“I canceled his assignment. Bratha has taken his place in the pod.”
I stare straight ahead silently at this news. Bratha has taken my place?
That’s disappointing. I’ve lost nothing to him before.
I’ve never been in this room before, either. Or in this wing of the building I’ve lived at my entire life.
There are hundreds of Quasar males here. In the accommodations I’ve been raised in, we have strict duties and zones they happen in.
Funjim’s voice continues to talk to the Sacred Mother as she circles me.
Another first. She’s so close—and looking at me.
“After our initial contact and his identification, we reviewed his file. He would have left at the end of the season to Marel…” Their voices fade as they leave the chamber without acknowledging me. I’ve never been noticed before by them, so it isn’t surprising they left without a word.
Funjim heads multiple pods, but Coran is my pod’s leader. He enters the door as soon as they disappear.
“Come, Callim.”
I follow Coran from the room when he turns to leave. Keeping one step behind him, he leads me toward the… infirmary?
I’ve had occasional trips here through the years, but I shouldn’t need anything now. But it’s not my place to question as we walk through the entrance.
“This way.”
A technician waves us into another room. I’m surprised to find three medical technicians already waiting there for us.
Their eyes immediately go to my chest. It’s there the strange markings began showing earlier in the day.
Circling me, they document them with pictures, taking measurements and infrared color identification.
At one point, one gestures to me to remove my trapa.
Unwrapping the material covering the lower part of my torso, it’s taken from me and set aside. Their eyes go quickly back to the markings that travel down the front of my body and onto my upper thighs.
I stand stoically as my mind wanders. What could this mean? What sickness is this?
Nothing hurts. I feel fine. But this morning when I awoke, they were there.
Since my trapa only covers my lower body to mid-thigh, they were noticed right away.
I’m so curious, but I know my place. They command and I obey. It’s always been this way. I remember nothing different.
I have maintained precise structured studies my entire life. Our days begin and end with long hours of daily reflections.
My pod has been together forever. Changes are infrequent and rarely noticed. We don’t question what we can’t change.
I’m handed two different nanups from the technicians, and I carefully drink them. Will these heal me?
Is this a nano issue or something about my organic life form? No one speaks as they circle and document me.
Coran leaves and then returns some time later.
I let my mind flit and float, ignoring them and the world around me.
The last few days have been interesting. A mysterious female graces my daily reflections. I haven’t seen her face clearly yet, but she seems serious and absorbed, preoccupied by what she’s doing.
Her hair is lighter than any I’ve ever seen. A soft, light brown that falls over her face and covers it. It’s not restrained in a traditional style and pulled on top of her head. And she appears to be looking at a tablet.
I’ve never owned one and never been trained on any kind of computer program, but pod heads occasionally use them.
“Callim, come.”
Coran and I are the only ones in the room now as he hands me my trapa. Covering myself, I turn and follow him out.
We don’t travel back toward my pod’s building. Instead, we work through the gardens to the perimeter dwelling. Guards open the doors willingly enough.
Another first for me.
Following a step behind, we wind through halls, only passing others a few times. This building is holy. It’s home to the Sacred Mother who is served by The Order. As orphans and unclaimed, we serve The Order in whatever capacity they need.
Coran stops outside some double doors to speak with a guard at the door. “Coran with Callim here.” He waves towards me. “To meet with the Likana Line, as requested.”
The guard’s eyes drop to me questioningly, raking over my body. Grabbing the door behind him, he swings it open for Coran to step inside.
Following him in, I’m surprised to see two females waiting for us. I’ve had no interaction with females during my life. They fascinate me with their larger but curvier bodies.
As we move towards the seating area, they stand, and I realize that Funjim is with them. It’s been one meeting after another since I woke up this morning with these marks.
One of these females looks familiar, and she’s the first to step forward. “Callim Devesti, I’m Marquel Sune, head of the Sune line on the council.”
Ah. No wonder.
Even though our entertainment and news are restricted, at one time or another, I’d seen her picture.
“And this is Mila Fortane. She’s the head scientist of a program we are putting together. It’s called the Mating Re-emergence study. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?”
Is she asking me?
Before I can answer, Funjim speaks up. “No, Councilor Marquel Sune. Little news or entertainment reaches us.”
“Is that true?” She directs her question at me and my mind blanks.
This is the first time a female has addressed me, and my voice cracks. “Y-yes, Councilor.”
I answer simply, impressed at my daring. I can’t wait to tell my brother Temkel I spoke to a female.
“Well, perhaps we should sit. You need to be brought up to speed.”
She takes a step back, sinking into the seating area with everyone following suit. I’m not sure where to sit.
I remain standing, waiting for direction from Coran with my hands locked behind me.
Coran looks as undecided as I am until Funjim addresses him next to me. “Thank you for the escort, Coran. You may go and I’ll call for you if you’re needed again.”
Coran’s eyes flick to mine and I could swear I see sympathy before he turns and leaves the room.
The doors shut, creaking ominously behind him.
Now I know this is serious. They have left me with the Sacred Mother’s Pod delegate, along with an appointed councilor for the planet. And a scientist?
What is this about?
I’m lowering myself into a plush chair when Councilor Sune addresses me again. “Well, I’m impressed.”
She turns to Funjim as she raises her eyebrows. “No news of the recent mating test has been discussed in these walls? Really?”
“Really.” Funjim waves slightly in my direction. “As emissaries for the planet, we represent the very best. Idle entertainment is unnecessary.”
Nodding, the Councilor and Scientist look at each other knowingly.
“Well, there will be lots of time to get all the details explained to you, Callim.” Councilor Sune is speaking to me directly. “But suffice it to say, you are one of a few males on the planet Quasar that has displayed mating marks to an Earthen female.”
She pauses, I’m sure for effect. But it’s lost on me.
Human? And mating marks?
“I can see you are puzzled,” Councilor Sune continues. “Surely you remember mating marks from your studies?”
Nodding, I remember. But we were told this was in our evolutionary past. Nano technology integration has made us all better and more self-sufficient.
Mates can’t be apart for long periods of time. Their dependence on each other is a weakness that all Quasarians were happy to leave in the past. Add to that the fact that breeding could only happen between mates, and if one died, that was it…
“Well, one of our ship captains ran across a Human female in space. They were both surprised when the mating marks appeared. They’ve completed the mating test and bonding. Since then, we’ve had two others on the planet here and two others on the planet Six Two Four. This makes you the sixth male. Isn’t that exciting?”
Councilor Sune’s question takes me off guard. Exciting?
Maybe? I’m not sure what this means for me.
Everyone in my pod knows eventually they will send us off planet as an emissary for the Quasar to one of two societies. The Marel or the Sinth.
Does this mean the Human planet is where I will go now?
My mouth opens and then closes as soon as the question forms.
“Yes.” I notice a smile stretching my face.
Anything different is exciting. “What does this mean for me? Is Marel no longer where I’ll be sent?”
Even though this morning was the first time I’d heard where I was destined to serve, I don’t miss it. I did not even know the destination.
“Yes. As you can imagine, mating marks appearing on some of our males has made us all get excited.” Councilor Sune looks over at the doctor. “Mila is working with the council. We’re studying what is different in the matings of Humans with Quasarians. We want to see why this is happening and whether we can minimize the downside. We don’t want to take any evolutionary steps backward. I’m sure you won’t want to be trapped close to another for the rest of your life. You could not leave your mate for any length of time and have no other sexual options.”
Sexual options? As if I’ve ever had any.
With the ratio of males to females so high, the odds of any unclaimed, orphaned males joining with a female are unheard of. Why would any pick me? Especially when she could have her pick of any males?
“Don’t worry, Callim.” Mila speaks for the first time. Her voice is low and soothing. “I’ve picked a team of top scientists that will work with me. You, along with another male and two female Humans will be studied in our program. Your part in this study will go down in history. It’s even more important work than your emissary duties planned on Marel.”
If she says so. I did not know exactly what my duties on Marel would have been. Our pod studies the same as every other, but we are divided into groups by where we end up assigned.
Of course, I’m only about half through the program, but sometimes males shuffle. Recently, one male in my pod had been transferred to a pod that left in the last rotation. No one can say what determines those decisions and the changes.
“Are you ready to go, then?” Councilor Marquel Sune stands and my legs have a hard time following.
My brother Temkel will be devastated. It’s unlikely we are brothers by breeding, but we’ve been together our entire lives.
Bowing my head and dropping my eyes to the floor, I try to show respect. “Will I be able to say goodbye to the others in my pod?”
“That’s not mandatory, is it?” It’s Funjim who answers from my left. “We need not get the pod involved in the planet’s local drama, do we?”
I hadn’t thought of that.
Our path is focused. We only dwell upon the teachings of the Sanctuary. Very little is discussed between us. Only in the evening, as we are drifting off to sleep, do we get the opportunity to talk.
“No, Delegate. I understand.”
“Excellent. Follow us then.” Marquel Sune leads the way out of the room. It’s a surprisingly quick march to the doors that leave the Sanctuary.
Stepping outside for the first time is surreal.
As soon as I do, a drone hesitates, its facial recognition locking onto the Councilor.
“Hurry.” They push me inside a shuttle, waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs.
“They’ve spotted us. Well, Callim.” Marquel turns to me next to her. “How do you feel about starring on entertainment news?”
