Read Badge for Free Online Page B

had happened to them until the first harvest or planting season hit their village.
    “The panic of the Keym was all encompassing, and the Sixiv swept in and calmed them, offering help in exchange for services. Every year, they took more and more of the population until Keym was empty. Our men and women fought wars for the Sixiv, held populations in thrall and finally gained the attention of the Alliance. When the Alliance freed our people, they offered us a place here, and we took it.
    “I was on the first landing craft here with my mate Orian. Our first son was born three days later. It was a hard first year, working the fields and creating a settlement, but we flourished here on Decallock and have grown into a solid community.”
    Lee heard Ozwin’s footsteps outside the door before it opened.
    “Thank you, Ona. This has been most informative.”
    When Ozwin came through the doorway, Lee’s heart sped up.
    “Are you ready to meet your new people?” his voice was slow and amused.
    “No, but I had better get out there, because the thoughts in my head need a bit of privacy to work my nerves up.” Her mouth said what was in her head, but she wanted to sink through the floor at Ozwin’s smile.
    She got to her feet, thanked Ona for the tea and headed for the door. As she passed Ozwin, he wrapped an arm around her waist, so together, they met the gathered folk who were watching the door of the Alphas’ home with keen attention.
    The moment that they were framed in the entryway, a cheer rose up.
    “Why are they cheering?” She asked it in a low whisper.
    He started walking her down the short flight of steps to the courtyard filled with tables and Keymin. “Because there is rarely a second Alpha in a generation, and we have never had one in female form before.”
    “Oh, so I am a freak.”
    “And my mate. Therefore, your new people want to get to know you.” They walked past smiling folk who were staring at her with rapt attention.
    Lee was glad Ona had taken the time with her hair. Since she was being paraded past strangers, it was nice that she looked her best.
    Their table was sitting on a raised platform, so everyone could see them. “That’s festive.”
    “It comforts them by making us visible.”
    There was a story behind his words, but she didn’t have time to ask it. They were up on the platform and took their seats at the table.
    “They will bring platters of food, but you don’t need to take everything, just put your fork in the dish and they are free to walk on.” Ozwin was referring to the line of women and men carrying dishes of food and approaching their table.
    “Why?”
    “They have to offer food to the Alpha first at these events, and since we now have two, they need to offer it twice.” He sat back and waited for the first carrier to arrive.
    The next half hour was a blur of smiling faces, food Lee could not identify and the urge to be polite causing her to overload her plate.
    Ozwin was laughing at her. “You are never going to eat all that.”
    She took a deep breath and raised the first baked-meat stick to her mouth. “I know, but I am going to take a bite out of everything and work from there.”
    He grinned, “An admirable method of dealing with the new.”
    She blushed, “I didn’t mean you.”
    “I know, but the marks you left on me have given me a one-track mind.”
    She paused with the sausage halfway to her mouth and quickly put it on her plate, mincing it into small bite-sized pieces. It was a method that she engaged in with all of her food. Not one suggestive eating technique was engaged in for the rest of the meal.
    The crowd of folk smiled when they looked toward her. “Why are they so happy to see me?”
    Ozwin finished his meal and sighed, “They are seeing you as a sign of evolution. If even the Terran badge of the Decallock colony can be turned Keymin, we have a chance to survive.”
    Lee sat back and stared at the remains on her plate. A peculiar idea came to