Sarah bowed as well, feeling slightly awkward. Was this how women were supposed to behave on this planet? Should she be bowing or would it be better to try and do a little curtsy? Not that she knew how to curtsy but still, she would try if someone would only tell her what to do and how to react. She remembered Sazar saying that the Alquons were extremely easily offended and prayed she wouldn’t be the one to do the offending.
I just don’t want to mess this up, she told herself. I don’t want Sazar to be sorry he hired me.
“But who is this you have with you?” Minister Obglod asked, raising his head and peering at Sarah with faded, light blue eyes.
“This is my pair partner, Sarah.” Sazar pulled her to him and put an arm firmly around her shoulders.
“Hello, Minister. I’m very pleased to meet you.” Sarah smiled in what she hoped was a pleasant and non-offensive way.
Unfortunately, she must have said something wrong because the minister was directing a stern and unforgiving frown at her. Oh God, what was wrong? Why was he looking at her that way? Sarah felt her cheeks getting hot.
“What blasphemy is this?” the old man demanded, speaking to Sazar while staring disapprovingly at Sarah. “If this is a female, then why is she dressed as a male?”
“We beg your pardon, Minister Obglod,” Sazar said swiftly, before Sarah could start making excuses. “We had nothing but the vids you sent me to guide us when it came to your methods of dress.”
“Well, she cannot go before The Lord Magnate looking like that,” Obglod exclaimed. “She must be changed into proper female attire.”
“If you have some, I’d be happy to put it on,” Sarah volunteered quickly.
“You cannot put it on yourself—not all of it, anyway,” the minister snapped, clearly annoyed. “You must have the help of your pair partner.”
“Then I will assist her,” Sazar said smoothly. “Please, Minister, if you will just let us know where we can get a proper outfit for Sarah…”
“I know where you can get one but it’s going to throw off the schedule terribly. The Lord Magnate is waiting to see you!” the old man groused. “Still, I suppose there’s no help for it. Come with me. As you are unable to tolerate the ocean, we will descend in the tuve.”
Huffily, he turned and led them towards the end of the long, narrow platform. Sarah now saw that there was a tall metal doorway at the far edge. Was it some kind of elevator? Was that what a tuve was? It seemed to be a word the translation bacteria she’d taken couldn’t quite translate.
“Come,” Sazar murmured, taking her by the hand. “We’d better follow.”
“Do you think I offended him?” Sarah asked in a low, worried voice. “I know you said they’re very easily offended but I don’t see how we could have known how I was supposed to dress by the vids they sent.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He gave her fingers a comforting squeeze. “I’ve been on many diplomatic missions. The only thing you can do is apologize sincerely for whatever blunder you’ve made, correct the situation, and move on. We’ve already apologized and now we’re going to get you changed and then go meet their ruler. All will be well.”
“I hope so,” Sarah murmured back as they reached the tall metal door. “I don’t want to be the reason the whole mission is messed up.”
“You won’t be. Don’t worry. I’ll be here with you every step of the way,” he promised. “And I wouldn’t have brought you with me if I couldn’t protect and guide you.”
Sarah felt a warm rush of gratitude for the big Kindred and squeezed his fingers back. Sazar seemed so calm and collected—so sure of himself. It was comforting to see that her apparent social gaff hadn’t rattled him a bit.
“Thank you,” she whispered and then they reached the metal door.
Minister Obglod snapped his fingers and the thin silvery metal suddenly started folding in on itself. It folded itself smaller and smaller, into concentric patterns of diamonds and squares until it disappeared completely like a magic trick, and the opening of a vast, clear tube was revealed.
“What is that?” Sarah breathed, forgetting she was trying to be quiet and inoffensive. It looked like a dark tunnel that led straight down into blackness.
“The tuve of course,” the old minister said peevishly. “Do your people not have ways of traversing long distances quickly?”
“Well, we have elevators and escalators,” Sarah said. “But—”
“But nothing quite like your tuve,” Sazar finished for her, smoothly. “Would you be kind enough to explain how it works, Minister Obglod?”
“How it works? You get in it and it takes you down,” the old man exclaimed impatiently. “How else would it work?”
“So…we’re supposed to jump in a hole that leads to the bottom of the ocean?” Sarah could feel the fear of deep water crawling up her spine like an icy hand. The waters around the platform seemed shallow and clear—almost as though she could step right off the platform and wade in their warm, tropical depths. But farther out she could see a much deeper blue, shading to black. Clearly there were depths to this ocean—vast trenches where the pale brilliant sunlight never shone and who knew what dark things swam there?
She wasn’t anxious to go jumping into a hole that might lead to a place like that—not a bit.
“My pair partner has, alas, never learned to swim,” Sazar told Minister Obglod who was frowning thunderously at her, his kelpy eyebrows drawn low over his faded eyes. “So it is important for us to know that this tunnel—this tuve—doesn’t lead into deep waters.”
“Cannot swim? You mean she is wholly unable to get around in a wet environment?” Obglod looked at her in apparent surprise.
“It was against her religious beliefs,” Sazar said swiftly. “Her planet is much different from this one. They still have dry land which is not submerged.”
The old minister made a sound like, hmph but his tone gentled a little as he turned to Sarah.
“The tuve leads to our dry facilities—to the famous city of Idd, jewel of our ocean. No harm will come to you there.”
“Our luggage,” Sarah protested, thinking of another problem. “I have a pink carry-all cube and Sazar—”
“I’ll send an attendant to deal with your luggage,” the old man said peevishly. “Now come.”
And with surprising swiftness for such an ancient creature, he jumped nimbly into the dark round opening. With a sound like a huge vacuum cleaner sucking up a large object, he was whisked out of sight, into the long dark tunnel which led only down as far as Sarah could see.
“Oh!” she gasped because it really was a very surprising sight.
“Are you all right?” Sazar asked, frowning with worry.
“I’m fine.” Sarah shook her head. “It’s just…you don’t see a little old man get sucked down a long tube every day of the week. You know?”
A slight smile twitched the corners of his mouth.
“You get used to seeing strange things when you’re a diplomat to other cultures and planets. Although I grant you, this is the most unusual mode of transportation I’ve run across in some time.”
“Do you think it’s safe?” Sarah asked uncertainly.
“I don’t think Minister Obglod would have jumped into it if it wasn’t,” Sazar said gravely. “However, I will go first if it would make you feel better.”
Sarah lifted her chin. “I’m not afraid. I was just…startled, that’s all. I can go first.”
“No.” He frowned. “Your safety is my responsibility. Let me jump and then you follow. All right?”
Sarah wasn’t unwilling to let him persuade her. She didn’t want him to think she was a coward but she wasn’t anxious to be sucked into that long, dark tube either.
“Well, all right,” she said. “But I’m coming right after you. I don’t like the idea of being out here by myself with nobody but the crabs and the fishes. If there are crabs and fishes on this planet.”
“I’m sure there are—or some approxima
tion of them,” Sazar said dryly. “Very well, I’ll go first and you follow directly after.”
He walked nonchalantly to the vast, dark tuve and then, without a hint of fear, stepped over the edge.
Immediately there was the giant sucking sound again and he was gone, whisked away as suddenly and completely as Minister Obglod before him.
Sarah couldn’t give herself time to think—she had to do this now or she wouldn’t do it at all.
Just do it, she told herself grimly. Do it now before you lose your nerve, Sarah!
Taking a deep breath, she ran to the edge, closed her eyes, and jumped.
Chapter Nine
A cool wind seemed to envelope Sarah’s entire body—a wind that felt almost like a hand, pulling her downward on a cushion of air. The sides of the tunnel looked slick but it was hard to tell because she never touched them—she was at all times surrounded by the invisible air shield. Which only made her feel more than ever like she was falling.
Before her parents had joined The Brotherhood, they had taken her to Busch Gardens every summer where the three of them had ridden all the roller coasters together. The breathless rush and the feeling that she’d left her stomach somewhere far behind her reminded Sarah of riding the coasters. It was the sensation she felt while traveling down the tuve.
I wonder how we’ll ever get back up again? she thought as she struggled to control the scream that wanted to rise in her throat. Does the wind suck both ways? It seemed to go on and on, not straight down but making twists and turns and loops and spirals until she was really, really glad it had been a long time since lunch.
The ride ended abruptly when the last few feet of the dark tuve grew suddenly light and dumped her out. She landed on something hard and warm, eliciting a gasp of air and a harsh exclamation.
Sarah blinked in the sudden brilliance, trying to get her bearings but her eyes were still adjusted to the darkness inside the tuve and she felt half blind.
“Here—be careful! Hold still,” a deep, familiar voice ordered as she struggled to sit up. Warm arms like steel bands encircled her and Sarah realized she’d landed directly on Sazar’s big body and was currently pressed right up against him, chest to chest and groin to groin.
“Oh…I’m sorry,” she gasped, trying to get up again.
“Just hold still, I said!” he commanded again. “Let your eyes get adjusted to the light—I think it’s even brighter than outside.”
His own pale eyes were narrowed into a wince and Sarah thought she saw a look of pain cross his face as she stopped struggling and allowed her eyes to adjust to the brilliant illumination around her.
Does the bright light bother him more than me? she wondered, trying not to notice how big and hard and warm he was, pressed against her body. She had a flicker of a thought—something about how vampires can’t stand sunlight. But that was silly, wasn’t it? Just because Sazar drank blood from time to time didn’t make him an actual vampire. Still, he did seem more sensitive to the brilliance than she was—her eyes were already adjusting. Although the harsh light wasn’t very pleasant, she could function.
Looking around, she saw that they had landed on a vast thick purple cushion like a three-foot-thick mattress. It seemed to have a cushy, giving surface something like memory foam. Sazar was lying on his back on it and she was lying on her stomach on top of him.
Oh dear.
Since he had told her twice not to move, Sarah obediently put her head on his broad shoulder and waited until they could disentangle themselves. God, he smelled so good. Spicy and dark and masculine, his scent seemed to fill her senses and she inhaled deeply, wishing she could stay right where she was forever even though part of her was really embarrassed to be pressed so intimately against him.
“Don’t you have any idea of proper tuve travel?” Minister Obglod’s cracked and disapproving voice exclaimed above them, breaking her pleasant fantasy. “You must always, always wait five deep breaths before jumping into a tuve to allow the last passenger before you to clear the landing area. Even the youngest child knows that!”
“Forgive us,” Sazar said, squinting up at the old man. “We are not used to your modes of transportation.”
“Well, come on,” Obglod said impatiently. “We must get your pair partner properly attired before you have your interview with The Lord Magnate. I’ve called for help which will be here shortly.”
Sazar rolled over carefully and for just a moment he was above Sarah and she felt his big body pressing hers into the mattress. There was something hot and hard rubbing between her thighs and she gave a little gasp as she realized it must be his shaft. Had being pressed together so intimately affected him as much as it had her?
“Sorry,” he said roughly. “Here, I’ll get up first and give you a hand.”
He levered himself off her and stood gracefully, then held out a hand to her.
Sarah took it and he pulled her to her feet. Looking around, she noticed the thick purple mattress wasn’t the only one in the room. In fact, there were dozens of mattresses with the ends of tuves poised over them. Was this some kind of hub? Like a bank of elevators in a busy building? Or maybe more like a bus station or an airport hub where many terminals met at the same spot?
Her speculation was cut short when a young woman who looked to be about her own age slid out of a nearby tuve and landed gracefully on one of the thick purple mattresses.
She had pale green skin mottled with blue and purple splotches, just like the males they had seen in the Alquon vids, and her long purple hair was in thick kelp-like ribbons which reached her narrow waist—but that was where the similarities ended.
Her outfit was…well those in The Brotherhood would have called it obscene.
A short, ruffled top ran around the girl’s chest but the ruffle didn’t quite cover her perky breasts. They peaked out from under the bright pink fabric enticingly. They were pale green like the rest of her skin and she had deep purple nipples, Sarah saw. Both were pierced with delicate gold rings and a silver chain ran between them.
Down below, her outfit wasn’t much better. She was wearing a long skirt which started at her hips and brushed the ground at her dainty bare feet which had webbed toes. But there was a wide, triangular slit up the middle which clearly flashed her dark purple mound of curls.
Oh my goodness! Sarah tried not to stare as the girl bounced gracefully up off the mattress and came over with a smile.
“Well Chandra, there you are,” Minister Obglod said querulously. “I was just wondering what was taking you so long. These are Commander Sazar of the Kindred and his pair partner Sarah. As you can see, we have quite a situation.”
He pointed at Sarah who blushed and tried again not to look at the Alquon girl’s goodies, which were completely on display.
“Oh my, yes I see,” the girl named Chandra said, smiling frankly. “Why are you dressed like a male?” she asked Sarah.
“We weren’t sure how females on your planet dressed,” Sazar growled. He was keeping his eyes fixed firmly on the girl’s face, Sarah noticed. He must have iron control not to take a leisurely visual tour of her exposed assets. Sarah was having a hard time not doing it and she wasn’t even attracted to other women!
“Well, come with me,” Chandra said, smiling. “I have access to a good, private clothier in this district. They do all my formal outfits for when I visit the court of the Lord Magnate—I’m sure they’ll be able to help you out.”
“Thank you,” Sarah said, though she really, really hoped she didn’t have to wear something as revealing as Chandra’s outfit. Maybe the formal clothes she was going to be wearing would cover more? Oh God, I hope so!
“You’re very welcome. Hello, Minister.” She walked over to the old man who did something that shocked Sarah even more than Chandra’s outfit.
“You’re late,” he said. Casually he took the silver chain which connected her pierced nipples and tugged it, making her gasp. But not in surprise, evidently because she just smil
ed and kissed him on his wrinkled cheek.
“I’m sorry. Kendro didn’t want to stop making love to me. He gets so cranky when he’s interrupted—he wouldn’t even let me put my panties back on—see?”
She opened the slit in her skirt wider, flashing her pussy as casually as someone else might show off a new pair of shoes. A pair of delicate silver chains which matched the one between her nipples were dangling from between her puffy nether lips which were a dark purple. Was she pierced there too?
“He promised he’d finish filling me later.” Chandra giggled as though it was funny.
Sazar cleared his throat and looked deliberately over the girl’s left shoulder while Sarah also tried to avert her eyes. It was hard though—she’d never seen such a frank display of sexuality.
Minister Obglod, however, seemed to take it in stride.
“Chandra, my dear, I’m glad you were free,” he said. “And tell that pair partner of yours I want to see him soon—we have business to discuss.”
“Of course, Minister.” The girl smiled again and then beckoned to Sarah. “Come on—let’s get you dressed.” Turning, she led the way and now Sarah could see she had a slit up the back of her skirt too which clearly showed most of her pert behind.
Oh please, she thought. Please don’t make me have to wear something like that! I would die of embarrassment.
But of course, she couldn’t ruin the mission just for the sake of her own modesty. Only how was she going to manage if she had to show off her body like that?
Sarah had a very unhappy feeling she was going to find out soon enough.
* * * * *
The females here dressed in a very revealing manner. Sazar did his best not to look out of respect not only for the females in question, but also for Sarah who was supposed to be his pair partner. But as they passed out of the tuve room and into a busy corridor it was difficult not to notice all the flashes of feminine flesh which were visible everywhere around them.
The men were dressed as he was with loose trousers and long, open robes but the females’ outfits were much less modest. Everywhere dark green and purple nipples peaked from under brief tops and skirts were slit to show undergarments or in some cases, like Chandra’s, just bare flesh.
Healing the Broken: A Kindred Christmas Tale (Brides of the Kindred) Page 9