Z'Rol Gardens
"I thought you'd like this spot."
Kaleeva had promised to show her the main part of the garden and led her to a large fountained pool
at the center of the garden. It was surrounded by trees and flowers, some of which were bioluminescent.
There were also some benches near the water.
"It's lovely," L'Naym said quietly. "I never get tired of looking at gardens."
"It is pretty," Kaleeva agreed. "I have to admit I've never been much of a nature lover, but gardens have
their uses, one of which is privacy." She smiled and pointed to a nearby glen. "I sometimes go there with
my two lovers, Dslau and Monair. Usually we go to my chambers but there is something to be said for
making love outside."
L'Naym's eyes widened slightly. "Your lovers?"
The young Tkarite nodded. "Yes; I've had four so far. The first was Vilon, another student my age at
the Academy." She frowned slightly. "We were both each other's first experience in the flesh so it was
very awkward and messy. We only lay together a couple of times after that.
"Then there was another student, Jzar. We took pleasure with each other for about a year. I took Dslau
last year and Monair shortly afterwards."
She looked at L'Naym appraisingly. "And what about you? You're very 'cute', I think the Human expression is.
You must have had at least a few men interested in becoming your lover, particularly on a small ship that's
in deep space for months at a time."
Flustered L'Naym began to speak, but then the Tkarite girl apparently remembered something. "Oh, I forgot-
you've never been with anyone other than your consort have you? Mother told me that Nlians are monogamous."
From her expression it was obvious that she had been curious for some time. "Why is that exactly? To claim
a consort is to ally two Houses and birth heirs. It doesn't mean that you need to restrict yourself only to them.
Mother and Father care deeply for each other but they've both had several lovers over the years."
"Crewman L'Naym is of a different species than ours, little sister," a third voice joined the conversation
and Z'Rol appeared. "Both their nature and consequentially their ways are different than ours."
Kaleeva was obviously very curious now. "Their nature?" She looked at L'Naym. "Is your monogamy due to
your biology?"
L'Naym had obviously recovered her composure. "Yes." She motioned toward the pond benches. "Why don't
we sit over there and I'll try to explain?"
Once all three were seated she began. "How much about my people did your mother explain to you?"
Kaleeva shrugged. "She didn't go into a lot of details. She only said that Nlians are monogamous and that
under no circumstances was anyone in this House to approach either of you."
"When two Nlians become lifemates they Join. They Join their hearts, their souls and their bodies."
"What do you mean?"
L'Naym quoted from an ancient Nlian saying. 'A Nlian lifemating has three levels; the Joining of the Heart,
the Joining of the Soul and the Joining of the Body. First they Join their hearts together in love, then they
Join their souls and then they Join their bodies. From that point on the two become one."
She saw how the young Tkarite didn't fully understand and tried another approach. "If you want to go from
a strictly scientific standpoint-when a Nlian couple become lifemates they form a Mating Bond: a permanent
telepathic/empathetic connection that also biologically keys their bodies specifically to each other. "
Kaleeva nodded in understanding. "And if either of you were to take another lover, this could damage
your Bond?"
"It would damage the Bond," L'Naym said quietly. "There is an ancient sacred Human saying regarding married
couples: 'And the two will become one flesh.' For Nlians that is literal. Nlian lifemates are Joined in heart, soul
and body. They are Joined Souls. They are one. Without each other they are not whole. Every fiber of their being
is keyed to each other and their bodies will reject the touch of any save each other."
To clarify she continued. "We can and do continue to touch others afterwards." She gently touched both Kaleeva's
and Z'Rol's shoulders to demonstrate. "Your sister knows me from the Saratoga, she's seen me and my lifemate
touch others many times. Lifemates can touch and be touched by others clinically, casually, in friendship, even
in love-the love of a friend or a family member."
She paused. "But anything that even hints at anything sexual damages the Bond and causes both lifemates intense
pain. That's what your mother meant when she said that upon us no hand would be laid. Tkarites, indeed all species,
need to be careful never to approach or touch Nlian lifemates in a sexual or suggestive way. If they do they will
hurt them...badly."
Z'Rol spoke now. "That was something that our people had to learn very early when they first encountered the Nlians,
two hundred years ago. Nlians are strictly monogamous. Our people are not. Nlians save themselves for whoever
they lifemate and once they Bond they don't make love with anyone but their lifemate. We frequently take other
lovers both before and after we take consorts. Nlians are a very open and touch oriented people. Among Tkarites
touch is usually seen as an invitation to share physical pleasure. So during our early encounters there were quite a
few misunderstandings and unfortunately a few accidents."
Her gaze fell on the Nlian botanist and her eyes were thoughtful. "Tkarites are larger and more powerful than Nlians.
Nlians while very intelligent, do not follow The Way of Cunning; they approach everyone with an open hand and open
heart. In may ways they're very innocent compared to us. We're also much more aggressive and quite willing to take
what we want. But we have always been interested in trade as opposed to conquest and 'Never against another's will'
has always been our strictest Law in matters of the flesh. It's fortunate for the Nlians that that Law existed or there
would have been severe damage."
"Severe?"
L'Naym's voice was now very quiet. "Once a couple are Bonded their health, their very lives, are dependent on
the preservation of their Bond. Damaging the Bond is not only harmful, it can be fatal. Such an event happened
eighty four years ago. A female Nlian was raped by a Human male while visiting an offworld trade outpost."
She closed her eyes. "My people call that event The Violation because that it exactly what rape is. The violation
to both her body and soul, caused her to go into severe telepathic and physical shock. Her lifemate felt the
violation as well and also went into shock. Neither of them survived. And not only that..." her voice dropped
to a whisper…"the woman was pregnant. Three lives were lost that day. It was a terrible tragedy for our people."
The young Tkarite's face had darkened during the story. "I hope that their murderer met the fate that he deserved."
"I'm familiar with that incident." Z'Rol's face was angry as well. "It caused a major diplomatic incident with the
Federation and many feared that the Nlians wouldn't want any further contact with Earth as a result, although
that proved not to be the case. "The man who assaulted her was sentenced to a penal colony. He was killed in
a fight with some prisoners not long afterwards."
"We both know how he should have died!" Kaleeva spat, her expression frightening in its anger.
"Rape is virtually unheard of among my people," L'Naym continued. "But it has happened; in our recorded history
there have been about a dozen incidents. The result was always the same- if a Bonded Nlian was touched
in a sexual way by someone other than his or her lifemate, both lifemates suffered intense pain. If a Bonded
Nlian was raped...both lifemates died. If an unbounded Nlian was raped he or she didn't die as there was
no Bond, but the violation still caused them severe physical and mental trauma and they were only able to
recover with the help of Healers and other loved ones."
Kaleeva's face was now both concerned and a little penitent. "I admit that I was curious about you and your lifemate,
Lady L'Naym, but I would never have touched either of you. Mother gave you both the protection of her House.
If I had gone against her word I would have been disowned and banished. And even if she hadn't, even if you had
both been strangers that I had encountered on the street-'Never against another's will' is the most ancient and binding
law on Tkara in matters of the flesh. From earliest childhood, every Tkarite is instructed in both it and the consequences
of breaking it."
Her expression grew intense and grave. "And if anyone on Tkara, Takarite or Offworlder, tries to force themselves
on you or your lifemate, rest assured, that they will face those consequences."
"I'm grateful for your concern," L'Naym said softly.
The three females sat quietly by the pond for a few moments.
"May I ask you another question?" Kaleeva asked quietly after awhile.
"You may."
"You can't be with anyone other than your lifemate after you Bond with him..."
"That's correct."
"But what's to stop you from taking lovers before?"
"There's no such thing as 'casual sex' for a Nlian." L'Naym said. "Physical lovemaking is part of the Bonding
process. Even if the couple aren't consciously trying to form a Bond, connections still automatically form,
both physically and telepathically. That is why rape is virtually unheard of and why as a rule we save our
bodies for our lifemates."
"Because if you don't this can affect your ability to Bond with someone in the future?"
"Yes. There was one Nlian male who took several different lovers in his youth. Years later he found a woman
that he wanted to lifemate, but when they attempted to Join, or Bond, they were unable to. Both his body
and soul had formed too many separate connections and so it wasn't able to form the deep unified Bond
necessary for lifemating. Even Healers weren't able to help. And there was another consequence." She paused.
"When lifemates Bond, their bodies are keyed to each other. At some point they go through the Mating and
have children. But this can only happen with Bonded lifemates.
Kaleeva's eyes widened. "You're like our people then. Tkarite women are only fertile at certain points in their
lives too."
L'Naym nodded. "But a male or female Nlian only becomes fertile if they have a lifemate. If a Nlian never Bonds
with another he or she can never have children."
Kaleeva looked thoughtful. "So by taking multiple lovers before he was lifemated he was unable to Bond
with the woman that he cared for the most. And without a Bonded lifemate he was unable to pass on his
genes to future generations."
She was silent for awhile. "Our two species are very different."
"Yes we are." A slightly mischievous look came over L'Naym's face. "But wouldn't it be boring if everyone
was the same?"
Kaleeva chuckled. "It would."
L'Naym's look turned thoughtful. "Tkarites don't Bond as Nlians do. Taking lovers won't affect your ability
to take a Consort or have children in the future. But there is a lesson to the story that can apply to everyone."
She paused. "Remember when your mother was talking about that associate of hers last night at dinner?
She was right. It's not possible to have it all and enjoy it all without consequence." She paused again then
continued quietly. "There are always consequences, both to yourself and others. Sometimes they're
immediate and sometimes they don't become apparent until later. And if you try to have it all you might lose
what it is you want the most."
The young Tkarite was quiet for a long while. "Thank you for telling me this. You've…given me a lot to think
about." She stood. "I'm going to head over to the practice field, I need to practice my dagger throwing
techniques." She bowed her head politely to the Nlian. "We'll talk again later, My Lady."
As her sister walked away, Z'Rol stood up too. "We should probably head back too. I imagine your lifemate will
be looking for you."
The two females made their way back toward the house. At length Z'Rol spoke again. "I apologize if my sister's
questions were too forward."
L'Naym smiled. "It's alright. I admit they took me by surprise at first, but its natural to be curious about different
cultures. And how else will one learn if not by asking questions?"
"Nevertheless our mother is going to have a talk with her. She needs to be more aware of tact and appropriateness
with Off-worlders and if she had questions she should have asked me or our parents before approaching you.
And while I could immediately tell that you were uncomfortable at first, she was 'clueless' as a Human would say.
One of the things all Tkarites must know is how to read others, particularly Offworlders. My sister has always excelled
at reading others for combat but when it comes to social interaction, especially with Off-worlders, she's a bit lacking
at times and she often doesn't think before she acts or speaks."
"She's still young."
A wry expression came over Z'Rol's face. "That she is."
"On Nlia we have a saying, "All young people have a partnership with impatience."
Z'Rol chuckled. "That would appear to be a universal truth." She was silent for another moment. "You impressed
my sister. Not many have. You also made her think. Not many have done that either. She's a 'spitfire' as Humans
would say and very impulsive. She needs to be more aware of the consequences of actions. I think that what you
told her might have helped her start to do that."
"I'm glad to be of assistance." L'Naym was quiet for another moment before once again looking at the Tkarite.
"How did you know I was out here?"
"When I came back to the foyer my father told me you had gone out into the gardens. I came to check on you."
L'Naym gave her a knowing look. "The Captain asked you to look out for Tuskaro and me, didn't he?"
"Yes."
L'Naym smiled. "That's what big brothers do."