Candidate (Selected Book 4)

by Robin Roseau

  "It is not a variation," Jasmine said. "But you could, in your own home, declare not allowing it to be a variation."

  I snorted but said nothing.

  * * * *

  I enjoyed the game. More importantly, I enjoyed the competitive camaraderie between the four of them, as long as it wasn't directed towards me.

  A few times after I played, one of them reached forward, removed my pieces from play, and handed them to me. "We won't let you make that poor a move, but now you have to tell us why it is poor."

  And so I learned. And I formed a solid, solid base. But it was Clover that lured me into a trap. She looked like she was extending a fight towards Cedar, and she left what I thought was a huge weakness right next to my base. It was only two moves away, and I watched it carefully. I built a little more strength and sent a small feeler in her direction, but I tried to disguise it. It appeared to work, as she played away from me. And on the next move I attacked, capturing a portion of the arm she had extended. I was very pleased with myself.

  The rest of them grew very still.

  "I believe," said Clover, "that the human's foolish move negates our earlier agreement."

  "That's fine," I said. I held up the pieces I'd taken from her, waving them up and down for a moment.

  No one else said a word. But it was her turn, and she made a play in my direction. Everyone else ignored me, although Jasmine began to play towards Clover. On my next turn, I captured another portion of Clover's arm.

  This game was easy!

  And then Clover played. "Andie, you have a new title in this game."

  "Champion of Catseye?"

  "Close," she said. "Vassal of Catseye."

  "What?"

  It took her and Bay together to show how I had walked right into a trap, and Clover had caught me with two moves.

  "Did all of you see her setting me up?"

  "Twelve moves ago," Cedar said. "She'd have lured you in sooner, but she had to defend against my husband first. She couldn't have done it if it had been another Catseye sitting in his place, but my husband is not known for is ability to capture other players."

  "I'm your vassal," I said to Clover.

  "You are, and so you must move here, to my other side, and share my cushion with me."

  "And play as you direct."

  "Yes. And I get to touch you all I want." Then she looked at Bay. "And no one else can lay so much as a single whisker on you."

  I spent the remainder of the game wrapped quite thoroughly in Catseye tentacles. It felt nice.

  * * * *

  "Well, did you enjoy it?" Jasmine asked after we escorted her visitors to the door.

  "I did. I'm never going to be any good, am I?"

  "I haven't met a human who has become a good player, but my sample size is very small. There are human games that are not dissimilar, and so players of those games could be very good at this game."

  "You play a lot of games," I said.

  "Joy of life," she replied. "And diplomacy of a fashion. But mostly joy of life." She shifted. "You and Clover were comfortable."

  "Have you noticed something about me?"

  "What is that?"

  "I'm comfortable with anyone who treats me as a friend."

  Her tentacles stiffened, and I realized she was taking my statement the wrong way, or I thought so anyway. "Are you returning me to my cell, or are guards coming?"

  "You are ready to go."

  "I have one more thing to say to you, and I want it to be the last thing I say tonight."

  "I will take you."

  She could have let me walk alone, but of course, she didn't. Nor did she furnish the bathrobe. Instead, she dimmed my visor and took my arm. Five minutes later we came to a stop outside my cell, and a moment later, I could see. I looked at her, and her tentacles were hidden, a shawl draped over her shoulders for additional obscurity.

  "Please come in," I said. "I wish to say something to you."

  "All right." She led me inside, but the door didn't close. I stepped away from her. "Is it possible to turn that dark?" I gestured to the ceiling. "And that. And I don't mean using my visor. I wish privacy."

  She studied me for a moment, and I thought my request was making her nervous. But she nodded, and a few seconds later the ceiling dimmed, the door behind her closed, and that wall also turned opaque. I couldn't have told you where the light was coming from, but I could still see.

  "Please take off that shawl, Jasmine."

  "Just say what you want to say, Andromeda."

  I shook my head. "It's still Andie. Please remove the shawl and unwrap your tentacles. Trust me for literally ninety seconds."

  "All right," she said slowly. The shawl came off, and without taking her eyes from me, she used a tentacle to drop it to the bed. At that, I closed half the distance between us.

  "You don't usually, but tonight you did something."

  "What is that?"

  I stepped closer and caught one of the tentacles. She didn't pull away, but she looked at me nervously. I used two hands, one holding the fleshier portion, the other very near the tip. It waved at me.

  "Tonight, you treated me like a friend." Then I kissed just the tip, the very tip of the tentacle.

  Everything froze. When she didn't move, I gave the tentacle tip a very gentle stroke with one finger and then released it. Then I turned away. "That's all I wanted to say, Jasmine. Good night."

  Still she didn't move, not immediately, and I waited to see what she would do. It took her time to decide, but then she moved forward, two hands and four tentacles settling on my shoulders and arms. I stayed where I was, relaxed. Then she turned me around, right into her arms, and wrapped around me thoroughly.

  When the tentacle slipped across my lips, I kissed it, and she immediately slid into my mouth far further than Clover had. I closed my lips -- and my eyes, but I wrapped my arms around her.

  She held me that way for a very long time, the tentacle tip settled against my tongue, the rest of her tentacles holding, then moving, holding, then moving.

  Then she withdrew, first from my mouth, then everywhere else. I opened my eyes and watched as she stepped backwards.

  "Do we need to talk about what we both just said?"

  "I don't think so," she replied. But she stared at me. Then she muttered in, I presume, Catseye.

  "Oh, that is your reaction," I asked.

  "I have to spoil the mood. I need to be Administrator Brighteyes for a moment. I'm very sorry, Andie."

  "Then I am again Andromeda," I said. "Say what you need to say, but then you will allow me to put the mood back where I want it before you leave."

  "All right. Good. You haven't adjusted your schedule for tomorrow. Andromeda, I need you to arrive on time for both swims. Please access your visor while I wait."

  "Oh. Of course. Thank you for the reminder." It only took a minute, and I even told the visor to warn me to skip the suit. "Done," I said after a moment. "Was there more?"

  "No. Thank you. I'm sorry, Andromeda."

  "It's fine," I said. "I am going to do something, and I am going to say something. You are not going to respond except to say, 'Good night, Andie'. All right?"

  She nodded. So I stepped back up to her, captured a tentacle -- a different one this time -- and looked into her eyes. "I had a lovely evening with friends tonight, Jasmine. Thank you." Then I lifted the tentacle and kissed it again, but I pulled it away before she could invade. "Good night."

  She nodded. "Good night, Andie."

  Orientation

  I woke early, took care of my needs, and asked the visor if I could get dressed.

  Access granted.

  The door opened, and the visor led me to the changing room. I was somewhat surprised by what I found. Again there was a lightweight skirt and sandals, but the blouse was backless. I stared at it for a while.

  Can you wear this? Please.

  "Aww, damn it," I said. "You said please." I looked at it. "Bare skin."

>   Yes. Please, Andie.

  "Aww hell, you said please again and called me Andie. Fine, fine." I slipped into it. It actually was really quite comfortable, and it wasn't like I needed clothing for warmth. "How do I look?"

  Very nice. Thank you.

  "Do I need to pirouette so you can see everything?"

  I can see everything just fine, Andromeda. Step outside. I'm waiting.

  And so, a moment later we were face to face. "Good morning, Jasmine."

  "Good morning, Andie. Last night, you did not allow me to respond to what you said. Will you do so now?"

  "Yes."

  She stepped forward and pulled me into a hug, and when the tentacle slipped across my lips, I kissed and then accepted it, closing gently around it.

  We held each other for a long time, and then she withdrew. Her tentacles slipped inside her own blouse, and then I saw it zip up.

  "Handy," I said. "Ready?"

  "Ready," she said. She led us to the elevators, and we went up a short distance. We moved to one row of the cellblocks, and then she turned me to her. "Remember what I said. If they wake, get out."

  Then she gestured. There was a cart and it was stacked with clear containers. Each container had a woman's name, identification number, and cell number. Only some women would receive clothing in this way, as we'd left their personal clothing with the rest.

  I pushed the cart forward, stopping in the space opposite the first pair of cells. I then turned to the left cell, Jasmine to the right. I identified the cell number. My visor told me I didn't need clothing for this one, but it gave me information on the occupant. And then I stepped forward, and a doorway formed.

  Yes, I was aware of the irony.

  The woman was deep asleep. I knelt beside her bed and looked into her face. She looked so young and innocent.

  I glanced over to make sure she had clothing waiting, then smiled. She had Hello, Kitty pajamas. Cute.

  I used the visor against the woman's wristband. It was the right woman. I turned off the wristband and removed it, then I was able to deactivate her visor and gently removed it from her face.

  Then I whispered, "Karen, you're going to be fine. I know this is scary, but you're going to be fine."

  Then I stood, looked around once more, then exited the cell. The opening closed behind me. I dropped the wristband into the waiting bin then looked up. Jasmine was watching me.

  "I know. I was slow."

  "It's fine," she said. "We have time."

  "I just." I looked back into the cell.

  "I know," Jasmine said gently. "You don't have to do this, Andromeda."

  "It's still going to happen, and maybe in time I'll have enough influence to make this easier for them."

  "That's the very reason I'm here," Jasmine said. "And you already have that influence."

  I nodded and then pushed the cart to the next.

  It was my third cell that needed clothing. I collected the proper case and carried it in with me. I verified everything, saw to the woman, and left the clothing for her. Back outside the cell, Jasmine said, "Do the clothing first, in case she wakes."

  "Right. Sorry."

  "It's fine. It's very rare they wake up. But I don't like accidents."

  "Right."

  We worked the cells. In our area, there were eight cells on a side, sixteen in one section, then we turned right, and walked to the next corridor to do the next sixteen.

  "And we're done," Jasmine said.

  "What about the others?"

  "Clover and two of the guards handled it."

  "We still have a few women who aren't done here."

  "We rotate through the cell blocks," she said. "We can house 256."

  "That's how I get an entire block to myself."

  "Something like that," she said. I wondered about that, but then she said, "Early breakfast in your cell."

  "And swimming after," I said. "Jasmine, I will do this, but if I may have privacy in the locker room, I would appreciate it."

  She nodded. "I'll see what I can arrange, but please don't be mad if there isn't as much privacy as you might prefer."

  And so I returned to my cell, changing out of the clothes I'd only worn for an hour. Breakfast arrived, and then it was time to leave again.

  I still had clothing privileges, for what they were worth, and so I was only a little self-conscious walking the corridors. I didn't directly encounter anyone, but there were aliens on the catwalks above me, looking down into the cellblock. I wondered what they were looking at. I hadn't seen anyone else in here with me, and they didn't seem to be paying any particular attention to me until I stepped out of my cell.

  I imagine it wasn't common for an unescorted mating candidate to step right out of her own cell.

  I reached the locker room, but at the door, I heard voices. I came to a stop, paused, then stiffened my back and strode in, just in time to see a few feet retreating in the direction of the pool.

  Timing, or perhaps Jasmine. Either way, I appreciated it.

  I grabbed a robe. Yes, I knew I had promised not to wear one, but I needed a moment. I stepped to my locker. Both suits were there. I thought Jasmine would steal them from me, but she hadn't. I couldn't tell if she was watching, but she didn't try to caution me about the robe, either.

  I slipped out of the camisole and undies then pulled the robe on. I closed my locker but then turned around to gaze into the mirror along the wall. I stepped over, leaned against the window, and searched my face.

  It was still unusual for me. I was growing accustomed to wearing the visor, and I barely noticed it most of the time, if I wasn't directly using it. But seeing its reflection reminded me it was there, and reminded me of the alien nature. And so I couldn't stare into my eyes, but I could search my face.

  I didn't need a pep talk, not really. I just... Maybe it shouldn't have been a big deal to me. I'd had to swim naked the first few days. I should be over it, right? But it was a big deal for several reasons, and I couldn't treat it casually.

  Finally I took a breath, held it for a moment, then let it out slowly. I pushed from the mirror, nodded, and said, "Let's do this."

  I walked to the clothing rack, replaced the robe, and then, my head held high, I walked into the pool area.

  Once there, I stopped, looking around. I wouldn't say the pool was full, but it wasn't empty, either, and when I appeared, it took seconds before every pair of eyes turned to face me.

  Well, every pair except Cherish's -- she was at the bottom of the pool and wouldn't realize I had appeared until I dived into the water. But I didn't know she was there any more than she knew I was.

  I scanned the room. No humans. No males. And so I nodded, casually walked to the edge of the pool, paused, and dived in.

  They watched me. They all watched me, although I tried to ignore them. I swam along the surface for two laps, but then I swam over Cherish, and she gestured to me. So on my next turn, I dived, and we swam together for a while, holding hands like we frequently did.

  Then there was a large Wookie body above me, and to the side of Soft Rain, a blue Octal. They swam along the top, and when I surfaced at the end for air, we greeted briefly.

  They swam a few minutes with me, but then they moved away, and they were replaced by others. And there were other aliens who watched from the edge of the pool, or from other places in the water, some above, some below.

  I swam.

  And then at the shallow end I encountered a tentacle or two. I surfaced, and I let Jasmine pull me into a hug. "Thank you," she whispered to me.

  "If that tentacle goes any lower, I'm going to bite."

  She laughed, and the tentacle across my lower back ceased its descent.

  "Swim with me."

  "Catseye are terrified of water deeper than this, Andromeda. I'm going to stay at this end."

  "All right," I said. "I'm doing something that terrifies me, but if you're not that brave, I understand."

  She snuffled. "I see our truce i
s over."

  "Maybe I shouldn't have said that until later. Please don't make this harder for me, Jasmine."

  "I won't. You should go now. But some of them hope to talk to you, and some hope for a much closer look than you're giving them."

  "Chest or somewhere even more intimate?"

  "Probably both."

  "Then tell them to get a medical degree and become gynecologists. I might allow a closer look at my chest, but anyone who pokes her eyes near my nether regions will get them poked out of her skull."

  "Even if it's Dark Skies?"

  "She's seen everything already and wasn't at all rude about it."

  Jasmine released me, and I went back to swimming.

  I'm sure I frustrated them. I refused to hold still. I swam, back and forth, and it was clear only about half of them could swim at all. Finally I sighed and pulled Cherish to the surface.

  "Wish me courage," I whispered into her ear.

  "No one wishes to hurt you -- or even embarrass you, Andromeda. They are only curious."

  "I know."

  I took a breath and held it, and then I turned away from her, standing in the shallow water that reached only to my belly button. I looked around.

  I hadn't noticed, but Cedar was there. Clover was not. But there was a Greenbear, another Wookie, two Ardents, three Catseye I didn't know, and a few other species whose names I hadn't yet learned. Some of them had stopped watching me, but when I turned around and held still, everyone turned to me.

  "Soft Rain, is the other Wookie a friend?"

  "Not directly," Soft Rain said. "Would you like an introduction?"

  "Sure."

  It turned out the Wookie didn't speak English and didn't have an English name. Soft Rain had to translate back and forth. The Wookie spent the entire time staring at my chest.

  "That's just like a man," I said. "They can't take their eyes off them, either." I looked down at my chest. "Really, I don't know what the big deal is."

  Soft Rain rumbled her laughter. Then the other Wookie asked a question, and Soft Rain said, "She wishes to know if you will be in the arena today."

  "Does she hope to win me?" I asked.

  "She isn't sure," Soft Rain translated. "Um. I'm sorry."

  "Sorry for what?"

  "I'm just the translator here."