"The hell we will. The time to decide that was before you sent me for that damned testing," she exclaimed. "You thought I was angry that day. You might not be so lucky next time."
He laughed, and she laughed as well. It seemed good to laugh together again. The last week had been an emotional roller coaster for them both. Her nightmares interrupted their sleep several nights, and she would accept no comfort from him. Chelle seemed to hide inside herself while she wrestled with her anger and hurt. She blamed him for what Kodric had done. She blamed him for the loss of her horse and the loss of her home in the green mountain forest. And he accepted the blame. He had hurt her enough already. How could he let them hurt her, too?
Chelle stopped and turned to him, meeting his gaze.
"Hankura, don't. I've been homesick, but I can't keep punishing you because the reality of your world is not as pretty as the dreams. Earth looks better in my dreams, too. But the day would have come when I couldn't fight well enough to survive. It wasn't so long ago that getting me out of there nearly cost you your life. You did that for me, and I did this for you. It's been hard for both of us, and it doesn't look like it will get much easier any time soon." She paused. "I want to do this. I faced Kodric for you, now let me do this for me."
Chelle was not asking his permission. She was asking for him to have faith in her ability to cope with the situation. They both knew she was his equal in intelligence. She just lacked his education.
He looked at her for a long moment. "All right ---go to the University if you like. Telling you, it won't be easy is a challenge in your eyes. You know I'll help you all I can."
"I'll need it---and it goes both ways, you know."
He grinned with a sparkle in his emerald eyes. "Why else would I go to all this trouble? I don't care what anyone thinks. Your eyes are beautiful."
The pedestrian belt paused before Ramyon's Salla's largest factory outlet in the garment district. Several other people got off at the same time as Hankura and Chelle. As they approached the entrance, the other people pushed ahead of them. The others went inside, and a blue light began flashing above the entrance. The light legally barred them from entering.
"That was rude," Chelle spouted. "Why did they do that?"
"Look on your left sleeve," Hankura muttered. "Let's go to Sallisan Terrace. That's where Mother usually goes. It's where most psions go for clothing when they don't order from home."
"We could be barred from here for hours," she resigned. "We might as well go. It still isn't fair."
"I know." he murmured and took her hand in his. "There's nothing we can do. There are many places that Normals can bar us if they wish, I'm sorry to say. We can order clothing from there once we have been fitted at the Terrace."
"I don't believe this. I wish I could just rip this damned psi-patch right off my sleeve!"
"Chelle don't ever do that in the city!" Hankura warned. "They wouldn't let me see you in jail."
"Sludge! They don't fool around. Okay---so I won't rip off the patch."
A few minutes later, they'd crossed the garment district to a less frequented shop. After they had left the belt, they entered a tall glass tower and took the lift tube to the twenty-second floor.
"There's no one here," Chelle said as they emerged from the lift tube into a large round room.
"Completely automated," Hankura answered and led her to a small booth. "Press the ID plate to go inside. The scanner will take your measurements. I'll use the next booth."
When Chelle came out a few seconds later, they went to a round booth and sat before a holocube. Hankura explained the voice commands to Chelle and turned on the cube. Momentarily, Chelle's holo-image appeared, decked in a clingy, lavender gown. "I look great in that, don't I?" She grinned in delight. This was a novel experience for her and Hankura was enjoying the newness through her.
"Umhmm. Buy," he told the computer and pressed his thumb to the credit plate. "What else would you like?"
"Something like that yellow outfit Capra loaned me. It was comfortable, and I liked the boots, too. Then, I need some plain things--a few jumpsuits, I think, to wear to the University."
"Okay, say next for the style selections to change. When you see something you like, say hold for review, and the computer will hold them all for a final review. Then, we can add or leave out selections. They will all be custom-made to our measurements. We'll take a couple things with us, and have the rest brought to the complex by droid tram when they're completed."
"But you pressed the credit plate for the lavender gown."
"I want you to have it. It's lovely on you." He grinned. "Choose whatever you like, and we'll have it deducted from our account. Just hold any you aren't sure of and we can review them."
"Anything I want? Are you sure?" Chelle looked at the total uncertainly. She hadn't seen that many credits in her whole life.
"Certainly. Credit is the least of our problems. It's almost harvest time," he explained. She realized then that he was pampering her in an attempt to make up for some of the pain he had caused her. She knew that he needed to do that, so she decided to let him.
"And if you don't take all day," he went on. "I'll take you to dine in Tharn by the sea. After that, we can go to Lenth to see the Paskien Dance Company."
"Are we in a hurry? I thought we had a whole month to see the sights."
"Actually, we have thirty-three days to do whatever we like. . .."
"Almost. . .."
CHAPTER TWELVE
A soft purple hue spread through the long thin clouds that stretched across the sky and the sun shown as a lavender ball sinking toward the Tharn Sea. Low wavelets rippled the salty water and rolled gently toward the shore, lapping at two naked lovers entwined in the sand. Only the hovercraft settled some fifty meters away revealed human presence on an otherwise deserted stretch of beach.
"You know this is crazy, don't you?" Hankura murmured, exploring the curves of her face with his eyes. There was such love in her gaze, in her touch, and in the passion of their mating. He didn't really care that they had no blanket and that they were covered with sand.
Such a moment should last forever. . .and it would, if only in his thoughts.
They lay together, still joined, his erect cock still pulsing inside her even after the exquisite orgasm they had shared.
Chelle laughed softly, caressing the back of his neck with her fingers. "I suppose that making love in the sand has some drawbacks--but it was what you were thinking." She reached to brush a bit of damp sand from his shoulder.
Ah, Hankura. This place is more beautiful than all of Salla. Nothing men have made could match what is already here. I would like to stay here all night.
"Darling, there isn't a dwelling for klicks. . ." he pointed out. "Making love in the sand is one thing---"
"So? Have you never slept under the stars before?" I have missed it. "But you're right. We could come back another time and bring at least a blanket."
Hankura smiled and pulled her closer, molding her body to his. Softly, he kissed her mouth, savoring the caress of her lips on his own. It's getting cool. We'll have to go soon.
Ah, but you are so warm. Chelle moved her hands sensually over his shoulders. She kissed his throat and hugged him tightly, almost fiercely. I love you so much, Hankura. Sometimes, it scares me. . .how vastly empty I would be without your love, without the joining of our thoughts.
My darling Chelle, I never truly understood love until I knew yours. I am still amazed that you look at me with such tenderness and respect. You find strength inside me that I never knew I had. How awesome and beautiful this flower is inside us, an exquisite madness that consumes us.
He turned on his back with the warmth of her body to shield him from the ensuing coolness. With one hand, he stroked the soft curve of her buttock, and he used the other to push her wet hair away from her face. "The sun has set. We should go now, love."
"Before I can tempt you to make love again?" she laughed softly and gave
his mouth a quick touch with her own.
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and he framed her face with his hands. I am already tempted, but we would be much more comfortable sharing a nice warm bath back in our dome.
"That sounds lovely. But, can we swim for just a few more minutes to get the sand off before we put on our clothes?"
"Sure." He pressed her from him so she could get up. Then Chelle took his hands and helped him up after her. As they brushed the sand from each other, they were drawn irresistibly into another torrid embrace.
After a few minutes, Chelle broke the mood, jabbing him playfully in the ribs and went running into the water. She laughed and splashed water at him as he chased her.
"Chelle!" He lunged for her and caught her with one arm. His momentum knocked her off her feet, and they both went under the water for a few seconds then bobbed to the surface. "Chelle, it won't help you to shield your intentions when you get that gleam in your eyes."
"But you love it," she giggled and wrapped her arms around him.
Hankura laughed and lifted her into his arms, carrying her from the water back to the rock where they had left their clothes. Shivering in the cool night breeze, they shook off the water and dressed quickly, then climbed into the air wedge.
He set the controls and started the power pack. The craft lifted into their air and turned 180 degrees from heading from west to east. It began moving at a steadily increasing rate of speed toward their home on the far side of Salla, about 1500 klicks from the eastern shore of the Tharn Sea.
Once the craft was moving, Hankura cuddled Chelle half on his lap, with her legs stretched out across the other seat. They shivered together until the inside temperature rose to a comfortable level.
"Let's come back here again---before we begin the routine of my studies and your work." she murmured, snuggling close in his embrace. I'm afraid if we don't come back before that, we'll never come here again.
You may be right. We can come back if you like, and we'll bring a blanket and some supplies.
That would be lovely. Chelle smiled sleepily and reached up to touch his face in a familiar caress. Her eyelids drooped, and she drifted contentedly to sleep before his eyes.
She is like a wild thing. He thought with a stab of conscience, watching her beloved face so vulnerable in sleep. The first day they spent together on Earth was wild and free like this day. So many times they had made love in the cool moss under the trees.
Like Aledus, Earth was also a world with many faces. They might have been free forever there in the mountain wilderness. Hankura would never know. He did know that freedom would come to them on Aledus only in stolen moments such as these. His mouth tightened ruefully as his eyes fell on the red and blue patch affixed to her sleeve. Take her from Aledus. An inner voice urged him. Don't let this world destroy what you hold MOST precious in your life.
"I can't, my darling," he whispered, resting his cheek against her hair. "Not yet. . .."
"Oh, what a lovely gown," Natar said sweetly as Chelle strolled into the main dome at Hankura's side.
"Thank you," she murmured with a shy smile, and Hankura kissed his mother's cheek. "Your son has excellent taste."
Ludren beamed in pleasure at their arrival and beckoned them to sit on the large round sofa.
"Did you and Chelle like the chackrin matches?" Ludren asked.
"Yes," Chelle replied. "I learned a lot watching them. Tomorrow, Hankura is going to show me how to use the moves I saw there."
"Trevin seems to think it would be a good idea. By the way, aren't he and Capra going with us? I thought they were looking forward to seeing the Paskien dancers." Hankura said.
"They are going, but not with us." Ludren averted his eyes from his son's and stared at his hands.
"I see." Hankura set his jaw, glancing from his father to his mother and back to his father. "They don't want to be seen arriving with Chelle and me---because I am unconditioned and she is an off-worlder."
"Not so much them," Ludren said quickly. "Their co-mates. . .."
"Space, what difference does it make?" Hankura scowled. "The result is the same. They're ashamed to be seen with us." His breath shot out in a disgusted hiss, and he took a long gulp from his glass. "Fine! We'll see the dancing without their company." He shrugged against the anger simmering inside him. . .anger and hurt.
How could Capra and Trevin feel any different, raised on Aledus? They were torn between the two opposing factions of Aledan society within their own family.
"I'm sorry." Ludren shook his head. "I tried to talk to them. It's clear that they love you both, but they are still torn in their loyalties. . .."
"Ludren, can you fix my patch on this gown? It won't stick on the thin strap. If I can't get it to stay, I'll have to change my gown before we can leave."
Ludren rose and crossed the room into the bed chamber. In a moment, he came back with a clipped fabric disk. "This'll do the trick." He clipped the disk to her left strap and smoothed the blue psi-patch over it. It clearly looked out of place against the sophisticated lines of her pale aqua dress.
A yarrel blossom would do it more justice. Hankura thought bitterly. The red and blue patch he'd fastened to Chelle's elegant lavender gown looked even worse.
Don't. Chelle chided silently. We should try to enjoy the pleasure of each others company this evening and not think about what is not pleasant.
I can't forget. He frowned miserably, meeting her eyes. Even my own sleeve is disgraced by this hideous patch that just serves to make a mockery of us on my own world
Hankura, if you hate this place so much--why are we staying?I have to. Don't you see? If I run from here again, I will be running for the rest of my life. I have to know for myself whether I can live here in some kind of harmony with these circumstances and with my family.
But you must find harmony within yourself, my love. That is what you have told me so many times. Fear makes these people do these things to us, fear and malice for what they don't understand. If we're to live here as you wish, we must both try to understand and protect ourselves. You mustn't let your resentment steal what happiness we do find here.
He raised an eyebrow and wrinkled the other at her gentle chafing which was, as always, tempered by her love. With a crooked grin, he pressed her hand to his lips. I'll try to do better.
"We're ready," Natar announced tautly. She gave them a shallow smile that didn't quite hide her displeasure at his open show of affection to Chelle.
Hankura met her gaze coolly for a moment and drew Chelle to her feet. "All right. We're ready, too." He offered Chelle his arm, and they walked with his parents to the waiting hovercraft outside the dome.
Lenth Coliseum was a kaleidoscope of color. People from all over Aledus streamed through its many archways arrayed in every manner of finery imaginable--silken, clingy gowns of diaphanous material in colors of butterflies' wings that fell soft and low over feminine curves, distinguished tunic suits that accented sleek male lines or hid flabby paunch. There were unisex jumpsuits in brilliant colors topped with long, sleeveless vests that brushed the floor with their hems. Hair arrangements ranged from total baldness to near floor length in all colors.
The audience for the dance ensemble was entertaining in itself, particularly for Chelle who had never seen so many people in one place before.
Aledan Enforcers kept order in the assemblage, affording just a little more consideration to the Normals than the duly labeled psions. Lenth had always been more or less a haven for them since the fall of Malkan. But treatment was still not entirely non-discriminatory. There were separate seating sections for psions and Normals. Normals could sit in the Psion sections if they wished, but not vice versa.
Thus admonished by his wife earlier, Hankura did his best to ignore the blatant insult to their pride and turned his attention to the gathering crowd. After what seemed like an endless influx of humanity, the lighting dimmed to several spotlights on the arena below. Seven men and seven wom
en seemed to float out into the light to a rhapsody of exotic music. Their sublime, graceful movements were poetry to the eyes. The company performed a splendid harmony of ethereal dance, a form reminiscent of the ancient ballet but augmented by telekinesis.
The audience watched the Paskiens, spellbound by their sheer artistry. Their enjoyment was unhindered by the fact that most of the Paskiens were generally psions.
A few hours passed as minutes for more than fifty thousand people. Soon, Hankura was again making his way through the crowd with Chelle and his parents to the exit near the subway terminal that would take them back to the hoverport. As they neared the exit, Hankura saw Capra and Stefan followed by Trevin and his co-mate Vera. Capra smiled and waved, but Trevin turned his glance away and pretended he hadn't seen them. He offered a silent apology to his brother. Hankura quelled his disappointment as he understood Trevin's torn loyalties.
"Who are those. . .people?" Vera cast a scornful glance toward Hankura and Chelle as she whispered to Capra.
"Our brother and his wife, and our parents," Capra answered coldly and gave Trevin a disgusted look.
"You admit the relationship?" Vera's tone was derisive.
"Who are you to judge? You don't even know them." Trevin growled. Vera turned a biting look at him as his fingers tightened painfully on her upper arm. "Don't you ever say anything like that again, Vera! I've already hurt them to accede to your snobbery. At least have the decency not to insult my family further."
"I'm sorry." she murmured in a petulant tone. She wasn't.
"You certainly are!" Trevin muttered.
Hankura shot him a look of respect and disappeared with Chelle into the crowd.
During the month of leisure that followed, Hankura and Chelle filled their days with passion and some Aledan entertainments to insulate them from days to come. The days when they would have to face the full brunt of prejudice against psions in Salla. They spent their last four days of leisure on a secluded shore of the Tharn Sea, embracing a oneness with their surroundings and each other. They had come equipped with the bare essentials for swimming naked in the sea and making love on the sandy shore--with or without a blanket to protect them from the sand. It was a time of discovery for both of them.
The Aledan PSION: The Aledan Series Book 1 Page 13