She agreed to be the wife and eventually the mother to this humanoid's child, even before she knew anything about him! Had she lost her mind? Was she going crazy? Why had she done this again?
"Yay!" Graecey cried. "Congratulations, Janae!"
"This is ludicrous," Roemary snarled. "I cannot believe this. Why in the world would you take her when you have someone like me?" She gestured to the grouping. "Even any of these other women are plenty more beautiful than she is." She turned to Graecey. "She's your friend. You rigged this, didn't you!"
"That's it. I am finished with your rotten behavior. How you got past all the screening for this, I'll never know," Graecey said as she grabbed Roemary's arm. "You're going to your suite, and you're not coming out until we're in space."
"You don't deny anything," Roemary said. "I'll bet you did. This is all rigged and planned. And you aliens must be stupid!" she spat. "I wouldn't want to be your mate anyway. You’re all ugly with your horns and stupid spikes on your backs!"
He turned and glared at Roemary, and honestly, Janae would never want to see that look directed at her. It was that intense.
"Your ego and conceit ruin your opportunities. You speak to my mate like that or me again, and I will see you punished for your disrespect.”
"You cannot! My father--"
He raised his eyebrow. "Your father can do nothing on this world. As soon as you stepped onto this land, your laws no longer apply, and mine do. You have no basis for your objections."
Roemary objected with more cries and threats, but Graecey hauled her off. Whatever Graecey said, it was just for Roemary because she couldn’t make it out. Though Janae was sure she heard something about "diplomatic incident" come out of her mouth. A couple of security guards came off the ship, grabbed Roemary, and took her back aboard.
She hoped that there wouldn't be any trouble because of this.
"I hope you're not offended by one person," Graecey said when she came back over. "She does not represent all of the Galactic Alliance Science Senate and these volunteers.”
"I do not believe that she does. Even with the best filters, an occasional bad seed makes it through. It cannot be helped in any program," he said.
Graecey nodded, and she looked him over, then looked Janae over. "Well, I suppose I should let you two get to know each other." She came over to Janae and smiled. "You're ready for this, Janae?"
"As best I can be," she said.
"You have your communicator?" Graecey asked.
Janae patted her chest. The communicator, not much larger than a necklace pendant, hung around a chain under her clothing.
He raised his eyebrow. "Her communicator?"
Graecey smiled. The woman was part administrator, part negotiator, part politician. Aside from her irritation at Roemary today, Janae had never seen her get outright angry with anyone.
"As part of the agreement, all the females will have communicators in case they need emergency assistance."
He pulled back like he was offended. "What would she need assistance for?"
"We like to be sure all the volunteers can reach us for any assistance they may require. It could be a minor thing like she forgot something on our ship or any other issues. Whatever she needs.”
He crossed his arms. "What kind of issues?"
Graecey shifted her posture and tipped her chin, making her seem taller. And more intimidating. At least to Janae, anyway. "In the past, we have had situations where the males have taken advantage of the volunteers. This protocol we determined gave the volunteers additional protection and guarantee that we will not abandon them on an alien world with no way to reach out if they need assistance.”
"It'll be fine," Janae added.
This seemed to appease him. "As you see fit.”
"We are but a call away," Graecey said as she started to step away. The smile returned to Graecey's face as she walked away.
Nerves rolled around inside Janae, though, and while Graecey and some of the others who were smiling her way seemed happy for her, she was getting more and more anxious about this whole thing.
He said they would start Courtship, but what was Courtship to him? Did she have to have sex with him today?
Did she want to? She wasn't sure.
