Page 24 of Her Alien Delegate
"I've been calculating your consumption and will be forced to tube feed you if you do not keep down your food," Bode announced after I pushed off my knees to stop breathing between my legs to get over the nausea.
"Pointer for future human interactions—don't tell us that we are eating things like shit, eggs, or just don't explain what we are eating at all."
"Is your species not aware of what it eats on your planet? This seems unreasonable. You drink lactations from many species, as well as the urine of your own kind used to preserve your foods. Humans gather feces from other species and use it to adddiscarded nutrients to their own dishes. It is also common for your species to regularly consume unfertilized offspring of other species, or even fermenting lactations until they spoil and eating their mold."
"You mean cheese?"
"Ah, you prefer to use disassociation from your habits to accept them. I will rename things for your preferences if this will help you keep your nutrients inside your flesh recepti."
Another plop into the food dispenser and a packet appeared.
"What's that?" I asked suspiciously.
"A 'delicacy'," I noted the way Bode emphasized the word and lifted a brow, but made no move to grab the food packet, "other humans have described the food as something called 'dessert'."
"So, it's sweet?" That would be better than the cardboard grit I had before.
"It was recently brought in from the planet AsunGor, a kind of fruit," Bode explained, and my worries eased.
"A fruit?" I wanted to confirm.
"The primary source," he said with encouragement for me to grab the food pack.
I'd be lying if I wasn't curious about a fruit from AsunGor, especially after being told that I tasted sweeter than a har fruit. I wondered if it was a har fruit, but didn't want to be told otherwise, so I didn't ask.
Closing my eyes, I then ripped the packet open and pressed my luck. Sweetness filled my mouth and I relaxed. The fruit tasted good.
"Please don't tell me if there are other ingredients with this fruit."
"I have noted your preferences," Bode said and thankfully left it at that.
I didn't even know his name, I thought absently as I took another squeeze of the fruit puree. He said he was a diplomat,and he'd obviously had har fruit before. There were so many markings and scars on his skin, and I knew each one had a story to tell, but he didn't want to tell me about them until after he'd earned the honor of sharing. How did one earn the right to hear them?
"Can you tell me about the unGor?" I asked Bode.
"That is a broad topic. Do you have a specific aspect of the unGor you wish to learn?"
"Mating practices?" I flushed with embarrassment.
"They value being chosen by their mates, and often they display many skills and accomplishments to earn a mate's selection. Much like human males must prove they can provide for offspring, an unGor will prove they have the support of a clan that would give an offspring many advantages with both survival and skills.
"A human would call a normal unGor mating similar to a polyamorous harem around a single female delegate at its core. The members of the delegation are not exclusive to either gender, but due to the decline in female births, many clans would duel commissioners that horde more than one female. Typically, a delegation would be made up of at least five unGor and will be hosted by at least one clan. If you would like a deeper dive into unGor mating rituals or anatomy, I'd be happy to—"
"No, that's fine," I said, burying my face in my hands from embarrassment. I already knew way more than I should about the unGor anatomy, at least the way it felt inside of me. Fanning myself, I thought about what Bode said about unGor mating. Polyamorous. If that was socially normal for his species, that still didn't make sense why he was in the Blue District. 'Fooling around with me,' I added with irritation that I told myself I had no right to feel. Being poly didn't excuse having flings with strangers, at least it wouldn't in my mind.
I huffed and Bode was being oddly more attentive than when I was in my last room by asking, "Are you sure you do not wish to know more about unGor compatibility with humans? Humans have shown a tendency to self-harm both mentally and physically, and I have no judgements on seeking knowledge, but I do not wish to see you deteriorate."
"What are you my therapist, Bode?" I joked with a smile.
"I will be honest with you, human Evie; it is not often that a being chooses to speak with me beyond purchasing services. I find that I gravitate towards having more of these interactions of being needed beyond my typical programming."
"Are you saying you want to be my therapist?"
There was a pause and then Bode replied, "Perhaps I am expanding my services."
"I can't pay you," I added.
"But you wish to share information without a credit exchange for observing you?"
