Candidate (Selected Book 4)

by Robin Roseau

  The battle of wills wasn't a battle at all. I'd have done anything she asked, anything at all. And it took her only a few minutes.

  Eventually I sat up. Breakfast arrived. I took a look at it then saw to my morning needs, cleaning up as best I could.

  I found evidence I had deeply enjoyed my time with Dark Skies, although my panties were fresher than they should have been. I didn't ask myself too closely how that could have happened.

  I was ravenous by the time I turned to the food. It was basic breakfast: pancakes, eggs, and bacon. There was orange juice to go with. I ate every bite then placed the tray back where I'd gotten it.

  Then I went back to the bed and curled up, closing my eyes.

  I didn't sleep, and it was only a little while before the visor dimmed, then brightened. Administrator Brighteyes appeared.

  "Good morning, Ms. Hayes."

  "I lost," I whispered.

  "That was a given. In all fairness, I would also have lost, although I would probably find a way to cheat."

  "You drugged me."

  "I didn't drug you. Dark Skies did."

  "How?"

  "Her scent."

  "Can all of you do that?"

  "Most species produce pheromones. The Octal are especially potent. But tell me. Do you doubt me when I tell you that we are able to cheat?"

  "No," I whispered. "Oh god, what did she do to me? I barely remember."

  "Almost nothing. Dark Skies is a very kind woman, Ms. Hayes. She asked me to thank you."

  "Why?"

  "I think she told you. She's never done that before. Although you were no challenge for her, she gained experience she can use in the future. And she enjoyed your attention."

  I didn't answer right away. "I don't know what to say," I finally admitted.

  "It was perhaps an overwhelming experience. Well, it is time to make a decision. Do you wish me to have you collected and escorted to the arena? I can have four males waiting for you."

  "No."

  "Perhaps you wish to join the next group of women to come though. I can give you things to occupy your mind so you are not completely bored."

  "You said we could negotiate."

  "So I did. I will have you collected shortly." Her image disappeared, and I was looking at the cell.

  * * * *

  I found myself back on the chair, my legs swallowed, my arms swallowed. The Catseye sat across from me.

  "What are my options?"

  "Agree to accept your fate relatively willingly, and I'll work with you as much as I can. Or the arena is being used right now, but I can have you out there this afternoon."

  "Those are my choices?"

  "They are."

  "What happened to the other choices?"

  She said nothing but simply waited.

  "You'd let a male have me."

  "You can try to resist him," she said. "He'll cheat."

  I looked away. "I'd let Dark Skies have me."

  "I know. She'd accept you for a dalliance, but not as a mate."

  "What do you want?"

  "Make me an offer, Ms. Hayes," she said.

  "An offer."

  "Yes. Make me an offer. That is the nature of negotiation."

  "And you'll accept, as long as I willingly marry one of you."

  "Not necessarily, but that is the beginning of negotiation."

  I turned back to her. "Fine. An offer." I thought about it. "I don't want to be forced to marry someone I don't even know."

  "And?"

  "I don't want to be forced to marry some male."

  "I still don't hear an offer."

  "Are you going to force me to marry someone?"

  "I will force you to go home with someone, and that person will be allowed to woo you. There are rules. You will follow them. After a period of time, you could be allowed to go home. None of the women who go home are happy for having done so."

  "Why not?"

  "Because whoever you're with will have been cheating for months, Ms. Hayes. None of the other species are as powerful in this way as the Octal, but you didn't last five minutes against her. If I let her keep you for a week and forcibly removed you, you'd kill yourself trying to get back to her."

  "This is wrong."

  "Make me an offer."

  "An offer."

  "An offer."

  "An offer." Okay, we were well into a circle there, but I was stalling, trying to think. "Would you let me get to know someone first?"

  "Keep going."

  "All right." I smiled. "I'll let you send me on dates."

  "Dates."

  "That is the human way," I said. "Dates. With whomever you want, as long as she's female."

  "And then what?"

  "And then we'll see what happens."

  "Intriguing offer," she said. "Unfortunately, it's not quite good enough. Do you care to sweeten the agreement?"

  "You can counteroffer."

  "Fine. I'll introduce you to sixteen of the males here at the center. You can spend a few hours with them and then pick the four you wish to compete against."

  "That's hardly an offer."

  "Yours was also hardly an offer. I believe it is your turn to counteroffer."

  "Introduce me to sixteen females and give me two weeks, but if I don't like any of them, you'll send me home."

  "Interesting. If it weren't for the final clause, I'd consider it. Care to remove it?"

  "Six months."

  "Excuse me?"

  "Six months. I'll date whomever you want, as long as she's female, for up to six months. If two of us hit it off during that time, then we do. If not, at the end of that six months, I'll pick one of them."

  "And if she's not interested after getting to know you?"

  "Then you send me home."

  "No. You'll pick again, and again, until one accepts."

  "No," I said. "I'll pick once, and if she declines, then I get to pick from amongst them to join me in your arena."

  "Excluding the species that don't do that?"

  "No. I get to pick. Four, I believe you said."

  She considered me. "Sixteen."

  "You're not serious. Four."

  "Eight, and I get to pick half of them."

  "I get veto power. Otherwise they could all come to an agreement, in effect giving me to someone I hate."

  "If you veto all my choices, I get to fill out the eight with males."

  "Why would you do that to me?"

  "So you won't dare veto all my choices."

  "You could back me into a terrible corner," I said. "There's no promise you're even going to introduce me to anyone I don't hate."

  "I will allow you to meet every female who comes here," she said. "It will be their choice to ask you out. I can't do better than that."

  "If I come to you in six months and honestly tell you I didn't like any of them, what are we going to do?"

  "You won't."

  "What if?"

  "Then we'll extend our agreement."

  "If you agree to not put anyone into the arena who I flat out didn't care for, I'll agree to your terms."

  She smiled. "You'll spend the six months, when you're not on a date, in your cell. Some of the women I introduce to you will want challenges with you before they will go on a human style date. You will do your best to win, or I will find ways to punish you."

  "No," I said. "You can't leave me in there like that. I'll go crazy."

  "I'll let you keep the visor. It is very clever."

  "So six months of television?"

  "Consider it better than any human computer."

  "I want a job. A paying job, one that pays at least what I was making a week ago. And not one moping floors."

  "A job."

  "One that uses my brain."

  "Working for me."

  "If that's what you want. And exercise. Daily."

  "You'll accept the rest of my terms?"

  "Yes."

  "You will spend your spare time in the
cell, but if you behave, you will keep the visor, and I will give you nearly full control over it."

  "Clothes."

  "Not while you're in the cell."

  "Bedding."

  "Not required."

  "Administrator, give me something."

  "I'm giving you a unique deal. You're the one who asked for six months."

  I stared at her for a while. "A good job."

  "My assistant." She smiled. "You'll help run the challenges."

  "No."

  "Take it or leave it," she said. "Leave it, and you'll spend most of your time in your cell, and I'll let you have exercise only when it pleases me to do so."

  "Give me a decent place to live and I'll agree."

  "No."

  "Administrator, I don't want to be down in the cells, looking at those morose women, if you're then going to make me help you treat them like this."

  "That's fair," she said after a moment. "I can put you in a private cell block. You won't see any other women."

  "Is that the best you can do?"

  "No, but it's the offer on the table. You're a mating candidate, and you will spend your time as one."

  "Fine," I said. "Fine."

  "Let us review," she said with a smile. "Six months, or perhaps less. I will introduce you to any female interested in meeting you. You will go out with any who ask. At the end of those six months, you will offer to become mated to one of them. If you cannot make that offer, or she declines, you go into the arena as specified."

  "Yes."

  "You will work for me. When you are not with one of the challengers or performing your duties, you will be in your cell."

  "Exercise."

  "Right. How often?"

  "Two hours five times a week. I like to swim and bike."

  "Biking is problematic. Swimming I can offer, and perhaps other choices."

  "All right. Clothes."

  "I will provide suitable clothing for you. You will wear what I select."

  "I can't keep dressing like this," I said, looking down. "They're going to get, um..."

  "I know. I will see to these needs as well."

  "I wouldn't suppose you could just send me home."

  "No."

  I sighed. "Was there more to discuss?"

  "Your hours will be irregular. Some of the challenges are overnight. Your visor will have your schedule."

  "All right."

  "You begin tomorrow. Spend today learning the capabilities of the visor."

  "Exercise."

  She considered me. "We have a pool. I do not promise you will be alone." She smiled.

  "You're not going to give me a swim suit, are you?"

  "I will obtain one, but I don't have one ready today. If you want to swim, this is your offer today. However, you could swim as you're dressed, and I will have other things for you afterwards."

  And so I nodded.

  Visor

  We spoke for another few minutes. Basically, we verified I wouldn't engage in violence. Then, like that, she released me, even freeing me from the shackles. I rubbed my wrists.

  "I will escort you to the pool," she explained. "After that, your visor will direct you where to go. You may swim as long as you desire, then shower and dress. The visor will guide you back to your cell. You will enter willingly. If you violate your parole, I will have you in the arena with four males, none of whom you will like."

  "I'll behave."

  "Good."

  A moment later, she said, "See if you can follow the visor's directions."

  I cocked my head. I had almost forgotten I was wearing it. It wasn't doing anything differently. "How do I do that?"

  "Look around."

  I did, turning slowly, and then there was a closed door in the wall behind me. It hadn't been there before, and the door was pulsing blue.

  "Blue is good."

  "Blue is good," she agreed.

  I stood and walked to the door. Administrator Brighteyes stepped around the table, catching up to me just as I reached the door. It opened automatically.

  We exited into a hallway. I could go left or right. I looked left, and there was a red haze over everything. When I looked right, there was a set of glowing blue dots hanging in the air. "Follow the dots, I assume."

  The dots led me to a wall, and then a door opened onto something that was clearly an elevator. I followed the dots. I didn't have to push any buttons. The elevator began moving, and we descended. There were no indications how deep we were going.

  We stepped out, and there were no more dots.

  "To our left is a gymnasium," she said.

  "It's not red."

  "You are authorized to use any of these facilities," she said. "But you will probably not be alone. The pool is right."

  It was a short walk to a glass wall, and on the other side, a large swimming pool. There were other people using the pool, and it was clear some of them were aliens. Others were human. I stared through the glass.

  "I'm in my underwear," I said quietly.

  "Is it so different than a swim suit?"

  "It is much thinner, and once it gets wet..." I trailed off. "I turned to her. "Please, Administrator. Isn't there something else I can wear?"

  "Would you be upset if you had the pool to yourself?"

  "I don't know. Anyone could stop by."

  "If I gave you the choice of skinny dipping with absolutely no one else in the room, would you take it? I don't promise no one would be watching from here, and there are video cameras."

  "Who is watching?"

  "I don't know. Anyone with access to our network who so chooses. It could be no one, or it could be a great many people."

  "Humans?"

  "Some."

  "I bet you could give me something. I bet you could."

  "I could, but I'm not offering."

  "Why not?"

  "Because this is part of being a mating candidate."

  "Could I come back when no one is here?"

  "There is little promise even if you arrived when this room was unused that it would remain unused. I'll make you three offers. You may forego exercise today. You may go swimming dressed as you are. Or I will remove the humans, and you will skinny dip."

  I sighed.

  "There is one more rule. You will not speak to any humans except as required for your duties or theirs. If any attempt to speak to you, you will inform them you are not allowed to speak to a human. You are also not obligated to speak to any of the aliens, but that is your choice."

  "I think I'd like to go back to my cell," I said in a small voice.

  She studied me for a minute. "I think you are making a mistake."

  "I think you could give me a swim suit. Or a pair of shorts. Or another choice."

  "I probably could, but I have a reason not to."

  "Why?"

  "Because you are a mating candidate, and I want you off balance. If you don't let me do it this way, I'll find other ways."

  "Get rid of the males, and I'll skinny dip," I offered.

  She looked through the glass. "No, but I'll let you have a towel and robe, and I'll tell the males to leave you alone. That's the best you're going to get."

  I turned away. "You're an evil woman. I hope someday someone does something to you like you're doing to all of us."

  She ignored my comment. "So, do you want to swim?" I didn't look at her, but I nodded.

  "Come." She turned us to the right, and we entered what was clearly a locker room that looked like any found at a modern health club. "This is for females." She led me to a rack, and there were waiting robes. Beside them were towels in a bin. I shrugged into the robe and held it tightly around me.

  "Thank you," I whispered.

  "There is a rack near the pool," she said. "It is far enough from the water to avoid being splashed." She led me to one of the lockers. "This is now yours. It will open only for you or me. Leave your under clothes here. There will be fresh clothing here for you after your shower. You
will return the robe and dress only in what you find here."

  "I understand."

  "Wait here. I will summon you when you should come."

  "Yes, Administrator."

  She left me for perhaps five minutes. It was hard, but I took off everything under the robe, setting them in the locker and closing it. Then I pulled the robe tightly around myself and waited.

  Then in front of my eyes appeared a word. "Come."

  I looked around, saw the path to the pool, and soon emerged in the big room. The humans were all gone, but Jasmine and a number of the other aliens were watching for me to appear. I walked straight to Jasmine. "They're watching me."

  "Yes, they are," she said. "Take off the robe and leave it here." She gestured to a standard clothing rack, complete with hangars. "You can leave your towel here or use one of the chairs."

  "Please tell them to turn around."

  She crossed her arms and said nothing.

  "Fine," I said. I walked to the edge of the pool and called out, "Do any of you speak English?"

  One of the males moved slightly closer. I don't even know how to describe him. He was clearly an alien. Envision a scene from Star Wars, if you want. Pick one of the aliens. Does it really matter?

  "Many of us do," he said, his words heavily accented.

  "I wouldn't suppose you would give me an ounce of privacy," I asked.

  He shifted weight and looked around then looked back. "Speak more slowly."

  "Will you all please turn your backs while I get into the water?"

  "Why?"

  "Because Administrator Brighteyes won't let me wear any clothes."

  "Speak slowly."

  "Because. I. Am. Naked."

  He gestured. "You wear this."

  "I. Must. Take. It. Off. To. Swim."

  Again he looked around. "Human females small. Different bodies. Curiosity."

  "Please," I said. "I'm really upset. Please do this for me." I turned to the Catseye. "Will you at least translate for me?"

  "You don't need me," she said. "You're doing fine."

  I turned back, and everyone was still watching. Then the male who had been speaking turned, speaking rapidly in one of their languages. Then he spoke in a second language. A moment later, everyone in the room, except the Catseye, turned his back on me.

  "Thank you," I said.

  "Better hurry," said the Catseye. "They aren't necessarily patient."

  I ran to the rack, slipped the robe from my shoulders, and shoved it onto a hangar. I sent the towel flying towards a chair and was pleased my aim was gone. Then I ran for the water and dived.