A prompt a week - 49. The Peace Offering - Prompt 596

Bashir strode down the long hallway that would lead to Donay’s chamber. Donay had retired just a few moments ago, but Bashir had no choice and needed to discuss the findings with his leader. He took a deep breath and knocked on Donay’s door.

“Who is it?”

“Bashir, Sire. I hate to bother you, but we believe we’ve deciphered the message on the box from the Beauts.”

“Hold on.” The deep voice was closer and then the door opened to reveal Donay.

Bashir bowed. He couldn’t help but notice the dark skin and large muscles of his leader. The man was tall and usually covered in many layers of armor and robes. Now, he wore simply a light gauzy sleeping pants that seemed to show off his muscular body.

“ Come in, Bashir. Sit by the fire. I was just getting comfortable.”

Bashir entered and was grateful for the temperature suit he wore. Donay’s private quarters were sweltering, but his suit immediately cooled his body down.

“I hate first contact. There are always too many chances for a misstep. Who has been working on the translation?” Donay poured a glass of chilled water and sat across from Bashir.

“We have the Western family unit working it. There are twenty seven members on the home planet and forty more working on the box they have sent here.”

Donay nodded. “What do we know of the Beaut people and their home world?”

Bashir opened a file on his carry screen. “It is a class B planet. Soil rich, oceans filled with life. Very little deforestation. However, they are extremely advanced. There is wind, water, and light energy. They have a crystal power generator and naturally have interplanetary travel. They seem to have a mind speak and their written language is extremely complex. It is why we are having problems decoding it.”

Donay took another sip and stared into the fire for a moment. “And what of the Beaut people themselves?”

“They usually form familial units. They are generally smaller than us. The tallest males seem to come about to our chest. The females are barely shorter. They don’t seem to be binary. There seems to be a polyamorous nature. The do sometimes pair off, but even then it can be any combination of male and female, male and male, or female and female.” Bashir looked up from his screen. “They also have a very important part of their race, called Tfigs. The Westerns have stated this section of the population are highly sought after, but they haven’t been able to find out why.”

“Do we have any idea what it is they sent us or why?”

Bashir sighed. “The Western family have decoded part of the message.” Bashir typed a few things on the screen and handed it over to Donay.

We the Beaut people (this section still undecoded) and there present our (still undecoded) to the leader of the Frear people. We (still undecoded) therefore entrusted to you. May this seal our people together forever.

Donay looked up and cocked his eye brow as he handed the screen back to Bashir. “There is a large part of the message inscribed on the front of that box which we still don’t know the meaning of. Since our scout ship brought it back you have been unable to determine what is inside although the science teams have used every scanning format we know.” Donay absentmindedly drummed his fingers along the arms of his chair, Suddenly, he gripped the edges of the chair and leaned forward, staring directly into Bashir’s eyes. “I think it is time I personally saw this box.”

Bashir swallowed. “Yes, Sire.”

“First thing in the morning. Have them ready, Bashir.”

Donay had listened to scientists again try to explain why they hadn’t decoded the rest of the message. Truthfully, he was tired of the excuses. Over everyone’s objections he had entered the room where the black box stood alone in the middle of the room. The lighting in the room highlighted the odd language on the front of the box.

“Sire, we still aren’t sure what they sent in that box.” One of the scientists announced into the room over the loudspeaker.

Donay slammed his hand into the box as he angrily tried to find one of the cameras on the room. A moment later he realized he’d sliced open his knuckles on the raised writing on the box.

“Damn,” he muttered as he checked to make sure his knuckles weren’t broken.

“Sire, out! Now!”

Donay looked around hearing the panic in the scientist’s voice. Looking at the box he noticed it was reconfiguring before him.

“Please, we don’t know what is happening. We need you to leave the room.”

Donay looked at what was now a table that dominated the white room. Laying in the center of the table was a stunning youth that Donay absorbed every detail of. Snow white hair lay like a curtain across the chest and to the edge of the table. A nearly nude top covered him from the neck to the waist where a deep blue pair of pants began. They slid into a pair of leather boots that appeared very small to Donay. His chest rose and fell, but he didn’t move.

“Sire?” A female scientist entered the room. She used her palm scanner, first over Donay, then over the figure on the table. “He’s in stasis. Now we know why we were getting power readings.”

Donay reached out and touched the pale skin of the figures hand.

“Don’t!” The scientist screamed, but it was too late.

Donay watched as the figure on the bed slowly stretched and opened his eyes. Two cobalt blue eyes blinked and focused on Donay. He sat up and took Donay’s larger hand in his, smiled, and pulled Donay into a deep kiss.

“Oh.” Donay stared in shock at the handsome young man before him.

“I am Emon. I am for you.”

“He speaks our language!” The scientist adjusted her scanner again.

Emon turned to the scientist and smiled. “I am Emon, doctor. I have many skills and talents. Once I kissed my bond mate I absorbed his language, likes, dislikes, and his desires. I am Tfigs. That is what we do for our bond mate.”

Donay stood in shocked silence. Bond mate? It was rare to find a bond mate, but if you did the mating was final and soul altering.

Emon touched Donay’s hand. “Calm my mate.”

The scientist looked at her scan and gasped. “Sire, he is empathic, telepathic, and telekinetic. His neuropathways are already beginning to resemble yours.”

Emon reached for Donay’s hand and stood beside him. He leaned into Donay who possessively wrapped his arms around the smaller man.

Other scientists flooded into the room and tried to pull Emon from Donay.

“Enough!” Donay swept Emon into his arms and strode out of the room.

“But,” stammered an older scientist as he started after Donay.

“Enough, Maze.” The female scientist who’d been in the room shook her head. “They are true mates. You will not stop their bonding. Donay might kill you if you try.”

Maze looked at her and pointed toward the door, “But the boy….”

“Is an adult and with his mate,” Bashir announced from the doorway.

“But,” began Maze again.

“Doma, you took the scans and know what is happening. This project is now yours. Maze, you will be sent to Beaut home world, where maybe you can learn something.” Bashir looked from one to the other.

“Yes, Sir” both said, although Doma’s was with excitement and Maze’s in disappointment.

Bashir began to follow in Donay’s wake, knowing he would need guards to keep the room safe during their bonding. “I’m still not sure what happened,” he muttered.

“Um,” Doma blushed as she kept pace with Bashir. “Emon became everything Donay could ever want the moment they kissed. His body’s chemistry is altering with every beat of his heart to attract and please Donay. He will literally be the perfect mate for Donay. I think that is what the box was trying to tell us.”

Bashir stopped and stared at Doma. “Honestly?”

“Yes, sir. He will match Donay in every way, from thoughts, to sports, to sexual desires. He will be the ideal mate. He’s very scent will be an aphrodisiac to Donay.”

Bashir swallowed hard. “Where can I get one?”

Doma laughed as she raced behind Bashir.