Chapter 21
Planet Drypso
The week went by all too quickly. Darren slipped into Aelanna’s cabin as often as he could find the opportunity. The times he was on duty for the night-cycle, he spent the whole ‘night’ in Aelanna’s bed and she lived for those times.
But tomorrow they would land on Drypso. It was her last night with Darren. She dreaded saying goodbye to him; she wasn’t sure she could survive it.
He caressed and cuddled her more than they kissed.
They hadn’t gone all the way; he said it was too risky, and she didn’t have contraception, nor did he.
Their physiology was so alike that the risk of pregnancy was too great, and he vowed he’d never leave her in that position: with a youngling (his word) to care for, all alone on a strange planet with a husband she’d never met.
They snuggled under the covers. “Flare take it, I’ll miss you, Aelanna,” he muttered into her hair. “I’ll find a way for us to keep in touch.”
“If you’re sure we won’t be found out,” she replied doubtfully.
“I can’t bear not to know what’s happened to you.”
He kissed her then, and she lost herself in it, even while their hearts were breaking.
His wrist device pinged fifteen minutes before the end of the night cycle.
“I’d better go,” he said and hauled himself from the bed. Three minutes later, he was washed and dressed, his hair done in a neat bun.
“I’ll be outside in the corridor, and I’ll escort you to the diner for breakfast.” He kissed her cheek, then trailed his fingers along it, turned and went out. She sensed his agony at forcing himself away from her and she felt the same.
He clicked the door shut quietly behind him and she flopped back on her pillow, trying to hold back tears.
What would her lizard husband be like? What would her life be like? What would their children look like? She shivered; she couldn’t bear to dwell on it. She didn’t know what her future held, and hoped her close friends wouldn’t be separated from her. Without Darren, they were all she had.
They had packed and said goodbye to their cabins.
It seemed ridiculous to feel emotional about a room, a transitory one which she had occupied only to be transported from A to B, but the fortnight’s journey seemed like a lifetime and the memories she locked in her heart would last as long: memories of her and Darren.
Together. It felt like the end of an era.
They had landed on Drypso. She, Kora and Nayli stood hand-in-hand as the airlock ramp lowered, the other girls behind them.
Darren and his brothers were with them; formal and distant, had what Nayli called their masks on.
Surprisingly, Aelanna felt relief at that; it was hard enough to say goodbye, and both the girls and their secret lovers were forced to hide their emotions, and it helped.
The ramp lowered slowly and the first glimpse Aelanna got of Drypso was a hazy blue sky.
She knew there was a welcoming committee outside waiting for them.
As the space opened up, she saw a flat, nondescript landscape with a few huts on it.
It reminded her of pictures she’d seen of the South Dakota desert, without the spectacular remains of mountains.
The milky haze was caused by dust in the air. Disappointing.
“Is this it?” Nayli gasped.
“We’ve landed in the military base. They’ll take us to the city,” replied Kora.
But Aelanna wasn’t listening. She was focused on the line of Ohirin warriors standing to attention and the two officers coming forward to greet them. They had more gold braid on their uniforms. Behind her, a low voice prompted them forward, and they moved out of the airlock and down the ramp.
The two lizard men bowed. When they straightened, they clasped their hands behind them and their tails gently swished on the dusty ground.
“Welcome to Drypso, your future home. I’m Commander Trot and this is Brigadier Zittishk. Come and settle in. Tomorrow you will be presented with three suitors, and you will select the one you like the most.”
Aelanna swallowed and concentrated on keeping her face neutral. She didn’t want any lizard man as a husband. She hated reptiles. She didn’t even have one as a pet back on Earth. She flashed panicked glances at Kora and Nayli, but they were in shock too. How was she gonna survive this?
To her horror, Trot offered her his arm. She smiled weakly at him and took it.
This was their life now unless they could escape this nightmare, get off the planet.
The Brigadier took Nayli’s arm and the lizard welcoming committee escorted Kora and the rest of the girls.
It was a short walk to the double doors in the biggest building,” the main one of the military base.
She sensed the brothers walking behind their party, but she didn’t dare turn around to check.
Commander Trot had matched his stride to hers. She stole curious glances at him and hoped he was not one of her suitors. Judging by the wrinkles round his mouth and eyes, and his craggy blue skin, he was older.
“I’m not a suitor,” he said in a gravelly voice.
He seemed to guess what she was thinking.
Could they read minds? “The younger recruits need mates,” he told her.
“Being older, before the younger generation of our females died, I’m blessed with a partner from my youth. We’ve been together forty-four years.”
Oh my God.
Aelanna couldn’t bring herself to speak, and she made what she hoped was a sympathetic sound.
Her throat had closed up and her breath was trapped in her chest and she carried on looking around her as if to distance herself from the lizard, her mind and emotions at any rate.
All she could see was flat, dusty scrubland.
The reptiles had died for this? She didn’t owe them loyalty, sympathy, or even understanding.
Dapkey had promised them no reptiles or things with tentacles. Someone had lied.
They reached the building. Two lizard guards standing to attention outside opened the doors and they stepped inside.
The commander led her down a short corridor with windows on both sides and into a large room.
There were comfortable sofas and armchairs arranged in a group, but otherwise the interior was uncompromising in its functionality.
The floor was covered in brown composite material of some kind, and the windows weren’t softened by curtains or blinds.
There were radiators on the plain walls, and the air felt close and heavy in the large space.
There was an empty bar on the far side, and the air smelled of stale beer and a meaty smell she couldn’t identify.
The only concession made to their arrival was a large vase of greenery on one of the low tables by the seating.
The commander let go of Aelanna and stretched his arm out in a guiding gesture.
“Have a seat, ladies, and we will bring some tea.”
Wide-eyed, they sat and looked at each other and around them.
The shared glances were fearful and panicked.
Kora looked pissed; Nayli was about to burst into tears.
Two lizard minions in what looked like green and brown catering getup wheeled in a trolley with an urn and cups on it. Presumably the tea had arrived.
A female lizard marched in through the swing doors at the end next to the bar, strode up to the commander and saluted.
“Ah, here comes Ensign Rathri,” announced the commander, rubbing his hands together.
He looked pleased with himself as he locked eyes with the ensign.
“She will take you to your quarters for the night and answer any questions you may have.” He inclined his head.
“We will leave you in her capable hands.” He turned on his heel and stalked out the way they had come in, followed by the brigadier and the rest of their party.
The ensign was the only female Ohirin lizard Aelanna had seen.
The first thing she noticed was her short green legs revealed by a knee-length army skirt, and the sensible lace-up flatties on her feet.
Her knees were backward, and she had an odd gait, standing on tip toe.
Aelanna hadn’t noticed that about Ohirins before, and again she panicked about what shape legs her children would have.
The ensign clapped her horny hands. “Right, mammals, I’ll show you to your quarters. Dinner is at nightfall sharp.”
“But we haven’t had our tea yet,” a small voice whined. Aelanna didn’t know which girl said that.
“You can bring it with you. Shift your tails,” she clipped.
They reluctantly stood and shuffled behind the ensign. Aelanna noticed no girl was clutching her cup of tea.
The ensign led them out of the far doors, down a corridor, past doors which led into offices.
The reptile paused at a T-junction. She pointed left.
“The canteen is at the end of this corridor, where meals are served.” She turned them right and into a long room with two rows of five bunks lined up like soldiers against the long walls.
The windows were on an outside wall. It was basic, to say the least.
The bunks were covered in army sheets and blankets, and there stood a nightstand next to each one.
The lizard moved over to stand next to a red cord dangling from the ceiling.
“If there’s an emergency, pull the bell cord.
Pranks will not be tolerated,” and pointed to the exit at the far end.
“The bathroom is through there. I repeat, dinner is at nightfall; the canteen is open for half an hour for meals. First meal is at dawn. Don’t be late. ”
She marched out, the doors swinging shut behind her.
Aelanna flumped on the first bed, Kora on the next bunk.
“Well, that was short and sweet,” she stated.
“To the point,” added Nayli, who had taken the bunk opposite Aelanna’s.
“We drew the short straw comin’ here,” grumbled Devon, one of the twins from Southern Carolina. Her southern drawl was strong. They had taken the bunks next to Nayli, and Prosperity and Daisy chose the last two.
The other girls, Sawyer, Tia and Lily, filled the same row as Aelanna and Kora.
Lily burst into tears and covered her face with her hands. She was from Boston as far as Aelanna remembered, and she’d had a sheltered upbringing and was sensitive, unused to rolling with life’s punches as New York girls were.
“It’s only for one night,” said Aelanna.
“What makes you think it’s gonna get better?” The other twin shot back. Shamone was her name. Aelanna shrugged. “I don’t. Let’s not have a debate about it.” She was only trying to make them feel better about the situation they found themselves in.
“This is the pits,” whispered Nayli as she looked round. “It’s too hot in here.”
“Better than too cold,” retorted Kora.
Daisy: “I figure their houses are as hot as this, and we’re gonna swelter in them.”
Prosperity’s brown eyes rounded in alarm. Lily cried even louder.
Devon: “We haven’t gotten night things.”
Shamone: “Or toothbrushes.”
Daisy: “What are our mates — husbands, whatever — going to be like?”
Kora stood up and moved into the space between the rows of bunks. “Like Ohirins,” she said in a tone that she was running out of patience. “We signed up for this, remember?”
“The agency promised us no lizards,” said Tia. It was the first time she’d spoken.
“You too, huh?” Kora shot back. “Who was promised no lizards and no tentacles?”
Everyone raised their hands.
“We could escape,” Daisy whispered.
“But where to?” asked Nayli, always practical.
“We must make a plan tonight, in case we’re separated,” added Aelanna.
Kora pressed a finger to her lips and made a slow circle, her eyes wide, indicating that the Ohirins might be listening in.
They were doomed, but there was no time because suddenly it was dark outside and they had to get to the canteen. They didn’t get anywhere with the plan to escape but their carry-ons had been delivered by the time they got back from dinner, which was vegetable soup and some kind of bread.
In the morning when Ensign Rathri came to get them, they learned that the Dheltans had already taken off. A temporary patch on the Pioneer’s external hull had been welded overnight, enough to get them to Ohiri without incident.
They were stuck here, and they had no choice but to accept whatever life on Drypso held for them. Aelanna shivered. Tomorrow they’d meet their lizard men mates.