Happiness in Numbers

by Nicole Field

  Jacob fought a blush when he heard that. Of course he would find himself attracted to someone who was technically the enemy of his own kind, no matter how much he disagreed about the cause of the war.

  When they parted ways each day, Yaro would give him a kiss on the cheek, caressing the other with their thumb. When his father asked what he did during the day, Jacob was hesitant to give Malcolm any details. He didn't want to be told he could no longer see Yaro or possibly be locked up in his room for the remainder of their time on base. So he kept that new friendship quiet. Being forced into Malcolm's presence didn't take away the years of lack of a father nor the loneliness.

  *~*~*

  Jacob was on his way to meet Yaro once again. Twice in one day was new and had Jacob feeling giddy.

  This meeting was different; Yaro had asked to meet him where the ships docked. They enticed Jacob with a tour of Osisa the following day, suggesting the two of them sleep there so they could start early. He had already seen most of what the base had to offer and anything that changed up his routine was a welcomed change. Yaro had also promised to have him back by the following evening so as to not worry Malcolm. He didn't tell Yaro he didn't care if they worried his father.

  The docks were fairly empty at this time of night, despite shuttles coming in at all times and guards posted everywhere. In his excitement, he had made it early and felt awkward just standing around. Only one guard stopped to ask what he was doing, then seemed satisfied by his explanation.

  Finally, Jacob saw Yaro walking toward him a minute before they were set to meet. They had a bag slung over their shoulder and were talking to another Juek. This one's coloring was darker than Yaro's, with the same black hair in a braid. He wondered if all Juek had similar features, such as the flat nose and high cheekbones, or if these two were related. Yaro smiled as they got closer and Jacob couldn't help but grinning back.

  "I am glad you could make it," Yaro said. "Have you been waiting long?"

  Jacob wasn't going to admit how long he had been waiting. "Not too long."

  The other Juek had a knowing smile on their face, that they wiped off when Yaro turned to him. "This is Thaxl. They will be joining us, if that is okay."

  "Of course it's okay." Jacob said aloud, mentally taking note that Thaxl, like Yaro, deferred to the most common gender neutral pronoun of the Juek. He wasn't sure if it would come across as rude to ask if they identified as having no gender, but resolved to keep his ears and mind open for that kind of information should it come up.

  He followed the two of them onto a ship that looked different from any other he had seen. When he asked, they explained it was one of their specially made ships that was built to go under water. At the mention of going under, Jacob slightly panicked, wondering how he was meant to breathe down there.

  "Do not worry. The entire city is under a barrier," Thaxl assured him. "Even we do not spend all our time in the water."

  Once the ship undocked and began its descent, the light from the surface quickly disappeared. The driver, another Juek, flipped on the outside lights, illuminating an area of 360 degrees around the ship. There wasn't much to see, as they weren't near any reefs where most of the ocean life lived. He was still mesmerized by the trip; being so far under water was a crazy, new experience.

  When the three of them finally reached cities that had electricity and shone brightly in the darkest waters, Jacob could hardly contain his excitement. For years he imagined leaving the planet he was born on. He'd always had a desire for adventure, which was probably why he had first started in the protests. They allowed him to experience new things, to learn new point of views. Initially he had thought this trip was nothing more than a punishment. Now he was starting to see it as the gateway to new opportunities.

  As their ship approached a bubble-shaped barrier surrounding the city, Jacob grew concerned. There wasn't a clear opening and the ship was not slowing down. He let out a shout as they collided with the barrier, slamming his eyes shut in instinctive reaction.

  After a moment of heavy breathing on his part, and quietness all around him, he slowly opened his eyes to see Yaro and Thaxl giving him an amused look. He quickly glanced around them, noting they had all safely made it inside the bubble. He had missed the landing, but assumed some kind of machination was used to ensure their safe decent.

  Once the ship had landed in a place designated close to the barrier, they grabbed their bags and left the ship. There were no vehicles down here, which meant they needed to walk. While the lights from the city seemed to illuminate the entire ocean as they approached, it was much dimmer on the inside, creating an artificial night. There were dome-shaped buildings all around, with an assortment of plant life decorating the outsides. Everything appeared to be closed or shutting down, traffic and civilian presence at a low. It didn't diminish Jacob's excitement, causing him to walk ahead of his group, head swiveling in all directions as he took in the sights.

  It wasn't until he heard his name being called from a distance that Jacob realized he had walked ahead of his group.

  "Do not wander too far without us," Thaxl said, a warning tone to their accented voice. "The city might appear calm and safe, but there are still dangers. Let us head to accommodations for the night."

  Properly chastised, Jacob walked back to join them.

  *~*~*

  Jacob woke up to blue waters shining overheard, sea critters swimming lazily along the window that acted as a ceiling in his room. He was surprised he had been able to fall asleep last night, with all the excitement he felt.

  Unbeknownst to him, Yaro and Thaxl had arranged for a suite in the fanciest hotel Jacob had ever seen. When he asked how they had acquired it, they hinted at acquaintances. Jacob decided not to push for the details. If they felt like sharing with him, they would. Dinner was ordered and, after eating until he was uncomfortably full, Jacob had decided to go to bed. He'd fallen asleep almost instantly.

  Now he could smell breakfast coming through the door. Getting out of bed, Jacob quickly went bathroom, then got dressed. He had asked if there was anything specific he should wear while visiting the under, but he was assured his usual would be fine. His usual consisted of pants, a button up shirt and whatever comfortable shoes he could find. Waiting to brush his teeth until after breakfast, Jacob exited his room. It opened up directly to the living area of the suite. Across the space from his room was a table set up buffet style, with a mixture of sweet and savory dishes.

  There was one dish that was slimy and green. Not seeing anyone around, Jacob bent over the plate and took a sniff. Whatever it was didn't have a strong odor.

  "That is called sleggu," an accented voice said from behind him, making him jump. Hands came out to steady him. "I am sorry, I did not mean to startle you."

  Jacob turned toward Thaxl. "That's okay. I didn't think anyone was here." He turned back toward the buffet. "What does the sleggu taste like?"

  "For us, it is sweet. But others not of the Juek who tried it said it tasted mushy and bland." Thaxl piled some of the food onto a plate. They glanced back at Jacob and saw the uncertainty on his face. "You do not have to eat it."

  Jacob's shoulders drooped at that with a sigh of relief. Thaxl gave a small laugh before going to lean against the wall as they ate. They used a utensil that reminded Jacob of a spoon. Grabbing a few of the more familiar foods for himself, which were pastries, and finding a drink that Thaxl confirmed was coffee, he dug into his food while waiting for Yaro to make an appearance.

  "So what is it you do back on your home planet?" Thaxl asked. They were a quick eater and already had their plate and utensil put in the tub marked for dirty dishes. It had been written in Common, for Jacob's sake, and he appreciated the thought.

  "Um. Well, I don't have a job, per se."

  "Oh?" Thaxl raised an eyebrow.

  "I'm a, uh, protestor."

  There was a pause and Thaxl just continued to look at him with the raised eyebrow.

  "I am a part of th
is group. We, uh, we're called 3F. Which is short for Fight For Freedom." Jacob could see that what he'd offered still required some explanation. "Back home, there are so many who are marginalized and taken advantage of, with no one stopping those who manipulate and use them. 3F fights for those people. We've participated in major protests around factories and government buildings. You wouldn't believe some of the things I've seen. People living where they work, without fresh water and the food is always some kind of mush that is barely enough to keep them going. I've seen places where they had children working, because they're small and can reach areas that adults can't. Children! What kind of people could do that kind of thing?" Jacob stopped, realizing he had been on a rant. "Sorry. Sometimes I get carried away." He sat his empty cup of coffee down and grabbed a pastry before he could let loose again.

  "You are passionate about what you believe." Thaxl came to stand closer to him. "It is admirable that you put yourself out there."

  "Yeah, well, I wish I could do more."

  Jacob froze when Thaxl laid their hand against his face. Apparently it wasn't just Yaro who was touchy. Maybe it was a Juek thing. Whatever it was, Jacob found he felt the same desire to be close to Thaxl as he had felt from the first time meeting Yaro. He didn't want to do anything that would make Thaxl step back.

  "Never lose that passion." Thaxl met his eyes for a moment. Then they stepped back and walked away, disappearing into their room and leaving Jacob more than a little flustered.

  After he finished eating, Jacob went back to his room to brush his teeth. When he came back out, Yaro was waiting along with Thaxl. They were talking quietly to each other, but stopped to look up at him when he arrived.

  "Ready to go?" Yaro asked once Jacob joined them.

  "Yes. Where are we going?"

  "We thought to show you the more historical parts of the city, where old architecture is," Yaro explained as they left their suite, taking a glass elevator down to what Jacob thought of as being the lobby, though there weren't many guests coming or going.

  "Are we going to do any shopping? Wait, can I exchange money?"

  Thaxl and Yaro exchanged a look.

  "What?"

  "Nothing. It is just that… it is too crowded around the shops on this kind of day. The stores can be stuffy and the lines to pay too long. It would be best to keep our distance," Yaro said. They nodded at someone behind a desk as they excited the building.

  Once outside, Jacob's disappointment disappeared as he took a deep breath of air. Even though they were under the water, it felt crisp and fresh. He had never been much of an engineer, but he was curious as to how their city seemed to run so smoothly down there. If he ever got another chance to visit, he would be sure to look into it further.

  Yaro and Thaxl led him down several streets away from the hotel before they began explaining the things he was seeing.

  "From the time the Juek first started building, we created our buildings to look like domes," Thaxl began. "The barrier is a recent addition, having been raised only two generations ago. Therefore, the buildings needed to be able to withstand the pressure from the surrounding water."

  "We could not have the tall buildings we have seen from the human planets," Yaro supplied. "Plants are revered down here, bringing oxygen and the crispness of the surface air to our cities."

  Thaxl stopped walking, looking at a bed of flowers that had a variety Jacob was unfamiliar with. "The people of Osisa also have an appreciation for the beauty of plants. We are drawn to the colors and shapes. It is hard to find such a thing under the water, so we all work to keep it beautiful."

  "We think it is important to preserve our history," Yaro added, coming to stand beside Thaxl. "As a whole, the Juek would prefer that time be its only adversary.

  Watching them, Jacob could see just how much they admired the things that humans, including himself, had always taken for granted.

  "Do your people use any kind of transportation for longer journeys?" Jacob asked as they continued to walk. They were ambling in one direction, without being in a hurry. He enjoyed the view. He wasn't a museum type of person, and he was glad they hadn't dragged him to the one they had passed.

  "We have vehicles for when we need to go places across the city, but generally everyone walks," Thaxl replied.

  The three of them turned a corner, and Jacob stopped at the sight before him. It was definitely an old building. While the newer ones looked sleek and silver with curves, this one was blue and green with a boxy look. The building was kept up as far as maintenance went, but still had a rustic look. It was beautiful, amongst it all. The entrances were barred off, allowing no one access. He noted that there were fewer people around in these parts, which made him think that the shops must indeed be crowded.

  The next few hours were spent visiting similar older buildings, all of which had been designated as government buildings or hospitals or even schools, and they all had the same well-kept rustic look. Jacob thought of the buildings back on his home planet or any that were run by humans. Buildings were left to rot once they became old, even those that had been kept because of some significance, such as a birth place of an old Earth American president.

  "Beauty is important to us," Thaxl said as they moved on. They put their arm around Jacob's shoulders, causing him to blush.

  Glancing at Yaro, who gave him a nod and a smile, Jacob slid his arm around Thaxl's waist in return. He couldn't help the nervous feeling, a pounding in his chest and a smile that just wouldn't quite leave his lips.

  He was attracted to both Yaro and Thaxl. He was also confused about the relationship the two of them had with each other. They were very tactile with each other as well, laying a hand on each other's shoulders or rubbing each other's backs. It was something that Jacob very much wanted to be a part of. Right now, he almost felt like it was something he could be a part of with them.

  *~*~*

  For dinner the three of them stopped at a little restaurant, that again served various foods of which Jacob recognized. His companions surprised him and ordered some of the foods he had, such as grilled vegetables and meats that were common on Madroth. From the noises Yaro and Thaxl made, they found it as delicious as he did.

  Just as they were leaving, a commotion caught Jacob's attention. Several feet away, a small group of people were yelling, as if trying to gain someone's attention. Jacob couldn't understand the language, but he understood the Juek who appeared to be keeping those people at bay. The security, for lack of a better word, all wore uniforms. He wondered if it was normal to have security at restaurants or if they were some kind of police force. Thaxl and Yaro were pulling him away in the opposite direction before anything else happened.

  "What was that?"

  "Nothing to worry about," Yaro said. They hooked Jacob's arm, guiding him back the way they'd come from their hotel.

  Jacob frowned at his question being dismissed. He was about to say something when he noticed that both of them kept looking back over their shoulders. Something had them concerned, despite their words. Maybe they had been recognized as being part of the negotiation team. He hoped they weren't in danger for meeting with his people.

  *~*~*

  Back at their suite, Jacob couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something. He never would have thought Yaro would lie to him, and even Thaxl, now that he knew them a little better. He didn't like the way these thoughts left his stomach squirming.

  As he headed toward his room, he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see that Yaro had stopped him, with Thaxl standing there.

  "We hope you enjoyed your time here," Thaxl said.

  "I did. I appreciate you taking me around and showing me the pretty architecture," Jacob said genuinely. No matter his hang ups, he really had had a great time. "I guess we're heading out bright and early tomorrow, huh?" He got a nod as an answer. "Okay, then, good night."

  Before he could turn back around, Yaro stopped him again with the hand still on his shoulde
r. Yaro continued looking at him for a moment before they bent closer and pressed a brief kiss to Jacob's lips. Thaxl followed closely behind, placing another kiss on his lips before Jacob even had time to fully process the first one. He raised a hand to his face as they turned to walk away, afraid to touch his lips that tingled from the contact.

  Three

  "How long are we going to be here?" Jacob asked his father as they shared breakfast, four days after their arrival.

  Usually his father was gone before Jacob made it out of bed, and Jacob was too eager to meet up with his new friends to spend much time eating breakfast. Yaro and Thaxl wouldn't be able to meet him until later on this particular occasion, so he took his time this morning. Apparently, it was also a day in which Malcolm didn't need to rush out.

  "There is still a lot of contention on issues," Malcolm said, then took a bite of bacon. He had heaped his plate full of scrambled eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes, while Jacob decided on toast with raspberry jam.

  That was another thing that Malcolm and Jacob shared: a love of old Earth foods. They were both pleased to learn that a chef was stationed on the base with the knowledge to make all their favorites. Jacob was content to share this with his father; he wasn't giving up food for anyone.

  "Let me guess: it's our guys who have the problem."

  Malcolm only grunted.

  Jacob had the impression for the first time that his father didn't quite agree with the others in his group. In fact, Jacob wasn't exactly sure what his father thought of the war and the issues surrounding it.