Not Quite Terran Part 4 (Scifi Alien Romance)

Part Four

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NOT QUITE TERRAN is a five-part serial (like a TV show) with a new installment out every Monday. The entire storyline will be available for FREE with Kindle Unlimited, or you can wait to download the full story as a bundle for $2.99.

Empress.

Empress Rebecca.

Empress Rebecca
.

Eight wentics and the same thought continued to spin through her mind. Who the hell thought it was a good idea to make her empress? Based on the number of people bowing and scraping, it involved quite a few people and each one seemed to be thrilled that she’d been located. They also trailed her everywhere she went. A few even went so far as to attempt joining her in the bathing room. That was also the time they discovered that their normally quiet empress was happy to yell, throw things, and kick ass if necessary.

No one is gonna watch me pee
.

Speaking of peeing… She wondered if they’d have time for a potty break before she had to meet with the federation team. Glancing at her “Senior Advisor” and noting his frown, she figured not. Fine. It wasn’t the first time she’d had to hold it. How many zentics had she spent behind her intake desk counting down the zentics before her replacement arrived? Many. Many, many, many zentics.

Their vehicle glided through the pathways, their procession halting traffic so they could travel unimpeded. She glanced at the passing scenery, staring at shops she never thought she’d go near let alone patronize.
That
had been one thing she enjoyed the third wentic after Karru shared the truth. Yes, it had taken her that long to accept everything she was being told.

And then…
Shopping
.

It’d been fine for a few zentics. Then she had just given up and walked away much to the annoyance and grumbling of her appearance advisor. Appearance. Advisor. A male who was solely dedicated to making sure she looked good. When he’d gone so far as to attempt to choose her panties, she’d sent him packing.

Too bad she couldn’t send them all packing. Well, all but Karru. Everyone else seemed so hung up on
protocols
and
titles
.

Such as the ones that stated Karru wouldn’t be accompanying her to the meeting because even though he’d been the overlord of Palia for years, now
she
was the one making decisions. Don’t ask her how that made any amount of sense. She didn’t know anything! How the hell could she make any decisions!

Nobody cared. Or at least they were too stubborn to realize she was right. Which was why she would take the federation’s suggestions on a happy little data pad and then carry them back to her lodgings. Then she’d comm Karru to discuss them with her. If her “advisors” objected they could suck her big toe.

Rebecca fidgeted, uncomfortable in the weird assed dress her appearance advisor had made for her. She had the twiny vine things traveling up her arm now due to her, er, contact with Karru in her rooms before he’d departed. Her clothing highlighted them. Her entire left arm was bare from shoulder down, the raised lines now covering her skin just past the elbow. The more time she spent in the presence of others from Palia, the brighter and larger the pattern became. They weren’t meant to be a beacon to males, but a clear sign she’d been approached and accepted by another.

“Settle, Jhoari.” The male’s voice was low and quiet but seemed almost booming in the silent vehicle.

“Yes, Takkol.” She released the two words with a heavy sigh.

She’d been repeating those two words since the moment Karru hopped a flight back to Palia. An emergency had called him home and now that the duties of Jhoari were on her shoulders and her advisors were present, he left her with the promise of a swift return. She and Karru needed to get together and define swift. For example, eight wentics was not swift. Especially when they still hadn’t managed to find joy in each other’s bodies before he left.

The vehicle slowed and finally eased to a gently rocking stop. Her first instinct was to climb from the transport, but she’d also learned that was a no-no. She waited for her guards to do whatever it was guards did, and as they waited, Takkol decided to deliver more instructions.

Yippee.

“Jhoari, the dishonorable males will attempt to trick you and distract you, but you must not let your head be turned by their verbal promises and requests. I have here a full disclosure of our demands and our concessions. You must only work off this approved data pad. You
are
adequately prepared to operate this without instruction and monitoring, correct?”

If she wasn’t forced to have Takkol at her side, she would kick him where it counted and then shove him from the vehicle. Could he be any more condescending? He leaned over and patted her hand softly. So, yes, he could be
more
condescending.

When are you coming home, Karru? I need you
.

“Of course.” She wasn’t going to remind him that she’d spent six years behind an intake desk. That part of her job included dissecting and breaking down counterfeit pads. If she could tear one apart and put it back together again, she sure as hell could push a button and read.

Calm down. One zentic. Maybe two. And then I can go home
.

The transport door slid open, granting them access to the bright station light. Takkol immediately rose and crawled through the exit, waving and smiling at the crowd as if he was the one wearing the crown. Whatever. She just wanted out of this damn dress.

She eased toward the door and glanced out, giving her guard Rasu a pleading look. There was no way she was crawling out of there without falling on her ass and embarrassing herself. Seeming to understand her problem, he didn’t reach for her, but did bend his arm and hold out his elbow for her use. Good enough. Ever since Karru’s order that
no one
touch her, every male had been afraid of getting within five feet of her.

With the exception of the annoying yet necessary advisors.
They
had no sense of personal space.

She carefully exited and pushed to her feet, giving Rasu a grateful smile, and then she sought the path to the structure’s door. Takkol met her gaze with an angry glare, his face flushed and filled with fury, probably because he had to wait on her. The man was
always
waiting on her. This job sucked.

Her guards closed in around her, six males all chosen by Karru and intent on keeping her safe from harm.

“Jhoari.” Rasu—the eldest and most experienced of the men—spoke to her. “We respectfully request that you… require a clothing adjustment for a moment.” She furrowed her brow and shot him a questioning look. “Please.”

The men surrounding her, this male in particular, had never done anything to make her doubt his integrity and honor, so she did as asked and pretended to slip. She turned her foot sideways, acting as if her heel went out from under her, and she carefully lowered to the ground to “fix” the problem. “Okay, you have me. Why do you need me?”

The male knelt at her side, his back to the structure. “Respectfully—”

“Just spit it out already.” They didn’t have much time.

“There is talk that Advisor Takkol is using these negotiations to the benefit of himself and not Palia. Your guard know you have not had much of a chance to review the data for this wentics’ meeting and merely ask that you think of Palia as words are murmured in your ears.” The words were low, quiet, and fast, but she recognized the warning for what it was.

Advisor Takkol was looking to line his pockets or benefit himself in some way. Of course she had to deal with political intrigue on her first wentic actively trying to act as empress.

Where are you, Karru? I need you.

And not just because he had a wicked mouth.

“I understand. If you could help me to my feet, I’d appreciate it.” She held out her hand, and for the first time since Karru had returned to Palia, she experienced warm skin on skin. It wasn’t arousing by any means, but it was definitely comforting. When she was once again on two feet, she turned her head slightly and spoke to the men. “I trust you all because Karru trusts you. Please stay close.”

“As you wish, Jhoari.”

As she wished. She almost snorted. She
wished
to be at home snug in her bed with Karru at her side.

They resumed their course toward the structure, and she offered smiles to some of the station crowd as they made their way. They carefully navigated the steps, Rebecca keeping her strides small due to the constrictive nature of the dress, and she finally paused at the top of the stairs.

Advisor Takkol’s chastising began immediately. “What’s wrong? How could you stop like that? Do you understand the kind of image it projects to these people? I did not spend so much time on this so you can destroy my work. You must—”

She dealt with a lot of bitching and anger in her job as intake officer. That she could deal with. The whole “ordering around” thing from someone other than Poxu while she worked for the federation, or Karru when he was trying to protect her—not a chance. This man did not deposit credits into her account nor was he the male she slept beside each night. Since he didn’t occupy either of those slots in her life, he could take a hike. She admitted her anger bubbled over, her frustration and rage at being separated from Karru while she was trying to learn about a new culture and her new position consuming her.

“Advisor Takkol,” she quietly broke into his rantings, but he kept going.

“—not disgrace our people. You must present a strong image they can take seriously—” that last little bit ended on a high-pitched squeal because Rebecca reached out and struck like a Terran snake. She captured his upper arm and dug her beautifully manicured nails into his flesh.

He whimpered and glared at her, which had her tightening her grip further. “Advisor Takkol, the only thing I
must
do at this point is step through that doorway and take a seat at a table. Nothing more. And even then, I’m not sitting to speak with them, but because my feet hurt in these stupid shoes. So why don’t you think about that for a few tics because, as I said, I don’t
have
to do anything. Your people wanted me, not the other way around.”

“You represent—”

The man was still trying. “Until eight wentics ago, I represented myself. I have been patient, I have dealt with everybody poking and prodding me
everywhere
, and I have tolerated Karru being sent away. I’m on my last nerve at this point.” She tightened just a little more. “Do you understand?”

“Yes,” he wheezed and she released him.

Admittedly, that was probably a little over the top. But between the condescension, constant pricks and then his further derision, she figured it had to happen eventually. At least it wasn’t directly in front of the federation representatives.

“Wonderful. I’ll take that data pad now.”

Hand trembling, he carefully passed her the device and when he spoke his voice was thin and high-pitched. “Our concessions are on the first—”

She waved him away. “I’m sure I can figure it out.” She turned toward Rasu and couldn’t miss the smile he was fighting back. “Can we enter now?”

“Of course, Jhoari. This way.”

She skirted the still wheezing advisor and couldn’t miss the flurry of his racing steps as he fought to catch up with her. She strode down the long hallway, her group trailing behind a guide who led her toward the massive meeting room. She tried to split her attention between their guide and the data pad in her hands and grew uneasy. Uneasy? The truth was she didn’t want to bumble and slam into someone’s back because she was too consumed with the device in her hands.

She lowered her voice to a whisper and spoke to Rasu. “Hey, make sure I don’t run into him.”

“Jhoari?”

“Just cough or something so I know to stop.”

“As you wish.” He was really starting to sound like Advisor Takkol.

Again with the wishing. Pushing away the comment and the memories of Karru it brought forward, she focused on the information. She flipped from one screen to the next, trying to remember the hierarchy and holdings of the various families within the Palia empire.

The shuffle and scrape of someone approaching at a high speed reached her ears a bare moment before Advisor Takkol’s voice polluted the air. “Jhoari G’Zeri, I shall be happy to explain—”

Rebecca flat out stopped listening and spoke low to the guard. “He’s a persistent fucker, isn’t he?”

More wheezing. It was as if the men had never laughed before.

The next sound was a low, but deliberate cough and she immediately turned her attention to their guide and noted he was stopping before a large set of ornately decorated doors.

“See how great that worked?”

The guide placed his hand on the palm pad to the right of the entry and the doors slowly parted. The panel of federation representatives were seated at a table directly across from the entrance, and she took in their species and races at a glance. Immediately she knew this meeting was doomed. At least it would be if Advisor Takkol with his derisive and argumentative nature stepped foot inside. It also gave her a small thrill to get away from him.