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We truly can’t live without them.
Hell. Leopardines don’t really know how to live with them, either.
Chapter Seven
“Ardol?” Rupex was standing beside him looking very grave.
The grim expression on the captain’s face didn’t worry Ardol half as much as the fact that the Leonid had entered his office without him noticing. “Oh! Hey, there.”
“Hey, indeed. You do realize that you can’t spend all day playing with the Automated Alteration Unit, right?” Rupex crossed his arms over his chest. “We have thousands of pounds of supplies from Lynx-One to distribute, not to mention the clearances and distribution plans for the mithrium ore. We’re going to be docked here for the better part of a cycle, and you assured me you would take care of all of this. This wedding of yours... Will it interfere?”
“I don’t believe I need to ask permission from my boss to get married,” Ardol stopped playing with the AAU. He was trying to make a dress for Jade based off of one of Layla’s cast-offs, but all he was doing was pissing off the already temperamental machine.
“You do not. You do, however, need to ask for leave, or you need to perform your tasks.”
“I’m performing them! You said we had tomorrow off anyway, a whole day of wedding celebrations for you and Layla, Talos and Wendy. Why not Jade and I?” Ardol felt the fur on the back of his neck rising in anger.
The Leonid simply stared down at him. “I thought perhaps you would rather attend to some of that work before your ceremony, Ardol. That’s all. I imagine afterwards, you and your Queen will want a few days undisturbed. That may not be entirely possible, but we’ll do what we can to help.”
“Right. A honeymoon.” Those are for couples in love. I’m more worried about Jade learning enough Leopardine culture to fit in with my sisters in the Queens’ suites.
Even after one meeting, Ardol felt a slight pang at the thought that he would rarely see Jade once they lived on Leopardine-One. They’d probably only see each other at meals—which would be crowded affairs with his surviving sisters, brothers, and Father looking on. They wouldn’t talk unless she shared his bed at night.
Ardol didn’t know how frequently that would occur. With Leopardine Queens, sharing a King’s quarters was usually reserved for her heat. Jade wouldn’t have those.
“Ardol? Ardol, I said ‘You can still have a honeymoon.’ You were planning to head home to Leopardine-One in a few weeks, anyway. All I’m asking is that you don’t leave the freight coordination to stagnate even though it’s clear your mind is elsewhere. Also,” the Leonid sighed, “you should train Elio how to do your job.”
Ardol’s tail whipped back so hard it stung his calf. “What? Why does the human need to learn my job? He’s had no training, no degree, no certifications! I was educated at the finest academies!”
“Elio is incredibly intelligent and eager to help. He’s been helping Layla with her work while she adjusts to motherhood. He could help with some basic tasks while you adjust to married life,” Rupex said in a patient voice, tone low and even while a warning glittered in his eyes.
“Adjust to married life? You mean when we want time alone in our quarters? I’m a Leopardine, and I know we’re the best lovers in the galaxy—” Ardol ignored the captain’s snort, “but I’ll contain my lusts to my off-duty hours.”
Rupex stared at him for a moment. “I see. How did you and this Queen meet?”
“That’s none of your concern.” But he has every right to look at her contract once she’s onboard his ship, and then he’ll know... “If you must know, we were matched through Contract Management.”
Ardol watched the claws slip out of Rupex’s digits, the lower pitch of his next words showing some barely controlled emotion. “Marriage is for life. How can you offer or accept a contract for someone’s entire life?”
“Look, she offered her contract. I just happened to be curious about the availability of a human Queen.” Ardol shrugged and held his chin high. He ignored the little stab of guilt in his middle and masked it with haughtiness. “We’re compatible. It’s a job. Didn’t you hire Layla to be your surrogate before you fell in love with her? I hired Jade to be my bride and have a family with me. At least I didn’t intend to impregnate her, keep the cubs, and discard her.”
The sound of thunder filled the small space as Rupex bared his fangs, the rumbling coming from deep in his chest. “I never intended to discard her! Surrogacy is common in many societies, and Layla was more enthusiastic about the idea than I was. We mutually discussed and agreed upon our terms and changed them as we came to love one another. You... You, I fear, have bought a Queen and intend to store her on my ship like some living sex toy. She’s just another purchase, like those expensive vests you’re so fond of, or all the paw balm you use.”
Ardol hid his paws behind his back, suddenly not wanting his little vanities so openly discussed. “I will make Jade my Queen, not some toy, Captain. You will see. Furthermore, while your Queen believes that we’re all one big happy Pride here, we’re not. You and Talos may be, seeing as Wendy and Layla share some connection, but I am just an officer on your ship. My private affairs are just that, private.”
Rupex stared at him for a long time. “And they call Leonids arrogant and prideful,” he finally muttered. “If Jade is on my craft, she is my responsibility. I will be checking in on her happiness and welfare. Also, on a non-personal note—give Elio observer only access to coordination logs and the ship’s manifest. That’s an order.”
The Leonid turned and stalked out, his mane flowing back like some tawny cape.
“Dramatic, isn’t he?” Ardol went back to fussing with the AAU. While it ran its latest attempt, he turned to the database computer at his desk and began to bring up the coordination access logs—but somehow his paws ended up pulling up his personal communications.
He tapped Jade’s information, then tapped again on the icon that would place a video comm to her.
“Ardol? Hello.” Jade answered on the first attempt, her hair long and unbound around her shoulders. Last night it had been up in a pretty twist. “I found a dress, a white dress from Cherie. If you have a purple sash, then I’ll be set for tomorrow night.”
“What? Oh, excellent.” He leaned over and slapped off the AAU. “My attempts haven’t met with success, but the sash and jewels we have. That’s not why I was calling.”
“Oh? Did you want to come into town for a visit?”
