by Marcus Sloss
Starla had endlessly apologized to me and I reassured her it was not her fault. I figured Arenus would remove me from the event’s roster and exclude the influence that led to my troubled evening. He did neither. I was shocked and pleased by his faith in me. I had kept my head down for the remainder of my time choosing to focus on my studies and improving my relationship with my tutor.
Things had developed into a budding romance. During my evening free time, we would get a smoothie, watch the latest movie, or stroll through a park. It was unusual for me, I had never really courted anyone before. The amount of time we were spending together was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed our tutoring sessions and evenings. The night before the big day we had kissed so passionately that things got heated. I informed her I was a virtuous young man of impeccable character. I was told if I behaved for the historical lancer and human gathering then I would be aptly rewarded. When she whispered how I would be rewarded seductively into my ear – I ditched my jaw at her door that night. She giggled as she tossed me out so I could get home before my curfew.
∞∞∞
I reflected at my image in the mirror. My brown hair clashed with my blue eyes. My forehead sheened slightly and my eyebrows were trimmed nicely. My chiseled jaw came to a dimple that contrasted my high cheekbones. I then checked out my outfit. I was dressed in a fancy mix of a business suit and a spacesuit. There were fluffy padded shoulders with baby blue frills that hung from the elevated plateau. My white top was tight but not form fitting. The color and cuffs contrasted the vibrant white with baby blue trim. It was a two tone piece throughout and I liked the way the outfit looked, minus the goofy shoulder pads. I would be probably be the only guest representing the planetary colors of Versi.
I did a quick twist each way and looked at my backside from the mirror. Everything looked like I was ready. My black combat boots were the only thing I was allowed to pick out. They clashed with the formal wear but I loved the clomp noise they made as I walked. I was ready to get to the fun. Deep down I was excited to learn as much as I could about the lancers. It just so happened there was a lady friend of mine who desperately wished she could have attended. Starla gave strict orders to procure any knowledge I could for her. Arenus said they hated to talk and to give them space. I would be following his recommendation here.
I approached my bedroom door that vanished as I neared. I stepped into the hallway and walked down into the fifth floor ballroom of our expansive apartment. There was a hub of activity around a minibar and a table of heavy hors d’ oeuvres. I smiled and meandered through the crowd, another body added to the mix. In my case, an irrelevant one as no one tried to talk or greet me. I did as coached and ate a few snacks while drinking my purified fancy water from some asteroid glacier named Sparklie.
No one bothered me and I was immediately bored. I decided a few more snacks wouldn’t hurt and stuffed my face. They were exquisitely delicious. I was careful not to dirty my outfit even though it had a self-cleaning feature. Full on finger food and in search of entertainment I went to the designated youngling area to find Beau. When my search came up empty I decided to play a game of holographic chess against Vivian.
She always won, I could get close but I had set her to never hold back. Chess was one of the few games I never excelled at, not against a program anyway. We were on game two when a loud commotion settled the noise of the guests. The VIP had arrived with lots of titles shouted and welcomes received. I choose not to make a big deal about it and continued with my match.
I was interrupted when a flowery fragrance wafted into my proximity which alerted me I was being watched over my shoulder. I slowly glanced behind me to find a female lancer’s face mere centimeters from mine. It was as if she had anticipated my movement and placed her face in that exact location to test me.
Instinctively I wanted to jolt in surprise, yet I grinned as the speckled orange eyes pierced into my soul. I broke contact first and reverted my eyes back to my match. I moved a castle five spaces forward.
Air rapidly escaped the lancer as she flapped her gums. A solid chomp ended the flair. The empty spot across me was quickly vacated. Vivian disappeared and the board cleared to a fresh start. I saw a sparkle in her eye as the events transitioned rapidly. Somehow she had overridden my authority to the board and banished Vivian. I was impressed.
“I am Milashva. Call me Mila, the shva means female and the sha mean male. You drop those once introduced. Well human…” I removed my eyes off the board and scanned her. She adjusted her lacy top in frustration. Her fighting the corset almost set her large breasts from overexposed to bursting free. For a nonhuman, she was remarkably beautiful, not that I was viewing her that way. She had this amazing palette of lavender and pink. Her stripes curved and swayed in intricate patterns. A corset dawned her top while legging contrasted her midriff to rear legs with a hole for her tail. Her front legs and arms were uncovered. White short whiskers covered a lightly dotted face, the sunken orange eyes studied me in return. I guiltily wanted to pet her, and I could not figure out why. I noticed the slightest of tells she was smelling the air with her button nose. “Interesting. I do not smell lust or fear on you. Tell me human what do you think of my beauty?”
I glanced down at the board and input a mental thought of moving my pawn from D2 to D4. The little soldier animated its legs and maneuvered in overdramatic steps to relocate. I thought of Starla and how I wished she were here. I was about to give her an honest remark when Mila’s eyebrows raised and she brought her sniffer closer to me.
“There it is… Hmm intriguing, you are smitten by another woman and desire her more than me, how cute. Now answer my question.”
Mila moved a pawn in opposite of mine.
“I am Mack, welcome to my home. I admit I am intrigued by your appearance. I find your coloring striking, your contours sleek, and outfit… Appropriate for human culture. That corset looks painful though, aside from that I would complement you on your smooth curves. You are very lovely.” I mentioned.
“You have no idea how confounding this corset is. It is worse than the houses’ edge at the casino.” She shimmied in the tight garment and sighed in frustration. “Grandfather said I had to cover my privates on this cesspool of a planet. Apparently, modesty is a must, but in reality, you humans have porn that makes us vomit. Thank you for your kind and honest words, most humans I talk to are full of false platitudes. When I smell you I cannot even detect the after smell of deceit.”
I moved my outer pawn one forward. I decided to try to help ease her suffering. I stripped off my outer jacket and down to a well tailored baby blue vest. I handed it over to Mila and she paused momentarily in contemplation.
“Thank you, Mack, this is most thoughtful. It will also arise suspicions from my brother that I will delight in. Where may I get changed without offending the other sensitive humans? You wouldn’t mind seeing me in my natural form would you?” I pointed out the bathroom unable to reply. I was not certain what she was hinting at but it left me uneasy. She cued into my reaction with a sniff and rolled her orange swirling eyes. I did not follow her or even watch her sway as she rushed off to free herself of her corset. I wondered who had recommended such an over the top… I chuckled at my own pun… outfit.
While she was gone Arenus visited with the lancer ambassador Havsha. I stood and figured I was going to be another paw he shook on his rounds. When he stopped in front of me he pushed Arenus and the other humans who crowded him back. There was a space cleared until it was only us. Havsha took a mighty inhaled through his nose. I reacted to the odd noise by etching a confused face.
“I am Havsha, you are not of Earth or any of the core planets.” Direct, to the point, and certainly not a question. Hav waited with his paws cupped together in patience at his waist. I felt every set of eyes in the designated kids' room boring into me. Arenus rolled his right hand forward trying to coax a reply out of me.
“Greetings Hav. Correct, I am from an outer planet called Vensi.” Everythin
g that been coached to me was to be honest, direct, and short. It was then I noticed the mini drones that hovered around. They were clearly human, I doubted the lancers needed bots to record footage for them. I was nervous and dried off my sweaty palms on my vest. There were probably millions if not billions of people watching me. I inhaled a deep breath and found my center, the same as I did for any big game.
“I smell no deceit on you. Your species contains many planets that are overpopulated. It is clearly defined by the Onatics covenants that to reach stage four you must expand and then claim a hundred and first planet. Is your Emperor effectively doing his job at achieving that goal?” Hav asked. He didn’t flinch, as he stared me down.
Mila broke the silent tension when she reappeared wearing my top. Arenus blanched and Hav chuckled. The two lancers spoke rapidly in their native tongue. My translator should have deciphered the conversation but it was flat. Odd. As if it was being jammed. I shrugged it off knowing she had bought me time.
“If I answer that question I feel… I know… I will bring dishonor to my house and my stepfather would never deserve that.” I replied hoping I was tactful enough.
This was the wrong thing to say. I had refused a request of our honored guest and I saw him restrain his rage at my impotence.
Arenus raced to calm him by placing a hand on my shoulder. “This Empire allows free speech even if it may be critical. Go ahead Mack, the ambassador wants your opinion.”
I stood straight and looked Hav in the eyes. “No. The Emperor is not even close to achieving the hundred planet goal, or even efficiently rising to the challenge. Would you like to know what I would do or what he is doing wrong?”
Shocked gasps escaped around us. They were expecting a different answer but I was honest. More and more had filtered in to watch the verbal exchange. I ignored them and focused on our esteemed guests.
Hav rubbed his paws together in anticipation. “How would you achieve what your species must?”
I was starting to understand the situation. At least I guessed I did. I was being used as a tool to highlight something that an advanced alien race viewed as vital and our Empire viewed as inconsequential. Well, maybe the Emperor thought it was important but knew the further he expanded the more his power would slip.
“I would immediately suspend all government bodies and run a dictatorship. I would purge all the elites, including people like my mother… As sad as it is, they rarely achieve much and waste lots. Keeping them around would only stagnate and slow my goals. I would then take every able bodied person and strip them of their luxuries. They would all become soldiers in my armies or workers for my factories. I would hire Onatics to expand our portal connections to link one hundred solar systems. Then I would colonize all hundred planets at once and stomp any rebellion with swift violence. Every baby factory would be working overtime, and women would be ordered to give live births again if production slowed. The hundred and first planet would wait until my war footing was solidified and properly ready. Once we were churning out enough weapons, ships, gear, equipment, and everything else to sustain a prolonged fight I would launch an attack. I would tell my generals they were to achieve victory or die on the field of battle. Failure is not an option, the next chance would be for the next generation. We must reach stage four no matter the cost. If the Onatics who are ancient by any standard insist on it, then it is a priority goal. ” I finished feeling ashamed but knew I could deal with it because my scenario would never happen. This had been a ‘what if’ scenario Starla and I had talked about only a few days ago. Her version was much nicer.
He gave a slight nod and asked Arenus to continue to escort him. Gone without another word. The gathered crowd followed them as they continued the tour. Mila retrieved me from where I had frozen in place and returned us to our game. Her touch was calm and soothing.
Mila and I carried on light conversation while we gamed. I was not sure why she chose to sit with me but I found the time passing. There was a toast followed by a quick speech from both ambassadors. For once I did not mind the ordeal because it was less than two minutes each. Arenus knew his counterpart would be brief so he followed suit. It was then I noticed the third lancer that arrived late to the event. A larger male than Mila with similar pattern marking but pink and black. He did not seem entertained and fumed to Hav constantly.
“Ready to lose again,” Mila asked on our third game not noticing the new lancer. I was getting tired of playing but the evening was winding down and I seemed to be her lifeline for the event.
“Of course! Maybe I will do better this round. I am much more assertive and sure of myself in zero gravity than at chess. I find I am too rash and prone to overextending my pieces. I know I have the flaw but it is beyond me on mastering my control of it.” I told her as she tapped a paw against the holographic surface. I knew I was going to lose again. I think Mila could beat Vivian, actually, I knew she could.
The game progress and as it neared its end she gave me an opening. The problem was the moment I seized the opportunity the older agitated male showed up.
“Little sister, why are you wearing this monkey’s cover?” The older brother said. Must have taken the time to research insults a human might be offended by. Arenus did not cover how to handle an asshole lancer. I did not rise to the bait.
“Ah… Varnn you honor us with your presence. I had to remove a garment one of my servants recommended was the current fashion for gatherings here. It hurt my breasts and was dreadfully uncomfortable.” She said while making another poor move in the game. A gleam caught her eye as she shifted her gaze back to me.
I moved my piece and declared “Checkmate.” I had a genuine smile that was quickly wiped off my face.
Varnn clubbed his little sister with such force she indented the wall. “You dare to lose to a lowly monkey!!!” Things had spiraled into violence and I felt drawn to intercede. I shot out of my chair and defiantly stood. Varnn was eye level with me, but that is where the similarities ended. He had far more weapons on his body. His claws were out and his teeth barred at my defiance of merely standing in my own house.
“Excuse me Varnnsha, it is a human custom to avoid violence inside a host’s house,” I said hoping to defuse the situation. Mila was wobbly lifting herself off the ground and she locked her pleading eyes to mine.
Varnn caught sight of her silent call for help and went to belt her again with his paw. I caught his arm and stopped it. We were both surprised. I thought he would power through it and he was stunned at my audacity. The fact I halted him of expressing his displeasure swapped from shock to anger. That seething rage we both contained boiled as I clasped his forearm.
Arenus went to rush between us when Hav held him back. My temper was reaching a crescendo and I needed someone to step in. Alas, there would be no one.
Varnn eyed me with delight and a sinister grin crept across his face that revealed long fangs. His sharp teeth were not my sudden worry though. His free arm came slashing down hard at my overextended wrist. I instinctively retracted my arm with all my might and pulled his forward. This resulted in worsening the situation as his claws slashed his left paw and blood spilled.
There were gasps and shrieks yet no one approached us. I released my grip and braced myself. Varnn lost control of rational thought and succumbed to his inner killer instincts. He pounced so fast I had to fly with his assault. We twirled in the air as he clawed at me. I was out of my element and three long serrated hooks tore across my chest. I screamed out in pain as I desperately struggled to keep him at bay. We smashed through a table that erupted into pieces beneath us.
I was slower to recover. He leaped at me as I hastily placed a section of destroyed table between us. His claws dug into the recycled wood and embedded. I capitalized on his distraction and clasped him in a bear hug around his torso. I mustered every ounce of my being into my legs and shoved us toward the balcony. My head was tight against Varnn’s back as we shuffled closer to the opening. I caught a raised eyeb
row from Hav as he realized what I was doing, yet he did nothing to stop me.
I was out of options, I could not win a fair fight. I knew that he had so many more advantages than me. I needed to do something drastic. Varnn freed his claws from the wood eventually and I felt blinding pain rip from my lower back to my shoulders.
I received the damage and gave a long, mad, and evil laughter. My opponent paused. I felt his body shift as he realized we were about to go over a fifth floor balcony. He tried to counter our momentum, and when that failed, he attempted to go limp in my arms. I was fine with that. I carried him with a mighty heave and launched us over the edge with him below me.
The entire fight my blood had pumped so rhythmically with my rapid heartbeats it had drowned out the background noise. Now all I could hear was Varnn screaming in rage as we plummeted to the ground. I was mauled savagely on the way down as he fought me. I expected terror at our impending fall but it was he who giggled with glee as he ripped his claws into my body. Right before we hit the pavement I realized my guts were spilling free. There was a sickening wet thunk when he hit and I bounced off Varnn to roll a few meters away.
My entrails laid a path from where I had been to where I rested. I decided taking a breather was not an option. I dragged my body over to Varnn where he coughed up blood. He tried to shield himself as I climbed on top of him but his arms faded to his sides. With my guts hanging out, and my blood rapidly leaving my body I finished the job. I smashed his face until a large fang popped loose. I snatched it off the ground, dug it into the slow breath lancer and hammered it into his eye socket with my fist.
That was how Varnn died, with me pounding his tooth deep into his brain through his eye. When I finished I rolled onto my back with my vision fading. I was becoming disorientated now that my single driving purpose was gone. Tiredness called at me, I needed to rest. Rest for a mere moment. Rest…
Hav quickly descended from the balcony and hovered over me. “Why?”
