September 2023's short story of the month
They didn't have to like her as long as they forgot her. She had read studies about that: how people can deal with being disliked, but they can't deal with being ignored. And for far too long, Tara had been ignored.
The only thing people noticed about her was her light green skin. You might think anyone with green skin would be VERY noticeable, but on ISP9 (intergalactic space sport nine), green skin was more common than anything else. What was strange about her's was that it was light, a seafoam green, and she had freckles. No other Geckin had skin that shade or freckles.
Geckins managed and ran the ISP9. Their home planet was the closest habitable planet to it, and they were well liked by most factions through the galaxies. Their presence at the port didn't lead to many confrontations.
Her mother never explained why she looked the way she did. When she'd been younger, the other Geckins had whispered about her, but no one ever said anything directly to her. As she'd grown, they'd just ignored her, which she preferred to a certain extent.
Each day she helped her mother run a café. It gave her a chance to meet and talk with anyone passing through the port, but like the Geckins, most travelers ignored her too. The only thing they did was order their food and thank her before carrying on their conversation with their fellow travelers.
"Stop daydreaming and clear those tables," Tara's mother said from behind the counter.
Tara saw her mother's frown and had to resist rolling her eyes. At twenty-three, her mother didn't really need to boss her around. Tara had been working at the café since she could walk. She had plenty of time to clear tables before more guests arrived.
She bit her tongue and cleared the dishes from the table. As she was wiping the table, she heard footsteps approach and then stop nearby.
She didn't look up and started smiling to herself. She knew who it was. With her eyes still fixed down on the table she was wiping, she saw a foot tap.
"Alex," Tara said. "Stop tapping your foot. What are you doing here anyway? I have to work for a few more hours." She finally stood up and smiled at her best friend and neighbor.
Alex was what every Geckin considered a beauty. She had bright green skin and perfectly rounded grey eyes with just slight yellow streaks in them. She was thin and tall but above all, Alex had what most considered the perfectly shaped frill. All Geckin had frills. They were usually folded down neatly around their neck, but when they were emotionally excited or angry, their frills popped out and looked like a fancy Elizabethan collar. Shorter frills were considered more attractive in females.
Tara was jealous of Alex, but they were still best friends. There were many occasions when Tara didn't understand why someone like Alex would be best friends with her, the outcast, but she tried not to dwell on it.
"I need you to come with me. Right now," said Alex.
"Why?" asked Tara. "You know my mom won't let me leave unless it's really important. And even then, she probably will say no." Tara gathered up her cleaning supplies and walked away from the tables and into the waitressing station. She carefully put everything away. She didn't want to give her mother a reason to complain. She even made sure all the labels on every item were facing forward, just the way her mother liked them.
Alex followed her. "Come on. Just this once, be an adult and tell your mom you need to leave."
"Why is this so important?" Tara asked in a whisper.
"Can't you just trust me?" Alex asked. "Have I ever steered you wrong?"
Tara opened her mouth to spout out about forty instances where Alex had let her down.
Alex raised her hand. "Don't start. You know what I mean. Come on. It will be worth your mom being mad at you. Trust me."
Her mother wasn't pleased, but Tara begged. Finally, her mother relented and told her to go but come back in time for the late shift.
As soon as Tara hung up her apron, Alex looped her arm through Tara's and whisked her away. She made for the teleport pads that could take you anywhere you wanted to go in the public areas of ISP9.
As they stepped off the telepad, Tara looked around. They were in the staging area for large groups that were traveling to and from the port. The area was large and open and could be used with several different types of temporary shelter structures.
The area was packed with Geckin. And they were wearing armor.
"What is this?" asked Tara in amazement. She'd never seen this many Geckin in one place. About 200 or so lived and ran ISP9. There were easily a thousand in this one gathering place.
Alex shook her head. "I don't know why they're here. I haven't been able to get information from anyone, but I had to show you."
"Why?" asked Tara. She was thoroughly confused. Alex was boy crazy, but Tara was more cautious. Also, because of her odd appearance, she tended not to get attention from boys.
"Follow me. Not only are there thousands of Geckin arriving. Not just on this level. But you have to see what else I found." Alex gestured for her to follow along.
"Are you sure we should be here?" Tara looked around at the sheer number of Geckin. If there were more than this arriving, Tara had a pretty good idea that they were a military force of some kind. Working at the café, Tara usually heard about fighting going on, and she wasn't familiar with the Geckin being involved in any combat recently.
Alex ran ahead and Tara had to hustle to keep up. She kept getting distracted by all of the Geckin. Tara wasn't paying attention and ran right into the back of Alex.
"Watch where you're going," said Alex.
"Sorry. I can't believe this." Tara brushed off Alex's back.
"Look," Alex said. She wasn't pointing at anything.
"What am I looking at?" Tara asked. She scanned around and saw Geckin, just like everywhere else she looked in the area.
"Right in front of us. Look at THOSE Geckin," Alex said.
Tara took a deep breath and looked around. She didn't see what the big deal was at first. She saw several groups of Geckin, and just like the others, they were wearing armor.
"Look closely," said Alex.
Tara looked again at the group in front of them. She studied the Geckin. That's when she finally saw what Alex was so excited about. The group in front of them had freckles. They were light for Geckin, not as light as Tara, but closer than anyone on ISP9.
"They kind of look like me," gasped Tara.
"I know," said Alex. "I bumped into one that was in the supply shop on this level, and I followed them over here. I couldn't believe it either."
"Should I talk to them?" asked Tara.
"You should," said Alex. "I mean when will you get a chance like this again?"
Tara nodded. She took a deep cleansing breath. Her frill popped out.
"Maybe wait," said Alex. "Take a few more deep breaths until you feel less nervous."
"I don't think it will help," said Tara.
"Fair enough," said Alex. "I can wait right here or go with you. Your call."
Tara grabbed Alex's hand. "You're coming with me."
They walked hand in hand towards the group. Tara approached one of them that was standing and was observing the others in its group.
"Excuse me," said Tara. She cleared her throat. Her frill still hadn't folded.
"Yes, child," said the Geckin standing there.
"I was wondering. That is. Um." Tara was losing her nerve. "You know what. Never mind. Sorry for bothering you." She turned to leave and pulled Alex with her.
"Nope. Stop," said Alex. She pulled them back to the other Geckin. "Excuse my friend, she's just shy. She and I were wondering why you all have freckles."
At first the Geckin didn't answer. He took a look at Tara and chuckled. "I see. You want to know why you have freckles."
Tara nodded but couldn't bring herself to speak.
"Well, that's pretty simple. One of your parents is from our clan. Our clan lives on an isolated group of islands on the planet's surface. We're the only clan that inherits the trait." He looked at Tara. "Didn't your parents tell you that?"
Tara shook her head.
"She doesn't know who her father is," said Alex like it wasn't a big deal to be telling this to a stranger.
Tara felt like her head might explode. She grabbed Alex and pulled her away.
"Come on," she hissed at Alex. "I want to talk to my mom."
They didn't speak on their way back to the café.
