ROMULUS (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 1) (19 page)

Immediately, Paul grasped Romulus's hand and pumped it several times. "I want to thank you again for everything you've done. Sheila doesn't like me to talk about it but when the doctors said there was no hope for her, I wanted to die with her. We've been married almost sixty years but I love that woman as much today as the first time I set eyes on her. If I can ever do anything for you, well, just ask." Paul saw Sheila returning and quickly placed two menus on their table.

"You were right. It needed a little salt. Now get back to work and let me take their order," Sheila said. Paul gave them a conspiratorial wink and left.

"Men!" Sheila muttered, shaking her head. "Let me give you some advice, honey. Always let them have their little secrets. Then they'll never need any big ones."

Aster smiled, although she hadn't really heard. She was thinking how wonderful it would be to have someone speak about her the way Paul had spoken about Sheila.

"Aster, would you order for me?" Rom asked. "I have no idea what most of these items are."

"Sure. Let's see. Okay, Sheila, how about two Reuben sandwiches and egg cremes."

When Sheila left, Aster placed her hand over Rom's. "Thank you for being nice to them. They are really good people and so much in love."

"I must admit helping the Feinsteins was not all one-sided. They don't look like my parents but the way they treat each other makes me think of my mother and father. It pleased me to see them happy."

"That's the first time you mentioned your family. I wondered if you were hatched in a test tube. I don't know a single personal thing about you, yet you know my entire life story."

He refrained from embarking on a dissertation about the test-tube's role in reproduction and before he could say anything else, Sheila arrived with their meals. He imitated Aster as she smeared a dark yellow dressing on the inside of the top slice of brown bread and took a bite of the sandwich.

With an exaggerated swallow, he turned to Sheila, who had been hovering expectantly nearby. "My mother never made anything like this. It's, um, different." He tried another bite under her watchful eye and managed an appreciative nod.

"It's perfect, Sheila," added Aster. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear you smuggled that corned beef in from a kosher butcher in Brooklyn."

Sheila happily accepted the lavish praise and returned to her chores.

"Romulus! I thought you never told a lie!" Aster whispered. She could see the taste did not appeal to him.

"I didn't say anything that wasn't true. My mother was never one to experiment with nature's gifts. Everything we ate was grown on our farm and its form didn't change much by the time it got to our table."

"A farm? Everything I've seen so far seems so space age. I hadn't considered where the food came from."

"Most of the food is a by-product of either sea kelp or vegetables. I grew up on a land farm on Norona. My parents are still there. They've had a very satisfying life but I couldn't wait to get away from all the peace and quiet.

"I wanted adventure so I chose the academy in Innerworld. I soon realized the opportunities for advancement in administration were better if I remained here. Back home I may never have reached my current position. So, here I am, end of life story."

Aster looked disappointed. "That's it? No intergalactic odysseys?"

"Not for me but a few of my classmates flew off in search of exotic civilizations. I was an only child living on the outskirts in a rural area for so long that I wanted to be in the middle of a busy city for a change. The closest I came to distant galaxies was in my astrophysics studies. One of my professors got me fascinated with the subject. It would have been my second career choice."

"Do you ever go back? Or do your parents come here?"

"I go back occasionally, sometimes on business. Mother and Father came here once for my graduation. Father hates to travel, even short distances. After one week each way in a starship, he swore he'd never do it again. Besides, he despised our
artificial environment
, as he called it. Speaking of environments..."

"Yes?" Aster immediately straightened her relaxed posture.

Now that he had brought it up, he wasn't certain how to proceed and not anger her again. "Are you enjoying your research?"

She tensed, hoping she had misunderstood him. Perhaps he meant her new job. "Oh, yes. Innerworld's economics are so much less complicated than—"

"I was referring to your other research." He noted her guilty flush. "The research you started at the library and have continued every night in your apartment. It seems a bit intense for leisurely reading."

Aster gasped. "My apartment? How do you know that?" She suddenly imagined hidden cameras behind her walls and was afraid she was going to be ill.

Rom could see he had upset her but there was no way he could avoid this argument, even if it was at cross-purposes with his physical need. He intentionally kept his voice stern so that she would know the difference between his business and personal discussions. "You've been accessing sensitive files so I was automatically alerted. You are free to study our technology in as much depth as you wish so long as you realize it will do you no good. You're not going back, Aster. The sooner you accept that, the better off you'll be."

She slammed her fist on the table. "I'll never accept it!" She noticed Sheila freeze in her tracks and lowered her voice to a hiss. "How dare you spy on me?"

"I was not spying! Your computer is programmed to record your daily activities. Every citizen's usage of time is monitored to assure a well-balanced existence. I was only alerted because of the nature of your reading material and the fact that you're a new arrival. In that regard, you
are
my responsibility. By the way, you're not getting enough exercise."

"And here I was shocked about what goes on at the Indulgence Center. I didn't know how disgusting you people really are!"

Rom was stunned by her outrage. She was angry at the wrong things and he had to steer her back to the real problem. "You're circumventing. I don't like having to repeat myself but I gather you weren't listening all the previous times I've said this. You... can...
not...
go... back." He didn't realize he was squeezing her hand until she winced and tried to pull away. He relaxed his grip but didn't release her. "Drek. I'm sorry. I'm not usually so..." So what? So emotional? So easily rattled? So...
in heat
?

Aster sat rigid, staring at the stranger who had taken over Romulus's body. Or was the stranger the considerate one?

Rom sighed and tried again. "I believe honesty may be the only way to set this straight. I am extremely... attracted to you, and I shouldn't be. It's causing me to act irrationally and I apologize."

She wasn't certain exactly what he was apologizing for, but she was quite sure she didn't want to hear anything more about his
attraction
to her. It was all she could do to adjust to what she had just learned. Not only was she living in a world where sex could be purchased at the same place you could get your hair done, but her every activity was recorded in detail. She decided since he had changed the tone of their conversation, she would take advantage of it. It was time to take the gloves off.

"I'll forgive you, if you'll give me one good reason why one of your emissaries can't pass along how to build your air filters to one of my people. I read that they interfered before when the planet was in danger."

"
Imminent
danger. And how would we choose the recipient of this information? A seemingly innocent hint could have devastating results if it ended up in greedy hands. That good intention could alter the natural progression of Earth's development. Only when we are left with no alternative do we dare to play Supreme Being with your people."

Aster frowned as she found herself conceding his second point. All right, no aliens appearing in public and no passing on free hints unless the world is nearly done for. That left one more possibility. "But what about me? I shouldn't be here. You've interfered with my work, my natural progress. My absence could cause things not to happen that should."

He shook his head. "We prefer to believe the Outerworlders who are brought here were meant to come, metaphysically speaking." He wondered what the Supreme Being had in mind when he sent Aster. Rom needed her and he shouldn't. He attempted to court her and ended up infuriating her.

Aster pulled her hand away and stood up slowly. "Thank you for dinner. I'll think about what you've said."

He rose and reached for her elbow but she moved away. "I'll drive you home."

"No, thank you. I'd rather you didn't." She wished Paul and Sheila luck and quickly headed for the shuttle.

Aster decided a visit with Cherry was in order but there was no answer when she knocked on her friend's door.

She sensed a movement behind her and turned. "You!" At the sight of the tall, dark man standing inches away from her, the blood rushed from her head, leaving her weak and shaking. Her gaze darted around the lobby and stopped on a huge, black-uniformed man standing by the entrance. Remembering that color put him in the security business, she relaxed slightly. "What are you doing here? They said you were sent away!"

Victor Rodriguez's jeweled tooth sparkled as he smiled broadly at Aster. "Please forgive me, Miss Mackenzie. I had not meant to startle you. You don't look at all well. May I see you to your apartment?"

"No! Just leave me alone." Aster forced the words out through gritted teeth.

"Please calm yourself," Victor said smoothly. "I mean you no harm. I am here to apologize for the wrongs I've done. It's part of my rehabilitation. May I say you look even more ravishing than I remembered." Victor bowed elaborately in front of her and attempted to draw her hand to his lips.

Aster recoiled instantly at his touch. "I don't believe you. You must have escaped. No one in their right mind would have released you."

"My, my, such hostility, Miss Mackenzie. I assure you I have been released. You see, they gave me treatments, took away the bad parts, so to speak. I am not the disturbed man I once was."

Victor looked and sounded sincere and Aster almost fell for it, until she noticed his gaze move to her breasts and linger there. She drew herself back another inch, glaring at him with all the hate he stirred in her.

"I can see you are not yet ready to forgive. Perhaps in time you will find room in your heart for a kind word."

"The kindest thing you could do for me is to get out of my sight and never come near me again. We may be in a strange world but I can still smell garbage when I'm this close to it." Suddenly Aster was afraid she had been too brazen. He looked as though he might tear her apart with his bare hands.

"One day you will regret that this was your choice." Victor turned on his heel and headed out the lobby door.
Bitch!
We'll see who's so high and mighty soon enough, Victor raged inwardly. So, she thought he was not good enough for her. During his stay at the Clinic, he had remembered why her name had sounded familiar and he'd decided that when the time was right, he would let her in on what he knew. Then he would have the upper hand.

Aster stared at Victor's stiff back as he strutted away. No, he hadn't changed. As hard as he tried to be charming, his evilness oozed through.

Once inside her apartment, she collapsed on her couch. It had taken every ounce of energy she had to stand up to that animal and she had the sick feeling he would be back. The only person she could think to turn to was Romulus. She would simply have to set her annoyance with him aside.

Her vidcom held a message from Cherry, bubbling as usual. "Hi, kid! I was hoping to find you at home so I could brag about my life. I met two fabulous, sexy guys and I've got a date with both of them tonight. Well, I'll have to wait to tell you more tomorrow. Bye."

So, Cherry's first date in Innerworld would be with two men. Leave it to her. Despite the unpleasant ending to dinner and the disgust seeing Victor stirred in her, Cherry's message still managed to make her smile.

Aster decided to take a shower and unwind a bit before calling Romulus. Afterward, she wrapped a towel around her and touched her vidcom screen. "Josephine, please put me through to Chief Romulus." As she waited for him to accept her call, she proceeded to fix herself a cup of chamomile tea.

"Hello?"

"Rom? It's Aster."

"Uh, Aster, I think—"

"I didn't know who else to call."

"But, you—"

"Please. It was Victor—from the boat. He came to see me, here at my apartment, pretending to be sorry and polite but I could tell it was an act. He scared me to death and I'm terrified he'll be back. What should I do?"

"I'll request his release report immediately. Stay in your apartment tonight. I'm sure you're safe for the moment. I had something in mind for tomorrow and this cinches it. As long as you're with me, he won't get near you, I promise. But first—"

"If you want my assurance that I'll go somewhere with you tomorrow, you've got it. I would be a nervous wreck sitting here alone."

"Aster, if you'll just hush for a second, I'm trying to tell you that your hologram is pacing back and forth in my bedroom. I love the way you look in that towel but I doubt the transmission is intentional on your part."