The Bonding (18 page)

“Yes, please.”

He motioned to a nearby aid to bring her
a drink. The water was very cold and quenched her dry mouth, but didn’t do a
thing for her sweaty palms. She was trying to concentrate on not bouncing her
leg up and down.

“Janet, first, I would like to mention
that I am pleased at how well you speak and understand our language.
Apparently, Mr. Zivok has introduced you to our teaching glasses. Second, we’re
simply going to ask you some things about your home planet, and explain some of
the laws governing ours. It will be Mr. Zivok’s duty to ensure that you are
familiar with the other laws and etiquettes. I’m sure that Mr. Zivok has also
explained about the medical examinations that will follow.”

“Yes sir, he has.”

“Good! Then let’s begin.”

The meeting with the council was over in
forty-five minutes, and Janet actually found herself laughing with the council
members as they tried to put her at ease and welcome her to Zintandu.

She was disappointed when she asked about
going back to Earth with a science team, and they explained that it would be
not be necessary for a team to return to the Earth. The Zintandians technology
was so advanced that they had invisible satellites circling and monitoring the
Earth, sending back daily information about the people and the technology. The
satellites monitored all radio and television broadcasts, and high-powered
cameras watched the surface activity. The council told her that, at the present
rate of advancement, the Earth would not develop light speed spacecraft for
approximately three hundred Earth years, which was very closely related to the
time on Zintandu. A year here was only a few days longer than a year on Earth.
An hour here was only a few minutes longer than an hour on Earth. However, due
to their medical technology, people here lived for an average of 180 years.

She accepted that she would spend the
rest of her life on Zintandu. They did explain that she was permitted to travel
freely about the planet and also throughout the universe with Tarku, as he
conducted his business. She thanked Tipas and the other council members for
allowing her to live here and for making her feel so relaxed and welcome.

They left the council chambers and went
to another building for the medical exams. A man in white clothing came out to
meet them.

“Hello, I am Doctor Varo. You may call me
Gaman.”

Tarku reached out his hand first. “Hello,
Gaman. I am Tarku and this is Janet Shelby.”

“From the planet Earth, in the Kolozoy
system,” Gaman noted.

“Yes!” Janet reached out to touch hands.
“I’m pleased to meet you, Gaman.”

“I’ve already seen the tests that Tarku
did on his ship. We are going to do identical tests, primarily to verify his
results. As you know, the tests are completely painless.”

“Gaman, Janet was not conscious when I
did the tests. She has no idea what you’re about to do.”

“Oh! Then I’ll explain as we go along.
Janet, would you please lie on the table?”

 
Janet lay on the table and Gaman pulled the monitor around
where she could see. An orange light covered her body, and the thin green light
within the orange light began scanning her from head to toe. It was like
looking at herself with no skin or muscles. She could see every detail inside
her body, and she was completely dressed. Janet was amazed at this technology -
the way they can examine the entire body, and organs, with only light scans.

Gaman, like the council members, tried to
make her feel at ease, and also welcomed her to Zintandu. The tests were
completed in less than thirty minutes.

“Well! That’s it!” Gaman said. “You’re a
very healthy woman, Janet.”

“That’s good to know. Gaman, thank you
for making me feel so at ease and welcome.”

“It has been my pleasure,” Gaman said,
slightly bowing his head.

“And I also thank you,” Tarku said.

“You’re very welcome.”

They left the medical building and landed
at another, not nearly as tall. “I had planned on us spending the night here in
Voltai,” Tarku said. “I have friends here that I would like to introduce you
to.”

Janet was excited. “I’d love to meet your
friends.”

“First, I am going to show you the city.”

They spent the remainder of the day
exploring the sites of the Capitol. Tarku was very well educated on the history
of his planet and explained in detail everything that Janet had questions
about. They visited museums and libraries, and the House of Law, which was
equal to the United State’s Supreme Court.

Tarku gave her a tour of the university
he had attended. “This is where I studied universal law. This is the finest
university on Zintandu.”

“You studied law?” Janet asked.

“Yes, to help me with my intergalactic
business. There are universal laws that planets must abide by if they wish to
conduct business with each other.”

“How many planets have you seen?”

“We have, what is called the Union of
Planets, which encompasses 178 planets in 160 different galaxies.”

“You’ve been to 178 different planets?”

“I’ve been to more, but not all of them
were capable of supporting life. Some, I just explored with some college
friends.”

Janet shook her head. “That is
unbelievable, taking a vacation to explore a planet with a few buddies.”

“What is so unusual about that?”

“Tarku, are you forgetting where I come
from? Not only has no one, from my planet, ever been to another world, but now,
to know that there are 178 with intelligent life is even more unbelievable.”

“Oh, there are many more with intelligent
life,” he explained, “but I am only allowed to go to those 178. There are
hundreds of others that I cannot visit because they have not yet achieved light
speed travel.”

“Like mine.”

“Yes! The galaxies are full of them. The
average amount of intelligent life supporting planets is one per galaxy. That
means a lot of traveling for Jema and me.”

“And, to correct your previous statement,
you can no longer say that no one from your planet has ever been to another.”

Janet thought about that a second and
smiled. “That’s true, but no one on my world will ever know.”

“I’m sorry for that,” Tarku said, “and I
wish I could do something about it, but I can’t.”

“I understand,” she said. “How did you
get started in this business?”

 
“My father began the business, and used to do most of the
traveling. When Jema and I were old enough, and knew the business well enough,
then we took over the traveling, and my father ran things from here. Jema has a
starship exactly like mine. She was at the Poltan space station conducting
business the day you met her.”

“You have the life I’ve always dreamed
about,” she said.

“It is your life now, Janet, and to
celebrate, I’ve made reservations at the finest hotel in the city. Tonight we
shall wine and dine with my best friend and his wife.”

“That’s wonderful,” Janet remarked. “I’m
sure it will be fun.”

“Oh yes. You’ll like Zinko and Saja.”

Tarku and Janet got settled into their
rooms, and then went to the hotel lobby. Saja and Zinko were already waiting
when they walked in. Zinko and Tarku did the traditional handshake, and then
hit each other on the arm, in a manly kind of play. Tarku gave the respectful
handshake and cheek touch to Saja. Janet stood by and smiled as they did their
greetings. Then, Tarku turned to her and extended his hand.

“Zinko, Saja, I would like you to meet my
wonderful friend Janet. She is from the planet Earth, in the Kolozoy system.”

Saja stepped forward first and extended
her hand. “I am very pleased to meet you, Janet. I am Saja, and this brute over
here is my husband, Zinko.”

Zinko extended his hand and slightly
bowed his head.

“I am also very pleased to meet you,
Janet. Welcome to our world. Tarku told me that this is the first time you have
been here.”

“Yes, and it is a beautiful planet, very
much like the Earth.”

“You’ll have to tell us all about the
Earth,” Zinko said.

“Yes! I love to meet people from other
galaxies and talk about their worlds,” Saja added. “I think it’s fascinating.”

“How do you know each other?” Janet
asked.

“Zinko and I have been friends since
childhood. His parents are close friends with mine. Zinko and I attended all
the same schools together.”

“My family is into banking and
intergalactic real estate,” Zinko said. “We work closely with Tarku’s business.
I also have a starship just like his.”

“Yes, and you should have heard him
haggling over the price,” Tarku said, laughing. “I was already giving him a
great deal, and then he started reminding me of the great deal he gave me on my
building.”

“You own that building?” Janet asked.

“Oh, I guess I forgot to mention that.”

Tarku and I are like brothers,” Zinko
said. “Of course, I’m the better looking one.” He slugged Tarku on the arm and
Tarku slugged him back.

“Okay boys, knock it off,” Saja said. She
was a beautiful woman, with flowing blonde hair and a very curvaceous body. She
had emerald green eyes that captured Janet’s attention.

“You have the most beautiful eyes I have
ever seen,” Janet said.

“Thank you so much,” Saja replied. “What
a wonderful thing to say.”

“Tarku’s sister, Jema, also has green
eyes, but not as emerald as yours. I’m sorry if I was staring.”

“I think that was a wonderful
compliment,” Saja said, smiling. She took Janet’s hand and led her to the sofa.
“Please, tell me all about your world.”

They had a great time exchanging stories
about Earth and Zintandu. Janet and Saja also chatted about the differences and
the similarities of the women on each world. It was a wonderful evening and
Janet hated to see it end. Saja promised to call her, and Janet was thrilled
that she was making so many friends so quickly. She knew that her life on
Zintandu would be good.

They said good-bye to Zinko and Saja, and
went back up to their rooms. Tarku opened the door to Janet’s room. “I shall
bid you goodnight, Janet.”

She rose up on her toes and kissed his
cheek. He blushed at her tender kiss. “Thank you for being there today, and
thank you for allowing me to share your life and friends. I had a wonderful
time.”

“The pleasure has been mine.” Tarku
backed out of the doorway, into the corridor. “Goodnight, Janet.”

“Goodnight, Tarku.”

She closed the door and leaned against
it, staring across the room and smiling. Tarku stayed for a moment looking at
the door. He placed his hand on it, sensing that Janet was leaning against it,
then smiled and went to his room.

Chapter Eleven

Early the next morning, they went back to
Tarku’s home city, Kazpin. Along the way, Tarku continued teaching Janet how to
operate the IAV. He was impressed at how quickly she was learning, and felt
that she would be able to get behind the controls within a few days.

Over the next few weeks, Janet mastered
both the Zintandian language and the operation of the IAV. She was becoming a
regular Zintandian citizen. Besides Tarku, Kora had become her best friend,
teaching her many things about the way of life here.

Janet had also become quite close with
Vela and Jema. She felt very much like part of their family. Jema would
jokingly confuse people by introducing Janet as her sister, saying that their
mother had an affair with an Earthling. Janet loved Jema’s sense of humor.

Tarku and Janet had just finished supper
one evening and were cleaning the dishes when Tarku looked over at her with a
mischievous grin.

“What?” Janet asked.

“Would you like to watch a movie this
evening?” he asked in perfect English.

Janet’s jaw dropped. “You know English!”

“When I discovered which planet you were
from, I checked to see if the scientists had deciphered the language. I’ve
actually known it for almost three weeks.”

Janet had a big smile and wrapped her
arms around Tarku as far as she could get them. “Thank you, and yes, I’d love
to watch a movie with you,” she said in English.

After not hearing or speaking it for so
long, it was wonderful. It made her feel like she was home again.

“I have two more surprises for you,” he
continued in English. “In fact, this shall be a complete Earth evening.” He
went to the entertainment center.

“Watch closely. I am going to show you
how to see things from the planet Earth. And, what is really amazing, is that
most of what you will see is only two weeks old.”

He spouted some commands at the computer,
and within seconds, scenes from the evening news in the United States appeared
on the screen.