Ravok grins unrepentantly at me, but the edges of his smile seem a little strained. Once I set the tray on the table, I turn to help Ravok lower himself onto the sofa.
“Here we go,” I say, handing Ravok his plate. I watch as he picks up the sandwich and his face twists in unfamiliarity. Yet, after a hesitant first bite, his eyes widen with what I suspect is approval. A small, amused smile tugs at the corners of my mouth as Ravok’s attention definitely seems to skew towards the sandwich more than the salad. It’s not surprising really.
Once we finish eating, I get up to take care of the dishes. Ravok puts his hands on the arm of the couch like he’s also planning to get up. I stop directly in front of him, propping my hands on my hips. “Don’t you dare,” I warn him, wagging my finger. Ravok doesn’t have a pupil, so I can’t be sure, but I think he rolls his eyes at me. However, he settles back down which is all I’m concerned about.
I set the dirty dishes by the sink and open the drawer where I found the flashlight, thinking I remember seeing a bundle of string in there. I make a triumphant noise when I find it. Pulling it out, I cut a length of it several feet long. I want to keep Ravok occupied while I take care of the dishes so he isn’t tempted to help.
I have no idea if Ravok will go for this or even be offended, but I’m going to show him how to play with Mango. It willhopefully keep them both occupied so I can get the dishes done without worrying.
As I walk toward where Ravok is seated, I trail the length of red string behind me. I giggle when I realize that Mango is in Ravok’s lap again. He’s such a slut for petting. As I stroll past, Mango leaps after the string with his claws extended, his eyes keen and his tail lashing behind him.
I flick and dangle the string, getting Mango to attack it. Ravok sits forward in his seat, a slight grin on his face at the cat’s antics. Ravok watches my demonstration, his eyes following every twitch of the cat and motion of the string. When I offer the string to Ravok, he eagerly takes it from my hand.
Mango crouches in anticipation, the eager glint in his eyes mirroring the glow in Ravok’s.
Ravok mimics my movement, flitting the string from side to side and Mango pounces with nimble glee.
Leaving Ravok and Mango to their game, I take the few steps back to the kitchen. I watch them play for a moment before I start rinsing the dishes. Once I’m done, I quickly toss together the ingredients for an easy beef stew. It should be enough to get us through a few days, even with Ravok’s appetite.
It takes me a few minutes, but by the time I’m done and return to the living room, I find the muscular alien and my cat still playing. The look of enjoyment on Ravok’s face pulls on my heartstrings.
When I return, Mango abandons the string in favor of twining about my feet and purring. When I bend down to pet him, he flops on his side as if exhausted from his fifteen minutes of playtime. I giggle at my pet’s antics and straighten up. I wonder if Ravok will want to play chess some more. However, one look at Ravok’s face has me reconsidering those plans.
Fatigue has his eyes drooping and his shoulders slumped. Now that he has eaten, I imagine his body needs time to work on recovery. Ravok’s rapid healing must be taxing on his system.
I catch Ravok’s gaze, pointing to him and then down the hall to the bedroom. I mimic laying my head on my hands, closing my eyes and pretending to snore lightly, my way of asking if he wants to rest. Ravok’s eyes flicker with curiosity and perhaps a hint of amusement before he shakes his head, his decision clear as daylight.
What can we do that won’t be too hard on him? We could keep playing chess, but I imagine Ravok might start getting bored with that.
Perhaps he’d enjoy watching sports. Its competitive nature might appeal to Ravok and if I pick the right one, it should be simple to follow the rules. I run to my bedroom to grab my laptop as I contemplate what to put on. I consider several options but settle on soccer since I enjoy watching it. The impulse to share my love for sports, and more specifically, soccer, takes over. It’s a game of intense action and strategy, balancing physical and mental stamina. I feel as though Ravok might appreciate those elements. Besides, I reason, the rules are generally simple enough that he should be able to follow them.
I decide to put on one of my favorite matches – the USA vs Algeria in the 2010 World Cup. I was fourteen years old when the original match occurred. At that age, I had been pulling away from my parents, looking for my own direction in life, but it was a tradition to watch the World Cup with my dad. I didn’t know then that it would be the last one we watched together. Plus, other than the nostalgia for me, it was a damn good game.
Once I’ve pulled up the match, I sit beside Ravok.
CHAPTER 28
Ravok
Leelee sits down next to me and sets a device on her lap. Frozen on the screen is an image of a green, manicured field with human males in two sets of matching outfits scattered across its surface. I look at Leelee trying to figure out what she is showing me.
When she sees me looking, a question on my face, Leelee says, “Sokker.”
That word means nothing to me, so I dip my head for her to proceed. Leelee clicks a button on the device and a video begins to play. Scrutinizing the screen further, I observe the human males dart in and out, chasing after a ball. One of the men in a green uniform reaches the ball and kicks it to another man in the same green uniform. The men in white, whom I’m assuming are adversaries, try to steal the ball. The crew in green moves the ball down the grass in a coordinated attack. They are maneuvering the ball toward a net that a man in black is guarding. Leelee points to the men in white and says, “Yu es,” then points to the men in green, “Aljeer ee-ah.”
It only takes a few minutes for me to discern that Leelee is showing me some kind of physical contest – we have similar things on Cryzor but with much more bloodshed. It only takes me a few more minutes to realize that Leelee wants the Yu es team to be the victors.
The concept of physical competition is no stranger to the Cryzorian species. But this ‘sokker’ seems to be a mindless ball game with no apparent direct benefit or acquisition of resources. It is a show of physical prowess to some degree, but I get the impression it is for entertainment only.
Leelee’s eyes sparkle with a sort of captivation as she watches the shuffling patterns on the screen unfold. A soft cheer escapes her lips as one of the human males narrowly misses getting the ball into the net structure. Astonished at her reaction, I turn to face her.
Her entire demeanor exudes an undeniable glow, her eyes never straying from the tiny competition encased within the confines of the device. I could watch her for hours, her expressions are so revealing. And though her mutterings are incomprehensible, I recognize the tones. She is wholly engrossed, her face mirroring the intense drive exhibited by the males on the screen. For a moment, I find it hard to look away… from her joy and the strange, wistful longing it instills in me.
Slowly, I find myself drawn in by Leelee’s palpable enthusiasm. There’s a primal nature to this ‘sokker’, a raw simplicity that spans galaxies, a universal testament to the breadth of survival and contest. I suppose it is more fascinating than my first impression led me to believe.
I covertly observe Leelee as she watches her ‘sokker’ and realize that I cannot allow my people to harm her. Like a flash, I am hit with the determination to keep my people away from this planet. Leelee is worth saving. There will be other planets whereI can earn a promotion. As we watch Leelee’s sokker, the air fills with the aroma of something meaty and savory.
Despite Leelee’s poverty, I am impressed with her food. She is an excellent cook. I will dearly miss the food when I return to my ship and mission. Most of my time is spent frozen in stasis as I travel from galaxy to galaxy. However, when I am awake, exploring a region of space, my only sustenance is nutrition gel packs. They provide all the calories and nutrients I need to survive but don’t bring pleasure to my palate like Leelee’s food.
