by Robin Roseau
"Well, it's my turn. I can be at your door in three minutes."
"Unfortunately, I can't. I'm not done. I'm going to be working up until dinner."
She pouted. "Maybe I could help."
I studied her. "I have to work."
"I'll help."
"Everything is in Talmonese."
"I'll keep you company."
"Company. That doesn't mean distracting me so I make mistakes, or so I don't finish."
"Company. Only a little distraction. I want to taste your lips."
I nodded. "All right. I'm in the convention center. But you promised, so you will behave yourself."
"Of course. Don't I always?"
"No."
She laughed and clicked off.
She found me ten minutes later. I was working on something for next month, working on my tablet. I was at the convention center only because it was a public place that didn't have a convenient bed. She worked her way down to me. I looked up at her and smiled, then bent my head to what I was doing until she drew closer.
"Hey, Lover," she said. "Got a kiss for me?"
I stood and let her pull me to her. I got a whiff of her scent, and she smelled just as good as always. I wondered if Commander Griffon had done anything when she poked me with her big needle. We kissed, and then she pulled my face to her neck. Reflexively, I inhaled. I stiffened for a minute, then I remembered how to act. My arms went around her, and I held her as I breathed deeply.
"You smell so good."
And she did, but my brain didn't cloud the way it normally did.
"Did you miss me?"
"My bed was lonely," I replied. I inhaled deeply, then closed my eyes and just held her.
She still felt every bit as good as she had. Holding her felt good. She was beautiful, with a lovely voice, and her arms were warm.
But I didn't like her as a person, and I wanted an end to the relationship. I didn't want her around, and I really didn't want her loose on Talmon. For the rest? Well, that was Cecilia's concern, but I didn't like that Delilah could do this to people.
I'd be talking to the vendarti about that. We weren't going to allow this particular modification loose on Talmon again. Or not if I could help it, anyway.
But we kissed again, and then I pushed her away. "I know what you'll try to do," I said. "I have so much to get done."
"I'll be quiet as a mouse," she said.
"A what?"
"Um. A very small rodent. They're known for being very quiet."
"It's not the noises you make that worry me, Delilah. It's how wonderful you smell."
She laughed. "You like how I smell."
"That may be, but you're going to sit over there, and I'm going to sit here." I pointed to a chair, and then I took my own. A moment later, she surprised me by taking the seat I'd asked her to.
"What are you working on?"
"Planning for our attendance at the Halinatown Apple Festival," I replied.
"That's not for weeks."
"It has to be reviewed, and then someone has to fly out to Halinatown to let them see it, and then it needs more work. Nothing is ever simple when it involves the Governor attending an event halfway on the other side of the planet."
For the next twenty minutes, she surprised me. She behaved, more or less. She had her own tablet, and she pulled it out and appeared to read. I glanced at her, and we smiled, then I went back to my work.
It was real work, and the process was exactly as I had said. But it could have waited -- and if I trusted myself with her, I would have set it aside.
But of course, she couldn't hold back for long. I realized that Delilah needed to know she had complete control, that doing what she wanted was more important to me than anything else. And so at first, she was subtle, or at least subtle for her. She moved her chair closer to the table and reached out to set a hand on my arm, pretending to still read.
Or maybe she was reading, I guess. She may not have been pretending that part.
I continued to work.
But then she kicked her shoes off, and under the table, she began rubbing her leg against mine.
I looked up. "You promised to behave."
"I'm not doing a thing," she said. "It's just a little touch."
I closed my head and rubbed my eyes, then went back to my work. I didn't stop her leg.
"Darling," she said a few minutes later. "You seem tense."
"I am. It's been a stressful day, and it's going to get worse."
"I know what would help, but you told me to behave. But if you let me be just a little naughty, it would help. I promise."
I didn't say anything, which she took as encouragement. Her foot withdrew, and then her hand. She stood and walked around to my side of the table. I pretended to ignore her, but then she set her hands on my shoulders.
I thought she was actually about to do something nice. And for about a minute, she did, massaging my shoulders. It felt nice, and I told her that.
She kept it up for a minute, but then she bent over and kissed my ear.
"Delilah."
"Shh," she whispered. "You'll work better if you relax a little."
"I'll work better if I don't keep switching between English and Talmonese."
"Then stop talking," she said. "We don't need words." Then she pulled my chin around, offering my face to her, and I accepted a kiss. Then it was the entire chair spun around to face her, and she climbed into my lap.
At that point, I tried to push her away, but she leaned forward and pulled my face right into her chest, burying my nose between her breasts.
"Just breathe," she whispered. "It feels good, doesn't it?"
I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to give Cecilia's plan away, but if I didn't respond to Del's scent, I was afraid I'd do just that.
She pushed me away, but then kissed me again. And she was a good kisser. I didn't really kiss back, but she pulled my face against her neck, and I found myself breathless.
"There you go, Darling," she said. "It feels good to let go, doesn't it?"
She didn't wait for an answer but instead pushed away and looked into my eyes. I didn't know what to do, and I was completely torn. I looked blankly at her. Ironically, that was probably the same look I'd been giving her for some time, as she smiled.
"There we go," she said. "Del's back now. I'm not ready to let you go."
"Del..."
"Shh." She put her fingers over my lips. She pulled my face against her neck for another minute or so, and I didn't fight her. I sat there, letting her do what she wanted to me.
But then she leaned back once more, studying me. She smiled. "All better now, isn't it?"
"I-"
"You have to work. I know. But you feel better, don't you. I'll go behave now."
And she did. She climbed from my lap and went back to her own chair. Her foot stole over to me, but she just trapped one of mine and went back to reading her tablet.
I stared at mine for a while, trying to concentrate. She glanced at me from time to time and smiled, but she didn't say anything.
I didn't get any more work done that afternoon.
* * * *
Cecilia rescued me shortly before dinner, telling Delilah she could have me back at the table. She pulled me to her bungalow. The walk did me good. As soon as we were inside, she turned me to her.
"Are you all right?"
I shook my head. "I'm going to be sick."
And then I pulled away from her, running to the water closet. I wasn't sick, but I knelt there for a while. Cecilia followed me in and knelt beside me, holding my hair back and speaking quietly.
"I'm sorry, Chaladine."
I didn't respond.
Finally I sat back. I didn't really need cleanup, but Cecilia helped wash me with a damp cloth, anyway, then helped me to my feet. She led me to the other room. Christiana was there waiting, but otherwise the place was quiet.
"Oh, you poor thing," Christianna said.
"I
don't feel good," I said.
"Come sit," Christianna suggested, patting the sofa. Cecilia led me over then disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a tall glass of water. She handed it to me, and I drank slowly, staring straight ahead.
"I told her I had to work, that I had to finish. She promised to behave. And in a way, she did. She only spent a few minutes distracting me. But if it weren't for the medicine Commander Griffon gave me, I'd have been drugged out of my mind. Why would she do that?"
"She probably understands if she doesn't keep control, she'll lose you."
"There are other people out there. If I don't want to be with her, she could pick someone else."
"Ah, but who could she have that would be more important than you?" Christianna asked. "Darling, many people are drawn to power."
"I don't have any power."
She laughed. "I haven't met everyone on the planet, of course, but Chaladine, you are the most powerful, unattached woman on the planet."
"No. There are vendarti-"
"None of whom she has met. And none whom have the influence over the governor that you have."
"But Cecilia keeps telling us she has no power."
Christianna laughed again. "She has no power to tell Talmonese what to do, but she controls everything and everyone that comes to this planet. And even if she were a complete figurehead, she appears to be powerful. Delilah may not look more deeply than appearances."
I turned to Cecilia. "Are you going to hurt her?"
"I'm going to take away her ability to continue to do this to anyone else." She shook her head. "Mother, why is this even legal?"
"It's against the medical ethics codes," Christianna said. "The doctors who did it could lose their licenses, on most planets, anyway. But you know The Empire doesn't like to meddle with the small things. As soon as they made it illegal, some planet would protest about taking away rights reserved to the individual systems."
I didn't really understand any of that.
They finished calming me down a little more then I asked Cecilia, "What do you want me to do?"
"Let dinner start as normal, but then quietly tell her you don't think you should keep seeing each other. You know what she's going to do. Let her try, but then push her away and tell her firmly you don't want her drugging you into obedience any further. At some point, I'll intervene, and I'll have Sartine pull you away. When she does, let her. I'll handle it from there."
I nodded.
"Please don't hurt her."
"I won't hurt her, but I am stopping her."
I nodded. And then we headed for dinner.
* * * *
Now that I understood she'd been drugging me, everything else made sense. Well, I didn't understand why, but I understood what.
We arrived at the dining hall; we were having dinner at the resort that night. Tomorrow was an event in Sudden, one I'd been looking forward to. I realized I had wanted to spend it with Delilah, but I wondered if I would have been able to enjoy it, or if she'd have spent the entire time making sure I couldn't think about anything but her.
Del was waiting, and she took me from Cecilia the moment we were in the door. She pulled me to the side, and again, she tried to drug me up. Now that I knew what it was, it made me a little ill again. I wondered if that was an effect of the medicine fighting with whatever she was doing.
I let myself go a little numb, but I held her and let her do what she wanted, then followed docilely as she drew me to our seats.
I didn't say much during the first portions of the meal, but then I shook my head and leaned to her.
"I want to talk to you about something."
"Can it wait?"
"I've tried to bring it up a few times, but you're very good at distracting me."
"Darling?" She looked at me, cupping my cheek, but I pulled away.
"The next few weeks are going to be challenging for me. There are some complicated events, and I need to be able to focus. I can't think around you. I need to stop seeing you."
"You can't mean that," she said. And then she pulled me towards her, an awkward hug between the chairs. I let her get away with it for a moment or so then I pushed away firmly.
"I'm sorry, but yes, I do mean it."
"You're just upset," she said. "You've had a hard few days. We can talk about it tonight. You know I'll make you feel good." Again, she tried to pull me closer, but I pushed her away.
"No," I said firmly. "I'm tired of you drugging me every time I try to form an independent thought. I've tried to end this several times, but you keep drugging me, and it's kept me complacent." I pushed away.
"Darling. How could I be drugging you?"
And at that, there were scoffs from around the table.
"Delilah," said Cecilia. "That's enough."
"Aunt Cecilia, this isn't any of your business." Del turned back to me. "Calm down, Darling. We can discuss this in private. We've been having such fun together. You love me, and I love you. We'll go discuss this privately, and it will be fine."
I could smell the scent wafting from her, and I had to wonder if everyone else could. But then Cecilia was there standing behind my chair. She pulled my chair out, and I let her pull me to my feet. Then Del was there, reaching for me, but Cecilia inserted herself.
It actually looked funny; she was so tiny. But she stood up to Del.
"Delilah Stewart," Cecilia said. "It is my business. I am the Imperial Governor, and you have imported a drug onto this planet. As such, that makes it my business. Furthermore, you are using that drug on a Talmonese citizen without that citizen's permission. I am not sure that is a criminal act, but I certainly intend to ask the lawyers."
Then Sartine was there, and she pulled me away. I was numb, and I let her.
I didn't see what happened for the next few minutes. Sartine held me against her, interposing herself between me and everything else, and I let her hold me, my face buried against her shoulder.
She held me, and I tried very hard not to cry.
I failed.
But while I couldn't see, I could hear.
"Aunt Cecilia? You don't mean that."
"I'm afraid I do."
And then Delilah was crying. "Please, Aunt Cecilia. I haven't done anything wrong." She went on and on about how she hadn't done anything wrong, and how happy she and I had been, and how she was Cecilia's niece, her own sister's granddaughter, and she couldn't possibly want to hurt her with lawyers and what not.
And Cecilia didn't say a word.
But then I heard Savannah say, "Delilah, I have known you were a spoiled brat for a long time, but I didn't realize you were that stupid."
"What? I- I didn't do anything."
"Delilah Stewart," said Cecilia carefully. "You are under arrest and will be charged for at least one attempt of drugging a government official, specifically me, in order to manipulate me in the commission of my duties."
A door opened, and when I looked, I saw Colonel Blue along with several of her security officers. They stepped up to Delilah, pulled her now limp arms from around Cecilia's neck, and latched her hands behind her back. Then Commander Griffon stepped in as well carrying some sort of equipment. I had no idea what it was, but while Delilah was pulled away from Cecilia, the commander stepped up.
"Governor, we need to collect some samples. It is best done immediately."
"Please do," Cecilia said. Then she stood there as the Commander made use of her equipment. I had no idea what she was doing.
"Aunt Cecilia?"
"Colonel Blue," Cecilia said, "Please ensure the prisoner has been read her rights."
Colonel Blue crossed to Delilah and began telling her about her rights. But I was watching everyone else.
From around the room, there were some grumbles, but it was August that put them to bed. "Anyone who gets such a morally reprehensible body modification as that is due her comeuppance. However, she is family. Cecilia, can you take that into consideration."
"I intend t
o," she replied. She looked around the room, her eyes settling on her mother. "She needs a lawyer."
Christianna sighed. "I haven't practiced in years."
"Please, grand-mama!" Delilah said. "Don't let her do this."
Christianna sighed again and climbed from her seat. She crossed around the edge of the room until she reached Delilah, held in place by two of the security officers. Colonel Blue stepped aside.
"I am not licensed to practice law. I haven't been for a long time."
"Please, grand-mama."
"The nearest licensed attorney is approximately thirty light years away. It will take months to get him here, and how do you intend to pay for him?"
"I'm owed an attorney if I can't afford one!"
"There are no lawyers in system," Christianna repeated. "Even if The Empire will pay for one, you will sit in jail until he can arrive. Or I suppose we can use the Talmonese equivalent. I imagine that would be a village elder or something. I can't imagine this person is going to even understand your crime. In fact, I can't imagine this person will speak English."
"Grand-mama, please. I didn't do anything!"
"You're an idiot. Everyone in the room smelled it. I could smell it at the far end of the table."
"It was... an automatic reaction."
"You ejected from your body a drug that has one purpose: to induce people to react kindly to you. You did that while begging the Governor to ignore your treatment of a member of the planet she has sworn to protect. I do not believe your argument is going to hold water, but if that is the argument you wish to stick to, it's your neck."
She turned away.
"Grand-mama!" the woman wailed.
She stopped. "Cecilia, is there any way we can make this go away."
"A full, signed confession and an agreement to my demands."
"No!" wailed Delilah.
"You haven't heard my demands," Cecilia said. "They are not as onerous as you fear. You will sign a confession and remit yourself to Colonel Blue's custody. She will convey you to the destination of her choosing, where you will undergo rejuvenation therapy, paid for by The Empire. Your questionable little pheromone enhancement will be negated, and your body will be retuned so as to produce no pheromones not absolutely required for a healthy life. You will agree to never again seek a similar enhancement, and you will undergo all future rejuvenation treatments at a rejuvenation facility approved by The Empire."