Ramliel by A.M. Griffin

Chapter Six

 

“Gather all of your belongings and meet in the reception hall for the arrival of your mate.”

The overhead announcement set off her nerves and Mia’s heart flipped and flopped. Her stomach wasn’t much better.

“I don’t want you.”

For the past three months the adamant declaration was all she heard in her head.

While everyone else anxiously awaited their arrival to Teague and wanted to meet the mate they’d felt like they’d grown up with, Mia had been in turmoil. She hadn’t mentioned Ram’s last words to either Lina or Diana. They talked about their mates constantly while Mia had smiled and played along.

She didn’t pretend Ram was attentive and continued to send messages but she also didn’t tell the truth. Whenever they asked about him, she smiled and deflected. How could she tell them that she didn’t expect her mate to welcome her with open arms or that the last message she’d received had been when he was ten and although he’d had ample time to change his mind, he hadn’t?

Both Lina and Diana had watched videos of their mates that almost spanned a lifetime. They’d gotten to grow with their mates and now knew them as well-established adults. Mia didn’t know where or what Ram was up to. Was he even still alive?

“Please be patient. Once your mate arrives, we will call your name.” Came the next set of messages on a loop.

Mia stood with the rest of the women in the reception hall. It was a large empty space that had become a hangout during down time. There was a popular game on Teague involving a ball and knee pads that everyone had been trying to learn. Mia hadn’t tried to participate but she’d come to watch the other women as they’d played and cheered them on.

The A.I.’s largely stayed out of the way, gave lessons on the game and refereed the tournaments. Now, the tall robots that had taken care of them on their centuries long journey stood in a single file by the door. Mia hadn’t interacted much with them because they looked like they could snap her neck if they went rogue, but a lot of the women had grown close to the A.I.’s and saw them as protectors.

“Please stand back from the door as we prepare to disembark.”

The mood in the room grew with excited chatter and bright smiles. Everyone had their suitcases and backpacks, all of their Earthly possessions with them. Mia hadn’t used a quarter of the items she’d brought with her.

The clothes weren’t needed since everything had been provided. The smell good soaps and lotions that she’d brought from a popular name brand store remained unopened and unused. Also in her suitcase were the items she’d been able to take from her house after her dad died, two photo albums full of pictures, an old tie and her mother’s necklace and matching bracelet.

She clutched the handle of the suitcase on her right tighter and brought it closer to her body as she thought about those items.

“I’m scared and excited,” Lina said from her left.

And who could blame her? She was about to meet someone who’d waited their entire life for her. Lina’s eyes darted around the room and when she caught the gaze of someone else she knew, she smiled and waved.

“How are you doing? You haven’t really said anything lately,” Lina asked Mia when she faced her again.

Mia planted a fake smile on her face. “I’m doing good. Just nervous.”

Lina focused her gaze on Mia. Then seeing the smile, which must be convincing enough, she relaxed. “I hope we’ll live close to each other. My mate, Ahnir, told me we could have my friends over for dinner and date nights.”

Lina had that dreamy look in her eyes she got whenever she spoke about Ahnir and a pang of jealousy hit Mia.

As quick as the emotion came, Mia pushed the feeling aside. This was a big day for everyone here. She wouldn’t ruin their joy because her own had been ruined months ago by the fierce words of a young man in the making.

Glancing around the room, she wondered if any of the other women might have been unhappy about being selected to leave Earth. Based on the upbeat energy of the room, she couldn’t tell. The air brimmed with expectation. Any apprehension prior to their arrival, now seemed gone. Even her fear of what was coming next couldn’t dispel her happiness for those she’d come to know and she didn’t want it to.

Think happy thoughts for them. Think happy thoughts.

“I’ll looking forward to date nights and get togethers,” Mia finally replied. “We’ll get to explore Teague together.”

Lina squeezed her arm and let out a high-pitched squeal. “I’m so excited. I had no idea that I could be this excited about meeting someone.”

“An alien someone at that,” Diana joked as she lugged her two suitcases behind her and made it the last few steps through the crowd to reach them. “Are we ready for this?”

Lina bounced on the tips of her toes, a wide smile stretched across her bubbly face. “So ready. Like, this has been two hundred years in the making.”

The urge to throw up hit Mia hard. Her stomach muscles clenched and the bright lights above seemed way too bright now. Shame heated her face, causing her brow to grow damp with sweat. They didn’t know. They had no idea.

Both of her friends waited for her to say something about this momentous occasion. Mia swallowed back bile and said weakly, “Yay, so ready.”

“Amber Thompson, please come to the door. Your mate has arrived to retrieve you.”

Everyone in the room glanced up at once toward the overhead speakers when the announcement blared. As if in unison, their gazes then shifted toward the door. A large paneling at the doorway retracted into the ceiling. People angled to get a better look. A ramp and another set of open doors led to the unknown.

“So just like that?” someone grumbled. “They call us and we go running out there?”

The grumblings were lost in the rise of anxious whispers as a leggy blonde broke away from the crowd and made her way toward the ramp. Amber Thompson. Mia vaguely recalled speaking to her once. Amber waved at a few women who’d accompanied her to the exit and after a few hugs, she was gone.

Just like that. Off to her new life. A new mate. Mia searched for the initial woman who’d grumbled about the cattle call process but it was hard to identify anyone as the reality began hitting and laughter rose in volume with conversation.

That same message repeated over and over with a different woman’s name inserted each time. Sweat pooled at Mia’s armpits. Fear clutched at her throat.

Joanie. Michelle. Katie. Daliya.

Women she knew in passing, some she’d befriended casually. Then finally it was her friends’ turn. Diana got called first. She screamed then hugged Mia and Lina before bouncing down the ramp. “Later, bitches!”

Next came Lina’s name. She gripped Mia tight about the shoulders and whispered, “I’ll see you on the other side. Take care.”

Then she was gone with a jaunty wave to the few women remaining.

Tasha. Ariana. Keisha.

Everyone got called.

Everyone except Mia.

She was the last one standing in a huge room that had seemed swallowed by the number of bodies huddled and waiting earlier.

With suitcases in hand, she continued to wait. The A.I. above was silent. First one tear slipped free. Then another. Her throat constricted and soon a steady stream of tears ran down her face until Mia choked on a sob. And still she waited.

“I don’t want you.”

Those last words from Ram repeated in her head, over and over again.

What was she supposed to do? There was no returning to Earth. Return to what? Even if returning to Earth was an option, it would take her another two hundred years to get back. That would put her four hundred years behind. They would probably have flying cars by then.

With everyone else gone, the room was eerily quiet. The door to the ramp remained open.

Mia stared at it through an image made blurry from her crying. Should she return to her room?

“Mia Takeria. Please proceed to the end of the ramp.”

Her pulse jumped. Mia glanced around, looking for the person they’d called. Did they mean Mia Brown? And why hadn’t they said, “Your mate has arrived to retrieve you?”

Mia’s chest deflated. She wouldn’t get that because there was no mate to retrieve her. Ram had made himself very clear. He didn’t want Mia and wasn’t coming. A government official probably waited to tell her what the plan for discarded mates was. If she were lucky, it included assisted housing of some sort. Otherwise, she was looking at the very likely prospect of being homeless and living in the streets.

Wait. Did this planet even have streets? Another sob tore through her.

Mia adjusted her grip on the handles of her suitcases and pressed forward. The sounds of the wheels against the floor seemed loud and intrusive against the quiet. She strolled down the ramp, her boots thumping against the metal grating with each step.

She exited the second set of doors and standing on the other side was an older male. His hair was pulled up and styled in a bun. He had more gray than brown fur on his face and arms. His eyes were dark, but ringed in blue. He wore a a high collared black jacket with amber colored stones for buttons down the front and matching slim fitted pants that hugged his huge thighs. A wide black belt looped around his waist. All of it appeared very neatly pressed.

Yup. Government official who is going to cart me off to some facility for discarded mates, she decided on a somber sigh.

Mia took a deep breath and walked toward him with her chin held high. If all she had was her pride, she’d hold it in her tight grasp. He nodded as she drew closer. Any doubt he wasn’t here for her disappeared. Her eyes burned but she blinked away the tears of rejection. The time for crying was over.

Every woman on board the transport vessel had been wanted. Except her.

She stopped in front of the male. “I’m Mia Brown. The announcement said Takeria, but they got it wrong. Might be a translation issue.”

“Takeria is now your name.” The older male smiled warmly at her and held the palm of his right hand to the left side of his chest in what she recognized as the Yatra greeting. “I’m Hinduru. Ramliel’s assistant. I’m here to get you settled.”

Mia placed her right hand over the left side of her chest. “Thank you. I didn’t think anyone was coming for me.”

“I’m sorry I was late. I wasn’t aware that arrangements hadn’t been made for you.” He reached for both bags and pulled them. “Our transport is this way. Please follow me.”

She followed him through a domed building where the ship must have docked. Outside, she glanced up to see a glass ceiling with brightness from the sun and puffs of what she imagined was snow covering most of the roof.

“You’ll notice that we travel through a series of covered walkways. Even though we are accustomed to the cold, we understand humans may not find it enjoyable. We’ve made some accommodations that I hope will make Teague more agreeable for you all.”

It snowed for most of the year on Teague. They did have a summer month, but it was brief and didn’t get hotter than what would be seventy degrees back on Earth.

“Ram was supposed to come get me,” Mia said as they came upon an open area with a few vehicles.

“He’s been called elsewhere,” Hinduru said.

They reached a sleek black tubular vehicle parked in a structure. There were no wheels and it hovered two feet above the ground. Hinduru opened one of the doors and put her bags inside then held open another door for her.

Mia glanced inside, holding onto the door frame. There were three short rows of seats but no driver and no driver seat. “Um…”

“It’s okay,” Hinduru said. “Get in and this will take you to your new home.”

New home.

She bit her bottom lip. Could she trust this strange looking alien to take her…home? She glanced around the area. No one was left. They’d all been taken to their new homes. There wasn’t any blood on the ground. No signs of a struggle or fight. It appeared that everyone had gone willingly.

Mia glanced at the distance the vehicle was from the ground. She lifted a leg, testing if she could make it herself or not. She couldn’t without making a fool of herself.

“Um, is there a step?” Should she jump?

“My apologies.” Hinduru pressed a button and steps unfolded from the doorway. “These are the child steps.”

Mia chuckled nervously as she climbed inside. “Well, now they’re child and human steps.”

Hinduru helped her. “I admit that I’ve never had to use them before. But yes, they’ll be put to good use now.”

They exited the building and Mia spent the ride to her new home with face pressed against the window looking outside. The hovercar went too fast for her to make out anything. Buildings gleamed under a bright sun. Snow glistened on the ground and light bounced off in places indicative of icy conditions out there as well.

Luckily, the hovercar didn’t have any wheels and she didn’t have to worry about hitting an ice patch and skidding.

Hinduru didn’t act like a guide. He didn’t offer any commentary about where she was or her thoughts on what she viewed. Mia studied his reflection in the window a few times, wondering if Ram looked like him. He wasn’t bad looking and actually nice and welcoming. He’d taken the entire row in the front, leaving the middle row empty and she was in the back row by herself. A glass tablet on his lap occupied his attention.

The hovercar slowed and turned toward a dark blue dome shaped building, stopping in front of it. Hinduru lowered his tablet and opened the door. He stepped out and Mia stayed where she was, waiting for direction. It came when her door opened and Hinduru stood there with hand out, ready to assist her. “We’re here.”

Here.

Heart in her chest, Mia accepted his hand because she didn’t trust herself on shaking legs to step out on her own. Bitter wind whipped over, around and through her. The chill penetrated the flimsy winter coat she’d packed to bite at her skin and settle into her bones.

A shiver ran through her. She immediately snapped her mouth closed to protect her teeth against the chill. She squinted her eyes to protect them as well. It. Was. Cold.

Hinduru chuckled. “Your assistant will help you to order appropriate clothing.”

“Y-you’re n-n-not my a-assistant?” As soon as she finished the sentence, she pressed her lips tightly together. That small amount of talking made her teeth hurt. She had more questions but didn’t dare open her mouth again.

Hinduru retrieved her bags and Mia followed him to the front door. He opened and went inside and she followed. Warmth immediately embraced her. The wind whipped the outside of the structure but no chill penetrated the walls or windows. Hinduru placed her bags at the entranceway and pulled out his glass tablet again from his jacket pocket.

As cold as it was outside he didn’t have on a coat. Just a business jacket. The fur on his body probably kept him warm.

“No, I work for Ramliel.” Hinduru concentrated on punching clawed fingertips on his tablet, making a click, click, click sound as he did. “I’ve hired your new assistant. She is qualified to help you navigate your new life on Teague.”

“Wait. What about Ram? Will he help me?” Her breath lodged in her throat.

“Ramliel is very busy. He’s currently off-world at the moment tending to business.” Hinduru tapped his glass tablet again and it folded down to the size of an SD card then he stored it in a slot of the watch-like thing he wore on his wrist.

“This is called a comlink,” he said. “I’ve ordered you one, as well as a coat and shoes better suited for this climate.”

Mia glanced down at her feet. The expensive boots had held up pretty well, but Hinduru would know best. She raised her head. “Thank you.”

He gave her a short nod then took the handles of her luggage and started down a hallway. “I’ll take these to your room.”

Mia followed, checking out the house as she did. What appeared to be family photos hung on the walls. The furniture looked well-worn but it was still nicely decorated and taken care of. Thick rugs were spread over a hard floor. But even though the floor was made out of some type of marble, she felt the heat radiating on the soles of her boots. She was glad that she wouldn’t have to worry about her feet being cold while indoors. Despite the warmness that now spread throughout her body she shivered at hearing the wind howl outside.

They reached a door and before entering, she peeked her head in the room opposite from the one Hinduru had entered. She recognized the shelves. The toys she’d seen on Ram’s holovids were gone and replaced by figurines. She also recognized the bed. Ram’s childhood room. Her heart fluttered and stomach knotted. While the room in Ram’s holovids was slightly different, it was one in the same. He’d grown up from a boy to someone in his teenage years. It seemed stuck in time.

“This is your room,” Hinduru said, standing at the doorway of the room opposite of Ram’s.

Mia gulped. After all this time she was going to finally meet him. Not only meet him but share a house with him. Maybe even a room. She took one last glance at the bed in Ram’s room. It was a child’s bed. She crossed the hall to the room Hinduru stood near.

Now that’s a bed.

Not only was it huge but it also set high off the ground. She would need to run to jump into it. A bed like this could also accommodate a grown Yatur male. Her heart skipped a beat and raced. Was she ready for this?

“Um…maybe I should take one of the other rooms? Just until I’m comfortable.” Her ribs seemed to constrict her lungs. She couldn’t get enough air in.

Hinduru turned toward her and frowned. “Why? You don’t find this room comfortable?”

“I…ah…it’s a nice room, but I…um…would need some time…before I sleep with Ram.”

Hinduru let out a sigh and his gaze softened. “Ram doesn’t live here. He stays in his apartment whenever he’s on planet.”

Mia’s eyes widened. “He isn’t going to live here with me?”

Hinduru shook his head. He glanced around as if remembering something. “He moved out when his father died. It was hard for him and his dad to stay here after his mother died, but after his father…”

Hinduru shook his head again and a rush of sympathy for the little boy filled Mia.

“Oh, okay,” was all she could say.

“Well, get some rest and I’ll contact you in the morning.”

Wait. Morning? He was going to leave her alone? All day?

Panic filled her as she watched Hinduru walk toward the front door. Mia chased after him, steeling her spine for the question she had to ask. She already knew the answer but needed to ask anyway. “Will I get to meet him?”

Hinduru paused at the door. The look he gave her was familiar. It was one of pity that took her back to the days of her dad’s death. Mia didn’t need pity. She never did. Not then and not now. She lifted her chin as he said, “Most likely not. Enjoy your life, Mia Takeria.”

Without a backward glance, Hinduru went through the door and rode off in his black vehicle.

“I don’t want you,” echoed in her head.

And Ram didn’t.