Season of Bliss Read online

  When he finally did reach them, he stopped only a few paces away. Sasha couldn’t help but smile back. She nearly blushed when he looked directly at her.

  “Hello.” His voice was warm and friendly. “My name is Jester Gold.”

  Sasha couldn’t stop her snicker in time. She could feel their eyes focused on her. Embarrassed, she cleared her throat and tried to control herself. The withering look from the colonel made it easy.

  “Mr. Gold.” Uncle Jon stepped forward, extending his hand. “I am Prime Minister Jon Merigole. Welcome to our world.”

  “Thank you, Prime Minister.” The visitor, Jester, stared at Uncle Jon’s hand for a moment as if not knowing what to do. A few seconds later, he took it. “It’s an honor to be here.”

  Sasha watched his expression as they shook hands. His smile was infectious, and everyone else smiled along with him—except for the colonel.

  Jester met all of their gazes, but he met Sasha’s gaze more often than anyone else. She tried not to blush.

  “Will the rest of your crew be joining us, sir?” Uncle Jon asked.

  “The rest?” Jester’s smile broadened. “I’m alone, Prime Minister. My vessel is fully automated.”

  Sasha looked at the mirrored craft. The space inside couldn’t have been much larger than her apartment. It made sense that it only carried one person. It was just so hard to believe such a small vessel could travel so far. She wondered what other technical achievements his people had made.

  “Prime Minister,” Colonel Lambear said. “I think we should move our guest to the prepared facility.”

  Sasha didn’t like his emphasis. “What facility?”

  “A military facility, Ms. Merigole.” The colonel nodded over his shoulder. “Fort Anabasis.”

  “Why?” Sasha asked.

  “It’s the most secure facility in the area.” The colonel gave a smile that might have won over his troops but did little for her. “It’s for his own safety, Ms. Merigole.”

  Uncle Jon glanced at the Sasha, then back to Jester. “It’s merely a precaution, Mr. Gold. I hope you understand.”

  “Yes, of course.” Jester regarded the colonel. “I’ll be happy to cooperate.”

  “Very good.” The colonel gestured at a group of nearby soldiers. “If you would go with these gentlemen, they will escort you to our facility.”

  They kept their weapons slung, but they still looked ready to use them if the need arose.

  Sasha’s nostrils flared. It was no way to treat an ambassador, no matter how sensible such a precaution might be.

  Jester smiled at each of them as they surrounded him, but they only nodded curtly. Sasha would have been terrified if she had been a similar position, but Jester seemed relaxed. She wondered if he had some sort of personal protection, something that would have prevented them from hurting him. Given the nature of the vessel in which he arrived, that was a distinct possibility.

  “Will you be joining him, Colonel?” she asked.

  “No.” The colonel passed Sasha. A second group of soldiers joined him as he made his way to the space vessel. They carried all sorts of gear Sasha didn’t recognize.

  “Uncle, what are they doing?”

  Uncle Jon watched the soldiers scurry past and toward the craft. “Never mind that for now. The car that brought you here will be available at your discretion.”

  “What? I thought I was done?”

  He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Did you? I’m afraid your job is just beginning.”

  Sasha stared at her uncle, her mouth open. “Why me? I’m not an ambassador.”

  “Were he a representative from a foreign government, an ambassador would be appropriate.” He gestured at the visitor, Jester, as the soldiers helped him on to the transport. “But he is a visitor from another world. You have thought more on the subject than most.”

  “I’m not qualified.”

  “You are more qualified than anyone else.” He showed her his personal tablet. “Besides, the Senate has already approved it.”

  Sasha’s shoulders sagged. Uncle Jon always thought ahead. It was what made him a good prime minister. She wished she’d never written that paper.

  “Sasha, I need you.”

  She let out a heavy sigh. “Of course, Prime Minister. I’ll be happy to help.”

  Uncle Jon chuckled. “You’re not a good liar.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “Thank you.”

  Sasha gave him a weak smile. “I’ll try not to disappoint you.”

  “You never have before.” He looked over Sasha’s shoulder. “He seems to like you well enough.”

  The soldiers had not yet closed the transport’s rear door. Just inside, Jester sat among the soldiers who escorted him. He watched her, still smiling. As the transport’s door closed, he gave a small wave.

  She waved back, but the door had already closed. She watched the transport as it rose into the sky.

  “Keep me informed,” Uncle Jon said. “Ambassador.”

  ~~~~

  The car glided through the countryside. She stared at the credentials indicating she was an ambassador. They’d been laying on the backseat when she got into the car.

  She rubbed her shoulders, shivering. It was always cold before the bliss. Just another symptom of her condition.

  A voice interrupted her thoughts. “He seems nice enough.”

  “Excuse me?” It took her a minute to register the driver’s statement. “Yes, he does.”

  “That’s a good sign, right?”

  She leaned forward so she could see him better. He was older, too old for the bliss, but he may have been through the previous one. The touch of gray in his hair made him look handsome. “I should think so.”

  “Maybe he’s trying to fool us.”

  She noticed he was squeezing the steering wheel hard enough to make his knuckles turn white. “I don’t believe he has a reason to.”

  “Oh?”

  “He appears to have the technology to take what he wishes. I’m certain he simply wishes to talk.”

  His hands relaxed, his knuckles returning to a normal color. “Well, that’s a relief.”

  Sasha smiled at him as he looked at her through the rearview mirror. She wondered about his spouse, what she was like. The thought made her ache. She tried to push it aside, but it grew sharper, threatening to burst from her chest.

  She leaned back and fished for her pills in her purse, almost spilling the contents. She should have taken one earlier.

  “You okay, miss?”

  “Yes, of course.” Her voice cracked.

  “There’s a small refrigerator with some water. See it?”

  It took her a moment to find it. She opened the small door, and a tray slid out that contained a small thermos. She picked it up and waited for the driver to look ahead, then popped the pills into her mouth.

  She grimaced as she swallowed. Why such small pills didn’t go down easily was a mystery.

  The driver pulled up at the gate and flashed his credentials. The guard waved them through as if expecting them.

  “Everything all right now, miss?”

  She nodded. “Yes. Thank you, Mister…?”

  “Greyson, ma’am. Drew Greyson.”

  Sasha bit her lip. All of Andrew’s friends called him Drew, but for her he was always Andrew. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Greyson.”

  He tipped his hat in the rearview mirror. “The pleasure’s mine. You can take that with you, you know.”

  Sasha looked at the small thermos. “I don’t think I’ll need it, but thank you, just the same.”

  “Just a thought. By the way, we’re here.”

  Sasha jumped as the door opened. Outside the car, a young corporal nodded at her, his uniform immaculate. He offered his hand and she took it, letting him help her from the car. She didn’t have time to say good-bye to Greyson before the car pulled away.

  “If you would follow me, Ms. Merigole.”

  She gripped her thermos as th
e corporal led her inside.

  ~~~~

  Sasha stood inside the full-body scanner and waited patiently for the green light. After four such scanners, her patience wore thin. Finally, the light lit up.

  “This way, Ms. Merigole.” The corporal guided her through the concrete corridors.

  Multi-colored lines ran down the center of the floor. Some turned down side passages, while others continued along the main corridor. The entire complex was a maze, ostensibly for security.

  If there was a pattern, Sasha couldn’t determine it. Someone who didn’t belong would become lost, allowing a quick capture. “How much further?”

  “Just ahead, ma’am.”

  They stopped in front of the largest door she had ever seen. The solid metal surface had a huge number nine on it, for some reason.

  The corporal produced a white plastic card and deftly swiped it across a reader. She jumped as a klaxon shrieked. It sounded twice, and then the massive door slid open.

  “I’ll wait out here until you are done, ma’am.”

  She stepped inside. The klaxon went off again, and the door closed behind her. She quickened her pace inside, half-worried the doors would close on her dress.

  The square room had bare concrete walls, each wall twenty meters on a side. Ten soldiers stood at various points around the room, all facing Jester. He sat in one of two chairs.

  The fear welled up in her again. She shook it off. This crowd was nothing compared to the park. She could handle this.

  One individual, Secretary Ross, circled Jester. He answered to the prime minister in regards to matters of defense. “What is the purpose of your visit?”

  Jester shrugged. “It’s as I said. To say hello.”

  “How long did it take you to travel to our world?”

  “It took me about three months.”

  Secretary Ross tapped at a personal tablet as he circled Jester like a vulture. “So your people just decided to venture across space to see us?”

  “It’s a little more complicated than that, but yes.”

  Jester looked up at her. His skintight clothes seemed ridiculous in its color patterns, almost as if he were a clown. She suppressed a grin. His name was appropriate, after all.

  “Hello, again,” he said.

  She started to respond, but Secretary Ross spoke first. “If you would try to focus on the questions, Mr. Gold.”

  “Of course.” Jester kept his gaze on her for a moment before turning back to the secretary.

  “What are the capabilities of your ship?”

  Jester tilted his head. “I’m afraid the question is a bit vague. Could you be more precise?”

  “What are its armaments?”

  “Only defensive systems.”

  Secretary Ross looked up suddenly, as if he’d heard something unbelievable. “Really? Describe the nature of these systems.”

  Jester raised an eyebrow. “Screens to deflect particles in space, in addition to grasers.”

  “Grasers?” The secretary ceased his pacing and stood in front of Jester. He leaned over him. “What sort of damage could such weapons do to our cities?”

  Jester’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry?”

  The secretary took a step closer, as if to act imposing. “Do you intend to attack the people of this world?”

  For the first time, Jester’s smile disappeared. His mouth fell open. “Sir, I would never dream—”

  “What are you planning?”

  Jester took a breath, as if to calm himself. “I’ve told you. We only wish to say hello. We want you to know there are other—”

  “We?” The secretary glared at Jester. “You said you were alone.”

  “I meant my people. We—”

  “What are you hiding, Mr. Gold?”

  “That’s enough.” Sasha’s voice came out louder than she intended.

  Secretary Ross turned, his face betraying irritation for a brief instant before recovering. “Ms. Merigole, I am still—”

  “I’m well aware of what you are doing.” Sasha struggled not to clench her fists. “You are accusing an ambassador of hostile intent, and I don’t believe the prime minister would appreciate it.”

  The secretary wrinkled his forehead. “Ms. Merigole, I’m aware the prime minister has assigned you as an ambassador, but—forgive me—I don’t believe you have the qualifications.”

  “I will be sure to make the prime minister aware of your concerns regarding my abilities.”

  He frowned, keeping his gaze on Sasha. Amused, Jester looked back and forth between her and Secretary Ross.

  “Ms. Merigole, it is my responsibility to maintain the defense of our people. I’m only doing my duty.”

  “I understand, Mr. Secretary. Now, if you’ll please excuse us, I would like to speak to our guest.”

  Sasha couldn’t miss Secretary Ross’s anger, but her uncle had made clear she was in charge of the matter. He took a moment to collect himself before nodding at her. He marched toward the large door behind her without another word.

  A few seconds later, the alarm sounded. She managed not to jump. The doors closed, and the dreadful alarm silenced. Only she, the soldiers, and the unusual man, Jester, remained.

  After a few moments, he asked in a deep but inviting voice, “Would you care to sit down?”

  “Yes, thank you.” She sat, smoothing out her dress under her.

  He still smiled. Perhaps he did so to keep everyone at ease, but when he looked at her, it was quite different. It was almost as if he were in the bliss. The thought made her smile.

  “Cold?”

  “Excuse me?” She noticed she’d been rubbing her arms without realizing it. She wished she’d brought a coat. “No, I’m fine.”

  He nodded once. Whether he believed her or not, he let the matter go. “If you don’t mind me asking, what is that?”

  She didn’t know what he meant until he pointed at the thermos of water in her hands. “Oh, this? This is just water.”

  “Is it for me?”

  “No. I mean, I’ve been drinking it, so you won’t want…” She cleared her throat and looked at the nearest soldier. “Could we get some water for Mr. Gold, please?”

  The soldiers looked at each other for a moment. Finally, one of them spoke into a radio, passing on her request.

  “Jester.”

  She looked back at him. “Excuse me?”

  “Call me Jester.”

  “Jester.” The name seemed almost comical, but it felt good to say it. “I’m Sasha.”

  “Sasha.” He said it slowly, as if savoring it. “They called you Ms. Merigole.”

  “Yes. My family name.”

  “Then you are related to the prime minister?”

  She cleared her throat. “He is my uncle.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  It didn’t occur until just then how it may have looked, considering that her uncle, the prime minister, just assigned her a job that many ambassadors would’ve killed for. “I assure you I am here because I was considered the most knowledgeable for the position.”

  “Yes, I’m well aware.”

  “Nepotism is frowned upon in our culture. We—” She stopped. “Aware of what?”

  “Why you they chose you. I read your essay.”

  “You—?” She gripped the thermos tighter. “How?”

  “I downloaded your global network.”

  “That… that’s an astounding amount of information.”

  Jester grinned. “My ship’s systems pulled what it thought were pertinent documents. That one was one of many. It was quite intriguing.”

  She bit her lower lip. “What did you think?”

  “It was well thought out. You covered all the angles.”

  She cocked her head to the side. “Angles?”

  “I mean to say you covered all possibilities.”

  She nodded. “Is that how you learned our language? From our global network?”

  He pointed at his temple. “I have an impl
ant that contains your entire language. I can access it as I would my native language, though not all words are translatable.”

  “Such as?”

  He gestured at what she thought were her hands. “I know the word for that particular article of clothing is ‘dress,’ but I’ve never actually seen one.”

  “Women don’t wear dresses on your world?”

  He shook his head. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s a curious design. It makes your lower body mass appear greater than it really is.”

  Sasha felt her face grow hot. “It makes me look larger?”

  “Well, yes. Or perhaps I should say it hides your figure. Is that the purpose?”

  “No.” Her voice sounded like ice.

  “I see.” Confused, he looked over her dress once more. “Is it designed for purposes of sexual attraction?”

  She didn’t think her face could grow any hotter, but it did. Even the soldiers glanced at each other.

  The reaction wasn’t lost on Jester. “It was not my intention to embarrass you.” He straightened in his chair. “I’m afraid I haven’t learned everything about your culture.”

  She nodded, wanting to change the subject. “On that note, I feel I should apologize for Secretary Ross’s behavior.”

  “That’s quite all right. He is concerned about the safety of your world. He doesn’t understand why I’m here.”

  “Why are you here?”

  He shrugged. “It’s as I explained earlier.”

  “To say hello.” Her hand was moist again. She wiped it off on her dress as discreetly as she could manage. “Surely it is more complicated than that.”

  He laughed. It sounded pleasant, friendly. “We merely wish you to know there are other descendants of humanity.”

  “How many?”

  “No one is certain, but it is likely hundreds or thousands within the genus of humanity.” He tilted his head to one side. “You know about Earth, don’t you?”

  “Yes, we do. Our records go back a thousand years or so, but we believe our ancestors arrived some time before that. We honestly don’t know how long. Things were pretty chaotic just after their arrival.” Sasha’s eyes grew wide. “Are you from Earth?”

  “Oh no. My people are descended from colonists.”

  Sasha pursed her lips. “Have you been in contact with Earth?”

  “No one has, as far as we know. Of course, we’ve only been in contact with a dozen civilizations thus far, including yours. Many think Earth is a myth.”