I turn and crawl up to the huge pillows that rest against the headboard; I lay my head on one. Studying the room, I spot something that looks like an expensive cell phone on the bedside table. I scoot over and pick it up. Examining it for a second, I touch the display and it illuminates. Running my finger over the screen, the wall in front of me changes drastically, becoming a city scene where a couple of life-size Etharians are taking a walk. The holographic image of a woman is telling the man she is with, Rathis, that there are problems with her skiff and how is she supposed to deploy all the underbits without a treston? “Yes…how will she do that, Rathis?” I ask, mumbling to the images on the wall. “You’re her boo—you figure it out.” Watching them, I realize that this is some kind of soap opera.
A light rap sounds on the door in the other room and a moment later a very tall girl enters my bedroom. “Ohhh, is this Violet Shadows?” she asks me, setting down a tea set on the table near my bed. She’s wearing a long, flowing skirt that accentuates just how tall and long limbed she is. Smiling at me, her violet eyes go to the wall as Rathis begins trying to talk sense to his emotionally overwrought girlfriend.
“I…don’t know,” I answer, wondering who she is. “I’ve never watched Violet Shadows.”
Her violet eyes widen as she studies me. “You really are from Earth!”
Nodding, I introduce myself, “I’m Kricket.”
Sinking to her knee, the young woman says, “It is an honor to greet you, Fay Kricket. I’m Aella.” And, even on her knee, she’s still really tall.
“Uh…hi, Aella. You don’t have to call me Fay Kricket. Just call me Kricket,” I say, watching her rise.
“Oh, I couldn’t do that…it’s very familiar and I’m to be your liaison,” she replies with a blush.
“My what?”
“Your…assistant?” she falters, attempting to explain.
“Oh, then you really don’t need to kneel. Why do I need an assistant?” I ask, seeing her eyes drift back to the wall where Rathis is showing all his white teeth as his fingers reach out to stroke his girlfriend’s cheek.
“I believe they think I’ll be helpful to you?”
“Oh.” I scoot over and pat the bed next to me. “Here, sit down and explain what’s happening here. Is this Rathis’ girlfriend?”
Grinning at me, Aella climbs next to me, pointing at the girl on the wall. “That’s Gizelle. She wishes she was Rathis’ consort, but he’s all but promised to Drea.”
“So, Gizelle is a skeeza?” I take the cup of what looks like tea that Aella hands me.
“What’s a skeeza?” she asks before pouring a cup of tea for herself.
“Boyfriend stealer.”
“Yes,” Aella nods adamantly, “she’s a skeeza—we call her a lurker.” I smile because she is so into it. “Don’t let me watch too much of this. I’m supposed to get you ready for dinner.” Then, she inhales a deep gasp. “LOOK!” She points at the wall, “Her skiff is not even faulty!” I try not to laugh, realizing a “skiff” is a type of hover car. Sneering disgustedly at the wall, Aella says, “Oh, turn it off. He’s a nim.”
“What’s a nim?” I ask, handing her the remote.
“An annoying Etharian” she replies. Taking the remote, she speaks into it, “Stream melody…what do you like to listen to, Fay Kricket?”
“You mean, music?” I see her nod. “Do you have anything human?”
Shaking her head, she says, “No, it’s illegal…but,” she continues in a conspiratorial voice, “I know where to get some illicitly, if you’d like.”
“You mean, bootleg human music? There are pirates even in Ethar?” I ask, seeing her nod again. “You better not. I’m sure they’ll be watching me closely. Just put on something you like.”
“You are not at all what I expected,” Aella says, putting on some music that sounds like some sort of new age Celtic music.
“Really? Is that bad?”
“No…it’s good,” she smiles.
“How did you think that I’d be?”
Shrugging and blushing a little, she says, “Well, you’re part Alameeda…I thought you would be…mean.”
“Are all Alameeda mean?”
“I don’t know…I’ve never met one,” she replies.
“How about a human?”
“I’ve never even seen a human before,” she says, looking a little nervous. “What are they like?”
“Most of them are…crystal, but there are a few nims, too.”
“I have a million questions about Earth,” she says, looking excited again. “Maybe, when we have more time, we can talk about what it’s like there.”
“Sure,” I say casually. “If you’re going to be my assistant, we’ll probably be together a lot.”
“Mazi is going to be so annoyed that she passed up the chance to be your liaison,” Aella gloats. “I’ll find you something to wear that will tell everyone that you’ve arrived, while you cleanse.”
“Uh, okay,” I murmur as she reaches out enthusiastically and ushers me to the lavare that is located next to the commodus in my room.
After showering, I’m given a long robe to wear while Aella weaves my hair into intricate patterns. Adjusting an automatic make-up artist, she hands me the box that looks like a viewfinder. “Close your eyes,” she says when I put it to my face.
“Already learned that the hard way,” I reply, smiling while closing my eyes and hearing her giggle as she clicks the button to apply a coat of cosmetics to my face.
“What do you want to project tonight?” she asks, walking into the closet and eyeing the clothes.
“Uhh…I want to project confidence…” I reply, following her in.
“Okay, what else?”
Thinking, I add, “I want to say…‘I’m a boss…I don’t get controlled—I control.’”
Aella’s eyebrow rises as she gazes at my clothes, “Most of this is tailored to look your age—light colors and demure cuts, but you don’t act your age…or look it. Let’s try this. It’s a little daring, but it will work for you, if you own it.” Putting on the sleeveless, blood red silk gown with an internal corset, I turn towards the mirror, seeing the gown hugging my contours in slim, elegant lines.
“This is what I’m supposed to wear to dinner?” Fear begins in the hollow of my stomach and creeps to my extremities.
“This is dinner with the Regent,” she corrects me. “He’s meeting with several ambassadors this evening I’m told.” Pulling out almost nude-color heels with red soles, she hands them to me. “This outfit says, ‘I own my destiny.’”
“Would Gizelle wear this dress?” I inquire as I study myself in the mirror and wonder again who I am.
“She couldn’t afford it,” Aella replies with a grin.
“Yeah…well, we have that in common then,” I reply with a grimace. “Am I ready?”