“Thank you for the invitation, Poppy. I normally eat aloneor go to the cafeteria for meals so I have company. Eating alone is not veryfun.”
“Don’t you worry, Dath. You’ll have a bride soon enough. Onewho will drive you just as nuts as I drive Wheaton,” she said while movingaround the kitchen counter. “Do you want the standard eggs and bacon? Wheatonreally likes the pancakes that I have programmed to my band too. Have you evertried those?”
“I love eggs and bacon but have not yet tried pancakes. Iwould like to though.” Scooting his stool out so he could sit at the small bararea, he sent her a questioning glance. “Why did you call me ‘Dath’?”
“Oh, sorry…I should have asked you before I shortened yourname. I often give nicknames to people who I become friends with. Valeriebecame Val, Pixie is Pix and now Dathrow is Dath. Is that okay?” she asked,handing him his plate that was now filled with a stack of pancakes.
“You call Wheaton his full name, though. Why is that?” heasked. Dathrow stared at his plate, obviously trying to figure out how to eatthe flat cakes.
Pouring syrup on her own pancakes and then on his, shemotioned with a knife and fork and showed him how to cut off pieces.
“Well, ‘Wheaton’ can really only be shortened to ‘Wheat’,and that’s a type of food on my planet. It would sound a little silly,” shesaid with a wry grin. “But I have called him ‘sweetie’ and ‘babe’ a coupletimes. He reacted funny until I explained it was a term of endearment. He wasinsulted when he thought I was calling him an infant.” Giggling at the memory,she looked down at her food. She didn’t realize how hungry she was until shestarted shoveling her food into her mouth as if she were in a competition.
“You mentioned Pixie—that is your sister, correct?” Dathasked his question nonchalantly although Poppy read more into it.
“Yes, she was with me when we first met. Remember?” Hidingher smile, she took another bite.
“Is she mated?” he asked, his face slightly red.
“Well…yes and no.”
When Dathrow looked up at her confused, Poppy went on.“She’s been dating a man for a few years. They aren’t married or engaged.Personally, I think he’s too boring for Pixie. She is so full of life, ya know?When she first started seeing him it was all good. He seemed to pay a lot ofattention to her and she was so happy. Then the longer they dated the more Inoticed she seemed to change. It was the little things at first like herchanging her hair or the type of clothes she wore. Believe it or not she had acollection of yoga pants that rivaled mine. Now she seems… I don’t know. Iguess dull would be the word I would go with. She thinks he’s going to proposebut a part of me is hoping that he doesn’t do it yet.” Poppy made a face. “Thatsounded awful, didn’t it? I just want her to be happy and I haven’t really seena happy Pixie for a while now.”
Poppy sat silent for a moment before gesturing back to thefood they both had seemed to have forgotten. “Eat up before it gets cold. Orworse, soggy. Soggy pancakes are nothing to joke about.”
Nodding his head and chewing his food, Dathrow made “mmming”noises while eating half his plate in record time.
“Good huh?” she asked with a smile.
“Wonderful! I could eat this every meal. Can this liquid bepoured over other food items?” he asked while licking syrup off his lips andstudying the bottle.
“Only if your name is Buddy the Elf,” she quipped quicklyand then began laughing at the confused expression on his face.
“That was a joke, Dath.”
“Ahhh.” Still not getting it, he was quiet for a momentbefore he asked, “Does Wheaton call you anything special?”
Remembering some of the sweet names he had called herrecently made her heart hurt.
“He has called me his ‘little flower’ before,” she said witha sad smile.
“Because Poppy is a flower…and you are also little,” he saidin understanding.
“Wheaton asked me when we first met if I was named after aflower.” Smiling, she went on, “And I wouldn’t be so little if you warriorsweren’t a million feet tall.”
Laughing, he helped her clean their plates and put the syrupaway in the cupboard.
“We are the standard height for most warriors. Wheaton and Iare both under seven feet. Skrammon warriors are actually taller and I have notseen many under seven feet. Since they are a warrior breed, they use theirheight and bulk to their advantage when fighting,” he explained.
“I haven’t had a chance to see many of them on the ship. Arethey around?” Poppy asked.
“We have warriors from each delegation on the ship but amajority of the Skrammon congregate in the rec area and spar during their freetime. If you have no plans today, I could take you around the ship,” hesuggested as he moved from the kitchen area.
“Ummmm…sure. I’m assuming Wheaton will be in meetings allday and I can’t keep hiding in here so yeah, let’s do this.” She clapped herhands together and followed him to the door.
Walking side by side down the corridor, she paused slightlywhen they reached the apartment she’d shared with Wheaton. Wondering whereHannah was if Wheaton was at a meeting made her completely stop in her tracks.
“Dath, if Wheaton got called to a meeting then why didn’tHannah answer my call this morning?”
“Hannah accompanied Wheaton to the Council meetings thismorning,” he replied.
“Wait—she went with him to a meeting? The same type ofmeeting that I’m not able to even hear about, much less go to? I realizeDemascus gave her permission, but I just can’t believe Wheaton went along withit.” Apparently her anger was starting to come out in her tone of voice,because Dathrow turned to face her.
“She has a background in politics, and I assume that Wheatonwould rather have her occupied during the day where he can keep an eye on her.I do not believe
