“What’s that phrase…?” Kir paused thoughtfully, “It’ll be a hoot and a holler?”

She felt a tap to get her attention and pulled back from Zev and Harrison to find a couple of X’hondrians with Astri. They gave her a long look up and down, their expressions tight with masked concern, “We’d like to see to your health first.” 

Kir looked down at herself for a moment, but there was no way for her to see what they were seeing without a mirror. She’d barely glanced in one since Harrison helped her escape, but maybe it was time to stop avoiding the reality of the situation. She wasn’t near death, but she certainly wasn’t in full health, either. She could barely fly a few hundred feet - there was no question she was radiation-starved. She looked back at Zev an Harrison hesitantly. 

“Go on,” Zev nudged her. “It can’t hurt to get checked out by someone who knows what they’re doing.”

Kir hesitated uncertainly for another moment before turning to follow the three as they took her away from the X’hondrian settlement and deeper into the cavern’s structure. Her anxiety rose as they got further and further away from the others, but eased some when they explained that their sun didn’t produce enough radiation to properly sustain the X’hondrians in the city, but deep below the surface they had discovered an ancient geologic formation that although it decayed over time, produced more than enough to heal malnutrition. Small pieces of the deposits had been turned into jewellery for the X’hondrian refugees - it was virtually harmless in such small amounts, but the larger deposits used to healing acute radiation deficiency was too dangerous to be moved, so instead they moved the health facilities for the X’hondrians to that lower level. 

———

By the time they emerged from the depths a few hours later, Kir felt like a whole new person. She felt more alive than she had since her homeworld was invaded. The bioluminescent spots that dappled her skin like a galaxy of scars and unique like a fingerprint in humans had lit up again. Another bracelet hung on her wrist next to the one Harrison gave her with a small gem of the glowing ore faceted in the centre. 

As the ascended through the halls and passages back up to the main cavern, the beat of drums vibrated through the rock. Cresting the edge of the last passage into the main cavern, X’hondrian music echoed from a central plaza that seemed built for just these types of celebrations. Dvergr and X’hondrian alike had gathered to enjoy music and food and dancing. 

As Kir moved through the crowd, she could see costumes at the centre - dancers dressed in the best approximation of traditional clothing that could be assembled without the use of the customary materials endemic to her home. Still, the stars in her cheeks glowed brighter with excitement.

Nearing the centre of the festivities, he felt herself suddenly yanked out of the crowd. She almost shouted until she turned to find La’ala looking pleased to see her.

“I’ve been waiting for you to turn up,” she explained with a wide smile. “Quickly, come with me. Let’s get you dressed before you go out there.”

“Dressed?”

La’ala looked her up and down, “I think you’ll fit in some of my old la’at.”

“Old? You mean you have original…? How?!”

“I was living off-world and advising on fine textile production at the time of the invasion. I gathered up every piece of cultural importance I could carry, and fled further from imperial reach. I moved around a lot, but I preserved our heritage by doing so,” La’ala explained. 

———

Kir finally joined the party late, but looking like a true X’hondrian. Though the clothes were old, they weren’t outdated - X’hondrian fashion was one rooted too heavily in tradition to make drastic changes even across centuries and millennia. The fabric was nearly sheer, but the volume of gathers provided coverage. The hemline was weighted with silvery embroidery dappled with pinpoints of glass beading that looked like the flow of foamy ocean waves lapping at her ankles. A hooded mantle clasped at her neck and and trimmed with fur helped complete the look. La’ala had helped her gather her hair into two thick braids adorned with ribbon that looked like the light of the Aurora Borealis was woven into them. She jingled softly with the metallic ring of stone-beset bracelets and anklets clashing together with every movement. She looked like a princess - the only thing missing was a tiara. 

Every footfall was featherlight, like she was walking on nothing. She couldn’t stop smiling now that she had full control of her levitation back. 

La’ala guided her back to her friends, but paused before leaving, “I’ll let the other elders know you’ve made it. They want to announce your freedom and honour your arrival.” 

Kir nodded understandingly before turning to Zev, Harrison, and Lyris.

“Wow,” Zev sighed with wide-eyed admiration, “You’re glowing. Literally. Feeling better?”

Kir smiled shyly, “Better than I have in a long time.”

“You look fantastic,” Zev added. 

“It’s a traditional ceremonial dress. La’ala let me borrow hers,” Kir spun to give them the full 360-degree view. “I haven’t worn one in so long. It feels…good. It feels like home, even if this isn’t X’hondria.”