The Slide
Chapter 4: Alexis
Alexis and Farha had two clandestine meetings at her cottage. Liaisons between military and civilians at the Fort were frowned upon (although there was no specific rule in place). Because of the sensitive nature of Farha’s project, she and Alexis went slowly with their relationship. They talked, laughed, and kissed. “Kiss”- Farha loved the sound of the word and the long, luxurious, lusciousness of the slow French-kiss sensuality.
After their second rendezvous, Alexis was detained briefly when he began his return to his garrison station. He was questioned, and a gatekeeper (denoting security personnel) was satisfied with the answer Alexis gave.
The terrace work proceeded with careful haste. There had been a few setbacks, as there are with all construction projects and one major miscalculation. Apparently, some of the sacred metals had been embedded in the stonework incorrectly and small seismic activity was thrown into play. Construction was halted, the metals removed and buffers between certain metals were employed to stop the seismic reactions. Farha was deeply concerned about this and distracted, too.
She was preoccupied with her love for Alexis and he for her. After he had been detained, they postponed their meetings for a time. She wrote him a coded letter each week. They had arranged a series of ciphers for communication in advance.
He stole away on for the seventh meeting where they met under the shroud of night. It would be the last meeting while he was away on family leave. His father was declining after a long debilitating illness.
The memories of kissing and teasing foreplay sustained her for months while he was away. Alexis told her what she had already suspected; that his father was dying in their country home in Ukra Province. That her work on the project, the desert trainings, math, practice with the bow and arrows, and the return of the strange dreams kept her fully engaged as a block between her passions for him.
Weeks passed.
He wrote her back by telegram in a cypher code and asked that they meet in Paris. It was on his way back. Through much wrangling, it was deigned that she could go. [The code was friendly banter with humorous quips that when translated were amorously passionate words and phrases.]
Uncle Tem was both worried and pleased regarding Farha’s involvement with Lieutenant Commander Petroff. It kept her from meddling in the construction project with her desire to micromanage everything. But he was concerned that she would be hurt by this Ukra boy.
Although Farha had never traveled to Paris alone, the trip there was uneventful. One of Alexis’s relatives owned a series of flats and rooms in central Paris. They stayed near the Eiffel Construction, rumored to be one third the size of the original tower. Their lips met beneath the tower in a passion kiss.
As they strolled towards the flat, Farha asked about his father.
“The progression of the sickness stopped just before the time I arrived. He seems to be resting and recovering,” Alexis said. Farha sensed the mystery and his reticence to speak further about it.
Once inside the flat, they fell under the spell of lovemaking. On the third try of their first night together, she passed out as she orgasmed and fell into a comatose state.
She dreamed:
The newly built Fort Normandy terrace was bathed in moonlight and shadowy figures were running back and forth. One of the tall men collided with her and they fell to the stone floor of the terrace. She pushed the man back. He rolled over. It was Uncle Tem. She felt relieved.
“Uncle Tem, you scared me,” she whispered.
He snorted. His laugh was off, but there was something warm and familiar about it.
She awoke in the cottage at Fort Normandy and could not fall back asleep. At first light, she fell back into the folds of sleep. The same dream repeated:
“Why are you laughing?” Farha demanded.
“I am not your Uncle Tem,” he smiled.
“Papa?”
Alexis called his Parisian Network of relatives and arranged for a doctor. An elderly man arrived — the doctor and made an examination.
“I recommend this clinic,” he carefully printed the name and the train line directly to the clinic. “They have good people there with the latest in equipment. I can order a sub-ambulance car-wagon to the station, if you like.”
Alexis looked at the paper and read the name aloud: “Réparatrice Première”
“There are nine of these establishments,” the doctor said.
“Yes, order a sub-ambulance, s’il vous plaît,” Alexis said softly.
The small hospital was outside the city but within the protection of the Parisian Fort environs. By the time they reached the adobe structure, she was in and out of consciousness. After blood tests and scans, the attending physician claimed she was suffering intermittent hypnogogic states that may have originated from a childhood trauma. He advised observation for a week, per the law.
Alexis informed a friend at the garrison where he was stationed by telegram about his delay. He was surprised to get a quick response about the precarious nature at the fort.
Alexis sent a telegram to Farha’s aunt informing her of the situation with Farha. He sent and received two more communications with the aunt.
After the second full day at the hospice-clinic, Farha insisted that she was “fine”. On the third day, she demanded to leave.
“Do you always get your way?” Alexis ventured.
“Of course,” she said smugly.
“Ha. I don’t believe it,” Alexis — forcefully and playfully.
“Ma-M-Most of the time. Eventually.”
“The law says you must stay another three to four days,” he said, “But knowing you as I do, you may try to escape. That would complicate matters. So, I convinced your aunt to come. She has the power to free you,” he said and quickly added: “And your Uncle Tem.”
“It’s good that he’s not coming,” she said, using lowered tones. “Does he know I’m here?”
“Not yet, I think. Unless your aunt has told him.”
“Good. She wouldn’t do that. She — does not like him anymore and I’m being diplomatic.”
“I take it they were marr– “
“ — Yes,” she interrupted.
Chapter 5: Secrets awaits you. Consider reading Chapters 1–3 Chapter 1 Audacity, Chapter 2 Satellite Gossip, & Chapter 3 Satellite Augments