Chapter 12: Magic Fingers

“And so that brings us to article sixty-eight, which covers procedures. Read that off for me, Zuki,” Jules said as he stood before the monitor and pointed to the section in question. She leaned forward on the couch to see better, the tablet clutched in her padded fingers.

“The eco ... economic and social council shall create commissions in economic and social fields ... and for the promotion of sap ... sap...”

“Sapient,” Jules corrected, underlining the word with the mouse pointer. “Sapient refers to conscious, thinking creatures like you and I. Back in the old days, before we encountered aliens, these documents only referred to humans. That had to be changed when we encountered other intelligent species. You could say that I am sapient, or that I possess sapience. Continue.”

“The promotion of sapient rights, and such other commissions as may be required for the performance of its functions,” she concluded. Zuki tapped at her touch screen furiously, taking notes. She was becoming a remarkably proficient typist, she rarely needed to use the speech recognition functions now.

“So what do you think section sixty-eight means?” Jules asked, beginning to pace before the holographic fireplace. “What is its purpose?”

She scrolled through her notes for a moment before replying.

“A commission is a group of people who have been appointed to perform a function, such as an investigation, or have been authorized to oversee something. So, article sixty-eight must give the social and economic council the right to assign commissions to investigate abuses and promote sapient rights.”

“Good, Zuki,” he exclaimed. She sat up straight, a smile spreading across her face. “You’re picking this up far faster than many of the law students back when I was doing my studies. I assumed you’d be bored to tears when we got into the more technical stuff.”

“I like it. We have laws in Araxie, but nothing like this. So much effort has been put into them, the people who wrote them thought of everything.”

“Well, they’re not perfect,” Jules said, crossing his arms. “There are some loopholes and things that they missed, and a law is only ever as good as the people enforcing it, but it’s the best legal framework that we were able to produce when it comes to interstellar relations. Remember, however, that these conventions only govern the Coalition and the interactions between member states. Araxie will maintain its sovereignty and continue to operate under its own legal system, but if any local laws conflict with interstellar ones, then there may be problems. For example, you can’t just ignore the conventions on sapient rights, you would have to update your local laws to comply with them if they were at odds for some reason.”

“I see,” she muttered, typing on her tablet again. Jules turned to check the clock on the monitor, seeing that it was nearing midnight.

“Looks like we’ve been at this for a few hours,” he said, “how about we take a break and get some food?”

“Potatoes?” she asked.

“Sure, we can get potatoes. Why don’t you go over your notes a little more while I cook?”

She nodded, turning her eyes back to her screen. He wasn’t sure if it was her desire to be of use to her people, or the fact that he was her superior in this two-man pack that they had created, but she certainly was cooperative.

Zuki sat at the dining table, holding her knife and fork as she had been taught, watching eagerly as he delivered a steaming plate to her.

“Boiled potatoes with plenty of butter and salt, fresh smoked salmon which costs an arm and a leg out here mind you, and a topping of sour cream and chives. You’re supposed to eat the salmon with a blob of cream. Try to go slow and savor it, and watch that you don’t burn your mouth. It’s still hot.”

She used her fork to scoop up a dollop of sour cream, the little green pieces of diced chive standing out against the white paste, and then she speared a piece of pink salmon along with it. Jules watched, smirking as she brought it to her mouth and began to chew. Cats liked cream, and they loved fish, so surely this recipe would be a hit with Zuki?

Her eyes lit up, her tail beginning to wag back and forth, batting against the metal supports of her chair with a metallic clang.

“Good?” he laughed, and she nodded.

“I love this fish, it melts on my tongue,” she mumbled over a second mouthful. “What was it called again?”

“Salmon, it’s a species of fish native to Earth.”

She started on the potatoes, which had been boiled and then mashed into a salad along with more sour cream, then generously dusted with sea salt. Judging by the expression on her face, she was enjoying those too.

Jules returned to the counter to collect his portion, the human-sized plate dwarfed by the veritable hubcap that Zuki was eating off. They chatted about Zuki’s studies while they ate. Not only was she developing a good grasp of the Coalition convention itself, but she had some rather insightful questions to ask about it that he was all too happy to answer. Her enthusiasm was rekindling his own interest in interstellar politics, the passion that had driven him through law school, and up into the ranks of the UN. At the rate that she was progressing, he felt certain that he could send her back home with enough knowledge to advise her Patriarch. She would be no expert, it took years of study to truly grasp the legal system, but she would know enough that the Araxie couldn’t be easily taken advantage of. Perhaps she would be able to continue her studies on her own from there.

Almost as soon as Zuki had cleaned her plate, licking up what was left of the sour cream with her prehensile tongue, she was ready to resume her studies. Perhaps he could convince her to take at least another afternoon or two off to see more of the station, he had some ideas for activities that she might enjoy.

The dull glow of the sunlamps was starting to bleed through the shutters, it was an artificial dawn, time to sleep for the nocturnal Araxie. Jules set down his remote on the table and stretched, his legs stiff from standing for so long. Zuki had studied practically all night, with only the occasional break for food, and her thirst for knowledge seemed to be unquenched.

“We really should stop,” he said as she peered across the coffee table at him from her perch on the couch. She was curled up with her feet tucked beneath her, the long sleeves of her ill-fitting sweater creeping down her arms and threatening to cover her hands. “We can pick up where we left off tomorrow. You want to get something else to eat before you go to bed? I have a hard time keeping track of how much you eat and when you’re supposed to be hungry. Do Araxie even eat three meals a day, or is that just something we humans take for granted?”

“We eat whenever we’re hungry,” she replied, shrugging through her sweater. “There is always food cooking in the great hall, anyone is free to come and go as they please. The only exception is before the winter when we all eat a large communal meal before hibernation. It has to be enough to feed us during the time of lethargy, when nobody will be awake enough to cook.”

“Oh, like a bear hibernating. That makes sense. Well, just let me know when you’re hungry, I can always cook you something up. There are snacks in the cupboards, too. I bought some party-sized bags of potato chips that you’ll probably appreciate. They’re salted.”

“Maybe I’m a little hungry...”

“Alright,” he chuckled, “I’m guessing you want potato chips? I picked up some flavors that I thought you might like. No eating in bed though, I don’t want you getting crumbs everywhere.”

She hopped off the couch, her padded feet landing silently on the carpet despite her immense weight, the cushions beneath her gradually returning to their original shape. Jules made his way to the kitchen and reached into one of the cupboards, barely able to reach the lowest shelf when he stood on his toes. He pulled out a packet of sour cream flavored chips, Zuki’s green eyes fixing on the colorful exterior as she recognized the white cream.

He tossed it to her, and she fumbled it, crouching to pick it up off the floor and turning the packet over in her hands as she inspected it. It was a pack intended to feed a whole family, yet it scarcely looked larger than a single in her massive paws. He showed her how to open it, and before long, she was fishing for chips, pausing to lick the flavorful dust from her fur between handfuls.

In the meantime, Jules headed to the bathroom, washing up and brushing his teeth. He paused, chewing on the bristles on his toothbrush for a moment as he stared at himself in the mirror above the tall sink. Would Zuki be wanting to share the bed again? This time he couldn’t blame it on being drunk, and he couldn’t write it off as a misunderstanding. What should he do?

The human in him told him that sharing a bed with a woman that you weren’t in a relationship with was a bad idea, it would be courteous to offer her the bed and then sleep on the couch. The damned thing was as large as a human bed anyway, it was no inconvenience.

But what he had learned about the Araxie told him a different story. It was expected for packmates to sleep together, it was a form of bonding, expected social behavior. It might be insulting to refuse. Worse, he might upset Zuki. The thought of her getting the wrong impression, thinking that he didn’t really like her or that he didn’t want to be around her overrode his fear of being put in a compromising situation.

He rinsed his mouth and then stepped out of the bathroom, finding Zuki waiting for him, her tail flicking eagerly.

“Are we going to bed now?” she asked, her ears picking up as she anticipated his reply.

“Yeah, it’s pretty late.”

Her smile was contagious. Suddenly, the thought of sharing a bed with her didn’t worry him so much. She followed him into the bedroom, the dim glow from a solitary lamp in the ceiling their only source of light, Jules making the bed as Zuki watched curiously. The aliens seemed to prefer the rat’s nest style of bedding to folded sheets.

Why was his heart beating so fast? He had slept with her the night before, and nothing untoward had happened. Maybe he was making a big fuss over nothing? He half expected to turn around to see her disrobing, but she was still wearing her camouflaged sweatpants and her turtleneck sweater, at least there was that. He noticed that her tail was flicking back and forth again, she must be anticipating something.

“Will you do my back again, like you said?” she asked as she bobbed on the spot excitedly.

“Oh, you wanted me to do your lower back, right? Yeah, lie down on the bed, and I’ll take a look.”

She smiled again, walking around him and climbing up onto the mattress, the springs creaking under her weight as she flopped down onto her belly and planted her face in the cushions. Jules hopped up onto the bed, kneeling beside her long body, level with where her wagging tail connected to her lower back. Hopefully, that wouldn’t get in the way too much, he should be able to feel his way around the unfamiliar muscle groups.

Jules lifted her sweater to expose more of her back between her pants and the bandages. Her tail slotted through a little hole in the elastic waistband of her pants, making them ride fairly high on her hips.

“I’m going to have to move your pants down just a little,” he began, “can you slide your tail out of that hole?”

It was remarkably flexible, the furry appendage moving more like a tentacle than anything that he was used to. He found himself wondering if she could manipulate objects with it, and then his question was answered as she used it to scoot her pants down until the beginnings of her velvety cheeks came into view.

“T-that’s enough,” he stammered. She wasn’t wearing her leather shorts beneath her sweatpants, or anything else for that matter. He cleared his throat and then began to narrate what he was doing in an attempt to alleviate some of the tension. Both of her ears had swiveled back to face him, her face resting in one of the pillows. She seemed so far away due to her eight-foot stature.

“So ... just like with your upper back, there are thick muscles down here that support the spine and are prone to strain and knotting. If your shoulders were sore, then I’m willing to bet that your lumbar area is in a sorry state too. They usually go hand in hand...”

He reached down, sinking his fingers into her silky fur, digging into the subtle layer of delicate fat that coated her lithe body. After probing around the dimples just above her butt for a few moments, he located a knot, Zuki twitching as he rolled his finger over it.

“Yeah, your muscles are all stiff and knotted. I’m going to apply a lot of pressure, this is deep tissue we’re talking about here. It might make it ache worse at first, but it will feel better after a little while. Is that alright?”

She mumbled a yes into the pillows, and Jules cracked his knuckles. There were so many things that he was unsure about, but this at least he knew how to do. Time to put his supposedly magic hands to work.

He began to knead her taut muscles, pushing his fingers deep into her flesh, like he was shaping fresh dough. She shifted uncomfortably, grumbling a little as he probed for the sweet spot. If she had lower back pain, then it was probably feeling worse right now, not better. He just needed to find what he was looking for, and...”

Zuki growled suddenly, a deep and resonating rumble that made his hair stand on end, and he pulled his hands away in alarm.

“Sorry! Did I hurt you?” Maybe this was a bad idea, maybe he really didn’t know enough about her alien anatomy to apply so much pressure so confidently.

“No,” Zuki whined, her voice trailing off into a whisper. “Don’t stop...”

Apparently, a growl could be a positive reaction. Alright then. He returned his hands to the spot just above the perfect dimples near her rump, skirting the base of her tail as he dug deeper. Just like between her shoulders, the muscle here was practically petrified, it was as hard as rock and completely inflexible. There were knots, too, thick and hard. It must be so uncomfortable for her.

Zuki arched her spine, her tail curling, the toes on her paw-like feet flexing like a cat kneading its favorite blanket.

“There!” she yelped, her clawed fingers sinking into the pillows and tearing through the fabric. More additions to his growing bill...

Having located a problem area, he switched to the heel of his hand, leaning all of his weight on her back. Her reaction was immediate and powerful, he could feel her muscles tensing, shivers sliding up her spine as he alleviated her discomfort. He made slow circles, pushing as deep as he could get. It was a very tough part of the body, he was in no danger of injuring her, doubly so due to her Borealan resilience.

“How does that feel?” he asked, watching her clawed toes flex rhythmically.

“Like you’re reaching inside me and scratching an itch,” she mumbled, her voice muffled by the cushions. “It hurts a little ... but it’s good...”

There was that sweet ache that was so often associated with this kind of massage, a permeating, dull pain that tapered into a deeply satisfying soreness that few other sensations could approximate. She must be feeling intense relief right now, who knew how long she had been living with a background noise of pain, never knowing that applying a little pressure in the right places could alleviate it. What’s more, he was only getting started.

“I’m going to move closer towards the center of your spine,” he explained, switching back to his fingers and relieving some of the pressure. “You’re pretty different from a human here, I’m not really sure what your muscle groups look like, so I’m going to feel around a little. Tell me to stop if it hurts, alright?”

“Mhmm,” she sighed.

There were two parts to the lower back, the inward arch of the spine, which was referred to as the lumbar curve, and then the outward hump of the butt, which was referred to as the sacral curve. That was where the last few vertebrae of the spine were located, along with the coccyx, otherwise known as the tailbone. The tail was not vestigial in Borealans, obviously, Zuki’s spine extended into a long and flexible appendage. As he probed around the area, feeling her twitch as he tickled her, he discovered that there was a large web of muscle connecting it to her body. It had a lot more leverage than he had expected, she could probably lift some considerable weight with it.

As he neared the base of the tail, Zuki growled again, and this time he knew better than to pull away. Instead, he dug his fingers deeper, scratching the zone where her tail joined to the rest of her body. The Araxie squirmed, her claws sinking deeper into the pillows and sending a puff of feathers floating to the carpet below. It must be rich in nerve endings.

“Does that feel good?” he chuckled, feeling her tremble like a leaf. In response, she coiled her tail around his wrist like a furry manacle, preventing him from pulling his hand away. He kept up his stroking, Zuki arching her back and writhing on the bed. She moved so beautifully, her muscles shifting beneath her fur, her shiny coat reflecting the light to give the impression that she was clad in vinyl.