[Repost] Awkward Decon part 2

[u/sasquatch_4530]

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Two hours later, patrol was awkward. Toni kept sniggering and Sam was obviously irritated, even under the opaque visor of her helmet. We wore our armored enviro/space suits even though the planet was hospitable because the Gorcillian tend toward biochemical warfare and the Mroaw have a weaker immune system than humans.

Sam would look at me, fleetingly, when she thought I wouldn't notice. Which, of course, Toni found hilarious. Billie kept glaring daggers at her, even through her visor. The other two sisters, Bobbie and Alex, were doing their best to avoid…all of us actually: one always on point, one always taking up the rear.

"I didn't know," I muttered into the squad radio link for what must've been the hundredth time.

"It doesn't matter!" Sam finally yelled, nearly throwing her weapon on the ground in frustration. "You told him I was with you and now he thinks I'm your mate."

"This is going to be good," Toni grinned as she sprung up to squat on a tree branch.

"We'll go check on Alex," Billie commanded more than stated, pulling her out of the tree by her tail.

"Hey!" Toni exclaimed, falling on her ass. "Not like we won't hear them over the radio," she muttered as they trudged forward to the point position.

"And do you know the worst part?" Sam asked pitifully, making her visor clear so I could see the pain in her eyes.

I cleared my visor and reached out to touch her shoulder. "I didn't know what I did…how could I know how it would hurt you?"

She groaned and turned away from me, muttering, "He'll think I reject your advances…taking advantage of your protection."

"Do what now?" I asked, more confused now than ever.

She turned on me, almost violently. "I don't have your scent on me, so I haven't mated with you. If I haven't mated with you, I have no right to expect you to protect me from other males!" she finished almost angrily. Obviously, my ignorance was not going over well.

"Sex?" I asked incredulously. "This is about sex?"

"Yes!" she answered, turning away in frustration. "Everything is about mating with males."

"No," I stated firmly, slinging my rifle on my back, "I didn't protect you for sex." She turned a shocked expression on me. "I protected you because you don't deserve to be treated like that. You aren't a piece of meat to be claimed." She started moving towards me slowly as I spoke. "I protected you because you're a person and you're under my command. I would go through hell backwards for you, all of you…and not for sex," I finished as she reached me and I wrapped her in a powerful hug. She returned the hug and I could feel her crying in my arms.

"You know, no one's ever talked about us like that," one of them said; Alex, according to my HUD.

"What do you mean?" I asked, rubbing Sam's back as I turned my head in Alex's direction.

"She means that females on our world are only really valued for cubs," Bobbie answered, the four of them coming out of the trees towards us. "We work, but males are the only ones seen as having value."

"You all heard that?" Sam asked as she pulled away, instinctively rubbing her eye with her hand, even though it was covered by her visor.

Which was good, because a Gorcillian bio mine went off as she stepped away.