightly lower volume. “For♩alien♬water♬♩♩benefit.”
“Correction,” Rocky said, his notes getting curt. “For Grace benefit.”
He was leaning into Grace, arching his arms the way Adrian had when they spoke about the vermin infestation in their office the previous month. When Warden Jasper adjusted their weight, tipping more towards Grace, Rocky inched out in front of him, his claws splayed and one arm lifted off the ground. It was a baldly defensive stance, and the rest of the visitors recognised it, judging by the ensuing chitters. Warden Jasper was frozen, once again, though their carapace was crunching with some internal motion.
“It’s okay, Rock,” Grace muttered, petting Rocky’s arm. “You said they want to talk, right?”
“Yes,” Rocky said, in a burst of whistling. “Warden Jasper will begin inquiry now.” He backed up into Grace’s shins, almost knocking him over. “Will stay with Grace during inquiry.”
“Good,” Grace said, bumping their argument to the back of his mind as several lan-Eridian politicians climbed closer, surrounding the house. Many of them were tapping the rock, observing Grace more closely. It wasn’t like he could see eyes scanning him, or anything, but the unending sounds were affecting his nerves. He didn’t like that his internal organs were on full display for total strangers.
“Honour♪♫to♩meet♩planet-whole♬♩maker♬Grace,” said Warden Jasper. Their arms lowered their ponderous carapace to the ground, and then back up again, stone grinding the whole time. “Most♩welcome♬♩♩world♪♫♪♪Erid♪.”
“Thank you,” Grace played, his fingers clumsy on the synthesiser keys. “I am so happy to be here. Love Erid. Much thank for allow me home.”
“♩Yes,” Warden Jasper said. The emanations from them continued, so reminiscent of Rocky searching for a specific object that Grace shivered. He was definitely being dissected in one way or another.
“Talk♫with♫planet-whole♬♩maker♫♪Rocky,” Warden Jasper said. “Is♫♪explain♩♪planet-whole♬♩maker♬Grace♫♪♫mate.♬Is♩true,♩question?”
Grace was worried the Eridians would be able to hear his brain struggle to keep up with their dialect, on top of the tango happening within his guts. He tapped on his synthesiser, before he could second-guess himself. For Rocky. “Yes. Is true.”
He didn’t look at Rocky, but he felt an arm curl surreptitiously around his calf.
“Is♬true♩,” Warden Jasper said, their notes trilling up. Grace imagined them raising a massive eyebrow.
“Yes,” Grace played. “Rocky – Rocky very special to Grace.”
Warden Jasper scraped their claws off the ground, leaving a deep furrow in the dust. “Grace♫♪not♬♩Eridian,” Warden Jasper said. “♪How♪mate,♫question.”
Rocky rattled off a spew of clacks and whistles that travelled too fast for Grace to catch them all. He knew the words “dare” and “private”, which he thought was a bit rich coming from Rocky today, not that he was about to bring that up now.
“♪Is♫♪♫ask♪for♪♫understand,” Warden Jasper clicked back. Their fellow politicians, Grace noticed, were crowding closer, as though the act was about to be demonstrated. His cheeks were flushing hot again.
“Not♪true♪♫mate,” croaked one of the Eridians beside Warden Jasper, their carapace wide, chunky and forest-green. “♪♫joke♬is♫♫think♪question?♬Make♩is♪♫disgust♫for.”
Another Eridian, jet black and smooth across their vents, blew out a deep crackle on Warden Jasper’s other side. “♬must♪♫disgust♬is.♫No♪equal♫wrong♪wrong.”
More tapping, more noises, and Grace couldn’t understand most of it, but he could tell it wasn’t exactly good. These people, the leaders of Rocky’s home country and possibly the wider continent, believed him to be repulsive, transgressive. Probably culpable for perverting Rocky with his gross human habits. And didn’t they have a point? He’d harboured guilt that his pathetic neediness had screwed Rocky up in some way, no matter how many times Rocky denied it. What if Rocky was ostracised from his own society because of this? Because of him?
He had a squirmy, heavy feeling in his belly that was becoming more mobile with each passing moment. His fingers skated up the synthesiser, prepared to bang out an apology at the first opportunity, but everyone kept talking –
“Enough,” Rocky snarled, at such a vicious volume that some Eridians cowered, as did Grace. His ears rang as he watched Rocky stalk up to Warden Jasper, who didn’t move to give him room. If anything, they lifted themselves higher up off the ground.
“Grace is mated, equal joining confirmed by Grace and Rocky,” Rocky said roughly. “No force. May investigate if think force. Think Rocky do this? All history, all show kindness for Grace, both save star, think no, think horror bad, bad, bad, pain, make cruelty? For – for Grace –,”
He was getting more wound up, choking off mangled words, and Grace figured out what the politicians must have been implying about him far too late. He jerked like he’d been shot. They thought Rocky –
“No!” Grace played, his notes manic as he repeated the same word over and over again. “No, no! No! Not force! Love Rocky, Grace love Rocky! You not say this, is not true!”
He darted forwards and crouched close to Rocky, throwing an arm across Rocky’s carapace. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest as Warden Jasper’s shadow lengthened over them. He had visions of Rocky being taken from him, being marched away, shoved in a small room, and questioned about his intentions like he was the villain in a cop procedural. Any reservations he may have had about revealing their personal business flew out of his head. They could view him as a homewrecking deviant; they could restrict him from his job; they could tattle to Earth or lock him in his house forever. He didn’t care, as long as they didn’t separate him from Rocky. He wouldn’t survive that.
Warden Jasper tapped the ground again, with a claw right next to Grace’s hip.
“♪planet-whole♬♩maker♫♪Rocky♫make♪mate,” Warden Jasper said. ”♪♫How.”
“Is unacceptable inquiry,” Rocky spat, vibrating under Grace’s arm. “Mate in Eridian way, said in law –,”
“♩planet-whole♬♩maker♬Grace♪not♫Eridian,” Warden Jasper said loftily, and when Grace glanced up they were tilting towards him, their carapace appearing blood-soaked in the slowly spreading artificial light of the late evening. “Obvious♩not♫♪true♬♩mating.” They tapped the ground so hard that Grace flinched. “What♬gather♩♩think,♬question?”
The other Eridians clinked, clattered and chirped their responses, some demurring uncomfortably, others seeming confused, while the rest loudly proclaimed their disbelief. Rocky’s vents were steaming up his suit, and Grace’s skin was heating up at their points of contact. He clutched him tighter.
“Can♬no♫♪share♪eggs,♩can♩♬no♬tie♩♩organ,” Warden Jasper said, sighing with a grinding sound. “Can♫♪no♫touch.♬Never♪touch.♩No♪true♬♬mating.” Warden Jasper lifted a claw and hooked it around Grace’s arm, yanking him upwards and making him drop his synthesiser with a clang.
“Hey –,” he yelped, as Warden Jasper loomed closer and clacked, another claw raised and curving down to his abdomen. It was easily the length of a meat cleaver.
“No♫♪true♩mate,” Warden Jasper purred, their claw compacting around his elbow. “No♫♪true♩lan-Eridian♩.”
Their claw pushed into his stomach, and the pressure was light but Grace could feel the minute sounds coming from the warden, could feel himself being explored. He pulled his arm back in a panic and skin tore, and he would have been more upset about that part if Rocky hadn’t chosen that moment to launch himself at Warden Jasper with a scream, sending him staggering back into several scandalised Eridians.
Grace fell in a heap to the ground as Warden Jasper released him. He was up a heartbeat later, his mouth falling open as he watched Rocky climb up to Warden Jasper’s vents, where he rammed a claw in between a pair of xenonite plates. There was a hissing sound, and a stream of pressurised air as the suit lost cohesion. Warden Jasper roared, flailing, and reached up to shake Rocky off. Rocky obliged, tumbling down their other side right into a cluster of shrieking Eridians. He bounded away from them and back to Grace, grabbing a hold of him and patting him all over.
“Grace hurt? Okay?”
“I’m – I’m fine,” Grace said immediately, shocked by the noise, and the spreading terror. “Oh my god – Rocky –,”
Warden Jasper was scuttling unsteadily down the cliffside to the emergency airlock, which was already clogged with darkly-clad security officers pouring through. The visitors’ suits triggered an alarm if they leaked, Grace knew that. He’d always presumed a tragedy would have to occur for that to happen.
“Go inside now, Grace,” Rocky said quickly, as officers started intermingling with the fleeing politicians, pausing to listen to what even Grace could discern were several shrill recounts of a murder attempt.
“Rocky, no way –,”
“Now,” Rocky said, pulling Grace to his feet and tugging him back to his front door. He touched his forearm briefly, which was reddened and bleeding near his elbow. “Wrap this and disinfect. I will come soon.”
“But –,”
“Go,” Rocky said, as officers surged up the cliffs. “I will talk –,”
“You can’t keep leaving me out of this crap,” Grace said angrily, grabbing on to Rocky’s claws when he tried to turn away. “You told those people that we’re equal, right? Partners?”
Rocky wavered. “Must protect –,”
“Yeah, well, me too,” Grace said, holding Rocky securely as Raymond, Olivia, and other familiar security officers hurtled up to the house. “So we stay together.”
Rocky didn’t reply, but he squeezed Grace’s hand helplessly as Raymond approached, whistling with worry.
“What happen?” Raymond demanded, tapping the ground furiously. Some of his fellow officers were forming a loose circle around them all, while the rest had remained down below with the traumatised politicians. Warden Jasper was nowhere to be seen; clearly they’d been hustled out first.
Rocky was vibrating again, gearing up to speak. Grace decided to make his own case, this time. He was sweaty and scared and a little annoyed, to be honest, that some giant loser had stormed up to his house and grabbed him. Not to mention the insinuations that he didn’t belong. How many stars did he and Rocky have to save before he was allowed to stay on a planet? Any planet?
“One of the visitors to my dome assaulted me,” Grace said baldly, holding up his arm. Blood trickled from the ringed wound in a nicely dramatic fashion, dripping into the dirt. “They also insulted me, and threatened my right to asylum in this country.”
Rocky had gone still. Raymond was puffing up, clacking, while Olivia scurried up to assess the injury. She was keening, elevating it higher and checking his vitals with rapid, careful claws.
“Name of perpetrator,” Raymond said quietly, tapping the ground in a rhythm. Two of his fellow officers split off from the group and climbed back down the cliffside.
“I don’t know their name, but they were the biggest one,” Grace said. “Big, spiky arms, the leader – I called them Jasper, but –,”
“Understood,” Raymond said, and he trilled to another subordinate, who clicked back and also ran off towards the emergency airlock. “This will be reported. Witnesses will remain in detention until county jury is contacted.” He turned to Rocky. “You damage a warden’s suit?”
“Yes,” Rocky said, stepping between Grace’s legs and clicking.
Raymond grumbled under his breath. “Understood. Adjunct squad reassemble. Duty lines and mediator summons, Carey, Jake, Frank, Kim. Medical summons, Olivia. Now.”
The security team jumped to obey, including Olivia, who pressed Grace’s arm to his middle and urged him back to the house. Rocky didn’t stay to ask Raymond where he should be going, instead sticking to Grace’s side until they were back in the house and the door was shut firmly.
“Should sit down,” Olivia said awkwardly. “Will get medics. Wait here.”
She fled the room towards the rear airlock, and Grace slumped in his favourite armchair, rubbing his face and groaning. This nice, calm day had really abandoned him, holy mackerel.
He felt something hard bump into his knee. He landed his hand on top of Rocky’s suit without opening his eyes.
“Will fix.”
Grace cracked an eyelid and squinted at Rocky. He was settling two arms on Grace’s legs, rocking a bit, like he did when his anxiety was warping out of his control.
“How?” he asked, drumming his fingers on the xenonite. Rocky liked when he did this, and had for years. The only comparison, he’d said, was the rain in Grace’s dome when it pattered the windows.
Rocky cooed sadly. “Not know. But will. Sorry Grace. So sorry for this.”
“Seems pretty easy to me,” Grace said, allowing his adrenaline to take the wheel. He knew Rocky, knew him more intimately than even Adrian; Rocky had confessed that to him before, twined around him at night, quiet and solemn. The solution to their unexpected dilemma was becoming clearer the more he thought about it.
Rocky reared back. “Easy?”
“Yeah,” Grace said, shrugging, his foot tapping against the floor. All or nothing. “Easy. We do the ceremony that makes us real mates. Like you and Adrian.”
Rocky didn’t move, evidently lost for words. “But – but –,”
“Are people allowed to have two mates?”
“Two,” Rocky spluttered. “Is – is technically allowed for – for more bonds, but most irregular –,”
“For partners in love and care, right?”
Rocky’s vents popped up and sank down. “Yes. Yes.”
“Well,” Grace said, clearing his throat. “Not to – like, assume, or anything. But if the cat’s already out of the bag –,”
“No cat,” Rocky said impatiently. He clicked his claws together, then clambered on top of the armchair until he was hovering over Grace, caging him in with his arms. He filled up Grace’s entire field of vision. “Only human. And Rocky. And Adrian.”
“Yeah,” Grace said, his breath leaving him for the hundredth time in the past hour as he embraced Rocky’s carapace. He was getting lightheaded. “If – if people know we – y’know, already, maybe it should be official, or – I don’t know, you don’t have to, maybe it’s stupid, it was just an idea and probably dumb so I’d totally get if you don’t want to, but –,”
“Grace shut up now,” Rocky proclaimed. He lifted a claw and used it to readjust Grace’s glasses. “You are right. Should not have waited so long to make bond mate. Did not think would matter, only feelings matter. But Grace should be mate like Adrian. Then will be no more talk about if Grace lan-Eridian.”
“If – if you’re sure,” Grace said, stroking Rocky’s carapace. He had vague memories of being mad at the guy, not so long ago. Somewhere in the midst of getting his butt kicked and seeing Rocky attack the jerk who hurt him, he’d lost the fire behind his fury. He didn’t want there to be any ambiguity that he loved Rocky, certainly not among a pack of hoity-toity political types who thought they could trample all over his nice new life. He didn’t go through hell just to get deported.
“Positive,” Rocky said, leaning his carapace against Grace’s forehead. It was a mutual check-in they never really dropped since coming home to Erid. “Will help guarantee safekeeping. Should not matter, should be obvious Grace deserve care, Grace hero and saviour and loved by many Eridians all over world,” Rocky added irritably, “but will mean less complaining.”
“Were a lot of people complaining about me?” Grace asked, stung.
“Only wardens wanting more power,” Rocky said tapping Grace’s side gently. “Selfish, tiny minds. They not like the dome, think space should be full of loyal lan-Eridians instead. Too bad all loyal lan-Eridians also love, love, love Grace.”
Grace pretended to shove Rocky away. “Shuddup.”
“Is true,” Rocky said seriously. “Grace not be worried about this. Grace will be safe here. Rocky promised, Rocky will never lie.”
Grace smiled, a little misty. “I know. I trust you, buddy.”
“Love you much, Grace.”
“You too.”
They hugged, and Grace finally let his nerves settle. He was in the middle of a long breath out, Rocky humming soothingly in his arms, when the rear airlock burst open and medics streamed out.
“Grace Rocky copulate?” Jennifer shouted, over more astounded chittering. At least, that’s the word Grace substituted. He thought that as his primary care physician, she should really be more into privacy. Lately he sounded like a broken record on that front, though.
“Time go,” Grace muttered, and Rocky tinkled a laugh.