The Bonding (15 page)

He laughed at her. “Do you not have
shopping areas like this on your planet?”

She shook her head. “Not this big! This
is incredible! I have
never
seen such a large mall.”

“Then let us begin,” he said, and led her into the maze of
shops.

There were literally thousands of people
there. Occasionally, someone would notice Janet and stare as they walked by.
They weren’t trying to be rude. They had never seen an Earthling. Most of the
people looked like Tarku, but there were some, from other planets, who were
totally different.

“There are a lot of different people
here,” she remarked.

“On Zintandu, our people come from many
lands and speak many different tongues. We have a universal language, but each
culture also has its own. We use one monetary system throughout the planet. All
money is the same, no matter where you go. Zintandu has three major lands with
fifty minor lands within. We speak twenty individual tongues, including the
main language. As you have noticed, we also have visitors from other worlds. We
are a universal people.”

“It is similar on my world,” she noted.
“We have many different lands with different people, all speaking their own
languages. We also have a universal language, but our money is different from one
land to another. We also don’t have people from other worlds. We’re all from
the same planet.”

Tarku chuckled. “You have visitors from
other worlds that you do not know. Our scientists have been studying your
planet for a very long time, and we are not the only ones. Your planet is like
many others, and watching your development is like looking at our own, when we
were in our infancy.”

He was smiling at her again, and she
looked up with a questioning grimace. “What? How do you know this?”

He didn’t want to talk about the Earth
videos that he was watching and quickly changed the subject. “Have you noticed
how well you’re speaking to me? I’m very pleased at how quickly you are
learning. This is only the second day and already you speak so well.”

“It’s the program. It almost hypnotizes
me when I use it.” She gazed out across the mall. “I get so deeply into it that
I don’t want to stop.”

He put his hand on her shoulder. “I would
guess that in seven to ten days, you will know my language as well as me, and
be able to speak with me about anything. However, at this moment, we have some
serious shopping to do. We must make you look like a Zintandian.”

He was successful at changing the subject and her mind went
back to shopping. “You don’t have to tell a woman twice to go shopping. This is
one of my favorite pastimes.”
 
She
grabbed his hand and began walking. “Let’s go!”

He stopped her for a moment. “First, I
think we should sit and watch the others. I’ll point out which women are your
age and you can see what they’re wearing.”

She laughed. “That is such a typical male
response. I can’t believe that you guys are the same no matter what planet
you’re from. Trust me, when I get into a shop, I will know what I like.”

“Then lead on and I will follow,” he
remarked.

They went into a variety of shops. In
each shop the attendants were very happy to help her pick out selections. Most
of the ladies felt honored to be able to help such a beautiful alien as Janet.
They were all entranced by her beauty
. Many of them
commented about her eyes, since all the Zintandians have large, teardrop shaped
eyes with cat eye pupils.

Many asked her about the Earth. She
described it as being much the same as Zintandu, with friendly and beautiful
people like the ones who were helping her. Janet was having a wonderful time
and Tarku was pleased to see her so comfortable around his people.

At each shop, she went into the dressing
room with at least five outfits and modeled each one for Tarku. He was having
as much fun as her. She would parade out, turn around a couple of times, to get
his yes or no opinion and go back in for the next one.

Now, it was time for undergarments. She looked
at the bras and panties and an attendant approached her.

“Hello, I’m Kora. Is there anything that
I can help you with?”

“Yes. I’m trying to figure out the sizes
of these undergarments. As you can see, I’m not from Zintandu. This is my first
day here and I don’t know how anything is sized.”

“Then welcome to our world. I hope you
enjoy your visit.”

“Oh, it’s more than a visit. I’ll be
living here now.”

“Really? What brings you to Zintandu?”

“It’s sort of a long and confusing
story.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry,” Kora
apologized.

“Oh no, you weren’t prying. If I had a
little more time I’d tell you the whole story. But, right now, I have to get
some clothing so that I can meet Tarku’s parents tonight.”

“Tarku?” Kora questioned.

Janet pointed to him sitting near the
dressing room. “That big guy over there.”

Kora looked at Tarku. “He’s quite
handsome.”

Janet nodded. “Yes, I think so, too.”

“If you notice, you and I are physically
about the same size,” Kora said. “Come into the dressing room and let’s figure
out what size you are. I can help you quickly if you’ll allow me to measure
your breasts. I know that isn’t the normal thing we do, but in this case, the
only other thing I could do is get you a few different sizes and let you try
them on.”

“I don’t mind,” Janet said. She took off
her top, exposing her very voluptuous breasts.

“You look the same as me,” Kora said.
“Would it embarrass you if I showed you what a Zintandian woman’s breasts look
like?”

“No! I’m actually curious,” Janet
replied. Then, as Janet watched, Kora removed her top and exposed her breasts,
which were as voluptuous as hers. Kora was very close to Janet’s height and
weight, with short, brown hair and beautiful green eyes. Janet guessed that
Kora was slightly younger, but she didn’t know how the Zintandians aged. “It’s
amazing how similar we are, even though we come from places so far from each
other,” Janet said.

“I think we all have the same creator,”
Kora replied. “Here, try my bra.”

Janet slipped it on. “It fits perfect.”

“Good! Now that we know your size, let’s
find some that you like.”

Janet put her hand on Kora’s arm. “My
name is Janet, Janet Shelby.”

Kora smiled. “My name is Kora Tibik. I’m
pleased to meet you, Janet Shelby.”

This was the last shop they needed to
visit. Janet now had a completely new wardrobe and Tarku was quite pleased at
how wonderful all of the attendants treated her. He generously tipped them for
their help.

Janet felt as though she would need a
female friend here on Zintandu and tugged on Tarku’s sleeve. “If I wanted to
talk with Kora, from your home, how would I do that?”

Tarku looked over at Kora and then leaned
down to Janet. “Already making friends I see. We will exchange information and
I’ll show you how to contact her when we get home.”

Janet looked up at him and smiled, and
then looked over to Kora. “Since I’m going to be living here, may I call you
and be your friend?”

Kora was almost beside herself with this
request. “I would be honored to have you as a friend, Janet.” She quickly spoke
into the computer and told it to print out her name. She handed the paper to
Janet.

Tarku printed out his and gave it to
Kora. “For the next two days, Janet will be very busy, but she can call you
after that,” he said.

Kora nodded to Tarku and smiled at Janet.
“I’ll look forward to hearing from you.”

“Me too! Have a nice day, Kora.”

“Peace be with you, Janet,” Kora said,
watching them walk away. She folded the paper with Janet’s name and put it in
her pocket.

Tarku was loaded down with bags full of
clothing. “Let me carry some of those, Tarku.”

“It would not be appropriate to make a
lady carry these. I’m fine.”

Wow! Some Earth guys could take lessons
from him, she thought. “You are such a gentleman. You’ve obviously had a good
upbringing.”

“Yes, I believe my parents did well at
raising us.”

Later, she found out that nearly all of
the men on Zintandu were just as polite. It was simply a way of life here that
was instilled in everyone. A man was always to be polite and respectful to all
women – as there could be no continuation of life without them. The women
felt the same way about the men, but it was a different kind of respect. The
men were the protectors.

As they approached the elevator, Tarku
took a small disk from his pocket and pushed the button on it three times.

“What is that?” she asked.

He gave it to her to examine. “It’s for
the attendant to bring my vehicle. It will be waiting when we get to the top. I
push the button three times and it signals him.”

She shook her head and smiled as she
handed him the disk. “Your world is not so different from mine.”

“That is very true,” he replied. “In all
of my travels, to many different worlds, I have found that people are much the
same, no matter what planet they are from. We all laugh and cry. We have
mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers. We feel love and anger. We all work
at some kind of job and come home to our families at night. We socialize with
our friends and court those with whom we wish to have special relationships.”

Each time he spoke, she was moved by his
thoughtfulness and emotions. Of all the people in the universe who could have
found her drifting in space, she was so happy that it was Tarku.

In the parking area, the attendant was
waiting with Tarku’s IAV. He tipped the man and helped Janet get in. In a few
seconds they were zipping away from the building and climbed into the evening
sky. The city glowed with lights and was even more breathtaking. This time,
Janet didn’t pay attention to Tarku’s piloting. She was absorbing the beauty
beneath her. The city spread out for what she guessed was a hundred miles.
Nowhere on the Earth was there a city this magnificent. There were lights as far
as she could see, reaching thousands of feet into the sky.

“This is so beautiful, Tarku. We have
large cities, but not like this.”

He quietly looked over and smiled. Her
face was glued to the window. Within minutes they were back home, pulling into
the garage structure. Tarku again grabbed all of the merchandise and they
headed for the elevator. This time, as they entered, Janet called out, “Zivok,”
but the elevator didn’t do anything. Confused, she looked at Tarku. He smiled
and repeated the command. Immediately the doors closed and reopened two seconds
later at their home. She looked at him in disgust. “Why didn’t the elevator
work when I said Zivok?”

“The elevator recognizes only the
authorized voices of the tenants living here, and will only take them to their
homes, or the homes of anyone who has authorized them to visit. We need to
record your voice on the authorization.”

Tarku carried the bags to Janet’s room
and placed them on her bed, then took her to the living room and had her speak
into the computer.

“Now the elevator will listen to you,” he
said.

“Thank you. And thank you for sharing
your home with me.”

Tarku smiled, “You’re quite welcome.”

“How do I call Kora?” she asked.

“It’s very simple.” He showed her how to
make the call. They didn’t have telephones, but rather a communications system
where you could choose whether or not you wished to see the person and have
them see you. By simply speaking out loud the word ‘contact’ followed by the
person’s name, the communications system automatically contacted them. The
computer was an integral part of each room, so as you walked from room to room
the person could still hear you, and each room had a monitor if you wished to
see each other.

“Thank you, Tarku. Tomorrow evening I’ll
call Kora.”

“Janet, we need to talk for a moment.
Please come and sit with me.” He motioned for her to sit on the sofa.

“Uh oh! This sounds serious.” She sat on
the edge of the cushion with her hands folded between her legs.

He sat next to her and leaned forward
with his large fingers clasped together on his knees. “It is quite serious.
Since you are not from this world, I have to present you to the ruling council
to get their approval to allow you to stay here. While we were en route from
Poltan, I contacted the council and explained how I found you. I told them that
I didn’t know which planet you were from, but that you were very much like us.
I sent them your medical scans for permission to allow me to bring you to
Zintandu. While you were sleeping they granted my request. But now, the council
must meet you in person. I also must inform them, now that I know, that you’re
from the planet Aulhw, which is a restricted planet.”

“Do you think there will be any
problems?” she nervously asked - her legs jittered up and down.