FLIGHT 02: Imperial Luung Dual Clutch

  Kaba regarded the calm, artificial seas with a skeptical frown. This was vastly dissimilar to the near constant storms of Giojsen and while she knew she had no reason to dislike the fair weather, it unsettled her. Children needed adversary to grow into their strengths, what challenges would they face here, within the steel walls of the Refugium's perfect sanctuary? Then again, this was a new world and the start of an entirely different generation. These offspring produced from their clutches here would carry on their clans' names, but they'd come to maturity in an entirely different culture.

Above her, several bulls writhed and danced, turning the placid blue skies into a flurry of browns and yellows. Many of them were young. It had been difficult to convince any of the elders to join the expedition to save their species. The luungs were steeped in tradition and so many chose the slow death of extinction rather than chance a future in an unknown world. The desire to cling to her history dug deep at Kaba's soul, but she squashed the feeling.

This was a new world, and Kaba would adapt.

Kaba sprang from her perch and took to the air, where the frenzied beat of the bulls' dancing renewed with vigor. Most of her potential suitors were clan Runike, but two small, grey Kimoke swirled and fluttered around each other in tandem, a partner dance both scandalous and enticing. Beyond her own flock of males hung a small gathering of sleek Oneya, dances dwindling as the female - the young and eager Suka - chose her mate.

There was plenty room and resources for multiple clutches on the Refugium, but Kaba's worries stuttered the smoothness of her flight. Would the spaceport's search riders be able to find enough suitable candidates? Never before had any species other than aleran bonded with a luung. She was glad it would not be her children testing those waters. These clutches might be the first lain on the Refugium, but they wouldn't be the first to hatch. She'd brought a gravid Iyafu hind with her, who had lain three small eggs. Kutoth had assured both mother and Kaba that all due care would be taken in finding the best bonds and the Refugium's staff were already being interviewed.

But these clutches... the one's Kaba and Suka would lay when the mating dances were over, these would be searched for. There would be applications, egg touchings, aliens coming to view herself and her offspring. So very different from home.

But a new world was better than a dead one.

----

It was unusual for hinds of different clans to share a clutching ground, but Kaba wanted to keep tabs on anyone interested in the eggs, and this was the young Suka's very first clutch. She had lain a reasonable clutch of five which were nestled snuggly to Kaba's own eight eggs.

"So many of them." Monari, Kaba's alaran bond, sank to her knees next to the next, running her hands reverently over the smooth shells. "I can already feel they're tiny voices."

It was so. Kaba could sense the first pinpricks of consciousness floating into being, prodding shyly at their mother's mind.

And so, apparently, could the strange, overly tall alien standing before her.

Kutoth smiled warmly. "Everyone seems to be healthy."

"Have you already begun to find candidates?" asked Suka, rising from where she was curled around her own eggs. The young hind was endlessly fascinated by the aliens, beyond eager to meet potential bondmates for her offspring. "Will they all be from the Refugium? Or do you think bonds from other worlds would suit them?"

Kutoth didn't laugh aloud, but a thready note of humor chuckled through their minds. "Very probably both."

"And these candidates will understand that we're not tools to be used?" said Kaba, raising her chin and bristling. "We are partners and it should be seen as an honor to join their minds to ours."

"Will they take our names, like the alaren do?" asked Suka.

"Our search riders understand your requirements," said Kutoth. "Most beings see bonding dragons as a partnership and we certainly don't want the other sort anywhere near the Refugium. We'll be careful to screen candidates."

"I'd like to meet them," said Suka. "They'll come to visit us before the hatching, won't they?"

"I'll certainly encourage it. As for the names... other dragon species have placed naming conventions on their bonds, honorifics I think it's called with old worlders. It's very likely that some of these candidates will follow you traditions."

Some, but not all.

"Would you?" asked Kaba.

Surprise flit between their minds, unbidden. Kutoth took a moment to compose himself, regarding the question carefully. Finally, he replied," Yes, I think I would."

Kaba nodded, satisfied.