Chapter 9 #2
She had dressed in the gorgeous, violet to pale lavender gown that had been made just for this.
Darker at the top, lighter at the bottom, with bare shoulders, delicate lace sleeves past her wrists, and smooth, form fitting lines.
She was dripping in silver jewels and shimmering diamonds, dressed in a fashion that was a combination of domini and their own human styles.
The hover they were in was top of the line of fancy alien cars.
Sleek, highly reflective silver, with awesome, glowing, pulsing blue lights along the body.
She felt like the alien royalty she technically was as she sat inside.
The process of dressing and riding hadn’t unnerved her.
That was no different than any of her old pageant days.
But then she saw the Coalition Complex outside the window.
A massive rotunda served as the focal point and she knew, from Havali whispering in her ear, that the large dome was where the actual meetings would take place.
Sprawled around it was a network of buildings that served as individual meeting rooms, a cafeteria, secure offices, break rooms. Basically, everything a standard office or council chamber would need.
And it also included the grand hall which she could pick up from the air considering it was lit up as bright as noon despite the shields already covering this section of the district.
Fancy, huge combots flew around, recording the crowd of aliens that were making their way inside, then continued to record through the massive, intricate, sparkling, crystal roof covering the hall.
Seeing that – the combots, the crowd, the aliens – it truly hit her that, holy shit, she was about to step out onto the universal stage and represent the entirety of humanity.
Eight billion people and counting. None of them agreed to this.
No one voted for her. How was she supposed to speak for her people when the vast majority of them never had and never would know her?
When she had that thought, her heart began pounding so hard, she swore she felt it beating against her ribs, like it was trying to escape.
The air was suddenly too thin, and her belly was twisting and rolling as it threatened to lose the meal she ate before coming so she wouldn’t have to eat here.
Just in case it looked bad to stuff her face or any offered food didn't agree with her.
“Scarlet?” Havali gently put a hand on her arm. “What can’t you do?”
She covered his hand with her own, desperately grabbing onto him. Looking for any sense of security in this insanity that she faced.
“I can’t… I just can’t. I’m not trained for this, Havali. I’m a healer, not a diplomat. I-I-I don’t know what to say, what to do. My talent is hula hooping for god’s sake!”
“Hey, hey. Breathe,” he put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in close. “You’re working yourself up, Scarlet. We’re only meeting people today. It’s not that important.”
Except it was! They were making an intergalactic impression for all of humanity. If it was just a matter of standing there and looking pretty, she could do that all day. If she had to defend her research into hybrid conception and gestation, she had that in the bag.
But diplomacy? Politics? Never in her life had she ever-
“Scarlet, it’s okay.” It was Alanna that spoke this time.
Her friend was wearing a stunning, pale green bodycon dress that ended above her knees but had a sparkling, sheer skirt that trailed all the way to the floor and swirled around her like a dream.
Her hair was left mostly natural but slicked down at the top and accented with a beautiful, sparkling hairpiece in the shape of one of the songbirds-insect-things that flitted around Calvitorum.
She looked as cool and composed as a cucumber in a mojito. She smiled at Scarlet now like the fate of the entire Earth wasn’t resting on their bare shoulders.
“I’ve got this,” she said, winking.
“But… I have to…”
“Do nothing. I. Got. This.” Alanna laughed. “I finally get to put my stupid law degree to work.”
“Your what?” Scarlet cried, shocked. “You have a law degree?”
“Yeah. I come from a family of lawyers and politicians.”
“You do?!” Scarlet gaped.
“You do?” Atem looked at her, stunned.
“Since when?” Peony asked, fingering the cape of her mauve dress that had been designed specifically to accentuate her baby belly.
Alanna chuckled at their reactions. “Since birth, sillies.
I didn't really want to go to school, but my uncle said it was practically family tradition at this point and he didn't mind if I wanted to be invested in energy healing and crystals, but he wanted to make sure I had a backup plan. And it made my mom happy. Really, I didn't hate law school, it just wasn’t for me.”
“No, wait, go back.” Scarlet waved her hands in the air. “You’re from a family of lawyers?”
“I thought you came straight from a hippie commune,” Peony admitted, earning a laugh.
“No, of course, not,” Alanna beamed at them, sitting up straight like a properly bred lady. “Surely, you’ve heard of the Townsend political family?”
“Townsend?” Peony repeated, her jaw dropping.
“Wait, Townsend?” Scarlet leaned forward. “As in, like, President Townsend?!”
“Yeah!” Alanna chirped. “That’s my uncle.”
“You just weren’t ever going to mention that your uncle was the president?!”
The three male domini were looking between them, confused.
“Who is this president?” Havali asked. “Is he someone important?”
“No, not important at all, just the leader of our entire country. The leader of the only superpower on Earth,” Scarlet practically glared at Alanna. “Why didn't you mention that? Do you know how terrified I’ve been this whole time that I was going to have to speak for all humanity?”
“Oh, wow,” Alanna blinked at her, stunned. “I mean, yeah, when you put it like that, it’s a bit intimidating, isn’t it?”
“A bit? I’m getting stress ulcers over here!”
“Sorry,” she winced. “I thought I made it clear when I started studying Coalition law and insisted on coming with you guys.”
“Yeah, because it’s easy to make the jump from ‘hippie child who loves learning new things’ to ‘she’s definitely blood related to the president’.”
Alanna laughed at her. “Well, yeah, I guess I could have been a bit clearer.”
“Wait,” Atem interjected. “You’re truly related to someone of political importance on your planet?”
“Yup!” Alanna beamed. “Uncle John and I are best friends. He and Aunt Boo used to watch me when my parents went on vacation.”
“She just called the First Lady ‘Aunt Boo’,” Peony muttered in shock.
Scarlet was inclined to agree. She couldn’t imagine the stately, elegant Harriet Townsend as ‘Aunt Boo’. It just seemed wrong.
“I helped him write his campaign speeches and I organized a bunch of rallies for him. He offered me a White House internship, but I said no. Helping family is one thing, but I didn't really want my law degree in the first place. And hanging out with my uncle all day would be cool but taking that position from someone else seemed wrong. I bet he’s gone crazy looking for me since I disappeared. I hope he hasn’t been too stressed about it.
The job is hard enough without adding family drama. ”
“First of all, kidnapping does not qualify as ‘family drama’,” Scarlet said, somehow stunned by how not stunned she was at Alanna’s nonchalance. “Secondly, this is great! I don’t have to do this anymore! It’s all you, Alanna. I’m just going to hang back and look pretty. I’m good at that.”
“Alanna,” Atem leaned in towards her as the hover parked on the stone road. “Do you think, if it comes to it, you can speak to your uncle on behalf of the Coalition? If an offer is made, it will be easier to give it to Earth through someone he knows.”
“I’d be honored,” Alanna beamed. “Can we do that? Just call him up?”
“Well, not that easily, but yes, it can be done,” he chuckled.
“Shall we?” Tuvo asked, straightening his formal military uniform as the hover lowered to a stop. The camocloth had completely blended him into the creamy leather seats.
“I’m ready,” Scarlet said, smiling. Not realizing until that moment that Havali’s arm was still around her shoulders. And she absolutely didn't mind it.