by Laurel Night
Mick glanced up at me, then away quickly, and I felt a twinge of suspicion. I called it my reporter’s itch—something, some little nugget of intuition that told me when an interviewee was holding something back. I didn’t know if Mick was lying, or just not telling me the whole truth, but I was certain something was going unsaid.
And now it was up to me to get to the bottom of it: What wasn’t he saying, and why?
***
MICK
That was twice. Two times now, I’ve failed to tell Lucy the clincher to Jakob’s argument, that there could be a ship full of vimpiri females on its way to us right now.
I couldn’t explain why I didn’t want her to know. Perhaps I wanted our case to seem stronger than the opposition, or I thought she’d change her mind about pairing with me. Either way, I didn’t bring it up. I even stopped Todd from mentioning it, and he pulled me aside later to ask why. He didn’t like not telling the truth to the girls, and I understood his perspective, too. However, he was already paired—there was nothing Emily could do about it now, even if she wanted to.
Lucy and I were different. I was not about to risk everything until I was secure, and if that meant keeping her in the dark about the legend of the Lost Warriors, so be it.
It was crazy, and I knew it. Jakob was sure to bring it up at the hearing. I only hoped that if I secured a strong showing from the Lost Bachelors, and they allowed us to speak first, he would withdraw his argument.
It was a vain hope.
***
LUCY
For the next two nights, Todd and Mick were glued to their phones. They left them plugged in and were constantly responding to dings and vibrations. Todd explained that they were being purposefully vague, just telling the Lost Bachelors that Todd had paired with a human, there would be a hearing about it and asking for their support. They promised more details and asked for the numbers of other Lost Bachelors.
Mick had Emily and I monitoring email on our laptops. The guys logged into their accounts so they wouldn’t have to switch between text and email on their phones, and we let them know as messages came in. If it was in English, they’d dictate to us what to say. If it was another language we waited and allowed them to reply themselves.
Now that we had a plan, the atmosphere in the apartment lifted. We had been tense, waiting, trying to prove to Shaline and Shanii that our relationships were legitimate and hoping they agreed. Now we were actively recruiting others to our cause. It was a change in strategy, going on the offensive, but I liked it. Todd and Emily even rose early, before sunset, to get to work. Given that he was no longer sensitive to the sun it shouldn’t have been such a surprise, but he was a rockstar, after all.
It sounded like it was working. We kept a spreadsheet of names and their responses. Most of them were normal human-sounding names, and it occurred to me that these were not their real names. There were others whose names, while written in the same alphabet, were drastically foreign. When I asked Mick about it, he said that most Lost Bachelors extended a real effort to blend into their surroundings.
“Some, however, created a human name similar to the sound of their vimpiri name. There’s no reason for it, just personal preference.” He explained.
“I can see why he chose Todd Benson, but how did you come up with Mick in the US? That’s not very common.” I teased him.
His cheeks flushed lightly. “Well, I knew it wasn’t exactly an American name, but I liked it. I figured it was close enough to Mike that people wouldn’t really think too hard on it.”
“Sure, but where did you get it from?” I pressed again. “Is it close to your vimpiri name?”
“No…” He said slowly.
“Why don’t you want to tell me?”
“Honestly, now that I think about it, it’s kind of silly.” His hand lifted, his fingers scratching at the back of his neck in discomfort.
“Oh, just tell me. Please? I promise I won’t laugh.” I smiled at him innocently, emphasizing my trustworthiness.
Mick looked at me, then sighed. “Okay, fine I got it from a film. Is that good enough?”
“What film?” I asked, genuinely curious now.
The blush in his cheeks darkened, bringing out his high cheekbones and square jaw with even more definition. “Is this really necessary?” He glanced at Todd for help, who was smirking, ignoring the phone buzzing in his hands.
“What are you so embarrassed about? You chose it as your name, man. You had to know you’d have to explain this eventually. Go on, tell her.”
Mick’s eyes darted to Emily, who was leaning on the counter, waiting. Finally, they settled back on me and my fake-innocent smile.
“Ugh, okay, I know you’re going to laugh, I should never have picked this stupid name,” He grumbled under his breath. “It was the one about the Australian guy that wrestles alligators going to America for a girl.”
“Crocodile Dundee?” I giggled. “You named yourself after a Paul Hogan character that wears a crocodile-skin vest with no shirt and shaves with a Bowie knife?”
Mick’s arms crossed his chest defensively. “Yeah, so what? I liked the film, and when I moved from the West Coast to the East Coast, I saw it as a good opportunity to treat it as an adventure. Besides, he’s a clever guy.”
Emily snickered next to me. “He’s like, the ultimate 80s guys-guy. Oh my God; Mick, that’s hysterical. I never would have guessed you based your whole persona on a guy who talks to animals.” She paused, taking on a more thoughtful expression. “Come to think about it, it’s starting to make sense.”
Mick gestured at Emily and caught my eye. “You see? She gets it. He’s got this connection with nature and he’s tough, but also sensitive…” he trailed off when he saw that Em was about to burst with laughter.
I lost it first, laughing loudly, then Em joined me and eventually Todd.
Mick appeared even redder than before and gestured at all three of us. “Yeah, laugh it up. You’re all assholes. Can we get back to work, please?”
Still chortling, we turned back to our assorted devices.
At the end of two nights, we had contacted most of the Lost Bachelors and received promises that they would contact the others we hadn’t reached. While cautious, they seemed to be mostly curious and optimistic, and we took it as a good sign. A few said they could not return to Hall in Tirol, but most promised to be there for the hearing.
On the third night, we turned our efforts to the paired vimpiri, friends and family of Mick and Todd and the other Lost Bachelors. Emily and I remained at the apartment, fielding emails, while the guys headed out and launched a foot campaign knocking on doors and visiting those who lived in the village. Mick said he would not speak with those that remained in vimpiri form and lived on the ship; He considered them the most close-minded and thus would require the most effort to convince—effort that would take time we didn’t have. Mick and Todd pinned their hopes on the Lost Bachelors turning up and overwhelming Jakob and his followers.
It still made me nervous that they didn’t have much information on how many followers there were, or what Jakob’s plan was for the hearing, but I trusted Mick to understand his culture and people better than I could.
When we took a break, I checked in with Em. She’d been quiet about all the changes she’d gone through and her unexpected pregnancy. She said she was trying not to think about it too much until we knew more, and that she was fine. I knew Em well enough to know she wasn’t fine, but I also know when it’s code for ‘leave me alone.’ Eventually, Em and I stared silently down at the tiny village below, nestled between the soaring mountains. With the mechanical steel shutters open, the entire wall was a window, and in the dark almost gave the appearance of not being there. Lights in the village twinkled, and although it wasn’t coated with snow, it reminded me of my last visit. That entire trip had been tainted with worry about Emily, but there were a few moments when I stared down at the village, or Mick took me for a walk through the Christmas market, that
were free of those painful memories. I tried to focus on them now, imagining snowflakes swirling outside and hot spiced wine in a paper cup. I wondered idly if all the Lost Bachelors were pouring into the village, filling up the inns and creating a surprise spring rush for the town that only saw visitors at Christmas and in the dead of summer.
I hoped Mick was right, that many of them were experiencing the same thing he and Todd did, and hopeful for a solution. It was a logical argument: If they couldn’t get mates of their own species, but could pair with us now, why would the queen forbid it? He emphasized that vimpiri had always been adaptable, always survived by changing and growing. Was this any different?
I sucked in a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it out slowly.
For all of our sakes, I hoped he was right.
LITTLE PINK BABIES
LUCY
The night of the hearing Mick received a message minutes after sunset. I heard his soft footsteps pass my door as he crept to the kitchen. Given that he wasn’t wearing shoes, I had a suspicion he was sneaking out to sate his sweet tooth before getting ready. I crept out of my room intending to surprise him again, but I heard his phone sound and gave up on that plan. The ringtone differed from the beeps from all the other Lost Bachelors. This one sounded like wind chimes, and I knew it had to be significant.
“Mick?” I asked softly as I walked around the corner from the hallway. He had his phone in his hand, a spoon hanging from his lips with the tell-tale jar of Nutella on the counter.
Mick pulled the spoon from his mouth. “It’s time,” he said in a low voice. Scooping another spoonful, he offered it to me and I accepted it, grasping the handle and lifting it to my mouth.
“Time for what?” I asked, savoring the chocolate spread.
“That was my mother, she said she has the results of Todd and Emily’s tests and she wants us to meet her down in the caves, as soon as possible.” His tone was somber, his green eyes dark.
“That’s good news, isn’t it? We’re hoping this will help our case?” I finished cleaning the spoon and tossed it in the sink, then closed the jar before it could tempt him to use his finger again.
“I hope so,” he answered. His eyes flashed, and his expression changed to uncertainty. “Lucy, I…” he paused, glancing between my curious eyes and his phone. Swallowing, he clenched his jaw. “Nevermind. Let’s get Todd and Emily up and get downstairs.”
We woke the others with a loud rap on their door. Todd grumbled at first, but when we explained why we’d woken them he was eager to find out too. After rushing to get ready we hurried down to the elevator, bustling through the secret passageway and into the crystalline salt palace. Once we made it through to the twisting passages, we spotted Mick’s family exiting the meeting room. Shanii, Benjamin, and Drake all turned to look at us with somber faces. Shanii was the first to smile delicately and greet us with kisses on the cheeks, and Benjamin followed. Drake stayed back, his hands in his pockets and his blue eyes angry. Shanii directed us to the room and Benjamin opened the door, ushering us in before closing it behind us.
Once inside, we found Shaline waiting. She was in her typical all-white ensemble, with her crystalline crown in place again. I suspected she wore it for official functions, like the hearing later this evening.
Shaline rose and greeted us all with kisses before settling back into her chair. Mick, Todd, Emily and I squeezed onto the sofa again, leaving the love seat empty. We were all together in this, and we would stay that way.
“First,” Shaline began, “I would like to thank you for your patience. I’m certain it was difficult to sit idle and wait.” She smiled gently and her clear blue eyes traveled across our faces. “I have received word from our physicians, and I will tell you what we’ve learned in a moment. However, I must first ask you: What do you hope to learn from this?”
Todd and Emily glanced at each other, and Mick I met eyes briefly before turning to our friends.
Emily spoke, her voice low but strong. “We hope to find out if I am now more vimpiri or human, I suppose. If Todd and I are… something different altogether, or just slightly different from where we started. We want to know if it is possible I am pregnant, and if so, what we do now.”
Shaline nodded. “I see. These are important questions that will play a role in our future, I’m certain.” Her eyes drifted to Mick. “Son, is there another question on your mind?”
Mick shifted, his eyes dropping to me briefly. His hand reached over and pulled mine from my lap, clasping it firmly. “Yes, I wish to know if Todd and Emily are a fluke, an exception, or if we believe we can replicate their result.”
The way he said it was so cold and clinical, like a science experiment. It was only the warm press of his hand that told me what he wasn’t saying: That he wanted to know if it would work for us.
Shaline nodded again. “Yes, that is also a good question.” She gestured around her. “As you can see, I have once again asked my family to leave. As part of this conversation was relating to your earlier request for advice, I thought it most prudent to keep this subject to ourselves, for now. I have confirmed only one physician, one whom I trust implicitly, has worked on the testing for offspring. He will not share that information, so it remains between us only for now.” Clasping her hands in her lap, she returned her gaze to Todd and Emily. “Emily, the results of our testing are difficult to interpret, but we have done our best. Are you prepared for the answers to your questions?”
Emily nodded, swallowing. Todd clutched her fingers in his, so tightly both of their knuckles were turning white.
Shaline continued. “Our tests indicate you are no longer human.”
Emily waited, but Shaline offered nothing else. “So, does that mean I’m vimpiri?” She asked.
Shaline’s head drifted back and forth, a slow shake. “No, you are also not vimpiri. It is difficult to explain, but you are nowhere near either species now. We can’t say you’re more or less either, any more than we could say humans are closer to a gorilla than a chimpanzee. It’s simply… different.
“What we can say is that you and Todd are the same now, and yet not the same. We compared your genetic material and you two are close, but there are some differences.”
“So, in other words, you’re saying we’re now neither vimpiri nor human, but we’re not even like each other?” Todd spoke up, his voice weak.
“No, I apologize that didn’t come out clearly. What I’m trying to say is that Emily has two sets of genetic material within her. One is an exact match, which tells us you two have completed brashule.”
Mick spoke then. “Two sets? I don’t understand, we never have two sets, once we pair we become one with our mate. That includes our DNA. That same genetic code is passed on to offspring, so even a pregnant mother would only have one set.”
Shaline’s face was somber. “Yes, that is correct. We found the additional genetic material confusing at first, but now we believe we have figured it out.” Her gleaming eyes turned to Emily again. “We believe that the second set of genetic material belongs to your offspring.”
Emily’s hands went up, dropping Todd’s as she gestured. “Whoa, whoa, hold on. I’m not following. When two people have a baby, the combination of their… genetic material creates the baby. It is the product of the two, taking traits from each parent. If Todd and I are the same now, I don’t understand how that would work on a genetic level. Obviously, we aren’t exactly the same,” she gestured to Todd and herself, “so I don’t understand how you can say we are ‘the same’ genetically now. And how can you tell our ‘offspring’ is different?”
Shaline bobbed her head slowly. “Forgive me, I didn’t explain vimpiri bonding. I rather believed your mate would have explained that to you, but I can understand why he didn’t. In our species, the male and female mate by the male injecting his genetic material into the female, and withdrawing some of hers in exchange. This is done many times, resulting in the pair bonding. With our adaptable
nature, what this means for us is that the completion of brashule leaves the male and female genetically identical, a mixture of their two genetic sequences blended together. Their appearance doesn’t matter; since vimpiri can change our appearance at will, it’s not tied into our genetic code in that manner. A mated pair is the same, on the genetic level, and that is what you need to understand for now.
“When they produce offspring, the offspring has the same genetic identity that both the parents share. This doesn’t change until the offspring pairs with their future mate. The completion of brashule allows the creation of offspring. If you were completely vimpiri, we wouldn’t be able to see a genetic difference between you and your offspring, they would be a perfect match for you and your mate.
“However, since humans reproduce differently, it makes sense parts of your reproductive cycle would affect this. We suspect that you have retained enough human characteristics that your human mating has enabled you to produce offspring, and that offspring has acquired different genetic traits from both of you, as humans do.”
Emily’s face was scrunched, a look of concentration I associate with her trying to get through Calculus classes our freshman year. “So, what you’re saying is, by pairing, and forming the brashule, we became identical—genetically speaking—but are neither human nor vimpiri?” Shaline nodded, a small smile on her lips. She was pleased Emily was following when Todd was just staring with his mouth hanging open. Emily continued, “And it wasn’t possible for me to get pregnant before, because we were too different, genetically, and vimpiri have to be identical before they can get pregnant?” More nodding. “So I didn’t get pregnant, in theory, until Todd and I started having sex after we became… whatever it is we are now?”