Two
Lola tipped her head to the right, then the left, looking at herself in the mirror. What would the human, Pace Ruffalo, think of her? She’d received a voice communication from Gerri Wilder telling her of his impending visit. She was nervous.
It was one thing to theorize about a potential off-planet mate, but another entirely to have a confirmed meeting. Oh sure, she didn’t have to accept the male, but Gerri seemed to think it would be a done deal.
She perused her slightly lavender cheeks, highlighted by her cropped platinum hair. Would he find her attractive? She blinked her coal-black eyes. Among her people, she was neither plain nor a beauty. Her looks were average, which caused her mother no end of despair. Born of the privileged class on the planet, those who toiled in the mines, Lola’s family expected her to make a magnificent match. There would be no lowly communication experts or money-movers for her. From an early age, she’d been slated to marry an excavation foreman, maybe a blaster. The problem was, she hadn’t meshed with the two men she’d dated. They were both very…traditional, whereas Lola was a forward-thinker. She desperately needed someone who was open to exploring outside societal norms.
Pace Ruffalo fit the profile in every way. A hard worker, a long-haul space trucker who took an active, physical role in his own company, he was also purported to chafe against the so-called “restrictions” on his home planet. She hoped that meant he met the criteria to be her mate.
Lola wondered what her mother would say when she found out she’d not only eschewed the latest advances from Rallup, a hands-on metallurgist who was meaty and dull as swamp water, but had, instead, agreed to explore a relationship with a human.
She examined herself again, drawing her fingers down her cheeks. Her skin was clear and resilient, her eyes bright, her teeth white as she was told Pace’s would be. There weren’t that many differences between them, but enough that maybe her mediocre looks wouldn’t turn him off.
She grinned at her reflection. Although no human, apart from Gerri Wilder, had ever set foot on their planet, humans were well-known throughout the galaxies. They were kind of like annoying relatives who came without invitation, then rummaged through all the drawers and cabinets before telling you how you’d arranged things incorrectly.
A chuckle left her peach-colored lips. She wondered if Pace would be like that. After chatting with a friend from a planet in a neighboring galaxy that had started integrating humans into their population, she knew the amusing description was a generalization. Her friend said she’d found a hunky, no-nonsense male who’d knocked her off her axis, taking charge in a way that gave her an equal say in their relationship.
Lola could only hope.
She turned from the mirror and tugged on her boots. It was time to hit the mines. Her shift as Crusher Operator began in less than one kelsug.
****
She disembarked from the underground transport with time to spare, laughing and joking with the other workers headed to their stations. Was it her imagination, or were they looking at her a little differently this morning? Lola shook her head. It had to be her own state of mind. These individuals were the elite of the elite, treating each other with nothing less than full respect.
Not to say Lola hadn’t noticed a change in the last few rounds. Not of attitude, but of demographics. The id-females around her were all several rounds younger, some fresh out of the academy. Sadly, most of the id-women she’d worked with right out of school were now absent from the workforce. They’d married and started having children, which was fine, but the law stated that once they got pregnant, they were no longer welcome below.
Not so for the older id-men. That group continued to be workers and leaders, rising to become the cream of the crop.
It all seemed so unfair.
Lola felt her smile slip. It didn’t used to be that way. But nine rounds ago, just after she’d reached her majority, a new government had taken power, and with it came the restrictions that fomented gender laws. And that was the second reason Lola hadn’t settled down. She was loathe to hitch herself to an id-male and lose a huge part of her life. Something that would be mandated the minute she procreated.
But somehow, she’d gotten lucky. She might get a choice after all, and it was due to Gerri Wilder. The woman had approached the government and been given permission to choose a candidate for off-planet mating. It could have something to do with her world’s pending induction into the Planetary Alignment Consortium―something Gerri took credit for. Or maybe the government was looking for a way to rid the mines of holdouts like her. Either way, Lola had been chosen and would do her best to make it work...for herself and the other id-women who didn’t believe the laws were fair.
“Hey, Lola! You were on the vids this morning.” One of the young recruits she’d been training as a Crusher hurried to her side.
“I was?” Lola blinked. This was news to her.
“Yeah. I can’t believe you’re going to hook up with a human. Do they even know anything about us? You think he might have a problem with the way we are?”
Lola had pondered that one. But Gerri had assured her Pace would be open-minded to the challenges she presented.
“I’ve been told it’s not a big deal,” she returned, then went on the offensive to avoid more questions. “I can’t believe someone leaked the story to the press. No wonder everybody’s been giving me the stink eye this morning.”
“No kidding? Well, don’t let them mess with you. I think it’s cool. You’re a pioneer. And if things work out for you… Who knows? It might just change things for the rest of us.”
Lola smiled. “That’s kind of what I’m hoping,” she replied. “Although I don’t see it as something the government will want to perpetuate.” In her opinion, the rulers would probably let a few dozen id-women mingle and marry for the sake of the new alliance, then quietly shut the program down. Which meant even more was at stake for her match with Pace to be a good one. If it weren’t, would anyone be given a second opportunity? Doubtful.
The first thing Lola noticed when approaching her station was the lack of noise. Or, more correctly, the lessening of the normal din. “Dammit. Our system’s been shut down.” She lengthened her strides, her apprentice hot on her heals.
“What’s up?” she yelled to the Crusher whose shift ended when Lola showed up.
“We’ve got a damned lump stuck in the feeding boot,” he called down from his position on the conveyor.
Lola let her eyes do a quick survey of the area. All safety procedures had been followed with a total lockout. Good.
“I’ll take care of it.” She hopped up next to the night shift operator. “You look beat. Go get some sleep.”
“Thanks, Lola.” He swept an arm across a sweat-streaked face. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She acknowledged him with a wave and got to work. Assessing the situation, she saw it wasn’t just a small blockage. Several large chunks of ore had come together to form a massive plug. She was going to need a lot of muscle to clear the chute, but she was suited for the task.
Not that she didn’t trust the previous shift, but she called down to her assistant. “Make sure there’s no stored energy in the pay-out of the take-up winch. I don’t want to lose a limb when I set these suckers free.”
“On it, boss.”
Studying the obstruction. Lola picked up the poker left behind by the previous foreman and waited.
“All clear,” came the ringing cry, and Lola set to work.
Half a kelsug later, the chute had been cleared. Looking at every worker down the line, Lola loudly announced an end to the lockout. She got a resounding verbal confirmation from all ten voices, then hit the start button. A loud alarm rang out, accompanied by flashing red lights, which chimed down a ten second warning before the crusher and conveyors would start up once more.
Three…two…one…
Noise filled the air. They were back in business.
****
Eight kelsugs later, with no additional problems, Lola handed the reins over to the next shift. Stomping her dusty feet, then entering the transport, she turned on her conversalist—something Gerri Wilder called a phone—and checked her messages. As she figured, there were several calls from her mother. She really didn’t have the energy to deal with any gerbshit right now, but also didn’t relish trying to go home and relax with the specter of disapproval hanging over her head.
She took a seat at the back of the transport and drew her mother’s symbol.
“Lola?”
Why did her mother always sound unsure when she answered? Who else could it possibly be?
“Yes, Mother. It’s me.” She slumped over in her seat and studied the floor.
“I’ve seen the vids ever since early this turn of the star.” Her voice sounded shrill and angry. “How could you do this without talking to me first, and what is Rallup supposed to think?”
Lola sighed. She really didn’t have the patience right now. “Rallup doesn’t get to say anything because I broke it off with him last week. He’s a big boy. He’ll find someone else pretty quickly, if he hasn’t already.” Thank Lords miners were in high demand by id-females. “As for not telling you, I’m twenty-seven rounds old and have lived on my own for the last six. I’m not obligated to run my mating plans by you.” But she always had. As much of a busybody as her mother was, she normally let her know everything going on in her life. She loved her mother. She just didn’t agree with her politics.
“Well, I wish you would have told me.” Now her mother was whining. “All turn of the star, my friends have been calling. They’re either shocked or congratulating me on my daughter being the first off-planet match-up.”
“And how do you feel about it?”
“Well, I...I guess I’d feel better if I’d known about it before the entire populace.”
It was a pouting statement designed to make Lola feel guilty. And did she? Maybe a little.
“Sorry, Mom. But Gerri Wilder, the woman who set the whole thing up, told me to keep it under wraps. I have no idea how the story got out, and she’s probably going to be very unhappy. According to her, the human male, Pace, should arrive here in three turns of the star. She wanted us to have time alone to get to know each other.”
Her mother snorted. “That isn’t going to happen now,” she warned. “They’re talking about welcoming parades, state dinners and all kinds of pomp.” There was a pause. “Oh dear. I’ll need to go buy a new dress. I have nothing to wear that’s suitable for the vids.”
Lola might have snickered if she weren’t exhausted. Thank Lords for her mother’s fashion consciousness. It had superseded her need to perpetuate the guilt trip.
Worried that the publicity might drive Pace away, she’d take a look at what was being said when she got home and, if necessary, call Gerri.
****
Half a kelsug later, Lola sat on her couch and chewed on an already neatly trimmed nail. The situation sucked. Her name and picture were splashed all over the vids with details of Pace’s arrival that even she didn’t know. Damn the vrossips. The relentless seekers of truth could scare up a story out of thin air. Lola was certain Gerri was unaware of their tenacity. She reached for her conversalist to inform the dating agency guru, but as she did, a picture came on her large vidbox.
Oh. My. Lords.
Swallowing hard, she dropped the conversalist and reached for her controls to freeze the screen. There he was. Pace Ruffalo. And he was fucking gorgeous.
She slid from her seat and stood closer to his image. His tall, muscular body leaned against a spaceship, an irreverent grin lighting up his chiseled face. And, holy hockstad, what a face. His square chin was covered in a dark shadow, but not so much that Lola couldn’t see the deep dimples off to either side of his mouth. His hair lay thick and dark, curling just a bit as it brushed his collar. Lovely. But his eyes held her attention more than anything. As green as the waters of the Anduvian Wash, they turned up a bit at the edges, crinkling nicely to showcase his age and humor.
Oh, she liked what she saw. Her eyes swept back to his body. His thighs, encased tightly in blue jeans―she didn’t know what the humans called them, but the style was loved by all in her galaxy―bulged with the promise of muscle…and much more. His white over-the-head shirt hugged a physique obviously used to hard labor. Her heart thumped in her ears. He was everything she could ever want in a mate, but…
Her smile faded. What would he want with a plain id-female such as her? She was nothing special, and once he took a look at her, rejection would follow. What had Gerri Wilder been thinking?
She slumped back to her seat and unfroze the vidbox, disheartened.
“…runs his own long-distance space trucking company. However, he hasn’t lost touch with his beginnings as he still makes daily runs in a special craft he humorously calls Calamity. If our sources are correct, the ship has been the love of his life. But hopefully not for long. Will Lola Xeltrax soon fill that place in the human’s heart? Stay tucked, because in three short turns of the star, we’ll be looking for answers.”
So would she. Though waiting three TOS would test her patience to the limit. The vrossips went on to give next to nothing of Pace’s personal information. Apparently their sources had only provided just so much. Still, it was nice to know he valued hard work and had a sense of fun.
Lola picked up her conversalist and drew the symbol for Gerri Wilder.