The reality of the marks on Éorik’s back, for example. The ones he let me kiss and touch, but would not speak of, his eyes going dark and distant if it seemed as if I’d ask.
I blew out a breath and carried on getting dressed.
Since when did I play with fire?
The idea I’d make Beowyn angry or alienate Éorik by delving into his private torment made me so nervous, shaky and hot, I stopped soul searching and turned my mind to easier pursuits.
What could I do with my newfound free time? I located Lumen on the comms matrix and asked her to tea.
‘I’d love that.’ She sounded genuine. ‘Come over. I’ll whip something up.’
I walked across the spaceship, bobbing my head to the Rä warriors I passed and found the haze colour open to receiving guests. I ducked into to the enclosure she shared with her mates.
The room was airier than mine, its clean-lined furniture having a masculine appeal softened by feminine touches. A brightly sewn cushion here, a tasselled, woven throw there. The exotically spiced scent of Rä clung to everything; pepper, citrus and saffron.
‘Hang on a second.’ Lumen set down a serving tray onto a low table. Sashaying over to where I waited, she gave me a hug I politely returned. She smelt like minted tea. ‘Hello there.’ She stood back with her hands light on my shoulders, looking me over.
I mimicked her frank regard with my own.
Dusty rose, the floor sweeping dress she wore accentuated her voluptuous curves and made her taller than average height seem elegant rather than gangly. Kinky hair was an ebony poof around her heart shaped face, and her hazel eyes shone bright with health. Plump lips peeled back in a smile that made the corners of her eyes crinkle, and dimples appear under the high rounds of her cheeks. Skin a luminous, creamy brown, she was a beautiful creature I could never hope to compete with.
‘I’m glad we made time to meet. I’m grateful I can experience this,’ she waved a hand about, ‘with someone from Earth. Someone who understands what it’s like to be a normal person brought into this glorious madness.’
Another blinding smile.
Goddamnit, she was a nice person.
A childish part of me itched to despise her perfection. I couldn’t. How could I be petty knowing what she’d been through? I needed to stop making her responsible for my insecurities.
I drew a steadying breath. ‘Thanks for inviting me.’
‘We women should stick together. Support each other and all that noise.’ She reached for my hand and glided forth, towing me in her fresh, menthol-scented wake. ‘Let’s talk.’ We sat. Lumen curled her legs under her bottom, palm to her chin. ‘So. How’s Fergie handling the transition?’
‘Well enough.’ My daughter was used to change, a consequence of living like a pauper. Rusty at girl talk, I chewed my lip. ‘She and Orik have bonded.’
‘It’s cute how he walks around with her tucked into his suit.’ She made a cooing noise. ‘Hits me in the ovaries.’
‘Thinking of trying for another?’
‘Good God, no.’
‘The wee bit was seven pounds.’ It was easy to commiserate with her horrified expression. ‘My hips are narrow, but I managed to squeeze her out.’ I looked sadly at my lap. ‘It never was the same down there.’
‘Seven? Bravest was going on ten.’ She snorted. ‘I’m lucky I have child bearing hips. Labour would have been dangerous otherwise.’ She lowered her voice, looking embarrassed. ‘Did you…you know?’ She made a rude noise.
I nodded, and we both cringed, mothers sharing the indignities of childbirth. ‘I assumed healthcare would be more advanced.’
She made a so, so motion with her hand. ‘It is and isn’t. They approach it differently. Most of it is preventative. Surgery–the idea of cutting us open–seems barbaric to them. Healing to the Rä is about using the body’s natural resources to cure a problem. I think of it as alternative medicine with a basis in science.’ She cocked her head. ‘Veraks prescribe to a similar ethos even though they’re the most humanlike of the aliens I’ve encountered.’
‘There’s no cesarian? No pain relief?’ I made a pained face at her apologetic head shake. It turned thoughtful. ‘Lumen, do you no think it’s strange a human and a Rä procreated?’
‘It never crossed my mind until I became pregnant. I assumed it wasn’t. Venom knew different.’
I looked at her askance. It wasn’t the first time Venomous’ actions rubbed me the wrong way. ‘He did no tell you?’
‘He assumed I figured it out.’ She snorted. ‘The handsome lout gives me far too much credit. You see, the Rä mature for their Rä’Na, which is essentially the female they’ll best breed with. Scenting my pheromones in his vicinity, his body initiated a change to become male, signalling its willingness to create seed for my eggs.’
‘You mean you did no naturally understand that?’
She laughed. ‘Right?’
Loosing a chuckle of my own, I hooked my index finger on my chain. Beowyn wanted babies, what he called “cubs”. ‘Think I’ll be compatible with the Verak?’
‘You know I’m Ambassador for the Ra? Okay. I’ve been in contact with dozens of alien species and had access to classified information. I noticed a something remarkable. Listen to this.’ She scooted closer. ‘Rä scientists have a theory of evolution which explains not only their origins, but of a select few other species as well.’
She poured herself a drink then motioned as if to serve me.
I declined. ‘They don’t have beliefs founded in religion?’
‘They do. You and I have God, Christ and Satan. The Rä have Grandfather S’q’ama’ta and his offspring. Zython and the evil spirit Zaconda. There’s also She, Light of the Stars who is Zython’s offworlder mate. They gave birth to the Rä species. Their naming conventions honour her.’
‘You’re named after a Rä goddess?’
‘Venom named me. I suppose he felt a kinship with Zython. He’s believed to be the god’s mortal reincarnation, and he matured for an alien.’ She gulped her drink. Licked her lips with a pleased noise. ‘Traditionalists on Rök propagate the archaic creation story. Scientists of the Healers Guild and the Scholars, however, concur that sentient life on Rä stems from the stars. The story of Zython and his mate is a metaphor.’ She offered me the shallow bowl cradled in her palm. ‘This is a pannikin by the way. Inside is one of my favourite drinks, nut mylk blended with fruit nectar. Are you sure you don’t want to try it? It’s yummy. The ice is coloured because of minerals in the sweet water.’
Adventure seemed to be the theme of my life of late, so I extended a hand.
Prismatic spheres of frozen water floated on the pale yellow liquid. The first swig was an explosion of taste and texture. Silky bubbles danced in my mouth carried in a rich cream. It ended with a crisp, dry bite.
Eyelids fluttering, my tongue laved my lips. ‘That is heaven in a cup. Delicious.’
‘Told you you’d like it. The Rä don’t ingest the nectar. It’s too sweet for their palate. They use it as an oil for their scales and quills.’ An attentive hostess, she poured me my own cupful then leant back to drum her fingers on her chin. ‘Where was I? Oh, yes, origin stories. You know the Christian construct prevalent where we came from, and I’ve told you of the Ra’s. The Verak’s slant on things is fascinating, but you should hear it from them. I wouldn’t want to rob you of a bonding experience.’ She squinted as she accessed her memories. ‘The Baxnonians believe their gods had an orgy and they sprung up from the floods of seed that flowed across their planet, bringing forth life. Each solar they hold a worldwide celebration on the rotation their calendar marks as the commencement of spring. Everyone of age, mated or not, old and young, parade the streets naked and fuck.’
We shared a scandalised look, our conservative Earth upbringing rising to the fore. I giggled then slapped a hand over my mouth. Lumen tittered as her eyes darted side to side. Shoulder’s shaking, we fell across each other in a swarm of drunken cackles.
>
Wiping her eyes, Lumen sat up. Her face twisted into a funny look. ‘Now here is the not so hilarious part. The Azteka. They’re an odd bunch.’
‘Considering the company we keep that’s a stretch.’ I considered the Aztekan I knew. ‘Hel’s no so bad. He protected Fergie. Helped us defeat the Dei San and L’Odo.’
‘I think better of him for what he did, especially considering the practices of his culture.’ Lumen’s mouth tightened. ‘They say a great being chose their planet as the best in the universe. This being grew so powerful it split into two halves. Male and female. These pieces became the gods Destruction and Creation. The Azteka believe themselves to be their mortal offspring and that avatars are born to lead them.’ Her face paled about the eyes and mouth. ‘Aeons ago, the males overthrew the matriarchs. It’s now exclusively a patriarchal society ruled by one male in particular.’ She shuddered. ‘They call him the First.’
I grew confused at the wretchedness marring her expression. ‘Wars come and go. Leaders rise and fall.’
‘The males enslaved the females.’
I grimaced in distaste. It was still nothing new.
‘Any females born are imprisoned until breeding age. They are then sold and bought like livestock.’ She stopped, wiping her hands on her thighs then chafing them, agitated. ‘They’re raped by their purchaser until conception.’
‘You don’t have to talk about this.’
‘It’s fine.’ She exhaled. ‘Once pregnant a female is chained until the end of gestation.’
‘They’re forced into matings?’
Forced marriages weren’t foreign to Earth either.
‘Wait until you hear the rest.’ Lumen’s eyes glazed. ‘Once the child is born the woman is dragged from the alter she gave birth upon.’ She swallowed. ‘The male publicly executes her and uses the placenta to sustain the baby until it can tolerate their natural diet. Apparently they can’t ingest solids.’
My fingers had clenched on the pannikin. My throat muscles unlocked. ‘Why do they do that to their women?’
‘No one I spoke to will talk about it. It’s just their mating practice now. Terrifying, isn’t it?’
I’d never look at Hel Bihter the same.
The instinct to shun him galled me. Just because he was born one of them did not mean he acted like them. But if he did or had done, did that make him someone to avoid or treat differently?
What I deemed to be an inhumane, barbarous custom was legal on his world according to his leader, the First.
Could I, hand on heart, say I now felt conformable with Hel Bihter putting his hands on my daughter?
I recoiled at the thought of it. ‘You think we’re related to them?’
‘We, Ra, the Verak, Baxnonians and the Azteka possess numerous traits that suggest a common ancestor on a microbiological level.’
‘Mankind’s evolution on Earth spans millions of years.’ Was she suggesting these aliens visited Earth and bred with early man?
Lumen put down her bowl then pressed her hands together. ‘Recall the eerily similar religious stories?’
‘They are no so surprising.’
‘From a evolutionary standpoint they are. The stories are different, yes, but the underlying themes are the same. Exactly the same. Like our brains evolved to reason in the same manner.’
‘Our languages are different and so are our customs. We do communicate, but that’s just lucky.’
‘Not lucky. Bizarre. Five species that evolved separately on different planets in different galaxies without interacting are physically and mentally compatible? Have eyes that see the same light spectrum? Mouths that vocalise mimic-able speech, and ears that hear the same tonal register?’ She made a negative noise. ‘Statistically impossible. I had Nāga run the data when I started thinking about this.’
‘Nāga?’
‘He, Nāga Shadowed by Bluest Moon. My lesser mate.’
‘You have another mate?’ I was stressing over two males, and she was knee deep in four?
‘Long story we’ll cover another time.’ She airily waved a hand. ‘My point is the five species can procreate without intervention. We can understand each other’s logic and adapt to our customs with relative ease. That is not the case with other species on the Intergalactic Register. It’s well known as an anomaly.’
‘Which means?’
‘We came from the same place.’
The noise I made was as dubious as my expression.
‘Just hear me out.’
‘Out with it then.’ It wouldn’t cost my anything to listen, and she seemed excited about her research.
‘There are loads of things that contributed to the similarities, but the crucial ones are,’ she held up her pinkie, ‘an oxygen rich atmosphere and silica based terra. Most planets require us to wear a mask and carry an oxygen tank. Not so with Rök, Vayhalun and so on. They are Earthlike,’ she made quotation marks with her free hand, ‘planets and allowed us to evolve with common characteristics.’ Up went her ring finger. ‘We’re all bipedal vertebrates. Our internal organs match, and we have interchangeable reproductive systems. Things like pregnancy gestation times are different, but our sexes can mate, and we can fulfil the biological imperative to pass on our genes.’
‘Our privates are no that alike.’ I know knew Verak had two slits on their penises. ‘Rä have three genders.’
‘So do humans. We undergo gender assignment earlier in our growth phase. While we’re in the womb.’
‘How do you know this?’
‘Venomous has government connections.’ She lowered her voice conspiratorially. ‘One of his fathers is on the Senate.’ Her voice returned to normal. ‘Nāga requested data on human biology to better take care of me and Brave. So the Rä turned their communications array to Earth’s coordinates,’ she tapped her forearm, ‘hacked a bunch of servers, and downloaded the internet.’ She winced. ‘I shudder to think how mankind would react if they knew the Rä studied their nuclear programmes then fell about laughing. Prime Minster Weston will freak if she finds out.’
I blew out a breath. Alien civilisations, indeed. ‘They downloaded the whole internet?’
‘Let me know if you need a copy of the data crystal. I’m sure Fergie misses her daytime shows.’
‘Thanks.’ I ordered my thoughts. She hadn’t answered my original question. ‘Lumen, the Verak have horns and are always hard. That’s a huge physical difference.’ I tutted. ‘I’m also no seeing how all this leads me to the option of having a mixed species baby.’
‘Well, first, humans can grow horny growths called spurs. As for Verak dicks always being hard, it doesn’t alter the potency or genetic makeup of their seed, only the way they attract a female. They are the extreme on the sexuality scale. The Rä could be considered bisexual with how their biology works, Baxnonians pansexual –seriously, the Bax will fuck anything that moves–and humans are dead in the middle, adaptable enough to slip and slide however fits our personal identities. I read that Aztekan’s are rigidly heterosexual and fixed cisgendered. For them it’s one born male for one born female. There are no deviations and not from social pressure either. They simply didn’t evolve with fluidity in their sexual expression like the other four species. Rä are the opposite extreme on that particular scale. Nature stunted development of their genitals creating non-gendered A’ra, until they found their mate. They mature to whatever that mate needs them to be to make babies. So you get masculine females and feminine males.’
‘What else? You’re lucky I’m following you this far.’
I knew the non-binary differences because although I’d grown up with him, it was hard to understand where Rowan was coming from at times.
‘I know it’s complicated.’ Her middle finger popped up to signal a third variable. ‘Last one is the presence of a creation story in their culture that allows for panspermia.’
I dropped my chin into my palm.
‘Imagine this, okay?’ Both hands lifted above her head, finger
s spread. ‘Ten billion years ago, there’s a big bang, and shit is ricocheting from one corner of the universe to the other. An astroid impacts with a larger body, an Earthlike planet, in space.’ She cracked her palms together, lips puckering to make the boom noise. ‘The planet explodes into millions of meteors. They fan out in different directions, propelled millions of lightyears from the original collision. Some of these meteors fall into suns. Others are sucked into black holes and are written out of existence. A few actually break the atmosphere of distant stars and are burned into lifeless boulders or tumble into abyssal caverns, never to be seen again. Some are still travelling through the expanding void as we speak.’ She held up a solitary finger. ‘However, those meteors pulled into the orbits of the,’ again with the quotation fingers, ‘Earthlike planets introduce single cell bacteria into the primordial soups. That cooks into us. A few genetic mutations and environmental influences later, and what you have are humans, Ra, Verak, Baxnonians and Aztekans roaming about without realising they were once one kind. Get it?’
‘Just tell me in plain English if I can I have his baby.’
‘Oh, fine.’ She pouted. ‘You and Wyn can have human-Verak cubs.’
‘Never thought I’d say this to a new mother, but you have too much time on your hands.’
‘That’s one way to look at it. Another is I didn’t have the freedom before to be this version of myself. To be curious and learn amazing things that broadened my horizons. To contribute. It’s a version I like.’
‘You couldn’t be who you are now on Earth?’ I didn’t understand. ‘You had no dependants. You said you were a dental receptionist, a good job. You’re intelligent, attractive….’
What I was trying to say was the world must have been hers for the taking. It sounded as if I judged her for not being savvy enough to recognise it.
Maybe I did judge her.
Just a little.
Chapter 17