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Back on Mars, I busy myself getting ready for my coming move to Krovatia. I clear out my things from the ambassador’s office and crate up my belongings. Some of my stuff will remain here in storage on Mars and the rest will go with me. I am told Krovatia has a hot, tropical climate, so my warmer clothes can most probably stay behind.
Once Troy and Avery arrive, two weeks after me, we spend time getting to know each other and discussing our aims and strategies. Troy I already know, from when he was a candidate for the exchange program to Ven. One reason why he was selected then, and probably why he’s on this forthcoming mission, is his uncanny ability to draw up complex schematics from memory. I know that he came back from his six months on Ven with an impressive portfolio of detailed drawings of the technology he saw while there. It’s not quite espionage, as the Venorians were happy to show him around their facilities. However, I’m not sure even they were aware of quite what a talent he has to store information in his photographic memory and to then render detailed technical drawings.
Avery, I’m finding hard to pin down. I think it’s going to take some time for me to work her out. She’s competent, efficient, professional, but I’m not getting much of read on her actual personality behind the front she presents.
We’re just wrapping up a meeting in which we’ve discussed our main objectives for this mission. First and foremost, obviously, we want to gather as much information as possible about the mysterious Krovatians—their culture, their history, their religious beliefs. Second, we want to explore trading opportunities, whether in the form of technology or in actual goods. Their planet is renowned for the huge variety of medicinal plants they grow, which could be of great value to us. And thirdly, we want to share with them aspects of our own history and culture, so that they get to know us a little better; perhaps even agree to open a Krovatian embassy on Earth. The more we discuss, the more excited I am at the possibilities.
My communicator buzzes with an incoming communication. It’s from Treylor. I connect it to the big screen so that everyone present can listen in.
“Melinda, hello, this is Treylor. I was so excited to hear that you will be leading the human delegation to Krovatia. I very much look forward to working closely with you. I wanted to send you some information we have gathered about the Krovatians. This may help you in your preparations. First of all, let us talk about dress code. As you know, Krovatia is a very warm and humid planet, so the less clothes the better!” She smiles mischievously. “In fact, the Krovatians only wear a loin cloth for clothes and nothing else, both the males and the females.”
“Wow,” I mutter, “that sounds a little primitive.”
On the screen, Treylor continues with her discourse. “The reason for this is that they are a very eco-conscious society, and in order to protect the environment, they refuse to cool their homes with anything more than solar powered fans. So, with no air conditioning, I think over time they started wearing fewer and fewer clothes, until they got down to the bare minimum.”
“Well, that’s going to feel mighty awkward for us,” I quip.
Troy chuckles. “Speak for yourself Melinda. Having lots of naked male chests on display sounds like paradise to me.”
On screen, Treylor is joined by Pravol, who places a possessive arm around her, palm planted flat on top of her chest. “We have agreed that you will not be showing this to the Krovatians.”
Treylor quirks her lips in amusement. “I had thoughts of joining in their dress code, but—” She looks down at her ample chest and shakes her head. “It would not be practicable for me to walk around with these hanging down without support.”
I laugh, though I notice from the corner of my eye that Avery is tightening her lips in disapproval.
“We Venorians are not shy about our bodies,” continues Treylor. “After all, we like to bathe together, but even we do not walk about without clothes. I think it would make me feel very bare to do it. Now that Pravol is here, I will let him tell you what little we know about their history.” She looks at her mate lovingly. He settles himself down next to her, keeping her hand in his.
“Greetings all,” he now says. “So, let me tell you what I have found out about the Krovatians. Firstly, there is a reason for their eco-consciousness. The Krovatians originally came from another planet in a neighboring galaxy. However, they had to leave their planet after its environment was destroyed through over-population and pollution. Their ancestors travelled on their ships for many sun rotations before finding a new home planet to live on and they named it Krovatia, which means ‘place of refuge’ in their language.”
I perk up my ears at this. What he describes has echoes in our own history, though thankfully we have not destroyed our planet—as yet.
Pravol continues, “I do not have the precise date when they settled on the planet, but we Venorians first made contact with them seventy-three sun rotations ago. As far as I understand, the small community of survivors who made their home on the planet vowed to start again and learn the lessons of the past by not polluting their environment. That is why all their energy comes from renewable sources and they discourage any processes that cause harmful by-products. They are very strict about this. I would say eco-consciousness is almost a religion to them.”
He pauses before going on. “However, they also brought with them their established religious practices from their home world. They worship a goddess of the universe called Taya, and sometimes also an associated god, her son, called Dron. That is all I know, except that they have priests called sicors who use boral crystals in their temples, though I am not clear how or why they do this. We are keen to learn more about the crystals after what happened to us on our own planet, though of course, we will have to be careful around them.”
“One of the Venorians coming with us on this mission is a scientist by the name of Hontar,” chimes in Treylor. “He is a colleague of mine at the Institute for the Advancement of Science. He will be leading our research on the boral crystals, and as a precaution, he will be dosing us with a chemical called frekium, which stimulates our neural transmitters and counteracts the effects of the boral crystals on us. Hopefully, with the frekium in our systems, we will not be so vulnerable to a sudden attack of unconsciousness, though it has a side effect of making us more fertile.” She smiles at her mate. “However, it is a risk we are prepared to take.”
She addresses us again. “Well, that is all the information we have to share about Krovatia for now. We will be setting out in two rotations’ time, so we should be with you by the end of the moon rotation. We very much look forward to seeing you again. Peace be with you.”
She smiles at us, then ends the communication. I turn to my colleagues. “Well, well, well, that was interesting.”
“I must say I’m intrigued,” says Troy.
“What do you all think of this dress code? Any plans to go native and delight us with your marvellous near naked physique? I know how much you like to work out, Troy.”
He flexes his arms. “I would love to Mel, but it might be a tad too distracting for you.”
I grin at him. I get the feeling Troy and I are going to get on. Avery, on the other hand…
“Well of course we won’t be dressing like the Krovatians,” she says now. “We’re there to represent Earth and our ways, not go native.”
“No, you’re right, and I don’t plan to. It will be strange though, to be surrounded by people wearing only loin cloths when we go about our business.”
“That is where our professionalism will come to the fore,” she says primly.
I smile at her. “I couldn’t agree more.”
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