“Why would you do that?” A muscle in the back of Eliza’s neck throbbed. I inched toward her as subtly as possible. That twitch was an indicator that my wife’s temper was getting out of control. I squeezed her shoulder and the android glanced up at me.
“This is your chosen mate?” It took me a minute to think about what she was saying. It never occurred to me that I should think of Eliza as my mate, but I supposed that we were the same as any other animal to these beings.
“Yes.” Eliza smiled, her teeth bared in a grin that held an edge to it. That’s my girl.
“Strange. My databases indicate that same sex couples aren’t unusual for your species, but I can’t say that I’ve encountered one before.”
“Have you seen quite a few couples before?”
Eleanor laughed, a tinkling giggle that was almost magical. Whoever had chosen to send her as an envoy made the right decision. This was the least intimidating creature I could have imagined. “That’s fair. I can’t say that I have. In any case, may I instruct my people to approach?” I rubbed my thumb against Eliza’s neck, a soothing motion to subtly give her my approval.
“Yes. Thank you.” Eliza’s gaze softened a little, just enough to appear more hospitable. As if suddenly remembering her manners, she added, “Is there anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable?” Not that there was much we could offer, but I hoped the gesture would count for something. Eleanor opened her mouth and sang a series of clicks and barks that set my teeth on edge. If there was such a thing as a machine’s native language, it made sense that it would sound like two trains mating. As soon as her mouth shut, a line of white and black bodies appeared over the horizon, pulling crates of boxes. Among them I could see labels indicating food and medicine. Everyone started talking at once, their distrust of machines warring with the glittering prospect of salvation.
“You get the feeling that this is too good to be true, love?” I sat down next to Eliza and rubbed her back. There was nothing she hated more than not feeling completely in control of the situation. A strict upbringing had imbued Eliza with a compulsion for precision. Most of the time, it came in handy. Now, she was going to have to put her trust in a complete stranger. One whose companion had tried to kill us. The teams bringing supplies were headed by a single articulate android, their varicolored eyes watching the humans surrounding them with as much caution as we had. I watched as miniature spider-like machines extended their legs and start unloading boxes from the crates. The androids heading the groups stayed where they were, as if waiting for Eleanor to give them permission to move.
“Now that we’ve shown that we can attend to your immediate needs, we would like to invite you into the city. Tend to anyone who needs medical attention and take the night to consider my offer. You have my assurance that your camp will not be disturbed, and I will leave sentries far out of sight to keep the animals away.”
For a moment, no one said anything. It was definitely too good to be true, but what choice did we have? There was nothing to stop the machines from walking forward to snap our necks. The fact that they hadn’t already killed us meant that there was something else they wanted. If it meant that we would get food and medical care, it was worth sticking around for.
“Okay.” Eliza nodded. “We are very grateful, Eleanor. Thank you.”
“You are welcome. It is an honor to meet you, Ms. Ivanov. We have a lot to discuss, when you are ready.”
The supplies the machines gave us were more than we could have asked for. There were piles of real food, or at least the best that 3D printing could offer, and heat packs to boot. The taste of my first hot meal in days did more to raise my spirits than a night in my own bed. We didn’t have many serious injuries within the group, but there were several people who required minor medical attention. The medical supplies were far more advanced than anything we had back at the colony. There were canisters of green gel that when spread across a wound sealed it instantly. Rebreathable oxygen converters, built so small you could fit them in a pocket. When we got home, I knew a few people who were going to have a field day reverse engineering this stuff.
That night was the first dreamless sleep I’d had in a long time. It was as if I shut my eyes one moment and the next the sun shone through the fabric of the tent. Incredible what knowing your basic needs are met will do for you. Emerging from our tent I saw that the camp was just as I left it the night before. Eliza had already gotten up for the day and left before I woke.
“Seems like the world hasn’t ended.” I spoke to the open air. A passing colonist turned and smiled at me, sympathy for the sleepy woman just waking up. The mood was decidedly improved this morning. First the first time in weeks, it seemed like people had hope again. In
