I was right, Sarah thought, eyeing the big Kindred appreciatively. He looks amazing in the Alquon clothes. But then, he’d probably look amazing in anything.
Sazar was dressed in a pair of loose, silky black trousers and a long, flowing robe of the same color that opened at the front, leaving his muscular chest bare. There was an edge of deep red trim around the robe, almost the same color as the uniform shirt he usually wore, which made his tan skin seem to glow and set off his pale eyes perfectly.
Sarah couldn’t help thinking of how close she’d been pressed to that broad, bare chest last night—how he’d held her to him and cradled her tenderly until he was certain she could walk. That memory led to the thought of how he’d cupped her cheek earlier when they were speaking—for a moment she’d been sure he was going to kiss her. And God, she certainly wouldn’t have pushed him away!
Could it be that such a big, gorgeous man could be interested in plain little her? She had to be imagining it, didn’t she? But the way he had looked at her…
Stop it, Sarah—stop thinking like that! He’s your boss! she lectured herself.
Besides, he certainly wouldn’t be attracted to her in the clothing she had on now.
Her own version of the Alquon outfit was white and blue instead of black and red but it seemed to bunch and bulk in all the wrong places. The loose trousers looked baggy and made her too-large hips even bigger and the robe hung oddly from her shoulders. She did at least have a blue shirt to go on under it, but the material was too thin and clearly showed the outline of her bra.
Too bad though, Sarah thought. Because I’m sure not taking off my bra! If she did, the shirt was so thin that the outlines of her nipples would be clearly visible.
The effect of the entire outfit made Sarah feel like she was wearing her pajamas and bathrobe to a solemn occasion where she should have been dressed up. But what could she do? Kat had done her best copying the Alquon fashions. If this was how people dressed here, she would just have to put up with it.
At least I don’t have to be half-naked or anything, Sarah told herself. She didn’t know how her Compound-trained sense of modesty would be able to bear something like that. Though the shirt was thin, at least all her skin was covered and besides, all eyes would most likely be on Commander Sazar, not her.
Sazar—just call him Sazar, she reminded herself. We’re pretending to be a couple—can’t screw that up.
“Are you ready?” Sazar’s big, well-formed hand was poised on the latch that opened the door of the shuttle.
“Yes.” Sarah took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. “Yes, I am. Let’s go.”
He turned the latch and swung open the door. Making a sweeping gesture with his free hand he said, “After you.”
“Thank you.” Pleased by the courtly gesture, Sarah smiled at him as she stepped out of the ship…and then she gasped in awe.
The Kindred shuttle was perched on a long, thin metal platform barely wider than the ship itself. Surrounding it on all sides was an ocean—but what an ocean!
Sarah had grown up in Florida and had gone to the beach with her parents before they entered The Brotherhood where things like wearing swimsuits and swimming were forbidden, but this was an ocean like nothing she had ever seen.
The waters were so pale and translucent they almost seemed to glow in the pale, bright sunlight. The waves lapped quietly at the platform the ship was perched on, a dazzling shade of turquoise with patches of light green and delicate purple in places. Sarah thought these must be undersea plants. She could see the darting, jewel-like bodies of what seemed to be fish moving among the green and purple plants—the waters had a crystal-clear quality that made them easy to spot. They made little plops when they splashed out of the water and the air was filled with the salt tang of the sea.
Sarah thought it was the most amazing and beautiful thing she’d ever seen.
“Sarah? Are you all right?”
Clearly Sazar had heard her gasp and was concerned. He came out into the brilliant sunlight wincing, his pale eyes narrowed against the blinding rays.
“It’s…very bright out here,” he muttered.
“It’s beautiful,” Sarah breathed. Being a Florida girl, she was used to bright sunlight. “But where are we supposed to go?” she added, dragging her eyes away from the mesmerizing sight of the vast, limitless ocean. “I don’t see anything but this platform we landed on. Where are the houses and buildings?”
“Down below, under the water of course,” a new voice said.
Sarah spun around with a gasp and nearly fell off the platform. Only Sazar’s big hand on her arm kept her from going over the edge. He pulled her to his side and then stepped out in front of her protectively as a stranger approached.
He had come up behind them as they stood looking over the ocean and all Sarah could think was that he must be about a hundred years old.
The stranger had the pale green, purple-mottled skin they had seen on other males on the Alquon video but it was a mass of seams and wrinkles. He was bald but he had a long white beard, which hung in thick, kelp-like strands from his chin. His shoulders were stooped but it was clear he must have been a tall man at one time—maybe almost as tall as Sazar.
“Minister Obglod?” Sazar asked.
“Indeed, indeed, yes. Obglod, Minister of Cultural Studies at your service. I’m gratified to finally meet you in person, Commander Sazar.” He bowed deeply, a gesture which Sazar returned gracefully.
Sarah bowed as well, feeling slightly awkward. Was this how women were supposed to behave on this planet? Should she be bowing or would it be better to try and do a little curtsy? Not that she knew how to curtsy but still, she would try if someone would only tell her what to do and how to react. She remembered Sazar saying that the Alquons were extremely easily offended and prayed she wouldn’t be the one to do the offending.
I just don’t want to mess this up, she told herself. I don’t want Sazar to be sorry he hired me.
“But who is this you have with you?” Minister Obglod asked, raising his head and peering at Sarah with faded, light blue eyes.
“This is my pair partner, Sarah.” Sazar pulled her to him and put an arm firmly around her shoulders.
“Hello, Minister. I’m very pleased to meet you.” Sarah smiled in what she hoped was a pleasant and non-offensive way.
Unfortunately, she must have said something wrong because the minister was directing a stern and unforgiving frown at her. Oh God, what was wrong? Why was he looking at her that way? Sarah felt her cheeks getting hot.
“What blasphemy is this?” the old man demanded, speaking to Sazar while staring disapprovingly at Sarah. “If this is a female, then why is she dressed as a male?”
“We beg your pardon, Minister Obglod,” Sazar said swiftly, before Sarah could start making excuses. “We had nothing but the vids you sent me to guide us when it came to your methods of dress.”
“Well, she cannot go before The Lord Magnate looking like that,” Obglod exclaimed. “She must be changed into proper female attire.”
“If you have some, I’d be happy to put it on,” Sarah volunteered quickly.
“You cannot put it on yourself—not all of it, anyway,” the minister snapped, clearly annoyed. “You must have the help of your pair partner.”
“Then I will assist her,” Sazar said smoothly. “Please, Minister, if you will just let us know where we can get a proper outfit for Sarah…”
“I know where you can get one but it’s going to throw off the schedule terribly. The Lord Magnate is waiting to see you!” the old man groused. “Still, I suppose there’s no help for it. Come with me. As you are unable to tolerate the ocean, we will descend in the tuve.”
Huffily, he turned and led them towards the end of the long, narrow platform. Sarah now saw that there was a tall metal doorway at the far edge. Was it some kind of elevator? Was that what a tuve was? It seemed to be a word the translation bacteria she’d taken couldn’t quite translate.
“Come,” Sazar murmured, taking her by the hand. “We’d better follow.”
“Do you think I offended him?” Sarah asked in a low, worried voice. “I know you said they’re very easily offended but I don’t see how we could have known how I was supposed to dress by the vids they sent.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He gave her fingers a comforting squeeze. “I’ve been on many diplomatic missions. The only thing you can do is apologize sincerely for whatever blunder you’ve made, correct the situation, and move on. We’ve already apologized and now we’re going to get you changed and then go meet their ruler. All will be well.”
“I hope so,” Sarah murmured back as they reached the tall metal door. “I don’t want to be the reason the whole mission is messed up.”
“You won’t be. Don’t worry. I’ll be here with you every step of the way,” he promised. “And I wouldn’t have brought you with me if I couldn’t protect and guide you.”
Sarah felt a warm rush of gratitude for the big Kindred and squeezed his fingers back. Sazar seemed so calm and collected—so sure of himself. It was comforting to see that her apparent social gaff hadn’t rattled him a bit.
“Thank you,” she whispered and then they reached the metal door.
Minister Obglod snapped his fingers and the thin silvery metal suddenly started folding in on itself. It folded itself smaller and smaller, into concentric patterns of diamonds and squares until it disappeared completely like a magic trick, and the opening of a vast, clear tube was revealed.
“What is that?” Sarah breathed, forgetting she was trying to be quiet and inoffensive. It looked like a dark tunnel that led straight down into blackness.
“The tuve of course,” the old minister said peevishly. “Do your people not have ways of traversing long distances quickly?”
“Well, we have elevators and escalators,” Sarah said. “But—”
“But nothing quite like your tuve,” Sazar finished for her, smoothly. “Would you be kind enough to explain how it works, Minister Obglod?”
“How it works? You get in it and it takes you down,” the old man exclaimed impatiently. “How else would it work?”
“So…we’re supposed to jump in a hole that leads to the bottom of the ocean?” Sarah could feel the fear of deep water crawling up her spine like an icy hand. The waters around the platform seemed shallow and clear—almost as though she could step right off the platform and wade in their warm, tropical depths. But farther out she could see a much deeper blue, shading to black. Clearly there were depths to this ocean—vast trenches where the pale brilliant sunlight never shone and who knew what dark things swam there?
She wasn’t anxious to go jumping into a hole that might lead to a place like that—not a bit.
“My pair partner has, alas, never learned to swim,” Sazar told Minister Obglod who was frowning thunderously at her, his kelpy eyebrows drawn low over his faded eyes. “So it is important for us to know that this tunnel—this tuve—doesn’t lead into deep waters.”
“Cannot swim? You mean she is wholly unable to get around in a wet environment?” Obglod looked at her in apparent surprise.
“It was against her religious beliefs,” Sazar said swiftly. “Her planet is much different from this one. They still have dry land which is not submerged.”
The old minister made a sound like, hmph but his tone gentled a little as he turned to Sarah.
“The tuve leads to our dry facilities—to the famous city of Idd, jewel of our ocean. No harm will come to you there.”
“Our luggage,” Sarah protested, thinking of another problem. “I have a pink carry-all cube and Sazar—”
“I’ll send an attendant to deal with your luggage,” the old man said peevishly. “Now come.”
And with surprising swiftness for such an ancient creature, he jumped nimbly into the dark round opening. With a sound like a huge vacuum cleaner sucking up a large object, he was whisked out of sight, into the long dark tunnel which led only down as far as Sarah could see.
“Oh!” she gasped because it really was a very surprising sight.
“Are you all right?” Sazar asked, frowning with worry.
“I’m fine.” Sarah shook her head. “It’s just…you don’t see a little old man get sucked down a long tube every day of the week. You know?”
A slight smile twitched the corners of his mouth.
“You get used to seeing strange things when you’re a diplomat to other cultures and planets. Although I grant you, this is the most unusual mode of transportation I’ve run across in some time.”
“Do you think it’s safe?” Sarah asked uncertainly.
“I don’t think Minister Obglod would have jumped into it if it wasn’t,” Sazar said gravely. “However, I will go first if it would make you feel better.”
Sarah lifted her chin. “I’m not afraid. I was just…startled, that’s all. I can go first.”
“No.” He frowned. “Your safety is my responsibility. Let me jump and then you follow. All right?”
Sarah wasn’t unwilling to let him persuade her. She didn’t want him to think she was a coward but she wasn’t anxious to be sucked into that long, dark tube either.
“Well, all right,” she said. “But I’m coming right after you. I don’t like the idea of being out here by myself with nobody but the crabs and the fishes. If there are crabs and fishes on this planet.”
“I’m sure there are—or some approximation of them,” Sazar said dryly. “Very well, I’ll go first and you follow directly after.”
He walked nonchalantly to the vast, dark tuve and then, without a hint of fear, stepped over the edge.
Immediately there was the giant sucking sound again and he was gone, whisked away as suddenly and completely as Minister Obglod before him.
Sarah couldn’t give herself time to think—she had to do this now or she wouldn’t do it at all.
Just do it, she told herself grimly. Do it now before you lose your nerve, Sarah!
Taking a deep breath, she ran to the edge, closed her eyes, and jumped.