"Zelan and I spoke today. I want to date him and get to know him.” I put my hand up to stop Paris from saying anything. “Slowly. If he is going to the settlement, then I guess I should too. It was actually what I was hoping to do. That place was almost like home. Well, besides the mutant bugs who attacked the place and killed a bunch of people." I scrunched my nose and sighed. The colony really was a great place. If I was never to go home, then this was where I wanted to stay.
“Was it the chocolate chip pancakes that sold you on the place?” Paris started to giggle, and I followed suit.
“Yes, it was. But even meeting people like Clarissa made me feel like that could be home. If things don’t work out with Zelan, at least I will have a place I can fit in. You know what I mean?”
“Yes, I do. It was the kind of place I would like to settle down in as well. Too bad Venay is a ship’s commander. He won’t be able to stay here longer than the five months. But if you stayed here, I would see you twice a year when we made our trips to Earth.” Her smile faltered as she thought about it.
“I couldn’t be with Zelan if he joined you guys on that ship and started abducting people. There’s no way I could support that.” I shook my head.
“Do you think I can support it? Because I can’t. I’m just biding my time for a chance to make a difference and change the status quo." Paris sat up straight and a determined look crossed her face.
“Really, you think you can make a change?” How could she? It wasn’t like she married the V’Zenian President or anything.
“Yes, I do. I may not be able to stop it right away, but I think I could have a hand in who he chooses. Maybe I can get people to volunteer. I was thinking of a way to gather volunteers without telling them it’s for a mission to Mars, so to speak.”
“Hmm, that’s interesting. I bet you could find a lot of volunteers. But you can’t keep it from them. Once they are on the ship, they’ll figure it out, and then you would have a riot on your hands.” I was sure there were quite a few people like Sheila who would jump at a chance to leave the planet and start over on some distant, alien planet, as long as they were treated well.
“Yeah, but if we don’t say anything until after we have vetted them, I’m hopeful that we will get most of them to agree to go. I was thinking we could look for those who had no family and were without a job. Start there since there are so many. Shoot, we could even take a bunch off the streets. I had some friends who might want to go.” Paris probably knew a lot of people who needed a better situation than living on the street.
As I thought more about her situation, I realized this was much better for her, even with all of the dangers and having to deal with slavery. She was safe, much safer than being homeless. And she had someone who truly loved her and was looking out for her.
“Tell me, do you have a plan on how you’re going to do this?” I asked.
“Not exactly. I do still have almost six months before I have to know what I’m going to do. If you come up with some ideas, I’ll be very happy to hear them.”
As I sipped my tea I thought about the situation. “Maybe by the time you guys leave here I’ll have something for you. Do you think I’ll get to see much of you when I go to New Hope?”
She smiled and took another sip before answering. “Yes. I expect we will make regular trips over to see you all. I know they have their own Commander, but Venay really wants to help make sure they have the best defense possible. Since he has seen other outposts, he has some ideas to help them. Maybe you can be on our team? You know, be Venay’s personal assistant when he’s there and handle things for him when he’s gone? That would be a great job for you!”
"I was an accountant before the abduction. Running numbers is my thing. Tax returns on Earth? Sure, I can do that. But helping to run an alien outpost? I don't think that’s in my wheelhouse." I shook my head and drank my tea.
“You have a degree don’t you?”
“Yes, I have a Master’s. But that isn’t going to help me be a personal assistant. The skill set is very different.” I hadn’t been out of college long, less than a year. But I was good at what I had done so far.
“I didn’t mean it was something you learned in college, I just meant that you have the ability to learn. You’re a very smart woman. Believe you can do this, and you can. Something tells me a personal assistant here is very different from one back home. Just because someone on Earth is a PA doesn’t mean that they could do it here. Just like you couldn’t do their taxes for them. It’s a very different kind of job that will require learning new skills. Let’s talk to Clarissa when we get there. I’m sure she can help you figure it all out.” Paris was intelligent. If only she could have gone to college I bet the sky would have been the limit for her.
“Paris, why do you want me to do this job so badly?” I scrunched my eyes, as I looked at her, wondering what was up.
“Because, I trust you to be faithful to Venay. He’s going to need someone to be his eyes and ears and who won’t try to stab him in the back. I think this Captain might be after his job. Plus, I’ll get to see you in a much better environment.” Her eyes narrowed when she mentioned the Captain and I had to agree. He was up to no good.
“That Captain would be crazy to go against the Commander. He would never win. Your Commander is so much stronger and more menacing than the Captain. Plus, I think the men will follow Venay over that idiot any day.” I shook my head and remembered why I always hated politics back home.
“Which is probably why the Captain is after Venay. He’s jealous. When I first met him, I thought he would be a nice, proper gentleman. But he just wanted to make a good first impression. Or maybe to see if there was a way to get between me and Venay.” Paris seemed to be able to read people well. A talent that would come in handy as the mate of a Commander. She was a much better political mate than I ever would be.
The realization that they were meant to be together hit hard. I hadn’t thought much about their strengths and weaknesses, but they really did accent one another. Her strengths will bolster him, and his strengths would serve to help her as well. I was starting to see a perfect match and I wanted what they had … one day.
“You know, I really hoped we had left that petty stuff behind us, there’s a woman in our prison section who wants to get her claws into Zelan too. I guess human nature isn’t just for humans is it?” I shook my head and chuckled thinking about Rachelle and what she was going to do now that we might have some freedom.
Even though I wasn’t ready to mate with Zelan, it didn’t mean that I wanted her to keep going after him. What I needed was another alien to distract her. I wondered if I could get Aysiaer to keep her busy for a while. He was a huge flirt. They might actually make a good couple.
As I sipped my tea, Zelan came in and sat down next to me. “Natalie, have you and Paris discussed moving to New Hope?"
“Yes, I want to go with you although not as your mate. Is that alright?” I reached out and took his hand and watched as his veins pulsed purple before turning a bit red.
He squeezed my hand. “Yes, I think we can arrange that. What type of job were you thinking about trying out for?”
What did red mean? I wanted to ask him that, and I almost did. “Paris thinks I should be Commander Venay’s personal assistant. What do you think?”
His smile grew wide, and his veins went back to a beautiful purple again. “I think that is a great idea. We were just talking, and we agreed to share an assistant. If you got the job, we would work together every day.”
I looked over to Paris who was smiling behind her cup of tea.
“I see. That might be interesting. How would that work if you and I are dating?” I scratched the back of my head and narrowed my eyes at Paris. I bet she knew this already.
Back home, I never would have dated someone in my office, let alone a boss. HR would have put a stop to it if they ever got wind of any sort of romantic entanglement.
“It would be great. We cou
ld spend more time together and get to know each other much better.” He squeezed my hand and I felt a zing from him. Not like if he had scraped his feet along the carpet and it was a static shock, but more of something that started in my stomach from a flutter.
“You don’t have any rules against workplace dating?” I bit my lip not sure how I felt about this new bump.
“No, we don’t normally date our mates. Once we meet our mate, we make plans for the ceremony, and within a couple of weeks, are mated and living together.” He winked at me and I could feel the heat creeping up my neck.
“Do mates work together in your society?” Paris asked.
“Sometimes, I guess when the warrior goes on a long mission, like the trips to Earth, they do take their mate with them. Sometimes the female gets some sort of job on the ship. Everyone contributes in some way. But there are no issues if you happen to work with your mate.” He got up, fixed himself some tea, and came back to our table.
“Would the Commander consider hiring me?” I asked.
Speaking of the devil … he walked in at that point. No doubt he had been listening to our conversation. “Yes, I would. Paris was right. I think it is important to have an assistant who is loyal to me. None of the males who served under the Captain would be as trustworthy as you. Especially since you will most likely mate with Zelan. It is a perfect situation. If you want the job, it is yours.” He grabbed a tea and joined us.
“Great, is everyone trying to force me to marry Zelan?” I pulled my hand back from him and looked at my lap.
“Natalie, I understand your hesitation, however you are in a very different situation than anything you have ever experienced on Earth. If you go to my homeworld and are not mated to one of my men, you will be a slave. There are no settlements on my planet where humans are treated as equals. You would be treated as cattle, and you would not be allowed to roam freely. In fact, Paris would not be allowed to associate with you. Not because I said no, but because your master would not allow it." The commander looked at me with that forceful look of his that always sent the bad kind of shivers down my spine. I rubbed my left arm with my right hand as I thought about what he said.
"What about staying on at the settlement? Is that a possibility?" I straightened my back and looked him in the eye when I asked.
“It could be … but highly doubtful. Once I leave, Commander Croso will take over what I started. He won’t need me, and he won’t need you either.” Venay took a drink of his tea. The aliens didn’t seem to sip, they only guzzled what they drank. The heat must not have been an issue for their mouths.
“I see. So, unless I want to be a slave, I have to mate with Zelan.” I nodded my head as I blew my hair out of my eyes.
“No, it could be another warrior. You will be able to meet a good number of males at the colony. If Zelan isn’t the one for you.”
Zelan started to stir in his chair and the Commander gave him the “look” which caused him to sit still. “I highly suggest you figure out what you want before my new ship arrives.”
I chewed on my bottom lip and wondered if it would be so bad to accept Zelan. Although, I still had five months to figure this out. I wasn't going to worry about it tonight. "Okay, I have some time, so how about I worry about tomorrow first? Will I be able to get my universal translator?"
The Commander smirked. "It's about time you agreed to it. There are some on the planet who don't speak English, so this will make your job much easier." He got up and put his hand out for Paris, who stood up and grabbed it.
“Natalie, I’ll stop by tomorrow after your surgery and see how you’re doing.” Paris walked off with the Commander and left me alone with Zelan.
“Come on, I will take you back to your cell, then tomorrow I will come and get you for the procedure.” I had a lot to think about and he was gracious enough to stay quiet for the walk back.
We walked around a corner and I wasn’t paying attention since I was so focused on everything the Commander and Zelan gave me to think about tonight. I almost walked right into a crate on the ground. Zelan gently picked me up and carried me over the crate and set me down. Ben would have just let me walk into it and hurt myself. Zelan was always looking out for me, even in the small things.
I put my hand on his arm. “Thank you, Zelan. That was very gracious of you.” I smiled and we continued on our way.
Chapter 12
True to his word, first thing in the morning Zelan came to get me. The doctor was ready. He told me I was the first of ten girls who wanted the implant today, and the rest of the week was already filling up fast.
Word spread when I got back last night. I told my cell mates about the possibility of living at the settlement and having actual jobs, not working as slaves. Everyone was very excited and lined up, literally, to get their universal translators.
“Doc, will this hurt?” I was a bit of a baby when it came to needles, and I couldn’t imagine what was going to happen. The doctor explained it to me, but I all I could think of were the needles.
"It will pinch just a little, but after that, you won't feel anything. Even when you wake up you won't be in pain, just a bit groggy." He patted my shoulder like I was a little twelve-year-old. I expected to wake up and find a lollypop waiting for me. Oh, come to think of it, that would be nice.
He was right. I wasn't in any pain. Groggy was a good word for what I felt. At first, everything had this miasma over it. Then I slowly opened and closed my mouth, licking my lips. I blinked a few times to try and remove the haze, but it took a good hour to go away.
“Hi, there! How are you feeling?” Paris came in way too chipper for any patient after surgery and sat in the chair next to my bed. That bed was the most comfortable thing I had been on since this all started. Well, except for that one night with Zelan. Nothing compared to sleeping in his arms.
"Paris, it's so nice of you to come visit. How long do I stay here? Can I arrange to sleep overnight in this bed? It's quite comfortable. Much better than that jail cell.” I almost shivered thinking about going back there, but my body was too relaxed.
“Sorry, they’ll kick you out in a couple of hours. I might be able to get you released to my care, if Venay agrees. We could start working on your new job tomorrow. I think that would be reason enough to have you staying with me.” She smiled at me, which caused me to smile.
Paris really did have a nice smile. I was surprised that no one back on Earth wanted to take care of her after her parents died. She was such a sweet and helpful person. Their loss, and my gain.
“Sounds good to me. Anything to get out of that cell. When are we leaving?” If we could go in the next few days, it would mean a much better life for everyone.
Paris pointed to a flower on the table next to my bed. “Did Zelan leave that for you?”
I turned my head. “I don’t know. You’re the first person I’ve seen since the surgery. I don’t know who else would do it.” It was a pretty flower. Reminded me of a hibiscus.
“I bet it was him. Venay said that Zelan was on duty this afternoon until later on tonight. I bet he came by and visited you while you were still out of it.” She smiled at me with that knowing smile of hers.
“Well, if he did, that was nice of him.” Inwardly, I sighed. I didn’t want Paris to know how much I appreciated the flower. There was no need to give Zelan any ideas of what might melt my heart.
“Alright, I’m gonna try to talk Venay into transporting all of the people who have implants already. Maybe as early as tomorrow. He has to coordinate with the settlement leaders. There are a lot of logistics that need to be figured out. Like, where will everyone sleep? Aysiaer came by today and picked up a load of warriors to take back. Those guys will get apartments. But the humans will most likely have to live in the old barracks until more apartments are constructed.” Paris seemed to know a lot about what was going on. Did Venay tell her everything, or just what he thought she needed to know?
“Oh, I guess I didn’t think about li
ving arrangements. Does that mean I’ll be sharing a room with a bunch of women again?” I chuckled. “At least there won’t be bars, and I’ll have a bed instead of the floor. That’s something, right?” I held up a hand. “Wait, there won’t be bars, will there?”
“Yes, it will be much better. And no to the bars. Zelan is getting a nice, big apartment since he’s a Captain now. Maybe you can visit him often, even when he isn’t home.” She smirked at me, and I sighed. She wasn’t going to give up on this subject.
“Whatever. You know pushing me isn’t going to work. I’ll move in with him when I am good and ready, not a moment before.” I really wished everyone would stop trying to force me into marrying, or mating, with Zelan. It was just like back home. Why can’t I choose who I want to be with instead of always being told who I have to be with?
“You two just make a cute couple. That’s all.” She held her hands up as I tried to give her the evil eye. “Okay, I won’t push.”
Sadly, my attempt to scrunch my nose and eyebrows at her felt more like a drunken expression, thanks to the meds they had me on. “Fine, let’s move on. When can I get out of here? If I’m going to your place, I would like to leave soon.”
“The nurse has to come by and make sure your implant is working properly and then you should be able to leave. I can go see if she’s available if you like?” Paris stood up to leave.
"Yes, thanks, Paris."
It took another hour for the nurse to show up, but as soon as she was done, I was let loose. And I do mean loose! Once we made it back to her quarters the Commander told me I had free run of the ship now. I felt so good to be told I was no longer a slave.
“Paris, what should we do now? I want to run all over this place and shout from every corner that I’m free.” I laughed and did a little twirl. I’ll admit, that was pretty childish, but a week in those cells will change a person.
“First off, calm down. Secondly, I think we should have a movie night in the mess hall. They have a TV there that we can use to watch some of the Earth movies Venay loaded up for me. We can also make popcorn and invite a bunch of the warriors to join us. It would be a great time for you to meet some more of the guys who will be joining you at New Hope.” She winked and I knew she wasn’t going to stop until I was mated with someone, even if it wasn’t Zelan.
Worlds Collide Page 10