JillAndTheGenestalk Read online

  “Why didn’t they change the defect?”

  “It didn’t surface until the fifth generation. By the time it was recognized as a growing problem, we had lost the tech needed to make the changes.”

  Neeja sat on the edge of the bed, and she sat up as tall as she could. “We are trapped with degrading genetics, and it has begun to effect the men.”

  “Who instigated the interdict?”

  “Our parent species, the Najicor. They didn’t want anything getting off Stok and contaminating any additional environment.” Neeja smiled.

  “Wow. That is something. So, now, I have to ask you the question, why are you so friendly with visitors?”

  Neeja laughed. “Well, Jill. We take samples from each newcomer in the hope that they will have the part of the gene needed to repair the population. There aren’t many of us, and those that are unaffected by the Twist are quickly trying to have families before they can’t bear children.”

  “It sounds horrible. I mean, I felt your pain, but I didn’t realize that there were others in the same condition.”

  Neeja blinked, “What do you mean you felt my pain?”

  “I have a talent for empathy. It is my one skill, and it nearly cost me my freedom.” She shrugged.

  “Tell me about it. How did you come to be here? Start at the beginning.”

  Jill took a deep breath, and Neeja held up a hand. “Just a moment. Where are my manners?”

  She pressed a few jewels on her wristband and smiled. “I have ordered tea and some snacks for us both. A story needs snacks.”

  “You summoned food? Using your jewellery?”

  Neeja laughed. “When the population started to degrade, it was necessary to develop tech to compensate for the lack of physical agility. The first thing the ladies demanded was domestic help.”

  As if summoned by her words, the door opened and a bot trundled in. It pulled up next to Neeja, and it chirped cheerfully.

  Neeja poured two cups of tea and slid the front of the bot open to expose a plate with tiny sandwiches and a variety of other creations.

  Neeja placed the plate on a tray she removed from the side of the bot and set it on the bed. “What do you take in your tea?”

  “Straight please. I have never been one for sweet things.”

  Her host laughed. “Me neither. Well, now that we are properly provisioned, I say we should gossip. What brought you here?”

  Jill sighed. “A wedding.”

  “Oh? Whose wedding?”

  “Mine.” Jill sighed and used her butt to walk backward a few inches so she could sit up against the headboard more comfortably. “My parents were contacted a few weeks ago by the Hekkar Consortium. They wanted a bride for one of their oldest sons, and I was what they were after.”

  Neeja watched her with her pine-coloured eyes wide with interest. “Go on.”

  “Well, my family wanted the bride-price they were offering, and they agreed to hand me over. I met my groom once, and the impression I got was of greed and darkness. His mother was nice enough, but he and his father seethed with dark intent. I couldn’t anchor myself to that for the rest of my life, so I waited until the moment of calm that all brides are given, and I summoned my shuttle.”

  “Summoned?”

  Jill ran her fingers over her bracelet, releasing the catch. She turned it over. “It has a biosensor on it. I may not be able to fix my shuttle, but I do have a talent for programming. Most of the mechanicals around me come when I call.”

  “Interesting. So, you summoned your shuttle…”

  “Ah, right. I took off and piloted my way into deep space, as far from the consortium’s trading territories that I could manage. They caught up to me just as I edged my way into the nebula. They screwed up my air supply, so I had to seal the system and hope to make it to a populated world with compatible atmosphere. I was running on empty when I hit your shielding.”

  Neeja sipped her tea. “How is it that you didn’t hear the warning?”

  Jill blushed. “I had the audio systems turned off so that my groom’s family couldn’t distract me on my journey. I forgot to turn them on after I was safe.”

  “I see. Well, your only responsibility here is to get well. Rest, stay off that foot and you can use our entertainment systems to familiarized yourself with Stok ways and history.” Neeja chuckled.

  A chime rang in the distance, and Neeja got to her feet. “Who can that be?”

  Jill smiled, “It isn’t me.”

  Neeja moved slowly down the hall, and it was four long minutes before she returned with T’los standing behind her. “He has brought you something.”

  Jill smiled and took in the full view of her rescuer. His tunic was made of panels wrapped in six-inch-wide strips that made an inverted vee that had a visual effect of narrowing his waist and widening his shoulders. The same wrapping made up his sleeves, but his trousers were plain green fabric that fit snugly. She couldn’t see his feet, but she heard the tread of his boots as he came forward with a folded piece of fabric and a brown leather belt.

  “You didn’t have any other clothes, and the ones you did have are stained with blood. Neeja can show you how to wear them.” His high cheekbones darkened as he set the folded fabric on the bed.

  “Thank you, T’los. Your gift is appreciated.” Jill stroked the fabric with one hand, surprised at the soft texture.

  Neeja widened her eyes and giggled softly. “That is enough of that, T’los. I will give her the guide to our people, and you can try to forget she just accepted your gift.”

  T’los nodded, smiled shyly and left the room.

  Jill looked at Neeja as her host settled painfully in a nearby chair. “What just happened?”

  “He started courtship. It is strange, because we still haven’t gotten the results of your scans, but he seems to have fixated on you.”

  Jill groaned. “Just great. Two men in as many days. Well, at least this one is handsome. So, explain what I need to know.”

  Neeja laughed. “It isn’t sinister. It is simply a passive means to determine if a woman would be receptive to their attentions. The first step is a necessary item, to show that they are paying attention to the woman’s needs. T’los has made the first move by acknowledging that you don’t have any regular clothing for daily wear and that your current clothing is damaged.”

  Jill smiled and stroked the fabric. “It is very pretty and very soft.”

  “And will look lovely with your hair. Would you like help putting it on?”

  “Oh, that isn’t necessary. You stay sitting.” Jill put her feet over the side of the bed and waited until her legs felt strong enough to stand. She scooted herself forward and balanced on her good foot while holding out the new dress.

  “Oh, my. He was paying attention.” Instead of the long gown being many inches of wasted fabric on the floor, it had been tailored to her height.

  “As I said. The first step is showing that he has noticed a need in your life and fulfilling it in a non-threatening way. You are a little smaller than our people.” Neeja laughed.

  “I have noticed it. Do you mind if I change here?” Jill didn’t want to offend Neeja if nudity was not common.

  “No, by all means. I will simply close my eyes. Let me know if you need any help.” Neeja chuckled and closed her eyes.

  Jill quickly whipped her gown off over her head and picked up the new gown, slipping it around her, wrapping and tying it with the almost-invisible strings that attached it at each hip.

  “Once you have the dress in place, the wide belt will act as a cincher and back support.”

  Jill smiled. “The dress is on, you can look.” Jill worked the closures of the belt across her torso.

  Neeja smiled. “You look lovely. Once your foot is given the all clear, I am fairly sure that T’los’s next gift will be shoes.”

  Jill laughed, lost her balance and dropped back to the bed with a bounce. “I can’t walk, but at least I am not wearing that damned dress anymore
.”

  Neeja laughed. “I will let you get some rest. We don’t use sleepwear generally, but if you need help getting out of the dress later, have one of the bots summon me. You need only speak out loud, and they will attend you.”

  “What about the vid centre?”

  “Oh, how silly. Vid on.” Neeja got to her feet slowly.

  On the far end of the room, a display unit rose quietly from the floor until it was at a suitable watching height. Images flickered on, and Jill shifted to be more comfortable.

  “Simply say next or back to move the images along. Coalition Common is used on all general transmissions.” Neeja slowly moved toward the door. “Again, call if you need anything. The bots are very attentive.”

  “Thank you again, Neeja, if I forgot to say it before.”

  “I enjoy playing hostess, and I get far too few opportunities to do it. I will revel in this company for as long as you are with me.” Neeja looked over her shoulder and winked as she continued her way out the guestroom door.

  Jill sighed and began to watch history programs regarding the settlement of Stok and the subsequent alteration of the populace. It was interesting. The entire population had originally been three feet tall. They had used the natural compounds of Stok as a base for their alteration, and over three generations, they went from three feet to seven feet tall.

  Once height was achieved, they learned that the compounds that had enabled them to alter the height gene had not included increased density of their bones that was required to carry the extra muscle and tissue. The height only lasted until the third decade for women and fourth for men when the bones began to contract.

  Jill watched the images late into the night, going back and forth until she had gained everything she needed to know about Stok or at least a very good start.

  She hopped up and removed her clothing before slipping back into bed. Her foot throbbed absently, but the events of the day let her ease into a deep, even sleep.

  Neeja was at her side with another tray when she woke. “Sit up, Jill. You have medical appointments today, and you need your sustenance.”

  Jill clutched her bedding to her chest and scooted up against the headboard. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Neeja snickered and sat next to her. “Don’t get me wrong, this is my first meal of the day as well, but if I know T’los, he will be here in a matter of minutes, so we need you dressed and ready.”

  Whatever the food was, it was hot and had an appealing creamy taste. Jill finished her bowl and followed Neeja’s gesture to take up a piece of fruit. She nibbled until the sweet fruit was gone, and then, she scooted to the side of the bed. “Close your eyes.”

  “That will make it hard to eat.”

  “Well, humour me. I am in a hurry.” Jill balanced and wrapped herself in the dress again. She bas buckling up the leather when there was a chime at the door.

  Neeja cracked one eye open. “Oh, good. It’s safe. I will be right back.”

  Jill found the lavatory, and after she had figured out the plumbing, she scrounged for a brush. Once her hair was straight, she whipped it into a quick braid, tying the end off with a few loose hairs.

  By the time she emerged, T’los and Neeja were just entering the doorway. “Good morning.”

  Neeja smiled, and T’los seemed at a loss for words. He coloured again. “The medical staff is waiting. Are you ready?”

  She hopped forward. “Yup.”

  “This will be faster.” He stepped forward and lifted her in his arms.

  Neeja laughed. “T’los is in charge of planetary security. Do you feel secure?”

  Jill looked at the very long distance between her and the ground and then up to T’los’s interested features. “Pretty secure.”

  He grinned, inclined his head to Neeja and they were on their way.

  The medical officers were surprisingly quiet. They put a grafting paste on her foot, and it immediately took hold, sealing the wound and rebuilding tissue. Jill wiggled her foot as soon as they released her ankle.

  “Thank you. That was quite bothersome.”

  Physician K’lin smiled at her. “Our administrators want to speak with you. Are you up to it?”

  “Of course.” Jill sat up and wiggled her toes.

  Three very sober faced giants walked in, two were young and one was already exhibiting the effects of the contraction. They inclined their heads politely. “Miss Jill, we have something to ask you on behalf of the Stok people.”

  “Ask it.”

  “Your genes contain the missing link that we have been searching for. Out of fifty-seven visitors, you are the first one to have this gene. Will you allow us to take samples and use them to create a treatment for our people?” The younger man smiled.

  T’los was standing against the wall with a peculiar expression on his lips.

  “What am I being offered for this?”

  They blinked. “We can offer you money, a place to live, a servant if you wish or a means to leave Stok when this is over.”

  That surprised her. “How can I get off an interdicted world?”

  They smiled. “It isn’t as hard as you might think. Is this acceptable to you?”

  Jill sighed and shook her head. “No. I don’t want to leave.”

  T’los straightened from his lean against the wall. “You don’t?”

  “No, I don’t. My family sold me and spent the money. I have no interest in returning home. I want to make a place for myself so that is my criteria. I want to live here.”

  She sucked in her breath and laid out her demands. “I want a place to live, the opportunity to educate myself in an effort to fit in and the possibility of surgical enhancements that will help me to blend with the population, even if I am the same height as a teenager.”

  The representative blinked. “That’s it?”

  “Yup. Just the chance to make a home here. You can take what you need from my body, and if the treatment is successful, after you treat the worst cases, I would like Neeja to be first in line if she wants it.”

  K’lin smiled. “Of course. We need marrow samples and that isn’t comfortable. You will be fairly immobile for a while. Are you willing to put up with this discomfort?”

  “Of course. Bring it on. I am willing to start now if you like.”

  The representatives grinned. “We will draw up the contract, and you can sign it before the procedures begin.”

  K’lin grinned at her. “We will prep you for the procedure, and by the time they are ready with your contract, we will be standing by. I have to tell you, this is exceptionally exciting. This is the first true hope we have had in centuries.”

  “Hope is an easy thing to offer. I only pray that your hope is born out when the treatment is administered.”

  K’lin pulled a rolling chair up, and he sat next to her. “Do you know your species history?”

  She quirked her lips. “Not all of it, but I would not be shocked to find out that it is the Edinar portion of my genetics that popped up as viable.”

  T’los whistled softly. “That might be it. Not one person has appeared with that genetic strain.”

  Jill smiled. “My grandmother escaped from her home world before it was destroyed. The Edinar looked like other races, so she made her home, married and had children. The blood strain was a secret that none of her kids bothered mentioning to their own children until I popped up with my talent and my mother had to sit me down and explain a few things.”

  “For someone with forbidden genes, you wear it proudly.” T’los smiled.

  “I had to find something special about me, and if my only claim to importance was a talent that was as much a part of me as my eyes, I embraced it but kept it my own secret.”

  The medical staff bustled around her, putting up a screen and helping her change from her clothing to a medical gown.

  After the contract was signed, it was the beginning of a very long day.

  By the time the extraction was complete, Jill was sore and T’l
os was very careful as he brought her back to Neeja’s domain. She was given a meal, and Neeja and the bots tucked her into bed.

  It was the start to an agonizing routine of blood and tissue samples followed by days spent in bed hardly able to move. Each day, T’los carried her to and from the medical centre and stayed with her until she was settled, and each evening, he brought her a small gift. A slow courtship was underway.

  Jill found herself looking forward to seeing his figure in the doorway, eager to see the look in his eyes when his gaze met hers. It made her feel like a foolish teenager, but she liked the feeling.

  Her body wasn’t up to much but that was coming to a halt. They had gained and cultured enough over the last two weeks to create the treatment, and the first patients were already undergoing the first phases of their alteration. All changes were being recorded and the entire world was holding its breath.

  Neeja came in with her breakfast and grinned. “There is going to be an official visit today, but the therapy created has begun to effect spinal repairs on the first subjects. I love to be the bearer of gossip, and Yono wants to thank you in person.”

  “Who is Yono?”

  “She is our planetary defense specialist. T’los’s cousin.” Neeja set up the tray on the small table and sat as Jill levered herself into clothing.

  She had taken to showering with the help of a bot in the evenings so that mornings were not as time consuming, and today, she was glad for it. She had just wrapped her dress around her when F’pil, R’nar and S’dan came into her room.

  Neeja hissed at them. “Rudeness is not tolerated here. You should have rung the chime.”

  The heads of the Stok government coloured and bowed low. F’pil, the eldest, smiled his apology. “Please pardon us. We were so eager to tell Jill that the procedure is a success, we forgot our manners.”

  Jill smiled. “I am very glad for all of you. I am even more relieved that the extraction process is complete.” She was tired, to her bones and beyond.

  She sat and poured tea for herself and Neeja. “Gentlemen, was that everything?”