Echoes

Ladies' Night

    Dressed in a sheer sleeveless indigo mini with her blonde hair curled about her shoulders, Claudia turned heads on the street outside Club Ganymede. Hope trailed behind in a form-fitting silver skirt and matching stiletto heels, as nervous of walking in the unfamiliar shoes as she was of being compared to her friend.
    "Relax," Claudia said. "You look hot. The guys are going to be all over you."
    Hope's cheeks burned and she managed a weak "thanks, Clawz." The bass of the DJ's music throbbed in her stomach before she reached the outside door. She reached into her handbag for the cover charge, but Claudia stopped her.
    "Been a while, hasn't it? Watch this." Claudia strutted into the entrance and passed the line of men waiting to get in. "They're not going to charge us--they only make the boys pay. Managers want hotties in the club."
    The bouncer held the door for Claudia, who didn't slow her stride. Hope followed dutifully and flashed a smile at the man.
    Spotlights shifting colors in time with the music pierced clouds of fog machine smoke and illuminated the dance floor where several dozen twenty-somethings moved with the beat. Three sharply dressed bartenders served up drinks at the bar, and waitstaff weaved through the crowd to deliver orders. Tables and booths filled a balcony overlooking the bustle of the ground floor.
    Claudia led Hope to the bar and caught a Jack and Coke one of the bartenders slid her way. "Same for your friend, Clawz?"
    "I don't think whiskey is her taste," Claudia said. "Make her a cosmo, but a strong one."
    Hope surveyed the bottles filling the shelves behind the bar. "I don't think I have a taste."
    Claudia threw a playful jab at Hope's shoulder. "That's why I got you a cosmo. Hashtag basic. I really need to get you out more." She pointed at the balcony. "I see Jack and Matt upstairs with some of my coworkers. You ready?"
    Hope took a deep breath, lifted the martini glass and chugged its ruby contents. She winced and shook off the effect. "One more please."
   The bartender handed her another glass in short order, and Hope turned to Claudia with an eager grin. "Let's do this."

----

    Forsephore leaned against the black marble wall in the central floor of the Hub and watched the projections in the darkness above. Screens showed the Prime's view following Her friend through a throng of humans, Her eyes scanning the excitement and flickering lights on all sides. Forsephore found the constant motion overwhelming and looked away. Some of the disorientation could have been the vodka in the Prime's beverage. When a substance affected the Prime, all the Echoes felt its influence.
    One by one, several of Foresphore's allies entered the Hub and melted into the crowd. Lower caste Echoes would escape Sevnynate's notice, even if some hadn't been seen in the Hub for years. Every so often, a long-forgotten Echo might receive a burst of inspiration and rise in rank for a season. The fickle nature of human interests and intentions created a perpetual shifting within Echo society, a touch of chaos mixed with stability, like an ocean's waves.
But now I'm rocking the boat instead of being carried along.
    Sevnynate stood among the Alphas, proudly declaring some thoughts about the Prime's evening activities. The Chief seemed less stiff, laughing and smiling with peers instead of lording over lesser beings.
    But Forsephore's friends Sicsayto and Thriophor remained on the outskirts of the group, isolated from the rest. No one paid them any mind, or so it seemed from a distance. The reason became obvious when Thriophor tried to speak.
    Sevnynate interjected at once and kept the others' attention.
On screen, the Prime drew near to a booth of perfect human specimens--muscular yet graceful, slim but strong. One of the men offered a broad smile that the Prime clearly appreciated.
Forsephore felt a rush of giddiness tingling within her so much like inspiration that she checked her skin to see if it illuminated. Gray as ever. She fought down the excitement and kept her face passive and calm. Don't attract Sevnynate's attention... don't blow this before it even starts.
The Prime exchanged greetings and took a seat beside the male named Matt, who smiled at her while introducing himself. Forsephore studied the humans' interactions. Some of the Prime's new friends seemed more like Sevnynate than Forsephore liked, with smug looks and half-smiles for the newcomer Claudia brought into their group.
One woman Claudia introduced as Jenna glared whenever the Prime interacted with Matt. If she got any more heated, she'd spontaneously combust. Hope must have noticed too. She can't help making nervous glances in that direction.
Then Matt took the Prime's hand, whispered a compliment, and asked her to dance.
The Prime hesitated and Forsephore cringed.
Hope's hand reached out onscreen and grabbed her glass. The picture spun toward the ceiling as Hope drained the contents. Then she rose to her feet, met Matt's warm eyes, and nodded.
Sudden commotion from the Alphas' platform attracted Forsephore's attention, along with most of the other Echoes in the Hub.
Thriophor radiated light, brighter than any other Alpha save the Chief. She stood basking in the surge of delight, surrounded by the others, who gasped and stared at the unexpected change. Throughout the central chamber, Echoes murmured and pointed.
Sevnynate found herself on the outer edge of the circle, and immediately shoved her way back in.
The view followed Matt slipping between couples to an open spot on the dance floor. Forsephore could feel the pounding beat, and the lights in the Hub pulsed in rhythm, matching the club.
That's it, Hope. Forsephore looked to the screens above. Dare to believe.
Sicsayto twirled across the Alpha platform like a ballerina made of sunlight. She slid into a shuffle and kick, then dipped low. Her laughter filled the chamber. More gasps and exclamations resounded in the Hub.
Sevnynate fumed at the display of inspiration. Arms crossed as tight as her bun, she turned fiery eyes to the monitors above.
Sicsayto calmed down and joined Thriophor in the circle of Alphas. Forsephore moved closer, gauging their reactions. Several seemed dumbfounded but curious, peppering the two glowing Alphas with questions. Sevnynate pulled Wunforoh aside and whispered while making sharp, choppy gestures.
Forsephore searched the faces in the Hub until she found Tuwonyne. The Echo sat in the Seventh Caste row, leaning forward, eagerly watching the proceedings.
No sign of greater inspiration for her yet, Forsephore noted. But her moment will come. Matt might even be the one.
On screen, Matt's eyes flickered to the left, often enough that Forsephore noticed despite the distractions in the Hub. The view turned as the Prime followed Matt's wayward gaze...
Supermodel hot in a slinky black barely-there miniskirt, Jenna approached the couple with a sultry sway, her eyes hungry.
Forsephore groaned. So maybe it's not Matt. Either way, this isn't likely to end well.