Macon steadied as she exited the vehicle.
Taking a moment, she smoothed the silky fabric of her dress.
Chiss stood behind her. Still close enough that she could feel his warmth.
She surveyed the building. It stood like a marble castle jutting into the cityscape beyond it. It was no doubt the most impressive building she would ever see.

Her palms sweat not from humidity, but rather the nervous anticipation that squeezed her.

In fact, the temperature seemed to be perfect with the slightest breeze.

However, her heart was working overtime.
She needed to be smart about her situation. Chiss had informed her that she would be meeting the Commander once inside. She was smart enough to know that so much hung on this first interaction.

He would be her stronghold in this life.

"Allow me," Chiss's arm reached from behind her pushing the door open.

Her heels clicked too loudly on flooring.

She gasped at the sight.

She chuckled to herself.

"It's a bit overwhelming." She paused a moment before Chiss extended an arm to her.

Looping her hand around his bicep, she felt him tense.

Fear bit into her as large doors opened revealing the party within. 

The lights were dimmed and strange music resonated through the room. 

It sent a chill down her spine. 

She clung closer to Chiss, and he stilled for a moment. 

He looked down into her now terrified face and studied her features before looking into her blue-green eyes. 

"You are brave... I've seen you do much worse than this." His words were low and held assurance.

She nodded, but wondered what things he'd seen her do. 

At the front of the room, long couches and poufs were draped with Aturians and human females.

The rest of the party seemed to consist mostly of Aturians, both male and female. 

The females were slightly taller than the males, but held the same prominent features.

As they closed in on the group at the front of the room, a male stood. 
His body radiated authority, and she wanted to shrink back. Although she didn't allow herself to.
He was impressive in stature and lean muscles could be seen through the tight material of his uniform. Many metal pins garnished his shoulder and chest. His short hair was a ruffled mess of silver. Not gray but a true silver. He didn't appear to be much older than Macon, but she wasn't sure about the aging of Aturians. So it was hard to say how old he might have been. But she would have placed him in his late twenties or early thirties. His eyes seemed to hold the mischief of a secret as he stared at her with those burning amber depths.

His face was strong and angular.  He was almost uncomfortably beautiful in a way that made it hard to look directly at him.

"Wild one..." He purred as his eyes twinkled over Macon's body. 
"No, no, no..." she inwardly begged.
But Chiss released her from his hold and moved away from her. 

"Macon.... this is Royal Commander Xane Luto." Chiss nodded slowly at the male before them. 

Macon looked to him and pleaded with her eyes. 

Begging him not to go too far, and so he took a seat on the couch watching their interaction.

She needed to pull herself together.

"It's nice to meet you Commander." Macon managed to keep a steady tone as she spoke.

She did not know this male, nor did she feel the easy connection that she'd felt with Chiss. 

But his eyes were playful as he allowed them to roam over her delicate features.

Licking his lips, he held out his hand to her.

Hesitantly, she placed hers in his before being led to the couch he'd risen from moments earlier. 

He sat and pulled her down to drape across his lap. 

"Oh!" She breathed out at the sudden impact. 

Clearly, she'd  not expected to end up in this predicament so soon or at all. 

Well, she figured some intimacies would be expected, but not this soon. 

She gulped down the shock and turned her head to face him. 

He let out a warm chuckle and a smirk took residence on his lips.

"You," he breathed, "you are a truly a sight to behold."

She closed her eyes for the slightest moment wishing that when they opened she'd be home staring into the gulf. 

When they opened, no such thing happened. 

She stared into the intense amber eyes of a male that had 'claimed' her as his. 

Hundreds of questions suddenly coursed through her mind, but she would need to find someone she could trust before she dare to voice them. 

She was ever aware of the commanders hands as they studied her body with soft motions. 

They trailed through her hair and all over her body. 

Did he have any sense of personal space or the slightest aversion to PDA. 

No, no he did not. 

At least he'd not tried to kiss her....yet.

Her eyes roamed to the other couples.

Clearly, PDA was not a problem here. 
She half expected to see a 'mating' take place right before her eyes. 

As if on cue, her stomach growled as a platter of food was placed on a small stand beside them.