Selected Assistant

by Robin Roseau

  “No.”

  “Under no circumstances do I leave with her. Nor am I going to agree to any sort of future assignations. This is a one-time meal. If my resolve changes partway through the meal, it’s because she drugged me.”

  “All right,” Jasmine said.

  “You promise.”

  “I promise.”

  “Jasmine is willing to lie,” Audra said. “But I’ve never seen her break a promise.”

  “All right. What do you want me to do?”

  “Meet with her. That’s all.”

  “You don’t want me to ask her what’s going on?”

  “Ask her whatever you want.”

  “I think I will.”

  “Maybe she’ll answer you,” Jasmine added.

  * * * *

  Several of us spent the next couple of hours playing in the water. Jasmine headed to work, so there were four of us. Yvette drew attention; I imagine she would have, even if she hadn’t been famous. She had a fabulous body and would be hard to ignore. But no one bothered us.

  Eventually my visor told me it was time to get ready. We all headed for the bungalow, and the three of them hung out while I took a fresh shower. I decided to put on one of my casual but Catseye-friendly sun dresses, no suit this time. When I was done, I checked my appearance, decided I looked respectable, and I presented myself in the main room.

  The three of them mother-henned me for a minute. Audra slipped my visor back on; Yvette plopped my hat on my head and kissed my cheek. I looked her in the eye. “I want to ask you something.”

  “Sure.”

  “Could I get some sort of tiny role in one of your movies?”

  She laughed. “Sure.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Sure,” she said. “Grocery store clerk?”

  “Sure,” I said.

  “I’m kidding.”

  “About which part?” I asked.

  “I can probably do better than grocery store clerk.”

  “Tiny, Yvette. I don’t even need to make it to the credits. I just want to be able to say, ‘That’s me!’ for my three seconds on screen. Maybe I can stand behind you in line or something.”

  She laughed. “We’ll make it happen,” she promised.

  “Ready?” Audra asked.

  “No.” But I headed for the door.

  * * * *

  There was a jumper waiting for me. I took hugs from each of them, even Felicia. “It will be fine,” Audra whispered.

  I felt like I was the dead woman walking as I climbed the ramp into the jumper.

  It wasn’t a long ride, and I tried to enjoy it. Arriving at the quiet cove, the jumper circled once before landing beside another, similar craft. Cape was already there.

  The jumper settled down; the ramp descended, and after a moment, I climbed from my seat and descended out the back of the craft. By the time I had made it to the sand, Cape was striding forward. I waited for her. It was quite clear from her green skin why her species had been referred to as Martians. At the same time, her appearance was quite exotic, and I wished she’d been less aggressive with me. I think I would have enjoyed getting to know her.

  Or maybe not, given her behavior towards me.

  But I waited for her, and I didn’t fight when she took both my hands in hers. “Thank you for coming.”

  “It’s a lovely location,” I said in response. I wasn’t going to tell her she was welcome, as I wasn’t sure she was.

  “It is,” she agreed. “Earth is a lovely planet. Come.” She turned, hooking my arm in hers, and I found myself a little helpless but to walk with her. She led me from the two jumpers, heading closer to the water. There was actually a low platform set up with a table and two chairs as well as a few containers with food and beverages, sheltered by an awning. I let her lead me to one of the chairs and then sat as she did.

  I gestured. “You did all this.”

  “It didn’t take long. The kitchens provided a picnic for us.”

  “Is there a plan?”

  “I thought we’d get to know each other for a bit before I break out our meal. I have a variety of beverage choices.” She gestured, and one of the containers floated closer. I stared at it. If she noticed, she gave no clue. “Lemonade? A soda?”

  “Lemonade would be nice.”

  She opened the top of what looked like a human cooler and withdrew a pitcher. She poured lemonade into two glasses, replaced the pitcher in the cooler, and it withdrew. Then she moved one glass closer to me. I picked it up and sampled it.

  “Perfect,” I declared. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” She sipped herself. “You fixed the robot.”

  “Not exactly. We identified the basic problem, and the Tutors are going to fix their hardware. But we were successful, and the Tutors promise a solution.”

  “The human woman will have a better robot.”

  “Yes,” I said.

  “I understand you quite passionately pursued a solution.”

  “If I had only driven the first one, I wouldn’t realize how much more it could be, but I actually drove the new one first, and going backwards was difficult. Before you suggest how noble I am or something, I don’t remotely compare it to what all of you did, traveling across the galaxy to come here.”

  “We came for our own reasons. Altruism may have been a factor, but the adventure was a significant motivation for most of us.”

  “If you could decide all over, would you do it again?”

  “I don’t know,” she replied. She paused. “Ask me after lunch.”

  “Oh?” I asked. “Is something going to change?” She may not have recognized the warning in my tone.

  “It’s tied into something else I want to talk about, after we’ve eaten.”

  “Ah. All right.”

  We talked for a few more minutes, now about nothing in particular, and then she said, “Well, perhaps we should eat.” I sat while she handled everything. There was one meal for me and another for her. Once everything was set out and she sat back down, she said, “If I lived on Earth, I would alter my digestive system to accept human food. On the station, it didn’t really seem necessary.”

  “Does it prevent you from eating Martian food?”

  “No, although I understand it can be unpleasant for a few weeks.”

  We ate, and she kept the conversation on easy topics, and then we put everything away, actually storing it back aboard her ship. We were halfway done before I realized I was breaking one of my rules, stepping into a craft she controlled. But as she didn’t attempt to kidnap me, I decided not to worry, or at least not too much. “Will you walk with me?”

  “Of course.”

  She gestured towards the water. When she saw me take my shoes off and set them above high tide, she did the same with hers, and then she took my arm. We walked slowly, letting the light waves rush over our feet now and then. It felt nice.

  We made it halfway down the beach before she said, “You’re afraid of me, and it’s not xenophobia.”

  “You seem to have a problem taking ‘no’ for an answer. I’ll say it again. Cape, I don’t do married women, and I really, really don’t do males. Those are both hard limits. If you were a human male acting like you’ve been acting, I would have at least thought about a restraining order.” I had to explain that.

  She said nothing for a minute, then very quietly said, “I’m sorry. I don’t know why you’re afraid of me.”

  “Because no one could assure me you wouldn’t engage in unsavory methods to change my mind.”

  “I wouldn’t!” she said hotly.

  “And yet, no one could promise you wouldn’t,” I repeated, “which means you’re acting so far out of character that your friends aren’t willing to vouch for you.”

  She released my arm and then came to a stop, turning to look out at the water. I stopped with her, several feet away, watching her as she watched the water.

  Finally, I said simply, “Talk to me, Cape. What is g
oing on?”

  “Bight and I rushed our mating.”

  “And now you’re casting an eye out, looking for something new?”

  “No.” She turned around, walked partway up the beach, and sat down on the sand, facing back to the water. I followed her and sat down beside her. “It is against our culture to talk about this with someone who hasn’t first experienced it.”

  “Experienced what?”

  She looked over at me. “Martian physiology requires us to engage in a series of hunts in order to mature. At first, we must be hunted. We must do our best to gain our freedom, but we also must be caught, at least a few times.”

  “And?”

  “This is required to begin the process of going through physical, well, in humans, it would be puberty, but of course, it is very different for us.”

  “Is this similar to how Tutors must face adversity?”

  “Yes, and no. Perhaps distantly similar.”

  “So, you and Bight rushed.”

  “Yes. We must have our hunts. We are caught. Other things happen, things you would find shocking, but they’re necessary.”

  “That’s vague.”

  “Our bite can be venomous.”

  “You bite the people you capture?”

  “Yes. I’m simplifying. A Martian must be bitten, usually more than once, for Martian puberty to truly begin. At some point, she may either bite or be bitten for the process to continue.”

  “Are you saying you haven’t done enough biting?”

  “It’s not only the bite; it must be associated with a hunt. It’s complicated, and I’m explaining it poorly.”

  “You’re explaining it fine. Are you going to answer me?”

  “It’s not me; it’s Bight.”

  “Bight hasn’t bitten enough?”

  “I’ve barely done enough, and I’ve done several more than he has,” she explained. “I’m, well, a little stir crazy from it, but I’m truly worried about it for him. I didn’t even realize it was a problem until we got here.”

  “So.” I gestured. “Bring him here. Chase him around and bite him.”

  “It’s somewhat more complicated than that, and he’s refusing to admit a problem.”

  “And you haven’t talked to anyone about it, because?”

  “Because I didn’t realize it was a problem, and it’s not the sort of thing I want to talk to a coworker about.”

  “But you’re talking to me?”

  “Out of desperation. I know you have Jasmine’s ear.” She looked over at me. “I’m sorry.”

  “What was your plan, Cape?”

  “I didn’t have one.”

  “You had a plan for me.” She turned back to the water, not answering. “Did I have cause to worry?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t understand it. If you can be on either side of this hunt, you could tell Bight you need it.”

  She turned back to look at me. “I didn’t consider that.”

  “It seems pretty obvious. Tell him to hunt you, or that you need to hunt him, or something like that.”

  “Normally a married couple hunts someone else.”

  “Felicia might have said ‘yes’.”

  “Normally a married couple organizes a hunt of seven people.”

  “Oh. Well, conveniently, I bet you can find seven people.”

  “Hunts are not brief events.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “The hunt is typically several days. But then there is a sort of, well, you might call it an after party.”

  “And?”

  “For someone’s first hunt, the after party lasts a week or so, if she’s been sufficiently hunted she’s truly ready to hold her own. For someone ready to permanently mate, it’s somewhat longer.”

  “Oh. Cape, it doesn’t sound unsolvable.” I paused. “I still don’t understand what you wanted from me?”

  “I think…” She paused. “I think I also need a hunt, just not as desperately.”

  “Humans have a phrase, Cape.” I glanced over at her. “Get your shit together.”

  “I know this phrase,” she said. “I don’t think I knew my shit wasn’t together.”

  “And now?”

  She didn’t answer. Instead, we both looked out at the water. And two minutes later, another of the jumpers flew past us, north to south, then circled the cove. We both watched it settle down beside mine. A moment later, Jasmine and Prudence both climbed out and began walking across the sand to us.

  “Did you summon them?” Cape asked quietly.

  “No, but I knew Jasmine was monitoring.”

  She looked over at me. “You’re wearing that.” She gestured to my face. “I imagine she heard everything we’ve discussed.”

  “That’s probably a good assumption,” I replied. “Do I owe an apology?”

  “No.”

  We both stood as they came close. I received a brief tentacle-caress from Jasmine, but not a proper hug. “Cape, I would prefer to send the human home,” Jasmine said.

  Cape made a gesture I didn’t recognize. “Thank you, Taisha.”

  “Is this going to be all right?” I asked.

  “Yes,” Jasmine said. “Cape, I believe we need a frank conversation.”

  Cape repeated the gesture. “Yes.”

  “I will organize a hunt, but you need to explain everything to me. The last time we did this, I was operating in the dark.”

  “All right. Taisha, I’m sorry for frightening you.”

  Jasmine turned to me. “She will not be hunting you or Felicia. I would rather you not talk about this with anyone else. Let me handle it.”

  “It sounds like politics, and I don’t do politics,” I said. I turned to Cape and offered a brief hug, then exchanged small clasps with Prudence and Jasmine. Then I turned and walked up the beach, collecting my sandals. Two minutes later, my jumper spirited me away from the cove.

  * * * *

  I wasn’t asked to partake in the hunt. For me, the entire incident became, largely, a non-event. But I’m not sure Cape would have opened to anyone else, and I think our lunch together served as a turning point for her.

  I’m simply glad to know that she and Bight were able to begin to address their needs, and I felt bad that Earth hadn’t been more welcoming to them.

  But in the end, they would be all right.

  Lingering Days

  Over the next few days leading up to our scheduled departure, we had more events, more meals. I had more dinner dates, and we played more laser tag. Yvette spent much of the time acting like a child, a particularly joyous child, but the friendship she offered felt genuine. She remained a terrible flirt, with me, with Audra, with several others. Felicia tended to blush, which served as encouragement.

  No one claimed me, but I didn't ask, although I came to the conclusion that I was actually only a vacation fling for them. But I decided to enjoy the last few days, and to spend as much time as I could with my new friends, hoping goodbye wouldn’t be forever.

  Yvette, though, figured out how I was feeling, and it came up over a private lunch with her. “You don’t understand why you’re not living in one of those horrible cells.”

  “That’s not how I would put it, but yeah, I suppose.”

  “What’s your theory?”

  “Maybe if I couldn’t pick, they decided not to.”

  “Or?”

  “Or I’m a vacation fling.”

  “Or?”

  “That’s all I have. I wouldn’t suppose you have an inside scoop.”

  “If I did, we wouldn’t be talking about this,” she replied. “Which one’s your favorite?”

  “If I could decide that, maybe she’d have had me collected by now.”

  “You don’t have a favorite.”

  “No.”

  “Are you normally this indecisive?”

  “Yes.”

  She laughed. “Are you?”

  “I’ve never been in a situation like this. I have no id
ea.”

  “Well, I am an expert in judging people.”

  “You seem quite judgmental.’

  “That’s not the word I just used,” she said. “And girl, I hope you hate your house in California, because you’re never living there again.”

  “But-”

  “But I don’t know a thing about any of their mating habits. The Kitsune take time. Maybe she’s going back to the station but you’ll find your cute little ass hauled out of some boring meeting six months from now, and end up in a horrid cell. Hmm. Work cube. Horrid cell. They have certain similarities.”

  “Cute.”

  “I know even less about the other two. So maybe I’m wrong. Maybe this is going to take time. Do you own or rent?”

  “Rent.”

  “Got an offer on anything?”

  “Nope.”

  “Well, don’t.”

  “Okay.”

  “All right, then. So, after this fabulous pep talk, you owe me.”

  I laughed. “What do I owe you?”

  “We’re going to play Sacrifice the Human this afternoon. You’re going to go along with the plan.”

  “I find that unlikely.”

  “We’ll see.”

  It was a good pep talk, but I thought she was wrong. She wasn’t, but when it came, I didn’t see it.

  Which was probably the entire idea.

  * * * *

  We did more swimming, back at Beginnings. Our friends joined us, and Carolina always brought freshly-charged breathers.

  There was another dance. Yvette was popular, but she made sure to dance with her friends. I have photographic evidence.

  Our last full day arrived. Yvette and Foxglove would fly Felicia and me home tomorrow afternoon, then stay a few days in LA before returning to Boston. We decided for our last evening, we could have a picnic on the beach. We started in the afternoon, Yvette making sure we were all well-protected from the sun. Later, we’d have a grilled meal and stay up late.

  We went swimming. We lounged. And then Yvette said, “Carolina, how about tours?”

  “Sure. There’s a reef for the others to explore, and we have underwater cameras this time.”

  She got several of us going, giving us our breathing devices and making sure we were okay, then she led us out into the water. She showed us the reef then pressed one camera into my hands, the other to Audra. Then she took Skye for a trip. The rest of us explored the reef together. From time to time, someone would ask me to take a photo, either of them, or of some feature of the rocky reef, or maybe just a particular fish.