by J. J. Green
“A penny for your thoughts?” asked Notos, who had remained behind with her.
“That’s very good English,” Carrie said, wondering if he even knew what a penny was.
“Oh I love all those English sayings. Bottoms up; it never rains but it pours; how’s your father?” He winked.
“So, do you get lots of English-speaking visitors? Are there any here now?” Carrie wondered if she might bump into the Prime Minister or the President of the U.S.
“We do get quite a few, but not here. Mostly they go to slightly warmer zones, where it’s prettier.”
“This place is lovely.”
“Hmm, it isn’t bad, but in the tourist areas there are mountains, lakes, beaches etcetera.”
“Oh yes, I saw them in my briefing. So is this a government area?”
“It is governmental, but there’s little call for government on Dandrobia. We mostly do our own thing. This place is largely administrative, but partly historical. Would you like me to show you around?”
“That’d be great. I’d actually love to have a look in the library.”
Notos looked uncomfortable. “I’m very sorry, it’s locked at the moment. Perhaps you’d rather see something else?”
“You lock it up? Why?” Carrie carefully eased her feet out from under Rogue, but woke him up nonetheless.
Notos hesitated, then smiled apologetically. “You know, I really don’t know, my dear. But I can show you the outside. It is one of our more beautiful buildings.”
As they left the meeting room, Rogue followed. Notos led Carrie around the other side of the hill to show her the library. As she gazed at the low, gaily coloured, well-proportioned structure, set against a beautiful view of bright blue sky, she again had the feeling it reminded her of something. “It looks great. Perfect, somehow,” she said. “Is it very old?”
“No, it was built about three thousand Earth years ago.”
“That’s pretty old,” exclaimed Carrie.
Notos nodded. “Yes, I suppose it is to you. It was one of the first buildings to be constructed after the Unity confined us here. When our technology was destroyed or confiscated, we wanted somewhere to record as much of our history as we could before the data files were destroyed. So we built the library first.”
“It’s lovely.”
Rogue seemed to like it, too. He ran up the hill to the building and began sniffing around its base. For a moment Carrie was too lost in her contemplation of the picturesque scene to register what her pet was doing, or what he was about to do. When the realisation struck her, her hand flew to her mouth. “Rogue, Rogue, come here boy,” she called. The dog was working his way along the building to a corner. “Rogue,” shouted Carrie, and began to run up the hill. “Rogue, no, don’t—” She was too late. Rogue lifted his leg and an arc of urine flowed out and down the wall.
Notos was striding up behind Carrie. She turned to see his expression, expecting a strong reaction to this desecration of one of Dandrobia’s most important buildings, but the alien only looked puzzled.
“Is your dog...?”
“Yes, he is.” Carrie smiled brightly. “On Earth, it’s a sign of great admiration.”
Notos’ eyebrows lifted. “Well, we are quite proud of our library. It is a wonderful building. I am amazed your animal recognizes its beauty.”
“Oh, yes, he loves it.”
Chapter Fourteen – Inside the Dandrobian Mind
Despite the recess, when the meeting resumed the squashpumps had not moved an inch on their insistence on half a per cent extra in reparations. They refused to relent, and it seemed to Carrie that even they were bored with the stalemate, or some other emotion that she could not quite put her finger on. The slug-like creatures were very hard to read, and there had never seemed to be an opportunity for her to get to know them better.
For their part, the dandrobians refused to agree to the increase in the nicest, most polite manner possible.
The endless, repetitive back and forth wore Carrie’s patience tissue-thin. Her facial muscles ached from being fixed in a rigor of engagement and interest for hours as the discussion went round and round. The dandrobians produced long verbal accounts about their planetary economy, and the squashpumps displayed holographic estimations of how wealthy they would have become if the dandrobians had not invaded, and the monetary loss due to the damage to the Foreign Secretary’s public image from his embarrassing accident.
Meanwhile, the problem of Apate being on Earth grew and grew in Carrie’s mind. Though the dandrobian would not have time to cause any mischief, she still had no plan for getting her home. And, she realised during her musings, confessing to Errruorerrrrrhch was not a solution either, because she still had no idea how to get Apate through a gateway. Forcing the large alien through a small cupboard door was not going to be easy.
As the sun began to lower to the horizon, Carrie had to admit defeat, for the time being at least. Errruorerrrrrhch must have been listening in because, after she wrapped everything up, her manager’s voice sounded through her translator. She was not pleased. “You appear to be having some difficulty in drawing these negotiations to a close.”
“Yes, it’s been difficult, but it’s all because of that silly accident. If only it hadn’t happened. Everything would be over by now.”
“I am aware of the point of contention, Transgalactic Intercultural Community Crisis Liaison Officer Hatchett.”
Carrie sighed.
“You must continue the talks in the morning. There is no alternative.”
“You mean I have to stay here? But I don’t even have my toothbrush.” A silence from Errruorerrrrrhch followed her remark. “But of course I’ll stay if I must.”
“You must. We have no experienced officers to assist you at the moment. The crisis regarding the placktoids, is proving troublesome and time-consuming. Speak with both sides informally before reconvening the meeting tomorrow. Perhaps through a more casual conversation you can persuade either the squashpumps or the dandrobians to relent on this final point.”
“I will. But I need more information. Is it true what both of them are saying? Do the dandrobians really have no more to give, and will the squashpumps suffer more economic damage from the Foreign Secretary’s loss of face?”
“Neither statement is possible to verify with any certainty. All these matters are subject to interpretation. The dandrobians’ planetary wealth is particularly difficult to ascertain. The Unity perhaps made a mistake when it insisted their technology return to a pre-industrial state. Now there is no central database to provide figures or other information on exactly what is happening in Dandrobia’s economy. It is also a peculiar situation because the dandrobians long ago genetically engineered the organisms in their environment to provide for their needs with very little effort on their part. Food, drink, clothes, shelter, these are all easily obtainable from the plants and animals around. So when the dandrobians say their economy is poor, it is true. They have little to give away, yet they lack nothing.”
It really is a paradise, thought Carrie. Her interest in the planet reawakened, and she felt better about staying longer, even without her toothbrush. They must have a toothbrush plant or something, she concluded. “Okay, I’ll talk to them and see if I can get one or the other side to give way.” She turned off the translator. As she left the meeting room, she met Notos waiting outside. “I have to stay the night.”
“I thought you might. You can stay in the retiring room. But it’s still early. Would you like to come to a small gathering of friends we’re having this evening? Do say you will.” He grinned.
Carrie’s day had been very long and trying. A small, relaxing party was just what she needed. “I’d love to.” Errruorerrrrrhch had told her to speak with the dandrobians informally, after all. She could speak to the squashpumps in the morning.
***
After settling Rogue in the retiring room with lots of pats and promises to return soon, Carrie joined the dandrobians
at theirsoirée. It was in a small room. As dusk turned to darkness the aliens lit tall, thin dried plants set in sconces around the walls. The plants burned with a bright, smokeless flame.
She took a sip of the drink a dandrobian pressed into her hand as she arrived. It tasted almost the same as the stuff from the tap in the retiring room, but it gave her an immediate buzz. She relaxed into a seat beside Notos, wishing she had something different to wear other than her too-tight Transgalactic Officer uniform.
After she took another sip, Notos said, “You can relax and enjoy yourself tonight. We’re all friends here.” He poured himself a drink. “Tell me about Earth. What’s the geography like? And the climate? What do humans do for fun?”
Carrie didn’t think that Earth would compare well to Dandrobia, but she talked about it nonetheless. She described the different landscapes, the animals, the people, the cities, art, culture and history of various nations. As she spoke to Notos, the conversations around her slowly dried up, until eventually the room became silent except for her voice.
When her speech dried up, it was not because she had run out of things to say. Carrie realised she could talk about life on Earth for a very long time. She stopped speaking because of the expressions on the faces of the dandrobians. The mild, convivial expressions had fallen away and been replaced with sadness, wonder, envy, anger and deep, deep longing.
A female dandrobian stood, her face contorted into a beautiful, terrible rage, her hands clenched into tight fists. “Oh, how long must we go on?” she exclaimed. “Day after day the same. Nothing ever changing. Never seeing, never doing anything new. How much longer do we have to bear it? Haven’t we been punished enough? Why oh why won’t they set us free?”
Chapter Fifteen – The Penny Drops
Carrie woke early in the retiring room the next day, surprised at how well she felt. She had drunk plenty of the dandrobians’ intoxicating beverage the previous evening and had fallen into bed very relaxed, happy and dizzy. But there seemed to be no after effects from her self-indulgence. In fact, she felt very refreshed and was buzzing with energy and life.
Rogue was sniffing with interest at the gap under the door and pawing at the floor. With guilt Carrie remembered he had not been out since the previous evening as she had forgotten to walk him when she got home from the party.
After pulling on her jacket and shoes and tucking the translator into her pocket, she went outside with her dog. She hoped to find where the squashpumps were staying so that she could discuss the half a per cent problem. She had unfortunately forgotten to ask the dandrobians their guests’ location the previous evening.
The sky was a pre-dawn grey shot through with opalescence, and the mossy sward glimmered with dew in the early morning light. Cool air refreshed her skin. All was quiet in the complex. Carrie imagined the dandrobians rose late, in keeping with their idyllic and yet apparently unbearably boring lifestyle.
She scanned the ground. Squashpumps would love the damp grass and the cool morning air, she speculated, but there was no sign of the alien visitors. She scouted around the complex for half an hour, but no squashpumps were to be found. She seemed to be alone with Rogue. Giving up on the idea of speaking with the squashpumps for the moment, she called her dog to follow and set off in the direction of the outdoor meeting platform that overlooked the ocean, hoping to find a way down to the shore. Rogue loved playing in the sea.
As she walked, the sun appeared at the horizon, its rays shining red and violet. Carrie wondered if the colours were due to the star’s great age. How long had the dandrobians lived on their planet if, as Notos had said, three thousand Earth years was a short time to them? For all their bad behaviour, the aliens at least had preserved some of their planet’s natural beauty.
The sun rose swiftly as she strolled the rolling hills. Wildflower blooms opened as light and warmth increased, the hillside transforming into a riot of gentle hues like a Monet painting. Carrie slowed to a stop, and for a short while she could only stand in awe.
Rogue was less impressed. He disappeared over a hill and out of Carrie’s sight, and she walked faster to catch him. She began to jog, enjoying the exercise, though her jumpsuit restricted her movement uncomfortably. Reaching the top of the hill, the sea spread out in front of her, a deep blue-green. The long grass and wildflowers became sparse and faded into sand down the lower hill slope. She skittered down along the path of Rogue’s paw prints. He was already in the waves, chasing and splashing in them.
Carrie rolled up her jumpsuit legs to her knees and waded in after her dog. He rushed over and showered her thoroughly in sea water until her clothes were so wet there seemed to be little point to wearing them. She waded back to shore, and after a long look around the hills and shoreline for dandrobians, and out to sea in case of boats, she unzipped and pulled off the jumpsuit. With another look around her she also took off her underwear. Skinny dipping was a pleasure she rarely got a chance to enjoy.
The feeling of being free of her too-tight uniform was wonderful. Carrie ran into the waves and swam a little way from the shore. The water was just cool enough to feel tingly and fresh without chilling her. She swam farther out, then relaxed and floated on her back, watching the brightening sky and listening to Rogue’s excited panting and splashing from afar.
Who would want to leave a place like this? What could be better than spending the rest of her days walking the hills and skinny dipping in the just-warm sea? She recalled the female dandrobian’s hysterical outburst the previous evening. Maybe it had been out of the ordinary? But she could not forget the hungry look the other aliens had when she had spoken about Earth. Despite the warmth of the water, she shivered.
Something prodded at Carrie’s fingers. Her heart leaped and she snatched her hand out of the water. Raising her head to look into the depths, she saw a school of fishlike creatures surrounding her. Fifteen to twenty centimetres long, they shimmered silver as they swam and turned, swam and turned as one.
Her stomach tightening, she turned onto her front and looked towards the shore. She had drifted out farther than she had intended. As a strong swimmer this did not bother her too much, but she didn’t want Rogue to swim out to her. She began to return to land, but she had not taken more than a few strokes when something rose from the depths directly beneath her. The wide, soft back of a sea creature lifted her slightly out of the water.
Carrie gave a little scream. She slipped off the strange animal, plunging into the sea, her head dipping for a moment below the surface. The animal that had swum underneath her was a little like a dolphin, but wider and blue-green like the sea, so that it seemed to melt into the waves. As she watched, it swam beneath her again, and rose, lifting her once more. Carrie’s heart began to slow. If the creature had wanted to attack her it would have. She got the impression that instead it was trying to help her. Relaxing, she let it raise her on its back again.
To prevent herself from falling off, she lightly gripped the dorsal fin and gave a chuckle of delight as the creature began swimming towards the shore, carrying her with it. Waves splashed against her grinning face as they approached the beach. A doggy-paddling Rogue met them midway. Very interested in the creature conveying Carrie, he tried to sniff it but only succeeding in huffing seawater, which made him choke and cough.
Blinking the water out of her eyes, she saw a figure appear over the hill’s brow, and her joy evaporated. Even at the distance she recognised Notos, probably coming to find her. She was suddenly acutely aware she was naked. She was not generally very shy about nudity, but that familiar feeling of being short and chubby that always occurred when she was around the dandrobians had returned.
It must have been obvious to Notos she was naked because her bright orange jumpsuit was the single most visible item in the landscape, but this did not seem to faze the dandrobian, who stood at the water’s edge awaiting her. She was just going to have to brave it out.
She waved as she rose from the water. “Hello, good morning, No
tos.”
“Good morning. I’ve brought you something to wear.” He held out a ruby-red length of material as she approached.
“Thanks.” Carrie took it and wrapped it immediately around herself, her wet skin soaking the cloth. “That was kind of you.”
“I thought you’d be more comfortable in dandrobian clothes. Your Transgalactic Council Officer’s uniform looked much too tight.”
“Thanks,” said Carrie once more, through her teeth.
Notos was right. The dandrobian material was very comfortable. It was incredibly soft and warm, and it wicked the moisture away from her skin so that it dried quickly. But as Carrie tried to fix the material more securely she couldn’t figure out how to drape it so that it wasn’t in danger of slipping off and revealing to the world exactly why her jumpsuit was too tight.
“Can I help you?” asked Notos.
“No, no, I’m fine.” She was looping the fabric first one way and then another, at the same time trying to avoid exposing herself to Notos, though she had no idea why—he had already seen everything there was to see.
“Notos,” she said as she struggled with the fabric. “Could I have one of those brooches you use to pin your robes?”
The alien placed a hand over the golden clasp at his shoulder. “I’m very sorry. These are only permitted to dandrobians. But it shouldn’t be too difficult to tie the robe in place.”
“Oh, okay.” She shrugged, and eyed the jewellery as Notos removed his hand. A shell-like, whorled piece, there did not seem anything special about it, but maybe it had some cultural significance.