SFR Brigade Presents - a snippet from The Lady is Blue

Continuing insight into characters: Excerpt from The Lady is Blue

The character of Sa Kamizan (big Atrapako male with blue scales and sharp claws) evolves during the story. At the beginning, he is a typical arrogant Blue and expects unquestioning obedience from the lower classes (Green, Yellow & Red), although humans are confusing since they don't have colors. He learns to respect Lucy Stannis as an equal. By the end of the book, he is ready to renounce his Atrapako traditions.
In this snippet, he is miserable. He was forced to assume the role of the General in their rebellion, and Lucy believes he has deceived her. Here is a chance to redeem himself. Dr. Lucy Stannis has found a notice ordering her to vacate her research laboratory. She is devastated and assumes the order came from Sa Kamizan.

She was so lost in miserable thoughts that she failed to notice the scratch of claws until the General appeared by her table. He pulled out a chair and sat down opposite her. She glared at him. His blue, unreadable eyes searched her face.

“What has happened to upset you, Dr. Stannis?” he asked gently.

Lucy bit her lip and frowned in vexation. She had resolved to stay silent, however, under his penetrating eyes she burst out, “You, of all people, should know! Have you come to gloat? You leave me nothing!” Unconsciously, her fingers crumpled the message sheet lying on the table.

“I have done nothing that might distress you since our last meeting.” A pained expression passed over his blue face. He reached out a hand, “Let me see that sheet.”

Lucy looked down at the table. Her fingers lay on top of the wrinkled message. The Atrapako Blue insignia was partially visible under one fold. Shiny blue claws crept towards her hand. Her eyes filled with tears as the blue claws gripped the sheet and drew it inexorably from under her hand. A teardrop fell from her bowed head to land on the sheet. 


This scene is one of several set in my fictitious version of the cafe on top of the Kline Biology Tower, Yale University. Imagine the humans sitting on one side of the room, and Blue and Green scaled Atrapako on the other side, with some mingling of Green scientists with their human counterparts.

 Comments are welcome! 

Please read the snippets from other authors at  SFR Brigade Presents.