16. Georgiana

I open my eyes. The ceiling is smooth and grey with dim light coming from the corners is a soothing way. The sheets are black. I sit up. I’m naked. I pull the silky sheets around me for modesty.

Before I can call out for help or get out of the bed a grey skinned woman wearing a long navy blue dress enters the room. I recognize her, she’s the doctor.

“Thank the gods. You look healthier. How are you feeling?”

“Better.”

She puts a hand over my hand and looks into my eyes. “I’m just checking everything is in order. You got yourself into quite a state.”

I begin to explain, but she cuts me off.

“I understand everything and it makes sense. Commander Axl should have explained it to you adequately. But men are like that. They don’t think these things through all the time.”

“He did try and tell me. I just couldn’t believe it.”

“He should have tried harder. None of this is your fault.”

“Is Axl in trouble?”

“No. Of course not. But he does believe that once you know the truth you’ll want to stay here. Men are such romantics. They are so emotional and never thinking practically when it comes to their hearts.”

I understand everything with complete clarity now thanks to the doctor’s intervention and I feel like a fool for not believing Axl when he told me over and over again that this wasn’t a game. But I can’t deny that I still hold a place in my heart for Axl and that that was one of the major factors in my not wanting to believe he was an alien. I wanted him to be human so that we could really be together. “Am I going to be sent back to Earth now?”

“Not yet. Commander Axl has requested you stay long enough to make a decision about returning to Earth or staying here and being his wife. The Head of House Zu, his mother, has granted his request.”

“Stay for how long?”

“Seven days. Don’t worry he only has courting privileges.”

I remember Axl mentioning courting before. “What does that mean?”

“He can’t kiss you or initiate sex.” Before I can ask another question, the doctor adds, “Axl’s mother dotes on him which is why you have to stay an extra seven days. I told her that I thought it would be best for you and for him if you were allowed to leave immediately.”

“Why would I want to do that? Is there something wrong with Axl?”

“Of course not. Love is a sickness. The longer you say around him, the more difficult it will be for you to leave.”

“Maybe I want to stay. Why do you assume that I want to leave?”

The doctor pats my hand. “Because I’ve been in your mind. I know you’re suffering from love sickness. But I also know that you’re a hard worker and don’t like to be slighted based on circumstances in your life you can’t control.”

“You were in my mind?”

“It was the easiest and healthiest way to sort out the muddle you had gotten yourself into mentally, all the questioning of what was real and what was fake. And you were absolutely stubborn in believing aliens did not exist, so there was no way to help you without entering your mind.”

“And now I’m questioning if this is real or fake. How can you enter someone’s mind?”

“Almost all Alliance doctors use telepathy as part of our skillset. It’s a genetic talent that’s become enhanced through natural selection over several generations. It helps us know how patients are really feeling and get to the root cause of illnesses, especially mental ones. I know you know this is real now. I’ve grounded your thoughts and cut out the confusion.”

“I still feel confused in my heart.”

“I can make you forget Axl if you want? You’ve only known him for a week. It would be an easy thing to do.”

“No. I never want to forget him.”

“That’s good. It’s healthier to suffer through a love lost.”

“What if I don’t leave? What if I stay?”

“Trust me. I’ve been a doctor for over a hundred galactic years, rarely do people surprise me anymore.”

I let that sink in. “Do I have a room to stay in for these seven days or will I be kept here naked?”

“You have a room. I’ll have a slave show you to it. There you will find everythingyou need for your stay with us.”

“Axl bought me some clothing.”

“Which was illegal. All of that clothing has been returned to him. The Head of House Zu has provided you with new clothing.”

“Where is it? I would like to go to my room.”

“It’s upstairs in the wardrobe.”

I feel like this is a game of twenty questions. “Could someone please bring something down for me to wear?”

“You can walk to your room naked. It’s the Watching. No one is going to care whether or not you are clothed. Others may even be naked themselves.”

“It’s the what?”

“The Watching,” I hear Axl say from the doorway and come in. “Doctor, if you don’t mind I’d like to be alone with Georgiana. As you know, we are courting and I’m enforcing my rights as her suitor.”

The doctor looks at me. “If you need anything just let me know. If you want him to leave, simply tell him to and he must obey you.”

I watch as the doctor leaves and Axl enters. He’s wearing similar clothing to what he had on before. A black tunic, trousers and silver jewelry denoting his rank. His long black hair is braided neatly down his back and I have the impression he’s had a shower and is wearing fresh clothing. I find him as attractive as I always have. Maybe more because I know now it’s not a game. He is not from Earth. This is his home on the other side of the galaxy. And most importantly he isn’t mentally ill. It was me getting it wrong this entire time.

“The doctor said I can leave in seven days,” I say hoping to bring up the subject of marriage.

“Did she tell you why?”

“Yes,” I say and wait anxiously for him to propose.

“Good,” is all he says and my heart sinks. “I’ll escort you to your room.”

Maybe the doctor was misinformed?“I will not be walking through your house as a naked alien.”

Axl immediately begins unbuttoning his collar and then takes off his tunic, revealing his grey muscular chest. Then he hands his shirt to me.

I take it and put it over my head. It smells of him; bergamot, mint, and anise. Then he gives me his hand and helps me out of the bed. His tunic falls to my knees.

“Should I carry you? My shoes will be too large for you to wear and the stone floor will be cold on your feet.”

“I’m fine to walk,” I say and follow him out of the infirmary. I’m still hoping his next words will be, ‘Will you marry me for real?’ but with every step my heart continues to sink deeper into the realization that he’s not going to say what I think I want to hear. But I want him to ask me so we can talk about it.

We climb another staircase and walk through more dark hallways lit only by dim candlelight; sometimes we pass areas that are so dark I can’t see at all. “It’s difficult to believe that your people are so technologically advanced. I feel like I’m in an ancient castle.”

“Parts of the Main House have stood for centuries. This part is one of the oldest parts of the house which originally was a stone fortress. Is it too dark for you to see?”

“No, it’s fine, just an observation.” After reaching the much more modern part of the house, which I recognize from before, Axl leads me up more stairs and then we walk down a hallway with modern doors. I notice illuminated names on the outside of each door. Finally, he stops in front of one. I see my name lit up in green. ‘Madame Georgiana Smith.’

When I stand in front of the door it automatically opens and I go in. When I realize Axl isn’t behind me I stop. “Why aren’t you coming in?”

“It’s forbidden.”

I walk back out into the hallway. “I don’t want to be alone in an alien house.” My hand searches for my bracelet that I have gotten in the habit of touching. “Where’s my bracelet?”

“It’s been returned to me,” he says. It’s dark so it’s difficult for me to read his face but it sounds like he’s a bit emotional. “There were no witnesses when we…”

“But that was my bracelet. You gave it to me.”

“And perhaps you’ll want it back, but you understand it’s more than just a piece of jewelry. In seven days you will announce your decision to me and everyone in House Zu.”

“I want you to stay with me now, Axl. Throughout all of this we haven’t been apart.”

He hesitates, answering, “You’ll be safe in House Zu. The morning meal is at seven. The slaves will wake you. Tomorrow I will show you what might be your life if you stay. Good night.”

I look up at him and want a kiss to reassure me in all of this. And I know he can see me and knows what I want but instead of kissing my lips, he kisses my forehead.

Disappointed, I turn to enter my room. I stop when I realize what I’m wearing. “Do you want your tunic back?”

“Not tonight.”

“Okay. Good night,” I say and the door automatically closes behind me.

I walk into the room and the lights automatically turn on. Nothing could have prepared me for how luxurious and modern this room is. It makes our imperial quarters on the Hio look like a bomb shelter. There’s black and grey furniture with a stone bathroom. The skylight in the bathroom mimics real sunlight and I spend about five minutes looking at it because I feel like I’m standing in the most beautiful sunset while looking in the mirror.

In my reflection, I look at Axl’s black uniform. It’s so large on me. I hug my arms around myself as if he were hugging me. Could I really stay here with an alien and live in his world? I absently reach for my missing bracelet. I miss him and it’s only been five minutes.

I walk back out into the bedroom and look for the wardrobes. I can’t find any. Then I find a little door and inside is a large walk in closet almost empty. I find five lonely dresses hanging up and two pairs of shoes. On a display table next to the clothing are a few pieces of silver jewelry. From a distance, I recognize one of the pieces as an ID necklace. I pick it up and it reads, ‘Madame Georgiana Smith, Human.’

I don’t know why this bothers me, but it does. It shouldn’t, Axl and I were never truly married, it was always a business arrangement for him to get back to the Empire. That ID necklace he gave me wasn’t real. But I think we were and still are mutually attracted to each other and the doctor told me he wants to marry me. But if that’s true why isn’t he here with me now?

I look through the clothing and the drawers but there’s no bras or underwear, only stockings and dresses. I give up trying to find some pajamas and decide to sleep in Axl’s tunic. I get into bed, turn out the lights, and lay down. The sheets are silky-smooth and warm. They have a faint floral scent to them, but from flowers I don’t recognize. I close my eyes and try to sleep. But I can’t. My mind is racing. I am too curious about this alien place.

After a few minutes in the dark, I turn the lights back on, and wonder if there is some kind of alien television to watch. I don’t know if there’s a computer in this room like there was on the ship. Axl always asked a room computer to do things, so I chance it.

“Computer?”

“Yes, Madame Georgiana Smith.” I jump when a woman’s voice says my name. It’s not computerized at all. It sounds like a stern woman is hiding behind the curtain.

“Is there a television in the room?”

“There is not an ancient device known as a ‘television.’ There is a computer at the desk. Would you like me to bring it up?”

“Yes.”

I look over to the corner of the room where there is a black lacquer desk. Suddenly a 3D computer appears.

“Are there any dramas to watch?”

“There are no dramas in the Empire. There are videos of real events.”

“Okay. How do I watch those?”

“Would you like fashion, military, political, Reima Two, immigrant ring, historical, medical, imperial…”

“Is there anything about Imperial Fleet Reserve Commander Axl of House Zu?”

“How would you like them presented? Most recent first?”

“Yes.”

I get out of bed and sit at the desk. I can smell Axl on his tunic and I wait for the first video to come up. In the video, he’s accepting some kind of award. He’s surrounded by all grey people, mainly women. It’s so alien but at the same time familiar. Humans have similar award ceremonies.

The next video is of him out with his friends. I don’t know why this would be here. I check the source in the corner. This looks like a fashion magazine. I’m not sure why he would be featured in this. All the Alliance men I’ve seen seem to wear the exact same clothing, except for the crew of the Hio.

The next videos are all with his sister, who seems to be an important woman on this planet, or with his mother. Then I ask, “Computer, show me fashion.”

The computer then begins showing me all the latest women’s fashions on the Capital Planet. I’m surprised that none of these dresses are tight or look uncomfortable. Instead it’s a steady flow of comfort and flowing fabrics. When I get bored of that I check some of the other video streams. Nothing is interesting and I finally fall asleep on religion.

The computer wakes me, “Georgiana, you will have more restful sleep in your bed.”

I agree and stumble to bed.