Chap 8 Rachel and raul

Chapter Eight: Reawakening



With the dawn came a now-familiar rumble as the Betall herd dragged itself out of the sea and slumped into the forest very close to our camp. The door flap opened and a hive male smiled down at me with steely, lubricated teeth.
"Good morning, honored guests." Desmond said, "I trust the Betall alarm was sufficient to awaken you?"
I took his proffered hand and emerged into the soft pink dawn. Zanayda grasped my elbow and she followed, squinting and rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"Rachel and Ramón, her son, have Morning Meal prepared. I'd like to pack your hut while you're eating so we may leave sooner."  
The camp was bustling with activity as we sat and ate some grilled fish and fruit. They  loaded everything  onto a                                                                                                                                                           long, narrow vehicle, then bade us climb in after the fire was extinguished and covered in damp sand.  We traveled just above the forest floor, amongst the trees, the craft flexing gently to avoid hitting them. My sister and I sat hand  in hand, enjoying the pristine wilderness. Flocks of flying creatures  flew past, trilling. There were flowering plants of every description  and size, vines and ferns in muted shades of green and purple.  Morning brightened into afternoon, and the forest thinned and gave way to a small plain. In the distance we could see the coastal range,  and the glint of sunlight on flat roofs. Zanayda and I took the opportunity to meditate together before entering the large hive.
Our transport vehicle drove right into the nearest in a group of low  buildings. We got out and found ourselves in a small hanger bay.  Desmond came towards us with our survival gear.
"I'll take this to your quarters. I've always found it comforting  to sleep with familiar things in close proximity," he said. "These  are the only things from your homeworld you have..." He shrugged and turned. "Follow me."
"Are we not to visit the hive to at least show respect...?" Zanayda asked.
"No, you're safer here, trust me."
He led us down several hallways and into a spacious room with a large bed, a table with chairs, and a wide, shaded window. Across the top of  the window was a string of crystals, the only adornment in the room.  Desmond put our gear down, went over to the window and slid it open.  The breeze caught the crystals, and they made a delightful resonant chiming noise.
"How beautiful," Zanayda said.
"They're a local handicraft, I guess you could say. The silk stringing  them is mine." Desmond smiled, and I believe that was the first time  my heart nudged me concerning him. I shrugged it off.  
"Which culture are they from? I mean, the one who strings them, where  is her homeworld?"
Desmond shook his head, laughing. "Marcus, Rachel's son, found the crystals and Raul, her husband, came up with the idea of stringing them,  all on his own. It seems we are capable of creative thought, given the opportunity and the supplies." He headed for the door. "It's nice to listen to pleasant sounds while one is tearing into the flesh of one's dinner."
My sister and I looked at each other after he'd left. She came over and  we sat on the bed together. "Thank the Ancestors we'll be going home! I thought I would be able to take being in their midst. I'd convinced myself these were completely benign—"
"But the Elders said they were still predatory, though peaceful now—"
"I know! I know! It was just my way of tricking myself into thinking I  could go through with it...by the Ancestors, Miransa! I threw myself  right into the midst of them and I nearly died of fright. It took every  bit of mental discipline I possessed to beat down that terror. They can actually See fear, remember? Those teeth!  And I could never stand to have that smell in my nostrils day in and day out—"
I got up and stood in the window, watching the jungle, wondering if any  were watching me. I hadn't articulated my thoughts concerning their  smell...it was certainly distinctive. Once a person smelled it, I was  sure it would be burned into memory: maleness, honey, and blood...
"I'm still going to try to stay."
"What? Are you unbalanced? It will do no good! And do you seriously  want one of them touching you...INSIDE you? This whole mission was  insane from the beginning!"
I turned to her. Who was this person? Where was my strong sister? Surely one disaster would not break a person of her strength...? "I will not have the others who lost their lives die for nothing. We  might not be able to do what we had originally intended, but we can  help this hive. We can affect the future of the people here, and that  can be a great thing too. I don't share your distaste for their  appearance, their touch, or their smell. I think there is something  worthwhile in them, in spite of how they frighten me. Besides, we can  ask to stay on as helpers instead of mates."
Zanayda leapt from the bed, grabbed my arms and shook me. "You Have gone insane! Listen to me! If you are not mated and part of their hive,  they will EAT you the first time you make a mistake! That male would not have stomped off, he'd have torn you to pieces and feasted on you!  We need to GO, do you understand? We need to—"
There was a chiming noise, then a knocking on the door. I answered it  before my sister could protest. Rachel stood in the doorway with another  woman. The woman had iridescent green and blue hair, green eyes with  slits in the center, and a small hive male on her naked hip.
"Hello, ladies," said Rachel, "This is my son Ramón's wife, Lesowan,  and their son Maxul. May we come in?"
I bade them enter, though I knew my sister was squirming.
"Did you realize how far your voices carry with that window open?  I personally love their scent." She smiled at our discomfort. "We  need to discuss a few things before you're presented officially to  the eldest queen and her counsel."
"We're not staying! All we need is to communicate with our homeworld  and wait to be picked up," Zanayda said.
"I know you are only speaking for yourself," replied Rachel, "We heard everything, remember?"
I moved closer and effectively blocked my sister from view. "What must we know?"

"First off, you need to remain calm. Answer all questions, and answer  them honestly. Ask questions if you have them. Nobody on the counsel  will be embarrassed or insulted. Just keep it respectful, humble, and above all, truthful. They have little tolerance for bullshit. We'll be back for you at dusk."
I touched her arm. I could not help but ask, "Will Desmond be there?" I could feel my cheeks flush with awkwardness.
Rachel chuckled, "Oh Yeah!"
The other woman giggled behind her hand also as they left. "Wild barrow  beasts couldn't keep him away!"
I guessed that meant he was very determined to be there. My heart  fluttered and I found myself anxious about what he thought of me. My sister looked thoroughly appalled.
"You're attracted to him! You LIKE him! That's why you want to stay! You're hoping he'll want you for his mate!"
"Maybe," I said, finger combing my hair, "It may be that I'd been so prepared for it that my psyche is having trouble altering direction...but I have a feeling in my soul that I should stay the course, and my  course is leading me to Desmond."

                             +++++++++++++++

I (Rachel, remember me?? *eyeroll*) here resume my narrative.

"WELL?" Desmond was in my face the second I entered the hive. This  was too good...
"Well what?" I asked. Lesowan hid her face nuzzling my grandson.
"Miransa! Did she mention me? Did you tell her I'd be there?"
"Your name might have come up..."
"And did she seem at all pleased?"
"She didn't seem especially DISpleased—"
"Good! Good!" He started off, spun around, came back and kissed my cheek. "I like her. She has depth and ntelligence...I must speak to Esperanza concerning her..." He started off again, thought better of it, and returned.
"Her eyes are a most intriguing shade of violet, don't you think?"
And he was off.
"Good thing she likes him back. He seems somewhat smitten," I remarked to my daughter-in-law.
"Somewhat." Lesowan batted her eyelashes at me. "Her eyes are a most intriguing shade of violet, don't you think?"
We laughed till we cried.