The Space Between

Chapter Thirty: "The Delegation"

Miles extended an arm out to coax everyone back from the door. Mark held Sean's hand, backing him up a safe distance. The hatch door hissed to stabilize the room. Mark could hear their deep voices talking but couldn't hear them clearly. Once the room was stabilized, they opened the hatch door and stepped out. Forming a line just outside the door, their eyes looked at them in turn. Miles put a fist to his chest and bowed low and deep with his tail curled around his feet. Logan shuffled his feet nervously but did the same. Mark put his fist to his chest and bowed and tried not to smirk when he saw Sean copy him. A simple bow from Sean would have been fine. They would be able to tell he was human. Unlike himself. Being a half-breed, his smell stood out. The Triceratops snorted to clear his large nose, then said aloud. "Ambassador, it has been a long time." Miles straightened up, coolly answering. "My warmest greetings, Delegates. I wish we had met under better circumstances."

The Stegosaurus looking humanoid shook his head grimly, before saying in a slightly lighter tone. "Agreed. However, Rip-fang's challenge was sound. We've heard rumors that unsettle the carnivores back home. We hoped Rip-fang would get answers before his challenge... but complications arose. For that... We apologize." Miles nodded, politely informing them. "The fault is mine. It seems there are Reptilians on Earth that feel I have been too generous with the humans. They failed to give me the time of your arrival, until an incident had already occurred. I rushed to arrive as quickly as I could." The Triceratops nodded to accept his apology. Mark was so focused on the discussion, that he jumped a little when Sean whispered over his shoulder. "What do you think they are saying?" Mark swallowed as the closest Delegate turned to look at Sean. The Delegate was bulky in her size with a long neck that was lowered to keep from hitting the ceiling. The Delegate's face was slender and hanging from its crescent flat dinosaur ears were dangling ruby earrings.

Mark held his breath as the Delegate turned its head to look at Sean with bright purple eyes. Mark could tell by her soft features and scent that it was a female. Her bulky frame covered in a sea breezy white summer gown that hung off her shoulders and was embroidered with pearls. Sean stepped more behind Mark as the woman looked him over and stated aloud softly. "A human? Why is it here?" Miles quickly piped up before Mark answered. "He's a friend, Sessa. Mark's mate. And Mark here, is what I wanted to show you." Sessa's head moved to look over Mark, sniffing him. Mark tensed a bit but tried to keep himself calm. Sessa turned her head, telling the others with an unsettled tone. "This male... He's part Reptilian." The Stegosaurus moved closer to Mark, leaning on his walking stick as he uttered out. "Impossible. Our species is incompatible on their end. Their DNA can't support ours." The Stegosaurus extended out a scaly hand for Mark's. Mark carefully gave him his hand.

The Stegosaurus removed his suit glove, raising his tail off the floor to bring one of the sharp spikes to his hand. Mark locked his jaw, flinching when the Stegosaurus jabbed him light enough to make his hand bleed. Sean stepped out, asking timidly. "What is it doing?! Logan?" Miles reached out to grab Sean's suit collar, pulling him away from Mark. Sean squirmed, but Miles shushed him to calm him down. The Stegosaurus smelled his blood, then said to someone else. "I'll be damned... It's Cliffton's son. I know that smell anywhere." Mark blinked, blurting out. "You knew my father?" The Stegosaurus turned his eyes back on him to nod, before answering in a casual tone. "Yes... We heard of his loss. Tragic. He was a great warrior." A Delegate moved behind the others, breaking from the crowd to look at him with powerful features. Unlike the others, this Reptilian had the features of a T-Rex but had longer arms and a slender face. His body was covered in white war paint and around his neck was a necklace of bones.

The second Mark saw him, his heart raced. Why was his scent so familiar? The carnivore moved closer, causing the Stegosaurus to move away from Mark. The carnivore took Mark's bleeding hand, sniffing it before licking it. Mark sniffed the air thinking he was imagining it. The scent was the same as his father, but he had watched his dad die. The carnivore savored the taste of his blood, before addressing him in a deep voice. "Mark, was it?" Mark nodded, watching the carnivore smirk. Beside him, Miles told him in a hesitant voice. "Mark. This is Alan. King of the Reptilians. He's your oldest living relative." Mark didn't know what to say to that. He didn't know much about his dad's family. His dad had only brought up his family secret after he got sick. He learned very little from him and had carried the secret on his own for so long. Sean looked around the room, then said aloud. "Will someone please tell me what is going on?! Mark? Where did you learn to talk like that?"