Scerior

by Jilly Bowling

  Jo stood up and hugged Tchu “Thank you so much, I’m beginning to feel more hopeful already”.

  Chapter 13

  Acorus still hadn’t come to her when she woke up the next morning. She lay there feeling sad for a while, going over all that had occurred between them, As she lay there she suddenly realised that she was feeling extremely nauseous, and she wondered what she had eaten that might have upset her stomach. Aware that she was going to be sick she jumped out of bed and rushed into the bathroom. Leaning over the toilet she retched and retched, feeling quite frightened at the thought that she might have picked up a bug. Sitting on the floor being sick and moaning between heaves, she didn’t hear Tchu and Tjai enter the bathroom. They rushed to help her and managed to reassure her that she wasn’t ill, just pregnant!

  “No, that can’t be right; I’m only a few days pregnant. Surely morning sickness can’t start this quickly?” she moaned.

  Tchu reminded her that her baby was half Sceriae, and was therefore developing faster than a human baby would. Then Tjai took a bottle of liquid off one of the shelves and pouring a little into a small glass gave it to Jo. She demurred at first remembering that she had heard of the damage some drugs could do to the growing foetus. Both Tchu and Tjai assured her that it was perfectly safe, so after another bout of retching she gave in and drank it.

  Immediately the nausea disappeared and she sat there shaking with the strain it had put on her body. After a few minutes she was able to stand up and after a shower and massage felt like her normal self and extremely hungry. She had put on one of her new tunics and trousers, an extremely pretty one, palest cream with flowers embroidered in gold and pink. She plaited her hair into one thick braid that hung down the middle of her back with little tendrils softly curling down the sides of her face and she looked stunningly beautiful.

  Because she wanted time to think she asked for her breakfast to be served in her bedroom and she ate in pensive thought while Tchu and Tsu changed her bed and Tjai cleaned the bathroom. After all the work had been done Tchu asked if there was anything more needed and she replied, “Yes please, I would like to start to learn how to control my mind and to converse telepathically. Also I would like to learn Sceria and I wonder if you can get me any English books to read, novels, history, natural world, that sort of thing”.

  Tchu went to a button, on the wall near the table, that Jo had never noticed and pressed it. Two panels slid away from each other to reveal shelves full of books.

  “Goodness” exclaimed Jo “I wish I’d known they were there”.

  “All you have to do is ask, you can have anything that will keep you content”, Tchu told her.

  Jo got up from the table and went to look through the books. There were books on nearly every subject, most in English, but a good collection in French, Spanish, German, mandarin, Italian and Russian. ‘Well that’s why they know so much about earth ‘, Jo thought while pulling out some books to look at their subjects.

  Tjai Tsu left the bedroom and Tchu told Jo that she had already sent a message to Lady Ileya asking if, when she had the time, she would come and talk to her.

  Jo hugged her and once again thanked her for her help the previous evening and Tchu told her that, that was what she was here for. Returning the hug, Tchu also told Jo that she was extremely fond of her and felt as if she could be her mother, upon which Jo had tears in her eyes as she told Tchu that she hadn’t had a mother since she was six. Tchu patted her back and said that she would do her best, but of course she could not replace her birth mother. As they moved apart, both feeling a little embarrassed at the out-flowing of such feelings, there was a tap on the door. Jo called “Come in” and the door opened and Kylie was standing there.

  “Hiya Jo” she grinned “I’m off to the gallery, this afternoon and wondered if you’d like to come?”

  “Yes I’d love to. What time?”

  “Just after lunch. It’ll be nice to go out as Julie’s in such a foul mood that if I stay near her we’ll end up having a row!” and Kylie grimaced at the thought.

  “Why what’s the matter with her?” Jo asked. Kylie explained that Julie wasn’t allowed to go back to work until she was pregnant, although that had never been the rule before. As Julie had another two weeks at least before that could happen she was hopping mad.

  Not wanting to hear the answer, but having to ask all the same, Jo asked if Acorus had been to see Julie. Kylie shook her head and said that as he was off planet he definitely couldn’t have. Surprised, Jo wondered what had taken him away, and learned that Kylie didn’t know, only that he had gone.

  Jo felt such relief that it wasn’t her he was avoiding that she laughed out loud. Then she told Kylie that she was going to spend the morning starting to learn Sceria. At which Kylie commented “Rather you than me, it’s almost impossible. Right I’m off, see you at lunchtime”.

  After she had left the room, Jo and Tchu settled down at the table, teacher and pupil enjoying each other’s company.

  Jo discovered that Sceria certainly was difficult to learn, but because she had such an open mind, like a sponge with water it soaked up knowledge without too much difficulty. As Tchu explained communicating telepathically required a mind that could be controlled to think only of what one would say if spoken out loud. After a few hours of concentration Jo felt exhausted but had finally learned to mask out any thoughts that she didn’t want to transmit. Sometimes she did it almost perfectly and at others it was a disaster. But as Tchu pointed out when Jo got cross with herself, practise makes perfect.

  By lunchtime she was able to talk to Tchu telepathically seven times out of ten, Tchu was delighted and explained how even Sceria, as well as most other languages could be learned by just tuning in to another’s mind, and making them hear in their own tongue. Jo didn’t think that she’d ever be able to ‘converse’ with any specie, like the Escorii did, but was delighted that she would be able to ‘mind’ talk, as Tchu called it, to the Escorii and some Sceriae, mainly Acorus!

  The morning passed so quickly that when Tchu called a stop for lunch, Jo couldn’t believe how many hours had passed. She quickly washed her hands and face and went through to the main chamber, where to her delight only Kylie was waiting for her. Julie was having lunch in her own room. She asked Kylie if Julie was often sulky and was told that Julie tended to get irritable after she had given birth. However she had never been as bad as she was this time. They both agreed that it was probably hormones and that once Julie was back at work she’d be back to her usual easy going self. After lunch with Tsu and Tsera in attendance the girls took the two paintings that Kylie had finished to the gallery that sold her work.

  With four Sceriae guards in attendance and Kylie driving they travelled past the Courtyard and along roads that were slightly narrower than the avenues around Acorus’ villa. Here the houses were smaller, although they were still beautifully landscaped and they were built of the cream or white stone. Kylie explained that all Sceriae had the same standard of living, but that as the villas where Acorus lived contained doctors and dentist surgeries and offices where a lot of the Council’s administrative work was carried out, they needed to be bigger.

  In this area lived soldiers, usually older ones who still had a Sceriae female mate, artisans, business owners and the administrative workers, who worked in the larger villas. This was why Acorus and Ileya’s home was always so busy. Ileya had her consulting rooms in their villa and Acorus had his office. Also this was why there were always two guards in front of the girls’ living quarters, not to keep the girls in but to keep out any unwelcome guests. Julie worked in Ileya’s consulting rooms, keeping the records of the patients. As there was no disease on Scerior, and very little illness, most of Ileya’s work consisted of falls, breaks and strains and the delivering of the new half bred babies. Girls from all over the city were usually brought there for checkups and if the Escorii were
concerned about a new mother’s first birth.

  Kylie didn’t know much about Julie’s job although she had been with her for four years. She told Jo that Julie said very little about the patients probably because her work was confidential.

  In this part of town ‘people ‘were walking along the pavements talking to neighbours and going about their normal lives. Jo then realised why when she had come out of Acorus’ villa before, she had seen nobody walking because everybody was still at work in Acorus’ villa, and all those around it. Everybody was dressed in long coats over kaftans or the tunics and trousers that Jo was wearing. The clothes were beautifully decorated and Jo commented to Kylie how attractive everything was.

  At last they arrived at the gallery, on getting out of the buggy Jo realised that the air felt cooler than it had done when they went to the Courtyard, and Kylie told her that rain was due. The gallery was a revelation, with the walls covered in the type of pictures that had been on the ship, but there were also tapestries and in a display all of their own, Kylie’s paintings. Around the floor were sculptures of creatures that Jo couldn’t have imagined, and on raised plinths pottery bowls and dishes were displayed. Mosaics were everywhere and the whole gallery was given over to an eclectic mix.

  The gallery owner turned out to be an ancient Escori, bowed and wrinkled but still proud and happy with his lot. His assistant took the canvas’ off Tsera and Tsu, and placed them on an easel set ready to receive them. Kylie bowed to the old Escorii and said, “It is good to see you looking well Keama” and he replied, “And you brighten my day with your youthful beauty”.

  Turning to Jo Kylie introduced her to Keama and he asked if she was an artist too, which she laughingly denied, saying she couldn’t draw a straight line. He nodded and smiled at her and offered refreshments which they declined, saying that they had just had lunch. Kylie and Keama then discussed business while Jo had a close look at all the art in the gallery. She heard Keama say that the monies owed to Kylie had been credited to her account, and Kylie answered that she was delighted and amazed at how her cartoons were still selling. Evidently it wasn’t only the Sceriae who enjoyed the comedy of them, but other species were buying them too.

  As they left the gallery, Kylie spotted across the road, about to go into a shop, a girl that she knew. She shouted the name Alexis and trotted across the road towards her. The guards who had just mounted their bikes leapt off quickly and followed her, as did Jo, Tsrea and Tsu. When they reached Kylie Tsera scolded her for dashing off like that, and Kylie apologised telling Jo that Alexis was a girl she had met over the years in various places on Scerior. At Kylies shout Alexis had turned round and was waiting for her. She kissed Kylie on both cheeks, delighted to see her, and then she commented on the ‘crowd’ of people round Kylie, looking askance at the guards “You’re not under arrest are you” she joked and Kylie shrugged and told her that Acorus had become paranoid about his girls security lately. Then she pulled Jo forward and introduced her to Alexis, calling Jo her very good friend and new sister. Jo and Alexis shook hands, and Alexis asked Jo how long she had been on Scerior and who she ‘belonged ‘to.

  Jo bridled at the word ‘belonged’, and told her that she was Acorus’ new partner, but had only been on Scerior a short time. Alexis was about as pregnant as Kylie. so they compared bumps, and then talked about their other children, Alexis had been on Scerior as long as Kylie if not longer, so Jo was very interested to see that she too looked happy and glowed with health.

  The shop that Alexis had been about to enter turned out to be a perfume and cosmetics shop, so all three girls went inside. It wasn’t big enough for all four guards to stand in so they stood outside and Tsera and Tru went back to the buggy. Jo discovered that the perfumes in the shop ranged from the very strong and musky, to light and floral scents she had smelled from some of the oils that Tjai had used on her. Kylie and Alexis collected quite a few purchases and Alexis asked Jo why she wasn’t buying anything to which she replied that she didn’t have any money.

  Kylie told her not to be silly and to add what she wanted to her purchases, to which Jo said that she couldn’t possibly. There would be time enough to buy things when she had a job and money of her own. When the girls left the shop Alexis suggested going to a cafe for a drink, so they walked along the road. The passing Sceriae and Escorii nodded and smiled at them and made Jo think that for an important city, the ‘people’ were a lot friendlier than people in London, who were generally in too much of a rush, to even notice anyone else.

  After a short walk they arrived at an enclosed area that had tables and chairs set out, surrounded by plants and flowers. Tsera and Tsu had hurried after them, so the three girls Tsera, Tsu and Alexis’ maid sat at one table, while the guards sat at another. Alexis introduced her maid as Tchula and all six females settled down to have a nice chat. They gave their order to the Escorii waitress, who obviously knew Alexis and Tchula well.

  Jo commented on this and Alexis said that practically everyone in the neighbourhood knew her as she just lived further along the road. As Jo expressed an interest in her life, Alexis told her that she had been here for nine years, had sixteen children and taught English and some French at the nursery, part of the time. It was obvious that she was extremely content with her life on Scerior. Jo quizzed her about her mate and Alexis said that she had been very lucky as she had been given to one of Acorus’ soldiers. He was in fact a captain and was decent kind and intelligent, Alexis adored him but Jo wondered if all the girls from Earth had been treated so well.

  She asked Alexis if she knew any other girls and Alexis said she did, quite a few. When asked if they were all happy, she grimaced “Not all, some are, a few are making the best of a bad job, so to speak, but some are downright miserable”.

  “Isn’t anyone trying to help them?” Jo asked.

  “Well of course the Escorii do their best and the Sceriae females try to help, but some will not try to find anything enjoyable about their life here”.

  “In a way I can understand that” Jo said “If I hadn’t had Kylie, a very understanding Sceriae female in Lady Ileya, and didn’t like Acorus, them I would think it would be unbearable”.

  “Yes, we are lucky in the males who took us. It would be different if they weren’t kind and easy to get on with” and Alexis looked pensive for a while.

  “Surely some of the girls who are content here could get together to help those who aren’t?” queried Jo.

  Kylie and Alexis looked at each other and finally Kylie answered “You see, a lot of the Sceriae don’t think we are very intelligent. They tend to treat us like a loved pet, not an equal. They don’t mean to be cruel, just the same as we, on the whole, aren’t cruel to our cats and dogs. But we are still captives, the same as our pets are to us. Maybe they’d like to be free the same as we do”.

  Thinking about what Kylie had said, Jo realised where she could make a difference.

  She would need Acorus’ and Ileya, s help, but surely they wanted the girls from Earth to settle properly on Scerior. After all more and more girls were being kidnapped and brought to Scerior. It could only be to the Sceriae’s advantage if they became content with their lives.

  As they finished their drinks Alexis stood up and said she’d better go home. Jo asked if her captain would be home and Alexis said he wouldn’t as he had gone off planet on an important mission. She didn’t know when he’d be back. Hugging Kylie and shaking Jo’s hand Alexis went off up the road with Tchula by her side.

  Jo, Kylie, Tsera and Tsu headed back to their buggy and set off for home with their guards in close attendance. When they got back to the villa they went into their own rooms, saying they’d see each other at supper.

  Chapter 14

  After a shower and massage Jo talked to Tchu about the idea she’d had after talking to Alexis. Tchu was pleased that Jo was feeling more positive but advised her to proceed careful
ly. She agreed with Tchu and decided that it would probably be best if Acorus or Ileya thought it was their idea. Taking a novel, off the shelves of books, she went through into the living room to wait for supper. Curling up comfortably on a couch she opened the book, and feeling the most content she’d been since her abduction, she lost herself in her book, a murder mystery by James Patterson. She’d been sitting there for about fifteen minutes when the outer door opened and Tchaka hurried in. Hurrying into Julie’s room she came straight out again, followed by Teya and Tsuma.

  They were all looking very worried and Tchaka turned to Jo and asked her if she had seen Julie at all today. Jo explained that she’d been out that afternoon with Kylie, and hadn’t seen Julie all day. As they were all standing there not knowing what to do, Kylie came out of her room and asked what was wrong. When Tchaka told her that she couldn’t find Julie, she suggested that she might be in Lady Ileya’s office, but Tchaka had already looked there, and Jo could see that she was becoming really upset; evidently she had been looking for her for quite a while.

  Jo suggested that the guards might know where she had gone, and once again Tchaka explained that she had already asked them. They were standing there wondering what to do when the door swung open and Acorus strode into the room.

  “What the devil is going on” he demanded “Tchaka I hear you have lost your charge. How did she get out by herself? Whoever is responsible will be punished severely” and turning to two of his soldiers who had followed him into the room, he issued orders, snapping them out in Sceria, and they hurried off to do his bidding.

  He then turned to Julie’s Escorii and snapped “Teya and Tsuma return to the young and Tchaka, once I have showered, you will tell me all you know”.

  Tchaka visibly wilted under his gaze and Jo felt so sorry for her she opened her mouth to say that it wasn’t Tchaka fault but shut it again quickly when Acorus glared at her and Tchu surreptitiously shook her head. Kheta and Khala entered the room and Acorus led them into Jo’s bedroom shutting the door behind them. Tsera took Tchaka’s arm and told her to come into Kylie’s room while she calmed down.