While others don't see them there

Archie arrived back in his pod dome. He felt her. She waited for him. As soon as the doors opened, she greeted him. His heart could break seeing that sadness all over her. Like his own daughter breaking her heart day after day. He'd seen it. The love that had screamed to the world on her skin at the last moments she'd had with that human.

<Aachol'aghchl...is he...how is he?>

<Chritiklkiktrkikka-a...you should try to move on.>

Even as his palm caressed her face, the sadness in her was too much to bear. He knew it...she'd never be able to move on. Humans could...children can. Children don't know that feeling. She wasn't truly a child, but only recently so. It wasn't fair for her.

She'd even refused a new hydration suit, choosing instead to wear human clothing. Would she pariah herself from her own people? For him?

He remembered hearing from the elders of their imprinting. They would have. He would, too, if he ever imprinted. As the alpha, he never could. His devotion belonged to the entire pod, not just one lover.

<Please...if I cannot see him...and I can hardly speak to him...I can't do that.>

Tears refracted the dull light of their dome on his face. How tormented she must be... He had asked James to call that day. He still didn't doubt that choice. She would whither away with nothing of him...he couldn't allow that. Others had before. Many stopped eating or hydrating without the one they imprinted. He could see from her rough skin and chapped lips, she had already forgone more than she should.

<You should swim, Chritiklkiktrkikka-a.>

"Aurora.", she demanded. She spoke English. It gave him a start. Others were looking, too.

<They had told me you'd learned...try not to use it too much here.>

"It's what we should be speaking! We are not on our own world. We are survivors of a disaster...and we can never return. We should be adapting."

This would be best if others couldn't understand them. He frowned. "That is not your decision. Things are being handled carefully so that-"

"So that we can live in their ocean! In a mockery of a world than now less than half of us remember!" She glowed bright with outrage. She didn't even show the thought of backing down.

He stayed calm enough to keep emotion from overtaking him. "It was at the elder's insistence. It is not for us to question."

"And we should anyway! We are not home, and we live like prisoners allowed to dream of home while we wait to have a place made to pretend is our home! Where the elders wish for us to ignore the humans, and purify our culture as though they would corrupt us!"

"Time with one has certainly changed you..."

"That isn't fair. You know what happened...", her gaze cast aside as the sickness of where she'd been crept back up her spine. "I have seen their worst...and I believe their best."

"And in both occurances they lied to you about their emotions! Because they cannot help themselves! They are not like us. They do not bare their hearts to speak to each other, they speak in hidden words with messages to decipher through entire conversations. They work for their own gain and show a friendly face while being selfish! How can we trust such creatures not to corrupt us?!", he screamed. Anger and fear both encircled his head, dancing chaotically around him.

Aurora faded to despair, her eyes clouding over. <Both...you mean...he...but he...>

Aachol'aghchl tried to reach for her. It was too late. She ran back to her chambers, despair running through her so deeply he saw her own skin turning pale from it. Why had he said that? He had meant to say James had lied, but he meant that he'd cared more than he allowed her to know. His meeting with the human today confirmed that... James likely cared for her as much as she did for him.

It must be for the best. Better her heart break now that she might re-imprint with one of her own, if she can, than wait and let her whither away for him. He reassured himself of that, as he straightened up and moved on. There was still the selection to take care of.