by Viola Grace
Kofu nodded, and he prepared another injection.
“What is that?”
“A vitamin supplement. The education station has a baseline for where a healthy human should be, and you are falling outside of some of those guidelines. This will help.”
This one was jammed into her arm with a hiss. When he pulled back, he smiled brightly. “There. Now, we will spend an hour or so with you familiarizing me with your animals and then two hours of etiquette training and then back to the animals.”
She blinked. “Just like that?”
“Just like that. Your language skills will be testable for the first languages in three days. Etiquette needs to become muscle memory, and identifying species is merely looking and remembering. Learning about those species is important, and learning their customs is vital.”
“Right. Well, learning which chicken is which is key, too. Shall we?”
He nodded. “I will also tell you what my species is and teach you about our customs.”
They left the shuttle, and she took him to the flock, introducing him and having him crouch with feed in his hands. The flock came running and pecked his hands empty.
“Their needs are primarily grain and water.” She smiled and walked to the laying coop.
She gestured to the floor. “They defecate a lot. This is the deep-layer method. They tend to relieve themselves when they perch for the night.”
He nodded. “These are the eggs?”
“Yes.”
“How many of these creatures do you need?” Kofu was puzzled.
“Oh, I eat these eggs. They lay one nearly every day. Currently, they are my primary protein source.”
Kofu nodded. “I see.”
“I let the hens in the other coop go broody and have their families. These hens just want to get the egg-laying over with and get on with their day.”
He nodded. “Fair enough. Is this enough space for them?”
“They don’t even need this much space, but I like the room to move. I let them out in the morning, and they return at dusk. If they need to lay an egg, they come in and use the laying boxes.”
“Very well. Two of these will fit in the hold easily.”
She blinked. “Really? Neat. Right. Now, the goats take up about the same amount of space for evening habitation. They do need a bit of space to walk around.”
“That is easy, as well. Shall you make the introductions?”
Cass chuckled. “I won’t have to. They followed us to the coop. Turn around.”
He turned, and the furry entourage was waiting for him to introduce himself.
She explained about their fun habit of headbutting when they needed attention, to the point of causing an injury. The goats had to range free because of the horns. If she had put up a containment fence around them, the results would have been unlikely to have ended in a good life for the animals.
The horses were at the far end of the meadow and were slowly making their way back to the yard.
Kofu whispered, “What are those?”
“Horses. The fussiest animals out here but also lovely and could possibly even carry someone the size of Master Karus.”
Kofu nodded. “Of course. He is lighter than he looks.”
“You have lifted him?”
Kofu blinked, and his skin got warm again. “No, but he has to be light, or he wouldn’t be able to fly.”
He had felt pretty damned solid to her.
They discussed the needs of the animals, and then, he smiled. “Now, your hour is done, and the learning begins. First, you will learn to walk.”
“Walk?”
“There are many species who have enhanced hearing. Stomping like you are compressing the soil under your feet is not a good start. So, we will walk.”
He started her on some loose boards and had her walk back and forth on them until she had stopped thudding the lumber as she stepped.
Her thighs, calves, and ankles ached by the time the two hours were up, and she was happy to look toward the house and separate from Kofu for the evening.
He put a hand on her shoulder. “Your food needs to be monitored, and the tutorial will be able to upload faster if you are in the shuttle.”
“But... the shuttle will remain here.”
He inclined his head. “Of course. You will not leave this world until you have either passed or failed your exams and not for another two weeks.”
She nodded. “Right. But I want to make my own food for a while. Would you care to join me for dinner?”
“What is dinner?”
She shrugged. “I have thawed out some meat and made a stew with vegetables. It should be ready by now.”
“You have power?” He seemed surprised.
“Yeah.” She looked around. “This place had belonged to my uncle, and he wanted to remain self-sufficient. I have wind and solar generators, a ton of batteries, and a system set up to invert the power into something that the appliances can use.”
Cass smiled. “But, first. Feed the animals. Then feed the people.”
He grinned. “I can understand that. Shall we?”
She nodded and went to the feed shed, getting her big bucket and loading smaller buckets into it. They started with the chickens and increased in animal size as they went. Water was tipped and filled, and Kofu asked questions as they went.
When the feeding was done, she scrubbed her hands with soap and cold water and welcomed him into the house where the smell of the food was sending enticing scents through the air.
“So, I don’t know about your diet. Omnivore?”
He nodded. “Yes. It smells really good.”
“Good. Please, be seated, and I will get the food, plates, and utensils ready.”
“I will. We are back on teaching time, so I will give you an assessment of your movements.”
She nodded in understanding, scrubbed her hands again in the tepid water of the tap, and she set the table, sliced some of the bread she had made in the bread oven that morning, and she sliced it, provided butter and more mint water.
She explained every stage of the meal, invited him to give himself more if he enjoyed it, and tried to explain the process of making goat milk butter.
They had a friendly meal, and when she had done the dishes and put them away, he gave her his assessment of her service. She had done well, but there was more to learn and refine.
Chapter Three
Two weeks flew past. When Kofu said, “It is time for the exam,” her stomach flipped, and she clenched her hands.
She folded her hands together and inclined her head. “The time has flown past.”
He chuckled. “Excellent response. Now, I will lock you in the unit, and the test will begin.”
She paused. “Will you take care of the animals?”
“Of course. Corky and I have a chess date. I am due a win any time now.” He smiled.
It took a strong man to admit that his favourite creature was a chicken who liked to peck at chessboards.
“The unit will open when the testing is complete, and then, we wait for the response.”
She chuckled. “You have faith in your teachings?”
“I trust your dedication. Now, step in.” He opened the door to the comfortable chair that she would sit in. When he closed her in, the desk and terminal would move in front of her, and the test would begin.
She had gone to the bathroom, washed her hands, and was wearing the uniform that he had brought for her. Her hair was tied at the nape of her neck, and she had gotten a good night’s sleep. It was as good as she was going to get.
She stepped into the unit and sat down. The door slid and locked closed. The terminal moved into place, and the screen lit up. The test began.
Cassandra was wrung out when the terminal retracted. She had answered questions on language, species identification, customs, contract law, and subjects that surprised her, like animal husbandry.
The final test had been a halo over her head and monitors
that were built into the chair. Something pulsed into her mind, and she shivered, shook, and twisted as her body woke up with aggressive enthusiasm.
She hadn’t been driven to completion when the units disappeared. Damnit.
Cassandra stepped out of the now-open door, and Kofu and the herd of goats were sitting nearby. “Well, it’s done.”
He grinned and smiled. “Excellent. I will check the result.”
He went inside the shuttle and brought out his hand computer. “Well, you need more work on your Acluthan tea etiquette, but you passed with a ninety-two percent accuracy.”
She slumped.
“And, Master Karus was right. You do have the sensitivity necessary for a Hmrain bonded companion.”
She blinked and blushed. “Sensitivity? You mean the last... uhh... test?”
He nodded briskly. “Yes. The Hmrain can be exhausting lovers. Someone on their frequency is necessary, or their lover will burn out, and the effect can eventually be fatal. Master Karus’s last assistant passed away after five years of service, but that was ten years ago. His previous assistant was in service for two hundred years.”
Cass had heard the reference to extreme age before but thought it had to be a translation issue. Now, with the words spoken in the same Common as the station above, the term for centuries was clear.
“How old is Master Karus?”
Kofu shrugged. “It isn’t known. He and the other Hmrain were released into the universe together, and they are all ancient.”
“Others?”
“Yes. The Hmrain are wise and caring, guiding the worlds that they keep in their territories. They are also powerful and terrifying, and the worlds that they protect are known and secure.”
“Why do they need bonded companions? Can’t they just take each other as lovers?”
He shrugged. “I believe that would be akin to taking one of your siblings to your bed.”
“Oh.” She blinked. “So... this contract has a buyout time?”
There was a chime from the unit in his hand. “Yes, there is a contract. You can look it over.”
He handed her the unit and went inside, telling someone on the com that the tests had been passed, and she was now clear for departure.
She read the contract. It was very specific. In return for her companion, hostessing, and sexual services, her animals and their offspring would be kept in good health and maintained for a minimum of ten generations, or in perpetuity during her time with Master Karus. She would have a wardrobe provided for her, health, amenities, and anything she could think of if she was needed at the side of Master Karus. The next comment was that she would always be needed at the side of Master Karus, and travel with him was a requirement.
The more she read, the more she realized that sex was something that was needed to make the Hmrain more socially acceptable. Maybe it was the companion that was required to make them less terrifying.
After reading it over twice, she looked at the animals that were well provided for in the contract, looked around at the grim sky, the struggling trees, and the sparse grass. She glanced into the clean, neat, and well-supplied shuttle.
Slow death or uncertain life. She chose life. Her thumb pressed down on the square next to her name and registry number. The screen went purple.
Cass looked around and smiled. “Well, I guess this is where it kicks off.”
Kofu came out, grinned at the screen, and nodded. “The ships are on their way. I will manage the animals and make sure that they are settled as quickly as possible. The hold is ready for them, and you and I have prepped all the supplies for the journey. Do you have your personal effects?”
She held up her knitting kit. “I do.”
“Wait for the first lander. They will have a pilot who will fly you up.”
Cass swallowed. “You will be up there soon?”
“When the animals are settled, you will be brought to the hold to check on them. Master Karus has said that we will not leave until you are satisfied that your creatures are all with us.”
She sucked in a breath. “How long until they get here?”
Kofu put a hand on her shoulder. “They’re on the way.”
Cassandra closed her eyes and then opened them with determination. “Well, we had better double-check everything.”
He smiled kindly. “Of course.”
They walked together to check on the supplies of hay and grain, as well as the wood chips and shavings for bedding. It was a way to pass the time before her doom descended from the sky.
The two ships that descended looked very similar in style to the two-person shuttle that Kofu had piloted.
She stood with her trainer and watched and waited as the larger ships settled and the doors unsealed, ramps extended, and the crew emerged. The first shuttle crew came out, lined the ramp, and Master Karus emerged, his wings out and high behind his head in a striking frame.
He walked toward her, and she stood with her head high and shoulders back.
He stood in front of her, and Kofu drifted off to speak to the crew.
“You completed your training.” He murmured it in Hmrain.
“It was a rush, but it was managed. You brought enough men to gather the animals.”
He inclined his head. “I shall uphold my end of the bargain. They will be taken care of as long as you are with me.”
She stared at the small metal beads that bound the front locks of his hair. Anything was better than meeting the gaze that was both distant and smug at the same time. The heat that was smouldering in that black and grey metallic gaze was almost hot enough to scorch her where she stood.
She followed the protocol and bowed low. “Master Karus. I am yours for the terms of the contract.”
He touched her hair. “I accept your agreement.”
She slowly straightened, and he stepped toward her until the front of his tunic took up her entire field of vision. He touched her chin, and she looked up at him. The kiss wasn’t unexpected, but it was far more gentle than she had imagined.
Cassandra raised her hands and braced them on his chest, rising up on tiptoes to seek more of the delightful tangle of their kiss. She could feel his slow and steady pulse in his chest. Her heart was pounding rapidly, her skin was tingling, and she felt embarrassing dampness between her thighs.
She slowly lowered back to standing.
He raised his head, and he smiled. “This was definitely the best decision for us both.”
Cassandra thought about the answers she could give him, but she merely inclined her head.
He held out his hand to her, and she placed hers in it. All the practice with Kofu now made much more sense.
He walked slowly with her to the shuttle she had been taught in. “Are all of your animals ready?”
“They are. Kofu knows what to do. He is very good with animals.”
“Ah, yes. Crewman Kofu. I guessed he would be a good candidate, was I correct? Did he act appropriately at all times?”
“Yes, Master Karus. He was helpful and circumspect at all times.”
“Good. He was one of ten volunteers. The others are all going to help your creatures make it to their new home.”
“Thank you. He was very helpful, and I am glad that he will be with them.”
Master Karus pressed his hand on a plate on the exterior of the small shuttle. “Good. Perhaps you would like him to take over your estate. He might be a good choice to keep your animals flourishing.”
“I have an estate?”
“You are in the peculiar situation of being in a time contract instead of financial. So, the funds are in your account, and as you want these creatures to survive, their upkeep and transport are coming out of your pay.”
She was surprised by that. “How much?”
“The equivalent of a year’s service to get them down and four months to house them.” He smiled. “You have been paid enough for you to buy a small mining asteroid or a habitable moon in an uninhabited sector. Transpo
rt is the most difficult part of it.”
“Ah. Right. I guess there is some customization of the space.”
“And the manpower to keep them comfortable and relaxed. The liftoff and landing with the animals will burn four times as much fuel as normal.”
She nodded and made it a mental note to check on how much she had actually gotten. There had been too many zeros on the number for her actually to figure it out.
The icon he had pressed turned white, and he smiled. “Come with me. We need to get you changed, groomed, and ready to travel.”
She exhaled and followed him into the ship that had changed configuration. The pilot and second seat were now visible, and the back of the chair was thin. Cass glanced at his wings and nodded. Right. Made sense.
He chuckled. “Cassandra, please take your seat.”
She settled in the second position, and straps wrapped around her thighs and ribcage. It wasn’t a five-point harness, but she wasn’t going anywhere.
He settled in next to her, the servos whirred, and the exterior doors closed, the ramp stowed away.
“Right, well, your time as my assistant will begin when you are appropriately attired and groomed. I have arranged for that assistance on my vessel. Are you ready?”
She took a deep breath and nodded. “I am ready. Goodbye, Earth.”
He smiled and slowly fired up the engines until they were above the treeline. He then leisurely turned toward the clouds and cut through them. On the other side, she saw a blue sky for a moment before everything went wispy and black. She had done it. She had gotten off Earth, and her creatures were coming with her. Against all odds, she had found a way to safety, and all it had cost was everything.
Chapter Four
He piloted them easily. He had obviously had a lot of practice. Cass sat with her hands folded in her lap as she stared into space without a barrier between her and it for the first time.
Karus glanced at her. “You seem nervous.”
“I haven’t been in a shuttle before. I have definitely not been in space before.”
