Gryphons
Chapter Thirteen

Ratings: PG
Warnings: Mpreg
Summary: Draephus spends some time with a friend, and Dahli becomes a warrior.
Notes: Anna Zampini was a woman who worked with my brother-in-law Dave. He liked her name so much that he almost ended up calling his band ‘Anazampini’, which of course is a modified version of her name. In the end he called his band something else, but I liked ‘Anazampini’ so much I ended up using it for Sferkkaa’s one and only all-female band.

“Well good morning, Grey Boy,” said Draephus softly.

J’Vanni made a small noise and slowly rolled onto his side, his face bandaged, swatting feebly at Draephus.

“Don’ call me that.”

Draephus seated himself on the edge of the hospital bed, taking hold of one long white hand.

“How are you feeling?”

“Bloody awful. Where is Delaes? Is he all right?”

“We don’t know where Delaes is. He seems to have got away. I have people looking for him. Rysta’s going to be fine, he’s back at the apartment helping to clean up, and I took your hawk to a vet. He’s pretty upset but he will be fine as well.” He stroked J’Vanni’s long hair. “So what happened?”

“I don’t know. I don’t really remember.” He reached up to touch the bandages encasing his face. “What happened to me?”

“Well it looks a lot like you narrowly missed getting shot in the head by a long-muzzled night stalker gun. The projectile missed you, but those things emit so much in the way of heat and particles and crap that they can miss a person entirely and still cause a lot of damage. Personally I think whoever went after you wanted to make certain you didn’t survive.”

J’Vanni smiled coldly. “Well the only good Grey Boy is a dead Grey Boy.”

Draephus lowered his head and kissed him. “Yeah well I promised I would look after you, and I plan on doing just that.”

“You’re just a sucker for lost causes, aren’t you?”

“We lost causes have to stick together,” said Draephus. His telcom rang, and he drew it out of his pocket. "Heia?”

"Why are you never home? Are you avoiding me?" a voice gently chastised.

Draephus sat bolt upright. "Vesper? Vesper how are you? Where are you?"

"Fine, and on top of a cliff, being drooled on by a large herbivore. It's a beautiful early evening, I'm just settling down to camp for the night and I though I would call you before it rains again."

"When are you coming home? I'm a disaster and the plants are all turning yellow."

"I'll be home in just a couple more weeks if I can't get down into the Kalihine Valley. But there are some caves in there I really want to see. They contain ancient paintings dating back thousands of years. But the wet season is coming up on us, and if we don't get at least three days of dry weather very soon we'll have to head back, or else sit on this wretched cliff until the dry season comes again. And I really don't want to. Blossom, stop chewing on my pack. How are things with you?"

"Fine," Draephus lied cheerfully. “Just visiting Delaes.”

“Oh really? How is Delaes?”

Draephus did not like lying to Vesper, but there was absolutely no way he was admitting on the ‘com that J’Vanni was badly hurt and Delaes was nowhere to be seen. Currently J’Vanni was in the Avalair hospital, while Raski and Mars crawled around his apartment like a pair of demented stoats routing out any listening devices before they brought J’Vanni back home. Personally Draephus would have liked to have moved him, but there really was no place to move to, and J’Vanni, sweet as he was, possessed the infamous Kyphisian stubbornness. He would not be moved.

“Oh Delaes is good.”

“Put him on.”

“Well he’s in the bath right now. He has to enjoy the running water while they have it. It’s Avalair; they only get a small amount allotted for bathing each day.”

“Oh that’s right. Well don’t bother him then.”

They chatted for a little while, then Draephus ended the call and hung up, turning his attention back to J’Vanni. “I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s quite all right. Now if only Delaes would call. I’m very worried about him.”

“Delaes is a smart guy, he probably went straight for the pipes. They won’t find him down there.”

“He’s pregnant.”

Draephus winced. “Did I not tell you two not to breed? I’m pretty sure I specifically told you not to do that.”

“It was not planned, I can assure you. We were going to go down to the South Continent to have it, then return and claim the mother had passed away.”

“You do realize there are even less women down there than up here?”

“I thought there were more.”

“No. If you want to claim you found an actual breathing woman capable of having a child you have to go down to Charlendine.”

“Charlendine? That’s the other side of the world! You know I heard they get this frozen rain, it falls from the sky in a sort of white fluff. Is that true?”

“Yeah, it’s called snow. It’s very pretty. I’ve seen it.”

“Well if Delaes comes back then we will go to Charlendine. Not that I will be able to see the snow, or anything anymore.” He swallowed, clearly upset. “Draephus I am so afraid for him…”

"Don't worry, he’ll come back. Delaes won't be able to stay in a huge hollow underground pipe with a baby, can you imagine the noise?"

J’Vanni smiled, although Draephus could tell he was on the verge of tears, even with most of his face bandaged. “I just want him home.”

Draephus took J’Vanni’s hand and gently squeezed it. “He will be home. We’ll find him, I promise. You just rest. Do you have any idea who did this to you?”

“No. I mean… I’m sure I knew who it was but… everything is all confused now. I can’t remember.”

“Okay. It’s okay, just rest. I’ll stay here with you. Just rest Gia. We will find Delaes and you will get better and you will have a beautiful baby with long red hair who barks at parked connis.”

“I hope you’re right. I’m so worried.”

“Just rest, Gia. It will be okay. I promise.”

J’Vanni doubted Draephus would be able to keep that promise, but he was too tired and ill to do anything about the situation. Instead he quietly slipped into a heavy sleep, still holding his friend’s hand.

***---***

Dahli came down the stairs, yawning. She paused about halfway down the steps to stretch. "Good morning, Harli."

"Morning? High on to afternoon. Why do you stay in bed so long? Counting the fibres in the quilt? HEY! CHICKEN! OFF THE TABLE!"

Dahli grinned as she sat down at the table. "So what are we up to today?" she asked as she took the cup of tea he offered her.

In the two weeks since Dahli had come to Harli's she had adjusted to his way of life. She helped with the care and feeding of the animals, and with some of the heavier chores that went along with them. She had learned how to brush the destrider, whose name seemed to be `Stupid,' and Harli had been teaching her how to ride Stupid as well as play the quinticord. Life had settled rather nicely, and Dahli wasn't sure she wanted to leave it for the trials of the outside world. She thought that if Harli asked her, she would stay on for a while.

"Gonna pluck all these stupid chickens alive, that's what. HEY! CHICKEN! OFF THE TABLE!"

Despite his words he picked the bird up gently when he moved it. He seated himself and began loading food onto his plate. Dahli smiled and also began to eat. There was silence at the table for a short time.

"You know," Harli suddenly said, "if I were a skinny girl named Dahli Sandiniti, and not Atania Nightwing, I'd listen to the receiver more often."

Dahli's fork halted its upward motion, and she looked across the table at Harli. "Really? Why is that?"

Harli chewed a mouthful of food, then swallowed. "’Cause I might find out that I've been hiding out with a crazy old chicken man for fourteen days when I didn't have to. I might find out that maybe due to a series of incidents at a Detention Centre, the rest of my sentence that I'm not around to enjoy has been dropped. And I might find out my friend Diza has since told a bunch of people I was headed for Touskania for some fool reason."

Dahli stared across the table at Harli for a long moment, blinking, trying to absorb what she had just heard. "What?" She slowly sat back in her chair, stunned. "They're not looking for me?"

"No they ain't looking for you, they're looking for Dahli Sandiniti, so they can tell her it's safe to come home."

"Do you mind if I use the telcom to call someone?"

"Is it local?"

"No."

"Go ahead."

Dahli picked up the telcom and carefully dialled her home number. She heard the distant sound of the device ringing, and then it was picked up.

"Heia?" said a familiar voice.

"Heia Teirra," said Dahli.

"Dahli is that you?" There was the sound of the ‘com in the next room being picked up, and then she heard Atterick's voice as well. "Dahli?"

"Heia Atterick."

"Dahli where are you? We have been worried sick."

"I'm just outside of Avalair."

"Avalair!" yelled Teirra. "How in the New Empire did you get all the way past Avalair?"

"I walked. Well I took the Hydrotrans across the channel, otherwise I would have had to swim, but mostly I walked."

"How are you?"

Dahli pushed her hand through her hair. "I'm fine. I've been staying with a friend."

"You don't know anybody in Avalair."

"Do now. His name's Harli."

"Tell them I'm a cranky old man with a chicken fixation,” said Harli as he mopped eggs off his plate with bread.

"I will not," said Dahli, then addressed Teirra once more. "He's a cranky old man with a chicken fixation. So tell me, is it true? Can I come home and stop bothering this man?"

"Yeah, it’s true," said Atterick. "Dahli we have been so worried."

"I'm okay, don't worry any more. I'm fine."

"Where are you? Do you want us to come get you?"

Dahli thought about this for a moment, then said softly; "No, I'll make it on my own.”

"Are you sure you can make it home on your own all right?" he asked. "You're sure you don't want us to come get you?"

"No, I'll be fine. I'll call you when I get to Second City, which should probably be in the next few days."

“Okay. Oh, you know that drummer you hit with a door and beat up and robbed? The one whose name you once forbade us to mention? Well he wants you to call him. He’s been helping us look for you.”

Dahli was both shocked and delighted. “Really!?” she screeched, her voice hitting a pitch that sent the chickens fleeing.

“Yes, and he left a number. You want it?”

“YES!”

“Wait,” said Teirra, “I don’t think she deserves it after all she has put us through.”

“You’re right. Let’s toss it out.”

“NO!! No gimme please gimme I’ll be good I won’t beat up or rob another drummer ever again or steal anymore dead bodies.”

Atterick sighed. “Well, in that case, all right.” He gave her the number, Dahli using a bit of charred wood from the hearth to write it on the floor.

“Got it. Thank you! I’ll be home soon I promise. I missed you guys so much.”

“We missed you, too. Hurry home.”

"All right. Bye."

Dahli sat back in her seat and looked at the code written down on the floor before her. She wondered if she should call him or not, then sighed. She happened to glance up and see Harli staring at her amusedly.

"You gonna call him?"

"I guess. Kinda… feels odd, though."

She picked up the telcom again and dialled. She heard the ‘com ring at the other end of the line ring, and then heard a click, followed by a recorded message.

"Heia. I'm not home, I'm in Avalair. For those of you who know me and still want to talk to me anyway, just wait a moment and this call will be transferred."

There was a series of beeps, and then she heard another ring. The ‘com was picked up.

"Heia?" said a soft, oddly mechanized-sounding male voice. Dahli almost dropped the ‘com, briefly panicking, then recovered.

"Heia," she said, a little nervously. "I called Draephus, his ‘com forwarded me to this number."

"Oh yes. I shall get him. Whom shall I say is calling?"

"Dahli."

"Just wait a moment please." He set the receiver down, then called down the hallway; "It's for you."

Dahli could hear their voices, slightly muffled but still audible.

"Who is it?" asked Draephus.

"A young woman who calls herself Dahli."

Draephus walked to the ‘com, and she heard him grab it up. "Where are you?" he said bluntly.

"Nice to talk to you, too."

"Just cut the clart, we've been worried."

"I'm outside Avalair.”

“Avalair? What are you doing in Avalair? How are you getting home? Is anyone coming to get you? Wait a moment." There was a pause, and for a brief time all Dahli could hear were muffled voices. Then Draephus came back on the line. "Uh, I'm kinda here keeping Gia company, he's a friend of mine, and he wants to know if it would inconvenience you a great deal to come over here for a bit. He'd like to meet you. I could come pick you up."

Dahli's mouth hung open for a moment, flapping uselessly. "Sure," she finally said.

She heard Draephus shift slightly, then exhale. "So where are you?"

Dahli looked at Harli. "Where am I?"

"Sitting in a chair in my kitchen."

Dahli rolled her eyes and sighed. "Where is your house?"

“Hold the ‘com out.”

Dahli shrugged and did so. Harli shouted; “She’s here with me you dumb-ass!”

Draephus let out a rusty scream of pure delight. “HARLI!”

“You better believe it’s Harli. Get your skinny ass over here. You know what to bring.”

"Yeah, all right. I have an air-con, so I'll be there in about twenty minutes, longer if I get lost."

Dahli heard him hang up, and replaced the receiver. “Why am I suddenly worried?” she asked.

“I dunno. ‘Cause you’re smart? Who'll ride Stupid if you're gone?"

She smiled. "Who rode him before I was here?"

"I did, but he don't listen to my sorry ass." Harli snorted. "Maybe he ain't so stupid after all.”

Dahli suddenly wondered if he was going to miss her. He seemed to have broken off from his usual continuous rant against the universe in general and chickens in particular.

"I'll miss you," she said softly.

"Oh don't start that, I ain't gonna miss you, skinny woman. I ought to send you off with a few of these chickens, wouldn't miss them either." He smiled as one of the birds hopped onto his shoe and sat there, looking blankly about. "You're a stupid bird, yes you are," he said to it.

He moved the bird and got up, leaving the room for a time. He returned a few minutes later with the old quinticord Dahli had been learning to play, and one of his hats that she had been wearing constantly. She liked it because it was floppy, and it sported long, brilliant feathers from the tail of his favourite rooster. He dropped the hat onto her head, then passed her the old quinticord.

"I want you to keep these," he said. "That way I know you'll think of me once in a while. And you better learn to play that quinticord, because if I ever run into you again and you still can't play you're in a lot of trouble."

"Don't worry," said Dahli. "You're far too scary for me to think you're not going to come back and haunt me."

"You better believe it." He grinned at her, looking pleased with himself. He sat at the table again, and for a time both were silent.

"Yeah I'm gonna miss you, too," he said.

***---***

Delaes had not survived the war in the ashes of Avalair by being stupid. He wasn’t. Flighty, nervous, and highly strung, most definitely, but not stupid. And he knew the best place for him to hide was in plain sight.

The hunters were still on his trail. They knew he was in the pipes, and the fact that two weeks later they were still popping up to torment him meant they could likely hear every move he made when he ventured into the higher pipes outside of his hiding spot. This was no place for a pregnant Faylan. He needed warmth and fresh meat and trees, not cold dampness, expired rations and a dark underground lair. And trees. Definitely trees – big ones. Delaes had often wondered what sort of a Faylan he was; he apparently now had his answer. He was arboreal.

He had found a lower level where there had once been a small hidden base, and located a few things left behind; a mirror, a light, and various items used for disguise purposes. Delaes took out his dark brown contacts, revealing his own vibrant green eyes. He then dyed his hair back to its natural rusty red. A good roll in the dirt was next, then he had to decide how much clothing to dispose of. It was true Faylans as a rule didn’t wear clothes, but it was not unusual for some owners to dress them up. Personally after a lifetime of clothing he wasn’t sure he liked the idea of hanging about in a tree stark naked, and J’Vanni would have been mortified a thousand times over at the idea of his husband nude up a tree…

Poor beautiful J’Vanni. Delaes wondered if he dared hope that he was alive.

He finally decided to simply make his pants into shorts, leaving most of his clothing as well as his signature pieces of jewellery in his hiding hole. A little more rolling around gave him the scruffy look of the average pet Faylan. He located a discarded Faylan collar in the remains of the old encampment, then, wearing only ragged denim shorts and a collar, he prowled out of the tunnels looking greatly different from when he went in, and made his way to a park where people took their Faylans to run.

There were two Faylans in the park, along with a man who was clearly their owner. They were what Draephus would have called ‘stupid house pets’, Faylans bred and raised to be quiet elegant pets that knew better than to crease a pillow or sleep on master’s bed. They took immediate notice of Delaes, and bestirred their privileged and graceful selves to come sniff him. Delaes was in no mood to be sniffed. He was hungry and cold, and any Faylan owner with half a brain would know he was pregnant. And a pregnant Faylan was not a socially well-adjusted Faylan. Delaes watched the pair approach, and narrowed his eyes.

“If you pair of useless twats come one step closer there is going to be a very large vet bill in your master’s future,” he snarled.

The Faylans stopped. They had heard their master speak often enough, but to hear words come out of one of their own was more than they were prepared for. They yipped and headed back for their master. Delaes found a huge and ancient Goldenwood tree, rising well over three hundred feet straight up, gigantic leaves making maximum use of the shrouded Sferkkaan sun. He climbed it with ease, heading up to the highest branches and settling comfortably on a wide bough two hundred and ninety feet off the ground; resting Faylan-style on his right hip, body twisted so his upper body was supported on his elbows, arms crossed at the wrists. In the distance he could see his apartment building, a faint white tower flanked by rising trees. He lowered his head onto his arms and wondered if he would ever see the inside of his home again.

***---***

Draephus pulled up in a gleaming black air-con, the vehicle settling softly on the ground. He hopped out, grabbed up a couple bags from the passenger side seat, and ran up to Harli’s door, barging in, not even bothering to knock. Dahli watched in astonishment as he pounced on Harli.

“Harli! How are ya? Still living with the chickens I see. FEARLESS!”

Dahli almost panicked as he grabbed her up and hugged her. She could hardly believe this was the same cold, dispassionate and angry man she had met before, but he seemed desperately glad to see her.

“Heia,” she said quietly. “Um… who are you and what have you done with Draephus?”

He smiled, and held her. “Yeah, sorry, when I get worried I get clingy.”

“Awwww… you were worried about me?” she asked, smiling.

“No. I was worried about Harli having to live with you.”

“Groutnoll.”

Draephus set her down, acting more like himself. He set the bags down on the table and turned to Harli. “Just so you know, you owe Gia for an awful lot of booze.”

“Hmph. Prissy Grey Boy. Surprised he can drink.”

Dahli’s eyes became huge as she looked at Draephus, jaw hanging. “You know a Grey Boy?”

“I do.” Draephus began hauling food and bottles out of the bags. “They’re not all murdering bastards, despite what the propaganda says, and I happen to be pretty fond of this one. He’s a good guy. I’ll take ya to meet him. You spoke to him on the ‘com. Harli, where do you keep your pans?”

“See the chicken with the blue tail on the counter? Under him.”

“You’re a sick man.”

“I like chickens. What’s wrong with liking chickens?”

“I’m worried about the extent to which you like them.”

“What are you making?” asked Dahli. “Can I help?”

Draephus looked at Dahli, then looked at Harli. “Did you not explain what we are about to do here?”

“Nope. Don’t explain things to skinny women who are gonna leave my ass all alone with the chickens.”

Draephus looked at Dahli, and grinned. “Dahli, tonight, we make you a man.”

“Oh goody,” she said, a hint of worry in her expression.

***---***

It didn’t hurt as much as she thought it would, though there was definitely some pain involved, mostly in the form of a plate of ‘hrabaccaus’. It was a heavily spiced fish dish, served with sweet peppers that made her eyes water and assorted green veggies cooked in fish sauce and containing small oysters. It looked bizarre, it didn’t smell especially appealing, but was so good she had two helpings.

“That was fantastic! So am I a man yet?” Dahli asked, smiling. The smile fell off her face as Draephus placed chilled glasses, two bottles of alcohol, and a small bag of ominous-looking round green candies on the table. She had a funny feeling that Teirra would not approve of whatever it is they were about to do.

“Not yet,” said Draephus. “First we must teach you to drink like a warrior.”

“But… I’m not a warrior.”

“According to South Continent tradition, yes you are,” said Harli. “You passed the three rites. Maybe you didn’t know that was what you were doing, but that’s what you did. You’re a warrior. So you earned to right to a warrior’s privileges; a plate of hrabaccaus and…” Harli picked up one of the green candies. “The Yri Babbi, the Tree Frog.”

Dahli looked at the green candy. “Tree frog? Rites? I don’t understand. What did I do?” She glanced up as she heard a conni pull up outside, but was distracted by Harli picking up one of the glasses.

“These glasses aren’t cold enough, Draephus, you know better than that.”

Draephus rolled his eyes and took the glass, going for a colder one. Harli turned to Dahli and continued speaking.

“In the South Continent, to be a warrior, a person has to complete three tasks. Now it used to be only boys could do this, but that’s not true anymore. Lotta girls took this test, but we still razz them, tell them we’re gonna make a man out of them. The first task is to complete a deed in silence, without being discovered, for a just cause. Well you did that when you took the Faylan.”

“But… I told everyone.”

“Yeah, you did, but… you chose to reveal what you had done. You weren’t caught doing it. So that was your first task. Your second task was to undertake a great journey in which you found knowledge. Everything you have been through right up until the moment you landed on my door step counts as a journey towards knowledge. I bet you’re a lot wiser than you were.”

“Definitely,” muttered Dahli. “What’s three?”

Harli grinned at her. “You fire-walked. Right through Avalair. Don’t tell me you didn’t. Not with those burns on your boots, and pant legs. And that feather in you pack, that’s from a dragonbird, and they only nest near sources of heat. You completed the three tasks. That makes you a warrior. So, we are gonna throw you a warrior’s party.”

The door opened, and Dahli’s jaw dropped as in walked Raski Jervyas and Straif Mannechek. She had seen Straif numerous times on the visual, but she hadn’t realized how young he was. He planted himself beside her and picked up a glass.

“It’s warm!” he complained.

“Shut up, brat,” said Harli as Draephus planted a fresh glass in front of Dahli, one so cold she could almost hear it crackling. “We don’t take clart from no under-aged smugglers in this house. Dahli this is Straif. He’s just a fluffy little pretty boy now, but back when the war was on he used to smuggle messages from one base to the next in Avalair.”

Dahli cleared her throat. “Heia.”

“Heia,” he said back, and grinned. “Let me guess. You know who I am and have none of my albums.”

“Something like that,” said Dahli.

He nodded. “I thought so.”

“Because Vortex stinks,” said Raski, seating himself at the table.

“They don’t stink,” said Dahli. “They cause cavities. It’s like candy-covered vomit, there’s no way of telling what part will rot your teeth faster.” Then she looked at Straif. He was pretty and slender, with a long curling mane of thick dark brown hair, and soft sea-green eyes, masked in a soft line of black. He was so… damned… lovely. How could anything that beautiful be in Vortex?

“Sorry,” she said.

“It’s all right,” he said. “I don’t mind. We are pretty…”

“Vile.”

“Yes.”

“It’s a šukating tragedy is what it is,” said Raski, “The kid’s a decorated veteran and he ends up with those snot-nosed groutnolls.”

Draephus brought the remaining glasses to the table and seated himself beside Dahli. He picked up one of the round candies and showed it to her.

“Now pay very close attention, Fearless, because after two drinks none of us will be in any shape to explain it a third time.”

“None for me,” said Straif. “I’m pregnant.”

Dahli turned abruptly to look at the pretty young male in his long frock coat and thigh-high boots.

“’Scuse me?” she said.

“Yeah what she said,” Raski said.

“I’m pregnant,” said Straif. “Three weeks.”

“You’re seventeen!” said Draephus. “Who gave you an implant?”

“Dr. Arang. Look, I am a veteran, young as I am, I don’t need to remind you two that I was ten when I was running messages back and forth through the air vents beneath Kyphisian bases, I don’t wear this black face paint for fashion; that’s what it means, that I did covert work. I also have A2-78, which means if I want a family then I have to do it now, I won’t be in any shape to do it when I’m older. If you want to scream at me for being too young to start a family then go call the Kyphisians, I’m sure they’ll be very sympathetic.”

“You’re right,” said Raski, “I’m sorry. But… clart, Straif…”

“So who is the father?” asked Draephus.

“I’m not telling you, I know you, I’m not having you put him in the hospital.”

“I won’t hurt him, I promise,” said Draephus. “Really. Honest. Okay I won’t hurt him badly, just tell me it’s not one of those pukes in your band.”

“Oh, no, don’t be ghastly.”

“Then who?”

Straif looked extremely pleased with himself. “My’shlyin Achania.”

Raski, Draephus and Harli sat back in their chairs, jaws hanging. There was a long, stunned silence, then Raski screamed with approval and clapped.

“Bravo, kid!”

“Who is he?” asked Dahli.

“My’shlyin Achania is without a doubt one of the finest musicians in existence,” said Raski. “The reason you never heard of him is he won’t come out of the Cylinder’s mushroom dens, he’s not quite ready to believe the war is over. He’s also one of the greatest fighter pilots I ever flew with and he is absolutely beautiful. Bravo, Straif, well done. Does he know?”

Straif shrugged. “I have no idea. I went up to him after a show and told him I was ovulating and he said fine. We went to his place and I spent the night, haven’t seen him since.”

Draephus shook his head and grinned, making that strange laugh that sounded more like a cough than anything. “Straif you are unbelievable.”

“Well I wanted a baby not a boyfriend; I’m really not all that interested in men to tell you the truth, I just don’t have very many options. I’ll tell him next time I go see him play.” He looked at Dahli with playful green eyes. “Would you like to come with me?”

“Go with you to a covert mushroom den in the base of the Cylinder?” she asked, not quite believing what she had just heard.

Straif nodded. “Yeah.”

Dahli raised an eyebrow and thought about that. She had just been asked out by Straif Mannechek. It was almost more than her brain could take.

“Sure!” she said.

“Not without me you’re not,” said Draephus, and Dahli did not miss the way he seemed to exude both jealously and protectiveness. She grinned at him.

“Awwww… you’re so sweet.”

“Šukat you,” he muttered, but he was grinning. “Okay, now, on to business. We gotta get these frogs made before the glasses get too warm.”

***---***

It was not until evening of the next day that they were in any shape to leave. Raski and Straif departed together, heading back to Second City. Dahli put her few things in the gleaming black vehicle, then she turned to sadly wave at Harli on the porch. They had been reluctantly saying farewell all day.

"Take care," she said quietly.

"Yeah you too. Call me, or I'll come looking for you."

Dahli laughed. "Yes I believe you would."

“You come visit.”

Dahli did some mental calculations. “Tell the chickens I’ll be back to see you and them in six weeks.”

Harli nodded. “You better. Them chickens can get real ugly when people don’t come by.”

She ran onto the porch and hugged him fiercely, knowing she was going to miss Harli a great deal. She then returned to the air-con. She eyed the expensive vehicle, looking at it as though her mere presence could scratch the shining finish. She glanced up at Draephus.

"After what I did to your last vehicle I can't believe you came to get me in this. Actually I can't believe you came to get me."

He shrugged, looking uncomfortable, smiling slightly. "Yeah, well, I had a motive for driving this con."

"Which was?"

"If you get angry at me and trash it I don't have to care because it's not mine."

Dahli laughed, and the two got into the vehicle. She turned to Draephus, watching him as he started the con.

"On the subject of me getting angry at you..."

"You'd like an explanation for why I exploded that night.”

"Yes. I think I am at least owed that."

Draephus pushed up on the throttle, and the con levitated. As they started to move, he said; "I'll tell you later, okay?"

Dahli nodded. "Okay." She smiled at him. "Thanks for coming to get me."

"Yeah well it was the least I could do after ruining your life."

"Oh quit taking credit, I did it all by myself and you know it. Who is this Grey Boy friend of yours? Why does he want to meet me?"

"He's rather impressed with your stand on Faylans. He would like to see things made better for them as well."

She shook her head. "If someone told me a year ago I'd be driving with you to visit a friend of yours who wanted to meet me, I would have fallen down laughing."

"Why? Doesn't anyone think I have friends?"

"That's not it and you know it."

Draephus laughed quietly, lighting a cigarette. Dahli waited for him to light it, then took it and put it in her own mouth. He sighed resignedly and lit another. He gave her a sidelong glance, looking amused.

"It's good to see you again, Fearless," he said.

***---***

Dahli stood nervously next to Draephus as he slid the electronic key into the door, opening it. She stayed close behind him as the door slid open, and she saw the blue apartment before her. There, poised within the room, was probably the single most beautiful individual she had ever seen. Despite the fact that there were black stitches visible beneath the white bandage across his upper face, she could tell he was beautiful. She thought perhaps it was the air of nobility he possessed, the regal demeanour with which he faced the door. He was very tall, well built, and he carried himself with quiet elegance. He looked more like an Emperor than Stratavarus ever could.

"Draephus?" he asked nervously.

"Hi Gia, it's me." Draephus motioned for Dahli to follow him into the room. She walked after him, closing the door behind herself. Draephus tossed his ratted long coat onto a delicate carved chair. "Gia, this is Dahli."

"Heia," said Dahli shyly.

Gia turned toward the sound of her voice and bowed slightly, his great mane of silver hair falling forward. "I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, won't you please have a seat? Donsa CZimcocious has gone into the kitchen to look for his lost manners, I believe."

"What?" yelled Draephus from the kitchen, obviously with his mouth full.

Dahli set her bag and quinticord down, sitting on a chair carefully, a little afraid it would break beneath her. Gia sat across from her, crossing his long legs. A huge black hawk hopped from a perch near the window and onto the chair he sat on, making him even more impressive than he already was.

Dahli found herself staring at the blind man as though he was a large and very appealing piece of candy. For the first time in her life she found herself thinking about what he would look like naked. She was pleasantly imagining what it would feel like to run her hand over the soft, gleaming fabric covering his stomach, when he spoke and ruined her daydream.

"I've been following your adventures on the receiver. You've been through quite a lot."

Dahli's eyes roamed up his long legs. "Yeah I guess I have. I haven't really had much of a chance to think about it yet. It will probably all sink in after I get home and things are quieter."

She thought about home, and forgot about how beautiful the man before her was. She didn't know if she wanted to go home. She didn't know if she wanted to talk about anything that had occurred to her with Teirra and Atterick. She wanted the entire time she had been in the Centre to fall into a large hole and vanish. Dahli abruptly felt very old, tired and sad, and she sighed heavily, shakily.

Gia cocked his head, listening. "Donselle?"

"Oh I was just thinking about the Centre. Sorry."

He smiled, very gently, and then he was pretty again. "Don't concern yourself. Let's see if we can't get Donsa CZimcocious to bring us the wine, na?"

The three sat and drank together for a few hours, talking with greater ease than Dahli would have thought possible. She was secretly pleased when Draephus thumped himself into the seat beside her, and she took advantage of his proximity to lean against him. He didn't seem to mind, and this also pleased her. She thought she could probably get used to this.

The topics ranged far and wide, starting with Faylans, moving over to the Revolution, and getting stuck on what types of biscuits went well with tea before realising that was a pointless topic and going over to music. Dahli admitted that, although her heart belonged to the Mortified Gryphons, she was also quite fond of Anazampini and J'Vanni Dei Syncopius. The last admission seemed to amuse Gia to no end, and Dahli said, slightly defensively, that although a lot of people she knew seemed to regard him as downright strange, she thought he was wonderful. This seemed to amuse the pale man even more.

"What's your favourite composition?" he asked.

"Well I really like 'Some People Who Haven't Deserve To,'" Dahli said, then paused, smiling, "but my absolute favourite is ' Epitaph on a Small Insect That I Accidentally Stepped On.'"

He roared with laughter. "Oh you can't be serious."

"Why not?"

"It's awful, it's complete nonsense. Any resemblance between that and actual music is imaginary."

"Well I like it."

He laughed softly, shaking his head. "Oh that has to be the most amusing thing I have heard in days." He rose shakily to his feet. "Now I'm afraid I have to take a nap, this has all been rather much for me. Will you stay for dinner?"

Dahli was a little annoyed with him laughing at J'Vanni Dei Syncopius, but she still liked him.

"Sure." she said. "Thank you."

He nodded, then turned and headed off down the hallway to his room, still chuckling. Dahli watched him go, then looked up at Draephus.

"Well, glad he's amused. I like him. What happened to his face? That looks pretty recent."

Draephus looked at her, then said; "That's kind of a touchy subject. Basically what happened was some fringe group found out that he was Kyphisian and shot him. Fortunately they just grazed him, if that's the word. Night Stalkers do a lot of damage. He's lost his sight, and the doctors told him he would be permanently scarred, but I don't think he knows how bad it is." Draephus sipped at his wine, falling silent, looking distant and tortured, as if he was holding something back. Dahli leaned forward, reaching a hand out to him.

"Are you all right?" she asked softly, touching his arm.

Draephus almost broke; Dahli could virtually see the crack opening up. He glanced away from her, shaking. He gained his composure, then said softly, "It's just that a lot has been going on, and as much as I'd like to tell you about it, I can't, I'm sorry. Let's just say I'm here to keep Gia company because he's going through a very hard time, and it affects me, too." Then he turned to look at Dahli and smiled, reaching out to put his large, scarred hand over hers. "But I'm really glad you're back."

There was an uncomfortable silence, and Dahli was suddenly very aware of how close Draephus was, and how blue his eyes were. She suddenly found him attractive, but not in the same way she had his pretty friend, nor in ways she had previously. He had suddenly become human, and a warm comfort replaced the tension. The man before her had just become her friend.

***---***

The evening cruised by slowly. Dahli ended up falling asleep on the couch for a few hours, and Draephus took advantage of the lull to entertain himself in J'Vanni's home studio. Many of the instruments in it were the inventions of either Delaes or J'Vanni, and Draephus wanted a chance to play with all of them before he had to leave. He was amusing himself by running a quinticord through the reverb on the millitron when he heard the door open and J'Vanni stood before him.

"Having fun?" he asked dryly.

Draephus grinned sheepishly, setting down the quinticord. "Yeah, actually, I was. You know, you really should perform live. Now that you... well, I mean the only way to tell you're Kyphisian is by your eye colour."

"And now that I don't have eyes I should tour, is that it?"

"That's not what I meant. You make incredible music, and all on these instruments that you made. It could be wonderful."

"Oh don't be ridiculous, Draephus, I'm no show man." J'Vanni walked forward cautiously, reaching the millitron and resting him hands on the gleaming black surface. He gently played a few notes.

"I'll bet you could be incredible," said Draephus.

J'Vanni snorted. "That's ridiculous. What would I do, tie myself up in a black sack and roll about on stage, shrieking? Ridiculous. Let's have dinner, shall we?"

Draephus grinned and followed J'Vanni out of the studio. "You don't have to do anything spectacular..."

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning I think the type of people who listen to you probably wouldn't want to see you roll around in a sack."

"Good, because I most likely would not do it without coercion. Delaes on the other hand..." Then J'Vanni paused and fell silent. Draephus stopped next to him, watching the Kyphisian as his thoughts went out to his missing lover. "Do you think he's all right, Draephus?"

"He'll be fine," said Draephus, trying to reassure him.

J'Vanni shook his head, then sighed. "I love him, Draephus. I want him to come home. Well, take me to the living room, I shall keep the Donselle company while you make dinner."

"Have a fondness for burned kaisa, do you?"

"Not especially, no. Perhaps we will make other arrangements for dinner." J'Vanni extended his arm for Draephus to lead him.

Dahli was sitting on the edge of the couch with a bad taste in her mouth when the two walked into the living room. She gave Draephus a bleary smile.

"I guess I was tired," she said. "How long was I out?"

"A couple hours," he said.

J'Vanni sat down on the couch next to her as Draephus sat on the floor and lit a cigarette. J'Vanni's hawk landed next to his master, sidling closer to gently pluck at the long silver hair. Dahli cautiously touched the feathery, golden brown back. The bird turned to look at her, staring at her with the cold eyes of his kind, but he did not seem to object. Then he stepped regally over to her and put his head down for her to rub the back of his neck.

"Well you're friendly, aren't you?" she said, smiling. She rubbed the back of the bird's head, wondering how much damage he could do with his huge, hooked beak and claws.

"He's very friendly," said J'Vanni. "And very good company. I spent endless days teaching him to speak, but unfortunately the only word he learned was `yuck.' He uses it appropriately."

The huge bird stepped onto Dahli's arm, ruffling its feathers. "What's his name?"

"Piska, but we call him ‘Picky’.” J'Vanni reached out to touch the large bird. "Now the interesting thing about Picky is he is the biggest problem with your theory about Faylans."

Dahli's attention snapped to the man next to her, and Draephus, recognising the weird gleam in her green eyes, decided this was a good time to leave the room.

"Would you care to expound on that?" she said.

"Certainly. Now at the risk of having you hurt me, and I have heard about what you did to Donsa CZimcocious, I can assure you that Faylans are not human."

Predictably, Dahli went off like a rocket. "THAT IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING I KEEP HEARING! OF COURSE THEY'RE HUMAN, IT WAS THE GREY BOYS WHO KEPT SAYING THEY AREN'T."

"Assuming for one moment the 'Grey Boys' may have been right, and assuming you will stop shouting at me long enough to listen to me..."

Dahli closed her mouth and listened. Gia continued.

"Faylans are not human. They are Faylans. They are a distinct race unto themselves, found nowhere else in all the discovered planets. Now let's look at Picky. Is he human?"

Dahli looked at the bird and smiled. "No."

"Would you hurt him?"

"No, of course not. He's a living creature, he has feelings."

"And that is where your feelings about Faylans become confused. We should not be worrying about the Faylans because they are like us. We should worry about them because they are alive."

Dahli glanced up at him, blinking. She stared at him for a long moment, then said; "I didn’t think of it like that."

He reached out and put a hand on her arm. "We should not only concern ourselves with creatures that fit into our ideas about ourselves. The fact that a creature is alive is enough to give it respect. Once the...'Grey Boys'... knew this too, but things change, sometimes for the worst. They are more to be pitied than despised. They will have to sit on their planet and wonder where their plans went wrong, and they will most likely never learn why, even though they once knew the answer." J'Vanni shook his head, then sighed. "Anyway, enough said. What shall we eat?"

***---***

Dahli and Draephus departed after dinner, leaving J'Vanni to himself for a while. Draephus promised to return soon, then as they entered the lift he mumbled, "He ought to just hire someone to look after him for a while."

"Why doesn't he?" asked Dahli.

"He's afraid to have anyone in his house he doesn't know, at least if he's by himself. Gia hasn't been out of that apartment for five years. If he wasn't friends with Delaes he would never even have made a recording..." Draephus stopped and went pale. Dahli leaned closer and peered at him, eyes narrowing.

"Oops," said Draephus, feeling her eyes on him. "Cold in here, isn't it? Wow this lift takes a long time to get to the lobby."

"A recording? That man has a cylinder out, and he hasn't been out of his home in five years? Gee let's see if I can figure this out. Could his full name be J'Vanni Dei Syncopius?"

Draephus gazed at her sidelong. "You're not going to hurt me, are you?"

"You let me make a complete fool of myself in there!" She whacked him on the arm. "No wonder he started laughing when I said I liked his music. At least I liked him, can you imagine if I thought his music stunk? Draephus how could you?" She whacked him again.

"OW! Leave me alone, will you? He wanted to meet you and I thought you might be more willing to just talk if you didn't know who he was."

"You should know better. I was perfectly willing to beat you up and I knew FULL WELL who YOU were." She whacked him again.

"Okay, that's it." Draephus grabbed her and slung her over his shoulder. "If you're going to act like a delinquent, I'll treat you like one."

Dahli just hung there for a moment, stunned. "Put me down or I'll brain you."

"Won't be the first time." The lift doors opened, and he stepped out, still with her over his shoulder.

Dahli thought about his words, then snorted. Instead of fighting with him, she dug through his pocket for his cigarettes, managing to light one in her inverted position.

Draephus carried her to the air-con and gently dumped her into the front seat, quinticord and all, then walked around to the driver's side. He got in and started the silent engine, the only indication of its presence being a soft vibration. He pulled back the throttle, and the vehicle lifted, turning silently before heading down the broken streets of Avalair. Occasionally as they drove they would see a figure dart off into the darkness of the city. Dahli didn't pay them any heed, but Draephus noticed them all, glancing at them in hopes of seeing one in particular.

They quickly left Avalair behind; soon the air-con had descended the boat launch near the Hydrotrans and was driving across the channel towards Second City. They moved quickly over the black water, suspended in the perfect Sferkkaan night between the two tiny points of light which were the cities as though they were in a tiny space ship, heading for regions unknown. Indeed the city they were now going to did indeed have an unfamiliar feel to it to Dahli, and she felt a little as though she could never face Atterick and Teirra ever again. She did not want to discuss the Centre, then or ever. She just wanted to forget about it.

She was brought out of her revelations by the slowing of the air-con, and she glanced at Draephus as he throttled down the vehicle, stopping it above the calm surface of the channel water. The phosphorous green light of the control panel gave him a strange, other-worldly appearance, and she stared at him questioningly as he turned to look at her. She half-wondered if he was going to toss her into the water.

"You asked me why I blew up that night," he said.

Dahli turned in her seat to look at him. "Yes, I did."

He reached out to turn off the receiver. Silence filled the near-dark air-con, and Dahli could feel the gentle rolling of the water beneath the con. Draephus lit a cigarette, looking thoughtful. He reached out to idly pick at the metal frame of the receiver.

"I want to say that I didn't set out to target you. I would have gotten somebody that night; unfortunately you just happened to be the one." There was more silence, and Dahli waited. Finally he spoke again. "Every time something goes wrong in my life, I try to fix it by making as many people miserable as possible. I get drunk, and I get into fights. It's not that I think this is a particularly effective way of dealing with my problems; it just seems to be something I do. Days before I ran into you, the man I live with, Vesper, told me that the virus he has in his heart has become active, meaning, he's going to die. Anyway, he wanted to see the South Continent before he died. So I kissed him goodbye, smiled and waved as he got on an aircraft for the South Continent, and the moment he was out of sight I went right to the Cylinder. Started my evening by running my con into a pillar. Then I got drunk, got beat up, picked up, rolled, beat up again, found my way into some filth-pit of a bar where I ended up playing all night with cracked ribs for drinks. I crawled home a couple days later, just in time to make my appearance on the Astellis Monct Show, which I believe you saw."

Dahli's mind flashed back to the programme. "Yeah I did." she said softly. He smiled a little.

"I thought I had worked all the worst of it out of my system, but I guess I hadn't. Anyway, a few nights later, when you and I went out to get my con..." He fell silent, looking thoughtful. He drew on his cigarette, exhaling clouds of smoke, which turned eerie green in the light. He tapped the ashes onto the floor, then, remembering Gia's dire threats should he do just that, he began picking the ashes up. Finally Dahli spoke.

"I'm sorry about Vesper." she said quietly.

Draephus was quiet for a time longer, then shook himself as though coming out of a dream. He started the air-con up again. "Ready to go home?"

She nodded, and turned on the receiver. The Mortified Gryphons came blasting out. Draephus promptly turned off the device.

"Hey that's my favourite song!" Dahli protested.

"I'm not listening to myself going across the channel. Dahli!" he yelled as she turned it back on again. He grabbed for the receiver, and Dahli latched onto his arm.

"Come on, have a heart. I have forty-two Mortified Gryphon cylinders at home and I haven't heard any of them in over six months."

"Forty-two? Where did you get forty-two? Why would you WANT forty-two? Turn off that band now!"

"Make me, old man."

"That's it, you're in the channel now."

The air-con bobbed and rocked over the channel, the music stopping and starting, echoing off into the darkness and carrying for miles over the smooth water.

Disclaimer:

All original fiction and the characters, places and situations with them are copyright Alyx Shaw, and may not be published, copied, distributed or archived without the author's prior written consent.

The characters, places and situations described in these stories are fictional unless otherwise stated in the story headings.

(C) 2008 Alyx Shaw