science advisor breathed from where he stood, a disconcertingly short distance away. He had inched forward during the discussion, the scent of the male unmated.
Rhyst bristled, a growl rising in his throat that had the male scurrying back a few steps to a polite distance.
“Thank you. You may go now,” Fa’suh interrupted before the tension rose any further in the room.
Bobbing his head in acquiescence, the advisor hurried from the room, giving Rhyst the space to calm himself before facing the king and returning to the matter at hand.
“Now about the matter on which you wished to speak, you said it was regarding the humans. May I ask why you didn’t just inquire of the information from Vash?” Fa’suh asked in his usual direct matter.
Rhyst shifted his weight in frustration. “I asked him, but he refused to give me any details due to the fact that I am not assigned to scouting at this time. Despite my mate’s reasonable concerns, he would make no accommodation to assuage them.”
The king’s brow dipped in a frown. “I see.” Leaning forward, he touched his finger to the large orb attached to the end of the armrest at ready access. Peering into his uplink, Fa’suh’s frown deepened. At last, he slammed his hand on his arm rest, tapping the orb once more to transmit. “Please locate Vash on the grounds and send him to me directly!” he growled to his attendant at the other end.
As the link terminated, he pinned Rhyst with a solemn look. He said nothing, but his expression was grave. Rhyst could feel Cha’lii’s eyes on him, looking between them curiously, but she did not speak. They waited there in silence until finally the doors slid open, admitting Vash.
The elder strode in, his faded eyes darting to Rhyst as he approached the king. Inclining his head respectfully, he muttered, “My king?”
Fa’suh sat back in his throne, his mouth downturned in a grim line. “Can you tell me why, Vash, I have no access to the aerial droids that were supposed to accompany the a’sankhii assigned to gathering further information on the humans?”
The elder a’sankh advisor froze, his tail dropping against the back of his rear legs. His words, when they came, were spoken with care. “Fa’suh, I know that you wished for droids to be on hand, but the a’sankhii have never used them while scouting. It is not our way. I am sure that the males are fulfilling their tasks as usual.”
“Then why do I have nothing at all? I do not see a transport being issued to move the assigned males into the area, nor have any returned with information for me in place of transmitting through the droid.”
Vash’s decision to not send the droids, despite orders, was strange but typical of the traditionalist, as would be the refusal to use transport or allocating a contingent in one area. Typically, the scouting team would be scattered throughout the territory. Males made their own way over the space where they could best observe any activity within their vicinity. A traditional male would not even bother with breaking from the regular pattern.
A growl rose in Rhyst’s throat as the realization came to him. “You did not send them,” he hissed.
Vash shot him a contemptuous glare. “I sent a male on the route that covers that segment of our border with express orders to continue the task of gathering information. This is the way of the a’sankhii, and has been for generations. These methods work to keep our city safe.”
“So, you proceeded as you wished rather than following my orders,” the king broke in coolly.
“Fa’suh, you are a young king yet. I do not think you appreciate—”
“Silence!” Fa’suh barked as he rose from his throne. “I may have acquired leadership sooner than what is usual, following the untimely death of my sire. However, I am still king, and I expect my orders to be carried out.”
“Your sire would have seen the wisdom in my decision,” Vash objected. “You are allowing this disgusting human’s presence among us to sway your thinking from the ways that have served our people for generations. First you allow a’sankhii to mate, and now we are breaking with the time-honored methods, all to satisfy this female’s concerns for her people when we should be allowing them to die out on the sand plains and keep our borders protected from them. If I had my way, that female would be cast back into the sand plains to join them!