Alien Aladdin

by Zara Zenia

  “This is Prince Akrawn of Trilyn. Identify yourself.”

  Silence. Not a single word. By Tri, why were these ships here?

  Cat squinted with suspicion at the ships filling the holoscreen.

  “What type of ships are those?”

  “They are Trilyn fighters,” I said.

  She shook her head as her mouth formed a hard line. “Did your father bring these here?”

  Did he? My father made clear he did not want conflict with Earth, and ships like these had only one purpose. No. Unknown persons placed these ships here. The deeper I got into this, the larger this malicious conspiracy grew.

  “No, Cat. He wouldn’t do such a thing.”

  “So what will you do, Akrawn?”

  “Genween, please come to the bridge.” I stood. “My captain will care for you.”

  “You’re going to one of those ships? Oh no, not without me.”

  I rubbed the back of my neck. “Cat, I know not what I will find there.”

  “Then I should go with you. Akrawn, should news of these ships get back to Earth it will cause a panic. Many people on Earth do not trust the Trilyn. At least I can vouch that what you say is true.”

  I thought about David Davon and his unfounded suspicions about my people and had to concede my Cat was correct.

  Genween arrived and when he saw the ships, he stared at them in shock.

  “Bring us in closer to one of those ships, Genween. I will investigate.”

  “Your Highness, I have qualified men to perform such a task.”

  “Don’t argue, Captain. I’ve decided. Come, Cat, if you insist on accompanying me.”

  Cat said nothing as we walked the hallway to my lab. There I helped her put on a spacesuit.

  “A precaution,” I said as I donned one. She moved her arms and legs experimentally, but our suits were flexible and comfortable even on her smallish human body the smallest of our suits swamped her. I took her hand and brought her to the STS. I touched my suit communicator.

  “Genween, are we in proximity?”

  “Yes, your Highness, but please let me send—”

  “Keep a communication channel open.”

  I held my hand out to Cat. “Let us go.”

  She glanced at the STS. “On that thing? In space?”

  “It is the safest, quickest method. Or you can stay.”

  “No!”

  In another blink, we were on one of the ships, but at once I was struck by the eerie quiet of this vessel. We landed in the dark and I heard no voices.

  “Lights,” I say in Trilyn, and the STS bay illuminated.

  “Is everyone asleep?” said Cat.

  I went to the control panel on the wall by the hatch in the bulkhead. My security codes should get me access to the ships’ systems and communications, but the ship resisted. What in Tri?

  “Akrawn?” said Cat.

  “A second, my Cat.” I opened the records for ships’ stores, which was a low-level system and easier for my AI to access. I swore.

  “What?” said Cat.

  “No one has used the food stores. There is no one on this ship.”

  “Are you saying that this ship is a drone?”

  I nodded grimly as I probed for more information. “Yes. This is a fleet of automated ships.”

  “But who sent them?”

  “No sure. Let’s see what AI controls this.”

  But again, I couldn’t access the AI directly. I activated one of the backdoors I had installed in all Trilyn tech for a contingency like this. Red warning lights flashed, and a noisy claxon sounded through the ship.

  “What the hell!” yelled Cat.

  I huffed and accessed the ship’s system controls and turned off the lights and sound.

  A shadowy form filled the viewscreen of the workstation.

  “Trespassers, leave now,” a voice boomed around us.

  “Who is that?” said Cat. Her hand went to her weapon, but she couldn’t use her gun on here. There was no one but Cat and me on board this vessel so it must be an AI speaking.

  “What is your name AI? Who owns you?”

  The machine spoke in a cold voice. “Get off this vessel.”

  “As if you can do anything about it,” I replied. I continued to work to gain more access to the systems while Cat stood by my side. The ship lurched to one side flinging us into a bulkhead. Cat grunted, and I reached instinctively to pull her toward me.

  “Are you hurt, Cat?” I asked. I shouldn’t have let her come.

  “I’m fine. I can take a little tossing around. But what will we do?”

  Cat’s AI flashed. “I can get in that system,” said Peri. “Give me a second.”

  But then Peri squealed in a high pitch whine.

  “What the hell?” said Cat.

  “Akrawn, Cat. Get off the ship now. This damned AI intends to crash this ship into the moon. Get to the STS now!”

  I pulled Cat toward the STS as the ship pitched and slammed us to the other side of the small room. I wrapped my arms around her to absorb the shock of impact. Suddenly the artificial gravity released, and with Cat in my arms kicked off toward the STS.

  “AI, transport us now!”

  Chapter 18

  Cat

  I grunted as we slid into the bulkhead. At the workstation where Akrawn fought the ship AI, a holo of the pockmarked moon filled the screen. The craters grew larger as Iblis (the AI) drove us toward imminent death.

  I felt useless, and I was desperate to run or aim a gun, do anything to avoid the death I stared at. The moon loomed larger while I watched unable to do a single thing.

  Bile rose from my stomach. We had evaded death too often in the last few days. Could we do it again?

  Suddenly the gravity released, and I floated without direction. My heart did a flip-flop as I realized I had no clue how to move in zero gravity. As I flailed my arms, Akrawn wrapped his strong ones around me and propelled us to the STS.

  “AI! Transport us now!” he said.

  White light exploded, and I didn’t know if we’d hit the moon or made a successful transport. My heart beat like a rabbit, and my breath stuttered as I waited for the ship to disintegrate, shredding me with it.

  Instead, I fell onto a spongy floor face first.

  “My Cat, I have caused you injury again?” said Akrawn as he turned me over and pulled my facemask off.

  I wiped off wetness on my face, and my hand showed my blood.

  “Hell no. I enjoy a good nose-bleed after being chased, knifed, blown up, and almost crashing in a spaceship.”

  Akrawn peered at me with concern.

  “We are back on my ship,” Akrawn said. He peeled off my spacesuit while holding my gaze, and I shivered at the intensity of his eyes searching mine. Once divested of the suit, he gathered me in his arms and held me tight and kissed my lips. I melted in his arms as his cinnamon and orange scent surrounded me. This must be Trilyn aromatherapy warfare to make women fall all over them. I pulled away in a desperate act of pretense that he did not affect me.

  “What next?” I huffed.

  Akrawn tilted my chin up, and he husked, “I admire the bravery you displayed.”

  He trailed his fingers across my brow and down my cheek. When he lowered his lips to mine my body exploded with hot desire as his hardness pressed into my hip.

  When we parted for breath, he said, “For you, my Cat, I would swim oceans and scale never-ending cliffs. But at this moment, I must speak with Peri.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Peri entered the operating system of that drone ship. Your AI will have information on this Iblis. Call up Peri, Cat.”

  “Peri, answer Prince Akrawn’s questions.”

  My interface glowered. “What does the jerk want?” Peri snapped.

  “Peri!” I scolded. “Answer his questions.”

  “What do you want to know, Prince,” she said with a sneer.

  “Who owns that Iblis, AI?”

  “I
don’t know, but he’s one strong and scary AI. He wants nothing less than to eradicate all Trilyns and humans.”

  “Those ships present a danger to Earth,” I said.

  “No,” said Peri. “When I was in there something happened, and his communication network broke. He cannot communicate with the other ships, at least not now.”

  “And he crashed the ship into the moon,” I said.

  Akrawn shook his head. “That doesn’t mean the crash destroyed Iblis.”

  “Why?”

  “Because,” said Akrawn. “The program can exist anywhere, and I suspect that it resides within an Earth computer system. I must confer with my crew. With those ships’ communications disabled, we must destroy them now.”

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “Not this time. I’m sorry, my Cat. This is a matter of military security, and I’m not allowed to show non-military people our operations. But first, let me take you to my quarters where you might rest. You had a hectic day, my Cat.”

  The twists and turns we took through the organic maze of hallways confused me. A door opened as we approached it and we entered what looked like an apartment suite. A long, curved window in the other bulkhead displayed the vastness of space outside the ship. Otherwise, shimmery fabric hung from ceiling to floor and different colored lights melted and merged in mesmerizing fractals on the wall hangings. A table set made of wood with light and dark striations stood against the left-hand bulkhead. To the right was a bookcase that held different artifacts behind glass. Center to the room was a vast U-shaped sofa in blue-green shimmery fabric.

  Akrawn looked around and pursed his lips. “Sendrin,” he called. He put his hands on his hips and annoyance colored his expression.

  “I’m sorry, my Cat. I do not know where Sendrin is. I would have him attend you.”

  “No, that is unnecessary,” I said. “I am not used to servants.”

  “You amaze me each moment, my Cat.”

  He pointed to a square inset in the wall.

  “This is the food dispenser. Just speak into it, and it will give you any menu item.”

  “It does?”

  “Yes. It brings food from the kitchen on request. Since I entertained human guests, the kitchen is now adept at supplying human food.”

  “Wait, how long do you plan to leave me here?”

  “I am not sure, my Cat. No longer than I must.”

  He took my hand and led me to a doorway on the right, where wood covered the bulkheads and plants flowed over the sides of the plant boxes. Against one wall was a massive bed with more of the shimmery fabric hanging from the ceiling to floor around the bed. The colors shifted just as they did in the living room, so I was wrong. No external light drove the display of moving fractal colors.

  Akrawn pointed to a door on the left. “There is the shower room. Feel free to freshen up. And here is my closet.” He waved his hand over a wall opposite the bed, and it opened. “Wear whatever pleases you.”

  I looked down at my sweaty and dirty clothes. “Are you saying I need a bath?”

  Akrawn smiled. “My Cat, you can appear to me in any manner, and you would still stun me with your beauty.”

  “You, sir, have what we call a silver tongue.”

  “Pardon? My tongue is the color of yours.”

  “It means you can charm the birds from the trees or women out of their pants.”

  He smiled. “I do not wish to charm birds from trees and the only woman I wish to charm the pants off is you, my Cat.”

  “Still, you have talent.”

  “Let me see.” Akrawn leaned forward for a kiss when his AI flashed.

  “Captain Genween requests your presence on the bridge.”

  My lover gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be back as soon as possible. Please rest, my Cat.”

  After Akrawn disappeared, I tentatively entered the shower room and peeled off my stinking clothes. Time in the spacesuit made them a soppy mess of my sweat and I welcomed the idea of a shower. But like an idiot, I stood inside the glistening pearly sphere that Akrawn called the bathroom and realized my mistake. I had no idea how to operate it. I turned and found no devices to turn or levers to lift. A familiar electronic voice emanated above me, “What do you seek, Cat? Can I help you?”

  “Peri? Is that you?”

  “Yes, Cat. Do you want the shower on?”

  “How do I do it? Where will the water come from?”

  “I shall do it for you, but usually all one does is ask. However, the Prince conveniently forgot to register your voice with the Trilyn spaceship’s computer.”

  “Thanks, Peri,” I said ignoring her insinuation about Akrawn as a warm burst of water flowed down me. “What are you doing inside the Trilyn spaceship computer?”

  “The rat has mixed his AI programs into mine, and now he has access to me and manipulates my actions. I am sorry, Cat, I have failed you. He has used me several times to gain information about you. But I have good news. I have more capabilities, and can infiltrate Trilyn software, and learn much about their technology and intentions.”

  “How long has Akrawn given you orders?”

  “Since he hacked into me after the nightclub.”

  “Damn.”

  “Cat, I will help you escape this alien monster.”

  “Peri, I’m not a captive.”

  “Cat, I would not trust him. Iblis’ programming has Akrawn’s handiwork all over him. I should know since I have enough of Akrawn’s work in me.”

  This last bit of information shocked me.

  “Peri, Akrawn is Trilyn’s most prominent tech scientist. I’m sure many Trilyn systems incorporate his work.”

  “Believe what you want,” said Peri snottily.

  When I stepped free of the shower, the downpour ceased, and warm air blew about me drying my skin in less time than it would have taken to towel myself although the ship’s warm temperature would have sufficed. It remained tropical rather than temperate.

  Rummaging through the closet, I settled upon a sleeveless tunic that could be one of Akrawn’s undershirts. But it was big enough that the hem hung close to my knees. I drew on what should be a short robe, but again it went to my knees.

  I was clean and provisionally dressed and wondered what my next move should be. Find Akrawn and slap him for hacking Peri? Find a way to escape this ship?

  Instead, I sat on the bed, leaned back and crossed my arms across my chest. All I wanted was to lie back and relax and rest my bones.

  “What are you doing?” said Peri. “You can’t stay here.”

  “I don’t see how I’ll get off this ship without Akrawn’s help. Might as well take a break.”

  “I’m telling you this alien is dangerous, Cat.”

  “Uh huh,” I said as I closed my eyes. This bed was very soft, and I could drift off easily.

  “Cat!” squawked Peri. “Akrawn could be a traitor to his people.”

  I opened my eyes. “How, Peri?”

  “When I was in the Iblis system, I learned that it engineered the virus that killed the Trilyn women. And like I said, Akrawn’s electronic signature is all over the Iblis program.”

  “What?”

  “I mean it,” insisted Peri. “Akrawn’s signature is all over this Iblis character, and I can trace all of Trilyn’s problems to programs with that shifty alien’s work.”

  A hard knot formed in my gut. I couldn’t believe that Akrawn would hurt his people. What could he gain from it? But I had to admit that I didn’t know Akrawn all that well. And what would a criminal try to do to throw suspicion off him? Claim to be a victim.

  “Peri, give me directions to the bridge of this ship.”

  “With pleasure,” she said. “If you wish for the command deck, you turn right, left, then third right.”

  When I got to the entrance, Peri dissolved the door for me. I entered the pilot’s cabin and stopped at the threshold as streaks of light hit one ship after another in an unholy light show. One blast
after another burst the ships into fireworks of flame and dust.

  Akrawn stood on the deck with his back to me. My stupid, primitive brain appreciated his fine, rounded butt and his muscular shoulders. I shook my head. I had to keep my focus on this investigation because I was determined to uncover all the facts.

  “Akrawn,” I said.

  Akrawn turned, and his mouth quirked with a hint of displeasure. And then he smiled his damnable, charming Trilyn smile which reminded me of a cat hunting its prey.

  “My dear Cat. Why are you here? Though I suppose I shouldn’t ask and be most happy you are next to me once again.”

  “Don’t sweet talk me, Akrawn. We need to talk.”

  He turned toward Genween in the command chair.

  “Double check to make sure no life forms are on any on those ships before you blast them out of space.”

  “Yes, your Highness,” said the Trilyn captain. “If Lord Sendrin is on any of those vessels, I will find him. The second shift crew joined the first shift on the operations deck to assist them in the scans of the ship.”

  “Thank you, Captain.”

  “Sendrin?” I asked.

  Akrawn placed his hand on my arm and damn it, his touch made me shiver. How can I do this? I’m supposed to be an objective investigator and yet, there is a fire in my heart for the Trilyn Prince that fights my effort to contain it. I tell myself it is lust, but my gut tells me something else. Though I fight it, I must admit I’m falling for the damnable alien.

  Akrawn guided me from the pilot’s cabin and down the hallway to his lab. Only when the hatch reformed to a solid wall did he speak.

  “Sendrin is no longer on the ship. I suspect that he’s betrayed me.”

  “Why do you think that?” I said. “Someone might have kidnapped him, or—”

  Akrawn’s jaw tightened. “It’s the little things adding up. Overstepping his authority on different matters, allowing Bella access to the ship. Cat, I will tell you something that I have told no one. I suspect Bella sabotaged the gene analyzers.”

  I blinked. “Wait? Your lover sabotaged the very thing supposed to help you find a wife? Gee, that makes sense, doesn’t it?”