Juliet's Tryst

Chapter 40: The Quarry

An audible sigh escaped as the sun touched her skin. Other than the violent interlude involving Sarah, this was her first time back outside since she moved into the castle. Her loose bodysuit allowed a warm breeze to delightfully pass through. The wind kissed her body happily, welcoming her outside.

"Isn't it supposed to be winter?" Christmas was a week away. Once again, Eros gave her that look which told her she missed something obvious. She punched him in the shoulder in response.

"Climate control." He surveyed the rocks around them. The quarry was about the size of a football field. The sides were gently sloping, carved out delicately with archeologists in mind. Eros quickly set off towards one wall, rummaging around in his pockets for some device.

"Historically, this area has been largely devoid of fossils so I doubt there will be much today. There was one spectacular find many years ago, a tooth of some carnivorous creature that was most likely a relative of the mighty T-rex." Eros pointed a device towards the rock, scanning it. She had this fantasy of her and Eros digging into the rock and unearthing objects. There would be a little brush, she would dust tiny dino baby bones off.

"There is no digging," she asked quietly. She felt like a child asking her father if Santa was real.

"There is no need to disturb the rock anymore! This is called a Perch'Uk, and it sends all the data back to my lab so that I can recreate it. The materials I have contain a finer structural integrity. Knowledge without destruction."

Juliet waved away a fly buzzing by her face. Why had they not dealt with the flies?

"Alright, I will just sunbathe for a little." There was a cozy spot where Juliet leaned back into her hands, allowing the sun full access to her face and neck. She had craved this so terribly.

For a while she had been terrified there would be a group of human soldiers waiting to take her away. Nightmares plagued her with Sarah crawling towards her in the night, killing Dee, and taking her back to the bunker. Now that some time had passed, she felt a natural restlessness. She was inside all of the time and mentally even though the aliens could do a damn good job of imitating everything, she knew it was not the real thing. Eros excitedly explained the history of archeological finds in the area. He would scan an area and move over to the next to do the same thing. Juliet simply followed him as he did his thing, finding new spots to relax in and listen to him. This was a gentle peace and joy because someone else was happy.

At one point, she started to doze off. Her eyes opened and closed as the quarry came in and out of focus. She watched the horizon absentmindedly. In one blink, there was nothing. In the next, a figure appeared. Juliet scrambled up. She squinted her eyes as a solitary figure clad in a brilliant cloak came into focus.

"This points to the fact that in the future there will be many finds-"

"Eros, where is your transporter? We gotta go home now."

He looked to where Juliet was staring and visibly paled. "You have cost me my life for this." He spoke while patting his pockets, "I have not charged it to the proper place yet, but do not worry for this will only take a moment."

Dee walked quite slowly towards them. Her eyes were trained on Juliet as she tugged on Eros's sleeve. Juliet just wanted to enjoy some time in the sun. Why was she so scared?

Dee did not want her outside of the palace. Juliet suddenly realized the optics of being alone with a Kyrion male. She did not know how she would be able to convince the possessive alien queen that this was just a friendship. She felt both stupid and justified at the same time. Yes, she deserved to be able to go outside whenever she pleased, but this new world also had new rules, different rules. It was possible for her to have Dee's children! The Kyrion would definitely become more controlling and more possessive when she found out. Yet, she was not some object to be locked away in the recesses of some labyrinth. Her life had been turned on its head and she deserved to at least figure out how she wanted things to proceed.

She deserved dignity.

"Juliet, can you hear me? Juliet! It is not working. The Ruler has disabled it!" Eros's panicked voice cut through the frantic musings.

"What do you mean? She can do that?"

"No, she just brought the special device that does."

"Ugh!"

Dee was now at the other edge of the flat part and was almost within an earshot.

"Can you get yourself out with something else?" Juliet was squirming. The pure rage on Dee's face struck her even from a distance.

Goddamn tyrant.

"No." He wailed, "I only brought one way back to the castle."

"Okay, just stay calm." Juliet looked over and realized that the Kyrion was already in tears with snot running down his face, "I will protect you."

Eros relaxed a little and tried to figure out what to do with excrement of the human body on his face.

"Juliet, step aside." Dee was mere meters away now, "I will deal with him first and then you."

"No." Juliet placed herself squarely between the two, "If you kill him, I will never forgive you."

"I do not need your forgiveness." She snarled, reaching for a small black box. It turned into a long and sharp stick, "You will need mine for this."

Juliet stayed firm, refusing to be intimidated. They were not in the wrong the way Dee thought they were.

"Friends Dee. That is all we are and will ever be."

"Kyrion's do not make friends." Dee pulled her aside by her arm. She simply jumped back in, barely giving Dee enough time to stop the stick aimed at Eros's chest and Juliet's head.

"Why are you willing to die for him then?"

Juliet had to take small, calming breaths to integrate the murder stick in her reality. It reminded her of a large needle.

"Give him a chance to explain. Killing him won't solve anything between us." There was so much going on between them. Dee dropped the weapon to place it back to her waist. She took Juliet beside her.

"Alright Archivist, speak. How is it that you are alone with my alara outside of the castle after an order from me to keep her in?" 

ooOoooOOoooOOOoo angry dee >:|

Graciously edited by the lovely -MissElle