Collected (Selected Book 1)

by Robin Roseau

  "Ah, my new friend. Yes, Tia?"

  "Would you reconsider your decision to fight?"

  "Tia, you are a Catseye. I find it likely that means you administer some operation somewhere. Is that true?"

  "It is."

  "Would you tell me which operation?"

  "One of the testing centers outside Paris. It is a beautiful location."

  "You speak English well for someone based in a French city," I replied. She inclined her head. "Unfortunately, you are in the same business as Administrator Brighteyes. However, if you were to champion the rights of individual humans to choose their own destinies, then I wouldn't be opposed if you were to ask me on a date."

  "A date?"

  "Do you know this custom?"

  "I do."

  "Of course, I find it unlikely I will be available to accept. Pity."

  She sat down.

  "Tia?"

  She stood back up. I found that amusing.

  "I would accept phone calls, even from someone engaged in the slave trade, if you understand I will continue to encourage you to resolve the issue."

  "It is not slavery."

  I rattled my chains. "It feels an awful lot like it."

  "Perhaps I'll call," she said.

  "Good."

  And then she sat. She never did call.

  * * * *

  "Did I earn continued possession of the visor?" I asked Administrator Brighteyes five minutes later.

  "Of course. How much of what you said was true?"

  "All of it. Why would I lie?"

  She didn't answer. Ten minutes later, I was back in my cell, and dinner arrived moments after that.

  I could tell I had burned under the sun, but it wasn't bad.

  Quiet

  Two new female guards arrived an hour later. I'd spent the time watching a simple television show. I'd never seen it before. I didn't think I'd been missing much.

  I stood quietly while the guards replaced the shackles. Then they left, and Jasmine stepped into my cell. The door sealed off behind her, and the ceiling and wall turned opaque besides.

  "Subtle," I said. "Everyone is going to assume you're in here taking advantage of me."

  "Do you care?"

  "Not particularly. Do you?"

  "No."

  "Please. Come in. Sit down." I glanced at a spot on the bed to my side.

  "That is intimate."

  "So? I don't have a sofa, although maybe you could form one somehow."

  She said nothing, but she moved into the room and then climbed onto the bed. Soon we were seated side-by-side, our backs to the wall.

  "This is like a slumber party." She didn't know what that was, so I explained.

  She laughed. "I suppose it is, although I am not staying all night."

  "Still, we're sitting on the bed in my little bedroom. There's no junk food though."

  "Do you require food?"

  "No, it's just traditional during a slumber party to eat junk food."

  "I can acquire food for you."

  "I suppose you wouldn't eat with me."

  "I don't believe you would want to watch."

  "Maybe another time," I said. "You seem tense."

  "I find myself at a loss."

  "Why?"

  "I don't know how to behave. This is an unusual experience for me."

  "Sitting in a cell with one of your victims, or being unsure how to behave."

  "Both, I guess. I've never sat on one of these beds. I don't even visit the cells very often, although I've done that. But not for a conversation such as we're having. This is very unexpected."

  "Relax, Jasmine. You're making too much of this."

  "I don't think I am," she replied. "I should go."

  "Please don't," I said. I didn't have much motion with my hands, but I had enough to clasp her wrist, although I did so very gently.

  "I don't know what you expect."

  "Kindness."

  "I think you are more specific than that."

  "Well, I'm hoping to feel your tentacles again. They were pretty cool. And I wanted to ask why you never show your teeth. Would I be horrified?"

  "I don't have teeth to show."

  "Oh, I suppose you wouldn't."

  "Smiling is a human behavior. When one of us smiles, it is learned behavior, but it has become automatic for me. But I had to learn a controlled smile, as humans are put off by the lack of teeth."

  "So a smile is an act? It is not an indication of your feelings? Do you have feelings similar to mine?"

  "Similar. It is hard to say if they are identical. They are feelings. I can generate a smile at any time, but the ones you have seen have been an honest indication of my feelings."

  I nodded. "Does your race typically wear clothing? I can't imagine you dress in human attire such as this."

  "We are, in a way, chameleons. We are better than other species at fitting into alien societies. Mode of dress is one part of that. And yes, we wear clothing for protection from the elements, like you, but not for modesty."

  "Is your species comfortable with casual touch?"

  "What do you mean?"

  I leaned against her and dropped my head to her shoulder.

  "Oh," she said after a moment. "You are asking if this is uncomfortable to me."

  "I suppose I am."

  "No, Sapphire, it is not uncomfortable. It is, however, confusing. You said you would never mate with me."

  "I'm not mating with you, but if I'm confusing you..." I began to pull away, but she wrapped her arm around me and pulled us together. I let her.

  We sat like that for a long time. Finally she asked, "Did you really want me to touch you?"

  "Yes. It was nice."

  "You were teasing when you talked about tasting you."

  "If so, I wasn't aware it was teasing. Maybe you would be dissatisfied with a taste, and I would find myself rapidly losing significant body mass."

  "I would never do that!" she yelled, pulling away. "How can you think that?"

  "I was teasing, Jasmine," I said gently. "I admit, I don't actually know what you would and would not do, and I don't know if a taste is teasing, but if you wanted to eat me, I couldn't stop you. The fact you haven't suggests I am safe."

  "Eating another sentient creature is disgusting."

  "What you're doing to me is disgusting," I said. "I will point out that some humans eat whales. It is likely they are sentient creatures."

  "Another example of human immaturity."

  "I don't eat whale."

  "Then you are more enlightened."

  "I eat chicken though."

  "I am fairly certain nothing with a brain the size of a chicken's is sentient."

  "I noticed you ignored my comment about what you are doing to me. Is this an example of your own immaturity?"

  "I would love this conversation in three months."

  "I won't be alive three months from now, but if I am, sure."

  We grew still again, although slowly Jasmine relaxed. Equally slowly, she moved closer to me until we were again pressed side-to-side. Then I lowered my head to her shoulder again.

  "If you can't stand touching me, could I at least see them?"

  "I am dying to touch you," she replied. "Are you certain?"

  "You could give me a backrub," I said. I grinned at her.

  "Give me a bare back to massage, and I will."

  "Don't make that offer if you're teasing."

  "I'm not teasing."

  "Deal. Um. Except I don't know how to give you what you want, shackled like this and all that."

  It took some effort, but we actually managed to move both my thin robe and pajama top in front of me, and then I lay face down on the bed. The bed adjusted for me, and I was deeply comfortable.

  I didn't watch as Jasmine removed her blouse, but she pulled it off entirely, and then she began stroking my skin.

  "That feels nice," I said. "You may do whatever you like."

  "Don't say that.
"

  "To any exposed portion of my body."

  "You're sure."

  "I'm not offering to mate with you. I'm offering to let you pamper me."

  "You're offering to let me taste you. I'll leave marks if I do."

  "Not on the face. I don't want any marks on my face, and if it hurts, I want you to stop."

  And then I tried to relax. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the attention. At first, she was tentative, but then she grew more bold, and I'd never been touched the way she could touch me. She used all four tentacles and her hands besides, and I never had fewer than three touching me.

  I knew when she began to exude her oil. I could feel it lubricate my skin. And then she laid two of her tentacles across my back, the thickest part just barely on safe territory, and the tender tips wrapped gently around my neck.

  "Are you sure?"

  "Start slow and stop if I complain."

  I felt when she began to suck. It felt really weird, but it didn't hurt. It felt kind of good, and I moaned in pleasure. She immediately stopped, releasing me.

  "I'm sorry."

  "Don't stop. That was pleasure."

  "I've marked you."

  "So? Do it again, unless I tasted terrible."

  "You taste wonderful, Sapphire." I felt her lay her tentacles upon me again, and then she added the other two on my upper arms. She couldn't reach my hands, as they were underneath me, held in place by the shackles. If the bed weren't so clever, it would have been horribly uncomfortable.

  She slid around for a moment, and then she began to suck. And it felt good.

  She massaged me that way for a while, sucking and pulling, and it felt good. I grew increasingly relaxed.

  "I need to stop," she whispered. "Your entire back is a series of marks."

  "They'll heal." But I rolled over and looked up at her. "Thank you. That was very pleasant."

  "I've never in my life done something like that before."

  "Was it difficult?"

  "I was afraid I was hurting you."

  "You didn't." I closed my eyes again. "I wouldn't mind if you kept touching. The oil feels good, you know."

  "It helps to ensure a good seal," she said. "My body produces it like yours produces saliva, but in far greater quantity."

  "Did I run you out?"

  "No." And she began to caress my arms and face. I closed my eyes and let her touch me wherever she wanted. It all felt nice.

  "Sapphire, why are you encouraging this?"

  "Because I'm still scared out of my mind, and this is comforting. It shouldn't, because you're the reason I'm afraid."

  "Maybe you invited me here to offer more guilt. Three months. I will accept all the guilt you wish to heap upon me in three months."

  "All right. Three months."

  I lay quietly for a while before I asked, "What happens tomorrow."

  "There has been a change of plans. Your group will go last, the day after tomorrow."

  "Why?"

  "For the same reason you were last today. For the same reason you answered questions for well over an hour when it is rare someone is asked more than a few."

  I opened my eyes. "I don't understand."

  "I know. I can't explain. I can tell you this. You are going to be the subject of a great deal of attention. The rest of your group might be able to sneak off unnoticed."

  "You exaggerate."

  "All right. Probably. But not by much."

  "Crazy."

  "An alien from outer space just spent the last forty minutes tasting you, and you just tell her to keep doing it."

  "Maybe I'm just kinky. I love me some good kinky tentacle sex."

  We grew quiet again until I said, "You didn't tell me what will happen."

  "Please don't be mad, but I'll tell you at the same time I tell the rest of your group."

  "Fine," I said. "I was going to let you touch my breasts if you told me, but never mind."

  She laughed. "I believe if I tried touching your breasts, you'd let me."

  "Maybe I would, but that would be straying towards mating."

  "Anyone who sees your back is going to assume a great deal."

  "Doesn't mean they're right."

  She stilled, but even her resting tentacles felt nice. But then she said, "I should go. And you should sleep."

  "I want you to do me a favor."

  "I can't do you any favors."

  "You can do this one. When you send me out into that arena, make damned sure you aren't somewhere I can reach."

  "You would hurt me?"

  "I am going to hurt anyone trying to hurt me, and I will consider what you are doing to me the worst kind of hurt."

  "Three months."

  "I'm not trying to offer guilt. I am telling you to keep yourself distant."

  "Don't worry."

  "I might feel guilty if I actually was able to hurt you."

  "Would you?"

  "Probably, but I'm going to be very, very angry with all of you. It doesn't seem real right now, although seeing the arena today..." I shook my head. "Promise me you'll keep your distance, and then find a way to distract me for a minute or two."

  "I promise you won't hurt me, Sapphire." She paused. "Tia wanted you today."

  "I gathered. So do you."

  "Yes."

  "Why don't you and Tia..."

  "She's my cousin."

  "Oh."

  "Every Catseye within four light years is a relatively close relative."

  "It's good to have family."

  "Yes. But it is good to touch in ways family doesn't touch, Sapphire. Do you understand?"

  "If humans can mate with all these other races, why can't you?"

  "Because you are associate members of the Federation, and we are primary members. It is not done."

  "It seems like it would solve a problem."

  "Who would adjust her body?" Jasmine asked. "I am female, so I would carry the children. I cannot subjugate myself to another species."

  "But I'm just a human, so I can."

  "Does the thought bother you? Or is it that we didn't give you a choice."

  "It's the choice."

  "Three months. But do you understand? I have never touched like we touched tonight, and I do not know if I will find someone like you again."

  "We have a saying. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Try dating. It can be horrible and wonderful at the same time. But you suck at distracting me."

  "Did you make a suck joke?"

  "It wasn't intentional. But now you have to help me sit up, hug me with all six limbs, and then let me sleep."

  And so she did.

  Challenge

  In the morning, I tried calling Moirai. My visor prevented the call, and a while later I received a message from Jasmine telling me I would not be allowed to place calls until after the first challenge. After that, my potential mate could decide to allow outside communications, and with whom.

  My reply was simple: You suck.

  Breakfast arrived. Afterwards, I received another message from Jasmine. "You have earned another privilege: exercise and a hot shower."

  "I'm not dressed for exercise."

  "The privilege includes a change of clothing, and we clean the clothing you are wearing."

  "I would love some exercise if it's not in the sun."

  "Your clothing will arrive shortly, and guards shortly after that."

  "Thank you."

  It was a very short wait for the clothing. It arrived in the same nook as the food. I wondered if Jasmine was displaying a sense of humor. She delivered to me a form-fitting body suit, socks, and tennis shoes. I eyed it all carefully and then tried to initiate a call. The visor wouldn't allow the call but transferred me into the message system.

  "Funny. And will I have an audience?"

  Her reply was nearly immediately. "Undoubtedly. I have already informed the challengers you were heading to the gym."

  "You suck."

  There was no reply.
/>   With my back to the window-wall, I changed clothing, leaving my pajamas in the nook. I kept the robe; it didn't require cleaning. The body suit was actually exceedingly comfortable, and when I did some stretching exercises, it allowed me to move easily.

  A message arrived. "You look good."

  "You're watching me?" I looked around, craning my neck, but I didn't see anyone.

  "Video," was the reply. "I know. I suck."

  "I'm not a piece of meat, Administrator. I do not appreciate being treated like one."

  "No one thinks you're a piece of meat, Sapphire. No one."

  "Are there cameras in the showers?"

  The reply took a while to come. "I'll turn them off. Please don't be angry."

  "Let me keep the body suit, and I'll think about it."

  Her one word reply made me frown, then smile. "Funny."

  The guards arrived perhaps five minutes later. It was only the two women. "Where are the gorillas?"

  "Do we need them, ma'am?" One of the women asked.

  I stood still while she shackled me.

  "It's going to be difficult to exercise like this."

  She smiled. "The gym is secure. We'll release you."

  "It was a joke."

  The other one collected my robe for me, folding it and slipping it between my arms so I could carry it. "For later," she explained.

  "Thank you."

  My visor dimmed as we exited my cell.

  It was actually a short walk, only a minute or so. We stepped through a doorway. The visor remained dim, but my guards began to remove my shackles.

  "We're just down the row from the cells, aren't we?"

  "Yes. You are allowed an hour of exercise and then a half hour in the showers. You'll find everything you need. Once you enter the shower area, you won't be able to return to the gym. There are others waiting." She paused. "Normally you are allowed to exercise in groups. I don't know why the administrator is keeping you isolated."

  "Neither do I. It's fine."

  "Are you feeling all right today?"

  "Yes. Why do you ask?"

  "You haven't made any attempts to induce guilt this morning."

  "Don't confuse my good nature with acquiescence. What you do here is evil, and everyone knows it. This may be a far less unpleasant situation than African people experienced two hundred years ago, but this is still a slave trade."

  "That's the woman we've grown to know and love," said the other. "I was beginning to worry."