The Alliance - 3. The Right Choice

Aaron followed the hooded figure through the trees, fallen twigs snapping under his feet. They were a good distance from the palace, and he was starting to realise this was probably a bad idea. What was stopping Mateio from just stealing him away?

They entered a clearing, Mateio studying a map hovering over his bracelet. The fox said something in a lyrical sounding voice, the words lost on Aaron. It was the same language Mateio had been speaking, but without the translator to cover it, he could enjoy the sound properly.

Mateio pulled something out of his bracelet, digging through a pocket. He stuck a small device back into the bracelet and spoke again.

“We’re here.”

Aaron scanned the clearing, looking for a ship. It was a large clearing, but empty, and the elf got a sinking feeling in his gut.

Mateio walked around, scanning the air. There was a thump and the Faro cursed, shaking his foot. His hand stuck out, touching something Aaron couldn’t see. A moment later, a huge ship shimmered into view and the elf gasped.

“I hate using the cloaking mechanism, but the last thing we need is someone running into my ship,” Mateio said, lowering his hood.

He walked around the vessel, completely dwarfed by the structure. Holding his hand over his head, Mateio pressed a pad on the ship, and a ramp descended from a hole that opened in the side of the ship.

“Okay, I am impressed,” Aaron said.

Mateio smiled, beckoning the elf forward.

“It’s an Egaro style modded in the Dalmar fashion. You’ll have plenty of space inside, though the seats and tables will likely be a little small,” he warned, entering the ship.

Aaron followed the fox inside the vessel, Mateio’s tail waving slowly as he walked ahead. The ship fascinated the elf more than the fox for the moment, and Aaron stopped at the top of the ramp, taking in his surroundings.

He stood in a large bay, a vehicle strapped down in the middle of the room. The floor looked like it could descend and the vehicle was obviously made for off-roading. The room itself looked like an engineer’s wet dream, tools set in a case against the wall, torches sitting in the corner of the room.

“This is my kit,” Mateio said, patting the vehicle fondly. “I work on him every chance I get. Can’t get too many parts in the middle of nowhere, but stations usually have what I need.”

“It’s very impressive,” Aaron said. “I don’t have any idea how it works though.”

“It’s simple really. Maybe I can explain it during lunch.”

The fox walked through a door that hissed open to let him pass. Silently Aaron followed, eyes travelling over every inch of the ship.

“This is the main hall,” Mateio explained. “It doubles back onto cabins for any visitors to the left.”

“There’s a lot of space in here for one person,” Aaron noted.

“Yeah. It can get rather lonely,” Mateio admitted. “The kitchen is right through here.”

The kitchen was tiny compared to the rest of the ship. There was nothing to cook on; no stove, no fridge. Just a hole in the wall with a table beside it.

“I’m afraid I only have one dish from your world programmed in,” Mateio said, crossing the room. “It’s not as fancy as you are probably used to.”

“For someone who spent the first fourteen years of his life in an orphanage, it is amazing,” Aaron smiled slightly.

Mateio turned to stare at him, a shy smile appearing on his face a moment later.

“Besides, I came here to try your food. It’s up to you what we eat.”

The fox nodded, thinking for a moment. He placed his hand in the hole and two plates appeared on the table.

Aaron’s eyes widened at the food. The elf peered at the hole in the wall, trying to figure out how it worked.

“So you just think and the food appears?”

Mateio nodded.

“This is a favourite of mine. Usually, the meat is used for sandwiches, but I like to eat it in a modified salad. With the right seasoning, it tastes amazing,” he said.

Aaron sniffed the air, coming up with a sharp scent he couldn’t place.

“What seasoning is that?”

“Merlo. Usually found on the Xanar homeworld.”

Mateio shrugged at the fascinated look Aaron gave him.

“I’m a galactic Faro. I picked up quite a few tastes over the years.”

They sat at the table, Aaron studying the meal. Leafy greens with what looked like chicken, but couldn’t be. He doubted the Faro had chickens running around his ship.

“You’re sure this is safe to eat?” he asked, picking up a fork from the table.

“Perfectly. Unless you’re a Daknar,” Mateio smiled.

“I have no clue what that is.”

“Winged reptilian species. They’re a part of the Empire. Their entire homeworld is enslaved and they’re used by the Empire as footsoldiers in their conquests. I met one on the run in Ceos. Nice being. A little large, but who isn’t large next to me?” Mateio laughed.

“Empire? What Empire?”

“Oh. Um…”

The Faro took a breath.

“Okay, you know how the Alliance shares information and allows civilizations to grow on their own? Well the Empire is more about conquering than enlightening. But your planet isn’t on their radar. I doubt they even know you exist.”

“Well that’s comforting. I need to tell the council tomorrow. Your Alliance, they’ll protect us from the Empire, right?” Aaron asked.

“They will. I promise.”

Aaron sighed. He had little choice now. They needed to ask for the Alliance’s protection before this Empire attacked them.

Pushing the matter aside for the moment, the elf took a bite of the food, his mouth exploding in flavour.

“Fuck... “ he whispered, savouring the salty meat mixed with the juicy tart lettuce. “How did you make this?”

“It’s a simple dish, really. It just takes ingredients from several systems,” Mateio shrugged. “It’s funny, really, some people use merlo as an aphrodisiac.”

“But how did you make it here?”

“Oh. I’ll show you,” Mateio smiled, taking a bite of the food. “Let’s finish eating first.”

“Our scientists would go crazy studying what you’ve shown me already and we haven’t even left the kitchen…”

“It only gets better from here,” Mateio promised.

Mateio studied the elf as he ate, memorizing every line, every wrinkle in his skin. He was obsessed with the king of this world, and it boded ill for them both.

“Mateio, I have something to ask. And please don’t take this the wrong way,” Aaron said suddenly.

“Ask away,” Mateio replied.

“Can I touch you? Your fur, I mean,” the elf corrected quickly.

Mateio laughed.

“I’ve been waiting for you to do that since we met,” he grinned. “You can touch me, if I get to touch your wolf. Shapeshifters are somewhat rare in the galaxy.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Aaron agreed.

He reached across the short table, fingers brushing over Mateio’s left ear. Mateio closed his eyes with a quiet sigh. He had dreamt of the elf’s touch for nearly a month now, risking his life to remain in the system just to listen to Aaron. And now the elf was touching him. It was better than he had hoped for.

“Mateio, I haven’t been entirely honest with you,” Aaron whispered, stroking the fox’s ear.

Mateio opened his eyes, looking up at the elf in concern.

“Are you okay? I haven’t done anything to hurt you, have I?” he asked worriedly.

“No, nothing like that. Do you remember when I told Lord Sarin you were under my protection?”

Try as hard as he could to fight it, Mateio couldn’t hold back anymore. His ear flickered out of the elf’s hand, and Aaron drew back slowly. The Faro instantly missed his hand, missed the calming effect Aaron’s touch had on him.

“I assumed that’s because I’m your link to an outside culture,” he said.

“That’s part of it. But there’s a lot more to it than that. You know I’m a werewolf. We have… strong feelings occasionally; bestial feelings that come whether we want them to or not. That urge to hunt, to claim our territory… to mate…”

Mateio inhaled quietly, his mind working feverishly through this new information. Aaron claimed him in the meeting, that much was obvious. But as what? His food? The fox would have no chance unarmed against a wolf.

“When we met, my wolf recognised you. You smell like everything I’ve ever wanted in life. Family, a home…”

“But you have both,” Mateio said in confusion.

“I didn’t always,” Aaron said. “My wolf remembers the time I was an orphan, lost in the world. He doesn’t want to return to that, and he doesn’t understand that he never will.”

“And he claimed me to make up for that?”

Aaron shrugged helplessly.

“Three hundred years of study and we still don’t understand a wolf’s claim. But we learned that it can be fought, can be ignored if need be.”

Mateio met Aaron’s eyes, his mind reaching a decision in the sudden silence of the room.

“What if it didn’t have to be fought?”

Aaron frowned at the fox.

“No, you don’t understand. I can’t be with you,” he said.

And like that, Mateio’s heart broke.

“It’s not even that you’re an alien. You’re leaving at some point and I can’t go with you. I can’t put us through that pain,” Aaron said quietly, desperately, as though he was still trying to convince himself.

“Lord Aaron, a Faro bonds with one being in their life, and one being alone. Understand I am taking none of this lightly,” Mateio begged. “We can have a future, even if we are separated for a time. I will return to the planet. I would return for you alone if I had to.”

“I cannot abandon my people Mateio. Not for someone I’ve only known a day, regardless of what my wolf tells me.”

The Faro stood up, his face level with Aaron’s. He slowly walked around the table, gazing into the elf’s eyes.

“I can wait for you Lord Aaron,” he whispered.

Their lips met briefly before Aaron pulled away.

“I can’t do that to you,” the elf said. “You deserve to be happy. Find someone who can make you more happy than I can. My life is dedicated to the people of Astara. I don’t have room for you.”

Mateio stepped back with a sigh.

“I understand,” he said quietly.

They both hurt from the rejection. Aaron’s wolf raged at him, howled at the pain in his mate’s eyes. But there was little any of them could do. Aaron had responsibilities he couldn’t push aside.

“I should go,” he muttered, standing up.

“No, it’s okay. I promised to show you the ship,” Mateio sighed.

Finally they knew where they stood, and it hurt everyone involved. But such was the way of politics. Aaron couldn’t afford to let his emotions rule his decisions. It wasn’t even his wolf anymore; he liked Mateio.

“Claim him. Love him. Make him feel needed,” his wolf growled at the elf.

But Aaron could only shake his head.

“Why don’t we postpone this until tomorrow,” he suggested, nearly begging the Faro with his eyes.

Mateio nodded slowly.

“Okay. But there’s one more thing I want to show you today.”

The fox picked up the empty plates, tossing them into a trash can. Aaron expected to hear the thunk of the plates hitting the bottom of the can, but instead it sounded like dust settling on a pile.

“Everything on the ship is recycled. The food itself is made from base matter, formed into various atoms and molecules until it becomes the meal you desire,” the fox said.

It fascinated Aaron, but the whole ship had lost its luster. He just wanted to escape. Mateio seemed to understand. He led the elf out of the ship silently, the vessel turning invisible once more. They walked back through the forest, together but not together.

Doing the right thing had never felt so wrong before.