by Jade Kerrion
“There’s no home to go back to. My parents passed away last year.”
Her jaw dropped. “Oh…” With some effort, she remembered to close her month. “I’m so sorry. What about Kav? Where does he live?”
“He lives with me now. I managed to get custody of him just as the semester started. That’s when he came in to the laboratory and flooded the planet. Before that, he lived in foster homes for about nine months.”
“That’s rough. I’m sorry.”
“The first couple of weeks back with me were rough, but he’s pretty much over it now, I think. Kids bounce back fast.”
“Yeah. Hey, what are you doing to the planet?” She lunged at him and grabbed his hand.
He stared at the stylus he held and blinked hard. “Sorry. I just got distracted.”
“Next time, get distracted without something in your hand. What the hell are you doing?”
“Drawing. I do that when I’m stressed.” The corner of his mouth tugged up into a smile. “I hope no one down there got hurt.”
Jem peered closer at the planet. “That’s a halfway decent representation of a bird.”
“Considering it was done with little more than a stylus, that’s better than halfway decent. By the way, it’s a heron. The hummingbird is over there.”
“Is that thing over there a spider?” Jem asked.
“Uh huh, and that’s a monkey.”
“What’s with his curly tail?”
Kir shrugged. “I got carried away, I guess.”
Jem snorted. “You know, one day, someone is going to realize that there are monster-sized drawings in the sand, and he’ll spend his entire life speculating on how they got there.”
“Surely there are better things to do with life, but just in case there isn’t, I might as well give them something to get heartburn over.” His grin was wicked.
Jem looked over his shoulder as he traced outlines in the sand. “Is that a person?”
“It’s supposed to be a Tujunga humanoid. See the big eyes?”
“Your bird pictures are great. The Tujunga, not so much.”
“It’s stylized,” he protested.
“Juvenile is more like it. Kav could do better,” she said with humor instead of heat.
Kir squinted at his work of art. “It’s probably true. So, are you heading out at the end of this week after class?”
“Yes, I am. I’ll be spending a week with Rio, then I’ll be back.”
“Back here? So soon? The vacation is a full three weeks. Aren’t you going home?”
“Probably not this time,” Jem said. She kept her voice casual, the tone light. “Communicators notwithstanding, I’m not really comfortable letting the simulation run on its own for that long.”
“I’m here. I’ll keep an eye on the simulation. If you want, I can even come in every day and take a peek.”
She shook her head. “It’s your vacation too. It’s just a week. It’ll be fine.”
Try as she might, Jem could not purge the memory of the quiet sadness in Kir’s eyes when he had talked about Genitura and his home, or the lack thereof. It plagued her while she was packing for her all-important visit with Rio’s family. Finally driven to distraction, she did what she always did when faced with a problem—she tried to fix it.
It led to her standing outside the door of Kir’s apartment. Jem tugged nervously at her coat, her shoulders subtly hunched against the chill night air. To say that she felt stupid and awkward would have been an incredible understatement. She could not believe the amount of willpower she had to dredge up before she could ring the doorbell, or the amount of willpower it took not to run away.
The door opened before she could change her mind. “Jem?” Kir asked. He looked comfortable in an old sweater and a faded pair of trousers. “Are you all right? What are you doing here?”
“Ah, I…don’t need to come in. I wanted to drop this bag off.” She held out a large bag filled with boxes of various sizes.
“Come in. You look cold. I can fix you a drink.” Kir reached out, caught her by the wrist, and tugged her into his apartment. “Come on, sit down. Kav, we have a guest,” he shouted and then walked barefoot toward the kitchen.
Kir’s apartment, one of many that housed students on the campus, was not unlike hers in layout, though it was—as she had expected—messy. Toys and books were scattered over the colorful rugs, and a hot dinner was on the stove. It was the home of a young man, scarcely out of his teenaged years, trying to care for a young child.
Kav came running out of one of the bedrooms and skidded to a stop when he saw her. He chewed on his lower lip and then looked at his brother.
“It’s all right, Kav,” Kir assured him. “Cider for you?” He offered Jem a cup of a honey-brown liquid. Steam rose from its surface, melting the accompanying dollop of whipped cream.
The scent of familiar spices wafted around her, evoking memories of pleasant evenings spent in front of the fireplace. She inhaled deeply and relaxed into a smile as she accepted the cup. “Yes, thank you.”
Kir sat across from her. “Are you all right?” he asked again, his brow furrowing.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine. I wanted to bring this bag over since I’m leaving tomorrow morning and won’t see you again until after Genitura.” With a nudge of her boot, she pushed the bag toward him. “It’s just a small thing or two for you and Kav.”
“Presents!” Kir pounced on the bag. “Hey, Kav, Jem brought presents! Check them out!”
Kav rushed forward, and Jem prudently held her cup of cider away from the child as he threw himself over the brightly wrapped gifts. The little boy’s eyes lit with delight. “So many presents!”
“Not until the eve of the celebration,” Kir warned. “Put them next to your bed.”
“Please, Kir. Just one…”
Kir looked at her. Jem shrugged and smiled.
Kir relented. “Fine, just one.”
“Cool!” Kav grabbed one of the gifts and started tearing through the paper.
Kir smiled. “Thanks for the gifts. It means a lot that you thought about us.”
“It’s nothing.” She stared down at her boots. It was easier than meeting his penetrating gaze. “I thought he’d like them.”
“That’s not remotely in doubt,” Kir said, wincing as utter chaos broke out.
Kav ran around the house, his new spaceship toy hovering over his head, keeping pace with him. “Look, Kir. I have an alien friend! Look!”
“I see.” Kir gave Jem a dirty look that by now she had come to recognize as good humor. “You couldn’t find anything without lights and sounds, could you?”
“It’s too hard to find toys without lights and sounds.”
“Thank you.”
She shrugged. “You’re welcome.”
“No, really. Thank you.” Kir seemed to hesitate before reaching out to touch her hand. He waited until she looked up and met his gaze. “Our parents were killed in a transporter accident on the eve of Genitura, and I’m glad Kav will have something else to think about this season.”
She flushed. Gratitude made her nervous, as did his direct stare. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s not ‘nothing.’ Thank you. Thank you for thinking about us.”
Kir’s simple appreciation lingered with Jem as she dressed for dinner the following evening, but not even the warmth of the memory could tug her from her introspective mood. She looked up and smiled wanly at Rio’s reflection in the mirror as he strode into the guest suite.
He looked dashing in his formal dark gray evening suit, his golden hair slicked back in the latest style. Rio grinned. “Aren’t we quite the pair?”
Jem’s critical gaze shuttled between him and her own reflection. She wore an emerald green evening gown that would have complemented her real color far better, but just then, with her short, spiky hair and ordinary features, she looked like a street punk dressing up as a princess. She sighed, her shoulders sagging in a concession of defeat.
“Could it be because ogres went out of style together with fairy tales?” She tugged up the zip on her dress and then smoothed down the silky material. “Big dinner parties aren’t my forte.”
“It’s not big. It’s just seven people at dinner. Come on. You look great.” He paused. “Are you sure you don’t want to go as yourself?”
She glared at him. “I am myself.”
Rio slid a hand into a pocket, his pose casual. “You know what I mean.”
Jem strove to keep her voice even. Rio wanted the beautiful and elegant Livia Jemeran Meira, not the scrappy college student, Jem Moran. I just can’t win. “I like Jem Moran, and I’m not in the mood to be the real me today.” If I even knew the real me…
Rio shook his head. “Someday, you’ll have to be.”
Well, she intended to push the day of reckoning as far into the future as possible. “I’m going as me. This me.”
Rio conceded without further argument and without any apparent distress. He took her hand and escorted her from the guest suite of his parents’ home. They walked down the curved staircase together and into a formal sitting room. Rio’s family home was an older mansion, anchored on the ground instead of floating on anti-gravity platforms. That fact alone was testament to great wealth; the rest of the house overflowed with evidence of it. Crystal chandeliers and delicate porcelain vases—remnants from an older age where beauty was appreciated for its own sake—accentuated the interior of the home. It was, in Jem’s opinion, an excessive display of wealth, but at least it was tasteful.
“Ah, Rio, there you are. Our guests have arrived.” Rio’s mother, Sare, took him by the arm and guided him toward the three people standing by the blazing fireplace, leaving Jem to follow. “You remember Senator Helden, Lady Keyes-Helden, and their daughter Calliste, of course? You used to play together as children.”
That young woman, Calliste, had to be an android. The long blond waves that framed her face and fell past her shoulders could not be real, nor could the sky-blue eyes and perfectly shaped pouty lips.
Calliste’s eyes narrowed. Her expression transformed from speculative to possessive.
Jem stifled a chuckle. Never mind, Calliste was human. She was most definitely human.
Rio grinned at Calliste. “Of course. How are you? You look spectacular.”
“It’s been awhile, Rio,” Calliste said, her voice a sultry drawl as she extended her hand to Rio.
Rio brushed his lips over the perfectly manicured fingertips. He then turned slightly. “This is Jem Moran. Jem, Calliste Helden, Lady Keyes-Helden, and Senator Helden.”
With a smile fixed on her face, Jem shook their hands. “Good evening.” She tried not to flinch, though it was hard to keep her smile steady under their critical glances.
“Shall we go in to dinner?” Sare Loren suggested and led the way toward the dining room.
Jem was seated between Sare Loren and Lady Keyes-Helden, and she listened in silence as the conversation bustled around her. Sare Loren and Lady Keyes-Helden had many common acquaintances and seemed determined to share the life histories of each. On the other side of the table, Rio’s father, Laird Loren, engaged Senator Helden in a discussion on politics, leaving Rio and Calliste to entertain each other with witty banter.
Jem ate in silence, tasting little of her food. She supposed that she was technically capable of jealousy, but rationality had always been her strong suit. Calliste Helden had nothing on Livia Jemeran Meira, and was therefore not worth the bother. Instead, Jem’s mind ran in circles, spinning with frustration over what was clearly going to be a wasted week spent in Rio’s home. Neither of Rio’s parents seemed interested in talking to her. She could have been at the university, immersed in her simulation. She had so much more work to do with the manuscripts—
“You young folks appear to be having a good time,” Sare said to her son as the main course was cleared away. “What are you talking about?”
“Calliste was just telling me that she’s been accepted into the Academy,” Rio said.
“You have?” Sare beamed at the golden-haired young woman. “Congratulations. Rio’s headed there next year too. You’ll be classmates.”
Calliste smiled, radiant. “Yes, it’ll be a wonderful experience.”
“The next generation of leaders is stepping up to the challenge of governing the many colonies in the Etherian quadrant. Exactly what we need, wouldn’t you say so, Laird?”
“Indeed. They’re examples of what should be. So many young people out there follow their heart in college and don’t think about what they need to do to build the future for themselves and society.” Laird Loren looked directly at Jem, as if criticizing her decision to major in Biology and Philosophy.
Jem resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Her choice of majors was irrelevant. Only death would allow her to escape her inevitable future in planetary government.
Rio chuckled. “If all goes well, Jem may join me at the Academy too.”
“Isn’t she just an undergraduate, Rio, and a Biology and Philosophy major?” Sare looked at Jem as if she were a quaint virus under a microscope. “I thought that the Academy only accepts graduate students with backgrounds in government affairs.”
Rio grinned at Jem. “Jem is in the World Simulation program. All students in that class are automatically considered for accelerated acceptance into the Academy, based on their performance in the simulation.”
“The World Simulation program?” Senator Helden looked at Jem, and for the first time, she did not feel the critical weight of his gaze.
“Yes, sir,” Jem said.
“That program is very prestigious. I wasn’t even aware they accepted undergraduates,” the senator said.
“There are only two in the program.”
“Impressive, very impressive, Jem. How are you doing in the program?”
Oh, we nearly drove our world to extinction several times in under a week. My teammate’s younger brother almost drowned it. I poisoned its longest river with my blood. We managed to disentangle ourselves from a galactic conflict, but in the process, were responsible for wiping out another planet. And that’s just the good news. Did you want to hear the bad news too? “We’re doing fine. Our planet is still…very young. We’re not quite into interplanetary travel just yet.”
Calliste smirked. “That’s a shame.”
“Those young planets are the best to work with,” the senator said as if he had not heard his daughter speak. “You still have a chance of shaping its direction before the heated influences from the rest of the universe prevail against cooler heads. I want to hear how you’re doing. Will you keep me informed?”
“Yes, of course.”
Rio grinned across the table at her. He looked proud of her.
Jem almost forgave him.
Jem escaped the dinner gathering as soon as she could, though it was several hours longer than she would have liked. To her surprise, Rio bid Calliste and her parents good evening, and then followed Jem upstairs to her guest suite.
“I thought dinner went well,” Rio said. He leaned against the doorframe, a satisfied smile on his lips.
Jem rolled her eyes. Had he been at the same dinner she had attended?
“You definitely made a good impression on the senator,” he said.
“Your parents don’t like me.”
“They don’t like any girl I bring home.”
Jem scowled at her reflection in the mirror. If she had used her real looks, she would have fared better, but what was the point? Her gaze shifted, and she glared at Rio’s reflection instead. “So why did you bring me home? Why put both of us through this misery?”
He laughed. “I don’t consider spending time with you ‘misery.’ I’ve missed you. You’ve been at your laboratory for days and nights.”
She dragged her fingers through her hair, the gesture born of frustration. “The simulat
ion is a total time suck, and the planet is a pain in the ass.”
“It’s a good thing you didn’t say that to the senator, though I think he’d understand. The rest of us talk about planetary government, but the senator is the only person who really knows what it means. After him, you’ve got the next best imitation of it.”
“Whatever.” She shrugged him off. “Your parents like Calliste.”
“They like the idea of being connected with Senator Helden. I happen to know that my mother doesn’t like Calliste.”
Jem’s eyes narrowed. “Is it always so complicated with you wealthy types?”
“No, I think Mother likes to complicate things just because she’s a woman.”
“I’m a woman.”
“I don’t think of you that way.”
Shock flared through her, followed by a hard punch of pain. She spun around, but Rio reached out and grabbed her hand before she could stalk away.
He shook his head. “No, wait, I didn’t mean it that way. I just wanted to say that you’re a part of my life now, a part of me. I don’t really think of you a separate and discrete entity.”
“This is looking pretty separate and discrete to me.” Jem yanked her hand out of his and turned her back on him.
“You could give a guy an easier time when he’s trying to propose.”
She stopped short. She didn’t say anything. She couldn’t, not with her throat locking up from a potent combination of fear and disbelief.
Jem heard the soft rustling of sound behind her. “I know this is dreadfully old-fashioned, but I wanted to do it this way,” Rio said. He took her hand and slipped a ring onto her finger. She allowed herself to be turned around and stared at the ring she now wore, a tear-shaped sapphire surrounded by small diamonds.
Rio went down on one knee. “Will you marry me?”
“I…why?”
Rio chuckled. “Only you would ask why. Because you’re cute and adorable, and you’re beautiful when you smile. You’ve got a brain like a laser and a viciously sharp sense of humor that shows up only when you’re relaxed. You hate social interactions, but you attend them anyway because I asked. Those are just the perks, though. The real reason I want to marry you is because my brain has finally figured out that you’re an extension of me.”