by Beth Sadler
Chapter 3
Two hours later Teril and Tasha were looking out through the restaurant window into the medieval square of Old Town. A queue of open, horse-drawn carriages, patiently waited to take romantic minded passengers on a ride around the city. As the sun started to set on the cobblestones and historic weathered stone buildings, Tasha wondered what surprises she was in store for. She could see that Teril was working his way up to a difficult subject if the discomfort he was showing was anything to go by. He hadn’t stopped squirming for the last five minutes.
Their order had been taken and they now had time to talk. Teril started to sweat at the revelations he had to make. Hail Hera, how was he going to explain everything so that she would still talk to him when all was revealed?
“Tasha, I ask for your help,” he began. “I must all descendents of your French ancestor find. A bonding to your female relative in nineteen fourteen with man of my country not registers. Now descendents of union maybe develop unusual abilities, need help.” He gulped a quick breath and rushed on. “One such, Jenna, can read minds and understand our language. You too have secret, yes?” Tasha admired Teril’s effort to explain with his poor English but, that didn’t stop her from wanting answers.
“If you want my help you need to answer my questions first. So, how come you know so much about me and where do you come from? That should do for starters.” Propping her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands she stared determinedly into his desperate eyes and waited, she would wait all night if that’s what it took to get an answer; hunk or no hunk.
“Please, you not panic. I come from Teeron, a planet in this galaxy. We all human but, separated thousands of years ago. Not know how, maybe by space travel we think. Today, my team partner, Triena stopped bus with tractor beam. Transporter ship is cloaked, I use to follow you.” Teril waited for the shock and fear to show on her face. What was he going to do when she started screaming?
Tasha studied Teril carefully. Yep, he was serious. Well, if that didn’t beat all. It certainly answerd a few questions about her visions and her other little secret. It seemed like now was the time to reveal the other ability only her brother knew of. She didn’t feel any fear, only a deep curiosity and an overwhelming attraction to this gorgeous alien. But, what the hell! If what he said was true then she was part alien too. Hot damn! She was falling for a Martian--- well, technically a Teeronite but, why get picky?
“OK Teril, I get the picture. You’ve been sent to help and you need me to tell you where all my living relatives are and the special skills we have. Is that right?”
Teril, nodded in agreement too stunned by her easy acceptance of what he’d said to actually attempt speech. “I think now might be a good time to let you in on my other ability. I can speak and understand any language after listening to it for a couple of hours or so. That’s why I translate books for a living.”
Teril felt a relief so great he felt like he was floating. Hail Hera, she wasn’t afraid of him. His smile grew wider and wider until he roared with uncontrollable laughter. People turned around in their seats to see what was so funny then, turned back in confusion. Tasha hid a smile as she thought of how stunned they’d be, if knew they’d seen a blue eyed alien enjoying the moment. Deciding to take control of the immediate problem Tasha took his hand in both of hers and squeezed to get his attention.
“Hey, calm down. Our immediate problem is your lousy language skills so, dig into your backpack and find a book, disc, whatever you have with you and read out loud for the next couple of hours, so that I can get a handle on your Teeron language.”
“Our language is Teeronal, I have device you place in ear. It will narrate our customs and laws. You learn too.” Teril smiled happily as he bent to dig in his backpack coming up with a small bud-like device. “Please, place in ear and bang.” Tasha figured he meant tap, no way was she bashing her head in for him. Following his instructions she settled back into her chair and prepared to be educated.
Dinner was brought and eaten in silence as Tasha concentrated on her task. Halfway through dessert she started to smile and then to blush in embarrassment. Teril took note and figured she was at the mating chapter of the report.
“I think you no need listen to that chapter, same as Earth.”
“Shush, I’m concentrating.”
Teril was halfway through saying he was sorry when he realised that she had spoken to him in perfect, accent-less Teeronal. He gave a huge sigh of relief. Soon he would be able to talk to his love in a language they both understood. Then he could start courting her seriously.
Tasha came to the end of her meal at the same time as she came to the end of the recorded information. She sat bemused by what she had learned and also by the speed she had learned it in. It was only a little over an hour since the recording started and she already felt fairly fluent in the spoken word and her comprehension was close to eighty five percent. This language was definitely not new to her inherited memory; time to practice what she had learned on Teril.
“I need clarification on some points but, basically I understand that we of Earth and Teeron are all human but, separated by some far distant event?
Hail Hera, her Teeronal was perfect. “Yes that is correct. We think by space travel or some kind of disaster on a third, as yet undiscovered planet.”
“You are only one race, is that correct?”
“Yes we are a planet roughly the size of Earth. We have two suns but, other than that our planet strongly resembles Earth. We have no pollution, of which we are very proud, and only one race of only a few million people. We all have dark hair, blue eyes and are well over six foot in height, including our women. A woman less than six- foot is considered short on Teeron.” Teril smiled happily as he answered her eager questions.
Tasha’s mind was whirling with new thoughts.
“What of your bonding social order, I didn’t quite understand that?”
“We Teeronites always fall in love immediately and forever. There is a warmth and tingle that starts in out right hand and travels quickly up the arm then spreads over the chest to the rest of the body. It’s a wonderful feeling, a great homecoming of two souls. Between Teeronites the feeling is mutual, we are drawn to clasp hands and immediately understand what has happened. However, between Earthlings and Teeronites we have found that the feeling takes time to grow on the Earthling side. But, so far the love has grown quickly in these bondings.” Teril looked hopefully into Tasha’s face, hoping to see a spark of love forming.
“What exactly are the bondings and life-mates?”
“A bonding is what I’ve just described. No Teeronite would take a life-mate without this bond being present as it would be a very unhappy union. And, a life-mate is the equivalent to an Earthling spouse, a marriage if you will.”
He smiled smugly to himself. He would not be alone now that he had found Tasha. Of course he still had to court her, but he would get to work on that project soon.
“Some life-mate ceremonies were tried in the old days for reasons of finance etc. but, they always led to tragedy. So now, if a Teeronite fails to find his life-mate he or she stays single and devotes their life to their work.” He finished explaining.
Tasha took in his happy smile and felt a deep depression. He certainly didn’t look like a man who was contemplating a lonely old age, ergo; he must have a life-mate, time to change this depressing subject.
“What do we do next, how can I help?”
“We’ll continue on your journey as you planned then, when we reach Paris we’ll try and find all the information available on your ancestor’s bonding. I’m hoping that your gifts will be able to help me.” He gave her an apologetic look as he continued. “I must leave you at each border crossing as I can’t produce a passport or documentation for every country. It’s easier for me to use the transporter to cross the borders and meet you on the other side.”
Reaching across the table he took both of her hands and gently squeezed them. “
I wish it was possible for me to take you on the transporter to Paris and then on home to Australia, but we must follow your basic plan so as not to attract the attention of the authorities. My mission must remain secret for obvious reasons.”
“Hey, no problem, I understand the need for secrecy, after all, I’ve been keeping my own secrets for most of my life.” Teril sighed in relief at her understanding.
“You’re amazing my love. Now, however, it is time to return to the hostel, you need to rest for your sightseeing. Tomorrow, we must proceed as ordinary tourists. Rising from his seat he failed to notice her jaw drop and her eyes glaze over. Coming to her senses seconds later, Tasha quickly scrambled out of her chair and with Teril’s hand clasping hers left the restaurant for the walk back to the hostel.
My Love, echoed endlessly, tantalisingly in Tasha’s head all night long.
