As tempted as she was to go back to sleep, something nagged at her, something about the sun. She forced her eyes open to see how the sun could be shining so brightly and so warmly inside her bedroom. The blinding light above her forced her eyes shut again and brought her completely awake. Okay, she told herself, open your eyes more slowly this time.
Through narrowed eyes, she looked at the wall beyond her feet. On a tall antique chest sat a delicately etched lead-crystal vase filled with lilac orchids. Not only were they her favorite flower, but her favorite color of that flower. She was certain neither the chest nor the flowers had been there when she went to bed last night.
Aster sat up and was nearly overcome with dizziness. Gradually, she absorbed the rest of her surroundings. Where was she? The high narrow bed was similar to a doctor's examining table and the warm sunshine was actually an enormous heat lamp in the ceiling.
Her mind reeled. Perhaps she was still dreaming. No, her surroundings were real! What was going on?
"I see you are awakening. That is very good. Please remain on the bed until you are fully recovered."
The words were barely a whisper behind her. Aster spun around too abruptly and almost fell off the narrow bed. In the corner of the room a small, middle-aged, Oriental woman sat very straight with her hands folded on her lap. She wore turquoise slacks and a matching short-sleeved turtleneck with the letters OONA sewn above her left breast.
"Where did you come from? Or better yet, where am I? How did I get here? You said recovered. Was I in an accident? Why don't I remember it?" Aster willed herself not to give in to the horrendous headache and queasiness. Then she realized what else was wrong. She wasn't wearing a stitch. Crossing her arms over her breasts, she demanded, "Where are my clothes?"
"All of your questions will be answered very soon," the woman said in her hushed voice. "My name is Oona. I have been assigned as your caretaker. I do not have the authority to explain your situation. You must remain in bed awhile longer. It is necessary for you to complete your treatment under the healing beam before you can be released."
Aster would have been incensed if she had merely listened to the woman's words, but she was thrown off by what she saw while she heard them.
"How do you do that?"
"I beg your pardon, miss?"
"Your lips move at a different speed than I hear your words." It was like watching an old foreign movie where the voice-dubbing is slightly out of sync with the picture.
"I understand. I suppose it would not hurt if I explain that." She pulled the front of the turtleneck down to her collarbone and revealed a very thin gold choker. "This is a universal translator. Although I am fluent in several languages, yours is not one of them. In order for us to communicate, I must rely on the external translator. It is programmed with my voice. As I speak in one tongue, it is automatically converted to your language, and vice-versa. There is barely a second's delay in the translation. Very few Terrans notice it."
"Uh-huh. Okay... listen, uh..." Aster hesitated a moment as she looked at the name again. "Oona, right? I don't know what's going on here, but I want some answers—now!" She slammed her hand on the bed and jumped off for emphasis. The extreme movement proved to be more than her body was ready to handle and she collapsed on the floor.
* * *
In the hectic receiving area, Romulus doled out orders in a tone of voice that permitted no questions. His attention was abruptly diverted as the new caretaker, Oona, hurried toward him. He hoped nothing had gone wrong with her assignment.
"Chief Romulus, please excuse the interruption. The woman in room five awoke and became very upset. She fell. It happened so quickly. There was nothing I could do. I was looking for the doctor when I saw you."
"All right, Oona. I'll check on her now." He strode away, annoyed that Oona had not been able to handle the woman. With all the paperwork required to integrate the new arrivals, he did not have time to calm one frightened female.
But the sight of that female crumpled on the floor halted Romulus's unkind thoughts. He knelt down and gathered her into his arms. When he tried to lift her, however, he misjudged his burden. Attempting to shift her weight, he lost his balance and ended up sitting on the floor with her cozily on his lap.
The sudden jolt interrupted Aster's dark oblivion. She opened her eyes and tried to focus on his face. Groggily, she murmured, "Much better. I know you. You've been in my dreams before." Closing her eyes, she nestled her head against his chest. From the contented look on her face, Romulus concluded it must be a very pleasant dream.
Romulus tried to pull his eyes away from the soft smile and dreamy expression on the woman's face. For a moment he wished he was the man she imagined him to be. His hand disobeyed his disciplined mind and brushed the hair away from her brow. The woman turned her cheek into his palm, and her mass of silver hair spilled over his arm. It was a very appealing feature but nothing like her eyes. When she looked up at him a moment ago, he was shaken by their blue-black color. It reminded him of the midnight sky on his home planet. That thought seemed to bear analyzing but now was not the time.
Just then a deep sigh caused her breasts to rise and lower and the peaks noticeably puckered, betraying the direction her dream had taken. It was enough to jar him back to the situation at hand. Remembering Oona standing expectantly behind him, he realized how unofficial he must look sitting on the floor holding this female. With effort, he stood up and placed the female gently on the bed, feeling oddly reluctant to release her.
"Oona, what's the medical on this one?" There, he was all business again.
"Cerebral hemorrhage, multiple bruises, fractures and contusions. She did not remain under the beam long enough for a complete recovery and may have reinjured herself from that fall. Sir, I am afraid I provoked her unintentionally. I understood I was not to offer explanations, but she was very agitated and when she detected the difference between my voice and lip movement, I told her about the universal translator."
Chief Romulus considered the extraordinary pronouncement that the new arrival had been able to discern the translator's miniscule lapse. Apparently, besides her striking exterior, a definite possibility of higher intelligence existed as well.
"What is her name?"
"Aster Mackenzie. She prefers to be called Miss Mackenzie."
"Go find the doctor. I'll stay with her until you return." His motives for remaining with the patient were unclear. A backlog of work beckoned to him but he ignored its plaintive call. Something stronger held him back.
It seemed to him that this woman possessed some invisible characteristic that lured him to her. After Oona exited, he tried to appease his curiosity with a visual examination.
Her physical beauty did not stop with her face. Every inch of her was impressive. Her breasts were full but firm, her abdomen muscles taut, her waist narrow compared to her hips. Her limbs revealed additional proof of attentive conditioning.
Whatever was he doing? Here he was, in the midst of turmoil, ogling a nude woman like some adolescent boy. She was only a female, and a new arrival at that. What was taking that caretaker so long?
By the time Oona returned with the doctor, Rom had exiled himself to the hall outside the patient's room. "Good, you're back. I must return to my office. I've spent too much time here already. Orientation is scheduled for eighteen hundred hours in Conference Room B." Before he finished his last sentence, he was already heading back to a more rational domain.
"Rom? Is something out of order?" Tarla's voice filled with concern as the chief administrator stalked past her to his office.
"What? Oh, no. A new caretaker waylaid me. She had a problem with one of the arrivals and now I'm behind schedule. This is the third time this month. The more polluted Outerworld becomes, the harder it is to prevent these accidents. Something is going to have to be done about it soon, whether the Tribunal is ready or not." He planted himself behind his desk, intending to immerse himself in his work and forget the interruption.
Romulus stared at the large vidcom monitor on the wall next to his desk, but he could not read the report displayed there. Instead, he saw those blue-black eyes seducing him. What madness was this? He assured himself that his imagination running amok must be an aftereffect from trying to analyze his strange dream.
He concentrated on preparing for the upcoming orientation. From his earliest days in Administration, he had taken on the responsibility of the new arrivals and had always enjoyed it. It would go smoothly, as usual... if he could just stop his hands from shaking.
* * *
"Miss Mackenzie, do you hear me? Please open your eyes now."
Aster felt a pressure against her temples then it was gone. She blinked a few times and found herself staring into a strange woman's face.
"If you do not rise so quickly this time, you should feel much better," the soft voice warned.
The excruciating headache had eased. But when she tried to sort out the jumble of confusing scenes in her mind, the pain came back with a fury.
"My name is Oona, Miss Mackenzie. Do you remember? I am your caretaker. The doctor said you may get up now, if you promise to remain calm."
Aster gave her a slight nod.
"You were involved in an accident and suffered many injuries, the worst of which was a cerebral hemorrhage. You are completely recovered now but if you feel the need to rest a little longer, that is not a problem. I have brought clothing. When you are ready, I will escort you to orientation."
Aster started to speak, trying to focus on asking the right questions. "I'm very confused. What kind of accident? How long have I been unconscious? Apparently I'm in a hospital but where? And what was that about orientation?"
Oona spoke haltingly, selecting her words with great care. "At orientation the accident and all information about your whereabouts will be explained to you. You have been unconscious about ten hours."
"Hold on. How could I have suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, slept ten hours then be fully recovered? Either the doctor's a quack or you're lying."
"I do not lie. Nor do I comprehend why you are criticizing the doctor. Do you not remember the healing beam? It was shining in your eyes when you awoke for a few minutes earlier today. It repaired your body while you slept. The beam also serves as a sanitizing device for new arrivals."
Aster did not doubt that she had a head injury. That would explain her headache and her earlier bout of nausea and dizziness. Perhaps she suffered from a form of amnesia as well. As hard as she tried, she remembered nothing beyond leaving her office yesterday to go home. It occurred to her that maybe her brain was not yet working to capacity and she misunderstood what Oona had said to her. She would begin again... with an easy question.
"Oona, what day is this?"
"Saturday, Miss Mackenzie."
"Saturday?" Her voice took on an edge of hysteria. She had left the office on Wednesday and had planned to go... to go somewhere... somewhere with Cherry. The pain behind her eyes returned as she attempted to fill in the lost days. For some reason, the thought of Cherry agitated her further. What was it about Cherry that bothered her?
"Do you feel pain? Perhaps I should get the doctor again," Oona offered.
"No. It's better now. I would like to get dressed though."
"I hope you like the color. It was as close to the unusual shade of your eyes as I could duplicate."
Aster looked at the dark blue, two-piece outfit on the chair. Oona was trying her best to be helpful and it would serve no purpose to harangue her further. She may as well wait for this orientation thing and get all the answers at once.
"Thank you for the thought, Oona. By the way, those orchids are lovely." Aster realized her head stopped hurting once she relaxed.
Oona smiled happily. "They are from us. I am glad to see that they please you."
"They're my favorite."
"Yes, I know. The nurse had to touch your mind to learn your name and the condition of your mental health. While she was in contact, I requested your floral preference. It seemed logical that seeing them when you awoke might make you feel better."
Touched my mind? While she was in contact? What in heaven's name was this woman talking about? She recalled some other nonsense about a translator... This kind, soft-spoken woman, who thought of matching borrowed clothes to her eye color and providing favorite flowers to cheer her up, had to be deranged.
The slacks and jersey fit perfectly but Aster could not identify the material. Although it felt a little like cashmere, it was very thin and there was no visible weave. She tried to ask about it, but her caretaker had stopped talking.
When they reached Conference Room B, Oona placed her palm over a light in the wall and the door slid into the adjacent wall.
"Aster!" Cherry squealed as she rushed forward and hugged her. "Thank God you're all right. Everyone else was here ages ago. You look wonderful, damn you. How did you manage to get a custom wardrobe? The rest of us must have been outfitted in identical drab grays just to help you shine!"
White-hot lightning pierced Aster's head. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall. It had all come back to her—not the nightmare she had had when she first awoke, but the unspeakable reality of the last two days.
With feverish eyes, she stared at the group surrounding her—Cherry, Nick, the Feinsteins and the Basiglios." Cherry! You're alive! But your arm— How?"
Cherry flexed the fingers on her right hand. "Amazing, isn't it? I'm a regular bionic woman now. Johnny's our resident miracle though." She cocked her head in his direction.
Aster gaped. "How can this be? You were killed. I saw it. You couldn't have survived!"
"You're telling me!" he replied with a loud guffaw. "We've had some time to compare notes before you got here, so you have some catching up to do. We've already figured out that none of us has the entire picture but we know for certain, we're not in Kansas anymore. The doc explained that I was technically dead, but he put me back together with an artificial heart and something that looked like a penlight. The weirdest part was I actually saw the doctor working on me. You know, like an out-of-body experience. Take a look at this." He lifted his shirt to expose a hairline scar on his chest. "They tell me even this line will fade in a few weeks."
Aster listened to each of her fellow travelers' stories and saw the confirmation in Cherry's new arm and Johnny's scar. Everyone was laughing and excited about this incredible adventure they had stepped into. It was completely illogical, yet she was positive she was no longer dreaming. Somehow they had been rescued, but by whom and how?
They were sharing speculations when Aster suddenly felt the hair rise on the back of her neck. Cherry's eyes widened to the size of half-dollars as she stared beyond Aster.
"Miss Mackenzie?"
At the sound of the deep-timbred masculine voice, the shiver at the back of Aster's neck slid straight down to the base of her spine. Where had she heard that voice before?
"I hope you are somewhat recovered from your ordeal."
She turned and felt her heart stop and start anew with a tremor. Him! There was no mistaking those hypnotic hazel eyes. She had seen his handsome face so many times in her dreams, she had stopped questioning who he might be and had simply accepted him as a very well-developed figment of her imagination. But the man standing before her didn't seem like a figment. Was he real or was she caught up in yet another dream? As always happened when she dreamed of him, she tried to say his name, a name she felt she should know, but again, it eluded her.
* * *
Rom's hand reached out as if it were a separate entity, needing to touch her face again. He had been so certain that his powerful emotional reaction to this woman had been a result of too much stress and an overactive imagination. But here it was, happening again, this time in a room full of witnesses. Witnesses!
He pulled his hand back and ran his fingers through the side of his hair. Drawing himself up to his full height, he cleared his throat along with his though
ts.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Would you please take a seat as quickly as possible? We have a lot of information to cover." They responded to his request and he was satisfied that they had noticed nothing peculiar. Positioning himself at one end of the oval table, he began.
"I'm sure you have many questions that you're anxious to pose. However, due to the complex nature of the situation, it will be considerably more expedient if I speak first without interruption. When I finish, if I have left any of your questions unanswered, I will deal with them individually."
Although Romulus had been momentarily distracted by those midnight-blue eyes, he was now back on firm ground and proceeded to deliver his familiar presentation. To avoid being distracted though, he limited his line of vision to the other people around the table. He had heard of Umerian women who could turn human males into slaves by staring at them, but this woman was definitely a Terran and they had no such powers as far as he knew.
"There is no way to ease into what I am about to tell you. Some of what I say may shock you, yet in time you will not only accept what we have to offer but will enjoy it."
Aster squirmed in her seat and rocked her crossed leg back and forth beneath the table. She glanced at the others. Each sat forward in his chair, staring at this man as if he were a savior. Cherry had not managed to close her mouth since he walked into the room.
"My name is Romulus. I am the chief administrator of the Car-Tem Province." He pressed several icons on a panel located in the table in front of him. The lights in the room dimmed and a rotating three-dimensional globe appeared suspended over the center of the table. "As you can see, this is Earth, as you know it." He touched another icon and twelve bright red spots on the holographic picture lit up. "These are magnetic fields that your scientists are aware of but these areas also represent doorways to our world.
"Here is the area where you were earlier today." The image of Earth transformed into a map of the United States' eastern seaboard. A blue arrow flashed on a location in the Sargasso Sea. "Depending on several variables, such as the Earth's orbit and the position of its moon, we use different doorways at different times of your calendar year. This morning we were using this particular opening when your accident occurred."
ROMULUS (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 1) Page 4
