Page 12 of Captured By The Alien (Starbound #2)

Kara shook her head in amazement.

“Seriously? You’re all excited about clothes?”

The newcomer noticed her for the first time. He eyed her quizzically, tapping his chin with his finger.

“Hm. Short, but not as different as I feared. Two arms, two legs. Only one head.”

“You thought I might have more than one head?”

“How would I know? I’ve never met a human before.” He put his hand to his chest and bowed. “I am Daa’sten, the dressmaker.”

“The dressmaker? What the hell do we need a dressmaker for?”

The Vraxian looked at her clothes pointedly.

“Shall I list the reasons? What in the name of Holy Zandarr are you wearing? Is this some kind of alien fashion statement?”

“I’m not the alien. You’re the alien.”

“On Vraxos, my dear, I’m afraid it is you who’s the extra terrestrial.”

Kara realized he was right. She folded her arms mutinously.

“You haven’t answered my question. If we’re just trying to beat each other in competition, why do we need a dressmaker?”

Vysh nudged her.

“For the presentation, silly. Tomorrow.”

“What presentation?”

Layahn curled her lip contemptuously.

“Don’t you know anything ? Tomorrow night is when we are formally announced as shaa’baara contestants.”

“Yes, and we get introduced to the whole planet on global vid-link so everyone can see who we are,” said Vysh earnestly. “That’s why we have to look our best.”

“You may as well give up on Kara,” snarked Layahn. “You’d need a ton of surgery to make her look good. She hasn’t even got head spurs.”

“Shut up, Layahn,” Vysh frowned at her. “Don’t listen to her, Kara. I’m sure you’re very pretty for a human.”

“Look, I don’t actually give a flying crap how I look,” Kara said. “I just want to get on with the contest.”

“But you should care.” This from the Potential Kara remembered was called Inyria. “My friend spoke to her sister who spoke to her cousin who says her mother thinks everyone will judge the new Zhaal on how attractive his shaa’baara contestants are.”

Drek. If that was true, she’d have to take this seriously. Not because she was ready to be judged by a planet full of bony-headed Vraxians, but because she didn’t want to let Vahn down.

“Fine. I give in.” She looked at Daa’sten. “What do you need from me?”

“A growth spurt would be nice. Are all humans this short?”

“Some are shorter. I can stand on a box if you think it would help.”

“And what’s wrong with your feet?”

“Nothing. I’m wearing boots.” Kara realized Daa’sten had never seen footwear before. Vraxians didn’t generally wear any. “It’s okay, I can keep these.”

Daa’sten looked offended. He held out his hand.

“Let me see them.”

Swearing under her breath, Kara unlaced her battered old combat boots and handed one over. There was an immediate crush as the other Potentials goggled at her feet.

“They’re gross.”

“Five toes! What’s the extra one for?”

“Where are your claws?”

Daa’sten pushed everyone back.

“All right ladies, give us some space. Kara, let’s continue this somewhere more private. Have you been assigned your room yet?”

“No. I just got here.”

“Vysh, is she in number thirteen?”

“Yes, the first twelve are occupied. No prizes for guessing who got number one.” Vysh shot a sideways glance at Layahn. “Come on, Kara.”

Daa’sten and Vysh led her through the door on the other side of the room. It opened into a large semi-circular vestibule with doors spaced along the length of the curved wall. There were some twenty of them, all with symbols which Kara’s microbes translated into numerals. Daa’sten walked to thirteen.

“Lucky for some,” Kara muttered. Vysh shushed her.

“Honestly, Daa’sten is a miracle worker. Don’t worry. You’ll look beautiful.”

“It doesn’t matter what he does, I’m still going to look human. How’s that going to go down tomorrow?”

“Well, honestly, some people will be super mad. But they’re the ones who get mad about everything. They’ll probably hate me too because I dye my hair. But a lot of people will be happy.”

“Happy? Really?”

“Yes. Because it means the new Zhaal is serious when he says he wants to make peace with Earth. This war has dragged on so long people have forgotten how it started. And seeing you up there with us will give people a chance to see that humans aren’t the barbaric bloodthirsty monsters they’re made out to be.”

Vysh’s words jolted Kara to the core. Because wasn’t that how humans saw Vraxians? As monsters?

She was about to say as much when Daa’sten flung open the door to her new room. Her jaw dropped.

“Sweet Jesus.”

She’d never seen anything like it. The vast space looked like a rainforest. There were actual trees growing through it, though unlike any she’d seen on Earth. Their leaves were blue, for a start. But they were beautiful, covered in bright, tropical flowers.

Furniture was strategically placed among the trunks and vines with the exception of the bed. That had been made to look as though it was magically levitating over the middle of a pool.

On closer inspection, the pool was covered with a transparent barrier which could be walked on. Kara saw flashes of red and blue darting beneath her feet and realized they were fish. Or whatever passed for fish on Vraxos.

The bathroom was off to one side through an archway of leaves. The bath was designed to resemble a huge forest pond, and the shower was a cascading waterfall.

Kara was blown away by the ingenuity.

“This is… it’s…”

The lighting was soft and golden. Even the smell of the room – something very similar to jasmine and bougainvillea – gave the impression of being in the middle of an exotic paradise. “I don’t know what to say.”

Daa’sten grimaced.

“I apologize my dear. I know it’s not as nice as the others.”

“It’s not?”

“It was done up in a bit of a rush because originally there were only twelve Potentials. But you won’t be here for long.”

“I could stay here forever,” Kara said honestly.

It reminded her a little of the forest on Minerva-6. Thinking about it brought on a pang of loneliness. She missed Vahn. She wished she didn’t, but she did.

“And of course you still have a fully functioning V-CAP computer.”

“Um, I have a what now?”

“V-CAP. Voice Command Automated Programming. Vee for short.”

“Don’t you have something like this on Earth?” asked Vysh. “It’s very simple tech. It performs basic tasks.”

“Like what?”

“Let me demonstrate,” said Daa’sten. “Vee, fill the bath. Hot water. Scented oils.”

“What temperature do you require?”

Kara jumped at the non-human voice that came out of nowhere, but Daa’sten was plainly expecting it.

“Scan the alien. Match it to her body temperature.”

“Complying.”

Immediately, water gushed from hidden jets into the pond-like bathtub. Kara watched wide-eyed as steam started to drift through the room.

“That is genius.”

“So now that you’ve seen your room, can we talk about tomorrow?” asked Daa’sten. “Vysh, run along, my dear. I’ll come to you next.”

Vysh kissed him on the cheek and left. She’s a sweetheart, Kara thought. I hope I don’t have to fight her .

Daa’sten produced something that looked like a small handgun and pointed it at her. He noticed her alarm.

“Don’t worry. I’m measuring you. Keep still, I’ll be done in a moment.”

The implement projected a blue light which traveled over her body. He frowned as he discovered her chest was larger than her waist.

“Have you gestated?” he demanded.

Kara giggled at his horrified expression. Vraxian women only grew breasts when they gave birth.

“No, it’s normal for human women. Just make something that holds my chest in place.”

He gazed at his scanner in consternation.

“According to these readings, your outer dermal layer has no natural armoring at all.”

“Nope. No scales.”

“And your feet. They are very strange.” He peered at the offending appendages. “Do they do anything other than hold you upright?”

“Like what?”

“Can they be used as weapons?”

“I’m a kickboxer. So yeah.”

“Kicking. How very archaic.”

“Well, what do you use yours for?”

Daa’sten, like all Vraxians, had three phalanges at the front of his foot and a fourth at the back. They all contained fearsome-looking retractable claws. The dressmaker shrugged.

“Me? Nothing. But Vraxians engaged in combat can use them to disembowel their enemies.”

“But shaa’baara doesn’t include a fight to the death. Um, does it?”

“Not technically.” He pursed his lips. “But accidents do happen. The contest for the previous Zhaal many years ago resulted in two fatalities. Not intentionally, of course.”

“Of course.” Great. “Look, I’ll just wear my combat boots. It’s fine.”

The Vraxian sniffed.

“It is not fine. I have a reputation to uphold. And I think I can design battle garments that will make up for your disadvantages.”

“Isn’t that against the rules?”

“No. The rules permit a contestant with a physical disability the use of technology to give her an equal chance.”

“But I don’t have a disability.”

“You’re a human. Where do I begin?”

“That’s just rude.”

“Can you gut your opponent with your bare feet? Does your skin repel sharp objects? Can you change color to blend in with your background? No. But do not worry. I have some ideas. And in the meantime, I will fetch some clothing to tide you over.”

“Really? Clothes that will actually fit me?”

“Of course. Vraxians aren’t born tall.”

She eyed him suspiciously.

“You’re going to make me wear children’s clothes, aren’t you?”

“It is the simplest solution. Our adolescent hatchlings are about your size.”

“So not embarrassing at all, then.”

“It’ll do as a temporary fix.” He gazed at her prison outfit disdainfully. “And then we can burn your current ensemble.”

When he left, Kara took advantage of the filled bath to slough off the dust and stress of the last few hours. It had been a while since she’d submerged herself to the chin. The last time had been in the river on Minerva-6.

By the time she emerged, her fingers and toes were wrinkled and her skin was more pink than brown. She searched for a way to get rid of the bathwater but there didn’t seem to be a plug.

“Um, Vee, empty the bath,” she tried hesitantly.

“Complying.”

The water magically gurgled away.

“That is so effing cool.”

There was a robe on the door. She wrapped it round herself and curled up on the bed. Alone for the first time in days, she suddenly felt very far from home. She wondered if Vahn would check in on her. But the hours passed and he didn’t come.

Probably not surprising. She’d made it clear she was pissed off with him.

Tomorrow she would find out more about shaa’baara and what it entailed. She was doing this for planet Earth, she reminded herself. Not because she wanted Vahn.

But she’d have to watch her back with Layahn. She’d be damned if that bitch thought she had a chance with him.

She fell asleep listening to the sound of leaves rustling all around her and pretending she was back in the forest on Minerva-6.