by Karen Kelley
“I won’t let them erase my memory of you,” he said. “And who the hell would I talk to about Nerak? If I did, they’d cart me off to the state hospital. Believe me, I have no desire to walk halls drooling and wearing a short white gown.”
She had no idea what a state hospital was, but Sam wore a fierce frown and looked ready to do battle. She had a feeling the Elders didn’t know what they were up against when it came to Sam. She knew he could be quite stubborn.
“I know you would have no one to tell our secrets to, but they don’t trust you with the information. You’ll have to give them a reason to believe in you.” She approached the door to the Elder’s dwelling and waved her hand, then bowed as the door silently opened.
“Enter,” Rabare commanded in her soft voice.
They stepped inside. Lara looked up, noting Rabare was the only Elder in the room. Maybe she’d be able to convince her that Sam wished them no harm.
“I have never seen a man before,” Rabare said. She stepped closer, walking around him, then stopped in front. “Is this the way Earthmen clothe themselves?”
“The princess zapped me. When I came back, my clothes were gone. So no, this isn’t the way we dress.”
Not good. Sam looked quite upset that he didn’t have his clothes. He had a magnificent body, so Lara really didn’t see a problem.
“Torcara wants to eliminate your memory of Lara and our planet,” Rabare told him.
“I won’t let her.” He straightened to his full height, curling his hands into fists.
Lara had to admire his obstinate manner. It made him come across as fierce as any warrior, and they were not to be taken lightly.
“You have seen more of Nerak than any outsider. That isn’t good. You’ve put us in a vulnerable position. We know it’s not your fault, and we hold no harm against you.”
“What if others decide to test your strength, then where will you be?” he asked.
“You think like a warrior. Our defense council has also warned us of this possibility. Are you a warrior?”
“I’m a cop, so yeah, you could say I am. I put the bad guys away.”
“And you have done this a long time?”
“Long enough.”
Rabare sat in one of the chairs, then motioned for them to take a seat. Lara chose the lounging sofa. Sam sat next to her. She could feel his warmth, his strength.
“Tell me about Earth. It has been many years since we’ve allowed interplanetary travel, so we’ve had no stories of distant places.”
“Why did you stop?” he countered.
“Because of Aasera. She was with child.”
“Was that so wrong?”
“It would have changed everything about Nerak. We couldn’t let that happen. What if it had gotten out of control, caused an epidemic? Next, they’d want everything else that polluted our planet in the past. It has taken us years, and many Elders before us, to create the perfect place.”
“And you think you’ve achieved that?” he asked.
“Yes, we do.”
“No, we haven’t,” Lara spoke up. “We’re not at all perfect. And we don’t have any option except to live our lives as they are. Forgive me, Elder, but our freedom of choice was taken away from us.”
Rabare’s gaze swung to her, and for a moment, Lara wanted to call back her words, but it was too late and maybe what she’d spoken had needed saying.
“You question our authority, Healer?” There was a hard edge in her voice that Lara had never heard before, but she refused to back down.
“The Elders are wise in all things, but haven’t you felt stifled? Everything is so…so perfect. Most of our jobs are obsolete.”
“You have no pain,” Rabare said.
“Nor pleasure.”
“There are no wars.”
“Nor victories.”
Rabare frowned. “There is no death except by natural causes or choice.”
“But there’s no living, either,” Lara sadly told her. “Sometimes, you have to suffer a little to experience the glory of being alive.”
“You will leave us, Healer,” Rabare said, her words brooking no argument. “Maybe you should meditate about the good things Nerak has to offer.”
She stood. “Yes, Elder.” Before she left, she cast a glance in Sam’s direction. He reached out and took her hand in his, running his thumb across the back of it, then giving her a gentle squeeze.
She could still feel his warmth after she’d left the room. What had she done? She’d hoped Rabare would see the truth of her words, but Lara was afraid they had worked against her. Sam might be in more danger because of her. That hadn’t been her intention at all.
She went to her dwelling, pacing back and forth across the room. Time slowed to a crawl.
Eventually, she stood beneath the beams of light, but it wasn’t the same as the water cascading over her in Sam’s bathing room. When she finished, her companion unit was waiting to help her don her robe.
She only had to put her arms into the sleeves of the transparent white robe. She waved him away when he would’ve belted it for her.
“I can manage to tie it, I believe.”
When she looked at how her life had once been, she couldn’t believe how little she’d done for herself. Sam had made the simplest task feel like a great accomplishment.
Was he already gone? Had Aasera left with him? No, she wouldn’t think the worst.
“I’ll meditate now,” she said, dismissing him. But when she sat on her rug and crossed her legs, she felt her agitation more keenly.
Breathe in, breathe out.
She closed her eyes, forcing her mind to clear.
What if they erased his memory and sent him back to Earth while she had to remain here? What if he asked to see her one more time, and they wouldn’t let him. Fear crept through her.
No, of course, they wouldn’t do that. Would they?
“I’m detecting high levels of anxiety,” the companion unit’s voice came over the intercom. “Would you like me to prepare you a relaxation smoothie?”
“No.” She gritted her teeth. Sometimes, the companion units could be quite irritating.
“They’ve risen even higher, Healer. It’s not good for your levels to elevate this much. I can give you a massage if you’d like.”
“I wouldn’t like.”
“Or I could hum a pleasing melody.”
“Or you can go away.”
“Yes, I can do that, too. I’ll continue to monitor your anxiety levels.”
If only there was an off switch. No, companion units lasted forever, and ever, and ever…
And the Elders had thought they were better than men? They didn’t even come close. She wanted Sam.
“Damn, damn, damn!”
Oh, she felt much better using the words Sam had used. Already she felt more relaxed.
“I do not understand this word, Healer. Your anxiety levels have dropped, though. I would suggest you use damn as your mantra. If you are anxious, you’ll be out of harmony with your mind and body and, therefore, will not be able to heal anyone.”
“Go away!”
“As you wish. I’m here to serve.”
Chap
ter 29
S am shifted in his seat. He didn’t feel at all comfortable sitting there talking to Rabare draped in only a fancy cloth. And he’d been here for a while. She’d asked him about his life as a cop, so he’d told her.
“This Nick, is he of your DNA?”
“No, we’re just friends.”
“And Kia has mated with him.”
“Yes, they’re very happy.”
Rabare sighed. “I do miss Kia. If we had ever had a war, she would’ve been a fierce warrior. And I miss Mala, too—so sweet.”
She suddenly glanced around as if she didn’t want to be overheard. “Tell me about this chocolate. I’ve heard of it, you know. Aasera mentioned it once long ago when she’d returned from one of her travels.” She looked at him as if she was about to tell him a state secret. “I think Torcara has even tasted it.”
What was it with women and chocolate? “Lara brought some back with her. Shaedra has it.” That would teach her to zap him. “She loved the taste.”
Rabare sat straight. “The princess has chocolate?” Her eyebrows veed.
She clapped her hands. A few seconds later, a companion unit came into the room. “You will collect the chocolate from the Princess Shaedra.”
He’d better stay far away from the princess while he was here. She wasn’t going to like having to give up her chocolate.
Rabare faced him again. “It would not do to corrupt a princess. Now, tell me more about Earth. What do you do for entertainment?”
He shrugged. “We have movies and plays; Lara enjoyed the slot machines.” He smiled when he remembered how much she’d enjoyed them. “There are competitive sports.”
Rabare leaned closer. She reminded him of a child eager to explore but afraid if she did, she’d get into trouble. He almost felt sorry for her. He would, if she wasn’t so eager to erase his memory.
“You know, all the royals have a bit of all DNA in them. Some tendencies are stronger than others.” She tilted her head, and her eyes looked dreamy. “I think I would’ve been a great explorer.
His stomach rumbled.
She jumped. “Your body is making noises.”
“I haven’t eaten today. I’m getting hungry.”
“Of course. I’ll have my companion unit bring you a food capsule when he returns.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
She arched an imperious eyebrow.
They had that look down pat.
“Are you being sarcastic?” she asked.
Okay, so she was smarter than he’d given her credit for. “I apologize.”
“We used to think Earth beings were barbaric because they ate food.”
“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”
“Yes, you’re quite right. I suppose that might be construed as rudeness.”
Ya think?
The companion unit returned. There were only six chocolate bars left inside the bag.
“The princess was quite upset that you took her chocolate,” he said.
Sam couldn’t help studying the robot. He wasn’t at all like Barton. This one looked…weird. Kind of like a walking, talking mannequin. No wonder Mala had done a little readjusting to hers.
Hell, Sam hadn’t been able to tell Barton wasn’t human when he’d met him. He’d been proper and stiff-acting, but Sam had just thought he was from England or something.
“You’re dismissed,” Rabare told the companion unit with a wave of her hand, then opened the package and brought out one of the bars and sniffed. She closed her eyes with a look of enjoyment on her face. “It does smell quite wonderful.”
“It tastes even better, and this is just one little thing that Earth has to offer.”
She turned it over in her hand, then looked over her shoulder. “Torcara wouldn’t like me tasting one.”
“I won’t tell if you eat just one.”
Yeah, he had ulterior motives. If chocolate made them happy, they might not zap him. They did seem to get addicted to it pretty fast, too. They would need more and more of the sweet bars. He could see himself now: ex-cop turned chocolate supplier. They could make monthly pickups, and maybe he’d get to see Lara.
“Just one then,” she said.
“Unwrap it first.”
“Of course.” She peeled off the paper and laid it carefully to the side, then took a bite. “Oh, this is fabulous.” She crammed the rest of the mini chocolate bar in her mouth. “I never expected…”
The door of the room behind her swished open, and a majestically robed woman with blue hair stepped out. Not the old lady kind of blue that he normally saw. No, this was a vibrant blue that shimmered and sparkled.
And there were jewels draped around her neck. She could buy a country with the gems she had on: diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds.
“Torcara,” Rabare garbled, then swallowed the rest of the chocolate that was in her mouth and jumped to her feet, brushing at her robes in case there might have been crumbs.
But there was still a small smudge of chocolate near the corner of her mouth. He tried to warn her, but she turned before he could get her attention.
Rabare cleared her throat. “Torcara, this is the Earth male I told you about. The one who traveled here with Lara. He was telling me about…about…”
Torcara folded her arms in front of her and glared at Rabare. “You have chocolate on the side of your mouth.”
“Oh…oh.” She quickly dabbed it away.
When Torcara turned her glacier stare on him, Sam felt as if he were slowly turning into a block of ice. He quickly stood and bowed. “Elder.” He kept his eyes lowered, but he could see a chair being brought for her. There was a rustle of her bright orange robes.
“Sit,” she ordered.
He did, his eyes meeting hers. Okay, this woman was more than a little formidable. She reminded him of his captain, and his captain was as wily as a fox.
“You’re here a short time, and already you are corrupting my people.”
“It’s only chocolate,” he said.
“First, chocolate…then what?”
“You’re a great ruler. I know because I’ve seen the respect Mala, Kia, and Lara have for all the Elders. But your people aren’t happy.”
She gripped the sides of the chair, her knuckles turning white. Any second, he expected to turn into a pile of ashes. Well, she hadn’t zapped him yet.
“That’s why they’re leaving. Their jobs are obsolete; the days stretch endlessly from one to the other.”
“He’s right,” Aasera said as she stepped in from the other room. “You’ve known what he’s telling you for a very long time. There has to be change, or you’ll lose the favor of your people. That’s not the type of leader I remember.”
“Or we can erase his memory and send him home where he belongs.”
“And before too long, everyone will find a way to leave,” he said. “They can’t continue to live in a tiny bubble. Are you going to erase everyone’s memory?”
“Take him away,” Torcara said, coming to her feet. “Lock him up. I will hear no more of this.” She swept from the room as two companion units took him by the arms and began to lead him out of the r
oom.
He tried to break their hold but couldn’t. “Aasera, tell Lara; tell her what’s happening.”
Every movie he’d ever seen about alien probes came back to haunt him. This wasn’t right. Not right at all. He could only hope Aasera would tell Lara. But he knew exactly what Aasera thought about him, about all men, and it didn’t look good for him. Oh, God, he hoped they used lubricant.
They led him lower and lower into the bowels of the building. It grew more and more dim. Great, they were taking him to some kind of dungeon, and then they were probably going to cut him open and see what made him tick.
He’d never see Lara again. She would probably think he’d been sent back to Earth with no more memories of her.
“Hey, guys,” he said to the companion units on either side of him, “if you let me go, I’ll make sure I have a case of oil delivered to you. I won’t tell a soul it was you guys, promise. All you have to do is take me to Lara.
Silence.
What he wouldn’t give for a screwdriver. Clothes would be nice, too. The air was growing cooler by the minute.
One of the companion units waved his arm, and a door opened. They shoved Sam inside, and the door shut. He raced to it, pounding on what now just looked like one of the walls, but nothing happened. No knob to turn or bar to lift. He waved his arm—nothing happened.
“There’s got to be a way out.” He walked the perimeter of the room. Ten feet by ten feet. No windows. The walls were white. A cot floated in the center of the room, no wires, either. A toilet of sorts was in one corner, and a sink.
At least he had that much. He went to the sink, his mouth dry. He really needed a drink, but since there wasn’t a beer close by, he’d settle for water.
No handles. Must be automatic. He stuck his hands beneath the faucet, and beams of blue and green lights shot out. He jumped back. Okay, this shit wasn’t funny. He couldn’t even get a drink of water.
He went to the bed and lay down. What the hell was he going to do now? He stared at the ceiling. It took a few seconds for the significance of the blinking red light in the corner to sink into his brain.
