How To Tame A Polycule
Meeting in the Park
by LadySunnyBunny
This chapter is a crossover effort with Fractured Puppet and their story Fermata
Kurt relaxed into Alathea, he enjoyed being carried as it made him feel more pet like. He could snuggle in and accept he had a wonderful owner who would look after him no matter what was to happen. It felt safe, and helped him remain calm and cared for. After a minute or two of appreciating Miss Thea's wonderful vines, he piped up curiously.
"So who is this person you want to show me off to Miss Thea? I take it this must be a rare circumstance for you to want to meet them directly to do your work."
"Ah yes, it's so lovely to see you using that clever brain of yours. The Terran's name is Sia, she is a musician of some kind... I think Presa said she played a violan...lon..ling?... something. Sia was very famous apparently until her autoimmune prevented her from travelling. It's a sore spot for the poor dear, so I am hoping to be able to assist well enough for her to be able to share her music again. Sia apparently has a vast knowledge of Terran music which will have several Affini practically panting to be able to meet her."
Kurt startled a little at the name, it sounded very familiar... surely it couldn't be?
"When you say Sia, do you mean Sia Amadi?"
Alathea rustled in surprise. "You mean you've heard of her?"
Kurt nodded and replied cheerfully.
"Yes, yes, she's one of my Lady's favourite musicians! Lady Danae will be disappointed to have not come along for this meeting. We were supposed to see her several years ago but she stopped touring, and we never heard why. If you are able to perform miracles again for Sia, I think requesting a private performance might make my Lady's year."
Alathea laughed, and petted his head with a vine.
"Perform miracles? I don't think I would say that. I merely find the right chemical formation to suit the individual in question."
"Given how well you have treated my anxiety, I feel every right to call what you do miraculous. You are our gorgeous, miracle working, kind hearted owner. We are so lucky to have found you." Kurt stroked the vines holding him as he spoke, he tried to convey how much he appreciated Miss Thea's work.
"How adorable you are little puppy, I'm the lucky one to have found all of you."
Kurt was hoping the meeting would go well. Sia was very talented and it seemed only just that she got the full benefit of being a floret. Such a beautiful artist deserved to be able to make their music without struggle.
It didn't take too long for them to come to a very secluded part of the park. Kurt had not been here before and looked around with interest at the pretty bower. Climbing vines covered a delicate trellis which blocked most of the park from view. The vines were bedecked with small pale orange flowers. Inside the vine walls the ground was covered in a lovely mossy plant that gave off a very pleasant pepperminty sort of fragrance. Park benches sized for Affini sat opposite each other with a low picnic table in between. Kurt could see that the brat pack had been hard at work here because next to each bench was a ladder with the words rebellion written across them in shiny pink letters. The ladders themselves were an eye searing orange, which clashed horribly with the lettering. Kurt had a feeling Katidid had had a say in the colour choices. The pet appeared to have never met a colour she didn't love, especially if they thought it would clash with something else.
The ladders gave easy access for those who weren't 12 feet tall. When Miss Thea set him down Kurt was easily able to use one of them to scramble up and onto the bench. Affini, he reflected, just weren't that interested on the whole in having independent pets. Well at least those designing infrastructure seemed to be inclined to that line of thinking. Without the brat power prodding things along he would never be able to use the seating himself and would've been forced to sit on the ground. Mostly Kurt loved being treated like a pet, but that didn't mean he wanted to have absolutely no independence. That is after all why pet furniture existed in Terran space - because pets needed furniture they can use without constant supervision. Kurt watched with interest as Miss Thea sank onto the ground next to the bench he had claimed. As she did so the vines that formed her legs unwound and spread out until she looked like a lady from those ancient paintings his Lady admired. Upright torso with voluminous vine skirts. Gorgeous and practical all rolled into one. He debated for a minute joining her but decided it would not help convince Sia of Miss Thea’s skill if he was all blissed out from petting. Probably that’s why she was sitting on the ground, she was clever enough to have decided what would assist the nervous Terran the most to get the help she deserved.
Lost in thought Kurt started when an unfamiliar voice called out.
"Alathea? Are you there?"
There was a rustle from the edge of the trellis before another Affini came into view, a human woman following slightly behind. The Affini's branches around her face had soft, brushy looking needles that spilled down her back, while her bark had interesting patterns and textures defining her cheeks and other features, supple vines wrapped around her core and fern-like fronds covering her limbs. She looked to be about average height for an Affini, so would appear a little short compared with Miss Thea when she was standing.
"Ah! This is lovely," the Affini said as she turned to the woman who had to be Sia and gestured her to come closer. "Though...are ladders usually labeled that way?"
Sia's lips quirked as she let out a soft chuckle, then turned to look over at where Kurt and Alathea waited.
"Hello. I'm...Sia Amadi, First Floret. Thank you for this."
Kurt laughed at the ladder comment, and responded to the strange Affini.
“You can blame the ship’s brat club for that. A number of them get easily annoyed at the Affini assumption that everyone else is going to be accompanied by someone tall and leafy. While I don’t belong to the club myself members of our family have temporarily joined. Apparently their big thing is doing rebellions so they can get funishments. I’m Kurt by the way, and it’s an honour to meet such a wonderful musician.”
Kurt then jumped down from the bench, landed safely and then walked over to Sia while offering his hand to shake. He smiled as he did so trying to be friendly. Kurt did his best to move gracefully and fluidly without making it obvious. He wanted Sia to see that his movements weren't hampered.
The Affini who had entered with Sia smiled at Kurt's explanation, reaching out to gently tap the nearest ladder with one of her vines.
"That is rather adorable - though I may need...'funishments'...explained to me later. But I'm sorry, I'm being rude." She turned to fully face Kurt, bowing her head and then smiling to Alathea. "Cupressaceae Garaveh, Fourth Bloom. Please call me Presa." Sia gave Presa a fond look, then took Kurt's hand in a sure grip as they shook. It was obvious she was taking in the way he moved and the steadiness of his hand.
"I appreciate the compliment, Kurt. So your family...are you all Alathea's, then?"
Sia hummed thoughtfully as she listened to Kurt, walking around the clearing with a deliberate walk that spoke of carefully controlled movements - and discomfort. Kurt hoped she wouldn't push herself too far but respected her far too much to say anything about it.
"I have to admit, that sounds like a wonderful solution for you." Looking at the nearest bench, she glanced at Presa for a moment before she pulled herself up onto the ladder, taking it a few rungs at a time until she was settled down on the bench, her legs dangling off the edge.
"This is where I ask the awkward questions. How has your...Lady...been since the implantation?"
"Not so awkward really." Kurt moved back to sit on the bench he had come from before he started explaining. “Much the same as ever, a little happier to be sure but mostly because her family is safe on a fundamental level. My Lady prefers not to be drugged most of the time, and Miss Thea only uses drugs when requested on her so the implant is more a connection thing.” Kurt shrugged, “she’s currently doing some work with analysing contracts from some resort world that had a large company store vibe going. I was assisting before Miss Thea asked me to come meet you. She’s waist deep in contract law and chasing down clauses with a righteous fury. It’s actually adorable but she wouldn’t accept that description.”
Kurt relaxed as he talked of his Lady. She was his anchor in the universe and while Miss Thea was a miracle worker, his Lady had been the first to make him feel safe. “I’m the only one of the polycule currently receiving drugs continuously. I have an anxiety disorder that Terran drugs couldn’t help. I would either end up living like a zombie, still feel anxious but very off or end up insensible with large gaps in my memory.” He shuddered at the thought. “I have a lot of trauma around memory gaps, which is the only reason I’m worried about getting the implant. They have to ramp the drugs up fairly high for the procedure.”
Sia grimaced at the mention of the drugs being mentioned, and nodded, her eyes troubled.
"That is...one of my concerns, yes." Presa quietly joined her on the bench, and Sia hesitated a moment before leaning into her, taking a deep breath before she spoke again.
"I am so sorry for what you had to deal with. I'm glad that your Miss Thea has been able to help you." She paused, then looked over to where Alathea sat. "I also apologize for talking about you like you aren't here. I do appreciate you giving us this chance to talk."
Alathea waved a vine and replied.
“Oh that’s fine dear, you’re here to decide if you trust us enough to let us tinker with your already delicate system. Kurt is actually on drugs right now and is therefore the current best example of my work. I’m afraid as Danae prefers to only use drugs recreationally she isn’t a particularly good example unless you want to see someone whose implant isn’t always pumping them full of things.” Alathea unwrapped a couple of vines so that Sia could see some shiny purple orbs that looked similar to grapes.
“I have actually been working on something special for you. Entirely your choice if you want to take them of course. I will warn you that the formula might need to be tinkered with to be just right . Usually it takes a day or 3 of adjustments to perfect.”
The vine moved to sit in front of Sia and Presa.
“If you are willing to trust us, I will work with you until you are happy with the results, and then show Presa how to formulate it. For now this version will reduce inflammation to negligible levels, prevent pain caused by your condition, and it should leave you clear headed and in control of your body.” Alathea paused and assessed Sia’s face before continuing. “This berry also has a slight healing property to it. Mostly it won’t affect anything else, what it should do is slowly over time strengthen and heal your heart.”
Another vine moved towards Sia, this time holding a data pad. “Here is the chemical formula here if you want to research this yourself. Feel free to ask me anything at all…Kurt is a also happy to answer or demonstrate anything you like.”
Sia looked as if she had been about to say something when Alathea revealed the fruits on her vines, her face slamming into a blank mask, her eyes tight with suspicion.
"That's...convenient." Presa's hand came to gently rest on Sia's back, and there was a silent conversation between them before Presa spoke.
"I am surprised as you are. Grateful, but I didn't expect her to bring a sample, or I would have asked her to wait." Sia's jaw worked for a few moments before she turned back to look at the data pad, finally reaching out to take it. She read a few pages in silence, then handed the pad to Presa.
"I would like to look at this, but I'll admit I don't know much about molecular engineering. Can you tell me about the effects compared to the human formulated NSAIDs and immunosuppressants I currently take?"
Presa reached out towards Kurt with a vine, clearly intending to pat him on the head, then stopped. Kurt appreciated the courtesy, Presa was a most considerate Affini.
"Would you mind if I touched you, Kurt?"
Kurt nodded happily.
“Yes that’s fine, anywhere on the head or chest I’m ok with you touching.”
Presa smiled down to him as she lightly stroked and petted his head. "Thank you - and I appreciate your suggestion, but I actually think Sia might appreciate getting to have this conversation."
Sia nodded grimly, looking at the floating projections, eying them carefully.
"Broadly speaking...you're right - it doesn't work." Sia turned towards the ladder again, then stopped when Presa offered her a hand, instead, and let her Affini companion help her to the ground, looking through the holograms to look over to Kurt, and then meeting Alathea's eyes. “I have been trying to figure out how to explain to you, and to Presa, where my feelings about Xenodrugs are coming from. It's not just the loss of dexterity and control, but I needed to understand why my brain screams ‘That’s Wrong’ when an Affini pushes them at me, and you just hit it on the head." Sia turned slightly, started to move, then stopped and reversed her direction, not quite pacing but not able to be still.
“I saw those first messages from Cotyledons and some of the domesticated humans from the early phases of the…conflict. They all seemed so happy. I wasn’t kidding when I told Presa was like my fantasies had come to life, but when I met a few in the first days of the Affini taking over Tau Ceti…that’s all they were. Happy. Not thoughtful, not expressive, not wistful or reflective or even enthusiastic. Just happy. Because the root in their brains and the drugs their owners had put them on didn’t let them be anything but happy, all the time.”
Her stride picked up now, and her voice grew stronger as she began to speak as much with her hands as her voice.
“I know that you want to help. You seem to be able to make what I need without the side effects. Wonderful. But your people...Affini keep telling us that you want to keep us from suffering. That we won't have to be in pain ever again. But pain is a survival response. It’s our evolutionary diagnostic tool that tells us that something needs to change, whether it’s “don’t sit like that much longer” or “this person is going to hurt you if you stay with them.”
She paused, and looked gravely at Alathea, her face framed by the chemical maps that still floated in the air.
“Physical pain, emotional pain, those are part of how humans understand who we are. Just like sadness, grief, passion…or joy. So when I watch so many of you smooth them all away - flatten our experiences down to a baseline that is simply ‘Happy’...I see us lose part of ourselves. Maybe the very best part of ourselves. We stop knowing who we are - and we just become what you want us to be.” The nearly manic burst of energy faded as her tone of voice softened, and she turned her body away, arms wrapped tightly around herself as she turned towards Kurt, and gave him a sympathetic, thoughtful look.
"I think you - and your family - got damned lucky. I think...maybe I have too, but it doesn't change the fact that I know who I am. I have fought for it every day of my life, and I won’t give that up. I can’t. My music, my fight, my pain, my soul…they’re all interconnected. Entwined, just like an Affini's roots and vines and branches. You take that away, you take me away, and the person you would have left might be happy…but that’s all she would ever be.” Tears were pricking at her eyes as she finally folded down to the ground, the emotional outburst spent. "You have no idea how I want what you and your Lady have with Thea. But I won't let it be at that cost...and too many of the Affini I've met have assumed that I'd just sit there and take it because they knew what would be 'best' for me."
Kurt tilted his head at Alathea who nodded and let him start.
“I think the biggest problem that the Affini have is that their goal is actually to have us be the best versions of ourselves we can be. For some people that means drugged to happiness for whatever reason, and for some of those people they were domesticated because they were actively harming others. It’s an amazing thing that there is no physical or mental punishment for crimes. What they have instead is a comfortable quiet and happy life. It’s still a punishment but I don’t think the Affini see it that way.” He paused briefly to let that sink in. “What I think you are missing in this equation is that things are very different away from the initial domestication push. You just need to see and interact with the florets who are in more established areas to see the difference. It’s a weird adage but it’s almost war conditions prevail.”
“Affini as a whole aren’t homogeneous any more than Terrans are. The default does seem to involve drug play but the levels vary. There are so many florets who work, or have specialised skills like you. They simply can’t do that on the level of drugged up which is so prominently displayed.”
Alathea interrupted Kurt with a wave of her vine.
“That’s a little simplified dear but you aren’t wrong about the Affini views on punishment. There is a higher level, in which someone who can’t be trusted even on normal drugs is given such extreme pleasure drugs that they will never function independently again. Affini view these as our failures. The minute that happens there is no hope for improvement and the individual is lost forever.” She sighed. “As to your comment on pain, yes it is a part of your existence and yes its partly what made you the person you are today. It should not however be your only defining feature. Affini ourselves are not without pain, and grief. We have to process and heal too.” Alathea quirked her face a little, remembering a detail which might prove her point.
“We definitely make mistakes, just ask Presa about her second bloom. At any rate I feel one of the ways that Affini can go wrong, is when they don't treat their florets as intelligent beings. It irks me that when we take a new species under our care we don’t spend more time in the initial phase. We rush ahead to take the whole species under our care, instead of working closer with the individual sophonts. That happens later and that’s too late for many sophonts.”
Sia listened, only looking away from Kurt and Alathea to glance at Presa at the mention of her second bloom, watching as her partner buried her face in her hands and muttered.
"...does everyone know about that?"
Sia patted her Affini's shoulder and Kurt watched as she thought through what she had heard.
"I see the point about 'war footing'...though I think maybe the Affini who came to work on Tau Ceti brought a bit too much of that attitude back, even after the Accord was signed."
Kurt sympathised as he waited for Sia to gather her feelings up, and then she finally blew out her cheeks again softly with a long sigh.
"You also have a point about the flaws in how Affini treat us - and other sophonts who might become Florets. How many time do you make that same mistake, over and over? How many out there are people like me who can't bridge that gap between our own desires and the reality we see?"
She shook her head, answering her own question.
"Too many. But...I appreciate that you see the problems. That you are trying hard to do better. To be better."
Sia leaned into Presa, fatigue making her rely on the support. Kurt figured she must've used a lot of energy to come here, although without a doubt Presa would have made sure her floret was as prepared for the trip as possible.
Presa, for her part, wrapped an arm and a few vines around her to provide a gentle, comforting embrace and cushion, but one that Sia could easily leave if she wished.
"Kurt is right," Presa admitted as she looked down in admiration and concern at Sia. "Both of you are right, in your own ways. What you see as your best self might be shaped by that fear - but it can be brought into fullness without relying on it. What we see as your best self may not take into account everything that you are - or can be - and you deserve to be loved, cherished, and encouraged as a whole person, not simply in one part or another." Her fingers lightly trailing against the edge of her Floret's scalp, Presa couldn't help but smile. "It would be like the symphonies you play for me without the strings - or a rock band without drums."
Sia's eyes were a bit hooded as she nodded, and she managed to put a hand in front of her mouth before she yawned.
"Sorry. It's not any of you - this is the best damn conversation I think I've had all month - just tired."
A faint idea appeared to trickle across her mind, and she looked over at Alathea.
"Could...you help with that?"
Alathea thought for a minute, vines idly waving as she concentrated.
“Just to clarify, are you asking for me to give you a booster now to help your energy levels, or are you asking if that is part of the sample I have provided?”
Sia bit her lip, clearly conflicted despite herself.
“More the former than the latter. But I assume that if I’m in less…difficulty…it will help that anyway.”
Alathea nodded.
“There is a mild booster included in the sample berries while your body adjusts to them, which is going to be slowly decreased as we find the best formulation for you. Once you are on the right dose you shouldn’t need it for most things. As to now, if you give me a few minutes I can provide a quick energy boost that will last a few hours. The downside will be in about 4 hours you will be exhausted and need to sleep. You won’t sleep any longer than you usually would but it will be very deep sleep. Normally these last longer but given your condition I don’t want to push your body any further than that. Without having time to come up with something specifically for you that’s the best I can offer. Otherwise I can provide a mild stimulant similar to caffeine that will make you slightly less tired. No side effects apart from being tired when it wears off but it will also provide less energy. You may still need Presa to carry you if you use up too much energy.” She chuckled “Of course if you just want some high energy food you are welcome to visit our hab unit and I can cook you something.”
“You know…I think I’d like that, if we have time. Especially if I might have a chance to speak with Danae.”
"Excellent, well our dwelling is not too far away. Danae I'm sure could be convinced to leave her work in order to meet you. She will need to eat after all, though our dear maid has no doubt been tending to her diligently."
Alathea rose to her full height, slowly forming legs out of the skirt of vines that had pooled on the ground. Kurt waited until she was done and then jumped from the bench into her vines, trusting her to catch him. Kurt cradled safely in her arms she led the way out of the bower.
Thanks for reading!
I really dig getting into the downsides of removing all negative emotions. I think that’s the scariest thing about the HDG setting.