When I opened my eyes I was not in my quarters. Odd since it felt like I'd just woken up from a full night's sleep. The room looked foreign and there were some of the aliens standing about, guess I'm on their ship. One of them stood over me while another was to my right looking at some screens. The one standing over me told me not to move just yet. I felt several pricks along my spine then a massaging vibration before I was let up from...a glass coffin? What the hell!
"Ms. Bronwen, no doubt you're confused. We almost had a close call with you, how do you feel?"
"Hey doc, a little groggy. What happened?"
"You were suffering from excessive swelling in your Hippocampi and Thalamus, the Alythes said they could treat you that's why we're here. You may also experience some memory loss as parts of your brain did suffer damage."
"Okay. I take it I'm fixed?"
"Yes, though you may have lingering headaches. I've also booked you a few sessions with Dr. Jaeger to help you adjust to your new normal state."
I leaned my head back, he wasn't kidding about the lingering headaches, my whole head feels like it's going to explode. "Okay, thanks"
When we returned to our ship, the doc gave me a muscle relaxant to help sleep off the headache. I slept like a baby, didn't even remember my dreams but I woke up the next day feeling really happy.
We've been keeping journals as part of our mental health maintenance. Being stuck in cramped spaces with no change in scenery has a way of messing with the mind. I usually keep my ENbook near my pillow, but it wasn't there when I woke up. I don't remember if it was there before I went to sleep.
I opted instead to make a vid note until I found my ENbook. Not that I had much to say, my memories from yesterday seemed to start after I woke up in the alien glass coffin, and I was only awake long enough to take the relaxant then back to sleep. Weird, I don't even remember getting yesterday's breakfast ration.
I decided not to dwell too long on what had happened and tried to get some work done. I must have been out for a while, I was 2 weeks behind on emails. There were reports, inquiry requests and order confirmations I hadn't touched, and an email from mom. Weird, her messages are set to forward to my comm watch. I decided to call her since it's been weeks since I last spoke to her, at least to my recollection.
"Alei!"
"It's 2 am what are you doing up?"
"What are you doing calling me at 2 am?"
"Haha. How are you mom?"
"Good, how's space?"
"Cramped and boring. How are things with you guys?"
"Same as always, your brother's pushing out samples and seedlings like the world is about to end, and your father hurt his back again refusing to use the exoskeleton."
"That's them alright."
"So, are you and Kishna together? Sleeping together yet?"
"What?!"
"Come on Alei I'm old not stupid, the sexual tension between the two of you was suffocating. I figured being stuck together in a small room would incentivize you. Well, are you two at it?"
"NO...mom, we're not."
"Brilliant, locked in a room with you and Amadeus still isn't making a move.What about you, why haven't you made a move either?"
"Mom, we work together."
"So do your father and I."
"Mom"
"Alei, Amadeus has been with us for 10 years, he's practically family. I know you have feelings for him. What's stopping you?"
"I don't know. Besides things between us are a bit awkward at the moment. So nothing is going to happen anytime soon."
"What happened?"
"We almost did have sex, I backed out."
"You need to have children who can inherit the farm. Will you ever give me grand children?"
"Maybe..."
"What's wrong Alei?"
"...Nothing, just missing home. You should get some rest, I'll call you again soon."
I couldn't tell mother about what had happened, not that I knew myself, but there was no reason to have her worrying. She was right about Kishna, I did have feelings for him, but I don't feel that way anymore. Apart from feeling sad about what happened between us, I am no longer infatuated him. The reason seems to be part of the memories I'm missing.
I worked though my emails at breakneck speed, getting out all the order confirmations, the oldest inquiries and skimming through reports. I was sitting on my bed reading through a report when Kishna came back. I didn't look up at him but I could tell he was stealing glances at me.
"What's up?"
"Just wondering how you're feeling."
"A bit frustrated, I'm missing memories, I've got a backlog of emails and my ENbook's missing, have you seen it?"
"No I haven't."
"Great, more things missing I can't find!"
"Alei..."
"Sorry, it just annoys me not being able to remember a lot of things. I spoke to mom earlier, she says hello, and that you should call."
"Yeah, I'll call them soon."
"I'm going to take a walk."
"Alei."
"Hmm?"
"I'm glad you're doing better."
I was walking the ship aimlessly, at least that was my intention, instead I found myself in the viewing room on the opposite side of the ship. I felt at ease there, not sure why, I've never been to this viewing room before. As I stared blankly out into space, I kept getting a fleeting feeling of nostalgia, wave after wave making me happy and then it was gone. I checked my schedule, the doc had booked my first session with Dr. Jaeger for tomorrow morning.
The next morning I woke up in tears, I don't know why, but I couldn't stop crying. Whenever I thought back to my dream I cried harder. The dream was vague, I remembered it was about a man, he felt like a lover. I knew the feel of his hands, the taste of his kisses, his smell, but his form was a black shadowy mass, I couldn't make anything out. He had no voice, but it felt like he was smiling and talking to me.
After I'd calmed down, I made a vid note about the dream and what happened when I woke up. I hope Dr. Jaeger can help me sort it all out. Kishna's being friendly again, I remember things being awkward and us avoiding each other, but I don't remember us reconciling, unless that memory is lost to me too. I don't mind, at least things with him are back to normal, it's good to have my friend back.
I checked my email before heading to my appointment, fifteen new ones added to the pile. I answered a few of the requests then went to meet with Dr. Jaeger. She's a quiet older woman, in her mid forties, she has a chill about life that makes it easy to relax around her. I told her about my dream, she suggested maybe I had started dating someone on the ship recently and my subconscious mind was trying to piece together fragments of missing memories of him
I would have agreed with her, but the only men in my recent memories are Kishna, Edward Klein and Captain Ruiz. I disliked Klein, and he's part of the UEG, so no way in hell was I dating him. Captain Ruiz was part of space force, he spends most of his life on stations or ships, I wouldn't date a man who was most likely just looking for a quick time. That leaves Kishna, but I don't feel attracted to him.
Later that evening I asked Kishna if I'd been dating anyone in the last few weeks, and he said no. I could believe that, I was so sick I had to go to the alien ship for treatment, what kind of guy won't check up with his girlfriend after that? Am I so sexually frustrated I invented a lover in my dreams? The dreams feel so real though. The next day I had a repeat of the dream and woke up crying again. When I told Dr. Jaeger that I hadn't been dating anyone, she suggested it was probably the journey taking its toll on me.
I was working through my emails after my second session, when an invitation came in, it was for a gathering in the common area in three days. The gathering was to be a cultural exchange between us and the aliens, all were invited to engage with them. I should go, it would be remiss of me not to, especially since they saved my life.
The dreams and crying episodes kept repeating, I had doubted they were about Kishna before, but when it happened the third time I had to know. I held his hands and inhaled his scent, but Kishna smelled of earth and his hands were not like the hands of the man in my dreams. I've never been one to fantasize, none of this makes sense.
The day of the gathering Kishna acted as my escort, he always falls into to place so easily whenever I have a need. Even on Earth, if my date cancelled last minute, or I'd forgotten to review documents for a meeting, he was there. I might not have feelings for him anymore, but it's nice to have someone close who's so in-tuned to you.
The common area was decently packed, the space force guys were rotating the labourers into the room in batches, everyone else was free to enjoy the party at their leisure. The centre of the room was used as a stage. People displayed dances, martial arts, poetry, story telling, music. Most of the people doing the displays were labourers, it seems a whole program had been prepared. For every display we gave, the aliens gave one in answer. It was interesting. Their martial arts looked awkward, but as the one exhibiting stated, it was adapted for combat in the air.
At the intermission I decided it was quiet enough to approach their Council Master. He was standing in a corner of the room with a woman at his side, I assumed she was his wife. There was a man standing on his right, he was so stiff and emotionless, I assumed it was his personal guard.
"Greetings Council Master Mal'k."
"Ms. Bronwen, you are better yes?"
"Yes I am. I can't thank you enough for saving my life."
"Think of it as a token of our friendship with your people. This is my wife, Ka'li"
"A pleasure to meet you. This is my escort and best friend Amadeus Kishna."
We talked for a bit, discussing the similarities between our cultures, the importance of family. Kishna didn't seem to enjoy being near them, every so often he'd tap my wrist or thigh with the back of his hand. He was acting really strange, I couldn't just drop the conversation, these people saved my life, the least I could do was get to know them a little. I decided it was time to stop when he started fidgeting like a restless child. I don't know what's gotten into him.
We said goodbye and walked off to the left, making it easier for the person behind me to approach the couple. Kishna was practically pulling me along. He was saying we should leave the party since I said my thank you. I wanted to stay longer, but he seemed really uncomfortable with the idea. Our path took us right past the Council Master’s guard. As we walked past him I caught his scent, it made me stop. I was exhilarated and overcome with nostalgia. He smelled refreshing, soothing. He smelled of Petrichor.
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