'Sacmis' (formerly 'Alien Abduction')

Chapter 61: Floating Away

“So what do we think?” asked Laura, after the aliens had left them.

“I think they mean what they say,” said Kate, “and they can’t do it alone.”

“But to go to Sacmis with them would be madness,” said Amisha. “How can we know their faction will persuade the others? Even if we wanted to, we’d be putting ourselves in enormous danger.”

“This may sound harsh,” said Laura, “but this is not our problem. Or Earth’s, for that matter. We didn’t ask to be abducted.”

“I rather think it may have become our problem,” said Gemma, “the implications of everything we now know are bigger than us.”

They fell silent, thinking about the significance of what she’d said.

“Putting that aside,” said Laura, “what do we actually think about these four aliens?”

“How do you mean?” said Amisha.

“On a personal level,” said Laura, “do we like them, do we trust them?”

“I think we know Kate’s answer to that one,” said Amisha and they all laughed, including Kate. “What do you think Laura?”

Laura hesitated for a moment. 

“The longer we’re with them, the less I think of them as aliens. I think they mean what they say,” she paused for a moment, “and I like Teo. In another time, another place, I could see myself…”

“…doing what?” said Amisha.

“…getting to know him…better, I guess,” said Laura, more than a little embarrassed.

“But don’t you see?” said Gemma who up to now had remained silent but now responded with surprising force. “This is another time, another place, here, now. These two weeks have changed our lives, can we really turn our backs and go back to normal?”

“Hello,” said Kate, cocking her head in Gemma’s direction, “do I detect a convert?”

“Yes,” said Amisha, “don’t think we didn’t notice that little look you exchanged with Irvn earlier.”

Gemma blushed.

“Do we have another recruit to Kate’s club?” said Laura.

After the laughter, Gemma drew breath and answered.

“It was nothing,” she said. “I couldn’t sleep last night so I took a walk up to the bridge. There was nobody there…”

“…and?” said Amisha

“…then suddenly Irvn appeared. Gave me quite a shock.”

“Irvn, on the bridge? That’s unusual,” said Kate, laughing.

“Anyway,” continued Gemma, ignoring her, “We talked a bit, then I asked him if I could try the Zero Gravity Chamber again. After all, it’s unlikely I’ll ever get another chance”

“And?” said Kate.

“So we did,” said Gemma simply.

“And how was Irvn?” asked Laura.

“He was great, very patient. Especially since I seemed to have forgotten everything I learned the first time. He’s a good teacher.”

“And was that all he taught you?” said Amisha. “No funny business?”

There are times when a half-truth is more effective than a complete denial and this was one of them.

“Well, I guess he held on to me a bit more than was strictly necessary,” replied Gemma, “and - yes - there was a quick kiss, but apart from that he was a complete gentleman.”