11. Axl

Georgiana’s skin is so soft and warm. I have no idea how I am going to keep myself from her. But I have to be convinced she knows the truth before we have sex. Otherwise I will always carry the guilt that I was with her under false pretenses. At the same time, I have to prepare her for public sex. Binding tattoos are rarely exchanged privately. And this whole situation is made even more difficult as I’ve never been anyone’s first and I don’t know enough about human culture to know how she views this. I only briefly looked through the Alliance Force’s database on the subject which basically said that in most human cultures women never have sex before marriage and then only with their husbands. In some ways, this reassures me that the idea of being married and only having sex with me for the rest of her life is a normal thing. But she must know what she is agreeing to. I can’t have her make such a tremendous commitment without understanding what she’s potentially giving away.

But I want her. At first I thought I only needed her to get back to the Empire and this would be a simple business arrangement, over in a few weeks at the most. However, if I only have a few weeks left until my 50th birthday, and if I am going to marry, why not marry Georgiana? She’s clever, witty, and beautiful. She is human, which is her only fault, but no doubt she will think the same about me when she really believes the truth, that I am not from Earth. She’s too intelligent to agree to marriage with an alien lightly.

So I must continue to try to convince her of the truth while I also get her accustomed to my touch. And all of this must be accomplished in one night. One night to do all of this without jeopardizing our relationship and at the same time setting a good foundation for our future. It seems like an impossible task, but one that I must undertake.

In the worst case scenario, if she still doesn’t believe me that this is not a game, in the final hour, I’ll have to tell the truth to the Alliance Force. Georgiana’s memory will be erased when their doctor returns and she’ll be sent back to Earth completely oblivious to me and everything that has happened. For me, I may be punished by the High Council if I’m returned to the Empire for justice. But if the Alliance Force decides to punish me rather than sending me back to the Empire, I may even be given the death penalty for killing another Alliance man on the word of a woman, even if she was the Empress. I know that Fox and the Alliance Force hold the right to serve justice as they see fit in this area of the galaxy and there’s a fair chance they would execute me for flaunting their laws. Fox may even see it as a personal affront.

I remind myself, One thing at a time. And at the moment, I’m with Georgiana and my mind should only be on her. On us. Our physical bodies. Our shared desire for one another. To touch each other in every conceivable way. I push all the likely consequences of my actions from my mind. I concentrate on the much sweeter task before me now. Her small tongue in my mouth, her dainty hands on my body, her hips pushing against me seductively. I stop myself from thinking about how tight her vagina will be given she’s petite and never had sex before. I pull away from the kiss, still keeping a hand on either side of her face. “Do you believe me now? I am an alien. Was my tongue real enough?” I know my tongue has more texture than a human tongue.

“How am I supposed to know if that makes you human or not? No man’s tongue has ever been between my legs before yours.”

“What about my body?” I take her hand and run it over my chest. “My body is hairless through generations of genetic engineering.”

“People go hairless all the time with waxing and lasers.”

I bring her hands back down to my penis and guide one of her hands over my shaft. Back and forth until it’s erect. “Human men don’t have those ridges.”

“They could be surgical implants.”

I take her hands away. But surprisingly she puts them back, caressing my penis. It feels too sweet. “No, I won’t have this, Georgiana. You must believe this is real before we go any further. I will not take any pleasure from you as long as you believe this is a game.” I hold her at arm’s length. “You need to know what you’re agreeing to.” I can see in her eyes that she doesn’t believe me. Or that she’s so full of lust she can’t hear me. “Shower stop.”

The water turns off and the dryer comes on. She looks up at me in surprise. I assume where she’s from doesn’t have this kind of simple technology. When we are dry I lead her out of the shower.

“I had some proper clothes brought to us,” I explain as I point out a uniform for me and a dress befitting her rank for her.

She picks up the long blue dress and then leaves it and goes back into the bathroom. When she returns she’s carrying her dirty undergarments.

“You don’t need those. You just wear the dress with these stockings and shoes.”

“How do they know my sizes?”

“The sensors know everything.”

“Not everything,” she remarks astutely as she puts on the dress and then the stockings.

I take in her appearance. She’s lacking jewelry and her hair looks very messy. I find a comb in the bathroom and return. I hand it to her. “And you might consider braiding your hair as you had it before.”

She combs through her long blonde hair. “I don’t know how to braid. A German woman braided my hair in the traditional style you liked. I don’t know if I should be silently thanking her or not?”

I take the comb from Georgiana, our fingers touching longer than necessary. “Hold still. I’ll braid your hair for you.”

“You know how to braid?”

“Of course. Where would I be if I couldn’t braid?” I begin braiding her hair in the same simple style she had before. It suits her round face and big eyes. Although I think I’ve made it too even. It had a more artistic flair to it before, mine almost looks mathematical. When I finish I say, “There. Now you look complete. We’ve been invited to Commander Fox’s personal dining room for the evening meal. Remember what we talked about.”

Her brown eyes reflect confidence. “I remember.”

“Good. Remember as we walk through the station, all of this is real.”

“Okay,” she says as if she thinks I’m trying to trick her.

“Georgiana, please take this seriously.”

“Okay,” she says in a way that I know she doesn’t believe me.

I’m irritated but there’s nothing to do but continue to point out what’s unquestionably authentic. “Let’s go then.” We walk out into the corridor and almost run into two Alliance children. I hear their mother calling for them from the opposite direction. “Whoa,” I say playfully to the little boys. “Where are you headed so quickly? A secret mission?”

“To get the monster!” they yell excitedly together. I notice despite their imperial appearances they are speaking a human language as my translator kicks on. Their mother, a human woman, has caught up with us.

“Sorry, there’s usually never anyone down this hallway. It’s rare that we have such distinguished guests.” Then she bows.

I read her ranking ID. “Nurse Caroline, this is Madame Georgiana, my wife.” Normally introductions would never be made, but Georgiana is lacking any ID to let people know who she is. This is problematic in imperial culture where rank is always known so that everyone can act accordingly.

Georgiana holds out her hand to Caroline.

I instinctively put Georgiana’s hand down politely.

Caroline respectfully chides me, “We are human, Commander, it’s natural we should greet each other this way.” She holds out her hand to meet Georgiana’s.

“Call me Georgie.”

“Nice to meet you, Georgie. I heard there was another human woman on the base today. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to greet you myself. We had an incident on Earth.”

“Oh, what kind of incident?” Georgiana’s curiosity is reflected in her voice.

Caroline looks at me and then back to Georgiana. “I’m sorry, I’m not allowed to share that kind of information. But let’s just say, thankfully there were no casualties.”

“How long have you worked here?” Georgiana asks.

“Long enough to be married with children. Do you have children?” She then looks at me and back to Georgiana. “How old are you? You look way too young to have children.”

“I’m not that young, twenty-six.”

“She was trafficked and sold at Gala,” I add quickly. “We were secretly married but I sent her to Earth to be safe.”

“It would have had to have been secret regardless,” Caroline says. “You know that right, Georgie?”

“Because of the law about humans?”

“Yes and because you are only of age to be married now, 26 Earth years is the legal age of marriage for a woman in the Empire.”

“Nurse, let me reassure you that Madame Georgiana is well aware of her rights. In addition, Fox is making sure everything is done legally.”

The nurse gives me a look that lets me know she’s not completely content with my answer. “I hope you make time to see the doctor before you leave.” Her boys scream from the other end of the corridor. “Now if you don’t mind I have to get these boys some dinner.”

“Nice meeting you,” Georgiana says as Caroline goes after her boys.

When I’m sure Caroline can’t hear us, I make eye contact with Georgiana and explain, hoping she will finally realize that this isn’t a game. “See? She’s married to an Alliance man and lives here on the base and has children with grey skin.”

“Okay,” Georgiana replies in the same way she did before we left our quarters which means to me she still doesn’t believe this is real. I check the time on the wall. I have about 20 hours before the Hio departs and about eighteen before we need to take the binding tattoos if we wait until the last minute.

Georgiana falls in step with me as we walk through the base. When we pass the medical center I quickly take her in and show her some of the technology that’s there. She smiles and nods. When we pass a corridor with a long window looking out into space I show it to her and begin naming some of the stars that are visible and talking about which solar systems are in which direction. Again she just answers with, ‘okay.’

Finally, we pass the shrine and I usher her in. A few men are there praying and they look up when we enter but then quickly look away. I light a candle and take her with me to the front of the shrine. I put the candle in front of the goddess of home and say a prayer. Georgiana surprises me by getting on her knees and putting her head down in a reverent pose. I say to her, “You know this is all real.”

“Okay.”

“Georgiana, you must believe.”

She doesn’t answer me then and I get my hopes up that I’ve finally made some progress, but after a few seconds she says, “Okay,” in that same exasperating tone.

We leave the shrine and enter Fox’s private dining room. There’s no one else but Commander Fox and one of his attendants. “Goddesses be blessed,” he says when he sees us.

“We walk in their light,” I respond and look at Georgiana expectantly.

“We walk in their light,” she says dutifully, but neither Fox nor myself is convinced she has any faith in the goddesses.

“Thank you for having us at your table,” I say.

“For an old friend, it’s an honor. And on such an auspicious day as well, it must feel surreal to be finally reunited,” Fox says as he looks at Georgiana. No doubt expecting her to be more excited than she appears.

“Please excuse Georgiana, she’s exhausted.”

“Not at all. Just surprised,” she says. “Everything has happened so quickly. Axl gave me no warning he was coming to Earth.”

“Yes, he’s stuck in his ways, always doing things so covertly and never asking for help,” Fox says to Georgiana and then looking at me, “Why you didn’t contact me?”

“It was a mistake for which I apologize, but as I said, I didn’t know you’d taken this faithful post.”

Fox indicates that we should sit and soon after wine is poured and food is served. I realize as I watch Georgiana with the cutlery that she has no idea what she’s doing. I try to make eye contact with her to give her some silent guidance, but it doesn’t work and Fox notices she uses all the wrong utensils. This isn’t supporting our story.

“Did you often eat alone in House Zu?” he asks watching her hold the wrong spoon.

“Sometimes,” Georgiana answers diplomatically, not realizing it would have been the ultimate insult for her to have eaten alone.

“How odd.”

“You know what’s odd, Commander? Being the only human in a house full of aliens,” she replies and I’m impressed she’s so quick to pick up on the fact she’s made some kind of faux pas.

“And how did that feel? Being the only human?”

“Lonely.”

“I can only imagine. Yet here you are ready to return. Not that I don’t think Axl is the most honorable of men, but not all humans are meant to leave Earth. Not all humans can handle the brutal culture of life in the Empire.”

“Fox,” I begin.

“No, Axl. I can answer for myself.”

I stop talking and motion my apologies. Of course, she has no idea what this universal galactic hand signal means but as she often does, she ignores what she doesn’t understand, and continues confidently.

“It’s true life is difficult for me in the Empire, but isn’t it better to be with the one you love? It broke my heart when I had to leave and say goodbye to Axl.”

“But Commander Axl isn’t always on the Capital Planet. He still has to work just as he did before.”

“We hope to have a family,” I interject. “Which will mean more time on the planet with leave to procreate.”

“Seven sacred children,” Georgiana says and Fox chokes on some wine.

“Georgiana is quite determined to have a big family now that we can be legally together,” I say. I’m half thrilled she’s playing along so well and half lamenting because undoubtedly she still thinks this is a game all made up by some wealthy humans.

“I’d say any racism in House Zu would be erased with the prospect of so many children.” Fox makes a toast, “May the goddesses grant you many daughters.”

“May we be so lucky,” I say.

“To seven sacred children,” Georgiana says with a playful smile. It’s clear she’s enjoying this game and inadvertently charming me.

“Georgiana,” Fox continues, “do you have any family on Earth that’ll notice your absence?”

“None.”

“Friends?”

“I have friends, but no one who will notice my absence more than the annoyance of my rent not being paid. A police report may be filed, but women like me go missing every day and no one really takes notice.”

“It’s true,” Fox replies. “If any woman goes missing in the Empire we don’t stop until we find her.”

“If only all civilizations were as … well, civilized as the Empire,” Georgiana says so genuinely it makes me question if she’s been there myself.

“Indeed. It makes our job defending Earth even more difficult. Humans themselves don’t keep track of all their citizens.” Fox takes a sip of his wine and grimaces.

“May I ask you a question, Commander Fox?” Georgiana says changing the subject.

“Of course.”

“How do you know my husband?”

“Oh,” Fox smiles. “Axl and I go way back. We trained at the military academy together on the Capital Planet. He’s just kept his boyish face better than I have. You see, for me, it’s all the stress with the laws being changed about humans. There’s more work here than I have men.”

“How long ago were you at the military academy together?”

“Well, you must know. It was what?” Fox looks at me. I want to stop him but I don’t know how, “It was about thirty years ago.” This isn’t going to add up with what I told her before about my age, but I knew human’s lifespans were much shorter than Alliance ones and I didn’t want to alarm her by telling her my real age.

“That’s a long time,” she says evenly. “What age does that put you both at?”

“You don’t know how old your husband is?”

“Love knows no age and you all look so young.”

Fox is completely enthralled with Georgiana. “Forty nine and that’s imperial years, of course. Only one more year to find a wife. Less for Commander Axl, as I recall, he’s older than me. But then what am I saying, you’re already married.”

“Imperial years, of course. Can you help me with the math?”

“About seventy five Earth years,” I supply.

“Seventy five, you say? That makes both of you close to retirement?”

Fox laughs. “Oh no, I’ll definitely die at my post at the age of two hundred or more and I’m sure Commander Axl is the same. Men like us, we don’t retire.”

“Speak for yourself, Fox. I’ve a wife.”

“And seven sacred children on the way,” Georgiana adds.

I look at Georgiana but she’s feigning bashfulness as she takes a bite of her food with the wrong fork. It’s exceedingly difficult not to be enchanted by her, even if she does believe this is all a game because she’s playing it exceptionally well. It’s rare for anyone to impress me, especially one so young.

“And, of course, we must think of the children,” I say.

“Given that’s the case, Commander Fox, do you really think it’s necessary we get these binding tattoos?” Georgiana asks in such an innocent voice; she surprises both Fox and me.

“I’m sorry, it’s Alliance Force policy. It’s the ultimate commitment between a husband and wife. It’s so we are certain every Alliance and human couple we are signing off are truly married. We were too nice before and it backfired.”

Georgiana puts down her fork and pulls the sleeves back on her navy blue dress revealing her flawless light colored pink skin. “You see, I wouldn’t want to mark my skin with anything. I know my skin isn’t slate, the right color, the color any of you would like it to be. But I thank the goddesses for how they made me, and I worry that to mark myself might go against their will and anger them. I’ll, of course, always be faithful to Axl. I always have been. I’ve known no other man.”

I want to smile at her brilliance, but I don’t want to interrupt this stunning performance. I look over at Fox. He’s smitten with her as well.

“I didn’t realize you were so devout, my dear,” Fox says and then looks at me. “You could’ve mentioned this Commander. This changes everything. You see, normally we see human women who resist the goddesses and their true origins as the Lost People.”

“So you’re saying you’ll forgo the tattoos for us?” Georgiana asks politely, her brown eyes large and pleading.

“I wouldn’t want to see your pink skin marred, but…”

“Please Commander Fox. I’m already sacrificing so much at the goddesses’ request by returning to the Empire. I promise you; no man has ever touched me but Axl and no other man ever will.”

“Well, given Commander Axl’s position in the Empire and that you’re here with me, I’m sure yours is a true marriage and we can forgo the usual binding tattoo requirements just this once.”

Georgiana gives Fox a big smile. “The goddesses and I thank you, Commander Fox. I’ll mention you in my prayers.”

Fox actually blushes.

Goddesses what is going on here?Is this human witchcraft? I don’t think I can ever let Georgiana go. She is the most wonderful woman I have ever encountered. She makes eye contact with me, her brown eyes sparkling. She still thinks this is a game. But it doesn’t stop my reaction to her. Looking into her eyes, I’m sure this is love. My heart is beating faster, my stomach feels light and I feel euphoric. If someone were to question Fox’s decision in this, he could back up his choice to allow us to forgo the binding tattoos with the recorded physical reactions we’re displaying right now, I have no doubt, all our physical readouts are reading ‘love.’ This must be a common medical register on the Alliance Force base given their need for marriage bracelets.

“We’re having such a good night, let’s celebrate with a puzzle jug,” Fox suggests.

“What’s a puzzle jug?” Georgiana asks.

“It’s late,” I try to stop this.

But it’s as if neither Georgiana nor Fox hears me. He’s already calling for one of his officers to bring his newest puzzle jug with some zota. When it arrives, I know this is going to be a long night as I eye the large porcelain jug with black floral paintings. It’s placed in the middle of the table and zota is poured in.

“This is a puzzle jug. The person who can take a drink from it without having any other liquid spill out wins. This is a new one, so I don’t know its trick.”

“How fun,” Georgiana says delightedly. “And what’s the liquid?”

“An alcohol,” I say.

“Will you go first and show me how it’s done?” she asks Fox who nods and agrees. We both watch as he puts his fingers over some of the openings and takes a sip. Zota goes everywhere and I can’t help but laugh. I look over at Georgiana and she’s laughing too.

“My turn,” she says excitedly. She takes the large jug and after a few seconds of investigations, tries a different option than Fox. When the liquid spills all over her she laughs with us and as she passes the jug over to me, I have the distinct feeling she’s not acting anymore. She’s really enjoying herself.