Copyright 2024 – Daemon D. Hart
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The Human Bearer
"An empath?" Riordan looked over where the two Xenolites were caught in the world only they shared at the moment. That would explain a few things, he thought, such as why Dario had been a lot more marked by an ongoing attack on Tu'lek, as opposed to Junior, who had seen it as an opportunity to show his prowess as a warrior in the making.
"Yes. It is an unheard of thing," Cario whispered. "Drato--" He stopped and pursed his lips. "He's not taking the news well. He doesn't believe that's what's happening."
Riordan had seen very little of Cario's Xeno husband from up close, so he was yet to understand the snakeman's personality. He definitely seemed more old school and was older than Xana, and that usually came with a certain rigidity in views.
"Wait, what do you mean, he's not taking it well? What's there to take? His kid is an empath. A Xeno empath. I think that's pretty big. What's Marn saying about it?"
Cario linked his hands together and looked at them for a moment as if he was trying to gather his thoughts and make sense of them. "His Royal Chancellor doesn't know about it. As far as he's concerned, Dario is on his way to become a doctor, or the equivalent of that for them. Drato believes that our leader won't take too kindly to it, either."
Riordan grimaced and rubbed his forehead, the same way he had seen Cario doing earlier. "What's his point, exactly? Being an empath is pretty much a gift, right?"
"I wish he'd see it the same way you do, Riordan," Cario said. "But, in his eyes, this is a weakness. During the attack," he said, and the words seemed to catch in his throat, "my little Dario was..."
"Scared. Junior told me, yes. If it helps, I find my own son's reaction to a full-scale battle on the ship more frightening and mindboggling compared to your son's."
Cario covered his eyes and let out a short sob. "What's going to happen to him?"
"To Dario?" Riordan asked, waiting for the confirmation.
Cario nodded. "He's going to be ostracized. I can tell. His own father--"
"His own father is a moron if he doesn't see this for the gift it is. Yeah, I'm repeating myself, but that's me, the guy with a poor vocabulary. Cario, I don't always see eye to eye with His Royal Chancellor, but I'm pretty sure he's going to see this for what it's worth. And it's worth a lot, I'm sure." As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to take them back. Yes, Marn could see potential in things that were different, but wasn't he also the sort of leader that would immediately use that to his advantage? No, he couldn't use the hurt he still felt to deny Cario the help he needed from the powers that be. He could bet Drato wouldn't be so against his son being an empath, if Marn showed the smallest sign that he was pleased with that outcome.
"Drato told me to keep it a secret from everyone."
"And yet, you're telling me about it, which is normal, because you're scared, and you should be able to confide in a friend."
"Oh, Riordan," Cario said, and his beautiful eyes swam in tears. "I love Drato, and I know that he values me, but if he knew I told you anything, I don't know what he would do. My relationship with my Xeno owner is not like yours."
"Well, your guy seems like he's from a different generation. Not that I'm saying he's a geezer or anything like that," Riordan added quickly, and put his hands up in surrender. "Come on, man, let's think a little about the situation. I know it's not easy, but you have a great head on your shoulders, and your baby's wellbeing is at stake. We don't want his daddy to behave like he can't accept him as he is, right?"
"I wish that were my only concern," Cario said in a low voice.
"What? What do you mean?" Riordan asked, feeling alarmed all of a sudden.
Cario leaned closer. His eyes were shiny with tears, and the usually self-assured and calm human bearer was gone, leaving way for a parent worried out of his wits. "They are like Spartans. They don't allow weakness in their midst."
"Um, I didn't go to school much, but weren't Spartans those guys who threw their babies off a cliff or something if they showed the slightest sign of physical deformity or something like that?" Riordan shook his head vigorously. "No, no way, we can't allow that. Cario, are you sure they'd go as far as to do that to your son? I mean, we're in space, and we don't have cliffs, but--"
Cario stopped him by placing a hand over his mouth. He seemed to listen in to something for a few moments. Riordan listened, too, but he couldn't hear anything.
"I'm sorry, I'm getting paranoid for no reason these days," Cario said while letting out a breath he must have been holding.
"I don't blame you. Now, slow down and give me all the deets. There is no way, listen to me, no way I'd let anything happen to you and your boy. And since your situation is more important to deal with right now, let me give you an abridged version of mine." He looked his friend in the eye to make sure that Cario understood him. "I saved this motherfucking ship. I had help from unlikely sources but I won't go into details right now. The big kahuna knows it, and he won't tell me `no', no matter what I ask for. And if you're put in danger in any way, if anyone does as little as touch a hair on your head or Dario's, I'm going to make some Xenos eat some real shit, you hear me?"
Cario covered his mouth and stifled a sob. Then, he threw his arms around Riordan as his body continued to shake.
"Boy, I'm glad I came here so fast," Riordan commented while patting his friend on the back in an effort to calm him down. "This isn't something for you to shoulder on your own."
He looked at the boys who were now playing like children usually did, or at least, the Xenolite version of it. There was hardly anyone else to understand Cario's anxiety more than him, because he had been mad with grief when Gamni Gafilos had kidnapped his and Xana's son.
He pressed his forehead against Cario's. "We're in this together, okay? How good are you at sending me a message if something happens? I'll go to see Marn as soon as I leave here, and I won't let the guy be until I get a proper answer for your situation. However, because I believe that your son and his newfound ability might be very precious, His Royal Chancellor is most likely to want to protect him at all costs. Are you ready for this?"
"Yes."
"Do you realize what I'm saying? Cario, I need you to be sure, or else I'll keep my mouth shut and we'll find another way."
"Yes, I understand. I'm going against my husband's wishes for the sake of our child," Cario said with a sob.
"Yeah, that's the gist of it," Riordan confirmed. "And knowing their kind, Drato won't take it kindly. I'll insist with Marn to make it so that it seems like you played no role in this. But their hive of consciousness and all that might make things difficult."
His mind was already racing with how to convince the big kahuna to protect little Dario from being looked at like some sort of freak or denied the love of his father.
"I trust you, Riordan. Please help my little one," Cario begged, his hands clasped together.
Riordan put his hands over his friend's. "You don't have to tell me twice. Now, I have to grab Junior and go see Marn. I'll have an answer for you soon, I hope."
He had to swallow his own lingering anger at His Royal Chancellor, but his promise to Cario couldn't stand any postponing. Xana had had a look on things when Junior had been kidnapping that had rattled him to his core. And now, Drato, Cario's husband, showed the same signs of not understanding basic feelings of parenthood. Did the whole ship need to be whipped into shape to get how these new children of theirs had to be raised?
"Dario was sad," Junior told him as they hurried down the hallways, taking turn after turn and drawing a few surprised looks from the others they met in their path.
"That doesn't make him less strong," Riordan said. "Even if he got scared. I would have gotten scared too during a battle on the ship," he added.
Junior seemed to ponder over his words. "But I played with him, and now he's not sad anymore."
"That's really great, baby," Riordan commended his son. "That is how friends help each other."
"You and Dario's mommy are friends."
"You're calling Cario a mommy and me a dada?" Riordan smiled.
"That's how Dario calls Cario," Junior explains. He smiled as he looked up at Riordan. "And I named you dada."
"I see. It's not only us naming you, but you naming us too. Sounds fair to me."
"Do we go back to Kyle now?" Junior asked.
"No. I'm afraid Kyle will have to wait a little."
"But he's a friend," Junior pointed out.
"I know, and you're right. Only that Cario and Dario need our help a lot more at the moment, and that's what we're doing now."
"Helping them?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"By talking to someone who can help them even more than us."
"Who?"
"Do you know who His Royal Chancellor is, baby?"
"Yes," Junior replied. "He has white hairs. And he only smiles when he sees Xenolites."
That was as good a description as any. It was true that Riordan had no idea how much of an interaction had taken place between Marn and his son, but the fact that His Royal Chancellor cared about babies in general worked to his advantage.
"We would like to see His Royal Chancellor," Riordan told the guards in front of the big kahuna's quarters. It served to be respectful since there was something he wanted, and he really hoped Marn wasn't mad about that punch and those awful words Riordan had thrown at him.
"You threw a punch, dada?" Junior whispered.
"Hey, get out of my head, you little punk," Riordan warned, also in a whisper.
"But it's good when I hear you," Junior replied.
How did that hive of multiple Xeno voices work for the younger ones? Was it confusing to them? Scary even? It was very possible Junior was searching for comfort when he listened to his parent's inner monologue.
"Okay, but don't do it all the time," Riordan said quickly as the doors opened in front of them, granting them access into His Royal Chancellor's quarters.
There was no time for Junior's reply, as Marn slid from his command chair to welcome them.
"Riordan, what a surprise."
Could it be that Marn was truly keeping his word of not reading his mind whenever he wanted?
"And young Xeus," Marn added. "May I?" He held his arms up.
"Sure," Riordan said. "If Junior doesn't mind it, of course."
"I don't," Junior said and snuck around Marn's arm as soon as the large Xeno leaned it towards the floor.
His boy was surely curious and, as any child, he had little idea of being impressed by being in such select company. Riordan couldn't help a soft sigh of relief as he witnessed Marn's face stretching into a big smile while taking in Junior from up close.
"A strong warrior. You must be very proud of him, Riordan," Marn said.
"I am."
Marn had to be exchanging a few thoughts with Junior, and Riordan examined the scene in front of his eyes, trying to gauge his son's reaction of meeting the leader of their species.
"I believe you aren't here only to show me how big Junior got," Marn said after a while. "Let me give your son something to do while we talk."
To Riordan's surprise, Marn placed Junior in his command chair, in that cockpit with many controls and holograms rushing past its transparent screen. Xenolites didn't play with toy soldiers. They were the toy soldiers. No, not even toys. They were soldiers. The thought didn't strike him as odd or frightening as before.
"Is that a good idea?"
"Don't tell me you don't trust your son," Marn said with a benign smile.
"As always, you know just what to say."
Marn looked at Junior for a moment as the Xenolite took in the information moving in front of him with curious eyes. "Don't worry. To activate our weaponry and send the ship into overdrive, there's more than just being in that chair." He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing Riordan to take in his tired face. "I have also put up a screen that doesn't let him eavesdrop on our conversation. I assume that there's something you want to talk to me in private."
"It is. It's about Drato Menor's son, Dario."
"Your wicked friend's beloved boy," Marn said with a soft scoff.
Riordan narrowed his eyes. "Wicked? What's that even supposed to mean?"
"Cario Hamen is intelligent as very few humans are. He's as intelligent as some Xenos, even."
"Okay, and how does that make him wicked?"
"He gets bored easily. I know of his little trade concerning concentrated seth."
"There was no trade. He only gave it to me to ensure my survival."
"Yes, that's true. He trades in soothing potions for bearers. Those aren't approved by us. However, his heart is in the right place, as you say on Earth. And yet he has a vein of disobedience rooted inside his soul. He's not even aware of it. He simply thinks that normal laws and rules don't apply to him. That's a dangerous attitude on a ship like Tu'lek."
"You're making my head hurt. And Cario is not some power hungry bitch, no matter what you say."
"He's not after power, that's true. That makes him even more intriguing. He has this endless hunger for learning that intrigues me."
"Because he's smart and wants to do a little more than breastfeeding. Okay, so you don't care much for him," Riordan said aggressively.
"That is far from being the truth, Riordan. I care for him. I care very much. He was seen as a target by the traitors when they put their plan in motion, because it's easy to point fingers at someone whose actions aren't always above board."
"Can you get to the point?"
"How about you make yours, Riordan? I promised you I wouldn't read your mind, so I'm waited patiently for this conversation to take its course."
Riordan pursed his lips. There was no better way to protect little Dario from being shunned, right? "What is Dario's specialization, Your Excellency? As far as you know?"
Marn frowned slightly, and it was probably only Riordan's hard stare keeping him from reading his visitor's mind as he saw fit. "As far as I know," he said, weighing every word, "he will soon train under Ferix Baserat as a specialist in both Xeno and human biology with the purpose of curing illnesses that may appear. I'm using the term illness as you understand it on Earth."
"So, a doctor," Riordan said with a shrug. "Do you guys ever get these things wrong?"
"Wrong?" Another small frown creased Marn's forehead. "We do not assign these roles, Riordan. Xenolites are born with them."
"Okay, I get it, but what if someone is not what you first thought? How do you deal with that?"
"You mean, how Xana proved an excellent fighter besides his role as a diplomat? Such things are welcome, of course. It is not widespread for a Xeno to have more than one honed ability, but it is not frowned upon, in case that's what's worrying you right now."
"Did I say I was worried?"
"Some things are easy to notice. Without any mindreading being involved," Marn pointed out.
"Okay, fair point. What about empaths?"
"Empaths? Such as Florent Kasido? They are an asset, obviously."
"What about a Xeno empath?" Riordan watched Marn's face carefully.
An eyebrow raised. "There is not such a thing."
"What if there is one now?"
Marn remained silent and continued to stare at Riordan. "Dario is the Xeno empath," he said matter-of-factly. "I didn't read your mind."
"I know. Yes, he is. What do you make of it?"
"Just because Cario Hamen says it doesn't make it true."
"Ugh, you sound like... I mean, his father is worried. And Cario is rarely wrong, right? Also, during the attack, Dario was--"
"I am well aware of that," Marn said, interrupting him. "He was the only Xenolite to cower in fear and seek refuge at his father's bearer's bosom."
"Oh, great, so you know all that. What's your take on it?"
"My take is the human influence on his evolution as an egg inside the bearer was greater than it was supposed to be."
"And?"
"And we haven't yet met such a situation. Your species' influence on ours is still a thing we're observing, Riordan."
"Okay. I know that. Hence your decision to clone my and Xana's ideas of future children." He would use anything he had to have his way because it mattered. If he needed to shame Marn and make him feel guilty, so be it.
"Little Dario, as you like calling him, is not quite the Xenolite he should be."
"Don't tell me you're going to throw him off a cliff," Riordan said, raising his voice.
The incredulous look Marn gave him confirmed that His Royal Chancellor kept his promise and wasn't reading his mind.
"What are your intentions with the boy?"
"He must continue his education as intended," Marn replied calmly. "Ferix will observe him, to see if there aren't certain imbalances in his brain chemistry to cause this to happen."
"You will not hurt him."
"No."
"But his father isn't happy with his son being like this."
"No Xeno father would be if he were to sire a Xenolite with such deficiencies."
"He's not--" Riordan started again. "You know, I thought you of all people would understand how amazing this is."
"I fail to see your point. Dario, Drato Menor's Xenolite, is not an empath, Riordan. No matter what Cario Hamen says. I understand that your friend is prone to the same fits of fear as his son, and you are asking me to put his human heart at ease."
"Not exactly. Boy, when you guys can't use your mindreading, you sure suck at this."
"What would you have me do, Riordan?" Marn crossed his arms and gave him a long hard look.
"I'm calling in all the favors you owe me for this."
"As usually, you use interesting Earthian terms. Go on."
"Make sure Drato understands that he shouldn't shun his son. Make sure that the others don't treat him like he's some goddamn black sheep or something."
"This is quite the favor, Riordan. You ask me to manipulate every single mind on this ship so that no one judges Dario for being weaker than them?"
"Not manipulate. Convince. And it's not so hard. Junior doesn't think little of his friend just because he got scared while ghosts from space were taking the ship apart."
"Are you certain about this?"
Riordan paused for a moment. "I might be as inexperienced as they come, but I think I'm raising my son well. He won't ever think of his friend any less because of such a thing."
"Very well. Put your friend's mind at ease. Dario will not be shunned in any way. And I will personally tell Drato to refrain from any public display of displeasure with his son."
"Public?"
"Not even I can command a Xeno what to think in the privacy of his mind. As an Earthian, I think you understand what I mean."
Riordan realized that he couldn't contradict Marn on this one. "I'm sure Dario is amazing in his own right, but you just don't see it. Others will see it, in time, as he grows older. His is a gift," he added. "But at least I have your word that no one would be able to treat him badly without getting punished?"
"You have my word."
"Good. Thank you."
So, he needed to work a lot more for getting Dario accepted by the others, if things stood like that. And the first step was to educate his son what different meant, and that it wasn't equal to weaker or smaller or anything of the kind. He had to agree that even Marn's power was limited in regards to what Xenos thought and felt about others. After all, not all of them liked humans, to begin with. Now, one of them was more human than the rest. Convincing them it was alright to have a Xeno so different from them would take wits and grit.
And allies. Riordan smiled as a thought crossed his mind.
tbc
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