Chapter 11: Old Friends
Talk of previous attempts in the latter part of the chapter...
“The best way I can think of to show you what a Class J cafe is, would be to take you to one…” Lavandula said the next morning after she had made Tori and Emma some eggs and bacon for breakfast.
“But what happens there?” Emma asked.
“Cuddling…” Tori said, glancing up from her datapad. She had apparently been looking up Class J cafes. “It looks like a pretty calming and relaxed…”
“Tori…” Lavandula said, offering Emma another bite of the eggs and bacon. She had finely chopped up the bacon and cooked it in the scrambled eggs. “You know that you are not supposed to have your datapad at the table…” She shoveled a forkful of eggs into Tori’s mouth. Watching as Tori sheepishly slid the datapad back into the pocket on her dress, she giggled to herself. “I am going to have to treat the two of you like children, aren’t I…”
“Well,” Tori replied, swallowing the eggs, and glancing at Emma. “I mean you are feeding us our breakfast…” Emma giggled and then another forkful of eggs were placed in her mouth; Lavandula moved another forkful of eggs toward Tori before abruptly dumping the fork in Tori’s lap.
“Oops…” Lavandula chuckled. The eggs were caught by a grouping of vines that hovered above the fabric of Tori’s dress. “Little one, look at the mess you would have made if I had not been able to catch the falling pieces in time…” Emma giggled. She knew that Tori had a hard time with dropping food as she ate. Emma had teased her once about trying to fashion a bib so that she would wear less of her food.
Tori’s face turned bright red… “I…” Her voice trailed off, afraid of what she was about to admit.
“You what, little one?” Lavandula said, her voice a singsong.
“I’ve had problems with coordination and have lost my food into my lap before.” She said quietly. “Emma’s teased me about needing a bib before…”
“Oh, has she…” Lavandula’s eyes turned to her other floret. “Do not worry, petal… If she tries that again, she will be wearing one too… I think it is something you Terrans refer to as ‘Joint Destiny’” Emma and Tori glanced at each other. That wasn’t a phrase that either one of them had ever heard…
“I’m not sure that’s right…” Emma said, cautiously.
“Oh stars…” Lavandula said, scooping up the last of the eggs on each plate and moving the forks toward her floret’s mouths. “It’s the thing where two or more people share something happens because of something that one of them did…”
“Shared fate…” Emma said, her mouth full of eggs.
“Ah, that is it!” Lavandula said. “And you should not talk with your mouth full…” She watched as Emma swallowed the eggs and took a drink of the coffee that was sitting on the table. “What do you two say that after we go to the vet to get Emma’s checkup done and scheduled for her implantation surgery, we go to the Class J cafe that Willow works in?”
Tori smiled, thinking of the girl with the cat ears and tail. “I’d be ok with that.”
“I’m game…” Emma said.
“This sounds like a plan.” Lavandula said. “I do want to do one thing on this trip that we haven’t done yet. Emma, I’d like you to take us to Asterid’s office. You can use your datapad to get directions.”
“Uh…” Emma said. “I guess I can… Is this a requirement for us to be able to roam the ship on our own?”
“Yes…” Lavandula said, placing the dirty dishes in the decompiler. “The Scorpiris is over five kilometers long and just as wide. I want to make sure that you two know how to use the mapping on your datapads before I turn you loose on the ship… We have to make a quick stop on the way to the vet, I need to swing by my office and see what has piled up over the last few days.”
“I just need to get my shoes on…” Tori said, starting to stand.
“Me too…” Emma said. The pair went back into the bedroom and pulled shoes on, and then they returned to the common area. “Do we need anything else?”
“Only your cute selves…” Lavandula said, “Are we ready to go? Tori, we’re going to stop in and pay a quick visit to Rachel and Lilium after Emma’s appointment; we need to get you scheduled for your sessions and Emma’s sessions and your joint sessions. I do not really want the two of you alone more than you have to be…”
“Yes, Mistress…” Tori said. While her implant was helping to control the PTSD and impulsive urges that she had there was still a fair amount of trauma that she needed to work through. She wasn’t looking forward to the weekly sessions where she was without Emma. Knowing Emma, she would accompany Tori to the appointments and wait in the waiting room. “I would be lying if I said I was looking forward to this…” A vine reached up and stroked her cheek as Emma rubbed her back.
“We will get through it, and Mistress will take care of us…” Emma said. “I’ll even come with you so that you’re not alone on the way back at the very least.”
“Remember, you can ask any Affini for help as well…” Lavandula said. “Emma, lead the way.” Vines reached out and took a hold of the collars with Lavandula behind the florets.
Emma opened the door to Asterid’s office and the trio walked in. An Affini sat at the desk, and they waved.
“Hello, Little ones, what brings you two here today?” Emma was vaguely aware that Lavandula was doing something with her vines behind her.
“Uh…” Emma said. “I guess I have an appointment with Asterid?”
“Ok,” The Affini behind the desk said and then did some things on her computer. “What is your name, dear?”
“Emma Trell, Second Floret.” Emma said, sounding uncertain of her own name. a vine rubbed her back and she relaxed a bit.
“I’ve got you right here and you’ve been checked in. If you want to have a seat, Asterid will be out soon.”
“Ok…” Emma said. “Thank you.” Just like the when they were in Lilium’s office, Lavandula reconfigured her self and she picked her florets up in her vines and just held them. Emma and Tori were comfortable enough that they fell asleep in Lavandula’s vines. Asterid poked her head out of her office.
“Emma Trell, I’m ready for you…” Asterid said. Lavandula reached up and stroked Emma’s cheek.
“Emma, it’s time to wake up…” Lavandula said. “Asterid is ready for you…”
“Hmm?” Emma said, her voice sounding sleepy.
“Asterid is ready for you, petal.” Lavandula said, gently. She lifted Emma up and sat her on the floor, holding her up until she was able to stand on her own. Emma blushed as she looked up at Asterid.
“Good morning, Petal…” Asterid said, also using her vines to help Emma stand as well. “How are you doing?” The two of them walked through the door and the door shut.
Lavandula, Tori and Emma were all sitting on the couch in the common area. "The Class J cafe was nice and it was was nice to cuddle with Willow.” Tori said, dreamily. She hadn’t gotten to cuddle with Willow the previous night when everyone had been over.
“It’s going to be a more common thing…” Lavandula said, chuckling and rubbing Emma and Tori’s backs with a vine. “Emma, you have a solo appointment with Lilium tomorrow, and once she gives the okay, we will get you scheduled for your Haustoric Implant.” She smiled, her purple eyes sparkling in the lighting in the hab.
“Thank you, Mistress…” Emma said quietly. She had gone from being against domestication to being one of the most well behaved florets that didn’t have their implant.
“You know, for the longest time, I thought that we weren't going to find Tori in time to save her and domesticate her…” Lavandula said. “I was worried that I was never going to get the floret that I wanted as mine.” Tori felt her cheeks get warm as she blushed. “Now I have two that shall not be separated.”
Tori’s datapad beeped and she pulled it out. It showed an incoming call from Marissa on Mars. Lavandula rubbed Tori’s back as she spoke. “Are you ready? It’s gonna be just like we rehearsed…” Tori nodded and hit the button to answer the incoming call. Marissa’s face appeared on the view screen on the wall, Allison next to her.
“Hi!” Tori said excitedly. The video was nice, they hadn’t seen each other in a while, and Tori didn’t want them to see her condition as it was usually not good.
“Tori!!!!” Allison said first, a smile lighting up her face before she realized that there was an Affini and Emma in the video as well. The smile slowly faded.
“Where are you?” Marissa asked, leaning toward her screen so that she could try to see better. “And who is the plant?”
“Did you…” Allison stopped talking mid sentence.
“I’m aboard the Scorpiris, She’s an Affini intelligence vessel.” Tori paused, making sure that she had the attention of Marissa and Allison. “My past finally caught up with me and I was found… I was selected to be domesticated by Lavandula well before they located us out at Proxmia 20. Lavandula Trell, Fourth Bloom, is my…” she took a deep breath, having not actually said the word out loud. “Owner, protector, and caregiver… The other Terran with us is Emma and we are Pinnates.” Tori took another deep breath.
“Wait…” Allison said. “Did you choose to be domesticated or did you not get a choice in the matter?”
“What’s a Pinnate?” Marissa asked.
“I didn’t get a choice in the matter, Allie. It’s for my own good, really…” Tori reached up to wipe a tear away and found a vine already taking care of that. “The two of you don’t know most of the history that led to this.” Tori glanced at Lavandula, who gave a slight nod. Emma did the same. “Before I enlisted, I tried to take myself out… My parents were petitioning a court for guardianship, I managed to get released from the hospital because I was willing to enlist to fight the threat to the Accord. When the Accord fell, and the Affini had gotten my file, Lavandula saw it and wanted me. She wanted to take care of me and eventually found me out at 20…” Another tear rolled down her cheek. “I had always said I wouldn’t let my self get domesticated, but a firebreak was deployed and that’s the only reason I’m still here…”
“A Pinnate is at least a pair of sophonts that shouldn’t be separated for moral or ethical reasons.” Emma said. “We can keep each other calm and level headed and take care of each other. It would be very bad to separate us…”
“Did Emma get a choice?” Allie asked.
“Kinda?” Emma said, hesitantly. “I was going to end up domesticated regardless of if I wanted to remain independent or not.” Emma looked at Tori. “When Tori had come to the adoption center to see me, the biomonitors showed that we both calmed each other down… Lavi filed paperwork to foster me and then she presented me with the contract and I signed it. I’d rather be with my girlfriend than not…”
“Why would you have ended up being domesticated regardless?” Marissa asked.
“Because I was part of the rebellion…” Emma said, quietly. “And because I have a similar history to Tori; Mine’s just not as well documented as hers…”
“Is there any way we can see you two in person?” Allie asked.
“I think that could be arranged…” Lavandula said, speaking for the first time. “We are due to rendezvous with the Sphenophyllia in a few weeks, and since that vessel is in orbit around Mars, we should be able to ferry the two of you up.”
“We,” Marissa said quietly. “Don’t want to be domesticated… It’s bad enough that the Bureau of Xenosophont Wellness and Care has Affini checking on us every so often…”
“I can assure you that as long as you continue to show that you can take care of yourselves, and you do not pose a risk of harm to yourself or others, you will remain independent.” Lavandula said, picking her datapad up from the table. “I, however, would like to file for a Notice of Intent to Domesticate on the two of you.”
“But that’s not what we want…” Allie said, her eyes pleading silently with Tori via the screen.
“I understand,” Lavandula said, her voice soft. “This isn’t going to domesticate you, it will just put me at the head of the line to take you, should you either volunteer or or it be determined that you should be domesticated to keep you from harming yourself or others.”
“You’ve…” Allie said, sounding confused. “You’ve not met us, why would you choose to take us?”
“For one, you are Pinnates,” Lavandula said. “Secondly, you should be with Tori, and I’ll make that happen…”
Allie and Marissa looked at each other. “We are?” Marissa asked, sounding confused. “We’re not in a relationship…”
“You don’t have to be in order to be pinnates,” Lavandula said, glancing up from her datapad. “You just have to be a grouping of sophonts that should not be separated. And you are.”
“How do you know that we should be with Tori?” Allie asked.
Lavandula’s response was to turn her datapad toward the screen where it would get picked up on the video feed. “Tori’s vital signs have dropped since we’ve been on this call…” Tori knew what was on the datapad without looking; she had seen it after the first meeting with Emma.
“Oh,” Allie said. “I’m ok with you filing; It means we get to be with Tori…” Tori breathed a sigh of relief.
“You know,” Tori said. “So far, Lavi has kept every promise to me that she has made… I’m in much better health than I was before I was captured, all of my needs are met, I don’t want for anything and my girlfriend is by my side…” She glanced at Lavandula. “My life is better than it has ever been…” Lavi reached out and rubbed Tori’s right leg, causing Tori to gasp slightly. The very low doesing of Class-A Xenodrugs supplied from her implant highened her sense of touch.
“I’m glad that you’re doing well, all things considered.” Marissa said, a smile on her face.
“I’ll have Tori reach out once we get closer to our rendezvous with the Sphenophyllia with the plan.” Lavi said. “I will also have her send my contact information along in case you need to reach me for anything.”
“Um,” Allison said. “How would you like us to address you?”
“You may call me Lavandula, Lavi, Ma’am. I’m not picky as long as you’re respectful.” Lavi said, her flowers twirling. “My pronouns are she/her, in case you were wondering.”
“So we don’t have to call you Mistress?” Marissa asked. She had been around enough Florets that she knew that was what they all seemed to call their owners.
“Nope,” Lavandula chuckled. “At least not until you chose to be domesticated… And even then, I’m good if you decide to call me anything as long it’s respectful.”
“Tori, I’m glad you’re doing well and it was nice meeting you Ms. Trell and Emma.” Allison said, a smile on her face.
“Agreed.” Marissa said. “I look forward to seeing you in person, Tori, it’s been way too long…”
“I’m still IntrepidPenguin on the chat system, but I might not see messages for a bit after you send them, Time differences and all…” Tori said. “I’ll create a group chat for the four of us Terrans…”
“Can I ask a question?” Marissa asked, her voice quiet.
“Sure.” Tori replied with a smile.
“Can Ms. Trell see what is on your datapads?” Marissa looked at the floor.
“I can, yes…” Lavandula wiggled a vine. “But that doens’t mean I am constantly watching what they are doing on them.” Lavi looked at the camera. “Are you concerned that you’re going to say something that I’m going to misconstrue as you needing to be domesticated?”
”Maybe…” Marissa said, still looking down and hiding her face.
“Chin up, little one.” Lavi said, watching as Marissa slowly raised her chin. “It’s ok to ask for help. After all that’s part of what we are here for. Right now, the worst thing that happens is you say something to Tori or Emma that makes them concerned, they bring it to me, and I request that you be looked after until we arrive. Don’t worry, you will be safe.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Marissa said, her chin up, but eyes downcast. She wasn’t trying to hide her face, but was showing deference. “It’s getting late here, we should probably hop off so we can head to bed and be ready for tomorrow.”
“Sounds good. We should probably start that way as well, we’ve had a long day as well.” Tori said. “Emma is scheduled for her implant in a few days time, so she needs to be rested for that. I’ll let the two of you know how she’s doing.”
“Thank you.” Allie said. “It was nice meeting you, have a good night” The view screen faded to static briefly before disappearing, leaving the decorations that hung on the wall. Tori all but collapsed into Lavandula’s side.
“I think that went well…” Lavandula said… “We should probably get you girls some food. Do you want anything in particular?”
“Do we have to go out to get it?” Tori asked. “I’m beat after that…”
“Nope,” Lavandula said. “I’ve got stuff here, and we can use the compiler to make pretty much anything…”
“Can we do chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese?” Emma asked.
“That we will have to compile, but yes, we can…” Lavandula said. “Why don’t you compile it for us, Emma?” Tori watched as Emma pulled her datapad out and tapped on the appropriate things on the screen to compile dinner.