Plutonian

Chapter 30

Cassandra squeaks in excitement when she sees the luminescent rectangular signboard that says Humanoid sitting on top of the small restaurant we are approaching. I snap out of my daze when I realize that we have reached our destination and lean forward as the glider stops in front of the small one door entrance that has been lined by bright yellow light bulbs.  

Once he stops I feel Cassandra's hand in mine.

"Aria, are these friends of yours really nice? Will they be okay with me coming? Being a paramour and all," Her expression is calm but the nervousness in her green eyes betray her. I feel my heart sink slightly in my chest as I look at her.

She has always worried about me and how I was coping with my training and fights but I have never really paid as much attention to her life as a paramour aside from the time I thought she was with Lazarus. 

I didn't know if she was lonely. If she was being treated well. If she was happy. 

I squeezed her hand tightly as reassurance. 

"To be honest I'm just as nervous as you are. I only know one of them," I reply looking directly into her eyes. "But we need this Cassandra. We've needed this ever since we came here."

She smiles and nods her head, getting me immediately like she usually does. She knows I'm talking about the warmth and companionship we've been deprived of since we were taken from Earth. 

As slaves we were never allowed to talk to each other for more than a few minutes. Even if we did find friendship there was never any trust because most of the slaves soon bought the Plutonian propaganda and were staunchly subservient and faithful. Those who spoke against the Plutonian's were reported on by their very own friends and punished severely just like I was. 

Friendship was nothing but a fallacy. An obscure method to weed the troublemakers out and although we pushed the loneliness to the back of minds and worked till we were too tired to feel anything, the lack of affection was always present like a festering illness hidden in the deepest parts of our hearts. 

I've seen the slaves cry themselves to sleep at night. Some calling out names of loved ones as they mumble in their sleep. I remember doing so many times before as well as I hugged myself pretending it was my mother's arms around me instead of my own. I imagined my father reading me bed time stories before closed my eyes. 

The images slowly faded but the longing never did. Which is why the idea of humans having a night of fun together seems so foreign and just too good to be true. If there is even such a thing, I know I have to experience it. I am sick to death of being around arrogant and entitled Plutonians. I need this for my piece of mind.

"We have to be careful. We can't trust anyone," Cassandra whispers and I nod my head in agreement.

"If they ask, we'll tell them we're with regular Commander's. It's not entirely untrue," I say. "Do you have any names we can use?"

"What about Commander Alpho? He's middle aged and Siphus tells me he's very private about his personal life. I don't mind telling them about Siphus since a few humans have already spotted us in the city before," She tells me.

"Okay, thank you so much. I just don't want anyone to know yet, you know?" I say and then I sigh out loud. That will just be another unnecessary problem that I don't need. 

"Yes, I understand now after meeting Lazarus," She pauses and shoots me a look of worry before speaking. "It must be quite a burden to be with someone of that position."

I raise my highbrows wondering what she means by that but our driver unlocks the doors and revs the engine slightly signalling for us to leave. 

I quickly scoot out the door with Cassandra behind me and the moment our feet touch the ground the door shuts and he drives away.