Selected Assistant

by Robin Roseau

  “Bluebell. Yvette got Chervil.”

  “They’re going to be insufferable,” she said.

  “Cape,” I said. “I will meet you, and only you, for lunch, Monday if Jasmine doesn’t put something on the schedule. Go chase someone else today.”

  She looked up at me, and then she said, “All right. Monday. Posey, will you enforce this agreement?”

  “It’s only lunch,” I said. “At Beginnings.”

  “Now you change the deal?”

  “You may pick another public restaurant, if you like, but I come and go via different transportation.”

  “You don’t trust me.”

  “We’re wasting time. Lunch at Beginnings Monday.”

  “A picnic at our new cove.”

  “I will provide your own jumper, Taisha,” Posey said.

  “I’ll get her from Beginnings.”

  “Jasmine is right. You are certainly persistent,” I said. “Posey, is she stalling?”

  “No. She doesn’t understand ‘no’.”

  “Brook,” I said. “If Cape doesn’t accept my offer, then I offer you Prudence, and I offer to join forces with you until such time as I am captured by another team or I am able to exit the arena.”

  “Accepted,” Brook said.

  “Fine.” Cape sounded frustrated, although through her accent, I wasn’t sure. “You will meet me at the cove. You will wear a nice dress for the beach with swimwear under it.”

  “Fine. You will provide shade from the sun, and you will not bring anyone else.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Brook, you may have Prudence, and you will allow me to leave and not pursue me further today.”

  “Agreed,” she said.

  “We depart in three directions. I’m heading northeast.”

  “Northwest,” said Cape.

  “We’ll wait here two minutes and make our plan, but we won’t pursue either of these teams,” Brook said.

  “It was nice negotiating with you.”

  * * * *

  I checked the distance to Carolina. Two hundred yards and counting down, from the north-northwest. I stepped up my speed, and the distance continued to close. I jogged for another minute, and the pointer moved more from the west but continued to close.

  They were coming for me. I began looking for a defensible position, found a tree I could climb, with a great overhanging branch pointed in the right direction. I climbed easily and lay down along the branch using the sub-branches for more support. Then I sighted along with the long gun.

  I got a glimpse, but it was brief. The range closed, and closed, and then I got a clear look at Aventurine. They were working together.

  I fired, but I missed. The distance steadied at thirty-five yards, then slowly began shrinking and shifting to my left.

  I adjusted, watched, and then began firing, hoping to hit someone, anyone.

  They fired back, just as wildly. I got hit three times and then called out, “Truce! Truce!”

  “Why should we?” Carolina replied.

  “Do you know where I am?”

  “It sounds like we must.”

  “I made a mistake, and if you stiffen me where I am, I’m going to get hurt.”

  “Truce! You’re in a tree?”

  “Yes.”

  “Climb down, then we’ll give you fifteen seconds to run before the truce ends.”

  “Thirty.”

  “We’re not the one who will get hurt falling out of a tree, Taisha.”

  “Fifteen,” I agreed.

  “We can tell when you begin running.”

  I didn’t answer. It took longer to get down. I looked around but didn’t see a better tree. I ducked behind this one and said, “Come and get me.” Then I began firing. Carolina began moving further to my left, so I shifted to the other side of the tree and kept firing at her. She kept trying to flank, and I don’t know if I ever hit her.

  And then I got hit multiple times from the back. I dropped slowly, not wanting to get hurt, and they advanced, stiffening my suit. “Got her,” Aventurine called.

  There was rustling, and I found myself surrounded by Aventurine, Carolina, and Forever Twilight. “Taisha,” Carolina said. “You are our prisoner.”

  “All three of you are together?”

  “Yes,” she said. “We will take you home. You will let us bathe you together. Then you will give Forever a massage. You will go to dinner with me, and later, I will deliver you to Aventurine.”

  “Seriously?”

  “What is wrong with that plan?” Forever asked. They helped me up. Carolina brushed me off. Forever took my guns from me. And then we began heading for the exit.

  Foursome

  The rest of the day went exactly as they had outlined. They took me to The Center, and once there, we undressed and climbed into a tub. I was surprised when Aventurine joined us. She smiled. “You will groom me later.”

  “Oh,” I said. “All right.”

  I let them bathe me, and then I bathed each of them in turn. The Kitsune took the longest, but I enjoyed all of it. “I really don’t understand.”

  “We are good friends,” Aventurine said. “And human standards are not necessarily universal. You did not create this situation, but at the same time, we do not blame you for not choosing one of us. Carolina is your mermaid, and she is an amazing woman.”

  “Forever is big and strong, and a dear friend,” Carolina said.

  “Aventurine has very soft, lovely fur, a complex personality, and a lovely soul,” Forever said.

  And so, we bathed, and we soaked for a while. Then we took turns drying each other. And then Aventurine and Carolina left, leaving me with Forever.

  We moved to her bedroom, and we cuddled for a few minutes, first. She touched and caressed, and then she lay down.

  “There is oil,” she said. “You are under no obligation to do more of me than you are comfortable.”

  “Are there areas you don’t want me to attend to?”

  “No.”

  I started with her neck. She was the largest person I had ever touched like this, but I took my time, humming while I worked. She grew quiet, although she offered encouragement from time to time. I did her entire body, neck to feet, and if she thought it was odd I included her bottom, she said nothing. I liked being massaged there, and I thought she would, as well.

  “More?” I finally asked.

  “Could I hold you like this?”

  “Yes.”

  And so, neither of us wearing a stitch, I lay down beside her, and she spooned me into her. “This is nice,” I told her.

  “I want to ask something.”

  “Of course.”

  “Have you really not chosen?”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I don’t know how to choose. You were right earlier. And it’s not like one of you has actually made an offer, either. Am I supposed to stop seeing two of you? I am not the one who has control of my social calendar. Violet or Jasmine tells me who I am having dinner with. I’ve never been in a situation like this. I came into this believing that if something romantic happened, it wasn’t my choice, and so I’ve let things play the way they play.”

  “If you had to choose?”

  “I don’t know, Forever. I like the way I feel when you hold me. I like your strength. I feel so safe with you, and part of me really, really likes everything our size difference represents.”

  “Some women are put off by my size,” she said. “Or so I am told, from other Niecor. It is worse for the Ardents.”

  “There seem to be more Ardents than the rest of you. If there are so many, why do they search for human mates?”

  “Their culture is arranged in castes, and it is most common to mate outside your caste. Which isn’t to say there are no mates both of the same caste, and some of them are here.”

  “And there is only one caste here?”

  “Yes, only the warrior caste.”

  “Are the other castes s
o large?”

  “No, but they are still very large compared to a human. You would not confuse a scientist for another species, even in the dark.”

  “Will you force me to choose, and if I don’t, I don’t get any of you?”

  “No.”

  “I like all of you for different reasons.”

  “You have completed Muriel’s avatar, and you have done your part for our new home.”

  “I suppose I have. Could I have a little more time with Yvette?”

  “Yes.”

  “Carolina is taking me swimming tomorrow, and I made a promise for lunch on Monday.”

  “With whom?”

  “Cape. It was a necessary compromise to get her to stop chasing me today.”

  “She and her husband. Do you want me to scare them?”

  I laughed. “I can take care of myself. Would she cheat in some way?”

  “Yes, actually.”

  “If I end up having sex with them, it is because she cheated,” I said. “As soon as I am myself, I will be on the next flight home. Why won’t she take ‘no’ for an answer?”

  “She is not a bad person,” Forever said.

  “There are probably a hundred women who have come through beginnings that would have agreed to some fun with her. Is this typical for Martians?”

  “No. Martian biological needs require a hunt for maturity, and additional hunts before a Martian is able to bear children. I think she has gone too long, and now her biology is pushing at her, and she doesn’t know how to satisfy it. But I am guessing from hints.”

  “She had a hunt today.”

  “Their hunts are far more elaborate. I don’t know more than that, but they are quite elaborate. Taisha, she is a good person.”

  “All right. I won’t arrive as a bitch.”

  “Thank you.” She tightened slightly. “You feel very good, Taisha.”

  “So do you.”

  “Would you be offended if I touched more of you?”

  “You’re touching a lot of me already, but if you mean with your hand, no, I won’t be offended.”

  She stroked me, my arm, my side. She was very gentle. She caressed my bottom, and she could hold an entire cheek in one hand. “That feels nice,” was all I said.

  She rolled me over. My visor was waiting for me in the other room, so we looked into each other’s eyes. I waited to see what she would do, although I didn’t expect much more.

  And so, I wasn’t disappointed when she said, “I must pass you to Carolina.”

  “All right.”

  “We have clothes for you. May I help dress you?”

  “I’d like that.”

  They had one of my wrap dresses and a pair of sandals. I dressed, and then I saw to my hair. Finally, I turned to Twilight. “I had a lovely time.”

  “I’m glad.” She collected my hands, and I looked up at her. “If I were to claim you?”

  “If you require me to be unwilling, you’ll be disappointed. If you have me kidnapped, is it all right if I try to enjoy it?”

  “Yes,” she said. “I do not wish to compete with my friends. I may wait to see what they decide.”

  “All right. May I have a hug?”

  * * * *

  “You look nice,” Carolina said.

  “Thank you. You do, too. I want to say something.”

  “All right.”

  “If you don’t mind, I would like to greet with kisses. Can we do that?”

  “Yes.” She pulled me to her, and then we engaged in a healthy round of tongue play. I got a little worked up, and when finally, she released me, I hugged her tightly.

  “Ready?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  She took me to the village, and we ate at Sunset. Conversation was easy. We talked about the game, and then we talked about the cove. “I am having a hard time believing it is real.”

  “I’m so happy for you,” I said. “Please think how you would like your house, and then encourage them to do it correctly.”

  “I will. I am going to send photos to Jasmine, and then ask to be involved. I think I want the cavern, and then a cluster of houses.”

  “I really like that idea,” I said. “The other location seemed less hospitable, although I bet it’s beautiful from on top. There would need to be a nice trail, though.”

  “I chose the location on the cliffs to avoid ruining the view for everyone else,” she said. “We would build in such a location, but it isn’t the first building site we would pick.”

  “Then don’t. Do it the way you think is best for you, Carolina. I can’t wait to see it.”

  “I can’t wait to show you.”

  We grew quiet for a while, and then she said, “Komodo are a species that kidnaps our mates.”

  “Ah.”

  “It isn’t done like they do here. It is different. I must kidnap my mate myself.”

  “Are they willing?”

  “Sometimes. Between two Komodo, it is the female who captures the male. When it is two females, they may compete, or one might surprise the other.”

  “Does it happen that a female takes another female who is unwilling?”

  “It is not common, but yes. She becomes willing. It is our biology, male or female.”

  I nodded. “Thank you for explaining.”

  “Are you frightened now?”

  “No. Were you planning to capture me tomorrow?”

  “I am not answering questions like that.”

  “If you capture me before Monday, then I don’t have to make a lunch meeting with Cape, where I will tell her to take her attention elsewhere.”

  “Cape is showing signs of…”

  “Insanity?”

  “No. Unstable behavior. But it only started when we arrived here. Lunch?”

  “I agreed to meet her at the cove. She was rather adamant.”

  “Are you asking me to interfere?”

  “I’m not sure,” I said. “I may ask Jasmine to send a pair of Ardents with me, but I don’t want to be antagonistic. She is engaging in behavior I wouldn’t tolerate from a human male, but I don’t know if I need to worry or not.”

  “Normally, I would have said ‘no’. Do you want to…”

  “Let her and her husband have me for a night of fun? Under no circumstances at all. If that happens, it will be because she drugged me, and if she did it inside the United States, I would press legal charges for it. I don’t imagine I have the same rights here, especially as I signed an awfully liberal agreement.”

  I paused. “Americans sometimes treat what happens on a vacation as if it doesn’t count. It’s not the real world, we might say. Is she doing that?”

  “Possibly. I think she got a taste, and now needs a proper hunt.”

  “Forever mentioned that.”

  “I do not believe she has had one since we came here. I don’t know if that is safe for a Martian or not. They don’t advertise this part of their biology. I believe I should interfere.”

  “No,” I said. “I am going to be rude. One minute, please.” I cocked my head and accessed the visor. I composed a text and sent it to Jasmine.

  Accepted Monday lunch date with Cape. Please get me out of it.

  Fifteen seconds later, my visor told me I had an incoming call. I accepted it. “I’m on a date with Carolina,” I said.

  “And yet, you felt sufficiently strongly to text me. Tell me about it.” I spent a minute explaining. She listened.

  “Who knows?” I told her. “All right. I want you to attend the appointment. Assume it’s an innocent invitation.”

  “It’s not, and no one believes it is.”

  “For me,” she said. “Please.”

  “You promise you’ll protect me.”

  “Yes, but I want to see how far she’ll go. I need enough to go to other Martians if necessary.”

  “If I find myself near a naked male, you better hope I don’t remember it, Jasmine.”

  “It won’t happen. You have my word.”
<
br />   “All right.”

  “Tell Carolina I’m handling it. I’ll talk to the others.”

  “All right.”

  She clicked off. Carolina looked worried. “Jasmine promises to protect me.”

  “Then you’re safe,” she said. “Good. If she needs help, we should make sure she gets it, but she might not admit it.”

  I nodded. “Happy conversations now. We’re going swimming tomorrow.”

  “Yes. I will collect you after breakfast. Will you let me provide lunch?”

  “You’re going to catch something?”

  “Yes. It will be raw.”

  “Make sure you know what’s safe,” I said. “And humans don’t eat scales or… the inside parts.”

  “I know what parts you can safely eat,” she replied. “These waters are very, very clean, and the fish that are here are healthy. There are some that are unsafe to eat, but I know which ones.”

  “You’ll keep me safe,” I said.

  “I will keep you very safe.”

  “I am looking forward to this,” I said. “A lot, ever since our first swim. No, ever since you pulled me from the beach.”

  “So much has happened.”

  “And more continues to happen.”

  “Were you honest with Chervil today?”

  “I gave him my best opinion. A lovely home in the forest, and easy walk to a lovely beach – that is so much better than the vast majority of us currently have. Furthermore, to share a life with him? He seems very sweet.”

  “He has changed on this trip. I think we all have. I have never seen him so emotional as he was today.”

  “Do you blame him?”

  “No.” I reached across the table, collected her hand, then kissed the back of it.

  * * * *

  She brought me back to her quarters, and then we tongue-teased and touched for a while until finally she pushed me back. I blinked at her a few times, pulling myself back together. “After that, you’re going to hand me to another woman.”

  “Yes. Perhaps you should check your appearance.”

  I snorted and headed for the bathroom. Carolina was waiting for me. I walked to her and said, “One more, little one.” She nodded, and we came together, just for a few seconds, but she teased my tongue quite well, and I enjoyed it.

  Then she took my arm and led me next door.

  * * * *

  Aventurine led me to her sofa. We sat together, just touching and talking. She shifted around, and we snuggled with me holding her. “You’re right,” I said. “You’re frizzy.”