V’Daha Settlement

  Teresa's Cabin

  "Come on. You can do it. Come on," Teresa coos excitedly.

  Across from Teresa, on the opposite side of the main living space, Mifbon releases Erilnis' arms and encourages him to waddle toward his mother. She keeps close in case he should fall. The chunky-thighed hybrid childling is not too happy about his inability to walk properly. He bends his knees in frustration and chitters loudly.

  "No…No, Erilnis. Don't give up. Come on. Come over here to Mommy. Come on, Erilnis."

  Standing beside Mifbon, Halyiis chitters softly and leans in his lover's direction. Enilka's hands are gripped in his larger clawed hands. Halyiis glances slyly at Erilnis and releases Enilka's hands. Enilka takes off at a gait which seems abnormal for a hybrid childling her age. The childling female teeters somewhat as she makes haste in her mom's direction, a chitter-giggle escaping her hybrid mouth. Not one to be outdone, Erilnis reconsiders his decision to plop down on the floor.

  Both childlings race, in their own childish way, toward Teresa. She opens her arms wide as Enilka approaches. She keeps them open for Erilnis. She crushes both childlings in a tight embrace when they are close enough to scoop up.

  Yau-tala, Vildif, and Darcy are standing to Teresa's right. Vildif pulls Darcy close, kissing the top of her head with his thin hybrid lips. Unlike Yau-tala, who does not sport the trademark yautja mandibles and tusks, Vildif must be careful his tusks do not become entangled in Darcy's hair.

  Yau-tala chuckles softly and stretches out her arms. She grins at Erilnis with a secret glee and chitters. Erilnis turns to peer at Yau-tala and wriggles free of Teresa. He glances back over one chubby shoulder as he waddles to Yau-tala. The female settlement leader lifts Erilnis into her arms and blows a raspberry at Teresa.

  "What did you say to him, Yau-tala?" Teresa says with a disappointed laugh.

  "I said, I will give you drask juice in large portions if you will hurry to D'oih Yau-tala. Or something like that. Ooman language does not translate cleanly. As you know from your studies with Halyiis."

  "Very well," Teresa admits, a bitterness creeping into her voice. "But then again, yautja isn't an easy language to learn either. I had an easier time learning Russian in high school. Thing I like about Russian though...You can say a perfectly friendly statement and sound as if you are cussing like a sailor. Love that. Yautja is different. When I try to speak it, I sound like I'm just full of gas. Not a good thing."

  Halyiis barks out a laugh from across the living space. Mifbon shakes her head and offers Teresa a sympathetic look. Darcy, usually a very shy and quiet person, takes this opportunity to crack wise.

  "You should feel right at home with Master Halyiis' family. Bad y'ha root always gives them gas."

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  Teresa's face reddens with secondhand embarrassment for the young woman. However, Halyiis takes the joke in good humour. The enormous hybrid laughs even louder this time, his broad shoulders jerking with every loud issuance. Darcy grins from ear to ear.

  "Oh my, Darcy! What has gotten into you?" Teresa laughs. "I think Vildif is rubbing off on you. That may not be such a good thing."

  "It will only get worse," Vildif says, sliding a muscular arm around Darcy's slender waist. "Once we are joined as vil’par. We will spend even more time together."

  "Don't remind me," Teresa says.

  The former scientist turns to Yau-tala and intertwines the fingers of both hands, pretending to plead.

  "Please, Yau-tala. Convince Darcy she is making a mistake. Don't let her marry your crazy brother. We don't need two Vildif's on V’Daha. I can barely tolerate one. Please. Save us from this uncertain future."

  "What if I don't want to be saved?" Darcy says.

  Forcing a haughty expression, Darcy raises up on her tiptoes and kisses Vildif tenderly. She smiles slyly as they separate.

  "What if I like the idea of marrying a crazy settlement leader?"

  "Then, I would say you are made for each other. Forgive me, please. I stand corrected."

  More laughter around the living space. Yau-tala is the only one who does not partake. The female settlement leader is too busy chittering and nuzzling Erilnis' soft neck. The male childling responds by clamping a hand over Yau-tala's mouth. She lightly kisses the palm. Teresa watches this exchange from the side of her vision, trying to rein in the jealousy stirring in her heart.

  Almost since birth, Erilnis has seemed almost resentful of her. Despite the fact that she is his mother. Teresa has tried over and over to convince herself that she is simply overreacting. However, Erilnis' extreme attachment to Yau-tala has exacerbated her feelings of motherly inadequacy. Is it possible that Erilnis does not recognize her as his true mother, because of the stark differences in their appearance? Does he believe Yau-tala to be his real mother?

  Teresa finds herself slipping into a daydream. She is startled from her musing when Enilka cries out loudly and presses a small hand against each of Dr. Boyd's ears. The tiny female wants to play. Teresa's staring off into space is not part of the game.

  Elder Scar's large bulk entering the cabin draws silence from everyone present. Beside the elder, Vor'taalnis tugs at the hose on one side of his miniature-sized face mask. Pressurized gas escapes and the older childling repeats the procedure on the other side of his mask. He removes the imitation hunt mask and places it on the designated area on his back.

  Teresa smiles at her oldest child with pride and exhilaration. He looks every bit like a yautja now. Every bit like his father. And his d’oij.

  "Did you enjoy your practice, Vor'taalnis?" Teresa inquires with a matronly grin.

  "Yes, Mother. D’oij taught me how to hunt small animals. And how to tell the heat signature of one and the other. Wyrvets are very stinky. I managed to catch four of them. D’oij has promised to build me my own combistick before the next time we hunt. I will no longer need to use his."

  "That is very good, Vor'ti. I'm so proud of you."

  Teresa struggles to catch Elder Scar's eye but he seems to be purposely avoiding her gaze. Something is wrong. Vildif offers everyone present a grin and motions toward the front door.

  "We should be leaving. We will see you later, Teresa Boyd."

  Darcy nods agreement and eagerly takes Vildif's hand. She gazes lovingly up into the face of her future mate.

  "Yes. We will see you later, Dr. Boyd."

  One by one, Teresa's guests file out of the house. The last to leave is Elder Scar. The settlement elder finally meets Teresa's gaze. His amber eyes are full of sadness and grief. He leaves without saying a word.