Communication is important when starting a relationship

Just as the Empress had said, Emely entered the room alone a short while after the others had left. Dustin was sat looking over their flight plan for the next mission when she entered; glancing up he smiled at his newest crew member and set his tablet down on the table. “Hi Emely. The Empress said you’d probably want to talk to me alone. Have we brought all your things aboard do you know? If so, before we start talking I’ll get Meli to start taking us into orbit.” The fox girl’s tails flickered slightly from side to side as she nodded. “Yes, captain. I didn’t pack much though - some clothes, and a handful of trinkets that I take everywhere with me. My family brought my case aboard, as well as a bunch of gifts from them - and from my aunt I think? Either way, your second prodded a robot into taking them to my quarters so I’m ready to leave whenever.”

Nodding, Dustin pinged a quick message across to Meli who sent a thumbs up reply; a moment later he felt the gentle hum of the engines as they began to ready for take-off. “So, while we get underway - what was it you want to talk about?” Emely looked a little worried as he said it, one hand playing with the bottom of the top she was wearing - it was so different from the bubbly personality she normally displayed that it was clear to Dustin that the fox girl had something significant on her mind, and seemed to be finding it hard to put into words. Seeing her eyes start to flash with concern, Dustin raised a hand. “First of all, sit down comms officer. Regardless of anything else, you’re part of my crew now. Can I get you something to drink?” As he spoke he stood and walked over to the automat, already keying in his own order as the redhead mumbled a request for something fruit-based. Cancelling his own order after a moment’s thought, Dustin ordered a pitcher of juice and set it along with two cups on the table before taking a seat next to Emely.

“Ok, take your time. Or we can go over your role on ship if that’d be easier and you can explain what’s bothering you when it comes up?” He suggested, trying to put the woman at ease. Emely shook her head at that. “Your matriarch said I should talk to you directly about this if it’s bothering me. I might be a radical, but I’m not going to ignore advice from the lady I intend to have as my matriarch, especially when it concerns discussions with you.” Dustin was just about following this - although he did pick up on one thing and asked “My matriarch? Not yours too?” Emely blushed, and her tails twitched. “That’s related to what’s bothering me. How much about our customs did you research before meeting my aunt?”

Dustin shrugged. “Not as much as I’d have liked to. There was a lot of protocol to go over, and I spent a long time trying to figure out a suitable exchange to offer your father… Are you alright?” At the mention of the exchange, tears had welled up in the woman’s eyes, and her tails had curled around her legs. “I’m sorry, captain. It’s just - you gave so much, and I’m sure you want a proper Feliax lady for such a grand offer and I’m… I’m… I just can’t be in charge like that” she said, breaking into sobs as she stammered out the last words. Dustin scratched his head. “In charge? What do you mean, in charge?” The confusion in his tone cut through whatever mental anguish Emely was feeling, as she looked up through tear-streaked lashes and asked “…what?”

The pair stared at each other for a moment, before Dustin leaned closer and wrapped an arm around the woman. Regardless of what cultural clash had caused this, one of his crew was upset, and that wouldn’t do. She jolted for a moment at his touch, then shifted closer, resting her head on his shoulder as she did so. “You really don’t…” she started, sniffed and then wiped her eyes on the back of her sleeve. “You really don’t know about what the inside of a Feliax pride is like, do you captain?” He shook his head. “Meli and Rye talked a bit about…” and here he blushed before concluding “…how um, active, your species can be - but that was it.” Emely sighed and snuggled in closer to him - she was a lot calmer than he’d have expected from how bold the rest of her family (and her species if his notes had been accurate) had been.

After a moment, the Feliax woman spoke again. “This is going to be more awkward and embarrassing for me to explain than I thought it would be captain. I know it’s not appropriate in human culture for a superior officer to be hugging their junior while they are giving a report, but could we stay like this for the moment?” Dustin gave her shoulder a squeeze in reply. “First of all, you need to understand that while I have joined your pride, I’m technically Emely val Motea still. I’m nominally without a matriarch at present as my own pride has agreed my…” she chirped something in the half-yelping language of the Feliax then continued “…the closest I can get in human is betrothal, or maybe unconsummated-marriage? In any case, until I take my patriarch, I remain val Motea. Then, depending on if I am the first to claim him or not my name changes. If I were the first to claim him, I can chose at that point to keep my original clan and have my patriarch join - like the Empress does, so I would be Emely val Smith val Motea, or I can join my patriarch’s house and just be val Smith.”

Dustin nodded, trying to ignore the very obvious implications of “unconsummated-marriage” as the woman continued “But I’m not the first, so the choice of my name will be made for me by the matriarch; it’s why I had to be happy with both her and you before my father came to talk to you about an exchange.” She wrinkled her nose slightly and added “the fact that she is also your Li’ah’a, fiancé in human but you have been intimate makes things slightly more complicated and would have caused major headaches for a more traditional Feliax. Fortunately, that’s not an issue for me. But, to put it simply, until we - that is you and I - fuck, she’s not my matriarch. And that is where it gets… complicated.”

Unsure of what to do at that point, Dustin held the woman as she had another round of sniffles, gently stroking her hair. As she started to calm he said “we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. I know your kind have a reputation for being hyper-sexual, but if that’s not you…” one finger across his lips silenced him. Emely looked up with tear-shot eyes and sighed. “This is going to ruin everything, I know, but I have to be honest. I am a Feliax woman, which yes does mean the only person more - what’s the human word… Frisky? - than me on the ship is likely to be your second when she goes into heat. But I’m broken, captain. I know you offered an imperial gift to my family, but I’m not able to take charge in the bedroom in the way that I should. Felio help me, I can barely stand the thought of being the one on top sometimes. I have to be the one being bossed around. And now you know and you’re going to turn the ship around and…” and she broke down into tears again.

Dustin took a deep breath. This was going to require a careful approach. “Emely, let me get this straight. You are upset because you need me to be the dominant one in the bedroom, and you think that counts as you being broken enough that I’d kick a highly capable officer - judging by your qualifications - and a very attractive woman judging by my eyes off my ship?” The woman in his arms nodded even as he sighed. “You seem to have studied humanity about as well as I studied the Feliax. We’re pretty equal as a species now, but we had a patriarchal society for most of our history. Wanting me to be the one in charge isn’t an issue for me.”

Emely looked up, her face wet and an expression of disbelief. “You mean that?” Dustin nodded, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead. “Of course. You know, if you’re going to consider Meli your matriarch you should really learn to take her advice; she’s very good at it. Now, here’s what we’re going to do. You and I are going to sit down and have a discussion about what you want or need from me, and I am ordering you as both captain and patriarch to be honest. If my order alone isn’t enough - which given your attitude to your own culture I somehow doubt - I can go and get Meli to order you as well. Or call up your aunt if necessary.” The mention of the Velca woman and the Feliax Empress had the redhead rapidly drying her eyes and shaking her head. “Good. Once we have had that discussion, we’ll see where things go from there.”