Candidate (Selected Book 4) (30 page)

"Wait. Was the Loris working here yet?"

She laughed. "No."

"Pick something good for the next one," I said. "I like this game."

"All right. What do you think is my greatest personal fear?"

"Failure."

"Oh, point to you. Were my mothers supportive when I declared I wished to join this mission?"

"It's a one-way mission, isn't it?"

"Most probably, but who knows what will happen a few decades from now?"

"And they aren't here with you."

"No, they are not."

"Then no. They didn't want you to go. What mother would want to never see her daughter again?"

"They didn't like that part, but they were very supportive. The mission needed people like me, and I was raised to do my duty." She smiled. "How's your dinner,
Andie
?"

"Quite good, thank you," I said. I returned her smile. "You know, you're easy to please."

"Oh?"

"Yes. You look like the cat who ate the canary, and I was going to ask you to call me Andie, anyway. Instead of giving it away, I learned a few things about you. I consider it a good trade."

And then I focused on the food.

* * * *

Twenty minutes later found the meal over, the remnants handled, hands, mouths, and tentacles clean, and the two of us looking at each other. I crossed my legs and smiled inwardly when her eyes dropped for a moment. "Gotcha," I thought.

"Well, Jasmine," I said, "What do you have planned for the remainder of our evening?"

"I don't plan every move in advance, Andie."

"Were you too preoccupied while I was getting ready to think about it?" I asked. I smiled. "Maybe you were busy watching some of the mating candidates."

"Are you suggesting I was watching you in the shower?"

I considered for a moment. "I was wondering something. Do you think we could call a truce for the rest of the night?"

"I wasn't aware we were fighting."

"So we haven't been sparring?"

The tips of her tentacles waved at me. "You don't enjoy our conversations?"

"I want to drop my defenses and not worry you'll take advantage of it. Is it possible I could relax?"

"Of course," she said. "As I suggested earlier, I thought about inviting one or two more and teaching you a game, but if you're fatigued, we can talk until it's time to send you to your bed."

"Are you offering to share the entire evening with me?"

"I am."

"Will it disappoint you if I ask you to choose?"

"No, but then you can't complain if you preferred the other choice." I nodded acceptance. "I'd like to teach you this game," she said. "Nearly all the ETs play it. Do you care whom I invite?"

"If you invite a pair of Loris, will they be bickering and sparring?"

"Probably, but you don't have to let yourself respond to it, Andie."

"Then you should invite whomever you would like to invite."

"Let's move to the living room and see who wishes to come." She rose to her feet then offered tentacles to me. I thought she did so deliberately, but I accepted, letting her pull me to my feet. Then I kept control of one of them and did a little pirouette, wrapping the tentacle around my waist. I slipped my arm around her shoulders and then smiled at her.

"Very adroit," she said. But she didn't pull away as she led me into the living room. She released me to the sofa, taking the other end. "We can play with three, although I prefer the dynamics when there are a few more than that. But I'll start with Clover and we'll go from there."

She cocked her head. Then I heard one side of the conversation. Fat lot of good it did me. She didn't speak English. But then she switched to English. "She was surprised but sounds pleased to come. I'd like to invite Bay and Cedar. I'll ask them to behave."

"All right."

This conversation was in English, which surprised me. "Good evening Cedar. No, there's nothing wrong. This is a social call. Mating candidate Andromeda is with me, and I wish to teach her Boardwalk. Clover is on her way. Would you and your husband care to help teach her?" Pause, pause. "Excellent. That would be lovely." Pause. "And Cedar? She's had a big day." Pause. "Perfect. Thank you. See you soon."

"
She's had a big day
is code for
be kind to the human
?"

"Cedar is very nurturing," Jasmine replied. "Before anyone arrives, I need to tell you something. This game is intellectual in a fashion similar to chess, although quite different. But there is one aspect that tends to be slightly physical. It is only light touch, but it can be rather possessive. If that will make you uncomfortable, I can block it."

"Do you really think I'm going to mind if anyone touches me? They aren't going for my ass or boobs are they?"

"No, nothing like that." But then she looked me up and down pointedly.

"Oh, don't give me that," I said. "You like seeing me self-conscious. Were you really offering to back off?"

"Yes."

"This isn't a case of setting up the naïve human, is it? If you want to play mind games with me, can you give me one evening off?"

"No mind games."

"Thank you. We should play the game the way it is intended."

"Good. I hope you'll be comfortable. I'm going to set up. You can relax for a minute or two." Then she rose to her feet and stepped away. She returned nearly immediately carrying a couple of cushions. She made multiple trips, setting the cushions on the floor. Then she moved the coffee table well to the side and arranged the cushions in a circle. She made one more trip and returned with a wood box about the size of a typical picnic basket. This she set down in the space left by the cushions.

"All this alien technology, and you play on the floor leaning against those cushions?"

"It is very low tech," she said. She cocked her head, and then I heard the door open. I turned my head, and Clover stepped in.

I rose to my feet. Jasmine collected me on the way to the door, wrapping two tentacles around me to guide me along, but then she released me and clasped hands and tentacles with Clover.

But then I stepped straight to Clover and accepted a tight hug, tentacles practically everywhere. Her tentacles snuffled, and she whispered. "You really smell good, Andromeda."

"Tonight I am Andie," I said.

She snuffled a little more before releasing me. I slid a hand down to one of her tentacles and then stepped backwards, sliding my hand until I was cupping just the tip.  I raised it to my lips and kissed it briefly, then just held it like I might a hand. I turned to Jasmine.

She was staring, open-mouthed.

"She says I smell good," I said. "Why do you look so shocked?"

"You kissed her tentacle."

I immediately dropped it. "Oh god. Did I do something wrong?" I turned to Clover. "I'm sorry. I wasn't really thinking. I didn't know that meant something. Please don't tell Peony! I'm really sorry!"

"Relax, Andie," she said, her tentacles quivering a little. "You didn't do anything wrong. Kissing a tentacle tip is an offer, but it is a simple offer and not at all what you're thinking. It is something good friends do."

"You're sure?"

"Quite sure," she said.

I glanced at Jasmine. Her entire posture had now changed, and her tentacles were arrayed about her, the tips quivering like Clover's had.

"All right," I said slowly. I gestured. "What's with the wriggling appendages?"

"A sign of mirth," Clover said. "You have heard us vocalize a laugh, although it sounds different from a human laugh. But when our tentacles are free to express themselves, you can learn more about our mood from them than anything else."

"Catseye body language."

"Just so," agreed Jasmine.

I turned back to Clover. "All right. And kissing one?"

"Humans find it startling," Jasmine said quickly. "I think you should show her, Clover."

"How startling?"

"It varies dramatically," Jasmine said. "My personal sample size has been very small, however, and all positive. But I have been extremely careful, especially after hearing of reactions other Catseye have experienced."

"Will you let me show you?" Clover asked. I eyed her carefully and nodded. So she stepped closer. "It usually starts with a hug." I nodded again, so she wrapped around me, including one tentacle against my left cheek, another wrapping around and just slightly over my nose.

"This feels like the Vulcan mind meld," I said.

"What is that?"

"Television show reference," I said.

"I have placed my tentacles here very carefully," she said, and the very tips both tapped my face in emphasis. They were quite clever. "But if I place one across your lips, it is a request."

"For me to kiss."

"Yes. It is a kiss between friends, not lovers. But if you kiss, it is an offer."

"To kiss back?"

"Not exactly. Do you want me to tell you or surprise you?"

"Oh, why not? Surprise me."

The tentacle across my nose shifted until it was placed across my lips. So I gave it a little kiss. And in response, it began worming it's way into my mouth!

I opened to complain, and the tip slipped right inside.

"Don't bite," Clover said into my ear. "Please don't bite."

"Mmmm mmm," I said, my mouth full of Catseye tentacle. In response, she teased my tongue for a moment and then withdrew. But she held me tightly a little longer before releasing me and stepping back.

I stared at her, my hand over my mouth. Neither of them said a word; they both watched me.

Finally I said, "You Frenched me."

She cocked her head. "Was that slang?"

"Yes, I suppose it was. When human lovers kiss, they may use tongue. In English, that is referred to as French kissing. I don't know why."

The tentacles quivered. "This is not between lovers," she said. "It is a little dominant, however. Mothers do this to daughters. I do this -- did this -- with my younger sister. Lovers do it, too, but unless there is an imbalance of power in their relationship, it is typically mutual, and a little more... Hmm. Teasing is involved."

"If a Catseye lays her tentacle there, you are under no obligation to kiss," Jasmine added. "If you do, it is an offer, and that was an especially brief acceptance. Some Catseye, the ones who do not know humans well, have seen some humans accept this, and they are more forward about it than they should be."

"Explain."

"They may not wait for you to kiss. I find it presumptuous to the point of being rude, and from the few reactions I've seen, the humans involved have felt the same way."

"I withdrew quickly because your, well, your mouth language was not encouraging," Clover said. "If you wish to encourage, you can close your lips."

"But don't bite."

"Don't bite," they said together.

"All right. How submissive is this?"

"Only a little," Jasmine said.

"All right. And when I kissed it the first time?"

"A similar offer," Cover said. "But not one you should make casually."

"It can also be considered presumptuous," Jasmine clarified.

"To the point of being rude?"

"No. And it depends upon your relationship with the Catseye involved. If you did it to someone you barely knew, then it looks, hmm. Let us use a human expression. It looks like a backwoods hick trying to act sophisticated."

"I
am
a backwoods hick," I said.

"I thought it was sweet," Clover said. "I do not see you as backwoods, to use the term our illustrious administrator selected."

"I think I understand. Don't take this the wrong way, but you taste funny, Clover."

"Every human feels that way," Jasmine said. "Some grow to enjoy the taste."

"Got it," I said.

"So, is it just us, or are more coming?" Clover asked.

"We're going to have a Loris invasion," I said. "But they seem to be slow." I chuckled at my joke. Neither Catseye got it. "You know. A Slow Loris. Get it? No?" I sighed. "Is this mic on?"

"What is she talking about?" Clover asked.

"I'm not sure. Why don't you start showing her the game?"

* * * *

Clover and I sat leaning against adjacent cushions as she began to teach me the game. But then, mid explanation, she asked, "Do you mind if I touch?"

"No. Is this part of the game?"

"No. It is only touch."

"Feel free," I said.

She slipped a single tentacle over then continued her explanation. The tentacle had a mind of its own, stretching across my back underneath the camisole with the tip coming over my shoulder to wrap partway around my neck. It was distracting, and I reached up and caressed it, but after that I was able to pay better attention.