Chapter Seven: Culture Shock
Quarta was hard put to find an appropriate spot to land, for the city had not only grown out from the center of downtown, it had also finally gotten the government to give over Griffith Park. That section of the county now sprawled with what looked like high end single family homes.
Courtney did what she could to stall, packing her few Earth acceptable belongings, double and triple checking the area to be sure that she had picked everything up that she was going to need when she went back to the world. But she knew that she couldn't take too long, because even Gui'Yata would drag her by her drawers out the ramp if it interfered with the Eesan's orders. As much as she didn't like it, this was the end of the line. Reality had landed and she couldn't avoid it any longer.
Slinging her pack over her shoulder she glanced down her body, grimacing at the attire she had been forced to change into.
I should have burned these, She thought morosely. She hadn't even thought that this set of clothing existed after such a long time away from her home planet. Yet she couldn't appear in the middle of the evening crowd in her usual attire. From somewhere, these blood-stained and tattered clothes appeared to answer her question about how she was going to look human enough not to get picked up by the cops.
Sighing she pulled the loose pants up as they started to creep down over her hips. She hadn't realized just how much weight she had lost while she was living amongst the Soua. She wasn't a large lady before, and wearing those clothes and having them fit so loose made her feel emaciated.
Leaning down she pulled a large sack made of habade hide, and filled with items that she was insistent not to do without. She wanted as many reminders as they would allow of the life she had come to love amongst the star flung hunters. In it she had packed her mask, the undergarments that made up the basis for her hunting suit. The hair ornaments were in there as well as the neck band and other adornments that would not raise brows with Quona Gui'Yata. She had also kept her Yhi tail Sasa, damned if she was going to let them wrest her trophy from her.
With another sigh she made her way toward the entrance, smiling wanly when Quarta forlornly said her goodbye. Pain hit her eyes, and she firmly sat on her reaction to keep the tears from freeing themselves from her eyes. It took her a while but by the time she came to the main chamber her emotions were back in check.
Gui'Yata was already there, as was Gerard, dressed again in the clothes that he had been in for almost as long as she had known him. He was bouncing on his heels like a kid waiting to get on his favorite ride at Disneyland. Again she wished that she could be so enthusiastic.
She came to a stop before the two of them looking quickly at Gerard and then a lingering gaze on her companion of fifteen years, Earth time. She managed not to reflect the roiling emotions that were threatening to make her sick. His eyes met her solidly, and she thought she saw a ghost of his own emotion change the shade of his eyes. It was gone quickly and he merely nodded at her, and turning he donned his mask.
"You're," she paused as he glanced sideways at her with that faceless mask, "You're coming along?"
In Sou he replied, "I would not just drop you and run home. You do not know what changes have occurred in your absence. I will see that you are safely integrated and then I will return."
"What about your orders?"
"The Ot Eesan is a little too far from here to concern me with reprisals."
Her gratitude shone as heat of embarrassment in her face. Setting a hand on his forearm she whispered, "Thank you."
He nodded again and then glanced up at the sensor nearest him to talk to Quarta. It was beyond her capability to follow the wordless conversation, but she was sure it was directions on how to proceed while Gui'Yata was away. His head bobbed sharply and the gate unsealed exposing the darkness of the surrounding area.
It took them nearly three hours to make it to the downtown area. And Courtney was more than a little amazed by the amount of growth since she had last seen the city of her birth. Despite the expansion it was easily noted that nothing had changed about the festering sore that was downtown, the slums and bars and decrepit buildings had multiplied as fast as or faster than the growth of the better neighborhoods.
Her lip curled in disappointment and disgust as she noted this.
Gerard it seemed had a few bits of money from before, and at first opportunity split off from the other two and found that hamburger that he had desired their entire trip here. With a sigh Courtney hung back, Gui'Yata, cloaked behind her shuffled to a stop as well. She couldn't see him for the cloak but she could feel the crackle of energy from his disguise as he stood there.
"As large as the city has gotten, it appears that not much about the human society has changed," he muttered in Sou.
She snorted in the same language, "You expected an epiphany? I mean it has been like this for millennium, you think a handful of years are going to change that?"
He chuckled, "I had actually."
"Silly you," She replied, shifting slightly as she took note of a clothes store near the place where Gerard had paused to buy some dinner.
Gui'Yata read her mind, "You should purchase something more suitable to wear."
"Have to have money for that Gui'." She pulled out the wallet seeing once again that she had no bills at all in her billfold.
He grunted, "Then we will procure them instead."
She looked back at the blur behind her, realizing that it would be an advantage, "You are brilliant Gui,' y'know that," and this time the words were in English.
Together they moved over to Gerard, and Courtney took enough time to let him know where they were going. He was happy as a clam, trying to talk around a huge mouthful of food.
"Don't choke on that now," she added as she moved off.
She walked in the open door, Gui'Yata still a few steps behind her, looking over the racks and finding something more suitable than the tattered rags she was currently in. When she found the items she wanted she would hand them to Gui'Yata who pulled them into the influence of his cloak, and they would effectively disappear.
"Can I help you Ma'am?" the lady behind the counter asked.
Courtney smiled broadly, suddenly self conscious about her accented English, "No that is fine…I'm just looking."
She smiled, though it was not nearly a heartfelt one, she seemed suspicious. Courtney wouldn't put it past her, especially the way she was currently dressed. Reversing the roles, Courtney would be kicking herself out of the store.
After several more swipes, the two of them made their way out of the store and retreated back to the alley where they had come from. Courtney made quick work of changing into some of the fresh clothes, tearing tags off as she went, no longer self conscious when Gui' was around about her nakedness in between.
She sighed, feeling human again, and then frowning at the thought of what that meant.
Gui'Yata de-cloaked then, his shoulders slouched heavily and his head hanging a bit, "You look…human…again," the inflection on "human" held more than one meaning to it.
Courtney watched as he reached up and disconnected the hoses on either side of his head, the hiss of the released gasses from his lines echoing loudly off of the walls. More slowly he pulled the mask from his face, stretching his mandibles, so tightly held in place by the confines of the device. The sadness in his eyes was more than a little evident to Courtney as he gazed down at her. His head tilted to one side, another emotion warring with the sorrow of the pending separation. She thought she knew what it was, only precisely what eluded her completely. The look made her feel uncomfortable.
His hand shot out then, grabbing her by the back of the neck, and he pulled her closer to his larger body. He had to stoop way down to do what he did next, a move that shocked her and scared her. He pressed his spiny forehead to her smaller one. His mandibles traced delicately over her cheeks, her chin, and the line of her jaw. A part of her amazed at how gentle he could be with those, the tusks tucked tightly against his skin, as if he was taking special pains to avoid hurting her. She had seen what he could do with those tusks; no piece of Xaca stood a chance around him. Yet these were the lightest of caresses.
Another part of her was painfully aware of the significance of the gesture. The move was one saved for Soua in courtship, in mating, and in bonding. He was telling her in no uncertain terms that he loved her, that their bonding was more to him than just a title. Courtney wondered just how long he had been restraining himself from revealing such a depth of emotion; from her, from his clan, and from the strangers who came in and out of their lives on a daily basis.
It was all she could do not to struggle against his hold, an insult that would forever damage their relationship. She felt the same, she truly did. But it was unattainable, and it was too late for them…time had run out. She was also torn between that feeling for her bondsman and that of the human with whom she was growing more and more attracted every day.
He must have sensed her tension for he withdrew from that intimacy, even though he did not release the hold of one large hand around the back of her neck. Gui'Yata only leaned back far enough for her to focus on him.
She let out a breath, her heart thudding loudly in her chest and her face hot with more emotions than she cared to try and name, "How long? Gui'…"
He didn't avert his eyes, as she had expected him to, and again she reminded herself that he wasn't human, and had never had issues with telling her how he felt, "Many rotations," he said gruffly, his voice heavy with emotions that were unusual for him.
She shook her head, tears of confusion threatening, breaking over and sliding down her cheeks. Gui'Yata was quick to wipe them away, consternation coming into his face to cloud the more primal emotions, "I do not…my position has not been one that would have allowed…"
She almost smiled to hear him stammer, sitting on it to spare his pride.
"I do not mean to separate from you with this burden unspoken," he finally managed.
"Oh Gui'," She said shakily, confusing the issue, or clarifying it, she wasn't sure which, when she added, "I wish I could go back…I don't belong here anymore."
"We both know that is beyond our power to make happen," Gui replied straightening from the intimacy altogether and assuming a distanced look.
"Then I wish you would stay," she added selfishly.
"I cannot," he answered, "It would be too difficult to keep me…provided for…here. There are still threats to my kind here."
Courtney looked at the litter strewn blacktop at her feet.
All further conversation was cut into by a low moan further into the shadows of the alley.
A/N: Well I had hoped to get this chapter to you guys earlier than this…HOWEVER…it just didn't happen. That is what I get for making promises! And this is not even the chapter I was intending to do on this! Snicker!
Janusi: Yeah I am still alive on this one…I started to put in what was my notes from the first draft of COI…but I needed that transistion…so here it is…with my little shocker at the end…Talk about a love triangle! HEE!
You will have to be patient about the South Gate, I am giving no secrets away here…LOL I am so cruel!
Wanderer: Hi there! I'm back finally! Snicker…Well we start her stomping grounds run here, but we will be back and forth along the two sides of the story so that things progress in parallel.
Golden Wind: Man I seriously owe you some reviews! blushes I have been so up to my ears in alligators lately it is not even funny, especially between getting my book published and work and college! But I PROMISE I will get back into the swing of it and get to reading some more of your chapters!
Bastet: Who she is going to see or not see, or see first or last I am not saying at this point, bask in the glory of Gui's admonition to Courtney and we will get into that in a later chapter! LOL! I am mean aren't I.
Crista: Heya! Well being that I am TRYING to give equal exposure to each half of the story here, we will see more about Quona's quest in the next chapter…I hope this chapter didn't disappoint! LOL!
Soulfulbee: I keep telling myself that the hardest part is over and that writing the rest of this will be a cake walk, that hasn't been the case obviously! I hope to have another chapter a lot faster than the last Quona chapter took me! Snicker! Thanks for your patience in the matter!
Buddy: YES Another new reviewer! I plan on compiling a glossary of terms here in the near future for people who are confused by my friendly coined terms! Snicker! Thank you for the suggestion!
Thanks to all who have had their patience worn thin by my slow updates…I would promise faster ones but my muse seems to tell me otherwise almost as soon as I say it…and go against your muse I dare you! It isn't a pretty picture!
Darwin
