Sci/Fi Landing Pad

Amalexis
Author: Destinae
CHAPTER 8


Nefora was livid. She seethed with righteous indignation. Her fists clenched and unclenched, her fingernails scratching little half moons in the flesh of her palms as she tried to digest the information that one of the guards had just presented her with.

Why couldn't her daughter do anything right? Why did everything she did always seem like a direct slap in the face? But this, this went beyond anything she had ever done before.

The messenger standing in front of Nefora looked unsure of what to do. Finally she bowed shortly, turned, and exited, leaving Nefora with her anger.

Nefora didn't even notice.

She had tried to set a good example. She was a strong leader of the people; as strong as they came. She had to be. She had tried to imbue her daughter with the same strength, but it seemed to have worked too well. She was too strong, too independent, and uncaring of the consequences of her actions.

Nefora's hands snapped into fists once more they weren’t in fists at some point? and stayed that way as she started pacing her spacious office. Her dress of office swirled around her feet as she turned.

How could this be happening to her?

Her own daughter had taken a mate to her quarters! It was unheard of, unthinkable. The breeding grounds were there to keep personal attachments at bay. They were coldly clinical for a reason.

She couldn't very well confront her daughter now; not while that man was in her rooms. It would have to wait. Until at least the departure. Hopefully it wouldn't be too late by then.

In the past, women had been imprisoned for doing less. That tradition had fallen to the wayside when their numbers had dwindled even further. Nefora was loathe to throw her own daughter in a jail cell, even thought it would probably do her some good.

She railed against fate. Why did all of her other children all have to be boys? ooh, now this is an interesting development… Amelexis had been her last born, but her only girl child. She hadn't had any choice but to train her to be able to pick up the reins when she, herself, either passed on or grew too infirm to rule.

Independence was an admirable trait in any ruler, but even rulers had to follow the laws and rules of the land. Otherwise there would be only chaos.

Nefora gritted her teeth and willed herself to calm down. There was nothing she could do today or tomorrow for that matter. But tomorrow night was an entirely different story. She already had plans hatching in the depths of her mind. what if Lexis runs away?! Hehehehe

Amelexis would pay for her disobedience, her unwillingness to conform to the community. I smell a moral to the story Nefora saw things so clearly now. Amelexis really would make an unfit ruler. She would never be able to follow in Nefora's footsteps. Nefora would have to choose another. Another more suited to the task. Well, she would keep her eyes open and see what there was to see. I’d take out the “Well” since it’s in the narrative voice here evne though we’re in N’s POV Surely, there was should this be ‘were’? I think the ‘number’ functions like a collective noun…but I’m not sure a number of other young women more than able to pick up the reins once Nefora stepped down.

Nefora smiled. Oh, the things she would do to her disobedient daughter. huh? She goes from “I don’t want to throw my own daughter into a jail cell” to enjoying the thought of punishing her? Just because she came to the conclusion that her daughter’s unfit to rule? It seems a bit of an extreme swing in thought

*****

Another glorious day spent in the arms of the most beautiful woman in the world. Rane smiled in satisfaction. He was more than pleased with himself. He had returned from his walk the previous day with a calm mind and had kept himself coolly detached for the rest of his time spent with Amelexis. With any luck, he would be able to leave tonight with a clear conscience. While his heart would most likely be breaking, he didn't have to fear the same fate for Lexis.

Lexis rolled off of him. Her hair was soaked to her cheeks with sweat. She sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from him. It was an hour before the men were to be herded back to their own planet. Lexis clutched at her stomach as if it pained her. Concerned without wanting to be, Rane rolled onto his side, propping his head on his hand, regarding her sweat-slicked back.

"Are you okay?"

Lexis let out a low moan, but didn't reply.

"Lexis?"

She turned to him then. Tears slid down her cheeks. "What is it?" he asked.

She shook her head, her breath hitching, and moved to get up. Rane reached out, latching onto her wrist, holding her long enough for him to sit beside her and gather her into his arms where she sobbed freely against his chest.

Finally, after a few moments of uncontrolled sobbing, she pushed away from him, wiping the remaining tears away with angry jerks of her hands. Her cheeks gleamed wetly in the dim light.

"I'm sorry, Rane. I'm trying so hard to be strong. I guess I'm just not strong enough."

"What are you talking about?" His voice was a whisper. He was afraid of her answer, afraid he knew what she was talking about. His soul was both elated and horrified that he might actually hear her speak the words that were now hanging between them as if they had a very life of their own. Forbidden as they were, they would be the death of him. Of his soul, at the very least.

"I love you, Rane. More than life itself. When you leave, I won't survive. I know it."

Rane didn't respond. Here at last was what he had been so afraid of. Instead of joy, he felt only sorrow for bringing her so much pain. He gathered her closer, holding her tightly, as if afraid to let her go. After a few minutes, Rane drew her to her feet.

"Come on, we have to get cleaned up, before--we can't have anyone seeing you like this."

He took her into her bathroom and helped her step onto the shower plate where he scrubbed her thoroughly. She clung to him tightly the whole time. He helped her dry off and dress as if she was just a child and then even led her through the halls of the compound, outside into the oppressive heat of the night, to the landing strip. The big spacejet was still there, waiting. It had never looked more hateful to him.

Next to him, Lexis seemed to pull herself together. She raised her head. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, but she wouldn't show weakness in front of the rest of the women.

Rane smiled at her briefly and moved away from her side, joining the ranks of men already standing in front of the jet. He fought the urge to glance back at her. He wouldn't be able to handle the forlorn look in her eyes, he knew. what? No hare-brained escape plan?

*****

Nefora took Rane's place beside Amelexis as soon as he left. There was a grim smile on her lips as she captured Amelexis' elbow and steered her away from the other girls for privacy. She stopped them a short distance away and turned on Lexis, fire flashing in her eyes. you’ve got a lot of ‘there was’ sort of descriptions—I’m absolutely horrible with passive voice, so all I’m going to do is point that out…

"What were you thinking?" Her voice was a low hiss.

"About what?" Lexis had gotten used to her mother's tirades and was no longer intimidated by them. All she really cared about was returning to her quarters so that she could spend the rest of the night wallowing in her own misery. Unfortunately, it didn't look as if she was going to get her wish.

Nefora put her fingers to her forehead as if it pained her. It was a gesture Lexis was all too familiar with. It seemed all Lexis did was give her mother a headache.

"You know what I'm talking about, Amelexis! You took a man to your private quarters instead of the breeding grounds!"

"How did you know that? Who told you?"

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is that I know."

Tears filled Lexis' eyes. Nefora turned away to watch the activity around the jet. Lexis found she couldn't stop the next words she uttered. "Please, Mother, don't send them away! Please. I want them to stay. I love him!"

Nefora's hands were fists as she whirled back to her daughter, a triumphant look on her face. "Just as I suspected. You really are worthless. Can't you do anything right?"

Lexis' gaze moved past her mother to Rane. He had turned to look back at her. Her breath caught in her throat. His love for her was practically written on his face. It was all focused in that one look and she could hardly bear to see it. She turned back to her mother, her one true chance.

"Please!"

"Rules are rules, Amelexis. I can't just go changing them all around. That would cause anarchy and chaos." yeah…let’s all become a bunch of endangered species who end up going extinct because we can only have sex once a year…much better

Nefora turned back to the jet, her eyes also settling on Rane. He stared back. When she caught his eye, his expression turned to a scowl. Nefora smiled back tightly.

"Besides, Amelexis, men are incapable of love." She slanted a sideways glance at the girl at her side. "They are indispensable for breeding, but they do not know the meaning of the word love. They are brutish, cold-hearted, uncaring--"

"No!" Lexis turned on her. "That's you! Rane is kind, and gentle--"

"Stop it! He will go and that's all there is to it!"

"Lexis! Lexis!"

Both women broke away from each other, turning their glares from each other to regard the figure approaching. Rane stopped in front of Lexis, panting from the short run for a moment, before straightening.

"Lexis!"

Nefora's eyes flashed. "Don't call her that! Don't you dare ever call her that again! You don't have the right!"

Rane ignored her. "Lexis, we'll find a way to be together."

Two guards stepped forward, capturing his arms and trying to drag him off. He resisted for only a moment.

"I love you, Lexis!"

Lexis smiled triumphantly at her mother. "See?"

"I see only a silly little fool." Nefora drew a deep breath. "He will not be back. You will never see him again."

Lexis's smile faltered and then dropped. "What?"

"He is banned from all mating days henceforth. He will remain behind with the old men and the young boys." Nefora sneered. "You will never see him again."

Lexis let loose an anguished cry and threw herself at her mother. Nefora was a small woman and Lexis' attack knocked her off balance before another guard came up to restrain the young woman. repeptitive “woman” in this sentence

"Take her to her room," Nefora ordered. "She needs some time to cool off."

The other woman nodded and started dragging Lexis away, but not before Lexis could get in one last parting comment.

"Does your daughter's happiness mean so little to you? That you would do this? I hate you! You could change everything, anything you wanted to and yet you deny me this one thing to make me happy! If I had a daughter, I would make sure she had everything she ever wanted!" that’s actually several last parting comments if you’re going to side with semantics

Lexis sagged in the guard's grip, her energy spent. Rane still watched her from the throng of men, his expression intent. He was the next to board, but he remained where he was for the moment, just watching. She had fought and lost. He didn't even have the luxury of being able to fight. He tugged angrily at the collar around his neck before turning and finally boarding the jet.



I really liked this scene. Except that we don’t get to see Neffie’s reaction to her daughter saying ‘I hate you.’ That I really would have liked to see—it’ll tell us whether she really loves her daughter and is just really shortsighted about evolution and the well being of people in general, or if she’s a borderline psycho who actually thinks this sort of segregation is good for the world. That being said, I have nothing more to really say! I’m going on to the next chapter soon…

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **