The Exiled: The Exiled

By Carol Mingst

He was a very long way from home:

Six long weeks cooped up in a spaceship left Jared more than ready to use his own wings to fly. But Hector was a busy planeta place of big buildings and bigger bureaucracy. Nothing was simple or quick on this odd world. Jared had come to get his home world designated in the governmental records for that region of space. It was to be set aside for the current population and to give those of the Seven Settlements control over their own world.

It had seemed easy enoughan adventure, a lark. But all the information he had received from the crew of the Athena Nike had not prepared him for the things that would happen to him once he submerged himself in the workings of a place so very foreign to his nature.

Jared had known it would not be a quick trip, but his adventures on Hector were far different from anything he could possibly have imagined.

Now if he could just make it back home in one piece.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 29, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524590543

Carol Mingst

please add back cover text: Carol has been writing stories about the world of Aerros for over thirty years but has only recently started making them available to the public. New Aerros novels and other stories come percolating out whenever the characters start talking through her fingers. Though writing has always been easy, getting things into print takes more effort. She hopes that readers enjoy these books so that the rest of the novels can come out to play. Carol works in data analysis and programming, does photography on the side, has owned cats and horses nearly all of her life, loves to travel, and writes stories because the characters always have something more to say.

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 by Carol Mingst.

Library of Congress Control Number:  2017903639

ISBN:  Hardcover   978-1-5245-9056-7

            Softcover      978-1-5245-9055-0

            eBook           978-1-5245-9054-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 04/28/2017

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Contents

Preface

Landing

Chapter 1

MADGE

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

The Well of Life

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Research Center

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Leone

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Aerros stories now available:

The Old One

The Sewer Boy

Awakening

The Exiled

Preface

For centuries, no one had remembered why they were there. It simply was. The Seven Settlements were communities ranging from the edge of a broad plain on up to the sides of the higher mountains with long hikes between. The climate was temperate with full seasons despite the sixteen-month-long year. All plants had been genetically designed with a purpose—medicinal, food, or fiber in addition to wood. The vats provided milk and pla stic.

The human population remained small, growing only as land and facilities could support them. Life was fairly easy for them with the help of the Wings, their genetically altered cousins. Though they looked a lot like humans, the gentle Wings were a little different. Most needed direction. Most could not make adult decisions.

They could fly.

Generations of careful breeding for competition had improved them. They could fly fast and maneuver well, but they were also improved in other ways from their idiot ancestors. The twin societies of Wing and human coexisted and depended on each other for all things. It was how things always had been done.

Until it was not. One born a Wing had become something more, crossing both groups. The Seven Settlements were forever changed, but adults with feathers were rare. Living that life was not easy.

Life was changing for those with wings, especially the few of acknowledged mixed blood. Some settlements accepted things more readily than others, and some crossbred were easier to like. The First Settlement was progressive and supportive of even the unusual.

An emergency brought Aerros into contact with those from the stars, but reestablishing contact with the interstellar community was only half done. They needed protection. The settlements needed to be recognized as the rightful owners of their world. Only one person could represent the entire planet. But going off-world wasn’t anything like traveling to another settlement. There were experiences he could never imagine.

Landing

Chapter 1

Steam and other gasses rose around the odd collection of spheres, pipes, and metal plates as the conglomeration slowly lowered itself the last few feet into the scorched and scratched surface in the middle of towering white walls. It touched down gently and then settled in, sinking its great weight onto the ground with an audible groan as components, made for protecting cargo from the oddities of interstellar flight, faced the less-common stresses of gravity and atmosp here.

The Athena Nike wasn’t a pretty ship. It was entirely utilitarian, not very large for an interstellar ship, and certainly wasn’t made to be seen by the general population on a planet as advanced as Hector. Luckily, the spaceport was set up to handle such objects of transport. The walls around the ship absorbed sound and off-gases and hid the small eyesore from the sprawling nearby city.

The Athena Nike gave a last groan and then an almost happy sigh of relief as the internal atmosphere was allowed to escape through the portal that opened along the largest dome. The pathetic light from the interior didn’t even try to fight with the bright sunlight. A man walked out of the door and down a set of stairs to the hard ground below. Another followed, equally as unmemorable in his colorless utilitarian garments. The first had started trudging across the surface, heading for the more human-oriented parts of the port though finding walking in planetary gravity rather a chore.

Another figure blocked the feeble light of the ship’s doorway. This time, though, instead of the dull clothing, the sunlight found and bounced off of something far brighter. It was midday, but, suddenly, the ship was bathed in the colors of sunset as Jared cleared the confinement of the Athena Nike.

It had been forever.

Jared stood for a moment on the tiny platform at the top of the stairs. He wasn’t very tall even among the men who squeezed themselves into the confines of the ship. But Jared would never be mistaken for part of the crew. He stood out not only because he was stunningly handsome and dynamically colored but also because, unlike anyone else who had ever set foot on the planet of Hector, Jared had been born with a pair of feathered wings. With them clear of the ship at last, Jared shook them out and stretched them wide. It would be a great display almost anywhere, but he wasn’t showing off.

The captain expected him to follow the others down the small set of stairs. Well, he had every intention of going with the others, but tamely walking down the metal steps was something he just couldn’t do.

There was hardly room for standing, let alone anything else, and no one would choose that tiny platform as a launch area, but Jared had been confined far too long. Without even giving it conscious thought, he flexed his leg muscles and then leaped into the air.

He was lucky he didn’t catch his feathers on something and end up making a face-plant on the very unforgiving surface below, but his wings had been honed with years of practice, and there was simply no other choice but to fly.

Jared left the tiny platform and brought his wings to bear, rising upward in the space between the Athena Nike and the white walls. There wasn’t really room for much, but after so long in the ship, he would use any chance available to take to the air.

Things didn’t feel quite right. This was very different for a lot of reasons, but Jared used innate skill and brute strength to make a circuit around the ship and upward toward the open sky.

Get down here! a very loud and exasperated voice boomed out over the area.

Jared knew that Captain Powell had not somehow made that volume from within his own body. The machines of these off-worlders could do many things.

It’s not safe, the words continued.

Jared wanted to ignore all that. He was only starting to feel comfortable with the air again. His wings sang and begged him to remain in flight, but he had had many discussions with the captain over the past several weeks. He knew the man was accommodating and understanding. He also knew that Captain Powel was not likely to be warning him off simply because he had done something unexpected. No, if the captain was telling him to land, there probably was a good reason.

There had better be.

But Jared had had his moment in the air. He had not been able to take care of his wings properly in the long journey, and the muscles were a bit strained from lack of use. He didn’t race down to where the captain was standing and staring up at him, but Jared did fly back and allow himself to feel a few more moments of the glorious freedom before setting down with precision a short distance away and then shifting his wings so that they hung behind him once more.

You’re damn lucky, the captain growled. The equipment could have thought you were some kind of unexpected animal set loose and fried you out of the air.

Jared didn’t quite understand why something like that would be a risk, but he accepted the captain’s words.

He was safe enough.

He had flown.

Jared realized he was smiling, and his wings were almost vibrating from finally having had a chance to work.

Now, the captain said as he indicated the way they were headed, we’re going to have to see what we can do to hide those feathers of yours. We don’t want you to become the center of attention just yet.

I don’t mind, Jared said. He was used to being noticed.

Captain Powell gave a short laugh. You would if you had any idea what would happen. I think it best if no one knows about you until you get to the people you’ve come all this way to see.

MADGE

Chapter 2

Madge caught sight of herself in the decorative mirror along one wall and paused to take a better look. She was showing her age again. She sighed and made a mental note to schedule some treatments. Though mid forties wasn’t all that old, she didn’t like the way her skin was changing. It was best if she spruced herself up a bit. Managing all of the things she did both for the company and for her personal fortunes, she knew it was best that she appear attractive and energetic. She never could be considered gorgeous by any standards, but even a plain woman with short brown hair and a generally average (if a bit wide) body could do a lot with proper dressing and care. Her burnt-orange pantsuit was expensive but did what it was made to do, accentuating some things and hiding others. It made her look taller, thinner, and professi onal.

It was good enough. She wasn’t going to some meeting with a high-powered executive. She was at home in her high-rise lodgings, waiting for Captain Powell to arrive. Though they had never met in person before, she had been willing to rearrange her busy schedule to make time for him if out of curiosity if nothing else.

It was kind of nice to get home for a bit during the day. Her living room looked very different with sunlight bouncing in through the large windows. It was a spacious room with high ceilings, tastefully and professionally decorated walls, and odds and ends which pleased her on various horizontal shelves, nooks, and tables. She didn’t think of it often, but she looked around and was glad to call it her own. There might be fancier places and larger areas, but this was a reflection of her own self and needs. It suited her.

The door made the almost apologetic chime, which let her know that someone was wishing entrance. She had already set it to recognize and allow Captain Powell to enter—and only he could get up the elevator to her entrance without her having more interaction with the visitor—so she called out to come in.

It wasn’t the captain who heard and responded but the house itself. The door opened silently, and Captain Powell entered the room.

Not that it was just the captain, though the others remained just outside in the shadows of the antechamber. Madge wasn’t surprised he wasn’t alone but pretended not to notice anyone but Powell as he strode in looking very much like the ship’s captain he was. Not only was he confident and friendly and dressed with just enough formality to show he was in charge, but there was also a casualness to his look, which showed that he worked for a living, doing manual labor when it was required.

She smiled at him. He was probably about her own age but looked older still. No one who ran a ship like his was going to be spending time on his looks. He was kind of ruggedly appealing though not exactly handsome. Greetings, Captain, she said with very real warmth. She only talked with him occasionally and always about business, but she liked that he was different from those she worked with every day.

Madge, the man responded, his greeting brusque but friendly.

What can I do for you today? They were common words, but for once, she actually meant it more than just as part of her way of doing business. A captain of a starship was unusual and somewhat intriguing. She might use that kind of transport any number of times for business, but that was generally at a distance. Powell was one of only a few she could even name. It was nice to meet in person.

I need you to take care of something for me. I’ve got my schedule to keep and wouldn’t be the best at getting a meeting with the right people. He looked her over with approval. But you have contacts. And I trust you.

Madge was flattered. She didn’t even know what was being asked, but the captain’s confidence in her brought a glow that she didn’t expect. She liked to think of herself as a solid business person, but this unusual meeting was a pleasant break to her day.

The captain continued. I had to make a detour—a rescue mission. I was closest so headed to a primitive planet to pick up the survivor of a crew of another ship. But I ended up finding more than just the one woman. I found that this odd planet actually had people living on it already. A whole colony—small but thriving. Descendants of some long ago exile. He shook his head at that idea.

Madge had heard stories of that kind of thing in the distant past, but this was the first time she’d heard of anything more than artifacts being found. Did they want a rescue too?

No, actually, the captain said, just a touch amused. What they want is to keep their planet as their own—for their own use.

Finding exiles was a common fantasy theme. She had allowed herself to be entertained by the stories in the past, but she had never really given the idea much thought. Still, she would have thought someone would want to be rescued and brought back into the greater civilization. Didn’t everyone want to better themselves?

What they want is to have their planet officially recognized and protected from further colonization. He stood just a bit straighter. And I fully support their reasoning. I am looking to you to get their representative to the right people.

Madge had never worked on any project related to establishing autonomy for a planetary civilization, but she didn’t have to think hard to know that Hector would be one of the places where that could be done. She had contacts who would know exactly what to do. It would be an interesting challenge. She would need to rearrange a few things in her schedule, but shifting things around was a common part of her day. She would do it.

Something else struck her. Their representative? she asked when she realized all of what he had said.

Yes, Powell said. His expression changed to something she couldn’t quite identify. Amusement? Confusion? I brought him here to you. Definitely a touch of embarrassed audacity. As an exile, he and his people clearly don’t have any resources off their world. I’m afraid I’m going to have to leave him with you and depend on you to find some suitable accommodations.

Madge read that to mean that she was going to be depended on to supply something. Well, there were unused apartments in her portfolio. She could probably stash someone for a while. Besides, an exile would be interesting enough. She’d make up for costs.

Mostly, I think he should stay out of sight until he has met with the proper authorities.

Why? she asked, wondering if the man was some kind of grunting primitive. She had heard stories of more-normal colonies devolving when cut off for even a short period.

Captain Powell grinned. You’ll understand, he said and then turned back toward the doorway. Jared, you can come out now.

Madge’s doorway was large, and she hadn’t thought there was all that much room in the antechamber to hide anyone, but it was used for temporary storage at times, and, apparently, there was more space than she had thought. Or maybe she had just been ignoring things beyond the full light of the room. It wasn’t as though she was interested in whatever shipmates the captain had brought along. But there was more movement than she expected as the doorway filled not just with a man but one followed closely by something warm and bright and almost fluid. He was a few steps clear of the doorway before her brain had a chance to admit what she was really seeing.

It was a man, of course, with all the requisite body parts from what she could tell—and he wasn’t hiding much without a shirt over all those rippling chest muscles. His simple pants were tight enough to display comparably fit thighs and slim hips. There was a bulge of a waist pouch and tall, soft-looking boots molded to his calves. But what had seemed to be following him was actually something attached to the whole. The living sheet of color rose up behind him and spread out and down to near the floor—a fiery drape of impossible feathers. The room didn’t have direct sunlight at the moment, but there was more-than-enough light from the fixtures and bouncing off of the walls and shiny surfaces to highlight the glorious red color. It was something like that of a sunset. It was a little bit like a fire. It was, she realized as she noticed that his feathers matched something else, the color of very bright red hair.

Yes, this marvelous stranger in her room was definitely a redhead who would be noticed even if he didn’t have those huge wings. Having seen his hair, her gaze naturally dropped lower to catch sight of a perfect profile with large eyes and a straight nose.

It was only after his left wing crossed her vision that she realized that he had come into the room, but rather than stop and present himself as one might expect, he strode right on past, moving with a grace that made it seem as though he was flying. But he was only walking across her large main room, down the one step to the entertainment area, and on toward the tall windows.

"No, Jared," Captain Powell said with some warning in his voice.

But the stranger was not slamming into the glass like some disoriented bird. He drew up just short of it and looked outside.

Madge couldn’t see his expression, but she did see the way he laid a hand on the window and that those wings swung wide.

I’m just looking, he said wistfully in a voice that matched the other superlative parts of him.

The captain sighed, sounding a little exasperated as well as relieved. Then he turned his attention back to the owner of the whole place. Well, Madge, this is Jared. You can probably guess why his people were exiled long ago.

Madge hadn’t been thinking about ancient history. She had almost forgotten that the captain was there or anything else beyond trying to accept what her eyes were trying to tell her brain. There really was a winged man in her living room. Actually, she realized that there shouldn’t be a winged man anywhere at all.

What had the captain said? A reason that they had been exiled?

She focused again on the wings. Yes, humans weren’t supposed to have extra appendages. Some people might have defects in development, which produced an extra arm or leg or stray fingers. There were some people who had cosmetically adorned themselves with odd attributes. But she didn’t have to make a detailed study to know that this Jared was neither deformed nor surgically enhanced.

Genetic engineering, the captain said, as though that wasn’t about the only explanation for someone being so perfectly suited to having gigantic red wings growing out of his person.

Very long ago, Jared added, though he was still studying things through the window.

Genetic manipulation was how things were done. Civilization would never have made it off of old Earth if it weren’t for the ability to make plants and some animals do things that never would have worked out naturally. Food, fiber, and an amazing amount of other things came about because of fiddling with genes in various ways.

The only thing that was not allowed—which was a high crime—was to mess with human genetics.

Oh, there were treatments that made sure that no one was born with anything too bad. Some minor improvements had been made to the way things worked. That only made sense.

But the kind of changes that would result in extra limbs? No, that would be impossible. That would be highly illegal and had been for centuries—since way back when Earth was the center of civilization in the stars. No, it was strictly forbidden.

And, apparently, she was getting a look at one of the reasons why.

This man—Jared—was from some exiled society. He was clearly a product of some pretty advanced changes to the basic human genome. No one was going to simply grow a pair of wings like that. No. Feathers belonged on birds. Even if human had somehow mutated into something with wings, they would have been skin and sinew like bats. Feathers didn’t belong on humans.

Not everyone on that planet has wings, Captain Powell explained. But there are a lot of them—bred down from the original experiments. Jared, here, has come to see about getting his home set aside for their communities. You can probably understand that people with wings might just get far too much attention. They want to be sure no one else can come without their approval.

Oh, Madge said. She normally would be a little more eloquent in her conversation, but she was still watching the way Jared’s wings moved. His feathers slid together with a hint of a whisper as he lifted his wings, raising them slightly to where the longest feathers spread out, making a wide fan that could hold air.

Jared pulled himself away from whatever he had been looking at so intently and then turned around to face the room. Despite such large wings, he made the pirouette with coordination and grace. Madge felt clumsy just watching. But then they locked gazes for a moment, and she forgot pretty much everything up to and maybe including her own name.

He had magic brown eyes. She had seen that kind of thing a time or two—the type of eyes one could fall into. She knew that they were well shaped and had thick lashes, but, mostly, there was an intensity that was mesmerizing.

He must have noticed her reaction because his expression changed from rather distracted to something sharp and intense. His lips twitched, and then a smile spread slowly, inviting her to enjoy whatever he found of interest. It wasn’t a grin, but the way his whole face seemed to light up was somehow happier. His ridiculously red hair was tumbled over his forehead, making him look a bit younger than she had first guessed. But then looking at him made her feel younger as well.

He was definitely adult, but she guessed he was wasn’t as old as the men she typically met with in her business dealings. He looked fantastic, but certainly didn’t make her think of someone representing the entire population on some distant world.

But he would be memorable. She had to give him that.

So can I leave him with you? the captain asked.

For an instant, Madge wanted to blurt out something like Hell, yeah! but she was professional enough and experienced enough that she dragged her mind off of Jared—or at least enough of her mind to form a few coherent thoughts. You need me to find someplace for him to stay and then to introduce him to the right people to get his planet recognized, she said, hoping she had it straight and clear enough. It was a little embarrassing to be so flustered by seeing a nice-looking young man.

So what if he had wings?

So what if he had walked a little bit away from the window and was raising those wings around him, waving them around slightly as though testing the air but making a very fine display?

Yes, the captain said. I’ll be in the city—with my ship—for a couple of days before I leave. You can get in contact with me if you have any questions.

Madge knew she had many questions, but not one would rise up in her befuddled brain.

Captain Powell was going to leave. She was going to be left with Jared. She was going to have… him… in her home for at least a while longer.

This was definitely not what she was used to.

Madge forced herself to pull her mind out of the gutter and turned to walk the captain out of the room. She only then realized that there was one other crewman in her house, though he had not said anything that she could remember and seemed to be perfectly willing to be ignored.

Whatever she said after that was generally unmemorable, but, apparently, it was enough because the captain once more said how he depended on her to handle things and then excused himself with words of brief courtesy and explanations of work waiting.

The other crewman just smirked slightly, dropped a carry bag inside the door, and hurried out behind his captain. Then the doors shut behind them.

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Jared stood where he had stopped not that far from the windows. He had needed to see outside. He had been drawn to the windows even though he knew there was little out there that he would recognize. But there was sky overhead. It looked normal enough if a bit grayer than he was used to. He could identify the constructs as buildings even though he had never seen anything taller than a few stories before. These things were massive and clearly not built with materials he would see at home.

But he wasn’t home. That was an impossibly far distance away. He couldn’t really grasp the measurement of distance in space so could only think of it as a unit of time. Six weeks. That was how long he had been confined on the Athena Nike. That was how long it would take him to get home after he had spent his time on the planet called Hector. He had been warned it might take a while to get to see the right people and to have everything signed and finalized. In addition, Captain Powell had explained that he wouldn’t be back to the planet for many months—probably more than even one of his years.

At least he was out of the ship. He was out of the restrictions of the transport they had used to get him to this place. He was finally able to stand with his wings stretched out. It wasn’t flying, but at least they could move without changing the ship’s course or clearing shelves. He was in a very large, very pleasant room, which looked enough like what he was used to that he felt somewhat reassured and almost comfortable.

And there was the woman.

He smiled again at her. She was handsome rather than beautiful. She was also definitely older than he but not too old. She was mature and, happily for him, interested in flirtation.

He had hated being cooped up on the Athena Nike. Oh, he appreciated Captain Powell and the crew and all they did for him. They had done what they could when they had spare time to tell him things about where he was going and what he might encounter. He knew it wasn’t their fault that Jared was used to something far different and clearly wasn’t built for the tight quarters of the ship. He was used to flying free in the sky above his home. He was used to being able to move freely on the ground or in the air. And he was used to seeing women.

He missed his women, but they were six weeks and more away. Well, he always had appreciated women of all kinds. He’d flirt with the does back home and tease the stuffier adults if he could. He could tell already that this woman—this Madge—found him fascinating.

Well, he was quite willing to show off for her. He thought she looked pretty good too. It had been six long weeks since he had been with a woman.

His cheerful smile dipped for a moment as he remembered his last time with Ramona.

But he wouldn’t think of that—not while he was faced with this new and interesting woman. Madge was going to get him to the right people. She was going to help him to get the Seven Settlements recognized in their place in the stars. He understood it was important. He could do this.

He would do it. That was why he had come so far in time and space. That was why he had left the Four. That was why he wasn’t working in his woodshop or flying over the settlement.

That was why he was showing off more than a little to this stranger on this other world. He set his wings just right and tipped his head a little, raising his chin for just a touch of challenge. He dropped his eyelids slightly and got into his buck persona. He didn’t do that very often, but it was fun pretending now and then that he was one of the competition males. He knew how to show off to advantage. He walked toward Madge with a slow but firm step, watching her reaction to every bit of it.

Oh, yes, she was interested in play.

Jared was only a little disappointed when she sucked in a breath and pulled herself together. So, Jared, is it? she asked as though she hadn’t caught his name. She sounded just a little nervous, which he kind of expected.

Yes, he said, though he decided he’d done enough for the moment and stopped when he was still several feet in front of her. There was actually more than enough space between them. She could see him clearly, and he could challenge her subtly.

Just Jared? she asked.

His smile quirked. Just me. There was only room for one of us on the ship.

Her expression lightened for a moment. I meant, do you have another name?

He knew what she was asking. He’d been told about the tendency to have more than one name in other worlds. I’ve never needed any other.

She looked a little uncertain, but she let it go. I’m Madge Johnston.

He knew that. Captain Powell had given him her name before they arrived. Jared pretended to consider things for a moment before coming up with the right response. May I call you Madge? He had learned a bit of protocol from the crew of the Athena Nike, but he also knew that using just a first name could be somewhat… intimate. He looked at her through slightly lowered lashes and read her response.

The woman looked a little flustered but also pleased enough with the offer. She stumbled a little on a simple reply, accepting his informality. But apparently Madge wasn’t so easily distracted. She almost visibly pulled herself together, cast him one odd look, which he read as maybe confused or exasperated, and then waved toward the seating area. Let me get some details from you, and then I’ll be better able to help you.

Jared gave in gracefully enough. He did want to get his mission accomplished. He had rarely any reason to meet formally with officials even in the settlements back home, but he did know that while nothing would be likely to be done immediately, he had to begin somewhere.

Madge walked past him and down to the cluster of sofas and other comfortable chairs. She didn’t even deviate that far around him, though she didn’t brush against him or anything.

Clearly, the woman was a professional. Jared knew some of that type from home. Once working on a project, even his mother was hard to interrupt. He drew in a long breath and let it out while watching her fuss around what was clearly where she was going to sit. She was gathering things that he did not recognize but assumed would be important.

Jared cleared his throat pointedly.

Is there a problem? Madge asked without looking up. Just sit.

Jared fully realized he was expected to take a seat on the very fine sofa. He had even cast an expert eye over it and guessed a bit about how it was made or at least how it could be approximated back at his shop. But there simply wasn’t any way he could sit on the sofa in the expected manner. I’m sorry, he said and really was apologetic. He couldn’t expect someone who had never seen a man with wings to understand the difficulties. He raised his wings up higher than the sofa back. They don’t fold enough for me to sit there.

Madge looked at his wings more pointedly and then ran her gaze across the rest of him—which looked more like an unconscious and rather guilty pleasure than a necessity—and then around at her furniture. No. He had already checked, and every one of the very fine seats was made for someone of far more standard construction.

Oh, she said, filling her confused pause with sound.

Jared had faced such dilemmas in the past. I can stand.

She looked appalled at the idea. She even started to gather up her items as though she was going to stand herself, but he waved her back.

I don’t mind, he assured her. He wouldn’t mind moving around.

She was clearly dubious about that as her hospitality warred with her desires.

Jared put his hand on the wide back of the nearest sofa and pushed on it, testing its stability and construction. Unless you don’t mind if I sit on the back of this.

The back?

He hitched his hip up a little so that he could lean his weight on the thing. It appeared not only strong enough but also possibly somewhat comfortable.

Madge caught on. If you really want to, she said dubiously, you can give it a try. Just be careful not to fall off.

Jared bit back a smile at the thought of him losing a struggle with a sofa.

Oh, and don’t worry about your shoes or anything, she said. Just do what you need to make yourself comfortable.

He knew that sitting on the back of the sofa wasn’t likely to be comfortable exactly, but after being squished into the tiny and hard confines of the spaceship, he was more than happy to find a way to make her feel that she had done her social best. He would have to see what he could do later about finding things to sit on. If he was given resources, he’d be delighted to make a few chairs just the way he liked them, but even a simple stool would work out.

With Madge’s permission, Jared hopped up onto the back of the sofa with his feet resting on the seat area. He had done it in one smooth move and was delighted that he was right and that the furniture didn’t tip over and deposit him back on the floor. That would have been embarrassing. He sorted his wings out, finding a comfortable area behind him out over the back of the sofa. Since it was at the edge of the conversation area, his feathers splayed out across the floor, but there was nothing too damaging in that. His wings were able to relax. For the first time in far too long, he felt reasonably comfortable sitting down.

His smile was more of satisfaction than of intent to impress, but he could see that he had Madge’s undivided attention. Not that he expected her to ignore him or anything. She was going to need to ask him questions. But he understood the game and knew that there was more to the conversation than business.

Madge looked kind of adorable sitting on her plush chair. Her body was stocky with a touch of voluptuousness rather than the kind of petite beauty that was prized back home, but Jared was very familiar with what could be hidden under clothes.

Now, Jared, she said, clearly focusing her attention on serious matters even if she was still looking at him in other ways, Captain Powell said that he brought you here to represent your planet. What is the name of your planet?

I don’t actually ‘have’ a planet of my own, he said with a cheeky grin. He knew what she meant. We don’t call the entire planet anything. Until fairly recently, we didn’t even have any more than a basic concept that we were even on some kind of sphere that went around our sun. Our settlements only take up a tiny bit of it. If information hadn’t been passed down in writing, we’d probably just assume it was there, and that was that. If we refer to everywhere someone lives, we tend to call it the Seven Settlements.

Settlements?

He nodded. Townships. Tiny cities. Each one has its own rules and council. But they all get along for the most part.

"Oh. Only seven