With the scheduled visit to Sagua’s residence impending, I called upon Keensty for advice on what to wear and how to act. My best friend seemed giddy at the idea of me being with the alien, and most just because it’d keep her occupied for an entire evening. He was getting carried away with ideas like she was any Arata woman, and like she could ever be interested in one enough. I grew weary of his insinuations: it wasn’t like that. Sagua, the alien, wanted positive interactions with an Arata.
Keensty purred as he brushed my ginger fur, positioning me in front of a mirror. “If I knew she was going to invite you in, all by your lonesome, of her own accord, I wouldn’t have worked so hard to sneak in! Ha, I’ll be checking out some other parts of the station while you keep her busy.”
“Keensty, enough already!” I hissed. “You couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m…not looking to seduce her; get your mind out of the gutter. I just died and have gotten clobbered by our people’s great deception. I couldn’t feel that way about her, anyway. I’m afraid of her.”
“Well, fear and attraction are related.”
I cuffed him over the ear, my eyes shooting daggers at him. “How can you be acting like this right now? Doesn’t it bother you at all: Hrothl killing our own fucking people and fabricating terrorist attacks? My dad’s been alive the whole time and never bothered to come home, and I’m just…”
“I’m sorry, bro,” he replied. “Of course I’m floored that our people have such a…shady underbelly. Do I think that suddenly makes the Pelsyl the good guys? No. They do want to destroy us, and we have to protect ourselves. We have tried peace talks before. Whatever Hrothl did, we’re still Treysyl. You think they’ll see it any differently?”
“Well, probably not. It’s not like I want to live alongside them. Maybe Sagua putting them in a separate universe…that’s an insane, but peaceful solution. I don’t want to be killing Pelsyl forever. My personal reason to hate them is gone, but now I have a personal reason to hate…us. So can you stop trying to play matchmaker with me and the alien who’s just opening my eyes to all of that? Like what’s fucking wrong with you? I asked for your help!”
Keensty gave me a sly glance. “All I’m saying is, we need her favor if she makes a move, regardless of what you really feel. I think she’s interested just from the invitation. I want to set you up because that’s the highest form of charming. You asked me to help you make a good first impression, like you would on a date.”
“It’s a lot of pressure just to interact with her. She’s so perfect and pure. She knows everything, she’s like a primordial force that’s always existed, she’s…the savior of all of us. She’s so much better than me. You think about it: we should be fucking worshipping her and this technoheaven, not just chilling with her like a normal person.”
“Okay, do NOT say that. You sound like her sycophant.”
I pressed a hand to my head. “She’s the only person I trust, Keensty…other than you, of course. Nothing makes sense anymore. She hasn’t gotten a good impression of Aratas, and I just want her to have a nice evening. I want her to like me.”
“Right, well it’s a good thing I found you a dress shirt! You can look snappy. That does make a good first impression, whatever you think you’re going for. Change, quick.” Keensty tossed me a button-up shirt and waited until I pulled it on. “You like it? I had to look all over the station for this; they didn’t leave us a lot of wardrobe choices. You’re welcome.”
“Thank you. It’s nice to look respectable, but where exactly did you get this from?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“…you know, I’ve heard enough that I wouldn’t believe beforehand that I think I just might believe anything. Tell me.”
A bubbly laugh rumbled in Keensty’s throat. “Well, the off-duty humans were playing a game called strip poker; I eavesdropped for a long time to make sure I wasn’t interrupting naughty times. First off, I wanted to see them get freaky if it happened—”
“Keensty.”
“What, that wasn’t the first thing you wondered about aliens? I’m a man of flesh and blood. Anyway, it’s a card game where they remove an article of clothing if they lose a hand they gambled in favor of. I’m light-footed, so I darted in and swiped the shirt.”
“The immortal aliens do not…” The mental image of the humans doing…that burned my eyeballs; it didn’t fit with what I knew about the ethereal aliens. They sounded like a lot of drunken college kids or young infantrymen with nothing better to do. “You’re fucking with me.”
“Am not. Their funtimes aren’t half as elevated as you think they are. They enjoy a lot of things you find quite familiar. They have more advanced technology, but as matters of taste, there’s plenty to find in common!”
I sucked in a sharp breath, as a simple message that said, “Ready!” came in from Sagua. “Shit. I just heard from her. Time to go. Any last minute advice?”
“Be yourself. Also, don’t go right away. Keep her waiting a tiny bit; too quick and you seem desperate,” Keensty said, earning an exasperated sigh. “Hey, unbutton the shirt partway. Be a little suggestive, not so strait-laced. You want to seem laidback; this is casual, after all.”
I swatted his paw away after he undid the first two. “Okay, that’s enough! I’m not leaving the whole fucking thing open! You still haven’t told me anything that’d help her like me.”
“A simple gift might go a long way. What’s something she mentioned that would show you’re listening to her?”
I racked my brain, suddenly finding it difficult to remember what we’d talked about. “Ummmmm…nanobots?”
“Ugh, dammit,” Keensty groaned. “I don’t know how you ever managed to get engaged, but we need to work on your game if it’s going to happen again. Okay, just stick with compliments and gratitude. Tell her you’re coming now—and keep me posted. Details.”
“Alright, Keensty. Thanks.” I pulled up Sagua’s message and closed my eyes, nervous about whether our interactions would bore or disappoint her further. “I’m ready too. Feel free to bring me over.”
The last thing I saw of my room was Keensty whooping and looking far too excited, making a few crude gestures with juvenile mirth on his face. I was relieved when Sagua teleported me away, and I stood inside the door to her dwelling; I could convince myself I’d just walked in, like I was visiting any friend. It was exactly how Keensty had described, with pink curtains and cute trinkets scattered about.
The human was hunched over to knead some dough, though she turned around with a happy flash of her teeth. “Welcome, Lucren! I hope you can forgive the clutter. I’m working on food, if you’d be interested in helping?”
I paused at the idea of crowding her space, before cursing myself. Dammit, Keensty. “Y-yeah, of course! I’d love to see how you cook.”
“You don’t have to. You’re my guest. I just figured it’d be nice to work together, but you came here to relax, didn’t you? The last few days must’ve taken their toll, so no pressure to stand on your feet and ‘heed my instructions.’”
“It’s not that,” I sputtered with haste, closing by her side. “Um, hi. What are you making?”
Sagua finished pressing out a flat circle of dough. “Pizza. I was thinking you can help me apply the sauce, the cheese, and the toppings. You can try out and pick exactly what you like. Consider it a crash course in alien veggies…and the radical beauty known as sausage. Not to prime you with my opinions, but it’s not pizza without sausage.”
I crept in to see the variety of toppings, and sampled a few as she gestured to them. “This is a lot of stuff. What kind of flavor are we going for?”
“People like all kinds of pizzas. Think of it as a saucy dinner pie; they’re very fun, simple, diverse, and satisfying. We pack each slice with toppings, and then we’ll just toss it in the oven. They can be meaty, tropical, herbaceous, creamy. Whatever strikes your fancy. I hope it’ll give me a better feel for the Arata palate. Or at least yours, Lucren.”
“Yes, that should…be good data. Thanks for taking an interest,” I managed, uncertain how to feel about several of the novel flavors, let alone which ones should be mixed together. “You seem like you’re in a good mood! You sound very excited.”
“Oh, you have no idea!” Sagua puffed open a bag of cheese and gestured for me to grab a handful. I startled when she positioned herself behind me and grabbed my wrist, guiding my hand while I sprinkled the cheese on the pizza. “Okay, I can’t pretend not to know any longer. You’re the one who swiped Josh’s shirt from strip poker?”
“You were there?” I exclaimed, dropping the rest of the cheese. Heat puffed out my fur, as I felt very self-conscious. Should I sell out Keensty, after everything he did to help me? The alien was laughing, so she didn’t seem to be taking the theft seriously. Still, I didn’t want her to think I was looking at her that way. “No! It was my best friend, Keensty. I’d never do that to you. I just wanted to look nice for t-tonight, I can give it back…”
Sagua doubled over, her cheek coloration deepening from her howls of laughter. “I wasn’t there, but it’s the talk of the station. Keensty sure found an interesting place to go digging for laundry. I can get you your own attire, you know, but you didn’t need to impress me. I like you how you are.”
“Oh? Thanks. I…like you how you are too!” I eyed her more closely, noticing that she’d seemed to style her hairdo to look puffier. There was also what appeared to be some powdery shading on her face skin, which suggested she’d also wanted to enhance her beauty for me. “Though your hair looks very nice like this. You didn’t have to go through all of this effort for me…”
“I wanted tonight to be special. It’s important to me that you have a good time, Lucren,” she said. “Just relax. There’s so much that I want to show you and see what you think! I mean, as far as I can tell, you barely know anything about us at all.”
“I didn’t read the materials on the Alliance and who you are, if that’s what you’re asking.” I thought back to what Keensty said about listening, when the human made a sweeping gesture toward the toppings. I picked out the sausage crumbles that she pointed out, and debated what else to put on it. I selected some dried purple fruits I’d liked and a leafy green vegetable, which earned an indecipherable look. “There. Is that acceptable?”
“Raisins and spinach with sausage? Well, if that’s really what you want.” The human’s expression seemed close to a grimace, which left me to wonder if I’d done something wrong. She levitated the pan and opened the oven door with ease, while I watched the floating pie seal itself inside. “Thanks for giving me a hand. It was a team effort! We have about ten minutes until it cooks, so tell me: what do you think of my humble abode?”
I made a show of turning around and studying each area, before returning my gaze to her. “It’s very personable and cozy. It gives off an inviting atmosphere, which, I’m very grateful for you having me over. You’ve done so much for me, and I can’t begin to repay you.”
“Lucren, you owe me nothing, and I really hope you understand that. I did what anyone should do for a friend. I hope it was the right decision, as tough as it might be in the present. Be here only if you want to be.”
“I do, I want to learn more about you!” I exclaimed. “Can I ask you something?”
“Go on.”
“Well, not to pry, but it’s obvious you can cook in here, with the added benefit of relaxation and privacy. But I saw you eating alone in the mess hall. Why wouldn’t you have your meal back in the comfort of your home?”
Sagua’s smile fell, and she hesitated before providing her response. “The truth, even if it might weird you out? I…was waiting for you.”
“What?! Me?” I blurted, taken aback. “Sagua, I think you’re mixing up the timeline, no offense. We hadn’t even met before then. Not properly, and that was also the first day I’d even been on the station! You didn’t know I existed. It can’t have had anything to do with me.”
The human gave me a calming glance and herded me over to the couch, like she wanted me to sit down. That implied that she thought whatever she was about to share might cause a negative reaction or induce panic. Oh fuck, had she known about my plans to escape with Keensty the entire time?! Was she aware of why I’d approached her and what my intentions were, but she was so desperate for a nice chitchat, that she allowed it? I felt more horrible than ever about the false pretenses.
That’s the only way she could’ve known to expect me that makes sense. I’m this close to spilling an immediate apology. She’s been so nice, and I was trying to distract her.
Sagua’s black eyes peered into mine. “Lucren, I need you to listen and try not to judge. I’m worried this might scare you. My people have a unique ability, or rather, a side effect of traveling through 5D portals unprotected. That space exists outside of time, and it overloads our senses. For most species, it kills them. For humans, it causes…sporadic glitches in how our brain processes time.”
“What?” I croaked, unable to believe the fantastical words hitting my ears. I felt so confused, but it sounded like the alien was saying her people processed time itself differently. “I don’t understand. What are you saying? You’ve…already seen everything that happened?! Everything I’m going to do?”
“No, Lucren, it doesn’t work like that. I see snatches of future events, and they usually make very little sense. Visions, in essence, but that word sounds mystical and inexplicable. I don’t want you to feel that way about me. Just accept that there are higher dimensions, and the ways they interact with organic minds is funny. Not scary. Funny.”
I could feel my breath speeding up, because boy, had I not been prepared for Sagua to say she had actual fucking visions that came true! Worse still, I gathered that I had been in one, maybe even before I died; she knew that I’d meet her before I knew she existed! That plan we concocted existed before we hatched it, which didn’t sit right with me. Did that mean that everything was predetermined from the start? Did any of my choices matter, or like, was there ever any way of pulling one over on her if she might see it in advance?
I’m just a fucking soldier! I’m not meant to sit with an alien that glimpses the future. How can I ever relate to that? She sees so much MORE than us that it’s laughable.
Sagua winced. “Lucren, talk to me. How are you feeling? Let me…help, please.”
“I don’t fucking know,” I gasped. “You want to help us and you helped me, so I shouldn’t be scared of you. Your other powers are insane too, but they’re machines. They’re explicable.”
“I wish I could make it simple, but we don’t understand it either. Some humans believe there’s a way the universe…wants things to be. That the visions guide or teach us. Others believe it simply is, and we infer the lessons we gain from it onto a feelingless force. I can’t say. It’s had value for me, though, which is why I choose to trust it. The why doesn’t matter as much as the what.”
“Of course the what matters! That’s exactly what’s…I feel exposed. We’re on unequal footing any time we have a conversation! Fuck! H-how much did you see in your vision?”
Sagua’s countenance had turned downcast. “It wasn’t that much. I’m sorry if you feel violated; I’d never do anything to jeopardize your trust. I really do treasure it and prioritize honesty, though it’s little salve I’m sure. Look, I just saw that I’d share baby back ribs with an Arata in the cafeteria. I took it upon myself to make it come about. I…I wanted that to happen, to have an Arata companion…”
Seeing the pain on her face etched guilt into my heart; it was a sweet, simple motive. She hadn’t done anything wrong, even if it made me highly uncomfortable. It was out of her control, regardless of whether I thought it was a crazy thing to be part of a person. Sagua could’ve formed our bond on a lie, yet she chose to confer the truth at the risk of unsettling me. She deserved an attempt to try to understand and move past it.
“That’s sweet,” I decided, forcing the words out. “You really wanted to talk to me and make it a positive. You’re right. The what matters more than why it happened. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”
“Oh, I had no idea when it’d happen. I ate dinner in the cafeteria for days, having the ribs ready. I was getting a little sick of them honestly, but I figured the vision was a hint you’d like them.”
“I did! Like you said, I hadn’t enjoyed anything on Teska in awhile. I’ve had so much shitty rations that I knew there, for sure, I’d died and gone to paradise,” I chuckled. “I have to ask though. What is it about humans that the, um, higher dimensions don’t kill you?”
Sagua squeezed her eyes shut. “The pizza’s ready. There’s a lot I should tell you about my kind’s origins, and about me. What do you say I explain over dinner?”
“Sure, Sagua. Thank you for not keeping me ignorant. I know you could’ve, but you didn’t. Whatever else you have to share, I’ll try to be cool.”
The human’s lips curved up and she relaxed a bit, hovering the gooey circle out of the oven. I watched as she sliced it into sections with a levitating piece of cutlery; she scooped it onto plates without lifting a finger, and transported them over to where we sat on the couch. The smell was incredible, causing my appetite to roar over my sensibilities. I hesitated to dive in without silverware since she’d called it a pie, but the alien hoisted hers with her fingers. It seemed we both agreed that any food on the couch had to be eaten with our hands.
I wanted very much to hear about how humans compared to Aratas, since she’d claimed there was ugliness in their spheres too. I tore into the food we’d prepared, and listened with eagerness for Sagua to share more about her people and their history.
A/N - 8! Keensty helps Lucren prepare for his invite to Sagua’s place. Our narrator cooks with the alien overseer, who is well aware of his shirt’s origins. Lucien then is told something more serious: that Sagua can see the future, and that she foresaw his arrival, a capability he finds quite alarming and interfering with his escape plans.
How will other Aratas react to humans being able to see the future, if this becomes public knowledge? Can Lucren understand Sagua?
As always, thank you for reading and supporting!