Fineprint

Dennis crouched, finding another smooth, flat pebble. He showed it to the kitten, who examined it with surprising care. Dennis then raised his arm and flung the pebble, flicking his wrist to put a spin on it. The rock bounced twice on the calm surface of the lake, then a third time, before finally sinking to the bottom. The little Borealan watched with wide eyes, then crouched, rummaging for another pebble and foisting it into Dennis' hands.

"You want me to do it again?" he laughed. "Alright, watch this."

***

Xhe watched as Dennis interacted with the little orange kitten. He was trying to teach it a game in which pebbles were thrown at an angle so that they might skip along the surface of the water. A simple game, unknown to her. Something about his futile attempts to play with the kitten, for it was far too young to perform any kind of complex actions, was endearing to her. She had come to resent him for the trouble that he caused her and for his inability to follow basic instructions. Yet seeing his genuine desire to explore the land and connect with its people, undiluted by any preconceptions of caste or social class, warmed her heart. Borealans went where they were ordered to go but this human went where he willed, he was as free as one could be on Borealis.

***

Eventually, the kitten became bored and toddled off into the village. Dennis walked along the shoreline, watching the moored boats bob on the water. He could hear the Royal Guards trailing a short distance behind him, their heavy paws crunching on the pebble beach. He made his way back up to the village and stopped before an especially large building, admiring its carved features. The logs that held it up were engraved with scenes of fishermen casting nets and hoisting large creatures that looked like sharks, similar to what he had seen being chopped up for sale in the market. There were whittled figureheads above the heavy wooden doors, busts of Borealans, perhaps people of importance or family members. Everything that these people built, they built to last. Who knows how long these structures had stood here, enduring the weather and the harsh winds blowing in from the lake.

It was hard to believe that these people, who still lived in wooden houses and fished for their livelihood, belonged to a race that now owned starships and participated in interstellar wars.

"You may enter if you like." Xhe surprised him, she was standing next to him, watching him admire the woodwork. "It is the Alpha's dwelling, but we rank higher."

"I wouldn't want to intrude," Dennis replied.

"It would not be an intrusion. You are too considerate, Ambassador. One rarely takes into account the feelings or opinions of a subordinate, they obey, or they are punished."

"Well, that might be how you do things, but not me." He walked away from the building, examining the other structures. "I saw fish in the city market, how do they transport their goods?"

"By boat." Xhe replied. "They sail across the lake and sell their cargo to vendors at the port. There are many such villages in the less developed regions of Elysia. There are hunting villages inside the jungle also."

"Hunting villages?" Dennis asked, perking up at that. "What do they hunt?"

"Various kinds of local fauna, the majority of species on Borealis live in the green bands. We hunt them for meat and furs."

Dennis stared into space, remembering the pearlescent cape that the Patriarch had worn. He would like to see what animal that hide had come from.

"Can we visit one?"

Xhe looked apprehensive, perhaps annoyed that he was creating more work for her.

"Not today, no. Maybe another day, if I can arrange an escort. The jungles are not safe for a human."

"Well, what is there to see in this village? I want to experience the local culture. How about the fishing?"

Xhe called to the villagers who had been milling around, observing them from a safe distance. Were they perhaps afraid of the guards? A group of them walked towards Dennis and Xhe, and she addressed them for a minute in the local tongue. When she was done, they moved towards the beach, wading into the lake.

"Did you just order them to demonstrate bare-handed fishing, Xhe?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

Dennis didn't reply, he felt bad watching them as the water reached their waists, they were being ordered around for his amusement as if they were jesters in some medieval court. But it was not his place to judge, this was the way of things here and upsetting the balance would do them no favors.

Surprisingly they took to the water ardently, floating and splashing, their simple clothing seemingly designed to be worn in the water as well as on land. They were powerful swimmers, their reflective eyes peeking out from beneath hoods of wet hair when they floated on the surface, disappearing beneath the water with powerful strokes of their legs and tails. Xhe commented as Dennis watched them frolic.

"Borealans like water, most enjoy swimming and bathing. There are bathhouses and swimming pools in the city, but wherever you go on Borealis that is populated, a lake or a spring will be nearby. Life here revolves around water."

One of the larger males surfaced explosively, gripping a struggling fish in his hooked claws. It was not dissimilar to the ones that Dennis had eaten, an armored carapace protected its back and head, and it had more flapping fins than he felt it should possess. It writhed its long, scaly body, trying to break free of the Borealan's grip.

"This is how we fish, traditionally. Of course, in the modern era, commercial fishing must be done with nets and trawlers in order to capture a large enough quantity to sell. But this practice lives on, both as a sport and as a way for more remote communities such as this one to supplement their diet."

Two more Borealans surfaced holding fish of varying sizes. One female struggled in the shallows, dragging something large onto the beach. It writhed and twisted, splashing and frothing in the water so as to obscure it from view. There was a touch of pink to the foam that indicated blood, and the woman heaved, her claws embedded in whatever it was that she had caught. The villagers crowded around, making vocalizations that sounded like cheering or yowling, but none stepped forward to help her. It seemed that she had to do this on her own.

She pulled the struggling beast from the water, it was one of the shark creatures from the market that Dennis had seen being prepared for sale, grey-skinned with half a dozen waving flippers. She beached it with one last grunt, unhooking her claws from its flesh, the deep wounds in its blubbery meat oozing crimson blood. It attempted to swim, its six-foot long body undulating and its wide, toothless mouth gasping rhythmically as its tail dug into the smooth pebbles.

"That is a good catch." Xhe said, appraising the creature as it wriggled. "Perhaps we should ask them to prepare it for you, would you like to eat it?"

"Sure, if it wouldn't inconvenience them."

Xhe waved dismissively as if to indicate that she didn't care, and neither should he.

The crowd cheered enthusiastically as the female who had dragged the beast ashore pounded a clenched fist against her prominent abdominal muscles, barking what might have been a victory cry. Dennis watched as more of the Borealans left the water, discarding their fish into a pile near the shark. There was no point asking Xhe what it was called, he wouldn't be able to pronounce it.

Xhe spoke to the fishermen, and they chatted amongst themselves, nodding and gesturing to their catch. After a moment, two of the males hefted the now limp and lifeless shark, carrying it back to the village while the smaller fish were piled into a large wicker basket.

"What did you say to them?" Dennis asked, watching as one of the aliens carried away the brimming basket of fish.

"I told them that the Ambassador, honored guest of the Lord Patriarch, wishes them to prepare the fish in whatever way they deem appropriate so that he might sample the local flavors."

Dennis nodded. Something about the way that Xhe treated these people rubbed him the wrong way. She wasn't being abusive, they seemed happy to obey her, but the way that she lorded over them and ordered them around gave him a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. These were simple fishermen who were obviously far below the means of those who lived in the city. Borealan society respected strength and achievement, but what of the lower rungs of society? What of the poor and the weak? If Xhe was to be believed, they had a place in the power structure, and they obeyed willingly. But to Dennis' human eyes, it didn't seem as if they had much of a choice in the matter. In such a harsh environment and on a planet that had only recently been contacted, perhaps issues of social mobility were not a priority.

***

Dennis watched the suns set as he sat on the beach, the pebbles cool beneath his hands. The giant shark had been skewered and was being slowly spit-roasted over a crackling fire by an older Borealan with greying hair. The rest of the villagers milled about nearby, the low murmur of unintelligible alien speech floating over the calm water. A handful of kittens prodded the fire with long sticks, mesmerized both by the dancing, orange flames and by the slowly turning shark. Xhe and the guards were standing some distance away, seemingly at ease. The cool air blowing in from the lake alleviated the heat somewhat and ruffled his hair, even the high gravity couldn't ruin the moment. He looked to the sky, bright pinpoints of light visible against the velvet darkness. The constellations were strange and alien, he didn't recognize any of them, and the lack of a moon stood out to him. One light was especially bright and occupied a space low on the horizon, it must be the secondary yellow star in the binary system.

He wondered what Xhe might say if she saw Earth's moon, massive and prominent in the night sky. The more he learned about the galaxy, the more he realized how unusual it was to have a satellite so large and close, craters and plains visible with the naked eye.

Xhe called to him, the food was ready. He rose to his feet, his stomach rumbling as the smell of the roasted fish wafted over to him. He made his way up the beach, the pebbles crunching under his shoes, and sidled up to Xhe. The old Borealan with the salt and pepper hair pulled a chunk of meat from the flank of the animal, now supple and pliant. The soft, white flesh pulled away from the cartilage, and he skewered it on a long, metal fork. He handed it to Dennis, who had to compensate as he took the metal prong, it was heavy than he had anticipated. He sank his teeth into the meat, it was surprisingly firm and chewy, more like a steak than a fish fillet. It had a pungent odor, but the taste was pleasant.

"My compliments to the chef!" he mumbled through a mouthful of meat. Xhe relayed his praise to the old Borealan, and he clapped his massive hands together happily. "Will you not have some?" he asked Xhe, who stood beside him with her arms crossed.

"No, this food is a little...rural for my tastes."

"Oh don't be such an elitist. Because you're of high rank, you can't enjoy good food?" She didn't reply, staring into the fire, the light reflecting in her eyes. "What if I ordered you to eat it? I'm higher ranked than you, right?" Xhe sighed, dragging her fingers down her face in a gesture of exasperation. "Xhe, as the Ambassador to Earth and the personal guest of the Lord Patriarch, I hereby order you to eat with me!"

Xhe looked like she wanted to punch him, but she chirped at the old Borealan, who handed her a piece of meat on a long fork. She bit into it with her long fangs, making eye contact with Dennis as if to imply that if he kept this up, she would replace the shark meat with his jugular.

"How is it?"

"It's good," she admitted with a roll of her eyes. "Now don't gloat."

Dennis grinned and took another bite of his fish. The guards looked on, the female especially had her ears fixed on Dennis. Perhaps she spoke English or was just picking up on the body language between the two of them. He couldn't see her face behind the dark slot in her helmet.

Once Xhe and Dennis had taken their share, the villagers moved in, picking apart the carcass in short order. They were like a wolf pack, letting the higher ranked members eat first.

***

Dennis did his best to finish the Borealan-sized portion that he had been given, the amount of calories these aliens consumed in one sitting was astounding. He relaxed by the fire, the large iron fork discarded on the ground. The crackling flames drew dancing shadows on the beach as he lounged, the stars twinkling above his head. These villagers might not have access to the same technology and standard of living that the city dwellers had, but they had all the roasted shark that they could eat and complete autonomy it seemed. The capital was too far away to seriously interfere in their daily lives, besides dictating the price of their catch. Perhaps advanced civilization wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

He rose to his feet, intending to walk along the beach to settle his stomach.

"Where are you going?" Xhe asked. She was slumped on a wooden bench alongside the male guard, the food had gotten to her too it seemed. He chuckled to himself, she had been so angry when he had made her join the village in their meal, and now she had eaten so much of it that she was almost falling asleep.

"I want to go on a walk, just down the beach. It's a nice night."

"Very well, but take a guard with you." He began to protest, but the female guard snapped to attention, her crimson armor illuminated by the firelight. "They're here to protect you. The order to ensure your safety comes from the Patriarch, you cannot countermand it."

"Oh fine, I shouldn't be long anyway. I just need to clear my head, digest," he added as he patted his belly.

Xhe waved him away, closing her eyes as she leaned back in her seat. The Borealans were like a pride of lions, everyone who had eaten was practically passed out, some of them were literally sleeping in a pile. Only the two guards remained alert.

He glanced at the female guard. Her furry, round ears were tracking him, her eyes glinting behind her visor. He set off along the beach, and she loped behind him, staying fairly close. The guards never spoke, and they never showed their faces. Perhaps it was the same logic that the UNN special forces used. They hid their identity to avoid reprisals or unwanted publicity that might expose their clandestine operations.

He could feel the guard's eyes on the back of his head, even if he couldn't see her face. It was kind of spoiling the mood. This was the first time since arriving on the planet that he had been more than a couple of dozen feet away from a Borealan, he had wanted to enjoy some alone time.

"Think you could er...hang back a little bit? Kind of ruining my vibe here."

She didn't respond, probably didn't even speak English. Why would she? He was on Borealis. It wouldn't have surprised him if Xhe had specifically requested guards that didn't speak English so that he couldn't order them around or interfere in their chaperoning. He kept walking, the glow of the fire receded until he found himself in near darkness, the only light coming from the stars.

"Not very talkative?" he asked. No response, not even an attempt to acknowledge him. "Well you're just a ray of sunshine aren't you, captain killjoy?"

Her paw-like feet crunched heavily on the beach, much like the other members of her species she had foregone any kind of footwear. He turned his head to glance back at her, noting how tall she was. At about eight feet she was of average height for a Borealan, but her stature was imposing none the less. Her apple-red armor clung to her impressive figure, accentuating her toned musculature as she walked, thick thighs and wide hips rolling in rhythm. Her painted breastplate obscured her chest, but it looked considerable. He dared not stare for too long, turning his eyes back to the beach ahead of him. Maybe it was just the gravity, but every woman that he saw seemed to be in great shape, at least compared to a human. Life here was rugged, it bred strong people. He wondered idly if what Chaka has said was true, that humans and Borealans...fraternized on that space station that everyone kept bringing up. He had trouble imagining the mechanics of it, the differences in size and weight were so great. His neck ached where Chaka had left a welt, and he rubbed it absent-mindedly.

In any case, now was not the time for such thoughts, he was trying to enjoy the night. He hadn't felt so cool since he had descended the ramp of the UNN shuttle and felt the wall of Borealan heat hit him like a train. The wind from the lake was a soothing balm.

"It's a nice night don't you think?" he asked, not expecting an answer. The alien marched on, unresponsive. "The least you could do is make conversation if you're going to spoil my walk. Hell, you don't even speak English, do you? Xhe did this on purpose, I know it." He kicked a pebble, and it bounced away into the darkness. "I get a brief moment of alone time after being stuck in that damned embassy for a week, and Xhe sends you after me like I'm some kind of incompetent child. I ask you, what could possibly happen to me on a deserted beach?"

No reply. Dennis rested his hands in his pockets and tried to make the best of it, but he was resentful.

"I'll have to give you a name if you won't tell me what yours is, what about..." He scratched his chin pensively. "Cola, because your armor looks like one of those red aluminium cans. Get me some white paint, and I can draw the logo right across your chest."

The guard was robotic, completely focused on her task it seemed. Perhaps she had been ordered to ignore him, and that was a thought that made him angry. Maybe he would try to learn this hissing, yowling language of theirs, and then Xhe would not be able to dictate who he could and couldn't talk to. Even if he couldn't pronounce the words, he could surely understand what was being said.

"What do you think, Cola? Think I can learn your crazy language?" He paused to pick up a stone and threw it into the lake. He heard the splash as it hit the surface, but it was too dark to see how far it had gone. The guard paused next to him, her expressionless eyes tracking his movements beneath the shadow of her visor.

"Well don't answer too quickly," Dennis complained.

***

He walked for another fifteen minutes, skirting the shore of the lake and chatting with Cola occasionally. She never once replied but it was oddly therapeutic, everyone that he talked to under normal circumstances was so formal, it was nice to let off steam. He didn't really have any friends here, no one that he could confide in, and the lack of social interaction was beginning to gnaw at him. Cola never made a sound, but he could pretend that she was deeply interested in his directionless rambling.

Here the jungle protruded onto the beach, the roots of the gnarled trees reaching towards the water. Dennis stepped over them, walking into the foliage. Xhe probably wouldn't want him to explore this small island of greenery, but she wasn't here. In fact, if he were to enter, the village would be out of his line of sight.

"You don't mind, right Cola? After me? How kind of you."

He entered the brush, alien plants bending as he passed, their oddly shaped leaves catching on his clothing. He reached a small clearing and saw that the ground under his feet had become dirt, not pebbles. Now he felt as if he should turn back, getting lost in a forest was not on his itinerary for today, but he reveled in his brief moment of autonomy.