Scerior

by Jilly Bowling

  “Lady Ileya” started Jo.

  “No, you must just call me Ileya. We will be equals, and I hope friends”, and she put her hand out to Jo.

  Taking her hand Jo said “Ileya, I will always bow to your superior knowledge in many things, but I would like to be friends”.

  “Then I think we will change things for the better on Scerior. And now Jo, to change the subject, you must have something fabulous to wear when you meet the Queen and the council. We should go shopping!” Ileya laughed “I have Acorus’s credits, that is one of the things we must arrange for you, so let’s go splash the cash!”

  “Where on Earth did you get that saying?”

  “On one of the, are they called films, that we got from your planet. I like that saying, also ‘Do you feel lucky, punk’, I’ll be back’ and ‘hasta la vista baby’”, laughed Ileya

  Jo shook her head and said “If you’re not careful Scerior could change for the worse”.

  “I see you are dressed for outdoors, so we can go as soon as you like” commented Ileya “Please go to the door and tell the guards that we are planning to go out shortly. They will alert our guards and arrange our transport. I’ll go and tell Kylie all is well and we are going shopping.

  Chapter 21

  Jo and Ileya were out shopping for quite a few hours. Ileya had taken Jo to an exclusive boutique where they were treated like royalty. They had been plied with food and drink and the clothes were exquisite. As well as some very pretty, filmy tunics and trousers Ileya had persuaded Jo to buy two beautiful ankle length tunics under which were worn leggings. One of the long tunics, which was split up both sides, was woven through with silver and dark blue threads. It had a little mandarin collar and long sleeves with cuffs at the wrist. The other was different shades of purple and lilac, also with a mandarin collar, but with three quarter length wide sleeves. A pair of matching shoes for each tunic, with little Cuban heels, finished off the outfits.

  When they got back to the villa, they found Kylie in the main room. As they entered with their guards carrying their packages, Kylie looked up in delight, “Gosh have you bought up the shop?”

  Jo laughed and said “It felt like it. I’ve never shopped like that in my life”.

  “But did you enjoy yourselves?”

  “Yes” Ileya answered “Jo has just the right outfit for her meeting with the Queen and council”.

  “Oh Jo, you’ve just got to show me, we’ll have a fashion show!”

  “When I’ve had a rest and something to drink”. Jo sank down onto a couch, kicking her shoes off “I hadn’t realised how tiring shopping is”.

  Ileya looked at her with concern on her face “I hope you haven’t overdone it. You mustn’t do anything else today”.

  “I’m fine” yawned Jo “It’s a nice happy kind of tiredness”.

  Tsera had been sitting with Kylie and at Jo saying she needed a drink; she had bustled off to arrange it. Tchu and Tjai came back with Tsera, carrying trays holding mugs that looked as if they were filled with hot chocolate. Jo hadn’t seen that kind of drink before but Kylie clapped her hands and said “Oh fabulous they’ve brought Caopria”.

  As Jo took her mug she said “I haven’t had this before. It looks and smells like hot chocolate. Does it taste like it?”

  “Not quite” Kylie answered “But it tastes delicious and makes you feel good”, and she took a long drink from her mug.

  Jo sipped at hers and declared it to be delicious. The Escorii had brought little cakes as well, so the three of them sat contentedly nibbling their cakes and drinking their Caopria.

  Anna was in her cot by Kylie’s couch sleeping happily, so they chatted about babies and clothes and shopping. After a while Jo started to feel revived and Kylie persuaded her to show her new clothes.

  Kylie oohed and aahed over the long tunics and wanted to know where they had bought them. Jo was holding the silver dress up in front of her pretending to be on a catwalk, and Ileya and Kylie were laughing and giving her advice on how to walk, when the door opened and Acorus came in. He’d already taken off his helmet, and the expression on his face cracked them up even more. Jo threw the dress to one side and sank onto a couch holding her side, doubled up with laughter.

  “Well” Acorus said “I didn’t expect to find you all like this”. What have you been up to?”

  Ileya was the first to speak “I took my ‘friend’ Jo shopping. She needed a nice outfit for when she meets the Queen and Council. As you can see we were successful”.

  “But” looking from one face to another he was at a loss for words.

  Taking pity on him Jo got up and went to him, “We have sorted out, what appeared to be a terrible action by Ileya. It was a test for me. Ileya made her peace with Kylie while we were at the Chomanay camp, and today Ileya tested me again and I passed”.

  Then Ileya broke in “Acorus, we have found the Earth female I have been looking for. She is calm, intelligent, brave, and as I believe they say on Earth, downright bloody minded. We are going to change things for the better for all the earth females on Scerior”.

  “That is one thing, among many, that must be changed”, said Jo “We are not Earth females, we are girls or women” and grinning widely Jo went on “Some of us are ladies!”

  “I’m going to shower and change, all this is too much for a mere male” and Acorus headed into Jo’s room followed by Kheta and Khala.

  Ileya stood up “I must go to my quarters, I expect a lot of work has piled up”, turning to Jo she said “I have enjoyed today. I do not have many days like this, thank you for your company”.

  Jo took her hand and replied “No thank you, I look forward to working with you”.

  As Ileya left, Anna started to stir and Tsera went to her “Time for a feed, I think”.

  Kylie got up and as she went to pick up her daughter said “Jo, I hope you will include me in your plans to help the girls. Those already here and those who will be brought here”.

  “Of course you’ll be included, you know so much more than me. I’m going to need all the help I can get!”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, I’m tired and I think I’ll get into bed to feed Anna and have my supper”. Kylie was yawning now.

  Jo gave Anna a kiss and hugged Kylie, telling her to get a good night’s sleep, and that they’d start making plans tomorrow.

  When Kylie, Anna and Tsera had gone, Jo started to collect her new clothes, to take into her room. Before she could, however Tchu and Tjai came back into the room and took over, saying that Jo shouldn’t be doing menial work. She told them that, that was nonsense, she was perfectly capable of picking up a few clothes, but when they became upset she relented and let them fuss around her.

  “I really need a shower, but Kheta and Khala are in there with Acorus and I still feel a bit embarrassed around them”.

  “Pah” said Tchu “That is your room; I will go and tell Kheta and Khala to give you some privacy”.

  “What about Acorus?” Jo asked teasing her.

  Tchu looked at her with her head cocked on one side “Hmm. I don’t think you want privacy from him?”

  Surprising herself Jo blushed and asked “So what about what Tjai said this morning?”

  “Oh” gasped Tjai lowering her head “Lady Ileya instructed me to say that. I think she wanted you upset, but instead you became angry. So sorry, I am, I did not want to upset you”.

  Jo noticed that Tjai’s English was not as perfect as usual, and that she was very upset.

  Going to her she gave her a hug and said “Don’t worry about it. It was a silly test of Lady Ileya’s. But in future if anyone tells you to do something that you think is wrong, tell me, and I will sort it out. Promise me, and you Tchu, that you will take me into your confidence about anything!”

  Tjai hugged Jo back and told h
er that she felt very deeply about her, that they would be friends forever. Jo nodded and took Tchu’s hand as well as Tjai’s and said “All for one and one for all”, laughing as Tchu said “That is from a film, I can’t remember which one, only that it was silly. Men hitting each other with sticks!”

  Just then Jo’s bedroom door opened and Kheta and Khala came out saying “Lord Acorus has showered and dressed, and will be out shortly”. They left through the main door saying something to the guards on the way out.

  Tchu and Tjai continued collecting Jo’s clothes ready to hang them in the cupboards in the bedroom, but before they could knock on the door and enter, it opened and Acorus was there. He told them to go and find out if supper was ready. Without a word Tchu and Tjai hurried out.

  With two swift strides Acorus was in front of Jo and she gasped with surprise when he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. She struggled to sit up saying “I need a shower”. But he pushed her back and simply said “After”.

  Jo didn’t need to ask “After what?”

  The way he slid her trousers down and her tunic up gave her a clue. She tried to tell him, no, but when he kissed her and ran his thumb over a nipple it somehow came out

  “Please”.

  He surprised her at how gentle and tender he was, kissing her swollen stomach and then her breasts. He nibbled her ear, saying words she didn’t understand, but somehow knew the meaning of, until finally she was begging him to enter her. Which he did, but with great care, not putting any of his weight on her. As they climaxed together he said something in Sceria, which Jo interpreted as “I love you Jo-Anna”.

  After Jo had showered they sat opposite each other to eat their supper. Acorus questioned her about Ileya’s plan to test her, shaking his head at her pretending not to care about Kylie or the baby he said “I felt deep down that she would not be so callous, but I wasn’t certain. Sceriae females are so complex, that we males gave up trying to understand them centuries ago”.

  “She had me fooled completely. I must admit that I will never absolutely trust her. She is pleasant to be with when she is not working and I hope we will have a good working relationship. I can’t wait to start changing things for the girls”.

  “That is what I want to discuss with you, but I think you have done enough for today. We’ll spend tomorrow working out what needs changing”.

  “There is one thing I must ask you. Kylie wants to be involved, and I think she will be a great help to me. She has been on Scerior for a long time and knows, and is liked by a lot of girls and Escorii”, Jo said yawning wildly.

  Acorus stood up and holding out his hand to her said “You are very tired, time for bed”.

  Jo raised an eyebrow at him “To sleep I hope. I’m afraid I haven’t got your energy for endless love making. Your daughter is wearing me out”.

  “Our daughter” Acorus insisted, then he sighed “But if you are a weak and feeble female, to sleep it will be” Then he picked her up, placed her in the bed, and getting in next to her pulled the covers round them, kissed her forehead and settled down to sleep.

  Chapter 22

  The next morning after they’d all had breakfast, Jo, Kylie, Acorus, Ileya and surprisingly Julie, gathered round a table in the main chamber. Ileya had brought Julie along to take notes of the meeting, but as Kylie pointed out, she too had been on Scerior for quite a while.

  Ileya first told them of the things she had done to help the girls from Earth, mainly explaining to the Sceriae males how they should behave with them. It had been her idea to find out what occurred during human love making. They all agreed that to call it ‘mating’ would upset the girls.

  All three girls said that it had worried them, ‘mating’ sounded so cold and frightening, especially once they had seen the Sceriae in their body armour. Jo said the main thing that upset her was the girls who hadn’t passed the tests on the ship. Surely they could be tested before the ships set off back to Scerior? Ileya pointed out that if a lot of girls were sent back to Earth from the ships; at some point the authorities would surely pick up on what was happening? So Jo pointed out that their was no need to let them recover consciousness until after they had been tested. The girls who failed the tests would never know what had happened to them. They would probably just think they had fainted or something.

  Acorus said that it was worth trying, he’d always hated having to euthanaise the girls who didn’t pass all the tests.

  Jo had to keep her emotions tightly in check; she knew he hadn’t actually killed the girls himself, it had been the doctors, usually female, who had sent them to sleep forever, but she was finding it unforgivable. She had to keep reminding herself that the Sceriae had considered humans as a lesser species, and that through history, humans had behaved no better.

  Then Jo asked why the soldiers only showed themselves to the girls in their body armour. Surely it would be less horrific if the girls met the Sceriae as they were? Acorus told her that the idea was to frighten them so much they wouldn’t attempt to fight the Escorii or the soldiers. Also he pointed out to Jo how she had felt when she thought he was a monster who was purely going to rape her, and how much less frightening it had been when he made love to her. She blushed at discussing intimate details, causing him to laugh loudly.

  Jo then suggested that if she or some other human, was not allowed to calm the girls’ fears on the ship, then a human should be there when the ship docked on Scerior. Also she brought up the subject of the young Sceriae males. How if they were taught how to behave with a girl, then they should be given human mates, as well as the older males. Then she said that the girls should be kept together and acclimatised to Scerior before they were sent to separate homes. Julie then spoke up and said that it made such a difference to be with a male that you had feelings for, and him for you. Although Acorus had been kind and a good lover, she hadn’t had any feelings for him, and she had known that apart from good sex, he had no feelings for her.

  It was Acorus’s turn to be embarrassed, and Jo’s turn to laugh at him. But also she agreed with Julie, saying that for a girl to have sex with a male she didn’t like was awful. The body reacted to stimuli but if the heart wasn’t enjoying it too, it left a girl feeling miserable. Ileya said that they weren’t running a dating agency. There was not time to let males and females ‘fall in love’ whatever that was. Acorus had to agree with her, but said maybe a compromise could be arranged.

  Then Jo looked at Kylie and said “We were talking about the young soldier at the Chomanay camp and Kylie surprised me with what she said. Maybe she’d like to tell you what she thinks”.

  “Oh well, mmm”, Kylie stammered, then gathering her thought she went on “I just said, I thought it was a pity that you hadn’t brought some professional prostitutes here to run their own brothels, where your young males could have fun and be taught how to make love. If they were well regulated I think your young Sceriae males would be happier. And when they took a mate, either human or half-breed they would know how to treat them!”

  Acorus looked at her in surprise. “But how can you think that after the way you were treated?”

  “The thing is I was forced into it. Some girls choose to do it. In a high class brothel some girls think they are better off than working in a factory all day”.

  Julie cut in “Yes, there are many women who are quite happy to sell themselves. I used sex to help me get what I wanted, and I’m not ashamed to say that!”

  Acorus and Ileya looked shocked and then she asked “How would we find such girls?”

  “Well for a start you need women not young girls” answered Kylie “And they should be easier to find than good girls. All you have to do is find the brothels”.

  “But what if they don’t want to be prostitutes here?” asked Ileya.

  Jo had been thinking hard. “I think they would need to be told, and also
that if they wanted to give it up, say if they liked one male in particular, then they would need to have babies”.

  “Shown life here on Scerior, compared to what they had on Earth, I think that hardly any would refuse” Kylie replied.

  “Yes, young Sceriae males are a better bet than greasy dirty old men ugh” shuddered Julie.

  Kylie shocked them again by adding “Yes, the young men were a lot better, usually cleaner, but unfortunately it’s usually horrible dirty men who have to use prostitutes. At least here all your males are extremely clean!”

  Acorus was obviously feeling uncomfortable at the way the discussion was going, so he changed the subject “Well, let’s leave that and talk about what can be done for the girls already here”.

  “Right” said Jo “The first thing I think we should do is start sessions where the girls can tell us their problems. And we should start meetings all over the planet where they can spend time with each other. If the male who has them is harsh or unkind, he should be warned to treat them better, or they will be taken from him. They should be encouraged to find something to do, other than just have babies. Everyone should be able to have a fulfilling life”.

  Acorus smiled at her “You really feel strongly about this don’t you?”

  “Yes, I know I’m not the only one who had great plans for my life. I’m lucky you took me.

  There must be girls out there going crazy, because they are not allowed to be themselves”.

  “You are right”, said Ileya “We are at fault. You humans have complex brains. I know if I was in that kind of situation I would lose my mind, if I couldn’t use it. We didn’t understand that you have a similar brain to ours, not as advanced but similar”.

  “Then we should make a plan on how we can help to guide the girls into doing what they really want to. In the same way as I was helped with my painting” Kylie said.

  “We will do that little one”, Acorus cut in “But it will take some time to organise. First I think we should start sessions for the girls to let us know their problems”.