Several months pass, and a strange rumor has begun making the rounds. Of course, Hancock can guess the source, but he also can’t. Given his behavior over the weeks, it would be easy to speculate anyways.

  And, if he’s being honest, it has become irrelevant to him. The Azure Queen laid an egg that she confirmed to be an embryonic Queen, winning a bet they made in private for Hancock. Because she will learn more about the galaxy with the human fleet, and the Zarakyssn Horde would only consider her an abomination, the unhatched Queen will go with the humans after she hatches.

  Hancock’s still concerned that the embryo won’t develop correctly, but the Azure Queen is confident that the chimeric DNA of both of her lineages is stable enough to produce a healthy child.

  Thankfully, the Void Queens have almost entirely accepted the arrangement for what it is. Even now, they’re overseeing armies of worker drones building ships in the Azure Queen’s orbital drydock.

  These ships, however, are not Zarakyssn in base design. Hancock watches as the Queen paces on grass being cultivated on a massive recreational deck of the new ‘world ship’ class that she helped design. It’s a massive park roughly the size of New York City’s central park…

  …on a space ship.

  The rest of the ship is overkill on size for now, but the Queen insists that, between the Cave Princesses, Syretia’s children, and the human population, they’ll catch up to the space in no time. Though she’s only providing the one, Hancock knows from the grass under his boots that the ship is indeed for the human fleet; a secret token of thanks for providing the Queen the first true honor she’s ever had, even if it’s secret from her own empire.

  “This foliage seems so pointless,” grumbles the Queen as she paces across the deck. Several Void Queens are standing by, ready for any feedback while the ship is still under construction. She adds, “If this is all the taller it will grow, it will provide no cover, be difficult to cultivate into fabric, and useless beyond fodder for livestock.” She looks at Hancock, but he smiles. “It’s perfect as it is. Thank you all for your efforts.”

  The Void Queens buzz warmly in return, but the Queen snorts. “And these; these trees of yours. They grow so slowly. It’s a wonder Earth had any life at all.”

  Hancock replies, “Wood likely won’t be a part of our resource pool for a while, but they’re an excellent touch. Plus, trees provide quite a bit of oxygen naturally.”

  She grumbles, pacing across the grass. He smiles as he watches her walk barefoot. Though the Queen doesn’t often talk about it, she almost ALWAYS wears boots, save in her own quarters. Now, she is larger and slower than she was, now that she is gestating dozens of eggs, and is clearly enjoying the soft soil and grass on her large feet. “We have to build an entire extra reactor just to power the lights for these plants. Air recyclers would be a thousand times more efficient.”

  Hancock replies as he approaches her, “Yes, but we’ve been so long without something like this; a slice of home. This will go a long way in keeping our people sane and reminding us what we’re clinging to out in space.”

  She sighs. “When you’re ready to admit you’re wrong in the heat of crisis, there will be air recyclers as backup, Hancock.” She smirks at him. “I cannot have my first precious daughter lost to this foolishness.”

  Hancock laughs, replying, “I agree. And, I’ll be the first to say you told me so.” He says more sincerely, “Thank you.”

  She waves her hand. “I have no need for thanks. I do this for my daughter. Nothing more.”

  Hancock states, “Speaking of; can we go see her?”

  She looks at him, confused. “She is still in the egg. There will not be much to see.”

  Hancock shrugs. “So? I do it for my daughter. Nothing more.”

  She narrows her eyes at him, but wearing a smirk. She sighs. “Very well, Hancock. Let us proceed.”

  She leads the way back to the shuttle, escorted by Void Queen attendants always ready to receive a new egg if the time comes, which it does every six hours or so. They fly back to the surface and enter the fortress, where they head to a special room near the center. It is an incubation facility with thousands of bed-like boxes per floor, where many of them are occupied by eggs; though, many of them belong to other Zarakyssn queens who have perished. The Azure Queen has confirmed that, among the many forms of payment she accepts from the Zarakyssn Horde, the eggs, larvae, and soldiers and workers of fallen Queens are among them. Because she and the Void Queens have developed the ability to take control of unattached soldiers and workers, they put them to use. Though the Azure Queen also has several races enslaved in her fortress, the soldiers and workers are considered willing, because they do have a minimal will of their own, as well as some conscious thought. However, without the guiding whispers of a Queen, they can fall to chaos, meaning that they’re usually killed.

  There are also a couple of Void Queen eggs and larvae present, who will join the Azure Queen’s ranks when they hatch.

  The three present themselves to the head overseeing Void Queen, Vvrrnnynnxxee. She is a Void Queen with a rather nurturing personality, though she still is one of the few who is none-too-shy about voicing her dislike of Hancock. However, each and every one of the eggs is safe, as she views them as only the Queen’s eggs, and no part of him whatsoever.

  However, she’s also the one they need to address.

  Hancock requests respectfully, “Excuse the intrusion, Void Queen Vvrrnnynnxxee. I’d like to check on the Princess, if that’s okay.”

  “She’s fine,” growls the Void Queen in retort, barely paying him any mind. She monitors various status screens of all of the incubators, and then instructs the younger Void Queens helping her in nurturing the eggs and larvae in need of attention. “The Princess’s vitals are all stable.”

  Hancock chuckles nervously, “That’s… not what I had in mind. I just want to see her and hold her a little.”

  “This is not a menagerie. It’s an incubation facility. Dear Sister, if you’d like a bed to lay in, we have one very nearby.”

  The Azure Queen waves a hand dismissively, retorting, “I am fine. I am curious to see what Hancock does. Humans bond with their offspring. Allow him.”

  The Void Queen twitches, grumbling, “He is ill-prepared to safely handle your offspring, Dear Sister.”

  The large chimera Queen growls more menacingly, “Darling Sister, these are Hancock’s offspring as well. He protects the offspring of others. I sincerely doubt he’ll allow harm to come to his own.”

  Vvrrnnynnxxee sighs. “If he does, can I kill him then, Dear Sister?”

  “We shall see.”

  Vvrrnnynnxxee waves her hand, stating, “Over there.”

  Hancock bows, “Thank you, Void Queen Vvrrnnynnxxee. May the stick not puncture your intestines.” She glares at him as he walks in the direction she pointed, and the Azure Queen snorts in amusement, following a few steps behind.

  The younger Void Queen approaches gesturing at an egg. Hancock takes a look at the egg presented to him, and he smiles. He pets the leathery skin of the shark-egg-like pouch, admiring the silhouette of the form growing inside. “Hey there, little one. Grow up big and strong and protect your mother and aunts, okay? I know you probably won’t ever think about me, but do your best for them, always.” He smirks, saying warmly, “Thank you. But, this is a soldier or a worker. May I meet my daughter now?”

  The younger Void Queen recoils in surprise, and Vvrrnnynnxxee hums in surprise, clicking her mandibles. They both glance at the Azure Queen, who doesn’t speak, but she smirks in response. When she does speak, it’s to say, “Yes, Hancock. Our daughter is…”

  “NO!” objects Vvrrnnynnxxee as she stands up. “You may have deemed him worthy of you, Sister, but she is your FIRST daughter! IF he is so worthy of her and so wise, he should be able to find her!”

  The Azure Queen’s smirk dissolves into a frown, but Hancock says warmly, “Alright then. What’s one more test?” He walks forward, scanning the room briefly. He smiles and begins pointing at random as he walks, “Eenie, meenie, minie, mo, catch a Void Queen by her bow. If she buzzes, hug her mo’. Eenie, meenie, minie… mo.” He stops at an egg, and the Void Queens all around buzz in discord, stunned and surprised. Hancock gingerly lifts the egg, saying, “Hey, Princess. I missed you. I can’t wait to really meet you. Though, if you’re anything like Dzilika and Fruzzcz, then you’ll hatch stronger than me, so be gentle, please.” Fruzzcz, a male grodrrn, hatched just a few days ago from Nyonnyss’s egg, and he’s definitely stronger than Hancock already. If he had to, the human soldier MIGHT still be able to wrestle Dzilika to the ground, but she’s beginning to crawl and pry into things no human infant would be able to get into.

  Hancock jokes to the Void Queens watching him in disbelief, “I guess I should brace myself for some broken bones, huh?” He grins at the Azure queen, and she watches like a statue.

  “How is this possible…?” murmurs the young Void Queen who tested him. “Are humans sensitive to the Divine Bond afterall?”

  Hancock replies gently, “Nope. I just have a human bond with this little girl.”

  The tiny princess’s silhouette shifts, and her forehead touches the shell of the egg. Hancock smiles, placing his forehead against the shell in the same spot. "I'm here, Princess. Daddy's right here."

  She begins humming a level, soft tone that reminds Hancock of a cicada or a cricket.

  Very soon after, all of the Queens join her, idly matching tune over the Divine Bond they always share at short range.

  Hancock begins humming softly as well, making a more musical melody. And, to his genuine delight, the Princess matches tone, not unlike the Cave Princesses do. It makes him smile tenderly, and he hums out the lullaby his sister used to sing.

  The Princess follows the melody with surprising ease.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  However, the human soldier is genuinely surprised when the melody seems to fill the room in surround sound stereo. He looks at the Azure Queen first, who appears to be humming, and she notices him, making the realization as well. She looks at the Void Queens, and they tense, startled to realize they're all singing Hancock's melody as well.

  One of the younger Queens cries out, "E-Excuse me Sister!" She flees the room suddenly, and Vvrrnnynnxxee cries, "How is this possible!? He is a human! How dare he-...!?"

  The Azure Queen cuts her off with a cold tone, "Our daughter is half human. We pride ourselves in our ability to communicate at all times with all sisters. Hancock is communicating even more intimately, as he always has."

  She approaches Hancock as he takes a seat on the floor, still holding the egg. He asks, "Is this okay? Will it hurt her?"

  The Queen towers over him, but she replies softly, "No. She is quite happy." The Queen lowers to a kneel in front of him.

  Hancock notices her hand on the shell, and he traces his finger nearby, watching in amazement as her hand tries to pursue his finger. He chuckles, remarking warmly, "She learns so quickly."

  "Of the three of her ancestors, Zarakyssns are the most precocial at birth. Our… My sisters are teaching her through the bond while she is here. She will be born able to speak, able to identify many individuals by voice, and she will be prepared to receive lectures for further development."

  Hancock nods. "I see. That's amazing." He swirls his finger more playfully, like he's playing with a cat and a laser pointer. He also hums a playfully suspenseful tone before pulling his finger away. The Princess whines a disappointed cry, and Hancock returns his whole palm to the egg with a soft chuckle. "I'm still here, Sweetheart. Just playing."

  The humming coming from within softens.

  "Why have you not asked?"

  Hancock looks up at the Void Queen who just spoke. Vvrrnnynnxxee is also looming over him, though she stands about equal with the kneeling chimera queen.

  Hancock asks innocently, "Asked what? How long before she hatches?"

  "No!" snaps the impatient insectoid caretaker. She buzzes unintelligibly, which translates as "Error; No Words Detected."

  Hancock chuckles softly, and the Azure Queen fills in as she reaches down, touching Hancock's hand where his is touching the shell. "She wonders why you haven't requested our daughter be taught human speech, now that you know."

  Hancock looks at the Void Queen, who stares at him with what equates to a sour expression. He looks at the egg once more, and he replies sincerely, "Humans are capable of learning many languages, similar to the grodrrns. Maybe not as quickly, but similar. She'll have three thirds of adeptly effective linguists in her blood. I don't think she'll have trouble learning it before I can learn to speak Zarakyssn horribly." He smiles, "Isn't that right, you little genius?"

  "No one is this selfless! No one! Not even Zarakyssn soldiers!"

  "Vvrrnnynnxxee…" warns the Azure Queen, but Hancock defuses once more, "I assure you, my goals are quite selfish, Vurninxee. I appreciate your hard work caring for her while she's here, but I'll have her the rest of her -well, MY- life, so why waste your time teaching her things I can teach her, when she could be learning even more about the other cultures in her ancestry?" Vvrrnnynnxxee is quiet for a long moment. Hancock states as he pets the shell, "You all feel like she has to be built to perfection, and that's fair. I'm glad you're doing so. But, I'm her dad. She's already perfect to me, and it's my job to mess her up JUST right. She wants to forego combat to sing, I'm her first and biggest fan. She wants to learn to gene sequence plants, I'm a flower connoisseur looking for a specific color of flower. If she wants to prove she's one of you, then you might need a zjikha for backup when I'm done with her. Teach her to read and write Zarakyssn, please. And, maybe a spot of grodrrn if it's not too much trouble. But I don't need to press your buttons and antagonize you just so she can learn to communicate with me. She'll learn plenty quickly enough." Hancock carefully rises to his feet, cradling the egg. "I don't care what you think about me. If you care about this little princess, then I selfishly ask you to teach her all you are a master of, so that she becomes invincible as she travels the universe with me. Can we agree on that at least, please?"

  The Void Queens are all staring at him, and the Azure Queen is silent, still kneeling next to him, and still taller than him.

  Vvrrnnynnxxee stares at him, and then she looks at the egg. She glances at the Azure Queen, but the Queen doesn't make any response either way.

  Vvrrnnynnxxee looks back at Hancock for another long time.

  She finally says with attitude, "You must protect her so she can visit us. And she must be allowed to visit. Do not make our sisters hunt you down, Hancock."

  Hancock chuckles, "Deal."

  The Void Queen grumbles as she returns to checking on soldier eggs, "We will teach her human as well. Learning all languages needed is easiest when young. Provide another translator sooner, rather than later."

  Hancock nods, "It shall be done."

  The Azure Queen takes the computer in the shoulder bag Hancock has, setting it on the incubator table. She says in English, though very much like the grodrrns did at first, "Tock theess oone. I conn commoone weeth Hancock weethout for now." She looks at him, and he nods in agreement. Vvrrnnynnxxee hesitantly takes the computer, saying, "Thank you, Dear Sister. I will prepare routines quickly."

  The Azure Queen returns to speaking grodrrn in the presence of the computer, which translates. "Power will need adapter, which is in my private quarters. You may retrieve it at restmeal."

  Hancock knows that 'restmeal' is loosely dinner to the Zarakyssns, but it's generally the lightest meal for them and doesn't have a fixed time. It's mostly based on when someone is hungry before they part to personal quarters. And, each shift has a restmeal at its own time.

  Hancock hoped she wouldn't say it, but the Azure Queen adds, "Any earlier or later, and I will be occupied."

  The Void Queens pout a little, but don't show as much disgust as they once did. Maybe they're getting used to him.

  After a little longer of holding the Princess egg, Hancock remarks warmly and softly, "Well, Princess, I think I'm going to have to go. For a mermaid's shoplifting-bag, you're quite heavy." He delicately sets the egg back into its incubator cradle, which mostly just monitors her vitals and takes spectrographic readings of her egg's yolk, bacterias on or in the egg, and any other warning signs of issues.

  The Azure Queen says softly, "She eez asleep."

  Hancock nods, "I thought so, which is why I knew I could escape. And, why I'm whispering." He smiles, petting her egg once more. "Good night, Princess. Sweet dreams. I love you." He steps away quietly, and the Azure Queen watches him for a moment. She follows quietly, and he waves respectfully at the Void Queens.

  Out in the hall, the Azure Queen admits softly, "You sorpreese me, Honcock…"

  "Ah, my older sister taught me a lot of that stuff. Thank God, am I right? If I can stay on her good side, maybe our Princess won't crush me." He chuckles, but the Azure Queen asks, "You hovv seestor?"

  Hancock nods softly, "Had, more accurately. She was… too far away on Earth to reach the ships.”

  The Queen is silent for a moment.

  “Theess… hort you?”

  It’s Hancock’s turn to be silent for a moment. He replies softly, “Yeah… It still hurts. Why me and not them? I signed up to fight and risk my life. They didn’t.”

  There’s an awkward silence. Hancock sighs. “I don’t blame you. I blame our ‘rulers’ at the time. And, it’s not even about blame or hate. It’s just… I miss her. Her and my mom.”

  The Azure Queen is quiet for a long time. When she can speak, she simply says softly, “I oondorstond.”

  Hancock nods, “Thank you.” He inhales and exhales, refreshing himself. “I’ve learned to carry it, though. They wouldn’t want me to mope around. And, all of those rulers are dead.”

  The Azure Queen nods thoughtfully.

  Suddenly, Hancock asks curiously, “Real talk, when is the Princess going to hatch? Should we start talking about names for her?”

  The Azure Queen relaxes her expression. “Oon Morr teem thonn now, eef make sinss. Leetul morr.”

  Hancock thinks for a minute. The Queen doesn’t know how her time translates to Hancock’s, nor does he know how “walks on the path” and “steps on the path” actually translate. However, the battle between them was about three months ago or so, meaning the egg was laid about two and a half ago.

  Hancock asks, “A little more than the same amount of time since the battle right? So, another three months?”

  She nods. “Yes, eef hovv been three monns. Monn… Monss.”

  Hancock chuckles, “Those t-h’s are murder every time.” She huffs, but he replies, “Close enough. Anyways, where are we going?” He pauses and faces her, and she looks around. They’ve wandered down a hallway, but haven’t been headed anywhere specific. Hancock did sort of lead, but he expected her to take over. And, likewise, she didn’t have a destination otherwise, and she was simply walking with him.

  She pretends to have an answer, stating calmly, “I omm goeeng to boths to sook een nectorok. You maii jeen me.”

  Hancock chuckles, “Sounds relaxing. Is nectarok toxic to humans?”

  “Do not dreenk.”

  He laughs, “Deal.”

  A short while later, Hancock finds his mind in a fog. The honey-gold liquid is warmed in the bath, and the smell is heavenly sweet. He’s not sure how to describe it, other than it tickles all the right taste buds, but doesn’t oversaturate any of them like a sickly-sweet taste would.

  He also feels a little dizzy, though, but immensely relaxed. He doesn’t have a care in the world.

  “I think I’m absorbing some of the nectratock through my skin. Nectra… the… This stuff.” He idly swirls his hand through the liquid.

  “Stronge…” murmurs the Azure Queen as she shifts, and he realizes where he is. Her motion shifted under him, meaning he is being surprisingly gently held by the Queen as she continues to lie with her head on the bath’s edge. “Why say?” asks the Queen.

  Hancock tries to focus, but still feels too relaxed to really think fully. “I feel… drunk… I think… I’ve never been drunk… I-Inebriated…”

  The Queen hums, listening to his words. When she doesn’t understand something, she doesn’t admit it, so he realizes she might not have understood when she’s silent.

  “I feel… extra relaxed.”

  He can feel her clawed hand snake across his chest rather gently, stopping over his heart. She murmurs, “Mmm… I see… Stronge…”

  “Am… I dying?” asks Hancock.

  She replies eerily, all but whispering in his ear with her heavy voice, “Eet has been teem. Would alridih be.” She pets his head next, adding in the same strangely wistful voice, “Nectarock eez reloxont. Mmm… Colmer…”

  “So… I am drunk… But, how could it affect both of us?”

  “Mm… I do not know… Honcock relox. Eef heart stop, I will summon aid.”

  He chuckles, retorting dryly, “Great, thanks.” Regardless, he finds himself laying back against her, relaxing. He asks idly, “Will… it harm… the eggs?”

  “Mm. No. Shill theek. Insolubol.”

  Hancock nods. That makes sense. While it does allow air quality to slowly filter in so the embryo can adapt to new environments, they wouldn’t get far if other substances could affect them so easily. The Queen adds as she breathes deep and exhales, “Sicond hort also protict eegs.”

  Hancock suspected she had a second heart, and just as he began to suspect, it’s dedicated almost entirely to her thorax.

  “You could come with us, you know.”

  There’s a sudden pause, and the Queen stops petting his head. There’s an awkward silence, and Hancock adds, “I mean, when our ships leave.”

  “I know.”

  “You don’t have to decide right now, but you can. You’d be a big help to us, and…”

  “I CON do anytheeng I weesh. I hovv no eentoreest een stroogul to sorveev. Alreedih doon.”

  Hanock nods, “I guess I can’t blame you there.”

  Hancock reaches his hand underneath himself, gingerly petting the sides of the Queen’s ribs, which has proven to be a soft spot for her. He adds suddenly, “I could stay…”

  The Queen scoffs at this. “Hoomeens would dee weethott.”

  “Ah, I doubt it. I’m just one person. And, now that they’ve seen how effective the power armor is, they’ll undoubtedly make more.”

  The Queen tugs a little painfully on his hair, growling lightly, which rumbles through his back, almost tickling him more than anything else. She retorts, “You ween bet. Preenceess moost go weeth hoomeens ond see goloxy. Honcock protict Preenceess. End oov deescooshin.”

  Hancock replies softly, “Alright.”

  He does his best to resist drifting off again, but the environment is extremely relaxing. Not to mention the apparent alcoholic affects of the nectarock.

  ***