by Zara Zenia
A stir of excitement ran through the crowd again, and Kay waited for it to die down before he continued.
"Human beings have the same level of social and emotional intelligence as any Ra'hom," he said. "And they are not far behind technologically. I believe in some fields, they may have surpassed us. We outstrip them in space flight, but according to the data collected by the Diviner, there are entire sciences we have barely begun to contemplate which they have been studying for thousands of years. They are our equals, Councilor."
"And you have proof of this?" one of the other Council members asked, clearly suspicious.
"In the Diviner's data, yes," Kay confirmed.
"That data could have been tampered with," the suspicious Councilor pointed out.
"If you want immediate, undeniable proof," Kay offered, "then simply ask the human standing in front of you. She's come here today of her own will to plead her case to you."
The Councilwoman turned her dark, calculating eyes on Jewel, frowning in thought.
"Human," she said at last. "Can you understand me?"
Jewel took a deep breath.
"Yeah," she said. "The translator seems to be working pretty well."
This caused another flurry of excitement among the crowd, and the Councilor impatiently called for them to calm themselves.
"Do you have a designation, human?"
"Not the same way you do," Jewel explained. "Most humans have the name we're born with all of our lives, and they don't mean as much, and we use them more casually. Mine is Juliet Wilder. Jewel for short."
"I see." The Councilwoman watched her curiously, hands folded in front of her. "So, Jewel, how do you intend to prove to us that Humans are as intelligent as Ra'hom?"
"I'm standing here talking to you, saying that we are," Jewel replied without flinching. "What further evidence do you need?"
The Councilwoman seemed taken aback. Jewel continued.
"And what does the precise measure of my intelligence matter anyway? How do you measure the intelligence of one species against another? A fish knows everything it needs to about swimming, but if you test it by its ability to climb a tree, it'll look like an idiot. More importantly, why is intelligence what determines to you who's a person and who isn't? Do the Ra'hom have no developmentally disabled? No one with debilitating head injuries? Are those Ra'hom less than people to you because they can't compete as well on intelligence tests? Intelligence is as arbitrary a thing to determine personhood as physical strength or speed. I am a person because I say I am. That I have the capacity to want freedom and equality should be all the proof required that I should have them."
The crowd was getting noisy again by the time Jewel finished, breathless and flushed. She'd been practicing that speech during the entire ride in the escape pod.
"Well," the Councilwoman said once things had calmed down. "That is certainly a hard statement to disagree with."
She turned to the other Councilors thoughtfully.
"It can philosophize," she said. "I have certainly never met an animal that could do that."
"She might have been trained," the suspicious one pointed out. "There are birds that have spoken as eloquently. Cetaceans and other near relatives of Ra'hom that can communicate with sign language. The power of conversation does not make someone a person."
"Then what does?" Jewel interrupted. "Give me a definition of personhood and we'll see how many of your own species fall through its cracks. Which of your own people will you take the basic rights of personhood from for the sake of avoiding the truth? Humanity exists. We're people. We are your equals. You're going to have to deal with that."
The suspicious Councilor looked deeply uncomfortable, but the Councilwoman was smiling. Jewel sensed she'd scored points with her.
"Very well," the Councilwoman said. "Putting the matter of legal personhood aside, we come to the second issue at hand. Is humanity dangerous? One of the Perita, who were the first to see the human's abilities demonstrated, has asked to speak on this matter."
She gestured for the person to come forward, a tall Occidens. He was shaking slightly with some suppressed emotion, which exploded out of him as soon as the Councilwoman nodded for him to speak.
"Do not fall for its lies!" the Perita shouted. "It is a monster! I saw it firsthand attacking people, destroying things! They are a race of beasts! It has gained control of the Curator somehow. We saw it dancing with him, an obscene display of its power over him. It can play docile for a time, but its rage will overwhelm it! Its whole species is like this! We saw the files! The wars and destruction! The atrocities! The filth and disease! And they have almost achieved real space flight! If you allow these savages to escape into the universe, they will destroy everything in their path! They will burn our world in nuclear fire! They must be destroyed now, before it is too late!"
He devolved into hysterics, and the Councilwoman gestured to have him removed by the dark-robed guards. But the damage had already been done. The audience and some of the Councilors were now looking at Jewel with worry and suspicion, talking amongst themselves.
"Do you have anything to add, Jewel?" the Councilwoman asked. "To assure us your species is peaceful?"
Jewel swallowed a lump in her throat, considering the question. She'd screwed up by losing her temper at the party, and now her entire species was about to pay the price.
"What happened at the demonstration was me," she said. "Just me. I have anger problems. It's not representative of my entire species. We've had wars. We've done terrible things. I'm certain you have as well. But we aren't savages or barbarians. We've spent hundreds of years looking for other life in the universe, hoping someone else was out there. Finding out we're not alone in the universe is something all humans hope for. We wouldn't destroy the first alien life we found. I hope you wouldn't either.”
The Councilwoman frowned, not satisfied with this answer. Other Ra'hom began shouting their opinions. The Councilors argued openly. Jewel could sense Earth's chances slipping away because of her stupid mistake.
"Wait," she said, and the coliseum fell silent as the Councilors looked toward her again. "I'll stay here."
The Councilwoman leaned forward in interest.
"A habitat was being set up for me in a zoo here, right?" Jewel asked. "I'll stay here on your planet, a voluntary exhibit. You can study me as much as you like. To prove that humans aren't dangerous. In return, you let Earth be. You don't tell them you're here, and you don't send me back to them to tell them about you. You just leave them alone. That way, there's no danger and you can plan to introduce yourself to humanity later, when you're more prepared."
The Councilwoman considered this for a moment, then turned to her fellow Councilmembers.
"We will deliberate," she declared, and she and the other Councilors disappeared into an inner chamber while the stadium erupted into loud discussion. Jewel elbowed past her bodyguards and hurried across the room to Kay. Her bodyguards chased after her, and Kay's guards stepped in the way, but it was clear they weren't sure if they were allowed to hurt her or even stop her, a confusion that increased when her bodyguards caught up, who didn't know anything except that they weren't supposed to let her be hurt. While the guards faced off, she slipped past them to stand in front of Kay.
"It is good to see you safe," he said. He was missing some of the tentacles on the left side of his head, and she reached up to touch them with a frown. "Don't worry. They will grow back."
"I kinda want to punch you," Jewel admitted. "But I don't think that would really help my case."
"You can punch me all you want later," he promised gently.
"As long as you're not convicted of murder," Jewel pointed out. He shook his head.
"It is merely procedure," he said. "The Perita was attempting to steal a valuable specimen. As Curator, I was within my rights to defend you. He counted on no one listening to you if you countered his version of events, but even if they don't, they can't argue with the video evidence on his own ship.
I assume he would have wiped that if he'd had the chance."
"Well that's a relief," Jewel said with a laugh.
"Why did you offer to stay?" he asked quietly. "I thought you wanted to go home."
Jewel looked down, still conflicted.
"I wouldn't have a place there anymore," she said. "And besides, it's not like I was doing anything important there even before I was taken."
"But you will be an animal on display again," he pointed out. "Constant observation. Testing—you hate testing."
"This is about more than me." Jewel laughed a little hopelessly. "What's my life worth compared to my entire planet?"
"Everything," Kay said at once, and he reached for her hands, his own still chained. She took them slowly, despite the uneasy muttering of the guards. "Does this mean you've forgiven me?"
"I'm still working on it," Jewel said with a smile. "But it means I want to. Promise you'll visit my exhibit when you're a big fancy Council member?"
He squeezed her hands tighter but couldn't manage words. Her own throat had closed up, her eyes stinging. Whatever happened, this might be the last time she saw him.
As if on cue, the door to the Council chamber opened and the Councilors emerged.
"A temporary decision has been reached," the Councilwoman declared. "Pending further study of the Diviner's data on the human subject, the human, Jewel, has been granted temporary personhood and her species given clemency from immediate preemptive action until such a time as formal first contact is initiated. The human, Jewel, will be housed permanently at the Council Zoological Park and contribute to the study of her species. In the interim, rooms in this house of state will be prepared for her, as an ambassador of her people."
Jewel sighed in mixed relief and trepidation, and at once, her guards began to usher her away. She argued, wanting to stay with Kay, but he was already being guided away through another door. Jewel watched him till he disappeared, clinging to every last glimpse.
Chapter 17
The rooms prepared for her were probably very nice by Ra'hom standards. Lots of draped fabric and an upright bed and a bewildering variety of pools in various temperatures and current speeds. There was barely any floor for all the pools. She had a feeling she was going to end up with pneumonia if she stayed here too long.
She was locked in most of the time. She was allowed to leave, under escort and in the company of the Councilwoman, on a handful of 'diplomatic outings' during which she was shown around the city and the various 'achievements' of the Ra'homi people, which included museums, great buildings, and works of civic achievement. It was all very impressive and not Jewel's speed at all.
But they did give her an opportunity to ask about Kay. He had, as he'd said he would be, been cleared of all charges, the killing of Zee declared justifiable. Apparently, part of the snarling when they'd attacked each other had also been a formal declaration of a duel, which was a legally binding contract clearing Kay of responsibility for any resulting injury or death.
It had only taken as long as it did to clear him because of the personal vendetta between them and the political clout of Zee's family. Now that he was no longer under active investigation, things were under way to elevate him to the Peritas for the discovery of the human species, and there was already talk of grooming him for a Council position. Jewel was relieved to hear all of this, but she still hadn't been allowed to see him, and somehow, she didn't think she would, at least until she was behind glass in the zoo exhibit.
She was sitting in her room, swamped in one of the intricate diplomatic robes she'd been given, dangling her feet in one of the pools. Her toes were pruney and she felt waterlogged, but there was precious little else to do. The knock on the door didn't surprise her. It had been more than a week since she'd been brought to these rooms. The days here were different, and she had trouble keeping track. But every few days, the Councilwoman would arrive to take her on one of her outings. She pulled her feet out of the pool and stood up.
"Come in," she called, straightening her robe. Teaching them not to come in without permission had been a trial.
The door opened, and she was surprised to see her bodyguards standing there without the Councilwoman.
"What's up?" she asked.
"A lift is waiting for you," one of them replied. "To bring you to the Council Zoological Park."
"Oh." Jewel froze for a moment, caught off guard. "Just like that?"
The guards glanced at each other, apparently unsure how to respond.
Jewel didn't really have any belongings to gather. She kind of wished she did. Something to remember Kay and her time on the Diviner by, if not a souvenir of Earth. But all she'd brought with her in the escape pod was Kay's sword. She went and got it, wrapped in a blanket, just because it felt wrong to leave it. Maybe if Kay came and saw her at the zoo, she'd be able to return it. She thought it was much more likely that her new keepers would just take it away from her as soon as they realized what it was.
The lift didn't take her directly there, but to the airport she'd arrived in, where she would transfer to another ship.
"They wish to make the trip as quick and un-stressful for you as possible," one of the bodyguards explained.
"I appreciate it," Jewel muttered, lying. She was resigned to it, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She followed them through the airport toward her ship, head low, clinging to the sword and wondering what the rest of her life was going to be like.
Suddenly, a hand closed around her arm and dragged her sideways into another hall as another clapped over her mouth to muffle her startled yelp. She looked up as the stranger hurried her away, eyes widening as she realized who it was.
"Kay!" she whispered in delight. "What are you doing here?"
"Taking you back to the Diviner," Kay replied with a mischievous smile.
"I thought you were being made a Perita?"
"I was," he replied. "And for the traditional boon offered upon elevation to the Peritas, I requested to continue my work on the Diviner and for you to be put into my care for study, permanently."
"That's great!" Jewel said, delight flooding her chest. "But then why are we sneaking away?"
"Because they did not completely approve of that plan," Kay said with a shrug. "So I am going to get you onto the Diviner before it leaves on its next year-long mission. And hopefully, they will claim that they approved my request to save face."
"And if not?" Jewel asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well then, we will be on the run."
Jewel grinned.
"Sounds good to me."
There was a shout behind them. Jewel's bodyguards had found them. They began to run, Jewel pulling the sword from its blanket and pushing it into Kay's hands.
"Thanks for letting me borrow this," she said. "But I think you need it."
Kay laughed, and holding her hand, they raced for the sky elevator.
The Diviner was waiting for them in orbit, and Kay wasted no time in telling it to take off. Jewel watched Ra'hom recede behind them with a smile as wide as the sky, then she turned and kissed Kay until she couldn't breathe. Whatever else happened, she was never letting him out of her sight again.
A few months later, Jewel lay on a sandy beach, her head on her arms, soaking in the simulated warmth of an alien sunset. She took a deep breath, relishing the breeze on her flushed skin. Then she squeezed down harder on Kay's throat with her thighs, tightening the triangle choke hold she'd secured on him. He wheezed, struggling, face purple with exertion, but he couldn't break the hold.
"You ready to give up?" she asked, easily avoiding his wild swings with his free arm.
"Never!" he growled.
"You sure?" she asked, squeezing a little harder.
He snarled in frustration and slapped the sand.
"Fine!" he hissed. "I give!"
Jewel laughed and released him immediately, letting him roll away onto his back. He lay there panting as she basked in her victory.
"You are getting better," he said breathlessly.
"I've got you figured out now," she said, heaving breaths. "You can't beat me at grappling anymore."
"Remember when I just had to catch you to beat you?" he muttered. "Those were good days."
She laughed again and rolled on top of him, kissing him soundly. They'd discovered this planet a few days ago, and upon discovering it had a safe atmosphere for them both, they immediately added it to the rotation of habitats they had their daily runs through. They'd already lost their suits as soon as they'd started wrestling. Skin to skin was more fun. And it made the victory lap a lot easier. The run and subsequent grappling had already excited them both.
As he kissed her back, hands moving down to her hips, she rocked against him, feeling the hard length of him sliding between her lips. She caught his hands when he tried to pull her down, pinning them to the sand. This was her victory, and she would set the pace. She took her time, teasing herself as much as him as she slowly rocked her hips against him without letting him in.
"Jewel," he begged, hips straining.
"What's the magic word?" she asked, grinning.
"Please."
"Please what?"
"Jewel."
She laughed and relented, reaching between them to line him up, then she sank down onto him all at once, shouting with pleasure at the thrill of being so suddenly filled. She simply hung there a moment, shuddering at the little waves of pleasure that ran through her every time she clenched around him, spread open to her limit. She rolled her hips, feeling him grinding within her, and moaned in delight.
"If you keep making those sounds, I am going to have to do something about it," Kay growled.
She planted a hand on his chest to hold him down.
"Don't you dare," she said, not opening her eyes, still focused on slowly moving her hips as she adjusted. "I'll kick your ass again if I have to."
He laughed and slid his hands under her thighs to help her as she began to rise, groaning at the sensation of the great length of him sliding out of her. Then she crashed back down again, seeing stars as he struck deep within her, and set up a rhythm. She threw her head back as she rode him, swearing at the intensity of it, holding nothing back. His hands on her hips guided her as she increased the pace as much as she could manage. She threw herself down onto him with ecstatic desperation. Neither of them was trying to hold out or make it last this time. After all, they had all the time in the world to enjoy themselves.
