Married to the Alien Doctor: Renascence Alliance Series Book 2

by Alma Nilsson

  “I’m not despairing,” Dru replied.

  “No, I don’t think you are when you are working on learning about Alliance culture or something that you can justify that you must do. Now you have no justification for enjoying yourself here and you are despairing over it. This isn’t a black and white situation. Just because we are enjoying ourselves now and I want to have a picture of this moment doesn’t mean that I have given up on leaving or on the people I left behind.”

  “I don’t want people to find this picture after we are rescued and think that we are spies or traitors to our own people. We should be doing only what we have to do.”

  Jane was old enough to know that that wasn’t all that was bothering James, “And just sulk the rest of the time? That’s unnecessary. And it’s not wise to dwell on the what ifs. We should just do what moves us forward here, with the situation as we see it from our perspective now. What we learn now will make us more ready for whatever happens in the future, whether it be returning to Earth or remaining on the Capital Planet or joining the Alliance military. The worst thing we could do would be to remain stagnant or become depressed. We must maintain our morale. So, we are here, in our Alliance clothes having a little fun, a little reprieve from thinking about our situations for the moment, right James?”

  Dru gave her a half smile that didn’t reach her eyes, “Right.”

  Jane squeezed James’s hand, “Let’s talk later.” Jane worried about her the most. She was all over the place emotionally. She was by far the cleverest of them all and took to learning all the prayers, social codes of the Alliance fervently, but then in social situations like this, she was apathetic at best. Jane didn’t know how to reach her. Speaking to the other women, she had discovered that James had never had a boyfriend and almost seemed afraid of men. Jane felt that James’s issues were more about what was expected of them as women than their citizenship or political situation. However, when she tried to have private conversations with James, she was brushed off, once it turned personal.

  The next day, the Day, reported that the human government did not consider the women from the Dakota to be prisoners of war, but to have given up their fleet positions and human citizenships to pursue a life in the Alliance Empire. Everyone was in despair when they read that. Even more troubling was that their captain was to be put on trial for treason on Earth in a few days’ time. The Alliance was on Earth now for war reparations. None of the women thought it boded well though that Admiral Tir, Captain Rainer’s husband led the envoy. They knew he was powerful, and he wanted their captain, his wife, back. And they knew that whatever happened to their captain would influence their own futures too. The next days would be anxious ones and already many of the women had given up hope of ever being rescued after seeing the article.

  Dru was alone the next evening after dinner in the great fire room. She was flipping through articles from her IC over the circular fire. She was trying not to think about what was happening on Earth. Everyone else was out with a man they had met at the Assembly. Dru wondered, Why did no one like me? What will I do if no one wants to marry me? She had looked up the punishment for being an unmarried woman and it wasn’t pretty. If she could not find someone for herself the High Council would arrange a match. If no man would have her then, she would be forced into a kind of convent where she would be punished physically daily. So, she was here waiting for anyone to return to pick up any tips on meeting an Alliance man.

  She was surprised that Rebecca was the first to return. She walked into the great fire room, “Dru, are you alone? What are you doing?”

  Dru gave her a half smile, “Nothing. How was your date?”

  “Oh, you know,” she said sitting down, her golden eyes bright with excitement, “I never thought I would like an alien man, but Kole is so tender and thoughtful. Tonight, he asked me to marry him.”

  “But you’ve only known him for a couple of weeks, marriage is forever.”

  “I know, but it just seems like the right thing to do. He is perfect for me, good-looking, sweet and he meets all the ranking requirements. He has a small house and if this is going to be our fate, I figure I might as well get on with it and go with him.”

  “You don’t want to wait and see what happens with our captain’s trial? Maybe we can go home.”

  “I don’t think we are going home. I don’t have much faith in our government rescuing us. I believe the Alliance when they say we are here for the rest of our lives,” Rebecca said adamantly. “So, I might as well marry someone nice.”

  “I suppose you’re right. I don’t think we are going to be rescued, but I wouldn’t make any hasty decisions before we know for sure.”

  Rebecca looked at Dru and felt badly for her that all the Alliance men seemed to be repulsed by her appearance. None of the other human women could figure out why. She had even asked Kole about it, but he just shook his head and changed the subject. Rebecca didn’t want to point out that Dru would probably never marry so she said, “But don’t you want to go to the medical school here? I’m sure you’d love to learn about their medicine with all their technology. Maybe someday you could bring some of that to Earth? Since we are all genetically the same.”

  “Maybe,” Dru replied and then asked, “You’re really going to marry an alien? Do you love him?”

  “Love or lust,” she smiled, “I don’t know, but maybe I do love him. And I miss my family back home. I want to be able to talk to them and my friends. I can’t do that unless I am married with a child. And Kole will treat me well. I figure they will all be able to visit in about a year and a half, if we move fast.”

  “So, you said ‘yes’?” Dru still couldn’t believe what Rebecca was telling her.

  “I did.”

  “When will you get married?”

  “As soon as possible. I have to talk to Jane about it obviously, but I can’t imagine her saying ‘no’. She already looked over everything about Kole before we began courting.”

  Dru looked at Rebecca in disbelief.

  “Don’t look so shocked. I didn’t have a boyfriend or anything at home.”

  “And if we are rescued will you stay here?” Dru asked.

  “I don’t know. I figure Captain has something worked out. She is married too.”

  Dru thought that was one thing she could agree with Rebecca about; the Captain would have a plan. But she didn’t want to point out that the fact the Captain was willfully married to Admiral Tir might seal all of their fates to not be rescued.

  “I guess, I should say, ‘congratulations’,” Dru smiled.

  “Thanks. I’m really happy,” Rebecca said without too much enthusiasm.

  Dru just gave her a look.

  “I mean, I’m waiting for the really happy part to happen. I know it’s coming.”

  Dru just nodded in understanding, “I’m sure it is.” Then she rose and said, “I’m tired and I’m going to bed. Good night.”

  Rebecca remained on the sofa, “Good night. I think I am going to stay up and wait for Jane.”

  Dru walked back up to her room wondering, Will I just live here all alone until I’m forced to move to the gods’ convent and be whipped every day?

  A Choice to Remain

  All of the women from the Dakota sat on the black sofas in the drawing room around the fire to watch the clips from Captain Rainer’s trial on Earth. No one spoke as the beautiful Alliance woman reading the news unemotionally reported, “Over the last week, Admiral Tir has led the diplomatic mission to Earth, located in the Orion Arm of the galaxy, to collect war reparations and ask if any human females of acceptable health and age would like to return to the Alliance Empire with him to be granted Alliance citizenship. In a surprise, Admiral Tir’s new wife had been abducted from his ship, two weeks ago and then accused of espionage by her own people. Admiral Tir had no choice but to offer a million UC, 50 model 15 laser weapons, 20 eternal batteries and two Alpha starships for her return. However, in a stroke of luck, many human females were
moved by his actions and not only is he returning with his wife who is expecting their first child, but 1,000 more human women. Thanks be to the gods as they shine their light upon us today.”

  They all watched the clip three more times just to makes sure they had heard it all correctly. Now it was definite, they knew that they were never going to be rescued. Not only was their government not going to attempt to liberate them, they had just sold their captain and 1,000 more human women to the Alliance Empire.

  Dru thought the Alliance was archaic for practicing marriage rites, but she didn’t even know what to call her own government right now. They had just been sold like slaves. And 1,000 more women coming to the Alliance in the deal. All sold. Dru went back to her room without saying anything and went into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet. She looked at the vomit for a minute wondering what she was going to do now. She flushed the toilet, stood up, took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror, “This is your future, forget Earth, they have given up on you so you should give up on them.” She splashed some water on her face and made sure she did not look like she had been crying and went to sit at her desk. Before she could open her own computer to watch the news clip again, there was a knock at her door. She thought it must be one of the other women, so she just said, “Come on,” and was surprised to see one of the slaves walk in holding a small parcel. The slaves usually didn’t even knock these days, they just burst in. She thought, They must feel some pity for us today, being sold by our government.

  “This just came for you, Drusilla.”

  “Who is it from?”

  “No one knows.”

  “Should I open it?”

  The slave just looked at her in disbelief as they often did, and she realized she had said something stupid.

  “Do you think it is dangerous?”

  “No, I think it’s jewelry from a man. A suitor.”

  “Oh,” she said surprised and a bit excited by the prospect of a man taking an interest in her. Any man. Especially now that she was here for the foreseeable future. She took the package, but before Dru could ask any more questions, the slave was gone. Dru looked at the parcel. It was wrapped in black shiny paper. She unwrapped it. Inside was a black wooden box with a silver clasp. Inside was a striking silver necklace. It was a beautiful silver, single-strand necklace with 28 blue-rounded stones completed by silver engravings of some kind of Alliance mythological beasts on the large clasp at the back. The necklace looked gorgeous with her plain dress as she took it out of the box and held it up to herself in the mirror. She put it back then and picked up the black card with a silver script note.

  Drusilla,

  I hope that you find this pleasing enough to wear often.

  She flipped the card over and looked for a name. She couldn’t find one. Dru then went to her computer and opened her messages, but before she could message Madame Bai and question her about the parcel and what she should do, she saw she and the rest of the women had received a message from Captain Rainer. Her hands shook as she touched the written message to open it.

  Sisters of the Dakota,

  Plans have changed. I am on my way back to the Capital Planet to get you. We will now serve in the Alliance Fleet. I hope you are all still with me. I will come to your building in a weeks’ time. Be ready.

  Captain Kara

  Dru didn’t know how she felt about this. Her first choice would, of course, to be to go home to Earth, but that was no longer an option. Was it better to serve with Captain Rainer in the Alliance fleet or learn about Alliance medicine on the planet? She had already been told that she could start attending classes soon by Madame Bai and Doctor Jina. She decided that she would decide in the week as Captain Rainer traveled to them. Dru suspected that all the other women would join their captain with great enthusiasm.

  Dru VMed Madame Bai in real time then.

  “I’m assuming you saw the news about your captain’s trial?” Madame Bai said sympathetically.

  Dru nodded.

  “I just want to reiterate, as painful as this might be for you, that your government sold your captain and you all. We are your future.”

  Dru nodded again, of course, Madame Bai was never one to sugarcoat anything.

  “I understand this must be truly upsetting for you all to know that now you really are here forever, but if I can give you some good news? Admiral Tir has pushed for you all to be back on a starship. Apparently, he adores his wife so much he cannot deny her anything. The law is going to be passed by the High Council within days and then you all will start being trained as Alliance officers, that is, if you want to be back on a starship? However, you, Drusilla, still have your place at the medical school. You can start anytime from next week. I assume that is why you are calling? The choice will be yours. For the other women, returning to the fleet will be the only option for them to have reasonably successful lives. As unorthodox as it is for women to be on starships and as much as I disagree with it, I think it will be the best for them.”

  “I understand,” she could not think of a better way to punish the human government for this than by serving with the Alliance fleet. “I’ve another reason for calling though,” she held up the black box and the necklace. “I received this today with no mention of who sent it. I think this is the second present I have received. Some weeks ago, I was sent a black comb, I thought it was from you and you gave one to each of us. But when I began to ask around, I realized I was the only one. How do I find out who sent these things to me? I thought only men who were courting me could give me jewelry or gifts.”

  “Oh, dear Drusilla, someone has put a ban on you. Didn’t I tell you? It’s been on you for a long time now.”

  “What does that mean? No, you never told me. I don’t understand.”

  “It means that someone has paid a lot of universal credits to make sure that no other man that is lower-ranking than he is can court you or even converse with you while the ban is running.”

  “When did this begin? How do I find out who it is? Why would someone do that?” Dru was in complete shock. How medieval was this civilization?

  “Women are not privy to the details of bans until they are over and revealed to both sexes. I would speculate that the ban was put on very early and will probably last until you are old enough to be properly courted or longer. I would also guess that whoever did it is very high ranking as no men have spoken to you at all since you arrived, have they?”

  “No,” tears began to fall, and relief overwhelmed her. She wasn’t as revolting as she had imagined, “I was beginning to think that everyone was horrorstruck by the sight of me, because of my red hair.” Dru wiped at the tears, “I’m overwhelmed.” She began crying in earnest then and could barely speak, “Captain Kara’s trial and now you tell me about the ban.”

  “This is obviously a lot to take in. I apologize for not mentioning the ban earlier. I thought you knew. Do you want me to come there so I can discuss all of your options face-to-face and we can talk about all of this?”

  Dru shook her head, “No, tomorrow is fine.”

  “Are you sure? I’m worried,” she said with a concerned look. Madame Bai didn’t like that Drusilla was crying and she didn’t understand why she was not happy to learn someone high ranking put a ban on her. She felt it was her responsibility to make her understand what a good thing this was.

  “I’m fine. I’m just in shock,” she took a minute and composed herself, then she looked down at the necklace again and asked, “Do I wear this even though I don’t know who gave it to me?”

  “Yes, as you don’t know who the giver is it cannot be taken as a token of his affection. This is more a token to your beauty as you have never met. There are no strings attached.”

  “Would you wear it if you were me?”

  “Yes. Absolutely. It’s a beautiful piece. You should definitely wear it.”

  “With my day dresses? And with my ID necklace?”

  “Yes,” Madame Bai hesitated an
d then asked, “And, if I can offer one more piece of advice?”

  “What is it?” she asked quietly.

  “Let our culture in and silently let Earth go,” said Madame Bai gently.

  Dru knew that Madame Bai was right. She needed to let Earth go, just as she had let the Exterior go four years before. But knowing what needed to be done and allowing her heart to catch up were two different things. Dru knew very well that emotions didn’t respond well to logic. “I’ll wait to hear what Captain Kara has to say before accepting my place at the medical school.” She knew if she decided not to go with the Captain, she was really making the choice to stay in the Alliance and really become one of them.

  “Of course,” said Madame Bai. “I’ll see you tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll send you a list of the men who are the most likely to have put the ban on you, if you would like?”

  Dru agreed and then closed her computer. She didn’t want to think about anything anymore. She went into her bathroom, had a long hot shower and then went to bed even though it was still early. She closed her shades for the first time since she had arrived and slept in complete darkness. Hoping that the darkness would also stop her mind and heart from fighting with each other about what her next move should be. To stay or go.

  Captain Kara arrived the next week as promised. They all met in the great fire room. Dru was surprised that their captain was now wearing a black Alliance fleet uniform with her husband’s family name around her neck and there was no question about whether he was imperial or not or whether or not he was the current Emperor’s successor. It was all right there in front of them on her ranking jewelry. That and the slight bump in her normally slender figure of a pregnancy.