Alien Interludes by Tracy St. John

to let the smooth silvery wal support him. “That’s because no words exist in any language that describe how it feels when your heart is made whole.”
    Israla hugged herself, delighted to find a kindred spirit in such an unlikely man. “He sang to my soul, Colonel. No one had ever done that before. No one has done that since.”
    “No one wil. At least, not with the same song.” He gave her a searching look. “So tel me Saucin, why the younger men? Doesn’t a woman of your experience and wisdom find them tedious? Why not someone closer to your own age, someone like Aserb?”
    “You may cal me Israla.” She gave him the warmth of her voice. “Sharing pain as we do invites a little more familiarity.”
    “Then cal me Tyler. With Earth gone, my title is kind of moot now.”
    Israla nodded. “To answer your question, there wil never be anyone like Aserb. There is no point in trying to bond with a man closer to my age who is set in his ways, ways I haven’t shared in the formation of. It would be too taxing.”
    “Too taxing or too scary?” Tyler leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees and cupping his face in his hands. He studied her closely. “I think you’re afraid you’l fal in love again. Or maybe you’re afraid you won’t find someone special enough to fal in love with. Maybe it’s a little of both.”
    Israla wanted to refute al he said. “You’re wrong,” she said stiffly.
    Tyler’s expression was irritating with its gentleness. “I won’t deny I’ve been physicaly attracted to the women of your planet. As I said, you are a beautiful race. But every time I contemplate it, guilt rushes in. As if I’m damaging the memory of Heather somehow. You don’t feel that?”
    “Our lovers are dead. We live. There should be no guilt.”
    “Indeed.” Tyler looked away, his gaze going distant once more. Remembering a woman he’d never hold again. “And I know Heather wouldn’t want me to walow in what was and missing out on what could be. But it’s hard. What my brain says, my heart doesn’t want to hear.”
    Israla had nothing to say to that. She wished Tyler would go away now and take his hurt and observations with him.

    * * * *
“Is everything al right?”
    Israla jerked to awareness at her aide’s question. Her marbled black eyes bright with curiosity, Shisa sat across from her, in the same exact spot Tyler Carter had occupied only four days ago.
    Damn the man. Since their conversation everything seemed to be a reminder of what he’d said. Of him. Israla’s mind was not her own; she’d replayed that afternoon until it seemed burned in her mind. His arguments. The way his expression was comforting one moment, lost in sadness the next. The sprinkling of beard on his strong jaw. How strong and capable his hands looked.
    “Saucin?”
    Shisa’s gentle voice told Israla she’d gotten lost in thinking about Tyler again. The Saucin restrained a sigh of irritation at herself. Realy, she needed to exorcise the Earther from her mind. Even her prodigious sexual appetite had taken a hit. She’d not indulged in a sweet morsel of youth since that day.
    “I’m here, Shisa. I have a lot on my mind. Go ahead with your report.”
    Shisa bowed her olive-maned head. “Plans for the Coming of Age Festival are going wel. You’re scheduled to attend the committee’s meeting in two days. Nearly two hundred virgins wil be deflowered this year.”
    “So many. That must be a record.” Israla frowned. She wondered briefly if Tyler would attend the festival before putting her mind back on her duties. “How are we on our population limits?”
    “Stil wel within safe margins. The last three years have experienced a downturn in births, most notably because of increased play with Earthers.” Tyler wasn’t involved in the increased play. How interesting he’d chosen a path of abstinence in the wake of his grief when Israla had sought to bury the pain in exhaustive encounters. This stretch of