Page 2 of The Royal's Bumblebee
“I want a shower.” I answered her and moved to sit on the bed.
“Which you can have, as soon as the doctor is done and we head to our new home. Do you want me to go get the doctor?” I think she’s translating for Charlie. He thinks so too, from the way he nods and leans into the corridor to talk to someone.
“We’re ready for you now.”
Hannah strokes my back and holds my hand as the doctor does a range of tests. I know he needs to check my blood pressure, heart rate, and draw blood, but that doesn’t mean I like it. I don’t like the touch of the monitor disc he presses to my chest and arm. I really don’t like when he pricks my skin to take a blood sample. I feel myself retreating, but Hannah keeps me anchored. She is my rock.
When the tests are over I close my eyes and adopt my usual transport position when I’m going somewhere new. I put my left hand in Hannah’s right and place my right hand on the back of the same hand. I keep my eyes shut and trust her to walk me to our destination.
I wanted to come to AU 471. I wanted to see new stars and I still want to. But that doesn’t mean I’m not scared. Hannah knows this and speaks softly to me the whole way. When someone bumps into my right arm and I whine, she starts singing me the same song she always does when she needs to draw my attention to her. You are my sunshine. It makes me think of when we were little girls and we shared a bedroom. Whenever I was scared she would lay on the bed with me, but she wouldn’t touch me. She wouldn’t make me look her in the eye. She would sing you are my sunshine, softly, and on a loop until I either calmed down or went to sleep. I enjoy the repetition of the song. I enjoy the way she sings it.
I nod to her when I’m calm enough to keep walking, and we keep going. I count 76 steps before we walk into an elevator. Even with my eyes closed, I can tell it’s bright here. Charlie speaks to Hannah, and sometimes she answers him, but I can tell she’s paying more attention to me than him. They are talking about a lost bet and laughing about it. I don’t understand, but I don’t want to so I don’t ask.
Another 80 steps and Hannah guides me into a shuttle. I tense, knowing that means we’re going down to the planet. As per my strict instructions, I was reanimated after the rest of group 3. Allico Inc reserved a shuttle for just me and Hannah, though Charlie is now riding with us. It isn’t part of the plan…I don’t like it…but I focus on Hannah’s singing and her hand in both of mine, and I let him come too.
Hannah lowers me into a seat and I decide to keep my eyes shut. It doesn’t feel as bright here, but I’m scared of what I will see when I open my eyes. I hear the shuttle’s engine and Hannah sits beside me. She has to. I still hold her hand in mine. I hear Charlie sit opposite us and we sit quietly. Hannah sings and I slowly feel comfortable enough to open my eyes. They both let me look around and adjust to my surroundings. The lights are dimmer here, and out of 20 seats only our three are occupied with a square table between us.
Hannah clears her throat and I sit ramrod and look at her with wide eyes. I know what it means when she makes that noise. She’s going to tell me something I’m not going to like. Something she thinks will trigger me. I grip her hand tightly and purse my lips together. “You’re okay Billie.” Hannah smiles and I grip my rock for support. I’m shaking my head already before she continues, but she does. I know she needs to. She wouldn’t scare me unless she had to, but that doesn’t mean I like it. “AU 741 is called Thelia.”
“No it isn’t.” I counter. “Its designation is AU 471.”
“…theindigenousspecies who live there call it Thelia.” I grow still and stare at her. “The Ucfeni are a sentient species who have some technological capabilities, but they suffer from infections quite badly, so our people made a trade deal with them to—”
I’m listening. I’m retreating, but I still hear her. Aliens. No, we’re the aliens, since it’s their planet. There’s not supposed to be any life AU 471 other than plant life, and of course, microorganisms. It isn’t scientifically impossible for there to be a sentient species on a planet that can support life. Earth did, after all, but the statistical likelihood is low. Very low. If I had my computer I would do the math. I still want a shower. I want to go back into cryo. I want to go down to the planet and meet real aliens.
It’s too much.
I shut down like my precious computer when it overheats or there’s an error and it needs to reboot. I bring my feet up to perch on the edge of the chair and hug my knees to make a safe space to hide. My forehead rests on my knees and I shut my eyes.
Chapter 2
Transitioning to Thelia
Billie
We arrived in an arena first, a stone amphitheatre from the looks of it, and I don’t like the stone seats we sit on. They are dusty and too warm. I can smell the dust faintly in the air, but mostly I can smell the musk of the jungle around us. We are exposed here and the sun is bright. Still, I hold onto Hannah’s hand and let my rock steady me. I saw my first Ucfeni shortly afterward and was amazed. The natives of this planet look like large Naga from India and Asia. Like the RPG games I like to play, only, they are not pretty humans from the waist upward with snake tail below. No, they are totally reptilian. Scales everywhere. No hair. I’m fascinated as Alaric stands beside this Ucfeni and explains that they are sentient descendants of Thelia’s version of dinosaurs! Mammals here never evolved past basic apes, it seems. I smile, looking forward to getting my hands on whatever the Thelian version of textbooks or ebooks are, to read about their history and biology.
An Ambassador called Rerasha, who was too loud for my eyes and ears, takes the stand. His orange scales were vibrant, and his voice was very loud. All of him was too bright. I would have kept my eyes shut or looked down at my hands to be more comfortable, nearing my limit already…but how could I? I’ve come all this way because I wanted an adventure. Rerasha was alien, to me at least, so I kept lifting my eyes up to catch glimpses of him.
“An Ucfeni who has passed the training and is employed by the Monarchy to be a sponsor will take care of you for the first few months. The Ambassador was my sponsor.” Alaric smiles at Rerasha. They are friends, then? “Their CG’s will be connected with yours, so you can find each other easily if you become separated.”
“This is non-negotiable.” The Ambassador’s orange spotted tail tightened around the podium. The movement catches my eye against my will, but then I look back to Rerasha. “If you are to live in Orna, you will have a sponsor and theyareresponsible for you. As such, you will go from here to meet the candidates. You will become close with your sponsor over the next month or two, so it’s important you have good chemistry. If you get along well they will take you on as their charge. They will sign you off as settled after a few months, or when they deem you can be independent within our city. Until then, you will remain with your sponsor whenever you leave your home.”
“If you are assigned to the human compounds outside the city then you will have a human sponsor. The same rules will apply.” Alaric added and I felt the middle finger of my right hand and my thumb start to tap to keep myself calm. Hannah came with me from Earth to help support me in settling here. She is my sponsor, by definition. I will have to remind Alaric of this before he tries to ask another person to take care of me. Hannah takes care of me. She’s my rock. “Most of you will be headed to the compound Delta 4.” I nod. That’s where I’m headed to work on the global satellite and communications systems. “Please remain seated as you are assigned your communication gem collar. These do not come off and they are waterproof. They will allow you to talk to our operators and connect to other people, much like a cellphone, to keep in touch. We use the GPS to keep you safe and to respond with emergency services if required. This is non-negotiable.”
My excitement peaked when I was handed a com-gem, and most of what was said by Rerasha or Alaric became white noise. I fixate on it, smiling like I have been handed something exotic. It is, by definition, as it’s an alien piece of techno-jewellery.
“Handler designation Billie Blac. This Communication Gem has been registered to your biosignature. Please open the clasp and place the collar around your neck. Do not take it off unless a senior operator instructs you to do so. You are to report to transport bay 2 for deployment to Orna. Details of your assignment will be given to you upon arrival.”
“You can’t take it apart.” My sister knows me. I held the necklace and felt at the weight of it. The seam around the circular pendant and in my mind Iwastaking it apart.
“Yes I can.” I correct her. I am enjoying the prospect of extracting the microchip behind the tear shaped gem at the centre and analysing the programming code used to facilitate such sophisticated translations. I wonder about the best way to get at the chip, turning it over to look for any seams or clasps. “With the right tools I can take anything apart.”
“Okay, I’ll rephrase. You’re notallowedto take it apart.”
“…disappointing.” If I’m not allowed then I’m not allowed. I’ve never broken the rules in my life, even when I know I would do a better job if I did. I mumbled and continued to work the chain through my fingers. “It’s heavy.” I comment, wondering how it will feel around my neck. I hope the texture is smooth against my skin. It feels smooth in my hands.
“It’s durable.” Hannah seemed to be wary of me refusing to wear it. If it was chaffing, I wouldn’t. I like to be comfortable and I can’t concentrate on anything else if something is irritating my skin. I fixate on things like that.
