“Nothing happened, I assure you,” he said. “I took your remaining shoe off so you could be comfortable to sleep.”
“Did you leave me the headclear?” He was being surprisingly considerate and Rosalie regretted all her negative thoughts last night when she learned he hadn’t been searching for her in the crowded club.
“Figured you’d need it today. Listen I didn’t know what you’d like for breakfast so I ordered basically the entire menu. It’ll be here soon if you want to take a shower and change. Banging dress, by the way, good color for you.” He was gone from the doorway before she could respond.
Gathering up fresh underwear and the sundress she’d planned to wear on day two, Rosalie made her way to the decadent bathroom, which had a shower, an old fashioned tub and a top-of-the-line refresher. Their bungalow had a hot tub outside the back door as well. She longed for a bubble bath and there were spa-level bath bombs and other potions and lotions she wanted to sample but if breakfast was on its way, she’d better hurry.
When she finally ventured into the main area of the bungalow, with a combined sitting/dining room, Treylon was seated at the table with a large number of covered dishes in front of him. “The coffee is excellent here,” he said, sipping his own brew. “But they sent a selection of teas as well.”
Rosalie slid into her chair. “Coffee would be a treat.”
He poured her a cup and then began uncovering the dishes, revealing eggs, bacon, ham, pancakes and more breakfast staples, along with jams and jellies and syrups. He gestured for her to serve herself first, which she did, feeling greedy but taking at least a taste of everything. Treylon had no hesitation, loading his plate with generous portions and they’d barely made a dent in the offerings. There were fruit and berries to the side.
“This week must be costing your people a fortune,” Rosalie said after she savored a few bites of bacon and pancakes.
Treylon shrugged, not much interested in what the Ardannan had laid out for the dating experience. “You got mail.”
She blinked hard. “You’re kidding? For me?” He handed her an embossed envelope with the IDA corporate logo in gold leaf on the flap. It did have her name on the back, in flowing script and when she opened the envelope there was a single sheet of paper inside. “Congratulations, you’re a winner,” she read. “Lords of Space, I won 2500 credits in a random drawing!” She’d never had so much wealth in her hardscrabble life. Every credit she earned or got as tips went right out again for bills, rent, food and her music lessons. Her excitement dimmed as she read further down the page. “Oh, of course there’s fine print. I can only redeem the credits here on Resort Planet in the shops on the main street.” Disappointed because she’d had a brief moment of excitement believing she might finally have a tiny nest egg, she laid the card aside.
When she glanced up, Treylon was frowning. “So treat yourself to a new bathing suit or two, maybe another dress for clubbing. Don’t women like to shop?”
“You’re not going to want to tag along with me while I go through racks of clothes,” she said with a chuckle. “I’m picky about details.”
“You should go this morning,” he urged. “I have a meeting in the admin building. Then this afternoon we’re all going to the beach. Dinner is at seven in the five star restaurant and then more dancing. This morning is your best chance.”
A little discomfited at how he had the whole day already scheduled with no input from her, Rosalie chewed her next bites slowly. “When you say ‘all’ do you mean the group from last night?”
He raised one eyebrow. “You have a problem with that?”
“No, they seemed nice. I was hoping we’d have time just the two of us.” She lowered her eyes and covered her sudden attack of nerves by serving herself berries she didn’t want and sprinkled sugar over them. When he stayed silent, she gathered her courage and added, “And I’m surprised you’ve got a business meeting. This week is supposed to be for fun.”
Treylon reached across the small table to take her hand. “Rosalie, whatever you think is going to happen here this week isn’t. I’m just going through the motions of this ridiculous dating setup because I was given no choice. You’re a nice girl and very attractive but I’m not here to find a match. Those five guys are my closest friends. We serve together in the Ardannan military and we’re looking at this as an opportunity for free R&R, let loose a bit and then get on with our lives. Although Meeker did strike me as unusually distracted, as if he was really into the girl IDA matched him with.”
She snatched her fingers away from his grasp as if she’d been touching a hot stove. “What do you mean, going through the motions?”
“Surely you heard all eligible Ardannan males between the ages of twenty and fifty were ordered by our government to participate in this activity? We’re the first contingent but all the others will be coming in groups over the next year.”
“Don’t you have enough women on Ardanna?” she asked. “Is this a ‘Mars needs women’ kind of situation?”
He leaned back frowning. “A what?”
“It’s phrase on Earth, left over from old literature and trideos I guess. Means your people need women from us to survive.”
Treylon laughed and Rosalie enjoyed the way he threw his head back and clearly relished the humor in her suggestion. “No, we have slightly more women than men actually and a similar dating program is being set up right now through IDA for them as well. We’re doing this because our research on the Sectors tells us we’ll become a more integral member of the organization the more closely we build our ties with you humans. The more we intermarry and have children.”
“But why go to such lengths?” she asked. “It’s not a race, not a competition. I mean we’re in a backwater out on the rim on Earth but I know there are new members joining the Sectors all the time.”
His face set in serious lines and he toyed with his fork. She thought he wasn’t going to answer her, which was fair enough. She had no reason to be made privy to Ardannan policy decisions. She was drinking her orange juice when he spoke in a tone that captured her attention immediately. “Have you ever heard of the Fekkoi?”
“No.”
“Nice little civilization, out past Ardanna. Not as advanced as we are but getting there. One home world, settlements on several others in the core system, a few colonies on planets in the next. Not allies, not enemies. Good trading partners. Avid for help with their tech, especially in the faster than light drive arena.” Treylon leaned forward. “Suddenly all communication with them ceased. Eventually our government decided we needed to investigate so a small fleet was sent. Do you know what we found?”
“Nothing good, I’m guessing.” Rosalie’s chest grew tight and she realized she was holding her breath.
“Nothing but blasted planets, in both solar systems. A few floating hulks of what had clearly been vessels desperately trying to escape the destruction. You have heard of the Mawreg, right?”
Swallowing hard, she nodded. “Our enemies, sworn to eradicate humans and humanoids from the galaxy. On Earth we have a saying about being happy to be out on the far rim, away from everything including the Mawreg.”
