uncommon
There was a line when they got there.
Believe it or not, that would have been a little comforting if they weren't trying to separate Julian and her from Aunt Sarah and Mel.
She went ballistic. Yeah, she went all pouty mouth on them.
Hayley was entertained and not hiding it.
Julian was waiting for someone to look at her cross ways.
Jess did learn a very important fact. They had to be from another planet. One, the way they dressed. Humans had more style. Plus, every one of them had some shade of white hair and some shade of blue eyes. Two, no human would have just stood there while she slapped the shit out of them. His expression never even changed.
"You are not splitting us up. Do you understand English? Give us the cure and we'll be on our way."
She growled when he said nothing and probably would have hit him again, but a woman stepped forward.
She wore the same smile that didn't reach her eyes. Other than that, Jess didn't think she'd ever seen someone so beautiful in her life.
Her long white hair touched the back of her knees and wrapped around her head in a thick braid. Her eyebrows were darker and her eyes a crystal-clear blue.
"Welcome. It upsets you that we would offer care to these humans?"
"It upsets me that you think I'd just let you take them away from me. That's not going to happen."
"Would all humans feel this way?" She asked Jess but the man behind her answered.
"You're damn straight. Let them stay together."
"As you like. Demi, from now on we will not suggest the well ones leave their sick. They may go in as one."
"As you like."
"I will see to this group myself. This way if it pleases you."
"What about our van and our things?"
"Would me sending your things on to your accommodations be appropriate?"
She only felt a little like an ass.
They were searched before they were let through several checkpoints.
These aliens have been busy. She'd never been to St. Louis before, but she was very sure the giant spaceship above it was new.
Her legs stopped working.
It was gigantic. Sleek and silver. Yeah, kind of like we figured one would look, only bigger.
"How were we not able to see this on the other side of the gate?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. We are fucked, aren't we?"
Julian could pull his eyes away from it before she could, and he looked around. "None of them seem to carry any weapons."
"That doesn't mean that they aren't packing. We are so screwed."
Jess rushed to catch back up with Mel. Her and her aunt were being carried in on stretchers. The woman with the long hair walked a head of them, she came to a much smaller spaceship and stepped aboard.
Her look let Julian know just how screwed she thought they were, then she stepped on as well.
The inside was lit up in a blue light. Every surface was stainless steel. The long-haired woman sat in a chair that raised up out of the floor, then a table appeared at the same time a door appeared to the left of them.
A tall thin man walked in. The only difference between him and the woman was his hair was short.
"Name, if you please."
"Jess. Jessalynn Williams."
"Very good. Age seventeen. Immune. Not carrying the virus. How nice. You appear quite healthy. Is this your brother?"
Jess looked at Julian. "Boyfriend."
"Touch the tip and count to five, if it pleases you."
"Name, sir?"
"Julian Cross."
"Also, seventeen." She touched the table a few times. "You are infected. Early stages. I see an abnormality. Would you consent to a scan?"
"Yes."
Jess felt her world slipping away. "Are you saying he's sick?"
"He is. The other humans I have spoken to believe that this virus has just happened, but that is far from true. The virus laid dormant inside of us for months. In your planet's case, years. We are still looking into what awakens it."
He is. She couldn't think beyond those words.
Julian squeezed her hand.
"The girl child?"
He had to answer for her. "Meline Williams. They're sisters."
"I can see that. She is in the very last stage. Next?"
They were all sick but her. She could lose all of them.
"Sarah Cudd. Their aunt."
"Aunt? Meaning the mother's sister, correct? She is carrying. Fetus only ten weeks. Now, if you will follow me."
The door they walked through earlier opened again but this time it didn't lead outside, it led to a stainless-steel hallway.
"A baby? Will.... will it be okay?"
The woman looked at Julian and her, then at their joint hands. "Dezrick, can you give me the definition of boyfriend?"
"For these humans, it is a stage before mating. A frequent or favorite male. A companion."
"The cure will only take a moment. Even now you are being tested to make sure there will not be any complications or any unknown issues. By tomorrow they will feel better. By the next day, able to eat certain foods. Human Jessalynn, your parents have passed on, have they not?"
"Yes."
"State their names, if you please."
"Charlotte Williams. I don't have a father."
The woman stopped and turn towards them. "I was under the understanding that humans had to have a mother and father to be conceived. Is this incorrect?"
"No. That's the way it's done but conception does not make one a father."
"Dezrick?"
The male voice that answered was smooth as velvet and seemed to come from everywhere. "She would indeed have to have a father. On this planet, humans may have more than one mate and thus not know which is the father. In other cases, other means may be needed to impregnate a woman and the father never come into the equation. She might know the identity of her father but for unknown reasons, doesn't wish to supply this information."
Her expression never changed, but it took her several long moments before she turned and proceeded forward. A door opened ahead of them.
"Is someone watching us?"
"Yes. Dezrick?"
"No issues. The cure may be given to all of them."
She sat in a chair and another desk appeared. She pointed towards the two chairs that rose out of the floor. "If it pleases you. Dezrick, send in the medical staff."
Two men and a woman entered instantly.
"Human Julian, are you blessed with two parents?"
"Yes."
Seeing the medical people working over her sister and aunt, Jess cut the woman off before she could say anything else. "Why are you doing this? What are you going to want in exchange for saving them?"
"We wish to co-existence with you. We mean you no harm."
Julian caught her hand again, and they shared a look. They didn't have any other options right now but to trust them.
"They both passed away. Gene and Abigail Cross."
A young man dressed in light blue came forward and ran a shiny stick that produced a blue light up and down Julian. Next, he returned with a tray that had two steel pens and a little cup of bright yellow liquid.
"What are you trying to give him?"
"The cure is two parts. The liquid is an immunization. The cure does not keep you from being infected once again."
Now, the other man stood at her side with her own tray. This one holding a small shot glass of neon purple stuff.
"You are immune and need neither. This is to make sure that any future offspring are as well."
"And the others, will they be taking it too?"
"I regret, it is too late for that. Any offspring from them will have to be given the cure and protected against it once conceived. Our scientists are hard at work trying to fix this but for now this is our only option. You will be known as clear blooded and highly valued. The only side effect we have been unable to find a cure for is that once infected the chance of fertility is dramatically lowered."
By then she would have drunk it just to shut her up. It tasted like water.
"The human Julian is missing his appendix. It is not uncommon on this planet."
"You will be given living accommodations. Meals will be at six, twelve, and six. With several locations to choose from. We ask that you do not try to leave without issuing a formal request. Tomorrow I will send transportation for the both of you at seven am in the morning. I will schedule your sister and caretaker to come the next day at the same time." She stood. "My name is Simmin. I will be your new life adviser. If you have need of me all you must do is, ask for me."
"Ask who?"
"For now, we have fitted all living accommodation with Dezrick."
"Simmin, the escort is here."
"Pleased. He will see you the rest of the way. He will be your medical advisor and if it pleases you, tomorrow he will check on your sister and your caretaker at two pm in the evening. Good day to you." She slipped out a door that closed after her then one across the room opened.
"Follow me, if it pleases you."
The man leading them did not speak again until they were back in a small room that lit in blue light. "We understand this is a lot to take in and we will try to be as accommodating as possible. Are there questions you need me to enlighten you with?"
It was impossible to determine his age. He was just pale. Nondescript and a little scary looking. He screamed serial killer. His tone was kind but seemed too rehearse.
"Are you planning on turning our brains to mush or slaughtering all of us so you can have our planet?"
Julian hid a smile.
The man tilted his head slightly to the side as he gave her that forced smile. "Dezrick?"
"I believe it could be a type of humor but judging from her racing heart, she does fear the answer. She is in need of reassurance."
"Humor?"
"A comic, absurd, or incongruous quality causing amusement, entertainment."
His smile grew more forced. "We do not wish to harm you and though your planet does seem quite valuable, you humans are much more valuable to us."
"Her fears have not been calmed."
"Like you, this sickness has swept through our planet leaving us near extinct. We need to begin again just as you need to begin again. Here we are."
The door opened, and they stepped back into the city. All without her even feeling like they were moving.
"Straight ahead if it pleases you. You will be located on the second floor, apartment twenty-three. These men will get your sister and caretaker comfortable before they leave. If you need any more assistance all you must do is say so into the clear screen that we have equipped each apartment with. It is a bit out of date but was all we could manage on such short noticed. I will be back at two pm in the evening, if it pleases you?"
Julian nodded. "Yes. Thank you for helping them. Us."
"Pleased. My name is Adomis." He stepped back on to the small spaceship. It rose off the ground and disappeared in a blink of an eye.
"I can't believe I just saw that. It's wrong on so many levels."
"Maybe." He admitted. "But cool too, huh?"
"Ask me again in a few days. If I'm still in possession of a brain by then."