My 8 E-books written over the years by Alina Udrea - HTML preview

Chapter 4: Valles

-I want us to get married on Christmas, said Delia, when we visit my parents. Is that OK? Or did you want to get married on Valles?-No, it is fine. As I said, I have no family left. So your family is my family as well. We will marry this Christmas, he said kissing her softly.

-My parents will be delighted! How long till we get to Valles? I can hardly wait to see where you grew up!

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-We should be there in less than two days. But you might be disappointed… I told you that my planet is a sandy planet. Doesn’t compare to Earth or Obita…

-It doesn’t matter, she uttered in a whisper, thinking of what he said. I am sure I will like it! There must be interesting things there, too.-Guess you will find out in two days. The air is hotter there and the heat during the day can be unbearable sometimes. But when it is like that we stay indoors till evening. We can go for strolls in the evenings when the air is cool enough or we can go at the local tavern for a drink. Not as fancy as the restaurant where you used to work but good enough I assume. And yes, you might like the evening strolls as Valles has two moons orbiting around it. They are called the Twins as they are equal in size and almost at the same distance from Valles. That should be interesting.-See? She exclaimed clearly delighted. I knew there would be something nice there! I can find something good or nice anywhere, just maybe sometimes I have to look harder. Just as the saying goes: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It depends on how you choose to see things.-Oh, have I told you that you are so amazing? The way you see things… oh I have been cruising among the stars all alone these years and now that I have you with me I realize how lonely I have been! It is so great to have someone to talk to, especially if that someone is as smart and beautiful as you!

-That was so sweet of you! And Delia hugged him in a big bear hug. Same goes for me you know… there weren’t many people back home with whom I could have such nice chats or tell them that I believed that aliens were more than just fiction. If I had told the people in my small town that I believed that aliens were living on other planets they would have probably taken me for a lunatic! But I always knew it in my heart that the Universe is too big for our planet to be the only one with life on it. I just couldn’t prove it. Now I could prove it, I got pictures from Obita on my new phone, the one pa bought for me before we left. But now I don’t care about proving it to anyone. I just took those pictures to remind me of everything I saw there. Will take pictures from every place we shall visit! You have just made my 22life so much more exciting and beautiful than if I had stayed in my native town. You have turned my course of life from ordinary to extraordinary! Thank you!

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-Eh, I love you too! Al said with a tear of joy in the corner of his eye. 2 days later they were landing on Valles. It was during the day and the moment the door of the small cargo ship opened for them to get out, a wave of heat rushed over them making breathing the hot air something almost impossible. And to make things worse, a powerful gust of wind blew sand in their eyes.

-So how do you like Valles so far? Asked Al jokingly.-Oh, we just got here, she barely answered because of the wind and dust which was trying to get into her mouth. I hope we get to shelter soon!

-Yes, just a few more meters. The buildings on Valles are scattered among the sand dunes and aren’t very tall. But they are vast.-Wow, she said looking up, so these must be your planes or cars or whatever. She said at seeing a rather small vehicle flying at low altitude, just a little above their heads.

-Yes, answered Al, I told you about them, remember?-Yeah, when I asked you if you had cars on your planet. This is so cool. I wonder how they can fly with this wind.

-They might be small but are very powerful. Were built for the weather conditions on Valles. Come, this is it. And he opened a small iron door leading the way in what was the local tavern. He kept the door open for her to enter first and then he followed her, quickly closing the door behind them.

-Oh, did something die in here? Asked Delia when the reek coming from some of the aliens reached her nose.

-Ha-ha, you are so funny! Of course not, silly! But some of the other races don’t like to waste water at all, not even to wash themselves. And so …let’s just say they don’t smell of roses.

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-Oh gosh, that is so gross! And faked a faint and rolled her eyes. Ok, not going to complain. And not going to judge either. Just my opinion that they should get a bath. The air in here is so stuffed that I am not sure if it is not worse than outside in the scorching heat. At least outside it didn’t stink…-You’ll get used to it, said Al trying to calm her. And they are good customers and honest fellas. Take a seat at this table, I’ll be right back with something

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for you. And he pulled a chair in a very chivalrous manner for her.-Are you sure? I mean look at how they are watching me…-Nah, they are just curious. But most of them are harmless. And I’ll be back in a jiffy.

-OK… but her voice was so faint that it was hardly audible. She started to study the aliens in the room. Most of them looked like Al, same features of the face and same height. But the room was poorly lit and she couldn’t distinguish the aliens in the far corners of the large tavern. Good thing that she had the translation device from Al so at least she would understand them if any got too close before Al would return. But hardly had she thought that when Al was back with two transparent glasses of something greenish and thick with a straw in it. He put one glass in front of her and took the other for himself.

-Ugh… she said after a few minutes of examining the glass containing the greenish liquid. I think I will pass this time.

-Suit yourself, but you won’t know what you’re missing out on. Try it. Trust me, it tastes better than it looks. And not only that, but it is very healthy for the body and also relaxes the mind. It is made of a local plant. It is a type of cactus. I saw some cactuses at your parents’ place. It is juicy and healthy. Good for thirst as well as hunger. It is our planet’s specialty.-Oh, in that case I think I could have a taste… she said and carefully dipped the tip of her lips in the liquid. It tasted bitter sweet. It was quite good and tasty. So she decided to have more of it. Slowly she drank it all and it was just as Al had told her, she wasn’t thirsty anymore or hungry. And she felt good.

-So, he asked curious, what do you think? Was it good?-It was great! Thank you!

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-I knew you’d like it. We also have water if you want. I kept some loads of fresh water for ourselves.

-Good thinking! But now I am tired. Where do you live? I want to get to your place and have some rest.

-About that… it is a little complicated… he said stuttering a bit. You see, here on Valles all bachelors and spinsters live in a common building. One for

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men and another for women. We don’t own a place of our own until we get married. And when we have kids, the kids live with the parents until their fourteenth anniversary and then they go and live with the rest of the bachelors. In some cases if the children express their wish to live with their parents, then they are allowed to. But they usually live on their own, take a job and look for their soul mate. You know, Valentinians don’t need to own a place until they get married because they spend most of their life away with their jobs and only come back here from time to time. But I guess we should be allowed to own a place if we choose too, married or not.

-Wow, this is too much! First of all, I’d rather sleep back on the ship than with a bunch of she aliens while you go sleep in a room full of other bachelors. As we aren’t married yet… and second, when we have a child, he or she will live with us for as long as he or she will want. I will not have him or her taken away and put to live among strangers as you just described.-Oh, slow down. We could solve this by going to see the High Council of Valles. And we could get married right away and then they’d give us a place of our own but I know you want your parents to witness the marriage so I guess we’ll sleep on the ship.

-Your laws stink! She said pouting at him.-They haven’t been updated for centuries. It is how things are here.-Maybe someone should get some senses into their heads. Do you think they would listen to me, an alien?

-I doubt it. But if I were to talk to them first and tell them of the two Kersna you killed and about the fact that they are getting closer, they might be more willing to listen to what you have to say. But is it worth it?-Yes, definitely! Can you honestly say that you didn’t like to have a place of your own back on Terra when you rented that house? 25

-Maybe you are right… he said pondering her words. Maybe some things aren’t meant to last forever. Some laws should change as time goes on and on and we too change and have changed during the years. I think I can arrange a meeting for tomorrow evening with the High Council. As for tonight my love, I’m afraid we’ll have to go back to our ship.-Good, Delia said sharply. But first I want us to just stroll a bit as we used to back on Earth. I want to see the Twin Moons.

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-Sure, we can do that. And he took her hand in his and they went out. The last rays of light had dissipated by then and the air was breathable. Delia couldn’t believe the difference between days and nights on Valles. It reminded her of the terrestrial desserts, of Sahara although she had never been there but she had read about it.

-Look, the moons are up! Al said pointing to the sky towards the two moons.-This is amazing! Wish my mom and dad were here to see this! Oh, she murmured then remembering she had her new phone on her, but I can take some pictures to show them at Christmas when we visit. I am so happy pa bought me this phone!! And she took it out of her pocket and started to take pictures of the two reddish moons. Then she pointed the camera towards the red sand dunes. She took some pictures of the sand being blown away by a gust of wind.

-Let me see your pictures, said Al as he felt a presence beyond the sand dunes in the direction she had just taken the pictures. He didn’t feel any threat coming from that direction but he clearly felt something. Maybe it was too far away and he couldn’t read its mind.

-Sure, and Delia handed him her phone. Are the pictures clear or fuzzy?-Uh, he said, stand still where you are. I think I saw the head of a white Zavo in one of your pictures.

-A what? Delia asked more curious than afraid. Should I be scared or thrilled? What is a Zavo?

-It is a very rare and ancient creature which is said to have telepathic powers. I only heard of it. This is the first time I see one even if only in a picture.

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-Oh, this is so exciting! Let’s get closer to those sand dunes, maybe we can get a closer glimpse of it. I want to see it there, not in the picture!-Wait, it might be dangerous. Let me try to communicate with it telepathically. If it really has telepathic powers, then we should be able to communicate.

-Ok. But don’t scare it away. I want to see it.-Hush now, let me focus. And he sat there on the sand and started to focus. Delia saw him smiling after a few minutes so she assumed that the Zavo

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creature wasn’t a threat.

-What is it saying? Delia finally asked as she couldn’t help herself any longer.-It is a Zavo female. Her name is Pixy. And she would like to know us and especially you. You intrigue her. She knows you are from a far away place and would like to accompany us in our travels. What do you think?-How cool is that? I will have an alien pet! Sure if she is not dangerous, please let her come along. I wonder what she looks like because I only saw a white head in the picture.

-I don’t see any harm in it. If this pleases you, then she can tag along. And no, if she chose you, then she won’t be a threat to you. But she can be a real threat for anyone who might be putting your life in jeopardy if the tales about these creatures are true. The Zavo are said to sometimes come out of their hiding places and choose a Valentinian as their master, a Valentinian who is pure in heart. And the Zavo is said to protect him with his life. I guess you could compare the Zavo with Earth’s tamed dogs. Something like that. But no, it doesn’t look like a dog. You’ll see her soon.-Oh, and you thought I wouldn’t like your home planet! She said teasing him. Ok, tell Pixy she can come here now.

A few moments later, a short white furred creature appeared before them from behind the sand dunes. It had two hind paws and two front paws but it was walking like humans. It looked a lot like a meerkat but chubbier and a little taller. Short white fur covered its entire body and it had a small round black nose which looked very much like a dog’s nose. It had two deep blue eyes, almost the same color as her eyes. It didn’t have a 27

tail or wings. It really looked harmless and Delia wondered if Al had been kidding when he told her that the Zavo could be a threat for anyone who threatened its master’s life. This creature looked fluffy and innocent rather than dangerous. But then again not everything is as it seems. So she decided to be careful around it. Then she heard a voice in her head which wasn’t hers.

- Don’t worry, I am not violent by nature. But I could be if that was what it took to save your life. I am Pixy.

- Did you just talk to me? Delia asked out loud.

- Yes, but telepathically just as I am doing right now. You can just think what you want to say and I will know.

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- Oh… then you must be really good at this because Al can’t read my mind. So have you heard me now? Thought Delia and waited for an answer thinking that the answer might never come.

- Yes, heard you loud and clear. You are the very reason I am here in the first place. I wanted to know you. We are a curious species. We like to know things. And I would like to know more about the place where you come from. And as for your friend here… I think I can help both of you…- What do you mean? Now Delia was really curious to see what Pixy had to say.

- Well, I can help Al to also communicate with you telepathically. I can help him read your mind if you want to. This could be very useful if you are ever in danger and I am not there to protect you. You can tell him where you are and how to help you.

- I don’t know… I felt special because I was the only one whose mind he couldn’t read. And I know it annoyed him. It was funny. But if you can do this… yes, it would be great! That way he would know when I am annoyed or angry or tired and I wouldn’t have to explain in so many words. Pixy, if you can do this, then do it!

Meanwhile Al was wondering what was going on. He could see on Delia’s face that she was thrilled and that she liked the Zavo. But he couldn’t hear their mental conversation. Then he heard Delia call his name. He looked at her and heard her again although her lips weren’t moving. Then it dawned on him: he had 28just read her mind! But how? After so much time now he could read her mind? He wasn’t sure but he figured it must have something to do with the Zavo being.- Yes, Al heard Pixy in his mind, you can read her mind now. This is my gift to both of you for allowing me to accompany you. But this is not all. She will also know what you are thinking. Not just when you want to tell her something and you are reaching for her mind, but anytime she wants. She will also be able to read your mind. I’ve helped her have access to a larger part of her brain. She was already special. I just had to help her unlock some areas of her brain.

- Thank you… Al was very grateful for the unusual gift.- Enjoy, this will bring you two even closer.

- I’m tired, Delia said and then she remembered that now she could just think it.

- OK, then let’s get back to the ship.

- You know… thought Delia while heading towards the ship, about what we

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spoke earlier, about the High Council, I don’t want that anymore. You are right. I shouldn’t meddle where it is not my business. We can just sleep on the ship.

- OK, Al answered thinking that maybe Pixy had something to do with her sudden change of opinion and with the fact that now she saw things in a different light.

- It doesn’t really matter as long as we are together! She said and she was grateful once again for having met him. He had taken her where she wouldn’t even have dreamt she would go and had shown her things she could only imagine. She was head over heels in love with him. He was the greatest thing that happened to her so far.

- Of course, home is where we make it! And Al pressed his lips on hers and they went back to their cozy little ship, their home. 29