Candidate (Selected Book 4)

by Robin Roseau

  The numbers shrank, then grew, and I immediately cut towards the left. They were still a hundred meters behind me as I squirmed my way underneath the lander. I wondered how long before they would look for me.

  The grasses were tall, after all, and hid me from a casual look. The edges of the lander were crushing the grass, but it was open in front and back, underneath the ramp.

  I thought about hiding under the ramp itself, but in the end I wormed my way over to one edge. I touched the metal. It was cool. So I pressed up against it and lay still.

  The numbers reached thirty meters, then varied from under ten meters to thirty meters as they split up, trying to find me.

  They searched the inside of the lander. From the sound of it, they even climbed on top. They may have looked underneath, but if they did, it wasn't very thorough.

  "That is a better hiding place than I imagined it would be," said Cedar into my ears. "They seem quite puzzled, but if they look like they're going to move the jumper, I have to stop them. You would get hurt there."

  "It was kind of a tight fit," I whispered very quietly. "I'm not sure they can crawl under here."

  Eventually they came to a stop. I thought they were standing on the ramp. And then I heard the ramp lifting. When I looked, Harp was lying flat on the ground looking directly at me. A moment later, Jaguar joined her. Harp tried to climb in after me, but it really was quite snug. Jaguar moved to the other end and made her own attempt. From both sides, they tried to reach far enough to grab me. Harp was able to just brush my foot, so I pulled it up tighter. Jaguar wasn't even close.

  "You can start digging," I said with a grin.

  "It would be dangerous to move the lander with you here," she replied. "You could come out."

  "I don't think so. It was impressed upon me I should play to win."

  A moment later, they both sat back. And nothing happened for a while.

  I thought about trying to slip out. I wondered if they would notice. The urge to sneak out grew and grew. But I hunkered down and stayed where I was.

  Then Jaguar moved away. She was gone perhaps five minutes, up to a hundred meters away before she grew closer again. I heard noises, but I couldn't tell what they were doing. Then both heads appeared at the front end of the ship, Harp across from me, Jaguar along the nearest edge.

  And Jaguar had a long stick. She let me see it was sharpened.

  "You wouldn't," I said.

  She began poking at me with the stick. I shied away from it.

  "Seriously? All your high tech, and you're going to poke me with a stick?"

  "I could use a power staff if you want," she said.

  "No way! You promised you wouldn't hurt me, and those things hurt. Besides, they are too short."

  "My stick is not," she said. And she poked at me.

  I caught it and tried to pull it away from her, but all that happened was she pulled me forward two feet before I let go again. She immediately poked at me, and I scrambled back further.

  Then I felt something wrap around my ankle and draw tight. Harp was no longer at the front. I hadn't even heard her. She began tugging on me, and I struggled to stay where I was.

  I rolled over onto my back, trying to squirm my ankle from her grip, but she wasn't holding me with a hand. She had looped my ankle with a rope.

  "No way!" I said.

  She tugged, and I slid. So I scrambled, one foot held tightly. I looked for things to hang onto, but all I could do was drag at the grass and dirt.

  Slowly she pulled me out from underneath the jumper, dragging a fair mount of pulled up grasses with me. Once she could reach, she grabbed my ankle with her hand, and when I tried kicking at her, she got the other one. It was only a few seconds later before she firmly but slowly and carefully pulled me into the sunlight.

  Jaguar was already waiting. She took one leg from Harp, and the two dragged me on my back a short distance from the lander. Then they began touching.

  I'd won another gift by hiding under the jumper. They brought me back to their apartment and we showered together, the three of us, taking turns to wash each other. And then they said, "We wish to take you out to dinner."

  The clothing they had for me was a leather outfit similar to theirs, but it was in black, red, and white. I absolutely loved it.

  I was expecting shackles and even asked about it, but they said, "You would not walk away from us now, would you?"

  "No."

  * * * *

  For the third challenge, the sensitivity was now a hundred meters. I ran them around for a while, but then once they were within two hundred meters, I dived into the woods and hid. They passed me and came to a stop. It took them a minute or two before they began searching the woods.

  I expected it to take them time to find me. It was about three minutes.

  They looked so pleased when they found me. I struggled with them, of course, but they pulled me back to the trail and began touching.

  I didn't win a gift that day, but I didn't mind.

  * * * *

  We lay together in bed. They spent hours driving me crazy. I'd tried to encourage them to claim the rest. I really, really wanted them to finish what they had started, as I was insane with need. But they wouldn't let me touch back, and they seemed oblivious to my hints.

  Finally I managed to wrest one hand from Harp. I grabbed Jaguar's hand and shoved it between my legs, pressing her where I wanted her.

  They both stilled.

  "No, Andromeda," Jaguar said. "Not yet."

  "Yes, yet!" I said. "You're driving me crazy!"

  Harp shifted forward, grabbed my hand, and pulled it back over my head. And then Jaguar withdrew her hand from where I'd put it.

  I stared at her. I looked up at Harp.

  "Let me go," I said. "I'm serious."

  "Andromeda," she said gently.

  "Let me go!" I screamed. "I mean it. Let me go."

  She released me, and I sat up, moving to the edge of the bed, bowing my head. "I thought you wanted me."

  They moved to sit beside me, but when they touched, I pushed them away. It was like pushing a mountain, but they stopped trying to touch.

  "We cannot," Jaguar said.

  "You cannot?"

  "It is wrong."

  I jumped to my feet. "It's what?"

  "It is wrong."

  "It's wrong? It's wrong?" My voice rose. "I suppose you're going to tell me it's unnatural. I suppose you're going to say women don't touch that way, or that you couldn't possibly touch a human that way."

  I spun away, looking for my clothes. I began gathering them, but then they were both there, catching me, catching my hands.

  "No!" I screamed. "I thought you wanted me. I thought that was part of it. But it's wrong? Let me go!"

  "You do not understand."

  "I understand you said you wanted me, but you don't."

  "You do not understand," Jaguar repeated. "We do want you. We want you that way and every other way."

  "But it's wrong."

  "It's wrong for now," Harp said.

  "Andromeda, a triangle is forming. Maybe you can't feel it yet. But we can feel it forming."

  "If we touch that way, then the triangle that forms is only about that. We want it to be about everything. And so that comes later, after."

  I let them pull me back to the bed. We sat, one on either side, holding my arms.

  "Soon," Jaguar said. "If you want us. Soon."

  "But not yet," Harp added. "The triangle will not be healthy."

  "I don't know what you're talking about."

  "We know," Jaguar said. "You have to trust us. We know what we're talking about."

  I sat quietly, not fighting them anymore. "How long?" I half-whispered.

  "The triangle must form. It is forming. If we touch like that, if we taste like that, then it is to consummate the triangle."

  "How long? Days? Weeks? Months?"

  "Not months. A few weeks, perhaps, if we stay here the entire time. Bu
t Jasmine Brighteyes tells us you have one other suitor, and we must give her one final chance. You must have choice. We are not happy about this, but she left so we could meet you, and now we must let her remind you that you have choice."

  "All right," I said quietly. "When are you leaving?"

  "A few more days." Then Jaguar turned my face to her. "We want you to know. The triangle is forming. We are convinced it will form. That means our kind can form a triangle with humans."

  "We weren't sure," Harp added. "You have given us such a gift for the future."

  "I still don't understand."

  "You will," they said together.

  And I would, and sooner than we realized.

  * * * *

  We had to skip a night, as I had long events to run. I missed them terribly.

  But then our next challenge had the distance indicators set to one kilometer. I didn't think they could possibly find me. I did the same trick at the bottom of the cliff, and at first they fell for it, but then, somehow, I was sure they were moving away, each going in opposite directions. I ran north. The distance to each grew to under one kilometer, and I was north of the east-west trail they would be on. I waited briefly then began running again. I thought they would head to the base of the cliff, or get awfully close to it, and I could then head far to the north. With such poor sensitivity, I didn't think they could possibly find me.

  But the distance stayed under one kilometer, and finally I dashed into the woods and found an easy hiding place, tucked in underneath a tree with thick vegetation surrounding me. They wouldn't possibly find me.

  Fifteen minutes later, the brush parted, and they were both looking down at me.

  "Clover! Did you cheat?"

  They grabbed me and pulled me to the trail.

  "No," she said. "I don't know how they did that. They shouldn't have found you."

  The next night was nearly the same, but they found me even faster.

  But the night after that was truly unexpected.

  Triangles

  The event began like the others. I decided to just put distance between us. And so I jogged. By the start time, I was well hidden a half kilometer from the starting position. They couldn't possibly locate me.

  And they didn't.

  The event started, and after only a few minutes, I had the incredible urge to leave my hiding place. A few minutes after that, I stood up and began walking, then jogging, then running back to the start.

  I couldn't have explained it.

  "What are you doing?" Jasmine asked.

  "I don't know."

  "You promised to play to win."

  I ignored her. I had to find Harp and Jaguar. I had to find them. I had to.

  I burst into the starting clearing. They were seated in the grass near the lander. I ran to them, walking the last few steps, and sat down at the apex of a triangle.

  They both looked at me. They were holding hands, and when they reached out, I set my hands in theirs.

  "The triangle is formed," said Jaguar. "It is fragile, but it is formed."

  I couldn't have explained it, but I was filled with such deep joy, such joy it couldn't possibly all be mine.

  "You are in trouble," Jasmine whispered into my ears.

  But I didn't care.

  They didn't strip me, although they did touch, and then we rose together. We moved onto the ship together. I took my seat, and was filled with such joy.

  But Jasmine was waiting for us, and she was angry. I could see it in her tentacles. Together we walked to her.

  "Our triangle forms," Harp said. "Tonight we share, and tomorrow. Then Jaguar and I will leave, to give our competition one last chance. But we will come back to finish what we have started. Andromeda will be the third point of our triangle."

  "Well, Andromeda and I have something to discuss," Jasmine said. "If she has any skin left when I am done with her, you may have her back. But I do not believe she will have any privileges, and if you wish to visit with her before you go, it will be in her cell."

  Somehow, I didn't care.

  She didn't wait. A tentacle snacked out, grabbed my wrist, and practically yanked me from them.

  That I cared about. I protested, but Jasmine told me to shut up, and she practically dragged me through the facility.

  She brought me to one of the conference rooms, shoved me into a chair, and had it swallow me. Then she stepped forward and forced my hands to the table, and they were swallowed.

  "Why are you doing this? What did I do?"

  She didn't answer. Instead, she stormed around the room, speaking rapid Catseye. I kept asking what I had done and asking permission to go to Jaguar and Harp.

  Finally she spun to me, leaning on the table. "You made promises to me! I have been very generous with you because of those promises. And you broke them!"

  "I don't understand. I don't!"

  She yelled for a while. She told me every privilege I had earned was gone. She deactivated the visor and yanked it from my face.

  "No more swimming. No more leaving your cell. And we do not need your continued assistance. You will sit in your cell and rot, for all I care!"

  "What did I do?"

  And then Jaguar and Harp were there. They rushed into the room, then moved to my side, putting arms around me.

  "What are you doing?" Harp asked. "Why are you hurting Andromeda?"

  "I haven't touched her since I put her in the chair," Jasmine said. "She broke her promises to me."

  "I didn't! What promises?"

  "You promised to do your best for each challenge. And instead, you decided you couldn't win, so you left your hiding spot, found them, and sat down. Why?" She screamed the last word.

  "We called her," said Jaguar. "We didn't know if it would work yet. If she were stronger, she might be able to resist one of us, but no point on the triangle can resist when the other two points call to her. We called, and she came."

  "Stop hurting her," Harp said. "This is a good day! Do you know what this means? We can make triangles with humans. We have one with Andromeda. It is weak, but it was strong enough to call her. It was strong enough she came to us."

  And then they both turned inward to me, murmuring quietly, surrounding me with their... love.

  They loved me. I could feel it.

  "They love me," I whispered.

  "Yes," said Jaguar. "And you love us."

  "You called her," Jasmine said, her voice flat.

  "Yes. She tried to resist, but we were two, and she was one. When we return, we will strengthen the triangle."

  "Please release her," Harp said. "Let us celebrate."

  Jasmine stared then said quietly, "My apologies, Andromeda."

  "Please may I go?"

  She paused, collected my visor, and handed it to Jaguar. Then the table and chair released me.

  * * * *

  We didn't make love. They told me we must wait. But we showered together again, touching, all of us touching. They let me touch them, and they touched me and each other.

  And then they drew me to bed, and together, we slept.

  * * * *

  In the morning, we touched some more, but I had duties.

  "I wish I didn't have to. Do you have to go?"

  "Yes. We can feel your affection for the Kitsune. She deserves one chance more."

  "I'll never have this with her," I said. "Please stay."

  "We cannot. We promised to Jasmine Brighteyes. But it will not be long."

  "When are you leaving?"

  "Late tonight."

  "Are you going back to the space station?"

  "No. We will stay on earth. The space station is too far."

  "Is there a challenge tonight?"

  "Dinner and touch," Jaguar said.

  * * * *

  It was the longest day of my life, or so it seemed, and I was distracted besides. But finally Jasmine said, "Go to them. You're going to be worthless, anyway."

  I didn't stay to argue with her.
>
  They were waiting for me, and I threw myself into their waiting arms. We touched. We kissed. And I could feel them both.

  It was glorious.

  They had clothing for me, so we dressed and went out. It felt so odd to be unshackled, although it was now the second time. We had a lovely dinner. I don't remember what we talked about. I just felt so amazingly good.

  Then we returned to their apartment. "We have two hours," Harp said. "Let us sit."

  They pulled me to the sofa, and we sat together, touching. "The bed is better."

  "If we take you to bed, then we won't talk," Jaguar said.

  "Talking is overrated."

  "Before we return, you must think about what you want to bring from Earth. We cannot return if you forget something."

  "I suppose you don't visit very often. The station is so far."

  "We don't live on the station," Harp said. "We live somewhat further."

  "Further? Saturn is pretty darned far already. Well, I suppose if I need something, we can get a shuttle to bring it, but that has to be expensive."

  The two exchanged a look. "You should make sure you think of everything," Jaguar said.

  "We know you are close to your parents," Harp added. "We'll take you to say goodbye."

  "Goodbye? But we'll come to visit sometime, won't we?"

  That was another look.

  "But... I'll be able to talk to them, right? Jasmine told me she could talk to the people on the space station. "So I'll be able to talk to them, right?"

  "We don't live on the space station," Harp said again. "It is further."

  "Further. How often will we come back to visit?"

  "We don't know," Jaguar said. "It will be difficult."

  "But... you came here. You said you were harvesting asteroids. That is how you made the metal for my necklace. The asteroids are between Mars and Jupiter. That's closer than Saturn."

  "We weren't harvesting those asteroids," Harp said.

  "We'll explain everything when we come to take you home with us," Jaguar said.

  "Wait. Just wait. Where is home?"

  "We can't tell you."

  "What do you mean, you can't tell me?"

  "We can tell you once we leave human space," Harp said.