Chapter 7: The Bathing Room

My eyes fluttered open. I was in the white room again. The metal bands were gone. I looked around and saw Iman walking toward me. "Hi Doc," I whispered.

"Welcome back Alexis Perry," she said.

"Did it work?" I asked.

"Yes Alexis Perry," she said, "I do believe it worked. How do you feel?"

"Better," I said, and I knew that I did. "What was that thing in my arm?"

"To use phrases your Earth-brain will understand; it was a microscopic robot that worked its way from your arm, into your brain. It seemed to work with memories, distorting them, feeding on your emotions. The memories that were tied to strong emotions seemed to feed it. This is why you saw those images of your friend, and the other people in your life who have died, that man you had sexual relations with, but also, the images of your teaching. Things you truly love. Things you truly fear. Things that were tied to your emotions. I know all of your secrets Alexis Perry. I know of your loves and losses. Unfortunately, I do not think that I am the only one. I assure you, though; your secrets are not for me to share."

I smiled and said, "I had forgotten about Mandy. I know now it was because her death hurt me so badly I blocked all of my memories of her out. Thank you for bringing her back to me."

"Focus on the good Alexis Perry. Focus on the good."

Oliver stepped into the room and smiled at me. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," I said smiling.

"Alexis Perry is quite well," said Iman. "She has endured much. I know of few beings that could experience so much and come out so well. Alexis Perry is very strong."

"Thanks Doc," I said. "Now, what's a girl gotta do to get a shower around here?"

Oliver smiled and said, "I know just where to take you."

Oliver and I bid Iman farewell, and he led me down the long white hallway, or maybe it was a different one, I just didn't know. We arrived at a door as Oliver said, "This is our female bathing quarters. I hope you don't mine that other members of my crew may be in there."

"No, as long as I can clean myself up," I said.

"Yes," said Oliver, "that you will be able to do. I will have clean clothes sent up for you. I cannot join you, though. We have strict rules about this and even I must follow them."

"I understand," I said. "I won't be long."

"No," said Oliver, "take as long as you wish. You may find our way of bathing is quite relaxing and enjoyable. Do not hurry for me. When you do finish, give this to anyone who will be leaving with you and they will bring you to where ever I am. Please Alexis, enjoy your bathing time."

Oliver handed me what looked like a business card. "I will," I said.

I smiled, as I took the card, kissed his cheek, and entered the room. This was the first room I had entered that wasn't all white, but rich with bright colors, sweet smells, but was rather dark. There was just so much to take in. There were small chairs and benches all around what looked like vanity tables with mirrors. 'A mirror!' I walked over, looked at myself in the mirror, and gasped. My hair was a greasy, frizzy, curly mess. My face was oily, and I looked as nasty as I felt. The marks on my neck and face were fading, but not yet gone. Then I saw movement behind me and I quickly turned around. I saw what looked like a human woman standing behind me. Her hair was long and lime green; her skin appeared to be a dark shade of forest green. Other than the differences in color, she looked human. The woman tilted her head sideways and asked, "Are you the one they call Alexis Perry?"

I jumped up and smiled nervously. "Yeah, I'm Alexis."

The woman, who wasn't much taller than I was, smiled big and said, "I'm Valente. Welcome."

"Thanks, and please, call me Alexis."

She tilts her head again and asked, "Alexis?"

"Yes," I said. "I really am tired of everyone using my first and last name."

"'First and last name?'" she asked.

"You know what, never mind," I said. 'I guess they could be calling me worse things.' "I really need to bathe. Could you help me?"

Valente smiled big. "Yes Alexis Perry, I can."

I smiled and said, "Thanks."

Valente was really nice. She showed me how I could clean my teeth. Even though, it wasn't quite what I expected, my mouth had never felt cleaner. She showed me where I could put my dirty, sweaty clothes, and once we had both disrobed, I couldn't help but notice that other than skin and hair color, and she looked like a human female. Her slender build and large breasts would be desirable by most Earthmen. I also noticed she had very little pubic hair and it made me wonder how I compared to other females here on the ship, especially since I never shave that region. She escorted me to another large room with several large tubs. The tubs had what looked like several holes in the sides and the bottom and looked to be about five feet deep, and ten feet long. She explained that when we step into the tub, it would fill with liquid upon sensing our presence, and even though the tubs were big, only one creature was allowed to enter the tub. She chose the tub next to mine and we entered at the same time. Just as she said, the tub began to fill with a warm, sweet smelling liquid that foamed all around me. When the tub had filled to about four feet and the liquid stopped. I stretched out and enjoyed the feeling of the warm liquid on my skin.

"So Valente," I said. "What do you do on the ship?"

"I am in communications," she replied. "I listen to what your people would call radio waves, as well as other types of communications to know if other ships are in the area, or if we are in an area, like your world that does not know about us, then I monitor to ensure our safety and that we are well hidden."

"How so?"

"We are extra careful. For example, we hid the ship on what your people call the dark side of your Earth's moon, or the side that never faces your Earth, and only performed minimal transports. If a ship is necessary, we disguise it as a building."

"Like a restaurant?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"Yes, we did that, once," she said. "Though, it was some time ago. I remember it was a rather, unique place. We actually kept it on your planet for quite some time, until we learned of the trackers."

"Trackers?" I asked.

"Yes," she said. "Our king isn't too pleased with his son so he sent the galaxies two best trackers to find him, and bring him back."

'Fleck and Wyman, ' I thought. "Did they?"

Valente smiled at me and said, "They got pretty close. They found you."

I swallowed hard. It seemed that everyone knew who I was and why I was here. "What would have happened if I hadn't led them to him?"

Valente's face didn't look so pleasant, but more like she'd just bit into a lemon. "They are two of the most ruthless trackers known. Had he not come to your rescue, you would not be alive. They would have tortured you to death, even if you told them what they wanted to know. They enjoy inflicting pain. Actually, that's why we left your planet when we did. He didn't want them to find you."

Suddenly I understood what Oliver had meant when he said he couldn't stay and that he didn't want me to get hurt. "But they did."

"Yes," she replied. "It seems they figured out the best way to get him, was to go after you."

"How did he know they found me?"

Valente smiled and said, "Do you really think he left you alone and unprotected? Oh Alexis Perry, what a foolish Earthling you are. He's had you watched since he met you."

I dipped my head into the warm liquid then sat up and began to wash my hair. "So how then did these trackers find me?"

Valente sighed and said, "They found one of your secret guardians and tortured them until they found out about you."

A news story about a man found murdered in the alleyway behind my apartment flashed in my mind. I remember feeling a bit unnerved about a murder happening so close to my home. Then I realized that happened just a day before Fleck and Wyman had found me. "You said 'guardians.' What happened to the others?" I asked.

"There was one other that I know of. He must have been stronger, as far as we know, his death occurred about one Earth moon cycle before the other one."

I tried to think if I even heard about this, but I couldn't. Perhaps his death didn't occur near my work or home. If Valente is right, he kept my secret. Being that I've been a witness to Fleck's brutality, I can only imagine what they must have endured. I dipped my hair into the liquid again and sat up. "Do you know what happened to the trackers?"

"No," she said. "Most of us have been tracking your progress since your arrival. I understand you were near death when you arrived. Iman and Rashad sure had their work cut out for them. Good thing they were able to learn Earthling anatomy when we were here the first time."

"Yeah, lucky me."

"So, what do you think of our ship so far?"

"I haven't seen much of it."

"Really?" she said sounding surprised. "Maybe you were more injured than we were lead to believe."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You've been here for quite a period of time. Many of us were wondering if you were just a legend, or if you had died."

I knew that their sense of time and mine were quite different. I thought I'd been here two or three days, but then, I don't know how long it took them to repair all the damage Fleck inflicted on me. Between the hits, the choking, my lost vision, and everything else, all I had left were the lines from Fleck's fingers on my throat and the bruises on my face. 'No, work like that must have taken time.' "Iman said I am lucky to have lived."

"So, it is true they tortured you nearly to death," she said.

"Yes," I shuddered. "You've confirmed that I made the right choice to tell them nothing."

I heard a rustling from the other room and two more female creatures enter. I could tell this was one place were the females weren't very modest. One reminded me of a centaur, horse base, with a human torso, except the base wasn't like any horse I'd ever seen before. Her skin was bronze, she has what appeared to be four breasts, four arms, and short, spiky dark brown hair. The other woman looked like a dark-skinned African-American Earth woman with curly black hair. Like Valente, neither have much pubic hair and I began to think maybe that's just the way women of this world were. They were clicking in what sounded like an excited manner when they saw us and stopped, and I thought, 'It's me, my presence, that's why they stopped.'

Valente smiled big and said proudly, "Sharma! Lara! I'd like you both to meet the legendary Alexis Perry."

I instantly began to blush as the centaur looked down at me and said, "I am aware of Alexis Perry. Many have whispered about you."

"Don't mind Sharma," said the human looking woman as she squated down next to me. I got a closer look at her body and I was sure she'd blend in nicely on Earth. Men would line up for days to see her naked, let alone the chance to fuck her. She was nothing short of beautiful. "I'm Lara. It's nice to finally meet you."

Lara stepped into the tub next to mine and Sharma took the tub next to her. The liquid filled their tubs as it had mine and soon they too are soaking in the liquid. Lara turned to me and asked, "So what do you think of our ship?"

"What little I've seen, it's nice," I replied. 'Oh boy, I'm going to have the same conversation over and over again.'