Pantariste uttered a noise and waved a taloned hand. “I’d say it’s obvious. You and the other human orphans aren’t content.”
True and yet Clarabelle hastened to say, “We are grateful for everything—”
Her roost mother cut her off. “You jabber about things I already know. Of course, you are grateful. But unhappy. Understandable given you’ve entered your fertile season. It’s natural for you to seek others of your kind, males more specifically, to dominate.”
“Um, find people yes, but I don’t care if they’re male or not.” A tiny white lie. She wouldn’t mind the rumble of a deep voice. She’d been sixteen when she was abducted, and not exactly innocent. Years of only girls for company had left her yearning for something more.
“You should care. How will you procreate and continue your line without proper males?”
With the Zonians, it was all about the family and ensuring their legacy lived on. For the human girls, though, that was an impossible dream, as Zonian males weren’t exactly anatomically compatible.
Not to mention the competition to claim one could be fierce. A human, even a well-trained one, would struggle against a pure blood Zonian in the mating heat.
“Not all of us want to make babies,” she grumbled.
The idea of a grubby mini person demanding her attention did not appeal. However, in the same stroke, she knew some of her friends were hoping to one day have a family.
“But the making of them is so enjoyable.” Pantariste’s beak spread in a lascivious smile. “If it is just coital pleasure you seek, then we could arrange something with the Kulin. They’re almost decent warriors. I could speak to Aylia about an exchange.”
Aylia was another human. Older than Clarabelle and her sisters, she’d been living with the Zonians since she was much younger than they had been on arrival. She’d gone off planet to find a baby daddy and ended up shacking up with him on some planet with a pretty ocean. Even Louisa, the only adult kidnapped with them, had decided to put her future and love in the hands of a pair of bumbling purple idiots.
Two guys, one girl. A decadent alien thing. Clarabelle wasn’t greedy, she’d be content with one fellow, but to find one she needed that ship, which meant saying no to Pantariste’s offer to import some dick.
“Don’t even mention the Kulin.” Clarabelle’s nose wrinkled. “I hate the color purple, and they’re kind of controlling.”
Then there was the fact their sharply filed teeth scared the piss out of her. What if in the throes of passion the purple dude ripped out her throat? She hated that her mind saw them as so different. But she couldn’t help it. She’d not been raised to see aliens as potential boyfriends. She had a hard time imagining herself with someone so different.
“If they are insolent, then you beat it out of them.” Pantariste rolled her eyes and clacked her beak.
“Or maybe, instead, I could find a colony with a bunch of guys. Maybe even human guys,” she added quickly. Without the extra parts or, in the case of the Kulin, missing balls. Was it really asking for much to have a boyfriend with teeth not meant for puncturing or fingers that didn’t end in claws? No tentacles or tails either, just a nice, normal, guy.
“I know of no such place.” Quick and dismissive.
“You haven’t even looked,” Clarabelle exclaimed.
“It is not my task to complete.”
“You’re right; it’s not your task but mine. There has to be somewhere I can find more of my kind.” If she and her sisters ended up Zonia, who was to say other abductees hadn’t clustered in another place?
“As far as I know, the only other humans are on your origin planet, and visiting that galaxy is forbidden.” Because the Zonians were big on following the rules. Meaning no going home to Earth.
Hearing it again didn’t make it easier than the first time. They’d been warned at a young age they could never return. The orphans had seen too much, learned about the wider universe and its many inhabitants. Earth, with its protected status and easily panicked populace, wasn’t ready for the truth.
“I know the rules. I wasn’t planning to go there.” Not at first. She’d have to be sly about her return, or the galactic cops would go after her. “There has to be somewhere else with humans. We can’t be the only ones out here.”
Given the abductions over the centuries, and the way humanity had of multiplying, it seemed logical there’d be a location where they’d flourished. Even if there wasn’t, she wanted to get off this planet. Wanted... something. She’d know it when she found it.
Apparently Pantariste’s seeming acquiescence was but a sham, as she began to hammer Clarabelle. “And if there isn’t a place? What if you cannot find others like yourself? Or let’s say you do find a male, maybe even a few? What if there aren’t enough for all of you? What then?”
“Then we keep looking for more. The universe is huge.” She waved a hand.
“It is, and your kind are rare and fragile. The chance of success is slim.”
“I know that, and yet I won’t give up hope.”
“Never said you should, but there is more than one kind of male compatible with your race.” Pantariste once again reminded her that there were purple dudes and even blue ones that could do the trick.
But Clarabelle wasn’t interested in dating a Smurf.
“Human or not, it doesn’t matter. The fact is there is no one here on Zonia for us. We have to leave to find boyfriends.”
“The universe can be harsh.”
“So can I.” Clarabelle lifted her chin. “Besides, isn’t it you who taught me to fight for what I want?”
“Since when do you obey your lessons?”
A reminder that Clarabelle had been a hard student to teach, stubborn and not only because of her red hair. She’d railed against their strange new life even as she adapted quickly to it. A part of her enjoyed the sparring and the camaraderie that came with living amongst the Zonians.
But she also missed Earth with its colorful fashions and French fries. She craved a burger and dance music loud enough to make her body vibrate. And of late, she missed the shy hand holding and hot kisses in the back of a car where the windows steamed.
“I have to do this. I can’t stay here.” Or she’d be the one picking fights with her orphan sisters and sobbing for no reason.
“Very well. You have my permission.”
As Clarabelle opened her mouth to argue, her brain clued in. “Wait. You mean I can go?”
“Of course. I was merely questioning you to ensure the purity of your purpose. You will depart immediately. The ship you’ll be taking is already fully stocked with supplies for your journey.”
“How did you know to get it ready? What if I didn’t pass your test?”
“I know you. And your sisters. It’s time for you to fly the nest.” Pantariste cackled. “Although it took you long enough to ask. Aylia was younger than you when she went questing.”
Probably because Aylia was raised to think she needed to get preggers.
“Does it have auto pilot?” Because now that she’d gotten the ship, a problem arose. She didn’t know how to drive one.