CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

 

 

- Hannah

TWO WEEKS LATER

There wasn’t anything we discussed that prepared me for this!

“Where is Bren?” The large alien guarding the door looks at me impassively. He’s about six feet tall and doesn’t say a word, just drops his eyes back to my feet.

The door he’s guarding opens and closes swiftly as an older female alien enters. The biggest shock and why I’m taking a step back even now, is how big these women are. I thought Bren is big—Brock is big. But the females are bigger. Not a lot bigger than Brock, but remember he’s got to be seven feet tall. It was hard to see that scale on a video monitor display. So, it’s starting to make more sense why the women run the planet. It’s very similar to how men do on Earth. Might makes right and all that happy horse shit. It’s not that men don’t have rights or aren’t considered equal. It’s just equal in their own way. Not that there aren’t exceptions to the rules but in general, that’s the way it is.

“Now, my dear, he’s been instructed not to speak with you.” Despite their generous size, they still are beautiful. The size they are is proportional and except for their hair and somewhat different features, they aren’t that different looking from humans. Long flowing robes float around her as she moves around me and back to the seating area. “We will be convening here shortly to finalize and make public your good news, but until then—let’s talk.”

Letting out a pent up, frustrated breath as I sink into the chair across from her, I try to relax. Sure, I spent hour after hour with Travek, Bren, Atticus, and Brock, running over what they envisioned would happen when we arrived. I think about how it almost killed Bren to let me interact with Travek for the long hours it took to run through all my questions. Even with him there the whole time, there was a permanent snarl on his lips.

Kind of endearing in a weird—you have it bad—way.

Travek was an invaluable source of information though. I learned a lot from him. One of the reasons he knows more than most and seems to get away with a lot, is he is part of the ruling family of the planet. Typical. It seems they really aren’t that much different than Earth. His mom has a dozen kids, three quarters of them male, so even though they expect him to sow his wild oats, they don’t want him to end up dead. He’s one of the main smugglers of the non-mainstream and outlawed items that end up in their cities. A profession inherited from an uncle. And it’s all very well known.

Even though I don’t agree with his newest plan to start importing women from Earth, he swears he will only grab the ones with mates. When I asked how he planned to make sure of that, he said he doesn’t have that figured out yet.

Right. But focusing on the here and now, there’s no way we could have seen this coming. We were still planning to have the element of surprise. Either they definitely knew a mating had occurred because they had a spy on board or they had plans either way, whether it had happened or not. I don’t know who I’m kidding anyways. These are fucking advanced alien civilizations. Their surveillance systems are probably so advanced, I wouldn’t even comprehend them.

It doesn’t matter at this point. And this isn’t necessarily bad. This is hopefully the result where we wanted to end up—in front of the council.

“I’m Marquel Sune of the Sune Lineage, one of three head council members that have multiple divisions under my ruling and I’ve been appointed to just ask a few questions before we head out in front of everyone.”

Yes! This was exactly what we wanted. I’m sitting with the head of the historian and religious sects. This is very, very good.

“Certainly. What are your questions?” I’m genuinely curious too. What’s the council going to ask me? I’m the first Earth representative they have run across. This should be interesting.

“Do humans on Earth, that is the correct terminology of your species and what you call yourselves?” I nod at her polite pause. “Do humans on Earth have mates?” She doesn’t have gray in her hair. I think the only thing that made me feel she’s older are the faint lines around her eyes and on her forehead. They’re accentuated as she raises her eyebrows with her question.

“We do commit to life partners in most cultures on the planet, but it isn’t a biological match and commitment like what has occurred with Bren and me. We meet someone, spend time with them and then make a commitment. Sometimes in front of others. The ceremony is called marriage.”

“Interesting.” Her head cocks as she seems to scrutinize me.

What does that mean? Her clear, only lightly lined skin furrows again as she asks her next question. “How did you know that Bren was your mate?”

“When I noticed the tattoos…uh, markings. You know? I’m just starting to realize and separate out when I feel my emotions compared to his.” I bring my hand unconsciously to my chest, palm over my heart.

“So you didn’t know before you met? No dreams or premonitions before your initial meeting?” She seems honestly interested. I hope that I’m not making a mistake by answering these questions but they do seem harmless. None of these things can change. They happened.

“No. I’m not sure if it would be that way for everyone on Earth but most humans don’t have much ESP. That’s what we call extra sensory perception.” I put both my hands over my heart. “I can feel Bren’s worry. Where is he?”

“Just in another room being questioned like you.” She waves her hand casually. “This is all very standard when a mating is discovered.”

Perfect opportunity. “Yes. Bren mentioned that I could request the full history and all laws surrounding and pertaining to mating. I’d like to get access to that and understand better this new culture I’ve been welcomed into.” I smile sweetly. A very rehearsed line and smile but it seems to have pleased her.

“Certainly. Certainly.” She nods. “After the confirmation ceremony, we can get that to you.” Standing, her flowing robes drop to the floor. “If you will follow me, we can go and head into the amphitheater.”

Finally! I know it’s only been a little while but Bren’s face when we were separated is still on my mind. He fought, and I yelled out all the rehearsed phrases that were supposed to keep him by my side. But I was quickly cut off by three council representatives who assured me this was very temporary and only until everyone was assembled to make our mating formal and complete.

They apologized of course, but also said it was totally normal and I remembered that this whole assembly was our end goal. So, here I am again. Following another robed figure through humongous halls, decorated with full height painting on the walls in fresco style artwork of the aliens. They look so similar to humans. The significant difference being the size and their hair.

Marquel Sune’s hair is artfully wound up on top of her head. The only comparison for the height and style that comes to mind is Barbie! No human woman would ever have that much hair, even if she grew it to her ankles. They also all appear to have darker skin and hair tones. If they have blond-haired people or red heads, I haven’t seen any yet.

Following her through doors, slowly opened by guards clad in gauzy material, it’s hard not to stare. I can easily see their junk and I feel the demeaning reverse gender roles in full force. None of them are wearing shirts, except a few seem to have a sash of some sort. Their pants, if they can be called that when you can see right through them, are high waisted with a thick band around their middle and the sheer material stops about six inches from the floor. Like floods. This makes me want to giggle but I’m sure it is highly inappropriate. It’s just the stress.

Of course, no one compares to Bren, which makes me start worrying about him all over again.

I’m led out onto a stage that opens up into an amphitheater, the size I’ve never seen before. It’s huge! I’ve been to concerts in stadiums and this is a lot bigger. What look like tiny drones, the size of a hummingbird, buzz around coming within ten feet or so, silently zooming in and out.

“As you can see, this is an excessively big event. Please sit. Bren will be here shortly.” She sits as if to show me how, waving her hand to the seat next to her. Even as she led me out onto the stage, I could still see people moving in and out of the seating but it’s eerily quiet. I only hear my own ragged breathing and the fine shuffle of her robe material. Lowering myself into the chair she gestured to, it takes me a minute to realize there is some kind of a barrier between me and the audience.

“No one can see you until the event starts, but don’t be fooled. Some of the more sophisticated drones can pierce the shielding and what happens here on stage will eventually come out. Technology, you know?” She grimaces and settles back with a placid look on her face.

I laugh sounding like a hyena to even my own ears. My nerves are wound tight and I can’t believe how many people are out there! It’s a zoo already and more seem to keep filing in. I don’t know how they will all fit.

“There he comes.” Following where she is looking, I look to the right and see Bren being led out from the other side of the stage by three other males with one female. He’s been changed into what I think of as a male costume. It’s a pale blue and he looks fucking great except everyone can see his—no my cock! The same barrier that divides me from the audience, keeps us apart.

“Can he see me? Like I can see him.” I’m automatically waving but he isn’t responding.

“No, not yet. One of the mating tests will be him identifying where you are in this theater.”

What? “One of the tests?” I try to keep me voice light as I start to panic. From the way Bren is frantically starting to look around, I know I need to cool it. He obviously has a much better handle on feeling which emotions are his versus mine. He can feel my distress. I knew I should have worked on that more!

“Yes. Relax. It’s all very standard. More for show really. And it’s best to make sure everyone believes this actually occurred. You are an anomaly. And different. This is the best way to make sure you are accepted long term into our society.”

Fucking hell. As if I give a shit about that. What I’m more worried about is failing. It’s no secret that I don’t have a handle on the whole mating thing like Bren does. What happens if I fail?

What would happen to both of us?