"Your name is Lao'k." I said again, smiling back at him. "Your favourite colour is yellow."
"Yes, it is."
"I read your mind?"
"You did."
I couldn't believe I had actually read his mind. They could read minds and put words in our heads. I panicked. What if this was their plot? They'd make me think we were "compatible" then they'd take me back to their ship and experiment on me. I imagined myself on a slab with the aliens standing over me as they cut me open. He must have read my panic; his face looked hurt just before he pulled me into a hug.
"Read my mind again. Reach through my memories. Anything you want, pick it from my mind."
I thought about reading his mind. He said to feel his presence in the psychic plane—what we humans call the sixth sense. His mind was blank, a dark void. He said to think about what I wanted. What did I want to know? Whether they would kill us, kill me?
Images came to mind; a couple making love, a host of children, me snuggled against him. I still couldn't believe it. Maybe if I just searched a bunch of things, he wouldn't be able to trick me. Then I'd know if I could read his mind. Images blurred past me, I thought of myself as ransacking a room. He said I could read anything, then what about his most embarrassing moments, his deepest secrets?
His hand tightened around me and a groan escaped him. He pushed me out of his mind. I felt empty, like I had lost something. When I looked up at Lao'k, he was sweating. A pained look faded from his face. His brother looked about ready to fly at me. Did I hurt him?
"I'm fine. Your method was crude, but I believe you have your answer."
I nodded. " Sorry."
I had glimpsed his childhood, the moments he was most embarrassed about, his regrets and insecurities.
"Council Master Mal'k, if you could refrain from involving Ms. Bronwen until we come to some sort of agreement."
"Mr. Klein, we are willing to work with you, but my brother cannot be kept from his wife."
Klein and the others stopped to discuss their response; as long as I was in the room, they'd have more interruptions and the meeting would be stalled. On the other hand, they didn't want me to get close to Lao'k before they reached a favourable agreement with the Alythes. Captain Ruiz suggested they let Lao'k be with me under his supervision. The politicians agreed, so did Mal'k. Lao'k didn't care as long as he was with me. I cared, now I had Lao'k and Captain Ruiz following me about.
When we left the meeting room, I thought it would be best to stay somewhere open and public, like the common area. But people flocked to the area, so we stuck to my quarters. Captain Ruiz didn't feel comfortable just watching us stare at each other in silence, plus I was still weirded out about having Lao'k's thoughts in my head, so we kept to spoken words.
He taught me how to communicate on the common channel without screaming. I even spoke to Mal'k too. It was fun, being in one room and talking to someone with my mind in another. I felt like a kid again, pretending I had superpowers. Thoughts transmit faster and clearer than using a comm device. You also get the person's meaning. This must come in handy during arguments or discussing ideas.
The lessons went on for a few days, then one day, while Lao'k was explaining multi-layer communication, I had my first experience picking up a human's thoughts on the common channel.
'How long do I have to keep baby sitting this freak?'
It was Captain Ruiz.
'And this bitch, she used to walk around like she wasn't interested in men; now she's all over the alien.'
Lao'k didn't break his gaze with me as he shook his head. Pretend you have not heard him.
But it's on the common channel. One of your people must have also heard him.
He is not the only one discomforted by our presence.
"Concentration" Lao'k said, as he walked over and hugged me.
He's been very hands-on since we've been alone with Ruiz. Always holding my hands, hugging me, playing in my hair, caressing my cheeks. It's like he can't get enough of me. This time he didn't stop at the hug; he kissed my forehead. Normally I'd be taken aback by this. I've only known him a few days and we aren't dating. But I couldn't bring myself to reject him. Maybe women do allow sexy men to get away with some things.
When Lao'k left, I sat in the common area for a few hours trying to see how many others I could read on the common channel. Mother used to warn me, never trust a smile at business meetings; it's how people disarm you. I learned they do that outside of conference rooms too.
There's a woman, Alyssa. She's an Architect. We got along well enough. I thought she would be a good friend to have. She sat down, and we chatted for a while. I told her about Lao'k's lessons and the feeling of reading his mind.
' Why did it have to be her? None of the aliens even look at me, and I've got more sex appeal. She's built like a man. Now she's got Lao'k following her around, and Ruiz too.'
I cut our talk short and went back to my quarters. Kishna was already asleep. I looked my reflection over in the mirror. Sure, she's prettier, and more women than men approach me for dates, but that doesn't mean I have no sex appeal. Maybe I should wear make-up. I know I'm built like a man, but hearing someone else say it really hurts. I wonder how Lao'k sees me?
The next day, Lao'k, as he always does, probably read my mind without telling me. Maybe I was noticeably bothered because he took my hands and kissed them.
"I love you as you are."
"I'm not beautiful."
"I am rather fond of your physical form."
Words. Anyone can say them.
He kissed my hands again, looking deeply into my eyes. Images of us making love drifted into my mind. I pulled my hands away but he kept hold of one.
"Then what do you think of Alyssa?"
"I have not considered her, nor do I have reason to."
"She's beautiful. Ask Captain Ruiz."
"Whether she is, is based only on your people's perception of beauty. Your body is pleasing to me."
More images of us together. He was trailing kisses along my body.
"Get out." I wrung my other hand free.
"Alei."
"Please, just leave."
He left without a word or protest. Captain Ruiz followed after him. I locked the door and stayed in my quarters for the day. I was sad, angry, aroused and frustrated. I avoided Lao'k for two days. By the third, I was going stir-crazy. I decided to visit Kishna and the laborers. When the door opened, Lao'k and Captain Ruiz were standing on either side of the door.
"Hello, beautiful."
I ignored him and carried on to the botany bay. Kishna was showing the labourers one of the Leucaena plants. We've been propagating them from cut stems, then cutting them down after the seed pods turn brown. Lao'k stood directly behind me. He didn't say anything, but I could smell him and feel the warmth of his body. Kishna showed them how to cut the stems and set them in pots to grow before letting them go replicate the steps. I approached him when he was alone.
"How are things?"
"They're learning, albeit rather slowly. But Leucaena's aren't easy to kill; they'll make good practice."
He took my arm and pulled me aside. "I thought you got rid of the alien."
"He was outside the door."
"Still, you shouldn't have brought him."
"I didn't bring him, he followed on his own."
-
Alei, I have discovered I am jealous. Seeing you with Kishna.
You never said anything about the Captain.
You've never considered him romantically. You have had thoughts about Kishna.
He's my friend and someone I trust completely.
Kishna and I walked around to a few bins and pots, inspecting seedlings. I sighed when I got to an isolated pot. Kishna caught me by the waist as he stepped around me. "What's up?"
"The Momordica charantias aren't growing as well as I thought they would. And look, they're strangling each other."
"Told you, they like to run wild. The pot is stagnating their growth, and they've got no neighbours to latch onto. That's why they keep entangling."
"I am this close to uprooting them. I wanted them to bear a pod before I do though."
"At this rate, they'll just kill each other."
"Yeah. I've got seeds. I'll just have to try them on Mars."
When I turned, I walked right into Lao'k. He grabbed hold of me and kissed me, right there, in the midst of everyone. His lips were soft like marshmallows. For a moment, I thought of giving in, but I knew why he was doing it. Mate guarding. I admired that kind of thing in books and movies, but the leads shared mutual affection for each other. I was not interested in Lao'k romantically; he was just a new pretty face with an interesting background.
He put the image of us making love in my mind again. My body reacted; my breasts ached, my arms made their way around his neck, I lost control of my breathing. I wanted him. No. He was making me want him. Captain Ruiz stepped forward to pull us apart, but Lao'k cut him off with a wing. Ruiz drew his weapon and pointed it at Lao'k's head.
"Release her now!"
Lao'k folded his wings and broke off the kiss.
I smacked him and stormed off to my quarters. Kishna checked in with me a few moments later, he'd let the laborers off early.
"How are you feeling?"
"How do you think! You know me, I hate drawing attention. He can read my mind, he knows that, and still..."
I was angry at Lao'k, so angry that every memory of him fuelled me on. My thoughts must have been loud on the common channel, because Mal'k reached out to me.
Alei?
Keep your brother away from me.
What has happened?
I do not want him near me again!
-
Alei I've hurt you, embarrassed you, I know. But I needed to draw a line for Kishna and everyone else.
"Is he outside the door?"
"He was when I came in. Captain Ruiz had a few other guys with him; they were barring him from getting close."
Alei...
Leave me alone. Better yet, go find Alyssa. She's desperate for some attention. Make her your companion. Leave me out of it.
How can I earn your trust again?
I walked to the door and stepped into the hall.
"Captain Ruiz, I no longer feel safe around this Alythe man."
Alei!
Captain Ruiz and his guards removed Lao'k from the hall. Later, I heard Klein's meeting with Mal'k and his councilors was also suspended. Of course, rumours ran rampant throughout the ship afterwards. I avoided the common area for a few days, stayed holed up in the room, trying to work out how to block Lao'k and the others.
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