Lost in Space

by Trisha McNary

  “Your Earthling has agreed to accept the outfit I’m designing for her. It’s a costume that will express her inner self and set her spirit free! Of course, per custom, your agreement is required. But I’m sure that you’ll have no objections. Am I right?”

  Ms. Juanita looked intently at M. Hoyvil with one gigantic eye slightly raised and twisted. This expression meant, “Yes, I know that your agreement is required, but if you don’t give it to me, you’ll be very sorry.”

  M. Hoyvil had seen this expression many times before, but now he was more amused than intimidated by it. However, he had no problem with humoring Ms. Janeez in this matter. He hid his amusement by holding his eyes stiffly in the at-rest position as he answered her.

  “As long as Antaska has agreed, it’s fine with me.”

  “Fabulous!” shouted Ms. Janeez telepathically.

  M. Hoyvil wasn’t surprised to see her stand up to leave the table in her enthusiasm to get started.

  “Come, Freeta! I must go immediately to move forward on this design! There is so little time remaining!” she said.

  “But you must finish your dinner, Ms. Janeez, or you won’t have the energy to do your best work on the costume,” Freeta protested.

  “As usual, you are right, my faithful companion,” answered Ms. Janeez.

  She sat back down and began to eat fast with pauses for huge sips of her chlorophyll water. Freeta started eating fast too.

  “Ah!” M. Hoyvil heard Master Meeepp say telepathically to Mistress Bawbaw. “Now there’s an example of a truly devoted and helpful pet. If only M. Hoyvil could have chosen such a pet instead of that strange Earthling. She doesn’t seem to help him at all. And the small animal she brought along to disrupt the sanity of this household is even stranger.”

  “I think you’re exaggerating about that last part,” answered Mistress Bawbaw. “I interpret the situation quite differently. The children are using their imagination to play fantasy games, which is perfectly harmless and normal. And M. Hoyvil is kindly playing along.”

  “Hmm. Do you really think so, my dear?” Master Meeepp asked her.

  “Yes. But as for Ms. Janeez’s pet, I’m more concerned about her. Like so many Earthlings who become our companions, she’s extremely attached to Ms. Janeez. But in her case, I believe the attachment has gone even farther than normal. I’ve seen her behave in a hostile manner toward other Earthlings whom she might see as a threat to her relationship with Ms. Janeez.”

  “Really?” asked Master Meeepp. “I’ve never seen anything of the sort.”

  “It’s passive aggressive behavior, dear. It’s subtle,” said Mistress Bawbaw.

  “Well, if you say so, I’ll take your word for it,” answered Master Meeepp. “But to tell you the truth, I’m not as interested in the psychology of humans as I am in gazing at your beloved face. I won’t see you again for many months, and I want to see as much of you as I can before I leave.”

  Mistress Bawbaw turned to look deeply into his eyes. M. Hoyvil looked away. They’d stopped talking about anything that was interesting to him.

  Then Ms. Janeez pushed her plate aside, rose from the table, and rushed out of the dining room. Freeta got up and followed her at a much slower pace. M. Hoyvil noticed the lowered corners of her mouth–the Earthling expression for displeasure. He remembered Mistress Bawbaw’s concerns about her jealousy of other Earthlings.

  Is Freeta mad at Antaska because Ms. Janeez is running off to design clothes for her? he wondered.

  Chapter 8

  When Antaska got back to her room after dinner, she found Potat asleep on the bed. M. Hoyvil had gone to his room. He was going out for the evening to the first social event planned for the adolescent Verdantes this week.

  Antaska lay down next to Potat, careful not to make any jolting movements that might wake her.

  Potat was usually a light sleeper, but not this time. Plunged down into her deepest level of sleep, she was busy receiving the slow communication that the planet’s telepathic trees had been so insistent on delivering ever since her arrival. Her sleeping mind was completely filled with the voices of millions of individual trees harmonizing to send a combined message.

  Ordinarily, Potat kept a part of her mind available to watch over Antaska, even in sleep. But the enormous humming message coming from these loud sentient trees was making that difficult, even for the powerful mind of a cat.

  About once an hour, Potat sent out a mental feeler. So far, she’d found that Antaska was fine, but she knew that Antaska was having problems with the Earthlings in the residence. A lingering concern stayed with her as she slept on, waiting for the trees to finish delivering their message. And the only reason she kept listening to the time-consuming, annoyingly slow message was that it seemed to be about Antaska! An even more annoying thing about the sentient tree language was that one couldn’t understand the message until the entire message had been heard. And it always took many hours for even the shortest message.

  Antaska was exhausted after the long, eventful first day on the planet. She watched Potat sleeping and felt like she could fall asleep too at any moment. Antaska was relieved to notice that the drug Freeta had given her had worn off. If there was a stimulant property to the drug, that was gone too.

  “I should go to the bathroom before I go to sleep,” Antaska decided.

  After she dragged herself up out of bed, Antaska pressed her hand on the wall to open a small compartment, picked up her toothbrush and toothpaste, and headed out the always open doorway.

  Freeta was sitting in the same chair in her own doorway when Antaska passed by.

  “Hi Freeta,” Antaska said.

  She waved a tired hand at her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Freeta rise from her chair. Freeta walked on soft-slippered feet, but Antaska could sense her following behind her. She walked faster down the long hallway.

  Oh great. I told her to stay away from me! Is she going to try to give me drugs again? Antaska wondered. I’m too tired to deal with this now.

  Inside the bathroom, Antaska first used one of the stalls. Then she went to a sink and started brushing her teeth. Freeta came in before she was done.

  “Hi again, Antaska!” Freeta said in a cheerful, wide-awake voice.

  “Ungh,” said Antaska with her mouth full of toothpaste and a nod of her head.

  She faced the round mirror and kept brushing. She didn’t look at Freeta, but she could sense her standing next to her and staring at her.

  “Look, Antaska,” said Freeta as Antaska spit out her toothpaste and started to rinse. “I know what you’re up to with Ms. Janeez, and I won’t tolerate it.”

  Is she hallucinating or something? Antaska wondered. From all the drugs she takes maybe?

  Antaska wiped her mouth on the soft towel hanging next to the sink and then turned to face Freeta.

  “What are you talking about?” she asked.

  Freeta crossed her arms over her filmy dress.

  “Playing stupid won’t work with me,” said Freeta. “You know what I’m talking about. We both know exactly what you’re doing.”

  Freeta’s eyes and forehead scrunched up in an angry glare. Antaska crossed her arms too and stared back at her. She was relieved to notice that Freeta wasn’t holding her drug spray bottle.

  “Actually, I don’t,” said Antaska. “And if you don’t tell me what it is, I won’t be able to stop doing it.”

  Freeta’s mouth and nose scrunched up too. She spoke to Antaska in a mocking, sing-song tone.

  “I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m just trying to get Ms. Janeez’s attention by racing past her door, so she’ll notice me and make clothes for me. Maybe she’ll like me the best and want me to stay on the planet with her. Then I can get drugs every day!” Freeta yelled in Antaska’s face.

  Antaska stepped back from her.

  “Are you crazy?” she asked Freeta. “I’m not taking that stuff again! And don’t try to spray it on me. If I see that bottle, I’m warning
you, I’ll kick it out of in your hand.”

  “Now you’re threatening to kick me!” said Freeta. “I’m going to tell the Verdantes you said that. They won’t let you go to outer space with M. Hoyvil if they know you’re violent.”

  “No. I’m not threatening you. I’m threatening your drugs. And you know what? I’ve had enough of this. Tell the Verdantes whatever you want. I’ll have to tell them about your drugs then. You’re nuts. I’m out of here. Stay away from me like I told you before,” said Antaska.

  She turned and walked away from Freeta.

  “You liar!” Freeta shouted after her. “I know you want more drugs! You’re just doing this because you think now I’ll give you more to make you like me. But I won’t. I’ll wait for you to come back begging to me! On your knees!”

  She’s completely insane! Antaska thought as she walked away as fast as she could.

  Chapter 9

  When Antaska got back to her room, she lay down on the bed next to Potat, who was still asleep. She thought about the predicament she now found herself in.

  Freeta is really becoming a problem! Will I have to deal with her every time I go to the bathroom until we leave this planet? she wondered. Should I tell M. Hoyvil now? But if I do that, will the adult Verdantes think that I’m the problem and not allow me to go into outer space, like Freeta said? I wish Potat were awake, so she could give me advice.

  Antaska glanced over at Potat. She was in a deep sleep and snoring loudly for such a small cat. Antaska yawned, completely worn out by the long day.

  There’s nothing I can do right now anyway since M. Hoyvil won’t be back till late, she told herself. I’d wait up for him, but I’m just too tired.

  Antaska turned her head on the pillow and glanced through heavy-lidded eyes at the open doorway.

  I wish this room had a locking door, she thought. It’s hard to feel comfortable when there are mentally unstable people living in this residence.

  Just before she drifted off to sleep, Antaska felt a strange anxious need to stay awake. She tried to wake back up, but her mind and body were both too tired. And soon, like Potat, Antaska sunk down into a heavy, deep sleep.

  Chapter 10

  While Antaska was spending her evening arguing with Freeta and eventually falling asleep, Master Meeepp was with Mistress Bawbaw in their own personal rooms. They lay next to each other on the giant-sized bed in their warm, colorful suite. Master Meeepp was permanently bonded and irresistibly drawn to Mistress Bawbaw, but he’d noticed a growing sense of unease over the years when he was with her on the Verdante planet.

  It wasn’t his way to mention such things, and he knew she’d be upset if he spoke about it. But this discomfort was the reason why he’d spent longer time away from the Verdante planet in the last several hundred years.

  What was a vague suspicion in Master Meeepp’s mind was in fact the reason why Mistress Bawbaw seemed more and more like a different person each time he saw her. She was increasing her use of the strong tranquilizer given to Verdante women to numb their feelings of despair at being left alone on the Verdante planet for most of their lives.

  Tonight, for some reason, it took a bit more effort for Master Meeepp to ignore the nagging feeling that something was wrong. Their bond of love was a telepathic emotional one. And now he noticed a sweet sickness overlaying the powerful emotions of love that passed between himself and Mistress Bawbaw as he held her in his gigantic green arms.

  Something seems wrong, he could not deny the realization this time.

  Thoughts about the drug Mistress Bawbaw and the other female members of the household used tried to enter his mind, but he pushed them away.

  No. That can’t be it. The doctor says those drugs are completely harmless. And the females need them because they can’t travel to space with us. It’s all the fault of those Woogahs, after all, he changed the direction of his thoughts to the alien race so hated by all the galaxy.

  Mistress Bawbaw turned toward him. He felt the same familiar passion and physical desire for her, but now when he was with her, there was also a sense of unhealthiness that left him feeling unclean.

  But how could there be anything unclean or unhealthy between him and his one permanently bonded true love for life? It didn’t make sense, but it continued to trouble Master Meeepp. And so he thought ahead to the upcoming trip to space, and he thought about ways it could be extended.

  “I miss you so much when you’re away. Must you be gone for so long next time?” she asked as if reading his mind.

  “Ah, my darling,” sighed Master Meeepp with mixed feelings. “After two thousand years, it’s just as wonderful to be with you.”

  “And you, my dear, and you,” agreed Mistress Bawbaw. “I’m the most fortunate woman in the entire galaxy.”

  They lay quietly in each other’s arms for a few minutes, and then Mistress Bawbaw spoke.

  “I have a favor to ask you, my endless love,” she began. “You might have noticed the new pet of M. Hoyvil?”

  “Hmm…I might have noticed her,” said Master Meeepp.

  He rested his large head against her perfectly sculpted green shoulder and wondered where this was going, not really interested in Earthlings right now.

  “Yes, dear. As you know, she was somewhat of a troublemaker on the space ship journey here from Earth. Now she’s caught the attention of Ms. Janeez. And Ms. Janeez asked me if she could keep this pet and let M. Hoyvil take another one to space. We’ve got several house humans he can choose from, you know. That pet Antaska might cause trouble in space, and she’d benefit from our positive influence here in the residence,” said Mistress Bawbaw.

  Master Meeepp nodded his head slightly against her shoulder to show that he was paying attention, but he wasn’t really paying complete attention.

  “Ms. Janeez offered to let M. Hoyvil take her new pet Totanna along. Ms. Janeez says she hasn’t been able to bond with that one,” said Mistress Bawbaw.

  “But my dear, I thought you said you wanted to ask a favor of me,” said Master Meeepp, confused by the point of all this.

  “Yes, that’s right. Ms. Janeez and I believe that M. Hoyvil’s unruly pet should stay here on the Verdante planet. She’s headstrong and appears to prefer to spend most of her time alone with her cat. That’s not healthy. Can you ask M. Hoyvil to leave her here?”

  “Why don’t you ask M. Hoyvil yourself?” said Master Meeepp.

  “You know how stubborn adolescents can be, and M. Hoyvil is even more stubborn than most. If anyone can influence him, it is you, my dear,” said Mistress Bawbaw.

  “Very well, as a favor to you, I’ll speak to him tonight when he comes back from his social activities,” Master Meeepp promised, flattered by her opinion of his ability to sway the stubborn M. Hoyvil.

  Chapter 11

  A few hours later, Antaska’s awareness lifted from deep sleep. She was still half asleep and groggy, but she sensed moisture on her face and neck.

  Something’s wrong, she thought.

  But instead of waking her up, the moisture seemed to be drowning her in a deep, drugged fog. Antaska struggled against it, but its pull was too strong, and her mind dropped back under. This time, into complete oblivion.

  Even though Potat was in a deep slumber, a part of her was always aware of Antaska and watching out for her. When Antaska lay down next to her, the tiny gray cat had already been sleeping for almost seven hours waiting to hear the full message that the trees were slowly communicating. Their drawn out humming sounds couldn’t be interpreted until the entire message was complete.

  Now, as Antaska was sinking into darkness, a part of Potat’s mind became alert to the danger. She knew that the message from the trees wasn’t finished, but Potat tried to wake up anyway in her usual manner.

  She reached out a mental claw to scratch through the blanketing layers of sleep, only to find that the foggy sleep layers, which normally tore away easily at the slightest touch, were reinforced by something much tougher. They didn�
��t break apart. Potat scratched her mental claws harder. They dug into something that felt like the small branches of trees and snagged there.

  The trees are trying to block me from waking up right when my pet needs me, just so they can tell me their complete stupid message, Potat realized in angry frustration.

  She tore with her mental claws at the blocking branches in furious desperation, in motions almost too fast for a human eye to see if any had been looking. But as fast as she broke through one branch, another replaced it. Potat knew that her efforts were getting her nowhere, but she also knew the danger to Antaska was increasing—that Antaska was approaching death—and Potat pushed herself even harder.

  Potat grew desperate. Most beings couldn’t speak telepathically while they were asleep, but cats were more advanced. From inside her dream, Potat called out telepathically as loud as she could, “Help! Help!”

  “Kitty!” Potat heard the blasting telepathic voice of M. Bomp answering her from some distance away in the residence.

  And then many more telepathic voices shouting. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  Soon after that, the sound of pounding feet coming toward her down the hallway finally broke her free of the branchy bonds of sleep. And at that moment, the long message from the trees was finally complete: “WHEN THE TIME COMES, SEEK THE JALAPENO.”

  Potat heard the message, but it didn’t interest her. Antaska was in danger! Potat sprang up with a loud “yeowl” in the curved-back attack cat position just as the three Verdante children rushed into the room in their pajamas. The Earthling Freeta stood next to the bed holding a small glass bottle and looking startled.

  “Medical! Medical!” all three Verdante children shouted at once.

  Freeta headed toward the door, but one of the children grabbed her arm and stopped her.

  An orange light glowed down from the ceiling and surrounded Antaska while various apparatus extended down and attached to her body. A medical alert alarm blared throughout the residence. Potat could hear and sense Verdantes and Earthlings rising from their beds, but all her attention was focused on Antaska. And even though she could tell that Antaska was not in the still form lying on the bed, she hadn’t accepted that yet. Potat sent her mind out to search for any remaining spark of her.