Candidate (Selected Book 4)

by Robin Roseau

  "Don't get too used to it," she said. "You're a temp."

  I laughed. "Maybe whoever becomes my mate will want to move here. Who can tell?"

  "Who can tell," she agreed. She glanced at Clover and then back to me. "We all help with this next step. If we left it to the guards, it would take well into the evening."

  Jasmine then laid out the process, spending several minutes to do so. When she was done, I said simply, "I understand."

  She turned to Clover. "What do you think?"

  "I think she'll be fine, Jasmine. You can partner her with one of us if you're worried, but I don't think you need to."

  "Do you use any of the other aliens that are here?" I asked.

  "No. Did you have a request?"

  "I'm not sure I want to be partnered with someone who comes to my cell and shackles my ankles."

  They snorted.

  "But you know, that just makes me a problem child. Just tell me what you want and I'll do it."

  "She's after more privileges," Clover said. "I swear she is."

  I turned to her. "I want a rematch with you. I still want that blanket."

  They both laughed. "But what will you offer me?" Clover asked.

  I sighed. "No rematch?"

  "We'll see," she said.

  "Normally I coordinate at the transport," Jasmine said. "Clover, would you like that instead? I can partner with Andromeda."

  "All right."

  "Now, about those human interest interviews," Jasmine said.

  "Yes?"

  "How would you like to perform them with your four women? We can see how it goes. I think it would be too much to do with all the women, but maybe for special cases."

  "All right. If you like it and there are others you want me to do, I can."

  "We'll keep that in mind. Do you remember that party I offered?"

  "For women of a certain, um. Attitude?"

  "Yes," she said with a snort. "You may offer it."

  "Thank you."

  "It will be tomorrow evening."

  "Before the arena events on Wednesday."

  "Right."

  I paused. "They're supposed to decide that fast?"

  "I will give them one cycle -- two weeks or so. They may date in a fashion similar to you, but without your extra freedoms. If they do not make a decision, then we'll make it for them, and it will be in the arena with the next batch."

  "So a male."

  "Probably."

  I shook my head.

  "I know," she said. "I'd rather not do it that way. I don't even like doing it how I'm doing it with you."

  "Let's hope this works," I said. "Anything else?"

  "There's a price for the party."

  "With you, there is always a price," I said. "What is it?"

  "First, you will attend the party dressed as a mating candidate."

  "You're not going to let them wear dresses, are you?"

  "You know what they're going to be wearing, Andromeda."

  "They'll show better in dresses."

  "They'll feel vulnerable and more readily compliant if they dress to impress."

  "I will have you know I can impress quite well in this fetching little black dress back in my closet at home."

  "And second, some of the aliens want to see a human female."

  I considered carefully. "I think you are leaving something unsaid."

  "They haven't seen one of you naked in person."

  "There is online porn for that, Jasmine. It's there for a reason."

  "Solve this problem for me, Andromeda," she said.

  "Is the list limited to females, or are we talking males, too? Because I am not going to strut my stuff for a bunch of males. And I don't think you're stupid enough to ask me to."

  "Females only."

  "And I suppose it has to happen by tomorrow night."

  "Solve this problem or I will," she said. "My solution will be to make all of you undress as you step into the party."

  "You wouldn't."

  "Oh please," she said. "You know I would."

  "I think you're bluffing," I declared.

  She folded her arms, leaned onto the table, and looked at me intently. "Do you intend to call my bluff?"

  I stared at her for several seconds before lowering my gaze. "You swear. Females only."

  "Females only."

  "You'll turn off the cameras."

  She paused.

  "And you won't lie about it," I added. "I'll solve this, but you will promise me. No cameras, no males."

  She nodded. "No cameras and no males."

  "Fine. After breakfast tomorrow I'll go swimming without the suit. You'll clear the pool of all humans and all males. I won't display myself, but I won't go out of my way to hide. They can see whatever they get a chance to see."

  She paused. "And again tomorrow afternoon. I want you in the pool area for at least an hour each time."

  "And if anyone doesn't feel she got a good enough look, I'll even do it again Wednesday morning, but only if you want to clear the pool again."

  "We can decide that tomorrow evening," she said. "I accept your offer."

  "Are you going to be there?"

  She smiled. "And miss the chance to exhibit my voyeuristic tendencies? Of course I'm going to be there."

  "If you look smug, Jasmine, I will probably lose it. You can ogle, but please do not look smug. And if I ever find out you broke your promise about males or cameras, I will never trust you again."

  "I'm not sure I know how to look smug," she said.

  "Yeah, you're looking pretty damned smug right now." I smiled. "If I'm showing mine, I want you to show yours. No Catseye in the room unless her tentacles are out."

  "You change the arrangement already?"

  "Do you have a problem with it?"

  Clover snuffled.

  "Do you wish to further modify our agreement?" Jasmine asked.

  "Yeah. If anyone touches me inappropriately, I'm going to slug her. And I'm also going to invite a certain Wookie to attend, so it'll be an enraged human and a protective Wookie to face."

  They both snuffled at that.

  "Was there a third price?" I asked.

  "No, just the two."

  I turned to Clover. "Is she always like this?"

  "Only with her favorites," Clover said. "She loves to spar with her favorites."

  "Does she?" I asked. "I'll keep that in mind."

  "You could be replaced as my favorite," Jasmine said. "It could happen in a heartbeat."

  "I'm not worried," I said. "If you toss me over, I'll offer myself to Clover and Peony as their Third."

  They both stared for a moment then began their Catseye laughter. "Catseye don't do that," Clover said. "But for you, and to annoy Jasmine, we'd probably consider it."

  "Catseye do take, well, you might call it a vassal," Jasmine said. "But it doesn't have the same implication as what a Tutor does, and it wouldn't protect you from the arena."

  "Well, we have work to do," I said. "Or was there more?"

  "Right. Work. To do. And all that."

  * * * *

  Well, they had work. I didn't, not really. But I used the time to put together some challenge grids. I started with some Jasmine had done but made my own adjustments. I knew there would be more once I saw how things unfolded. But it helped me to grow more familiar with the available choices.

  If Jasmine let me get away with it, I was going to make the challenges be tough on the challengers. But she had repeatedly warned me how important it was to keep the mating candidates off balance. I wasn't quite sure how that would end up working out.

  And with that thought, I wondered if the whole strut my stuff bullshit was part of her plan for me. I thought it was, but I also thought if I had called her on her bluff, she'd have carried through on it. I thought it was unlikely I'd win a single thing against her.

  But then she signaled me. "The transport is fifteen minutes out."

  I stepped into her office, and
we made the walk together.

  "Jasmine, with all your technology, why isn't more of this automated? Can't you just beam the women into their cells?"

  "That doesn't work."

  "You beam my meals into that little nook."

  "No we don't. We have robots that bring it to you from the kitchen."

  "Seriously?"

  "Yes."

  "All right. Then why don't you have robots that deliver the women into their cells?"

  "Because they deserve personal attention."

  "Wait. You could automate it, but you don't, because you're being kind?"

  "Is that so hard to believe?"

  "You yank them from their lives, force them to go through all this, marry them off to someone, who might be truly a horrible individual, but you don't let robots handle them, even when they're unconscious?"

  "Andromeda, if it were my decision, we would only take volunteers. We wouldn't yank anyone unwilling from her life. Out of your billions, do you think over a decade or two we couldn't get a half million."

  "A half million? You need a half million?"

  "Yes, roughly."

  I thought about it. "You could get a half million from one city with the right incentives."

  "Exactly, and do you think I can provide the right incentives? Such as, oh, I don't know, a several-hundred-year expected lifespan?"

  "Seriously?"

  "Seriously."

  "Yes, I think you can find the right incentives."

  "I'm working on this, Andromeda. You're a step in that process. You're not the first step. Those humans I told you that have hugged me? They came before you. And there will be more steps after you."

  I had nothing to say to that, and a moment later we stepped into the daylight. The visor acted like sunglasses, and I didn't even need to shade my eyes.

  "I could get used to these," I said, tapping them.

  "You haven't had them off in three days," she said. "I think you're already used to them."

  "You said these were an entry level model. When do I get the upgrade?"

  "When your new mate gives them to you."

  "Oh, come on. You're dying to give me a new gift that doesn't cover any more of my skin than it has to."

  She snuffled. "Did you talk to your old boss like this?"

  "No way," I said. "Gerri swears like a sailor. I had to fight to keep up. Fuck that."

  She laughed outright.

  We weren't the only ones waiting. I recognized some of the guards. Sal, Gene, and Danny were there. Dark Skies was there, of course, and Clover arrived a few seconds after we did.

  "You haven't met my other two senior event coordinators," Jasmine said. She took my arm and drew me to a pair of aliens. As we approached, they turned to us, and I saw they were both the same species -- Loris like the one from the arena a few days ago.

  The Loris were petite, smaller than I was, and covered with fur. But their fur was far finer than the Wookies'. They had flat faces, a little like an owl's, with upright ears and a jutting, delicate muzzle. Unlike the Wookies, I would discover these Loris enjoyed wearing clothing, although they did so strictly for ornamental purposes.

  "Andromeda," said Jasmine. "These are Bay and Cedar."

  "I am Bay," said one. "Cedar is my mate."

  "Cedar can speak fine for herself," said Cedar. "Bay is my overbearing husband, but I love him regardless."

  "You are Loris."

  "We are," said Cedar. "You are human."

  "I am," I said. "How do Loris prefer to greet?"

  "My wife prefers to bite," said Bay. "But I find a human handshake appropriate." He held out his hand, and I took it carefully. Then I shook with Cedar as well.

  "Did we interrupt a fight?" Jasmine asked.

  "Yes," said Cedar. "My stupid husband again suggests we should pit the mating candidates against each other."

  "Last woman standing," said Bay. "We could give them extra privileges."

  "Tell me he's kidding," I said.

  "He's not," said Cedar.

  "She's sore because I won't offer her group odds. She's trying to swindle me."

  I turned to Jasmine. "He's kidding, right?"

  "He makes this suggestion every few weeks," Jasmine replied.

  "I can talk them into it," I said.

  "What?" they all said together.

  "I can," I said. "If you let me pick the reward."

  "I don't think so," said Jasmine. "You'll send them home."

  "Not at all. The reward is a group challenge. Them against the Loris who suggested we treat these poor women like gladiators."

  Jasmine snuffle-laughed. Cedar did some sort of high squeaking thing, and I thought she sounded not unlike a dog toy. Bay gave me what I was sure was a dirty-Loris look.

  "I should have thought of that," Cedar said. She turned to her husband. "Why didn't I think of that?"

  "Because you would never envision such a poor idea," Bay said quickly. "Unlike a certain human who shall go unnamed."

  I turned to Jasmine again. "I think I ended their fight."

  "Don't worry," she replied. "They'll start a new one soon."

  "My wife and I enjoy challenging our wits against each other," said Bay.

  "What he means to say is he's an ass, but I put up with him for the sex."

  "That's probably true," Bay agreed.

  "Seriously, Administrator, I think it would be very good for morale if we hosted a few challenges featuring the senior event coordinators."

  "And by that you exclude the event coordinators in training?"

  "Of course. To the best of my knowledge, you only have one, and she's also a mating candidate. As such, she is already heavily weighed down with her split duties as event coordinator in training and source of amusement for the aliens."

  "I like her," said Cedar. "But she's not very smart, is she?"

  "Oh?" I asked.

  "Are you sure teasing the senior event coordinators while you are subject to our events is a clever idea?"

  "Of course it is," I said. "I cleverly determined that the two of you tease each other to bond your relationship tighter, and I offer to also tease in a show of solidarity and desired friendship." I turned to Jasmine and spoke sotto voce, "Tell me you aren't going to let the Loris run any of my events."

  "We heard you were picked clean by the robot-bugs," Bay said. He thumped his chest. "My idea."

  "To apply it to me?"

  "No, just in general. It's too bad Dark Skies warned you not to smear any of the food on your face. Most of the humans go insane when the little robots eat from their faces. I always make sure to splash some there."

  "Well, the transport is nearly here," Jasmine said. "We'll leave you to it." Then she dragged me away, nearly literally.

  "Don't strangle him," she said. "I really can't afford to replace him just yet, and I'd have to replace her, too."

  "Does he really?"

  "What?"

  "Splash their faces?"

  "Yes."

  "Why?" I asked. "These women have had their lives torn apart, and he thinks it's funny to make it worse?"

  "I want to ask a favor."

  "I'm suddenly not in a favor-granting mood."

  "Watch him with his events before you come to any conclusions."

  "I think I have all the information I need."

  "Yes, I know you think you do. But you aren't going to believe me, so I'm asking you to hold off your judgment."

  "Don't let him run any events with me."

  "I can't promise that."

  "You are not helping my mood," I said. "I in effect forfeit my challenge with Soft Rain to avoid a fourth punishment, and he felt the second should have been worse than it was?"

  She snuffled, this time not a laugh. "Listen. Some of the challenges require punishments of some sort. We couldn't help you in your challenge with Soft Rain without a price. Would that have been fair?"

  "No, but-"

  "But he's as gentle as a lamb. Oh, he's fiendish w
hen it comes to psychological punishments, but he never hurts one of the women. Never."

  "Maybe you should dip him into that pit and let the insects at him for a while."

  "He has been. Well, not the pit, but we have other ways of covering you in the food. When he comes up with something new and clever, he sets it up and then tells Cedar to surprise him with it. Sometimes he comes back very subdued and tones it down. As often, he turns it up. But most of the time he gets it just right the first time around. He never comes up with actual physical punishments, and he's appalled by the power staffs. But when we need a psychological punishment, he's your Loris."

  "So he's almost as good at head games as you are?"

  "Well, he's not in my league, but then, who is?" Then she gestured. I looked up, and the transport was coming into view. We all watched as it circled the facility, coming lower, and then it settled in for landing, hovering over the ground well in front of us before inching closer. Then it turned slowly around, offering a view of its tail end, and lowered the last few feet to the ground.

  It grew quiet, not that it had been loud. And then the ramp began to lower.

  "Right," called out Clover. "Let's make sure we get the right woman in the right cell this time. I can't prove it, but I'm pretty sure that little mix up two batches ago was someone's idea of a practical joke. Not on my watch!"

  I leaned to Jasmine. "I've got a bathrobe that says the Loris was involved."

  Jasmine snickered. I noticed she didn't take my wager.

  They were actually quite efficient. The transport had a crew. They would roll one of the chairs out of the transport. Each of the chairs had the occupant's ID displayed on the side. It could be scanned; I simply used my visor. The visor did a lookup and told me anything I wanted to know about the occupant, including which cell was hers. And then the visor would guide me into the facility and to the right cell.

  Clover coordinated, opening each chair for a moment to view the sleeping occupant and performing a visual verification she was who the bed said she was. And I didn't know it at the time, but she also kept track of who arrived and could immediately tell us how many were left.

  The cells were all underground, but there were two banks of elevators, so depending upon which cell we needed, the visor directed me to one bank or another. And because the visor already knew which women were being moved in, it could hold an elevator if someone else was about to get on for the same stop.