by Imogene Nix
“Wait one moment, while I request you be escorted inside.” He grinned. There was no way he could stop the jaunty spring in his step. Ever since his men had returned from Jessa’s abode, he’d been concerned that she wouldn’t attend the meeting. But no, here she was. A warm tide of elation swept through him. He turned to Agent Foley. “Jessa is just beyond the door. Please have her escorted in.”
Agent Foley shook his head and something shifted within him. “I’m sorry, sir. I can’t.”
Galan stopped still and glared at the man. “Can’t or won’t?”
“Can’t, sir. My orders are that Miss Bankia is to be refused entrance.” The words were as impassive as his facial expression.
“Galan? What the hell is going on? They say I am on the Do Not Allow list.”
“Jessa, I am currently discussing the situation inside. Stay where you are.” His words were precise and he was sure he heard a comment.
“Do you think you could hurry it up a little?”
Frustration was clear in her voice and he wanted to smile, but smothered the grin. “No Jessa, no co-operation.” Galan hardened his voice.
Agent Foley nodded and turned away, talking into his phone and Galan waited.
“Sir, I can’t…”
“Fine. Joras? We leave now.” The security detail formed a circle around him and they headed towards the door. Shouts broke out behind him, but he didn’t turn, until one voice called out.
“Let her in!”
Galan stopped and waited. Were they planning to let Jessa join them, now? Was this how it was going to be played out? Brinkmanship all the way? His gut churned while fury rose, but he contained it. The glass door opened and Jessa scurried in. He let himself gaze upon her, the vibrant green of her skirt and the white shirt emphasising her loveliness. Her face pinked and the glitter in her eyes called to him. She was his. He would never give her up. Not now. Not ever.
She wore the communicator and the non-functional unit as ear adornments. Her red hair was tied back, showing the long line of her throat and her legs were bare and on her feet were green shoes which matched her skirt. Over her shoulder was slung a small bag. Without a doubt she was both the most feminine and the most beautiful female in the room. All the other women wore pants negating any femininity that they projected. She joined the group of Hesparians, a small smile playing over her features as her breathing eased.
Jessa hadn’t meant to join them. In fact she had been determined to go back to her nice safe and totally neutral lifestyle, which included work and home. Nothing more than resuming her life had been in her conscious mind. She had dressed for work at the observatory in her customary skirt and blouse, but subconsciously, she must have decided to follow the buzz of excitement to the community centre. Her feet had found their way here. Some primal force told her she needed to be by his side. And she had subconsciously obeyed. She’d even worn his earrings, not that she knew why and that made her feel like a prize fool.
Anger filled her, as she remembered the confrontation outside. The person on the door had flushed once she had gained entrance. To be refused, indeed! Thank heavens she’d had the communicator which had meant she’d been able to tell Galan she’d been outside. She didn’t know what he’d said, but she made a point to ask him later. The need to fiddle with her skirt ensuring it sat correctly nearly overwhelmed her. It was just nerves of course, but she couldn’t help her reaction in front of these important people. She wanted to show herself in the best possible light before him, which was silly, she reminded her psyche. But it didn’t stop the ingrained feminine pleasure she derived watching him looking her over.
Slow steps brought her towards him. He smiled slightly and she melted deep inside. Seth grinned and elbowed her in the ribs, the quick sting calling her back from the introspective fog she had lost herself in on seeing Galan. Jessa realised what a spectacle she was making of herself and him too. “So… Are you ready Galan?”
He nodded in silence. She joined the group heading towards the door.
Jessa scanned the room, she’d been here many times before, attending functions with her parents and brother, but it had never looked like this before. People milled here and there in small groups, phones stuck to ears. They talked in earnest but muted whispers. Others tapped on their tablet devices, no doubt sending requests to their minions back in offices in Canberra. As they passed, she could see others looking at them. She shivered, feeling so out of place among these career politicians and public servants. Galen’s hand rested lightly on Jessa’s waist, making her nerve endings quiver in reaction to his caress.
“Look, it’s the PM.” Seth’s scornful voice caught her attention.
She glanced in the direction he indicated. The Prime Minister was taking her seat, talking quietly before holding up her hand, cutting her staffers off. The men and women’s expressions showed acceptance of her curt action and she smiled towards Galan. She gave a well-practiced curve of her lips. One she had obviously used thousands of times before, but Jessa was unsurprised to see it didn’t reach her eyes. No, those contained a calculating directness. She stood and walked slowly towards their group.
“Welcome, Captain Galan.” She stuck her hand out to Galan.
Jessa was impressed by how effectively she cut off the rest of the group with the single motion.
“I’m so pleased you chose Australia as your first landing site.” The woman didn’t gush or fawn over him, but worked steadily, drawing Galan away from the group. Seth and Jessa waited, and for her part, she was unsure what to do or how to react. Should we follow? Should we wait?
Joras moved beside Jessa. “Do you know this woman?”
“She’s the Prime Minister. The head of our elected government,” Jessa answered absently, with her eyes taking in every carefully rehearsed step.
“Hmm. Is this the norm for the way she meets with dignitaries, find one and single them out from the others. It isn’t very…wise, surely?” His dry words made Jessa want to smile.
“I don’t know. I’ve never met her before.” She stepped forward but Joras touched her arm slightly.
“Let’s wait and see what happens, shall we?” His voice held amusement. She turned to see the glint of humour in his eyes.
So they waited and soon enough Galan bowed in a courtly manner and returned to their group, indicating each member and making an introduction as he went. Once this had happened, they were ushered to seats at the long white clad table.
Galan finally allowed his men to turn off the camouflage and did the same, even as he insisted that both Jessa and Seth sit near him. The meeting came to order and the members of the working group ran through the usual processes. Jessa sat, pen in hand and scribbled notes on the small pad that had been placed before her.
Quickly, it came time for Galan to outline the issue. “We have come to earth seeking assistance. We have, in the last several years, lost many of the females from our planet. We come seeking willing volunteers to join us on Hesparia.” As he spoke the room erupted in murmurs and she could see heads shaking.
“Madam Prime Minister…” One large man in a suit rose to his feet, his face thunderous. “You cannot possibly allow…”
The Prime Minister stood, raising a hand. “Please resume your seat, Minister. We shall discuss this later.” He looked at her, red faced before slowly subsiding into his chair. She returned steely eyes back to Galan. “Please continue, Captain.”
Jessa contained her snort of amusement. It was clear Galan hadn’t informed the PM of his real status or position. “Thank you, Prime Minister. In exchange, we are more than happy to share insights into genetic technology, space flight and healing with your people.”
The shocked murmurs continued as the discussion turned towards timeframes, goodwill gestures. A meal was delivered to the table, yet the humans kept a watchful eye on their Hesparian counterparts. Jessa sighed each time another objected to something Galan mentioned.
By the end of the meeting, she was exhaus
ted and wanting nothing more than to sit down with a quiet drink. Preferably something long and cold and decidedly alcoholic, she told herself. Agent Foley made his way towards her. She hadn’t heard him approach but quickly turned in his direction at his words. “Miss Bankia?”
“Yes, Agent Foley?”
He looked slightly discomforted. “Can you please tell me if it is your intention to stay with the Hesparians? We seem to be having some trouble working out exactly where you are supposed to be.”
As Jessa made to open her mouth, Galan moved behind her, slipping an arm around her shoulder as he addressed the agent. “Jessa will remain with me, so if you could make arrangements for suitable clothing and effects to be delivered to my ship? I will require the same, of course, for Seth.”
As quickly as that, the matter was settled.
Then they were moved through the door, towards the cars that waited in the portico.
Voices called and lights flashed but Galan kept her at his side. Jessa let her eyes scan the crowd and at the back she saw a face. One she hadn’t seen for a long time. One she had thought she’d wake up next to, for the rest of her adult life when she was much younger and so much more naïve. Jace.
Chapter Six
Days passed, each full of meetings. Jessa remained with Galan, Seth and the crew on what she learnt was the Princess Gospah. They took delegations and even made a trip to Canberra, flanked by military personnel. As the days had progressed the protestors became more strident and increased in numbers. Each time she saw them, Jessa shivered, seeing the anger and hearing their angry words. She scanned the crowds—she was sure that Jace was there. But what on earth could he want? Certainly not her, the thought had spun around in her head day and night.
She did learn more about how the Hesparians had such a grasp of their language though as they breakfasted one morning.
“Hang on. Something has just occurred to me. Even after our first meetings you have an extraordinary grasp of our language.”
Joras grinned. “We had been monitoring your planet for some time, and found that we could decode your language very quickly through your written and spoken translations. And of course, we availed ourselves of some of your transmissions. I believe you call it tele-vis-eon.”
Of course they would. She rolled her eyes, noting the careful way he pronounced the words. They must have learnt some very interesting things from the current crop of shows.
Soldiers were brought in to guard the perimeter and Jessa watched in amazement as her countrymen spilled vitriol in the media. Their angry comments about letting aliens walk on their planet and possibly even mate with them worried her. Others claimed that those who associated with them were now tainted. Talk shows on the radio were flooded with arguments that ‘no human should be expected to participate in what is essentially a bride buyout for another planet’ and ‘the end of the world is here’ through to, ‘is this the beginning of the alien invasion’?”
Her mother and father both contacted her via mobile, castigating her for being involved and once they knew what the Hesparians were doing, told her that she was participating in something that was little more than slavery of a galactic nature. Their cold comments stung and Jessa started screening calls, ignoring their messages. Emails poured in to her from radio and television stations once more, flooding her spam and deleted boxes.
* * * *
On a morning, little over a week after their initial meeting with the Prime Minister, Jessa sat in the dining room looking at the emails flooding in, her laptop whizzing happily.
“You know, Jessa, the only thing you have to worry about right now, is whether you stay or go.” Seth’s words had her jumping as he entered the quiet room.
“Oh, that’s so easy for you to say, Seth. You know he hasn’t even asked me. Besides which, even if the United Nations decides to go along with this crazy idea, they’ll want to vet everyone involved. I doubt I’d even get a look in.”
He snorted and Jessa raised her head. “Are you laughing at me?”
He sobered, sitting down beside her. “No, but I’m trying to lighten your mood a little. I doubt either of us will be welcome here once this is done.”
She looked at him, noting the circles under his eyes and the way he ran his hand through his shaggy red hair. “Are you okay?” Concern flooded her. In her own misery and confusion, she really hadn’t been paying attention to him. Looking now, it was clear how strained he‘d become.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” But clearly he wasn’t.
“Come on, Seth. This is me you’re talking to. Remember?” She laid her hand on his. “You can tell me.”
“Well, to be honest, it’s true. You at least will be able to leave, but me? They won’t have use for another male. And one who isn’t married or in a relationship.” He shrugged, looking dejected and lost. Jessa’s heart plummeted to her stomach with a dipping sensation. “And I doubt there’s going to be anywhere here that would either hire me or for that matter, want me within a twenty mile radius if any of the comments on the news are anything to go by.”
Holy hell. That hadn’t even occurred to her. “Oh, Seth. Maybe…” But he cut her off.
“What? You’ll talk to Galan. If you don’t think he’ll take you, can you honestly see him accepting me?”
They were in a fine pickle, Jessa thought. Feeling even more down than before because these were truths that they both had to face but, a sense overwhelming loss swamped her for a moment. Then with a small sigh she sat upright once more. “Geez. I hadn’t even thought about that.” She slumped down to the tabletop just as the ding of new mail filled the air.
“You’d better check that,” Seth mumbled, laying his head down on the table.
Jessa opened the new mail and shock stole her breath.
“What is it?” Seth raised his head and looked into her eyes.
“It’s from Jace. I don’t know how he even got my email address.” Shock tightened her lips and her heart pounded. “I don’t want to hear from him, Seth. I mean…”
“Who has contacted you?” Galan demanded from the doorway.
Jessa closed her eyes. Great. That’s all I need. To remind him of my chequered past. “It’s my cousin. Jace.” Seth’s voice rang out and Jessa would have given anything right now for a hole in the ground—somewhere to hide in.
“And this is a problem, Jessa?” He moved forward, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Jessa had to control the urge to curl into his touch. But this was her problem. One she had to stand alone and deal with. “He’s the one I did something stupid with. The one that…” A lump lodged in her throat.
“He told a lie about Jessa and got her in a lot of trouble.” Seth’s voice broke the pregnant silence. “Jessa was innocent in the whole thing.”
“Hush, Seth.” Jessa turned to look at him. “I was young. I was dumb and I let him use me. I had to pay some penalty for that.” She shrugged. “But it’ll never happen again.”
Galan lifted his hand from her shoulder and turned away from her. His action gutted her to the soul.
Galan’s anger burned brightly. White hot rage coursed through his veins as his belly churned. That this Jace had dared to contact Jessa was indeed a problem he needed to address. Then there was the manner in which the rest of the government of earth were acting. It was enough to make him want to give up on the whole idea of seeking women from this planet. There were, surely, other compatible planets. But even as the thought came, he dismissed it with a flick of his eyes. He glanced down at Jessa, caught sight of her white face. “What? What more are you not telling me?” His heart stuttered and he reached for her.
“It’s nothing.” Her voice was low and pain filled.
Seth rose, catching his eye. “We all need to talk later. But right now, I’ll leave you two alone.” He left the room quickly.
Galan glanced back to her, seeing her downcast eyes. “Jessa?” He wanted to understand. He needed to know what the problem was, so he could help her
…make it better for her.
“It’s nothing, Galan.”
“That’s not true. Otherwise you wouldn’t be shaking like this. Now, tell me what the problem is.”
“You can’t fix this.” Her voice was thready, and his stomach knotted tighter than before in reaction.
“I can.”
“No, actually. This time you can’t. When this is done…” She stopped and he craned further.
“When this is done, what?”
“It’s nothing.” She started poking and prodding at the small terminal in front of her.
“You can’t say that and then not finish what you mean. Jessa…” How can I reach her, when she won’t tell me what’s wrong?
Jessa stood up jerkily and he grabbed her hand. The computer slipped and dropped to the floor, smashing loudly.
“When this is over, you’ll be gone and Seth and I will be here. We’ll have to make the best of this…mess!” She cried.
Finally he understood. The memory of the negative emotion, of loss, flooded him. He refused to let her feel it any longer. “I won’t leave you behind. Or Seth, for that matter.” He gazed at her, taking in the soul-deep sadness in her eyes. The emotion scalded him, leaving him almost breathless at the pain that ratcheted through his system.
She snorted at his words. “Like you’ll have any other option.”
He grabbed her to him and snarled, “I won’t! I won’t ever let you go. You’re mine now!” And with that he swooped down, catching her lips with his. The kiss was brutal as his mouth roamed over hers. He moulded her tight against his frame, learnt the dips and swells of her body. His mind whirled at the taste and feel of her. Finally, gasping for breath he pulled away. “I’m not letting you go.” He gripped her hand and towed her out of the room and down the corridor.
The door of her cabin opened and he pulled her into the quiet room, bringing her back up against his body. “Does this feel like a man who will leave you behind?”