Page 86 of Malliko
Communicating telepathically happened differently than a verbal conversation. Along with my mother’s words that formed in my head, I received images of what she had seen.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I communicated to her. “It’s a tragic situation. Hopefully, the sanctions will work this time.”
“Remain optimistic, my son. One should never abandon hope.”
“On another note, do you know of a researcher named Soros who visited Earth?”
“Yes.”
She mentally transferred an image of an Eidron male and asked telepathically.“This Soros?”
“I don’t know how he looks. There’s an agent who talked about him here on Earth. I think she would like to get in contact with him.”
“Can’t she just connect to him?”
“No. She’s part Eidron, part human and unfortunately, she doesn’t have the ability to use telepathy. Her name is Tania.”
“Would you like me to tell him?”
“Yes.”
“I will. I’m relieved that you’re not in trouble as I feared. You had me worried for a while.”
“What do you think the chances would be for an Eidron like Soros to get permission to be with a human and bring her withhim?”I deliberately hid that I had a personal interest in her answer.
“That depends on the situation. The trouble isn’t getting the approval to be with her. Protected species like humans still hold free will and their expressed desires will be respected. As long it can be established that there hasn’t been force or coercion involved, of course. The concern would be procreation. You know how strict they are with crossbreeding whenever protected species are involved. But then I doubt someone like Soros would want to…”
She paused, but I picked up on the essence of the point she was too polite to make.“What? Pollute his Eidron blood with a human?”
“It’s not that. But a child would be burdened with a lineage from a human mom. Imagine if they couldn’t communicate through telepathy or if they became as emotionally unstable as humans. Not everything is a matter of upbringing. A lot of it is biological disposition as well. Humans don’t have the same capacities or intelligence as Eidrons. Why would Soros risk bringing such hardship to his children?”
“Mom, I think humans have a worse reputation than they deserve. The woman I was accused of forcing myself on isn’t anything like the humans I have learned about. I’m starting to doubt the accuracy of the data we have on humans. At least not everything seems to be correct. They don’t have the technological know-how of Thaddoinians or the mental capacities of the Ugons, but they are a creative species. You should see their artwork and the way they organize themselves in networks to make up for their lack of telepathy. They are also incredibly advanced and diverse when it comes to their sexuality.”
“I didn’t know that. The last time I was on Earth, the humans still lived in primitive conditions and were in themiddle of a world war. It was an upsetting experience to see them so self-destructive.”
“What part of Earth did you visit?”
“I’m afraid I don’t remember. We didn’t stay long because it wasn’t safe.”My mother transferred memories of bombed buildings and people crying.
Stirring next to me, Clara moved her face to the crook of my neck. While making sure she was covered by the blanket, I finished my conversation with my mother.
“Thank you for contacting me. I’ll talk to you again soon. Right now, I need to get some sleep.”
A memory of her hugging me tight warmed me and I returned a memory of me hugging her.
After our conversation ended, I closed my eyes and felt deeply grateful that Clara had given me the gift of intimacy. Kissing her hair softly, I already knew that no matter what happened, I wouldn’t forget her.
CHAPTER 27
Ogled by Shanice
Clara
My questions about Malliko’s life were endless. Like two teenagers who had just found the delights of sex, we would stay up late that first week of living together. It was a constant exploration of each other’s bodies and minds. Malliko was Jeremy’s opposite in the way he loved to snuggle and didn’t look at his phone. He was present, asked a million questions, and seemed fascinated with my answers.
I tried to grasp the concept of being born on a different planet and quickly understood that his world of understanding was so much more complex than mine. Most people I knew couldn’t mention the capital of Germany or list the fifty states in the US. Malliko spoke of galaxies, civilizations, political systems, allies and enemies. It all sounded like a sci-fi plot that was way too complicated for me to keep up with.
Tania accepted that I stayed with Malliko. At times, I could see concern in her eyes, but she didn’t say anything after that first night. I got to know her as a caring friend and Malliko commented that she was warmer to me than him.
