“You’re sure you don’t want more?”
“You’re not afraid of me becoming overweight?”
“No,” he replied flatly. “You do know that in the galaxy you can change your metabolism to eat as much or as little as you would like. So, if you really like eating you should talk to my doctor about it. Then you will never become overweight.”
“Really?”
“Of course,” Valentin assured her. “But you cannot be an Imperial citizen and change your metabolism legally. It’s illegal for some civilizations, usually the ones that still observe religions.”
“But not for Reima Two residents?”
“No, we invented it.”
“Oh,” Ellie said amused, “How clever of you all. How long have you been a resident there?”
“As you would have read in my GC file, my whole life. It’s where I was born. I was raised there and on my parents’ ship when they would take me along.”
“Do your parents live with you then?” Ellie asked.
“My father likes his privacy, so they still live in their home, but it’s not far from mine. Many things on Reima Two are similar to the Empire. We are genetically Alliance people, however, there are also many things which we’ve decided to do differently. Living arrangements are one of them,” Valentin explained.
“So, our future children…”
“Might grow into adults and never live with us again…” he said watching her expression.
“I see,” Ellie said. “As a human I don’t think that’s a bad thing, having some distance. How often do you see your parents? Are you an only child?”
“My father has one of your kitten brothers from Tamsin, so as far as he is concerned that cat is now my brother, I think,” Valentin smiled at his own joke. “I talk to my parents about once a month sometimes more, sometimes less and we try to meet up at least once a year for the Reima Two Celebration.”
“What’s the Reima Two Celebration?” Ellie asked.
“It’s a day that the Reima Two government chose centuries ago to give its citizens something to celebrate. On that day, no one works, and we spend time with family and friends, usually eating, drinking, and playing games. Sometimes gifts will be exchanged. As we have no state religion, we needed one holiday to bring us all together.”
“That sounds like fun. Are there any humans that live on Reima Two?”
“There are. Mostly human men, like my father, who married Alliance women. Otherwise most human men who marry human women, or women from other civilizations other than from the Empire, or don’t marry at all, live on Hogo.”
“I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know where Hogo is, or anything about it if I’m being honest,” Ellie admitted.
“It’s further out, in the direction of Earth. Hogo is very warm. Too warm for any Alliance person to live comfortably without daily technology. I think humans chose it for that reason it’s not in a terrible location but only a handful of people can comfortably live there. Most civilizations in the galaxy prefer the dark and cold.”
“Were Reima Two and Hogo both uninhabited before people moved there?”
“Yes,” Valentin replied. “You know, most planets never had that spark that got intelligent life going?”
“I’ve heard that, but don’t forget, I’ve spent most of my life on Earth.” She didn’t want to say that Earth was so polluted with propaganda that it was difficult to know what was true and what was a lie unless you heard information from someone you knew.
Valentin wanted to change the subject, “I noticed from your orders from the Earth Store that you liked ice cream. My chef also secured that for you. Would you like some?”
“Really? Yes, thank you.”
Two small bowls of vanilla ice cream were set before them.
“Is it from Human Food Two?”
“The Earth Store,” Valentin informed her.
“Ah, same place. You know Jade’s aunt and uncle own the Earth Store and Jade or Human Food makes all the ice cream,” Ellie chattered on because she was so pleased. She knew it was ridiculous to be almost content in this strange situation, but she couldn’t help it, she did feel content sitting with him across the table like this talking after a wonderful meal.
“I didn’t know that,” Valentin replied. “But it makes sense. Chef Jade seems like a woman who knows how to get things done. I admired the way she invoked that ancient law to obtain her true other half.”
Ellie looked up at him and blue eyes met blue, “Is that where you got the idea to use the husband stealing ruse?”
“No, that’s where you got the idea to use the husband stealing ruse to pursue me,” he replied sarcastically. “Now, I think you will want to sleep for a few hours. Let me take you back to your quarters. We will be at Reima Two shortly.”
“What about you?” Ellie wanted him to hold her in bed, maybe more. Her mind told her that it was only the wine giving her courage, but her heart told her mind to, ‘shut up, please’.
“I must return to the bridge. I want to be sure that my affairs are as much in order as they can be so that I can spend time with you only you over these next two weeks.”
They rose from the table and Valentin walked Ellie back to her quarters only making polite conversation about the ship or uniforms of the crew as they passed the occasional person in the corridors.
When they reached Ellie’s quarters, she opened the door and asked somewhat seductively, “You’re sure you won’t join me?”
Valentin took her right hand in his and kissed her knuckles, “I must do my work or how else will I pay for your required residence permits?”
7
Two Weeks on Reima Two
Ellie was dreaming. Although, there was a consistent annoying chime in her dream that she refused to acknowledge. Then, she felt a large hand on her shoulder and heard a familiar voice.
“Elloisa …,” Valentin spoke gently to her. She looked so young in the white pajamas with small Earth floral pattern on them. When he saw her eyes flutter open, he said softly, “We’ve arrived at Reima Two. We can disembark now.”
Ellie opened her eyes at the sound of Valentin’s deep voice. She was so tired. She turned and looked up at him. He was still dressed in his uniform. “We’re here already?”
“Yes,” Valentin said quietly as if she was still asleep and he didn’t want to wake her. “I’ll give you a minute to get dressed and wait for you in the adjacent room.”
Ellie nodded but then put her arms around him before he could leave her bed. Then she snuggled close and closed her eyes.
“Elloisa,” he said, taking her up into his arms and then setting her feet on the cold floor, “Now is not the time to sleep. You can rest later. I promise.”
“I’m so tired,” she said.
“Yes, but you don’t want to make your first appearance on Reima Two in your pajamas. That would make every gossip column probably all the way to Earth. And as sweet as you look in these, I don’t think you would want your friends or the rest of the galaxy to see you in public in these either.”