"You are quite spoiled. Very well!"
"Yay! Move over, I'm taking this baby for a ride."
"Ceres, help me…"
***
"What's wrong?" Tabby asked mischievously, after they'd landed on the far side of the Cuprum peninsula. "I think you would look green in the gills if green was a color that existed here."
She was answered with a groan. "I can tell that you have been practicing under Mesethius's tutelage," Kalavan muttered.
"Not really. I make him sick to his stomach, too." She snickered. "Are you sorry you had the adaptations made for me?"
"Please, do not remind me. I never expected you to be so adventurous with flight."
"I was a test pilot, remember? Just think about what I'm gonna do once I get a feel for it."
"I prefer not to. That is the Water Station," he said, pointing at the flower-shaped structure that sat upon the surface of the copper ocean.
"It doesn't look like much. What does it do?"
"It is the primary teaching facility for our people. We discovered that our cognitive function increased when we went below the surface, allowing us to absorb and assimilate at least five hundred times more information than studying unassisted."
"Is that how you learned English so quickly?"
"Yes. For some reason," he lowered his voice, "a hybrid can learn things even faster here. As a boy, Mesethius spent every rotation he had reading and viewing Earth media. The scholars dubbed his study area the 'prince's throne'. He was an enigma to them."
"He told me about what his mother did to keep him separated from everyone. Why did you allow that to happen?"
"She did this deed without my knowledge. By the time I discovered her actions, the damage was done," Kalavan said.
"Why didn't she say anything about you?"
"I was not a threat to her position. I know it seems as though I am passive, but I can assure you that I'm simply buying time. The moment you become queen will change the course of our country."
"Is that when you can kick her nasty ass back to Hitopia?" Tabitha asked.
"We can only expel her if you are with child or if she makes an attempt on your life. I fear she will make that move as soon as she discovers that you and Mesethius have bonded."
"I'm surprised she hasn't tried to kill him."
"That is the only redeeming quality of the Helminth race. They can neither kill nor cannibalize their offspring," Kalavan said.
"But they can neglect, abuse and humiliate them. Whatever I can do to see you and Seth free of this thing, let me know."
"To start with, let's teach you the ruins."
The doors to the station opened into a plain and uninteresting room where several people stood, chatting quietly. There was no furniture or windows, nor anything else to indicate the purpose of the area. Kalavan was greeted pleasantly, exchanging handshakes and embraces, and then introduced Tabby to everyone in his language.
Unaccustomed to being the center of attention, she found herself hiding shyly behind the huge man, trying to disappear in the back of his tree trunk sized legs.
"When we are in here, I am going to limit speaking to you in your language," he told her. "The scholars suggest that we only speak Lotopian around you to help develop your ear. They are also unsure whether the acceleration process will work on a human."
"Does that happen here?"
"No. This is the transport platform. It will take us to the station. See those blinking lights? It is ready to depart."
The ground beneath her feet lurched, and she clung to Kalavan as the entire room turned around before sliding forward and then downward. She swallowed several times to clear her ears as the pressure changed.
"How deep is this going?"
"Approximately ten miles in Earth measurement. Are your ears hurting?"
"No, I'm fine. Your ocean is ten miles deep? Our deepest point is only about six miles."
"The main station is ten miles below. There are private study stations at the deepest points of fifteen miles," he said.
"Unbelievable. How can the structure take this pressure?"
"It's built inside a natural diamond cave that formed a giant bubble on the ocean floor. It was first accessed through a corridor found at The Tears."
"That is amazing. How does it keep breathable air?" Tabitha asked curiously.
"The atmosphere is identical to that on the surface. The planet provides the natural equilibrium to support life there."
Yet again, Tabby was rendered speechless as she stepped into the main facility. It was like she was in a giant fishbowl, surrounded by glowing plants and undulating creatures. Despite the depth, the ocean teemed with life that emitted neon colors and pulsing lights. She silently pressed her face to the clear wall to watch a fifty foot, eel-like creature swim slowly by.
"This looks like something out of a horror movie filmed in the Garden of Eden," she whispered, gazing at the yard-long needle teeth that intertwined like fingers in the creature's mouth.
"Mesethius used to say it was beautifully horrifying," Kalavan agreed, his hand on her shoulder. "It is only about survival at least depths. These animals cannot tolerate the surface temperatures so they present no threat to the people. Likewise, we are unable to leave these walls, so we present no threat to them. Let me take you to the Prince's Throne."
Tabby settled in the comfortable chair that Seth had spent his entire childhood learning in. The 'room' was an oversized cubby-hole, just big enough to hold the cozy chair, a small desk, and a second chair for a guest. It carried his scent; warm, enticing and inviting, making her just want to curl up and dissolve into it. Kalavan placed a child-sized cap on her head and smiled, wiping a tear from her cheek with his thumb.
"You feel his presence here, don't you?"
"Very strongly. It makes me miss him," she said quietly. "Is this part of that bond?"
"It is. It is also part of the heart. You have fallen in love with him. That need," he touched her chest with an index finger, "is a universal one."
"I never thought I could feel this way for anyone. I spent my entire life guarding myself, even from the one person who really cared about me. I don't think I will ever forgive myself for being so cold to him…" Her voice drifted away.
"Are you speaking about that astronaut friend of yours?"
"Yes. Buzz. He loved me like a daughter and I resisted everything until the very last moment," Tabby said sadly.
"We cannot change our past, little doll. We can only make better decisions for our future. If you live in regret, then you will die with regret. That is a miserable existence."
"I'm learning that, but I can't just erase how I feel. What should I do?"
Kalavan rested his hand on her knee. "Forgive yourself. Learn from past mistakes and try not to repeat them. Be accountable to those you respect. And be true to yourself—to who you really are. Are you ready?"
"Is it going to hurt?"
"Not a bit. Lean back, close your eyes and let the words enter your mind."
If only school had been like this, Tabby thought, mentally 'watching' the new information swirl around her mind, like a kaleidoscope of words. She consciously picked up phrases and their matching images, repeating them in her head as each popped to the forefront of her thoughts.
"I can't take any more," she said, pulling the cap off her head and closing her eyes. "It's too much."
"It has only been a quarter of a rotation," Kalavan said with concern. "Tell me what you gained."
"I can't right now. Can we please take a walk or something?"
"How about I get you some ice-cream?"
"Yay, Grandpa!"
They sat together, overlooking the ocean garden while Tabby eagerly attacked the bowl of sweets. She paused mid-bite. "Grandpa? What if I can't do this ruin thingy? What will happen?"
"That has only happened once in the history of my people. The result is a lifetime of misery."
"I gather the Helminthe can't speak ancient Loto
pian."
"No, they cannot stand on the plains of Ceres without turning into a pile of ashes," Kalavan said.
"Does it do the same thing to a hybrid?" She grew frightened.
"No. The reflective radiation is just enough on Ceres's surface to extinguish a Helminth, but does no more than leave a little heat on hybrid skin."
"Is that where it happens?"
"Yes."
"Have you ever tried just going there and making a promise without the words?" she asked.
"No, it has never been done."
"Neither has a marriage between a Lotopian and a human, but that doesn't guarantee that the words will work, does it?"
"I suppose it does not," he agreed.
"Is there a law or anything that forbids us from trying?"
Kalavan studied her, tapping his index finger on the tabletop. "It would be considered highly unorthodox…"
"What is conventional about a hybrid marrying a human? Truth be told, if the only purpose in this ruin thingy is to spare me the pain of losing him in the future, than I don't want it. He has become everything to me and I never, ever want to forget it. Even if it hurts."
"Do you mean that?"
"I do. With all my heart," she said resolutely.
The king drew in a deep breath and then nodded. "Then let's try. If you feel you are ready to make this commitment, I won't stop you. Just know that if it doesn't work, only you, Seth and myself will know the truth. I don't want the people to believe that they are going to be ruled by another unbonded pair."
"But that's my point. We are bonded. That ruin isn't going to remove what we already have, is it?"
"No," Kalavan admitted.
"Then let's kick tradition in the ass. We'll give it a shot, but if it doesn't work on us like it does on the normal folk, then Seth and I will just have to work a little harder to make our marriage whole. I'm willing to give it everything I've got. I'm tired of running away and saying no to happiness."
"Are you certain?" he asked.
Tabby nodded vigorously.
"Then so shall it be"
***
"Father? Are you certain we can do this?" Seth asked the following day.
The three of them stood at the entrance of a stark white temple that floated in an artificial atmosphere over the surface of the Ceres moon. Flowing rivers of liquid light poured off the edges, and the crystallized foliage reflected the dark, starlit sky. The early morning rays of the new sun bounced in pink beams off the slick walls and warmed their faces. To the Earth-born eyes of the human woman, it was fantasy become reality.
"There is nothing in the law that makes the repeating of the ruins a requirement. To be honest, son, I have wondered if the legend is even factual." Tabby heard Kalavan answer. He sounded so far away! With a squeak, she broke out of her daze and raced to join the two.
"What do you mean? It's a bonding," Seth was saying.
"Yes, but I was considering some of the words spoken by our little princess and realized that if people believed that they would be released from their pain, perhaps it was the belief itself that produced the action, and not the actual words."
"Tabitha? Are you certain you wish to do this? Even if the ruins don't work, it will mean that you are with me as my wife forever. There is no divorce here," Seth said seriously.
Tabby looked up at him and felt her heart flutter. "I would be honored to be your wife forever," she said. "I love you. Really, truly love you. My only fear is that I might not be able to give you what is necessary to continue your line."
"A child? I have no doubt in my mind that we will have one when the time is right for us." He enclosed her in his embrace and kissed her gently. "We would not have been able to bond in the first place if that were not a possibility."
"Let's do it then. I trust you."
The three entered the temple, hearing only the sounds of hollow footsteps upon the hard floor and the whistling of the wind in the high ceiling above.
Kalavan placed his hands on the round sphere that was set in the center of the room. It immediately became alive with bolts of color and clouds of shimmering light. "Place one hand on mine and join your other hands together," he instructed the couple.
Tabby jerked at the bite of electricity that traveled through her left hand when she placed it on top of the king's. A warm rush followed as Seth took her hand in his, completing the circuit.
"Are you all right?" Kalavan asked her.
"It feels weird. There is a flow of electricity buzzing through me right now," she said.
"You can feel that?" both men asked in unison.
"Very distinctly. Is that unusual?"
"Yes, especially since I have not added any of my life energy to the sphere," Kalavan told her.
"Father?" Seth locked eyes with the man. "Do you think this it is truly possible?"
"I do, son."
"What are you guys talking about?" Tabby asked.
"He is going to remove his hands and separate himself from us. We will touch the sphere directly," Seth said.
"What is that going to do?"
"Trust me, baby girl," Seth said with confidence. "Please."
Her heart literally skipped a beat the moment her hand touched the sphere. The glow grew blinding, and sparks began to shoot from the surface.
"What's happening?" she asked.
"I have never seen anything like it," Kalavan whispered, staring into the center. "I can see your memories… there is so much blackness in them."
"My turn," Seth said softly, sliding his hand off his father's and placing it on the warm surface.
"I feel strange…" Tabby murmured.
"All the blackness is disappearing, Tabitha. All of it!" Kalavan announced, staring with amazement. "It is healing your pain! Tabitha? Tabitha!"
***
"What happened?" she asked groggily, sitting up in bed.
"The Princess awakens!" Kalavan proclaimed. "Quickly, bring her refreshments."
"How are you feeling?" Seth asked, sitting on the bed next to her.
"Like I got struck by bolt of lightning."
"You did, in a way," Kalavan said and chuckled, joining them. "Tell me something about the compound where you grew up."
"It was clean and quiet. No one could hurt me and I was protected," she said.
"How about the meteor?" Seth questioned cautiously.
"What meteor?"
"This is amazing. I've never seen this happen," the king stated, shaking his head. "You achieved the joining of the heart without any assistance. It cleansed you of all darkness so that you could start your life afresh and without malice inside of you."
"What does that mean?"
"It means, my love, that you have been given a clean slate to make the right choices for your life and not have to live with the regrets," Seth said.
"Did that happen to you, too?"
"No. It only occurs with females. The men receive an extra dose of virility."
"Seth has enough virility for this entire planet." She smiled at him lovingly.
Kalavan cleared his throat, interrupting the lovers' gaze. "I will have food and beverages brought here. Ceres is on the rise tonight. We will make the announcement to the people on the morning of the orange moon."
"Announcement?" Tabitha asked.
"Yes. Mesethius will be awarded the throne and I can finally retire in peace."
"But Grandpa, what are you going to do?"
"He will be my advisor, of course. Do you think the old man is capable of relinquishing all of his control?"
"That isn't nice, Seth," she scolded fondly.
"Not nice, but definitely true," Kalavan said and laughed. "You kids enjoy one another. The first mating after a bonding is said to be magnificent. Lock the door behind me, boy. You don't want any interruptions."
Seth's golden eyes were overflowing with lust as he turned from the locked door. He moved like an animal stalking its prey—stealthily and hungrily—single-minded in his desire
. His dilated pupils gleamed and his nostrils flared as he paused before the doors to the open platform.
"Come to me. Tell me what you desire," he whispered hoarsely, his tone primal and wild. This was a hunter prepared to devour his catch.
Tabby slowly rose, her stare glued to the orbs of molten treasure that simmered beneath the surface of his eyes. She inched as close to his body as she could without touching him and looked up.
"Kneel." The word left her lips—not as a command, but as a lover's caress. He lowered himself to the floor, his head still looming over hers. She leaned forward with her lips nearly brushing his ear and gently blew, smiling as his breath quickened. He was no longer the hunter. She now sought him; a powerful huntress claiming her prize. "Fuck me!" she hissed in his ear. "Fuck me until I scream."
He snatched her up in one fell swoop and had her trapped between his body and the platform, her hands pinned above her head with his left hand and his mouth claiming hers while tearing off the scanty nightgown she had been dressed in. His clothing followed until he was pressing against her, naked body to naked body, both vibrating with desire under the beams of the sparkling Ceres moon.
His mouth abandoned hers, only to latch onto a hardening nipple. Her desire peaked with each passing nanosecond, wanting only for him to claim her as his own. Inch by agonizing inch, his wondrous cock slid inside her, swelling in girth as well as in length until tiny whimpers of pleasured pain slipped from her lips. He rode her hard, his powerful muscles immobilizing her helpless body as he demanded her surrender.
He spent himself deep within her womb, emptying his loins of the Ceres-powered seed that would one day give them a child.
Driven by her own impulses, Tabby clung to his torso, burying her head upon his muscular diaphragm, and squeezed his shuddering member, milking the last, sweet drop.
Slowly, he turned onto his back with his massive arms wrapped around her, protectively enfolding her against his hot, hard body. He stroked the back of her head, singing a Lotopian lullaby.
"Those words are beautiful," she whispered, listening to him. "Moonlight awakening the dawn and flooding the streets with love."
A Little Wish Upon a Star Page 20