Pairing, pickup and plans

Meli shrugged over her shoulder as she monitored their descent on the sensors. “There’s not a huge amount to explain as I understand it. Rabyth are pretty casual about sexual activities - but when they find one specific partner that they want to be with long term they pair up. Sometimes that comes about as a result of their heat cycle, but usually it builds from a more relaxed relationship between friends. When they decide to pair properly, there’s a fairly intricate ritual they go through complete with some permanent marks on each of the parties roughly akin to tattooing for humans and then they focus on each other fully. Their heat cycles sync up and they become reliant on each other’s presence to go into heat - it’s a whole physical change thing. At least when both parties are Rabyth” she finished with an grin back at her captain.

Dustin rubbed his eyes. “And if they’re not Rabyth?” he asked, slightly irked that he was having to drag the information out of his fiance. “Well, generally speaking the heat thing only applies to the Rabyth partner. There are some species where the ritual marginally increases the… shall we say intimate capabilities? Of the non-Rabyth, but we haven’t figured out exactly what the markers for that are yet. The Rabyth are reticent to share all the specifics of their rituals with us, and their bioscience is way more complex than you’d think for a race of engineers. I surmise that they know more than they let on about it, so if you were interested in learning more you should probably discuss the condition with the chief engineer - although as a matter of courtesy I’d leave it until her present issues have concluded one way or another.”

Well that answered… very little actually. Dustin sighed to himself even as the viewscreen showed them breaking through the cloud layer and heading down towards a town at the edge of a lush green plain. “Captain, there is no clear landing pad. Adjusting landing legs accordingly to compensate” Sola’s voice dragged his attention back to the task at hand from thoughts of Rabyth women - or rather, of a certain Rabyth woman. “Confirmed, Sola. Set us down as gently as you can. We don’t want to worry the locals.” Indeed, as they approached he could see a group of purple figures gathered around a large crystal structure seated on a massive grav-sled.

Sola followed her orders to the letter; the craft touched down so softly it barely disturbed the grass around the massive landing legs before she began lowering the prepared shuttle bay - the section sliding cleanly from her hull and sliding down to rest on the ground in front of the group. Dustin leaned forward in his seat, gesturing to the viewscreen. “Hologram on please, Sola”. A moment later the viewscreen flickered to show a much closer view of the Theria group as holo projectors on the outside of the shuttle bay beamed Dustin’s likeness onto the planet’s surface. “Esteemed colony leader, I am Ambassador Dustin of Earth. In recognition of the nature of the cargo I remain aboard my ship to preserve the integrity of the seedpod. Please load it into the attached bay; we have audio visual hook-ups inside should the occupant need anything - but otherwise we will aim to travel swiftly. You’ll note the internal doors have also been sealed shut with the clamps on the interior side. Feel free to place seals across these should you wish.”

One of the group of plants bowed deeply - at least, Dustin read it as a bow - and replied in halting English. “My thanks, Outstretched-branch of Earth. May the winds carry you safely to the destination.” Followed by a sound a little like breaking twigs as it gestured with one leaf-covered appendage to the others standing around the grav-sled. Whatever orders the leader of the group had given, the sled and it’s cargo were swiftly loaded before the group gathered in front of the hologram once more. “The seedpod is in your care. Fly safe.” With that, Dustin gestured for Sola to cut the feed and gave the order for launch. A moment later the whine of lifting mechanisms echoed across the plains as the shuttle bay slid back into the hull of the Solar Ascent, followed by the drone of the anti-grav engines picking up the weight of the craft as she started to rise skyward.

“Sola, as an AI please remind our guest to contact us through you if they need anything and explain that otherwise we will not make contact until arrival. And then get us on the fastest course to that other colony. I’d rather not cause a diplomatic incident because of a biology and botany overlap if I can help it.” Dustin gave his orders, before glancing at Meli. “We need to conclude our discussion chief science officer, and while we are on the way to the jump point we have a little time. After that, I’ll be staying on the bridge until we’ve got our noble cargo off my ship I think; I don’t want anything to go wrong while I have other things to worry about.”

Meli nodded at that, following behind him as Dustin led the way back to his ready room and sank into a chair. “Grab us both a drink would you Meli? Add sugar to mine, it’s going to be a long twenty-four hours for me I think.” The Velca woman nodded, retrieving a pair of mugs from the automat before setting one in front of her captain and settling into her usual seat opposite him. “So, you know everything you need to know now about the Rabyth” she mused, her ears flickering and her tone hard to read before she smiled and sipped her drink. “What are you going to do about Rye?”

Dustin sighed, taking a deep drag on his own mug before setting it down. “I don’t know. She likes me, that much is clear. But should I really be sleeping with the entire crew? And for that matter, we’ve only been together for less than a month. Should I even think about it? Maybe I should send her a message that the timing isn’t right now because it’s too soon. But then that might make her feel more rejected than me just not showing up. It’s really hard to figure out what’s best for her, for you, for the mission…” He paused, recognising he’d been rambling and looked up. Meli was staring at him over the top of her mug, her face pensive. “You’re doing it again you know. Putting everything else first. Why do you think we both like you so much? But for once Dustin, ask yourself what’s best for you.”

He blinked at that, the simple way in which she’d said it cutting across his concerns. “The best for me? Honestly Meli that’s even harder to think about. I’m already going to end up in some kind of a harem situation - am I ready to start that now? Or should I start that now so it’s easier when we run into more crew in a month or so? There’s so many possible outcomes from this, and a lot of them really aren’t that good. Fuck, I don’t know.” Meli sighed and set her cup down. “Dustin, you are over thinking things. Do you think Rye is attractive?” He didn’t even pause to think before nodding, adding “not in the same ways as you are Meli, but yes.” The Velca grinned at that and nodded. “So we both think so, good. That woman has quite the hips on her. Well then it’s much simpler. She likes you, you like her, she’s from a species that views these things as casual. Don’t make her think you don’t like her. Simple as that.” And then she reached forward and took his hands from where he had them grasped around his cup. “If there are issues, there are three of us to work them out. Go spend some time with Rye. Although, maybe not until we’ve finished the current day’s travel, OK?”