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"With all due respect Your Most Elegant, this is insane! If your Patron knew what you were about to do, we'd be flayed alive!"
Helsarcha glanced back at her caretaker Charim, who appeared to be constantly wriggling with fear and trepidation. His eyes were wide with panic, and his hands were wringing with worry. It would have been an almost comical display if everything he said wasn't completely accurate.
Regardless, this was something she had to do. Her entire life she had been governed by the whims of her Patron, never really having any say in her life. All was for the good of the Tyrallian Empire, her personality, her appearance, her whole existence had been groomed to be High Matron.
Tonight was her rebellion.
When the first words of humans colonizing a shared planet had reached her ears, she hadn't even blinked. Humans had been expanding exponentially and their relations had been nothing if not cordial and refined.
Yet word had gotten back to her from one of her maids that there was a particular bar in the human colony that welcomed any race, where it didn't matter who you were or what rank you were, all were equal once they entered.
How could she resist the opportunity to not be Inheritor Maxiam, even for just one night?
Glancing at her reflection in the viewing port she saw herself. The perfect Tyrallian. Purplish blue skin with tiger stripe patterns of black lining her face. Her race had no hair or feathers, being bald or at most having bony ridges lining the forehead, which she lacked. instead bony ridges on her forehead and nose exemplified her facial features. Her race was taller than most, even taller than humans, though not by much. They were not too dissimilar in body shape, though her race lacked the mass that many humans did.
The antigrav ferry began to slow, losing altitude as it prepared to land. Outside the large viewing port, Helsarcha could see the human colony city pass under them. Their architecture simple compared to the proud Tyrallian spires and flowing masonry. Blocky buildings dotted the landscape, a variety of colors and sizes flowing past.
With the announcement on the ships comms being relayed through her translator, she deduced that landing would take place within 10 universal Chari,
"Your Excellency, its not too late! We can still turn back now!" Charim desperately whimpered.
Helsarcha turned to him and replied "You didn't have to come with me Charim. If you'd left well enough alone then you'd be safe back at the palace. I'm doing this. I have to do this!" With that she stood and made her way to the door to the departure bay.
This was it! This was the day she'd live for herself and not just for her Empire!
They were hopelessly lost.
No matter how many times they asked for directions, they seemed to end up everywhere but at the bar! A food court, a shipping warehouse, and even some fancy hotel. How hard was it to find "a bar where you can relax and change your life?" How many bars like that did the Humans have?
At the very least Charim seemed to be happy. Helsarcha didn't have to be a seer to guess why. If there was no bar, then there would be no rebellion. She could practically feel the optimism for her mission to fail in his movement.
Perhaps this was a sign? A message from the Star Patrons that her mission was foolish?
"We might as well go home Your Radiance, there appears to be no bar that will change your life, or rather, there appear to be many bars that won't" Charim wheedled, hope dripping from his tone.
"Oy, you two looking for a bar?" A Human voice called, and Helsarcha looked up to see a female human dressed in those rough fabric pants they were so fond of, her top was a black small tunic of some sort with an illegible design on the front, both arm sleeves appeared to be cut jaggedly.
On closer inspection she could see the human had vibrant red hair and her eyes were an equally vibrant shade of blue. Multiple pieces of metal were imbedded in the flesh around her face, most notable her lips, nose, and eyebrows, with some dotting her ears as well.
Helsarcha's first instinct was to back away from such a bizarre human. Most humans she had seen seemed just as stiff and polite as her own people. This one seemed wild and dangerous, but then her words finally caught on.
"Do you know a bar?" She asked. "A bar where it doesn't matter who or what you are? One that will change your life?" It was almost too much to hope for after all of this.
The human let out an undignified snort. "Well I don't know about changing your life, but the one I'm going to, no one gives a rat's ass about who you are, so long as you're there to have fun!"
Helsarcha didn't know what a rat's ass was, but this was her best lead yet. "Then could you take us there? We haven't had much luck in other places."
The human nodded. "Sure thing, but uhh, your buddy there, he gonna be alright?"
Turning, she saw Charim with a look of abject terror plastered on his face. Where she saw opportunity, he apparently saw only disaster.
She chuckled nervously. "Oh he's just shy, he hasn't been around humans much" she elbowed Charim in his midsection, snapping him out of his self induced panic.
The human appeared wary, but seemed to let the moment slide.
"Alright, well if you're up for it, let's go. It's open band night and the beer tastes better when the music is cranking!" The human began walking, gesturing for them to follow as she went. "Names Aya by the way!"
Helsarcha stood and started to walk slightly behind Aya, with Charim following suit. "Nice to meet you Aya, I'm Hels, and this is Char."
The human let out another snort "Hells and Car? Sounds like a band name, no offense. I like them."
With that they traded casual conversation as they went. Apparently Aya worked for a modest company that oversaw construction of Human buildings, though when Helsarcha asked for more details they were dismissed. "Tonight's all play, no work!" She had said
Finally they approached a large building that appeared rundown, with various illegible writing painted on it, with posters here and there that were similar to the pattern on Aya's shirt.
"First off, before we enter, you too will attract way too much attention." Aya stated looking them up and down
Helsarcha bristled at that "I thought you said this place accepts anyone! Now us not being human is a problem?"
Aya laughed "Nah that's not it. I mean your clothes! They're way too prim and proper."
Helsarcha was confused. She had dressed especially for this occasion, picking the most humble clothes she owned. A rougher fabric of green pants with a belt and a simple white triblee spun shirt. Charim had opted for a nicer pair of black veryl silk pants and a cream colored button up top of the same material.
Without warning Aya walked up and grabbed one of the short sleeves of her shirt, ripping it off with a quick jerk. Before she could object the same happened to her other sleeve.
"Aya what are you doing?!" Helsarcha harshly asked.
Aya just smiled. "Its makeover time!"
As they approached the doors to the bar, Helsarcha had never felt so exposed. Her sleeves were gone, exposing her arms up to the shoulders, and the middle of her shirt was torn as well. Exposing what Aya called "a pretty sweet midriff." Then the joints on her pants had been cut and torn as well. Heslarcha had never felt more naked.
Or excited
Behind her she could hear the near whimpering of Charim. His outfit change had been less drastic, but different nonetheless. His shirt sleeves had been rolled up to the joints, and his top two buttons undone. His pants had been cut to his mid-shin. Aya called it a "sexy pirate look."
The moment the doors opened, they were assaulted by an assortment of sounds, sights and smells. Loud human music, the smell of smoke, alcohol, and food, and dimmed lights with flashes hear and there.
Once she got adjusted she could see the bar was not terribly large, but what it lacked in size it made up for in intensity. The bar was a a brown wood color, and took up half of the smaller room area, the rest taken up by seats. In the larger room area was a stage with humans playing music with instruments while one sang in a gruff voice. The place was almost full of Humans, some Tyrallians, and even a couple of other races she couldn't identify immediately.
"Come on, let's start with a drink!" Aya nearly shouted over the music while guiding them to the bar.
"Aya is that you again?" The male bartender exclaimed, already pouring a beer into a glass. "Hell don't you move in at this rate?"
"If I moved in then this place wouldn't last!" Aya shouted with a smile taking the glass.
"Yea I don't know how many fires this place can handle!"
"It was one fire and my first time drinking a flaming B-52!" Aya shouted back indignantly. She then gestured to Helsarcha who was thoroughly confused. "These are my new friends Hels and Char! Their drinks are on me tonight!"
The bartender nodded and filled up two more glasses with beer. One of which was passed over to Helsarcha who took it nervously.
While it was true that her race could consume human cuisine with no issues, it was her first time attempting human alcohol. There were of course stories of Tyrallians drinking it and losing all reasoning. She stared at it with a bit of trepidation
Aya nudged her playfully. "It's alright luv, I'll keep you keep you safe here. Give it a shot!"
Helsarcha nodded and raised the glass to her lips, taking a deep drink, and immediately gagging. It was grainy, sour, cloying, and the taste of alcohol was foreign to her. Next to her, Charim was doing the same.
Aya laughed, and promptly drank half of her glass in one go. "Its okay Hels, not everyone can handle it the first go."
Helsarcha gritted her teeth, she only had one night to enjoy this, and if this beer was key to having a good time, then she wouldn't shy away! She took another try, drinking a large gulp and shuddering as the taste filled her nose and mouth.
A hand at her arm caught her attention, and she turned to see Aya looking at her with concern. "Hey I'm all for having fun, but don't push yourself okay? It's not fun if you have to force it."
Helsarcha looked into those caring blue eyes and felt a warmth bloom in her chest. This human didn't know her at all, yet she vouched for her, cared for her, and now was making sure she had fun safely. She could have shown them the place and left them, but instead she stuck around to make sure they'd be okay.
She turned back and began gulping the drink, ignoring the taste as best as she could. She stopped once she got halfway through it.
Aya grabbed her arm again. "Hey I just said-"
"It's not too bad after the first drink!" Helsarcha said, and truly it wasn't a lie. There was a tingle spreading through her body. Soft, but light warmth that made her smile.
"Well in that case, another round!" Aya shouted at the bartender. Three more glasses appeared and Helsarcha finished her first. Looking over she saw that Charim had finished his as well, though he looked a bit less happy about it.
As they nursed their second beers, and honestly the taste was getting better, the music changed. A strumming sound was playing in a very catchy rhythmic pattern. She heard Aya shout "I love this song!" And then she was being pulled towards the stage. Once there she witnessed Aya jumping and moving to the music. It seemed everyone was enjoying the song. Helsarcha didn't know what it was about, though it seemed to involve a fistful of roses.
Soon though with the beer in her system she stopped caring about what the lyrics were, instead feeling the urge to move around to the rhythm. Luckily Aya was there to demonstrate just how to do so.
After the song ended Helsarcha's chest was heaving and she felt thirsty. After telling her as much, they returned to the bar, where Charim was missing. After a few seconds of concern, she spotted him at a table, drinking with a human female with a leather coat and spiky styled hair. He seemed to be having a genuinely fun time.
Aya laughed and ordered something called wisky or other. It came in a small glass. Aya demonstrated how to drink it. Fast was apparently the way to go. Helsarcha attempted to copy her, only to choke on the strong drink. It burned like fire down her throat, and a glass of dark bubbly drink was offered to help ease the pain. It was sweet and helped her ignore the taste and burn.
Another song came on. Something about a man shipping to Boston, and once again they hit the dance floor. People all around were cheering and dancing and Helsarcha lost herself to the chaos. It was wild, but no matter how lost she got, Aya was right there with her.
The last thing she remembered was talking to Aya, enjoying a beer, after another wisky and the two of them laughing as they watched Charim challenge a man to a drinking contest..
Helsarcha woke up with a groan. Her head feeling weird and stuffed. Her blankets felt very comfortable yet too hot. The light that entered her room was glaring. A dull ache started to creep along her skull. She attempted to sit up, only to be hit by a wave of nausea. Desperately she made her way to the edge of her bed, where the was a convenient waste bin, and promptly emptied her stomach into it.
After a horrible few minutes that felt like an hour, she looked up and saw that she was indeed in her room. Large open space dominated by her bed, with an area set aside for her dressing tables. How she got here, she had no idea.
After recovering more of her faculties, she looked at her bedside stand to see two items on it. One was an inhaler that had a note on it saying "for sickness" she desperately took it and activated it. Taking deep breaths from it. After the fourth breath she felt better. The nausea and headache receded, though her stomach still felt off. It was better than nothing.
The next thing she noticed was a data chip with a note on it saying "For Hels eyes only."
Struggling, she got out of bed and walked over to her dressing table, shivering from the chills and aches in her body. She sat at the table and inserted the chip. Her hologram screen lit up, and showed several files that were images. She selected open all.
Images of her at the bar flashed across the screen. Her first drink, dancing with Aya, giving Aya a piggyback ride, Charim doing a handstand on a barstool, and even one of Aya kissing her cheek.
Helsarcha blushed at the image, the adorable human seeming to smile with the kiss, and her smiling and laughing. More and more images popped onto the screen, and a dread began to overtake her. Was this blackmail? Who took these pictures? What would be their demands?
At the end though, a note was attached to a final picture with her hugging Aya from behind, both grinning like crazy.
You worry too much princess, I took these pictures, and managed to get you home safe. Thought you'd enjoy some mementos. Love, Aya
Helsarcha grinned with a bittersweet feeling in her chest. Last night had been something else. The memories came back slowly with each image, and each memory just made her more sad, for she'd never be able to experience them again.
It had been a couple of days since then, and Helsarcha had been summoned to present herself before her Patron. Dressed up in her finery with her posture firm. She entered the grand hall where her Patron sat upon his throne, his heads of state surrounding him. As soon as she was noticed, they parted for her father to see her.
He was an exemplary specimen of a Tyrallian male, with full features and prominent bone ridges upon his head. Dressed in the sleek layered robes of higher nobility, he struck a very imposing figure. She approached and bowed respectfully.
"My emperor, it is good to see you in good health." She intoned in the robotic way she learned was best.
"Rise my progeny. I have news."
Helsarcha rose warily. There was no telling what this news was, but it seemed momentous.
"It has come to my attention that your education has been lacking. Our borders constantly expand, and with that expansion comes collision." He paused to consider his words while she shuddered in anxiety. "Recently we had an incident between our human neighbors. Dude to a clash in culture, this incident almost ballooned before we could contain it."
Helsarcha's skin prickled. An incident like that could cause strife, even war if not properly handled. Was that his announcement? Would they go to war? All she could imagine was Aya and that bar, engulfed in flames. Her heartbeat was erratic.
"To this end. I have reached an agreement with the head of the human colonies. You will be taken under their tutelage to gain a better understanding of their culture. They have provided their own political figure to do the same. In this way our cultures will develop together in peace."
Helsarcha looked up in confusion and shock. She was being sent away? To an alien culture? All she could picture was cold stern political humans, books, slideshows, and boring tours.
As she ruminated on her impending educational imprisonment, her Patron went on.
"Therefore I must now introduce your new teacher. Ambassador Amaya Minerva O'Connor."
Turning around Helsarcha saw the doors open, and there she was. Dressed in a formal grey suit, piercings gone, and red hair slicked neatly back. Aya stood before her looking nothing like the woman from those nights past.
"My thanks, Madam O'Connor, for suggesting and preparing this exchange. It is our hope that my progeny is able to learn much of your culture."
Aya smiled, with just a trace of mischief, locking eyes with Helsarcha, who was currently speechless.
"Oh don't worry your Imperial Majesty, I intend to teach her everything I can."