Melinoe Ch. 11-15

Vika nodded, "So I see... I am now curious about our spouses."

"Oh, that is a good question..." Astrid smiled, then rotated the limb, setting up for the next bundle.

They both pondered that for a while.

A Hand of Agatha wandered in, "Hello, how is it coming Astrid?"

"Very well... I might get this done in an hour or so." The Engineer responded, talking while concentrating on the minute connections.

"What is your fantasy class, Agatha?" Vika asked, her cobalt-blue eyes peered curiously.

Agatha smiled, "I actually really liked 'Magical Cat-girl'.

Astrid made a soft giggle, "Ultimate multi-class."

"I am a Rogue-Shaman." Vika announced, smiling softly.

Agatha nodded in understanding, "You are very sneaky... and your prescience is covered by shaman very nicely.

"I think shaman also makes your dreads absolutely essential." Astrid muttered under her breath.

Vika smiled proudly, "Cha'Vika Firehair."

"Ooooh..." Agatha's eyes dilated, "That is so powerful."

Astrid sat back a moment and looked into thin air. "Astriwyn Highgrove."

Agatha blinked, "So beautiful!"

Vika tilted her head peering at her pale-skinned mate.

Agatha bit her lip, "I'm going to stay with Agatha or Una... O'Neira."

Vika nodded, "I honestly don't think anything would fit you better."

Agatha and Vika watched Astrid work for a bit.

Astrid muttered quietly, "Joon is a Cleric-Bard, multi-class"

Both Vika and Agatha nodded in agreement, seeing the logic in both of those aspects.

"Who would she choose as a God to be a cleric of?" Agatha asked.

Astrid sat up and looked at Agatha, "If there is a Goddess of diplomacy?"

"That would fall under one of the spheres of influence of Athena," Agatha replied.

Then Agatha Quoted: Athena (or Athene) is the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, knowledge, intelligence, reason, strategic warfare, diplomacy, commerce, weaving, crafts and cities.

Astrid blinked, "Wow, yea, spot on!"

"What about Max?" Agatha asked softly.

"Hmmm... I guess Commando isn't exactly fantasy." Astrid postulated.

Vika raised her chin, "Warrior."

Astrid glanced at Vika; her eyes held total certainty.

Vika explained her logic, "Max is a Commando, Archer, Knight, and Captain."

"All of those classes are from warrior." She concluded.

Agatha and Astrid glanced at each other.

"Max is already all of those things." Agatha agreed.

Astrid added, "And she does them all quite well."

Vika reiterated with a nod, "Warrior."

Astrid returned to her meticulous work.

Agatha nodded, "We will be going over for dinner in about an hour."

"I should be done by then," Astrid said, "Maybe even a little sooner."

Astrid smiled, "I now have some great cosplay ideas for my beautiful wives."

Vika smirked, then winked at Agatha.

0o0

Max wore her midnight black uniform; it was definitely her new favorite.

Joon wanted to be nice and comfortable, Mahogany skirt, forest-green jumper, matching socks, and her fav chunky trainers.

Vika opted for scruffy, denim shorts, grey tank top, and blue and black plaid flannel that Max just gave her after so many borrowings.

Astrid wore her most comfortable Skirt-suit, the dark grey, with a nice fluffy dove grey blouse under her conservative jacket.

Samira was at a loss... "Should I go dressed in BDU's?

Joon smirked, "Hmmm." She pulled out some of her skirts and blouses. "I think you'd look good in Ecru..." Joon showed Samira a skirt and blouse.

Samara's eyebrows raised. "It's beautiful," Samira smiled broadly.

Joon smirked, "I would like to see you in this, my wife..."

Samira curtsied gracefully, "Yes, M'lady."

Joon smiled as she glanced at Astrid who winked in return.

"Ambassador Zess has just returned home, and it feels like she has her sisters with her." Agatha dutifully reported.

Joon leveled her gaze at Agatha, "Please message her 'Welcome home' and launch Operation: Pizza Party.

Agatha beamed a smile and curtsied, "Yes, Mistress... Operation: Pizza Party is initiated.

Max and Joon shared a smile. The Day crew exited the CQ half went to the galley. Four Hands of Agatha had polymer crates at the ready. Ten deep dish pizza pans filled with dough were stacked into one polymer crate. Various ingredients filled three, the last had bottles of juice and soft drinks. Max, Vika and Samira, along with Agatha's two Hands, carried the crates.

They met Astrid and Joon at the lowering cargo ramp. The day crew of the Deirdre carefully descended the ornately carved stairwell. Samira's new hooves were able to navigate the steps without issue and soon the crew arrived at the landing of the Ambassador's suite.

The door was opened by a Dauzakai they had not met yet.

"Hello." Joon greeted her.

"Greetingss and ssalutationss honored guesstss." The stranger welcomed. She gave a reptilian smile, "My name is Vess, I am the Ambassador'ss ssisster."

Joon beamed a smile.

"Pleasse come in, Zess is changing into ssomething comfortable, sshe sayss 'make yoursselvess at home'." Vess bid them. She led them through the foyer, Joon stayed right next to her, and she noticed she could see little subtle differences between Vess and her sister. Zess's sisters lack of the number of obvious cybernetics was the first obvious one.

The crew members carrying crates went straight to the kitchen where Agatha immediately went to work. Vess led Joon and Astrid into the living room and down into the sofa pit.

'Sshe will be out in a few minutess, may I offer you a drink?" Vess smiled. Vess was wearing a plain but well-made light green belted linen tunic with pouches. She wore dark green canvas capris under her tunic.

"No thank you, I am curious about you, fair lady." Joon smiled.

Vess smiled, "I am more than happy to ansswer any quesstionss."

"What does a sister of the Dauzakai Ambassador do?" Joon peered curiously.

"Oh... Our family runss a farmsstead in the north country." Vess responded. "We are sso proud of Zess, sshe iss a marvel."

Joon nodded, "She is very gifted." Joon observed Vess lacked the conversational acumen Zess possessed. "Please, I am most interested: would you be so kind as to tell me about your farm?" Joon requested.

Vess beamed in delight and went into a detailed description of the Samava Steading.

Joon listened intently: Zess was raised, supported and encouraged by a truly dedicated family. Vess abruptly ended her fascinating oration as Zess emerged from the bedrooms.

"Ah... there we go, I'm out of thosse sstuffy robess." Zess smiled. Zess wore a light diaphanous pastel blue silk house dress, it looked very comfortable.

Joon stood and gave her a hug.

"I am ssorry I didn't greet you at the door, I honesstly don't know the protocols of a guesst making dinner for the hosst." Zess smiled.

"I think we can make up our own." Joon giggled.

Two other Dauzakai had also joined her from bedrooms. One of the two Dauzakai had a huge housecat sized mantis-like insect clinging to her shoulder. Zess smiled, "Allow me to introduce, my ssissterss Ness and Less with Tizzi. The two Dauzakai smiled and bowed to Joon, they too had far fewer obvious cybernetics than the Ambassador.

"Oh, goodness." Joon said, "The bowing isn't necessary, I am no one important." Joon walked up to them and offered her hand. They both beamed a smile and took the offered hand.

"Thiss iss Joon'ss wife Asstrid." Zess introduced the tall blonde engineer.

Astrid offered her hand to Ness and then Less before she got a good look at the insect. It had a yellow carapace with green and orange mottling. The fascinating insect had a surprisingly large head with massive compound eyes. It resembled a cross between a mantis and a dragonfly. Astrid immediately asked about it.

Zess smiled broadly, "Less is our family's Chazi-whisperer... she hass a bond with a colossal Chazi-hive."

"I am ssure you can coax her into telling you all about her adventuress." Zess smiled at Astrid.

Less seemed slightly embarrassed.

Zess clarified, "One of the greatesst thingss Ssamava Ssteading hass added to it'ss towering reputation. And it'ss all because of Less."

Joon saw the shy Dauzakai brighten.

Ness hugged Less and smiled at her.

Everyone sat back down into the pit with Zess and Joon driving the majority of the conversation. Eventually Max emerged from the kitchen and joined them, shaking hands with Vess, Ness and Less.

Less showed how to correctly greet a Chazi, holding out two fingers and letting the Chazi 'taste' you with their antennae. Max did as she was instructed, and must have done something right, Tizzi extended it's four wings.

"Oh..." Less explained, "That is a warriorss greeting!" Less explained how to respond to that. So, Max bowed with her arms outstretched. The Chazi chittered and immediately settled down on Less' shoulder.

"Chazi are very particular who they honor ass a warrior... Though I do not know what the criteria are." Less commented, "Chazi have their own wayss, working with them like we do iss a privilege."

Zess beamed a proud smile at her shy sister. Vika walked out into the living room and immediately cuddled up with Astrid, waving hello to Zess's sisters.

They waved back.

"This is our wife Vika," Joon smiled, "She was raised in the ME, so she advises us on avoiding trouble."

Everyone giggled.

Samira emerged from the kitchen and stopped at the edge of the pit... Looking at Max and Joon with apprehension.

All eyes turned to her.

Joon stood and beamed a smile at the dusky-skinned cyborg. "Your excellency, I proudly introduce to you and your sisters, Samira Bahjat the Deirdre's Security Chief.

Zess smiled broadly, "I am delighted to meet you, finally... Thank you for trussting the ssecurity of my home to venture from your posst.

Samira bowed gracefully to the Ambassador, "Thank you for welcoming me into your home."

Joon smiled, "That's done... Samira, have a seat, show off your cybernetics, Zess was instrumental for getting them.

Samira beamed a smile, "Thank you so much, they are amazing."

Zess glanced at Max, "You really were assking for a friend." Max nodded with a smile.

"Excusse my candor, Samira." Zess commented, "Your appearance is quite different from that of any human I have met."

Samira smiled, "I appreciate your candor actually, and I appear this way on purpose, I prefer it. It has been a long ambition of mine to attain this appearance, so again, thank you so much. I must admit I screed all around the ship after receiving them." Samira smiled with genuine appreciation.

Zess blinked, "I am sso happy to have helped you... I have to ssay, your appearance iss very impresssive."

"I absolutely love it." Samira smiled.

Samira noticed the Chazi sitting on Less's shoulder.

"Oh wow, that is amazing..." Samira nodded to Less.

Less gave a shy smile, "Thank you."

A single Agatha walked out to the living room.

"Dinner should be ready in thirty minutes..." Agatha smiled.

Zess introduced Agatha to her sisters. The two groups of women chatted for a while as amazing smells started wafting by the couch pit. Ness and Vess squealed in delight at the delicious aroma.

Everyone giggled.

Vika discreetly observed Less and her Chazi from across the pit. Astrid gave Vika a soft nudge, then whispered, "Go talk to her." Vika glanced at Astrid... then got up and walked over to the other side of the couch pit. Zess and Joon watched the move... then shared a smile.

Vika sat next to Less at the end of the sisters and Less showed Vika how to greet Tizzi, her Chazi companion.

Tizzi extended its wings again.

Less looked amazed. Vika stood and bowed extending her arms out. Max and Joon exchanged a smile, then a wink.

"Another warrior." Less looked at Vika in a new light.

Tizzi settled right back down again, and Vika smiled, sitting again next to Less.

It wasn't long when Agatha announced dinner would be served.

The large group of friends now seated themselves at the impressive low dining table. They sat inter spaced, so every Dauzakai was adjacent to at least one human. As Agatha served the Deep-dish Chicago style Pizza, drinks were poured, and two large carafes of water were placed at the two ends.

Everyone started eating... Moans and half lidded eyes were the dominant reaction and there was very little conversation for quite a while.

After the table started working on their second slice of the 'Supreme', Vess said softly, "We need to make thiss on Dau."

Zess looked at her sister, "We do... Thiss iss amazing."

Ness commented, "We need to invest in stockpiling this cheese and we need to set up a commercial enterprise selling these, Pizza, you call them?"

Joon and Max nodded as they shared another smile as the conversations further developed after everyone was working on the second thick and filling slice.

It seemed Vess and Ness ran most of the day to day of the Samava Farmstead. But when they heard Zess was going to breed with Miku, they found qualified substitutes. Speculation as to how many eggs would be in the clutch, and if or how many might be what sex...

"Iss it appropriate to ssay... Male, Female... Or Both?" Asked Less.

Zess shrugged, "I haven't heard any other ssuggesstionss, we will figure it out."

The conversations rolled around the table a few times and a number of topics came up; Samira's cybernetics, Max's elevation, and Joon's aspirations for a music holo-vid for the Dauzakai. Less also volunteered to guide them in the North Country to see as much of Dau as they wished.

Zess beamed a smile, "I wass hoping you would... I told Joon I would get her the very besst guide."

Less blinked, her eyes dilated, "Thank you, ssweet ssisster."

Zess suddenly sat up straight...

Her eyes grew large...

Agatha felt a massive spike of emotion erupt from the Ambassador.

Tears welled up in her eyes and her sisters all stared at her, most everyone at the table was soon asking what was wrong.

All except Vika... who could only witness.

Zess set her jaw and said... "Miku iss misssing."