The moment people began swarming into the cavern, Tobias knew the gig was up and Shaltach’s luck had struck once again; of course the moment they arrived to take a look at the unknown dragon species was the moment the eggs decided to hatch.
Idein shot him a look and then jerked his head at Shaltach, who seemed simultaneously excited by the hatching and annoyed at being called out.
(Well, good for her.)
(He was so tired already.)
(This was going to be trouble.)
“We should probably leave,” he said as he craned his head, searching for a path towards the exit and finding nothing; there were too many beings in the way — everything from a tiny weasel-like creature to an actual dragon — for him to see a clear route, but surely—
::Where are we going?:: asked a bright voice in his mind, accompanied by the sensation of joy and trepidation and the knowledge that it’s name was Trouble.
Tobias sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he watched the large nectar slide out of its egg and wobble over to him, already trying to stand on its shaky hindlegs to look where he was. He absently shifted a leg closer to Trouble for the little grubbling to brace itself on—
And just in time.
::Nowhere without me,:: harrumphed a second voice in his mind, as a soil grubbling pounced on Trouble and sent both of them tumbling to the ground.
Tobias stared down at Trouble and Done, exasperated by both the names and the mostly playful tussle taking place at his feet, and tried to figure out how to explain this latest snafu to Karjan.
“You should see your face,” Idein said, voice thick with barely restrained laughter.
Tobias turned to glower at his friend, only to bark a laugh as Idein stumbled forward as an arbor grubbling slammed into the back of one of Idein’s legs; served the bastard right, laughing at him like that.
::That was good, right?:: the arbor — Ready — asked as it gathered its clumsy legs for another leap. ::I’m going to be big and strong, just wait!::
“We’ll work on it,” Idein said with a hint of amusement as he knelt in front of Ready and traced the darker green markings on the grubbling’s face.
To his side, Shaltach was leaning over another egg, only for it to begin to split and a wriggling fungus grubbling to spill out at her feet. ::I’m Exception!:: it squeaked as it stared up at her with huge eyes and a huger grin. ::We’re going to have so much fun.::
“Hell yeah we are,” Shaltach agreed, much to Tobias’ dismay.
(She really didn’t need another enabler.)
(Stars, this was such a mess!)
::I want to have fun too!:: squeaked yet another grubbling as they barreled over and shoved Exception out of the way in order to grab one of Shaltach’s hands gently between their mandibles. ::I’m going to be super duper good at adventures,:: Ruckus announced gleefully.
“The Capsuleer is going to kill us,” Tobias couldn’t help but groan as he reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
(At least Trouble and Done seemed to be reasonable sorts, despite their… fascinating names.)
(Shaltach’s two were already gearing up to be nothing but trouble.)
(He would… withhold judgment on Ready for the moment.)
::Why will the Capsuleer kill us?:: Done asked warily as he finally pried himself away from Trouble and came over to nudge at Tobias’ leg. ::Have we done something wrong?::
Tobias grimaced at the question and shook his head, saying, “No, it’s a… figure of speech. Mostly,” as he turned his attention to finding the nearest pile of food; based on how everyone else was acting, these grubblings needed to be fed immediately.
(And thinking about the next step was better than worrying about the consequences of this… misadventure.)
(His words were a figure of speech, but Karjan could indeed just decide to kill them if the man was feeling… capricious.)
(But a decade in this different galaxy, mostly cut off from the normal wars and machinations of other Capsuleers, had… softened the man a bit.)
(Not much, but… hopefully enough.)
(He had to hope.)
“I’m certain both of our Capsuleers will like you,” Idein promised as he rose to his feet and turned to nod towards a pile of fruit that no other grubbling had currently claimed. “There?”
“Sure,” Tobias agreed, before gently shooing Trouble and Done towards the pile.
Not that they needed any encouragement; the two fell on the pile of food like ravenous beasts, devouring piece after piece without pause. Ready joined them a moment later, shoving its way past Done in order to reach the pile as well. Exception and Ruckus fell upon a different pile, gorging themselves on the food stacked there without care.
“Well this is going to be interesting,” Idein murmured as he came to stand at Tobias’ side, arms crossed over his chest and a thoughtful look on his face as he stared at Ready. “How much trouble do you think we’re actually going to be in?”
Shaltach snorted and cast a sidelong look at the two of them. “I’m sure it’ll all work out,” she said archly. “After all, Capsuleer Karjan has remained rather fascinated by the various draconic races in this galaxy, even a decade later.”
“Fascinated is very different from accepting,” Tobias felt the need to remind both of them, then sighed when they just smirked at him. “Yes, fine, I’ll talk with him,” he said in exasperation. “Not like you cowards will.”
“Thanks, Tobias!” Shaltach chirped with a bright grin, then sobered and cast a thoughtful look at the five grubblings. “I’ll sort out food while you do, and grab whatever info I can about raising Myrmex. I only asked about the basics before.”
Tobias nodded, already dreading how much isk they were going to have to spend to feed five growing myrmex; based on the rate they were currently eating, they were going to need a lot of food for the next… however long it took them to reach adulthood.
(This was such a mess.)
(And yet he wasn’t sure he could entirely regret it…)
(Time would tell.)
“DUSTer, I hope you have a good… reason to… what are those?”
Tobias swallowed in the face of Karjan’s Capsuleer-flat expression, then took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and settled into a comfortable stance as he said, “These are Done and Trouble,” he introduced as he gestured to each grubbling in turn. “They’re Myrmex grubblings that are now mentally linked to me.”
Karjan’s sharp blue gaze settled on the two grubblings and his lips twitched; a proto-frown, Tobias suspected, give the tiny furrow beginning to form between the man’s brows. “Myrmex,” he repeated slowly, as if tasting the foreign word. “Another… dragon species?”
“Insectoid draconic,” Tobias said with a nod, then lifted an arm in order to key an information transfer into the wrist communicator he was wearing; he’d spent some time carefully transcribing what little he currently knew about Myrmex into an initial brief, hoping that it would be enough, hoping that Karjan wouldn’t just abandon them, hoping-hoping-hoping—
Karjan’s eyes unfocused as he used his implants to access the information Tobias had sent, his body settling into the uncanny stillness of a Capsuleer focused elsewhere, the steady rise and fall of his chest and the occasional eye-blink only making him look more eerie.
(Tobias had seen animatronics that looked more lifelike than Capsuleers of Karjan’s age tended to appear.)
(He’d grown used to it over the years, but it was still… unsettling.)
::It will be fine,:: Done informed him firmly, leaning against his leg in an awkward attempt at reassurance.
Trouble once more reared up on its hind legs, one front leg gripping Tobias’ pant leg for support, and chittered aloud as it said, ::We’ll be fine! This one won’t harm us.::
“Wish I had your confidence in that,” Tobias murmured as he bent over a bit to pat Trouble’s head. “You still good for the moment?”
::I could eat again,:: Trouble chirped back, then tilted its head and flicked an ear and added, ::But I’m fine for now.::
::I hope this doesn’t take long,:: Done agreed as he leaned forward a bit and peered up at Karjan. ::Do all like you go so still?::
“It’s a Capsuleer thing,” Tobias answered quietly. “He is very, very old, and rarely comes out of his pod these days.”
Done made a soft chittering sound, ears twitching and tiny forelimbs flexing as he swiveled his head around to stare up at Tobias. ::He is like us?::
“Like you…?” Tobias frowned at the odd question, trying to figure out what Done meant by that; for all Karjan’s bouts of inhumanity, the man was still human.
::He has a pod? Does it change him like we’ll change when we cocoon? What does he look like?:: Trouble asked as it nosed at Tobias’ hand and then gripped his thumb between its mandibles and tugged lightly. ::Tobias?::
Tobias coughed lightly to hide his laughter; the idea of Capsuleers being similar to insects was… hilariously apt in a way, given that entering a pod linked Capsuleer with spaceship and, in essence, turned the Capsuleer into the ship.
Still, it wasn’t quite the same.
“No, no,” Tobias said when Trouble tugged on his thumb a second time. “He doesn’t change like you will—” and wasn’t that an interesting tidbit, even if he’d rather expected it— “his pod just helps him control the spaceship he flies.”
Trouble made a disappointed noise and let go of Tobias’ thumb. ::Oh.::
“That is… interesting,” Karjan murmured as his eyes finally refocused on Tobias. “Do you know which caste they will become?”
“No, I don’t think anyone does. All the grubblings looked identical when they emerged, barring size,” Tobias answered. “Shaltach should have more answers when she comes back.”
Karjan made a soft noise, then gave a tiny shrug and turned away. “Very well. Unless you have… other business here, you may return to the Gentheir with me.”
Relief rushed down Tobias’ spine at the implicit acceptance of their mistake. “I’ll take you up on that offer, Capsuleer,” he said as he carefully detached Trouble from his leg and moved to follow the man. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” Karjan warned, giving Tobias a sidelong look as he did. “It will take time for Lajira to finish the designs for a ship capable of transporting be—” Karjan paused, lips pinching as he shot a thoughtful look down at Trouble and Done— “beings like those. And they may not take well to ship-side living. Not many creatures do.”
::We’ll be fine,:: Done announced firmly. ::I am getting hungry, though.::
::Me too,:: Trouble seconded. ::When can we eat?::
Karjan stilled again and half-turned back to them, fixing Trouble and Done with a look that Tobias couldn’t parse. Whatever had startled the man — the telepathy, perhaps? — he recovered quickly. “Aura has ordered more supplies,” he said. “I will have someone deliver it to our usual lounge.”
Trouble chittered and darted forward, rearing up on its hindlegs and grasping at Karjan’s pants to steady itself as it asked, ::Food?::
Tobias tensed, ready to lunge forward to pull Trouble away at the slightest sign that Karjan was bothered by the touch, but…
Karjan’s lips twitched, one corner slightly lifting as he said, “Yes, there will be food.”
::Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!:: Trouble announced as it let go and bounded ahead of them, only to freeze and stare about in confusion. ::Er… where are we going?::
Tobias barked a laugh as Done clicked in exasperation and Karjan’s lips twitched upwards once again.
“Towards that shuttle there,” Karjan said as he pointed to the Gallente-style shuttle two bays down.
::Right!:: Trouble chirped excitedly and darted ahead. ::Come on, come on! I’m hungry and I want to see where Tobias lives!::
Karjan hummed faintly and shot Tobias an amused look. “Well, I suppose we had better, then,” he said dryly, then resumed striding towards the shuttle after Trouble.
Tobias sighed and reached up to run a hand through his hair; on one hand, it was a good thing that Karjan was accepting, but on the other…
Well…
He really didn’t know if Karjan would stay accepting, especially when he had to deal with five adult Myrmex.
(Well, time would tell.)
(For now, he needed to feed his two before they became testy.)
(One problem at a time.)
(He’d deal with the future when it arrived.)
Shaltach watched in amusement as Exception and Ruckus bounded ahead of her and Idein, investigating nooks and crannies as they went. Those two were going to be trouble, she knew it, but at the same time she… really couldn’t help but look forward to the future with them at her side.
(It was certainly going to be a lively future, and that was all she’d ever asked for.)
“Tobias reports that our Capsuleer has so far been accepting,” Idein announced as he scanned through a message on his communicator. “We’re to forward any Myrmex information to the Capsuleer as soon as possible, especially dietary needs.”
Shaltach hummed in agreement and quickly brought her own communicator up, tapping in the commands to gather and send the data they’d gathered, along with the information that she’d ordered approximately a week’s worth of food to be delivered to the Genthier.
(Well, what she hoped was a week’s worth of food.)
(They’d see.)
::Oh, this looks— wah! Put me down!:: Ruckus exclaimed from just out of sight.
::We’re not pets!:: Exception mentally shrieked in offense. ::Just because we’re small right now doesn’t give you the right!::
Shaltach cursed and lengthened her stride, Idein and Ready a grim presence at her side, and rounded a corner to see—
Lilea standing in front of a shuttle, Ruckus held out in front of her and her expression flat as she stared at the squirming grubbling. Exception was being held by Kyre, Lilea’s second, though he at least seemed amused by the whole thing.
Lilea’s gaze shifted from Ruckus and landed on Shaltach, exasperation bleeding in as she said, “I thought I told you no ruckus.”
::No me?:: Ruckus asked as they tried harder to squirm free. ::But then what would I do?!::
Shaltach tried her best to swallow her laughter. “No, no, she doesn’t mean you, Ruckus. She means that she told me not to make a disturbance.”
“It’s called Ruckus,” Lilea repeated flatly, carefully adjusting her grip to keep Ruckus from squirming free. “Will you stop? I’d rather not drop you from this height,” she told the grubbling firmly.
::Then put me down!:: Ruckus exclaimed, ears flattening and an anxious-sounding chitter beginning to sound.
::Put us down!:: Exception added as it scrabbled futilely at Kyre’s armor.
Ready chattered angrily and gathered itself up, clearly preparing to—
“Ready, stand down,” Idein ordered before his own bond could charge Lilea and Kyre. “Captain Lilea and Kyre aren’t our enemies.”
::But Idein…!::
“Captain Lilea won’t hurt Ruckus, and Kyre won’t either,” Idein said firmly. “I appreciate your willingness to fight for us, but you also need to learn when fighting is unnecessary.”
Ready’s ears flattened and the look it gave Idein was all frustration and disbelief, but it did settle for simply scowling at Lilea and Kyre instead of charging them.
Lilea sighed and bent over to release Ruckus from her grip, with Kyre following suite a moment later. “I take it this is why Capsuleer Karjan messaged me to come pick you up and to ‘be prepared for anything’,” she said as she straightened and dusted her hands off, watching Ruckus and Exception bolt back to Shaltach’s side.
“Probably,” Shaltach said as she knelt to run her hands over Ruckus’ and Exception’s head, trying to help calm them down. “Did he say…?”
“Well, you’re still part of my crew, so safe to say he doesn’t mind at the moment,” Lilea announced as she crossed her arms over her chest and shot a considering look between the three grubblings. “They are… quite different in size. Is there any meaning behind that?”
::We’ll all grow up,:: Exception said as it turned to give both Lilea and Kyre suspicious looks. ::And we’ll become huge, so you can never pick us up again!::
Kyre’s lips pursed and he looked away, clearly biting back laughter at Exception’s words. “I’m sure you will,” he said soothingly. “You’re young yet, there’s plenty of time ahead of you.”
Ruckus made an annoyed sound, then glanced up at Shaltach and said, ::I’m getting hungry. Can we eat soon?::
“Of course, there should be enough for a meal on the Gentheir,” Shaltach answered, then arched an eyebrow at Lilea. “Unless we have other orders…?”
“No. If you’re done here, I’m to bring you back to the Gentheir.” Lilea turned away and strode up the shuttle’s ramp, gesturing for them to follow. “We’ll need to figure out sleeping arrangements, and how to proceed when they get bigger. If you have any information—”
“I’ll send it to you,” Shaltach agreed as she brought her comm up again and sent the information she’d gathered to Lilea. “That’s everything the locals knew.”
Lilea hummed as she settled into one of the shuttle’s seats and brought up the information to read through, her brows beginning to furrow the further she got.
“I’ll get us moving,” Kyre announced as he stepped through to the cockpit, the door closing behind him moments later.
Idein sat down with a tired sigh, head tipping back to rest against the wall behind them even as Ready clambered up and sprawled half across Idein’s lap.
::Okay?:: Ready asked in concern.
“I’m fine, it’s just been a long day,” Idein said softly as he pet Ready.
Shaltach dropped to sit across from Lilea, stretching her legs out and patting the seat next to her to encourage Ruckus to hop up. She couldn’t quite spot Exception, though she knew it had boarded with them—
“Don’t touch that!” Kyre yelped, then abruptly swept out of the cockpit with Exception held in his hands. He dropped the grubbling on Shaltach’s lap and fixed her with a glower as he declared, “Lesson one on parenthood— keep your eyes on them at all times.”
Shaltach coughed, staring up at Kyre with wide eyes as she automatically pulled Exception a bit closer. “Pardon?”
Kyre pointed down at Exception. “That,” he said firmly, “is a child. You are its parental stand in. I wish you all the luck, because you’re going to need it.”
She sputtered, unable to come up with a response before Kyre had swept back into the cockpit and cycled the lock on the door. Moments later, the shuttle roared to life and began to lift off, slipping out of the landing bay and into space.
::I just wanted to know what the pretty buttons did,:: Exception muttered sulkily as it stretched out across Shaltach’s lap. ::He didn’t need to pick me up like that.::
“Let’s uh… let’s leave pretty buttons for another day, huh?” Shaltach said faintly as she patted Exception’s head. “Let Kyre fly the shuttle in peace.”
Exception grumbled and bumped its head against her hand, ::Fine. But you have to show me later!::
“I will, I promise.”
“Right then,” Lilea cut in as she closed the files Shaltach had sent and drummed her fingers against her thigh. “There’s enough free space in the Gentheir to put you lot in larger rooms, and the Capsuleer has agreed to keep us in friendly space until the Myrmex are adults. Beyond that, I suppose we’re just going to have to play it all by ear, including where to keep you lot once the Myrmex reach their full growth.”
“Sorry, Lilea,” Idein said with a rueful smile as he sat up a bit. “We really didn’t mean to.”
She snorted and gave the two of them a pointed look, then shook her head and said, “Honestly, I suppose I should be more surprised that something like this hasn’t happened sooner. Half this bloody galaxy seems to be intent on this… bonding thing, and we’ve visited enough worlds to know that. That no one’s been claimed before the three of you is frankly astonishing.”
“Don’t blame me if this starts a trend,” Shaltach said with a scowl. “Just because we were the first—”
“No, I know how the others think,” Lilea said, an edge of amusement in her voice. “As I said, that you’re the first is a bit astonishing. I just hope we can figure out how to make this work.”
“Capsuleer Lajira will figure something out,” Idein said confidently. “We’ve all seen how much she likes the challenge of creating new things.”
“And besides, think of the advantage that having dragons will give us,” Shaltach added, flashing a bright grin at Lilea as she did. “Now we can get involved in more combat than ever.”
::And we’ll help,:: Ready declared as it lifted its head proudly. ::Especially me!::
Shaltach laughed at Lilea’s exasperated sigh, and leaned back further in her seat; this was shaping up to be quite an adventure, and she really couldn’t wait to see how it ended up.
(It was sure to be interesting.)
(That’s all she could ever ask.)