“I suppose we’re blocking traffic,” Mekashe said after a near collision with a very heavy passenger. “We should go.”
“Yes...!” She caught her breath as he reached for her hand and slowly closed his big one around it.
The contact was electrifying, but it didn’t produce any unwanted urges to attack other males. Apparently, Hahnson’s nanotech worked well.
Mekashe smiled at her look of surprise. “In special cases, we can touch humans,” he said after a few seconds. “The racial laws forbidding it have been repealed. However, I had to make certain requests,” he added nebulously.
Her fingers, cool and shivery, closed shyly around his big hand. He felt very warm. She studied his hard, handsome face. “You’re very warm,” she said hesitantly.
He smiled. “My body temperature is somewhere around three degrees warmer than that of a human. You feel nicely cool to me.”
“How fascinating,” she exclaimed. She studied him. “You look like a human with what we call a golden tan,” she added. “Except for your eyes changing color, you don’t look any different from us.”
A misconception, he thought, and a large one. But he didn’t correct it.
“Have you seen a lot of aliens?” she asked after a minute.
He nodded. “Many.”
“Do they all look like you and me?” she wanted to know.
He pursed his lips. “There is a species of giant serpent, which we call the Nagaashe, who are the height of a two-story building. They are vegetarians. They have blue eyes and they purr.”
She caught her breath. “I’m deathly afraid of serpents,” she said, shivering. “They’re very dangerous.”
“The Nagaashe belong to the Tri-Galaxy Council,” he told her. “They are sentient and telepathic.”
“Amazing!”
“There are also species with tentacles instead of legs, and a rare sort of giant spider that feeds on salt water and plankton.”
“All I’ve ever seen were other humans,” she told him wistfully. “I’m so afraid that I’ll embarrass Daddy by blurting out something unforgivable in company. I’m very unsophisticated.”
“I find you charming, Jasmine,” he said softly. “And I cannot believe that you would ever be an embarrassment to anyone, least of all your parent.”
She smiled broadly. “Thanks.”
He cocked his head. “Do you have other family?” he asked.
“You mean siblings?” She shook her head. “No. My mother was killed in an accident. Daddy never wanted to remarry.”
He studied her soft, beautiful face and thought that he knew how that felt. He’d never known love between a male and a female, but he was certain that if Jasmine became his consort, he would never be able to look at another female, no matter what happened.
“You aren’t going to have to leave, before we get to Memcache?” she asked worriedly as they walked slowly toward the recreation area.
“No. Why?”
She glanced up and away. “Well, I don’t really know anybody else aboard, and Daddy’s always got his nose stuck in a virtual book. It’s very lonely.” She flushed.
He chuckled and his big hand tightened around hers.
“Ouch!” she said suddenly.
He loosened his hold. “Too tight? Forgive me,” he said.
Her hand felt incredibly bruised, but she only smiled and said it was all right. She noticed that he was more careful when he claimed her hand again. She’d never known someone so strong.
He felt guilty when he saw her discomfort. He hadn’t realized that he was hurting her. Perhaps humans were a little more fragile than he’d expected. He’d speak to Hahnson about that the next time he saw him.
They joined Dr. Dupont at one of the tables and listened with fascination to a virtual lecture about the periodic comets in this region of space and their relationship to the dark matter surrounding it.
Jasmine tried very hard to concentrate on what was said, but her hand was oddly painful. She wondered at the strength in Mekashe’s hand. Her hand felt bruised, but she wasn’t going to mention it. She knew that he hadn’t meant to hurt her. He was very strong!
* * *
AFTER THE LECTURE, they walked out in the corridor and Mekashe grimaced as he had a flash on his communications ring.
“I must speak with a colleague below,” he said, not wanting to mention that Tresar, a fellow member of the Royal Clan and a member of the emperor’s Imperial Guard, like Mekashe, asked to see him. Tresar disliked morphing into the human form that Mekashe used so easily, so he stayed in his true form and out of sight. He would never venture farther than the gym. “I hate to leave so soon. But tomorrow night, the opera?” he asked Jasmine.
“I’ll look forward to it,” she said with breathless enthusiasm.
He glanced at her father, glad to see that he was smiling. “Perhaps another chess match tomorrow?” he asked.
The ambassador chuckled. “Of course!”
“Then I’ll see you both tomorrow,” he said, glancing at Jasmine with a smile as he left, very reluctantly.
She watched him until he was out of sight.
* * *
THE NEXT MORNING, Jasmine was waiting in the corridor when she spotted Mekashe. She went to him, excited, almost running. “Good morning!” she said, laughing with pleasure.
“Good morning,” he replied huskily. “Did you sleep well?”
“I barely slept at all,” she said breathlessly, looking up at him with wonder.
“Nor did I,” he replied. He reached for her hand and cradled it in his, very gently this time.
They stood looking at each other until they were jostled by other guests and realized they were blocking the way to the dining room.
Mekashe laughed as he turned and drew her along with him to the table where her father was sitting. He could hear her heart beat, it was so loud. It made him feel joyful to know how attracted she already was.
Ambassador Dupont was waiting for them with a chessboard already set up on the table. “Good morning,” he said to Mekashe, and chuckled when he noticed his daughter holding hands with their guest.
“Good morning.” Mekashe let go of Jasmine’s hand reluctantly and sat down at the table with the new ambassador. “I have looked forward to this game. Few of my acquaintances are familiar with it.”
“I have the same issue. It’s nice to find someone who shares the interest.”
“Daddy, Mekashe is taking me to the opera tonight. Okay?” Jasmine asked hurriedly.
“Of course.” Dr. Dupont grinned at her. “Do I hear a gown request forming in your mind?”
She flushed. “Well, my old one is outdated,” she began.
He tugged his credit chip out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Have fun,” he said, waving her away.
She laughed. “I’ll buy something beautiful,” she said. “I won’t be long!”
Ambassador Dupont watched her go with twinkling eyes. “She was dreading this move. Thank you for giving her something to look forward to,” he added. “She’s been painfully sheltered and I’ve pretty much thrown her into the deep end of the swimming pool. She’d never seen an