Not Quite Terran Part 4 (Scifi Alien Romance) by Erin Tate

Part Four
     
    Empress.
    Empress Rebecca.
    Empress Rebecca .
    Eight wentics and the same thought continued to spin through her mind. Who the hell thought it was a good idea to make her empress? Based on the number of people bowing and scraping, it involved quite a few people and each one seemed to be thrilled that she’d been located. They also trailed her everywhere she went. A few even went so far as to attempt joining her in the bathing room. That was also the time they discovered that their normally quiet empress was happy to yell, throw things, and kick ass if necessary.
    No one is gonna watch me pee .
    Speaking of peeing… She wondered if they’d have time for a potty break before she had to meet with the federation team. Glancing at her “Senior Advisor” and noting his frown, she figured not. Fine. It wasn’t the first time she’d had to hold it. How many zentics had she spent behind her intake desk counting down the zentics before her replacement arrived? Many. Many, many, many zentics.
    Their vehicle glided through the pathways, their procession halting traffic so they could travel unimpeded. She glanced at the passing scenery, staring at shops she never thought she’d go near let alone patronize. That had been one thing she enjoyed the third wentic after Karru shared the truth. Yes, it had taken her that long to accept everything she was being told.
    And then… Shopping .
    It’d been fine for a few zentics. Then she had just given up and walked away much to the annoyance and grumbling of her appearance advisor. Appearance. Advisor. A male who was solely dedicated to making sure she looked good. When he’d gone so far as to attempt to choose her panties, she’d sent him packing.
    Too bad she couldn’t send them all packing. Well, all but Karru. Everyone else seemed so hung up on protocols and titles .
    Such as the ones that stated Karru wouldn’t be accompanying her to the meeting because even though he’d been the overlord of Palia for years, now she was the one making decisions. Don’t ask her how that made any amount of sense. She didn’t know anything! How the hell could she make any decisions!
    Nobody cared. Or at least they were too stubborn to realize she was right. Which was why she would take the federation’s suggestions on a happy little data pad and then carry them back to her lodgings. Then she’d comm Karru to discuss them with her. If her “advisors” objected they could suck her big toe.
    Rebecca fidgeted, uncomfortable in the weird assed dress her appearance advisor had made for her. She had the twiny vine things traveling up her arm now due to her, er, contact with Karru in her rooms before he’d departed. Her clothing highlighted them. Her entire left arm was bare from shoulder down, the raised lines now covering her skin just past the elbow. The more time she spent in the presence of others from Palia, the brighter and larger the pattern became. They weren’t meant to be a beacon to males, but a clear sign she’d been approached and accepted by another.
    “Settle, Jhoari.” The male’s voice was low and quiet but seemed almost booming in the silent vehicle.
    “Yes, Takkol.” She released the two words with a heavy sigh.
    She’d been repeating those two words since the moment Karru hopped a flight back to Palia. An emergency had called him home and now that the duties of Jhoari were on her shoulders and her advisors were present, he left her with the promise of a swift return. She and Karru needed to get together and define swift. For example, eight wentics was not swift. Especially when they still hadn’t managed to find joy in each other’s bodies before he left.
    The vehicle slowed and finally eased to a gently rocking stop. Her first instinct was to climb from the transport, but she’d also learned that was a no-no. She waited for her guards to do whatever it was guards did, and as they waited, Takkol decided to deliver more instructions.
    Yippee.
    “Jhoari,