Read Online Candidate (Selected Book 4) by Robin Roseau - Free Book Online
Authors: Robin Roseau
Tags: Fiction, Science-Fiction, Literature & Fiction, Gay & Lesbian, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Genre Fiction, Lesbian, Lgbt, Lesbian Fiction
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be polite."
I nodded.
* * * *
I swam slow laps for a half hour. More aliens arrived, including one or two that looked female, but they left me alone.
But then, while I was swimming towards the deep end for another lap, one of the females moved into the lane and waited for me. I would have swum into her, but she caught me before I could actually hit her, then steadied me as I flailed. She pulled me to the edge of the pool, and I gripped tightly.
"I am sorry," she said. "I did not mean to startle you."
She looked like some of the others, taller than a human, and very broad. She looked human, after a fashion, although her features were quite odd. And she was huge.
She wasn't wearing any more than I was.
"I didn't see you."
"My name is Jessica Maple," she said. She held out her hand.
"Andromeda Hayes," I said. We shook hands there in the water. "What species are you?"
"In English, we are called Ardents. You are a mating candidate."
"Yes," I said. "And you? Are you here for a mate?"
"No. One from my squad. We are here to watch and, how do you humans say? Offer good wishes?"
"Cheer him on?"
"This is the sound you make at sporting competitions?"
"Yes."
"Then yes. We are here to cheer him on. Why has Administrator Brighteyes allowed you to use this pool, and with no guards to oversee you?"
"We came to an arrangement. I don't know why she is treating me differently from anyone else."
"You should ask her. She might answer. Some from my squad wish to speak with you." She gestured, and I could see a group of aliens watching us."
"Are they all males?"
"Yes. We have three females in our squad, but I am the only here."
"Why do they want to talk to me? I'm nobody."
"You must be somebody, as Administrator Brighteyes is treating you differently from the others."
"Why do they wish to speak with me?"
"You are new. You are not from the current batch. They wish to know if they may compete for you."
I smiled. "You'd have a better chance than they would."
"I do not understand," she said. "Three are better warriors than I am. They would surely best me, even if I were to capture you first."
"That may be," I replied with a smile. "But if I end in an arena, there won't be any males. Only females."
"But you are female."
"Yes, I am. Does your species not do that?"
"But... you and I could not form a child."
"There are ways around that," I said.
"No. Your species and mine both require a male and a female."
"My species knows how to take an egg from a female and sperm from a male, combine them, and then place them in a female. Does yours?"
"But I am female, and you are female."
"And if you and I were to become mated, then if we decide to have children, we would find a male to offer a donation. For humans, our doctor does this for us."
"Is not the goal of being mated to combine... The essence of life to make new life?"
"The goal of being mated is to share life with someone you love," I said. "Humans do not need to be mated to produce babies. And they are not obligated to produce babies just because they are mated."
She made an expression. I couldn't have told you what it meant, but her eyes crossed, then spread wide, turning outward in opposite directions, then did that again before settling back on me. "Humans have such odd ideas."
"From what I hear, every species has odd ideas."
"Perhaps they do. Will you talk to the males?"
"What do you wish for me to call you?"
"My name is Jessica Maple."
"Yes, but different species seem to have different ways they preferred to be address. I am American, and we are informal. You could call me Andromeda. The Catseye is more formal and calls me Ms. Hayes."
"You would have me call you by only a portion of your name?"
"Yes."
"Then you should call me Jessica."
"Well, Jessica. I am having a very bad week. It started off bad, and then it got a whole lot worse when I was kidnapped and dragged here. I am now told I will be forced to marry against my will. I would rather not have a
I nodded.
* * * *
I swam slow laps for a half hour. More aliens arrived, including one or two that looked female, but they left me alone.
But then, while I was swimming towards the deep end for another lap, one of the females moved into the lane and waited for me. I would have swum into her, but she caught me before I could actually hit her, then steadied me as I flailed. She pulled me to the edge of the pool, and I gripped tightly.
"I am sorry," she said. "I did not mean to startle you."
She looked like some of the others, taller than a human, and very broad. She looked human, after a fashion, although her features were quite odd. And she was huge.
She wasn't wearing any more than I was.
"I didn't see you."
"My name is Jessica Maple," she said. She held out her hand.
"Andromeda Hayes," I said. We shook hands there in the water. "What species are you?"
"In English, we are called Ardents. You are a mating candidate."
"Yes," I said. "And you? Are you here for a mate?"
"No. One from my squad. We are here to watch and, how do you humans say? Offer good wishes?"
"Cheer him on?"
"This is the sound you make at sporting competitions?"
"Yes."
"Then yes. We are here to cheer him on. Why has Administrator Brighteyes allowed you to use this pool, and with no guards to oversee you?"
"We came to an arrangement. I don't know why she is treating me differently from anyone else."
"You should ask her. She might answer. Some from my squad wish to speak with you." She gestured, and I could see a group of aliens watching us."
"Are they all males?"
"Yes. We have three females in our squad, but I am the only here."
"Why do they want to talk to me? I'm nobody."
"You must be somebody, as Administrator Brighteyes is treating you differently from the others."
"Why do they wish to speak with me?"
"You are new. You are not from the current batch. They wish to know if they may compete for you."
I smiled. "You'd have a better chance than they would."
"I do not understand," she said. "Three are better warriors than I am. They would surely best me, even if I were to capture you first."
"That may be," I replied with a smile. "But if I end in an arena, there won't be any males. Only females."
"But you are female."
"Yes, I am. Does your species not do that?"
"But... you and I could not form a child."
"There are ways around that," I said.
"No. Your species and mine both require a male and a female."
"My species knows how to take an egg from a female and sperm from a male, combine them, and then place them in a female. Does yours?"
"But I am female, and you are female."
"And if you and I were to become mated, then if we decide to have children, we would find a male to offer a donation. For humans, our doctor does this for us."
"Is not the goal of being mated to combine... The essence of life to make new life?"
"The goal of being mated is to share life with someone you love," I said. "Humans do not need to be mated to produce babies. And they are not obligated to produce babies just because they are mated."
She made an expression. I couldn't have told you what it meant, but her eyes crossed, then spread wide, turning outward in opposite directions, then did that again before settling back on me. "Humans have such odd ideas."
"From what I hear, every species has odd ideas."
"Perhaps they do. Will you talk to the males?"
"What do you wish for me to call you?"
"My name is Jessica Maple."
"Yes, but different species seem to have different ways they preferred to be address. I am American, and we are informal. You could call me Andromeda. The Catseye is more formal and calls me Ms. Hayes."
"You would have me call you by only a portion of your name?"
"Yes."
"Then you should call me Jessica."
"Well, Jessica. I am having a very bad week. It started off bad, and then it got a whole lot worse when I was kidnapped and dragged here. I am now told I will be forced to marry against my will. I would rather not have a
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