KINSMAN’S OATH By Susan Krinard

More applause. “Is it enough, Aho’Va?” he asked Cynara. She nodded and tapped his shoulder to indicate that he should sit. The others sat as well. Serving crew entered the mess with trays and food, the smells overwhelming in their alien savor.

Conversation broke out immediately, no polite silence maintained during the meal. Ronan concealed his distaste. The food laid out before him was identical to that of the others—fish, a root vegetable, and risen bread. Shaauri, too, were omnivores, but they served meat and vegetable dishes separately. He had not yet become accustomed to the odd feel of human utensils in his hands.

“This is the first time you’ve sat down to eat with the crew,” Cynara said, breaking off a piece of bread. “Does it feel strange? Are shaauri customs similar?”

“They are not so different, Aho’Va. But I seldom took meals with the shaauri.”

“I see.” She smothered her bread with a white substance and took a bite, eyes narrowing in pleasure. “This is the one part of the ship where all are equal, regardless of rank or social position.” She glanced about the table. “Some of my officers you’ve met. Let me introduce the rest. Charts Antoniou, chief engineer.”

The tall woman two seats away from Cynara nodded, chewing vigorously on her vegetables. She was well curved and padded in her shipsuit, her pale hair like a cap cut close to her skull. Only her hands were delicate, nails precisely trimmed at the ends of long, agile fingers.

“Ser Ronan,” she said, swallowing. “Pleasure. Take it you’ve never been to Persephone.”

“Your home, An Charis?”

“Aye.” She cocked her head. “What’s this ‘an’?”

“A prefix indicating profession,” Cynara said.

“Anki—body,” Ronan explained. An’laik’in. You would say… those who work with hands, though it is a poor definition.”

“Fair enough.” She took a sip of her beverage, a sort of weak arao that Ronan found extremely bland. “When you lived in shaauri territory, did you ever hear of Lady Kori Galatea Challinor and her consort, Jonas Kane VelArhan?”

Arhan. Ronan grew alert, studying Charis with greater attention. “I have heard the Line name,” he said. “He is Kinsman?”

“Was. Lady Kori was second heir to the throne of Persephone. She and Kane tried to stop the Kinsman Rebellion—almost managed it, too. They vanished on a diplomatic mission to the shaauri just before the Second War. The Concordat received reports that they’d been killed by antihuman shaauri, along with their second son.”

Ronan’s bread grew bitter on his tongue. “The shaauri are killers,” he said. “It is their way.”

“I wondered if you’d heard of them, raised as you were. The Lady’s son might be your age now, if he’d lived.”

“I knew no other human children,” he said. “I was taken on a raid by be’laik’i, wanderers. The Kalevii chose not to kill me.”

“Hell of a way to live. Pardon, Captain.”

Cynara stared at Ronan. “You’ve finally remembered how you came to Aitu?”

Ronan realized at once that he had slipped and must be more careful. “Yes, Captain,” he said. “Some memories have begun to return.”

“Excellent.” She leaned back in her seat and addressed the crew. “We have much to learn from Ronan, and he is eager to learn from all of us.”

Ronan caught the gazes of the other officers, including Lizbet. She ducked her head and blushed as a shaaurin might flatten her ears. “I also wish to learn,” he said.

Movement from the far side of the mess caught his eye. Janek took his seat in the empty place beside the captain.

“Apologies for my tardiness, Captain D’Accorso,” he said. A server brought him a meal, and he picked at it while he cast glances at Ronan. “Have I missed an interesting discussion?”

“Obviously not as interesting as whatever kept you from the captain’s table,” Kord said. His voice bared his teeth, as the shaauri saying went. “You might have missed your seat if Scholar-Commander Adumbe had been able to attend.”

“Because our honored guest is in mine?” Janek said, downing his beverage in one draft. “In that case I’d have to take, your place, Ser O’Deira. Or do you wish to duel for it?”

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