"The Alien Companion District," Torroto responded, "It's where you aliens work to help the bonded adjust to the life with a Serrahsha by giving you a sanctuary from us when you need one. Also it's where all the good eateries for your kind are and it's a good place to go when a Serrahsha is hungry as our eating habits are disturbing to non-Serrahsha and feeding for us takes awhile."
At that point they had reached the cube and Torroto started to climb down the side, quickly reaching a platform that had three statues on it. The first she saw was of Anna as she was kneeling and scanning a potted, flowering bush that was planted there so her statue could seem like it was doing so, to that statues right was a Ferrarien holding a large gem stone and staring at it with a jeweler's lens, Dahlia recognized her as a younger Trrrushmure then she had seen on the news, on Anna's left was Myra holding a microphone and pointing at something out to her camera woman (Who wasn't there), then Dahlia noticed a painting on silk that was put up next to Trrrushmure of a battered her, at this point she had slid off of Torroto and walked over to the picture, placing the tips of her right hand's fingers on the blackly purple bruise over her left lower ribs as she gazed into her bruised and swollen face.
Torroto sighed, "I asked Poj;izefae not to paint you battered like this. It was just after I got you here that she saw you like this."
"It's alright, Torroto. Seeing myself like this I now understand why you felt like you had to shove me into your sex since you knew it could save me, and at least she covered my modesty," She pointed at the bands over her breasts and crotch that was painted to look like embroidered silk, "Now I can truly forgive you for doing what you did." Her stomach complained again at that point. Dahlia blushed as she turned.
Myra, who had dismounted from Torroto too, strutted over to Dahlia and reassured her, "No one who lives here will judge you for your body's natural reaction as the Serrahsha wouldn't and the Serrahshan attitudes have leaked into the heads of the Companions. None of us would mind if two people in love were making love in the street, we'd laughingly tell them to get a room though." She smiled, "We are still human in our heads, but the attitude of it has become more Serrahshan. Now let's get you something to eat!"
As the two women walked into The Cube Torroto noticed something that made him hum in pleasure, they were moving with the same patterns which were the mark of them being full Companions with him. Dahlia had accepted her new position and was now the Pouch Sister of Myra and Trrrushmure all she had left to do was want to have sex with him. He'd be patient, He wasn't lying to her when he had told her that that part was up to her.
Inside The Cube Dahlia found the sights and sounds of a busy space station only out of Construction Grade Serrahsha Silk rather than plastic or ceramic plates. Dahlia was surprised at how often Myra was greeted. But what was even more surprising was how often
she
was greeted by strangers. 'Well maybe I shouldn't be,' She thought, 'Considering that a painting of me was prominently displayed outside of here.'
After five minutes of walking Myra and Dahlia sat on a bench to rest, Myra complained, "The one thing I miss about being normal is my old stamina. Riding Serrahsha back to go anywhere isn't good to keep you fit and they don't understand why we'd want to walk when they're so much better at it."
A man sat beside them with a huff, "You got that right Miss Myra. How's getting off world going?"
"Dahlia here just got me a spot on a ship that can cloak and I'll be headed to Rasshmure," She mentioned the Imperial home world by name, "But all that means is my first stop is Trrrushmure and tell her Her Merruezea needs her."
Dahlia did a double take, "I thought Trrrushmure was Torroto's Companion. Who's Merruezea?"
Myra and the strange man laughed and Myra told her, "High Grand Weaver Merruezea became Grand Strategist Torroto when he changed Castes."
Dahlia's head came up and looked at Myra, "Why?"
The man replied, "His personality changed some when he changed Castes. That is normal when they do so. Torroto is harder, more cunning and wiser than Merruezea. Merruezea cared more about what most Serrahsha thought about him. Torroto cares more for what's best for us all under his care, be it human or Serrahsha. Part of Torroto's decision to change who he was the fact that the elders wouldn't listen when he didn't like The Harvest Corporation's development plan. He stopped fighting when they told him to, that they had made the decision. Then they forced everyone but us and them off world. Then forced the thirteen out of Companion Town, What you now know as Central City. After a while of arguing with the Elders to get them to fight, as they were still trying to negotiate, Merruezea made a tough choice. He let Anna go and try to slip past the guards to get Federation aid. That didn't go well…"
"Torroto mentioned it," Dahlia stated, as they got up to walk as her stomach had protested during the wait.
"Well after that, he decided he couldn't live with himself and started to do something out of character for him, he defied an Elders' edict: He mixed Caste foods in a new way without the Elders' permission. His friends that were the first with Companions with him helped keep it a secret until he shed his old blue with red tiger stripes shell and they marched on the Elders. They were furious and demanded Torroto, as he now is, to go back to being what he was, or at least stop being what he is now and chose an 'approved' Caste. Torroto laughed and shook his head. He told them that the humans were running amok over their planet and it was the elders fault for not listening to him when he was Merruezea and that Torroto would not make the same mistake. One Elder stepped forward and reminded Torroto that he was an Unbondable and must listen to them or the rest of the Serrahsha would believe him a threat.
"Torroto told him that while they were playing by the rules the humans of the corporation were not, and if the Elders continued to bind them with tradition, the Serrahsha would cease to be free. The lead elder told him that the customs were more important than the people, which didn't sit well with those gathered, and that Torroto should surrender to their will. Torroto said 'Fine, if that is how you want it, I and my court challenge the Elders to the right of leadership!'
"It was then that the Elders made a mistake. They ordered the guard to arrest Torroto and his court. Witch ran against the tradition of challenge. My Googtikhuen ordered the guards to stop on his authority as Chief Historian and Lore Keeper that Torroto
did have the right
to challenge the Elders in this situation and now, because they had obviously decided not to reason whit Torroto's faction, they must decide if they'll concede to Torroto or fight, and, if so on what field of battle to do so. The lead Elder then flung himself at Torroto who moved with a startling speed and beheaded him. Every one froze. Then Torroto hung his head and sighed, 'I really didn't want to do that. Is there any other objection?' The rest of the Elders, seeing his dedication and caring, stepped down and he started his harsh but fair rule. He's a good person, he just scares the bejesus out of most of the Serrahsha he meets, don't know why, no human does…"
Dahlia had a question that came up as they walked. She had spotted small groups of people who were moving exactly the same and were shoulder to shoulder with each other. She started to raze her right arm to point when it tangled with Myra's left arm, "What?" was all she managed to get out.
Myra chuckled, "We're Pouch Sisters now, I'll explain over supper," She then waved at the building ahead of them which bore the nameplate of 'Munarroe's'. Dahlia stared, Munarroe was a famous chef that disappeared five years ago when the planet his restaurant was on was raided, supposedly, by pirates. That the restaurant had his name was something. She, however, didn't know if she hoped he was here or it was named in his honor.
As they walked in she was shocked to hear, "Myra, darling!!! I see you brought a friend!" Dahlia glanced over Myra's shoulder and saw the real Munarroe, a four foot dwarf human, bounced towards them. He reached up and touched Myra's hand, "So how's the Companion to my favorite Serrahsha?"
"Showing my new Pouch Sister the best restaurant in No Regrets," Myra answered, "Is Torroto's Companion table open?"
He smiled, "Always," And he waved them over to a table, "Now I've got to get into the kitchen and start cooking! But first… What do you want today?"
Dahlia looked a little lost and looked to Myra for help. Myra chuckled and replied, "Give us one of your extra large beginner samplers and we'll share."
Munarroe chuckled, he guessed, correctly, that Dahlia had never been to a restaurant that was based on a chief's personality before, and probably had subsided on Quick Pack meals, prepackaged foods that are a you-get-what-you-pay-for deal and is the majority of what's available away from agrarian planets, where raw food ingredients are produced, for most of her life, and walked away.
Myra leaned her head onto Dahlia's shoulder, as they had sat as close as they had been walking, and asked, "How did you know the Helvivia would help? Last I knew we were still at war…"
Dahlia giggled, "You're not the only Nanosmith with a chitinous lover. The war ended when he and the Hive Captain got lost together and were found as a fiercely co-protective couple. The Counsel of Hive Queens were firm on only one part of the treaty, that she and your brother stick together. The Federation found that it was an easy concession to make, even though the Alliance oversight comity people didn't think it was necessary," they both knew that The Alliance is kind of the UN of this day and age, "Now what do you mean when you say we're Pouch Sisters?"
