Being The First Part 4

Was I plotting for the humans, or against the Braxians? I guess one was the same as the other. The Braxians had a good point. Humans were violent and sometimes, many times outright dangerous, but to destroy the whole planet and take all the resources was unacceptable, except to a group that was even more violent and dangerous. They had whole galactic councils. Why were they pretending that they were only ones who knew how to handle things? They were arrogant just like the nations on old Earth. Maybe they saw what they thought would be rivals some day and wanted to nip it in the bud.

Weeks ago I would have said that wasn’t something I had to worry about, but now I had to worry about it. Talk about being thrown in the thick of things immediately. I took a sip of my hot chocolate-like substance. It really did taste like chocolate. I wondered. The door bell buzzed again. Were people going to be bothering me every night? The princess and the ambassador had visited me last night. Why not during office hours? I went to the door and peeked out. It was Raspy with two big guards. I wondered if they had found out about my meeting with the ALFs. What if they had reported me? I worried a bit as I opened the door and faked a smile.

“Raspy. It’s so late. I’m surprised you're here.”

“Our Princess sent me to recover a lost item. Apparently she was here last night and forgot something.” I stepped to the side and motioned her in. As she entered she noticed the scarf on the back of the couch where I had left it.

“There it is.” She walked over to retrieve it. “Not a good look, meeting with the royal family alone in the middle of the night.”

“She wasn’t alone. She had guards with her.”

“Yes. Like mine, the ones waiting outside.”

“I mentioned that to her. She was…unconcerned.”

“And so was Vixen when she came afterwards?”

“Do you have my place bugged. Is it legal to bug an ambassador’s quarters?”

“I’m sorry. I should have told you. We are having your quarters prepared. This is a temporary apartment.” I frowned. She couldn’t help but grin. “I’m sorry, " she said, ”but,” she spread her hands. “Orders are orders. Be careful what you say. Almost every place on this planet is bugged or surveyed by hidden cameras.”

“Did Vixen know that?”

“That’s classified.” She lifted the corner of her mouth. “It was a pleasure Mister Tanner or should I say Sir Tanner?”

“How about Marcus?”

“Very good, Marcus. And you may call me Raspy. Good night.” She turned and headed to the door. I stood behind her as she hit the door button and stepped into the hall. A final goodbye and she and her guards were on the way.

Interesting. I wondered if she had just warned me about the room being bugged on purpose. She wasn’t the type to brag, from what I had seen in the last few days. She was very bright, if not nurturing. I sat in the chair adjacent to the sofa and pondered. What kind of people were they, if I could call them that.

I really hadn’t developed any friendships here in all this time. The closest thing to a friend was an ALF that I barely knew. The princess was cold, the ambassador was weird. Raspy was…who knows? I found it odd that I hadn’t met anyone. I mean, I really didn’t have two heads or anything. Yet again, that would allow me time for myself. I was on a fascinating world with barely any crime at all and instantaneous transporters. I could travel and see the whole place.

As for female companionship. I didn’t know about that. These women were kind of like…yuk. Too much like professional wrestlers or roller derby queens. And I don’t mean women who pretended to be like that to get a following. They really were like that. The door bell rang again. I wondered who that was. What was this, a space station? To my surprise I opened the door and Raspy was standing there again.

She stepped in. “I will have that drink after all.”

“I didn’t offer you a drink.”

“Oh?” She walked in, took a seat on the couch and smiled. “An oversight.” I looked at her askance.

“Perhaps,” I replied. She leaned back.

“Well I’m waiting. Be careful. We are alone and it could seem improper.” For the first time I noticed she was a good looking woman. I headed to the liquor cabinet without saying a word.

“Yes,” she said out of the blue. “I will take you around the planet to see all of the sites.” I paused and looked at her.

“Yes. I am reading your mind. I’ve been doing it since I first met you. Most of us can do that. I’m surprised you haven’t noticed. We don’t usually tell our enemies about our little gift, but you aren’t an enemy, are you? Just someone wanting to save your crappy little planet. This is how you stop us. Keep generating random crazy thoughts and we can’t tell what's real and what's not real. And then we stop because we're sick of your babbling.”

“And why are you telling me this?” I asked.

“Because we will be allies soon. I know about the ALFs.”

“What do you know about them?” I asked.

“Come on Marcus, do I look stupid?”

“No, I wouldn't say you look stupid.”

“And you better not. And where's that drink?”

I walked over to the bar to retrieve it. How could she know about that meeting unless one of those ALFS told her?

“We have spies everywhere, even among the ALFs.” I poured two drinks and took one over to her. I handed her the drink. She took a sip.

“Well what does this mean?”

“Nothing. Nothing that we didn't expect. But this thing with the princess and the Ambassador visiting you at night was unexpected. Too many agendas I would say.”

“I guess so,” I said, sitting in the adjacent chair. She patted the seat on the couch next to her.

“Come have a seat here,” she said. I moved over. She smiled. “Good. You can listen. You'll be all right as long as you know how to do that at the right time.” She looked at me strangely.

*I better go, but you just remember that we are watching you.”

“You haven't finished your drink,” I said. “And I'll be watching you too.” I gave her a wink and smiled. She simply sipped her drink and smiled, leaning back into the sofa instead of getting up.

“I'm not married,” she said. “I thought you might want to take advantage of me.”

“I hadn't thought about it, but… only if it's safe.” She laughed.

“As safe as it will ever be.” It was my turn to smile, and move closer. I looked into her eyes. They were strange. They looked a little reptilian, but a bit attractive on her. I hadn’t noticed before. She smiled as I began to pull her closer. She moved in and we kissed. It was delightful. I wondered about this.

“No need to wonder. Just go with the flow,” she said. “Just go with the flow and you'll be happy…and fulfilled. " She grinned, and I definitely became fulfilled. But I still wonder.

The End

(Being The First Part 4)

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