Ancient Astronauts

Manipulation

Clarice Sterling entered the parlor timidly. Her long auburn hair cascaded down over a young, heart-shaped face. Brown eyes flitted back and forth from one wall painting to the next until they fell on James. Her petite figure relaxed when she saw him.

She'd been here before, many times, but it was always scary entering that house. There was something about James that both terrified and excited her. Seeing him again now she remembered how they met. He was staring at her as she cared for Hans Agler.

She'd joked then that the nightingale effect was for patients. He'd just smiled the most warm, winning smile she'd ever seen and asked if it was contagious.

These thoughts dispelled as she drew near, and James gathered her in his arms. He smelled richly of the aromatic complexity of cigar smoke. It filled her nose and her senses danced with the woody undertones of tree bark after a warm rain. It was as though the spirits of cedar and oak, long since left behind on Earth, sang on in another world.

He kissed her head gently.

Clarice figured Miriam must be away on an errand. James said she'd been spending a lot of time with Alyonna lately.

"Hey girl," James said, cupping her face in firm hands, bringing her mouth up for a kiss.

"I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," Clarice whispered, her face pressed against the side of his.

"I'll find a way for us to meet more often," James said.

Looking up into his intense blue eyes, she searched them, "Can I ask why?"

"What do you mean, why?" James, who never liked being questioned, kept his tone gentle.

"We've only been doing this a few weeks, and...well, you're married, James."

James saw only a question in Clarice's eyes. Not a challenge. If anything, he thought she was pleading with him, something he was actually quite fond of.

"Clarice," he paused meaningfully, "I am not a good man."

"What do you mean, you're not a good man? You're the kindest, gentlest man I've ever met!"

"I wasn't always," James said, holding her gaze the whole time, "I am much given to my passions. And my passions are rarely short lived."

Clarice laughed softly, "That's only a good thing, James, and I'm happy to hear it."

"But with you it's a different kind of passion. I feel...calm...an emotion as alien to me as this planet was fifty-some years ago." Taking her hand, "That's something I never felt with Miriam. Ours was a marriage of alliance with her family, not love."

Clarice gasped, "Did you say," her head dipped down as she spoke the last word, "love?"

"I know it's only been a few weeks like you said, but believe me Clarice. I've lived long enough to be able to tell the difference, experienced enough to know all the feelings that aren't..."

Clarice waited a moment for him to finish. When he didn't, she did it for him, "love" she breathed and kissed him deeply. Guiding him to the couch she lay down, pulling him with her.

"Do you want a drink?" James asked, pushing himself up with his hands and looking down at her.

Clarice giggled, "Yes, but not that kind."

"Clarice, there's something I need you to do," James said, later when they had finished. They'd also dressed in case Miriam got back early.

"Hmm, what's that?" Clarice asked attentively.

"I want to be a better man," James said, looking down at his whiskey. Then looking back up at her, smiling softly, "I want you to help me be a better man."

"Is that all?" Clarice smiled warmly at him, "Of course, I'll help you."

Taking her hand, and gently running his thumb over top, "Clarice, before we left Earth, I had connections with doctors who operated in a specialized kind of gene therapy."

"What kind of specialty?"

"Have you heard of Awakening Labs in Silicon Valley?"

Clarice gasped, "You have that?"

"Yes," James said, pulling a syringe out of his pocket, "this is chronoquarkium sulfate–"

"A drug that only finished passing its trials two days before the Astral Ark launched," Clarice said, "The only known drug to be able to wake someone from a coma!"

"Yes," James replied, "I only have one, and I was saving it for myself or Miriam or you in case something happened, but I think our governor needs it more."

"I," Clarice looked away, "I don't know, James. The drug passed its trials but still wasn't approved by the board yet, and the FTL comms with Earth haven't been set up so I can't confirm anything...plus, well, neither of us can technically prescribe it anyway..."

"Clarice," James said, scooting closer to her, "Baby, please. The colony is in chaos over that horrible incident at Alyonna's trial. Someone in this colony is working against him. I'm sure it's General Kellerman, who set that whole fiasco up. We need the governor back."

"James...please," Clarice pleaded, "If I'm caught giving this to him, I'll get fired and even possibly go to jail...especially if it doesn't work."

"How good are someone's chances to come out of a coma when they've been in it for a few days?" James asked.

"Not good," Clarice answered, worry written all over her face, searching the ceiling and floor as though they held answers.

James pulled her hands closer to him, her eyes following his lead, "And what if they've been in it for thirty years?"

"Nearly impossible," Clarice whispered, looking down at the floor.

James cupped her face in one hand and drew her against his chest.

His heart beat...faintly, Clarice noticed. He was speaking again.

"I don't think General Kellerman will stop with the baby either. Hans is vulnerable in the ICU."

Clarice pulled away suddenly, "You don't really mean? But...he wouldn't would he?"

"I don't know," James replied solemnly, "but can the colony afford that chance especially when we have an opportunity to wake the governor now?"

Clarice didn't reply for a long moment, then reached out and plucked the syringe from James' hand and stuffed it in the Gucci bag James gave her.

She looked back up at him, "I'm scared."

James leaned forward and kissed her, "You're doing the right thing. It's his only shot...no pun intended."

Clarice giggled, breaking the tension and giving him a look of feigned disappointment, "Ok," she whispered, "I'll do it."