[morriss003]

Perhaps, I'll start working on this.

Copyright 2010
Tales of the Ragoon
Almost Like a Dad

by Stan Morris

The man was nervous Jane noted. He sounded confident, his words were smooth, his logic was impeccable, but he was nervous. He was taking a potentially embarrassing gamble and he knew it.
What would make a man do such a thing, she wondered? True, he wasn't exactly a perfect specimen of a man. In fact, he left a lot to be desired. He was short, chubby, pasty looking, and he was going bald at a young age.
He wanted the Ragoon to give him a woman.
"I have a good job as a programmer," he explained. "In fact, I developed one of the most popular multi-player games on the internet. I have a good income, over six figures, in fact. I can take good care of a woman."
"So what made you come to us?" asked the District Supervisor.
"Uh, well, I heard that the Ragoon had some excess women that they needed to place," the man replied.
"Excess women?" interjected Jane coolly.
The roly poly man's face reddened. "I mean women without a man," he explained.
Before Jane could respond the District Supervisor said, "In other words, a woman who has no living male relative to take charge of her."
"Uh, yeah, that's what I meant," answered the man with a worried glance at Jane.
"Humm..," the District Supervisor flexed its digits unconsciously as it considered the man's request.
"Let me think about this for a few days," it said. "We will contact you one way or another, shortly."
Disappointment was evident on the man's face, but he was not about to contradict any lizard, especially an large important lizard like this one. He got to his feet, started to extend a hand, blushed, and then quickly turned and left.
"So, are we giving away women now?" asked Jane, trying to
keep her demeanor disinterested.
The lizard glanced at her. Her anger was obvious to him. He thought about chastising her and then shrugged it off.
"Let's bring him in for a psychological evaluation. After we get the results, we'll decide what to do."
A month later, the man sat in the chair again, listening anxiously as Jane spoke.
"It has been decided to grant your request and issue you a woman," she began. The man visibly relaxed. "However, there are certain conditions attached to this disbursal."
"Conditions?" repeated the man.
"Yes. First, the woman must be free to decline any sexual advances. If you have investigated this, you will know that this is the law. The Ragoon law," Jane emphasized.
She looked at the man closely. He reddened, but he did not object.
“Second, you are not to abuse the woman in any way, physically or psychologically. After thirty days, the woman will be given a chance to lodge a complaint against you. If a complaint is lodged, we will decide whether to retrieve her from your custody. Also, you may if you wish, return the woman to our custody. If you do not return her, and if the woman has no complaint, the arrangement will continue for one year. At the end of that time, each of you will have a second opportunity to opt out of the arrangement. Do you understand these first two conditions?" asked Jane.
"Uh, yes, ma'am," replied the man. "Uh, you said, 'these first two conditions'. Are there more?"
"Just one more," replied Jane. "The third condition is that you may not abuse her son either; however you are authorized to discipline him if it becomes necessary."
The man's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped.
"Uh, her son? She has a son? I didn't..."
"If these terms are not acceptable to you, then you may decline to accept the woman and her son," stated Jane. "However, if you decline to accept the woman chosen for you, it's very unlikely that you will be given a second chance."
The man gulped. "All right," he said faintly. Then in a firmer voice he repeated, "All right. I accept your terms. When can I meet her?"
"Tomorrow afternoon," said the lizard, who had been silent until now. "That will give you time enough to travel to your home in the daylight."
That evening, Jane met with Susan Merrice and her son, Alex.
"Susan," Jane began gently. "I have something important to tell you. Brace yourself. The Ragoon have decided to assign you to a man."
Susan looked at Jane with a blank expression on her face. "I'm sorry. You say that I'm being given to a man? You mean, like I'm going to get a new job?"
Jane dropped her eyes. She knew that this was going to be difficult for Susan. It was hard enough for Jane.
"No, Susan," she answered. "I meant just what I said. You are being given to a man. He asked the Ragoon for a woman, and they have agreed. You are the woman they choose to give to him."
Susan had been apprehensive that this day would come, but it was still a shock.
"I see," she whispered staring down at her hands on her lap. "Do you know anything about this person, Jane? Is he a decent person?"
"He seems to be okay," Jane hastened to reassure her. "We've had an extensive psychological profile done on him. He's a little dysfunctional when it comes to socialization, but other than that he seems normal. He’s not what we would call handsome."
Susan suddenly looked up at Jane, her face worried. "What about Alex," she asked. "Please, don't tell me that I have to leave Alex. You promised me that, if this happened, Alex could go with me. I can't leave my son, Jane" Her eyes moistened. Alex had a solemn look as he snuggled up to his mother.
"Alex is going with you," Jane promised. "I told you that the Ragoon won't separate a child from his mother." Jane left then, so that Susan could discuss the situation with her son.
The following afternoon, shortly after lunch, Susan was shown into a room. She held Alex’s hand tightly. One of the aliens was sitting at a desk. Jane stood behind it. On the other side of the desk, sitting in a chair was a man. Susan observed that he seemed quite nervous. Almost as nervous as me, she thought.
"Susan, this is Maximilian Parker,' explained Jane. "He prefers to be called, Max. Max, this is Susan Merrice and her son, Alexander. He prefers to be called, Alex."
The woman and the man greeted each other stiffly and warily. The boy half hid behind his mother.
"Please, sit down, Susan. The District Supervisor is just finishing up with the paper work."
The alien spoke through his mouth interpreter. "This is your preliminary deed, Parker," it growled mechanically. "You do understand that the Ragoon have a lien on Susan Merrice and Alexander Merrice? Good, then sign here."
He slid some papers toward the man. His hand shaking slightly, Max took the papers and signed without reading them. He started to hand them back.
"Give them to the woman," said the alien.
Max pushed them to the side of the desk. Susan took them, and she began to read. The man glanced at the alien, wondering if it would take offense, but the alien sat there patiently. After a few minutes, Susan took a deep breath, and then she picked up a pen and signed the papers.
"Do I have to sign, too?"
This question was asked abruptly by the boy. Jane and Susan began to speak when they were interrupted by the alien.
"Yes," it said. The two women looked startled, but they fell silent. The boy and the alien studied each other for a moment. "Yes," the alien repeated. "You sign the papers."
The boy picked up the pen, and he carefully signed his name below his mother's signature. He walked around the side of the desk, and then he handed the papers to the alien.
To Jane, the District Supervisor seemed momentarily disconcerted, and then it said, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," answered the boy politely.
He walk back to his mother.