Hey guys! Look what we have today! We have Lyn Gala’s Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities and we have an exclusive short of Liam’s time when he was still on the front lines. So guys enjoy the post… you just gotta love an excellent science fiction story <3 ~Pixie~
Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities
(Claimings 02)
by
Lyn Gala
Ondry and Liam have settled into a good life, but their trading is still tied up with humans, and humans are always messy. When political changes at the human base lead Ondry to attempt a difficult trade, the pair find themselves entangled in human affairs. Liam wants to help the people he left and the worlds being torn apart. He also wants to serve Ondry with not only the pleasures of the nest but also by bringing human profits.
Ondry has no hope of understanding human psychology in general, he only knows that he will hold onto his palteia with the last breath in his body, and he’d like to keep his status and his wealth too. Unfortunately, new humans bring new conflicts and he is not sure how to protect Liam. He does know one thing that humans seem to constantly forget—that the peaceful Rownt are predators and when their families are threatened, Rownt become deadly killers. Liam is his family, and Ondry will protect him with his last breath… assuming that he can recognize the dangers in time to do so.
http://www.loose-id.com/assimilation-love-and-other-human-oddities.html
Escape Hatch
Liam watched Kaplan as he inspected the new arrivals. Unlike those who had been on the front for a while, they were fresh-faced and fairly well fed. Mostly. There were a few waifs in the bunch, and Liam noticed that Kaplan gravitated toward those wide-eyed and frightened boys.
They looked like babies.
None of them were old enough to deal with the brutal reality of a major assault, but they’d grow up quick enough. And that was the heart of the problem. Liam had grown up or grown cold or maybe just grown old and weary. But in the year he’d been out here, he’d lost that wide-eyed innocence that Kaplan loved.
Liam wasn’t the submissive boy who would press himself against Kaplan’s chest and accept the lies that would fall from his lips. It would be okay… the enemy wasn’t coming…
They were lies, and Liam could see that every time Kaplan opened his mouth. Considering that Kaplan controlled the assignments, Liam should play the game—play the waif—and earn a few more months of easy duty, but he was too damn tired.
He didn’t want lies, and that’s all men ever offered him. He gave up his ass, and he got nothing in return. It was time for him to admit that he was part of the problem. He’d thought running away from Mort would fix things, but he was still the same old Liam. He still had some weird belief that someone would take care of him, and it was time to grow the fuck up and stop believing that stupid shit. Kaplan wasn’t going to take care of him, and watching him take the time to adjust the equipment on a boy who couldn’t be older than seventeen drove that point home. Painfully.
In the past, Liam might have gone down there and distracted Roger, tempted him with some show of helplessness and eye-batting. Now he turned away and headed to where several of the guys had set up a card game.
“Hey,” Framkie offered when Liam walked up.
“How does a guy earn a transfer off the unit?” Liam came right out and asked. That brought the game to a quick halt, but then any good gossip could, and Liam figured having Kaplan’s piece of ass look for an escape hatch was fairly good gossip.
“You looking?” Framkie asked.
“Kaplan’s looking elsewhere, and I’d rather not be around to watch that,” Liam said. He hadn’t planned to be that honest, but it wasn’t like these guys would think less of him. Mostly they already thought he was a piece of shit. Wherever Liam landed next, he definitely needed to make sure that no one ever saw him submit to anyone. Ever.
“Isn’t your ass enough anymore?” Lester laughed and held out a hand for Preston to slap as both of them enjoyed the joke at Liam’s expense.
“Clearly it isn’t,” Liam snapped.
“Knock it off, you two,” Framkie ordered.
“Hey, he’s the one selling his ass.”
“He was a newbie who fell for that asshole. You don’t have to make things fucking worse,” Framkie said, his voice low and dangerous. The sad reality was that Lester was closer to the truth than Framkie, but Liam appreciated the attempt to defend his non-existent honor.
“Look, I just don’t want to be around when he decides that he feels guilty looking at me. I’ll end up on retrieval or assigned to a fortified position with no fortifications. So how do I get a transfer out before Kaplan decides to get rid of me the old fashioned way?”
“He wouldn’t do that,” Lester said, but the malicious glee of a second ago had vanished.
Liam raised his eyebrows. “Really? Because I have heard the long and sad stories about how he’s lost everyone he loved to the enemy. In fact, I don’t believe he’s ever told me about one ex that has survived long after the break up.”
The others all exchanged wary looks. So they knew… or at least they suspected.
“Sucks to be you,” Preston said, and he even managed an ounce of sympathy in the tone.
“Yeah, well I’m trying to fix it, so maybe less making fun of me and more information would help,” Liam said. He half expected Lester and Preston to immediately attack him, but they were oddly silent. Framkie answered.
“You could try engineering or languages. They’re always looking for techs.”
Lester snorted. “I tried the engineering classes. That shit is like math on steroids. Good luck.”
That made Liam cringe. He’d missed more school than he’d attended, first because his mother always seemed to need him. She’d be too drunk to get to her job, so he’d cover by helping her clean offices half the night and then be too tired to even try. He always attended the first week or two of the term and picked up all the text books, and he’d actually liked some of them, but after Mort had taken him in, Liam had stopped even pretending that school mattered. What mattered was how wide he could spread his legs.
And he hated himself for that.
He could blame his mom or his missing father or the romance books he’d read growing up, but it all came down to one thing. He’d let himself fall for the lie that if he spread his legs wide enough that someone would care… someone would take care of him.
And then he’d been stupid enough to believe the men who’d come in and made that very promise.
“I could try languages,” Liam said with some hesitation. He was a good reader, but he’d never learned another language.
Lester snorted again, and Framkie gave him a dirty look before he stood up. “I’ll walk you over to the posting center and show you where you can register and get access to materials.
“Yeah, take care of the boy,” Lester suggested.
Framkie punched him in the arm hard enough that Lester fell off the uneven stool he’d claimed.
“Hey!”
“I’m showing him the registry, not fucking him, so keep your mind out of the gutter.” Framkie strode off, and Liam was left standing in the middle of a dozen men who were all staring at him.
From the tone Framkie had used, the most ethical man in their unit thought fucking Liam was disgusting. Liam could feel the heat rise in his cheeks, but this was the life he’d made for himself. He’d let other people turn him into dirt so that good men wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole, even with sanitizer.
Liam carefully avoided everyone’s gaze as he turned and headed after Framkie. It was time for Liam to try something different, something that didn’t involve getting tied down and fucked.
**
Two weeks into his new plan, Liam was questioning his sanity and his ability to ever become anything other than Kaplan’s failed fucktoy. He hit replay on the audio lesson and tried to hear the speaker who offered two variations on a glottal stop. Lester came over and dropped down beside him on the crumbling edge of a stone wall.
“You still at that?” he asked.
Liam paused the lesson. “I still need a ticket off this unit, so yeah.”
“Kaplan still giving you shit?” Lester pulled out a ration bar and started chewing on the edge to soften it.
“Yeah,” Liam admitted. “Look, I’ve got to finish this before I go on shift.”
Lester nodded. “Sure,” he said before standing. “You doing north watch tonight?”
Part of Liam wanted to just vanish into his lesson. He didn’t want to think about his shift until he had to report, but it seemed like some of the guys were trying to give him a second chance, and Liam didn’t want to ruin what little peace he’d found. It reinforced his decision to stop letting himself get led around by the dick. When he just hid his deep desire for someone to dominate him, he could find respect. And he wanted that.
“No, I’m on retrieval tonight.” Liam tried to sound calm about it, but everyone knew that retrieval was shit duty. He’d have to go out into no-man’s land between the lines and retrieve equipment that could be repaired or taken apart for spare bits. If he had time, he was also supposed to retrieve bodies, but soldiers always came in second to the hardware.
Lester frowned. “Who’s got your back?”
“No one.”
For a few seconds, Lester looked at him like he’d just turned brilliant pink. “What the fuck do you mean no one? Seriously? That fuckhead is sending you out alone?”
Liam sighed. Kaplan controlled the assignments. That had been great when Liam had been his boy all safely tucked up in Kaplan’s bed. Now it sort of sucked. Actually, Liam now understood why the men had resented him because Liam sure as hell hated Gibson’s guts. He was young and cute and probably tied to Kaplan’s bed right now. And Liam was headed out into potential death.
“Seriously?” Lester demanded again.
“I told you that I needed an escape hatch. I plan to make Roaw’nt my escape, as soon as I can speak it well enough to pass the test.” Liam grimaced. He’d said the species name wrong again, he just knew it. The damn language seemed to slide around in his mouth, but it made more sense than Anla. He’d done the first unit or two for Anla, and as much as it was easier to pronounce, the ideas were bizarre.
But Roaw’nt was easier to think in. They were such a straightforward people. They wanted to cheat you out of every credit and steal your shoes as you left. Liam found something reassuring in that honesty. They weren’t like Mort or Kaplan, all smiles and soft words until they had you under their thumb. Roaw’nt facial structure didn’t even allow them to smile. That had a certain appeal.
Lester sat down again. “Fuck,” he whispered. The man had a very limited vocabulary. “I mean, I thought about tossing your sweet ass over the hot line and letting the rebels fuck you to death, but I wouldn’t actually do it.”
“Gee, thanks,” Liam said dryly.
“You got an easy ride for a while, so you probably deserve to do your share of retrieval now, but alone? Really? What is that asshole even thinking?”
“That no one will care if one more whore gets killed out here,” Liam said coldly.
Lester gave him a strange look. “You’ve got issues.”
“You have no idea how true that is,” Liam said.
For several minutes they both sat on the crumbling edge of some bombed out building and looked out toward the uneven line of towers that marked the hot line for the Command side. “I’m going to get Framkie.”
“And what’s he going to do?” Liam asked bitterly. Part of him wanted to go find someone else to hide behind. Giving up on the whole submissive thing was harder than he’d thought.
“He’s going to get a few of us together so we can partner up with you until Kaplan gets this shit out of his head or until you can pass that test of yours.”
Liam was sure his mouth had fallen open. He stared at Lester in shock.
“You’re a pathetic little fuck, but at least you’re stepping up and doing a soldier’s work. You aren’t sitting outside Kaplan’s tent and crying like a bitch in heat.”
Liam’s face turned red. Part of him did want to do exactly that, but he was too stubborn. It helped that he knew Kaplan would never take him back now that he had someone younger and more vulnerable. Liam was still trying to figure out what to say when Lester got up and walked off without a word.
Maybe, just maybe, he could get out of this mess alive. If he could do that, he could give up being submissive.
Review
Title: Assimilation, Love, and Other Human Oddities
Series: Claimings 02
Author: Lyn Gala
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, BDSM
Length: Novel (224pgs)
ISBN: 978-1-62300-587-0
Publisher: Loose Id (23rd September 2014)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4 ½ Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Ondry and Liam have settled into a good life, but their trading is still tied up with humans, and humans are always messy. When political changes at the human base lead Ondry to attempt a difficult trade, the pair find themselves entangled in human affairs. Liam wants to help the people he left and the worlds being torn apart. He also wants to serve Ondry with not only the pleasures of the nest but also by bringing human profits.
Ondry has no hope of understanding human psychology in general, he only knows that he will hold onto his palteia with the last breath in his body, and he’d like to keep his status and his wealth too. Unfortunately, new humans bring new conflicts and he is not sure how to protect Liam. He does know one thing that humans seem to constantly forget—that the peaceful Rownt are predators and when their families are threatened, Rownt become deadly killers. Liam is his family, and Ondry will protect him with his last breath… assuming that he can recognize the dangers in time to do so.
Purchase Link: http://www.loose-id.com/assimilation-love-and-other-human-oddities.html
Review: This story is part of a series and must be read in order. Ondry and Liam are happy with the relationship they have forged, they are happy to trade with the humans still and Liam is secure as his role as palteia but when new humans are brought into the mix Liam discovers that there is a very fragile balance and he does what he can to smooth over the rough edges. Ondry loves seeing Liam helping to improve his statues and wealth through trade, but when the new human brings conflict Ondry isn’t sure how to keep Liam safe and a Rownt who feels threatened is a dangerous thing. And the new trade the pair makes with the humans just might cost them everything.
Ahhhh this story was pure bliss to read, I adore science fiction and Lyn Gala knows how to take you to new worlds. We join Ondry and Liam after Liam is more secure in his new life with Ondry, so guys you need to read Claimings Tails and Other Alien Artifacts to know how Liam came to be living with the Rownt and his role in Ondry’s life, it also gives you some great world building which is further built upon in this story. For those of you who wonder Ondry is a Rownt, a reptilian like species, the Rownt society is based in trade and creative insults and their class system is an earned one and can be quite complex. Liam’s place in that society is as Ondry’s palteia (submissive partner) and trade partner; they have an easy and yet complex personal relationship as well.
Delving into this story reminded me of how much I love a well-crafted science fiction story, the attention to detail and the wealth of information about not just a different species but a complex culture was just amazing. As we progress through this book not only do we learn a huge amount about the Rownt and their ideals, we also get to see how Liam is embracing those ideals as his own, after the terrible treatment at the hands of his fellow humans Rownt logic and actions have found a home within his heart. As for Liam and Ondry’s relationship it is one that is based a lot in D/s, fulfilling each other’s needs and for Ondry that is to make Liam feel safe and taking care of his sexual needs and for Liam it’s to help comfort and relax Ondry and to help build up his status in society… so although there is no sexual intercourse (well if you exclude tails) there is still sexual contact and a great deal of love between them.
As to the actual storyline, well that is a true treat as we see Ondry and Liam wheel and deal, uncover an unsavoury plot, dodge danger and carve out a unique niche for themselves. Liam plays a big part in this story just through his understanding of Ondry and the Rownt customs, Ondry’s pride in Liam stands out throughout the book and that Rownt would do anything for his palteia. The humans in this story learn a very important piece of information through Liam, especially when they are courting disaster and very nearly get Liam killed. So this is an exceptionally well written story that takes you to a new world, it has fantastic characters and an incredible society and a unique relationship that is growing in leaps and bounds.
I recommend this to those who love science fiction, alien cultures being embraced, a very unique D/s relationship, a bit of danger, a dose of ignorance and two very special main characters.