Invaded (Alienated, #2)(40)
Jaxen glanced at her with a grin. “You don’t need to convince me, Cah-ra. I realized Larish’s thesis was valid before he’d even written it. You and I are descended from ancient humans, as are countless other societies throughout galaxies we’ve yet to discover.”
His concession surprised her. According to Aelyx, only a handful of L’eihrs believed they were related to mankind. “But Aelyx said—”
“Gods on fire,” Jaxen swore. “I’m tired of hearing about the nonsense Aelyx told you.”
She thought she heard Troy snickering from the backseat.
Cara quietly cleared her throat. “But aren’t most L’eihrs ashamed to admit their connection to Earth?”
“I don’t see why,” Jaxen said. “If anything, our shared lineage proves the superiority of the L’eihr race. We’re younger than mankind, and yet we’ve managed to evolve beyond you.”
Cara suppressed an eye roll. “You’re leaving out one key piece of information.”
“And what’s that?”
“Larish wrote that the abducting aliens probably gave technology to your ancients when they left them on L’eihr.” While the human race was still mastering written communication and domesticating animals, the L’eihrs were beginning to experiment with solar power. The rest of their advances were achieved through organized breeding, which the aliens had probably helped with, too. “You had a head start.”
Jaxen gave a haughty laugh. “I admire your competitive spirit, Cah-ra. You and I are alike in that way.”
“It’s not a contest or anything,” she said with a shrug. She just didn’t like the L’eihrs acting superior all the time. “But it explains a lot.”
He took his eyes off the controls and watched her for a long moment, the way a dieter stares at the last cookie. “I do love mankind. Despite their shortcomings, they’ve managed to produce a few fine specimens. Quite fine.”
After that, the mood shifted. Cara stared out her window and took in the aquatic sights, but Jaxen tainted the experience. He felt too near, his knee resting inches from hers, his elbow brushing her sleeve, and she couldn’t wait to get off the shuttle and away from him.
When they arrived at the colony an hour later, Jaxen smiled as if nothing had happened. “Behold—your future home!”
He slowed the shuttle and circled the island so Cara could take in the entire settlement. She glanced out the window, heart fluttering as her spirits lifted.
The miniature town was adorable, reminiscent of a theme park in the way narrow streets and pathways connected each structure, all compacted within the span of a hundred acres. An ancient temple crumbled near the beach, but instead of the sandy-colored rubble, they had imported blocks of gray stone from the continent, so the buildings within town resembled those at the capital. Cara imagined they’d done so for the clones’ benefit, to make them feel at home.
“It’s still a work in progress,” Jaxen said, drawing Cara’s attention to empty plots and slabs of slate. “Think of this as the skeleton. We’ll flesh it out later with landscaping and recreational areas.” He pointed to a flat expanse of land in the distance. “And we’ll plant the first season’s crops for you.”
Crops. That probably meant The Way intended for the colony to sustain itself. Cara didn’t know the first thing about agriculture, but that was okay. They’d recruit people with a broad range of talents. She liked the idea of existing independently of the continent.
“What kind of animal is that?” she asked, pointing to the north beach, where hundreds of small creatures dragged their bodies onto the sand. They had sleek tan skin and flippers with a single talon at the end, which they used to gain traction. Cute, in a freaky-deaky sort of way.
Jaxen leaned aside to peer out her window. “Ah, the mahlay. They come here to lay their eggs because the rich soil beneath the sand keeps the ground a few degrees warmer than other islands. Don’t worry. They won’t bother you.”
Cara turned her attention to a cluster of apartment-style buildings that resembled the Aegis. The grouping sat at the center of town, with each road and pathway leading back to it. “And what’s that?”
“We call that the Living Center,” he said, hovering above one of the buildings to give her a closer look. “We tried to blend human and L’eihr cultures, so colonists will reside in family units as opposed to occupational barracks. Each unit will contain basic sleeping quarters and a living room, but you’ll dine together in the main hall and share communal washrooms.”
“Family units?” Cara asked. “Does that mean children will live with their parents?”
“Yes. Younglings will spend their evenings in the family unit and their days in the Aegis, to ensure developmental consistency.”
Cara released a breath. “That’s good. Otherwise, you won’t get many humans here.”
“We understand your attachment to your offspring.”
There wasn’t room to land the shuttle in town, so Jaxen touched down on the beach. Once the thrusters died, Cara exited the craft and stretched her stiff back and legs. She’d become unaccustomed to sitting still for so long, thanks to Satan’s PE class.
Right away, she noticed a dampness in the air that made her skin feel sticky, and it seemed several degrees warmer here than on the continent. She supposed the temperature difference made sense, considering the island’s position near the equator. L’eihrs only controlled their weather systems enough to prevent destructive storms.