Close Remembrance

by Anna Zaires

  “It was probably worse for you,” Mia said. “At least I’ve only known Korum for a couple of days.” Although it might as well have been a couple of years, given the nearly paralyzing fear she was feeling at the thought of losing him.

  Taking a deep breath, Mia tried to calm herself by studying her surroundings. After all, she had never been in an alien aircraft before – or, at least, didn’t remember the experience. To her surprise, she could see that the inside of the pod resembled the interior of Korum’s house to a large degree, with light colors, transparent walls, and floating seats. There was no obvious ‘technology,’ as she was used to seeing it in the human world. Instead, everything seemed to work effortlessly, almost like magic.

  As the aircraft took off, Mia could see the green forest through the transparent floor. In the distance, the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean sparkled in the bright sun. It was a beautiful day, and, under any other circumstances, Mia would’ve greatly enjoyed the ride. As it was, she couldn’t stop thinking about what was to come.

  Another question occurred to her, and she looked up, meeting Delia’s gaze. “How long do these fights tend to last?” Mia asked, her imagination conjuring up a horrifying day-long bloody ordeal.

  “Anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours,” the Greek girl said. “It really depends on how evenly the opponents are matched. There’s also a short ceremony before, and a longer one after, during which the winner celebrates.”

  “Celebrates how?”

  Delia smiled, and there was a mischievous twinkle in her brown eyes. “Well, an unattached male will often choose one or more unattached females, and they will couple in a shatela – a tent-like structure in the middle of the Arena. Attached men will usually do the same with their mate.”

  Sex in public? Was Delia serious? Mia could feel furious color flooding her face. “And those with charl?”

  Delia laughed. “That depends. Arus is very considerate when it comes to my human sensibilities, and he would usually just kiss me in the Arena and wait until we got home to celebrate properly. Others have been known to treat their charl just like Krinar women in this situation.”

  “So you’re saying that if Korum wins, he might want to have sex in front of everyone?”

  “Perhaps,” Delia said, grinning. “Nobody will really see you, though, since you’ll be inside the shatela. They might only hear you.”

  “Oh great. That makes it so much better,” Mia muttered. She remembered what Korum had told her about the Celebration of Forty-Seven, and how she had been glad that, as a human, she wouldn’t be expected to participate in the exhibitionist spectacle. But now it seemed like there was no getting away from it – unless Korum ‘respected her human sensibilities.’ Just one more thing for her to worry about during the fight.

  Before she had a chance to think about this further, the transport pod landed quietly in a wooded area.

  “We’re here,” Delia said, getting up.

  Mia got up as well and followed her out of the aircraft. It looked like they were in the middle of the forest. “Where is here?”

  Delia turned toward her, and Mia was shocked to see an excited gleam in her eyes. “The Arena,” she said and gestured toward a tree-covered hill in front of them.

  Mia raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything as they walked toward the elevation. She could hear a dull roar in the distance, like a massive waterfall of some kind. Was the Arena near a river? Carefully stepping forward, she concentrated on avoiding bugs or whatever else could be crawling in a Costa Rican jungle. Her thin-soled sandals were not exactly hiking-friendly, and Mia sincerely hoped she wouldn’t get stung or bitten before they got to the fight. If she recalled correctly, tarantulas were one of the hazards of this part of the world – although she was now supposedly immune to such dangers, with the nanocytes circulating throughout her body and quickly repairing any cellular damage.

  As they got further up the hill, Mia realized that the sound she was hearing was the muted buzz of a crowd. Somewhere nearby, thousands of Ks were gathered to watch the fight. Apparently eager to join them, Delia ran up the rest of the hill, moving with almost Krinar-like grace herself. “Here it is,” she said, turning toward Mia and pointing straight ahead.

  Her heart pounding and her palms sweating, Mia hurried to catch up with the other charl. When she reached the top of the hill, she stopped dead in her tracks.

  The green valley below was a spectacle unlike any other she had ever seen in her life. Thousands – no, tens of thousands – of Krinar were gathered below. Tall and golden-skinned, the aliens were dressed in blindingly white clothing that shimmered in the sunlight. While the majority mingled on the ground, a number of them occupied floating seats that were arranged in circles around a large clearing. It was like a round football field, only with the spectators floating in the air instead of sitting in the bleachers – or like a high-tech version of an ancient Roman amphitheater. The latter was probably a better comparison, Mia thought, given what was about to take place.

  “Mia! There you are!”

  Turning to her right, Mia saw Korum approaching them. Unlike everybody else, he was dressed in his usual clothes – a light-colored shirt and pair of shorts. Coming closer, he pulled her to him for a quick hug and kissed her forehead. “How are you, my sweet?” he asked, looking down at her with a warm smile.

  Mia could feel her heart beating faster at his nearness. “I’m good. Are you ready for the fight?”

  “Of course.” He stroked her cheek with his fingers, then turned toward Delia. “Thanks for bringing Mia here,” he said, giving the other girl a smile. His left arm was still wrapped around Mia, holding her pressed tightly against his side.

  “It was my pleasure,” Delia said, giving Korum a regal nod. “I’ll let you two catch up. Mia, when you’re done, please come join me. We’re sitting over there.” She pointed toward a row of floating seats that were closest to the clearing.

  “I’ll bring her there in a minute,” Korum promised, looking faintly amused at the other girl’s imperious manner.

  As soon as Delia disappeared into the crowd, he bent his head and brought Mia up for a more thorough kiss, one of his large hands cupping her skull and the other holding her lower body pressed against his. She could feel the hardness of his erection pushing against her belly, the strength of his arms surrounding her, and heat flooded her body, culminating in the sensitive area between her legs. His lips and tongue teased and caressed her mouth, pleasuring her, consuming her, until she forgot all about the crowds around them, caught up in a sensual daze.

  When he finally let her come up for air, she was desperately clinging to him, heedless of their public location.

  “Fuck,” he cursed in a rough whisper, lifting his head and staring down at her with bright golden eyes, “I can’t wait for this fight to be over. You drive me insane sometimes, you know that?”

  Mia licked her lips, tasting him there. She was so aroused she could barely stand it, her hips moving involuntarily, trying to rub against him. Yet something nagged at the back of her mind, breaking through the fog of desire clouding her brain.

  She pushed at his chest, trying to put some distance between them so she could think. “Delia said . . .” Mia hesitated, not knowing how to phrase it. “Delia said the victor celebrates by, um . . .”

  “By fucking?” Korum asked, his eyes still filled with a golden glow. “Is that what she told you?”

  Mia nodded, her cheeks burning.

  Korum took a small step back, but still held her close. “It’s true,” he said, his voice low and husky. “If I win, I would be expected to celebrate that way. Would it be a problem?”

  Mia stared up at him. “You mean . . . You’d want to do it in public?”

  “It’s not exactly public, my sweet,” he said, one corner of his mouth tilting up. “We’d be in a shatela – a structure specifically designed for that purpose. But yes, I would very much like to fuck you after the fight. Your sweet body
would be my reward.”

  * * *

  Korum could see her pupils expanding, making her blue eyes look darker. Her breathing was uneven, and her cheeks were a pretty pink color. She was turned on, almost as much as he was right now. If this was already after the fight, he was sure she wouldn’t protest if he brought her to a shatela, stripped off that tight dress, and plunged his cock between her thighs. He liked the idea of claiming her in front of everyone; it appealed to something primeval deep within him.

  “Korum, I –”

  “Shhh,” he said, lifting his finger to her lips in a gesture he’d seen humans make. “Don’t worry about it now. I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

  And Korum meant it. He had not set out to prove anything when he kissed Mia, but her reaction clearly demonstrated her susceptibility to him. Despite the memory loss, she was as strongly attracted to him as before – a realization that filled him with bone-deep masculine satisfaction. He would never force her, but he also likely wouldn’t have to. He suspected his little charl was more adventurous than she thought herself to be.

  She was still watching him warily, so he bent his head and kissed her delicious mouth again. Just a brief kiss this time, no more than a brush of his lips against her own. His body screamed for him to do more, to take her now, but there was no time. He had to go get ready for the fight.

  But even a small kiss was enough to distract her right now. Her eyes looked soft again, hazy with desire. Korum had to force himself to look away in order to regain control.

  “Come,” he said hoarsely, “let’s get you to your seat. I have to go now, but I want to make sure you’re settled with Delia before I leave.”

  “Of course.” She seemed anxious again, some of the color leaving her face. “Is it starting at noon sharp?”

  “Yes,” Korum said, taking her hand and starting to lead her through the crowd. “We tend to be punctual, so we have exactly ten minutes before the ceremony begins.”

  They walked toward the front row, where Delia and Arus were already in place. Only one float next to Delia remained empty, and Korum led Mia there. As they approached, the crowd parted, letting them through. His acquaintances gave him polite nods as they passed, while others stared at him and his charl with unabashed curiosity. This didn’t bother Korum one bit. As a Council member with a certain reputation, he was used to this type of attention. Mia was a figure of interest as well, given rumors of her involvement with the Resistance. The Krinar did not consider staring rude; on the contrary, it was a sign of respect to look at someone directly.

  “Oh, good,” Delia said as they got to her seat. “I was worried you wouldn’t make it before the start of the fight.”

  “No worries, we’re here,” Mia said, blushing a little. Korum suppressed a smile, knowing she was embarrassed about their public make-out session. His little darling was still such an innocent; he enjoyed her shyness almost as much as he liked curing her of it.

  Arus gave Korum a level look. “We’ll take good care of Mia, I promise. You don’t need to worry about her right now.”

  “Thanks,” Korum said, glad that the other Councilor understood his unspoken concern. Even knowing that it was safe, he still felt uncomfortable leaving Mia alone in public. What happened with Saret had left an indelible impression in his mind, and he knew he would have to work hard to overcome his fear of losing her.

  All around them, other Krinar settled in their floats, clearing out of the aisles and emptying the Arena field. Less than five minutes remained before the start of the ceremony, and Korum still had to prepare, mentally and physically, for what was to come.

  “I have to go,” he said reluctantly, watching Mia’s eyes fill with moisture at his words.

  “Be careful,” she whispered, looking up at him. “Please, Korum, be careful.” And wrapping her arms around his waist, she gave him a fierce hug, holding him for several long seconds.

  Touched, Korum hugged her back and then gently stepped out of her embrace. “I love you,” he said, giving her one last smile.

  “And I love you,” Mia whispered as he started to walk away.

  Korum stopped in his tracks, hardly daring to believe his ears. Turning his head, he saw that her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. He wanted to grab her, to ask her if she really meant it, but there was no time. Instead, he gave her the biggest smile he could and continued on toward a small structure on the far side of the Arena.

  The ceremony was about to begin.

  * * *

  Mia sat down on her floating seat, feeling like a vise was squeezing her heart. Despite all of Korum’s reassurances, she knew there was a very real chance that she was seeing him for the last time.

  The thought was so agonizing that Mia couldn’t breathe for a moment.

  “Mia? Listen to me, Mia. He’s going to be fine, okay?” It was Delia, her voice calm and soothing.

  Mia blinked, focusing on the other charl with effort. “I know,” she said with a confidence she didn’t feel. “Of course, I know that.”

  The Krinar male who was with Delia gave her a reassuring smile too. “She’s right, Mia,” he said in a deep, quiet voice. “Your cheren is very good at this. He’s never lost a fight yet. I’m Arus, by the way. We’ve never met in person before.”

  “Oh, hi,” Mia said, automatically offering her hand for a handshake. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  Arus’s smile got wider. “No handshake allowed, I’m afraid,” he said gently. “I wouldn’t want to end up on that field facing Korum next.”

  “Oh, right.” Mia withdrew her hand, mildly embarrassed. “I’m sorry; I forgot. Korum did tell me a little bit about your customs yesterday.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry about,” Delia said. “I’m very impressed by how quickly you’re re-learning everything. It took me a long time to get as comfortable as you seem to be right now.”

  “Yeah, I don’t know why that is,” Mia admitted. “Maybe I’m remembering things on a subconscious level.”

  “You also seem to have strong feelings for Korum already,” Arus observed, his dark eyes filled with speculation as he looked at Mia. “More than could be expected in this situation. I wonder why. I’m not a mind expert, but this seems fairly unusual.”

  “Really?” Mia frowned in puzzlement. “I thought maybe a memory erasure procedure doesn’t get rid of memories completely –”

  “It’s supposed to,” Arus said. “If it’s a standard memory wipe, then you should be as you were a few months ago: with zero knowledge of our world or Korum. The fact that you’re adjusting so quickly is . . . interesting, to say the least.”

  Mia looked at him, wondering what it all meant. Ever since she woke up in Lenkarda, her feelings and reactions have been strange. Was it possible that Saret had screwed up and didn’t succeed in erasing her memories fully after all?

  A loud chime-like sound startled Mia out of her speculations.

  The pre-fight ceremony was beginning.

  A tall Krinar male dressed in an unusual blue outfit stepped out of one of the small structures on the edges of the Arena and walked toward the middle of the field.

  “That’s Voret,” Delia whispered, leaning toward Mia for a second. “He’s one of the oldest Council members.”

  Mia nodded, her eyes glued to what was happening below.

  “Residents of Earth and those watching us on Krina right now,” Voret said, his deep voice filling the entire amphitheater, “welcome to the ancient rite of the Arena Challenge. As all of you know, the fight today is between two of our esteemed Council members: Loris and Korum. The cause of this Challenge, like all others, is a disagreement that can only be settled in blood.”

  Voret raised his arm and blue light seemed to flow from his fingertips, becoming a giant three-dimensional image floating in mid-air. It showed a strange forest, with green, yellow, red, and orange plants. “For generations, we have gathered in the Arena to witness the resolution of such a disagree
ment. It all began after the Great War, when we nearly tore each other apart after the demise of the lonar – our source of life-giving blood. Violence was a way of life then – and it would still be today if not for the Arena Challenge.”

  The floating image began to change, as though a camera was zooming in on a particular portion of that alien forest. Mia stared in fascination as the image showed a Krinar male, dressed in some brown-colored scraps of material, leaping through the trees with a speed that would make Tarzan jealous. Below him, small humanoid creatures were scurrying on the ground, their bodies covered with light blond hair and nothing else. These had to be the lonar, Mia realized, seeing the predatory look on the Krinar male’s face as he stalked them from above. He wasn’t as beautiful as the modern Ks; his features were rougher, less symmetric, though he still had the typical K coloring of dark hair and golden skin.

  “We have evolved as hunters. Predators.” Voret’s voice echoed throughout the Arena. “We need violence. We crave it. For a peaceful society to function, we need an outlet – a way to resolve disagreements that would otherwise lead to conflict and war. The Arena is that outlet.”

  The Krinar in the image leapt from the trees above, jumping down on the ground in front of the hapless lonar. They screamed in fear, their cries oddly monkey-like, and turned to run, but it was too late. One of them – a female – was already caught in the K’s steely embrace, and he was slicing his sharp teeth over her neck. Bright red blood trickled down her neck and chest, its color startling against the primate’s light-colored fur.

  “The extinction of the lonar nearly destroyed us. The fact that we survived is a testament to the heroic efforts of those scientists who came up with a blood substitute in the middle of war and chaos.”

  The image changed now, no longer showing the forest or the Krinar feeding on the helpless female. Instead, three strong-featured male Ks were displayed, their harsh faces more similar to the ancient hunter’s than to the gorgeous Krinar surrounding Mia.