by T. J. Quinn
“Thank you, that would be much appreciated. Now, show me this fantastic vessel of yours.”
Captain Rurik nodded and spent the next few hours showing their vessel to their guests. Something told him that he would do great business with the Zuvrakians and that pleased him more than anything did.
So, he showed him their farms, where they grew and bred most of what they ate, their medical unit showed the ultimate advances seen around the galaxies as everything on the ship.
“We have spent a lot of money on this vessel, as you can see because it really is our home away from home. We spend a lot of time in it, traveling all over the galaxies and quadrants, wherever our job will take us, so we need, efficiency and speed. It’s vital for us,” he explained his guests.
“Yes, I totally understand. We, the Zuvrakians, chose a vessel for its speed, weaponry, and resistance, nothing else,” Asgar stated.
“Of course, you are a people of warriors. We avoid wars as much as we can. They’re bad for business.”
The men chuckled and proceeded with their tour.
By the end of the tour, the women were handed to them along with the software containing their language.
“Here, we’ve uploaded the most important languages of planet Earth. Unlike most of us, they have hundreds of different languages on their planet,” Rurik informed, handing Egil a small disc unit.
“Thank you, that will be most helpful.”
When they finally returned to their vessel, Asgar and Egil were certain they had new allies in their quest against the disappearance of Zuvrak, even if those partners didn’t know how far their alliance went.
Chapter Three
As soon as they left the area where the Slythonians were, Asgar opened a communication channel with his king, Brynjar.
“Asgar, I was expecting you earlier,” his King stated in slightly scolding tone.
“Yes, we were supposed to be home by now, my king, but I am sure you will like the reason we were delayed,” Asgar explained with a pleased smile.
“Care to elaborate?” Brynjar asked, with a deep frown, his metallic gray eyes shining dangerously.
“I beg of your patience, my King. This you have to see for yourself. We have set course for Zuvrak, and we will be arriving as soon as possible.” The severe tone on Asgar’s tone must have convinced the king of the importance of the news because he insisted no more.
“I shall see you all then,” he nodded as he closed the communication and Asgar turned to look at Egil.
“Are the females installed?”
“Yes, they are. Should we remove their collars?” Egil asked, curious.
“No, not yet. They have been through a lot, and they may panic and do stupid things. The collars will restrain them better than anything,” Asgar replied as he walked out of the command center. “Take me to them; I would like to talk to them.”
“Of course. I’ve downloaded the software the Slythonians gave us, so you should have no problem with your translator,” Egil informed as he guided his friend down the narrow corridors of their ship.
“Yes, thank you for thinking of that.”
“I settled them together in a guest room and gave them clothes to put on. I thought they would enjoy each other’s company,” Egil continued as he opened the door and stepped aside for Asgar to get in.
Both women were standing near their chamber’s window looking outside chatting in a low voice. They were wearing the tunics they had been gifted with.
“Greetings, ladies. I am Asgar de Zuvrak, and he is Egil. I wanted to welcome you aboard our ship,” he greeted them. They weren’t exactly short, but they surely didn’t reach six feet tall. “May we know your names?”
One of them took a step towards him. “I’m Rosalind, and she is Erin,” she introduced, “Are you taking us home?”
“Yes, we are taking you to your new home, our home planet Zuvrak,” he explained, with patience.
“Our home is on planet Earth. You have no right to take us to… wherever you’re taking us,” she ranted, taking another step.
“That’s no longer possible, we’ve bought you, and by our laws, you now belong to us,” his tone wasn’t menacing, just so matter-of-fact it froze both women. “We are thousands of light years from Earth. You are not returning, and as soon as you accept that, the better it will be for you.”
Asgar watched the female clench her hands into fists and smiled. Despite their size, there was a fire inside them, which gave him high hopes for their future.
“It will take us a brief time to get to our planet. Use the time to rest and eat. It will do you good,” he nodded and left the room, followed by Egil.
“Quite a feisty one, our little Rosalind,” Egil said, with an amused grin.
“Yes, I noticed that as well. They will make two Zuvrakians very happy,” Asgar nodded. “See that they have anything they need.”
“Yes, of course. The men on the ship are curious and would like to meet the women,” he informed with a cautious tone.
Asgar shook his head, stopping to face his second in command. “I understand their eagerness, but I believe we should leave that to after we introduce them to the king and his councils,” he ran a hand through his long black hair, undoing the braid he usually wore. “Despite the way we might have felt, they have the last word on this and the last thing we need if to get our men’s hopes high just to kill them again, if we’re wrong.”
“Yes, I know.”
Asgar patted his friend’s shoulder a couple of times before he headed to his private chambers. It had been a heavy day, and he needed a respite from all of it.
“I’ll see you at dinner.”
“Very well,” he entered his chambers and let the door slid behind him.
Pulling the clothes off of his body, he went straight to the bathroom and into the shower stall. The soothing waters of his planet fell on his body cooling the fire burning inside him. Seeing those women on the Slythonians vessel had filled him with so much hope, that for a moment he had been afraid that hope would have clouded his judgment. When Egil had confirmed he felt the same, his hopes had spiked to the roof. Could it be possible they had finally found their matching mates? The species that would be the perfect match with his that would save his people from disappearing?
Once out of the shower, he put on another one of his suits. Made of a unique fabric, it fitted their bodies like a second skin and allowed them to stay warm and to transform freely, without ending up naked every time that happened.
Those few days their journey would last were going to feel as long as a hundred rotations around their sun.
He wished Brynjar had come with them on that trip. It would have solved the situation immediately and who knows, perhaps one of the women was the king’s soul mate, but his guts were telling him things wouldn’t be that easy.
By the time, he joined his men at the dining area; the topic of conversation was their special guests. The men were anxious to see them and interact with them, and it was hard to calm their spirits. In the end, they all agreed the king and his councils had to confirm the facts before they could celebrate.
Asgar kept away from the women. He didn’t want to exacerbate the crew’s feelings, and somehow, he sensed the women needed that time alone to think of their new life. They had provided them with enough material on their planet, so they knew where they were getting and what to expect.
According to Egil, they had seen the material but had asked no questions at all.
Hopefully, they would feel calmer when they finally reached the planet, and they were able to start their new lives.
Zuvrak finally appeared on their screens, and all the men cheered. They were home, and in a few hours, they would know if they had succeeded in their mission or not.
The vessel landed on the capital’s main docks, and the crew was dismissed.
With Egil’s assistance, Asgar guided the women into the vehicle that would take them to the palace, where the king and his council
s waited.
“Where are you taking us?” Rosalind, one of the females asked when they were about to enter.
They were wearing warm, dark blue, tunics since the temperature of the planet was usually low. The planet was very far away from its sun.
“To meet our king,” he explained, containing his impatience.
“I thought you had bought us as sex slaves,” she continued with a frown. “Are you selling us to your king?”
“No, I’m not. Your purpose on our planet will soon be revealed to you. The sooner you get into the vehicle, the sooner you’ll find out.”
She snorted, but finally entered, followed by her friend and seconds later they were on their way.
Chapter Four
Asgar looked around with pride. Their planet might not be as exuberant as others, but he still found it beautiful, with its blue mountains, its orange oceans, rivers and lakes, its metallic gray buildings and all in it.
The women seated next to him on the vehicle that hovered through the streets of the capital were mesmerized by all they were seeing, but they remained in silence.
They finally arrived at the palace, a massive fortress, capable of giving shelter to most of the citizens living in the capital, in the case of an attack; it stands out proud, on the top of a hill. It was the safest building in town, and it lodged all of the ministries as well.
The vehicle stopped in front of a massive, black door guarded by two armed soldiers.
Asgar hopped out of the vehicle and helped the women to do the same. He could tell they were nervous and shaking. Though Zuvrakians didn’t look that different from humans in their usual form, they did change a bit, when their beast came out.
Egil was the last one to exit the vehicle, and they quickly walked towards the council room. They had been notified the king and the councils were waiting there.
Egil had sent the women’s language software the day before, so all the translators should have been updated by now.
They finally stopped in front of another set of heavy doors, and Asgar turned to look at the women. “You must wait here, with Egil until the king summons you,” he informed them, and they nodded.
Looking at Egil over their heads, Asgar nodded at him before he walked in.
“Greetings, my King,” he said as he entered the room and the doors closed behind him, nodding at the other four men in the chamber.
The king and the councils were seated at an oval table, and Asgar was invited to take a seat as well.
“Ah, Asgar, finally. We are anxious to hear from your long journey,” The King said, his eyes locked on Asgar’s.
“I’m sure of it, my King.” He looked around with a frown. “Where’s Haakon?”
“On his way. We warned him, but the weather up the mountains has been difficult. We won’t wait for him, so tell us,” The King ordered.
“Yes, but if it weren't for an unplanned event, the news I would be carrying would be disheartening, at the least. Two lunar cycles traveling around the nearest quadrant proved to be a complete waste of time,” Asgar started relating his journey. “None of the female we came upon stirred us, not even on a basic level.”
The king’s face was a stony mask, but Asgar could see the turmoil inside him.
Brynjar knew better than anyone, the problem the lack of females meant. His own dynasty was threatened by it.
“What changed?” The King asked, in a measured tone.
“When we were on our way home, Egil was notified of a slave auction being carried away by the Slythonians, and I decided we had nothing to lose and much to win, so we went to the auction.”
“You are aware we are not looking for slaves, Asgar,” Fritjof, the Public Health Council, said, in a stern tone.
“I’m well aware of that, Fritjof. But, yes, the Slythonians trade with slaves. The good thing about them is that they usually bring females from all over the universe. They have the capability to travel through the galaxies and the quadrants as easily as we travel around Zuvrak,” Asgar continued explaining. “So, we thought there was a good chance of finding females from species we weren’t familiarized with, that might turn to be mates.”
“That was a long shot,” Fritjof intervened once more, but a cold glance from the king efficiently silenced him.
“What did you find on board of the Slythonians’ vessel?” the King finally asked.
“As we thought, they had females from species we had barely heard of.”
“And?” the King was impatient now.
“There was a species in particular that called our attention. The Slythonians were auctioning two females from a small planet of the fifth quadrant, called Earth, and we decided to buy them, at all costs.” Though Asgar’s expression remained serious and composed, he knew his eyes shined with enthusiasm. “We thought you would like to see them and judge for yourself, my king, but I’m sure you will agree with me in this.”
“Where are these females?” the King asked, with an ironic smirk. He knew Asgar way too well.
“Right outside the door,” He got up, ready to get them when the king gave the order.
“Bring them in, please.”
Asgar nodded and walked to the door, opening it, and letting the other three in.
There was a slight disturbance in the room as the women got in, followed by the thickest silence ever.
All the men were staring at the females, mesmerized. And they were scaring the women, too. They had approached Asgar and Egil as if looking for protection on the men on the other side of the room.
The King was the first one to come out of his astonishment. “They are from planet Earth, you say, Asgar?”
“Yes, my king, they are. They have translators implanted. Her name is Rosalind, and hers is Erin.”
The king closed the distance between them, and the women took a step back.
Brynjar was an impressive man, one that would easily unnerve the bravest warrior, with his almost white blond hair, his olive skin, and his gray eyes, but especially with his stony, imperturbable expression.
“Welcome to our planet, ladies,” he greeted them.
“Thank you,” Rosalind was the only one that answered, crossing her arms over her chest, but Asgar could tell she was being sarcastic. The woman had nerves he’d grant her that.
The king turned to look at his friend. “You were right. There is a lot of potential here.”
“More than just potential, my King,” the voice of Fritjof surprised them, and they turned to look at him.
“What do you mean?” the King asked him, with a snarl. But one look at the man’s transfigured face gave him the answer.
He turned to look at the women, and the one that had remained in silence had a quite similar expression on her face.
Asgar did the same and frowned. “Are you sure, Fritjof?”
“Did you claim any of them?” the man asked without bothering to answer Asgar’s question.
“No, no one did. I considered more prudent to wait until we got here. I can sense their soul mates’ potential,” Asgar explained.
Fritjof straightened up and walked towards the King. “She’s the one.”
“Are you sure?” the King repeated Asgar’s question.
“I’m totally sure, my King. You know I was the most skeptical one, but one look at her and my whole body responded, followed by my heart and my soul. There is no doubt in my mind.”
“Very well. But you’ll have to go slow on this, you understand that?” the King asked, lowering his tone.
“What the hell is going on here? Would anyone mind explaining this to us?” Rosalind asked, apparently impatient and on the verge of an explosion. “I believe we deserve an explanation.
“Rosalind, please,” Erin pleaded, with her eyes still on the tall man standing in front of her.
“Your friend is right, you do deserve an explanation,” The King said, facing the women. “Please, join us at the table, and we shall explain why you have been brought here.”
> They walked to the table and took a seat, but there appeared to be mistrust and some fear on their expressions.
Chapter Five
The men took their places, and the King started the explanation.
“We are a small planet of Drogon Warriors with only a few million inhabitants. Most of our planet is uninhabitable, so the population concentrates in only a few cities,” he displayed a hologram in front of him, illustrating his words. “On the last one hundred rotations to our sun, the number of females born decreased to alarming figures, to the point we had to start looking for alternatives on our neighboring planets, but though we have been searching for several rotations now, we have failed to find suitable mates amongst their females.”
“That’s terrible. It could mean your extinction,” Erin blurted out, forgetting about her natural shyness for a moment. She had been a genetics expert back on Earth. “What kind of studies have you made? Could I take a look at them?” she continued until she realized everybody was looking at her. “I’m sorry. Please, continue,” she lowered her head, as heat colored her cheeks.
“Why would you want to look at the studies?” Fritjof asked, in a soft tone.”
“I am… was a doctor back on my planet, expert on genetics,” she explained with a slight frown.
“I would be more than happy to show them to you. A new pair of eyes might see something we’ve overlooked,” the man suggested, looking at his King for approval.
“Yes, of course. That’s a promising idea,” The King nodded. “Asgar and Egil were commissioned to travel to the next quadrant in search for possible mates for our males, but they were coming back empty handed when they found you,” The King finished explaining.
“And you think we are compatibles, is that it?” Rosalind asked, in a scornful tone. “You have to be kidding me.”
“We’re certain of it,” The King replied in a stern tone. “I understand you are upset and this is too much for you to take, but your arrival has brought hope to our people.”
