When it got so late in the day that Tempest couldn’t keep Dron in the bed any more, she allowed him to get up and do some work on the property.

Apparently, he wasn’t concerned with the actual non-fire that had rained down the night before but the wind always did a number on the surrounding area.

Tempest was hesitant to get out of the bed but there was no way that she could rot there.

Besides, both she and Dron had their own appearances to keep up.

They mutually agreed that they would keep in contact with both Mark Chief Tuliq and with Rynax even if to just make sure they had all the information. They would also make sure everyone thought that both Tempest and Dron were a happy couple. And on top of that they would do some digging on their own to find out what they could.

This plan was starting to be more convoluted than Tempest would have liked.

Still there was just too much that she needed to find out to give up on things.

The first thing she wanted to do was get a definitive answer on this heat nonsense. She was absolutely sure that this wouldn’t happen to her, but then again, she was absolutely sure she’d never wake up on an alien spacecraft, and... well... that didn’t go as planned.

Tempest could see Dron out the large window. He had his shirt off, and he was working bare chested. The dark swirling patterns seemed to nearly suck in the light around him and hold it hostage. Only a very small, dull shimmer escaped.

Besides the markings, though, Dron was as human-figured as they came from the waist up. If by human figured she meant hot underwear model quality. His abs rippled as he swung what looked like an axe over and over on a downed tree. His biceps and triceps pulsed with every motion.

It wasn’t long before Tempest found herself replaying every one of his motions over in his mind in slow motion. It didn’t matter what anyone in this crazy land said, Dron was hot.

Like bite her fist and honk hot.

Tempest shook her head and tried to focus on what she needed to do. She told Dron that she would invite Mexyn over. It was one of the main reasons he’d gone outside to work so quickly. He wanted to give them their space.

Tempest lifted up her wrist and activated the communicator app on her device.

Mexyn’s face filled the screen. She was stone faced but Tempest didn’t take that to mean she didn’t want to talk to her. That was her default setting. If there were a prize for best resting bitch face, Mexyn would take the gold.

"Tempest, what a wonderful surprise."

"Hey, Mexyn. Nice to see you." Tempest started it off. She wondered if it would be strange to ask the woman to come over but then immediately squashed her doubts. After all Mexyn was the one to tell her that anytime she needed to talk to someone, Tempest could call her.

"Is everything okay? How are you getting along with Dron? Better, I hope?"

Tempest thought about the way they stayed in bed and cuddled. How they were completely open with eachother. And then finally what nearly happened the other night when she was ready to give her virginity to him.

Better was an understatement. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"Yeah, we’re doing good. Listen, I actually had a favor to ask of you." Tempest broached the request as tactfully as she could.

"Oh? What do you need?"

"I was wondering if you would come over for a chat? There’s something I want to talk to you about that I don’t think would be appropriate to speak about over the phone."

It wasn’t really a phone but Tempest didn’t really have anything else to compare it to. An Ipad with communication capabitlites?

"Sure, I’ll be right over." Mexyn gave her a smile but Tempest could see from the movement in the screen that she was already up and moving almost as if Mexyn was waiting for an excuse to leave wherever she was.

"Thank you." Tempest said but Mexyn had already ended the call. Tempest did her best to not think it rude. It was a cultural thing. It must just be something Mexyn wasn’t used to. She’d talk to her about it and was sure that the sweet woman would do all she could to adhere to Tempest’s cultural needs.

She was good like that.

Too good, if Tempest really thought about it.

Mexyn was the epitome of a people pleaser in Tempest’s mind. She had to wonder if that was on purpose. She wondered if the higher ups paired her with Mexyn because they needed someone to go along with the foreigner. Keep her happy.

Tempest shook her head. She didn’t want to be so suspicious but after everything that she learned earlier in the day there was no way that she couldn’t be. Right now it felt like everyone had there own plans for Tempest. Tempest had to figure out a way to stack the cards in her favor.

Tempest looked outside again and couldn’t help the chuckle that burst out of her.

Squab had somehow gotten out of the house and was happily chirping and jumping all around Dron. Instead of getting upset, Dron allowed the little animal to join in the chores. Not that the little animal was doing anything but getting in the way.

Tempest watched them for a few minutes until she got a notification on her wrist device that someone was at the door.

That was as quick.

Tempest rushed to the door to open it for Mexyn.

She smiled for a second. Only briefly until she saw the marks around Mexyn’s neck.

Dark bruises lined Mexyn’s neck and collar region.

No wonder she was so quick to get over to Tempest. She didn’t have to say a word. Tempest knew a vicitim of domestic abuse when she saw one.