You Don't Belong Here

Chapter Fifty Eight

Jennings returned with an armful of metallic gear and an armed guard following close behind. "I couldn't figure out where they hid it,so I brought the whole setup."

"That's fine," Brielle said as she stood and approached the door of the containment system, "I can get it out. There's an authorization code."

"Ah, ah, ah..." the man shook his head as he placed the armor on a nearby desktop and gathered a pen and notebook. "You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours. We need you to participate in an experiment." Brielle's nose crinkled as her grey eyes narrowed into slits. "Under normal circumstances I would try to avoid asking you, but since that one is...incapacitated..."

"Jennings-..."

"You know how these things go, Rinaldi. You would have to make the same call if you were in my position."
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Brielle was training alone in O'kaor's dwelling as he had to gather a replacement part for one of his techie devices. He had been gone for a few hours and the woman had worked up quite a sweat before moving to the bathing area to clean off.

She reveled in the feeling of the warm water tingling against her skin, the various scents mixing through the air as she leaned her head back in the ledge of the oasis pool. The first few times she had bathed here she had resorted to the rustic and musty scents that O'kaor often used, but after a few days she came in to find a variety of more feminine aromas. Various floral and fruity scents were now placed in transparent jars alongside his own metallic canisters. This evening she had opted for something that resembled sweet pea mixed with raspberry.

As she thought back on her earlier training her attention was captured by the sound of the door opening behind her. She peeked through her lashes to see an upside down image of O'kaor cleaning his various weapons and placing them on the nearby counter. He let his utility belt and metallic loincloth fall to the floor with little regard for the excessive clanking noise that followed.

"Long day?" He clicked in response as he removed his chestplate, shoulder guards,and thermal netting bodysuit. She had grown accustomed to seeing him strip just as she had with Dhadtoudi. Obviously the Yautja were less concerned with modesty than humans, and O'kaor had been quick to remind her that "it was his dwelling and he could do as he pleased" the first time she had dared to ask why he was barging in on her bathing. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Why would I?"

"I dunno. Maybe I just want to hear about it." O'kaor paused for a moment and clicked softly to himself before shaking his head. He never did understand why humans insisted on such trivial things such as this. "Did you get the part for your thing?"

"I acquired what was needed." She pursed her lips at his borderline pissy attitude but decided not to remark on it. "You are using a new bathing oil."

"Yeah, you picked out some good ones." He clicked again, this time it was softer.

"Ath-Meye believed you would enjoy it." Brielle felt a slight flutter in her stomach. "I will inform her of the good news when next I see her."

Brielle sat up and turned to face O'kaor now, folding her arms atop the ledge and resting her cheek on her forearm. "She's T'ahrou's mother, right?" O'kaor nodded. "Will I ever get to meet her?"

O'kaor was silent for a moment before clicking in a tone that suggested he was uncomfortable, his mandibles flaring slightly as he did so. "If you wish."

"Is she intimidating?"

"No." Brielle grinned slightly and watched O'kaor as he gathered his own nightly essentials. His leg muscles flexed as he stepped towards the pool and knelt down on the edge to pour in some of the oil and mix it around in the water with his clawed hand.

He climbed into the scented liquid and let loose a purring sound as his body was enveloped by the water. "Ghost..." He clicked in response. "Why don't you have a mate?"
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"Rinaldi..!" She jolted at the sound of her name as Jennings stared daggers into her. "Do we have a deal or not?" She turned and looked at O'kaor before returning her gaze to the scientist.

"It's not that simple. There's mating rituals involved, and-..."

"All the better. We'll take all we can get." I'm sure you will... Her grey eyes shifted to the guard and she made a suggestive motion to Jennings who wave a dismissive hand. "You're dismissed, Morvell. I'm sure they'll need some sense of privacy." The soldier seemed to have an almost disappointed expression on his face as he left the room. "Now...proceed."

Brielle moved to stand opposite of O'kaor, his amber gaze following her every step. "I'm sorry."

"Is this really necessary?"

"If I knew there was another way, I would tell you." O'kaor clicked angrily as he rose to his full height and began pacing from one side of the cell to the other while he kept his eyes fixed on the woman before him.

"This is asinine." She nodded in agreement and readied a fighting stance just as she'd been taught so many months ago. O'kaor glared his mandibles wide as a sharp hiss filled the area, and Brielle rushed towards him.

O'kaor swiped a clawed hand toward her neck but she moved out of the way before landing a punch to his rock-hard abdomen. She moved again as the male attempted to backhand her away like an annoying insect, and she used her leg to sweep one of his feet out from beneath him. Just as he struggled to regain his balance Brielle collapsed his other knee and grabbed hold of his upper right mandible. He growled low in his chest but she mimicked the noise as she pulled his face closer to her own. He tried to claw at her again but she slammed her knee into his diaphragm and halted his attack.

They stayed in this position for several seconds, watching one another with nervous expectation. Finally O'kaor grabbed Brielle by the back of her thighs and stood up, taking the female as he went. Her grey eyes widened but she made no sound as he carried her to the wall furthest from the prying human. T'ahrou has already turned his back to them as he cradled Dhadtoudi in his arms.

"You will not make a mockery of me and get away with it, is that clear, lou-dte kale?"

"Very."