Page 95 of Melinda's Choice

???

A couple of days pass as I continue my diplomatic efforts, going to countless meetings with officials and building our knowledge bank of Krovatian society. I do not see Kirimor, but he wakes me each morning with a call, asking after me, my plans for the day and always reiterating that he loves me. I force myself each time to ask him, “Have you had sex with any of your drashas?”

Each time, he looks at me sadly and shakes his head. Whatever this special matter is that is taking up his attention at the moment, it fortunately does not require his drashas to be present. I’m relieved, but also know it’s only a matter of time before he gives me an answer I don’t want to hear. I did prod him a little about this thing he’s working on, and he eventually revealed that there appear to be some people that have somehow managed to bypass his scans by presenting an all too perfect aura. He is having to perform multiple scans on a range of high ranking individuals to identify these possible fraudsters, but as the scan involves him seeking out only perfect auras, there is no need to absorb negative energy or reach the horny state that requires a drasha to be on hand. In terms of finding a permanent replacement as sicortar, however, little or no progress seems to have been made.

This morning is no different from others, except for the fact that I will be travelling to the southern sector for a couple of days. The southern sector is the part of the planet with a massive rainforest. It hosts millions of species of plants, many of them of great medicinal value. The Krovatians have developed a huge pharmaceutical industry based on these natural resources, so I’ll be interested to meet officials from this industry to seek out trade opportunities with Earth. I’ll also be meeting the southern sector’s leader, an older Krovatian female named Dorishena, and on top of all that, I’ve been invited to give a lecture at the university—a repeat of the one I gave at the university here.

Like clockwork, my communicator buzzes with a call from Kirimor. “Good morning, my lovely. Did you sleep well?” he croons into my ear.

“Very well thank you. How about you, hot priest? Sleep well?”

He does not react to my teasing about him being a hot priest, but simply quirks his lips in amusement. “Well enough, though I would sleep better with you by my side.”

“Not happening. That night in the cabin was a one-off.”

“No, it was the beginning of something special between us.” His eyes twinkle. “However, it will not be long before you are in my bed again, Melinda.”

“We’ll see.”

“So, I take it you are flying to the southern sector today.”

“Yes, I’m looking forward to it.”

“And are Troy and Avery accompanying you?”

“No, this time it’s just me. Oh, and my official escort, Desimar, our liaison officer.”

At this, he frowns. “I do not like the idea of you travelling alone with an unattached male.”

“And I do not like the idea of you living in a house with lots of unattached females. Have you had sex with your drashas since I last spoke to you?”

His eyes gleam as he replies, “No, I have not. You are keeping me well leashed, my Melinda.”

“Good.”

“Make sure you keep well away from this Desimar.”

“I am not planning to share a room with him, Kirimor. He’s just escorting me there. That’s all.”

“It better be all, or I cannot vouch for his safety.”

“Oh I do like it when you go all caveman on me.”

He does not laugh. “I am deadly serious, Melinda. He lays one finger on you, and I cannot answer for what the consequences may be.”

“Relax. Our relationship is purely professional.”

He grunts.

“So, I better head out. Wish me safe travels.”

“Always, my love. Go in peace.”

???

I board the aircraft that is taking us to the southern sector. With me is Desimar, the liaison officer who was assigned to us when we arrived. He has been a constant presence in our lives over the last month, helping us get settled and guiding us on the ins and outs of living on this planet. I’m quite aware that his role also involves keeping an eye on us. The Krovatians have made no secret of their wariness and distrust of outsiders. For the most part, I’ve not minded having a minder. We’ve got nothing to hide, and I know it’s going to take time to break the barriers between our peoples. That’s pretty much what my mission here is about.

The aircraft we’re taking is larger than a drone, about the size of a small commercial jet back on Earth. Unlike human jets which still run on kerosene—albeit much more energy efficiently than before—the Krovatian plane is powered by dorenium. I’m told this energy source is plentiful on the planet and considered eco-friendly enough to be used to power larger aircrafts, while the smaller drones that proliferate in the city are all solar powered.

---