“Thank you Piesew I guess I should eat something before I meet with the Captain again. Could you get me something? I’m not familiar with your foods yet. Perhaps you can just bring me something that is considered appropriate for this time of day.”
“Major Kala asks that I tell you that you are invited to join her in her quarters to dine once you have fully awakened. Of course if you do not wish to do so I shall tell the Major and I will bring you food as you requested.”
While Piesew was talking I was watching the guard inside the door, he reminded me of the guards at Buckingham Palace in England, standing ridged, his eyes never moving nor his face ever showing any expression or indication that he was even aware of our conversation.
“Oh…” I responded to Piesew’s “Tell the Major I gladly accept and as soon as I have showered and dressed I will be most pleased to dine with her. Oh and Piesew, could you choose something appropriate for me to wear for today?”
“Indeed I can Sir Renwalt, I shall lay the items out on your bed while you shower.”
“One more thing Piesew, you need not call me Sir Renwalt, Tibby or Tib will be fine.”
“That would be most inappropriate for my position and frowned upon by most people and the staff in general Sir. If you do not mind I will continue to call you Sir Renwalt, but I am most flattered by the honor you show me with your request.”
While the shower I took was refreshing, it was not nearly as enjoyable as when Kala had been there previously. I found myself staring at the spot where she bathed the day before with a sense of longing that surprised me.
After bathing I returned to the bedroom to find the room immaculately straightened out from my night of disrobing and sleep. Piesew had laid out a deep blue colored outfit identical to the black one Kala had picked out for me the night before and I wondered if there was some significance to the cut. Walking into the closet I found that a large percentage of the outfits, though different colors, were similar in cut. I had not seen many of the occupants of the ship so far, having only passed through one large common area on my way to my quarters with Kala, but I could not recall seeing anyone else so attired. I made a mental note to add this to my list of things to ask Kala about.
Piesew had indicated that I should just go to Kala’s suite after I had finished dressing so after a quick glance in the mirror to admire how great I looked in the Federation styles I moved to the panel and door that separated Kala’s suite from mine. I was surprised to find both the panel and door already open and preceded in calling Kala’s name as I entered. Kala’s accommodations were similar to my own, perhaps a bit smaller but equally as lavish. I noted though that where my suite had a definite masculine feel to it Kala’s held a more feminine sense and many items I noticed seemed to have a flavor that reminded me of her.
“Hello Tib, I trust you rested well.” I heard Kala’s sweet voice come from my left and turned to see her there in her typical gray uniform, stripes and all. “You look quite handsome in that blue outfit, did you chose it yourself?”
“Thank you,” I replied, “but I fear I cannot take credit for its selection, Piesew laid it out for me as I showered. I noticed many of the outfits in my closet are of a similar cut and design, yet on my brief trip to these quarters I saw no one else wearing anything similar. Is there some significance to this uniform that I should be aware of?”
“Yes there is,” Kala answered as she led me to her dining room by a small glass atrium similar to the one in my own suite, in fact I realized it was the same atrium only seen from a different perspective and situated that you could not see into either suite from the other by looking through the atrium. “Moving you about the ship with armed trooper guards could cause a lot of questions if you were dressed otherwise, but the cut of the outfit you are wearing is that worn by most government dignitaries or ambassadors that generally have body guards. By wearing that cut of clothing few people will pay you much attention and only think you to be another ambassador or dignitary from one of the many planets in the Federation.”
“But what if we should run into another dignitary or ambassador, won’t they recognize that they do not know me and that I am not an ambassador or dignitary?” I questioned.
“First of all you are a dignitary, whether you realize it or not. Your significance to the Federation is greater than any other person; so you are a dignitary. But as for being recognized there are millions of planets in the Federation and no one knows all the representatives or what they look like. The only thing that may seem odd is that you have four body guards which is very, very, rare for any dignitary. It may cause some to wonder who you are to be of such importance, it’s another reason we wish to minimize your contact with the rest of the ship as much as possible for now.”
When Kala said there were millions of planets in the Federation I suddenly felt weak as the impact of things started to hit me as to just how much wealth they must be talking about when they talked about the value of the Solbidyum. Each grain was worth billions, perhaps trillions of dollars and there was enough for every planet on my ship and there were millions of Planets in the Federation and I was to get eighty percent of their value. My head began to spin and I felt myself falling as Kala caught my arm and helped me to my chair.
“Are you ok?!” I saw her reach for my wrist and press the two buttons and say “Piesew send a medic right away!” and then she was over me looking at me and all I could think how lovely her eyes were as blackness waved over me.
“He’s coming around now,” I heard a male voice say “you say he was fine one minute and then just went pale and dropped?”
“Yes,” Kala said, “he looked fine and then sort of got a sick look on his face and blacked out.”
“Sir Renwalt,” the man said, “do you know where you are? Are you aware of what just happened?”
I was actually coming around very rapidly; my sense of humor was the first thing to recover fully. “Yes, I’m in heaven. Please send back the angel I was looking at and talking to earlier.”
The medic was looking at an instrument in his hand and Kala was kneeling beside me. She said to the medic with genuine concern, “He sounds delusional. Do you think he has suffered some damage to his mind?”
I could see the medic smile. “No, Major, the monitor indicates that he is attempting humor. His mental and physical functions are all returning to normal.” He looked at me and asked, “Can you tell me what happened?”
“I’m embarrassed to say this, but it suddenly hit me when the Major was talking about the millions of planets in the Federation just how much… “I trailed off noticing Kala’s face.
Kala shook her head slightly, shock and panic etched across her face making me realize I was about to say something I should not, so I said instead, “Uhh… how beautiful the Major is and I simply swooned at her beauty.” Kala’s look of alarm gave way to relief and momentary embarrassment. I winked at her while the medic looked over his instruments. The uncharacteristic blush in her cheeks made her even more beautiful.
“Well, Major, I can see no indications of anything physically wrong. I performed a rapid diagnostic; the prick of blood from his finger reveals nothing to account for his passing out, so his statement of your beauty must be it…” he grinned as he helped me to my feet, adding quietly, “and I cannot disagree with your assessment.” As he packed up his gear, he summarized his findings. “You appear to be in good health, though you are mildly dehydrated. I would suggest you drink plenty of liquids and eat something light and don’t do anything too strenuous today. If you should feel ill or suspect the onset of another episode, don’t hesitate to call me.” With a last acknowledgement to the Major, he turned and left the room, leaving Kala, the guard and Piesew standing in the dining area near the food cart, which must have arrived during the medic’s assessment of my condition.
“I hope that’s our meal. I’m so hungry that I could just faint. “ Kala started laughing so hard at my comment that tears started to flow from her eyes.
Even Piesew struggled to hold back a grin as he placed dishes on the table.
Once Piesew and the guard had left the room and Kala and I were seated at the table, she said with a still fresh look of relief on her face, “I was afraid there for a second, when I realized you were about to say something about the Solbidyum. That was quick thinking on your part. You have quite a sense of humor, by the way.” She paused for a sip of foccee. “Exactly what did happen that caused you to pass out? I realize, of course, that it was actually not my overwhelming beauty.” She looked at me over her cup with a sort of twisted smile.”
“No, but it came close,” I replied with a bit of flirtation. “Really, it was the realization of how much wealth you and the Captain have been talking about when it comes to the recovery of the Solbidyum. Until that moment, I hadn’t really grasped the concept of the size of the Federation. There are millions of planets, and each one is paying me.” My head started spinning again and I had to steady myself. “Well, let’s just say that it overwhelmed me.”
I could see the relief and amusement on Kala’s face as she replied, “Gee, and just when I thought that some guy had actually swooned over me, it turned out to be money.”
We both laughed at the joke and looked down at the food on our plates. It appeared to be some green salad with some of fruits on top.
“Is this a typical first meal of the day in the Federation?”
Kala gave me another of those looks that made me feel like she was thinking, “Good grief, where does this bumpkin come from?” But instead she said, “There is no typical menu for any meal. We eat basically the same foods for all meals and they vary substantially from person to person depending on which foods are preferred for the first meal or other meals, if they have a preference at all. Do you have traditional first meal foods on Earth? If so I can have Piesew see to it that you have a proper meal prepared immediately in accordance with your tradition.”
“Kala,” I began, “I feel rather foolish at the moment. There are, actually, many variations of foods that people eat on Earth for their first meal of the day; but first meal or breakfast foods as we call them are generally different from those eaten at midday and evening meals. To be honest I don’t know why, they just are. Some people eat fruits or cereal grains. Others prefer small pieces of meat they call bacon or sausage, which is served with cooked eggs, I understand in the Asian countries on Earth they eat noodle dishes. When I think about it now, it does seem rather silly to have certain foods reserved for a particular time of day. I never really gave it any thought before. Tell me, what is this we’re eating?”
Kala started to speak as I used the chopsticks to raise some of the green leafy items to my lips. “The greens are a mixture of plants grown here on the ship in the greenhouse gardens. The brown items are eggs from the giant gormonts on Nidell Four, gormonts are a form of flying mollusks found only on Nidell. “
I have to confess the meal was very good and I told Kala so. After we finished dining, Kala led me into her stylishly decorated living room, where we relaxed for some time in rather large and comfortable chairs that faced each other. I commented to Kala on her accommodations. “Are these your normal accommodations? I mean, I know you are an attaché and your diplomatic functions require you to stay near the dignitaries you are assigned to, but I guess what I am trying to ask is, do you stay in this secured area all the time and they assign dignitaries to these suites with you already here? I feel like much of what I see is tailored to your tastes.”
Kala laughed. ”No, my personal quarters are much smaller and far less opulent than these, though a few of my personal items have been brought here temporarily. I frequently have quarters assigned to me in the general area of the dignitaries. My personal tastes are recorded in the ship’s system and when I am on assignment, as I am now, my suite is tailored to my tastes, to a limited degree, and some of my personal items are brought in, but enough about me. When you were regaining consciousness, you mentioned Heaven. Is the belief in a place where people go after death common on your world?”
“Well, it’s not a universal believe, but yes, it’s very common. Not everyone’s concept of an afterlife is the same, though. I’m guessing that such beliefs must exist among some of the peoples of the Federation as well, otherwise a word for it would not exist in your language.”
“Yes, a large percentage of people throughout the Federation do, even those without organized religions. It’s something I’ve often thought was rather odd,” Kala responded. “But what about you, do you believe in an afterlife?”
“I did at one time,” I responded, “now I sort of hope there is not one.” I said with a sad smile.
“Tibby, I’m not even going to ask,” Kala said, “but I have a feeling you and I think alike on that one.”
In an effort to change the tone of the conversation, Kala shifted to a more innocuous topic. “I’m guessing, but I imagine that people on your planet swim. From what you’ve said about swamps and sea levels I gather there is quite a bit of water on your planet.”
“As a matter of fact, water makes up almost two thirds of the Earth, but there are also vast deserts in some places and giant mountains in others; and though many people do swim, many others do not and have a fear of water. Why do you ask?”
“Sounds like an interesting planet,” Kala said, “normally I like to swim for exercise every day and, since we still have several hours before we meet with the Captain, I thought perhaps you might like to join me. I don’t imagine that you have had much chance to exercise since you left Earth.”
“I would enjoy that, “I replied. ”Let me go back to my room and check to see if I’ve been provided a swim suit.”
“Swim suit?” Kala said in a shocked tone. “People dress to swim on your planet?”
“Uhh yes, actually most do,” I said awkwardly. “What do you normally wear here in the Federation when swimming?”
“Why, the same thing we wear when we shower,” Kala said with a smile. I knew then that I really wanted to take a dip.
I wondered where we were going to swim on the ship. Somehow I expected that there was a giant community pool onboard so I was even more surprised that one was provided as a part of my accommodations. It wasn’t quite the size of an Olympic pool, but it was certainly large enough to swim laps. When we arrived in the pool area, Kala immediately slipped out of her uniform and dove into the water. I followed, finding the water to be at a perfect temperature. I also noted that my eyes didn’t sting and that there was no scent of chlorine in the water, though it did have a slightly salty taste on my lips.
“Ionization? Salt water pool? “I asked when Kala’s head popped above the water.
“Why, yes, what else would you use?” she asked.
“On Earth most people chlorinate their pools heavily to treat the water,” I replied. Kala reacted with a look of horror. “Chlorine but that stuff is deadly!”
“I agree,” I said, “but that’s what most of them use.”
“Remind me not to swim in an Earth pool if I ever go there,” she replied, as she began her laps.
I had always been a naturally strong swimmer and performed well enough on the college swim team to earn a partial scholarship. I was even able to pass the Navy’s swimming requirements with ease. I was enjoying the movement of the cool water across my skin while I fell into the familiar rhythm of strokes and breaths, when suddenly I found myself next to Kala. When she was aware of my approach, she immediately picked up her pace; I increased my speed to match hers. We both hit the end wall at the same time, turning in time with each other and racing back. Kala kept increasing her speed, as did I; but I was beginning to wonder whether I was going to be able to keep pace with her much longer. We hit the other end wall simultaneously, turning again to race to the far end. I could see that Kala was giving it all she had, and I had reached my limit as well. We matched pace the entire length of the pool, no matter how hard either of us tried to break ahead. Even as I struggled to keep up wit
h her, I was admiring how smoothly her body cut through the water and how efficiently she used her strokes. She amazed me in so many ways. I gave it one last push hoping to beat her, but we both touched the end of pool at the same time again. We got out of the water, both visibly spent and breathless, and sat on the edge of the pool.
“You swim very well Tib. It’s been a long time since anyone has been able to tie me in a race.”
“You’re not so bad yourself,” I panted, all the while admiring the rise and fall of her breasts with each deep breath. “But if it helps you feel any better, I swam competitively in school.”
“Ha, “she said, splashing me with a hand full of water as she did. “Good thing I didn’t make a wager with you on the race.”
“Ha,” I said, splashing her back. “Good thing I was not up to form and out of shape.”
We both laughed and Kala slipped into the water and pushed off into a graceful backstroke down the length of the pool.
“I’ll give you a little time to get into shape and then I want a rematch,” she said with a mischievous grin.
“You’re on, “I replied, matching her playful taunt. “What’s the wager?”
“I’ll think of something,” Kala replied, and with that, she turned at the wall, swimming the full length of the pool without surfacing.
When she arrived at the wall by my feet, she drew in a long breath and said that it was nearly time for us to meet with the Captain, so we should get ready. We showered and dressed at the facilities by the pool, then returned to the suite so that Kala could style her hair.
Solbidyum Wars Saga Book 1: Battle of the New Orleans Page 8