This was probably the hardest chapter to write. There is very little about Talz behavior that I could find other than they are gentle and clan-oriented. I took most of my information from Broonmark's codex entry as far as how he reacts to things.

oOo

There was tension in the clan. It made the air heavy, thick, it smelled bad. Tension might lead to bloodshed. Broonmark hoped the warrior would make it so. He hoped he might be allowed to kill that skinny little blue thing that chirped at him constantly. His loyalty was to the warrior. She had allowed him to regain his honor. These other members of her clan were now his, but he had no loyalty to them.

Broonmark had spent little time with other species. He found he didn't like it. He was expected to remember the names of even the weakest of them. He didn't bother.

The big human male was tolerable. He was a warrior as well, and his smell was that of one who took what he wanted and shed the blood of those who stood in his way. He was strong. Broonmark approved of this.

The little blue thing was no fighter. She carried weapons, but also the smell of fear clung to her constantly. Fear of losing…something. Broonmark had no patience for this female. She was weak, she should have been killed at birth. Her strength was in deception, which was the same as no strength.

The other female smelled sometimes like the little blue one and sometimes like the warrior. She had strength, but no stomach to use it. Broonmark thought she was weak also. Until he saw her fight and smelt her strength in battle. If she could be trained to glory in her strength, she might actually be a valuable mate to one of her species.

The other human male confused Broonmark. His strength was not that of a warrior. Yet, he exuded authority which even the strong male bowed to and the warrior woman listened to. He was also the warrior woman's mate. This confused the Talz even more. She was strong in a way this man could never be, and yet they both seemed content.

The tension was new though. He was not sure of the source. It made him anxious, and when he was anxious he shed. When he shed, the blue thing chirped at him more often and he had to remind himself the warrior woman liked the blue thing and would not appreciate him removing her head. Still, his claws itched to carve into her flesh. She would be no challenge, he would take neither glory nor honor from the kill, but such pleasure.

The Talz noticed the environment was growing warmer…again. The blue thing must have changed the temperature regulator again. She was always changing it. She must be sick, she needed it far warmer than any species could possibly find comfortable.

There had been some commotion a few days ago. That's when the tension had been thickest. It had eased up the last couple of days, but today it was stifling again. He noticed the big male was up wandering and Broonmark hadn't seen him for a while. He was possibly the source of the tension today. It was likely since the big male coveted the warrior woman as a potential mate and she refused his advances, instead focusing her affections on her current mate.

He hadn't bothered to find out what was going on. He heard the warrior woman and her mate return from some station they were supposedly required to stop at. He could smell the blood and battle on them and his blood sang at the thought that there might be more to come. It was not to be, however. Shortly after their return, the ship had shuddered and jumped to hyperspace signaling to the Talz that there would be no further bloodshed this day.

Since then, the choking tension had eased. His instincts told him it was between the warrior woman and her mate. Maybe she had realized he was not worthy of her? Broonmark found this to be entirely plausible. The big male thought he was worthy of her, but Broonmark knew this was not the case either. The big male needed to be dominant and the warrior woman would never allow this.

He had been practicing his own defensive tactics when the warrior woman and the other woman had come into the training area to spar. He admired both of their forms as they worked. The warrior woman was clearly superior, but when she stopped being afraid the other woman was formidable as well.

"Broonmark? Do you have a moment?"

"Always for the clan," Broonmark replied. The warrior woman smiled slightly at his response.

"I need to tell you something."

He waited. Perhaps she would share the source of the tension and there would be bloodshed after all.

"You may have noticed when we came back the other day there had been fighting."

"You smelled of blood and battle. It was surely a great victory for the clan."

She shook her head, "No, it was not a victory for the clan."

Her smell had darkened, for the first time Broonmark smelled something other than strength from her. It wasn't weakness, he knew that, but it was something he was unfamiliar with, "Is the clan dishonored?"

"Perhaps one of us is." She replied softly.

"Is Broonmark dishonored?" he asked in confusion.

"No," she reassured him, her smell brightening a bit, "No, Broonmark, you're not dishonored," she took a breath, "The station was a trap. We were set up."

"Who seeks to trap us? Do we hunt them?"

"Well, Baras, first of all, is the one who wants to trap us, and yes, we are definitely hunting the coward down."

"How does this dishonor the clan?"

"Broonmark…before I say anything more, I ask you, on your honor, to do nothing about what I am going to tell you. No revenge. No threats of revenge. No promises of bloodshed. Nothing. If you do any of those things, I will consider you a disgrace to the clan. I have made a decision, and I expect all of you to abide by it."

"You ask that our claws not drink the blood of our trapper?"

"Baras, yes, go ahead, claw him to shreds. No one else. Do you promise you will not take any action?"

The Talz was highly confused. If honor had been tainted, it must be cleansed by blood. But if the warrior woman asked for not-his-claws, he must obey also. "Our claws will not take revenge on any but those you tell us to."

She nodded in acknowledgement of his vow, "Baras used Captain Quinn to set the trap."

There was a beat of silence. Broonmark could not comprehend such betrayal could go unpunished, but the warrior woman had said that it must. With difficulty, he nodded his head to show his understanding, "The clan must not revenge itself on your mate, only on the one who caused him to betray us."

"Exactly."

"Our claws thirst for his blood, but we will honor your request."

"I understand the difficulty Broonmark. I know you will not dishonor us." With a final nod, she left the room.

Broonmark watched her leave. Her loyalty to her mate was admirable, but if it was misplaced only time would tell. He decided he would never understand other species.