Married to the Alien Admiral of the Fleet

by Alma Nilsson

  I knew that I would enjoy this. And you enjoy it too, Jane.

  Jane immediately went to Capital City Gossip but couldn’t find anything and was disappointed. Most likely, she was blocked. But then she thought about it and decided she didn’t care anyway as what would the article say, that she was walking with Admiral Jei? That they shared a very romantic kiss for all the Empire to see. We are adults and can do what we want, she thought defiantly, but she knew that she was being hypocritical as what they did was against the norms of Alliance society. She was glad then that all the humans were blocked from articles about them except for in the Day.

  Jei received a message from his son on his way to his next appointment which he would have happily kept waiting longer if Jane would have wanted to stay with him longer,

  Father, what is going on?

  Jei smiled and then checked the Capital City Gossip Column without replying to his eldest son, and sure enough, there was an image of Jane and him walking along the Promenade Ring, looking pleased with one another and then a short video of them kissing. He watched the video and was aroused again thinking about the kiss. My human, he thought. He cancelled his next appointment and decided to go directly to the Shopping District to buy some known jewelry. On the way, he read the full article,

  It is true. You are never too old for love. Admiral Jei of House Rega and Lieutenant Commander Jane, Head of House Human, took a stroll after the maximum time for lunch at the exquisite Leld restaurant, which has recently began creating a few fusion Alliance, and human dishes. Unfortunately, these two are leaving orbit soon, so we won’t be able to follow their romance as readily as we would all like on the Capital Planet. Still, already I have, like many of you are probably doing right now, added the Kzi to my list of followed Alliance ships in the galaxy. And we should all petition the military feed to show every interaction on ship between these two. They are scandalously delicious.

  Officially Lovers

  Jei’s son Ule joined him at his home for the evening meal. Ule was 160 years old and also still in the fleet and held the rank of admiral. It was rare the two men were able to meet up together, especially on the Capital Planet, so it was a special occasion.

  They had a good relationship. Ule respected his father and felt that he had, for the most part, made wise decisions, and even when he hadn’t, Ule could see the logic behind the decision made. But now he was baffled by his father’s romantic interest in the human woman Jane.

  “Father,” Ule said after the meal, while they had some zota in front of an open fire in the drawing-room of Jei’s Capital City house.

  Jei looked at his eldest son, “You’ve not used this tone for decades, what is it?”

  “You know what it is. You’ve read the gossip columns.”

  “Ule, your mother began her next life years ago. I want to have a companion again.”

  “You have Vran.”

  “Not just a slave artist who is only around as long as the UCs are. I want someone to smile with again.”

  “You are the Admiral of the most powerful fleet in the galaxy. You could have anyone. Choose another Alliance woman.”

  Jei waved his hand at his son, “I wouldn’t want to take a young woman. She would say ‘yes’ only because of my rank. Jane is different.”

  Ule laughed at the preposterous comment, “Is she not young and using you for your rank? She is 39 Earth years old. What is that really, 35 years old in Alliance years? I think she’s used witchcraft on you.”

  “Ule, I’m only going to say this once, don’t ever speak of Jane that way to me ever again. She didn’t choose to come here, and she has given up a lot in doing so. She left behind a husband and children on Earth. Can you imagine how that must feel for her? And not that I need to explain myself to you, but I will because I want you to understand. I am the one who initiated our relationship after I met her. And she was very reluctant to be transferred away from her group of humans on the Zuin, but again, she complied without complaint. Now she is almost completely integrated into Alliance culture, and I want her. You can almost consider her my wife already. She will live with me on the Kzi. This is a new dawn for us. Men will truly rise to equality through human women. Don’t spread propaganda against our cause.” Jei never thought he would have to threaten his son, but many men didn’t want equality, they didn’t want to push for this new era in the Alliance. And this was exactly the kind of complacency women had relied on for years, keeping men just happy enough not to ask for more. More power, more equality and more of the good Alliance life.

  Ule shook his head at his father, “I think when you come to your senses, you will regret this. There are so many things wrong with Admiral Tir’s ideas and I don’t see how human women will be a means to an end for us. And what more equality do we really need?”

  “This is the problem. You and your kind are too content with the scraps the women throw at us. We are the true force behind the Empire and it’s time that we begin to exert our power. Too long have women made conservative decisions, chosen peaceful routes that have only led to drawn out failed peace treaties, which we end up having to die for. We should be ruling the galaxy with more force. Then our colonies and other civilizations would be less likely to rebel or think that they could win a war with us. There would be more peace in the galaxy by ruling with a stronger hand.” He sighed seeing that he was getting nowhere with his son, “And human women see men as equals. Jane doesn’t look down on me. And Kara is going to give Tir the power he needs to see our cause through to fruition.”

  “Because she’s ignorant of our ways? Is that why he is keeping her away from spending too much time here?”

  “No, because she believes men and women are equal. And because of this, Kes of House Zu would have her killed. A simple challenge and it would be done. You know that.”

  “And it’s convenient that Tir only allows her to see what he wants her to see of the Alliance,” Ule said sarcastically. Then more seriously, “I’ve heard rumors that she speaks Alliance and even a rumor that Tir has taught her the men’s language. But I can’t believe that as she seems to hate everything about the Empire except our warships and weapons. I can’t imagine her going through the hassle for something she hates. What interest would she have in ruling except to see Earth become a colony? You know Captain Kara talks about that, right?”

  “Yes, I know, but if we must sacrifice one of our oaths to the Lost People so be it. It would be by one of their own anyway.” Jei replied, but this did trouble him. Kara’s desire for vengeance on humanity. However, it that was the price to pay for Tir gaining all the power and flipping the sexes in the Alliance so be it.

  Ule didn’t want to discuss this anymore with his father. He knew they stood on different sides of the issue. He just hoped that his father would not be executed with Tir when this all fell apart. “Do you mean to have any hybrid children?”

  “Are you keen to have a sister?”

  Ule couldn’t help but laugh at the idea. “It could be a playmate for Hso,” Jei’s great-great-great-grandson, who only recently had been born.

  Jei smiled at the thought, “Well, I don’t know if Jane would want another child. I assume she would as a means to see her human children again but it’s not something I expect.” He didn’t even mention her husband as Jei considered him only as a lowly human man and nothing compared to him. And seeing as how Jim, that was his name, Jei had looked it up in the database, had not even tried to rescue Jane, Jei didn’t think he could be much of a man. Even more so that he gave up on Jane so easily as well. Jei had gone through all of her records since she joined the Kzi, including her personal files. He knew about Jane’s personal life and the reason she asked for the forget-me-not procedure.

  “You really are taken with her, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, and I assure you that no witchcraft has been involved,” Jei replied honestly.

  “You’ve checked?”

  “Of course, I have. I had Tir checked too. Nothing. And
I don’t think the humans could come up with any technology that would be undetectable to us. And their doctors don’t even possess any clairvoyance traits,” Jei spoke earnestly to his son.

  “I guess have nothing more to question about it then. I just hope you don’t regret this.”

  “Good. You just have to accept that your father has fallen in love with one of the Lost People. It’s people begin accept them into our society.”

  “I don’t want to hear about your emotions, father,” to speak of love made most Alliance people very uncomfortable.

  “Sorry. I feel young with the feeling of it,” Jei tried to explain his inappropriate admission about how he felt about Jane.

  “What’s your plan then? You can’t have Jane living with you as your wife on the Kzi.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it isn’t done, and you know that. Just because humans are on ships, we shouldn’t be integrating them together like some kind of a mix between slave artists and Alliance women. They should have never been allowed in the fleet.”

  “I don’t know, I’m rather enjoying it,” Jei said with a grin. Just then, his IC went off. The specific chime was from the government, so he looked at it and then laughed.

  “Is something the matter?” Ule asked as he also knew it was a message from the government, and he imagined it must be some high-ranking information for only the Admiral as he had not received a message himself.

  “It’s only the fines for kissing Jane today in front of Leld.”

  “Gods, I never thought I’d see the day where my father of over two centuries is receiving fines like a junior officer for inappropriate behavior with a young woman. So, Father, what will it be, pay the UCs or visit the High Priestess’s punishment rooms?”

  “I’m glad you can find some humor in this,” Jei smiled at his son.

  “I guess I’m just trying to look at the more positive side of it all that when I’m your age, I too will probably still have the stamina to be with a woman of 39 Earth years old, which is young, very young.”

  Jei just smiled as he paid the fine, and his son frowned at him, hearing the cost, “I, Jei of House Rega, agree to pay the fines of 1,050 UC.” Then he hit another button, “I, Jei of House Rega, agree to pay the fines of 1,050 UC for Jane Johnson, House Human.” He, of course, paid Jane’s fines too before she could pay them. He knew very well that House Human was always borrowing money from House Zu and probably now House Vo to cover their costs. Jei was not going to have Tir inadvertently paying his fines.

  Jane heard her IC chime and then looked at it and almost fainted when she saw the amount of UCs the government had fined them. She had assumed that they would be less than the usual price given that she and Jei were older. However, she was wrong. Apparently, the government deemed them worse because they should know better than to set bad examples.

  Jane Johnson, House Human, Fines for 2nd day of the 12th week of the year 18906

  The Promenade, Leld, kissing Jei, House Rega at 14:03

  Fine: 525 UC per citation.*

  The Promenade, Leld, holding Jei, House Rega at 14:03

  Fine: 525 UC per citation.*

  Total: 1050 UC

  Disputes can only be made publically.

  Added charge for geriatric display of affection.

  Just as Jane was about to message Kara to admit she needed to borrow some UCs; she received another message:

  Jane Johnson, House Human, Fines for 2nd day of the 12th week of the year 18906

  Paid in full by Jei, House Rega, 2nd day of the 12th week of the year 18906

  Jane was grateful that he paid the fines, but after a moment's reflection felt like she should still pay, so she decided she would somehow pay him back.

  Her hand hesitated over her IC. She was debating with herself whether or not she should send Jei a message right now. But she decided against it. She would thank him in person and then try to reimburse him when they were back on the ship.

  Jane looked at her IC again and the fine. She reflected on her behavior and actually had no idea what had come over her earlier. Jane wondered if this had something to do with the forget-me-not. She was about to message Doctor John when she saw that he was available for an RVM.

  “Jane. It’s so good to see you. How are you?” John asked with concern.

  “That’s why I’m calling. I’ve not been acting myself; I don’t think. I mean, I don’t know? Is this really me?”

  “Slow down. Tell me in detail what you think is out of the ordinary, and I will tell you if I think this is a problem.” John, of course, knew about the kiss on the Promenade. Everyone was talking about it, but he wanted to hear how she perceived things before he deemed this to be entirely out of character and an adverse reaction to the forget-me-not procedure.

  “Ever since I was transferred to the Kzi, I have developed feelings for Admiral Jei. They are so strong,” she touched her hand over her heart. “I don’t know if I’ve ever felt this way. I can’t remember. And I don’t know if I would feel this way if I could remember everything.” She knew she had tears in her eyes, but she didn’t care. She needed to tell him. He was a doctor and a friend. She trusted him.

  “Had you ever met the Admiral before the forget-me-not procedure?” John asked gently.

  Jane wiped away some stray tears and tried to remember, after a few seconds, she replied, “Yes, I met him at a High Council reception.”

  “And what did you think of him then? Was there a connection?”

  Jane smiled through her tears, “Yes, I believe so. He told me not to cut my hair and gave me a hairpin. But I didn’t think much of it at the time because I still had my Jim.”

  “But do you think you were attracted to him, even just a little when you first met him?” John didn’t know how far the forget-me-not actually went in changing a person, not only just in personality but physically altering them. There were conflicting studies. Most believed though that by altering memories no biological differences would be affected. However, new studies showed that different pheromones could be favored when one altered memories so much that it changed one’s personality. John wondered if that was what has happened here. That Jane would have never been attracted to Admiral Jei, but because so much of her memory had been altered she was now favoring different pheromones and therefore a completely different kind of man.

  “I don’t know. I wasn’t repulsed by him.” Jane thought about her feelings that first night she met Jei, but it was so difficult to remember, she felt so different now. “I don’t think I could even consider him liking me at that point because I was in no place to like anyone else. I was still living with the belief that Jim and I would one day be together again or that we would both just be in love with each other across the galaxy forever. I know it sounds so stupid when I say it out loud now, I was a fool. And I still am. I’ve no doubt you and everyone else know about what happened today. I’m setting a terrible example for the women in House Human and the worst part is that I don’t regret it.”

  “I don’t think you’re a fool, Jane. As for today, you are human and just like everyone else and you have physical needs and desires. You and Jei like each other, and it’s not wrong that you shared a kiss by human standards. Nor really by Alliance standards either, it’s not as if a million fines don’t go out in the Empire every day. And as much as the Empire wants us all to conform you can’t just change your basic cultural core overnight. You’re hardwired to be human because you were raised on Earth. Your fundamental values were set in your childhood. To truly make drastic changes to your core is almost impossible, so don’t be so hard on yourself. I think if anything, your behavior with Jei shows to the women of House Human that even you, the illustrious Head of House Human, are open to temptation and that it is difficult to change. As for you and Jim, you shared a lot of your lives together. Then you were forcibly removed from your family, and you and Jim held on for as long as you could to those memories and the commitment to one another. I do believ
e you would have held on forever, but you are in an alien environment, and so it’s not as easy to move on for you. But Jim, things were the same but different. He has been living with a hole in a place there shouldn’t be a hole, if you see what I mean?”

  Jane nodded, “But this behavior, what I am doing with Admiral Jei, do you think it’s really me? It’s right? That I would be so reckless with the Alliance code of conduct?”

  “Let’s not jump to conclusions. If you were doing this with a man of questionable circumstances and of a young age, I would be very concerned. However, the Admiral is anything but young and doesn’t strike me as a man who makes impulsive decisions. Nor does he have anything to gain by showing an interest in a human. I think you can be sure, at least from his side, this is all normal. That he is attracted to you. However, as for you, I can’t say. By the time we met, you were already married to Jim with children. I don’t know how you ever were single. But given that we’ve known each other for years, I would guess the way that you are behaving now towards Admiral Jei is your true nature if you see what I mean? You are this person. The forget-me-not has stripped you of a lot of your memories, so it is mostly instinct that is guiding you now.”

  “That doesn’t reassure me,” Jane admitted. “My instinct is a bit of a whore.”

  John smiled, “Jane, it’s fine. Is this the only thing in your behavior that worries you? You’ve not had any sudden changes in food choice, friends, clothing, etc.?”

  “No, just this,” Jane said, thinking through everything else.