The Pursuit by Diana Palmer

Author:Diana Palmer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2018-01-05T17:58:17+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

ROJOK CULTURE WAS fascinating to Jasmine. She, who had never been exposed to aliens before her trip to Memcache, was fascinated by the genetically enhanced military. Their appearance, very humanoid, was joined to a rousing sense of humor and a reputation for excellence that made even the Terravegan military envious.

Chacon had headed the armed forces as their field marshal in the time before the wars ended. Now there were regional conflicts and uprisings in the outer colonies, so the military had to be maintained. But there was far less stress than in the old days.

Lieumek took her to a large pavilion in the heart of the Rojok capital city, Corelkek. The name was a tongue twister that tripped her up on its first pronunciation, but Lieumek only laughed.

“It is difficult even for us to pronounce,” he assured her as he led her to the first of many offices where she was granted a dormitory placement, proof of scholarships and her initial military academy assignment where she would live as she studied. “I hesitate to tell you that learning to speak our language will be a priority. At least, you will not be required to speak the ancient tongue,” he added with a chuckle. “That, even I have trouble speaking. It is used in only the most ceremonial occasion. We have few of those.”

“Your culture is fascinating,” she said, looking around at the muted desert colors that permeated even the inside of the building. Many of the structures were built of some crystal that radiated either heat or cold. The systems were actually part of the stone used in construction. Not only that, the population lived in neat, compact houses whose major component seemed to be gardens under domes, like the huge complexes on Terravega.

“The construction is elegant,” she continued. “And the heating and cooling systems...! I’ve never encountered anything like them.”

“Even our rivals, the Cehn-Tahr, have no such quarries on their home planet,” Lieumek said with something like disdain. “They build with stone, which retains heat and cold, but they do not have access to lesarkium. That is the amber-colored stone you see in our architecture.”

She shook her head. “Magnificent,” she said under her breath.

Lieumek beamed.

So did the official who put his virtual stamp on Jasmine’s documents while listening to the pretty little human enthuse about Enmehkmehk. He even smiled, when he looked like a person who never did.

“I hope that you will enjoy your time with us,” the official said, and actually stood.

Jasmine smiled at him warmly. “Thank you very much. I’ve never enjoyed anything so much. I look forward to learning your language.”

The official rolled his eyes. “It is an impossible language,” he said honestly. “But if you study hard, you will master it.” He leaned forward. “After all, I did,” he added with a chuckle.

She grinned at him, thanked him and left with Lieumek, who looked as if he’d tried to swallow a melon whole.

She looked up at him when they were outside in the warm sunshine, her eyebrows raised in a question.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.